Improbable

by Erynaster

Let Me Love You

Twilight?

You pause, waiting for Twilight to see your message. It was nine in the morning, and you had just finished breakfast when, upon considering Luna's advice, you had decided to contact Twilight about a certain matter you wished to discuss.

It doesn't take long before the notebook starts glowing.

Yes, Anon? What is it?

You hesitate a little as you place the tip of the quill to the page.

It's about later today. I have a... proposition to make.

A pause. Before long, the notebook begins glowing again.

And what might that be?

Here we go. You think to yourself, steeling your nerves for what was to come. Finally deciding to go for it, you begin writing.

How about we make it a date?

An even longer pause. You don't know what to make of it, but you decide to wait it out. It takes much longer than expected, but after clearing the dishes and wiping the table, the notebook begins to glow once more.

You really mean it?

Before you can reply, the page begins to glow again.

I'd love to. <3

A strange feeling begins to well up within you, a mix of nerves and excitement that turns your knees to jelly. For the first time in your life, you have a date. The idea alone sends a thrill through every inch of you, like a foal discovering sugar for the first time.

How does a picnic sound? There's this spot close to the Everfree that would do just nicely. You down?

You write back, your heart beginning to race.

It doesn't take long for Twilight to respond.

Sounds good to me. See you at 5? :)

Sure thing. See you!

You walk over to the fridge and throw it open, scanning its contents. You were running low on food, which meant that you would have to go shopping if it meant preparing for a picnic with Twilight. Your heart hammering in your chest, you grab your money pouch by the counter and your knapsack before heading out the door, making a mental note of all the things you needed to purchase.

---

Here you were again.

You're standing outside the doors of Twilight's castle, picnic basket in hand. This feels familiar to you, yet new all the same. This was no ordinary hangout, after all. This was something far more special.

You reach out and knock gently on the door, waiting anxiously for Twilight to answer. You've been here many times before, but never for a date. The moment seems to stretch on forever, but at last, you hear hoofsteps approaching. The door creaks open, and there she was, standing before you.

The butterflies in your stomach are back.

"Hi." You grin.

"Hello..." Twilight returns the smile. "You, um... ready to go?"

"Mhmm." You nod. Seems like you were getting right into it already.

The two of you begin your walk, not a single word being exchanged between the two of you. You glance at Twilight, and you notice that a faint blush adorns her expression as she stares resolutely away from you. You can't blame her. The nerves were getting to you too.

The silence between you slowly gives way to the sounds of nature. The tall grass rustles around your ankles as you veer off the main path, the uneven terrain threatening to trip you up as you navigate the thick greenery. A soft breeze rustles through the reeds as you continue onward, guided by your own sense of direction.

"Ow!" Twilight yelps as she nearly loses her balance, but you're there to catch her as she falls forward. The two of you stare at each other, her muzzle inches away from your mouth, before you recover slightly to help her regain her balance. She mumbles a feeble "Thank you" as you do so, the blush on her face deepening.

Minutes pass as the two of you continue your leisurely stroll, the pathway becoming more smooth and refined as you venture further and further away from civilization. The silence between you both is as palpable as ever, with neither of you showing any signs of wanting to break it.

Finally, you reach the edge of a clearing, the sky above you a vibrant, cerulean blue. In the center of the clearing is a small pool of water, its surface still as glass. Twilight stops in her tracks, taking in the sight before her with awe and wonder.

"This is beautiful," She murmurs to herself, her eyes sparkling with delight. "This is why I love the Everfree. It's so peaceful here." She looks over at you, a small smile on her face. "Thank you for bringing me here, Anon."

"I'm glad you like it. I used to go here back in the day, y'know, to get away from everything." You wave your hand in an offhand way, placing the picnic basket on the ground as you reach for the picnic blanket in your bag.

"I can see why," Twilight says, her eyes gleaming with happiness. "It's so peaceful here. Just... perfect." She takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air as she walks over to you to help you set up the picnic blanket.

The picnic blanket unfurls on the grass, its red-and-white checkered pattern bright against the green landscape. You place the picnic basket next to it, then invite Twilight to sit beside you. She obliges, the both of you enjoying a few moments of silence as you take in the beauty of the forest around you. You set the picnic basket down next to her. Together, you open the basket and inspect the contents. There are fresh fruits, sandwiches, and chips – everything to make this date one to remember.

Together, you start to unpack the basket, making sure everything is perfect for an afternoon of relaxing and enjoying each other's company. The warmth of the sun and the pleasant smell of the forest fills the air, casting a serene atmosphere around you.

"It smells so fresh here," Twilight says, her tail wagging softly. "I can almost taste the air." She leans close to you, her muzzle inches away from your face. "Thank you for bringing me here, Anon." She repeats, her eyes gleaming with gratitude.

You nod, feeling a warm sensation in your chest.

"Of course, Twilight," You say, reaching for the picnic basket. "I wanted our first date to be special."

As you continue to unpack the picnic basket, you notice Twilight staring at you with a certain kind of intensity that you can't quite place. She looks curious, as if she's trying to figure you out, but you're not sure why. You finish placing the food on the blanket and sit down next to her, smiling nervously.

"Is everything okay?" You ask, sensing that there might be something on her mind.

She chuckles and shakes her head, her eyes glistening in the sunlight. "Sorry, I was staring, wasn't I?" She gives you a small smile, and you can't help but feel a certain kind of affection for her. "I just... well, I was just thinking of a dream I had last night, is all."

You can feel your cheeks flush as you recall the events of last night. You knew exactly what dream she was referring to, but you weren't about to tell her that.

"Oh? What was it about?" You ask in what you hoped passed off as a curious tone.

"Well... it was about you." Twilight smiles sheepishly, her ears drooping low. "S-Sorry, am I being weird?"

"No, not at all." You give Twilight an encouraging smile, which causes her to relax slightly under your gaze. "Tell me about it. What happened?"

"W-Well..." She fiddles with her hooves, suddenly averting her gaze from you. "We... er... we were at the library."

"... Oh." You lean back, a little disappointed that Twilight had chosen to lie.

"Y-Yeah." She swallows nervously. "We were just... hanging out. You know, as usual."

"Is that all?"

"Y-Yeah, it is..."

You turn away from Twilight, the memory of her dream still vivid in your mind's eye. The two of you, kissing. On her wedding day.

"Hey, Twilight? Can I ask you something?"

"W-What? Oh, sure, go ahead."

"What's your biggest dream?" You ask, tilting your head at her as you take a bite out of a sandwich. "Like, what do you want most out of life?"

"Me? Oh, well... that's a hard one." Twilight scrunches her face in concentration, looking incredibly cute as she does. "I guess my biggest dream involves finding a sense of stability, if that makes sense."

"Hmm..." You hum thoughtfully. It wasn't the answer you were expecting, but you were curious nonetheless. "What do you mean?"

"It's just... life can get so hectic sometimes, you know?" She explains, lowering her voice as she stares off into the distance. "Just ask the rest of the girls. They can tell you how tiring it is to always be rushing about, saving Equestria every other day, helping other ponies with their problems... it can get a bit much sometimes." She sighs. "A bit of stability isn't too much to ask for, isn't it?"

You nod. "I understand. It must be really frustrating sometimes, having to deal with everything all at once."

"Not really. I mean, it is tiring, yes, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world." Twilight's eyes twinkle as she speaks. "As the Princess of Friendship, it's my honor and privilege to be there for everypony. Nothing about that could ever be a bother to me."

"But that stability you mentioned. What did you mean by that?" You ask, taking another bite of your sandwich.

"Well..." Twilight trails off, unwrapping a sandwich of her own. "That being said, I'm still a pony. A pony with hopes, dreams, and needs. And sometimes, I need a break, you know?" She sighs. "Maybe more than just a break. Like maybe..."

"Yes?" You urge her on, hanging on to her every word.

Twilight blushes.

"Oh, you know. Mare things. Just thoughts that come by every now and then." Twilight says, staring at two birds building a nest together on a branch overhead. "Thoughts like... I don't know, settling down, maybe? Maybe find somepony to share the rest of my life with..."

Twilight stares you up and down, smiling as her blush deepens.

"... or somecreature."

You chuckle lightly, feeling both amused and flustered at her words.

Twilight sighs, peeling off the rest of the wrapper of her sandwich and stuffing it in her mouth, chewing slowly before swallowing. You hand her a bottle of water, which she brings to her lips as you continue to stare at her in wonder.

"Anon? Can I ask you something?" As Twilight hands the water bottle back to you, part of her hoof grazes your hand, causing her to blush.

"Of course, anything." You nod. "What is it?"

"Do you ever get lonely?"

You turn to face the purple Alicorn. She stares back, her expression unreadable.

"What?"

"You heard me." She says, a soft smile on her face. "Do you get lonely, Anon?"

"I... Yes." You continue to stare at Twilight, not expecting her to ask such a question. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious." She shrugs. "I can't imagine how lonely it must feel, being the only human in Equestria."

"Eh. You get used to it." You wave her off, trying to sound more offhand than you felt. "But I will admit, it does feel pretty isolating at times."

"I understand, it's not easy spending all your time around ponies, even if you're the best of friends." Twilight nods, her expression full of empathy. "But you know what I mean, Anon. Have you... ever wondered about what it would be like to have a special somepony by your side?"

Twilight's words strike a chord within you somewhere, and you can't help but squirm uncomfortably in place as her words sink deeper into your heart. You were lonely in that sense.

You take a deep breath, trying to hide the warmth in your cheeks at Twilight's sympathetic look. You've always wished for that romantic connection, to be able to fully connect with someone on a deeper level. But, truth be told, it just wasn't in the cards for you.

"It doesn't matter, okay?" You say, your voice barely above a whisper. "No point in changing what can't be changed. I'm Equestria's only human, and I gotta make do with what I have." You feel a small pang of regret at those words, like you're giving up on something important. But what choice do you have?

As you trail off, Twilight nods slowly, seemingly lost in thought. You can tell that she's struggling with the weight of your words. After a few moments of silence, she looks up at you with a gentle smile.

"You know, Anon, you're a pretty great friend," She says softly. "And I don't want to pressure you into anything, but... sometimes things can change, you know?" She lets out a small laugh. "And if they do, I'll be right here with you. Okay?"

You nod, feeling an upsurge of affection for the purple Alicorn. "Thank you, Twilight."

The two of you sit in silence for a moment, admiring your surroundings. The sun has begun to set, falling over the horizon's edge and painting the sky with hues of orange and yellow.

Twilight clears her throat, catching your attention.

"... Can I ask you another question?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Why did you give me a chance?" Twilight's eyes are shimmering in the sunset, as she continues to gaze at you with something akin to longing. "What really made you decide to go on a date with me? I've been asking you for so long, and it took you this long to accept my affections. Why is that?"

You bite your lip. You had seen this coming.

"Twi... if I'm being honest, I just..." You sigh, resigning yourself to what you had to say. "... I just wanted to see if we could, you know... be something more."

"Is that all?"

"... No, not really."

You pause, considering your next words carefully.

"Twilight, I want you to know that I've thought long and hard about your offer. It's not out of desperation or some need to fill a void. I've spent countless nights lying awake, trying to deny my feelings for you, but they've only grown stronger." Your voice trembles as you begin to pour out your heart to Twilight. "I... I chose to be lonely, Twi. I've spent so long trying to run from the idea of feeling less empty inside, that the prospect of finally feeling whole again terrified me."

You sigh.

"Look, you're a nice mare. And I'd be lying if I said that the thought of being with you in that way didn't once cross my mind. I'm just so... scared. Of what it would be like to lose everything all over again." You close your eyes, recalling how Luna had managed to squeeze the truth out of you. "You mean the world to me, Twi. And... I already lost one world. Losing another would break me."

Twilight places a hoof on your arm, looking at you with a concerned look on her face.

"You aren't going to lose me, Anon. No, I don't see that happening any time soon." She sighs. "I never lost hope in you simply because when I look at you? I see a human being worth loving. A human worth sharing a lifetime with. I wanted to be there for you, Anon, through all the highs and lows of life. And there's not an anomaly in the world that can ever tear me away from you, I promise you that." She smiles reassuringly at you, tugging gently at your shirt.

Twilight's words ignite a spark of hope within you. You can feel a weight lifting from your shoulders, but you aren't entirely convinced.

"How? How are you so sure of that?" You question her, fearing the answer.

Twilight's eyes twinkle.

"Because I love you, Anonymous. I love you more than I've loved anypony in my life. You mean the world to me, and I would never let something as silly as a species difference or a troubled past get in the way of loving you." She smiles lovingly at you. "I will always love you, Anon. Of that, I am certain."

Twilight pulls herself up to your height, her muzzle inches away from your mouth. She stares at you with full intensity, her gaze never wavering nor faltering.

"Please. Let me help you heal. Let me help you love. I can teach you, I swear I will. We can... have a future together. A life. The day you came here, I swore that I'd give you a better life after you lost yours. Now, let me do that for you. Please."

You stare deep into Twilight's pretty violet eyes, feeling everything hang in the balance of this very moment.

"Do you trust me, Anon?" Twilight speaks again, her breath warm on your lips.

"I..." You falter. "Of course I do, Twi."

"Then let me love you. Please."

"Twilight..." You sigh. "I—"

But whatever it was you were going to say, you never get the chance to. A sudden explosion rocks the very foundations of the ground you're sitting on, tossing you, Twilight, and the picnic basket in the air as a shock wave passes over you. Somewhere in the center of the pool of water, a rift opens, crackling with purplish-green energy as it ravages the land all around you.