Always Together.
During the study hall period, Zero and Twilight were in the library as the tutor was giving her tutee a practice review she came up with for the math test that was looming on the horizon, which was reason enough to have him be a hundred and twenty percent ready for whatever the test might throw at him. At this moment, they were currently wrapping up as Twilight slid Zero another flash card. So far, he was on a roll.
“Okay!” Twilight said with a determined smile. “What is the square root of x minus eight equals three?”
Zero examined the problem before writing in his notebook and sorting out the problem. “Can’t take the square root for a negative number so….” he mumbled to himself before making haste with the problem and sorting it out. A minute later he slid his answer to Twilight. “The answer is x equals seventeen.”
Twilight smiled and nodded at him. “Correct.” She looked at the clock and smiled. “And that should do it for today. Unless you’re feeling hungry for some more problems during lunch and I give you my flash cards.”
Zero shook his head and smirk. “My brain is already overflowing with equations. Now it’s time to overflow my belly with food, Ms. Einstein.”
“I’m only asking. After all, who would’ve thought Zero Gravity would turn down a mighty challenge?” Twilight raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk. “Does such a farcical idea exist?”
“Now you look here.” Zero wagged his finger as he eyed her. “I may not know what ‘farcical’ means, but I know it’s important to pick your battles and save your strength for something of greater priority!And that priority is enjoying sloppy joe Friday.”
“Okay, I can’t argue with that logic.”
The two of them shared a quiet laugh before they both packed their things. Zero looked at Twilight and a thought crossed his mind. “Say, I was wondering something.”
“Hmm?” Twilight turned to him.
“The Fall Formal is next Saturday and I was wondering if you were gonna do anything,” Zero asked curiously. “Or if you have a daaaaate.”
“Well … I was thinking about going with the girls as a group, but….” Twilight twiddled her thumbs and looked away. “I’m not exactly comfortable with dances.”
“Not a crowd person?” Zero guessed, only for Twilight to respond with a quick nod. “But with the girls to keep you company, it should be cool, regardless.”
“Y-yes but….” Twilight was still avoiding his gaze, making Zero raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
“You’re hiding something,” said Zero.
“No I’m not,” Twilight denied.
“Yes you are. You’re not looking at me.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Hmm … alright.” Zero shrugged before taking out his Daring Do book for a reading assignment. He opened up to the page where he last left off and gave a small but devilish grin. “Oh yeah, you said it’s time to go. I suppose I’d better mark where I left off,” he said aloud so Twilight could look his way. Her eyes widened as she saw he was about to give the book the dog ears treatment and fold the corner of the page.
“Don’t you dare,” Twilight hissed.
“It’s my book and I’ll do what I want with it.” Zero smirked as he tapped his finger on the corner. “Unless you tell me what’s up.”
“It’s none of your business!” Twilight growled as she tried to take the book from him, but Zero held it up in the air so she couldn’t reach it.
“Aaaaand heeeeere it goooooooes.” Zero was slowly about to fold the corner of the page and Twilight’s pupils shrank.
“Okay, okay!” Twilight exclaimed and Zero gave her the book. She swiped it away and put a purple bookmark in it and closed it before glaring at him. “Use a bookmark next time, you … you….” She was about to say something but Cheerilee glared at her from the first floor of the library. Twilight gave an embarrassed blush and an apologetic wave. Once Ms. Cheerilee looked away, Zero giggled like a little school girl and withheld his laugh before Twilight shoved the book back at his stomach. “I can’t dance. Happy now?”
Zero blinked a couple times and chuckled. “No way.”
“Okay, now you’re starting to be even ruder and I don’t appreciate it.” Twilight narrowed her eyes.
Zero held up his hands defensively. “Alright, I’ll admit I pushed it with the dog ear thing, and I’m sorry. But it’s kinda funny since, well … I’m many things. I’m a fighter, an athlete, a prankster, and a procrastinator, but a dancer is not one of them.”
“”Oh, I see.” Twilight calmed down with a sigh. “It’s probably because I’m not one for parties, nor have I really danced with anyone or participated in one. As the old idiom goes, I have two left feet. What’s your story?”
Zero pushed his hands in his pocket. “I never really was good with dancing on my own. I’d just dance around like I had ants in my pants, if anything. However, my dad thought it’d be smart to at least teach me how to slow dance. Though, I personally wouldn’t mind a few square dancing classes with the Apple’s. Last weekend was a riot when me and Soul went over there.”
Twilight giggled. “I can only imagine. I know how to do the robot, but even then I look like I’m malfunctioning and/or have a few screws loose.”
“Now that I wanna see you do.” Zero held out his hand. “But I should be the tutor for the next five minutes and show you how to slow dance.”
“What?” Twilight was a little baffled. “Why here? Why now?”
“Because you have t—I mean, you should go to the dance,” Zero started to explain. “The girls would be upset if you didn’t show and you should give it a try. It’ll be fun, I promise! And besides, some guy just might ask you out. You’re attractive enough to make someone go gaga for you.”
“I … don’t really see myself as worthy of someone’s attention in terms of aesthetics.” Twilight turned away with a doubtful look. “Compared to the girls, I don’t exactly stand out much, like Rarity or Pinkie or those Dazzling girls.”
“Hmmm….” Zero crossed his arms and pondered for a moment before giving a small smile. “What’s wrong with that?”
“You just said guys wou—”
“I mean, what’s wrong with not standing out?” Zero restated. “Sure, I think Pinkie, Fluttershy, and even Aria are beautiful goddesses. But you’re someone who’s a hidden gem, someone outstanding in every way but but who flies under the radar. I mean, you’re a genius, you’ve got a cute smile, you’re adorkable with glasses on, and honestly, you’re prettier than I give you credit for. It’s crazy that nobody notices how great you are. That’s why I think you’re better off here than at Crystal Prep. With the way most of them treated you there, they never deserved someone as cool as you in the first place. So have a little confidence, will ya?”
Twilight looked back at Zero and was awestruck by his words. She didn’t expected him to spout such kind words or say such wonderful things about her. “Y-You really think that about me?”
“Well, yeah.” Zero gave a toothy grin. “Can’t have an acquaintance of mine look down on herself. Just don’t be like me or Rainbow and let it go to your head. Heh.”
“I won’t … but thank you, Zero.” Twilight smiled warmly with a light blush.
“If you really wanna thank me, repay me with a little dance.” Zero was still holding out his hand and moving it up and down. “My hand is getting tiiiiiired.”
Twilight blushed a bit and looked around. “But we’re in the library. We can’t dance here. Someone might see us!”
“There’s nobody here but us, and we’re on the second floor. Aaaand, Ms. Cheerilee is playing that Fire-something game Swift keeps playing on his phone,” Zero explained as he pointed towards Cheerilee down below playing on her phone. She seemed frantic and smiled in an almost creepy way.
“If I don’t get a five star this time, I’m going to lose. My. MIND!” Cheerilee cried out as she started tapping away on her phone.
Twilight blinked a few times and looked at Zero. “I … guess it’s okay then. But we have to be quiet.”
“Of course, and behind the bookshelves,” Zero said as he took her hand. He paused for a moment and chuckled. “Hehe, this could easily be taken out of context.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and headed behind the bookshelf with Zero. Once they were completely out of sight, Zero took her hand and placed it on his shoulder as he guided her. “Now, if I remember correctly, your left hand is supposed to be on my right shoulder. My right hand goes on your left hip side,” he explained and placed his hand on Twilight’s hip. “After that’s sorted out, we hold hands with the other arms and keep them up to the shoulders.”
Quickly understanding the concept of the slow dance, Twilight made eye contact with Zero once they held hands and did as he instructed. “And now we just dance together, right?”
“A-plus, Ms. Sparkle,” Zero snickered. “Just follow my lead bit by bit. One, two, one, two.” As he took the lead, Twilight took her time to coordinate her moments and footwork with Zero’s. It didn’t take long at all to get the hang of it as she found it fairly simple. She smiled softly as she looked at Zero.
“Well, this isn’t so bad,” Twilight said. “I could get used to this.”
“Yeah, but if you want, you can add a little spice to the mix!” Zero suddenly spun Twilight around for a brief moment before pulling her back towards him.
“W-Woah! Zero! Warn me the next time you do that!” Twilight replied as she felt a little dizzy. She tried taking a step forward and accidentally stepped on Zero’s foot.
“Agh!” Zero held his foot and let Twilight go as he hopped on his uninjured one. “You’re supposed to avoid stepping on other people’s toes! That’s the number one rule!”
“Sorry!” Twilight shook her head to regain her senses. She panicked once she saw Zero backing up into a bookshelf. “Zero, look for the—”
It was too late as Zero bumped into the bookshelf and groaned as he held his head. “ACK! Ow … man, that’s gonna leave a—” Suddenly, a pile of books fell down on Zero’s head and he found himself completely buried with his arm sticking out.
“Sorry….” Twilight apologized with a nervous chuckle. The bell suddenly rang and she took her time taking the books off Zero. “Class dismissed?”
“Classed dismissed….” Zero weakly groaned.
After getting dug out of the avalanche of books and powering through a small migraine, Zero made his way down the hallway and headed towards the lunchroom. He took note of Soul and Sunset having a conversation by the double doors of the lunchroom but didn’t really pay any attention to it as filling his stomach was his first priority. The investigation on the conversation would come later, maybe. After standing in the line to get his food and grabbing what he needed, he sat down with the others and sighed.
“There you are,” Swift said while eating his apple. “What took you so long?”
Zero let out a quiet groan. “Let’s just say an avalanche of books fell on me. But on the bright side, I finally found out where the manga section is in the school.”
“I mean, you could’ve just looked it up on the library’s computer but that’s none of my business.” Night explained with a shrug. “By the way, did you see Soul on the way here? He didn’t come in either.”
Zero motioned for him to wait as he took a huge bite out of his burger to satisfy his belly. Once he swallowed, he gave a quick nod. “Yeah, he’s talking to Bacon head outside the lunch room about something.”
Rivet thought for a moment before his eyes widened a little as he realized. “Can’t blame him for doing so.”
“What’s that mean?” Swift questioned Rivet.
“The Fall Formal is next Saturday,” Rivet noted as he ate his macaroni. “Soul probably summed up the courage to finally talk to Sunset and ask her to the dance. Or ask her to go out with him in general.”
“I hope he gets what he wants,” Clyde said, drinking his milk. “He’s been gawking at her for a while now. But I think he was just biding time so he could make sure he’s in a good position in her eyes so he’s guaranteed a yes.”
“Think it’ll work?” Night wondered until Soul came into the lunchroom with a bright smile and danced his way to the boys, not caring of who looked at him. Sunset ventured off to the bathroom for the time being.
Clyde chuckled a little. “I think it did.”
Zero sat up and went over to Soul. “Dude, what’d you ask her?”
Soul smiled at Zero and looked as happy as a kid at the start of summer break. “I asked her to the Fall Formal and she said yes! And during the dance, I’m gonna ask her to be my girlfriend!”
“YES!” Zero said, completely ecstatic and giving Soul a high five before dancing with him in joy. Despite the fact that he danced like he had something stuck in his pants, he was overjoyed that his friend was going to the dance with his crush. “Go Soul, you the man! Oh yeah!”
Soul laughed before sitting down with the guys and smiled. “Thanks dude. I just hope Granny Smith’s dance lessons pay off. I reaaaaally need to show Sunset what I’m made of.”
“Hopefully better than whatever Zero was doing,” Night said with a small smirk, gaining a glare from Zero.
“I’m surprised they’re not doing the Sadie Hawkins dance tradition like last year. At least I don’t think so,” Rivet wondered to himself.
“What’s the Sadie Hawkins tradition?” Soul scratched his head.
“It’s another name for a girl’s choice dance,” Swift explained. “Pinkie came up with the idea last year and … she asked Caramel instead of me and I just ended up going with AJ thanks to Rainbow hooking me up. But it was still a nice time.”
“Well, I wish you luck this time around. I would definitely ask Pinkie, but knowing how much she means to you….” Zero nodded understandingly.
“Thanks. I appreciate it,” Swift thanked.
“No problem. Though, isn’t the whole Sadie Hawkins tradition kinda lame?” Zero pondered. “Why can’t it be anyone can ask anyone? It’s kinda messed up because Swift could’ve asked Pinkie last year and got his wish. Waiting on your crush to ask you when she probably wouldn’t think of you at all is a cruel and undeserving fate.”
“You do know it’s not a rule, right?” Clyde pointed out. “It’s just a respectable tradition since guys usually do the asking. Some people can just ignore it and do what they want.”
“I did not know that and I appreciate the information, Clyde.” Zero smiled. “But gee, I wonder who you could be going with? It could be just about anyone, like Octavia, or Vinyl, or even,” he gasped dramatically, “the Great and Powerful Trixie!”
“Your sarcasm is unbelievable today,” Clyde chuckled. “But yeah, I’m looking forward to going with my boo as usual. But I do wonder something about Rivet, though.” He looked at him. “Who are you gonna go with?”
“Er … I’m thinking about … maybe … Rainbow Dash?” Rivet blushed as he felt a little bashful.
“Duuuude, nice choice.” Night gave Rivet a fist bump. “Rainbow is a great girl to go on a date with. But you’d better act fast. Get’em while they’re open.”
“Right,” Rivet said with a chuckle. “And you Night? I can’t really think of who you could go with. It’s anybody's guess.”
“I bet he’s planning on asking his princess, Principal Celestia,” Soul jested.
“Oh Principal Celestia, how beautiful you are with your multicolored hair, those lovely lips, and those tender-looking legs,” Zero said in dramatic tone as he tried sounding like Night, making Soul and Rivet chuckle.
“Oh Zero, how I look forward to kicking thy chair from underneath thou if thou dost not shut thy flipping face immediately,” Night retorted while giving him an irritated glare.
“I’m just messing around. Though, I already know who I’m going with,” Zero replied confidently.
“Same here,” Night replied.
“I’m going with Fluttershy,” they both said in unison.
Zero and Night’s eyes widen at that moment. They slowly put down their food and silence came upon the table. They narrowed their eyes at each other and then turned towards the girls’ table all the way across the lunchroom and looked at Fluttershy. Not hesitating for another moment, they leaped out of their seats, startling the other guys at the table. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion as Zero and Night simultaneously dodged and maneuvered their way past their classmates, occasionally even bumping into a few of them as Zero accidentally knocked Flash Sentry’s food tray in his face and Night slid in between Lemon Hearts’ legs and averted his eyes briefly, all while opera music was playing in the background thanks to Vinyl Scratch who was testing out her new speakers with Octavia’s CD.
Zero came up with an idea and stole a tray from a nearby table and dumped the food off in a nearby trash can. He went up to a lengthy table, jumped up high and got ready to use the tray as a surfboard like in the shows he watched. Unfortunately, he only surfed a few inches and ended up stopping, causing some of the people next to him to glare at him. Zero just ignored them and sat up as he saw Night was in the lead and almost to Fluttershy. He picked up his tray and jumped off the table as he threw it towards him while airborne, praying it’d stop him.
The tray didn’t hit Night as Zero hoped, but it lost its velocity and collapsed towards the ground. Luckily enough, it slid under Night’s foot and he slipped and rolled across the floor. Zero managed to get the lead and a smile crept up on his face as he panted. Night saw this and made one last attempt to stop his friend as he kicked a nearby chair towards Zero, but due to the noise, Zero saw this and leaped off another chair to get away in time and landed by the girls’ table as he panted. All of them gave him a confused look as they noticed the little race that took place, along with the entire cafeteria. The opera music stopped and Zero gave an awkward chuckle.
“Um … you know us guys, always like to horse play when we get bored!” Zero waved off with a forced smile.
“Okaaaaaaay?” Rainbow tilted her head at the awkwardness. “So what brings you here, Shounen boy?”
“I wanted to see if I could borrow Fluttershy for a hot minute. Do you mind, Flutters?” Zero said as he turned to her.
“Not at all,” she said happily. Rarity eyeballed the two and tapped her chin in curiosity while Rainbow raised an eyebrow at this. Zero led Fluttershy out of the cafeteria and as he passed his rival in love Night, he saw him punch the ground in defeat and let out a sigh.
All is fair in love and war my worthy rival, Zero thought to himself as he walked outside with Fluttershy. Once checking to see that the coast was clear, he dusted himself off and looked at Fluttershy.
“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” Fluttershy asked curiously.
“I was wondering if….” Zero began, but trailed off as a new idea came to his mind. Wait … what if I decide to spice things up?he thought before continuing. “...If you’d go to the Fall Formal with me.”
Fluttershy let out a deep blush as her eyes widened. “Y-Y-Y-You’d want to go to the Fall Formal with me? Truly?”
“Absolutely, there’s no better choice!” Zero said as he beamed with a smile.
Fluttershy hid behind her hair timidly as her blush increased tenfold. “O-Oh my, I um … I-I-I’ve never really expected anyone to ask me out, honestly. T-This is, um … I-I’m not sure what to really say.”
“You could say yes,” Zero chuckled. “Just be honest, it’s cool!”
“I-I’ll definitely consider it!” Fluttershy finally answered quickly. “T-Thank you for thinking of me, Zero.”
“No problem. And say, while I got you here, I was thinking that after we hand out those flyers by the mall tomorrow morning, maybe you and I can hang out at the zoo!” Zero offered. “What do you say?”
“Oh yes!” Fluttershy beamed as she moved her hair out of her face. “I actually have a membership pass that’ll get us in for free!”
“Neat! It’s a date then!” Zero confirmed. “I’ll talk to you laters then.”
“Mmhmm!” Fluttershy nodded before walking back to the cafeteria. Once she was gone, Zero watched her go back to her seat and he smiled widely. At last, after a month and a half of waiting, he got his number one wish to go on a date with Fluttershy alone. He stared at the cafeteria door blankly for a minute as he took everything in before cheering out in joy that echoed in the hallways of the school.
“ALLRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!”
Fluttershy went back to the girls and sat down. Just as she did, Rarity had a gleeful smile and was bouncing in her seat a little, while Rainbow had a skeptical expression with her arms crossed. Both of them were looking dead at Fluttershy.
“So what did he ask you?” they said in unison.
“Hm?” Fluttershy cocked her head towards them before giving a sudden blush as she looked away. “Oh, um … Zero just asked me….” She mumbled something, reluctant to draw any attention to herself on the matter, hoping that the girls would let it slide. Unfortunately, the questions were just starting.
“I’m sorry dearie, but could please speak up?” Rarity asked, trying to withhold her excitement.
Fluttershy sighed. “He asked me to the Fall Formal and to go to the zoo with him tomorrow.”
Rarity giggled like a little school girl and clapped her hands in joy. “I knew it! Of course, I almost expected Bulk Biceps or Big Mac to ask you, but Zero was most certainly in my top five guesses with the way he treats you!”
“My money was on Night. But speaking of which, judging from that race, I guess we know the real reason behind it now,” Rainbow added in.
“Indeed!” Rarity smiled. “And to top it off, a nice little date to the zoo! I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to see Zero to be so smooth about it. I thought he’d be more bold like you and ask her right in front of us.”
“As if,” Rainbow waved off.
“Um, girls,” Fluttershy raised her hand to get their attention, “the thing is, I need to think about it first if I really do want to go with him. A-And the date is just a friendly one, not anything romantic.”
“How come?” Sunset wondered.
“It’s not like I don’t want to go with him. I think it’d be really nice,” Fluttershy noted before sipping her milk. “And I’ll definitely go to the zoo with him tomorrow. But….”
“You’re just debating on whether you like him, or whether you liiiiiiiiiiiiike him, right?” Pinkie guessed as she booped Fluttershy’s nose.
Just as Fluttershy was about to explain further, she saw Applejack make an X with her two hands and shake her head, telling her to just shut the conversation down before a certain fashionista and athlete persister her even further. Fluttershy nodded at the other girls and sighed. “You could say that. But at the moment, I’d rather cross that bridge later. Or more so tomorrow.”
“Fair enough. But I do wonder about the rest of you. Aside from Ms. Shimmer who has caught the eye of a certain Writer,” Rarity said with a wink at Sunset.
Sunset rubbed the back of her head with a blush. “I mean, he’s sweet, and sometimes goofy in a cute way. And he likes gaming like me. And we hang out a lot, so why not? Though, for some reason, Sonata keeps glaring at me since we came in.”
“My Pinkie sense tells me a love triangle is a-brewing!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Maybe she’s willing to battle you to the death for him, baring her fangs as she proclaims her love to Soul and believes she’s the better girl!”
“Pinkie, you’re not allowed to read my romance novels anymore,” Rarity replied bluntly.
“I just hope it doesn’t come down to us fighting over him,” Sunset commented. “Or her persuading him to change his mind.”
“My cousin is patient enough to bide his time to ask ya to the dance.” Applejack pointed out with a small smile. “And he keeps asking me about you so I wouldn’t worry at all.”
Sunset smiled with a bright blush.
“Speaking of dates, I’m still thinking about who to go with,” Rainbow said as she leaned back in her chair. “Of course, I could just grab Thunderlane and go with him again like before. Or have a dance off with the cowgirl once again and show her my rad moves.”
“Are you sure about that?” Rarity said as she gave a small smirk. “Because you could always take that one boy in your reading class.”
“Rivet? I mean, I guess it’s an option. He likes Daring Do like me and stuff.” Rainbow shrugged.
“Though I have seen you two strumming together in the parking lot a few times after practice and even in the hallway,” Fluttershy added with an almost playful smile. “And you seem to be enjoying yourself quite a bit.”
Rainbow gave an awkward laugh as she noticed all the girls giving her a small smirk. “He’s good at what he does and he’s cool! Get off my back!”
Applejack let out a laugh before taking a moment to ponder something. “I guess I’ll just keep an eye on Apple Bloom and her friends once I swing around. Those girls are as sneaky as snakes in the grass without any supervision.”
“They can’t be that bad,” Twilight said, finally speaking up. “Sweetie Belle and Wind are responsible enough to avoid bad situations and speak up, right?”
Rarity shook her head. “Sometimes people can’t help but follow the crowd at times. Sweetie Belle is a sweetheart, yes, but that doesn’t expel from being a troublemaker. And Wind is just as back and forth as her!”
“Eeeh, I suppose.” Twilight shrugged before turning to Pinkie. “Who are you going with, Pinkie?”
“I dunno!” Pinkie admitted. “I know a few guys are spotting me since I’ve got some nice curves, but … contrary to popular belief, I’ve had a few itty bitty teeny tiny … mistakes on dates in the past.”
“Like how so?” Twilight raised an eyebrow.
“Like being too loud in a movie theater and getting me and my date kicked out. Getting banned at a few places, sending a golf ball in my date’s eye. Stuff like that,” Pinkie said as she sank back in her chair with a frown.
“O-oh … I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s cool!” Pinkie beamed back up. “Swift’s been taking me on a few practice dates here and there, so maybe I’ll find a dance partner by next Saturday! If not, I’ll just hit up the DJ booth with Vinyl and spit some sick raps, yo!”
“And Clyde and I are already planning to spend the day at my house to find the right outfits for ourselves! Oh, and of course for the rest of you as well,” Rarity said as she hummed to the idea of making more dresses for her friends, even if it wasn’t anything new, though she was mainly looking forward to some alone time with her beloved. Before her mind wandered too far off, there was one more friend she need to ask concerning her plans for the dance. “Twilight darling, what about you?”
“Me?” Twilight stopped eating as she looked at Rarity.
“Yes, you. What are your plans for next Saturday?”
“Well, I was hoping to go with all of you as a group. But seeing as most of you are going to be busy with your partners or preoccupied with something else, I’m not exactly sure,” Twilight admitted with a sigh. “I don’t even have a clue as to whom to ask to the dance or who would bother to take me.”
“Surely there has to be somebody in mind you want to ask,” Rarity said with a worried tone. “If not, I can easily have Clyde and the boys help look around. Or even just find a way for you to enjoy yourself.”
Twilight pondered this thought. “I suppose so. I’ve just never had a date or even gone to a dance before, so I’m new to all of this.”
“Not to worry!” Rarity resounded. “As your friend, I will use every ounce of my power to make sure you have a lovely time next Saturday, no ifs, ands, or buts about it! I’ll look for anyone who’s available and make you the most fabulous dress imaginable!”
Twilight nodded with a happy smile. Even if things don’t go her way, she was glad that she could count on Rarity to make things up to her. Thinking about how nice it is to have such reliable friends like her and the others, the gears in her mind started rolling.
It was a great idea to give these girls a chance in the end, Twilight thought. If I could, maybe I can think of a way to show some gratitude towards the girls. I could help them study for the upcoming tests next week and have a group studying session on Sunday. Even so, Zero was the one who orchestrated all of this in the first place. I should try and do something for him as well. She glanced over at Fluttershy. If I thought of this sooner, I would’ve asked him to the dance as a thank you. But given his many, many options of girls on his radar, there’s a high chance he’d just say no. I guess if he’s going with the girl he admires most, who am I to stand in his way? Giving a quiet sigh, Twilight stood up as the bell rang and threw her tray away. She was admittedly disappointed that a solid choice for a date to the dance had slipped away so easily, but she accepted it nevertheless and decided to move on.
After all, something things weren’t meant to be. Just to be accepted.
It was a fantastic Saturday in the Gravity house as Zero was currently stepping out of the shower after—for once in his life—waking up early to prepare for his day with Fluttershy. Opening the bathroom, he allowed the steam that collected in the room to spread across the upper floor of his house as he took a brief sniff. He immediately caught the smell of blueberry pancakes, bacon, cinnamon rolls, and peach pie smoothies coming from downstairs which caused his stomach to growl as it was a glutton for breakfast. He saw the beautiful sunlight shine down from the window of his bedroom as he entered it and changed into some clothes once he dried his hair. He put on a dark purple button down short sleeve shirt with an azure dragon design on the back. He put on dark green pants with his usual chain on the side and pulled out a dragon tooth necklace that Snips and Snails made for him for the roleplaying club, along with a dark red bead bracelet on his right wrist with his signature wolf kanji graved on a single black bead. He tied the black laces on his new red boots, then examined himself and made a toothy grin in the mirror before grabbing his keys, phone, and wallet and making his way out of the room. Just as he exited, a familiar theme song played from the living room TV and he danced his way downstairs and he sang.
“It’s a whole new world we live in!”
“It’s a whole new way to see!” Wind joined in happily as she followed right behind Zero. Both of them grinned ear to ear as they continued to sing. “It’s a whole new place, with a brand new attitude!”
“But you still gotta catch ’em all!” sang their father Sound Barrier as he sat on the living room couch, watching the show as he turned to his kids. They all looked at White Star in the kitchen, waiting for her to join in.
White Star just smirked and pointed at them. “And be the best that you can be.”
All of them laughed before coming together at the dinner table once their plates were set up for them and started eating together. White Star and Zero wolfed down their food while Sound Barrier and Wind ate like normal human beings. Halfway through the meal, White Star slowed down and looked at her son.
“You’re certainly eating faster than normal,” White Star remarked before poking his cheek with a grin. “You excited to go hang out with your little boo today?”
Zero only smirked back. “You could say that. Me and her are going on a date to the zoo later! And from there, I’ll make her my official girlfriend!”
“Nice! I see you’re not gonna beat around the bush when it comes to a crush,” Sound Barrier said before high fiving his son.
“Normally I’d suggest you slow things down just a tiiiiny bit and get to know her, but you’ve been patient for once,” Wind added as she chuckled, only for Zero to flick her nose. “Owie!”
Zero stuck his tongue out at her. “Well, I am taking her to the Fall Formal. At least, I hope so. She said she’d think about it, but I’m gonna try to convince her later ‘Cause today will decide what’s what between us!”
“Which makes me wonder. Do you know how you’re gonna ask her out?” White Star questioned as she tilted her head. “It’s important to be yourself and all, but a woman’s heart is a sacred thing. And that sweet Fluttershy’s heart is even more precious ya’know.”
“Yeah, yeah, I don’t need you to remind me.” Zero waved off. “Hers is the most precious heart in all of Canterlot! And I’m gonna win it over. All I’m gonna do is—”
“Wait, wait, wait!” White Star halted him as she fixed her hair to resemble Fluttershy’s. She patted her cheeks to prepare herself for the role and gave an innocent-like expression. “O-okay, go,” she cued while doing a voice impression of Fluttershy.
Sound Barrier withheld a chuckle while Wind just giggled. Zero rolled his eyes and shook his head as he looked at White Star. “Fluttershy, I wanted to tell you that for a while now, ever since I met you on my first day, I’ve always thought you were the most beautiful girl in school. And I’d like it if you an—AACK!!!”
“You dumbass! Don’t drag it on too long like a shitty romance story!” White Star hollered as she held her son in a headlock. “You need to make it clean, short, sweet, and simple!”
“AGH! But I wanna build up the mood! Now let go before you break my neck!” Zero yelped as he struggled out of his mother’s hold.
“Honestly! You should take more advice from your father when he asked me out!” White Star noted as she nodded her head.
Sound Barrier chuckled. “Actually, you’re the one who asked me out the night that trial ended. It threw me off guard completely.”
Zero rolled his eyes. “Well, if she said no, she would’ve knocked you into another reality,” he mumbled.
“What was that now?” White Star said with a warm smiled as she cracked her knuckles.
“N-Nothing Mom!” Zero waved off as he gave an awkward chuckle.
“Hmph.” White Star fixed her hair and put it back to normal. She crossed her arms and looked at Zero. “Seriously though, I just want things to go swimmingly for you. And Fluttershy’s the perfect match for you! She’s sweet, you’re rowdy, but you both have big hearts on the inside. So similar, yet so different.” She ruffled Zero’s hair with a toothy grin.
“And with the way you constantly talk about her and give that ‘love dazed’ expression, I think you’ll treat her just fine,” Wind added as she drank her smoothie. “Besides, she looks like she could use a good boyfriend, but you’ll do I suppose.”
“Better to try my hand at actually dating than dreaming it up like you kissing that poster of Wind Rider in your room.” Zero smirked.
Wind blushed in embarrassment as she covered her face. “H-He’s an awesome actor! Okay?!”
“You loooove him,” Zero joked as he smiled confidently until his phone vibrated. He checked it and saw that Fluttershy messaged him and texted where to meet him. He stood up as his heart started pounding, preparing himself for the event. He looked at his mother and she nodded at him.
“I’ve got my keys and we’ll make this breakfast to go!” White Star nodded as she took her plate of bacon and pancakes and ran to the car. Zero followed her and waved goodbye to his father and sister. He hopped in with his mother as she finished eating and drove off towards their destination. It wasn’t that long of a car drive to the shopping mall where Fluttershy was waiting by the front entrance, already attempting to pass out flyers to anyone that entered. She was wearing a long turquoise dress that stopped near her knees and had her normal three pink butterfly pattern on the right side. She also wore ribbons along her calves that came to a bowtie at the top and peep toe shoes with a butterfly design. Zero blushed deeply as he stared at her as though she was an angel. White Star took note of this and smirked.
“You must actually full-on love her,” White Star said, making her son snap back into reality.
“Yeah, she’s … so perfect,” Zero whispered in awe as he leaned back in his chair. “She’s everything I want in a girl: Beautiful, sweet, kind, beautiful, great to talk to, the perfect person to be alone with. Beautiful.”
“You said beautiful three times.”
“Because she’s just that amazing.” Zero gave a lovestruck expression as White Star rolled her eyes.
“Teenagers and their hormones.” White Star shrugged as she drove up to Fluttershy and gave her a warm smile and wave. “Hello Fluttershy! How’s it coming today?”
“Oh!” Fluttershy turned towards her and smiled happily as she waved at her and Zero. “Good morning Zero! And you too Mrs. Star! Are you heading down to the homeless shelter today to make your famous handmade beef noodles?”
“Naaah, I’m just here to drop off your pal here and race home. Need a little R&R, watch some cartoons … maybe even buy a trampoline. I’ve always wanted one.” White Star rubbed her chin at the thought.
“Hmm … trampolines are nice.” Zero considered for a moment before stepping out. “Go for it.”
“I will! Oh, and Fluttershy, let me take half of those flyers. I’ll cruise around town and spread the word about the animal shelter and give you all the support you need,” White Star offered.
“That’d be wonderful!” Fluttershy beamed before immediately taking a whole stack and handing it to White Star. “Thank you so much for the extra help today! I really appreciate it!”
“I’m surprised you hadn’t asked me sooner. Tell you what, the next time you and Rarity swing by the shelter, make sure to bring some flyers so I can keep spreading the word and getting animals good homes too,” White Star said with delight. “Now, have a good day you two!” White Star smiled before looking at Zero and kissing him on the cheek repeatedly. “Love you my little cinnamon bun!”
“Uuuugh, mother kisses.” Zero wiggled free and wiped off the kiss on his cheek. “Just go already. Shooo!” He motioned her to go.
White Star stuck her tongue out with a mischievous expression as she started heading off. Fluttershy giggled at Zero’s pouty expression. “You’re very lucky to have such an amazing and caring mother.”
“She’s great and all until she’s mad,” Zero argued. “Afterwards, she’s like a noisy baboon that won’t get off your back. It’s so annoying.”
There was sudden screeching noise as Zero and Fluttershy saw that White Star made an immediate U-turn and started driving back towards the two with a vicious expression on her face, making the both of them gulp.
“YOU WANNA SAY THAT SHIT AGAIN?!” White Star bellowed, terrifying the nearby civilians.
“Hey, look! Literally anywhere else but here!” Zero bridal carried Fluttershy into the mall in a hurry before his mother could get a chance to get out of the car. The two ventured into the mall and lived to hand out flyers for another day.
Soon, Zero and Fluttershy were in the center of the mall handing out flyers to anyone that passed by. After two hours of decent progress, the two of them sat down on the edge of the fountain and took a small snack break with Fluttershy taking out a small honeybun and a bottle of water while Zero drank a simple soda. He looked towards Fluttershy and chuckled at the memory of what transpired earlier.
“Sorry about my mom spooking you in a panic attack.” Zero apologized.
“It’s alright.” Fluttershy nodded as she smiled a little.
“But say, I don’t recall you telling me you go to the homeless shelter with my mom. And I definitely don’t recall hearing about Rarity going there,” Zero said with a surprised expression.
Fluttershy chuckled. “Rarity usually goes with me to the homeless shelter since she offered to make them all warm clean clothes for the winter. She also helps you mother cook for them while I just try to counsel them and even sing to them a little.”
“Wow, I knew you and my mom were so sweet, but I had no idea Rarity was kind enough to help out. I wouldn’t be surprised if the next time me and Twilight open up a dictionary I find Rarity’s face next to the word generosity,” Zero said as he pictured the idea. He imagined a mini Rarity waving at whoever was looking up the word. The imagery was cute enough to make him smile.
“Hmhmhm, I certainly wouldn't doubt it,” Fluttershy replied. “I wanted to ask. Is, um … Night okay?”
“Huh?” Zero gave a confused expression until he remembered what happened yesterday. “Oh! Yeah, he was salty, but Rainbow hatched an alternative plan and he's gonna try going with Applejack to the Fall Formal. So he's helping her with chores for today and then taking her out for a nature hike.”
“That actually sounds lovely.” Fluttershy beamed at the thought of her friends out there at the moment. “I should ask them if they come across any woodland creatures the next chance I get.”
“Ditto! Funny enough, I actually envy them a bit. They’re gonna see it all,” Zero said, looking through the glass ceiling of the mall as he gazed at the clear blue sky. “The fresh blue sky, the wind blowing in your face, the green forest as the rays of sunshine peer through the tall trees….”
“The birds chirping, the bushes rustling, the clouds moving by so calmly,” Fluttershy added. “Walking by a clear beautiful lake as they witness the fish swimming about. Maybe even seeing a waterfall along the way and the gorgeous mountain ranges in the distance as they overlook the town.”
“And don't even get me started on the sunset or the glorious night sky,” they said in unison. The two of them looked at each as they were both shocked and spooked by what happened, but they laughed it off after a few seconds of silence.
“Y-your mother actually mentioned that you had a fondness for staring off into space and admiring nature,” Fluttershy noted before biting into the honeybun. Zero sweated a little which made Fluttershy raise an eyebrow.
“She didn't show you any embarrassing photos of me or talk about me too much, did she?” Zero worried as he didn't want his chances with Fluttershy to wither away.
Fluttershy giggled as this was a little familiar to her. “Rest assured, she didn't tell me anything embarrassing … aside from a cute baby picture or two.”
Zero sighed. “Thank God.”
“You know,” Fluttershy began, “you act the same way as Rainbow when it comes to her parents sometimes. She gets so embarrassed of them always supporting her with everything she does.”
“Sounds like me and her are more alike than I figured.” Zero sipped his drink. “But I’m not always embarrassed to be around my mom. Sure she gets me in a headlock once in a while and I say bad things about her at times, but it’s just all in good fun. She’s the greatest mom I can ask for, really. I get a lot of my personality from her,” he said with a warm smile. “What about you? What are your folks like?”
“They’re so caring and sweet! I think they’d really like you. And while they never get angry, they’re … pushovers at times,” Fluttershy admitted with a frown. “Especially when it comes to Zephyr.”
“Zephyr?” Zero started to speculate a little until he made a guess given her tone. “I assume that’s your brother?”
Fluttershy sighed and Zero flinched at little, knowing it was a taboo discussion. “Remember when I lectured you about your tutoring?” Fluttershy began. “It’s because I’m used to having those talks with my little brother. He dropped out of school and is trying to become a hairstylist, but he can’t do so without a cosmetology license.”
“Couldn’t he … find someone that’ll still hire him or something without it?” Zero guessed.
“That’s’s like driving without a driver's license,” Fluttershy ranted on, making Zero jump. “You could, but it’s illegal! And he’s lying around at home like some freeloader. At the very least he could get his GED!” She took a long sigh. “I’m sorry … I didn’t mean to—”
Zero took her hand gently and gave her a warm smile. “I understand. You don’t need to apologize over it. Just be happy that you helped out this slacker.”
Fluttershy nodded with a light blush. “I’ll admit, it’s kinda cute seeing him flirt with Rainbow anytime she’s over,” she continued as she spoke in her normal tone again. “He’s been eyeing her ever since I met Rainbow back in Cloudsdale Junior High when she protected me from some bullies in gym class. After that, we were inseparable. Soon enough, the two of us met the other girls during the freshman fair. We even had the same homeroom together.”
“Well, doesn’t that sound familiar,” Zero said in an almost quiet tone. “I actually became close with someone who got picked on a lot. You actually remind me of her in several ways.”
“What do you mean?” Fluttershy wondered.
“I had a friend who grew up in a bad home where people didn’t really care for her. Heck, she didn’t even have a name until me and my best friend found her lying around by the trash one day.” Zero sighed. “We made the best out of every day, from elementary till near the end of high school, making the best out of that garbage city Manehatten until my mom decided to finally move.”
“O-oh … I’m sorry to hear that. D-do you still … talk to her or your other friend?”
“One of them died and the other one was in a juvenile detention center by the time I left.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she let out a quiet gasp. She turned away before mumbling another apology, but Zero sat up and patted her back. She looked at him and was surprised to see that instead of lamenting the matter, he was giving his usual smile.
“Sorry, I don’t like to bring up my backstory like that. I know it’d make people depressed and such if I went on about it. I only told you because I didn’t wanna give you the cold shoulder.”
“N-no. I shouldn’t have asked about your personal business like that.” Fluttershy shook her head. “But you … don’t seem bothered.”
“I already cried my heart out last year,” Zero admitted as he gripped his fist. “And yeah, I wish things were different. But knowing them, they wouldn’t want me to be a depressed mess. They’d want me to live my life to the fullest and enjoy every day with my usual smile, make new friends, and so on,” he explained as he loosened his grip. “But it was nice talking about it and getting it off my chest a bit. So thanks Fluttershy. I’m gonna be alright, promise!”
Fluttershy looked at him and gave Zero a gentle hug. “Still … you earned this.”
Zero hugged her back. “I appreciate it. Say, we should get back to work and head out to the zoo in the next hour. Sounds good?”
Fluttershy nodded with a smile and tore her honey bun in half and gave the other half to Zero. Once they finished eating, the two of them eagerly stood up and grabbed their stack of flyers started handing them out once more.
Later that afternoon, Fluttershy drove herself and Zero to the zoo in her animal-themed two-seater car. Along the way, Fluttershy sang a few rhymes to keep her focused on driving, admittedly getting bits of the rhyme stuck in Zero’s head as he sang along. Upon arrival at the zoo, Fluttershy took out her membership pass and flashed it at the booth near the entrance. The man by the entrance immediately recognized Fluttershy and gave a small wave to her. She smiled back with a small wave and led Zero through the gate and down the pathway. His eyes widened as he saw the zoo was surprisingly large, from the aquarium entrance to his left, to the petting zoo further in the back, a reptilian and amphibian house, and even a whale show. Fluttershy smiled warmly as she turned to Zero and tapped his shoulder lightly to snap him out of his daze. He shook his head and came back to reality.
“This place is enormous!” Zero shouted in awe. “They've got frogs, rhinos, little lambs, flamingos, and even pandas! I should've come here with you sooner!”
“I actually come here every weekend to check up on all the animals,” Fluttershy said as she held up her membership pass. “I donated a lot of money to make sure all the animals here are happy and comfortable, so all the workers here decided to repay me and give me a year-long membership pass so I can come whenever I want. Usually it's just me and Rainbow to drop by and check in or just have a little fun in the petting zoo. But I can’t wait to show you everything! Where do you want to go first?”
“That’s the thing! I dunno!” Zero scanned the zoo to see if anything caught his eye and smiled at the pandas. “Well, I always wanted to see a panda … and hug one. Can I hug one here?”
“I doubt it. But I know this adorable cub, Shi Shi, that might be in need of feeding!” Fluttershy said as she took Zero’s hand and pulled him along. “Come on!”
“You don’t have to drag me!” Zero grinned. “It’s close by!”
As the two ventured off, some rustling came from the bushes behind them. Once they were out of earshot, Rarity poked her head out of the bushes. Her getup consisted of a camouflage outfit, though her bright purple hair was still exposed. She took out a pair of binoculars and watched the two run down the pathway together. She grinned happily.
“Things are going a lot smoother than I could’ve imagined,” Rarity whispered. “A date at the zoo may not be romantic, but it’s definitely suitable for Fluttershy. Excellent work, Zero. But I have to see how you go about it.”
“Rarity?”
Rarity jumped a little as she examined the area for the source of the familiar voice. Looking at the bush across the walkway, she saw Rainbow Dash poke her head out and shake the leaves off of her.
“What are you doing here?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
“I could ask you the very same thing,” Rarity wondered as well. “But if you must know, I’m eyeing the soon-to-be couple at the moment,” she explained while pointing towards Zero and Fluttershy. “At this point, knowing Zero, I have a feeling he’s going to make the first move!”
Rainbow crossed her arms. “I hope that’s the case. Casanova over there may have been dogging on Fluttershy since day one, but he’s been eyeing other girls too, like Minuette, Pinkie, and Applejack. I just get the feeling he’s going to break Fluttershy’s heart along the way if he loses interest in her. So I wanna see how he plays thing out.”
Rarity gasped. “You mean to tell me you view it as puppy love? Rainbow Dash, that’s so shallow of you! I can admit that Zero is a far cry from a gentleman: reckless, hot-blooded, immature, obstinate, the complete opposite of Clyde in terms of personality. Laz—”
“We get it, he has flaws. We don’t got all day, you know,” Rainbow replied impatiently.
Rarity cleared her throat. “Apologies. But in the end he has very solid character and is a sweetheart to dear Fluttershy! Carrying her books for her, volunteering at the shelter with her, handing out flyers for her even when she’s not around, on weekends mind you. Honestly, I feel like this is the prince charming she’s been looking for!”
“Eeeeh, maybe. But I think Night might be a better choice for her.” Rainbow shrugged.
Rarity blinked blankly. “Frankly, I don’t see it.”
“I agree with Rarity,” said another voice. They looked around and saw White Star poking her head out of the bushes. She was wearing a decked out camouflage outfit and face paint to match. “My son is the perfect boy for Fluttershy, no question about it!”
“Mrs. Star?!” Rarity jumped and almost fell backwards. “Where’d you come from?”
“This is my son's first date! What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t witness it with my own eyes and make sure everything’s perfect for him? And knowing him, he’s gonna confess today considering his lovestruck expression when he saw her this morning.”
Rarity’s eyes lit up and squealed in anticipation. “Then we have no time to waste! Let’s make haste before we miss anything important!”
“Operation: Zeroshy is a go then! Move out ladies!” White Star said with a drill sergeant voice as she pinched her nose and sank into the bushes. Rarity and Rainbow watched her go.
“Least we know where Zero gets his personality from,” Rainbow commented before following her.
At this time, Zero was smiling and grinning like a little kid while waving at the panda cub as he finally got his attention. The cub looked at him and Fluttershy and waved back playfully.
“He’s soooooo cute!” Zero bubbled. Fluttershy handed him some bamboo sticks from her bag and Zero held up to the fence so the cub could reach it. “Come here Shi Shi. Snack time, little guy!”
Shi Shi crawled over to the both of them and started nibbling on the bamboo. Kneeling down, Zero slowly petted him. Fluttershy kneeled down as well to pet the cub and Shi Shi immediately nuzzled her hand as he recognized her.
“Do all the animals in the zoo know you?” Zero wondered.
“Most of them do. Not only do I donate, but I help take care of the animals here with the staff, especially in the summertime.” Fluttershy rubbed Shi Shi’s belly as he rolled over. “I know most of their names. Like Ripper the Rhino, Peppers the Penguin, and Skyla the Orca whale.”
“There’s an Orca whale here?” Zero asked as he booped Shi Shi’s nose lightly. Shi Shi gave a happy expression and attempted to boop Zero back. Caught off guard, Zero fell backwards and chuckled. Fluttershy watched him fall and smiled.
“Looks like you had a BEAR-able fall.” Fluttershy giggled at her own pun.
Zero shook his head and chuckled. “That pun was bad and you should feel bad,” he joked.
“Oh bear with me, Zero.” Fluttershy winked. Shi Shi just shook his head at the bad pun while the two of them just chuckled together. Rainbow, White Star and Rarity watched from a high up tree branch with the binoculars, Rarity herself aw-ing at how cutely the two were enjoying themselves.
“We just started spying on them,” Rainbow whined. “It’s not like they’re kissing or anything.”
“They’re not kissing yet, you mean!” Rarity corrected her friend. “We just have to be patient and see how it progress from here. Mrs. Star, you know your son well enough. How do you think he’ll proceed?”
“Knowing my boy, he’s gonna do the old cliche,” White Star said as she rubbed her chin. “He’s gonna ask Fluttershy to pull him back up, and then does the you-know-what.”
Rarity tilted her head and tried to imagine what she meant. “Wait … you don’t mean….”
White Star only gave a firm nod as both she and Rarity imagined the scenario.
Fluttershy attempts to pull Zero back onto his feet as he takes her hand, but she isn’t strong enough. Zero uses just a portion of his strength to pull himself up, but he causes Fluttershy to fall onto him.
“O-Ooff!” Fluttershy groans as she lands by Zero’s face. She slowly picks herself back up but sees she has locked eyes with Zero. They both blush as they are mere centimeters away from each other. “S-Sorry, I’m not very strong.”
“It’s cool, it’s … cool.” Zero erases her worries as he places his hands on her side. “Your eyes are so … majestic up close.”
Fluttershy places her hand on Zero’s cheek. “And I never knew you were this handsome before.”
“Fluttershy, I….” Zero begins before he pulls Fluttershy into a romantic kiss. She complies without any resistance as wedding bells are heard in the distance.
“Why that sneaky devil!” Rarity snapped her finger with a smirk. “What else could he be up to?”
“Hmhmhm, such a lady killer. I raised him well.” White Star smiled proudly.
“That’s beyond cliche to the point I wanna hurl,” Rainbow rasped as she turned to see Fluttershy trying to help Zero up. She raised an eyebrow to see if the fantasy would come to fruition while her associates whipped their heads towards the pair. But while Fluttershy did indeed fall towards Zero, she instead clashed foreheads with him and they both cried out in pain and held their heads as she rolled off him. White Star face palmed and growled in annoyance.
“You dumbass! You call that being smooth?!” White Star shouted. “I didn’t raise ya to be—” Rarity and Rainbow covered her mouth simultaneously and pulled themselves back in the leaves of the tree to say hidden. Zero and Fluttershy were too busy with their foreheads to notice.
“Agh…. Why is it that your forehead feels like concrete?” Zero whined as she groaned.
“M-Me? It feels like I hit a wall of steel.” Fluttershy rubbed her temple before examining Zero’s head. “I-I’m really sorry about that. Are you going to be okay?”
“Eh, it aches, but I’ll BEAR through it.” Zero winked at her, making Fluttershy giggle a little. “Bear puns aside, you wanna go see the penguins next?”
“S-Sure.” Fluttershy nodded. The two of them waved goodbye to Shi Shi the Panda and made their way towards the aquarium. Venturing into the building, they navigated their way through the dark corridor for a minute until they saw the beautiful blue water shining through the enormous tanks on the wall. Zero was ready to make a comment until Fluttershy motioned for him to save his breath. She lead them forward as they passed by the crabs, jellyfish, and rock fishes, making Zero examine some of them for a few seconds with silent praises until they went down a flight of stairs. His jaw dropped upon reaching the bottom as he witnessed an underwater tunnel to the other side of the aquarium. The stunning view of the pure blue colors and the different kinds of fish going by was nothing short of incredible, especially with how long the corridor went. He looked at Fluttershy as she gave him a smile and nod as his cue to make his comment.
“It’s so cool….” Zero muttered as he placed his hands on the acrylic glass, watching hundreds of fish, turtles and stingrays swim by. “We gotta get a picture of this!” he took out his phone and smiled. “Come here Flutters, we’ll take a selfie…. God I hate that word.”
Fluttershy nodded and squeezed in with Zero as he stood next to the glass and stretched out his arm to take the picture as they both gave a toothy grin. He looked at the picture and laughed as he noticed Fluttershy’s grin. “I didn’t know you could smile that big.”
Fluttershy gave an embarrassed blush. “Well, Pinkie is one of my best friends, and I hang out with you pretty often. Your smiles might be contagious.”
“I’ll believe that once I can get Clyde to smile like that without Rarity being mentioned,” Zero said before looking at his phone. “Speaking of which, I oughta take a picture of Peppers while I’m at it and send it to Clyde.”
“How come?” Fluttershy asked curiously.
“The dude absolutely loves penguins!” Zero explained. “Though I dunno why. I guess it’s because he has a taste for cute birds or he likes arctic-related animals like polar bears or arctic foxes.”
“Funny enough, Rarity was the one who named Peppers when she came to help me out one time.” Fluttershy soon started leading Zero out of the tunnel as they made their way upstairs and arrived at the penguins exhibit. It was a bit different as they could see the penguins on land and underwater at the same time. Zero and Fluttershy managed to squeeze their way to the front as they got close to the glass. Looking around, Zero tried to spot any penguins that might stand out and be Peppers.
“Which one is him?” Zero asked impatiently.
“He’s that one over there!” Fluttershy pointed over to the smallest penguin who had just come out of the water. He appeared to be barely any older than a baby penguin. He waddled around happily until he noticed Fluttershy, then slid right back into the water and swam over to greet her. Approaching the glass, he waved his flippers at Fluttershy and she waved back before she motioned to Zero to introduce him to Peppers. Peppers tilted his head in curiosity before Zero chucked and waved at Peppers with a toothy grin. He held his phone and was ready to take a picture of him for Clyde, but Peppers swam away suddenly.
“Aww, come on little guy. Just one?” Zero pouted with a hint of annoyance. But Fluttershy patted his shoulder to calm him down.
“He’s just a little camera shy is all.” Fluttershy motioned for Peppers to come back. Peppers slowly swam back to her, whereupon she held up her phone and showed him a picture of Rarity, letting him know the picture was for her. Complying, Peppers floated in place as Zero beamed a smile and stood next to him. Fluttershy scooted in as well before Zero snapped the pic. He turned to Fluttershy and did a graceful bow. “I appreciate the help, oh great animal whisperer.”
“It was my pleasure.” Fluttershy bowed as well to play along with the roleplay. They shared a cute smile before looking towards Peppers. Peppers swam around happily knowing he’d helped out his two friends. He noticed that one of the staff workers had come into the room with a bucket of fish and all the penguins were rushing over, knowing it was feeding time. Peppers waved goodbye to his friends before swimming off.
Zero waved back before walking away with Fluttershy. “How’d you make him listen to you?”
“I held up the picture of Rarity to let him know she wanted to see how he was doing. Which is about half-true. That and he’s smarter than he looks!”
Zero turned around and noticed Peppers take a few fishes and bring them over to one of the baby penguins hiding behind a rock to share with him. “And kinder while he’s at it.”
Fluttershy checked her watch and let out a gasp. “We should hurry! Before we do anything else, I at least want you to see Skyla in her show!”
“Oh yeah, that orca you mentioned!” Zero snapped his fingers before looking towards the sign and saw it directing him towards the small stadium where the show was being held. He took Fluttershy’s hand this time around and pulled her along. “Don’t wanna be too late now!”
As they rushed on ahead, White Star and Rainbow were shadowing them, wearing trench coats, glasses, and fedoras Rarity had lent them from her disguise bag.
“Hmmm, you know something? I’m starting to think he knows what he’s doing,” Rainbow whispered. “I expected him to sway her more with slick compliments and butter her up, but so far … it seems more like they’re just hanging out than on an actual date.”
“You’re right. What the hell is he doing?” White Star hissed. “He should’ve at least put his arm around her when taking pictures with her! Though I suppose he isn’t trying to set off any red flags in her mind. It is a first date.”
“You just really want him to win her heart, don’t you?” said Rainbow.
“I’m just so impatient!” White Star whined. “I know in a first date you’re just enjoying each other’s company and having fun, but part of me wishes he’d at least try someth—” White Star grinned as she rapidly tapped Rainbow’s shoulder and pointed at them. She took note that after they had slowed down and entered the stadium, they were still holding hands.
“Progress has been made.” Rainbow nodded as she narrowed his eyes. “Let’s move in.”
White Star nodded and followed them into the stadium. They shoved their way through the crowd and kept their focus on the couple in the stands. Zero and Fluttershy found an open spot for them to sit right in the front row, also known as the splash zone. Knowing Rarity wouldn’t want to get wet during their little outing, they sat in the upper rows where they could still see the pair clearly.
“Speaking of which, where the heck is Rarity?” Rainbow searched around the crowd. “Did we lose her coming in here?”
“Actually, I don’t recall her leaving the aquarium with us.” White Star tapped her chin until Rarity hurried over to them and sat down with a small smile as she looked through her phone.
“I do apologize!” Rarity waved off before holding up a picture of herself and Peppers. “But I simply had to take a quick picture with Peppers while we were there. Did I miss anythin—” she glanced down at Zero and Fluttershy and gasped loudly. “They’re holding hands now?!”
“That’s what I’m saying!” White Star exclaimed. “It’s progress!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes as the two conversed before returning her focus to Zero and Fluttershy. Soon enough, the show began as the staff came out and Skyla the orca did various leaps out of the water and performed several tricks, wowing the audience in the process. White Star and Rarity forgot about their objective for the most part and enjoyed watching the show. Rainbow Dash on the other hand never took her eyes off the pair and just watched them conversing with each other, watching the show, and giving out playful laughs as they got drenched in the splashes. Sure, her suspicions of Zero were still present, but she’d be lying if she didn’t see a strong possibly of Zero and Fluttershy becoming a couple. She only imagined Night as a better option because she feared the old saying for the both of them: if you marry on the strength of puppy love, you'll end up leading a dog's life. And Rainbow wouldn’t want something like that to happen, for both of their sakes. There were rare moments that some freshman or younger classmate would fall for Fluttershy and do nice things for her, but after listening in on their conversations, they would eventually lose interest in her either because it was a short-lived crush or they found her to be uninteresting and boring. She was thankfully it always died out before they took it any further, but Zero was the only one to go this far and take such an interest in her. But could it last was the proper question.
As the show came to an end, it was nearly an hour before the zoo was set to close. Zero and Fluttershy took the time to hurry along and visit some of the others animals before they had to depart for the day. The trio of spies were still tailing them as it had seemed like this date was nothing more than a little outing. Eventually, Zero and Fluttershy sat down on a bench with a wonderful view of the setting sun as they took a minute to drink a soda. White Star sighed as she and Rarity sat in a bush watching them as the mission was coming to a close.
“Seems like their date is ending on a quiet note,” Rainbow commented with a yawn. “But it seems like everything went alright.”
“I suppose so,” Rarity said with a somewhat disappointed tone. “I can’t really complain, but I do wish their date was a bit more eventful and romantic. At least there's the dance if Fluttershy agrees to go with him!”
“Don’t look so glum now, Rarity. He said he’s gonna confess to her on this date, and the mood is perfect!” White Star smiled. “Come on: the sunset, they’re alone, and the date went smoothly. We just need to be patient. Maybe it’s now, maybe it’ll be when they’re walking home!”
Rarity smiled gleefully as her excitement skyrocketed once more. “So soon?”
Rainbow stayed quiet until she spoke up. “I think I’ve had enough of the spying thing.”
“Hm?” White Star raised an eyebrow. “But … Operation Zeroshy….”
“Zero shouldn’t ask Fluttershy out on the first date!” Rainbow argued. “It’s too soon and he should think about how he feels about her more! I don’t want them going into a relationship without seeing if they actually like each other that way. We don’t even know if Fluttershy feels the same way as him. Shouldn’t we talk some sense into him before things start to go downhill?”
“That … is a fair point.” Rarity tapped her chin at the thought. “Perhaps I should’ve gotten some info from him before the date. Or talked to Fluttershy on how she feels.”
“I did kinda hype it up a bit too much … and influence him to go for it.” White Star sighed. “I should probably—”
“Wait, something’s happening,” Rainbow said as she pointed towards Zero and Fluttershy on the bench as they finished their sodas and threw them away.
“So Zero, this may be a silly question, but did you enjoy the zoo?” Fluttershy asked with a hopeful smile.
“Absolutely! Skyla was definitely the highlight of the zoo!” Zero beamed. “Though to be completely honest, I was kinda startled seeing an orca up close like that. Especially when it splashed me!”
“Skyla wouldn’t harm a fly. Don’t worry,” Fluttershy assured him.
“Still, I can’t believe you helped donate to this place and help take care of nearly all of the animals here so they can be just as happy as they would be out in the wild,” Zero praised her with a smile. “You’re like a goddess of animals at this point. And a beautiful one at that.”
Fluttershy blushed as she moved her hair aside and turned away. “I-I don’t think I’m that great, honestly.”
Zero turned towards her. “Well, not everyone thinks they’re goddess levels of great. But you just need a friend or so to remind you of your greatness. And there’s a lot of amazing things about you: You help animals with every fiber of your being and take care of them as if they were your own babies. And plus, while Twilight helped me bring my grades up and saved me from getting kicked out of school, it was thanks to you that I decided to actually learn from my rebellious attitude. I mean, I still cause trouble, but at least I’m not swinging into a classroom via grappling hook,” he laughed.
“True enough. But I just did what any friend would’ve done when you came to me about the problem. At least that’s what I think,” Fluttershy explained. “Besides, you’ve always been there for me and I think at times it’s only fair I’m there for you.”
“Because you deserve someone to always be by your side,” Zero admitted as he took a deep breath. “You have Sunset, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Twilight, and most of all, Rainbow Dash to be there for you, yeah. But I … I like being the one to always give you strength when you need it.” Fluttershy blushed as Zero held her hand again. Taking a deep breath, Zero tried to find a way to describe his feelings before he finally exhaled and looked Fluttershy in the eyes. “You’re like a beautiful princess and I wanna be the knight that protects you from everything. You’re precious to me Fluttershy, and I want to always be there for you to feel completely loved. And I want to be that person to give you as much love as possible.”
Fluttershy was speechless and Zero just gulped at his own confession. White Star, Rarity, and Rainbow stayed quiet upon the confession. After what felt like an hour, though in reality, only a minute had passed, Fluttershy finally responded.
“I knew … I had a feeling this was the case … and I feel the same. You go out of your way and help me no matter what it is and fend off anyone that bothers me. But it’s not just that. I envy your spirit, like Rainbow and AJ. You three just shake off any hardship that comes at you and almost never seem to give in. Especially you, given what happened to your friends in Manehattan. You’re still giving every day your best and refusing to let anyone stop you. It’s like everyone walks down their own path and there you are running full speed, no breaks whatsoever. And … I feel like running after you at times. And being the one to pick you up in case you do trip, like you’ve done for me, so we can keep moving forward together, going wherever our feet take us. Heh….”
Zero’s eyes widened as he was surprised by her deep words. But he immediately deciphered them and started to form a smile as he was filled with an incredible euphoria.
“But … I-I-I’m sorry to say it … but I can’t.”
And just like that, the moment was lost and Zero’s heart sank.
Zero’s mind spiraled out of control. After everything she had said, he didn’t understand why she had rejected him. It just felt—no, it was—incomprehensible.
“Wh-What do you mean?” Zero asked in disbelief. His distress was clear as day on his face. “Did I do something wrong? Is this going too fast for you? Because we can slow down if you want. I didn’t mean to rush into it like this. I just thought I’d tell you since I really really like you and stuff….”
“Z-Zero….”
“Do you play for the other team or something? Because I can respect and believe it given how close you are to Rainbow and I’d understand if you have feelings for her or something….”
“Z-Zero, please lis—”
“Do you like some other guy entirely? Do you like Night more? Becau—”
Fluttershy placed a hand on his cheek to get his attention and Zero fell silent. He turned his head towards her as Fluttershy appeared just as upset. “It’s none of that. Part of me wants to focus on taking care of my animals and becoming a veterinarian and graduating this year. But the primary reason to be perfectly honest is … I don’t know if I feel the exact same way as you. Because what I’m feeling for you right now isn’t really love…. It’s admiration, mostly.”
“A-Admiration?”
Fluttershy nodded. “I look up to you so much, like you’re my hero more than anything…. But I don’t know if I care about you in the sense to actually maintain a healthy relationship with you. I’d need to really think about it.”
“Then I’ll wait for you,” Zero muttered.
“H-huh?”
“You’re worth the wait.” Zero looked her in the eye. “I don’t care if I have to wait all year, when we’re in our mid-twenties or whatever. I’ll wait until your thoughts are clear and you’re ready so we can be together. So I can love you and make you the happiest woman in the world. And I’ll never look at another girl the way I look at you now. Hell, we can still try to be a couple from here on in and maybe your heart will change!”
Fluttershy bit her lip at the thought and shook her head. “N-no, please don’t do that. Don’t hold yourself back or slow down for my sake. If you did that, I couldn’t be happy knowing someone is waiting on me when I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to make that step. And what’s worse, what if we do become a couple and later on in the relationship I still don’t love you that way? It'd feel like one big lie. Or if you end up waiting for a long time and my answer is still no, I couldn’t bear the idea of hurting your feelings or wasting your time with someone as pathetic as me, ruining everything we have in the end. I don’t want to be your cage when you and I both know that you’re better off being free.” She looked down. “You should let your heart wander and find someone that can and will give you the love that you deserve.”
It was Zero’s turn to shake his head as he slowly glared at the ground. “But … what about you? It’s not fair to you! For you to be bullied and mistreated, you deserve someone to make you feel special! To be treated like the most beautiful, remarkable, and incredible girl in the entire school—no, the entire world! To love you, marry you, hug you and kiss you each and every day! I couldn’t be happy knowing nobody's gonna make you feel that way! Never letting you feel judged, or belittled, or alone ever again! Don’t you want that? Don’t you … want any of that?”
“I already do have it.” She gave him an honest smile. “The girls, the animals here, the animals at the shelter, my parents, my brother, my clubmates, the boys … and you. You all make me feel love each and every day knowing how much you care and offer to help me in my times of need. Especially you. You’d give up and sacrifice so much for my sake, and Zero … I don’t think I’d ever be able to repay you for your kindness and the inspiration you’ve given me. I don’t need a boyfriend to be happy when I already have all of you. And while it pains me to turn you down like this, it makes me happy at the same time knowing you’d be willing to be with me and even marry me judging by your choice of words. It touches my heart…. But if things stay like this, then I won’t need kisses or marriage anything like that. I’ll be just fine in the end and never feel alone. You understand?”
Zero only nodded without looking at her. He wanted to protest but at this point, he knew the battle was over. He slowly pulled his hand away from her and kept his eyes on the ground. They both sat there in complete silence. Nobody made a sound, nobody moved an inch, as if time had stopped completely. Zero couldn’t be angry with her as she had no intention of hurting or teasing him.
“I guess you don’t wanna go to the dance with me either,” Zero asked.
“I-I think it’d be better if I-I didn’t….” Fluttershy mumbled quietly.
“Right … huh?”
Zero noticed something liquid was hitting the ground. Upon closer examination, he saw that it was tears … and they were coming from Fluttershy. He slowly looked up at her face again and saw that she was crying.
“H-heh. Even though … I’m the one rejecting you … I’m the one that’s crying,” Fluttershy wailed. “I-I feel like … I feel like you probably hate me for breaking your heart. It looks like I still r-ruined everything for you and crushed your heart r-regardless…. S-so I’d understand if … you don’t wanna talk to me anymore, Z-Zero.”
Zero blinked for a moment before he leaned in towards her. Fluttershy was about to ask what he was doing until he pressed his lips against hers for a brief moment. Her eyes widened and he pulled away while beaming his usual warm smile.
“B-But I—”
“I will never hate you Fluttershy, and you didn’t ruin anything. I’ll just have to do what I’ve been doing and keep moving forward,” Zero said as he gave her a tissue. “I do feel like a bullet just hit my heart, but a wise man once told me in a manga that rejection is part of a man's life. If you can’t accept it and move on, or at least use it for writing material, you’re not a man at all! And besides, you have a point: I can't be your boyfriend, but being someone's hero sounds pretty awesome. So I’ll always be there to protect you until the day I die.”
Fluttershy blushed brightly from the kiss and smile. She was admittedly jealous once again of his nature to get back on his feet. Of course he was still hurting in the inside, devastated most likely and probably trying to suck it up so that she wouldn’t feel worse, but it didn’t change the fact that his words and smile were sincere and true through and through.
“O-Oh and, um … I kissed you so you’d calm down and … I thought you at least deserved one being how great you are. But I promise not to do that again!” Zero laughed nervously, worrying he’d made thing worse.
“It’s alright Zero. We should probably go now. The zoo is closing in the next few minutes,” Fluttershy said, standing up. “I’ll drop you home.
Zero stood and pondered something. “Actually, let's stop by the Sweet Shoppe and get some ice cream and chill out at the river bank to watch the sunset. I could really use Mrs. Cake’s special sundae. How about you?”
“Well, the date doesn't have to end just yet.” Fluttershy tapped her chin with a playful grin. “I'd say it's the least I can do for my hero.”
Zero was caught off guard by this and blushed with a bashful smile. “H-hehe. Stop it, you'll make me blush…. But, Flutters?”
“Hm?”
“Let’s do this more often, okay?” Zero smiled as the two walked together. “Still friends?”
Fluttershy smiled. “The best of friends.”
Zero laughed and the two started making their way to the exit. White Star, Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at one another and nodded without another word before dispersing as their mission was over.
Despite the knowledge of their fate, the rebellious young man and the shy animal-lover continued to move forward regardless of the sacrifices they had to make. But they could still smile and endure knowing one simple, unchanging fact.
Even if they weren’t in love with one another, they could still, and always would be, together forever.
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.........well...THAT WAS SO SWEET!
THE AMOUNT OF D'AWW WAS HIGH.
*clears throat* had to get that out. A other amazing chapter zero keep them coming
Wow! That was a very good chapter, dude!
Cute chapter, keep it up.
Peppers is the real MVP of the story.
Wow, I'm glad that Fluttershy and Zero worked things about between them. It really shows how mature the two are especially our favorite rebellious teenager.
Looking forward to the next one. Curious to see what you have in store for us then...
Editing this chapter for you was a real treat. I'm glad I'm able to be involved in the production of this story to the degree that I am: giving your story polish without changing your style and vision. Can't wait for the chapters to come.
8814832
Of course. Without you I wouldn't have gotten this far, so I owe you alot.
“You loooove him,” if this is where I think it’s from you are completely awesome
8821308
Thank you!
Man... I NEED TO UP MY GAME. THIS JUST FUCKING EMOTIONALLY KILLED ME.
BROTHER DOOM, YOU HAVE GREATLY INSPIRED ME TO WRITE TREBLE'S SOAP OPERA ONCE MORE. THANK YOU.
(Also, where do you get the energy to write 10,000+ words all the time? I MUST KNOW YOUR SECRET)
8844349
You're welcome!
And to be honest, it baffles me to on how I managed to write this much too. But I usually plan ahead and just think of the end of a chapter first before working my way there. Besides the ending of this chapter, the last three chapters were mainly improvised. And I just listen to peaceful/emotional soundtracks (Kingdom Hearts and Bleach osts mainly help.) and just go for it. Imagine the story like it's really happening and just keep it rolling. That's my two cents anyways and I hope it gives you enough advice to charge forward!
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