//------------------------------// // Persistent Pestilence // Story: My Chemical Reaction // by MysteriousStranger //------------------------------// Aria’s POV My date with Twilight was going better than expected. Sweet Enchantments turned out to be a great idea for a place I chose at the last minute. I was always ashamed of my sweet tooth, so much so I never told my sisters about it. Revealing it to Twilight was never planned, but when we’re alone, I tend to lower my defenses. Everything about my girlfriend is amazing. I just couldn’t help but to steal glances from time to time as we walked together, arms linked. She had her head on my shoulder, but at one point, our gazes met. A smile immediately formed in my mouth. I still have to get used to how fast my heart races when I get to admire her beauty so up close. The last time it beated this fast was of exhaustion for running when my sisters and I got defeated at the Battle of the Bands. “What’s in your mind, Aria?” Twilight had a beaming smile too. “The mousse I just had. I think I’m in love.” I decided to joke around a little. My girlfriend gasped jokingly and pushed me slightly. “How could you?!” We both laughed at our silliness before I kissed her cheek. Our eyes met again. “How are your feet? Can you keep going?” Twilight giggled cutely. “Aria, we have barely been walking for half an hour. I’m fine, my feet are in a good shape.” “We can take a break whenever you want.” “I’m fine, I promise.” My girlfriend laid her head on my shoulder again. “You’re worrying too much.” I felt my heart sinking a little. “I-Is that a bad thing…?” Twilight looked at me again, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “No, not at all. I know you’re very protective. It would be a bad thing only if you forced me to rest.” “I would never do that.” My date smiled. “I know.” I smiled and looked away from her to watch the surroundings. Twilight said nothing else, instead laying her head on my shoulder once again. I smiled. Her affections always warmed my heart. We continued walking for a good while, making it to Canterlot City’s downtown. I’m starting to think on inviting Twilight to walk with me more often. It’s more fun when you have good company. However, I felt like just walking wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more. Like surprising my girlfriend with something. I started to look around for ideas. Balloons… no. The only person I can think of who would enjoy a gift like that would be Sonata… maybe I should get my little sister one another time. Ice-Cream won’t do. We just had delicious desserts. Suddenly, my eyes spotted something which might do. A claw machine! Good thing Adagio gave me some spare change. I stood still, stopping Twilight with me. “Aria?” My girlfriend glanced at me, confused. “Cub-” I smiled at her. “What do you say if I try to win something for you from that machine?” Twilight followed my gaze and gasped. “A plushie?” She looked at me. “I-I don’t know, don’t you think I’m too old for one?” “Nonsense. Come on, pick one.” I said as I took her hand and lead her closer to the store with the machine. “Uh... ” Twilight gazed at the plushies within the machine, gasping moments later. “Aria, look at that star!” She pointed excitedly to the plushie she was referring to. It was a yellow star with big black capsule shaped eyes. “It’s so cute!” I chuckled. “What happened to being too old for plushies?” My date blushed and looked away, embarrassed. I decided not to tease her anymore. “Don’t worry, I’ll get that star for my stargazer girlfriend.” Twilight giggled and looked at me, more specifically, my hair. “You also use star pins on your hair like me. You always had a love for astronomy in you.” I smiled. “And like my feelings for you, I was blind to it until you lent me a hand.” My girlfriend blushed again, but this time deeper. She still smiled proudly though. “I-I just gave you a gentle push...” “You call a kiss a gentle push?” I raised an eyebrow as I smiled wider and crossed my arms. She looked away from me again, so I just brushed her hair affectionately before heading towards the claw machine. I checked the price for each try. I only have three chances to get the star. Before the first try, I looked closely at the prizes. There were more than one identical star, but only one was easier to get. It was under the plushie of a strange blue hedgehog, so it will be tricky. Twilight stood beside me. I’m sure she was looking at the same star plushie as me. “Hmm… I think that you’ll have to move that Bolt the Hedgehog plushie first.” “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. It’s a good thing that I have a few shots.” With an objective in mind, I placed a few coins in the machine and grabbed the lever to control the crane. I carefully moved it above the Bolt prize. I have seen people play this thing. I know it’s not easy to win, but it’s possible. Fortunately, the claw will release Bolt. I pressed the button and watched the crane work. It grabbed the blue hedgehog and lifted it. My heart stopped when I watched the crane move it towards the hole. Thankfully, the plushie fell inside the machine. Both Twilight and I sighed in relief. “Well, step one is completed.” I smiled at my girlfriend. “Now for step two.” Twilight nodded happily and I got to work. Once again, I carefully moved the claw to my intended target. When I was absolutely certain that I had the crane above the star, I pressed the button. Time slowed down as we watched it descend and grab the star. The plushie was lifted and it moved towards the hole. I grinned. Yes! Come on, come on, come on! However, when the claw was about to arrive to the hole, it stopped. What?! Don’t you dare, don’t you dare…! Angry, I slapped the machine. Doing so caused the claw to move sideways. The claw opened and the plushie was sent flying… towards the hole. Yes! “Woohoo!” Twilight started to jump excitedly as she clapped while I raised both of my fists into the air in triumph. “Take that!” After celebrating, I got on my knees to get my reward. “Here.” I extended my hands towards my date. “You must treasure it.” Twilight had a wide smile on her face and her eyes were sparkling. She took the plushie from me and hugged it with both of her arms. “I will.” She said before kissing me on my cheek. “Thank you, Aria.” “It was nothing.” I said, smiling. “Now wait here while I buy us some bottled water.” My girlfriend nodded happily, hugging her new toy tightly on her chest. I adore when she acts this adorable. I patted her head before walking into the store which owned the machine I just used. There were two clients before me, so I had to wait a couple of minutes for my turn. When I was leaving, I heard some familiar voices outside. Unwelcome ones. I hurried outside to find Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet and Suri around my date. Sunny Flare was trying to take the star plushie from Twilight. “Give it here, nerd! I can’t believe you’re actually fighting for it!” Sunny Flare said while struggling to steal Twilight’s plushie. “You just got it for yourself?” Suri said with a malicious smile. “N-No! Don’t take it!” Twilight was on the verge of tears. “That girlfriend of hers probably broke up with her.” Sour Sweet said with a fake sad frown before smiling darkly. “She must have realized how worthless you are!” That’s it! Despite being of cold blood, I could feel my blood boiling right now. I headed towards Sunny Flare and grabbed her from her arm. She cried in pain while the other bullies gasped when they saw me. “You’re as pathetic as I thought you were when I first saw you.” I said between my teeth. I was enraged! “Are you still picking on her even when she no longer goes to your school?!” Without effort, I placed my hand on Sunny Flare’s neck and lifted her into the air. Maybe a sample of my strength will leave a clear message. “Release.the.plushie.now!” Gulping, Sunny Flare dropped the star toy. Twilight quickly grabbed it and took a few steps backwards. The bullies were shaking in fear, but I wasn’t done. “Twilight, cover your ears.” “Why?” she sounded confused. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes, still glaring. “O-Okay, I’ll do it.” She got a little startled, but she obeyed me. Now that she couldn’t hear me, I turned to the bully in my arm again. “Her outstanding grades stopped being a problem for you. You have no reason to assault her anymore. Why do you still go after her? Fight for the first place between yourselves like the vultures you are and leave her alone. Your principal isn’t here to stop me this time.” I chuckled darkly before continuing. “Ironically, the only reason I’m not breaking your bones is because of the girl you consider ‘worthless’.” I abruptly opened my hand to let Sunny Flare fall to the floor. It was so sudden that she fell on her butt. I noticed that Twilight stood next to me, no longer covering her ears. She must have removed her hands when I dropped the bully. “Stay away from my girlfriend! Next time, I won’t be as gentle.” The bullies didn’t need to hear it twice. They ran away from us. With them gone, I sighed and turned around to face Twilight. She was still shaking, hugging her plushie for comfort. “Th-They appeared out of nowhere, and… and...” I wasted no time in hugging her. “They’re gone… I don’t think they will bother you again.” My heart broke when I heard her sniff against my shoulder. I held her closer. Oh, Twilight… “Why are they so mean to me...? I never did anything to them...” I stroked her hair, allowing her to cry all her pain out. Cadence didn’t want me telling Twilight the reasons of her bullying. So if someone is ever going to tell her, it’s her. “I don’t know and I don’t care. Whatever reason they have must be stupid.” I cupped her face with my hands and made her look at me. She wasn’t looking so good. I smiled sympathetically at her as I cleaned her tears from her eyes. “Forget about them. Let’s get out of here.” My girlfriend sniffed and nodded, giving me a small smile. “O-Okay...” I placed my arm around her, pulling her close, and we started to walk again. “I can take you home if you want.” She might not be in the mood to continue our date, so I gave her the option. Twilight hugged her plushie close to her chest again, thinking how to reply. “N-No...” She turned her head towards me, smiling widely. “You’re right, I should forget about them. I can’t let those bullies ruin our date. Let’s continue to walk.” I smiled at her. “That’s my cub.” Twilight giggled and I kissed her forehead before giving her the bottled water I just bought. I’m going to make this walk a long one to distract her from the recent events. I needed the distraction too. I hate those bullies as much as I hate my first crush. I can’t believe that even now they pick on the poor Twilight. They better avoid us like the plague from now on because if I see them again, they’ll be making use of those expensive medical insurance I’m sure they have. No, stop thinking about them!  Think on the beautiful girl in your arms. I glanced at my date, still with a good mood. Happiness filled my heart once again. I swear, Sparks, I’ll do anything to protect that smile of yours. One Week later A new Saturday is here. After dealing with Twilight’s bullies last week, we could finish our date without any more incidents. I was heading to Sweet Enchantments for another date. Maybe we could make this café our spot to meet from now on. I walked into the building, where I was immediately greeted by Casey. “Oh, I know you! You were here last week, right?” She wore a bright smile similar to my sister Sonata or her equally annoying friend, with the difference that this smile didn’t bother me a bit. “That’s right.” I returned the smile. “I’m here to meet with my girlfriend, so, can I sit at the counter?” “Sure! Our barista, Cain, will love the company!” I followed the waitress to the counter, where I sat on one of the stools. “Cain! This is, uh...” Casey looked at me, asking for help. Twilight and I never introduced properly. “Aria Blaze, but just Aria is okay.” “That’s right, Aria!” The waitress grinned. “I think I heard your girlfriend call you by your name last time.” I chuckled. “Her name is Twilight. The sweetest girl I have ever met.” “Aww, how cute!” Casey’s eyes sparkled, but then she widened her eyes in fear for something she saw behind her. I turned my head around to find the other waitress, Rune, glaring at her. “But, umm, I better go now, yes? Cain will serve you.” “Thanks.” I smiled at her as she walked away before turning to the man by the coffee machine. “So...” I cleared my throat. “You’re the guy in charge of the coffee…?” “I’m the barista, yes.” He said with his arms crossed and with an amused look. Damn, my social skills aren’t as good as Twilight’s! “Will you have anything or you’ll just wait.” “I would, but it wouldn’t feel right to drink something without Twilight and leave without her having anything.” “She could order something to go. My beverages are as good in mugs as they are in disposable cups, but it’s your choice.” Cain finished with a shrug. “You can bring me a glass of water though, if you need me to have something to sit here.” “You don’t need to. There’s still space in the counter for more patrons, so don’t worry.” “Hmm, still, I could use something to drink. It was a long way here and my girlfriend won’t be arriving for around ten minutes, so...” “Say no more.” Cain smiled and grabbed a glass to fill it with water before giving it to me. “Here, it’s on the house.” “Thanks.” I took the glass. “Wait, do you actually charge for a glass of water?” The barista chuckled. “Nope, I just have fun saying it.” I smiled as I took a sip. Everyone here are nice. Yes, this should become our usual place to meet. While waiting for Twilight, I saw another employee get behind the counter. “How are the pastries, Cain? Do you need a refill?” “Hey, Lúcio.” Cain greeted his co-worker. “So far so good, although tea time is closing in, so it would be a good idea to bake more cupcakes. They’re quite popular among customers.” “Good idea. We ran out of them a week ago.” The baker met my gaze, noticing that I was staring at him. “Yes? Do you need something?” “You bake the pastries here?” I asked, barely being able to hide my smile. “Yes, I do.” Lúcio was confused. I couldn’t hide my smile any longer. “Your desserts are delicious! Seriously, they’re the best I tried.” The baker smiled proudly. “Is that so? Thank you. It’s good to know my pastries are loved by many.” “I really do. You might be my favorite person!” “Oh? Should I be offended?” My eyes widened when I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around to find Twilight standing right behind me, smiling widely. “Sparks!” I wasted no time to hug her. My girlfriend giggled, hugging me back. “Hello, Aria.” We broke the hug and Twilight looked at the employees behind the counter. I noticed that she was carrying a shopping bag, but I decided not to mention it for now. “Hello there. Are you trying to steal my date from me?” I looked at Twilight with my jaw slightly dropped. She seems to be in a real good mood today to be joking around like that. Cain chuckled and crossed his arms. “Actually, Roland is the flirty one. You’re lucky he’s at the kitchen right now.” “He can try, but he’ll be very disappointed.” I said as I placed an arm around Twilight’s shoulders. “This girl right here is the reason I smile and I don’t plan on leaving her.” “Aww, Aria...” My girlfriend said before kissing my cheek, successfully making my heart skip a beat. “Casey was right, they’re a sweet couple.” Cain commented. “Wait, they’re the ones she doesn’t stop talking about?” Lúcio said, widening his eyes in realization. “She asked me to bake something especially for you to share. Will that be alright?” “Didn’t she ask you to make it a surprise?” The barista glanced at his co-worker. “She could be asking too much. What if they don’t want it?” “Oh, but we do.” I said, smiling, before turning to Twilight. “Right?” “Of course.” Twilight grinned from me to Lúcio. “But not today. I prepared a surprise for my date and we need to go.” She said before glancing at Cain. “Can we have coffee to go?” “Sure.” The barista cracked his knuckles. “What will they be?” “I’ll have milk coffee, please.” Twilight made her order. “I want my coffee with lots of cream, and sugar, and marshmallows!” My girlfriend quickly looked at me, eyes widened. I didn’t get to ask why the face because Cain spoke first. “Sorry, but I’m afraid that we ran out of marshmallows a few days ago. We ordered more but they still haven’t delivered them to us. “Aww...” I sighed. “Just cream and sugar then.” “They’ll be ready in a few minutes.” The barista said before getting to work, leaving Twilight and I alone. I smiled at her, but she was frowning. “What?” “Cream and sugar is already sweet enough. Marshmallows would have been too much.” “But-” “No buts, Aria.” Twilight crossed her arms. “I’m just looking out for you. I don’t want you to feed your stomach with bombs.” “Couldn’t I have it just once?” My girlfriend shook her head. “I get that you have never been open with your sweet tooth, but that doesn’t mean you can stuff your mouth with anything you find. Only Pinkie Pie can do that and not get sick, but she’s... well, Pinkie Pie.” I sighed, defeated. “Fine...” I turned around and crossed my arms, sad. But my sadness didn’t last long when I felt my cub wrapping her arms around my waist from behind. “You’re good protecting me from my bullies. I just want to do the same. There’s nothing wrong with eating sweets as long as you don’t overdo it.” She rested her head on my shoulder. I can’t be mad with her, especially not when she’s worried about my health. “I appreciate it, Sparks. I kept my sweet tooth a secret for so long and I might be out of control.” “I know.” she kissed my cheek. “But you have me and I'll make sure to stop you from going too far.” I gave her a small peck on her lips. “Thanks again.” We smiled at each other and then Cain placed two disposable cups on the counter. “Your orders are ready, ladies.” “Thank you.” Twilight said with a smile as she took her cup. “We better get going now. See you!” My girlfriend waved happily at Cain and Lúcio before turning around and walking towards the door. I took my cup, nodded at them and followed Twilight. On the way out I couldn’t make eye contact with Casey because she was busy, but I did see Rune Charm. I have her a short wave and she returned it. Once outside, I couldn’t take Twilight’s hand since she had her cup on one hand and a shopping bag on the other. “So, cub...” I said after a few blocks of walking to an unknown destination. “Where are we going? What’s in the bag?” Twilight glanced at me with an amused face. “Both questions have a similar answer.” She giggled. “It’s a surprise, Aria. All will be revealed soon, so please, be patient.” “Will we arrive soon?” “No, we’ll-” “How about now?” “Aria-” “And now?” Twilight sighed and shook her head, but she was still in a good mood. “Impatient, are we?” “I’m not used to surprises. My sisters do surprise me once in a while, but no one else has cared enough for me before.” “Aww, Aria...” My date smiled. “That will change right now.” “Thanks, cub.” I poked her nose. “I really appreciate it.” Twilight grinned. “It’s my pleasure.” A couple of blocks later, we finished our coffees and threw them in the trash can. It’s the best coffee I have ever had, although it’s also the first one I drank in my life. “So, Sparks, what have you done with the plushie I won for you?” My girlfriend looked at me, blushing. “I-I thought on what you said and you were right… I shouldn’t be ashamed of it...” She smiled widely. “It’s in my night table. I also decided to take out my childhood plushies as well, Mr. Smartypants and Miss Serenity. I...” she blushed, more deeply this time. “I had a wedding ceremony for them when I was younger...” I chuckled and smiled amused. “You did, really?” My girlfriend nodded quickly, clearly embarrassed. “That’s adorable! And here I thought you couldn’t get any cuter.” Even though she was blushing hard, Twilight smiled at me. “You really think so?” I nodded. “Of course. I normally don’t care when someone does that, but with you, I can’t help but find it adorable.” My girlfriend took both of her hands to cover her face, despite having a shopping bag. “A-Aria!” I chuckled and pulled her close to me to kiss the side of her head. So cute. After walking for a while, Twilight stopped walking. I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “Cub?” “We’re here.” She replied with a smile. She looked at the building next to us and I followed her gaze. I gasped. The sign read ‘Community Swimming Pool and Swimming Classes’. “Sparks…?” I slowly glanced back at my girlfriend, still astonished. “Did you…?” Before I finished, Twilight nodded excitedly. “I paid swimming classes for you! I know how much you missed being in your element, so, ta da!” My jaw dropped in awe as I looked at the building before us. Swimming… I actually gave up on the idea of doing it again since Adagio said we could no longer breathe underwater so living under the sea wasn’t viable. At first I hated the idea of living on land, but after watching some documentaries about the ocean and the creatures living it, I realized we would have died quickly without our magic. “Aria…?” I glanced back at my girlfriend. She looked worried. I have been silent for so long that she may be thinking that I didn’t like the idea. I better cease her worries. Before she could say something else, I embraced Twilight tightly, of course, I went easy with my strength. “Thank you so much, Twilight.” My girlfriend giggled and hugged me back. “You’re welcome, Aria.” I broke the hug and looked at Twilight when I realized something. “Wait, I don’t have a swimsuit.” “I got you covered… literally.” My girlfriend giggled again as she raised the shopping bag she was holding. “It’s a one piece suit. I figured you would prefer it that way.” I smiled widely as I took the bag from her. “You know me so well, cub.” I grabbed her hand before glancing at the door. “Shall we go in?” “Sure!” Excited, we rushed inside. We walked straight to the reception desk. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle. I booked swimming classes for Aria Blaze.” I nodded when she mentioned my name. The receptionist quickly checked if everything was correct. “Oh, yes! The class is about to start.” The receptionist said before pointing to a door behind us. “Down the hall, third door on the right is the swimming pool. You’ll find the changing room inside.” “Thank you.” Twilight said before she and I walked towards the door we were just told to cross. I could instantly feel, smell and see the steam. Wasting no more time, I ran into the changing room while Twilight waited outside. There’s so much steam here. I opened the bag and pulled out the swimsuit. It was lime green, just like the stripes on my hair. I love it! Once changed, I walked out. I felt so exposed. I never had my legs out in the open like this. Good thing Adagio forced me to shave them all the way up. I crossed my arms, embarrassed and looking away from Twilight. But when she didn’t say a word, I looked at her. She had her eyes locked on my legs and her jaw was dropped. “Hey, Twilight-” I smirked as I pointed to my face. “My eyes are right here.” “O-Oh?” My girlfriend made eye contact with me and blushed deeply. “I-I’m sorry, Aria! I d-didn’t mean to s-stare!” I chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder as I kissed her forehead. “Enjoy while you can, cub. I rarely expose myself like this in public.” “What a shame-” Twilight smiled lovingly at me. “but I understand. Skin exposure isn’t for everyone.” “Speaking of which...” I said as I felt my cheeks getting hot. “Is there a towel around? I don’t know if I want to leave this room looking like this.” “Don’t worry, Aria, everyone will be wearing swimsuits. You’ll blend in. Just act natural.” “B-But...” My girlfriend took my hand and squeezed it, ceasing my worries for the time being. “Trust me, Aria. You’ll be fine. No one will stare at you.” I couldn’t help but to smile, but I still had my doubts. Still, I can’t argue with that cute face of hers. “I do trust you. If I was blindfolded inside a room with obstacles, your voice is the only one I would follow.” “Aww...” Twilight blushed, but then raised an eyebrow. “What about your sisters’?” “Haven’t you met them?” I said, frowning. “Sonata would panic and Adagio would purposely guide me to crash into everything.” My girlfriend giggled. “Fair enough.” She took my wrist and smiled at me. “Come on, I’ll be right next to you.” “Alright.” I said as I allowed her to guide me. I glanced back at the changing booth I used on the way out. I’ll return for you, clothes. Don’t vanish. Once standing by the swimming pool, Twilight and I remained standing until a woman approached to us. “Hello! Is it your first time here?” The instructor said, smiling at me. “Y-Yeah. Do I jump in, or…?” The woman chuckled with amusement. “That depends. Do you have any experience?” “I...” I was about to say yes, but I met Twilight’s gaze. She quickly shook her head. Right… I can’t really go around saying that I’m a sea monster. “No, actually. I never had the chance to swim.” “Then I wouldn’t recommend you to jump in. Use the stairs.” The instructor smiled fondly at me before glancing at Twilight. “You don’t look ready to swim.” My date giggled. “I’m not. I’m just here to support my girlfriend on her first day with swimming lessons.” Oh, cub, don’t make me blush… “I see.” The woman placed a hand on her hip. “I’m afraid that our facilities aren’t prepared to receive spectators. You can return in an hour when we’re done.” “Oh, I understand. I’ll take a walk, then, message my friends and stuff to kill time.” The instructor nodded and turned around to walk towards the pool. Twilight gave me two thumbs up to encourage me and I returned them. My girlfriend smiled cutely and walked out of the room… leaving me alone with a bunch of strangers. “Alright, we’re all here. Let us begin with the class.” Ugh, I didn’t think about this. Becoming friendly with the Sweet Enchantments guys was easy because Twilight was with me. How am I going to survive this? “Alright, the new ones, come to me. The rest, do the usual warm up freestyle!” Still in the pool, I walked towards where the instructor was with two other people while the rest started to swim. I watched them to see how they moved. It doesn’t seem so hard. “Okay, newbies.” The woman said as she crouched. “Hold onto the border and start kicking with your legs. Get used to the feeling.” I nodded and did as she said. I felt silly, but at least the people who were with me were doing the same, so I knew that I wasn’t doing it wrong. I wonder how long will it take me to reach the fun part? It has been a few days since my first swimming class. It was so boring! I spent half the class just kicking the water and the other half swimming near the border with my head out. But it was nice to be back in my element, so I’ll keep taking those lessons. I do hope the second day isn’t as boring as the first, though. I just arrived home after running an errand for Adagio. We ran out of juice tomatoes and lettuces. After placing the bag on the kitchen, I dropped on the couch. I was about to turn on the T.V. when Sonata showed up, skipping excitedly, with Adagio trailing close behind. “It’s done~!” My younger sister exclaimed with a melodic tone before starting to jump on her spot. “It’s done, it’s done, it’s done!” I rubbed my forehead as I groaned. “What’s done?!” “I just called Pinkie and told her all about our hatchday!” Oh, that… I told her it was okay to tell them. “Oh, right...” I sighed. “Will she and her friends come to our place, then?” “Even better!” Sonata grinned before turning to our older sister. “Tell her, Dagi.” Adagio smirked and crossed her arms. “Pinkie arranged a party… right here!” I dropped the remote as I gasped. Oh, no… it was one thing to invite them over, but a full party?!