"Grandpa Smith? What's it like to be in love?" A colt Apple Jack asked.
"It's hard to explain little fellar. It was magic when Ah fell in love with yer gand ma." Grandpa Smith said to the little orange colt in his shrieky old voice. "The only way yer can truly know how it feels is when yer old enough to fall in love yerself!"
***
"Macareina. What's it like to be in love?" A big orange stallion asked his sister. The normally quiet mare answered with something more than just a usual "eeyup" or a "eenope" this time.
"Little bro, you got it bad." She chuckled in her low female voice. "Who is the lucky mare?"
"It's not a mare."
"Ah, so it's a stallion, that's fine as well." She laughed.
"Big sis quit making fun of me! It ain't a stallion either. She's… not a pony."
"Ah alright, Ah gotcha."
"Well? What was it like when you first realized yer feelings fer Applebuck's teacher?"
"Mr. Cherry Lee?" Macareina wondered aloud. "It was. Magical. Like, suddenly mah heart would pound faster every time Ah saw him. Being a quiet mare, it was only until Applebuck and his friends put the spotlight on us that it took some time before Ah realized I really DID feel something towards him. He was kind, cared for others, worked hard, like me. When Ah came clear he kissed me, and told me he was hoping Ah'd say that AFTER the effects of the love poison had worn off, heh." Though no pony could ever tell, thanks to her red fur, Macareina was blushing heavily right now.
"So yer sayin', Ah should be honest and just tell her how Ah feel?"
"Honesty is the best policy… and yer element." The red mare giggled.
"Alright. I tell her, tomorrow!" Apple Jack declared.
***
"I'm telling you Dusk, nothing happened!" Barbara said for the ninth time that day.
"Fine, if you're not going to tell me then I'm not letting you visit Elusive anymore."
"WHAT?!"
"Something happened while you were there, and now you're acting different. Visiting Elusive has been putting you under stress lately and doing you more harm than good, so until you tell me what's up, you're steering clear from him and the Boutique."
"You MONSTER! You will never get in the way of our love!" Barbara imitated a mare fainting dramatically.
"Are you taking drama classes from him now?" Dusk rolled his eyes at the exaggeration.
"Dusk PLEASE. He asked me to the Hearth's Warming Prance and I JUST HAVE TO GO!!!" Barbara wailed.
"Oh… I see." He stopped. Dusk always knew Barbara would grow up at some point, and a first date was one of those steps in a filly's-- or in this case dragon's-- life. He didn't know Elusive was as crazy about Barbara as she was about him, but after working together in the shop for weeks on end, it seemed like that had given them time to bond. He would have to speak to Elusive later, just to make sure there was no alternative motive behind this. If someone broke Barbara's heart, Dusk would break their face. Barbara was like his little sister to him since Prince Solaris gave him her egg to look after when he was just a colt. And since Barbara had no other family, Dusk grew very protective of her. He shook his head. Elusive was his friend, he wouldn't do such a thing. Nevertheless, Dusk made a mental note to follow up on this with Elusive some time soon.
"Okay Barbara. You can go to this dance." Dusk sighed.
"YES!!!! THANK YOU DUSK!!!! YOU'RE THE BEST!" She jumped around excitedly and pulled Dusk in for a tight hug.
'I am going to regret this.' The alicorn's thoughts echoed in his mind.