Unwished Encounter

Twilight's P.O.V.

There was nothing but fog and darkness surrounding me. I tried walking, but I could simply not see anything else. I crouched to touch the ground. It was solid, but aside from that, nothing.

“Hello?” My voice echoed, but there was no response.

I stood up and continued to walk slowly through the fog, still unable to see what was in front of me. Reaching out with my hands I kept going for some time, trying to get my bearings when I stepped on something. I looked down and took a step back to try and see the object, but I couldn’t see what exactly the obstacle was in the fog. I was about to lean down to take a closer look but paused feeling a sense of dread overcome me. Cautiously, I used my hand and tried to remove the fog by swinging it back and forth just over the strange object.

*Beep* *Beep *Beep*

I know it was here. It was small, just big enough to fit under my foot, but I still couldn’t see it.

*Beep* *Beep*

After a few seconds of blind searching I began to strain my eyes trying to make out the object in the darkness. Through the fog I could have sworn I saw something, an outline of a tiny object smaller than my foot among the mist.

Suddenly I had a strange sense of vertigo despite being on the ground. I tried to ignore the sensation and focus on finding the object. I reached for it, trying to fight the sensation, but the sense of vertigo became stronger and I felt my head spin. Suddenly I fell over and darkness swept over me leaving my mind on the object as I was overcome by the sensation of falling into the darkness.

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep*

I sat up abruptly by the sound of my alarm clock. I turned off the alarm and yawned before rubbing an eye. What was that strange dream? It was… weird. Very weird. The fog, the darkness, the endless nothingness… I don’t know what it was, but I have a bad feeling about it. I remained sitting, trying to remember more about the dream to analyze it. But then…

“Good morning, Twilight! How’d you sleep?”

“Gah!” Startled, I jumped off the bed and fell on the floor. My blankets covered me after my collapse.

“Twilight? Oh, I’m so sorry for scaring you. I didn’t mean to…”

The voice was right in front of me. I removed the blanket from my face, but my sight was blurry. I took my glasses from my night stand and put them on. Spike was looking at me. So, he was the one to speak.

“Spike…?” I fluttered my eyes, confused.

Then, my brain started to process everything that transpired. My memories began to return one by one. My device, the magic, my transformation… all that happened just yesterday and I had a hard time reminding myself it wasn’t a dream. It was so unscientific, but it was all real. All of it. I then heard Spike next to me and I quickly apologized to him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Spike. I forgot that you… but I’m fully awake now.” I smiled to assure him that I was fine. My dog started to shake his tail and ran towards me to lick me all over my face.

“S-Spike!” I giggled. It tickled! “Good morning, boy.”

“What are we going to do today, Twilight?” Spike moved away, still shaking his tail.

“The same thing we do every morning, Spike. I’ll check the calendar!” I giggled at our little gag before walking towards the wall in which I had my calendar and checked on today, which was Saturday. “Oh, that’s right! The new book I was waiting for is being released today! Young Sorceress Academia!”

Spike wagged his tail. “You have been talking about it for months!”

“Yes, but it’s still too early. I’ll have to kill time before going to the bookstore.” I sighed and sat on my bed.

Spike walked towards me and laid on my lap. “I wish I could go to my lab, but since Cadence said she would arrange the paperwork for my transfer, I’m no longer a Crystal Prep student. I’ll need a new place for my tech. I’m glad Cadence is keeping my stuff safe until I find a new location for my equipment.”

“She’s very kind.” My dog rested his head on my body and I started to pet him.

“Yeah. She’s my only real friend.”

“What about the nice girls you met during the Friendship Games?” Spike looked at me, tilting his head. “What about me?”

“Oh… You’re right Spike, you’re my best dog friend. As for the other girls,” I moved my sight from my pet. “I-I don’t know. I doubt the girls consider me a friend. After all, why would they? They will surely find me boring. All my life I have been mistreated because of that. Besides, I turned into a demon and nearly destroyed their school. If they hadn’t stopped me, the destruction would have been worse.”

“I don’t remember them being angry at you when you returned to normal. They didn’t hurt you. I don’t know, Twilight. I think they really care about you.”

I petted Spike on his head and smiled at him. “Thank you, Spike, but even so, I don’t have their numbers nor their address. I’ll have to wait until I transfer to see if you’re right.” I stood up, holding Spike within my arms and walked towards the window. “It’s a nice day. Do you want to go for a walk?”

“Yes, please!”

I giggled and was about to remove my pajama shirt when I noticed that Spike was still staring at me, waving his tail with joy. “Umm, Spike…”

“I’m all ears, Twilight!”

“W-Would you mind giving me some… privacy?”

“Huh, why?” My dog tilted his head in confusion again.

“I want to get changed, and… well…”

“But you have changed in front of me before. What’s the problem?”

Spike had a point, he is just my dog. Yet, now that he talks it feels so weird having him watch me even though he’s seen me change since he was a puppy.

I looked down at him with a sad face. “Since you can talk and we have conversations, I feel weird getting undressed in front of you now. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love you, Spike. You’re my best friend.”

“Oh.” Spike started to wave his tail in joy again. “I understand, Twilight.”

I smiled at him and quickly gave him a chin rub. We then remained looking at each other for several moments until he spoke again, looking at the door. “Can you open the door for me, please?”

“Oops, sorry!” I giggled, embarrassed. “My bad,” I said as I walked towards the door and opened it.

“It’s okay. I’ll be by the door!”

My dog left my room and I closed the door. Once alone, I sighed. While I got dressed up with my usual skirt, dress shoes and a plaid shirt, my thoughts focused on the dream I had. It must have a meaning. I never experienced it before. Will I have it again? I both wanted and wished not to have that dream again. Something about it just didn’t feel right.

I decided to take Spike to the park and play with him. I even brought his favorite tennis ball. I always loved seeing his joy when he chased after it. It was a good distraction.

But this time, it wasn’t enough.

I wasn’t able to play with him for long before my thoughts went back to my dream. Why did I have it? Is it possible that it’s connected to what happened yesterday? I never had a dream like that before until then, after all. I’m not sure. There isn’t much of my dream to analyze. All I remember is fog and darkness. There was something I stepped on, but I woke up before seeing what it was. There was something familiar about that object… but, what?

“Twilight? Twilight!” Why can’t I remember what that item was? I’m certain that I recognized it, but my mind is blank right now. Think, Twilight, think! “Twilight! Woof, woof!”

“Uhh, what?” I shook my head and looked down at Spike, who had his front paws on my legs.

“You seem distracted. What were you thinking about?”

“Oh… n-nothing important, Spike. Don’t worry about me.” I faked a smile at my pet, but I don’t know if it convinced him.

He remained with his paws on my legs, looking at me. I tried to ignore him by looking somewhere else. I saw some kids playing, a couple on a date, and I think that a familiar face. A girl with a cape and a magician hat that had stars in them. She wasn’t far from me. The girl appeared to be practicing magic tricks since she pulled out a deck of cards and started to mix them in a weird way. I watched her practice while I tried to remember where I’d seen her. Everything was going well, until she accidentally dropped her cards.

She ducked to pick them up, and I thought it would be a good idea to help her. I wasn’t good at making friends, but I knew helping others was a good starting point to make a connection with them. I ran over to give the girl a hand with Spike at my side. I crouched by her and reached for a few cards, picking them up and offering them to the girl.

“Please, let me help you.” I said as I approached the magician.

“Trixie’s got this, but she appreciates… wait a moment…” The girl glared at me. “It’s you! The student from the Crystal Prep who looks like Twilight! Even your dog is similar!” Did she really just name herself?

“U-Umm… look like Twilight? But, that’s my name…”

"Ugh! Trixie knows that. She meant the other Twilight, the one from ponyland!" She wasn’t being friendly at all. I suppose I should be used to it by now. But, wait... she has seen me before?

“You recognize me? So, you’re a student from Canterlot High?”

Trixie gasped in an overdramatic fashion. “How can you possibly forget about The Great and Powerful Trixie?!”

Clearly there was some confusion here, I’m pretty sure I’d remember someone as outspoken and flamboyant as her if we met.

“I’m… sorry?” This girl’s attitude is… strange, to say the least.

The girl named Trixie sighed and looked away. “I suppose you weren’t around much to remember me. So, you were interested in my magic tricks?”

“I, uhh… yeah. Do you practice often here?” She might not be kind, but at least she’s less hostile than my former classmates.

“Well, if you really want to know, this is a place which Trixie frequents. Being a magician requires much rehearsal.”

“I’m taking a break from magic myself. After everything that happened yesterday…”

“Oh, yes. Such an event is quite hard to forget. But…” Trixie started to walk around me, like if she was examining me. I stood still, but I also felt slightly uncomfortable. “You look normal right now. At least on the outside.”

“Twilight is not a bad person! That weird magic was messing with her head!” Spike spoke all of the sudden. I panicked, but still managed to cover his mouth.

“S-Spike!” I started to sweat. He should be more careful when speaking in front of strangers. Who knows how people will react? I glanced at Trixie, whose face showed no fear nor surprise. She looked… irritated?

“Trixie wasn’t suggesting otherwise! She was just saying that she didn’t see anything out of normal in plain sight.”

“Wait…” I raised a hand to catch Trixie’s attention. “You’re not weirded out that Spike can talk?”

The girl smirked. “He’s not the first talking dog Trixie has seen. The other Twilight had one too.”

“Oh, I see…” I gazed from Trixie to my pet. “Spike, I’m thankful that you want to protect me, but please, be more careful when speaking.”

“Yes, Twilight. I’m sorry…” Spike got upset, but he recovered his good mood after I petted him.

“You’re such a good boy.” I smiled at him before turning to Trixie again. “I’m sorry, but I must go. There’s somewhere I really want to be.”

“Sure, I’ll see you around, I guess.” It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

“We’ll see each other sooner than you think. I’m transferring to Canterlot High soon, but I don’t know when.”

“Really? That’s… good to know. Well, it was nice meeting you other Twilight. See you later.” With that, Trixie sauntered off with all her magical props waving her hand causally back at me.

“Bye!” I waved at her as I walked away. Our encounter was odd, but we had a good talk… I think. At least she didn’t insult me, did she?

“That Trixie girl is… strange, isn’t she?” Spike said when we were near the exit of the park.

“I would say peculiar. She didn't seem to be too bad.” Shortly after finishing the sentence, my phone started to ring. I checked the caller. It was Cadence. “Hello, Dean Cadence!”

“Hello, Twilight!” She was in a good mood. “You don’t have to call me that anymore. I have good news. Paperwork is done. Principal Celestia will be expecting you at Canterlot High next Monday!”

“Really?” A big smile appeared on my face. This is the best news I received in a long time. “Thank you so much, Cadence! But… I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Twilight. It will be strange not seeing you in the corridors anymore, but it’s for the best. It doesn’t mean that we won’t see each other again. I’ll be looking forward to hearing how you adapt in your new school.”

“I’ll definitely call you next weekend to tell you all about my week, Cadence. I promise.”

“I’m glad to hear it. I would love to talk more, but I have to go.”

“Alright. Goodbye! Have a nice weekend.”

“You too.” I hung up after she did. I was still smiling from side to side. I glanced at Spike, who started to shake his tail when he saw my good mood.

“Canterlot High, here we go!”

“You didn’t even let me tell you the news, Spike!” I giggled and scratched the back of his ear.

“I’m sorry, Twilight, but I have a good hearing. The bookstore is open now, right?”

“Yes. I would love to take you there, but they don’t allow pets inside.”

“It’s okay, I understand. I’ll be waiting for you.”

“You have your toys so you don’t get bored. I’ll try to get back as soon as I can.” With Spike between my arms, I walked back home to get ready to buy my new book. I was already happy to get the book, but with the great news I just received, I’m overjoyed!

After leaving Spike and taking my purse, I headed towards my favorite bookstore. It wasn’t much to look at, just a small corner building at the end of a street, but they had an amazing selection of books! In an hour, I’ll be home reading on my bed with Spike by my side. I’m so excited!

“Hello, Mr. Bricks!”

“Oh, good day to you, Twilight.” The shop attendant greeted me with a big smile. “How can I help you today?”

“I’m here to take the book I reserved a couple of months ago. Young Sorceress Academia!”

“Yes, right away!” Mr. Brick walked towards the back of the store. I remained browsing books until he returned a few minutes later. His mood was completely different. He wasn’t cheerful anymore. “Twilight… are you sure that you reserved it?”

“Y-Yes, I did. I didn’t want to miss it.” I don’t like where this is going.

“I-I’m deeply sorry. There must have been a miscommunication. There isn’t a single copy of, Young Sorceress Academia saved. We sold them all.” He said in a glum tone.

“What?! A-Are you serious?” My heart just shattered into a million pieces.

H-How could this be? Why me?! Why did this have to happen? I was looking forward to this for so long now! I can’t possibly wait any longer!

“I’m afraid so. I was certain that I saved one for you, but it's gone. I wrote your name on a piece of paper and placed it on the book, but it might have gotten lost. I can still save you one as soon as more copies arrive, if you want.”

I wanted the book now. I don’t want to wait for the next edition. I have been waiting for months for it. There has to be a copy somewhere. “Thank you for your offer, but… I’ll try to find it somewhere else. If I don’t have luck, I’ll come back.”

“I understand. I promise to take more precautions next time. I don’t like letting our best customer down.”

I smiled to cease his worries. “Don’t worry. This remains to be my favorite bookstore. I have been a regular here since I could read, and this is the first time something like this happened. I’m not fond of the idea of buying my book somewhere else, but I cannot wait any longer. I’m sorry, Mr. Bricks.”

“Like I said, I understand.” Mr. Bricks smiled. “I hope you can get your book. Good luck, Twilight.”

“Thank you. Goodbye!” I turned around and walked out. I had to make haste. If my favorite book store ran out of stock so fast, then it’s possible that Young Sorceress Academia will be sold out in other stores as well!

I ran as fast as my lungs and shoes allowed me. I went to all the bookstores I knew, and even to the ones at the mall. No copies left. I used my phone to guide me to one more bookstore. If it’s sold out there as well, I’ll return home with Spike. I won’t make him wait for me much longer. Not to mention that my feet were starting to kill me.

My last stop was further away from where I usually go, but desperate times require desperate measures. I arrived in a neighborhood I have never been in before. The bookstore was around the next corner. I put away my phone and looked around. This place didn’t look so bad. It looks like a nice place to live. Some houses weren’t in the best shape, but I saw people talking in their yards and other people walking their dogs.

I walked in the bookstore and read the signs above the bookshelves until I found the category I was looking for. I headed straight there and browsed the books. “Let’s see… oh, please, there has to be at least one… wait… here it is!”

My eyes sparkled as I grinned. I took what seemed to be the last copy of the book I have been looking for, but as soon as I took hold of it, a second hand grabbed the book. I gasped and looked at the owner of this extra hand, but their face was covered by a green hoodie.

I tugged before I realized that she was holding the same book as me. “E-Excuse me… I have been looking for this book all the time. Could I please buy it…?”

The person turned and glared at me. I gasped louder this time. She was a girl. She was frowning. Her purple eyes were menacing. Sh-She scared me with her piercing hateful glare. I felt small and fearful, like looking into the eyes of a predator on the hunt.

“No way! I got here first! You let go! Hold on…” The girl removed her hoodie, revealing two long purple twin tails with green highlights as her hair. Her expression still showed signs of doom. “Twilight Sparkle?! What are you doing here?!”

Not this again. Whenever I go, people act as if they know me and already hate me without me ever doing anything to them…

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Aria's P.O.V.

What was she doing here?! I haven’t seen her, nor any of her stupid friends, since they foiled our plans back during the Battle of the Bands. That was a while ago, but it was still fresh in my mind. Why is she here all of a sudden?! Why did she come back?! I felt my predator instincts kick in and I went on the defensive. Something was different, though, she wasn’t the same confident person I met back then. Not only was her appearance slightly different, but her demeanor was completely different too. Has she gone soft since then? She seemed so docile now, even fearful.

She stuttered, taking a few steps back from me, raising her hands like I’d attack her if she turned her back on me. “L-Listen, I don’t want any trouble. I don’t even know you. It’s just that I have…”

“You don’t even know me?” I snapped at her. “Do you think I’m some kind of fool?! You know perfectly well who I am! Don’t play innocent with me!”

I saw that Twilight Sparkle backed away more, shaking like a defenseless puppy. It was so pathetic. What happened to her? This was the girl who led those losers to defeat my sisters and I so long ago?

I was about to say something when I heard a familiar skipping and humming behind me. My hair on my neck stood up at the ear scraping sound of a voice behind me, the kind that makes you want to hit your head against the wall.

“Heya, Aria! I found the fairy tale I wanted!” My sister, Sonata, was holding a book titled: The Beauty and the Draconequus, the children's edition. Sonata glanced from me to the scared girl in front of me. “Oh, hi there! Long time no see! Oh, I’m sorry for the whole world domination thingy. I like what you did with your hair. Are those glasses new?”

“Wh-What? N-No… I’ve always worn glasses,” Twilight seemed as confused as she was terrified. “I-I think you’re confusing me from someone else. I have been told there’s another me. A pony me. You might be mistaking me for her.”

“Another you?” My irritation faded, just a little. “You’re human, then?”

Four eyes nodded quickly. “Y-Yes! I’m just a normal girl trying to live her life without harming anyone. I have been looking for that book all over town. I went to my regular bookstore, but…”

“I didn’t ask for the story of your life.” I frowned at the scrawny nerd, who started to shake in fear again. I looked at the last copy of, Young Sorceress Academia and took hold of it. “I want this book as well. I don’t care how much you want it, it’s mine! You’re too late!”

“Why are you being so mean to her, Aria? She’s just trying to be nice.” Sonata pouted. I groaned and looked away feeling my temper rise again.

I rounded on my sister pointing a finger at her nose, causing her to go cross eyed with how close I was.

“I’ll behave however I like! You’re free to go home if you don’t like it, Sonata.” I crossed my arms and glanced back at Sparkle. She was staring at us.

“Why are you still here? You’re not getting this book here. Beat it!” I snapped at the girl.

“S-Sorry, sorry!” Twilight Sparkle stepped back before leaving the store in a rush.

I followed her with my eyes through the windows as she ran down the street until she was no longer visible before I sighed and grinned. I’m glad that annoying brat is finally gone. However, my sister killed my mood, as usual.

“That was uncalled for, Aria.” Sonata looked mad and had her arms crossed. I glared down at my younger sister as she adopted my signature pose. Was she mocking me?

“So what? Don’t bother me and give me your book so we can pay and go home.”

I waved my hand for her to give me the book. After that little encounter I didn’t have the patience or energy to care. I just wanted to get home so I could read in peace.

My sister gave me her book but didn’t change her expression. “Take it. I’ll go look for her to apologize.”

“Sonata, no! Just leave her! Sonata!” Of course she didn’t listen to me.

My sister walked briskly out the store and ran in the direction the geek went. I groaned again, scratching my head out of irritation and headed towards the cash register to pay for the books. I can’t believe this. I’ll have to look for Sonata before I go home or else Adagio will get pissed at me... again. Why did she always force me to take Sonata with me?

The last time we lost Sonata, she went missing for an entire day and to this day Adagio still won’t let me hear the end of it. The bookstore isn’t far from our home, but Sonata will still manage to get lost somehow, I just know it. Why did she have to insist to look for that annoying girl?

The human Twilight Sparkle. It took my sisters and I quite some time to get used to the fact we lost all of our magic. We lost everything that night. Seeing the nerd reminded me of what her Pony counterpart and her pesky friends did. Without our amulets, we were completely lost in an unknown world again, powerless and fragile, but not completely defenseless. Thankfully we still had ways to fend for ourselves which I was grateful for.

Aside from that the only other good thing to come from that was we discovered that we could feed on normal human food to survive. We realized the amulets made us completely dependent on magic. With them gone we could adapt to this world. It wasn’t easy, but we managed. We now live our lives as normal as any human would. In the end, we were liberated from the amulets. I guess that’s why Sonata greeted the nerd with such joy. I bet Adagio wouldn’t mind seeing her either. She had nothing to do with, The Battle of the Bands.

“Next!” I was the next in line so I walked forward. “Shall I wrap one of them as a gift?”

“No.” This world's Twilight Sparkle... She's really not the same person that took away our magic, right? Dammit! I’m starting to feel a little bad for yelling at a girl I mistook for someone else... Is this what people call guilt? I’ll have to talk to her.

I looked up at the cashier and quickly held up my hand, “Wait…” The cashier was about to place my book inside the bag, but I had a slight change of heart. I can’t believe I’m doing this. I pointed at the book, Young Sorceress Academia. “I changed my mind. Wrap that one for a gift.”

I walked out of the bookstore and looked around for any sign of that blue menace of a sister. I had to find Sonata before she ran too far and I would have to search the city for her. I started by heading in the direction I saw her go after this world’s Twilight, I figured that was a good start. It hadn't been long since they left, so with any luck I shouldn’t have any problem finding them.

As expected, I didn’t have any trouble finding them. Thankfully, they were just around the corner, talking lightheartedly. That really annoyed me.

“Sonata, don’t run off like that again! Do you remember what happened last time?” I said, when I was close enough for her to hear me. Twilight Sparkle’s smile disappeared the moment she saw me.

“I’m sorry, Aria, but I had to follow her to apologize.” My younger sister was still smiling, no doubt from the conversation she was having with the human nerd.

“Don’t apologize on my behalf, Sonata. Wait for me by the bookstore. I’ll be there shortly.”

“Okay, but please, don’t-” I glared down at Sonata with a snarl and she went stiff. “Y-Yes, ma’am!”

I watched as my sister ran without looking back. She learned the hard way not to make me repeat myself after many, many times. Once she was far enough, I glanced back at Twilight Sparkle. She was shaking slightly as the fear took over her body again. This is definitely not the same girl who disrupted our plans to take over.

“I-I promise, you’ll never see me again. Please, don’t hurt me…”

I watched as the pathetic girl covered her face behind her arms, as if it would make a difference.

“I’m not going to hurt you, if you let me speak.” The nerd nodded and remained silent. Here we go… “Listen, I don’t usually apologize, so you better thank me. I’m… sorry…”

I took a short pause before continuing. I could count with a hand how many times I meant those words. “You reminded me of someone else, someone I hate. It brought back bad memories that are still fresh to me.”

“Oh…” Twilight Sparkle stopped shaking. She wasn’t visibly scared anymore. “W-Well, thank you. I accept your apology. I, umm… I came here due to an emergency."

That got my attention. I must have looked confused, because she went on to elaborate even though I didn’t care. "You see, I went all around town looking for the book we both wanted but wherever I went, it was sold out. I don't want to fight so you can have it! You won’t see me again! I’m sorry for disturbing you!”

Sparkle turned around and tried to run away, but I stopped her from leaving by calling out to her.

“W-Wait!” I searched for the wrapped-up book in the bag after the nerd turned around. With the gift wrapped book in my hand, I took a deep breath before offering it to her. “H-Here…”

“What’s this?” She seemed puzzled looking at the wrapped gift with wonder.

“It’s… a gift, dork,” I said, looking away. “You’re supposed to open it to find out.”

Twilight Sparkle did not find my sarcasm amusing. By the looks of it, she got offended. Maybe I should be more careful with my words. “I decided to buy you something to… show you that I’m really sorry.”

“I see.” She took my offer, giving me a faint smile before opening the present. Her jaw dropped when she saw the book I was giving her.

“But this is…” She gazed up at me. “A-Are you sure? It’s obvious that you want this book as much as me, and I came here as my last option. I don’t want to feel like I’m stealing it from you.”

“You’re not stealing it. Listen, I never give away anything. My sister, Sonata, steals the television from me. I wanted to buy this book to have something to do. I don’t really know if I’ll like it. It’s not what I usually read. You said you came here because of an emergency. That means you want this book more than me.”

Truth was I really wanted the book, but if I made a fuss about it she might argue with me about it. After all this I really just wanted to go home. Talking to her was just a formality at this point, an unnecessary one I felt.

“I don’t know what to say, but… thank you…” Twilight Sparkle hugged the book while a big smile took over her face. “Thank you so much!”

“It’s nothing. I just-” The nerd hugged me all of the sudden. I tried to pry the little weirdo off me, but she was stronger than her tiny frame would have suggested.

“It’s something for me! I have to repay you somehow. Oh, I know! Meet me at the mall, near the fountain tomorrow, and I’ll make it up to you!”

“The mall?” I raised an eyebrow before chuckling. “Have you seen my clothes? They’re all ripped and old. I can’t afford new clothing, let alone the mall and it's overpriced stores.”

“Okay… sorry, I didn’t mean to offend…”

The girl got upset again. I then felt something deep in my chest tighten. I hated that feeling. The feeling of guilt, because it usually meant trouble for me later. Sometimes I really hate my feelings.

“Don’t worry, I’m not offended.” She looked up at me. Her mood was still the same. I sighed. “Perhaps we can meet somewhere less… sophisticated?”

Twilight Sparkle grinned as soon as I finished my sentence, which relieved me for some reason. Why did I care so much about how she feels?

“There’s a nice park near where I live. I go there all the time with my dog. The park's name's Greystone.”

“It’s far from here, but I know where it is. I’ll meet you there tomorrow, if that’s what you want.”

“Yes, thank you! Does 3pm work for you?”

“Sure, I’ll see you there.” I really didn’t want to go.

“Great!” The little nerd remained smiling. A long moment of silence followed in which we remained staring at each other awkwardly. When it was obvious that she wasn’t going to say anything else, I spoke again.

“So… if that’s all, I’ll be going now. I said I wouldn’t take long.”

“Right, I have to go too. I was also supposed to return home quickly. I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!” Twilight Sparkle waved at me as she left.

I didn’t wave back. When she was far enough, I turned around and walked where Sonata was waiting for my return. I was still processing what just happened. A girl resembling a former enemy shows up, I yelled at her, thinking that I would enjoy making her cry, but instead, I felt regret. Why? I’m never soft with anyone. Why should I start now?

“You didn’t yell at her again, did you, Aria?” Sonata asked as soon as I reached her.

“No, stupid. If I did, you would have heard me. Come on let’s go,” I shoved the bag with her book into her hands and continued walking. “We just talked.”

“You two talked? What about? Tell me, tell me, TELL ME!” Sonata was skipping around me like a sugar rush nutjob. Wherever I looked, she was there, like a blurry blue lightning bolt. She’s so annoying!

“It’s not a big deal. She just thanked me for giving her the book we both wanted.” I said while putting my hands in my vest pockets.

My sister gasped loudly. “You gave her the book?! But Aria, you’ve been excited about it’s release for months! You wanted that book more than anything!”

“I know, I know!” I sighed. That’s another thing that surprised me. Lying to Twilight Sparkle by saying I didn’t want that book as much as her, so she wouldn’t feel guilty accepting it. I glanced at Sonata, which I instantly regretted after seeing her big stupid grin.

“That was so nice of you! I never thought you would ever do something like that!” I groaned and looked away. “So… what else?”

I already knew I would regret telling her. “She… wants to see me again. Tomorrow, at 3pm.”

Sonata gasped loudly. Yup. I’m already regretting this. “You have a playdate with her?! Yay! Oh! You should bring her something nice to start off on the right foot!”

I growled loud enough that my sister stepped back, but she kept her stupid grin. I want to punch her face so hard right now. Again, I held myself back knowing if I acted on that instinct Adagio would have my hide.

“I already gave her something! Besides, I’m not sure if I’ll go.”

Sonata gasped in an over dramatic way. “What?! She’s going to be waiting for you! Are you going to abandon her?!”

“So, what? First of all I’m not abandoning her! She’s not some lost puppy I adopted. Besides why do you care?! Before, you wouldn’t have cared if I ditched someone,” I said, in an aggravated tone.

“Yes, well... that was before,” My sister adapted a serious expression she rarely does. “Our lives are different now, Aria. Adagio and I are not mean anymore. Why do you insist on being such a butt?”

“I don’t care how you or Adagio are! If I want to keep being this way, it’s my own damn problem!” I yelled back at her.

Sonata huffed, and crossed her arms looking away. She didn’t open her mouth again to argue with me. Good. I was tired of discussing this subject and focused on getting home. The rest of the walk was peaceful and quiet, just the way I like it. I also got a rare sight of Sonata not talking every few seconds, which helped improve my mood.

When we reached our home, I opened the door and walked in with Sonata right behind me. “We’re back.” I called out to hear if Adagio was home still.

“Well, well, you sure took your time. Considering the bookstore is just two blocks away.” Adagio said, walking into the living room to receive us. Her eyes darted from me to Sonata. “Why the long face? Aria, I asked you not to mistreat her. What did you do?”

Ugh, I hate it when Adagio gets like this. She acts like a mother and treats me and my sister like her hatchlings. It’s so patronizing and annoying!

“You were the one who forced me to take her with me!” I raised my arms into the air with my outburst before crossing them and avoiding Adagio’s gaze. “Besides, everything was fine until we stumbled across an unwanted face.”

“Unwanted face?” Adagio blinked in confusion. “Who did you meet?”

“Remember the people who shattered our Gems and humiliated us?” I glanced at my older sister as I spoke. She nodded, so I spoke again. “We ran into one of them. Well, kind of. The Twilight Sparkle from this world, not the pony.”

“Really? You met the human self of that equestrian girl?” Adagio didn’t seem to be either happy or angry by the reminder of that fateful night. She and Sonata had really moved on while I was still bitter and lingering on that.

“Yes, and she invited Aria to meet her tomorrow, at 3pm, but she’s planning not to go!” I swear by the seven seas, Sonata and her big mouth...

“Sonata!” I glared at my younger sister, who got startled by my rage. I raised my fist ready to punch her face, but she quickly ran behind Adagio’s back to take cover. “You little snitch! When I get ahold of you I’ll strangle you!”

“You will do no such thing!” Adagio frowned stepping in my way to protect our little sister from her untimely demise at my hand. She placed her hands on her hips. “Are you really going to make her wait, only for you to never show up?”

“So? Who cares?! It’s unlikely that we’ll meet again. She’s not from around here.” I walked towards the couch to sit and turned on the T.V. I was about to turn it on when my older sister stood in front of it blocking it so the remote wouldn’t turn it on.

“It doesn’t matter if you see her again or not! You’re not going to ditch her like that! You will go to that meeting.” My sister stated.

“I won’t! You can’t tell me what to do!”

Wow, what a comeback. What am I, four?

“No, I can't, but I can blackmail you.” Adagio then smirked maliciously.

She slowly walked over to my VHS collection, running her finger seductively over their surfaces, like she would when trying to charm someone. For me and my sister, it was an action that meant trouble for us. It was one of the few things that scared me.

“If you don’t meet up with her tomorrow, I’ll stop lending you money for you to rent those boring VHS movies you enjoy so much.” She inspected her finger like she didn’t care, but I knew she did. She knew my one weakness and was still sinister enough to exploit it.

“You wouldn’t dare…”

“Oh, I would.” Adagio kept a cheshire grin as she tapped her fingers.

She might not be evil anymore, by the seas I have no idea why, but that doesn’t mean she’s not terrifying. Those movies are my only source of entertainment since I gave away the last copy of the book I wanted. I’m going to kill Sonata for ratting me out! I made eye contact with my other sister, who was hiding around the wall corner peeking out at me. When she noticed I saw her she quickly hid herself from my view. Smartest thing she’s done all day.

“Okay, fine! I’ll go to that stupid meeting. Now, move! Let me watch T.V.”

Adagio chuckled and smiled patting my head like a dog. “Good girl.”

I smacked her hands away and she walked towards the coat rack and took her coat and purse from it, alongside the keys to the car. “I’ll do the shopping for today’s dinner. Is there anything in particular you want to eat?”

“Not really. Just don’t buy peanuts.”

“You’re the only of us who is allergic to them. Reading the ingredients of chocolate bars won’t kill you. Ignorance will. Anybody would say you learned that by force after your last misfortune.”

“I was hungry and there was nothing else to eat!” I glanced at Adagio. I did not need the reminder.

“Dinner was about to be ready, Aria. You should have been patient like I asked.” Adagio said as she put on her coat and took her purse. “Instead, we had to rush you to the hospital and the food got spoiled.” I groaned and looked away. My older sister sighed and walked towards the door. “I’ll be back soon. Try not to murder Sonata while I’m gone, okay?”

“I can’t make that promise.” I turned on the T.V. after Adagio left.

But then I noticed something from the corner of my eye. I turned my head and spotted Sonata by the kitchen having a snack while she stared at me. I frowned and she quickly ran towards her room with the book she bought. At last I have some peace and quiet. I tuned on a show I recently got into. It was about the police in action. It wasn’t the best show, but it wasn’t the worst either. It prevented me from getting bored.

The Next Day…

It was almost time to go to meet with that nerd. A part of me refused to go, despite Adagio’s blackmail, but another part was telling me to go because, for some reason, I cared about her feelings. Not much, but I did. Even so, I continued watching T.V. until Adagio showed up.

“Aren’t you supposed to meet your new friend in half an hour?”

“She’s not my friend.” I hissed.

My sister sighed. “Regardless of that, you must go. Don’t you think I won’t forget about what I told you yesterday. I have a job and Sonata is applying for some. I’m being nice enough to allow you to slack off. If you don’t do as I say, you’ll have to look for a job as well.”

I growled and looked away. “Why do you insist so much on me meeting her again?”

“Because…” Adagio crossed her arms. “You need a friend. It will be good for you.”

“I’m fine on my own. Why do I need a friend?”

“To change your attitude, that’s a reason.” Adagio snapped back at me.

“I’m comfortable with how I am.” Adagio frowned and walked towards the plug. “What are you doing?”

“It’s for your own good, Aria. I feel it would be good for you,” She said, softly to me.

“Don’t-!” My sister unplugged the T.V. “Oh, shoot! You made me miss the best part!”

“That will be the least of your worries if you don’t leave right now. Go, or I’ll lock you out of your room!”

I wanted to keep refusing to go, but I knew there was no point in continuing to argue. Adagio had me at this. I can’t win against her. Besides, it will make my guilt disappear. “Fine, I’ll go! If only to get you to leave me alone!”

“Good.” My sister nodded and grabbed money from her pocket. “You might still be able to catch the bus. You’ll never make it on foot,” She said, as she gave me the cash.

“Yeah, yeah.” I took the money and walked out the house.

“Have fun!” I’m sure Adagio waved at me, but I didn’t look back. I walked towards the nearest bus stop with my hands in my pockets.

When I arrived at the bus station, I had to wait for five minutes before my transport arrived. I walked in, paid and then sat as far as I could from the other passengers. This was going to be a long day. I had my eyes set on the window to not miss my stop. Everything was going smoothly for a while. However, at one point, I felt something on one of my twin tails. I turned my head around only to find a woman holding her baby. The baby must have grabbed on my hair. The child stared at me full of curiosity. I tried to ignore the baby and glanced back at the window, but my hair started to be pulled again.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My son seems to be fascinated by your long hair,” The baby's mom said. I didn't say anything to the woman.

Instead, I looked out the window again while the boy kept playing with my hair. I was not in the mood. Then, I realized I just missed my stop.

“Just my luck…” I stood up and walked towards the back door, I pulled the stop cord so the bus would stop on the next corner.

I had no watch with me, so I don’t know if I’m late or not. I walked at a fast pace, nearly bumping into some people, until I reached my destination. The park wasn’t too big, but it wasn’t small either. Four eyes asked me to come here, but she didn’t say exactly where. I looked around as I walked. Families and friends walked around me, and I ignored them. I continued to walk until I found her. She was sitting on a picnic table, alone, with her arms on the table and her chin on them. I sighed in relief. Good, she’s still here. I then took a deep breath and approached her. She must have heard my footsteps closing in, because she glanced at my direction when I was close enough.

“Oh… you actually came,” She was surprised to see me.

“I said I would come, didn’t I?” I stood by the table. “Am I late?”

“Just five minutes. Please, sit,” I glared at her for a moment before sitting in front of her. She smiled back at me. “I’m glad that you came.”

“Yeah, well, you got me here. What do you want?” She was taken aback.

I probably sounded too harsh.

“I... just want to talk. Get to know you.“

“Why would you? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not a nice person.”

That much was true, I’m not a nice person. I rarely am nice to others.

“I don’t think that’s true. When you apologized to me, it seemed genuine. And then, your gift…”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know me.“ I saw that she started to search for something in her purse. “What are you doing?”

“I-I brought the book... I thought we could share it. I have already read three chapters. You can read the first three and then we meet again to discuss what we have read so far, but it seems you're not interested in making friends...”

“I don't need friends.” I noticed her disappointment. There’s that guilt again. “B-But I suppose that's not a bad idea... It might take a while for more copies to arrive in the store and I do want to read it...”

The nerd smiled. “S-So... deal?” She passed me the book. I stared at it, then glanced at the girl before glancing back at the book again. Seems like I have no choice unless I want to wait for who knows how long, and with Sonata stealing my television time, I will have nothing to do. I sighed before speaking again.

“Yeah, whatever.” I took the book and started to read it.

“The main character, Hikari Kasamoto, seems to really idolize a sorceress by the name of Amélie Delacour. But some people are telling her…”

I held up a hand stopping her mid sentence.

“No spoilers!” I glared at the girl in front of me.

She gasped and covered her mouth. “I-I’m sorry! I got carried away!” I focused on the book again. I read a couple of pages before she spoke again. “So... you mistook me for my other me…”

“I did.” I didn’t move my eyes from the book.

“Do you know her, then? Are you from here or from the world of my other me?”

I closed my eyes with impatience. “You ask too many questions. I'm trying to read.”

“Oh, I’m sorry... again…”

When I reached the end of a paragraph, I glanced at her and then sighed before answering. “I'm Equestrian, yes, but I was not her friend. I didn't even meet her until she came to this world, months ago."

“Really? That's... fascinating!” The nerd grinned.

I groaned before speaking again. “I guess.” My attention focused on the book again, until I was interrupted not much later.

“How’s your world like?”

I glared at her again, this time frowning more. “Keep this up and I’ll leave.”

“I’ll shut up…” she sighed sadly and looked away. There we go again.

“Look, I’m sorry, but can’t the questions wait? I want to at least read a chapter without interruptions.”

“I understand. It’s just that I’m curious. It’s a curse sometimes. I realized it a few days ago…” I grumbled lightly without diverting my eyes from the book. “Oh, I’m…”

“Sorry, I know.” Thankfully, after her last slip, she remained silent and I was able to finish the first chapter with no more interruptions.

I actually wanted to keep reading, but Twilight Sparkle was staring at me, with her eyes shining. She was ready to hear my thoughts so far. “It’s… better than I expected. So far, the only antagonist seems to be within Hikari herself with her lack of magic skill.”

“I know, right?! So many stories, shows, and movies rely on villains as the main plot. It’s so relieving to finally find one where the main problem is the inexperience of the protagonist! Plus, her being so clumsy and lighthearted makes her so relatable!”

“Yeah. Her personality reminds me of my sister, Sonata. Oh, and that English student introduced at the end of the chapter, Iris Winslet. She only had one line and I already like her!”

“Oh, then you’re going to love her when you read the following chapters!”

“Don’t say another word or I’ll steal back this book from you!” After my last sentence, I realized I was acting differently than usual.

I always enjoyed Sci-Fi and fantasy, but I did a good job hiding that side of me. And now, without a warning, I released my inner me. I have never acted like this before with anyone. Not even my sisters, but I did it in front of a stranger. One with a similar taste as me. She didn’t mock me, wasn’t weirded out. She was smiling. Which relieved me. Speaking about my guilty pleasure without shame felt… good. I feel like I just removed a massive amount of weight from my shoulders.

I even smiled when I was debating my thoughts with her. “Umm… that was… interesting. I have never done it before. Debating this stuff, I mean…”

“Me neither. I don’t have a lot of friends that are my age, so I had to keep everything to myself.”

“That’s a shame," We remained silent for a while, I looked around the park for no reason in particular. Then, I glanced back at the girl sitting right in front of me. She was staring at the table. “So… what do you usually do with boredom?”

“Hmm?” She raised her head to see me. “Oh! Well, I have my dog, Spike, my books, my movies. I also used to have a lab, but since I transferred to a new school, I lost the location and now need a new one.”

“A lab?” I chuckled. “Are you a mad scientist or something?”

“N-No. I’m sane. I just love science, that’s all…” She really got offended.

“Hey, relax. I was just kidding.” Despite my clarification, she still appeared to be sad. I should distract her from the subject. “So… you said you have movies. What genre are you interested in?”

Twilight Sparkle smiled, which relieved me. “I enjoy a little of everything. But the genres I love the most are science fiction and fantasy. I have quite a collection. How about you?”

“Same as you, although I have limitations with the movies I can get. I only own a VCR. Luckily, there’s a rental video store near my home that still has VHS movies. Not many people in my neighborhood can afford a DVD player or Internet.”

“You actually have a VCR? That’s amazing!” her eyes were shining again.

“You know what that is?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Please…” The nerd removed her glasses, looking boastful. “I know all about technology, either dated or outdated. Electronics is a hobby of mine.”

“Is that so?” I said looking away. “I’m no expert, but I try to know more about them. Sometimes, my T.V. or VCR breaks and we have to take them to repair, which we can barely afford.”

“I have read, seen photos and watched videos about VCRs, but I have never seen one in person.” She put her glasses back on. “I could teach you something.”

“I’ll consider it. Thank you, though.”

The nerd smiled and checked the time on her cell phone. “I must go. My parents and I are going to spend the day together.”

“Okay.” I gave her the book. She took it and placed it in her purse before taking a piece of paper and a pen. “What are you doing?”

“I’m writing my phone number. Call me when you want to read again, or just to talk. I’ll be happy to hear from you again.”

“Umm… sure. I might give you a call.” I said as I took the piece of paper she gave me. The girl nodded, smiling still. “I’ll see you later.” I stood up and turned around, but she stopped me with her voice.

“Wait!” I stood still, but I didn’t face her. “You… didn’t tell me your name.”

I considered not telling her, but I still didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I decided to grant her request after taking a deep breath. “My name’s Aria. Aria Blaze.”

“I’m Twilight Sparkle. But you can call me just Twilight. It’s nice to meet you.”

After a few moments of silence, I turned my head just enough to see her and smiled a little. “Okay, Just Twilight. It’s nice to meet you too.”

Twilight giggled and I started to walk away, waving at her without turning around again. If I get bored one of these days, I’ll give her a call. Talking with her wasn’t as bad as I thought. My eyes opened widely. Oh, no… when Adagio and Sonata learn about this, I won’t hear the end of it.

Elementary Reaction

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Twilight's P.O.V.

This was it. Monday and my first day as a Canterlot High School student. I’m so nervous! Will I fit in? Will people be afraid of me after what happened last week? Something I could see when I was here last time is that the ambience in this school wasn’t as bad as in the Crystal Prep Academy. At least the halls looked less intimidating, and quite barren.

I have made sure to be prepared. I woke up early and had a decent breakfast. I also packed my bag with all the books I needed yesterday, paper, extra pencils, and extra extra paper for surprise drafts! I was ready.

I stood still in front of my new school when I arrived. I had a few minutes to spare. “Calm down, Twilight. Maybe… maybe they won’t be mad at me. The school’s still standing, right? I mean, the school’s mascot is still destroyed, but no one got hurt. Just… breathe.”

I took a deep breath before climbing the steps and walking in. The students were walking to their lockers or just talking. No one noticed me. So far, so good. Everything was going well until I bumped into someone.

“Hey, watch it! Oh… it’s you.” I looked at the person I accidentally walked into. It was the girl I met last Saturday morning, Trixie if I recall.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Trixie. I was distracted. I’m trying to fit in.”

“Right, it’s your first day.” Trixie turned her head to one of the hallways. “The Principal’s office is across that hall. You should go there first.”

“Y-Yes! That’s a good idea. Thank you.”

Trixie raised a hand, smiling proudly. “Of course. Now, you’re standing in the middle of the corridor, so…”

“S-Sorry!” I moved aside and she started to walk around. “See you.”

Trixie waved a hand without turning around. “Yeah, yeah.”

The encounter wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t aggressive either. At least I don’t think so. She did help me after all. Speaking of which, I should go to report to the Principal’s office.

“I wouldn’t get too close to her if I were you. She’s a bad influence.” I glanced towards where the voice came from to find a familiar face. A girl with rainbow-colored hair, was leaning against the wall and had her arms crossed over her chest.

“Ah wouldn’t say yer a good influence either, Rainbow.” A blonde girl with a stetson showed up, followed by four other girls. These were the people who were nice to me after the Friendship Games. I smiled and waved at them. I was about to greet them, when one of them rushed to hug me extremely tight.

“Yay! Twilight’s here! Welcome!” This girl was suffocating me. Luckily, one of her friends intervened.

“Pinkie, give her some space. She just got here.” I remember her.

She’s the one who saved me when I was that… monster. Fire hair, bold and confident, a beacon of hope, Sunset Shimmer. She walked towards me as her friend released me from the hug. When she was right in front of me, she raised at hand at me, wanting me to shake mine with hers.

“We’re happy to have you around, Twilight.” I made her go crazy when I manipulated all the magic I gathered. She yelled at me during the games when I endangered her friend, and yet, she’s here with them, welcoming me. I hesitated, but in the end, I shook hands with her.

“Thank you. I-I’m sorry for everything. It won’t happen again.”

“We have already forgiven you.” Sunset Shimmer released my hand, still smiling. “Why don’t we forget what happened and start from zero?”

“R-Really?” I grinned. “I-I would love that!”

“Cool! We’ll start by giving you a quick tour of the school.” The athletic girl was the one to speak this time.

“Yes-“ The student with amethyst hair walked towards me. “-although you were here all last week, you probably didn’t pay much attention to your surroundings during the games.”

“That’s true, I hardly remember where anything is.” I said. “But I should probably see the Principal first.”

“We already took care of it.” Sunset Shimmer spoke again. “We asked her to allow us to help you to settle in. Your locker is close to ours.”

“We also have your schedule. Here it is.” The girl with amethyst hair said as she gave me a piece of paper. “Remember to inform Principal Celestia when you choose your extra-curricular subjects.”

“Thank you, uhh… I’m sorry, you seem to remember my name, but I forgot yours.”

“That’s quite alright, darling. A proper introduction is due, then. I’m Rarity.” The girl bowed dantly with such grace it put me in awe of her.

“I’m Pinkie Pie!”

“Ah’m Applejack.”

“U-Umm… I’m Fluttershy…”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash, or Awesome Dash for short.” Rainbow Dash laughed while everyone else glared at her. No doubt due to her brash and self important title, but I thought it was a little funny.

“I’m Sunset Shimmer, and don’t hesitate to come to any of us if you need help or if you just want to talk.”

“Yeah, consider us your friends.” Rainbow Dash said. She and everyone else were smiling at me kindly.

“M-My friends…? R-Really?” Everyone nodded. I can't believe it... They... They actually wanted to be my friends? Is this real? Or is it a dream? No, it’s not. This was real. I’m sure of it. I opened my mouth to speak, but I yawned instead.

“Rough night?” Sunset Shimmer chuckled.

“Not really... I woke up earlier than usual today for the excitement of my first day.”

“I can’t blame you. Mornings are made to sleep.” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “They must be spent in bed.”

“Wakin’ up early is rewardin’, sugarcube. Trust me, ah know what ah’m talkin’ ‘bout.” Applejack said.

“Yes- “Rarity joined the conversation. “-remember, Rainbow, early to bed, early to wake. Makes a lady smart, pretty and great.”

“It’s more like, early to rise, early to bed makes a person healthy but socially dead.” The athletic girl crossed her arms and frowned, causing Rarity to groan.

I giggled, feeling much better seeing the girls getting along so well. I could tell I wouldn’t have a dull moment with them. It should be quite the adventure!

“I forgot who I was talking to.” Rarity sighed.

“Why don’t we start with the tour now so we’re done before the first class starts?” Sunset Shimmer spoke again, smiling nervously. I think she was trying to prevent an argument.

“Good idea. We ain't got much time.” Applejack said with a smug smile. My new friends surrounded me and walked me through the corridors. I paid attention to everything they told me during the tour so I’d be able to navigate the school without getting lost. If that did happen though I could always make a map.

The morning was going smoothly. I had no problem adapting to my classes. I gave a good first impression to my new teachers. They already love me. I’m also able to walk around without getting bullied at all. I love this school!

I was now in English class. Rainbow Dash was sitting next to me. I was listening to the teacher, Miss Cheerilee and taking notes, until my phone started to ring in the middle of class. It took me completely by surprise. I gasped while the entire class stared at me. I picked up my phone, but I panicked and dropped it.

“S-Sorry! I’m so sorry!” I took my phone and dismissed the call before turning it off.

“What was that? You left an ex behind at the CPA?” Rainbow Dash commented with a cheeky grin.

“N-No! It’s nothing like that!” My entire body was heating up covering my phone from her. I can’t believe I forgot to silence it. How embarrassing! Of course my reaction only seemed to fuel Rainbow’s fantasies.

“Please, turn off your phone during class.” Miss Cheerilee scolded me. “I don’t want any interruptions in my class.”

“I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.” My first day couldn’t be perfect now. I can’t believe I received a phone call during class the one day I forgot to silence it.

I had no other misfortunes during the rest of my classes throughout the day. I pulled out my phone while I was walking out the school to check who called me in Miss Cheerliee’s class. The number wasn’t registered, and by the looks of it, the number came from a house. Whoever the caller was, they tried again a few times more before stopping. I was curious, so I called the number after arriving at the corner of the block. I waited until the person on the other side answered, although aggressive.

“I don’t want to be bothered. Who is this?” I recognized the voice. A smile instantly appeared on my face.

“Aria? Were you the one who called me earlier today?”

“Oh, Twilight. Hello.” Her voice softened. “Yes, I called, but you hung up on me.”

If I didn’t know any better I could have swore her tone shifted, sounding a bit hurt. I felt bad. “You called me while I was in class. I almost got in trouble. I’m sorry, but I’m done with school for the day. I’m free to talk.”

“School, right… umm… I was just wondering when we can meet up again. I must read more of that book.”

“I see…” My smile faded. I started to wonder if she only wanted to read instead of forming a friendship. But it was too soon to jump to conclusions. “Why don’t we see each other this Thursday after school? Where do you want to meet? I chose last time.”

“I really don’t go out much. Uhh… meet me at the bookstore where we met. My home is a couple of blocks away from there. Maybe we can hangout at my place?”

Her home? I regained my smile. She wouldn’t invite me over to where she lives if she only cared about the book, right? “I’ll be looking forward to it. You can show me your VCR later.”

“Sure, why not? As long as you don’t dismantle it, tech guru.”

I giggled at her joke. “I promise, I’ll only take a look at it. I’ll leave my screwdriver at home.”

“Yes, do that. Uhh…” There was a short silence. I gave her time to let her say whatever she had on mind. “I suppose we can watch a movie afterwards. Or T.V. if you prefer to.”

I wanted to squeal, but I repressed it. I was dying to see an actual movie on a VHS! “A movie is not a bad idea.” I tried to hide my excitement in my voice.

“Cool. Until Thursday, then.”

“Goodbye, Aria. It was nice to talk to you!”

“Yeah…” She hung up, leaving me with a big smile on my face. She didn’t invite me over just because she wanted to read. It looks like she’s interested in becoming friends as well. I saved her number just as someone approached me, almost blindsiding me.

“What’s that? You gave your ex a call?” I recognized that voice. I turned around to find Rainbow Dash and the rest of my friends beside her. She chuckled before placing an arm on my shoulder. “Just joking, Twilight.”

“Hey, everyone. What’s up?” I greeted them as I slipped my phone in my pocket my phone away.

“We’re going to a place called Sugarcube Corner to hang out. You wanna come along? We could make room for you easily.” Sunset smiled gesturing with her thumb behind her..

“I work there!” Pinkie Pie said with excitement. It seems like she’s usually in a good mood.

“Umm… sure! Just let me text my parents to tell them I’ll be home later.”

“Sure thing.” Rainbow Dash said.

I walked with my new friends while texting a message to my parents letting them know where I was going. I still need to assimilate that this is happening. I was convinced friendship wasn’t for me. It’s not normal that I’m wrong about anything, but this time, I’m glad I was mistaken.

Thursday finally came. With my purse in hand, I once again headed towards the bookstore where I first met Aria. This time, I took the bus. I got blisters after last time, and I don’t want to go through that again.

I arrived at the bookstore with some minutes to spare. Aria didn’t specify if we would meet inside or outside, so I waited for her by the door. To kill time, I took a look at the books being shown on the other side of the window. I couldn’t stop smiling. This has been the best week of my life. I have made six new friends. They’re wonderful and so nice to me. I’m just so happy! But I have spent a lot of time with them the past few days. This is the second time I’m meeting with Aria Blaze. We had a good time last Sunday, but I’m not sure if we’re friends yet. I didn’t move my eyes from the books being exhibited behind a glass until I heard the shop’s door opening and a familiar voice.

“Well, hello there.” I turned my head towards where the voice came from and saw Aria, smirking and with her arms crossed.

“Oh! I didn’t notice you inside. I’m so sorry! I’m…”

Aria raised her hand to stop me. “It's cool. I arrived ten minutes ago to not be late like last time.”

I looked as Aria crossed her arms again, mumbling something about ‘blackmail’ under her breath. I admit I was a bit confused but I brushed it off.

“I see.” I regained the smile I momentarily lost. “It’s good to see you again. I‘ve actually been looking forward to this day.”

“Really?” Aria raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

“We had a great time last Sunday. I was hoping we could do it more often. You seem nice.”

“Nice?” Aria chuckled darkly. My smile faded again as she looked at me. “Trust me, I’m not nice. I warned you last time that I'm not a good person.”

“I still disagree.” I smiled again. “You felt bad for yelling at me and you apologized. When we debated the book, I could see you were enjoying it, plus, you called me to meet again, which means that you had a good time too."

I smiled smugly at her in a way that I’m sure would have made Rainbow proud. Aria scoffed then looked away. She appeared to be thinking what to say. After a few seconds, she spoke without looking at me. “Y-Yes… I had fun… you’re… interesting…” she looked at me again. “Come on, I’ll take you to my place.” She said, as she placed her hands in her pockets.

“Okay.” I followed Aria, being careful not to get too close to her. I avoided looking directly at her as well. She didn’t like when I showered her with questions last time, so I’ll behave better.

The walk to Aria's house was relatively quiet. From our first meeting I could tell Aria wasn't much of a talker, where I tend to ramble. Her walk though was filled with confidence and purpose. I could see she was a person who knew what she wanted and how to get it. From the way she spoke to the clothes she wore she was nothing if not confident in herself. I have to admit, I'm a bit envious. I wish I had half the courage she showed in the short time I knew her.

“We’re here.” I walked up beside her and took a look at Aria’s house.

It was a quaint little single story home with a small concrete path to the front door and a small balcony. The home was old and covered in small cracks and holes, and I was pretty sure the wooden floors on the balcony were going to snap from our combined weight. My assessment, it was a dump, but quaint. I smiled at Aria.

“Looks like a nice place to live.” It can’t be so bad. Aria and her sisters have been living here for a while. I can’t judge a book for its cover. The content is what’s important.

“I guess.” Aria shrugged and opened the door. I walked behind her and closed the door once I was in. Aria turned on the lights and led me to the kitchen. “My sisters aren’t home for the moment. Do you want something to drink? Or a snack, maybe?”

“A drink will be fine.”

“Sure.” Aria opened the fridge. “I have water or orange juice. I also have Adagio’s wine, but she won’t let anyone near her cellar.”

I giggled. “It’s fine, I don’t drink alcohol. I’ll take the juice.” The hostess took the juice from the fridge and filled two glasses with it before putting it back. “Thank you.” I said when she gave me one of the glasses.

“Sure.” She took a sip. “The living room is over here.”

I followed Aria to the living room, where she sat on the couch. Despite the outside of the house looking like it was in disrepair, the inside of the house was not so bad. It was well taken care of, and the furniture was in good conditions as well. The T.V. was an old model, but I knew the brand. It’s made to last. Then something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. My eyes quickly found the amazing device I had come to see, aside from Aria of course. A big grin appeared on my face as I walked towards the device.

“So, this is the famous VCR, huh?” I knelt and placed my glass and purse aside.

“The one and only.” Aria took another sip of her drink.

“I know this model. It’s a SLV-N70! This model is special. It combines value and performance in a VCR. Good quality through and through. With a reality Regenerator Picture Enhancement Circuitry and uses advanced edge detection logic to improve the playback picture sharpness of every tape! Back in the day, this was the VCR you wanted to have.”

Aria chuckled. “You sure weren’t kidding when you said you’re good with technology.”

I glanced at Aria, still with my grin intact. “These are quite rare, you know? How did you get it?”

“It was here when we moved. I’m sorry if you were expecting a long story about how I ventured on a journey around the country looking for it.”

I giggled. “It’s fine. I can’t wait to watch a movie with it, but first…” I grabbed the book which led Aria and I to meet and gave it to her. “I read a few more chapters. I would have read more, but I made a few new friends.”

“Cool. Maybe I’ll catch up to you next time.” Aria smiled as she took the book. She had her legs on the seat, but there was still room for me to sit.

“I sure hope so. There’s so much to talk about! You have no idea how much I’m suffering for having to stay silent.”

“Well, I appreciate it. I almost punched Sonata in the face once after she spoiled the ending of a movie I was watching, but my other sister, Adagio, stopped me. There’s no one around to stop me this time,” Aria said, and she started to read. Was she serious…? It’s a good thing I hate spoiling things to people then. My life may depend on it with Aria.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t hurt you. I might raise my voice, but I still enjoy your company.” I felt something inside me. Something warm. Aria Blaze wasn’t kind when we first met, but now she’s saying she enjoys my company? I knew she was nice deep down, but this was slightly unexpected. Despite looking and sometimes acting like a bad girl, she’s a nice person on the inside.

“Hey, everything alright?”

I jolted hearing Aria’s voice out of the blue.

“Huh?” I blinked and shook my head. “What, yeah. Why?”

“You’re staring at me for a while now. Is there something in your mind?” Aria tilted her head.

“Oh!” I didn’t realize how long I was staring. I got distracted with my thoughts. My cheeks got warm. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry.”

I took my purse and juice again and sat on the couch with Aria. She shrugged and continued to read. This time, I remained silent watching her read. I won’t test her patience again. I did, however, glance at her from time to time. Something about her intrigues me. But what? Why can’t I stop looking at her? Whenever I felt she’s about to gaze at me, I looked away and my heart would begin to race.

“You were right. I love this Iris girl. I think she might become my favorite character.” Aria commented during her read.

“It’s only the second chapter. Isn’t it too soon to choose a favorite?” I felt relieved to have an excuse to look at her.

“Why wait? She’s so sassy and serious. She’s able to shut anyone’s mouth without cursing a single time. I doubt other characters can top that.”

“What about Hikari? She’s goofy and her lack of magic skills, but she doesn’t give up. She also refuses to stop idolizing Amélie Delacour, despite everyone telling her she’s not that great.”

Aria gazed up from the book thoughtfully tilting her head which I found adorable. “Don’t get me wrong, I like her too, but not as much as Iris. I wonder how often these two will interact?”

“Keep reading and you’ll find out.” Aria continued to read and I patiently waited for her. Again, I glanced at her once in a while. What I feel within me, the warmth in my stomach and chest… It's like a chemical reaction. I never felt something like this before. What is it? Whatever it is, the warmth I feel is light. I barely notice it. I won’t think much about it unless it persists. I felt like I would spontaneously combust!

When Aria finished another chapter, she closed the book and grinned. “I barely started reading and this book only gets better with each chapter I read.”

I hopped on the couch with excitement. “I know, right?! Wasn’t it so nice of Hikari to help her roommate Johanna to sneak out of the school to go to a convention she really wanted to go?”

“Yeah, she’s quite friendly. Although, it was her fault that they were sent to detention.”

“Those tarts must really have been delicious in order for her to want to go as far as to steal them.” I commented. “But sending Hikari’s friends to detention because they didn’t stop her? They didn’t know she was going to steal them. It’s… illogical.”

“I suppose the author wanted to go for humor there?” Aria suggested, as she put the book aside.

“Strange humor, in my opinion. But, everything worked out in the end. Johanna could get the autograph she wanted and a gift from her favorite author.”

“At least in the end everything worked out.” Aria stretched her arms. “Looks like this book is focusing on friendship as much as magic.”

“It would probably have been dull if it only focused on how the school works.”

“I guess.” Aria crossed her arms. “I’m not saying that I don’t like it, but I was never interested in that friendship thingy.”

My heart sank. Is she not interested in being my friend? She’s only interested in the book? Am I wasting my time? I should probably just allow her to keep the book. But… we have had good conversations. Not to mention she has said that she enjoys my company. Maybe she can change her mind.

“So…” Aria glanced at me. I looked at her. “I could read more, but I bet you would get bored of just watching me. I did say we could watch a movie, if you want…”

My eyes shined focusing on the device in question as I grinned. “Right! On your VCR!”

“Y-Yes…” She was probably dumbfounded by my reaction. I couldn’t help it. It might be the only chance I’ll have to watch a VHS in all its glory. “I have some movies by the VCR. Choose whichever you wan-”

I jumped off the couch and knelt by the T.V. before Aria finished speaking. Obviously, the movies she had were old, but that didn’t mean they were bad. To affirm myself, Aria had an 80’s gem. “I see you have Wraithbusters. I’ve heard it’s one of the best movies of its decade, but I never watched it.”

“Well, put it in the VCR then.” Aria placed her feet on the floor, sitting properly as she spoke. I opened the box and took the tape from within it.

“It’s… beautiful. Look at the cover, look at the logo. I wish I could open it to examine it closely.”

“Don’t you dare. It wasn’t cheap, you know?” Aria grumbled.

I giggled. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to actually do it. It would be a waste to destroy a movie just to see the inside of the tape.” I put the movie inside the device. Hearing all the noises of the VCR working was exciting! A loud clicking, whirring sound, it was like listening to a mechanical orchestra.

“I wouldn’t recommend you to sit so close the T.V.” I glanced at Aria, who smirked. “Sit with me. I don’t bite. Not anymore, at least.”

Again, I didn't know if she was joking or not, but I smiled and walked towards the couch to sit just as the movie started. Or rather the ending credits were rolling.

“Oh, damn it! I forgot to rewind it!” Aria approached the VCR and knelt to push the button to make the tape go backwards. “I would avoid watching the movie until I reach the beginning of it. You know, spoilers.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll look away.” I diverted my attention to the floor just beside Aria.

The only sounds I heard was my own breathing and the VCR rewinding, until Aria spoke again. “So… how was your week?”

“Hmm?” I glanced at Aria. The question caught me by surprise.

“It’s going to take a little while to rewind to the beginning of the movie, so… yeah, tell me something about you.” Aria asked.

My cheeks felt slightly warm. “U-Umm… well, like I said earlier, I have made my first real friends this week. I transferred from my old school to Canterlot High School.”

“Canterlot High School?” Aria raised an eyebrow. I could swear I saw one of her eyes twitching. “I know that place. You sounded excited on the phone. You like it there?”

“I love it! Since Monday, my new friends were always asking me to spend time with them. To talk, to have fun. They’re caring and always smiling at me. I’m not used to people being so friendly to me. They even wanted to hang out today with me, but I said I already had plans.”

“Oh, uhh… I’m sorry for taking away your free time with them.” Aria looked guilty.

“No, no. It’s okay.” I smiled at her. “I made plans with you first. You didn’t take away anything. We’ve made plans for Sunday instead.”

Aria barked out in laughter. “That’s a relief.” She looked back at the T.V. “Not much longer now.”

She glanced at me and asked, “You said that you’re not used to people being friendly to you. Didn’t you have friends at your previous school?”

“Only one. My dean,” I sighed and looked away, losing my smile feeling pathetic. “The entire school was against me. Even the Principal. I was really unhappy.” My smile returned as I glanced back at Aria. “But that’s over. I have a social life now and I couldn’t be happier.”

”That’s… nice.” The hostess turned her attention to the T.V. “Well, here we are. The beginning of the movie.” She pressed the play button and returned to the couch just as the movie started. “I hope I don’t disappoint you.”

“Not at all. The quality might be different, but I’ll enjoy it regardless.” And I did. Watching an actual VHS on an actual VCR allowed me to appreciate a movie just like people did decades ago. I even got startled at the wraith librarian scene. I gasped and scooted closer to Aria. It caught me by surprise.

“And there’s people who make fun of old movies because of its primitive special effects.” Aria said with a chuckle.

“They’re not bad if they manage to scare you.”

“It didn’t scare me when I first watched it. I’m not easy to shock.”

“So, you have never gasped in horror for anything? You never had problems sleeping after watching something terrifying?”

“Nope.” Aria crossed her legs. “If anything, I can find jump scares annoying. Filmmakers rely on them too much nowadays.”

“They get me every time. That’s why I don’t watch horror movies often. I thought this movie was supposed to be comedy.” I shivered slightly.

“It is. Just give it time. It mixes horror and comedy pretty well. If it makes you feel better, I can warn you when a scary scene is about to happen.” Aria said, her lip curled with a playful grin.

“I would really appreciate that. Thank you.” I smiled and watched the rest of the movie. Like she promised, Aria warned me whenever a chilly scene was about to happen and I could get ready, thus, enjoining the film. “It was very entertaining. I can now see why it’s considered a classic.”

“Yeah. Too bad the sequel was a disaster.” Aria said, as she headed towards the VCR.

“Why do you say that?”

“They did the exact same thing with little variations and more kid friendly. The movie wasn’t supposed to be for children, but for some reason, they watched it and loved it. The cast was pretty much pressured to write a sequel for them. If you want to see it by yourself, I can rent it the next time you come. But you have been warned.”

“That’s… a wonderful idea!” I grinned. This was a good sign. There’s a possibility of making a new friend! I was about to speak again, when my phone started to ring. I checked who it was. “It’s my mom. I need to take this.”

“Go ahead.” Aria smiled again before rewinding the movie again. “I’ll just leave everything ready for the next time I want to watch it.” I nodded at her before answering the phone.

“Hi, mom!” My tone was lighthearted.

“Hello, Twily. I hope I’m not bothering you while you’re with your friend.”

“No, don’t worry. We just finished watching a movie. Is something up?”

“I just wanted to share some good news. We have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise? What surprise?” I was dumbfounded. Aria looked at me.

“Since you no longer have access to the lab at the Crystal Preparatory Academy, your father and I have made room in the basement for you to relocate your equipment there. We have been moving everything while you weren’t around. You’ll be able to use it this weekend.”

“R-Really? That’s… w-wow…” I was grinning by this point. “Thank you so much mom! Thank dad for me!”

My mother giggled. “You can thank him yourself when you return. You’re welcome, dear.”

“I’ll call Cadence later to tell her I have where to put all my equipment. I’ll see if I can go to Crystal Prep. tomorrow after school to bring the fragile stuff and the books I still have in my old locker. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“We knew you would be excited. We barely kept ourselves from revealing the surprise before time. Alright, dear, I’ll hang up now so you can continue to spend time with your friend.”

“Okay. See you later mom. Oh, and thank you!”

“Alright.” My mother laughed. “See you later.” I couldn’t remove the grin from my face after hanging up. Aria looked at me.

“You look awfully happy. Good news?”

“Wonderful news, actually. Remember the lab I told you I used to have?”

“Yup.”

“My parents made room in the basement for me to use it as my new lab. I can’t believe it!”

Aria chuckled. “Yeah, you really are in a great mood now. That lab of yours is important to you, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I feel like I’m losing my intelligence the longer I’m not in it. The first thing I’ll do is to look for a VCR to examine it!” I stood up, raising a fist with determination. However, my smile disappeared when I remembered what else I have to do before recovering my lab.

“What’s wrong?” Aria was confused by the sudden loss of my smile.

“It’s nothing, just-“ I sat back on the couch, crossing my arms on my belly. “I have to return to my former school tomorrow to pick up my stuff and I know for a fact the students will not give me a bright welcome… I’m not looking forward to it…”

Sorrow filled my heart as I remembered all the awful things my former classmates did to me. My eyes were starting to feel wet when a shadow covered me. I looked up and saw Aria in front of me. She was frowning and had her arms crossed.

“You’re afraid that they will make you miserable again?”

I nodded. “It was terrible, Aria. For years, I had to put up with their pranks, verbal abuse and practical jokes. I was blackmailed by the principal to participate in an event I didn’t want to take part in. But at least that allowed me to meet my new friends.” A smile appeared on my face, but only briefly.

“Hold on, the principal blackmailed you?” Aria was visibly angry. I nodded before speaking again.

“Cinch threatened to revoke my application to an independent student program at a prestigious university if I didn’t do what she wanted.”

“That school is full of thugs. What made you stay there? Why didn’t you move out of school before?”

“I didn’t want to let down my parents. It’s a prestigious school. Besides, I thought no school would be kind to me.”

“The bullying was so intense that they made you think no one would ever like you…” I nodded and Aria looked away. We remained silent for a few seconds, and then, she sighed. “I’ll go with you.”

“Wh-What?” I glanced at Aria, confused.

“I’ll go with you. They will see you as a prey again the moment you walk in. I won’t allow them to do that.”

My eyes widened. She’s really going to do that? “You… want to come with me? Why? You barely know me.”

“Because… I just want to, okay?” She said, raising her voice a bit. “Look, you said they won’t be waiting for you with open arms. I know where the school you go is. Meet me at the bus station that’s two blocks from there.”

“I-I…” My heart rate increased and I had a warm feeling inside me, similar to the one I had before, while I was looking at Aria while she was reading. I can’t reject her offer. It would be unkind on my part, not to mention, I don’t want to go alone. “I’m… going to meet you then. Tomorrow, after school.”

“Good.” Aria smirked. “Don’t worry, I’ll have your back.”

I smiled and my cheeks got warm. I was about to touch my cheek when I looked at the time at the clock. “Oh, it’s that time already?! I-I’m sorry, Aria, but I have to go. I have to meet with my friends.”

“Okay. Have fun with that. Oh, your book…”

“Why don’t you keep it for the weekend? I’ll be busy setting up my lab and I won’t have time to read.”

“Cool! It will be good to kill boredom.”

I giggled. “You’re welcome.” I took my purse and walked to the door. “Well, goodbye. I’ll call you, or you call me. Whatever happens first.”

Aria chuckled. “Mystery is part of the fun. See you.”

I giggled again and waved at her. She waved at me and I left the house. As I walked away, I was able to touch my cheek. It was still warm. Maybe it’s not a big deal. I tell myself that, but I’m starting to get really curious about this… reaction. I have never felt something like this before. My phone started to ring. Checking my caller, I saw it was one of my friends. “Hello?”

“Oh, Twilight, darling! Have you heard about Sunset?” Rarity went straight to the point.

“What’s up with Sunset? Is she okay?”

“She’s okay, dear. She might actually be better than okay if she takes the leap. Oh, she’s so lucky!”

“I’m sorry, Rarity, but you lost me. Why is Sunset lucky?”

“That’s right, we haven’t told you yet. I’m sorry, Twilight, with the excitement I forgot! EEEE!” I heard Rarity squeal.

“Don’t worry. You can explain it to me soon. We’re going to meet at Sugarcube Corner shortly.”

“I can give you some of the details real quick! Long story short, Sunset has been receiving love letters for several weeks now and no one knows who it’s from. Today she got another one. But this one was special. The secret admirer finally asked her out! Sunset is on a date right now!”

She’s… what?! Wow, I had no idea. I suppose the subject was never brought up. Which surprises me, considering how much my friend Rarity loves everything romance related. I’m happy for Sunset, but... love letters? “Romantic? Maybe, but why love letters? Isn’t it better to straight up confess your feelings?”

“For some, confessing is nearly impossible. We still don’t know who Sunset’s admirer is. It could be any student. Maybe someone we really don’t know. Whoever is crushing on her could be too nervous to even greet her. Leaving anonymous letters can often be helpful to relieve anxiety. But, darling, I would hate to leave this debate between us. Share your opinion with all of us when we meet up.”

Again I heard Rarity squeal with girly delight. It made me feel good too. I was happy for Sunset, I hope her admirer was as kind as she was.

“Yes, okay. I need to stop by my home first. I’ll be there soon.”

“Adieu, dear.”

I hang up. Someone is crushing on Sunset? That’s… intriguing. I would love to examine the letters to see if I can discover the identity of her secret admirer, but with less than a week at Canterlot High, I won’t be able to unmask them. Still, I’ll support Sunset on the matter.

Is this... Friendship?

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Aria's P.O.V.

“Confess, you did it on purpose.” Adagio said, standing in front of me, blocking the T.V. with Sonata by her side. My older sister had her arms crossed and was frowning at me while Sonata had her mouth busy with a lollipop.

“I told you, it was a coincidence. I happened to invite Twilight over when you two weren’t around. I didn’t think it was a big deal. Now, move! You’re blocking my show. I want to see if they catch the thief.” After how Adagio and Sonata forced me to meet with Twilight last weekend, there’s no way I would allow them to see me enjoy her company. Picking today to invite her to my home and watch a movie was no coincidence.

“It’s not fair, Aria!” Sonata whined. “The one day I started with my new job and you invite her over! You’re a big meanie!”

“It wasn’t intentional. Besides, you already met her, Sonata. You even spoke to her.”

“Yes, but I wanted to see her again! She’s nice. I like her.”

“There’s nothing special about her. You’re not missing much.”

“That’s not true.” Adagio spoke again “She’s the first friend you made in your life.”

“She’s NOT my friend.” Now it was my turn to frown at my sisters.

“How long are you going to deny it? You spent hours with her, not just reading a book.” My older sister was smirking. I huffed and looked away, but Adagio stood in front of me again. “When are you going to see her again?”

I avoided gazing at her when I replied. “Tomorrow. She has to pick some stuff up at her old school and I’ll go with her.”

“That’s Wonderful!” Adagio clasped her hands. “Two days in a row! I’m proud of you, Aria!”

“Whatever.” I crossed my arms. “Will you leave me alone, now? I want to watch some T.V.”

“Very well. You have already told us what we wanted to know.” My older sister said before taking Sonata’s wrist. “Come on, Sonata. You can help me with dinner today.”

“Yay!”

“Don’t let her add too much spice like last time!” I yelled as my sisters left the room. Once they left, I took the book Twilight lent to me. After the live police show is over, I’m going to read a chapter or two.

The next day

I was waiting for Twilight at the bus station near her school as I said I would. Despite being warm with Spring around the corner, I was wearing my hoodie. It was easier to avoid the glances from strangers this way. I hope the ner- Twilight comes alone.

I arrived early, so I had to wait for a while until she showed up. Luckily, she was by herself. She waved at me, wearing a beaming smile. For some reason, her smile lifted my mood.

“Hello, Aria. Sorry, did I keep you waiting?” I noticed she had a backpack this time instead of a purse. I figure she’s going to put the fragile stuff and books we’re going to pick up in there.

“Not really.” I smiled slightly at her. “You came alone, even when I didn’t request you to. I’m glad.”

“Yes, I have noticed that you’re not really a people person and I didn’t want to overwhelm you, so… I told my friends I had something to do. If I mentioned that I’ll be going to my old school again, they would have insisted to come.”

I had a feeling I couldn’t quite distinguish what it was. It was quite different from the guilt I felt days ago. For starters, the feeling was pleasant. I can’t believe I’m getting fond with this girl. What have you done to me, Sonata?! “You’re… right. I’m a lone wolf who rarely socializes outside its pack.”

“Oh, then am I a lucky wolf, or am I an unfortunate moose with a sad ending?”

I looked at her. She was pouting. I raised an eyebrow, taken aback from the question. “You’re a wolf, of course. One outside my pack. One who I’m interested in having around.” My eyes widened. I didn’t realize what I was saying. I turned around and touched one of my cheeks. It was warm. Was I… blushing? How is this possible? Why am I so open with Twilight?

“Is everything okay, Aria?” I slowly turned my head around. Twilight had a worried expression. I wasn’t being me, was I?

“Yes, it’s fine. I think I got something on my eye, that’s all.”

Twilight smiled then glanced at the road. “Our bus is coming.”

“Bus?” I looked at the vehicle as it approached. “I thought we were going to walk.”

“The Crystal Preparatory Academy is far from here.”

“I wish I knew. I didn’t bring any change.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the both of us.”

“Okay…” I glanced at her. “But I’ll pay you back later.”

“If you want to. Don’t worry about it.” Twilight and I walked into the bus. She paid and we looked for a pair of free seats. I let her sit by the window. Once I sat down, I placed my hands inside my pockets just as the bus started to move again. I’m really doing this. I’m really going to back Twilight up. I’ll be there to be the only one on her side in a school full of bullies. When I heard the students and even the Principal were against her, I couldn’t help but to offer her my support. I felt guilty when I mistreated her, but I can avoid hurting her feelings. If I let her go back to that hell by herself, I would probably have felt even worse. Each day I care less about why I’m concerned for Twilight’s happiness. I do enjoy having her around after all. I wonder, what Adagio said earlier today about her being my friend… is it true? Is she my… friend?

“Aria…?” I glanced at Twilight when she called me. “I can’t see you. Would you mind removing your hood? I-I mean… if you want…”

I smirked. “It’s okay.” I said as I removed the hoodie as she requested. She smiled at me and I felt a warm sensation in my inside again. Usually when people see me they avoid me, especially when I cover my head with a hood. But Twilight… she does everything but avoid me. When we met, she seemed to have problems to speak with me, but that immediately changed when we found similar interests. The book we’re reading and the movie we watched. These are activities I want to repeat. “Any reason in particular you want to see my face?”

“I prefer to partake in conversations while meeting eye to eye.”

“I hope said conversation is in a language I can understand.”

Twilight giggled. “Of course.” Her good mood vanished almost instantly. “I want to thank you for coming with me. I never thought I would go back to that horrible school. My dean couldn’t prevent anyone from bullying me.”

“Why was everyone against you?”

Twilight shrugged. “I have no idea. I’ve never done anything to them. I think they just saw me as an easy target.” She sighed before continuing. My blood was starting to boil just by hearing her words. “When you said you wanted to come with me, I thought on rejecting your help, but I realized that if I went alone I would end up running away in tears. I have my friends at Canterlot High School, but I don’t want to be so dependable of them, especially so soon after becoming their friend.” Twilight looked at me and I met her eyes. They were wet. One of my eyes started to twitch at this point. “I’m terrified, Aria. They did what they wanted with me and they walked away unpunished.”

I didn’t speak right away. I had to calm down myself to not yell. I took a deep breath and released it shortly after. “I won’t let them hurt you. Those people won’t intimidate me.”

Twilight smiled and cleaned her wet eyes with a hand. “I don’t know what to say, Aria. You’re doing so much, and yet, you know so little about me.”

“What did I tell you? You’re a wolf. I won’t allow a fellow wolf to fall victim to some stupid siberian tigers.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Wow, you know about the only major natural predator of wolves? Do they happen to be your favorite animal?”

I chuckled. “You’re smart. I figured you would find out more sooner than later.” My acquaintance looked away. I think I saw her cheeks slightly red. I didn’t give it much importance. Instead, I focused on calming myself down. We’re soon arriving to our destination and I can’t explode as soon as we’re inside. I must keep my cool.

Twilight didn’t say anything else until ten minutes later. “This is our stop.” I stood up and allowed her to walk towards the door while I followed her. The bus halted and we walked out.

“The school is one block away. Follow me.” I nodded and walked close to her. Again, Twilight fell silent. I said nothing either until I saw the school we were heading into, with students walking out and chatting outside.

"Are you kidding? This is the school you used to attend?! It looks like only the rich can afford it.” I was overwhelmed.

“Well…” Twilight chuckled nervously. “My parents have the money, and I did tell you they wanted the best education for me so they sent me to this prestigious school.”

My jaw dropped. She’s rich? In retrospective, I should have known. Not anybody can own a lab. I glanced at Twilight. She was shaking and sweating. I don’t care why, but I hated seeing her like this. I placed a hand on her shoulder to catch her attention.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we?” My acquaintance took a deep breath and nodded. We walked in. Several eyes fixed on Twilight and some on me. Twilight grabbed my hand and shortened our distance. She took me by surprise, but I said nothing of it. I could sense her fear. The way she was holding my hand… she was uneasy.

“W-We’ll get my stuff from my locker first… t-this way…”

“I don’t understand. Why are there so many people? I thought we came after school.”

“Yes, but there are clubs. My new school has clubs too, but I haven’t decided for one yet. I first need to adapt to-”

“Careful!” I tried to warn her, but Twilight bumped into someone. A girl with a violet hair and a shade of pink.

“Hey, watch it!” The girl glared at Twilight. Her eyes widened. “Well, well, well… look who it is.” As she spoke, four other students approached to her.

“Sunny Flare, I’m sorry, I didn’t-” Twilight was cut short.

“Quiet! I don’t care about your stupid explanations.” Sunny Flare glanced at me. “Who the heck are you?”

“Her clothes are ripped and with patches. She must be poor!” A well dressed girl with light purple hair said. Whatever they have to say to me won’t affect me. “And look! They’re holding hands!”

Twilight glanced past me at the girl and whispered to me, "That's Suri, she's a stuck up girl who's obsessed with fashion." I glared at the girl who just stared back at me. I already didn't like her.

“A hideous girl and poor girl, huh? Looks like you found your perfect match, Twilight! How adorable!” A girl with a long pink ponytail walked towards us, smiling brightly at Twilight. But then, her expression turned hostile. “You better settle with her, because no one else with eyes will ever want to date you!”

“Don’t speak about Aria like that, Sour Sweet!” It appears that Twilight got confidence to stand up in front of the bullies. However, that only made them turn more aggressive.

“Since when did you become brave, Twilight?” Sunny Flare spoke again.

“Oh, no! Be careful! She could hurt us if she throws her glasses at us!” Sour Sweet said before she and the rest of the bullies started to laugh in a mocking manner. Each second my blood was boiling more and more, but I’m trying to keep my cool. It wasn't easy, though. They were like hyenas making fun of a surrounded zebra.

Sunny Flare stepped closer to Twilight, causing her to gasp. “Do yourself a favor.” She said before pushing my acquaintance. I released her hand due to the situation taking me off guard. Twilight fell to the floor. “Leave and stop humiliating yourself.” As the bullies started to laugh, I heard Twilight sob. The temperature of my blood reached its maximum. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. These girls need to be taught a lesson. I glared down at Sunny Flare with a scowl. Not like how I would usually glare at Sonata, but worse. I haven’t been so furious in several months. “Oh, no! The girlfriend got mad!” Sunny Flare was the only one laughing mockingly at this point. The rest of the bullies were scared, as they should be. This wolf had enough! Without warning I grabbed Sunny Flare from her collar and slammed her against a nearby locker.

“Enough is enough!” I was breathing heavily. All the nearby students gasped at the sight of my unleashed rage.

“Aria, don’t!” I turned by the sound of Twilight called me. She was still on the floor, but my expression changed when I saw someone standing behind her. A well-dressed adult. By how she was looking at me, she surely witnessed what I just did.

“Who are you, and what are you doing to my students?!”

“Dean Cadence?” Wait, Cadence? As in, the person Twilight mentioned yesterday? Her only friend, the dean? The bullies saw their chance to run away. I didn’t try to stop them. My only concern was to help Twilight to get up.

“Twilight? Are you okay?” Cadence said while she and I helped the fallen girl.

“Y-Yes, I’m fine. They just pushed me.” Twilight said as she accommodated her glasses. I could see her eyes wet and tears. She was crying.

“They did more than that.” I said, frowning. The dean glared at me and I backed away a bit.

“She’s with me, Dean. I’m sorry, about what happened. She was trying to protect me.”

“I see…” The woman kept looking at me. “But I can’t allow her to hurt anybody. Student or not, she’s coming to my office.”

“What are you going to do?” Twilight seemed worried.

“We’re having a serious talk. Follow me, young lady. Twilight, you can wait outside.” I nodded and followed Cadence. Twilight walked beside me but was avoiding my gaze. Is she… scared of me? I’ll never forgive myself if she is.

We eventually reached a door to the principal's office. Dean Cadence opened the door and I walked in with her behind me. Twilight took a peek inside and gasped in awe. “The office looks so nice and friendlier when illuminated.”

“I never liked how Cinch kept the curtains closed. This is a school, not a dungeon.” The woman commented with a smile. “I felt free to open them now that this is my office. For now, at least.”

Twilight glanced at Cadence. “Y-Your office?”

“With the evidence you provided about how she blackmailed you to participate on the Friendship Games, I was able to take the case to the school’s committee. Cinch was removed from her position and I was chosen to be the temporary Principal. But it could be permanent if I prove to be capable.”

“I knew you’d prove it! That’s great news!” my acquaintance said before hugging the woman. “Congratulations! You deserve it!”

“Thank you, Twilight.” Cadence hugged her back. When they released the hug, the woman glanced at me again, frowning. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, your friend and I need some privacy.”

“Okay…” Twilight remained outside while the Principal and I walked into the office. Again, she avoided my gaze. Fear isn’t an emotion I often feel. I didn’t fear Cadence, but the thought of this possibly being the last time I get to hang out with Twilight terrifies me. We have been socializing less than a week, but… I don’t think my life will be the same without her. I'll change nothing with regret. What’s done is done. I must face the consequences.

“Please, take a seat.” I nodded at Cadence and walked towards the chair by the desk. The room was huge. It had bookshelves on the left and right side of the room and I could see two pillars by a second door at the end of the room. Taking a look back I saw the same pillars were next the entrance, alongside more bookshelves. As I walked towards the desk, I saw a trophy case by one of the bookshelves on the sides. I sat by the desk after Cadence did. “So, tell me… what’s your full name?”

“Aria Blaze.” Despite the fear, I’m still able to conceal my true emotions.

“Why did you attack one of my students, Miss Blaze?”

“Because she pushed Twilight to the ground.” The Principal raised an eyebrow and I continued. “I know I went too far, but Twilight told me of all the bullying she had to put up with. So, when I saw that Sunny Flare girl push Twilight, I couldn't just control myself and reacted. I didn't want those hyenas to ever hurt her again.”

“Excuse me, did you just say… hyenas?” I nodded, remaining silent. The woman blinked in confusion but didn’t pursue the subject. She cleared her throat before speaking again. “You care about Twilight that much?”

I felt like the question was more about personal curiosity than anything else. It took me by surprise. I crossed my arms and evaded the woman’s sight. I have never said it out loud, let alone to somebody. I glanced at Cadence again. She was still waiting, patiently. I hesitated, but I managed to answer with the truth.

“I… do. I… care about her... a lot. The reason I insisted on coming with her was to prevent her from being toyed around.”

Cadence didn’t say anything. Her eyes were on me, but I kept my cool. She stood up after some time and walked towards the front doors. I imagine to look at Twilight from the window. “She was the school’s most brilliant student. Her grades rarely were below A+. Being the top student granted her with her own room which she could use as she pleased. She decided to build a small lab for herself there.” The Principal sighed and turned around to face me. “The treatment Twilight received made everyone jealous.” She started to walk towards me. “As you probably know, this school receives students from wealthy and respectable families. If a bullying case were to be uncovered between these walls, we could have lost accreditation, not to mention it would affect the reputation of every family who attended here. Parents offered Cinch money to keep the incidents quiet, and she accepted. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get evidence to prove it.” The woman reached the desk again and placed a hand on it.

“Principal Cadence…” I could feel my blood boiling again. “I don’t like what I’m hearing…”

“I know, but I thought you had to know.” Cadence sat on her chair and looked at me. “I never told Twilight any of this. It would have changed nothing. I can’t express how happy I am that she transferred. I have heard she made friends and finally has a social life, two things Twilight has missed during her entire time in this school.” The Principal beamed happily at me. “I have never seen her so happy. I want to thank you for being such a wonderful friend. She deserves to smile.”

Her… friend? First Adagio and now Cadence. It’s true that I care about her and enjoy her company, but, do I really consider her my friend? We talk, we laugh, I call her on the phone and she calls me back… is this… friendship? I felt a pleasant warm feeling inside of me. It made me smile slightly. “You’re… welcome.” Cadence’s smile disappeared shortly after.

“But I’m afraid that as much as I appreciate what you're doing, your actions today can’t go unpunished. I can’t take you to detention because you don’t study here, so I have no choice but to ban your entrance from this school, permanently.”

I shrugged. “As if I wanted to come back. Especially not after what you told me.”

“Which I trust you won’t tell Twilight?”

“Of course.” I nodded.

“Good. You may now leave.” I nodded and got off the chair. When I was about to reach for the door knob, Cadence called out to me. “Wait!”

I turned my head to see her standing but she remained by her desk. “I have known Twilight since she was a baby. I was her babysitter until she was old enough to be on her own. I was a guest on her tea party with her plushies Mr. Smartypants and Miss Serenity when she was a child. I educated her. She’s like a sister to me. With her gone, I can no longer keep an eye of her. Please, look after her for me.”

I stood still, not knowing what to do. I didn’t know they were that close. It left me astonished. I like this woman. She was the only joy of Twilight’s life until recently. A lioness looking after her cub. She did what she could to protect her and now, she’s watching Twilight move on to a better life. Back in Equestria I often preferred to be the lone wolf, despite having my sisters. But seeing the way Cadence cares about Twilight made me realize what I was pushing away by trying to always be alone.

I was part of a pack with my sisters, and now I wanted to share that with Twilight. When I regained control of my muscles, I smirked at the Principal. “I will. You can trust me.”

“Thank you, Aria Blaze. I hope our paths cross again.”

“Likewise.” She smiled at me and I returned it. She sat back on her chair. My smile faded after turning around. I just promised Cadence I would look after Twilight, but I’m still not sure if she will want to see me again after seeing what she saw.

After taking a deep breath, I opened the door. Twilight was the only person around. She darted towards where I was when I closed the door. Her mouth opened when she saw me. Was she happy to see me? Was she afraid of me? I couldn’t tell. I approached to her and she didn’t move. That was a good sign, right? “H-Hey…” my vision got suddenly blocked by her purple hair. Before I knew it, she placed her arms around me into a hug. I was left in disbelief. No one outside my sisters ever hugged me. It felt weird… but I liked it.

“You were too aggressive but thank you for standing up for me. Thank you so much!” I felt so relieved to learn that she wasn’t afraid of me. I returned the hug and closed my eyes to enjoy the embrace. My friend… I’m starting to like the sound of that.

Under the Moonlight

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Twilight's P.O.V.

“Thank you so much for your help, girls.” My friends were kind enough to help me to set up my lab this weekend. Applejack, Sunset and Pinkie Pie moved the heavy stuff, Rainbow Dash the smaller ones, Rarity helped me to organize my equipment and Fluttershy was sitting on a chair, petting Spike who was on her lap. My father wasn’t able to help us due to him having been called from work.

“It’s no problem, Twilight.” Sunset said as she placed one of my desks on the floor.

“Yes! We love to help!” Pinkie Pie said with a grin.

“But I must say, darling, you could have eluded going to that hideous place yesterday.” Rarity commented in a worried tone. “Why did you return to the Crystal Preparatory Academy?”

“Yeah, why didn’t you tell us?” Rainbow Dash sat on one of my chairs. “We would have supported you in case those jerks tried to be clever.”

“I know, and I should probably have told you, but another friend of mine insisted on come with me.”

Sunset gasped dramatically. “Another friend? Are you cheating on us?” She joked before chuckling. Some of my friends giggled at the joke.

“We could have gone with you anyway. The more the merrier.” Applejack commented.

“Wait…” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Was it your ex?”

“Ex? Oh, poor dear! What happened?” Rarity covered her mouth with both of her hands. She looked sad.

“I-I don’t have an ex! I never dated anyone in my life!” I got nervous. Aria is no ex. Why would she be? She’s caring and nice, we have some interests in common. Why would we ever break up? What am I saying? We’re not even dating! She’s my friend! But what if… W-what’s going on in my head!

“She’s blushing! So, you like this friend of yours!” Pinkie Pie grinned. I touched my cheek. She was right, I was all red.

“Ha! I knew there was something going on!” Rainbow Dash stood up, triumphantly pointing at me.

“If you have told us you wanted to be alone with yer crush, we would have understood, sugarcube.” Applejack smirked.

“Or, we could have helped you to confess your feelings!” Rarity grabbed me by my arms. This whole misunderstanding is driving me crazy. “Tell us more, dear!”

“I-It’s nothing like that!” I was starting to shake. “She’s not a people’s person, so we went alone.”

“Oh! We have a gender!” Pinkie Pie smiled brightly. I felt like about to pass out. Please, somebody help me!

“Alright, everyone, give her space.” Sunset separated Rarity from me. “Don’t you see she’s getting anxious?” Thank you, Sunset. Thank you so much!

“S-Sorry, Twilight. Ah guess we got a little carried away.” Applejack looked ashamed. Everyone else nodded to Applejack’s statement.

“It’s okay. I forgive you.” I sighed in relief and smiled at my friends. “My friend was a big help to me. We were able to take what I wanted and left.”

“Can’t we at least have a name?” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms and frowned.

“I-I’m sorry, but I would rather not.” I didn’t lose my smile. My athletic friend groaned.

“Does Spike know? Spike! Please tell us!” Pinkie Pie ran towards Spike.

“I can’t if Twilight doesn’t feel comfortable doing it. Sorry.” Spike is as loyal as ever. I love you, boy!

“Aww!” Everyone but Sunset exhaled.

“So, moving on, what if we continue-” Sunset was cut short by Rarity.

“Wait!” Rarity laughed a little manically, which scared me a bit. “We might not be able to get information on Twilight’s friend, but we can talk about Sunset and her date two days ago!”

“Wh-what?!” Sunset’s face turned completely red in an instant.

“That’s right!” Pinkie Pie grinned and glanced at Sunset. “You haven’t told us a thing yet!”

“U-Umm…” Sunset couldn’t stop blushing. “I’m not sure how you’re going to take the news…”

“Can we please change the subject? I don’t want to hear about those corny letters.” Rainbow Dash said, crossing her arms.

“You started it, Rainbow.” Applejack said with a smirk. “You joked about Twilight and her nonexistent ex.”

“And I’m starting to regret it.” Rainbow Dash looked away.

“Well, too bad, because you gave us the perfect conversation topic. Sunset, details, please!” Rarity smirked as she spoke. Rainbow Dash groaned and covered her ears. Just as Sunset was about to say something, the door leading to my basement opened and my mother walked down a few steps.

“How’s everything going? Woah! I didn’t know this room could look so nice." My mother said as she scanned the room. "You girls must be thirsty. What do you say if I prepare some lemonade for you?”

“Thank you, mom. That would be nice.” I said before smiling. My mother smiled back but then got startled by my athletic friend’s suddenly started to run up the stairs.

“Let me help you with that, ma’am!” My friend left the basement as my mother glanced from the door back to us. She was dumbfounded.

“Is there something I should know?” My mother inquired.

“I’m afraid our dear friend is allergic to girl talk.” Rarity said, before she and some of our friends giggled. I smiled at what she said. I loved being around my friends. How they joke and mess around with each other in a friendly way. They bring joy to my life. I didn’t know I could be this happy.

“Ah, I see.” My mother smiled again. “We’ll be back with the lemonade soon.” My mom walked up the stairs and we continued where we left off.

“So…” Rarity turned her head towards Sunset and smirked. “We’re all ears”

Sunset sighed. “Alright. I’ll speak. To be honest, I want to tell you all about it.” My tough friend smiled. She was flushing again. Whoever her admirer is, she must really like them. “Who asked me out was…” Sunset took her time to answer. She glanced from each to us to see our reactions. Fluttershy was patient, Pinkie Pie was smiling wider every second, and I think she was leaning closer to Sunset each passing moment, Applejack was just smirking, I waited patiently as well, but Rarity was about to pull her hair off. She had a weird expression and one of her eyes were twitching.

“COULD YOU PLEASE JUST TELL US ALREADY?” The fashionista lost the little patience she had.

Sunset chuckled before speaking again. “Okay, yes. I won’t prolong it any longer. I had a date with… Trixie.”

“T-Trixie?” Rarity’s impatience turned into confusion. “Are you serious?”

“But... She was really mean to us ever since we met.” Fluttershy said hiding behind her hair. .

“She was kind to me. At least she didn’t push me away.” I joined the conversation.

“She was?” Sunset glanced at me.

I nodded. “The weekend before my transfer to Canterlot High we had a small conversation, and on my first day, she did tell me where the Principal’s office was before all of you welcomed me.”

“So she did?” The equestrian girl smiled. “Thank you for telling me, Twilight.”

“Yer goin’ to keep datin’ her?” Applejack was curious. I think she was still processing it.

“Yes. But I won't lie, I had my doubts at first, but after our first date? Turns out Trixie is a lot nicer than we thought... And, I also kind of started to like her.” Sunset kept blushing and smiling. I wonder what it is to be in love.

“How do you feel?” Sunset glanced at me when I spoke. She looked a little confused, but then smiled again.

“I feel... Happy. There's this warmth within me whenever I think of Trixie, that I am pretty sure wasn't there before our date. Speaking on which, she was just so nervous during the whole thing, it was just so darn cute!” Sunset giggled and our friends exchanged confused looks. The equestrian girl blushed more, but this time of embarrassment. “S-Sorry... Anyways, I don't know if she's ready to approach me when I am with you, girls. Or approach you guys in general. Despite how Trixie acts, she's actually pretty self-conscious, so... It might take awhile before she’s ready to meet you all properly, so please, give her more time, okay?” Sunset turned her head towards Pinkie Pie. “That goes double for you, Pinkie.”

“Aww, but I wanted to throw you two a surprise 'congratulations-for-becoming-a-couple' party! I was even planning to invite her to our next slumber party.”

“I'm sorry, Pinkie. But for now, let her do things at her own pace, please?”

“Okay…” Pinkie Pie kept pouting. “But you have to pinky promise me that you will let me throw you two a party on the day Trixie is finally ready to be one of our bestest friends as well.”

Sunset smiled brightly. “I pinky promise.” Pinkie Pie grinned as she clasped her hands together while our friends exchanged looks again. Then, Rarity smiled at the fiery girl.

“Well, Sunset, darling, if you say you’re happy, then we’re happy for you. Right, girls?” Rarity turned her head towards the rest of our friends.

“Ah support you, Sunset. If you say Trixie isn’t as bad, ah believe you.” Applejack smiled as she spoke.

“I’ll support you too.” Fluttershy said.

“Oh, me too, me too!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed excitedly.

“Trixie looks like a good person, Sunset. You should definitely keep dating her.” I said as I placed a hand on my friend’s shoulder. I don’t know the history between Trixie and my friends, but I don’t see her like a bad person.

Sunset’s eyes got wet. She got emotional. “Thank you… all of you…”

“Group hug!” Pinkie Pie shouted before she pulled the equestrian girl into a tight hug. Soon, all of my friends embraced her. I decided to join in as well. We hugged until the door of my basement opened and Rainbow Dash started to walk down the staircase. She was carrying a tray with glasses full of lemonade.

“Alright, I’m back with the juice! Is the cheesy mood gone already?” Our athletic friend asked as she stood before us.

“Come on, Rainbow, don’t be like that. Don’t you at least want to know who I’m dating? I swear, we’ll say no more.” It looks like Sunset got a little hurt by Rainbow Dash’s behavior. Rainbow glanced to each of our friends, including me, then groaned.

“Fine. I suppose learning the name won’t kill me.” Rainbow Dash placed the tray with lemonades on a nearby table. “Hit me.” She said after taking a glass and starting to drink from it.

“Okay…” The fiery girl took a deep breath and released it shortly afterwards. “Rainbow, my secret admirer was… Trixie.”

Rainbow spat the juice she was drinking on me. “TRIXIE?!” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as she yelled. She glanced at me after realizing what she did. “Oh, sorry, Twilight.”

“It’s okay…” I said as I took off my glasses to clean them.

“How inconsiderate of you, Rainbow Dash!” Rarity scolded our friend as she took a napkin and helped me to clean my face.

“Thank you.” I said. Rarity smiled at me as in saying ‘You’re welcome.’

“What were you expecting? I can barely tolerate that girl!” Rainbow Dash replied back.

“Rainbow-” Sunset frowned at the rainbow-haired girl. “I know the news isn’t easy to swallow, but please, be careful with what you say. This is my girlfriend you’re talking about.”

“G-Girlfriend?” Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. “Are you serious?”

The fiery girl nodded. “She’s not as bad as you think. You should give her a chance.”

“Are you asking me to become her friend?” Rainbow Dash’s face showed signs of disgust.

“No.” Sunset shook her head. “But when and if she wants to talk to you, don’t dismiss her right away.”

Our athletic friend glanced to each of us. After realizing she wouldn’t find support, she sighed in defeat. “Fine. I’ll be… n-nice to her.”

“That’s all I ask, thank you.” Sunset smiled as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah, well…” Rainbow Dash smirked. “You’re my friend, Sunset. I might not be able to stand Trixie, but if you like her and you’re going to see her often. I suppose I should give it a try, right? Wait… are you crying…?”

I glanced at Sunset. She, indeed, had her eyes wet. “Oh, Rainbow… that’s so mature of you!” The fiery girl hugged Rainbow Dash tightly.

“Yay, another group hug!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed before she and the rest of my friends hugged Rainbow Dash and Sunset. I sighed and smiled as I joined the hug. I honestly don't know how I could've lived this long without friends.

My friends left hours later after they helped me to set up my lab. While Spike took a nap, I decided that the first thing to do was to place all my research of magic inside a safe. My findings caused too much harm to me, my friends and my school. It’s dangerous to continue with further investigations. At least for now.

I should probably destroy everything; however, it would be a crime against science to do so. Maybe, one day, I’ll be able to keep with this research, taking the necessary precautions, of course.

When I was organizing my files, I came across the blueprint for my spectrometer, alongside the remains of the device itself after Sunset destroyed it. I decided to keep the fragments so it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. This invention of mine was responsible of everything. It turned me into that… monster. Everything I despise about myself came to the surface. I forgot who I was. My only concern was gathering more magic and power. But Spike, Sunset and my friends helped me to wake up. They gave me a new life and I’m able to distract myself from the Midnight incident. I hope I never have to deal with her again.

After placing my research in the safe and closing it, I moved on to my next task. We recently replaced our DVD players and I asked my parents to keep one of the old devices to study it. I’ll see if a local electronics shop has a VCR later to compare the technology. It’s so exciting! Spike woke up after I unscrewed the electronic device.

“Looks like you didn’t take long to get back to business.” My pet commented after yawning.

“Oh, hi, Spike. How did you sleep?” I smiled at Spike before continuing with my work.

“I slept just fine.” Spike said as he stretched. “Fluttershy really made me relax.”

“Yeah, taking care of animals seems to be her thing.” I glanced at my pet again, still smiling. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

“I need to use a tree.” The small dog sat, wagging his tail in happiness.

“I’ll open the door for you, then.” I said as I placed my tools aside. I walked up the stairs with Spike behind me and opened the basement’s door.

“Thank you!” Spike rushed outside. I giggled. He must've really wanted to go. I walked back downstairs and took my screwdriver. However, just as I was about to continue where I left off, my cell phone started to ring. I took it from my lab coat’s pocket and a smile instantly appeared on my face upon seeing the caller.

“Hello, Aria! I’m glad you called.”

“Really? Why is that?” My friend asked curiously.

“Just because. I’m happy when my friends call me.”

“I see.” I could feel my friend was smiling. She sounds friendlier than the last time she called me. “How are you?”

“I’m… fine. Better than fine, actually. My lab’s is all settled and I’m using it!”

“Are you plotting to bring the dead back to life? Because that would be cool.” Was she serious? She can’t be… right?

“U-Umm… no…” My smile faded.

“I’m just joking, Twilight. Have you ever heard of Dr. Junkensteen? That mad scientist from that old novel? There’s even movies and lots of references in T.V. shows.”

Of course, she was joking. How stupid of me… “I-I’m sorry.. I do love literature, but I usually avoid horror.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing. I have a movie I wanted to show you. It’s about an aggressive extraterrestrial life form who hunts seven defenseless people in space. It’s one of the best movies I have ever watched.”

“I-I don’t know… sounds horrifying.”

“We’ll watch it during the day and I won’t raise the volume all the way up. Plus, I’ll be there to warn you of the jump scares.”

My heart skipped a beat. I also had a warm feeling which I have had before. What’s triggering it? I have to get to the bottom of this. I’ll add it to my mental list. “Is that extraterrestrial… scary looking?” I can’t let Aria know I’m feeling weird. It mostly happens when I’m talking to her.

“It does, but it’s also messy. It looks like an anthropomorphic black cockroach and is constantly drooling. But… if you really don’t want to watch it…”

“N-No, it’s okay. It’s just a movie after all.” All my life I have avoided scary movies. I know I won’t like this one much. Why am I saying yes?

“Are you sure? Because I have other movies to watch. Not all of them are thriller or horror.”

“And we’ll watch them too! Eventually. Horror movie or not, I can’t let pass the opportunity to watch more VHS tapes.”

“If you’re really okay with it, I’ll keep it in mind for after our second movie gathering. I did promise to rent Wraithbusters 2, after all.”

“Oh, right!” I giggled. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Just wait until we watch it and you’ll regret doing so.”

“I’ll be the one to judge that.” I started to play with my screwdriver while I was speaking to my friend.

“Be my guest.” Aria seemed to be in a great mood, which gave me confidence. It was my turn to ask her to do something with me. My friends are always inviting me to join them in different activities. I have the opportunity to do it myself this time. I better speak now before the silence prolongs too much.

“So… Aria…”

“Yes?”

This is it. Come on, Twilight, you can do it! It’s just a friendly activity. Nothing to be afraid of. “I-I want to ask you… If it’s okay with you, that is, do you want to join me in one of my hobbies?”

“Umm… sure? Yeah, why not? What’s this mysterious hobby of yours?”

“It’s… astronomy. I love stargazing. The stars are so beautiful, and the cosmos… breathtaking. Have you ever watched the night sky with a telescope?”

“I never owned a telescope. They’re too expensive.” I think I just blew it. I should have known. She barely has resources to afford a place to live. Is this how you intend to keep your friends, Twilight?! “But… I also have never thought on stargazing. It might be… interesting. I’m in.”

“You’re in?” I… didn’t ruin anything? “You want to… watch the stars with me?”

“Yeah, why not? It might be fun. When do you want to do it?”

“U-Umm… is tonight, after nightfall, too soon? I can’t tomorrow since I must go to school on Monday. Otherwise we’ll have to wait for next week.”

“Tonight’s good.”

I grinned. This is going to be so exciting! I must get ready at once. “I can’t wait for tonight, then! We’re going to have so much fun! I’ll take my portable telescope to the park in which we met to read for the first time. Do you remember where it is?”

“I do.” My friend chuckled. “Wow, Twilight. You’re just as excited as when you saw my VCR. I suppose it wouldn’t be your hobby if you didn’t love doing it.”

My cheeks got warm. “Y-Yeah… that’s true.” I placed a hand to my chest. I could feel my heart beating faster than normal. Was it because of how nervous I was to ask Aria to stargaze with me tonight? It had to be. I only felt this warmth after asking her. “I’ll teach you about the constellations we spot. That is, if you don’t mind…”

“I don’t-” Aria wasn’t able to finish her sentence. I heard the sound of someone taking the phone from her. The next thing I knew is that a different voice spoke to me over the phone. A familiar one.

“Hello, Twilight! It’s Sonata! Do you remember me?”

“H-Hi. Yes, I remember you. How are you?”

“I’m doing great! Oh! Since we last saw each other, I got a job! It’s amazing! I’m-”

“Sonata, give me back the phone. I’m using it!” I heard Aria trying to grab the phone from Sonata.

“But I want to talk to her! Why are you the only one who can?!”

“You’ll see her again another time, but you can’t take the phone from me while I’m still talking!”

“Give the phone back to Aria, Sonata. She’s right.” I heard a third voice I didn’t recognize. Whoever it was, she convinced Sonata. She moaned sadly and then I heard Aria speak again.

“Sorry about that. My younger sister tends to get in my business.”

“I’m only three minutes younger than you!” I heard Sonata complain at the background.

“It still counts!” Aria’s voice wasn’t completely clear. She must have turned her head to yell at her sister.

“Don’t worry, I know how’s that’s like. I used to be like her with my brother.” I smiled as I sat on my chair.

“Used to?”

“Shining Armor moved to live on his own a couple of years ago. He works as a police officer and I don’t see him as much as before.” My smile faded just as quickly as it appeared. My brother and I were very close. After he became an officer he got so busy and I can only hear his voice when he calls me once in a while. I miss him…

“I’m… sorry to hear that, Twilight.”

It’s okay.” I smiled faintly. “I’m going to hang up. It has been a while since I used my portable telescope and I need to check if it’s in one piece.”

“Alright. I’ll see you tonight, then. Later.”

“Bye.” I hung up and placed the phone on the table before standing up. I think the telescope is at the attic. I climbed the staircase and opened the door. Spike was on the other side.

“Hi, Twilight! I heard you talking. Who was it?”

“It was Aria.” I smiled at my pet. “We’re going to meet tonight at the Greystone Park to stargaze. I must prepare everything.”

“Sounds like fun! Can I join?” Spike waved his tail in happiness.

“I don’t know, Spike. You’re always tired by nightfall.”

“But I want to be with you!” Spike dropped his head in sadness. I smiled more as I picked him up.

“I know, Spike. Hmm… how about this? If you’re awake before I leave, you’ll come with me.”

“Deal!” Spike started to lick me all over my face, making me giggle.

“Alright, boy, that’s enough.” My pet stopped, but he kept waving his tail. I hugged him before walking towards the attic. “Will you help me to find my old telescope?”

“Sure thing, Twilight!”

In the end, Spike fell asleep before I left my house to meet with Aria. He looked so cute and peaceful sleeping on my bed that it would have been a pity waking him up. I put a blanket on him before leaving. I’ll make sure to get him a treat tomorrow.

With my portable telescope in my bag, I headed towards Greystone Park to meet with Aria. I realized that I forgot to tell her where exactly to meet. Fortunately, she was expecting me on the same picnic table I waited for her the last time we met here.

“Well, well. Look who decided to finally show up.” My friend said as she stood up, crossing her arms.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Were you waiting for long?”

“Nah, not really.” Aria smirked. She then glanced at my backpack. “Your telescope is in there? I thought they were supposed to be bigger.”

“Yes, but I brought a smaller and more practical one. I leave the big one at the balcony of my room.” I explained as I placed my bag on the table and opened it.

“That’s… understandable.” I smiled at my friend before starting to assemble the telescope. “Do you need help?”

“Yes, actually. I’m about to finish with the mount. Would you be so kind to pass me the optical tube?”

“The what?” Aria raised an eyebrow, confused. I smiled at her.

“The body. That big tube over there?”

“Oh…” Aria facepalmed. “Tube, right. Yes, I’m going.” My friend gave me what I requested and I adjusted the optical tube on its place.

“Great, now I need the finderscope.”

“What again?”

I giggled before pointing at the object. “The smaller tube over there.”

“Alright.” Aria assisted me during the entire process of setting up the telescope. After we finished, I took the astronomy book I always use for stargazing. “What’s that?”

“You said you were okay with me teaching you a little about astronomy.”

“Ah, yes. Okay.” My friend glanced at the sky. “Shall we get started? I see some stars already.”

“Sure! Just let me take this to the floor.” I said before taking hold of my telescope. Aria placed her hands on it as well to help me. “Thank you, Aria, but it’s not really that heavy.”

“Just let me. I’ll feel useful that way.” My friend smirked.

I smiled at her. “If you insist.” After placing the telescope on the floor and taking the book from the picnic table. Then I realized I forgot something. “Oh, no… I didn’t bring a blanket.”

“A blanket? What for?”

“To sit on it. I have one, but I used it to cover my dog, Spike, with it. My skirt will get dirty with the grass.”

“So?” Aria said before sitting on the ground. “It’s no big deal. You can wash it afterwards. Don’t you have other clothes to use?”

“Y-Yes, but…” I placed a hand on my other arm. I didn’t like getting my clothes dirty if I could avoid it. But Aria reached a hand at me. She was smiling slightly.

“Come on, join me. It’s not the end of the world.” I felt my cheeks warm by her request. When I touched her hand, my entire body felt hotter. My heart pounded faster as I held Aria’s hand. It kept beating even after I released her hand when I sat down. “See? Just clean your butt when you stand up and you’re all set.”

“I-I guess…” I accommodated my glasses with my index finger before opening the astronomy book. I cleared my throat before speaking again. “Alright, just let me find the page about the constellations… here it is.” I gazed upon the stars to find any star formation. “We’re lucky. The night sky is beautiful today. Look at all those stars. There are a few clouds, but they won’t be spoiling our night.”

“Enlighten me, cub.” When Aria called me by that nickname, I glanced at her. I could feel my blush. It was like if my entire face was on fire. Why? I-I can’t think on that now. I must focus on the stars.

“R-Right…” I'll get to the bottom of this later. “Let me see. Umm… oh! Look over there! See?” I pointed at the sky. “That’s Virgo, or The Maiden. This constellation represents almost every powerful woman of the Greek mythology, including Athena, Artemis, Persephone and Demeter. She’s usually carrying a grain of wheat and a staff. Can you see it?”

“I-I think so… it requires a lot of imagination.”

“Not really. See the brightest star of the constellation? That’s Spica. It’s the grain of wheat. In Latin, Spica means ‘ear of wheat’.”

“You didn’t even look at the book…” My friend commented. I smiled at her.

“It’s one of my passions. For me, this is a perfect night.” My gaze turned to the sky again. “Over there? That’s Draco. It can be seen all year round. Draco is only present in the Northern Hemisphere, so those living in the Southern Hemisphere will never see this long constellation. Unless they come here.”

“Ha! We got all the constellations with amazing backstories!” Aria said with a smirk.

“Not really. The south has constellations which we can’t appreciate. Like Mensa. Its name is Latin for table, though it originally commemorated Table Mountain and was known as Mons Mensae. It’s one of the faintest constellations in the night sky, Mensa contains no apparent bright stars. The brightest, Alpha Mensae, is barely visible in suburban skies. Photopollution can destroy the view sometimes. Light is no issue away from the city, however.”

“By photopollution you mean the lights of the city?” Aria glanced at me.

I nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, I love technology and what it’s capable of, but sometimes I wish everyone turned off the lights for an hour. Watching the night sky with nothing blocking it is a breathtaking experience.”

“I have to admit, gazing at the stars makes me feel… peaceful. There's always something in my mind bugging me. But now? Now I have no worries.” My friend laid on the grass, using her arms to support the back of her head. “I wish I've tried this earlier.” While I watched my friend, a cloud which was blocking the moon moved. The moonlight hit Aria. She looked… beautiful.

She doesn’t seem to care about her personal appearance, but even with her natural look, she was… radiant. Her smirk, her eyes, her hair… wh-what am I saying? I feel warmth within me again. Why does this happen whenever I’m with Aria? W-Wait… what did Sunset say about what she feels when she’s with Trixie? Warmth. Happiness. It’s like what I feel with Aria. Could it be possible…? N-No! It can’t be, can it? I-I’m not sure! This isn’t of my expertise. It’s too soon to jump to conclusions. I need to ask questions. But if I go to Sunset, she’ll ask me about Aria. I need someone who I can trust and knows about Aria. Like Cadence! Yes, she’ll help me.

“Is something up?”

“Wh-What?” Aria woke me up from my thoughts. I shook my head. I think I have been staring at my friend for too long. My body was boiling! But it could be because of the embarrassment. That would also explain the ridiculous speed of my heart rate.

“Are you okay?” Aria sat up. Her expression had signs of worry. She’s definitely the protective type. This was evident by how she stood up for me yesterday. I still think she went too far, but she stopped when I called her. That’s why I’m still comfortable of having her as a friend. She has a short temper, but her fury doesn’t fully blind her.

“Y-Yes, I’m fine.” I smiled at her before quickly glancing at the moon. I hope it doesn’t give away my red face. “With the moon no longer obstructed, we can take a closer look with it with the telescope.”

“So, we actually get to use that thing?” Aria chuckled. “I was starting to think you brought it just for decoration.”

I smiled before placing my eye on the finderscope. “Just let me adjust it and… done! Here, take a look.” Aria moved closer to me and placed her eye on the optical tube. She was so close to me that if I moved an inch, I would touch her. That was causing my undefined feelings to get even worse... And yet, a part of me wants to get even closer to Aria

“Woah! It's almost like I could stretch my hand and touch it! This is amazing!”

“You can borrow the book I brought if you want. I think you’ll enjoy it.”

“I can’t say no to that.” My friend didn’t move her eye from the telescope. I felt free to look at Aria without her noticing. The lights from the stars and the moon did wonders with her. Whatever is going on with me, I don’t really mind it. I’m starting to enjoy this.

Unexpected Meeting

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Aria's P.O.V.

Sunday, oh glorious Sunday! If not for one thing, today would be my favorite day of the week. This is one of the days we take out the trash. However, since it's not my turn, I am not as bothered as usual. But by Adagio's request, I tied up the trash bag before we headed towards Sonata, who was watching T.V.

“Okay, Sonata, it’s garbage day. You’re up.” My older sister said, while she pointed to the trash bag in my hand.

Sonata frowned and stood up, placing a hand on her hip and pointed at Adagio with her other hand. “Adagio! How dare you talk about Aria that way!” Wh-what?! Did she just…?! Oh, Sonata. Watch your own words or I'll throw you in the dumpster myself!

“I’m talking about the trash bag, Sonata.” Adagio crossed her arms. “Dispose of it.”

“Why me? I thought it was Aria’s turn!” My younger sister whined.

“I took out the trash last time.” I said between my teeth. It was easy to lose my patience with Sonata. “First it was Adagio, then it was me, and now it's you. Get on with it!” With my last words, I gave Sonata the trash bag. She took it and pouted before slowly walked towards the front door.

“The faster you walk, the sooner you’ll get it done!” Adagio said as I walked away from the room. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll wash my hands. I don’t want to stain the book Twilight lent me with dirt.”

“That sorceress one you’re so obsessed about?” I turned my head to see my older sister. She had a smug smile on her face.

“No, it's a different book. It’s about… astronomy? I think that’s the name.”

“Astronomy would make sense since you two did have that date under the stars last night.”

“It wasn’t a date! We just hung out!” Her comment made me blush hard. Adagio’s smirk got even bigger when she saw the reaction she was expecting.

“No need to get so defensive. I thought you liked her.” Adagio still had a smug look on her face.

“I don’t! Well, I do, but not in that way!”

“Oh, so you DO like her after all? I never thought you would ever consider someone a friend.”

“I-I’m…!” I can’t believe I fell for that one. My skin got even more red. “Why, you!” Adagio started to chuckle just as Sonata returned.

“What are you talking about?” My younger sister grinned, as usual.

“About Aria’s friend.” Adagio replied, smiling at Sonata.

“Oh! When are you going to invite her over again?!” Sonata got all excited all of the sudden. Damn it, Adagio!

“Whenever I want. I don’t need to tell you when I do.” I said, crossing my arms and looking away from them.

Adagio sighed before speaking again. “Don’t be like that, Aria. We just want to meet her. What’s wrong about that?”

I glanced from each of my sisters. They weren’t going to let the subject go, so I had to give them an answer. “If I bring her here while you’re around, you’ll overwhelm her with questions. She’s not the kind of person to corner.“ Although the real reason I haven’t invited Twilight over while they’re here was because I simply didn't want to, this was also true.

“We can be polite. We promise to be kind to her.” Adagio said.

“She didn’t seem so shy when I spoke to her last time. But we got this, Aria. Promise!” Sonata grinned as she spoke. If I keep saying no, they’ll keep insisting. I have no choice, have I?

“Fine…” I groaned. There’s no way I wouldn’t show my distaste. “I’ll… try to ask her over. When you’re around. Would you please stop bothering me now?”

“We will when we meet her.” Adagio smirked while Sonata giggled. I groaned again and walked out of the room. I need a break from them. Fortunately, Twilight has given me another mean to avoid my sisters’ questions. Let’s give this Astronomy thing a shot. Twilight made it sound interesting. Will it still be interesting if I only have the book and no stars nor friend with me?

Turns out, Astronomy can be fun even if all I have is a book. Not as much fun as last night, but I still learned a thing or two. If I keep reading, I’ll be able to spot some of the constellations on my own.

But after reading for a while, I needed a break. Sonata and Adagio are using the T.V., so all I can do is... go for a walk. I’m not fond of the idea, but it’s my only option.

“I’m going for a walk. I’ll come back… I don’t know, before dinner.”

“A walk? You?” Adagio raised an eyebrow at me. “Aria, are you feeling alright?”

“Whatever.” I put on my hoodie and walked towards the door, but Sonata turned around, placing her arms on the back of the couch.

“Winter ended like two months ago. Won’t you be hot wearing that?”

“I’m not leaving without it. I don’t care if it’s a hot day or not. Goodbye.” Before my sisters said something else, I walked out the house. Finally, some peace! My sisters were talking and laughing too loud. I couldn’t read in peace.

I am not used to go on walks, so I don't have a route. All I want is not to return too quickly. Downtown is a good place to start. The Greystone Park is around an hour from here, so that will do. Walking such a long distance… I think I never did this before. I’m already feeling the sweat. But I don’t care.

It was boring, to say the least. When I reached downtown, I did stop to check some shops just to do something. I had no money with me. It had been several months since the last time I was around here. I didn't return ever since… no! I must not remember that night. But… It has been a real long time. Thinking about it doesn’t irritate me as much as before. I still avoid Canterlot High School, though.

I needed to sit down to rest my feet. The closest place to find seats was Greystone Park. I’ll take fifteen minutes, maybe, and then I’ll return. My intention was to sit at the same picnic table I have like the other times I came here. However, it was taken by a couple. They were sitting on opposite sides and were holding their hands. The guy was probably flirting in whispers since the woman was giggling like an idiot. How disgustingly cheesy. I turned around and tried to find another seat, but they were all occupied. Just wonderful. I guess I’ll have to sit on the grass. I walked away as far from that couple as I could. I had my eyes focused on them so I could see when my view was blocked. By not looking where I was going, I bumped into someone.

“Hey, watch where you’re going, you… oh.” The person I crashed into was visibly angry, but she fell silent when she laid her eyes on me. I intended to scare her away, but instead, I gasped. This person, this girl… she was familiar. She had a silver hair and was wearing a magician hat and cape decorated with stars. She must have recalled my face too because she didn’t say another word. Instead, she stared at me. Her jaw was dropped and her eyes wide. Don’t tell me she’s from-

“Trixie, can I take this off now?” Another familiar voice. Someone covered with a blanket with the same decorations as the magician’s clothing approached. “Are you there? Don’t tell me you went to hide again. You won’t fool me twice!” The magician grabbed the blanket from her companion and took it off. The person who was under that blanket… I do remember her… Sunset Shimmer! “Hey, be careful You want to take my nose off or what?” Shimmer frowned at the girl beside her as she rubbed her nose. The magician, however, didn’t look at her. Instead, she pointed at me with her head.

“Does she… look familiar to you?”

“Who?” Shimmer glanced towards me and then gasped. “W-Wait, yes!” She scowled at me. “You're one of the Sirens, aren't you?”

“One of the Sirens?” The girl beside Shimmer said before slowly walking behind her to seek cover.

“Yes, I would never forget their faces.” The equestrian said without taking her eyes off me. “What are you doing back here? Revenge?”

“What I’m doing is none of your business, Sunset Shimmer.” I walked closer to them and they backed away in response. Rage was growing within me. “I was having a good day until you showed up. Get out of my damn sight or I’ll break your nose!”

“Don’t you dare threaten her!” The girl from behind Sunset had a brave moment and stepped forward. Her tone was angry, but her body was trembling in fear. Is she serious? Does she think she can face me like that? I don’t know what’s going through her head, but all I see is a simple lamb trying to stand up to a ferocious wolf. I closed my fist as I started to growl. As expected, the magician pathetically returned to her guardian dog, who got on guard. I really wanted to punch her. My anger demanded it. Because of her and her stupid friends, I had to survive on a house which is barely standing. My blood was boiling. I knew hitting them would fill me with pleasure. I had to do it! I raised my fist, cried in anger loudly and...!

I punched a tree which was next to me.

I started to pant as my frustration slowly vanished. No matter how much I wanted to punch Sunset Shimmer on her face… I couldn’t do it. If Twilight finds out I attacked someone else, I would make her unhappy. Especially someone from her new school. I couldn’t risk losing my only friend. I looked around. The entire park was looking at me. I grunted and removed my fist from the tree. It was bleeding. Just great. I’ll have to wash and bandage it. I turned around and realized the two annoyances were still there, glaring at me. “What are you two still doing here? Isn’t it clear enough that I want nothing to you with you?”

“I’m not leaving without answers.” Shimmer refused to remove her eyes from me. I seriously couldn't stand her.

“Answers?” I looked away from them. “There’s none. I’m trapped in this world and without magic. What do you expect me to do?”

“You’re saying you’re just living a normal life? Sorry, but I find that hard to believe.” Sunset Shimmer was still with her guard up, as if I could do anything with a bleeding hand.

“Don’t believe me if you don’t want to. It’s not my problem. I have had enough with schools and its stupid students. You’re as annoying as those rich idiots from that Crystal school… something.”

“You mean the Crystal Preparatory Academy?” Sunset Shimmer raised an eyebrow. “Why were you even there?”

“I was doing someone a favor. There! You have an answer. Will you leave me alone now?” I crossed my arms and kept avoiding looking at them.

“A favor? Wait…” The equestrian girl relaxed her body and, for a second, seemed to be in lost thought. Then, she pointed a finger at me. “Do you know Twilight Sparkle? Not the one who sang with us at the Battle of Bands, but a girl with thick glasses and hair tied up in a ponytail?”

I quickly glanced at them. My eyes widened. "N-No way... Don't tell me that... You're the friends she's always talking about...”

“You are her secret friend? Really?” Sunset Shimmer and her companion were now confused. “That doesn’t make any sense!”

“I don’t care if it doesn’t make sense to you. Things are going well. Don’t ruin this, Sunset Shimmer. I’m warning you.”

“If you’re corrupting Twilight's mind, of course I’ll stop you! You’re not exactly a good influence.”

“I don’t intend to corrupt her in any way. All I want is a quiet life with my sisters and my only friend. Damn it, my hand hurts!” I grabbed the wrist of my injured hand with my other hand. The blood was covering the knuckles. To hell with this. I’m leaving.

“There’s… a faucet over here.” I glanced at Shimmer when she spoke. She was more relaxed but was still frowning. “Follow us.”

My initial reaction was to decline, but I do need to wash this hand. I grunted and followed them. When we reached the faucet, I turned the valve to wash my bleeding hand. I could feel Sunset Shimmer and her companion behind me. Probably looking at each other. They better don’t expect a ‘thank you’ from me.

“Trixie, do you have napkins with you?” The equestrian said.

“I think I have some.” I heard footsteps fading away. The magician returned shortly after. I turned my head around and saw Sunset Shimmer walking towards me with tissues.

“Here you go. Keep pressing until…”

“Yeah, yeah.” I turned off the faucet and grabbed the napkins to use them as temporal bandages. “Do me a favor. If you see me again, just ignore me.”

“I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt only because you went with Twilight to the Crystal Prep.” Shimmer crossed her arms and was still frowning. “She speaks fondly of you and respects your privacy. Don’t betray her trust or you’ll be sorry.”

“Your threats mean nothing to me. Besides, there’s nothing for you to worry about.” I said before turning around and walking away. I didn’t look back, but I’m sure they would keep their eyes on me until I was out of sight. The Rainbooms… Of course Twilight would be friends with those girls! That’s just my luck.

“Welcome back, Aria.” Adagio received me with a smile, but her expression changed when she saw my bad mood. “Something happened?” Her eyes shifted to my bandaged hand. “Care to give me an explanation?”

“Where’s Sonata?” I asked after taking a look around. She was nowhere to be seen nor she came to give me one of her cheerful welcomes. Which I’m not exactly missing.

“She went to the store.” My older sister said before crossing her arms. She had a worried expression. “Don’t dodge my question. What’s going on with you, Aria?”

“I just stumbled across two of Twilight’s friends. I hit a tree to avoid punching them. Take a guess who they are.” Anger was clear in my voice.

“We don’t know many people here, so… the Rainbooms?” I growled as I nodded. Adagio’s eyes widened, then she smiled and started to laugh out loud. I looked at her. One of my eyes was twitching. What’s so funny? “I-I’m sorry, Aria. But you have to admit it’s a little bit funny. I mean, what are the odds?!” My older sister said before laughing again.

“It’s not!” I grunted and tried to go to my room, but Adagio called me after her laughter died.

“W-Wait!” I glanced at her. Her mocking expression was gone. “Does this mean you’ll stop seeing Twilight?”

I must admit, I didn’t think about that. Still seeing Twilight meant that I would most likely encounter her friends at one point. But even after learning who her friends are… I still enjoy spending time with Twilight. Sunset Shimmer mentioned that Twilight spoke well of me and never revealed my name. She respects my privacy. There's no way I'm going to stop seeing her. “Who said anything about breaking contact? Just because Twilight’s my friend, it doesn’t mean I have to be friends with everybody.” After giving my sister the answer she wanted, she smiled and walked towards me.

"I'm glad to hear that. Now, allow me to treat that hand of yours before anything." I nodded and followed Adagio. After she's done with my hand, it will be time for a book. Young Sorceress Academia is calling me and it’s just what I need to brighten my day.

Chemical Equilibrium

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Twilight's P.O.V.

One Week Later

I was at a park with my Canterlot High friends and Spike, chatting and laughing lightheartedly. I had a tennis ball with me. My friends and I took turns to play with Spike. We got ice-creams and drinks, then, Pinkie Pie lent me her kite. I couldn’t stop smiling, I was having so much fun!

While flying the kite, I spotted someone at the distance. I focused my attention on the person and saw that it was Aria. I grinned and gave the kite back to Pinkie Pie before running towards my other friend. When I was about to reach her, I opened my arms. I tried to hug her, but I kept going. Something was wrong. I turned around and realized I went straight through my friend. Aria didn’t even turn around. Her body started to turn into smoke. My other friends and Spike shared the same destiny. They were gone. Wh-What’s going on? In a blink of an eye, everything turned dark and a strange fog appeared. This was familiar. I’m not liking this…

I took a step forward and realized that I stepped into something. I ducked to pick up the object. I recognized it, it’s my spectrometer! What is it doing here? Where is here?! Why am I having this dream again? I need answers!

“Well, well. Look who finally came to visit. I knew you would show up sooner or later.” I gasped. That voice… I heard it before, but I couldn't remember from where. I turned around, trying to find the source of the voice, but without any luck.

“Who are you?! Why are you here?”

“I never left this place. I remained here, waiting for your return so we could continue where we left of.”

“What are you talking about?” This was getting eerie. I still couldn’t remember where I heard the voice before, but something was telling me it was best not to.

“Our quest, of course. There’s so much we can achieve. So much to be done.” As the voice spoke, a shadow appeared below me. It started to climb up my legs and waist. I tried to move but was unable to do so. I screamed from the top of my lungs while the voice’s laughter echoed until the shadow covered me completely and couldn’t scream any longer.

I opened my eyes shut and sat up on my bed in an instant as I panted. Wh-what was that dream about?! It was terrifying!

“Ouch, Twilight! Why did you do that?”

“Huh?” I glanced towards my feet. Spike was there, rubbing his head with his paw. He must have been sleeping on my chest until… oh, no… “Spike, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”

“Just surprised. If you don’t want me to sleep on you, you can just tell me.” My pet looked down. He seemed upset. Oh, poor thing…

“That’s not it, Spike. I was having a bad dream.” I stroked Spike’s head as I spoke. “I got startled and woke up abruptly. Come here.” I opened my arms and Spike looked at me. He waved his tail and jumped into my arms, allowing me to hug him. “You’re such a good boy. Why would I not like having you sleep with me? I love you.”

“I love you too, Twilight!” Spike said before licking me all over my face. I giggled before putting my glasses on to glance at my alarm clock. It was just five minutes before it sets off, so I deactivated it.

“Looks like it’s time to get up. What’s the plan for this Sunday, Spike?” I asked as I got off bed.

“Your parents are going out this afternoon, and Cadence is coming over.”

“Oh, right.” I think my heart skipped a beat. I have to ask Cadence an important question. No matter the answer, I’ll get anxious. If I’m falling for Aria, how am I going to behave around her? If I’m not, then what’s happening to me? I would hate having to stop seeing Aria. I must solve this enigma.

“Twilight? Are you there? Twilight!” I felt Spike’s paws on my legs. I shifted my head towards him. “Are you still sleepy?”

I felt my cheeks warmer as I smiled at him. Spike is really caring. I had no reason to lie. I already told him everything about my problem. “N-No, Spike. I was just thinking about my conversation with Cadence and how I feel about Aria…”

“I’m sure Cadence will have an answer.” I leaned down to scratch my pet on the back of his ears. He leaned his head against my hand and waved his tail, enjoying it.

“Thank you for your support, Spike. Let me get changed and I’ll prepare your meal.”

“Thanks. I’m hungry!”

I giggled. Oh, Spike. Never change.

After Spike and I had our breakfast, I decided to go to my lab to kill some time. However, when I got there, my cell phone started to ring. My caller was Fluttershy.

“Hi, Fluttershy. How are you?"

“I’m fine, thank you…” My friend said with a quiet tone. I think that’s how she usually speaks. “I’m calling because… Rarity was going to give me a hand at the animal shelter I help at this afternoon, but she got busy last minute. A-Are you free?”

“This afternoon? Oh, I’m sorry, Fluttershy, but I’m busy too. I won’t mind joining you next time, though.”

“I would enjoy having your help next week. I’ll see if Applejack is available. Goodbye, Twilight.”

“Wait, Fluttershy.” I heard my friend gasp.

“Y-Yes?”

“Mind if we talk? We haven’t really talked since we met and I would love to get to know you better.”

“Oh… I think you’re right.”

My friend couldn’t see it, but I smiled. She’s almost always silent when we’re all gathered. I’m happy to finally be able to talk to her. “You’re really fond with animals, aren’t you?”

“Oh, they’re my joy. I love them!” Fluttershy’s tone was slightly higher than usual. “I just want to lay on the grass surrounded by as many cute creatures as possible. If only I could take them all home, but I also know each of them has place in nature.”

I giggled. I could notice passion in my friend’s voice. “I’m an animal enthusiast as well. How’s Angel Bunny? Also, I was wondering… how did you get him?”

“He’s doing great. Oh, Twilight, I’ll never forget how we met. One day, while walking on the streets, I found a hungry stray dog. I entered the nearest pet shop to buy some dog food, when I noticed one of the bunnies watched my every move. When I approached, he hopped happily. It was love by first sight. I fed the stray dog and took Angel home. He’s such a cutie.”

“Aww, yes, he's a cutie. He's such an adorable boy.” I glanced down at Spike, who was wagging his tail while looking at me. “I got Spike during the holidays. My brother was about to move out and I was very upset, so he gifted Spike to me. We became inseparable since then.” My eyes became slightly wet upon remembering those holidays. Watching my brother leave was hard, but Spike helped me and still does. Just because I’m surrounded by friends now doesn’t mean I’ll forget about him. He’s my loyal companion, I’ll never abandon him.

“Aww, how nice! But, umm, Twilight…”

“Yes?” I focused my attention on the phone again.

“I would love to talk more. I really do, but… I need to find someone to help me this afternoon...”

“Oh, yes! I’m sorry. I hope Applejack is available. We’ll speak more another day.”

“Yes, thank you. Goodbye, Twilight.”

“Goodbye, Fluttershy.” I hung up, but my smile remained. My friends always filled my heart with warmth. I should probably try to call them next time, but I’m still a little shy. “Come on, Spike. I think I almost uncover the secrets of VCRs.”

“Yes, ma’am!” I giggled at my pet’s remark as I approached to my work table. It’s going to be a fun day!

It’s almost time. Cadence will be here any minute. The time I spent in my lab helped me to distract myself. I also was with my parents until they left and I already took Spike out for a walk. There’s no more distractions now. I already prepared tea. Am I shaking? I feel like I am.

“Twilight, calm down. It’s Cadence. She has always supported you and always will.” Yes, I’m shaking and Spike noticed. I sighed and leaned down to pet him.

“Thank you, Spike, but I’m not worried about what Cadence will think. I’m worried about what she will say.”

“I’m sure those feelings are normal. You enjoy hanging out with her, right?”

“Yes…”

“Then, there’s nothing to worry about.” Spike said as he waved his tail. “As long as you’re happy with her friendship, everything will be okay.”

“Y-Yes, you’re right.” His words brought a smile to my face. I scratched him on the back of his ear, making Spike move one of his rear legs up and down. I giggled, enjoying the moment, until someone rang the doorbell. “I-It must be Cadence…” I said as I stood back up, watching the door.

“Try to relax, Twilight. You don’t want to get her worried.”

I took a deep breath and walked towards the front door while Spike followed me. I grinned before opening the door. “Hi, Cadence.”

“Twilight, hello.” Cadence said before we hugged. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too." I smiled at her. "Come on in, I prepared tea.” I said as I took my friend to the living room.

“Tea sounds wonderful.” Cadence said before looking down at my pet. “Hello to you too, Spike.”

“I’m happy to see you again, Cadence!”

When we reached the living room, Cadence went to sit while I looked for the teapot and two cups. I returned to serve us tea, giving my friend the first cup.

“Thank you, Twilight.” I smiled and served my own tea. I sat beside her afterwards. “How are you? Is your new school still treating you well?”

“It is. So far, no one has been mean to me. I’m… happy! Very happy. My friends are wonderful. I have never felt so welcome in my life. They’re always asking me to join them during lunch or to spend time outside school. It’s a dream come true.”

“I’m glad to hear it. The transfer was just what you needed.” Cadence took a sip of her tea before speaking again. “Now, tell me, when you called last week, you sounded troubled. Is there something I can help you with?” I was drinking from my own tea. I almost choked with it. I managed to swallow, but I coughed a bit. “Oh, I’m sorry, Twilight.”

“It’s fine.” I recovered my smile when I stopped coughing. I tried to speak again, but I got too nervous.

“Take your time. I won’t rush you.”

“Th-Thank you…” I said, as I tried to relax. “How do I begin?” This is it. Ask the question, Twilight! Now’s the time. “Cadence… I’m having… strange feelings for someone.”

“Hmm…” My friend was curious. She placed her tea cup on the coffee table and looked at me. “Good feelings or bad feelings?”

“That’s the problem. I-I don’t know. I need your help to find out what they mean.”

Cadence smiled. “Sure. Describe those feelings to me.”

I gulped and my heart started to race. I don’t know if I’m prepared for this. I glanced to Spike, who waved his tail to give me confidence. I looked back at Cadence and took a deep breath. “I-I feel… embarrassed, maybe? I can’t keep my eyes on my friend for long before turning my gaze away. My body also gets warmer the closer I am. These feelings scare me, but… I also enjoy them. Despite not knowing what’s happening to me, I find myself smiling by this sensation. I want to spend more and more time with my friend. I want to… get closer, and, and hug…” By now, I was feeling like I usually did while thinking about Aria. I couldn’t remove my smile from my face. I glanced at Cadence. She was smiling too. Smiling widely. I stopped talking and kept my eyes on her. Silence ruled the room. A long one. Then, all of the sudden, Cadence squealed and hugged me tightly. She caught me off guard.

“Ahhh! I don’t believe it! My little Twilight has her first crush!”

“C-Crush?” Then it’s true? I find Aria… attractive? “Are you sure?”

My friend looked at me and nodded excitedly. “Yes. Trust me, Twilight, I know about these things. I might not be in a relationship myself, but I enjoy playing cupid with my friends. I never thought I would one day help you with your love life. This… is... so exciting!” Cadence looked at me and realized I was feeling overwhelmed. She let me go and scooted aside. “I’m sorry. I got caught up by the moment.” She cleared her throat before speaking again. “So… who is it? Do I know your crush?”

“U-Umm…” A… crush… My suspicions were not mistaken. How am I going to behave in front of Aria now that I know what my feelings are? I'm sure they will get only worse. “Y-Yes, you do… I have a crush on… A-Aria.”

Cadence frowned. Is she disappointed? Oh, please, don’t be disappointed. “You mean Aria Blaze? The girl who attacked my students?” My heart sank. She’s not going to approve. I can’t believe this will end before it starts. Cadence was still looking at me. I couldn’t form any words, So I closed my eyes and nodded frantically. I couldn't stand seeing her disapproving face. I waited for her next words, but my friend said nothing else. Eventually, I gained courage to open my eyes and looked at Cadence. Her expression was different this time. She was… grinning? Yes, she was. As soon as I glanced at her, she hugged me tightly. Wh-What? “Oh, Twilight! You couldn’t have fallen for a better person!”

“Y-You’re okay with it?” I was still confused, but I was also feeling relief since Cadence was happy about it.

“Of course.” My friend released me from the hug but kept her hands on my shoulders. “Aria told me that she cares about you… a lot. ”

“She does?” A smile instantly appeared in my face as I blushed. With the mystery solved, I could now enjoy the warm feeling within my body.

“I thought you knew. She went with you to the Crystal Preparatory to support you, didn’t she? Only a good friend does that.” Cadence place a hand on mine before speaking again “And she’s one you want to keep around, Twily. If someone is going to look after you, it’s her.”

My heart was beating faster. I-I think my feelings are getting stronger. Aria… I’m so glad to have encountered with you. I’ll make sure I don’t do anything to destroy our friendship. I can’t lose my first crush. I was happy, but suddenly, a thought hit me. I got worried. “But… Cadence, what if she doesn’t feel the same way…?”

“Don’t think like that, Twilight. Plus, it’s still too soon to think about confessing. Take it slow. Keep spending time with her. Get to know her better. If your crush not only persists, but also grows, then we’ll worry about the next step, okay?”

“That… sounds logical.” She’s right. I’m thinking forward in time. I should focus on the present. I need to keep building my friendship with Aria first. “I haven’t seen her for a week, now. I should call her.”

“That’s a good idea.” Cadence smiled before rubbing my hair affectionately. “Feeling better?”

“Actually… Y-Yes.” I placed a hand on my heart to feel how fast it was beating. “I'm relieved to know what the reaction that I was feeling inside me was, but... I am still a little nervous. Talking to Aria has been a little difficult the last time we saw each other. Every time I think of her, I want to hug her, to touch her hand… I easily lose notion of time when she’s around. What can I do to avoid embarrassing myself?”

My friend chuckled. “Oh, Twilight. I’m afraid that the only advice I can give you is… focus. Try not to let your mind wander too much. Keep it busy. When she talks to you, concentrate on her words, nor her eyes. If you sit together to watch T.V., keep your eyes on the television as much as you can. It’s okay to glance as long as you’re cautious. When you hug her, be careful with the length. It’s easy to lose yourself on your crush’s arms.”

I paid close attention to Cadence’s pieces of advice. I won’t lose my first crush because of a silly mistake. “Thank you so much.” I said before standing up. My friend did the same. “Cadence, before you came, I was really anxious. But thanks to you I’m no longer as worried as I was before.”

“I will always be there to help you, Twilight.” Cadence said before hugging me. “I only want the best for you.”

“I know.” I said as I hugged her back “I’m really grateful for having you as my friend.”

Cadence released me from the hug and smiled widely. “Now, tell me, what else have you been up to? How’s your lab?”

“I can show you if you want. I have been doing some research on retro technology.”

“Please, give me a small tour.”

“Gladly.” I lead my friend to the lab while Spike followed us. I smiled at my pet and he waved his tail rapidly. I really had nothing to worry. I don’t mind having feelings on one of my friends. In fact, it just makes me even more happy. I’m imagining hugging Aria. Not any hug, but a more affectionate one. Just thinking about it fills me with joy. If only I could do it for real.

Afternoon at Twilight's

View Online

Aria’s P.O.V.

“Your house? Tomorrow?” It was a slow Sunday. I was just reading the astronomy book Twilight gave me until she called me. She went straight to the point and invited me over to her place.

My friend did a ‘mhm’ noise of confirmation before speaking. “I’m free tomorrow after school! We can meet at the entrance of Greystone Park and head to my home from there. If you’re free, that is?” Twilight asked.

“Yes, I am free. I’ll meet you there.” I replied.

“Yay!” Twilight’s excitement caught me by surprise. I moved the phone away from my ear. “I-I mean… splendid. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Me too. See you tomorrow.” I said back.

“Yeah! See you then, bye!”

I hung up after her last word and stared at the phone. That was… strange, right? She sounded more enthusiastic than usual. Maybe she had a good day. I shrugged it off and turned around to go to my room, but Adagio was standing right in front of me with her arms crossed.

“I thought you were going to take Sonata to the cinema tomorrow.” Oh, damn…

I hit my own forehead with the palm of my hand. “I… forgot. Just great, now I have to call her to cancel-”

“No, no. Don’t worry.” My older sister smirked. “I’ll take her. You go have fun with your friend.”

“Really?” Adagio nodded. She has been acting awfully nice ever since I encountered Twilight and became her friend. I wonder why. I have Adagio here and the subject was brought up. I might as well ask. “Adagio…”

“Hmm?”

“Why is so important to you for me to have a friend? Why have you been… nicer since we turned our lives around?”

Adagio lost her smug smile. Her expression changed to one I rarely see on her. She got gloomy. She dropped her head and headed to the couch to sit down. She then placed her hands between her legs. After taking a deep breath, she spoke. “Have you ever seen a Siren die from magic starvation?”

“I can’t say I did.” I replied without moving from my spot. I’m not sure if I want to have my question answered now, but something tells me I should listen to what my older sister is going to say.

“I did. It’s not a pretty sight, trust me. Do you remember Forte Pulse?”

“Your best friend, yes. Now that you mention her, I always wondered why you suddenly stopped talking about her. Is that… what happened to her?”

Adagio nodded and looked away. “I tried to help her, but it was too late. There was nothing I could do.” Her eyes got wet. I never saw her like this. "She became delirious. At first, she was just disoriented. Then she started to hallucinate, seeing... 'Things' that were not there and hearing voices from nowhere. That led Forte Pulse to become paranoid, afraid to leave her den because she believed something was hunting her. Finally, her fears consumed her mind and she forgot who she was... She forgot who I was... and attacked me."

My eyes widened in horror. What I was hearing was horrible. My sister didn’t look so good at this point. She was pale. “Adagio…” I tried to tell her to stop, but she silenced me by rising her hand.

"The worst part was that her physical health kept deteriorating as well. Forte Pulse's scales lost their luster, her fins began to rot away, she felt pain across her entire body. Every time I saw her, she looked worse. And one day, right before my eyes, I saw her turn into foam while screaming in agony."

Adagio sobbed and cleaned her tears with an arm. “I didn’t want any of us to die like that, so when we saw all that Equestrian magic on that fateful night, I thought that we would never die of magic starvation if we harnessed it all. After we were defeated, memories of Forte Pulse’s last moments of life haunted me again. But then we discovered that we could feed of regular food after our amulets were destroyed. I saw it as a second chance and I didn’t want to waste it.”

“I…” Once again, Adagio interrupted me. My sister stood up. Her sadness was gone and her expression was now more serious. She frowned at me.

“Aria, your friendship with Twilight is your chance to change your life!” She said sternly, clenching her fists. “You’re finally going out more, and you’re getting more interests. Please, keep going. I don’t want you to lock yourself in your room all day. I'm also not asking you to surround yourself with friends, either. I’m just happy with you having at least one.”

I was shocked, to say the least. I had no idea we could suffer such a horrible death. I thought that all that would happen if we didn’t feed of magic was grow weak, not… this. I really hate to admit it, but… the Rainbooms saved our lives. I won’t thank them for it, though. Still, Adagio has a point. I never cared for anyone outside my sisters like I do with Twilight. I value her friendship and I know she values mine. I don’t want to screw this up. “I won’t ruin this, Adagio. Twilight’s cool. When I visit her home, I’ll try to make a good impression. Do you have any advice?”

My sister smiled. “You seem to be doing well on your own. The only thing I can think of is a change of clothes. Oh, and a shower. You haven’t had one in a couple of days.”

I groaned. Adagio has tried to convince me to get more clothing for months, and now she’s taking advantage of the situation to keep insisting. “Fine! I’m going to buy more stupid clothes. And I’ll take a shower before meeting her.”

“Do it today and tomorrow, just to be sure.” My sister said with a smirk smile. She definitely still has an evil streak in her.

“Whatever.” I started to make my way to the bathroom, when Adagio called me.

“Wait, Aria.” I turned my head to give her my full attention. “This goes without saying, but do not mention any of what I told you to Sonata. There’s no need to destroy her happiness by telling her what could have become of us.”

I remained silent for a moment before answering. “Of course. I’ll take the secret to the grave.”

My sister groaned. “You don’t have to be so dramatic. Now, go take a shower. We’ll go shopping afterwards. There’s no way I’m letting you buy the first thing you find. Your outfit can't be some cheap rags.”

I groaned, but I said nothing. I just headed to the bathroom in silence. I better listen to her… for now.

The next day…

I arrived to Greystone Park with a few minutes to spare. I didn’t want to be late. Adagio bought me black jeans, and a lime green t-shirt. It wasn’t bad. My sister also forbid me from using my hoodie. I wasn’t keen with the idea at first, but for once, I’m not sweating.

I was chilling, leaning against the entrance of the park and chewing a bubble gum while I waited for Twilight. I tried to keep my mind distracted, but I couldn’t. I can’t stop thinking of Forte Pulse’s fate. I can’t believe we almost ended up like her. I suppose she didn’t suffer much after she started to lose her memory, but Adagio wasn't happy to relive the experience. They were very close. I don't know how she managed to pretend like nothing happened after Forte's demise. I guess my older sister is good at concealing her feelings, even better than me.

“Aria, hello!” I returned to reality when I heard my friend calling me. I turned my head towards her. She was running towards me and waving. A smile automatically appeared on my face as I stopped leaning against the wall. When Twilight was close to me, I noticed that she had the intention to hug me, but she hesitated and lowered her arms. All of the sudden she got nervous.

“Something’s wrong?” Her behavior was strange. I got a little worried.

“I-I’m sorry,” She looked away. “I was going to hug you, but I didn’t know if you were okay with it. And, umm…”

“Oh, I see.” I smiled again as I felt relief within me. “It’s okay. I’m not a hugger, but you can go ahead.” Twilight grinned before hugging me. I wrapped my arms around her. There it is. For some reason, I really enjoyed this. “Don’t hesitate to hug me next time.”

“I'll try not to. Thank you.” I smiled and removed my arms from her body, but Twilight didn’t do the same. I’m no stranger to hugs. Sonata does it all the time. They’re not supposed to take this long.

“Twilight?” There was no response. “Can I have my body back?”

“Oh!” My friend quickly released me. She hid her face from me. “I-I’m sorry, Aria.” She’s acting odd. Should I get worried?

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I made one step closer to her. Twilight nodded before looking at me. She was smiling, but her eyes were closed. I think I also noticed her face a little red.

“Yes! Everything’s fine. Come on! My house is this way.” My friend pointed towards a direction as she started to walk in a fast pace. I placed my hands on my pockets and I followed her. However, she stopped dead on her tracks and turned around. “No, wait. It’s this way.”

Something’s definitely up, but I don’t want to bother her with questions. If she wanted to tell me, she would. I won’t risk my friendship for getting in her business. For now, I’ll let her be.

Twilight was silent. We walked a few blocks and she didn’t say anything. She lead me towards a wealthy neighborhood. The bypassers were well dressed. Some were dressed like maids. I even saw a limousine on the road I glanced at my friend. She didn’t seem confused, so I guess we’re walking on the right direction.. “So, your house--” it was time to break the silence. “have you always lived here?”

“Oh?” Twilight looked at me. “Yes. I have grown attached to this city, especially now that I have more friends. Canterlot City has most of the things I need for my equipment and hobbies. What about you? Have you been here for long?” Twilight smiled.

“Not as much as you. Adapting to live here wasn’t easy for my sisters and me. When we first arrived, we didn’t even know how to stay standing.”

My friend looked at me with confusion, but then she made an ‘O’ shape with her mouth. “That’s right, you told me you were from another world. Is it really that different?” There’s the Twilight I know. Seems like I was worrying over nothing.

“Very different. For starters, there are many species. Hippogriffs, ponies, yaks and so on. My sisters and I, for example, are... sirens.”

“That sounds pretty!” Twilight grinned. “I have watched the Glisney movie, The Little Siren. Were you like them? Although---” My friend changed her expression to a thoughtful one. “---sirens came from an ancient Greek mythology who used their seductive singing voice to lure unfortunate souls to their demise. I always found that scary.”

“Umm…” What do I do? My sisters and I were not nice people. Even though things are different now I fear I would scare Twilight away if I say the truth. Should I lie? I don’t feel comfortable with that either. I need salvation now!

“Oh, Aria! See that house over there? That’s where I live.”

She doesn’t seem to want a reply right now. Phew! That was a close call. I looked over to where Twilight pointed and found the house in question. “Wow… it’s… huge!” The house wasn’t just huge. It was immense! It looked like it occupied the entire block. The house’s, or should I say mansion’s, walls were painted of purple and the roof was dark pink. The paint matched Twilight’s color of preference. I also saw more windows than I could count with my hands. I could also see a yard and a garage. I’m sure there’s an even bigger yard behind the house. When Twilight told me her parents had enough money to send her to a prestigious school, I didn’t imagine she was this rich.

“I feel small.”

My friend giggled. “Let me show you around.” She said before taking me by my wrist and leading me inside. “Mom, dad, we’re here!”

I scanned the room upon entering. The entrance was nicely decorated and had a few seats and chairs. There were also some sculptures and photos around. I have never seen this much luxury before. “Now I’m glad that Adagio suggested me to get new clothes. I felt watched in this neighborhood.”

“Don’t pay attention to them. There are some people who hold prejudice, but they’re harmless.”

“I don’t care about what they think, but I still feel their eyes on me. Just let them try get their hands on me.” I frowned.

If somebody ever tried to touch me, I would break their arm. Very few people I can tolerate invading my personal space. While I was busy with my thoughts, I felt something on my shoulder. I quickly shifted my head to the side to find Twilight with her hand on me.

“Like I said, they’re harmless. Don’t mind them, Aria.” She was smiling warmly. I shared in her smile. I shouldn’t think about the spoiled brats from around here. I should just focus on what I’m doing.

“Twilight! welcome home.” Someone entered into the room. I looked towards where the voice came from and saw a woman by the door. Her hair was white and pink. She kind of looks like Twilight, so I’m guessing that’s her mother.

“Hi, mom. This is my friend, Aria.”

“Aria? You mean…” The woman briefly looked surprised, then smiled. Was that normal? “Right, the girl you talked about so much lately. I’m pleased to meet you, I’m Twilight Velvet. Twilight’s mother.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” I smirked. Twilight’s mother seems nice enough, but the brief pause she made before introducing itself was kind of weird, wasn’t it? I glanced at Twilight and noticed that her cheeks were slightly red.

“I-Is dad here?” She asked her mother.

Mrs. Velvet smiled. “You just missed him. He’s out doing an errand. Twilight, why don’t you take your friend to your room while I prepare you something to drink?”

“Okay.” Twilight glanced at me, fully smiling. “Come on, Aria, this way.”

I nodded before following her. “I’ll see you later, Mrs. Velvet.”

“Just Velvet is fine. Have fun!” I barely had time to wave at her before Twilight dragged me outside the room. We reached the dining room, which was as fancy looking and decorated as the rest of the house. I couldn’t help but to stand still and look around.

“I hope you’re not feeling bad. It’s not my intention to throw my wealth in your face.”

“I’m astonished, I won’t lie, but it’s fine. It’s not your fault you got better luck than me.” I reassured my friend with a faint smile. Twilight returned it and I glanced towards a nearby table which had photos in frames on it. One photo in particular called my attention. I looked at Twilight but she had her attention somewhere else. I’m sure she won’t mind if I take it. I walked closer to the table and took a closer look at the photo. It showed a much younger Twilight sleeping on the lap of Principal Cadence, who was holding a book. The photo also showed two other girls, which might be Cadence’s friends. I couldn’t move my eyes from it. Twilight looked… cute. It’s not often that I use that word.

“Oh, no… A-Aria…” I turned my head to find Twilight covering her face with both of her hands. I could see her turn red. Bright red.

“What? It’s a nice photo.” I smirked, without letting go of the photo frame.

“It’s gorgeous if I may add.” Both Twilight and I gasped and turned our heads behind us to find Velvet right beside us. “It’s my favorite photo of the collection here. Twily was just five when this photo was taken.”

“M-Mom…” Twilight removed her hands from her face. I don’t think my friend’s face could get any more red. I found her reaction quite amusing. “I asked you to move this photo somewhere else!”

“But if I did, no one would be able to appreciate it. That would be a crime.” Velvet said with a grin.

“Mom!” Twilight covered her face again. She was so embarrassed. I kind of enjoyed the situation, but I’m sure she’s waiting for me to save her.

“Velvet, I would enjoy to keep talking, but I have the feeling that your daughter won’t forgive me if we keep this up. But I would like to talk more about it another time.” I said

Twilight’s mother smiled. “Of course, dear. Another day, then. I won’t take any more of your time.”

I nodded before taking Twilight from her wrist. She gasped. “Where’s your room?”

“O-Over here, up the stairs.” Her blush was more evident. Was she that embarrassed? I followed Twilight’s indications to take us to her room. “Aria…”

“Mmm?” I glanced at her.

“When you told my mom that you wanted to talk more about my photos another day… y-you didn’t mean it… right?”

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” I smirked again. Twilight widened her eyes.

“Please, Aria, don’t! I would die of embarrassment! She has a whole album my brother and me when we were babies, toddlers and kids!” Twilight cried indignantly.

“A full album, you say?” I said with a playful grin.

“A-Aria!” She covered her face again. I suppose enough is enough.

“Alright, fine I’ll stop.” I said after chuckling. “It looks like all your blood is in your face now. I didn’t know someone could get that red.” My friend didn’t say anything, but she avoided my gaze. I looked around. I found the stairs Twilight mentioned and climbed them with her. “Where to now, Twilight?”

“To the end of the corridor, the doors on the right.” I walked towards the direction she told me and reached her door. Twilight looked at me and I returned the gaze. “Aria…”

“Yes?”

“My arm…”

“What?” I glanced down and realized I was still holding her from her wrist. “Oh, sorry!” I quickly removed my hand. Now I felt a little embarrassed. Twilight smiled, though. Looks like she’s feeling better already. Twilight opened the doors. As soon as she did so, a small purple and green thing ran from the inside. It was a dog. A dog who started to growl and bark at me. “What the-?!” It almost scared me. Almost.

“Spike!” Twilight called the small dog, who stopped barking at me to look at it’s owner. It’s tail also started to wave fast. “Be nice, boy. This is Aria, one of my friends.” The dog stopped barking and started to sniff me. Moments later he began wagging his tail in happiness and placed his front paws on my legs and barked. That was quick. I glanced at Twilight. She giggled and grabbed her pet. “I’m sorry. He can be very protective of me.” She said, as she scratched the dog’s head.

“It’s alright. You did tell me you had a dog, but I forgot.” I scratched the back of my head. I can’t believe I forgot to ask about her pet.

“It’s okay.” My friend smiled. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

I nodded and followed into her room. Twilight closed the doors behind me. The room was of a considerable size. I could see a mirror next to a bookshelf. I also saw some photos of her dog framed on the walls. Even his footsteps were framed. It’s obvious that she loves her pet. Beside her bed, I saw a night stand with an alarm clock and another bookshelf next to it. On the other side she had her drawer, with a lamp and a couple of decorations more. Right above the had of her bed there was a round window. I was never a fan of windows in the bedroom. I prefer to wake up when I want, not when the sun tells me to.

“So…” Twilight stood next to me. “Feel free to sit on my bed.”

“Okay.” I headed towards her bed to sit. I have been standing for a while and I needed it. My friend placed her dog on the bed before going to her computer.

“I’m going to play some music. Is there any song genre in particular you would like?” Twilight asked sitting on her seat.

“Nah, put whatever you want. I don’t mind.” As I spoke, Spike walked towards me and sniffed me again. “What’s with that nose of yours? Do I stink or something?”

“He’s just getting to know you. Dogs learn a lot about people with their noses.” Twilight said before returning to her computer.

The dog stopped smelling me and stared at me instead while wagging his tail. Is he expecting me to pet him? I suppose I should give it a try. I raised my hand and slowly moved it to Spike, but I didn’t touch him. Instead it was him who leaned toward my hand and snuggled his head on the palm of my hand. With his approval, I felt free to caress him from his head to his back. He remained immobile.

“Aww, I’m so happy to see you two are getting along.” My friend commented as she approached us after setting her music. It was a genre I never heard of. It doesn’t sound like if it belongs to this decade.

I smirked. “Of course. I’m pleased to accept another cub into the pack.”

Twilight giggled. “Good. I would hate to leave him out of our group.” She said as she sat, leaving her pet between us. My friend then scratched Spike’s ear, which he seemed to enjoy a lot. “Isn’t he the cutest thing?”

“He’s pretty cool.” I moved my gaze from Spike to Twilight. “That’s some interesting music you put on. What is it?”

“Oh,” my friend accommodated her glasses and smiled. “I have been doing research on VCRs. I got one and disassembled it to see by myself the inside of one. While I was working on it, I thought it would be nice to listen to appropriate music of the time it was popular, so I looked up for a mix of the best of 80’s music. Isn’t it great?”

I knew it sounded old. “It’s my first time listening to it. Not what I usually listen to, but it’s not bad. It’s kind of catchy.”

“A little too catchy for my work. I found myself humming and dancing rather than focusing on what I was doing. So I had to change to classical music. I was able to enjoy it and focus.”

“Classical? Now, that’s definitely not my thing. No offence.” I said.

“There’s nothing to be offended about.” Twilight blinked in confusion. “It’s fine if classical music isn’t your preference. If you were to insult it, then I would be offended.”

I felt a sense of relief hearing that. I’m glad to hear our friendship isn’t in peril just for having different taste in music. “Then we’re good. A genre I really can’t stand is rap. I don’t even consider it music. It’s just a loop of a random sound with some people saying random stuff.”

Twilight giggled. “You have nothing to worry then, Aria. I dislike it too.” I smirked and placed the palm of my hands on the bed to stare at the ceiling. The mattress is really comfortable. Mine is not as soft as this one and is difficult to find a position to sleep. If Twilight isn’t careful, I might fall asleep even when I’m sitting. “So, Aria, what’s yours?”

“Hmm?” I glanced towards my friend.

“Your genre. What do you usually listen to?”

“Oh. Well, punk is more of my style. Punk, metal, maybe some rock. I have a band which I really like. They’re called ‘Powerwolves’.” I said, pumping my fist.

Twilight tilted her head to that taking on a thoughtful look. “I heard about them but I never really listened to any of their songs. Maybe you can show me one day?”

“Sure. It might not be your style, but I can still show you a song or two.” I smiled, but only briefly. “They announced that they would be coming to Canterlot City at some point in the future and I would love to go, but the tickets are expensive and my sisters and I barely have enough to get by.”

I crossed my arms and looked away. Even if I save little by little, I don’t think I would be able to afford a single ticket. Twilight placed a hand on my shoulder, so I looked at her. She was smiling warmly.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to go to one of their concerts one day. Maybe not this one, but next time, or the next.” Twilight said.

It wasn’t hopeful, but I won’t be pessimistic in front of my friend, so I faked a faint smile to her. “Yeah, thank you, Twilight.” She giggled and I turned my head to look around the room a bit more. This is the kind of house Adagio can only dream of having. When she finds out about this place, she will most likely get envious. Oh, I can’t wait to tell her. I glanced back at Twilight and realized that she was staring at me but she quickly looked away when she noticed me looking back. That was odd. I was about to ask her what was it about when the doors to her room opened, revealing Velvet with a tray with two glasses of juice and a bowl filled with chips.

“Hello, girls. I brought your snacks. How are you doing?” Velvet asked setting the tray down.

“W-We’re good, mom. We were just talking.”

“Wonderful.” Twilight’s mother walked in and placed the tray on the desk. “I remember this song. Your father and I danced to it in our prom.”

“Did someone call me?” A man suddenly showed up at the door. His hair was dark blue. He looks like he’s around Velvet’s age, so he has to be Twilight’s father.

“Night Light, dear. Come in. Do you remember this song?” Velvet asked him in a longing voice.

“Of course I do, sweetheart. The day you accepted to be my date to the prom you made me a very happy boy.” Twilight’s father said, while he wrapped an arm around Velvet’s waist.

“You could have been happier sooner if only you asked me out earlier. I had my eye on you since the start of that year.” Velvet frowned.

“Why didn’t you do it then?” Night Light frowned back.

“I was going to, but my friends said you had to take the leap. And, dear, you really took your time.”

“I wasn’t aware you were timing it.”

“We weren’t just timing it,” Velvet smirked. “We were also spying on you. When I knew you were nearby, I took my pocket mirror and pretended to put on makeup. I lost track of how much you made me smile whenever I saw you approaching and then change your mind and walk away.”

“Well, I’m glad my shyness was so entertaining for you, honey.” The man looked away. Velvet giggled and placed an arm around his neck before kissing him on his cheek.

“Looks like someone got grumpy again. I’ll just make your favorite meal tonight and you’ll erase that pout of yours.” I noticed Twilight’s father was struggling to avoid a smile. I wonder how many times has this happened.

“Mom, dad…” I glanced at Twilight when she spoke. She was covering her face, but I’m sure it was entirely red again. “Please, don’t do that when I have company…”

“Your parents have the right to love each other, Twilight.” Velvet replied, smiling playfully.

“I know, but it’s embarrassing.” My friend uncovered her face but avoided looking at her parents. As expected, she was blushing hard.

“Alright, alright. We’ll stop.” She said before looking at her husband. “Dear, are you going to say hello to Twilight’s friend?”

“Sure.” Night Light smiled and walked towards me. I stood up to shake hands with him.

“Aria Blaze, right? My daughter was told me a lot about you. You heard my name already but allow me to introduce myself properly. I’m Night Light, Twilight’s father.”

“It’s good to meet you.” I smiled at him. He seemed nice, just like his wife.

“Dear, I think we should leave Twilight with her friend alone so we don’t embarrass her anymore.” Velvet said, pulling her husband away.

“I say we stay here and embarrass her a little bit more.” Night Light smirked.

“Dad!” Looks like Twilight didn’t like that idea.

“Okay, I got the message.” Twilight’s father was still smiling. “We’ll be downstairs if you need anything, Twily.”

“Thank you dad, and mom.” My friend was able to smile at her parents without signs of embarrassment.

“Have fun you two.” Velvet said as she and her husband left the room and closed the door behind them. After they left, I glanced at Twilight.

“Your parents are… something.”

“I’m so sorry, Aria.” My friend was still blushing. Her nervousness was all so clear. “They’re caring and I love them, but they’re sometimes like this. I hope they didn’t make you feel uncomfortable.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” I smiled to try to take Twilight’s worries away. “I just never saw adults behave like that. The marriages I saw never showed this kind of affection nor were playful.”

Twilight giggled. Looks like everything is returning to normal. “That’s because my parents are of those who still keep the love they had from when they were young. Age didn’t change their feelings at all. They frequently go on dates, they help each other with chores, they just enjoy each other’s company. They might embarrass me sometimes, but I’m happy with them. I’m glad they still share these moments. Not everyone is lucky to have a family like mine.” Twilight stared into nothing in particular, smiling. I suppose it’s my turn to say something. I remembered our previous conversation from when we were coming here.

“I never met my own parents.” My friend looked at me. Her smile faded.

“You… didn’t?”

I shook my head. “It was normal for us sirens to never meet our parents. You see, in Equestria we had the appearance of sea serpents. We had long tails with fins at the very end and two forelegs. We were born from eggs. Our mother only provided us warmth for us to hatch. Once we did, we just swim away on our own.”

“Really?” Twilight placed her hand on her chin in a thoughtful manner. “Curious…”

“What’s curious?” I raised an eyebrow.

“In this world, snakes are on their own as soon as they hatch, just like you were. You said you had the form of serpents, right? That makes sense. Although snakes don’t go in groups.”

“Sirens have more chances of survival when in groups. Equestrian seas can be… dangerous.” It wasn’t a complete lie. As long as she doesn’t know sirens were one of the dangers.

“I see...” Twilight was expressionless. “The ocean scares me, to be honest. I’m fine with beaches and lakes, but open seas? No. I can board a ship, but I would rather stay on solid ground.”

“As long as you don’t become a pirate, you’ll be fine.” Twilight raised an eyebrow at me, confused.

“Me, a pirate? I-I’m not that kind of person. I don’t break the law nor I know how to handle a sword. I---” I cut her off with a hand.

“Relax, Twilight. I was only joking. I’m sorry.” I should really keep jokes to myself in front of her. It might start to annoy her.

“Oh…” My friend blushed. This time I was the one to embarrass her. “Aria, you shouldn’t apologize for joking around. I’m the one who still can’t see when someone is serious or not. I’m learning a lot about friendship with the rest of my friends. Who knows? Maybe I’ll start catching the jokes soon. Still, I’m sorry for not getting this one.”

“And here I thought I was the only one who was a friendship mess.” I smirked. “Why don’t we call it a draw so neither of us feels bad?”

“Sure.” Twilight smiled. “Continuing on, I’m glad that I won’t need to be on a ship for my ambition.”

“Your ambition?” I raised an eyebrow, asking her to continue.

“What I want to do in the future. I want to work in a lab. Do research, discover, and develop inventions. I want to uncover science’s secrets.”

“That sounds pretty… wow.”

Twilight giggled. “It does. But the future is uncertain. I might or might not be a scientist.”

“Why wouldn’t you be? You seem to have what it gets to be a good one.”

My friend blushed again. Why? I said nothing wrong this time. “Th-Thank you, Aria, but times change. I had this dream ever since I was a little kid, but with my new friends and my new school, I’m getting doubts. A scientist is a full-time job with little breaks. I won’t have time to be with any of my friends. I’m currently happy. Very, very happy with my new life. I want to enjoy every minute I have with everyone. The future is still far away. I’ll think on something to use my brain and still be able to keep my social life. I really don’t want any of you to fade away and become only memories.”

“That was… deep.” My eyes widened after hearing Twilight’s little speech.

“Well, all of my friends mean a lot to me. I’m still adjusting to my new schedule. I’m invited over to hang out frequently. I want to do something nice for my friends. Starting with you.”

“With me?” Twilight nodded happily and stood up. She headed to her desk and opened a drawer. “What are you doing?”

My friend didn’t reply. Instead, she took something wrapped up from her drawer and returned to the bed, sitting next to me. “I have a little something for you… here.” Twilight handed me the gift and I took it.

“Thanks, Twilight.” I smiled at her before starting to unwrap my gift. I gasped upon seeing what was inside. Wh-What…? “A copy of… Young Sorceress Academia?” I glanced at my friend. She was still smiling.

“The bookstore I usually go to called me. Turns out they always had this copy saved for me, but it wasn’t stored where it was supposed to be. I would like to give it to you.” She said.

“But, Twilight. I already have a copy at my home. Wouldn’t it be easier if you just kept this one?”

“The one you have was bought by you but you gifted it to me. So I thought I could do the same. I bought that book for me and now I’m… giving it… to you. Saying it out loud sounds stupid.” My friend looked away. I placed a hand on her shoulder to make her look at me and see me smirk.

“It’s not stupid. It’s… nice. Thank you, Twilight.”

Her eyes sparkled. “Y-You like it then…?”

“Of course I do, Twi-” I was cut short when she hugged me all of the sudden. My arms were in the air. I couldn’t even react before my friend broke the hug.

“I-I’m sorry. I got excited since you liked it, and…” She blushed and looked away. I smiled and chuckled.

“No need to apologize. Thank you. I’ll return your copy the next time we see each other.”

“Okay.” She looked back at me and smiled again. My eyes then focused on the book I had on my hands until I felt something on my lap. Spike made himself comfortable on me and started to close his eyes. “Looks like he really likes you, Aria.”

“Yeah, I think so.” I said before placing my hand on Spike’s head to scratch it softly. Twilight, her parents, her pet… all of them are nice to me. I would be lying if I say I don’t like it. However, there’s one thing that has me worried. I glanced towards the desk to see some of the photos she has. I noticed them as soon as I entered, but I didn’t want to ruin the day by commenting on them. She had many photos with herself and the Rainbooms.

Despite them being the reason that my sisters and I had a second chance, their sight still puts me in a bad mood, but I admit it’s not as much as before. We’ll meet again. I’m sure of it. I just hope it isn’t any time soon. For now, Twilight knows nothing of my former life. I want to keep it that way for as much time as possible.

Branching Friendships

View Online

Twilight’s P.O.V.

I had so much fun with Aria yesterday, but I think I lost my composure a few times. More than a few times. I-I couldn’t help it, I just got too nervous around my crush. Thinking on that word made me giggle a bit. A crush. My heart was beating so fast with Aria around. In fact, I think it’s already getting worse. In multiple occasions, I was tempted to hug her out of nowhere and hold her hand. I was also tempted to close the distance between us. But I was able to hold myself. Just barely. I had to keep reminding myself that I’m Aria’s only friend. I shouldn’t overwhelm her. I have to take it slow, but my heart is demanding action now. My own body is against me. Brilliant.

At least I can distract myself for now with my English class. Rainbow Dash asked for help, again, and I’m happy to help her any time. I just wish she would pay attention more in class, if not for her own sake.

“Rainbow, ‘their’ is for possession, like ‘It’s their car’. ‘They’re’ is for talking about a group, like ‘They're outstanding’. See? Like this.” My friend was massaging her forehead with both of her hands.

Rainbow Dash groaned. She was uneasy. “Oh, man, how do you know all this stuff?”

“I study, Rainbow. I do it every day.” I smiled at her, but she did not share it.

“Lame! My time is too valuable to waste it studying!” My friend exclaimed.

In her usual over the top exaggeration, style Rainbow flopped over leaning back into her chair like nothing mattered in the world. I was about to argue back when a shadow loomed over us making me look up. Miss Cheerilee was right in front of us.

“Rainbow Dash, you should listen to your friend. Studying won’t kill you,” Our teacher had a warm smile.

“I don’t want to find out if that’s true.” Rainbow Dash said, making Miss Cheerilee frown.

Before the teacher could say something else, the bell for recess rang. All my classmates started to stand from their chairs. “Remember, students, that you have an essay due to Friday of next week, just before Spring Break. If you don’t deliver it, your grades will be severely affected!”

No one replied to her. I smiled to our teacher as I walked past her and joined Rainbow, who was waiting for me outside. Her eyes were wide with worry. “Essay? What essay?” She asked, nervously fidgeting.

“The one Miss Cheerilee assigned us a week ago?” I glanced at her. “Rainbow, please, don’t tell me that you fell asleep again during class?”

“I… might have?” My friend stared at the ceiling. “I don’t remember. I fall asleep in a lot of classes.”

I sighed. “Rainbow…”

“Why don’t you tell me about what’s the essay about?” She smiled at me, showing no signs of worry anymore. How can she be so calm? This will affect her grades astronomically and she’s acting like it’s nothing! I don’t understand what goes on in that head of hers, but she’s a good person and that’s more than enough for me. I do wish she’d at least try to pay more attention in classes though.

“Yes, but first I have to go to the bathroom,” I said turning the other way.

“Awesome! I’ll be by your locker!” Rainbow Dash said before running off. As for me, I walked in a fast pace to the nearest bathroom.

I think I drank too much water this morning. I washed my hands after I was done with my business and walked out of the bathroom to meet with Rainbow Dash, but I bumped into someone.

“Oops, I’m so sorry!” The person I bumped into turned around and I recognized her. “Trixie? I-I didn’t see you there.”

“I hardly believe that. The Great and Powerful Trixie always stands out.” Trixie puffed her chest and placed her hand on it, showing her boisterous pride.

“I was looking to a different direction. I need to meet with Rainbow Dash.”

“Hmph!” Trixie closed her eyes and grunted. “Very well. Carry on.” She turned her head away from me.

“Okay…” Her attitude still has me puzzled. I resumed my walk but Trixie called me shortly after.

“Twilight, wait!” I stood still and looked around. Trixie’s arrogance was gone. Instead she seemed… concerned? She checked the surrounding make sure no one else was around before approaching me. I had no idea what’s going on. “Do you really think that I’m kind?”

“What?” I blinked several times. I’m so confused right now.

“The other day, Sunset thanked me for being nice to you on your first day. D-Did you mean it?”

“Oh, that?” I smiled warmly. “Of course. You made me feel welcome, in your own way.”

“I just gave you directions…” Trixie frowned.

“All my life, whenever I asked a stranger something, I would usually receive negative responses, like ‘get lost!’ or ‘don’t bother me’! You, and the rest of my friends didn’t do such thing.”

“Rest of your friends?” Trixie’s eyes widened. “You consider me a friend?”

I nodded, still smiling. “Yes, I do, but I wonder why you don’t sit with us during lunch?”

“Do you think I don’t want to?” My friend crossed her arms. “Trixie’s fine with you and Sunset, but she still doesn’t feel welcome with the rest.”

I can understand how Trixie feels. All my life I've never felt welcome or accepted anywhere outside my family and Cadence. That is, until I met Aria and I began to meet new people. If I learned one thing from my time with Aria, is that you can't judge a book by its cover. Sure Trixie may seem arrogant and rude at first glance, but once I got to know her through my interactions with her and Sunset, I know she's a good person underneath. She just needs a little boost.

“The only one who has any doubts about you is Rainbow Dash," I said while tapping my fingers on my notebook. "Why not join us for lunch, and prove her wrong?”

Trixie sighed. “Sunset said the same thing…”

“What’s stopping you?” I asked bluntly.

Trixie frowned at me again. I got worried by her hostile response. Did I say something I shouldn’t? “My inner circle has always been small. I never tried to get along with so many people at once. I’m…” Trixie hesitated. I doubt she’s going to say something else, so I stepped in.

“Nervous?”

My friend placed her hands on her hips and looked away from me. “Trixie Lulamoon is never nervous!” once again she acted arrogant, rising the tone of her voice a little. But then, her tone softened. “But she won’t say no to your assistance.”

I walked closer to Trixie, clasping my hands together on my chest level. “You won’t regret it, Trixie. I pinky promise.” My friend raised an eyebrow at me and I giggled. “You’ll get used to it.” Trixie gave me a smug smile. Our conversation was cut short when the speaker turned on all of the sudden. Principal Celestia’s voice could then be heard.

“Attention, my students. Please head towards the auditorium at once. There’s an important message I must deliver. Thank you.” The Principal turned off the speaker after she finished.

“That’s weird. She rarely gathers all of us without notice.” Trixie commented. Her eyes were fixed on the nearest speaker.

I glanced at my friend before speaking. “We better don’t keep her waiting, then.” Trixie nodded at me and we headed towards the auditorium together.

We had to squeeze into the auditorium. Once inside, I started to scan the room, looking for my friends.

“I found my friends over there.” Trixie said. Her eyes were fixed a particular side of the auditorium.

“Okay. Catch with you later?” Trixie made eye contact with me after I spoke. She nodded at me and walked away. I looked around the room again, until I heard a familiar voice calling me.

“Twi, over here!” I followed the direction of the voice and spotted Pinkie Pie, standing up and waving at me to catch my attention. I smiled and waved back before walking towards where they were. “We saved a seat just for you!” Pinkie Pie said as soon as I reached them.

“Thank you, girls.” I smiled and sat down. Sunset glanced at me as soon as I did so.

“Was that Trixie you were talking to?” Sunset asked, smiling warmly.

I nodded. “Yeah, we met on the hall and chatted until Principal Celestia gathered us all here.”

“Weren’t you going to meet with me?” Rainbow Dash frowned at me.

“That was the plan, but I bumped into her.” I smiled at my athletic friend, but she didn’t say anything else.

“Is Rainbow having problems with English class again?” Sunset leaned forward to join the conversation.

“Yes. She also found out about an essay we have due Friday of the next week today,” I replied, glancing from Sunset to Rainbow Dash.

“Really?” Sunset turned her head to our lazy friend. “Rainbow, you won’t make it far if you don’t pay attention and study.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “I’m fine with a C-. What’s the point of getting a higher grade? It’s waste of effort.”

Sunset was about to speak again, but Applejack placed a hand on her shoulder. “Principal Celestia is here. Scold her later.”

My friends and I turned our attention to the stage, where the principal was testing the microphone.

“Good morning, my dear students. I gathered you all here because I have news. I know that many of you are excited about Spring Break and the trip to Everfree Camp-” The principal was interrupted by screams of excitement and applauses. “-but I’m afraid the camp has been moved.”

“What?!” Many students, including some of my friends, asked in unison. The rest gasped.

Principal Celestia took a deep breath before continuing. “I was just informed that the brother of our hostess, Gloriosa Daisy, has passed on due to an unfortunate accident. She won’t be able to receive anyone for the time being.”

“Oh, poor guy…”

“Poor girl…” Everyone made sad comments about the situation. I can’t possibly imagine how it must feel to lose someone close to you. What would happen if I lost Shining Armor? My parents? Spike? My friends? Just to think about it fills me with sorrow.

“I have already sent her our condolences.” Principal Celestia continued. Everyone fell silent. “Gloriosa Daisy said she will move the date to early July. You shall receive an e-mail when she’s ready to receive you.”

While every student talked with each other in whispers, Rainbow Dash spoke.

“So… yikes… that just happened…”

“Yeah…” Sunset joined in. “At moments like this, she needs support. I hope she has friends or relatives that can help her.”

“And that poor girl says she will be ready to receive us in Summer? I would need more time.” Rarity commented. “She seems strong.”

“I would understand if she cancels the camp altogether.” I said. “If they were close, a few months won’t be enough.”

Applejack sighed before speaking. “Ah can relate. When mah parents died, it took me a while to recover. Ah still dream with them sometimes, which usually leads to tears when ah wake up.” My farmer friend looked away after falling silent. Seeing this, Rarity placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Applejack thanked her with a smile.

Principal Celestia cleared her throat on the microphone to call our attention. “I shall take no more of your time, my dear students. I conclude this meeting. Please, be organized when leaving. No pushing nor running.”

At lunchtime, I waited by the door of the cafeteria for Trixie. She didn’t take long to arrive.

“Hi, Trixie!” I greeted her with a smile.

“Hey.” She didn’t return the smile. She met me with her eyes briefly but then looked away. She still refuses to admit how nervous she is.

“Don't worry, Trixie. Like I said, the only person you might not get along right away could be Rainbow Dash. Everyone else is really nice, you’ll see.” As soon as I finished speaking, I took Trixie by her wrist.

“T-Twilight, I’m not re---!” Before she could say anything else, we walked into the cafeteria. I headed the line to order food. I glanced towards where my friends and I usually sit and saw them talking lightheartedly. “So, what are we going to do?” I turned my head towards Trixie when she spoke.

“Simple. We’ll go over there and sit. We have a seat for one more,” I said, pointing at a table with my head.

“You make it sound easy.” The line moved a few steps.

“Well. Isn’t it?”

“You don’t understand,” My friend sighed. “I never exactly got along with your friends. Asking to sit with them all of the sudden is… odd.”

“I’ll support you, Trixie. And not just me. Sunset will obviously back you up as well. You’ll be fine. Just be yourself.” The line moved again.

“Being myself is what they dislike about me.” Trixie frowned.

“Well, Sunset likes you. If you managed to date her, I’m sure our friends will welcome you in no time.” Trixie opened her mouth to argue back, but she then closed it. Meanwhile, we arrived to the tray line, so we each took a tray. My friend remained silent for a few more seconds before clearing her throat.

“Trixie has a question for you.”

“Umm, sure? Go ahead. I’m all ears.” I replied to my friend.

“Why are you buying lunch here?” She asked me.

“What do you mean?” I blinked back in confusion.

“You have money, everyone knows that. Why don’t you bring your lunch from home? Food made by your butler?” Trixie asked.

“Oh.” I smiled and accommodated my glasses. “I don’t like to brag about it. Besides, I like the food they serve here. Also, we don’t have a butler. We cook by ourselves.”

“What’s the point of having money if you won’t hire a butler?!” Trixie sighed loudly and looked away. I giggled at her reaction. As the tray line kept moving, I noticed that Trixie had a thoughtful expression.

“Is there something else you want to ask me?”

My friend’s eyes widened “N-No! Well, yes! I mean, maybe…?” Trixie glanced at the table my friends were before sighing and looking back at me. “Sunset might not approve of me telling you this, but… we encountered your twin-tails friend the other day…”

“Oh?” I opened my eyes as wide as I could. “You did?” They met Aria? I hope they weren’t too much for her. I opened my mouth to try to get more information, but our turn arrived.

After getting our food, we started to walk towards my friends. Now’s not the time. I’ll leave the Aria subject for later. I have to help Trixie with my friends first.

Speaking of which, I checked on her as we approached to the table. She was shaking a bit. When she realized I was looking at her, I gave her a reassuring smile and Trixie’s cheeks got slightly pink. She turned her head away right afterwards. It must have been embarrassment. Was it wrong that it made me chuckle?

I glanced back ahead until we reached the table with my friends. They were still immersed in their conversation, so I cleared my throat to catch her attention. Pinkie Pie was the one who made eye contact with me.

“Hi, Twilight! And, company?” The rest of my friends turned around when Pinkie acknowledged Trixie. They were all surprised.

“Trixie?” Sunset was the first to speak after Pinkie.

Trixie hesitated to speak. She opened and closed her mouth several times. I softly bumped her arm with my elbow to encourage her. She took a deep breath and then she finally spoke. “Does anyone mind if… I join you?”

Rainbow Dash frowned but remained silent. Sunset smiled warmly and nodded. “Sure, we have space for one more. You can sit between Twilight and me.”

“Thank you.” The magician walked towards the seat and sat down, placing her tray on the table. I sat next to her. An awkward silence ruled for some moments. A silence which was broken when Sunset cleared her throat.

“So, Twilight, about the project we have due next week…”

“The animal cell model?” I looked at Sunset. “Were you able to make progress since we gathered last Saturday?”

“I did. In fact, it’s almost ready.” Sunset smiled. “I’ll try to find something to transport it to your place tomorrow so you can give it the final touches.”

“We’ll have it ready by the weekend. Working on it is so much fun!” I grinned and chuckled. Sunset joined me. Then I saw Applejack crossing her arms.

“Ah wish ah could say the same. The project ah have to do with Rarity is no fun at all.”

“Come on, AJ, you just need to look after an egg. That’s the easiest task to do!” Rainbow Dash commented.

“Looking after the egg is simple, but Rarity is taking it way too seriously.”

“Darling, I don’t know why you are complaining.” Rarity didn’t look offended. “There’s nothing wrong with having some fun while looking after our daughter.”

“It’s… an egg…” Applejack said between her teeth before covering her face with a hand. “And, please, stop calling her ‘our daughter’.”

The fashionista gasped. “Applejack! You’re going to hurt her feelings if she hears you!”

“Hear me-?” Applejack glared at Rarity. “Please, don’t tell me you brought it here…”

“Of course I did!” Rarity said before searching in her purse. Moments later, she pulled an egg from it and placed it on the table. “Everyone, this, is Annabelle.”

No one said anything. Except for Rainbow Dash. She burst out laughing. The egg was wearing an outfit. A tutu to be precise, and even had a tiny bow. I found it cute, actually. I glanced at Applejack. She was now covering her face with her hat, but even so, I could notice how red her face was.

“Why is it here…?” Applejack’s voice was barely audible.

“I think you mean ‘her’, darling.” Rarity said with seriousness before softening her expression. “And what else was I supposed to do? We have no babysitter. My parents are working and my sister is here, at school. Our poor Annabelle could get hurt on her own.” She said the last with a tone people usually use when talking to babies.

“Again, it’s just an egg, Rarity… it doesn’t move on its own…” Our farmer friend was losing her patience. She massaged the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger.

“The project is about looking after her, Applejack. We can’t just leave her lying around anywhere. What if Opalescence drops her into the floor?”

Applejack sighed. “Y-Yer right, but--” Rarity raised a finger to ask for silence.

“Another thing…” The fashionista frowned. “Whenever you have to look after Anabelle, you’re working. You should really make some time for us.”

“You know how important the farm is, Rarity. Ah need it to support our family—ah mean, mah family!” Applejack facepalmed. “Now it’s getting to me. You see what ah mean?” The farmer girl asked to us in general.

“Actually… I think it’s cute…” Fluttershy said with her usual quiet tone.

“Say what?” Applejack turned to Fluttershy, but Pinkie Pie quickly piped in.

“I agree with Fluttershy! Besides, if you have fun with your project, you’ll do a better job with it, right?!” Pinkie Pie grinned.

“That’s a good point, actually.” Trixie spoke all of the sudden. We all turned our attention to her, causing her eyes to widen in surprise. “I-I’m just saying, having fun with an assigned project usually gets you a good grade.” Trixie turned her head from side to side to see each of us. “Right?”

“That might be true.” Applejack continued after a short silence. “But Rarity is taking it to the extreme.” She said before turning her attention of the fashionista again, who was scratching the egg like if she was tickling it. “Rarity, please. We’re not married. We’re not even datin’! Ah don’t mind if you want to play mom, but ah don’t want to do that.”

“But Applejack, dear, we used to play house all the time before, remember? You adored it.”

The farmer’s face turned completely red again. “W-We were kids! It’s an innocent game.”

“And this is innocent too, darling.” Rarity calmly said. “The only one who is taking it too seriously is you, Applejack. What’s wrong with me having fun with our project? I enjoy dressing up Anabelle and applying makeup to her. So what if you don’t?”

“Ah-ah…” Applejack was speechless. She relaxed her body and stared into the table.

“Looks like your wife got you good, AJ!” Rainbow Dash said before laughing again, until Applejack glared at her. Rainbow stopped laughing and looked away. Our farmer friend sighed before speaking.

“Ah’m sorry, Rarity… ah shouldn’t have acted in the way ah did…”

“No harm done.” Rarity smiled warmly and handed Anabelle to Applejack. “Can you look after her for the next few days? You hardly touched her since the project began.”

Applejack smirked and carefully took the egg. “Sure thing, Rarity. She’s in good hands.”

“I know.” The fashionista said as she placed her hand on top of Applejack. They smiled into each other, until our athletic friend broke the silence… again.

“Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

“Rainbow, ah'm warning you…” Applejack glared at Rainbow Dash again. Rainbow then crossed her arms and stared into the table.

“You’re no fun, Applejack.”

The blonde girl removed her hand from Rarity’s before turning to us. “Could someone please change the subject?”

Another moment of awkward silence followed. No one brought up another conversation topic. I glanced to each of my friends. Everyone was either eating or drinking. I think this is as good as a time as any. I cleared my throat as I stood up. That called everyone’s attention. “I-I have something to say…”

“Sure thing, Twilight.” Sunset said.

“I… want to do something for you, guys. Something to show my appreciation towards your hospitality. You received me with open arms since day one. You all ask me to spend time with you, both inside and outside school. It’s because of all of you that I wake up with a smile every single day. So… umm… I…”

“Twilight-” I glanced at Applejack when she spoke. “You don’t have to do anythin’ for us. We’re happy to have you as a friend. We’re not expectin’ a reward for it. This is what friendship is ‘bout.”

“But you’re always the ones who call me to hang out-” I continued with my speech. “I never asked any of you guys to do any activity. I want to do it.”

“I think it’s a marvelous idea, Twilight.” I smiled at Rarity when she approved of my idea.

“I’m cool with the idea too.” Rainbow Dash said. “What do you have in mind, egghead?”

My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I just realized I didn’t have anything in mind. “I… don’t know.” I said as I sat back on my seat.

“I have an idea!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “We could have a sleepover!”

I recovered my smile, only to lose it right afterwards. “Wait, if it’s your idea, wouldn’t it be you who organizes everything and me the invited one.”

My party friend giggled. “Not if we do it at your place, silly!"

“What?” the suggestion got me by surprise.

“You know, that’s not a bad idea.” Sunset smiled at me.

“Ah can get behind that.” Applejack said.

“Me too. I’ll be there.” The fashionista nodded.

“I’ll go too.” Fluttershy quietly said.

“There’s no way I’m saying no to that.” Rainbow Dash smirked.

I felt like if my eyes were shining. A grin was impossible to contain. “Oh, thank you, thank you!”

“That sounds fun. I hope you all have a good time.” Trixie was the one to speak this time. I glanced at her and saw her using her fork to play with her food. Trixie’s commentary confused me, so I decided to ask her about it.

“Won't you come, Trixie?” The magician looked at me with both of her eyebrows risen.

“Do you want me to go?”

I smiled at her. “Of course! I said I wanted to do something for my friends, and you’re one of them.” Trixie glanced at my friends. Sunset and the rest glanced at each other. They nodded, and then turned to Rainbow Dash, whose arms were crossed. She didn’t seem happy. But seeing that she was outnumbered, she groaned and closed her eyes.

“Alright, since Twilight wants her to be there, she can join us.” Rainbow said in a low tone.

“Thank you, Rainbow.” Sunset was the one who spoke. I just smiled.

“Then so be it.” The magician spoke again, showing a faint smile. “Trixie will be there. Just tell her the address.”

“I’ll write it for you after school. I just need to check the calendar to find the most fitting day to do it. I need time to plan the activities and get the food. I also need to do some research about-” I was interrupted by Sunset placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Relax, it’s just a sleepover. There’s no need to think much about it.” She said with a soft tone of voice. I sighed and rested my forehead on the table.

“I’m sorry…” I said before rising my head. “I’m just… excited. I never had a sleepover before.”

“I can help you!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “I can give you tips later if you want.”

“That… would be great.” I smiled, relieved. “Thank you, Pinkie.”

“No problem, Twi!” Pinkie Pie, and everyone else, returned to their meals. I did the same. With the sleepover out of the way, I was able to get more relaxed. For the moment, at least.

I remembered that Trixie said that she and Sunset have met with Aria. My crush didn’t bring up the subject when she was over my house, but I still have to make sure everything’s fine. I looked at Sunset as I ate. I must speak to her about this. My friends haven’t made plans for today, so I can talk to her after school.

When the last bell rang, I walked outside alongside my friends. They started to take different directions, so I gave my goodbyes to them. I spotted Sunset and Trixie with their hands intertwined walking not so far from me, so I ran to catch up with them.

“Hi, girls! Mind if I join you?” when I reached them, I walked at their pace, with my hands on the back. “But if you wish to be alone, I’ll understand.”

Sunset smiled at me. “It’s okay, Twilight. I’m just walking Trixie to the corner of the street. I don’t mind if you accompany me to my home afterwards.”

“That sounds good.” It wasn’t easy to hide my worries. I had my entire mind focusing on keep my smile.

Upon reaching the corner, the couple looked at each other. Sunset smiled at Trixie, but the later turned her head away to avoid her gaze. Both of them were blushing.

“Still having problems to keep eye contact with me?” Sunset said, turning her smile into a smug smile.

“Trixie’s working on it! You’re… too pretty.”

Sunset giggled and kissed Trixie on her cheek. Their blushes became even more noticeable. “Don’t give up. You’re doing great.”

The magician gazed into Sunset’s eyes with her jaw half dropped. Then, she looked at me and cleared her throat. “Y-Yes, thank you…” she released Sunset’s hand. “Trixie will be seeing you two tomorrow. Goodbye.”

“See you later, Trix.” The equestrian girl waved at her.

“Bye!” I gave Trixie my farewell before turning to my remaining friend. Her cheeks were returning to its natural color.

“Shall we?” Sunset smiled at me. I nodded and crossed the street with her. “Sorry about earlier. Trixie’s not used to me being affectionate unless we’re alone.”

“There’s nothing to apologize. I’m no expert in love, but, don’t some people prefer it that way?” I commented.

“That’s true, but I can’t be always dividing my time between Trixie and our friends. She will have to adapt. Which reminds me..." She smiled at me. "thank you for inviting her to have lunch with us. I was happy to see everyone I care about on the same table.”

“I did what I had to do. I want her to be closer to us too.” My friend nodded and remained silent. I think I should talk to her a little before asking her about Aria. “So… everything seems to be going well with Trixie then, huh?”

Sunset looked at me. Her cheeks got slightly pink again. “Yeah. These past two weeks have been great. I actually met her mother last weekend.”

“Oh, really?” I smiled at her. “What is she like?”

“Trixie wasn’t planning me to meet her yet. She returned home early.” My friend placed her fist on her mouth and giggled. “I’m sorry. I remembered how uneasy Trixie was when her mother arrived. I probably shouldn’t be laughing, but it was… cute.” Sunset made eye contact with me and realized she didn’t answer my question. Her cheeks became deep red. “A-Anyway, her mother is quite friendly. As soon as Trixie introduced us, she hugged me and started to say how happy she was that her daughter was dating me. I think I made a good first impression.”

I giggled softly. “I would say so.”

My friend cleared her throat. “S-So, I don’t want to bore you by just talking about myself. Let’s talk about something else. Like the sleepover you want to do. Are you nervous?”

“I would be lying if I say I’m not.” I said after a long sigh. “I know Pinkie Pie offered to help me, but I still wonder if I’ll be able to pull it off.”

“Don’t be shy about asking Pinkie what to do. She’s an expert,” Sunset said before placing a hand on my shoulder. “We can all help you.”

My head turned towards my friend. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, we can all bring something. Before the sleepover, we can have a meeting and choose who will bring snacks, who will bring the drinks, and who will bring board games. You don’t have to do everything on your own just because you’re organizing it.”

I frowned slightly. “Isn’t that cheating?”

“Not at all.” Sunset grinned. “We have done it before. Don’t worry, everything will turn out okay. I promise. We’re all friends. Even if something goes wrong, we won’t point it out.”

“Y-You’re right…” I sighed. “I shouldn’t think too much about it. Everything will be fine.”

Sunset nodded before hugging me. “I’m glad to hear that.”

My friend pulled away, but she kept her hands on my arms. She glanced towards a side and I followed her gaze. We have arrived. “I almost kept going,” I said, smiling.

My friend chuckled and looked at me. “Thank you for walking with me.”

“No problem.” I grinned. Sunset walked towards the door and started to look for her key. This is it. If you’re going to say something, now’s the time, Twilight. “Sunset, wait!”

“Huh?” my friend turned her head towards me. She was confused. “What’s up?”

“Before Trixie and I joined you guys for lunch…” I hesitated, but I had to know what happened. “She told me you two met Aria…”

Sunset’s eyes widened and she lost the grip of her keys. They dropped to the ground. My friend and I stared each other for a long time without saying a word until, suddenly, Sunset cleared her throat. “Oh, so she did… huh?” She smiled weirdly before sighing. “I suppose I should have asked her to not say anything…”

“Why?” I blinked in confusion.

My friend looked away and took a deep breath before glancing towards me again. “Aria and her sisters have… a history with us.”

“Oh…?” Now I was the one to widen my eyes. They have met before? Wait… I knew that already, didn’t I? Sonata apologized for trying to dominate the world when we first met, right? Yes, she did that. I better not ask Sunset about this. If Aria wanted me to know, she would have told me already. Whatever happened before, Aria doesn’t seem to want to reminisce it. “Looking back, I should have suspected it…”

“Huh?” Sunset kept her full attention on me.

“When we first met, she mistook me for the other me.” Sunset frowned. "I-It's fine! Aria was rude at first, but later she apologized and hasn't been mean to me since then, I swear! She truly regretted being hostile towards me."

My friend looked away as she processed my words. I waited patiently. On the outside, I remained calm, but on the inside, I was getting more and more anxious each moment that passed. It felt like an eternity passed when Sunset spoke again. “You said that at Crystal Prep only Spike and Dean Cadence were your friends, everyone else mistreated you. Aria mistreated you as well.” Sunset crossed her arms. “What made you want to start over with her?”

So far so good, I think. “W-Well, like I said, she ran to catch up with me and apologize. On top of that, she gifted me the book wqe both wanted. It was the last in stock and we both desired it. It’s then that I realized she wasn’t a bad person after all.”

“Wait, wait, wait…” Sunset raised her hand. “Book? What book?”

I covered my mouth with both of my hands. The words just slipped. “Oh, no… I shouldn’t have said that!”

My friend’s eyes widened in surprise by my sudden reaction. “Twilight…?”

I clasped both of my hands together in front of me to pledge. “Please, please, don’t tell anyone! Especially Aria! I would never forgive myself if our friendship is destroyed because of this!”

“Alright, let’s take a deep breath.” Sunset raised both of her hands. I followed her advice and controlled my breath. When my friend saw that I had calmed down, she spoke again. “I won’t be telling anyone, you have my word, but I’m curious about the book you mentioned. What is it about?”

I analyzed Sunset’s expression. Her curiosity was genuine. There was no way I could say no. “The book is called: Young Sorceress Academia.” I smiled as I continued. “It’s about a teen Japanese girl who has magic abilities and so attends a school in England. The plot has to do with friendship and magic, but mostly friendship. The main character isn’t skilled, so there’s the constant possibility of her grades not being enough and getting expelled. But she’s not alone. She has friends, and a rival, although the rivalry is one-sided. I love the story. I can appreciate it more now that I have real friends.”

“It does sound good.” Sunset smiled, although briefly. She raised an eyebrow and adopted a slight confused face. “And you say Aria wanted this book as much as you did?”

I nodded. “Y-Yes. I know that on the outside she acts tough and is serious, but on the inside, she’s not that bad. Not bad at all, actually. She makes jokes, although I don’t always get them. Of course, she didn't want to open up at first, but eventually we became friends. And she really cares about me. The moment she knew about my bullying and that I had to return to my former school, she offered to go with me, despite us not knowing each other for very long. She shows interest in my hobbies and always listens. She’s also cute, especially when she does that smirk of hers. And her determination when she stood up for me, and her eyes. Not to mention her hair-” I stopped talking when I felt a familiar warmth in my cheeks. I slowly glanced towards Sunset to see her jaw dropped. “I… said too much, didn’t I…?” My heart was pounding hard. It almost seemed like it was about to burst off my chest.

Without changing her expression, Sunset slowly raised a hand, with her index finger pointing at me. “You have a crush on her…”

“Uhh…” I was barely feeling my legs. I don’t know how I was still standing. To make things worse, my cell phone started to ring. I gasped and took my phone, checking who my caller was first. “I-It’s Aria…” My eyes couldn’t be any wider.

Sunset raised both of her hands and gave one step back. “Go ahead, I’ll be in silence.”

“Th-Thank you…” Glancing at my phone again, I accepted the call and placed it on my ear. “Hello?”

“Hey, Cub. How are you?” She sounded like if she was in a good mood.

“I’m doing great.” A smile automatically appeared on my face. I loved that nickname. My eyes shifted to Sunset. Her expression was neutral and hard to read, but I could tell she was paying close attention to what I was saying. “How about you? Have you caught up with me with the reading?”

“Almost. I have been kind of busy today. Adagio asked for help to clean the whole house. All three of us had chores to do. It was boring, but at least we’re done. To celebrate, how about you come tomorrow to watch a movie? I just came from the video store and guess what I rented?”

“Could it be… ‘Wraithbusters II?’” My smile became wider.

“Yup! That’s the one. I can’t believe I’m going to contaminate my VCR with that movie. I might have to throw it away afterwards.”

I chuckled. “Come on, Aria, it can’t be so bad… right?”

“Just watch the movie. I’ll be ready to tell you that I told you so. So, you’re in?” Aria asked.

“I’d be delighted. See you tomorrow.”

“Come after you’re done with that school of yours. See ya.”

“Goodbye, Aria!” I said with a squeal of delight. “I’m so excited! I have been looking forward to this movie since we watched the first one!”

Aria chuckled. “That’s about to change, trust me. Cheers.”

I hung up after Aria did and turned to face my friend with a grin. Sunset crossed her arms as she raised an eyebrow. “Is that how you usually talk with her?”

“More or less. I’m going to her house to watch a movie tomorrow after school.”

“Her house, huh?” My friend raised an eyebrow.

I nodded. “I’ve been there before. It’s a nice home. She actually owns a functional VCR. The quality of the movies is amazing! For its time, I mean.”

“And you’re going to watch Wraithbusters II?” Sunset smirked. “You know, there’s lots of good movies out there. Save your eyes from that awful mistake.”

“First Aria now you.” I shook my head then smiled at my friend. “Even if it’s as bad as you say, I still want to watch it. To judge it by myself.”

Sunset closed her eyes and raised both of her hands, as in defeat. “Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you.” She said before placing a hand on her hip and looking at me. “And if you're really going to watch 'Wraithbusters II'? You'll need to watch a good movie next to get over that one. Like 'Back to Tomorrow’. It’s actually kind of funny. When the second movie was made, it had the future setting of 2015. But now, the whole trilogy takes place in the past. Those movies defined the 80’s.”

“Now I must watch them! I’ll tell Aria. Maybe she has them already. Thank you, Sunset!”

“You’re welcome Twilight.” Sunset turned her attention to the door of the Apartment complex she lives in. “I’ll look for a box or a basket to take our project to your home. If you’re still at Aria’s place, I’ll ask your parents’ permission to take it to your room. I don’t want you to change your plans.”

“Thank you, Sunset.”

My friend knelt to take her keys from the floor. “Have fun tomorrow, Twi. And… good luck with your crush. If Aria is truly a better person now, then I have no objections.”

My cheeks became crimson red. “U-Umm…”

Sunset giggled. “Trust me, I know the feeling. See you later, Twilight.”

“G-Goodbye, Sunset…” I watched as my friend opened the door and waved at me before walking into the building. I rested my back against the wall and released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Here we go again. I’ll be alone with Aria one more time. I can barely control my emotions. Hopefully, I won’t make a fool of myself. After resting for a few more moments, I began my way towards my home.

My friends aren’t in good terms with Aria and her sisters, huh? I don’t think this is like the problem they had with Trixie. Having them meet up won’t do. I must be smart and keep Aria separated from the rest of my friends, for now at least. My crush isn’t a people person, anyway.

Minutes after I left Sunset’s home, my phone started to ring again. This time, I didn’t panic as I picked it up. Seeing who the caller was made me smile wide. “Shining Armor! I’m so happy to hear from you again.”

“Twily! I’m sorry for not being able to call you sooner. You wouldn’t believe how crazy things has been in the force these last weeks. Just now I was able to make time for you.”

“You don’t need to apologize, Shining. I understand. I can’t force you to be a bad police officer and call me in the middle of a stake out, can I?”

My brother chuckled. “My partner wouldn’t be happy if I gave away our position. Listen, Twilight, I have good news. I actually just spoke with mom and dad.”

“Aaaand…?” I liked where this was going.

“And, I’m free this weekend! Mom and dad want to visit our grandparents and I’ll be able to go.”

I gasped. “A whole weekend as a family?! Yay! It will be so exciting!”

My brother laughed softly. “I’m excited too. I wish we could take Spike, though. I wanted to see that little guy again.”

“Yes, I know… if only grandpa wasn’t allergic to dogs, we could take him with us…” It always saddened me that I could never bring Spike with me. My grandparents have a big yard and he would love it.

“Will Cadence be able to look after him?” My brother asked.

“I don’t want to bother her now that I have more friends, so I can ask one of them.”

“Did I hear it right? Twilight, have you finally made some friends?”

“Yes, I did.” I grinned. There’s so much to tell my big brother! “Shining Armor, I’m dying to tell you all about them, but I would rather do it in person. Can you be patient?”

“I’ll try, but I can’t make any promise.” When my brother stopped speaking, I heard a female voice on the background.

“Shining Armor, the captain has finished reading our report. We have to go.”

“Yes, Chrysalis. I’m on my way.” My brother replied to the officer who talked to him before turning to the phone again. “That was my partner. Sorry, Twily, but I have to go. I’ll see you next weekend!”

“Goodbye, big brother, and good luck!”

“Thanks. You too.“ My brother hung up and I put away my phone. Poor Shining Armor. Good thing he managed to get the weekend off. He really needs to relax. I have to make him a gift. Oh, I know! I can take a picture with Spike! I’m sure he’ll love it!

I rushed my way back home. In addition to the photo I want to take with Spike, I also want to go to the store. I want to buy snacks to watch the movie tomorrow.

Soft Side

View Online

Aria’s P.O.V.

I was sitting on the couch, holding the box of Wraitbusters II within my hands. I vowed never to watch this abomination again, and yet, here I am about to break it. I can’t be mad at Twilight for this though. After all, she’s right. One has to watch this movie at least once to understand how awful it is. I only have to watch it one more time and I can finally say goodbye to this horrid abomination forever. I didn’t remove my eyes from the movie case even when I heard Adagio sigh loudly behind me.

“Seriously, Aria? You have been staring at that movie for ten minutes now.” My older sister said walking in front of me, with her hands on her hips. “It’s just a bad movie.”

“You don’t understand…” I shifted my eyes dangerously towards Adagio but kept my head low. “You’re not a movie enthusiast like me. This is film murder.”

Adagio gave me a judgmental look. “You’re exaggerating.” My sister crossed her arms and kept glaring at me.

“Alright how about this?” My eyes met hers and I gave my sister a devious grin. “Imagine your favorite fashionista suddenly deciding to use slippers with socks.”

“Chemise, would never do that! Are you crazy?!” Her reaction gave me a good laugh. Nothing amuses me more than triggering Adagio.

“Who’s exaggerating now?” I asked giving my sister a smug grin.

My older sister groaned and avoided my gaze. I could see her blushing despite her trying to hide it behind her large curly hair. “Point taken…” She said with a pout.

She glanced at the clock. “Looks like classes are over now, but I doubt your friend will come straight here. Are you going to glare at that for the next hour or so?”

“Maybe.” I got more comfortable in the couch and focused my attention on the movie again.

“Curious…”

“What?” I looked at Adagio again. She had a smug smile. This won’t be good.

“You hate that movie so much, and yet, you’re willing to watch it one more time for Twilight. That’s interesting…” My sister smiled smugly at me. She knows that I’m not capable of punching her in the face, she is my sister after all. No matter how much she tries to annoy me I’d never hurt my own kin. I had to repress my anger, but still, my eye twitches only adding more joy to my dear sisters amusement.

I placed the movie aside and stood up to meet Adagio face to face. I could only take my sisters teasing so long before I reached my breaking point. In a moment of frustration I blurted the first thing that came to mind to beat Adagio to the punch. “She’s not my girlfriend, Adagio!”

My sister covered her mouth with a hand and gasped overdramatically. When she did I knew I stepped right into her trap.

“I didn’t say such a thing! Where did that come from?” She said feigning innocence.

“It wouldn’t be the first time you made that joke,” I said, with a snarl.

My sister seemed amused by my reaction. She giggled taking a moment to look me over. I could tell she was judging me on something, she had that particular look like when her favorite fashionista was using her “critical eye” to detect the slightest flaw in a design.

Adagio chuckled before smirking. “Jokes aside, Aria, you should take a shower.”

“I took one yesterday. There’s no smell,” I said, slumping into the couch.

“Still, you have to take at least one shower a day. I’m not going to allow you to ruin your friendship because of that,” My sister says waving her finger at me.

I groaned. “What’s the point? I didn’t leave the house today!”

“The point is, you must be presentable.” My sister started to snap her fingers over and over. “Go on, now.” It’s not the first time she did that either. She is going to make that annoying noise until I give in. I tried my hardest to resist, but Adagio got closer increasing the volume of her finger snapping. The snapping got even more irritating. Not even covering my ears worked.

“Alright, fine!” I yelled, making Adagio stop making noise. She smiled proudly. “I’ll take a stupid shower just so you leave me alone!”

“Don’t be like that,” She had a smug smirk look on her face. She obviously did it just to piss me off even more. “I’m sure you’ll thank me later.”

“In your dreams,” I snapped back.

My dear sister went into an almost dreamlike daze as she whimsically twirled her curly hair. “Oh, dream you is actually quite nice. She helps around the house and does my bidding without complain-”

I stopped by the door and glared at Adagio. “Well, make the most of it, because the real me will never be like that.” With my last words delivered, I walked out of the room. At least I’ll have some peace and quiet in the bathroom.

After taking a shower, I put on the clothes Adagio bought for me when I visited Twilight’s home. Adagio and Sonata went to the store, so I was on my own until my friend arrived. I laid on the couch to read Luna's Guide to Astrological Phenomenon. A book I bought after I was done with the astronomy book Twilight gave me. I’m getting the hang of it, I think. I want to go stargazing with Twilight again to see if I can impress her.

I must say, Twilight’s interests aren’t half bad. If it weren’t for her I would never have given astronomy a shot let alone reading about it. The book mentions a phenomenon called the Aurora Borealis. The photos of it are amazing! The shimmering colors all colliding together was breathtaking. I would like to see it personally one day, but I need to travel north. I can’t afford a trip like that. I sighed and closed the book. Just my luck.

After I placed the book back in my room, I heard a knocking from the front door. I made my way to the door and opened it to find Twilight smiling on the other side, holding a bag.

“You made it.” I returned her smile.

“Of course! I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” My friend opened her arms, then closed them right afterwards.

“I believe I told you that you didn’t have to worry about hugs.” I said, still holding my smile.

“R-Right, sorry…” I noticed her cheeks getting pink. Once again, she opened her arms and I allowed her to wrap them around me. I did the same for her. The bag she was carrying rested on my back.

“So, what’s in there?” I asked pointing at the bag.

“Hmm?” We broke the hug and Twilight noticed that she was still carrying the bag she brought. “Oh, this? I brought some snacks.”

“How thoughtful,” I said, as I reached a hand towards the bag. Twilight handed me the bag. “But my sisters actually went to the store to buy some.”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “They did? Oh, my, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, cub. There’s nothing wrong with having more food. You can take the leftovers.”

“Or…” A smile slowly appeared on my friend’s face. “We could share them.”

“Sure thing.” I smirked and turned around. I heard Twilight’s footsteps following me into the living room. “Do you mind if I place this bag on the floor? I don’t have a table near the couch.”

“It’s fine.” With her approval, I placed the bag on the floor in front of the couch before sitting. Twilight walked around the bag and sat next to me. The movie we were about to watch was next to where my friend sat, so she took it. “So, this is it, huh? The infamous movie you don’t want me to watch?”

“Yup, that’s the one.” I crossed my legs and used my arms to cushion the back of my head. “That film is one of the cheapest to rent. The guy working there was surprised that I took it.”

My friend giggled and with renewed vigor stated, “I believe I said that no matter what you say, I’ll still give this movie a go!”

I raised both of my hands. She’s persistent. I like that. “I have given up changing your opinion. You’re on your own.”

“Alright, then.” Twilight cheerfully took the movie with both of her hands and grinned at me. “Can I be the one to put the movie this time?” Her excitement put a smile on my face.

“By all means.”

“Yay, thank you!” Twilight practically skipped to the television. A chuckle escaped from me. My friend knelt, opened the box and put the movie inside the VCR before glancing at me, with her grin in place. “All set!”

“Not quite.” I said as I took the remote. “Now, we need to turn on the T.V.”

Twilight giggled, placed the box of the movie on the VCR and returned to the couch. She didn’t say anything else until the ads started. “Advertising from decades ago. It’s like going back in time.”

“Yeah, I have seen some stuff that doesn’t exist anymore advertised.” I put the remote aside and looked at Twilight. She was completely fascinated by the video. I didn’t want to divert her attention. I was actually enjoying the sight of her investment on the VHS... but I must know more about her. She might have more interests we share. “So… Sparks...”

My friend turned her head to face me. “Sparks? That’s two.”

“Huh?” My eyebrows raised in confusion.

“First cub, now Sparks. You have two nicknames for me, and I have none for you,” Twilight lost her smile. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to give me one.” I placed a hand on her shoulder as I spoke. “Besides, it’s hard to think on something for a name like ‘Aria Blaze’.”

Twilight’s eyes focused on the hand I had on her shoulder. She regained her smile. “I guess that’s true. But…” Her eyes met mine. “I like your name as it is. I wouldn’t want to change it.”

My cheeks started to get warm. Strange. Why was that? Was it out of embarrassment? Yes, it must be. She might think I don’t like her name.

“I-I have nicknames for you just because I like using them. I have nothing against your name. I’m sorry if you thought that.”

“Oh?” Twilight’s eyes widened, and then she giggled. “No need to say sorry, Aria. There’s nothing wrong with nicknames. I like them. Please, don’t stop using them.”

A smile appeared on my face, but I still felt my cheeks warm. Maybe the embarrassment needs time to fade away. “Okay, then. I’ll try not to give you any more for now. Otherwise I’ll forget your real name,” Twilight giggled again but said nothing else. She remained looking at me for a few more moments before turning her attention to the T.V. The ads were still going.

“What were you going to tell me?” Twilight said, with her attention on the screen.

“Hmm?” What did she mean? My friend glanced at me again, beaming.

“You were going to say something before I digressed the conversation to the nicknames.”

Oh, right! I almost forgot. “I just was going to ask you how you have been. I didn’t call you in a bad time yesterday, right? I made sure to ask you after school, but I wasn’t sure if you had plans.”

Twilight didn’t answer right away. Her smile faded for a couple of seconds before recovering it. “Don’t worry, you called at the right time. I’m free after school most of the time. I might join a club after Summer. I’m also thinking on getting a part-time job.”

“Y-You are…?” I felt my insides sinking. With a club, a job, and her friends… how much time would she have for me? “Can I ask why?”

“A part-time job will help me to build experience and earn my own money. I don’t want to take anything for granted. I’ll look for a job this Summer, after returning from a Camp my friends and I are going to go.”

“A… camp?” Are you kidding?!

Twilight nodded. She was still smiling. “It will be at the Everfree Forest. We were supposed to go during Spring Break in two weeks, but it was moved to July after a tragedy happened.” My friend’s smile faded for a few moments. “We’re going to sleep in tents, do activities on land and on the lake. It’s going to be fun! As long as we don’t have to swim.” Twilight hugged her knees close to her chest.

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with swimming?”

Twilight barely made eye contact with me. Her cheeks were red and she fidgeted. “D-Do you promise not to laugh?”

“Twilight…” I scooted closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Of course.”

My friend smiled faintly before cutting eye contact with me. “I… can’t swim.”

I raised both of my eyebrows, surprised, but then I wore a smug smile. “I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“You must be an expert swimmer. You used to live under water. I was… ashamed to admit it to you,” Twilight said sadly.

“I haven’t been in water since I came to this world. Besides, that was back when I had my real form. I swam with the help of my large tail. I haven’t tried swimming with legs yet.” I looked away from her.

Truth to be told, I missed having water all around me. I didn’t want to return to live in the ocean again, but I would love going for a swim once in a while.

“What’s stopping you?” I turned my attention to Twilight when she spoke. “Water was your element. Don’t you want to give it a shot?”

“Of course I do.” I sighed. “But our money is limited. I don't have the luxury to take weekly swimming classes.” My friend pouted. Only the sound of the television was heard for a while, until we heard the front door open. We turned our heads, and, eventually, Sonata walked in, humming and holding a bag. She grinned when she laid her eyes on us, more specifically the girl next to me.

“Adagio, look! Twilight's here! Yay!” My younger sister put the bag she was carrying on the floor and rushed to give Twilight a hug. “Hi! It’s good to see you again!”

“L-Likewise.” Twilight returned the hug after recovering from the initial shock. Moments later, Adagio walked in, holding her purse.

“Let her breathe, Sonata,” My older sister said with a smug grin. She walked towards Twilight as Sonata released her from the hug. They looked into each other for a moment before Adagio spoke again. “You must be Twilight.” She said, as she raised her hand towards my friend.

Twilight smiled and shook hands with Adagio. “Yes. Twilight Sparkle.”

“I’m Adagio Dazzle. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“The feeling is mutual.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s nice. Now, would you mind? You’re blocking the T.V.” I made sure to show signs of annoyance as I spoke.

“Oh, dear sister, you’re as charming as always,” Adagio said before backing away while Twilight sat next to me. I glanced at my friend. She still had a smile on her face. “Aria, what’s this?” Adagio asked, pointing at the bag on the floor with her index finger.

“Twilight brought snacks. We don’t have a free table around here, so…”

“So, you should have been creative.” My older sister walked towards a nearby table, which had a lamp on it. She unplugged the lamp and took it to the kitchen. She returned shortly after and took the bag Twilight brought. She placed the bag on the now free table and moved it closer to the couch. “There. Was it so hard?” I frowned and looked away. Why didn’t I think of that? What if Twilight thinks I’m too dumb and stops being my friend?

“Snacks?” Sonata walked in from the kitchen. She was eating a chocolate bar. “We brought some too. Yay! Now we have enough for everyone!”

“Not so fast, Sonata.” Adagio placed a hand on her hip and raised her other hand towards my younger sister to catch her attention. “We brought these for them. Take the bag, put the snacks in bowls and bring them here. Then bring some glasses for their drinks.”

Sonata sighed and pouted. “Yes, Adagio…” my younger sister took the bag she left on the floor and walked out of the room while Adagio crossed her arms and smirked towards us. “Don’t worry, after filling you up with food and drinks, we’ll leave you be.”

“Oh, you don’t have to avoid us.” Twilight said before looking at me. “Right, Aria?”

“Hmm?” I was watching the T.V. I turned my attention to my friend when she mentioned my name. “Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever.” Twilight lost her smile with my reply. My guts felt weird, like someone punched me right in the gut with a hammer. I didn’t like this feeling.

Adagio chuckled. “Thank you, Twilight, but I’m afraid Aria doesn’t want us around when she’s watching one of her movies. She can’t stand our criticism.”

“You never stop mentioning the bad quality or the white lines that sometimes appears.” I glared at Adagio “They’re called retro for a reason.”

“I believe they call them obsolete.” My older sister smirked again.

My face turned red in frustration as I pressed my thumb and index finger on the bridge of my nose. I turned to Twilight afterwards. “Do you see what I have to put up with?”

Adagio laughed softly before speaking. “Don’t be so dramatic, Aria. It’s just innocent teasing.”

“You do it all the time. Always with me.” I frowned at Adagio.

“Of course. “Adagio smiled proudly. ”You’re an easy target.”

I grunted at her, but then I heard giggling next to me. My eyes widened as I turned my head around to find Twilight as the source. “Twilight…?”

“I-I’m sorry-” My friend was smiling. “My friends do the same. They tease each other. That’s how they show how they care for each other. I find it cute.” Twilight’s beaming smile slowly faded when she realized I wasn’t sharing it. “Or I should apologize…?”

Adagio and I exchanged looks. She smirked. She and I are not like Sonata. We don’t express our feelings with words. I can’t recall the last time I said ‘I love you’ to either of my sisters, but I do care about them. I do… love them. I just would rather not to openly admit it. They know I do anyway. Otherwise I would have left them long ago. I returned Adagio’s smirk.

“Nah…” I said before turning to Twilight again. “You’re cool.” Twilight giggled again and closed her eyes as she smiled just as Sonata returned with our snacks inside bowls, which she placed on the table.

“What took you so long, Sonata?” My older sister asked in a motherly tone. Sonata tried to speak, but as she did, crumbles of food came out of her mouth. Adagio massaged her own forehead with a hand.

“You should have seen it coming,” I said after chuckling.

“I know…” Adagio said before taking Sonata by her wrist. “I’ll make sure she doesn’t touch your drinks.” My sisters walked into the kitchen. My friend turned her attention to me after they were gone.

“They seem nice.”

“Yeah…” I was still staring at the door leading to the kitchen. I would die of boredom if it weren’t for them.

“So… what do they do?”

“Adagio is the secretary of a local businessman.” I glanced at Twilight before continuing answering her question. “And Sonata recently got a job in a fast food restaurant. We manage just fine.”

“I hope you spend time with them once in a while. I have nice memories with my brother before he moved away.” Right, her brother. I remember she told me she had one. I wanted to know more about him, but Twilight glanced at the T.V. and grinned. “It’s starting!” I followed her gaze to the screen, even ignoring Adagio and Sonata as they brought glasses and filled them with liquid. “Thank you.” My friend said.

“You’re welcome.” Adagio replied as she and Sonata walked out of the room, leaving us with the movie.

Twilight had a huge smile. It will soon change. “Aww, how cute. Lana had a baby with Dr. Berkman.” She looked at me and got confused when she saw I wasn’t smiling. It has begun. “It’s not… cute?”

“I won’t give you spoilers, Sparks.” I smirked. “You said you wanted to experience the whole thing by yourself.”

“Spoilers? But they got together by the end of the last movie. This one starts five years later. Isn’t it logical that they are married and have a baby now?”

“Umm…” I remained neutral with my expression. Luckily, Twilight turned her attention back to the T.V. when she heard the sound of cars breaking and using their horns.

“Oh, no! What’s happening to the stroller?” Twilight asked.

“The slime seen at the very beginning possessed it.” My friend kept her attention on the T.V. Her excitement returned when she saw the Wraitbusters’ vehicle on screen with its siren on.

“I wonder what kind of Wraith they will catch!” Twilight said with excitement.

If it was any other person, like Sonata, I would be laughing quietly. With Twilight… I felt bad. It was not enjoyable to see her enthusiasm fade once she saw where the protagonists were going.

“A birthday party…? They had the siren on, endangering civilians just because they were running late to a birthday party? They’re also only two of them, and the kids hate them? That doesn’t make any sense…”

“Twilight…” She didn’t hear me.

“One of the kids said he thinks they’re frauds and they were sued for summoning the big puffy creature at the end of the previous movie. That doesn’t add up either…”

I sighed. “This is why I didn’t want you to watch this movie. It only gets worse. Do you want me to turn it off?”

Twilight glanced at me. She was disappointed. I could see how she internally debated what to do. Her eyes moved from left to right. I waited until she changed expression to determination. “No. I started with it, I need to sit it through.”

Her attention returned to the movie. I smiled and scooted closer to her. She glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. She got nervous all of the sudden for some reason. I suppose I should give her an explanation?

“The movie is more kid friendly, but it still has a couple of scary scenes. I’ll let you know when they’re coming,” I said.

“O-Okay…” Her focus returned to the movie. This is weird. Is she feeling intimidated of me? Should I keep my distance? Just in case, I scooted slightly away from her.

We continued watching the movie. I cringed every time something stupid happened in the film. I glanced at Twilight once in a while to see that she wasn’t enjoying the movie either. At least we had the snacks.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the movie ended. Thank goodness! I sighed in relief before standing up to stretch. “Well, that’s about it. One of the worst sequels ever made…” I looked at Twilight. She was massaging her forehead with both of her hands and her head was dropped. “Twilight…” There was no response. I walked towards her and placed a hand on her back. “Sparks…”

“I don’t understand…” My friend replied shortly after. Moments later, she looked at me. “The previous movie had a perfect ending, but it could still be expanded further. They had gold in their hands. They could have turned into diamond, but instead, they made dirt with it…”

“Sparks…” Twilight stood up all of the sudden, which caught me by surprise.

“It makes no sense!” She started to pace around the room. “Nothing in this movie makes any sense!” My friend placed her hands on her head. She wasn’t looking so good.

“Twilight…” I stood up and tried to reach her, but I stopped when she turned her head towards me.

“Those kids called the Wraithbusters frauds?! What about the giant evil mascot that walked around the city? All of the sudden that didn’t happen?! Wait, it did! They were sued for the destruction it caused, weren’t they? But then the judge goes and says ‘we don’t believe in wraiths. You’re frauds.’ How can he even say that when a giant wraith walked around destroying everything? I just… just…!” Twilight groaned and turned her back to me. I took the chance to get closer and place a hand on her shoulder.

“What you say is true. I had the same thoughts after watching it for the first time. I was so disappointed having the Wraithbusters become Wraithbusters again, Dr. Berkman and Lana falling for each other again, people thinking they’re frauds and, again, an annoying dude trying to get them locked away. It’s just a disaster,” I said nodding.

“The first one ended in such a good note, a sequel had so much potential!” Twilight practically yelled.

“I know!” I groaned. “I don’t know what they were thinking. A lot of the movie should be changed.”

“That’s true…” My friend turned around to face me again. Her eyes widened. “And I know exactly how this movie could have been fixed.” She smiled. I recognized that look. It’s the same excitement she gets when we discuss our favorite book. “Aria… What if the movie started with the court case?”

“What?” I frowned, confused.

“I’m not talking about the case from when they tripped and there was a power outage, which also makes no sense. I mean the other court case they talked about. Them getting sued for the damages caused by the destructor. Think about it: there'd be no more wraiths because the antagonist from the previous movie was gone, so they'd still be down on their luck when being sued. Even the fourth wraithbuster, Hammond could be there with them. I don’t know about you, but them saying their other jobs might actually be funnier than seeing them. The prosecutor would ask ‘What's your occupation?’ and Dr. Berkman would answer. ‘I host the public access show "World of the Psychic’. Then, the prosecutor asks the others. Negon answers ‘I measure anger by giving and taking away puppies.’ And the remaining wraithbusters would simply reply ‘Birthday parties.’ Wouldn’t that be funnier?”

A smile briefly appeared on my face before chuckling. “Yeah, that actually would have been better.”

“The movie could also still take place five years later because they were forming the case around them. Despite being annoying, that Peak guy from the previous movie was right! The Wraithbusters’s operations were illegal! Peak could be in the case, either as a witness, or even the prosecution! That way, you wouldn't need Peak to hate them for no reason, because his hatred is already justified! Just as they're about to be found guilty, the pair of wraits pop up. But since Frozer is gone, from where did these two come from? Suddenly, there's a mystery. The same thing happens: the judge rescinds the order, Hammond is with them to bust the wraiths, and maybe... seven minutes in, the intro would be when the wraithbusters walk out the court, saying that they’re back! Half hour of unnecessary filler, gone! Much better, don’t you think?”

“Actually, yes! Much better!” I think my eyes were shining at this point. As Twilight told her version of the movie, I was imagining it. It truly would have been a fantastic movie.

My friend continued. “And the rest, it could still do a similar thing! Follow up with the baby’s carriage being possessed, only this time, Dr. Berkman and Lana's baby. You don't have to redo the romance; in fact, the intensity is up because it's both their kid now, adding a new element to their characters and taking their relationship to the next step!”

“Of course!” I held Twilight from her arms as I grinned. “That’s something I would have loved to see!”

“And Lana could have been like, ‘Screw this! No wraith is taking my kid!’ I'm becoming a wraithbuster!’ If newcomer Hammond could do it, why not her? Then Luis and the secretary could look after the baby like they originally had, while Lana is off catching wraiths with her husband and coworkers, adding a great dynamic to the group!

“She would definitely do better than that Luis guy doing it.” I commented.

“Exactly!” I don’t think Twilight’s smile could get any wider. “Let’s not forget, one of the goals of the movies is to sell toys. With these fixes, there’s so much time they could have dedicated to add more gadgets, more wraiths, more vehicles, more characters, more stuff they could have sold as toys that also make the film more interesting all while furthering the story!”

My jaw dropped. I was impressed, truly impressed. All this time hating this movie, and I never stopped to think what I would have done different. And here comes Twilight, thinking on solutions right after watching the movie. “Cub… you just fixed the movie.”

My friend giggled. “I think I did!”

“I can barely believe that you thought on solutions for all of the mistakes the movie made so quickly. Sparks, if I had a hat, I would be taking it off right now.” I said with a hint of pride.

Twilight giggled. I noticed that she also flushed. I suppose it’s because she’s not used to receive compliments.

“I-It was nothing. While I was watching the movie, I started to see what would I have done different,” Her smile faded as she sighed. “I’m really disappointed that we didn’t get Lana helping to save her baby. It would have been nice to see her catching wraiths and giving the final blow on Nego.”

“Yes, it’s a shame…” I smiled before placing a hand on Twilight’s shoulder to catch her attention. When my friend looked at me, I continued. “However, I do have good news about the actress who played Lana. There’s a movie where she fights back the threat.”

“Really?” Twilight recovered her smile. Brightening her mood always made me feel good. There’s something about her smile that I enjoyed, but I’m not really sure what it is. I hope she likes the news I’m about to give her.

“Do you remember the movie I mentioned you the other day, ‘Extraterrestrial’?” Twilight nodded. Her smile was still there. “She stars in it.”

Twilight gasped happily. “She does?”

“Yup.”

“B-But… you also mentioned that it was a scary movie…” Her smile disappeared. Oh, of course. I should have known.

“W-Well, we don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to,” My friend placed a hand on her chin while she thought. Was she really considering it? “Twilight, it’s okay."

“Do you have it in VHS?” Twilight asked, without looking at me.

“Yes, I-”

“Can I see it?” Twilight cut me short.

I was surprised, but I quickly nodded and walked towards the T.V. I turned it off and pressed ‘Stop’ from the VCR. I’ll rewind it later. After stopping the movie, I looked for the VHS Twilight requested from my small collection. I returned to my friend after finding it to give it to her. Twilight looked at the cover and frowned. I think she was analyzing it. Then, she turned the box around to read the description from behind. I remained silent until she gave me the VHS back. “It does look… scary… but… I really want to see how the actress performs here.”

“She does a great job. Her character really grows from the start to the finish. You’ll forget about how poor her role was in the disaster we just watched.”

Twilight smiled, but she became unsure a moment later. “The scary parts… are you going to warn me when they’re coming?”

“I can do more than that, cub.” I smirked as I placed a hand on my hip. “I’ll mute the T.V.”

“You will?” I nodded in response. Twilight grinned before abruptly hugging me. “Thank you, Aria!”

“I-It’s no problem, really.” I hugged her back when I recovered from the surprise. My friend looked at me. Her eyes widened and then she released me. “Twilight?” I was confused. “Are you okay?”

Twilight didn’t reply right away. “Y-Yes, I’m fine. Sorry about that.” She avoided looking at me. Was she hiding something from me? I have to find out what it is.

“Twilight…” she didn’t reply and kept giving me her back. “Twilight, look at me.” My friend slowly turned around and met my eyes with hers. She looked troubled. “Listen, I might be new to having a friend, but something I know is that friends help each other, right?”

Twilight nodded. “T-That’s true…”

“Then-“ I placed a hand on her shoulder. Her gaze moved to it. “-let me help you. Something’s up, you’re acting weird. Are you being bullied again? Were you robbed?”

My friend looked back at me with her eyes wide opened. “N-No, it’s nothing like that!” I wasn’t prepared when she raised her voice. I quickly removed my hand from her shoulder and took a step back. When she saw my shock, Twilight placed her hands on her mouth. “I-I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to… to…” she didn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she moved her hands to cover her face.

“Twilight…” before I was able to say something else, her phone started to ring. My friend removed her hands from her face and stared to her bag. Seconds passed and she remained motionless. “Aren’t you going to get that?” Twilight looked at me briefly before walking toward her bag. She pulled out her phone from within it and answered the call.

“Hello? Oh, hi mom…” A smile appeared on her face. Seeing her more relaxed calmed my own nerves. I have never seen her this nervous before. I would normally have lost my patience by now, but for some reason, I’m able to hold myself. I’m not even angry, not in the sightless. I waited, with my arms crossed for Twilight to finish. “No, no, it’s alright. We actually just finished watching the movie, so… oh, you are? And you…” My friend laughed softly. “That’s why I always tell you to check if you have everything first… alright, I’ll be there soon. I love you too, mom.” Twilight hang up and glanced at me. She held her phone with both of her hands on her chest level. “I-I have to go…”

“An emergency?” I smirked. Seeing my good mood, Twilight beamed.

“Something like that. My mom wanted to surprise my father and me with homemade spaghetti, but just as she made the dough, she realized that we’re out of tomatoes for the sauce. She can’t leave everything out on the open and my father was called for a meeting, so…”

“She had to spoil the surprise to you.” Smiling, I completed her sentence.

“Yeah…” she placed her phone back on her bag. “I’m sorry, Aria. I wanted to stay for a little while longer, but…”

“Don’t worry, I understand. Another time, then. Maybe this weekend’”

“This weekend…” Twilight gasped. “I almost forgot!”

“What?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

“Aria-” Twilight looked at me. “I’m going to be out of town this weekend. I’ll visit my grandparents with my parents and brother. I can’t take Spike because my grandfather is allergic. My friend Fluttershy agreed to go check on Spike on Saturday and Sunday morning, but the other friend I asked, Sunset, can only see him on Saturday afternoon. None of my other friends are available. Can you check on him on Sunday afternoon? At 3PM? See if he has food, water, take him out and play with him. He gets very lonely.”

My jaw dropped, but I quickly recovered. “You’re asking me to go to your house on my own?”

“I know, it’s a big favor, but-”

“I’m not bothered by that.” Twilight frowned, confused. “The thing is…” I took a deep breath and released it before continuing. “No one ever trusted me with something like this before.”

Twilight nodded and smiled. “Well, I do trust you, Aria. You’ve already been to my house and Spike likes you. So, will you do it?”

I shrugged. “Sure, it’s not like I have plans or anything.”

“Yay, thank you! I owe you a big one!” She gave me a quick hug. “I’ll leave a paper on the dining table giving you more details about what Spike likes. Oh, and I’ll make sure to leave you some food and a drink, just in case. All you have to do is to make him company for a few hours.”

“I can do that.” I smirked again, but then, I opened my eyes wide when I remembered something. Twilight was already worried, so I didn’t waste any more time to speak. “W-Wait, does it mean that one of your friends is going to give me the keys?”

Twilight gasped. “Oh, right. I’m lending my keys to Sunset and Fluttershy,” My friend placed her hand on her chin to think. “Well, what if I ask Fluttershy to place my keys under a rock by the pool of my backyard? My friends know that I have another friend besides them and Cadence. They’ll respect your privacy. That’s okay, right?”

I smiled, internally sighing in relief. “Yes, that will be great. Thank you.”

Twilight grinned before glancing at her bag. “I suppose I should better go now. I’ll talk to you later, yes?”

I nodded. “Sure.” I helped Twilight to pack part of our snacks before walking her to the front door, but there was still unfinished business. “So, Cub, about earlier…”

Twilight stood still and slowly looked at me. “Y-Yes?”

“I’m sorry for pushing this subject but I have to know. You know, you acted very weird. Is there something your hiding? Just tell me. I won’t be upset.” I asked.

My friend looked away from me and hugged herself. She seemed anxious. I’m not going to make things worse for her by asking her again. I’ll let her speak when she’s ready. I was rewarded by my patience when Twilight looked back at me after what I think was a minute or two.

“Okay…” she sighed. “There’s obviously something going on with me.”

“Go on.” I softened my expression to encourage her to keep talking.

“Aria…” She paused for a moment. “I-I really enjoy spending time with you. I love sharing my thoughts of the the book we love with you, I loved the night we stargazed together, and I of course enjoy coming here to watch movies.”

“Oh, so you’re really here for me, and not for my VCR?” I smirked and was pleased when Twilight giggled softly.

“Of course that I’m here our quality time. I like calling you on the phone and being called by you. I’m happy for having met you and your sisters. But…” My friend looked at me into my eyes.

I could swear she was blushing, but she was also very uneasy. So much that she wasn’t looking at me. “It might sound silly, but… I’m still worried that I’m bothering you too much. I know that you’re not much of a fan of company, and sometimes I think that you’re being kind and avoid saying no to me. You said that you were fine, but, what if you’re lying to make me feel better?”

Twilight took a deep breath before meeting my eyes with hers. “I’m so sorry, Aria, but I want to be a 100% sure. Do you really enjoy spending time with me, or do you pretend to be?”

My eyes widened. I was taken aback, but I quickly frowned to process what Twilight just said. She’s still is scared of pushing me away? I have to remind her that she has nothing to worry about. I took a step closer to her and smiled. Twilight blushed a little, I think. In order to make myself clear, I'll show her a side of mine I thought to be forgotten. “Sparks, you see this?” I see as I pointed at my mouth.

Twilight frowned in confusion. “Your… mouth?”

“It’s not often that I’m in a good mood. Whenever a stranger tried to be nice to me, I dismissed them. That wasn’t the case with you. Twilight, I never saw myself calling someone on the phone just to talk or to invite them over. I told you, I consider myself a lone wolf.” I placed my hands on her shoulders, but by friend kept focusing on my eyes. “Twilight, if I didn’t want you in my life, I wouldn’t be calling you on the phone, I wouldn’t have agreed to join you to stargaze. Twilight, I stood up for you when you returned to your old school. What more proof do you need?”

My friend stared into my eyes, maybe thinking on what I just said. I gave her time. Several moments later, Twilight looked away before dropping her head. “Y-You’re right… it’s me. I’m the one who got worried over nothing. I’m so sorry…”

“Twilight, no,” I placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t look up. “I’m not mad, nor upset. If anything, I’m glad you brought it up.”

Twilight slowly rose her head to meet my eyes. She wasn’t happy, but she wasn’t sad either. “I knew something was up and I wanted to know what.” I gave her a weak smile, which made her flush a little. “Thank you for telling me.”

Twilight remained silent, but she wasn’t for much. Before I knew it, she was smiling again. “I’ll try to be more open from now on. Thank you, Aria.”

I smirked and scratched her head playfully. “You’re welcome, cub.” Twilight glanced from side to side before taking her phone from her backpack. “What are you planning?”

“W-Well, I…” she was holding her phone with both hands and was unable to look at me.

“I’m listening.” Twilight slowly looked at me and raised her phone.

“D-Do you mind if… I take a picture of us?”

“A… picture…?” I raised an eyebrow, curious.

“Y-Yes, if you want. I don’t want you to feel forced.”

I considered it for a moment. It wasn’t a bad idea, but I wish I had a photo of her too, but I have no camera. “Alright, let’s do it.”

My friend grinned. “Really?”

I nodded. “Sure, why not?”

“Thank you, thank you! Come closer, please.” I did as she requested. When I was next to Twilight, I placed an arm around her while I kept my attention on her cell phone. “O-Okay…” Her voice… it sounded like if she was nervous. “Say ‘Friends!'’”

“Friends!” We both said the word in unison and Twilight took the picture.

“Let me see how it looks…” Twilight checked her phone. “It looks amazing! Take a look.”

We did look good in the photo. “I like it. Too bad I can’t have it, though.”

“That can be arranged.” I glanced at Twilight, surprised. “I can print it for you as a gift.”

My jaw dropped, but I quickly smirked. “Thanks, Twilight.” My friend grinned, but then, I heard footsteps behind us. Before I knew it, Sonata placed her head between me and Twilight to see Twilight’s phone.

“What’s going on in here?” My younger sister asked with a grin. “You’re taking photos?! Why didn’t you tell me?” I groaned and was about to push Sonata away, when Adagio walked into the room.

“Sonata, I told you not to interrupt them.” I turned around and saw that Adagio had her arms crossed. She was also frowning at Sonata.

“But I couldn’t wait anymore!” Sonata pouted. “They sounded so excited when they were talking about that movie and then, silence. I wanted to know what happened.” I opened my eyes wide in shock.

Th-They heard… I forgot they were around and they heard me acting excited. Oh, no. I’ll never hear the end of it.

Adagio sighed and massaged her forehead with her hand. “It doesn’t matter, you should have waited. Come on, Sonata, get back here.”

“No fair!” My younger sister stomped on the floor, frustrated. “They were taking pictures! I want one too!” Sonata started to walk towards Adagio. I was pleased to see her leaving frustrated, but then…

“W-Wait!” Twilight spoke up. My sisters and I turned our attention to her. “Why don’t we all take a picture? I’m already going to frame one for Aria. I can do another one.”

Adagio smiled warmly. “Thank you, Twilight, b--”

“Yes, photo time!” Sonata grabbed Adagio from her wrist and dragged her towards us.

“I can walk, Sonata!” Sonata giggled and dragged Adagio to my left, while she stood on my right. Twilight prepared the camera on her phone again and lifted it.

“We’re all in the frame. One, two, three… smile!” By her command, I smirked while my sisters smiled, and with a click, the photo was taken. I don’t remember the last time I had this much fun, in a good way. Not even my sisters get to witness my soft side. But... even after the good time I had with Twilight, I still feel that she hasn’t told me the truth about what’s making her so nervous. I hope that, one day, she can tell me what’s really going on.

Little Lost Anabelle

View Online

Twilight’s P.O.V.

I’m such a mess. I’m doing the exact opposite of what Cadence advised me to do. But it’s so easy to lose myself! Every time I was with Aria, my heart flutters and I couldn’t think straight. With my feelings growing, I’m not certain if I’ll be able to keep them in check forever.

“That’s all for today, class. Don’t forget to do your homework.”

As the teacher dismissed the last class of the day, everyone, including me, walked out of the classroom. However, unlike most students, I didn’t head to the exit. Instead, I headed to the library to clear my thoughts. Aria could tell something was odd about me yesterday and I had to lie to her. I think it worked, but I can’t do that again. Hopefully, the library will be a good distraction. I hugged my books and hastened my pace, wanting to get there as fast as I could. So much so that I didn’t really look what was in front of me, which caused me to collide with someone.

The collision made me drop my books. “I’m so sorry! I was distracted!” I apologized to the boy I bumped into as I knelt to pick up my books. The student I crashed into also knelt to help me.

"It's okay, don't worry." I looked at him after his last word.

He had spiky blue hair that matched his eyes and jeans, he was also wearing a black jacket similar to Sunset's. Oh! Oh my gosh! This student... I-I am pretty sure I met him before, but I can't remember his name. Or rather, I think he never told me?

"Twilight? Is everything alright?" This person... Isn't he the same guy I bumped into during the Friendship Games?

I interrupted my line of thought when I realized that he was staring at me in a funny way. "I-I'm fine!" I quickly picked up my books and got back on my feet. The blue haired boy did the same and handed me the last of my books. "O-Oh! Thank you... Er..."

"Ah, right! I never introduced myself. I’m Flash Sentry, it's nice to meet you again Twilight." To my surprise, and confusion, the boy suddenly panicked. "I mean, not that the first time we met wasn't pleasant!"

That sounded... Weird. I guess I should thank him, he did hand me my books. "Hmm... Thank you... Flash, right?"

"Yup, that's me, Flash Sentry!" He made an awkward chuckle while pointing to himself with his thumb. I'm... Not sure how I should react to that. I don't even know how to talk to this person or who he is, I guess I should get going before things get weirder.

"Well, see you later then Flash!" I brought my books closer to my chest and tried to make a run for it, but then I felt his hand on shoulder when I was about to pass by him.

"Twilight, wait!" I am pretty sure I let out a small 'squeak' when he called me out. "Are you free right now? My friends and I were going to grab some food at Burger Prince before our band practice, would you like to come with us?"

He blushed after inviting me and looked away while scratching the back of his head. Did he just ask me out!? Okay, this definitely got weirder!

“Umm… I-I…?”

All the progress I have made to keep my anxiety under check has been nullified. What should I do? I have to reject him, but I can’t even proper a complete sentence... wait, that’s not how… even my brain is working against me! Please, someone, help me!

"Hi, Twilight." I quickly glanced to where the friendly voice came from.

Trixie was walking towards Flash Sentry and me. I internally sighed in relief knowing Trixie would get me out of this. I honestly didn't know how to reply to Flash and I could feel my legs starting to shake. Thank goodness for sending Trixie to save me!

"Trixie came looking for you since you were taking too long," My friend said waving to me.

“Y-Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” I gave her a nervous smile to playing along.

"Oh... You girls have plans together?" Flash let go of my shoulder. The disappointment in his voice was bizarrely genuine.

"Indeed! For the Great and Powerful Trixie will be studying under the Wise and All-Knowing Twilight for this afternoon!" A giggle escaped my mouth after hearing that. I am pretty sure I don't know it all, Trixie, but I have to admit, that's an epic stage name.

"I see... Well, I don't want to delay you two any longer, so, see ya." Despite Flash giving us a smile before leaving, I could tell he was struggling. Now I feel bad for him a bit. Yet, if Trixie haven't show up, I am pretty sure my anxiety would've taken over. I mean, a boy that I barely know just asked me out and kept giving me strange looks while we talked? That was very uncomfortable to say the least.

I could feel my legs again when he was finally gone. "Thank you so much, Trixie."

"You're welcome, Twilight. If it wasn't for Trixie's great intervention, why! You would've fallen to your knees." She took a very proud stance, placing one hand in front of her chest, the other on her hip, while standing tall and with her eyes closed. I let out another giggle at that. But as soon as Trixie made that pose, she reversed back to normal and gave me a very worried expression. "But being serious now. Are you really okay, Twilight? You looked like a second away from a panic attack."

"Don't worry, I am fine now, Trixie." I told my friend in the most reassuring way possible. "It's just..." I made a pause and turned my head back to the way Flash went. "While I think he was a good guy, I don't know anything about him and out of nowhere he asked me out. Sure, it wasn't on a date, but it still made uncomfortable since we're complete strangers to each other."

Trixie place a hand on her chin and said thoughtfully. "I guess he still can't keep you apart from the other Twilight".

Then it hit me like a brick wall. Not only Flash Sentry was the guy I bumped into during the Friendship Games, but he was also the same guy Sunset warned me had a crush on the pony me! I really wish I could say that things made sense now, but the way he was acting with me is pretty much how I act near Aria sometimes. It just makes things more awkward. I mean, what do you do when someone likes your ‘twin’, but keeps mistaking you for them? I really don't want to come out as rude or make him dislike me, I had enough people hating me back at CPA, yet I can't just accept his advances. It wasn't fair to me or him... And it would feel like I was cheating on Aria...

Wait, What!? What am I thinking!? Aria and I aren't even dating! Oh my gosh, I could feel my face getting hot and smoke come out of my ears.

"Wow, Twilight! You're burning!" I heard Trixie shout in worry. "Are you sure you’re okay?"

"Y-Yes. It's just..." I couldn't find words to reply to her. "Let's just forget about that any of this happened and move on."

Trixie frowned concerned and then nodded. “Alright, so… where were you going, really?” My heart rate was slowly getting back to normal.

“To the library. I want to read a little before going home. I might do some homework while I’m at it too. Will you walk me there?” I asked Trixie.

My friend smiled faintly. “Sure, as long as you don’t ask me to go in. I’m not in the mood for books today.”

I giggled and glanced at her. “Are you allergic to knowledge like Rainbow?”

Trixie chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far. I just had a big math test today and I want to relax until tomorrow.”

I arched a brow at Trixie. “You did? And how do you think it went?”

“A test is no match for Trixie! She nailed every single exercise.” Trixie placed her hands on her hips and smirked proudly.

“Are you sure?” I asked with a smile.

Trixie lost her smug smile and started to play with her index fingers. “I-I’m pretty sure I have the half right.”

I giggled before speaking again. “Did you study alone?”

“N-No. Sunset came over to help me a couple of times, but there were… distractions,” Trixie said her cheek turning a deep red.

“What kind of distractions…?” I asked.

My friend’s face turned even deeper red and she raised her voice. “I-It’s not what you think! My dog, Pixie, gets jealous and demanded attention! Besides, Sunset's priority was to help me study, nothing more!”

I opened my eyes wide, surprised by the sudden outburst. “Trixie, why did you raise your voice?”

“Oh, you mean you weren’t implying…” Trixie sighed as her face returned to its original color. “I’m sorry. I thought you meant something else.”

“What did you-” As I spoke, I fixed my eyes on the front. The library was nearby, but someone I knew appeared from it. “Wait, isn’t that… Applejack?”

Trixie followed my gaze and Applejack turned her head toward us. She wasn’t looking so good. Her expression showed signs of desperation. Upon spotting us, she ran towards us.

“Twilight, Trixie! Ah’m glad yer here!” I never saw her shake like this. Something terrible must be going on.

“What’s wrong, Applejack?” I asked to my friend.

“Everythin’ is wrong! Ah lost it, Twilight! Ah lost mah project!”

“You mean, Anabelle?” Trixie asked before I got a word in. Applejack looked at her and nodded.

“Yes. Ah don’t know what happened! Ah was doing’ homework at the library with the egg on the table. Ah left for a second to look for a book, and when ah returned, it was gone!”

“Applejack!” I almost dropped my books after hearing the news. “How could you leave your project laying around, even for a second?!”

“Ah didn’t think it would just disappear!” My farmer friend had both of her hands on her head. She was looking even more uneasy.

“Remember that the project is designed to simulate the babysitting of a baby. You must always keep an eye on them!”

“Ah know, but an egg is an egg, not a baby! It can’t move on its own!” Applejack nearly yelled.

“Even so! Applejack, you should have taken your project more seriously. I can’t believe you were so irresponsible!” I retorted.

“Alright, both of you, calm down!” Trixie stood between me and Applejack, separating us with her arms. The magician glanced at me, frowning. “Twilight, stop adding logs into the fire. You’re not making it easier for her.”

“I…” I glanced at Trixie and blinked several times, confused, before looking at Applejack again. Her eyes were wet. Oh, my gosh… what kind of friend was I? I took a deep breath and released it. “Applejack, I’m so sorry. I suppose I got anxious…”

“It’s fine, Twilight, ah deserved it.” Her voice was breaking, which didn’t make me feel any better.

Trixie glanced at the farmer girl next. “Applejack, where was the last time you saw the egg.”

“On the table ah was doin’ my homework. This way.” Trixie and I followed Applejack into the library, where she took us to the table where she lost her project. “The egg was right here.”

I put my books away before examining the table while Applejack and Trixie stayed behind me. I found no traces of egg yolk on the table nor on the floor. “Applejack-” I called my friend as I turned around. She was so tense that she was barely blinking. She even had her Stetson off. She was holding it with a hand on her chest level while she used her other hand to clean her sweat from her head. We have to get to the bottom of this. “The most likely scenario is that someone took it.”

“Why would someone take an egg lying around the library?” Applejack frowned in confusion.

“Maybe they thought it was lost?” Trixie took a step forward. “Should we try ‘Lost and found’?”

“Ah don’t know if someone would take an egg there. If anything, they would take it to the kitch—oh, no!” Applejack covered her mouth with a hand. “Twilight, we have to go to the kitchen!”

“Wait, Applejack. Wasn’t Anabelle wearing a tutu?” My farmer friend nodded to answer my question. “Then they wouldn’t take it there. I doubt anybody would eat a dressed-up egg.”

Applejack sighed, relieved. “Then, what do we do?”

“Ask around if someone saw it?” Trixie suggested.

I took a hand to my chin to think. Asking around wasn’t a bad idea. “It’s a start. Maybe someone saw something.” We spent the following ten minutes asking the students and staff around the library and looked for more clues without success. Defeated, we returned to the table Applejack used.

“I suppose all we have left is looking at the ‘Lost and Found’ section.” Trixie commented, crossing her arms.

Applejack sighed and barely lifted her head. “Ah guess so…”

“There’s still time before the staff leaves. Let’s go.” I said before my friends and I walked out of the library. I nervously held my own hands and walked closer to Applejack. There’s still guilt within me. “So… what will happen if we don’t find Anabelle?” A little small talk is bound to help.

My farmer friend didn’t reply right away. Her lips quivered. “Rarity and ah will have to write a long and boring essay about responsibility over spring break. That, provided ah survive until next week.” She didn’t look at me when she replied. Is she mad at me?

“I didn’t take Rarity as a violent person.” Trixie commented.

“You clearly haven’t seen her mad. Ah mean really mad.” Applejack briefly made eye contact with Trixie when she talked to her. “Trust me, you don’t want to.”

Trixie widened her eyes in shock and nodded. Personally, I have never seen Rarity furious before, but judging by Applejack’s words, it’s better if I never witness it. I glanced at Applejack next. She still looked terrible, but I think she had a faint smile. At least Trixie and I were improving her mood. Not by much, but it’s something. I grabbed her wrist to catch her attention. When she looked at me, I smiled. “Anabelle has to be somewhere, Applejack. We’ll find her.”

The farmer girl nodded. “Thank you, Twilight. Ah’m happy ah ran into you two. Yer givin’ me hope.”

“And hopefully a reunion too.” Trixie said as she walked faster to open the principal’s office. She allowed Applejack and me to walk in first.

“Thanks, Trixie.” Applejack said. I looked at Trixie and saw that she smiled.

Upon walking into the office, I saw that only vice-principal Luna was inside.

“Good afternoon, students. To what do I owe you this visit?”

“Hello.” I waved at the vice-principal. “We need to check the ‘Lost and Found’ box. There’s an object we’re hoping to recover.”

“Of course.” Vice-Principal Luna smiled warmly and used her legs to move herself with the rolling office chair she was sitting on. She then leaned and grabbed a box from under her desk. She stood up and placed the box on a table beside us.

“I’ll be archiving on the back room. Call me if you need anything,” She said.

“Thank you.” After thanking the vice-principal, me and my friends approached the box.

“Ah don’t know ‘bout this. If someone placed an egg in here, it would have gotten crushed by all the other things,” Applejack said, looking worried.

“You lost Anabelle less than an hour ago. It’s likely that it was the last object added.” Trixie commented.

“Then, by that logic, we should be able to find mah project easily, and ah’m not seeing it anywhere.”

Applejack was right. There were no signs of Anabelle so far, but we can’t give up yet. “Let’s check every inch of this box. Maybe they covered your project with some kind of protection to prevent that.”

We took everything out of the box and opened every single container in case Anabelle was inside. We searched thoroughly for ten minutes, revising every inch of the box, making sure of not leaving anything behind. Unfortunately, Anabelle was nowhere to be seen.

“That’s it, we searched everywhere…” Applejack said as she walked towards the door, with her head down. “Ah’ll tell Rarity that ah messed up.”

“Wait, Applejack, no!” I hurried to her side. “We can search in the library again.”

My farmer friend looked at me. Her eyes were not only wet. I could also see tears going down her cheeks. My heart sank when I saw how bad she was. “There’s no use. Ah have to accept the facts and face Rarity.” Her voice was cracking a bit. “But ah appreciate yer help.” Applejack left the office while Trixie and I followed her.

“Applejack, don’t give up just yet.” Trixie said. “There must be something we’re missing.” Applejack turned around and opened her mouth to say something, but someone interrupted her.

“Applejack, there you are!” The voice came from behind us. We turned our heads to see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo approaching. Applejack’s sister was the one to speak. “We were lookin’ for you, sis!”

Applejack quickly cleaned her tears with a hand before the three children reached us. “Apple Bloom? What do you need?”

“We wanted to return Anabelle to you.” Sweetie Belle said.

“You… what?” Applejack’s eyes widened, just like Trixie’s and mines. They found her?

Apple Bloom nodded before taking Anabelle from Sweetie Belle to hand her to her older sister.

“Anabelle!” Applejack quickly took her project and hugged her into her cheek. “Ah’m so happy to see you, sugarcube! Yer okay, yer okay!”

“Aww!” Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom said at a unison. Upon hearing them. My farmer friend looked at them and blushed.

“Ah… umm…” Applejack cleared her throat and kept Anabelle close to her chest. “We were lookin’ for her everywhere. Where was she?”

“Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo and ah wanted to take some photos with her to remember our niece.” Apple Bloom replied while she and her friends smiled, but their expression changed when Applejack glared at them.

“You took her…?” Applejack’s face quickly changed from surprise to anger. “You took her without asking me first?!”

“W-We were going to ask, but… we didn’t see you.” Scootaloo’s voice was shaking. “Anabelle was just lying there.”

“And we took the photos and tried to return her to you, but you were gone.” Sweetie Belle spoke next.

“Ah don’t believe this! Ah was worried sick! Ah thought she was gone for good!” I think I could see a vein on Applejack’s forehead. Apple Bloom and her friends were shaking.

“W-We’re so sorry! We didn’t think it would be a big deal!” Apple Bloom said while friends took cover behind her. Applejack opened her mouth to say something else, but her eyes moved behind her sister and her friends. Trixie and I followed her gaze. We saw that Rarity was approaching.

Applejack took a deep breath to calm down before speaking, but her voice still showed signs of anger. “We’ll continue this conversation later. Go home.”

“Sis, we-” Apple Bloom tried to speak again, but Applejack raised a hand to silence her.

“Don’t make me repeat mahself. Ah need to cool off. Please, do as ah say,” Applejack replied.

“O-Okay…” Applejack’s sister and her friends ran towards the exit. I watched them leave before turning to my farmer friend. She was massaging her forehead with her free hand.

“Ah didn’t want to yell at them, especially not in front of you two, but they didn’t leave me a choice.” Applejack glanced at me. She looked guilty. “Did ah go too far?” I didn’t have the chance to reply. Rarity reached us.

“Applejack, Twilight, Trixie, darlings. It’s good to see you three.” Rarity’s eyes found Anabelle. “And there’s momma’s girl. Did you have fun with Applejack, dear?” The fashionista reached her hands towards her project and Applejack gave it to her.

“Yeah, she made me company while ah was doing mah homework.” Applejack forced a smile. It looked like she really struggled to beam.

“Wonderful!” Rarity rubbed the top of Anabelle’s head before glancing towards the exit. “Where you talking to my sister and her friends just now?” Applejack’s lips quivered. Was she going to say the truth? She opened her mouth to reply, but Trixie spoke first.

“Yes, they just wanted to ask-”

“Wait, Trixie…” Applejack raised a hand at the magician to interrupt her. “Ah appreciate what yer tryin’ to do, but ah’m not fond with lies.”

“Lies?” Rarity was confused. “Did something happen?”

“Y-Yes…” My farmer friend took a deep breath before continuing. “Ah… lost Anabelle for a while…” Rarity’s expression changed drastically in a blink of an eye. Her smile disappeared and her eyes widened in shock. Then, she frowned angrily and glared at Applejack.

“Y-You lost her?! Applejack, explain, now!” Rarity bellowed.

My farmer friend took a step back, scared. “Ah’m sorry!” She raised her hands defensively. “Ah left her alone for a minute to look for somethin’ and when ah returned, she was gone. It’s okay, though. Turns out mah sister and her friends took her. She doesn’t have a single scratch.”

“But you still left her unattended, Applejack! You should have kept an eye on our baby all the time! I trusted you with her!” Applejack looked away while Rarity scolded her. She was ashamed and couldn’t maintain eye contact with her. I had to say something.

“Rarity-” The fashionista turned her head towards me when I called her, still enraged. “It was an accident. She didn’t know someone would take her.”

“She left her alone, Twilight. It’s like she doesn’t care about her safety!” Rarity spat back.

“Of course she does!” I walked next to Applejack before speaking again. “Since the moment Anabelle went missing, Applejack looked for her without resting. I saw how worried she was. She was determined to find her.”

“We helped her.” Trixie joined me. “We looked for Anabelle for the past hour, we asked everyone at the library, we searched in the ‘Lost and Found’ section. We looked everywhere until we found her.”

“Ah cried…” Applejack sniffed, taking us all by surprise.

Her eyes were wet again. “Rarity, ah was worried sick. Ah was scared. All ah could think is how ah failed you.” My farmer friend finally made eye contact with Rarity again. “Ah didn’t want to disappoint you. Ah know ah screwed up and ah’m very, very sorry. Ah promise it won’t happen again.” Applejack cleaned her tears with an arm and looked away again.

Rarity’s anger disappeared completely. She looked from Anabelle to Applejack before walking towards the blonde girl and placing a hand on her shoulder. When Applejack glanced at her, Rarity smiled faintly. “I’m not disappointed, darling. You looked for her everywhere until you found her. You didn’t do it on purpose.”

“O-Of course ah didn’t.” Applejack looked at Rarity. “Ah mean it, ah’ll be extra careful from now on. Please, let me make it up to you.”

Rarity frowned thoughtfully for a few seconds before smiling brightly. “Alright, there’s something you can do.”

“Anything.” Applejack had her full attention on her childhood friend.

“I’m crafting a new outfit and I would love some company. Are you free right now?”

Applejack blinked, dumbfounded, and then smirked. “Can do. Ah just need to let Big Mac know.”

“Wonderful!” Rarity and Applejack started to walk away. “Ciao, darlings! See you tomorrow!” The fashionista waved at Trixie and me.

“Goodbye.” We waved back at her. Once they were gone, I turned to Trixie, smiling. “I’m glad that turned out well.”

“Yes, that was certainly good.” My friend commented. She stared into the exit Rarity and Applejack just used for a few seconds before turning to me. “I don’t know about you, but Trixie is ready to leave. See you later.” My friend headed towards the door.

“Bye.” I waved at her.

Trixie stopped by the door and turned her head towards me. She smirked at me before leaving. Once alone, I held my arm with my own hand and sighed. When I asked for a distraction, I was hoping to distract myself with a book. I’m happy that Trixie and I were able to help Applejack. Assisting a friend in need was just what I needed. I crossed my arms behind my back and smiled to myself as I headed outside. I definitely earned a treat. I think that I’m going to take Spike to the park and read, Young Sorceress Academia on a bench. Yes, that’s a good idea.

A Siren's Best Friend

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Aria’s P.O.V.

Today was the day I had to watch over Twilight’s dog. There’s still a few hours before that, so in the meantime, I’ll chill watching my favorite reality show. The only downside… Sonata was sitting with me, screaming at the T.V..

“Officer Green will catch you eventually, criminal! Running will only make you tired when you go to prison!”

I sighed and spoke without glancing at my younger sister. “Sonata, I told you that you could stay as long as you kept commentaries to yourself.”

“But Aria!” Sonata whined.

Our argument was cut short when Adagio groaned after walking into the room. My older sister shook her head, placing a hand on her forehead massaging it.

“Seriously, I don’t know what you see in that show.” My older sister said, standing behind us. “All this violence and cursing. Doesn’t it bring back bad memories?”

I shrugged. “Nope, it does not. Besides, you have your shows, I have mine. Plus, they announced that they'll be bringing a crew to Canterlot City. You might end up spotting them on the streets at some point.”

Adagio sighed. “Anyway, are you ready to go to Twilight’s?”

“I’m ready.” I turned my head to meet Adagio’s glare. “Twilight detailed me on everything I have to do, and she will leave a note for me in the kitchen. How hard can it be to look after a dog for one afternoon? He won’t starve to death.”

“I don’t know why I can’t tag along. Won’t you get bored?” Sonata glanced at me.

“I’ll have a book.” I replied, looking at my younger sister.

Adagio crossed her arms before turning to our younger sister. “Besides, Sonata, Twilight only asked Aria to watch over her pet.”

“But she won’t mind if I go too! She knows me and we get along well!” Sonata complained.

“The answer is still no,” I frowned at her. “We’re already going to have a picnic tomorrow at the park. Two days in a row with you is asking too much.”

“Aria, don’t be mean. I can help you,” Sonata replied sourly.

“No, I won’t risk anything breaking because of your clumsiness! I can handle it on my own,” I said poking her forehead.

“I’m not clumsy!” Sonata whined trying to poke me back.

I glared at my younger sister swatting her hand away. “You dropped my drink on me when Adagio and I went to eat where you work!”

“I told you that it wasn’t my fault!” Sonata stood up as she argued back. “A co-worker shoved me by accident! There’s not much space on my side of the counter.“

”Sonata-” Adagio called our sister. “Maybe, in the future, Twilight will ask you or all three of us to her house, but for now, Aria will go alone. If something happens, it will be her responsibility. Let her screw up on her own.”

I turned to my older sister, glaring at her angrily. “Thank you for the vote of confidence.”

Adagio shrugged and smiled. “We’ll have fun on our own, Sonata. We’ll do anything you want.”

Sonata clasped her hands together as she grinned. “Can we go to the petting zoo?!”

“Sure.” Adagio placed a hand on her hip and left her other hand hanging on her side. “We can get ice-cream afterwards.”

“Yay!” Sonata excitedly skipped on her spot.

“Well, have fun you two.” I said, as I returned my attention to the T.V. Adagio and Sonata looked at me.

“There’s no need to be jealous, Aria.” Adagio commented.

“You’re going to the petting zoo. Why would I be jealous?”

Adagio smirked maliciously at me. It sent chills down my spine, I knew that look. Uh, oh… “Oh, come on, Aria. We know you’re a big softie on the inside. Just look at how you act around Twilight. I can certainly see why you moved on from the bad memories. You’re trying to make nice ones with your girlfriend! I’m sure you’re dying to come.”

My body started to heat up. I knew she wouldn’t let this go. “I don't want to go to the zoo with you!” I stood up and glared at Adagio, pointing at her with my index finger. “And that joke is getting old, Adagio!”

My older sister raised both of her hands in defeat, never losing that dumb smug on her face. “You always get aggressive when I bring it up,” She said.

“Twilight’s just a good friend of mine! It doesn’t mean that I have feelings for her!” I said raising my voice.

“Sure…” her smugness turned into seriousness. “Jokes aside, I hope you understand that trusting you in her home when no one’s around is a big deal. Dogs are unpredictable. If you take her pet for a walk, make sure you don’t lose the grip of the leash.”

“He’s a small dog, Adagio. I doubt he’s strong.” I said, as I sat back on the couch.

“Still, be careful. Follow Twilight’s instructions closely. Don’t eat too much of her food, don’t break-”

“I’ll be fine, Adagio!” I raised my voice, but then I took a deep breath to calm down before turning my head to my sister and speaking with a calmer tone. “Thank you.”

My older sister smiled. “I just want to make sure. You haven’t been in charge of anything since forever.”

Adagio’s warning resonated within me. As she turned to leave with Sonata in tow I watched as she gave me one last look of concern before her lip curled to a smile. She may not have said anything, but I know she had faith in me, she just wanted me to be ready. I’d never give her the satisfaction of knowing of course! None of us spoke about the subject anymore, allowing me some time to relax until it was time for me to leave.

When it was near the time to go to Twilight’s house I took a shower before heading to the bus station, since Adagio wouldn't let me go until I was, and I quote, 'presentable'. My ride arrived in no time. I sat on the first seat I found free and laid my head against the back of the seat. It has been a slow weekend. Without Twilight, I didn’t have much to do but read and watch T.V. How did I do to spend so many months like this? Not just that, I always want to hang out with her, but when I call, sometimes she already has plans with her other friends. It was annoying having to compete with the Rainbooms, but I still prefer this over re-introducing myself to them.

Fortunately, Twilight will arrive late in the afternoon today. I won’t be there to receive her and her family, but I’ll make sure her dog is happy and well. Twilight will be thankful for that.

I got off the bus upon reaching my stop. Placing my hands on the pockets of my jeans, I walked towards Twilight’s home, ignoring the stares of the bystanders. It was sure boring when my only company is the noise of the cars, the wind, and birds' songs.

When I arrived at my destination, I stood still for a few moments to take in the house again. It still left me in awe. Shaking my head, I walked towards the backyard and looked under the rocks around the plants by the pool. After finding the key, I glanced at the pool. I wish I could jump in, but first, I have to learn to swim with this human body. Not to mention, I have a job to do. Sighing, I headed towards the front door and used the key to open it. I walked in and closed the door from the inside. My first stop, the kitchen. I have to read the note Twilight left on the fridge. I took the note and leaned against the fridge to read it.

Aria

First, I want to thank you again for agreeing to look after Spike. You’re doing me a huge favor. He’s very dear to me and I don’t want him to be alone for too long.

His bowl must be full. Just take Spike out, play and pet him. In case he’s hungry, his food bag is in my lab, at the basement inside the counter under my animal cell project. The bowls are next to it. You only need to fill the cup inside the bag twice. He also has special treats on the top left shelf at the kitchen. His leash is in one of my desk’s drawers, but you shouldn’t need it. He’s very obedient. Also, don’t give him water from the sink. I have bottled water just for him in the fridge. It’s labeled ‘Spike’.

I’ll call you tomorrow after school. Hugs!

Twilight

I smiled before unfolding the note and putting it in my pocket. Then, I saw something from the corner of my eyes. I turned my head and to find Spike, sitting by the door, wagging his tail and panting. I smirked at him.

“Hey there, little guy. How are you?”

The little dog barked once and remained where he was. “Right…” I walked towards him and sat on the floor in front of him. Spike approached me and sniffed one of my knees. I began petting his head. Doing so helped me relax. “Looks like you do remember me.”

Spike placed his front paws on my knee and barked twice while looking at me. I didn’t stop petting him.

“What shall we do? Are you hungry or do you want to walk?” Spike barked twice at me and ran outside the kitchen.

He stood on the other side of the door, watching me as he wagged his tail. “Alright, I guess I’ll follow you.”

I stood up and followed Spike with my hands in my pockets. “I’m talking and following a dog. I definitely wouldn’t be doing this all those months ago.” Twilight’s pet guided me to the front door, where he rested his front paws and looked at me. “A walk, then?”

Spike barked again and I chuckled. “Okay, just let me get your leash and a toy.”

I thought about letting him out and ordering him to stay. Twilight told me that he’s obedient, but I don’t want to risk him running off so I left the door closed. I walked upstairs, to Twilight’s room and took the leash and a tennis ball from her bedroom desk before heading back to the front door.

Spike was laying on the floor, but he stood up when he saw me. He allowed himself to be leashed without any problem and I opened the front door. We walked towards Greystone Park. Spike walked beside me, occasionally stopping to smell pants or trees. Some dogs barked at him, but Spike didn’t bark back. He just stared at them while following me. “Hmm, I guess the leash wasn’t necessary after all.” Twilight’s pet glanced at me, shaking his tail.

Once at the park, I looked for a free spot on the grass to sit before removing the leash from Spike. He started to sniff the surroundings until I showed him the ball. “Up to some fetching, little guy?”

Spike barked and skipped back and forth excitedly. I chuckled before throwing the ball. “Go!”

The dog ran after the ball and caught it with his mouth before happily returning to me. He sat in front of me and allowed me to retrieve the ball.“ Alright, I’ll throw it a little farther this time. Ready?”

Spike barked and I threw the ball again. Once again he ran after it and brought it back to me. We played for a little while, continuing the cycle of throw, fetch, receive, and return, until Spike started to bark at something behind me after returning the ball. I turned my head and found a small funny looking green dog in baby carriage. I was not happy to see the owner. A silver haired girl and her companion, Sunset Shimmer. I sighed and placed the palm of my hand on my forehead. I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Just when I was having a good time, the shepherd and her sheep had to show up,” I said condescendingly.

Sunset Shimmer frowned at me. “Hello to you too, Aria.”

“Yeah, whatever. Just leave me alone.” I turned away from them and crossed my arms, when I remembered something. “Wait…”

I turned back to them pointing at the two of them accusingly. “Twilight told me you couldn’t make it to look after her pet today. I don’t see you doing anything productive.”

“I’m spending some quality time with Trixie. I offered to postpone it, but-”

“Okay, that’s enough.” I cut short Sunset Shimmer and avoided looking at her. “I don’t really care.” I heard the equestrian girl groan.

“How come you’re nice to Twilight but despicable to us?” Trixie asked, holding the carriage.

“That’s none of your business.” I closed my eyes to try to think on something else, but I felt something on my knee.

I opened my eyes to find Spike with his front paws on me. He started to whimper. Is he trying to get me to talk to them? I could just ignore them, but Spike continued with the whimpering. It was like having daggers strike at my heart everytime he did. I… couldn’t stand hearing him doing that.

“Alright, you two…” I sighed before standing up and turning around. Both girls met their glances with mine. “I thought Twilight told you I’m not a sociable person, and yet, you’re here, talking to me.” I frowned angrily at them.

“We weren’t trying to talk to you.” Sunset Shimmer moved her gaze from me to Twilight’s pet. “We wanted to greet Spike.”

The dog barked happily and trotted towards the girls. The fiery girl raised an eyebrow and glanced confusedly from Spike to me before smiling. Weird.

“Ah, I see.” Sunset Shimmer picked Spike up and held him close to her. The dog licked her all over her face. “I’m happy to see you again too, Spike!” The dog in the carriage started to bark at Spike and shake its tail happily. “Looks like Pixie wants to play with him.”

“No! She just took a bath.” Shimmer’s companion crossed her arms and glared at Sunset Shimmer.

“We’ll bathe her together later. Please, Trixie, just say yes.” The sheep glanced from Shimmer to her pet and then to Spike. It looks like she was outnumbered. “Fine…” She sighed and then puffed her chest proudly. “But only because Trixie finds your proposal of bathing Pixie quite… appealing.”

Sunset Shimmer giggled and kissed her sheep on the cheek. “Thank you, Trix!” The equestrian said, before placing Spike on the ground while the other girl picked her pet up. She hesitated, but she eventually placed her small dog on the ground as well. The dogs started to play together.

“Now I see what’s going on.” I smirked and pointed at both of the girls with my index finger. “You two are dating. Now everything makes sense.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” Shimmer crossed her arms as she looked at me with a scowl. Like if I would feel threatened by that. I laughed at the response.

“I don’t even like you two, so it’s not my concern. In fact, this just annoys me more. I already have to put up with Adagio and her cheesy romance movies.”

“Romance is not bad, Aria. You just need to meet the right person.” The fiery girl said as her expression softened slightly.

“Public relations is not my forte, pony. The only friend I have is Twilight, and-” I stopped mid sentence.

Suddenly, Twilight popped up in my mind. I imagined hugging her, but not like we usually do, but how people do in those movies Adagio watches. My cheeks felt warm too. All this romance talk is messing with my head! “Wh-Why am I even talking to you?!” I turned around to try to calm my anger down. I’m too close from losing my patience. None of the annoyances said anything. All I could hear were the dogs barking and growling playfully. I glanced at them. Watching them having fun warmed up my inside and tempered my anger. A faint smile escaped from me. I got on my knees and Spike and his playmate started to run around me as they played.

“I’m glad Spike and Pixie finally met. They hit off well.” Sunset Shimmer commented.

“Pixie is always happy to meet other dogs. She’s quite a friendly girl.” The other girl commented.

“Yeah.” The equestrian chuckled. “She practically jumped on me when I first saw her.” There was a short pause. “I’m thinking on asking Twilight to do this more often. Maybe next time she can go to your house, Trixie. What do you think?”

“Are you asking me to be the hostess of their next playdate?” I looked at the girls. Shimmer nodded, smiling at Trixie.

“Sure! It will be fun. We could buy them food, water, have them share toys. It would be so cute!” Sunset said with a girly squee.

“Hmm…” Shimmer’s companion frowned thoughtfully for a few moments. “Alright, we’ll do it!”

“Yay, I can’t wait!” Sunset Shimmer hugged her girlfriend and I turned my attention back to the dogs. That’s as much as I can handle.

Spike and Pixie played until I saw Twilight’s pet yawn. He was moving clumsily and couldn’t keep his eyes opened. I walked towards him and picked him up. Once in my arms, Spike shut his eyes completely and fell asleep. “Looks like it’s our cue to leave.” I glanced at the girls in front of me. “See ya’.” They nodded once and I turned around. Finally, I had the chance to walk away from them. As I left, I smiled, but Sunset Shimmer spoke one last time stopping me in my tracks.

“Goodbye!”

It was only one word, but it was enough to destroy my good mood. At least I had a sleeping Spike on my arms who helped me to recover my smile. This little guy has earned his place on the short list I have of those I care about.

I took my time on the way back, enjoying the sight of him sleeping until we reached Twilight's home. I didn't want to interrupt his slumber, so I carefully opened the front door, got in, and closed it without making a sound. Twilight said that his food and water bowls are in the basement, so I headed there. I began descending the stairs very slowly taking great care not to make a peep. When I found the lab, I had to suppress a gasp. This family spares no expenses. I saw pieces of high tech machinery, computers, beakers, test tubes, and many desks. On one of them, I could see the VCR Twilight was working on and a VHS next to it. There’s even tesla coils. This place really looked like Dr. Junkensteen’s lab.

I scanned the room until I found the bowls, and next to it a small basket with blankets and cushions. I walked towards them and carefully placed Spike on his bed. As I placed a blanket over him, he moved slightly, but he didn’t wake up. I could just sit here and watch him sleep for a while. In fact, I might just do that. I’m here to watch over him after all. I glanced over at his partially empty bowls. They need a refill.

Twilight said that Spike’s food is inside the counter where her school project is. It has to be the big thing made of poly… polyste… polystyrene. Yeah, I think that’s what it’s called. I walked around that counter to look for the door, but while I was doing so, but I tripped over something.

“Oh, shi-!” I tried to stop my fall by holding on the table, but I slipped and fell on the floor anyway. “Ouch, damn it, that hurt!” I glanced behind me and saw one of the wires around my foot. The floor is full of wires, I should have been more careful.

“Oh, no, Twilight’s cell model!”

That wasn’t my voice. It sounded more like a boy. I looked below me as I leaned to a side to see that I landed on Twilight’s project, and Spike nearby, staring at it. Was he the one who…?

“S-Spike… did you just…?”

The dog looked at me with his eyes widened. “Oops! I-I mean, woof, woof?”

I blinked a few times dumbfoundedly. All this time… he wasn’t a regular dog. Of course. I always stumble with magic one way or another. I smirked and stood up. “Nice try, Spike.” I said as I dusted my clothes from dust. “This isn’t a cartoon. I can’t unhear you.”

“Oh, no…” Spike dropped his head, worried, but then, his eyes perked and glanced at me. “Wait, you’re not surprised, scared, confused or all of the above?”

“I’m equestrian, Spike. I have seen yaks and zebras talking.” I crossed my arms and frowned. “I imagine Twilight knows.”

“It’s thanks to her that I can speak, actually.” I looked away, disappointed. I wasn’t disappointed of him, but with Twilight. Why didn’t she say anything? Didn’t she trust me? “Anyway-” Spike spoke again. “We have to do something. Twilight’s project is ruined, and she has to deliver it tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow?!” My eyes widened and I felt as if my heart stopped.

Spike nodded. “Twilight has never got a grade below A. She can’t fail now!”

“But it was an accident… I didn’t mean to-” I started to pace back and forth, pulling my hair in desperation. “She won’t want to see me again when she sees what I’ve done… She will hate me…”

I groaned with frustration and hit the counter where the project used to be with my fist. “I blew it…” My eyes got wet. Damn it, damn it all! Why did she have to befriend me…?

“There’s still time…”

I glanced at Spike as I felt a tear running down my cheek. “What do you mean?”

“There’s still a few hours before Twilight and her parents return. Maybe we can fix it.”

I smiled and cleared the tears from my face. “You’re right! I just need glue and more of that polys-thing! Where does she keep them?”

“About that.” Spike looked away from me. “Twilight doesn’t have any. She used them all to build it the first time.”

“Damn it!” I groaned and placed a hand on my chin to think. There has to be something… wait, that’s it! I glanced towards Spike, smiling. “I can borrow money from Adagio and buy more.”

The dog wagged his tail happily, but then, he looked down. “It’s Sunday. All stores are closed.”

“Oh, son of a-!” I shut myself when I made eye contact with Spike. He sounds like a kid, so I suppose I should be careful with my words around him. “… mother.” Sighing, I sat down, resting my back on one of the counters. Spike walked closer to me. “Any ideas, pup? Anything? I’m desperate…” The dog frowned thoughtfully for a few seconds before sitting, staring at me.

“We could ask for Sunset’s help…”

I glared at him, which seemed to scare him. “The pony?!” I yelled gripping my hand into fist. Spike didn’t say anything. I moved my gaze from him and forced myself to calm down. Sunset Shimmer… did I really fall that low? Oh, how the mighty have fallen! But if I don't ask for her help, Twilight will never forgive me... There's only one thing to do then. I stood up and looked at Spike with determination. “Just this once… I’m not happy about it, but I have no choice. Let’s go.”

Spike waved his tail happily. “She might still be at the park. Come on!” With Spike by my side, I ran out of the house, closed the door and headed towards Greystone park as fast as I could. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Sunset Shimmer, please, be there!

I only stopped to catch my breath while I waited for the streetlights to turn red. My throat felt rough, but I didn’t care. I continued like this until I reached the park. I frantically turned my head around, looking for any signs of Twilight’s friends.

“There they are!” Following Spike’s gaze, I saw Sunset Shimmer. She was still sitting where I last saw her, alongside her girlfriend and her dog. Ignoring my lungs’ pleading, I ran towards her.

“Sun-set Shi-mmer!” my voice was barely audible. They didn’t hear me, so Spike opened his mouth.

“Sunset, Trixie!” The girls turned towards our direction.

“Spike? Aria?” The equestrian girl stood up and I stopped in front of her. Now that I found her, I placed my hands on my knees and allowed myself to breathe. My heart never raced so fast. “Why did you run all the way here? Is something wrong?”

I raised my index finger into the air and tried to speak, but I couldn’t stop panting. Instead, I pointed my finger at Spike. He wasn’t as tired as me.

“I-It’s your project, Sunset! The cell model is destroyed!”

“What?!” Sunset Shimmer glared at me with her eyes wide opened while Trixie stood up, with her pet between her arms. “How?!”

I wasn’t fully recovered, but I had to answer right away. “A-Accident. I… tripped…” As I kept panting, I looked at Sunset Shimmer. She was still mad, but had an eyebrow raised. “I… don’t want her… to fail… because of… me. P-Please… help me… to fix this…”

The pony girl watched me closely. I think she was considering my words, trying to sense if three was any sincerity behind them no doubt. She better not think that I’m lying! We don’t have time for this. I’m starting to get irritated! Luckily, just as I was to speak again, Shimmer finally said something else. “I suppose you wouldn’t be here, asking for my help, if you didn’t care for Twilight. I’ll help you.”

Spike jumped excitedly. “Yes! I knew you would!”

Sunset Shimmer smiled at him. “Twilight is one of my closest friends, so, of course!” she lost her smile when she looked back at me. “Fortunately, I bought extra glue and material in case an emergency happened. I need to look for them back at my place.”

“I’ll call my mom and tell her to meet us at your apartment. She can give us a ride to Twilight’s.” Trixie said.

“Great!” Sunset gaced her girlfriend a beaming smile before turning to me. “Go back and wait for us. We should be able to repair the project before Twilight arrives tonight if we work together.”

A part of my soul died inside me at that moment. I nodded and knelt to pick Spike up before turning around and walking back to Twilight’s home in a fast pace as Sunset Shimmer and company went on the other direction. I’m putting my trust on them, which I rarely do. They better be right.

Back at Twilight’s, I drank two glasses of juice and waited for the pony while sitting, with Spike on my lap. I didn’t run this much since the day we lost The Battle of the Bands. My body is not used to this kind of punishment. Upon finishing my second glass of juice, I placed it on the table next to me and focused on petting Spike. Minutes passed. I’m not sure how much, but I was starting to lose my patience. “What’s taking them so long?!”

“They probably need time to gather everything into Trixie’s mother car.” Spike said as he stretched his legs. Then, he glanced at me. “They’ll be here soon, Aria. Don’t worry.”

“Easier said than done. We have only a few hours until Twilight arrives. If she fails her assignment because of me…”

“We can make it, Aria. I know we can.” Spike stood up and turned to me while still on my lap, shaking his tail happily. “I want to thank you.”

“Thank me?” I blinked my eyes in confusion. “For potentially ruining her perfect grades?”

“No. For being such a good friend to her. I enjoy seeing her happily talking about what she did with her friends. I was there during her worst times, so seeing her smile is important to me. When you accidentally broke Twilight and Sunset’s project, you immediately started to think of a solution.” I frowned and looked away.

Twilight’s friendship is important to me, but I never admitted it out loud to anyone. “Aria?” Spike placed a paw on my arm and I looked at him. I think he was smiling. “I know you’re not a person who shares much about themselves. It’s okay, I’m a good secret keeper. No one will know what you tell me.”

I considered his words. They sounded sincere. There was something about this dog that made me feel comfortable to tell him anything. “Not even Twilight?”

Spike shook his head. “Not even her. Twilight and her friends have trusted me their secrets before and I never told anyone.” I opened my mouth, but I was interrupted before speaking. “That includes you.”

“At least I tried.” I chuckled before looking away. I stared into nothing for a few seconds, considering telling him the truth, until I sighed. “I never got close to anyone other than my sisters. Twilight was supposed to be just another person I pushed away, and I was just about to do that, when Sonata, one of my sisters, intervened and made me feel bad for scaring Twilight. I considered not showing up to our first meeting at Greystone park, but I was blackmailed to go.” My eyes met Spike’s. He didn’t look happy anymore. “B-But I genuinely care for her now! I value her friendship, it’s very important to me. It just took me some time to fully enjoy her company.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but… planning to standing her up is a nasty move to even consider it. There’s something about you that Twilight and I don’t know, right?”

Once again, his sincere words encouraged me to open up. “It’s true.” I stood up, placed Spike on the seat I was using and walked away from it a few steps. “I’m not ready to talk to Twilight about this, but back in Equestria… my sisters and I were evil. In fact, we tried to mind control everyone in this world not even a year ago and failed, all because of Sunset Shimmer and her friends, which includes the pony Twilight Sparkle.”

I crossed my arms, still giving my back to Spike. “We had to adapt to life here without magic. Adagio and Sonata changed their ways, but I didn’t want to. Not until… until…”

“Until you met the human Twilight.” I heard Spike approaching me so I turned my head and looked down to see him. He recovered his happy wagging. “I didn’t know how much influence she had on you.”

“Yeah…” I turned my head away from him and smiled to myself. Thanks to Twilight, I have developed an interest in stargazing. I have been staring into the night sky from the window in my room often, but it’s not the same as when I accompanied Twilight that night. I wonder if I could ask her to do it again instead of waiting for her to ask me.

My conversation with Spike was cut short when someone rang the bell. “It must be Sunset.” Spike said. I remained silent as I walked towards the front door and opened it. Sunset Shimmer was indeed on the other side, together with her girlfriend. Both of them were carrying boxes.

“Took you long enough.” I commented, narrowing my eyes.

“If we have to redo the whole model again, we need lots of material.” The equestrian girl frowned, not liking my welcome.

“Can you let us in to get started?” Trixie asked impatiently. I sighed and moved aside to allow them to walk in.

“With six hands, we’ll get this done in no time!” Spike jumped excitedly.

“Wait…” I pointed my index finger to Trixie. “The sheep here is staying too?”

Trixie blinked confused, staring at my finger, before glaring at me. “Of course.” She turned around to fully face me. “The model is a collaboration between Sunset and Twilight, who is also my friend. I’m not going to stay with my arms crossed while Sunset and Spike fix your mess.”

“I would watch that tone if I were you.” I took a threatening step towards Trixie, chittering my teeth. Sunset Shimmer protectively placed a hand between me and her girlfriend.

“Alright now, let’s all calm down.” She glanced at Trixie. “Don’t test her patience, Trix. Please.”

Trixie made a ‘hmph’ sound and looked away from me. “Right. We’re here for the project. Let’s not waste any more time and get to it.”

“For once, I agree with you.” I said before the girls, Spike and I walked towards the basement. On the way there, Spike pouted at me. Sorry, little guy, but I’m not interested in making friends with them.

When we reached the lab, Sunset Shimmer gasped when she saw the remains of the project. “You weren’t kidding about the damage…”

“We’ll be able to fix it, right?” My worried eyes met Shimmer’s. Her facial expression was hard to read as she spoke.

“While Twilight and I worked on it, we mostly talked or goofed around. Working at our pace it took us some days. Now, we have three pairs of hands. We can make it in a few hours without distractions.”

“Then let’s get to it.” After my words, Sunset Shimmer nodded before she and her girlfriend placed the boxes they brought on the floor. They started to take out the materials we needed from them. While I accommodated the materials, the equestrian girl looked for something in her phone. “I thought you said no distractions.”

Sunset Shimmer looked at me but said nothing. Instead, she placed her phone on one of the counters, screen upside. It was showing a strange image. “That’s what we need to build.”

“Oh…” I looked the image closely. It was… complex. “Are you sure we can do this?”

Shimmer nodded. “A 100%. Trust me.”

“I asked for your help, didn’t I?” I frowned angrily. “You better keep your word, pony. I’m risking much by trusting you.”

Sunset Shimmer blinked in surprise before glaring at me. “I care about Twilight as much as you do, Aria. We’re not leaving this house until this project is completely fixed.” With nothing else to be said, we got to work. I followed the photo reference Sunset Shimmer showed me to try to build the model as similar as possible.

The girls and I got to work. I took some of the material and began bending it just like the ones in the image. “This isn’t so hard. I just have to-”

“Aria, wait!” The equestrian girl called me, however, just as she did so, I heard a cracking sound. My hands suddenly got loose. I glanced at them to see that I broke the material in half.

My eyes widened in shock. “Uh, oh…” I bent it too hard.

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “It’s okay, we still have more than enough.”

I put the broken material aside and took more. Following Shimmer’s instructions, we started to make good progress on the project. I completely focused on my hands to avoid wasting more material. There was an occasional chatting with Trixie asking Sunset Shimmer how she was going and the pony checking on my progress. Other than that, silence. Spike fell back asleep as we worked for the next hours. When we were close to finish fixing the model, Sunset Shimmer’s phone vibrated and made a notification sound. She took her phone and read her message, only to gasp.

“Twilight just returned to Canterlot City! She will be here in less than ten minutes!”

“What?!” I stood up with my eyes widen as I could have them. “N-No way! We need more time! Twenty at least!”

“We can’t do nothing to stall her. The project is almost done. We can tell her everything now that we’re not at risk of failing the assignment.” The equestrian girl said.

“No!” I glared at Shimmer as I pointed my index finger at her. “She will want to finish it herself. I won’t be the reason she can’t rest upon returning home. We’ll work overtime and finish this before she arrives and go. I can’t let her know I broke it.”

“The project Sunset and Twilight made looked different than this one. She will find out it’s not the same anyway.” Trixie spoke up.

“I-I…” stepping back, I placed a hand on my forehead and turned around. “If that’s true, then our friendship is already screwed.” I felt my eyes getting wet. It’s over… it’s all over…

“Not necessarily.” I followed the voice coming from below me to find Spike looking at me. He woke up with the shouting. “She might feel bad, but in the end, she will appreciate everything you did to fix the model. I’m sure she will forgive you.”

I sneakily cleaned my wet eyes. “Are you sure?”

Spike nodded, wagging his tail. “I’ll vouch for you.”

“As will I.” I glanced at Sunset Shimmer, who stood up and smiled weakly at me. “I know you’re not interested in being friends with all of us, but your determination convinced me completely to give you a second chance. You wouldn’t care about Twilight’s grades at all if her friendship meant nothing to you.”

“Sunset’s right.” Trixie stood up as well. She crossed her arms and frowned at me. “I don’t like you, but for some reason you’re nice to Twilight. You’re harmless to her, so I suppose there’s no point in interfering with that.”

That… was unexpected. I never thought Sunset Shimmer, or anyone close to her other than Twilight would do this for me. But this doesn’t mean I will become their friend. “That’s… good to know.” I looked at the almost finished model. “Enough of this sentimentality. Let’s continue.”

Sunset Shimmer nodded before opening her mouth again. “Before we do, can I ask you a question?”

I groaned at her request. “Just one…”

“The other sirens, are they nice or…”

I looked into the pony’s eyes as I answered. “Adagio and Sonata are more open than me, yes. Unlike me, they would like to see you. Anyway, can we focus now?”

“Yes, we’re good to go.” The equestrian girl said as we got on our knees to resume the reconstruction. On the next minute, we finished our work. “And… that’s it! We’re done!”

“We did it!” Trixie cheered. Spike barked and ran in circles to celebrate while I said nothing. Instead, I stared at the project, smiling proudly. A crisis has been avoided. My expression changed to shock when we heard the front door opening, followed by footsteps and muffled voices.

“Home sweet home!” That was Twilight’s father.

I glanced at the girls and Spike. “Alright, since Twilight will know anyway that the model is different, I’ll go upstairs and tell her what happened.”

“Okay, umm…” The equestrian girl almost took a step forward, but she hesitated. “Good luck.”

“Sure.” I turned around and walked upstairs. Before opening the door, Spike called me.

“Aria, wait!” I turned around to see Spike trotting up the stairs. “I’ll support you personally, uh, I mean, dogally.” I chuckled.

“Thank you, Spike.” I picked him up and turned to the door, taking a deep breath before walking out.

“Did you hear something?” It was Velvet’s voice. As I heard footsteps approaching, I headed towards the room they were in to show myself. The three inhabitants of the house gasped when they saw Spike and me.

“A-Aria? I thought you would be gone by now.” Twilight was the one to speak this time. I couldn’t help but smile upon seeing her.

“And here I thought you would be happy to see me.” I was barely able to take a step forward when my vision got blocked by a purple and pink obstruction.

My friend was quick to hug me, and I’m glad she’s more open to it now. I wasted no time to hug her back with an arm while I held Spike with the other. My eyes met her parents and I noticed they were smiling proudly. Hug supporters, I presume.

“I’m always happy to see you, Aria. I’m just surprised.” Twilight pulled away from the hug and sniled at me before glancing at Spike. “Hello to you too, boy.” She started to scratch behind one of his ears. “Did you have a nice weekend?” Twilight glanced at me. I tried to return the smile, but I failed to do so. Instead, I dropped my head. “Something’s wrong?”

“A-Actually, yes…” I forced myself to meet her eyes. She looked worried. “Can we talk?”

“Of course. Let’s go to my room.” Twilight said before turning to her parents.

“Don’t worry about us, Twily. We’ll start unpacking.” Night Light smiled as he spoke.

“Thanks. Leave something for me.”

“Your luggage will be ready for you to organize, dear.” Velvet smiled warmly.

My friend nodded at them before turning back to me. “Shall we?”

“Yes.” I followed Twilight to her room. We remained completely silent until we were in her room and she closed the doors. I placed Spike on the bed before sitting, with my hands between my legs and avoiding my friend’s gaze. Twilight was the first to speak.

“What happened? Did you accidentally step on Spike?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“S-Spike!” Twilight scolded her pet.

“Everything’s fine, let me explain.” I forced myself to look at Twilight. Her eyes were widened. “Please, sit.” Twilight did as I asked. Once next to me, she stared at me intensively. Here goes nothing. “Your school project… I-I kind of broke it a little bit.”

Shocked, my friend covered her mouth with a hand. “Define ‘a little bit’.”

“Umm, well…” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I tripped over a cable and dropped it to the floor, smashing it with my body.”

Twilight gasped. Next I knew, she raised her voice, alarmed. “Y-You mean it’s completely ruined?! Aria! I have to turn it in tomorrow!”

“I know, Spike told me.” I looked at Twilight with a saddened expression. Her reaction left me speechless. Luckily, Spike spoke up.

“The noise woke me up. Aria was determined to fix what she broke, so I told her to ask for Sunset’s help. They fixed it, Twilight. Aria, Sunset and Trixie worked non-stop until just now. You’ll have no problem passing the assignment!” Spike wagged his tail happily. I dared to meet Twilight in the eyes. She didn’t look happy. “Why aren’t you smiling, Twilight?” The dog worriedly said.

Twilight stood up, crossed her arms and walked away from the bed, not looking at me. “I’m not sure what to feel. The project is fixed, but Sunset was supposed to spend the afternoon with Trixie. Their date was interrupted because of your accident, Aria.” She turned around. Her expression was hard to read, but it was clearly not a good one. “I’m upset because two of my friends had to cut their date short to help you, but…” Twilight placed her hand on her chest and looked away. “But I know you and my friends don’t get along. You went as far as to ask them for help despite not liking them.”

“Of course I did.” I stood up and took a few steps toward my friend. “I didn’t want you to fail your homework because I was careless. Your perfect score was more important to me than my personal feelings on Sunset Shimmer and her girlfriend.” Twilight’s expression was still hard to read, so I sighed. “Listen, I’m sorry for interrupting their date, but I’m not sorry for doing everything I could to save your grades. Asking for help… is really not my thing. I promise to be more careful next time… that is, if there’s a next time…” I walked away from her, moving closer to the bed.

Twilight looked at me. She was frowning sadly. “Aria… I-” Twilight gasped when the doors of her room opened sharply. I quickly glanced toward them to see Sunset Shimmer and Trixie bursting in. I growled internally. What do they want now?!

“Twilight, please forgive her!” The pony spoke loudly as she rushed towards my friend. Both Twilight and I were confused.

“Sunset, Trixie! What-?” Twilight was cut short by Shimmer.

“We’re sorry for eavesdropping, but we’re here to vouch for Aria. She was resolute to fix the animal cell model.” Wait, they overheard?!

Then they were listening when I was being soft with my words… Damn it! Is privacy impossible to find? “After what I saw today, I can see why you want her as your friend. The Aria I used to know wouldn't care about any damage she caused. But seeing how determined Aria was to fix the animal cell model, I understand now how important your friendship is for her, Twilight. Please, give Aria another chance!”

“We don’t mind that our date was cut short.” Trixie was the one to speak this time. “We can schedule another date soon now that this is the last week of class before spring break. Only a good friend would help to rebuild a model from zero. Don’t unfriend her!”

“I wasn’t planning to.” Twilight was finally allowed to speak.

“What?!” Shimmer, Trixie, Spike and I exclaimed at a unison, surprised by my friend’s words.

Twilight crossed her arms again and smiled at me. “After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that you did more good than wrong. You did everything to fix what you accidentally broke. You were in an unfamiliar environment. I should have warned you about the cables.”

“They’re big and they’re all over the floor. I should have seen them.” I was still surprised when I spoke.

Twilight nodded. “That’s true, but by not telling you to watch your step, your eyes were fixed ahead instead of downwards. It could have happened to anyone.” My friend took a few steps closer to me. I remained immobile. “I know how hard it is for you to talk to my friends, which is why I didn’t tell anyone about you. I’m proud that you were willing to go as far as to ask two of my closest friends for their help, and to know that you were involved in the rebuilding of the animal cell model tells me that you’re reliable. Thank you, Aria.”

“I’m… uh…” I cleared my throat before smiling at my friend. “You’re welcome, Twilight. Oof!” Once again, I was caught off guard by Twilight’s hug. I felt awkward at first, but I forced myself to forget that we had company to hug her back. It worked… until they opened their mouths.

“Well, umm… we better go now.” Sunset Shimmer said as she and Trixie turned to the doors.

I pulled away from the hug and looked at Twilight. She has been a great friend to me, and Shimmer and Trixie have respected our friendship so far. Maybe I should make things easier for them. I sighed before turning my glance to Twilight’s friends.

“Wait, you two…” The shepherd and her sheep stopped in their tracks and looked at me in silence. I hope I’m not making a big mistake. “This goes for all of you, Spike included.” I shifted my eyes to each of them. “Twilight, I’m okay if you want to talk to your friends about me.” The eyes of everyone present widened, but only Twilight spoke.

“Really? But Aria… are you sure…?”

I fixed my eyes on Twilight’s. “I am. You have kept the secret well so far, and I have the feeling you didn’t enjoy it.”

Twilight hesitated, but she eventually nodded. “I really want to tell them about you, Aria, but I didn’t want to lose your friendship by betraying your trust.”

“And I’m thankful for it, but I’m over it now.” I smiled at my friend before getting serious. “Just a heads up, they will be shocked. All I ask is not to let them tell you why. I want to be the one telling you, when I’m ready.”

“Of course.” Twilight smiled. “Thank you so much, Aria.”

I returned her smile before glaring at Sunset Shimmer and Trixie. “As for you two…” I pointed at them with my index finger. “Not a word about what you overheard. This doesn’t mean that we’re friends. I just find you less annoying. Am I clear?”

Both of them nodded and spoke at the same time. “We won’t say a thing. We promise.”

“Good, now go!” At my command, the pony and her girlfriend walked away. After they were gone, I turned back to Twilight. “So… how was your weekend?”

Twilight grinned. I could tell she was excited to tell me all about her visit to her grandparents. “It was fun. I told them about the new friends I made and they were so happy to hear it…” she continued and we sat on the bed.

Spike leaned on my lap and fell asleep. I placed a hand on his head as I listened to Twilight’s recount of her trip. I’m happy to have her back and that our friendship still stands. I’m really not sure what would I have done if I had lost it.

Twilight Sparkle: Professional Matchmaker

View Online

Twilight’s P.O.V.

I’m usually happy on Mondays. But this time, I was smiling more than usual. My overjoy of hearing everything Aria did for me yesterday wouldn’t dissolve so quickly. My great mood was such, that I’m thinking about buying Aria a thank you gift. A meaningful one. But I still don’t know what it is.

“What’s with the big smile, Twi?” Pinkie Pie asked with her eyes fixed on mine. She was grinning, as usual. We were at lunch. Sunset and I turned in our project earlier today and got an A+. Trixie, Sunset and Aria outdid themselves. “Is it because of getting another perfect score for your collection?” Pinkie asked, her grin growing wider.

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Only you would be happy on a Monday.”

“I’m happy too.” Sunset joined in.

“Me too!” Pinkie Pie said. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Trixie nodded instead.

“It’s the last week before Spring Break, sugarcube. There’s not much to do but take it easy since everyone finished all their homework and projects by now.” Applejack commented.

Rarity crossed her arms and frowned at Rainbow Dash before speaking. “Everyone but you, darling. Maybe you would have been able to enjoy the week like the rest of us if you did your homework in time instead of waiting until the last time like you always do.”

“Do you always have to scold me because of that? It's getting annoying, you know?” Our athletic friend looked away from us.

“Maybe if you did your homework…” Sunset commented, before taking a bite of her spinach hamburger.

Rainbow Dash pointed at Sunset with her index finger. “Hey!” The equestrian girl smiled while everyone else but Trixie, Fluttershy and me giggled.

“How much homework do you have left, Rainbow?” I asked my friend.

“Umm… I haven’t started with the essay for English and like twenty math problems? No wait, thirty.”

I sighed as I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Rainbow Dash… there’s barely enough time to finish everything,” I looked at her with concerned eyes. “You have to turn in the math exercise on Wednesday, and then you have Wednesday afternoon and Thursday to write your essay. Your only hope is to get help.”

“It’s settled, then!” Rainbow Dash smirked as she playfully punched my arm. “You’ll help me, right, egghead?”

I sighed. “I love to teach and assist my friends, but I also love when people seek knowledge on their own. You rely on me too much, Rainbow. You’ll have to ask someone else.”

I looked away from my athletic friend and continued with my meal. I am not planning on abandoning her; however, this time I will only interfere if it's absolutely necessary. I stared into space to focus on my thoughts. I wish I could make Rainbow Dash more interested in school responsibilities. At least just enough to take homework seriously. Take notes, brain. ‘How to get a jock invested in school’. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m always up for a mental challenge.

“Trixie?” Rainbow Dash’s voice woke me up from my thoughts. I blinked several times and returned to reality.

Trixie’s eyes widened. She finished chewing her food and swallowed before speaking. “M-Me?” I must have accidentally set my eyes on her while I was busy with my thoughts.

“You’re in math class, aren’t you?” Rainbow asked with a strained smile.

The magician shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I already have plans with Fuchsia Blush and Lavender Lace tomorrow. I can’t cancel them.”

Rainbow Dash slammed her head on the table. “Unbelievable.” Her voice was barely audible.

“I-I’m free.” Fluttershy said with her characteristic low voice.

In a blink of an eye, Rainbow Dash sat straight, grinning. Her forehead was completely red. “Great! Let’s go to my home after school today!”

The conversation changed to different topics where I mostly listened while I kept eating my lunch until I felt something on one of my arms. I glanced to that side and saw Sunset as the source. She nudged me with her elbow to catch my attention. Once she got it, she smiled at me and nodded. It’s time to tell everyone about Aria.

After taking a sip from my drink, I cleared my throat to catch my friends’ attention. “Everyone, I have something to say.”

My friends turned their heads towards me, but it was Applejack the one to speak. “Well, this sounds familiar. Are you goin' to say that you want to organize another sleepover?” Some of my friends chuckled and giggled.

“I can hardly wait for it, darling.” Rarity smiled at me. “I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

“I’m also excited.” I smiled as well. “Thanks to Pinkie, I’m all set to receive you guys. Since you mentioned the sleepover, I can mention that Pinkie Pie suggested to add a new theme.”

“Which is…?” Applejack asked.

“To welcome Trixie into our group! Woohoo!” Pinkie Pie cheered as she waved small flags around with Trixie's face on it.

“Really?” Sunset asked, blinking in surprise.

“Yuppers!” Pinkie Pie nodded excitedly and grinned. “I thought, since Trixie already had her lunch with us a few times, why not throw her a party right now?! Except, it won’t be my party, it will be Twilight’s! With my endorsement.”

“I hope it’s okay…” I asked to Sunset and Trixie. The fiery girl smiled before speaking.

“It’s up to Trixie.” We all turned our attention to Trixie, who swallowed before replying.

“I suppose it’s okay…”

“Yay!” The party girl rushed to hug Trixie tightly. “You’re going to love it!”

“Can’t… breathe…!” The magician said with difficulty.

“Alright, Pinkie, let her go,” Sunset ordered, Pinkie Pie quickly released Trixie.

“Oopsie! Sorry!” Pinkie Pie giggled and returned to her seat. I waited for her to sit before speaking again.

“However, that’s not what I want to talk about.” I took a deep breath before looking at each of my friends. Their eyes were all fixed on me. Sunset kept smiling at me to encourage me. Trixie was as curious as everyone else. She didn’t know what I was about to say. This is it. Time to reveal everyone who my secret friend is.

“I won’t leave you in the dark any longer… My secret friend has allowed me to tell you who she is.” Some of my friends grinned, others widened their eyes.

“About time!” Rainbow Dash was the one with the biggest smile. “Tell us who your ex is already! I’m ready to fist pump her for taking care of you before we met.”

I blushed lightly. Since discovering my feelings on Aria, hearing the word ‘ex’ when talking about Aria had a bigger impact on me. “Th-The thing is, you already know who she is…”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash blinked confused. “Is it, Muffins?”

“Rainbow, don’t be ridiculous,” Rarity said, crossing her arms. “She’s from this school.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Twilight’s friend goes to the CPA, Dashie!”

Applejack joined in. “The only people we know from the CPA are the troublemakers who tormented Twilight, and a couple of kids who weren’t friendly with us either. Of course, there’s Cadence, but she’s obviously not a secret friend.”

“You got it wrong, girls. She’s not a student from my former school.” I decided to step in before the conversation digressed any further.

My friends turned to me again, confused. This time, Rarity was the one to speak. “She’s not? Then… who is it?”

No more secrets. No more sneaky phone calls. Finally, the time for the truth has come. My heart was racing, my feelings were mixed. I was excited to tell them about my other friends, but I was also feeling anxious since I was warned that my friends would most likely not welcome the news. I still want to do it, though. I’ll do it. “I have made three more friends besides you… but the one I'm closest to is called… Aria.”

I did it. Even though I was told it would happen, I was still surprised to hear multiple gasping. Rainbow Dash, unfortunately, was drinking when I gave the news.

“D-Did you just say Aria?! As in, Aria Blaze?!” She spat all over me.

Note to self. Next time, make sure Rainbow isn’t drinking before delivering big news. I removed my glasses to clean them while Sunset, who was sitting next to me, helped me to clean my face. I smiled at the fiery girl as I put my glasses back on. “Thank you, Sunset.”

Sunset returned the smile. “You’re welcome.”

“Wait a moment…” My athletic friend narrowed her eyes. “You said you have three more friends besides us… You’re hanging with The Dazzlings?!?”

“The… Dazzlings?” I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“That’s what Aria and her sisters called themselves back when we met,” Sunset explained.

“You should stay away from them,” Rainbow Dash frowned angrily. “Like, seriously. Did they hurt you?”

“What?! No!” I stood up abruptly, placing both of my hands on the table. This is worse than I expected. I have to stand up for my other friends. “They’re nice people. Aria told me that they had a history with you, but she’s not ready to tell me the full story. I want to respect their privacy, so, please, whatever happened, I want to hear it from her first.”

“I don’t give a damn about their privacy!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice. I never saw her this furious.

Applejack stood up all of the sudden and pointed at our athletic friend. “Rainbow, stop yelling at Twilight!”

“But, Applejack. Those Sirens… they-” Rainbow Dash was interrupted by an angry Sunset, who quickly jumped in to salvage the conversation before things escalated.

“Rainbow, Twilight is serious about respecting her friends’ privacy. Don’t say a thing.”

“Sunset- Wait, you too?” The rainbow-haired girl widened her eyes in surprise.

“We have already met with Aria.” Trixie joined in. “You should trust Twilight on this. Aria is taking her friendship with Twilight seriously.”

“You’re kidding…” Still confused, Rainbow Dash glanced towards me.

I shook my head before speaking. “She was the one who stood up for me when I had to return to the Crystal Preparatory Academy. She’s a good friend to me. Her sisters are good too…” It was too much. My eyes started to get wet. I sobbed and cleaned my tears with an arm.

“Oh, you poor thing…” Fluttershy rushed towards me to give me a comforting hug. I accepted and returned the embrace.

“This is just magnificent-” Rarity said as she got on her feet, glaring at Rainbow Dash. “You just made Twilight cry. Satisfied?”

My athletic friend looked at me into my eyes. Her anger became guilt when she realized how hurt I was. “N-No… I didn’t mean to-” She looked around and realized that we were causing a scene. Embarrassed, she got back on her seat and avoided my gaze. “I’m sorry, Twilight… I was just worried about you…” Pinkie Pie placed a hand on Rainbow Dash’s shoulder to comfort her.

“I-I know…” I sobbed again but smiled lightly at my remorseful friend. “I’m grateful for that, but it still hurt…”

Rarity walked towards me, holding a napkin. “Stay put, dear.” She said as she used the napkin to wipe the tears from my face. “Feeling better?”

I nodded and beamed lightly. “Y-Yes. Thank you, Rarity.”

“Don’t mention it.” The fashionista smiled at me before glaring at Rainbow Dash. “Shall we try this again? More civilized this time.”

My athletic friend hesitated, but she eventually met my eyes with hers. I saw the shame on her face. “Y-Yeah, okay…”

“Good.” Rarity smiled again and monitored me with her hands to sit down before she and Fluttershy returned to their seats. There was an awkward silence, one which was broken by Applejack.

“So… how long have you been seein’ them?” Applejack asked.

I internally sighed in relief. Thank you! “I met Aria and Sonata the weekend before transferring here. I didn’t see Adagio until I visited their house sometime later.”

“You’ve been to their house?” Rarity asked.

I nodded. “Yes, more than once. Aria and I watch movies on her VCR.”

“VCR? I thought they got outdated long ago.” Rainbow Dash asked.

“They did, but there’s still quite a few around.” I smiled. “I even got one for myself to study it.”

“That sounds nice.” Fluttershy commented.

“So, you just talk to them and watch movies together?” My athletic friend asked. I nodded at her in reply. “That’s so… normal.”

“Sounds like you’re having fun with them.” Pinkie Pie commented. “If you’re happy, then I’m happy!”

There were no more incidents for the rest of lunch nor afterwards. Even though they seem suspicious about my other friends, my friends from CHS seem to trust me about Aria and her sisters. Whatever happened between my friends, it looks like skepticism is still high and might not change any time soon. I don’t think I’ll be able to fix that until I know the whole story. Even so, I’m still happy that I don’t have to hide my other friends anymore.

After school, my friends and I walked out together, chatting. I’ll say goodbye to them before going downtown for shopping.

“Four days to go.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “It will be a long week for me.”

“You better hurry home, Rainbow. You have a lot to do.” Applejack said.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. No more lecturing, please, AJ.” Our athletic said, stretching, before smirking at Fluttershy. “Let’s go, Fluttershy. See ya, everyone!”

“Y-Yes…” Our timid friend said before following Rainbow Dash. She turned to us and waved as she left. “Bye.”

“Bye bye, you two!” Pinkie Pie waved at them with both of her arms. When they reached the corner, she sighed happily and glanced to us. “I would love to stay, but I must go to Sugarcube Corner.”

“And I must leave as well.” Rarity said. “Sweetie Belle and her friends will go to the cinema, and I must take them.”

“I have to meet with Lavender Lace and Fuchsia Flush.” Trixie and Sunset shared a goodbye kiss and our friends left on their separate ways. Applejack, Sunset and I remained.

“I have to go too.” I said. “My printer is broken and I need to buy the spares to print some photos as gifts to Aria and her sisters at downtown.”

“Mind if I join you?” Sunset asked.

“Ah’m going downtown too to buy supplies for the farm. Ah’ll tag along, if ya don’t mind?” Applejack asked while keeping pace as we walked.

“Sure!” I smiled at them as we started to walk. “What are you going to buy, Applejack?”

“Ah need to buy seeds and corn for the chickens. We also ran out of nails and Winona needs a new tennis ball. Ah found her last ball scattered all over the field.”

“She’s a fierce one, isn’t she?” Sunset commented with a smile.

Applejack formed a proud smug grin. “It’s in the Apple blood.” She turned to Sunset. “What ‘bout you, sugarcube?”

“I’m just accompanying Twilight, but I might buy something if anything catches my eye.” The fiery haired girl replied, smiling at me. With both of my friends looking at me, it was my turn to speak.

“The stores we must go to aren’t close. If you want to go our separate ways afterwards, it’s okay.”

“Nah, ah’ll stick with ya’ until we’re all done.” Applejack said, smiling.

I glanced at me blonde friend before speaking again. “Applejack, we have never talked since we met. What's like growing up on a farm?”

“Ah think it’s the most rewarding job to do.” My farmer friend said with a grin. “Wakin’ up early to feed the animals, take care of them, tending the farm and manual labor is what ah love. Let me tell you, Twilight, the apples taste much better when yer the one who worked hard to harvest them.”

“Really?” I smiled as we reached the bus station. “I haven’t tried your apple pies yet.”

“Granny Smith bakes them. Ah can take one to yer slumber party if you want,” Applejack suggested tantalizingly.

“Yes, please.” We laughed softly before my attention moved to a bus arriving. We got in the transport and found seats for all three of us.

“About the sleepover…” Sunset looked at me as she spoke. “Have you thought on games? Or will we be doing a movie marathon?”

“I think board games will be fun.” I said while I accommodated my glasses due to the movement of the bus. “I have a couple, but feel free to bring more if you want.” I held myself firmly as the bus turned around a corner. “Also, Pinkie Pie suggested a game called ‘Truth or Dare’, but I never heard of it. What is it?”

“Truth or Dare is a classic sleepover game,” Sunset began to explain. “Basically, someone asks a participant to either answer a question honestly, or do a dare.”

“What kind of dare?” I still didn’t fully understand the game. I would have asked Pinkie, but we were busy planning other things.

“It can be anythin’” Applejack joined the conversation. “From doing push-ups singin’ ‘Wheels of the Bus’ to stuffing yer mouth with cookies. Whatever you can think of.”

“Oh. It sounds simple and fun.” I smiled. “But I hope no one dares me to do something strange.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll set some rules.” Sunset said. “It will be harmless fun.”

We eventually got off the bus when we arrived to the downtown area. The stop was by a pet shop. How fortunate! “Look, Applejack. Maybe we’ll find a good ball there.”

“Nice thinkin’, Twilight.” My farmer friend smirked. “Let’s take a quick look around.”

“I could buy a little treat for Ray since I’m here.” Sunset smiled and followed Applejack and me inside. My friends headed in different directions. I followed Applejack to the dog section.

“Lookin’ for somethin’ to give Spike?” My farmer friend glanced at me, smiling.

“Yes. He was a good boy the past weekend when Aria looked after him. He will have his favorite food tonight.” Applejack’s expression changed abruptly to shock. She looked away from me. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, sorry.” My friend glanced back at me with a smile again. “Ah just have to get used to hearin’ that name again. That’s all.”

“Oh, I see.” After what happened at lunch, I should have been more careful when mentioning Aria or her sisters.

“So… you asked her to look after Spike?” I turned my head towards Applejack. She had her eyes fixed on the different balls in exposition.

“Yes, while I was away visiting my grandparents. She did a nice job. Spike loves her.”

“Ah’m glad to hear that. So, you really trust her, huh?” Applejack commented.

“I trust her as I trust any of you. She’s a good friend. I took her to stargaze with me once. She was in awe.” I said, thinking fondly back on that night.

“Was she always nice to you?” My farmer friend asked making eye contact with me as she made that question. I don’t think I have a reason to lie, especially not to the most honest person I know.

“I want to forget about it, but…” I looked away from her. “Our first encounter wasn’t friendly. She was hard to read until she offered to go to Crystal Prep with me.”

“Did she ever hurt you?” I made eye contact with my friend again. She was frowning.

“Only with words, but like I said, it was before she became more open with me.”

Applejack looked at me intensely. “If she wasn’t nice to you at the beginnin’, how did you become friends?”

This was feeling like an interrogation. I was starting to feel uncomfortable. “Sh-She apologized for mistaking me for someone else and gave me a gift. I realized she wasn’t so bad since she regretted her actions, so I asked her to meet again.”

“Hmm…” She kept glaring at me. I don’t know how much longer I can stand this. “And you say her sisters are good too?”

I nodded. “Y-Yes. They actually received me with open arms the moment they met me.”

A few moments of silence passed in which neither of us said anything, until Applejack smirked. “Okay, ah believe you. Sorry ‘bout that, but ah had to make absolutely sure that everythin’ was fine.”

I sighed and smiled slightly. “It’s alright. You’re just looking out for me. I just hope no one else interrogates me like this when we’re alone.”

“They might. Ah don’t know for sure.” Applejack picked up a tennis ball and turned to me. “Ah’ll talk to them later.”

“Thank you.” Relieved, I was able to fully smile.

“Found a tennis ball, Applejack?” I turned around to find Sunset, wearing a beaming smile.

“Eeyup!” Our farmer friend said as she dribbled the ball. “Winona's goin’ to love this one.”

My attention went to Sunset’s hands. She was holding a small tree on one hand and a sandbox on the other. “What do you have there?” I asked curiously.

“Oh, this?” Sunset lifted the object she bought. “Ray loves exploring the apartment, but I feel like it’s too boring for him. I’ll give him more stuff to do and see.”

“Oh, right. You told me about your pet.” I grinned. “I think he will love it!”

The equestrian girl chuckled. “Thanks.” After getting Spike’s favorite food and paying for everything, we left the pet shop and continued to the electronics shop at the end of the block.

Before walking to the counter, I took some moments to admire my surroundings. Speakers, radios, televisions. All kind of electronic devices of different generations welcomed me. I approached a home scanner and lifted the top. It was magnificent! I always wanted to know how it works. Calm down, Twilight, I reeled my thoughts back in. Finish with your current project first before thinking on the next.

“Twilight! It’s always a pleasure to see you here. The attendant, an old acquaintance, received us. We were the only ones in the shop. “What can I do for you.” Smiling, I left the scanner alone and walked towards the counter.

“Hello, Mr. Richards. I’m looking for a damper. It’s for an Epsilon Multifunction printer. Model ET-2650.”

“Hmm… if I’m not mistaken, I think there’s a few left… let me check.” Mr. Richards walked into the back room, closing the door behind him. My friends stood next to me.

“I take you’ve been here before.” Sunset commented.

“Yeah,” I turned to the fiery girl. “I get most of my spares here. It’s actually here where I bought the VCR I’m working on.”

“Ah don’t know how ah missed this shop.” Applejack commented. “The last time mah radio broke, ah looked everywhere for someone to repair it.”

“If it happens again, let me know. I can repair it for you.” I said, smiling at my farmer friend.

“Ah most certainly will, Twilight.” Applejack smiled back.

A few minutes later, Mr. Richards returned with the part I needed.

“Here you go, Twilight.”

“Thank you.” I opened the box holding the new damper to check if everything was in one piece. “Great! Everything is in order.” I said before paying Mr. Richards. “We’ll be going now. Send Mrs. Richards my regards.”

“Will do. Goodbye Twilight, and friends.”

“Nice meeting you!” Sunset waved as we left the store. I’m all set to fix my printer! All I need now is to buy frames for the photos, and get a special gift for my crush.

Half an hour later, Applejack and Sunset and I were heading to the bus station, when Sunset called for our attention.

“Do you girls want to have a drink?” She asked pointing to a Italian themed café across the street with her thumb.

“Ah don’t mind.” Applejack said.

I considered it for a moment. I really wanted to head home to repair the printer so I could gift Aria and her sisters the photos we took yesterday, but I can’t turn down an invitation to spend more time with my friends. All I need to do is to replace the damper, which won’t take me long, so I guess I could stay for a little bit longer.

“Sure! Let’s go.”

“Alright then.” Sunset guided us towards the café. We found an empty table and the waiter brought the menus to us.

“Thanks.” Applejack said before checking the menu. “Ah think ah’m going to have black coffee and a cookie.”

“I’ll have a cappuccino.” Sunset smiled.

“I want milked coffee and vanilla muffin.” I put down the menu after deciding. When the waiter returned, we told him our order. He wrote everything down and took the menus to the counter with him. I followed him with my gaze, and I spotted a familiar face sitting alone nearby, with her table full of folders and papers. She was my English teacher!

“Sunset, Applejack… is that Miss Cheerilee?” My friends glanced towards where I was looking.

“I think she is!” Sunset’s eyes widened.

“I’m going to say hi!” I excitedly said as I stood up.

“Wait, Twilight-!” Applejack called me but I ignored her. I was already by my teacher.

“Miss Cheerilee, hello!” My teacher choked on her coffee and started to cough. Oops…

The woman turned around when she recovered. “Hello, umm… Twilight?” She was surprised to see me here. I took a quick glance at her table again. She was holding a red pen. The papers were assignments, but I didn’t recognize them. They must be from the Elementary classes she also teaches. “Pardon my shock, but I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

“I should apologize too. I didn’t mean to scare you. My friends and I were shopping nearby and decided to take a break.” I smiled at my teacher.

“Your friends?” Miss Cheerilee looked behind me. Applejack and Sunset waved awkwardly. “I see.” The woman glanced back at me, smiling. “My students usually run in the opposite direction when they see me outside of school. It’s the first time one of them has bothered to approach and greet me.”

“That’s too bad. I actually admire all teachers.” My smile became wider.

“You do?” My English teacher asked with curiosity.

I nodded excitedly before grinning. “Teachers have the wonderful job of educating their students, guiding us on the path of knowledge and helping us to find our place in the world! I’m hoping to become a scientist myself, but becoming a teacher is definitely my second option. I would love to be a mentor to anyone with a desire to learn.”

“Wow, that’s very noble of you, Twilight Sparkle.” Miss Cheerilee said with a smile.

I opened my mouth to keep talking, but I felt a hand on one of my shoulders. I turned my head to find Sunset by my side. “Twilight, let’s go. Miss Cheerilee is busy at the moment.” She said to me before looking at the teacher. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”

“No need for apologies. I was actually having a good time. Reading all these assignments can get dull. Miss Sparkle here actually gave me a much needed breather,” MIss Cheerilie said, smiling at us.

My eyes widened in surprise before smiling widely. “Oh, I’m glad to hear it!” I cleared my throat before continuing. “But Sunset has a point. You’re busy. I should leave so you can continue working.”

The woman sighed. “You’re right, I’m afraid.” She smiled weakly at Sunset and me. “Have a nice day.”

“You too, Miss Cheerilee.” I turned around after saying the last to return to my table.

“Ah never met anyone excited to see a teacher.” Applejack commented as I sat down.

“People should greet them more often. Learning is a wonderful experience,” I said sitting back down.

Our conversation changed to a different topic, and our orders arrived shortly afterwards.

After finishing our drinks and paying, we walked out the café, where Sunset stretched her arms.

“Well, that was fun.” The fiery girl said before looking at the bag she was carrying since we went to the pet shop. “But I have to head home to feed Ray and give him his gifts.”

“Ah must go too. These ingredients ain’t going to deliver themselves. Ah also have to be home before Big Mac goes to meet with Sugar Belle.”

I turned my head inside the café, where I saw Miss Cheerilee putting away her belongings, but struggling to do so. Some of the papers fell to the floor. “You girls go ahead. I’ll hang around for a little longer.”

My friends followed my gaze and smiled. “Alright.” Sunset said. “See you tomorrow, Twilight.”

“You too.” We hugged and Sunset headed to the bus station, alongside Applejack, while I walked into the café again and approached my teacher. “Need a hand?”

The woman looked at me and smiled slightly. “Miss Twilight! You’re too kind.”

I giggled. “It’s fine. I know a thing or two about carrying too many papers and books.” I said before ducking to take the papers on the floor.

“It took me ten full minutes to properly put everything away after school. I really appreciate your help,” Cheeriliee said kindly to me putting papers away.

“You’re welcome, Miss Cheerilee.” I smiled at my teacher.

“I’m looking forward to reading your essay. Your homework always leaves me in awe.”

“I’m happy to hear that. If it weren’t for the word limit, I would write several pages for each of them.”

The woman giggled softly. “There’s more than enough room within the limit for me to see how well written the essays are. Besides, if you were to exceed the word count, I wouldn’t have enough time to grade the rest of the homework.”

“That’s true…” I sighed before smiling. “I also have to think about my other classes. The limit is a good thing.” I finished organizing the papers. After carefully putting them away, I gave them to Miss Cheerilee, who placed them inside her bag. “That’s about it.”

“Yes. Thank you again for your help, Miss Twilight.”

“It’s no problem, really.” Moments later finishing my sentence, I heard the café’s door opening. I turned to it, curiously, and was surprised by the person who walked in. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. It’s… it’s…

“Twily!” My brother spotted me right away. He waved at me before rushing towards me to give me a big hug. “What a surprise to find you here!”

“L-Likewise!” I giggled happily and returned the hug. “Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here, Shining Armor?”

“My partner and I come here often to get coffee to go.” My brother replied as he released me from the embrace. “What brings you here, Twily?”

“I was shopping with my friends. They left, but I remained behind with one of my teachers.” I said as I moved aside so Shining Armor could properly meet the woman beside me. “Shining, this is my English teacher, Miss Cheerilee. Cheerilee, Shining Armor, he’s my big brother best friend forever. B.B.B.F.F. for short.” I giggled playfully. It has been a while since I last called Shining Armor like that.

“Uuuuh…” My teacher stared at my brother, her jaw dropped.

“Cheerilee…?” I leaned my head in confusion. She was acting weird, which got me worried. “Are you okay?”

“Uuuuh…” The woman’s behavior didn’t change.

“H-Hi…” My brother raised a hand to greet the woman beside me. His voice sounded like if it cracked a bit. “M-Me Shrining Armor- I mean, Shining Armor! Rice to meet you- Nice to meet you!” My brother is acting weird too. And that look he has… wait. I glanced at my teacher. She had a similar look too! I know it… it’s the same look I give to Aria! They’re… they’re…!

“Alright, I found a place to park the car.” A teal haired woman wearing a similar uniform to my brother's walked in as she talked. It was Shining’s partner, Chrysalis. “Have you ordered the coffees yet, Armor?” She added, glancing at my brother. “Armor?” Neither my brother nor Cheerilee were moving at all. While Chrysalis stared in confusion, I approached her.

I placed my hand near my mouth and whispered to Shining’s partner. “They’re into each other but neither know how to make the first move.”

“Oh, I see.” Chrysalis smirked before clearing her throat. “Hey, Armor! What’s up? Did you lose your tongue or something?” My brother remained in complete silence, still looking at my teacher. I returned to Cheerilee’s side.

“Miss Cheerilee-” My tone was almost a whisper. “He’s a nice guy. You should ask him out.” My teacher’s face became completely red.

She turned her head towards me and whispered back. “Wh-What?! B-But I… and you… h-he’s your brother…!”

“I don’t mind.” I smiled at her. “Really, you should go for it.”

“Shining Armor has a day off this Friday.” Chrysalis said. My brother turned his head towards his partner, eyes widened. “How about he meets you here, let’s say, 4:30PM?”

“Chrysalis!” Shining exclaimed. His partner chuckled.

“She would love to!” I spoke up, grinning.

“Miss Sparkle!” My teacher widened her eyes as she turned to me.

“Just give him a chance, Miss Cheerilee.” I kept smiling. “Unless you already have other plans…”

“W-Well, n-no, but-” My teacher stuttered blushing profusely.

“Then it’s a date!” Chrysalis interrupted her, clasping her hands together smirking again.

“D-Date?!” My brother turned to me, shocked and blushing madly. I nodded at him and giving him a thumbs up. He glanced back to my teacher. Shining Armor cleared his throat and adopted a serious face. “Very well. I’ll see you this Friday, miss.” He said before confidently walking out the café.

“Armor, the coffee!” Chrysalis’ request was ignored, though. Seeing from the window how my brother walked away, she sighed and headed towards the cashier. “It was supposed to be his turn… he doesn’t even know where I parked.” She said to herself as she walked after him.

With everything settled, Miss Cheerilee took a deep breath and glared at me. I hope it doesn’t mean that I crossed the line… “Miss Sparkle…” Her tone was serious. Uh, oh… “Do you mind if I hug you…?”

“Miss Cheerilee, I’m so sorry! I thought- wait, what?” I was dumbfounded as my teacher slowly smiled.

“I’m usually speechless when I meet someone I like, which is why I rarely have dates. I’m thankful for what you did.”

“You can hug me, Miss. Cheerilee. It’s okay.” I smiled. My teacher quickly hugged me and I returned it. “For a moment I thought you would get mad at me.”

“It probably wasn’t appropriate.” The woman said before releasing me from the hug. “But your heart was in the right place. Are you sure you don’t mind me seeing your brother?”

“Absolutely.” I smiled widely. “My brother’s job keeps him busy and it’s hard for him to find a date. This will be good for the both of you.” I pulled out my phone to check the time. “I have to go. There’s one more thing I must buy before going home.”

“Alright. Goodbye, Miss Sparkle. I’ll see you after spring break.”

I nodded. “Good luck this Friday! I’ll call my brother to ask how the date goes, if he doesn’t call me first.” My teacher giggled softly and blushed. I waved at her and walked out of the café. There’s one more gift I want to give Aria for being such a good friend to me, and I just thought on what to give her. I’ll need to head towards the mall, though.

Two hours later, I was heading towards Aria’s house. With my printer fixed, I could print and frame the photos. I have them inside the bag I was carrying, alongside the special gift I got for my crush. I can’t wait to see the faces her and her sisters will make when the unwrap them!

I was in a good mood, so I hummed as I approached the sirens’ front door. I knocked on the door and waited. A few seconds later, the door opened, with Sonata on the other side. “Twilight, hi!” The joyful siren said before hugging me tightly. “You came to visit me? How kind of you!”

“Hi, Sonata.” I returned the embrace. Her hug felt tighter than Pinkie Pie’s. “I actually came to visit all of you. Are Aria and Adagio here?”

“Nope! They went to the convenience store!” Sonata released me from the hug. “They should be here soon. Come watch T.V. with me! I’m watching ‘Stuart Small’”

“Okay.” Smiling, I followed her inside and sat on the couch with her. The movie showed a talking mouse, living with a human family. It was strange, but it would probably make sense if I were to watch it from the beginning.

Echoes from the Past

View Online

Aria’s P.O.V.

“Is that all?” I asked Adagio after groaning.

We have been in the store for a while now and I was getting really bored. It made me wonder how Adagio kept our normally hyper energetic sister Sonata in check whenever she brought her.

“We just arrived, Aria. I still need to buy more ingredients for dinner.” My older sister replied without looking at me. She was inspecting a bag of rice.

“Remind me again why you brought me with you instead of Sonata?” I looked at the stands, just so I had something to do.

“I always come with Sonata. Believe it or not, I love both of you.” She smiled at me as she patted my head. “Besides, it’s your turn to choose dinner. What will you want?”

I looked around trying to think of what I wanted for dinner tonight. When we walked near the freezer section something caught my attention. I walked towards one particular freezer and looked inside, and smiled after looking inside. “Hamburgers. We’ll have hamburgers.”

Adagio sighed loudly as she approached. “Really? Why not something more elaborate?”

I turned my head towards my sister. I knew exactly what I wanted to say just to get under her skin. "Hey, it's my turn, we'll have what I want. And I say we have hamburgers for dinner. Plus, we can add cheese on top if you want to make it 'fancier'."

Seeing the expression on her face more than made up for all the times she embarrassed me or trolled me with her shenanigans. Finally I was going to get the last laugh and it was sweet.

Adagio took a deep breath before speaking again. “Very well, but could you at least choose a normal condiments?”

I glared at my sister with annoyance and pointed at her with my index finger. “Fine, but we’re buying mayonnaise too! You know I can’t stand mustard!”

Adagio massaged her forehead before raising her hand in defeat. “Alright, alright, but I’m making rice to accompany it.”

“Deal!” With a smug grin on my face, I opened the freezer to get the hamburgers. “Sweet! Let’s get the buns.”

After placing tonight’s dinner in the cart, I moved ahead so I could arrive to where the bread was first. However, when I was about to reach my destination, I saw one person already there. One that looked familiar. Amethyst hair and dressed fashionably that could give Adagio a run her money. She’s one of the Rainbooms! Before she spotted me, I hid behind one of the stands. Adagio leaned her head in confusion when she saw how I was behaving.

“What’s gotten into you?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Stay right there!” I whispered loudly. “One of Twilight’s friends is there. It’s not Sunset Shimmer nor that Trixie girl.”

Adagio chuckled. “Is that so?” She smirked before she continued on her way.

“What are you doing?! Let’s get out of here!” I hissed under my breath.

My sister stopped briefly and turned to look at me, with that same stupid grin on her face.

“Why? You already told Twilight that it was okay to tell her friends about us. I’m going to say hi,” And she turned to saunter towards the Rainboom.

“It doesn’t mean that I want to talk to them!” I hissed while trying to cover my face without being seen.

“Maybe you don’t, but I do. I’m tired of dodging them because you don’t want to be seen.” She moved forward again.

“Wait, did you see them before?” My words were ignored however, as Adagio approached Twilight’s friend. I hid behind my hand, but my curiosity got the better of me. I took a peek through my fingers I wasn’t too far so I should be able to hear their voices.

“Hello. Fancy meeting you here.” My sister was the first to speak once she was close enough. Twilight’s friend turned around. Her eyes widened in shock when she laid her eyes on Adagio. Nice start.

“Oh, h-hello…” I could see her discomfort from here. “Fancy seeing you here too…?”

My sister laughed softly before waving a hand into the air with a feminine, dismissive of faux-modesty. “You have nothing to worry about. There’s no hard feelings. I just want to say hi.” She extended her hand towards the girl after finishing her sentence. “Why don’t we start over? I’m Adagio Dazzle. Nice to make your acquaintance.”

Twilight’s friend stared at my sister’s hand, clearly confused. She hesitated, but eventually took hold and shook Adagio’s hand. “I’m Rarity.”

“Rarity, what a beautiful name.” My sister released Rarity’s hand, who pulled it back instantly. This girl was as cautious as a cat. “I’m pretty sure you’re not from around here. Your school isn’t close by. What brings you so far from your house?”

Just before Twilight’s friend replied, Adagio raised a finger to silence her and turned towards where I was. I quickly hid myself. Don’t you dare…! I closed my eyes in frustration whenmy sister called me.

“Eavesdropping is not polite, Aria. Come over here!” I groaned, slumping my shoulders in defeat.

Having no choice in the matter, I revealed myself and walked towards where my sister and Rarity were. Twilight’s friend looked even more uneasy as I approached. I stood by my sister giving Rarity some space as I slipped my hands in my pockets, trying not to make eye contact. “Aren’t you going to say hello, Aria?”

“Don’t push it.” I crossed my arms and looked away.

Adagio sighed loudly and placed her hand on her forehead. “You’re impossible… anyway.” My sister returned her attention to the Rainboom. “You were saying?”

“I-I’m here on business. The fabric shop I buy from is nearby.”

“Fabrics? Oh…” Adagio smiled. “You’re the one who designed your friends’ costumes for the Battle of the Bands, then?”

Rarity nodded. “I-I did…” She was startled when my sister suddenly squealed, and so did I for that matter.

“I adored your designs! They were gorgeous!” I could swear Adagio’s eyes sparkled.

Rarity let out an audible gasp. Her expression didn’t show any sign of fear anymore. She was just surprised. “You… you’re into fashion too?”

My sister nodded. “That I do.” She placed a hand on her hip as she wore a smug smile. “Who do you think that came up with the costumes for the Battle of the Bands. Aria?”

She said the last while pointing at me with her thumb without turning around. “She was going to give us three some distasteful punk look and there’s no way I was going to allow that.”

“Whatever,” I still had my eyes narrowed with annoyance. “You tortured me that night and I still didn’t hear your apology.”

Adagio groaned loudly and glared at me. “All I did was to make you wear a dress. Not even a short one!”

“It’s. still. A. Dress.” I looked at my sister this time. “I don’t do dresses, nor skirts, nor anything similar! My legs are not to be exposed like that.”

Adagio was going to reply, but a sudden giggling stopped her from doing so. Both my sister and I slowly turned to face Rarity to find her covering her own mouth with a hand. She was clearly smiling.

“M-My apologies, but you remind me of my friend Rainbow Dash. She’s impossible when it comes to trying out my most gorgeous creations. But for what it’s worth, I also thought your costumes were quite marvelous!”

“Y-You did?” Adagio blinked her eyes in confusion.

Twilight’s friend nodded. “Absolutely. I remember thinking ‘Oh, no! They’re about to win! We’re doomed! But those outfits are an absolute dream!’”

Once again, my sister’s eyes sparkled as she grinned. “You truly have a good taste! It wasn’t easy to make them either, you know? Aria refused to model and Sonata kept changing my design.”

“Do you have a job in the fashion industry?” The fancy girl asked.

Adagio sighed sadly. “More or less. I recently became the assistant of a local fashionista. He does appreciate my initiative and skills, but I haven’t been given the opportunity of crafting a full outfit from zero yet. I-“

“Hold on.” I called for Adagio’s attention. “I thought you worked for a businessman.”

My sister sighed as she massaged her forehead. “I mentioned that I was hired by a fashionista a few weeks ago. I knew that you didn’t listen.” Adagio looked at Twilight’s friend again and recovered her smirk. “As I was saying, I earn enough to support myself and my sisters, but… I don’t have the luxury to buy an extended wardrobe. I’m stuck with plain outfits like the dress I’m wearing now…”

“How dreadful…” I commented with clear sarcasm. However, the Rainboom gasped loudly with true horror.

“Oh, dear, that’s awful! Who is this man you work for?”

“He goes by the name of Hoity Toity. He’s descent, but a perfectionist. He won’t trust me with any of his creations unless he’s absolutely sure that I can handle it.” Adagio said.

“Oh, yes, I know him. You’re right, he’s a perfectionist, but his work is quite admirable,” Rarity commented.

“It will probably be a year or two before-”

“Alright, that’s it.” I interrupted Adagio, raising both of my hands. My sister and her new friend looked at me. “That’s all I can stand. Why don’t I continue with the shopping and meet you later by the dairy products stand?”

I’m starting to get a headache, so I decided it was better to go before my head explodes.

“Suit yourself, Aria.” Adagio smirked. “This might take a while. I rarely have the opportunity of having a conversation about couture.”

“If you don’t show up in ten minutes, I’m dragging you home myself.”

My sister shrugged, still with her smug grin, and turned to Twilight’s friend again. The Rainboom offered me a weak wave, but I didn’t return it. Taking hold of the shopping cart, I continued to the bread stands. She better not keep me waiting.

Eight minutes… it has been eight minutes since I left Adagio and her new friend alone! I already bought everything we came for, so there was nothing else I could do to kill time. Screw it, I’m going after her right now. I turned around, only to find Adagio approaching, holding Tanuki Tarts for Sonata.
“Where you going to look for me? We’re still in the agreed ten minutes.”

I sighed in annoyance and pushed the cart towards her, which she stopped with her free hand. “I gave you too much time. I wish I ran to avoid her instead of hiding.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t.” Adagio placed the Tanuki Tarts in the cart. “Rarity shares my sophisticated tastes. She even invited me to a fashion show next week.”

“Really? We just encountered a person who was terrified of us for what we did, and you’re suddenly besties?” I asked incredulously.

“Besties is a strong word. We’re starting over,” Adagio smiled before glancing at the cart. “I see you got everything. Let’s buy you a snack before returning home.”

“A snack? For what?”

My sister took the cart and started to walk. “You deserve a prize since you haven’t shown signs of running away for making friends like you did last time.”

“Last time?” I blinked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Adagio sighed and looked at me. “You don’t remember? But it was only eight years ago.”

I narrowed my eyes, still confused. “Care to clarify?”

My sister stopped walking and placed a hand on her hip. “I don’t know the details. You used to have what you called a ‘hunting pack’. You would be with them most of the time.”

“A… hunting pack?” I narrowed my eyes thoughtfully. My memories from Equestria are mostly with Adagio and Sonata. But… some are blurry.

“Yes.” Adagio nodded. “You were with them for a few weeks and then…” She fell silent. I waited for her to say something, but she didn’t.

“Then… what?” I asked, getting annoyed, but when it was clear that Adagio wasn’t going to continue I felt kind of bad for snapping at her.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know. You returned to us one day, with a mood of wanting to kill the world, which is the one you usually have nowadays. We tried to ask about your 'pack', but you refused to talk about them.”

I crossed my arms and looked away to think, trying to remember if anything Adagio just said was true. She would never lie like this to me. Hunting pack… it sounds like something I would say. Suddenly, I heard voice which sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite identify. Brainless idiot! You’re all brute force! You would starve to death on your own!

“Aria? Are you there? Aria!” The sound of snapping fingers woke me up from my daze. I blinked several times and gazed at my sister, who was looking worried. “You were staring blankly at nothing. What’s gotten into you?”

“Err… I…” I shook my head and frowned. “Nothing. Let’s just go.”

Adagio exhaled. “Alright. Grab that Zig Zag chocolate you love so much and let’s go then.”

Nothing much was said afterwards. I focused on my thoughts again to try to remember what those voices were. Those words… I think they hurt me back in the day, but I never let my guard down… right?

Adagio made me carry all the bags on the way home, of course. She was humming as she walked and had a big smug grin on her face. The only thing that will lift my mood will be arriving home and tuning in for my favorite police show. As we approached the door I could feel relief fill me as the distance closed.

My older sister opened the door when we arrived. “Sonata, we’re back!”

Sonata was on the couch. She turned around and grinned when she saw us. “Welcome back! Did you bring me anything?”

“We did.” Adagio said as she took the Tanuki Tarts from one of the bags. “Here you go.” She tossed them towards Sonata.

“Tanuki Tarts, yay! I’m going to share them.” My cheerful sister was jumping of happiness. While I watched the scene, I took my chocolate from one of the bags.

“No thanks, I’m good.” Adagio said with a smile as she took the bags I was holding and took them to the kitchen.

“And I have my own snack, so I’ll pass.” I said as I jumped on the couch. “You can have them all.” I added as I unwrapped my Zig Zag chocolate.

“Maybe Twilight will want some!” Sonata chirped.

I stood up abruptly when Sonata mentioned my friend’s name. “Twilight’s here?”

My younger sister nodded. “She’s in the bathroom.”

As in cue, Twilight walked out of the bathroom just as Adagio returned. I quickly swallowed the piece of chocolate I was eating and looked at Twilight.

“Excuse me, but there’s no soap and I don’t know where-” She stopped talking when she spotted Adagio and me. “Oh… hi!” She smiled.

Adagio groaned as she massaged her forehead. “Why do I always have to replace the soap when it runs out?” She complained as she walked into the bathroom. “Come, Twilight.”

“O-Okay!”

Twilight turned around, but kept her eyes on me for a moment before following Adagio back in the bathroom. I heard the sound of a drawer opening and, seconds later, my older sister walked out while Twilight turned the faucet to wash her hands. “I’m sorry, my sisters are terrible hostesses.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry!” I heard my friend’s voice before she closed the faucet.

“Why are you including me? Sonata received her!” I glared at Adagio.

“The same thing would have happened with you too!” My older sister replied with a scolding tone, which got me angrier. However, my expression softened when Twilight returned.

“Alright, now that I have my hands clean…” My friend walked towards me, her smile intact, and gave me a hug. “Hello, Aria.”

“Y-Yes, hello.”

Just barely after I hugged her back, Twilight broke the hug and grinned excitedly. “I brought you something!” She said before turning to my sisters. “And to you two too.”

“Yay! I’ll finally get to see what’s in the bags you brought! Wait, let me put these tarts in the microwave.” Sonata said before running to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Twilight took one of the bags from the table with a lamp and gave it to Adagio. Some beeping sounds were heard from the kitchen before Sonata returned. “Okay, ready!”

Adagio smiled. “Very well.” As Sonata and I moved closer, she unwrapped the gift. The three of us gasped. Inside, was one of the photos we took last week, the one the four of us took together, framed.

“I didn’t know if you wanted to hang it on the wall or place it on a table, so… this frame has both a hook and a support!”

“Thank you, Twilight.” My older sister gazed at my friend. “I’ll hang it in the living room later tonight.”

Twilight smiled in appreciation before turning to me. “The other bag belongs to you, Aria. I got you an extra something to thank you for looking after Spike last weekend.”

“You did?” I smiled at her. “I’ll open them in my room.”

“Oh…” Twilight looked down, sad.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling. “Why the long face? You’re coming with me.”

Twilight gasped. “Your room… me?”

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Yes, why not?” I took the remaining bag from the table. Then, more beeps were heard from the kitchen.

“Wait!” Sonata exclaimed and rushed to the kitchen, returning a couple of seconds later, holding a Tanuki Tart. “Here, Twilight, for you!”

“Oh-” My friend was surprised at first, but then smiled. “Thank you, Sonata. I like them.”

Sonata giggled. “Who doesn’t?”

Tart in hand, Twilight followed me towards my room. I couldn’t believe myself, but as I opened the door of my room, I mentally thanked Adagio for forcing me to clean my room. Granted, my bed was undone, but the rest was presentable. Twilight scanned my room. Her gaze stopped briefly on my bed, but she quickly moved her eyes toward my floating shelves, where I recently moved my VHS collection.

“I was wondering where you put them. I didn’t see them under the television.” She said as she placed the bag she was holding on a nearby table.

“Yeah, I had to relocate them after seeing Sonata touching them with her hands dirty with nachos or any other food.” As I spoke, Twilight moved closer to my movie collection. I took the opportunity to finish my chocolate.

“You have them organized by genre and title.” She looked at me, smiling. “I’m impressed.”

My cheeks felt warm. “Thanks. I was tired of having to look for them whenever I wanted to watch a movie in particular. I had free time, so… yeah.”

My friend looked back at the movies. “You know, this is my last week of school before Spring Break. I’ll have much more free time, so I was thinking on watching ‘Extraterrestrial’ then.”

“Sure.” I smirked as I placed my hands on the pocket of my jeans. “Just say when. I’m free from Saturday all the way to Friday.”

Twilight giggled. “I can’t this weekend. I’ll be hosting a slumber party with my other friends. I’ll actually be focused on it until it’s over.”

“Are you taking a break right now?” I crossed my arms as I smiled.

“More or less.” Twilight smiled at me, which widened my own smile. “I have never been in a slumber party in my life, and now I’m hosting my first one. I might be a little nervous.”

“It’s your territory, cub,” I placed my hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “You can handle it.”

“Y-Yes…” I noticed that Twilight’s cheeks got slightly red. “They’re my friends. They won’t make fun of me, but I must prove to myself that I can do it. If things go well, I might host my own movie night next time!”

I chuckled. “I must confess that I’m curious about high definition.”

Twilight giggled. “Don’t worry, I am thinking on inviting you to watch a movie another day, just the two of… us...” Her eyes widened. I also noticed that her face turned red before she turned her head to another are of my room all of the sudden. “What’s that over there?” Twilight quickly approached a different shelf, one where I kept my pendant.

I blinked in confusion by her sudden behavior, but I decided to ignore it and walked towards her. "It's... A relic. I brought it from Equestria, actually, my sisters each have one as well. We used to wear it proudly, but now it only brings us bad memories. But we can't just get rid of them either, it's all we have from our home world." I placed a hand on my neck, where my pendant used to be and grimaced. Dammit, I am starting to get emotional in front of Twilight!

“Aria…?” I looked at Twilight when she called me. She had a worried expression.

“I miss the feeling of having it hanging around my neck, but I can’t wear it. Ever again.”

I looked away from my friend. There was the constant fear of the pendants corrupting us again if we used them. After Adagio told me what had happened to her friend, I’m not going to allow myself to be cursed. “If I had a drawer, I would throw it in it to avoid looking at it.”

“I’m sorry…” My friend hugged me, and I returned the embrace.

“It’s a touchy subject. Can’t we just…?” I made eye contact with Twilight. She smiled softly.

“Sure.” She broke the hug and turned her head towards a different shelf, where I kept my books. Well, most of them. Adagio borrowed the Astronomy book I last bought. “You have them organized too.”

“Yes, I just thought, why not?”

Twilight chuckled. “I’m glad you’re making smart use of your free time.” Finally, her eyes met my radio on a table. The same table on which she placed the bag she brought. “What do we have here?”

“That would be my partner for when I need a break from my sisters. It’s an old model, but I can tune in the radio station, play audio cassettes and CDs. Unfortunately, I have to keep the volume low, or else Adagio will ‘confiscate it’.” I said the last while doing the quotes gesture with my hands. Twilight laughed softly before walking closer to the radio. She took one of my CDs. Since I didn’t have much variety, I kept them all on the radio itself.

“’Powerwolves’. So, this is your band, huh?”

“Yup! I have a couple of their albums. You can take one of them if you want to give them a shot.”

She looked at me. “I’ll make sure to bring it back to you next week.”

“Alright.” I nodded. Twilight’s eyes moved to the bag containing my gifts.

“I should be giving this to you, shouldn't I?” Twilight smiled as she took the bag to give it to me.

“Thanks.”

I took the bag and headed towards my bed to sit. My friend did the same. I decided to first unwrap the gift which was of the same size of the framed photo I took with Twilight and my sisters. I really want to see mine with Twilight alone again, so I had no mercy with the wrapping paper.

“You’re throwing the shreds on the floor.”

“I’ll clean it up later.” I replied just as I got rid of the last piece of the paper.

Setting my eyes on the photo brought a smile to my face. It looked even better than I remembered. Our pose was simple. Just Twilight holding her cell phone with a hand, and leaving her free arm hanging. I had both of my hands on my knees and was leaning since I was a little taller than Twilight to fit in the picture. Both of us were smiling, obviously. “I love it…” I commented as I admired the photo.

“I-I’m glad…” I glanced at Twilight since her voice sounded slightly off. She was adjusting her glasses, so her hand was blocking her face. “I printed an extra copy for me. I have it in my room.” She looked at me, fully smiling and intertwining her hands on her back. “Don’t worry, I’m going to hide it during my slumber party.”

“Why? I thought you told your friends about me already?” I asked.

Twilight nodded. “I did, but-” She fixed her eyes on the photo I was holding. “I have noticed that you are usually angry or antisocial when my other friends show up. I also noticed that you only usually smile wh-when…” My friend looked away for a moment before looking back at me, her face was slightly red. “when we’re alone.”

I blinked confusedly. As far as I know, my room is chilly, not hot. “That’s true. Sonata speaks too much and Adagio is teasing with me all the time. It’s hard to be in a good mood while I’m with them. But I have fun with you.” I smiled at her. My friend’s eyes widened before she smiled slightly. “Back to the photo… it’s okay if you don’t want to hide it during that gathering of yours.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and leaned her head to a side. “Are you sure?”

I took a deep breath before nodding. This will be a big step for me. “Yeah. I mean, I would be asking too much of you if you keep too many secrets from your friends after you told them about me. Let them see it. All I want is to be left alone. Don’t let them mistake it as a free pass to talk to me. I’m not interested in being their friend.”

Twilight remained silent, surely thinking on what I just said. She’s still okay with me not talking to her friends, right? Eventually, she smiled widely at me. “Alright, I can respect that. The least I want to do is to ask you to do something you don’t want. I have no problems if you don’t want to be their friend. I know there’s differences and that people don’t always get along.”

I internally sighed in relief. “Thank you, Sparks.” I said before turning my head around. “I’ll put it on this little table next to my bed right now.” I said as I used the support of the frame to keep it standing.

“You’re placing it on your night table?” I knew it had a name!

“Yes, there’s nothing there and it’s about time to place something.” After setting the photo on it’s spot, I turned to Twilight again. “By the way, Adagio and I came across one of your friends while at the convenience store. The purple haired one.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Rarity? Oh, no, she approached you?”

I shook my head. “No, Adagio did.”

My friend blinked in confusion. “She did?” She said before gasping. “Oh, right! She’s not a lone wolf like you.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s why Sonata ran after you when we first met. Adagio told me that she has seen your friends multiple times before, but didn’t say anything to them because of me. But since I gave you my approval to reveal our friendship to everyone…”

“I see.” Twilight smiled slightly. “My friends were shocked when I told them about you.” She lost her smile. “They even wanted me to stay away from you.”

She looked back at me, recovering her smile. “But I told them you weren’t mean to me and that they had nothing to fear.”

“Oh…” I dropped my head, ashamed. “I-I should have given you a proper heads-up. D-Did they tell you about what we did…?” I couldn’t bring myself to look at Twilight in the eyes. Maybe they didn’t, since she was still here, happy to be my friend. But if they did… would she try to avoid me…?

“They tried, but I didn’t let them say anything. Sunset backed me up. Whatever happened in the past between you and my friends, I'll hear it from you,” Twilight said with a soft tone to her voice.

I raised my head and looked at Twilight. My eyes were widened in surprise. “You do?”

My friend smiled as she nodded. “Yes, when you’re ready, of course. I know it’s a touchy subject and I would hate pressuring you to tell me.”

A smile spread across my face. Adagio and Sonata are always pushing me to say what’s on my mind. Twilight’s really kind and understanding. I placed a hand on her shoulder to show my appreciation. “I promise you, Twilight, one day, I’ll tell you the whole thing.” I gasped when my friend surprised me with another hug.

“It doesn’t matter when just take your time, Aria.” I returned the hug. So Sunset Shimmer stepped up to support Twilight’s friendship with me? Ugh, does this mean that I have to thank her? My thoughts were cut short when Twilight broke the hug and adjusted her glasses. I think her cheeks were slightly pink. “So, umm… your other gift…”

“Other gift…? Oh, I almost forgot!” I turned to the bag to take my second gift. The size of this box was different. It wasn’t a skinny rectangle like the wrapped frame, more like an overweight smaller cube.

“Call me intrigued.” I smirked at my friend.

“Be careful. It’s very fragile.” Twilight had a huge smile on her face.

“Aye, aye, cub.” I chuckled as I began opening my second gift. “Let’s see what we have.” When I removed the wrapping, I gasped looking at the object. “Twilight… this is… this is…” The image in the box containing my gift was very clear, but I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Yes, it is.” Only when my friend opened the box did I fully believed it was real. The content was a cell phone. A cell phone!

I glanced at Twilight with my jaw dropped in awe. My friend giggled and smiled in return. “But, Sparks… it’s too much.”

“No, Aria, it’s the perfect gift.” My friend said as she took the cell phone from the box. “I usually don’t know when to call you since I don’t know if you’re home, and the same happens to you. Remember when you called me while I was in class?”

My cheeks flushed. “Y-Yeah, sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Twilight pressed a button, turning on the phone. “Now we can avoid that. I can text you and you can too. We can also call each other wherever we are. For example, today I could have sent you a text message before coming to ask if you were home. I had fun with Sonata anyway, but what if neither of you were at home?”

The phone fully turned on. Twilight smiled before giving it to me. “I already configured it for you and installed the basic apps. You can change your wallpaper if you want. I also added the photos I framed in it. The digital versions, I mean.”

“Yeah, I got what you meant.” I smirked and took the phone. Looking at it, I noticed the ‘Powerwolves’ logo on the screen. “Twilight… this is very thoughtful. I don’t know what to say.” I glanced at my friend. She was smiling and flushing again.

“I just thought it would help us to communicate more. If it makes you feel better, the phone isn’t last generation, so it wasn’t expensive at all. But I picked for you since it has more space in its memory, so you can install more games if you want.”

I smiled at her. “Well, thank you.” I said before standing up. Twilight stood up afterwards and I stared at her awkwardly. “So… I suppose I should hug you now…?”

My friend giggled and adjusted her glasses. “If you want.” Smiling, I opened my arms and hugged her. The hug was returned immediately. “I already added my number.” Twilight said before breaking the hug but keeping her hands on my arms. “And in case of emergencies, I also added Sunset’s-” I raised an eyebrow at her. “J-Just for emergencies! I’m not expecting you to call her regularly.”

“Okay.” I smiled at her again before breaking the hug. “Say, we’re going to eat soon. Do you want to stay for dinner?”

Twilight returned the smile. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Unless you have plans, that is.”

“No, I don’t. Just let me call my parents to let them know.”

“While you do that-” I placed my new phone on the night table before glancing at the door. I’ll brag about my gift after Twilight’s gone. “I’ll let Adagio and Sonata know that you’re staying.

My friend grinned. “Alright, I’ll join you shortly.”

Smirking, I walked out of my room and headed towards the kitchen, where my sisters were talking.

“And I got sooo much better at cooking.” Sonata was talking about her job. “My manager said that he was impressed!”

“Very good, Sonata! I’m proud of you.” Adagio complimented Sonata with a smirk.

“Even so, you’re not touching my hamburgers.” My sisters turned to me when I interrupted them.

“Your hamburgers?” My older sister raised an eyebrow. “We’re going to eat them, not just you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I said as I sat by the table. “By the way, add another plate on the table. Twilight will eat with us.”

“Is that so?” Adagio smirked and looked at Sonata, who snickered. What are they planning?

I sighed. “Alright, what’s the fuzz now?”

“Fuzz?” Our leader blinked her eyes several times, faking confusion. “There’s nothing going on here. We’re happy that you invited your beloved friend to eat with us.” At this point, Sonata laughed harder.

“I think you’re supposed to invite her to eat outside on first dates!”

“Sonata!” My cheeks got insanely hot as I stood up, slamming my hands on the table. “Stop implying that we’re dating!”

“Moving on…” Adagio stood up as well, crossing her arms. “I’ll get started with the hamburgers. Aria, be a nice girl and wash the dishes.”

I groaned as I walked towards the sink. It’s my turn to wash them, so I can’t decline. Just as I washed the last plate, Twilight walked into the kitchen.

“My parents agreed to let me stay. My father will pick me up later.”

“Oh, Twilight, we’re so delighted that you’re joining us for dinner!” My older sister smiled at my friend while keeping the spatula on the burger.

“Yeah, we never have guests over! This will be so exciting!”

“I’m excited too.” My friend said as she sat. She gazed at Adagio by the kitchen. “Oh, we’re having hamburgers! I love them!”

I smiled proudly and turned to Adagio. “See? She gets it.”

My older sister frowned at me before opening the fridge. She took the ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise from it and brought them to the table. “Is there a particular dressing you enjoy the most?”

“Hmm…” Twilight looked at the dressings. “I usually stick to mayonnaise and avoid mustard. I don’t mind ketchup, though.”

“Is that so?” Adagio smiled maliciously at me. I widened my eyes in surprise by this. She then leaned closer to my ear and whispered. “She’s a keeper.”

Once again, my body heated up, but I wasn’t so certain if it was anger or something else. I had to put up with it for now to not make a scene in front of our guests. I’ll erase their smiles once I show them my cell phone. That thought made me recover my smile.

Sleepover

View Online

Twilight’s P.O.V.

“Alright… juice, check. Soda, check. Pillows, check. Blankets… check,” I said, going down my long detailed checklist, courtesy of my Sleepover 101 Guidebook.

“Twilight…” Spike said, after yawning. He has just awoken from his nap. “You have already double checked the list. Everything is pretty much ready for the sleepover tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing wrong with triple checking, Spike!” I excitedly said as I moved from one side of the room to the other. “I must be absolutely certain that nothing’s missing.”

I knelt to organize my board games on the floor wondering if I should organize by size of the box, or go with the traditional A - Z by title? Oh, decisions!

“I know, but nothing is missing.” I felt Spike’s paw on one of my knees, so I looked at him. “Twilight, you have been checking for too long now. Everything’s ready. Why don’t we do something else? Take a small break?”

“A break?“ I stood up. “I have taken enough breaks already. I can’t take it easy now that the sleepover is upon us!”

“That’s what it is, Twilight. You’re just going to have most of your friends sleeping here for a night, you’re not launching a spacecraft,” Spike sat on the floor, looking at me with concern. “You haven’t slowed down since you had dinner with Aria, and that was last Monday. It’s a nice day. Make the most of this Friday.”

Spike stood up and walked over to the window and peeked outside. He started to happily shake his tail as he watched another dog and its owner walk down the street, which gave him a clever idea. “Oh, I know! Since it's still early and the day is so nice, why don’t we go for a walk?”

I glanced at the window to witness the beautiful day. Now that I have stopped to think, I can feel how tired I was. I turned my head to my pet again and smiled. “I suppose we could…”

“Yes!” Spike started to jump around in excitement. I giggled and picked him up, his little tail wagging with excitement still. He didn’t waste time to lick my face.

“If you wanted to go out so much, why didn’t you say so before?” I scratched his head before taking my purse and walking down the stairs and towards the front door. “Mom, dad! I’m talking Spike for a walk!”

“Wonderful! That means your dad and I will have some smooch smooch time!” My mother’s not so subtle comment made the blood rush to my face.

“M-Mom!” I heard my parents chuckle at my expense before my father spoke up.

“Have fun you two!”

“Thank you!” I smiled, still feeling the burn in my cheeks and turned around to open the door, only to find someone on the other side. I gasped and grinned after immediately recognizing the visitor.

“Cadence!” I screamed before hugging her.

The woman smiled at me and lowered her hand from the doorbell to return the embrace. “Hello, Twilight, and you too Spike.”

“Hi!” Spike said still wagging his tail happily.

I broke the hug and grinned at my longtime friend. “I’m always happy to see you.”

“The feeling is mutual, Twilight.” Cadence smiled at me. She was carrying my handheld vacuum. “I’m here to return this to you.”

“Oh-” I took the vacuum and placed on a nearby table. “Thank you. You caught me just in time. Spike and I are heading out to stretch our legs.”

“Okay, then. Don’t let me interrupt you.” Cadence stepped back to let me walk past her.

I smiled at her after passing her. “Do you want to come with us? We can talk.”

The woman blinked confusedly before smiling widely. “Do you wish to talk about your crush?”

“U-Uh…” My cheeks started to burn. I think I should have seen it coming. “S-Sure, if you want.” I closed the door and placed Spike on the floor before the three of us started to walk towards the park.

As we walked towards the park Candence remained silent, no doubt waiting for me to start the conversation I knew she was waiting for. The more I thought about it the more tense I became. I could tell she noticed she always had a way of knowing when something was bothering me, perhaps it was the way I kept shifting my eyes? The way I walked? Then, as if she knew what I was thinking she broke the silence with a very Cadence question.

“So… how’s that going?” Excitement was clear in her voice.

“C-Can it wait until we’re sitting?” I smiled sheepishly. My face didn’t lose its redness. “I actually have some things to say about the progress of my crush.”

“Is that so?” I don’t think Cadence’s grin couldn’t get any wider. “Let’s hurry, then.” She started to run towards the park nearly leaving Spike and me behind.

“Cadence, wait for me!” Spike and I had to run after her to keep up as she made a mad rush for the park. I suddenly wished I took more athletic activities rather than spend all my time in a lab. When did she get so fast, or was I just slow?

My friend didn’t stop until we were at the park. Only then we could catch our breath. Cadence kept smiling even as she gasped for air. “Okay, Twilight, we’re here. Tell me everything.”

“B-Bench… first… please!” I gasped between bated breaths.

“Aww, fine!” Cadence said with a pout. “There’s a free one over there.”

Cadence and I headed towards the free bench sitting next to a small tree that offered minimal shade. Once sitting, I sighed in relief allowing my burning lungs to take in as much air as I possibly could. When I recovered my air, I glanced at Spike. He was shaking his tail while watching strangers’ dogs play. He looked at me with pleading eyes.

“Can I, Twilight?”

I giggled. Oh, Spike, you’re so cute! How could I say no to that face? “Of course you can.” My pet ran towards the dogs while barking. I watched him play until Cadence called my attention by clearing her throat.

“So, enough suspense, Twily. I’m all ears,” She said with a playful grin.

Unsurprisingly, my cheeks started to burn. “W-Well, I have been spending more time with her. My feelings remain, stronger even. Just recently, Aria allowed me to tell the rest of my friends about her and her sisters.”

“She doesn’t like your friends?” Cadence asked with a raised brow.

I shook my head thinking back to the time I visited Aria at her place. I also remembered the promise I made to her. “No. Apparently something really huge and bad happened between them. One of my friends tried to tell me, but I didn’t want to hear it. I'm waiting to hear it from Aria herself. She doesn't usually allow anyone to be this close to her and I don't want to ruin our friendship by digging into her personal life behind her back.”

“A wise move, Twilight,” My friend smiled warmly at me. “What else?”

“U-Umm… w-we…” I nervously stroke one of my arms with the other and briefly avoided Cadences gaze as I thought back to more recent events.

“She has been to my house a few more times, we watched another movie, she looked after Spike, we took some pictures together and I… I…” I cleared my throat before speaking in a barely audible voice. “I gifted her a cell phone…”

Cadence’s eyes widened. “You gave her a phone of her own? Really?” I nodded. The woman placed a hand on her chin to think for a few seconds. “The photos you took… are them in your phone?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Can I see them?” I nodded again before pulling my phone from my purse. I looked for the photo Aria and I took alone and passed my phone to my friend. Cadence took a close look at it. She stared at the photo for several seconds.

“Cadence?” I attempted to place my hand on her shoulder, when she abruptly turned her head towards me, smiling from ear to ear.

“Twilight, you HAVE to confess to her!”

My eyes widened as my entire body heated up. ”B-Bluh bro… mmo…” I found myself unable to form coherent words. Cadence scooted closer to me and placed an arm around my shoulders and pulling me close to her. Under normal circumstances this would calm me, but her insistence made me even more nervous than I was before.

“Twilight look at your smile! Look at her smile! I know you’re happy around her, but I didn’t know she was that happy around you. I think that smile means something! It’s likely that she likes you back!” Cadence said with glee.

My heart skipped a beat at the very thought that Aria might like me back. I smiled and managed to find my voice again. “Y-You think so?”

“Well, I said it’s likely, I’m not 100% sure.” My friend glanced at the photo again before turning to me. “Even if I’m mistaken, I’m sure she will want to keep you around as a friend. Either way, Aria Blaze will be an important part of your life.”

My heart sank at the thought of Aria not liking me back. “It would really hurt me if she doesn’t feel the same way, though…”

My friend sighed. “Rejection is always painful, Twily.”

“Yeah…” I took a deep breath trying not to think about that possible outcome. “The pieces of advice you gave me… I haven’t been following them as I wanted. I lost myself in Aria far too often. It’s hard to break apart when we hug. She already asked me once if I was feeling okay and I had to lie to her.”

My heart raced faster and faster with each passing moment. My crush on Aria is strong. Very strong. “I think about her all the time. Sometimes, when I’m in my room and think of her, I can’t help but to laugh and hug my pillow tightly.” I glanced at Cadence with a smile while she nodded urging me to continue. “You’re right. I must tell her how I feel!”

I stood up and raised a hand triumphally. I truly felt like I had the confidence to tell Aria how I felt for her.. “I’ll…” Suddenly, I lost my confidence as I realized what Cadence was asking me to do. “C-Confess?!”

My friend nodded while smiling. “I believe it’s time you think on how to reveal your feelings.”

“B-But I’m not ready!” I screamed.

Sure I’ve had the urge to hold Aria’s hand or to snuggle against her before, but I always forced myself to avoid jumping on her. I would rather tell her with words how I feel, but I’m sure my nervousness will twist my tongue.

“Twilight-” Cadence placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled warmly at me. “You’re not the only one who struggles when they’re going to reveal their feelings. Some can ask people out without problems, while others don’t know how to begin. My advice is, don’t give yourself a deadline. Don’t task yourself with confessing on a particular day. Wait for the right moment. Let the words flow on their own, otherwise you’ll get anxious and anxious instead of enjoying your time with her.”

I took mental notes of her words, hoping to use her advice this time. I usually remember what I have and what I don’t have to do. But when Aria is around, my mind goes berserk! I’m a mess. It’s nice to have someone experienced to help me through this.

“Thank you, Cadence. I-uhh… I’m still nervous, I’ll do what you told me. No deadlines. Right now, my focus is on the sleepover I’m having with my friends tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, I’ll call Aria to schedule a meeting,” I said.

Cadence tilted her head, still smiling. “Sleepover? Oh, Twilight, that’s fantastic!”

I giggled. “Thanks. I’m excited about it. It’s the first time I’ll have most of my friends in my house. If all goes well, I’ll repeat it again!”

“’If’? I’m sure it will go smoothly.” My friend chuckled. “My friends and I had some wild sleepovers back in the day.”

“You have been friends with them since Elementary school. I hope my friends and I remain together as much as you did with yours.” I commented with a smile.

“You became close with them shortly after transferring, Twily. Your bond is strong. I doubt you’ll break apart.”

I felt a blissful sensation on my insides. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for my wonderful friends and I. “Losing one of them would be devastating to me. They’re all equally important to me.”

“I know the feeling.” She pulled me into a tight hug. “This was fun, Twilight, but I have to go. There’s some shopping I need to do.”

“Okay.” I hugged her back.

My friend patted me on my head. “Remember what we talked about.” She said before standing up.

My cheeks flushed a little. “I’ll try. Goodbye, Cadence!”

I waved at her. She waved me back before she turned her head to where Spike was playing. She waved at him to, and my pet wagged his tail with happiness in response. With my friend gone, it didn’t take long before my mind focused back on Aria.

“Not right now, brain! Wait until Sunday!” My thoughts refused to listen. I pictured myself hugging Aria, touching noses with her, kissi- Distraction! I need a distraction! Looking up, I noticed the position of the sun. Wait… what time is it? I checked the time on my phone. Perfect timing! I have a distraction. Grinning, I dialed my brother’s number and waited for his reply.

“Twily, hello!”

“Hello, Shining!” I relaxed my back on the bench. “Enjoying your day off?”

My brother sighed. “Sadly, no. One of my fellow officers got ill and I had to cover up for her.”

“Oh…” Did he have to…? “W-Were you forced to call of your date with Miss Cheerilee?”

“Fortunately, no.” He sounded happy which usually meant he was smiling like a goof. “I received the call shortly before the date ended. I had to cut short the goodbyes, but we exchanged phone numbers and plan to schedule a second date.”

Second date?! Yayyyyy! My matchmaking was a complete success! “Shining, that’s great! You know what this means?”

“No? Uhh…” There was a short pause. “Oh, wait, I-I do. Please, Twilight, don’t-”

“LOVE IS IIIIN BLOOM!” I sang with excitement into the speaker. I didn’t need to see my brother to know that he was covering his face with embarrassment.

“I haven’t heard that song since you decided to marry Mr. Smarty-pants and Miss Serenity.”

I was about to reply, but then I could barely make out Chrysalis’s voice in the background. “Congratulations, partner! Thanks to you I won a bet against the Captain! I knew you had it in you!”

“You and the Captain had a bet, really?” Shining’s voice sounded lower. He must have his head turned.

I heard a third voice, probably the captain’s. “You always stutter when talking to women you like. I thought it was easy money!”

Shining chuckled. “Sorry boss, but my sister arranged the date. There was no way I would screw it up.” I giggled at his words.

Aww, Shining Armor. You’re a true B.B.B.F.F. “Wait, did anyone else bet on my date’s outcome?” There was a short pause. “How many of you voted against me… r-really? That many?!”

I could hear my brother sigh before he spoke to the speaker again. “My reputation precedes me. I’ll show them that I can handle dating. Cheerilee wanted to see me again. I’ll call her the moment I arrive home!”

“You’re asking her out on a second date already?” I was shocked by this.

“No, it’s too soon for that. I’ll wait for a few days. I’ll just call her to chat,” He said with a confident tone.

“Oh,” I internally sighed with relief. “Yes, it would have been too soon. Talking is good.”

“Yeah, and you have experience talking with your crush.” I didn’t need to see his face to know that he was giving me a patronizing smirk, and he didn’t need to see me to know that his comment got exactly what he was looking for: A strong blush. “How’s that going on, Twily?”

Oh, Shining, just this once, I wish you didn’t go into big brother mode. “I-It’s going f-fine… Aria and I still get along well and her sisters like me too. We’re growing closer.”

Shining laughed softly. “You’re moving veeeery slow, sis. Should I return the favor and arrange a date for you two?”

My body’s temperature increased and I almost lost my voice again as my mind raced right to my thoughts about Aria. “N-No, thank you! I actually just talked with Cadence and I have a plan!”

There was a brief pause over the phone before Shining replied to me, “Oh, yeah? And what’s that plan?”

“The plan is to wait until Sunday before thinking on one,” I said with a huff.

“Procrastination?” My brother sounded confused. “That doesn’t sound like you, Twilight. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

“There’s a good reason for it!” The tone of my voice was a little to high. Surely Shining removed the phone from his ear. “I’m organizing a slumber party tomorrow and I want it to go smoothly! Once that’s done, my focus will go towards Aria.”

“Now it makes sense.” My brother sounded happy now. He must be smiling. “Good luck with that, Twily. Keep me updated on that front, okay?”

“I will.” I smiled and exhaled happily. “I never met someone like her before. Tough, but with a soft spot. I really, really like her, Shining.”

“You have to introduce her to me one day. A photo, at least.”

“Oh, I have photos!” I grinned. “I’m sending them to you right now.”

Instead of my brothers’ reply, I heard the Captain speak. “Officers Armor and Chrysalis! We just got a call for a 10-57 in progress. Get on the streets!”

“Yes, sir!” Both Shining and Chrysalis said at unison. “Sorry, Twilight. Hit and run. I have to go.”

“I understand, Shining. I’ll send you the photos later. Be careful, please.”

“I’m always careful.” My brother said with confidence. “Goodbye, Twily. Good luck with your friends tomorrow and with Aria.”

I smiled. “Thanks, big brother. Now, go get them!”

“Will do!” Shining Armor hang up and so did I afterwards.

I stretched my arms, still with a smile on my face, before closing my eyes to relax. I’m not sure how much time passed when I felt something warm and wet on one of my legs. I looked down to find Spike licking me.

“Looks like I was right about the break, Twilight!” Spike said as he sat and wagged his tail.

I smiled at him and leaned to caress his tiny head. “Yes you were, Spike, I feel refreshed. Thanks for the idea. I could catch up with Cadence and Shining Armor as well.”

“Just say it, I’m the best dog in the world!” My pet shook his tail faster.

I giggled softly. “I can do better. I’ll get you a custom tag with that written instead of your name.”

“Yes, thank you!” Spike barked happily as I picked him up.

“Let’s go home. I’ll give you a treat and I’ll finish organizing my supplies.” I carried Spike home all the way back as an excuse to hug him on the way back. The break also helped me to ease my anxiety. Now I’m more excited for tomorrow night!

It was time. My friends would soon arrive. Already wearing my pajamas and with my hair down, I was ready. Everything is set in my room. I’ll wait for them to arrive by the door and then lead them upstairs to start the slumber party. Spike was sitting by my side. “This is it, Spike. The day I have been preparing for weeks. I’m prepared to receive my friends!”

“But you’re shaking.” My pet said.

“Of excitement!” I grinned. “I’m ready for anything!”

“I haven’t seen trace of nervousness whatsoever since we went to the park yesterday.”

I glanced at Spike. “I loved making sure that everything was in check, but I think I got a little too carried away.”

“A little?” Spike leaned his head with a sarcastic tone. “I’m surprised that you didn’t pull your hair out.”

I giggled softly. “Well, I’m-” I got interrupted by the doorbell. “They’re here!”

I quickly and over to the door and placed my hand on the door knob, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Sunset, Trixie, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were on the other side waiting for me to answer.

“Twilight, good evening!” Sunset greeted me and Spike with a smile. “Hi Spike.”

“Hello everyone!” Spike said with enthusiasm.

“Hello! Please, come in.” Returning the smile, I stepped aside to allow my friends to walk in.

Rainbow Dash whistled impressed. “Wow, egghead, your place is really cool!”

“I agree with her,” Trixie was the next to speak. “this place is at least twice as big as my house.”

“Thank you, girls. Feel free to sit while we wait for the others.” I said while I offered to take my friends’ coats.

“Can you show us around, Twilight?! After everyone’s here, of course.” Pinkie Pie asked with her usual excitement.

“Sure!” I turned from Pinkie to Trixie and noticed that she was holding a bag. “Trixie, if you brought extra food, we can put them in the fridge.”

“Hmm?” The magician blinked confusedly at me before looking down at her bag. “Oh, no, it’s not food.” She held the bag with both of her hands. “It's... a board game.”

“A board game?” I smiled and approached to Trixie. I tried to take a look, but the magician moved the bag away from me.

“No peeking! It’s a surprise!” Sunset’s girlfriend frowned at me. “Trixie spent days on this. She’s patiently waiting for the right time to reveal its contents, and-”

“She brought Ogres & Oubliettes.” Sunset suddenly said with a smug smile.

Trixie turned around to glare at her, puffing her cheeks. “H-How dare you betray the trust of The Great and Powerful Trixie?!”

Sunset chuckled and patted Trixie’s head. “Sorry, Trix, but you’re adorable when you’re mad.”

It looked as if all of Trixie’s blood moved towards her face. She turned bright red and looked like her head was about to explode. Turning her head away from Sunset, she pouted and crossed her arms before speaking in a barely audible tone. “I hate you…”

“Uh-huh…” The equestrian girl placed an arm around Trixie’s waist and pulled her closer.

Trixie kept pouting, but she placed her arms around Sunset and closed her eyes. “I still hate you…” Watching the adorable couple, my mind wandered. I found myself picturing Aria holding me like Sunset was holding Trixie. My heart was burning with desire. I wish I had Aria’s bravery so I didn’t struggle when I try to tell her about my true feelings. She’s so… so… beau-!

“Blah!” Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out. “I knew you two would get cheesy tonight.”

I blinked several times, returning to reality. Bad brain, we had a deal! Wait until tomorrow!

“Oh, shut up, Rainbow!” Sunset replied with a smile. “We’ll try to keep it to a minimum.” The fiery girl turned to affectionately gaze at her girlfriend. “Key word, ‘Try’.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “Oh, no…” She grabbed her hair with both of her hands. “Why did I agree to come?! Where are the others?!”

As if the universe was to answer Rainbow Dash’s pleading, the doorbell rang. “Yes, salvation!” She exclaimed before rushing to the front door and opening it. “You guys finally made it! Come on in-! Ouch!” A hand karate chopped her on top of her head. Immediately after, Rarity walked into my house.

“Rainbow, where are your manners? The hostess is supposed to open the door.” The fashionista looked around until she found me. She smiled warmly when she did. “Twilight, dear, pardon the intrusion. My belongings are heavy and a rest was in order.”

“Your belongings?” I raised an eyebrow confused. All I saw her carrying her purse. “But you’re not carrying anything.”

“Au contraire.” Rarity said before snapping her fingers. “Applejack, Fluttershy, come on in.” In cue, my remaining friends walking in, carrying several bags. They placed them on the floor and started to pant.

“Why… why are you even bringing so many things?” Applejack said, frowning. “We’re just spendin’ the night here!”

“There’s nothing wrong in taking a few precautions.” Rarity said with an unamused expression and placing a hand on her hip. Meanwhile, I noticed that Spike immediately went to greet Fluttershy, who happily caressed him before picking him up.

“A few?!” Rainbow Dash started to revise Rarity’s belongings.

“Get your hands off my stuff, Rainbow!” But Rainbow Dash ignored the fashionista’s complains.

“Look at this! Lotion, mud, candles… there’s an entire spa in your bags!” Rainbow exclaimed gesturing to the pile of bags. “Why do you need all this?”

“They’re not all for me!” Rarity said as she took the bags Rainbow Dash was revising back. “I brought to share, in case anyone felt like having a beauty treatment.”

“We might have time in the schedule after the games.” I said, smiling. Rarity smiled back at me in return.

“Thank you, darling.”

“Hey, Twily!” Pinkie Pie’s voice came from my left, but when I looked in that direction, she appeared on my right. Before I could react, she put an arm around me. “Since we’re all here, show us around!”

“That’s not a bad idea.” Applejack said with a tired smile. With everything Rarity made her carry, it’s no wonder that she could use a rest.

“Well…” I glanced at all of them. They were all smiling expectantly. “Of course! Let’s go.”

My friends followed me as I showed them the accommodations of my house. They all seem to be having a good time. So far so good!

After the tour, I took my friends to my room, where they changed into their pajamas while I placed the snacks and drinks around the floor. Since part of the theme was to welcome Trixie into our group, proper banners, made by Pinkie Pie, were hanging in my room along with an assortment of balloons and streamers. It was almost like having a birthday party along with a sleepover.

“I like how the banners look, Twilight.” Rarity commented with a smile.

“Thanks,” I returned her the beam. “But Pinkie Pie was in charge of them.” The party girl grinned at this.

“Your home is awesome, Twilight!” Rainbow Dash commented as we all sat on the floor. “I like it so much that I’ll forget that you didn’t help me with my essay last week.”

“But you could do it on your own. I’m proud of you!” I said as I winked an eye to her.

“Yeah, yeah…” The athlete waved her hand around. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about school.”

“Allow me to help you with that.” Rarity said, catching everyone’s attention. I noticed that she had my photo with Aria in her hands. “Twilight, this is a beautiful photo, if I may say so.”

“Oh-” Despite the fact that I was blushing, I kept my cool and fixed my glasses. “Thank you.”

“Let me see, let me see!” Pinkie Pie reached for the photo. “Aww, they look so cute!” My blush deepened by her comment. I lowered my head. Not that I had to, since everyone was looking at the photo.

“She sure looks different than the last time we saw her.” Rainbow Dash commented, raising an eyebrow.

“True, she looks friendlier.” Applejack said.

“This reminds me…” Rarity spoke, smiling warmly. “I have something juicy to share. Guess with who I came across not long ago, at a convenience store.”

“Oh, oh!” Pinkie Pie raised her hand with enthusiasm. “One of our teachers?”

“No-” Rarity pointed her index finger towards the party girl as she replied. “I encountered Aria and Adagio.”

Everyone’s eyes widened, but I managed to keep my cool Aria had already told me she met Rarity, or rather Adagio approached Rarity.

"When did you meet her? Sunset asked.

“Last Monday.” Rarity replied.

I gasped happily. Aria… I couldn’t help getting lovestruck. At first I had no idea what these feelings were that I’d have for Aria, but now that I do know it’s all I can think about. My crush invaded my thoughts. I pictured myself holding both of her hands and gazing into her eyes as she gazed back. I wonder how her hands would feel.

“Really?” Rainbow Dash woke me up from my thoughts. I don’t know if I should be happy or mad. She was frowning suspiciously at Rarity. “What were they doing?”

“It was a grocery store, darling,” Rarity said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. “They were shopping for groceries.”

“That’s it?” The jock blinked confusedly. Rarity nodded. “So, what, you saw them and walked away?”

“No. Actually, Adagio approached me and we talked. Turns out that she’s the one who designed their outfits. Oh, they were marvelous designs! And she’s not wasting her talent!” I could swear that Rarity’s eyes were shining. “She’s working for Hoity Toity. I was so glad to meet someone with a similar fashion sense as me, that I even invited her to come with me to an event next week!”

“Woah, there, sugarcube.” Applejack raised both of her hands as she spoke. “Ya tellin’ me that ya talked to her for a few minutes and you suddenly became close friends?”

The fashionista narrowed her eyes. “I wouldn’t go that far, Jackie. I was was nice to her because she seemed polite.” She said before giving her a mischievous smile. “Oh, are you jealous that someone would steal your place?”

The blonde girl blushed. “A-Ah never said that! Ah was just askin’ ‘couse-” she was interrupted by Rarity’s giggles.

“I’m merely joking, darling. You know that I would never replace you.” Applejack sighed and smiled at this comment. I think I could see relief.

“Wait, what about Aria?” As soon as I asked my question, I regretted it. Everyone shifted their attention to me. I had to look away to hide my blush. “I-I mean… you said she was there too.”

“So I did.” I managed to look at Rarity when she answered. She smiled at me. “She wasn’t much of a talker. In fact, she avoided looking at me most of the time.”

“Aria’s not a people person.” Sunset replied for me. She smiled at me before turning to Rarity “When she spoke to Trixie and me, she looked noticeably annoyed.”

“But she talks with Twilight just fine.” The fashionista said, slightly confused.

“That’s because she likes her. Twilight is Aria’s only friend…” Sunset replied for me again. It was a good thing that everyone’s attention was now on Rarity and Sunset because I was burning completely. Nobody noticed my clear blush as I hid behind my hair, thank you Fluttershy!

“Oh, that’s fine, I suppose.” Rarity sighed. “I have no problem if she doesn’t want to talk to me. She’s too stubborn and impatient. Actually, she reminded me of Rainbow Dash, and frankly, one is enough.”

“Yeah-“ Rainbow Dash chuckled, but then stopped herself and frowned at Rarity. “Hey!” Everyone snickered, except me. I just smiled at my friends as I hugged my knees close to my body. I was already enjoying the evening. My gaze found Spike, still in Fluttershy’s arms. He nodded at me. Time to start with the first activity!

I stood up, clasping my hands and grinning. “Alright, everyone! It’s time for the games!” Everyone cheered. Before continuing, I cleared my throat and placed my hands on my back as I closed my eyes. “First, we’ll start with-”

“Oh, oh, oh!” I was interrupted by Trixie, who was raising her hand. “Trixie brought a mysterious surprise board game! Well-” she glared at her girlfriend. “Not so mysterious now…” Sunset gave her an amused wry smile at her.

“Oh, that nerdy game, huh?” The jock said with a smirk.

“Don’t call it that!” Trixie frowned at Rainbow Dash. “It’s a highly sophisticated board game of exciting adventures and cunning.”

“Even the way you describe is nerdy.” The athletic girl didn’t change her smirk smile.

Trixie grunted at Rainbow Dash before turning around and crossing her arms. “You have no taste.”

“I’ll play.” I said, smiling. Trixie looked at me.

“I’ll join too.” Sunset smiled too.

“Me too, me too!” Pinkie Pie jumped excitedly while remaining sitting.

“I’ll join too.” Fluttershy spoke next. “That sounds like fun.”

“Well, I suppose I’ll play too.” Rainbow Dash said, raising both of her hands in defeat. “To see what’s the fuzz about.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ll pass for this one, darling.” Rarity said. “But I don’t mind watching.”

“Ah’ll watch too.” Applejack spoke before closing her eyes and laying down next to her hat. “Ah’m just going to lie down for a little while.”

The fashionista beamed at Applejack. “Darling, can I give you a beauty treatment?”

The farmer girl opened an eye to meet Rarity’s gaze and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

Trixie briefly smiled gratefully at everyone before clearing her throat. “Alright, then, prepare to embark on the adventure of your lives!” She said before removing the contents of her bag. As she did that, I started to kneel on the floor, but Trixie glanced at me. “Twilight, if you don’t mind, Trixie will require a notebook, pencils and erasers.”

“Oh, sure!” I grinned and headed to my desk, where I had my school supplies.

“So… you forgot half of the stuff you need?” Rainbow Dash jokingly commented.

The magician glared at the rainbow-haired girl. “Trixie wasn’t certain if anyone was going to play, so I didn’t bring everything!”

“Here you go, Trixie.” As I returned, Trixie finished withdrawing everything from her bag. There were two books. One called ‘Player’s Handbook’ and another one titled ‘Monster Manual’. She also had a small bag with different types of dice, pieces of paper with writings in it and plastic army soldiers. When Rainbow Dash saw the toy soldiers, she started to laugh out loud.

“What did you bring those for? We’re playing war too?”

“Don’t be ridiculous-” Trixie glared at the jock. “These will be your PCs.”

“PCs?” Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow. The magician turned to her and smiled slightly.

“Playable Characters.”

“We’re using these?” Rainbow Dash asked as she took one of the plastic soldiers. “Did you lose the originals or something?”

“No-” Trixie glared at the athletic girl again. “The originals are too expensive, so Trixie had no choice but to improvise.

Sunset smirked. “You’re kidding, right?” Trixie quickly used her phone to look for something and showed her findings to her girlfriend, whose eyes widened. “Wow, she’s not kidding around. They cost the same as a brand-new videogame, some even more!”

“Are you serious?” Rainbow Dash said as she frowned. “Why is nerdy stuff so expensive?”

Trixie smirked at the Rainbow. “You have no idea how popular this ‘nerdy stuff’ really is, Dash. Besides, making those figures takes a lot of work. The really good ones are carefully crafted to be as accurate as possible to the pictures and descriptions in the books, painting them is also a very difficult job since there are so many small details that have to be highlighted correctly. Mistakes can't happen or the entire figure will be ruined.”

The entire room fell silent. We were all surprised. Even Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped as her eyes widened. But only briefly. She closed her mouth and rolled her eyes. “Okay, maybe those are good reasons for them to be so pricey. Point taken.”

“I want to start, already. It’s gamey time!” Pinkie Pie literally jumped into the conversation.

“R-Right.” The magician took a deep breath and put her phone away before opening one of my notebooks and starting to draw in it.

“What are you-?” Rainbow Dash was cut short by both Trixie and Pinkie Pie glaring at her. “Never mind…”

Trixie continued to draw but sighed after a brief moment. “I’m creating the world you’ll have your adventures in. It makes the experience more personal.” No one else said a word until Trixie finished drawing. She tore a piece of paper from the notebook. “Very well, were almost set. Now, everyone, take these.” She said as she gave us the pieces of papers, as well as the book titled ‘Player’s Handbook’. “In those character sheets you’ll find a small description of every class and their backstories. Keep the one you choose. I made a standard version of each class to get faster to the actual game. Also, tell me which race you'll want to play as, you can find them on page 17 of the Player's Handbook.”

I took a look some of the sheets until one called my attention. The Mages.

Apparently, Mages spent their whole life studying the magic arts, their powers come from their knowledge, tomes and scrolls. I can relate! It also says that all mages carry their own spell book, which contain all their known spells written down. If the spell book is destroyed, the Mage can no longer cast spells. Hmm… maybe I should carry backup scrolls. As for the race, I read each one carefully. I need to find the one that fits better with my class. From what I could read, Mages need Dexterity in order to survive, and Intelligence for the spellcasting. The perfect race for a Mage would be a High Elf, since they start with +2 Dexterity and +1 Intelligence extra. “I’m using a High Elf Mage.” I said as I smiled and passed the book and the remaining sheets I had to Rainbow Dash, who was now sitting on my right.

“I still haven't picked a class yet. The Fighter, the Monk and the Rogue all look awesome! But I am definitely making my character a Dragonborn, just so they can have sick dragon wings.” Rainbow Dash commented as she looked between the three sheets she was holding.

“Go for the Fighter, with a sword and shield." Trixie said turning to the athletic girl. "They're the easiest to use among the options you've picked, but..." The magician gave Rainbow Dash an apologetic look. "As you can see in the illustrations from the book, Dragonborns have no wings.”

“What?!” The jock didn't seem happy about it and double checked the book. “Then, what’s the point of being born from a Dragon?!” She added as she passed the sheets and book to Pinkie Pie.

“Trixie understand your pain, she was disappointed as well when she first played the game. Do you want to change?” Trixie asked remorsefully. Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes for a few moments before shaking her head.

“No, I'll keep it because the book said the Bronze Dragonborn can at least breath lightning, which sounds awesome!”

“I’ll be a Halfling bard!” Pinkie Pie excitedly said as she triumphantly raised the Bard sheet with both of her hands. “What’s better than fighting evil with encouraging songs? Oh, and a sword!”

“I, umm… I’ll be a Wood Elf Druid.” Fluttershy said with a faint smile. “The dress she has in this illustration is so pretty!”

“Well…” Sunset smiled. “I think I better go Cleric.” She read the book carefully. “I’ll be a Half-Elf. Someone has to keep you all alive, right?” Like me, Sunset took more time to choose the perfect race for her. Clerics need Charisma in order to cast their spells, and Half-Elf characters start with +2 Charisma.

“A wise choice.” Trixie said as she smirked at her girlfriend. “Every party needs a healer, otherwise they won't last long.” The magician used my notebook to block her side.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Rainbow Dash pointed at Trixie. “Are you trying to cheat?”

“That’s not nice, Trixie!” Applejack said, frowning, while Rarity combed her hair. “Yer the one who brought that game. Don’t cheat!”

“Trixie’s not cheating!” Trixie glared between Rainbow Dash and Applejack. “This is the Dungeon Master screen. ‘DM Screen’ for short. The DM must separate themselves from the rest of the players.”

“The what?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, confused.

Trixie sighed. “Dungeon Master. Simply put, I’m the narrator of your adventure. It’s the DM who thinks of the story, the world and the obstacles you’ll encounter during the session. In order to keep you on your toes, I must make sure you don’t see what I do to not spoil the surprises.”

“What surprises?” Sunset asked. Trixie smirked at her and placed a hand on Sunset’s chin.

“You’ll see at its time.” The magician clasped her hands together to catch everyone’s attention. “Very well, adventurers! We shall use one of my favorite stories for this session.”

Trixie cleared her throat before modifying her voice a little to sound like a powerful narrator. “Welcome to the town of Redwood! Redwood is a relatively new town, around a decade old, but it has been growing fast due to being localized near the capital and being a safe and quick route to other important cities of the kingdom... Until now…

Pinkie Pie raised her hand. “I have a question!”

Trixie looked slightly annoyed by the interruption. She faked a smile. “Y-Yes, Pinkie…?”

“Why is the town called ‘Redwood’?”

The magician sighed. “Because their main source of income is the forest near it. Redwood trees, so…”

“How original.” Rainbow Dash commented.

Trixie pointed at her. “Be quiet you!” She said before clearing her throat again. “As I was saying, the night the adventurers arrived at the town, a gang of bandits invaded, burning houses and pillaging the townsfolk!”

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, no!”

Trixie smiled. “Oh, yes. Even you got attacked and had some of your belongings stolen.”

“What?!” I gasped. “But, how? Doesn’t this town have guards or something?”

The magician smirked. “The thing is, since Redwood is still new and smallish, it still doesn't have a competent city guard. While citizens could try to ask for help from the capital, It would take about a week for the capital to do something about the bandit gang, if not longer.” Trixie made a dramatic pause. All of us waited for her next words, even Rainbow. “When you arrive at the town of Redwood, you find out that the mayor already sent couriers and messengers to the capital and to nearby cities, asking for help from the royal army or from any adventurer brave enough to chase down the bandits and recover the stolen goods. Of course, there will be a reward for such a task.” Trixie raised her voice and her hands. “What do you say, adventurers, do you accept the challenge?”

The girls and I looked between each other. Fluttershy was the first to speak. “Those bandits are big bullies. We have to do something!”

“Agreed.” Sunset said. “My great-great-great grandmother’s medallion was stolen!” I noticed that Trixie blushed and smiled at Sunset’s statement. She must be glad to hear that her girlfriend is taking the game seriously.

“Really?” Pinkie Pie gasped. “We must recover it!”

“My Spell book is ready.” I said before looking at the rainbow haired girl. “What do you say, shall we embark on this adventure?”

Rainbow Dash glanced to each of us before smiling determined. “I could use the reward. I say bring it on!”

“Very well.” Trixie smirked. “Trixie usually has everyone starting separated, but to speed things up, you’ll all know each other.” The magician said before giving the dice to Rainbow Dash. “To help you start, you must first learn where the bandits ran off to. It would be a good idea to ask around. Say what you want to do and throw the dice. I’ll tell you what’s the outcome.”

“Ookay…” The jock seemed confused but played along. As she shook the dice inside her closed fist, she spoke aloud. “I’ll order whoever lives here to open up and answer my questions.” She dropped the dice on the floor after she finished speaking. Trixie took a look at the results before returning to her DM screen.

“The people inside the house feel intimidated by you and refuse to open the door,” Trixie said.

“What?!” Rainbow Dash groaned.

“Umm, let me try…” Fluttershy took the dice and started to shake them. “I’ll try asking nicely.” She threw the dice on the floor.

“The inhabitants allow her in. They tell her that the bandits headed north and gifted her with fresh made cookies for her trip ahead.”

“Yay!” Fluttershy cheered quietly.

“Seriously?” My athletic friend was surprised at first, but then chuckled and smirked. “Only Fluttershy would be able to walk in a stranger’s home and come out with cookies.”

“Good thing that I brought actual cookies!” Pinkie Pie said as she raised a tray with cookies, which she brought. “Dig in, everyone!” Sunset, Fluttershy and I grabbed a cookie. Applejack tried to take one too, but Rainbow Dash stopped her.

“Sorry, AJ. They’re for adventurers’ only.” The jock smirked jokingly. “Go back to your girly activities.” Rarity puffed her cheeks in annoyance by Rainbow’s last comment.

Applejack chuckled and gave her a fake smile. “Very funny. Ah haven’t eaten anything for hours, so, move yer hand.” My athletic friend shrugged and allowed Applejack to take her cookie. Pinkie Pie, then, took the tray and moved closer to Trixie.

“You can take one too, Dungeon Master!”

“Oh-” Trixie smiled and took one. “Thank you.” The party girl grinned and returned to where she was. Trixie took a bite of the cookie before speaking again. “Seems like you have a direction, adventurers. But where is north, exactly?”

“That’s easy!” I said as I took the dice. “I just need to see the position of the sun. North is…” I threw the dice.

“To your left.” Trixie said, after looking at the result.

“Ugh!” Rainbow Dash groaned. “We’re just walking? Where’s the action?!”

“Patience, Dragonborn.” Trixie frowned at the rainbow-haired girl. “You head north, leaving the town of Redwood behind. After walking for what it feels like an hour, you notice some bushes moving weirdly.”

“It’s an ambush!” Sunset exclaimed.

“It is indeed.” Trixie smirked. “Four of the bandits surround you. They carry daggers and short swords and have them pointed at you.”

“Oh, dear!” Fluttershy gasped.

The magician smiled. “I’ll give you turns to play. First is Rainbow Dash, then Sunset, Pinkie Pie will follow, followed by Twilight and finally Fluttershy.”

“Alright, everyone, we have to be smart.” The equestrian girl said.

“She’s right. We have to-” I was interrupted when Rainbow Dash took the dice from me.

“Finally! Charge!” She threw the dice.

“Disobeying the party, the impatient Dragonborn charged towards one of the bandits.” Trixie took the dice and threw them. “Unfortunately to her, the bandit was ready. He dodged the Dragonborn without any problem and counter-attacked, injuring her.”

“What?!” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. “You did that on purpose!” She pointed a finger at Trixie, who shrugged.

“It’s the will of the dice, not mine.”

“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset called. “I’m coming to heal you!” She added before taking the dice and throwing them.

“The bandits block the way towards the injured Dragonborn.” The DM said with a dramatic voice.

Pinkie Pie took the dice. “Oh, I know! I’ll sing a song to inspire you!” She threw the dice and glanced excitedly at Trixie, who raised an eyebrow.

“The song is effective! All party members’ attacks will be increased by two points for one turn.”

“Super!” The party girl cheered.

Now came my turn. “Let’s think…” I said as I put a hand on my chin. “Weaknesses. Let’s see if they have weaknesses!” I took the dice and threw them.

“The Mage focuses on the bandits. She sees them all grunting and laughing, but she also sees that the leg of one of them is twitching!” Trixie kept using her dramatic voice.

“That’s it!” I said, snapping my fingers and smiling. “I’ll cast magic hands to push the weak bandit, I’ll try to make him lose his balance!”

“The spell hits the bandit! He’s pushed backwards and steps on a whole, causing him to lose his balance and fall on the mud!”

“Yes!” I fist bumped.

“Quick, Fluttershy!” Sunset said as the took the dice and gave them to the timid girl. “Turn into a bear and growl. Try to scare them!”

“O-Okay…” Fluttershy quietly said.

“The druid successfully takes the form of a fearsome bear.” Fluttershy rolled the dice. “The druid growls from the top of her lungs. The bandits step backwards, startled by the beast. They’re unable to move.”

“My turn again. I’ll shield bash one of them to knock them out!” Rainbow Dash rolled the dice.

“’Clang!’ It’s super effective!” Trixie narrated. “The shield hits one of the bandits’ heads. The unfortunate bandit fell to the floor, unconscious.”

“Awesome!” The jock cheered.

“Now I can heal Rainbow.” Sunset said before rolling the dice.

“The Dragonborn’s health is completely restored.” The DM kept narrating.

“I’ll use my sword to attack a bandit!” Pinkie Pie rolled the dice.

“The attack is super effective! The bandit is fatally wounded.” Trixie said.

“I-umm… I don’t know what to do…” Fluttershy commented.

“Maul the remaining bandit.” Rainbow Dash suggested.

The quiet girl’s eyes widened. “That sounds awful!”

“It’s just a game, Fluttershy.” Sunset smiled at the timid girl. “None of this is real.”

Fluttershy stared at the hand drawn board, thinking. She remained silent for a few moments before hesitantly taking the dice to roll them. “O-Okay, I’ll do that…”

“The remaining bandit was no match for the Druid. In the end, only the bandit who the Mage threw in the mud remained conscious and alive.” I smiled, proud of myself.

“Just as planned.” I said. “Now we can interrogate him for the whereabouts of their stronghold!”

“Wait!” Sunset spoke up. “First, let’s loot the others. Maybe one of them was holding my medallion.”

“Alright!” I rolled the dice. “Loot it is.”

“The adventurers revised the belongings of their fallen foes. However, they found none of their own stuff which was stolen.”

“Shoot!” Sunset sighed.

“Alright, let’s interrogate that guy.” Rainbow Dash commented with a smirk and cracking her knuckles. “Let’s threat him. If he doesn’t tell us what we want, we’ll cut his tongue!”

“Woah, Rainbow!” Sunset intervened. “First, that’s too gruesome.” It was true. We were all disgusted by her idea. Fluttershy looked like if she was about to throw up. “Second, that’s not an effective threat. If we cut his tongue, how is he supposed to tell us where to go?”

Rainbow Dash raised a finger and opened her mouth, ready to protest, but she quickly lowered it. “Good point…”

“Fluttershy should do it.” I smiled at my timid friend. “Maybe she’ll win him over with her charm.”

“Yes, for realsies!” Pinkie Pie joined the conversation. “No one can say no to her!”

Fluttershy blushed at the compliments and hid her face behind her hair. “I-I don’t know…”

I took the dice and reached them to her. She looked at me. “Try it.” I said, keeping my smile. Fluttershy stared at the dice for a few moments before hesitantly taking them. “O-Okay…” She rolled the dice as it landed on a twenty.

“With her persuasion and kindness, the Druid promised the bandit to clean, heal and let him go if he told the party where their stronghold was located.” Trixie narrated. “Captivated by her sweet voice, the bandit willingly told everything the adventurers’ wanted to know. The bandits’ stronghold was at the Northeast. The questioned bandit even revealed them how to overcome the obstacles.”

“Wow…” The jock was the one to speak. All of our jaws dropped. “That… was… awesome!” Rainbow Dash grinned. “Let’s go kick their-!”

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy called our friend. She was frowning slightly. “We’ll help this poor person first.”

“I got it.” Sunset smirked.

“True to her words, the bandit was completely healed. He walked away, leaving his former comrades and promising to leave the crime life behind.” The DM said.

“Cool, now we can go to that Stronghold!” Rainbow Dash smirked.

“Indeed.” Trixie said. “The journey was going to take days, but the adventurers’ were determined to seek justice, and receive their rewards. They marched with purpose, only camping during the nights. The days of the bandits were numbered.”

“Come on, Rainbow!” Sunset encouraged our friend. After forty minutes of the game, we finally were at the final boss battle. Our entire party’s health was low, and Sunset had no mana left to heal us. “One more successful hit and the Slab Baron will be done for!”

“I’ll give it my best shot yet!” Our athletic friend said while she held the dice. “I’ll strike right into his heart!” She rolled the dice.

“The Dragonborn charged towards the, Slab Baron.” Trixie narrated. “He tried to block her way with his fist shaped hammer, but the Dragonborn dodged the hammer with a roll. Before the Baron could react again, the Dragonborn rushed him and swiftly stabbed him right into his heart. With a final groan, the Slab Baron dropped his trusted hammer to the floor before collapsing to the floor. The Dragonborn raised her sword into the air, letting out a victory roar.”

“Yes!” I screamed excitedly and clasped my hands together. We all cheered at our victory. “We did it!”

“That… was… awesome!” Rainbow Dash grinned. “I want to keep the hammer!”

“But he was the last guy.” Sunset commented. “The game is over.”

“Well…” Trixie smirked. “The game IS finished, but she can still take the hammer. If Rainbow plays again with the same character, she can use the hammer.”

“Neat!” Rainbow Dash fist pumped.

“Girls, we’re tryin’ to relax here…” Applejack said after sighing.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Oh, sorry AJ. We didn’t meant to- Gah!” Rainbow Dash got startled by Applejack’s appearance. Like Rarity, she was wearing a mascara and cucumbers on her eyes laying back against a pillow. Pinkie Pie, Trixie and I giggled by this reaction. Sunset, on the other hand, repressed it, but still smiled.

I looked at my friends. They were all having a good time. I better keep going. “Okay, everyone. I think that we leave the board games aside and focus on our next activity.”

“Which is…?” Trixie asked, smiling.

I raised my hands into the air, grinning. “Truth or dare!”

Rarity instantly sat up and removed the cucumbers from her eyes. She focused her eyes on mine. “Truth or dare?!” She squealed happily. “Now you have my attention, darling!”

“Oh, no!” Rainbow Dash protested as she placed her hands on her face. “I’m doomed!”

On the next morning, everyone started to leave. I hugged them goodbye until only Sunset and Trixie remained. Trixie was fully awoken, watching out the window, and Sunset was still yawning, fighting to keep her eyes open.

“That’s my mom!” Trixie smiled when her mother parked in front of my house.

“I’m coming…” Sunset yawned again. She tried to smile at me but failed miserably. Apparently, Sunset wasn’t a morning person. Was I mean for finding the scene amusing? “It was a fun night, Twilight. I hope we can do it again.”

“Me too.” I smiled at her, maybe more than I intended since I was repressing giggles.

Sunset placed a hand on my shoulder. “Good luck with Aria.”

I blushed and nodded. “Th-Thank you…”

Trixie opened the door and walked towards her mothers’ car, followed by Sunset. They turned back to look at me and I gave them a final wave. They waved back, and so did Trixie’s mom. I didn’t close the door until they drove away.

With the door closed, I rested my back on the door and sighed happily. The sleepover was a complete success! And now that it was done, I allowed certain thoughts to return. Aria Blaze. Placing my hand on my chest, I felt my heart pounding against my chest.

My parents are fine with Aria. Cadence and my brother support me too, and while not all of my friends are completely excited with Aria, I do have Sunset’s support. I moved my gaze to the ceiling. My parents and Spike are still sleeping. Maybe I should surprise mom and dad with breakfast in bed. Once I eat, I’ll get started with my latest project.

Figure how to confess my feelings to Aria!

A Stargaze to Remember

View Online

Aria’s P.O.V.

It was a smooth Sunday. I was sitting on my bed, with the radio on low volume reading, Young Sorceress Academia. I came here right after lunch and haven’t left my room for around an hour now. My peace ended when someone knocked on my door. Sonata was out, so the person knocking could only be…

“Yes, Adagio…?” I said, after groaning.

“Open up, Aria. You promised you would help me.”

“I know, I know…” I sighed and placed a bookmark in my book before closing it and placing it aside, then, I walked towards the door. Upon opening it, I found my older sister, smiling. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Aria-” Adagio frowned at me. “You’re just going to judge some of my designs. It’s not that bad. Look.” She gave me her sketchbook. “Most of them are pants. You like pants, right?”

That was a stupid question, of course I liked pants. Who didn’t? I’d never be caught dead wearing anything less than shorts at best, much less skirts and girly things like that. The thought of Adagio forcing me into a dress that one time still made me cringe and killed my soul a little. With her sketchbook in hand, I walked back to my bed to sit down and moved my book so Adagio could sit next to me.

“What if I say that I don’t like any of your designs?” I asked opening the sketchbook.

“Come on, Aria, just look at them,” She said, while pointing at her sketches. “I’m trying to design clothing with more punk traits. You inspired me with the outfit you used to wear before.”

I’m glad that Adagio wasn’t looking at me, because I couldn’t prevent a faint smile escaping from me with her comment. I never thought I could inspire her in any creative manner. Did she really look to me for inspiration?

My train of thought was interrupted when Adagio’s hand invaded my view. “Like this one right here. Don’t you think it has potential as a formal attire?”

I glanced down at the sketch. I didn't want to openly admit it but it was an interesting design. It was very simple by comparison, but it still felt very punk. A long sleeve style shirt with rolled up sleeves and large bottoms to hold them with an black vest with belt straps instead of buttons made the upper portion of the outfit. A loose black tie with a skull design hung around the neck definitely giving a more formal style. The pants were simple body tight pants with loose almost bell-bottom style with black boots and a belt around the waist. Topping the style off was finger-less black gloves, very tacky in my books. but an interesting take I had to admit. “Maybe… wait-” I glared at my sister. “Is this one of your attempts to make me dress nice?”

Adagio giggled softly. “Of course not. I’m just doing what Hoity Toity asked me to. Design new outfits. I needed inspiration, so I looked for it on you and Sonata.” She said before smirking. That explained a lot. “I’m also better paid than my previous job, so we might actually be able to have dinner in a restaurant with remarkable reputation. So, if you were to wear that…”

“No.” I sharply said, before glancing back to the sketchbook.

Adagio sighed. “Oh, come on, Aria. It will be fun!”

“Fun?” I made eye contact with my sister again. “What’s fun on starving? The portion in those places are too small!”

Adagio frowned. “Not every fancy restaurant serves gourmet food, you know?”

I shrugged and returned my gaze towards my sisters’ designs. “I think that these outfits are fine.”

“Really?” Adagio blinked twice. “You think they can become a trickle-up trend?”

I groaned again. “Don’t use those technical words on me, Adagio!” I said, before glaring at my sister. “Seriously.”

“Fine,” My sister huffed and took back her sketchbook. “Thank you for your help. I’ll be in the kitchen talking to Mr. Toity, if you want anything.”

“Sure.” I waved a hand aimlessly, not really paying attention to my sister.

Once she was gone I took my book again and resumed from where I left off. Hikari, or how she asked everyone to call her, Kari, just found a way to skip the journey and reach her dreams of being like her idol. I must know if she will actually pull it off! With that at the forefront of my mind I read on eager to see where Kari’s adventure would take her.

By the end of the chapter Hikari didn’t succeed, of course. She decided to experience the journey first hand, which I completely agree on. If I learned anything from movies is that the journey is always more important than your destination. I stopped reading after finishing the chapter. My eyes got very heavy, I was tired. I stood up and stretched my body before walking out of my room. I could overhear Adagio talking on the phone.

“Trust me, Hoity Toity, you’re going to love these designs! I’ll bring them to you tomorrow!” While she was busy with her boss, I used the distraction to leave the house to give myself some more time alone. I walked with no destination in mind. I was free to wander about as I pleased, and though I took it for granted before now it was like a sweet release from my own daily routine. Had you asked me a few months ago if I could learn a life lesson from reading, I would have laughed in your face. I decided to start with walking around the block to warm up for a longer walk through town.

After crossing the street towards the next block, my cell phone started to ring in my pocket. I slipped my hand in and pulled the phone out to take a quick look at who the caller was, not that I needed to, and smiled. For the ID, I decided to use the photo I took with Twilight alone.

“Hey, cub. What’s up?”

“Aria, hello!” My little friend seemed to be in a great mood. “I wanted to call earlier, but I didn’t want to disturb your sleep.”

“I don’t usually wake up at the same time.” I said. “Sometimes I’m up at 10AM, others at 12AM. Today I did at 11:30AM.”

“Oh!” There was a short pause. “Then I’m glad that I waited. I was up early since I had to say goodbye to my friends. The sleepover was a complete success!”

I smiled upon hearing the sincere joy in her voice. “I’m glad to hear that.” I lost my smile when I remembered something. “Did you show them our photo? What did they say?”

“They saw it, yes. It wasn’t so bad. No one said much about you, and Rarity just told everyone about her encounter with you and Adagio at the convenience store. After that, we played some games and no one mentioned you again.”

I smiled, internally sighing of relief. Twilight’s friends aren’t asking many questions about my sisters and I, which means that they’re giving me the space I want. I was thankful for that.

“That’s good.”

“Yes. Now that they know about you, I feel lighter. I’m not constantly worried about ‘what would happen if’, because I already have the result,” Twilight said.

I felt guilty hearing that. I never realised fully just how much making her hold back was weighing her down, which made me lose my smile. “I-I’m sorry…”

“No, no, Aria, it’s fine.” Even without seeing her, I knew that she was smiling. “I don’t blame you. I know you have your reasons for wanting to remain anonymous”

I recovered my smile. “Thank you for being so understanding, Twilight.”

“I wouldn’t be a good friend if I didn’t.” There was a short pause where I heard my friend breathing in a weird way, as if she wanted to say something and then changed her mind. “So, Aria…” She eventually spoke. ”I was wondering… uh…”

“Yes?”

I used a soft tone to try to encourage her. I think it worked. I’m not use to doing it but I think I got the hang of it.

“Well, we haven’t really stargazed in a long time. We only did it once, actually, and, umm…” Twilight paused.

“Oh, do you want to do it again?” I smiled widely. Finally, a chance to put what I learned from the constellation books to good use. I can’t wait to surprise her! “Of course, Twilight. I was actually thinking of asking you to do it again one of these days.”

“Really? Oh, yay!” My friend sounded very excited. She got me to chuckle, which seemed to make her realize what she did. “I-I mean, wonderful! It’s a date! W-With the stars, I mean!”

“Okay…” That was weird, right? “Name the place and date, cub and I’ll be there.”

“Hmm…” Twilight thought for a moment. “How about Greystone Park? The view from there is amazing. Is tomorrow night okay? 7:30PM?”

“Sounds good.” I smiled. “I'll bring something for us to drink.”

“Okay! And I’ll bring sandwiches. We can have dinner together!”

I grinned. “I would like that.”

There was another short pause and I found myself dreading the thought of wanting to hang up. I have really become accustomed to these talks with Twilight, and I hate it when they have to come to an end. “I don’t want to hang up, Aria, but I must go. My parents and I are heading out.” I heard Twilight say on the phone.

“It’s no problem, Twilight. We’ll talk later,” I said softly.

“I carry my cell phone with me all the time, so you can text me if you want!”

I chuckled. “I might take on your offer. Have fun, Sparks.”

“I will, thank you! You have a good day too. See you tomorrow!”

“See ya’.”

After hanging up, I remained in place at the corner of the street with a smile. Her good mood got to me. After putting my phone away, I looked in front of me and noticed that I instinctively walked to the video store. Since I’m here, I’ll rent a movie. I’ll study a bit more astronomy to show off tomorrow night, but that can wait for a couple of hours.

“Heading out already, Aria?” Adagio asked me as I headed towards the front door. “Didn’t you agree to meet with Twilight in about an hour?"

“Yes, but I’ll go on foot to arrive on time.” I said before taking a bag in which I had two bottles of water and the astronomy book Twilight lent me. I’ll return it to her tonight, not before sharing some star facts with her.

“Very well.” My older sister smiled. “Make sure to be back by 12AM.”

I groaned. “I’m not a kid, Adagio. I can go to bed whenever I want.”

“Maybe you can.” Adagio frowned disapprovingly. “But I don’t want you to break Twilight’s sleeping schedule. She may be in Spring Break, but she still needs to go to bed at a reasonable time. Besides…” My sister took a deep breath. “This city might not be dangerous, but I’ll only be able to sleep properly once you’re here.”

“Seriously, Adagio?” I looked away from her so she wouldn’t see me smile.

It warmed my heart to hear her say that, even though I’m perfectly capable of defending myself and others, she still worries about me. “Since you’re so worried about Twilight’s sleeping schedule, I’ll walk her home myself after we’re done.”

“Good.” I glanced at her. She crossed her arms and smiled. “I won’t hold you any longer. Enjoy the night.”

“Thanks.” I smirked and opened the front door, only to be stopped by another voice.

“Wait!” Sonata came running from her room and skidding to a fault near me. When she was close to me, she jumped to hug me, gripping her arms around my neck. “Have fun, Aria!”

“Thank you…” I awkwardly patted Sonata on the head and she released me from her vice grip grinning at me. “I’ll be back later.”

My sisters waved at me as I walked out. It’s a shame that I don’t have any kind of music player. Walking long distances can get boring, but at least it would be quiet while I thought about the time I’d be spending with my cub. I hope the things I learned in my little cram session would impress her. While I walked toward Greystone Park, I pulled up the hood from my sweater as I walked down the street.

As I approached the park I noticed there weren’t as many people out as I thought there would be. Which was fine by me, less chance to run into Twilight’s friends at this point. As I wandered around aimlessly I eventually spotted Twilight near a small table sitting alone with all her stuff including her telescope still in its storage bag.

“Aria, hi!” As soon as Twilight spotted me, she waved excitedly as she ran towards me. I barely had time to react when Twilight reached me and went for a hug, nearly tackling me over. I chuckled and hugged her back.

“Hey there, cub. It’s good to see you.” Twilight had a beaming smile when she released me from the hug. “Let me help you with the telescope. This time, I won’t be as clueless with the name of the parts.”

My friend giggled at my declaration.

“Okay.” My friend pulled out the telescope and I helped her to set it up. As I expected, this time it was easier for me to follow Twilight’s instructions. I did make sure to read up on the parts for a portable telescope this time around, and it paid off. After the telescope was ready, Twilight and I sat on opposite sides of the picnic table to eat. She placed the sandwiches on a disposable plate while I placed the water bottles on the table. I brought no cups, so we had to drink straight from the bottles.

“Twilight, before anything, I want to talk with you about something,” I said with a serious tone. My friend placed her food on her plate and focused on me.

“Y-Yes…? What’s wrong?” She looked worried. I better hurry up before she worries and gets the wrong impression. Sighing, I continued.

“I don’t want you to feel like I’m mad at you, or that I’m scolding you, but… I don’t understand why you kept Spike being able to talk a secret from me,” I said looking down at my hands.

“Oh?” Twilight looked away. “I thought it would be for the best. I don’t think it’s safe for him or me to tell everyone that he can talk because of magic from out of this world. I didn’t think telling you was a good idea.”

“But Twilight…” I crossed my arms. “You know I’m not from this world.” My friend quickly glanced at me, widening her eyes. “I recognized the magic Spike carrying. It was Equestrian, just like me,” I said factually.

“Th-That’s right! I-I forgot…” Twilight covered her mouth with her hands. “I’m so sorry, Aria! It’s just that-” She removed her hands from her face. “Unlike with Sunset, I never saw you using magic. It was easy for me to forget that you’re not really human.”

I felt guilty hearing Twilight say that. She was correct after all, without my magic it was easy to be mistaken for a normal human now. Not that my sisters or I went out of our ways to use magic openly if we could get away with it. We survived on subtlety. That begged the question, was I human now, or was I still a siren inside? However as Adagio always said, there was more to a siren than our magic.

I looked down clenching my hands into fists. “My sisters and I lost most of our magic a little while ago. What remains is easy to conceal.”

“Really?” She looked at me curiously. “What kind of magic do you possess?”

I smirked, standing up. “One all sirens possessed naturally. Step aside, Sparks. I’ll show you.” My friend nodded and stood up as well. She took a few steps backwards. Once she was at a safe distance, I crawled under the table. “Get ready!” When I reached the middle of the table, I used a single hand to lift the entire picnic table above my head with ease.

Twilight gasped. “Oh, wow!”

“Yeah-” I chuckled. “Superhuman strength. We needed this to defend ourselves and help us to swim faster.” After finishing speaking, I put the table back where it was. I didn’t drop anything to the ground. I sat down again, and Twilight quickly did the same, looking excited.

“How strong are you?” She asked me.

“Not as much as you would think.” I said, before taking a sip of my water. “If I did proper exercise in a gym, I think I would be able to lift a car, although I would struggle to do so. I’m not looking to get muscles, though. Not really my thing. As it is, I can carry a few heavy boxes one on top of the other without breaking a sweat.”

“Fascinating!” Twilight grinned.

“Yeah…” I chuckled again before smiling at my friend. “I’m not mad at you. Just remember that I know a thing or two about magic. I just can’t wield it anymore.”

Twilight nodded giving a cute salute. “Understood!”

“Good.” I grabbed a sandwich from before speaking again. “So, tell me, cub.” I took a bite from my sandwich before continuing. “How was your week?”

“It was fine.” Twilight swallowed her food. “Since I had no homework to do, I could focus on organizing the sleepover I had. I also read and went to the park with Spike. How about you?”

“Regular, I guess.” I shrugged before drinking from my water. “I watched T.V. and did some reading too, but Adagio has been trying to come up with new clothing designs and she’s been asking for my opinion all week long…” I sighed. “Why is she looking for inspiration in punk style?”

My friend took another bite from her sandwich. “I think that’s nice.” I glared at her, but quickly softened my expression. Twilight swallowed and smiled. “Your sister loves you. Think about it. When her clothing gets sold, whenever you see someone wearing what she designs, you’ll remember how important you are to Adagio.”

I remaining staring at her, narrowing my eyes. Twilight blinked a few times before leaning down her head slightly without breaking eye contact with me. “You don’t agree…?”

I remained silent, genuinely considering what my friend just said. Whenever Adagio walked into my room, I always entered in a state of alert. She always had something to say that would annoy me, like cleaning your room, or let Sonata watch T.V. with me. Not to mention the times she teases me with Twilight, but I sometimes forget that we’re related. Sisters. She cares about me and I care about her and Sonata too. Adagio didn’t choose punk so she could have more excuses to annoy me. She did it… because she liked it. Ugh, so cheesy!

I quickly realized I had been silent for too long and Twilight was still watching me expectantly. I better say something before Twilight gets upset.

“I guess that’s one way to see it.” I smiled, and my friend fully raised her head again, widening her eyes. “I never thought about it like that. Thank you, Sparks.”

Twilight blinked in confusion a few times before returning the smile. “You’re welcome. I hope her designs become a reality.”

“She has a good eye. Or at least that’s what your friend Rarity thinks,” I said looking thoughtful.

“Rarity lives and breathes fashion,” My friend chuckled before drinking water. “She knows what she’s talking about.”

I looked over at Twilight giving what she said some serious thought.

“When she and Adagio met… I never heard my sister talk so much about that. I swear, for a moment I thought she was going to propose to your friend,” I confessed.

Twilight snickered. “I can be like that, when it comes to talking about what I’m passionate about.”

“I noticed.” I smirked. “You were like that when we stargazed the first time, also when you fixed that movie I refuse to mention. Oh! And with, Little Sorceress Academia.”

“Hey!” She folded her arms, she tried to look angry, but she couldn’t hide her smile. “You did the same with that book!”

“But we’re not talking about me.” I faked an angry glare. It didn’t last long, because I soon burst in laughter, alongside Twilight. How come I enjoy doing silly things like these with her?

After the laughter died out, we finished eating and we stood up together. I didn’t finish my water, so I took the bottle with me, while Twilight pulled a blanket from her bag. “I came prepared this time.”

“You and your problem with a little dirt,” I said in a joking manner. My friend giggled softly.

“My clothes are fresh from the washing machine. I would much prefer to keep them clean, at least for a few days,” Twilight said.

“Fair enough.” With a smile, I helped her to set the blanket out on the grass before bringing the telescope over. Twilight got on her knees on the blanket and placed her eye on the finder scope and used a hand to adjust the telescope. I sat more casually close to her, with a knee looking upwards and an arm on top of it.

“I’ll use the telescope to find the constellations.” She looked at me, smiling. While she looked, I did my own investigation. I checked the sky to find the star formation I wanted to impress Twilight with. “There’s Draco again! Do you want to look?”

“Sure.” I smirked again. My friend gave me space so I could get my eye on the telescope. I admired Draco for a moment, but now, it was time to put my recently acquired knowledge to good use. Thanks to all the reading, it was now much easier for me to spot the constellations. I moved the telescope to find a specific constellation. When I found it, I glanced at my friend.

It’s showtime.

“I can see Leo over there.” I said with a casual tone. “Its name is Latin for lion, you know? To the ancient Greeks, it represented the Nemean Lion killed by the mythical Greek hero, Heracles, which I believe means 'Glory of Hera'.” From the corner of my eyes, I could see how Twilight slowly looked at me, with her jaw dropped. Her reaction made me smile more. “Now, about Heracles, I have no idea what or who that is.”

My friend blinked, still in shock. Then she shook her head and took control of her mouth again, forming a smile. “Heracles was a Greek demigod. According to Mythology, the Nemean Lion you just mentioned was killed by him as part of one of his twelve labors.”

“Greek mythology, huh?” I smirked. “Those Greeks show up quite a lot, don’t they? Looks like there’s more for you to teach me.” Twilight grinned and nodded. I put my eye on the finder scope to look for the next constellation. “There’s Boötes over there. If I’m right, the name in Greek means ‘herdsman’ or ‘plowman’. It contains the fourth-brightest star in the night sky, the orange giant Arcturus.” I looked at Twilight, who nodded in affirmation.

“And between Leo and Boötes, there’s…” My friend encouraged me to continue.

“Coma Berenices.” I said with confidence. “Its name means ‘Berenice's Hair’ in Latin and refers to Queen Berenice II of Egypt, who sacrificed her long hair as a votive offering.” Twilight clapped excitedly. When she stopped, she left her hand clasped together.

“Y-You…” My friend smiled widely. Mission completed! “You read the book I lent you…?”

“Yup.” I looked up into the sky, smiling proudly of myself. “I really enjoyed it. In fact, I liked it so much, that I bought another Astronomy book to keep reading about the subject.”

I glanced towards my friend again. Her jaw didn’t drop again, but her mouth had the shape of an ‘O’. “I read about Aurora Borealis. How it’s a natural light display in the planet's sky, but I got let down when I found out that they can only be seen in the high-latitude regions. What a shame. From what I could see on the colored photos of the book, it’s a wonderful sight.” I made a short pause thinking about how amazing it would be to see them in person.

Twilight still had her hands clasped, but they were closer to her chest. She was also gazing at me intensely. She seemed to be frozen. With a smug smile, I continued. “We can witness it from the northeast state of this country, right? If one day I have a chance to go there…” I took my bottle of water before finishing the sentence “I would like to take you with me.”

After saying the last part I drank some of my water. When swallowing, I noticed that my friend was very still without moving a muscle. Now I was getting a little worried. “Cub?” I waved my hand in front of her eyes. “Twilight!” I placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her body a little. At this, my friend reacted. She blinked and turned her head towards me.

“A-Aria…” She spoke with a soft tone. This was strange. It wasn’t the first time she behaved like this either.

“Twilight, I’m worried…” I softened my expression. “You’re acting weird again. There’s definitely something you’re not telling me. This is not about you worrying about annoying me with your friendship.”

I took a deep breath and released it. “Please, be honest with me. What’s really bugging you?”

My friend’s eyes widened. I think her cheeks turned bright pink too. “I-I’m… I…” She gulped and, without notice, she stood up abruptly and walked a few steps away from me, hugging herself. Since she showed no signs of walking any further, I didn’t move. “Aria… th-there’s something I need to tell you… something big…”

“I’m listening.” She had my full attention. I didn’t push her any more, instead opting to wait for her to speak when she seemed fit. Twilight opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. She seemed uneasy. She tried to speak several more times, but she kept hesitating. While she struggled to say whatever she wanted to tell me, her face kept turning crimson red. I also noticed that she was shaking, despite the night not being cold, nor windy. Whatever she was trying to tell me was making her extremely nervous. Should I call this off? Just when I was starting to get really worried Twilight finally spoke up.

“A-Aria… we’re friends, right?” I nodded, narrowing my eyes in confusion, and Twilight smiled nervously before continuing. “Yes, we’re friends. I like being your friend. Do you?”

“Of course.” I raised an eyebrow, even more confused. She’s saying ‘friend’ way too much by normal standards. “Twilight, what’s-”

“Good, because we’re good friends!” Even though I don’t get scared easily, her sudden outburst startled me a little. I leaned back by the surprise, widening my eyes in the process. “We’re very good friends, aren’t we? Very, very good friends?”

“Twilight…” I stood up and tried to reach her with my hands holding her shoulders. My nervous friend stared at them, still shaking. “What’s going on? Why are you acting like this?”

“I’m-” This time, I interrupted her. I wasn’t finished.

“Is it me?”

“What?” Twilight was in shock by what I just said. “No! It’s not you! W-Well, actually yes, but-”

“What the issue then? What am I doing?” I stepped closer to her. “How am I making you uncomfortable? Please, tell me.”

“N-No! You’re misunderstanding!” She said, with a hint of desperation in her voice.

“Is it my smell? I used a different shampoo today,” I asked worriedly.

“It’s not-”

“Is it my hair? You don’t like it when it touches you?”

“What, no it’s not that either!”

“Is this because I’m not on good terms with your friends? You don’t like that? Do you want us all to get along?”

“A-Aria, please-!”

I stopped right in front of her and looked at her right into her eyes. I noticed the scared, wet tears of desperation in them, so I took a deep breath to try and calm myself down. “I'm sorry... I just want to know what am I doing wrong,” I said, still holding her.

“You’re not doing anything wrong, Aria…” I was so close to Twilight, that I had a crystal-clear view of her eyes.

The way she was looking at me didn’t seem to be of discomfort. Then, what is it, really? It was driving me crazy not knowing what I was doing to cause this kind of adverse reaction.

“Twili-”

Twilight looked me in the eyes, wet tears steadily streaming down her face as she looked glaze eyed at me. I felt my heart sink, but then, after contemplating me for a long while, Twilight said something I didn't expect given the circumstances.

"Aria, have you read about the constellation Lupus?" She asked out of the blue, adapting a more serious expression.

I tilted my head not sure of what she was getting at. I still had no idea what I did wrong and now she was asking me about random facts about a constellation I never heard about? I shook my head as a silent answer to her question.

She smiled wiping her eyes with a hand as she spoke. "Lupus is a constellation that is only seen in the far southern hemisphere. It means wolf in Latin."

I waited patiently, listening to every word she said as I gently held her in place.

"I was also thinking about us being a pack like you said," Twilight elaborated as she placed a hand on mine. "Every pack of wolves has an alpha who leads them, and every alpha has a beta to rule beside them."

She paused, looking up at the sky pointing to the stars.

"Lupus has its two brightest stars named Alpha Lupi and Beta Lupi,"

"Twilight, what-" I wasn't able to finish my question. Out of the blue, Twilight suddenly jumped on me and placing her arms around my neck as she planted her lips on mine. Wh-What the-?!

After a few moments of contact she pulled away, she was completely red in the face as she looked up at me nervously.

"Aria, I like you. S-so, will you be my alpha, and let me be your beta?" She asked me while pushing her hair back, and I was shocked into silence. Even with all of my sisters teasing, I never thought that Twilight would have actual feelings for me!

A Watched Pot Never Boils

View Online

Twilight’s P.O.V.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!

One moment I was having problems trying to confess my feelings to Aria, and then suddenly, after gazing into her eyes illuminated by the moonlight I was inspired by her words. I gained enough courage not just to reveal how I really feel about her, but I also did it in such a unique way. Not to mention that… I JUST KISSED HER!

“Gah!” I gasped. With the heat of the moment gone, I covered my face with my hands.

When I started to think how to confess to Aria, I wasn’t expecting I would find myself doing so only a few days later!

It doesn’t matter now. My feelings have been laid out in the open for her to see. Several seconds passed. It felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest any moment by how hard it was pounding. My entire body was heating up, and the butterflies in my stomach were going berserk leaving me with an overwhelming sense of nausea.

Then there was Aria, who was completely silent. Was she still there? Was she gone? I have to look, but my hands refused to move. I don’t know how I was able to remain standing, my legs were shaking like never before but my balance remained. It took me quite some time, but eventually I worked up the courage and moved my fingers just enough to allow me peek. Aria was still there completely frozen in place in utter shock. Witnessing this, I removed my hands from my face.

“A-Aria…?” There was no response whatsoever.

I managed to take a step closer to her and wave a hand in front of her eyes.

“Aria? Aria!” I snapped my fingers, which seemed to work.

She blinked and quickly looked right at me. When our eyes met, I took a step back again.

“T-Twilight…” She stammered, pointing a finger at me.

Even in the dark night, I could see her blushing thanks to the pale moonlight.

“D-Did y-you just…?” I took a deep breath and nodded. “Then… it’s true? Y-You… like… me…?”

I nodded again, trying to find the words to say. “Y-Yes, it’s true… I-I… really like you as more than just friends.”

“Oh, wow.” Aria, my crush, placed a hand on her forehead and looked away still shocked. “I don’t believe it. Adagio was half right.”

I raised an eyebrow, confused. What did she mean?

“What?”

Aria glanced at me and widened her eyes again as if she let something slip she didn’t mean too. “N-Nothing! Never mind.”

“O-Okay…” I cleared my throat and placed my hands behind my back, completely avoiding Aria’s gaze. “S-So…”

“So…?” The Siren stroked her own arm awkwardly.

I took a deep breath. It’s the moment of truth. “D-Do you… l-like me back…?”

I barely made eye contact with her. Aria raised both of her eyebrows in alarm.

“R-Right! I should say something, shouldn’t I?” She chuckled nervously to try to relieve the tension, but it didn’t work.

I was far too nervous to even fake a smile. Seeing this, she sighed and crossed her arms. Her gaze was focused on anywhere but in me. “You caught me off guard, Twilight. I would never have guessed that you…” She paused. It seemed like if she was measuring her words. Eventually, she made eye contact with me, still perplexed.

“I never thought someone would ever like me like that. Twilight, you’re a good friend, and I really care about you. But-” There it was the dreaded ‘but’, a sure sign of rejection to come.

My chest became tight and my heart began to ache. Tears immediately started to flow from my eyes and down my cheeks. After seeing my reaction, Aria seems to panic and tried to reach for my shoulder.

“No, Twilight, wait, don’t-” Aria tried reaching for me again, but I quickly backed away.

“I-It’s f-fine, A-Aria…” I managed to say between sobs. “I-I k-knew that th-this was a p-possible outcome…”

“Twilight, please, let me-” She reached again.

I didn’t let Aria touch me. I couldn’t. Submerged in sorrow, I turned around and tried to run, but she managed to grab my arm, holding me back. She gave me another example of her strength by completely stopping me in my tracks with one arm. I tugged and pulled with all my might, but I couldn’t make her budge even a little. I couldn’t even struggle.

“A-Aria… I-I n-need to be alone!” I yelled smacking her hand trying to loosen her grip.

“Let me finish first, Twilight.”

I tried to block out what she was saying. I didn’t want to hear what was coming it was too much for me to bear. “P-Please, spare me! I-I can’t bear to listen th-that you don’t like me back!”

“But I’m not going to say that!” I stopped my attempts of escape. She’s not going to reject my feelings? Then, what was she going to say? Still in tears, I turned my head towards Aria and dared to look directly into her eyes. She looked dangerously serious, but her expression quickly softened and I felt slightly less tense. “Just… let me speak, okay?”

Before my brain could register what she had said my curiosity got the best of me and I asked, “If you’re not going to turn me down, what are you-?”

Aria held up a hand silencing me. “Promise me that you will listen?”

I nodded, “Okay.”

Aria released me and I kept my word. I took a step back to give her and myself some breathing room while we both tried to figure this situation out. Aria took another deep breath looking up at the pale moon as a gentle wind blew over us. In that moment I saw Aria in a new light, a mighty wolf who was as beautiful as she was headstrong, as her long hair flowed with the wind. I was in awe at the sight of her under the starry moonlit night.

“Twilight, before you, I thought friendship wasn’t for me. I pushed away everyone who showed the slightest interest in me,” She said, pushing her long bangs to the side.

“Yes, I remember.” I replied with a nod.

“Right…” She folded her arms. “But things didn’t go as usual with you. I admit when I first met you I thought you were rather annoying to be around. I hated the fact you got along with Sonata so well, and my older sister teased me a lot after we started hanging out,” She said, looking up at the sky again. “but, I started to enjoy my time with you even before admitting that we were friends. Other than my sisters, I never cared for anyone like I cared about you. And… it’s actually the first time I said that out loud.”

I blushed at her words feeling both a sense of pride and shock. It truly is amazing how sweet she is with me. I always knew she didn’t get along with others, but to hear her admit it openly had a profound impact on me. This softer and gentler side of hers is one of the reasons why I like her so much. The fact that she’s only like this with me is what makes it feel so special. What makes me feel special.

“Twilight-” I woke up from my thoughts to find Aria right in front of me. She placed both of her hands on my shoulders, and one hand touched my chin and guided my gaze to hers. I gasped lightly and felt like if my legs became jelly. “I started to feel a lot of new emotions with you. I‘m rarely show my soft side, and yet with you I am all the time. I don’t know exactly how I feel about you. I like having you as a friend, but I’m not sure if that’s all I feel. Romance is really not my forte.”

She dropped her head and didn’t say anything for a moment. “That’s why I can’t really give you an answer.” She looked at me again. “Not just yet, at least.”

I tilted my head, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” She sighed, folding her arms and looking away from me. “I’m going to need some time. I need to talk with my sister, Adagio.” She made eye contact with me again.

“Why do you need to talk to her?” I asked.

Aria fidgeted nervously, a slight blush reddened her cheeks as I watched her.

"As you know Twilight, I’m not very good at expressing my emotions,” Aria said, as if in a confession. “Everyone of your friends I met can vouch for that. Sunset, Rarity, Trixie, even Spike I’m sure.”

I waited eagerly as Aria struggled to come up with how to express what she was trying to say. Eager I was, but I knew what it was like to hold onto something like this. I knew Aria needed to get this out. I wasn’t blind to it, but I know from my talks with Cadence and others how much just admitting your faults can take a huge weight off your shoulders. Aria scratched her head and took in a deep breath before she continued to speak.

“You know how I express my anger. It’s what I do best. When I’m angry I lash out and sometimes I don’t think about what I say or do, I just act on impulse,” Aria said brushing her hair back and looking at me. “But for you I try. I try so hard to make things work out, I try so hard to make you feel special, I hate it when you get upset, you honestly bring the best out in me Twilight, but I’m not good at expressing other emotions that come naturally to others. My sister has a better idea about these feeling things. So, before I can answer you properly, I need to talk to Adagio.”

“Aria…” I took a step forward, dropping my head, but I kept eye contact with her. I never knew she felt so strongly about this. How she was so insecure with her feelings, she really was just like me. She was relatable because I too felt the same, and yet I felt some doubt. “Are you sure about this? Is this because you don’t want to hurt my feelings?” I asked.

“That might be one of the reasons.” Aria looked away. She remained silent for a moment before turning to me again. “But like I said, I have no idea how my feelings work. Just give me a day, or two. I promise, I’ll get back to you I just need to clear my head and talk to my sister.”

“U-Umm… I…” I thought that confessing was going to be the hardest part, but it turns out that I’ll get my answer in a day or more… the anxiety will be the end of me!

“Listen-” Aria placed her hands on my shoulders and looked at me with seriousness. “I know I’m asking too much, but this is big, Twilight. Whether I say yes or no, everything will change between us. I want to be absolutely sure about my feelings in this matter before I answer.”

It was true, she was asking too much, but she had a point. If she wanted time to think, she will have it as much as it pained me to have to wait. I took a deep breath and sighed. “Okay…” I smiled slightly at her, I waited this long to ask her so I could wait a little longer. “You can take your time, Aria. I would hate it if you just answered based on what I want to hear.”

“Right.” She took a step back and smirked. “I care about you, that much I know. I won’t break your heart unless I’m certain that I don’t like you back.”

“O-Okay…” There was an awkward silence after this. Aria folded her arms and looked everywhere but me. I wasn’t sure how she intended to sound, but it came off as a bit harsh. However, I trust Aria, and I know she isn’t trying to hurt me intentionally. I know she’s had plenty of opportunities to do so without any input on my part, so I decided to trust her judgement on this matter. I had my hands behind my back while I stared into the floor. Eventually, Aria cleared her throat to catch my attention.

“W-Well… I suppose that we should call it a night… I-I mean, after… you know…”

“I-I suppose so, yeah…” I looked at her. Her expression was hard to read, but I think I saw signs of sadness and confusion. “I’ll pack my things…”

“Let me help you!” We were still standing fairly close, so I got startled when Aria raised her voice all of the sudden. She must have noticed because she instantly looked guilty and took a step back.

“I-I’m sorry…” Aria cleared her throat again and spoke with a softer tone. “C-Can I help you?”

I nodded, smiling lightly at her. We picked up the blanket and disassembled my telescope in silence. When I was set to go, Aria pulled out a book and handed it to me. Glancing at the cover, I saw that it was the Astronomy book I lent her some time ago. “Here… thank you again for lending it to me.”

“It was my pleasure.” When I took the book, my fingers touched hers. I blushed brightly, but I said nothing of it. I looked at Aria and I think I saw her blushing at least a little. “I’ll see you soon…”

“I’ll walk you home, Twilight.” She smiled. “It’s the least I can do.”

I certainly can’t say no to her offer, so I smiled back. “Okay.” Aria awkwardly placed her hands in her pockets and walked beside me all the way home.

Once we reached my home I walked up to my door, but paused as I sadly glanced back at Aria. She was standing there with her hands still in her pockets looking like she wanted to say something, but she refrained from it, instead looking up at me with a smile. I smiled back at Aria as I slowly opened the door and entered my home. As I closed the door I saw Aria’s hand stop the door from closing.

"Hey, cub, I promise I'll answer you soon," She said.

I nodded without a word. I didn't have the energy to respond. Instead, I dared to reach out and touched Aria’s hand. Feeling her warmth I gently gripped her hand, squeezing it.

"Aria, I know you said you're not good with expressing yourself, but I think you're a lot better at it than you realize," I said without loosening my grip.

To my surprise, Aria gently squeezed my hand back giving me a sweet smile. I rubbed the palm of her hand with the tips of my fingers before pulling away as she slipped her hand from the door.

"Thanks, Sparks," She said to me smiling. "I won't keep you waiting more than necessary."

I smiled back, wanting to reach for her but held back the urge. I didn't want to rush things and scare Aria away before got my answer.

"I'll be waiting," I said, closing the door. "Goodnight Aria."

"Goodnight, Twilight."

With that I closed the door locking it behind me. I would now have to wait till morning maybe later to hear from Aria. Hopefully with her answer.

I woke up the next morning still feeling tired. I had problems trying to stay asleep the night before. My restlessness stemmed from my not knowing what Aria's answer would be. Neither Aria nor me said a word when she walked me home. Only when we arrived to my home we could exchange a few words. When I closed the door, I went straight to my room, not in the mood nor with the energy to tell Spike nor my parents what happened. Mom and dad were watching a movie when I arrived. As expected, they asked me why I returned so soon and got worried when I ignored them. My mother came to see in my room, wondering what was wrong, but I nicely told her to leave me be for the night. Upon waking up, I found Spike laying on my chest, looking at me worriedly.

“Hey, Twilight…” His ears were down. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“Not really…” I rubbed an eye with a hand and Spike moved away so I could sit on my bed.

My pet quickly sat by my side and I placed an arm around him, scooting him against me. I needed his comfort right now. That’s what I liked about dogs, they were loyal to their master and friends for life and nothing could change that. Then what about wolves? Loyalty to their pack and family was a common trait among wolves, so what did that say about Aria and me?

“What happened last night?” The way Spike was looking at me made it impossible for me to dismiss the question.

“I… told Aria how I feel about her last night a-and I kissed her…”

“You did?” Spike wagged his tail excitedly, but he quickly stopped when he remembered that I was feeling down. “Did she reject your feelings?”

“Not exactly…” I looked at him. “She doesn’t know how she feels about me, so… she asked me to give her time to think.”

“Oh…” Spike looked around before eventually making eye contact with me again. “What are you going to do?”

I sighed. “All I can do is wait, Spike.” I smiled slightly at him as I scratched his head. “I just have to keep myself busy somehow.”

Spike wagged his tail happily. “Why don’t you call your friends?”

“Good idea, Spike!” I hugged and kissed him before taking my phone. From all of my friends, my mind went to Sunset. She knows that I have a crush on Aria, so I’ll be able to ask her for advice. “After breakfast, I’ll take you out for a walk.” I said before turning to my pet. “I’ll call Sunset while you play to see if she’s free today.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Spike said before affectionately nudging me with his head.

I petted him before heading to my closet. I also have to tell mom and dad about what happened last night. I’ll do that now and then I’ll call Cadence… maybe tomorrow. Right now, I need Sunset. I haven’t asked her for help with Aria yet. A different perspective might be helpful.

In the afternoon, I headed out to Sunset’s apartment. I’m glad she said she was free today when I called her this morning. I didn’t want to make my parents worry about me, so I told them everything about what happened last night before going out. Of course, they were very supportive of me, they hugged me and told me that I could always go to them if I needed them. I’m so happy to have such amazing parents. After walking and playing, Spike got sleepy. He also couldn’t sleep well last night since he was worried about me. He’s such a caring dog, and so loyal to me.

Now that I was feeling at least a little bit better, he could sleep, so I allowed him to do so. While walking, I glanced at my phone more than once. Aria hasn’t texted me nor called me all day. I wonder if she was able to sleep last night…

I have no idea when will Aria call me to have a serious talk. She could take a day or more. I can’t sit on my bed all that time, waiting. Visiting Sunset and talking about what happened last night will help me to ease my anxiety. At least a little bit.

Upon arriving to Sunset’s apartment complex, I rang her bell and took a deep breath.

“Hello?” Sunset answered on the other end.

“It’s me, Twilight” I gave her a simple answer, managing to smile a little.

“Hi, Twilight! I’ll be right there!” Sunset hang up and opened the door a minute later. “Hey!”

Sunset smiled, leaping onto me and hugged me. I hugged her back, but when she noticed my pout she gave me a worried look. “Something wrong?”

“I need to talk with you…” I said lowly.

“Of course.” Sunset placed an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s get in.”

The fiery girl led me up to her apartment. It was a nice place. The windows were big, saving Sunset electricity during the day. My friend took me quickly to her room, barely allowing me to see the rest of her place. Her room had a single bed, and a cage on a table where she kept her leopard gecko, Ray. He was sleeping at the moment curled up in a little ball, so I didn’t disturb him. Sunset made a head gesture to tell me to sit on her bed as she took her place beside me sitting on her knees.

“Whenever you’re ready, spill. I’m all ears,” Sunset said looking a bit worried.

I took a few moments before taking a deep breath. “W-Well, last night, I confessed my feelings to Aria-” I told Sunset every detail from the start of our night to my shocking revelation to Aria. Her expression changed from surprise to sadness and then to confusion. She noticed my anxiety, so she was quick to speak after I told her everything.

“S-So… wow.” She blinked blankly clearly unsure of what to say. “And how are you feeling now?”

“Honestly? I’m anxious, and a bit itchy,” I covered my face with my hands and supported my arms with my elbows on my knees. “All I can do is wait now for who knows how long?” I glanced at my friend. “What do I do, Sunset?”

“You’re right, you can’t do anything else right now,” Sunset knitted her brow in thought. “I have to say, though-” She looked at me and smiled. “It’s really sweet of Aria not wanting to hurt your feelings.”

I blushed and smiled awkwardly as I rubbed my arm with my hand. “Y-Yeah, she really is.”

“And I can’t believe that she’s so into stargazing. She must have really studied in order to remember everything you told me,” Sunset said, with genuine surprise. “I didn’t think she had it in her.”

I smiled widely. “Yes, she must have.”

Sunset nodded. “She either tried to impress you or you really got her hooked in stargazing, maybe both.”

I blushed and leaned down my head while still keeping eye contact with Sunset and smiled. In truth I was glad Aria ended up taking a liking to my hobby, it was something I knew we could share. Something very special between us.

“M-Maybe…”

My friend chuckled. “Something you said caught my attention.” She placed her hand on her chin. “So… Aria and her sisters have super strength?”

I nodded. “Yes, why?”

“Interesting…” She frowned, but quickly smiled. “I’ll have to write to the equestrian Twilight about this. Since you told me that you met the sirens, I‘ve been talking with her about them. She decided to write a book about sirens since details about their species are vague.”

“Oh…” I blinked in confusion before smiling. “I see, but wait. Why doesn’t she study the sirens from her world?”

Sunset quickly lost her smile. She sighed and looked at me with sadness in her eyes. “Unfortunately… sirens have gone extinct… Aria and her sisters… are the last of their species.”

I gasped and covered my mouth with a hand as I widened my eyes. I couldn’t believe it! “Th-That’s terrible! I-I’m…”

“Twilight…” Sunset placed a hand on my shoulder and met her eyes with mine. “It happened a long time ago. We’re talking about hundreds of years.”

“Hundreds of years…?” I tilted my head, confused again. “Wait, are you saying that my siren friends are older than they look?”

“No. The pony Twilight has been investigating that,” Sunset burrowed her eyes. “Aria and her sisters didn’t arrive here like I did. They didn’t walk through the portal hidden in Canterlot High. They were forced here by a portal created by a powerful unicorn known as Starswirl the Bearded. The equestrian version of him was different from the human. He was a solitary pony with powerful magic. His magic not only brought them here, also brought them forward in time.” My friend smiled. “Their appearances aren’t deceiving, Twilight. Don’t worry.”

“Th-That’s good…” I sighed in relief. “They won’t outlive us, then?”

Sunset shook her head, still smiling. “No. The little information that remained states that Sirens had a similar lifespan as ponies.”

I caught her smile, but only briefly. I had another question. “But… why did that Starswirl unicorn bring them here?”

Sunset widened her eyes before looking away from me. “Th-That has to do with what Aria hasn’t told you yet.” She met my gaze. “That’s something you should really hear from her.”

“Oh…” I looked away. “Then I don’t want to know.”

I’m going to keep my promise no matter what. There were a few moments of silence, until Sunset stood up all of the sudden.

“Well!” She said, before clasping her hands together. “You can't keep thinking on when will Aria let you know she's ready. Remember, a watched pot never boils. You need a distraction.”

“A distraction?” I blinked. I suppose she’s right. I wasn’t as anxious when I walked Spike this morning. And just now, talking with Sunset helped too. “What do you propose, Sunset?” I managed to give my friend a genuine smile.

The equestrian girl grinned. “How about video games?” She pointed at the door with her thumb. “I have some good ones to play, if you’re interested.”

I smiled. “I like the sound of that. Let’s go.”

“Yay!” Sunset clapped. “This will be so fun!” She said before grabbing me by my arm and leading me to her living room. Sunset’s excitement put a big smile on my face.

We spent hours gaming. We started with fighting games, where we were fairly even but I lost the last match against Sunset. Then, we tried some co-op games. Lastly, Sunset chose a one player game and I watched. I said it was okay. I wanted to see how this game was. I never thought a video game about a man who uses a bat costume could be so epic!

“And this is just part one.” Sunset commented. “After the Madhouse comes the City, and then it goes to his Origins. There’s also a fourth game in the series, but I don’t own it… yet.”

“Wow, and all four of them are as good?” I asked.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, although there’s a thing or two if you’re going to nitpick. Like how in his origins it’s possible to have more powerful gear than in the other games, which are set in his later years, or how he’s able to defeat a highly trained assassin when he’s just a rookie in real crime fighting. Those common prequel mistakes, though.”

“Details.” I giggled. “I won’t mind as long as the gameplay is still good.”

“Don’t worry, it keeps its charm,” Sunset smirked. “But as good as it is, that one is considered by many to be the weakest of the series. Weak doesn’t mean bad. Like I said, it’s just not as good as the previous two.”

I smiled at her, but then, my cell phone played a notification sound. Not any sound… it was the one I set for Aria. I gasped and looked at my cell phone. Sunset looked at me with confusion.

“Everything okay, Twi?” I couldn’t reply right away. My tongue twisted! In the blink of an eye, my anxiety returned. My heart started to race and I had trouble coordinating my hands as I fumbled to get my phone. I could feel my chest pounding with my heart beat.

“Twilight…?” Sunset paused the game giving her full attention on me.

“I-It’s Aria…” I managed to say after several moments of hesitation with a weak voice.

“Oh…” Sunset’s jaw dropped. “Should I leave you alone?”

I shook my head. “N-No. She texted me. I’ll text her back.” I looked at my friend. She nodded. Then, I proceeded to read the text message.

‘Hey. You home?’

I took a deep breath to calm myself before texting back. ‘No, I’m at Sunset’s.’ It was all I could write. She replied within seconds.

‘I have my answer. We need to talk as soon as possible.’

I looked at Sunset, hugging my phone close to my chest. “She’s ready to talk with me… I have to go.”

Sunset nodded. “Sure! Go ahead.” We stood up and hugged. “Good luck! If you ever need me again, I’m just a call away.” She added.

I smiled at her. “Thank you, Sunset. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

My friend returned the smile. “Okay. Now, go!”

I grinned and ran towards the front door, but it was closed. I forgot that we were in an apartment… I turned my head towards Sunset. “Umm…”

“Shoot!” The fiery girl facepalmed. “Right, I have to open the doors. I’ll walk you out.” She said as she looked for her keys.

“We said our goodbyes too soon, it seems.” I said, giggling afterwards.

My friend chuckled.

“Yeah… but we won’t do it again, to save time.”

After this I ran back home eager to speak to Aria and hear what she had to say. My mind raced with wild anticipation. Would she say she liked me, or reject me? In either case I was eager to hear what she thought about “us”.

Once out of Sunset’s apartment, I texted Aria to let her know that I was heading home as fast as I could. I ignored my burning lungs. I didn’t care right now. The conversation I’m about to have with Aria is extremely important!

I eventually slowed down to a walk, fearing that my lungs would collapse if I continued at the rate I was. My heart almost stopped when I reached my block. There, sitting on the stairs leading to my front door I could see a familiar figure waiting for me. Aria was already here, supporting her head with her hands and her elbows on her knees. I didn’t have enough energy to move faster, so I kept walking and called her when I was a couple of houses away.

“Aria!” I waved at her. My crush glanced at me and stood up immediately when we made eye contact. I made it to Aria, where we both stood awkwardly. I placed my arms behind my back while Aria placed her hands on her pockets. Her cheeks had a shade of pink.

“So, umm…” Aria spoke after several seconds of awkward silence. “Should we go in or shall we talk here?”

“N-No… let’s go to my room,” I said.

Recovering the control over my legs, I walked up the stairs and opened the front door, with Aria behind me. Upon entering I heard barking coming from my living room, and sure enough, Spike was in the room. He stopped barking when he saw us.

“Welcome back, Twilight!” He said, happily wagging his tail, before noticing Aria. “Oh, Aria! Hi!”

“Hey.” She waved waved at him.

“Spike…” I knelt to stroke his head. He leaned his head against my hand. “Aria and I will need some privacy.”

“Got it.” He sat down. “I’ll be here in the living room with your parents.”

“Thank you,” I smiled at him before standing up. “I’ll look for you later, okay?”

“Okay!” Spike barked once happily and ran off the room. After he left, I heard Aria chuckling, so I looked at her.

“I like the little guy,” She said with a smirk.

“His happiness is contagious, isn’t it?” I said, and Aria nodded agreeing with me.

More moments of silence followed. This time, I was the one to break it. I don’t want the talk to prolong any more. “L-Let’s go to my room, yes?”

“Y-Yes, right.” I noticed nervousness in her tone.

I can’t blame her for that. With no more interruptions, I lead Aria upstairs, to my room. Once we were in, I closed the door behind her and turned to face her. She still had her hands on her pockets and was avoiding my gaze.

“Aria… I-I’m ready…” I said, feeling a sense of dread.

My crush looked at me, eyes widened. “O-Oh! S-Sure! That’s why I asked you to meet, after all.” She smiled nervously at me before looking away. No matter how anxious I was, I wasn’t going to push her. She might be feeling even worse than me. She has to speak eventually… right?

New Experiment

View Online

Aria’s P.O.V.

I finally had my answer for Twilight. I just really felt bad for making her wait all day, but I had to consult with Adagio. All I have to do is to open my mouth and speak… speak! Come on, tongue! Don’t do this to me now! This is why you asked her for time! This is why you had that long conversation with Adagio! I could still hear her words echoing in my head over and over.

The previous night…

After Twilight closed the door behind her, I remained staring at her door for some time. I'm not sure how I feel about this situation. My only friend has just revealed that she wants to date me and I’m sure that she has been wanting for a while. Only in Adagio's favorite movies are romantic feeling spontaneous and work out, but this is real deal. Unlike in those movies, I didn’t instantly know how to reply to her confession.

I’m confused, worried, maybe even a bit scared? The one thing I’m sure of is that I still want to be around her, which is why I asked her for time to think. Speaking of which, I better hurry back before my sisters begin to worry about me. I’d never hear the end of it if I got home late after being with Twilight from Adagio. I turned around and walked with a fast pace back home. I don’t want to make Twilight wait longer than necessary.

Once back home, I opened the front door slowly trying not to make any noise. At this time, my sisters are always asleep so I have a chance to get in unnoticed. I locked the door behind me and walked on my tiptoes to avoid making any noise. The plan was to wake up Adagio by my own means. I moved across the living room, but a voice stopped me dead in my tracks

“I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.” It was my older sister’s voice.

I slowly turned to see the back of Adagio’s head leaning against the back of the couch. She spoke without looking at me. I also realized that I was holding my breath. I took a stepforward, releasing my breath with a huff before walking to the other side of the couch to meet my sister. I immediately noticed that Sonata was there too, but sleeping while leaning against Adagio’s shoulder. I could hear my little sister’s soft snores as she mumbled in her sleep. I also saw that Adagio was wearing her night robes and holding a glass of wine, the bottle sitting on the end table was half empty now. I wondered just how long they were here waiting for me?

"I thought you would be asleep by now," I commented with whispers trying not wake Sonata up.

“I had to make sure you were back,” My sister said, before taking a sip of her drink. “I told you that I wouldn’t be able to sleep until you did so.”

I smiled faintly. It was nice of her to do that, but I found it hard to express my gratitude in words. I quickly crossed my arms, looking at her in the eyes and steeled my nerves as I tried to mentally prepare myself for my long conversation to come. I wasn’t looking forward to this, but it has to be done. For Twilight.

“Adagio… we need to talk,” I said a bit harsher sounding than I wanted.

“Oh?” She widened her eyes, surprised. “You sound serious.”

“I am…” I sighed and looked away trying to hide my face behind my hair. “Something big happened tonight. Something we need to talk about right now.”

My sister frowned at me, considering my words. After a few seconds, she nodded. “Very well. Just let me take Sonata to her room. Wait for me at the kitchen.”

I nodded silently as Adagio placed her wine glass on the coffee table to carry Sonata to her bed while I headed to the kitchen. I sat down at the dinner table and waited for my sister to return. While waiting, I tried to think of how to ask Adagio for help. I needed to be specific with her if i was to get anything useful. My sister returned around a minute after I sat down beside me holding her wine again.

“I’m here, Aria. Now, tell me what happened. Did you two get mugged?” She asked sounding a little concerned.

“No, nothing like that,” I shook my head as I spoke. “Twilight and I aren’t hurt. I walked her back home without any incidents.”

Adagio sighed in relief. “Good…” She took another sip of her wine before setting it aside.

“Then… what happened?” She asked with her hands on top of each other.

I took a deep breath and released it. “Okay… I’ll get straight to the point. Just, please, Adagio, no teasing. Now’s really is not the best time. I-I need your advice.”

“Now this sounds very serious.” My sister frowned again. “Go on…”

“Okay, here it goes…” I looked away from her. “Twilight… sh-she said that she wants to be my girlfriend…”

I looked directly into my older sisters eyes. This was it. I was about to tell my sister and I felt a strange mix of anxiety and excitement. What was it I felt right now at this moment? “Right after kissing me on the lips.”

Adagio gasped as she widened her eyes and covered her mouth with a hand. She didn’t say anything for a couple of seconds as I no doubt figured she was trying to process what I said. “Sh-She did?!” She exclaimed in whispers.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. “You know I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”

“I-I know. It’s just… wow.” She blinked, dumbfounded. “Sonata and I might have joked about your closeness, but… I don’t believe it.”

I sighed, feeling a bit more relaxed hearing her so calm and not teasing me. “Neither do I…”

“And…” My sister tapped her fingers on the table. “What did you tell her?”

“I don’t know how I feel, so… I asked for time to think.” I sighed again. “It’s no secret that romance isn’t my thing Adagio, so… I wanted to ask for your advice on the matter.”

Adagio placed a hand on her chin to think. “It’s true that you haven’t got a clue about romance whatsoever, but you’re capable of having feelings. True you may express your anger and frustration most, but you are capable of other feelings too.” She made eye contact with me while I tried to connect the dots to see where she was going with this.

She gave an exasperated sigh rubbing her forehead. “Before meeting Twilight, you didn’t have a clue about friendship either. And look at yourself now. You not only have friends, you go out of your way to be with her and your general behavior has improved greatly.”

I nodded, feeling warmth in on my cheeks hearing Adagio say that. “I know. I came to you because I want to avoid hurting Twilight’s feelings, if possible.”

Just then my sister gave me a concerned look that sent red flags in my mind. “Aria, dear, if it turns out that you don’t feel the same way as her, a heartbreak is unavoidable.”

That comment made my insides sink. When Twilight started to cry because she thought I was going to reject her feelings, it was too painful to see. It really was. I don’t want to be the reason of her tears no matter what.

“Adagio…” My voice was cracked a bit. “There has to be another way.”

“I’m afraid there isn’t…” My sister adopted a saddened expression. “Crushes are either reciprocated or are not at all.”

That hit me hard. I felt my blood begin to boil as my sister’s words sank in. I couldn’t believe what she was suggesting to me!

“Don’t say that!” I cried, standing up abruptly and slamming my hands on the table nearly causing her glass to fall. “Don’t even suggest breaking her heart!”

"Aria, quiet down!" Adagio scolded me in whispers, catching her wine before it fell. “Sonata’s sleeping!”

I snarled at her before sitting back on the chair, crossing my arms and avoiding looking at her. Adagio sighed and tried to reach out to me with her hand. She took my hands in hers and caressed them. I felt myself calming down as she gently rubbed my hands. I looked at her, feeling a calming warmth as I looked into my sister's eyes. I looked away wondering how she developed such motherly instincts, she always knew how to calm Sonata and me down no matter how angry or sad we got. I admire that about her as a leader and as a sister.

“Now, listen, I’m not suggesting you to reject her feelings, all I’m saying is that it’s a possibility and I want to prepare you in case this comes to that,” She said, snapping me back from my stupor.

“What should I do then?” I asked desperately grasping for straws at this point.

“You asked Twilight for time to think, so think."

“What do you mean?” I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

“I mean… go to your room. Take your time to think about everything you do with Twilight. What you like and what you dislike about her. Think about what you would do for her and what you wouldn’t. You already have your answer… you just need to find it.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

My sister nodded. “Aria, I can’t tell you how you should feel. I can’t control your feelings either. You need to focus on your heart, hear what it says.”

I gave her words some thought. I was hoping she would tell me exactly what to say to Twilight. So much for the easy solution. At least I’m not as clueless as I was before. I have something to do, or better say, to think about.

“Let me give you a few things to think about,” Adagio said holding my hands firmly. “Since you met her, you became friends, you went out of your way to help her, you protect her, care about her feelings, and clearly you at least like her parents and they like to have you watch her dog. So, to be honest I think your answer should be pretty clear. I still want you to give this some serious thought Aria. You absolutely can not rush this. Okay?”

I made eye contact with Adagio and nodded. “Okay, I’ll try.”

My sister smiled pulling me into a tight hug. My face became smothered by her large poofy hair, but all things considered I didn’t mind. I returned her embrace. I felt very calm holding my sister like this.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been this close hasn’t it?” Adagio asked stroking my hair. “You’ll be fine, Aria. I know you’ll make the right decision.”

I smiled at that comment, feeling reassured by my sisters confidence in me. “I’ll do my best.”

“Good. Now, if that’s settled…” She said as she stood up and took her wine glass. “I’m heading to bed. I hope that you can clear your mind while consulting your pillow.”

“Adagio…” I stood up and scratched the back of my neck. I struggled to say the following words, but not as much as I thought. “Thank you. I mean it. If it weren’t for you… this whole situation would be driving me crazy. You really gave me something to think about.”

A smug smile appeared on her face, and for once, this didn’t bother me.

“You’re welcome, Aria.” With that, she walked out of the kitchen and onto her room. I didn’t move from where I was until after I heard the door of her room close. I massaged my forehead with my hand and then Twilight invaded my thoughts. I smiled, but then, I yawned. I won’t fall asleep right away, but I want to lay down. Adagio suggested me to consult it with the pillow, so that’s what I’m going to do.

In the end I spent around an hour thinking about Twilight before I was able to sleep. She was even in my dreams. I still remember that dream fondly. I was back in Equestria and in my Siren form, swimming in a vast ocean, but Twilight still looked as a human. I carried her in my back as I swam in the waters and she looked at all the wondrous creatures only my world could offer. From sea ponies, to larger leviathans of the deep, it was a world of wonder for her. It gave me hope that I could give something like that to her.

I woke up this morning with a good mood thanks to that dream. I spent all day thinking about my time with her, and now, I finally have an answer. After reminiscing about what I did since I last saw my friend, I blinked several times and returned to reality. Twilight was still looking at me intensely, worried and anxious. Don’t worry, cub, the wait is over.

“Twilight, thank you for allowing me to have time to think. My mind is clear and I have an answer for you.”

My friend nodded slowly. “O-Okay…”

“Sparks, after considering your confession I came to the conclusion that…” I made a short pause. Twilight had her hands intertwined together on her chest level in expectation. “that… I’m not a 100% sure about what my feelings on you are.”

Twilight frowned in confusion. “What? But… that’s the same thing you said yesterday.”

I nodded. “Yes, but there’s a twist now.” I said with a smile. My friend raised an eyebrow. “We became friends because I was curious about you. I pushed everyone away but something prevented me from doing the same with you.” Although it was actually a someone, she doesn’t need to know that right now. “You caught my attention. I enjoyed spending time with you, and I still want to be around you. So now, with your confession, I’m curious about what a relationship is about.”

“What are you saying?” My friend still didn’t fully understand what I meant.

Well, time to do what I do best, as Adagio would put it, it’s time to be direct.

“Twilight-” Still smiling, I took hold of her wrist. She focused her attention on my hand. “I’m saying that I want to try this out. I want to date you.”

Twilight sharply returned her attention to me, eyes widened and blushing hard. Her reaction gave me a warm feeling inside of me.

“Y-You- I-I- Wh- U-Uh-” The cute little sounds made me chuckle.

I took a step forward and focused my eyes on her. It did not help her. Her eyes widened even more and I think she reached here maximum level of red. I was enjoying this, both her reactions and my closeness to her.

“Alright there, take a deep breath. Try to calm down.” Enough was enough.

I won’t torture her more than necessary. For now. Twilight did what I said before looking at me.

“A-Aria… are you sure about this?” She leaned down her head but kept eye contact with me. “Because you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.”

“But I want to.” I smiled at her. “Twilight, I wouldn’t mind being closer to you. In fact…”

I placed a hand on her shoulder and used the other to guide her gaze to meet mine. Looking into her deep magenta eyes I could see the tension in them.

“I’m looking forward to it. I was never fond of the idea of dating in general, but for you, I want to know what’s like.” I said.

Once again, Twilight was left speechless. She opened and closed her mouth, producing a variety of cute sounds instead of words. I want to have more fun with her! Smirking, I cut the distance between us and placed my arms around her in a hug. She gasped and stood completely still.

This made me chuckle. “Come on, cub, we’ve hugged before.”

Twilight hesitated to speak, but she eventually managed to remember how to use her tongue. “B-But, it’s d-different now. Y-You… w-we…”

“Just hug me like you have been wanting to since you got a crush on me.”

My friend looked away, considering my words. Then, she put her arms around me and embraced me. She did it gently at first, but then she hugged me tightly. She exhaled happily as she relaxed her body. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying this, but I still think it’s too soon to know why exactly. We remained silent, holding each other for a long, long time. Twilight broke the silence after who knows how many minutes passed.

“S-So… what are you proposing us to do, exactly?” She looked up at me. “Just date like any other couple?”

“More or less.” I smiled at her, which got her nervous, in a good way. “We can take this as one of your experiments in your lab. We can try going on, let’s say, five dates, and we’ll see if I can figure what kind of feelings I have towards you. We’ll call it a trial period.”

“I like the sound of that.” Twilight smiled. “Do you have any conditions? Like, can we hold hands or… s-snuggle?”

“Oh?” I blinked, confused. Why did the word ‘snuggle’ make her feel so nervous? “I suppose we can do all that. But for now, I think that it’s best if we avoid kisses on the lips.”

“Oh, no…” My friend covered her face with her hands, turned her back on me and took a few steps away from me. “Th-That weirded you out, didn’t it? I was way out of line! I’m so sorry…”

“No, no, no, no!” I approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. ”It’s not that. I just think that we save them for when and if I return your feelings.”

Twilight turned around, removing her hands from her face, hugging herself and avoiding my gaze. She still looked ashamed.

“From what I could see in the movies Adagio likes to watch, people usually kiss when they’re both in love. Adagio said that kisses, especially the first one, is like a seal of their relationship.”

The bashful girl dared to make eye contact with me. “Now, you have already kissed me, but I didn’t kiss you back. Maybe it’s best if we put the kisses on hold until I’m certain about my feelings on you.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes in thought. She reflected on my words before speaking again. “I understand.” She smiled lightly. “Alright, I’ll refrain the kisses on the lips. But… what about the cheeks?”

I placed a hand on my chin and narrowed my eyes. “I suppose those are fine. Anywhere but the lips should be okay.”

When I wasn’t paying attention, I felt something on my free hand. I darted my eyes towards it to find that Twilight took hold of it. When she realized that I was looking, Twilight quickly looked away. I couldn’t believe how bashful she was being. Just how into me is she? How could she hide her crush on me for so long? Maybe my ignorance in love was the reason I never noticed anything.

With the conditions set, I think it’s time to officially start this experiment. “Alright, Twilight, let’s go.”

She looked at me with her eyes widen. “Go where?”

I smirked. “To our first date, of course.”

My friend’s jaw dropped. Once again, she struggled to speak. “Wh-uh-n-now?!”

I nodded. “Yes. Adagio gave me some money. Let’s go for a walk and see if there’s something we can do.”

“I-I-u-umm…” I could feel the heat on the hand she was using to hold mine. She also shifted her eyes left and right in shock. There was something about her behavior that amused me. Maybe I should try teasing her a little bit more.

“If you’re having second thoughts, then maybe-”

“No!” Twilight’s raised her voice all of the sudden. I looked at her, shocked. She was as surprised by her reaction as me, but she recovered. “We’re going out! I want to go out!”

She tightened her grip on my hand and lead me out of her room. As we approached the staircase, Spike showed up and running.

“What happened? Why did you scream?” The poor confused dog looking between Twilight and me.

“It’s nothing, Spike.” Twilight stood still, looking at him seriously. “Aria and I are going on a date. I’ll be back later.”

As soon as she finished her sentence, she returned on her pace, dragging me with her. I looked at Spike. He tilted his head to a side, still confused but let Twilight pass without a fuss. “Mom, dad! I’m heading out with Aria!”

“Okay, dear, have fun!” I heard Velvet’s voice coming from another room.

“Wait, when did Aria get here?” Night Light commented. My friend didn’t say anything else. She took me outside and glanced around before choosing a path.

“Twilight-” I managed to speak after getting over the initial shock. “Where are we going?”

“We’re doing what you said-” She didn’t fully turn her head towards me to meet my eyes. She looked serious. “We’ll improvise!” She said, I blinked in astonishment by her sudden change of behavior. I went for a tease but I got more than I bargained for when she took the lead.

I didn’t dare to say anything. Her determination was a little scary. We walked into downtown and reached an area I recognized. I felt as if I’ve been here with Adagio and Sonata before. If I’m not mistaken, around here it should be-

“Here, we’ll have our date in this place.” Twilight stopped walking and glanced to a building next to us. I followed her gaze to see the place I was just thinking about. My date, it’s odd to call her that, chose the burger joint Sonata works in. ‘Burger Princess’.

“I know this place.” I commented, with my head leaning upwards, focusing on the restaurant’s sign.

“That’s great!” Twilight grinned at me. “We’re definitely going in if it has your endorsement.”

“But I didn’t-” She didn’t let me finish.

Twilight took hold of my wrist and led me inside, straight to one of the lines. While we waited, I looked around. The place mainly had false plants as decorations. I also saw a showcase where they exhibit the toys of their Royal Meals. On one of the walls, I could also see a framed photo of Sonata with her uniform with the words ‘Employee of the Month’ written in golden below. I never would have imagined that Sonata would get this far. I glanced at Twilight next. She looked so excited. She was still flushing, but she also wore a big smile. I bet that if she wasn’t busy holding my hand she would be clapping happily as well. Seeing her smile like this and knowing that I’m the reason made me smile as well.

“Hello, welcome to ‘Burger Princess’. May I take your orders?” Only when the cashier spoke was when I stopped staring at Twilight. I looked at him and smiled lightly before opening my mouth.

“Yes, we’ll-”

“Aria, is that you?!” I was interrupted when a too familiar voice called me from afar.

I shifted my head around and saw nobody. The cashier was confused, looking for the source of the voice. Suddenly, he was pushed away. I don’t know where he landed but I heard the sound of something getting broken. On where he used to be standing, Sonata appeared, grinning widely. I knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid her.

“It IS you!” She looked at Twilight next to me. She was caught off guard. “And you brought Twilight! What brings you here?!” She leaned on the counter in order to get closer to us.

I couldn’t reply since Twilight answered first. “We’re here…” She recovered from the surprise and was now smiling again. “On a date.”

I panicked realizing what Twilight just said. I quickly turned my head towards her. D-DON’T TELL HER!

“A date?” Sonata raised an eyebrow, confused. “Oh!”

Now she was grinning again. Please, don’t make a- “Adagio filled me in after I woke up. I’m so happy for this!” scene… Looking around, I realized that everyone was staring at us and Twilight noticed it. Her excitement turned to embarrassment. She was looking away, trying to hide her red face and squeezed my hand harder. Her uneasiness caused my eye to twitch and groan, gradually getting angry.

“When she told me that you were going to ask Twilight out, I wasn’t expecting that you would choose me! We have the couples milkshake! One milkshake and a heart shaped straw for you to share! I’ll prepare it myse-!”

For a brief moment in my mind something clicked. I remembered something, a memory of a time long past. I remembered swimming with other sirens, my eyes were fixated on another. I remembered her shimmering scales of gold and red and how I was entranced by them, along with beautiful red eyes. Another siren mocked me for it, saying they’d tell the siren about me eyeing her. I remember snapping at the siren yelling out at them just as my mind came back to reality.

“Sonata!” I called to stop her.

When she saw how furious I was getting, she stopped talking. At first, she looked angry for the interruption, but then she noticed how uneasy Twilight was. My sister’s expression quickly changed to guilt once she understood what was going on. Too late for that, Sonata. I grabbed her by the ponytail and pulled her close so I could whisper in to her ear. “When it’s me, I don’t care, but don’t make Twilight feel uncomfortable. Am I clear?” Despite my high level of anger, I managed to keep my tone to a whisper trying not to gather more attention than we already did. Sonata nodded, standing properly behind the cashier.

“I-I’m sorry…” My sister was very remorseful. I opened my mouth to keep scolding her, but Twilight caught my eye. When I looked at her, she gave me a ‘Please don’t be too hard on her’ look. Returning my gaze to Sonata, I saw her pouting and I think her eyes were starting to get wet. It probably won’t be a good idea to make her feel even worse, so I sighed instead and pinched my nose bridge with my free hand.

“Look, Sonata, just take our orders and forget about this, okay?”

“O-Okay…” My sister said in a barely audible voice and avoided my gaze. “What will it be?”

“I want the usual.” I said, managing to calm down a little.

“With mayo instead of mustard, right?” Sonata pressed some buttons and recovered her smile.

“Of course. You know that I can’t stand mustard.” I frowned at her, but then softened my expression when I glanced at my date, I didn’t feel as odd as before calling her that. “What will you want, cub?”

“Oh?” Twilight looked at me. Poor girl, she got distracted when we became the center of attention. I smiled at her and squeezed her hand to make her forget about what just happened.

“Oh! Hmm…” She narrowed her eyes in thought as she scanned the options, seemingly returning to her normal self. Watching her no longer uneasy greatly improved my mood. “I think I’ll have a number nine with extra dip? No mustard either. I want mayonnaise too.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight, I’ll make sure neither of your orders have mustard.” Sonata winked at her as she spoke. “Regular size or shall we make them Wumbo?”

“Wumbo?” Twilight asked, confused.

“She meant ‘Jumbo’.” I corrected my sister.

“Wumbo sounds better!” Sonata said with a grin.

“I see.” My friend smiled. “No, I’m fine with regular size.”

“Same here.” I said as I waved a hand around.

“Okey dokey!” Sonata finished pressing the buttons on the cash register and printed the ticket. She gave us the ticket after I paid. “Your number is twenty! Head to the withdrawal line and we’ll call you when your orders are ready.”

“Thank you.” I took the ticket with my free hand and before walking to the other line with Twilight. As we waited, I glanced at her and saw that all the determination she had before was gone. Instead, she looked nervous. Very nervous. Her hand was shaking in mine as we walked and she was staring at the floor. I must do something about it.

“Hey, Twilight…” I placed a hand on her chin and made her look at me. When we made eye contact, her jaw dropped in awe and her eyes dilated. Seeing this, I felt my cheeks burn. “Sorry about what happened. How are you holding up?”

“I-I’m fine.” She blinked before smiling slightly. “I was caught off guard, that’s all. Thank you, though, for not yelling at your sister.”

“It would only have made the situation worse.” I smirked, moving my hand towards the top of her head to stroke it. Doing this to Spike relaxed him so maybe it would work for Twilight? Maybe it will have the same effect on humans? I think it worked because she closed her eyes as her smile became wider.

“Besides, raising my voice would also have called the manager’s attention. I didn’t want to get Sonata into trouble over this.”

“I appreciate that.” She opened her eyes and made eye contact with me again.

I don't know why, maybe because I was unprepared or maybe because I just now realized how close we were, but my heart skipped a beat when I stared into her big, sparkly purple eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I wish I asked Adagio more details about how love works, but I felt like I made Twilight wait for too long already. I’ll discuss this further with Adagio once I’m back home. Twilight must know something. She’s certain enough to want to date me. Maybe… maybe I can ask her a few questions?

“Number 20! Your orders are ready!”

“What?” I blinked in confusion and managed to look away from my friend. I was so deep in thought that I forgot where was. I turned my head to the counter from where the employee was calling us and raised my hand.

“That’s us!” I approached the counter with Twilight and looked at the trays with our food then to our hands. Sorry, cub… “Sparks… I’m afraid that we’ll need both of our hands to carry these.”

“Huh?” Twilight was confused at first, but then followed my gaze to our hands. “Oh… I suppose you’re right.”

I chuckled as I took my tray. “Don’t worry, cub, we’ll continue where we left off later.”

Twilight giggled and carried her own tray. “Okay! Umm… where shall we sit?”

“Anywhere far from the play area, I once had kids throw things at me.” I said as I angrily looked at a kid passing by.

“Okay.” My friend looked around as we walked. “Oh, there!” She pointed with her head towards a table by a window, on the other side of the play area.

“That’s perfect! Let’s go.” We headed towards the table and sat before I pulled out my double cheeseburger. “Mmmm, time for this wolf to have a feast.” I took a huge bite and started to chew giving Twilight a playful look while I ate. “Something’s wrong, Sparks?” I asked with some sass Twilight hesitated, but she eventually glanced at me, with her eyes wide in shock.

“A-Aria…” Her tone was barely audible “w-we… w-we’re on a date…!”

My worry turned into confusion, but kept my playful grin. “Yeah, you've just realized that now?” My friend nodded and her cheeks turned crimson red. “But you practically dragged me here. Where did all your determination go?”

“I-I’ve been wanting to date you for so long that I acted on impulse! Only now is my brain registering what’s actually happening!” Twilight said, clearly trying to hide her embarrassment and failing.

I smiled and then chuckled, placing my burger on the table. She’s being cute again, I like it when she gets flustered. It’s okay to like when she’s like that, right? “Oh, cub, don’t worry. You’re doing good so far.”

“Y-You really think so? You’re not feeling weird about this?”

I shook my head, still smiling. “Not at all. I’m having a good time with you.”

“G-Good, because I am too!” Twilight grinned and raised her voice before covering her mouth all of the sudden. “S-Sorry…”

“Don’t be.” I placed my hand on the table, trying to reach her. Twilight stared at my hand for a little while before looking at me, blushing. I nodded to encourage her to take it. She smiled and placed her hand on mine, squeezing it. “Must be a relief to be so open with your feelings, huh?”

“Y-Yes...” My friend gazed into my eyes. “I kept them in check as much as I could, but in the end,” She smiled awkwardly. “I guess you were too much for me.”

“Is that so?” I raised an eyebrow and smirked, curious. “How long have you felt this way towards me?” I asked, trying to tease her a bit.

“O-Oh, uhh…” There she goes in full bashful mode again. Sorry, Sparks, but I’m really curious about it. “W-Well…” She was having difficulties to speak, but I didn’t push her. “I-I think that I first felt a spark back when we were stargazing for the first time?”

My eyes widened. Really, that long? “No kidding?” Twilight nodded.

By this point I could feel her hand getting warmer. “We were still getting to know each other back then. It was even before I started to call you my friend.”

“L-Like I said, I first felt something there. It was small. I ignored it, but as the days went by, the sensation became more and more intense to the point I couldn’t ignore it anymore. I talked with Cadence about it, who confirmed that I had a crush on you.”

That surprised me. I barely knew the woman, but I apparently left a good enough impression that Cadence was comfortable with me dating Twilight?

“So… like me, you had no idea about crushes?”

Twilight nodded. “Y-Yes. I suspected that my feelings could be romantic, but I needed Cadence's guidance.”

“I see.” I looked away, making a brief pause. “So… how does it feel?” I glanced back at Twilight. My friend tilted her head, confused. “Having a crush, I mean.”

Twilight widened her eyes and squeezed my hand harder.

“It is like, I don't know, being inside joy?" She said to me, taking hold of my hand with a smile. "It as if joy was something tangible and I could, wrap myself in it like a blanket, and never in my whole life have I felt as content to be with someone as I do with you.”

My heart skipped another beat. I had no idea I made her so happy just for… pretty much existing. “A-And… how do you know that you like me? What are the… signs?”

“The signs…?” My friend blinked. “O-Oh, well… whenever I see you, I tend to blush. Also, my heart starts to race and I feel something in my stomach, like butterflies going frenzy.” As she spoke, she flushed more and more. “There’s also the fact that I get extremely nervous, anxious, and can’t think straight when you’re around.”

“Okay…” My eyes widened in surprise for the revelation. “That explains a lot of your strange behavior…”

I barely had the chance to see her completely red. Twilight covered her face with both of her hands, releasing mine. “Y-Yeah…”

I chuckled and folded my arms while I smiled at her. However, my gaze moved behind her when I saw Sonata heading to the front door. Did someone ask her to get something? Where is she going? Anyway, no time to dwell on that. Since my friend was busy trying to hide behind her hands and hair, I took the opportunity to steal one of her fries. But as I did so, Twilight peeked and with a cute huff she crossed her arms and glared at me.

“H-Hey! You have your own fries!” She frowned, but I knew she wasn’t really mad.

I took a bite out of the fry, chewing with a grin on my face.

After swallowing the fry I shrugged, not losing my grin. “You weren’t touching them, cub. I thought that you didn’t want them.”

“I’m going to eat now!” She said with a huff, as she opened the box containing her burger. “I should do so before it gets cold.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” I said, before taking another bite of my cheeseburgers.

We smiled at each other and continued eating while we talked, avoiding anything love related. For now. Neither of us wanted to walk into that minefield, so instead we talked about the latest chapter in Young Sorceress Academia.

When we were almost done with our meal, I looked at Twilight. She was cleaning her mouth with a napkin. Now that we finished most of the food, I think that it was time for round two. “So, Twilight…”

“Yes?” She glanced at me as she put her napkin on the table.

“Tell me-” I leaned closer to her, placing my hands on the table. Meanwhile, Twilight started to drink from her straw. I’m eager to hear what her answer will be. “What do you find attractive about me?”

My friend’s eyes widened as she spat her drink. Liquid came out from her nose as well and she started to cough. Oops… I think I overdid it. I rushed to her side, took a napkin and helped her to clean her face. “I-I’m sorry, Sparks, I didn’t mean to-”

“N-No, it’s fine.” She said, cleaning her clothes. “I-I figured you would ask me that at some point, but I still wasn’t prepared.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have done it. I didn’t want to go that far.” While I was cleaning her cheeks, Twilight made eye contact with me. There was a brief silence, but then, she spoke.

“To answer your question… t-this is one of the reasons I like you.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned, confused.

“I like how much you care about me. You’re always watching out for me. You stood up for me when the bullies of my old school attacked me, you worked hard with Sunset and Trixie to fix my school project when you broke it by accident, and just now, you noticed that I was uncomfortable with the attention we were getting and you didn’t mean to go too far with the teasing,” She said to me.

In a flash I remembered something from long ago. Another faint memory came crashing down on me and it hit me really hard. I remembered not only being mocked and ridiculed, by the sirens I once thought were my old pack, my friends. Worse I was being mocked by the very siren who I was entranced by after saying how beautiful she was. It hurt me deeply hearing their words echo through my head, especially hers.

“HAAA!!! Wow, you really think I would be interested in a weakling pup like you?!” I remembered her saying mockingly at me. “Please, you’re miserable sight. Did you think I allowed you into my hunting pack because I liked you? No!”

I remembered her words stung very hard.

“But, I’m loyal to the hunting pack! Aren’t we all friends? Isn’t that what a pack is!?”

I remember she sneered at me.

“You are nothing more than a hunter for us! Nothing more or less!” I remember her saying glaring down at me. “Remember your place. We can easily replace you.”

“Well, then… I’ll leave then! I don’t need this! I don’t need you!” I yelled lashing out with my fangs going for the siren.

I was then pinned down by razor sharp teeth and powerful hooves as my old pack leader loomed over me. She gave me a cruel smile that made my blood run cold.

“You would dare attack your leader? And you have the nerve to say you don’t need us!? HA! You’re a brainless idiot, you’re all brute force, and you would starve to death on your own!”

I snarled rapping my hooves at her trying to reach her. In my blind rage I didn’t realize just how close she’d gotten. Her jaws snapped down on my neck and I felt myself being thrown around like a ragdoll before being thrown aside like discarded trash.

“Look upon Aria Blaze everyone! As leader of the pack I hereby banish you! Never come back or I’ll give you a reminder of what I did today!”

I remembered the utter feeling of betrayal and rejection not only from a siren I liked, and the heartache that came with it, but from being cast out by my old pack. My so called friends. It was then that I remembered why I gave up friendship. I turned my back on everyone who ever tried to get close to me so I would never be humiliated or hurt like that ever again. I even went so far as to keep a good distance from my own sisters that have led to almost a decade of conflicts between them and I. That day changed me and clearly not for the better.

I remembered when I went to Crystal Prep with Twilight to get her things. How she was mocked, bullied, and how I reacted afterwards. My old pack leader was right about one thing, I was a mindless brute. I often let my anger get the better of me and I often do things without thinking. I did it when I met Sunset Shimmer and Trixie, I did it at Crystal Prep, and I did it when I met Twilight.

I felt guilty poking fun at her now, even if I meant no harm in it. I looked away from her feeling slightly ashamed of myself, “Y-Yeah, I probably shouldn’t tease you anymore…”

“N-No, it’s okay. I don’t mind. I know you were only joking,” I looked back at her surprised to see she was smiling.

I just now realized how close we were to each other. Despite this, she didn’t seem to be as nervous as usual. “I know you don’t have bad intentions with them. It doesn’t bother me much.”

I stopped cleaning her. She didn’t remove her eyes from mine for a little while, then, she moved them to my lips. We agreed for no lips contact for now but given that she kissed me out of the blue last time I’m not going to risk it. I’m not ready! In order to break the tension, I squeezed her nose with my thumb and index finger. Not too hard, though.

“H-Hey!” She swat my hands away and placed her hands over her face to protect her tiny nose. “What was that for!?”

I chuckled. “Sorry, Cub, I couldn’t help it.” I smirked returning to my seat. “You said you were okay with it, after all.”

“I didn’t mean that!” She said with a muffled giggle still protecting her nose.

We shared a laugh. I could feel the tension between us lessen. She smiled and ate one of her fries. “Returning to the topic, I also like the fact that we share some interests. You really like to read.”

“Eh, you expanded my library beyond just fiction,” I rested my back in my seat, crossing my arms and smiling. “You gave me more stuff to do.”

Twilight giggled. “I’m glad to hear that.” She leaned against the table and placed her arms on it, her hands clasped together. “I also…” I noticed that she started to blush deeply. “I… find you quite beautiful.”

I blinked and lost my smile, surprised. I felt something weird inside of me. D-Did I hear that right?

“B-Beautiful, m-me?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. No one ever called me that before. My friend nodded, still smiling at me. “You like this?!” I pointed at my face. “Other than my hair, I barely arrange myself!”

“You don’t need to overdo with makeup in order to look beautiful. I like you just the way you are.” She was flushing furiously, and I think that I was too.

“W-Wow…” I scratched the back of my head, suddenly feeling nervous. “Don’t tell Adagio that. You have no idea how long she takes to arrange herself only to find out that I have the same results with minimal effort.”

Twilight giggled again. “I won’t.”

We finished the rest of our meal and stood up. Twilight reached for my hand but didn’t dare to look at me. I smirked and flicked her forehead tenderly. “You’re seriously that nervous again? After everything you just said?”

“I-I can’t help it. My courage comes and goes.”

I chuckled again, but it was cut short when I heard a high-pitched voice coming from the entrance.

“Hi, Sonata!” Both Twilight and I glanced at the customer who just cried upon entering. It was another Rainboom, the pink one.

“Pinkie Pie?” My friend was surprised to see the pink girl as much as I was. Twilight's friend was pushing a twin stroller and was far from us, so she didn't hear Twilight saying her name.

“Pinkie! It’s good to see you again!” Sonata rushed towards Twilight’s friend to hug her excitedly. Wait..what? I didn’t know they knew each other!

“Oops, sorry!” Sonata giggled as she released Pinkie Pie. “I shouldn’t be so loud in front of the twins.”

“Don’t worry, Nata, We have been playing until just now. They’re too tired to wake up.”

“Umm, Pinkie…?” Twilight called her friend as we approached her and my sister. They glanced at us, grinning.

“Hello there!” The pink girl greeted us.

“Are you leaving?” Sonata asked.

“We are, but-” I frowned, pointing back and forth between my sister and Pinkie Pie. “What’s going on here?”

“Oh, this?” My sister glanced at the Rainboom, smiling. “She showed up here a couple of days ago with the babies to buy a snack and we became friends.”

“She’s cool!” Pinkie Pie placed an arm around Sonata’s shoulders. “I’m definitely organizing my next birthday here!”

My sister giggled at the Rainboom’s comment. Then Twilight’s friend glanced down and gasped excitedly. My eyes widened and I followed her gaze to realize that she saw that Twilight and I were holding hands. Oh, no… “Hand contact! I see hand contact!”

“P-Pinkie!” My friend cried as she hid her face with her free hand, turning red again. Given that Pinkie Pie seemed to be as energetic as Sonata, I anticipated problems. I glared at the girls in front of me, ready to ask them not to say anything else, but Sonata spoke first.

“Wait, Pinks!” She placed a hand on the Rainboom’s shoulder. “We don’t want to embarrass Twilight in front of all these strangers. Can we… keep it quiet?”

Pinkie Pie glanced at Sonata, confused, but she quickly smiled as if she had some sort of grand revelation. “Oh, sure!” She turned her head towards my friend. “Sorry, Twi! I’ll wait until we’re alone with our friends before getting all excited about you and Aria!”

My jaw dropped in surprise. Sonata… listened to me! I don’t believe it. “Th-Thank you…” I managed to say while I was still in shock.

“No probs!” Pinkie Pie grinned. “I better get in line. I’ll see you later!” The Rainboom walked to the nearest line while pushing the stroller.

“See you, Pinkie! And you too, Sonata.” Twilight smiled, recovering herself.

“Bye.” Sonata waved at us.

I turned around with Twilight and walked towards the door, but I turned and called out to Sonata. “Hey! Where did you go by the way?” I asked pointing to the door. “I didn’t see you come back after you left.”

“Huh?” Sonata looked really confused.

After almost a minute of her standing there staring blankly at us she snapped back to reality startling us both and snapped her fingers. “Oh, silly me I almost forgot! I went to buy this for you while you were eating. Here.”

She held a hand towards us, showing us a wrapped chocolate. “I’m really sorry about the whole milkshake problem, but I still wanted to give you something sweet you could share.”

“Oh.” I stared at the chocolate for a few moments before taking it and giving it to Twilight. Then, I smiled at Sonata and placed my hand on her shoulder. “Thanks, Sona- I mean, thanks sis.”

My sister gasped, then smiled and then hugged me. “You’re welcome!”

Although I would usually complain when she hugs me, she earned this one. Looking at Twilight, I saw that she was smiling warmly at the scene. I patted Sonata on her back until she released me. “I better get back to work. See you at home, Aria.”

“Yeah, see you.” I nodded at her before leaving the Burger Joint with my friend. Despite everything, this day wasn’t so bad.

Twilight examined the chocolate Sonata gave us while we traveled back to her home. It wasn’t until we were close to our destination when I decided to comment about it. “What’s about that thing that has you so intrigued, Sparks?”

My friend glanced at me, eyes widened and blushing. “I-It’s… a shareable chocolate that comes with a r-romantic poem.”

“Say what again?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

Twilight nodded. “Y-Yes, look!” She presented me with Sonata’s gift. I took it and read the wrapping. It’s called ‘2 Hearts’, and my friend was right. It does come with a poem.

“W-Well…” I flushed a little. “Sonata bought this for us, so we should open it.”

I unwrapped the chocolate. It was two equal pieces of chocolate with hearts carved on them which could be easily separated. I needed both of my hands to split the chocolate, which gave me an idea. Taking the chocolate in my hand, I held one half with the tips of my fingers and offered it to Twilight. She stared at it for a second then realizing what I was doing she took the other half and together we gently pulled the chocolate heart apart.

With the heart successfully split into two, I took my half and nibbled the edge. It was slightly more bitter than I expected. However I do have to give Sonata credit she really does know how to come through. I looked down at the chocolate taking a moment to think of my sister and how she was there when it all started for me and Twilight. In a way, she was partially responsible for me and Twilight getting together. Had she not chased after Twilight I might not have become friends with her, and then… No, I won’t think like that. I pushed those thoughts away burying them deep down. I’m here with Twilight now, and that was good enough for me.

“I really should thank her properly for this,” I mumbled to myself, nibbling the chocolate again before smiling at Twilight. “It isn’t half bad,” I commented while I chewed. “Not the best chocolate I have tried, but far from the worst I’ve tasted either.”

“I agree,” Twilight swallowed hers and returned my smile. “It's nice that they’re made to be shared.”

“Yeah…” I swallowed my chocolate before taking a look at the wrapping. The poem was in a separate piece of paper. I read it and blushed with embarrassment more than anything. It was too cheesy. I glanced at my friend, who was already in bashful mode again. “We already ate this, so I might as well read it aloud.”

Twilight nodded, avoiding my gaze. “Y-Yeah, I guess so.”

I smirked before clearing my throat. Here it goes… “What words, what phrases, are at hand for our use! Such a spectrum of feelings can be freely set loose.” I glanced at my friend and had to repress a chuckle when I saw her. She was completely red and her eyes were widened. “Cub?” I took her hand and squeezed it to try to relax her. She looked at me, still with the same expression.

“A-Aria…”

I chuckled, not able to hold it any longer. “Remember, it was a piece of paper, not me.”

“I-I know. But it was your voice…” She gazed straight into my eyes when she said the last. Suddenly, I felt my body heating up. It had to be the warmth of the day… right?

“W-Well, I-I…” I coughed nervously. I had no idea what I was saying. I was just throwing out random words! Twilight giggled softly and put her arms around mine and rested her head on my shoulder. The warm feeling within my body got even worse! I had no idea what was happening, but I did enjoy it, I think. However, shortly after, she stopped walking. I looked at her, dumbfounded by her sudden stop. “Why are we stopping?”

“Because… we’re here?” She frowned, confused. I looked to her side and realized that we were indeed at her place.

“Oh, I didn’t notice.” I faced Twilight and held her hand with both of mine.

I didn’t want to end this day just yet, but I know that this is just the first date. I still need to get used to that, so I could give her a genuine smile. “So… this was fun.”

“Yes, it was…” She returned the smile, but then pouted. “I wish we could do more, though.”

“I-I know, Twilight, but we’re taking one step at a time. Besides, Adagio is dying to learn how did it go.”

My friend smiled and blushed. “S-Since you asked me out today… should I do so the next time…? I-I mean, there’s still a next time, right?”

Smirking, I took a step closer to her. She gasped and widened her eyes. I can definitely get used to that. “Of course there will be a second time. We agreed on five dates, remember?” She barely managed to nod. “But, you were the one who dragged me to the Burger Joint, so, doesn’t the score lean on your favor?”

“I-I…” She cleared her throat but was still nervous. “I did, but… you still proposed the date in the first place…” She gasped again when I placed my hand on her head.

“Well, do you want to give me a call when you’re ready?” She nodded, more fiercely this time. “It’s settled, then.”

“O-Okay, umm…” She was avoiding my gaze again.

“What’s on your mind, Sparks?”

“I-I’m wondering…” She struggled to speak, but I was patient with her. “My parents will want to know what we were doing, and my friends… I didn’t ask Pinkie to keep the date a secret, so I’ll have to tell them something. What should I say…?”

I gave her words some thought. I wasn’t fond of her friends, but I don’t want to ask her to keep any more secrets. I sighed before speaking. “Tell them… the truth. They know that you’re friends with me, anyway.”

“R-Really, are you sure?” I nodded and patted her head, smiling.

“Absolutely. As long as no one kicks on my door, I’ll be fine with whatever you want to tell them.”

Twilight giggled. “I’ll make sure to ask them to leave you be. Especially Pinkie.”

“Thank you.” We stared at each other for a little while. My friend still seemed to be uneasy. “Anything else…?”

“Ch-Cheek… k-kiss…?”

I blinked in realization. “O-Oh!” I smiled warmly at her. “I said I was okay with that. Shall I do it, or-?” I was interrupted when Twilight quickly kissed me on my cheek. My eyes widened in surprise and I remained monition less.

“I-I’ll call you later, Aria!” I barely registered her voice.

She turned around and ran into her house. It took me time to remember how to move. I placed my hand where she kissed me. I could still feel her lips there. This feeling, it wasn’t bad at all. I shook my head, smiled, placed my hands in my pockets and started to walk towards my home. The whole day was… interesting. I learnt many new things about Twilight and myself. I felt closer to her now, which wasn’t a bad thing. Adagio is surely eager for my return, so I think that I’ll walk as slowly as possible.

The walk home took a bit longer than I wanted, since my mind was wandering on what happened today. Between my sisters, and Twilight it had been a busy day. I also felt different, more energetic than I felt in a long time. I felt happy? I smiled thinking about my time with Twilight as I approached my home and unlocked my door. As I opened the door I was greeted with silence. I had expected to be ambushed and bombarded with questions, yet to my surprise I didn’t see hint or hair of anybody.

I entered my home closing the door behind me and walked around to see if I could find my sisters. I checked the kitchen, the living room, nothing. I was sure Sonata was at work, but what about Adagio? Where was she? I walked down the corridor and was about to head to my room to catch up on some reading. Once I was back in my room I quickly discarded my boots and threw myself onto my comfy bed, taking out, Young Sorceress Academia.

I read uninterrupted for the next couple of hours until the lecture started to strain my eyes. By the time I finished reading it was already getting late, and I hadn’t heard a sound from my sisters. I got out of bed and decided to see if Adagio was home. As I walked down the hallway I passed by Sonata’s door and saw a dash of blue out of the corner of my eye. I looked back and saw my little sister’s bedroom door was opened slightly. I stopped and took a peek inside and saw her napping on her bed, still wearing her uniform holding a large pillow against her. I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle at her.

I can’t remember the last time I felt like this. She really was a good girl. I walked in and slowly moved closer to not disturb her slumber. I sat down at her side and she gave a goofy smile in her sleep and began to mumble something. As I sat there and watched her sleeping something in my mind clicked. I gently reached over and ran my hand down Sonata’s head gently petting her. I swear for a moment she purred like a kitten.

“Ariaaa…”

I nearly jumped hearing her call to me in her sleep. I felt compelled to say something, but with nothing in mind I just began to talk as I sat there petting my sisters head.

“Hey, Sonata, I just had a few things to say before I forget,” I said as I ran my fingers through my sisters hair. “I wanted to thank you for today. You really had my back there when the pink friend of Twilight’s showed up. Honestly I never really expected you to listen to me, but I’m glad you proved me wrong. Again.”

I pulled my hand away examining it for no particular reason. I clenched it to a fist looking at my knuckles noticing every little detail.

“I am not very good at expressing myself, you know that. Adagio makes it all to clear to me sometimes. I hate to admit it but I’m a bit envious that you and her are able to make friends so easily. Being with Twilight, it changed me in a way that I can’t even begin to understand,” I loosened my grip letting my hand open up keeping my fingers slightly curled inward as I continued. “I have you to thank for that.”

I glanced down at Sonata who wasn’t showing any sign that she heard me, but regardless of that I continued.

“Adagio said she was the first friend I ever made in my life, I know that’s not true. I once had a few friends back in Equestria, my old pack,” I sighed glaring at my hand once again scraping my thumb over my index finger.” At least I thought they were. Now I have Twilight and I have you and Adagio. I know I don’t say it enough, in fact I can’t remember the last time I said it but… I love you little sister. And I am grateful for what you’ve done for not only me, but Twilight as well.”

Having said my peace I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. My heart felt lighter and I was even happier than I was before. I leaned over and gently hugged my sister, ruffling her hair a bit before covering her with a sheet and leaving her to rest. I then retreated to my room to catch up on some reading before turning in for the night, ready to tackle the next day with my head high, ready to face the future.

The Experiment Continues

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Twilight’s P.O.V.

It happened! It finally happened! I had my first date with Aria Blaze! I always imagined it but I never thought it would actually happen, yet here I am giggling like an idiot!

“EEEEEEEEEE!!”

I screamed with joy, my heart is racing so fast my chest hurts! It has been a few days, but I’m still so happy! I just had my first date with Aria Blaze! I can’t believe it! In my excitement, I hugged my pillow tightly while excitedly kicking aimlessly as I giggled with glee, or as Spike put it, like a mad woman, but I couldn’t care less. Spike was laying on the floor, taken aback by how I was behaving. I have been acting like this since I returned from my date! “AAAAAAH!”

“Twilight, don’t you ever get tired of doing that non stop?” He covered his ears to protect them from my ear piercing shriek.

“But, Spike-” I sat properly, with my legs crossed on the bed while smiling at my pet. “I can’t help it! I had a... date! A date with Aria!!”

“I know, and I’m happy for you,” Spike said, as he stood up and jumped onto my bed. “But you said that she still doesn’t know how she feels about you. What if it turns out that she doesn’t like you back?”

His words pierced my heart like an arrow. All my happiness was gone in an instant. Although he did have a point. Aria being unable to reciprocate my feelings was still a possibility. Still, it hurt to think, even if the potential was minimal, it still broke my heart. I fell back onto my bed feeling heartbroken and hugged the pillow I was holding tightly against my chest as my smile faded.

“Y-You’re right…”

“I’m sorry Twilight. I didn’t mean it in a bad way.” My pet leaned down his head. “I want her to like you back as much as you do, but-”

“I-I know.” I said, as I pulled Spike closer to me with an arm and smiled faintly at him as I scratched him affectionately. “You’re looking out for me and I appreciate it. I just don’t know what will happen, which is why I want to savor every moment. Just let me enjoy it, okay? If it turns out that the doesn't like me back, then you’ll be able to say ‘I told you so.’”

“I would never do that to you, Twilight.” My pet said, as he got comfortable against me. “I’ll support you no matter what happens. If she ends up liking you back or if not, I’ll always be there for you.”

“Thank you, Spike.” I smiled at him before kissing him on his forehead. He replied by wagging his tail happily. I giggled before glancing at the door. “We should go to the lab. I need to plan my next date with Aria.”

“Okay!”

I picked my pet up and walked towards the basement. Once in my lab, I set Spike on the floor, placed my phone on one of my work tables and put on my lab coat before heading to my blackboard, where I had done some previous planning. On the board, I drew Aria and myself holding hands inside a heart frame and above it I wrote the title, ‘Project: Girlfriend!’. Below the drawing, I divided the board in five spaces, one for each date. On the first day, I drew the logo of ‘Burger Princess’ and a confirmation tick beside it. Below them, I wrote ‘Success!’ Smiling, I moved my attention to Day two.

“Let’s see… since we’re in a trial, I should try not to overdo the dates. I don’t want Aria to feel uncomfortable or awkward.”

“How about the amusement park?” My pet suggested.

“Hmm…” I considered his idea. It wasn’t bad, but I didn’t think that it was the right moment.

“I don’t know. It’s a good idea, but I think it’s too soon. There’s more than one attraction which can be considered a little too romantic and I might not be able to stop myself from kissing Aria. I almost did so when she helped me to clean myself at ‘Burger Princess’.”

I started to remember that day. The things Aria said, how she was willing to stop teasing me when she feared that I wasn’t comfortable with it. Although the teasing doesn’t actually bother me. She embarrasses me yes, but in a good way. I know that she cares about me. She wouldn’t be so protective if that wasn’t the case.

Everything that happened in our first date reaffirmed how I feel towards her, but I wonder… did she feel anything? A spark, at least? It’s hard to read her. Her actions were no different from how she usually acts around me, with the exception of the hand holding, but she could easily have done it just for me. There it is again! That pesky feeling of self doubt! Oh, how I wished I could be braver and more self assured like Aria!

She really was a wolf. A pack leader. She just had an aura of confidence which I envy. She always knows what she wants and has a strong presence that makes me feel safe when I’m around her. While I wish I was more like her, she says I’m fine the way I am, so I’m doing something right. I want to be there for her and I hope in the end, she wants me there by her side too.

“Twilight?” I blinked, waking up from my thoughts, and glanced at Spike. He looked worried. “Everything okay?”

My pet is standing up on his back legs pushing against my leg to get my attention. He looked really worried, was I spacing out that long?

My expression changed from confusion to a smile. “Yes, Spike. I was just thinking about the date.”

“Oh.” He started to shake his tail in happiness again. “You’re welcome to relive it all you like, but I think it would be best if you choose a place for the second date first.”

I chuckled. “You’re probably right.” I turned to the board again. “Somewhere I would love to visit with her would be Canterlot City’s Planetarium, but this could also be too romantic.”

“How about the Aquarium?” Spike suggested again. I grinned at him.

“That might work! She might really enjoy it since she used to live in the sea! She could appreciate my gesture! I can already see it, watching the different sea life while holding each other, admire the wonders the lighting might do on her beauty, we could have a snack at the aquarium’s café, and…” I stopped, my excitement fading. Spike, however, was still thrilled.

“That’s perfect Twilight!”

“Y-Yeah, maybe too perfect…”

“Huh?” My pet tilted his head in confusion. “Is that bad…?”

“In this case, it is…” I sighed. “The aquarium could be special for her. I would prefer to take her there when and if we become girlfriends.”

“I-I see…” Spike leaned down his head, sad. “What other option do we have?”

“Let me think…” I frowned in thought as I stared at the board.

It has to be a public place, not too romantic and with something fun to do. The park wasn’t good enough, the mall is too expensive for Aria. Hmm… what’s cheap, frequented by people, and opened at least six days a week? I should take her somewhere I like to see if we have more shared interests. Somewhere I could teach her more. Teach her about… the city, maybe? Wait a minute…I-I think I got it. I glanced at Spike, grinning. “How about the museum?”

“The museum?” My pet seemed confused again. “Isn’t it a weird place for a date? I don’t think many couples even consider that option.”

“Aria and I are different. For starters, we’re not an official couple yet.” I said, smiling. “She also enjoys my teaching. I usually keep my feelings in check when I’m doing so.”

“Okay, that’s true.” Spike sat down and wagged his tail happily. “Tell her everything you find attractive about her like last time.”

My face instantly went crimson red and I got on the defensive. “Sh-She was the one to ask! What else was I supposed to do!?”

Spike chuckled. “I know, I know.”

I smiled at him before walking to where my phone was. “I’ll call her to tell her that I’m ready.” I took my phone and dialed her number. However, by the second tune, I realized what I was about to do. I glanced at Spike, eyes widen in shock. My heart was racing again and I began to run in place in a panic. “I-I’M ABOUT TO ASK HER OUT!”

Spike leaned his head in confusion. “Umm… yes?”

I looked around, desperate. What do I do?! How do I talk?! Darn you brain, why do you hate me so much?!

“Hi there, cub! What’s up?” Oh, no, it’s her! I feel like I’m melting! I was so stunned her voice left me in a trance which made me drop my phone.

“Twilight!” My pet stood up and watched my phone fall.

“Gah!” I blindly waved my arms around, trying to catch my phone, but it kept falling. I can’t let it hit the floor, it’s too fragile! I jumped towards my phone and managed to grab it just before it hit the floor, but I felt really sore afterward. Phew! My knees and elbows are hurting because of the fall, but I have no time to worry about them. I knelt and reached my hands towards Spike, showing him the phone. “Spike, you talk to her!”

“What?!” He took a step back, surprised. “Why?”

“I c-can’t! My tongue is twisting too much! Help me stall her until I can calm down again! Please?!?”

“But what do I talk to her about?! I’m a dog!”

“I don’t know, anything! Talk about your favorite chew toy Rarity gave you or something?”

“You know, I can hear you clearly.” Spike and I froze in place when we heard Aria’s voice coming from my phone. Oh, no! I must have activated the speaker during my panic attack! My heart was racing ready to burst out of my chest from embarrassment.

“A-Aria…?” I managed to speak, just barely though.

“Sparks.” Her tone sounded amused. That’s good, right? “And hello to you too, Spike.”

“H-Hey, Aria…” He replied awkwardly.

“So…” Aria spoke again. “Did you really mean to call me or did you butt-dial me?”

“U-Umm, w-well…” I made eye contact with Spike. He nodded to encourage me to continue. I cleared my throat and spoke again. “I called you on purpose. I-I’m ready to a-ask you out on our second… d-date.”

“You are?” I nodded at her, only realizing that it was dumb of my part when Spike slapped his paw on his forehead. “That’s good. I was actually thinking on calling you since I haven’t heard from you since our date at the ‘Burger Princess’.”

I chuckled nervously “W-We really didn’t set a time limit, didn’t we?”

“No.” She sounded like she was trying not to chuckle. “Where do you want us to meet, cub? And when?”

“Oh! U-Uhh…”

I just realized that I didn’t think of when. Also, I was still on the floor, so I stood up and turned off the speaker, putting the phone to my ear so I’m able to hear Aria better. I think I’ll clean off the dust later. Trying to calm myself before hand, I went through my destress breathing exercise I learned from Cadence before replying to Aria. “I-I was thinking of a visit to the… museum?”

“The museum?” Her tone was hard to read. Did she like it? Did she dislike it? Oh, no, she thinks it’s too boring, doesn’t she? Just as I was about to panic again, Aria spoke again over the speaker. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“Y-You do?” I blinked in surprise.

“Yeah, I have been wanting to visit it for a while, but Sonata says it’s boring and Adagio doesn’t want to take me. They told me to go alone, and I usually enjoy having me time, as you know, but… I didn’t want to go there without company this time…”

Oh, Aria… she sounded so sad. I wish I could hug her right now. “Th-Then it’s a good thing that I’ll be there with you.”

“True.” She recovered her good mood, if her tone was any indicator. “Visiting the museum for our date is a great idea, Sparks. Good thinking.”

Uh, oh, there goes my heart again! Hearing Aria say ‘date’ almost made me lose my balance! I don’t know how, but I managed not to squeal. “Th-Thanks, Aria. I’m looking forward to it. I might even tell you one or two things about history.”

“Please, do. So… when do we meet?”

Oh, right! I forgot about that! “When are you free?”

“Not tomorrow. I’m taking Sonata to the cinema while Adagio works at home on her designs.”

I smiled. “It’s nice of you to take Sonata out.”

“Y-Yeah…” I noticed embarrassment and happiness in her tone of voice. “I have been trying to be nicer with her since after what happened at ‘Burger Princess’. It’s… strange, though. I’m not used to being so nice to her yet.”

It warmed my heart hearing Aria was trying to be nicer to her little sister. I’m so glad she’s making an effort to change, that in turn made me want to change too. Thinking about have I already changed? I did ask her out after all, I’m a lot braver than I used to be. It helps to have good friends to help me too.

“I’m glad that you’re working on it. It makes me happy to see you try.” I said, smiling.

“R-Really?” I think Aria sounded flustered.

“Yes. Your sisters love you, and I’m glad you’re trying to show them your love in a positive way.”

“Wow, I…” Aria cleared her throat. “Thanks, Twilight. Anyway, I’m free the day after. Want to meet up then?”

“The day after tomorrow?” I haven’t seen Aria since our first date, so I’m excited to be able to see her again in just two days! Oh, I wish I could see her now!

“Y-Yes, we can meet in the afternoon and take a tour,” I said, trying to hide my excitement.

“Okay, sounds good.” I heard a faint knocking sound from Aria’s line. “Hold on, come in!” I heard a door opening before hearing Adagio’s voice over the speaker.

“Aria, we’re out of eggs. Would you mind going to the store to get a dozen?”

I heard Aria groan. “Fine, I’ll go.”

“You’re a sweetheart, Aria.” Adagio thanked her sister.

“Yeah, yeah.” I heard the door close before Aria spoke to me again. “Sorry, cub. I have to go.”

“I understand. See you at the museum!”

“See you then.” She said, smiling, I’m sure. “Later.”

“Bye, bye!” After Aria hung up, I placed my phone on my chest and sighed heavily. That went better than I expected. I glanced at Spike. He was sitting by me happily wagging his tail.

“You’ll see her in two days? That’s great!”

“I know.” I smiled at him. “I can hardly wait!” I walked towards the board and drew the outside of the museum on ‘Day 2’ and wrote ‘Status: Pending’ below. “Okay, there’s nothing else to do here. Let’s go back upstairs.”

I placed my lab coat back where it was on a hook and dusted myself off. I was about to open the door for my lab to head back up when my phone started to ring.

“Who could that be?” I wondered picking up my phone.

I walked towards my work table and picked up my phone. “It’s Pinkie.” I accepted the call and put my phone to my ear. “Hi, Pinkie!”

“Twi, hi!” She answered, cheerful as always, but I had to pull the phone away as my friend loud voice nearly shattered my eardrum. “I’m calling you to let you know that we’re all meeting at Sugarcube Corner right now. Feel free to come!”

I smiled. “Thank you for the invitation, Pinkie. I’ll be there.”

“Kay, kay! That’s all. Byeeee!” My friend hung up.

“Oh, Pinkie…” I giggled and put away my phone before looking at Spike. “My friends are at Sugarcube Corner and I’ll join them. Do you need anything?”

My pet shook his head. “Nah, I’m fine. Have fun! Oh, and tell them I said hi!”

I chuckled and knelt to scratch his head. “Will do. I’ll leave you the door of my room opened.”

“Thanks!” Spike jumped into my arms. I carried him to my room, where he jumped down onto my bed. I then walked to my mirror to arrange my hair, and make sure I was properly dressed for my meeting with my friends. If I knew Pinkie, it would be fun, but messy. I took some money putting it in my wallet and that in my purse, and then glanced at my pet one last time. “When I get back, we’re going for a walk, okay?”

“Oh, boy!” He started to bark excitedly as he jumped around.

I giggled, blew him a kiss and waved at him as I walked out of my room. Once downstairs, I saw my parents talking in the kitchen. The door was opened, so I knocked on it to catch their attention.

“I’m heading out to meet my friends at Sugarcube Corner!”

“Okay, dear. Have fun!” My mother replied while my father just nodded.

“Thank you. I’ll be back later!” I waved at them before heading outside. Once I walked down the stairs, I gave myself a one last look over making sure I was ready, took a deep breath and continued on my way to meet my friends. This is perfect! I already told my parents, my brother, Cadence and, of course, Sunset about my trial dating with Aria. I told her she could tell Trixie, but I asked her not to tell anyone else. I want to personally reveal my crush on Aria to everyone, and now that I’ll have everyone gathered, I can’t waste this chance.

“Twilight, over here!” Pinkie Pie waved at me energetically as soon as I walked through the doors. It appears that it wasn’t her shift since I saw her sitting with everyone else, even Trixie was there too, sitting next to Sunset. My friends smiled at me as I approached them. “We saved you a seat next to Trixie!”

“Thank you.” I smiled at my friends as I sat down.

“Twilight, darling, it’s good to see you.” Rarity greeted me as soon as I sat. “I was waiting for your arrival before talking about an interesting subject.”

“Which is…?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Why, the Sirens, of course.” Rarity smiled warmly. “They have changed so much since we last saw them. Now they’re so approachable! Well, two of them, at least.”

I caught the tone in Rarity’s voice. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised Aria wasn’t as forthcoming with her. Well, at least she was trying and she was friends with Sunset and Trixie. It was a start, I guess Pinkie too?

“Wait…” Applejack spoke up, frowning. “Yer still hangin’ out with Adagio?”

The fashionista nodded. “I am. She accompanied me to the fashion parade which was held at the mall just a few days ago. She’s quite friendly, darling. We shared our sketchbooks and designs. Let me tell you, she has an excellent eye.”

“That’s all you did with her? Talk about fashion?” Rainbow Dash asked, crossing her arms. Was she also raising an eyebrow suspiciously?

“Yes, that was all, but we had a good time!” Rarity didn’t lose her smile. “I’m eager to get to know her more.”

She moved her gaze towards Fluttershy. “I hope that you don’t mind, dear, but I invited her to the tea house we’re going to go in two days.”

Fluttershy leaned her head backwards. She wasn’t expecting to be talked to. “I-I don’t mind…” The timid girl replied with her usual quiet tone.

“Hold on!” Applejack raised her hand as in ‘stop’ to catch Rarity’s attention. She didn’t look very happy “Yer inviting her to a tea house? You never invited me to one!”

“I didn’t think it would be your scene, Jackie.” Rarity replied, tilting her head in confusion.

“Not often, but ah wouldn’t mind once in a while…” The farmer girl looked away, seemingly offended.

“Do you want to join us, darling…?”

Applejack crossed her arms, still avoiding Rarity’s gaze. She eventually replied, smiling slightly. “… Ah’ll be there.”

“Oh, marvelous!” Rarity clasped her hands, smiling widely. “We’re going to have so much fun! I’ll pick you up with Adagio, before looking for Fluttershy at the animal shelter.”

“Oh! That reminds me…” Fluttershy said, looking at me. “Twilight, I hope it’s not too late, but, are you free to help me at the animal shelter the day after tomorrow? It’s fine if you can’t.”

“The day after tomorrow?” It’s the same day in which I have my date with Aria scheduled, but that’s in the afternoon. “At what time would I join you, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy stuttered looking wide eyed around her. “U-Umm… after lunch? I’ll wait for you outside the building.”

I think I should be fine. I can tell Aria we’ll meet there instead after I help Fluttershy for a few hours. I smiled at my timid friend as I replied. ”I’ll give you a hand, Fluttershy."

“Th-Thank you, Twilight.” My friend returned the smile. “I’ll give you the address later.”

“Returning to the previous subject.” Pinkie Pie spoke up, grinning. “I befriended Sonata! She works at ‘Burger Princess’ and she’s so cool!”

“Really?” Rainbow Dash asked, frowning.

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Yes! Oh! And when I visited her at work a few days ago, I also saw Aria! She and Twilight were-”

“P-Pinkie, wait!” I waved my hands frantically to catch Pinkie Pie’s attention. However, I froze when everyone stared at me with varying degrees of shock. “U-Uh…”

“What’s wrong, darling?” I barely registered Rarity’s voice. I suddenly felt small as I flushed madly.

“Woah, there, Twilight! Yer as red as Granny Smith’s raspberry’s pie. Are you feelin’ okay?” Applejack asked as she reached to check my temperature on my forehead. “Hmm, seems fine to me.”

Rainbow Dash frowned worriedly. “Yeah, what’s going on?” Panic! I’m panicking! Someone please help me!

“Alright, girls, why don’t we let her breathe for a bit.” Sunset said, as Trixie pulled me back to the back of my seat. Thank you, thank you! My friends looked at each other, nodded, and then stopped staring at me so intensely especially Rainbow Dash. They allowed me to take deep breaths until I calmed down. “Now, don’t glare at her too much.” I felt how Trixie squeezed my shoulders. Was she massaging me?

“Oh, sorry sugarcube, we didn’t realize that we were…” Applejack apologized, scratching the back of her neck.

“-Giving you too much attention.” Rarity continued the apology.

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that.”

Trixie released my shoulders patting my back. I glanced at both her and Sunset. They smiled at me and I returned it. “Thank you. And Trixie, that massage did its job. You’re really good!”

“Well…” The magician smirked. “I have experience.” After her words, I noticed that Sunset blushed before she looked away.

I giggled before turning to my other friends. “Don’t worry, everyone no harm done. Umm…” I nervously touched my index fingers. “Rarity, I’m glad that you brought up my other friends, because I have something to say…”

Before continuing, I looked at my athletic friend. She was taking a sip from her straw and paused when she noticed me looking right at her. “Rainbow, these are big news, so I’m going to wait until you stop drinking.”

“Why? Just hit me with those news, I can take it!” Rainbow Dash said with such bravado, waving her drink around before returning to drink from it.

“I-I don’t think so. Remember what happened before?” I said.

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Fine…” She placed her drink on the table. “There. My hands are free.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at the stubborn girl before addressing everyone again. “When Aria and I went to ‘Burger Princess’, we…”

My friends were all watching me expectantly from what I was about to say. I was getting anxious, so the dramatic pause wasn’t intentional. I was glad Trixie and Sunset were being more casual, it made me feel better. I eventually managed to recover the use of my tongue and could finish my sentences. “Aria and I were on a date.”

My friends’ eyes widened in shock, some even gasped.

“Wha-?!” Rainbow Dash tried to say something, but she suddenly started to cough.

“Dashie, what’s wrong?” Pinkie Pie worriedly asked.

“I… choked…” The athletic girl said between coughs.

“With what? You put down yer drink, didn’t ya?” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow.

“I choked… with my saliva…!” Rainbow Dash said, glaring at Applejack.

“How did you manage to choke with yer own saliva?” The farmer girl asked, frowning.

“I was swallowing, okay?!” Rainbow Dash glared back.

“Could you two please stop talking about saliva?!” Rarity asked, clearly disgusted. “Seriously, eww!”

“Sorry…” Applejack said, before turning back to me. “So… has Aria been yer girlfriend all along?”

“Why keeping such a wonderful detail a secret, darling? You simply must tell us more!” Rarity said, cheerfully with a grin. I think I saw her eyes glimmering.

“Yeah, please, tell us more, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie grinned.

“No one’s going to point out the fact that SHE’S DATING ARIA?” Rainbow Dash was confused and angry at the same time. Why does she dislike her so much? So far, she’s the only one of my friends who still feel this way. Just what happened between them?

The fashionista groaned and then frowned. “Oh, please, Rainbow, it’s obvious that the Sirens are not the same as before. Let it go.”

“But-” Rainbow Dash was interrupted by Applejack.

“Rainbow, Twilight, Pinkie and Rarity are on good terms with them. Ah think you should trust them.” The farmer girl said with seriousness. “We talked ‘bout this before.”

“Maybe what you need is to meet them!” Pinkie Pie said, with her usual grin. “We can all gather together and you’ll see how cool they are!”

“Yes, darling. We promise you that they’re good people, err, Sirens,” Rarity was clearly trying to be diplomatic. “Please, try not to be rude with them.”

Cornered, Rainbow Dash huffed, crossed her arms and folded into her chair. “Yeah, okay. I’ll… try. For real this time.”

“Thank you, dear,” Rarity said with a smile before squeezing Rainbow Dash’s cheek. “I knew you would come around.”

While my friends talked, I submerged into my thoughts. I promised not to dwell into the past, into what happened between my friends and the sirens. I still stand by that promise, but I can’t deny my growing curiosity. Curiosity was good for science, it always lead to discoveries and new inventions to be made, but in this case I must repress it. I’m just starting to get closer to Aria. I should avoid making uncomfortable questions that could ruin what we have.

“Twilight? Twilight, dear, are you there?” I blinked in quick succession when someone snaps their fingers in front of me. Focusing my view, I realized that it was Rarity and she looked worried. “My goodness, Twilight, you have been staring blankly for quite some time.”

“Wh-What? I-I’m sorry.” I giggled nervously. I sure have been focusing too much on my thoughts again, haven’t I?

“Don’t worry, dear. I’ll just ask again.” Rarity smiled warmly at me. “How long have you and Aria been dating?”

“O-Oh, about that…” I blushed and didn’t look at my fashionista friend in the eyes. “We’re not really official yet.” My friends were confused. They either tilted their heads, frowned, or were dumbfounded.

"Let me explain.” I cleared my throat before continuing. “I have been crushing on Aria for quite some time. A few days ago, my feeling grew to the point I just couldn’t hide them anymore.”

“So… you confessed.” Applejack commented.

I nodded. “In a way, yes.” My farmer friend raised an eyebrow. “I-I might have kissed her a little bit…” Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy gasped while Applejack and Rainbow Dash widened their eyes in shock.

“You kissed her out of the blue?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, Twilight! I didn’t know you had it in you!” Rarity commented, smirking.

“It was the heat of the moment! If you had been there, you would have understood.” I sighed happily. “Anyway, Aria didn’t know how she felt, so she asked for some time to think. The next day, she proposed for us to try dating. We had our first date on the same day, and we’ll have our second one in two days.”

“In two days?” Fluttershy spoke up.

“It will be in the afternoon, Fluttershy. Don’t worry, I will still be able to help you.” My timid friend smiled in appreciation.

“So… you’re not an actual couple? That’s… new.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“I think it’s sweet.” Rarity said with a smile. “We’re happy for you, Twilight.”

“Yeah! We can help you too!” Pinkie Pie smiled widely.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, Pinkie, but… I think this is something Aria and I must discover on our own.” I kindly rejected Pinkie Pie’s offer.

I don’t want to overwhelm Aria. Besides, what I said is also true. Aria and I have to go through this experience by ourselves. It would make everything more meaningful.

“Maybe we don’t have to actively play matchmaker-” Sunset spoke from her seat. “But we can cheer for you.” She said before winking at me.

“Trixie doesn’t really like that Siren-” Trixie added, frowning, before turning to me. “But she hopes your relationship with Aria works out.”

I responded with a smile of my own. “Thank you. I know some of you have some reservations, but I assure you, Aria can be really sweet.”

“I’ll have to see it to believe it,” Rainbow Dash said, causing Applejack and Rarity to glare at her. The athletic girl shrugged. “Just saying. She doesn’t have a good track record with us.”

While the validity of Rainbow’s statement were in question, we let it pass since she had little interaction with Aria or her sisters. Side from that, the rest of the day went on without any more problems. The girls and I talked about other things and I enjoyed my time with them. Rainbow Dash went on about her last soccer match, Rarity and Trixie talked about fashion, and how to improve Trixie's magician wardrobe. While the rest of us talked about other things. Overall it was a good day, and I was happy among friends.

Two days later…

Here it is, this is the day. Date day! AAAAAAH!

Calm down, Twilight… The day was a busy one, too. Not just because of the museum with Aria, but I also had to help Fluttershy. After lunch, I headed to the address she provided me with Spike. My friend led me to the changing room where she gave me an apron and special boots and gloves in order to not get my clothes dirty. I left Spike to play with some of the dogs in the shelter while I cleaned, fed, and gave all the animals the love and care they needed. It wasn’t a clean job, but it was still enjoyable. Time flew really fast! Before I knew it, it was time to meet with Aria. I removed the apron, the gloves and boots before going outside with Fluttershy and Spike, where we stood by the door to wait for our friends.

“This was fun, Fluttershy. I hope I can join you more often.” I was the first one to break the silence.

My friend looked at me, smiling. “I hope so too. You were very good with all the animals. You didn’t really need my help.”

“I told you that I was an animal enthusiast.” I said, before nuzzling cheeks with Spike. “I don’t just care for Spike.” After saying the last, my pet licked my face, causing me and Fluttershy to giggle.

“He’s a lucky boy.” My timid friend said before stroking Spike’s head. “He’s got your undying attention all the time, just like Angel does with me.”

“It has been a while since I last saw your bunny. I would like to see him again.”

“I would like to play with him!” Spike excitedly said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I could have brought him to the pajama party…” Fluttershy was really upset about it. Oh, no.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy. There’s always a next time.” I smiled at her. It seems like she recovered her mood because she smiled brightly at me.

“Well, hello there, darlings!” Fluttershy and I gasped.

I recognized Rarity’s voice, but she was nowhere to be seen. Fluttershy, Spike and I looked in every direction until a limousine parked next to us. One of the windows was pulled down to reveal Rarity’s face. Our fashionista friend opened the door and walked out of the limo, with Adagio behind her. I noticed that Applejack was inside too. Rarity placed a hand on her hip before speaking. “Pardon us if we kept you waiting for too long. I had to rent this limo when I realized the time.”

“What ‘bout, ah don’t know, a regular cab?” Applejack commented from the vehicle.

“No way, Jackie! A cab doesn’t have the same accommodations. It simply wouldn’t do.”

“Agreed.” Adagio said, crossing her arms. “I stopped using them because most of them were filthy.”

“It’s okay, we just finished.” Fluttershy said with her usual quiet tone. I glanced at her. She was looking at Adagio, with an expression somewhere between shock and fear. Looking back at the Siren, I saw her smiling warmly at the timid girl as she spoke.

“Hi there, sweetie.”

“Eep!” Fluttershy squeaked before quickly hiding behind me.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Adagio felt bad for what just happened.

“Don’t worry, darling, this is normal for her.” Rarity said, sighing and waving her hand around before making eye contact with me. “Oh, Twilight~!” Rarity’s voice was melodic and excited. “We have a surprise for you~!”

“A… surprise?” I raised an eyebrow, confused. Rarity and Adagio looked at each other and snickered, while Applejack looked away. I got even more confused by their strange behavior. What’s going on?

“We brought…” Adagio made a dramatic pause, she opened the limo’s door while stepping aside. From the inside, someone else walked out. It was … Aria…? I gasped. Aria’s here with them?! “… Your date!” Adagio finished her sentence as she and Rarity extended their hands towards Aria as in presentation.

Aria leaned back and groaned. She was visibly annoyed. “I told you not to do that! It’s so stupid! How is this a surprise if we agreed to meet here?”

It WAS her! I wasn’t expecting to see her so soon! I didn’t see her inside before. Where did she hide? Not important! I quickly gave Spike to Fluttershy and ran towards my crush, leaping towards her in a hug. Aria gasped the moment I reached her.

“My goodness, dear!” I had my eyes closed, enjoying the embrace, so I only heard Rarity’s dreamy voice.

“You were saying?” Adagio seemed to ask someone. I think her question was to Aria because the latter replied with a loud grunt.

“Shut up.” Aria’s tone didn’t show signs of anger anymore. At this point, she hugged me back. “Hey, Spike. Are you coming with us too?”

“Spike?” I opened my eyes, briefly meeting my eyes with Aria. I had to force myself to look away for now. Instead, I leaned my head towards my pet, who was still being held by Fluttershy. “I brought him so he could play with the other dogs at the shelter. The museum has a ‘no pets’ policy, so he can’t come…”

Spike produced a sad whimpering sound and looked down as his ears folded down with him.

“Oh, don’t worry, Twilight. I have taken Angel Bunny to the tea house before. We’ll take him. I can drop him off at your house later.” My timid friend said as she petted Spike’s head.

“I can come with you? Cool, thanks!” My pet wagged his tail happily.

Fluttershy giggled while she hugged Spike. “Aren’t you a precious little thing?”

“Ah reckon we should be goin’.” Applejack was the one to speak this time, standing outside the limo now. “They have a date and all.”

“Of course, you’re right.” Rarity looked back at Applejack.

“Hold on.” Adagio said, as she approached Aria and me. I stopped hugging my crush and stood next to her, but I held her hand. Adagio stood in front of Aria, licked a thumb and began combing Aria’s hair. “I asked you to comb properly. See what happens when you do it at the last minute?”

“I combed it how I like it!” My date complained, shaking her head to dodge Adagio’s hand.

Adagio groaned not giving up in spite of Aria’s behavior. “Stay put, sister! I’m trying to help you!”

“If I may, dear, I think I may be of help too.” Rarity interjected, as she pulled out makeup from her purse. “If you allow me-”

“You may not!” Aria backed away, releasing my hand. “I already spent the entire ride with you! That’s more than enough!”

“But I can make you look lovely!” Rarity tried to offer her assistance again, but Aria turned around and crossed her arms.

“I said no!”

I know that they’re not on good terms, but I still didn’t enjoy witnessing this.

Adagio sighed loudly. “No need to be so rude!” She said, before glancing at Rarity. “I apologize, but I’m afraid that this is how she is.”

“It’s not the first time I come across someone stubborn.” Rarity commented as she put away her makeup. “Very well, so be it. Fluttershy, Spike, we’re leaving.” Both Fluttershy and Spike nodded in response. The timid girl ran towards the limo while Rarity smiled at me.

“Have fun you two. I want all the juicy details later.” She winked at me afterwards.

I blushed furiously, leaning down I buried my face in my hands. “R-Rarity!”

I peeked from between my fingers and saw Adagio looking at her sister, who was now facing the limo, still with her arms folded. “Aria, stay out of trouble.”

“Don’t I always?” Aria replied, with a smirk leaning one hand on her hip.

Adagio sighed, massaging her forehead. Then, she opened the limo’s door so Rarity could get in.

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity smiled at Adagio before getting inside.

“Ciao!” The fashionista waved at us as Adagio closed the door. As Aria and I stepped away we saw Applejack step in front of Adagio with a cross look on her face. The two stared at each other for a minute, Adagio seemed confused by Applejack’s actions while Applejack just stared back.

“What’s wrong?” Adagio asked with much sass in her voice. “You like what you see?”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at Adagio’s teasing. “It ain't that. I could have held the door open for her.”

At first Adagio looked like she was ready to respond, but a moment passed and her lip curled into a smug grin. “Oh, Applejack, if you wanted to hold the door open for Rarity all you had to do was ask.”

Applejack said nothing, I noticed a slight blush on my friend’s face and apparently so did Aria, who was covering her mouth trying not to laugh. Adagio seemed to notice too, if her response was any indicator.

“Well, if you’re that disappointed not being able to hold the door open for your lady-”

“She ain’t mah lady!”

Applejack's sudden outburst had Adagio chuckling and Aria herself was having a hard time holding back her laughter as she tried to look away. I elbowed her, still in shock from what I was seeing and hearing.

Adagio stepped aside and waved her hand. “Well, then Jackie, let me see if you're up for the task. There is another lovely lady who wouldn’t mind if you opened the door for her.” Adagio said, in her sweet sing-song tone.

Applejack was not as red as the apples on her farm from hearing her nickname. At first Applejack said nothing but after a moment she stepped forward avoiding eye contact with Adagio and opened the door for her and stood by it like a well practiced butler would.

“Adagio.”

At her name, the siren smiled taking Applejack’s hand and slipped into the limo with such grace and beauty I felt mesmerized. Once she was in the limo Applejack sighed as Adagio poked her head out.

“Thank you. You’re quite the gentlewoman. Isn’t that right, Rarity?” Adagio looked back at my other friend.

Rarity then leaned over from inside the limo with a grin, and I swear I saw Applejack go tense for a moment.

“Why, yes I do think you’re right Adagio, however;” she pouted at Applejack. “I thought you’d hold the door open for me too!” She whimpered making Applejack deflate slightly.

Both Adagio and Rarity giggled as Applejack huffed stomping the ground. “Ya’ll are messing with me ain’t ya!?”

“Sorry, Applejack, but you’re just too easy to tease!” Adagio gasped out between giggles.

“Yes, quite, we meant no harm darling!” Rarity added.

Applejack groaned and closed the door stiffly. She then noticed us as she walked to the other side opening the door and paused to stare at us, more specifically Aria, who was still stifling her laughter, I elbowed her in response making her stop. Applejack huffed and slipped into the limo slamming the door. The limo then drove away, leaving me a-alone with Aria.

I slowly turned around to find Aria, with her arms folded, smirking and looking where the limo drove off.

“It sure is fun when Adagio teases somebody else for a change.” She said before turning to me, still with her smile. “Hi there, Sparks.” I gasped, averting my gaze at the floor as my face turned completely red. My heart always skips a beat whenever she calls me by any of my nicknames or my actual name. I heard her chuckle and then her footsteps getting closer to me. “You amuse me, Twilight, you know that?”

“I-I do…?” I forced myself to look at Aria as I spoke.

Bad idea. She was so close to me!

“Yeah. I don’t know why, but there’s something funny about seeing you all flustered.” She lost her smile before continuing. “I mean, it’s not a bad thing, right?” There’s her worried side. The reminder of how concerned she is with me always puts a smile on my face.

“N-No, it’s alright. I’m glad you don’t find it weird or annoying.”

Aria recovered her smile and placed a hand on my head to gently stroke my hair. My jaw dropped, but I managed to suppress a gasp. “Never.” She kept stroking my hair. While doing so, I noticed how her smile slowly faded.

“Is everything alright?”

My crush looked at me, widening her eyes. “Uh…” She sighed, looking away from me and crossing her arms. “Not really. You probably didn’t enjoy watching me yell at your friend.”

“Oh…” I looked down, sad. “Yes, I did not enjoy it at all.”

“I thought so…” I glanced back at her. She unfolded her arms and gazed at me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Aria…” I took a step towards her. “I get that you don’t want to be friends with them, but you can’t treat them like that in front of me. I love them. Watching you yell at Rarity… it hurt me.”

“I know, but…” Aria groaned. “It’s complicated. I’ll explain you everything as soon as I’m ready. For now, I hope you can accept my apology.”

I can’t be too harsh on her. Despite her action being unpleasant, she’s apologizing. Frowning, I spoke to her. “I’m still unhappy about it-” My crush looked ashamed. No, I definitely can’t be harsh. I automatically smiled.

“But I forgive you.” Aria grinned and opened her arms, attempting to hug me, but I stopped her by raising a hand at her. Again, I frowned putting on a serious face. “I don’t want to see that again, though. I’m serious about this.”

Aria raised her eyebrows in shock. “Noted.” I smiled at her again before hugging her. My crush was taken by surprise, but she eventually returned the hug. “Thank you.” She said, before breaking the hug and looking around, placing her hands in her pockets. “So, umm… I don’t know where the museum is. Since I never had the chance to visit it before…”

“It’s this way.” I said as I pointed out with my index finger behind me. “If we go now, we’ll arrive just in time for the tour.”

“Cool, let’s get going then.”

Aria took a few steps forward into the direction I pointed, but I didn’t move just yet. I’m very tempted to ask Aria to tell me what happened between her and my friends, but I know that it’s a bad idea. She just said that she’s not ready. Besides, I made a promise to wait. Still, whatever happened must have been huge. All of my Canterlot High friends were worried when I told them about Aria and her sisters, but their worry is not as big now. Only Rainbow Dash doesn’t seem to trust them. Should I… investigate on the matter?

“Hey, Twilight!” I gasped lightly and looked at Aria when she called me. She smirked at me as she showed me one of her hands. “I’ll get lost without your guidance, cub.”

I blinked several times, waking up from my thoughts. I grinned and ran towards her side, taking hold of her hand. No, there’s no reason to investigate about this. I trust Rainbow, but I also trust Aria. Together, we started to walk towards the museum.

I remained silent for a while, but I eventually managed to say something. “A-Aria…”

“Hmm?” She didn’t look at me, but she smiled. Even the side of her smile makes my heart flutter!

“U-Umm… If you dislike my friends so much... why were in a limosine with them?”

“Oh, that…” She sighed and looked at me. “I was going to meet with you after everyone else was gone, but the moment Adagio found out that they were going to pick up your friend at the same place you were, she dragged me with them.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that…”

“Meh, I’ll live.” Aria smiled at me. “It was Adagio’s deed, not your friends’. They let me be during the limo ride, so I can’t be mad.”

I sighed in relief. “I’m glad nothing bad happened.” My crush smirked and looked ahead of us. This time, I didn’t take long to break the silence again. I was starting to feel confident. “How was the movie? The one you took Sonata to?”

Aria shrugged. “It was alright, I guess. She wanted to watch Nora Universe. I really didn’t understand the plot, so I was lost. Why do they have to sing so much?”

“Nora Universe? I never heard of it.” I commented.

“Sonata loves the show.” Aria continued. “She watched every single episode and specials. So when a movie was announced, she, of course, begged us to take her to the cinema. In the end I agreed to take her.”

I giggled. It was nice to hear that Aria was spending so much time with her sisters. “I’m glad she had the chance to watch her favorite show on the big screen. Did she enjoy it?” I asked, glancing at my crush.

“She did.” Aria smiled. “She laughed and sang along. She wasn’t the only one, though, so I wasn’t embarrassed. I bought her ice-cream afterwards and then we bought pizza for dinner.”

“Sounds like you had a great day, then.” I squeezed her hand. Hearing her say that she enjoyed her day with Sonata made me happy.

“We did, actually.” She looked at me, still smiling. This girl will be the end of me and my heart! “How about you? What did you do?”

“Me?”

Aria nodded. “Do you see anyone called ‘You’ around?”

I blushed, both in embarrassment and because of my crush. “W-Well, I was with my friends, I read some books, played with Spike and worked in my lab… I didn’t do much.”

“You did more than me, though.” Aria grinned.

“It’s not a competition…” I said while looking away, but still smiling.

“I never said it was.” Aria nudged me with her arm to call for my attention, so I looked at her. We were so close… DON’T KISS HER, DON’T KISS HER! “Besides, I was never a fan of competition. Too much work, and you don’t always win, so it all goes to waste.”

“Winning isn’t everything. You get experience and you also get to have fun.” I say.

“But I want the prize, and I’m not talking about a consolation prize. I mean the real deal.”

I giggled. “Maybe one day we could try some competition games at an arcade or the amusement par-” I closed my mouth abruptly when I realized what I just said. I just said the other day in my lab that the amusement park was too soon for us. Aria raised an eyebrow, confused, then she smiled.

“Amusement park?” She chuckled. “I don’t have a problem with that, but Sonata has been begging Adagio to go there for a while. She might not be happy if I get to go without her, so maybe we shouldn’t go there for the time being?”

“Yes, I agree with you! It wouldn’t be fair for Sonata.” I said, maybe with a higher tone that I intended.

“Okay…” My crush got confused again, but then she cleared her throat. “Change of subject. How was your day at the shelter?”

I smiled at Aria. “You ask about my day quite often.”

Aria shrugged. “I like to hear what you do.” There’s those butterflies in my stomach again. She will really be my end.

“W-Well, Spike had fun with the puppies, while I was in cleaning duty. But I didn’t just clean. I also fed and pet every fuzzy animal I could. There are just so many of them! Anyway, Fluttershy told me what each of them enjoys doing and where each of them preferred to be petted. They are all so cute…!” I told Aria everything I did and she listened. She listened to every word. She’s so attentive! She made a few more questions about the shelter, but she just listened to me most of the time.

“Here we are!” I said as I excitedly stepped in in the museum’s main hall. I took a deep breath after looking around. “Tell me, what do you smell?”

“Floor wax?” Aria replied, pointing with her thumb to a janitor who was sweeping the floor nearby.

“Well, yeah,” I giggled. “But also…” I took another deep breath. “Knowledge. The history of Canterlot City resides here.”

Aria took a deep breath and smiled smugly at me. “Sorry, cub. I still smell floor wax.”

“Very funny.” I playfully pushed her before leading her to a group of people who were standing in the center of the hall. “We must wait for the tour guide here.”

“Okay.” Aria contemplated the different expositions. “Could we get closer to the two paintings inside those crystals over there? They’re too small to see from here.”

I glanced at the group. “I don’t see why not. We don’t need to be with the group the whole time until the guide arrives.”

Aria and I approached the exposition she wanted to see. The two paintings were portraits of two women who looked oddly familiar. I read the inscription below.

The sister Queens Sol and Nebula. They ruled the lands surrounding Canterlot City when it was still a kingdom. They refused to get married, and instead chose to rule together until their lands were invaded. Records confirm that they managed to escape overseas disguised as settlers. Documents discovered a century ago show that they eventually got married and had families of their own.

“Well, that’s a bummer.” Aria commented. “They lost everything they had and were forced to live as commoners.”

“History is usually like that. Not everyone has a happy ending,” I said as I stood next to her. “At least they survived. In history, that alone is a victory.”

“I don’t really feel bad for them.” Aria spoke again. “But I can relate. I know how it feels to have everything only to have it taken away from you.”

“Aria…” I placed a hand on her shoulder. She dropped her head and remained silent for a while. I figured that she was thinking of continuing or not so I let her be. Eventually, she glanced at me. Her expression was hard to read. She wasn’t angry, but she was clearly upset about something. She wasn’t sad either, but she wasn’t smiling.

“Back in Equestria… My sisters and I encountered-”

“No… way!” Both Aria and I widened our eyes in shock. I recognized that voice. I turned around and spotted Pinkie Pie by the group of people in the middle of the hall. She was grinning and had her hands clasped together.

“Pink-?” I was cut short when my party friend rushed to me and hugged me tightly.

“What a wonderful coincidence! I wasn’t expecting to find you here!” While hugging me, my friend glanced at Aria. She tried to hug her too, but Aria backed away, raising a hand to stop her.

“Not me. I’m serious. I’m not like my sisters,” Aria backed away as Pinkie deflated next to me.

“Aww…” Pinkie Pie dropped her hands and pouted. Sorry, Pinkie, but I’m taking Aria’s side this time.

“Pinkie…” My friend looked at me when I called her. “Why are you here? I don’t mean to offend, but I didn’t take you for the kind of person who makes visits to the museum.”

Pinkie Pie recovered her usual smile and giggled. “My sister Maud works here! I sometimes come to visit her.”

“Oh. Have you seen her yet?” To my dismay, Pinkie Pie shook her head.

“Nopey dopey! I was going to see her now, but then I saw you guys and I thought on saying hi, so… hi!” My friend grinned with her eyes closed, waving one hand while she kept the other behind her back.

“H-Hi…” I waved her back, but weakly. I then heard Aria clearing her throat. I looked at her and saw that she had her arms crossed and that she was frowning. R-Right! “P-Pinkie, you know that I’m always happy to see you…”

“I’m happy to see you too!”

I giggled. “Yeah… but, Aria and I are currently on a date, and-”

“Ooooh.” Pinkie giggled again. “I get it. Sorry, I forgot. I won’t get in your way then.”

“You won’t?” Aria asked surprised, raising an eyebrow.

“Nope!” My friend shook her head. “Sonata asked me to let you two be if you were on a date and I pinky promised her to do so. And you must never break a pinky promise.” Pinkie Pie adopted a serious look when finishing her last sentence. It scared me a little.

“Wow…” Aria said, unfolding her arms. “Well… th-thank you…?”

“You’re welcome!” Pinkie Pie finished by giving my crush a strong pat on her back.

Aria shook her body in response. I gasped when I saw this. One of Aria’s eyes was twitching and she clenched her fists. She made eye contact with me, and I let her know with a frown and by shaking my head that I didn’t approve of her behavior. My crush exhaled and relaxed her body. Crisis averted… for now.

“May I have your attention, please?” A new man arrived to the hall. He was raising his hand and was well dressed. He must be the tour guide. “We’ll begin in just a few moments. Please, everyone who is here for the tour, gather around.”

“That’s my cue!” Pinkie Pie grinned at us. “I’ll go ahead and meet with my sister. You might see me, but I promise to keep my distance.”

I smiled at my friend. “Thank you, Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Have a nice date!” She waved at us and skipped away, waving at the tour guide. “Hello Mr. Faustin!”

“Hello, Pinkie.” The guide nodded at her as she passed. Meanwhile, Aria and I gathered with the rest of the group. My crush seemed to be a little confused by the situation, but she smiled at me when I took her hand.

“What’s in your mind?”

“Just thinking about Sonata and the Pink One. I’m astonished by how much they’re respecting our space.”

“They’re good people, Aria, and our friends. Well, they’re mine, while Sonata’s your sister and-”

My crush chuckled. “I got your point, cub.” She smiled at me, poking my nose with an extended finger. “I’m still not used to others being nice to me, other than you.

I sighed. “I understand that change doesn’t happen instantly,” I said before smiling at the siren again. “You’re trying, that’s what’s important.”

Aria returned my smile as she reached down and squeezed my hand. “Thank you.”

Even though I felt like my heart was about to explode, I managed to keep myself composed. The food joint was one thing, but I can’t cause a scene at the museum.

“Alright, we’re all here?” Mr. Faustin scanned the group. “Good, follow me. We’ll start with the expositions of the natives before the first settlers arrived.”

Aria and I followed the group and didn’t talk much except to comment on what we saw. Now that the situation with Pinkie ended, my mind focused on what Aria was about to say before the interruption. She was going to talk about her life in Equestria. It was the first time she was going to tell me something about her past. Oh, no. I haven’t told her that I know how she got here! I should have told her at ‘Burger Princess’…

I can still save this, though. Once we’re alone, I’ll tell her. For now, I’ll enjoy my… date with Aria. I really enjoy seeing her focused expression. Instead of making questions to the guide, she made them to me, and I was more than happy to answer them. This turned out to be a good place for the date.

When we left the museum we were still holding hands. Aria had a big smile on her face, which was contagious.

“I can’t lie, it was fun, but I prefer when you’re the one who does the explaining.”

I blushed, and hard. “W-Well… I-I try…”

A compliment! My date gave me a compliment! I was so excited I could scream! Then again I don’t think Aria would appreciate that kind of attention. So, I tried my hardest not to squeal like a fan girl.

Aria smirked at me. “One thing I did find boring was the geology and paleontology sections.”

“Yeah, Maud knew what she was talking about, but she explained in such a monotonous way that I don’t think anyone enjoyed it.”

“The rest was interesting, though. Who would have known my neighborhood used to be where the knights slept centuries ago?” My crush grinned. “There were some things I didn’t get to see, though. We should come again another time.”

“Of course, I’ll be happy to return with you.” I smiled at her. She remained silent afterwards, so I think it was time to talk about her past. I hesitated, but I eventually took a deep breath to speak. “So, Aria, about what you were going to say about Equestria…”

“Oh…” The siren smiled nervously. “You remembered, huh?”

“You… changed your mind about talking about it?” I completely lost my smile.

“It’s… complicated.” Aria scratched the back of her head. “I don’t really enjoy talking about my life in Equestria, but when we were watching those portraits, I spoke without realizing what was I saying.”

“Aria…” I stopped walking and faced her, taking hold of both of her hands. “I understand if you’re not really ready to talk about it… but I do have something to tell you.”

“I’m all ears.”

I sighed. Here it goes…”I know how you got here. I know about Starswirl and his portal… Sunset told me.”

Aria’s expression quickly went from shock to anger. “Sh-She what?!”

I took a step back, waving my hands. “Th-That’s all she told me, I swear! She didn’t tell me anything about how you met my friends nor why you’re not on good terms with any of them. She’s keeping her promise.”

My crush took deep breaths to calm herself down. “I believe you…” I sighed in relief and smiled. “It’s actually convenient, though. That’s pretty much what I was going to say.”

“Oh-” I leaned back my head. “Really?”

Aria nodded. “Yeah. My sisters and I encountered him. We fought, but in the end, he opened a portal which sent us here. We lost everything we had back in Equestria because of him. We had to start from zero when we arrived to this world.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that…” I said as I took hold of her hand again, caressing it with my thumb.

I couldn’t begin to think or understand what that must feel like. If I lost everything, my home, family, friends, I don’t know if I could recover from that. Aria was very strong and so were her sisters. I admire that in them. But I still felt bad.

“Don’t be.” My crush looked at me with a serious expression. “I have done a lot of things I’m not really proud of nowadays. Everything's different now. My sisters and I have adapted to our life here. Besides…”

Aria smiled and took a step closer to me. She placed her free hand on my head and scratched my head. “Being here allowed me to meet you.”

I widened my eyes again as I flushed furiously. When she saw my reaction, she smirked and touched my nose with her index finger. I literally felt as if my face was burning. I used both of my hands to cover my face. Oh, Aria! Why are you doing this to me?! I heard Aria chuckle and then I felt her hands on my shoulders. I moved my hands just enough to be able to look at her. She had a smug smile on her face. “Okay, I think that’s enough torture for one day. Let’s continue before the sun sets completely.”

I nodded and hugged myself as we started to walk again making sure to get back at Aria by not talking to her. That is until she wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close to her side. With our bodies pressed against each other I had all but forgotten her teasing. I was still flustered for it, but I figured I could let it go… for now. Aria smiled at me. “I promise, no more teasing today.”

While I was still blushing, I managed to smile at her. Walking towards Aria’s home, we continued to talk about what we saw at the museum. It didn’t take me long to return to my normal self.

When we arrived, Aria turned to me. The light of the sun setting did wonders to highlight her best features. Her eyes, her hair, her smile. I can barely hold myself from kissing her. I allowed myself to get lost in her eyes until she spoke.

“I had a really good time today, Sparks.”

“Me too. I wasn’t completely sure if you would enjoy the museum, but then you said that you have been wanting to go for a while.”

“Not long after meeting you, actually. You made me realize that there’s no shame in enjoying to read.”

My blush deepened hearing her say that. “I’m always happy to have reading partners.” Aria took a step closer to me, and then, to my surprise, she hugged me. “A-Aria…?”

“It’s a goodbye hug.” She said before breaking the hug. She then placed a hand on my head and took mine with the other. “You have planned two of the five dates now. Any chance I can plan the next one?”

I nodded. “S-Sure.”

Aria let go of my hand and took a step back. “I’ll call you.”

I smiled at her in response. Aria waved at me, turned around to open the door, and then she walked into her house. She looked at me before closing the door. I stood still for several seconds, looking at her door, before my legs decided to obey me. I have to update the status of the date on my board! Just as I turned around, the door opened again. I barely had time to register a blue shade before I was hugged. It was unexpected, but I managed to keep my balance.

“Hello, Twilight!” It was Sonata.

“H-Hi there!” I greeted her, but before I could hug her back, Aria called her from inside the house.

“Sonata, get back here!”

“Goodbye, Twilight!”

In just a blink of an eye, she got back inside and then closed the door. I was left dumbfounded. However, I recovered within moments. It’s impossible not to smile at Sonata’s energy. It’s no wonder her and Pinkie got along so well, they were exactly the same! I giggled, shook my head, and started to walk towards my home.

Third Time's the Charm

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Aria’s P.O.V.

Several days have passed since my last date with Twilight. I’ve spent most of my free time reading when I can. Twilight is so smart, and I feel like I’m too stupid to be around her most of the time. When I was reading the descriptions at the museum on our last date, I found there was a lot I didn’t understand. Not to mention that Twilight is always using words I also didn’t understand. I could usually keep up with her, but sometimes I wish I was smarter so I could talk with her more about the things she liked.

So, I started my own personalized training. I would spend long hours at the library, reading until my eyes got sore. I even bought fake glasses from a costume shop because I felt like imitating my little cub. One day, when I returned home after a very long reading session, Adagio received me at the living room.

She was working on another one of her fancy dress sketches when I walked in. She eyed me as I walked by, still holding that sketchbook in her hands as I passed.

“My, you sure spend a lot of time reading these days.” She said, from the couch.

“No more than I usually do.” I said, while I walked into the kitchen to serve myself a glass of orange juice. Adagio followed me and stood by the kitchen’s door.

“Twilight’s used to it Aria, and she understands what she’s reading. You just started reading a few weeks ago. Do you even understand half of what you read, and why in heaven's name are you still wearing those silly things?” She pointed at my fake glasses.

“Hey! I can’t stay this way forever! The more I read the smarter I become, advanced books means advanced words!” I said, before taking a sip of my juice. “Sometimes I’m reading the same line over and over, but I think it’s worth it. Oh, and smart people use glasses, so I’m going to keep using them.”

My sister facepalmed groaning. “You’re pushing yourself too hard. You’re fine with what you usually read.”

“It’s not enough!” I glared at my sister. “I need to learn more! Today, I learned the word ‘Contentment’! I would probably have taken me years to learn otherwise!“

My sister sighed. “Why do you even want to know that word? How would you use it on a daily basis?”

I was at a loss for words. I never gave much thought on how I’d use the word. I just wanted to learn it so I could sound smarter.

“I don’t know. I haven’t started to think about how to fit them in phrases.” I admitted looking away from my sister.

My sister facepalmed again, this time with enough force I heard her hand hitting her head. You’re a brainless idiot, you’re all brute force. The words rang true in my head again and again, a sore reminder of what I went through, though I knew my sister didn’t have ill will towards me, it still upset me to hear those words inside my head.

“Aria… I have said it before, and I’ll say it again.” She looked at me with a serious expression. “Twilight is already crazy about you. You don’t need to do this. All she wants is for you to be nicer to her friends. She doesn’t want you to be a brainiac. She wants you to be you. Tell me, what word was it you said you learned the other day?”

“Umm…” I tried to focus on what I read yesterday, but Adagio interrupted me before I could even remember what it was.

“See what I mean?” Adagio placed her hands on her hips, she leaned forward into my face. “If you keep this up, you’ll forget the words you already know. You’ll never learn anything at this rate either.”

She walked up to me and placed her hands on my shoulders. She looked at me directly in the eyes, and I felt compelled to look my sister so close and all I could see was concern in her eyes.

“I want you to learn one word today, retain. You always try to learn new words, new ideas, new concepts. Not everything is like astronomy. You gained a passion for it so it's easier for you to retain. You can learn as long as you do it right, Aria, heck you teaching yourself basic astronomy shows growth and its good, but if you keep forcing yourself to learn something new every single day, you'll never learn anything-”

“You’re exaggerating.” I interrupted with a hint of sass before pushing away and walking out of the kitchen.

“Where are you going?” My sister asked, following me to the threshold of the kitchen.

“To my room to read! What do you think?!” I yelled as I put my glasses back on.

“Did you even hear what I just said!?” She reached out to grab hold of me. “Aria, please I’m trying to help you-”

“I don’t want your help! I can do this on my own!” I looked back to yell at Adagio, but then when I looked ahead again, I saw the wall right in front of me. The next thing I knew, I felt an intense pain as I walked right into it smashing my nose between me and the wall.

“Damn it!” I exclaimed as I massaged my aching nose.

“Wooooow, you really should watch where you’re going, Aria.” I heard Sonata say beside me.

I turned around to find her near me, with her usual goofy smile that made my blood boil. I really wanted to punch her right now. “I watched you go straight into the wall! Why did you do that?” She said, giggling like an idiot.

Now my temper had reached the breaking point. Between Adagio’s harassment and now Sonata’s idiocy I was reaching my limit. I stepped forward pushing my face into hers pointing at her angrily. “You mean that you knew that I was going to walk into the wall and you didn’t stop me?!”

“Uhh…” Sonata lost her smile, stepping back as I moved with her to keep her in arms reach. She then gasped when I groaned in frustration and bolted in the opposite direction. I ran after her, but she escaped my grasp and ran into her room, locking herself in. I started to pound on her door. Not too strong though since Adagio won’t be happy if I break it, even though it would have been easy to rip it off its hinges.

“Sonata, open the door!” Even though I’m trying to be nicer to her, sometimes she still gets on my nerves!

“No!” My little sister cried from the other side.

“Sonata open this door or I swear, I’ll punch you in the face next time I see you!”

I kept pounding on the door until I felt Adagio grabbing my arm. I turned my head to see Adagio glaring down at me. The moment I saw her, she reached out and grabbed me by my ear and lifted it. She pulled me away from the door and with my ear hostage, I had no choice but to follow her hands lead.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! Adagio what the heck!?” I cried while trying to free my sensitive ear.

“Now, Aria, that’s not a nice way to talk to your little sister-”

Sonata’s door opened and my younger sister popped out her head, grinning. “Thank you, Dagi! She-” As quick as lightning Adagio grabbed Sonata by her ear dragging her out of her room too.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! What did I dooooo!?” Sonata cried in pain as well when Adagio squeezed her ear.

“And you, missy, should have warned Aria instead of staring as if it was a joke. She could have injured herself. You two are destroying the harmony in this house, and I will not tolerate it.” She lectured us in her motherly tone, calm soothing, but dominating and intimidating all the same.

“I’m sorry, Dagi! Please, let me go! I won’t do it again I promise!” Sonata pleaded, trying to get Adagio to release her.

“Yeah, let us go!” I didn’t enjoy begging, but the pain in my ear was almost unbearable. Adagio released us, but she kept glaring at us with an angry frown.

“Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to each other.” Our sister commanded.

I let her know my unhappiness with a groan and I barely made eye contact with Sonata while crossing my arms and looking away with an angry glare.

“I-I’m s-sorry…” I said as I rubbed my ear.

“Sonata…” Adagio focused her eyes on our younger sister.

The little guppy flinched but stepped closer to me rubbing her arm. “I’m sorry, Aria. I thought you would turn around sooner. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Good.” Adagio smiled. “Now, a hug.”

“What?!” I glared at my older sister. “No way, I’m still mad-!”

Adagio groaned and pulled both Sonata and I together. I reluctantly obeyed while Sonata didn’t hesitate. “Very good. See? Friendship is Magic.” Adagio smiled again. I couldn’t believe she just said that… “Now, no more fights. I need to concentrate on this new design. Shoo, shoo!”

Both Sonata and I nodded. My little sister walked back into her room and I turned around, intending to walk into mine and catch up on some reading, but Adagio cleared her throat. “Hold on a moment, Aria.”

I sighed, stomping the ground with impatience and turned my head just enough to make eye contact with her. “What?”

Adagio sighed, walking next to me to hug me. I heard her sigh as she petted the back of my head while I stood stunned. “D-Dagio? H-Hey what gives?” I asked shaken by the sudden show of affection.

She pulled me away holding me by the shoulders with a worried look in her eyes.

“Aria, you know I just want to help you be happy right?” She asked very softly to me. I nodded in return and she smiled rubbing my shoulders with her hands. “Good, I don’t want you to think I’m against you. If anything, I am amazed you are eager to learn, just try to take it easy okay? You can’t learn everything overnight. That’s what schools are for.”

I nodded, feeling slightly foolish for my behavior. I should have known better, Adagio wasn’t my old pack leader. No, she was a real leader. Someone who cared about me and Sonata. I know that even if we weren’t sisters she’d still care for us, if her friendship with the Rainbooms was an indication, so why did I get so offended by what she told me? It seemed so insignificant now I don’t know why I got mad.

I looked back at her lowering my head in shame, but her hand guided my gaze to meet hers. She smiled at me and that made me feel better. I hugged her without thinking. All I could hear was her gasp and then she embraced me back.

“You’ll do fine, Aria. Just be yourself and Twilight will love you for that.” She said patting my back.

“Thanks Adagio, I’ll remember that next time.” I said, rubbing her back.

My sister and I separated and both of us looked away awkwardly before she cleared her throat.

“So, about Twilight,” She started to say, crossed her arms before speaking onward. “It’s been quite a while since you last saw each other. When are you going to see her again?”

I turned the rest of my body around to face Adagio. “I still don’t know where to take her. We encountered her annoying pink friend two times in a row now. I don’t want that to happen again.”

She sighed patting my shoulder. Adagio had a weird look on her face, somewhere between frustrated or annoyed. “Well, think fast. Are you forgetting what happens in three days?”

I raised an eyebrow, confused. “What am I forgetting? It’s just another Monday in three days, right?”

Adagio groaned impatiently and massaged her forehead with her hand. “I don’t believe you, Aria,” She sounded disappointed looking at me. “Spring Break comes to an end next Monday. Twilight’s going back to school, which will limit her free time.”

My eyes widened in shock. “What?!” How could I forget?! I should have written it in my calendar! Wait a moment. I don’t have a calendar! “Why didn’t you say something sooner?!”

“I’m not the one dating her.” Adagio frowned. “Aria, you have to take this seriously. Girlfriend or not, this is important. If you lost interest in doing it, just tell her instead of-”

“I haven’t lost interest. I just forgot, okay?!” I placed both of my hands on my head in frustration. “I-I’m going to call her now.” I started to head into my room.

“Where will you take her?” My sister asked.

“I don’t know, I’ll improvise!” I replied without turning back. “It worked fine the first time! Mostly…” I entered my room and closed the door behind me before quickly grabbing my phone. I dialed Twilight’s number and waited… and waited… and waited…

“Hello, Aria!” I smiled the moment she answered, as it has been usual lately. “Sorry for not answering fast. I’m with some volatile chemicals in my lab.”

“It’s fine. I don’t want to be the reason of any potential explosion.”

She giggled, making my smile wider. “How are you, Aria? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

“Yeah, about that…” I sighed. “Sorry. I was trying to think where to go on our next date and I forgot that you go back to school next Monday. Adagio just told me.”

“Yes. I’m already busy.” There was a short pause. I heard the sound of a chair, so I think that she sat down. “I’m organizing my school supplies, and I have also been doing some favors to my friends. In just an hour, I’m meeting with Rainbow Dash to help her with something.”

“Oh…” I dropped on my bed. “So… you’re completely busy this weekend?”

“I’m afraid so…” I felt as if my insides sank. Oh, no. Why did I take so long?! I really am too stupid to be around her. I laid on my bed, hitting my forehead with the palm of my hand. Then... Twilight spoke again. “Unless…” My eyes shut open and I listened to her words closely. “If I talk to my friends and reorganize my schedule now, I think I can make some room on Sunday.”

“Really?” I sat up on my bed again.

“Yes.” Twilight continued. “I’ll make sure to organize my stuff before Sunday, and maybe I can help some of my friends earlier or the days before. Aria, do you mind if I hang up so I can call my friends? I’ll call you back.”

“Sure thing, cub. Do what you have to do.”

“Thank you!” She sounded excited, which made me happy. “I won’t take long. Stay close to your phone.”

“I will. Bye.”

“Talk to you really soon!” With that excitement, she hung up the phone and I felt slightly more relaxed. I chuckled and shook my head before laying on my bed putting my phone on my chest so I could answer quickly. I tried to think of where I could take her and jotted down a few ideas. After a few minutes of waiting I downloaded some apps on my phone, so I played with them to kill time.

I think thirty minutes had passed when Twilight called me. I didn’t let the ringing last long. I was as impatient as her. “Hello again, Sparks. Do you have good news?”

“I sure do!” She didn’t lose her good mood. “I talked to my friends. After I explained to them the situation, they all agreed to help us!”

“What do you mean?” I sat on the bed, starting to get worried.

“I had my whole weekend busy, but when I told them about our date, they agreed to help. I was going to meet with Pinkie, Rarity and Trixie on Sunday. Rainbow offered to help Pinkie instead while Fluttershy helps Rarity. I only have to meet with Trixie and I’ll be free!”

I chuckled. Her excitement was just so amusing. “Wow, look at you little miss schedule girl. But can’t Trixie’s girlfriend help her?”

“I’m afraid not. I accompanied Sunset to buy a Blintendo 3DS and she got hooked. That’s okay, though! We’ll have most of the afternoon for us, Aria.”

“Great!” I jumped off my bed. “Can we meet at 3PM?!”

“Yes we can!” I bet her smile was a wide as mine. “Where?”

“I don’t know!” I knelt and let myself fall to the floor. I sighed and placed the palm of my free hand on my forehead, frustrated. “Sorry, Twilight. I was so focused on setting the date before you went back to school, that I forgot to think of a place.”

“Don’t worry, Aria. We can think of something.” Twilight sounded calm. She tried to ease my frustration, and to be honest, it was working. At least a bit. I really appreciate her for that.

“I have been so busy doing other things, that I-” I stopped talking without a warning, which worried Twilight.

“Aria, what happened? Aria?”

I was busy at the library… We could go there! We both love books, it’s perfect! “Let’s meet at the library!”

“The library?” There was a short pause. “Of course! Why didn’t I think about that before?”

“It’s settled, then?” I asked, grinning.

“Yes, it’s settled!”

“Alright! I can’t wait! I’ll let you return to your chemicals now. I’ll never forgive myself if you blow up your house because of me.”

Twilight giggled. “Don’t worry, Aria, I have everything under control. I know how to handle my science experiments. I always make sure my lab is a safe environment, especially with Spike around.”

“Then… do you think I could join you one day? Maybe be your assistant?”

“Of course! I would be happy to have you help me in my lab.”

“Really? You think I can do it?”

“As long as you follow my instructions, you will be fine.”

“I always listen to what you say.” I smiled but got confused when my friend started to stutter.

“Uh-umm… w-well… y-yeah. I-I have to go. See you on Sunday!”

“See you.” I was barely able to say goodbye when she hung up. I stared at my phone, still dumbfounded. “What was that about?”

I decided to shrug it off. Usually when she behaves like that is because of her strong feelings for me. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what happened. I was just glad we were able to come up with something to do in the end. I shook my head, smirking and thinking about how adorable she gets around me. “Oh, Sparks…” I said, before placing my phone on my bed and taking off my fake glasses. “I hope you never change.”

When Sunday arrived, I made sure to not be late. I went to the library with fifteen minutes to spare. I was in the sitting area within the main hall, watching the door, waiting for Twilight to show up. When she finally did, she stood in the middle of the hall, watching the many bookshelves from upstairs. Smirking, I snuck up behind her and placed my hands on her shoulders shaking her. “Hey there, Sparks!”

“Gah!” Startled, my friend gasped and jumped away from me like she was hopping. I chuckled as Twilight turned around, frowning. “Aria, that wasn’t funny!”

“Aww, come on, Twilight. Don’t get mad.” Still frowning, my friend crossed her arms. I approached her, noticing her face getting red as I got closer. She also started to slowly widen her eyes.

“Wh-What are you doing…?”

I smiled deviously, scaring my friend a little bit. She dropped her arms in the surprise. Time to strike. With my index finger, I poked her nose. This got the reaction I was waiting for. Twilight quickly covered her nose with both of her hands, producing a cute sound I couldn’t describe. For some reason, this made me want to hug her, and I did it. She squeaked too! She stood still, surprised. “A-Aria…?”

“I haven’t seen you for a while. Although this could also be an ‘I’m sorry for not calling you earlier’ hug.”

“It’s okay, Aria…” She cooed as she hugged me back, snuggling in the process, which sent a strange feeling to my spine. “We’re here now.” She moved her head so we could meet each other’s eyes. “Let’s make the most of it, yes?”

I couldn’t reply at first. I was taken aback by the way she was looking at me. Eventually, I nodded. I also managed to form a smile.

“O-Okay…” I released her from the hug, but I took her hand right afterwards. When I first took it on our first date, I just did it to please Twilight. After doing it so many times since then, I have grown attached to her hand and now I do it to enjoy the sensation, just like I imagine she does.

“Since I picked the place, you pick the books. Which section shall we head to?”

“Hmm…” Twilight leaned down her head and placed a finger on her chin to think. “Choosing just one section is hard. Although…” She looked at me. “We could try the history section if you still want to know more about the city.”

I grinned. “It’s a start! Take us there.” My friend giggled and we started to walk. I have always stayed on the ground floor when I came here to read. I didn’t even know where the stairs were. Since I didn’t know how far we were, I took the chance to start a conversation. “So, Twilight… what did you do with… uhh… Mitzie?”

“Trixie.” Twilight corrected me, smiling. “She just wanted me to review some scenarios of a board game we played in the sleepover I had not long ago. She’s actually part of a club where they play it, so she wanted to make sure she had good stories. Then she asked me to babysit her dog, Pixie, while she and her mother went to the supermarket. Pixie’s just so cute! When they returned, Trixie commented that she would love to have a playdate with Spike, and-” she stopped and looked at me with worry. “-Oh, sorry, Aria. I hope that I’m not boring you.”

“Oh?” I blinked confusedly before smiling. “No, not at all.”

Although I didn’t really care much for what Trixie was up to, I did enjoy hearing Twilight talk.

“What about your pink friend? You say another of your friends is covering her for you, right?” Twilight nodded. “What did she want?”

“She wanted to bake cookies to share with us tomorrow at lunch, to welcome the return of classes. She and Rainbow Dash will pretty much be busy all afternoon.”

I smirked. “Which means we won’t run into her again.”

Twilight nodded, smiling. “Exactly. All of my friends are busy, so we shouldn’t run into any of them.” My friend said before clinging into my arm and walking closer to me.

I also saw that she closed her eyes and leaned into my shoulder as we walked. “It should just be you and me this time.” There was that strange feeling in my spine again. What was that? Even though I didn’t know what it was, I still enjoyed it.

“Perfect.” Twilight looked at me. She was going to say something else, but then, she yawned. “Are you tired?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing to worry about.” She smiled again. “I worked overtime these past days in order to make room today to see you.”

“Oh…” I looked away from her, feeling very guilty. “Sorry... again…”

“It’s okay, Aria. I’ll be fine. I wouldn’t miss spending time with you for anything.”

“I-I…” What’s going on with me?! Why can’t I use my words?! “Y-Yeah, me neither…”

Twilight grinned and turned her head around. “We need to climb these stairs.”

I followed her gaze and noticed that the staircase was a long one. I had to admit the building was nice though. “Ah, my nemesis... stairs. we meet again. Alright, time to see if all the walks I made have prepared me for this.”

Twilight giggled. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.” I nodded and followed her lead. Once on the second floor, I could see the sign of the History section.

“Here we are, Aria. Knowledge awaits!” I chuckled at her enthusiasm. She practically dragged me towards one of the tables and had me sit there. “Wait here. I’ll be right back!”

“Don’t you forget about me, cub. Remember that we’re supposed to read together.”

“I know, don’t worry.”

Twilight winked at me before disappearing behind one of the bookshelves. There wasn’t much for me to do while I waited, so I pulled out my phone to mess around a bit with it. A few minutes later, I put away my phone and placed my elbow on the table using my hand to support my head. I tapped the wood with my fingers when something caught my eye, or rather someone. I narrowed my eyes to have a better look of the person. I thought I recognize them, but then the sound of books hitting the table scared me, effectively distracting me from what was I doing.

“Here, I found some good ones!” Twilight said, as she sat down. “I even found an old map of the city, similar to the one we saw at the museum but more detailed. We can now see-”

“Wait, Twilight-” I didn’t really want to interrupt her, but it was important. “Isn’t that…” I pointed in the direction of the person I was now almost sure I knew who it was. “Maud?”

“What?” Twilight turned her head in the direction I was pointing and gasped. “I think you’re right! She’s at the Geology section.”

“Should we… I don’t know, See what she’s doing?”

My friend glanced at me. She was as confused as she was surprised. Truth to be told, I don't know why I was curious. The way Maud speaks is… dull.

“I-I don’t know, she might be doing an investigation for her work. Besides…” She looked at the books she just brought. “Aren’t we in the middle of our… date?”

“You’re probably right, but…” I glanced back at Maud. “I’m really curious.”

Twilight looked at Maud again. She stared at her for a few moments and then looked back at me, smiling. “Alright, let’s talk to her.”

I stood up and placed my hands on her shoulders. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you.”

Twilight giggled, giving me a joking punch to the shoulder. “We have two more trial dates after this one, so you better.”

I chuckled before walking towards Maud, with Twilight behind me. I cleared my throat when I reached her to call for her attention. Pinkie Pie’s sister turned around and spotted us.

“Yes? Do I know you?” She spoke with that monotonous tone of hers.

“Yes.” Twilight replied. “I’m Twilight, and this is Aria. We were in the museum the other day?”

“Oh, yeah, now I remember. You’re Pinkie’s friends.”

“Precisely.” Twilight smiled. “We were wondering what you are doing, if we’re not intruding?”

“You can stay if that’s what you want,” Maud said, as she turned around, allowing us to see the book she was holding. “I’m doing research. A ruby was donated to the museum and we don’t have much information about it.”

“Let me see.” Twilight took the book and accommodated her glasses to read better. I peeked as well. The gems in the book looked all beautiful and pricey. “What are you trying to find, exactly?”

“Something like this.” Maud showed us a photo of the ruby in her cellphone. The ruby had a perfect white rose formed within it. “I’m investigating to see if there’s more rubies like this one or if it’s the only one known.”

“Wow… it’s so beautiful…” My friend commented. I couldn’t admire its beauty, though. The shape the ruby had looked just like the amulets my sisters and I used to have. Twilight looked at me when she noticed me watching the photo so closely. “Aria?”

“It’s form, it’s oddly similar to a gem I used to have.” I frowned and took the cellphone from Maud.

“You used to have a gem?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah.” I glanced at her. “Remember the relic you saw in my room?” Twilight nodded. “That’s what it was, but it’s broken.”

“Broken?” My friend tilted her head, confused. “What happened to it?”

“It’s… a long story.” I looked away from her. I’m sorry, cub… “I’m not ready to talk about it…” I said, before quickly glancing at Maud. “Where did you get this gem from?”

“It was a donation from a Greek woman who visited our museum.” Maud explained. “I didn’t meet her, but my boss told me that she looked rich. Not only is the rose perfect, but it’s also white.”

“And white is bad?” I asked Maud, however, it was Twilight the one to reply.

“Rubies are mostly red. It can also be deep crimson, to lighter shades of pink, they never have other colors.”

“I see.” My eyes went back to the photo in the phone. “Have you found another ruby similar to this one yet?”

Maud shook her head. “No. I have revised many of the books now. If I don’t find anything in this one, I’ll have to look for information somewhere else.”

“Since you’re working, we better don’t bother you anymore then.” Twilight said, as I looked at her. She didn’t look happy. Surely because of what I’m still not ready to tell her. I better follow her lead so I can fix this.

“Yeah, it was nice talking to you.” I said, giving back the phone to Maud.

“Likewise.”

As Maud returned to her research, Twilight and I returned to the table we were before. We sat down next to each other, but in silence. She was avoiding my gaze. She didn’t touch any of the books she brought either. I really hoped I didn’t ruin the date by going to see Maud.

I sighed before speaking. “Twilight, about earlier…”

“No, it’s okay, I understand.” She said, before looking at me, smiling slightly. “I just didn’t know that your broken relic had to do with what you’re not ready to tell me.” My friend took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s just that whatever happened clearly upsets you. I… didn’t mean to remind you of that.”

“Oh, no, Twilight…” I said, reaching both of her hands with mine. “Don’t worry about it. Like you said, you didn’t know.”

My friend squeezed my hands. “You’re not mad?”

I smiled at her. “Why would I be mad? I was the one who didn’t tell you.” I started to stroke her head to calm her. “You did nothing wrong. Okay?”

“Okay…” She still looked sad.

“Come on, cub. Smile. Like this, see?” I smiled, showing her my teeth. “Come on, now, don’t make me boop your nose again.” Twilight giggled softly and then gave me a genuine smile. “Much better.”

I gasped lightly when Twilight hugged me all of a sudden and booped my nose.

“Thank you, Aria.” She whispered. I put my arms around her, holding her closer. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to get lost in the moment. For some reason I felt attracted to the scent of her hair. She smelled nice. Lavander, if I'm not mistaken.

I enjoyed the moment until Twilight looked at me. Having her so close made me feel weird again. In a good way. I felt bad for not telling her about how I tried to brainwash her world, but maybe… maybe I can tell her something else. “Hey, Sparks…”

“Hmm?” Oh, her voice was cute. It made me happy.

“I-I could tell you more about my life in Equestria, if you want.”

Twilight blinked, confused, then widened her eyes. “A-Aria, you don’t have to…”

“I know, but I’m ready to talk about that.” I said, as I broke the hug and rested my hands on the table. “Do you remember when I told you that the equestrian seas were dangerous?” I looked at my friend. She nodded. “Well, sirens were one of the dangers.”

Twilight gasped in shock and covered her mouth with her hands. “Y-You… were?”

I nodded. I hope she doesn’t hate me after this… “We sirens used songs to turn our prey against each other so they would be easier to hunt. We also used the songs as a defense mechanism. If predators came after us in groups, we would sing and escape while they were distracted with each other.”

“Oh, Aria…” She definitely didn’t look happy.

“We did what we had to in order to survive.” I looked away from her, feeling ashamed. “I’m sorry, Twilight. If you want to run away, I won’t stop you…”

Silence. I didn’t hear a thing for several moments and during that silence I felt a heavy weight on my heart. I dreaded what Twilight would say and do next. Just when I'd given up hope, I felt a gentle hand rest on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw that Twilight was right next to me, smiling.

“I’m not afraid of you, Aria. You lived in a dangerous environment and did what you had to do in order to survive. Now that you have a home you don’t need to live looking over your shoulder all the time anymore.” She then leaned in a kissed my cheek.

Oh, Twilight, you’re too much. “Thank you…” I smiled as I placed a hand on the one she had on my shoulder. “Seriously, thank you, Twilight. I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t.” My friend gave me a reassuring smile. I felt like hugging her again, but I repressed it. I’m not sure if constantly hugging someone would be okay. Instead, I looked at the table and saw all the books and the map Twilight brought before. Oh, shoot! I almost forgot about them!

“Good...” I said, before taking the map. “Let’s…”

“Oh, right!” Twilight blushed and giggled nervously. “I forgot we were at the library for a moment. Goodness sometimes I get so emotional....”

“I would make fun of you for that, but I kinda forgot too.” Twilight smiled widely and opened the map. Meanwhile, I took out my fake glasses to put them on. “Let’s read then.”

When Twilight saw my glasses, she giggled. “Aria, what’s that?”

I smiled. “I decided to start using these fake glasses to read. I want to be more like you.” I lost my smile as soon as I said the last part. Was that too creepy? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t. “Or… are you offended?”

“Offended?” Twilight tilted her head, confused, then giggled again. “Not at all. I think it's cute that you're trying to be more like me.”

I felt my cheeks getting warm, but I ignored it. “Y-Yeah, th-thank you…”

“But…” Twilight moved closer to me. I felt even more weird as she took my glasses with both of my hands removed them. “I prefer the real you.”

My heart skipped a beat. No wait. Several! I-I better ignore this, for now. I cleared my throat before speaking again. “M-Map! Let’s find out how your neighborhood used to be!” What was going on?!

“Okay....” Twilight tilted her head, clearly confused by my reaction, but didn’t say anything of it. Good, because I had no answer for it. “Let me see… oh, here it is!”

“Come on, don’t leave me in the dark.” I commented with a smirk.

Twilight laughed softly and pointed to where she lives. As she explained to me how much everything changed the past centuries, I couldn’t stop smiling at her. Truly I’m lucky to have met her. I hope we can always remain friends, or more. Who knows? When it’s just the two of us, I’m on my best behavior to my sister’s dismay. I’ve grown to trust her more and more lately. Telling her about my life in Equestria was unthinkable just a week ago. At this rate, one day, I’ll be able to tell her absolutely everything.

I just hope she still wants to be around me when I do.

We walked out of the library a couple of hours later, linking arms and with a huge smile on our faces.

“I can’t believe my neighborhood used to be farmland during the Kingdom era!” Twilight commented. “So much has changed since then.”

“Now your surroundings are rich and mine is poor. Quite a change.” I said, thinking about it.

Twilight gasped. “That’s true! I wonder if my distant relatives moved here or if we always lived in the same area. I never investigated that far in my genealogical tree.”

“Is that a new project I’m hearing?” I said, with a smirk.

My friend giggled. “Maybe.” She said, before looking at me. She was going to say something else, but she yawned.

“Cub?”

“I’m fine. Still tired, but fine.” She smiled at me. “I can still stay standing. I’m ready for more!” She smiled widely, but it slowly faded shortly after. “Or is our date coming to a close?”

My eyes widened before I looked away to think. The afternoon is far from over, and starting tomorrow, I’ll have less time to see her. My insides are already sinking. We must make the most of this day. I glanced back at my friend, smiling. “No. We can do something else.”

“R-Really?” Her jaw dropped. I nodded at her, which made her grin. “Yay! What should we do?”

“Hmm…” Why did she have to ask? I have nothing! Let’s see, we already read and it’s too early to stargaze. There’s one thing, though. Something we haven’t done in a while. “What do you say if we rent a movie? I could show you the video store I always go.”

“Oh, I would love that!” Twilight’s grin became wider. “What should we rent?”

“Whatever you want. When we get there, you explore while I follow you.”

“I can pick anything?” She asked, happily bouncing in place.

“Anything.” I replied, returning her smile. “But first, let’s get some snacks.”

Just as I said the last, I could hear Twilight’s stomach growling. When she realized that I heard her, she blushed with embarrassment. “I-I think that would be a good idea…”

I chuckled and placed my arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “Don’t worry, Sparks, we’ll fill that tummy of yours.”

Twilight made eye contact with me and then nodded cutely. I patted her head with my hand before letting her go. She giggled before combing her hair back to how she had it before. “Could the snacks be on me?”

“No way, Cub. I was the one to ask you out today, I’m the one buying.”

“It’s not a rule…” My friend smiled and blushed as well.

“Please, Twilight, let me make up for the lost time. I’ll buy.”

Twilight shook her head. “You already made up for it. Just let me help with this, please?”

“No.” I crossed my arms.

Twilight puffed her cheeks crossing her arms glaring back at me. “At least allow me to pay half of them?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.” I huffed.

“Please?”

“No.” Now I was slightly annoyed, Sonata does something similar to me when she wants something.

“Please?”

I groaned about ready to give up. I threw up my arms. “How long are you going to keep doing that?”

“Until you say yes.” Twilight smiled. “Please?”

I sighed, but then returned her smile. “Fine, you win.”

“Yay!” Twilight clasped her hands together. “Thank you!”

Her enthusiasm filled me with joy. Maybe Adagio was right, she seemed happy with me just being me. Despite my blunders, Twilight still had fun with me, and more to be had yet. Once she lowered her hands, I instinctively took one of hers. Together, we headed to the nearest convenience store hand in hand.

We returned to my home around an hour later. It wasn’t easy to get Twilight out of the video store. The moment we entered, she gasped in awe and explored the entire building. She eventually rented a movie after going through every isle twice over to see the expansive selection before settling on, ‘Sleepless in Lakewood’. It was a romantic movie about a kid who didn’t like the woman his widow father was dating and tries to convince him to meet a woman he met on the radio. The problem is, not only was the woman dating someone else, but she also lives in a state far away from Washington. I already watched the movie with Adagio once. It was cheesy, romantic, but enjoyable.

Twilight grabbed the number to rent the movie, asked the shopkeeper a dozen questions about the tapes and the store and then we finally were able to leave.

When we entered the living room, I moved the lamp from a nearby table and placed it on the floor, just like Adagio taught me last time, and placed it close to the couch. I then placed the snacks on it before dropping on the couch while Twilight went to put the movie we just rented in the VCR. She opened the box and smelled its contents. I chuckled when I saw that.

“You know, I would like to watch the movie today, if possible.”

My friend giggled. “I love this technology. Let me be!” She said, before carefully taking the movie and placing it inside the VCR. With the movie playing, she quickly skipped to the couch and sat beside me. “Are you sure you don’t mind that I picked a romantic movie?”

I shook my head, smiling. “Nah, it’s alright. I don’t hate the genre. It’s just not really my thing, but I can enjoy them.”

Twilight grinned and scooted closer to me. “Okay, then.” She said, before turning to the T.V. “I actually never watched this movie.”

“’Sleepless in Lakewood’?” The voice wasn’t mine nor Twilight’s. We both turned around to find Adagio with a smugly smile. “Oh, Twilight, you’re going to love it.” My sister said, as she leaned against the back of the couch. “That is if you ignore the ridiculous haircut of the main male lead.”

“It was the early 90’s, Adagio. Things were different back then.” I said, frowning at my sister.

“Oh, the 90’s…” Adagio shook her head. “What a terrible decade for fashion. And the video! Ugh, look at that quality! How can you enjoy this?”

“Adagio…” My eye was twitching. I was starting to get pissed off, but I needed to remain calm for Twilight’s sake. I caught a glimpse of Twilight giggling. “In case you haven’t noticed, Twilight and I would like to be alone.”

My sister raised her hands in defeat, smirking. “Okay, I got it. If you need me, I’ll be reading my ‘Mouge’ magazine in my room.”

“Sure.” I decided it was best not to say anything else.

“It was nice seeing you again, Adagio.” My friend said, smiling and waving at my sister. Adagio returned the smile and nodded at her before walking out of the room. After she left, both Twilight and I turned to the T.V. again. I grabbed a chocolate bar and handed it to Twilight.

“For your tummy. Hopefully this will make it stop growling every time I get near.”

My friend giggled and took the chocolate. “Thanks.” She unwrapped the bar and took a bite out of it. Halfway through the bar, she yawned again.

“Sparks, I have never seen you so tired.” I commented after seeing that she was fighting to keep her eyes open.

“I-I’ll be fine. I just overworked a little.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go home?” I said, as I placed a hand on her forehead. “We can watch the movie next weekend.”

“N-No, I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. Please, I want to stay.” She tried to smile, but she yawned again.

“Twilight…”

“Nooo!” She jumped on me, wrapping me with her arms. “I don’t want to go… let me stay.”

I wanted to keep insisting on taking her home, but her sudden embrace caught me off guard. Instinctively, I returned the embrace, patting her back. I remained silent for a long while, maybe a minute or so, when I realized something. Her breathing changed and her grip softened. “Cub…?” There was no response.

“Twilight.” Again, nothing. My eyes snapped open when I heard a soft snore. I moved Twilight’s head back and saw her sleeping. “Oh, Twilight...”

Should I wake her up? I probably should, but she was so tired. She needs sleep. A small nap should be good for her. I accommodated her back on the couch, then, when I was about to stand up to turn off the T.V., she laid on me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I gasped softly before glancing at her. Her head was now resting on my shoulder, trapping me in her embrace. I wouldn’t be able to move too much without waking her up. I had no choice but to remain sitting and watch the movie… alone.

I got myself comfortable and watched the T.V. A few minutes in, I looked back at Twilight. It seems like she was fast asleep. I felt the liberty to remove her glasses since she wasn’t using them at the moment and put them on the table, near the snacks. My heart skipped a beat and my jaw dropped when I glanced back at her.

This was the first time I saw her without her glasses. She looked almost exactly as the other Twilight, but with her own hairstyle. She… she didn’t look bad at all. Without realizing what was I doing, my arm moved around her shoulder and I pulled her closer. Seeing her sleeping peacefully against me made me feel warmth in my heart. I smiled, enjoying the sight.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted the moment. I turned my head around to find Adagio with her fist on her chin, smirking all the way. “My, my, look at you. Seems like you do like her back after all.”

My eyes widened. What did she just say? “Wh-What?”

Adagio’s smug smile disappeared as her eyes slowly widened. “You mean… you didn’t realize the way you were looking at her? It was so obvious.”

“Adagio, again, this isn’t my forte.” I frowned at her, trying to keep my voice down.

My sister groaned. “Aria, trust me, the smile you had cannot be faked.” She crossed her arms, kneeling beside me near the couch. “Just think on how you always feel around her.”

I looked back at Twilight and thought on our time together. I thought on her smiles, her laughter, her voice. Since she revealed her feelings, she has always been very happy to see me. When she hugs me, she refuses to let me go and always seems to relax when I’m around. Not to mention how much she clings into my arm. All of this… made me happy.

And today, I felt especially happy to see her. I was the one to greet her, I was the one who hugged her, and… I just couldn’t help but smile just by seeing her. I have also been feeling funny with the way she talks to me, looks at me, or just by gazing at her like I’m doing now. Her eyes closed, her slightly opened mouth, her soft snores. Her face without her glasses… she’s so… cute. She made my heart race. There’s the funny feeling again! Wait, what did Twilight say when I asked her what does she feels whenever she sees me? ‘It is like, I don't know, being inside joy? It as if joy was something tangible and I could wrap myself in it like a blanket…’

Being inside of joy… Without thinking on what I was doing, I placed my hand on Twilight’s head and stroked her hair, enjoying the silky smooth texture. In her sleep, Twilight smiled and snuggled against me, pressing her face against my neck. I gasped, but quickly covered my own mouth with a hand. She… she didn’t wake up. I internally sighed in relief before putting both of my arms around her. I couldn’t help it, she was so adorable!

Again, Adagio cleared her throat. I slowly turned to her to see that dumb smug grin on her face. My cheeks instantly got hot. “Are you done with your thinking, dear sister?”

My gaze returned to Twilight. The blushing, the joy, the wish to see her and be close to her when possible… is this love? The feelings I have long forgotten back when I had a crush on my old pack leader... yeah, they were similar, but with Twilight, these feelings go further. It’s not a simple crush.

“I might… like her…” I said, softly before turning to my sister again. “Scratch the might. Adagio, I do like her, a lot!” I groaned in frustration and facepalmed. “How could I be so blind?” I made sure to not raise my voice too much to not wake Twilight up.

“Better late than never.” Adagio smiled. “So… will you tell her now or will you wait until you two are done with your experiment?”

“Absolutely not. She has felt this way towards me for a long time already. I’ll ask her to be my Beta when she wakes up.”

“Your what?” Adagio tilted her head, confused, but then shook her head. “Never mind. I’ll look for my wine and leave you two alone.”

I nodded at her, but I didn’t say another word. My sister ruffled my hair, leaving Twilight and me alone. I was too focused on watching Twilight sleep to care. My heart was racing. I could enjoy this sensation even more now that I know exactly what it means. Oh, Cub, when you wake up, I'm going to give you the best news you ever heard.

I ended up watching the whole movie by myself. After the end credits rolled, I felt like Twilight rested long enough, so I decided that it was time to wake her up.
“Sparks…” I nudged her. “Twilight, time to wake up.” I kept nudging her until she eventually started to open her eyes.

“H-Huh…?” Twilight was disoriented, blinking rapidly. She rubbed her eyes and then narrowed them. Oh, right! She couldn't see! I quickly reached for her glasses and gave them to her. “Thanks.” I grinned, poking her nose again. She made that same adorable sound I liked as she went cross eyed glaring at me.

I smiled at her as she put on her glasses. Once she had them on she looked around like she had no idea where we were. “A-Aria? Where…?” She looked around and gasped when she realized where we were. “Oh, no! I didn’t fall asleep, did I?”

I nodded. “You did, for almost two hours.”

“Oh my goodness!” Twilight said, covering her mouth with both of her hands and standing up. I was so comfortable laying against her that I almost fell on the couch when she moved, but I retained my balance. “I’m so sorry, Aria! I didn’t think I was-”

“Hey, hey-” I said, standing up as well and holding both of my hands in a ‘stop’ manner. “It’s alright, Cub, there’s nothing to apologize for.”

I had to keep my cool. Now that I understood my feelings, I see her in a whole different way. I can barely hold myself from hugging her. Are we too close? Can she hear my heartbeat? Is my smile too wide? It’s driving me crazy! Is this what Twilight has to go through every time we hang out?

“Aria?” I blinked, waking up of my thoughts and returning to reality. Twilight was staring at me with an expression between worry and confusion.

“S-Sorry, Sparks, did you say something?” I tried to give her a normal smile, but I’m not sure if it looked weird or not.

My friend nodded, looking less worried and more confused. “I said that I’m going to call my parents to ask them to pick me up.”

“Oh, sure.” I gave her a more genuine smile. “You can go to the kitchen if you want.”

“Thanks.” Twilight returned the smile and left the room as I watched her. Once she was out of sight, I laid against the couch and sighed happily. I remained with my eyes fixed on the door Twilight used, until something caught the corner of my eye. I turned my head around to spot, Adagio leaning against the opposite doorway. I hit the palm of my hand on my forehead as I groaned.

“What?!” I said, without making eye contact with my sister yet.

“I haven’t heard Twilight’s happy squeals yet. You haven’t told her?”

“Don’t push me, Adagio. Gosh you’re like a persistent cat, or worse, like Sonata!” I crossed my arms and looked at her. “I will tell her when I see fit to do so, okay?”

Adagio nodded leaning against the doorway. “And now’s not a good time? You already know she likes you, so why wait?”

“Out!” I pointed with my index finger to make myself even clearer. Adagio shrugged and walked away, although something tells me she didn’t go far.

My friend returned a couple of minutes later, humming happily. Damn it, Twilight, stop being so cute! You’re making this harder to me. “Hey, Aria? Did you just raise your voice?”

“I did, but you shouldn’t worry about it. Just me talking with Adagio. Nothing out of the ordinary.” I placed a hand on my hip before giving Twilight a beaming smile. “So, are your parents picking you up?”

My friend nodded. “They were actually doing errands nearby. They will be here soon.”

“Okay.”

We remained staring at each other. I would normally tease about her crush on me, but I would feel weird if I did the same now. What do I do, what do I do?! To make things worse, Twilight walked closer to me. Oh, no! My heart started to race! I could see that she was about to reach for my hand. I-I can’t! Not yet! I need more time! Just before she took my hand, I moved it to point at the VCR. “H-Hey, Sparks, d-do you want to do the honors and rewind the movie?”

I could swear I heard a groan coming from the other room. I wouldn’t be surprised if Adagio was eavesdropping on us. Thankfully it seems like Twilight didn’t hear anything. She dropped her head, disappointed.

“A-Alright…” She slowly walked towards the VCR and got on her knees to rewind the movie as I asked. The look in her face… it hurt me. I’m so sorry, Twilight… stupid tongue, don’t start to twist now! “Aria…”

I put a pause to my self-scolding in order to listen to my friend. “I-I’m sorry for being too stubborn. I wanted us to spend more time together and I ended up falling asleep, losing that time anyway.”

“It’s okay.” I smiled at her. “I understood why you wanted to stay. I didn’t argue with you further because I knew I wouldn’t be able to see you much this week.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner? I would have liked watching the movie together, especially since it wasn’t your favorite genre…”

“You were very tired, Twilight. I didn’t want to interrupt your sleep. Besides…” I looked away so she wouldn’t see my blush. “You seemed so comfortable sleeping against me…”

Twilight gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as her entire face turned red. “I slept against you?! I-I’m so sorry! I-”

“Cub, it’s okay.” I smiled at her. Seriously, Twilight, stop being so cute. You’re killing me! “You didn’t bother me. In fact, I was more than happy to be your pillow.”

Twilight’s eyes widened and now she covered her face with her hands. I really want to go over there and hug her. Wait, I could do that! Hesitating just a little bit, I started to approach her. However, half way through, the sound of a car’s horn was heard outside. Twilight glanced at the door.

“My parents are here!” She grinned, but she lost her smile when she looked at me. “I-I have to go…” Twilight stood up and got ready to leave. Oh, no! This is the moment I was dreading! “Uh…” My friend looked at me. “I-I’ll call you later this week.”

“S-Sure.” What are you doing, Aria Blaze?! Don’t act like a scared pup now! Stop her! Stop her now! Twilight turned around and was reaching for the door knob when I finally regained control of my tongue!

“Wait, Twilight!” In one final push of courage, I ran and stopped right in front of her. Our eyes met again, but this time with great intensity. From this close it was easy to get lost in those sparkling violet eyes of hers. Her beauty had me astonished. My insides started to feel weird as my heartbeat increased again. I could feel my body getting hot as well.

“Yes, Aria?” Shoot! Her voice made my heart skip a beat. The way she was looking at me, smiling expectantly, waiting to hear what I had to say. She’s going to make me melt from all this heat. I must speak now before the silence drags for too long!

“Umm…” I tried to reach for her hand, but at the last moment, I panicked and showed her my thumb up instead. “B-Be good tomorrow, yes?”

I could hear the sound of someone hitting their head against the wall. Adagio, without any doubt… Once again, it seemed as if Twilight didn’t hear anything, as she sighed sadly. “I-I will. S-See you…” Without another word, Twilight opened the door and walked out. With Twilight away, I welcomed the jelly feeling of my legs and allowed myself to fall with my face on the couch. I screamed with frustration into the cushion letting out all my anger into it as I punched the pillow. I glanced to the side to find my sister, arms crossed, glaring at me.

“Well, that was painful to hear. I thought you had a plan.” She said down to me.

I groaned and turned by body around, resting my hands on my belly. “I did…”

“What happened?”

I looked away from her, blushing hard. “Sh-She smiled at me and my mind went completely blank!”

“Seriously, Aria?!” Adagio sighed in agitation. “You’re hopeless… Completely hopless.”

“Well, I’m sorry I’m not miss perfect like you!” I said, as I stood up. “I’ll try again next time.” I added before turning off the T.V. Twilight left the movie rewinding. I’ll put it back on its box later.

“No, no more tries, Aria. You’re going to do it. Don’t force me to lock you up in a room with her. You know I’ll do it.”

“Yeah, I know…” I started to walk out of the room.

“Where are you going?” Adagio frowned.

“To my room, to hit my head repeatedly against the wall!” My sister didn’t say anything else but I could tell she was disappointed in me, and to be honest so was I.

I entered my room and slammed the door shut. Twilight didn’t hug me goodbye today. I really made a fool of myself! Why was confessing so hard? I already knew her answer so why was I afraid?! I threw myself on my bed feeling heavy and just screamed in my pillow verbally berating myself until I fell asleep.

I woke up earlier than usual the next day. The guilt didn’t allow me to sleep properly. Yawning, I headed into the kitchen and sat. Both of my sisters were already there. Sonata was eating her favorite cereal while Adagio prepared waffles.

“Good morning, Aria!” Sonata received me with a grin. “Dagi told me what happened yesterday. Why did you panic?”

I quickly glared at my older sister. “Seriously?!”

Adagio shrugged. “I had to.”

“Aria, you should tell her how you feel. What if someone else wants to date her?” Sonata asked, before eating more of her cereal.

“She won’t date someone else, Sonata. She has a crush on me and we agreed to have at least five dates before deciding what to do next.“

“I don’t know, Aria-” Adagio said, as she placed a plate with waffles on the table. “She wasn’t happy when she left yesterday. She could think you’re not that interested in her and move on if you keep giving her mixed signals. She could even cancel your agreement of those five dates.”

“Twilight would never back away from an experiment! She’s better than that,” I said, as I crossed my arms. “Besides, just the last part of our date was a disaster. We had fun before that.”

“Are you sure?” Adagio asked before taking a waffle.

“Yes, I’m sure.” I said, taking a waffle for myself.

I grabbed a fork and poked my food with it. Twilight would never cancel our agreement. She was just as excited as me when we started with the dating trial.

But… she gets upset easily. I bet she’s still not sure how to feel about yesterday. We did have a good time before that! Every part of a date is important. Was it really a failure just because of the end? Was it that bad? Will she… reconsider?

What if my behavior changed her feelings towards me? Could that be why she didn’t hug me before leaving? Ugh, my head is hurting! I glanced at both of my sisters. They were eating while I just barely touched my food. Twilight can’t date someone else. Not before we have a chance. I need answers, and I need them as soon as possible!

“Damn it you two!” I cried as I slammed the table and abruptly standing up. I startled Sonata, but I had no time to worry about that. I ran towards my room to get changed. I didn't even bother to do my hair. There was no time!

“Aria, what are you doing?!” Adagio knocked on my door.

“I’m going to tell Twilight how I feel, what do you think?!” I stormed out of my room.

“Now? But she’s at her school!”

“Then that’s where I’m heading! I cannot wait any longer!”

“Aria!” Adagio tried to stop me, but I kept walking.

I left the house and started to run. I didn’t take money for the bus, so I had to run all the way to Canterlot High School. I was still afraid of confessing, but my fear of losing her was even stronger. I thought back to my old crush with my old pack leader in Equestria. I remember the fear I felt and the agonizing heartbreak that followed. I won’t let that happen again, and I wasn’t going to lose Twilight, not before we got a chance to be together. I soon realized that was what held me back all this time. I was afraid, not of rejection from Twilight, but fear that it would end up like my past. No more.

So, I ran. I ran as fast as my human body would go feeling the burn in my legs and lungs. I had to get there and nothing was going to stop me. I was going to finally get my feelings out in the open and that was how it was going to be. I was done running from the past, instead I was now running towards my future. To Twilight.

When I reached the school, I stopped in front of the statue to catch my breath. I was winded from the final stretch. Then, I glanced to the main doors. I never thought I would ever set foot in here again, but I must go in. Taking one last deep breath, I walked up the stone steps and pushed open the glass doors to enter. Several students inside gasped, recognizing me and moved away from my path.

“What is she doing back here?!”

“I thought they were gone?”

I ignored the scared students’ comments and kept moving forward. However, I stopped when I realized something important. I don’t know where Twilight is!

I looked around, trying to find a clue, anything that would lead me to Twilight. Panic was starting to overwhelm me to the point I had to breath in to calm myself. I eventually spotted a familiar girl with silver hair. That’s Twilight’s friend! I remember she was dating Sunset, and though she came off as obnoxious she was still a nice girl. She must know where Twilight it.

“You, Trixie!”

As I approached her she stopped dead in her tracks glancing over back at me.

“A-Aria? What are you doing here?” Trixie gasped.

I didn’t answer the question. I walked closer to her and then pointed at her with my index finger, “Where’s Twilight?”

“Twilight? She’s…” The girl turned her head around. “She’s in her English class. It’s the classroom right there.” Trixie pointed at the classroom in question.

“Good! You’re free to go.” I said, before heading towards the classroom.

I stopped in front of the door. This is it. I came all the way here. There’s no turning back. Many people saw me, including one of Twilight’s friends, so she will know I was here. I tried to psych myself up slapping my cheeks. Come on, Aria, do it. Do it! I turned the door knob and opened the door with a loud slam, interrupting the class. “Twilight Sparkle!”

My friend got startled, as the rest of the students in the room, but she turned around, shocked. “A-Aria?! What are you doing here?!”

All eyes were on me. Everyone was either looking at me scared or angry. I also saw one of the Rainbooms with the rainbow hair standing in the front of the class with the teacher. She was staring at me suspiciously.

Moving my gaze away from the Rainboom, I stepped inside the room. People gasped and dodged me. I kept walking until I reached my friend, who was now standing and facing me. My body was behaving as usual since I realized my true feelings on Twilight. But now, I’m ready. I can’t let anyone steal her from me.

Experiment Results

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Twilight’s POV

This was strange. A-Aria… was here… at Canterlot High! I never thought I would see her here, in my school. And yet, she’s here… she’s here! At Canterlot High!

She came here to talk to me. What can be so urgent for her to come all the way here? Not to mention interrupt the class! Aria was right in front of me. I glanced around the room. Rainbow Dash was glaring at Aria suspiciously, as expected. My teacher, Miss Cheerilee, was shocked and clearly upset for having her class interrupted. She didn’t know what to do, but she gave Aria a harsh look while tapping her foot impatiently. As for my classmates, none of them seemed happy to see her. While some were angrily glaring at her, others seemed absolutely terrified to see her. That seemed odd at first but then I recalled Aria and my friends saying they had prior history. Did something happen between my classmates and Aria too? I knew she didn’t get along with my friends, but the students reactions made me think that whatever happened between Aria and my friends was bigger than I thought.

I turned my head back to face Aria. Her expression… she seemed determined. Her eyes were narrowed and focused solely on me, making me feel very self conscious. Although I would normally be happy and melting on the inside for having her so close, given the circumstances, I was worried and extremely confused. The silence left me with a feeling of dread and felt like an eternity. Since it seemed that Aria wasn’t going to break the silence, I spoke up. I had so many questions I wanted to ask.

“Aria… what are you doing here?”

Aria stared at me intensely. My heartbeat increased as the tension continued to rise. My eyes focused on hers. She didn't have her characteristic twin-tails and star hairpins, instead her hair was down and unkempt, which made me think that she probably just woke up. I tried to reach out for her hair and opened my mouth. However, before I could say something, Aria took hold of one of my hands with both of hers, effectively heating up my body. Her head was dropped, completely avoiding my gaze. I heard many of my classmate’s gasp in shock by the sudden movement.

“Twilight…” She made a brief pause as she bent her knees. She got eye-level to me. A few moments passed, each feeling longer than the last, before she slowly looked up at me. She still looked mostly determined, but I could see traces of nervousness in her face, even fear. “I-I want to be more than friends with you!”

Again, my classmates gasped, but this time I joined them. “Wh-Whaaaaaat?!”

The shock made me step back, crashing with my desk. But Aria kept her strong grip on my hands and pulled me back closer to her. Did she just… did she really…? Was she… was she?! Ohmygosh ohmygosh! She is! The way she’s holding my hand with both of hers, the way she’s smiling at me… was she also nervous? As the thought crossed my mind, I saw her look away for a moment, her cheeks flushing before looking back at me. She WAS nervous! It wasn't just me!

My heart is beating so fast I feel like my chest will explode at any moment. I’m so happy! Wait, she’s not saying anything else. What was she waiting for? Is she waiting for me to say something? The entire class was completely silent, so silent one would be able to hear a pin drop. Everyone was watching us, the weight of their glances weighed heavily on me. Normally, I would feel small and shy getting this much attention, but at this very moment I was so happy that I didn’t care.

“A-Aria…” I finally got myself to speak again as I got my other hand on hers while I smiled. “Hearing you say that is a dream come true. I-I don’t know what to say…” Then the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped me from speaking further, as my blood ran cold.

“Miss Sparkle,” Both Aria and I turned up at Miss Cheerilee. She adopted a serious posture tapping her foot in rapid succession. “While I’m happy for you and your… friend, I’m afraid that it’s an inappropriate time to have this discussion. I’m going to have to ask you friend to leave the class and not interrupt again.”

My heart sank. She’s right, we shouldn’t be doing this right now, though it saddened me greatly to think that I was blowing off Aria.

I looked away from my teacher, ashamed. “I-I’m sorry, Miss Cheerilee. I got caught in the moment.”

“Yes, you did. However-” Miss Cheerilee shook her head giving us a gentle smile. “I do know how you’re feeling right now. If you wish to take a minute and speak in private with your friend in the corridor, I may allow it.”

Would she?! I felt my spirits rise again. Thank you, thank you! I opened my mouth, intending to thank her with words, but Aria spoke before I got a word out.

“No, it’s alright.” I quickly turned to my friend, confused. Why did she turn the offer down? Aria looked at me, smiling widely. “Twilight, I like you for who you are. Ditching classes is not your thing.”

Oh, Aria... she’s always looking after me. “Listen-” she said before placing her hands on my shoulders. “Just wait, okay? Finish the class first and we'll meet after it’s over.”

“There’s always lunch time.” My teacher said firmly, Aria looked back at her.

“Thank you.” Aria said, to her before looking back at me. Still smiling, she used her thumb to close my mouth. “I’ll see you later, yes?”

She had me in awe. I couldn’t say anything, so I just nodded. Aria rubbed my head before taking a step back. She looked around to address the room.

“Uh… S-Sorry for the interruption. I’ll be leaving now, so…” She smiled weirdly and walked away giving me a thumbs up as she slipped out the door. I couldn’t help but giggle at Aria’s goofy display.

“Alright… let’s proceed with the class, shall we?” My teacher continued with the class.

Many of my classmates glared at me, others just stared at me. I still didn’t mind though. I’m still in a great mood. Such a great mood! Rainbow was still in shock, but after having a few minutes to process what had happened she seemed to lighten up, even giving me a friendly thumbs up. I could notice that her smile was a little strained, though. She might still have doubts with Aria, but she’s still supportive of me. She’s a good and caring friend, loyal to the end. She might make mistakes sometimes, but her heart is always in the right place.

When lunchtime arrived, I rushed out of the classroom with an unusual amount of enthusiasm. I could barely hold my excitement! I’m about to get a girlfriend! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I was running, with a wide smile on my face, but I stopped abruptly when I realized something. I had no idea where to meet with Aria! Oh, no. No, no, no! The lunch period won’t last long. Where did she go? Why didn’t I ask her where we should meet?! I am the smartest dumb person in the school! Just as I was about to drop on my knees, I heard a familiar voice calling from behind me.

“Twilight!” I turned around and found Sunset, smiling at me. She wasn’t alone. Vice-Principal Luna was standing with her arms crossed giving me a stern look.

“Sunset, Vice-Principal. Is there something wrong?”

“Apparently not,” Luna said, looking at the students around us. “Many students started to report the return of The Dazzlings. I was looking into it, but Sunset Shimmer assured me that they are your friends. Is this true?”

“That’s right.” I fully turned to properly face the Vice-Principal. Nervousness overcame me and before I knew it, I was rambling on to Luna. “I know there’s a history with them, but they have been nothing but nice to me. Well, Aria and I actually started with the wrong foot, but-”

“Twi…” Sunset shuffled closer, smiling awkwardly.

“S-Sorry…” I blushed, embarrassed from my momentary ramble. She was right, now was not the time.

“Is that so?” Luna asked, with a serious expression, raising an eyebrow.

I nodded. “I uh, y-yes?”

“Hmm…” The Vice-Principal remained with a serious face for a few moments, then, she smiled again. “Very well, I believe you. You do realize I will have to keep my eye on her as long as she’s here, right? She’s technically not enrolled anymore so she’s trespassing. Please conduct your business with her and I’ll see to it she is escorted off the school grounds without incident.”

I smiled and then turned to Sunset when she started to speak.

“I told Aria to wait for you at the rooftop. You should have some privacy there.” She winked at me as she said the last sentence. I blushed hard, but I widen my smile.

“Thank you, Sunset. I-I’m not sure how long I’ll take, so, don’t wait for me!” As I said the last, I turned around and headed towards the library as fast as I could.

“Good luck, Twilight!” I heard Sunset say as I left.

I wasted no time. I ran, dodging students in the corridors, climbed the stairs to the second floor of the library. I stopped by the door which lead to the rooftop to catch my breath. When I was finally able to breathe normally, I opened the door to the roof. It didn’t take me long to find Aria. She was standing near the ledge, with her back at me and a foot on the ledge. Her long beautiful hair flowing in the wind as she stood there made her look amazing.

I grinned in awe as my heart started to beat faster. While my body was getting hot, my legs were beginning to move on their own. I walked into the rooftop, closed the door and started to approach to Aria. Half way through, Aria turned around. I stopped dead in my tracks and gazed up at her. When she saw me, she went from looking surprised to happy. Her beautiful smile had me paralyzed, like prey before the predator. This girl will be my doom.

“Come on, Sparks,” My crush said, as she stepped away from the ledge. “Get closer. Or would you prefer if we speak from this distance?”

I quickly shook my head. “N-No! I-I’m going!”

I walked quickly until I was right in front of her. Once more we met gazes all we did was stare into each other's eyes for some time. I was entranced by her beautiful light purple eyes. I could watch her all day. Suddenly, Aria took hold of my hand in hers and my eyes widened as I glanced down. She had a strong grip, but her hands were soft to the touch, as I recalled her demonstration of her siren strength at the park from before. She was strong and powerful but also gentle and kind.

“Let’s sit.” She said, with a soft tone.

I nodded and sat down with Aria on the ledge. Both of our legs were hanging from the roof, my heart began to race as I looked down, Watching my feet dangling over the ledge to the far ground below. Aria scooted closer to my side and held both of my hands in hers, giving me a sense of security. She also leaned closer to me, which made my heart race even faster. I could easily see her blush and her radiant smile being this close. Her long hair bangs tickled my nose, and I giggled at the sensation while she combed her hair back with her hand.

“Twilight… ever since we met, a lot happened between us. Good and bad, but I evenrually started to care for you and call you my friend. I never thought much of friendship until I met you. Trusting someone other than my sisters, spending quality time with anyone wasn’t my thing, until I met you. Deep down, I know I have been sharing your feelings for a while, but my experience with love before you was terrible. It left me scared… broken,” She paused, touching her chest with one hand and then she reached out and touch my chest where my heart is beating furiously. “But you’re different, so different from my first crush. Unlike her, you’re caring, sweet and you genuinely enjoy being around me.”

My smile turned into a grin as I took hold of Aria’s hand. The way Aria was looking at me… there’s no doubt in my mind she likes me just as I like her. Her words sounded sincere and full of happiness, but I also sensed some hidden sadness. I didn’t know that she used to have a crush, though. Whoever her first crush was must have really hurt her, and to the point where she didn’t trust anyone except her sisters? Who could do such an awful thing? I should worry about that later, for now I wanted to comfort her.

“Oh, Aria. I-”

Aria silenced me by putting a finger on my lips. She smiled at me, gently rubbing my lips with her finger.

“I’m not done yet,” She said before removing her finger, sliding it down my bottom lip. She’s really going to kill me at this rate, and I would happily accept it! “Twilight, I know that I still have a long way to go. I still have much to tell you, and I need to work on my attitude, especially towards your friends. But I promise you, I’ll work on that. I don’t like seeing you sad, and I hate it when I’m responsible for it. Kindness doesn’t come easy for me, and it feels like it goes against my very nature, and yet… there’s something about you that makes me want to try.”

She closed her eyes and put her forehead against mine. I instantly felt her warmth and closed my eyes enjoying our tender closeness. She then whispered, “I have changed so much since we first met, and I want to keep improving. For you. So… Twilight…” Aria squeezed my hands and smiled widely, opening her eyes at the same time as me. Her words were starting to make me cry of joy. “Will you… be my beta?”

OH.MY.GOSH! I couldn’t believe my ears. She asking me the big question! I couldn’t contain myself anymore. In one brief moment of joy I felt my heart explode and my vision became blurry with tears. I lunged forward wrapped my arms around Aria’s neck and hugged her tightly.

“YES, YES! Nothing in the world would make me happier, Aria! I’ll be your beta! I’ll be your girlfriend!” I hiccupped somewhere between sobbing and screaming with joy.

Aria chuckled and put her arms around my waist, hugging me back. Her hand gently pushing against my lower back rubbing my it comfortingly and helping me relax.

“Sparks…” She whispered still in our embrace, Aria and I moved our heads so we could look at each other.

Our faces were just inches away, our noses almost touching. She gets even more beautiful the closer she is. She always said she used very little makeup, and now I can really see why. She was just naturally beautiful and makeup would only cover that beauty. She put one of her hands on my head and ran her fingers through my hair before moving it to the back of my neck. Then, she slowly pulled me closer to her. OH.MY.GOSH! My mind went blank as she closed her eyes and I closed mine just before her lips pressed against mine.

A warm sensation passed through my body, and I shuddered like a cold breeze came over me. It was like being struck by lightning as the realization struck me. We were kissing!

As we kissed, Aria pulled me closer and I was fully ready to embrace her back, but the sound of music made us break lip contact. I recognized it. It’s the ringtone I have for Aria! I quickly searched in the pocket of my vest and pulled out my phone. “You’re calling me, Aria. Where’s your phone?”

“In my pocket- oh…” Aria stood up and searched in the pockets of her jeans as I stood up as well. “Shoot, I butt-dialed you! My bad.” She gave me a smirking smile. “But… can’t argue with the timing, huh? You chose quite a song for me.”

“W-Well…” I gazed into her eyes. “I thought about you when I first heard it, and I just had to use it…”

Aria’s blush also became deeper as she nervously fidgeted with her hair. It was so cute! I really loved her softer side. “Oh, c-cub…”

I giggled. “Don’t you mean… ‘beta’? Aria I thought you wanted to be serious with me?” I pretended to be hurt. “Have I been downgraded so quickly?”

I looked away pretending to be hurt, even dramatically gripping my shirt over my heart. I waited until Aria began to panic, and she stumbled over her words to try and comfort me.

“W-what? No-I mean yes! You are my beta!” With my face hidden, I grinned as I listened. “I care for you Twilight! I-”

Before she could get another word in, I quickly rounded on her and reached out to her. She stared in shock as my hand reached up and with my thumb and index finger, I gently pinched her nose just like she does to me. She yelped leaning back and covering her nose, and I felt a great sense of joy seeing her reaction, wide eyed in shock.

“T-Twilight, you..” She muttered as I grinned.

“That’s what you get for always teasing me!” I giggled, reaching out to hug her. “I’m sorry, Aria, I just couldn’t pass the opportunity.”

“Oh… Oooooh, cub, you little-” She paused. “Well then I guess that as the alpha I’ll have to assert my dominance over you,” I quickly looked up feeling my heart race again as Aria looked at me with a shark like grin.

“Eeep.” I squeaked at her toothy grin as she leaned in closer. “So... you really aren't going to use ‘beta’?”

“I can use both…” She said, as she took a step closer to me.

My eyes widened as she placed a single arm around my waist and pulled me closer to her. Is she going to… again?! I was paralyized again under her gaze. She slowly leaned closer to me. Yes, she is! I closed my eyes and held my phone with both of my hands. I had to tiptoe a little in order to reach her. With the ringtone still playing, we kissed again this time without interruption.

I took my time to savor her warm lips and I felt like I truly belonged with her. We were a full-fledged pack now, my alpha and I. My eyes got wet and I felt a tear ran down my face. I think it touched Aria, because she softly pulled away from the kiss and looked at me.

“Is everything alright, Twilight?” She asked as she placed a hand on my cheek, using her thumb to gently rub my face. I nodded, still crying but smiling. Then, I buried my face on her shoulder, wrapping my arms around her tightly.

“Y-Yes… I’m just so happy...” I didn’t try to make my happy tears stop. Aria kept one of her arms around my waist and placed her other hand on the back of my head to hug me. She also buried her face on my shoulder. I could feel her between my hair.

“I’m happy too, Twilight. I haven’t been this excited about something in a really long time.”

I have no idea how long we remained in each other’s arms. I just couldn’t get enough. I liked the sensation of her arms around mine. I liked the way her hair smelled, and I adored how she kept stroking and scratching my hair with affection. I didn’t want to let her go. Not just yet, but-

*Grumble* *Grumble*

My stomach… aww, not now!

Aria slowly pulled away looking down at my belly. She chuckled before smirking at me. “Your tummy sure loves calling for your attention.”

I turned deep red with embarrassment. She never misses a chance to tease me. “W-Well… I’m supposed to be eating lunch right now...”

“Keep it like this and we might have all of our dates be in restaurants and cafes.” I giggled before Aria put her arms around my waist and took a step closer to me. “Speaking of which… I suppose our little experiment was a success?”

I smiled lovingly and wrapped my arms around her neck. “A complete success. We didn’t reach the five dates we agreed on, but it doesn’t matter.”

“That was your fault, cub,” She gave me a soft peck on my lips. “You were the one who couldn’t stop being cute.”

I giggled. “My fault? You were the one who couldn’t hold back any longer!”

“Look who’s talking. Do you spontaneously kiss all of your friends under the moonlight?”

I gasped and then pretended to dramatically slap her on her face. She chuckled, gently pushing me back playfully in return. “I would never! I love my friends, but I only have space for one special someone in my heart.”

Aria smiled as she leaned her head closer to me, making my heart pound harder. “I was just joking, but… hearing that made me even happier.”

*Bump* *Bump* *Bump*

I felt as if my heart wanted to burst out of my chest. Aria Blaze… it’s a true wonder how I managed to hide my feelings for so long.

Still with my eyes locked on hers, I used my hands to take her long hair and make the twin tails she always uses.

“Sparks...”

“Don’t get me wrong, Aria, I still think you look beautiful, but… I’m used to the way you usually wear your hair.”

She smiled and I could see her blush deeply, which made me squeal internally, I held back the sound so I didn't make a scene. She’s so into me! Then, my girlfriend, I can get used to that, chuckled. “Sorry, I left in a rush and didn’t bring my hairpins.”

“What a pity. Then I’ll have no choice but to remain like this.”

“And I wouldn’t have a problem with that.” Aria said before pinching my belly with her fingers. “But you need to eat something, now.”

I giggled before playfully touching her nose with my index finger. “What’s with you and my belly?”

“I just want you to have lunch.”

“Five more minutes?” I said before resting my head on her chest. I could hear her heartbeat going frenzy, which filled my own heart with bliss. “I’m not ready to part ways just yet. We just became a couple.”

“Twilight...” Aria started to stroke my hair. “We’ll see each other later. I don’t want to go either, but you have classes. Besides, I need to run back home so I can properly comb my hair. The wind is moving my hair all over my face. It’s annoying me!”

I chuckled, watching her wipe her hair out of her face before making eye contact with her. “I’ll call you, okay? Unless you call me first.”

“Deal.” We smiled at each other before I tiptoed to plant my lips in her in a soft kiss.

Then, with great reluctance, I unwrapped my arms. I sighed sadly, but when Aria noticed my pout, she offered me her arm. “My beta is familiar with this building. I would hate to get lost.”

I started jumping up and down excitedly, with a wide grin on my face. “Yes, yes!” But then I saw the amusement look in my girlfriend’s face. Embarrassed, I cleared my throat and placed my hands behind my back, adopting a more formal posture. “You’re quite correct, my dear alpha. I shall escort you to the exit, then.”

Aria nodded. “Wonderful.”

I smiled before linking arms with her. “Very well, let us be off.”

I led Aria towards the door to the roof and we climbed down the stairs together back into the school. As we walked through the library and the corridors, I noticed how students gasped and moved away from us. I even saw how one of my classmates, Lyra, standing protectively in front of her girlfriend, Bon Bon.

I shifted my view from them and saw Applejack’s sister chatting with a girl wearing a tiara. When Apple Bloom’s friend saw Aria and me approaching, she took hold of Applejack's sister arm and moved her away. Apple Bloom gasped in fear while her friend watched Aria suspiciously. Everyone was glaring at Aria with hostile intent behind them.

My glance moved towards my girlfriend. She was frowning, barring her teeth seeing how everyone backed away from her. When Aria’s eyes met mine, her look softened before she turned her head away from me. Just before she did so, though, I noticed that she seemed to be ashamed. I have been avoiding to ask about her past, but I can’t ignore what I saw today. Aria, please, tell me what happened soon.

When we reached the corridor which led to the front door, I forced my worries out of my head. Aria was still avoiding my gaze, so I placed a hand on her cheek and made her look at me. “Aria...”

My girlfriend looked at me. She smiled, but something told me that it was a fake smile. “Come on, Sparks, don’t be so sad. I’ll see you soon.”

I smiled back at her. “Not soon enough. I forgot to tell you; I’m meeting with my friends after class.”

“Then I’ll wait until you call me.”

I nodded. “I will, I promise.”

“Okay.” We gazed into each other’s eyes for a few moments before Aria placed her hand on my head and leaned in to kiss my forehead. She then patted my head. “See you later.”

“See you.” I removed my hand from her cheek and she turned around.

I watched her walk away down the hall, as Vice Principal Luna caught up with her and walked close behind her. I was relieved she was with her so nothing would happen while she was here. Before turning around the corner, she glanced at me. I waved at her and she waved back before she left. With her gone, I sighed happily and turned around to return to my friends, only to crash into a door.

“Ouch!”

I placed both of my hands on my nose after my sudden impact into the door. That hurt! Fortunately, it wasn’t bleeding. I rubbed my nose until the pain ceased. Now that I was alone, my worries returned. Right now, what I wanted the most was to run to my friends and ask them to tell them everything about their first meeting with Aria and her sisters, but I can’t. A promise is a promise. Breaking it wouldn’t be a good start for our relationship.

I sighed before turning around and walking towards the cafeteria. I noticed how most people stared at me. Ignore them, Twilight. Whatever happened, it’s in the past. Aria is sweet and cares deeply about you. She’s not a bad person. She’s not-

“Hey, Twilight!” I stopped dead in my tracks when a familiar voice called me. I slowly turned around to find Flash Sentry slowly walking towards me, with his hands in his pockets.

Oh, no… “Umm… I just heard something, and… uhh...” He looked uneasy. The last time I saw him, he was mostly nervous and tried to ask me on a date out of the blue, but that wasn’t the case now, which raised my curiosity. “My friends said that one of the Dazzling’s burst into your classrooms and… c-confessed to you?”

He hesitated when saying the last word. He also looked hurt. Oh, poor guy. I can only imagine what he’s going through. With how strong my feelings on Aria are, if she were to reject them… wait, I do know exactly how he’s feeling, When I first revealed my crush to Aria, in the brief moment I thought she was going to say she didn’t reciprocate them, I was devastated. I cried and pushed Aria away until she managed to calm me down. The pain of the heartbreak was unbearable. And now Flash Sentry is here, asking me if the rumors are true. I’m about to crush his heart... I won’t enjoy this at all.

“Flash...” I took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s… true. Aria and I… are a couple. I met her just before transferring here and became good friends.” As I spoke, the boy looked away from me. I felt so bad... “I’m sorry...”

“Don’t be.” He still wasn’t looking at me. “I’m actually the one who should apologize.” Flash said as he met my gaze. “Sunset made me realize that I was too direct the last time we spoke. I was trying to find the courage to start over, but...”

“I'm so sorry Flash, I really am. But we don't really know each other, it wouldn't have worked out.”

“No, it's alright. It was my mistake. I was the one who was too direct. I... let myself confuse you with someone else. Don't worry, I will be okay.” He gave me a reassuring smile, but I still felt guilty. I thought on comforting him by placing my hand on his shoulder, but I still felt weird around him. He’s still a stranger to me. However, something behind him caught my eye. Or better said, someone. It was Muffins. She was standing by her locker and was looking directly at us, most specifically, at Flash.

“Is that your friend?” Flash turned around and smiled when she saw the blonde girl.

“She is, yeah.”

“She’s cute.” I said, looking from Muffins to Flash. “Have you ever considered...”

Flash’ cheeks get red. “M-Me and Muffins? I-I don’t know.” He looked at me. “We have known each other since forever. Besides...” He sighed. “It will take some time for me to recover...”

“I-I understand...” Feeling awkward, I took a step back. “L-Listen, I have to go. I haven’t eaten my lunch yet.”

“Alright. See you.”

“Bye...” I turned around and walked as fast as I could towards the cafeteria. Before turning around the corner, I glanced towards Flash Sentry again. He didn’t move from where he was, but I saw that Muffins was comforting him. The sight made me smile. They would really make a good couple if Flash takes the leap.

“Over here, Twilight!” Sunset waved at me after I reached the cafeteria. I grinned at her as I rushed to the table. “Since I knew you would take your time, I got you a hamburger. There’s still time before lunchtime is over.”

“Thank you, Sunset.” My friends’ consideration made me smile widely. I sat down and took a huge bite from my hamburger. “Mmmm~ I was so hungry.”

I focused on my food. Only after taking a few bites I looked at my friends. They were all staring at me. Rarity had a huge grin on her face and the rest were smiling, except Rainbow Dash. She looked confused. “Oh, umm… I suppose you want to know about what happened at the rooftop...”

“Darling, I want every detail, please!” Rarity stood up, placing her hands on the table, but Applejack made her sit again.

“She will tell us if she wants to.” My farmer friend said, as she glared at Rarity.

“Ugh, fine!” Rarity pouted and crossed her arms.

Sunset patted Rarity's shoulder reassuringly before looking at me giving me a kind understanding smile.

“No pressure, Twilight. If you don’t want to talk about it, we’ll understand.”

“But I do want to say what happened!” I smiled as a blush formed in my cheeks. “I was looking forward to meeting with you again to tell you everything.”

“Yes, thank goodness!” Rarity cheered as she triumphantly raised her fists. Then she realized that we were staring at her, so she took a moment to recompose herself. She placed her fist on her mouth and cleared her throat before crossing her legs and resting her hands on the table. “I mean, we’re all ears, Twilight.”

“Thanks.” I smiled before clearing my throat. “Aria coming here was really unexpected, and her confession… caught me off guard.”

“But… you were already dating.” Rarity commented. “Honestly, darling, I think that it was a matter of time before she did.”

“True… trying out dating has her idea, and she was getting more… affectionate every date, but still, I didn’t see it coming. Let alone after the third date. We agreed to try out five dates before deciding.”

“Well, Twilight, it appears that you were too much for her to hold much longer.” Trixie said. She was sitting next to her girlfriend. Her eyes were closed and her arms folded. She smiled at me before continuing. “Congratulations.”

“Yeah, congratulations, Twi!” Pinkie Pie cheered while Fluttershy nodded, smiling. “We’re all super-duper happy for you!”

“Yes, I am very happy.” Rainbow Dash said. She had her arms folded and looked very uninterested. After she spoke, Applejack slapped her on her arm. “Hey! I’m being honest!”

“Then say it like you mean it.” Our farmer friend said.

I smiled gratefully at my friends. “Thank you, girls. I’m really excited for this. But... ” I sighed sadly.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” Fluttershy worriedly asked.

I didn’t reply right away. I could trust my friends with anything, but it still wasn’t easy to talk about this. “It’s just... I’m worried about what happened between you and Aria. Everyone kept glaring hatefully at her. Some were scared and others had their guard up. It’s getting hard to keep my promise. I have been wanting to date Aria for a long time and I don’t want to mess up just as we became official.” I placed my elbows on the table and covered my face with my hands. “I don’t know what I should do...”

Silence. My friends didn’t say anything but then, someone spoke. I recognized Applejack’s voice. “Twilight, yer datin’ Aria, which means that you care about her and she cares about you.”

I removed my hands from my face and glared confusedly at my farmer friend. “Y-Yeah, we do care for each other. We did even before we started to date.” I blushed and smiled before continuing. “Aria doesn’t like to see me upset, especially if she’s the reason.”

“If that’s the case, then ah think you should be honest with her.”

“I should?” I asked, feeling just a little uneasy.

“Yes, Jackie’s right, darling.” Rarity said. “You two are really in love. I think you can talk about those things.”

“But people hate her. What if I start to hate her too?” I got worried. Aria is so nice to me, but… will I keep liking her if I discover what happened in her past?

“It happened long ago, and we have seen Aria and her sisters behaving better since you met them.” Sunset explained. “Adagio and Sonata seem to enjoy seeing us. They have moved on. They don’t hold a grudge against us. From what I have seen and heard about Aria; she has moved on as well. The Aria we knew wouldn’t care less about how you felt. And, look at her! She marched into the school, knowing that she wouldn’t be received with open arms, just to ask you to be her girlfriend. There’s nothing to hate about her, Twilight. Her priority is to make you smile. Nothing else.”

Sunset’s words made me smile and blush. I just can’t help but to feel bliss whenever I think on how much Aria cares for me. “So… you don’t think I’ll hate her?”

Sunset smiled softly before replying. “I have been through a similar situation before, and now, I’m surrounded by friends, I have a girlfriend and no one seem to be afraid of me anymore.”

“That’s true, darling.” Rarity spoke next. “And Rainbow Dash didn’t trust Sunset that much either.”

“But Sunset asked for another chance.” Our athletic friend spoke up, still with her hands crossed. “She approached us.”

“Adagio and Sonata have approached us too, and they’re quite friendly.” Rarity said.

“I’m wary, okay?” Rainbow Dash said before looking away. “I’m not entirely convinced yet.”

“Ugh, don’t mind her, dear. She’s just being over protective that’s all,” The fashionista said before smiling at me. “You know Aria better than we do. Adagio told me how nice she is to you. I'm sure that if you ask her, she will understand.”

“You really think so?” I asked, smiling.

“Absolutely.” Rarity’s smile widened. “In relationships, you must let your partner know if something’s bothering you. Prove that you trust her, and she will do the same in return.”

“You’re… right.” I sighed.

“So… yer goin’ to see her today after school?” Applejack asked.

“No.” I turned to my farmer friend, still smiling. “I promised to go with you to Sugarcube Corner. I would never ditch you guys to see my girlfriend.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Fluttershy commented, smiling a little.

I smiled at my timid friend before returning to my hamburger as my friends talked about different subjects while I joined when I saw it fit. They helped me to ease my worries. The next time Aria and I meet, I’ll try to talk to her about her past.

After school ended, my friends and I headed towards the exit. I noticed that some people were still staring at me, but I still didn’t care. I was even humming happily.

“I’m sorry that you’re the center of attention, Twilight.” Sunset commented, also noticing the stares.

“It’s alright. I’m actually so happy that I’m not paying any attention to them.” I said, keeping my smile.

“That is just so ADORABLE!” Rarity squealed.

“Not so loud, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash complained as she scratched her ear. “Now I’ll be deaf from this side.”

“So… will Aria join us on our next pajama party?! Or any party?!” Pinkie Pie excitedly asked.

“I don’t think so, but her sisters might if I ask them to join.” I replied.

“I’m sure that I would be able to convince Adagio to join us.” Rarity commented. “The poor girl works so hard. She could use a breather once in a while.”

“And there’s no way Nata will say no!” Pinkie Pie said. “She’s always ready to have fun!”

“The more the merrier, right?” Sunset said, smiling.

“I suppose.” Trixie shrugged.

We walked out the school, where I immediately spotted a familiar face.

“Hey, Twily!” Right in front of the school, my brother was waving at me while standing in front of his civilian car.

“Shining? What-? Oof!” I wasn’t able to say anything else since my brother trapped me in a bear hug.

“It’s good to see you again, Twilight!”

“Can’t… breathe…!”

“Oops, sorry!” Shining Armor released me and I immediately started to gasp for air. When I recovered, I looked at him. What was he doing here? He didn’t visit me at school since I transferred. Unless… is he here for Miss Cheerilee?

“Shining, what a surprise.” I said, still shocked.

“A pleasant one, I hope.”

“Of course.” I smiled at him. “Are you here to see my teacher?”

“Actually, no. I’m here for you.” My brother smiling at me. “Dating Cheerilee made me realize how poorly I have been using my free time. I have barely seen you since I joined the force, and I want to fix that. I’m here to take you home, unless… you have plans with your friends…?”

“Aww, that’s nice of you, Shining, but… I do have plans with them. Oh! By the way...” I grinned, turning to my friends. “Shining, meet my friends. Friends, this is my Big brother, Shining Armor.”

“Hello.” My brother waved at my friends.

“Hey.” Rainbow Dash greeted him.

“A pleasure to meet you.” Rarity smiled.

“They seem to be good girls, Twily. I’m glad you met them.” Shining said as he turned back to me. “When you transferred schools I was worried about you.”

“Yeah, they’re quite amazing...” I commented before hearing Rainbow Dash clearing her throat. “And awesome...” then Pinkie Pie cleared her throat. “And fun...” and lastly, Trixie cleared her throat. “And great and powerful.”

My brother chuckled. “That’s a lot of ands.”

I giggled. “Yeah. They’re all that and more.”

“Well, I don’t want to keep holding you. I’m going to go so-”

“Shining, is that you?” All of us turned to where the voice came from to find Cheerilee approaching while smiling.

“Oh, Cheerilee!” My brother quickly accommodated his tie, even though he wasn’t wearing one. “Hello-aaaaaaah!” Shining tried to walk towards my teacher but he tripped with a trash can. He fell to the ground, spilling all the garbage out on the ground. I think the entire block could hear the noise he made. Some of my friends laughed while the others helped him to stand up. “Thank you...”

“Goodness.” Miss Cheerilee worriedly covered her mouth with a hand. “Are you hurt?”

“Just my pride.” Shining smiled as he cleaned his clothes. However, his smile was forced. I could tell he was feeling a lot of pain.

“Are you sure?” Cheerilee asked, still worried.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I have been hit worse. Once my partner hit me with her baton by accident.” My teacher and I gasped.

“Wait, how did she hit you by accident?” I asked, confused.

“We were searching for a suspect in an abandoned factory and she mistook me for someone else when I walked into the same room she was. I was lucky to not have any broken bones. Chrysalis is really strong and doesn’t hold back.”

“I’m glad that you’re strong, then.” Cheerilee walked closer to him while smiling, attempted to hug my brother, but then turned to me and my friends. “Oh… now that I remember, I’m not sure if I feel comfortable showing affection in front of my students.”

“But they’re not my students, so-” Shining said before hugging my teacher. I gasped and turned to my friends. Rarity squealed but Applejack quickly covered her mouth while Rainbow Dash made a disgusted expression. Pinkie Pie just stared, oblivious and Fluttershy and Trixie looked away.

“Sh-Shining!” Miss Cheerilee froze completely in shock.

“You can just break the hug if you want.” My brother said with a smile. I could see how much he enjoyed the embrace. It has been so long since I saw him this happy.

“I will… eventually.” My teacher returned the embrace, smiling as well. The muffed squeals of Rarity became louder, but Applejack scolded her.

“Control yerself, Rarity!”

The couple broke the hug several moments later and gazed at each other.

“Do you have somewhere to go, Cheerilee? I can give you a ride.” My brother said.

“Thank you, Shining. I’m just heading home. I don’t really have work to do.”

“Alright then, hop in!” Shining opened the door for his girlfriend and then ran to the driver’s side. He turned to me before getting in. “Have fun today, Twily. I hope we can do something on my next day off.”

“I’ll make sure to reserve the day just for you, big brother. Bye!” I waved at him and he waved back before entering his car and driving off. When I could no longer see his car, I turned to my friends.

“So… that’s why Miss Cheerilee was smiling so much today.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“Yeah, they met just before Spring Break.” I said.

“How could you not tell us, Twilight?” Rarity was grinning. “They are such a cute couple!”

I giggled. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“This is just marvelous!” The fashionista excitedly said as we started to walk towards Sugarcube Corner. “Not only do you have a girlfriend, but Shining has one too! You have so much to tell us!”

“Please, not all at once. Have mercy.” My athletic friend complained.

“Don’t worry, Rainbow, I won’t.” I smiled at my sporty friend, who returned it.

Rarity shook her head. “You’re no fun, Rainbow Dash.”

The subject of our conversation changed to our classes as we continued walking. Not only I’m officially dating Aria, but my BBBFF also promised to visit me more often. This is the best day of my life!

Later on, the same day, I was in my room with Spike. I already told my parents about my relationship with Aria and they got so happy! They hugged me and proposed to celebrate. We’ll have dinner at a restaurant, so I have to get changed. Before I do that, though, I wanted to share the news with Shining. I was unable to do so after school since Miss Cheerilee appeared. But I kept being sent to his voicemail. I wished to hear his immediate response, but I couldn’t hold myself any longer. In the end, I left a message telling him the news.

“Congratulations again, Twilight! Seriously, I’m very happy for you!” Spike said as he excitedly wagged his tail.

“Thank you, Spike. I’m so excited about this! For so long I have been wanting this, and now it’s real! I-I still can’t believe it. I’m so happy!” My grin slowly faded and my pet noticed.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?”

“Oh, Spike...” I sat on my bed, looking away from him. “You should have seen how everyone looked at Aria when she walked into Canterlot High. They were scared and on their guard. Apparently, whatever she did didn’t just hurt my friends. It affected the entire school. I no longer feel comfortable with Aria hiding her past from me.”

“So, what are you going to do?” Spike asked as he jumped on my bed to lay on my lap. “Will you ask her?”

“Y-Yes...” I said before petting him. “I need to know. My friends advised me to do so. She can’t get too mad at me, right? She did say that she would want to tell me eventually.”

“Yeah, I also think you’ll be fine. Aria really likes you, so I don’t think she will stop talking to you just for that.” Spike said, wagging his tail.

I giggled softly. “That would be too extreme from her part.” I then picked up Spike and hugged him. “I love you, Spike.”

“I love you too, Twilight.” My pet said as he snuggled against me.

Our hug was interrupted when my phone vibrated and played the notification sound I chose for my brother. “Oh, he sent me a voice message.”

“Play it, play it!” Spike said as he jumped excitedly.

I chuckled before speaking. “Alright, alright.” I hit play, and right after, my brother’s voice filled my room.

“LOVE IS IIIIN BLOOM!” It caught me by surprise. I almost dropped my phone. I can’t believe he used my own song against me!

“Well...” Spike said as he scratched one of his ears. “I think it’s safe to say that he’s happy for you too.”

Blushing deep red, I turned to Spike. “Y-Yeah...” I should have known my big brother would do that.

A few moments later, someone knocked on my door. “Twily-” it was my father. “Are you done changing?”

I gasped. I completely forgot! “Not yet, dad! Just give me five more minutes!”

“Okay, honey. If you’re not done by then we’ll leave without you.”

“N-No! I’ll hurry!” I yelled, as I rushed to my closet.

For the time being, my worries about Aria faded. I have a dinner I don’t want to miss!

Revelations

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Aria’s P.O.V.

The days passed, from Monday to Thursday. Each day Twilight called me and sometimes I’d called her. I could listen to her for hours and never get bored hearing that cute voice of hers. Our conversations were never brief. I would just lay on my bed, talking with her for hours at a time, sometimes I'd wander around the house while on the phone.

I can’t believe how blind I was to my own feelings. The way I was always ready to stand up for her, how much I care for her and how hard I tried to impress her by reading more about our common interests, or how I tried to imitate her. I want us to work out. I’ll do all I can to keep her as happy as she makes me.

Today was Friday and I didn’t skip on calling her. I made sure to do so after I knew classes were over, without worrying about after school activities. If my cub had joined any clubs, I'd be the first to know. I had just finished reading the latest chapter in my book about wolves and set it aside to get my phone. It took less than thirty seconds of tapping and scrolling to call Twilight. Then again, I only had two other numbers at this time.

“Hello, Aria.” I smiled instantly, just like I always do whenever I heard her sweet voice or saw her. “How are you?”

“I’m good. Better than good, actually,” I said as I played with a lock of my hair. It wasn’t something I normally did, but Twilight makes me do things I never thought I would. “How about you?”

“I’m fine, thank you.”

I smirked. “Just fine?”

Twilight giggled. It was music to my ears. “Okay, I’m better than fine. My mood certainly improved with your call.”

“I haven’t heard your voice for a while. I was starting to miss it.”

“Oh, Aria… I enjoy listening to your voice too, but I think it hasn’t passed 24 hours since we last spoke.”

“Does it matter? I just want to make sure you still like me.”

“Oh, Aria, trust me, my feelings for you aren’t fading any time soon. I go to sleep smiling and wake up smiling, knowing that I have a beautiful girlfriend, wonderful friends and an amazing family. I’m thankful for having all of you in my life. I was so miserable before transferring to Canterlot High.”

“When we first met, you were very different.” I felt a horrible guilt sensation within me.

Whenever I remember how awful I was to Twilight back then, I just can’t help but to frown. I stood up from my bed and walked towards the photo Twilight got framed for me and took it to admire my girlfriend. Twilight forgave me. She wouldn’t be dating me if she didn’t. I smiled again before speaking.

“I… really like how you are now, and I hope to keep making you happy.”

“I- u-uh…” There was a short pause after her stuttering, which amused me. It’s so easy to break Twilight. “You’re doing a good job, Aria, don’t worry. I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

“Speaking of which...” I put the photo back where it was. “Do you have any plans for today or tomorrow, or the day after?” I blushed before clearing my throat. “I want to take you on our fourth... uh, I mean our first date.”

Twilight giggled again. “Today I want to focus on my homework, plus I also want to use the lab. However, I don’t have plans for tomorrow, so...”

“So, you do now.” I smiled, posing triumphantly. “I’ll take you out for lunch. I meant it when I said that I’ll make sure your tummy will never go hungry.”

I heard Twilight laugh softly over the speaker. “Seems like my stomach is in safe hands then. Alright, will you come over, or should I go to your home? Unless you want us to meet at the restaurant.”

“I’ll pick you up,” I said, as I turned around, smiling again. “I still don’t know where to take you, but-” I abruptly stopped talking when I saw my broken amulet.

I barely look at it anymore that I nearly forgot about it with everything that’s happened recently. Seeing it again reminded me of all the times Twilight looked sad whenever I brushed off the subject. I don’t like making her upset, but I could cope with it when we were just friends, however now… hiding who I was from my girlfriend didn’t feel right. Not to mention that when I returned to Canterlot High, Twilight saw how everyone looked at me with such hateful glares. I think it’s time for me to tell her everything I’ve done, what we’ve done. I was so not looking forward to this.

“Aria? Are you there?”

“Wait… Twilight. C-Come here tomorrow before lunch,” I said, abruptly.

“Huh? Why?”

“Just… meet me here tomorrow, okay?” I asked, almost to the point of pleading.

“I-Is there something wrong, Aria? You know you can tell me anything.” She sounded worried, as she should, but I can’t do this on the phone this was something that needed to be said in person.

“I know, that’s why I want you to come here tomorrow. I’ll tell you then, okay?”

There was a pause. I felt my heart racing as I waited to hear Twilight’s response. I think she was thinking if she should keep arguing or let it be. Please, cub, don’t make this harder than it already is... “Okay, then I’ll meet with you tomorrow at your place?”

I internally sighed in relief. “Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“Alright. I’ll be there before lunch. Now, Aria, I have to hang up. I have to do my homework.”

Her voice sounded different from its normal cheerfulness; her tone wasn’t as happy as usual. That worried me, and upset me. I screwed up somewhere again and now it was going to bug me until I saw Twilight again.

“Okay. Goodbye, and… umm… take care.” I said awkwardly.

“Take care too, Aria.” Twilight said before hanging up. I stared at my phone, confused. My best guess is that she didn’t like to hear that she has to wait until tomorrow. Did I really get her upset again? She didn’t sound too sad, though. I definitely have to apologize tomorrow.

Sighing, I placed my phone on my new night table before jumping on my bed. I closed my eyes to try to relax for a little while. It wasn’t meant to last. Not even a minute passed when I heard a loud obnoxious knocking, or rather banging on my door.

“Aria!” It was Sonata. “Aria! You there?”

“Go away, Sonata! I want to be alone!” I answered, placing my hands behind my head to use as pillows.

“We need to talk about something important, Aria!” This time it was Adagio I heard.

“I said not now!” I frowned, opening my eyes to glare at a spot on the ceiling.

However, my sisters didn’t take the hint and continued to harass me. They opened the door and marched into my room without an invitation to do so. I just closed my eyes, trying to repress my anger as Adagio stood over me.

“We’re sorry, Aria, but you’ve been avoiding us this entire week.” Adagio spoke again. I groaned and sat up, making eye contact with my sisters. Adagio was folding her arms and looking at me with a serious expression while Sonata just watched, standing next to our older sister and with her hands on her back.

“Fine, what do you want?” I might have an idea why they’re here.

“We want to talk about the little stunt you pulled last Monday.” Yup! That’s the one. I bet her friend, Rarity, told her everything.

“I had to do it!” I said, as I stood up. “I wasn’t going to give anyone who had a crush on her a chance to act before I did! You were the ones who said that could happen!”

“We were just teasing you, Aria. We didn’t think you would actually run to her. Didn’t you stop to think about the consequences?!” Adagio hissed at me.

“Consequences?” Sonata asked nervously. My older sister’s expression softened when she glanced at her before she turned back to me, angry again.

“We have been laying low since the Battle of the Bands, Aria. Canterlot High is the only place in this city where people know what we really are and what we tried to do. They still see us as menaces! If anyone followed you...”

“No one follwed me, Adagio. I took precautions and didn’t come straight here, I’m not stupid. The worst thing that happened was that everyone glared at me.”

Sonata gasped. “Oh, no!” I ignored her comment and instead just focused solely on Adagio.

“Aria...” My older sister’s expression softened again. “We struggled to live when we were defeated. We were homeless for weeks until fortune favored us with this abandoned house we now call home. I did the impossible to find a job with a good income to support us, a job I hated until I found a better one. We found friendships while you found something else. Please, please, don’t ever do something like that again. Even with our strength, we can still be outnumbered. Stay away from that school until, and if, they realize we’re no longer a threat.”

I groaned. Even though I did see her point I truly felt she was overreacting.

“You’re exaggerating, Adagio. They’re high schoolers, not hunters. They’re not like the predators we faced back in Equestria. The only ones with magic capable to hurt us are our… acquaintances.”

“Acqua-what?” My younger sister asked, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes in confusion.

Adagio sighed, gentle patting our little sister’s head. “Friends, they’re our friends, Sonata.”

I gasped as Sonata giggled with that goofy smile she always got when she was happy, or receiving attention from others. Like her pink friend she was often sickeningly sweet.

“They’re not mine. Excluding Twilight, I’m not interested in being around any of them.”

“Yes, Aria, you have been very clear about that.” My older sister folded her arms as she gave me an unamused look. “Please, do consider changing your attitude towards them. Sonata and I get along with them.”

“Yeah, I don’t like to hear you insulting them.” Sonata said, pouting at me.

I groaned before looking away. “Anyway, Adagio, Sonata, I’m sure we’re safe. We’re not going to be hunted down.”

Adagio glared at me for a while before sighing as I waved my hand dismissively. “Maybe you’re right, but we have been exposed, so please, error on the side of caution from now on. Yes? If not for my sake do it for yours. I don’t want anything to happen to neither of you.”

I felt guilty hearing her say that after I just acted so casual about what was going on.

“I’ll try...” Adagio frowned tapping her foot impatiently, I felt like child being scolded for stealing from the cookie jar.

“Fine, I’ll be more careful!” I groaned again. “I was hoping to surprise Twilight by walking her home after school one day.”

“Well, that will have to wait.” Adagio said, before turning around. “I’m going to call Rarity to check if everyone’s still spooked.” My older sister left my room, but Sonata remained.

“Anything else?” I asked impatiently.

As expected, Sonata got startled, but she quickly recovered. “U-Umm…” She nervously touched her index fingers. “I-I want to invite Pinkie to our hatchday in two weeks… C-Can I…?”

One of my eyes twitched. The least I wanted was to have those irritating Rainbooms around in our house. I can’t deny my sisters the right to invite their friends, can I? Not to mention that she’s using her best puppy dog eyes. I hate it when she does that! I can’t say no to that face! It’s like weaponized diabetes! “Fine.” Sonata grinned. “But make sure to tell them not to talk to me!”

“I can do that! Thank you, sis!” My younger sister said as she gave me a quick hug.

She smiled at me one last time before leaving my room. I couldn’t help but to smile a little. Even if not much, Sonata’s happiness sticks a little on me. Without any other interruption, I sat on my bed and took my cellphone to play with some apps. Before doing so, though, I glanced at my amulet’s remains. Tomorrow I’ll tell Twilight everything about what I used to be… What will she think of me? Will she want to break up...? I hope she doesn’t. Part of me wishes to never tell her, but my other part, the bigger one, knows that I have to.

She has kept her promise. Despite everything, she has never asked anyone about my history with Canterlot High. I must now prove that her trust on me wasn’t misplaced. Besides, it’s only a matter of time before someone besides the Rainbooms tell her what happened. I must make sure she hears it from me.

It has been an hour and a half since I called Twilight. Since then, I sat on the living room’s couch to watch some T.V. The Live Police show to be precise. I have been neglecting it since I started to read. But they’re airing a new episode, so I can’t miss it. Sonata was watching it with me while Adagio was in the kitchen, at the phone. Rarity was busy earlier, so Adagio asked her to call as soon as she got free. They finally were able to get in contact. I could hear her muffled voice from here. When she finished her phone call, she joined us at the living room.

“Well, Aria, it seems like Canterlot High is still uneasy, but the girls are trying to do damage control. You sure got them busy, sister.” I shrugged, showing how little I worried. Adagio sighed, unamused. “Could you at least pretend that you care?”

“I don’t see what the big deal is.” Adagio stood in front of me, blocking the T.V. “Hey!”

“They’re cleaning your mess, Aria. Instead of enjoying their days, they have to deal with nervous classmates asking if they’re going to do something about us. Many of them are insecure about our friendship with Rarity and her friends.”

“But we’re not doing anything bad!” Sonata said, with a hint of sadness. She turned around to look at our older sister.

“I know....” Adagio groaned, folding her arms. “But someone didn’t leave a good impression when she yelled at Trixie and then stormed into a classroom.”

“I needed directions!” I threw my arms into the air. “How many times are you going to scold me for the same thing?”

“Until you realize how serious this is!” Adagio glared at me. “Didn’t you stop to think that there may be people watching Twilight closely in case you corrupted her?”

“I… no.” I dropped my head, thinking about what my sister just said.

“Twilight is an innocent girl. Don’t you think there might be more than one person thinking that you could be a bad influence to her?”

“But I’m not!” I stood up, glaring at Adagio as I pointed at her with my index finger. “I try to protect her innocence!”

“The last time Canterlot High saw us we tried to control them through the power of our amulets. You think they forgot about that?!”

“No, but I didn’t punch anybody. Not to mention that I confessed my feelings in front of her classmates and teacher.”

“Again, Aria, we were their enemies. We changed our ways, but they know not everyone is capable of such change.” Adagio said, as she massaged her forehead.

“Sunset Shimmer was no different, and look at her! She’s like the leader of the Rainbooms!”

“She asked for a second time and she took her time to make amends with everybody. We did no such thing.”

I opened my mouth, ready to argue more, but I noticed Sonata worriedly looking between us. She has grown to hate arguments. With remorse, I sighed to calm myself down before directing my next words to my little sister. “Sonata, sis, I’m sorry. I-” I was interrupted by knocking on the front door. We glanced at the door, confused. “Did any of you ask your friends to come over…?”

“No...” Adagio said, while Sonata shook her head. I glanced at my sisters again before walking towards the front door.

“Who is it?” I demanded.

“It’s me...” That voice… Twilight! I gasped before opening the door to see that my girlfriend was, indeed, on the other side.

“Sparks…?” I asked confused as I walked out of my house. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to come, Aria…” Twilight didn’t look happy at all. “I just had to...”

I got even more confused. “Why?”

“Aria-” Adagio called from inside the house. “Don’t stay outside. Invite her in.”

“Right...” I glanced from my sister to Twilight. I reached my hand to her, smiling lightly. “Let’s go to my room, okay?”

My girlfriend nodded and took my hand. She squeezed it tighter than usual though. We walked inside. Sonata didn’t attempt to hug Twilight, noticing her unhappiness.

“We won’t disturb you, don’t worry.” Adagio said before she and Sonata walked towards the kitchen. I watched them leave before taking Twilight to my room. I let her walk inside first and then closed the door behind me. She was hugging herself while giving me her back.

“Twilight...” I took a few steps towards her. “What’s going on? Why did you have to see me? What about your homework? Your experiments?”

“I can’t concentrate...” Twilight said, before turning around. “I can’t stop thinking about what you want to tell me tomorrow I’m growing anxious and worried and, and...” Her eyes started to get wet, which broke my heart. I instinctively took a step closer to her.

“Twilight...”

“My mind is everywhere… I’m trying to think on what are you going to say. Are you going back to your world? Do you hate astronomy and you lied to me? Will you break up with-?”

“No!” I placed a hand on her waist and another on her cheek. My girlfriend met my gaze as I stroked her cheek with my thumb. “Never think that... I want to date you. I enjoy what we have and I don’t want to lose you.”

Twilight smiled a bit, which made me smile too, until she frowned sadly again. “Then… what is it? Aria, please, I need to hear it now. I can’t wait any longer… you’re worrying me...”

I closed my eyes and sighed. The pain in my heart returned. “I’m so sorry, Twilight, I didn’t mean to...” I groaned as I stepped away from her, hitting my forehead with my hand. “I’m such an idiot. I should have known this would happen. I hate hurting you!”

“Aria...” I heard my girlfriend walk closer to me. “It wasn’t your intention.”

“But I still did it!” I turned around to get face to face with Twilight. “All this time, since we met, I have always been hiding something from you. Something big. I always knew I was making you upset but I still didn’t say anything. I’m an awful girlfriend...”

“No, you’re not.” Twilight frowned seriously. “You’re just new at this, Aria, we both are. You’re always saying that I’m the first person you ever befriended, so it’s normal that you don’t know what to do. When I first met my friends at school, I didn’t know what to do or say either, but they taught me how friendship works.”

Ashamed, I tried to look away from her, but Twilight cupped my cheeks with both of my hands and made me look at her. Her expression softened. “As beginners, we’re bound to make mistakes and that’s fine. The important thing is that we acknowledge them, which is exactly what you’re doing.”

She smiled at me. “Why don’t we relax? Let’s sit, take deep breaths and talk when you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere.” Twilight’s voice reached me. She was already making me calm down. My anger on myself faded. Twilight took me from my wrist and I allowed her to lead me to my bed where we sat down. Like Sparks suggested, I took deep breaths while we held hands on my lap. When I felt that I was relaxed enough, I spoke.

“Twilight, the truth is… I have been selfish.” I looked at my girlfriend, who had her full attention on me. She tilted her head, confused. “What I have been hiding from you is huge… so huge that I’m afraid you’ll run away when I tell you. I don’t want to lose you, so I thought on never telling you. I had no problem with that until...”

“Aria...” Twilight squeezed my hand while she kept looking at me with worry.

“... Until my feelings for you became clear.” I squeezed her hands back. “Twilight, I can’t hide my past from you. Not from my girlfriend. So...” I took another deep breath. “Here it goes…” I frowned and gazed directly into Twilight’s eyes. “When I told you about how we used our powers in Equestria to survive, it wasn't entirely true. My sisters and I… we weren’t nice people. Sirens are dangerous creatures. We loved spreading fear in the seas. We created chaos and fed on the magic of other species. We enjoyed doing so.” At this point, Twilight gasped and covered her mouth with both of her hands. She kept looking at me, but with a horrified expression. I can’t stop now…

I stood up and took a few steps away from her. “We were one of the most powerful Sirens in the seas. Our powers were unmatched by everyone. That was until a pony brought us here. A unicorn named ‘Starswirl the Bearded’. He couldn’t defeat us, but he created a portal to banish us from Equestria, forever.” I turned to Twilight. She was still shocked. I then looked at the place I have been keeping my broken amulet. I walked towards it and took it. “This is what made us so powerful… These artifacts allowed us to make anyone who dared to cross us fight each other, allowing us to feed on their rage.”

I started to slowly walk toward Twilight, who didn’t move an inch. “In this world, we tried to mind control every single human, but we were stopped at the last moment by Sunset Shimmer, the pony Twilight Sparkle and their friends… They destroyed our amulets, nullifying most of our magic, save for our natural traits like our strenght. The stones are useless now.” I threw my amulet close to my girlfriend. “With them gone, Adagio decided to change our ways.”

Twilight kept staring at me. “J-Just like that…?”

“Well, not exactly.” I said, before sitting on the bed, away from Twilight this time. “There’s something I’m not telling you. Something that happens to us Sirens if we don’t feed with magic for a long time. I won’t tell you now because it’s too nasty. Trust me. I promise to tell you when I think you’re ready, but you already have a lot of information to process.”

I sighed. “There you have the truth. If you want to leave… I’ll understand.” My voice cracked with the last sentence. I closed my eyes and fell silent. However, seconds passed and I heard no movement. I dared to open an eye to peek and saw Twilight, still sitting on my bed, with her hands between her knees and staring at the floor. From my angle, I couldn’t quite see if she her face. What do I do? Should I call for her attention? Should I move closer to her or do I give her space? My girlfriend remained motionless for a long time before she eventually slowly turned her head towards me. She wasn't smiling nor frowning sadly.

“So… you don’t have ill intentions anymore…?”

I shook my head. “No… not at all.” I smiled slightly at her. “It’s true that I’m not interested in becoming close to your friends, but that’s more of a pride thing. I haven’t been interested in hurting your friends ever since...”

“Yes…?” Twilight asked, intrigued. Before replying, I scooted closer to her. Her eyes widened as she blushed, which brought a smirk to my face. I took one of her hands and gazed into her eyes.

“Ever since we became friends… Since then, I vowed to do whatever it takes to keep your friendship. I’m more determined to keep you happy now that we’re something more.”

Twilight’s eyes dropped and produced several cute noises. “U-Uh… I- You- Umm...”

I chuckled and placed my other hand on her cheek. “Oh, beta… never change.” My girlfriend smiled, blushing hard, which relieved me because it meant that she’s still comfortable around me. “You’re not going to run away, then?”

Twilight shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t like what I heard, but you said it’s over and I trust you. Besides...” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I kind of have been in your shoes...”

“Wait, what?” My eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean?”

“During the Friendship Games, right before transferring to Canterlot High... I... sort of transformed into a demon because Equestrian magic.”

This time my eyes were the ones to widen in shock. “Wait! Wh-What!?”

“Oh Aria. I did terrible things... Magic blinded me. I wasn't myself and, at the same time, I was. I caused so much destruction and enjoyed it! And... And... I still wanted more..." I noticed how Twilight started to shudder.

“That’s impossible!” I took hold of both of her hands to calm her down. “You’re so sweet, kind and innocent. There’s no way you could enjoy that.”

“You don’t understand, Aria!” Her eyes filled with tears, making my heart stop as she opened up her heart to me. “I was pressured, pushed around and casted away for years. I repressed my bad thoughts, hiding them deep within my conscience. Magic brought those thoughts to the surface. I sent my bullies running in fear. Just imagine it, they were finally leaving me alone! That wasn’t really me...”

Twilight cleaned her tears with her elbow before continuing. Her glasses got slightly misplaced. “That power brought out the more dangerous aspects of my personality, making me desire more magic and tear holes in the fabric of reality to attempt to reach your world and absorb more magic.”

“And you couldn’t fight for control?” I asked, with concern. Twilight shook her head.

“I tried to fight it! To be able to control myself, but my mind was just overwhelmed by all that magic... If it wasn't for Sunset and Spike, I wouldn't have snapped out of it.”

Twilight began to sob and it broke my heart to see her like this. Even though I wasn’t the cause seeing her in such distress ignited something deep inside me and before I knew it I reacted without thinking. That was enough, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I reached out and wrapped my arms around my cub's waist and pulled her in close to me. I pushed her head softly into my shoulder and I felt her tears run down my shoulder while I stroked her long hair with my hand.

“Sunset and the others... they were the first ones to not hate me the moment we met. The first people to show me what friendship really is about….” She paused looking up at me with her large tear filled eyes.

“Twilight...” Was all I could say as I comforted her by stroking her hair.

“I wish I wasn’t so curious sometimes...”

“Nonsense. Curiosity is good, Twilight,” I stopped petting her hair and just held her.

“But-” My girlfriend moved her head to look at me. I cut her short by gently placing my thumb on her mouth.

“It is. Just look at you! You know technology inside out, you know your constellations and their stories. You have no idea how much I enjoy seeing you read! I even picked up reading other things I normally wouldn’t have thanks to you. The face you make while you're focused on a book… it’s cute,” I paused to move a lock of her hair with my fingers. “It’s one of my favorite things to see, almost as much as I like seeing you smile.”

Twilight couldn’t help but blush and smile slightly. I could see my plan to change topics worked. I smirked as I stroked her hair again. “I enjoy it so much that you got me to read more than just fiction. Twilight, what happened that one time was an extreme case. Please, never give up on your curiosity. It’s what makes you the wonderful girl you are today.”

“Aria...” Twilight’s smile became wider, and so did her blush. “Thank you.”

I smiled before kissing her forehead. “We all have our inner demons, so don't keep blaming yourself on your actions. I know a thing or two about magic corruption and let me tell you, it's not easy to overcome it. The fact you did just shows how strong you are."

We gazed into each other’s eyes before my girlfriend abruptly hugged me. “You really have a way with words.

I chuckled, leaning against her shoulder. “And Adagio said I couldn’t learn fancy words.”

Twilight giggled before snuggling against me. One of her ears was on my chest. She could hear how strong my heart was beating for her no doubt.

“I can’t thank you enough, Aria. I’m so happy I could tell you.”

“My ears are always available for you, cub,” I said, as I continued to stroke her hair. “From all the things we have in common, I never thought we would have a similar dark past.”

“It’s not something I like to talk about. The experience was terrifying and it got me afraid of magic when I once was fascinated by it.”

“I can’t blame you. You never handled it before, and magic can be dangerous if you’re not careful.” Twilight nodded, but remained snuggling against me. I didn’t mind, though. The embrace lasted for at least three minutes before I said, something.

“Twilight…?”

“Hmm...?” Her voice sounded melodic she seemed to be very comfortable in my arms.

“Feeling better, are we?” I said, with a smirk.

“Yes.” Twilight moved her head to gaze into my eyes and I kissed her on her temple. She giggled softly. My heart raced faster and faster. I could just stare at her all day, but then, she smiled cutely. It was too much! Against my will, I diverted my eyes from her, feeling how my cheeks started to burn.

“Aria…?” From the corner of my eyes, I could see how my girlfriend tilted her head in confusion.

“Y-You were being… too cute. You gotta work on that or I’ll die,” I said while playing with my hair. When did I start doing that?

“Oh, really?” Twilight blushed and smiled.

“Y-Yeah, I’m still getting used to it, I guess.” I looked at my cub again. I had her full attention. “I never had a relationship before. I was convinced I would be single for my entire life.”

My thoughts went back to my old pack leader, the one I thought I loved. I was glad I didn’t end up with her or I might have ended up miserable. With Twilight it’s different. I feel whole, complete with her around me, and I couldn’t even begin to think of what life would be like without her in my life.

“Well, some people are happy without a relationship.” Twilight commented.

“That’s true, but you then you had to show up,” I said with a smirk to let Twilight know I was just joking. She got the message and replied be leaning even closer to me, half closing her eyes.

“I’m sorry, do you want me to leave?” She said leaning closer. Our noses were practically touching, and on top of that, she fluttered her eyes! I-It was too much! I don’t think my heart could take much more of this.

“I-u-uh… m-me no...”

My girlfriend smirked before softly kissing my nose with the boldness of an alpha. I felt my head going dizzy for a moment before I could remember how to move. I placed my arms around her neck and sighed before smiling.

“No… not yet.” Both of our eyes moved to each other’s lip’s simultaneity.

We started to close the distance. Our eyes closed the moment our lips touched. Twilight gasped lightly at the moment of the contact, but then relaxed her body as I pulled her just a bit closer. I felt how she placed a hand on my knee, bringing me memories of when she fell asleep on my shoulder the day I realized my feelings on her. The way she kisses me, gently and with caution, makes me do the same with her. I’ll stick to soft kissing for now. Neither of us are ready for more than this, not that I’m complaining. I’ll enjoy each moment. I want to experience how our relationship evolves.

When we finally parted, we were both flushing intensively. I booped her nose with my index finger, causing Twilight to lean back a little while giggling before wrapping her arms around my waist again into another hug. I kept an arm around her neck and laid my head on her shoulder. We were not ready to say goodbye yet. We’re still going to see each other again tomorrow but that’s still a day away. I have only heard her voice for most of the week. I deserved it… we deserved it. We just shared dark secrets, and instead of breaking us apart as I feared, it brought us even closer. Oh, beta, what did I do to deserve you?

Sweet Enchantments

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Twilight’s POV

Yesterday was one of the most wonderful days of my life. Sure, Aria finally telling me about her past was a big surprise, but I am glad to finally know what happened. Although what she and her sisters did was horrible, I can't just see them as some sort of evil monsters. Whatever they were before they are just regular people trying to live normal lives now. Not the malevolent monsters others from the school seemed to think they are.

Aria is still reluctant to open herself to other people, especially my friends. I know she said it’s because of her pride, but it does feel a bit more like a bad habit or addiction she’s trying to get rid of. She must have been so used to pushing others away and shielding herself from the world to the point it become a second nature for her like breathing. A safety net she unconsciously built and knows she can fall into to find strength to face the world. I know there’s good inside Aria’s heart. She can put other’s well being and needs before her own. After all, she has done that more than once in the past few months for me with my project, watching Spike, among other things.

I giggled and saw myself blush in the mirror as my thoughts dwelled on her. I was so special to Aria, and she was very special to me. She has all those cute nicknames for me and is so gentle when hugging or kissing me, and yet, I only have one nickname for her. She told me once that it was okay, but I still felt bad for not having a special way of calling her other than my ‘alpha’. Maybe that could be a new project. ‘A proper Nickname for my girlfriend’. Aaaah! I still get the chills when I call her that!

“Twilight, can I come in?” My pet called from the other side of the door. He demanded to go out when he saw a squirrel from my window.

“Just a second, Spike!” I said, before putting on my t-shirt.

My brother gifted it to me just a few days ago. It was light pink with letters from the periodic table which read ‘GE-NI-U-S’. I'm happy to finally have an opportunity to wear this cute shirt, it's perfect for my date with Aria today! It was a warm day, so I decided to wear my blue capris, a NASA cap, which I’ll wear when going out, and a pouch to carry money and my cell phone. Once I was presentable, I opened the door for my pet to come in.

“Thank you. Wow, you look beautiful! Well, you always do, but today you outdid yourself.” He waddled in, wagging his tail.

I blushed at his compliment and smiled as I looked down at my outfit. “Thanks, Spike. I hope it’s not too much. It’s my first date since Aria and I became official and I thought I should dress for the occasion. But I’m not sure if Aria will dress up too. What if she feels out of place if she arrives dressed more casual?”

“Then change again!” Spike said, wagging his tail.

“No, I can’t do that… oh! Maybe I should call her and ask her to dress up!” I grinned, but it quickly faded. “Wait, she doesn’t have much money. New clothes are expensive...” I sighed. “I didn’t think this through. I have to change back...”

“But, Twilight, you look great!” My pet quickly ran in front of me to stop me from reaching my wardrobe.

I felt bad making him worry so much. For a dog he’s surprisingly helpful when I have to deal with my anxiety. Since he learned to talk he’s been only that much more helpful to me. He truly is one of my best friends now and forever.

He stood on his back legs pushing against my legs almost pleadingly with his best sad puppy dog eyes. “Aria will surely like your look and might not think about her own looks.”

“What if she does, Spike? I can’t risk it!” I tried to get closer to my wardrobe but Spike kept standing wherever I intended to place my foot. “Spike, stop! You could make me fall!”

“Please, don’t change! I know Aria won’t mind! She’s not like Rarity.”

“Spike...”

I felt a little offended he’d say that about one of my friends, but I couldn’t continue to argue because my phone started to ring. I picked it up to check the caller ID and smiled at who it was.

“Who is it?” My pet asked. “Aria?”

“Nope, it’s Sunset.” I couldn’t just ignore her call, so I answered. “Hello, Sunset.”

“Twilight!” I almost had to move my phone from my ear as her voice burst into my eardrum. She sounded very excited. “I went to a bookstore a few days ago and bought that book you and Aria are reading together. I love it!”

“You got, Young Sorceress Academia?” I asked, with a wide smile. “I don’t believe it! Where are you at?”

“I just started reading it. I’m at the part where Iris almost kills a rare magical butterfly but Kari stops her. For a moment I thought she would get badly hurt.”

My heart burst with excitement. That’s two very close people I got to read that book and now Sunset was hooked! Books really are a magical thing to bring people together. I love books so much for that reason. “I thought so too, but Iris reacted just in time to stop most of her magic from leaving her wand. That’s only chapter two, and you’re already hooked?”

“I couldn’t help it, the writing is so good! I even told Trixie she should give it a go.”

“And what did she say?” I asked as I sat on my bed, smiling. Spike jumped on the bed and laid on my lap. I instinctively stroked his head while I kept talking with my friend while he laid there with his tail wagging.

“She asked me to lend her my copy when I visit her tomorrow.”

“I hope she gets hooked too. I would like to have more people to talk about it.”

“Maybe we could get together to read one day! You, Aria, Trixie and me.”

I felt my heart sink a little. Even though Aria loved the book and we talked about it from time to time, I wasn’t sure she’d be open to the idea. When it’s the two of us she’s usually fine, but when others are around she puts up her defenses. Our first date at the burger place was proof of that. I tried to sound optimistic even as I gave my answer to Sunset.

“I would love that, but I don’t know if Aria would agree. She’s slowly adapting herself to being nice with others and I don’t want to ask too much from her. I’m allowing her to open up at her own pace.”

“I understand. Aria’s a difficult one, huh?” Sunset said, over the phone. I could almost imagine her nodding with an understanding expression.

I sighed before laying my back on my bed. “Not really. When we’re alone, she’s really sweet to me. The problem is with others. I’ve seen her argue with her sisters constantly, but I have seen a vast improvement to her attitude lately. She avoided hurting Sonata’s feelings too much, she didn’t yell at Pinkie when she showed up on two of our dates in a row, and she even asked me if we could talk with Maud when we saw her at the library.”

That last one made me smile. It was the first time in awhile since I saw Aria actively reach out to another person, and it made me feel great to see her growing as a person right beside me. “She’s made so much progress on her own, and I don’t want to make it seem like I’m forcing her to change. I know that she can change more without any interference from my part.”

“Wow, Twilight…” Sunset said with a surprised tone. “I was convinced you at least gave her a gentle push. I didn’t think Aria had it in her.”

“Well, I am the reason why she's trying to change, Aria even told me so... But it was still her choice, Sunset. She will get even better with time, you will see.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Sunset sounded like she was smiling. “She has earned my respect ever since she asked for help to rebuild that animal cell project she accidentally broke. I’m glad she’s still improving.”

“Yeah...” I blushed remembering her confession to me. “We’re meeting today for lunch. It will be our first date as a real couple.”

“Oh, exciting! Can you spare some details? Where are you eating? Will you do something special afterwards?”

I giggled at her excitement and how much she sounded like Rarity at the moment.

“Slow down, Sunset. You sound like Rarity.” I said, teasingly.

“Do I?” There was a brief pause before she chuckled. “I didn’t notice. I was just curious.”

I smiled. “To answer your questions, I don’t know where we are having lunch. Aria is the one who will choose the place. Also, I don’t think the date will end there. I’ll take her somewhere else afterwards.” I said, twirling a finger in my hair. Seeing her always gets me so excited!

“Where?”

“I’m not sure, I’ll think up something. Aria and I like to improvise.”

“Really? Hmm.” Sunset didn’t say anything else. I think she just had a thought. “Curious...”

I jolted upright almost knocking Spike off my lap. I held onto him making sure he was alright while I talked.

“What?” I asked, blinking in confusion.

“Oh, nothing.” Sunset giggled. “It’s just that you’re usually organized and love to have everything planned out on a schedule, but you’re not doing that with your date.”

“U-Uh...” I blushed.

Truth to be told, I didn’t think about it. I suppose that it’s because I didn't need to plan anything in order to enjoy this date. As long as Aria and I were together, we would have a good time in almost any situation. “Y-Yeah, well, I like to take it easy sometimes. Aria isn’t the kind of person who wants to go to fancy restaurants. She’s… simple.”

“We all have our own preferences.” My friend commented.

“Yes, it’s one of the reasons I like her so much. She enjoys reading with me, stargazing… the passion she has for the cosmos is rare to come by.”

Sunset laughed over the phone. “I bet you just like laying in her lap and letting her pet you, am I right?”

Again I went stiff as a board blushing as my mind tried to come up with a defense to Sunset’s accusation. Even though she was completely right. My brain finally caught up when I heard her laughing on the other end of the line. I huffed trying to come up with something to say back to Sunset, but she beat me to it.

“I’m just kidding Twilight! To be honest Trixie does the same thing, so I’m not judging you. I think it’s nice that you and Aria get along so well,” She said, getting herself under control.

I was still annoyed, but I managed to laugh it off with her. “Yeah, Aria doesn't like to show her softer side, but when we look up at the stars together it’s like the universe is centered around us. And I am the center of Aria's world, at least I feel that way.”

“You’re lucky, Twilight. A starry night is a romantic view.”

“Y-Yeah...” I blushed deeply. “So romantic that it inspired me to tell Aria how I really felt about her. I never thought astronomy would help me to find love.”

“Many people confess their feelings while stargazing. Like I said, it’s a romantic view, one which is ideal for couples.”

“Aww, and here I was hoping we were a unique case,” I said, with a smile.

I heard Sunset chuckle and I smiled. “Sorry for being the bearer of bad news.” She made a short pause. “I just glanced at the clock. I think I better hang up. Aria might be there any moment to take you for lunch.”

When she said that, I looked at the time as well. Time really flew by and I had to leave soon otherwise I’d be late! “Oh, wow! I didn’t realize how long we were talking! I have to go, talk to you later?”

“Sure. Have fun, okay?”

“Will do! Bye!”

Sunset chuckled again before she hung up. I did the same and glanced at Spike who was watching me like he was expecting something. “I can’t change now. There’s no turning back...”

“It’s for the best, trust me!” Spike said as he happily wagged his tail. I hope he’s right.

I barely put my phone down when I received a text message. The notification tone was Aria’s. I checked her message.

‘I’m outside Sparks :)’

My face became hot as I read the message. It was the first time Aria used an emoticon. I wasn’t prepared for it!

“Twilight?” My pet nudged my legs with his paws. I blinked several times to wake up from my trance and glanced at him.

“Quick, Spike! Aria’s here!” I panicked as I picked him up and dashed outside my room, taking my cap with me.

“Careful with the steps!” Spike held tightly onto me as I quickly climbed down the stairs. I didn’t want to make Aria wait any longer.

Once I reached the front door, I placed Spike on the floor, cleaned my clothes and took a deep breath to try and calm myself. Once ready, I smiled widely and opened the door. I opened my mouth to greet my girlfriend, but I squeaked instead when I saw a hand approaching my face. Aria gently poked my nose with her index finger. I blushed deeply as I covered my nose with my hand barely realizing I squeaked again!

“Hey you.” Aria greeted me with a smug smile, proud of herself when she saw my usual reaction. “Can I come in?”

“S-Sure.” I said, sticking my nose up as I stepped back to allow her inside.

Aria walked in, stopping to look down at Spike, who approached to greet her with a bark. She leaned down to pat Spike on the head and then went to rub his chin. After a quick hello to him she walked in the room, and I closed the door before turning to face her. She had her hands in her pockets and I took a moment to check her outfit realizing something was different about her. She was wearing clothes I’ve never seen before. A dark blue t-shirt with the picture of a dire wolf in the middle, light grey jeans and leg belts all of it fitting nicely over her athletic figure I felt my face burning as I gave her a second look over. “You look… nice.”

Aria’s cheeks turned red as she smiled. “Thank you… y-you don’t look bad yourself.”

We both remained standing where we were. Neither of us approached the other. Could this mean that Aria is as nervous as me? She had a hand on her hip and the other arm was hanging on her side and her gaze was on my ceiling, trying to hide behind her long bangs. Despite this, I could still see her blushing. Seeing her behave like this made my heart race. I couldn’t help but smile when she acted so bashful around me. It helped me remember she was just like me despite being a powerful siren.

Spike, however, seemed unamused.

“I don’t believe this!” My pet said, as he started to walk towards Aria.

“Spike?” My girlfriend said as she watched Spike move behind her. “What are you- hey!” Aria exclaimed when Spike started to nibble one of her ankles. The siren involuntarily moved her leg forward to push him off. Then Spike quickly moved to nibbling on her other ankle with the exact same result. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Someone had to do something.” My dog said, still nibbling Aria’s ankles.

“About what? And stop chewing my ankle you weirdo!” Aria asked, confused.

“About the distance!” Spike said before stopping his ankle biting. He then sat and looked at us, wagging his tail.

“Distance? What- oh...” Aria moved her gaze to look forward and realized that she was now right in front of me. I could perfectly see how her face turned crimson red.

“Well, look at that.” I said as I crossed my arms and adopted a ‘malicious’ smile. “Nice work, Spike.”

“Anytime, Twilight.” My pet said, before standing up.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” He added as he walked away. Meanwhile, Aria didn’t move her eyes from me. She was slack jawed no doubt not expecting this turnabout play.

“Well, that’s odd. Usually it’s me who’s left speechless.” I said, looking up at Aria with a grin.

Aria blushed even more. “W-Well, in my defense…” She made a brief pause to gather her thoughts. “Y-you look different today.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Different good?”

“Different very good.” She groaned and looked away. “That didn’t sound right.”

I giggled and planted my lips on her exposed cheek. Aria gasped and quickly turned to me, eyes widened. “Sorry, I couldn’t stop myself. You were being too cute.”

My girlfriend didn’t remain shocked for too long. She eventually smirked and frowned. “Enjoy it while you can, cub. Sooner or later I will return the favor.”

I smiled, feeling my confidence grow by the second. It was short lived when I noticed Aria placed her arms around my waist and closed the distance between us and I squeaked again. I didn’t waste any more time and placed my arms around her neck and rested my head on her shoulder into a tender embrace. I sighed happily as I got comfortable brushing my face against her hair.

“Twilight… shouldn't we get going?” My girlfriend spoke with a soft tone.

“Don’t be mean, Aria. Five more minutes.”

“Or until your stomach growls and it ruins the moment.” I gasped and glanced at her, fake slapping her on her face. “It wouldn’t be the first time!”

I smirked at her, but then our moment got interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Both Aria and I looked to where the sound came from and saw both of my parents standing by the door.

“Twilight, dear...” My mother said, “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

I tilted my head feeling very confused. What…? “But, you already met Aria. Why do I need to introduce her again?”

My father shook his head, crossing his arms. “We met your friend Aria, not your girlfriend Aria.”

My face turned deep red and I covered my face with both of my hands. “M-Mom… d-dad…!” Why do they have to embarass me all the time, and in front of Aria too!?

My parents chuckled and then my mother gently led my dad in beside her. “Sorry, honey, but we’re excited about this. It’s the first time we’ve seen Aria since she became your girlfriend.” She said as she approached us.

When she was in front of Aria, she placed her hands on her shoulders. “You were such a good friend with her. I trust that you’ll be an even better girlfriend.”

“I-I...” Aria widened her eyes, surprised by the sudden attention she was getting from my mom.

My alpha glanced at me and I gave her a small smile to encourage her. Aria nodded, looked back at my mother and gulped hard before speaking again. I got the impression she was trying to please my parents and not look foolish. I can’t blame her, my family was kind but they were tough as nails when need be.

“Yes, ma’am. Twilight is important to me. She makes me happy, and I want to do the same in return.”

“You’re already doing that.” I said, as I took her hand and squeezed it. Aria blushed and smiled, but kept her eyes fixed on my mother’s.

My mom smiled fondly. “We’re glad to hear it.” She said, before taking a step back. “And I believe I told you that you could call me just Velvet.”

I watched as Aria flinched under my mother's stern gaze. “S-Sorry, Velvet.”

I tried hard to stifle giggles as Aria glared at me. I returned her glare with a sweet innocent smile. She just gave me a cheeky grin in return.

“Twilight-” My father spoke next . “We would like to get to know Aria better. Any chance we can do it now?”

“I’m sorry, but we have a date. She came here to pick me up.” I’m glad I had a good excuse to postpone this. There’s no way my parents won’t tell Aria embarrassing things about me and I wanted to get out of it if at all possible.

“Oh, bummer...” My mom said, with a pout.

“That works for us, actually.” My dad smiled, placing his hand on my mom's shoulder. “It gives us time to look for the family photo album to show Aria your baby photos.”

“D-Dad!” Again, I covered my face with both of my hands, blushing hard and feeling like my head would explode. I heard Aria chuckling next to me. Don’t encourage them! “Stop embarrassing me in front of Aria!”

“I’m afraid we can’t do that, kiddo.” My father crossed his arms, still smiling. “It’s in the contract.”

“WHAT CONTRACT!?!”

My mother softly slapped my dad on his arm. “Night Light, we’re not going to show her Twilight’s baby photos.”

I sighed in relief. Mother comes in for the win, all respect earned! “Thanks, mom. I-”

“I was planning on waiting for a couple of months before that. Why don’t we show her Twilight’s grade school photos, or the ones of her in her Elementary plays?”

Once again I blushed out of embarrassment and covered my face with my hands. Dang it mom, you’re just as bad as dad sometimes! Just when I thought I’d die from embarrassment I heard Aria speak.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but like Twilight said, we have a date and we must leave now.” I peeked from my hands to give Aria a grateful smile.

“Of course, our bad” My dad said as my mother walked to his side. He put an arm around her waist.

“Have fun you two! If you need anything, just give us a call, okay?” My mother waved.

“I will, thanks.” I said sarcastically as I waved back.

I turned around and opened the front door and Aria and I walked out. Once we climbed down the stairs, I sighed with relief. “Thank you so much for the save, Aria.” I smiled at my girlfriend.

“Of course.” Aria said, as she patted my head. “The alpha always takes care of their pack, and I take care of my beta.”

I giggled and put my arms around hers. “So, where are we going?”

“I think I have a place.” My girlfriend said with a proud smirk. “During the bus ride here, I saw a café which caught my attention. It’s close, so maybe you have been there already.”

“Lead the way, then.” Aria smiled before focusing her eyes to the front. “How have you been?”

“You mean since yesterday?” My girlfriend smiled back at me. “Everything has been fine. Adagio asked for Sonata’s help with her outfit designs, so I had plenty of time for myself. I went for a walk. I got used to doing exercise every day now.”

“Do you still go to the library to read?”

“Not as much as before our library date. I couldn’t keep ignoring how much my eyes were straining. I’m taking it easy now, but I haven’t given up on those fancy words.”

I giggled. “I’m glad to hear it, but you don’t have to change for me. I like you as you are, just be yourself.”

“Thanks, cub. I will. Oh! I just remembered.” Aria glanced at me. “Has Maud found more information about the ruby she told us about?”

I perked up remembering that I had a conversation with Pinkie's sister about that and I was eager to share what I learned with Aria.

“Actually, yes. I even went to the museum a few days ago to ask her." I grinned at her. "Turns out that the stone is so unique, that they decided to name it.”

“How did they name it?”

“Whiterose.” Aria snorted and I glared at her, confused. “What’s so funny?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that it’s not very original.” My girlfriend managed to smile. “I mean, it’s a ruby with a white rose flower in the center. There’s literally no other gem like that in this world, and they call it that?! I thought the museum staff was supposed to be smart. I could come up with a better name right now.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?” I smirked, challenging her.

Aria’s eyes widened, as if she wasn’t expecting me to actually ask her. I could see her siren pride coming up as she refused to back down from my challenge, like any alpha would. I found that trait in her oddly endearing.

She scratched the back of her head and looked everywhere by to me. “I don’t know, uh… Ruby Rose?” I adopted a serious expression, raising an eyebrow in an unimpressed manner. Aria dropped her head, defeated and embarrassed. “Okay, maybe it’s not so easy.”

I giggled before kissing her on her cheek. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

My girlfriend blinked, dumbfounded, but managed to smile back. “I try.”

We continued walking down the street heading into a strip mall near my place. I was familiar with the place but I barely spent any time here. We continued walking until Aria pointed to a building not far ahead. “There! That’s the place!”

I followed her finger and saw the café she mentioned before. It was called ‘Sweet Enchantments’. Not a bad name. “I never saw this place before, but there used to be a building for sale there, so it must be brand new.”

“What do you say? Should we try it?” Aria asked with a hopeful smile. I can’t say no to that face, even if I wanted to.

“I suppose we can give it a shot.”

I looked over at the colorful building. My thoughts went immediately to my friend Pinkie and how colorful the place was. Taking a good look at it really fits it’s namesake. A standout among all the bland modern styled buildings, Sweet Enchantments definitely was going for a nature fantasy theme. It reminded me of an elven city from one of my favorite books I used to read a lot. The structure was intricately woven with leafy designs and was stylized with an almost middle eastern design, surrounded by colorful flowers all around the building, where small tables and chairs for customers to sit outside could be found, under lamp posts designed to look like giant flowers. It was really breathtaking to see.

Aria seemed excited by the place and was grinning like a kid ready to raid a candy store. “Great!” Aria grabbed my hand and squeezed it hard, but not too much. “Let’s go in, then.” She practically dragged me into the café.

“A-Aria?”

She didn’t say anything, only focusing on finding us a table. Once we sat, Aria glanced at the surroundings. I did the same. The place was decorated with beautiful flowers and pictures of fairies, dragons, and other mythical and magical creatures. A beautiful ceiling painting greeted us as we walked in with beautiful chandeliers that were like little golden trees hanging overhead. Everything looked… well, magical. My attention eventually returned to my girlfriend. I never saw her so enthusiastic about a café before. I remember seeing her eating hamburgers with delight, but I thought that’s as far as she went with food. I was about to try to call for her attention again, when our waitress arrived.

“Hello, and welcome to Sweet Enchantments!” She wore a huge, beaming smile. “I’m Casey and I’ll be serving you today. Your menus.”

“Thanks.” I smiled at our waitress as I took the menu.

Aria did the same. Casey grinned and happily walked away. I inspected the menu. They serve everything! From breakfast to dinner and brunch. Each meal was shown with a photo alongside their ingredients. Everything looked delicious!

“What will you get, Aria?” There was no reply. My girlfriend was completely absorbed in her menu. “Aria?”

I put my menu down and stared at her. She wasn’t listening at all, so maybe I should try something else? I touched her hand with my fingers and nudged her, but I had the same results as before. I sighed and looked around. My eyes fixed on the barista’s. Suddenly, I got an idea. I smirked and turned my attention back to my girlfriend and with a casual tone I said, “Hmm… I think the barista is staring at me...”

“What?!” Aria instantly put down her menu and glared furiously at the man behind the coffee machine. “How dares he?! I’m going to give him a piece of my mind!” Before Aria could stand up, I leaned forward to reach both of her hands.

“Aria, calm down.” I smiled at her. “I made that up.”

“What?” Her eyes widened, but then she quickly frowned. “Why?”

“I was trying to get your attention. You weren’t answering me.”

“Oh...” Aria blushed in embarrassment and tried hiding behind her menu again. “S-Sorry, it’s just...” She made eye contact with me. Whatever she was about to tell me she looked ashamed of it. “I-I have a sweet tooth and I got lost in the desserts.”

“Sweet tooth, really?” I raised an eyebrow, amused. “I would never have guessed.”

Aria giggled. “I know, I know, I’m weird.”

“Nonsense.” I reached over, taking her hands in mines and squeezing them gently. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t understand why you feel ashamed of it.”

I noticed how Aria suddenly became very uncomfortable. She began to fidget in her seat, and her fingers wiggled under my palms as I held hers.

“I don’t think it fits me. I used to terrorize the seas and turn my foes into each other. I like rock, metal and punk, but I drool when I see cakes or chocolate, or both!” I watched Aria almost start to drool as she went off into a starry gaze.

I giggled. “You also like to read a lot, and you have a geeky girlfriend. How is that different?”

Aria blushed deeply and looked away from me. “I-I wanted to keep it a secret for now...”

“And yet, you insisted on eating in a place called ‘Sweet Enchantments’.” I said in a teasing manner.

“I didn’t plan it well, okay?!” My girlfriend exclaimed while throwing her arms into the air. I giggled again before smiling.

“Oh, Aria...”

My alpha returned the smile just as our waitress returned, looking worried. “Is everything okay?”

Aria and I glanced at Casey, confused, then I smiled. “Yes, I’m just teasing my girlfriend a little bit. Thank you for asking.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

The waitress smiled, but then gasped when someone raised their voice. “Casey!” Another waitress called for Casey’s attention and stormed over. “I told you not to annoy the customers. One day someone will complain if you keep getting in their business!”

“Oh, don’t be like that Rune Charm.” Our waitress said, turning around to talk with her co-worker. “I just asked if they were fine, that’s all.”

Rune placed her hands on her hips and frowned. “Our job is to take orders and to make sure they enjoy their meals, not befriend them.”

“It’s fine, really.” I spoke up in Casey’s defense.

“Yeah, we don’t mind.” Aria stood up for our waitress too.

“See? Nothing to worry about.” Casey smiled while Rune groaned and raised her arms in defeat.

“They don’t mind, but someone else might. Just… be careful, okay?”

“Thank you for looking after me, Rune.” Our waitress smiled at her co-worker, who rolled her eyes and returned to her work. Casey, then, turned back to us, smiling brightly. “Are you ready to order?”

“Oh! Umm...” I looked at my menu. I was so busy trying to get Aria’s attention that I didn’t choose what to eat! “Aria, order first, please.”

“Okay.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll try the turkey sandwich with french fries. Cola to drink.”

“Very well.” Casey wrote down Aria’s order before turning to me. “And for you, miss?”

I put down the menu, wearing a beaming smile. Aria gave me time to decide. “I want raviolis, basic tomato sauce. Orange juice to drink.”

“Of course.” The waitress took our menus after writing down everything. “You’re in luck! We just bought fresh tomatoes and you’ll be the first to try them.”

“That’s great! Thank you.” I smiled at Casey as she walked to the counter before turning to Aria. “She’s nice. I like the ambience of this place.”

“I like it too.” Aria said, admiring the decor with me. “I hope the food is good, I so want to return here.”

Aria returned her gaze to me. “A-Although...” She started to draw lines with her index finger on the table. “We might have to order dessert too. Just to make sure their name is justified.”

I covered my mouth with a hand and giggled at her silliness. I did agree with her though, with a name like 'Sweet Enchantments' we needed to try something from the dessert menu for sure! “We certainly can’t leave without trying their sweets, can’t we?”

My girlfriend smiled before reaching her hand across the table for me to take. “Thank you for not judging me, Sparks. I really feel like I can tell you anything.”

“You can.” I squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to worry about a thing. I won’t share with my friends anything you find embarrassing. But-” I smirked. “The grandmother of my friend Applejack does bake some delicious apple pies. With your permission, I can get one for you.”

Aria frowned in thought. I could tell she wasn’t looking for a handout, but the promise of something sweet and enticing was too much for her now that I knew of her sweet tooth. “Okay, you can do that.”

I grinned. “Thank you, alpha. Just promise me that you’ll share it with your sisters.”

My girlfriend groaned and slumped in her chair. “Damn it! I was hoping you wouldn't say that.”

I chuckled softly. She’s so adorable. Things like these make me like her even more. Looking around, I found Rune Charm taking the order of another customer and I smirked. What better way to show affection than teasing her even more. “That other waitress, Rune. She reminds me of someone.”

“Yeah?” Aria smiled, still oblivious about my true intentions.

I nodded. “She clearly cares for her co-worker, but she hides behind a glare.”

My girlfriend narrowed her eyes in confusion, but moments later, she opened them wide, finally getting what I was doing. She blushed and looked away from me. “Y-You had to remind me...”

I giggled. “I’m sorry, Aria, but I couldn’t help it.” Smiling, I stroked her knuckles with my thumb. “The day we met… it feels like it was so long ago.”

Aria glanced at me, smiling softly. I felt her foot rub against my leg under the table when no one was looking. “It does. So much has happened since then.” She sighed. “Sorry for being so stubborn and slow.”

“Don’t be.” I smiled warmly. “Everyone opens up at their own pace. The important thing is that we’re together.”

“Unless my eyes catch another beautiful bookworm.” My jaw dropped trying to form words but nothing came out. My eyes widened in shock by her words, which made Aria chuckle. “Gotcha. Two can play this game, cub.”

I blinked, dumbfounded before shaking my head and smiling at my date. “Okay, I deserved that.” Even so, I blushed. She called me beautiful, and that meant the world to me and made my heart flutter. “So, tell me, alpha.”

“Hmm?” My date smiled at me.

“Your sweet tooth… How sweet is it? Do you have a favorite?”

Aria smirked. “Subtle way of figuring out what to gift me, Sparks.” I blushed in response. She got me. “Anyway, I do like chocolate mostly. My favorite is Zig Zag, though. I usually buy one or two when going to the market.”

I giggled. “I see. Those chocolates are delicious. Sometimes you can’t eat just one and I have to force myself to stop before I eat them all.”

“Exactly. I like them so much that I don’t like to share.” Aria chuckled. “I might get fat one of these days.”

“You won’t as long as you walk regularly like you’re doing now, don’t worry. Walking is very healthy.”

“Yeah, so is not gorging myself with sweets either,” My girlfriend smiled as she folded her arms. “I believe you.”

We continued chatting while we waited for our food to arrive, catching up on our weeks. Our orders arrived a few minutes later. Casey brought our food while wearing a big grin. “Here you go! Delicious meals for the adorable couple.” Our waitress said, giving us our respective plates. I couldn’t help but to blush while Aria smirked proudly.

“Thank you.” I said, smiling at our waitress.

Casey grinned in response before walking away. Aria wasted no time to pour her cola in her glass, so I did the same with my own drink.

“Twilight, I have been meaning to tell you-” Aria said, before giving her sandwich a bite. She spoke again after swallowing. “I finished ‘Young Sorceress Academia’ a couple of days ago.”

“You did?!” I smiled widely while my girlfriend nodded. “What did you think of the final chapter?”

“I liked it. The whole story of the ghost not being able to move on to a better life was sad and it was strange how she had to ‘eat’ people as tradition, despite she couldn’t really digest anything. I must say, even though I knew Kari and her friends couldn’t be eaten, I still gasped just like Iris did.”

“Yeah, the author did a great job when writing the scene. I also got worried for a moment.” I commented, taking a couple of raviolis to my mouth. “Mmmmm! This is good!”

Aria nodded in agreement before speaking again. “It was so cool when Kari could help the ghost to move on with the help of her idol’s rod.“ Her eyes shined, but then, she frowned. ”but I really disliked how their teacher scolded Kari and her friends for breaking a tradition which involved a soul’s torment. Just… I don’t believe how easy it is to hate that teacher.“

“I know.” I sighed. “I’m not sure what to think of that character. Sometimes I wish the author didn’t write her in the first place at all. But I guess every good story has a flaw or two.”

“True. If the characters were perfect where would the fun be.” Aria smiled again. “I still enjoyed the book. Is the author working on more?”

“Yes, after I finished the book myself, I investigated and found an interview in which the author confirmed that she was working on the second and last book.”

“Last?” My girlfriend lost her smile.

“Yeah, I was heartbroken too.” I frowned sadly too, before smiling sympathetically at my date. “But sometimes that’s for the best. I have seen stories losing their way because of too many sequels, and not just books.”

“Hmm, I suppose you’re right...” Aria said, without losing her frown. With the same expression, she took another bite of her meal.

“Cheer up, Aria.” I said, with a smile. “We’ll find other books. One we choose together.”

“That’s not a bad idea.” My girlfriend said before smirking in a joking manner. “Unless you want to steal the last copy from my hands.”

I blushed and looked away. “I-I’m still sorry about that. I was so desperate...”

Aria laughed softly. “It’s okay. It’s a funny memory, now.” As soon as she finished her sentence, she lost her smile, looking guilty. “But it might be different for you, given how much of a jerk I was with you.”

I looked at her and smiled, once again remembering that day when we met. “It’s alright, it was a long time ago.”

“But-” I cut her off with a frown.

“No more blaming yourself for your past actions, Aria. We had a rough start, but we got over that. Yes, you were being a jerk, but you made the effort to come and apologize to me. You reached out to me, and we became friends, we had fun together.” I softened my look as I took both of her hands. “We became a couple. I moved on. Why can’t you do the same?”

“Twilight...” Aria gazed into my eyes for a while. After several moments passed, she smiled and squeezed my hands back. “I’m trying, I really am. I’m very happy with how my life is right now. I honestly don’t know why I keep looking back, my past isn’t pleasant.”

“Because it’s still a part of you.” I smiled at her again. “You have to forgive yourself.”

My girlfriend looked away from me clearly ashamed of her past behavior. “One day I might.” She sighed and focused her eyes on me again. “But I really messed up, Sparks. It will take time.”

“In the meantime, I’ll make sure to shower you with love and affection.” Aria blushed and her eyes widened by my words, but then she smiled and locked her gaze on mine. I was ready to get lost in her eyes, when a faint squeal interrupted us. Both Aria and I turned around to find our waitress next to us with her hands covering her mouth and her eyes wet. “Casey...?” I said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“I-I’m sorry, but you two are so adorable…!”

I blushed deeply, and my guess is that Aria was too. I couldn’t verify it because Rune Charm walked towards us, catching my attention as she stormed up on Casey again.

“Do you go deaf when I speak, or do you just deliberately ignore me when I talk to you!?” Casey’s co-worker yelled before placing her hands on her hips. She didn’t look happy at all. “You’re being unprofessional!”

“But Rune...” Our waitress looked so sad. She has been so nice. I have to say something!

“She’s not bothering us, really.” My words caught the attention of both waitresses. I glanced at my girlfriend before speaking again. “Right, Aria?”

My date shrugged. “She’s cool. I can’t complain.” I smiled at her.

Thank you, alpha!

“Even so, Rune Charm has a point.” I looked towards the direction the new voice came from to see an older woman, maybe around her mid-thirties, approaching us. I could feel an aura of radiance around her. “Casey, these customers might not mind, but others might complain about intruding in their business. You’re not in troubles this time, as long as you promise that you’ll be careful from now on.”

“Yes, boss, I’m sorry.” Our waitress lowered her head, ashamed.

“As for you, Rune Charm-” The older woman glanced at the other waitress. “Warning Casey was noble of your part, but do not neglect our patrons in the process. I can see more than one angry glare directed to you right now.”

Rune gasped and blushed, embarrassed. “Y-Yes, Linora! I’m sorry! I’ll get back to work right away!” She said, before walking away at a fast pace.

“I-I’ll be going too.” Our waitress said, before excusing herself. She gave us a grateful smile as she resumed her work.

Their boss remained though. I wasn’t sure how to feel with her presence, until she shot us a smile. “My apologies. I didn’t mean for you to witness that. I hope your meal wasn’t ruined.”

“No, it’s alright.” I said, returning her smile. “I’m glad you weren’t harsh on them.”

“They're nice girls. I'm friends with their families, so I have known them my entire life.” Linora explained. “Rune has had a harsh life. She has been on the wrong side of the law, but she has a good heart. She’s always looking out for Casey.”

I looked at Aria. “I was right. She IS like you.” My girlfriend blushed and looked away scoffing. I giggled at her reaction before turning to Linora again. “What about Casey?”

“She has a different background.” She spoke with such serenity that it was contagious. “She’s studious. Her grades are remarkable. She loves mystery novels and she’s studying a major in literature in order to become a writer. It’s also almost impossible to get her attention when she’s reading.”

“Well, what do you know?” Aria smirked and spoke with a teasing tone. “Does she remind you of someone, Sparks?”

I blushed and coughed nervously. “W-Well…”

Linora chuckled softly. “That’s cute.” She cleared her throat before adopting a professional posture. “How are you liking your food?”

“It’s delicious!” I said, smiling widely.

“Same here. My compliments to the chef.” Aria spoke next.

“I’ll make sure our chef, Roland, receives your compliments.” The woman said, before giving us a short bow. “I must keep going. Bon appetit.”

“Thank you.” I watched the woman walk away. When she was far enough, Aria chuckled. I glanced at her to see that she had an amused smile.

“‘My compliments to the chef’. I always wanted to say that.

I shared her smile. “Oh, really? What a dorky thing to say Aria. I must be rubbing off on you.” I said, playfully while grinning back at Aria.

“Har, har,” Aria sarcastically laughed at me. “In some of the movies Adagio watches they say that. If only I had a reason to get in a taxi and order the driver to follow a specific vehicle into an amazing chase sequence.”

“I wouldn’t recommend you to do that.” I said, wagging a finger sideways. “It’s illegal. Even if you want to joke with the driver, it could get you into trouble.”

“You recommend not to, which means I can still do it if I want.” Aria crossed her arms.

“Aria!” I raised my voice, not too much though. Just enough to let her see my worry. My date, however, started to laugh. I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“I’m just messing with you, Sparks.” She smiled at me. “I might not be clever, but I’m not stupid.”

I smiled back. I can’t believe I fell for that after all the back and forth teasing. “You’re terrible, you know that?”

“Trust me, I know. You’re just so naive it’s cute.” Aria grinned before returning to her food. I did the same. The food was truly delicious. After finishing our main course we decided on a dessert to try before leaving. I hope the desserts are just as good so we can return another day.

“I have never eaten so good in my life!” Aria commented after we walked out from the café. She was grinning widely and our hands were intertwined together. “The sandwich was so tasty, and the chocolate mousse I had for dessert…so good.”

“It even came with a cute topping!” I commented. “A moose made of white chocolate, filled with more chocolate mousse. A moose mousse!”

Aria chuckled. “Yeah, that’s a good one.”

“My flan was delicious too.” I smiled at her. “It has been so long since the last time I ate one.”

“Did you see the cakes in display?” Aria’s jaw dropped in excitement. “I cannot wait until we return to try them!”

“You’re only trying one slice per date.” I said, while lifting a finger into the air. “Just walking won’t be enough if you eat more, not to mention that it won’t be any good for your body.”

“I know, I know.” She glanced at me, still smiling happily. “Just don’t make me wait, cub.”

“Maybe next weekend, or sooner, if you’re good.” I said, before walking closer to her in order to place my head on her shoulder.

“I’ll be good, I promise.” My girlfriend said as she nuzzled her head on mine. All these affections might make my heart explode one of these days. Squee!

“Aria?”

“Hmm?”

Time to improvise. I’ll spend as much time with her as I can. “Can we go for a walk? Teach me one of your routes.”

My date smirked. “Sure thing, Sparks.”

I grinned and kissed her on her cheek. We made eye contact and got lost in each other’s eyes, until Aria poked my nose. I covered my face with my hands, as usual, while my girlfriend chuckled. I smirked, leaning up and kissed her nose in response getting a confused but cute smile in return. She then linked arms with me and we walked together. “If your feet start to get tired, don’t hesitate to let me know. I’ll carry you if I have to.”

I giggled. “That won’t be necessary, but thank you for your kind offer.” I never thought I could be this happy. I can barely hold myself from squealing all the time. Aria Blaze… She has been a good friend and she’s being a wonderful girlfriend. Her sweet tooth caught me by surprise, but now I have something to spoil her with… but with moderation, of course. She won’t gain weight on my watch.

“Hey Twilight?”

“Hmm, what is it Aria?”

“If I get fat would you still want to be with me?”

“I would. It just means there would be more of you to hug, Aria Blaze,” I said, walking beside her. “I promise I won’t run off with Casey.”

“You better not! I’ll kick her butt and then yours!”

We both laughed enjoying each other's company as we walked through town together. Arms linked and my head in Aria’s shoulder there was nothing that could ruin this moment. Nothing at all.

Persistent Pestilence

View Online

Aria’s POV

My date with Twilight was going better than expected. Sweet Enchantments turned out to be a great idea for a place I chose at the last minute. I was always ashamed of my sweet tooth, so much so I never told my sisters about it. Revealing it to Twilight was never planned, but when we’re alone, I tend to lower my defenses.

Everything about my girlfriend is amazing. I just couldn’t help but to steal glances from time to time as we walked together, arms linked. She had her head on my shoulder, but at one point, our gazes met. A smile immediately formed in my mouth. I still have to get used to how fast my heart races when I get to admire her beauty so up close. The last time it beated this fast was of exhaustion for running when my sisters and I got defeated at the Battle of the Bands.

“What’s in your mind, Aria?” Twilight had a beaming smile too.

“The mousse I just had. I think I’m in love.” I decided to joke around a little.

My girlfriend gasped jokingly and pushed me slightly. “How could you?!” We both laughed at our silliness before I kissed her cheek. Our eyes met again.

“How are your feet? Can you keep going?”

Twilight giggled cutely. “Aria, we have barely been walking for half an hour. I’m fine, my feet are in a good shape.”

“We can take a break whenever you want.”

“I’m fine, I promise.” My girlfriend laid her head on my shoulder again. “You’re worrying too much.”

I felt my heart sinking a little. “I-Is that a bad thing…?”

Twilight looked at me again, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “No, not at all. I know you’re very protective. It would be a bad thing only if you forced me to rest.”

“I would never do that.”

My date smiled. “I know.”

I smiled and looked away from her to watch the surroundings. Twilight said nothing else, instead laying her head on my shoulder once again. I smiled. Her affections always warmed my heart.

We continued walking for a good while, making it to Canterlot City’s downtown. I’m starting to think on inviting Twilight to walk with me more often. It’s more fun when you have good company. However, I felt like just walking wasn’t enough. I wanted to do more. Like surprising my girlfriend with something. I started to look around for ideas. Balloons… no. The only person I can think of who would enjoy a gift like that would be Sonata… maybe I should get my little sister one another time. Ice-Cream won’t do. We just had delicious desserts. Suddenly, my eyes spotted something which might do. A claw machine! Good thing Adagio gave me some spare change. I stood still, stopping Twilight with me.

“Aria?” My girlfriend glanced at me, confused.

“Cub-” I smiled at her. “What do you say if I try to win something for you from that machine?” Twilight followed my gaze and gasped.

“A plushie?” She looked at me. “I-I don’t know, don’t you think I’m too old for one?”

“Nonsense. Come on, pick one.” I said as I took her hand and lead her closer to the store with the machine.

“Uh... ” Twilight gazed at the plushies within the machine, gasping moments later. “Aria, look at that star!” She pointed excitedly to the plushie she was referring to. It was a yellow star with big black capsule shaped eyes. “It’s so cute!”

I chuckled. “What happened to being too old for plushies?” My date blushed and looked away, embarrassed. I decided not to tease her anymore. “Don’t worry, I’ll get that star for my stargazer girlfriend.”

Twilight giggled and looked at me, more specifically, my hair. “You also use star pins on your hair like me. You always had a love for astronomy in you.”

I smiled. “And like my feelings for you, I was blind to it until you lent me a hand.”

My girlfriend blushed again, but this time deeper. She still smiled proudly though. “I-I just gave you a gentle push...”

“You call a kiss a gentle push?” I raised an eyebrow as I smiled wider and crossed my arms. She looked away from me again, so I just brushed her hair affectionately before heading towards the claw machine. I checked the price for each try. I only have three chances to get the star.

Before the first try, I looked closely at the prizes. There were more than one identical star, but only one was easier to get. It was under the plushie of a strange blue hedgehog, so it will be tricky. Twilight stood beside me. I’m sure she was looking at the same star plushie as me.

“Hmm… I think that you’ll have to move that Bolt the Hedgehog plushie first.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. It’s a good thing that I have a few shots.” With an objective in mind, I placed a few coins in the machine and grabbed the lever to control the crane. I carefully moved it above the Bolt prize. I have seen people play this thing. I know it’s not easy to win, but it’s possible. Fortunately, the claw will release Bolt. I pressed the button and watched the crane work. It grabbed the blue hedgehog and lifted it. My heart stopped when I watched the crane move it towards the hole. Thankfully, the plushie fell inside the machine. Both Twilight and I sighed in relief. “Well, step one is completed.” I smiled at my girlfriend. “Now for step two.” Twilight nodded happily and I got to work. Once again, I carefully moved the claw to my intended target. When I was absolutely certain that I had the crane above the star, I pressed the button. Time slowed down as we watched it descend and grab the star. The plushie was lifted and it moved towards the hole. I grinned. Yes! Come on, come on, come on! However, when the claw was about to arrive to the hole, it stopped. What?! Don’t you dare, don’t you dare…! Angry, I slapped the machine. Doing so caused the claw to move sideways. The claw opened and the plushie was sent flying… towards the hole. Yes!

“Woohoo!” Twilight started to jump excitedly as she clapped while I raised both of my fists into the air in triumph.

“Take that!” After celebrating, I got on my knees to get my reward. “Here.” I extended my hands towards my date. “You must treasure it.”

Twilight had a wide smile on her face and her eyes were sparkling. She took the plushie from me and hugged it with both of her arms. “I will.” She said before kissing me on my cheek. “Thank you, Aria.”

“It was nothing.” I said, smiling. “Now wait here while I buy us some bottled water.”

My girlfriend nodded happily, hugging her new toy tightly on her chest. I adore when she acts this adorable. I patted her head before walking into the store which owned the machine I just used. There were two clients before me, so I had to wait a couple of minutes for my turn. When I was leaving, I heard some familiar voices outside. Unwelcome ones. I hurried outside to find Sunny Flare, Sour Sweet and Suri around my date. Sunny Flare was trying to take the star plushie from Twilight.

“Give it here, nerd! I can’t believe you’re actually fighting for it!” Sunny Flare said while struggling to steal Twilight’s plushie.

“You just got it for yourself?” Suri said with a malicious smile.

“N-No! Don’t take it!” Twilight was on the verge of tears.

“That girlfriend of hers probably broke up with her.” Sour Sweet said with a fake sad frown before smiling darkly. “She must have realized how worthless you are!”

That’s it! Despite being of cold blood, I could feel my blood boiling right now. I headed towards Sunny Flare and grabbed her from her arm. She cried in pain while the other bullies gasped when they saw me.

“You’re as pathetic as I thought you were when I first saw you.” I said between my teeth. I was enraged! “Are you still picking on her even when she no longer goes to your school?!” Without effort, I placed my hand on Sunny Flare’s neck and lifted her into the air. Maybe a sample of my strength will leave a clear message. “Release.the.plushie.now!” Gulping, Sunny Flare dropped the star toy. Twilight quickly grabbed it and took a few steps backwards. The bullies were shaking in fear, but I wasn’t done. “Twilight, cover your ears.”

“Why?” she sounded confused. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes, still glaring. “O-Okay, I’ll do it.” She got a little startled, but she obeyed me. Now that she couldn’t hear me, I turned to the bully in my arm again. “Her outstanding grades stopped being a problem for you. You have no reason to assault her anymore. Why do you still go after her? Fight for the first place between yourselves like the vultures you are and leave her alone. Your principal isn’t here to stop me this time.” I chuckled darkly before continuing. “Ironically, the only reason I’m not breaking your bones is because of the girl you consider ‘worthless’.” I abruptly opened my hand to let Sunny Flare fall to the floor. It was so sudden that she fell on her butt. I noticed that Twilight stood next to me, no longer covering her ears. She must have removed her hands when I dropped the bully. “Stay away from my girlfriend! Next time, I won’t be as gentle.” The bullies didn’t need to hear it twice. They ran away from us. With them gone, I sighed and turned around to face Twilight. She was still shaking, hugging her plushie for comfort.

“Th-They appeared out of nowhere, and… and...”

I wasted no time in hugging her. “They’re gone… I don’t think they will bother you again.” My heart broke when I heard her sniff against my shoulder. I held her closer. Oh, Twilight…

“Why are they so mean to me...? I never did anything to them...”

I stroked her hair, allowing her to cry all her pain out. Cadence didn’t want me telling Twilight the reasons of her bullying. So if someone is ever going to tell her, it’s her. “I don’t know and I don’t care. Whatever reason they have must be stupid.” I cupped her face with my hands and made her look at me. She wasn’t looking so good. I smiled sympathetically at her as I cleaned her tears from her eyes. “Forget about them. Let’s get out of here.”

My girlfriend sniffed and nodded, giving me a small smile. “O-Okay...” I placed my arm around her, pulling her close, and we started to walk again.

“I can take you home if you want.” She might not be in the mood to continue our date, so I gave her the option. Twilight hugged her plushie close to her chest again, thinking how to reply.

“N-No...” She turned her head towards me, smiling widely. “You’re right, I should forget about them. I can’t let those bullies ruin our date. Let’s continue to walk.”

I smiled at her. “That’s my cub.” Twilight giggled and I kissed her forehead before giving her the bottled water I just bought. I’m going to make this walk a long one to distract her from the recent events. I needed the distraction too. I hate those bullies as much as I hate my first crush. I can’t believe that even now they pick on the poor Twilight. They better avoid us like the plague from now on because if I see them again, they’ll be making use of those expensive medical insurance I’m sure they have. No, stop thinking about them!

Think on the beautiful girl in your arms. I glanced at my date, still with a good mood. Happiness filled my heart once again. I swear, Sparks, I’ll do anything to protect that smile of yours.

One Week later

A new Saturday is here. After dealing with Twilight’s bullies last week, we could finish our date without any more incidents. I was heading to Sweet Enchantments for another date. Maybe we could make this café our spot to meet from now on. I walked into the building, where I was immediately greeted by Casey.

“Oh, I know you! You were here last week, right?” She wore a bright smile similar to my sister Sonata or her equally annoying friend, with the difference that this smile didn’t bother me a bit.

“That’s right.” I returned the smile. “I’m here to meet with my girlfriend, so, can I sit at the counter?”

“Sure! Our barista, Cain, will love the company!” I followed the waitress to the counter, where I sat on one of the stools. “Cain! This is, uh...” Casey looked at me, asking for help. Twilight and I never introduced properly.

“Aria Blaze, but just Aria is okay.”

“That’s right, Aria!” The waitress grinned. “I think I heard your girlfriend call you by your name last time.”

I chuckled. “Her name is Twilight. The sweetest girl I have ever met.”

“Aww, how cute!” Casey’s eyes sparkled, but then she widened her eyes in fear for something she saw behind her. I turned my head around to find the other waitress, Rune, glaring at her. “But, umm, I better go now, yes? Cain will serve you.”

“Thanks.” I smiled at her as she walked away before turning to the man by the coffee machine. “So...” I cleared my throat. “You’re the guy in charge of the coffee…?”

“I’m the barista, yes.” He said with his arms crossed and with an amused look. Damn, my social skills aren’t as good as Twilight’s! “Will you have anything or you’ll just wait.”

“I would, but it wouldn’t feel right to drink something without Twilight and leave without her having anything.”

“She could order something to go. My beverages are as good in mugs as they are in disposable cups, but it’s your choice.” Cain finished with a shrug.

“You can bring me a glass of water though, if you need me to have something to sit here.”

“You don’t need to. There’s still space in the counter for more patrons, so don’t worry.”

“Hmm, still, I could use something to drink. It was a long way here and my girlfriend won’t be arriving for around ten minutes, so...”

“Say no more.” Cain smiled and grabbed a glass to fill it with water before giving it to me. “Here, it’s on the house.”

“Thanks.” I took the glass. “Wait, do you actually charge for a glass of water?”

The barista chuckled. “Nope, I just have fun saying it.”

I smiled as I took a sip. Everyone here are nice. Yes, this should become our usual place to meet. While waiting for Twilight, I saw another employee get behind the counter.

“How are the pastries, Cain? Do you need a refill?”

“Hey, Lúcio.” Cain greeted his co-worker. “So far so good, although tea time is closing in, so it would be a good idea to bake more cupcakes. They’re quite popular among customers.”

“Good idea. We ran out of them a week ago.” The baker met my gaze, noticing that I was staring at him. “Yes? Do you need something?”

“You bake the pastries here?” I asked, barely being able to hide my smile.

“Yes, I do.” Lúcio was confused. I couldn’t hide my smile any longer.

“Your desserts are delicious! Seriously, they’re the best I tried.”

The baker smiled proudly. “Is that so? Thank you. It’s good to know my pastries are loved by many.”

“I really do. You might be my favorite person!”

“Oh? Should I be offended?” My eyes widened when I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned around to find Twilight standing right behind me, smiling widely.

“Sparks!” I wasted no time to hug her. My girlfriend giggled, hugging me back.

“Hello, Aria.” We broke the hug and Twilight looked at the employees behind the counter. I noticed that she was carrying a shopping bag, but I decided not to mention it for now. “Hello there. Are you trying to steal my date from me?”

I looked at Twilight with my jaw slightly dropped. She seems to be in a real good mood today to be joking around like that.

Cain chuckled and crossed his arms. “Actually, Roland is the flirty one. You’re lucky he’s at the kitchen right now.”

“He can try, but he’ll be very disappointed.” I said as I placed an arm around Twilight’s shoulders. “This girl right here is the reason I smile and I don’t plan on leaving her.”

“Aww, Aria...” My girlfriend said before kissing my cheek, successfully making my heart skip a beat.

“Casey was right, they’re a sweet couple.” Cain commented.

“Wait, they’re the ones she doesn’t stop talking about?” Lúcio said, widening his eyes in realization. “She asked me to bake something especially for you to share. Will that be alright?”

“Didn’t she ask you to make it a surprise?” The barista glanced at his co-worker.

“She could be asking too much. What if they don’t want it?”

“Oh, but we do.” I said, smiling, before turning to Twilight. “Right?”

“Of course.” Twilight grinned from me to Lúcio. “But not today. I prepared a surprise for my date and we need to go.” She said before glancing at Cain. “Can we have coffee to go?”

“Sure.” The barista cracked his knuckles. “What will they be?”

“I’ll have milk coffee, please.” Twilight made her order.

“I want my coffee with lots of cream, and sugar, and marshmallows!” My girlfriend quickly looked at me, eyes widened. I didn’t get to ask why the face because Cain spoke first.

“Sorry, but I’m afraid that we ran out of marshmallows a few days ago. We ordered more but they still haven’t delivered them to us.

“Aww...” I sighed. “Just cream and sugar then.”

“They’ll be ready in a few minutes.” The barista said before getting to work, leaving Twilight and I alone. I smiled at her, but she was frowning. “What?”

“Cream and sugar is already sweet enough. Marshmallows would have been too much.”

“But-”

“No buts, Aria.” Twilight crossed her arms. “I’m just looking out for you. I don’t want you to feed your stomach with bombs.”

“Couldn’t I have it just once?” My girlfriend shook her head.

“I get that you have never been open with your sweet tooth, but that doesn’t mean you can stuff your mouth with anything you find. Only Pinkie Pie can do that and not get sick, but she’s... well, Pinkie Pie.”

I sighed, defeated. “Fine...” I turned around and crossed my arms, sad. But my sadness didn’t last long when I felt my cub wrapping her arms around my waist from behind.

“You’re good protecting me from my bullies. I just want to do the same. There’s nothing wrong with eating sweets as long as you don’t overdo it.” She rested her head on my shoulder. I can’t be mad with her, especially not when she’s worried about my health.

“I appreciate it, Sparks. I kept my sweet tooth a secret for so long and I might be out of control.”

“I know.” she kissed my cheek. “But you have me and I'll make sure to stop you from going too far.”

I gave her a small peck on her lips. “Thanks again.” We smiled at each other and then Cain placed two disposable cups on the counter.

“Your orders are ready, ladies.”

“Thank you.” Twilight said with a smile as she took her cup. “We better get going now. See you!” My girlfriend waved happily at Cain and Lúcio before turning around and walking towards the door. I took my cup, nodded at them and followed Twilight. On the way out I couldn’t make eye contact with Casey because she was busy, but I did see Rune Charm. I have her a short wave and she returned it. Once outside, I couldn’t take Twilight’s hand since she had her cup on one hand and a shopping bag on the other.

“So, cub...” I said after a few blocks of walking to an unknown destination. “Where are we going? What’s in the bag?”

Twilight glanced at me with an amused face. “Both questions have a similar answer.” She giggled. “It’s a surprise, Aria. All will be revealed soon, so please, be patient.”

“Will we arrive soon?”

“No, we’ll-”

“How about now?”

“Aria-”

“And now?”

Twilight sighed and shook her head, but she was still in a good mood. “Impatient, are we?”

“I’m not used to surprises. My sisters do surprise me once in a while, but no one else has cared enough for me before.”

“Aww, Aria...” My date smiled. “That will change right now.”

“Thanks, cub.” I poked her nose. “I really appreciate it.”

Twilight grinned. “It’s my pleasure.”

A couple of blocks later, we finished our coffees and threw them in the trash can. It’s the best coffee I have ever had, although it’s also the first one I drank in my life.

“So, Sparks, what have you done with the plushie I won for you?”

My girlfriend looked at me, blushing. “I-I thought on what you said and you were right… I shouldn’t be ashamed of it...” She smiled widely. “It’s in my night table. I also decided to take out my childhood plushies as well, Mr. Smartypants and Miss Serenity. I...” she blushed, more deeply this time. “I had a wedding ceremony for them when I was younger...”

I chuckled and smiled amused. “You did, really?” My girlfriend nodded quickly, clearly embarrassed. “That’s adorable! And here I thought you couldn’t get any cuter.”

Even though she was blushing hard, Twilight smiled at me. “You really think so?”

I nodded. “Of course. I normally don’t care when someone does that, but with you, I can’t help but find it adorable.”

My girlfriend took both of her hands to cover her face, despite having a shopping bag. “A-Aria!”

I chuckled and pulled her close to me to kiss the side of her head. So cute.

After walking for a while, Twilight stopped walking. I glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Cub?”

“We’re here.” She replied with a smile. She looked at the building next to us and I followed her gaze. I gasped. The sign read ‘Community Swimming Pool and Swimming Classes’.

“Sparks…?” I slowly glanced back at my girlfriend, still astonished. “Did you…?”

Before I finished, Twilight nodded excitedly. “I paid swimming classes for you! I know how much you missed being in your element, so, ta da!” My jaw dropped in awe as I looked at the building before us. Swimming… I actually gave up on the idea of doing it again since Adagio said we could no longer breathe underwater so living under the sea wasn’t viable. At first I hated the idea of living on land, but after watching some documentaries about the ocean and the creatures living it, I realized we would have died quickly without our magic. “Aria…?” I glanced back at my girlfriend. She looked worried. I have been silent for so long that she may be thinking that I didn’t like the idea. I better cease her worries.

Before she could say something else, I embraced Twilight tightly, of course, I went easy with my strength. “Thank you so much, Twilight.” My girlfriend giggled and hugged me back.

“You’re welcome, Aria.”

I broke the hug and looked at Twilight when I realized something. “Wait, I don’t have a swimsuit.”

“I got you covered… literally.” My girlfriend giggled again as she raised the shopping bag she was holding. “It’s a one piece suit. I figured you would prefer it that way.”

I smiled widely as I took the bag from her. “You know me so well, cub.” I grabbed her hand before glancing at the door. “Shall we go in?”

“Sure!” Excited, we rushed inside. We walked straight to the reception desk. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle. I booked swimming classes for Aria Blaze.” I nodded when she mentioned my name. The receptionist quickly checked if everything was correct.

“Oh, yes! The class is about to start.” The receptionist said before pointing to a door behind us. “Down the hall, third door on the right is the swimming pool. You’ll find the changing room inside.”

“Thank you.” Twilight said before she and I walked towards the door we were just told to cross. I could instantly feel, smell and see the steam. Wasting no more time, I ran into the changing room while Twilight waited outside. There’s so much steam here.

I opened the bag and pulled out the swimsuit. It was lime green, just like the stripes on my hair. I love it! Once changed, I walked out. I felt so exposed. I never had my legs out in the open like this. Good thing Adagio forced me to shave them all the way up. I crossed my arms, embarrassed and looking away from Twilight. But when she didn’t say a word, I looked at her. She had her eyes locked on my legs and her jaw was dropped.

“Hey, Twilight-” I smirked as I pointed to my face. “My eyes are right here.”

“O-Oh?” My girlfriend made eye contact with me and blushed deeply. “I-I’m sorry, Aria! I d-didn’t mean to s-stare!”

I chuckled and placed a hand on her shoulder as I kissed her forehead. “Enjoy while you can, cub. I rarely expose myself like this in public.”

“What a shame-” Twilight smiled lovingly at me. “but I understand. Skin exposure isn’t for everyone.”

“Speaking of which...” I said as I felt my cheeks getting hot. “Is there a towel around? I don’t know if I want to leave this room looking like this.”

“Don’t worry, Aria, everyone will be wearing swimsuits. You’ll blend in. Just act natural.”

“B-But...” My girlfriend took my hand and squeezed it, ceasing my worries for the time being.

“Trust me, Aria. You’ll be fine. No one will stare at you.”

I couldn’t help but to smile, but I still had my doubts. Still, I can’t argue with that cute face of hers. “I do trust you. If I was blindfolded inside a room with obstacles, your voice is the only one I would follow.”

“Aww...” Twilight blushed, but then raised an eyebrow. “What about your sisters’?”

“Haven’t you met them?” I said, frowning. “Sonata would panic and Adagio would purposely guide me to crash into everything.”

My girlfriend giggled. “Fair enough.” She took my wrist and smiled at me. “Come on, I’ll be right next to you.”

“Alright.” I said as I allowed her to guide me. I glanced back at the changing booth I used on the way out. I’ll return for you, clothes. Don’t vanish.

Once standing by the swimming pool, Twilight and I remained standing until a woman approached to us.

“Hello! Is it your first time here?” The instructor said, smiling at me.

“Y-Yeah. Do I jump in, or…?”

The woman chuckled with amusement. “That depends. Do you have any experience?”

“I...” I was about to say yes, but I met Twilight’s gaze. She quickly shook her head. Right… I can’t really go around saying that I’m a sea monster. “No, actually. I never had the chance to swim.”

“Then I wouldn’t recommend you to jump in. Use the stairs.” The instructor smiled fondly at me before glancing at Twilight. “You don’t look ready to swim.”

My date giggled. “I’m not. I’m just here to support my girlfriend on her first day with swimming lessons.” Oh, cub, don’t make me blush…

“I see.” The woman placed a hand on her hip. “I’m afraid that our facilities aren’t prepared to receive spectators. You can return in an hour when we’re done.”

“Oh, I understand. I’ll take a walk, then, message my friends and stuff to kill time.” The instructor nodded and turned around to walk towards the pool. Twilight gave me two thumbs up to encourage me and I returned them. My girlfriend smiled cutely and walked out of the room… leaving me alone with a bunch of strangers.

“Alright, we’re all here. Let us begin with the class.” Ugh, I didn’t think about this. Becoming friendly with the Sweet Enchantments guys was easy because Twilight was with me. How am I going to survive this? “Alright, the new ones, come to me. The rest, do the usual warm up freestyle!” Still in the pool, I walked towards where the instructor was with two other people while the rest started to swim. I watched them to see how they moved. It doesn’t seem so hard. “Okay, newbies.” The woman said as she crouched. “Hold onto the border and start kicking with your legs. Get used to the feeling.” I nodded and did as she said. I felt silly, but at least the people who were with me were doing the same, so I knew that I wasn’t doing it wrong. I wonder how long will it take me to reach the fun part?

It has been a few days since my first swimming class. It was so boring! I spent half the class just kicking the water and the other half swimming near the border with my head out. But it was nice to be back in my element, so I’ll keep taking those lessons. I do hope the second day isn’t as boring as the first, though.

I just arrived home after running an errand for Adagio. We ran out of juice tomatoes and lettuces. After placing the bag on the kitchen, I dropped on the couch. I was about to turn on the T.V. when Sonata showed up, skipping excitedly, with Adagio trailing close behind.

“It’s done~!” My younger sister exclaimed with a melodic tone before starting to jump on her spot. “It’s done, it’s done, it’s done!”

I rubbed my forehead as I groaned. “What’s done?!”

“I just called Pinkie and told her all about our hatchday!” Oh, that… I told her it was okay to tell them.

“Oh, right...” I sighed. “Will she and her friends come to our place, then?”

“Even better!” Sonata grinned before turning to our older sister. “Tell her, Dagi.”

Adagio smirked and crossed her arms. “Pinkie arranged a party… right here!”

I dropped the remote as I gasped. Oh, no… it was one thing to invite them over, but a full party?!

Hatchday Party

View Online

Twilight’s POV

Tomorrow’s the big day, it’s the birthday of Aria and her sisters, or rather hatchday as they liked to call it. I thought it was nice that they had a special name for their birthday. It made it unique, and served to remind me that Aria and her sister’s weren’t humans, nor from our world. Earlier I went out and got Aria the perfect gift. It’s something she will want to open in private so I called her after buying it to ask if I could bring it over. After setting up the time I planned on wrapping the gift before heading over.

“Twilight-” Spike said while he watched me work from the bed. “Why are you wrapping the gift yourself? Couldn’t you have asked someone to do it at the store you bought it from?”

I giggled at Spike's simplistic view of the world, and patted his head.

“It’s more personal this way!” I grinned at my pet. “I want to put all my heart into this.”

My pet continued watching me in silence as I gathered the supplies I needed to wrap the present. I got purple wrapping paper and teal green ribbon, and took my time with it meticulously folding each edge with great precision getting nice crisp holds. I then carefully folded the ends and placed small strips of tape to hold them in place on the box. With the teal ribbon, I wrapped the present with nice teal stripes that reminded me of Aria’s hair, and topped it off with a neat bow. Once finished I took a moment to examine my work, and cracked a smile at it. It was perfect!

“Done!” I exclaimed triumphantly as I proudly placed my hands on my hips and glanced at the clock in my phone. “And with ten minutes to spare. Nice job, Twilight!” I high fived myself.

Spike stood on the bed and stretched himself, giving a quick shake. He then jumped off my bed, approaching me with a wag in his tail. “Great! We’re off to Aria’s, then?”

I turned to him. “You want to come with me?”

“Please!” Spike jumped into my arms. “I only met Aria, and I want to see her sisters!” he started to lick my face, causing me to giggle.

“Okay, okay! I’ll take you, but only if it’s alright with Aria and her sisters.” I lifted him into the air. He was wagging his tail happily.

I pushed my nose to his, rubbing him, after which I sat on my bed and placed him on my lap. I grabbed my phone to call Aria. I felt eager as I dialed her number feeling excited to hear her voice. I waited to hear the ring in my ear from the phone, with each one I waited expectantly to hear my alpha again.

“Hello?”

“Hey Aria! It’s me Twilight!” I said with a bounce.

Aria laughed over the phone. “Yeah, I know. I have you in my contacts, remember? What’s up?”

I blushed, of course. I was the one who added my number on her phone. Recovering from that, I cleared my throat to speak. “Oh, you know.... Just wanted to hear your voice again.”

“Heh, come on, Sparks. I know you better than that. We talk all the time, and I know you aren’t that clingy-”

I gasped at the mocking offense. “Aria! I am not clingy!”

We both laughed at my joke.

“Anyways, all seriousness, the real reason I’m calling is to ask if it’d be okay to bring Spike with me to your place when I come over?” I asked, ruffling his head.

“I don’t see why not. I miss the little guy,” Aria said, and Spike barked into the speaker. “Ha, hey there Spike!”

“Down, Spike. Are you sure about this? Won’t he bother your sisters?”

“Ha! Sonata would love him. The only concern is he might annoy Adagio…” There was a few seconds pause and for a moment I thought I lost the call before Aria broke the silence. “Yes, definitely bring him with you. I wanna see the little guy.”

I titled my head feeling like I missed something. I shrugged and gave Spike a look with a thumbs up. He paw pumped. “Okay, Spike’s excited too. We’ll see you soon!”

“See you, cub!”

I ended the call and put it in my purse. I picked him up and hugged him. “We’re good to go, Spike. We’ll have to take the bus to Aria’s place. She lives too far away for you to walk.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay still so we’re not kicked out from the bus.”

“Good boy.” I said before kissing his forehead and placing him back on the floor. I took Aria’s gift and walked out of my room with my pet following close behind. After walking down the stairs, I came across my father who was sitting in his comfy chair.

“Hi there, kiddo. You’re taking the gift to your girlfriend? I thought that her birthday was tomorrow?”

“It is, but this is a gift I want to give her in private.” I said, with a smile. “I’m going with Spike. I’ll be back soon!”

“I sure hope so. Your mother and I will be waiting for you to tune in to the movie marathon.”

I smiled wider. “I wouldn’t miss the Trek Wars trilogy movies for anything.”

“True. Your mom is ready to call your brother if you don’t show up.” My father’s comment made me giggle. “Bye you two!”

He waved at me and Spike as I walked towards the door.

“Bye, dad!” I waved back before walking out of my house and heading to the bus station. I couldn’t wait to give Aria her gift.

True to his word, Spike stayed close to me and was allowed to ride the bus since he remained resting on my lap. Watching the surroundings, I noticed that he felt a little bit uneasy, but he didn’t say anything until we reached Aria’s home. “This is it, Spike.”

My pet took a look at the sirens’ home. “They live here? It looks… quaint.”

I giggled softly. “It’s a nice place, you’ll see.” I said before knocking on the door. I heard Adagio’s voice on the other side.

“Please, Aria, would you kindly open the door?”

“Don’t test me.” I heard Aria reply behind the door

I heard loud heavy footsteps approaching, then, the door opened. Excited to see my girlfriend, I grinned and was ready to tackle her with a hug, but my jaw dropped in confusion when I saw her. Ever since we met I’ve seen Aria, her wardrobe has never been very diverse, but today I saw her in a whole new light. She had donned a suit, one a butler would wear in an anime be exact, with a vest and everything. She looked dashing. When my girlfriend realized who I was, she gasped and blushed with embarrassment trying to hide herself.

“Sparks?! I didn’t think you’d be here so quickly!” She quickly waved her hands around. “Wait, don’t look at me!”

Before I could say anything, she shut the door on my face, leaving me even more confused, but amused.

“What just happened?” Spike was as confused as I was.

I giggled shrugging. I’m sure she was just embarrassed that I saw her dressed like that.

“Aria, what did you do?!” Adagio scolded her sister.

“I forgot Twilight was coming over! I have to change! I can’t let her see me like this!”

“What’s wrong with your outfit? Just let her in.” I heard Adagio say on the other side of the door. “Fine, I’ll let her in.”

“Adagio, don’t-!” Despite Aria’s protests, the door opened completely, with Adagio on the other side. She was dressed differently too, like a maid!

“Twilight! What a pleasure!” She gave me a quick hug before looking at me, noticing my shocked expression. “What’s with that face?”

Was she seriously asking that? I was so confused I wasn’t sure what to even ask. So, I did the only logical thing I could come up with.

“What’s going on!? Why is Aria dressed like that!? Why are YOU dressed like this!?” I frantically asked.

“Oh?” Adagio looked down at her outfit. It was a short skirt light brown maid uniform with long stockings and a tie on an apron. She had a cute bow around her neck too, and I was shocked by how cute she looked.

She gave me a golden smile waving her hand over herself and ended with a twirl. “Oh, this! We’re celebrating hatchday in private before our friends come tomorrow!”

My confusion didn’t vanish. “That doesn’t really answer my question.”

“Come in, I’ll explain.”

I nodded and followed Adagio inside with Spike at my heels. Aria was leaning with her arms crossed against the frame of the door leading to the kitchen, but Sonata was nowhere to be seen. I was about to ask about her, when the older siren and I sat on the couch in the living room. Spike hopped on my lap and Adagio spoke. “Back in Equestria we never cared about our hatchday. It wasn’t relevant to our survival so we never celebrated it like humans or rather ponies did. So with our new lives here, I decided to celebrate them, but with a nice twist!”

“What twist?” I asked her, but Aria cut in.

“Each year one of us will be the focus of the celebration. From younger to older.” She said without moving from where she was. “This year it was Sonata's, and Adagio forced me to dress like this.”

“The best idea I had. Besides we’re doing it for Sonata.” Adagio smiled proudly.

“So… you’re celebrating around Sonata?” I spoke again. “That’s so sweet!”

Adagio nodded. “Yes, she’s in the kitchen right now, having tea and biscuits.”

“Can I say hello to her? I smiled.

“Sure.” Adagio said before standing up. She took the lead and I didn’t hesitate to walk towards my girlfriend. Aria looked amazing with that suit on. She was not a big girl by any means, but that suit made her look taller and more handsome than anything.

She smiled at me but before I could reach her, Spike jumped into her arms. So far it seems that Adagio didn’t notice him. When I was next to Aria, I wrapped an arm around hers.

“Sonata, we have a visitor.” The older siren said as we entered the kitchen.

Sonata turned to us and grinned. She was wearing a party hat, leaning to one side of her head. She was also wearing a frilly European styled sundress with cute stockings and cute little shoes with little bows. I have to admit, she looked very cute. “Twilight, hello! Oh!” She noticed Spike. “Who’s that little pup?”

“Little what?” Adagio followed Sonata’s gaze and spotted my pet. “I didn’t know you brought your dog, Twilight.”

I chuckled covering my mouth. “Sorry! His name’s Spike. He wanted to come. Aria said it was fine.”

“Oh? Did she now?” Adagio asked, giving my girlfriend a stern glare.

Aria chuckled, shrugging. “What? I knew it would annoy you.”

Sonata and I giggled as Adagio slapped her hand over her own face. “Of course you did.”

I cringed, feeling I might have crossed a line. “I’m sorry Adagio. I tought-”

She held up her hand turning looking at me with her signature kind smile, even hugging me gently comfortingly. “Don’t worry dear. I know it wasn’t your fault.” She hissed the last part at Aria, who shrugged, with a smug smile.

Sonata finished chewing her biscuit wiped her mouth and came running to me to give me a big hug. I barely had the time to release Aria’s arm as I was almost tackled to the ground by the strong little siren.

“I’m always happy to see you! Are you staying? Can I pet your dog?” Sonata asked as she pulled away. It was then when she noticed the gift I was holding. “Is that for me?”

“What?” I looked at the box I was carrying. I almost forgot about it. “Sorry no, this is for Aria. I got her something she won’t want to open tomorrow surrounded by so many people.”

“Oh, Twilight, you do care.” Aria joked while looking at me.

“Of course I do.” I smiled at her.

“What about us?” Sonata asked, pouting. “No early gift for me or Adagio?”

“You two will have to wait until tomorrow. You’re not lone wolves like Aria.” I said hugging Sonata back. “I promise I got you both something great.”

“Lone wolves?” Adagio raised an eyebrow and then groaned. “Aria, I can’t believe you also got her to speak like that. I thought you were finally over this ridiculous ‘lone wolf’ thing?”

“Sue me.” My girlfriend said before putting Spike on the ground.

My dog went straight to Sonata’s arms, leaping into her and started licking her face as soon as he was in reach. She started to giggle, petting him as Aria placed an arm around my waist to lead me to her room.

“Aria, where are you going?” Sonata asked while carrying Spike.

“Just need a moment of privacy. I’ll be back.”

When we arrived Aria opened the door for me, allowing me to walk in first. Even going so far as to bow for me.

“After you, miss.”

“Why, thank you.” I smiled at her as I walked past her.

She closed the door behind me and I approached her bed and placed her gift on it before turning around. As soon as I did so, I gasped. I was barely able to see Aria dashing towards me when she placed her arms around my waist and gave me a big kiss. I didn’t even have the chance to react and kiss her back when she pulled away and hugged me.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you thank you so much for showing up, Sparks! I needed a break. My sisters are driving me crazy!” She moved her head in order to make eye contact with me. She looked like a rabid wolverine with crazy eyes. “Since waking up, Sonata has been making demands every second she can and Adagio is repeating ‘would you kindly’ over and over again. I don’t know how I managed to not beat my head over with a blunt object yet!”

“Oh, Aria, I’m so sorry to hear that!” I petted her head comfortingly. I can’t believe I was able to keep my face straight. It wouldn’t be nice for me to laugh when she looks so distressed.

“I would probably be able to hold myself better if Adagio didn’t force me to wear this stupid outfit! I mean, look at me!” I took a glance at her. Truth to be told, she does look weird like this. It’s not the style I’m used to seeing on her but I found the suit to be a good fit. It gave her a masculine quality and made her look dashing, like a secret agent from one of my favorite spy movies, Double O Spy.

“I know, you don’t look like yourself, but you don’t look too bad either. I mean, at least Adagio had mercy and allowed you to wear pants.”

Aria chuckled. “Hmm, I suppose you’re right. I would never have accepted anything less.”

“You really hate exposure, don’t you? I think you’d look good in a cute maid outfit.” I said as I wrapped my arms around her neck. As usual, I had to tiptoe to reach.

“Not every girl enjoys it, Sparks.” My girlfriend replied with a smirk as she pulled me closer. “It’s natural for you, but for me it’s… weird. I know you got speechless with my legs, but it’s not for me.”

I blushed deeply, remembering how in awe I was when I saw her with her swimsuit. “I won’t be the kind of girlfriend who tells you how to dress. Don't worry.”

“Thank you.” Aria said as she stroked my hair. I feel like I’m melting into her!

“What about you, Aria?” I asked as I closed my eyes, enjoying her touch.

“What about me?” Aria sounded confused, so I looked at her with a beaming smile.

“Is there anything particular you find attractive about me?”

“Oh!” Aria’s eyes widened as she blushed deeply. “I-I...”

I remained silent, allowing her to speak when she was ready. While waiting, I could keep looking at her from up close, pushing my face close to hers. “So, tell me what you find attractive about me?” That seemed to make her even more nervous. She was blushing beet red, I bet her cheeks were burning.

“W-Well… there is one thing.”

“Please, do tell.” I leaned closer to her, which complicated things for my girlfriend. I topped it off with a playful grin gently rubbing her tie.

“U-Uh, I… me...” Am I mean for enjoying this? Just in case, I pulled away a little bit. I think it did the trick because Aria cleared her throat and was able to continue. “I like… y-your eyes.”

I blinked, surprised. “My eyes? I thought you liked something embarrassing. Something you can’t normally see, like me?”

“I do.” My girlfriend smiled, still a little embarrassed trying not to stare. I giggled watching her breath heavily and trying hard to come up with something to say. I was enjoying this to much. Then, after a minute, she spoke. “I like your eyes without your glasses. They’re the reason I realized my feelings for you after all.”

Now I was the one feeling the burn in my cheeks. “R-Really?” Aria nodded, smiling. “I can’t see much without my glasses, but I think I could switch to contacts and-”

“You don’t have to do that.” My girlfriend interrupted me. She cupped my cheek with a hand while keeping her smile intact. “Just like you don’t want to tell me how to dress, I don’t want you to change for me. Besides, you still look cute with your glasses.” I could feel my body getting hotter as she kissed my nose.

“A-Aria...”

“Yes, cub?” Aria said while playing with my hair. She’s so adorable.

“C-Could you open your gift before I pass out?”

“Hmm...” She narrowed her eyes in thought without removing her fingers from my hair.

My heart was beating so fast I was sure it would burst from my chest. Aria was grinning at me and I felt my body heat up and I puffed my cheeks at her. After a few moments, she shrugged. “Alright, I’ll show mercy.”

I sighed, relieved. “Thank you. I really want to be awake when you see what I got you.”

“Fair enough.” She rubbed my hair one last time before breaking the hug and turning to her bed. Together, we walked closer to her gift. She sat down with me at her side and put the box on her lap to start opening it while I sat next to her.

“I wrapped it myself.” I commented with a beaming smile.

“Then I’ll be gentle with it. ”Aria replied. She took her time to unwrap the gift. She stared at the present. She looked at it for a while like she wasn’t sure what to make of it, even rubbing her chin inquisitively. I giggled as she scratched her head looking at the bow.

“This seems oddly familiar. Why?” She asked herself, still scratching her head.

I giggled. “I made the colors match your hair silly!”

Aria looked at her own hair then at the gift. A look of realization came over her face and she leaned into my side, wrapping her arm around me and kissed the top of my head.

“Aw, thanks, cub. That was really sweet of you. I liked that,” She said, placing the gift on her lap. “Here it goes…”

I placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it affictionaly. My girlfriend took a deep breath before unwrapping the bow and ribbon. Then she slowly unwrapped one corner of the paper before ripping half of it off and pulling a brown box out of the other half. She slowly opened the box and gazed inside the box. She gasped upon seeing what was inside. I grinned while Aria took out her gift, a medium sized wolf plushie. She looked at me, still with her jaw dropped in awe.

“Sparks...”

“I figured plushies aren’t your thing, but when I saw this one on display I just had to get it for you.”

Aria smiled. “I love it!”

“You do?” my own smile widened.

My girlfriend nodded and dropped the box to hold her new plushie. “Very much. I’m going to look after it, clean it and make sure it doesn’t break!” She hugged the toy, how cute! “I’ll even allow you to name it, like you did with your childhood toys.”

“M-Me?” I blinked, surprised.

“Yeah.” Aria said as she stroked my hair. “It can be any name.”

“Hmm...” I placed a hand on the plushie’s head. I need a name that asserts dominance, strength, valor… let me see… oh! I got it! I think I got it. “How about… Cynthia?”

“Cynthia?” My girlfriend looked at me to her toy. She gazed at it for a few moments before smiling again. “Yeah, I think that name is perfect.”

I returned her smile and scooted closer to her so I could lay my head on her shoulder and pet Cynthia, the plushie. “You’re in good hands, wolfie. Aria is devoted to her kin.”

Aria chuckled at my comment. “It’s true, Cynthia. Sonata won’t hurt you under my protection.”

I kissed Aria on her cheek before standing up. “I hate leaving so soon, but I have a movie marathon with my parents back home, and-”

My girlfriend cut me by raising her hand, hugging the plushie. “Say no more, cub. I know movies are more important than me.”

“Oh, har har,” I put a hand on my hip glaring at my girlfriend, who just smiled back. "We can have a movie marathon of our own another day”

“I'll look forward to it.”

“Okay.” I gave her another kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you then, Sparks.” After giving her a quick hug, I turned around and approached the door. I glanced back at her one last time and she waved at me. Smiling, I walked out of the room and headed towards the kitchen to pick up Spike. When I entered the kitchen, I was greeted with a lovely sight. Spike was with his back on the floor and Sonata was giving him belly rubs while Adagio watched with a bowl of water on the floor.

“Since you’re cute and are such a good boy, you’re getting lots of belly rubs!” Sonata said while she kept petting Spike.

"More! Please, more rubs!" My pet said as he kicked into the air, enjoying the attention. I didn’t want to interrupt, but Adagio saw me and waved me over.

“Oh, you’re leaving?” She asked.

Sonata and Spike looked at me as well.

“Yeah, I’ll be back tomorrow for the hatchday party.” I said, while Spike got on his fours and ran to me, tail wagging.

“Can you bring me again another time, please?" Spike said as I picked him up.

“He can come as long as you let me know beforehand.” Adagio said with a smile.

“I will, don't worry." I assured my friend. "Say goodbye, Spike."

"Goodbye!" My pet barked once and Adagio and Sonata waved.

"Goodbye!" Sonata said. “Best. Dog. Ever!” She cheered cheered before turning to her sister. “Dagi, can I get one, please?”

“There’s no such thing as talking dogs in this world, Sonata.” The younger siren pouted, which didn’t bring Adagio any joy. “But… a pet is not a bad idea. I’ll think about what kind of animal you could have, and-” She got interrupted by Sonata’s sudden hug.

“Yay! Thank you, Dagi!”

I chuckled, amused. “My friend Fluttershy could help you with that.”

The eldest siren looked at me. “Oh, right, I remember her. I might ask her when I see her tomorrow.”

I smiled and picked up Spike. “She will love to help you.” I glanced at the clock and gasped. “Oh, hubble! I have to go!” I waved at them and turned around. “Bye, see you tomorrow!”

“Bye!” The sirens waved at me as I left. I walked out to the road walking along the sidewalk to get back to the bus making sure to keep Spike with me at all times. Spike looked at me while we headed to a bus stop.

“So? What did Aria think of her gift?”

“She loved it.” I scratched his head.

“I knew she would.” My pet wagged his tail and I kept petting him. I can’t wait until the party tomorrow! I hope my friends respect her space. When my thoughts feel on a certain individual from my friends, my heart sank a little with worry. “I hope Rainbow doesn’t do anything rash.”

“Happy hatchday!” Pinkie Pie shouted as an explosion of confetti popped around her as soon as Adagio opened the door. Bits of confetti landed in the older siren who let out a strained smile, clearly razzled from Pinkie's over the top entrance.

“I’m glad to see all of you made it.” Adagio said while smiling.

“Of course, darling. We love friendly gatherings.” Rarity waved as she walked in, giving Adagio a quick hug. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie rushed in to hug Sonata while the rest of us entered the house calmly, making sure not to leave a path of destruction in our wake.

“You have a nice house.” Sunset commented while looking around.

“It’s… a good place, yes.” Trixie added. Sunset had an arm around her shoulder.

“Are you sure you don’t mind us coming?” Applejack asked, worried. “Ah know we might not be entirely welcome here.”

“Nonsense.” Adagio replied with a sincere smile. “You’re welcome here. Just ignore Aria, she’s being moody.”

We looked around and as I figured, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Knowing my lone wolf, she was probably in her room brooding over the previous day of pampering her sister's needs. I giggled as I thought of her huddling in her bed and pouting while listening to metal music.

“I’m guessing she’s in her room right?” I asked Adagio.

The eldest siren glanced at me with a sweet smile and an affirmative nod.

I felt myself deflate. “Awww. I really wanted to see her tonight.”

Adagio placed a hand comfortingly on my shoulder, gently squeezing it. I looked up and she instantly made me feel better with that amazing smile, without saying a word. I thought of how wonderful having such kind sisters must be like when Adagio pointed back towards where Aria’s room was. “Yes, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind to see you.”

My friends turned to me, some of them smirking knowingly, making me blush. “I-I will later. I’m here to spend time with you and Sonata too.” I hugged Adagio, and she returned the hug after a momentary delay.

“Very well. Follow me, then.” Adagio separated and turned around to guide us to the kitchen, where Pinkie Pie and Sonata were chatting lightheartedly. “We have snacks and drinks here. There’s more on a table I set at the living room.”

“Ah brought an apple pie from my granny. Do ah leave it here?” Applejack asked, revealing a steaming pie in a basket.

“Sure. I’ll cut it in slices later.” Applejack nodded at Adagio’s words and placed the pie on the table. I asked Applejack to bring it. It’s my surprise for Aria, if she ever leaves her den. I hoped she would really like Applejack’s family pie. Now that I know about her sweet tooth, I was going to abuse it for what it was worth.

Just then my friend Rainbow cut in.

“So… we’ll chat and dance?” Rainbow Dash asked. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were narrowed and full of suspicion, I think? I could never tell with Rainbow. She was… polarizing at times.

“Yes. Isn’t that what humans do in parties?” The elder siren replied with signs of confusion.

“I would like to sit down, if you don’t mind.” Fluttershy said with her usual quiet tone.

“By all means.” Adagio said as she guided our timid friend to the chair. As soon as she sat, Pinkie Pie gave her a snack and shortly after Sonata gave her a glass of water.

“Th-Thank you.” Fluttershy smiled lightly. I glanced at Rainbow Dash and noticed that she was watching the food closely.

“It’s just food, Rainbow. Nothing to be suspicious about.” I said as I placed a hand on her shoulder eating a chip.

She opened her mouth to say something, but knowing my friend, I held up my hand stopping her from getting a word out. “It’s not laced with rat poison either.” My athletic friend kept staring at the food before groaning and walking out of the kitchen.

“What’s up with her?” Adagio asked. Both she and Sonata seemed confused by Rainbow's behavior. I sighed, rubbing the ridge of my nose.

“She’s the only one of us who still has reservations about you.” Applejack replied as she frowned at the door Rainbow Dash just used. After a moment, she sighed and turned to the elder siren again. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Don’t need to apologize, Jackie. Her worries aren’t without foundation.” Adagio said with a beaming smile. I could see one of Applejack’s eyes twitching. Right. Only Rarity and Pinkie Pie are allowed to call her that, but she’s too nice to say something about it. I was about to say something, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw that Rarity was calling for my attention.

“Twilight, a word?”

Her seriousness got me confused. “Umm, sure…?”

Rarity smiled to show her appreciation. We left the kitchen and found Rainbow nearby. Rarity grabbed Rainbow Dash from her shoulder. “Come here, Rainbow.”

“Hey, what gives?!” Rainbow Dash’s complaints were ignored as Rarity dragged her further away from the kitchen while I followed behind. Once safe, the fashionista released our athletic friend. “What was that for, Rarity?”

“Rainbow, please, you have to keep your crazy conspiracy theories under control. The sirens mean well. Why else would they invite us to their home?”

“Are you serious? Am I seriously the only one who is cautious here?” Rainbow Dash crossed her arms, frowning angrily and stomping her foot. “I’m just-”

“Rainbow Barbara Dash! You’re hurting their feelings.” Rarity interrupted Rainbow speaking firmly to her. “Adagio has told me that she and her sisters have moved on. They hold no pride in their past actions and want just to forget about it. Keep this nonsense to yourself. You promised it!”

“I-” Our friend tried to speak, but I interrupted her.

“Rainbow-” This must be why Rarity brought me along. “Aria told me everything. I know where you’re coming from, but they left all that behind.”

“We’ve discussed this before, Rainbow and frankly I’m getting tired of repeating it.” Rarity sighed daintily. “Please, do listen to us this time. You don’t need to be their friend but don’t treat them like enemies either. They have feelings.”

“It’s rare to see us sad.” A familiar voice joined in. We all turned to the source to find my girlfriend standing nearby, arms crossed and frowning at Rainbow. I didn’t even notice her approach. “I won’t stand still if you hurt them in any way, mark my words.”

Rainbow Dash got into a defensive stance and glanced from Aria to me. “Is she threatening me?”

“Not without reason.” I said cautiously not wanting to set Rainbow off due to a misunderstanding.

“If anyone hurts my Sweetums, I assure you, I wouldn’t be so kind either.” Rarity took my side as well. Outnumbered, Rainbow Dash glanced at each of us before sighing in defeat.

“Fine, I got the message. I’ll… think about it. I'll really keep my word.”

Rarity sighed and rested her hand on her forehead. “I suppose that’s better than nothing. Let’s return with the others before they start to worry.” Rainbow Dash glanced at Aria one last time before following Rarity in silence. I stayed behind, though. Aria smiled at me as soon as my friends were out of the room.

“The one Rainboom I’m always happy to see.” She said without moving from her spot, so I had to close the distance.

“Happy hatchday, Aria. It’s good to see you dressed normal again.” I took both of her hands as soon as they were in reach.

I looked over her to see her in her usual attire. Sparkling purple pants, white tank top with her torn sleeveless green vest, and more belts than anyone could ever need to wear at one time. I squeezed her hands, our fingers tenderly rubbing against one another exchanging smiles in silence.

“I wish that was a one time thing, but I really doubt it.” My girlfriend said as she touched noses with me. "It was too masculine for me."

I giggled. “You sure know how to make an entrance. Stepping in to protect your sisters.”

“I have a sixth sense when it comes to someone I care about being in distress.” She smiled, puffing her chest out proudly. I rolled my eyes and poked her tummy in response giving her a stern look.

“That or you could smell the sweet desserts my friends and I brought and you tried to sneak to get some.”

Aria blushed and looked away. “Th-That… uh...”

I giggled raising a brow at her. I had caught her red handed, and she had no defense for it. Seeing her flounder made me smile. I decided to show mercy this time and kissed her cheek to calm her down. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell them. Shall I bring you a slice of pie?”

“Please, and some water would be nice too.”

“I’ll be right back.” After letting Aria go, I walked back to the kitchen. Fortunately, Adagio was already cutting the pie in slices. Fluttershy was still sitting where she was before, while Pinkie Pie and Sonata surrounded Rainbow Dash. I noticed Rainbow was at least trying to talk with Sonata. Sunset was next to Adagio and Trixie, Applejack and Rarity were chatting near me. I couldn’t help but to grin. Except Aria, all of my friends were so happy to be gathered, and it warmed my heart. I only hoped that one day I could get Aria to join us like this and be one happy family.

A couple of hours later, the party was still in full swing. Aria was able to eat her pie before the party moved to the living room. Now with music, some of my friends decided to dance. I split my time between Aria and my friends. First, I went to see Rarity, Adagio and Applejack.

“Are you having a good time, Twilight?” Adagio asked as soon as I reached them.

“I am.” Smiling, I looked around.

Sonata had her eyes covered and was playing ‘Put the Tail on the Donkey’ with Pinkie Pie and Trixie guiding them, with Aria watching nearby. Sunset and Fluttershy were on the other side of the room, dancing, with Rainbow Dash standing nearby. I could see my athletic friend looking just a little bit uneasy. “I’m glad everyone’s getting along. Well, for the most part.”

“Give it time, darling.” Rarity said.

“Yeah, Rainbow is stubborn but she ain’t stupid.” Applejack said before taking a sip of her drink. “Once she sees that the Dazzlings are fine, she’ll change her attitude.”

“Dazzlings?” Adagio smiled. “It has been a while since I last heard that name.”

“An original name.” Rarity turned to Adagio. “Too bad you don’t have a reason to use it anymore.”

“Can’t have a band without real talent.” The elder siren sighed. “It’s no matter. I would rather forget all about it, although I wouldn’t mind being able to sing again, minus the dark magic.”

“Maybe if you practice on a regular basis?” I said. Adagio shrugged. She was about to answer when the music changed and Rarity lit up.

“I love this song!” My girly friend said before turning to Applejack. “Jackie, come dance with me!”

“But ah’m not finished with mah drink- Aaaah!” Rarity took Applejack from her wrist and pulled her closer to the music player to dance. Our farmer friend dropped the drink as she got dragged. I got on my knees to pick up the cup.

“There’s a stain on the floor...” I said when I saw the remains of Applejack’s juice.

“Leave it be. I’ll clean it later.” Adagio smiled and moved her daze towards Applejack and Rarity dancing. “Young love is heartwarming, don’t you think?”

“Love?” I stood up again, empty cup in hand. Knowing who she was talking about, I laughed softly. “Oh, no, no. Rarity and Applejack aren’t dating. They’re just very close. They have known each other since kindergarten.”

“Really?” Adagio glanced at me, surprised. I nodded and she turned again to see our friends. “Could have fooled me.”

I stepped closer to Adagio. “It’s funny, actually. Rainbow Dash usually jokes with them treating them as a couple to annoy them. Applejack doesn’t find it as amusing, though.”

“Hmm… interesting.” I saw the siren’s smile turn into a smirk, which confused me.

“What? You think they might have feelings for real?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Adagio looked at me again. “People can show affection with friends differently. Sonata and Pinkie Pie don’t hesitate to jump into them with a hug. I show my affection for Aria and anybody else by teasing them, while I’m soft with Sonata and Rarity is quite fond of the word ‘darling’, but she has a special nickname for Applejack.”

I reflected on Adagio’s words and based on personal experience I could see the logic behind it. Pinkie Pie also calls Applejack ‘Jackie’, but she’s Pinkie Pie. If anybody else calls her that, Applejack gets angry, and I mean really angry. “Can you tell if there’s real feelings just by a nickname?”

“It’s a theory. I could be wrong.” Adagio placed a hand on her hip and smirked even wider. “Speaking of nicknames...” She added while looking behind me.

Confused again, I raised an eyebrow. I was about to turn around when I felt an arm around my shoulder.

“Hey, Adagio, mind if I steal my wolf cub from you for a minute?” Aria asked, tugging me along.

I blushed deep red, covering my face with both of my hands. “A-Aria!”

The elder siren chuckled. “Go ahead, by the way that’s a cute nickname you got for her, Aria.” She said before taking the empty cup from my hand and I felt my cheeks burn. I was ganged up on! “I’ll throw this into the trash can.” I peeked from my hand to see Adagio wink at me before leaving. This was so embarrassing!

“Come join me.” Aria said, leading me into the middle of the room.

“Is there something you need, Aria?” I asked when I was finally able to remove my hands from my face. “Besides trolling me with your sister?”

“No, I just wanted to hold you, and to get back at you for that sweet comment you made,” My girlfriend said grinning as she took both of my hands. “And talk, but you were busy.”

“That’s what happens when you have so many friends. I had to divide my time.”

“I don’t envy you, Sparks.” Aria said with a smile. “You know, this party isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Your friends have waved at me, but other than that, they have respected my distance.”

I was glad to hear that. At first I was worried that either Pinkie and Sonata would drive Aria mad and I would have to intervene. When that didn’t happen I began to worry about Rainbow Dash doing something crazy, but thankfully she hasn’t done anything. Not yet at least.

“Because they’re good people.” I said as I glanced at my friends. They all kept having fun, but I could see Rainbow Dash looking at us. Her face expression was unreadable. I decided to let her be for the time being so I turned back to Aria. “Despite your history, they still want to start over, which is why they’re all here.”

“That’s… nice of them, but friends are not for me.” She looked away as she said that. I noticed that she didn’t really look angry.

“Is there a reason for that or you were never a people per- err, siren?”

Aria smiled a bit. “There’s… a reason. But I’m not comfortable talking about it right now. Too many people around. I promise, I won’t be evasive this time.”

“I believe you.” I said as I squeezed her hands. Aria kissed my forehead before speaking again.

“I’ll be right back. I need to use the bathroom.”

“Okay.” I smiled as my girlfriend walked away.

While I waited, I felt parched so went to look for a drink at the kitchen. I found a bottle of cider and got a quick drink in a cup. After taking a sip, I heard someone clearing their throat from behind me. I turned around and found Rainbow Dash by the door looking a bit nervous . “Rainbow? What’s-?”

“I’m sorry.” My athletic friend interrupted me.

I raised an eyebrow, confused. “Excuse me?”

My friend sighed and approached me. She had her arms crossed and was avoiding my gaze. She didn’t look at me until she was right in front of me. She didn’t say anything for several moments. I didn’t push her. “I have been thinking about the sirens, how everyone gets along with them, how different they are. Here, at the party, they have been so friendly despite my distrust. I just don’t see what you see in them.”

I blinked, dumbfounded. I never expected her to push so hard on this subject, she was very much like Aria. Prideful and very stubborn. I tapped my chin thinking that maybe I could help her see more into Aria’s personality and help bridge the gap between them. It was a long shot, but I would try. I just needed to show her how much they were alike and knew just what to say after thinking back on past events I’ve had with Aria.

“Rainbow, do you remember when I told you about going back to my old school to get some of my old things?” I asked, knowing the answer already.

Rainbow nodded and I continued.

“When I ran into my old classmates they bullied me. Called me names. They made me feel so small and pathetic I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. If I was alone I would have probably done just that, but I didn’t. Do you know why?”

She shook her head at me and shrugged. I took off my glasses and wiped them before raising them overhead to see if the lens was clear.

“I didn’t cry because Aria was there. She protected me,” I held up a hand pausing her from interrupting my story. I felt bad doing that to Rainbow so much, but I needed her to listen. “Aria went too far but the new principal, Cadence, my old babysitter stopped her. And that’s not all.”

I looked over at Sonata who was hanging her arm around Pinkie as they danced and sang with Fluttershy, Adagio was keeping a watchful eye on everything from the sidelines, then looked back at my athletic friend.

“Not long ago they bullied me again when Aria won a prize for me. They tried to steal it and she once again came to my defense. I even tried to stand up for myself, something I never would have done had Aria not taught me to be more assertive.” I stated proudly. “When I couldn't defend myself, Aria was there by my side protecting me from being hurt. She stood up for me and has always been there for me. When we started dating I learned so much about her. Things that could be shared if both of you would just get along.”

I sighed, taking my friends hands in mine. “She’s a lot like you Rainbow. She cares for the ones closest to her and I know you care too. I’m not asking you to be friends, but can you at least get along with the sirens and live peacefully side by side with them?”

“I-I… I’m sorry Twilight. I don’t think I can get over it that quickly,” I sighed, feeling my eyes tearing up, but my friend placed a hand on my shoulder giving me a warm assuring smile. “But I will try. If you can be patient and give me a little time, I think I can eventually let it go. Kay?”

I smiled placing my hand on hers, then without thinking, I pulled her into a friendly hug. She in return hugged me back gently patting my back. Truth be told I was never really mad at her. I always knew her heart was in the right place. “It’s okay, Rainbow. After what I have heard, I can’t judge you for being wary.”

“So… we’re cool?” My athletic friend sounded worried.

I closed the distance between us in order to hug her again. “We were never not cool.”

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief and hugged me back. We remained like that until a familiar voice interrupted us.

“How could you?!” Both Rainbow and I turned our heads to see Aria, faking to be hurt holding a hand to her chest. “I leave for a minute and you jump into someone else’s arms?”

I giggled as I broke the hug with my friend and watched as Aria dramatically placed a hand on her forehead like my friend Rarity did often. I stuck my tounge out playfully. “You were taking too long and I needed hugs. What was I supposed to do?”

Aria chuckled and crossed her arms. “Wooooow, nice comeback, Sparks. Have you been practicing?”

“A little, yeah.” I smiled from my girlfriend to my nervous friend. “Do you want to say something, Rainbow?”

“Wait, now?” Her eyes widened. “Shouldn’t we wait until the three of them are together?”

“Might be easier if you do it with Aria first.”

“Do what?” Aria asked, frowning her eyes.

I gave Rainbow a gentle push towards Aria. My girlfriend was confused and looked at me. I nodded to let her know that she should listen. It took some moments, but Rainbow Dash eventually took a deep breath and spoke. “I-I’m sorry for not trusting you… You’re actually… cool.”

Aria raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” Her confusion turned into a smirk. “It’s fine, and I’m not mad about that. Considering our last encounter, you would have to be dumb to trust me right away.”

“So… no hard feelings?”

“Nah, anyone Twilight trusts I will at the very least tolerate,” Aria shook her head looking at me, and I nodded. “I still don’t want to be your friend, though.”

I was shocked by what Aria said. I was about to say something, but my athletic friend beat me to the punch, sighing in relief.

“Thank goodness!” Rainbow looked relieved when she turned to me. “You were right, egghead, it was easy.”

Aria instantly glared at my friend clenching her fists so hard we heard her knuckles crack. Rainbow cringed and held up her hands. “It’s a friendly nickname!”

I quickly stepped between them pushing my hands against Aria’s chest.

“It’s true, Aria. I don’t mind.” I reassured my girlfriend with a smile. Aria sighed and waved her hand around dismissively. I breathed a sigh of relief, crisis averted!

“Fine, fine, okay. Shall we return to the party?”

“Sure!” I smiled as I approached Aria to take her hand. Rainbow followed us, but then she went to meet with Pinkie Pie, Trixie and Sonata.

“Do you want to dance, cub?” My girlfriend said while reaching a hand towards me.

I blushed, but still managed to take her hand. She walked me to the floor and we started dancing together. Her dancing was a little clumsy, but I didn’t mind. I wasn't a great dancer either.

As we danced, I glanced towards my athletic friend. I saw her talking with Sonata mostly. Things seemed to be going well since Sonata kept smiling. “It’s good to see Rainbow trying to make amends. It’s just what your sisters need.”

“Sonata always wanted to have friends. She must be really happy right now.” I noticed a small smile on Aria’s lips.

“I’m glad you were okay with hosting a hatchday party here.”

“I’m not evil. Not anymore. I knew saying no would have been a huge step back on my part.”

I giggled softly and playfully squeezed her cheek. “My alpha is such a good person and that’s why I like you so much.”

I could feel the heat of her cheek when she blushed. She took me by my wrist and smiled. “And you’re such a dork.”

I returned the smile and then my eyes widened when a new song popped up. I turned my attention to the music player to find both Rarity and Adagio on each side with smug smirks, watching us. Rarity winked at me. When I got the message, I turned back to Aria, both her and I were blushing furiously now. “D-Do you mind… s-slow dancing…?”

“I-I...” Aria cleared her throat. “W-We could give it a shot.” I nodded and slowly placed my arms around her neck. Next, Aria placed her own arms around my waist and pulled me closer to her.

We started to move more slowly taking two steps in a zig zag motion as we circled in place to the slow paced music. I focused on my girlfriend’s gorgeous eyes first, but I did glance at my friends eventually. All of them were watching us, especially Sunset and Trixie. I noticed how Sunset had an arm around her girlfriend’s waist while Trixie laid a head on her shoulder. Even Rainbow Dash was happy to see us being this intimate, but of course when I made eye contact with her she pretended to gag. When the embarrassment hit me, I buried my head on Aria’s shoulder. I heard her chuckle and hug me tightly, all while we danced. Despite having an audience, I could enjoy being in Aria’s arms as she always made me feel safe and secure.

I felt like I was the center of the universe and Aria was my guardian and nothing was going to break us apart.

The day after the party, I was sitting in the living room with my parents and Spike on my lap. Not counting the sleepover, it was the very first time I assisted at a party, I was excited to tell them how it went.

“It was amazing! I had so much fun! The food, the music, the dancing. I had to divide my time to be able to talk with my friends and girlfriend! All of them wanted to chat with me!”

“We’re so happy for you, Twilight.” My mother said while clasping her hands.

“Can we go to the next one?” My father smiled like he usually does when he jokes.

“D-Dad!” Both of my parents laughed while Spike rubbed his head against me. I petted him as I smiled. “You two went out while I was away yesterday. How did it go?”

“We had a nice time too.” My mother replied. She looked at my dad. “We went to the park, had ice-cream and talked.”

“How cute.” I said. “I love seeing you so in love. I’m happy to have you as my parents.”

My father smiled. “Thank you, Twily.”

“And we love seeing you in love too, dear.” My mother said. “In fact, your father and I got an idea.”

“Y-You do?” I blushed. Uh, oh, what are they going to do with Aria?

“Yeah, your mother wants to prepare homemade pasta next weekend. Her speciality” My dad said.

“Why don’t I make some extra and you invite Aria for dinner?” My mom spoke next. “We want to get to know her more.”

“Oh?” Actually… that’s not a bad idea. “Good idea!” I said before standing up. “I’ll call her right now! Come on, Spike.” Taking my pet, I ran towards the stairs. Dinner at home with my girlfriend? How can you say no to that?!

Author's Notes:

So sorry for the late update, guys. I try to get the chapters done as soon as I can

Here you go, guys! Hatchday party with some bonding included!

Also, I want to take this opportunity to ask you guys if you want to see actual Rarijack in the future, but before you reply, let me answer your most likely concern. No, it won't make me lose focus of the plot. It won't distract me at all. I will give it the focus I give Shining ArmorxCheerilee, cute scenes here and there, but not too much. Personally, I would like to go forward, but if you don't want to I won't do it. I'll stick to the teasing
I hope you enjoyed the song I chose for the slow dance. Stay tuned for a special dinner with Twilight's family!

I want to thank Windsor and Zalla661 for revising and editing this chapter before its release

Family Dinner

View Online

Aria’s POV

It was a warm day in Canterlot City and I was just coming back home from the store. I left in secret to make a quick purchase without my sisters knowing. I knew if they found out what I bought, I’d never hear the end of it! Quickly, I walked down the streets, nearly on the brink of running, as I skimmed past people, barely avoiding rubbing shoulders with them.

When I finally reached my home, I opened the door quietly. Like a stealth assassin, I checked my surroundings for any sign of my sisters. Once I was sure the coast was clear, I moved quietly across the room, tip toeing to avoid the old creaking in the old floor boards to my room. After closing the door I sighed in relief, I took the bag I was carrying to my bed and opened it. Smiling, I reached in and pulled out a larsh hair brush that was black with a few fake gems lining it.

“A promise is a promise, Sparks.” I said aloud as I took the plushie wolf Twilight gave me and started to brush the plushie’s hair.

I thought I would hate doing this, and at first, I did feel weird, but given that Cynthia was a hatchday gift (I can’t believe that Sonata and Adagio managed to make me say that) from Twilight, I started to enjoy it. I’m taking good care of the plushie so it lasts longer than anything Sonata ever got. If Twilight still has her plushies from when she was a kid, I can do the same. I’ll show her how responsible I can be.

While sitting there brushing the wolf plushie's hair I thought about Twilight and wondered if she’d let me brush her hair like this. I looked at my own long hair, running my fingers through it. Would Twilight like to brush my hair too? While I was thinking this my privacy was once again interrupted when my door was opened from outside and Sonata came bursting in.

“Hey, Aria! Guess what?!” She showed up so suddenly that I wasn’t able to hide Cynthia nor the brush. Her annoying smile turned into a wide eyed expression of shock and she gasped before pointing at me.

"Waaait... Is that a doll... ?" Oh no. A stupid grin I know very well rapidly formed in her face "And you’re brushing it's head!”

She started laughing like a mad woman, pointing at me. "Aren't you such a good little mommy?" She said in a mocking tone that made my temper explode.

“Sonata! Stop entering my room without my permission, you annoying spaz!!!” Enraged and embarrassed, I grabbed my pillow and violently threw it at Sonata, but she dodged it and I hit Adagio instead, who was just passing by when this happened. The room fell completely silent and the pillow stayed in my older sister's face. She sighed heavily while removing the pillow from her face. Still holding it in her hands, she looked at both of us. Our older sister remained still with a frown on her face.

“What’s going on here?!” Adagio exclaimed as she looked from Sonata to me.

“The usual! Sonata keeps bursting into my room without knocking!” I angrily pointed at Sonata as I spoke.

“Why do I have to knock? Sisters should get a free pass!” Sonata said as she crossed her arms while frowning.

I retorted pointing angrily back at my little sister. “No, you don't! You know I like my privacy!”

“You should respect her boundaries, Sonata.” Adagio said, sternly to her.

My younger sister looked at Adagio. “But I wanted to talk to her and she locked herself up here!” She whined.

“Just. KNOCK!” I said, standing up from my bed. “I’ll answer, most likely annoyed, but I’ll still answer.”

Adagio adopted a grin looking at me and my plushie. “Yes, Sonata, knock and let her hide her doll to keep her happy.”

“Hey!” I pointed at Adagio. “Cynthia’s not a doll, she’s a plushie and she was a gift from Twilight. You will respect her!”

My older sister chuckled. She tried to hide it behind her hand, but she failed miserably. “You’re even using pronouns for that toy. And it has a name! I never thought I would see the day.”

I groaned. There’s no point in continuing to argue about this, so I better let the subject drop. “Anyway, what did you want to tell me, Sonata?”

As usual, the idiot airhead had forgotten what she was going to say. She was so scatterbrained it made my head hurt. I love my little sister, but she always managed to find new ways to test my patience.

“Huh? Oh!” Sonata pulled out a piece of paper and gave it to me. “It’s the leaflet Fluttershy gave to Adagio at the party yesterday. They have lots of dogs but Adagio won’t let me get one.”

“I already have enough with cleaning for you two. I don’t want to add more into the mix.” Our older sister said with a frown, but then smiled. “I still think Sonata should get a pet, so Fluttershy will take us to a pet store.”

“Us? As in, me included?” I asked.

Adagio sighed. “Come on, Aria. It has been a while since the three of us did something together. What else are you going to do?”

I didn’t reply. Instead, I remained glaring at Adagio. It was true it had been years since we did anything together, minus the Battle of the Bands thing. I’d never admit it, but I did miss doing things with them on occasion, I guess it wouldn’t kill me to hang with them once in a while. None of us said anything until my phone started to ring. Only one person can be calling me.

“It must be Twilight.” I said as I pulled out my phone with a smile.

“That girl just can’t get enough of you, huh?” Adagio said with a big smile.

“Shut up and get out of my room.” I said, glaring at my older sister again.

“You can talk with your girlfriend in front of us.” Adagio said with a smug smile and crossing her smile.

“I want to stay too!” Sonata said while raising her hand and smiling widely. She also pushed herself into my personal space.

I groaned, shoving my sister away and pulled out my phone. I wanted to keep arguing but I knew there was no point in doing so. Besides, I didn’t want to make Twilight wait any longer. I accepted the call and turned away from my sisters. “Hi, Sparks! How are you?”

“Aria!” She sounded happy, as usual. I smiled, forgetting that I wasn’t alone in my room. I began talking casually to my girlfriend. “I’m fine. How about you? And Cynthia?”

“She’s… healthy. I’m keeping my promise.” I glanced at my plushie, petting its soft head before speaking again. “She’s on my bed right now. I got her a little something. A… brush.”

“Really?” I could tell she was grinning now when she squealed. “Aww, you’re such a good mommy!”

“T-Twilight...” I blushed, completely embarrassed. Sonata said the same, but coming from Twilight… it was different. My girlfriend giggled.

“It’s true! Anyway, I’m calling you because my parents just had an amazing idea! They want to invite you for dinner next weekend.”

I got both surprised and worried when I heard this.

“What?” My eyes widened in surprise. “Y-You mean they’ll be there too?”

“Yeah.” She sounded worried. “If you don’t want to, we can call it off-”

“No, no, no!” I interrupted her. “I want to! I was surprised, that’s all.”

“What is it?” Adagio asked in whispers. I blocked the speaker of my phone before replying to her.

“Twilight’s parents wants me to have dinner at their home.” I unblocked the speaker to talk to Twilight again, but Sonata spoke before me.

“Sweet! Adagio and I haven’t been at her house yet. It will be fun!”

“Sonata! That’s not-!” However, before I could finish correcting my younger sister, a male voice was heard from Twilight’s side. I recognized the voice of her father talking.

“Who’s that, kiddo?”

“One of Aria’s sisters, Sonata.” Twilight replied.

“Oh, that gave me an idea!” Twilight’s mother spoke next. “Why don’t you invite her sisters too and we have a big family dinner?”

“Uh...” My girlfriend was speechless and I was left dumbfounded.

“Twilight… your parents can hear…?”

“Y-Yeah. They insisted on listening so I have the speaker on.”

“Wow, your parents and my sisters already have something in common.” I smiled into the phone, but Adagio killed the mood again.

“What’s going on?” My older sister asked, confused because she couldn’t hear. Again, I made sure Twilight, nor her parents, didn’t hear when I answered her.

“Twilight’s parents heard Sonata and want to invite the three of us for dinner.”

“Oh, really?” Adagio spoke again. I nodded and Sonata grinned.

“Yes! Say yes!” My younger sister was jumping excitedly. I didn’t look at her, instead focusing on our leader.

“Do you have a day off this weekend?” I asked.

Adagio placed a hand on her hip and smirked. “Yes, on Sunday.” I nodded at her before turning to the phone.

“Can we do it this Sunday?”

“Yes we can!” It was Night Light, the one who answered.

“It’s settled, then.” Twilight said excitedly over the speaker. ”We’ll see you on Sunday!”

“I can’t wait.” I said, smiling at the phone. “See you then!”

“Bye bye!” Twilight seemed excited when hanging up. I, on the other hand, wasn’t. As soon as I hung up, I glared at Sonata. I stormed up to her, and she hid behind Adagio cowering in fear.

“Why, why, why did you have to open your big mouth? Now you’ll have to come too!”

“What’s wrong with that? I think it will be fun!” My younger sister grinned, failing to see her mistake.

I growled, causing my sister to hide even more behind Adagio for protection. Adagio cleared her throat, clearly not pleased with my behavior. I groaned, giving my full attention to my other sister and ignoring my cowering little sister. “Can you do something? Maybe pretend to be sick or suddenly busy so I get to go alone?”

A little spark of hope parked in my heart when Adagio seemed to give it some thought. My hopes were shattered and smothering to dust when she shook her head.

“That’s not a good idea, Aria. They expect the three of us to show up.” My older sister said while crossing her arms. She smiled before continuing. “Besides, I do want to go and meet her parents.”

“Seriously?!” Adagio reaffirmed with a shrug. ”I can’t believe you! You’ll both embarrass me in front of Twilight and her parents!”

“Oh quit being so dramatic, Aria. When you’re dating, it’s common for families to gather together. This is good because it means that you haven’t screwed up yet.”

As much as I hated admitting it Adagio was right. Twilight’s parents did like me enough to trust me with their home and daughter. Clearly I was doing something right. I felt a sense of pride and accomplishment knowing I made this whole thing work out.

“Again, thank you for your support, Adagio.” I said, glaring at my older sister.

“You’re welcome!” Adagio grinned. “Now, get ready. Comb your hair. We’re meeting with Fluttershy at the pet store soon.”

I blushed, putting Cynthia away. “I don’t-”

“I know you have a brush now Aria. Brush your hair and let's go.”

“Yay! Cute pet, here I go!” Sonata cheered before leaving my room. Adagio followed after her while I remained standing in my room. Dinner with my family and Twilight’s? I have no idea how it will go.

Before Adagio got far I reached out and grabbed her wrist but I hesitated and she escaped my grasp following Sonata out my room closing the door behind me. She peeked in one last time winking at me and left me alone to get ready.

I looked at Cynthia while unbinding my hair so I could brush it easier. My hair was so thick I couldn’t brush all of the knots out in time. So, with the time I had, I took the brush I got for Cynthia and began tediously brushing my hair. I could feel the knots in my hair with each stroke hooking into the tiny bristles. I looked at my hair again and smiled. One say, I'll ask Twilight to do this for me, maybe she’d let me do hers too. Not that my girlfriend needed it.

I felt her hair before, silky smooth and not a single knot in it. Unlike mine which was nasty and barely kept. Yet, she always said I looked good, then again we never really inspected each other's hair closely. I know Sonata takes good care of hers which was very much like Twilight’s. Then I imagined what it must be like for Adagio, with thick beautifully curly hair like hers it must be a nightmare keeping and maintaining it. I was lucky to have long thick straight hair. I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to do things with them at times. Maybe, just maybe it was time I tried to make a real effort to reconnect with them. Maybe…

Sunday night arrived and I was feeling more nervous than I ever felt. My sisters and I were heading towards Twilight’s place in a taxi for dinner and I found myself counting down the seconds with eager anticipation. Adagio had us wear the clothes her friend Rarity gifted us on our hatchday. I didn’t want to use it, but Adagio told me that Twilight would appreciate it if I wore it. It was actually comfortable.

Adagio’s friend really knows her stuff. She managed to capture my original outfit style with a black vest, and new pants, even new boots! How she got my size was a call for concern, but Adagio assured me she told her my sizes. Adagio herself was wearing a long sleeve pink shirt over a darker magenta shirt with matching leggings and mini shorts to go with it along with spiked boots like she had before. Sonata’s outfit had the least amount of alterations, mostly a slight color change but with a dark purple skirt and boots. I really liked how we looked, and that Rarity girl sure earned herself brownie points with me on this.

As we drove along in the taxi, Sonata was on her knees, worriedly looking from the back window. I sighed, rubbing my head knowing what she was worried about.

“Are you sure Ham Ham will be okay on his own?”

I slapped my hand across my face dragging it down at my sister's antics.

“He’s in his cage with enough food and water for a day and we’re only gone for the night.” I said with a bored tone. “I’m sure your hamster will be okay.”

“Your sister is right, Ham Ham will be fine.” My older sister placed a reassuring hand on Sonata’s shoulder, but she didn’t waste the opportunity to give us orders. She’s so bossy. “Alright, Aria, Sonata, once we’re inside Twilight’s house, make sure to behave yourselves. I want to leave a good impression.”

“I have already left a good impression. Worry about Sonata.” I said.

“I can behave!” Sonata whined. “I have never received a complaint from anyone at work.”

Both Adagio and me rolled our eyes. I had no doubt about that, but when Sonata was out of work she was a wild child. I just hoped she could keep herself under control at Twilight's place.

“I must still warn you, Sonata.” Adagio said, adjusting her shirt. “You must watch yourself when you eat. We’re having pasta, which will most likely have tomato sauce. Don’t stuff your mouth and please remember to chew your food and swallow before you talk. Alright?”

“This dinner is important to me.” I said while glaring at my little sister. “Don’t blow it.”

“Oh, and Aria-” Adagio turned to me. “I would suggest you watch your tone when talking to us. It’s true that Twilight’s parents already approve of you, but you have to keep that good impression.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice.” I said while looking away from her.

The taxi stopped after that. My sisters and I got out and waited for Adagio to pay the driver. “That’ll be $74.50 please.”

My sister paid the driver. “Here you go. Thanks for the drive.”

“You ladies have a good night, stay safe out there.” The driver said as he pulled away.

Adagio waved to him and we turned to face us. We were right in front of Twilight’s house, so I walked towards the front door and rang the bell. I immediately could hear Spike’s barking approaching until he reached the door, followed by gentle scraping at the door. Seconds later, I heard Twilight’s voice on the other side.

“Spike, do you have to do that every time?” I smiled just as the door opened with my girlfriend on the other side. “Aria, Adagio, Sonata! You made it!” She said before giving each of us a hug. Mine lasted longer.

“Did you doubt us?” I said while I returned her hug petting her silky smooth hair.

My girlfriend giggled and moved her head to look at me. “Come on in. Dinner's almost ready.” She said as she took me by my arm to lead me inside, with my sisters following right behind us. As we walked, I could appreciate her look. My cub was wearing a cute purple skirt with a light magenta shirt with her favorite crescent moon and star logo on it. Over that she was wearing a light blue zip-up sweater. She was really cute, it made me feel outclassed, even though I knew she'd like me all the same.

“You have quite a place, Twilight. Truly remarkable.” Adagio commented once we were inside.

“Yeah! So fancy!” Sonata said as she leaned down to pet Spike.

Twilight giggled. “Thank you. I’ll introduce you to my family!” She excitedly said as she practically started to skip.

She’s so adorable. Watching her always made me feel like my heart would explode. I did my best to walk beside her while she skipped her arm locked with me. She smiled at me and whispered. “You look awesome wearing Rarity’s gift.” She said before kissing my cheek. I was left speechless and enchanted by her perfume. My jaw dropped and I placed my hand on the cheek she kissed me. Then I turned around and I saw both of my sisters with knowing smirks. I glared at them before turning my head around again,

When we reached the dining room, I immediately recognized Twilight’s parents, but there was also a new face. A young man, well dressed, blue hair and very well built.

“Those are my parents, and that over there is my big brother, Shining Armor!”

Shining Armor waved his hand at us. “Hey.”

“Hello!” Sonata excitedly waved back. While my sisters approached Twilight's parents, I walked towards Shining Armor, with my arms crossed.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Shining Armor.” I said as I smirked. Time to make a good impression.

“The feeling is mutual. You may call me Shining.” He smiled. “My little sis has said a lot of things about you. Good things. I’m happy she found someone like you, willing to protect her and make her happy.”

“Yeah...” I said as I glanced at my girlfriend. She was with my sisters while they talked with her parents. Twilight made eye contact with me and smiled widely. I returned it and kept it as I glanced back at Shining. “She has helped me as much as I helped her. The old me hated gatherings like this one.”

“No kidding?” He was a little surprised, but he kept his smile. “I would never have guessed.”

“Let’s just say that if our paths hadn’t crossed, you and I would probably have met in a different way.”

“Then I’m glad that wasn’t the case.” He said before placing a hand on my shoulder. “You seem nice. I would like to see you more often, but I’m a busy man.”

I curled my lip to smile.

“So I’ve heard. Good thing you could make it today, huh?” I commented.

“Yeah, my partner owed me a favor and traded her day off with mine. The moment I knew I would be able to meet my sister’s girlfriend, I just had to come. Besides, I have been meaning to dine with family for a while.”

“May I have your attention, please?” Velvet said as she clasped her hands. “Get to your seats. Dinner’s ready!”

"Yes! I'm hungry!" Sonata happily said as she approached the nearest chair, but Adagio stopped her before she sat.

"We have to wash our hands before sitting down, Sonata."

"But I already did it at home!" Sonata whined.

"It doesn't matter. Wash them again." Adagio said before smiling at Velvet and Night Light. "Where's the bathroom?"

“Down the hall, second door on the right.” Night Light replied.

“Thank you.” My older sister said as she headed to the door. “Come on, girls.”

“I’m going!” I said, groaning as I followed Adagio and Sonata to the bathroom.

I waved to Shining who seemed amused by something though I didn’t know what.

“Remember, behave properly.” Adagio said while we headed to the bathroom. “Don’t fight like in our house.”

“I know, Adagio. You don’t need to remind me.” I said with an annoyed tone.

“There’s nothing wrong with making sure.” Adagio said as she smiled.

She gently placed her hands on my shoulders guiding me along, or rather following me. I knew where the bathroom was from previous visits. It was easy enough to find and wash our hands. Sonata of course managed to get lost after being distracted by something shiny.

When we returned, Velvet was starting to serve. She gave the first plate to Shining Armor, who passed it to Twilight. I sat next to my girlfriend, while Adagio sat next to me and Sonata next to her. Twilight passed me a dish, and following the family’s lead, I passed it to Adagio, who passed it to our younger sister. Once everyone had their plates full, Velvet sat down and passed the grated cheese. There was a bottle of juice on the table. Each of us filled our own glasses, while the adults got some wine.

“This is nice. We haven’t had the table this full since the Holidays.” Velvet said happily, clapping her hands together.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Shining Armor said with guilt.

"You have nothing to apologize about. We know your job is demanding.” Night Light said with a smile.

"Speaking of the holidays-" Velvet spoke. "Aria, you and your sisters are welcome to join us this year."

"Thanks." I replied with a grateful smile.

Then I turned to Twilight, but she was staring at her food while blushing. I softly rubbed my foot against hers to catch her attention. When she looked at me, I shot her a smile. She smiled back and nuzzled her leg with mine. “I won’t pass up the chance to have dinner with all of you again.” I said gently.

Twilight placed her hand on mine before speaking. “It’s a pleasure to have you as guests.”

"I would love to invite you over to our own house, but I'm afraid it's not as spacious as yours." Adagio said before eating some of the pasta. "Mmm, it's delicious!"

"Thank you." Velvet said. "Don't worry. Our doors are always open for you guys."

"Yay! Dinner at Twilight's every weekend!" Sonata said with excitement.

I quickly looked at my little sister. "Sonata, no."

I took a bite of my food, and Sonata huffed and continued eating.

Velvet chuckled. “She has quite a personality, doesn’t she?”

“It can get tiring sometimes.” I commented before grabbing a bite from my food.

“Hey!” Sonata whined, but I ignored her.

“If you don’t mind-” Night Light spoke up. “Can you tell us more about you?”

“Of course.” Adagio said. “I work in the fashion industry for Hoity Toity. I’m one of his top designers. There’s nothing I love more than designing clothes.”

“That’s neat.” Shining Armor commented. “Do you focus on a gender or both?”

“Just for ladies I’m afraid, but I might try to design male one day.” Adagio replied before taking a sip from her drink.

“I work at Burger Princess!” Sonata exclaimed. “I’m trying to come up with a new burger but my superiors tell me that I add too much spice.”

“You always do.” I commented. “That’s why I don’t want you in the kitchen.”

“I’m trying to improve!” My little sister pouted.

“Practice makes better.” Night Light said chuckling. “If you want spice to be an ingredient, keep adding less and less until all ingredients are balanced.”

Sonata nodded. “Yes, maybe I should.”

There was silence after that in which I just focused on my food. When I had my mouth full, I raised my head to notice that Twilight’s family was looking at me. I guess it’s my turn...

I swallowed before speaking. Will they still like me when they hear what I'm going to say? “I… don’t have a job. I never applied for one.”

"Oh?" Night Light was the first to speak. "Any reason why, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I never thought I needed one." I looked around, ashamed, but no one was glaring at me, so, I continued. “I never thought about the future. All I did was watch T.V. and read a book once in a while.” I think I should be honest. I have no reason to lie. “It wasn’t until I met Twilight that I became more active. I started to read more, I realized I enjoyed stargazing and I also started to go for walks.” I looked at Twilight, smiling. She returned the smile and squeezed my hand. “She’s helping me to discover a side I never knew from me, or I was ashamed of, and I’m thankful for that.”

“A-Aria...” Twilight placed her other hand on mine. I followed her lead and gazed into her eyes.

“It’s the truth.” I said without breaking eye contact. I was about to lean in to kiss her, but I was reminded that we weren’t alone when I heard Sonata’s voice.

“Aww! I like it when Aria is all mushy-mushy!”

I glared at my little sister before turning my attention to Twilight’s parents again. They were smiling.

“I’m happy to hear that my daughter was such a good influence on you.” Night Light said.

“And it’s okay if you don’t have a job.” Velvet spoke next. “That doesn’t change our opinion on you. You’re still a good girl who takes good care of our little baby girl.”

“M-Moooom...” Twilight blushed. She was embarrassed, but still smiled while placing an arm around her mother's.

“We also don’t have to worry about any potential… accidents in the future.” Twilight’s dad commented. I didn’t understand what he meant, but apparently my girlfriend did, because I heard a loud thud next to me, and when I turned around, her face was on the table. I also noticed that she turned deeply red.

“Dad!” Shining Armor said as he slapped his father on his back. “I asked you not to make any of your dad jokes tonight!”

"I'm just saying! Night Light defended himself.

"I'm confused." I said before looking around at everyone. “Can someone explain?”

“I’ll explain later, Aria.” Adagio said before turning to Night Light. “Sorry, I’m afraid she doesn’t know much about the birds and the bees.”

“Oh.” The man chuckled. “Then I really don’t have to worry.”

“Could someone change the subject, please?!” Despite her voice being muffed, I still could understand Twilight.

“I’m on it!” I might not understand what’s going on, but I’m not going to let Twilight be uncomfortable any longer. I glanced at her brother and smiled. “So, Shining, I really admire you for your job. I actually watch a reality show about police working live.”

“Oh, yes, I have heard about that show.” He didn’t hesitate to come to his sister’s aid. Twilight didn’t lie about how cool he is. “My boss mentioned that a crew is coming into town to show our work to the public. I don’t really mind, but my partner Chrysalis and a few other officers aren’t a fan of the idea. Still, the contract has been signed and everyone must accept it, even if they don’t like it.”

“You will be famous!” Sonata joined in. “You could be walking on the street and meet some fangirls. You’re good looking!”

Shining chuckled and blushed. “They’ll be disappointed, I’m afraid. I’m already seeing someone.”

“So everything is going well with you and Miss Cheerilee?” Twilight joined the conversation as well. Her face was no longer flushed.

“Things are great, yeah. I’m starting to be less nervous around her.”

“I’m glad.” Twilight smiled. “She has been more cheerful lately in class and it’s heartwarming to know that you’re the reason.”

“I smile like an idiot while I’m at work. Chrysalis won’t stop teasing me while we’re doing the reports.” Shining rubbed his forehead. “She’s really cool to work with, but she can be a bit much at times.”

Dinner continued without another incident. We all talked about different topics and got to know each other more. I wish I would be able to see Shining Armor more often. He’s amazing! I always admired cops for what they did, detectives, SWAT teams, they were always facing danger to save lives. It reminded me of how I dealt with bullies for Twilight. It gave me hope for the future, that as long as there are people like Shining and me the world could become a better place. One I would happily share with Twilight.

After dinner and before dessert, I went to use the bathroom. After washing my hands and walking out, I was greeted by my girlfriend’s smile. When I was about to greet her, she took both of my hands and pulled me along down the halls towards her room. I also saw Spike following us.

“I have something for you in my room. Follow me.”

I allowed her to take the lead guiding me to her room. “Sure.”

Twilight giggled and released one of my hands and turned to her pet.

“Spike, would you mind waiting outside just a minute?”

“I don’t mind.” Spike said, wagging his tail happily. I leaned down to scratch him on his head before Twilight led me to her room.

She closed the door behind her and sighed leaning her back against it.

“Thank you for noticing my embarrassment earlier. I can’t believe my dad said that!” She slapped her hands covering her face which was turning red again.

“I don’t want you to feel embarrassed, so I’ll wait for Adagio to explain to me what the deal was.”

Twilight glanced at me, still smiling. “Again, thanks.”

I smiled at her, but then raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Why did you ask Spike to wait outside?"

"Because…" My girlfriend gave me a funny smile and made a hand gesture, signaling me to approach her. I did so as I grinned. When I was at reach, she placed her arms around my neck and got on her tiptoes to reach my face. "I didn't feel comfortable kissing you in front of my family and I didn't want to expose him to it."

I smiled at her. "You're such a caring owner.” Twilight giggled and I kissed her in the middle of it. The kiss turned into two, then into three, and four. I stopped counting after the fifth, instead focusing solely on holding her close. “So...” I said between kisses. “Dinner’s going… well?”

My girlfriend nodded kissing me back, her hands running through my hair. “Yes… I worried when your sisters came along, but… it turned out to be a good idea in the end.”

“True… I’ll still glare at Sonata, though.”

Twilight laughed softly and gave me one last kiss before pulling away. “About what you said earlier with me about improving your life...”

“I was lost. I didn’t care about anything, I just… existed.” I placed a hand on her cheek and caressed it with my thumb. “Then we met and everything changed from day one. I’m trying new things and actually enjoying every second of my life here. Enjoying every second I spend with you, cub.”

“Oh, Aria...” Twilight placed her hand on the one I was using to stroke her cheek. “I can’t wait anymore. I’ll give you that surprise right now.”

“That’s right, we had a reason to be here. I almost forgot.” I said as Twilight turned around and headed to her desk. I looked around and found her plushies. I recognized the star I gave her, but I also saw a stuffed donkey and an owl. “So, those are Mr. Smartypants and Miss Serenity? They’re cute.”

“Hmm?” My girlfriend glanced at her plushies. “Yes. The donkey is Smartypants and the owl Miss Serenity. It feels good to have them in view.” She commented before walking towards me, holding a small box while wearing a beaming smile. “Behold, a little something for you to enjoy before dessert. Just don’t tell your sisters.”

I rolled my eyes, but said nothing. I wasn’t sure if that’d work but I’d try at least. It’s hard keeping secrets from my sisters. They have a way of sniffing secrets out of me. For Twilight I'd happily try though.

“It will be our secret, don’t worry.” Satisfied with my reply, Twilight opened the box like the bad guys would open their suitcases in action movies. Slowly and dramatically, with the slow build-up for tensions sake. When the box was opened I looked inside, I could see chocolates of all kinds of shapes. My jaw dropped to the floor.

“You can take a couple now and take the rest home.”

“Cub...” I was speechless. Since I was unable to thank her with words, I grinned at her and took a random chocolate to my mouth. I noticed that it wasn’t just plain chocolate. It was filled with something. The taste of it after swallowing was familiar but I couldn’t remember what it was. “Mmm… this one has a surprise inside.”

“Yes, some of them have a peanut filling. It’s such a delicious mix and I thought-” Twilight stopped talking when I started to cough. “Aria?”

I tried to speak, but the coughing became violent. I was already feeling at a loss of air. I need to tell Twilight about my allergy, but the swelling had already started and I wasn’t able to speak. Instead, I was wheezing and struggling to breathe. Unable to warn her I reached out for her, and she grabbed my hands squeezing them tightly. My vision started to become distorted and I got on one knee as the coughing continued. Twilight rushed to my side, visibly scared.

“Aria, what’s going on?!” I could barely hear her, even when I had her right in front of me.

With struggle, I managed to speak as coherent as I could. “A-Adagio… n-now…!” Twilight hesitated to leave me alone, but she ran out of the room. After she left, I collapsed on the floor face down. I struggled to breathe and I felt too weak to turn around. I was losing my vision when I heard distorted footsteps approaching. Someone turned me around and I had a blurry vision of my sisters with Twilight, Spike and Shining Armor around me. My girlfriend’s face was above me, so my head must be on her knees. I think I also saw Twilight’s parents by the door.

Sonata gasped. “Her face… turning weird... again!”

“Hold her still!” Adagio said as she took a syringe from her purse. I could barely see Adagio applying the injection on my chest, but I could feel it. Knowing that I got the medicine in time, I allowed myself to pass out. Before falling unconscious, I could hear a little more.

“The ambulance will be here soon!” I think that was Velvet. It was hard to distinguish it.

“I’ll try to keep her stable until they arrive. I have the basic training...” Everything went dark. It wasn’t the first time this happened to me so I know I’ll wake up again… but it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience.

Recovery

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Twilight’s POV

When the ambulance arrived, Adagio got in it with Aria while my family and Sonata followed close behind in my father’s car. The doctors stabilized her. They said that she was going to be fine, but she would have to stay at the hospital for a few days under observation. I wanted so much to stay by her side, but my family and Adagio convinced me to go home and get some rest.

Despite everything, I reluctantly took the ride back home and managed to drag myself to bed. My legs felt like they were weighed down, and I felt a lack of energy as I slowly dressed for bed. When I laid down my pet, Spike climbed into my chest to comfort me and my brother stayed with me until I fell asleep.

I barely slept that night. I was restless all night as my mind wandered. All I could think about was my lone wolf laying in the hospital bed her life clung by a thread. Well, she was better now, but what about next time? Would she be so lucky? Try as I might, my restless mind prevented me from sleeping. As I tossed and turned, the hours rolled by, and before I knew it I was asleep.

The next day was Monday and by chance I woke up early, still feeling drained and tired. My eyes felt heavy and I rubbed them feeling a slight soreness as I did. I saw that Spike was still sleeping by my feet, so I made sure not to wake him up as I got out of bed. I took a long shower and slowly got dressed, feeling a complete lack of motivation in anything I did. I have to go to school today, but I feel like I should go to the hospital and look after Aria. She's my responsibility right now, not Adagio's. Of course Adagio would argue the opposite, but as Aria’s girlfriend, I was equally responsible for her. It’s my fault Aria got hurt in the first place.

After getting dressed, I slowly began brushing my hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. Once tied back, I put on my favorite star shaped hair clip but my heart ached when I looked at myself in the mirror. My mind once again went back to Aria, her twin ponytails and her matching star headpins. I never thought about it much, but we had very similar styles for our hair. It’s such a simple thing but now I found myself thinking about all the other similarities we had.

We both loved reading, cute things, astronomy, among other things and we both love our families. Sure it was basic, but that’s why it worked right? My heart sank as I thought about Aria and how much I missed her. It was funny, I always heard that famous saying, 'you don’t know what you have until it’s gone'. Oh, how painfully true it was. Sure, Aria wasn’t gone, but knowing what could have happened filled my heart with grief and regret for what I’d done. I forced myself to continue getting ready, and once I was presentable, I headed to the kitchen, where my dad was making himself coffee.

“Good morning, sweetheart. You’re up early. Wow, you look exhausted.” My father stated as he poured himself coffee.

“I could barely sleep.” I said as I sat on the table. I rubbed my eyes while using my elbows as support and yawned. “I feel so tired…”

My father chuckled while sipping his coffee.

“I’m not surprised. It wasn’t easy to convince you to come home with us.” My dad sat down in front of me, placing his mug on the table. “What will you have? Cereal? Waffles?”

I groaned, slumping myself into the chair next to my dad. I know my body was hungry, but somehow I just didn’t feel it.

“I’m not hungry.” I looked away from my dad. “Almost killing your girlfriend takes away your appetite, apparently.”

“Don’t be so harsh on yourself, Twily. You didn’t know Aria was allergic to peanuts. None of us did.”

“That’s no excuse!” I tried not to raise my voice too much so I wouldn’t wake up my mom. My father looked at me empathetically and placed his hand on mine and stroked my knuckles with his thumb.

“Twilight, honey, these things can happen. You can’t predict them. You have to look at the bright side.”

I scowled at my dad, quaking my brow.

“There’s one?” I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion. My father nodded and smiled.

“Aria’s alive thanks to your fast reaction. You worked well under pressure and you quickly took her sisters to her. Every second counted and you made good use of them.”

“I-I guess...” My dad got off his seat and approached me to kiss my forehead.

“Remember that she will be discharged soon. I promise that once you see her awake, you’ll feel better.”

“About that...” I looked up at him. “I want to be there for her today. Can I?”

My father looked up at the ceiling, no doubt thinking about what my mom would say. He looked down and smiled at me.

"Of course,” He winked at me, and I giggled in response. “Just don’t make a huge habit of it. I’ll smooth it over with your mother and let the school know.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll call my friends and ask them to tell Principal Celestia. I was going to call them anyway. I need their support.”

“Very well.” My dad placed his hand on my shoulder. “But I’m still not letting you leave until you eat breakfast. You know how important this meal is.” Just as he said that, my belly growled and I blushed. Of course my stomach would betray me at a time like this.

“O-Okay… I’ll have something...”

My father smiled. “It’s still too early to go to the hospital. How about I make you some waffles? I’ll drive you to the hospital later, yes?”

I stood up and hugged him. "Thank you, daddy."

"You're welcome, kiddo." After we hugged, my father rubbed my hair. “I'll look for the flour and the eggs.”

"Okay. I'll go to my room and call my friend Applejack. She has a farm so she’s an early riser."

“Alright.” My father nodded at me and I walked towards my room.

I was still feeling anxious, but my dad’s support and knowing that I’ll look after Aria made me feel energized. When I walked into my room, I saw Spike stretching on my bed and yawning. He wagged his tail happily when he saw me approaching.

“Good morning, Twilight. I felt you moving all night.”

“I’m sorry, Spike. I’m still worried about Aria, but I’m going to see her instead of going to school. I won’t calm down until I see with my own eyes that she’s okay.”

“You said last night that she will be released in a few days. It can’t be serious if she’s not staying longer, right?” Spike asked tilting his head to scratch himself.

I reached in my purse to look for my phone. When I found it I sat on my bed, and immediately started looking for Applejack in my contacts list. Spike laid on my lap and snuggled against me. “I know, but it’s my fault that she’s there, so I want to be there when she awakens.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Twilight. You didn’t know.”

I started to feel frustrated. My dad said the same thing, but I can’t stop blaming myself. I need self-control. I can’t yell at my pet, but I really wanted to scream right now. Just as my head felt like it would explode I did my breathing exercise and after a few seconds felt myself calm where I could give a reasonable response. “I just want to be sure.”

I petted his little head as I called my friend. She didn’t answer right away. I had to wait until the sixth beep just before I got the voicemail.

“Hello, Twilight?”

“Hi, Applejack” I smiled a bit upon hearing her voice. She’s a good person, she’ll know what to say to make me feel better. “I hope that I’m not interrupting anything.”

“Nah, ah’m just done taking a shower. Ah’m not complainin’, but ah’m surprised to hear from you this early.”

“Yeah, well...” I sighed. I know Aria won’t like this, but I need my friends right now. “Something happened yesterday... and… Aria is at the hospital.”

“Wait, what?” She sounded shocked. “What happened? How serious is it? How is she?”

“She will be fine.” I massaged my forehead with my fingers. She didn’t mean it, but the bombardment of questions wasn’t helping my anxiety. “I'll skip school today to be with her.”

“Ah understand. Don’t worry, ah’ll talk to the girls and we’ll let the Principals know. But Twilight… what happened?” Applejack asked, sounding concerned. She really was a good friend.

This is it. It wouldn’t be fair to hide this from my friends. “I gave her chocolates with peanut filling, and I didn’t know she was allergic...”

“Holy hay, Twilight! Food allergy can be serious! Mah cousin, Braeburn is allergic to grapes and he once had to be in the hospital for over a week. Aria’s okay, then?”

“She will be hospitalized for a few days, but the worse passed, I hope.” I looked at Spike as I caressed his back. He wagged his tail again, easing my worries for the time being. “I haven’t seen her since we dropped her in the emergency room and her face was horribly swollen, but the doctor said she’d be alright. Adagio is with her.”

“Oh, that explains why she didn’t call Rarity to talk about how dinner went.”

“Rarity called you late in the night to tell you that?” I said, confused.

“No. Ah had a small sleepover with her, Sweetie Belle and… Anabelle.”

I giggled. “She still has that project around?”

“Eeyup! She still looks after her. She's on a small pedestal in her room.”

"Aww, that's cute. I should ask her to show me a picture.” Of course I knew that little egg was going to start to smell soon, but I wouldn’t ruin it for Rarity.

“Ah already took a picture. Ah’ll send it to ya.”

I giggled, imagining Rarity and Applejack with Anabelle. “You took a photo for yourself? You really got attached to Anabelle after she went missing.”

“Well, Rarity was right,” There was a slight pause where I could tell Applejack was trying no to sound silly.

“There’s nothing wrong with having some fun.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, ah hope Aria is released soon. One of us will take today’s homework to you.”

“Thank you, Applejack.”

“Yer welcome. Now, ah hate to hang up, but ah don’t want to wake up Rarity nor her family.”

“Oh, right. Sorry! I didn’t sleep well, so I’m a little disoriented.”

“Aria will be fine, Twilight. The doctors in Canterlot City are true professionals.”

I sighed. “I know. I want to be positive, but she didn’t look so good last night. I was so scared… I thought I might lose her.” I paused feeling my eyes well up with tears. I quickly wiped them away, making sure to still hear what Applejack had to say over the phone.

“Ah’m sure you’ll feel a lot better once you see her, Twi.”

“I really hope so… I won’t take any more of your time. See you later, Applejack.”

“Goodbye, Twi. We’ll make sure to check on you when we can.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at the phone and then my friend hung up. I’m so glad I can count on my friends. I’ll give them a big hug the next time I see them. I looked at Spike, who wagged his tail happily.

“You look better. That makes me happy.” he said, lying at my side.

I stroked his head to show him my appreciation. “I wish I could take you with me.”

“Don’t worry, I understand. I’ll be waiting for you.”

I kissed his forehead and stood up. Just as I did so, I received a text message. I pulled out my phone to see that Applejack sent me the photo of Annabelle already. Annabelle was sitting atop a plush looking pillow with an actual pedestal snug and well protected from falling. She looks so cute! That made me feel so much better after seeing it. I can patiently wait until it’s time to visit Aria now. I should take a backpack and fill it with books and other things I might need to help pass the time in case she didn’t wake up today. Once I finished packing I sat down and gave Spike some belly rubs.

It wasn’t long after that when my dad called me down for breakfast. I ran to eat my food quickly so I could see my lone wolf sooner than later.

It was finally visit time at the hospital. After devouring my breakfast, my dad drove while my mom still slept. I was silent during the drive, staring at the floor and with my hands on my knees. While my father, Spike, and Applejack’s advice helped me to feel better, all my anxiety returned the closer I was to see Aria again. I was afraid she’d be angry with me when she woke up. My father didn’t say anything during the ride. He would only look at me with sympathy while waiting for the green lights and place a comforting hand on my shoulder. I gave him grateful smiles.

When we arrived, we pulled over at the entrance and I opened the door to leave the car, but my dad put a hand on mine to stop me.

“Call or text us if you need anything, hun.”

I looked at him and nodded before kissing his cheek and smiling. “I will, daddy. I’ll let you know when she wakes up.”

My father returned the smile. “Please, do. See you later. Tell Aria I hope she gets better!” I walked out the car and closed the door. My father then drove away and I watched him until I lost sight of him after he turned around the corner. I turned to the entrance and took a deep breath to try and calm my anxiety. Here we go. I walked into the hospital and headed to the reception. Fortunately, there was no line.

“Good morning.” The receptionist welcomed me with a smile.

“Hello. I’m here to visit Aria Blaze at room 302.”

“Of course. Please sign in on this please,” She said giving me a clipboard for me to sign. “Thank you. If the door is closed, knock and wait at the corridor.”

“Thank you.” I smiled at her and headed to the stairs. I kept a regular pace on the way up. I don’t like the ambience here. In some rooms I saw people talking lightheartedly, but in others I saw people crying. I avoided getting too close to the intensive care room. It crushes my heart that not all of them will survive.

When I reached room 302 the door was closed, so I knocked. I immediately heard Adagio’s response.

“Coming.” Moments later, the door opened and Adagio stood before me. Her tall figure and beautiful golden hair looking as pristine as ever. I smiled up at her and she smiled when she saw me.

“Twilight!” She lunged forward faster than I could greet her and gave me a hug, which I didn’t hesitate to return. “I thought it would be the doctors again. It’s good to see you.”

“Really? You’re not mad at me?”

Adagio pulled away and frowned. “No. You said you didn’t know. If anything I’m glad that you were so fast in telling me about Aria’s reaction.” She cupped my cheek in her hand drawing my attention up to her. “You saved her life, Twilight.”

That immediately soured my mood, being reminded of what I did. Well intentioned or not I didn’t like it when people kept saying that.

“I feel the opposite. I almost killed her...”

“Twilight...” My friend led me inside the room and closed the door before speaking again. “Don’t blame yourself for this. No one is, not even Aria.” When she said my girlfriend’s name, I tried looking at her, but a wall was in the way. Adagio took my hand and walked me around the wall so I could see Aria. Her face returned to normal, which filled me with relief. She was breathing softly and with her hair down. I didn’t see any plugs nor a heart monitor like last night.

“She’s just sleeping. The doctors are coming regularly to check on her. They say she’s fine.”

“But what if-”

“Twilight, there are no ifs about this. The doctors know what they're doing. Trust me.” My friend frowned at me again. “She’s alive thanks to you. Not only did you react fast, but you also got excellent doctors to look after her.”

Now Adagio was assuring me I shouldn’t blame myself, but I can’t help it. I still feel guilty. I decided not to tell Adagio about it since I don’t think she’ll be able to ease my worries. Instead, I took a few steps towards Aria to watch her rest. I managed to smile a little reaching down. I stoked some of her hair away from her face. I never saw her sleep before. She looks… cute. I was caught by surprise when she snored and turned around. Her back was against me now.

“She makes some noises when she’s asleep.” Adagio stood beside me. “She doesn’t snore all the time, but once in a while… well...”

“I wouldn’t mind even if she continuously snored loudly.” I commented, smiling again.

“Trust me, you would. Sonata can be so loud.” My friend said before yawning. “My back is killing me. The bed here wasn’t very comfortable. .”

“Why don’t you go home and rest?” I looked at Adagio. “I came here with the intention of staying with Aria all day.”

Adagio paused looking at me.“But it’s Monday. Don’t you have school?” My friend asked, worried.

“Already taken care of. I won’t die from skipping one day. Besides, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate with Aria here. I want to see her awake and well... to finally convince myself that she’s okay.” I said looking back at my sleeping wolf.

"Twilight…"

I held up my hand stopping Adagio, fearing that she might actually talk me out of staying. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I was going to be here when Aria wakes up, and I won’t leave her side until the end of the day. She was my pack leader, and I was her beta to stay by her side now and forever.

"Please, let me do this. I can't let you look after Aria on your own. You’re too tired." Adagio opened her mouth to say something, but she grunted and leaned down, massaging her lower back. “You need to lay down and take care of your back.”

“I-I suppose I can ask Hoity Toity for a day off...”

“Yes.” I smiled. “I couldn’t sleep properly last night, but I’m in better shape, I think.”

My friend crossed her arms and frowned in thought. She looked at Aria and didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Fine.” She sighed and turned to me. “If you already decided to skip school, I can’t turn you down. Besides, I should really give my outfit a proper care. I never slept while looking this fabulous.”

I giggled. "Rarity would probably get mad if she finds out."

"I love fashion as much as her, so I’m already feeling bad about it. She doesn’t need to know.” My friend said before yawning again. “Okay, I’m heading home before I pass out.” She added before leaning down towards Aria to softly stroke her hair. “You keep resting, my dear sister. Your cub is going to watch over you… dang it now I’m doing it.” She said before starting to approach the door.

“Wait! Is there something I should know while I take care of Aria?”

Adagio looked at me and shook her head. “Not really. She’s out of danger and the room is close to the nurses. Just try not to die of boredom. You don’t want to explain that to Aria when she wakes up.” Adagio chuckled with a wink.

“Already covered.” I smiled as I pointed to my backpack. “I brought books and other things to keep me entertained.”

My friend grinned. “Excellent.” She said before walking towards me to place her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it. “I’ll be going then. I’ll come to visit another time.”

“Okay.” I waved at her. “Goodbye.”

“Chao.” She waved back and walked out of the room.

Once she was gone, I sighed and put my backpack on the floor before dropping on the chair which was near Aria’s bed. I scanned the room and only now I saw that there was a T.V. I took the remote and turned it on. I tuned the Discover Channel, but the show was about some naked people surviving in nature, so I groaned and tuned to Fauna Planet instead. I leaned against the chair and glanced at my girlfriend. Her back was still facing me. I was tempted to stroke her hair or just put my hand on her arm, but I didn’t want to disturb her. Even though she’s just sleeping now, it’s hard to see her in a hospital bed. The whole incident was scary, from seeing her gasping for air to seeing her being stabilized, I feared the worse. On the way back home, I cried, not being able to hold back my tears anymore.

My family comforted me and the tears stopped flowing soon. Thinking about the events of last night made me want to cry again. I felt my eyes wet. No. No more. I cleaned my eyes with a hand and leaned down to open my backpack. I took my copy of Daring Do from it. I started to read, but half through the chapter my vision became blurry again. I was feeling tired, which didn’t surprise me given how little I slept. I put the page marker in the book and I closed it, leaving it on my lap so I could rest my eyes. Maybe now I’ll be able to rest properly.

I’m not sure how long I was asleep, but after some time passed a loud noise startled me awake. Alerted, I looked around the room until I noticed Aria moving. She leaned to a side so her face was upwards. I realized that the sound was her snore. She frowned in her sleep, and then… she sat up. My eyes widened as I watched her stretch and then half opening her eyes. She fully opened them when she noticed the unfamiliar surroundings and began looking around.

“What the…? Where am I?!” She looked to her sides and found me. “Twilight? What are you doing here? Wait, where IS here?”

“Aria!” I practically jumped from my chair to hug my girlfriend. She gasped in surprise, but she returned the embrace. “I’m so glad to see you awake! After yesterday, I… I...” I couldn’t finish since I started to cry out of happiness.

“Yesterday?” Aria broke the hug but kept her arms on my shoulders. She frowned in thought and then her jaw dropped in realization. “Oh, right… I ate peanut chocolate.”

I nodded, clearing my tears with a hand. “Y-Yes… you had a severe reaction. But you’re fine, now. You’re just under observation.”

“Severe?” She narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, the last time it happened it wasn’t so bad. I was warned next time could get worse. So I have to be extra careful in the future.”

“Aria...” I placed both of my hands on my chest, right where my heart was. I could feel my tears returning. “I’m so, so, so sorry for being the reason you’re here. I want to take care of you until you’re released, but if you don’t want to see me again afterwards, I’ll understand...”

“What are you talking about?” Aria leaned her head to the side, confused. “Why would I want you out of my life?”

I blinked, focusing on her and trying not to cry. “Because I almost killed you. I fed you poison.”

Aria chuckled, waving her hand at me. “Twilight it’s not poison, trust me. Sonata's toaster tacos? that's poison, but you didn’t know I couldn’t eat peanuts. If anything, this is my fault.”

“How?”

“Twilight...” Aria said before taking both of my hands. “I should have told you. All this time you knew how much I love sweets and yet it never occurred to me that you might buy chocolates for me, and nuts are pretty much everywhere. Don’t blame yourself. This is completely on me. Please… don’t leave me.” My eyes widened when I saw her getting upset. ”You’re a great girlfriend. I… I really enjoy being with you, trying new things, our dates. I don’t want to br-break up.”

Hearing those last words shattered my heart. Adagio was right, Aria didn’t blame me. No one is, except myself. It was true, I had no way to know I shouldn’t have given her peanuts, but I didn’t want to listen. It was easier to blame me. I couldn’t hold myself back anymore. I jumped into Aria’s arms again to hug her, almost making her lose her balance in the small bed.

“I don’t want to break up either. I’m sorry for even suggesting it. I want you in my life, Aria.”

“The feeling is mutual, cub.” I giggled when my girlfriend used that cute nickname. I leaned back to stare into her eyes. She kept her hands around my waist while my knees were touching her hips. I gently removed my glasses, which gave me immediate results. Aria gasped in awe.

“T-Twilight...” She was dazed. I smiled and slowly leaned closer to her lips. She closed her eyes as I approached and I did the same. However, just before we could kiss, there was a knocking on the door and people walked in.

“Excuse me, we’re here to...” We gasped and looked into the direction of the newcomers. It was the doctor who treated Aria last night, alongside two nurses.

“S-Sorry, sorry!” I quickly jumped out of the bed as I blushed furiously. I tried to walk away but I crashed into the chair and fell with it. “Aaaah!” I managed to lessen the fall with my arms. A nurse rushed to help me up. “Th-thank you...” I said before putting my glasses back on. I ignored meeting anyone in the eyes, though.

The doctor covered his shock by clearing his throat. “Would you wait outside while we run some tests on your girlfriend?”

“Sure! Don’t mind me!” I said, awkwardly raising my voice a little too high. Stars, I’m so embarrassed! Still not looking at anyone, I quickly walked out of the room. Once the door was closed behind me, I covered my face with both of my hands and pressed my back on the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor. Someone please kill me… now!

"Uh, miss?" I removed my hands from my face and looked up to see another nurse. This one was carrying a cart with trays containing food. "Are you okay?"

"Oh! Umm, y-yes!" I quickly got on my feet. "Yes, I am. Thanks!" Stars, stars! It's getting even more embarrassing!

The kind nurse nodded and left me alone after that. Around a minute later, the door of Aria's room opened and the doctor with his assistants walked out. The nurse with the cart went inside as the doctor approached me. I jumped to my feet eager to hear what he had to say about Aria’s condition.

"You can go in now. Everything's normal." he said adjusting his coat.

"Thank you." The doctor nodded, smiling slightly and then walked away. I waited until the nurse with the cart left as well before walking back in with Aria. She was sitting and already eating and greeted me with a smile.

Aria grinned mischievously at me. “Welcome back! You’re still red, huh?”

I giggled nervously. “Y-Yeah, more embarrassing things happened at the corridor.” I said as I sat on the chair next to her. I watched her eat. She was practically devouring her food. “Hungry?”

Aria nodded. “A little. You want some?”

“No, thanks. I already had breakfast at home.”

“Okay.” My girlfriend kept eating, but I noticed a stain on her cheek. I took a napkin from the tray and cupped her face.

“Hold still.” I said, and Aria obeyed allowing me to clean her. When I was done, I remained with her face on my hand and stared at each other. We blushed, but Aria was the first one to recover.

“So… if you want to look after me, does that mean that you’re skipping school?”

I nodded. “Just today, though. Now that I know that you’re well, I’ll be at ease tomorrow. I can wait until after school to visit you, then.” I smiled at her. “Don’t worry. You know how serious I am with academics.”

Aria barked out in laughter. It was like music to my ears hearing her voice again. To know she was safe and alright.

“Good, because I would hate being the reason you neglect your studies.”

I giggled and stroked her hair. “That will never happen. Even if the world is ending, I’ll keep studying.”

Aria chuckled. “Oh? So I’m less important than your studies, huh?”

I chuckled, finally getting used to her teasing I leaned closer to kiss her cheek turning our cheeks red. “Of course! Like I said, you know how serious I take my studies,” I leaned into her ear and whispered. “Especially when I get to study with you, Aria.”

She chuckled, patting my back and scooting to the side of the bed to give me room to sit. “Care to give me some company?”

I nodded, smiling widely. “Sure!” I sat on the bed with her, receiving a kiss on my cheek when I did so, which made my heart skip a beat. I like it when he has intimate moments like these. “You didn’t make the tea before starting to eat.”

“That’s because I don’t like tea. I won’t drink it.”

I frowned at her. “No way, missy. To recover properly you need to have everything the hospital gives you. I’ll prepare it for you.”

“But I don’t want it!” Aria whined. If it wasn’t for her condition, I would be laughing at her childish of a tantrum she threw just now. As it stood, I held back for her sake.

“Want it or not, you’ll drink it.” My girlfriend groaned in displeasure and threw herself into her pillow, but I ignored her, smiling. While I prepared the tea, I heard a notification sound from my phone. I received a text message. I didn’t read it until the tea was prepared. When I opened the message, I saw that it was from Rarity.

‘Twilight! Applejack told us what happened. Aria, that poor thing! The girls and I will stop by later and bring something for you two.’

“Who is it, Sparks? Your parents?” Uh, oh… will she get mad when she knows what I told my friends? I turned to her, feeling a bit uneasy.

“N-No, it’s from my friends. I-I told them that you were hospitalized.”

“Oh?” Aria leaned her head to a side and raised an eyebrow. She doesn’t seem mad. I should take the opportunity to explain myself better.

“Before arriving here today I had no idea how you were. I was so scared and I needed my friends' support. I-I'm sorry.”

Aria was silent for a few moments, but then she narrowed her eyes. “You’re sorry? Twilight… I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?” I blinked confusedly. “But you have been on defense with my friends and I just told them something very personal about you. Why aren’t you mad?”

“I’m not happy that they know, don't get me wrong, but I don’t blame you. I understand why you did it.” She said looking back at me.

“Y-You do?”

My girlfriend nodded, smiling slightly. “Really.”

I stared at Aria in awe. I was certain that she was going to be furious with me for telling my friends about her condition. She’s changed so much since we first met. I remember how she yelled at Sunset and Trixie, how clearly uncomfortable she was around them. She didn’t want to interact with them at all, but now, while she’s still not interested in being their friend, she doesn’t hate them anymore. This was proven at the hatchday party, where she didn’t insult any of my friends. She even had a semi-friendly conversation with Rainbow Dash.

“Aria...” I placed my hand on her cheek and leaned closer to her. I closed my eyes and kissed her with more passion than usual. Aria moaned in surprise, but she soon melted into the kiss, welcoming the passion. One of her hands fell on my knee as the kissing continued. My feelings for Aria just kept growing with each passing moment I spend with her, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The hours passed and it was now after school. Without much to do, Aria took a nap after lunch and I retreated to read Daring Do. But now, with my friends arriving any time now, Aria was fully awake, watching T.V. with me. There was nothing interesting on, so we were watching the cooking channel.

“Ugh, this sucks. What am I supposed to do when you’re gone and there’s nothing good to watch?”

I placed my hand on hers gently squeezing it. “I can leave my books with you. I can also lend you my tablet when I visit tomorrow if you want.”

“A tablet?” Aria chuckled. “How do I use it? Is it like a giant cellphone?”

“More or less.” I smiled. “I’ll teach you.” Just as I was about to get my tablet out, our conversation was interrupted when there was a knock on the door. “Come in!” I said. The door opened slightly, leaving enough room for a nurse to get his head inside.

“Excuse me. The patient has visitors but there are too many of them. They can’t all walk in at the same time.”

“Oh, those must be my friends.” I said as I stood from my chair and approached the door. “Don’t worry nurse, we can do it in pairs.”

She nodded before leaving and I glanced at Aria. “Are you sure you don’t mind the extra company?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” She smirked. I grinned and left the room. As soon as I reached the waiting area, my friends spotted me.

“Twilight, darling!” Rarity was the first to hug me, but soon everyone followed her example. I hugged them back and noticed that Sonata came too, but not Adagio. She must still be resting. I also saw that most of them had gifts.

“Hey you guys, I’m glad you made it.” I said as we broke the hug. All of them looked worried.

“How is Aria?” Sunset asked.

“Is she awake?” Trixie shared her worries too.

“Yes, she’s fine and awake. The worst has already passed.” I smiled gratefully at them.

“How much time will she have to be here?” Sonata spoke next. “The house feels strange without her.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know. I’ll ask the doctors before leaving.” I replied.

“Oh, that poor thing...” Fluttershy commented with a pout.

I put a hand comfortingly on Fluttershy raising her spirits a bit. She smiled back at me. “Aria’s gonna be fine, Shy.” I said smiling at her.

“Yeah, she didn’t deserve this.” Rainbow Dash said.

“How are you feelin’, Twilight?” Applejack asked. “Better than this morning, ah hope.”

I nodded at my farmer friend. “Yes, once Aria woke up, I started to feel a lot better.”

"That's a relief." Rarity said, smiling.

"Can we see her?" Sunset asked, holding Trixie’s hand. "Does she even want to see us?"

"Yes, you can see her." I said. "But you can't all go together. You'll have to go in pairs."

“Oh, that works for me.” Sunset said.

“Same here.” Applejack spoke next while everyone else nodded along.

“We’ll cheer her up in no time, you’ll see!” Pinkie Pie grinned.

Everyone joined in agreement with no opposition. That made me happy. I didn’t want to overwhelm Aria either, and I had high hopes these interactions would help her open up to my friends, even if it was just a little bit.

“Okay, then.” I gave my friends a beaming smile. “I’ll go back with Aria while you decide the pairs.” With that said, I gave them one last hug before returning to Aria’s room. My girlfriend was sitting on the bed, with the sheets covering her waist down and hadn’t moved an inch. She noticed me come in and greeted me with a smile and a wave.

“Welcome back, Sparks. I was beginning to think you forgot about me.” I giggled, rolling my eyes at her joke.

“Har har, yeah if you stay in here too long I just might,” Aria and I shared a laugh.

“I’m ready to receive your friends.” Aria said.

“Okay. They'll be walking in soon. Oh, and Aria?” I stopped and gave a quick glance back. “Thanks for being okay with this." I said as I approached the bed once more.

“I know how important they’re to you, and you’re important to me, so, I think I should open up, at least a little.”

I sat on the bed with her and kissed her cheek. “My poor, lone wolf is struggling. Here let me comfort you.”

I pressed my cheek to hers, and she pushed back until we were nose to nose and exchanged a quick kiss. After separating Aria sighed, looking past me at the door with an odd look.

“I still prefer to avoid being crowded, but… having company once in a while can’t be so bad.” A moment after Aria finished speaking, there was a knock on the door.

“Come in!”

The door opened and Sunset walked in, still holding hands with Trixie.

“Hey...” Sunset waved weakly at Aria, who simply nodded back.

“Hello Sunset Shimmer, and you too Trixie.” Aria greeted them.

“Hi, uh… you’re not plugged, so… you’re not in pain?” Trixie said, trying to smile.

“Yeah, I’m just recovering. It's the boring part.” Aria replied flatly. I didn't see her smile much, but she wasn’t frowning either. She’s really trying, at least she was keeping things neutral.

“We got you something.” Sunset said before pulling out a card and approaching the bed. My girlfriend took the card and read it.

“Get well soon. Huh...”

“It’s not much, but we thought you would appreciate something small more.” Sunset said, smiling sheepishly.

“You’re right.” Aria’s lip curled into a small hint of a smile. “Thank you.”

Both Trixie and Sunset smiled back.

“You’re welcome.” Sunset was the one to speak again. She turned to me right afterwards. “Oh, and Twi, I didn’t forget about you.” She said before giving me a couple of her books. “Today’s homework.”

I wore a huge beaming smile. “Thank you so much! I hope we’re doing quadratic equations today!”

Aria and Trixie both rolled their eyes, shaking their heads with amused expressions.

Sunset chuckled. “You’re welcome.” She said before turning back to Aria. “We’re really glad to see you okay. We’re leaving now so the rest of the girls get their turn too.”

Aria nodded. “Sure. See you both around.”

The couple waved at us and left the room. I turned to Aria to see her placing the card aside.

“This isn’t so bad, right?”

“No. I’m not feeling as uncomfortable as I thought I would. I don’t like to be seen as weak.”

“You’re not weak. You’re just temporary incapacitated.”

Aria raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

Before I had the chance to reply, the door opened again and Applejack walked in with Rarity. I saw my farmer friend carrying a bag in one of her hands.

“Good afternoon, Aria.” My fashionista friend smiled. “It’s good to see you well after the scare you gave us.”

“I… scared you?” Aria raised an eyebrow, confused.

Rarity nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “We don’t have to be friends to worry about your health.”

“Oh.” Aria cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m fine. Thank you. I’m afraid that I passed out while wearing the clothes you made for me, so… sorry, they might have some dust in it.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” Rarity said, still smiling, her eye twitching slightly. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to take them for cleaning before sending it back to Adagio.”

Aria shrugged. “Sure, go ahead.”

“The bag is over there, Rarity.” I said as I pointed to the bag.

“Thank you, darling.” My fashionista friend said before walking towards the bag and taking it. Then, she returned to Applejack’s side, who started to search in the bag she was carrying.

“Ah thought on bringing’ somethin’ to drink.” She said before pulling out a bottle of apple cider. Smiling, she approached the bed. “Fresh from this mornin’.”

“Thank you.” My girlfriend said as she took the bottle.

“There’s one for you two, Twi.” Applejack said while handing me a bottle as well.

“Thanks.” I smiled at my friend.

“Yer welcome.” Applejack said before turning to Aria again. “There’s also one more thing but ah can’t bring it here. When yer released, ah’ll send you an apple pie. Ah noticed how much you liked it during yer hatchday party.”

Aria’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped, but she quickly recovered and managed to smile a little. “That’s… ahem... cool. Thank you.”

Applejack nodded beside Rarity.

“I think we better take our leave.” My fashionista friend said. “The faster I clean Aria’s clothes, the better.”

I giggled, thinking that she’s most likely screaming internally right now. “Okay.” I waved at them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodbye Twilight, Aria.”

“See you.” Aria waved too. My friends walked out and I turned to Aria, who looked at me. “What?”

I crossed my arms giving my girlfriend a hard look. She groaned and sighed. “Yes, cub, I’ll share the pie with my sisters.”

I smiled. I wasn’t going to ask her that, but I’m not going to correct her. Instead, I patted her on the head. “Good girl.”

My girlfriend crossed her arms and pouted, but smiled afterwards. Moments later, the door opened again and this time Pinkie Pie bursted in. Confetti burst around her as she excitedly raised her arms waving them wildly.

“Hello to the happy couple!” The party girl wasted no time to approach us after her shrieking entrance that shook the room.

“Don’t make too much noise, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash snapped quietly, walking right behind our pink friend. “Aria’s not the only patient.”

“Hello to you too, Pinkie and Rainbow.” I smiled at my friends.

“Hey, egghead.” Rainbow Dash smiled back, patting my head. “It was strange not seeing at school today.”

I swatted Dash’s hand off my head and crossed my arms over my chest.

“It felt odd to skip school, but I wanted to make sure Aria’s okay.” I explained. “I’ll be back tomorrow, don’t worry.”

“We understand you. Everyone at school did. The principals said you could take more days if you wanted.” My athletic friend said.

“That's nice of them, but it won’t be necessary.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “If you accepted to skip more days I would have wondered if you needed to be admitted here too.”

I giggled and looked at Pinkie Pie, who was uncharacteristically silent. She was looking at nowhere in particular. "Pinkie? You want to say something?"

My party friend looked at me and gasped. “Oh, yes! But Everyone keeps telling me to be very careful with Aria. I normally ignore them and try to brighten anyone’s day anyway, but something inside of me is telling me, no Pinkie! Listen this time. Aria is a special case! So I decided to come and not say much unless I’m allowed to, so, can I speak pretty please?” Pinkie Pie spoke at her usual fast pace. I was about to answer her, but then I realized that she was looking at Aria.

My girlfriend blinked, confused, and replied with caution. “Uh… y-yes, you can speak, I suppose.”

“Yay!” The party girl jumped, raising her arms in triumph. “So, Aria, I was going to bake you cupcakes because I thought that you might love them, but then I remembered that you can’t eat them while you’re here, sooooooooooooo, I’ll bake them AFTER you’re released. Don’t worry, I’ll be super duper careful and avoid using peanuts. Also, is there any flavor you like the most? I can prepare anything! Not just cupcakes. Any pastry you like, I can bake them for you!”

After Pinkie Pie finished her fast paced speech, Aria blinked, dumbfounded. Could she understand what Pinkie just said? I was about to speak up, but my girlfriend spoke first.

"Thank you for the offer. Umm… I haven't tried cupcakes yet, so… you can bake some. They can be of any flavor you want."

Pinkie Pie grinned and skipped on the spot excitedly. "Okay! As soon as I know you're home, I’ll start to bake!”

“Oookay-” Rainbow Dash said as she grabbed Pinkie Pie’s arm. “We’re leaving now. Otherwise Pinkie here will keep talking and Fluttershy and Sonata won’t be able to get their turn.” Rainbow started to drag Pinkie Pie out. However, before opening the door, she turned her head around. I saw her hesitating.

“Aria... uhh... get well soon.” The athletic girl added.

“Thank you.” Aria replied, sounding relieved. I had to admit Pinkie as a handful if you weren’t used to her.

“Bye bye!” The party girl waved at us as she was being dragged. I waved back before turning to Aria with a smile, but my girlfriend’s eyes were wide.

“Something’s wrong?”

“Sonata’s here?” She asked before looking at me, smirking maliciously.

“Aria?” I was confused and even more when my girlfriend suddenly got under the sheets and turned around, giving me her back.

“I’ll pretend to be asleep, just follow my lead!”

“Wha-?” I couldn’t inquire more because the door opened again. Sonata walked in, followed by a timid friend.

“Hiiii!” Aria’s sister waved excitedly, but stopped when she saw my girlfriend. “Oh, she’s asleep? But Pinkie was just saying that they were talking.”

“Umm...” I glanced from Sonata to Aria. I hesitated, but in the end I decided to follow Aria’s lead. “Y-Yeah, they were, but she was tired so she said she was going to take a nap.” I noticed that Sonata was carrying a bag, but said nothing about it for now.

“Aww, but I really wanted to talk to her.”

“Sorry Sonata.” I said, not sure if I should stop Aria’s prank or not.

“Maybe we can come back later.” Fluttershy said with her usual quiet tone, placing a hand on her shoulder. I barely heard her and I think Aria didn’t hear her at all. Sonata stood still for a few moments, furrowing her eyes in thought. Then, she shook her head.

“No, I want to do it now. Sleeping or not, I’m talking to her.” The younger siren said before approaching Aria.

“Here, sit.” I said, standing up from my chair. Aria’s sister smiled at me.

“Thank you, Twilight.” Sonata said before sitting. Meanwhile, I stood next to Fluttershy. We gave them space, but still remained in the room.

Sonata didn't speak right away. She was silent for a few moments until she cleared her throat. "I know we have had our differences in the past. I remember long ago when you used to leave us to go hangout with your old pack. I missed you when you did that," Sonata said. "When I heard you were sick from the peanuts, I got very scared. I know it's a serious condition and I'm sorry you got hurt because of it," Sonata said.

She sniffed as if she was trying to hold back tears. I realized I was right when I saw her quickly wipe her face with her forearm and tried to laugh it off. "Guess I got something in my eye."

I smiled and put a hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder, who was holding both of her own hands close to her heart, smiling at Sonata’s speech. It was amazing how different Aria and her sisters were, yet there were little quirks about them they all had. I wonder if pride was a normal thing for sirens? It seemed to be present in all three of them to varying degrees. Sonata seemed the least prideful of them all, she was kind and very sweet.

"Listen, when this happened I came to the realization that there's a lot we haven't talked about. I know you have a hard time opening up and I hate being serious. I love you Aria, and Adagio too, and also our friends!" Sonata smiled gently hugging her sister. "I also just wanted to thank you for what you said before. I appreciate you Aria. Never forget that. Love you, sis."

Sonata leaned to kiss her sister's forehead and then placed the bag on the bed before heading towards the door without leaving the room. I smiled at Fluttershy. My quiet friend smiled back before giving me a sudden hug. I returned it and then watched her as she joined Sonata.

“See you later, Twilight.” Sonata said as she waved. I waved back until she left with my timid friend. As soon as they were gone, I heard Aria whisper.

"Love you too, dork.”

I giggled as Aria opened her eyes and sat on the bed, leaning her back against the wall and still covering her waist down with the sheets. “You should try saying that with her present next time.” I probably shouldn’t tell her that Fluttershy overheard Sonata’s speech. I imagine she wouldn’t take it too well.

“No way. It will be impossible to avoid that annoying smile of hers if I do that.” My girlfriend replied with a smile before turning to the bag Sonata brought.

“Hmm, I wonder what’s in here.” She said as she grabbed the bag. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened after taking a peek inside. “Of course she brought this...”

“What is it?” I asked with curiosity. Aria smirked at me before taking the plushie I bought her not long ago.

“Cynthia’s here, and that’s not all.” She pulled a small brush from within the bag.

I chuckled before stroking Cynthia’s fur. “She must have missed her momma.”

Aria blushed hard. ”S-Sparks!”

Giggling, I kissed her cheek. “Just teasing.”

My girlfriend tried to give me a fake glare, but she yawned. “I’m going to take a real nap now that everyone’s gone.”

“Okay. I’ll take the chance to do the homework Sunset brought.”

Aria smirked. “I don’t know why I'm surprised that you were so happy to receive homework, dork.”

I shrugged, smiling widely, while Aria placed Cynthia aside and turned around to take a nap. “Sweet dreams, Aria.”

Her reply came in the form of a happy sigh. I got myself comfortable to do my homework, still smiling. Aria agreeing to see all of my friends really made me happy. Even though she was still cautious, she didn’t seem annoyed at all. Also, seeing Cynthia gave me an idea for when I come to visit tomorrow. I started to do my homework and gave one last look at Aria smiling.

An Unexpected Visit

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Aria’s POV

The days I spent in the hospital were slow… so, so very slow. However, it also gave me time to spend with Twilight. On my first day, Twilight stayed with me until late in the evening. Then, her parents came for her. For the next few days I was mostly alone, except when she or my sisters came to see me. My girlfriend did give me her tablet, and even brought her star plushie as well.

“I just thought Eve would like to meet Cynthia.”

Twilight held the star plush up in her hands. Eve. I have to admit, that’s a cute name.

I chuckled. “So what, you’re now going to make them hug and sing friendship songs?”

Twilight gently punched my arm. “No, nothing like that. But if you want...”

“No, no, no, no. I don’t do friendship songs. It’s my number one rule,” I said with a glare. “Besides, I can’t really sing thanks to your friends.”

“Huh?” Twilight looked at me, dropping her smile.

I sighed. “Sorry, that came out harsh. When your friends defeated my sisters and I, they also took away our ability to sing. If we try to sing, our voices will sound off-key.”

“Oh, I’m sorry...” My girlfriend looked guilty, so I placed my hand on her shoulder to catch her attention and have her see my reassuring smile.

“It’s okay. Singing wasn’t really my thing. I just did it out of necessity,” I quickly tried to swap subjects to help change the mood and distract my girlfriend. “Anyway, how was school today?”

Twilight returned the smile and sat on the bed with me. “It was okay. The Principals asked me if I was sure I wanted to return to class. Other than that, it was a normal day.”

“No magic incident then?” I said with a half joking smirk. Twilight smiled but seemed to be giving it more thought than I anticipated.

“That would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that my friends told me that they had to deal with magic problems quite often.”

I chuckled. “And my sisters and I were one of those incidents. At least they didn’t get bored.”

My girlfriend lost her smile. “Oh, I don’t know. They’re tired of having to deal with magic, and frankly, so am I. I only had one experience and it was too much for me.”

I felt guilty when I saw her sad expression. I was so used to having magic, and even after losing it, I often forgot some might not enjoy it. Losing my powers was a serious blow for me, but I got over it. I felt bad knowing Twilight had to face this, but she would do it alone. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring back bad memories.”

Twilight smiled at me. “It’s okay.” She reached for my hand and I took it while I smiled.

“So, none of your friends want to deal with magic? Not even Sunset?”

“Actually, she didn’t say anything about it.”

“Hmm… I’m not surprised. She’s a pony after all.”

“Right. She once mentioned that she’s a Unicorn.”

“Now it makes sense.” I looked out the window for a moment before turning back to Twilight. She was looking at me expectantly, patiently waiting for me to continue. ”I bet a part of her misses magic.”

Twilight looked at me with curiosity. “You think so?”

I nodded. “Unicorns use magic for everything, from grabbing objects to casting spells, but here, she has to use her hands.” I held up my hands showing them to Twilight as an example. “Magic for a unicorn isn’t that different from a siren at its core. It’s an extension of ourselves. It’s a part of us, makes us whole. To be separated from it is a real struggle for any magical being.”

“Oh, I never thought about it...” My girlfriend lost her smile again. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as I waited. “Do you think she would ever want to return to her homeland? Sunset must miss it an awful lot...”

I frowned, taking a moment to think about Twilight's words. “I think… that if she wanted to go back she would have left already.”

Twilight sighed in relief. “That’s a relief. I would hate to see her go, but I would understand her reasons.”

My girlfriend turned back to me, suddenly her face showing a worried expression and my heart skipped a beat. “What about you? Do you or any of your sisters miss Equestria?”

Do I miss Equestria? I had to admit, I didn’t know how to answer that right away. I looked away to think. My sisters and I gave up on finding a way back before encountering the Rainbooms. To this day, we still haven’t found one. We looked for a long time trying to find a way back but after never finding any means we just gave up and accepted this was our home.

It made me wonder, I don’t know if Sunset Shimmer came here willingly or was forced here like us, but the pony Twilight did come on her own. My sisters are in good terms with them, so if they ask, they might tell her how to go to Equestria. Would they want to return?

Hmm… I think we got so used to this world I don’t think we’d want to leave. At least that’s the impression I got. Adagio wouldn’t be able to wear clothes underwater, not to mention that our Siren forms are huge so it would be impractical. Sonata made a bunch of friends here and she wouldn’t want to leave them for sure. I… I have nothing back in the oceans of Equestria. Nothing but scars and bad memories. Memories that should sink to the murky depths and remain forgotten with time. Not to mention feeding without our amulets would be next to impossible for us.

I looked back at Twilight and saw her worriedly looking at me. I shouldn’t leave her in suspense anymore and give her a proper answer.

I put on a kind expression before speaking. “Nah… we don’t miss it. We’re happy here.” I said before taking one of her hands in mine squeezing hers. “Besides. If i left I would be leaving you and your family behind, and I would never do that.”

Twilight smiled wobbly and I also noticed her eyes getting wet before she hugged me. “Oh, Aria...”

I hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. We remained holding each other for a long time. Neither of us wanted to break the embrace.

One day later, I was still at the hospital with nothing to do. So, so boring! I was so bored I felt like clawing my eyes out, instead though, I tried watching a T.V. show on my girlfriend’s tablet called The String Theory, when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in!” I said as I paused the video and put the tablet away. My visitor opened the door. To my surprise it was my older sister, Adagio who entered.

“Hello, my dear sister.” My sister said, wearing a smug smile.

“Hello leader.” I said, smiling smugly back as she frowned back at me giving a sarcastic laugh. It’s the first time I’ve seen her since I was brought here. Twilight told me she looked after me the first night but I haven’t heard from her ever since. I don’t know why that bothered me so much since I hate it when she hovers over me all the time. I guess I must really have missed her deep down. I have really changed.

My sister walked in, closing the door slightly behind her, but not completely.

“I am sorry for not coming earlier, but I figured you preferred it that way.” Adagio said as she approached me, walking with her usual elegance.

I rolled my eyes. “Lone wolf or not, I still want to see my sisters.” I crossed my arms looking at her. “That means both of you.”

“That’s… awfully sweet of you.” Adagio kneeled by my side and pressed her palm to my forehead. “Are you sure there were no side effects to your allergy?”

I rolled my eyes, grabbing my sisters hand and pushing it away.

“Har, har, I have been locked up in this room for two and a half days now with nothing to do except laying in this uncomfortable bed and without much to see on T.V. Now even you are welcomed company if only to stifle my boredom.”

“There we go.” My sister smiled and hugged me. “I know you have changed a lot lately, but you got me worried there for a moment.”

I sighed. “Please, tell me you didn’t just come here to insult me.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop.” Adagio said as she raised both of her arms.

“Thank you.” I said before getting more comfortable in my bed, or at least tried to. “So tell me, what have you been doing? Besides sleeping, of course.”

My sister gasped. “How dare you? A lady like me doesn’t just sleep!”

“Uh huh. What about those ‘beauty sleeps’ of yours.” I made the air quotes gestures while saying the last.

“That’s different!” Adagio got a little angry, but she took a deep breath to calm down before sitting on the chair beside me. “If you want to know, I have been working on more designs. Mr. Toity seems to like my ideas, but I’m still just making outfits of his designs.” My sister sighed. “I wish I could work on my own creations more often instead of just when he requests so.”

“I thought he loved the designs you gave him when you first started to work for him.”

“He did, but I have been following his designs ever since. He’s passionate about them and won’t take any critique whatsoever.”

“So… you don’t like his ideas?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

“No, he’s good at what he does. And I mean really good.” She looked at my while she answered my question, but then she moved her gaze away from me. “But I have my own ideas to help improve his, but he refuses to listen. ‘Perfection cannot be perfected’ he says.”

I felt my brain stop working as the gears inside grinded together to make sense of what I just heard. Sometimes the things I hear this guy say from Adagio makes me wonder about where his mind is. Or if he hasn’t lost it yet.

“‘Perfection can’t be perfected.’ What does that even mean?”

“I don’t know!” Adagio placed both of her hands on her forehead and supported her elbows on her knees, groaning in frustration. “He can be so frustrating sometimes, but-” My sister raised her head again.

“Other than that, he’s a good boss. Not to mention that he has good connections. If I’m patient and play my cards right, I’ll find something better.”

“Or you could open your own shop. Be your own boss.” I suggested.

Adagio let out a single chuckle. “Too soon for that, Aria. I need more experience and money for that. One day, though. Maybe I could get Rarity on board too. She has similar problems as me with her boss. Speaking of her...” My sister smiled at me. “She returned your outfit. It’s now clean and back in your room.”

“Oh, yeah, Twilight and I gave it to her when she visited me.” I said.

“I’m glad that you allowed Twilight’s friends to see you.” My sister said before placing a hand on mine. “I know you did it for Twilight, but it was a good step forward for you too.”

“They were all already here. Turning them down would have made me look bad.” I said while crossing my arms.

“And since when do you care about looking bad?” My sister wore a smug smile as she spoke. Damn it, Adagio!

My sister chuckled and then received a text message. She read it and smiled afterwards. “I’m afraid I have to go. Someone else is here to see you.”

“What?” I raised an eyebrow, confused. “Who?”

Adagio didn’t reply. Instead, she stood up and stroked my hair. “Be good, okay? Obey the hospital staff and the next time we see each other might be at home.”

I sighed waving her off. “Whatever, see you later leader.”

“See you soon, lone wolf.”

I groaned and watched my sister as she approached the door. She gave me one last wave before opening it. “Hello. She’s all yours.” She spoke to the mysterious visitor before walking away. The door didn’t close because a hand took hold of it. Then, a man walked in. I gasped. H-He was…

“Shining Armor?”

“Aria Blaze.” Twilight’s brother smiled. He was dressed in his police uniform. He took off his hat before speaking again. “How are you doing?”

Shining Armor stepped into the room and took a seat beside my bed in a spare chair. He sat very casually leaning back, and crossing one leg over the other and gave me a million dollar smile. I smiled back.

"Well, this is unexpected," I said to him.

"Yeah well, there was no reason to interrogate my sister since there was no murder. Soooo, I decided to forgo the investigation and come see how you were doing," Shining Armor said with a playful chuckle. "But seriously, are you doing well?"

I was surprised by the level of concern in his voice. He had a certain sternness to his tone but I could also get a sense of worry and compassion behind his words. I could tell because my senses have honed over the years since my sister does the same thing. It made me feel safe being around him hearing him talk like that.

"Thanks for asking. I'm fine really, just bored out of my mind," I said running my fingers through my hair out of habit. "Also thanks for not arresting Twilight. I'd hate to have to beat you up for throwing my girlfriend in jail."

I grinned and Shining Armor gave a thoughtful nod grinning at my joke. "Yes, it was tough, but, as a cop, I have the duty of protecting the common citizen afterall."

"That is very true." I nodded in agreement.

We both sat in silence for a few seconds. It was just a few, maybe five of six counts at best before Shining Armor spoke breaking the silence. “I heard Twilight’s friends came to see you as well. Must have been something.”

I nodded remembering each encounter.

“I have to admit it’s nice to see my sister have such good friends around her,” He then placed a hand comfortingly over mine. “And a good protective girlfriend like you as well.”

I blushed, looking away taking my hand with it. I may have been getting used to showing my feelings around my cub, Twilight, but I was still getting used to showing it to others. Even Shining Armor was no exception despite me knowing he was a cool dude. I rubbed my hand thinking about the last time I held Twilight’s soft dainty hands. The hands that would one day change the world, hands that could create magnificent things, hands that in just their finger tips had more talent than I did in my entire body.

Twilight was amazing.

I stared at my hand thinking about Twilight then looked back at Shining Armor who was giving me a thoughtful look. I guess he was waiting to see what was on my mind. I decided on a whim to share my thoughts. He seemed nice enough and if Twilight trusts him I guess I could make an effort to.

“Did Twilight ever tell you how we met?” I asked cautiously.

He shook his head in response. “Only that you met at the bookstore sometime ago and that was really it. Why?”

I sighed looking back at my hand clenching it into a fist. I looked back to that day in my mind. The book I wanted, the place I found it, and the time when we had our encounter. I brought it all back as I recounted the tale to Shining Armor leaning back to get comfortable in the bed.

I took a deep breath then began.

“It is as she said, we met at the bookstore. At the time I was looking for a new book in a series called: Young Sorceress Academia. I had found the book, but it was the last copy in the whole store. As fate would have it, Twilight ended up there too because she couldn’t find the book elsewhere.” I said, pulling out the book from a drawer.

I showed the hard covered book to Shining as he took it in his hands. I had my sister bring it to me so I could re-read it while I had nothing to do. He opened the book, flipping the pages from beginning to end looking it over once more then giving it back to me.

“I remember Twilight talking about this one. She was really excited to get her hands on it,” He said.

I visibly cowered, thinking about what happened next. “Y-yeah, she really was.”

I paused and stared blankly at the book feeling worried about what Shining would think about me if I told him the rest of the story. He stared back patiently waiting for me to continue, his smile never faulting as he did. It was encouraging even, so I continued.

“I remember I was excited to get my hands on it too. Plus, I was in a particular mood back then so I wasn’t happy to see her when we reached and grabbed it at the same time.”

I paused opening the book to the first few pages and thumbed through them as I mentally prepared myself. There was no turning back now, whatever happened I knew Twilight would still want me. In the end, even if by some chance Shining did hate me for this, Twilight’s affection is all I needed. So, I continued.

“When this happened I lashed out at her, scaring her out of the bookstore. I was rude to her because she looked like someone I met in the past. Someone I didn’t like. My little sister, Sonata, was with me. She went after Twilight and apologized on my behalf,” I still felt slightly guilty about my behavior back then. “But I’m still glad I acted that way,” I said smiling.

“Why’s that?” He asked, tilting his head.

I sensed no hostility in his voice and decided to take that as my que to continue.

“I ended up buying the book for her as an apology gift and in return she essentially became my friend. . . She didn’t give me a choice,” I added. “From that day I started to change for the better. I’ve never been so happy in my life as I am now. And it’s all thanks to your sister.”

“When I’m around her there is a different side to me that I don’t often show around others. All my life I've held deep resentment for the world for things that happened to me.” My mind flashed back to my old pack back in Equestria, and how I was treated for standing up for myself only to get beat down again.

“I know Twilight was bullied too.” I said looking at Shining once more. His expression became more serious.

“Yeah, Twily, was a really smart kid. She still is mind you, but sometimes her smarts get the better of her. She was picked on by her classmates and there wasn’t much we could do until our friend Cadence took over the school.” His expression softened as he looked me in the eye again.

“Cadence and Twilight both told me what happened at Crystal Prep that day.” Shining continued. “The way you stood up for Twilight is something I wish I could have done for her. But as it stood I couldn’t. So it fills me with pride knowing my baby sister has someone like you at her side.”

“R-Really?” I smiled slightly at him.

The next thing I knew he reached his hand out to offer as a handshake to me. Hesitantly I took hold of his hand and we shook, his grip was firm and strong.

“Really.” Shining smiled confidently. “It’s nice that you’d stand up for her,” He reassured me. “That and I know Twilight can be kind of a pushover. I love her to death but she was never one to take conflict head on like us.”

I chuckled in response remembering how much she shivered in fear of those dumb girls at CPA. I hated them and wanted to do so much harm to them, but thankfully Twilight got me to hold back. That and I didn’t want to get into too much trouble back then without my powers. In the end I couldn’t help but agree with Shining Armor that Twilight was like that once, but then I remembered the claw machine.

“She’s grown a lot too you know?”

Shining Armor looked like his brain stopped working for a moment before it finally caught up with what I said. His expression changed from happy to confused in an instant.

“What do you mean?”

I reached behind my pillow where I stashed Cynthia before my sister came in. I paused, feeling the soft fake fur under the pillow giving Shining a warning glare to which he flinched slightly. Still got it! I internally fist pumped.

“You say anything about this to anyone-”

“Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone, Aria,” He said kindly.

I still hesitated but eventually pulled the wolf plushie out, showing her to him. He looked at the wolf plush curiously as if he was trying to figure out where I was going with this in our conversation. After letting his brain rack itself a minute I filled in the blanks for him.

“This was a gift from Twilight as thanks for a gift I got for her at a claw machine,” I said, petting the plushies head.

“Oh! That star doll right? Twilight told me you won that for her. I was never good at those,” He chuckled and I nodded.

“Yes, but shortly after those bitc… jerks from CPA came and started picking on her again. They were trying to steal her star from her,” I said feeling my temper rise.

“I see…”

Shining Armor went silent and I could tell he was mulling things over. Before he thought too long I spoke again before his mind went wild with presumptions.

“The point I was getting to was Twilight actually tried to stand up to them.” I hugged Cynthia close to my chest.

Shining glanced at me once more.

“They were trying to take her star, and she stood there trying to tell them to leave her alone. Trying to keep it away from them. And not once did she strike at them in anger. I didn't realize it at the time, but she never would have done that in the past.” I sighed thinking how proud I was seeing her stand up for herself. Even if she failed ultimately.

Shining seemed to agree. “Yeah, if you asked me prior to that, I would have told you she’d have cried or just given up the star doll before.”

We both nodded at the same time.

“She has come a long way since the day I moved to live on my own.” He said, standing. He placed a hand on my shoulder gently squeezing it. “You and her friends have been a good influence on her, so, thank you. For being there for her when she needed it. If you ever need anything don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks,” I replied. “And truth be told, I’m lucky to have her too. I only started opening up to others because of her.”

“Then you two are two peas in a pod!” Shining joked around, smiling. He was about to say something else, but a voice came from his walkie talkie.

“Armor, I just got a call from officer Gordon requesting 10-33. We have to go, now!”

“Roger Chrysalis, on my way.” Shining replied to the walkie talkie before looking at me. “I hate to leave in a rush, but I do have to run. I’m glad you’re doing well. I hope we can meet again for dinner or whatever.”

I laughed watching him run to the door as I waved to him. “Yeah, and this time no peanuts please!”

“No promises!” We both laughed. “See you around Aria.”

“Later,” I waved as he closed the door behind him. I remained staring at the door after he left, petting my plushie. His visit was unexpected, but not unwelcome. He might have come in uniform, but he came as Twilight’s brother, not as a police officer. He’s a real nice guy. I just met him and I already told him personal things I once struggled to say out loud. What we said was right. Twilight changed me just as I changed her.

I put Cynthia around my arm before taking the tablet again to continue watching the show I was enjoying before Adagio came. I always treated the plushie as I would treat my girlfriend. It was a good way to feel as if she was here with me.

Discharge

View Online

Twilight’s POV

Today’s the day! Aria is being discharged from the hospital! I’m so excited I found myself pacing in my room restlessly to the point my pet was telling me to sit. “Twilight, you keep this up you’ll burn a hole in the floor.”

Noticing this, I sat down on the bed and let Spike jump on my lap. “I’m sorry, Spike. I’m just excited to see Aria get out of the hospital today!” I smiled, giving him a head pat.

“Twilight! We’re heading out now!” I heard my dad call from down stairs.

I practically leapt from my bed while making sure to grab Spike and not throw him in my excitement. “Coming dad!”

I kissed Spike’s head, setting him down on the floor. I ran down to stairs and he followed close behind me. I was greeted by my dad at the bottom of the stairs. I skipped the last few steps lunging into my dad with a hug. The both of us laughed as we spun around.

“Someone’s excited.” He stated with a smile.

“Yeah! I've waited so long to see Aria again!”

My dad sighed, rolling his eyes at me. “You saw her not long ago, Twily.” He walked me out and headed towards the car.

I ran around the car and got in, noticing we had a few extra heads with us. My dad was driving Aria’s sisters and me to the hospital to pick her up. I greeted Adagio and Sonata as I secured myself with my seatbelt. I’m practically jumping on my seat! I can’t wait to see her outside again!

“Easy there, Twily.” My dad said after chuckling. “We’ll be there soon.”

“Wonderful.” Adagio said, clasping her hands with a dainty giggle. “I cannot wait to take my dear sister back home. It’s just awfully quiet without her.”

“And I’m ready to give her a big hug!” Sonata said with excitement wrapping her arms around herself.

“She must be dying to stretch her legs." I said, smiling.

“I’m sure what she really misses the most is good T.V.” Adagio said with a smirking smile. “That and regular food that doesn’t taste like cardboard with butter on it.”

I sat there, thinking of the odd analogy Adagio made, not that she was wrong. I know hospital food is very underwhelming. It’s edible at best.

“I wonder if Ham Ham remembers her?” The younger siren said. “He was barely able to see her.”

Adagio and I giggled at Sonata’s childlike manner of thinking. For me the answer was obvious, Aria was too unforgettable. Even for a hamster.

“I think he still remembers her.” The eldest siren commented.

“You will soon have your answer, girls, because we have arrived.” My dad was the one to speak this time. “And look! She’s at the entrance.”

“She’s what?” When I heard my father’s words, I turned my attention to the hospital’s entrance to find Aria, indeed, there, already dressed with her usual outfit which Adagio brought her just yesterday. When she saw us, she smiled and started to walk towards us casually waving us over. After my dad put the car in full stop, I practically threw open the door and ran to give her a big hug. “Aria!”

“Hey, Sparks.” She hugged me back, burying her face in my neck.

“I’m so happy to see you out of the bed.” I said before pulling away from the hug without removing my hands from her shoulder. “But should you really be out?”

“Cub, I had an allergy attack.” Aria stated as she placed her hand on my cheek. “Unless the oxygen turned into peanuts while I was in there, I’ll be fine.”

“But-” I couldn’t continue because I was interrupted by Sonata.

“Aria!” The youngest siren jumped into Aria’s arms. “Yay! You still remember how to walk!”

“Sonata...” I noticed one of Aria’s eyes twitch, but then she focused her attention on Adagio, who was just walking out the car. She carried herself with more elegance in a similar fashion as my friend Rarity. Graceful and dignified.

“Well, well.” Adagio said with a smirking smile. “Eager to leave, were we?”

“Oh, you have no idea.” Aria replied as she gently pulled away from Sonata’s hug.

“I'm glad to see you up Aria. Now come along. Get in the car.” The eldest siren said as she pointed to the car with her thumb. “Time to go home.”

“Music to my ears.” Aria said with a sing song tone before all of us returned to the car. I went back to the front seat while my girlfriend sat between her sisters and my dad looked at her through the rearview mirror.

“Hey there Mr. Night Light.” My girlfriend greeted him.

“Hey kiddo. Feeling good?” My dad asked while looking at Aria through the rear mirror.

“Yes, Night Light, thank you.”

My dad smiled. “Great! Now buckle up. I don’t want my son to pull us over.”

I giggled a little thinking of how that interaction would playout while my father started to drive us to Aria’s home. I turned around and looked at my girlfriend.

“So… my brother told me that he went to see you a couple of days ago.”

“Yeah. We had a nice conversation before duty called.” Sonata started to laugh, so Aria glared at her. “What’s so funny, chuckles?” she hissed.

“You said that ‘duty called’!" The youngest siren said as she kept laughing.

My girlfriend groaned. “Oh, grow up, Sonata!"

“Anyway...” I spoke up again. “What did you and Shining talk about?”

“He came to see how I was doing. I told him how we met and he said that he was happy to see that I’m taking care of you.”

“Oh...” I blushed. “Shining is always in protective big brother mode.”

“Your brother wanted to make sure he was passing the torch to the right person.” My dad commented.

“He’s not passing the torch. He will still come to visit. Right?” I turned to my dad.

“Of course, he will, honey.” My father briefly made eye contact with me before focusing on the road again. “But he can’t defend your honor as much as he would like anymore.”

“He has nothing to worry about. Twilight’s honor is safe with me.” Aria commented with confidence and a smirk. That made me giggle. I always knew I was safe with her around, and now that she was here with us again, I felt even more secure than I did in her absence. It was odd, I knew I had my friends, parents, Spike, even Adagio and Sonata to rely on, but with Aria it was different. I’ve seen firsthand how far she’s willing to go to make me feel better and keep me safe. My heart fluttered as I glanced back, once more, at her smiling at her.

“Yes, Aria, don’t fail or you’ll bring dishonor to us all!” Sonata said with a goofy grin.

My girlfriend glared at her younger sister, which worried me. Is she going to get mad at her again? Sonata lost her grin, but then Aria gave her a small smile. “I won’t bring dishonor to me, nor to my cow.” Sonata smiled before giggling while Adagio nodded approvingly at Aria. I felt relieved, happy to see Aria being kind with her little sister. I hoped now that things settled down, I’d be able to hang out with Sonata more often. Wait, what Aria and Sonata said... I knew where it was from! I gasped and pointed at my alpha. “Oh, I understood that reference!”

"Good." My girlfriend turned her gaze towards me. "Because if you didn't, I would have asked our driver to pull over and force you to leave the car."

I looked at Aria with a smirk. "Nice try, Aria, but my father wouldn't do that to me. Right daddy?"

"I don't know honey; I could be persuaded." My dad said.

"D-Dad!" I turned my head to my father while Aria and her sisters laughed. Don’t encourage him!

My girlfriend spent the rest of the way to her home talking mostly to her sisters, but she still stole a few glances at me from time to time. I can’t imagine how excited she must be for going home again!

“You want me to what?!” Aria asked angrily at Adagio after my dad dropped us all off at her house.

“I think you should lay down for a bit.” The eldest siren said, frowning with concern. “Your allergic reaction was more serious than last time.”

“You do realize all I've been doing for the past several days was laying down, right? I don’t need more rest! I need a break from beds until tonight, so I’m heading out!”

“But, Aria...” Sonata spoke. She was standing next to me while holding Ham Ham. The little orange fur ball was snuggling adorably against her hands.

“No buts! I’m fine now. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t, I’m tired of being indoors!” Aria said before pointing at me. “We’re leaving!”

“Wh-what? Aria-” I couldn’t finish because she took me by the wrist and headed towards the door.

“Sister, wait!” Adagio called, effectively stopping my girlfriend. Aria turned around and glared at her. She had her arms folded and had a more serious frown now. I watched as Adagio approached with concern in her eyes. “Isn’t there anything I can do to convince you to stay?”

I glanced at Aria as she replied. “Not unless you can get rid of the roof.”

“But if we do that, we will get wet whenever it rains!” Sonata commented.

I saw Aria’s whole-body twitch like she was about to say something back to her sisters’ comment. To my surprise she said nothing but snorted. I glanced at Sonata but said nothing. That’s two times today she stopped herself from insulting her. Interesting… Turning back towards Adagio I saw her massaging her forehead with a hand.

“I suppose I can’t change your mind.” Adagio said before reaching for her wallet in her purse. She took out some money and gave it to Aria. “Just don’t be late, okay?”

My girlfriend looked at the money then at Adagio. Nodding, she accepted the cash. “Thank you. And don’t worry, I won’t stay out late.” After placing the money in her pocket, Aria looked at me. “Shall we?” I nodded, remaining silent for now. Aria removed her hand from my wrist to interlace fingers with me instead. As we walked out, Sonata waved.

“Bye, Twilight!”

“Bye Sonata, and you too Adagio.” I waved back.

“Take care of her for me, Twilight.” Adagio said.

“I will, I promise!” I answered with a thumb up and a wink. I heard Aria groan at this.

After closing the door, my alpha sighed with relief. She looked at the sky and closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smiled. There’s no doubt that she missed the outdoors. She raised her arms, raising my hand with hers. I was amused by this, but I cleared my throat just in case she forgot I was here. She opened her eyes abruptly and slowly glanced at me, blushing a little. “I, umm...”

“I won’t tease you, Aria. I know how it can be.” I said with a smile.

“You do?”

I nodded. “Before having friends, I sometimes spent a lot of time in my lab. Of course, in my case I chose to be indoors. Before having a social life, I spent countless hours in my lab just with Spike. It helped to keep me distracted from my former school.”

“Oh.” She smiled. “Of course, you did, my genius cub.” I giggled. Oh, Aria~

“So, Aria, I’m sorry for what happened earlier. Just like Adagio, I wanted you to rest some more. I didn’t stop to think how much the time in the hospital affected you.”

“Don’t worry, Sparks. You’re already making up for it by not making me go back. Your visits were fine, but I missed going out with you.”

“Me too.” I said before wrapping my arms around hers and laying my head on her shoulder as we walked. “So… what’s the plan?”

“Hospital food made me miss the real deal. We’re going to Sweet Enchantments.”

“The café?” I quickly looked at my girlfriend. “Are you sure? Many sweets contain peanuts.”

“We already went there a few times and I didn’t have any attacks. I obviously have options there.” Aria said before meeting my gaze. “I haven’t had desserts in so long. I’m having a slice of cake today!”

“I’m with you, Aria. It will be nice to see the staff again.” I’ll make sure whatever she eats is peanut free.

“Yeah, it will.” My alpha said before kissing my forehead. I giggled happily and snuggled my head against her neck. It was hard having to go to the hospital every time I wanted to see her, and sometimes I wasn’t able to go. The night of her allergy attack is still fresh in my mind. The memory won’t stop haunting me any time soon. Thankfully, seeing her being herself helps me to distract from that horrible sight. Gosh, I missed her so much.

“Aria, Twilight, you’re back!” Casey received us with a happy wave as soon as we entered the café. “We haven’t heard from you for quite a while.”

“We’re sorry.” I waved back. “Something serious happened.”

“Oh, no! Everything’s okay?” Casey asked with worry.

“Yup!” Aria replied with a smirk. “I had an allergic reaction but I’m fine now.”

The waitress gasped. “My goodness! What kind of allergy? How serious was it?”

“It could have been worse.” Aria said, shrugging. Casey glanced behind her before looking back at us.

“Wait, let me take you to a table before you tell me more. If you don’t mind, that is.”

“It’s fine, we can tell you.” My girlfriend replied. I smiled a little, happy to see Aria being open with Casey. The waitress led us to a seat close to the counter with the barista, Cain. Aria and I sat down while Casey placed the menus on the table.

“Thank you.” I said, smiling. Casey smiled back before turning to Aria again.

“So, umm… I actually should have told you about my allergy when we first came here.” My girlfriend said. “I can’t eat peanuts.”

The waitress’ eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a hand. “Really?”

“Yes.” I said, nodding. “I didn’t know when I gave her chocolate with peanut filling.”

“But she reacted fast.” Aria said as she reached for my hand, smiling. “She rushed to look for my older sister, Adagio, who had the syringe to stabilize me until the ambulance arrived.”

“That’s a relief.” Casey sighed. “But it must have been so scary.”

“Terrifying.” I commented. “Will you let us know when something we order has peanuts?”

“Of course.” The waitress smiled. “Although we specialize in fruits and chocolate, especially strawberries, some of our products do have peanuts. Don’t worry, I’ll let everyone know.”

“Thank you.” I said, smiling back.

Casey nodded. “You’re welcome. Now, I would like to talk more, but I have to get back to work. I’ll be back when you’re ready to order.”

“Okay. We’ll call you when-” I couldn’t finish talking because Aria interrupted me.

“Actually, I think we’re ready.” I looked at Aria, confused.

“We are?”

My girlfriend smiled at me. “The last time we were here, the day you took me to my first swimming class, the baker, Lúcio, mentioned that you wanted him to bake us a surprise.”

Oh, I remember that! Smiling, I turned to the waitress. “That’s right. I’m curious about what it is.”

“Wonderful!” Casey skipped on her spot, clapping excitedly. “It will take a little while, though. Around twenty minutes, more or less. Shall I bring you something else while you wait?”

“Hmm...” I quickly looked at the drink section of the menu. Aria checked her menu as well. ” I’ll try the vanilla latte. I don’t want to ruin my appetite.”

“What’s this Irish drink?” Aria asked pointing at the menu.

“That has alcohol in it.” The waitress replied.

“Oh!” Aria briefly widened her eyes before focusing on the menu again. “Does the Cappuccino have alcohol in it too?”

“It doesn’t. We can prepare it with either dusted cocoa or cinnamon.”

“Cocoa it is, then. Thank you!” Aria grinned as she passed me the menu so I could give both of them to Casey.

The waitress giggled. “Sure thing! I’ll be back in a few minutes with your drinks.”

“Thanks.” I said as I watched her approach the counter. When Casey gave Cain our orders, he glanced at us and waved. Aria and I waved back before looking at each other. “Aria...” I said as I reached across the table to take both of her hands.

“Yes, cub?” My girlfriend stroked my hands with her thumbs. Aww, I adore her so much…

“I noticed a change.”

“Oh?” Aria raised an eyebrow. “What change?”

“Well, you didn’t yell at Sonata today and even joked along with her, and just now you didn’t hesitate to talk to Casey about your allergy.”

“Oh...” My girlfriend blushed deeply. “Y-Yeah, while I was at the hospital, I had time to think. I realized that I was too much of a jerk towards Sonata. After her kind words back when she visited me and I pretended to be asleep really hit me. So, I thought I should really try to be nicer to her. I had this thought before but I failed to change. This time I’m going to do it for real. Also, Casey seems nice enough. I really feel like I can trust her.”

My smile widened. “I’m so happy to hear that.”

“I know.” Aria smiled. “I want to change, at least a little. I’m not doing it just to make you happy. I really want to do it.”

I looked into her eyes feeling a sense of warmth come over me. “Aria, you’ve already changed so much. But I’m glad to see you trying more and more to open up to others. I’m proud of you.”

“Oh, Twilight.” Aria shook her head leaning closer to me, our eyes locked on to each other as we inched closer and closer.

“Aria...” I squeezed her hands just as my cell phone played a notification sound. Someone sent me a message. I ignored it for now, though, focusing on my girlfriend’s eyes instead.

“Not that I’m complaining for having all of your attention, Sparks, but will you get that?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to interrupt our date to message my friends.”

“They’re your friends, Twilight. I don’t mind. Besides, what if it’s important? In fact.” Aria said before removing her hands from mine. “I won’t hold your hands until you check your message.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll read it.” I said with a fake pout. “You didn’t have to be evil and forbid me from touching your hands, though.”

My girlfriend chuckled and folded her arms while I pulled out my phone. The message was from Sunset.

‘Twilight, Trixie’s favorite trick shop is putting some items on sale, including something she mentioned she wishes to buy. If you’re free later, would you like to come with me? I want to surprise her!’

Smiling, I glanced at Aria. “It’s Sunset.”

“Hmm, and what did she say?”

“She asked me if I could accompany her later to buy a gift for her girlfriend. I’ll text her back to tell her I’ll go after we finish our date.”

“Oh, so we have a time limit now?”

I giggled. “No, we have plenty of time, don’t worry.” I said before answering to my friend.

‘Sure! I’m currently on a date with Aria, but I’ll let you know :)’

I sent the message and Sunset replied within seconds.

‘Kay, have fun! ;)’

I blushed at her reply before putting my phone away. “It’s settled. Can I have your hands back?” I said as I tried to reach for her.

I flexed my hands reaching over the table for Aria and she stared for a few seconds tapping her chin.

Aria nodded. “Sure.” She said before taking one of my hands and leaning closer to kiss my knuckles, making me gasp and blush furiously. She made eye contact with me as she kissed my hand and smiled proudly. “Looks like I can still leave you in awe.”

I was speechless. Aria released my hand and I left it on the table, still with my jaw dropped. My girlfriend found my expression amusing until Casey returned with our coffees.

“Here’s your drinks!”

“Thank you.” Aria said as she started to add sugar to her cappuccino. The waitress looked at me with a confused expression and I tried feverishly to cover my face behind my hair.

“Is she okay?”

My girlfriend glanced at me and then turned to Casey with a cheeky grin. “Yeah, it’s just that sometimes my flirting is too much for her.”

“Oooooh.” Casey giggled. “I won’t intrude anymore then. I’ll return when your other order is ready.”

“Okay.” Aria said while the waitress returned to her post. My girlfriend looked at me again. “Twilight. Twilight?” She started to snap her fingers on my face but I was still in trance, so she pinched my hand, just above my knuckles. Reflexes made me react as I pulled my hand away.

“Ouch, hey!” I frowned.

“Welcome back, Sparks.” I stuck my tongue at her, making her chuckle. “I’m so doing that again.”

“You caught me off guard, that’s all.” I replied with a huff sticking my nose up, making my girlfriend chuckle. After adding sugar to my coffee and stirring it, I looked at Aria again. Sunset’s text reminded me of something I have been wanting to do with her. She said she's trying to change… maybe… maybe I should take a risk and ask her if we can do something I have been wanting to for a long time. Worst case scenario, she’ll just tell me that she’s not ready. “So… Aria...”

“Hmm? Yes, cub?” My girlfriend smiled at me. Okay, here it goes…

“Sunset and Trixie got hooked with Young Sorceress Academia...”

“They did?” Aria’s eyes widened a little. “That’s cool.”

“Yeah.” I smiled. “I was going to ask them over to my house so they can read and discuss their opinions with me. Do you… want to join us?”

“You’re asking me if I want to hang out with you, the pony and her girlfriend?” Aria frowned.

I’m not sure how to feel when she calls Sunset ‘pony’. She’s not wrong, but is she saying it in an offensive manner or just having fun with nicknames as usual? “Pretty much. You can decline, if you want. I’ll understand. I just thought that you might want to come since I know how much you like the book.”

“Hmm...” My girlfriend kept frowning, this time in thought. “I don’t know. Let me… let me think about it.”

“Sure.” I tried to reach for one of her hands to see if she’s still in a good mood or not. “I’m still not sure when to invite them over. Maybe next week.”

“Okay.” Aria took my hand and squeezed it while smiling. What a relief, she’s not mad! “No pressure?”

I shook my head, smiling back at her. “Not in the slightest.”

Time flew as Aria and I kept talking lightheartedly. Mostly just catching up on what she missed. Before we knew it, Casey came with our surprise dessert.

“Here you go! I hope you enjoy it!” The waitress said as she put the plate on the table. Our order was a small cake with the shape of a heart. It had a beautiful decoration of whipped cream all around the cake, a topping of strawberry sauce with a strawberry cut in half at the center. “This cake also comes with two glasses of milk.” Casey said as she gave each of us a glass full of milk.

“It looks delicious!” I said with a smile. Aria, on the other hand, took one of the forks Casey brought to try it and took a bite.

“And it tastes delicious!” My girlfriend said, grinning and with sparkles in her eyes. Her reaction filled me with bliss.

“I’m glad to hear it!” The waitress said. “I’ll let Lúcio know that you loved it. Bon appetit!” Casey said before bowing and walking away. Still smiling, I tried the cake too. It was really delicious! Also, the cake had a filling of an equally delicious cream. Mmm~!

“Sparks, I think we better cut it in half. I can’t promise I won’t eat from your side if we don’t.” My girlfriend commented before taking another bite.

I giggled. “Okay.” I said before measuring the cake. I made sure to cut as close to the center as possible. “There we go. I better not catch you stealing from my side, missy!”

Aria chuckled. “I’ll try to control myself.” She took another bite leaving her fork in her mouth. “You better not let your guard down.”

I gave her a smirk. “If you try anything, you’ll get no kisses for the rest of the day.”

My girlfriend pouted. “Boooooo! You’re no fun, cub!”

Smiling proudly, I resumed eating my cake secure in the fact it was now safe from Aria’s voracious hunger for sweets. I couldn’t help but to watch her as she ate hers. Knowing that she had such a complicated life until not many months ago, seeing her happily eat brought a big smile to my face.

After eating and paying, we left Sweet Enchantments, holding hands. Aria wanted us to return home right now.

“Is there a reason you wanted us to return already? I thought you would want to spend more time together.” I said, slightly confused.

“I do, but I just remembered that your pink friend will come to bring the cupcakes she promised, and I think I should receive them in person, don’t you think?” Aria said the last as she glanced at me.

“Pinkie Pie wouldn’t mind.” I said before smiling. “But I appreciate that you want to meet her.”

“Your friends were kind enough to visit me without making fun of me. It’s the least I can do.”

“My friends aren’t that kind of people, Aria.” I frowned at her, slightly angry for hearing her think that. “One of the reasons I’m happy to be their friend is because they’re nothing like my bullies from the CPA.”

My girlfriend sighed. “I’m sorry, I can’t help it.” She said, truly looking guilty. “Old habits die hard, I guess. I still feel a little weird for allowing them to see me in a hospital bed.”

I smiled at her as I held onto her arm. “We’re all on the same page here, Aria.”

“Yeah, them and I have you in common. We all like you.” Aria said before smiling and softly touching my nose with her index finger. “But I’m the only one with special privileges.”

I giggled and blushed. “A-Aria, how come you can still get me all flustered?”

“Because you’re crazy about me, Sparks.” My girlfriend said confidently. “I know your weaknesses and I take advantage of them. As a siren we have to be able to single out our targets weaknesses and exploit them.”

“You’re just a big meanie!” I said as I pretended to push her and ran forward.

Aria chuckled and chased after me down the street. I giggled, turning at the corner making a mad dash for the house, when Aria managed to latch onto my waist and spin me around. We laughed from the thrill of our little game of chase and hugged. We made it to her door, she turned to me. “So...” She said as she took a step closer to me.

“Yes~?” I fluttered my eyelids. Aria cleared her throat to conceal her fluster, but I could still see her blush… hard.

“I didn’t eat from your slice, which means...” My girlfriend said as she wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her.

I smiled, getting on my tiptoes and placing my arms around her neck. “That’s right, you didn’t.”

“Umm...” Aria started to lean closer to me. We said nothing else. I closed my eyes and our lips met for a peck. then into another and another until the kissing turned more passionate. Moaning lightly, I got even closer to her. I felt Aria smile before she lifted me from the ground, making me giggle into the kiss. But then-

“Oh my gosh!” That sounded like… Pinkie Pie! Both Aria and I opened our eyes wide before turning to the source of the voice. My party friend was watching us while holding a box, fully smiling. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but-”

“Pinkie!” I exclaimed before Aria released me. I almost fell to the floor, but I found my balance. My face got all hot and red and I covered it with both of my hands.

“At first, I was going to wait, but I didn’t want to stay staring! I wanted to say something but I didn’t know what, but then I thought you would turn and see me so I panicked, and… oh my gosh! I’m super, duper sorry!”

My girlfriend and I remained staring at Pinkie Pie for a while, who stared back at us. After what felt like an eternity, Aria cleared her throat. “I-I’ll open the door.” I heard Aria say with a growl before she opened the door. I removed my hands from my face but I stared at the floor as I followed Aria inside like I was making the walk of shame. Pinkie Pie entered behind me.

“I'll leave your cupcakes at the kitchen.” My friend asked.

“Go ahead.” Aria said as she watched my friend walk to the othet room.

“Okie dokie!” Pinkie Pie went into the kitchen and returned seconds later without the box. “I’m going to go now, sorry again to interrupt!”

“Wait-” Aria stopped my friend, who turned around. “Sonata’s in her room in case you want to say hi. Her room is through there, the door on the left.”

My friend gasped before smiling. “I DO want to say hi!” She said before running to the door Aria told her. She knocked on the door and was allowed in not long after.

“Pinkie! What a surprise!” I heard Sonata say.

“Hi, Nata!” Pinkie Pie said as she walked in. Once the door closed, the room Aria and I were in fell silent. I was no longer staring at the floor. Instead, I was looking at Aria, surprised.

“I thought you would let her leave.”

“I don’t know if they saw each other since they visited me at the hospital, so I thought they could catch up or something." Aria said before crossing her arms and looking at me.

“That was nice of you.” I said, smiling. Aria shrugged and smiled.

“I suppose.”

I hugged her. “You really are trying to improve.”

“I’m getting there.” My girlfriend said as she hugged me back. We didn’t break the embrace until Sonata’s door opened and she walked out alongside Pinkie Pie.

“Aria, I’m going with Pinkie to the arcade.”

“She said she never played in one before, so I invited her to come along! Dashie and Applejack will be there!” Pinkie’s voice boomed with excitement.

“Oh, okay.” Aria tried to smile. I saw her struggle. She really isn’t in her element. “Have fun.”

“You can come with us if you want. Unless you and Twilight have plans.” My party friend said grinning. Sonata and I stared at Pinkie Pie before glancing at Aria. My girlfriend frowned in thought. She glanced at me, then at my friend. After a few seconds, she spoke up.

“I’ll… go with you. The arcade could be fun.”

“Yay!” Both Sonata and Pinkie Pie raised their arms as they cheered in unison, making Aria groan. I shook my head and placed a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

“Adagio’s not here, right?”

“Nope!” Sonata shook her head. “Her boss called after you left. She’ll be working until late at night.”

“Oh, then you don’t need to leave her a note.”

“Let’s go!” Sonata said as she took Aria from her wrist and led her outside. “Our friends are waiting for us!”

Giggling, I followed them outside, where Aria broke free and locked the door.

“Wait a second, let me say goodbye.” My girlfriend said before approaching me. She smiled and gave me a soft peck on my lips. “See you later. Oh, and about the book club you want to do… I think I’ll be there.”

I grinned and hugged her tightly. “Thank you so much, Aria!” I said before meeting her eyes. “I’ll let you know when it is.”

Aria gave me a smirk. “Sure.” She said before returning to her sister and Pinkie Pie.

Sonata excitedly held my girlfriend from her arm as they walked away and Aria didn’t push her away. The trio glanced at me and waved. I waved back and watched them walk down the street until they turned around the corner and walk out of sight. I sighed happily and started my way to Sunset’s house while wearing a big smile. Today I saw a different side to Aria. Different in a good way. Everyone visiting her while she was at the hospital have really made a positive change on her. I’m so proud of her! Excited I texted Sunset to let her know I was on my way. I can’t wait to tell her everything!

Sirens' Day Out

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Aria’s POV

Since my release from the confinement of the hospital I have been enjoying my renewed freedom. It has been over a week since then and I was making great strides to change. It was Monday and school time, so my girlfriend was currently in class and I didn’t want to bother her studies again. Which is okay, since I’m busy trying to make something of myself.

I was trying to get a job.

I have started to look for a job the day after my release, but I haven’t had any luck so far. Counting today, I have only had three interviews, and in all of them I failed to leave a good impression. Feeling defeated, I dragged myself home. My latest interview left me with an overwhelming sense of failure. Even with the new women’s suit I wore now felt like it wasn’t worth it. I couldn’t move in the slack pants, dress shirt and dress shoes I had to wear which only soured my mood more as I headed back home.

When I reached arrived, I rested my back on the front door after entering and sighed. Adagio came to greet me.

“Judging by your look, I guess it didn’t go well.” She said.

“You have no idea.” I frowned and took a step towards my sister. “Just before me, there was a guy who apparently knew the interviewer. They hugged just before the door closed and I could hear them talk like old pals. I think it’s safe to say who’s getting the job.”

Adagio groaned and massaged her forehead. “I don’t believe it.” She said before giving me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, Aria. Maybe the other interviews you had will lead to something.”

“I don’t know. No one seemed happy to hear about my lack of experience.” I said before dropping on the couch. “How am I supposed to get experience if everyone is looking for someone with experience?!”

“That’s just how humans run things, Aria. Something will come up, just don’t give up.” Adagio sat next to me and placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “If only Sonata’s job didn’t have full staff already...”

“I hate this!” I crossed my arms and stomped the floor with a foot. “I hate feeling so useless! Twilight’s a genius, she’s at school and has a future awaiting her! Meanwhile, I’m a good for nothing who can’t get a job. I don’t want to feel like I’ll hold her back!”

“Aria...” My sister hugged me and I leaned against her for comfort. “You won’t hold her back. These things take time. You’ll find something eventually.”

Despite my sister’s words I felt a lot of self doubt in my heart. All had to do was look at myself and everyone around me and it was painfully obvious. Adagio and her friend Rarity were deep into the fashion world, building careers. Twilight's friend Applejack helps run a family farm, heck even Sonata had a job and is able to help pay the bills. Then there is Twilight, a brilliant girl who would most likely go onto higher education and become a brilliant scientist, or maybe she would become an engineer. The sky was the limit for her. Meanwhile, I was the dead weight she lugged around.

I thought back to my old pack leader and realized in this moment she was right about me all along. I would starve to death on my own. I can’t get a job, I’m not educated enough to start off on my own, I have no skills to speak of, I was nothing like anyone I knew. I'm a nobody. All this boiled in my mind as my thoughts came back to Twilight and how much I cared about her. How much I wanted to give her and make her feel special.

“It’s just that I really want to surprise her…” I could feel tears of frustration well up in my eyes. “Ask her out and spoil her on one of our dates… she deserves it.”

“Aria, look at me.” Adagio cupped my cheeks between her hands and made me look at her. “You barely started looking for a job a week ago. You need to be more patient. Sonata is keeping an eye out. If something happens and one of her co-workers leave, she will speak well of you. Keep trying your luck and keep paying attention when you walk in case someone is hiring. Don’t be angry at yourself. Be proud instead, proud that you’re taking this step.”

“I-I guess...” I shrugged without making eye contact with my sister.

“Look at me and give me a smile. Come on.” I slowly looked at Adagio and smiled a bit. “Very good.” My sister said as she used her thumbs to clean my tears, and just in time, because at that precise moment, Sonata arrived.

“I’m back from the store!” My little sister announced before finding Adagio at me on the couch. I quickly composed myself so she didn’t see me sad. Sonata smiled wide before speaking again. “Hi, Aria! How did it go?”

“Not well.” I replied bluntly. I just wasn’t in the mood to keep talking about today’s interview as my mind wandered.

“Aww, maybe this will cheer you up!” Sonata said before pulling two chocolates from her bag, but they weren’t any chocolate. “Two Zig Zags just for you!” Sonata said before giving me the chocolates.

“Wow. Thank you.” I forced a small smile.

My little sister giggled. “You’re welcome!”

I opened one of the Zig Zags to eat it. Hmm, the savory sweet flavor brought my spirits up. My old pack never made me feel this way. Whenever I came back from a hunt there was no praise and feeling of accomplishment with them, it was simply about survival and serving the interests of the pack.

“I just got a thought.” Adagio said while looking at me. “Why don’t we go out, just the three of us and have some fun?”

I thought about that and couldn’t remember the last time the three of us spent some quality time together.

“And go where?” I asked, confused.

“You tell us. You’re picking.” My older sister said with a smirk.

“Me?” I blinked, confused, before frowning in thought. Where to go? Adagio isn’t one for walks. A park won’t do either. Ugh, I wish I spent more time with them! Before we were banished to this world from Equestria, we never made plans or hangout as much. All we cared about was to avoid getting eaten alive by the ocean’s many creatures. Hmm… I wonder how sea creatures look in this world. I never got to think about them. Wait…

I quickly glanced at my older sister. “Adagio, is there somewhere we can see this world's sea animals?” I asked.

“You mean like an aquarium?” Adagio raised an eyebrow thinking for a moment. “On a town this big there must be. Let me check.”

She added before pulling out her new cell phone. She bought one for herself and another one for Sonata a few days ago. She tapped on the phone and searched the web for something. A few seconds later from searching she had our answer. “Yes, there’s one at downtown. It’s open right now. We can take the bus. Oh! And they also serve lunch!”

“I love it already!” Sonata said with a grin. “Let’s go there!”

After a quick change of clothes I felt more freedom in my movements and was glad to be out of that suit! I skipped down the hall and Adagio chuckled and looked for her purse while Sonata and I headed to the front door. Sonata clinged onto my arm as the three of us headed to the bus stop together.

“Huh… so this is weird.” My older sister commented.

“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Normally Sonata holds onto my arm. It feels… strange not being the one she clings to”

“Oh, don’t be jealous, Dagi. I have two arms!” My younger sister said as she held into Adagio’s arm as well. She closed her eyes and started to hum happily while Adagio and I shared a look.

“So, uh… you have been working extra hours a lot lately.” I tried to start a conversation with my older sister.

My older sister sighed loudly. “Yes. Mr. Toity received a big order from an important client. There’s so much to do and barely enough time to meet the deadline.”

“Don’t worry, Dagi! For the next few hours you’ll have nothing but fun!” Sonata commented with her usual grin.

Adagio chuckled. “That’s correct. The Canterlot Aquatic Institute sounds like a relaxing place where I can avoid thinking about work. Plus it’ll give us time to spend together as family.”

“Does that mean you won’t be judging people’s outfits, or the staff's uniforms while we have fun?” I asked, smirking.

Adagio went silent for a moment.

“NEVER!” I couldn’t help but to chuckle by this. Adagio would rather die before getting fashion completely out of her system. I already feel like this would be a good day.

The trip to the institute wasn't long, but it did take a while to get there. The majority of the trip was on the bus to which I watched Sonata bouncing in her seat next to me like an excited child. I often wondered about her childish mentality at times, but it’s working out for her so I chose not to say anything. It helped that no one said anything, so long as Sonata wasn’t bothering anyone, what was the harm?

I sat there, waiting for the bus ride to end while Adagio scribbled in her notebook all the way there. No doubt coming up with new designs for when she would start her own clothing line. She was as talented as Rarity, I knew she would reach new heights that I could only dream of. When we arrived at the Canterlot Aquatic Institute was hustling with so many people that I had to actually put in an effort to not bump into people when we got off the bus.

Just after walking into the gates, Sonata started to drag us towards a sign by interlocking our arms to hers.

“Look, look! There’s a dolphin show! Can we see it?!” Sonata asked as she pointed at a picture advertising the show Sonata wanted to see. Adagio took a closer look at it.

“I’m sorry, Sonata, but the dolphin show is only available from Friday to Sunday.”

“And today is…?” My little sister asked.

“Monday.” I replied, repressing a groan. She should pay more attention to the days of the week.

“Aww, I wanted to see the dolphins,” Sonata slumped, but Adagio patted her back and guided her to a large directory of the institute and started

“There’s other animals we can see.” Adagio said as she placed an arm around Sonata’s shoulder pointing around the directory. “Penguins, sea lions, or how about we start by seeing the tropical fish?”

As Adagio and Sonata talked, I followed close behind with my eyes on the different tanks. None of them really caught my attention, until I spotted a serpent looking fish hiding in a tiny cave. I approached the tank to take a better look, but when I approached it hid deeper into its tiny cave. While I waited for the fish to show up again, I looked around at the different information signs on the animals in the various tanks. It wasn’t long before I came across the small serpent fish plaque and read it.

‘Eels are elongated fish, ranging in length from 5 cm (2.0 in) in the one-jawed eel (Monognathus ahlstromi) to 4 m (13 ft) in the slender giant moray...’

Looking at the photo above the information, I could see that eels had a hidden jaw in their throats… wait… it was just like those aliens from that horror sci-fi movie! I never knew such a creature existed in this world.

“Found something interesting?” Adagio asked as she walked towards me.

I pointed with my thumb at the fish in the tank trying to hide my new enthusiasm. “These eels seem cool.”

My sister followed my finger and spotted the eel hiding in its cave. “Hmm, it seems to love staying in their little cave.” She said before smirking at me. “They remind me of you before meeting your girlfriend.”

I smirked playfully, punching my sister's arm. “You must miss teasing me about it.”

Adagio chuckled, nudging me back with a shoulder bump. “Not at all. I’m happy with who you are now. I’ll admit that it’s strange that you and Sonata don’t fight that much lately, but I’ll get used to it.”

I wondered about that for a moment. Then I realized my sister was right. I haven’t fought with Sonata nearly as much as I used to. Sure, she still ticked me off sometimes, but most of the time now I managed.

I smiled before frowning in confusion. “Speaking of Sonata, where is she?”

“I’m here!” As in cue, Sonata approached skipping towards us, holding a massive dolphin balloon.

“You bought yourself a balloon?” I crossed my arms.

My little sister shook her head. “No, dummy. It's for you!” She said as she gave me the balloon. I got confused again, but I accepted it. “I know it can be silly, but holding one makes me feel better.” She added as she gave me a caring smile. I blinked and smiled as well shortly after.

“Thank you, sis.” I said. Sonata grinned and hugged me.

“You’re welcome!”

"Okay, then." Adagio smiled as she clasped her hands. "Shall we continue? I think there are some sharks around."

"Ooooh, cool! I want to see one!" Sonata clapped excitedly and skipped ahead. I smiled while Adagio and I followed behind. I glanced once more at the eel tank and saw him swim out from his tiny cave. It was like watching a snake slither in the water and it reminded me of my old siren form, moving freely with no limits... It brought a small smile to my face. With that thought in mind, I turned back to follow my sisters.

Along the way to the shark exhibition we made a few stops to see the other animals. The first was a large enclosure to see some cute seals basking in the sun on large rocks. Sonata giggled seeing them roll over on their sides while Adagio gave a little smile. I admit it was a bit cute.

The next stop we made on the way to the sharks was the tropical fish exhibit. I walked up to a tank and saw fishes of every size and color imaginable. Sonata ran up beside me and pushed her face against the glass as Adagio yelled at her, “Sonata please don’t run around!”

“Oh, Aria, look at all the little fishies! They’re so cute! Look, look! That one looks like a zebra!”

I looked at the little fish she pointed at. It was a small fish white with little black stripes and a large dorsal fin on its back. Its tiny head was running along the bottom of the tank as it swam along with three others around it. “Hmm, they are kinda cute. Kinda reminds me of something…” I said pulling my sister at my side.

“Aww, Aria.” Sonata gushed while hugging me. I smiled and accepted the hug.

Adagio walked next to us and read the label under the tank that matched the little fish. “The zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra) is a species of catfish endemic to the southern hemisphere and a tributary of the Amazon River, and was first described in the early 1990s. Hmm, very nice. Makes me think-”

I held up a hand stopping my sister dead in her tacks. “No, you said no working while we hangout.”

Sonata giggled while I grinned at Adagio, who grumbled as she walked away to look at the other side of the tank while I watched the schools of fish swim around the tank with Sonata. We read most of the plaques and tried to find as many different kinds of fish as we could. At some point we turned it into a game where we took turns finding fish and tried to learn a fact about them from the plaques. Eventually, we lost track of the score, so I gave the win to Sonata and we moved on.

The three of us walked through the lanes of congested people until we were at the next exhibit which was called the Otter House. I was never really into animals aside from wolves, but I always found otters to be such oddly cute creatures. When we approached even Adagio was borderline gushing over how cute these little guys were. I watched from close behind as two otters floated by on their backs sleeping. One of them was smaller and sleeping atop the other. Eventually we walked away from the cuteness of the otters and continued on our way to the shark exhibit.

We followed the signs towards the sharks and eventually arrived at a large building. “Oh are we finally here?!” Sonata asked

“Yes, we’re here, Nata.” I said.

Sonata rushed ahead leaving me and Adagio to follow in after her. It was very dark in here with only small lights on the walls to guide the visitors through the building. It was also very humid in here and the AC made it feel very odd to me but seeing Sonata and Adagio having fun made me happy so I can handle it.

“Sonata, where did you go?”

“Over here Aria!”

I followed the sound of my sister’s voice with Adagio behind me through the winding lanes until we came to an open area with small tanks that were waist high filled with water surrounded by fake rock. Inside the tanks were a variety of small sharks that were no bigger than a foot in length with Sonata giggling as she looked at all of them. Then, without blinking, she reached her hand into tank, making Adagio shriek in panic.

"Sonata Dusk! Get your hand out of there! Right! NOW!" She yelled, yanking our sister away from the open tank. "You could've been bitten!"

She yelled, yanking my sister away from the open tank.

“B-but, Dagi-”

“No buts young lady, what were you thinking? You could have been seriously injured.” Adagio scolded her looking at her hands closely.

I watched as my older sister fussed over Sonata’s hands until I noticed a large sign we were standing next to that read: ‘Shark lagoon, petting sharks allowed. Do not grab!’

“Hey Adagio, the sign says she can pet the sharks,” I said thumbing at the sign.

My older sister stared at me for a few seconds before walking over to read the sign herself. Not that I minded. Once she was satisfied with what she read she sighed and walked with me over to Sonata.

“Okay Sonata, you can pet the sharks. Just next time wait for us before you do anything like that again. Please?”

Sonata nodded and went back to play with the little sharks. I walked to another tank and looked inside as a family passed by reading the info plaques as they went along. I looked in and saw the tiny bamboo sharks, epaulette sharks, and angel sharks. They were small and cute and I felt compelled to reach in to pet them myself. I touched the angel sharks first. Their skin was like sandpaper to the touch, but the little shark made no sudden movements and it just swam along without a care in the world.

“Wow, they’re quite docile,” My older sister said watching us pet the sharks.

“What do you think, Aria? Do you like the little sharks?” Sonata asked me.

I shrugged, wiping my hands on the sides of my pants to dry them. “Meh, they're sharks. Not as cool as mighty sirens such as ourselves, but they’re pretty cool I guess.”

“Do you think you’ll bring Twilight here sometime?” Adagio asked with a mischievous tone in her voice.

“Maybe,” I cautiously replied. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason. Let’s go, I want to see the larger sharks,” Adagio walked ahead while holding Sonata by the arm, leaving me to catch up.

We continued to walk through the building passing by a few other shark petting areas, some even had small stingrays in them with whole families petting them. The sound of laughter and joy used to annoy me, but now it filled me with joy to hear it.

I looked over and saw the family from before petting a group of the sharks together. I followed my sisters down a walk path and into a large tunnel that had a conveyor belt on the ground, in which you stand on, allowing you to look at all the animals around you without having to walk. My sisters and I stepped on and looked around in wonder at that massive glass tank surrounding us. For the first time I got to see this world's sharks up close and they made me feel small. From the massive great whites, to the striped tiger sharks, we saw such a huge variety of them that I think our heads started to spin a little.

I stared at the enormous fish swimming around us in awe. Sonata giggled like crazy pointing and waving to the sharks as they swam by. I smiled a little and Adagio just giggled.

“Wow! They’re so big! They could eat me whole!” Sonata laughed as a great white swam by.

“Yeah, good thing you’re not someone they’d love to eat, huh?” I teased elbowing my little sister.

“Why's that?” Sonata asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Because you’re too sweet to eat,” I said, nudging her again.

“Awwww, Aria!”

My little sister rushed to hug me. I rolled my eyes but allowed myself to be hugged again. Once we broke the hug, we looked up at the sharks just before we had to get off the conveyor and walked around a corner to a massive set of shark jaws on a stone pedestal. When we approached them, I felt a cold fearful shudder pass through my body as memories of my old pack leader flashed in my mind.

The playful spite in her eyes and the razor-sharp fangs that pierced my scales, and the physical and emotional pain that followed was a dark reminder of what I could have been. My mind wandered as I thought about my little Twilight and the friends I’ve been starting to make since meeting her. I was so caught up in my own thoughts I didn't realize my sisters flanking me until they both wrapped a tender caring arm around mine and gave me a hug.

“What was that about?” I exclaimed, feeling embarrassed.

My sisters smiled kindly back at me, flooding away the bad thoughts, instantly making me feel like a heavy weight was lifted off my shoulders. Then Adagio pressed her forehead against mine, giving me a motherly smile.

“We worry when you get that look, Aria.” She said softly to me.

Sonata nodded, hugging my arm tightly. “Dagi’s right! We’re supposed to be having fun! So, let’s leave any sad thoughts behind and go onward to adventure!”

We all nodded and then, suddenly, there was a loud deep growling sound. We all looked and noticed Adagio was blushing deep red. She coughed to the side playing nervously with her curly hair. Her finger twirling it nervously as she stuttered to speak.

“I-I think I might be a bit hungry.” She said trying not to make it any more obvious she was embarrassed.

Sonata and I chuckled, knowing our sister most likely skipped a meal when working again. She was very much like Twilight, so caught up in work she forgets to eat sometimes. We didn’t make fun of her, especially me. With no job lined up I was in no place to make judgements.

My sisters suddenly took me by my arms and started to drag me into a bright light. I felt the coolness of the AC air dissipate into a heated warmth that flowed over me as we exited the building back to outside. My sisters led the way, dragging me along until they caught my footing and managed to escape their ironclad grips on me.

“I can walk myself, thank you!” I growled as I yanked my arms free.

My sisters laughed as Sonata ran behind me and pushed me forward. “Come on slowpoke! Adagio is hungry! You know how she gets hangry!

Both Adagio and I looked at her like she just grew another head on her shoulders. I looked at my older sister and she simply shrugged. After a few more moments Sonata realized we weren’t getting what she was saying and clarified with a giddy laugh.

“You know? She gets angry when hungry? She’s HANGRY!” She giggled pushing us along again leading us to the penguins. “We can pass by the penguins and stop to get lunch afterwards! I wanna see the cute little penguins first!” She said smiling.

Adagio nodded, looking at the hand map she had of the institute. Sure enough, penguins were near the food court about two attractions away. So we now had a plan: Stop at the penguins so Sonata could gush at them, while Adagio and I go get something to eat.

With our plan in mind we marched along to the penguin wing without delay.

When we approached the penguin wing Adagio seemed transfixed on the name for some reason. When I asked her what was up, she shrugged, pointing at the large sign that clearly read: Penguin Wing: Fliers of the Sea.

“I always wondered about the name and how ironic it was.” She said factually.

“What do you mean?”

“I just find it ironic that flightless birds like penguins are called 'Fliers of the Sea'. It just sounds strange, that's all.” She replied.

I shrugged casually following her in. “You’re overthinking it, Adagio. Come on let's go make sure Sonata doesn’t fall in and drown or something.”

I looked ahead to see Sonata holding back a scream as she watched some small penguins waddle by and jump into water. They were inside a large tank that was easily twenty meters long and about ten meters wide with no less than one-hundred adorable penguins inside of various types and sizes. From large emperor penguins to magellanic penguins, to one that was literally called ‘little penguins’ these adorable guys waddled around the tank and swam in the water below. I could see instantly how they got the nickname fliers of the sea. When they swam, they swam like little darts flying through the air.

They had such amazing speed and agility in the water that it made me a bit envious. When I was a siren, I remember being able to swim and fly just like that, but in this clumsy human body I had to relearn it all over again. It also made me a bit sad I couldn’t fly or swim as I pleased. Then again it was still fun to learn to swim with my new body and, once again, I owed that to Twilight. She really helped me out in ways I never realized either until now.

The swim lessons she got me to take helped me reconnect with a part of me I lost. Now realizing this connection made me feel a bit more whole again. I still felt like something was missing, but whatever it was I knew that with her and my sisters I would figure it out.

I watched as Adagio walked next to Sonata who was shivering inside the cold wing. Most of the penguins here were arctic penguins and so this part was heavily cooled. My little sister wore appropriate clothing for the warm weather outside, but in here left her feeling cold from what I could tell. Apparently Adagio did too.

Like a mother hen, she wrapped her arms around Sonata hugging her close form behind as they and many others watched some of the penguin’s huddle into a small group. I thought about everything in my life and finally realized what it was I wanted from life.

A family.

One I could love and protect, and it all started with that fateful meeting with Twilight. That settled it, when I'm able to support, provide for her and love her… love. I really do love her, don’t I? Me, the once brute who wanted to be alone, is completely in love with a human girl. A genius human girl. I could see myself marrying Twilight and start a family with her. Marriage… wow, I never thought that I would ever even consider tying the knot one day, but I am… and it’s making me smile, even!

With that clear goal in mind I started thinking about what I could do to get started and my determination to get a job was even bigger than before.

I approached and with a burning feeling in my cheeks I tried subtly to sneak to my sisters’ side and joined in hugging Sonata feeling their warmth instantly. They smiled, but said nothing. I quickly realized nothing needed to be said, but I could tell from the look Adagio gave me that she had something to say but would wait for later. Knowing her it was probably for when we were alone and it made me a bit worried, but for now I would settle for cuddling with my sisters and watching penguins as we kept each other warm in this cold penguin world.

After having lunch, we decided to explore the institute a bit more. We looked at the tiny map Adagio had for our next stop.

“Oh, look, there’s a sea shell exposition on the third floor, and it has over a thousand shells!” Adagio commented.

“How… exciting.” I said, burrowing my eyes.

Adagio glared at me. “Sea shells can have unique designs. I could find inspiration for a new outfit!” I saw a glint in her eyes.

“We came here to relax, remember?” I commented, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s relaxing!” My older sister raised her voice and I chuckled. “It’s settled, we’re going to the third floor to see the sea shells!”

I sighed. “Alright, let’s go.” We headed to the stairs and walked straight to the third floor.

“Wow...” Sonata gasped. The three of us were in awe. The sea shell exposition was huge! It was divided by sections based on where the shells came from. From where we were standing, I could see the South America and European regions. Time to do some exploring.

“I want to see the shells from the Australian continent!” Sonata exclaimed excitedly.

“Sonata, Australia isn’t a continent.” Adagio corrected our younger sister.

“Wait, really?” Sonata asked, confused.

“Actually Adagio, Australia is a continent,” I interjected.

“Oh? Is it? I thought it was a country?” Adagio tapped her chin, so did Sonata.

“It’s both, actually,” I stated, remembering a book I read a while back. “It’s a country that is an entire continent as well. It was originally ruled by the British Empire but is now its own sov, sovr…”

“Sovereign nation?” My older sister interjected.

I blushed, rubbing my head. “Yeah, that one.”

“Wow Aria! You’re so smart now!” Sonata exclaimed. “I guess all that reading is paying off huh?”

I puffed my chest out proudly until I realized what my sister had said. “Hey!”

My little sister giggled and ran behind Adagio as I tried to grab her. She poked her head around Adagio’s side and stuck her tongue at me, making me huff. After I chased her a bit Adagio reeled us in and we all shared a laugh.

With that settled, my sisters began to walk away when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I saw someone not far from where we were who caught my attention. It was a woman tall and slender. She was on her back, but she looked familiar. I could only see her long hair, which was pink, purple and yellow as well that reminded me of cotton candy. Hmm… I think I know who it is. I haven’t seen her since-

“Aria, are you coming?” Adagio woke me up from my thoughts. I glanced at her. She and Sonata were standing side to side.

“I’ll find you later. I just spotted someone I know and I want to go say hello.”

“Oh, is it one of our friends?!” Sonata excitedly asked.

“Not exactly. She used to babysit Twilight and are still friends.”

“Okay, then.” My older sister smiled. “We’ll be around here. Call us if you don’t see us.”

“I will.” I said as I waved at them before turning around and walking towards Cadence. I think that was her name. When I was near her, I took a deep breath and then continued until I was next to her. I took a look at the sea shells she was looking at. I needed to get the courage to speak. I’m not sure if she will want to speak with me after hurting her students to protect my then friend. Huh… even back then, when I still didn’t know what to think of Twilight, I was protective of her. Watching her being pushed around brought back some bad memories of when I was in a similar situation. In the end, both Cadence and I want to look after Twilight. I think she won’t be mad to see me.

With my newfound courage, I cleared my throat to catch Cadence’s attention. The woman turned her head and widened her eyes when she saw me. I offered her an awkward smile.

“Aria Blaze…?” Cadence glanced back surprised to see me.

“You remember me.” I said while scratching the back of my head.

“Of course.” She smiled a little. “Twilight talks to me about you all the time and shows me photos. I could never forget about the girl who makes her so happy.”

I blushed at her words. Suddenly I was feeling hot and unable to form words. “I-Uh-y-yeah...” I didn’t think I could still feel this flustered.

Cadence giggled softly. “Oops, sorry.”

“No, no. It’s fine.” I managed to say before clearing my throat again. “I’m glad she has been talking about me with you. I know that I went too far on Twilight’s bullies the day you and I met, so it’s a relief that you know more about me.”

“You might have overdone it, but no one got seriously injured. They just got spooked.”

“They should be thankful.” I sighed. “They picked on Twilight again in one of our dates.”

“They did?” Cadence blinked, surprised. “Twilight didn’t say anything to me.”

“Maybe she just wanted to forget about it.” I groaned. “I hate them. I hope we don’t meet again, because I could break some bones the next time.”

“Please don’t, I think they got the message.” Cadence said before focusing on the sea shells again, with her hands on her back. “I’m happy that we met again.”

“Really?”

Cadence nodded and smiled at me. “I can personally thank you for keeping your word and looking after Twilight. That poor girl deserves to be happy.”

“She’s very happy.” I smiled back. “But I can’t take all the credit. She has many friends, a good family, an adorable dog and she has you.”

The woman grinned. “That’s true. We all play a part in Twilight’s happiness.” I nodded, but then I lost my smile and sighed. “Something’s wrong?”

“Yeah… I didn’t come to the aquarium just to have fun. I needed to distract myself from bad job interviews.”

“Job interviews?” Cadence widened her eyes in surprise.” Twilight didn’t tell me you were looking for a job.”

“It’s because I haven’t told her. I want it to be a surprise.” I crossed my arms. “But so far, I haven’t been called back.”

“I know how that is.” Cadence sighed. “Unless you know somebody, finding your first job is not an easy task.”

“Tell me about it...” I looked away from her, too upset to make eye contact with her. There were a few moments of silence until Cadence spoke again.

“But… you might be in luck.”

“What?” I glanced at the woman. She was writing something on a piece of paper.

“I have a friend who will be hiring soon. She's looking for an unpaid assistant, but you'll get experience." Cadence said as she gave me the piece of paper with a smile. It had a phone number. "The job is-"

I couldn’t contain my smile nor myself. I abruptly took the piece of paper, interrupting Cadence. “Thank you so much!”

“Okay..." The woman blinked, surprise, but then cleared her throat to compose herself. "Call them on the first days of June and tell them I gave you their number. I can’t guarantee that you’ll get the job, but I’ll give you a good reference. If you don’t get it, I can still help you find something else.”

“I really appreciate it, miss! Umm… lady? Ma’am?”

Cadence chuckled. “Just Cadence is fine.”

“Okay then, Cadence.” I put the piece of paper in my pocket before looking around. I could spot Adagio and Sonata leaving the room. Never had I been so glad my sister's orange poofy hair stood out. “I have to go. I need to return with my sisters.”

“I understand. It was nice seeing you again in person.”

“Likewise.” I waved at her as I walked away. “Bye!” Cadence waved at me and I turned around. As I headed towards I saw my sisters leave, I took my cell phone out. I was in such a great mood, that I felt like sending a message to my girlfriend.

‘Hi, Sparks. I just wanted to remind you how beautiful you are. I can’t wait to see you again to give you a big hug.’

I placed my phone back in my pocket before looking in front of me. I saw Adagio and Sonata on the other side of the corridor so I walked faster to catch up. When I reached them, I jumped at them, placing my arms around their shoulders.

“You thought you could leave me behind?” I said while smirking at them.

Sonata giggled. “Of course not! We’re going to see the sea turtles.”

“You seem to be in a good mood, Aria.” Adagio commented, smiling. “You had a good conversation with your acquaintance?”

“I definitely did, and she’s not an acquaintance, she’s a friend.” I said, smiling back. “She gave me good news! I’ll tell you later. I want to see the rest of this aquarium first.”

“Very well.” It was all my older sister could say since we arrived at a new room and Sonata was already running towards the nearest tanks. “Sonata, what did I tell you about running?!” Adagio walked towards Sonata, leaving me behind. Just then, I received a new message. I stood still and opened it. As expected, it was from Twilight. I chuckled when I read her reply.

‘You almost made me drop my phone! Thank you for your kind words, Aria. I can’t wait to see you either. We haven’t really seen each other since your release, which reminds me, this Saturday Sunset and Trixie will come to my home to read Young Sorceress Academia. Do you still want to join us?’

I smiled widely as I replied.

‘Of course I’ll be there. Should I bring something? Snacks? Drinks?’

Without putting my phone away, I walked towards one of the tanks to see the sea turtles until my girlfriend replied.

‘Don’t worry, I have it covered. Just make sure to bring your beautiful face ;)’

I blushed.

‘Don’t worry, my face will be there. I have to go now. See you on Saturday!’

Twilight didn’t take long to reply.

'Okay, see you! xoxo'

I chuckled. She’s so adorable. She always makes me feel like my heart is going to explode. Sometimes I still can’t believe how lucky I am for having such a cute girlfriend by my side. Twilight’s so understanding, so patient and trustworthy. I can’t wait for the day I get a paid job. I’m so going to spoil her.

I put my phone away and joined my sisters. Sonata had her eyes fixed on the turtles, so I made eye contact with Adagio. My older sister smiled at me and I returned it. The day might have started rough, but now it’s much better. I miss Twilight. I have been focused on trying to find a job. But after calling Cadence’s contact, I’m going to take a small break until after Saturday. I can’t wait to see my cub again!

Book Buddies

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Twilight’s POV

The week flew by in a flash. It started off as usual but, in the blink of an eye, Saturday was here! I found myself in my room doing the last-minute checkup with my trusty checklist while Spike slept on my bed. I ran through my checklist, marking things as I went along, making sure nothing was left undone. “Let’s see…” I mumbled to myself quietly. “All four cushions are on the floor for us to sit, my book is on my desk. The snacks…”

“Twily, honey, could you open the door please?” That was my mom’s voice. “My hands are full.”

“Coming!” I smiled as I walked towards the door and opened it. I took care not to disturb Spike. My mother was holding a tray with snacks and drinks. Just in time! I “Thank you, mom! You really are the best!” I said as I took the tray from my mom and kissed my mom's cheek.

My mother smiled. “You’re welcome dear. Leave the door open. I’ll bring the second tray in a few.”

“I will.” Just as I placed the snacks on my desk, someone rang the bell.

“Those might be my first guests!” Excited, I ran downstairs, passing my mom on the way, who chuckled softly. Once by the door, I composed myself and opened the door. Standing there were Sunset and Trixie, both holding their copies of the book in their hands. Sunset and Trixie were wearing matching tops with the main characters on them. I was so excited and thought about showing off my new t-shirt as well as I greeted my friends.

“Hey, Twi.” Sunset greeted me, smiling.

“Good afternoon, Twilight.” Trixie smiled as well.

“Hi girls!” I said as I hugged them both. “I was just finishing preparing my room. Come on in!”

“Thanks.” Sunset said as she and Trixie walked in. “Where’s Spike? He would normally be here by now.”

“He’s sleeping on my bed. We’ve been very active the past few days and the poor thing felt very tired.” I said as I closed the door.

“Aww, how cute~!” Sunset commented, smiling.

“Let’s go upstairs while we wait for Aria.” My friends followed me, waving at my parents when they saw them.

“So, Aria Blaze is really coming?” Trixie inquired cautiously. “She’s fine with us?”

“She is.” I said, smiling at Trixie. “Ever since she got released to the hospital she has been behaving differently. I saw her being so nice to Sonata I asked her if she wanted to join us. She agreed to join us after giving it some thought.”

“That’s cool.” Sunset said genuinely smiling. “It will be nice to see her under better circumstances for once.”

“And a better mood.” The magician said with a roll of her eyes before sighing. “I’m here to have a good time, not to argue.”

“I promise, she’s trying to change.” I said without losing my smile.

When we walked into my room, Spike raised his head, and gave a slow sleepy greeting to my friends. “Oh, Hello...” He said to Sunset and Trixie, but then he yawned. It’s impossible not to love this cutie!

“Oh, Spike...” I picked him up and put him on my lap as I sat on the cushion on the floor so he could keep sleeping, while I gently petted him and kissed his forehead. When I looked to my friends they looked as if they were about to squeal. I blushed, feeling a little embarrassed, but I couldn’t blame them.

“So, Twilight-” Sunset spoke as she sat down alongside Trixie. “We haven’t hung out all week. Everything okay?”

“Hmm?” I tilted my head before replying. “Oh! Yes, everything’s fine.” I smiled again. “I’ve been working on something new in my lab and I’m making good progress on it. I’ve been feeling inspired to work lately.”

“Are you working on something interesting?” Trixie asked placing her book next to her on the floor.

I nodded. “There’s already stores where they convert VHS movies into DVDs, so I thought about doing it in reverse to convert some of my movies and gift them to Aria.”

“Aww, that’s cute.” Sunset commented with a giggle. “But kinda nerdy too.”

“Thanks.” I looked at the equestrian girl. “I’m still not sure which movie to give her first. I have seen her collection, but I still don't have a clue. It's okay, though. I estimate that my new invention will not be ready until a few more weeks, so I still have time to think.”

“If I may give you a suggestion-” Sunset said as she raised her hand. “Do NOT give her the Wraithbusters reboot. That franchise already has a worthy follow-up and it’s in the form of a videogame, which I have already played and enjoyed. I would recommend it to Aria if she was into gaming.”

I chuckled. “Don’t worry, I learned my lesson. But Aria went to the arcade with Sonata, Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack around two weeks ago. She might enjoy video games, but she can’t afford them.”

“Wait...” Sunset pointed at me with her finger. “The girls went to the arcade… without me?! Ouch!” Trixie slapped the fiery girl on the back of her head.

“Sunset!” Trixie exclaimed in whispers. “You’ll wake Spike up. Be quiet, you dolt!”

“S-Sorry...” Sunset said as she rubbed the area she got slapped.

“We already had plans, Sunset.” I said. “You asked me to help you buy Trixie a gift that day.”

“Right, the day we bought the bird in the cage illusion trick.” The equestrian girl said with a smile.

“I’m still practicing with it but I love it.” Trixie said before kissing her girlfriend’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“All the affection of that kiss was lost when you hit me, love.” Sunset said as she looked away, pretending to be hurt. Trixie groaned and made Sunset look at her just to poke her forehead. “Ow! Hey!”

Sunset reeled back, covering the spot Trixie poked grumbling fiercely. I giggled and then there was a knocking on the door. I figured it must be my mom. “It’s probably the rest of the snacks. Could one of you open the door? My hands are occupied at the moment.” I said as I gently petted Spike.

“I’ll get it.” The magician said before standing up. She accommodated her dress and walked towards the door to open it.

“Thank you.” My mother smiled at Trixie before glancing at Sunset. “Hello, girls! Don’t mind me. I’m just going to leave this tray here and I’ll be on my way.”

“Hi!” Sunset waved at my mom, grinning. “It’s good to see you again miss Velvet.”

“The feeling is mutual.” Just as my mother put the tray on the floor, the doorbell rang. I smiled widely, knowing that it’s most likely Aria.

“That must be our last member!” I happily said as I stood up and ran towards Trixie to pass Spike to her. “Could you please hold him? Thanks!”

“S-Sure!” Trixie was surprised, but she carefully took Spike, allowing me to rush downstairs. Once at the door, I made myself presentable and opened the door. I barely had the chance to register Aria when she rushed towards me, embracing me tightly, lifting me into the air and almost making me drop my glasses. I was taken by surprise.

“I told you that I was dying to give you a big hug.” My girlfriend said as she gently rubbed my back. “I really missed you these past weeks.”

I blushed deeply, but I eventually embraced her back.

“I missed you too.” I whispered into her ear before burying my face into her shoulder. We hugged tightly for several seconds before Aria put my feet back on the ground. We stared at each other’s eyes for a few moments until I wrapped my arms around her neck and pulled her towards my lips to kiss her passionately. Aria moaned softly into the kiss, which made me smile.

I pulled away from the kiss after a short while just to half open my eyes and look at my girlfriend. Aria did the same and smiled. With our loving gazes locked, I attacked her with a series of short kisses. I missed her eyes, I missed her beautiful face, her lips, her hair… everything. My heart is pounding so hard that it almost hurts my chest. With each kiss I felt my body heating up more and more. I just had to make up for the lost time.

When I felt satisfied with the shower of kisses, I rested the side of my head on her chest where I could feel her heartbeat and hugged her again. Aria held me close to her and kissed the top of my head. I can’t begin to describe my happiness. I wanted to remain in Aria’s arms for a long while, but…

I heard someone clearing their throat. I opened my eyes shut and me and Aria slowly turned around to find my mother, looking at us with her arms crossed and smirking. “Sorry to interrupt, but you two are ‘catching up’ in the middle of the house, so...”

“M-Mom!” Completely turning red of embarrassment, I hid my face behind my hands as Aria placed a hand on my shoulder and cleared her throat.

“S-Sorry about that.” My girlfriend said.

“Oh, don’t worry.” My mom said in a casual way. “I was once a teenager too. Once my father walked into my room while Night Light and I were-”

“WE’RE GOING TO MY ROOM, RIGHT NOW!” I said as I focused my eyes on the floor and took Aria’s hand to lead her upstairs. I really didn’t want to hear the end of that sentence.

“Making out, dear! We weren’t that wild!” Aaaaaah! I can’t believe she finished it anyway!

I didn’t look at Aria at all as we walked towards my room so I didn’t know if she was smirking or not. However, she didn’t make any comments to my mother, so she must know that I didn’t want to be teased about what just happened, which helped me to relax a little. When we reached my door, I smiled at my girlfriend. She smiled back, but before we could say anything, we heard Sunset and Trixie arguing on the other side of the door.

“No, you can’t hold Spike. You’ll wake him up! Besides, Twilight left Trixie in charge!”

“I’ll wake him up?! I’m not the one screaming!” Sunset said.

“Trixie’s not screaming. She’s just raising her voice to make a point.”

“... That’s screaming.”

“It’s not!”

“It is!”

“It’s not!”

“It is!”

“I think we better go in now before they do wake Spike up.” I said while trying not to laugh. Aria nodded and I opened the door. Sunset and Trixie stopped arguing the moment they saw us walking in. Spike was still sleeping on Trixie’s lap while Sunset had a hand on my pet’s back.

“Twilight, Aria. Hi!” The fiery girl greeted us as she clasped her hands together.

“Hey. What took you so long?” Trixie’s question made me blush deeply. Fortunately, Sunset took action instantly. She slapped Trixie’s arm. “Hey! What gives?!” The magician said as she rubbed the arm Sunset slapped.

“We’re dating. You know what might have made them take their time.”

Sunset hissed at her girlfriend.

“What do you-? Oh...” Trixie blushed and looked at me. “Sorry. Forget that I asked.” I smiled at her and nodded.

Aria opened her mouth to speak, but she hesitated. At first I thought she was going to say something harsh or rude, but she stopped. That made me sigh in relief. She always had a more difficult time speaking with Sunset and Trixie. “So… have you started without me?”

“No. We were waiting for you.” Sunset replied, smiling.

“Oh...” Aria scratched the back of her head looking a bit annoyed. “I’m… Sorry if I made you wait.”

“You didn’t. We actually arrived not too long ago. You’re right on time.” Trixie said slowly.

“Okay then, cool...” My girlfriend smiled a little and crossed her arms.

An awkward silence followed. It seems like Aria isn’t sure of what to say or do, so I intervened.

“Since we’re all here, let’s start with the session, shall we?” I said as I sat down. Aria followed my lead and sat next to me. “Which chapter are you two at?”

“I got to the Andeddo Kikō chapter.” Sunset said as she opened her book. “The one where Hikari and friends-”

Suddenly Trixie waved her arms with a loud yelp that made us jump except Aria.

“Shh! No spoilers!” Trixie glared at her girlfriend. “Trixie hasn’t reached that part yet. I’m in the one before that, Sleeping Zenaida. I’m four pages away from finishing it.”

“Go ahead and finish it, then.” Sunset spoke again. “We’ll wait.”

“Are you sure? I’m not a fast reader.” Trixie said.

“It’s our book club, Trixie. We’re here to read.” I said. “It just so happens that Aria and I already finished the book. We don’t mind if you or Sunset need to read. Right, Aria?” I said the last while glancing at my girlfriend, who shrugged.

I then winked at her and she blushed, looking away and scratching her neck.

“Sure, we don’t mind.” Aria said. “As long as I have snacks, I won’t complain.” I giggled as Sunset pushed one of the trays with snacks closer to Aria. That was my girlfriend, alright. Aria smiled a little. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” My friend replied while Aria took an Orion cookie. Before starting to read, Trixie stood up to carefully place Spike on my bed before returning to her spot and taking her book.

We remained silent to allow Trixie to finish reading her chapter. At one point, the magician looked up from her book and spoke.

“You can still talk if you want.”

“No, it’s fine. We don’t want to disturb you.” I said, smiling. I heard Aria chuckle and I glanced at her. “What?”

“I just remembered our first book session at the park shortly after meeting. You wouldn’t stop bombarding me with questions.”

I blushed lightly, embarrassed. “Maybe I was a little curious...”

“A little?” Aria snorted. I remember that day fondly when I almost spoiled a later chapter which Aria had still to read and she wasn't happy about it. Discussing our thoughts of the chapter after she finished reading was a happy memory I'll treassure forever.

With a sigh I shrugged. “Okay, I was very curious. I was excited to meet another equestrian and I was also happy to meet someone with similar interests as me. I just wanted to be your friend.”

My girlfriend lost her smirk. She looked sad for a moment. “And I just wanted to get rid of you. I actually planned on ditching you and never showing up, but Adagio blackmailed me go.” Aria sighed before smiling at me. “Funny how things work out, huh?”

I felt my heart sink when I heard Aria’s original plans, but then I remembered about how she told me that she used to be evil. That’s just it… she used to be, past tense. I didn’t fall for the girl who insulted me. I fell for the one who’s willing to defend me. I fell for the girl who learned to smile with me, who learnt to trust me. Aria worked hard for our friendship and now relationship and I love her for that… wait… did I just… did I…?!

Suddenly, my thoughts shifted to focus on the future. I imagined myself waking up while snuggled against Aria in bed together. I saw myself going to college, going to work and Aria waiting for me when I returned home, maybe with dinner ready or just hugging me as soon as I walked in. I could imagine us talking about our days after a long day and maybe even form a family one day… Aria, me, and a young one...

I felt my face heating up. I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I glanced at my girlfriend who was now looking at me with concern. I suddenly realized I I was silent for too long! My other friends were also looking at me! What do I do?!

“Sparks, are you okay?” Aria said before scooting closer to me. I took a deep breath to slow my thoughts down and managed to smile.

“Yes, Aria.” I said before laying my head on her shoulder. “I’m feeling wonderful.” I felt Aria’s arm around my waist as she leaned against me as well. Yes… I want that future. I want to build a life with the girl I love. I just… need… to… tell her!

Sunset watched the scene and smiled at me while Trixie returned to reading.

I snuggled against my girlfriend until Trixie closed her book.

“Well, that was a fun chapter.” The magician said with a smile. “The inside of Zenaida's mind was cool.”

“It was!” I said, pulling away from Aria to sit properly. Aria sighed sadly when I stopped snuggling her, so I offered her my hand, which she happily took. “I really loved how the author described it. It really felt like I was there with ‘Kari.”

“Me too!” Sunset joined in. “The mushrooms, the tower with infinite doors and the two tiny devils following ‘Kari around. They were all wonderful! The author even included a beloved enemy from a popular video game franchise!”

“Wait, really?” I asked, surprised. Sunset nodded.

“The executioner with a pyramid for a head, decapitating all the ‘bad’ Zenaidas. I literally squealed when I got the reference!”

“The spell Johanna used to send Hikari into Zenaida's mind was interesting too. Just hitting her with a magical bat.”

“Yeah.” Sunset said before chuckling. “That was funny.”

“Isn’t anyone going to talk about the big thing that almost happened?!” Aria suddenly said, catching our attention.

“What are you talking about, Aria?” I asked. My girlfriend looked at me, looking shocked.

“Not even you, cub? I thought you, out of the four of us, would bring it up.”

“Bring what up?” Sunset asked. Aria glanced at the equestrian girl.

“The fact that ‘Kari was going to kiss Zenaida on the lips to wake her up… twice!”

“Oh, that?” Sunset smiled. “I don’t think it was big. ‘Kari was going to do it because she knew that’s how princes’ normally wake their princesses’ up. It was just her innocent thinking.”

“Innocent, yes, but she was still willing to.”

“Too bad it didn’t happen.” Trixie said while playing with her index fingers. “I ship it.”

“Really?” I said, smirking at my magician friend. “That’s too bad. I ship ‘Kari with Iris. They’re just perfect for each other.”

“Nah, you’re wrong.” Aria said, smirking as well. “The best pair is obviously ‘Kari with Roxanne. They make a good team getting into trouble together.”

I gasped over dramatically, covering my mouth with both of my hands. “I don’t believe it! Betrayed by my own girlfriend!”

“Sorry, Sparks.” Aria shrugged and smiled. “Looks like you’ll be ‘sailing’ on your own this time.”

“Umm… what about ‘Kari and Keith?” Sunset asked, only to regret it when Trixie, Aria and I all glared at her.

“Don’t even joke about that!” I said.

“He’s just a snobby idiot!” My girlfriend gritted her teeth as she spoke.

“He’s just there to be the unwanted and unnecessary love interest.” Trixie said. “In the, thankfully, few appearances he had, he did nothing relevant whatsoever. He’s not even cute!”

Sunset backed away a little, holding her arms up. “Okay, okay, I got it! I just asked because the author is hinting something. What if it happens?”

I focused my eyes on my book and sighed. “I hope nothing happens. With any of them, I mean. As much fun as I have imagining ‘Kari dating Iris, the story is about friendship and magic. Adding romance into the mix would just ruin it. With luck, all of the main characters will be single by the end of the second and last book.”

“Wait, second and last?!” Trixie widened her eyes as she hugged her book. “A-Are you sure? Is it confirmed?!”

“Yes.” I said, nodding. “The author said that she always planned it this way. I was sad at first too, but as long as it’s good, I’m happy. This book hasn’t disappointed me with the story nor the characters.” I was smiling but then sighed sadly. “I’ll really miss them when it’s over, though.”

“Me too.” Aria said as she crossed her arms. “I have a soft spot for this book. I met Twilight thanks to it, after all.” She said the last with a smirk, making me giggle and my heart skip a beat. Gosh, I love her!

“I agree. Some things are better if they’re short and nice.” Sunset said. “Just look at the outrage that caused the poor finale of Game of Thorns T.V. show.”

“I suppose that’s true...” Trixie said as she ran a finger on her book. “I wouldn’t mind a third book, though. I can accept trilogies, but only two feels… odd.”

“Don’t worry, Trixie. We’ll find another book to read.” The fiery girl said as she placed an arm around her girlfriend to pull her closer. Trixie hugged her book again, but leaned against Sunset for comfort. Watching them brought a warm feeling to my heart. I glanced at Aria, only to discover that she was already looking at me. I scooted closer to her and placed a soft peck on her lips before resting my head on her shoulder. Aria placed an arm around me and we continued to talk about the book. I think that it’s safe to say that this book session has been a success.

“Goodbye, thank you for coming!” I waved at my friends from my doorstep as they walked towards the car Trixie’s mother came to pick them up with.

“Bye Twilight! Bye Aria!” Sunset said as she and Trixie waved back. Trixie’s mom waved too before driving away. After the car was gone, I felt a familiar hand taking mine. I turned my head around to find Aria smiling at me.

“So… I’m not feeling like going home yet...” She said as she stroked my hair with her free hand.

“What’s on your mind?” I said, half closing my eyes.

“Nothing big. I was thinking of going to Greystone Park. It has been a while since we went there.”

“Hmm, I think you’re right.” I said in a soft tone before giving Aria another soft peck on her lips. “Wait here. I need a bathroom break first.”

“Sure thing.” My girlfriend said before releasing my hand.

After visiting the bathroom and making sure that Spike had food and water and also kissing his forehead on his sleep, I headed back downstairs to return with Aria. I passed through the living room to let my parents know.

“I’m going to the park with Aria.” I said as I tied up my ponytail.

“Okay, honey.” My mom replied.

“You two have fun.” My dad said.

“We will. Thanks.” I said as I gave my mom a quick hug and my father a kiss on his cheek. I waved at them as I walked away. When I returned outside, I saw Aria sitting on the stairs while staring at her cell phone’s screen.

“I’m back.” I announced myself before it started to feel like I was spying on her. My girlfriend turned her head around and looked up to smile at me before standing up and putting her phone away.

“Hey. I was just letting Adagio know about our plans.” Aria said before offering her arm. I accepted it, placing mine around hers.

“What a gentlewoman.” I said, gazing directly into her eyes.

My girlfriend blushed and looked away. “Adagio made me practice a little.”

I giggled and kissed her cheek. I really should thank Adagio some time for that. Aria widened her eyes and looked at me before smiling.

We started to walk towards the park. Aria kept her eyes focused forward, but I noticed that she was wearing a big smile. I was so happy to see her in a good mood and we had such a good time with Trixie and Sunset which in turn made me happy.

“You’re in such a good mood, Aria. My friends didn’t annoy you too much?”

Aria glanced at me. “No, I actually had a good time. But I’m happy for something else.”

“Oh?” I was curious. “What’s the reason?”

Aria’s smile became wider. “I haven’t seen you for two weeks, cub. Why else?”

“Aww...” I blushed deeply and snuggled my head against her arm. “It has really been too long.”

And it was indeed. After our last visit to ‘Sweet Enchantments’ together, Aria started to say that she was busy whenever I tried to ask her out. We only texted and called each other on the phone since. I didn’t want to be a persistent girlfriend, so I never asked what she was doing every single time and I still won’t. If it’s important, she’ll tell me eventually. I trust her. Instead, I’ll focus on today. “You hesitated a bit when talking to Sunset and Trixie, but eventually got comfortable around them.”

“Yeah...” My girlfriend focused her eyes forward again. “I still felt a little odd around them, but I’m okay. I’ll get used to it one day.”

“I’m really proud of you.” I said, making Aria glance at me, looking surprised. “You came a long way since we first met and I couldn’t be happier.”

Aria smirked. “I’m proud of me too. Who would have thought that this dumb siren would one day get a girlfriend and friends? I didn’t.”

I frowned sadly. “You’re not dumb, Aria.”

“Not anymore.” My girlfriend smiled. “Thanks to you, my sisters and even Sunset Shimmer and company. I’m a better siren for all of you.”

I snuggled my head against her arm again as we kept walking. It didn’t take us long to reach the park, where Aria released my arm to take my hand instead. We explored the park a little, watching families and friends playing. I think I even spotted Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle on the other side of the park. They were with two more friends, one of which I could see was wearing a tiara. I wonder if it’s legit.

Looking to another part of the park I could distinguish some of my classmates, including Lyra and Bon Bon, who were being adorably cute, as usual. Eventually, I turned to Aria again, who was happily looking around the park as well. She’s so beautiful… I remembered my realization of earlier today. I want to tell her my true feelings. I think now is the perfect time… why am I suddenly nervous?!

It should be easy. I know Aria will love me back. She seems as happy as I am. The way she hugged me today as soon as she saw me and how we kissed… she really missed me as much as I did… but the words just refuse to come out!

They’re just three little words… words that will change our lives forever!

I abruptly moved my gaze from Aria, blushing like I never did before. My heartbeat rate also increased considerably. I squeezed my girlfriend’s hand to try to calm down but it didn’t do much. I haven’t felt such anxiety since the first time we met here. It really took me back thinking about that fateful day we met and our meeting here at the park where we made our first real connection. I remember Aria telling me she was not a nice person, and I know that was true, but not anymore. She had changed, so have I. I came a long way since I used to spend all my time in my lab with only Spike at my side, my research and my inventions. I couldn’t see my life without my friends and Aria at my side anymore. Now I was ready, ready to tell her how I felt deep deep down, and take that next big step for us.

I took deep breaths. It took me some time, but I eventually calmed down enough to form words in my mouth.

“A-Aria...”

“Hmm, yes?” Aria smiled at me, but she quickly got worried when she saw how uneasy I was acting. “Something’s wrong?”

I quickly shook my head. “N-No. I just want to tell you something.”

“I’m all ears.” My girlfriend turned around to fully face me.

After taking one last deep breath, I spoke again. “Aria, dating you has made me so happy. I really enjoy spending time with you. The museum, the café, the dinner we had with my family a couple of weeks ago, minus the abrupt end… everything made me happy.” I smiled widely, already feeling tears forming in my eyes. Aria looked odd, though. She didn’t look confused, but rather… shocked? I continued. “I want to tell you something, Aria. Something huge. I… I-” Here it goes! Come on, Twilight. Say it! Say it!

“I love you!” Those words didn’t come from my mouth. My jaw dropped, completely taken aback. All of the sudden, Aria had her hands on my arms while her breathing increased. Sh-She loves me…? She loves me! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Wait, was she scared?

“A-Aria?” I was confused. I could see Aria’s eyes wet, but something told me that they weren’t happy tears.

“I-I love you, Twilight! Please, don’t break up with me! Whatever I did, I can change, I swear!”

WHAT?! From when did that come from?! The sudden change of events left my mind blank. Aria grabbed my shoulders taking firm hold of them and held me close to her. I shook my head to try to make it some sense before speaking. “Break up? Why would I do that?”

“You were talking about all the good time we were having. In some of Adagio’s dumb romance movies, a character spoke like that before saying that they weren’t having fun anymore and ended the relationship.”

I widened my eyes in realization, and then, I started to laugh. Aria must be so confused right now, but I couldn’t help it.

“T-Twilight…?” My girlfriend took a step closer to me and I placed a hand on her shoulder as my laughter started to die.

“A-Aria...” I used a finger to clear what was left of my tears. “I’m not going to break up with you. I’m actually enjoying our dates.”

“Really?” My girlfriend blinked confusedly. “Then… what was that sudden speech about?” Despite her shaken voice I saw her visibly relax a bit.

I smiled and took both of Aria’s hands, gazing deeply into her eyes. “I was going to say that I love you, before you beat me to it.”

“Oooooh...” Aria frowned sadly and looked away. “Then I’m still dumb… wait-” She quickly met my eyes again. “You love me back, then?”

I nodded. “Of course I love you too.”

“Twilight...” Aria cleaned what was left of her tears before taking my hands again and leaning towards me for a passionate kiss. Despite this clearly not being our first time, it felt special. This kiss marked a new beginning and I couldn’t be happier for it.

A Date with the Stars

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Aria’s POV

The time flew. Days became weeks and weeks became months. Before I knew it, June arrived. Twilight’s school was about to close for the Summer, and I was feeling optimistic. Just a week ago, I went to the job interview Cadence got me, and for once, I feel like I made a good impression. I didn’t feel awkward, I could answer all of the questions properly and when the interview was finished, they smiled genuinely when they shook my hand. Even if they don’t call me back, I think my mood won’t be ruined.

This good mood will be useful today. I’m about to go on a date with my beautiful girlfriend and I’ll need all the smiles I can get. I looked over at Cynthia and approached her to pet her head a little as if it were a real dog. I wonder what it would be like to have a wolf as a pet?

“Watch over my room while I’m gone, yes?” I kissed her forehead, imagining that I was kissing Twilight, as usual, before finishing getting ready.

Just after I got dressed, there was a knocking on my door. “Come in!” I said before turning around towards the door. Since Sonata was at work, it could only be Adagio. She walked in, gasping when she saw me. I noticed that she was carrying Ham Ham. She put a hand on her chin and nodded approvingly as she took a closer look at me.

“You’re looking good, my dear sister. Very good.” she said looking me over. “Special occasion?”

“Not really, I just wanted to look presentable today.” I said. “Besides, on where we’re going today, I can’t wear the usual.”

“Oh?” My sister smirked. “Look at you, worrying about your outfit being out of place. My good taste is finally rubbing into you.”

I let out a snort giving my sister a scowl. “Don’t get your hopes up, Adagio. It’s just because of where we’re going. I’m not going to care how I look every day.”

Adagio sighed. “Oh, well. It’s still a small victory at least.” My sister put the hamster on her shoulder before crossing her arms. “Where are you taking her?”

I smirked as I wagged my finger. “I’m not taking her anywhere. She’s taking me to grab a bite and then we’re going somewhere which, according to her, is quite romantic, so I thought I could look more appealing.”

“Well, doesn’t that sound lovely?” Adagio smiled. “She’s picking you up, then?”

“She is. In around ten minutes.” I said as I walked out of my room to sit on the couch and turned on the T.V. to start killing time.

My sister joined me a few minutes later, with her sketchbook in hand. Ham Ham jumped from Adagio’s lap to mine. I picked up the little furball and started petting him as I peeked out of curiosity. She had crossed out all of the designs from the page she was currently drawing on. She was uninspired. “Still out of ideas?” I asked.

My sister groaned loudly. “Yes… it has been a week and I can’t come up with anything! I’m losing my patience!” She said the last as she crossed out yet another of her designs and turned the page of her sketchbook, furiously scribbling in it.

“Have you told Rarity about this? Maybe she was uninspired at one point too and could give you advice.” I said.

“I have told her, yes.” Adagio put her pencil down and looked at me. “She said that a change of scenery sometimes helps, but I’m not sure where to go since I have no idea what I want to design next. Should I do pants? A skirt? How about a skort? Not just that, I need to choose colors, a pattern… ugh! My mind is completely blank. I hate it!” Adagio threw her arms into the air before starting to massage her forehead. I placed a hand on her shoulder to catch her attention. When she looked at me, I smiled a little.

“Summer is a week away. Isn’t there anything Summer themed you could do?”

“I-I suppose...” My sister sighed. “I could go to the beach and see if inspiration hits me.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I smiled at my sister before turning to the T.V., only to look back at my sister a moment later. “Wait, what’s a skort?”

“It’s a mix of a skirt and shorts. Quite comfy, actually. Shall I get you one?” Adagio replied with a smirk. Meanwhile, I felt like throwing up.

“It wasn’t enough to have them separated and now you’re telling me that a combination of the two exists?! Hard pass.”

My sister shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

I laid back on the couch and kept watching T.V. until there was a knock on the door. I grinned, knowing that it was Twilight. “I’ll get it.” I said as I passed Ham Ham to Adagio. I opened the door and crossed my arms, smirking at my beautiful girlfriend on the other side. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Twilight smiled and walked in, placing her arms around my neck and closing her eyes to give me a sweet kiss. I gladly returned the gesture, but when I saw her eyes up close I noticed that, for some reason, they were somewhat red with heavy bags under them.

“What happened to your eyes?” I asked, concerned. “You look tired.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight said, blinking confusedly.

“Your eyes, they’re red.” I rubbed her cheeks.

“Oh...” My girlfriend stepped away and removed her glasses for a moment to rub her eyes with her arm. “I just had a nightmare last night and couldn’t sleep well. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure?” I tried to reach for her face, but Twilight backed away more.

“Yes, I’m sure.” Twilight put her glasses back on again and gave me an awkward smile. “Really, I’m fine.”

I wasn’t convinced, and I even felt a little hurt, but I didn’t want to keep pushing her. She was clearly uncomfortable talking about it, and I trust her. I know she’ll tell me eventually. I chose to give her space for now. Sighing, I placed my hands in my pockets. “Okay, umm… shall we go?”

My girlfriend nodded and smiled more genuinely helping to raise my spirits. “Yes. I just want to go say hi to everyone real quick.” She headed into the living room with me right behind her.

Twilight saw my older sister sitting on the couch with Sonata’s pet hamster on her lap. She was cradling him in her hands using one index finger to rub little circles on his fuzzy head. The little hamster lived getting his head rubbed and rolled over to get his side rubbed when Adagio saw us enter.

“Hello, Twilight! How are you?” My sister stood to hug my girlfriend.

I felt a twinge of jealousy when that happened. When they broke apart my sister patted Twilight’s shoulder. “Make sure that Aria is back by dinner.”

Twilight giggled. “Don’t worry, I will. Oh, hi, Ham Ham!” My girlfriend leaned against the couch to pet Sonata’s hamster. “Are you having fun with your aunties?”

“Sonata’s at work, so we thought that we should give some company to the little guy.” I said as I crossed my arms.

“That’s a cute idea.” Twilight smiled at me before giving Ham Ham a kiss. “Okay, we have to get going.” My girlfriend walked back towards me. “Bye, Adagio! Bye, Ham Ham!”

“Have fun you two!” My sister waved at us as we walked out. Once outside, I took Twilight’s hand. Thankfully she didn’t pull away like she did earlier and that put my mind at ease that I wasn’t the cause of her discomfort when she first got here. My girlfriend looked at me and gave me a small smile. Only now I noticed that she was wearing the same outfit as when she invited me to her home to eat pasta, including a purse which matched. I smirked. Rarity’s doing, surely.

“So, cub… what’s the plan?”

“First, we’re getting something sweet.”

My eyes widened in joy and I spoke excitedly. “‘Sweet Enchantments?!’”

Twilight giggled softly. “Not today. This time I’m taking you somewhere I have been wanting to go for a while now.” She said before glancing at me. “We’re going to where my friends and I hang out almost all the time. ‘Sugarcube Corner.’”

“Oh?” I blinked, feeling a little confused. “I suppose we can. A change can’t hurt.”

Twilight smiled. “I still love ‘Sweet Enchantments’, but I met ‘Sugarcube Corner’ first and I get along with the owners Mr. and Mrs. Cake. Plus, Pinkie will be working there today.”

“Really?” I frowned. “Won’t she interrupt our date like the previous times?”

My girlfriend shook her head. “No, don’t worry. When she’s working she’s able to focus on her job.”

“Oh, like Sonata?” I asked. Twilight nodded. I then shrugged and smiled. “Then I guess we can give it a try. At least this time we know we’ll come across her.”

Twilight giggled again and put her arms around mine. “True.” We locked eyes and she grinned. “I promise, you’re going to love it there. Lúcio bakes delicious pastries, but Pinkie bakes the best cupcakes in town.”

“Yeah, I remember their taste.” I smirked. “You don’t need to keep convincing me, Sparks. If you promise me sweets, I’m on board.”

Twilight kissed my cheek before resting her head on my arm. “You’re so cute, Aria.”

She then poked my side, her finger sinking barely into me, tickling me slightly. I pulled away and she giggled. “You keep eating like that and you’ll end up getting fat.”

I chuckled. “As long as you don’t say that in front of my sisters, I agree.” As we walked, my mind was focused on just one thing… Twilight’s red eyes. This had to be something else other than simple tiredness, I had a suspicion it might be magic related, but without my powers it was hard to tell. They have me worried and Twilight completely dodged the subject no matter what I said. Though to be fair I barely pushed the subject. I really hope you’ll talk to me about whatever is bothering you, cub…

After a bit of travel we eventually came up to Sugarcube Corner at a busy intersection. It was a clever touch that the shop was on the “corner” of the street and had a corner in the name too. It might not be Sweet Enchantments, but if it has good sweets and good people running it, I’m not complaining.

We entered and the place wasn’t very busy. Twilight waved to two individuals. The first was a tall lanky man with hair stubble on his face and a kind smile. Next to him was a slightly shorter stout woman with pink swirly hair and a smile that was warm and motherly.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cake, hello!” Twilight greeted the owners.

“Hello, Twilight! Good to see you again.” The tall lanky man, who I figured was Mr. Cake, smiled at us. “I see that you brought a new face.”

“This is my girlfriend, Aria.”

The two looked over at me and smiled and I gave a very casual wave at Mr. Cake, “Hey, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” The man nodded at me.

“Aren’t you two adorable?” Mrs. Cake smiled happily at us. “Sit wherever you want. Pinkie will be with you right away.”

“Thank you.” Twilight said as she led me to a nearby table by the window.

We sat on opposite sides of the small round table. I saw that the menus were already on the table along with some wrapped up silverware. I looked around, checking the place. It doesn’t look bad, not at all. It’s located around the area I used to avoid until I met Twilight, which is why I have never been here before. The few times I was around I never came in I was just passing through. When I looked back at my girlfriend, I noticed that she pulled out a piece of paper and was writing on it with a pen.

“What are you up to, Sparks? Last minute homework?” I raised an eyebrow. “That’s not like you.”

My girlfriend giggled softly and looked at me. “No. In the last week of class before Summer vacations, I always like to write thank you letters to my teachers for all their efforts through the year.”

I smirked, thinking how nerdy that was but in a cute way. “That’s soooo you.”

Twilight smiled widely and returned to her letters and I started to study the menu. It didn’t take long for Pinkie Pie to show up.

“Hello, Twily! And you too Ari! I’m super duper happy to see you!” The pink one wore a huge grin, as usual. Did she just call me Ari? That sounds… weird.

“Hi, Pinkie!” My girlfriend greeted her friend. “I’ll have the usual.”

Pinkie Pie nodded. “Sure thing!” Twilight’s friend wrote down her order before turning to me. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask, Aria.”

“I’m good, thanks.” I said before glancing from the menu to Pinkie Pie. “I still remember your cupcakes. They were delicious.”

The waitress blushed by the compliment and nodded. “I’m glad your tummy enjoyed them!”

“I’ll have three. One filled with smooth caramel, another one with cream filling and the last one of pure chocolate. To drink… umm… ” I scanned through the menu again. “Just a latte.”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie Pie wrote down my order. “I’ll be back with your orders as soon as they’re ready!”

“Thank you, Pinkie!” Twilight said as we watched her friend skip to the other side of the counter. When I returned my attention to my girlfriend, she was focused on her letters again.

“You were right. She can focus on her job.”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah...” She said before abruptly looking at me. She seemed worried. “Wait, is it okay that I’m writing these during our date?”

“Yes. Don’t worry, I don’t mind.” I smiled at her. “It has its perk. I get to see your cute focused face.”

My girlfriend blushed and smiled back. “O-Okay, then.” She said before returning to her letters again. “I’m glad because I couldn’t get around to finish them yet.”

“I can be silent if you want.”

“Oh, no, please don’t.” Twilight looked at me and quickly reached out to take my hand. “I want to hear your voice. It will motivate me more.”

Now it was my turn to blush. I still have to get used to these public displays of affection. The feeling seems to come and go but I don’t mind too much. “W-Well, umm... ” I cleared my throat. “Our VCR got busted a few days ago. We had to get a new one. Fortunately, the video store from across the street works with an electronics shop in downtown who sells VCRs.”

“Oh! Did you happen to meet Mr. Richards?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Uh, I did, actually. He was the owner of the store. I take it you’ve already been there?”

Twilight nodded happily. “Yes, I’m a regular customer. Everything he sells is excellent quality! I always find parts and stuff I need there.”

I smiled. “I should have known.”

My girlfriend giggled cutely and focused on her letters once again. “Mr. Richards is a nice man. Sometimes I lose track of time while talking about electronics with him, and he has to remind me of an errand or experiment I had in the making.”

I chuckled. that's my cub. “Now I’m imagining a group of customers complaining behind you.”

Twilight laughed softly. “I always make sure there’s no one else before going into full geek mode!”

“Oh, yes.” I put an elbow on the table and supported my chin with my hand. “When you start saying a lot of things I don’t understand, but I love how passionate and happy you get.”

Twilight blushed again and smiled. “Th-Thank you, Aria.”

I slid my free hand across the table towards my girlfriend. Twilight looked at it before placing hers on mine. I squeezed her hand and when she looked at me, I blew her a kiss and winked. Her blush deepened and sharply returned her eyes to the letters and started to write more quickly. I smirked and stroked her hand with my thumb. Looks like I just gave her an inspirational boost because she started writing quicker and more intently than before.

Minutes later, Pinkie Pie returned with our orders.

“Here we go! Tea with milk for Twily with coconut cookies.” The party girl said as she put the plates and cups in front of us.

“Thank you, Pinkie.” My girlfriend smiled at her friend.

Pinkie Pie grinned and turned to me. “And for you, Ari, your latte and your cupcakes! Enjoy!”

“Thanks.” I offered her a weak smile and she giggled in return before skipping back behind the counter. When I turned to Twilight, she was putting her tea bag inside one of the pots Pinkie Pie brought. “Is tea seriously your usual, cub?” I said with a smirk.

Twilight shrugged. “I love milked tea and the cookies here are delicious! Do you want to try one?”

I frowned. “Really? But it has ‘nut’ in the name.”

My girlfriend giggled, offering me one. “Don’t worry. Coconuts are fruits. They’re completely harmless to you. Trust me.”

I was about to make a joke about how trusting her once led me to the hospital, but I decided not to since it’s still a touchy experience for her. Instead, I accepted her offering in silence. I took a small bite to taste it, but then I ate the whole thing when I saw how delicious it was. The coconut flavor with the soft cookie texture was a fine blend. Twilight giggled and I glanced at her. “I’m definitely keeping an eye out for more coconuts in the future.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Twilight said as she winked at me, squeezing my hand. I smiled at her and blushed. In the end, I ended up focusing more on how she wrote and didn’t talk that much. The beauty of her expressions left me too dazzled to care.

When we left Sugarcube Corner, Twilight immediately clung onto my arm. I always found that adorable, especially with that cute little smile of hers.

The food and drinks we had were delicious! I still prefer ‘Sweet Enchantments’, but this place was not bad at all. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were very friendly and I liked them. I even got to like Pinkie Pie more since she didn’t speak too much and respected our space. In small doses she’s bearable.

“So...” I broke the silence after enough time passed. I have no idea where Twilight is taking me, after all. “You really won’t tell me where we’re going? Not even a clue?”

My girlfriend shook her head and smirked at me. “You’ll get no clues whatsoever. You’ll have to trust me.”

“I trust you, Sparks. I’m just a little curious. Come on, just a small clue.”

“Nope.” Twilight shook her head again, smiling.

“What if I try to guess?” I smiled too.

“I won’t tell you if you get it right or not.”

“Are we going to the library again?” Twilight kept her face forward, completely ignoring me. “Or are we going to the cinema? Oh! Are you taking me to the arcade? That would be cool since I need to practice a couple of games in which Rainbow Dash beat me-”

“Aria, I mean it, I won’t say a thing.” Twilight glared at me, but she wasn’t angry. She was actually half smiling.

“Aww…!” I pouted and looked away, pretending to be upset. My girlfriend giggled and bumped against me playfully.

“Look at that. The all mighty siren is making cute pouts because she’s impatient.”

I chuckled and glanced at Twilight. “Careful, cub. Remember who’s the alpha here.” I said proudly.

Twilight smirked and booped my nose with her index finger. “I know my alpha loves me and can’t really get mad at me for this.”

I frowned at Twilight but then quickly smiled. “You make a good point, Sparks. You’re just lucky you’re so cute.”

Twilight giggled as I pulled her closer to kiss the top of her head. I didn’t try to guess where we were going again. I can be patient… I think.

After minutes of walking blindly, my girlfriend turned to me and smiled. “Close your eyes, please.”

“Why?” I asked, confused. “Are you going to make me trip?”

“No, of course not!” Twilight stood in front of me and held both of my hands. “The place we’re going is around the corner and I want to surprise you when we’re at the front doors.”

“What if I stare at the floor instead? I can be clumsy when I can’t see where I’m going.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll guide you.” My girlfriend said as she squeezed my hands. “Please? Just cover your eyes.” She fluttered her eyes after saying the last, making my heart skip a beat and my face turn all red. I just… I just can’t say no to those eyes I love so much… It’s a good thing that she had her glasses on. Otherwise, I could have passed out.

“O-Okay...” I sighed and smiled at her. “I trust you, Sparks.”

“Yay!” Twilight clapped cutely as she cheered. Is she trying to kill me?!

I smirked and covered my eyes with a hand. Twilight didn’t waste any time to take my free hand and guide me to our mysterious destination. I don’t like not being able to see where I’m going, especially on the streets, but Twilight kept her word by guiding me safely to our destination. I felt people walking around, but none of them touched me.

"Almost there…" Her voice alone was all I needed to smile. "Step, step, step, aaaaand, stop! We're here!" I was about to remove my hand from my eyes when Twilight stopped me. "Wait! Stare at the floor first."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"For dramatic effect!" My girlfriend is such a dork. I sighed, but followed her lead. I leaned my face down at the ground and removed my hand from my eyes, opening them at last to stare at the floor.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

“On my mark.” I could already hear her excitement. How cute! “One… two… three! Look up!” I did as asked and quickly gazed at the sky.

I saw a few fluffy clouds and blue sky. It was very underwhelming.

“Wow… clouds. Exciting.” I said dryly.

Twilight giggled. “Don’t be silly!” She said before cupping my face and making me look at the building in front of us. I gasped when I read the sign.

“The Planetarium…?” I glanced at my girlfriend. She nodded energetically and had her hands clasped together on her chest level. Not being able to hold myself, I grinned and hugged her tight, lifting her off the floor. Twilight placed her hands on my shoulders for support. “Oh, cub, you DO love me!”

Twilight giggled even more. “Of course I do!” I set her back on the floor, where she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I have been meaning to bring you here for a long, long time.”

“What are we waiting for, then? Let’s go in already.” I said, smiling at my girlfriend. Twilight nodded and gave me a soft peck before taking my hand and pulling me inside. I chuckled and enjoyed watching her excitement. I’ll never get tired of that smile of hers.

My jaw dropped in awe the moment I stepped inside. Just at the entrance there were a lot of cool things to see. The place was decorated with stars and planets. Some cool photos were hanging on the walls nearby and I could see a corridor in the distance. But what caught my attention right away was a statue close to where Twilight and I were. It looked familiar. Holding my girlfriend’s hand, I approached the statue and was shocked to see who it was. I almost stepped back. It’s… Starswirl the Bearded!

“Yes, it’s Starswirl.” Twilight said as she squeezed my hand. She knew I wasn’t happy to see him. “But it’s the human Starswirl. He lived hundreds of years ago and was a great astronomer and inventor. I… admire him.”

I glanced at my girlfriend, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She hesitated. Why? “Are you ashamed of admiring him?”

Twilight widened her eyes and quickly shook her head. “N-No. He accomplished extraordinary things during his life and his inventions are still used today, although modified, of course. But… I understand if you don’t like him, given what his pony counterpart did to you and your sisters.”

That was true, I didn’t care much for the pony Starswirl, but then again I couldn’t hold that against his human counterpart. If that were the case, then everything the other Twilight did I would hold it against my Twilight, and I’d never do that. I smiled and stroked her head, making her look at me. “I’m glad that you worry about my feelings, but this man isn’t the same foe we faced. To start off, my enemy was a Unicorn, not human. They only share the looks.”

“So… it doesn’t upset you?” Twilight asked, still looking and sounding a little worried. How can she be so adorable? To calm her, I kissed her forehead and cupped her cheek.

“It doesn’t. Don’t worry.” My girlfriend grinned and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back while my eyes focused on the statue of Starswirl. I might have hated the unicorn who brought us here, but in the end… I got to meet my little Twilight. Can I still despise someone who allowed me to meet true happiness?

After breaking the hug, Twilight placed her hand around my arm and we started to explore, starting with the photos on the wall. I have seen these planets before, but in a book. The photos here were bigger and looked much more detailed.

“How does Mercury even exist?” I commented. “It’s so close to the sun. Shouldn’t it have melted or something?”

“Actually...” Twilight said as she accommodated her glasses. “Venus is hotter than Mercury.”

“Wha-? Really?” I glanced at my girlfriend, widening my eyes. She nodded and smiled. Oh, yes. She’s about to share facts!

“Venus is almost 100ºC hotter than Mercury. This is because the carbon dioxide traps most of the heat from the Sun. The cloud layers also act as a blanket, resulting in a ‘runaway greenhouse effect’ that has caused the planet's temperature to soar to 465°C, hot enough to melt lead.”

“Huh, look at that.” I said as I looked back at the photo of the hottest planet. “Well played, Venus.” Squeezing Twilight’s hand, I moved to another part of the room, but I spotted a couple of familiar faces. Not far from where we were standing were Shining Armor and a woman which I’m sure I saw somewhere before. They seemed to be on a date too because the woman had an arm around Shining and he had the goofiest smile I’d ever seen.

Twilight’s brother noticed me and Twilight as he looked over the exhibits in our direction. He waved at me excitedly as soon as he recognized me. I waved back. My girlfriend saw me and looked in the direction I was waving to see the couple heading towards us.

“Hey Twily, and Aria!” Shining Armor said as soon as he was close enough.

“Shining, Miss Cheerilee?” Twilight giggled. Oh, Miss Cheerilee? Yes! I remembered her now! She must be the teacher whose class I interrupted when I confessed my feelings to Twilight months ago.

“What a nice surprise, finding you here today.” Cheerilee said as she waved shyly at us. I suppose teachers can feel odd when talking to students outside school.

“I didn’t know you guys would be here today.” Twilight said before glaring at her brother. She even crossed her arms while still holding my hand looking quite cross. “Why didn’t you tell me when I called you yesterday, Shining? I thought that you were my BBBFF.”

“I’m sorry, Twily. It slipped my mind.” Shining Armor said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “But in my defense, you didn’t ask either.”

“You know, he got you there, Sparks.” I said with a smirk.

Twilight gasped and slapped me softly on my arm. “Aria! You’re supposed to take my side.”

I chuckled. “Sorry, cub, but he’s the one with the taser.”

“Very wise.” Shining Armor said as he nodded approvingly. I watched as Cheerliee nudged his side and he silently nodded.

Twilight groaned in frustration, but I knew that she wasn’t really angry. Her brother knew too, because he patted her head and smiled at her. “Don’t be pouty. Listen, Cheerilee and I have to go. We were actually on our way out.”

My girlfriend smiled. “And Aria and I are on our way in. Talk to you later?”

“I’ll call you if you don’t.” Shining said with a wink. Before they started to walk away, I elbowed Twilight.

“Hey, Sparks, the letter you were writing earlier... don’t you want to give it to her now?”

“Oh! Good idea, Aria!” Twilight grinned before looking for the letter in her purse and giving it to Cheerilee.

“What’s that, Twily? Trying to steal my girlfriend? Don’t you already have one?” Shining Armor teased his little sister, making her blush in embarrassment. I just chuckled.

“N-No… it’s just a thank you letter for Miss Cheerilee for all her efforts to educate her students.”

Cheerilee smiled and took the letter. “Well, this is certainly a first. No one ever wrote me a letter of appreciation before.” She said before putting away the letter. “Thank you, Twilight. I’ll make sure to read it as soon as I get home.”

With the letter delivered, we said our goodbyes and continued into the Planetarium while Shining Armor and Cheerilee walked out. I glanced at Twilight and saw her smiling brightly. Seeing her brother and teacher sure made her happy.

We went down the corridor, which eventually led us to… “Woah...” It’s all I could say. The room we entered was big! The surrounding walls had scale models of the sun and every planet from the Solar System, alongside their moons and with information surrounding it. It was organized from closest to the sun to the farthest.

“So… what do you think?” Twilight asked, smiling at me. My jaw was still dropped in awe, but I did manage to meet her gaze.

“I-I think I’m in love... ” My girlfriend smirked and took both of my hands, raising them between our chests.

“With me or with this room?”

“Can’t it be both?” I smiled.

Twilight giggled and squeezed my hands. “If you’re already loving this, I wonder, how will you react to my surprise?”

“Surprise?” I blinked, dumbfounded and then smiled widely. “What is it, Sparks? What is it?!”

“Ah, ah, ah.” Twilight wagged her index finger. “You’ll know in due time. Besides, it’s not ready yet. We need to kill time here first.”

“Then let’s get to it!” I said with excitement as I dragged my girlfriend to the sun model.

“A-Aria!” She giggled and let herself be dragged. We mostly read the information signs around the models and made some comments here and there testing each other on our trivia of the known universe. Eventually we came to one of the planet models and I looked at the plaque.

“Hello again, Venus.” I smirked. “So, you decided to give Mercury the middle finger and become the hottest planet yourself, huh? You’re trying to be cool? Well, you’re succeeding at it.”

“Not quite.” Twilight said as she rested her head on my shoulder. Both of her arms were around mine. “It’s the opposite of cool. Venus is on fire.”

I chuckled and kissed her head, making her sigh happily. “I knew that Venus was huge-” I said as I turned back to the Solar System. “But seeing it here compared to Earth… that planet doesn’t mass around.”

Twilight giggled before smiling widely. Damn, I love that smile. “I know. Imagine if it was at the same distance as our moon.”

“That’s… something I can’t imagine.” I said, frowning in thought. ”I think it would take over the entire sky.”

“I once saw a photo manipulation showing how that would be.” Twilight smiled at me. “I can look it up and show you.”

“Please do.” I said, smiling back. Before moving to the other planets, I smirked at her. “But you’re forgetting an important fact about Venus.”

“I am?” My girlfriend blinked in confusion. “What is it?”

I leaned in and kissed her. She was taken by surprise, so she didn’t kiss me back right away. When I pulled away, I touched noses with her. “You forgot to mention that it’s the planet of love.”

Twilight blushed deeply, which made me smile widely. “I-I knew that, b-but… I thought it would be too… cheesy.” She said fidgeting.

“So?” I smiled at her. “I don’t mind corny stuff when I’m alone with you.”

“Really?”

I nodded and smirked. “Really.”

Twilight smiled and avoided my gaze. “Well… I have been doing research on some pick-up lines...”

“Oh, yeah?” Now she had my full attention. “Go ahead then.”

“Okay.” My girlfriend cleared her throat and started to draw circles in my arm as she gave me a seductive look. “Look at you. If I were at the library, I would totally check you out.”

That was… so… cheesy for sure, and cute. But I can make it even cuter. I widened my eyes and looked away. “Oh, that...” I cleared my throat. “That might have been too much...”

Just as I planned, Twilight turned red again and covered her face with both of her hands. “A-Aria!” Yup! Even cuter than before.

I chuckled and put an arm around her, kissing her head. “I’m just messing with you, Sparks.” My girlfriend didn’t move. She kept blocking her face. “Cub?”

“I’m not talking to you anymore.” She huffed, hiding her face in my shoulder and using her hair to cover herself. Her voice came out muffled and I had to suppress a laugh.

“Are you mad at me?” Twilight nodded cutely, which made me smirk. Aww, don’t do this to me, Twilight! “Come on, Sparks, it wasn’t so bad. It’s just you and me.”

“Oh, is that an echo of my girlfriend I hear?” My girlfriend said as she gave me her back and crossed her arms. Oh, Twilight, that only makes you even cuter. What I’m about to do is entirely your fault.

Smirking maliciously, I started to poke on her back and waist. Twilight tried to keep my hands away by taking huge steps away from me. I kept the distance closed between us and kept my poking assault as she laughed.

“Aria, no! I’m trying to look mad!”

“I’m sorry, Sparks, but you failed.” Twilight turned around, still laughing by my poking, and I decided to step it up. I started to tickle her. Her beautiful laughter increased.

But to avoid getting kicked out for all the noise we were making, I stopped soon afterwards to hug her. She didn’t hesitate to hug me back, nuzzling her head against my chest. We made eye contact and I gave her a peck on her lips before continuing our planet tour. There’s so much to learn about space, and I’m eager to hear Twilight sharing facts with each other.

We ended up exploring most of the Planetarium by the next hour. Unfortunately, some rooms were closed today. As it turned out one of my favorite planets wasn’t a planet anymore! I was very sad to see the Pluto exhibit closed for the time being and as we passed I paid my respects for Pluto. “Farewell little dwarf planet on the edge of the system, we barely knew you.” I said with Twilight at my side.

Once we finished we continued onto a few other exhibits. After some time I started to wonder what to do next, Twilight started to guide me somewhere.

“Where are we going, Sparks?” I asked with curiosity.

My girlfriend looked at me, smiling widely. “It’s time for the surprise I talked about earlier. Follow me.”

She took us to a closed door. She approached it and glanced at both sides as if to check if no one was around. After checking, she knocked on the door in a certain way, as if it was a code. I chuckled at how dorky she was being, but then, the door opened. My girlfriend grinned before taking me inside, where we were greeted by an employee of the planetarium.

“Thank you again for doing this, Mr. Hugh.”

“You’re welcome.” The employee smiled at us. “You have an hour, as I promised. I’ll knock on the door to let you know the time’s up.” Twilight nodded and Mr. Hugh waved at us as he walked away. I waved back and turned around to walk, but it was so dark that I crashed into something.

“Ow!” I stepped away from whatever I crashed into and managed my hurting knee as Twilight put her arms around me.

“Are you okay?” She asked, concerned.

“I’ll be.” I smiled at her. “I wish I could see, though. It’s so dark in here.”

“Give it a second.” Twilight said, smiling back. Sure enough, the room lighted a few seconds later, although not completely. Some lights remained turned off, making the place look kind of romantic. I glanced at whatever I crashed into to see that it was a chair, but I still had no idea where we were.

“Sparks… What's all this? Where are we?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Twilight shrugged. “I just wanted some alone time with you, away from anyone else.” My girlfriend smiled and slowly walked closer to me. “The auditorium isn’t open at this hour, which makes it perfect for us to watch the stars alone.”

“The… stars?” I raised an eyebrow, confused. I could see the ceiling of the dome. It was completely solid, no windows. Not to mention that it’s still not night time.

Twilight nodded and turned around, pointing dramatically with her index finger to somewhere I couldn’t see. “Cue in the star projector!” Just as she said that, there was a clicking sound and a light came from a small room on the other side of the Auditorium. The light projected itself on the ceiling, where now what looked like a night sky could be seen. My jaw dropped as I gasped in awe. It was beautiful, not on the same scale as the real thing, but it was a close second.

“Left you speechless, huh?” Twilight said as she stood right next to me, crossing her arms and gazing into the ceiling. I smirked and placed an arm around her shoulder, making her lean her head against me.

“You sure keep reminding me why I love you every day.”

“Well, we can all use some reminders.” She commented as she looked up at me. I met her gaze before planting my lips on hers for a soft peck. “Do you want to sit? Just try not to kick the chair this time.”

“Oh, har har.” I smiled and we sat down on the nearest chairs, leaning her head against my shoulder and gazing at the projected stars. “Do you recognize any of the constellations, Aria?”

“Hmm...” I narrowed my eyes to help me focus and scan the different constellations. There were some I recognized. One especially caught my eye. I smirked and pointed at it. “Wait, is that… Lupus?”

Twilight nodded excitedly and grinned. “I knew you would find it!”

“How could I miss it?” I said before gazing into my girlfriend’s eyes. “It’s the constellation you talked about when you confessed to me. I did some research after that night to know exactly how it looked.”

Twilight blushed deeply, but kept her eyes on mine. “I never felt so much courage as I did that night. And here we are, months later...”

I started to caress Twilight’s hair. “It’s a shame that the whole ‘Alpha’ and ‘Beta’ nicknames didn’t stick.”

My girlfriend giggled. “It felt a little odd using those names.” She said before leaning into the hand I was using to caress her hair. “You said that you did some research. I only told you about the two brightest stars and where you could see Lupus. What else did you learn?”

“Well...” I gazed into the constellation again. “I know that it’s bordered by six different constellations, although one of them, Hydra over there, just barely touches at the corner. The other five are Scorpius, Norma, Circinus, Libra, and Centaurus.”

“Very good.” Twilight said before kissing my cheek. “You earned it.”

I smiled. “Why didn’t you say that I would get a reward?”

My girlfriend giggled. “There’s more if you repeat this performance.”

“You got it!” I grinned and quickly began to look for another constellation. Let’s see, I have to recognize another one… Oh, I found the perfect one! I pointed at the ceiling to make Twilight look. “Over there. That’s the Big Dipper. It’s formed of seven bright stars of the constellation Ursa Major, six of them are of second magnitude and one, Megrez, of third magnitude. Four define a ‘bowl’ or ‘body’ and three define a ‘handle’ or ‘head’. It is recognized as a distinct grouping in many cultures.”

“That’s correct!” Twilight said before kissing my cheek again. “But you’re forgetting something...”

“I am?” I raised an eyebrow, confused.

Twilight nodded and smiled. “It’s the constellation found in a very specific rod.”

I gasped, now knowing what she’s talking about. “Of course! Sparkling Voiture’s rod that Hikari has in our favorite book! The Sparkling Rod!”

My girlfriend nodded excitedly and extended her hands as if she was holding an imaginary rod. I followed her lead and we both exclaimed with determination at the same time. “Sparkling Arc! Ha!” After a moment of silence, we started to laugh at our silliness.

When the laughter died, Twilight smirked at me. “Let’s raise the prize. Can you tell me another constellation? This time, the reward will be a kiss on the lips.” She winked at me after saying the last, making my heart skip a beat and blush.

“S-Sure!” I smiled before focusing on the ceiling again. With the stakes high, I must make sure to choose carefully. I took my time gazing at the stars, until I finally found one, I remember reading before.

“I can see Scutum there. It’s a small constellation. Its name is Latin for… spear. It lies partially in the southern celestial hemisphere and its four brightest stars form an arrow shape. I turned to my girlfriend, smiling widely. But I lost the smile when I realized that she wasn’t returning it. “That’s not correct?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid you got some facts mixed up.” She said before gazing at the constellation in question. “Scutum is Latin for shield, not spear. The constellation lies entirely on the southern celestial hemisphere and the four brightest stars for a narrow diamond shape, not an arrow.”

“Oh…” I looked away, ashamed. I got so excited to get a kiss that I spoke out before thinking carefully on what I was saying. I felt Twilight placing her hand on my shoulder, so I looked at her. She offered me a small smile.

“Don’t feel so bad. We all make mistakes once in a while.” I smiled a little and scooted closer to her.

“Why don’t you do the talking now? I always love to hear you talk with all that passion you have.”

I saw Twilight blush. “Gladly.” She said before gazing at the ceiling while I rested my head on her shoulder and held one of her hands. I might have lost the kiss, but I can still get to listen to her beautiful voice without interruptions, and that’s almost as good.

An hour and a half later, we left the Planetarium. Hand in hand, Twilight and I walked towards my house to end our date. We talked about what we saw until we arrived at our destination. We turned to face each other, holding both of our hands.

“Thank you, Twilight. I had a wonderful day today.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” My girlfriend caressed my hands with her thumbs. “I wanted to do something big since I’m going to a Summer Camp in a couple of weeks and I won’t see you for a while. I’m already getting busy gathering what I’ll need and helping my friends.”

“Don’t worry.” I smirked. “I’ll find a way to keep myself busy.”

Twilight grinned. “And I have something to help you with that.” She said before starting to look for something in her purse. Moments later, she pulled out a wrapped gift and gave it to me.

“A gift too?” I said as I took it. “You really want to spoil me, don’t you?”

Twilight smiled and shrugged. “You only hang out with your sisters besides me, and my friends will be at the camp too. I know you’re just starting over and maybe you wouldn’t have given them a call. Anyway, I’m digressing. I don’t want you to miss me too much, so I worked on a new invention just to be able to give you this, and more to come after I get back.”

I widened my eyes, amazed. She invented something… for me?! “Wait...” I said as I started to unwrap my gift. Inside, there was a box, but not any box. A VHS box. The cover was of a movie that sounded familiar, but I never saw it at the video store. ‘Protectors of the Cosmos’. “I’m confused...” I said before looking at my girlfriend.

Twilight took a step closer before speaking. “It’s a recent movie, Aria. This movie is about a group of criminals who become heroes to save the cosmos. It’s one of the many released in a huge cinematic Universe, alongside ‘Mayor States’ and ‘Steel Man’. I know you can’t afford a DVD player yet, so I found a way to convert DVDs to VHS. The quality isn’t the same, of course, but-” I didn’t let her finish because I hugged her tightly.

“Thank you so much, Twilight! I’ll watch it as soon as I can!”

“You liked it, then?” My girlfriend hugged me back.

“I love it!” I moved my head to look at her. “And I’m sure I’ll love it when I watch it. It’s about space heroes. What’s not to like?!”

Twilight giggled and gazed into my eyes for a few moments before turning to the door. She lost her smile. “I have to go now. I don’t want to, but I have things to do.” She said before turning to me again, cupping my cheeks with her hands. “I’m not sure if we’ll be able to see each other again until I come back.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.” I smiled at her. Still with her hands on my cheeks, she pulled me to her lips to give me a long passionate kiss, followed by two soft pecks.

“Something to remember me by.” She said, smiling a little. I chuckled.

“Twilight, you’re just going to a camp out of town for a week, not visiting another country for a month.”

Twilight giggled and hugged me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Still, I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Sparks.” I said before pulling away and smiling at her. “Call me, okay? I’m not sure what you will be doing so I’ll probably not call you.”

“I’ll call, I promise.” My girlfriend said as she booped my nose with her index finger. “I’ll think about you every day. I might also bring you something if I find anything.”

“Okay.” I said as I smirked maliciously. Twilight blinked in confusion, unaware of what I was about to do.

“Aria, what… aaaah!” All of the sudden, I lifted her into the air and spun around with her. After the initial shock, she started to laugh. She kept laughing as I put her back on the floor. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”

“Since we won’t be able to go on dates until you get back, I just had to do it.” I said as I patted her head. “See you, and take care, okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Twilight said before giving me one last peck. “Let me know if you liked the movie when you watch it, okay?”

“Will do. I’ll watch it now. Thanks again.”

My girlfriend smiled widely. “It was my pleasure.” She said as she started to walk away and wave at me. “Bye!”

I waved back and watched her until she turned around the corner. She blew me a kiss before disappearing from view. After she was gone, I walked into my house.

“I’m back!” I exclaimed as I closed the door behind me. Adagio’s voice came from her room.

“Welcome back, Aria! I’ll be there in a moment.”

I didn’t get a chance to reply to her since my phone started to ring. I picked it up and saw that the caller was a number I didn’t immediately recognize but it did seem familiar. “Hello?”

“Good afternoon. It’s Tree Hugger. You had an interview with me and my cousin a week ago.”

“Yes, I remember.” I said, starting to feel a little anxious. She must be calling for a good reason… right?

“Oh, good, good. Listen, after reviewing all the candidates, we decided to hire you. Congratulations!”

“I-I am… really?” I couldn’t believe it! After so many interviews… so many rejections… I finally got hired! “W-Wow… I don’t know what to say...” I said as I sat down. “Thank you so much for this opportunity! I won’t let you down.”

“You’re welcome!” Tree Hugger said. “I have a good feeling about you, Aria Blaze. I got a warm fuzzy feeling and good vibes from you. I could see during the interview that Cadence was right to recommend you to us. My cousin is dealing with so much lately and she needs positive vibes to help realign herself.”

“You can trust me, don’t worry.” I smirked.

“Come here in a week for some basic training. I’ll give you more details tomorrow. For now, feel free to celebrate!”

“Thank you. I will. I’ll be waiting for your call tomorrow.”

“Excellent! Goodbye for now.”

“Goodbye.” I hung up after she did. As soon as the call ended, I started to jump and cheer. Shortly after, Adagio walked into the room, looking extremely confused.

“What’s gotten into you?!”

I stopped jumping and ran to hug my sister, confusing her even more. “Tree Hugger called. I got the job! I got the job!”

“You did?!” My sister’s confused face turned into a grin. “Congratulations, Aria! See? I told you that you had to keep tainting your luck!”

“I don’t know what tainting means, but yeah!” I pulled away from the hug. “I can’t wait to tell Sonata when she returns! Oh, and I should thank Cadence too. Wait, I don’t have her number.”

“Worry about that later.” Adagio clasped her hands and smiled. “How about we celebrate by dining out when Sonata returns? You pick where.”

“Cool!” I started to walk towards my room but then I had a thought. I turned to look at my sister. “I might regret this, but… will you help me to get dressed properly for the job? I’ll wear anything you see fit.”

My sister gasped in awe and placed her hands on her cheeks, completely overjoyed. “Anything?!” I frowned in terror. Oh, no… what have I done?!

Welcome to Camp Everfree

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Twilight’s POV

I was seeing nothing more than an endless void and fog. Overwhelmed with that sense of vertigo as I stumbled in the darkness for what felt like an eternity. My anxiety skyrocketed and I felt helpless in the void. This nightmare again… I’m having it too often lately. While awake, I try to keep my mind busy, trying to have happy thoughts to subvert that horrid nightmare. I think about my family, my friends, about Spike, and my Aria… but nothing works. These nightmares are driving me crazy! I want it to stop!

“Why are you still struggling? Just imagine what we can achieve together. Didn’t you like the taste of power?"

“What? Wait...” I pointed into the void. “You’re that monster who took over my body at the Friendship Games!”

"'Took over your body?' Oh, Twilight, how can you be so smart, but so naive?" I started to run in the opposite direction, but the voice kept echoing on the surroundings, sounding like I made no distance between us.

“Why do you run, Twilight? Don’t you like magic? Don’t you like the taste of power?” The voice mockingly asked me.

I kept running as the voice kept enticing me. “Why won’t you accept my offer? Think of the advancements you could make with the knowledge and power we would have together!”

“No! I don’t want anything to do with you!”I screamed. “I won’t ever work with you again!”

The voice laughed maniacally.

"You don’t get it, do you? I am not some entity who possessed you!" I ran through the fog until I bumped into someone, I fell on the floor and my vision became blurry. I quickly realized that I dropped my glasses so I put them on before looking up at who I collided with and gasped. Wait. This can't be right. That's...

"I AM YOU!"

Me!? The person in front of me wasn’t the monster I recall who stole my body. She looked like me, but with an evil glare and dark shadows surrounding the eyes. The evil me leaned down to place her index finger under my chin to make me look into her eyes.

"Come on, Twilight, don't lie to yourself! You enjoyed seeing Cinch and the Shadowbolts cower in fear! To see our bullies finally be on the receiving end of the torture they put us through!"

“N-No! That’s not true!” I cried as I crawled backwards, away from this entity. “I’m no bully! I want nothing to do with magic!”

The other me chuckled, waving her hand in a circle as another figure slowly started to form before my eyes. I instantly recognized the figure as my evil counterpart laid her hands on their shoulders giving me a seductive look. “Not even Aria Blaze?” She continued to chuckle, rubbing the phantom Aria’s shoulders. “You do realize what SHE is right? A being of magic from another world not our own?”

Powerless, that’s how I felt right now. Powerless. As the darker me circled the phantom Aria, I felt anxiety and anger swelling inside of me.

“Aria is a siren, a magical beast of song and sea. Might and majesty. With me and you working together we can accomplish anything! You have the power within, you just need to learn to harness it! Once you do that nothing can stop you! Then you can protect her,” She looked at the phantom Aria, rubbing a finger seductively under her chin. “You can protect your alpha from this cruel world, and then punish those who hurt you or her in the past.”

She walked away from Aria and I watched as she was engulfed by a large shadow beast that breached the darkness like a shark, swallowing Aria whole. I cried out of instinct while trying to reach for her, despite knowing it wasn’t really her, or was it? My sense of reality warped as my mind tried to comprehend everything being thrown at me. I cried, gripping my head, and collapsed to my knees wishing Aria was here, if nothing else to prove to me she was alright.

"Like it or not, magic is already part of you, of us.” The other me said as she walked towards me, with her hands stretched outwards. As she approached, her body changed again, this time to look as the monster I remember. Dark feathered wings, sickeningly dark skin and a fiery passion in her eyes for knowledge and power. “We can have the universe at our mercy! All the knowledge and power we could ever desire! We could even turn our beloved Aria Blaze into the Goddess she deserves to be!"

Oh, no. Not Aria. She already had to deal with dark magic. She can’t get involved again! Gaining courage, I frowned and stood up, pointing a finger at my evil counterpart as I funneled my anger to keep Aria safe from this monster. “You stay away from her! I won’t let you-” I was cut short when, in the blink of an eye, Midnight appeared right in front of me. I gasped in fear as she smiled maliciously.

“You can’t keep me away from our girlfriend. I love her just as much as you do, for we are the same.” She said before raising her hand and frowning angrily. “And you’ll do well to remember that!” After saying the last, she shoved her hand into my chest. I cried in terror, a familiar sense of vertigo overtook me, and then-

“Twilight! Twilight!”

A familiar voice called me. I opened my eyes, looking frantically around, and I realized that I was on the floor. I quickly sat upright on the floor when Spike jumped onto my lap and placed his front paws on my chest. So, he was the one calling me...

“Twilight, are you alright?”

“Y-Yes, I’m fine...” I said as I rubbed my head. I hit it hard when I fell off the bed. “This will leave a bruise, though.”

“The bruise is nothing compared to your nightmares, Twilight. Look!” Spike said as he pointed at my bed with his head. “You have been sweating again. You got all your sheets wet!”

“I told you that I have them under control!” I said, slightly annoyed. I then stood up and wrapped all of my sheets, including the pillow cover. “They’re just dreams, Spike! They can’t hurt me.” I headed towards the laundry room with Spike following me.

“That’s not true! You’re not sleeping well, which is not healthy at all. Plus, you keep turning, talking and screaming in your dreams. You can’t keep this to yourself. You have me, your family, your friends. Aria!” I was about to turn around to argue with my pet, but I crashed into a door frame.

“Ouch, that hurt!”

“See? You can’t even concentrate while you walk!”

I ignored the pain and glared at my dog. “That wouldn’t be an issue if you would stop hounding me, Spike. This is my issue! I won’t drag anyone into this!” I said as I kicked open the laundry room out of frustration. “Especially Aria!”

“But she’s your girlfriend!”

“That’s why she can’t know!” I said as I threw all the sheets inside the washing machine. “She already did so much for me. I don’t want to become a bother to her.” Closing the machine’s trap door, I pointed at Spike. “Now, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m going to take a shower.”

My pet sighed. “Yes, Twilight...” I felt bad for yelling at him, but I’m not in the mood.

After taking a quick shower and getting changed into my camp outfit, my phone started to ring. I checked who it was before answering. It was Sunset. “Hello?”

“Twilight, where are you?! The bus leaves in 20 minutes!”

“What?!” I glanced at the alarm clock next to my bed and saw that Sunset was right. “Oh, no, I overslept! Thank you for calling, Sunset, I’ll be there as soon as I can! Try to buy me some time!” Without waiting for her reply, I hung up, picked up my bag and rushed to the kitchen, where my parents were having breakfast.

“Hey there, kiddo.” My dad smiled. “How did you sleep?”

“I slept for too long! Dad, can you take me to school? The bus heading to the camp will leave soon, I won’t make it on my own!”

My parents exchanged looks before looking at me again.

“Sure.” My dad said as he stood up to look for his keys.

“Are you feeling okay, dear?” My mom asked. “It’s not like you to oversleep like this.”

“Yes, I’m feeling fine, mom...” I said between my teeth, which caused my mom to open her eyes widely. Before she said something else, I faked a smile. “I was just so excited for the camp that I didn’t sleep properly, that’s all.”

“Oh.” My mother smiled, but I had the feeling that she wasn’t entirely convinced. “Okay, dear.”

“I got the keys!” I heard my dad say from the other room.

“Coming!” I said before hugging my mom and kissing her cheek. “Goodbye, mom! I promise to call often. Come on, Spike!” My pet came running and I picked him up.

“Have fun, Twily.” My mom said as she watched me leave. I walked away from the room and followed my dad to the car, hoping that the change of scenery would ease my mind. Unfortunately, it barely did. My mind wandered and all I could think about was what my counterpart said. Were we really the same? Was she a manifestation of my subconscious mind and desire? I really hope not, I thought as I dozed off while my dad drove.

“Here we are!” My dad said as he pulled over behind the bus parked in front of my school, startling me awake. Yes, I made it in time!

“Thank you, dad!” I said before kissing his forehead. “I love you. Bye!”

“Don’t miss us too much!” My dad said as he waved at me. The principals, who were by the bus' door, greeted me with a smile.

“Twilight Sparkle, there you are!” Vice-Principal Luna said.

“Wonderful, that’s the last of them.” Principal Celestia said next before smiling at me. “You made it just in time, Twilight.”

“I’m so sorry for keeping you waiting.” I said as I stood in front of them. I could see some of my friends watching me from one of the bus' windows.

“Don’t worry, we weren’t going to leave without you.” The Vice-Principal said. “That’s why we asked one of your friends to call you.”

I smiled. “I appreciate it.” The principals nodded and I entered the bus. As I headed to an empty seat, I waved at my friends. Pinkie Pie waved back excitedly, Applejack nodded, Rainbow Dash smirked and Rarity, Trixie and Fluttershy smiled at me. But Sunset was looking at me with concern. If I sit near her, she’ll surely ask me what’s wrong. To avoid that, I sat with Fluttershy, who had a free seat by the window and was the one farthest from Sunset.

“Hey, Fluttershy.” I greeted my friend with a smile. “Mind if I join you?”

“Hi, Twilight.” My friend’s soft tone was calming and relaxed me a bit. “You can sit with me.”

“Thanks.” I said as I sat next to her. Spike immediately went to Fluttershy’s arms. Once comfortable, I sighed and pulled out my phone. I had no missed calls nor text messages from Aria. I haven’t heard from her for two days now. I thought she would at least text me to wish me a good trip. Whenever I called her in the past few days, she either didn’t answer her phone or our conversations were short. The same happened with any text message I sent. It was frustrating, to say the least. If she got busy, she could have told me. I could have called her sisters, but I didn’t want to speak ill of Aria behind her back.

What are you up to, Aria Blaze?!

“Twilight, Fluttershy!” I was woken from my thoughts by the high-pitched voice of my friend Pinkie. She was sitting on the row in front of me and was currently grinning at me. “Are you excited for the camp? I have the feeling it will be super-duper exciting!”

“Y-Yes, I’m ready.” Fluttershy commented as she stroked Spike’s head. “I can’t wait to spend the days surrounded by trees and cute critters!”

“I’m excited for the night.” I said, smiling a bit. I could use this distraction. “The view of the stars will surely be amazing.”

“You should come to mah farm at night, Twilight.” Applejack, who was sitting behind me, said. “The nights are beautiful from there.”

“She’s right, darling.” Rarity said. She was sitting with Applejack. “The stars look marvelous from her home.”

“Really?” I grinned. “I need to check it out! Thanks!”

“Yer free to come whenever you want.” The farmer said with a smirk.

“Something I’m not looking forward to are the mosquitoes.” Rarity commented with a sigh. “At least I brought more than enough bug repellent.”

As if to punctuate her point, my friend pulled out three bottles of bug repellent from her bag and showed them to us with her signature grin.

“Come on, Rarity, don’t be so dramatic.” Rainbow Dash joined the conversation. She was sitting on the other side of the corridor, behind Sunset and Trixie. “You knew what you were getting into when you decided to come. Of course there will be bugs at the camp! Maybe even spiders!”

“S-Spiders?!” Trixie cowered in fear. “P-Please, don’t say that!”

“I agree with Trixie.” Rarity made a disgusted expression. “Eww!”

“Enough with the wildlife!” Sunset intervened, smiling. “Think on the activities instead! We could do craftsmanship and even go canoeing across the lake!”

“I-I think I’ll pass on that.” I said, feeling a bit uneasy. “I’m afraid of deep waters since I can’t swim.” Aria said she could teach me, but other things kept happening and we had to postpone it, and now… she’s avoiding me. When I get back, we’ll have a serious talk. She has some explaining to do! Wait, that's not me. What am I thinking?! She must have a good reason for not calling me… not even once!

"I-I want to do birdwatching." Fluttershy commented, giving me a chance to pause my awful thoughts. “I hope it’s one of the activities available.”

“I think it was in the brochure.” Trixie said as she scratched her head. “I don’t remember. I last read it before spring break.”

“There was a brochure?” Rainbow Dash asked, scratching her head.

We didn’t have the chance to reply to her because Celestia and Luna entered the bus and called for our attention.

“My dear students! Thank you for being so patient. We’re now ready to go. Destination: Camp Everfree!”

My friends and classmates cheered as the driver started the engine and the bus started to move. I smiled but didn’t cheer along. Instead, I laid my head on the window beside me, where my eyes started to feel heavy. I was so tired…

The excited chatter of my friends started to fade as my eyes closed. We should be arriving at the camp in a couple of hours. If I can... sleep the entire way… it would be… more… than I slept… last night…

“Twilight… Twilight!”

Huh…? I was woken up by someone calling me. I was also being shook. I opened my eyes and when I recovered my vision, I saw that Rarity was the one calling me while Applejack was the one shaking me.

“Twilight, are you okay?” Rarity asked with concern.

“Ah didn’t take you as the kind of person who would sleep on the bus.” Applejack said. She was concerned too.

“Yeah, that’s Sunny’s job!” Pinkie Pie said with a bright grin.

“Hey, I’m awake!” Sunset frowned.

“And that’s shocking!” Trixie said before she and Rainbow Dash chuckled. They did so until Sunset stopped them when she softly slapped Trixie on her arm and glared at Rainbow.

I felt a sickening feeling in my stomach as I watched them laugh together. I looked back at my phone wondering why Aria never called me or messaged me back. I really hoped nothing happened that made her upset with me. I looked back at my friends as they talked among themselves. The girls laughed at a joke Dash made and I smiled, until Applejack and Rarity glanced at me again, still looking concerned.

“Are you sure that yer feeling okay, sugarcube? Ah can see that yer eyes are red.” Applejack asked.

I was starting to get annoyed. Why is everyone asking me if I’m okay? I’m okay!... Woah, calm down, Twilight. That's not you. Take deep internal breaths, like Cadence taught you.

Once I felt a little bit better, I replied.

“I’m fine. I just went to bed late because I was doing a final revision of my equipment.” My friends blinked, apparently believing me. Spike, on the other hand, shook his head disapprovingly. He knew it was a flat lie.

“Oh.” Rarity smiled. “I see. But Twilight, darling, you shouldn’t have ignored your sleep schedule. It’s just a summer camp to have fun.”

“I-I know, and I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” I offered them a fake smile. “I’ll catch up tonight. I promise.” I hope I was able to fulfill this promise. The lack of sleep is making me think bad things.

Applejack and Rarity looked at each other before glancing back at me. They nodded and Applejack spoke next.

“Alright, as long as you have a proper night of sleep today.”

I nodded back but said nothing else. I’m sure that if I spoke, I would sound too aggressive.

“I see the camp!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she pointed out the window. I blinked, confused, and I followed her finger. Sure enough, the bus was going through the entrance of the Camp Everfree. My friends and classmates got excited as the bus started to park. Some of my classmates were already excitedly heading towards the exit.

“Please, remain in your seats until the bus has completely stopped.” Principal Celestia said. Everyone obeyed her and sat back down in their places. When the bus halted completely, the driver opened the door. Principal Celestia and her sister walked out. I could see a woman with pink hair approaching them. They talked for a brief moment before the Vice-Principal walked back into the vehicle.

“Please, make a line and calmly exit the bus.” No one disobeyed her. We all walked out as we were asked for. We formed a line outside too, where the woman with pink hair approached us and did her best to smile, but I could see red circles around her eyes. Has she been crying…?

“Hello, and welcome to Everfree Camp students of Canterlot High. I’m Gloriosa Daisy. I own this camp and I’m happy to have you all here.” Oh, she’s Gloriosa Daisy?! So that means that she’s the one whose brother… oh, no… that explains those red circles.

“We’re happy to be here too.” Principal Celestia said as she clasped her hands together.

“Yes, this forest is as beautiful as I remember.” Vice-Principal Luna added. “Is the solar clock my sister and I made still around?”

“It is...” Gloriosa’s smile seemed genuine, although I still noticed a hint of sadness. “But we also brought a regular clock to tell the time during the night.”

“Ha! See? I told you that it wasn’t entirely a good idea!” The Vice-Principal said as she turned to her sister. Principal Celestia sighed and shook her head, but said nothing.

“This place is really important to my family. The Camp counselor spoke again. Follow me, let’s start getting you settled.”

We followed Gloriosa to a field in the middle of the camp while I looked at the surroundings. Besides trees, I could see cabins and the lake, but I didn’t see any tents around. Will we have to arm them ourselves? Normally I would be excited to build anything, but now I’m too tired to do so. The woman led us to what looked like a small stage.

“Umm, excuse me.” A classmate asked. “Can I ask where are we going to sleep?”

“I was just about to get to that.” Gloriosa said before turning around and smiling a little. “I’m about to assign each one of you a token with the carving of a gemstone in it. The gemstone shows the tent you’ll be getting.” The woman said as she took a bag from a nearby table. “Now, please, get pairs and form a line-” The Camp Counselor was interrupted by someone clearing their throat. We all looked in the direction of the sound and we saw a well-dressed man with a moustache, walking towards Gloriosa and with his hands on his back. “Miss Daisy, a word, please?”

“Daddy...” I glanced at the direction of the person who just talked to find Diamond Tiara, pinching the bridge of her nose, visibly annoyed.

“You promised...” The man insisted.

Gloriosa Daisy’s eye twitched before faking a smile and turning to the man. “Yes, Filthy Rich. Just let me call my helpers and I’ll be with you.” Filthy Rich nodded and Gloriosa put the bag back on the table before taking her walkie talkie.

“Anybody available?” She asked.

“Yes! We just finished the task you gave us.” A female voice I didn’t recognize spoke through the device.

“Good, I need you both here to give away the gemstone cards.” Gloriosa said.

“We’ll be right there!”

Gloriosa put away the walkie talkie and crossed her arms. She purposely gave her back to Filthy Rich so he didn’t see her frowning.

Around a minute later, I saw someone approaching, but the sun didn’t let me see their face as I tried to cover my eyes to see them. They were tall, that was for sure.

“I thought the two of you would arrive at the same time.”

“Your cousin had something else to do so she sent me ahead.” Wait… that voice…

Just then, a cloud blocked the sun, allowing me to see this person. As soon as I saw that face, I gasped and blocked my mouth. Were my eyes deceiving me? Right there, next to Gloriosa, stood my girlfriend, Aria!

She was wearing a uniform which consisted of a t-shirt with the logo of the camp, boots a-and… sh-shorts! I-I could see her legs! Now I was blushing madly!

Aria glanced towards my direction and smirked. I heard multiple gasps from my friends and classmates too. I wasn’t surprised that some of them were uneasy. I ignored them and focused my attention on Aria. I can’t believe that she’s here! Wait, what is she doing here?!

A Hectic First Day of Work

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Aria’s POV

These past days were hard. Not because of the training, I did fairly good here, but because I had to refrain myself from calling Twilight. I’ve been so busy getting ready to work at the camp, which left me too tired to ask Twilight out before I had to work. I couldn’t call her either in case she asked what I was doing. I wanted so hard to surprise her, see her expression when she first saw me here and realized that I’m Gloriosa Daisy’s assistant at Camp Everfree.

Speaking of her reaction, I glanced at my girlfriend to see if it was worth the struggle. She was covering her mouth with both of her hands, but I still knew that she was embarrassed because her entire face was red. I followed her gaze and I noticed that she wasn’t looking at my face. She was looking lower… oh. I blushed. Of course, my legs! I smirked, remembering when Adagio made a few suggestions to me about what to wear.

When I gave Adagio full control of my camp outfit, at first I regretted it instantly, especially when she got the idea of what I’m wearing now. Now that I saw Twilight’s reaction… it was all worth dealing with my sister’s insufferable fashion habits.

I forced myself to look away from Twilight to look at the rest of the campers. The Rainbooms were surprised as expected, but the rest of their classmates were uneasy. Scared. Some of them were glancing at Twilight and her friends. Well, this brings back memories.

“Okay, Aria.” My boss called for my attention, so I turned to her. “Just give away the cards when Tree Hugger decides to show up. Remember, concentrate on your responsibilities.” Gloriosa said with seriousness.

I told her about my relationship with Twilight, and since then, she has asked me to be professional. “Just to be sure, you can give the girls their cards as long as you don’t talk with your friends for too long, but you’ll show the tents to the boys and my cousin to the girls.”

I crossed my arms and nodded. Of course, this annoyed me, but she’s my boss and I can’t talk back to her. I especially can’t do so now since she’s not in the mood to argue after suffering terrible loss. I should know, sometimes feeling powerless can have detrimental effects on a person. “You can trust me, ma’am.”

“Good.” My boss was about to say something else, but Filthy Rich called her.

“I’m a busy man, Gloriosa Daisy. We need to talk, now!”

Gloriosa groaned. “I’m coming!” She said before turning around and approaching him. “The answer’s still no, Rich. I’m not interested!” The two adults walked away, leaving me alone with the campers… for now.

I turned around and was about to address them, but a purple and green ball came running towards me, barking. I knelt just in time to catch Spike as he leapt into my arms. “Hey, there little pup!” I said as I petted his head.

Spike happily licked my face, making me chuckle. “Yes, I missed you too!” I glanced towards Twilight and her friends. They were smiling at the scene, but their classmates were now more confused than scared. “I would like to catch up as well, but later. I’m busy at the moment, yes?” Spike nodded and I scratched his chin before I set him back down on the ground. I waved as he ran back to Twilight to hide in her backpack. When Spike returned with his owner, I focused on the rest of the campers, who still didn’t know how to react. I cleared my throat before addressing them.

“I know some of you are confused and scared to see me here, so let me start with an introduction, I’m Aria Blaze assistant to Gloriosa Daisy.” I put my hands on my back, trying to look more commanding. “My only goal here is to gain experience. I’m not holding a grudge against any of you, so-”

“We’re here! Sorry for taking so long!” I was interrupted by Tree Hugger. I turned my head around and saw her running towards me. Behind her, Adagio and Sonata were walking towards me as well.

“She was meditating by a tree.” Adagio said.

“It looked fun!” Sonata commented. “But Adagio didn’t let me join in.”

“Because we’re supposed to be with the rest of the campers.” My older sister said before smiling at me. “Do you have everything under control?” She said before glancing at the campers.

“I did, until you showed up and reminded me that you should be with them.” I said, frowning, turning back to the campers. “We’re about to hand over the cards. Try to find someone to pair up with, unless you and Sonata want to have the same tent.”

“Well, Sonata wants to make more friends.” Adagio said while Sonata nodded excitedly. “She wants to see if she finds a partner.”

I shrugged and stepped aside, allowing my sisters to walk past me and join the uneasy campers. I saw Sonata waving at everyone. Except our friends, the few people who waved back did so cautiously. Almost as if they expected my sister to eat them or hypnotize them again.

“I’m done aligning my chakras. Now I’m ready to help our guests to connect with mother nature!” Tree Hugger said after standing next to me. She waved at the students and some waved back. I nodded at Tree hugger before clearing my throat and glancing at the campers again.

“Alright, form a line in pairs and come to pick your card.” I said as I took the bag. The first pairs approached with caution, but eventually, they started to calm down.

“Pick a card!” Gloriosa’s cousin said as another duo picked a card. “Wonderful! You picked the Peridot card! It’s one of the smallest tents but it’s very cozy.”

The next duo was Applejack and Rainbow Dash. They approached me to get their cards.

“Nice speech you gave there.” Applejack said. “Or tried to.”

“Yeah, I guess that the folks being confused is better than having to deal with their angry glares.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“I have been practicing.” I said. “No, seriously, I had it all written down on paper.” I sighed. “All that practice for nothing. I wrote ten pages and I barely said anything.”

“Ten pages?” Rainbow Dash said while Applejack whistled, seemingly impressed. “Do I have to start calling you, Egghead two?”

I chuckled and smirked, giving an evil grin to Rainbow. “Go ahead, I dare you.”

“Uhh… maybe not.” The athletic girl said, reeling back scared.

I smiled a little and playfully punched her arm. Ever since the Hatchday party, I have been working to improve my relationship with Twilight’s friends. We still have a long way to go, but I’m comfortable enough with them to joke around.

“I’m just kidding.” I said before hearing Tree Hugger clearing her throat. I glanced at her and saw her smiling, pointing with her head to the rest of the campers. Oh, right! I’ve got a job to do. I’m already getting distracted and it hasn’t been Twilight’s turn yet. I offered the bag to Applejack and Rainbow Dash so they could pick a card. “Okay, sorry, but I’m not supposed to be talking with you while I’m working. Pick a card to get the line moving.”

“Oh, sorry ‘bout that.” Applejack said before stepping forward and taking a card. “It’s… a blue stone.” The farmer girl before showing the card to me.

“That’s a lapis lazuli.” I said, smiling.

“It’s a good tent.” Tree Hugger said. “You’ll love it!”

“Cool.” Rainbow Dash said before saluting me. “See you around, Blaze.” I nodded at her as they left. She calls me by my second name all the time and I allowed it because it makes me sound kind of awesome. Like a fierce wolf who burns anyone too foolish to challenge her.

The line moved. Next, Fluttershy approached with Trixie. The magician was the one to greet me first.

“So, you work here, huh?” Trixie said before crossing her arms and smiling a little. “What a nice surprise.”

“Sarcasm?” I asked, smirking.

Trixie chuckled before replying. “Not this time.”

I smiled before glancing at Fluttershy. “Hello there.” I smiled at her as sweetly as I could. I knew she was timid, so I was careful on what I said and how I behaved. “You know, I saw a couple of squirrels who don’t mind having people close. I can tell you where to find them afterwards if you want. It’s close to the girls’ side of the camp.”

Fluttershy smiled brightly, which, to be honest, warmed my heart. I thought only Twilight could do that. “Oh, I would love that! Are we allowed to feed them?”

“I’m afraid not. Sorry.”

“Oh...” Fluttershy lost her smile but quickly recovered it. “That’s okay, I’m happy with just watching them.” She said before picking a card. “Oh! I got a cute one!” The timid girl said before showing me the card.

“Yup! Amethyst. Purple is the best color.” I commented, making Fluttershy giggle.

“I can’t disagree. Amethyst is a fine color.” Trixie commented. They then turned around and waved at me.

“Be seeing you, Aria!” Fluttershy said as she walked away.

“Don’t worry, we will.” I said as I waved back. Looks like I used the right words.

The next duo were my sister Sonata and Pinkie Pie. Oh, please! Have mercy I can already see the chaos these two will cause. Had I not had time to adjust to Pinkie’s insanity I might have lost my own seeing the two of them together, but they were two peas in a pod and I’m sure they’ll keep each other preoccupied.

“I can’t say I’m surprised about the partner you chose, Sonata.” I commented to her.

“I tried to ask someone else to make more friends, but everyone kept avoiding me.” Sonata said with a pout. I actually felt a bit bad now. I know my sister is a sweet thing but everyone is still terrified of us because of what we did during the Battle of the Bands.

“Don’t worry, Nata, I’ll help you to make more friends!” Pinkie Pie excitedly said before putting an arm around Sonata’s shoulder. “Just wait and see!”

My sister smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie.”

“You’re welcome!” The party girl said with a grin. Knowing my sister and her friend, I think I better make them pick a card before they draw me into their nonsensical conversations.

“I’m sure you’ll make tons of friends.” I said with a smile before offering the bag to them. “Pick a card.”

“Oh! Is this one of Trixie’s magic tricks?” Pinkie Pie excitedly said as she put her hand in the bag. When she picked a card, she didn’t show it to me. “Okay! Which one did I pick?!”

“Pinkie Pie, show me so I can tell which tent you got.” I said, speaking between my teeth but straining to smile. I could already feel a headache coming and I was not prepared for this.

“Nu-huh! That’s cheating! You need to practice on your magician skills.” Pinkie Pie said. I was really trying not to lose my patience. Fortunately, Sonata came to my rescue.

“Pinkie... ” My sister said as she placed a hand on Pinkie Pie’s shoulder. “Aria isn’t practicing magic tricks. Show her the card.”

“Oopsies! Sorry!” Pinkie Pie giggled before showing me the card.

“Oh, you got the Rose Quartz. Good.” I smiled at them and nodded at my sister to thank her for coming to my rescue. I looked back at the card and noticed a smiley face in pink crayon on it. I growled glaring back at Pinkie who just gave me her dumb innocent smile like nothing was wrong.

“Yay! I can’t wait to see that tent!” Pinkie Pie cheered before turning around and running back to her friends. “Until later, Aria!” She exclaimed.

“Yeah, see you.” I waved back at her. I then glanced at Sonata, who hugged me.

“Don’t overdo yourself, kay, sis?”

“I won’t, I promise.” I said, genuinely smiling and patting her head. My sister broke the hug, grinned at me, and then she returned to Pinkie Pie’s side.

The next pair in line were Adagio and Rarity.

“You’re doing well, my dear sister.” Adagio was the first to speak. “Truly remarkable.”

“I agree.” Rarity said, smiling. “I was convinced everyone was going to run away, but you didn’t give them a reason to.”

“Thank you… I guess.” I said, frowning. “You have a weird way to compliment people, fancy lady.”

“She means it, Aria.” Adagio said. “We’re truly impressed.”

“Again, thank you. I also mean it.” I said, smiling and offering the bag to them. “Make your pick.”

“Go ahead, Rarity. Pick one.” Adagio said.

“By all means, you pick.” Rarity said.

“No, you do.” Adagio spoke again.

“No, you.”

“Stop! Both of you!” I exclaimed. Both fashionistas were shocked and stared at me, in silence. I took a deep breath to speak in a calm manner. “You’re stalling the line, so if neither of you will pick a card, I will.” I said before taking a random card from the bag. “Hmm, you got the Onyx tent. Congratulations.” I gave my sister the card. She simply looked at it while Rarity groaned.

“Onyx? I was hoping for a beautiful gem!” Twilight’s friend whined.

“I’m sorry, but it is what it is.” I said, shrugging and waving my hand at them. “Now, move along. There’s still people who need their tents.”

“Fine.” Adagio said before smirking. “Enjoy bossing us around while it lasts, Aria. As soon as we’re back home, I’ll be in charge again.”

I crossed my arms and returned the smirk. “Oh, I’ll enjoy it, alright. Don’t you worry about it.” With that, Rarity and Adagio joined the campers who had already picked a card. More people picked their cards, until…

Finally, it was Twilight’s turn.

She approached alongside Sunset Shimmer, both with their bags in hand. Our eyes locked. It was difficult to concentrate, especially the closer she came. Her smile… that damn smile… as much as I love it, I need to focus right now. I have no idea how, but I managed to look away from her. I glanced at Sunset and spoke to her.

“You picked Twilight, huh? I thought you were going to pick Trixie.” From the corner of my eyes, I could see the disappointment in Twilight for not talking to her. I’m so sorry, Sparks, but Gloriosa was clear about it...

“I-I...” Sunset blushed deeply. She cleared her throat to calm down. “I love her, but I think it’s too soon to sleep in a tent just the two of us. It’s different from a sleepover. I’ll wait until after graduation to try that.”

“I get you.” I said, crossing my arms. “Really, I can see your point. I feel the same way. I move a lot while I sleep, besides other embarrassing things, so I would rather wait.”

Sunset smiled and my eyes found Twilight. She was looking away sadly, but it seems like she noticed that I was looking at her because she met my eyes. I had to suppress a gasp. Her eyes were still bad. I think they were even worse than before. I could see how red they were without having to be up close. It can’t be good. I was very worried about her health. Plus, she’s sad because I have been ignoring her. I can’t do this to her.

I opened my mouth to say something to her, but Tree Hugger glanced at me, giving me that weird smile of hers. I’m sure that if I talk to Twilight, she’ll tell Gloriosa. I sighed, defeated.

As much as I wanted to talk to her, I couldn’t risk it. I forced myself to look away from my girlfriend and offered the bag to Sunset. “Pick a card. You’ll have to build the tent before the first planned activity and there’s not much time.”

“Alright.” Sunset said, looking worriedly between Twilight and me. She picked a card and showed it to me. “Oh, we got sapphire!”

“How lucky! That’s our best tent!” Tree Hugger said.

“Really? Cool!” Sunset grinned from Tree Hugger to Twilight. My girlfriend managed to give her a small smile, but she lost it as soon as Sunset glanced back at me. “We’ll see you later, Aria. Good luck with your work!” The pony said as she walked away with Twilight, waving at me.

“See you, and thanks.” I said as I waved back. Twilight didn’t meet my eyes again. After giving away all the cards, I have to think of a way to talk to Twilight in private. My responsibilities force me to stay at Gloriosa’s side all the time, but I will come up with something. For my cub.

After giving away all the gemstone cards, I took the male campers to the area where they had to build their tents. I supervised but they mostly built the tents on their own. I suppose that it was because of their manly pride. They usually feel like they have to do things on their own and don’t ask for help, especially from a girl. That was rather stupid to say the least, but what could I do? At least not all of them were too prideful, so I could still show off my newly learnt skills.
Once all the tents were up, I asked the boys to follow me to the stage where Gloriosa was going to make an announcement. Once we arrived, I walked to Gloriosa’s side, while her cousin stood on the other. Canterlot High’s principals were also on the stage with us. I spotted Filthy Rich watching us not far from where we were standing. That guy sure is annoying and that was saying something. I’m glad Twilight nor her family are like him.

My boss cleared her throat before speaking. “Campers. First of all, thank you all for choosing Camp Everfree. I assure you, you won’t regret your stay here. Camp Everfree has a long established and rich history! But I won’t bore you with all the details, we have a lot of activities lined up for you to have a great time here!”

The students cheered and Gloriosa glanced at me. I decided to step in here. “Yeah, like rock climbing, fishing, archery, arts and crafts, river rafting, and nature walks just to name a few.” I could see everyone getting excited, especially Fluttershy when I mentioned the nature walks. I glanced at Gloriosa, who nodded approvingly.

“That’s correct.” My boss continued. “There’s also a long time tradition in this camp. Every group of visitors must make a gift for the camp, so the next campers can enjoy it.”

When Gloriosa paused, I noticed Celestia puffing her chest proudly and her sister rolling her eyes and shaking her head. I was confused at this, but it wasn’t important. Plus, I couldn’t ask what was going on. “And that’s all! Some of these activities have a specific schedule. If you’re curious, please approach Tree Hugger. Lunch will be served in an hour and a half. In the meantime, go have fun!” The campers cheered excitedly. Some spread out while others approached Gloriosa’s cousin. I spotted a couple of Twilight’s friends walking towards her, but my view was blocked by my boss. She stood in front of me, no longer faking a smile.

“Is there something to do?” I asked, ready to comply.

“There’s always something to do.” Gloriosa said, sighing and massaging her forehead. “There’s some benches that need repairing and cleaning in the picnic area. The damage isn’t severe, so I believe you’ll be able to fix them by lunchtime.”

“Yes, ma’am, I’ll get to it right away.”

“Good.” My boss said before groaning. “If you need me, I’ll be at the infirmary. Having to deal with Filthy Rich gives me a headache all the time.”

I nodded and Gloriosa walked away. Once she left, I looked around. Most campers were gone, but I did spot Twilight watching me from afar. I tried waving at her and gave her a smile, but she turned on her heels and left. My heart sank. She didn’t look happy at all… damn it! My instinct told me to go after her, but I had to fix those benches before it was too late. With no one around, I could growl in rage and punch a tree, which made birds fly away, scared, and some nuts fell on my head. Damn it, damn it! I don’t have time for this! Rubbing my head, I headed to the picnic area. I need to check how bad the damage was to see the materials I would need.

It turns out that the damage wasn’t too bad, just like my boss said. I just needed to replace a piece of wood from one of the tables and just do some cleaning and a touch of paint and I was done within minutes. Birds sure love this spot a lot. I hope no one receives a surprise from the sky while eating here.

I finished my task with an hour to spare. I smirked proudly, admiring my work, before turning around. Maybe I can find Twilight and-

“LOOK OUT!”

“Wha-?! Ouch!” Despite the warning, a ball hit me in the face, throwing me towards one of the picnic tables. My instinct made me throw my hands ahead to cushion my fall. The problem now, however, is that my siren strength caused the table to break. I got some cuts and bruises, but those were the least of my concerns. The table…

I groaned and stood up to yell at whoever was responsible, but they were gone. Cowards! Angry, I kicked the ball that hit me, when I heard a familiar voice approaching.

“Whoa nelly!” I turned around to find Applejack running towards me. “What just happened?”

“Some idiots hit me with a ball and made me break the table I was just done cleaning!” I said, breathing heavily. I was trying so hard not to release my full anger. “If I don’t fix it in an hour, Gloriosa Daisy will surely have my hide!” I placed my hands on my head, ready to pull out my hair. “I’ll never fix it before lunch!”

“Whoa there, sugarcube. Take deep breaths.” Applejack said as she placed her hands on my shoulders. I glared at her, but I did as she said. I started to feel my anger fade away. “Feelin’ better?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but I still have an hour to fix this table. What am I going to do?”

“Ah’ll tell you what.” Applejack said as she smirked and picked up my hammer. “Ah’ll help you, Between the two of us, we’ll make it.”

“Help me?” I frowned. “Are you sure? Shouldn’t you be enjoying your vacation?”

“Ah don’t mind.” The farmer girl said as she waved a hand around. “Ah do things like this all the time at home, it will be a breeze.” Applejack smiled, but she lost it for a moment. “If only Apple Bloom was allowed to come. She’s better with tools than I am...” The cowgirl said before sighing. “Don’t worry, ah’m still good. Ah have built tables in less time before.”

“Really?” I asked.

Applejack nodded. “Eeyup! Ah promise, we’ll be done in half an hour.”

I crossed my arms and looked away. “I’m sure that I shouldn’t be accepting your help...” I said before looking at Applejack again. “But the consequences of not having the table fixed before lunch will be worse.” I took a deep breath and clasped my hands. “Okay, let’s do it. I’ll bring the materials.”

“That’s the spirit!” The farmer girl said, nodding.

I gave her a small smile and headed to the storage. When I was about to open the door, I spotted my boss from the corner of my eye. I quickly hid before carefully peeking. She was far from where I was. She also had her back turned to me looking at the lake. I followed her gaze and noticed that she was staring at a small sail boat which was idle in the middle of the lake, while a muscular boy and a girl camper were riding it. Hmm, there’s probably not much wind. The girl was trying to make the boat move by blowing into the sail. It was completely ineffective, of course, but at least she was trying. Will Gloriosa help them into land? But if so, why is she just standing there?

As if to answer my question, my boss closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and then she closed her hand into a fist. Immediately afterwards, she opened her eyes, which were now green. What?! Next, I saw plants growing larger and flapping into water near the campers who were adrift. The wind and waves it created did move the sail boat, but it also threw the girl into the water. When she saw this, Gloriosa gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She and the plants returned to normal. Immediately afterwards, I saw Tree Hugger approach her cousin.

“Gloriosa, you promised to be more careful with that!” Tree Hugger said. For the first time I didn’t see her smiling.

“I’m sorry! I just wanted them to have fun. I didn’t mean it!” Gloriosa said, slowly stepping back. Then, Tree Hugger jumped into the lake to get to the camper girl, who had difficulties to get back in the boat, despite having a life jacket. I saw my boss turn around and run away as Tree Hugger caught the camper girl. Since it seems like she has everything under control, I didn’t intervene.

No way… that was magic! But… I thought that magic didn't exist in this world. How can my boss use it? Should I tell somebody? My sisters must know, of course. And the Rainbooms… Twilight told me that no one wanted to do anything with magic, but I'm sure Sunset still does. Maybe I should tell her? Speaking of the Rainbooms, Applejack is waiting for me.

I opened the storage, grabbed the materials I needed and started my way back to Applejack. Thank goodness for my strength, which allows me to bring everything in one trip.

When Applejack saw me, she whistled, impressed.

"Woah! Ah envy you, Aria. That strength you have can be very useful." The cowgirl commented.

I smirked proudly. "Perks of being a mighty siren." I said pridefully as I put everything down. Applejack took some of the wood, nails and a hammer to start working on the table. I got to work as well.

While we fixed the table, Applejack didn't waste the chance to talk. "So.. ah'm sorry if you don't want to talk about it, but ah have to ask. Is everything okay between you and Twilight?"

One of my eyes twitched, but I did raise my head to answer. I'm no longer cautious with the Rainbooms, after all. I'm beginning to trust them. "No, nothing happened." I sighed. "The thing is that I'm trying to stay professional, but I realized my mistake when I completely ignored Twilight."

I set a nail on the wood and started to hit it with the hammer to set it and hit it once more harder taking care not to break the wood this time. Once it was properly nailed, I continued with what I was saying. "I was planning to try to meet her in private by now, but… this happened." I said the last while looking at the table we were fixing.

"Oh, ah'm sorry to hear that, Aria." Applejack said, sadly. "Maybe you'll catch her after we're done here."

"I hope so…" I said before sighing. "I just hate what I did and how heartbroken she looked. I should at least have said hi."

"We all make mistakes, sugarcube." Applejack said while offering me a small smile. "You can fix it."

"You don't think she'll avoid me?" I asked, a little worried.

The farmer girl shook her head before before smirking. "Ah have seen the way she looks at you. The way she hugs you and how she lights up when yer around. It will take more than that to make her ignore ya. She won't do that before givin' you a chance to say sorry."

I sighed, in relief this time, and smiled. "Thank you, Applejack. I needed to hear that."

"Yer welcome!" The cowgirl smiled proudly and we continued fixing the table. Applejack is right, Twilight really loves me. While she can get upset, she will want to hear an explanation, and an explanation she'll get, alongside my deepest apologies.

Applejack wasn't kidding. We finished fixing the table sooner than I could have anticipated. In twenty minutes to be exact. I huffed and cleaned the sweat from my forehead as I proudly admired our work.

"We did it!" I smiled, shaking her hand. "Applejack, thank you. Thank you so much! You just saved my skin!"

"Aww, shucks! It was nothin'" The cowgirl smiled proudly. "Maybe you should ask everyone not to play 'round this area so it doesn't happen again."

"Good idea. I'll suggest it to Gloriosa after talking to Twilight." I said as I gathered the materials we didn't use.

"Will she take your ideas?" Applejack asked as she gave me her hamner.

I nodded. "She will. I was the one who suggested that the campers should pick their tent partner, after all. Gloriosa used to assign them at random."

"Ah agree with you." The farmer girl said. "Not bein' able to choose your partner could make you end up with someone you don't like."

I nodded. "Exactly. I would really hate that since there's very few people I'm willing to share a tent with. I thought there could be more people who felt the same way I do, so I suggested a change."

"That shows initiative, sugarcube." Applejack said before playfully punching my arm. "Well done!"

I smirked. "Thanks." I said before checking the time with my phone. "I better get going. I don't want to make Twilight worry any longer."

"Ah understand." Applejack said, giving me a thumb up. "Ah think she was with Sunset. Good luck!"

"Thanks! Bye!" I waved at my friend and took the excess of material before heading to the storage. I had to put everything in place before anything. After leaving the storage and closing the door, I turned around and almost crashed into my boss.

"Oh, Aria, there you are." Gloriosa said.

"You were looking for me, ma'am?" It was hard to keep my face straight. After seeing her doing magic, I see her in a whole different way.

“Yes.” My boss said, trying to smile a little. “If you’re done with the tables, go to the kitchen. Check if we have enough supplies for the next two days.”

“Sure. I’ll get on it right now.” I said, nodding but felt my heart sink a bit.

“You’re doing a good job so far. I’m glad to see Cadence wasn’t wrong.” Gloriosa said, smiling more genuinely this time.

“Thanks. I do my best.” I said, smiling as well. With her good mood, Gloriosa walked away. When I was sure that she was gone, I groaned. Great! Twilight will have to wait… again.

But I didn’t have a choice. I headed to the kitchen. I heard noises of someone using it as I approached, which is normal given the time. But when I got in, I saw Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and my sister baking something in a bowl.

My sister was the first one to raise her head and see me. “Oh, hi, Aria!” As soon as she greeted me, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looked at me as well.

“Hi!” Pinkie Pie said, grinning. “What’s up?!”

“I work here. I’m here to check if the supplies are in order.” I said as I walked towards them. I crossed my arms after standing next to them. “What are you girls doing here?”

“I wanted to bake something for everyone!” The party girl said as she stirred the dough in the bowl.

“And Fluttershy and I are helping!” Sonata said, smiling. “Filling someone’s stomach is a good way to make friends! It worked with Pinkie Pie!”

“Yuppers!” Pinkie Pie nodded. “‘Nata and I had been super duper good friends since the first time I ate at the Burger Princess she works at!”

"Uh-huh." I grinned a little. "And what are you baking?"

"Cookies!" Both Sonata and Pinkie Pie exclaimed in unison.

My eyes widened and I smiled widely for a moment, but I quickly hid my smile by clearing my throat. "That's… umm… not a bad idea.”

"They haven't failed me yet!" The party girl said excitedly before tasting the dough. "It needs more chocolate chips."

"On it!" My sister said as she looked for the chocolate chips. When she found them, she brought them to Pinkie Pie.

"Thank you, 'Nata!" The party girl said as she took some of the chocolate chips and ate them. "You'll be making new friends in no time. You'll see!" Right after finishing speaking, she threw the rest of the chocolate chips on the dough. Immediately afterwards, a pink light appeared surrounding the dough.

"What the-?" It's as far as I got since the light covered the entire kitchen, followed by a loud explosion. I felt parts of the dough hitting me before I got to cover myself properly. I removed the dough blocking my eyes and saw my sister and friends in a similar situation. Sonata and Fluttershy were still standing, but Pinkie Pie was sitting on the floor, looking very shocked.

"Everyone okay?" I asked as I walked towards Pinkie Pie. I had to do it carefully to not slip with the remains of the dough on the floor.

"I-I think so…" Fluttershy answered.

"What just happened?" Sonata asked, confused, before kneeling and grabbing Pinkie Pie from one of her arms. I grabbed the other.

"I-I don't know…" The Party girl replied as we helped her stand. She was as confused as the rest of us.

"At least lunch was prepared hours ago and is safe in the fridges." I said as I looked around. The room was a complete mess. "I have some serious cleaning to do, though."

"What was that noise?!" I recognized Sunset's voice as she rushed into the kitchen. Twilight was with her, but she was more focused on the surroundings than on me. Sparks…

"I have no idea!" Pinkie Pie said, raising her arms. This caused more dough to fly towards us. "We were baking cookies, and then when I added chocolate chips to the dough it exploded. Boom!" The Party Girl jumped when saying the last, but that caused her to slip and fall again.

"Pinkie!" My sister exclaimed as she and I helped Pinkie Pie to stand up again.

With the party girl standing, I tried once again to make eye contact with my girlfriend. Our gaze met for a moment, but Twilight quickly looked away. I could see her sadness, which broke my heart.

"Twilight…" I tried calling her, but just then, a group of different types of birds flew into the kitchen and headed towards Fluttershy. They landed on the timid girl's arms and shoulders and tweeted.

"Oh, nice to meet you too." Fluttershy happily said… to the birds?

"Did you just… talk to the birds? Sunset asked, shocked.

"Umm… yes?" Realizing what just happened, Fluttershy screamed, alarmed, and the birds fled.

"Alright, let us all take a second." I called before things got out of hand. As I spoke, Twilight rushed towards Fluttershy to help her calm down. I turned to Sunset and frowned. "Have you seen anything unusual since you got here?"

Sunset shook her head. "Before now, no. And you?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I think you will all want to be present for this. It's huge. Tonight, at the campfire, we'll talk after everyone else has gone to sleep."

"Okay." Sunset frowned with seriousness. "I'll tell the girls."

"Good." I said before looking around and sighed. "Now I have to clean this mess..."

"We can help you." Fluttershy said, smiling.

"Oh, don't worry, you don't have to." I said. "I'm the one who works here."

"But I was the one who turned the kitchen into a pudding!" Pinkie Pie spoke next. "I can't let you clean my mess. I have to help with the cleaning!"

"We will all help." Sunset said as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I-I can’t… I have something to do." Twilight said before abruptly turning around and leaving the kitchen.

“Twilight!” Sunset called for her best friend.

“Just let her leave.” I said, looking away sadly. “Things will be awkward until I find a way to talk to her in private.” I groaned. If only Gloriosa didn’t keep me so busy all the time, not to mention the incidents which keep happening.

“Okay...” The fiery girl said with concern “Let’s get to work.”

We started to clean the kitchen. Thankfully, no one talked about me and Twilight. They’re thoughtful. I like that. I’m glad I was finally able to let my pride aside and befriend them. I glanced back at the girls, specifically Pinkie Pie. “And maybe next time don’t use the kitchen unless you get permission first, kay?” I winked at her and she winked back as we cleaned.

When night arrived, all the campers, Gloriosa, Tree Hugger and I gathered by a campfire to tell stories. They were nothing special, but everyone had a good time. I even saw Sonata talking with other people besides Adagio, me and our friends, which made me happy. I also noticed that no one was as uneasy as they were at noon. I even spotted some campers checking Adagio out. Ha! I wish them all luck. My older sister won't date anyone, not with how picky she is.

But my focus was on someone else. My cub. She's still avoiding looking at me, but at least she was happily talking with our friends. She barely managed to keep her eyes opened, though. She yawned more than once.

"Aria." My boss called me aside. She was with her cousin. "Tree Hugger and I are going to our cabin to rest. Will you make the last rounds? Make sure everyone goes to their tents."

"Sure thing." I said, nodding.

"Thank you." Gloriosa and her cousin smiled.

"You got this!" Tree Hugger said as she gave me a thumb up. I watched them walk away going back to the campfire.

"Wow, you play the cello?!" Sonata excitedly asked a girl with black hair. "That's amazing! I would love to hear you play sometime!"

"Attention everyone!" I called for the campers attention by clapping my hands. "It's time to go to your tents." I heard some campers whine and complain. "I know that the night is beautiful, but we'll start with the night activities tomorrow. So, for now please return to your tents and be ready bright and early for tomorrow!" I say as cheerfully as I can.

Some of the campers moaned unhappily at that, but everyone obeyed. I followed the campers with my eyes and saw that they were going in the right direction. I'll make sure they're all in their tents later. Now, there's more important things to do.

I returned to the campfire where my friends and sisters were waiting. They were all looking serious now. Time to get down to business.

"So…" Sunset spoke once I returned. "What did you want to tell us?"

I sighed before sitting with them. Here it goes. "There's no easy way to say this so I'll just be blunt. My boss, Gloriosa, can do magic."

Problematic Manifestations

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Twilight’s POV

All of my friends and I gasped in unison. Gloriosa Daisy has magic?!

N-No, no, no! Please! I want nothing to do with magic! Too dangerous! Although it would help me to teach Sunny Flare and the others a lesson if I see them again… Wait. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts!

"Magic…?" Sunset said after several moments of silence. "Are you completely sure of what you saw, Aria?"

I huffed, tapping my foot as Sunset went on with that skeptical tone in her voice, as if she were accusing Aria of lying. Of course she didn't imagine it, Sunset! Don't be an idiot. The thought came so quickly to my head that I barely recognized I had it. That wasn't nice of me! Why was I thinking such rude things about my friends!? The thought came as such a shock I had to take a moment to relax and center myself, while trying to keep up with the conversation.

Thankfully I was used to being distracted while working so I was able to listen in as I collected my thoughts.

We all glanced at Aria as I cooled off. My girlfriend nodded without hesitation.

"Yeah, I am pretty sure I saw my boss' eyes glow green and then some huge plants popping out of the ground to do her bidding, there's no 'gas leak' or 'special effects' that can justify that! Heck, I even saw when those plants caused that blonde girl to fall into the lake."

"What did she do with the plants?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"The blonde girl and some guy were on a sailboat adrift on the lake. Gloriosa tried to use the plants to give the boat wind to move, but she ended up knocking her into the water. Tree Hugger saved her, though. Don't worry."

"So Tree Hugger knows?" Applejack asked.

Aria nodded at my friend and crossed her arms staring off in the distance.

"Yeah, but she wasn't happy because Gloriosa caused problems instead of helping."

"If she's doing magic to help, then we don't have to do anything, right?" Rainbow Dash asked. "She's a good person."

"Didn’t you hear anything Aria just said?" Adagio said as she stood up. She was clearly upset. "Gloriosa tried to help, sure, but she almost caused someone to drown! We should keep an eye on her. Weren't you magic experts? What happened to the powers you used to stop us?"

"We do go through a magical makeover when we play music, darling, but without the Equestrian Twilight? We have no idea how to do more than that, sadly."

“Yeah, plus, we never asked for that magic. We just used it to defend ourselves.” Applejack continued. “We just want a normal life without magic.” As Applejack finished speaking, everyone but Sunset nodded in agreement. I glanced at the latter. She was looking down sadly. Well, Sunset, what were you expecting? Magic is dangerous!

Adagio crossed her arms and let out a small almost feral growl clenching her teeth. “We should still keep an eye on that, Gloriosa Daisy woman. She can’t use her magic well. Not to mention the incidents that happened earlier today at the kitchen.”

“Maybe there was something volatile in there?” Rainbow Dash said, raising her arm with a rare show on intellectual intuition. “It’s a kitchen and all.”

Adagio groaned. “I think the fomer magical beings would know better, Miss Dash.” Adagio said with a hiss at my friend.

Aria’s older sister groaned and facepalmed. Sonata, on the other hand, stood up and placed her hand on her hips. She looked uncharacteristically annoyed at that. “Yeah, I mean, it made no sense! I work in a kitchen and I never saw an explosion like that!”

“Besides, we Sirens are able to sense magic.” Aria spoke next, looking serious as well. “We needed to track it to feed after all. The sensation was vague, but I could sense the magic when the explosion happened and when Fluttershy spoke to the birds.” Aria took a step forward and glared at each of us. “Like it or not, you’re involved with magic again and you can’t ignore it. Someone could get seriously hurt!”

I watched as Aria rubbed her arm with a very sad look. “I would know.”

"But no one got hurt!" Rainbow Dash said defensively. "Gloriosa is a good person using magic to help!"

"Have you forgotten that she threw someone into the lake?" Aria said as she got closer to our athletic friend. She didn't look happy. "She could have drowned!"

"Muffins had a life jacket and you said that Tree Hugger saved her fast."

"That's not the point!" Aria said as she stomped a foot on the ground. "Gloriosa obviously can't fully control her magic! I mean you tried to stop us! Where’s the same determination you all had when you thwarted us and stripped us of our powers?”

“Well that’s different!” Rainbow retorted. “You guys were evil and had to be stopped!”

Everyone stared in disbelief at Rainbow. Although she wasn’t wrong, it still hurt to hear her say that. She realized what she’d said, and gave a quick, quiet apology, then tried shifting the focus off herself.

"Well, anyway, why does it need to be us?" Rainbow Dash asked after a moment of silence.

I could see Aria was ready to snap at her, she was clearly holding back and while I appreciated her for doing that, I wanted to hear what she had to say. Strangely enough I had faith that what she had to say was worth hearing, she has a way of seeing things at their simplest. Aria opened her mouth to say something, but the reply came from the girl sitting next to me.

"Because we're the only ones with experience." Sunset said as she stood up, frowning. "Even if Gloriosa's intentions are good, Aria has a point. We have to do something. Not just for Gloriosa, but for us too. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie had displays of magic, which means that any of us could be next. We must find out why this is happening." The fiery girl slammed her fist into her hand when she finished speaking. She looked determined, but none of us were convinced. Only Aria and her sisters were. I glanced at Trixie. I think she was trying to support Sunset.

"Ah'm sorry, Sunset." Applejack said as she and the rest of our friends stood up. "Unless something really bad happens, we want nothing to do with magic." After she finished speaking, everyone but the sirens, Sunset and Trixie retreated to their tents. I saw Sunset drop her head in defeat and Trixie rushed to comfort her girlfriend.

Adagio frustratedly groaned and stood up. "I can't believe they did that! How could they ignore something this huge?!"

"They’ll change their minds… right?" Sonata worriedly asked.

Sunset placed a comforting hand on Sonata’s shoulder. This enticed a friendly smile from her.

"Leave them be for now." Sunset said before raising her head. "We're all tired. Let's go to sleep and think on what to do later."

Tired… I yawned. I should try to sleep… I stood up and glanced at Sunset. "I'm going to bed right now. See you at the tent."

"Sure, good night, Twi." Sunset said as she gave me a small smile.

"Good night, Twilight." Adagio said while Sonata and Trixie waved at me. I waved back, but then my eyes met Aria's. She gave me a small smile.

“Good night, Twilight.” She said, with her arms still folded

“Good night.” I replied, happy that Aria finally said something to me. I then turned around and walked in direction to my tent. As I walked, I looked at Spike between my arms and scratched his head. He wagged his tail happily and snuggled against me. That made me smile wider.

Once I was out of sight, I ran. I still have no idea why Aria was ignoring earlier and why she said something to me just now, but I can't deal with that now. I want to sleep. I need to sleep.

I ran, taking the most direct route back to the tent. As soon as I reached it I threw myself onto the bed feeling like a lead weight in the water, sinking to oblivion. I laid there for what felt like hours wondering what I did wrong or why Aria was ignoring me. Despite how tired I was, I couldn't avoid wondering about Aria's behavior. Why she's acting that way? It really hurt to think about the possibilities.

Then I had a thought. What if she might be losing interest in me? I was not as outgoing or athletic as Rainbow, I wasn’t as confident or as energetic as Pinkie and while I like animals and love my cute pup, Spike, I’m not as enthusiastic as Fluttershy either. I also lacked the grace that both Rarity and Adagio showed. Was I just… boring?

Aria kept telling me she was fine with how I was, but was she telling the truth or was there more? Maybe I was overthinking things and a good night's rest would give me time to clear my head and think clearly. Yes, please! I'm yarning for a proper sleep. A good rest to recharge like Cadence always said, that’ll make my mind clear and tomorrow will be a better day. With my mind made up, I rolled over and petted Spike once more before closing my eyes to embrace the darkness of sleep to take me to the dawn of tomorrow.

Darkness is what I wanted, and that’s what I got. I was surrounded in the empty void and fog… again… Every single time I try to sleep, this happens. Each time it happens I get less and less sleep.

I walked across the fog. I couldn’t really do anything but wait for the imminent meeting with my doppelganger. I was anxious. I can’t find a way to get rid of her. The less sleep I get, the less clearly I think. It didn’t take long for my evil self to show up, cackling like she ruled the world. I backed away and pointed a finger at her. “S-Stay back! Stop tormenting me! Leave me alone!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Midnight wiggled a finger at me, smirking maliciously. “This would be much easier if you simply accepted the offer. What’s to refuse? Our power would be unmatched!”

“I don’t want power!” I said as I kept backing away. “I want a normal life without magic! You’re proof of how wrong it can be!”

“Wrong?!” Midnight glared at me, offended. In a blink of an eye, she appeared right in front of me. “There’s nothing wrong with power! What use does magic have if we’re not going to use it to rule over others? Freedom is wrong. Humans, ponies,” She smirked evilly at me. “Sirens. All of them need to bow to power! Our Power! It’s our right! We must bring order to the chaos of magic with our hands!”

“No, never!” I was disgusted by her words. “I’ll never be part of your twisted plans!”

Midnight cackled, kicking off and flying above me, leaving a void in the fog where she stood. Flying around me in circles, the evil me floated around, mocking me.

“Didn’t you hear what Aria and Adagio said? They too want to control the magic and Gloriosa! It’s the law of nature to rule with power. They can’t control it, so they have to use your friends to do it for them!” Midnight laughed at me as I gave it some serious thought.

She wasn’t wrong. From what I heard Aria and her sisters were quite the magical forces to be reckoned with, but now they were more or less humans as I was. Sure Aria had her strength, and presumably her sisters too, but what good was it against magic? My silence seemed to give the false impression Midnight had me and she continued to speak. “With this power you can control everything! You’re lonely aren’t you? You want our Aria-”

“She is not yours! She’s my girlfriend! You’re just a monster trying to manipulate me!” I snapped, how dare she call Aria hers, even remotely? She didn’t love her like I did, she could never understand. “I’ll never help you and you’ll never hurt Aria! I won’t allow it!”

My evil self laughed maliciously. “As if you had a choice. You can’t escape from your destiny forever. One day you’ll have to accept or else-”

“My body will give up and I’ll die, and so will you!” Despite death being possible, I still looked at Midnight and tried to smirk. I was afraid to die, especially in such a horrible way, but… it was better than the alternative.

Midnight looked scared for a moment, but she quickly smirked at me. “That won’t happen. You wouldn’t let us die.” She laughed menacingly, confident that she had me trapped. But I’m not giving up.

“I don’t want to die. I love my friends, my family, my girlfriend. I don’t want to lose them.” I paused and took a deep breath. “Accepting your hideous offer would hurt them. I would hurt a lot of people and I would never forgive myself. That fate is worse than death itself. Dying is better than becoming a puppet of your despicable schemes.”

I managed to form a full smirk. I was confident. I had her on the ropes. Midnight got scared again. I have her! All my confidence died when Midnight cried in rage and glared at me again. Her eyes were red with fury. My evil self grabbed me and lifted me into the air. I was terrified. I screamed and tried to set myself free with no avail.

“Fool! Wasting the opportunity of a lifetime for such stupid reasons! Our reign will happen! It’s our destiny!” She gave me a toothy grin dangling me over the void. I desperately grabbed her arm trying to hold onto her. “See? Even now you struggle to survive, while you may actually believe you’ll die for others you’re just as selfish and scared as any living man or beast. No amount of love or friendship will change that. And remember what I told you.”

She tossed me up into the air and flew in a loop around me, catching me by the arms she spun and threw me up again, and again, and again, all the while chuckling like she was having the time of her life while I screamed in fear. With five loops she finally stopped grabbing my arms and hung me over again. “Remember Twilight, might controls everything. Sirens know this very well. You best learn it too. Until next time. Oh, and be sure to send Aria my regards.” She hissed into my ear.

After her last words, Midnight threw me into the darkness. She opened her mouth and what looked like a dark cloud came from her mouth and eyes. The cloud launched towards me as I fell, entering into my own mouth and eyes. I was no longer able to breathe so I started to cough. Someone… anyone, save me!

“Aaaaaah!” I shot up on my bed, panting.

My vision was blurry, which means that I’m out of that horrifying nightmare. I sobbed into my hands and quickly hid my face in my pillow dreading the nightmares I was having making me feel sick to my stomach. They’re getting worse!

“Twilight!” Sunset called from her bed. I put on my glasses and looked to my side where my friend was. Both Sunset and Spike were worriedly looking at me. “What happened? Why did you scream?”

“It was nothing!” I said as I jumped off the bed. “I’m going to take some fresh air.”

“But it’s the middle of the night. You can’t-” I ignored Sunset and stormed out of the tent.

“Wait, Twilight!” My pet followed me. I turned around to demand him to leave me alone, but another voice called me. One which made my heart skip a beat.

“Twilight?” I slowly turned to where the voice came from, and a bright flash of light blinded me and I was astonished to find Aria approaching me. Her expression showed signs of worry and confusion. “What are you doing out of your tent at this hour? You need to get back before you get lost or hurt.”

"I-I needed some fresh air." I said while avoiding Aria's gaze. It felt weird talking to her after all the time I didn't hear a word from her.

"But shouldn't you be asleep? You really looked tired all day-"

"Oh, so NOW you care about me? After ignoring me for all this time!? I'm fine! Worry about your own business!" I got enraged. I would love to sleep, but that nefarious demon won't let me! I panted, still feeling the fury within me. I was about to raise my voice again when-

"Twilight…" My pet called me as he nudged my ankle with his paw. I glanced at him to see his puppy eyes. His look calmed me down enough to make me realize what I just did.

I moved my gaze to Aria again, who looked hurt like I just destroyed her world. My heart sank. Oh, no! What did I do that for!? I mentally kicked myself.

I gasped and covered my mouth with my hands. I didn't know what to say. "Aria… I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to… I’m sorry..."

My girlfriend recovered and adopted a serious posture and a stern look that made me shiver. "Twilight, we need to talk. Now."

"O-Okay, just let me get changed real quick."

"I'll wait." Aria said before taking a few steps back.

I turned around and quickly got into my tent with Spike. Sunset was there and quickly sat up in her bed after I entered.

Sunset looked at me, "What's going on, Twilight?"

"Aria and I are going to talk so I have to get changed." I replied as I quickly undressed and put on my camp outfit. "Don't wait up for me." I glanced at Spike next. "Stay here with Sunset."

"Don't worry, I understand. You and Aria need privacy."

I smiled a little and patted his head. "Good boy."

Once I was changed, I headed out of the tent and looked back one last time. Sunset gave me an encouraging nod and waved her hand and Spike wagged his tail. I nodded at them and left the tent.

Aria was leaning against a tree and had her arms crossed. She moved away from the tree when she saw me.

"Ready? Follow me. I know of a place we can talk in private."

I nodded and followed her without saying a word. My gaze saw her free hand and I considered taking it… but I wasn't sure if I was still allowed to do so.

I was afraid of this talk. Aria avoided me for weeks and is now looking very serious. What is she going to tell me? Has she lost interest in me? Is she going to-?

Don't think such things! Maybe it's something else. But… what else could it be? What other reason could she have to ignore me? C-Could she… be seeing someone else behind my back? Maybe she's going to tell me that she met someone more interesting than a nerd like me!

Don't be ridiculous! That's one of the reasons she loves us-me! She loves me! She still does, right? I thought with worry as she led me to a secluded part of the camp.

"Twilight." I was woken from my thoughts when Aria called me. I looked at her and saw her smiling a bit. "We have arrived."

I looked around and saw that we were by the lake. More specifically, by the broken apart docks. "What are we doing here?" I asked, confused.

"Here we're far away from the camp, from our friends and my boss." Aria said before crossing her arms and frowning at me. "Now we can talk. Starting with the way you yelled at me just now."

I sighed and looked away. "I-I'm sorry, Aria. I have been in a bad mood lately."

"Why?" My girlfriend asked with concern.

I felt rage within me again, but I internally took a deep breath to calm down and avoid exploding again. "I-I really don't want to talk about it. Sorry. Please, don't ask."

"Oh… o-okay…" Aria seemed to be hurt. Sorry, but this is my problem and mine alone. Besides, you have some explaining to do as well, missy.

“Aria...” My girlfriend glanced at me when I called, still hurt. I took a deep breath. What I’m about to ask… I hope my heart isn’t broken. “D-Do you still… love me…?”

Aria's eyes widened. She looked extremely distraught. "What?! Where did that come from?"

I looked away feeling my anger and sadness swelling up inside me.

"You have been avoiding me for the past two weeks and you ignored me all day." I could feel my tears running down my cheeks. I couldn’t tell what Aria was doing because I hid my face behind my hair as I tried to keep my tears under control. "Aria, if you no longer have feelings for me, just tell me! Are you seeing somebody else?"

Aria looked disgusted and gasped, stomping her foot down hard.

"No!" Aria closed the distance between us and placed her hands on my shoulders. She gazed directly into my eyes. "I'm not cheating on you, Twilight. I love you and only you." She said before using her hands to clear my tears. "I would never hurt you in such a way. I'm really happy with you. Please, don't cry."

I sniffed, but couldn't stop crying. There's still an incognita. "Then why have you been avoiding me? Why make me suffer like this?"

"I…" Aria looked down. "My boss doesn't want me to get distracted while I work. She forbade me from talking with you, and with her cousin, Tree Hugger, watching me, I had no way to warn you.."

I gasped. "She did?" My girlfriend nodded. I fumed inside with anger. Why that no good bit- Hold on, cursing is not like me! I repressed the bad words and sighed. Then, I placed a hand on Aria's cheek, making her look at me. "I suppose I can't be mad at you for obeying your boss. But what about the past weeks?"

Aria looked away. "A-about that… I was in training since then and I wanted to surprise you, so I didn't call you to avoid spoiling the surprise by accident on my first job." Aria glanced back at me, ashamed. "If I had known you were going to feel rejected, I wouldn't have kept you in the dark. I'm sorry, Sparks."

I again felt a tinge of anger condensing down inside ready to explode at a moment's notice. That's her explanation?! Her reasononig was so dumb! I shocked myself at what I was thinking. What am I saying? How could I think such awful things about her? She meant well. She just wanted to surprise me, which is cute. I was fine with it until she started to ignore me. I can't blame her for that, though. Her boss seems strict. She sounds problematic and needs to be dealt with, but that would have to wait.

It was obvious that Aria wasn't feeling well. Her face said it all. She means too much to me. I don't want to lose her. I don't want to be mad at her. So I hugged her tightly. Aria didn't return the hug immediately, but eventually she did. She had to bend her knees a little to bury her face on my shoulder.

"Twilight… I missed you so much." My girlfriend said against my neck. It tickled, but I repressed the giggles with a smile.

"I missed you too, Aria…" As soon as I said the last, I moved my head to look at Aria. When our eyes met, I jumped onto her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissed her deeply. It has been so long…

My girlfriend gasped in surprise, but she returned the gesture after the initial shock. She cupped my face with her hands as the kissing continued. I really missed her so much. Her voice, her face, her lips… oh, how I love her. I want to be with her forever.

When we were apart these past weeks, I got to think that I bored her. That she didn't want to be with me anymore. Even now I still have that fear. She's so confident, so strong, and I'm… me. Just a nerd who can't stand up for herself. I have to show her that I'm capable of more. I can be as mighty as a siren! We need to step up the game to prove how much we love her! Yes! We must-

"W-Whoa! Twilight!" Aria yelped and broke the kiss before taking a step back. She looked very flustered. Did you just-?

I blinked, feeling as if I was just waking up. But I wasn't asleep, right? It all felt real. The hug, the kiss, her bottom… hold on, did I really just touch her butt while we were kissing?!

"Aaah!" I stepped back as well and put my hands on my face as I turned my back on her. What was I thinking?! It was as if my hand moved on its own! "Aria, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came to me! I-"

"Twilight." My girlfriend called me as she placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and dared to look at her through my fingers. She looked calm now and was giving me a small smile. “It’s okay. Your hand slipped. You’re tired so it’s normal that it happened.”

Yes! That’s surely what happened. I’m really, really tired. As if on cue, I yawned. I was struggling to keep my eyes open, but if I sleep… “Anyway, can we go for a walk around the camp to make up the lost time?”

“No way, cub. You’re going back to bed. You need to sleep.” Aria said as she crossed her arms.

“N-No! I want to stay with you. Please.” I pleaded, but my girlfriend shook her head.

“I’m taking you back to your tent.” After saying the last, she picked me up. No, her superhuman strength! The way she was carrying me, though, I have seen it before. I think they call it… b-bridal carry!

Aria started to walk back towards my tent while I watched her, feeling completely flustered again. I couldn’t really struggle, so I might as well enjoy the little time we have. She’s so beautiful. Her face was the last I saw before my eyes gave up and closed. I fell asleep before reaching the tent.

Just as I expected, I had another uneasy night of sleep. If I could call it sleep. I turned over and over. All I could see was that face. The horrible face w-who wanted to take over my body.

I also felt lighter, as if I was flying. Was it a normal dream at last? It felt real, though. But it can't be…

"Twilight, wake up!"

"Huh?!" Sunset's voice woke me up. When I opened my eyes, I gasped. Even without my glasses I saw something wrong. My bed and I… were floating in the air!

I panicked and grabbed onto the head of my bed as I screamed until, suddenly, the bed fell back on the ground. I also heard and saw more objects fall on the floor. Sunset and Spike rushed towards me as I put on my glasses. I couldn't put them on in one try since I was shaking.

"Are you okay?" Spike asked. No! I'm not okay! What was that?!

"I don't believe it." Sunset said, catching both Spike and my attention. "I think I recognized that aura."

"What was it?" I asked. My heartbeat was still accelerated.

"Magic… but not any magic." My friend said before smiling. "It was just like the magic Unicorns have back in my world!"

"Why are you smiling? That's awful!" I said as I sat and hugged my knees. "Why do I have it? How do I get rid of it?" Having magic could give the evil me more power. I can't allow that!

Sunset lost her smile. She looked hurt now. "I don't know where it came from. Something is going on with us lately. The sirens and I did propose to investigate further last night, but-"

"If you're going to investigate, do it without me. I want to stay away from whatever's going on." I said as I felt how fear made my heartbeat go even faster.

"But, Twilight-" Sunset tried to convince me but I didn't want to hear.

"No, Sunset! I'm serious. Leave me out of it!"

Both Sunset and Spike backed away, shocked. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. While I fear magic, I didn't want to sound so harsh. I took a step back and was about to get dressed, but I realized that I was already dressed.

"I-I'm going for a walk…" I said before turning around and walking out of the tent. I walked at first, but once I was far from Sunset and Spike, I started to run. I ran until my lungs couldn't take it anymore. When I stopped, I placed my hands on my knees and panted with my eyes closed. When I opened them I realized that I was by a pond. I could see my reflection. However, when I blinked, I saw Midnight instead of me. She smirked maliciously at me and I yelped.

“Our love is growing tired of us. Last night she saw that we’re ready to step up the game. You should be thankful for my interference.” She said while swaying her hips side to side.

“No… no! That was gross! I’m not like you! Get away from me!” I tried to take a step back but I lost my balance and fell on the ground.

"Twilight?" A familiar voice called me. I followed it and saw Aria approaching me. She looked worried. "What are you doing here?"

"Aria!" I quickly stood up and rushed towards my girlfriend to give her a hug. She immediately returned it. I sobbed once I was safely in her arms.

"Twilight, what happened?" Aria asked with clear worry in her voice. I moved my head to look at her and cleaned my own tears before speaking.

"I-I yelled at Sunset. I didn't mean to…"

"Twilight." My girlfriend said as she stroked my hair. "Why did you yell at her? Were you arguing?"

My eyes widened. I didn't think things through. Of course she would ask me why I yelled at my best friend!

I didn't panic, though. Aria gave me an idea of what to reply.

"We were arguing, yes. But you shouldn't worry about it. It was nothing big. We'll make up."

"You sure?" Aria asked. Please, stop asking!

Something inside me screamed for me to take the initiative. To do something. It was a feeling that if I didn’t act I’d lose her forever, no. It had to be Midnight trying to make me do something I shouldn’t, so I fought back the urge and tried my best to answer Aria.

"Y-Yes." I said, trying to sound calm. I smiled and caressed her cheek. "Anyway, I'm happy to see you this morning. How are you?" I blushed deeply after remembering what happened last night. "I'm sorry again for… you know, last night…"

"What?" Aria blinked confused. Then, she chuckled and smiled. "Oh, you're still thinking about that? Twilight, it's okay. Like I said, it was an accident. Stop worrying about it."

"But-"

Aria interrupted me by placing her index finger on my lips. "Enough, okay? I'm not mad. Go back to Sunset. Apologize and enjoy the camp." Aria said before giving me a sweet smile and a kiss on the cheek. "Also, if I may suggest an activity, you should try a boat ride. You'll have fun."

"A boat ride, are you sure?" I said, feeling a little scared. "I-I don't know, Aria. You know I can't swim."

"You don't need to." My girlfriend said, still smiling. "The rides are completely safe. Plus, you'll be wearing a life jacket. You'll be fine." Aria said before stroking the cheek she just kissed,making me blush. "Just think about it, okay?"

I nodded and took some steps back, but she grabbed me by the shoulders and whispered in my ear, “If you fall in and have trouble, just call me and I’ll come save you, my little guppie.”

I blushed more, pushing her away with a giggle. She smiled back confidently pounding her chest. "I will, I promise. I'm going to apologize to Sunset before I take too much of your time. See you around, Aria."

My girlfriend waved at me. "Don't worry, I'll see you." She said as she winked at me. Still blushing, I turned around and started my way back, but Aria called me again. "Hey, Sparks!"

I turned around and glanced at her. "Yes?"

"There's dirt on your butt. I would clean it if I were you."

"Oh, thank you!" I said before blushing again."Wait, does that mean that you stared at my-?"

Now Aria was blushing too. "N-No! The dirt caught my eye. That's all, I swear!" She said before turning around. "I have to go. Later!" And just like that, she ran away from me. I giggled and cleaned my bottom before heading back to Sunset. I'm really happy that I didn't lose my girlfriend. But in the back of my mind was that nagging voice again poking at me. Weakling.

Later that day, my friends and I were hanging out by the broken docks. We came here specifically to be far away from everybody else because there has been more magic manifestations besides the one I experienced this morning.

"So, let's recap." Sunset said as she massaged her forehead. "Twilight made her bed float this morning and just now Rarity pushed Applejack away with something she created out of nowhere."

"I'm so sorry, Jackie!" Rarity apologized as she hugged our farmer friend. "I don't know what happened!"

"It's okay, Rarity. Ah didn't get hurt." Applejack said with a smile. "Ah just got a little wet. No biggie."

"I-I also have something to say…" Rainbow Dash said as she raised her hand. "This morning upon waking up, I walked out my tent to stretch and I ended up running all the way to Canterlot City and back in like two seconds."

"Wait, really?" Applejack asked. She, like the rest of us, was surprised. Rainbow Dash nodded in reply.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Adagio asked as she frowned and crossed her arms.

"I thought on hiding it so you guys wouldn't make a big deal of it, but since there's more magic stuff happening…"

"Of course it's a big deal!" Sunset exclaimed. She seemed mad. "Something's clearly up with this forest, something huge and you all prefer to look the other way!"

"Why do we have to do something about it?! Rainbow Dash asked, getting angry as well.

"Because we're the ones affected by it! We need to investigate." The equestrian girl said. I noticed that her hand touched Applejack's arm during her outburst. "I know that you and I haven't been affected yet, Applejack, but it's a matter of time before we are."

"Ah said nothin' Sunset." Applejack said, confused. We all were. Why did Sunset speak as if Applejack talked to her? Our farmer friend widened her eyes shortly after. "But Ah did think that…"

"What do you mean you didn't say it out loud? You heard her, right?" Sunset asked as she glanced at us. We all shook our heads. "Wait, really?" Sunset's eyes widened as well. "Hold on, did you say that you thought about it? Did I just… read your mind?"

"Read mah mind?" Applejack blinked in shock. "Ah didn't know you could do that."

"Me neither." Sunset frowned in thought. "I was-am a talented unicorn, but mind reading wasn't one of my skills."

"If magic got to you too…" Rainbow Dash said. "Then what do we do?"

Sunset glanced at each of us. Magic still terrified me, but we were all looking to her for guidance. The equestrian girl took a few moments to think, and then she sighed.

"Listen, I know that you don't find the idea of having magic great, but it found us as if it was fate." Sunset looked at us with determination. "I understand your fear, but magic can be wonderful too if you give it a chance."

"B-But what if it hurts us?" Fluttershy asked and all of us but Adagio and Sonata nodded.

"It might, I won't lie." Sunset said sagely. “Some of the greatest minds in Equestria abused magic for their own gain, but if you respect it, it can be a great thing.”

"Magic is like any other skill you want to learn." Adagio spoke next. "You can't learn to walk without falling on the first tries."

“We can find a way to control it. Make magic be a part of you.” Sunset said. “You only have to be willing to try.”

I glanced at my friends. They were looking away and thinking about what Sunset said. Please, don't-

"Okay, okay…" Rainbow Dash said after a few moments of silence. "If our magic won't go away, I suppose we better look for a way to control it."

"Yay!" Sunset jumped and clapped excitedly.

"We knew you would come around… eventually." Adagio said with a smirk. Most of my friends weren't excited, and I was no exception. I'm not ready to start investigating magic again!

"Don't worry, girls. It won't all be about magic. We can still have fun." Sunset spoke again. "We can think of what to give to this camp."

Like Principals Celestia and Luna's sun clock?" Applejack asked.

"Exactly." The fiery girl nodded. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"We could build a fountain." Applejack suggested.

"Lame!" Rainbow Dash said. "What we should do is build a racing track."

"That's not good for the forest, Rainbow." Fluttershy said. "We would have to cut down too many trees. It would hurt the camp more than it would benefit it."

"She's right." Adagio said, making Rainbow Dash groan.

"We'll think of something else." Sunset said. "We have time."

I placed a hand on my chin and looked away to think. I gazed at the lake. It's a key part of the camp. Moving my head my eyes found the broken docks. Since I saw them last night, they have been in my thoughts. It's so damaged that it barely qualifies as docks. Gloriosa seems to be too busy to fix them, and- wait…

I raised my hand to catch my friends' attention. When they turned to me, I spoke. "What about the docks? We could rebuild them."

"Manual labor?" Adagio commented, not fully liking the idea. Rarity looked a little uneasy as well.

"You know, that’s not a bad idea." Sunset said with her hand on her chin.

"Can we do that, though?" Applejack asked. "The docks are property of the camp. Are we allowed to tamper with them?"

"Let's ask, then." Rainbow Dash said before whistling and waving at someone in the distance. "Hey, Blaze! Get over here!" When I heard my friend calling Aria, my eyes widened. I couldn't force myself to look at her and I felt my body getting hot. I heard footsteps getting closer and my heart skipped a beat when I heard my girlfriend's voice.

"Yeah? What's up?" I still couldn't make eye contact with Aria, even as she spoke. Since we made up, I have been having weird thoughts of her. S-Sexy thoughts. Something’s messing with me.

"Aria." Sunset spoke. "We were wondering if Gloriosa had plans for the docks."

"Plans for the docks?" There was a small pause where I'm sure Aria used it to think. "Hmm… not that I know of. She didn't say anything about it. Why do you ask?”

“We want to rebuild the docks to help give back to the camp.” Sunset said with a straight face. Aria stayed silent for sometime before replying.

“I’ll check in and let you know. Be careful on the docks until then.”

"Thank you, darling. Tell her that we'll be careful." Rarity said.

"I will, don't worry." There was another silence, so I peeked. Aria was looking at me. She smiled when we made eye contact. I panicked and got behind Adagio for cover.

"Well, that sure brings memories of our early days." Aria said, surely smirking, before I heard her footsteps fading. "I'll get back at you. You keep having fun!" My girlfriend said as she walked away.

"Thank you!" Pinkie Pie said as she and my friends waved at Aria. Once she was far away, Adagio turned around and looked at me with motherly concern.

"Twilight, why are you acting so weird?"

"Yeah, what gives?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I thought you said you and Aria could talk."

"Hmm… oh!" Adagio lifted her finger triumphantly. "I think I know. It's my gift to you, right?"

"Gift?" I asked, now confused myself. "What gift?"

"Why, Aria's uniform of course!" The eldest siren said with pride. "I made it especially for you to enjoy. I simply had to when Aria told me of your tastes."

"Tastes? What tastes?" Trixie asked.

My body instantly heated up. A-Adagio! "Nevermind that! It's too embarrassing!" I said as I covered my face with my hands.

"I knew you would like it." Adagio said. "You're welcome."

So, Aria’s uniform was Adagio’s gift… to me?! She’s the reason I can see my girlfriend’s sexy legs so often. Ugh, that word again! Stop it with the dirty words, Twilight!

"Attention everyone!" Tree Hugger called all nearby campers as she approached the lake. "Canoes and boats are available if you want to explore the lake. Or if you want to stay on land, we're about to form groups for nature walks!"

"Oh, nature walks!" Fluttershy excitedly said before heading towards Tree Hugger.

"That sounds fun! I'm going too!" Spike said before following Fluttershy.

"Boat ride, huh?" Rainbow Dash said before turning to me. "You should come, Twi."

"I-I'm not sure…" Aria suggested the same, but I'm scared…

"It will be fun, Twilight. Ah promise." Applejack spoke next.

"I'm going to do some fishing." Trixie commented before giving Sunset a kiss on her cheek and walking away.

"Have fun." Sunset said as she watched Trixie walk away.

"I'm going to look for more bug repellent." Rarity said as she tried to shoo away some bugs. "These mosquitoes are becoming an annoyance again."

"I'll go with you! Adagio said before following Rarity. “Ugh I miss my beautiful scales! No pest could penetrate them.”

Rarity giggled, swatting another bug. “Sounds very useful, darling. These bugs! EEE!”

Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie and Sonata looked at each other and smirked conspirationaly.

"Snack raid?" Sonata asked.

"Snack raid!" Pinkie Pie replied. They high fived and ran in direction to where the kitchen was.

Only Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Sunset and I remained while Pinkie and Sonata ran off with gleeful squeals. Applejack glanced at the fiery girl.

"What are you going to do, Sunset?"

"A boat ride sounds tempting… but I think I'm going for a nature walk with Fluttershy."

"Sure, go do that boring walk." Rainbow Dash said. "We are going to have fun!"

Sunset chuckled and waved at us as she walked away. "Okay. See you guys later!"

"Sweet!" The athletic girl said before taking me by my wrist. "Come on, let's go!"

"But I don't- ah!" It was no use. I was dragged to the boats. As we got closer to them, my nervousness increased. The lake looks deep. If I fall in there…

Don't be ridiculous, Twilight! You'll be wearing a life jacket! It's perfectly safe. You can do this! Y-You can…

"Alright, here we go!" Rainbow Dash excitedly said as she passed me a life jacket. "I want to see the camp from the middle of the lake!"

"Hold it, Rainbow." Applejack said as she accommodated Rainbow Dash's life jacket. "You must first make sure everything is in order. "

"What's the point? We'll be fine!" The athletic girl complained. "It's just a lake, not a river or the ocean.

"Lakes are just as dangerous, Rainbow. Don't underestimate them." The farmer girl said before approaching me to check my life jacket. "Everything okay, Twilight?" Applejack asked with a smile.

"Not really." I said, avoiding my friend's eyes in shame. "I-I never learned how to swim."

"Oh, sorry, we didn't know." Applejack apologized. "You can back down if it's too much for you."

I glanced to the side to look at Aria. She was busy helping Trixie and her companions with their fishing rods so she didn't see me. She said a boat ride might relax me so I'll give it a chance. There's no way that sexy siren would put me in danger… wait, that word again?! Where is it coming from? This isn’t me!

I forced myself to look at Applejack, who was patiently waiting for a reply. With luck, she wouldn't notice my blush. I opened my mouth and spoke. "I want to try it. I know it's safe, so… it might be fun." I finished with what I hope was a convincing smile.

"Facing your fears head on. I like that!" Rainbow Dash commented with a smirk. Applejack gave me a concerned look, but she said nothing else.

The line moved and our turn arrived. Rainbow Dash practically jumped into the boat. Applejack got in carefully and turned around to give me a hand. I accepted it.

"Thank you." I smiled at my farmer friend.

"Yer welcome." We sat down and set sail. Applejack controlled the boat while Rainbow Dash looked around. As for me… I held tightly onto the boat and avoided staring into the water. So far, so good.

"Could you make this thing go faster?" The athletic girl said after groaning.

Applejack stared unamused at our friend. "It's not a speedboat, Rainbow, so, no."

"Aww, man!" Rainbow Dash laid on the floor. "Could you at least make it go a little faster?"

I decided to focus on my thoughts to stay calm. My heartbeat was beating fast due to how uneasy I was.

I must figure out why I am thinking and doing things to Aria I wouldn't normally do. I touched her bottom, I felt the urge to stare at her chest and now I'm calling her sexy. I love her, but… I fell for who she is, not her body. All I can think of is touching her instead of listening to her, which is irrelevant-important! Listening is more important!

Ever since I started to have those nightmares, I haven't been able to think straight. Wait… the evil me is obsessed with Aria. Those dirty thoughts I'm having… it's her! It must be! Oh, no… not Aria… I can't let her treat Aria like that! But how do I stop her? She was so powerful and I was so weak. I felt my mind wander. Without being able to sleep, I can't think of how… I'm feeling tired… so tired… so-

"Twilight! Look out!"

"Huh?!" I shook my head awake and I noticed that my life jacket was flying away because of a magic aura. I tried to reach for it but I forgot that I was at the edge of the boat and I fell into the water.

"Twilight!" Rainbow Dash called me. I turned around to see my friends on the boat but I started to sink.

"Hel-!" My mouth got filled with water and I kept fighting to stay afloat, but the panic made me waste more energy! No, no, no! Please, not now! Not like this! I sank without being able to stay on the surface anymore. Before sinking again, I saw that Applejack was about to jump after me, but she stopped for some reason. I took a deep breath and got underwater.

Desperation was taking over me! However, just a few seconds later, someone grabbed me and pulled me to the surface. I gasped for air and coughed as I looked at my savior. It was Aria!

"Hold on tight, Twilight. You're safe now. Just don't let go of me!" My girlfriend said as she swam towards dry land. My heroine!

I held tightly onto Aria until we made it to the shore. Once on land, I got on fours and crawled a short distance before I started to cough. I immediately felt someone patting on my back.

"That's it. Spit out all the water." It was Aria. She patted and stroked my back until the coughing stopped.

When I started to feel better, I sat on the ground and hugged my knees. My heartbeat kept racing. Not being able to touch the floor with my feet and sinking… what a terrifying experience! I think I better avoid the pool for a while. I didn’t want to feel that helpless again.

"Twilight!" I heard a different familiar voice. I raised my head to see Sunset, Trixie and Fluttershy running towards me. I couldn't stand up but I got on my knees just in time to be hugged by my friends. As I returned the hug, I saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash docking.

"Are you okay?" Trixie asked.

"That was so scary!" Fluttershy said. "Did you cough all the water?"

"I-I…" I tried to speak, but suddenly, I heard a voice inside of my head. It was the evil me.

"How foolish of them to worry. They'll be the first ones to taste our powers as soon as you accept our destiny." Every word of hers made me sick. "Just surrender! We only need each other and Aria. She had to do all the work while the rest just watched. These… 'friends' are worthless!"

"No! Go away!" I stood up and turned around as I put my hands on my head. I was fed up with her. I just want her out of my mind. "You're always telling me what you think is good for me, but you're wrong! You're an annoyance! I don't want you anywhere near me!"

"I-Is that how you feel about me?" That voice… oh, no. I raised my head to see Aria, looking at me heartbroken and with tears in her eyes. "I just wanted you to feel better since I noticed you have been too tired lately."

“N-No, Aria! You don’t understand-!” I desperately tried to explain myself, but Aria raised a hand to stop me.

“I do understand, Twilight. I’m not dumb.” My girlfriend said, her voice cracking.

I got confused. “I never said you were.”

“No, but Twilight…” Aria cleaned her tears before continuing. “It’s clear that something’s happening to you. Something serious you’re not telling anyone. Why aren't you telling us what's wrong?”

Why is she asking? She can't know! No one can! Midnight is my problem to deal with. Just mine. "I'm fine, Aria. Nothing's wrong." This is for the best.

However, my lie didn't make my girlfriend happy. She glared at me and sighed as she shook her head. "Lying to my face? Twilight, you just had an argument with yourself! Nothing's ‘Fine’." Aria massaged her forehead and when she looked at me again, she didn't look happy at all.

"If you're not going to tell me what's going on, I won't bother you anymore. I can't help you if you hide things from me. When you're ready to be honest, come see me." After saying the last, Aria turned around and started to walk away. All of our friends moved aside to not block her path.

"Aria…!" I called her, my voice cracking. I was fighting hard to not cry. I-I can't talk to her anymore?

Aria stopped walking and spoke without looking at me. "Get changed before you get sick." With that said, she left. I could see Applejack and Trixie going after her before dropping on my knees and sobbing.

I heard footsteps rushing towards me. I looked up and saw Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Sunset beside me. Not being able to hold myself anymore, I started to cry on Fluttershy's shoulder while my other two friends placed their hands on my back to try to comfort me. No… please, Aria, don't stop talking to me!

Inner Demons

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Aria’s POV

Twilight… Why did you do that? Why did you lie to us? To me? Something serious is happening to you and you shut yourself down?! Why carry that burden on your own? I could have helped you if you just gave me a chance…

I still had tears on my eyes. As soon as I cleaned them, I heard Applejack's voice.

"Aria." I turned around and spotted the cowgirl approaching me. "Ah'm sorry you two had that fight. Everythin' happened so fast, and-" I silenced my friend by raising a hand at her.

"Don’t be sorry." I replied bitterly before sighing. "Of course, I didn't want any of you to see that, but it couldn't be avoidable. We’re all worried about her, and like you said, it all happened too fast."

I frowned sadly and thought back on everything that happened since I started looking for a job. Trying to think of any signs I might have missed. Then again how could I have? I practically cut off Twilight. Of course I wouldn’t have known. Why did I have to avoid her this much? Just then a dreadful thought occurred to me and I turned to ask Applejack a question, dreading the answer. "Tell me… was I mean? Was it wrong of me to tell her not to talk to me unless she's ready to talk about her problem?"

Applejack crossed her arms, looking doubtful. "Honestly? Ah don't know. It's clear that there's somethin' wrong with her and she's tryin' to hide it. Ah didn't hear her talk to herself but ah heard you mentioning it. And when we were on our way here, on the bus, Rarity and ah noticed her acting odd."

"Odd how?" I asked.

“She fell asleep on the bus, that’s how. She’s not like that. She said that she was up all night checkin' her equipment but her eyes were red and they still are.”

"I noticed them too, not to mention the bags under her eyes." I said. "I wish I knew what's wrong…"

"I know what's the problem!" A familiar voice said from behind us. Applejack and I turned around to see Sunset running towards us.

"You know?" I stared at her blankly. “How?"

Sunset stopped right in front of us. She took a moment to catch her breath. "I accidentally read her mind. I normally wouldn't tell you something personal from her but, Aria... this is serious. Has she told you what happened to her shortly after she first met us? It was during a sports event called The Friendship Games."

"The Friendship-?" I cut myself off when I remembered that Twilight told me about it. "Yes, she did. She told me that she never wanted to participate but was blackmailed. She also turned into a magical monster."

Sunset nodded using frantic gestures with her arms. "Yeah. That monster never left. She's still inside of her and is messing with Twilight's sleep. She's the reason Twilight is so tired and moody lately!"

"Wait, what?!" My eyes widened in shock. "You mean the one Twilight was arguing with was herself?!” It sure didn’t feel good to be right this time.

Sunset nodded. "That surely was it, yeah."

I groaned, frustrated, as I paced around. "Why hasn't she said anything then? Asked for help?"

The pony girl shrugged. "I didn't get that far. I barely saw what I told you. I can't control my new powers."

"Damn it… damn it!" Enraged, I punched a tree nearby. I didn't control my strength so the tree started to fall. "Oh, shoot!" I ran to try to catch it but it fell too fast.

"Applejack, look out!" Sunset called at our friend. The farmer girl looked up and, instead of jumping away, she lifted her arms as she screamed. To our surprise, not only was Applejack able to stop the tree, but she also pushed it far away from us.

The jaws of both Sunset and I dropped while Applejack watched the tree she just pushed away with a dumbfounded expression.

"Ah-Ah didn't just do that… did ah?" Applejack said as she slowly turned to us.

"Okay, I’m pretty sure that was magic." Sunset said after recovering from her shock.

"Wow, super-human strength." I said before smiling widely. "Finally, a worthy foe! Our battle shall be legendary!" I finished by fist pumping the air.

"What?" Applejack was confused, but Sunset chuckled.

"Oh my gosh, Aria." The pony said. "I understood that reference!"

I smirked. "Not everything Sonata likes is bad.” I said while smirking and shrugging before worriedly turning to my farmer friend. "But seriously, I'm glad your magic decided to show up. Otherwise-"

"No worries, sugarcube." Applejack said with a smile. I nodded at her before I heard one of my sisters calling for me.

"Aria!" I turned around to see Adagio rushing to me, hugging me as soon as she reached me. I also saw Trixie approaching behind her. "Trixie told me what happened. I'm so sorry you and Twilight had a fight!"

"Adagio…" I blushed, feeling embarrassed, but this time I was glad for her support, so I hugged her back. "Thank you."

"Speaking of which." Sunset spoke. "Trixie, did you see Twilight on your way here?"

"I did." Trixie said as she walked towards Sunset. "She just changed her clothes. She said that she was going to try crafting paper lamps."

"Okay. I'll check on her later.” Sunset said as she placed her hand on her chin. At this point, Adagio released me from the hug. I still felt bad for what happened with Twilight, though.

"There's something I need to ask." I said, looking at everyone. I already asked Applejack, but... I have to know. "What I did… was it wrong?"

"Oh, Aria…" Sunset said as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "You did what you did because you felt betrayed. Twilight hid something serious from us. You're her girlfriend and she didn't trust you with that information."

"So I was right…" I asked, still troubled.

"We can't tell you that." Sunset spoke again. She crossed her arms. "Couples argue. We can be there for you and Twilight, but in the end, you have to be the one to solve your issues with her."

"She's right, Aria." Adagio said. "You and Twilight never argued like this. You have to walk this path on your own."

"I…" I hugged myself and walked a few steps away from my friends. "I don't want to break up. I still love her…" I turned around to look at my friends again. "But she should have said something."

"Ah know." Applejack said as she approached me. "Ah think you guys just need time. Don't worry, Aria. We'll try to help her with her problem." She gave me a reassuring smile. It worked, a little at least.

"Thank you." I managed to smile a little. "I might still be angry at Twilight, but it means a lot to me that you guys will look after her." Sunset nodded while Applejack and Trixie smiled.

"You should focus on yourself for now." Adagio said as she placed her hands on my shoulders. "Before coming for you, I arranged a little something for you at the kitchen."

I smiled. "The kitchen? You have my attention."

Adagio returned the smile. "Good. Come with me, now. Soon, you'll-"

"Oh, Aria, there you are!" I saw Tree Hugger approaching us, interrupting my sister.

"What is it, Tree Hugger?"

"I can't find my cousin. Have you seen her? I need to tell her something important."

"No, I haven't seen her but I can look for her if you want." I said.

"Thank you!" Tree Hugger smiled as she opened her map and pointed in the distance. "There's a cave there. For some reason she goes there often so I would start there."

"I will. Thanks."

"Wonderful! I trust you'll find her, Aria. Tell her I'm looking for her." Gloriosa's cousin said before walking away. I groaned as soon as she was out of view.

"Great, now I have to look for my boss."

"Now, hold on." Sunset said as she got closer to me. "You focus on cheering up. I'll look for Gloriosa."

My eyes widened in surprise. "You would do that for me?"

Sunset grinned. "Of course! You're our friend. Just go with Adagio, we'll take care of it."

"But-" I was cut off by my sister, who grabbed my arm and started to drag me away.

"No buts, Aria. Our friends will take care of Gloriosa. I have people waiting at the kitchen. We have to go now."

"We'll see you later!" Applejack said as she and our friends waved. I waved back until I lost sight of them.

Adagio released me shortly after and glanced at me. She looked concerned. "Feeling better?"

"A little bit, yeah." I said with a small smile. "Sunset and company are good at cheering others up."

"Just wait until you see my surprise." Adagio said with a smirk.

"By the way, who's waiting for us in the kitchen?"

My sister wagged a finger at me and shook her head. "No hints."

"Aww, really?" I chuckled. "You're mean."

"Quite mean, yes. Thank you." Adagio said, smiling with pride.

“You’re enjoying this way too much.” I commented with an exaggerated roll of my eyes. Adagio grinned but said nothing else. I had no choice but to wait until we reached the kitchen to see my-

“Surprise!” Both Pinkie Pie and Sonata exclaimed as soon as Adagio and I entered the kitchen. They received me with a hug.

“H-Hello.” I awkwardly said as I returned the hug. I looked around as I did so and saw cupcakes and cookies of every size shape and, knowing these two, every flavor under the sun, which seemed to be recently made. “Oh.” I glanced at my older sister, who smiled and nodded, before turning my head back to Sonata and Pinkie Pie. “I see you have been busy.”

Both Pinkie Pie and Sonata nodded excitedly.

“And this time there were no accidents!” My little sister commented.

“I hope you enjoy them!” The party girl said.

“I will.” I said as I walked towards the table. I grabbed a cookie and didn’t hesitate to give it a bite. “Mmm, delicious!” I smiled and glanced at my sisters and friend. “Don’t worry, I’ll share. Twilight made me promise that I’ll always-” When I mentioned my girlfriend, I lost my smile. She’s in a worse position than me. She has that evil thing inside of her and I’m here eating cookies because she doesn’t want me to help her…

“Aria, dear...” I heard Adagio say as she rushed towards me to clean tears I didn’t notice flowing from my eyes. “I know that what I’m about to say won’t sound nice, but… try not to think of Twilight for now.”

“But Adagio… sh-she needs us...” I said with a whimper.

“I know, but if she doesn’t ask for help, she won’t accept it. I know it's hard to accept, you two are so close but this is something we need to handle delicately.” My older sister cupped my chin with her index finger to make me look at her. “Maybe now that she saw you upset she’ll seek help herself. Just give her time, okay?”

I nodded and managed to smile a little. “Y-Yeah, I’ll try.”

“Good.” Adagio released me and looked at the food on the table. “Now, go eat some junk food.”

“Yes, ma'am.” I said as I continued eating my cookie. Sonata and Pinkie Pie joined me.

“Yummy! Come to me, strawberry cupcake.” Sonata said as she took her cupcake. I glanced at my other sister, who was standing away from the table and watching us.

"Adagio, join us. You can have some too." I said with a smile.

"I think I'm fine." Adagio said, wagging her hands.

"Come on, Adagio, one or two sweets won't ruin your figure. Just look at me. I eat lots of them and with my regular exercise I'm fine."

"I don't know…"

"Just have a cookie. I promise that I won't annoy you anymore." I took a cookie and raised it to her. Adagio looked at it, then at me and finally she sighed.

"Fine, I'll have one." My sister said as she took the cookie. "But if I get fat, I'm blaming you." She hesitated, but she eventually took a bite. "It's… delicious."

"Thank you!" Pinkie Pie said with a grin. Meanwhile, I smirked and continued to enjoy my sweets with my sisters and friend. I'm feeling good. I'm still sad, of course, but I'm not feeling like crying. Pinkie Pie sure knows how to put a smile on my face.

An hour later, I was doing my rounds when I noticed Sunset and Twilight missing. I went to look for the rest of my friends. I found them by the broken docks, alongside my sisters.

"Hey, have any of you seen Sunset or Twilight?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"Ah haven't seen Sunset since she went to look for Gloriosa an hour ago."

"And Twilight went with her." Spike said.

"Oh, she did?" I asked.

"Yes. She said a walk could help her to clear her mind." Fluttershy said.

"I see..." I crossed my arms, trying not to look upset. "How is she…?"

"Not good. She's a mess." Rainbow Dash replied, causing Rarity to elbow her. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Be more gentle!" Rarity whispered harshly. I felt terrible finding out about Twilight's condition, so I turned around to avoid being seen cleaning my tears. "Aria, darling. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." I turned around again and forced a smile to my friends. "Thank you." Rarity smiled back.

"So…" Rainbow Dash suddenly said, catching our attention. "If Gloriosa isn't around… what do we do? Without supervision, some people could cause problems."

"There's supervision, dummy." Pinkie Pie said. "We have Tree Hugger!"

"Ah haven't seen her anywhere in the past hour either." Applejack said.

"Aria's still here." Adagio said. "Trust me, when she scowls at anyone, they won't dare to question her." My older sister finished with a smirk.

"Thank you, Adagio." I said, smiling proudly.

"I hope Sunset and Twilight find Gloriosa soon." Fluttershy said.

"Sunset has a good eye." Trixie commented. "Don't worry. I'm sure they'll-" She was interrupted when we heard someone scream. We got startled, but wasted no time in running to where the scream came from.

"What the-?!” I exclaimed as soon as we reached the area the scream came from. My friends gasped when we saw big plants all over the place. There were also plants which looked like capsules.

"What are… these?" Rainbow Dash said as she approached the strange green capsule. But just as she was about to touch it, Adagio raised her voice.

"Wait, don't touch it!" The athletic girl stepped back, startled.

"What? Why not?" Rainbow Dash asked, confused.

"It's… moving. Look!" My older sister pointed at the capsule. Just like she said, it was moving. Everyone gasped and stepped away. I took a proper look and noticed what seemed to be vines… wait, vines, big green capsule… I read about this on my training about the local flora, but on a smaller scale. That's… that's-!

"I know what it is!" I said before pushing Rainbow away. "Stay back! It's a plant pod of some kind!"

"A what?!" Adagio said, surprised and disgusted. "A… plant pod?"

Fluttershy took a closer look and gasped. "She's right! It's just like ones I saw at-" The pod moved again so Fluttershy gasped and stepped back as Trixie and Rarity got in front of her.

"What's in there?!" Sonata exclaimed.

My sister Adagio moved closer and pushed her face close to the pod to look inside, gasping almost immediately.

"Tree Hugger?" Adagio gasped pointing at the pod.

Several of us moved closer to see the pod was indeed very thin and we could barely make out the figure of Tree Hugger inside. Applejack tried ripping the pod open but she clearly lacked the strength to do it, and her magic didn’t seem to be giving her the same strength as before. I stepped back pushing my friends back and gave the pod a few quick taps with my finger. It was thin and I was sure I could break it with my siren strength.

"Stand back. I’m gonna rip and tear this pod apart.” I snarled cracking my knuckles.

Everyone stepped back and my sister stood between me and my friends as I drove my hand into the pod. I was quickly able to make a small hole with my fist in it. I then gripped the inside with both hands and gave it all I had. The pod was strong enough that I had to use all my strength, but with my siren strength Applejack came up with an axe and I stepped aside so she could cut into it. The pod split more and I continued to rip it open. Then, Tree Hugger slipped out covered in slime. Applejack dropped the axe before she and Trixie helped the poor girl out.

Gloriosa's cousin coughed out some slime before opening her eyes and seeing us, as I wiped my hands on a handkerchief. "Oh, it's you!" Tree Hugger cried out before noticing the axe resting on the ground. "You released me! Thank you!"

"You're welcome." I said as Fluttershy and I helped her to stand up.

"What's going on?" Adagio asked. "Where did those pods come from?" Before Tree Hugger could answer, the vine I just cut joined itself again so we all took a step back.

Moments later, the screams we heard before returned and we saw several campers running away from something. I couldn't see the culprit, but I did see more vines raising. Some of the campers were captured by them.

"Where are those things coming from?! Applejack asked.

"From her!" Tree Hugger said as she pointed with her index finger to a person standing in the middle of the chaos. I didn't recognize her at first, but when the woman turned, I recognized my boss. She looked different and was now wearing a necklace of stones, but that was undoubtedly Gloriosa Daisy. She looked completely different.

She was darker skin toned almost like a dark oak tree, her hair was green like the grass and she looked like a villain from a Hawkman video I watched not long ago that controlled plants. From her plant like clothing she was a straight movie villan ripoff but her magic was all the more scary.

"What is she doing?!" I asked in disbelief.

"She completely lost control of her magic!" Adagio angrily said before glaring at our friends. “I knew this would happen!”

“We’re sorry, okay?!” Rainbow Dash said as she raised her arms in annoyance. “You can scold us later. Now’s not the time!”

“Rainbow’s right, Adagio.” I said as I frowned. “There are people in danger.”

“I know, I know.” My older sister groaned before turning to Tree Hugger. “Listen, we have experience with these sorts of things. We’ll handle it. You should stay back.”

“You mean you know about magic?” Tree Hugger blinked before shaking her head. “O-Okay, I will. Just, please, be gentle on my cousin. We’re still going through hard times.”

“I’ll make no promises, but we will try.” I said. Tree Hugger nodded and ran away to help keep people away. After she left, Adagio and I turned to the rest of the group. “Okay, we need a plan.”

“I’m on it.” My older sister said as she placed a hand on her chin. “The vine we just cut grew again, so the axe isn’t a viable option for permanently getting rid of them.”

“But we still had time to pull Tree Hugger out.” I said as I put the axe on my shoulder.

Adagio looked to where Gloriosa Daisy was. With each passing moment she caught more campers and trapped them inside pods. “We could free her, yes, but at this rate, Gloriosa will trap too many for us to free. Not to mention that as soon as she sees us, she’ll try to trap us too.”

“What about magic?” Sonata said as she raised her hand. “Our friends could try to cut those vines.”

“But we still have no idea how to fully control our magic.” Applejack said.

"It's our best shot." My older sister said as she crossed her arms. "Go in pairs and keep an eye open in case you find Sunset or Twilight." I could feel my blood boiling. If any of them are hurt, I won't be kind to my boss. I looked at Adagio, who was now addressing our younger sister. "Sonata, make sure Pinkie Pie has enough sugar."

"We'll make those vines go boom!" Sonata exclaimed before taking Pinkie Pie by the arm and running towards the kitchen.

"Okay." Adagio said before turning to Rainbow Dash. "You said you have super speed, right?"

"Y-Yeah…" The athletic girl nodded.

"Try to save as many campers as you can. Bring them to a safe spot." My sister said before turning to Rarity. "That will be you. See if you can create a barrier to repel the vines. Trixie, stay with her."

"I'll do my best." Rarity said before she, Trixie and Rainbow left. Adagio turned to Fluttershy next. "As for you, sweetie…"

"U-Umm… I suppose I could go with Rarity and see if I can ask the wildlife to build a tunnel out of the camp…"

My sister's eyes widened and then she smiled approvingly. "Good idea. Go ahead."

Fluttershy nodded and ran in the direction Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Trixie went.

Finally, Adagio glanced at Applejack and me. "Aria, get another axe. You two will buy our friends more time. I'll join Rarity."

"You got it." I said nodding before turning to the farmer girl. "Follow me."

"Ah'm right behind you." I went to the shed where Applejack got the axe from to grab another for myself.

"Have you used one of these before?" I asked.

"Yeah. Ah had to cut down some of my apple trees back at my farm." Applejack said as I grabbed an axe testing the edge. "These vines are hard to cut, though.

"Thanks for the heads up." I said after nodding. We then headed towards the nearest pod. "I'll cut this one while you free the camper inside."

"Okay." Applejack said as she frowned in concentration.

Applejack and I fist bumped and charged outside. Thankfully, her magic returned. With her magical strength she was easily keeping pace with my natural siren strength. I was so glad I managed to retain something of my past self, even as basic as my brutish strength.

Applejack and I took turns releasing the campers from the pods. As we worked, I could see the rest of my friends and sisters doing their best as well. My friends' magic worked sometimes, but they were still struggling. I could see Rainbow Dash losing her super speed or how some of the cupcakes Pinkie Pie threw didn't explode.

We cut pod after pod but there was no sign of Twilight or Sunset. We told everyone we saved to run to the safe zone under Rarity's shield.

Unfortunately, Gloriosa eventually turned her attention to us and started to create vines and other plants specifically to attack us.

We dodged and cut through the plants, but Gloriosa kept sending more and more. For a while Applejack and I were doing well holding our own against the plants, but we quickly began to run out of steam. Applejack was the first to succumb to fatigue and the vines struck her away with enough force to send her skidding across the ground.

"Applejack!" I called for my friend, but the plants came after me. I managed to cut some, but I couldn't avoid getting caught.

"Aria, no!" I heard Sonata cry. I looked at her and I saw that she was rushing towards me with Pinkie Pie. However, before they could do something, the plants holding me vaporized. It was so sudden that I couldn't soften my fall. I twisted my ankle upon hitting the floor.

"Damn it!" I cried, holding my hurt ankle. I glanced at Gloriosa and I realized that she was looking at something behind me. Then, her eyes widened before crossing her arms in front of her face just before she was hit by a strange dark orb. Gloriosa got thrown backwards before she hit the floor.

Surprised, I turned my head around to find Twilight, with a hand lifted towards Gloriosa. She's fine! Wait… Did she… was she the one who-

"Aria!" My line of thought got interrupted by Sunset, who just emerged beside Twilight. The fiery girl ran towards me and knelt to check on me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just my ankle, I’ll be fine." I replied before turning my attention to Twilight again. She looked different. Her expression was serious and I felt a strange aura around her. "What happened to Twilight? Why does she look so different?"

Sunset's expression darkened. "She… that's not Twilight."

"What?!" I tried to stand up, but the pain on my foot didn't allow me to do so. "Sunset, what do you mean?"

"When we found Gloriosa, she was about to use some magical stones she had. She trapped us inside the cave we were in. Twilight got desperate to escape, so… she allowed Midnight to take over. I-"

"And you just watched?!" I interrupted Sunset. I was furious! "I thought you would keep her safe!"

"I tried, Aria! But she wouldn't listen! I'm sorry!" Sunset looked remorseful, but I was too angry to listen to her apologies. We didn't have time either. Twilight was in danger!

"Twilight!, listen to me!" Again, I tried to stand up, but this time Sunset stopped me.

"Aria, your foot…"

"I don't care!" I cried. My eyes started to get wet. "My girlfriend needs me!"

"Aria?" That voice… it was Twilight! I looked at her and I saw that she was looking at me with sorrow. However, in the blink of an eye, she smiled maliciously again and when she spoke, her voice was different. "Don't worry, my Queen. We will make sure this pathetic creature ceases to be a problem!"

"What? No! Don't kill her!" I exclaimed, but Midnight turned around and faced Gloriosa again.

"Your laughable magic is not comparable to our power. You will be purged!" Midnight said before raising her hand towards Gloriosa. I saw how an aura started to form in that hand.

"Twilight, snap out of it!" Sunset tried to reason with her best friend, but it didn't work. Midnight released a powerful blast of magic that could have toppled me and looked like it could kill Gloriosa in one shot.

Fortunately, Rarity got between my boss and Midnight and raised a barrier. As Midnight's magic destroyed the barrier Rarity got thrown away and hit the ground hard.

"Rarity, no!" Adagio exclaimed. She was unable to help our friend because she was defending herself from vines.

However, Rarity's intervention worked. It weakened the blast. When Gloriosa got hit, she was still sent skidding backwards until she crashed into a tree. In the moment of the hit, the necklace she was wearing broke and the stones broke free. I noticed that they fell close to each of my friends as if drawn to them.

"This is…" Sunset said as she examined the stone which landed near her.

"Rarity!" I heard Applejack cry as she ran towards the girl in question. The farmer girl dropped the axe I gave her and took Rarity into her arms. "Rarity, talk to me!"

Rarity barely opened her eyes and smiled. "Jackie… I… I…" She wasn't able to say more because I think she passed out.

"Rarity!" It was Twilight's voice again filled with grief. "Oh, no… what have I done?!" Her voice changed to Midnight's before speaking again with her eyes glowing brighter.

"Forget about her! You don't need her! Aria is the only one who matters!"

Twilight's voice returned. "No! My friends are important too, you despicable monster! Get out of my head! The deal's off!" Twilight fell on her knees while grabbing her head. "Go away!"

"Sunset!" I called my friend. Fear was clear in my voice. "We have to do something before she loses herself again!"

"I…" The fiery girl took the stone she was examining and looked at me. "I might have an idea. I have no time to test it-"

"No, we don't!" I interrupted her.

"R-Right!" Sunset said before taking me by my arms to help me stand. "Adagio, Sonata, join us at Twilight! Everyone else, assist Rarity, Gloriosa and the campers!"

"On it!" Rainbow Dash said with a salute while my sisters, Sunset and I headed towards where Twilight was.

"What are you thinking, Sunset?" Adagio asked as she helped Sunset to carry me.

"I feel a connection with this stone." Sunset explained. "The magic feels familiar and I think I know how to use it to help us enter into Twilight's mind and help her from the inside… hopefully."

"Then let's do it!" I said as I glanced at my girlfriend who was still on her knees. "The more we wait, the less chance we have to help her!"

"I concur." Adagio said. "I feel strong dark magic from within her."

"And familiar too!” Sonata spoke next. "Do any of you feel it too?"

"What are you…?" At first, I was confused, but then I felt it. The dark magic possessing Twilight did really feel familiar. I have had contact with it before, but… how? I glanced at my older sister. She had a hand on her chin in a thoughtful manner. She recognized it too.

I shook my head. Now's not the time to think about the connection! "Nevermind. Sunset, take us in!"

The fiery girl nodded. "Alright, grab onto me!" She said before closing her eyes and her fist in which she was holding her stone before placing her free hand on Twilight's head.

Not a second passed before she opened her eyes wide, a brilliant white light shining from within. Immediately afterwards, we felt how we got transported into Twilight's mind. The trip was disorienting, but we made it.

Inside, we found ourselves in a dark void filled with fog. I also noticed that I could stand with both of my feet here.

After checking the surroundings, I soon spotted Twilight. She was trapped in a magical cage while beside her a demon stood, guarding her.

It didn't take long for Twilight to see us. She seemed confused, but smiled. "Aria! Guys! How are you here? I'm so glad to see you guys!"

The demon turned around, glaring at us. "Intruders!" She angrily shrieked at us, but when she saw me, she… smiled at me… I think. She looked similar to Twilight, but her smile was so bizarre and wrong. “Oh! My Queen! You’re here!? How delightful!”

"I'm not your Queen, demon!" I angrily raised my voice. "Release Twilight! This body does not belong to you!"

"Oh, but it does. Twilight and I are one. Besides, she finally realized who should have control. Isn't that right, Twilight?"

"I'm sorry…" Twilight said between tears. "But the danger…"

"There's no danger to us anymore. No one can defy us! Don't you see it, Dazzlings? It will be like before! Us, together once again!"

"Once again?" I raised an eyebrow, confused. "You didn't exist back then!"

"Aria…" Adagio called me. "Can't you feel it? The familiar sensation we felt before Sunset took us here… it's stronger now."

"She's right!" Sonata said. "It looks like it's coming from…" My little sister turned to Midnight and pointed at the monster. "Her!"

I glanced at Midnight, feeling even more confused. "Who… are you?"

Midnight smirked maliciously. "I'm that what you thought was lost. Your glory, your true power! I am the embodiment of the magic which was stolen from you by that pathetic pony!" She said while glaring at Sunset. "And her stupid friends!"

"That's impossible!" Sunset took a step forward, defiant. "We never took that magic. We expelled it!"

"Not all of it." Midnight spoke again. "You were protected from the songs, but your shield only trapped the sirens’ dark magic. When Twilight here showed up with her gyzmo…" The monster said as she cupped Twilight's cheek with malice. My girlfriend was in no position to brush her off.

"She sucked up that dark magic as well, alongside part of your magic. Naturally, dark magic is superior, so it easily overwhelmed your pathetic pony magic. And when Twilight sucked up enough magic, I was born from within her. She and I are one. We could have become unstoppable if she accepted me!" Midnight scowled with a hiss in her tone.

"There’s no ‘we’, you freak!” Twilight yelled at the demon. “YOU took over me and attacked Canterlot High... and my friends…"

“Stop caring about these inferior creatures!” Midnight continued. "You might have stopped me once, but I won't give up on my quest! And you, Aria Blaze,” Midnight offered her hand with a kind smile, one that I could tell had a dark undertone behind it. “You can rule by my side! Together, with your magic restored. This world and maybe even Equestria shall be ours! It's our destiny!"

I glanced at my sisters, who were disgusted as much as I was. Then I turned to Sunset, who seemed worried. Was she thinking that we were considering Midnight's offer? I better do something about that.

I walked towards Midnight. She smirked and opened her arms to welcome me.

"Oh, Aria. I knew you were smart!" The monster said.

"Yes… I am." I said before raising my fist and punching Midnight in the face. The monster lost her balance and fell on the floor. "Did you honestly think that I would choose you over Twilight? That I would let you hurt my friends and ruin my new life? I told you, you're nothing to me! Leave my girlfriend's body and disappear!" I yelled before turning to Sunset. "Do your thing, pony. Let's purge this thing."

Sunset smirked, visibly relieved. "Gladly."

"No!" Midnight disappeared in smoke and reappeared in front of Sunset, tackling her. "No one will stop us from fulfilling our destiny of being with our Queen!"

Fortunately, Adagio and Sonata were next to our friend so they went to her rescue.

"Go away, you villain!" Sonata said as she punched Midnight, making her release Sunset. Next, Adagio grabbed the demon's arms and held them tight.

"Aria, give us a hand!" My older sister said to me before glancing at Sunset. "We'll restrain her. Release Twilight!" Sunset didn't need to be told twice. She nodded and ran towards where Twilight was trapped while I joined my sisters.

"Your little entourage won't keep me away from you forever, filthy pony!" Midnight exclaimed enraged.

"Your face is an entourage!" Sonata said while pouting angrily.

"Sonata, that's not…" Adagio tried to explain the meaning of the word before I interrupted her.

"Forget it! Focus on Midnight! Don't let her loose!" I said while glaring at the demon. "I won't let you hurt Twilight anymore."

"I wield the power! I could have returned your former glory! We could have been together!" Midnight said. I could swear she sounded heartbroken.

"I don't want power anymore! I don't want your curse!" I said before punching the demon in her face again. Damn, it felt so good! "I just want you out of our lives for good!" I took a quick glance to Sunset. She was transformed with her pony ears and tail, using her magic to break the cage.

"You're making a mistake!" Midnight said right before receiving another punch in her face. This time from Sonata.

"You're a mistake!" My younger sister said. "You mean ugly monster!"

"Enough!" Midnight exclaimed as an invisible force pushed my sisters and me away from her. Adagio and I could cushion our fall but Sonata slipped and hit the ground.

"Sonata!" My older sister exclaimed as she and I rushed to our fallen sister.

"I-I'm okay." Sonata said as we helped her to stand.

"Not for long!" The demon said as she walked towards us and smirked with malice. She had her hand raised at us and was preparing to attack us with magic. "Have you forgotten that you're all brute force now? You’re nothing without me, my Queen! I wield your magic! You have nothing! Without me you’d perish!"

That hit me hard. I recalled when my old pack leader said something similar to me long long ago. I felt a heavy weight in my heart as the words echoed in my head.

"But they have me!" That voice… Twilight!

Right after Twilight spoke, a magic blast hit Midnight, knocking her over. My sisters and I turned around to find Twilight approaching with Sunset right on her heels.

"Are you okay?" I asked as soon as she stood next to us. My girlfriend spared me a quick smile and a nod before glaring back at Midnight.

"I'm tired of you! Of your twisted views! Of your continuous attempts to steal my body! I have had enough!" I felt another invisible push, but this time from Twilight. My sisters and I were unaffected, but Midnight, who was trying to stand up, was pushed into the floor again. "You hurt my friends! And you also were about to hurt Aria! I'm not going to let you push me around anymore!"

"Twilight." I called for her and smiled to give her more confidence. My girlfriend replied with a nod, without moving her eyes from the demon.

"Leave us alone! You're not wanted here. You never were!"

"You ungrateful fools! After everything I offered you!"

"Seriously, just shut up!" I said as I stood next to Twilight. I took my girlfriend's hand to support her. I noticed that Sunset took Twilight's free hand while Adagio held my free hand and Sonata did the same with Adagio's. When we all held each other, I felt something. I'm not sure what it was, but it felt as if part of myself left my body through my hand and passed through Twilight's hand. I could also feel my sisters' energy moving through my body and onto Twilight's hand as well.

Just a moment later, an energy ball formed on Twilight's chest. The ball grew larger until it was big enough to hold my sisters and me. Midnight cried enraged and tried to cast magic, but nothing happened. Twilight was in full control.

"Do not come back!" My girlfriend said before releasing the energy ball on Midnight. The demon was helpless to stop it. The ball hit her.

Midnight started to cry in pain as the energy ball disintegrated her completely. Once she was no more, the ball exploded in a blinding flash, forcing me to cover my eyes.

When I removed my hands, I noticed a change of scenery. We were back at the camp. I was lying on the ground with my sisters, Sunset and Twilight around me. Wait…

"Twilight!" I called as I tried to stand up. However, a strong pain reminded me of my twisted ankle. "Ouch! Damn it!" I complained as I sat and massaged my injured leg.

Sunset knelt and helped Twilight to stand up as my sisters recovered.

"Aria, let me." Adagio said as she helped me to stand. I put an arm around my sister's shoulder and was careful to not step on my bad foot.

"Thanks." I said to Adagio, who replied with a smile.

"How are you feeling, Twilight?" Sonata asked while holding one of Twilight's hands with both of her own.

"I'm feeling a little dizzy…" My girlfriend said as she massaged her forehead. "But other than that, I think that I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Sunset asked. "We can take you to the infirmary."

"No, no. I'm fine, thanks." Twilight replied with a smile before her eyes met mine. She got instantly worried. "Oh my gosh, Aria!" She ran towards me. "I'm so sorry you got hurt! If only-"

"It wasn't your fault, Twilight. Gloriosa was the one who injured me." I said as I patted her head. Twilight still looked worried, though. Without a warning, she hugged me tightly. I was about to return it, but she quickly released me.

"I-I'm sorry… I forgot we're not on good terms right now." Oh, Twilight…

I smiled a little and pinched my girlfriend's cheek to call her attention. "Listen, I'm going to have my ankle checked. Then, we'll talk, okay?"

Twilight was confused, but then she nodded and smiled. "Okay…" I patted her head to let her know I wasn't as angry as before. But I still needed some answers. I hope we can work it out in our talk.

I turned around and headed towards the infirmary with the help of Adagio. My sister looked at me before speaking.

"I'm glad you were nicer to her. It was strange to see you two arguing."

"I know. I hated that." I said before sighing. "But I had no choice. That… demon inside of her had our dark magic. It was too dangerous for her to fight it alone."

"And to think that we used to be like Midnight." My sister said before shaking her head. "With Twilight purging her like that… Never again. We can finally be happy. Have a normal life."

"Yeah…" I smiled. "I'm so glad that we're no longer dependent on magic. Especially after you told me what could have become of us."

"I will mourn Forte Pulse until my passing." Adagio said before sighing sadly. "If only we knew we could heal ourselves from the curse…"

"We wouldn't have cared." I said, growling a bit. "We loved our lives before our friends took our magic from us."

"I know…" My sister dropped her head. I just-" She wasn't able to continue because a familiar voice interrupted her.

"Excuse me… Aria Blaze." Adagio and I turned around to find Tree Hugger and Gloriosa with her arm in a cast. The latter being the one who interrupted our conversation. "I-I want to apologize…"

I quickly got on guard. Although Adagio stood in front of me. "For attacking us?"

"Yes, for that and… for being so strict with you." Gloriosa said.

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?"

"While it would have been unprofessional for you to talk with your girlfriend and friends too much, I shouldn't have forbidden you from talking to them altogether."

"Oh…" I said as I let my guard down. "Yes, it wasn't easy to hold myself from talking to them."

"I know, and I'm sorry for that." My boss said before looking away. "I was under too much stress. My brother is dead and I'm about to lose this camp which has been in my family for generations… In the end I couldn't hold myself together anymore and I lost my mind. But I can make it up to you."

"How?" I asked, confused.

"I won't be as strict with you for the rest of your working days here. You have also been doing a good job so far. If you keep this up, I'll write a letter of recommendation for you. You deserve it after all you’ve done for us.”

I couldn't stop myself from smiling. "Really?"

Gloriosa nodded, but this time Tree Hugger was the one to speak. "Yes. You're responsible, Aria. We believe you can do anything you set your mind to. We'll help you in any way we can."

"Thank you so much!" I said, grinning.

"You're welcome. Gloriosa said with a smile. "We have to go. Have your leg checked and take it easy the next few days."

"I will. Again, thank you."

Gloriosa and Tree Hugger nodded before waving and walking away. Adagio smiled at me as soon as they were gone.

"Look at you. You're making contacts! I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of me too." I said, smiling. Twilight will surely be proud of me too! I lost my smile. Twilight… we still have to talk. There's something important I have to ask her. But first… my ankle needs to be taken care of.

I had my foot bandaged and splinted at the infirmary. They also gave me crutches to move around. But as I suspected, I just twisted my ankle. It wasn't broken in any way. I went to find my friends gathered near their tents. As soon as Sonata saw me, she ran towards me to hug me.

"I'm happy to see you too, Sonata." I said as I happily patted her head. I raised my head to see that our friends soon surrounded us. Twilight wasn't with them.

"So…" Rainbow Dash was the first to speak. "The vines, the magic… they sure were something."

“Well, at least they made this camp unforgettable.” I said with a smirk. “Would you recommend our wonderful camp to others?”

“If you promise it to be magic free the next time, then yes.” Applejack commented with a smile.

“But what about that Filthy Rich guy?” Adagio asked. “Didn’t he want to buy this place?”

“Maybe what he just witnessed scared him off?” Rarity said.

"I hope so." Sonata said. "This is a nice place. I don't want it gone."

"I like this camp too." I commented. "I hope Gloriosa doesn't give in." I sighed. I would like to keep talking to them, but I have somewhere else to be. "By the way. Do any of you know where Twilight is?"

"Yes." Fluttershy answered. "She said she would be by the docks."

"Okay, thanks. I'll catch you later." I waved at my friends before turning around.

"Good luck, you two!" Sunset said as she and everyone else waved back. I moved as fast as my crutches allowed me. Don't worry, cub. Here I come!

When I arrived, it didn't take long to find Twilight. She had her body facing me but her eyes were closed. Spike was on her lap. He got happy to see me, judging by his wagging tail. Unfortunately, that woke Twilight up.

"A-Aria!" My girlfriend stood up abruptly as soon as she saw me. She held Spike between her arms. "Are you okay? Do you need help?" Twilight asked as she put Spike on the floor and walked towards me.

"No, no. I'm fine. Don't worry." I said with a smile.

"Are you sure?" Spike asked.

"Yes, I am." I replied while I scratched Spike's head. "Listen, boy, I don't want to kick you out, but Twilight and I need privacy right now."

"Oh, sure! Don't mind me." Spike said, wagging his tail more.

"I'm sure Fluttershy has a treat for you." Twilight said.

"Oh, goodie!" Spike jumped excitedly and ran in the direction of the tents. I chuckled before turning to Twilight and noticing that she seemed distracted.

"Sparks?" Twilight blinked and glanced at me. "Shall we sit down?"

"O-Okay…" Twilight said before going to sit at the docks. I followed her and sat down, leaving the crutches next to me. She was looking down instead of looking at me. An awkward silence followed until Twilight spoke again. "So… you called me your girlfriend when you were… inside my head."

"I did." I tried to make eye contact with her but she kept avoiding my gaze. "So?"

"So… I thought that you b-broke up with me…"

My heart sank. Is that what she thought it happened? "I never did such a thing."

Finally, Twilight looked at me. She seemed confused. "But… you were so angry. Y-You walked away from me when I refused to tell you about my problems."

"I needed space. We needed space. You were shutting yourself in and I thought that if we were apart, you would realize that you had to open up." I sighed, feeling guilty. "But instead… things got worse. If I had known walking away would release Midnight..."

"Actually, that's not why that monster took over me…" Twilight looked away.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I scooted closer to her. "How did she then?"

"She possessed me because…" She closed her eyes. She was struggling to speak but I allowed her to take her time. "Because I allowed it. I-I gave in…"

"What?! I exclaimed louder than I intended. My girlfriend nodded and her eyes got wet. "Twilight… why?"

Twilight sniffed and looked into my eyes. "Because I was helpless to come to your aid. Everyone was in danger. You were in danger! I had to do something!”

Author's Notes:

First off, I'm so, so, so sorry for the late update. This chapter also had to go through heavy modifications. I seriously can't apologize enough

I have news, though. I have said this before in a reply to a comment, but the next chapter will be the final chapter of My Chemical Reaction. We finally made it to the end!
But, for those who don't know me, I usually like to write an epilogue as well. I'll do so for this story too, but after uploading the final chapter, I'll be marking this story as complete. The epilogue is always something extra I like to do with no rush

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Don't worry, we'll be tying the remaining loose ends on the final chapter

I want to thank Windsor, Quantum Logic and Zalla661 for proofreading and editing this chapter before its release

Chemical Reaction

View Online

Twilight’s POV

I felt a sickening feeling in my gut. I felt my anxiety rise. I was worried Aria would hate me for what I had done, and why.

"Please, explain. Tell me everything." She pleaded.

Aria’s words echoed in my mind, over and over. My eyes widened and I tightened my grip on her hands. I really wanted to forget everything about Midnight… but Aria’s question was fair. She deserves to know why I did the unthinkable and allowed th-that monster to take full control of my body.

"When I thought you didn't want to be with me anymore, I was heartbroken. I started to hear Midnight in my head even more than before."

"Oh…" Aria looked away from me, looking guilty. "I'm-"

"Don't apologize, please." I interrupted my girlfriend while I tried to smile. "It was my fault. I should have asked for help."

Aria looked away and nodded. "Okay. Go on."

I took a deep breath before continuing. "I tried to keep my mind busy. When Sunset invited me to look for Gloriosa Daisy, I thought that it was the distraction I needed. So, I stopped what I was doing and followed Sunset…”

Not long ago…

"So, Tree Hugger gave you a map?" I asked Sunset, walking behind her. I have to keep my mind busy to avoid unpleasant company.

"Yes. She pointed to a particular place. An old quarry." My friend said. "We'll start from there."

"A quarry?" I spoke. "I didn't know there was one here."

"That's what she said." Sunset explained before checking the map. "We should be close. Keep your eyes opened."

I tried to focus on looking for the cave, but Midnight invaded my thoughts.

"Why are we even looking for that stupid camp counselor? We should be trying to get Aria back!"

I tried to force her out of my mind, to think of something else, but she was really persistent. I closed my eyes tightly, holding myself back. Don't let her get to you, Twilight!

"There it is!" Sunset smiled as she pointed to what looked like an entrance to a cave. I glanced at the ground and saw footprints heading into the cave.

"Sunset, look." I said as I pointed to the footprints. "They look fresh. Someone's inside."

"It has to be Gloriosa." Sunset said while looking at the marks in the ground. "Come on. We have to bring her back to the camp."

I nodded and followed Sunset inside the cave. At first it was completely dark, which was eerie to say the least. But then we could see red lights on the walls and ceiling. They illuminated the way. These lights were produced by gemstones, rubies, perhaps?

Eventually, we made it to an opening. We went through it and found ourselves in a big space with more lights and…

"Gloriosa!" Sunset called. The camp counselor was indeed on the other side of the area we just entered. When Sunset called her, Gloriosa turned around and gasped, surprised.

"What are you doing here? This area is off limits!" The camp counselor said while glaring at us.

"Your cousin sent us to find you." Sunset said. "She told us we could find you here."

Gloriosa groaned. "I should have known… she didn't have to send anyone after me. I was going to go back on my own. Now, leave me alone, I'm busy trying to save my camp!"

"How? With magic? You'll do more harm than good with it if you don't know how to control it!" My friend said, gaining Gloriosa's full attention.

"How do you know about magic?" The camp counselor asked.

"We know, because that magic is from my world, Equestria." Sunset replied. "I know that magic well. My friends and I have magic inside of us "

"You don't want it, Gloriosa. Trust me." I said as I stepped forward. "Magic is dangerous. It messes with your mind if you're not careful and it can make you lose yourself." Just like I lost Aria…

"Ha!” Gloriosa snorted darkly. "Maybe you lost yourself, but I've got this! I'm not some dumb teenager!" She said before turning around, approaching some colorful stones on a pedestal. "I already lost too much. For my brother's sake, I will not lose this camp!"

"Wait, no!" Sunset tried to reach for Gloriosa, but it was too late. She activated something, causing a flash of light which forced us to cover our eyes. When the light ceased, we glanced again at Gloriosa and gasped.

She looked different.

Her skin tone became purplish and her hair became green. It also glowed and it looked like grass. She looked terrifying!

"G-Gloriosa?" Sunset asked.

"There is no Gloriosa. I became that who the legends my parents told me spoke about, I am Gaia!" The new entity said with a malicious smirk. "Gaia Everfree."

"Gaia…" I said as I stepped forward, gaining enough courage to address her. She looked at me and I took a deep breath. I must choose my words carefully. "P-Please, don't abuse magic. It's dangerous and the consequences can be too big."

"Ha!" Gaia chuckled darkly. "I am in full control of magic. Watch!" She said before snapping her fingers. Immediately after she did so, the cave trembled, forcing Sunset and I to find our balance.

"What's-?!" Sunset couldn't finish because a vine suddenly broke through the ground below her and caught her. "Aaah!"

"Sunset!" I called for my friend but another vine appeared below me and caught me too. "No, no! Release me, please!"

"I will do no such thing." Gaia said as she walked away from us. "You'll interfere with my plans to save this camp."

"What are you going to do?!" My friend asked.

"I'm just going to make sure no one leaves so the camp doesn't get closed. Don't worry, I'll come back for you." She said before starting to laugh like a maniac. Her laughter got muffed when she blocked the exit with a big boulder, leaving us with the lights of the gemstones.

Sunset and I struggled with the vines but the grip was too tight.

"What are we going to do?!" I asked with desperation.

"We have to cut these plants somehow." Sunset sounded much calmer than me. "Twilight, your magic-"

"No!" I interrupted my friend. "I don't want to use it! There has to be another way!"

"I can't think of anything else!" Sunset raised her voice. "Twilight, the boulder is completely obstructing the exit. At this rate we'll suffocate. We need to get out now and save everyone else!"

I felt sick. Magic is what caused this, magic has done nothing but cause me pain and agony, especially with Aria. But… I don't have any other choice… I'll have to use… magic.

I closed my eyes and focused, trying to find a way to summon the magic. Come on, come on!

"There you go!" Sunset exclaimed in triumph. I opened my eyes and saw a purple aura surrounding part of the vine holding me. The aura cut the vine and I fell to the floor. "Well done! Now, help me down."

I stood up and tried to focus on the vine holding Sunset, but…

"Twilight, behind you!"

I turned around by Sunset's warning and saw the vine I just cut arm itself again. I was too shocked to move so it caught me again.

"No! Please, no!" I cried in frustration before tears invaded my eyes. My friends are in danger. Aria as well…

"Our Queen needs us." My lips moved but that wasn't my voice… Midnight? "Listen, girl. My understanding of magic is far greater than yours. If you give in and let me control our body-"

"No, Twilight, don't listen to her!" My friend exclaimed.

“Gaia seemed to be strong...” I said. “Aria’s strong, but without magic...”

“Exactly.” Midnight spoke through me again. “She needs us.”

“Twilight, no!” Sunset spoke up again. “Try your telekinesis again. We know the vines can put themselves together again. If we act fast-”

“You’re not experienced enough to control that power!” Midnight said. “But I am. We don’t have time, Twilight. Gaia Everfree could already be attacking our Aria.”

“We have to save her…” I said. “And my friends...”

“Forget about them! Aria Blaze is the only one who matters!” Midnight said.

“No! We’ll save my friends too or there’s no deal!” I said while feeling frustrated.

Midnight groaned. “Fine! We’ll save those stupid girls too. Now, let’s go!”

“Twilight-!” Sunset tried to speak again, but this time I was the one to interrupt her.

“Shut up, Sunset! We don’t have another choice! You’re the magical pony here and all you can do is read minds?” The next words were mixed with Midnight’s voice. “That pathetic power won’t get us out of here! You stay here if you want! Midnight and I will rescue our Queen!”

As soon as we finished the sentence, we used our powerful magic to destroy the vines and push the boulder away. The vines didn’t regenerate this time. With no more obstacles, we escaped the cave and headed into the camp.

“Twilight, wait! Snap out of it!” We heard Sunset call for us, but we ignored her. That weak pony will only slow us down. Hang in there, Aria Blaze. We’re coming to save you!

Present Time

“And that’s the whole story...” I said, feeling my eyes getting wet and holding Aria’s hands tighter. I was not proud of what I did and I want to forget about it.

Aria wasn't looking at me. She kept her hands on mine and she was facing me, but her eyes were focused on the floor.

“Aria...” I called her while squeezing her hands to get her attention. She glanced at me, looking somewhere between sadness and… disappointment?

“Twilight...” My girlfriend took a deep breath. “I understand what you went through. You were stressed and worried sick. But letting that demon take over your body was way too dangerous. You even insulted Sunset. That wasn’t you at all.”

“I-I know.” I sighed. "I promise that I'll apologize to her. At the moment I was stressed. I felt so good saying those things, but now, I feel awful. I'm not sure how much of what I said was me and how much was Midnight.

"Twilight-" Aria scooted closer to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, making me look at her. "Listen, no one in this world ever went through what you did. You weren't prepared. But it's over. All you have to do is apologize and sleep."

"Sleep…" I smiled. "I can't believe I'll finally be able to rest without interruptions, it’s been so long."

"Do you want to go back to your tent?" Aria asked. "I can take you now if you want."

"I would love to, but first I have to make amends with everyone." I said as I stood up. Aria did the same. "Are you sure you don't want me to help you?"

"I'm fine, thank you." My girlfriend replied with a confident smile and a flex of her arms. "I have mastered the crutches already. Watch me go!" She added as she moved forward.

"Hey, w-wait!" I said as I caught up to her. It was quiet at first, but then, I managed to gain courage to ask some dreading questions. "So… we're still dating…"

"..." Aria remained silent. She looked at me but made no facial expression.

"Are we… good?"

She sighed, with a slump of her shoulders. "I'm not sure, Twilight. I'm still hurt that you didn't ask anyone for help. I'm hurt that you didn't come to me. You knew that dark magic controlled me once."

"It's not that I didn't trust you, Aria." I said, feeling a bit defensive. "I thought I had to deal with it on my own. Besides, I didn't want to bring back bad memories for you."

"Bad memories would have been the least of my problems. My priority is you, Twilight." Aria snapped and looked at me with sadness in her eyes. "I'm over my past. Bad memories can't trouble me much. But you were suffering. I could have helped you. I wanted to. But because you kept it to yourself... I almost lost you for good." She looked down after saying the last.

"Aria…" She was right… My stubbornness was almost my doom. Midnight was so close to taking over me. "If you need time… I'll understand.”

Aria glanced at me again and smiled weakly. "Thank you."

"Twilight? Aria?" I heard Fluttershy's voice. I turned my head towards my friend and I saw her holding Spike, sitting with our friends. They all stood up but no one approached. They respected our space. Even Pinkie Pie kept an unusual distance compared to usual.

"Umm…" Rainbow Dash was the first one to speak. She did so as she scratched the back of her neck. "You guys are talking again, right?"

"It’s up in the air. We need time to sort things out." Aria said. "We'll be fine, but I'm not ready to fully forgive her yet. I eased her worries, though. She thought we broke up."

"Oh, you didn't?" Rarity said before sighing in relief. I noticed that her head was bandaged too. That was my doing… "I'm so happy to hear that! I thought the worst after the big fight you had!"

"Me too." Pinkie Pie said while everyone else nodded.

"Rarity." I spoke up giving my friend a hug. Time to make amends with everyone. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

"Sweetie, it's okay." Rarity smiled. "I just passed out, but I'm fine now."

"Still, I'm very sorry." I said before turning to the fiery girl. "Sunset, I'm so sorry for insulting you and your magic back at the cave."

Sunset smirked. "Given the circumstances, I can forgive you. Although you were kind of right. Compared to everyone, my mind reading is somewhat lackluster. Even Trixie surpasses me! That's crazy!” She said before Trixie slapped the back of her head. "Ouch! Not that there was any doubt!” Sunset chuckled weakly.

Everyone chuckled at this, even I did. Sunset soothed Trixie’s feelings. After the laughter died down, I addressed everyone else. "I want to apologize to all of you. If only I sought help, maybe this could have been avoided."

"It's okay, Twilight." Fluttershy said.

"We're just glad it's all over." Applejack spoke next. Then, Spike jumped from Fluttershy's arms and ran towards me. I knelt to pick him up.

"You're in a better mood now." My pet said. "That makes me very happy!"

"Thank you, my little cute boy." I said as I nuzzled noses with my dog. Spike licked me on my face in reply.

"What have you girls been up to while Twilight and I were away." Aria asked as she petted Spike.

"Sunset said that the camp could close down if Gloriosa doesn't make enough money." Rainbow Dash replied.

"So we were thinking how to help!" Pinkie Pie excitedly exclaimed.

"I proposed to host a fashion show." Rarity said while placing a hand on her chest.

"But that idea was lame, so I said that the Rainbooms could play here!" Rainbow Dash said.

“I wouldn’t call it a lame idea.” Trixie said. “It’s not a bad setting for a fashion show.”

“She’s right.” Adagio spoke next.

“Thank you, darlings!” The fashionista smiled. “I’m glad hope’s not lost in our group.”

I giggled as Sunset approached me, holding something in her hands. At first, I wasn’t sure what it was. It was a simple necklace, but something about it was familiar. Wait, that gem.... It was…!

“Gah!” I quickly hid behind Aria. It was the gem which allowed me to use telekinesis at will!

“Twilight, it’s fine.” Sunset said with a reassuring smile. “All this will do is to help you control your magic.”

"Are you sure that it's safe for her to have it?" Aria asked.

"Yes, don't worry, we purged Midnight." Sunset said. "She and her dark magic won't influence your actions again." She added as she took a step closer to me and handed me the gem. "Trust me, you'll be fine. The girls and I are already wearing them and can now use our magic when we want."

When Sunset said the last, I looked at each of my friends. Except the sirens and Trixie, they were all wearing their gems as necklaces which they improvised with strings.

"Yes, Twilight, look!" Rarity said before making a movement with her hands to create a barrier.

"It's fun!" Pinkie Pie said before proceeding to throw explosive sugar into Rarity's barrier.

"Pinkie!" The fashionista exclaimed. "Warn me next time!"

“Oopsie! Sorry!” The party girl said with a giggle.

“Twilight.” Sunset spoke to catch my attention again. “Without this gem, you won’t be able to control your powers. We made some tests while you and Aria talked. The girls and I were able to fully control our powers while wearing the gems. You’re going to need it. Not wearing it won’t cause Midnight to return, but you might get into trouble if you move objects by accident at the wrong time.”

“When we get back to Canterlot, I’ll turn the gems into actual necklaces.” Rarity commented. “The girls already gave me their approval. These makeshift holdings are very gaudy. I would love doing the same with yours if you want.”

"Trust me, it's safe." Sunset said while still holding the gem close to me. I made eye contact with Aria, who nodded. I looked back at my friend and took a deep breath before speaking.

"Okay. I suppose I'll give it a shot." I took the Gem and Rarity approached me too.

"Allow me." The fashionista said as she took a string from her pocket and improvised a necklace with my gem too before placing it around my neck.

"Thank you." I smiled at my friend.

"You're welcome." Rarity replied before taking a step back. "I'm done. You can try it now, darling."

"What do I do?" I asked, looking at my equestrian friend.

"Just hold or tap the gem to activate your magic." Sunset replied.

I nodded and looked for something to test my power on. I noticed that Rainbow Dash was drinking from her bottle of water, so I waited until she closed the bottle before trying to move it. I focused and felt something new within me. I used this new thing and…

"H-Hey!" My athletic friend complained as her bottle of water floated beyond her reach. It worked!

"Nice one, Twilight." Adagio said with a smirk.

"Very funny, very funny." Rainbow Dash crossed her arms. "Can you please give it back?"

I giggled. "Okay. Here it goes!" I released the bottle, but Rainbow Dash wasn't looking at it so it fell on her head. "Ouch!" She said as she rubbed her head. "You did that on purpose!"

"It's on you, Rainbow." Rarity said. "You should have been paying attention."

Everyone but Rainbow Dash laughed until I yawned. My eyes couldn't stay open anymore. I started to lose my balance but someone held me. I could open my eyes one last time to see Aria's hands around me.

"Oh, poor thing." I heard Fluttershy say.

"After everything that happened, she needs to sleep." Aria said while I felt like someone carried me. I looked up to see that Adagio was the one carrying me while Aria followed us with her crutches.

"Have a good rest, Twilight." I heard some of my friends say as I was carried to my tent. Now, all I could hear were the footsteps of Adagio and Aria, but eventually, those sounds faded too as I welcomed my slumber. Finally, after so long, I can sleep. I had normal dreams. I missed them so much…

A week later…

It was the first Monday after I returned home last Friday. Besides the magic incident, Everfree Camp was fun.

The impromptu concert Rainbow Dash proposed was a good idea. Everfree received more recognition and is becoming a popular place to go on vacations once again. Thanks to that, and for all the donations from former campers, Filthy Rich had no choice but to withdraw his construction plans, however there was another lot of land he was able to settle for as a compromise.

As happy as I was for Gloriosa, I still have a problem of my own. Aria hasn't called me yet. I have been talking with Adagio and Sonata, but I wanted to hear Aria's voice again. I needed to be patient, though. Her reasons to need time were justified. I wasn't honest with her, nor my friends. Still, the wait was killing me. I miss her so much.

I was at home, sitting on my bed, with Spike sleeping on my lap as I petted him. I was also wearing the necklace with my new gem. I'm not risking taking it off. Waking up floating in the air wasn't a pleasant moment.

I sighed and stared into the ceiling. My friends are all busy today. I'm hoping to take Spike out on a walk once he wakes up, but until then, there's nothing to do.

Thankfully, I received a message on my phone. I had it in silence to not disturb my cute dog's slumber.

I took my phone only to almost drop it when I saw who the message was from. My heart skipped as I saw the familiar name I was waiting for.

"Aria!" I whispered as I opened her text. It was short and straight to the point.

'Meet me at the bookstore near my house in an hour.'

I was confused. Was she still mad? There was no time to think further. I need to get ready to meet with her.

I slowly stood up, careful to not wake Spike up. I kissed him on his tiny forehead before heading to my wardrobe. I must make sure to look my best. Oh, if only Rarity was here to help me! I whined as I mentally prepared for what felt like the most important meeting of my life.

I arrived at the bookstore with some minutes to spare. Before leaving my house, I grabbed some gifts I bought for Aria and her sisters during the weekend. I have them in a bag. Aria wasn't specific if we would meet outside or inside, so, I'll send her a message to tell her that I have arrived.

That was the plan. However, after pulling out my phone, the bookstore's door opened and Aria walked out, wearing a smirk and leaning against the wall. With her cast removed last Thursday, she no longer needed crutches.

"Well, hello, there." Aria greeted me.

"Aria!" I exclaimed as I rushed to hug her. The hug didn't last long. I quickly released her in case I went too fast "S-Sorry. I missed you and I couldn't stop myself.'

Aria raised a hand and smiled. "It's cool. I missed you too." She said before taking a step towards me and stroking my hair with her hand, making me blush.

“I thought long and hard about this, and I feel I’ve finally reached my decision.” She paused impressively. It made me a bit nervous as she gave me a serious expression. She turned and looked through the nearby window at a book. “Long ago back in Equestria I had feelings for someone who I thought had my best interests in mind. We were part of a pack, and I thought we were family. Heh... as it turns out she just used me and didn’t care.”

Aria lowered her head and I simply listened, anxious to hear what she had to say and what her answer to the nagging question in my head was. Were we still a couple?

“When I left my old pack I pushed everyone and everything away so I could never get hurt again. Even you at first.” She turned to face me and smiled, reaching out with one hand she took mine in hers and our gazes met. “I’m glad Sonata chased after you that day we met. And I’m glad I took a chance with you… cub.” She smiled, caressing my hands and I felt warm and overjoyed.

"Thank you for giving me the time I needed. I'm ready to forgive you and move on."

I grinned and tried to hug her again, but this time she stopped me by pushing her hand under my chin. "Just don't do that again. If you need help, ask, understand?"

I nodded. "Yes. I promise." As I hugged her again she hugged me back. After breaking apart from the hug she looked me over focusing on my face.

"Could you sleep well?" She asked with worry.

"Yes. I haven’t had nightmares since that day." I replied.

Aria looked into my eyes, her own shined like vorpal gems of dark violet in a nebula. I smiled feeling lost in her gaze, and she smiled back. "I’m glad you haven’t had any nightmares since. Your eyes are more beautiful when they aren’t red and puffy." I blushed while she smiled again before placing her hands on my hips.

"Aria-" I whispered. "Can I…?"

Aria didn't say anything. She nodded and closed her eyes. I did the same and we leaned closer and closer until our lips met. We haven't kissed in almost a week, so I quickly deepened the kiss and held for several seconds. I could recall a time, not long ago, when such an act would have put Aria on defense and me on edge, now it felt as natural to us as breathing.

I'm surprised that we remembered that we were in public and pulled away after a few seconds. Our eyes met and our foreheads touched. I smiled widely and rested my head on her chest. I missed hearing her heartbeat racing as fast as mine. We just stood together in the embrace not saying a word.

"So, Sparks…" Aria spoke after a long time of silence. We looked at each other and smiled. "What's in the bag?"

I giggled. "Impatient, are we?" I teased her a little bit before giving her the bag. "They're for you and your sisters. The purple box is yours. The orange is for Adagio and the blue one is for Sonata."

"Cool! Let's see what we have." Aria commented as she took her box. She gasped upon opening it. "Twilight…" She said before taking her gift from the box. It was a star necklace, very similar to her hair pins, with a musical note going through it.

"Since our friends and I have new necklaces, I didn't want you to feel left out. You told me you used to have one before."

"Yes, but this one is much better." My girlfriend said as she took a closer look at her new possession. "For one, it's not cursed. Not to mention that it was given to me by someone I love very much." She smiled at me after saying the last, making me blush deeply. Oh, Aria... "Can you help me put it on?"

"Oh!” I woke up from the trance Aria just put me in. “Y-Yes! It will be a pleasure." I said as I walked closer to Aria. My girlfriend gave me her necklace and turned around. She also bent her knees a little so I could easily put the necklace around her neck. Once I was done, she turned around again.

"So?" Aria asked with a smile.

"It looks perfect." I replied, admiring her from up close.

"Not as perfect as you, though." Aria's comment made me blush deeply... again! I had to hide my face on her shoulder, which she found amusing. "Well, that was easy." She joked.

"Y-You're not usually that cheesy!" I said against her shoulder, sounding muffled. Wait… did we just rhyme?

"I couldn't help myself." My girlfriend said before cupping my face to make me look at her. "Ready to find a new book for us to read together?"

"So, that's why we're here?" I asked, smiling brightly.

Aria nodded. "We can't wait until the second book of Young Sorceress Academia to read again. There has to be another book we both enjoy."

"And what better place to find us a new book than the bookstore we first met in?" I said before leaving a dreamy sigh. "Can you believe how far we got since we both reached for the same book that day?'

"I didn't at first." My girlfriend smiled at me. "I was sure that I was going to blow it up, but I'm confident these days."

I giggled and tiptoed to kiss her cheek. "Thank you for not giving up."

Aria smiled lovingly at me. "I'm thankful for that too." She said before clearing her throat. "Say, I haven't talked with anyone since we got back." Aria said before offering me her arm. "How's Spike? And our friends?"

"Spike's fine." I replied while I linked my arm with hers. "We have been having a good time since my mood improved. As for our friends-" I made a pause to push the bookstore door open. "They're good too. Applejack and Pinkie Pie are quite busy today with their annual family reunion."

"Hold on." My girlfriend stopped walking and looked at me. She seemed dumbfounded. "Applejack and Pinkie Pie are related?"

I nodded. "They told me they're distant cousins. Pinkie Pie made sure they remained close, though."

"Huh…" Aria nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's not hard to picture. Pinkie's always up in one's personal space."

I giggled again. "Exactly. Anyway, they always have their annual reunion around summer, apparently. It's the Season their family's the freest to get together."

"Makes sense." My girlfriend commented while checking one of the bookstore's sections. "Hmm… what do you think of detective books?"

"It's not a bad option. Let's see what we have." I said as I pulled out a book to check it. Aria leaned her head on mine to take a closer look. With our cheeks touching, I eyed her and smiled widely. I missed her too much. From now on, I'll make sure to never make bad decisions again. I really love her with all my heart. I can hardly wait to find out what the future has in store for us.

Epilogue

View Online

Aria’s POV

Years later...

Fortune has favored me. When I first came to this world I was miserable and alone, even with my sisters suffering alongside me. In the grand scheme of the cosmos I am an insignificant spec in the infinity of time and space. Yes, I quoted that from a book, a very good book given to me by Twilight. It’s the perfect reflection of my life, though it is true. I am small in the grand scheme of things, Twilight is my whole universe and I know I’m hers. My life has been full of joy for the past years growing and experiencing new things at Twilight’s side, and I’m thankful for all that I have. I have two amazing sisters, I have many good friends, and a wonderful girlfriend. I’m a happy siren but today my happiness with Twilight will reach new heights as we both take a monumental step in our relationship.

I will propose to Twilight.

I knew I wanted to marry her for a long, long time and in a spur of the moment decision I bought an engagement ring months ago. I waited for the right moment to propose to her and I thought what better time to ask than her birthday? I have everything planned, time, locations, friends and family. Today was going to be the start of a new chapter in my life. With how much Twilight and I love hamburgers, I thought of having a BBQ where we would only have hamburgers, with the veggie option included, of course. I wouldn’t forget about Fluttershy and Sunset's needs.

As for the location, I thought of some options but none of them seemed fitting to me. Fortunately, my friend Sunset suggested the perfect place, Canterlot High’s rooftop. It’s the place I was looking for because it has a nostalgic value to all of us, not just Twilight and me. And to add more to the nostalgia, I chose our favorite music genre for the party ambience. Synthwave.

I was flipping the hamburgers over when Sunset approached me with a smile.

“Mmmm, smells good, Aria.” The fiery woman commented as she stood next to me, eyes fixed on the grill. In recent years she started to wear more formal style clothing, and today seemed no different. Some nice dress pants and a button up shirt, perfect for when you're not stuffing burgers in your face, but it suited her.

“Thanks. I worked hard to perfect my grilling skills.” I said with pride. “And thank you again for allowing us to host the party here, Principal Shimmer.”

“It’s the least I could do.” Sunset said, smiling with a grin. “Being the principal here had to be useful at some point.”

I chuckled at that. “Being in charge of the education of the new generations wasn’t enough for you, pony? Have to abuse your power as well to flex on us little beings?”

“Don’t twist my words, siren!”

There was a long pause, and to anyone outside the conversation it would seem we were about to fight. We laughed until one of our friends approached.

“Grilling skills? You’re just flipping stuff on the grill.” Rainbow Dash commented.

“There’s more to it than flipping, actually.” Sonata said as she approached with Adagio. The guests were all of our closest friends, plus Shining Armor and his wife, Cherilee. We invited Twilight’s parents too, who offered to stall Twilight for a while. They wished me luck, which I needed. While I know that Twilight will most likely accept, I was still very nervous about the whole proposal thing. I hope I can keep my cool.

“They look almost done!” Pinkie Pie said with her usual excitement.

“We won’t eat until my girlfriend arrives. Not to mention that Applejack and Rarity must return from the store with the most important ingredient.” I said while frowning.

“Most important ingredient?” Trixie said as she crossed her arms. “She just went to buy mayonnaise.”

“And it’s the most important ingredient of all!” I raised my voice while still frowning. I was just joking around, of course. I wasn’t angry for real.

“So...” Adagio said. “Twilight should be here in thirty minutes, right?”

“Yup!” I replied. “Her parents are with her so they won’t arrive earlier than expected.”

Shining Armor chuckled. “Yeah, she always likes to show up with time to spare.”

“She was always earlier during exam days back when she was my student too.” Cheerilee commented.

"What an egghead." Rainbow Dash commented with a smile.

"Maybe she feels an itch whenever she's about to be late." I said confidently. I knew Twilight so well now I could predict her very schedule based off her habits alone and still get most of it right nine times out of ten!

Shining Armor barked out a hearty chuckle in agreement with me. "Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised."

I continued cooking until Applejack and Rarity returned twenty minutes later.

"Howdy, Aria!" The farmer woman said as she raised my precious mayonnaise. "We found mayo!"

"Excellent, thank you!" I grinned. "Place it with the other dressings. Also, would you mind covering me? I need to serve myself a drink."

"Sure thing, sugarcube!" Applejack said as she approached me. I gave her the spatula before going to a portable refrigerator we brought to take a bottle of juice. After serving myself a glass, I turned around only to find Rarity grinning at me.

"Aria. Can I… see the ring again?"

"Again?! How many times do you want to see it?"

"I can't help it! I just love proposal rings!"

I sighed but smiled. "Fine. But you could have waited, though. Twilight will arrive soon." I said as I took the ring box out of the pocket of my jacket. I gave the box to Rarity, who opened it immediately to look at the amethyst ring I bought, matching the eyes of my gorgeous girlfriend.

"It's so beautiful." The fashionista said with a smile. "I'm so jealous of Twilight!"

"Thank you." I said just before the rooftop door opened. Twilight came running up, waving and smiling widely, her parents not far behind.

"Hello, everyone!" she greeted.

“Happy birthday!” Everyone exclaimed as I gasped and Rarity quickly returned the ring box to me and I placed it in my pocket again.

"Happy birthday, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie said before she and Sonata crushed Twilight with a hug.

“Th-thank you, Pinkie, Sonata.” My girlfriend said as she returned the hug. Eventually, Pinkie Pie released her with a grin and greeted Twilight’s parents. My girlfriend took the opportunity to greet the rest of our friends. “Hello, everyone.”

“Hey, egghead.” Rainbow Dash waved her hand. “‘Sup? I’m surprised you decided to leave that lab of yours for a night.”

Twilight giggled. “As if I would ditch my friends, especially on my birthday!” She said before giving a quick hug to the athletic woman. I then noticed that Twilight started to sniff. “Hmm, what’s that delicious smell?” She said as she approached the grill.

“Yer favorite, that’s what it is!” Applejack said while flipping the burgers. Rarity joined them and gave Twilight a quick hug.

“They’re so many! I think that’s more than enough for me, but what will you eat?” Everyone chuckled.

“You’ll eat all these burgers without even sharing with Aria at least?” Trixie commented.

“She’ll have to fight me if she wants some.” Twilight said before looking around. “Where is she, by the way?”

“She’s over there, darling.” Rarity answered as she pointed at me. “Having a drink.”

“Thanks!” Twilight smiled and started to walk towards me. I gave my back to her before she reached me. “Hey there, my beautiful star.” My girlfriend said as she hugged me from behind. “What’s the matter? Are you angry?”

“You tell me, Ms. ‘I won’t share my burgers with anybody.’” I said while crossing my arms, trying really hard to pretend to be mad.

Twilight giggled and kissed my shoulder since my cheek was out of reach. Of course I made it hard as I wiggled away from her playfully, still teasing her. “Don’t be like that, of course you’ll eat too. Unless… you didn’t forget about the mayonnaise, did you?”

“Applejack and Rarity just bought it.” I said with a smile.

“Good. Then, you can eat.” As Twilight said the last, I turned around to face her.

“I wouldn’t forgive you if you forgot the mayo either.” I smirked before giving her a soft peck on the lips.

My girlfriend giggled. “That’s why I love you.”

"You do? Because you went towards the hamburgers first."

"Oh, you got me!" Twilight jokingly said with a smile. I chuckled and took her hand.

“Happy birthday, beautiful.” I said while caressing her cheek.

“Thank you.” Twilight replied as she leaned against my hand.

"Let's go back to the others, yes?" I said. Twilight nodded and, together, we returned to our friends and family. "How are our babies, by the way?"

"Don't worry about our pups." My girlfriend replied. "I made sure they had enough food and water for the night."

"Why do you call your dogs 'your babies'?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I think it's cute." Rarity said while placing a hand on her own cheek. "They're part of their family, after all!"

“Don’t underestimate a family made with furry friends, Rainbow.” Sunset said.

“That’s right. Paws bring as much joy as any family.” Fluttershy added. She’s right. It’s still not the time for Twilight and I to have children, but our cute dogs already make us very happy.

“Hamburgers are done!” Applejack happily announced. “Everyone, dig in!”

Everyone cheered while Twilight looked at me.

“Aria, hun. I love you, but-”

I chuckled. “Go ahead, love. I’ll-” And in the blink of an eye, Twilight disappeared into the crowd to get her hamburger. Since she’s the birthday woman, she was served the first one.

“Did she not eat at all today?” Trixie commented as I approached everyone. “She sure took a big bite.”

“Nah, she’s usually like that when hamburgers are involved.” I answered. “Like me and sweets.”

Sunset chuckled. “Indeed. You two sure are meant for each other.”

I blushed. “Yeah...” I said as I glanced at my girlfriend. She’s devouring her food, and yet, she’s so beautiful. And I’m about to ask her to marry me.

I'll wait until she finishes her first hamburger before asking her to slow dance with me. It's during this dance where I'll propose. In front of everyone.

"You look nervous, Aria." Sunset said. "Breathe."

I nodded and took deep breaths. "Yeah, thank you."

"You're welcome." Sunset smiled. "We all know Twilight will most likely accept your proposal. Try to relax."

"I can't help it. Marriage is a big step." I said. "I have known I want to marry Twilight for years and here I am, about to make a dream closer to a reality."

"Do you need to be alone?" Trixie asked. "We can make excuses about leaving early if you want."

"I appreciate the gesture, but no." I said with a smile. "You all have to be here. I want to share this moment with you and surely Twilight will want to too."

"What do I want?" Sunset, Trixie and I froze in place when we heard Twilight's voice behind us. Damn! She almost overheard us! "What are you girls talking about?"

I got mute. I tried to say something, anything! But my tongue wasn't cooperating.

Fortunately, Trixie reacted first. "Aria was just telling us how she wanted to dance with you!" Trixie said, maybe sounding louder than she wanted to.

"Oh, is that so?" My girlfriend said while leaning closer to me. I quickly glanced at Trixie and Sunset. The latter nodded encouragingly. With how close Twilight was from overhearing us, I think that I should move forward with the plan before the surprise is spoiled.

"Uhh, yes!" I said while turning around. Twilight was smiling but was surprised by my strange behavior. "D-Do you want to?" I added as I reached my hand to her.

"Umm, yes, of course." My girlfriend said before taking my hand. That could have gone smoother.

I took her to the middle of the rooftop. One of the good things of synthwave music is that many of the songs are perfect for slow dancing. As Twilight rested her head on my chest, our friends and family made a circle around us. While I couldn’t see her face, I’m sure that she’s smiling as much as me. I couldn’t resist kissing the top of her head.

“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” My girlfriend said as we kept dancing.

“Once or twice, I believe.” I replied with a smirk.

Twilight giggled. “Clearly it wasn’t enough. I love you more than I can express with words.”

It doesn’t matter how many years we have been together. She always makes my heart skip a beat. “I feel the same way. You always know how to put a smile on my face. I’m happy to have you here, and our friends all around us.”

“The perfect night, isn’t it?” My girlfriend said before looking up at me.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It will get better.”

“Oh, really?” Twilight smiled widely. “Why? What do you have planned?”

I booped her nose with a finger before replying. “It’s your birthday, my adorable cub. I won’t spoil any surprise.”

Twilight pouted cutely. “Meanie. I thought you would make an exception because of our love.”

This is it. I think I have the perfect cue now. “Our love is exactly the reason why I can’t tell you.”

My girlfriend widened her eyes, confused. “What do you mean?” There’s no turning back now.

“Twilight, since the day we met, my life changed. For the better. I started to feel new emotions. Guilt, happiness, and, of course, love. You made me consider things I never thought I would ever consider before you came to my life.”

“Aria...” Twilight was blushing madly and I could see the stars on her eyes, but I placed my index finger on her lips. I was not done.

“While I learnt new stuff across all these years, I know there’s more to learn about you, and about us. We have built a good life together. It’s time to make it even better.” I said before raising her hand to make her do a twist. Once her back was facing me, I pulled her closer and I took the engagement ring from my pocket to slide it on her ring finger. I heard my girlfriend gasp as she admired her new possession. “I’m ready to take the next step. What about you, my love?“

“Yes!” Twilight exclaimed before turning around and kissing me passionately. “Yes, yes, yes!” She repeated between kisses.

I smiled like I never did before and lifted my fiancée into the air as we turned around. Once I put her feet back on the ground again, we kissed one again, but this time, our friends and family clapped and cheered for us. Twilight apparently forgot that we weren’t alone because she turned completely red before she hid her face on my chest. I chuckled and held her closer.

“Well done, Aria!” Sunset said.

“Really? Because I was so nervous I swear I don’t know how I didn’t throw up.”

“Maybe it’s because you haven’t eaten yet.” Applejack said.

“Now that you mention it, I’m starving!” I said before catching Twilight’s attention. “Mind if I leave you for a little bit?”

My fiancée smiled lovingly. “Go ahead. I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

I returned the smile and gave her a peck on her lips before releasing her. As soon as I did, Rarity jumped in, alongside Adagio. Twilight’s parents were approaching too, as well as Shining Armor and Cheerilee.

“Congratulations, Twilight!” Rarity said as she hugged my fiancée before taking her hand. “Let me see the ring!”

I shook my head as I smiled. Rarity’s always the same.

When I came across Twilight’s parents, Night Light stopped me by placing a hand on my shoulder. “Your speech was beautiful, Aria.” He said with a smile. Velvet then hugged me.

“I’m happy that you’ll be officially becoming part of the family.” She said.

“Thank you. It was just the time to do it.”

“Indeed.” Night Light nodded. “We won’t take any more of your time. Go eat something.”

I nodded and continued walking towards the grill, where Applejack was already preparing me a hamburger. While I waited, someone softly punched me on my arm. I turn around to see Rainbow Dash, smirking at me.

“You know I don’t normally like cheesy stuff, but the proposal just now… wow.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” I smiled at her. “I did practice a lot to not mess it up.”

"Yeah, it was fun to be your practice dummies." Sunset said.

"Did you really need to come to my work to practice with me yesterday?" Trixie said with a smirk.

"It was absolutely necessary, yes." I said, nodding.

"Aria!" I barely had the time to turn around when Sonata and Pinkie Pie jumped on me. "Congratulations!" They both said in unison.

"Thank you..." I was barely able to speak. They were suffocating me!

"Alright, you two. Give her space." Applejack said as she walked towards us. Sonata and Pinkie Pie moved aside to let Applejack give me my hamburger. "Here you go, Aria. Ah made it double since ah guess you must be really hungry."

"I am." I said before taking my hamburgers. "Thank you so much.

The farmer woman nodded. "Anytime, partner. Enjoy."

I ate while I watched everyone talk and have fun. My gaze found Twilight, talking with her family. I could see how happy she was. She admired her ring whenever she could. Her happiness was my happiness.

When I was almost done with my hamburgers, Twilight met my eyes. She smiled at me and walked towards the railing, placing her hands on them to admire the view. I finished my food, cleaned my hands, and joined her. I hugged her from behind and she leaned back against me. I kissed the top of her head and admired the view alongside her.

Moments later, our friends joined us in silence. While the music was still playing, we all enjoyed the view of Canterlot City during the night. It was a beautiful sight to share not only with my friends, but also with my future wife. I couldn't possibly begin to describe how happy I was. There's nothing else I can ask for.