//------------------------------//
// Part II 
// Story: Fly Too Close to the Sun... She May Never Let Go 
// by Spacecowboy 
//------------------------------//

	You feel yourself drifting within a void, an inky blackness that has no depth or meaning to it. Frantically you look around, trying to claw your way through it to someplace unknown. So long as it isn't here. A voice in the back of your head tells you to be calm, relax, and just let it carry you away.

Slowly you listen to the voice, your movements slowing as you begin to lay back. You feel an invisible cushion against your back, and the more you let go, the more comfortable it becomes. For some reason, you liken it to a warm, comfortable bed on a cold winter day... it's just so comfortable you don't want to leave.

Your eyes slowly begin to close, when suddenly a piercing light breaks through, dispelling the darkness as a sun rises. A bright figure descends on wings of light, an appendage reaching out, urging you to take it. Strength slowly returns to your arm, allowing you to reach it out. When they touch, heat floods your body, nearly burning you from the inside.

As the heat runs rampant through your body, the being helps you up to your feet, pointing the two of you towards the radiant sun in the distance. While it burns, there is no pain, only the warmth that chases away the chill of a cold day. One foot moves forward, then the next, and within moments you and it are walking towards the sun...

A warmth encompasses you, your body feeling like lead as you attempt to move. Slowly, your eyes open as a feminine voice greets your ears. "Did it wor– oh, thank goodness, it did." Your eyes open and begin rapidly blinking in an attempt to clear them so that you may focus on the fuzzy, white figure filling your vision.

You can't help but let out a groan as the needle-like sensation races across your being as feeling slowly returns to your body. Your vision finally focuses, noticing two magenta orbs looking at you in concern. For some reason, they are familiar, even though you have never seen them before. As your attention strays, you can't help but notice what you are looking at.

"Are you okay? Can you speak?" she asks, a near motherly concern filling that melodic voice. However, your attention is solely focused on the fact that a talking horse, with a horn, is currently supporting you, and your mind is unable to comprehend such a thing.

"T-talking horse..."





Walking through the castle gates that lead into Canterlot proper, you pause to take in a deep breath of the crisp, morning air. That is one thing that is so much different from Earth, here one can smell the different scents of the seasons; a lack of exhaust, smog, and other byproducts of humanity simply do not exist here. Each breath is refreshing and rich, and even after five years it is still novel to you.

Setting one foot in front of the other, you begin walking with a very familiar destination on mind. As you pass through the streets, sounds of the morning greets your ears from all around. Vendors selling coffee, tea and baked goods mingle with the crisp, clopping sound that comes from ponies walking the streets. The turning of newspaper pages mingled with the idle chatter of random ponies passing by. All in all, it was the familiar and comforting morning sounds of a city waking up.

Your feet take you to the first stop, where you reach out and open a door. A bell attached to the top rings, signaling your arrival and catching the attention of the owner. "Ah, morning! The usual?" Pony Joe calls out to you as the pleasing aroma of coffee and donuts fills your nostrils.

"Morning, Joe. Not today, I actually need a bribe," you take a look at the display, thinking on what to get. "Can you give me three of the raspberry cream-filled ones, and then six of the normal glazed?"

Joe grins, moving to package your order. "So, a bribe hey? What are ya working on?" he removes the donuts in question, packaging them up for you with a speed born from years of experience. Setting it on the counter, he walks over to the register, pulling out a notepad.

"Oh, nothing too big. I just need a favor from somepony, and their favorite donuts will go a long way. Parents of a particularly favorite princess of yours." Smiling widely, you reach for the bag, carefully putting it underneath an arm. "Just add it to my tab if you don't mind, Joe."

"Already done," he smugly replies as he sets down the notepad, "I don't want to take up your time, so I shall simply say good luck today."

You start walking out the door, one arm in the air waving. "Have a good one, Joe. I'll swing by later in the week and let you know how things went." 

Stepping back out into the street, you begin making your way to your next destination; one which you've frequented numerous times the past few years. The couple that lived there were amazing at listening when you had troubles and helping you find your way through it. Because of them, you stayed mostly sane in those first few months of your arrival.

Raising your hand, you solidly knock on the door, a quiet voice reaching your ears. A few seconds later the door opens, an older mare smiling at you. "Good morning, come on in!"

"Good morning to you too, Velvet." Closing the door behind the two of you, Twilight Velvet guides you inside to the dining room, where you set down the bag from Joe's. "I've got some donuts for you and Night, figured I'd soften you two up before asking a favor."

She laughs, simultaneously grabbing some plates and opening the bag. "Oh? You know you didn't need to get the donuts, you've always been dear to us two, and we're glad to help." she fills a few glasses with water, offering one to you. "So, what can Night and I help you with today?"

"Well," you begin, taking a seat next to her at the table, "I've got a lot of shopping to take care of tonight. I'm setting up something... special." Grinning, you tap your forehead, causing Velvet's eyes to widen slightly as she raises an eyebrow. "But, I can't bring anything back to the castle, it might ruin the surprise. So, I thought that I could stash everything here until the shopping is done."

Velvet simply smiles at first, a knowing look on her face. "Yes, dear, I have no issue with that at all. Especially if it helps to keep tonight such a surprise..." her eyes lit up. "Oh, you should ask my son for some pointers, he should be down here any minute now!"

You raise your eyebrows as Shining Armor himself walks into the room, a half asleep look on his face as his wings rustle at his side. "You look like death warmed over, King of the Crystal Empire." you jokingly say, barely eliciting a response from him.

Shining reminds you of a zombie as he walks for the kitchen, presumably for the coffee. You cannot help but watch in amusement as he completely ignored everypony during the process of getting his morning ambrosia. Once he takes a sip, he nearly jumps as you just sit there, grinning and waving at him.

"Oh, hey there. How're things with Celestia?" he quietly asked, nursing his coffee as if his life depended on it.

"Pretty good, looking at how you are this morning," you start, noticing how even with coffee he looks like Death warmed over, "I'd say slightly better than things with Cadance are going for you right now."

Shining just grumbles, taking another sip of his coffee. "Things are actually going great, it's just that... foals. They never stop crying. The only reason I'm down here is because I was letting the parents know that they're grandparents now." he weakly smiled, switching his attention from the coffee to you. "So, what brings you by the parent's place?"

Quickly you fill him in on the plan, causing a massive grin to cross his face. "So, any advice for me?" you ask once finished filling him in.

"Yup! Good luck, and just be yourself. Everything will be just fine for you, call it a hunch." he grins, finishing off his coffee and slamming the cup down on the table. "I would suggest seeing to those plans though, best to make sure that you're not scrambling around last minute."

Laughing, you pat him on the back, a sign of friendship. Thanks to the large amount of time you spent with his sister, Twilight, during your early time here, Shining was one of your best friends. Even if he was off in the Crystal Empire most of the time.

"Shining has a point, dear, you really should get started if you have all that planned." Velvet speaks up, looking at the clock. You follow her gaze and nearly jump out of the chair. Shining hadn't drank one cup of coffee, but an entire pot, and you took over an hour talking with him. "Wow, yeah. I need to get started, got quite a few stops to make." Leaning over, you give Velvet a hug, "Thanks again, as always. I'll probably be by two or three times before I have everything gathered."

"Take care, and like Shining said, good luck." Velvet warmly smiled as she escorted you to the door.

You quickly run down the list of places you need to visit to properly pull off this dinner. Candles, chocolates and flowers were always a big thing; while stereotypical they worked very well. Plus, Celestia always appreciated those last two, so why not indulge her. Also, a visit to the jewelers was in order, you have to pick up a present for her that had been ordered almost a month ago. It was kind of the centerpiece of the entire meal. The food was already taken care of, there was this one gryphon cook in the kitchens who had everything under control.

Deciding to get the larger things out of the way, you head for one of the many candle shops in the city. You know what you're looking for, as it's Celestia's favorite scent, but it was too easy to get them from the castle's stores. Plus, there was a chance of her finding out if you had.

Walking in, the trademark spectrum of smells greets you as you walk through the door. Candles always held a fascinating array of scents, not to mention the numerous times back on Earth they had saved you from stubbing toes during periods when the electricity went out. Although you knew exactly which scent was the one needed, you decided to take a look around for a few minutes first.

After taking a fair amount of time to tickle your senses, you grab a half dozen candles of Celestia's favorite scent, running one underneath your nose as if it were a fine cigar. Satisfied, you bring them to the counter, pulling out a few bits to pay for them. Walking out of the store with a small bundle in one arm, you head to a specialty flower shop just a few blocks down the way.

According to Twilight, this one shop was owned by a trio of sisters who started out in Ponyville, where she lived. They had teamed up with a confectioner by the name of Bon Bon and opened up a new shop in Canterlot in an attempt to expand. You have been to only a few other flower and candy shops besides theirs, and none compared. Obviously, it was a resounding success for them, and the only place in town worth visiting when you needed flowers, chocolate, or both.

"Hey, Lily!" You holler a greeting as you walk in the door, noticing that she's the one working today. Her face lights up as she sees you, calmly walking over to your side.

"Morning, what brings the Royal Consort over today, hmm?" she teases as your face flushes red. That title was something that you considered a necessary evil and still didn't like to hear, even after a few years of it. Apparently, some nobles had take fault at your relation with their ruler, and Celestia had dug deep into the law archives to pull out the title. It basically made you immune to anything they could try, although you didn't enjoy the assumed authority ponies thought came with it.

Shaking your head, you refocus back on Lily, who is patiently waiting for an answer. "Hey, Lily. I need..." you look around the shop, searching for a particular plant, "a dozen blue roses, if you have any. Also, the customary box of chocolates, please?"

"Sure thing, boss. Just give me a minute, okay?" she walks off, going through a door in the back of the shop. You patiently wait, looking around the place to kill time. Dozens of varieties of flowers can be found in baskets, and as your sight falls on one containing sunflowers, a chuckle escapes your lips. Celestia, despite being the custodian of the sun, absolutely loathes the things apparently. It was somewhat ironic, but at the same time you understood it when she mentioned that they got tired after the first ten years. The next thousand plus were just too much after that.

Lily walks back into the room, both items in hoof. You carefully take each from her and set them down on the counter, paying her before waving goodbye. With both arms filled, you decide it's time to make the first stop back to Velvet's house so that you can free up your arms for the next trip.

Looking up at the sun, you realize it is rapidly reaching noon, and you hasten your pace. The last thing needed is to have Celestia accidentally bump into you with arms filled with items for tonight. Luckily, it is just a short walk there, and in no time at all you've deposited the first round of things and are right back outside.

Spending the next few minutes just walking around, you enjoy the spectacular day. There's only one place left to visit now, where you are going to pick up the masterpiece of everything. A weight settles on your shoulder out of the blue, causing you to jump a little as you turn. Greeting your eye is a magenta one surrounded by white fur, and you let out a laugh, taking your far arm and wrapping it around the pony's neck.

"Hi, Celestia. On the way to the spa?" you ask, noticing the two guards escorting her hanging back a little. You tightly grasp your hands around her neck as she nuzzles your cheek in return.

"Yes, I'm on the way to meet with Rarity... I'm told she has something for me that is, and I quote, absolutely, magnificently, one-of-a-kind fabulous." you chuckle, as it does indeed sound exactly like Rarity. "I'm assuming you had something to do with that?"

"Quite possibly." Coyly replying, you just smile as you look her in the eyes. "I might have asked her for something, as well as setting up this spa reservation for you. She owed me a small favor and it seemed like the perfect time to call it in."

Celestia laughs, then kisses you briefly. "Something tells me she would've done such a thing even if you hadn't helped her with whatever it was. She always seems to enjoy doing anything for Luna, Cadance or myself when it comes to such things." she closed her eyes a moment, then reopens them. "I suppose if I'm to make my appointment, I must be off though. I'll see you at seven, love."

With one last kiss, the two of you separate from each other and go on your own way. Now that you know she is safely on the way to the spa, the jewelry story is where your steps take you next. It only takes a few minutes to arrive, even with the increase of foot traffic during the lunch hour.

The owner spots you as the door opens, a large smile on his face. "I take it you're here for it?" he asks, to which you give him a quick nod. "Excellent! Let me go get it from the back. Be back in one moment."

True to his word, within a minute he is back with a small case encased within magic. Setting it down on the counter, he motions a hoof towards it. "Go on ahead, it's made exactly to your specifications. I hope that it's to your liking."

Picking up the soft, velvet covered case, you slowly open it up to reveal a gleaming piece of jewelry inside. Wiping your hands on your clothes, you carefully remove it from the container with one hand, holding it up to the light. A large band of white gold rests in your grasp, polished to such a point that you see your reflection in it. You could easily put it around your wrist if you so desired, but that was not its intended use.

Rotating it around, you see just why this was the artisan recommended to you by Rarity. A golden gilded sun is set in the center on the band, an exact replica of Celestia's cutie mark. Diamonds are inset periodically in the band, and on the interior your name and Celestia's are both inscribed right next to each other. "It's perfect." you simply state as you continue to examine it.

Such a piece would usually cost most ponies nearly a year's worth of pay. Luckily for you, when Twilight had spent that time helping you learn about Equestria's society, you had likewise helped her. Something as simple as a pen had been a big deal to her, as they still had quills and ink as the primary writing device. The small royalty from that one thing alone gave you an astronomical income, and that is before taking into account a couple other such simple devices.

"I'm glad it's to your liking. All I need is your signature," he pulls out a form, bringing it before you, "here and here. The money will be automatically withdrawn from your account in two days." Grabbing the pen from him, you sign your name in the two spots, and with a smile return it back to him.

"I wish you luck, maybe you'll have a new title soon, hmm?" you can't help but chuckle, slightly nervous as you walk out the door, the box safely tucked away from sight. You walk straight to Velvet's house at such a pace that ponies stop and stare at you as you pass them by. Still, you are not too concerned about them, all that holds your attention is getting this package there safely.

Shining is the one that let's you into the house this time, looking much more awake and alive than this morning. "Oh, hey. So, everything taken care of?" he asks as the door closes, and you pull out the case. He takes it within his magic, opening it up and letting out a long whistle. "Wow. Yeah, this is something else... very good choice."

You take the case back from him, putting it with the rest of the items you gathered today. "Yeah, Rarity suggested the pony who did this." you take a seat, the nervousness continuing to increase. "Is it right to be nervous?"

Courting rituals, as the ponies referred to them, were vastly different here in Equestria. You had talked to Cadance about tonight some months ago, and learned some weird, but very valuable, information. Apparently, in a situation involving nobility or royalty, the one who was considered to be in a 'lesser station,' which in your eyes was a load of bunk, was the one who proposed. It made no sense, but it made things very easy for when the time finally came.

Shining just chuckled, pulling you from your thoughts. "Yeah. You should've seen me minutes before proposing to Cady. I was sweating, a wreck... She actually came up to me and thought I was sick." he let out a laugh, which you joined. "After telling her I didn't need to see a doctor, I just sort of blurted it out. I'd say you'll have an easier time. If you're feeling too antsy, though, go ahead and take a nap on the couch. I'll make sure you're up in time."

Deciding to go ahead and take him up on the offer, you look at the case one last time before leaving the room, knowing that so long as its here, it is safe. Laying down on the couch, you close your eyes and try to calm your nerves, counting down the minutes until tonight. The sweet embrace of sleep slowly creeps over you, your last thoughts of the rapidly approaching evening.