"HAMON CLACKER VOLLEY!" he yelled as he swung the steel balls around in a spectacle as the Hamon crackled around them.
"OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH!" stammered Twilight as she panted across Carousel Boutique. "I have a crush on JoJo, I've never liked anypony like that before, do I say something, or will that be weird, or will it be even weirder not so say something!?"
As Twilight continued to ramble Rarity worked on the outfit as she gently levitated a paper bag over to Twilight saying, "Remember to breath dear."
Celestia was more actively attempting to comfort her as she ran up to her and began patting her back as she said, "It's OK Twilight, you don't need to worry about this at all."
"I don't?" asked Twilight in between stressed breaths into the bag.
"Of course, because clearly you are not ready to date," said Celestia before pulling Twilight into a full on cradling wing hug as if she was rocking a baby and she excitedly said, "How about you just let this JoJo character stay in the library with Spike and come back with me to Canterlot, we can stay up late eating popcorn, building blanket forts, and I can read you your favorite books just like we used too."
Before Twilight could respond Rarity suddenly spoke up saying, "Hold on now... 'not ready to date'!? Twilight... have you seriously never dated anyone before... or at least asked someone out before?"
"Well... no," said Twilight nervously.
Rarity's jaw dropped in disbelief at this as Celestia then grabbed her into a pulled her further and stroked her mane saying, "Of course she hasn't... she's just my sweet little filly."
Rarity stared at the spectacle in disbelief before saying, "SHE'S TWENTY!"
"Just because some mares are quick to go gallivanting about with the nearest stallion, doesn't mean my little Twilight should," said Celestia.
Rarity puffed her cheeks in rage at this as any sense of decorum she would normally have when talking to a princess was gone and she now saw Celestia for what she really was in that moment... an over protective mother. "Well then Celestia, how old where you when you went on your first date!?"
Celestia only blushed at this before she two got angry saying, "That's neither here nor there!"
"Really?! Perhaps I should go ask Luna about that," said Rarity.
"Don't you dare!" stated Celestia as she gave Rarity a death stare.
Rarity only gave one back in response as Twilight suddenly spoke up saying, "Um Princess... do you think you can put me down now?"
"Oh of course," said Celestia as she released Twilight from the hug saying, "Now then Twilight, don't you think it would be best to put off dating for awhile and just forget about this guy?"
"Well I-" began Twilight before being interrupted.
"Now Twilight, I know this is scary but don't you think it would be better to face your fear rather then run from it?" said Rarity.
"That is-" started Twilight before once again being cut off.
"Oh please, you see how she freaked out there. She's clearly not ready for any of this," said Celestia.
"And when will she be ready, when she's an old mare who couldn't have foals even if she wanted too?!" responded Rarity.
"Well what makes you think you know what's best for her?!" responded Celestia.
"Well I..." began Rarity before realization struck her as as she said, "I don't."
Celestia smiled smugly at this before Rarity said, "And neither do you. Look.... we are clearly both trying to do what we both think is best for Twilight, but it doesn't really matter what WE think is best for her... what matters is what Twilight thinks is best."
"Well I..." began Celestia before she sighed and crossed her hooves in defeat saying, "Suppose you're right."
Rarity smiled at this before looking at Twilight saying, "Sorry for that little tif darling, I know that isn't what you need right now. OK, be honest with yourself here... you have a crush on this JoJo fellow, what do you want to do about it?"
Twilight began thinking about this as she said, "I don't know... you both made some good points that sure most ponies I know have already dated someone, but that doesn't necessarily mean I need to as well... but I think I should."
"Really?" asked Rarity.
"Are-are you sure?" asked Celestia in worry.
"Well... yeah. I mean sure I am scared... honestly just trying to picture talking to JoJo about this is more scary then trying to fight Nightmare Moon and Discord combined but it's gonna be scary no matter when I do it," she turned to Princess Celestia as she said, "And you're right Princess, we never have talked about me dating or anything but... because of that I never told you that as much as I mainly focused on studying and now friendship... I always did imagine that one day I'd be married and have foals." She then got nervous again as she said, "I suppose I just never thought about how I'd go about doing that."
Celestia sighed as she said, "I understand Twilight it's just... I just always want to look at you and see the little filly who hopped around me excited to be my student."
Twilight smiled at this as she said, "I'm still just as excited to be your student... I just can't stay a filly forever."
"I know and... I shouldn't expect you to," said Celestia as she went over and gave Twilight a proper big girl hug this time.
Rarity joined in on the hug as she said, "I know this is scary Twilight but always remember that the two of us and all your other friends will always be here for you if you ever need advice."
"Or if JoJo crosses a line and you need someone to teach him a lesson," added Celestia.
Twilight was about to speak up in protest at that, but was interrupted as Rarity said, "Well that goes without saying, I don't care how strong that stallion is mace and tasers always hurt."
Twilight thought for a moment before saying, "That is particular violent and uncalled for... yet strangely comforting," before leaning further into the hug with a smile.
They where soon interrupted by a bell ringing as JoJo entered carrying several bags as he smiled said, "Well, it looks like you three had a good time while I was out."
"Oh JoJo," said Twilight as she suddenly broke from the hug with a blush and a smile saying, "So... how was the store?" Her smile turned even more awkward as she thought, "Damn it! Now that I know how I feel I'm struggling to just talk to him, how in Equestria can I ask him out like this!?"
JoJo noticed how awkward Twilight looked as he thought, "Hmm, she must have been talking about something rather personal before I came in and might be worried I could have overheard... whelp. I suppose nothing to do but to talk normally and let her know I didn't."
He smiled reassuringly at her saying, "It went fine, got everything you wanted and then some."
Celestia humphed at that as she thought, "'And then some!' AHH, I just knew he'd buy something stupid! I bet those bags are filled with toys and bubble gum or something!"
"Oh... that's good," said Twilight as she struggled to think of something else to say.
Rarity thankfully noticed this and came to her aid saying, "Oh by the way JoJo, I finished one of your outfits if you want to try it on," before levitating the clothing in front of him.
JoJo looked at it with a smile as he said, "OH YES!! I was hoping it would be this one," He then turned to Twilight as he said, "I actually have a few things I wanted to show you and I actually was wearing and outfit just like this one when I did it so this works perfectly!"
"Oh really?" said Twilight as her curiosity thankfully allowed her to form words again.
JoJo nodded at that as he grabbed one of the smaller bags and the outfit before entering the changing room.
The three mares looked at each other wondering what this could be before they suddenly heard JoJo's voice saying, "Get ready for my..."
He paused before bursting out of the changing room.
"HAMON CLACKER VOLLEY!" he yelled as he swung the steel balls around in a spectacle as the Hamon crackled around them.
The three mares watched in awe before JoJo finally stopped saying, "I suppose that is enough of a demonstration, I could do more but I'd hate to accidentally break something or heaven forbid hurt one of you."
Rarity smiled at this as she thought, "I should have known this stallion would know some sort of weird magic technique or something if he could capture Twilight's attention."
Celestia thought, "Well, I was right about him buying toys but I must admit I was wrong about some other things. This Hamon stuff is certainly real and... it did feel allot like the solar energy I channel in my horn when raising or lowering the sun. I suppose at the very least it would be good to learn more about this stuff at the very least."
Meanwhile Twilight simply smiled giddily at this in a mix of scientific curiosity about the Hamon and her newly realized feelings bubbling up at seeing the object of her affection working so hard to impress her. "That was amazing JoJo," said Twilight as she slowly approached him.
"I'm glad you like it, but it's not all I got for you," said JoJo as he walked up to the bags.
"You do?" asked Twilight.
"Indeed," said JoJo as he approached the bag and pulled out this statue.
"Oh JoJo it's beautiful but-" began Twilight in confusion only for him to raise his hoof in interruption.
"Let me explain, you see this is a statue of the Joestar family guardian angel, can't imagine how it ended up in a shop like this but that's not important. Anyway, the home my grandfather lived in had a large statue just like this, sadly though it was destroyed along with the rest of his home in a tragic fire," said JoJo.
"Oh my," said Rarity as she approached with concern.
"Indeed, thankfully though old Speedwagon, a good friend of our family who might as well be a member of it, thankfully got a good look at it before it was destroyed and between his unwavering loyalty and seemingly endless wallet he was able to track down another for my home back in Liverpone," said JoJo as he smiled thinking back on how happy his grandmother was when Speedwagon first unveiled the statue in their living room.
"Apparently she is called Charmeine the angel of harmony and well... as soon as you told me about the Elements of Harmony you and your friends wield I thought perhaps you have a connection to her as well... maybe that is why fate brought us together like this," said JoJo with a smile.
"Oh my... thank you," said Twilight as she made her way over to the statue and smiled with a much greater blush. "Thank you so much."
JoJo chuckled at that as he said, "Well it will certainly look better in the library then that ghastly vase you had."
Twilight chuckled at this too as she thought, "This has to be one of the kindest sweetest gifts I've ever received in my whole live I... I have to ask him out right now!" Twilight let out a deep breath as she began saying, "Listen JoJo I..."
"Come on Twilight, now's the perfect time!" thought Twilight.
"I..." she stammered again.
"Come on Twilight just say it already, you don't have anything to lose!" she thought as she looked at JoJo's smiling face. A few seconds went by but to Twilight they felt like hours as she thought, "Dear Celestia just say something to him you idiot!" She stared further before thinking, "IT'S JUST A FEW WORDS WILL YOU GO OUT WITH ME!? SAYING THEM COULDN'T POSSIBLE BE WORSE THEN THIS SILENCE!"
Her mind then went blank as she suddenly said the first thing that came to her mind. "Will.. will you teach me Hamon soon?!"
Meanwhile Rarity face hoofed at this while Celestia slightly smiled thinking, "Well it looks like I might not have to worry about her dating any time soon after all."
"Oh," said JoJo as he thought, "Once again this mare surprises me, I certainly did not expect her to ask about Hamon training with that look on her face. Why she almost looked like she wanted to ask me out... no. She couldn't want to do that.. could she? Honestly I'm starting to doubt if I can read her at all right now." JoJo then had a nervous smile of his own as he said, "Well I suppose I've gotten everything I needed," before glancing down at his outfit, which now had a bit of nervous sweat on it. JoJo then looked at the clock as he said, "It's still kind of early but I feel like it would be better to dedicate a full day to this. How about we just go back home and relax for the rest of the day and we can start training tomorrow?"
Twilight nervously smiled and nodded as she said, "Of course that.. that will be great."
"Happy to hear it," said JoJo with his own smile and blush.
Rarity groaned at this as she thought, "Dear lord it's going to take quite a lot of help to get these two together."
Celestia simply glanced at the two of them awkwardly getting ready to leave before briefly eyeing the statue as she grinned and thought, "Maybe this stallion isn't so bad... he still better look out though. One wrong move and he gets a SEVERE sun burn!."
Meanwhile back at Barnyard Bargains
"Spoiled dear, have you seen the statue that was in the window?" asked Filthy Rich.
"No, maybe Diamond took it for one of her games with that girl Gold Fork or whatever her name is," said Spoiled RIch as she thought, "I finally got rid of that tacky thing."
"Hmm, well just tell her to be careful with it. It's from the preequestrian era you know," said Filthy.
"Wha-what!?" asked Spoiled in alarm.
"Oh I never told you about this? Supposedly an Earth Pony artisan carved it when the famine first started in order to try and bring luck to the tribe," said Filthy as he thought about the story.
"Um darling, how much was the statue worth exactly!?" asked Spoiled.
"Oh I wouldn't be so crash as to sell it. If anything it should be given as a gift as it's meant to bring good fortune to whoever has it," said Filthy with a smile.
He prepared to tell the story of exactly how his family acquired it only for Spoiled to interrupt saying, "Just for arguments sake though?"
"Well... I suppose it could go for about... 1.3 million bits," said Filthy with a smile.
Spoiled jaw dropped as she thought, "I... I gotta get that thing back form that idiot!" As she thought about this she briefly glanced out the window and saw him as she gritted her teeth in anger.
Filthy followed her gaze and noticed Twilight holding the very statue he was talking about as he smiled saying, "Aww Spoiled dear you know you didn't need to lie to me."
"What!?" said Spoiled as she turned her anger to the stallion she viewed as less then a life partner and more as an ATM.
"Giving the statue to Twilight was a marvelous idea. She certainly deserves it and more after all she's done for Ponyville," he then hugged her with a smile saying, "That's the generous mare I fell in love with."
Meanwhile Spoiled fumed as she thought, "I don't know how but I am getting that money back one way or another!"
