//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Bar // Story: Enchanted to Know You // by Teal //------------------------------// Once in a while, after a tough day at Day Court, there was nothing more Celestia wanted to do than relax. To forget work and stress and replace them with a soothing and enjoyable sensation, that was what she yearned for the most during those headache inducing times. In days where she encounters a peskier than usual noble, or days where she goes through trade deals that take hours upon hours of boring negotiations, a moment of relaxation is all she wanted in order to clear her mind and prepare herself for the next day. On days like that, when she badly needed to vent out the stress and calm her mind, she would indulge herself with a night’s worth of de-stressing and relaxation. Many ponies often wondered what the Solar Princess’ preferred method of relaxing was, and it was always an interesting debate among castle staff and nobles what the alicorn Princess did to unwind. She was naturally a private pony, and never liked to divulge such things. However, this didn’t stop ponies from guessing. Their guesses often came towards things like long warm baths to quiet moments of reading, but unbeknownst to them, these guesses could not be farther from the truth. Celestia’s preferred method of relaxation was something that many would deem unbecoming of a princess, for during nights of loosening up and de-stressing, her favorite activity to do was to hit the bars of downtown Canterlot and drown her stresses away with the hardest alcoholic drinks they could offer. Being an alicorn with centuries of life under her wing, it often took a lot of alcohol to fully waste her mind, but getting drunk was never her goal when she went out. It was the warmth and sensations of alcoholic beverages that she was after, as these drinks often make her feel good and ease the tension within her. Officially, she was a red wine pony. Unofficially, hard cider was her favorite. The bars she chose were often random, and she rarely visited the same bar consecutively. It wasn’t just the alcohol that she wanted and liked after all, as she also desired the different atmosphere each bar had to offer. If she just wanted a drink, then she would have just ordered a personal bar room to be constructed for the castle. But drinking was not the only thing she was looking for. She wanted the environment, the atmosphere and life a bar house radiated. She wanted diversity too, to encounter a different world every time she went out.  To visit the same place over and over would just be boring for her, and she liked the excitement different places brought. From exciting party themed bars that had ponies dancing left and right, to mellow and chill bars that give calm and slow music, she had no single taste and her choice often depended on her mood during that night. Whenever a new bar in Canterlot opened, it was always guaranteed she would go there to unwind, wanting to see what new environments the place had to offer. She was adventurous that way and this side of her was unseen by anypony, even her sister. She preferred to keep this part of her a secret, not only because she was a private pony, but also because she knew that there would be negative backlash from both the nobility and the public. She was sure the citizens of Equestria wouldn’t be too happy if they learnt that their supposedly stoic and divine princess liked to hangout in bars after a bad day at work. It would be a big scandal, and the newspapers would have a field day. Not only that, she was certain Luna was going to chew her out and lecture her about proper regal behavior. Because of this need for secrecy, she was prudent enough to use a simple disguise spell whenever she went out. To the ponies who encounter her in the bar, they don’t see Celestia the alicorn princess, but instead a simple white furred and pink manned unicorn by the name of Sunny Beam. One night, after Princess Celesita had a particularly rough meeting with Canterlot nobles about funding for a statue of their heroic forefathers, Sunny Beam went out to unwind. With saddle bags decently filled with bits, she teleported out of Canterlot Castle and arrived unnoticed at the downtown area of the city. Trotting through the streets and basking on the wonderful nightlife of Canterlot, Sunny smiled to herself as her head swiveled left and right, trying to find a nice place to drink at. All around her, ponies of different backgrounds roamed the streets, seeking various things to do for the night. It was only ten o’clock in the evening on a Friday, still very early into the night. Based on past experience, she knew that there would be more ponies out as the night went on. She smiled wider at this though, knowing that Luna would greatly appreciate knowing that so many ponies loved her night. Times have changed, and the night was as alive as the day. Sunny would have personally told Luna how lovely ponies were during her nights, however, Sunny didn’t know the Princess of the Night on such a personal basis. Besides, she probably knew it herself, seeing how happy she is during Night Court, especially when compared to how she was a thousand years ago. Humming to herself as she went by, Sunny soon encountered a place that attracted her attention. Beaming with lights and having a steady flow of ponies entering, the place, a bar house, looked simple in design, yet radiated elegance and beauty. Stopping and studying this place, she could read a simple sign saying: ‘Grand Opening’, which was strung above the bar’s name that said: ‘The Atrium’. Curious, Sunny managed to peer a bit through the large arching door and see a beautiful room decorated with large aquariums, while being illuminated by a bluish sea tone light. Liking the place already, and pleased with the calming yet exotic environment it had, she made her final decision and chose this place as her hangout for the night. It didn’t take long for her to find a sit on the bar front and order her first round of many. Laying her saddle bags on the floor and sighing in relief, she took a sip of the glass of strong cider and allowed her body to ease and relax. After the snobbery and fake praises she heard all day, the taste of alcohol in her tongue, and the warming glow it brought, was just what she needed to feel better. Slowly enjoying her drink, she soon began looking around, letting her gaze first study the various fish swimming in the aquariums in the walls, before looking around to observe the different ponies drinking and enjoying their time. Part of the fun in going to bars was the different characters she met, and she was always interested in listening to the different stories they had to tell. After hearing pompous self centered stories from nobles, the honest working pony’s tale was something she desperately needed to erase the aftertaste of the mind numbing arrogant boastings the nobles had left her. Scanning the room and seeing the bar almost packed, with many tables occupied by different groups, her eyes soon fell upon a certain nearby table, whose ponies she immediately realized. Laughing, eating, drinking, and having a good time, Sunny saw Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends seated on the other end of the room. Staring a bit longer, Sunny also noticed that along with her best friends, Twilight was also accompanied by her friends from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. For a moment, Sunny seemed to be lost in thought, as if she was trying to remember something. Soon enough though, the unicorn smiled before shaking her head. Just the other day, Princess Celestia had received a letter from Twilight, informing her that the latter would be taking her Ponyville friends to meet her old Canterlot friends. They must have chosen this newly opened bar to have dinner in and hangout. Most ponies would have been thrilled to find a princess in the bar they were drinking at, but not Sunny. It was nice to see Twilight was having a good time, but it was not her business to mind. This place was a decent place for a down-to-earth princess like her to hangout, and Sunny believed that she made the right choice here. She would let her be, as she enjoyed her own night, as she was sure the modest young princess would never do anything to embarrass herself in such a public place. Soon enough, after another glass of hard cider, Sunny got into a conversation with a mare who worked as a librarian of a large public library in downtown Canterlot. Lost in the conversation, she completely forgot about Twilight, as she learnt more about the crazy happenings that could occur in a day inside a library. For one thing, she never knew that so many ponies confuse libraries with bookshops and inquire how much certain books were. As time passed by, however, her newfound friend soon had to go, thus leaving Sunny alone with her tenth glass of hard cider. An hour had now passed since she arrived, and although she was entertained by her librarian friend, she found that she was still in the mood for another conversation. Finishing her glass of alcohol, before ordering another, she was just about to look around to see if there was another  friendly face who would occupy her time, when she was suddenly surprised by the sight of Twilight sitting on the bar stool next to her. Looking at her and staring at the alicorn, she noticed the nervous smile on the mare’s face, as her head tilted down and eyes darted left and right, as if trying to look everywhere but directly at her. Studying her for another second, Sunny soon noticed the obvious blush on the alicorn’s face, as well as the steady sway of her body as she shot there. There was no doubt about it; Twilight was drunk right in front of her. She had never seen Twilight this drunk before, and although her inner self knew that the mare had been slightly tipsy during a couple of parties in the past, it had never reached levels as bad as this. Obviously the younger alicorn still lacked the strength to handle her alcohol. Because of that, she worried if the young mare was okay.  “Um, hello?” Sunny asked, unsure how to deal with the situation. Looking up, Twilight suddenly froze, as she locked her gaze upon Sunny. Looking unsure and seemingly caught off guard, the lavender alicorn soon started to shift uncomfortably in her seat, before taking a quick glance behind her, as if contemplating a retreat. Finally though, gaining some confidence, Twilight took a deep breath, before firmly staring at Sunny, making the other mare a bit confused as to what she was planning. “Hi!” Twilight yelped in reply, as a flustered look erupted on her face. Sunny didn’t think it possible, but the mare in front of her seemed to blush redder now. An awkward silence then came upon the two, as Sunny stared at Twilight and watched her break eye contact, before nervously playing with her hooves. As the seconds passed, she started to mumble something, which Sunny found hard to understand. Whether it was because she was drunk or whether because she was nervous, the words she was trying to say came out muffled, forcing the unicorn to inquire what she was saying. Embarrassed, Twilight tried to give her best apologetic smile, before straightening up and clearing her throat. This, however, did little to hide the fact that she was still very much drunk, as her body ever so gently continued to sway left and right. “H...Hi! Again.” She began awkwardly. “I’m Princess Twilight, although you probably know that already. Not that I’m trying to boast or anything...” Deflated, as she realized she was making a fool of herself, the alicorn tried to find the right words, only to fail even more. “What I’m trying to say is, I would like to introduce myself to you and become your princess.” Almost immediately after she said that, Twilight covered her mouth with her hooves, as her eyes widened and cheeks blushed even more fiercely. Sunny on the other hoof was slightly taken aback by the bluntness and suddenness of what she was told, as the unicorn mare stared at Twilight with growing curiosity. “Oh my Celestia, I didn't mean it like that!” Twilight said, panic clear in her voice. “What I’m trying to say is that you look pretty and I like you.” There was a pause, before the mare  suddenly slammed a hoof on her face and let out a frustrated grunt. “Ugh, no, that’s not right either!” “Are you okay...Twi...umm...Princess?” Sunny asked, getting worried over the alicorn’s actions. Although the panicking was somewhat within her character, the pure bold and direct attitude to somepony who, from her perspective, was a stranger is certainly unlike her. In her mind, she knew it was the alcohol making her do this, but she still couldn’t help but feel concerned. Sighing, Twilight nodded her head. “Yea, I’m okay... It’s just that...well...” She bit her lip for a bit, contemplating, before continuing. “You see...I know this may sound a bit weird, and I promise this isn’t just the alcohol talking, but I couldn’t help but notice you when you first got here, and I have to admit that I took more than a healthy amount of glances at you throughout the past hour. You’re white fur; it just looks so soft and warm that I want to cuddle up against you. Oh Celestia, did I say that last part out loud? I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to make it sound so strange! It’s just that...I am attracted to you! No! I mean, yes, I am! I’m sorry, the alcohol is making this harder, but I really am serious that I feel attracted to you.” Seeing the alicorn fluster and panic brought a certain kind of amusement to Sunny, and she couldn’t help but grin at the sight. It was adorable to see her confess, and it made her look really cute. But she also wondered if the mare was really speaking the truth and she really did have some sort of feelings for her. If that was the case, then it could cause some problems, given her situation. Half of her thought that she was just a random pony that Twilight’s drunken eyes had spotted, but another half of her told her that the mare really did have feelings for her. The shyness and flustered praise when talking to her must be coming from somewhere, so maybe she really did have a crush on her? Before Sunny could further think about it though, Twilight asked her a question made her heart stop a beat for a second. “Will you go out with me?” Sunny had to admit, she lost track of Twilight’s mumblings for a bit, however, the sudden proposition she offered brought her back to reality, as the alicorn now waited for a response. At that moment she could have said no. It was a simple act, and to do so would have avoided a lot of problems. But looking back at the young mare and seeing those wide innocent and hopeful eyes, she found that her tongue began to twist when she was about to deny her. She couldn’t understand why. Why was it so difficult? She knew Twilight was a grown mare, and she knew that she should be able to handle a simple rejection from a pony she barely knew, and yet Sunny couldn’t do it. Looking at Twilight, and remembering the real mare behind the drunken facade, she wondered if she had ever been bold enough to ask somepony out before. She knew that the mare had never dated before, so did that mean she had never asked somepony on a date also? Or did that mean that she had always been rejected? Or maybe she was the one being asked out on dates and the one always rejecting them? She really didn’t know this romantic side of Twilight, since the mare always kept it to herself. This was understandable, but now it made her curious. Her relationship with Twilight had always been more professional than anything else, and although they considered each other friends, there were still some parts of their lives that the other never knew about. For starters, it was only now that she realized that Twilight was into mares. Despite this, however, there were some things that were all too clear based on deductive concluding. She would have at least known if the lavender pony had dated, and she was certain that she has never had throughout her entire life. Books and studying had always been her thing, and recently royal duties as a princess most likely took up more of her time. She was always either too busy or uninterested to do dates, at least that’s what she assumed. It hurt her to know that Twilight never had the excitement of such social actions, and it also hurt her to think that she might break the heart of this hopeful mare. It may be a simple no, but there indeed was a possibility that this was her first time asking somepony out. If so, then it would ruin her psyche to be rejected. But it wasn’t pity that made Sunny decide upon her final decision. No, it would be wrong to answer out of pity. It wasn’t just that. She respected Twilight too much to just say yes out of pity. She cared for this pony, this mare in front of her. She knew her despite their professional relationship, and she knew that she wanted to know more about her. Essentially, she was starting to feel that she wanted this date as much as Twilight did. She longed to know more about her, as well as share more about herself. To be able to confide with somepony in such an intimate level, to share about herself to somepony who was interested. Luna was a good sister, and she appreciated her sibling, but sometimes it felt nice to be able to share things to somepony else, one who admired her, and one who might love her.  Although she didn’t know that she had this repressed desire, the moment presented to her managed to allow it to surface. Going into this, she thought of the proposed date as one step to better know the pony whom she had cared about for such a long time, as well as being an opportunity to finally let this pony know more about her. Because of this, despite knowing that it was going to cause problems, she said: “Yes.” Eyes widening bright, a goofy smile formed on Twilight’s face, as her wings opened up in excitement. “Really?” She nearly shrieked, eyes staring as if in disbelief. “Yes, really.” Sunny replied with a giggle, as the overjoyed Twilight to be even more cuter than the nervous one. “This is great!” Twilight said, before unexpectedly grabbing Sunny’s face with her hooves and pulling her close so that their noses touched. “This is so great!” Sunny couldn’t help but blush from this, as she stared directly at Twilight’s gleeful eyes. Now it seemed it was her turn to be nervous, as this sudden physical contact made her shy all of a sudden. This was something that she did not expect. “I promise you that you won’t regret this.” Twilight said, before giggling uncontrollably. “Meet me tomorrow evening, say around eight o’clock, at the Hay Burger restaurant near the downtown plaza, okay?” “O-“ Sunny was barely able to finish her reply when Twilight suddenly pulled away and rushed back to her table, where her friends, who were not as badly drunk as her, awaited her return. Based on their cheerful reactions, they had an idea or two on what Twilight was doing. Shaking her head and giggling at this, Sunny soon turned around and stared down at her glass of hard cider. She was happy and she was glad to accept Twilight’s offer. Deep inside it made her heart pound and she had to admit that she was really excited for tomorrow. She had not been on a date for at least a century, and it made her feel happy to finally be one after such a long time. She also realized that Twilight would get to know the real her for once, something that she could rarely show with anypony else, aside from her sister. There will be no formality, no titles, no worrying that she was princess. Tomorrow, she was just an ordinary pony who can talk about her real interests and desires. She could be free to be who she wants to be. For the first time ever, Twilight would get to see the other side of her, while she gets to see the other side of Twilight. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea after all. But she was also worried, as she knew that she got herself into a big problem. She must remember that although she would be able to let out her true self, she would still end up lying to Twilight, as she hid a very important fact about her. To Twilight, she was about to date Sunny Beam, not Celestia. Sighing, she chugged down her remaining drink and paid her bill. Then, taking her saddlebag and getting up from her seat, she began walking out of the bar, wondering how she was going to prepare for her date tomorrow. As she got back on the streets, she couldn’t help but chuckle for a second, as she realized that in her drunken excitement, Twilight forgot to ask her about her name.