Celestia's New World

November 4

Celestia...

I had no words to offer her. It wasn't like me to stay silent, but I knew that words were not the solution to this problem. I would say that only time could help, but she's already held this burden for so long on her own.

Celestia seemed to be in a state of emotional shock after our talk last night. Instead of her cheerful, friendly demeanor, she was more reserved, wanting to be left alone, even turning down her usual snacks. It must have put a lot of stress on her to share her heartache with me.

I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't feel the same pain she felt. I didn't want children, at least not as much as her. I could only offer her my sympathy. The sight of her tears still weighed heavily inside.

Maybe I could start work on Chrysalis's request during this downtime. Celestia was still in bed, awake but resting the day away, leaving me alone. I decided to pester Red. Her eyes shot to me as I walked down the stairs.

"What's up?" she asked, sitting up.

I shrugged. "Wanted to check up on ya."

"How nice of you. You guys came home pretty late last night. What took you?"

"We took a walk."

"Last night?"

"Yeah."

"That must've been cold."

I shrugged. "A little."

"What's wrong with the Princess? You too, while I'm at it. You didn't seem yourselves when you got home last night."

"We... talked. A lot. Celestia... became very emotional."

"Was she running out of Twinkies?"

"Red."

"Sorry."

"Look, I don't... really know if I should say."

"Come on, you can trust me."

"Yeah, 'cause the last time went so well."

"I said I was sorry."

"I know, just messin'."

"So you don't wanna say, huh? Can I have a hint?"

"It was a very personal matter, Red."

"That's not much of a hint."

"It wasn't supposed to be."

"Come on, a little more than that. Please?"

"Red."

"Alright, if you won't tell me, I'll get Celestia to tell me."

"Red, don't. I mean, like... Not now, at least. She needs space. At least, I think she needs space. I don't know. I'm not good at this kinda thing."

"How bad could it be?"

"I dunno. I'm just worried I'll make things worse, you know?"

"You won't know until you try."

"I know. I'm just scared."

"So... what's wrong? Did you have a fight?" she asked, seemingly concerned about my plight.

"No, it wasn't a fight. We don't fight."

"Every couple fights, at least a few times."

"We aren't fighting. Celestia shared something deeply... personal with me last night. It was draining for her, painful even."

"You guys always act all lovey-dovey when you're together and you always seem pretty happy. I guess I don't understand why you don't just talk to her."

"You'll understand when you get a boyfriend of your own."

"I dunno about that. I don't think I'll ever understand you. What did she share that was so important?"

"I can't say, Red."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No, Red."

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"What are you, twelve?

"Hey, it works when Celestia does it."

"Celestia's my girlfriend."

"Ew, don't say that. It's gross."

"What? Girlfriend?"

"Eww."

"Oh, grow up."

"Grow up? You're really telling me to grow up? You?"

"I'm not the one still scared of getting cooties."

"I didn't mean it like that, you jerk! I think it's gross that the Princess has a boyfriend! I mean, she's the Princess, you know? Well, you don't live in Equestria. You wouldn't know. Princess Celestia is somepony all of us little fillies would look up to when we were growing up. We all wanted to be like her. Now that she has a boyfriend, my image of her has been totally changed."

"Oh. That's..." I didn't have anything to say. Best not to say anything.

"It makes her seem... uh... more... normal. Like she's just another mare. She's always seemed so far detached from the rest of us that I never even considered the possibility of her in a relationship. Don't look at me like that. It's just really weird for me. You wouldn't get it."

"Nah, probably not. So we're cool, you just don't like the idea of me, is that right?"

"Uh... I... guess."

I chuckled. "Do you have anyone, Red?"

"Are you asking if I have a boyfriend?"

I shrugged. "You don't have to answer. I know it's not my business. I just thought it'd be nice to get to know each other since we're forced to live together."

She sighed. "No, I don't have a boyfriend. It's hard enough living a double life. I don't need somepony else butting in on my business. Besides, all the good ones are taken."

"Yeah, I hear that."

"And I certainly don't want to get stuck with someone like you."

"I wouldn't wanna be stuck with me either."

"Ouch. You weren't supposed to agree with me. You were supposed to insult me back."

I shrugged. "I can admit that I have flaws. I know that some of these flaws can make it difficult for... some people to be around me. I've come to accept that. The most I can do is try to hide them from the people I like and the people I love."

"Oh... uh... I really wasn't expecting that from you. You... uh... You seem nice, at least. I... I guess that means I should share something about myself."

"If you want."

"I kinda still feel like I should say something. Is there... something you would like to know, then?"

I stared at her for a short while before settling on a simple question. "How old are you?"

"I'm nineteen."

"Geez, you are young. I can't really say that though, I'm 25."

"Yeah, I know."

I raised an eyebrow. Did I say it around her?

She shrugged. "I looked at your ID when I took your wallet."

I blinked. "I watched you the whole time, you barely opened it."

She just shrugged again.

"Geez, Red. Can I ask another question?"

"Go ahead."

"How did you get into the castle?"

"Did the Princess put you up to this?"

"No, not this time. I'm just curious. I know the guards are... They do their job. How did you get past them?"

"Easy. I'm just better than them." She smirked.

"Your crew got caught, though."

"They did that on their own. I had no part in that. We had a good thing going, too. Now they think I sold them out. That's one of the reasons I don't wanna go to prison, you know. They're in there, too. Speaking of... Could you... talk to the Princess about that for me? Maybe put a good word in?"

"That's out of my hands, Red."

"Please? Why not? I mean, I know why, but why?"

"She's already got enough going on without me meddling in her affairs. I don't wanna force her to do anything. Even if it's for you."

"You don't have to force her. Just tell her I've changed."

"Have you?"

"Yes. I haven't stolen anything since I got here. I haven't even opened the safe in your closet."

I crossed my arms. "How do you know about that?"

"I... uh... snuck in while the Princess was eating. I just wanted to see what was in there, I swear!"

I glared at her for a few more moments before saying, "Anyways, if you really want to do something about your punishment, your only option is to convince her that you've changed yourself. Celestia's very nice, Red. Talk with her more. Be her friend. Kiss her ass a bit. You should know this by now, but she's very easy to talk to."

"What was that third thing?"

"Hmm? Kiss her ass? Don't you have that phrase in Equestria?"

She seemed slightly horrified.

"Just make her happy." I clarified.

"Wait, so kissing her butt makes her happy?"

"Isn't that how it is for all women?"

"Ew... You made it weird again."

"I made it weird?"

She smirked. "I guess I can't lie around you."

"That was a lie, too."

"Right again. Don't worry, I'm not gonna be kissing her butt anytime soon. I'm straight, after all."

"Spaghetti's straight until it gets hot."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible person?"

"Yes, many times."

"I see... Was there anything else you wanted to know about me?"

"It kinda feels like you want me to ask you questions."

"Sitting down here all day gets boring. Talking seems to be the only thing that happens."

"Was there anything... specific you wanted me to ask?"

"Um... Not... exactly."

"Not exactly?"

"I... have a favor to ask." Her eyes drifted downwards.

"I told you I can't talk to Celestia for you."

"It's not that. This is... kinda a strange request, so don't laugh. When I get back to Equestria... and I get sent to prison... I want you to visit me."

"Visit you?"

"I wanna have someone on the outside to talk to. Somepony who's not related to me or associated with me. I don't have many friends... or really... any at all. I don't exactly have a good reputation."

"Well... Red... I can't."

"What? Why?"

"I'm not going to Equestria."

"Oh... Really? I thought you were. But... what about the Princess? She's not staying here, is she?"

"No, she's heading back when the crystal mirror activates again. You are too, if we can't find any way to get you there any sooner."

"So... Is she... Or are you like... Wait, how does that work between you and... her?"

"When she comes here, she stays for a month, then she goes home for a month. After that month has passed, she either comes back, or stays home for another month. She can't keep coming here for months at a time, though. I imagine that there'll be a few months in between her visits at some point. It's just... something that we have to deal with."

"Really? That's terrible! I don't know much about your relationship, but you really seem to... like each other. I'm sorry. You really can't go to Equestria?"

"Yeah. It's... It is what it is. I want to. I wanna live with Celestia, always."

She gave a slow nod.

"I'd be happy to visit you though, Red. You're my friend."

"Yeah... Thanks." She turned. I don't think she was expecting me to be so nice.

"So... what else have you stolen, Red?" I asked her, changing my line of questioning. I felt it was a good segue into Chrysalis's request.

Her mood brightened as she began to share her various exploits. "Well, aside from jewels and gold, you know what ponies pay big money for?"

"What?"

"Magical items."

"That so?"

"Oh yeah. Everypony buys them. Everypony that can afford them. I've even collected some magical items for nobility. I've managed to get my hooves on a few things that could buy your house five times over."

"I don't doubt that. Have you picked up anything particularly interesting?"

"Interested in the exotic, are we? Well, get this..." She leaned in closer. "I managed to steal Queen Chrysalis's teddy bear right from under her nose." she whispered.

Surprise, surprise. "Seriously? Why would you steal something like that?"

"To see if I could. Unfortunately, I got cornered before I could show it off and had to escape fast. It's why I ended up here. I still have it, you know." She held her hand out and a red bubble appeared above it. Inside the bubble, I could see the bear. It looked completely normal to me. Just a cute little bear. She closed her hand and the bubble and bear disappeared.

"The heck are you gonna do with that thing?" I asked.

"I haven't decided yet. Whatever it is, it's gotta be big."

I crossed my arms. Red was a lot smarter than I was. She'd figure out that Chrysalis talked to me if I pursued it. "Think she'd be embarrassed to have something like that revealed to the public?"

"Oh, I bet she would. I figured that's why she hasn't tried to get it herself. She knows I'd do something crazy."

"Crazy? You? The very idea. You know, when I was growing up, I had a little stuffed dog I named Ralphie. I still have him, actually. Somewhere around here. I really wouldn't have any problem with people knowing about him."

"I don't know if I could say the same. We all had stuffed animals as kids. We're supposed to grow out of them. I still have mine, too. It's a stuffed bunny I called Hopkins."

"Cute."

She smiled. "Yeah, I... thought so too. You know, I've actually been thinking about what I should do with this bear. It's nice to gloat and all, but Chrysalis is super scary. She even beat the Princess!"

"Chrysalis had been feeding on Shining Armor's love for a long time."

"Is that what Celestia told you?" She smirked. "I'm just kidding. I know what happened. It's still scary. Like, it's either I give it back, or I get bragging rights and the wrath of Queen Chrysalis. Actually now that I say it like that, it's a little scarier."

"You could sell it back to her."

"I thought about that, too. I dunno. Until I figure it out, this thing stays with me."

"Man, you'd better hope Celestia's not listening in on this." I said, "She's been hearing a lot of things she's not supposed to recently."

"The Princess? She's hearing things she shouldn't? Like what?" She gasped. "Are you having an affair?"

"Don't ever say that, Red! Our relationship isn't a joke. I don't appreciate that kinda language."

"Oh... Sorry. I didn't mean it, you know."

"Thank you."

"So what did she hear?"

I hesitated for a small while, unsure if I should tell her. "If I tell you, I want you to keep it to yourself, alright Red?"

She placed a hand over her chest. "Scout's honor!"

"You're not a scout."

"True."

"I mean it, Red. This is really private, what I'm gonna say. It's part of our relationship."

"I won't say anything, I promise. Keeping secrets is part one of the big book o' thievery."

"Fine. Celesta overheard me telling Luna that I wanted to marry her."

Red pulled back. "Seriously?"

I nodded.

"That's... That's super cute!"

"Uh..." I didn't expect even a smile from her, let alone this enthusiasm.

"I mean, it's super weird, but it's so cute! I never thought Princess Celestia would get married!"

"Keep it down, would you?"

"So what kind of wedding do you think she'd want? Something big? Small? Public? Private? Can I come? I'll bring presents! I won't even steal the rest."

"You... You'd want to?"

"Of course! You're my friends, aren't you?"

"Well, I'd love it if you'd be there. I'd have to ask Celestia how she would feel about it, though. I don't know what kind of wedding she'd want. I know what kind of wedding she deserves, though. Something huge. Something extravagant. Something that'll be heard around the world. The kind of wedding I'd plan for her wouldn't be filled with fanfare or cheering people or ponies, or anything like that. It'd be something small and nice, in a pleasant, grassy field surrounded by our family and friends. Could you imagine?"

"I really could... That sounds wonderful." She sighed.

"Aren't you a little too young to be daydreaming about marriage?"

"A woman can have goals!" she shot back, "Just because I'm thinking about it doesn't mean I want to do it! Marriage is too scary, anyways."

"Yeah... Yeah it is."

"You're really sweet, you know that?"

"I've... been told."

"I don't know a lot about... relationships, but you and the Princess really seem to be doing well together. If I ever found someone, I just hope they'd be as nice as you. You know, as long as the rest of them isn't like you."

"Ouch."

"You're too much, Phil. A woman needs her space."

I smirked to myself. "It takes a special kinda lady to love me."

"So... Um... Maybe I shouldn't ask this, but you and the Princess... You sleep together, right? Like... often?"

"Yeah. We're not much different from a normal couple, Red."

"Do you... mind if I ask... Do you... like..." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Do you have sex?"

My eyebrow raised. I didn't know where she was going with this. Celestia was honest with my family yesterday. I doubt she'll mind if I mentioned it to Red. "Yes, we do."

"Huh... This is so weird. I mean, you never think about these things, but the Princess having sex? Sorry, that was kinda... I... I think I've heard enough about this, sorry."

"You don't seem very comfortable discussing this, Red. Why'd you bring it up?"

"I was just curious, alright? Can we talk about something else, please? It was a mistake to ask in the first place."

"Ah, don't worry about it. Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"

"Uh... Well, what... um... Did... Did you have a nice time? At your grandma's?"

"Yeah, it was great! We raked the yard, ate some dinner, I got to introduce Celestia to a part of my family... Celestia and I talked about our feelings for a while. Actually..." I turned around again and plugged my phone into the computer.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Nothing important." I replied, "Well, maybe a little. I took a picture of Celestia while we were playing in the leaves."

"Oh, a photo? It's cute."

Though it was still a thumbnail, she could see it from where she was on the couch. I looked back at her. "You must like carrots."

She smiled brightly. "I've always had good eyes."

"What other kind of skills do you have?"

"Well, I have great hearing, I'm quick on my feet, I'm pretty good in a fight, I can pick locks, I'm a competent magician..." She stopped listing her skills, growing desolate. "Magic is a lot harder to cast in this world. Princess Celestia was still able to use such powerful magic. I couldn't defend myself from her. She's in a whole other league."

"Celestia hides her powerful side around me." I said, "She's never anything more than kind, caring, and compassionate."

"That's how she is in Equestria, as well. She was always so soft and gentle. You were right. When I got to know her, she was so nice to me, even after all I did. It's so weird seeing her act this way. Wait a minute... She's been acting weird recently, and you... well, you... you know... Is the Princess pregnant?"

"No, she's not pregnant. She would tell me if she was."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright, just asking... Just asking."

I sighed. "I think coming down here was a mistake."

"Oh yeah? You getting sick of me already?"

"I should have stayed with Celestia. I think she needs me and I left her alone because I was scared of saying something wrong."

"That's what I thought was going on. Go get her, champ. Good luck. Bring me back a souvenir." She laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

I went back upstairs. Celestia was in the bedroom, same as before. I gave the door a small knock and said, "Coming in."

There was no response. I opened the door and moved inside. Celestia was lying on her side, her body under the covers. She glanced at me as I walked in. I closed the door behind us so we could be alone.

"Are you alright, Celestia?" I asked, kneeling next to her.

"I'm alright. I'll... be fine. I've dealt with this before." She was depressed. I knew that tone of voice all too well.

"You don't have to deal with this alone, Celestia." I offered.

"You couldn't understand how much this means to me."

"Celestia."

"You could have met another woman and had a family of your own. Instead, you chose me and I led you to believe that... that I..." It sounded like she was breaking down again.

I placed my hand over hers, sitting next to her on the bed.

"What a strange family we would make." she said. She looked up to me, her big, sad eyes piercing my heart.

"I don't... I don't have anything to say to you, Celestia. Nothing that would pull you out of this rut. But I want you to know that I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. I want to be with you when you're sad and when you're happy and every other time in between because I love you, Celestia."

She let out a small chuckle. "It almost sounds like you're proposing to me."

"Maybe it does."

"Y-You're not, are you?" There was a sudden panic in her voice. She sat up, getting level with me.

"No, honey. Not right now."

"Not... r-right... N-NOW?" More panic.

I sighed, giving her a smile. "Deep breaths, honey."

She had a nervous smile on her face. "You're starting to scare me a little with all this."

"That so?"

She gave a quick nod.

"You already said you would, Celestia."

"I... I what? What did I say?"

"You said you'd marry me if I got you pregnant."

"I... I said that... That's right... I did say that... That's... That's right..."

"Did you mean it, Princess?"

"I..." She nodded again. Tears started to form in her eyes. "Of course I did." She paused and looked away. "I really did."

I smiled at her again. I really didn't know what to say about all this. I figured if I kept her talking, maybe something good would come of it. We gazed at each other. We did this a lot. Was it normal for people in relationships to just look at each other like this? I don't know.

"Hey, Celestia..."

"Hmm?" She wiped her eyes.

"Would you like me to stay home with you the next few days? I could take a few days off work."

She smiled. "Phil, no. Please. I'll be fine. You know me. You've already done more than enough for me."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Of course. I always have Red to talk to."

"You and Red haven't been making any plans, have you?"

"Perhaps. Have you been making plans with her?"

"Not a lot."

"I know when you're talking to her, you know."

"Well... I'm allowed to talk to her, aren't I?"

"Of course, of course. I can't very well say you can't when I speak to her as much as I do."

"You've been getting along well with her, recently."

"I suppose. Do you... have any regrets about her, honey?" she asked.

"No."

"I'm glad. If you have no regrets, then I don't either. If becoming her friend was a mistake, then I don't want to be right. I have to, though. For my kingdom. She has to be an example, not an exception."

"She asked me to visit her. When she's in jail. She told me that she won't have anyone else."

"How sad. She's a kind young woman. Perhaps I could visit her in your stead."

The two of us went silent for a long time. I just sat next to her as she laid on my bed.

"Hey, Phil?" she started, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Would you... Would you really want to become the father of my children?"

"Celestia?"

"Would you, Phil? Would you... truly want that?"

"Y-Yeah! Of course, Celestia! I..." Did I? I had trouble finding the words to continue.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Celestia... I'm scared of having children."

"I know, honey. I am, too."

"I don't know if I'm ready, Celestia."

"Me either. I don't think I'll ever be ready."

"I want a little more time with you, Celestia. Just you and me, for a little while longer."

She nodded. "I think I understand."

"I might be a bit young and... stupid, but I know that I love you. Whatever you think that love includes, that's what I want. The thought of us getting married and starting a family... It's scary. I'm sure you're scared, too. It's a scary thing. But you're already a part of my family, Celestia."

"Wh-What?"

"Celestia... I want to ask you something important. What is marriage to you?"

"What is... Wh-What is... Oh my gosh... Oh no... No-no-no... Y-you're not... Are you?"

I placed my finger over her lips to quiet her. "Please."

She swallowed, then gave me a quick nod. I removed my finger so she could speak. "R-Right. W-Well... t-to me... marriage is... marriage... is... Why are you... asking?"

"I want to know, Celestia. What is it to you?" I repeated.

"Marriage... It's when two people who love each other become... become..." Her voice lowered. "A real family..."

I stared at her, not satisfied. "But what does it mean to you."

"To me?"

I nodded at her. "I know there's a lot more that you want to say, Celestia. It's just me here. Tell me."

She gave me a slow, understanding nod. I wasn't here to judge. "To me... Marriage is the most sacred of vows. It's the most powerful commitment one could make. It's a promise to love one another until the end of time. But... It's even more than that." Her voice got softer. "It's... It's when a husband and wife wake up next to each other with a smile each morning. When they hold each other, their hearts beat in sync. When they look into each other's eyes, they fall in love all over again. When they're with each other, they know that everything will be alright, no matter how bad it gets." She sniffed, then wiped her eyes with her arm. "Sorry..."

I reached for her face and placed my hand on her cheek. She lightly grabbed my wrist and smiled at me.

"Keep going, Celestia."

I took my hand back. She held onto it as I lowered it to the bed. Her eyes drifted downwards. "Marriage is... It's been a dream of mine for so long now. Ever since I was a child. I've wanted to get married for as long as I can remember. Then... you came along and... we became lovers. Now you're speaking to me as if... as if it were normal."

"Do you really want to start a family with me? Me, Celestia? Of all people?"

She nodded. "Of course, you. I love you, Phil. I don't want to hear you say that I deserve better. I want you. When I heard you tell Luna that you might... ask me to be yours, I felt so happy. I found myself crying at the thought of it. I'm... I'm truly sorry for eavesdropping. I... I was curious. I have no excuse."

"It's alright, honey. I love you, more than... More than I've loved anyone else before. More than I love myself... You're my sun. My little sunflower... What I told Luna was something that seemed so far off, but now that you're here with me, it doesn't seem far at all. So... yeah. I want to marry you."

Her eyes began to water. "I... I feel the same."

We stared at each other for a while. Celestia still seemed ready to cry at a moment's notice, but at this point, they may have been tears of joy. She looked beautiful right now. More beautiful than before. Was it because of her expression, or was it something more?

"D-Does this mean that... we... we're... engaged?"

I looked downwards. "I don't know. I haven't given you a ring, yet."

"I don't care about a ring."

"I do." I replied, a little force behind my words, "We each want our own versions of this. If I can't kneel in front of you with a ring in my hand, then what kind of man would I be?"

"You would be my man." She paused. "If it's what you truly want, I won't take it from you. I was looking forward to it, myself."

The two of us chuckled together, finding her little reveal amusing.

She continued. "But... if not now, then when?"

"That's not easy to answer. Our situation isn't exactly ideal. But... What you said... It got me interested."

"What I said?"

"If we were to have a child, I would be happy to marry you. But until then, being forced to live half my life away from my wife... It doesn't sound nice at all. Right now, I don't even know when I'll get to see you again."

She nodded slowly. "Our situation is... complicated."

"How would we even raise a child, Celestia? We won't be together all the time. It can't be healthy."

"I... I've given that some thought, Phil. If we were to have a child, I would want to live here with you."

"Wh-What?"

"At least, that's what I would like to do. As you have said, our situation complicates things."

"Man..." I rubbed my neck. "Are you sure that's the best course of action?"

"Of course not. How could I be?"

"I dunno, Celestia."

"What about you?"

"Me? I dunno. It's hard to say, you know?"

"What if I were pregnant right now? What would you want?"

"Right now? Geez, Celestia..." I started to think of an answer, but as I did, I only felt doubt. I'm scared. I can't handle a child. I'm not responsible enough. I'm not strong enough. I'm a bad influence. I'm too young. I don't like kids. My house is too small. I don't make enough money. I could never forgive myself if I raised them wrong. I would never want to bring a child into this world. I could never raise them how Celestia would want. I could never match her love.

"Honey?" Celestia noticed my silence.

I looked at her. The longer I wallowed in my own self-doubt, the harder it became for me to accept that answering truthfully wouldn't make her happy. I chose cowardice over trying to face the truth together. "I can't answer that." I said, "I'm only 25, Celestia. I'm not prepared for a child."

She looked away. I think she was disappointed, but I couldn't tell for sure. I'm sure she realized that I didn't answer her. Finally, she turned back to me, a small, comforting smile on her face. "That's ok. Neither am I. Oh! If I delivered a child in this world, would she be able to come to Equestria?"

"That's... That's a good question."

"I wouldn't want to deliver her without you with me, but I wouldn't want to prevent her from coming home with me. Hmm..."

"Her?" I asked.

"I want a daughter."

"Oh. Well, alright. Celestia, this is really complicated."

"I know, honey."

"But... you know, I feel like this is perfectly normal."

"Normal?"

"Yeah. What we're going through. It's normal. Well, most of it, at least. We're thinking about the future, we're scared we might do something wrong, and... I imagine, at least... we're both scared of the thought of actually becoming parents."

"I..." She nodded. "Yeah. I'm scared."

"What parent knows how to raise their first child? It's normal to be scared. I don't want you to think you're alone when you feel this way."

She nodded.

"Getting married, having children, living together. It's what normal couples do. Maybe it's the scariest thing there is."

She smiled warmly. The tears that had formed in her eyes had vanished. After a small while, she spoke again. "What would you do? If I were to move in with you. If we were to become... parents."

"I'd... Well, I'd get a new home."

"A new home?"

I nodded. "Someplace bigger. Someplace where we'd have room. Someplace with more than one bedroom. If we... If you and I really had a kid... I'd want a better life. I'd want to give you a better life, even before myself. A life where you wouldn't have to do nothing all day. I want that now, even. I don't like leaving you here with nothing to entertain yourself with."

"Phil, please."

"I mean it, honey. I don't feel right leaving just for you to sit around without anything to do."

"There's plenty for me to do, Phil. You don't have to worry about me."

"Are you sure? Aren't you bored?"

"Are you bored?" she asked.

"Well, no. Not really. Sometimes, I guess."

"I enjoy relaxing, Phil. Perhaps you should take a deep breath and enjoy the simpler things in life. Besides, when you're away, I can look forward to you coming home!" Her smile was wide. "And when you're here, it's impossible to be bored! We always talk or cuddle or... even make love. There's always something to do. If this is how it will be when we get married, then I wouldn't want it any other way."

I hesitated. "Even if you say that, I feel inadequate. It's like you're saying that just to make me feel better."

"Stop it, honey. You're wonderful."

"Thank you, Celestia."

"You still have no idea how much you mean to me."

"Yeah... I guess I don't. Maybe I'll figure it out someday. Maybe I'll figure it out by the time I lift your veil and see your beautiful, smiling face."

"Oh, honey..."

"I love you, Celestia."

"I love you, too."

I crawled over to her on the bed and sat next to her. Our backs were resting against the headboard. I looked to her, smiling. She sighed and leaned against me.

"I love your romanticism." she said.

I wrapped my arm around her waist. "You and I are gonna make a great family some day."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Promise." I'm not one to make promises easily. She probably realized this by now. I only did when I knew I could deliver. Right now, I truly believed my own words.

She turned to me. Her face got closer to mine. A moment later, our lips were together. She soon pulled back, smiling her warm smile.

We kissed again. Our eyes had closed. She grabbed my hand and lowered it from her waist to her bottom. She became more forceful with me. Her tongue pushed into my mouth. I did my best to follow her movements. I felt her grasp for my other hand, which was near her lap. She pulled on it until my palm was pressing against her soft breast. She gasped and let go of me, leaving my hand where it was.

This really shouldn't continue. Not right now, at least. I pulled my hand away from her chest, then pulled my lips from hers. She opened her eyes, her eyebrows angled down in confusion.

She looked down. "I'm sorry." There was an unexpected shame in her voice.

"Celestia..."

I wrapped my arms around her. She laid her head against my chest, returning my embrace.

"I want her to go." she said.

"I know, Celestia."

"I want to be alone again. Our love was supposed to be private. I came here without guards so we could make love in peace. This isn't fair. I have needs just like anypony else."

"It's alright, honey. We'll get our chance."

She sighed, clearly disappointed.

We held each other for a long time. It was nice. Peaceful.

"Your sister never braided my hair." she murmured, breaking the silence.

"Huh? Oh yeah. She said she wanted to. Do you want me to?"

"Hmm?"

"'Cause I can. If you want."

"You... know how to braid hair?"

"I grew up with my sister. Of course I know how to braid."

"Well... by all means." she said to me, her spirits lifting.

"Here, scoot." I instructed, giving her room.

She slid forward on the bed. I sat behind her, taking her long, soft hair into my hands. There was a bit of regret in the back of my mind as I ran my hands down the length of her hair. This would be a lot of work. She seemed to enjoy my hands running through her hair. I combed through it with my fingers, letting her silky smooth locks flow around them.

I immediately ran into a problem. I was only taught how to braid with three locks, but Celestia's hair had four distinct colors. With no interest in learning a new technique, I began mixing the strands of her hair together. As if it had a mind of its own, her hair refused to cooperate, always separating as quickly as I mixed it.

"What in the world are you doing?" She laughed.

I felt as if I had been defeated by her hair. The battle was lost, but the war was far from over. Against the wishes of her hair, I grabbed a handful and draped it over her shoulder as I began. It wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be, there was just a lot of moving around. I kept tossing her hair over her shoulders and pulling it back to keep it separated. She seemed quite entertained by my antics.

Even with her occasional assistance, my arms had gotten sore by the time I was finished. Celestia had to keep moving away from me so I could continue down the length of her hair. As I reached the end, a thought occurred. I didn't have a hair tie. Hmm... Wait, I think I had some in my nightstand drawer. Thankfully, her hair was more than long enough to reach over and search. I just needed to hold her braid in place with my other hand or it would come undone.

"What are you doing, honey?" she asked, watching me blindly open and reach into the drawer.

"I need a hair tie." I answered.

She leaned towards the drawer. "Here, let me help. No, not that. Deeper. Close. No, that's the... uh... Closer. There you go, that's it! Oops, you dropped it. Let me get it." She reached into the drawer and dropped it into my hand.

"You could've got it the whole time?"

"Well, of course." she replied, smiling.

I bundled the end of her hair together and made sure it was tight enough to stay on its own. I ran my hand down the hair I had just styled.

"Is it done?" she asked.

"Yep. Check it out." I threw her braid over her shoulder.

She reached her hands to her braid, slowly examining it by running them along the many bumps. "I love it."

I wrapped my arms around her from behind. "I love you."

She lowered her hands to my arms. "I love you, too."

I held her for a long while. She always enjoyed my affection.

She let out a short sigh.

"Hmm?"

"It's nothing." she said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm horny."

I chuckled. "I know, honey. We're going to have to bear it."

"Is it so wrong to want a physical relationship?"

"Come on, we're adults. We can take a break from love making."

"This isn't what I had in mind when I came here." she complained.

"I know, honey. It's alright. After she leaves, you and I can fuck like bunnies."

She giggled. "My, you sure know how to make a lady swoon."

"You're no lady."

"What am I?"

"I think you know."

"Say it."

I closed in on her ear and gently nibbled her earlobe before whispering the answer.

"Oh my... You're such a bully, Phil. Turning me on while we have a guest... Shame on you."

"I think I know how to make it up to you."

"A quickie in the shower?"

"Besides that."

"Aw..." She sounded disappointed. "What is it?"

"Ice cream."

"Oh, you know me so well. The perfect thing to cool me off."

"Not just any kind of ice cream, though. Drumsticks!"

"Oh! I love drumsticks!"

"See? I knew you'd feel better. The only problem is that I don't have any, so we'd have to go get some."

"And I can show off my pretty braid while we're out!" She laughed again.

I patted her side. "I'm gonna go start the car. Grab your coat and come out when you're ready. And make sure Red has the phone, alright?"

She gave me a cheery, "Ok!"

I let her go and got off the bed. She was smiling at me as I looked back at her. She looked cute right now. She always looks cute.

Keys, wallet, hoodie. Phone, umbrella... I picked up what I needed from around the house before heading outside. Celestia headed to the basement as I walked out the front door.

"Hello, Phil!" An upbeat voice greeted me as I got to the car. One I recognized.

"Well, there goes my good mood." I sighed. Queen Chrysalis. Again.

"Oh, don't be like that. We're best friends, right? What's with that look? We are friends, aren't we?"

"Maybe."

"Yes or no." Her cheerfulness suddenly disappeared. I think she had an ulterior motive.

"Well, then yes. I guess."

"Good. Since we're friends, I have another favor to ask."

"There's a catch to our friendship?"

"Call it what you will, but I need something else done."

"Fine. What?"

"Something important. You'll see. The reason I came to you now is to give you your reward beforehand." She held out a clenched hand to me.

"What? Why?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, this matter is far more important than my stuffed bear. I have my reasons. I need your help, but I need time first."

I looked at her hand for a small while before moving mine under hers. She dropped something heavy into my hand. I looked at what it was.

"Uh... What is this?" I asked in disbelief. A coin. Small, heavy, yellow... It was gold. A gold coin.

"I don't know how much you'd want for this. I don't know what your money is worth. Gold, however... Gold is always a good incentive."

I weighed it in my hand, failing to correctly measure it.

"It's half an ounce." she answered before I asked. She seemed apathetic towards it.

"That's still a lot of money here! Are... Are you serious?" I looked back up at her in disbelief, not at all used to such a gift.

"Enjoy your trip. I'll give you more details later."

"Wh-What? No, you gotta tell me now!"

"Phil, I thought you said you were going to start the car!" Celestia called from the doorway.

I quickly looked back at her, then back where Chrysalis was standing. Gone, as if she never were. She Batmaned me.

"Is everything... alright?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Forgot what I was doing."

"Oh. Well come on, let's go!"

"Aren't you excitable."

"I'm just... happy."

"I'm glad."

"I'm glad, too." She giggled.

I stepped to the passenger side to help her in. She thanked me as I closed the door. I sighed to myself as I moved to my side. My dingy little car isn't suitable for her to travel in. Ignoring another of my inadequacies, I sat next to her and drove us to the store. It brightened my mood that I was able to get Celestia out of the house. I could spend time with her alone. It may not have been private, but it was enough for me.

It was hard to forget about the gold coin in my pocket. What does Chrysalis want in return? I couldn't sell it without doing her favor first. It would be dishonest. Even if it was Chrysalis, I would feel guilty. Maybe I could take Celestia on a real vacation with this thing. Not just to the Dells, but on a real vacation, maybe by the ocean. Oh, she'd love that. Gosh... My first thought wasn't that I could pay bills or buy myself any more computer parts... It was that I could take Celestia on an expensive trip.

She giggled. "What's with that smile?"

"I just remembered something."

"Oh?"

"I remembered how much I love you."

Another giggle. "Is that so?"

"Yep. I love you."

"I love you too."

"I love you." I repeated.

"What's gotten into you, honey? Are we really going to get Drumsticks?"

"Love you."

"I... love you too." she said, giggling.

I laughed with her. I think this is what our relationship should be right now. The two of us laughing at nothing at all. I don't know if I wanted anything more.

I took in a deep breath. "I'm scared, Celestia." I said, my cheerful tone contradicting my words, "So all I can ask from you is your patience. I'm not going to ask you now, but one day, I will. And when that day comes, I want to hear you say it, Celestia."

I heard her breathe a faint whisper to herself, "I do."

"Until then, Celestia... We just love each other. You think you can do that for me?"

"Y-Yes! Of course! I'll be patient! I'll be patient for as long as you need. I've waited this long. I can... I can wait a little longer."

"You're my little sunflower, Celestia. Don't you forget that."

"I won't. I won't ever forget. Oh Phil, you're acting so strange."

"Is it strange to love you the way I do, Celestia?"

"N-No, of course not! I... I love you, too."

With my little speech gone, we had finally arrived at the store. Celestia's braid swayed back and forth as she got out of the car. It looked quite nice, I felt. Celestia joined me on my side of the car before we grabbed each other's hands and moved inside.

"You know, this is probably a good time to just pick up some groceries." I said, picking out a cart.

"Wasn't that what we were doing?"

"Ice cream isn't groceries."

"Lying won't do you any good, Phil." She giggled.

"What do we need, do you think?"

"Snacks! Lots of snacks."

"Besides snacks."

"Hmm... Apple juice. And milk."

"Right, apple juice and milk." I repeated, "Apple juice, milk, snacks, ice cream, bread, peanut butter... Uh... I need more toothbrushes. Toilet paper. Pizza rolls."

"Fruits and vegetables."

"I'll let you pick those out."

"Yay! I want some more strawberries."

"Mmm..."

"Don't complain, honey. You don't have to eat them. I can share them with Red. You're a picky eater, you know that?"

"I'm an adult, I'm allowed to be picky. Besides, I thought you said strawberries were too cold for your nipples."

"They were too cold. They were covered in water, I didn't expect it. These store-bought packages are nothing like fresh strawberries."

"I could prepare a smorgasbord of fruits and sweets and we could see which tastes best when eaten off your naked body."

"Oh, I like the sound of that."

"We could try some more chocolate sauce too, if you want. And whipped cream."

"No, the last time we tried that, it was a huge mess. It got all over the bed."

"It was fun, though."

She giggled. "Yes, it was."

"It's not the worst thing that's gotten onto that bed, either."

Another giggle. "That's true. Oh, I've missed our creative love making."

"You just miss getting to eat in bed."

She stifled a laugh, snorting behind her hand. "Perhaps you're right."

I chuckled to myself, enjoying our playful banter. "Anyways, you think Red might want somethin'?"

She shrugged. "Maybe. She doesn't eat much."

"You have been letting her eat, haven't you?"

"What? Of course I have! I don't eat that much. Actually, Red has a much healthier diet than I. She's rather muscular for a woman of her age."

"She doesn't have anyone to lick chocolate sauce off of."

More wonderful laughter. "Stop it Phil! You're starting to embarrass me!"

"Oh! Potatoes! I can make some fried potatoes sometime." I said, more groceries coming to mind.

"I like potatoes."

As we walked through the store to collect our groceries, I semi-jokingly suggested more foods for us to add to our 'smorgasbord'. Her amusement at my dedication to a joke was endless. I think she also realized that I wasn't joking, which made the joke even more enjoyable. Teasing her was one of my favorite parts of any day.

Our shopping list was fairly straightforward, but it soon became a shopping amorphous-blob as Celestia threw anything she wanted into the cart. She was like a kid with a credit card, obsessed with her sweet treats. I was happy to pay for any kind of food she wanted. After all, I got to eat it too.

There was a brief hesitation from her as she reached for a nearby bottle of chocolate sauce. She gave me a look, smirked, then grabbed two and put them into the cart. Luckily, I loved chocolate milk, so win-win. Of course, near the chocolate was the ice cream of our dreams, drumsticks. The whole reason we came here. I knew they would be eaten pretty much instantly, so I made sure to collect a few boxes for our little rag-tag family back home.

Though there were no direct interactions, Celestia politely greeted many of the people we passed in the aisles. Some greeted us back, some nodded, some merely grunted, and some simply ignored us. I noticed some passing glances at my goddess of a girlfriend from both men and women alike. I hope they liked her new hairstyle. I did.

Celestia convinced me to use the self-bagging aisle at the checkout. I didn't really want to, but she thought it would be fun, so I didn't put up much resistance. Celestia scanned the food and sent them down the conveyor belt for me to bag.

"That's everything!" she called as the last bag of bread moved down the conveyor.

"What are the damages?" I asked, placing the last bag into the cart.

"Um... Oh! It says... $145.53. That sounds like a lot."

"We bought a lot of food." I replied, card in hand.

"Did I get too many snacks?"

"No, no. You wanna learn how to use a debit card?"

"Ok!"

I handed her the card and led her through the process of paying for groceries with a debit card. I also briefly explained what a debit card was, as she seemed somewhat confused.

Celestia was beaming all the way home. She had such an unexpected enthusiasm today. I wonder what's gotten into her. Maybe I should take her out more.

Throughout the whole trip, I found myself fondling the coin I had received. Part of me didn't want to tarnish it, but I just couldn't help myself. What did Chrysalis want from me? Did Luna know what Chrysalis wanted me to do? I'll have to tell Celestia about this sometime. I don't feel comfortable keeping it from her, but I just couldn't take away her smile.

As I opened the door to the house, I called inside for Red.

"What's up?" she responded from the basement.

"We're back, get up here and help us with groceries!"

"Help you with groceries? Do I have to?"

"You wanna eat, don't ya?" I called back.

"What? Seriously? Fine. Be there in a sec." Red joined us in the living room as we brought in our first set of bags.

"There's not much. I just wanted you to know what we got so you can find it when you get hungry." I told her.

"I'm already up here, let's do this."

"Hold on." I took off my hoodie and gave it to her. "It's cold out."

"Thanks." Her appreciation seemed somewhat sarcastic, though she equipped the too-big hoodie regardless. "What in the world happened to your hair?" she asked Celestia.

Celestia smiled proudly. "You like it? Phil did it for me."

"Yeah, it..." She stifled a giggle. "Looks great. Really... Really nailed it there, buddy." She snorted, then started to laugh.

"I don't think she likes it." I said.

Celestia was still smiling, unaffected by Red's teasing. "Don't worry. She's just jealous that she doesn't have a boyfriend to braid her hair for her."

Red stopped laughing immediately. "For your information, I've had plenty of guys that wanted to be my boyfriend!" she growled.

Celestia laughed. "I'm sorry, Red. I was joking."

"Celestia, be nice to Red. She's allowed to be jealous if she wants."

"I am not jealous!"

Despite her protests, Red helped us just as I had asked. When all the bags were inside, I made sure the trunk was closed before joining Celestia and Red. It was getting colder outside. Winter coats may soon be in order.

Red was trying to escape back downstairs as I walked back in. "Oh, no you don't!" I stopped her. "Gotta help put it away."

"Seriously?"

"It won't take long."

She sighed. "Fine."

Like I said, it didn't take long. Red was back downstairs in less than five minutes, leaving Celestia and I alone.

"Want one?" Celestia asked, mouth full, a box of Twinkies in her hand. She offered the box to me and gave it a shake.

I reached inside and took one. "I didn't even see you open this."

She merely shrugged and took another bite. Celestia is so much more beautiful when she's happy. Sadness doesn't suit her. Cheer always filled the house when she smiled.

I unwrapped mine and took a bite. As I ate, I began thinking about the coin in my pocket again. What if she wanted something that would strain my relationship with Celestia? I'd hate to have to give this back. What if she wanted something dangerous? I heard she was crueler in the comics. She's not to be taken lightly.

Maybe I could use the coin to buy a ring.