By the Apple Tree

Tickling the quill tip along the underside of her chin, Twilight skimmed through her notes. Knitting her brow, she released an aggravated moan and grasped the paper with her magic. Instantly, it was screwed up into a ball and chucked over her shoulder, to land on the ever growing pile of discarded paper. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." She muttered under her breath, placing another sheet on the crystal table, in front of her.

For what felt like the millionth time that day, Twilight levitated a series of books, in a circle, around herself. These were not the ones that she would refer to when studying, but something she would refer to when planning. It was not that she was unable to plan something, especially looking back to the Winter Wrap Up fiasco, but this type of planning was completely new territory. Specifically, courting.

Never yet in her life had Twilight courted somepony. It was not like it embarrassed her though - or even bothered her for that matter. Back when she was a unicorn, living in Canterlot and attending 'Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns' as the sun princess's protégé, and was not interested in friendship then she defiantly had never even given courting so much as a sideways glance.

Though, like always, things moved on, and Twilight journeyed along with it. From gaining the five best friends a pony could wish for, to sprouting a pair of wings and growing a few inches. She was not a pony to be against change, she even encouraged, but that did not mean she could not question it, or try and make it better than it already was.

So, there she was: planning the activity she would do with Applejack on their first courting - her first courting. "It has to be perfect." That was what she kept telling herself. The reason why it had to be perfect, she knew... though she refused to admit it to herself. The only answer she would accept was "because it just has to.", no mater how unlike her it was. Though, to make something perfect was a lot more difficult than it sounded, especially in Twilight's perfectionist eyes.

Cautiously selecting a few of the books, Twilight set the remaining on the table in a tall stack. Multitasking, she flipped the front covers open and her eyes hungrily ate up the information of considered value, flickering from book to book as her head swiped left to right and right and left. Once each book had been devoured from cover to cover, Twilight's gaze switched to the sheet of paper. She dipped the quill in the ink-pot before hovering it above the sheet, at the ready.

Mulling over the newly acquired knowledge, Twilight stared at the sheet of paper. Her mind was blank. Completely and utterly blank. As blank as the blank sheet of paper, and that blank sheet of paper mocked her. It mocked her like it would never mock any being ever again; it mocked her like it was the end of time and, with nothing to do, targeted her to avoid the boredom of boredom. It irritated her to no visible end, and the table seemed like an appropriate place for her to make an attempt at planting a Twilight-face shaped groove on the crystal surface. She fail. Miserably.

"Twilight?" A familiar voice asked over a low, feeble groan that suddenly disturbed the silence, and reverberated around the practically empty room. Willing to take up any offer presented to her, Twilight eagerly tore her gaze away from her current occupation and transitioned it towards the set of double doors. One of the crystal doors were slightly ajar with the unicorn head of Starlight Glimmer bobbed between.

Motioning with a hoof, Twilight warmly smiled. "Come in, Starlight."

Hesitantly, Starlight shuffled into the room and closed the door behind her, with a soft thud. Trotting towards the centre of the room, she briskly surveyed the room. As she spotted the pile of screwed up paper, she wore an expression of bemusement that shifted to one of concern when she caught sight of Twilight's dishevelled appearance. Once she reached the table, she placed both of her forehooves on top of the crystal surface and politely passed a pleasant smile to Twilight, in return. "What are you doing?" She questioned, watching her new mentor with a slight interest.

Fluffing her wings, Twilight made a cloud of random writing and reading assortment float above their heads. She felt a growing heat burn her cheeks and tried to hide her embarrassment by hanging her head. Doing so, she noticed the state of her mane, which only added to her embarrassment and made her flush harder. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." Twilight nervously laughed, fixing her appearance with a few nimble swipes of her forehooves.

Starlight raised an eyebrow and gave Twilight a deadpan look. "Are you sure about that?"

Sighing, Twilight separated her writing and reading utensils into an organised lay out, on the table, and teleported her rubbish out of sight with a bright, powerful burst of her magic. Her wings drooped and her ears fell flat against her mane as she examined her lap with a somewhat depressed look. "I'm unable to plan something."

Starlight spoke, her tone caring and considerate. "Carry on, but take you time. I don't want you to feel like I'm pushing you into doing something you don't want to do. " She covered her mouth with a forehoof and mumbled. "For now, it is better to avoid the tactics I used in my past."

"It's all right. It's finally about time I told somepony, anyway." Twilight assured Starlight, plucking up the courage to look the unicorn in the eyes. "You probably know about my obsession for planning and organizing, especially after witnessing me sort through that massive list of options, I made, for your first friendship lesson." She paused for confirmation, and continued after Starlight nodded. "It is very unusual for me not to be able to plan something. In fact, I was only unable to do it once! Any other time, I could do it with only a few minor problems, that I was able to sort out along the way. But, that's not the main thing that is bothering me. You see... " She explained, in detail, what happened the day before and how the date was her first one. "...which is why I have been stuck to my throne for most of the day. Everything has to be perfect. It just has to."

Clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth, Starlight rhythmically drummed her hooves in thought. "What have you been aiming for, specifically?"

Twilight altered her posture so that her back was straight, her wings firmly pressed against her sides and her mind focused as she entered speech mode. "A prestigious outing in Canterlot. The options for transport would obviously be either train or a pegasus-drawn carriage. As soon as we arrive, a restaurant for dinner that only suits royalty should suffice. For entertainment--"

"Is that what you want?" Starlight asked, interrupting Twilight's monologue.

Twilight tried to explain, "Well, yes because everything has to be--"

"Is that what you want?" Starlight repeated, desperately trying to emphasize her point.

In shock, Twilight sat in silence with her features displaying bewilderment. Was that what she wanted? Now that she properly thought about it, she realised that something like that was the complete opposite of what she wanted. She shook her head. "No."

"Well, what do you want?" Starlight pointed a forehoof at Twilight.

Instantly, and almost automatically, Twilight answered with little to no thought. "To make Applejack happy."

Pulling her forehooves off the table, Starlight teetered backwards towards one of the thrones and fell onto the dark blue padding. Craning her neck upwards, there, engraved at the top of the throne's back, was Pinkie Pie's Cutie Mark. Glueing her eyes back onto Twilight, she further questioned. "Do you really think that Applejack would like all of that high class stuff?" Starlight's eye twitched as she pronounced the three last words.

Twilight sighed. Why was it only now she realised that her objectives were pretty much pointless? "Now that I properly think about it, not at all. After all..." She trailed of, tracing circles, with a forehoof, on the throne's foreleg-rest whilst she retained her watch on nothing but her hoof.

Surprised by Twilight's odd demeanour, Starlight asked. "Twilight... what's wrong?"

Twilight didn't move; she just continued to hang her head. Jumping out of her seat Starlight hastily cantered to Twilight's side, placing a forehoof on the Alicorn's arched back. Quivering at the unexpected touch, Twilight slowly turned her head. She looked at Starlight, fear locked in her eyes, and mumbled something incoherent to even herself, never mind Starlight. By any chance, she was even quieter than Fluttershy.

"Pardon?" Starlight questioned, rubbing her ears.

Slightly louder, Twilight repeated herself but Starlight just presented her with an expression of confusion. "I'm terrified!" The sudden outburst made Starlight coil back out of utter shock. Her pupils were pinpricks and she tripped over her hooves as clumsily backed away, dropping to the floor with a violent thud!

Clambering back onto her four hooves, Starlight winced as she tenderly rubbed her sore flanks. "Of what?" She tilted her head whilst giving Twilight a quizzical look.

Rubbing her hooves, Twilight explained, in a moderately quieter and calmer tone. "Of everything! I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen. And one of those reasons is because I cannot think of anything suitable for out date, never mind decent. What if what I plan goes wrong? How will Applejack react to that? Badly! She could get really upset, and I do not want that to happen because... because..." She stared into Starlight's eyes, her own brimming with enough fear and anxiousness for not just Equestria, but the whole world.

Rapidly blinking, Starlight pondered over what she had learned throughout there conversation. Suddenly, something flashed into her mind when she flinched backwards. "Twilight... do you want the date to go well?"

"Yes," Twilight gave Starlight, for the first time in their conversation, a straight answer. "But," She continued. "I don't know... but I can't..."

Starlight gave Twilight a knowing smile. "Why don't you start with comparing what both of you like?"

As soon as what Starlight had said registered in Twilight's mind, her features lit up. "Starlight, you're a genius!"