Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic

by onekface

A Concert to Pie For

School was pretty much deserted on the weekend. Even more so now with the finals and Winter Holiday coming up. Only a few of the faculty would drop by just to make sure everything was running properly. The whole place was covered in a thin sheet of snow as the morning sun rose up from east.

Sunset paced back and forth at the front of the portal, darting between the mirror and her phone. The last message that Princess Twilight sent stated that she was to be here, at this exact moment. She wasn’t sure why Twilight would asked her to meet her here when they could just as easily talk through their magic journal. It seemed far less convenient that way. Besides the future ruler of Equestria must have a ton of responsibilities meaning her time would be worth their weight in gold. If... time had any weight at all. But she wasn’t gonna decline the offer. Twilight was pretty much THE expert when it came to magic. Some folks might even say that she’s even better than Starswirl the Bearded in his prime. And that’s saying something. And having the Princess of Friendship and Magic here on her side would definitely make all their problems smoother than silk. Besides, it would also be nice to have someone to talk to from home.

It was also the perfect timing. With Principal Celestia having banned magic from school, she didn’t have to worry about getting in trouble.

Suddenly Sunset saw the mirror glimmer. She whipped her head around facing the portal as it opened up. A bright gleaming light shined as something came through.

“Princess Twilight?” She reached out to grab whoever it was that was coming. But the light show ended rather abruptly leaving her hanging like a leftover bread that no one wanted to finish. “Huh?”

Odd… she was sure that she saw somepony just now. Did the portal fail?

She moved closer but saw nothing but her own reflection staring back at her. The lock that she placed on the portal was still there and only she and Twilight had the keys to open it. The spell was a tad bit complex but it certainly did its job keeping people from stumbling into different worlds by accident. She tried calling out to the pony on the other side but heard no reply.

That was until her feet tapped on something metallic.

“What the?” She saw the object on the ground and quickly picked it up. “A music box?”

It was of Equestrian design. That much she could tell.

Did Twilight send this? Was it some kind of message? A secret code?

“Well aren’t you early.” A voice tore her attention away from the portal. “What are you doing here? Don’t you know that today’s a holiday?”

“Oh… Mr. Doodle. I’m uh…” She brushed up an excuse. “I’m just here to gather some of my notes for… studying.”

“Uh huh.” The man’s eyes squinted. “You’re not engaging in any kind of magical activities now, are you? I think Principal Celestia made it very clear that she doesn’t want any of your magic near this school until she says otherwise.”

“No sir. No magic here.”

“Good. The last thing we need before the finals is another one of your hijinks.” He gruffly added. “Now go home. Unless you want to take a mock exam.”

“No sir.” She quickly packed the music box in and bolted out of there.

“Put yer’backs into it people! We got orders to fill!” Granny Smith yelled out loud as she busied herself in the kitchen multitasking on cooking, baking and stirring a giant pot over by the stove like an old wrinkly machine that can do everything. “Apple Bloom, we need more flour at the kitchen!”

“On it!”

“And don’t forget the caramel syrup and praline. We’re gonna need both if we’re gonna feed the whole park tonight.”

“Sure thing granny!”

“And don’t forget to load the extra cider on the truck! Remember to stack them together. Don't want them g'tin cold.”

“I’m doing my best granny. But there’s only one of me to go around!” Apple Bloom complained

The whole house has been in chaos ever since this morning with the whole Apple Family rushing around like headless chickens. It was tradition that all their pastries arrive at the fair nice and warm for consumption. Nobody liked pies that were too cold or flabby apple fritter flapjacks.

“Applejack!” Granny turned to the middle child who was helping her with the baking. “What’s the holdup on that next batch?”

The cowgirl wiped the sweat off her brow as she added the final touches for her ‘special’ pie. “Sorry Granny. The next one is coming right up. Just need to add a little more on this darling.” That was a lie. The whole batch was already finished. She had been working on this particular one for some time now making sure every angle was perfect. It had the proper balance between crunchy and chewy, not too sweet but not too bland either. The absolutely perfect little pie for that special someone. She even had it put on a blue colored tin so that she would be able to distinguish it from the rest of the pile.

“Wow…” Apple Bloom gawked at the one, her drool threatening to spill out. “That looks mighty delicious. I don’t suppose I can have a bite?”

“There’ll be plenty of tasting later, Sugar Cube.” She put the rest of the pies in the oven turning the knob just right. “We still got a whole mess of orders to fill. If we keep this up we might actually get it all done early.”

“Well we can’t load all of them at once.” Granny opted. “Why don’t you and Big Mac go on ahead and set up the stall and Applejack and me can ride the family bus.” It certainly sounded a lot better than running around here.

“Alright. Be sure to save me one.”

Applejack waved off to her sister watching as Big Mac load the last box in. Despite everyone’s insistence that he took it easy, her brother couldn’t just sit idly by while the rest of the family busied themselves with the business. Well he only needed one leg to drive the truck so she reckon she could give him a pass.

But just as Applejack decided to take a quick work break, she didn't notice her grandmother passing her a sly grin.

“That Flashie boy of yours is really in for a treat, ain’t he?”

“Eeyup.” She agreed readily, only to be aware of her words a moment later. “I mean uh… I don’t know what you’re saying.” Her freckles grew a shade pinker than normal.

“Oh please. Don’t give me that hootenanny hogwash. I know a gal in love when I see one.” She gave a playful wink as she sat down by the living room tapping her lap gesturing to her granddaughter to join her. “I should know. Your ma made the same face when she was with your pa long ago. And just like you, she made this one very ‘Special’ dish that got him hooked-line-and-sinker.”

Applejack blinked, turning to her granny with a surprised expression. She almost never talked about their parents- or at least she never initiated them. They were almost like a taboo subject around the house.

“Really?”

“Yup, she made a one of a kind pear-jam pie so delicious even I was tempted to take a bite off it.” And that was saying something coming from the grandmaster of culinary arts. “They always say that a way to man’s heart is through his stomach and your pa had one of the biggest appetites here in the family. Second to Big Mac of course. That boy can chew through a buffet like a sinkhole."

“Wow… I… didn’t know that.” The cowgirl somberly replied, partially interested in the subject. “You never really talk much about ma and pa before. What gives?”

“Because you got that same silly dopey look on your face whenever you think of that Flash kid.” Again Applejack turned redder than her apples on a good harvest day. “I see so much of your ma in ya. She had that Pear-family charm that was absolutely irresistible. I uh… I guess seeing you being all love-struck jogged some old memories in this brain of mine.” She wiped away a single tear-drop from her cheeks, hiding it behind a smile. “This Flashie fellow must be real special to you if you’re going out of your way to make something like this.”

Applejack curled down awkwardly in response. There was little point in hiding it now. She wasn't exactly good at hiding her feelings. Not that she had any reason to do so. “W… well it ain’t a done deal just yet. I thought I’d do him a little favor for helping us out with the reunion. Not to mention he fixed the barn.”

“So it’s a one-sided love eh?” Granny Smith added, grinning knowingly as her granddaughter turned away to hide her burning face. “Well you always gotta start somewhere. But you won’t have any problem with the folks. Seems like that Flash fellow of yours wormed his way through the hearts of every apple in the branch. Even more so when everyone saw you all laughing about like some idiot.”

The cowgirl mentally slapped herself in realization. “Wait… is that the reason why the whole family was clamming all over us during the reunion?”

“Yup! You should’ve seen yourself that night. You had a smile so big that made everyone jealous. And the way you laugh was just so adorable that Goldie wanted to pinch your cheeks out.

Oh apple fudge. It’s no wonder why everyone was so clingy that night. That explained so much, especially when Uncle Cobbler wanted him to play that stupid drinking game of theirs. It was an old Apple Family tradition. Something about proving that they're Apple-worthy or some other nonsense. It was banned a while back but a few of them still do it as a joke every now and then. Everyone must’ve drawn their own twisted conclusion when they saw them together. How could she have been so stupid?

But… she guessed she could say that they weren’t wrong on that regard. In the end she did fall for the guy... somewhat.

Applejack couldn’t deny that she didn’t have some kind of infatuation with the boy. And honestly her love life was pretty high and dry at this point. You could even say that this was her first ever crush. Ugh that sounded really childish for some reason.

“Do… do you think I got a chance, gran-gran? You know? With Flash?” She took her hat off and held it by the seams nervously. “I… don’t really know much about all this romance stuff except for what I see in them movies. He is a really sweet guy and all. But there… are some problems.”

“Love’s all about the bumps and bruises kiddo. There ain't no such thing as a straight road.” The old lady added with a wise look. “We got some time before the fair and it’s not every day I get to hear my little girl talk about love. So lay it on me. What’s keeping ya from going all out?”

“Well… it’s complicated.”

“Oh hogwash. Don’t you remember your ma and pa’s love story? They had to go through a whole loop-de-loop before me or… pfft… Grand Pear got to them.” She held her spat in with that name. “What’s the matter? Is his folk not liking ya?”

“No. I haven’t met his folks.” Applejack sighed. “It’s just that… he used to go out with one of my friends. And I don’t know if it’s right for me to just swoop in out of nowhere and mess up the whole thing.”

Granny Smith bobbed her head. “Oooh… so it’s that kind of complicated. But they aren’t going out anymore?”

“No. At least… I don’t think so. They broke up some time ago.”

“Then I don’t see what the problem is. As far as I can see it, he’s open for business. Just like Goldie would say: If I don’t see a ring on his finger then he’s fair game!” Her granddaughter didn’t seem to agree and gave her a mean look. “What? It was a good quote in my time. Besides, if they broke up with one another then it’s their loss and your gain. If you really want this Flash fella then you can’t afford to sit back and do nothing. You gotta fight. And with your fists, there ain't no contest."

“It ain’t that easy gran-gran. And… I don’t think I got any of that… Pear-family charm like ma.”

“Oh don’t you give me that nonsense now. You got more charm in your freckles than ten of our families put together. I should know. I was a charming gal myself.” She patted her puffy gray hair in return.

“Granny…”

“I’m serious.” The older woman pulled her granddaughter to a headlock rustling her hair. “Out of all the apples that sprouted from this family tree, you are definitely the prettiest of the bunch. All you need to work some of that cooking skill I taught ya and he'll eating from the palm of your hands before you know it." That's gross grandma. "And I’ll admit. The kid sure is easy on the eyes.”

“But what if I get cold feet?”

“Then you dip yourself in hot water!” She laughed. “Or if it’s that bad maybe you can just say that you got new allergies.”

Applejack couldn’t help but snort. “Heh… you always know what to say, granny.”

“I didn’t slog through 60 winters without growing some wisdom, kiddo.” They let out a laugh which died shortly when their noses picked something up. “You smell something burning around here?”

“The pies!”

Ok… this is weird. Sunset knew Twilight and trusted her completely. When it comes to magic, she was the go-to-princess. But… if she was so good… why in the world would she send her a music box?

Was it some kind of magical device that could help her on her journey? Can it do magic like the artifacts of old? Did it play a tune would answer all of life’s problems?

That would certainly come in handy around here.

But sadly… it did none of those things. She checked. It was just an ornamental music box. The box itself was made of wood encrusted with cheap metal peppered in Equestrian fake-gold powder to give it that gaudy look. The crank handle was at the bottom, placed out of view which spun the gears within. Well cut amethyst gemstones were embedded on three flat sides and a single mare twirled around the top podium whenever the box was winded.

In the end, all this thing does was play music.

At least… that’s what she thought so. Perhaps Twilight gave it to her for comfort – or maybe she could pawn it off for some bits for financial assistance.

It does look nice to the keen eye. In fact that dancing ballerina mare looked very detailed. She even looked lifelike. She kind of reminds her of a friend…

“Starlight Glimmer?”

The model blinked. “Oh! Hey there Sunset.”

"GAHH!!!!" Sunset slipped back startled from the unexpected reply. She fell head first on the carpet before getting back up with an aching back. "Starlight Glimmer? Is that you?"

“The one and only.” The figurine spoke back in a realistic manner. It even smiled and bowed. “Sorry about that. I wasn’t sure this spell would work across separate worlds. But it actually did. Quite a surprise if I do say so myself.”

"That makes two of us." She groaned. “H… how are you here?”

“I’m not, silly.” Starlight laughed at her friend’s attempt to analyze her. “I’m still in Equestria. I enchanted this music box with an upgraded version of Twilight’s spell. There might be a few bugs here and there but what better way to test-run it than this? Sooo~~ anyway.” She grinned. “Twilight got her hoofs full in Canterlot right now and asked me to help you regarding all magical related incidents. I don’t want to toot my own horn here but I am pretty good at it.”

“Wow… that’s… pretty cool.” Sunset admitted. “Must be nice being the student of a great teacher like Twilight.”

“Oh! I’m not just the student anymore.” The mare coughed into her hoof as she presented herself in a regal manner. “As of a few months ago. Yours truly, in light of Princess Twilight’s ascension, has been promoted to caretaker of the Castle and Headmare of the School of Friendship!” She puffed her chest out proudly. “That’s right baby! The student has now become the master. THE Headmaster.”

“Wow! Double promotion. Congratulations!”

“Thanks. It was kind of a rush transfer and all. And all my new duties are really keeping me busy here so I can’t come and visit quite as often.”

No kidding. Being promoted out of the blue must’ve been a big change in her daily life. She can’t even begin to imagine how she could redo everything at the drop of a hat.

“Hey don’t sweat it. I completely understand.” Sunset waved it off. “Just seeing you here is almost as good as having a Skipe Chat.”

Starlight raised a brow. “A… what now?”

“A Skipe Chat. It’s this chat app we have on our computers that… uh…” How does one describe technology to those who use magic? “It’s kind of like… this. But with technology… on a screen… and no magic.”

“O… k. That's umm... neat?" The pony brushed it off rather quickly. "So anyway. Twilight told me that you’ve been having some magic related problems. And as the resident expert in the subject and your friend, I am more than willing to help. What do you have for me?”

“Well… that’s… kind of a long story.”

…

…

…

“So that’s the gist of it.”

Starlight nodded intently as she eyed the objects on the table. The bracelet with the black gem was something she was familiar with. After all, most magical artifacts in Equestria were crystal-based. The Elements of Harmony were one such examples. However the statue was definitely new. It didn’t fit with any kind of magical category she was used to.

“Hmm… very interesting.”

“So… can you help?”

Starlight nodded after a quick analysis. “Well I know what the bracelet does. But the figurine you got there is something else. I can only tell you what I can see at a glance. I’ll need more time to figure these out.” Her hoof hovered over the bracelet. “Let’s just go with what I know for now. For one thing, that bracelet with the black gemstone is a medium. It uses magical energy and converts it into a spell as long as you know the process and recipe. I… don’t want to alarm you but it seems to be far more powerful than the one you’re using right now.”

Yeah, she figured that out when they fought Cinch the other night. If she went against her alone, she’d be a goner.

“As for the statue… well that’s another thing. Where did you say you found it?”

“Twilight said she found it in some kind of shrine.” Sunset replied tapping her phone to get the photos that Twilight took in the short time she was there. “I’m not really sure how she got there. I was stuck in a looping trap while being chased by a monster. It was really something.”

“Sounds like basic tomb raiding defense for me.” Starlight added earning a confused brow from her friend. “Oh come on. I’ve read enough books and seen enough ancient temples and ruins to know that you can’t have treasures without some death trap or roadblock to impede your progress. It’s just doesn’t work that way. But a looping trap? Now that’s creative. And that monster you fought? Loot guardian 101. Most treasures in Ogres and Oubliettes are like that. I mean… really now… no one in their right mind would leave important relics undefended. I’d expect lava or acid pools, shark traps or even arrow spring plates as bare minimum for all dungeon raiding experience.”

“Well sorry if I don’t exactly have firsthand experience in dungeon raiding.” Sunset slumped over her table. “That Cyclops also seem seemed pretty scary though.”

“Ooooh sounds exciting.”

The redhead gave her a look. “It wasn’t exciting when you’re the one running for dear life.”

“Oh please. You’ve handled worse. Remember how you and your friends got trapped in a mirror and I had to save you all?” Starlight waved it off calmly. “Anyway I’ll take a closer look at this statue. Give me some time. I'll have my assistant do a little research on it. If we find anything I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey what are friends for if not help you solve strange magical artifa...?” The unicorn waved her hoof around before she paused unexpectedly like a screen freezing because of bad internet connection.

"Starlight?"

"Sorry. Could you wind up the music box just a tad bit? I think I found a glitch in my spell." Sunset did so, winding up the crank at the bottom of the box. "There we go. So anyway, how’s it going with you? Anything exciting happening since I last visited?” She paused on that sentence. “Other than the one that you just told me just now. Ahehehe…”

“Well… it hasn’t exactly been quiet here.” That was perhaps an understatement of the year.

“A Cyclops!?” Rainbow Dash bellowed as she listened Twilight’s story, intently gawking like a child who felt like she missed her own birthday. “A genuine Cyclops!?”

The nerd gal shrugged. “Well I wouldn’t say genuine. It was made of stone. But it was kind of scary and none of our magic worked on it. Luckily it was slow and I was able to seal it within the cave. I don’t think it’ll be coming out of there any time soon. But the ruin I found was far more interesting.”

Caves, ruins, magical artifacts, traps, mystery and a tomb guardian!? You might as well be writing the next installment of the Daring Do novel!

“Aww man! I can’t believe I missed all the excitement! That whole place has the hallmark of an awesome adventure! There were traps, and monsters! You guys had all the fun while I had to stay with Professor Doodle and his boring makeup exams.”

“You do know that education is important too, right?”

“Yeah yeah. But not as important as a super exciting adventure with your best friends! I’d give up any test for a chance to fight that monster!” Typical Rainbow Dash. “So when are you guys going on your next adventure? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Next week? Are you guys going now? I am fit and ready to fend off monsters like Count Vladcula in Fangshire spin-off, Lord of the Bats!”

“Not any time soon.” Twilight answered much to RD’s dismay. “Sunset will be handling all magical research from here on with Princess Twilight. Without my lab or any of my equipment, I can only browse the internet and look for reference online. Right now however we’ve decided to hold things off until after the finals.”

“Aww… and here I was, thinking we could go back and fight that monster! I’m still pumped up from our last fight with Cinch. And before you muddle all my ego with your logic, we totally would’ve won if your Magic Trap didn’t go haywire.”

“Noted.” Twilight rolled her eyes, which fell upon a familiar figure by the toy stall. “Is that… Rarity?”

The fashionista in question turned to her at the call of her name. “Oh! Hello there darlings. Did you have a fun Friday?”

“Ha! I wished.” Rainbow Dash scoffed. “I was stuck taking a makeup test in school with Professor Snoozy Pants while Twilight and Sunset here went off to an action packed adventure in the Everfree Forest!”

“It’s not as exciting as she makes it.” Twilight brushed it off. “Speaking of which, how was your take with Hoity Toity? Did you get the gig?”

“Oh it went splendidly. But I’m afraid it’s a little more complicated than that.” She droned on and on explaining the details of their competition. “So now he wants us to provide him with three of our finest designs featuring magic themes. And I must say I’m at a stump. I came out here looking for inspiration but all I got are your run of the mill knights and dragons.”

The nerd gal shrugged. “Why don’t you try window shopping? Doesn’t that usually give you inspiration?”

“Oh believe me, I’ve tried.” Rarity waved her hand regally. “I went through the mall and the flea market. Normally perusing through sales and discount stores gets me in the mood of fabulous ideas. But right now I’m turning up nothing.”

“Oh that’s a bummer. If only we had magical adventures every day.” Rainbow droned on, sarcasm dripping from her mouth. “HELLO? Have you seen what we’ve gone through these last few years? We fought off brainwashing Sirens, two magic she-demons bent on total domination, a twisted version of Mother Nature in Camp Everfree, and a few hundred other stuff that I can't even go through! Can’t you use that for your inspiration?”

“It’s not that simple Dashy Darling. Hoity Toity is one of the biggest stars in the business. I simply can’t show him the usual trends. His expectations are atrociously high."

Twilight cringed. "That bad?"

"Oh you should’ve seen how he crushed through four designers with their remarkable designs. Why… his comments alone can make people like me cry rivers.” Rarity shivered at the thought. “The sting he used on them. He even went as far as calling one of them…… mundane. Oooooh. Gives me nightmares just thinking about it.”

“So… what do you plan to do?” Twilight asked.

“Well… for now I’m waiting for inspiration to hit me. I was hoping that this charity event would jolt an idea in me, but again… I’m hitting a stump.” She turned to the other two with a soft awkward smile. “Oh don’t you worry now. I’m not about to outsource this problem to any of you. My pride as a fashion designer is at stake here. I will find my muse by the end of next week or you’ll find me eating a bucket of ice cream at the Sweet Shoppe.” Somehow that last bit feels a lot more believable.

“Uh… huh. Until you flop until the very last minute and go Rare on us.” RD teased much to their confusion. “You know? Rare? Like Twilight has her panic attacks and you have your Rarity moment. Oh darlings! I’m absolutely doomed. Doomed… DOOMED!” She imitated her voice harshly and would’ve fallen on a couch too had there been one to lie on. “I’d give it another day or so before you start having one of those.”

“Oh haha. Laugh it up Rainbow Dash. But you are looking at a determined fashionista with a purpose. This is the greatest challenge I have ever faced. I will find my inspiration and I will make a design so out of this world that Hoity will have no choice but to make me his one of his protégés! This… I swear.”

Twilight chuckled back but paused when her phone vibrated with a text message. “Well you two have fun. I’m off to meet with Timber for the concert. I invited him so that we could hang out together.”

Rainbow cooed. “Ooooh. Planning something big after the music?”

Rarity laughed in agreement. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do sweetie~.”

She scoffed at their tease and dashed off into the crowd.

Whoa… there are a lot more people here than Sunset expected. The park is usually sparse this time of day with the occasional older couples coming for a walk.

Now the whole place was practically brimming with people. Food stalls and stands were already erected, the stage was set and even the decorations were put on full display. Looks like Flash’s old man really was going all out just for a few signatures.

After leaving her house and letting Starlight analyze the statue for a bit, she decided to spend the rest of the day resting. She and Twilight agreed that they should lay low on the magic adventures for a while. That Cyclops they encountered in the cave along with that loop trap was more than enough for the week and she wasn't looking forward to the next adventure.

Hmm?

Wait… this aroma… it smells… familiar.

“Apple Bloom?” Sunset noted the little member of the apple family standing by the stall stacking all the trays of culinary goods that were steaming hot.

“Oh! Hey there Sunset. You here for the fair?”

“Nothing else to do at home other than study.” She smiled back sweetly. “And I knew I smelled your family’s special pie. That’s… a lot of them. Are… you handling the stall by yourself? Where’s Applejack?”

“She’s still at home finishing the last batch with granny. And I ain’t alone. Big Mac’s with me.” She pointed over to her brother who waved back at the mention of his name. “But he ain’t exactly speedy with that leg of his.”

“Can’t you ask some of the workers here to help?”

“I tried that. But there’s a long line of stalls that need handling too. We’re uh… kinda at the bottom of the list right now.”

“Same here.” Another voice added grabbing Sunset’s attention.

“Ms. Cheerilee?” The redhead blinked. “You’re running the stalls too?”

“Oh heavens no. I’m actually here to deliver some old books from the library. With the new ones arriving next semester I didn’t want to waste them. And when I saw poor old Apple Bloom handling all these by herself, I just had to help. But I have to admit that we could use a few extra pair of hands around here.”

Oh can they now?

Sunset eyed the workers at the far end, grinning as an idea came to mind. “Stay right here. Let me have a word with them.”

Cheerilee and Big Mac glanced at one another puzzled as Sunset casually strolled to the group of muscle bound workers. They didn’t seem all that interested that a kid spoke to them, but the moment she flashed out this card, she got a reaction out of them. After a little talk and a quick change of attitude, those men quickly got to their stall and helped unload everything from the truck. Within seconds, the Apple Family stall was furbished and ready.

Apple Bloom in particular was very impressed as Sunset returned with a smug grin. “Wow… how’d you get those fellas to work on us?”

She shrugged. “Let’s just say that it’s good to have friends in high places. If you guys need anything else, just give them a call and they’ll help you right up.”

Twilight found Timber not long after she parted from Rainbow and Rarity. He was waiting for her at the center of the crowd near the stage coated for the near freezing temperature.

“Hey there sweet cheeks. How’s my favorite nerd doing?”

“Pleasantly well despite our life threatening experience yesterday.” She casually replied with a hint of amusement. “Thanks for waiting.”

“Hey, anything for you. I didn’t even know they were having a charity event. Today. I wanted to take you out to dinner yesterday but we were all kind of tuckered out after that little incident with the one-eyed monster.”

“Tell me about it.” She agreed on that notion wholeheartedly. “I think I’ve had my fill of magical adventures for now. I’m taking the weekend off.”

“I’m down with that. And… there’s also something I wanted to talk to you about too.”

“Really? About what?” Twilight gave a questioning look.

“Nothing major. I just thought we’d take the next step in our relationship.”

“Well, I’m fine with it. Besides, there are a few apartments I want to scope out tomorrow.”

He bobbed his head shyly. “Yeah… about that. Maybe… you don’t need to look far.”

“Really? Do you know of any apartments on the eastside?”

“Absolutely. It’s the perfect spot.” The green haired boy smiled warmly as he described it like paradise. “It’s got three bedrooms, a wide open kitchen, two bathrooms, and a killer view of the Everfree Woods, the rent is cheaper than what you’d find in the city, animals allowed and it’s only a 15 minute ride to Everton.”

Wow… that did sound perfect. Almost too perfect. She didn’t see anything remotely close to that in Shining Armor’s repertoire. Maybe it was a new apartment complex they built.

“That sounds… awesome! Where is it?”

“You should know it. You’ve been there a few times.”

“I have?” She asked dumbly. “Where?”

“It’s…” But he was rudely interjected when the stage lights lit up followed by flameless fireworks which erupted across the sky. The crowd erupted in a cheer as the surprise band moved into play. They were kind of showy and maybe even a little too flashy – and… is that a giant robot made out of a giant toaster with a smiley-faced bread sticking out on top?

“JVJ-24601?” Twilight recognized the unit and the creator who rode on top. For a moment she thought that the big guy was acting up again and was going on another one its software rampage. But she paused when she realized that the band was standing beside it with wide eyed smiles on their faces.

“WHAT’S UP CANTERLOT CITY!!!!!?” The lead singer shouted through the microphone, his hair flowing freely by the wind.

“Oh! Check it out! It’s Flash!”

Timber’s attention drew to the boy with the fancy getup and the blue hair. ‘Flash? Flash!? FLASH!!!? That guy again?’

His eye twitch in silent annoyance as his girlfriend cheered out the boy’s name along with the rest of the audience.

A few seconds later the instruments played… and the singer’s voice boomed in the speakers drowning all thoughts and arguments.

Flash stretched out his weary arms as he dropped from backstage feeling his throat sore. All the playing and singing really took a toll on him. That last solo-act of his also made the itch on his wounded hand even worse. Maybe he should take Applejack’s offer of getting her family recipe.

Regardless, the cheers he could hear from the audience was enough to tell him that he got them all fired up. He has to admit, Micro Chips’ robot really outdone itself with that lightshow and fog machine. He was just glad that it didn’t go haywire like last time.

Slipping into his casual clothes the boy snuck out of there pass his bandmates and headed into the fair.

The park was packed to the brim that evening. You couldn’t take two steps out of that place without stumbling onto someone. As much as he loved having fans swarm over him there are times that he just wants to stroll around without having to worry about someone taking a snapshot.

“Well well. Not a bad performance there, lover boy.” A cool yet seductive voice garnered his attention as a hand grabbed over his shoulder with a force. He turned to the owner finding a familiar grin shooting back at him. “Do you do that kind of stunt in all your performances or just the really special ones?”

“Adagio!” The boy wasn’t quite sure if he should be startled or happy to see her here. “You’re here…?”

Her smile turned wicked as he brushed his coat with a slap of her hand. “Don’t flatter yourself. I didn’t come here for you. We didn’t even know that you were performing until we saw you on stage. Not bad by the way.” She threw in a wink while walking pass him tossing her hip around seductively. “That lightshow was pretty. I’m surprised you could pull off something like that without magic.”

Flash shrugged. “Oh you know. This is once in a lifetime performance. I needed a little something for a crowd this big. And the next time they see my face, they’ll be thinking of this. Besides, we all needed a little something to smile at after the fire.”

Adagio gave him a surprising look and a slow clap. “Snooty, arrogant and humble at the same time. Bravo. You’ve grown up quite a bit since we last met.”

“Really? I think I’m still the same height. I can’t really tell.”

“Don’t be a turd and take the compliment.” She threw him a punch which he dodged. “How’s the arm?”

“What? This thing?” He showed his bandaged hand proudly. “It’s just a scratch. Some folks dig a man with scars.”

“You should consider yourself lucky. Any other instance she would’ve blown your arm off. Your willpower must be extraordinary.”

“My… willpower?”

“It’s a natural defense for magic.” She answered, eyeing his bandages with a tilted eye. “Though you’re not wrong. Scars do make you look… attractive in a physical sense.” Did she just wink at him? It felt rather... flirty.

“Heh, this is nothing. You should’ve seen what I did to the other guy.”

“Yes. You assaulted an old lady with a bat. How very gallant of you. I’m sure someone here would give you a medal for your heroic action.”

Flash rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. “Hey you can ridicule me all you want. If I remember correctly, that old lady was about drain you dry. If it wasn’t for me, you’d be a goner. So I just literally saved your life.” He winked back much to her surprise. “I guess that means you owe me… three.”

“Hey! I was the one who told you about the ambush. If anything, I saved myself by bringing you along.”

“Still doesn’t change the fact that I was the one who jumped in.” He struck a heroic pose with his nose raised to the sky. “Admit it. My interference was perfect.”

Adagio scoffed. “Need I remind you that your ‘Interference’ caused the very fire that destroyed the homes of all these people around you?” Oh… crud. He forgot about that. His expression turned sour and his smile faded. “Nice try, Lover Boy. But you still need a lot more manning up before you can reach my level. Good effort though. And that smile of yours really gave you a look of a man in control. Very well done. I’ll give you a C- for effort.”

“Ugh… fine.” He groaned, his forced smile dropped. “What are you here for anyway? I thought you didn’t want to hang out in the city after dark.”

“We already beat the lady with the shadow monster.” She shrugged, gesturing him to escort her through the crowd. “And this place is lit up brighter than Manehattan on Hearts and Hooves Day. Besides, I’m not gonna cower in my apartment all day out of paranoia when there’s something interesting happening just next door. It’ll take more than a shadow monster to keep me down.”

Somehow he actually believes that. This Siren didn’t look like the type who’d go down without a fight. Heck she actually reminds him a little bit of the old Sunset. Mean, cruel yet possessing the ability to love.

“Wow… that actually sounds pretty bold of you.”

She smiled. “Are you flattering me, Lover Boy?”

“What? No! Not at all. It just sounds cool coming from you.”

“Coming from someone who just made a crowd of thousands cheer?” She cooed him quietly as she cupped his chin in her hand. “That might actually mean something.” Her face inched closer to his. It was so close, he could practically feel her breath on his skin. The boy’s cheeks flushed thinking of what was coming next. “Still… I’ll take that compliment.” She then casually brushed his nose and pushed him away roughly before slipping into the crowd. “I’ll see you around, Lover Boy.”

By the time Flash looked up… she was gone.

"That girl is a box of mystery."

“Oh! Oh! Adagio! Over here!” Sonata waved at her leader as she reappeared from the crowd wearing a dominant smile on her face.

“Where have you been?” Aria questioned taking a bite off a steaming slice of pie. “You were gone for a while there. Did you find something interesting?”

“Did you go to see the concert?”

The leader of the Sirens shrugged. “A little bit of both. How’s your shopping spree?”

“Oh! Like you wouldn’t believe!” The youngest of the three answered giddily. “All the food here is dirt cheap! They’re practically giving most of it away! We got these pies, cakes, cookies, and pear-jam! We can eat like queens for weeks with these!”

“No more tuna or mystery jam for us.”

Adagio chuckled at their smiles. While it was good to have ordinary food around here, it still didn’t exactly sated their baser desire.

She gestured that it was time to leave. But not before looking back one more time at the blue haired boy who fumbled in the crowd.

Dear mom…

Wow… feels weird thinking that to myself. Kinda makes me feel all giddy inside.

Umm… anyway. If you’re there, I could really use some advice right now. Some love advice actually.

But don’t tell dad. Granny said he might flip if he heard about this.

The truth is that…… there’s this… guy in school.

“What are you gawking at?”

“Gah! Granny!”

“Oh stop yer gawking and get back to working. We’ve already emptied half of our stock. The other half ain’t gonna walk and eat themselves now! Git!”

“Yes granny.” Applejack nodded and quickly headed off to the truck using her super strength to get the last batch of trays in the back.

She never thought her family business would actually boom like this. Ever since she and granny arrived and the stalls opened for everyone, their stocks of pies and flapjacks vanished almost instantly. There’s no doubt that the family reserves will definitely be swollen after tonight.

And with all the money they made today, they might have more than enough to take that vacation they keep talking about, or expand the farm. Maybe even hire a few hands from the extended family to help out too. Seeing that the night would be ending soon, Applejack decided that it was time to bring out her secret weapon.

Within the racks of trays was a single pie she had marked with a blue colored pan.

This wasn’t just some ordinary pie, mind you. This here was THE pie. The pie that will make all other apple pies feel insignificant in comparison. The very special pie that she took the extra time and effort to make. While an ordinary pie had two crusts, this one had three. The top one was crispy while the middle layer was crunchy, which then complimented the soft third bottom layer. There was also twice as much apple stuffed inside which she personally handpicked from the baskets. The pie itself was carefully cut into six even slices so no one bite would be bigger or smaller than the other. Whoever took a bite off this baby was gonna go on their knees and raise their hands to the sky praising to god for their worthless existence, which was kind of the point. To make a long story short: It was the pie she baked for a very special someone.

Seeing how the concert ended on a high note and the DJ keeping the crowd entertained she was sure that ‘He’ would be on his way to their stall ready to lose the bet. This was it. Once she wins she’ll……

...
......

Oh god. Now that she thought about it, she didn’t really know what to do after she wins. After he consumes the pie Applejack will practically have one wish on him. A special favor. A onetime ticket to his heart.

Can she do that? Can she just go straight for the favor and ask if he could be her boy…… boyfriend? God just thinking about that word made her all giddy inside.

She wasn’t ready for this. She was so focused on the pie that she didn’t know what to do after. The girl needed something to say… something to go around. Maybe she could ask granny? No! She’ll just say that she should take the Hail Mary approach and go for it. She was very direct with these kinds of situations.

Ugh… maybe she should think this through before she lets the pie go cold.

…

Eh? Wait a second. Where’s the pie?

“Where’s the pie!?” Applejack screamed as her hand reached into the box only to find it empty. She was certain that she put it here. She even put a few stacks on top just to make sure no one would get their crumby hands on it. “Oh no no no! Granny! Where’s my special pie?”

“Your what now?” The elderly apple tilted her head at her.

“My special pie! The one I made for… a certain special someone.” She whispered that last bit.

“You mean that one with the blue tray?” She nodded. “I think I saw Apple Bloom take it a few minutes ago.”

Dang it!

Applejack hastily cut through the crowd. Thankfully she didn't have to go far as her sister was manning the stall. “Apple Bloom!”

“Bwah! It wasn’t me!”

“Don’t give the ‘It wasn’t me’ excuse.” She gave out a stern big sister tone. “Where’s my special pie?”

“Special pie?” The little girl gave it a thought recalling all that she ate. After a while her eyes shot up. “Oh! You mean the one with the triple crust? Yup. It was delicious.”

“Sugar Cube! That wasn’t for you!” Applejack panicked. “I made that especially for someone!”

“Well you never told me that. Besides, I was hungry and that one looked mighty delicious.”

“Ah hot diggidy dang it. I can’t believe you actually ate the whole darn thing. How am I supposed to make a new one in a few minutes!?”

“I never said I ate the whole thing.” Apple Bloom added making her sister pause. “It was way too big for me to eat all by myself so I just took a slice and gave the rest to Big Mac.”

“Big Mac!?” Applejack croaked. “That guy has a bigger appetite than Cousin Braeburn!” Without even waiting, the big apple sister bolted back to the stalls hoping that her brother hadn’t gone through the pie. If anyone was a fast eater in the family, it’d be him.

And thankfully she didn’t need to go far to find him either. With that bum leg of his, her brother was practically slower than Rainbow Dash's pet turtle. She found him by the truck having a lively conversation with… Ms. Cheerilee?

“Oh hello there Applejack.” The purple haired teacher greeted along with her brother who gave a casual wave. “Did you need something?”

“Ms. Cheerilee? How? What are you doing here?”

“I was helping out with the stalls when Big Mac here invited me for a slice of this delicious pie.” That’s her pie!

“That’s my special pie!” Applejack choked startling them. “I was saving it for someone. D… did you eat all of it?”

“Nope.”

“It was far too big for us.” Cheerilee answered innocently enough much to her relief. “So Big Mac and I just took a slice each. We gave it away to Pinkie Pie.”

“PINKIE!?”

“That’s right. She’s right over there.” And true to her words, Pinkie was there, stabbing a fork in her pie, about to take a bite.

“Pinkie!” Applejack ran in slow motion as the pinkette licked her lips, eyeing the slice she had on her fork. “S-T-O-P…!” And right before she could take one lick, Applejack tackled her to the ground like a bull on a clown.

“Ow! Hey!”

“Sorry Pinkie. I wanted to stop you, not tackle you to the ground.” Applejack frantically looked around. “Where’s my pie?”

“Your pie? You mean the one I was just about to eat?” Their answer came in the form of that pie casually landing in her hands. “Found it!”

“Give it!” Applejack snatched it before she could do anymore damage. “Only two pieces left. Honestly. I take my eye off you for two minutes and you’re already half gone.”

“Ooooh! Perfect. One for you and one for me!”

Applejack jolted up and quickly snatch the said pie away before Pinkie could dip her crummy little fingers on it. “Now hold your apples, Pinkie. This pie ain’t for you.”

“Aww… but it looks delicious.” She sniffed. “Smells delicious too. Can I have just one bite?”

“No.” Applejack placed the pie away on the table behind her making sure that it was out of people's sight. “There are other pies over by the stall.”

“Yeah but none of them looks as tasty as that one.” She took another whiff making her mouth water. “Hmmm… triple crust, extra apple filling and baked to perfection.” What are you? Some kind of apple blood hound? No one can get that kind of accuracy with just one sniff. “How about just one teeny tiny bite?”

“Pinkie. No…”

“One lick?”

“No.”

“Are you telling me you’re gonna deny your best friend that culinary masterpiece which you obviously took time and effort to make?”

“Actually, Rarity is my best friend. And… yes.”

“Oh come on! Who could be so special that you’d make a pie with so much love and attention to…” Pinkie’s face froze as her brain clicked. Her eyes sharpened while a Cheshire grin showed itself on her face. “Oooooohhhhh~~ I get it now.”

Applejack twitched. “Wh… what?”

The bubblegum gal slithered her way to AJ’s side cooing softly. “Oh I get it. You made this very special pie for a very special someone, didn’t you? Who is it!? Tell me! Tell me now!”

“It ain’t your rootin-tootin business.” She shoved her back. “Now you gotta go. He’ll be here any second now.”

“Ooooh grouchy.” Pinkie teased. “It must be serious.”

“You bet your bacon it is.” Granny Smith added from the sideline chuckling like a lady hearing a juicy gossip. “This is probably Applejack’s first ever crush so she must be super nervous.”

“Granny!”

“Aha! I knew it!” Pinkie beamed. “Oh my goodness. Applejack! This is your first ever crush! Now you really have to tell me! Who is it!? I have to know!” Great now she was gonna be even more annoying.

“Ugh fine Pinkie.” Applejack sighed in defeat. There really was no winning against Pinkie when she was in a giddy mood like this. Trying to tame her was like trying to stop an elephant stampede. “But you have double Pinkie Promise that you won’t ever… EVER say anything to anyone, not even our friends…” She paused. “Especially our friends. Got it?” The bubbly girl nodded making a bunch of hand gestures which made absolutely no sense to anyone. “Uh… is that a yes or a no?”

“Why yes silly! Obviously.” She laughed while repeating the gesture. “That’s why I zip my mouth, then lock it with a key, then dug a hole, then bury the key, then built a house atop the hole where I buried the key, then move into the house on top of the hole!”

“Right… obviously.” The cowgirl didn’t seem all that keen but decided that it was good enough. “Anyway. You’ll find out when he gets here. I don’t want to make a scene especially now that my pie is already halfway gone. We need to keep it away from other folks by then. Can I count on you?”

“Yes sir, Applejack, sir!” She stood up at attention. “You have nothing to worry about. I’ll defend this pie with my life! Me and Sunset once went through a snowball war last year protecting this soufflé from getting creamed. Heh. We breezed through it like a pair of snow cones. Protecting this pie will be easy as… pie.”

“Hilarious.” Applejack scoffed. “Just make sure you don’t eat it either.”

“Hey sis. What’cha doin with all the racket?” Another chewy voice interjected.

“Oh! Hey Limestone. Let me introduce you to my good friend Applejack. Applejack, meet my big sis, Limestone. Limestone – Applejack.” Oh she was big alright, in the height and muscle kind of way. She looked like the kind of girl who could crush wood to sawdust with her bare hands. “Don’t let her scary mug trick you. Deep down, Limestone is really a big ol’e softy.”

Limestone glared at her. “Who are you calling a softy?”

“See? She’s very insecure about herself.”

“Is that how you see it?” Applejack chuckled to herself.

“Absolutely. Just take everything she says with a bucket of salt. It works well with lime.”

Her sister didn’t seem to agree. “If I wasn’t eating this pie right now, I would’ve clobbered your ears.”

“Ha! Oh Limestone. You and your silly jokes. You and your… pie?”

Pie?

Their eyes darted to Limestone… then the pie… then Limestone again.

“What?”

“THE PIE!!!” Without warning the two girls tackled the elder pie sister to the ground.

“Ow! Hey! What’s the matter with you!? Goh!”

“Spit it out! Spit it out right now! Bad Limestone! That pie is not for you!” Pinkie hammered the back of her sister’s head but that only served to make her swallow the contents in her mouth. “NOOOO!! She’s consumed the confection! It’s over! It’s all over!”

“Hang on now.” Applejack tried to sound assuring as she held up the pan putting the small crumbs together praying that she could save something out of it. “I think I got this.” But alas it was not meant to be. Her pie crumbled down like a stack of jenga that barely even made it to the third round. It fell flat on the pan plopping like a hardboiled egg leaving little to nothing behind… just like her heart.

Applejack’s knees gave in as she fell in defeat, the pan slipping from her fingers as whatever was left faltered to the ground only to be lost forever.

Her pie. Her special pie which she poured all her heart in was gone, consumed and pilfered by others before it could even reach the hand of its recipient. All of her hard work and affection crushed.

“Applejack. I’m… I’m so sorry.” Pinkie inched closer but was hesitant to put her hand over the sobbing girl. “Maybe I can make this up to you?”

“Oh… don’t sweat it Pinkie.” The cowgirl tried to put on a brave face but tears threatened to overflow from her eyes. “It’s just a pie. I can make a hundred more another day.” She forced out a smile reassuring her bubbly friend. “I’ll just… give him one of the stuff we’re giving out at the stalls. Just… let me clean up here.”

“Let me help.”

“Pinkie! Water!” Limestone gasped as her face turned blue. “Water!”

“Uh… ok. I’ll come back right after I get Limestone something to drink. Don’t finish without me!” She quickly grabbed her sister and hurried off leaving the cowgirl behind to finally sulk alone in silence. She quietly looked down at what was left of her pie and allowed those horrible feelings to surface. She stifled a sob while she hid her eyes under her hat. While she might pardon the language but right now she felt like horse dung.

Granny always said that there were just some things in life that weren’t meant to be. She guessed that this here was one of them. Maybe this was the universe telling her that she and Flash weren’t meant for one another. And who was she to fight against the universe?

“Applejack?” Oh dear universe. You really do like to rub salt on wounds, don’t ya?

The cowgirl whipped her head around finding the boy in her heart appearing out of nowhere.

“F… Flash?”

“Your sister was looking for you at the stall. She needed help putting away the trays. Looks like your pastries really went away faster than I thought.”

Applejack’s scowl deepened. “We’re out?”

Great… just great. As if things couldn’t get worse. Now she didn’t even have a regular pie to bring into the mix. God, she wished a black hole would open right beneath her right now so she’d be sucked away into oblivion.

“Like the orchard in a drought… or at least that’s what your grandmother said.” The boy shrugged turning to her with a small smile. “So is that my pie?”

She looked down on her pan. “It used to be. There was uh… a bunch of stuff.” A whole lot of stuff to be exact. “Sorry.”

“For what?” He asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“No. But…”

“Hey if it’s about the bet, don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of chances to try. You don’t have to take it that seriously.”

“I know.” She grumbled. “It’s just… it was kind of special. You sounded like you were looking forward to it.” That was a silly excuse.

Not surprising he laughed it off. “Applejack. I wasn’t looking forward to the pie. Sure I would’ve wanted to try some. But I was looking forward to you. Not the pie.”

“Me?”

“Of course!” He patted the dirt off her shoulder. “I’d rather spend time with you than eat a hundred of your delicious pies. I mean… who else can lift a car with one hand and wrangle a cow at the same time?” She stifled a laugh making the boy smile even wider. “See what I mean? You’re way more interesting than food.”

Applejack’s cheeks burned.

Damn it! Now she’s really wishing a black hole would open right under her feet. If only she could dive in there and scream.

“Thanks.” She whispered, a hand rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. And here she thought she was the honest one around here. “I needed that.”

“Any time.”

“I still wish we had something to eat. Giving out all this food worked me an appetite.”

He was about to agree on that when he spotted something. His eyes curled as he pointed at her hat. “Hey uh… you got a little something there.”

The cowgirl’s eyes widened when she removed her Stetson finding what looked like a whole slice of pie with a fork stuck to it.

“It… can’t be.”

But it is…

Her brain jolted in realization. That was the slice that Pinkie had. It must've somehow fell out of her hands and landed right on her hat when she tackled her to the ground. The fork pinned it to her hat and it sat there this whole time without her knowing.

“Is that…?”

There was no time to argue about luck or destiny. Applejack quickly put it on the pan and shoved it at Flash. “No time! Eat it now before something happens!”

Flash paused for only a moment before he agreed and slowly dug the fork in sideways, cutting it in half. He lifted one and chewed on it.

…

A moment passed as he tasted the delicious pastry. He paused, which made Applejack even more nervous.

Once he swallowed the piece, he gave it a thought before finally answering. “Hmm… I guess it is a teeny-tiny bit better than my corn soup.” The two of them turned on one another, chuckling softly before it turned into a full blown laughter. It was a joke. A lame one at that. But it still had the desired effect. “I guess this means you win.”

Her face froze up. “I did?”

“Yup.” He took another bite and reveled in the taste. “This pie was definitely worth the wait. I’m definitely gonna look forward to the next one.”

Applejack’s breathing became erratic. She did it. She got her one wish. While it felt more like a pity victory she was definitely gonna take it. Oh god, her stomach felt weird. The good kind of weird. The kind of weird you only get from a great bowel movement.

This was it. She had authority. She had the power. But the question is... what was she going to use it for?

So many scenarios ran through her head. All of them leading to a happy ending. But alas... only one seemed like the right choice.

She blushed slightly, tapping one foot on the ground as she faced him. “Then… I guess you don’t mind if I asked for my wish right now?”

He nodded with no hesitation. “Go right ahead. I’m a man of my word. Anything within the law of possibilities and… regular law.”

“Maybe after this… you and I could… hang out more often?” The words felt like fire coming out of her mouth. Her face was practically steaming at this point. “I mean the Winter Holidays are coming and my family ain’t doing much. We never really hung out until now so… maybe you’d wanna come on by for lunch at my place? I’d uh… really like to know you better.”

She wasn’t really sure what his expression meant at that moment. Either he was confused with her request or maybe he found it strange. But then he smiled, putting the pan down as he replied.

“I think I’d like that.” His words was about as soothing as silk on one’s skin. “I’d like to know more about you, Applejack.”

Her face beamed as her heart hammered on her chest. Whatever insecurities or uncertainty the cowgirl had were wiped clean as her body began to glow. Her pony ears and tails began to show themselves without her knowledge. But she didn’t care. She just couldn’t contain this stupid smile she had on her face.

Her laugh echoed throughout the park drawing some happy and envious gazes from the crowd.

Timber’s expression was like that of a guy who just sucked a lemon. He walked out of that concert trying his best to look like he enjoyed it but he simply couldn’t hide his annoyance any longer. Even less so when his girlfriend was singing praises of the good looking lead guitarist who sang on stage.

Twilight had been going on and on about the music, especially the giant robot that performed those mighty feats like shooting fireworks, working the light show and even popped a giant disco ball out of its toaster-torso. Timber would’ve been equally entertained too if it weren’t for his girlfriend’s gleaming eyes.

There were these sparks glittering, like someone who was just star-struck. But there was more to that. Timber learned how to read people and Twilight was someone who expressed a lot of things on her face. He didn’t want to admit it but there was definitely a spark in there that he didn’t want to see. Twilight might not even notice it but she was definitely having some feeling for the guy. And the way she looks at him, talks about him and know things about him that most people don’t? There was just no way can he see them as… just friends.

No… this can’t go on.

“Twilight.” The boy spoke up interrupting her praises. “Can I… ask you something?”

“Of course. What is it?” She nodded nonchalantly.

“Do you… love me?”

…

She blinked at the question. “Love you? Well duh. We’re dating aren’t we? Why’d you ask?”

“It’s just that… I get the feeling that we’ve been growing apart. I know that you have your magic thing and we live far apart. But I want to be sure that we’re still together.”

“Timber.” Twilight reached out to him, soothing his worries. “We’re fine. I promise. And we’re together right now. Don’t you think that counts for something?”

“Yeah… I guess so. But… I also want… more.” He inched closer, putting both her hands in his, feeling the warmth of her palms. “I guess you could say that dating you has been the best time of my life. And some of the craziest times too. And I don’t want to be away from that. I… really want to be with you, Twilight.”

Her face blushed a bit in return. “Well to be fair, this is kind of my first romantic interpersonal relationship so I don’t have much to reference on. But… I also feel the same. Our time together has been pretty awesome compared to some of my adventures. And… I don’t really want to be away from it all.”

That was heartwarming to hear.

So much so that Timber couldn’t help but pull her into a deep hug. He held her close sharing his warmth with hers. A minute later he loosened up and turned to face her with a soft and caring smile. The emotion he held up inside burst open, which gave him the courage to speak.

“Move in with me…”

…

... eh?