//------------------------------// // The Experiment Continues // Story: My Chemical Reaction // by MysteriousStranger //------------------------------// Twilight’s P.O.V. It happened! It finally happened! I had my first date with Aria Blaze! I always imagined it but I never thought it would actually happen, yet here I am giggling like an idiot! “EEEEEEEEEE!!” I screamed with joy, my heart is racing so fast my chest hurts! It has been a few days, but I’m still so happy! I just had my first date with Aria Blaze! I can’t believe it! In my excitement, I hugged my pillow tightly while excitedly kicking aimlessly as I giggled with glee, or as Spike put it, like a mad woman, but I couldn’t care less. Spike was laying on the floor, taken aback by how I was behaving. I have been acting like this since I returned from my date! “AAAAAAH!” “Twilight, don’t you ever get tired of doing that non stop?” He covered his ears to protect them from my ear piercing shriek.  “But, Spike-” I sat properly, with my legs crossed on the bed while smiling at my pet. “I can’t help it! I had a... date! A date with Aria!!” “I know, and I’m happy for you,” Spike said, as he stood up and jumped onto my bed. “But you said that she still doesn’t know how she feels about you. What if it turns out that she doesn’t like you back?”  His words pierced my heart like an arrow. All my happiness was gone in an instant. Although he did have a point. Aria being unable to reciprocate my feelings was still a possibility. Still, it hurt to think, even if the potential was minimal, it still broke my heart. I fell back onto my bed feeling heartbroken and hugged the pillow I was holding tightly against my chest as my smile faded. “Y-You’re right…” “I’m sorry Twilight. I didn’t mean it in a bad way.” My pet leaned down his head. “I want her to like you back as much as you do, but-” “I-I know.” I said, as I pulled Spike closer to me with an arm and smiled faintly at him as I scratched him affectionately. “You’re looking out for me and I appreciate it. I just don’t know what will happen, which is why I want to savor every moment. Just let me enjoy it, okay? If it turns out that the doesn't like me back, then you’ll be able to say ‘I told you so.’” “I would never do that to you, Twilight.” My pet said, as he got comfortable against me. “I’ll support you no matter what happens. If she ends up liking you back or if not, I’ll always be there for you.” “Thank you, Spike.” I smiled at him before kissing him on his forehead. He replied by wagging his tail happily. I giggled before glancing at the door. “We should go to the lab. I need to plan my next date with Aria.” “Okay!”  I picked my pet up and walked towards the basement. Once in my lab, I set Spike on the floor, placed my phone on one of my work tables and put on my lab coat before heading to my blackboard, where I had done some previous planning. On the board, I drew Aria and myself holding hands inside a heart frame and above it I wrote the title, ‘Project: Girlfriend!’. Below the drawing, I divided the board in five spaces, one for each date. On the first day, I drew the logo of ‘Burger Princess’ and a confirmation tick beside it. Below them, I wrote ‘Success!’ Smiling, I moved my attention to Day two. “Let’s see… since we’re in a trial, I should try not to overdo the dates. I don’t want Aria to feel uncomfortable or awkward.” “How about the amusement park?” My pet suggested. “Hmm…” I considered his idea. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t think that it was the right moment.  “I don’t know. It’s a good idea, but I think it’s too soon. There’s more than one attraction which can be considered a little too romantic and I might not be able to stop myself from kissing Aria. I almost did so when she helped me to clean myself at ‘Burger Princess’.”  I started to remember that day. The things Aria said, how she was willing to stop teasing me when she feared that I wasn’t comfortable with it. Although the teasing doesn’t actually bother me. She embarrasses me yes, but in a good way. I know that she cares about me. She wouldn’t be so protective if that wasn’t the case.  Everything that happened in our first date reaffirmed how I feel towards her, but I wonder… did she feel anything? A spark, at least? It’s hard to read her. Her actions were no different from how she usually acts around me, with the exception of the hand holding, but she could easily have done it just for me. There it is again! That pesky feeling of self doubt! Oh, how I wished I could be braver and more self assured like Aria! She really was a wolf. A pack leader. She just had an aura of confidence which I envy. She always knows what she wants and has a strong presence that makes me feel safe when I’m around her. While I wish I was more like her, she says I’m fine the way I am, so I’m doing something right. I want to be there for her and I hope in the end, she wants me there by her side too.  “Twilight?” I blinked, waking up from my thoughts, and glanced at Spike. He looked worried. “Everything okay?” My pet is standing up on his back legs pushing against my leg to get my attention. He looked really worried, was I spacing out that long?  My expression changed from confusion to a smile. “Yes, Spike. I was just thinking about the date.” “Oh.” He started to shake his tail in happiness again. “You’re welcome to relive it all you like, but I think it would be best if you choose a place for the second date first.” I chuckled. “You’re probably right.” I turned to the board again. “Somewhere I would love to visit with her would be Canterlot City’s Planetarium, but this could also be too romantic.” “How about the Aquarium?” Spike suggested again. I grinned at him. “That might work! She might really enjoy it since she used to live in the sea! She could appreciate my gesture! I can already see it, watching the different sea life while holding each other, admire the wonders the lighting might do on her beauty, we could have a snack at the aquarium’s café, and…” I stopped, my excitement fading. Spike, however, was still thrilled. “That’s perfect Twilight!” “Y-Yeah, maybe too perfect…” “Huh?” My pet tilted his head in confusion. “Is that bad…?” “In this case, it is…” I sighed. “The aquarium could be special for her. I would prefer to take her there when and if we become girlfriends.” “I-I see…” Spike leaned down his head, sad. “What other option do we have?” “Let me think…” I frowned in thought as I stared at the board.  It has to be a public place, not too romantic and with something fun to do. The park wasn’t good enough, the mall is too expensive for Aria. Hmm… what’s cheap, frequented by people, and opened at least six days a week? I should take her somewhere I like to see if we have more shared interests. Somewhere I could teach her more. Teach her about… the city, maybe? Wait a minute…I-I think I got it. I glanced at Spike, grinning. “How about the museum?” “The museum?” My pet seemed confused again. “Isn’t it a weird place for a date? I don’t think many couples even consider that option.” “Aria and I are different. For starters, we’re not an official couple yet.” I said, smiling. “She also enjoys my teaching. I usually keep my feelings in check when I’m doing so.” “Okay, that’s true.” Spike sat down and wagged his tail happily. “Tell her everything you find attractive about her like last time.” My face instantly went crimson red and I got on the defensive. “Sh-She was the one to ask! What else was I supposed to do!?” Spike chuckled. “I know, I know.” I smiled at him before walking to where my phone was. “I’ll call her to tell her that I’m ready.” I took my phone and dialed her number. However, by the second tune, I realized what I was about to do. I glanced at Spike, eyes widen in shock. My heart was racing again and I began to run in place in a panic. “I-I’M ABOUT TO ASK HER OUT!” Spike leaned his head in confusion. “Umm… yes?” I looked around, desperate. What do I do?! How do I talk?! Darn you brain, why do you hate me so much?! “Hi there, cub! What’s up?” Oh, no, it’s her! I feel like I’m melting! I was so stunned her voice left me in a trance which made me drop my phone. “Twilight!” My pet stood up and watched my phone fall. “Gah!” I blindly waved my arms around, trying to catch my phone, but it kept falling. I can’t let it hit the floor, it’s too fragile! I jumped towards my phone and managed to grab it just before it hit the floor, but I felt really sore afterward. Phew! My knees and elbows are hurting because of the fall, but I have no time to worry about them. I knelt and reached my hands towards Spike, showing him the phone. “Spike, you talk to her!” “What?!” He took a step back, surprised. “Why?” “I c-can’t! My tongue is twisting too much! Help me stall her until I can calm down again! Please?!?” “But what do I talk to her about?! I’m a dog!” “I don’t know, anything! Talk about your favorite chew toy Rarity gave you or something?” “You know, I can hear you clearly.” Spike and I froze in place when we heard Aria’s voice coming from my phone. Oh, no! I must have activated the speaker during my panic attack! My heart was racing ready to burst out of my chest from embarrassment.  “A-Aria…?” I managed to speak, just barely though. “Sparks.” Her tone sounded amused. That’s good, right? “And hello to you too, Spike.” “H-Hey, Aria…” He replied awkwardly. “So…” Aria spoke again. “Did you really mean to call me or did you butt-dial me?” “U-Umm, w-well…” I made eye contact with Spike. He nodded to encourage me to continue. I cleared my throat and spoke again. “I called you on purpose. I-I’m ready to a-ask you out on our second… d-date.” “You are?” I nodded at her, only realizing that it was dumb of my part when Spike slapped his paw on his forehead. “That’s good. I was actually thinking on calling you since I haven’t heard from you since our date at the ‘Burger Princess’.” I chuckled nervously “W-We really didn’t set a time limit, didn’t we?” “No.” She sounded like she was trying not to chuckle. “Where do you want us to meet, cub? And when?” “Oh! U-Uhh…”  I just realized that I didn’t think of when. Also, I was still on the floor, so I stood up and turned off the speaker, putting the phone to my ear so I’m able to hear Aria better. I think I’ll clean off the dust later. Trying to calm myself before hand, I went through my destress breathing exercise I learned from Cadence before replying to Aria. “I-I was thinking of a visit to the… museum?” “The museum?” Her tone was hard to read. Did she like it? Did she dislike it? Oh, no, she thinks it’s too boring, doesn’t she? Just as I was about to panic again, Aria spoke again over the speaker. “I think that’s a good idea.” “Y-You do?” I blinked in surprise. “Yeah, I have been wanting to visit it for a while, but Sonata says it’s boring and Adagio doesn’t want to take me. They told me to go alone, and I usually enjoy having me time, as you know, but… I didn’t want to go there without company this time…” Oh, Aria… she sounded so sad. I wish I could hug her right now. “Th-Then it’s a good thing that I’ll be there with you.” “True.” She recovered her good mood, if her tone was any indicator. “Visiting the museum for our date is a great idea, Sparks. Good thinking.” Uh, oh, there goes my heart again! Hearing Aria say ‘date’ almost made me lose my balance! I don’t know how, but I managed not to squeal. “Th-Thanks, Aria. I’m looking forward to it. I might even tell you one or two things about history.” “Please, do. So… when do we meet?” Oh, right! I forgot about that! “When are you free?” “Not tomorrow. I’m taking Sonata to the cinema while Adagio works at home on her designs.” I smiled. “It’s nice of you to take Sonata out.” “Y-Yeah…” I noticed embarrassment and happiness in her tone of voice. “I have been trying to be nicer with her since after what happened at ‘Burger Princess’. It’s… strange, though. I’m not used to being so nice to her yet.” It warmed my heart hearing Aria was trying to be nicer to her little sister. I’m so glad she’s making an effort to change, that in turn made me want to change too. Thinking about have I already changed? I did ask her out after all, I’m a lot braver than I used to be. It helps to have good friends to help me too.  “I’m glad that you’re working on it. It makes me happy to see you try.” I said, smiling.  “R-Really?” I think Aria sounded flustered. “Yes. Your sisters love you, and I’m glad you’re trying to show them your love in a positive way.” “Wow, I…” Aria cleared her throat. “Thanks, Twilight. Anyway, I’m free the day after. Want to meet up then?” “The day after tomorrow?” I haven’t seen Aria since our first date, so I’m excited to be able to see her again in just two days! Oh, I wish I could see her now!  “Y-Yes, we can meet in the afternoon and take a tour,” I said, trying to hide my excitement. “Okay, sounds good.” I heard a faint knocking sound from Aria’s line. “Hold on, come in!” I heard a door opening before hearing Adagio’s voice over the speaker. “Aria, we’re out of eggs. Would you mind going to the store to get a dozen?” I heard Aria groan. “Fine, I’ll go.” “You’re a sweetheart, Aria.” Adagio thanked her sister. “Yeah, yeah.” I heard the door close before Aria spoke to me again. “Sorry, cub. I have to go.” “I understand. See you at the museum!” “See you then.” She said, smiling, I’m sure. “Later.” “Bye, bye!” After Aria hung up, I placed my phone on my chest and sighed heavily. That went better than I expected. I glanced at Spike. He was sitting by me happily wagging his tail. “You’ll see her in two days? That’s great!” “I know.” I smiled at him. “I can hardly wait!” I walked towards the board and drew the outside of the museum on ‘Day 2’ and wrote ‘Status: Pending’ below. “Okay, there’s nothing else to do here. Let’s go back upstairs.” I placed my lab coat back where it was on a hook and dusted myself off. I was about to open the door for my lab to head back up when my phone started to ring. “Who could that be?” I wondered picking up my phone.  I walked towards my work table and picked up my phone. “It’s Pinkie.” I accepted the call and put my phone to my ear. “Hi, Pinkie!” “Twi, hi!” She answered, cheerful as always, but I had to pull the phone away as my friend loud voice nearly shattered my eardrum. “I’m calling you to let you know that we’re all meeting at Sugarcube Corner right now. Feel free to come!” I smiled. “Thank you for the invitation, Pinkie. I’ll be there.” “Kay, kay! That’s all. Byeeee!” My friend hung up. “Oh, Pinkie…” I giggled and put away my phone before looking at Spike. “My friends are at Sugarcube Corner and I’ll join them. Do you need anything?” My pet shook his head. “Nah, I’m fine. Have fun! Oh, and tell them I said hi!” I chuckled and knelt to scratch his head. “Will do. I’ll leave you the door of my room opened.” “Thanks!” Spike jumped into my arms. I carried him to my room, where he jumped down onto my bed. I then walked to my mirror to arrange my hair, and make sure I was properly dressed for my meeting with my friends. If I knew Pinkie, it would be fun, but messy. I took some money putting it in my wallet and that in my purse, and then glanced at my pet one last time. “When I get back, we’re going for a walk, okay?” “Oh, boy!” He started to bark excitedly as he jumped around. I giggled, blew him a kiss and waved at him as I walked out of my room. Once downstairs, I saw my parents talking in the kitchen. The door was opened, so I knocked on it to catch their attention. “I’m heading out to meet my friends at Sugarcube Corner!” “Okay, dear. Have fun!” My mother replied while my father just nodded. “Thank you. I’ll be back later!” I waved at them before heading outside. Once I walked down the stairs, I gave myself a one last look over making sure I was ready, took a deep breath and continued on my way to meet my friends. This is perfect! I already told my parents, my brother, Cadence and, of course, Sunset about my trial dating with Aria. I told her she could tell Trixie, but I asked her not to tell anyone else. I want to personally reveal my crush on Aria to everyone, and now that I’ll have everyone gathered, I can’t waste this chance. “Twilight, over here!” Pinkie Pie waved at me energetically as soon as I walked through the doors. It appears that it wasn’t her shift since I saw her sitting with everyone else, even Trixie was there too, sitting next to Sunset. My friends smiled at me as I approached them. “We saved you a seat next to Trixie!” “Thank you.” I smiled at my friends as I sat down. “Twilight, darling, it’s good to see you.” Rarity greeted me as soon as I sat. “I was waiting for your arrival before talking about an interesting subject.” “Which is…?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Why, the Sirens, of course.” Rarity smiled warmly. “They have changed so much since we last saw them. Now they’re so approachable! Well, two of them, at least.” I caught the tone in Rarity’s voice. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised Aria wasn’t as forthcoming with her. Well, at least she was trying and she was friends with Sunset and Trixie. It was a start, I guess Pinkie too?  “Wait…” Applejack spoke up, frowning. “Yer still hangin’ out with Adagio?” The fashionista nodded. “I am. She accompanied me to the fashion parade which was held at the mall just a few days ago. She’s quite friendly, darling. We shared our sketchbooks and designs. Let me tell you, she has an excellent eye.” “That’s all you did with her? Talk about fashion?” Rainbow Dash asked, crossing her arms. Was she also raising an eyebrow suspiciously? “Yes, that was all, but we had a good time!” Rarity didn’t lose her smile. “I’m eager to get to know her more.”  She moved her gaze towards Fluttershy. “I hope that you don’t mind, dear, but I invited her to the tea house we’re going to go in two days.” Fluttershy leaned her head backwards. She wasn’t expecting to be talked to. “I-I don’t mind…” The timid girl replied with her usual quiet tone. “Hold on!” Applejack raised her hand as in ‘stop’ to catch Rarity’s attention. She didn’t look very happy “Yer inviting her to a tea house? You never invited me to one!” “I didn’t think it would be your scene, Jackie.” Rarity replied, tilting her head in confusion. “Not often, but ah wouldn’t mind once in a while…” The farmer girl looked away, seemingly offended. “Do you want to join us, darling…?” Applejack crossed her arms, still avoiding Rarity’s gaze. She eventually replied, smiling slightly. “… Ah’ll be there.” “Oh, marvelous!” Rarity clasped her hands, smiling widely. “We’re going to have so much fun! I’ll pick you up with Adagio, before looking for Fluttershy at the animal shelter.” “Oh! That reminds me…” Fluttershy said, looking at me. “Twilight, I hope it’s not too late, but, are you free to help me at the animal shelter the day after tomorrow? It’s fine if you can’t.” “The day after tomorrow?” It’s the same day in which I have my date with Aria scheduled, but that’s in the afternoon. “At what time would I join you, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy stuttered looking wide eyed around her. “U-Umm… after lunch? I’ll wait for you outside the building.” I think I should be fine. I can tell Aria we’ll meet there instead after I help Fluttershy for a few hours. I smiled at my timid friend as I replied. ”I’ll give you a hand, Fluttershy." “Th-Thank you, Twilight.” My friend returned the smile. “I’ll give you the address later.” “Returning to the previous subject.” Pinkie Pie spoke up, grinning. “I befriended Sonata! She works at ‘Burger Princess’ and she’s so cool!” “Really?” Rainbow Dash asked, frowning. Pinkie Pie nodded. “Yes! Oh! And when I visited her at work a few days ago, I also saw Aria! She and Twilight were-” “P-Pinkie, wait!” I waved my hands frantically to catch Pinkie Pie’s attention. However, I froze when everyone stared at me with varying degrees of shock. “U-Uh…” “What’s wrong, darling?” I barely registered Rarity’s voice. I suddenly felt small as I flushed madly. “Woah, there, Twilight! Yer as red as Granny Smith’s raspberry’s pie. Are you feelin’ okay?” Applejack asked as she reached to check my temperature on my forehead. “Hmm, seems fine to me.” Rainbow Dash frowned worriedly. “Yeah, what’s going on?” Panic! I’m panicking! Someone please help me! “Alright, girls, why don’t we let her breathe for a bit.” Sunset said, as Trixie pulled me back to the back of my seat. Thank you, thank you! My friends looked at each other, nodded, and then stopped staring at me so intensely especially Rainbow Dash. They allowed me to take deep breaths until I calmed down. “Now, don’t glare at her too much.” I felt how Trixie squeezed my shoulders. Was she massaging me? “Oh, sorry sugarcube, we didn’t realize that we were…” Applejack apologized, scratching the back of her neck. “-Giving you too much attention.” Rarity continued the apology. Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.” Trixie released my shoulders patting my back. I glanced at both her and Sunset. They smiled at me and I returned it. “Thank you. And Trixie, that massage did its job. You’re really good!” “Well…” The magician smirked. “I have experience.” After her words, I noticed that Sunset blushed before she looked away. I giggled before turning to my other friends. “Don’t worry, everyone no harm done. Umm…” I nervously touched my index fingers. “Rarity, I’m glad that you brought up my other friends, because I have something to say…”  Before continuing, I looked at my athletic friend. She was taking a sip from her straw and paused when she noticed me looking right at her. “Rainbow, these are big news, so I’m going to wait until you stop drinking.” “Why? Just hit me with those news, I can take it!” Rainbow Dash said with such bravado, waving her drink around before returning to drink from it. “I-I don’t think so. Remember what happened before?” I said. Rainbow Dash groaned. “Fine…” She placed her drink on the table. “There. My hands are free.” “Thank you.” I smiled at the stubborn girl before addressing everyone again. “When Aria and I went to ‘Burger Princess’, we…”  My friends were all watching me expectantly from what I was about to say. I was getting anxious, so the dramatic pause wasn’t intentional. I was glad Trixie and Sunset were being more casual, it made me feel better. I eventually managed to recover the use of my tongue and could finish my sentences. “Aria and I were on a date.” My friends’ eyes widened in shock, some even gasped. “Wha-?!” Rainbow Dash tried to say something, but she suddenly started to cough. “Dashie, what’s wrong?” Pinkie Pie worriedly asked. “I… choked…” The athletic girl said between coughs. “With what? You put down yer drink, didn’t ya?” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. “I choked… with my saliva…!” Rainbow Dash said, glaring at Applejack. “How did you manage to choke with yer own saliva?” The farmer girl asked, frowning. “I was swallowing, okay?!” Rainbow Dash glared back. “Could you two please stop talking about saliva?!” Rarity asked, clearly disgusted. “Seriously, eww!” “Sorry…” Applejack said, before turning back to me. “So… has Aria been yer girlfriend all along?” “Why keeping such a wonderful detail a secret, darling? You simply must tell us more!” Rarity said, cheerfully with a grin. I think I saw her eyes glimmering. “Yeah, please, tell us more, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “No one’s going to point out the fact that SHE’S DATING ARIA?” Rainbow Dash was confused and angry at the same time. Why does she dislike her so much? So far, she’s the only one of my friends who still feel this way. Just what happened between them? The fashionista groaned and then frowned. “Oh, please, Rainbow, it’s obvious that the Sirens are not the same as before. Let it go.” “But-” Rainbow Dash was interrupted by Applejack. “Rainbow, Twilight, Pinkie and Rarity are on good terms with them. Ah think you should trust them.” The farmer girl said with seriousness. “We talked ‘bout this before.” “Maybe what you need is to meet them!” Pinkie Pie said, with her usual grin. “We can all gather together and you’ll see how cool they are!” “Yes, darling. We promise you that they’re good people, err, Sirens,” Rarity was clearly trying to be diplomatic. “Please, try not to be rude with them.” Cornered, Rainbow Dash huffed, crossed her arms and folded into her chair. “Yeah, okay. I’ll… try. For real this time.” “Thank you, dear,” Rarity said with a smile before squeezing Rainbow Dash’s cheek. “I knew you would come around.”  While my friends talked, I submerged into my thoughts. I promised not to dwell into the past, into what happened between my friends and the sirens. I still stand by that promise, but I can’t deny my growing curiosity. Curiosity was good for science, it always lead to discoveries and new inventions to be made, but in this case I must repress it. I’m just starting to get closer to Aria. I should avoid making uncomfortable questions that could ruin what we have. “Twilight? Twilight, dear, are you there?” I blinked in quick succession when someone snaps their fingers in front of me. Focusing my view, I realized that it was Rarity and she looked worried. “My goodness, Twilight, you have been staring blankly for quite some time.” “Wh-What? I-I’m sorry.” I giggled nervously. I sure have been focusing too much on my thoughts again, haven’t I? “Don’t worry, dear. I’ll just ask again.” Rarity smiled warmly at me. “How long have you and Aria been dating?” “O-Oh, about that…” I blushed and didn’t look at my fashionista friend in the eyes. “We’re not really official yet.” My friends were confused. They either tilted their heads, frowned, or were dumbfounded. "Let me explain.” I cleared my throat before continuing. “I have been crushing on Aria for quite some time. A few days ago, my feeling grew to the point I just couldn’t hide them anymore.” “So… you confessed.” Applejack commented. I nodded. “In a way, yes.” My farmer friend raised an eyebrow. “I-I might have kissed her a little bit…” Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy gasped while Applejack and Rainbow Dash widened their eyes in shock. “You kissed her out of the blue?” Applejack asked. “Oh, Twilight! I didn’t know you had it in you!” Rarity commented, smirking. “It was the heat of the moment! If you had been there, you would have understood.” I sighed happily. “Anyway, Aria didn’t know how she felt, so she asked for some time to think. The next day, she proposed for us to try dating. We had our first date on the same day, and we’ll have our second one in two days.” “In two days?” Fluttershy spoke up. “It will be in the afternoon, Fluttershy. Don’t worry, I will still be able to help you.” My timid friend smiled in appreciation. “So… you’re not an actual couple? That’s… new.” Rainbow Dash commented. “I think it’s sweet.” Rarity said with a smile. “We’re happy for you, Twilight.” “Yeah! We can help you too!” Pinkie Pie smiled widely. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Pinkie, but… I think this is something Aria and I must discover on our own.” I kindly rejected Pinkie Pie’s offer. I don’t want to overwhelm Aria. Besides, what I said is also true. Aria and I have to go through this experience by ourselves. It would make everything more meaningful.  “Maybe we don’t have to actively play matchmaker-” Sunset spoke from her seat. “But we can cheer for you.” She said before winking at me. “Trixie doesn’t really like that Siren-” Trixie added, frowning, before turning to me. “But she hopes your relationship with Aria works out.” I responded with a smile of my own. “Thank you. I know some of you have some reservations, but I assure you, Aria can be really sweet.” “I’ll have to see it to believe it,” Rainbow Dash said, causing Applejack and Rarity to glare at her. The athletic girl shrugged. “Just saying. She doesn’t have a good track record with us.” While the validity of Rainbow’s statement were in question, we let it pass since she had little interaction with Aria or her sisters. Side from that, the rest of the day went on without any more problems. The girls and I talked about other things and I enjoyed my time with them. Rainbow Dash went on about her last soccer match, Rarity and Trixie talked about fashion, and how to improve Trixie's magician wardrobe. While the rest of us talked about other things. Overall it was a good day, and I was happy among friends. Two days later… Here it is, this is the day. Date day! AAAAAAH! Calm down, Twilight… The day was a busy one, too. Not just because of the museum with Aria, but I also had to help Fluttershy. After lunch, I headed to the address she provided me with Spike. My friend led me to the changing room where she gave me an apron and special boots and gloves in order to not get my clothes dirty. I left Spike to play with some of the dogs in the shelter while I cleaned, fed, and gave all the animals the love and care they needed. It wasn’t a clean job, but it was still enjoyable. Time flew really fast! Before I knew it, it was time to meet with Aria. I removed the apron, the gloves and boots before going outside with Fluttershy and Spike, where we stood by the door to wait for our friends. “This was fun, Fluttershy. I hope I can join you more often.” I was the first one to break the silence. My friend looked at me, smiling. “I hope so too. You were very good with all the animals. You didn’t really need my help.” “I told you that I was an animal enthusiast.” I said, before nuzzling cheeks with Spike. “I don’t just care for Spike.” After saying the last, my pet licked my face, causing me and Fluttershy to giggle. “He’s a lucky boy.” My timid friend said before stroking Spike’s head. “He’s got your undying attention all the time, just like Angel does with me.” “It has been a while since I last saw your bunny. I would like to see him again.” “I would like to play with him!” Spike excitedly said. “Oh, I’m sorry. I could have brought him to the pajama party…” Fluttershy was really upset about it. Oh, no. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy. There’s always a next time.” I smiled at her. It seems like she recovered her mood because she smiled brightly at me. “Well, hello there, darlings!” Fluttershy and I gasped.  I recognized Rarity’s voice, but she was nowhere to be seen. Fluttershy, Spike and I looked in every direction until a limousine parked next to us. One of the windows was pulled down to reveal Rarity’s face. Our fashionista friend opened the door and walked out of the limo, with Adagio behind her. I noticed that Applejack was inside too. Rarity placed a hand on her hip before speaking. “Pardon us if we kept you waiting for too long. I had to rent this limo when I realized the time.” “What ‘bout, ah don’t know, a regular cab?” Applejack commented from the vehicle. “No way, Jackie! A cab doesn’t have the same accommodations. It simply wouldn’t do.” “Agreed.” Adagio said, crossing her arms. “I stopped using them because most of them were filthy.” “It’s okay, we just finished.” Fluttershy said with her usual quiet tone. I glanced at her. She was looking at Adagio, with an expression somewhere between shock and fear. Looking back at the Siren, I saw her smiling warmly at the timid girl as she spoke. “Hi there, sweetie.” “Eep!” Fluttershy squeaked before quickly hiding behind me. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Adagio felt bad for what just happened. “Don’t worry, darling, this is normal for her.” Rarity said, sighing and waving her hand around before making eye contact with me. “Oh, Twilight~!” Rarity’s voice was melodic and excited. “We have a surprise for you~!” “A… surprise?” I raised an eyebrow, confused. Rarity and Adagio looked at each other and snickered, while Applejack looked away. I got even more confused by their strange behavior. What’s going on? “We brought…” Adagio made a dramatic pause, she opened the limo’s door while stepping aside. From the inside, someone else walked out. It was … Aria…? I gasped. Aria’s here with them?! “… Your date!” Adagio finished her sentence as she and Rarity extended their hands towards Aria as in presentation. Aria leaned back and groaned. She was visibly annoyed. “I told you not to do that! It’s so stupid! How is this a surprise if we agreed to meet here?” It WAS her! I wasn’t expecting to see her so soon! I didn’t see her inside before. Where did she hide? Not important! I quickly gave Spike to Fluttershy and ran towards my crush, leaping towards her in a hug. Aria gasped the moment I reached her. “My goodness, dear!” I had my eyes closed, enjoying the embrace, so I only heard Rarity’s dreamy voice. “You were saying?” Adagio seemed to ask someone. I think her question was to Aria because the latter replied with a loud grunt. “Shut up.” Aria’s tone didn’t show signs of anger anymore. At this point, she hugged me back. “Hey, Spike. Are you coming with us too?” “Spike?” I opened my eyes, briefly meeting my eyes with Aria. I had to force myself to look away for now. Instead, I leaned my head towards my pet, who was still being held by Fluttershy. “I brought him so he could play with the other dogs at the shelter. The museum has a ‘no pets’ policy, so he can’t come…” Spike produced a sad whimpering sound and looked down as his ears folded down with him. “Oh, don’t worry, Twilight. I have taken Angel Bunny to the tea house before. We’ll take him. I can drop him off at your house later.” My timid friend said as she petted Spike’s head. “I can come with you? Cool, thanks!” My pet wagged his tail happily. Fluttershy giggled while she hugged Spike. “Aren’t you a precious little thing?” “Ah reckon we should be goin’.” Applejack was the one to speak this time, standing outside the limo now. “They have a date and all.” “Of course, you’re right.” Rarity looked back at Applejack. “Hold on.” Adagio said, as she approached Aria and me. I stopped hugging my crush and stood next to her, but I held her hand. Adagio stood in front of Aria, licked a thumb and began combing Aria’s hair. “I asked you to comb properly. See what happens when you do it at the last minute?” “I combed it how I like it!” My date complained, shaking her head to dodge Adagio’s hand. Adagio groaned not giving up in spite of Aria’s behavior. “Stay put, sister! I’m trying to help you!” “If I may, dear, I think I may be of help too.” Rarity interjected, as she pulled out makeup from her purse. “If you allow me-” “You may not!” Aria backed away, releasing my hand. “I already spent the entire ride with you! That’s more than enough!” “But I can make you look lovely!” Rarity tried to offer her assistance again, but Aria turned around and crossed her arms. “I said no!”  I know that they’re not on good terms, but I still didn’t enjoy witnessing this. Adagio sighed loudly. “No need to be so rude!” She said, before glancing at Rarity. “I apologize, but I’m afraid that this is how she is.” “It’s not the first time I come across someone stubborn.” Rarity commented as she put away her makeup. “Very well, so be it. Fluttershy, Spike, we’re leaving.” Both Fluttershy and Spike nodded in response. The timid girl ran towards the limo while Rarity smiled at me.  “Have fun you two. I want all the juicy details later.” She winked at me afterwards. I blushed furiously, leaning down I buried my face in my hands. “R-Rarity!” I peeked from between my fingers and saw Adagio looking at her sister, who was now facing the limo, still with her arms folded. “Aria, stay out of trouble.” “Don’t I always?” Aria replied, with a smirk leaning one hand on her hip. Adagio sighed, massaging her forehead. Then, she opened the limo’s door so Rarity could get in. “Thank you, darling.” Rarity smiled at Adagio before getting inside.  “Ciao!” The fashionista waved at us as Adagio closed the door. As Aria and I stepped away we saw Applejack step in front of Adagio with a cross look on her face. The two stared at each other for a minute, Adagio seemed confused by Applejack’s actions while Applejack just stared back. “What’s wrong?” Adagio asked with much sass in her voice. “You like what you see?” Applejack narrowed her eyes at Adagio’s teasing. “It ain't that. I could have held the door open for her.” At first Adagio looked like she was ready to respond, but a moment passed and her lip curled into a smug grin. “Oh, Applejack, if you wanted to hold the door open for Rarity all you had to do was ask.” Applejack said nothing, I noticed a slight blush on my friend’s face and apparently so did Aria, who was covering her mouth trying not to laugh. Adagio seemed to notice too, if her response was any indicator. “Well, if you’re that disappointed not being able to hold the door open for your lady-” “She ain’t mah lady!” Applejack's sudden outburst had Adagio chuckling and Aria herself was having a hard time holding back her laughter as she tried to look away. I elbowed her, still in shock from what I was seeing and hearing.  Adagio stepped aside and waved her hand. “Well, then Jackie, let me see if you're up for the task. There is another lovely lady who wouldn’t mind if you opened the door for her.” Adagio said, in her sweet sing-song tone. Applejack was not as red as the apples on her farm from hearing her nickname. At first Applejack said nothing but after a moment she stepped forward avoiding eye contact with Adagio and opened the door for her and stood by it like a well practiced butler would. “Adagio.” At her name, the siren smiled taking Applejack’s hand and slipped into the limo with such grace and beauty I felt mesmerized. Once she was in the limo Applejack sighed as Adagio poked her head out.  “Thank you. You’re quite the gentlewoman. Isn’t that right, Rarity?” Adagio looked back at my other friend. Rarity then leaned over from inside the limo with a grin, and I swear I saw Applejack go tense for a moment. “Why, yes I do think you’re right Adagio, however;” she pouted at Applejack. “I thought you’d hold the door open for me too!” She whimpered making Applejack deflate slightly. Both Adagio and Rarity giggled as Applejack huffed stomping the ground. “Ya’ll are messing with me ain’t ya!?” “Sorry, Applejack, but you’re just too easy to tease!” Adagio gasped out between giggles. “Yes, quite, we meant no harm darling!” Rarity added.  Applejack groaned and closed the door stiffly. She then noticed us as she walked to the other side opening the door and paused to stare at us, more specifically Aria, who was still stifling her laughter, I elbowed her in response making her stop. Applejack huffed and slipped into the limo slamming the door. The limo then drove away, leaving me a-alone with Aria. I slowly turned around to find Aria, with her arms folded, smirking and looking where the limo drove off. “It sure is fun when Adagio teases somebody else for a change.” She said before turning to me, still with her smile. “Hi there, Sparks.” I gasped, averting my gaze at the floor as my face turned completely red. My heart always skips a beat whenever she calls me by any of my nicknames or my actual name. I heard her chuckle and then her footsteps getting closer to me. “You amuse me, Twilight, you know that?” “I-I do…?” I forced myself to look at Aria as I spoke.  Bad idea. She was so close to me! “Yeah. I don’t know why, but there’s something funny about seeing you all flustered.” She lost her smile before continuing. “I mean, it’s not a bad thing, right?” There’s her worried side. The reminder of how concerned she is with me always puts a smile on my face. “N-No, it’s alright. I’m glad you don’t find it weird or annoying.” Aria recovered her smile and placed a hand on my head to gently stroke my hair. My jaw dropped, but I managed to suppress a gasp. “Never.” She kept stroking my hair. While doing so, I noticed how her smile slowly faded. “Is everything alright?” My crush looked at me, widening her eyes. “Uh…” She sighed, looking away from me and crossing her arms. “Not really. You probably didn’t enjoy watching me yell at your friend.” “Oh…” I looked down, sad. “Yes, I did not enjoy it at all.” “I thought so…” I glanced back at her. She unfolded her arms and gazed at me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” “Aria…” I took a step towards her. “I get that you don’t want to be friends with them, but you can’t treat them like that in front of me. I love them. Watching you yell at Rarity… it hurt me.” “I know, but…” Aria groaned. “It’s complicated. I’ll explain you everything as soon as I’m ready. For now, I hope you can accept my apology.” I can’t be too harsh on her. Despite her action being unpleasant, she’s apologizing. Frowning, I spoke to her. “I’m still unhappy about it-” My crush looked ashamed. No, I definitely can’t be harsh. I automatically smiled.  “But I forgive you.” Aria grinned and opened her arms, attempting to hug me, but I stopped her by raising a hand at her. Again, I frowned putting on a serious face. “I don’t want to see that again, though. I’m serious about this.” Aria raised her eyebrows in shock. “Noted.” I smiled at her again before hugging her. My crush was taken by surprise, but she eventually returned the hug. “Thank you.” She said, before breaking the hug and looking around, placing her hands in her pockets. “So, umm… I don’t know where the museum is. Since I never had the chance to visit it before…” “It’s this way.” I said as I pointed out with my index finger behind me. “If we go now, we’ll arrive just in time for the tour.” “Cool, let’s get going then.”  Aria took a few steps forward into the direction I pointed, but I didn’t move just yet. I’m very tempted to ask Aria to tell me what happened between her and my friends, but I know that it’s a bad idea. She just said that she’s not ready. Besides, I made a promise to wait. Still, whatever happened must have been huge. All of my Canterlot High friends were worried when I told them about Aria and her sisters, but their worry is not as big now. Only Rainbow Dash doesn’t seem to trust them. Should I… investigate on the matter?  “Hey, Twilight!” I gasped lightly and looked at Aria when she called me. She smirked at me as she showed me one of her hands. “I’ll get lost without your guidance, cub.” I blinked several times, waking up from my thoughts. I grinned and ran towards her side, taking hold of her hand. No, there’s no reason to investigate about this. I trust Rainbow, but I also trust Aria. Together, we started to walk towards the museum. I remained silent for a while, but I eventually managed to say something. “A-Aria…” “Hmm?” She didn’t look at me, but she smiled. Even the side of her smile makes my heart flutter! “U-Umm… If you dislike my friends so much... why were in a limosine with them?” “Oh, that…” She sighed and looked at me. “I was going to meet with you after everyone else was gone, but the moment Adagio found out that they were going to pick up your friend at the same place you were, she dragged me with them.” “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that…” “Meh, I’ll live.” Aria smiled at me. “It was Adagio’s deed, not your friends’. They let me be during the limo ride, so I can’t be mad.” I sighed in relief. “I’m glad nothing bad happened.” My crush smirked and looked ahead of us. This time, I didn’t take long to break the silence again. I was starting to feel confident. “How was the movie? The one you took Sonata to?” Aria shrugged. “It was alright, I guess. She wanted to watch Nora Universe. I really didn’t understand the plot, so I was lost. Why do they have to sing so much?” “Nora Universe? I never heard of it.” I commented. “Sonata loves the show.” Aria continued. “She watched every single episode and specials. So when a movie was announced, she, of course, begged us to take her to the cinema. In the end I agreed to take her.” I giggled. It was nice to hear that Aria was spending so much time with her sisters. “I’m glad she had the chance to watch her favorite show on the big screen. Did she enjoy it?” I asked, glancing at my crush. “She did.” Aria smiled. “She laughed and sang along. She wasn’t the only one, though, so I wasn’t embarrassed. I bought her ice-cream afterwards and then we bought pizza for dinner.” “Sounds like you had a great day, then.” I squeezed her hand. Hearing her say that she enjoyed her day with Sonata made me happy. “We did, actually.” She looked at me, still smiling. This girl will be the end of me and my heart! “How about you? What did you do?” “Me?” Aria nodded. “Do you see anyone called ‘You’ around?” I blushed, both in embarrassment and because of my crush. “W-Well, I was with my friends, I read some books, played with Spike and worked in my lab… I didn’t do much.” “You did more than me, though.” Aria grinned. “It’s not a competition…” I said while looking away, but still smiling. “I never said it was.” Aria nudged me with her arm to call for my attention, so I looked at her. We were so close… DON’T KISS HER, DON’T KISS HER! “Besides, I was never a fan of competition. Too much work, and you don’t always win, so it all goes to waste.” “Winning isn’t everything. You get experience and you also get to have fun.” I say. “But I want the prize, and I’m not talking about a consolation prize. I mean the real deal.” I giggled. “Maybe one day we could try some competition games at an arcade or the amusement par-” I closed my mouth abruptly when I realized what I just said. I just said the other day in my lab that the amusement park was too soon for us. Aria raised an eyebrow, confused, then she smiled. “Amusement park?” She chuckled. “I don’t have a problem with that, but Sonata has been begging Adagio to go there for a while. She might not be happy if I get to go without her, so maybe we shouldn’t go there for the time being?” “Yes, I agree with you! It wouldn’t be fair for Sonata.” I said, maybe with a higher tone that I intended. “Okay…” My crush got confused again, but then she cleared her throat. “Change of subject. How was your day at the shelter?” I smiled at Aria. “You ask about my day quite often.” Aria shrugged. “I like to hear what you do.” There’s those butterflies in my stomach again. She will really be my end. “W-Well, Spike had fun with the puppies, while I was in cleaning duty. But I didn’t just clean. I also fed and pet every fuzzy animal I could. There are just so many of them! Anyway, Fluttershy told me what each of them enjoys doing and where each of them preferred to be petted. They are all so cute…!” I told Aria everything I did and she listened. She listened to every word. She’s so attentive! She made a few more questions about the shelter, but she just listened to me most of the time. “Here we are!” I said as I excitedly stepped in in the museum’s main hall. I took a deep breath after looking around. “Tell me, what do you smell?” “Floor wax?” Aria replied, pointing with her thumb to a janitor who was sweeping the floor nearby. “Well, yeah,” I giggled. “But also…” I took another deep breath. “Knowledge. The history of Canterlot City resides here.” Aria took a deep breath and smiled smugly at me. “Sorry, cub. I still smell floor wax.” “Very funny.” I playfully pushed her before leading her to a group of people who were standing in the center of the hall. “We must wait for the tour guide here.” “Okay.” Aria contemplated the different expositions. “Could we get closer to the two paintings inside those crystals over there? They’re too small to see from here.” I glanced at the group. “I don’t see why not. We don’t need to be with the group the whole time until the guide arrives.”  Aria and I approached the exposition she wanted to see. The two paintings were portraits of two women who looked oddly familiar. I read the inscription below. The sister Queens Sol and Nebula. They ruled the lands surrounding Canterlot City when it was still a kingdom. They refused to get married, and instead chose to rule together until their lands were invaded. Records confirm that they managed to escape overseas disguised as settlers. Documents discovered a century ago show that they eventually got married and had families of their own. “Well, that’s a bummer.” Aria commented. “They lost everything they had and were forced to live as commoners.” “History is usually like that. Not everyone has a happy ending,” I said as I stood next to her. “At least they survived. In history, that alone is a victory.” “I don’t really feel bad for them.” Aria spoke again. “But I can relate. I know how it feels to have everything only to have it taken away from you.” “Aria…” I placed a hand on her shoulder. She dropped her head and remained silent for a while. I figured that she was thinking of continuing or not so I let her be. Eventually, she glanced at me. Her expression was hard to read. She wasn’t angry, but she was clearly upset about something. She wasn’t sad either, but she wasn’t smiling. “Back in Equestria… My sisters and I encountered-” “No… way!” Both Aria and I widened our eyes in shock. I recognized that voice. I turned around and spotted Pinkie Pie by the group of people in the middle of the hall. She was grinning and had her hands clasped together. “Pink-?” I was cut short when my party friend rushed to me and hugged me tightly. “What a wonderful coincidence! I wasn’t expecting to find you here!” While hugging me, my friend glanced at Aria. She tried to hug her too, but Aria backed away, raising a hand to stop her. “Not me. I’m serious. I’m not like my sisters,” Aria backed away as Pinkie deflated next to me. “Aww…” Pinkie Pie dropped her hands and pouted. Sorry, Pinkie, but I’m taking Aria’s side this time. “Pinkie…” My friend looked at me when I called her. “Why are you here? I don’t mean to offend, but I didn’t take you for the kind of person who makes visits to the museum.” Pinkie Pie recovered her usual smile and giggled. “My sister Maud works here! I sometimes come to visit her.” “Oh. Have you seen her yet?” To my dismay, Pinkie Pie shook her head. “Nopey dopey! I was going to see her now, but then I saw you guys and I thought on saying hi, so… hi!” My friend grinned with her eyes closed, waving one hand while she kept the other behind her back. “H-Hi…” I waved her back, but weakly. I then heard Aria clearing her throat. I looked at her and saw that she had her arms crossed and that she was frowning. R-Right! “P-Pinkie, you know that I’m always happy to see you…” “I’m happy to see you too!” I giggled. “Yeah… but, Aria and I are currently on a date, and-” “Ooooh.” Pinkie giggled again. “I get it. Sorry, I forgot. I won’t get in your way then.” “You won’t?” Aria asked surprised, raising an eyebrow. “Nope!” My friend shook her head. “Sonata asked me to let you two be if you were on a date and I pinky promised her to do so. And you must never break a pinky promise.” Pinkie Pie adopted a serious look when finishing her last sentence. It scared me a little. “Wow…” Aria said, unfolding her arms. “Well… th-thank you…?” “You’re welcome!” Pinkie Pie finished by giving my crush a strong pat on her back.  Aria shook her body in response. I gasped when I saw this. One of Aria’s eyes was twitching and she clenched her fists. She made eye contact with me, and I let her know with a frown and by shaking my head that I didn’t approve of her behavior. My crush exhaled and relaxed her body. Crisis averted… for now. “May I have your attention, please?” A new man arrived to the hall. He was raising his hand and was well dressed. He must be the tour guide. “We’ll begin in just a few moments. Please, everyone who is here for the tour, gather around.” “That’s my cue!” Pinkie Pie grinned at us. “I’ll go ahead and meet with my sister. You might see me, but I promise to keep my distance.” I smiled at my friend. “Thank you, Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie nodded. “Have a nice date!” She waved at us and skipped away, waving at the tour guide. “Hello Mr. Faustin!” “Hello, Pinkie.” The guide nodded at her as she passed. Meanwhile, Aria and I gathered with the rest of the group. My crush seemed to be a little confused by the situation, but she smiled at me when I took her hand. “What’s in your mind?” “Just thinking about Sonata and the Pink One. I’m astonished by how much they’re respecting our space.” “They’re good people, Aria, and our friends. Well, they’re mine, while Sonata’s your sister and-” My crush chuckled. “I got your point, cub.” She smiled at me, poking my nose with an extended finger. “I’m still not used to others being nice to me, other than you. I sighed. “I understand that change doesn’t happen instantly,” I said before smiling at the siren again. “You’re trying, that’s what’s important.” Aria returned my smile as she reached down and squeezed my hand. “Thank you.” Even though I felt like my heart was about to explode, I managed to keep myself composed. The food joint was one thing, but I can’t cause a scene at the museum. “Alright, we’re all here?” Mr. Faustin scanned the group. “Good, follow me. We’ll start with the expositions of the natives before the first settlers arrived.”  Aria and I followed the group and didn’t talk much except to comment on what we saw. Now that the situation with Pinkie ended, my mind focused on what Aria was about to say before the interruption. She was going to talk about her life in Equestria. It was the first time she was going to tell me something about her past. Oh, no. I haven’t told her that I know how she got here! I should have told her at ‘Burger Princess’… I can still save this, though. Once we’re alone, I’ll tell her. For now, I’ll enjoy my… date with Aria. I really enjoy seeing her focused expression. Instead of making questions to the guide, she made them to me, and I was more than happy to answer them. This turned out to be a good place for the date. When we left the museum we were still holding hands. Aria had a big smile on her face, which was contagious. “I can’t lie, it was fun, but I prefer when you’re the one who does the explaining.” I blushed, and hard. “W-Well… I-I try…” A compliment! My date gave me a compliment! I was so excited I could scream! Then again I don’t think Aria would appreciate that kind of attention. So, I tried my hardest not to squeal like a fan girl.  Aria smirked at me. “One thing I did find boring was the geology and paleontology sections.” “Yeah, Maud knew what she was talking about, but she explained in such a monotonous way that I don’t think anyone enjoyed it.” “The rest was interesting, though. Who would have known my neighborhood used to be where the knights slept centuries ago?” My crush grinned. “There were some things I didn’t get to see, though. We should come again another time.” “Of course, I’ll be happy to return with you.” I smiled at her. She remained silent afterwards, so I think it was time to talk about her past. I hesitated, but I eventually took a deep breath to speak. “So, Aria, about what you were going to say about Equestria…” “Oh…” The siren smiled nervously. “You remembered, huh?” “You… changed your mind about talking about it?” I completely lost my smile. “It’s… complicated.” Aria scratched the back of her head. “I don’t really enjoy talking about my life in Equestria, but when we were watching those portraits, I spoke without realizing what was I saying.” “Aria…” I stopped walking and faced her, taking hold of both of her hands. “I understand if you’re not really ready to talk about it… but I do have something to tell you.” “I’m all ears.” I sighed. Here it goes…”I know how you got here. I know about Starswirl and his portal… Sunset told me.” Aria’s expression quickly went from shock to anger. “Sh-She what?!” I took a step back, waving my hands. “Th-That’s all she told me, I swear! She didn’t tell me anything about how you met my friends nor why you’re not on good terms with any of them. She’s keeping her promise.” My crush took deep breaths to calm herself down. “I believe you…” I sighed in relief and smiled. “It’s actually convenient, though. That’s pretty much what I was going to say.” “Oh-” I leaned back my head. “Really?” Aria nodded. “Yeah. My sisters and I encountered him. We fought, but in the end, he opened a portal which sent us here. We lost everything we had back in Equestria because of him. We had to start from zero when we arrived to this world.” “I’m so sorry to hear that…” I said as I took hold of her hand again, caressing it with my thumb. I couldn’t begin to think or understand what that must feel like. If I lost everything, my home, family, friends, I don’t know if I could recover from that. Aria was very strong and so were her sisters. I admire that in them. But I still felt bad. “Don’t be.” My crush looked at me with a serious expression. “I have done a lot of things I’m not really proud of nowadays. Everything's different now. My sisters and I have adapted to our life here. Besides…”  Aria smiled and took a step closer to me. She placed her free hand on my head and scratched my head. “Being here allowed me to meet you.” I widened my eyes again as I flushed furiously. When she saw my reaction, she smirked and touched my nose with her index finger. I literally felt as if my face was burning. I used both of my hands to cover my face. Oh, Aria! Why are you doing this to me?! I heard Aria chuckle and then I felt her hands on my shoulders. I moved my hands just enough to be able to look at her. She had a smug smile on her face. “Okay, I think that’s enough torture for one day. Let’s continue before the sun sets completely.”  I nodded and hugged myself as we started to walk again making sure to get back at Aria by not talking to her. That is until she wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her side. With our bodies pressed against each other I had all but forgotten her teasing. I was still flustered for it, but I figured I could let it go… for now. Aria smiled at me. “I promise, no more teasing today.” While I was still blushing, I managed to smile at her. Walking towards Aria’s home, we continued to talk about what we saw at the museum. It didn’t take me long to return to my normal self. When we arrived, Aria turned to me. The light of the sun setting did wonders to highlight her best features. Her eyes, her hair, her smile. I can barely hold myself from kissing her. I allowed myself to get lost in her eyes until she spoke. “I had a really good time today, Sparks.” “Me too. I wasn’t completely sure if you would enjoy the museum, but then you said that you have been wanting to go for a while.” “Not long after meeting you, actually. You made me realize that there’s no shame in enjoying to read.” My blush deepened hearing her say that. “I’m always happy to have reading partners.” Aria took a step closer to me, and then, to my surprise, she hugged me. “A-Aria…?” “It’s a goodbye hug.” She said before breaking the hug. She then placed a hand on my head and took mine with the other. “You have planned two of the five dates now. Any chance I can plan the next one?” I nodded. “S-Sure.” Aria let go of my hand and took a step back. “I’ll call you.” I smiled at her in response. Aria waved at me, turned around to open the door, and then she walked into her house. She looked at me before closing the door. I stood still for several seconds, looking at her door, before my legs decided to obey me. I have to update the status of the date on my board! Just as I turned around, the door opened again. I barely had time to register a blue shade before I was hugged. It was unexpected, but I managed to keep my balance. “Hello, Twilight!” It was Sonata. “H-Hi there!” I greeted her, but before I could hug her back, Aria called her from inside the house. “Sonata, get back here!” “Goodbye, Twilight!” In just a blink of an eye, she got back inside and then closed the door. I was left dumbfounded. However, I recovered within moments. It’s impossible not to smile at Sonata’s energy. It’s no wonder her and Pinkie got along so well, they were exactly the same! I giggled, shook my head, and started to walk towards my home.