> Sour Sweet Wallflowers
>  by Nico-Stone Rupan
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: More Uncertainties
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the news came out of Sour Sweet's mouth, Doctor Chrysalis' face blanked completely. She then removed her glasses, pinched the bridge of her nose, and let out a very frustrated sigh. 

Quickly regaining her composure, she put her glasses back on and said in a subdued tone, "Continue."

A moment of sadistic glee hit Sour as she watched her therapist struggle to stay professional before she did indeed continue, "In our defense, we've likely gone through more in these last several months than most couples have gone through in several years. Hell, we probably got enough adventures to fill up an entire romance novel by now."

"Sour, I've warned you about – "

"If I remember correctly, doctor, you believed that I was psychologically using my boyfriend – sorry, fiancé – to fill up a void left by my daddy issues. Well, guess what? Those issues are starting to heal and my relationship with my dad has gotten much better, yet I still love my boyfriend – sorry again, fiancé – so what exactly is the problem now?" 

"The problem is that you've been dating for less than a full school year, Sour Sweet. You've gotten over one problem, but obviously there is more to it."

Sour threw her arms up. "Well, forgive me for not wanting to DIE ALONE in a mental hospital!"

"Ah," Doctor Chrysalis said as she nodded and began scribbling in her notes. "So, even after overcoming your differences with Gilda herself, the insults she hurled still haunt you, I see."

Sour groaned. "Me and my big, fat mouth..."

"Sour, my growing concern is that you see the only things worth living for is a marriage and having a child. I mean, come on, isn't that a complete 180 of your previously held personal beliefs?"

"Hey, I may have mellowed out and don't use radical feminist ideology to cover up my insecurities anymore, but I've sure as hell not gone full freakin' JUNE CLEAVER either! Don't forget, I am the one who asked him out on the first date, I am the one who ultimately made the engagement official, and I am the one who has always worn the pants in the relationship. And I haven't even heard one complaint from him about it."

Doctor Chrysalis smirked. "Well, it helps that he's a masochist who's turned on by that sort of dominance." She turned serious once more. "Sour, I don't doubt that your love is genuine, I really don't. Love, marriage, and parenthood are amazing parts of life, of course. But just answer me this, what would you do if you and your fiancé broke up?"

"Broke up?"

"I'm glad that you two are going to put off the actual marriage until after college and when you are financially ready to begin a family, but what about that time in between? People change, Sour Sweet. People drift apart. What I'm asking is, could you handle it if you weren't in a relationship with this one particular person?"

Sour unconsciously hugged herself more and more as Doctor Chrysalis spoke. All the times that she had bared her soul about the one she loved passed through her mind: "He gave me a reason to want to get better." "You can’t understand the dark hole I was in before you came along! You pulled me out of it! You saved me!" "If you really were a hallucination, I’d throw my medication in the trash so you wouldn’t fade away. I’d never want to stop seeing you…" "You keep me together." 

"You're putting so much stake in your future in these beliefs of a happy marriage and this Bitter Honey hallucination you've had," Doctor Chrysalis continued. "But what if they don't happen? Can you truly say that you can handle what life throws at you?"

Sour's head fell as she realized that she couldn't answer that question. She honestly didn't know if she could handle it.

****************

Later that night, Sour Sweet lied on her bed, just staring up at the ceiling. Doctor Chrysalis' last question was still mulling over in her head. She then sighed and decided to take a break from her thoughts. She reached over, took hold of her phone, and selected one of her contacts.

"Hey, Sour Sweet," the voice of Fluttershy greeted.

"Hey, Fluttershy. I just thought I'd call and hear how the Canterlot prom was coming along. Have you asked Big Mac yet?"

"Oh, I never got a chance to. He had already asked Marble Pie to be his date."

Sour sat up with concern. "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that! Are you okay?"

"Of course I am," Fluttershy answered with a hint of confusion. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I know you had such a big crush on Big Mac. I just thought that you may be upset that you couldn't be with him."

"Yeah, I've had a big crush, but it's not the end of the world if I don't go to prom with him. Boys aren't the only things there are in life and there's plenty of other fish in the sea, anyway. Isn't that right, Sour?"

Sour couldn't help but to cringe at Fluttershy's upbeat attitude. "Ye-yeah, that's right..."

A few more minutes of talking went by before the call ended. Sour fell back on her bed and continued to stare at the ceiling. Fluttershy. Even Fluttershy was more secure than her at this point. She groaned in frustration, her head rattling around for some solution to her problems.

Eventually, something did.

It wasn't a huge solution, but it could be a step in the right direction. Hopefully, her fiancé would be okay with it...
> Chapter 2: This is Our Big Night (2ND Person)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey, Sour!" you call as you enter the Sweet residence. 

"In the kitchen!" your fiancée calls.

You come into the kitchen only for your foot to accidently kick a plastic bottle on the floor. The bottle's label reads, "WHITE GRAPE JUICE". Looking up, it is then you realize that Sour Sweet has a mop in her hands, trying to clean up a bunch of the liquid spilled across the kitchen.

"Sour, what happened?" you ask.

"My voices," Sour growled with a roll of her eyes. "It's like if you took each and every one of your personality traits and gave them a body, then crammed those people into your head and sat back as you get pissed off by multiple you's inside your mind talking, shouting, laughing, until the next thing you know, in what you can only WISH you could possibly explain, you spill white grape juice all over the place." She nods with frustration. "Oh yeah. It's been one hell of a Sunday."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but, hey, maybe this will cheer you up. Sunny Flare said that she has our prom outfits all ready for us."

Sour's mopping halts. "Uh... let's talk about prom."

The mop is placed against the kitchen counter and the two of you go over to sit at the table.

"What's on your mind?" you ask. "Doctor Chrysalis didn't take the engagement news well?"

Sour rolls her eyes. "What do you think? Listen, I... think we shouldn't go to prom together."

You slap your forehead. "Okay, what did I do and how can I make it up to you? Polish your archery medals? Feature in one of the Crusaders' stunt videos? Go down on your – "

You're cut off by Sour's fingers touching your lips.

"You didn't do anything." Her expression shifts to suspicion for a split second as she adds, "At least, nothing that I know about." She sighs. "Look, Doctor Chrysalis made some good points yesterday about how I may depend on you for too much of my happiness. So, maybe I need to take more time to enjoy myself."

You nod. "I can understand if you feel that you need more space, but why at prom of all things?"

Sour grows a worried look. "If I can't keep my space during something special, then what chance do I have any other time?"

You couldn't argue with that logic. "Well, okay. Whatever you want to do, Sour."

"You're not disappointed, are you?"

You shrug and admit honestly, "A little bit."

Sour gives you a reassuring smile. "Hey, what does prom night really mean when we've already agreed to spend the rest of our lives together, anyway?" She leans over and kisses your cheek. "Just another night of music and dancing. That's all it is."

You smile back. "Absolutely. And, hey, we can still go see Sunny's outfits, right?"

"Of course." Sour then looks back at the floor with an annoyed look. "Just let me finish mopping, first..." 

****************

Every time you visit Sunny Flare's mansion it's as if you can almost hear Starlight Glimmer screaming, "Bourgeoisie!" You and Sour Sweet enter Sunny's enormous home boutique to find her eagerly waiting.

"Ooh, you're here!" Sunny cheers.

Sunny then claps and two people who you instantly recognize as one of her maids and butlers come out from behind a curtain. They begin to strut and pose as if they were legit models. Both are wearing what are obviously her outfits for you. 

"Sour, you'll be wearing this violet dress which matches your gorgeous eyes," Sunny proudly announces before she turns her attention to you. "And you, good sir, will be wearing this black tuxedo with a violet vest and tie which match her violet dress which matches her gorgeous eyes! You two are going to be cutest prom couple ever. I guarantee it!"

"We aren't going to the prom together anymore, actually," Sour informs.

Sunny immediately shoots you a look. "Okay, what did you do and how are you going to make it up to her?"

"It's a therapy thing, Sunny," Sour explains. "Doctor Chrysalis still thinks our relationship is unhealthy." 

"Well, whatever you feel like you need to do, dearie." Sunny then frowned. "Of course, this makes my matching clothing obsolete now that you aren't going as dates..."

You put your hands up. "No, no, Sunny. We'll still take them. You've put too much work into our outfits for us not to wear them."

"Absolutely, Sunny," Sour agrees.

"So thoughtful," Sunny compliments, perking back up. "And if my opinion counts for anything, I've always seen what you two have as perfectly healthy."

****************

The big night is here.

Sunny Flare's limo pulls up to the entrance of the Canterlot City Marriott. You, Sour Sweet, Sunny Flare, Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat, and Lemon Zest pile out to make the way to the hotel lobby to join the rest of the well-dressed Crystal Preppers awaiting the time to line up for lead out. 

You don't know about Sour, but the lead out is something you're kind of dreading. It still feels so odd that you two aren't officially here as dates. Sunny, Indigo, Sugarcoat, and Lemon don't have dates either, but they still chose the option of walking out with an escort. You and Sour chose not to since you both had the same opinion about it: if you were there alone, why not just be honest that you were there alone? 

Soon, Dean Cadance opens the doors and calls for everyone to line up. Couple by couple enter just to be greeted by the blinding flashes of pictures being taken by the parents who are all herded up and roped off like cattle at very end of the dancehall. Just as you figured it would be, going out alone is embarrassing. You look back to see Sour's entrance. She too looks to be anxious with a fake plastered smile.

The dancehall is a pretty sight to behold, though. The planning committee had dubbed the theme "Japanese Paradise Garden". There are even real cherry blossom trees decorating the place, imported straight from Japan, no less. You shake your head as you think of all the starving villages in the world which could be fed with the money Crystal Prep Academy uses to import needlessly with.

After her lead out finishes, Lemon Zest parts from her escort and heads straight to the DJ booth. Lemon was happy to volunteer for the gig, which made Principal Cinch happy since she didn't have to spend money on a professional this time. It also made everyone else happy as last year's DJ obviously didn't give a crap. He kept mistakenly referring to them as "Canterlot High". At some point, people began to think it was deliberate. 

"Alright, Crystal Prep Academy!" Lemon (correctly) announces into her microphone. "Are you ready for a great night?"

Everyone cheers. Lemon puts on the first song and the dancing begins.

You decide that the first thing you're going to do is to sample some punch. You stroll over to the refreshments table. There are plenty of small portions of finger sandwiches, various toothpick appetizers, and such in addition to the punch bowl. You reach out for the ladle... at the exact same time as another hand reaches for it. You and Sour immediately pull back from each other.

You smirk. "Trying the punch first? Great minds think alike."

She smirks back. "I suppose so."

"Have I mentioned how beautiful your hair is? I love what you did with it."

"Well, that doesn't surprise me considering your 'long and flowing' fetish," Sour giggles rather flirtatiously. Her face suddenly blanks. "Oh. Wait. We're not supposed to be here together, are we?"

Without another word, Sour gets her punch and walks off. You sigh and pour your own as Tree Hugger comes up to the table.

"Man, what they got good over here?" she asks, her eyes clearly red with influence. She starts randomly laughing before adding, "I'm, like, starving..."

"Wasted no time in getting the party started, eh, Hugger?" you tease.

Tree Hugger smiles widely and gives you a thumbs up. "You know it."

Eventually, you and Sour find yourselves leaning against the wall at opposite ends of the room. Fast song after fast song and slow song after slow song, the wall you both stay. Every once in a while you catch Sour stealing a glance at you and quickly looking away again. 

You grimace. Was Sour really this miserable with anxiety without you? Doctor Chrysalis couldn't be actually right about her, could she? 

It doesn't get any better when the music halts for the slide show. It totally slipped your mind that you and Sour had donated many pictures for it. A scene of pure happiness and love between the two of you pops up every once in a while. You look over at Sour to see her averting her gaze from it with a look of uneasiness.

After the slide show is over, Jet Set and Upper Crust are crowned Prom King and Queen. You've always thought that they make a nice couple. Perhaps they'll wind up getting married one day.

After they share their dance, the party resumes for everybody else. 

You sigh as you realize prom is nearly over. Sour hasn't had any fun yet. You start to feel that it's your duty to go over to her and give her a good time, space or no space. A new thumping dance song begins. You nod determinately. Yep, that's exactly what you're going to do!

You take one step forward before you notice a change. Sour is suddenly growing her look of determination. The one she always gets when she's fed up with something and about to go kick ass. 

All of a sudden, she runs out onto the dance floor. All by herself but full of energy, she begins to dance. Little by little, a smile creeps up on her face. Her smile causes you to smile. She's finally doing it. She's enjoying herself!

Soon, other students begin to notice Sour's killer moves. Some even stop their own dancing to watch her.

"Yeah, shake it, girl!" Indigo Zap calls out. "Go Sour Sweet! Go, go!" 

The other students follow her lead and a chorus of "Go Sour Sweet! Go, go!" starts up. Her confidence building and smile growing wider, Sour starts to dance harder, even putting a little more sass into it. Damn, does she look sexy. 

She lasts the whole song, before the tone shifts completely as Lemon puts on another slow dance one. Sour's chorus stops and all rejoin their dates, holding them close. Sour looks around her, obviously feeling left out. Just then, Neon Lights begins to pass by with no date in sight. Sour eagerly stops him to ask him to dance. Neon's body instantly begins to shiver as his mouth stammers, clearly spewing excuses as to why he can't dance with her. He then quickly runs off.

Your fists clench in anger. Obviously, there's still lingering paranoia from Finals Week in some people.

Sour grows a look of pain and disappointment before someone taps her on the shoulder. 

Royal Pin asks her to dance. Sour immediately brightens back up. Awkwardly, she puts her hands behind his neck and steps closer to him. Obviously, you're the only other boy she's danced with before. Despite this, she quickly gets into the groove of things and appears as if she's enjoying the dance.

"Not getting jealous over here are you, dearie?" you suddenly hear next to you.

You turn your head to see Sunny Flare. As one would expect, the fashionista couldn't help but to dress up for the occasion. Matching the Japanese theme, she's wearing an electric blue kimono. You have to admit, she does look quite stunning.

You chuckle and shake your head. "I guess I love her too much to get jealous. She has a smile on her face. I don't care who puts it there as long as she has one. Besides, I'm comforted by the knowledge that Sour will smack the snot out of Royal if he tries anything."

You and Sunny share a laugh in agreement.

"Well, Sour shouldn't the only one here having a good time." Sunny offers her hand. "Care to dance?"

You smile nervously as you take her hand. She leads you onto the dancefloor. You gain a blush of embarrassment as Sunny puts her hands behind your neck and you have to put your hands on her hips. You mentally laugh as you realize that you're just as awkward with the opposite sex who isn't Sour just as Sour is awkward with the opposite sex who isn't you. 

You begin dancing with Sunny, but you can't help your gaze from keep wandering over toward Sour.

"Enjoy yourself, why don't you?" Sunny teases. "Sour's fine. She's always going to be fine. You believe that, don't you?"

Your eyes keep locked to your fiancée. "Yeah, of course. I understand Doctor Chrysalis' concerns, but I think sometimes she underestimates Sour's strength. If anything happened between us, she'll be alright. I know it."

Sunny tilts her head with interest. "And what about you?"

Finally, you look ahead to Sunny. "Huh? What about me?"

"Dearie, you've spent all night being a wallflower to keep tabs on Sour Sweet. If you don't mind me saying, isn't it possible that Doctor Chrysalis' concerns apply to you just as they do to her? That you may rely too much on this one relationship for your happiness?"

That thought has never crossed your mind before. You do recall what you once said in the heat of the moment, though: "Sour Sweet, I have no life without you!"

You sigh. "You're probably right. It's just that... Sour has been the only girl I've ever had feelings for. She's the only girl who's ever had feelings for me. I don't think I could ever find myself in another relationship if anything went wrong with us."

Sunny chuckles. "Don't be silly. Of course you could. In fact, there are plenty of girls at Crystal Prep who wish that you could have been their boyfriend."

You burst out laughing. "Oh, come on!"

"I assure you, it's true," she says with a grin of amusement over your disbelief.

"And how would you know that?"

Sunny smiles warmly and looks right into your eyes. "I'm one of them."

You stop dancing. "Wh-what?"

"When you've been able to witness the lengths you've gone to take care of Sour Sweet day after day..." Sunny pauses to shrug. "... well, it becomes hard not to get impressed."

"Sunny... I don't know what to say. You understand that I don't feel the same way about you, right?"

Sunny nods. "Of course. The winds of life shift in all kinds of directions. But no matter in which they do, I'm confident in the belief that you, Sour Sweet, and even me will be able to move on. But why worry about any of that now? Live in the moment, I say."

"Alright, dudes!" Lemon announces as the song ends and is replaced with another slow one. "This is the last dance. Hold your dates tight!"

You and Sunny were about to continue until you suddenly hear, "May I cut in?"

"He's all yours, Sour Sweet," Sunny says as she parts from you while giving you a knowing wink.

Sour comes over and places her hands around your neck. You place your hands on her hips. There is absolutely no awkwardness felt in either one of you. 

"I figured it wouldn't do too much harm if we at least shared the last dance," Sour says with that beautiful smile of hers.

"Of course not," you assure.

Sour's smile fades. "Listen, if anything ever happens, I want to thank you for every – "

She's cut off by your fingers touching her lips. "Sour, let's just enjoy ourselves..." You smile at her. "... by enjoying each other."

Sour nods and rests her head onto your shoulder. You both hold each other tighter as you sway to the melody of the music. You were just a boy and a girl, living in the moment together.

THE END