>Be Anon
>15 years old, and is a sophomore in the upcoming Academic Year
>You're the friendly, yet a bit awkward and is known as a loner in school though you have some friends, though not that close
>It's summer, and your family brought you along to Equestria for a surprise family clan reunion, e.g. from your mother's side
>Which also coincided with the occasion that you're transferring to Canterlot High, and you're moving to a new house
>The reason for it is because your Dad, working as a contractor, got a job in Equestria, and he might have mentioned that his contract may last a few years
>Apparently the reunion is taking place at Aunt Cookie Crumbles' home, and right in front of them is the house your folks are moving to
>Which means you get to see Uncle Magnum, and your cousins Rarity and Sweetie Belle
>You haven't seen or talked to them for 5 years
>You remember Rarity as this fashion-obsessed posh freak, and Sweetie Belle as basically your own sister
>Last time you hung out with her was 5 years ago, when she introduced you to her Cutie Mark Crusader friends
>You had a lot of fun back then, so you were a bit sad when you went back home, and never had any contact with her since
>Your parents just allowed you to have a cellphone when you were 11
>And then it was one of those flip-flop phones
>Last year, you just earned enough to get yourself a new touchscreen phone
>But other than that, you're a bit nervous when you arrived at the house
>You recognize your relatives, and even greet some of them
>And there's Rarity, still always managing to stand out from the crowd with her fancy dresses
>Though her boastfulness is outweighed by her sharing her dresses with some of your cousins
>But then, at the porch of the house, you see Sweetie Belle
>Not much of a woman yet like her sister, yet she's grown up now
>Her hair's longer now, and she seems to be wearing light make-up, yet she's still wearing that pink headband she's wearing all these years
>You gulp and dust yourself as you approach her
>Her hair's longer now, and she seems to be wearing light make-up, yet she's still wearing that pink headband she's wearing all these years
>You gulp and dust yourself as you approach her
>You feel like the whole world silences as you get to her
>She looks uninterested in general, and you're afraid what she would react upon seeing you
>As she looks around, and her eyes meets yours, her face went from gloomy to bloomy
>"ANON!"
>She called your name out from the top of her lungs, and runs towards you
>Unprepared in this unexpected turn of events, you just stood in place, feeling a bit numb, bumping into you as she hugs you
>The force of the impact causes you two to fall down on the ground, with Sweetie Belle right on top of you
"Ow."
>She stands up on all fours, and looks at you , still with beaming eyes
>"Hey Anon!"
>You dust yourself as she helps you up
"Are you okay? You look a little down."
>"I was looking for you! I was worried that you're not going to show up. Anyways, how are you? I haven't heard from you in ages!"
"I've been busy with...stuff."
>"Really? Come on, you could've at least used Facebook or Twitter to contact me!"
"I don't really use social media that much.I have few friends, but nothing really close, so I think having an internet profile for me is redundant."
>"Hmm, come to think of it, I'm friends with Uncle and Aunt on FB, and I don't see you having an account."
"Well, I'm not on Facebook or Twitter, for that matter..."
>"Oh? So what do you have then?"
>You reel for a bit, and take a slightly deep breath
"My....Myspace..."
>An awkward pause passes by, before Sweetie Belle bursts into laughter
>That sweet, innocent sound you haven't heard in 5 years
>You feel your heart flutter, and your gut filled with flies of butter
>No wait, butterflies. Get it together, man
>"Oh man, you crack me up. We have Spotify or SoundCloud for that now!"
"Well, as I said, I don't use social media that much."
>She puts her hands on your shoulders
>"Trust me when i say this. We're in high school now, and you're going to need the internet to help you out in your studies. And now that I've found out that you don't have either Facebook and Twitter, i think it's mandatory that i make you one."
>You just nod
"Sure..."
>"Hmm...you don't sound too sure..."
"N-no, i am...i mean, if it's for you, i guess I'll do it."
>"Great! We'll get to it later on. Your folks are going to sleep over here for tonight, right?"
"Uh yeah...uhm, actually, Sweetie Belle."
>"Yeah?"
"We're moving in next week, by that house in front of yours."
>"Wait, really?!"
>Her grip on you tightens
"Yeah...my parents are also going to transfer me to Canterlot High."
>Upon hearing 'transfer' she squealed and hugged you
>She might have grown, but man her voice still sounds the same
>That or maybe it's just her squeal
>"Oh, you're hot."
>Pardon? Well, you do exercise sometimes, but you don't lif--
>"Are you sick or something?"
"No..."
>Oh. She meant kind of 'hot'
>"You look a bit red though...even redder than I remember."
>You didn't notice that you've been blushing the whole time ever since you two have been talking
"I guess it's just the weather."
>"I guess so. Summer's pretty intense this year, isn't it?" she says, while looking up at the sky
"Yyyyyeah...."
>She then takes your hand
>"Come on, let's go greet the folks!"
>Still feeling numb, you let her drag you around, greeting your relatives
>Of course you meet and greet your 5 aunts, and 5 uncles, and especially the pictures of your grandparents placed on a table
>Bless them wherever they are now
>But your focus is entirely placed on Sweetie Belle, glancing at her every time she greets a relative
>You can't get enough of her sweet smile, and you feel like you deserve to see it, it's been 5 years, dammit
>Lastly, after greeting Uncle Magnum and Aunt Cookie, she takes you to Rarity, who was resting on the porch Sweetie Belle was standing by earlier
>"Hey Rarity! You remember Anon?"
>She turns to you, in a relatively fancy way, as she always does, and greet you two with a smile
>"Oh of course, Sweetie Belle! I was supposed to greet him but you were dragging poor Anonymous all around the place! And I also remember how close you two were. Seeing you two run around feels so nostalgic! So, Anonymous, darling, how are you?"
"I'm doing great...I uh, play the guitar now. Not that I'm in a band or something, but I'm doing pretty well."
>"Not in a band, you say? My friends are currently looking for new members in ours!"
"Uh, sure? Let me...think about it"
>"Rarity! I just wanted Anon to say hi to you, not recruit him into anything."
>"Kidding, kidding! Of course, Sweetie Belle practically has the all the time in the world to hang out with you. You don't know how much she missed you!"
>You glance at Sweetie Belle, who slightly blushed as she scratched the back of her head and smiled
>"Alright, see you later then sis!"
>"Whua? But i want to talk to him a bit longer!"
>"Well we're about to greet our other cousins! We just greeted the adults first."
"There's no saying no to her hu--whoa!"
>Sweetie Belle dragged you again, towards the younger ones playing nearby
>She rounded them all up, and they turned into you
>Ok, being looked and stared at by little kids is a bit unnerving
>"Hey guys! Remember Anon? He's our cousin from overseas!"
>Probably not. Though some of them, who you last saw when they were toddlers, might have remembered you, you've just met most of them
>"Come on guys, don't be shy!"
>They all approached you, and seemed to be shy at first, but they later took a liking to you
>You got to know each of them, and even got close to the eldest one, Corsair, a 13 year old who says that he's also a guitar player
>You had fun with them, you even got to do a guitar duet with Corsair, when Sweetie Belle borrowed Uncle Magnum's guitar to you
>Later on, after some more wandering around with Sweetie Belle, watching a family tribute video that you swear lasted hours, the event seemed to end by dinner time, which is outside the house, by the front lawn
>The tables are arranged for each family, yours was beside Sweetie Belle's family
>Your seat is placed in parallel to hers, and as you sit down she turns her seat to you
>"Hey Anon! Wait until we get to dessert!"
>You were about to reply, but Rarity swept her back, telling her to "Talk to Anon later, we're having dinner"
>Sweetie looked at you and smiled before turning her seat back to the table
>In the middle of the meal, your dad pats your shoulder
>"So Anon, did you have fun today?"
"Definitely. Everyone seems pretty nice, and my younger cousins seem to like me. I loved it."
>"And Sweetie Belle?"
"Hmm? Oh...well..."
>You were happy, but you can't seem to describe it to your dad in words
>Your mom interrupted with a giggle
>"Come on hun, of course Anon enjoyed his time with Sweetie Belle. As we know, when they were kids they were inseparable. And now that we're neighbors, they probably will still be."
"Yeah..."
>"Even so, " your Dad says, in a more stiff tone "You're 15 now, and you're nearing manhood. At least i want you to have guy friends here, because if you hang out with Sweetie, you're also hanging out with her friends, who mostly are girls."
"Heh, don't worry about me dad. I'll be fine on my own. Speaking of which, what school am i going to again?"
>"Canterlot High. Your Aunt Cookie told me it's one of the best schools in Equestria, so you'll do great in there." Your mom says
"Ah, okay."
>"Focus on your studies, okay? Don't dwell much on your time on playing the guitar." Your dad adds
>To which you answer him with a mock salute
"Yes, sir..."
>Dinner goes on normally, and after you're done, Sweetie Belle suddenly grabbed your arm
>"Anon! Come on!"
>You look at your parents, who nods to Sweetie Belle, basically giving her the approval to drags you into their house, and into the dining room
>Later on, the adults catch up
>You already see your cousins in there, with cups and spoons ready
>"Anon, can you help me out here? Get to the fridge, and take out the ice cream."
"Ice cream?"
>"Duh! For dessert!"
>You know, you've just noticed that she's a bit energetic today. You just do what you're told, and you take out 5--
>Whoa, 5 1 gallon ice cream buckets of multiple flavors
>Strawberry, Chocolate, Milk, Bubblegum and Green Tea
>Your eyes widen, and so did your cousins
>After placing them on the table and opening them up, you go to Sweetie Belle
"Aren't we a little old for ice cream?"
>"What are you talking about? We're never too old for ice cream. Also, i got something for you."
>Amidst the adults helping the young ones get some ice cream, Sweetie Belle goes to another compartment of the fridge and takes out a half-liter bucket (or is it called cup?) of a white ice cream
>"Try this out, Anon. I bet you'll like it!"
>Jasmine Flower Flavor
>Huh, you didn't know some people make this
"Are you sure it's good?"
>"Yeah, i ate an ice cream cone when i bought it. You know, to sort of, taste-test it?"
>"It's a new flavor, and is extremely rare, so since I've heard that you're coming to this reunion, I thought I'd buy some for you. Also, it's pretty expensive."
"Really? Aw gee...you didn't have to."
>You open up the lid. It smells good
>"Well i wanted to! It's supposed to mark a summer memory for you from me, but then again, you're moving in at the house at the front, so..."
>You look back at her with a smile, and forgot what you want to say
>You and Sweetie Belle, with a sweet smile of her own, look at each others eyes, before Sweetie blushed and looks away
>She puts her hands behind her back, and she leans her hips on the chair beside her
>"Are we going to stare at each other and let your ice cream melt or..."
"OH! Yeah! Sorry,i got distracted."
>She giggles
>"By what?"
"Uh, i think we could share, if you want some."
>"Oh, don't worry about that."
>She walks back to the fridge and gets another bucket
>"I got my own."
"Eh...never mind."
>You take a spoonful of ice cream and eat it as she approaches you
>It takes a second for you to get used to the flavor
>It tastes sweet, there's a bit of a rolling, bitter-sweet tinge at the top of your mouth, and somehow, you can smell the scent of the flower. It's exotic, but it tastes great overall
[spoiler]I swear that kind of feeling makes more sense to me. It's like eating an avocado, if you want to imagine the flavor of it[/spoiler]
"Mmm. Love it! Thanks, Sweetie Belle!"
>"You're welcome, Anon! Now come on, the kids will get all the toppings."
"You also have toppings? Neat."
>Sweetie Belle choose sprinkles and blueberry sauce, complete with whole blueberries as she scooped some on her cup, with an additional scoop from the strawberry ice cream
>You chose some chocolate bits and also some sprinkles
>Afterwards you two head to the porch and had another chat
"Oh yeah, how are your friends? The Cutie Mark Crusaders, wasn't it?"
>"Scootaloo and Applebloom? Oh, they're doing great! We still hang out ALL the time. Even on the treehouse!"
"The treehouse?"
>"The CMC's headquarters? Come on Anon, I've brought you there multiple times, you should be able to remember!"
"Treehouse...oh yeah. The one near Applebloom's house? By their farm?"
>"Yes, exactly!"
"Good to know it's still there."
>"We renovated it a few times with her big brother's help. Oh, speaking of which, we even had a new member. Babs Seed, Applebloom's cousin"
"Hmm, I don't recall knowing her."
>"Oh, that was because we met her a year after you and your folks stopped...visiting..."
"Ah...right. Sorry."
>"Oh, it's fine. Though she does come hang out with us sometimes. She's actually coming here in 2 weeks."
"I see."
>"....want to know why?"
"...do...tell?"
>"We're going to the beach! That's the real plan I have for our lost time hanging out!"
"To the beach?"
>"Mhm! You, Me, Applebloom, Scootaloo and Babs Seed. Just like the good old times!"
"S-sure! I'd love to! But wait, doesn't that make me like...the only guy in your trip?"
>She smiles but rolls her eyes, then puts her hand on your shoulder
>"Anon, don't worry about it. I'm actually doing you a favor, surrounding you with cute girls. Isn't that what you boys want?"
"Not if you're a known womanizer, I think."
>"Whatever. But still, don't be shy! Do i really need to remind you again that it's been 5 years?"
"Alright, alright! I'll come to your girly beach trip, and wear a swimsuit and play volleyball and other girl stuff."
>"Gee Anon, i didn't know you're so cold." She says while softly shoves you with her shoulder
"Are you sure it's not the ice cream?"
>She glints her eyes, and smirks, then shoves you again two more times
"Wohohoa, watch it, i almost dropped my cup!"
>"I hope not, that's expensive. Oh! If you drop that, you'll get to wear a swimsuit!"
"Heck. No."
>"Oh YOU will!"
>She begins pushing you
"Woah, woah, hey!"
>You stand up, and back off a bit
"Over my dead body, couz!"
>"Well then prepare yourself!"
>She lounges at you, but you dodge, still carrying your ice cream
"You'll have to be faster than that!"
>"Gah! Get back here Anon!"
>She began to chase you around, giggling and laughing as she fails to even grab you everytime she gets too close
[spoiler]Forgot to tell that before she chases Anon around, she puts her ice cream aside at the porch[/spoiler]
>After a few minutes of her chasing you, she stops by the porch, exhausted, and gestures her arms in a "time-out"
"Well? Had enough"
>She smiles as she catches your breath
>"You're [pant] fast [pant] "
"You know, it's not ideal to run out of stamina that fast when we're going to the beach."
>"Whatever...i'll get myself a drink. Don't you dare EAT my ice cream!"
>You raise your hands up
"I won't if you don't hurry up. This flavor is fantastic!"
>"Hmph!"
>As she muttered, she raised her chin up and flips her vibrant, long hair as she turned around.
>You just giggle to yourself as you take another spoon
>A beach trip, huh? You wonder if she told her folks about it, or if she'll tell your parents about it
>Just going with her and her friends isn't that bad. Not too many people to worry about
>She comes back with a cup of water on her hand
"What's up? Are you alright now?"
>"Yeah. The guys are having fun inside."
"Have you told our parents that we're going?"
>"Hmm? Oh, my parents does. And thanks for reminding me, i haven't told Uncle and Auntie yet. Maybe later?"
"Alright, sure."
>You two went back and sit by the porch, and continue talking
>At around 10:30 PM, everyone set up their tents, while the dads set up the large tent for the kids to sleep in
>Which includes you and Sweetie Belle. Rarity has her own tent, and its...too fancy for your taste
>Seriously, there's gems and frills on it, it looks more like a miniature carnival tent
>But Sweetie Belle calling your name takes your attention from it
>She's calling you from inside the huge tent
>You grab your stuff and went inside
>It was divided in two "rooms" by a polyester wall, one side for the boys, and the other for the girls
>On the left most side of it was an inverted u-shaped zipper door, where Sweetie Belle points out is your respective positions in the tent
>When you put your stuff down, you notice that, if there was no wall, the boys and girls will lie down, heads pointing at each other
[spoiler]There's a proper word for this but i can't remember it[/spoiler]
>The adults tell the kids to go to sleep, and they reluctantly do so. Or at least, they tried to.
>You greet Sweetie a good night, but she doesn't answer
>Instead, she gives you her cellphone, and something written on the text message draft
>SB: "One more thing, can i ask for your phone number?"
"Hmm...you should've jus--
>You were interrupted by Sweetie Belle shushing you
>She reaches her hand through the zipper door, seemingly trying to ask for her phone, which you hand over anyways
>She reaches it back to you, and this time, it says
>SB: "If we talk we might disturb the kids"
>You wrinkle your eyebrows, then look at the boys
>They're all either on their phone or portable game console, in addition to earphones
>Corsair, who's beside you, looks at you and gives you that "something wrong?" look
>You show her the text on the phone, to which he also looks at the boys
>He rolls his eyes and smile, and writes something on his phone
>Cor: "Hardly a problem lol"
>You smirk at his remark as he returns his attention to his phone
>In a short glance you see him watching a Secondhand Serenade song tutorial
>You grab your own phone and you write your number to Sweetie Belle's contacts
>You return her phone, and you send her a message
A: "Boop"
>You then hear something vibrating, and it seems to be Sweetie's phone
>To at least comply with her "keep quiet" request, you set your phone to silent and disable the vibration
>She replies to you with a "^u^" followed by
>SB: "R u busy tomorrow?"
A: "The moving truck's coming tomorrow, and will help out with stuff. Other than that, no"
>SB: "K then. Was going to ask u to go shopping with me, but maybe at the day after tomorrow"
A: "Actually the word 4 that is 'overmorrow' "
>SB: "Smartass. Nighty then, sweet prince"
A: "Night, couz"
 
>The next day, everyone packed up their stuff, and began to head home
>Not you and your folks though, as it seems you'll get busy early as the moving truck just arrived
>You greet goodbye to Corsair with a fist bump, and you exchanged numbers earlier
>Uncle Magnum jokingly cries and begs your mom and dad to not go, putting them in a hug
>Sometimes you forget how big of a guy he is
>Your mom just wriggles around telling him that they'll just be at the front of their house
[spoiler]Anon's mom is Magnum's biological sister[/spoiler]
>Sweetie Belle approaches you and waves goodbye to Corsair as well, and looks at the truck
>"Hmm, it's quite big, but doesn't look like it has a lot of stuff."
"We kind of left some things at our old house, my grandparents from my dad's side says they'll come check it out sometimes. It's near a bingo hall where they always play."
>"Hmm, alright. So, you want me to help you out with stuff?"
>You shake your head
"Nah, it's mostly just boys stuff. I'll handle it myself. Besides, Rarity seemed to offer her help to my mom, who wants to make the house a bit more, palatable, according to Rarity."
>"Oh..."
>She bowed her head, and looks like she's about to sulk
>You can't determine if she's serious or she's somehow trying to make you change your mind
>Man, if she wasn't that cute, you wouldn't think of the above sentence
"Alright, you can help out with moving some stuff, but I'll arrange them."
>She pops out to that beaming expression again, and you two head to your new house
>It's quite bizarre, to you at least
>It has 3 floors, the top being the rooftop
>The second floor has two balconies, and the ground floor has a small separate building that houses the garage
>It's not too big, but it's not too small either
>It's somewhere between the middle
>"Let's go Anon!"
>Sweetie leads the way
"Wait up! I thought that's supposed to be my house!"
>You then took notice of the wall/fence, which is composed of a gate, the vehicle gate, a 3-foot tall concrete base and a custom-designed metal fence, colored brown, though there's visible wear and tear on them
>Behind the wall is a lawn, which seems to need some trimming soon, and it's about half the size of your Aunt and Uncle's front lawn
>You enter the door, which doorknob is one of those old ones with a carved design, including a lever-like doorknob with a crafty design
>The moving truck guys move quick, there's already multiple boxes placed around the living room, which is quite roomy
>You look behind you, and outside you see your dad meet up with one of the moving guys who was holding papers for him to sign
>Then you notice Sweetie Belle wandering around, she looks amazed at the size of the room
>"Woah...you can set up a classroom here."
"I guess so...hold on. I got a question, I hope it's not too weird, but you've never been in here? I mean, since they were your neighbors, I thought maybe you knew each other."
>"Oh, I knew them. They're a middle-aged couple, who had to move into the South after they purchased some farmland there. They're kind and polite, but I don't exactly go to their house to hang out."
"Fair enough."
>"Hey, Anon, check this out!"
>Your dad calls out to you, followed by your mom, Rarity, aunt and uncle who were chatting on their way to the house
>"The 2nd floor apparently has 2 large rooms, one could be yours, and it could be much larger than your old room!"
"Really? How big?"
>"Quite big. You and Sweetie Belle can go check it out."
>"Alright! Let's go!" Sweetie Belle exclaims
"Oi, wait up!"
>You two race upstairs, and look for your future bedroom
>After you took the last step, on the right is a restroom, and in front of the stairs are two doors, on the left and right
>You remember that you told the moving guy with signing papers that if there's a bedroom-like room with its own restroom
>You lead Sweetie Belle to the room on the left, and inside, you see another door, which is exactly that - a bathroom, complete with a shower, as well as some windows and a sliding door that leads to the balcony
>You quickly look at the boxes inside the room, and bingo! It's yours, and boy is it big
"Perfect!"
>"Wow, you have your own bathroom AND your own balcony!"
"Diplomacy is a beautiful thing, dear cousin. Now come on, help me out."
>"Okie dokie!"
>You point her to take out the stuff from the boxes that contain some necessities 
>Your clock, a desk lamp, and various tablatures
>You get to the box at the other side of the room which contain some of your more personal belongings
>Gaming magazines, comic books and some CD's of your favorite bands
>Secondhand Serenade, Alesana, Pierce the Veil and others 
>Last but not the least, the ones that gave you the keys to kingdom of manhood
>3 of your nicely hidden Playboy magazines, hidden inside a paper wrap
>You put it back inside, just in case
>You and Sweetie then place them on the slightly dusty desk on the window
>After that, you head to a large box, which contains your guitar in its case, some spare parts, and that brand-new extendable portable bench you asked your dad to buy
>Sweetie Bell peers over, and looks curiously at the bench
>"What's a bench doing there?"
"When I play the guitar, sometimes there's this place that I call a uh....let's say it's called a 'sweet spot'. At my place, it's somewhere in the park, or somewhere in school, where the setting feels right, and it gives me a soothing mind to play music for a long time."
>"Really?"
"Yeah. I wanted a portable one so I could bring it anywhere."
>"How will you bring it though? Wouldn't it be a bit cumbersome?"
"Oh, it has its own bag, and it's quite convenient because it's like a sling bag."
>"Uh...the girly one?"
"What? No!"
>You bring it out for her to see (pic related)
>"Oh, those ones."
"Pretty neat, huh?"
>"Mhm! Maybe I can help you look around for that sweet spot you're looking for. I practically know the town like the back of my hand."
"That...would be wonderful."
>She beams that sweet beautiful smile of hers, as she turns around and goes to look for another box to open
>You laid out the bench, and set it up
>"Shall i open up this one, Anon?"
"Sure, help yourself"
>You reply without looking at her, as you gaze upon the rather cool-looking bench, and it seems to be made out of composite materials
>Then, you hear something, awful
>A paper wrap being torn
>And the second you turn around, Sweetie Belle gasps
"H-hold up!"
>She turns to you, and you see her with the paper wrap with the Playboy magazines it was holding
>It wasn't torn enough to see the full detail, but it was enough for her to see the title
>"The box was open, and i saw it inside...I thought it was..."
"It's...it's a classified material!"
>You didn't write 'do not open' because your parents would be too suspicious in case they were the ones who found it
>"What do you mean 'classified'? I know what this is!"
"Well...it's mine! Give it back!"
>"N-no!" she says, holding it back away from you
>"This is...it's not like you, Anon!"
"Sweetie Belle, I'm a growing man, and....I have my needs."
>"Needs? What can you possibly need from a...men's magazine?!"
"Boy stuff! I mean, you wouldn't understand..."
>She sighs, and puts it back inside
>"I know some boys in school who foolishly bring them to school but, you too Anon?"
"Hey, i don't bring it to school. And my parents don't know about it. They MUST not."
>"Hmph."
>You two stand in awkward silence, looking away from each other,as you scratch the back of your head, and Sweetie fidgeting with her fingers
>"I'm sorry. I realize that it's a private item, but also I'm just surprised that you're also into this kind of stuff..."
"We're....we're growing up, after all. I can't help it."
>"B-but..."
>You turn your eyes to her, and you notice that she's starting to blush
>"N-now that...you're here, and I....I'm here...I don't...think you need it anymore..."
>What
"Come again?"
>She's fully red now, and looks at you
>"N-never mind! Let's just...forget that this happened, alright?"
"...agreed!"
>You reply, but you crack your voice
>You wince, and notice Sweetie Belle slowly tip-toeing to the door
>"I'll...check the folks downstairs."
"...sure."
>She opens and closes the door in a snap
>Your spine tingled at the sudden bang, but you hear Sweetie say "sorry" through the door
>You just stood there for a moment, trying to process what happened, then what to do next
>You shake your head, and instead arranged your stuff
>Sometime later, you answer the knock on the door, and you are greeted by some of the moving guys, who's lifting your platform bed
>"Is this your room, kid?"
>You nod to him, and you point them to place it beside the window
>Another pair comes in, this time, carrying your bed
>"Is that all your stuff, Mr. Anonymous?"
"That's all of it. Thanks!"
>"You're welcome."
>They all exit the room, and you take a good look around you
>Everything seems to be in place, you think to yourself, but you head to the last unopened box
>It contains your laptop and other related gadgetry
>There's also the desktop computer, but it's mainly for family use, and you guess it would be placed downstairs
>You see Sweetie and your folks arrange some stuff downstairs
>Apparently they wanted to help your parents out, and it's a good thing because there's a lot of decorative stuff they're moving around
>Which is weird, since you did remember your mom telling you that you are only going to bring necessary stuff, and leave behind the unnecessary ones
>Hell, she even has that complete set of porcelain mermaid collection, and it's already arranged in a cupboard, courtesy of Rarity who's vocally admiring them
>You clearly remember your mom and dad arguing about bringing it though
>As your dad and uncle arrange the sofas, you see Sweetie Belle arranging your family portraits on a high table beside them
>You approach her awkwardly
>It feels like you're meeting her after 5 years all over again
"Yo....sup?"
>She turns around, and smiles before looking back at the pictures
>"Hey. I was just arranging these pictures."
>She points to the one where you had your last family reunion, which was about 5 years ago
"Oh...good. Do you, uh, need any help?"
>She shakes her head
"Also, about earl--"
>"I'm fine. You should help dad and uncle with the sofas, though."
"....ok then. Talk to you later?"
>"Sure."	
>Ok, you guess she's still somewhat disappointed
>She didn't even look at you at the last statement
>But you do help your uncle and dad move around stuff, and you do this until afternoon, around 5 PM, to be exact
>Sweetie Belle, Rarity, your Aunt and Uncle bid farewell to your folks on the front door as they head back home
>Not before Sweetie Belle turns around to you
>"Oh, yeah, Anon, are you still good for tomorrow?"
>Looks like her mood as improved, which made you nod rather excitedly
"Of course!"
>She smiles, then catches up to her folks
>That night, your folks ordered some delivered takeout since your mom was a bit tired for cooking after moving stuff all day
>To which your dad whispered to you "Yeah right, those porcelains sure are heavy."
>You two snickered, as your mom raised her eyebrow wondering what you two are laughing about
>In the middle of dinner, your mom asks you
>"So Anon, did something happen between you and Sweetie Belle earlier?"
"Huh? No...? Why'd you ask?"
>"When you two helped out at the sala and the kitchen, you didn't seem to 'talk' to each other."
>She did the quotation gesture when she said 'talk'
"Maybe because, we're busy?"
>"I think you know what i meant, dear."
>"If you can't resolve an argument with a family member, then you're not ready for a boyfriend-girlfriend type of relationship soon." Your dad adds
"Wh-what?"
>"Well, we're in a new town, aren't we? And you're moving in a new school. Once school starts, you might...you know."
"Dad, didn't you tell me to focus on my studies first?"
>"Hey, i'm just trying to enlighten the mood, specifically, yours. Even though she looked like she's fine when she asked you out."
"It's...it's not helping. And as you said, she asked me out for tomorrow.I guess things are fine."
>Your dad sighs, in a way that says 'i tried', as mom puts a hand on his shoulder
>"You ;guess'? So, is there nothing really wrong between you two earlier?"
>You kept eating, but you think of what to say
>You can't exactly tell them that she found out your adult magazines
>Not in the middle of dinner, oh no no no
>And knowing mom, you can't just deny yourself out of this one
>You stop for a moment, and say
"Well, i uh...showed her some of my stuff in my room, had a little chat on catching up, and I kind of..."
>Your mom slowly leans her head forward, eager on what you'll say next
"I kind of told her that the changes I had was for the best. I may not even be the same person she used to know."
"She kind of took it personally and might've disappointed her? I don't know."
>"I understand then, dear. But once you two go hanging out tomorrow, make sure you talk to her about it."
"Will do, mom."
>The rest of the evening went to fixing the beds for you and your folks
>You heard your mom ask your dad 'where's the wifi' from across the room but you hear him say you'll install the house's internet tomorrow, so she'll have to hook up to your pocket wifi
>You loudly told them 'got you covered, Ma!' from your room and she thanked you afterwards
>As you snugged into your bed with a softness factor of 96% comf, you grab your phone and browse the net
>But then you remembered Sweetie Belle
>Is she still mad at you, despite asking you out?
>It bothered you for a while before you decided to text her
A: "Sweetie, u there?"
>You wait for a while
SB: "Yah? ¬_¬"
A: "R u still mad?"
SB: "Maybe ¬_¬"
SB: "Just a lil upset =| "
>.....
A: "How so?"
SB: "¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
A: "wat"
SB: "Com find out tom."
>.....
A: "If i treat you out tomorrow after shopping, will u be happy?"
SB: "OuO yah"
SB: "I'd luv it! >u<"
A: "Ok...night then?"
SB: "Nighty XOXO. 9 AM, ok?"
A: "Ok. Gud nyt"
>Well, that went well
>Though it was rather weird that she's in a happier mood than earlier
>With your conscious clear, you went to sleep
>And of course you'll still talk to her about the 'incident' tomorrow
 
>The next day, you head to Sweetie Belle's house at the exact time
>She comes out of her house, wearing a lilac sando under a white vest, and a pink skirt with purple leggings
>Quite contemporary to your grey Alesana's The Emptiness t-shirt, and denim jeans
>She's also wearing a small, frilly, kind of cute backpack that matches her hair color
>Although, she looks a bit...shallowly cheerful
>"Hey Anon, did i make you wait?"
"Not really. I just kind of got here."
>"Sweet. Mom! We're leaving!"
>"Have fun, you two!" Aunt Cookie says from inside the house
>She holds your arm, though she doesn't drag you, out to the sidewalk
"Are we going to walk there?"
>"No, we'll have to get to a bus stop to get there."
>Once you arrived at said bus stop and get on one, she takes 2 tickets for Canterlot Mall, and you expect a pretty long ride there
>And it sort of was. Some folks glance at you, seemingly knowing that you're a new face in town
>Once you arrive, she holds your hand again as you stand in front of the mall entrance
>"It's a big mall, isn't it?"
"...for you, I guess."
>"Oh? Have you even been to bigger ones?"
"Yeah. The one near my old town is where I bought my guitar."
>"Right...let's go."
>You were expecting her to drag you in, but she surprisingly goes ahead.
>She's also has her hands behind her back, with the right hand holding the left forearm
>You look around, and you see some couples also doing that 'drag you around as he/she holds your hand' thing
>Maybe she's shy? You are cousins after all, though...
>You follow her lead, until you arrived at the center of the mall at the 2nd floor, and see that she's lead you to a beach store
>Where the highlighted items on the window are discounted swimwear and other novelties like goggles and snorkels
>Oh, maybe she's a bit shy because she might buy a donut floatie! She's not that much of a good swimmer, from what you can best remember
>She then turns to you
>"Are you coming in?"
>You nod, and you two went in
 
>The first isle has the floatsie stuff, but before you jokingly try and pick the flowery one right beside you, she tugs your shirt, and with a really blushed look
>"Uhm, Anon...can you wait here for a while?"
"Sure, i guess. I'll go pick out a donut float for you"
>You answer with a snicker
>She gives you a nervous smile, then fidgets her hair before she runs off
"Don't trip down or...something"
>Oh hey they do have a donut floatie that actually looks like a donut
>And there's one with a bite mark too
>You think that maybe you should buy some sunblock
>As for swimsuits, maybe your same old swimming trunks would do
>It still fits you anyways
>About a minute later, Sweetie returns to you and seems to be hiding something behind her back
>But by the left side of her hip, you can see a clothes hanger and you see...a swimsuit?
>"Can you, uh...come with me to the fitting room?"
>You furrow your eyebrows
>Oh
>OH
>She wants to try out a swimsuit!?
>Oh gosh, just the other day you've just accepted that she's grown
>But you're not expecting to...oh boy
>"Anon?"
>You're now blushing too
"Uhm...can't you decide for yourself?"
>"I want to know if it l-looks okay on me. And... i want you to say if it does."
>You gulp
"Sure..."
>You awkwardly follow her to the fitting room, and you stop by the thick curtain as she gets inside
>You tap your right foot, fidgeting as she gets dressed
>Now that you think of it, you did get a glance on the swimsuit, and you're worried that it might be a bit small on her
>Which would make her features...
>Oh b-boy...
>"Uh, Anon?"
>She peeks her head out from the curtain, and her face is even redder
>"Can you...come inside?"
>You're stunned
>This might be the first time you'll see a girl in her swimsuit up close
>But it just has to be Sweetie Belle
>Your sweet, cheerful, innocent cousin
>And you emphasize the word 'cousin'
>Before you step forwards though
>"Oh, hey Sweetie Belle!"
>She darts her eyes to the person talking, and you turn to her as well
>"Scootaloo!!! Perfect timing! Get over here!"
>Scootaloo approaches, holding a bag with the purchased items
>"OwO, who's this? Your boyfriend?"
>"D'oh, you've met before! Anonymous,Scootaloo,Scootaloo,Anonymous. He's my cousin now GET IN HERE!"
>She pulls Scootaloo in
>You were left with your mouth open, trying to process what just happened
>You just scratch your head, and wait for the two to go out
>A few minutes, they went out, with Scootaloo snickering and Sweetie Belle still blushing with an angry look at Scootaloo, and back to her normal clothes
>"So, you've finally come back, huh Anon?"
"Yeah...how are you, Scootaloo?"
>"I'm doing fine these days. When were you here last time? Was it uhm..."
"5 years ago."
>"Yeah, right. Man, you missed a lot of stuff."
"I know."
>"So,i guess i can figure out why you two are here."
>"Don't rub it in."
>Sweetie says while gritting her teeth
>"Heh, sorry. Anyways, i was here to buy a snorkel and goggle set before they run out. Items on sale in this mall get bought quick!"
>"Well, it is summer..."
>"But Anon, you're either lucky, or unfortunate. The swimsuit Swee--"
>"That can wait for the beach, thank you! Now do you have something else to do?"
>Scootaloo gasps
>"Oh, yeah! I only got back here because i forgot to buy the goggles and snorkel and my folks are about to go! See you two soon!"
>She then runs off, leaving you two alone
>An awkward silence passes by again, before Sweetie leaves your side
>"I'll go...purchase this."
"Ok...want to eat later? M-my treat."
>She smiles and nods once, as she heads to the register
>Afterwards, you look for a good place to eat in the mall, with Sweetie Belle holding by your shirt, with her head down, still blushing
 
>Minutes come by as you two continue your search, but so far, everything you see are mostly generic fast food outlets.
>You think to yourself that it would be nice to treat her to at least one of them, but you figure that they're so common, Sweetie Belle and her friends must have been eating here often
>You look at her, still blushing and holding your shirt
>But, she was also looking at you, and as she noticed you she quickly averted her gaze
>She's been like that for a while, and you decide to lighten her up for a bit
"Uh, Sweetie Belle?"
>"Yeah?" she answered, still looking away from you
"Is there any place you want to eat? I mean, there's a lot to choose from and I don't want to make a wrong choice"
>"Hmm..."
>She stops, and ponders for a moment, before she looks at you
>"Surprise me?"
"I don't think that would...work well. As i just said."
>"Oh...how about that one?"
>You look at it as she pointed
"A cafe?"
>"I think it's a new shop in the mall. It only opened at the end of the school year."
"Have you been here?"
>She shakes her head
"Alright, cafe it is then."
>You hold her hand, and you felt her shake for a bit
>You lead her inside the cafe known as 'Doughy Delights'
>It has a nice interior, with wooden floorboards, and a large amount of red on the seats, along with slightly yellowish lights illuminating the shop
>It's almost empty though, except for the 3 other couples inside
>A waiter greets you two with a warm smile
>"Good Morning, ma'am, sir! Welcome to Doughy Delights!"
>Sweetie Belle responds with a soft "Thank you" as you greet him back with a smile
>You take her to a seat by the right and front of the cafe, as the waiter gives you two greeting card-sized menus
>"You two lovebirds call me when you've picked something to order, alright?"
>Slightly taken aback by the statement, you two quickly turn to the waiter
>"Oh, w-we're cousins!"
"Oh no, we're cousins!"
>You then look at each other, followed by a giggle and a chuckle
>The waiter covered his mouth in surprise
>"Oh! You're cousins! Gosh, I'm so, so sorry!"
"It's fine, I guess."
>"Right. I'll be right back at you two."
>The waiter leaves and looks at the cashier, holding up his hand in a letter C gesture
>You notice that the cashier looked surprised and seemed to write a check on something
>Your attention goes back to Sweetie Belle, who's still blushing, but she's also smiling
>You sigh
"Sorry about that. I kinda saw that one coming."
>"Me too. Couples usually come eat at this kind of place, right?"
"Yeah. So, what would you like?"
>She scans the menu, and she must've seen something she likes
>Her eyes beamed with joy, and she's pointing the item on the menu to you
"Angel food cake?"
>She nods her head cheerily
>"I tasted one in Sugarcube Corner near our school, and I loved it!"
>To you, it seemed a bit pricey, but at least it cheered her up
>You settle down for something a bit cheap
>Apple Cake, that'll do
>You call the waiter
"Waiter! An Apple Cake and Angel Food Cake, please!"
>"Got it! Coming right up!"
 
>"Oh, and the drinks?"
"Just water for me."
>"Can i have an iced latte?"
>"Got it. That'll be $42, sir."
>You gave him an ok, and pay him $50
>"I'll be right back with the change."
>"Why water?"
"I'm not used to any kind of fancy beverages in cafes. I think they're too expensive."
>"Mhm..."
>It took no longer than 2 and a half minutes for your cake and drinks to arrive
>Both cakes were about one slice each from a 5" diameter whole cake
>Sweetie's Angel Food Cake was topped with white vanilla frosting, with 2 pieces of strawberry and blueberry on top
>Your Apple Cake looks more simple, but it's topped with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream
>"Here's your receipt, and your change, sir" he adds, as you take the receipt and $8 change
>"Enjoy!"
"Thanks."
>The waiter buzzes off
>Sweetie Belle took a bite from her cake
>"MMmmh, so good."
>She seems to be enjoying it, and it makes you smile for a bit
>After all, she looks much prettier when she's happy
>But then, you remember what your mom told you
>You have to talk to her about yesterday
>You don't really know how upset she was, despite with her warming up to you today
>But given that you almost saw your cousin in a swimsuit
>Your maturing, sweet, cheerful, innocent ... wait, I think i've done this line before
>But you get the idea
>That added another awkward moment between you two, and she wasn't really as talkative on the way to this cafe
>You let yourselves finish your meal for a while before asking her about it
 
"So, Sweetie Belle, about yesterday."
>"Uh-huh?" she says, looking at you while drinking her latte
"Do you...remember the uh..."
>She blinks a few times, before putting down the cup down
>"The Playboy magazines? Wh-What about it?"
>She's slowly blushing again
"Are you...still upset about it?"
>"Oh. Uhm...not exactly. But now that you asked..."
>She shifts on her seat to a more serious-looking posture
>"This may or may not sound weird. But I guess it WILL be weird."
"Go on...?"
>"I'm sort of..."
>She also makes some hand gestures, trying to look for the right words to say
>"...glad? Glad that you're somehow interested in...that stuff."
>She puts her arms down on the table and gives you a worried look
>You stare at her in silence, before you realize that she wants to hear your say on it
"...okayyyy I g-guess?"
>She snorts, then turns aside, covering her face
>"This is soooo awkward."
"Can i, uh, ask why? I mean...I don't really get it." 
>She takes a deep breath, and then turns back to you
>"The swimsuit. I uh...hmm..."
>"I think i...give me a sec."
>You scratch your chin
>"Ok ok ok ok!" she says while shaking her hands
>She takes another deep breath, yet she's fully blushing now
>"I'm sort of glad because, it's sort of perfect timing for me, and I assumed that you're interested with looking at women in bikinis, because I want you to tell me how good I'll look in a swimsuit, hence I brought you here to the mall, since I think you know how to tell a girl how she looks in a swimsuit. But in that moment, I also realized that not only am I going to ask someone of how I'll look in a swimsuit, I was going to ask a BOY, of all people, to tell me how I look in it. And especially because it's you, Anon."
"....mhm?"
>You add with a slow nod
>She puts her hand on her chin, pondering
>Then she shakes her head
>"No, I don't mean 'especially you' , I meant...I meant that because you're interested with those kinds of women now, I thought you'd compare me to them andyouwon'tthinki'mthatprettyinabikiniandi'llprobablyendupembarrassed"
>She turns away, hands covering her face
>You put your hand behind your ear
"Wh-what was that? The last part?"
>She looks at you again, and takes another deep breath
>"I don't think you'd find me that pretty in a bikini swimsuit."
"Wait, that's what you're worried about?"
>She clasps her hands, then shifts her shoulders up and down
[spoiler]Not at the same time, eg left goes up, right goes down. There's a proper word for this but i can't find it[/spoiler]
>"Yeah...that's why I told you that you might not need those magazines anymore because...you can see how I look instead, but, I don't want to get my hopes up if you compared me to a woman like the ones in the magazine."
"Oh...ok then."
>You scratch your head. You don't really know how to respond to all that
>You think for a moment, while Sweetie Belle fidgets
"It's a...whole different category, really. The women in those magazines, they're not the type of women that I'm reallt into, if that's what you're thinking. Sure, they're hot and sexy. But I don't think you should compare yourself to them. And I don't think i should compare you to anyone, at all."
>Sweetie Belle stops fidgeting, and gives you a hopeful look
"Look, as a boy, seeing a woman or a girl in a swimsuit is really 'thrilling'. That is, if they're IN a magazine."
>"Is that how you feel when you look at those mags?"
"Y.....yeah, let's say it's like that. But the point is, seeing a girl in her swimsuit in personal, is a whole different...uh, experience."
>You feel like you're shaking
>She leans her head down a bit while looking at you straight in the eye, eager on what you'll say
"If! If...if I did see you in you in a swimsuit, and you ask me what you look like. I would most definitely say that you look absolutely beautiful in less than a heartbeat."
>Less than a heartbeat? A bit dramatic, but now YOU'RE the one who's blushing wildly
>"R-really?" she asks, with a smile forming up on her face
"Of course. I mean, it's because you're really...beautiful."
>If you were a steam engine, you'd be releasing a lot of steam from your head right now
>As well as Sweetie Belle
>"Gee, Anon...you really think so?"
"Yes. Without a doubt."
>You inadvertently hold her hands, but it did assure your statement
>What followed, was probably the warmest smile you've ever seen from anyone
>"That was the sweetest thing anyone said to me. Thank you."
>You feel butterflies flying in your gut
>You two stayed like this for what seemed to be an eternity
>Holding hands, gazing deep into each others eyes, exchanging smiles
>You also didn't notice that you lean your heads closer to each other
>But the moment is sort of ruined when you heard a customer sneeze, snapping you two back to reality
>Sweetie Belle snorts, looking down on the table
"[sigh] Really?"
>She looks back up to you, and gives you a soft kiss on the lips
>No wait, that felt like your cheek
>Yes, cheek
>She then giggles, and nudges a fist on your shoulder
>"Really, that took the worry out of me. I'm glad you clarified it."
"Y-you're welcome...and I'll be looking forward to...seeing you in a swimsuit."
>"Don't be too excited. It's only 2 weeks from now."
"Oh, right."
>"So...shall we go on now?"
"...yeah."
>She holds your hand, grabs her bag,and leads you to the door.
>"Come again next time!" the waiter says, as he and the cashier waves goodbye to you
>You two wave back, and as you exit the cafe, she wraps her arm to yours
"So, is there anything else you want to buy?"
>"Hmm...maybe if we take a look around more. It's a big mall, after all."
"Very well. Don't complain to me if your legs get tired."
>She giggles again, and inches closer to you as you walk around the mall.
 
"Is there anything else you want to buy?"
>"Not really. I don't want to overspend buying unnecessary stuff."
>You whip out a smirk at her
"What, like the donut floatie?"
>She wrinkles her eyebrows and pouts
>"Hmph. You meanie."
>Since she was already close to you, when she shoves you with her shoulder, you almost trip yourself
"Agh!"
>"Woah! Careful!"
>She quickly pulls you back to her side
"Geez, I should be the one saying that."
>"Well you're being a meanie! I can swim very well now, you know?"
"Uh-huh...my memory implies otherwise."
>"You jerk! That was years ago!"
"Yeah, you ran to Rarity because you were afraid of the water."
>"And you laughed at me all day for it!"
"Huh? No I didn't. I just giggled."
>"No, you were really laughing your ass off. I hated you for it."
"Well, i uh..."
>You sigh
"Ok, ok. Look, no matter what really happened, I'm sorry, alright? I just...don't see you as a good swimmer."
>"Really? Alright then, how about this."
>She steps in front of you and faces you
>"There's an island that's near the beach we're going to. It's a known hang-out place for experienced swimmers. And, I'm challenging you to a race there."
"Hmm...that sounds good. Alright, I accept your challenge. What's in it for me?"
>"I'll think about it."
"Come on Sweetie Belle, the stakes should be made when you challenge someone."
>"I'll THINK about it, don't worry! It won't be anything embarrassing, I promise."
"Okay then. So, let me ask again. Do you want to buy anything else?"
>She ponders, then goes back to your side, holding your hand tight
>She shakes her head, and gazes into your eyes
>"I think I got everything I need right here."
>Her smile stuns your for a moment, but you at least reply her with your own smile
>You two began to walk again, but sometimes give glances to each other
>You walk like this until something takes Sweetie Belle's attention, and points at it
>"Look, Anon! There's a music store over there. Do you want to check it out?"
>You look at it. It's called 'Playlist Central'.
>"Sure. Why not?"
>You head inside, with hands still holding
>It's quite packed, though most of the people are wandering by the 'newly released albums' isle
>You and Sweetie head to where there's less people, which is by the isle with older albums, musical instruments and some magazine racks
>Sweetie Belle lets go as she looks at some guitars
>You almost didn't notice her, as one rack picks up your interest
>It was a tablature that features FM Static, We The Kings and Hale
>You've been practicing FM Static's songs for a while, and you've only started to listen to We The Kings, so you pick it up
>It's being sold a discounted price, since the tablature was rather old, given by the date of release
>"Oh, Anon?"
"Yeah?"
>You look at Sweetie Belle, who's holding out a tablature that exclusively features Taylor Swift's songs, but mostly the older ones, as shown by the song contents listed on the cover page
>It's also being sold at a discounted price
>"Can you buy this for me?
>It prompts you a giggle
"Taylor Swift?"
>"What about it? I loved her earlier songs."
"You're not going to make me play 'Tay-Tay' songs."
>"Why not?"
"I just don't find her songs that relatable to me. It's very...girly."
>"Well, First of all, I'm a girl. Second, I didn't want to ask you to play them for me. I'm actually thinking of going to try them out myself sometime."
>You raise your eyebrow
"You also play the guitar?"
>"Kind of. Last year the school held up a Battle of the Bands program but we didn't really win at the end. But when you and Corsair did that duet on the reunion, I thought you two looked pretty cool. And also that you seem to prefer using tablatures, because I saw your stuff and there's a lot of it."
"So, do you want me to teach you?"
>"If it's fine with you. Is it?"
"Hmm, let me think about it."
>"Oh come on! Look, I'll accept this as an apology for you laughing at me because I couldn't swim back then!"
"What?"
>"At least buy this, for me?"
>She gives you those puppy dog eyes and a wide smile
>On one hand, It'll make her happy. On the other hand, you're going to play Taylor Swift songs
[spoiler] Funnily enough, I used to hate Taylor because she's too girly, but then something happened and now i'm 'in love with her'. She's basically my waifu [/spoiler]
>Man, the things you have to do for family
"Oh, alright. But it's just because I'll teach you how to play a guitar properly."
>"Yes! Thanks Anon!"
>She gives you a hug, then holds your hand, leading you to the cashier, who looks like the walrus guy from Mythbusters, especially the beard and glasses
>The cashier raises his eyebrow when he sees the tablatures
>"You know you could just look around online, right?"
"It's more of a personal preference."
>"Ok then. At least they'll finally be bought. These two have been here for 8 years."
>"8 years? Wow..."
"They don't look dusty or anything." 
>"It gets re-wrapped when it's been placed in storage, but during summer we sell them with a discount just in case some people get interested in buying it."
>"Fair enough..."
>"That'll be $40, but since we have a Buy 1 Get 1 promo this week, it'll now be $30."
"Sweet. Thanks!"
>"I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy."
"Oh, she's not my..."
>"Oh, sorry. 'Friends' am I right?"
>Sweetie lets out a giggle
>"We're cousins."
>"...oh. That was...awkward."
>"But thanks, anyway!"
>After you purchase the tabs, Sweetie Belle holds your hand again and takes you to the exit
"So, when do you want to begin playing the guitar?"
>"I'm....thinking about it. I mean, maybe right away, since the summer's just starting."
>You look at your phone to check the date, but the time gets your attention.
"Huh. It's only 1:08."
>1 o' clock? It's still quite early, isn't it?"
"Yeah. Do you want to continue looking around the mall?"
>She lets go of your hand, then crumples her hand into fist and slams it on her palm
>"Sun hat and sunblock. Darn, almost forgot about it."
"Is that all?"
>"Yeah. And now that I said that it's still early, I guess after we buy those we could head to the park. You know, to look for your 'sweet spot' for playing the guitar? Although I think i know just the right place."
>"Cool. What are we waiting for? Let's go!"
>This time, you take the lead, holding Sweetie Belle by her hand
>After buying a white sunhat and some sunblock, you order some take-out for lunch from Jollibee because McDonalds, KFC etc. are quite packed
[spoiler]I've been to a Jollibee in California, it's like McDonalds but it's from the Philippines. They taste quite the same[/spoiler] 
>Outside the mall, Sweetie Belle flags a taxi down, which took you to the park
>Once you've arrived, you take a good look around it
>It's fairly big, there's some kids playing, some couples and families walking about, and there's even a baseball field across the street at the east side of the park. And besides some small gazebos and benches, there's also a small food court at the far south side of the park
>"It's big, isn't it?"
"It's a lot bigger than the one in my old town."
>"Come on, let's head over there!"
>She points to a huge tree by the west side of the park. It's in a middle of a grassy field, and the wide reach of its leaves makes it give a lot of shade
>As you arrive, she sits down beside it
>"Pretty cool, huh?"
>You sit down beside her
"Yeah...it's a bit strange though, it's got a lot of shade, yet there's no other people in here."
>Sweetie Belle shrugs
>"It's a mystery to me too. I think it's us Crusaders are the ones who always hang out under the tree. Everyday after school ends, sometimes we'll hang out here."
"I see. I mean, just by the shade, I'd also hang out here often. And, I think this qualifies as a 'sweet spot'."
>"But you do have to watch out for kids playing in the park, sometimes they just pass by it."
"I'm used to kids. They don't really interrupt my guitar sessions."
>"Whatever you say then."
>She takes a deep breath as a breeze comes by
>It makes you feel cozy and cool, and then you notice Sweetie Belle stand up, reach her arms out and do a slow twirl, as she looks up and closes her eyes, savoring the feeling
>For a moment, you felt like time slowed down as Sweetie Belle is accompanied by a symphony of leaves and the breeze, leaving you in awe of her adorable little dance
[spoiler] Somehow the idea came from the intro of this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWcOrXlS1AA [/spoiler]
>You're left with your mouth slightly open (like pic related) as she stops her spin, looking at you with her sweet, warm smile
>"Sorry, I got caught in the moment." she says, giggling as she sat down
"Wow. That was...cute."
>"Hmm?"
"That was...really cute."
>"Are you mocking me?"
"I mean it! It's really cute. Do you do that often?"
>"Usually, when I'm alone, when no one's around. It's kind of embarrassing, actually."
"So I'm the first person to witness your little dance?"
>"I guess so. But then again..."
>She puts her hand down, unknowingly touching yours as she looks at you, blushing
>"You're you, Anon, so I don't really mind."
>Somehow, you hold her hand back by instinct as you two went into another semi-awkward stare down
>And once again, you didn't notice that you lean your heads closer to each other
>Your noses touched 
>Your breathing intensifies
>Sweetie Belle closes her eyes, as you did too
>Is this it? You're finally going to kiss her. But...
>Your trail of thoughts became derailed as you heard your stomach grumble
>You open your eyes, and you two immediately pulled back
>"Oh! Uh...are you hungry?"
"I-I guess so..."
>"Yeah...let's eat."
>You let out a chuckle, as she looks at you
>"What's so funny?" she says in an upbeat voice, while smiling
"Hehe...nothin'. Let's just eat."
>"Okayy..." she replies, accompanied by a short giggle.
 
>After lunch, you two wandered around the park, and ended up at the food court
>There wasn't anything unusual though, most of the stalls there are selling hotdogs, tacos, burgers, you name it.
>But what caught your eye, or, Sweetie Belle's eye, was an arcade shop that was across the street
>"Hey, that's new!"
"What is it?"
>"There's an arcade over there! I've never even heard of it!"
"Maybe because it's new? I mean..."
>You point to a slightly weathered banner that says it newly opened about 5 days ago
>"Oh...so, do you want to check it out?"
"I haven't played in arcade for a while now. Let's check it out!"
>You two head to the arcade, and as you went in, you were greeted with chatter and sounds from various arcade games
>The area's rather small, but it has a lot of games and people in it
>You look around, occasionally saying 'excuse me' as you walk through the crowded sections of the room, until you see an unoccupied House of the Dead arcade console
>In addition to that, it's the remastered version
>You look at Sweetie Belle, who was temptingly looking at one of the nearby claw games
>Specifically, one with the cutesy-style stuffed rabbits, where most of it is a white rabbit, except for one that has pink fur, with the belly, foot pad and nose colored purple
>Which seems to be the same color as Sweetie Belle's hair
"Sweetie Belle?"
>It took about a second for her to respond to you
>"Yeah? Oh, have you found a game to play?"
>You point at it with your thumb
"'The House of the Dead', a zombie game. It has a 2-Player option, so maybe we can play it together."
>"Okay."
>She sounded unenthusiastic with that reply
>You head to the token exchanger, which has a rather long line
"How many tokens should we get?"
>"I guess, not too many that would end us up playing all day. I was told to be home until at least 4 PM." 
"How does 10 tokens each for us sound?"
>"I guess..." she says, though she looks unsure
"We could...try out that claw game you were looking at first."
>"Huh? You noticed?"
"Yeah. I mean, I understand girls' fondness for cute things, and since you're uh..."
>"It's...not like that actually."
"Hmm?"
>"4 years ago, there was this show with cute bunnies doing girly stuff, and it was quite popular. There were 4 of them, and every girl I knew in CHS has at least collected all of them."
"Even Applebloom and Scootaloo?"
>"Applebloom has one, and Scootaloo does too, but she doesn't want us to tell anyone about it."
"Ah...ok. So it reminded you of your own collection?"
>"Eh...no...I'm missing one. The numerous one in that claw game was Snowy Belle, since she was the most popular one. And I've been dying to get the pink one for a long time but ever since the show ended, they stopped selling them before I got her."
"So, who's the others?"
>She blushes, and smiles nervously
>"The yellow one's Butter Belle, the red one's Flower Belle and the pink one in the claw game is ... S-Sweetie Belle."
>You snort
"For real?"
>"That's really her name! She was my favorite! And the girls find it "
"Yeah, ok. I can tell by that longing gaze you gave it earlier."
>"Gee Anon, you're making fun of me again!"
"Maybe, but it's also kind of cute. I mean, aren't you too old for stuffed bunnies?"
>"No I'm not! And besides, I want to get it just to complete my collection."
"Whatever you say, kid."
>"You jerk." she says while nudging you with her shoulder
"But maybe it's fate that brought you here, so maybe you have a chance."
>"Hmph!"
>After you've purchased your tokens, you head to the claw game and watch Sweetie Belle play it
>It's only one bunny, it should be easy as pie
>But minutes later, it turned into a disaster
>Sweetie Belle used up all of her tokens after failing to to get the bunny, she looks at you with an exasperated look
>"Anon!!"
"Hey, don't look at me! It's not my fault that claw's slippery!"
>"It's so unfair..."
"Look, let's just buy more tokens and--"
>"It won't do! It's only going to be wasted if I tried again and again!"
"Hey, we can't do anything about it."
>"Can I borrow some of yours?"
"Woah, come on now. I already treated you to a cafe and bought you that Tay-Tay tablature."
>"Come on, at least give me one? Pleeeeaaaase?"
>Ung
>If you could only refuse to that cute voice and puppy dog eye look
"Alright, but just one!"
>"Yay!"
>You insert a token into the slot, and grabbed the control stick
"They key to this game is to get a good angle and positioning of the claw. Also, don't get mad if you lose the first time, it'll make you lose focus."
>You press the 'grab' button on the top of the stick, and the claw descends
>It does grab the bunny, earning a 'squee' from Sweetie Belle
"See? That's how you--"
>But it falls down mid-way to the prize bin
"....son of a b--"
>Sweetie Belle covers your mouth with her hand
>"Don't get mad, remember?" she says, with a smuggish smile
"Ok then. This is the last one."
>You take out another token. You won't let yourself get easily defeated by this claw game
>As you put it inside the slot, Sweetie grabs your hand on the control stick
"What are you doing?"
>She's blushing a bit
>"I think it'll be more easy if we do this together. So if we win, we'll be even."
"And if we lose?"
>"Then we can be mad together."
>You look at each other for a while before focusing on the claw
"Ok. Tread it carefully..."
>"I know, I know."
"Move it a bit forward."
>"Got it."
>You can't help but notice Sweetie Belle's hand being a bit sweaty, making you lose a bit of focus. But damn, it's so soft
"Okay...aaaand...grab it."
>Both of you pushed it at the same time, though Sweetie's thumb pressed against yours. She didn't seem to notice it
>As it grabbed the bunny again, you look at Sweetie Belle, her eyes locked on the bunny
>You two then carefully navigate the claw to the prize bin and...
>"Yes!"
>Sweetie Belle quickly grabs the bunny from the prize chute, and gives it a hug
>She then looks at you with a sweet smile of hers again
>"Thanks Anon."
>You pause as you look at this adorable sight before replying
"You owe me 3 now."
>"And I can't thank you enough for it."
"Maybe...you do. Shall we play the House of the Dead now?"
>"Sure, sure!"
>She grabs your hand again, and takes you to the HotD console
>You put aside your items as you each grabbed a rifle
>You take out 2 tokens and inserted them into the slot
"Are you ready?"
>"Ready when you are."
>You both aim your rifles at the screen as the game begins
 
>As you'd expect, Sweetie Belle isn't a bit too much of a good shot
>Her shots would either go straight beside the enemy but she manages to get a lucky kill
>You also have to remind her to reload often, which distracted you at some points
>Even so, you've managed to get to the end of the first chapter, as the game's cutscene prepares you for the boss
>"Oh hey! We saved Sophie!"
>And then the boss, the Chariot, arrives, smashing through the ceiling and swipes Sophie to the side of the room
>"Woah! Where'd he come from?!"
"Don't worry, that thing has a weak spot! Try to focus your aim at it!"
>"Okay!"
>You two aim for the weak spot
>Yours hit near-perfectly, and Sweetie Belle tends to get delayed when the weak spot moves
>Nevertheless, you manage to take out its armor, showing its 2nd form
>"Eww, that's what it really looks like?" she says while taking a good look at it
"Just keep shooting!"
>A hundred shots later, you defeat the boss
>"Haha, he's dead! Did we win?"
"Not yet. There's 3 more chapters, so it's 3 more levels with 3 more bosses."
>"There's more?!"
"Hey, at the very least, we can finish this up in 30 minutes."
>"Oh, ok then."
>You watch the cutscene progress, and it ends with Sophie lying still as the scene freezes
>"Huh? Did she die?!"
"I don't know. I don't remember the story much."
>The scene then cuts to where the main characters bust through a door, and it begins with a zombie about to throw a barrel at you
>"WATCH OUT THAT GUY HAS A BARREL!"
>Sweetie Belle rapid fires her gun at the barrel, destroying it quickly
"Gee Sweetie, calm down!"
>"Ah! Beside you!"
"Your gun's empty! Reload!"
>"Gaaaah this is so intense!"
>This goes on for some time, and as you enter the sewer...
>"Eww, why do we have to go in there?"
"It's not like we're REALLY in a sewer. Now shoot!"
>"OKay--aaah!"
>From this point, she shrieks and gasps whenever there's a close-up of a zombie
>It's a bit distracting, making you lose some life points, though you replenish it as you rescue some hostages
>Moments later, you end up facing the 2nd boss, the Hangedman, with hostages holding on its feet
>|'This is as far as you go. I'll finish you here!'"
>"What's with its voice?"
>You shrug
>"The 90's was weird."
>"Oh what?!"
>The Hangedman lets go of the hostages, sending them to their doom
>"That wasn't very nice!"
"Remember, hit the weak points!"
>"With pleasure!"
 
>You two unleash a barrage of bullets on the winged monster, which stood still for a moment before it begins to move around
"Damn it, he's faster than I remember."
>"I can't....hit him!"
"Just keep shooting!"
>His sudden and unavoidable attacks took a deal out of Sweetie Belle's life points, depleting hers quickly
>"Oh no, I'm dead! Anon!"
>You quickly give her a token
"Put it in, quick!"
>As she gets back in the game, you manage to make it to the short scene where the boss flies away, giving you some room to breath
>"Where'd it go?"
"Wait for it..."
>It suddenly appeared beside your position, spooking Sweetie Belle who fires a burst at the boss, before reloading
>You notice that Sweetie's become more frantic in her shooting, but you still are able to defeat the boss minutes later, though you could say that you carried the whole fight, with Sweetie Belle dying 2 more times
>As the cutscene plays, she taps you by the shoulder
>"Anon, this was too intense! I don't know if I could be able to keep up later on."
"Just...look. Just help me at the easy parts, and maybe I could carry us in the next boss fight. I mean, you can barely shoot the Hangedman"
>"He was too quick, alright? And I know that we beat him up rather nicely, but you also had a hard time aiming for the boss."
"Hehe, maybe you're right.... do you still want to play?"
>"I'll...try my best."
"Alright. The next Chapter's coming up. Are you good?"
>She just nods, as the titlecard for the next chapter goes up
>There's the occasional "GAH!" from Sweetie Belle as you fight through the enemies, but she holds up on her own
>No more than about 7 or 8 minutes later, you reach the stage with the 3rd boss
>"That's the third boss? The big scientist guy?"
"No, but he did sort of created the zombies."
>"Oh, so what's the boss then?"
"A crab."
>Just after you said that, the crab boss, the "Hermit", shows up
>"Huh. Ok, he doesn't seem to be that scary."
"This should be easy. I remember this part, we go inside the tunnel and just shoot at its face, by the center of the screen. It shouldn't be too hard to miss."
>And indeed it was
>You finish the 3rd boss quickly, and move up to the last chapter
>"Alright! Last Chapter!"
"Don't get too excited, there's 3 bosses in this bit."
>"Wait, 3?!"
"Don't worry about it, the first one is the 1st boss, the next is the bat guy."
>"What? We're going to face him again?!"
"Don't worry, I have your back."
>And you did. You took down the Chariot (1st boss) quick, and when facing the Hangedman (2nd boss), Sweetie Belle was a bit panicked, but at least most of her shots hits the boss, and you defeat it. It still managed to kill her twice though.
>And as you arrive at the final boss stage, you check your tokens
>5 left. This should be enough, you think to yourself
>After a short dialogue with Dr.Curien, he presented the final boss, which killed him after disobeying his orders
>"Serves him right. Ok, how do we deal with the--"
>The final boss's (The Magician) profile shows up, and it says it has no weak points
>"No weak points? The heck?"
"It really has none. We just shoot him until he's dead."
>"Is he fast?"
"......"
>You shrug
>"Anon..."
>The last time you played it, it was really difficult
>He basically teleports, and throws fireballs at you which you can shoot down
>As well as slamming the fireball up your face
>You figured that with the remaining tokens, and Sweetie Belle's help, you might possibly take him down with a fight
>Or so you thought
>Sweetie Belle certainly tried her best, but like with the Hangedman, she panicked whenever the Magician teleports
>As such, she's the first one to die, even after giving her 3 tokens, and you were next, after you expended the last 2 tokens
>And you only managed to take out half of the boss' HP
>You sigh as you look at the GAME OVER sign on the screen
>"Anon...I'm sorry."
>You look to her rather sad-looking face
"It's alright, don't worry about it."
>"It isn't! I panicked! Even though I promised you that I'll help! In the end you even have to save me lots of times."
"Sweetie Belle, at least we made it to the final stage. That's amazing work in itself!"
>"I-I guess..."
"Besides, I had fun. And it was kinda silly and cute to watch you panic."
>"Can you not?" she replies with a blush
"Come to think of it, even though you panic a lot, you're quite a good shooter. Isn't this the first time you played a rail shooter game?"
>"Yeah. We used to have a classmate in school who plays different kinds of retro games, and once, he invited us and some of his friends to his house to play some games. I think I played Duck Hunt with him."
"Duck Hunt?"
>You raise your eyebrow, and chuckle
>"What? The game mechanic's the same, you just aim and shoot. Except this one's with zombies, and super zombies, not ducks."
"Ok, fair enough..."
>You look at your watch, and it took you only 34 minutes
"It's gonna be 2 PM soon. Do you want to call it a day?"
>"Hmm...I guess we should. I mean, I think we've spent too many on stuff today."
"If you say so."
>"Besides, it's not like a date or anything. I used to be taken home exactly before 4 PM on my last dates."
>A date, huh? Weirdly enough, this 'hanging out with your cousin' sure feels like one
"...you used to date someone?"
>"Yeah, Button Mash. It's the guy I played Duck Hunt with. But then, 2 years ago, he moved out to another state because of his dad's job. Like, all the way to the other side of the country. And that's where the dates stopped."
"You...never had any contact with him?"
>"We used to chat online, but last I heard from him, he's seeing someone else"
"Oh. That's a bummer."
>"Yeah. But I got over it now, so you don't need to worry about me."
>You reply with a sneer
"Okay then...at least I know that I'm not the rebound guy."
>She rolls her eyes and sneers back
>"Oh, you wish, dear cousin."
>She picks up the items you two bought, along with 'Sweetie Belle' and hands you the paper bag with the tablatures
>"Shall we go now?"
>You nod, take the bag, and lead the way to the exit
>Sweetie Belle flags a taxi down, and you two head home
>Once you arrived, you stop by the sidewalk that leads to her house
>"Hey Anon?"
"Yeah?"
>"I really had fun today."
"Me too. Though, you owe me 4 now."
>"4?"
"The 4th one was that I basically carried ourselves in HotD."
>"Hey, I found out about the arcade."
"And I got you that bunny."
>She pouts, and hugs her bunny tight
>You giggle, and as she looks grumpier, you realize one thing that just sprang up to your mind
"Sweetie Belle, come on. I'm just kidding. Look, you don't need to repay me or anything. In fact, I just realized that I actually owe you a lot of, uh, our 'lost time' hanging out with each other when we were kids in the past 5 years, and I thought today might make up for it. So uh..."
>Somehow, your face feels a bit hot, you don't know that you're now blushing
>She chuckles
"Can...can you give me moment? It's already embarrassing as it is..."
>"Oh boy, you still crack me up. I wasn't expecting you to say that, and that came out a little bit too dramatic, don't you think?"
"Yeah...and now that you mention it, this is more likely the things you say to a person you love than your relative."
>"Oh well...it still kind of works, I guess."
"Very well then...so, when do we practice playing the guitar?"
>"Mmm...I don't really have much to do tomorrow. Maybe the Crusaders will ask me to go somewhere with them...and now that Scootaloo will probably tell Applebloom that you're here, maybe you could tag along!"
"Oh? That's sounds great! I haven't even seen or heard from Applebloom yet."
>"Though the problem is it's probably not somewhere we could play the guitar."
"Nah, it's fine. We still get to hang out, so it's alright."
>"Wait, why don't we start today? I mean, it's still pretty early."
>You look at your watch, it was 3:07 PM
"Good idea. You may not become a pro at it overnight, but I could teach you an easy song."
>"Alright! I'll just put these in my room then I'll borrow my dad's guitar."
"Where do you want to practice?"
>"How about your house?"
"Well, there's some things that still needs arranging, and if we practice there, mom or dad might probably cut us off by giving me chores."
>"Hm, good point. How about our porch then? I don't think anyone in the house is busy."
"Sure, porch it is then."
>"Okay...I'll just get my dad's guitar."
"Ok. Later then!"
>You two part ways, as you head into your house
>As you enter, you see your dad assembling the family computer
>"Oh, hey son! Good news, the internet's installed and it's up and running."
"Awesome! What'chu doing?"
>"As you can see, I'm putting up the computer."
"And mom?"
>"She went out with your Aunt Cookie to buy some ingredients for dinner. So anyways, how's your shopping with Sweetie Belle?"
"Great! It was, really fun. We also played in an arcade that just opened."
>"An arcade, huh? Well don't take your cousin there everyday. Back when I was a kid, I always ended up spending all of my earnings trying to beat Pac-Man."
"That's....good to know."
>"Mhm. The good old times. Are you up in a hurry?"
"Oh, yeah. I gotta teach Sweetie Belle some tunes."
>You hold up and show him the tablature you bought
>"Very well then. Have fun, and don't stay out too late, ok?"
>You reply to him as you head to your room
"Dad, I'm just going to be across the street!"
>"Touche!"
>You went inside and grabbed a guitar
>You look for the tablature that feature Secondhand Serenade songs 
>As you found it, you head back down and tell your dad that you're off
>You see Sweetie Belle at her porch, waving at you while holding her dad's guitar
>You make your way there, and sit down beside her
>"Hey."
"Hey. Are you ready?"
>She holds up the guitar to you
>"Mhm!"
>You place the tablature down in between you and Sweetie Belle, and open the page to the song 'Your Call' 
>"What are we playing?"
"'Your Call', by Secondhand Serenade. It's the first song I learned, and it's super easy."
>"Okay then." She holds up the guitar, preparing to play it
"Do you want me to teach you the basics?"
>"I know how to strum some notes, but I'm a bit confused at the tuning part."