~Heartbeat~

The bell jingled to announce her arrival as Syntax strolled into Sugarcube Corner the following day. Her friends were all present at their usual table, and Pinkie waved as she said into a seat.

"Heya Syntax! How's Syntaxia?!"

"Pinkie, we're not a ship." Syntax said with a sigh.

"Not yet!" Pinkie sang out. "But you wanna be! Besides, SynBlaze is soooo cute!!"

"Pinkie, please." Sunset shook her head. "Those names are terrible."

"ITS A WORK IN PROGRESS, SUNSET!" Pinkie yelled, before sipping her milkshake with gusto.

"I noticed you two at the mall yesterday." Rarity said with a smile. "That was a rather impressively unladylike crash into the pizzaria's trash can."

"It was a race, Rarity." Syntax replied, rolling her eyes. "We weren't exactly trying to be ladylike."

"A race?! Who won?!" Rainbow demanded.

"It was a tie."

"Damn it, I thought you were going to say you won." Rainbow huffed in mock disappointment. "After all I taught you about racing, Syntax."

"Yeah, you were a great help, senpai." She fired back without missing a beat. "You taught me how to crash perfectly into a post on my first day."

Rainbow reddened. "That post wasn't there the time I ran that trail before!!"

"What did it do, grow legs and walk?!"

"I will throw a donut at you!"

"I'll hit you with an entire pineapple pizza!"

"I will break your best pencil!"

"I'll tie your shoelaces together!!"

"Girls!" This time it was the more reserved Fluttershy that broke up the argument. "I think we all want to hear how Syntax spent her time with Aria. Right?"

"Yes!" chorused Sunset and Twilight, while Applejack and Rarity nodded.

"Let's hear it! Come on! What'd you do?!" Pinkie asked excitedly.

Syntax filled them in on her time with Aria, and the girls chuckled as her expression became animated and her eyes glistened with joy.

"Darling, you're perfectly glowing, you are so happy." Rarity smiled.

Syntax looked at each one, then threw her hands up and slumped into her chair.

"I love that girl. But what's the point? I'm not sure she even likes girls, and besides I'm too scared to tell her."

"She likes you, silly. A lot too, if she spent so much time teaching you games." Pinkie grinned. "Adagio said she never teaches anyone anything. Ever!"

"Yeah, but do I have a chance? I mean, she's so amazing and deserves the absolute best, and I'm just...well, me. Am I even good enough?" Syntax heaved a sigh.

"Syntax." Twilight leaned forward. "You are an amazing person. You have a great heart, you're kind, loyal, compassionate, and you genuinely care about people. Anyone would be proud to have you as a girlfriend."

Syntax flushed and rubbed her neck. "But I feel so...so...inadequate!"

"You're not." Rainbow piped up. "You're a really cool and awesome person, Syntax. And if you wanna try a relationship with Aria, then you ought to just straight up tell her!"

"But she said she sees me like one of her sisters!" Syntax protested. "How can I tell her how I feel knowing that?! What if she honestly sees me as that and I tell her my true feelings, and it makes everything so awkward? What if she ignores me afterwards and never talks to me again?"

"You two are friends." Sunset replied. "I've noticed she seems incredibly loyal to you and protective of you. I don't believe she is going to leave you behind just because you tell her you have feelings for her."

"Yeah but I'm too scared." Syntax slumped further in her chair. "I don't want to mess things up. We have a pretty decent friendship, I don't want to lose that."

"For the sake of argument, let's say you had a crush on me." Sunset offered. "And let's say you told me. Try it."

"Huh?"

"Tell me you have a crush on me."

"But I don't have-"

"I know that, Syntax, this is just for the sake of this conversation. To prove a point. So tell me."

"Fine. I have a crush on you."

Sunset let silence reign for a moment before nodding in satisfaction.

"Point proven."

"...What?" Syntax looked hopelessly confused.

"You said you have a crush on me, I'm still here. Point proven."

"Uhhhh, Sunset?" Twilight interrupted with a arched eyebrows. "I'm not so sure this was entirely a true experiment. First of all, she doesn't have a crush on you, secondly, you knew she was going to say it. This only works if you don't know she's gonna say it."

Sunset huffed. "Fine, you do it then."

Twilight leaned over and whispered to Syntax, who blinked but gave a nod. She shut her eyes for a second, then opened them.

"I have a crush on you, Rainbow."

Rainbow spit her soda across the table. "WHAT?! Uhhhhh...I mean...ok? I guess. This is weird."

"Yeah! Besides, she totally has a girlfriend!" Pinkie piped up helpfully.

All eyes landed on Rainbow. "Wha- n-no I don't...I mean..."

The athlete was blushing furiously. Everyone laughed, except for Fluttershy, who leaned over and gave her a somewhat timid kiss on the cheek.

"You can admit it now."

Rainbow sighed in defeat, then grinned in joy as she hugged Fluttershy.

"Ok ok. Fluttershy and I are dating. Happy now, Pinkie?!"

"Yeppers!!!"

"I think we all just lost where we were going with this." Sunset stated.

"Look, Syntax." Rainbow narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Just march your butt up to Aria, look her dead in the eye, and say 'I love you'. Short, sweet, and to the point."

"...that actually works?" Syntax asked.

"Quite well, darling." Rarity nodded. "It is the direct approach that Applejack used with me, and you can see it worked out beautifully."

Applejack beamed with pride at the loving look Rarity bestowed on her. Syntax rubbed her head.

"I just...I don't know if I actually can though." She said. "I mean, I think visiting a cave full of dragons would be safer and easier."

"Oh woman up, Syntax!" Rainbow said in exasperation. "Are you a girl or are you a chicken?!"

"Chicken. Definitely. Bawk bawk." Syntax returned without a split second of hesitation, flapping her elbows for good measure.

Rainbow facepalmed. "You're perfect for her, you're just as much a smartass as she is."

"Darling, I think what Rainbow Dash has been trying to say is that you should just come right out and tell Aria how you feel." Rarity interjected. "And you should not let your fear stop you. You're Syntax Silver, adventurer and daredevil extraordinare! You laugh in the face of danger! You mock the shadows! Now, what are you going to do, darling?!"

She meant this to be completely motivational. Syntax, however, had other ideas.

"I'm going to not say a word!" She said emphatically. "I am just too terrified, I'm sorry. I don't want to mess things up."

"Would...you excuse me for just a moment?" Rarity nudged Applejack and motioned her to follow, and the two left the table together.

Syntax sighed and went to order a milkshake. When she returned to the table, Rarity and Applejack were back, the former looking pleased and the latter looking skeptical. The group sat in silence, sipping their drinks and, in Pinkie's case, drawing balloons all over multiple napkins. The bell to the shop dinged to announce a newcomer, and the girls facing the door all sat up straighter and blinked. Footsteps approached their table.

"Fine, Rarity, I'm here. What do you want?"

Syntax immediately choked on her milkshake at the familiar irritated voice, going into a massive coughing fit. Rainbow helpfully slapped her on the back as she fought to get her breath. She looked up at Aria, then back at Rarity.

"Wha-what is going on?"

"An intervention. You need to tell her the truth." Rarity said firmly.

Aria's eyebrow went up a notch as Syntax flushed and then turned utterly pale, her eyes widening in panic.

"No. Nononono...no! Rarity, no! Don't do this!"

"You said yourself you would never do it, but with the right motivation I think you can." Rarity insisted.

"Rarity-"

"Oh go on, darling. You need to tell her your feelings for her."

Syntax struggled to speak, but found it impossible for several seconds. Her panicked gaze went from one girl to another, and then with a wordless squeak she bolted from the table and fled from the shop.

"Oh dear." Fluttershy murmured.

"That...might have been a bit unadvisable." Sunset muttered.

"Oh gracious." Rarity said in worry. "I didn't mean to make her run off. I should go after-"

"I'll go." Aria glared at her. "Are you gonna tell me why I'm here first? What feelings?"

"Uhhh, I believe that's up to Syntax to explain." Twilight said slowly.

Rolling her eyes, Aria stalked out after Syntax, ignoring Pinkie's following scream of, "BYE SYRIA!"

"Pinkie, please stop." Sunset pleaded.

"THEY ARE CUTE TOGETHER AND WILL BE SHIPPED!" Pinkie yelled in determination, before guzzling the remainder of her milkshake in one go as the others facepalmed and groaned in frustration.