Ch. 1 - The Surrounding Chaos That Does Not Matter
Author's Note
Now with added SPACES IN THE TEXT.
Sorry for not putting them in sooner, I'm a pretentious a-hole.
Ch. 1 - The Surrounding Chaos That Does Not Matter
(Teenlight Sparkle has a night of firsts at the punk rock show)
Walking is difficult. Difficult but entertaining. The battered asphalt beneath her shoes is like the rubber of a bouncy-castle. Every step is a mile wide. Other than her legs being jelly, her limbs float on clouds and her head weighs absolutely nothing.
Sunset and Riot are discussing something, Twilight has no idea if it is by any means important. She simply goes along with their little pack. There is a destination, or an idea of one. This mysterious gig that Riot mentioned. They pass familiar streets and buildings that right now hold an entirely different guise than last she saw them.
Darkness has come crashing down over the otherwise golden surrounding. The last warm light of the sun has been defeated by a summer night sky mainly of deep azure. There is a myriad of colours mixing in the last light, going in waves across the darkening sky. Orange, pink, something that looks like green.
Twilight spends more time with eyes locked to the majestic sky than checking her route. Hearing the murmur from Sunset and Riot is enough for her shaky navigation. She has seen many magical phenomena in the Equestrian sky but nothing rivals the mundane beauty of an evening sky in this world.
She has seen this picturesque heaven many times before but tonight she has been shown its beauty. She goes over the events in her head. An awkward little call from Sunset. A moment to warm up in her room. The company proved itself to be excellent and it was all woven together with music.
She raises her near-empty bottle of cider and drinks absent-mindedly as she thinks about music for a moment. The album back at Sunset's place really hit home and the assault of melodic noise in Riot's garage affected her more than she would have thought. Some of the songs still ring in her head, offering a bit of a different soundtrack to this part of the journey.
Along with the music in her head is this strange, creeping feeling that brings butterflies to her stomach. Is it anticipation? Perhaps fear? Twilight reluctantly removes her gaze from the sky and lets it rest on the back of Sunset's head for a moment. Calmth surges through her but the butterflies remain. Sunset... She has been so sweet. She really managed to open up and whatever remains of her awkwardness is just adorable.
The purple girl watches Sunset's red and yellow hair flow in the mild evening breeze. Thick locks of curled hair waving and twirling as the wind tries to lift them with insufficient strength. There is a thought that sits on the very brink of her brain. Like having a word on the tip of her tongue.
The realization hits Twilight like a freight train. Sunset is beautiful. Like, really gorgeously attractive. Her knowing little smile that shines even when she is lost in thought. Her big, bright eyes that remain intense even in this haze that holds them both. Straining her mind for a minute, Twilight manages a few coherent thoughts about how close she has gotten to Sunset given just a few hours tonight.
Not only getting comfortable in the little conversation they had but also being happy to be around each other. Even getting a little affectionate physically. Holding hands and cuddling up against each other at least. A few moments in that trashed sofa is already a treasured memory. Well, a good memory for the next five minutes in either case.
She rushes a bit to get alongside the others and without word or warning grabs Sunset's arm. The fire-maned girl lets out a little noise of surprise and gives Twilight a bewildered look. Her face instantly eases as she understands that the sudden assailant is none other than her purple goddess.
She gives Twilight a long, meaningful look and then turns back to Riot to continue or perhaps finish her conversation. Twilight is satisfied with just being close. She wraps both arms around Sunset's and leans in as close as comfortably possible while walking. The conversation between the others seems to be about whatever bands are playing. Twilight lets their words fall on deaf ears for a moment longer, she does not know these small local bands and she does not care. Music feels as if it would taste rather delicious in any form right now.
She nuzzles her face against Sunset's arm and takes a deep breath through her nose. She has her own certain scent. In truth, everyone does. Only that this scent matters, more than anyone else. It calms the spinning in Twilight's head for a moment. At least long enough for her to wonder where her bottle of cider went.
She distinctly remembers the taste of cider just a moment ago and her dry mouth cries for salvation in the flavour of apples. Wait, the taste of music? No. The taste of apples and the... Feeling of music. Twilight wants to slap her own forehead, her thoughts are so tangled she cannot even make sense to herself anymore. She takes another great lungful of Sunset's delightful smell. This time Sunset notices. Twilight feels another strange tingle in the back of her mind as their eyes meet.
Should she feel some kind of shame for just blatantly sniffing her arm? She does not feel any manner of shame or the likes. The thought lingers for a moment. She is unsure she has any kind of answer to that question, it is something she has not dealt with before. When was the last time she smelled someone with a scent so... Intriguing?
Never, is the answer. There is just something about Sunset. Pheromones perhaps. Twilight has read about stuff like that, she just has not experienced it before. The mingling of intoxicating substances in her brain dances with a new partner, the scary and exciting feeling of infatuation. Pondering more about Sunset's scent, Twilight is soon met by a further quandary in pretty much the same category.
What does Sunset taste like? How does one go about tasting her? Twilight is not exactly the most experienced when it comes to kissing. The very thought makes her a bit jittery, partially in a nervous way but also in a resolute sting of excitement. A few ideas and scenarios flash by in her mind. All short and vague, scenes from books and films under some foggy filter.
She holds back a girlish little squeak and squeezes Sunset's arm harder. This brings Sunset to raise a hand and gently caress Twilight's fingers. The purple girl almost dies on the spot. Never before in the history of caresses has such a simple, careful stroke of fingers been more well-placed and timed. Twilight feels electricity shoot down her spine, none of this is wrong, its all just to good to even dream. The moment. The glorious moment.
She throws a glance over to Riot. The mohawked one is happily trudging along in her worn boots, apparently never without a drink or smoke to her lips. A walking stereotype perhaps but definitely the right little gateway-drug to this party. Twilight feels like there is a great big ball of light spinning inside of her, threatening to burst. A light that would sear through the early evening gloom like a long, whip of lightning. She keeps it in, no idea how or why. Just as Twilight is getting over this existential crisis of figuring out whether she is a girl or if she is celestial light, Riot seems to snap out of her zen, smile and offer another bottle of cider.
Sunset takes it, removes the only obstacle; the cap and offers the first sip to Twilight. The princess of friendship looks at the wonderful bounty presented to her. There is an issue, she has to release at least one hand of the grip of Sunset to take it. She is suddenly caught up in an internal war that lasts ages, hundreds of years.
Sunset wiggles the pristine drink in Twilight's field of vision and the warring factions come to a shaky standstill. She takes the bottle and locks eyes with the fire-maned girl for a moment. A swig of the drink. It tastes just as good as ever. Riot is the angel of intoxication and Sunset is the main deity of worship. As the golden liquid rushes down her throat, the war-torn country of Teenlight Sparkle joins under one banner. She takes another sip and then offers the drink back to Sunset.
She accepts it and Twilight clamps her fingers around her arm in a firm grip yet again, observing closely as Sunset puts the small glass ring against her lips. She watches with half-contained feverish desire and envies the bottle for the entire while it takes Sunset to carefully tip some cider into her mouth. Sunset lowers the bottle and smiles for Twilight, a shy, mysterious expression. Did she notice? Does she know? Twilight hopes she senses everything, that she knows. At the same time, she has absolutely no idea what to say if Sunset actually did.
Just as the fire-maned girl is about to say something, she is interrupted by Riot, who breaks the little bubble of tension that has slowly been building. She points and steps off to a side-street with a high-pitched sound of excitement. When directing her attention thataways, Twilight understands why. The street is littered with people, gathered in little groups or standing in a not-so long line.
Muffled music can be heard spilling out into the street from an open basement. It is obvious from the crowd and the sound that they have arrived at the beforehand mentioned punk rock show. The sound of a bottle smashing cuts through the muffled murmur of mixed sounds. Riot starts off ahead with sudden speed and a wide grin. Soon greetings are exchanged with a small group of boys that are just as elaborately adorned in punk uniforms as Riot. Handshakes go around and a few hugs on top.
Twilight and Sunset stand silent in the background before Riot urges them on. They are soon surrounded by the boys as Riot leads them towards the line and beyond. Fist-bumping one of the bouncers, she gives the rest of the little group a missing-tooth smile and little wave. Skipping the line and just waltzing in, they are all hit by a thick wall of raw sound. Twilight squeezes Sunset's arm but there is a big smile on her face. The rattling noise of a broken drumset along with violent shrieks from both singer and guitar is strangely hypnotizing.
Young bodies are flung back and forth in a wild dance. A swirling sea of limbs to match the violent wall of sound. Riot motions on into the crowd but Twilight hesitates. Sunset looks from the mohawked girl to the purple beauty on her arm but before she has any chance to react to the situation, Riot has already shrugged and bounded off into the sweaty chaos. Twilight looks to Sunset only to find her smiling broadly.
Apparently there is no more need for Riot right now. The turmoil under the low ceiling does not yet cover the entire room. It gives the few that are not already flailing a temporary respite to observe the madness and perhaps have a few moments for themselves in this beautiful chaos.
They stand still for a moment that feels like minutes. The song ends, abrupt and to the sound of a roaring crowd. The ferocity of the onlookers is both invigorating and intimidating at the same time. As the singer announces the next song with a little rant about current politics, Sunset takes the opportunity to hustle Twilight along the edge of the crowd, over to one wall.
Just as they get there, the song begins and the crowd erupts once more. Sunset has just reached the wall and begun to turn around when Twilight is hit in the back, trips and falls. Like a surprised ragdoll, she drops face-first into Sunset's chest. The moderately sized but delightfully soft padding saves the purple girl's face while it knocks the air out of the one who receives. Twilight feels Sunset's strong grip first keep her standing, then hoist her up as the fire-maned girl takes a long, ragged gasp for air.
Twilight looks up with panic in her eyes but is met by a great big smile. Sunset puts on a good facade at least. Twilight feels a girlish giggle rush through her entire being. The sound is tiny and drowns instantly in the raging torrent that is the show. Although Sunset quite clearly notices and the expression on Twilight's face is hard to mistake. She breathes in once more, steadier this time. Her lips remain slightly parted while her wide-open eyes are completely locked with Twilight's.
There is a sharp flash of something in the large, purple orbs. Sunset feels Twilight's trembling hand make its way up over her arm and shoulder. Well there, the purple girl suddenly grips her collar. Firmly determined. Sunset manages another short breath before her attention is completely overtaken by the little fact that Twilight is now hovering just in front of her face and with the movement and angle...
Twilight's lips are trembling as they impact with Sunset's. Careful, just a brush. A tiny transfer of wetness, softness and warmth. A faint breath. It is as if electricity surges through them both. The hammering chaos of the room is completely forgotten. Another aiming for lips and the search is quicker this time. Twilight can feel Sunset's arm crawl up her back and into her hair.
Their lips smudge against each other. They jerk back. A brief glance of each face. Instantly back into it. Lips meet, no longer carefully testing but with a bit of want, a bit of longing. The two girls connect, embracing, holding, fingers searching for somewhere to remain. The kiss breaks, resumes and breaks again. They both breathe in deep and exhale, looking to each other with startled expressions. A few blinks later and they both look to the side, almost simultaneously.
Twilight smiles, softly but surely and looks back to Sunset's face. She lets out a soundless snicker, emptying her lungs with a happy, panicked kind of look. Sunset looks up as Twilight catches her breath, the rest of the world on the afterburner long ago. The fire-maned girl is reluctantly trying to speak as Twilight loudly and proudly announces something.
"That was my first kiss."
