//------------------------------// // End of the Year (Part 1) // Story: Equestria Girls: Love Is Magic // by onekface //------------------------------// End of the Year (Part 1) (Natural History Museum) “Wow…” The words left Sunset’s lips faster than she could even think about it. Her eyes remained glued to the phone as it played out the recorded events of last night in great detail. The Chalice of Wishes floating in midair, radiating with a blue flame that seemed cool yet volatile at the same time. It was beautiful to see firsthand. It would’ve even been lovelier had it not exploded in a bright swath of light which ended the clip then and there. She looked up from the video and saw the real in only a few feet in front of her, which left a little impression. “You say this all happened last night?” She turned over to Maud who stood by with the same stoic face as before, Pinkie by her side. “Yup. Right around closing time.” The second eldest Pie stated pointing at the chalice. “I was locking the place up when I saw it glow. And then… nothing.” Sunset approached the Chalice but stayed far enough not to feel any drawback. “There’s definitely heavy magic residue here. I can feel it.” “Ooooh~~. What’s it like?” Pinkie asked, slithering closer to the chalice than any tourist needed to be. “Is it like a wobbly wobbly feeling or is it a whomp whomp kind of feeling? Do you think there’s more?” She inched closer to the chalice but Maud stopped her pulling her by the skirt. “Not anymore.” Sunset answered. “Whatever magic that was in this cup is gone. Like it was used up.” “Aww… boo.” “Were there any visitors in the museum when it happened?” Maud remained stoic as she answered. “Not that I know of. We don’t get that many visitors during the holidays.” So it could be anyone. “The Chalice of Wishes was returned to the museum a few weeks ago. But it has never done anything like that before.” Sunset glanced over to the chalice and tried to get a feel of any trace of magic but there was little left. Judging from the immense residue, whatever happened here caused some significant backlash of magical energy. If she recalled correctly, Adagio said that the magic lingering in here was burning off and Cinch was using a portion of it to search for magical traces around the city. She was hoping that it would just disappear naturally on its own. But it’s clear now that someone had used the magic inside for some nefarious purpose. Could it be another member of the Order? After they kicked Hoity down the curb, those guys have been pretty quiet. She expected them to retaliate after they thwarted their plan of mind controlling everyone in the city. “Wait…” She froze as if struck by realization. “Cinch was in charge of managing the items here, right?” “That’s right.” The stoic gal shrugged. “Until her untimely retirement, she was the only one who handled all the artifacts here. The Chalice especially.” “Then… who’s managing all these items now?” “That would be Professor Sombra.” Of course it was. “Until a proper replacement for the custodian is found, the owner of the items is in charge of all placement.” Sombra. The name alone rang some alarming bells in her head. Even though she knows that she can’t judge a man based on her own world’s counterpart, something about him just felt… weird. And it certainly didn’t help when she discovered that he was the father of her ex-boyfriend. Talk about awkward. “And has Professor Sombra visited the museum recently?” “A couple of times.” Maud nodded, cupping her chin in thought. “Though he mostly just took inventory of all the Yaztec Relics he’s donating. After the fire the other day, he’s been keeping many of them back to his place. The only things left are those in this room. And… actually… now that I think about it. It’s kinda weird.” “What is?” “Professor Sombra is really protective of his collection. After the accident, he’s been taking many things back home for safe keeping.” “Well… yeah. Isn’t that normal?” If she had a stake in this place, she’d want to take back her stuff too. “But if he’s really protective about all these important artifacts… why did he bring the Chalice of Wishes back?” … That was… actually a very good observation. The Chalice of Wishes was pretty much the centerpiece of the whole exhibit. Even the cup alone was worth its weight in diamonds. Why would anyone risk putting their most prized piece back here after what happened? It would be better to keep it in a vault somewhere before returning it to this place until security can be guaranteed. Unless… unless he kept it here for a reason. Ugh… if only Starswirl or Princess Twilight were here. They’d solve this puzzle in a manner of hours. But the old unicorn was delving in another world and the Princess was busy preparing for her coronation. “I need to discuss this with Twilight. Maybe she can figure something out.” “Oh oh! Should I call everyone else?” Pinkie offered. “The whole gang can chip in.” “No… not now.” Sunset declined though it was tempting to do so. “I don’t want to interrupt their New Year’s plan. Besides, this is all just technical stuff. I’ll call them when we find something.” (Camp Everfree) “Alright. Keep me posted.” Twilight hung up her phone as she returned to the couch sighing softly. Sunset had just given her the details of the event that took place in the museum, which undoubtedly sparked her interest. Normally she’d drop everything and sprint her way to the nearest bus station. But unfortunately the timing of it all was simply unfavorable to her. “What are you doing!?” And like clockwork, her evil twin decided to show herself. I was about to sit down on this couch and take a break on this beautiful morning until you showed up and ruin it. “Nothing…” “There is a magical emergency and you’re just gonna sit here lazily like some kind of sloth!?” “It’s not a magical emergency. Just a magical incident.” Twilight clarified, though she doubt this annoying angel was gonna accept that as an excuse. “You’re darn right I’m not accepting that as an excuse!” Figures. “This is a crisis! The most powerful magical artifact we’ve ever come across is acting up and you’re doing nothing!? We should be going over there and investigating, not wallowing around like some… swine. What’s wrong with you!?” “I’m spending the New Year with my boyfriend.” Midnight frustratingly argued back. “Aren’t you at the least bit curious? This event happened exactly yesterday around the same time as that Solstice. This can’t be a coincidence. Who knows what kind of phenomenon we’re dealing with? It might be another shadow monster, a world shattering event! Or… maybe even… another villain bent on world domination.” I already have one of those living inside my head. “Look. As much as I want to investigate this event, I’m not going to drop everything to see it. I’m spending time with Timber, and that’s final.” She lifted a cup of coco and took a long sip. “Besides. What can I even do? I don’t have any of my equipment. If you forgot, my parents cut my lab off from the rest of the house.” “That’s why you should-” “I am not asking Flash.” “ARGHH! You are unbelievable!” Midnight looked like she was on the verge of tearing her hair out. “A great magical incident has occurred and all you can think of is sitting here over a hot mug?! I expected better of my host.” Twilight brushed her off. And it’s not like she didn’t want to go. Every fiber of her being would like nothing better than to just drop everything and bolt it over to the museum and have a crack at that chalice. Heck, just having a look at that magic compass would be a blast. But… even so it wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be fair to Timber, who spent his precious time making this whole week feel special. She just needs to get this through the New Year and she’ll be back to solving mysteries with the gang. There’s no need to rush. She should enjoy the time she had with her boyfriend while she still can. It’s not like they’re going to be living together. Oh… wait… “Hey there.” Timber’s voice sang from the doorway as he arrived with freshly cut firewood. “How’s my favorite gal doing? Ready for a brand new day?” She forced a small smile to greet him as he peck her cheeks. “I’m fine. Just had Sunset check up on me.” “Oh? Any problems?” “Nothing she can’t handle. So I’m pretty much free for the whole day.” “Great. Because I saved the best for last.” “The best?” She questioned. “But the solstice was yesterday.” “That was just the appetizer.” He replied with a wink. “Now it’s time for the main course. And you’ll never guess what it is.” “Ooh? Is it a formula for facial cream? Rarity’s been begging me to invent one.” “Nope. Even better. Come on I’ll show you.” (Applejack’s farm) Applejack felt… weird inside. Like the good kind of weird. And even though it was freezing colder than Aunt Goldie’s cabin, she felt warmer than a gal in the desert. She adjusted her blouse and skirt, feeling it wiggle on her waist. It wasn’t exactly her choice to dress up like some kind of pilgrim, but this was pretty much the only thing they had for the theme. Granny Smith decided that they should all dress like the early settlers instead of the usual winter themed myths and legends. It’d certainly paint a prettier picture. Not that they could find anything better. Besides, it wasn’t really that much different from her normal attire. Other than the skirt which dragged all the way below her feet, everything else felt rather comfortable. It was only the lack of buttons and clips that she had a hard time putting any of them on. Heck, even the shoes felt like they were about two or three sizes larger than her feet. Grandma must’ve been in her prime when she wore this to her prom. “Oh dagnamit. How in the world did those people put any of this on in a reasonable amount of time? Not even Rarity’s dresses are this complicated!” “Applejack, you in there?” A knock on the door called to her. “Y… yeah. In a minute. I think I finally got this.” She reached for her skirt and yanked it only to stumble on her feet. “Oh no…” Her balance shifted one side crashing onto the door. But thankfully someone caught her on the other side with a firm grasp. “Whoa. Easy there.” Ugh… thank god for blue hair and semi-toned muscle. “Thanks Flash. This dress is a lot harder to move in than it looks. I have no idea how folks get anything done with these on.” The boy returned a chuckle. “Well for what it’s worth, you look great in it.” She shot him a smirk. “Right back at ya.” And she wasn’t lying either. With a slow roll, she scanned the Flash from top to bottom, admiring the pilgrim clothes that granny got for him. He fit into it like a glove and even filled out in all the right places. If it wasn’t for this cold weather, she’d be whistling like a broken gas pipe. “Looking pretty sweet there, pardner.” “You think so? I feel like my pants are a little tight. I think I got used to my normal clothes.” “Heh… same here.” Applejack agreed patting her coif, feeling rather naked without her usual cowboy hat. “Thanks again for coming to my family photo shoot. I know you’re busy this time of year. But this is pretty important to me and my folks.” “Are you kidding? I’ve never had a family tradition before. It’d be nice to be a part of something like this every now and then.” He patted his pants, putting out the wrinkles. “Although to be honest, I wasn’t really expecting to see Ms. Cheerilee here either.” Her expression soured immediately upon mentioning of her brother’s new girlfriend. Her hand traced down her feel dragging her cheeks. “Ugh… don’t remind me. I had to watch them come together like some cheesy story book.” “Oh…” He recoiled as if stumbling upon gold. “So she’s with… Big Macintosh?” “Yup…” “And… are they like… together?” “Yup.” She nodded again much to her chagrin. Flash’s mind expectedly exploded upon realization. “Wow…” The boy mumbled, stunned. No surprise there. She had the same reaction a week ago when Big Mac told the whole family about it. Who would ever thought that her Math teacher for the last four years would be hooking it up with her brother? Not her, that’s for sure. “That’s… that’s really something.” “Tell me about it.” “I mean… I heard rumors going on about the two of them but I never thought it’d be true. Like… how did it even happen?” “I ain’t exactly looking into my brother’s love life.” She groaned. That was the last thing she wanted to get on her mind. “That’s a dung heap of trouble I’m not even touching with granny’s fishing pole. “And are you guys… ok with this?” Honestly… no. But what was she to do? Big Mac was her big brother. He was old enough to make his own darn choices. His romantic life was no one’s business but his. But maybe he might’ve crossed a line somewhere with Ms. Cheerilee. Only god knows where that relationship will head towards. “Can’t say that I am. But… I can’t say that I ain’t either.” She admitted. “I’m just gonna let the dice fall where they roll on this one. I don’t suppose you’d mind uh… keeping this on a down low?” “I think the whole school already knows. But… sure. I can keep a secret.” “Thanks. The last thing those two need are more attention.” “Oi! You two wackos done yet?” Granny Smith interjected from the stairway waving her antique camera like a club. “We’re burning daylight here. Can’t take no picture if there ain’t no sun. And this family tradition ain’t gonna keep itself either. So hop to it.” “Almost granny.” AJ replied shuffling her skirt again and failed. “These things ain’t exactly made for convenience. It’s like trying to fit myself inside a boot that ain’t my size. Don’t you have anything better wear?” “Well excuse me. During my time we had to wrap ourselves up like onions. You young’uns are always goin on about with your skimpy outfit and your fancy frills. Back in the old days, there was no such thing as fashion!” “That’s not what I… ugh… never mind.” No point arguing with this lady. “We’ll be down in a minute.” “Good. Now start gittin. And while you’re at it. Stop those two lovebirds outside from flirting for about five minutes. Otherwise this family photo will be all smooch and hooch.” Ain’t that the truth. Big Mac and Ms. Cheerilee are easily what you would call an annoying couple with no boundaries. They’ll act like ordinary folk one moment then become lovey dovey the moment they see each other. Just listening to them call out their pet names alone was viable to make anyone hurl. It got so bad that Apple Bloom had to wear ear plugs just to drown the cringiness. “So…” Flash opened up, extending his arm. “May this one be willing to accept this gentleman’s request to escort thee?” A smile curled around her lips. “Yes you may.” (Apartment building) *Poke* Adagio was bored. Bored out of her mind. Bored in a way that made her sprawl around the couch. So bored, that she even let her hair down. *Poke poke* Never in her life did she wish for something to happen. Something. Anything really. So long as it was entertaining. As long as it can hold her interest just for a while. Even five measly seconds will do wonders for her mind. *Poke poke poke* And take that damn finger off my face before I bite it! “Aria. I think Adagio’s broken.” The idiot of this estrange family whimpered, continuing to poke her leader not know it was like aggravating a puma with a stick. Aria – on the other hand – did the smart thing and remained in her corner reading another of those trashy magazines. “Hello? Adagio? Are you ok in there?” “Does it look like I’m ok to you?” Adagio shot back grumpily, swatting her finger away. “Aww… are you feeling hungry? We got some really nice cake.” “No Sonata. I am not hungry.” “Oh…” She looked down dejected. “Are you thirsty? We got some of that soda you really liked.” “No, I’m not thirsty either.” “Oh?” Now she looked confused. “Is it that time of mo-” “NO you idiot! I’m bored!” The Siren leader snapped. Though her anger quickly subsided when she slumped back on the couch. “I’m bored out of my mind.” “Oh!” Sonata’s face lit up unexpectedly. “I can help you with that.” Really? This should be interesting. Adagio shifted to a comfortable position, hoping that whatever this girl had in her sleeves would at least give her a chuckle or two. But that hope quickly dashed away when she pulled out a familiar pun book from her pocket. “Ahem. Why did the chicken cross the road?” Sonata grinned, pausing for effect. “Because it wanted to prove it wasn’t a chicken!” … “Ughhh~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.” Gods. Just kill her now. “How about this one? What do you get out a pampered cow?” She paused. “Spoiled milk!” No… NO! This isn’t entertainment. It’s god darn torture! “What does the Pharaoh do before he goes to bed? He wraps himself up!” That wasn’t even a joke. That’s morbid. “Oh oh oh! This one is good. What did the fire hydrant say to the dog?” “Give it up Sonata.” Aria thankfully came to the rescue before that idiot could continue. “You know how she is when she’s like this. This isn’t the first time she becomes lazy. Just leave her be and she’ll come out of her shell.” “Oooh? Is she becoming a snail?” Aria face palmed before quickly handing the girl some loose change. “Why don’t you get yourself a drink? I’ll handle our fearless leader.” “Yay! I’ll get us all some ice cream!” She bolted off towards the door a second later with a wide eyed grin on her face. At least someone here was easy to please. Once she was certain that the little idiot was gone, Aria turned her attention back to their leader who once again shifted her position on the couch, spreading herself like a ham on a slice of bread. “What’s gotten you all murky?” “Isn’t it obvious?” Adagio scoffed, not taking her eyes off the ceiling. “I’ve given up on life. This world and our pitiful existence is meaningless compared to the great cosmos and the infinite void we call: The universe.” “Are you bummed out because the new season of Emerald Oak got delayed?” Ugh… that news only made her sink into the couch even more. That TV show was one of the few things that got her out of bed every morning. She was looking forward to it too but then news came that it was pushed back for another month. They may as well have canceled the whole thing. “Everything is a lie. Nothing is permitted.” Aria shook her head in distraught. “Alright that’s it. Come on now. Let’s get you out of there.” “No! Leave me alone.” Adagio whined, grabbing the edge if her comfort zone. “This couch is the only one that understands my pain.” “Staying on this couch is making you lazy and dull.” The middle sister grunted as she pulled her by the leg giving it another huff and puff. “You need to get out or you’ll be molded with the pillows. There’s a whole city out there.” “There’s nothing in this city that can entertain me!” “How about we go to the park and use our magic there?” She grabbed her pillow and planted her face on it. “Ugh… what’s the point? It’s always the same old routine of gathering negative energy.” “But… you always liked it whenever you see people arguing.” “Not anymore.” Aria groaned again, giving another pull but the girl wouldn’t budge. “Ugh. How about the mall then?” “And what, pray tell, are we even gonna do there? Window shopping? We’re barely making rent as it is.” “We’d have money if you just let me and Sonata help out.” A tempting offer but she doubts they’ll be able to get anything other than another part time job. The winter season fills those positions quickly. “What’s the matter with you? You’ve been like this before but never this annoying.” That’s because nothing in this darn world is entertaining enough to keep her interest. Not since… that very night. She groaned and returned to her couch, sighing her day away. “That’s it. I’m calling the big guns.” Adagio blinked, noticing Aria holding her phone. “What are you doing?” “I’m calling that boy you’ve been hanging around with.” She paused to think. “Flash Shanty or something.” “WHAT!?” Adagio’s face lit up like a firework panicking. Her body reacted so quickly that she threw herself off the couch, falling face first on the floor. She heard the ringtone dialing for a second before she grabbed it and hung up. “Are you out of your mind? Do you know how much it cost to call someone? I can’t waste precious minutes on some random call. And why in the world would you want to call him of all people?” “Maybe it’s because you’ve been infatuated with him?” “Wha…? Infa… infatuated?” Her hair frazzled. “Why in the world would I hold any interest to some ridiculous human?” Aria hid a mischievous grin under her lips. “I can think of a few reasons.” “What was that?” “Nothing~.” She sang. “At least it got you off the couch. Look – you if you want something fun to do, then why don’t we all head out to the docks tomorrow?” “The docks?” Aria clarified holding out a flyer advertising some event. “It’s some kind of fair. Ever since they closed down that island, they had to move the event down by the docks. Could be fun.” “Let me guess. Sonata wants to go?” She nodded. “And you agreed?” “There’s a free buffet.” Ah… that made more sense. Their pantry has been looking a little dry of late. “And there’s gonna be fireworks too. No negative energy. But it might be fun.” “So pretty much a waste of time.” “Hey if it’ll get you off your butt, I’m down with it. Not like we’re doing much else around here.” No. No they were not. But come on. A fair? We’ve been to a hundred of those already. Canterlot City was pretty much a magnet for all manner of wacky events. Still… the free buffet was tempting. And it would help fill up their pantry and keep them from going in the red. If only their magic would be easy to restore as well. (Camp Everfree Rock Quarry) “Alright we’re almost there. Keep your eyes closed now.” Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes as her boyfriend continued to lead the way. It doesn’t really matter if she kept her eyes closed or not. She was already blindfolded. The only thing she could feel are his callus filled hands pulling her along. She wasn’t entirely sure what her boyfriend had in mind but it certainly wasn’t pleasant. Leaving the confines of their cabin, Timber had her blindfolded, saying that he was saving the best for last. Not really sure if this best includes walking down the less maintained road of the camp because her shoes were getting blisters. “Timber. I’ve been walking blind here for over 10 minutes. Can you please just tell me where we’re headed?” “Come on now. What’s the point of a surprise if I told? Trust me. You’ll love it. “Please don’t tell me you found another flower species. The last one you found was just a dandelion painted blue.” What an embarrassment that one was. “Hey, that was one time.” Two times actually. But Twilight wasn’t gonna mention that. Ugh… this place is rocky. Every step she took felt like she was walking back to that ranch in Peril’s Peak, minus the sand of course. Still… it was an unpleasant feeling for her toes. And there was this damp feeling in the air. She could still here Spike huffing in the background so they probably weren’t going anywhere dangerous. At least… she hopes not. “Alright. We’re here.” He said bringing her to a complete stop. With a quick motion he undid her blindfolds humming a happy tune. “Tada!” Twilight squinted from the sudden rush of light, her eyes fixating to the multitude of colors. It took a while but thankfully her sights adjusted and what greeted her was perhaps something she would describe as the 9th natural wonder of the world. They were in the rock quarry. The place where all their magical troubles began – or at least officially. The place was… in a lack of a better word ‘Renovated’ to near perfection. The decorations the gang left during their field trip here was still left on but with added materials. There were banners, tables, chairs, flowers, a dancing floor, and even neon lights that were reflected upon the minerals sticking out of the rock formation creating a disco ball effect. They even redesigned the magical podium where their geodes came from as a stage for a band to play. This place had turned from an old mining shaft to a natural disco club. “It’s… beautiful.” “Right?” Timber stood tall and proud with a cheeky grin on his face. “I pitched the idea to Gloriosa. I thought that… since the dance party here was the one that saved the camp from going under, I figured we’d keep it as an extra recreational activity for all of our campers. A little going away party after every session. The fake flowers were my idea. Plus it makes for a great hangout.” And he wasn’t kidding. Put a few more pillows, and maybe a drinking station and people from far and wide will want to chill here rather than their neighborhood ice cream parlor. “Timber, this is… amazing. You even got a crystal rock chandelier!” “Yup. You have no idea how long it took us to get that thing right. You like it?” “I love it! How in the world did you get all of this together? This must’ve cost a fortune.” “Oh please.” He waved it off. “You guys already did most of the work. All we had to do was add a little something of our own.” “Well whatever you guys did. It’s definitely gorgeous. This place is awesome.” “Ah ah…” He waggled his finger at her as he brought out an old boombox. “And as a special surprise. I got you something a little extra.” A music began to play. A song she was familiar. A tune she definitely sang at one point or another. “Flower for the Lovable Folk?” “By Dirk Thistleweed. I knew you liked his songs after the music festival. I hear you humming it every time we meet.” “You noticed that?” “A good boyfriend always know.” He approached, gesturing a bow like a gentleman meeting a lady in a ball. “May I have this dance?” She smiled in turn, her cheeks darkening a bit. “Yes. Yes you may.” They boogied and twirled to the rhythm of the music, chuckling and smiling as the moment went by. It was sweet. It was romantic. It was all so… “Oh and before I forget. I got one more thing.” More? Really? As if this whole thing wasn’t enough already. “There’s a firework display happening at the docks tomorrow. Right around midnight. You know… for the New Year. There’s a special area that’ll get you the best view of the whole thing. It’ll be, as you commonly say, magical.” “That was an awful pun.” His face flushed. “Sorry. I tried making one up during our walk here but I came up empty. But hey… wadayasay? Up for one more date before the end of the year?” What was she to say? “Absolutely.” (Rainbow Dash’s house) Rainbow Dash stapled a smile on her face and tried hardest not to scream. She has handled dangerous situations before. Shadow monsters, quicksand, man eating plants and the forces of nature. You name it. But never before did she ever come across a situation so volatile and so deadly that it had her sweating buckets. A single mispronounced word or discrepancy in their story could erupt in a cacophony of explosions that would take eons to repair. Damn it Rarity. When you said that this whole plan was going to be a piece of cake, you never mentioned how dangerous it would be. One wrong word, one misconception or misunderstanding and her parents will go ballistic. Who knows what her parents would do if they find anything out of place? She looked around and noted her mother’s cooking on the table, her father sitting on the opposite end with the same casual look, the weather outside was pleasant, her family all smiling giddily, and her apparent boyfriend sitting beside her smiling like it was the most natural thing to do. This was a powder keg just waiting to blow up in her face. She looked to herself making sure that her appearance was up to Rarity’s standards. Normally Rainbow wouldn’t really bother with any fashion but this was a very crucial moment that could potentially change her life forever. So instead of going with the usual casual jogging pants and shoes, she traded them for a pair of puffy jeans she got from Fluttershy last summer and some short heels on loan from Rarity’s own collection. How that fashionista learned to walk with these things, she’ll never know. They were about as comfortable as daggers poking up her soles. She even went as far as changing her hairstyle for this very night: A side ponytail that went on just length below her neck. The only silver lining was the band jacket that she kept from Flash. It was perhaps the only thing comfortable on her entire outfit. Rarity insisted on putting jewelry but she had none other than her geode. The closest thing she had to an accessory were some wrist bands she won from some cereal box ages ago. It’ll have to do… “Your pasta is amazing Mrs. Whistles.” Flash started off, which her mother responded with a soft giggle. “Oh please. It’s nothing really. I’ve been making these for my little girl since she was just a baby.” Ugh… gee mom. Thanks for not embarrassing yourself… or me for that matter. “You should see how Rainbow eats before a big game. She’ll chow down three bowls full. She says that she needs the calories to burn through, but honestly that’s just her nerves talking.” “Mom~!” “Now now dear. Let’s not embarrass our little girl too much. You’re gonna make her turn red.” Thanks dad. You’re a lifesaver. “Save some for later when we need it.” I’m taking away your ‘#1 Dad’ mug tonight. “So… Flash… was it?” “Yes sir.” The said boy sat up straight like he was on the verge of saluting a drill sergeant. Bow Hothoof laughed. “No need for all that formality here, young man. Please just call me Pops.” Flash glanced towards her for permission which she responded with a quiet nod. Best to go with the flow for now. “Uh… ok… Pops. This is a nice place you have here.” “Why thank you. Built this whole kitchen with my own bare hands.” Yeah right. Rainbow rolled her eyes. You tried to refurbish the kitchen yourself one time and hammered your hand on the first plank. Mom had to hire a contractor to finish the rest of it off. “So tell me. My wife and I have been dying to meet you. Rainbow Dash here never said a word when she first started dating. We weren’t even sure if she was in a relationship so this came quite a surprise.” Oh god. Here we go. Rainbow Dash took a glance at the boy hoping he would remember his lines. Her parents have been looking forward to this day and there was no doubt that they would follow the same trope of an interrogating family. “Oh it’s kind of a new relationship.” Flash admitted sheepishly though it was still technically a lie. “I haven’t even mentioned this to my dad either. We kind of wanted to keep it a secret between us until we were ready. We weren’t sure how the others would react.” Rainbow didn’t trust her word and decided to do a tactical nod instead. “Aww a secret relationship.” Windy cooed snuggling to her husband like they were reminiscing. “I completely understand. Folks nowadays can be so judgmental. Please tell us everything. Like how did you two first meet?” “We met since freshman year.” He answered with a joking tone. “I think it was during P.E. We joined the soccer team the same time. You should’ve seen her ma’am. Rainbow Dash was a natural at sports. I don’t think anyone could outperform her in any physical game.” “That sounds like my little girl alright.” Dad nodded proudly with his head held high. “She always did say she would make it in the sports circle.” Windy chimed in. “We didn’t think it would be in all of them.” Come on guys. Hold back your praises just a tad bit? I’m gonna die of embarrassment here! Even Flash seems to be in on it. “And let me guess. Your relationship started from there?” Mom! Come on! “I’d say… no.” Flash clarified holding a straight face. “Like I said: This is kind of a new relationship. Besides, I wasn’t exactly good in sports. My passion came from music instead, which is where we started meeting early on.” That… wasn’t a total lie. It wasn’t until the Rainbooms formed during the Fall Formal that they actually started hanging out… in a sense. In fact, she could hardly recall any interaction with him before this whole magic thing started. Flash has always been the guy next door that she never really had any real reason to interact with. Even when they were made locker-neighbors, the most she ever got out of him was a casual hi and hello. “We didn’t get along at first.” He continued. “In fact. I think we butted heads more times for the sport light. Lead guitarists like us tend to head each other.” Rainbow once again implemented a tactical nod to pass along the conversation. Good good. Never let the relationship look too good to be true. Always add a hurdle to make it look more believable. He was following the script to the letter…… mostly. Rarity’s depiction of this scenario went way differently on her imagination. “It was only during the Winter Holiday party that we sort of started going out.” Flash shrugged awkwardly. “She was playing for my band that time. And that’s where I realized how amazing she was.” He turned his head over towards her giving out a warm smile which made her cheeks turn. “We had our first date after that.” “I knew it!” Mom cheered. “I knew that jacket had some hidden meaning and I was right! Woo! Mother’s instinct baby! It never lies.” Down mother. The neighbors can hear you. “A first date?” Dad followed suit, eyes widening. “Really now?” “It wasn’t anything special.” Rainbow Dash finally chipped in thinking she might actually put some effort in this meeting. “We just went to an ice cream shop and shared a scoop. Nothing major.” “You shared a scoop?” Windy squealed like her namesake, her smile widening so much that it looked downright frightening. “Oh now that is serious! What was it like? Was it magical? Did you see sparks?” “Uh…” “It was a bit awkward.” Flash answered for her. “But yeah. There was a feeling there.” “And then what happened!?” “I uh… think I’ll keep that private for now ma’am. It is our first date after all.” Windy pouted but didn’t press any further. “We are planning to head to the fair by the docks tomorrow though.” “Tomorrow?” Her parents said in unison. “On New Year’s eve?” Windy gasped. “Don’t you want to spend time with your parents?” “Eh… my dad will probably be too busy.” Flash explained. “He said he had work to do so he won’t be home. So I figured we’d spend the evening there and see the fireworks. If… that’s not too much trouble for all of you.” “Not at all. Our little lady always did love fireworks.” “That still sounds so wonderfully sweet.” Windy was fanning herself at this point. “I remember my first date with Bow. It was surreal.” “I made a complete fool of myself.” Bow laughed heartily, mashing one hand on the table. “I didn’t know what a formal attire looked like so I came in with my holiday shirt. The whole restaurant looked at me like I was the elephant in the room.” This is good. It seems like they really did believe that she and Flash were an actual couple. They were kind of suckers for sappy stories. Maybe she can lead them on from there. “What about you, Flash?” “Wh… what about me?” “Tell us more about yourself son.” Her dad followed, putting the spoon down and turning his full attention to him. “You know a lot about our little girl. But we’d certainly like to know more about the boy she’s going out with.” “Oh… I’m… no one anyone special.” Uh oh… not good. Rarity was very skeptical about this part. They all knew how Flash could be very secretive about his personal life. She scooted closer to him, laughing nervously. “Come on guys.” Rainbow chimed in, despite against her better judgment. “Don’t you think it’s a little too early for that? I mean this is our first meeting after all. We’ve only been dating for a couple of weeks.” “Nonsense honey. Getting to know each other is the whole reason why we invited him over for dinner. We only wish for the best for our little girl.” Bow continued shifting his gaze back to the boy. “Please go on.” Flash remained on his seat rubbing the back of his head nervously. “Well I suppose my name is Flash Sentry. I like music and video games. I’m studying in CHS like your daughter and I got a few friends there too.” He kept the details light which Rainbow nodded happily to. No need to bring out the rich background. Compared to what she imagined, they were doing pretty well. He had top of the line manners, which shouldn’t be surprising considering his upbringing. And he praised her mother’s cooking, which earned him bonus points for later. “Any plans after graduation?” Seriously dad!? You’re poking at this whole future thing too? “Oh… that’s complicated.” Flash remained firm though he showed a few cracks in his defense. “You haven’t thought about it?” “I have sir. It’s just that my options are… a few.” “Ah… I understand.” You do? “The future can be a scary thing. But that doesn’t have to be. Why… our little girl here kept saying that she was gonna be the best hockey player in the whole county.” Pfft! Rainbow bit her lip as her face turned redder than a tomato. “First it was baseball. Then basketball.” Windy followed suit, giggling childishly. “Then there was a time she wanted to be a dancer.” “Danc-” “Th… that was just a phase!” Rainbow snapped, hands slamming the table. “I was seven! That doesn’t count!” They all shared a laugh, unfortunately, at her expense. “We all had strange childhoods growing up.” Flash added returning their attention back to him. “Mine isn’t so different. I guess that’s another thing we have in common.” Oh for crying out loud. How can you say these cheesy lines with such a straight face? You weren’t this good during rehearsal. “But to be honest, I know exactly how Dash feels. I did have a plan. It’s… kinda stupid really.” “Hmm?” It was the boy’s turn to blush as he confessed. “I uh… actually wanted to take my music to the road. Be a full time musician like the other big names out there. But that’s off the table now.” “Oh?” Bow blinked. “Why?” Even Rainbow seemed surprised. She figured that the Flash Drive were making bank, especially seeing their popularity was soaring through the roof. Heck, she’ll even admit that they were a teeny tiny bit better than the Rainbooms in terms of skill and music. If just a bit. “Well my band isn’t exactly sticking for long. My drummer’s got a gig with another team out of town and my bass player is heading over to Neighgeria for some soul-searching prophecy. So it’s not really much of a team with just two.” “Whoa whoa. Hold on.” Rainbow recoiled. “Your band is breaking up? When did this happen?” “Right after the Winter Holiday party.” He answered nonchalantly. “We had a long talk after that gig. And we all agreed to break it up while the going was good. Even Sandlewood plans to take over his dad’s flower shop once he graduates.” “But but… your band is awesome! I thought you guys were great after that gig in the park. Didn’t you say you had like… a million followers or something?” He shrugged, not really expressing much woe. “Nothing lasts forever. Sure - I’m bummed about it. But I can’t stop them from chasing their dreams. We all have to make tough decisions at one point.” “Spoken like a grown man.” Mom nodded in absolute agreement. “Everyone has to make sacrifices. It’s good to enjoy the little things in life while you can.” “No doubt about it ma’am.” “What about your parents?” Dad asked. “Do your folks know that you’re going out with our little lady?” “Just my dad. My mom passed away when I was little.” “Oh dear.” Mom’s expression visibly shifted, hand covering her mouth. She cast a rude glance over to her husband who immediately got stiff and muttered a silent apology. “I’m so sorry sweet heart.” “It’s fine ma’am.” He waved it off coolly. “It’s just me and my dad at this point. We’ve been getting along most of the time. But he’s busy with work lately. So he doesn’t really know much about my dating life.” “I… I see…” Bow nodded but didn’t ask any follow up questions. Perhaps the hint of guilt scared them off. “Well it’s good to know that my little girl is going out with someone who has a good head on his shoulders. I’m sure you two will make some great memories together.” “Yes sir. I already feel like the luckiest man alive when I’m with her.” Flash casually clutched her hand which made her heart jump. It was surprisingly warm. “I’ll be sure to treat her right.” “What about you sweetie?” Windy directed a question towards her. “Me?” Rainbow balked. “Do you feel the same way?” She looked to the blue boy who maintained that warm smile on his face. God, was she blushing? She could feel her cheeks growing redder by the minute. If it wasn’t for this weather, she’d be blowing steams by now. But she needed to respond quickly. What was she to say? All this pretending was getting more and more sappy by the minute, and if she remains silent it’ll look deadly suspicious. So with all her might, a smile crossed her face as she uttered those little words out loud. “Yeah… I do.” xxxxxxxxxx “Ugh… finally… it’s over!” Rainbow let out a sigh as she walked Flash to his car, but not before giving a glance to her house just to make sure her parents weren’t spying on them from the window. The last thing she wanted was to get caught in the act because she was careless in the last minute. “Who knew that acting can be so exhausting? I don’t think I’ve ever been this exhausted even during baseball. But… the good thing is that my mom and dad bought it. They totally believe that we’re an actual couple. How cool is that?” “Not as cool as I wanted.” Flash admitted chuckling awkwardly. “I don’t exactly feel comfortable lying to your parents like that. What if they find out that it was all a hoax?” She brushed his worries off. “Relax. They don’t suspect a thing. My folks are suckers for sappy stories. By next year, this whole charade will be over. I’ll tell them that we broke up and we’ll be back to our normal routine. My parents will leave me alone and you’ll get uh… something.” A coy smile showed itself on his face. “Gee. I feel like the luckiest man alive.” “Don’t be coy. I felt like I was gonna die in there. Who knew Rarity’s script would be so convincing?” That girl charted down every last thing right down to the last detail. Though they had to improvise some of the lines along the way. Maybe she didn’t give that fashionista enough credit. “Anyway… thanks for going along with this whole mess. I know it’s not every day for someone to ask you to fake the boyfriend act.” “What? Pretending to be the boyfriend of Rainbow Dash, the Captain of every sports team in CHS? It’s every boy’s dream.” She turned a blush. “And I also learned that our beloved Rainbow also wanted to be a dancer.” “Oh give me a break!” She threw a punch which he dodged smoothly. “That was a phase!” “I can already picture you in a ballerina outfit.” “Cut it out!” She hammered his arm weakly refusing to blush as he laughed. “You tell anyone about that and I’ll clobber you. I know where you live.” They later arrived at his car not long after, looking prettier and fancier than she last remembered. The boy hopped in, lowering the window to one last chat. “So… this was an experience.” Flash added, grinning. “Tell me about it.” She agreed. “Hey listen. I’m… uh… sorry for what happened to your band.” She brushed the side of her head shyly. “I didn’t know it was really that bad.” “Don’t worry about it. These things happen.” “For what it’s worth, you guys were pretty awesome. I wouldn’t mind playing with you guys again.” “You might get another chance.” He chuckled. “We might have a few other gigs next semester. Figured we’d play till the last minute before we all go our separate way. And we could always use a backup guitar.” Rainbow smiled warmly at his humor. “Heh… you’re on. I could use the practice.” “I’ll hold you up to that.” He answered with a chuckle before revving the engine up. “So what time do I pick you up tomorrow?” She blinked twice, confused. “Err… what now?” “For our date to the fair.” The fake date? “Wait… you were serious about that?” “Of course. It’d look pretty strange if I didn’t come pick up my ‘Girlfriend’ for our big date.” “Oh… I was thinking maybe we could skip that part.” She shuffled awkwardly by the window. “Maybe I’d just head to the clubhouse and hang out there instead.” “What? And skip a whole day of fun? Come on.” Flash gave a teasing grin. “It’ll sell the whole couple thing even better. Plus it’ll be great learning experience for when you do get that special someone.” It sounded logical enough. And it did sound like fun too. Rainbow Dash liked fairs. The game booths and attractions? The rides? She could already taste the cotton candy in her mouth. It’d be a blast. And besides… if she was gonna sell this charade to her parents she may as well have a bit of fun along the way. “That does sound pretty cool.” She muttered before nodding. “Ok I’m in. But just so you know. I am not wearing these heels.” “I think I can live with that.” He laughed. “See ya?” And with that last farewell, the boy drove off into the night waving cheerfully, leaving the girl behind with a silly grin on her face. “See ya…” She whispered softly, unaware of her whole body glowing with magic.