Star Wars: The Great War

by Iroa19

The Clone War was a time that many remember. Many battles were fought, and many lives and people we knew were lost. All across the galaxy, the battle between the force's light and the dark side is at constant ends. War has engulfed everybody as the bitter conflict between the Galactic Republic and Separatist rages on.

139. Chapter 138: Hearts and Hooves

Chapter 138: Hearts and Hooves

Love. The concept that everybody struggles to find and understand. Love has several meanings. For some, it represents caring either for something or someone. To some, it's a way of life; others see it as just an emotion that can't be fully comprehended. But one thing that is true about love is that it's powerful and can create a bond between two individuals that could stand the test of time. However, love also works in mysterious ways and can be unpredictable. So it's on this day that everybody tries to express some love towards the people they care about. And not just romantic love. It's also about the love between friends, family, and the surrounding community.

The kingdom of Equis was full of red and pink as a very special day was upon them. It was a day everybody would show their love towards each other. Friends and family exchange little acts of love towards one another. The day upon them was an Equis holiday known as Hearts and Hooves.

Twilight was watching from afar; she saw her partner carrying some stuff for Fleur as she had been spying on him all morning. She had a notepad out as she wrote some things down that could help her. She was so busy that she didn't notice someone calling out to her until they touched her shoulder.

"Hey, Twilight! Whatcha doin'?"

"Ahh! Moondancer, shush!" Twilight covered her handmaiden's mouth with her hand as she pulled them behind the corner. She peaked her head out to see if Storm had noticed, and to her delight, he didn't, "Phew. He didn't see."

"Okay. What's going on, your highness?" asked Moondancer as she removed her lady's hand.

"Well... you know... Hearts and Hooves is tomorrow. And well, I've been following Storm to ask him Plan A."

Moondancer blinked, "Plan... A?" she asked, then shook her head, "Wait, you've been followin'-?"

"Plan A!" Twilight interrupted her, a book and rolled-up piece of parchment flying out of her satchel before the parchment unrolled, allowing the handmaiden to read the contents.

"Step one: Locate the target and examine their general mood and temperament for the day. Step two: Determine the best method to approach the target. Step thr-" she paused and glanced up at Twilight, "So... you're just gonna walk up and talk to him?" she asked.

Twilight's eyes narrowed for a moment before she smiled and nodded, "I suppose that's one way of putting it! It's just... you know how I feel about him. And tomorrow is the perfect excuse to ask him... out..."

"Before I say what I'm gonna say, princess. Let me ask, does your father have any suitors visiting tomorrow?" asked Moondancer.

"Thankfully, no. Mom was able to convince Dad to hold off on them. Given that she wants to spend the special holiday with him." said Twilight as she was glad no suitors were going to arrive on Hearts and Hooves to woo her as it allowed her some free time.

"Okay, good to know. Now, Twilight. You know me. I'm your secretary in a way. My job is to help you when I can. I get you want to have an excuse to ask Storm for some alone time. But... why not just... order him to go out with you? You have the power to."

"I... I don't want to," said Twilight as they began to walk down the hall, away from Fleur and Storm.

"Storm, I need a hand reaching up there. Mind if I sit on your shoulders?" asked the maid.

"Sure thing," responded the boy as he placed the item he was carrying on the floor.

He then bent his legs, allowing Fleur to leapfrog onto his shoulders. The girl held onto his head when he began to push up, and he was now standing with the girl on top of him.

"Woah, ooh," responded Fleur as she was lifted up by Storm.

"You good?" asked the boy, looking up at the maid.

"Yup. Just don't drop me," flirted Fleur.

"As long as you don't squeeze your thighs into my head, we should be good," responded the Jedi, looking up at the girl while having his hands on that part of her body to keep her steady.

The maid giggled before leaning forward to begin some cleaning. Back with Twilight and Moondancer, they were walking down a hallway as they talked. The princess informing her handmaiden of her intentions.

"Storm may be my knight, but... I don't want him to feel like he does things because I tell him to. I see him as a friend first of all. And I want to give him freedom as my knight, to make whatever choices. Since... I didn't get any freedom."

"I understand, my lady. But you're not just a princess. You're a girl. And a girl has needs and wants. That's what makes us human. And if you want to ask Storm out, to be two normal teens. If that is what you want, what's stopping you? It's not selfish to want something."

Twilight stood before a window and placed her hand on it. The princess took in the words that her handmaiden said as she sighed.

---

Storm carried some stuff for Coco as they made it to her workroom.

"This the last of it, Coco?" asked the Jedi.

"Yes, just put them over there," instructed the girl. "I plan to create an outfit for the Queen's date tomorrow."

"So, Coco? What's this holiday that people are so excited about tomorrow?" asked the boy as he set the box down.

"You don't know about Hearts and Hooves?"

"Not a clue. It is important?" wondered the Jedi.

"Well, Hearts and Hooves Day is a day where everyone all over Equis can celebrate the idea of love and affection between two or more individuals," she began, "Specifically, it was designed to celebrate real love since it was originally put in place due to an incident involving a failed love potion, otherwise known as a love poison."

"A love poison?" Storm asked, appalled at the concept.

"That's right. Long ago, though not too long before the time of the Founders of Equis, there was a noble who'd fallen in love with a girl. Nothing he ever did could catch her eye, so he used his abilities as a potioneer in an attempt to create a love potion with which he could win her heart," she began, "He gave some of this potion to his servants and instructed them to dose both himself and the object of his affections during a meeting between the two. His plan worked flawlessly, and both nobles were put under the spell of the love potion."

"If it worked, why'd you call it a love poison?" Storm asked.

"You see, the potion worked too well. It caused both individuals to fall in love so deeply that it became an obsession. Their lands were forgotten, and their duties were left unattended. At the time, a great dragon lived on the land and, for an annual fee, was willing to allow the lands to exist in its territory. Because they ignored their duties in favor of each other, the dragon grew angry and, after several attempts to remind them to pay, destroyed their lands in a fit of rage. The dragon was merciful, however. While the domain lay, burned and broken, the people who'd called the land home were left unharmed. They blamed the destruction on the two affected nobles and locked them away. After being separated for an hour, the potion's effects were nullified, and both returned to their senses, and the truth was revealed."

"But, why's it a poison?" Storm asked once more.

"Yeah, Moondancer is better at explaining this. But essentially, potions are defined as alchemical concoctions with a generally beneficial effect. Regular love potions only increase someone's levels of affection for someone else to a slight degree. They are also very easy to detect and ignore as well. Potions also require repeated doses to keep or fully apply their effects. Poisons usually have malicious effects and normally only require one dose to work. To stop a potion, you only need to stop taking it for long enough, while a poison often requires an antidote, or anti-poison, though weaker ones can be flushed out of the body naturally. I've heard that that is rather unpleasant, however. There are some exceptions, like the love poison in question, whose somewhat more mystical effects can be stopped in other ways," Coco said.

"So... because a fake, obsessive love caused a domain to fall, Hearts and Hooves Day celebrates real love to keep people from usin' fake love?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Huh? I... guess Hearts and Hooves Day is kinda important..." said Storm.

"Yep! Without Hearts and Hooves Day, people might not have learned to cherish the concept of love as much as they do now," she said, smiling softly, "Love potions might not be illegal because of how weak their effects are. Still, they are heavily frowned upon for anything outside of... recreational use."

"I guess that's fair. So is that why I saw the kids giving Ms. Cheerilee all those cards when I passed the schoolhouse?" asked the Jedi.

"Well, Hearts and Hooves Day isn't just about romantic love," she said, smiling, "It's also about the love between friends, family, and the community around you. Miss Cheerilee works very hard to teach all her students, so giving her cards on Hearts and Hooves Day is just their way of telling her they love her and thank her for all her hard work."

"I understand. Though, who came up with the name for the holiday?" asked Storm.

"Heh, yeah, the reason behind the name is not as fascinating as you think. It's called Hearts and Hooves because a horse's hoof is shaped like a heart. So the people naming the holiday needed a catching name." said Coco.

"Well, that's a stupid reason for a name," said Storm, expecting some grand explanation or meaning behind the name when it was just named after something as simple as a horse's hoof.

Once the Jedi finished helping Coco, he made his way to Sugarcube Corner. Seeing how the special day was tomorrow, many males were looking to buy treats and pastries for their special someone. True to his word, when Storm showed up at his job, he saw a massive line formed. He entered as both Cake parents were taking orders and giving them out.

"Need a hand?" asked Storm.

"Please," pleaded Mrs. Cake.

The Jedi began to run the counter as the Cake parents and Pinkie were in the kitchen, making the orders. Soon the crew managed to get everyone in line as the last customer paid the Jedi the money, and he handed them their three boxes of chocolate.

"Thank you. Have a happy Hearts and Hooves Day tomorrow," said the man as he waved.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Storm as he didn't think much about that. He turned to peek through the window into the kitchen as he saw Pinkie cleaning up while Mr. Cake attended to the twins on the floor. "Good job, gang. That was the last customer."

"Oh, thank goodness," said Mrs. Cake as she fell back in her chair.

"Though, I expected tomorrow to be busy. Why today?" asked Storm.

"Well, me and my husband have plans for tomorrow. So we informed everyone that today would be the day if you wanted to get something for Hearts and Hooves."

"Now it makes sense," said Storm.

"So... Storm, you have any plans for tomorrow?" asked Mr. Cake.

"No," answered the boy bluntly.

"That's terrific!" exclaimed Pinkie. "See, tomorrow there's a carnival coming into town for Hearts and Hooves Day. And me and the girls were thinking of spending the day with each other. You know, since friendship is also a form of love. The love you have between friends. So, what do you say? Wanna join?"

"I'll pass," said the Jedi.

"Please..."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"NO!"

"Pretty please, with sprinkles on top."

"Pinkie, I said no! Plus, it's gonna feel weird if I'm the only guy in a group of girls. Especially tomorrow!" stated the boy.

"But won't be alone. Shenran will be joining us. He asked Fluttershy out on a date." said the party girl.

"Well, good for him and Fluttershy. But I'm a Jedi, Pinkie. I can't fall in love." said Storm.

"But it's not always about romantic love. The love you have for a friend is just as special," stated the pink-haired teen.

"Pinkie. I appreciate what you're trying to do. Really. But I can't. Besides, given what tomorrow is. Twilight is bound to have tons of suitors arriving. So I'm gonna have to stick by her, so I couldn't go even if I wanted to." said Storm, knowing that a day like tomorrow would be Twilight's dream to have many love interests falling for her. "Speaking of which, I should get going. I told her I'd be at the train station with her when Cadance and Shining Armor arrive."

The Jedi then left as he began to head to the station. Pinkie had a sad expression as she was hoping to spend tomorrow with her friends to show how much she loved them all.

---

It was now late afternoon as Storm was with Twilight. The pair were at the Hayburger in town; after greeting Cadance and Shining Armor from their trip, they headed back to the castle to talk. Twilight was happy to see her brother and sister-in-law as they played some family games with her parents and Spike, all while Storm waited outside the door.

They were now at the local restaurant as the princess craved fast food. Storm sat at the table where his partner was as Twilight was already digging into her third deluxe hayburger.

"I'll never understand how you can eat that much but still maintain your figure," said Storm as he sat across from the girl.

"Don't judge me, alright," pouted the princess to her partner, as she didn't like him making fun of her eating habits.

"Don't tempt me, Sparky," chuckled Storm. "So, what's the agenda for tomorrow? I assume all day, you'll be busy with suitors."

"No, a-actually. My dad has postponed any suitors from arriving tomorrow because my mom is making him spend the entire day with her. So... I guess... I get a free day. That rarely happens." said Twilight, with a hint of sadness.

"Free day, huh?" said Storm, stunned by hearing that fact. "Hey, Sparky. I was hoping to ask you something?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier, I asked Coco the importance of this... Hearts and Hooves Day. She mentioned that it was started because of a love poison," said the boy. "She also mentioned the recipe is written in a book. Isn't it dangerous to have that written for anybody to read?"

"It's fine. The love poison only worked like that because neither individual in the story was aware of its full effects," she said, smiling, "Love potions are generally weak and easy to overcome, especially if you're aware of it. Even the strongest love potion in the world is little more than a minor stimulant in that case and only slightly more effective if you are not aware. It's a property found in the love poison as well. If a person knows the potion and its effects, it's easy to ignore for the allotted time. Unlike regular love potions, however, both parties must drink it for it to work. This unique property actually makes it easier to avoid since, if somebody wanted to use it to make someone fall for them, the fact that its description, effects, and cure are all listed in the book would prevent the poison from working on the brewer, and, by extension, the unwitting drinker. For those reasons, it's considered safe to have in a public book." she explained.

Storm nodded. That made sense in a convoluted way. Knowing about it reduces the effects since you'd be fully aware of what it does and be prepared for it.

Though, if someone weren't aware, then they might think the affection is natural. Though the Jedi wasn't sure how much it raised affection, it would be easy to figure out if it just happened for someone you don't know or don't like. Plus, they'd have to keep dosing them, and, at some point, it would probably be suspicious if they kept giving them drinks, depending on how often they needed to take them.

"Well, there you go. I got my answer. Thanks, Twilight." said Storm, taking a bite of his food.

The princess eyed her partner as she recalled the words from Moondancer.

You're a girl, and you have needs. It's not selfish to want them. You could always command him to go out with you?

"Storm."

"Yeah, Sparky," said the boy as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"I... I... I... Me... You... I just... um..."

"Sparky, come on! Stop the stuttering. You want to ask me something?" said Storm.

The girl was struggling to even speak. She knew what she wanted to say. But... it was hard. It didn't help that she looked into his eyes as they distracted her train of thought.

"Sparky!" shouted Storm as he waited for the princess's words.

"It's... nothing," sighed Twilight as she sat back in her seat.

Storm looked at her for a moment before shrugging as he returned to eating. Twilight looked at her food, and suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore.

---

The Jedi trotted back to the castle as they were on Storm's horse, Spirit. Along the way, they passed through town as all-around decorations hung and the colors red and pink dominated.

"Seems everybody is really getting into the spirit," said the boy, seeing how many couples were walking about.

"People do crazy things when they're in love."

"Hmm," responded the boy.

"Something Cadance said today when we spent time. She said love makes people do crazy things. You'd do anything to make the person you admire the most smile." said Twilight. "I guess I'll never know what that feels like."

"Twilight," muttered the boy to himself as he could see how sad she was when she said that.

They bounced along the path as they soon arrived at the castle gates. The boy kept trotting as they came to a halt before the doors of Twilight's palace.

"You're home, Sparky," said Storm as he got off the horse and reached up to grab Twilight's waist as he helped the girl down who sat behind him.

"Thanks," said the princess. "Well, I guess maybe I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe."

Storm got back on his horse as he saw Twilight walking away. The girl had a sad face while she had her back turned, knowing tomorrow would be a miserable day for her. Nothing but a reminder that she would never get to experience. The Jedi turned and was looking to start trotting down as he sensed Twilight's feelings; the girl's sadness lingered as he looked at her.

"Hey, Twilight!" called out Storm.

The princess heard as she was about to enter her castle. The girl turned as she saw her partner on his horse.

"Listen... I know tomorrow is a special day. It's a day to celebrate love. But friendship is also a form of love. The friends you care about, you celebrate how much they mean to you." said Storm. "Pinkie and the girls are gonna spend the day tomorrow at the carnival arriving to celebrate their love as friends. I initially declined because I assumed you would have suitors and I would have to stand guard and yada, yada... But since you have a free day and I got a free day. You wanna, I don't know, join them?"

Twilight gasped at what she was hearing.

"You mean... like a d-d-da... hangout?" asked the girl.

"Yeah, sure, if you want to call it that," stated the boy, not paying attention to what the princess was trying to say. "So, what do you say? You in?"

Twilight knew what the answer was. She would get a chance to be with Storm tomorrow. Granted, they'd be hanging out with their friends, but still, she'd be spending the day with him.

"Sure," nodded the girl.

"Cool. I'll let Pinkie know on my way back home and call you later to let you know what time to meet at Sugarcube Corner," said Storm as he turned and began to trot down the path.

Twilight smiled as she saw her partner disappear from sight. She then entered her castle. The girl was beginning to her toward her room when a guard approached her.

"Pardon me, princess. But your presence is requested in the library," said the guard.

Twilight was confused at what she heard but followed the guard. They arrived at the library; he opened the door, and the girl walked in as he shut the door behind her. Twilight was shocked by what she saw. In the library was her brother, Shining Armor. The prince stood with his arms crossed and a sly smile.

"What?" She asked him by the way he was staring at her.

"Twily, isn't there something you need to discuss?" He asked her back, keeping the same expression.

"Uhh, no, I don't think so," She answered her older brother, confused by his question.

"You sure?" He asked her, keeping the expression, "You don't want to talk about Storm and what you feel about him?" That question made his younger sister very blush.

"I-i don't know what you are talking about," She said to him, annoyed and still blushed.

"C'mon, sis, I know you perfectly, and I noticed how you act around him. I know that you like him very much if he makes you act dumb," Shining said to his sister with his arms crossed, making her even more blush.

"We're just friends. Partners," She said to him as she crossed her arms, looking at the other side, very annoyed.

"Twily, you can't lie to me. I remember what you said during the wedding in Canterlot. I know that you feel something very strong for him." Her brother said to her, which made her even more blushed; she turned around and began to put her hand on the library door to exit.

"Look, there's nothing to talk about. He's just my best friend, and that's final," Twilight said to her brother in a serious tone.

"Are you really sure about that, dear?" She then heard her mother's voice behind her, so she turned around and saw her mother, Twilight Velvet, and her father, Night Light.

"Mom? Dad?" She asked, confused. Did they hear her and her brother talking about Storm?

"Hi, sweetie. Sorry to interrupt you, but as your parents, we also have the right to talk with you about this," Her mother told her.

Night Light, however, had a different expression than his wife.

"T-talk about what?" She asked him, very nervous and blushing.

"Honey, look, I know it's hard for you to accept, but your brother is right. It would be better for you to stop denying it," Her mother said with a worried face; like any other mother, it breaks her heart to see her daughter suffer.

"I wish I could," said Twilight as she looked at her father before putting it down.

Velvet looked at her husband as he sighed. The King put his hand to his forehead as it covered his face. Night Light remained silent as he gathered his thoughts before removing his hand to address his child.

"Twilight, come here. Have a seat," said Night Light.

The girl was hesitant as she saw her dad sit on the table between the couches. Twilight soon obeyed as she walked to her father and sat on the couch in front of her. Velvet heard a knock on the door as she looked to see who was knocking, given that she had given strict orders to the guards to not let any enter.

"Mom, can I get one snack before I go to bed?" asked Spike as he looked for his parents.

"Come in, Spike," said Velvet as she lifted her son into her arms and closed the door.

"What's going on?" asked the small prince.

"Shh. Your father is talking with your sister," said Velvet as they and Shining Armor paid attention to what Night Light was saying to Twilight.

"Listen, Twilight," said Night Light as he put his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I love you. And I just want my daughter to be happy. I'm proud of all you've done. You are everything I've ever wanted in a daughter. You have a duty to uphold. The time will come when you become Queen and rule over our people. And when that happens, you won't have a chance to enjoy things you should have. I should know cause I took the throne when I was 16. From that moment on, I became an adult. I had responsibilities."

Twilight listened to what her father was saying as her family watched them.

"One of those things that I never thought I would get back was the chance to love someone. But... your mother changed that. She gave me another opportunity to experience that. And I'm grateful I did because I can rest in peace knowing I got the chance to experience something precious. So... what I'm trying to say is Twilight. Is... with some convincing from your mother... I'm willing... to let you... spend tomorrow with your friend."

Twilight gasped when she heard what her father was saying. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I know you're a big girl. And you can make your own choices. So... for one day only... only... I'm allowing you to go have fun with him." said Night Light.

"Dad... Thank you," said Twilight as she hugged him. "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie," said Night Light as he hugged his daughter.

The others of their family smiled at seeing Night Light granting Twilight a chance to be a normal girl and go have fun with her friends and the boy she had a crush on.

"Though you're taking Spike with you tomorrow when you go with your friends, understand?" said Velvet.

"I understand. Thank you, family. You're the best." She thanked her family with a warm smile on her face.

"You're welcome, Twilight, we're your family, and we only want the best for you," Her mother said with a warm smile. Then the family embraced in a hug, and they let go.

"Welp, it's been a long night with lots of emotions. I guess I should go to bed," She said as she stood up.

"Okay then, sis, it's getting late anyway," Shining said to his younger sister "And if this helps you, Storm's just a boy like any other," He said, keeping his smile to her to help her keep her confidence, but hearing him say that about Storm it made her frown.

"Just a boy like any other'?" She began with a serious tone with her hands on her hips. "He's NOT like any other boy!" She said to him, sounding mad, which surprised him, Spike, and her parents, "He's the most special boy in the entire universe, for your information. He's kind, sweet, caring, good-hearted, generous, honest, loyal, very funny, brave, modest, and although he's kinda slow at learning, he's also smart." She continued with her arms crossed, flattering all the virtues of Storm. Once she began to do it, she couldn't stop thinking about all that she loved about him, as she was saying all of those things about him a smile was being drawn on her face as a blush appeared on her cheeks as she was putting her hands on her chest, "Not to only mention how cute and handsome he is." She was definitely letting her feelings for him take over her now. She could keep talking about him all night. "He's so amazing and wonderful being himself and a hero," She said as her blush got deeper as she put her hands on her very red cheeks, then she sighed lovely.

"He's perfect."

She said with an in-love smile with her eyes closed as she joined her hands and let her blushed face rest on them as if she was daydreaming. Then she remembered something. She recalled what Storm said to the night when Rarity made their outfits for the Gala.

(Quick Memory)

"Hey, Storm? Can I ask you something? If you were to describe one word that fits me? What would you say?"

"Perfect. You are and always will be... perfect," stated the boy as he made a small smile appear on his face.

(End of Memory)

Perfect.

Perfect.

Twilight just said the same word that Storm would use to describe her. He was... perfect. Everything made sense.

The princess was still in front of her family, then she was a bit ashamed and corrected herself as she cleared her throat, "Um, well, good night, family," She said to her family with a smile. She took off to her room, leaving her family shocked at what they just saw Twilight do, blinking twice.

"Wow... What was that?" was the only thing that came out of Spike's mouth. The Sparkle family was speechless; they never thought they would see Twilight act like that.

In Twilight's room, she was lying on the bed about to fall asleep, looking at the stars in the sky through her window, still thinking about that certain boy she loves so much.

"One day, we'll be together, my heroic and angelic Jedi Knight…." She said lovingly as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

---

It was morning, and the entire kingdom of Equis was celebrating Hearts and Hooves Day. The group of girls was at Sugarcube Corner talking amongst themselves, ready to begin a day full of fun, but they were waiting for the boys and Twilight, and Spike hadn't arrived yet. Soon Storm and Shenran entered the place's door and saw the five girls. Shenran handed Fluttershy a flower; the girl sniffed it and thanked the teen blacksmith for giving it to her.

"Sup guys," Rainbow greeted them with a smile, and so did the other girls.

"Sparky ain't here yet? It's not like her to be late," said Storm as he grabbed a chair and sat in it backward while facing the girls sitting in the booth with Shenran sitting next to Fluttershy.

"Don't worry, darling. I'm sure she'll be here soon," stated Rarity.

A while had passed since the boys arrived. Around 15 minutes, they were talking with the girls, making jokes and stuff, but still no sign of the purple-haired girl and her little brother, Storm began to get worried for them, then he stood up and went for a drink while still waiting for them, the rest of the gang were also beginning to worry for them as well. Then after 5 more minutes passed, Storm was still waiting for Twilight and Spike, just like the others, and then they finally arrived, but they were very, very surprised by what they saw. Most of all, Storm.

Twilight's clothing was different from the one she casually wore. She was now wearing a pink blouse with a blue dress underneath, a purple belt with a lavender buckle, a purple skirt with light pink one end with her starbursts symbols, a pink tie-bow, long blue socks, and dark purple shoes. She also changed her hairstyle; her hair was now tied into a ponytail held by a starburst hair tie. It was noticeable that Spike was beside her, but all teenagers could focus on was Twilight and her new look. It left the group of friends speechless, so much that even Pinkie's jaw dropped from the impression and left Storm frozen by just looking at her like this; there was a cute, pretty smile on her face that could enchant anyone, one that made him feel electricity within himself.

"Hi, Storm," Twilight greeted him, keeping her smile with a wink that made him react.

"Uh, hi, Twilight," He greeted her back, a bit blushed. He felt weird, as if he couldn't talk with her well. Then the others also snapped out of it.

"Wow, Twilight, you look well. Why the sudden change of look?" Rarity asked her with a smile.

"Oh well, I thought it was a special day, and I should change up my wardrobe for the occasion, so I chose this look. I didn't think about doing it until Storm inspired me," She answered, keeping her smile.

"Heh, That's cool, Twi, the look suits you," Rainbow said with a smile.

The rest of the girls loved her new look and were happy about her change. Even Shenran was glad for her, but Storm was still shocked with a small blush. He didn't get why or why he couldn't talk to her.

"I'm glad that you changed your look, princess. You look nice," Shenran said to the princess with a smile, and Twilight was happy that her friends liked her new look.

"Thanks, guys," Twilight said to her friends with a smile; then she noticed that Storm didn't say anything to her except 'hi,' and she wanted to hear what he thought of her new look. "And what do you think, Storm?" She asked him, keeping her smile a bit blushed. "How do I look?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, you look very pretty. I really like your new look and your hairstyle," He answered her with a smile timidly while scratching the back of his head, still a bit blushed. It was hard for him to talk to her; he was nervous and did his best not to babble or sound dumb.

"What's wrong with me? It's almost like I can't talk right with her, and why am I feeling a bit nervous? What's got into me now?" He thought, confused as to why he was suddenly acting like this with Twilight.

"Thank you, Storm," Twilight thanked him with a pretty smile while playing with her hair and blushed, Storm was confused about why he was acting like this, but he just decided to ignore it, and he really liked that smile of hers, it was really cute to watch, the boy chuckled at this still a bit red.

"Um, well, guys, I'll get some air, be back in a jiff," he said before going outside to get air. The teenagers were surprised by that cute yet unexpected scene; they were once again speechless; as for Twilight, she just watched him standing outside the cafe.

"Wow…" It was the only thing that came out of Shenran's mouth; he and his friends didn't expect to see something like that.

"That's what I said last night," Spike said to him.

"Spike! Did you think he really liked my new look? Do you think that I should wear something more striking? Should I have worn makeup or perfume? Or wear high heels?" Twilight asked her little brother, panicked as always she would be; then the others understood what was happening.

"Calm down, Twilight, you look perfect like that, and I know that Storm did like it, and we both know that it would be a bad idea to use high heels," Spike calmed her down, then she took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"For a minute, I thought you changed, but it's good to know that you'll still be our dear Twilight," Rarity said to her.

"Well, it's just, you know, I want Storm to notice me," She said to her friends, a bit ashamed and blushed while rubbing her left arm.

"It's okay, Twi. We all know how much you're crazy for that guy," Pinkie said with her usual smile, trying to cheer her up.

"I'm not that crazy for him," She said to her, feeling a bit offended.

"We were late because Twilight took hours to decide what to use today, which never happened. You should have seen her at home. She was so nervous and panicked, so Shining called Cadance to help her." Spike explained to the others.

"Yep, that sounds like you," Rainbow said, not amused; she and the others knew that girl so well. "Still, I'm surprised you had enough confidence to call Storm's attention."

"Really?!" She asked him, a bit shocked and very blushed.

"Yeah, I think that you reached him, or at least awoken his interest in you," Rarity answered her with a smile, and hearing this made her draw a big smile on her face while she blushed very much; she was so so happy to hear that.

"Welp, I'm going to see what's got into him. I'll know what is on his mind once I see it myself, be right back," Shenran finished, then he went outside with Storm, leaving the girls.

"Did Twilight really go mad while deciding what to wear today, Spike?" Rainbow asked Spike.

"Yep," Spike answered her with a grin that embarrassed Twilight.

"Spike…" Twilight said, blushing at the shame. The girls and Spike laughed a bit.

Storm was still outside looking at the sky, then Shenran approached his side.

"Hey Storm," Shenran called, then he turned to see him.

"Oh hey, Shenran," He greeted him. "What's up, bro?"

"What was that back there? I've never seen you act like that. That's the first time it's ever happened." Shenran asked him with his arms crossed.

"I...I don't know, man. When I saw Twilight, I just froze, and then when she talked to me, it was almost like I couldn't talk to her. I just don't get it. Why am I suddenly acting like this?" The Jedi said to the blacksmith, very confused with himself while crossing his arms to think, but Shenran, with his arms crossed as well, understood what was happening to his friend.

The blacksmith sighed as he placed his left hand on Storm's shoulder.

"Storm, we both know that you know why," He began sounding older brother-like. "Wouldn't it be that maybe you reacted like that because you're beginning to like her?" He asked him, then Storm looked down a bit and blushed.

"I don't know, bud," Storm said as Shenran removed his hand from his shoulder. "Could it be that maybe I do feel something for her?" He asked himself.

"But what's the problem with that?" Shenran began as he shrugged. "She's a cute girl. I don't see why you shouldn't even give her a chance," He said as he put his right hand in his pocket, then Storm raised his glance to him.

"You don't get it, Shenran. We discussed this before. I'm a Jedi; I can't have romantic ties."

"Yeah, we talked about that, but that's beside the point. Why would it be different? You can tell me anything, man; we're almost like brothers." Shenran said to him, trying to help him as best he could.

"Well, it's different because I feel it's wrong," Storm said to Shenran, sounding a bit depressed.

Shenran felt a bit bad for him; he could see clearly that Storm was trying to hold back his feelings and ignore them as if something bad would happen if he didn't.

"It's just I don't know, it's something I can't explain, it's just something I'm feeling," He said to him as he put his right hand on his chest.

"Look, Storm, I know this might be hard for you, but this is part of life, and you have to accept it. It's completely normal and natural that you like a girl," said Shenran.

"Maybe," Storm said to him, still looking down.

"Let's try something to check it, okay?" Shenran said to him, then Storm turned his gaze to him once again. "What are you feeling right now?" He asked him to see if he was really feeling something for her.

"Confused," He began. "I feel like my feelings are all mixed up, and I don't know how I feel now," Storm explained to him.

"Now tell me, what do you think of Twilight's new look? Be honest."

"Well…" He began as he stared at the cafe window to see Twilight talking with her friends. "She looks very pretty," He said, blushing while looking at her.

"Oh yeah? Tell me more than," Shenran said with a smile and crossed arms, knowing what would happen next.

"Her clothing suits her perfectly, and her new hairstyle is even prettier, though; I really like how her hair normally is. And she has a very cute smile," He continued with a soft smile, still a bit red, then his eyes widened at this.

"Heh, there's the answer," Shenran said, smiling with his hands in his pockets.

"But I'm still confused and unsure," responded Storm, looking at the pendant around his neck that Twilight gave him for his birthday, as it had her royal crest mark.

"But don't you see that Twilight changed her look because of you?" Shenran asked him, trying to make him see reality indirectly.

"She said I 'inspired her,' and that's what I always do, and I don't really think she would change her look for a guy like me," stated the Jedi.

Shenran sighed and mentally face-slapped, seeing this, "In any case, tell me, Storm. What are you going to do now?" Shenran asked him, returning to the topic.

"I don't know, man. I don't wanna ruin my friendship with her; it means a lot to me," Storm said to him with a worried face.

"I'll tell you what, don't hold back your feelings and begin to feel, but try your best to not be obvious," Shenran instructed him with his arms crossed.

"Okay then, and?" He asked him.

"Simple, let's try to pass the day and see what happens. I know with time you will figure out your feelings," Shenran told him with a hand on his hip.

"Okay, you're right, Shenran," Storm said, nodding in understanding. "Thanks for the help, man," Storm thanked him with his usual smile.

"No prob, bro," Shenran said to him with a smile as well then they bumped fists. "Let's go back inside," He declared. Storm nodded and then went back.

While Storm and Shenran were talking outside, the girls were talking, waiting for them; as for Twilight, she was nervous and anxious about how Storm reacted. Spike while was telling the others what happened last night.

"...And when Twi began to talk all about Storm, I swear I saw hearts popping out of her head," Spike finished; Twilight didn't notice it. She was still focusing on Storm outside, watching him and Shenran discuss.

"Man, if she wasn't crazy before, certainly she is now," Rainbow said to the small boy relaxing in his seat.

"Yup, Storm went into her head and damaged her brain, and now she's all wacky for him," Pinkie said while drinking a drink, seeing that she was only looking at Storm outside through the window. Then she turned around to gaze at her friends.

"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked them, seeing that she wasn't paying attention, which was weird for her, but they knew why.

"No, nothing, Twi," Rarity said to her. "You shouldn't worry about what Storm thinks of your look; we know that you look perfect like that."

"I know, but as I told you, I just want him to notice me," Twilight said, sounding worried; she wanted Storm to notice her and her feelings, and she wouldn't know what to do if he didn't.

"Calm down, Twi, everything's gonna be okay. I know that he loved your look; Shenran said that you might reach him, and I can say that you were able to affect him a bit at least," Applejack said to the princess to calm her down with a smile, then she smiled now calmer.

"Yeah, you're right, Aj."

"Ya know, Twilight, I'm still impressed that you accepted your feelings for him. I feel very proud of you," Rainbow said with a smile, making her blush and play with her hair.

"Welp, what can I say? It's impossible not to love that boy. He makes me happy like anyone else; thanks to him, I am who I am today. For that and many other reasons, I love him." She said to her friends, still blushing with a pretty smile.

"Aww," The girls said by the cuteness of her words.

"Yuck," said Spike, disgusted by all this girl talk about romance, as he stuck his tongue out.

"That's sweet, Twilight, don't worry. We're gonna help you with this. I know that you and Storm will be together one day," Rarity said warmly, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah," The rest of the girls said simultaneously with a smile.

"Thanks, girls," Twilight thanked her friends with a warm smile.

"And what are you going to do now?" Fluttershy asked her kindly with a smile, then Twilight's eyes widened slightly.

"Umm, I don't know," She answered awkwardly, "I haven't thought of that," Then the girls blinked twice; they couldn't believe what she had just said. Twilight always thought of everything, but this time she hadn't.

"Boy, that guy really makes you have your head in the clouds," Spike said with an annoyed face as Twilight rubbed the back of her head, ashamed, then Rarity sighed.

"Oh, Twilight…" She said to her, complaining about the way she was acting for the girls and Spike.

"But you girls said that you're gonna help me," Twilight said to them. "Got any ideas?" She asked them.

"Okay, Twi, this is the plan. You have not just impacted Storm with your new look. This time around, he got shy because you were calm and confident." Rarity explained to her while surrounding her with her left arm.

"So?" She asked because she didn't understand where she was getting at, which was completely weird.

"Geez, girl, it's unnatural to see you act so dumb. First, you were a know-it-all, and now you have your head empty," Rainbow said with her arms crossed with an annoyed face. She was right; since she's all in love with Storm, she's been acting dumb.

"Hey!" Twilight said to her, very offended.

"Rainbow Dash, you gotta understand her, she's in love now, and that is normal coming from someone in love, especially being her first love. Can you blame her?" Rarity said to her waving her hand.

"She's right, Rainbow. It's not her fault she's like this. She's just acting off of her feelings." Fluttershy said to her.

"Thanks, girls," Twilight thanked them for understanding her.

"You are welcome, dear," Rarity said with a smile. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say, Twilight, is that you have to act more confident with yourself around Storm. But don't forget the crucial point."

"Be myself," said the princess with a smile.

"That's right. And don't worry if you have a problem with this. We got your back, right girls?" Rarity said to her with a smile.

"Yeah," The rest of the girls said simultaneously with smiles while nodding.

"Thank you," She thanked her friends with a warm smile. Then Storm and Shenran entered again and returned to them.

"Hey, girls," Shenran greeted them with a smile.

"Hey, boys," Rarity greeted them, then Twilight glanced at Storm. "Pst, now's your chance. You can do it," the fashionista whispered to her, and she nodded in understanding.

"Hey, Storm. You feel better now?" Twilight asked him, trying to act as calmly as she could.

"Um yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking," Storm said to her, still feeling weird about her sounding slightly shy.

"You can sit with me if you want," She offered with a kind and cute smile, which made him blush.

"Uh, sure," Storm accepted her offer with a nod. Still a bit blushed, he sat beside her, making her blush.

"It's working!" She was extremely happy seeing Rarity's idea work; the girls were also happy.

"So, girls, what's on the agenda for today?" asked Shenran as he sat next to Fluttershy, who smiled at the blacksmith.

---

The teenagers were now setting off as they were heading to the carnival that had arrived in town. While walking in the street, Twilight took her chance to talk with Shenran to learn what Storm told him.

"Hey, Shenran," She called him in a low tone.

"Yes, your highness?" He asked her.

"What did Storm tell you about me?" She asked him again; she wanted to know what Storm said. It was very important for her to know what her partner thought of her.

"Um, well, you want the good news or the bad news?" He asked her back, not knowing where to begin; hearing him mention bad news made her extremely nervous.

"The good one, please," She said to him, expecting to hear what she wanted.

"Welp, the good thing is that you woke his interest in you," Shenran said to her, which made her so happy that she could barely hide her excitement; her big smile and red cheeks were ratting her "But…." He continued, and when she heard him, all her happiness was suddenly cut. "The bad thing is that he's doubting about it. He thinks it would be wrong because he feels he would betray his ideals as a Jedi."

"I see," Twilight said, sounding sad. Shenran felt bad for her; he knew how much she loved Storm and cared for him.

"Hey, don't feel sad, your highness. You have a chance with him, don't waste it," Shenran said to her in a supportive tone. "Sure, maybe Storm is having doubts about it because he never felt something for a girl, but I know his feelings for you are stronger than he thinks."

"Really? Are you sure?" She asked him, and he nodded in response.

"I'm positive of it," Shenran assured her. "I'm going to help you with this; I know that you two can be together," He said with a smile at her. "Plus, if I don't help her highness, I'll have to start looking for a new job."

"Don't worry. I won't fire you because you didn't help me with Storm. Your services to my family and me are highly valued." said Twilight to the blacksmith. "Thanks."

Twilight walked to Rarity's side to talk with her.

"What happened?" the fashionista asked, wanting to know what Shenran had told her.

"Well, to begin, Storm is beginning to feel something for me," She said with a smile, which made her smile as well.

"See? I told you that you'll do it," Rarity said, keeping her smile, feeling proud of her.

"But the problem is that he's doubting it because of our Jedi code. Shenran said he would help, but I don't know what to do," She explained.

"Don't worry, Twilight, just keep up with the plan. Let's try to pass the day and see what happens; maybe with time, Storm's feelings for you will grow. I know you can make Storm change his mind; it must be hard for him to be through this change of heart process. Still, I know that if you keep it up, you will make it." Rarity said to her while she surrounded her with her arm, as Twilight glanced at Storm ahead of her.

"Yeah, you're right, Rarity," She said, agreeing with her with a smile.

Soon the kids arrived at the carnival as tons of people were walking about with the sounds of many games attracting them.

"Wow," said Storm, taking it all in.

"This place looks fun," said Pinkie, eyeing everything that was activating her Pinkie sense.

"Okay, everyone, I've been thinking we should organize before we go in," Twilight suggested with a smile.

"C'mon Twi, we're in a fair. The only thing we have to do here is to have fun," Rainbow said with a smile as she surrounded her with her arm.

"Okay, everyone, LET'S have FUN!" Pinkie declared out loud with her usual big smile.

"Yeah!" Everyone else said simultaneously with smiles on their faces as they nodded.

Everyone split into several groups: Rainbow and Applejack went to the games to compete with each other as always. Fluttershy and Shenran went to see what attraction they could ride on. Twilight had asked Storm to come, and the boy nervously agreed. They began to walk away as Spike saw them.

"Wait for me," said the small prince, looking to go with his big sister before he was yanked back by Rarity. "Hey!"

"Let your sister go, Spike. You stay with us for now," said the fashionista as she gestured to her and Pinkie.

"Why? I wanna go with my sister," stated the small prince.

"You'll understand when you're older," said Rarity.

The Jedi were walking about the fair, wondering what to do first. Go to an attraction or a game. Storm was taking in this place as he had never been to one. He didn't notice it, but Twilight's face was hot like an inferno; she was so nervous that she couldn't think of anything except to look at Storm and follow him. The princess looking at her crush while playing with her hair. She then remembered what Rarity said: Be confident. Twilight took a deep breath as she was going to make sure Storm noticed her.

Shenran and Fluttershy were at the attractions deciding what attraction to get on while they were eating cotton candy.

"So, Fluttershy? What do you want to try first? The roller coaster? The haunted house? Or the teacups?" asked the blacksmith.

"Is there anything not too risky?" Fluttershy asked with her usual fear of the attractions; she almost didn't want to do that.

"Oh, come on, Fluttershy, you said you would come here to try new things more exciting; you're almost not getting on the attractions," stated the boy as he was looking at the animal-loving girl that he liked.

"Well, we could at least try the tea cups, if you want to, of course," She said, thinking that it was the least risky option.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy, I'll be right beside you. You got nothing to worry about," said Shenran.

"Thanks," said the girl as she got on her tiptoes and kissed Shenran.

She held it for a few seconds before pulling back and looking at the boy as he was amazed by what she did before smiling.

Rainbow and Applejack were on games competing among themselves just like many other times before, and just like any other time, they were at a tie.

"Okay, Aj, we're tied, and there's only one game left," Rainbow said with a confident smile like Applejack.

"The game of Test your strength," Applejack declared, keeping her smile as the two girls looked at the game. "Ya know, Ah'm gonna win here."

"Just because you work on the farm, that doesn't mean that you're stronger than me," Rainbow said as she crossed her arms, keeping her smile.

"Well, only one way ta find that out," Applejack said, keeping her smile.

Storm and Twilight still haven't decided what game they should go passed by, and decided to see what the two girls were doing.

"Hey, girls," Twilight greeted them with a smile as well as Storm.

"Oh hey, guys," Rainbow greeted them back.

"Howdy there," Applejack greeted them back as well.

"Are you girls competing again?" Twilight asked them, keeping her smile.

"Ya know it," Applejack said to her. "So what are cha two doing?"

Well, we're looking for a game to play," Twilight answered her.

"We just haven't decided which one of these games we should play," Storm said.

"In that case, you could see how I beat AJ in this," Rainbow said with her usual proud smile.

"Oh yeah? Well then, ya go first," Applejack said to her.

"All right then," Rainbow said, then she took the hammer, hit the game, and made it to the ring. "Surpass that," She said with a confident smile.

"Ah'll teach ya," Applejack said with a confident smile, then she took the hammer and hit the game, made it to the ring, making it sound harder than Rainbow. "How did you like that," She said with a smile, knowing she had won. Rainbow made an annoyed face since she recognized that she had lost.

"Hmph. Amateurs," Storm said with a grin that caught the two girls' attention.

"What? You think you could do better?" Rainbow asked him.

"Yeah," Storm said, keeping the grin.

"Then prove it," Applejack said, holding the hammer in front of him.

"Okay then, I'll show how it's really done," He said as he grabbed the hammer and walked toward the game; then he hit it, and he hit it so hard that he managed to make the metal bar fly out of the game, breaking it.

"Wow," Twilight said, impressed as she looked up as Rainbow's and Applejack's jaws dropped at what just happened.

"The muscles I have aren't just to show up, ya know? And to make you sure, I just used my pure physical strength," Storm said with a proud smile as he pointed at them with his right hand, and then the metal bar fell onto the ground, almost hitting a passerby. Seeing the faces of the two girls made Twilight giggle a bit.

"Welp, we'll see ya later, girls. Let's go, Sparky," Storm said with a smile.

"That's my partner," stated Twilight before sticking her tongue out at her friends, "Later, girls," She said as she smirked and left to catch up with her partner.

"Hmm, guess we can call this a tie," Rainbow said, still impressed that Storm beat both her and Applejack.

"I agree with ya," Applejack said, feeling the same.

"So what you wanna do now?" Rainbow asked her.

"Wanna go for some caramelized apples?" Applejack asked her back.

"Sure," She answered her with a smile then they left.

---

The smell of common and exotic foods was the first thing to invade the nostrils of everybody who entered the fairgrounds. There were hordes of people, but there was enough space to not feel like you were bumping into everyone all the time. There were families of three, four, five, or six children running around, and there were old couples, probably feeling like they were young again.

Pinkie was going on a food frenzy as she tried to devour everything the vendors and stands were selling. Eventually, Rarity and Spike managed to pull the party girl away and distract her by playing some games. They approached a ring-tossing game. They were soon joined by Aj and Dash as soon the group engaged in some Bumper speeders as they began to crash into each other. Hours were passing as soon the day was slowly turning into evening.

At the wheel of fortune, Twilight and Storm were in a góndola around the noria; they were enjoying the ride, especially when they reached the top to have a clear view of the park and the evening night. The two of them barely looked at each other; their faces had blushes that never left, and they timidly looked at themselves. Even Twilight sometimes hid her face since being up there, completely alone in an environment of the starry night, made the scene romantic. They could even feel the magic and love in the air; the only problem was that they were too shy that none of them could make a move. Storm couldn't since he had never felt like that, and he didn't know what to do, afraid he could mess things up with the princess.

I have to think of something. Being like this with her makes me feel so awkward that I can feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. I have to say something, anything, whatever can start a conversation; as long as I don't get to something personal for her, it'll be fine.

Storm thought, still with the blush on his face trying to know what to say to her; it was truly a beautiful scene there, but not talking with each other made it a bit awkward.

But I don't get why am I getting so nervous? And why am I still blushing around her? Is this a way to say that I'm meant to be with her?

Storm wasn't just nervous around Twilight, even though he could control it at some point. He was also confused about his feelings, which he had never felt before, still trying to figure out his feelings for her so he could finally have control over it.

Okay, Twilight, this is your chance to tell the boy of your dreams how you feel. I just have to think about how to say it to him and hope he will accept me.

Twilight thought, determined to confess her feelings to the boy she loved. Then she quickly looked at Storm and then hid her face again with it heated as an inferno.

Agh! I can't! I just can't tell him! Why can't I tell him that I love him?! What am I going to do? I need help.

She was like Fluttershy sometimes when it came to Storm; for her, he wasn't just a muscled good looking guy, but also smart, good-hearted, and a hero, and most of all, the only one that truly understood her, since he was just like her, she knew in her heart that they are meant to be soul mates. Still, she wanted to confess her feelings and expected to respond with Storm feeling the same. The princess looked down, a bit disappointed in herself for not having the bravery to do it.

"Um, hey," said Storm, trying to break the silence.

"Hey," responded Twilight.

The pair looked at each other, trying to start a conversation before returning to looking away with red on their faces. The pair went back to sitting in silence. Soon their góndola reached the top as it stopped. The sudden halt caused Twilight to slide into Storm as the girl looked at him; the pair stared into each other's eyes while the red on their faces increased. Soon the speaker over them came on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there seems to be a minor mishap. Don't worry; we'll have the ride moving in just a few moments. Please be patient." said the voice over the speaker.

"How convenient," muttered the princess that the ride stopped when they were at the top. She recalled reading something like this happening in one of her storybooks.

"Um, uh. Nice view, right?" Storm said, trying to make a conversation, still blushing.

"Huh? Oh yeah, it's a nice view from up here," Twilight said to him with a nervous smile, still blushing, and they just turned their gaze to the panorama.

"So, um, you ever done this kind of thing before?" Storm asked her. For some strange reason, being in this state didn't let him think well; there weren't too many ideas for topics in his mind.

"Well, yeah, with my friends," Sunset answered, feeling that he meant something else.

"Okay, but I meant with any of your past suitors," Storm said, being more specific, even though he felt that asking that of her wasn't the greatest idea he had.

"Oh, well, no," responded the princess to her partner.

"Sorry if I'm bothering you with this question," apologized the Jedi to his partner, seeing that she probably didn't want to talk about that on this special day.

"No, no, you're not bothering me, we're friends, and you can ask me anything," Twilight said, waving her right hand side to side and then putting it on his shoulder with a smile.

Why did I just call him 'friend'?! You'll lose him, Twilight!

She thought, regretting referring to him as a friend.

"Heh. Yeah, you're right, Sparky, we are friends, and I know that you trust me as much as I trust you, so we can talk about anything," Storm said to her with a smile, and Twilight smiled as well. The boy then turned his gaze to the panorama, and when he did, the princess face-palmed herself, still regretting calling Storm 'friend' supposing that what he just said was because of that, then when the teen turned his gaze toward her; she smiled, trying to what she just did.

Strange. It feels different when I think about Sparky as a friend; it feels odd and wrong, unlike any other friend I had until now, and again I have that feeling that I messed something up with her. The more I'm into my new feelings, the more I realize that there's a side of me, I didn't even know I had, a side that only goes out when Twilight is around. I hope with time, I figure this out.

"Um. Hey, it's a beautiful night tonight, right?" Twilight said to him with a smile, changing the topic.

"Yeah, the stars in the skies make the night beautiful, and it reminds me that I'm not alone, no matter the world, no matter how far, my friends are with me, the ones from home and those that I have in other worlds," Storm said with a warm smile as he looked at the night sky, Twilight could hear her partner the whole night without being bored, the smile with the blush on her face said it.

"Yeah, I like to watch the stars before going to sleep; it's very pretty to watch," Twilight said to him, keeping her smile.

"Heh, another thing we share then; I also do the same," said Storm; he couldn't help but smile that he and Twilight also shared another thing.

"Well, some people also do it, not just you and I," Twilight said to him with a smile as she shrugged.

Why did I say that?! I'm an expert with friendship stuff. If I'm on my own, I'm horrible when winning a boy's heart.

She thought, regretting what she had just said, she couldn't help saying things like that, inside she was so nervous that she couldn't think of what to say to him, that's because the wrong words escaped her mouth.

"Yeah, but you know what's funny? I never met someone I shared a lot in common with until I met you, you know, 'cause we share many things. It's a bit strange, but it also feels nice to have someone I share so much with. I mean, I didn't share so much in common with my friends at home. However, they're still my friends, but I'm glad we share so many things in common; it's nice to know that. I'm not saying we're the exact same; we share a lot of things in common," Storm said with a smile as he shrugged and blushed; hearing him saying that made Twilight blush again.

"Y-yeah, I also feel the same, friendship is not about sharing things in common, but you're right. It's nice to know that we share so many things in common," Twilight said to him, still blushing with a smile.

"Y-yeah, I told you that you are, also…." Storm began, as the blush showed up on his face feeling a bit shy. "You're important to me."

"R-really?" Twilight asked him, surprised that Storm just told her as a deep blush appeared on her face.

"Y-yeah, I mean, all of my friends matter so much to me, but you're different. I feel that you're one of the most important people in my life," said Storm to her as the blush on his face got deeper, and he rubbed the back of his head timidly.

"Wow...Thanks, Storm," Twilight thanked her with a smile, still blushing.

"Um, Heh. No pro-" Storm was cut off by something that suddenly happened. Twilight gave him once again a hug that made his face get nearly red and standing still like being frozen.

The ride began to move when the princess hugged her partner as they headed back down.

"This is my way to say that you're also special and one of the most important people in my life," She said to him with an in-love smile, still blushing as she kept hugging him.

"...Thanks, not many people say that about me," Storm said to her with a warm smile as he hugged her back, still blushing. Then they let go of each other and looked the other way timidly, still blushing.

"I'm glad I got to meet you," The two of them said simultaneously, which surprised each other, making them blush again and look to the other side with a timid smile.

I might not know clearly if this is love that I'm feeling, but I do like the feeling. It's warm and nice; only time will tell if it's truly love toward her, but I'm beginning to like-no to love the idea, me and her… together.

Storm thought with a smile on his face beginning to have thoughts of Twilight and himself as he took a quick glance at her, then looked at the other side with a blush on his face; Storm was now accepting that he was feeling something strong for Twilight.

Well, I had to begin with something. Something is something, but he might feel the same thing I feel for him.

Twilight thought with a smile, hoping that Storm might feel the same as her, so their gondola began to go down on the ride.

---

The Jedi then proceeded to try some games. Their friends were occupied, except for a certain fashionista who quietly snuck away and peeked behind a tent to see the pair at a ring-tossing game. The fashionista smiled, seeing her two friends spending time and bonding with each other alone. Soon she was joined by someone else.

"So, what did I miss?" asked Cadance as her head popped above Rarity's behind the tent.

"Oh, so much, Cadance. I'll say this, the outfit you picked for Twilight to wear. Lovely! No doubt she awoke Storm's feelings inside."

"What can I say? I have a natural talent for these sorts of things," smiled the older woman with a devious smile. "Plus, I had the engineer stop the ride so they would be at the top and have a chance to talk with each other."

"Another part of the plan, brilliant! And I've been able to keep the others, including her brother, away from her and Storm so they could have some time together."

"Nice. So, we have everything set for the final step of the plan?" asked Cadance.

"I can get Shenran to distract the others while we do it," assured the fashionista to the older woman.

"Oh, what are we doing?" said Pinkie as she appeared out of nowhere.

"Pinkie!" shouted Rarity.

"Did you hear something?" asked Storm.

"No," responded Twilight.

The two Jedi Knights turned to see who it was but saw no one there. From behind the tent, Pinkie was restrained by Rarity while Cadance covered her mouth while she was wailing and flailing around, trying to get loose.

"Huh, I thought I heard someone," said the boy as they returned to the game.

Rarity peeked her head out to see the pair. It seemed they didn't notice them as she let out a sigh of relief, as did Cadance. Pinkie was still making noises as they released her.

"Pinkie, what are you doing here?" asked Rarity in a loud whisper.

"I heard you guys are planning a surprise. And I want to help. Can I, please?" pleaded the girl with puppy dog eyes.

"Pinkie, it's not..."

"Shh, Raritiy," said Cadance as she put her hand over the girl's mouth to silence her. "Pinkie, we would be glad to have you help us."

"Yippee!" said the pink-haired girl as she bounced in place.

"Are you sure about this, Cadance?" asked Rarity, as she felt Pinkie might harm their plan.

"This is the best way to keep a close eye on her," muttered the ruler of the Crystal Empire.

"Hmm, good point," said Rarity.

"So, when do we start the surprise?" asked Pinkie.

"Soon, Pinkie. For now, go back to the others, and we'll let you know when it's about to happen. But... you must not tell the others about this. Okay?" said Cadance.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye," said the girl as she made several hand gestures and motions before zipping her lips and walking away.

"Let's hope we're not gonna regret this," said Rarity.

"The fewer people are involved, the better," said Cadance.

While the talk with Pinkie happened during that time, Storm had turned his attention back to the ring-tossing game. The boy understood the game's object was tossing the object and having it land on one of the pins. He gave it a good toss as the ring bounced off the pin and missed.

"Picture this as a math equation," said Twilight, "The weight, velocity, distance, and probably a small chance of wind resistance that might come afterward. Just focus, and give it a go."

"Of course, you would explain it like that, Sparky," said Storm as he looked at the pins and the ring in his hand.

"Trust me," said the princess.

"Or... I could do this," said Storm as he tossed the ring.

It flew through the air and was hurling toward the pin. In the blink of an eye, if you blinked, you would have missed it; the boy did a quick wave of his hand as he used the Force to adjust his ring and make it land directly on one of the bottles.

"Congratulations! We have a winner!" said the vendor as he gave the boy his prize.

The Jedi received a crown as he looked at Twilight and smiled. The boy placed it on the girl's head.

"For the fairest princess of them all," said the teen.

Twilight couldn't help but blush while smiling, for even though she was a princess, she couldn't help but feel flattered about this.

"Did you use the Force to affect your outcome?" asked Twilight as she looked at her crush with a hand on her hip.

"Maybe, maybe not," smiled Storm playfully to the princess.

"Don't worry. I won't tell," responded the girl as she put her finger to her lips.

Later on, Twilight and Storm went to the next stand, where the object was to hit the bottles with a ball. Storm tossed the ball hard, allowing him to hit each target, with Twilight clapping her hands for him. Twilight took a turn, and although she missed one, thanks to Storm, she could throw it properly, which she jumped in excitement. Storm picked her up bridal style and spun her around, for he was so proud of her. However, as he held her in that position while her arms were around his neck, the two ended up blushing and looking in different directions while smiling.

They soon decided to take a break and sat near one of the tables while Twilight had some cotton candy. Storm couldn't help but smile at this sight, for seeing her enjoying the sweetness really brought out her cute side.

"Sometimes I really like it when you show off your cuteness.' stated the Jedi Knight.

Twilight couldn't help but stop eating and blushed at that comment, which made her smile and looked down.

"Thanks again for the outing Storm," said Twilight as she looked at him. "Today's been very special."

"You're welcome, princess," smiled the boy.

Soon some music began to play as the pair looked to see a stage where a band was playing. Many couples and people were in front of it as they began to move to the beat. Twilight immediately stood up and grabbed Storm's hand as the girl led her partner.

"Sparky, please, no," stated Storm, as he knew what the girl was doing.

"Stop! Just... do it," said the girl as she pulled the boy close to her, and they moved as one to the beat.

The Jedi Knights moved together as if they'd been a couple forever, every movement in sync. For the first time, Twilight was not afraid of what people would think if they saw her and Storm together. The princess felt the boy's hand around her waist and back, and she enjoyed it. She then spun in his arms, leaned her back against his chest, and closed her eyes, letting the rhythm of the music and the movement of their bodies mold together.

The pair then met up with the rest of their friends as they all decided to go to dinner. And for Twilight, that meant stuffing her face with Hayburgers. So all the teens and Spike made their way to the diner, and they began to eat. Rarity shoved the others and yanked Spike away with Shenran's help as they allowed Twilight and Storm to have a table all to themselves.

The rest of them all found a booth that was nearby that allowed Rarity to listen in to the conversation that was taking place between the pair.

"Can we, for once, go somewhere else that doesn't have you stuff your cheeks with hayburgers?" asked Storm.

"They're good. Don't you dare talk about my burgers like that!" said Twilight.

"Eat any more, and they'll go to your hips, princess," snickered the boy.

"You know my figure stays intact," said Twilight.

"Yes, I do," responded Storm as both turned away with red on their face. Both recalled their past sessions on feeling the other's body.

"So far, I've been having fun. What about you?" asked Twilight as she looked at her partner seated next to her as their shoulders touched.

"Same here. I'm having fun spending the day with my best friend," said Storm as he was shown putting his hand over Twilight's.

Twilight looked into her partner's eyes as her hand shifted so the teens could interlock their fingers. The girl then leaned in and placed her head on Storm's shoulder; the boy felt the princess as he shuddered a bit. He had been used to Twilight putting her head on his shoulder before, yet... this time, it was different.

The boy extended his other arm and wrapped it around Twilight's shoulder. The Jedi gripped it tightly as he pulled the girl closer to him. The princess felt it and let out a happy sigh; Storm soon leaned back into the booth as Twilight cuddled into his chest. Rarity was smiling behind the menu she held up in her face as seeing her two friends in love with each other warmed her heart.

She admitted that seeing Twilight in the position she was in made her jealous a tad bit. She couldn't help but imagine herself in Storm's arms as she initially recalled her crush and admiration for the Jedi. Although she told Storm that she could get over it because she saw Twilight as a better option for him, she kept thinking about it repeatedly. Regardless, she decided to move on from Storm, knowing Twilight could give him better happiness than she could. At least she kept his eyes in her life.

The waitress came to the Jedi's table and placed their food before them. She saw the teens and Twilight snuggling against Storm as she winked at the boy. She quickly left the young couple to allow them some time alone as Storm thanked her. Soon he gently began to tap Twilight's shoulder as the girl seemed to have closed her eyes when she placed her head.

"Twilight... Twilight..." spoke Storm in a soft tone.

The girl heard his voice as she opened her eyes. The princess saw her partner as she was waking to a real-life dream. She then looked at Storm's pendant as she was reminded of when she gave it to the Jedi Knight. Twilight looked at her partner as he brought his hand up to push aside some strands of her hair that fell in front of her face.

"Hey, Storm. After we're done, could you go with me to the lake before we turn in?" asked the princess to her knight.

"Alright then," responded the boy.

"Almost time," smiled Rarity.

---

After their dinner, Twilight and Storm were able to sneak away to the park so that they could have some alone time together. Twilight and Storm continued to walk through the park as they marveled at how it looked during the night.

"I have to say," said Twilight, "This is the most romantic night I've ever been to."

Storm then playfully said, "Considering that it's the only romantic night you've ever been on."

Twilight playfully bumped her shoulder against him, and the two couldn't help but chuckle over the joke. They continued to walk through the park until they were at the lake near the dock. The two decided to walk together and stare at the view and the fireflies flying everywhere as they enjoyed what they saw. Soon they arrived at the docks as there were several rowboats and many other lovely couples out on the lake. The Jedi got in one as Storm began to row them out onto the lake as Twilight sat in silence and watched her partner.

The pair were rowing on the water, and behind them were Rarity, Cadance, and Pinkie. The fashionista was able to contact Cadance about the pair on the move. She then told Shenran to take the rest of the girls away and get Spike home as the small prince was starting to get tired. The blacksmith nodded as it allowed Rarity and Pinkie to follow the Jedi, keeping out of sight in case their Jedi senses detected them, though given how they were so focused on each other, they didn't need to worry about that.

Now the fashionista, the party-eccentric girl, and Twilight's sister-in-law were in a boat behind them as they floated behind the pair.

"The day's almost over, and he hasn't puckered her even once," said Rarity.

"Then I guess it's time for some vocal romantic simulation," said Cadance. "First, we need to set the mood."

"Alright, I'm on it. I know how to set the mood," stated Pinkie as she got to the front of the boat and prepared to clear her voice.

"Pinkie, what are you doing?" said Rarity as he didn't like what her friend would do.

"Check it out," said Pinkie before taking a deep breath.

"Get it get it get it get it get it get get it girl
get get get get get get get it girl
get it get it get it get it get it get get it girl
get get get get get get get it girl
take her take her to the floor
show her show her how you roll
drop it drop it drop it low, drop it..."

"Woah, woah, woah! What kind of mood is that?!" exclaimed Cadance at what Pinkie was doing.

They were trying to get Storm and Twilight to share a moment, not do what Pinkie suggested with her body motions and gesture. At least... not yet, anyway. Baby steps first, have both confess their love to each other before they decide to get it on.

"Pinkie, darling, look A for effort. But it's a bit... too aggressive. Not that I'm hating on your creativity, but I was thinking something more..." Rarity whispered into her friend's ear as she relayed the information.

"Ooh," said the party girl as she nodded.

The party girl then reached into her hair and pulled out a small drum, some drumsticks, and a keytar. She handed the instrument to Rarity as the fashionista began to play some notes; they produced a gentle melody accompanied by Pinkie's light drumming in her lap as their sounds blended perfectly.

"Now that's more like it," said Cadance to the pair with a smile. She then put her hands together and rubbed them as some magical particles began to happen. She then held her hand out and blew on it as she worked her magic, both figuratively and literally.

With the Jedi, Storm was still rowing the boat when the trio began to work their magic as Cadance began to sing as the melody played.

[Cadance - The magic she cast traveled around the Jedi and their rowboat as her sweet singing voice was amplified from a distance. As for Storm, he was still rowing the boat; he cast a few glances at Twilight sitting in silence while looking around and even sneaky a few glances at the boy himself.]

There, you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl

[Rarity - The fashionista took over and projected her voice using Cadance's magic as she played some notes. Storm had ceased rowing as their boat gently floated on the water. Some fireflies began to circle around them as the boy looked at the princess, eyeing him with a look.]

Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
Possible she wants you too
There is one way to ask her
It won't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl

[Rarity and Cadance - The two joined in unison as Storm and Twilight got really close to each other. Their faces were so close their lips could touch, but he immediately turned his head away while blushing as he was hesitant and shy; Twilight also pulled back as she was a bit disappointed that he didn't do it.]

Sha-la-la-la-la-la
My, oh, my
Look like the boy too shy
He ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame?
Too bad, you gonna miss the girl

[Rarity and Cadance - The teens continued their boat ride in silence for a few more moments when Twilight felt Storm place his hand on top of hers. The girl turned as she saw it; Storm's brain was no longer in control as it went on autopilot. He soon grabbed it, as did his other hand, taking Twilight's. The pair's boat now passed a veil of trees inside a small watering hole; the fireflies circled them as the opening in the top allowed some moonlight to pass through and shine on them.]

Now's your moment (ya, ya, ya)
Floating in a blue lagoon (ya, ya, ya)
Boy, you better do it soon
No time will be better (ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya)
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl

[Storm and Twilight's boat now spun while gently floating on the water as the atmosphere around them affected them. The Jedi were looking at each other, staring at each other. The two recall every memory and moment of them being together. Even them being back on the river to see the floating lanterns for the Summer Solstice festival didn't compare to this. The boy held Twilight's hands as he shifted himself to get closer to Twilight; he removed one of their hands interlocked together to brush away some of her hair gently. He carcasses the princess' cheek as she leaned into his touch before he grabbed it.]

Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't be scared (sha-la, sha-la-la ya, ya, ya)
You got the mood prepared (woah, woah)
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't stop now (sha-la, sha-la-la ya, ya, ya)
Don't try to hide it how
You wanna kiss the girl (woah, woah)
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Float along (sha-la, sha-la-la)
And listen to the song
The song say, kiss the girl (woah, woah)
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
The music play (ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya)
Do what the music say
You gotta kiss the girl
Kiss the girl (kiss the girl)
Kiss the girl (kiss the girl)
Kiss the girl (kiss the girl)

Storm was now bringing Twilight in as both began to close their eyes. The boy took the initiative as he was no longer controlling his body. They both had only one target: the other's lips. The trio watching this almost fell out of their boat as they saw what was about to happen. The Jedi closed their eyes as they were about to kiss each other. They were inches as they could feel the breath of the other, and in just five seconds, they were about to experience a wonderful feeling. But just as they were about to express their love for each other.

The boat bumped into the tree's base at the edge of the watering hole. It made the pair jerk as Twilight fell forward due to her leaning forward for the kiss. Storm reactively caught the princess in her arms to keep her from falling.

"Woah, you okay?" asked the boy to his partner.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks for catching me," smiled the princess to her friend.

"Oh, come on!" shouted Rarity as she was silenced by Pinkie pulling her down into their boat and her hand over her mouth.

Safe to say, the bump into the tree naturally by the boat just turned off the mood for both Jedi. Cadance merely giggled as he made their boat float back to shore. They left the teens alone as Storm still had a grip on Twilight's arms.

"It's getting late. Best to get you home," said Storm as he released Twilight's arms and began to row them back to the docks.

---

The Jedi were walking through town as Storm was walking Twilight home. They passed through the town square as a vendor handed the boy a flower; Storm presented it to Twilight as she took it and sniffed it. The Jedi then reached into her hair and undid her ponytail as her hair flowed down to her shoulder like a gentle waterfall. The boy placed the flower into her hair, making Twilight blush even more.

The pair continued to walk as Storm put his hands into the pocket of his unzipped hoodie while Twilight played with her hair, doing her best to keep her gaze on her partner. The happiness of the young love between the teens could be shown as they talked and giggled with each other. After a slightly strong breeze brushed, the two of them got almost to Twilight's house, which made Twilight rub her arms, pointing out that she was cold.

"Hey, you okay?" Storm asked her, seeing her rubbing her two arms.

"Yes, it's just tonight. It's a bit cold, that's all, but can't you feel it?" Twilight answered him.

"Nope, 'cause I'm wearing a sweater," Storm explained to her as he shrugged.

"Right, lucky you," She said to him, feeling a bit jealous. Then another breeze brushed again, making her feel colder; seeing this, Storm had an idea. He then took off his hoodie, and to her surprise, Storm put his sweater on her, which made her blush.

"There ya go, better now?" He said to her with a kind smile.

"Um, y-yeah," She said to him, still very blushed and nervous while holding the sweater to not fall. "B-but you don't mind if I use it?"

"Not at all, you're cold, but I'm not, and I just want to be nice and help out my best friend and partner," Storm said to her, keeping his smile which made her even more, blushed as she smiled at him, then she took her arms on the sweater to put it on right.

"Thank you" She thanked him with a cute smile, still a bit blushed. She really appreciated him and all he did for her.

"Heh, you're welcome, Twily," He said to her with a smile while rubbing the back of his head a bit blushed; he was getting a bit shy, but he wasn't showing it, and he also blushed because his sweater looks cute on Twilight.

"Well, well. If this isn't cute, I don't know what is," said Cadance as the woman was shown leaning against the window of a room.

"So it is," Shining Armor responded as he stood beside his wife with his arms crossed.

The married couple were looking out the window of a room as they saw Storm and Twilight arrive at the castle's front door. They noticed how Twilight was wearing the boy's hoodie as they found the scene in front of them lovely.

"Welp, home sweet home, right?" Storm said to his partner with a smile.

"Hehe, right," Twilight said to him with a smile; she again didn't want to end that walk she was having with Storm, mostly because of how good they were getting. "Well, thanks for escorting me home, my Jedi Knight."

"No problem, princess, but I should thank you," Storm said with a smile while rubbing his nose, which surprised her a bit. "You and the others gave me a really great day. I really enjoyed this great day."

"Heh, you're welcome, Storm, a great day for my best friend," Twilight said with a smile as she gave him a soft punch on his shoulder. She wanted to be more than his best friend, but she knew she had to go slowly with him, step by step, and she was happy they were very close.

"Ha, sure," Storm said to her while blushing with a smile while rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, Storm, guess I'll see you tomorrow," Twilight said to him before turning around to enter her castle.

Before the girl could enter, two figures flew through the night sky. It was none other than their animal companions as both winged creatures landed on their owner's shoulder.

"Hey, bud," said Storm to his pet bat, Sonar.

"Click."

"Hoo."

"Happy Hearts and Hooves, Owlowlicious," said Twilight as she petted her owl's tummy. The princess then grabbed her owl in her arms as he rubbed his head against her.

"Lov you too, bud," said Storm with a more general response to his little bat as he merely patted his head.

Twilight held her owl in her hands as she looked at Storm. The Jedi smiled at his bat as she could see the bond between the two. It shined brightly as Storm had a way of being in people's hearts. The princess smiled as she couldn't take it anymore.

"You always have a way of sneaking into people's hearts. I know you did for me," spoke Twilight.

She then did it. The princess leaned it and pressed her lips to Storm's cheek as she kissed him. The kiss itself lasted for two seconds as Twilight pulled back. The second she pulled back, Storm turned to look at the princess. He gasped, and his eyes went wide, registering what she just did. Twilight also gasped, and her eyes went wide, registering what she just did. Her face; was the reddest of the red possible.

"Bold move, sis," smirked Shining Armor as he and Cadance saw what she just did and smiled from the window.

"Uh, uh,..."

Twilight couldn't speak as she was at a loss for words.

"A-anyways, good night. I'll see ya," said Twilight as she turned and ran to the door as fast as she could. "Oh, whydidIdothat? Oh, whydidIdothat? Oh, why did I do that?" mumbled the princess to herself as she entered the castle with her pet.

Storm looked at the door as his legs lost their strength, and he did a split falling to his knees. The Jedi Knight was broken; the princess broke him. Instinctively, his hand was brought up, and he touched his cheek. He felt the spot where Twilight kissed him, he was still shocked, but soon... a smile sported on his face. However, that smile immediately disappeared as one thought ran through his head. He gasped in fear.

"What have I done?" stated Storm as he had just committed the ultimate sin.

Author's Note: Duh, Duh, DUH! Talk about a chapter in it of itself. First off, Happy Valentines Day/Hearts and Hooves to all. And second, things have gotten much more interesting. Especially, the final scene of what happened between Storm and Twilight. A day full of romance has seemed to blossom, however, the ultimate sin has been made. Now the question is: What happens now? As always, leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments.