One Bolt, Many Questions

by Boltsinger

The How-To Book

“FINALLY!!!” three voices sounded simultaneously from inside the Castle of Friendship. Ponies outside the building stopped in their tracks, looking curiously at the castle. Inside, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and an ecstatic Rarity were all standing up in their thrones. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were sitting normally, Fluttershy with a warm smile and Pinkie nodding in approval.

“You actually made it official?!” Rarity asked in her hype, placing her hooves on the map and leaning towards Twilight and Boltsinger as far as she could. Twilight nodded, a look of content unmistakable on her. Rarity backed into her throne, putting her forehooves together by her face as her eyes lit up like the night sky. “That’s WONDERFUL news, darling! We simply must celebrate!”

Applejack, who had already sank back into her throne, let out a hearty chuckle. “Well, it’s about time, if ya ask me. He’s been makin’ eyes at you for moons, now.”

“Excuse me,” Boltsinger interjected, pointing a foreleg at the farm mare. “I have not been ‘making eyes’ at Twilight.” He put his hoof back on the floor with a firm stomp. “I’ve been staring. Blatantly and without shame.” The mares all looked at him candidly. “Hey, if we’re gonna be honest, I’m gonna make sure I follow through.” The room erupted with laughter.

Pinkie uncharacteristically broke the laughter. “Wait! So, does that mean that you two are gonna start calling each other pet names and going everywhere together and getting so absorbed in each other at all times that it annoys everypony around you because of how sickeningly happy you are together that they all come up with CRAZY plans to break you up and ruin their friendships with you in a horrifyingly failed attempt to get back the pony you once were?”

Twilight took a deep breath, looking at the hyperactive pony that had inched her way closer to her. “No.” She informed her. “The ponies we are haven’t changed and won’t change.”

“Oh, good.” Pinkie said, falling back into her throne. “I thought things were gonna get hairy for a second.”

Fluttershy flew over to her friends, placing a foreleg on each of them. “Well, I’m just happy that you’re happy.” She told them.

“Thank you.” Boltsinger said, putting his own hoof on hers. “Granted, that doesn’t mean that things are changing all that much. I’m not exactly getting my own throne or anything.”

Twilight looked at Boltsinger, the gears turning in her head. What did it really mean? They had said all day that there wouldn’t be any huge changes, but that wasn’t entirely true, was it? She raised a hoof to her muzzle, lost in her pondering as Rarity came up to her.

“Twilight?” She began, coming in close. “Are you alright?”

Twilight blinked, snapping out of her trance. “Huh? Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“How do I put this…?” Rarity began, doing some pondering of her own. “You look like Princess Celestia just gave you a pop quiz on a subject you know next to nothing about. Is something on your mind?”

“Oh. It’s nothing.” She dismissed. “What do you need?”

“I just wanted to know how you’d like to celebrate the occasion, darling!” the Unicorn explained. “Is there anything in particular you’d like to do?”

Twilight shook her head, gathering her thoughts. “Oh, I’m not sure. I’ll tell you later, okay?”

“All right, dear. You just let me know.” Rarity affirmed. “Or Pinkie. She’s better at putting on a soiree, after all. You know where to find me if you need me.”

Twilight gave Rarity a hug as the fashionista made her way out the door. “Thanks, Rarity.” She bade all of her friends a fond farewell as they each left for their homes, turning to Boltsinger. “Can I… talk to you in the library later?” Boltsinger cocked an eyebrow. “It’s not bad. I just need to confirm a few things. Okay?”

The Pegasus nodded firmly. “All right. I’ll see you in a bit, then.” He nuzzled her nose for half a second, turning and flying off towards the library.

Twilight’s gaze lingered on the flying stallion as the gears began to turn again. Starlight walked over to her mentor, curiously reaching a hoof towards her.

“Twilight?” She poked the lilac pony lightly, causing her to look back at her. “What was that about?”

Twilight let out a frustrated groan and began walking. “I’m not sure! Boltsinger and I told Spike this morning that nothing was really changing, but… Is that true? I’ve never exactly had a relationship like this one, before! I never bothered to do any research on dating, so I have no idea how to go about it! And with Boltsinger just spouting off a confession at the Gala, that just set things in motion and… I don’t regret it, but I’m the one that kissed him! And… How does it change when you start dating? Do we have to come up with names or… what?”

Starlight, having seen her mentor and friend ramble on about the subject at such a rapid pace, found herself with a lump in her throat. She wasn’t quite sure how to answer. “I… don’t know. It’s not like there’s a book on how to properly approach a dating relationship…” Twilight stopped moving. She looked at Starlight with hope in her eyes. “Is there…?”

The Princess beamed, giving Starlight a quick hug. “Thank you! I’m gonna go and check!” She waved a wing at her student, galloping off to the library.

---

The door to the library swung open, Twilight rushing in and looking at the spines of as many books as possible, intently focused on the ‘D’ section. “D-A… D-A… Is there something here that works?”

“Twilight!” Boltsinger called from the table in the middle of the room. Twilight looked down at the orange pony, seeing him motioning to a book with his hoof. “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Twilight swooped down next to him, taking a look at the cover. “Dating Do’s and Don’t’s… How To Start and Keep a Healthy Relationship!” She gave the stallion beside her a kiss on the cheek. “This is perfect! Where did you find it?”

“You were just about to pass over the slot I found it!” he explained. “I thought it might be a good book to take a look at… Seeing as I’ve never really been in a relationship like this before…” He brought two of the hard-backed study chairs together, putting the book on the table in front of them. “Do you want to read it together?”

Twilight’s response was silent and swift. She lifted Boltsinger into the air with her magic and took a seat in one of the chairs, plopping the Pegasus to be perfectly positioned by the present Princess and opening the book. The two of them leaned in together and began reading.

Twilight turned several of the pages. “The first parts are talking about how to start the relationship.” She turned to the pony next to her with a smile as the two laughed simultaneously, looking back at the book. “So, it says here that the first thing couples do is… kiss.” They turned to one another. “I think we already did that part.”

“I wouldn’t mind a refresher, though.” Boltsinger suggested.

Twilight flashed a grin, leaning in close. “I think it went something like… this.” She leaned in and pressed her mouth against his. He leaned into it, and they lingered for a few seconds. As they separated, Twilight swept her mane away from her shoulder. “Is that right?”

Boltsinger looked at the Princess, enamored by the mare. “Yeah, I think that was it. But I may have to make sure later, okay?”

Twilight giggled. “Whatever you say, lover-bolt.” She turned back to the book and took a quill from nearby, placing a check mark next to the step. “So, next it says… nicknames?”

“Well, everypony seems to have taken to calling me ‘Bolt’, so I guess that’s a thing.” He told her. “I’ve never really been a huge ‘nickname’ kind of pony, though. I love your name as is.”

“Oooookay. Let’s just consider that checked.” She placed another mark next to the step. She turned to face him again. “What about things like behavior? Do we have to change how we interact normally?”

“Well, you being you is what I fell for in the first place.” the stallion explained. “It’s not like I expect you to be different from how you’ve always been.”

Twilight let out a blush as she turned back to the book. “I feel the same way about you, too. Now, let’s see what’s next!” She turned the page. “Always communicate and be honest.” She turned her gaze. “Got any secrets?”

“Nnope.” Boltsinger responded in his best Big Mac impression.

“Me niether.” She checked the box and moved on. “Go on ‘dates’... We’ve done that, haven’t we?”

“Well, there was our trip before the Gala, and the Gala itself.” He sighed at the more negative parts of that evening. “And we did have fun together in Las Pegasus. But I wouldn’t mind going places with you more often. At least as long as it doesn’t get in the way of anything important.”

“All right. I’ll set up a schedule for it, later.” Twilight commented, placing another check mark. “And… here… Oh.” She looked back and forth between the book and the Bolt. “I don’t think we’re quite there yet.”

Boltsinger looked at the section she was concentrating on. He saw an image of a grand wedding. “Ah…” He turned red and looked at Twilight. “Yeah, I think going into that step is moving a little too fast.” The two laughed and closed the book. “I think we’ve got it handled. It’s not like we’re any different as ponies than we were before. I think the biggest thing is that we should be more open with one another.” He put a hoof on Twilight’s back. “Things will go where they may. So let’s not rush into big changes.”

Twilight gave a knowing nod. “You’re right. It’s not like our relationship is going to change the fate of all of Equestria!” She paused for a moment, bringing a hoof up to her muzzle. “Or is it...?”

Boltsinger booped Twilight on the horn. “Twilight. I know this sounds strange to you, but you’re thinking too much.”

Twilight snapped out of her trance once more. “Yeah… You’re probably right!”

After another look through the book, just to be certain, the two made their way into Ponyville, wanting to figure out what they wanted to do with everypony else, since Rarity wouldn’t let them get away with not celebrating recent events. They walked into the Carousel Boutique, triggering the telltale bell.

“Ah! Welcome to Carousel Bouti--” Rarity started, laying eyes on Twilight. “Ah! Twilight, how lovely to see you!” She trotted over to the couple. “Have you figured out what you’d like to do? There’s a lot of options.” She lit up in realization. “Ooh! We could go shopping!”

“Actually, we decided we’re not going to do anything!” Twilight informed her. “We talked it over, and we agreed that, just because our relationship has changed, that doesn’t mean that we have to make some big celebration out of it. It’s not like we’re married, after all!”

“But-but Twilight!” Rarity pleaded. “This is a major happenstance for you! I want to help you make it something you’ll remember for the rest of your life!”

The winged ponies smiled at each other, and then at Rarity. “Believe me, Rarity.” Boltsinger said, putting his wing around Twilight. “Neither of us will ever forget this.”

Rarity gave the two a fond look, bringing up a foreleg and giggling. “Very well, then. I’ll leave the two of you to it.” She trotted over to a dress she had been working on, making some final touches. “Is there anything you’d like while you’re here?”

Twilight shook her head, turning to leave as Boltsinger came forward, leaning close to Rarity. He turned to look at Twilight.

“I’ll be along in a sec.” He waved a foreleg at her as she exited, then turned to Rarity once more. “I actually do have something in mind… But we can’t tell Twilight just yet. I want to surprise her.”

Rarity looked at the stallion with wonder in her eyes. “Oh? What is this surprise?”

Boltsinger pulled, from his mane, a white crystal in the shape of a six-pointed star, holding it up to Rarity with his wing. “You remember how you helped Twilight make my pendant?” He asked. Rarity nodded in understanding. “This thing isn’t a piece of a magical friendship map, but it is really pretty, and… Do you think you could bejewel this into something fitting for Twilight? I’ll pay however much you need me to.”

“Nonsense.” Rarity began. Boltsinger’s face sank at the harsh word. “I wouldn’t have you pay a single bit for something so sweet! Of course I can make something of this!” She took the crystal and stared at it, her face showing signs of her trademark inspiration. “You come back in a few days, and I’ll have something ready for you!”

Boltsinger excitedly nodded, turning to canter out after Twilight. As he approached the door, he turned and pointed a hoof at the designer. “Rarity, you define fabulous! Thank you!” He swung open the door and sped off towards his favorite mare.

Rarity looked at the crystal, then at the closing door. “You’re darn right, I do!”

Comments

[alfaomega]

more pls

[Boltsinger]

8640360
Working on it as we speak. Feels a little ad libbed right now, but I do have plenty more in store.

[Luckyfanisaac]

9485611

[f0st3r21]

”Got any secrets?”

“Nnope.” Boltsinger responded in his best Big Mac impression.

“Me neither.”

Pretty sure that’s not how that goes…