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Twilight and Her RIval, Anon, FUCKED at the Gala

By Patch
Created: 2026-01-27 07:55:59
Updated: 2026-02-10 09:58:50
Expiry: Never
anonstalliontwlight sparkle

  1. 1.
    Anonymous Sun 11 Jan 2026 10:47:43 No.42946916
  2. 2.
    Anon is Twilight's rival. There was no friendship problem he just showed up, they got into a cartoon dustball fight before he got thrown out of town until his next appearance the following season.
  3. 3.
     
  4. 4.
    >rivals since their mid-years at the school for gifted unicorns
  5. 5.
    >constantly tried to one up each other's projects and reports
  6. 6.
    >each time the 'winner' would gloat about it, leading to louder arguments that would always end in the dustball fights
  7. 7.
    >eventually Twilight specialized as Celestia's closest student and Anon would go off into the world to further develop his magic in real world scenarios
  8. 8.
    >fast forward to Ponyville (maybe mid season 2?)
  9. 9.
    >one day a mysterious unicorn draped head to hoof in trinkets and carrying packed saddle bags of parchment arrives claiming to be investing the stories of harmony magic coming from the town
  10. 10.
    >he's led to the Library where Twilight and friends are just coming back from some skirmish into the Everfree or something
  11. 11.
    >the two lock eyes and stare at each other in disbelief
  12. 12.
    "Anon?"
  13. 13.
    "Twlight?"
  14. 14.
    >the rest of the Six look between the two, waiting for either of them to start introducing themselves
  15. 15.
    >AJ is the first ti speak up
  16. 16.
    "Uh, this a friend o' yours, Twi-"
  17. 17.
    >she doesn't even finish the question when the two charge at each other and start brawling like they did in school
  18. 18.
     
  19. 19.
    >"I figured out the Elements of Harmony before you did Anon! Clearly the superior unicorn wins again."
  20. 20.
    "I bet Pinkie Pie helped you do that, which means that claim is debunked."
  21. 21.
    >"Gasp!? How do you know Pinkie Pie?"
  22. 22.
    "How do you think idiot? She's Pinkie Pie. Let me guess, the book was under 'E'."
  23. 23.
    >"N-no!"
  24. 24.
     
  25. 25.
    "Let me guess, your nose is still so deep in those spell books you can only cast 25 of them?"
  26. 26.
    >"Ha. Maybe a while ago when that Trixie came through town, I am now sitting at a respectable 50, so again, Ha."
  27. 27.
    "50 spells!? That's not bad for a brown-nosing, tome hogging unicorn. Meanwhile I am sitting at 51."
  28. 28.
     
  29. 29.
    >"Jerk"
  30. 30.
    "Teacher's pet"
  31. 31.
    >"..Bully!"
  32. 32.
    "Goody four shoes!"
  33. 33.
    >"Shut up!"
  34. 34.
    "You shut up!"
  35. 35.
     
  36. 36.
    >remainder of the episode is the girls trying to get these two to stop their fighting
  37. 37.
    >Rainbow and Rarity try to help Twilight learn that having a professional rival doesn't mean having an enemy
  38. 38.
    >AJ, Pink, and Fluttershy try to get Anon to see that just because they had a bad relationship in the past doesn't mean they haven't changed to be able to be friends now
  39. 39.
    >seems like they're making progress
  40. 40.
    >when they meet up again at the end of the day to try and makeup they get one inhale in before lunging at each other
  41. 41.
    >"Dear Princess Celestia," as it pans to the girls watching on in disappointment, "Today I reconnected with an old classmate. He still hits like a girl!"
  42. 42.
     
  43. 43.
    >celestia overhearing twilight and rival!anon arguing for the fifth time today
  44. 44.
     
  45. 45.
    >be celestia
  46. 46.
    >it's the grand galloping gala
  47. 47.
    >you sip on your tea and pretend to be interested in whatever it is that a random noble is babbling about
  48. 48.
    >suddenly there's a crash, the sound of glass breaking and ponies screaming
  49. 49.
    >twilight and anon are fighting
  50. 50.
    >again
  51. 51.
    >what would normally be a figurative horn measuring contest turned into a full-on hoof fight between the two
  52. 52.
    >applejack says that twilight threw the first hoof
  53. 53.
    >you and everypony else watch the two roll around on the floor swearing, pulling manes and name calling
  54. 54.
    >eventually twilight gets anon pinned to the ground while straddling him
  55. 55.
    >the two pant and stare at each other for a minute before furiously kissing each other and hoofing at each other's clothes
  56. 56.
    >you always thought the two should just fuck and get it over with, but you never expected it to happen on the floor in front of everypony during one of the biggest events of the year
  57. 57.
    >you said you wanted something exciting to happen, but you didn't mean this
  58. 58.
     
  59. 59.
    >Be pink
  60. 60.
    >Be tall
  61. 61.
    >Be the loveliest one of all
  62. 62.
    >Yep, you must be Cadance
  63. 63.
    >And right now you're feeling... itchy?
  64. 64.
    >There's a phantom itch somewhere in your horn
  65. 65.
    >You can't quite tell why
  66. 66.
    >It's driving you crazy
  67. 67.
    >Is it some kind of... love sense being triggered?
  68. 68.
    >It feels like love, but not quite
  69. 69.
    >Probe at it with your magic
  70. 70.
    >The feeling pings in your horn
  71. 71.
    >It feels like...
  72. 72.
    >You gasp, then a giddy smile splits your features
  73. 73.
    >Is that Twilight?!
  74. 74.
    >She's found love?!
  75. 75.
    >Probe further
  76. 76.
    >Your mind's eye lets you see the red string of destiny connecting her to her love!
  77. 77.
    >It's a little faint, but it's there
  78. 78.
    >You obviously can't resist knowing who her beau is
  79. 79.
    >Who is the stallion that's captured Twilight's-
  80. 80.
    >It's Anon
  81. 81.
    >You shake your head
  82. 82.
    >It can't be
  83. 83.
    >You have nothing against him personally
  84. 84.
    >But every time you babysat Twilight, Anon would be the first thing she'd rant about
  85. 85.
    >You swear you could've milled wheat into flour in Twilight's mouth with how her teeth used to grind together
  86. 86.
    >You check again; obviously you'd made a mista-
  87. 87.
    >Still Anon
  88. 88.
    >The pulsing, itching feeling intensifies
  89. 89.
    >You come to a concerning conclusion after a few minutes
  90. 90.
    >Okay...
  91. 91.
    >Twilight and Anon are having sex
  92. 92.
    >Right now
  93. 93.
    >Wait, isn't the Grand Galloping Gala supposed to be happening right now?
  94. 94.
    >yfw you read about the aftermath in the next morning's paper
  95. 95.
    >yfw Shiny goes on the warpath after reading about the aftermath in the next morning's paper
  96. 96.
     
  97. 97.
    >be Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship, national hero, magic prodigy, etc., etc.
  98. 98.
    >now adding newly wed wife to list of titles
  99. 99.
    >the husband? None other than the last pony you'd ever thought, or wanted, to have married just a year ago
  100. 100.
    >Anonymous Cipher, unicorn second rate and near lifelong rival
  101. 101.
    >even now as you're both riding in the regal chariot with a 'Just Married' banner stuck to it (thanks, Pinkie Pie) you still don't know how it came to this
  102. 102.
    >even thinking about him used to make you scoff
  103. 103.
    >talking to him was one of the few things that could send you into a flurry
  104. 104.
    >but now here you are, holding his hoof and red in the face
  105. 105.
    >neither of you can actually look at each other, though. Not since the kiss at the altar
  106. 106.
    "How'd it end up like this?" you finally chime up as the villa you'll be sharing for the next few days comes into view
  107. 107.
    >"Well," Anonymous responds with some thought, "First we met for the first time in years in Ponyville and caught up on a few years of fights we'd missed. Then we met again at the Gala, and... you know."
  108. 108.
    >yep, you knew. As did everyone who was there in the main hall. And then everyone that read the next day's news
  109. 109.
    "Which was you fault, for the record. We wouldn't have made such a scene if you hadn't started that argument about the Elements."
  110. 110.
    >"You threw the first swing."
  111. 111.
    "You kept calling my theories baseless."
  112. 112.
    >"You kept throwing those backhoofed compliments at me."
  113. 113.
    "They were not. You did look good, probably because it was the first time I'd ever seen you without that bed man you always have."
  114. 114.
    >"It is not-!"
  115. 115.
    >by now you were both over your earlier bashfulness and were staring each other down. Very closely, in fact
  116. 116.
    >a few moments looking into each others' eyes and you turn away from each other again, even redder than before
  117. 117.
    >"Anyway," Anon continues, trying to sound unfazed, "then a few days later your brother practically kidnaps me so your babysitter can tell us some nonsense about us being in love and a few months later here we are."
  118. 118.
    >you snort
  119. 119.
    "She's the princess of love, you know. You wouldn't say Princess Celestia speaks nonsense about the sun, would you?"
  120. 120.
    >"--I guess."
  121. 121.
    >you haven't let go of each other's hoof this whole time
  122. 122.
     
  123. 123.
    >you remember how much Cadance had been walking on egg shells when she spoke to you both
  124. 124.
    >if anyone knew how much you couldn't stand Anon it was her
  125. 125.
    >normally when she counsels new couples she's enthusiastic, beaming even
  126. 126.
    >not this time. In fact it was hard for her to even make eye contact with either of you
  127. 127.
    >unlike Shining, who had practically been glaring a hole through Anon the whole time
  128. 128.
    >"-and you'll want to, uh, be open with one another and willing to lean on each other when you need to. Right, Shining?" she said with a nervous laugh
  129. 129.
    >he nodded, at least. Slowly, and without taking his eyes off Anon. You swear you saw him getting ready to charge the guy a few times
  130. 130.
    >Anon was trying to look like his usual listless self but he couldn't hide the bullets he was sweating
  131. 131.
    >"Right. Umm..." she was desperately trying to find a way to get through this tangle of a situation "Oh! And with that I think we can move to the one on one part of the counseling!"
  132. 132.
    >"The what?" You and Shining say in unison
  133. 133.
    >Cadance elbowed Shining with a strained smile
  134. 134.
    >"*oof* I mean- Right, the one on one! You and Twilight take as much time as you need, me and Anonymous here-"
  135. 135.
    >"ACTUALLY," Cadance interrupted, putting herself between Shining and Anon, who was now hiding behind his chair, "I think it's best you and Twilight talk things over in the other room while I help Anonymous."
  136. 136.
    >you and Shining gave each other an unsure look, but relented since it's not like either of you could bring up any real objection to it. Plus she was already pushing you both out the door
  137. 137.
    >"Just be honest about how you feel, Twilight. I'm sure the answer's somewhere deep in your heart."
  138. 138.
    >the last thing you see in the room before the door closes is Anon trying to sneak out of a window and being dragged back to the middle of the room by Cadance's magic
  139. 139.
    >once it was just the two of you it became even more evident how awkward this whole thing was. How do you even approach something like this with your brother?
  140. 140.
    >"Sssoooo," Shining strained to get any well articulated question out. "Was it just, you know, because he's the one you've known the longest?"
  141. 141.
    "No. It was more like, like..."
  142. 142.
    >the memory of Anon looking up at you with those dumb, deep green eyes
  143. 143.
    >wearing that ridiculous gold trimmed cloak that perfectly went with his shade of green
  144. 144.
    >no doubt getting ready to counter your expertly researched points with his own
  145. 145.
    >feeling his chest against yours...
  146. 146.
    >you threw your hooves over your head in frustration
  147. 147.
    "Like I hate how he makes me feel!"
  148. 148.
     
  149. 149.
    >"Feels like even breathing gets harder to do when you think about him?" Shining asked after you've had time to let your outburst settle
  150. 150.
    "Mhm. But now in a way where I can't even just brush it off like I used to. Once I start thinking about him I can't stop until something else snaps me out of it."
  151. 151.
    >Shining puts a hoof on your shoulder "Yeah, that sounds like love at least. But you don't LOVE him love him, right?"
  152. 152.
    "No!.. Maybe? Right now I just want to clobber him for doing this to me."
  153. 153.
    >he scratched the back of his head trying to figure out how to comfort you. It's not like he ever wanted to 'clobber' Cadance
  154. 154.
    >"You sure you want to even try this with him? I can probably throw him in boot camp for a while if you want."
  155. 155.
    >you sigh
  156. 156.
    "No, I'll at least TRY to make this work. If Cadance says it's love," you're never had such a hard time saying that word, "then there has to be something between us. What's the worst that can happen? We can stand being in the same room with each other?"
  157. 157.
    >Shining pats your back and gives you a feint, but supporting smile. He knows he can trust you to figure this out
  158. 158.
     
  159. 159.
    "You still haven't told me what you and Cadance talked about that day, you know."
  160. 160.
    >the carriage had stopped in front of the villa and the maids and butlers had come out to help you both with the luggage you had brought along
  161. 161.
    >"Well that's because I don't want to talk about it."
  162. 162.
    "Not even with your wife?"
  163. 163.
    >it takes a lot of effort to not stumble over your words saying that out loud. Anon was clearly blindsided by that since he now looked like someone had knocked the wind out of him
  164. 164.
    >"Okay, fine. Just don't tell her I told you this, alright?"
  165. 165.
    >what?
  166. 166.
    "What?"
  167. 167.
    >"She's like a professional interrogator! She asked me if I'd cast some spell or blackmailed you since she didn't get how someone she knows you hate had gotten you to do something so 'un-lady like'. Maybe with a bit more colorful language, and with me unable to move. I was afraid I was going to be waterboarded or thrown in a dungeon."
  168. 168.
    "Oh! Really? And you told her you didn't, right? That was on both of us."
  169. 169.
    >"Of course. I told her the truth; It was just another one of our arguments like we'd always had, and by the end of it seeing you there in the light of the hall, wearing the proof you are as good at what you do as you say you are, it made me realize that you're-"
  170. 170.
    >he needs some help finishing that sentence
  171. 171.
    "'Just right for me'?"
  172. 172.
    >"I'm pretty sure I said perfect."
  173. 173.
    >is that a smile forming on your face?
  174. 174.
    >does it look as nervous as the one forming on his face?
  175. 175.
    >you should get inside before you start really spilling the proverbial spaghetti
  176. 176.
     
  177. 177.
    >kind of like how you did during your first real try at a date with Anon
  178. 178.
    >it had taken a few days for you to even work up the nerve to suggest it (at the behest of your friends), which he did thankfully agree to. But you fell into your usual butting of heads over where it should take place
  179. 179.
    >each of your suggestions was met with a derisive remark like 'Yeah, you would hang out there, wouldn't you?' and you similarly shot down his ideas
  180. 180.
    >honestly, his loss if he doesn't want to experience the perfect hayburgers
  181. 181.
    >Rarity and Cadance eventually came to the rescue by suggesting you try something classic. Candlelit dinner for two under the stars at one of Canterlot's finest restaurants
  182. 182.
    >the idea was enthusiastically accepted on your behalves by the rest of the girls before you or Anon could object
  183. 183.
    >not that you didn't try, it's just that by the time you could get a word in the whole thing had already been planned for the following evening
  184. 184.
    "Doesn't this seem a bit much? Besides, I'd rather not be in Canterlot for a while since our, uh, 'love' bloomed so publicly there."
  185. 185.
    >"And why tomorrow? Why not tonight?" Anon added. He must have been looking forward to the date more than you thought
  186. 186.
    >"We'd need a day to get the reservation in, and I wouldn't worry too much about ponies remembering it by now, Twilight. We both know by now the talk of the town's moved on to whatever fashion flash is going around," Cadance assured you
  187. 187.
    >you and Anon looked at each other, unsure whether to agree or back out
  188. 188.
    >"I... guess it's not a terrible idea. Surely not all your friends can have the same bad idea at once."
  189. 189.
    >you have him a light hoof to the shoulder and turned to the rest of the group
  190. 190.
    "Okay, we'll try it. Tomorrow evening. Gives us some time to get ready. I'm guessing you had an idea of what I should wear for it, Rarity?"
  191. 191.
    >"Maybe I had an idea or two," she said with as innocent a smile she could, "And, if you'd like, I could help you out as well, Anonymous."
  192. 192.
    >"Huh? Oh, no thank you, I can handle that myself. No one knows how better to work with this than me," he replied, trying to nonchalantly strike a pose, making it very non-nonchalant in the process
  193. 193.
    >this is who you fell in love with, Twilight
  194. 194.
    >he awkwardly dropped it when he realized no one was impressed
  195. 195.
    >"We can meet up in front of my house since I'm the one of us that still lives in Canterlot. That sound good to you?"
  196. 196.
    >you agreed to his suggestion before you were whisked away (more like carried off) to Rarity's boutique
  197. 197.
    >seeing him wave goodbye as you went made you realize you two had stopped doing your usual way of saying your goodbyes, turning your heads away from one another with a terse 'Hmph' and walking away without a word
  198. 198.
    >deep down you hoped you wouldn't have to again
  199. 199.
     
  200. 200.
    >Rarity really is a wonder when she sets her mind to something. It only took a day for her to have a whole new outfit ready for you
  201. 201.
    >a light red dress and embroidered saddle with some matching shoes and brooch, with a nice volume bump to your hair to round it out
  202. 202.
    >a little more form fitting than you would have preferred, but she was too happy to see you wearing it to ask for a short notice change
  203. 203.
    >the whole time your friends had been asking if you were one hundred and ten percent super duper certain if you wanted to go through with this
  204. 204.
    "I'm certain. If I don't I'll just be stuck wondering what could have happened, and even if things go wrong we'll be able to put this whole thing behind us."
  205. 205.
    >that actually stung a little to say
  206. 206.
    >certainly gave you something to think about on the ride to Canterlot when the chariot came to pick you up just before sundown
  207. 207.
    >you'd taken the pegasus pulled chariot plenty of times before so you knew the butterflies forming in your stomach weren't because of the ride
  208. 208.
    >now looking back you know it was the idea thought of there not actually being anything between you and Anon growing into doubt and worry
  209. 209.
    >what if you find out you two can barely keep a conversation going when you're not arguing? What if one of you ? what if he just can't do this and leaves mid-way through the date?
  210. 210.
    >what if he just calls it off altogether?
  211. 211.
    >what if you do?
  212. 212.
    >you were so busy running these disaster scenarios in your mind you didn't realize the chariot had landed in front of Anon's house until one of the drivers tapped you on the shoulder to snap you out of it
  213. 213.
    >you gave him a nervous thank you and smile as you climbed out of the chariot, nearly face planting as you found yourself now a little off balance in your shoes
  214. 214.
    >not helped by how suddenly foreboding Anonymous' home looked. It wasn't really any different from the surrounding ones, but in the moment it was quickly becoming the scariest thing around
  215. 215.
    >it was definitely your imagination getting the better of you, but the dimming evening and the lights from the windows almost made it seem like the house itself was leering at you
  216. 216.
    >walking up the few steps to the front door in the long shadow the setting sun had given the building felt like walking miles
  217. 217.
    >when you got to the door you had gotten jittery enough that your attempt to knock on the door resulted in you slamming your hoof on the door
  218. 218.
    >fortunately your shock and embarrassment only lasted a few moments when you heard a few familiar, muffled voices coming from the upstairs window
  219. 219.
    >"Oh, that must be her! I'll go check." the first voice was the least familiar, but you have an idea who that could be
  220. 220.
    >"Nonono wait, I'll go!" That's Anon
  221. 221.
    >"Stay still, Anon. I'm almost done, just need to get this last bit of your mane under control." Moon Dancer?
  222. 222.
     
  223. 223.
    >having your attention on the window the voices were coming from let you catch a glimpse at who the first voice belonged to
  224. 224.
    >a unicorn mare, green coated and black maned like Anon, peeked her head out to see you at the door before darting back inside
  225. 225.
    >"Yep, it's her. Don't worry she didn't see me. Hurry up with his mane."
  226. 226.
    >Ah, that's right, his sister. You'd met her very few times since she didn't attend the school for gifted unicorns
  227. 227.
    >you recall he'd described her as too mellow for the school when you'd asked him about it
  228. 228.
    >"Aaand, done. Now go, don't keep her waiting!"
  229. 229.
    >you could hear scrambling hoofsteps move out of the room, loudly clatter down a set of stairs, and run to the door
  230. 230.
    >with a very audible throat clear the door finally opens, letting the light from inside brighten up where you were standing
  231. 231.
    >and there was. Anonymous, actually looking quite dashing, but also doing his best to imitate the heroic pose of the painting you could clearly see behind him, complete with his eyes closed
  232. 232.
    >"Twilight, welcome. I hope you're ready for our--"
  233. 233.
    >he trailed off once he actually opened his eyes to look at you
  234. 234.
    >his effort to look regal fell apart and he was making no effort to hide how his eyes were looking you over
  235. 235.
    >thought it's not like you weren't getting a good look at him yourself. He'd swapped out his usual khaki cloak for a light grey wide collar suit with the jacket extended to still have that familiar silhouette
  236. 236.
    >and his mane that he'd been working on to the last minute seemed to almost be catching the light to give itself warm orange highlights
  237. 237.
    >suffice to say you were both thoroughly enraptured with one another
  238. 238.
    >which means someone had to step up to get you two moving forward with the date before you ended up standing there all night
  239. 239.
    >"Psst! Hey! Talk to her like you practiced!" Anonymous' sister said in the loudest whisper you'd ever heard said
  240. 240.
    >that seemed to do it, as Anon started stammering once you both pulled your eyes off each other and pretended you hadn't just been caressing one another with your gazes
  241. 241.
    >doing so let you see that his sister was standing on the stairs, trying not to be seen
  242. 242.
    "Um, hello," you said to her without thinking
  243. 243.
    >she gasped and bolted behind a small table on the upstairs balcony. Yo could still clearly see her flank sticking out from it
  244. 244.
    >"No sense hiding, Anonymity. She already saw you." Moon Dancer said stepping out of one of the upstairs rooms
  245. 245.
    "Heard you, too. That open window doesn't keep much in," you said with a laugh, trying to lighten the tension
  246. 246.
    >"Knew we should have kept it closed," Anon said dejectedly
  247. 247.
    >Moon started making her way downstairs. "And choke on all the mane product? No thanks. Hello, Twilight."
  248. 248.
    >"Hi Miss Princess Twilight. You look very pretty!" Anonymity sheepishly followed Moon Dancer
  249. 249.
     
  250. 250.
    "Thank you. I had quite a bit of help from my friends. And looks like you had some help from yours, too," you said to Anonymous. "What happened to 'No one knows how better to work with this than me'?”
  251. 251.
    >"I was convinced that getting ready for a date with a princess needed more preparation than just one pony." Anon was about to scratch his head, but recoiled his hoof to prevent himself messing up his mane
  252. 252.
    >"He did a good enough job digging that outfit out of his trunk for the Gala, but far a DATE date? Nuh-uh, he needed all the help he could ge- mm!"
  253. 253.
    >Anon covered his sister's mouth once she and Moon Dancer were close enough
  254. 254.
    >"Twilight, you remember my sister, Anonymity? I think you met her a few times during our days at school."
  255. 255.
    "I do now. Nice to meet you again," you said to her
  256. 256.
    >"Mm-m," she responded with a wave and smile, still with her mouth covered
  257. 257.
    >"And Moon Dancer, too."
  258. 258.
    >"He asked if I knew anything about mane styling since every salon in town was booked full. I didn't, but I found a book on it. Just for the record, I figured you two would end up together eventually, just didn't think I'd be seeing it at the news stands," she said with a light laugh
  259. 259.
    "Haha, yeah, neither did we," you found it very hard to make eye contact with her at that moment. "Wait, you figured?"
  260. 260.
    >"Yeah. So did Twinkleshine, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, most of our teachers, probably also Princess Celestia. Really, anyone that ever saw how you two got in each other's faces figured it would happen eventually. I don't know anypony else that would keep going out of their way to talk to someone they argue with as much as you two seemed to."
  261. 261.
    >Anonymity moved her head to be able to speak again. "You should have seen how sad he got when he heard you moved out of Canterlot. He was planning a big exhibit of all the magic stuff he brought from across Equestria. Moped around saying stuff like 'There's no point to this if she's not here to admit I'm the better uni-'mm!"
  262. 262.
    >her mouth was covered again, this time making her noticeably upset at her brother
  263. 263.
    >"ANYWAY, we better get going. Almost time for the reservation and, uh, Princess Cadance will want to hear about how this went down so thanks for your help, guys."
  264. 264.
    >you gave Moon Dancer and Anonymity a nice goodbye and bow and walked back to the chariot with Anonymous by your side
  265. 265.
    >once it was in the air you both waved to the girls on the ground
  266. 266.
    >"Make sure you save your arguments for after dessert!" Moon Dancer jokingly called out
  267. 267.
    >"Bring him back in one piece!" Anonymity added
  268. 268.
     
  269. 269.
    >"Make sure you save your arguments for after dessert!"
  270. 270.
    >probably should have heeded her advice more than you did
  271. 271.
    >things started out fine enough. The chariot arrived at the restaurant right on time and Anon showed he could be quite a gentlecolt by leading you inside by the hoof
  272. 272.
    >Cadance had pulled some strings and gotten you the best table in the house, set on the balcony with a grand view of Equestria below
  273. 273.
    >"Ah, those lights over there. That's Ponyville, right?" he pointed to a cluster of lights in the plains below
  274. 274.
    "Mhm. It looks small from up here, but it's become one of the most important places in the world for me."
  275. 275.
    >"It's definitely had an effect on you. When I first got there I honestly almost didn't recognize you. Didn't think the little bookworm I knew could possibly be there of all places."
  276. 276.
    >that was the first domino
  277. 277.
    "Well, it's true the me as you knew wouldn't have. It's all thanks to Princess Celestia that I moved to Ponyville and became a better pony."
  278. 278.
    >"It's quite the change. Of course our first reunion was really more of a 'just like old times' thing, huh?"
  279. 279.
    >there was no denying that. Your brawl from that day was all anypony could seem to talk about for a few days afterwards
  280. 280.
    >even now some of the stall owners at the market are quick to offer you generous deals on their stock to avoid having you leap over the counter at them. Not that you'd ever do that, honest
  281. 281.
    "Haha, yeah. Though it went on a while longer without any teacher to break us up. Speaking of changing, I'm sure you did quite a lot of growing and learning on your travels, right? Probably made a lot of new friends in all the places you've visited."
  282. 282.
    >his hesitance to answer was an answer on its own
  283. 283.
    >"Yeeeah, sort of. I guess it would be more accurate to say I made new business partners rather than friends. Not many ponies are willing to just go into possibly cursed caves and tombs without at least a free lunch."
  284. 284.
    "But you didn't try to make friends with them once you were out of those caves and tombs?"
  285. 285.
    >"...None of them ever wanted to stick around afterwards."
  286. 286.
    "Oh. Like what would happen when with whoever you got paired up with for group projects?"
  287. 287.
    >"I distinctly recall the same thing happening to you."
  288. 288.
    >and just like that the bickering floodgates opened once again
  289. 289.
     
  290. 290.
    "That was me choosing to move on professionally, and amicably I should add."
  291. 291.
    >"Uh-huh, that's why almost all your former partners groaned when they got you as an assigned partner again?"
  292. 292.
    >every old argument you two hadn't had the chance to settle in the past came up to the surface
  293. 293.
    >"You only had the higher grade point average because you made up new assignments to get graded. If we just go with what was ACTUALLY assigned, I'm the one with the better average."
  294. 294.
    "Sounds like slacker talk to me."
  295. 295.
    >attempts to refocus the conversation would just lead to new ones
  296. 296.
    "Of course not! I would never use spells like that so irresponsibly!"
  297. 297.
    >"Then why'd they suddenly start fighting over the dolls?"
  298. 298.
    >made even worse once the wine was brought out
  299. 299.
    >"No. Nononono, it's NOT for anything crass like that. I only use it when i need to move debris or open a stuck door while treasure hunting."
  300. 300.
    "Sure, if you say so. Though you did look an apple or so taller at the Gala, so..."
  301. 301.
    >"I. Did. Not."
  302. 302.
    >if you weren't explicitly trying to be nice to one another to would have surely already been at each other's throats before the main course had even been served
  303. 303.
    >unbeknownst to you at the time, the food would be final domino
  304. 304.
    >once it was served you silently agreed to focus on our meals to let the air between you cool down some
  305. 305.
    >a lovely tropical greens salad and vinaigrette for you, a sauteed carrot and mushrooms bowl for him
  306. 306.
    >it was doing a good job relieving the tension, until that little bit of salad went flying
  307. 307.
    >it was an honest accident. Your fork slipped. If anything was at fault it was the 5th glass of wine
  308. 308.
    >and by the same metric it was the 6th glass' fault that you started snickering when you saw it landed dead center on Anon's snout
  309. 309.
    >in fact, why not blame the ensuing food fight into regular fight on the wine as well?
  310. 310.
    >it certainly got its comeuppance when it, and the everything else on the table, went flying off the side of the balcony when your wrestling knocked the table over
  311. 311.
    >"I was still eating that, Princess Klutz!"
  312. 312.
    "If you're so hungry eat a hoof sandwich!"
  313. 313.
    >all in all, it was going about as well as the Gala had been. Maybe even a little better
  314. 314.
     
  315. 315.
    >the security pony coming to escort you both out was a sour turn of event though
  316. 316.
    >turns out being a princess and a somewhat renowned treasure hunter didn't exempt you from being kicked out of a high class restaurant when you cause a scene
  317. 317.
    >so there you two were, kicked to the curb, your outfits ruined, and still hungry
  318. 318.
    "Way to go, Anonymous. Looks like this date's going in the books as a total failure thanks to you not being able to control yourself," you snapped at him, still riding the emotions from the fight
  319. 319.
    >"Me!?" he started
  320. 320.
    >but he didn't continue. Instead he just looked at you for a moment and turned to the ground, ears drooping
  321. 321.
    >"Yeah, me. Sorry for wasting your time."
  322. 322.
    >that's not right. He's supposed to be in your face yelling about how this was all your fault, ready to pick up the fight where you left off
  323. 323.
    >not look hurt
  324. 324.
    >and you suddenly felt worse than you ever had after a fight with him. It was actually much more like the feeling you had after an argument with your friends
  325. 325.
    "Anon?"
  326. 326.
    >"It really was just a heat of the moment thing, wasn't it?"
  327. 327.
    >you knew what he was talking about
  328. 328.
    "...No," you scooted closer to him "Well, maybe how far we took it that night was, but it wouldn't have happened in the first place if we didn't-- FEEL something for each other."
  329. 329.
    >"I guess. But we couldn't even get through a simple date without trying to clobber each other. That's not a good foundation for a relationship, is it?"
  330. 330.
    "No, it isn't."
  331. 331.
    >if you'd been your usual self you probably would have overthought the issue, but the wine that had made you quick to throw hooves also made you quick to put an idea out
  332. 332.
    >and seeing Anon in the kind of hopeless slump you'd found yourself in a few times before made it really dawn on you. He's a pony, just like you, which means he can change as much as you can, and change together
  333. 333.
    "Maybe we're focusing on the wrong thing. Honestly, do we even remember why we're always fighting?"
  334. 334.
    >his eyes meet yours. More in inquisitiveness, but still saddened
  335. 335.
    >"Because you- I- we need to know who's better?"
  336. 336.
    "Do we? Why can't we just, you know, be ourselves with each other?"
  337. 337.
     
  338. 338.
    >"Aren't we already?"
  339. 339.
    "Are you getting into fights with everyone you meet?"
  340. 340.
    >Anon tried to come up with a retort but can't, or at least figured it's better not to
  341. 341.
    "How about this then? From here on we keep the arguments to our professions. Let our peers and academics decide who's better. And outside that we focus on being... ffffriends."
  342. 342.
    >you awkwardly extended a hoof to him. You admit, thinking of him as a friend after knowing him for the better part of your life was a bit stranger than thinking of him as potentially your coltfriend
  343. 343.
    >he looked at your hoof then at you, a bit weary. You put on your best earnest smile and that seemed to put to rest his hesitation
  344. 344.
    >"Alright. Friends." he meets your hoof with his own
  345. 345.
    >it felt like a thorn had been removed from your side. True, Anon wasn't someone you'd ever have gone so far as to call an enemy and this wasn't a redemption, but it somehow felt better than when you'd helped some of your past foes turn over a new leaf
  346. 346.
    >"Wait, friends?" he looks back down at your still touching hooves, "Did you just friendzone me?"
  347. 347.
    >maybe taking the wind out of your sails was just something he did naturally
  348. 348.
    "What? No, I mean it as in-- ugh, come here."
  349. 349.
    >you pulled him closer and planted a kiss on his cheek
  350. 350.
    "That clear it up for you?"
  351. 351.
    >through his rapidly flushing face and expression that was both blank and shocked at the same time he nodded enthusiastically
  352. 352.
    "Good. Um, sorry I blamed you for ruining our date. It's not like I was making it any easier."
  353. 353.
    >you could feel your own face growing redder as the moment caught up with you
  354. 354.
    >"*Ahem* Well, it's not like our date's over yet, is it?"
  355. 355.
    "I guess not, but they're definitely not letting us back in."
  356. 356.
    >"Eh, forget them. Come on, I know a good diner that's on the way back to my place."
  357. 357.
    >he helped you back up on all fours and dusted off your dress. You'd have to explain to Rarity how it got so dirty in one night, but you were sure she'd understand
  358. 358.
    >you returned the favor by straightening out his collar and patting down his now frazzled mane and followed his lead into the evening
  359. 359.
     
  360. 360.
    >setting the picture Anonymity took of you when you got back to his home later that night on the nightstand made the bedroom feel much more comfortable
  361. 361.
    >"You brought that one with you?" Anon set down the last of your bags at the foot of the bed
  362. 362.
    "It felt right to. Why? Would you have gone with something else?"
  363. 363.
    >he steps up next to you to look the photo over
  364. 364.
    >"I think the picture of me proposing has us looking a little more dignified."
  365. 365.
    >Anonymity had taken the photo as soon as she opened the front door, which happened to be right as you and Anonymous were trying to have your first real kiss
  366. 366.
    >thus the photo was more capturing your shared, wide eyed moment of surprise at the camera flash as your lips met
  367. 367.
    >combined with your still scuffed up outfits it made for a very evocative, let's call it, scene
  368. 368.
    "True. But this just feels right. Really makes it all, you know, set in."
  369. 369.
    >you took a seat on the bed and looked at your webbing band
  370. 370.
    "Married. I never would have guessed a few years ago. You feel any different?"
  371. 371.
    >Anon lays down on the bed next to you
  372. 372.
    >"I feel like I should be worried I'm going to wake up and have to go through the pre-wedding nervousness again."
  373. 373.
    "Ha. I'm serious. When Shining and Cadance got married they were still recovering from an invasion so I can't exactly expect to feel like they did, but my mom said she felt like she could fly when her and dad got married. I should be feeling something like that, shouldn't I?"
  374. 374.
    >"I think you're psyching yourself out again," he moved his head to rest it on your lap. "You seemed plenty flight-y at the wedding."
  375. 375.
    >can't deny that. You'd been so overwhelmed with emotion as the moment got closer you were unable to keep your wings from occasionally flapping on their own
  376. 376.
    >and it had been Anon that helped calm you down enough to get through the ceremony. He'd gotten pretty good at that
  377. 377.
    >it hadn't really occurred to you that he'd never really seen you at your most nervous until he talked you down from a nervous episode while handling a friendship dilemma. The look of worry on his face snapped you out of it more than his words
  378. 378.
    "Yeah, you're right. I just need to let the last of these butterflies in my stomach go away."
  379. 379.
    >"Or replace them. You know, 'cause we're on our honeymoon now and all..?"
  380. 380.
    "Thanks, you replaced the old butterflies with new ones."
  381. 381.
    >you give him a light noogie that eases into petting his head. He really likes it when you pet him like that, as his relaxed sinking into your lap proves
  382. 382.
    >"If it helps, I think this is just as good."
  383. 383.
    >you're able to meet his eyes without either of you turning away in love shyness
  384. 384.
    >it feels unreal now that there were days you'd ever wished to never see him again. Now there's no one you'd rather be with forever

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