//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Suggestions 
// Story: The Unicorn with Fire on Her Flank 
// by Noradora 
//------------------------------//

Twinkleshine squealed with girlish delight. "Are you serious?!"

Wisp simply tried to keep her eyes on the clientele and do her job as her friend gushed over what she'd just been told. A convenient excuse not to look the mare in the eye, especially when she was so... excited. This was exactly why she hadn't wanted her to know, but the amount of time she'd been gone had apparently told her enough that she'd never come off it.

"Y-yeah..."

"Oh, I just knew there had to be something between you two. The situation is just too perfect."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," Twinkleshine said matter-of-factly, "The dignified Canterlot mare, heartbroken by a beautiful pegasus, and the humble small-town pony, who just happens to be a pegasus?"

The "dignified Canterlot mare" didn't even bother dignifying that with eye contact. "You're generalizing way too much. You really need to put down those books sometime and get outside."

The smaller mare huffed at her. "Say what you will, but I've seen the way you look at her."

That much finally caught her interest. "And just how do I look at her?"

"Well..." she began, "No longing stares or anything like that. You just look... content when you're around her."

Wisp raised an eyebrow. "I'm content around her, so you assumed I like her?"

"I was right, wasn't I?"

It still seemed like a jump to Wisp, but she couldn't deny that she had been right... Mostly. "I didn't start getting all head over hooves or anything 'till today, though..."

Twinkleshine bumped shoulders with her. "What difference does it make? Just because you didn't realize your own feelings doesn't mean they weren't there."

She definitely couldn't argue with that, seeing as she had already theorized as much herself. It would've been nice if I had noticed sooner, though, she thought. Today would've been the perfect time to ask her out...

"By the way, though, your conversation with Ginny got corny, even for me."

She snorted. "Twink, there's no such thing as 'too corny' when it comes to you."

"..."

"Alright, alright... So what do you mean?"

"I mean, all that stuff about 'you already know what you're going to do, all that's left is to do it'?"

"...Yeah?"

"What is it that you're going to do, exactly?"

...Oh. Maybe she had a point. The answer was obviously "ask Cloudchaser out," but... she had absolutely no idea how she was going to do it. She hadn't thought that far ahead. Heck, if she could've gone to Cloudchaser just as she'd been asked that, she probably would've just come right out with it... But the moment had passed. She still knew what she was going to do, but how to go about it?

"Uh..."

Twinkleshine giggled, THAT look returning as she wrapped a foreleg around her newly-smitten friend. "Don't you worry. Your old pal Twinkleshine's got it all—"

"No offense, Twink," she interrupted, training her eye on a mare in the opposite corner who looked a little too drunk. "I always appreciate your advice, but that's all I want it to be. This is something I need to do myself."

"Well, duh," was her response. "I know how you are. I'm just gonna offer some... suggestions."

"Of course you are."

They sat in silence for a few minutes after that, Wisp balancing her thoughts with her work. Thinking back to an earlier point in the conversation, she eventually coughed and tried to ignore her blush. She had a feeling she was going to be doing a lot of that in the future, but she couldn't just ignore the question now nagging at her.

"You said you've seen the way I look at her. Does she... look at me?"

For whatever reason, Twinkleshine seemed a little surprised. "Oh, well... Not really. You're not the only one she teases, and I haven't noticed anything else."

Wisp released a breath she didn't know she was holding, disappointed. She had been hoping that the backseat-matchmaking had a solid basis on both sides of the equation. It would make things a lot easier—and perhaps more fun—if she knew for a fact that the object of her newfound affection returned that affection. But of course, life often wasn't that simple, was it?

"Although..."

Her ears perked up as the mare beside her considered something. She knew she shouldn't, but she dared to hope that maybe...

"What?"

Twinkleshine donned a blush of her own. "She does, um... check you out sometimes."

Oh.

She tried not to make too much of that. After all, Cloudchaser was probably just "enjoying the scenery." At least, she had no good reason to think it was anything more than that. But part of her—and not an altogether small part—was naturally quite pleased that the pegasus found her attractive. A smaller part, though, insisted that maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was indicative of her own fledgling feelings. Maybe...

Maybe nothing. Don't get your hopes up. That doesn't necessarily mean anything...

She looked to her friend, wearing a frustrated expression. "Twinkleshine?"

"Yes?"

"Why does my brain turn to mush as soon as I take an interest in somepony?"

The other unicorn just giggled. This definitely wasn't the first time that had happened.

But it was the first time it had happened with an existing friend, besides that one time. It certainly hadn't helped with her hesitation earlier, but maybe it bode well, assuming Cloudchaser said yes. Wisp had heard, after all, that relationships were more stable with a solid foundation. And why wouldn't they be? That made sense, right?

She was pulled from her thoughts, though, by the drunken mare across the room passing out on the floor. Wisp shook her head at the poor fool. With a sigh, she muttered to herself, "Some ponies. No self-control..."

Getting up out of her seat, she said, "Well, I should probably focus on work now. You should get home and rest."

Twinkleshine gave her a funny look. "Sure, I'll leave you alone, but it's been over a week, Wisp. I'm fine."

Wisp returned the look with one of concern. "But with your condition—"

"Look, I'm not going over this again. I'm going to stay a bit longer and have a good time. That's the end of it. Just... focus on what you're going to do about Cloudchaser, alright?"

With that, her curly-maned friend left her to her work. She could force the issue if she really wanted to, but then that'd cause a scene, and Twinkleshine would get all mad... So, resigning herself to her worries and mushy brain, she made her way over to lift the excessively inebriated mare off the floor.

I swear, she can be so stubborn...


—————————


By the next day, Wisp had decided that she would just wait for the right moment to confess. Many of Twinkleshine's suggestions had a way of making her head hurt, so she simply went with the path of least resistance. Not to say that she was going to be too picky—Cloudchaser was certainly no classy noble to be wooed. All she needed was a little courage. She just hoped she wouldn't run out at the wrong time—the thought of approaching the subject made her anxious enough.

Stupid, sexy Cloudchaser. Usually I'm not this shy...

She reasoned to herself, though, that things would still work out even if she did chicken out. It likely wouldn't take Flitter long to catch on, and Cloudchaser would have to notice eventually that something was going on, right? If Twinkleshine had noticed signs before, it couldn't stay a secret for long now, could it?

Plodding once more along the streets of Ponyville with her coworker, Wisp resolved to simply get it done as soon as possible, if for no other reason than that she was quickly becoming tired of all this anxiety and second-guessing. Whatever Cloudchaser's answer might be, at least she could regain her peace of mind. As she looked to her stallion companion, though, it occurred to her that maybe she had bored him with this long enough.

"Sorry," she apologized. "You probably don't want to hear about my would-be love life."

Wintergreen responded in his usual taciturn manner. "You know it doesn't bother me. Discuss what you will." He turned his face enough to look at her with one green eye. "Though I must say I'm curious what draws you to her. These feelings seem rather sudden."

"I'm well aware this pretty much came out of nowhere, but I've been interested in her for a while now, I think. I just didn't know it. But to answer your other 'question'..."

Wisp had to think on it for a moment. The pegasus' behavior yesterday had helped, but she knew there was more to it than that.

"It's kinda hard to explain... She's been a good friend to me. Flitter has, too, but... Well, Flitter doesn't usually mess around with me like Cloudchaser does. All that teasing probably didn't hurt. And yesterday was something else..." She tilted her head and sighed at herself. "But I'm not really saying anything about her, am I? Just what she's done."

As ever, Wintergreen's answer was silence. She was familiar enough now, though, with this relatively conversational silence. This one was patiently allowing her to continue.

"Well... She's confident. She exaggerates it a lot, but she doesn't second-guess herself. She sets her mind to something and she does it." A small smile graced her face. "And I have to admit, she can be pretty funny. She's loyal. She doesn't mince her words, and cuts right to the heart of things." A familiar warmth touched upon the sides of her muzzle. "Plus there are the wings..."

She coughed and shook her head clear again, but that had been the full breadth of her answer. As the pair carried on alongside the edge of Ponyville's expansive local park, Wintergreen said something unexpected.

"Don't get me wrong, but I do not think you should pursue a relationship with her."

It felt small, but nevertheless a pocket of fear and uncertainty punched her in the gut. Did this have to do with what Ginny had told her? "...What do you mean?"

Matter-of-factly the stallion replied, "I simply believe it would be a hasty decision. You know her better than when you moved to Ponyville, but you still have known her for only a few weeks. This sudden crush is likely little more than hormones talking."

Wisp's incredulity grew, even as he was finishing. "I would suggest waiting until you're sure you truly desire a relationship."

Her eyebrow the highest it had been in weeks, she asked, "And just how long do you suggest I wait?"

Without a hint of humor, he looked again to her and answered, "A year."

It was the completely and utterly serious way in which he said it. It was just so absurd. Comical, even. Did he remember who he was talking to?

Not five seconds later she was sputtering, trying to hold it back, but another five and she fell to the ground, beating the... well, beaten path with her hoof and guffawing to her heart's content. A couple ponies turned to look, but Wisp didn't really care. She was still a bit high on her conversation with Ginny—there was no way Wispwillow of Canterlot was going to be so uncompromisingly... patient. Not now.

Wintergreen had stopped, waiting for her to recover. Of course there was still no hint, no little grin or smirk, indicating he had been joking. As she had known, he really had meant it, but that was precisely why it was so funny.

Eventually pulling herself up, dusting herself off, and wiping a tear from her eye, Wisp breathed, "You don't really expect me to do that, do you?"

The question was met only with silence. After a few seconds she almost expected him to say something, but she supposed he already was answering her question. His silence and quiet stars were telling her, more or less, "Maybe not, but you should." She shook her head and had another little laugh. Sure, caution was a virtue, and despite herself she now found a tiny voice in the back of her mind wondering if she should be more patient, that maybe he was right... But no. If it were just lust, she'd have jumped Cloudchaser a long time ago.

She was still going to reveal her feelings. She would lose her mind if she waited too long, let alone a year. Patience was all well and good, but there was also something to be said for spontaneity.

"Sorry, Greeny, but that's just not going to happen. There's no way in a thousand years I could sit on it for that long."

His expression still didn't change. She figured he had to be at least a little displeased, and he probably was, but it would be nice if he would actually express himself once in a while. "Mm. I suppose not."

He started again on their officially-unofficial patrol around Ponyville, and Wisp followed.

"What, are you really gonna drop it that easily?"

He didn't turn to make eye contact, but that was par for the course. The earth pony often preferred to keep his eyes forward while on duty, official or not. "Yes. I think acting so rashly is a mistake, but I won't force the matter."

"Rash? What's so rash about acting on my feelings?"

"They are what you feel now, in the moment. Not what you feel in the long run." His ear twisted around a little, the way it often did when an afterthought occurred to him. "'Stability' seems an appropriate word."

Wisp just blew an errant lock of hair out of her face, feeling dismissive in no small measure. "I know you're an earth pony and all, but relying that much on 'stability' is just silly. Lots of relationships start way before a pair of ponies have known each other that long."

"But do they last?"

For once, Wisp got to be the one looking at somepony as if they were blatantly and horribly wrong. She made sure throw in a dash of indignance and condescension. "My mom and step-mom have been together for fourteen years, and they started dating almost as soon as they met... How's that for stability?"

"Mm. Fair enough."

It wasn't the first time she was expressly disappointed by his lack of emotion. By all rights, that should have been a satisfying little turnaround, a little victory she could laugh and pump her hoof at—much like Cloudchaser would—but Wintergreen's stoicism had a way of sucking the fun out of almost anything. It was annoying, but she supposed at least that if nothing else, the stallion was "stable" and reliable. Even if much of the time that meant he was a stable, reliable buzzkill.

"So anyway... Is that really all there is to it, Greeny? You called me 'rash.' You hardly ever have such a strong opinion about something..."

Following on the tail of this question was yet another silence familiar to Wisp, and a welcome one at that. The oh-so-tasty sound of "I don't want to talk about it," which always came anytime she inquired into his past or personal life. After how heated things had gotten when they'd first met, Wisp was wary of pushing things too far, but that didn't mean she couldn't poke around for information. And so, as she often did... She pushed. Just a little.

"What, do you have something against Cloudchaser? Something about being so loud? No? Hmm, then what—"

She gasped. It was crazy, but maybe crazy enough to be true.

"Are you feeling... protective of me?"

The way his back stiffened, and how he made the subtle switch from ignoring her gaze to avoiding it, Wisp knew immediately that she had struck gold.

"Aha, It seems my little Wintergreen is growing up. How sweet..."

His tail flicked, either in anxiety or annoyance. Wisp chose to believe it was the former (or, more likely, both). As she opened her mouth to tease the daylights out of him, however, she considered just what she was about to say and who she was talking to. This was Wintergreen, the pony with no past and no friends. The one who had turned manipulative when she had pressured him.

"Not anymore," he had said. Wisp hadn't thought about it much up to now, but maybe part of his strange behavior that first day—which hadn't been seen since—was her own fault. She had poked fun at him for having no friends, for being alone, just because he was getting on her nerves. Now that she thought about it, this fact greatly disturbed her. How could she, in good conscience, have made light of another's living her fear of solitude?

She took a moment to remind herself that she could really be an ass. No offense to donkeys.

Wisp opened her mouth again, speaking soberly. "Is it because I'm your first friend? Since coming to Ponyville, I mean."

He slowly nodded as they walked along, the park long past, and closed his eyes. "Yes."

Well, this is as good a time as any to try again.

Coming a little closer, and trying to look supportive, she asked him, "Is there anything you can tell me about your old friends? Anything about your life before Ponyville? It's hard to be your friend if you won't tell me anything about yourself."

As he always did when Wisp broached this topic, Wintergreen looked uncomfortable. Rigid gait, twitchy ears, lack of eye contact... He really did'nt care for this subject. But for once, to her surprise, he gave in.

"...Dawn."

Wisp tilted her head. "Hm?"

"Dawnbreaker. That was her name."

"One of your friends? The one you mentioned before?"

He only nodded.

"Could you... tell me something about her?"

She figured the moment had passed when he looked away, but he spoke again a minute later. "She had eyes like yours."

"Had?"

"..."

It appeared that that would be all the information she would be given that day, for he would say nothing more when asked for clarification. It was very little information, certainly, but Wisp figured that progress was progress. Best not to push it, she told herself. Who knows why he's so sensitive about it.

"Well..." She said, wrapping an arm around the stallion. "Thanks, Wintergreen. For saying something."

His silence continued, but she felt him relax before continuing. "You know, as a gesture in kind, how would you like to just hang out sometime? I shouldn't have to drag you out of your house just to see you."

Wait, this seems really famil—Oh.

Pulling away from him, she amended, "But, er, you know... Not today. I kinda have... plans."

The unicorn hadn't quite told her companion that she intended to "pop the question" today, and at this point she wasn't going to. She didn't much care for his opinion on the matter. Might as well wait until after it was done, and maybe rub his nose in it if things ended up going well... Just a little. But either way, she thought it appropriate to extend a proverbial olive branch; with how little Wintergreen gave of himself, just this little, insignificant offering on his part made it feel more like they were actually friends instead of mere coworkers. After all, however much a "mare of action" she was, she felt a pony like him required some caution and patience. However much she could muster, at any rate.

As the two ponies passed Sugarcube Corner for the umpteenth time in the past couple weeks, Wintergreen finally replied, "I'd like that." he added, "But I should be going."

Looking around her, reminding herself where they were and how far along their usual route it was, Wisp responded, "Uh... I guess we are about done, anyway. If you're sure, then I guess I'll see you la—"

When she turned back around, he was gone.

"Well, I guess that settles that."

You know, I'm surprised that actually worked. Maybe there is a pony in there, after all...

Wisp wondered not for the first time why she was trying to be friends with a strange pony so drastically different from herself, but she pushed it from her mind. With that part of her day over, she just had to kill some time until her friends got back from the second day of cider season. Oh yes, maybe she could have gone with, but she'd learned her lesson before. There was no way she was going to waste her time like that again.

In any case, she was feeling a little peckish...

The unicorn decided that being alone and unoccupied meant it was a good time to have a little treat, and she had a very particular treat in mind. Cantering just a few ponylengths back to her favorite sweets shop, she spared one last thought for her coworker—or, rather, something he'd said.

'Dawnbreaker.' If the name is anything to go by, she sounds impressive. I wonder what she's like...

As she pushed through the swinging doors, though she let that too pass from her mind. It wasn't like she could would ever meet the pony, seeing as Wintergreen apparently wasn't on good terms with her or any other old friends. Only time would tell. In the meantime, she had some money to spend.

The Corner's interior, as always, was warm and cozy. As was befitting a bakery, or a home that doubled mostly as a bakery, the air was filled with the sweet scents and smells of countless pastries and confections, all tempting and alluring in their own ways. Oh, how she enjoyed beginning her days with Cake donuts... It was no wonder the Cakes made such a profit: they were the best bakers she had ever met, and they knew exactly how to entice their customers. They were certainly savvy businessponies in their own right, or so Wisp thought.

It wasn't Mr. or Mrs. Cake she saw upon her entrance, however. Her hooves clacking along the wooden floor as she wandered in, it was Pinkie Pie she saw behind the counter, conversing animatedly with Applejack and presently unburdened by customers. It was no surprise, of course, that the Cakes' live-in assistant baker was manning the register, and Wisp certainly didn't mind the friendly face. Applejack however, look less than pleased, and as usual, her own presence didn't seem to help. Not to say that the farmpony came off as hostile, but she never seemed thrilled to see her, either—it always felt like she'd somehow offended the earth pony, and Wisp certainly didn't care for not knowing what it was.

"Hey, don't mind me," she called to them. "I'm in no rush."

"Nonsense!" Pinkie exclaimed. "The customer always comes first. What can I getcha?"

As she trotted past rows of mouthwatering cakes and pies and assorted pastries to the pair of earth ponies,  she nodded politely to Applejack, and was pleased to at least have the gesture returned. Then looking to Pinkie she replied, "Oh, I'll take my usual gingerbread milkshake, if you don't mind."

"'Course not! I know how much you love your favorite treat. That'll be four bits!"

As the unicorn produced a bag of bits from her tail, Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Gingerbread 'shake? I've never heard o' you makin' those before."

"That's 'cuz we usually don't, but we already make gingerbread cookies and houses and have stuff left over, so it's super convenient. Everypony wins!"

"Huh."

Wisp levitated the requested coins into Pinkie's hoof, trying not to look confused when the cheery mare counted each one by hoof. There's only four...

"Thanks!" Pinkie said, slipping the money into the register. "I'll be right back with your drink." As she left for the kitchen, she called out behind her in a sing-song voice, "Play nice, Applejack!"

The eponymous mare scuffed a hoof against the floor, nonplussed. Wisp was no mastermind, but it she had to guess what that was about... Well, there was hardly anything else to guess, was there? But for the sake of social grace, she didn't pry. While at it, she'd have liked to just take a seat somewhere and let Applejack have her space, but with nopony else around, but if Applejack really did have an issue with her, she didn't want to risk seeming rude. Really, though, how was this place completely empty of customers at two in the afternoon?

But the fact remained that the room was otherwise empty besides the two of them, so Wisp simply took a couple steps back and sat on the floor as she waited. Applejack, for her part, stayed on her hooves and took an interest in the clock on the wall behind the counter. "Gee," she must have been thinking, "The laws of space-time are a fickle mistress."

Wisp fought down a chuckle. No, if she had learned anything about Applejack, it was that she was a bad liar. She didn't look very enthused by the clock; In fact, she was looking a bit uncomfortable. This, in turn, made Wisp uncomfortable. It really would have been nice if the place were more busy right now, if even just one pony would walk in through the door... Or if Pinkie would return with her drink. It usually only took a few minutes to make, as far as she could remember.

But Pinkie did not return, and the awkward silence continued. Sounds of various machines and cooking utensils came from the kitchen, but the front room still felt dead. As "a few minutes" stretched into several more, Wisp finally decided to make an attempt at conversation.

"So..."

"So."

Well, this is off to a great start.

"So, how's it going? Like, with life, or your far—Wait, shouldn't you be at Sweet Apple Acres?"

Applejack scoffed. "Fuh. Yeah, I'm not gonna be here long. I've gotta get back and help make extra cider fer tomorrow, what with them crooks threatenin' to run us outta business. But you don't really care about that, do ya?"

"Woah woah, I don't even know what you're talking about. What crooks?"

Applejack was taken aback for a moment, then tipped her Stetson and sighed. "Sorry, that was unfair o' me. I guess you haven't even been there t' see 'em."

Wisp looked away. "I did come for cider yesterday, but I left as soon as you ran out..." She coughed when she realized that Applejack must be here because they had already ran out again. For Pete's sake...

Another sigh from the earth pony. "Right... Sorry 'bout that. We try hard to make more cider every year, but it's tough. Maybe when Apple Bloom gets a lil' older..." The mare shook her head, electing to get back on track. She briefly told Wisp of the smooth-talking Flim Flam Brothers, their cider machine, and how they were starting to horn in on the Apples' business. They certainly didn't sound like the most outstanding of characters.

"And nopony seems to care where the cider's comin' from so long as they get some... So I'm a mite worked up about this whole mess. Sorry if I seem short."

The unicorn shrugged it off. "Hey, I understand. It must be tough running a business, even without competition. Although, well... You've never seemed very fond of me to begin with."

Applejack sighed yet again and turned to her. "Right... I reckon I should get that off my chest."

They both glanced toward the kitchen, still able to hear but not see Pinkie Pie. Seriously, what was she taking her so long?

Allowing the other pony to gather her thoughts, Wisp braced herself for the worst. If nothing else, it would be nice to finally know what all the dirty looks were for, but the conversation so far was a pleasant surprise. She'd like to get along with Applejack if she could, but she hadn't had a good opportunity before now to really speak with her.

"Look, I don't mean to judge. It's just that when I see you gettin' all buddy-buddy with Flitter 'n Cloudchaser... real close-like..."

The darker mare gasped in shock. "Applejack, you're not... prejudiced, are you?"

"What?" The other mare sounded as shocked as she was. "No! I jus' mean... Ya haven't known 'em very long. Or been around long enough to hear any of the rumors, fer that matter."

"Let me just stop you for a second there, Applejack, and point out that it's Cloudchaser who teases me around. As far as that goes, Flitter is usually just... there. And I've, uh... recently realized that I have a crush on Cloudchaser. So..."

The farmpony considered that a moment. "Fair enough, I suppose... But I hope you don't mind my sayin' that that one seems to hit on a lot of ponies."

She dismissed the idea with a hoof. "I don't. That's just her humor."

"I don' know if it's just humor, hun. From what I've heard, she's slept around, too."

Wisp's tail flicked to her other side. "We are talking about Cloudchaser, not Cloud Kicker... Right...?"

Applejack bristled. "Cloud Kicker? Oh, I know what she's like." With a derisive snort, she left that apparently-unpleasant thought behind. "No, I do mean Cloudchaser, and her sister, too. I'm not much fer gossip, but it sounds like they get around. With each other, if ya know what I mean."

It was at this point that Wisp had to stand up in defense of her friends, literally as well as figuratively. "Look, I appreciate you telling me this... I think? But whatever you're getting at, I don't take much stock in rumors. I'll start believing it once I see for myself."

Not to mention that she was getting fed up with all the negativity directed toward the object of her affection. She hadn't heard a thing before last night. What was the big deal all of a sudden?

Applejack looked something like she had bitten into a sour grape. Wisp worried for a moment that she'd been more forceful than she intended, but the earth mare carried on without offense.

"I guess yer right, but..." Again, she shook her head. "Nevermind. But let me say I'm sorry for bein' a bit cold before ever even talkin' to ya. I guess I assumed you were just some floozy or somethin', ya seem like a good sort to me."

Wisp didn't know whether or not she should be offended, both on her own account and her friends'. But it was nothing personal, apparently...

"Well... Thanks. And it's alright, water under the bridge and whatnot. But assuming makes an ass of us all, Applejack."

Just as she was darting her eyes around the room in case a mule or donkey had come in when she wasn't paying attention, Pinkie exclaimed from what seemed a scant few inches away, "SHAKE'S DONE!", knocking the startled unicorn back onto her haunches. Wincing and rubbing her ear, she looked plaintively up at the offender. "Was that really necessary, Pinkie Pie...?"

A few feet away, Applejack was apparently feeling the same way. "What took you so long, anyway?" she grunted.

"Oh, I was just baking up some cupcakes while I decided how much cinnamon to put in Wispy's milkshake."

"Cinnamon?"

"Yeah! She likes to have a little bit on top, and I had to get the amount juuust right."

"Uh-huh..."

"Anyway, here you go!" said Pinkie, gesturing to the glass she had apparently sat down in front of her. It was crystal clear and filled with a reddish brown liquid, topped with a darker brown powder. Wisp floated it up to her nose, and she was only able to bear the aroma for so long before she had to dive in.

A moment after wrapping her lips around the straw, the world imploded into a symphony of flavor, washing away the small, insignificant room she was standing in. There was no Ponyville, there was no Equestria, there were no ponies. There was no self. There was only an incredible supernova of sweetness, unparalleled by anything else she had ever experienced. Distant stars blinked out of existence, galaxies faded to nothing in shame and inadequacy. Nothing could hope to compare to this... nirvana.

Yet, all too soon, the world slowly blurred back into focus. The mindblowing sensation was already diminishing into a shadow of its former self, yet it continued to linger. A lasting ghost of a taste of heaven. Even as Wisp became aware how grey and dull her colorful world now appeared, a tear rolled down her cheek as she took solace in one beautiful, immutable truth.

She still had an entire glass of the stuff.

Applejack, however, was not feeling so comfortable. The unicorn's oblivious, blissful whimpers, for some reason, only seemed to put her on edge. "Is she... alright?"

"Oh yeah, she's fine," Pinkie assured her. "Happens every time."

Wisp coughed and allowed the divine elixir to rest on the countertop, her sense of hearing having just returned. "I, um... really like gingerbread."

She spent the next several moments feeling the next in line of many blushes warm her face. It wasn't so strange that she enjoyed one of her favorite desserts, was it? It wasn't weird at all... They were weird.

Either way, she wasn't sure which was more disconcerting: Applejack's look of concern, or Pinkie Pie's accepting smile.

Before she could think of how to break the tension, she was fortunate enough for Pinkie to speak up. "So," she said, turning toward her earth pony friend, eyes twinkling. "How'd it go?"

"Fine... I guess..."

"So now you see that Wispy isn't just 'some floozy' and is actually super cool and nice?"

Suddenly Applejack's cheeks were reminiscent of her elder brother's much darker palette. "Well, uh... yeah?"

"So you've told your friends what you think of me, huh, Applejack?" Wisp asked with a wry grin.

"Nah," Pinkie clarified, "Applejack doesn't talk bad about ponies. I could just tell."

The farmpony just pulled her hat over her face. By the sounds of it, she had never even mentioned those particular thoughts to anypony, and Wisp couldn't remember seeing these earth ponies in the same place since her welcome party. In which case, Pinkie must have gleaned that information from Applejack's demeanor just minutes ago, when she had entered Sugarcube Corner?

Let it never be said that Pinkie Pie isn't perceptive...

"Heh. Well, no hard feelings, Applejack."

"Likewise."

With that settled, there really wasn't anything left to say. Wisp excused herself and retreated to a booth on the other side of the room to enjoy her drink and allow the earth ponies to continue their earlier conversation. By the time Applejack left for the farm, any potential for conversation with Pinkie had died down—even before other customers finally started showing up. And as far as that went, Wisp still had no idea where they had been; maybe ponies were still on their way back from the cider line. But if that were so, how had Applejack arrived ahead of them?

Ponyville was confusing sometimes.

Regardless, she was able to savor her drink in peace. And what a drink it was... As Wisp had told Applejack, she really liked gingerbread. Ever since her first bite into a gingerbread cookie as a filly, she had been fascinated with the stuff; it seemed so underappreciated to her, but it tasted so good. Without coming to a pastry shop or the like, most ponies only thought of it around the holidays. But heck, Sugarcube Corner even looked like a gingerbread house. Mm...

Suddenly, a very particular foalhood memory popped into Wisp's mind. One she was very fond of.

Heheh, Mom got so mad... But how was I to know it would explode like that?

Gingerbread houses weren't her favorite treat, however (were you really supposed to eat those, anyway?). She had always been fiercely passionate about gingerbread loaf cake—or parkin, as it was called in Trottingham—but now she had to wonder. Before coming to Ponyville she had never had a gingerbread milkshake, but Pinkie Pie and the Cakes had been generous enough to start making them just for her, and they were nothing short of mindblowing. She'd only had a few so far, but mm.

Then again, it had been a while since she'd had a bite of her beloved gingerbread cake. If it were made properly, and served without icing,
or perhaps just the right kind of icing... Delectable.

As Wisp's tastebuds again took her to a higher state of being, she sighed in contentment. She usually had the restraint to not whimper and moan after the first sip. Usually. But still her eyebrows furrowed as she felt unrivaled pleasure throughout her palette... Even if the effect was diminished after the first taste, it was still unlike most any other food she had had the good fortune of encountering. Still, if only she could again reach that initial, glorious high...

...I'm gonna have to start ordering some water with this.

The unicorn began to contemplate grabbing a glass when the world went dark. She was confused for a moment: she was between sips, and her eyes were still wide open. But once she noticed the pressure against the front of her face and heard a garbled voice ask, "Guess who?" she knew what was happening.

"Remind me, Cloudchaser," she asked with exaggerated annoyance, "Just how old are you?"

"Older than you," the mare snorted in her normal voice. Wisp was strongly tempted to say something about ponies acting half their age, but it really wasn't something to take that seriously. That was Cloudchaser: always playing the fool, entertaining others as well as herself. But was there more to it? Was it just a facade to hide the more sensitive mare beneath, to protect her from harm?

No, she was thinking too much into it. For all she knew, maybe there was truth in that line of thought, but right now it was neither here nor there. Besides, if a pony was so focused on protecting themselves, why would they stop, even for a moment? Wisp decided that she was just being pitiful and trying to explain why she didn't get to see her that way more often.

At least she wasn't waxing romantic about it.

Once Cloudchaser returned her sight, Wisp turned to face her and was met also with the faces of Flitter and Twinkleshine. Which was no surprise, of course. As of late, when any of them would be gone for work, be it Wisp's (un)official patrol or the sisters' weather work, the group would often meet up at Sugarcube Corner in the early afternoon. Sun's Flank may have been more or less preferable, but seeing as that was way over in the east side of town and Sugarcube was smack dab in the center, the choice was obvious.

Twinkleshine was giving her a look. Yes, yes, I know. Flitter had a twinkle in her eye, as well. So you told her, did you? Jolly good. And Cloudchaser... was oblivious. Also good. Wisp didn't know why she wouldn't be, considering the wise and mysterious ways in which ponies like Twinkleshine worked, but it was good to be sure.

When both the matchmakers and Cloudchaser said nothing, she bid them sit down. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Of course, just because they met at Sugarcube Corner didn't mean they had to stay at Sugarcube Corner, but this time Wisp had a drink to finish. Cloudchaser slipped into the seat across from her, and the others took their usual places at their sides. And just like that, Wisp felt... home, for lack of a better word. It was much better to be in good company than to be alone.

It all started with the drink.

"Is that what I think it is?" Twinkleshine asked, pointing her hoof at the half-empty glass.

"Think it's what?" Cloudchaser leaned way over the table—always such a gentlemare—and took a good whiff. "Oh yeah, that's definitely it."

Wisp groaned. "Yes, of course it is. What's wrong with my gingerbread shake?"

"We've just wanted to see you actually drink it. You make them sound so amazing," Flitter laughed.

"Yeah, Twink says you get all weird when you have gingerbread stuff."

She presses her hooves together. "I don't get weird..."

"Wisp," Twinkleshine said, nudging her with an elbow, "Most ponies don't cry when they eat."

It didn't take the twins two seconds to start laughing. They just didn't understand... But more importantly, they didn't understand! Twinkleshine was taking that out of context!

"That was just one time. One time. I hadn't tasted gingerbread in months, and that cake was so soft and moist...!" she whined in defiance.

"No, that was the only time you cried tears. I can only imagine what you're like with this new treat of yours."

She thought back to her little... episode with the milkshake. And those that came before. Not to mention the very first, when she had... cried a little. And insisted on paying double.

Her ensuing blush naturally made the laughing worse, and soon Wisp was staring into the dulcet brown swirls of her drink. Sure, it was part of the 'problem,' but... Was it so wrong to want a little escape? Alas, she soon regretted her decision; it had been several minutes before her friends had arrived that she had taken her last sip. Long enough that the taste was enough to elicit a certain... sound.

Flitter burst into a fresh bout of giggles, Twinkleshine just gave her a snide "I told you so" look, and Cloudchaser had both hooves shoved in her mouth.

What did I do to deserve this?

As if reading her thoughts, her unicorn friend purred, "Okay, now I think we're even for Daring Do and the Mysterious Goo."

For all her bright colors, Twinkleshine could be evil.

Despondently sipping her drink and waiting for them all to get over it, Wisp felt a nudge on her flank. Glancing up at the evil pony beside her, it seemed as if she was trying to tell her something. She was looking at the milkshake and gesturing towards... Cloudchaser?

She offered her best Um, what? look, and the ivory pony rolled her eyes. It looked like she was going to try something else when Cloudchaser interrupted their implicit conversation. "Is it really that good? I wanna taste."

If the pleased look on Twinkleshine's face as Wisp absently nudged the glass toward the pegasus meant anything, that must have been what she wanted. What? What did that have to do with—

Oh. Right.

The aspiring mage inwardly shook her head. Of course she would latch onto an idea so trivial as sharing a drink. Twinkleshine had a certain habit of getting wrapped up in the insignificant details of budding relationships, if this could even be called that. How did this have anything to do with romance? Why not aim for something that mattered?

However, as she watched Cloudchaser's lips wrap around the straw...

...Stupid Twinkleshine.

She made it a point not to act too quickly once Cloudchaser returned her milkshake. Or at least, she would have, if she weren't torn between the embarrassment of choosing to... share, and the torment of abandoning the rest of that incredible concoction just to avoid the embarrassment. Sure, she could just drink straight from the glass, but that might seem rude. Or maybe...

...Twinkleshine had a way of making things more complicated than necessary. She had almost forgotten about her freshly discovered feelings, but now that that mare had gotten her fixated on—

"Hm," Cloudchaser murmured, licking her lips. Those gorgeous, supple lips...

Wisp fought very hard not to slap herself across the face. If was even more difficult not to do the same to Twinkleshine.

"That's pretty good," she commented. "I might get one sometime."

For a moment, despite the ongoing storm in her head, a unicorn's heart swelled with pride.

"But I'd rather have a root beer float or something."

And so her hopes were promptly dashed. So much for spreading the Word of Gingerbread...

It was about then that Twinkleshine nudged her flank again. She could have tried to puzzle out what those gestures were supposed to mean, but Wisp was already too exasperated to care. Even if the thought of sharing a straw with Cloudchaser was so oddly tantalizing, what would change? What would be different after an indirect kiss? Any of the little unicorn's further plots would likely be just as inane and inconsequential.

Better to just take things at my own pace. I'll say it when I'm ready...

But of course, certain ponies had other things in mind. As Twinkleshine huffed her annoyance, Flitter took it upon herself to make a little announcement.

"Actually, I think I'd like to try one for myself. How about you, Twinkleshine?"

"Oh yes, absolutely."

Wisp gave them both the eye as they excused themselves from the table. They would both have a hard time deciding just what to have go into their drinks, no doubt. And whether or not to get some food with it, or even whether to get anything at all... It was all too obvious what they were doing.

Well, what if I don't say anything? How would you like me then, hm?

...

But then... I don't really want to wait, do I? I said I'd get it over with as soon as possible. Even if I did tell Twink not to get involved...

Letting the interlopers fade from her mind, Wisp focused on the mare before her. Cloudchaser was oblivious for the moment, eye still on the... interlopers. Her persian blue—basically lavender—fur almost seemed to glow in Sugarcube Corner's artificial lighting today. Nothing dramatic, but there was a certain sheen to her coat; maybe she was trying out a new body conditioner or something. There was nothing in particular to say about her mane, however: it was as intentionally-wild as ever, still a snowy white that faded into a faint, greyish blue. Her makeup, too, was no different—just the usual thick eyeliner that did so much to prevent her from looking like just another rough-and-tumble tomboy. It was the little things that counted.

In short, she looked beautiful. Wisp had always thought she was an attractive pony, but only recently had she begun to notice the real beauty there. She...

She was about to wax romantic. Whatever. Maybe it was frivolous, maybe she wasn't thinking entirely with her head, but Cloudchaser was by all accounts a good pony, and Wisp wanted her. All she needed to do now was—

"They sure are weird sometimes, huh?"

"Bwuh?"

Cloudchaser barked a laugh at the eloquent response. "Your bestie and my sister. Think they're still playing matchmaker?"

Wisp tried to play nonchalant, but her nervous laugh was all too forced. She knew what it sounded like. That's how ponies always laughed when they were trying to hide something. Especially in romance movies. Not to mention Twinkleshine's novels, besides the lack of, well, sound... But regardless, what was there she could do about it?

"Oh, uh, I don't know. Probably..."

The other mare looked thoughtful as she sneaked a glance at the pair. After turning away a moment later, she leaned across the table towards Wisp, laying low on both arms, and bemusedly asked, "What, do they think we'll start kissing if they leave us alone long enough?"

Much differently from the day before, Wisp was at this moment quite happy to have a horn instead of wings. She was also very glad that she hadn't started pining for this pony earlier, for any number of reasons.

"Haha, yeah... Like that'd happen."

...Uh-oh. Maybe she shouldn't have said that.

Cloudchaser's eyebrow lifted, her mouth curled into her trademark smirk... And she brought out the fake bedroom eyes. "And why not?"

Before she could bemoan how good a day it was to be a unicorn, Wisp choked out, "Er, well... About that."

The pegasus respectfully retreated back into her seat, sitting upright. "What, is something wrong?"

Has she always been able to switch gears that quickly?

Wisp swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to focus her thoughts. This was it. She was about to confess to a pony she'd only just fallen for. In public. Where anypony might overhear. With two ponies likely watching her right, even. The unicorn suddenly felt remarkably small.

But then she took stock of herself. What was she doing? Wispwillow wasn't afraid of confessing publicly, didn't much care if anypony saw. She'd prefer privacy, sure, but she was confident. Unwavering. She could do this. She'd done it before.

She looked her crush in the eye. That goofy, charming jokester of a pegasus was looking back at her with a combination of curiosity and tentative concern. Even now, she looked lovely. It was so close she could taste it... All she had to so was say something to her.

Anything.

...Anything at all?

"Uhhh..."

"Wisp? Are you alright?"

Come on, just say SOMETHING, you idiot. If you pass it up now, who knows how much more you'll have to suffer. And how long will take to actually work up the courage? Do it now!

Wisp opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She still hadn't the slightest idea what to say. She was beginning to feel just a little awkward. Something about this confounded mare turned her brain to... mush.

She thought back to her previous marefriends, previous crushes. With all of them, her thoughts became a jumbled mess at first. Well, most of them... But every time, she managed to overcome herself and do something about it. Feathers, the last time she had actually played it all cool and smooth, successfully wooing the mare of her dreams—at the time—with her poise and confidence, and it had felt so natural. And while she hadn't always been so confident before then, and sometimes she had needed a push from Twinkleshine, the result was always the same.

...The result?

The end result was always a broken heart. No matter how great the beginning, something always went wrong, given time. She'd make some sort of misstep, get too angry or too clingy or too possessive... Or her lover would simply lose interest. Maybe even cheat on her before working up the guts to break it off. In any case, every relationship Wisp had been in up to this point had ended badly. Maybe it would be best to just stay friends, to forget about how she felt...  They would both be happy that way, right? It would definitely save her the heartache. And did she really even deserve the chance at happiness, anyways?

But if she did do that, if she built a fortress of walls around her heart and refused to let anypony in, ignored every pony she took a fancy to... Then what would be the end result?

She saw an elderly pony, hair frayed and gray, lying on her deathbed. Nopony to visit her besides some family and a single friend... Or, maybe, not even that.

She made her choice.

"So, uh... Hearts and Hooves Day is coming up..."