At the School of Friendship, the door to the stairwell opened up. From within, two creatures trotted out onto the rooftop. One was a blue changeling who was using her magic to levitate a basket, and the other was a green earth pony who followed behind.
“Thank you for coming up to the roof with me, Sandbar. And thank goodness the weather is clear today,” the blue changeling said with a sigh of relief. She was right, it was partly cloudy with only a gentle breeze.
“Of course, Ocellus,” the pony replied with a smile. He paused as he commented to himself, “I didn’t think we were allowed up on the roof.”
“Oh, we aren’t,” Ocellus explained, “When I was reading through the student guidebook, it was listed amongst the numerous items that are not allowed.”
Sandbar was a bit puzzled, “Then why are we up here? Wait, we have a guidebook?”
Ocellus nodded, “Yes, we have a guidebook. All new students got one during orientation.”
Thinking for a moment, Sandbar remembered, “Oh, I think I know what you’re talking about. Gallus and I are using ours to replace that missing leg on his bed. Those things are bigger than some of the textbooks we got.”
A small laugh escaped from Ocellus as she continued trotting around the walls of the small building that housed the stairwell, “They certainly are. I’ve always wondered why Headmare Starlight insisted on some of those rules.”
“Like what?” Sandbar asked, wanting to hear more.
“There’s one rule that states students are not allowed to create fires in any kind,” Ocellus recalled.
“Well, that’s some bad news for Smolder when she has one of her sneezing fits,” Sandbar laughed.
Ocellus also shared in the laugh as the two drew close to the shady area of the stairwell walls.
“So, what are we doing up here again?”
The changeling took a seat in the shade with her back against the wall. She then lowered the basket to the ground and invited Sandbar to do the same. “Because, it’s such a lovely day for a picnic!” she said as she pulled out a pair of sandwiches from the basket.
“A rooftop picnic? Seems a bit cliché,” Sandbar said with a smirk as he sat down next to Ocellus.
“There’s nothing wrong with a rooftop picnic!” Ocellus sounded sour and defensive. “Just because of that, maybe I should eat your carrots!”
“I’m just kidding around, Ocellus,” the pony insisted with a little laugh still in his voice. “A picnic does sound nice.”
Ocellus still had a sour expression for a moment as she looked at Sandbar. However, a smile did crack on her face as she relented, “Alright, you can still have carrots. You’re lucky you’re cute.”
“Hey, I’m not the one with a cute pouty face!”
For a few minutes, the couple started eating their lunch together. Their discussion went mostly to their classes, their friends, and catching up for the day. It wasn’t anything more than a pleasant conversation between the two. Accompanying them was the gentle breeze that pushed the few clouds across the sky.
“Thanks again for packing the lunch. I don’t know what you do to them, Ocellus, but you really make the best cucumber sandwiches,” Sandbar said, wiping his face clean with his hoof.
“Thank you! It’s nothing really,” Ocellus said both happily and bashfully, “I just pick the freshest ingredients and make it full of love. It helps that I know that the creature I love will enjoy them too!” There was a pink tint to her cheeks as she spoke.
Sandbar smiled at Ocellus, but he noticed there was something about Ocellus. He wasn’t something he could exactly put his hoof on, but it was enough for him to ask.
“Hey, is something up, Ocellus?” Sandbar asked.
“What? What makes you say that?””
The pony pointed to the changeling’s coat on her hoof, “The color of your body changes when there’s something on your mind.”
Ocellus looked down at her hoof. Just as Sandbar said, a small section of her body was a slightly darker blue than the rest of her body. To most other creatures, it might not look noticeable or even all that different from the rest of Ocellus’ body. However, Ocellus knew that her coltfriend would be able to easily take note.
“Darn, I thought I was getting better about that,” Ocellus commented as she focused on changing the patch of her coat back to its normal blue hue.
“So what’s on your mind, Ocellus? Worried that Silverstream is gonna drag your grade down in that group project?” Sandbar asked.
Ocellus shook her head, “No, I’ve made peace with that. It’s just....how do I put it....” She trailed off for a moment before finding words that she thought would work, “our relationship isn’t what I expected....”
These words caught Sandbar off guard, “Our....relationship?”
There was only a nod from Ocellus.
“Did....Did I do something wrong?” the pony asked with concern.
Quickly, Ocellus turned to face Sandbar and shook her head, “Oh, no! Not at all! You’re an absolutely wonderful coltfriend, Sandbar! It’s just....our relationship seems to be perfect. Almost too perfect.”
“Too perfect? In relation to what?” Sandbar asked.
A bit of a pink tint appeared on the changeling’s face as she admitted, “To the movies and books I’ve read....”
Sandbar had a puzzled look on his face while he was in thought until it dawned on him what Ocellus was referring to. “Oh....you mean those rom-coms?”
“Well, not just those, but yes, romantic comedies. I was using them as study aids for normal pony relationships,” Ocellus said as she reached for her bookbag. After shuffling for a bit, she pulled out a few graphic novels, including Colts Over Flowers, Academy Rumble, The Rose of Ventasso, and Oberlander High School Host Club.
“You....read all of these?” Sandbar asked with a bit of concern. He wasn’t worried that she had read them all, or that some of them were a high number of volumes (including volume number 16 for Colts Over Flowers), but it was that Sandbar had also read all of them and knew what some of them contained.
Ocellus nodded, “Yes, in addition to others. I’m currently studying Oberlander Host Club and Colts Over Flowers for how normal pony high schools work. But I got really engrossed in The Rose of Ventasso and all of its historical drama along with the romantic subplots.” She then started to stack the books neatly and set them next to her bookbag.
“I don’t think you should be studying manga and comics. They’re more for entertainment than for use as guides,” Sandbar stated.
“But they are so helpful! They are like a window into the mind of ponies and their personal lives! I get to see what normal pony courting rituals are like. And not to mention seeing how many different aspects of normal school life for ponies.”
“They aren’t really supposed to be used like that,” Sandbar stated. “Like how in Oberlander Host Club, it’s not normal in the least for a school to have a vase that costs that much just out in the open like that. Or how in Colts Over Flowers, no school would allow those stallions get away with all of that. And don’t get me started with how absurd Academy Rumble is.”
“But it is pretty funny,” Ocellus commented.
“Oh, definitely. It’s hilarious,” Sandbar quickly agreed. “But you shouldn’t be using these for advice or guidance in your love life,” he insisted again, holding up one of the books.
“But all of these manga offer so much for me to learn about pony courting rituals!” Ocellus repeated herself.
Sandbar was sure he was going to regret asking, “Like what?”
Ocellus paused for a moment as she thought of an answer, “Like how our first meeting would be how we would be in the library, reaching for the same book. And then we would start talking and realize we have a lot in common. Or how I would forget my quill and, with you noticing my panic, offer one to me. Or perhaps us just simply running into each other while walking. Or how one of us would trip and accidentally spill coffee on the other.”
“Are you talking about a ‘meet cute’?” Sandbar raised an eyebrow, ““Wait, coffee? Do either of us even drink coffee?”
“A what?”
“A ‘meet cute’ is a tr-, you know what, nevermind,” Sandbar backpedaled a bit, “Stuff like that is mostly found in stories. That being said, I can imagine you having your nose buried in just about any book.”
Ocellus couldn’t hide a small smirk on her face, “But what about with your nose buried in a comic book?”
Sandbar couldn’t help but laugh, “Okay, guilty.”
The changeling also laughed. She then thought aloud, “I guess that means us having an introduction similar to those I’ve read about are out of the question. But there are other things, I’m sure.” Ocellus pondered for a moment before speaking, “What about saving me?”
“Saving you? From what?”
With a shrug of her shoulders, Ocellus answered, “I don’t know. But it happens all the time in stories. A maiden is in peril by some foe or force, and her suitor comes to her aid and rescues her.”
“You mean like from one of those old pony tales? You do know those were written like, hundreds of years ago right?” Sandbar asked for clarification.
“But it doesn’t have to just be against strange beasts,” Ocellus explained, “It could be from ghosts, a fierce storm, being tied to railroad tracks, or other suitors.”
Sandbar was surprised to hear that last part, “Other suitors?! Who, Smolder? I know better than to try to fight her!”
Ocellus covered her mouth as she laughed at the thought of Smolder, “Well, dragons are in a lot of those old stories.”
“I’m not fighting Smolder!” Sandbar firmly stated, “And I don’t care if she’s up for fighting for the sake of fighting!”
“Okay, okay, no need to rescue me,” she said with a little laugh still in her voice.
“Good, cause I really don’t want to do the whole ‘damsel in distress’ thing,” Sandbar said with some relief.
“There is another thing I saw from some of those manga I’ve read,” Ocellus paused as she wanted to make sure she spoke correctly, “I think it’s pronounced ‘sun-dairy’?”
The earth pony was confused for a moment before it really clicked what Ocellus was saying. “You mean a tsundere?”
“Yeah, I think that’s it!” Ocellus pointed at Sandbar and nodded. “Where I have a cold exterior but secretly really care. It keeps showing up in a lot of those stories I’ve read.”
“But....you’re not like that at all, Ocellus,” Sandbar pointed out.
“I can try!”
Sandbar paused before speaking, “I don’t see it.”
Ocellus became a little sour with her expression, “I so could! And then I could become all jealous with all the different rivals for your affection!”
“Rivals?”
“And then there would be drama as a love triangle starts to form!” Ocellus became more animated as she thought.
“That’s it, Ocellus, I’m cutting you off from the whole romance genre, and maybe all manga. I’m not going to cause drama for the sake of drama. And I really don’t want to be a part of a love triangle,” Sandbar said firmly.
“Why?” the changeling genuinely asked.
“Because sometimes they turn into different shapes,” Sandbar explained.
“So cat fights?” Ocellus asked.
Sandbar was surprised by Ocellus asking about such, “A.....A fight? Against who? I think all of our friends would be able to easily wipe the floor with you. No offense.”
Ocellus smiled as she cheerfully replied, “Oh, none taken!”
“All of those really don’t seem like anything we’d do, Ocellus,” Sandbar said.
“Hmm....you’re probably right,” Ocellus said. She then got another idea, “Wait, what about trotting home together? That almost always happens in the stories, and it’s even more romantic and meaningful when they live far apart.”
Quick to object, Sandbar pointed out, “Our dorms are three doors apart.”
“Four counting the fire escape, but you’re right,” Ocellus corrected a bit crestfallen. Another idea came to Ocellus’ mind, “A study session together?”
Sandbar couldn’t hold back a laugh, “We are in very different classes. You’re studying ancient Poneish texts with Headmare Starlight and I’m in a language arts class with Silverstream.”
“Is she still....”
“Yes, she still doesn’t know the difference between fiction and non-fiction,” Sandbar answered the question that was on Ocellus’ mind. “She still is wondering how a cow jumped over the moon.”
Ocellus couldn’t help but also laugh. “That does sound about right.”
“Can’t say the class is ever dull though,” Sandbar laughed.
The changeling also laughed for a moment before something else popped into her mind: “What about skipping classes to spend time together?”
“You would never cut class!” Sandbar was surprised to hear the idea from Ocellus.
“That’s true but I would like the offer!” Ocellus’ words and face were a little sour.
Sandbar laughed at her expression, “Plus, I don’t think my grades could take it.”
Again, another thought came to Ocellus, “I got it! In a lot of those stories, there’s always some ‘grand declarations of love’ where everything is so dreamy and fluffy!”
“Fluffy?”
“Yeah! And it’s all magical and flowery and it just makes for everything so much more special! Like with flower petals falling all around, sparkles in our eyes, and swelling orchestral music! Everything had been building up to this one moment! The high pressure stakes, the emotional highs and lows, the misunderstandings, all of it!” Ocellus was starting to get carried away.
“Just what exactly have you been reading or watching?”
She continued, “And then, right then, after you proclaim your ‘declaration of protection’ to me, promising that you always protect me from the harshness of the world, we have the most perfect first kiss!” Her words were both dreamy and whimsical at the thought.
“Okay,” Sandbar cleared his throat to interject, leaning back against the wall, “There are three major flaws with your ‘grand declaration of love’ thought. Firstly, a ‘declaration of protection’ seems a bit....misogynist. I think that’s one of those things from the old pony tales. Second, real life isn’t some sort of movie where we have music and atmosphere matching our ideal whims. If that were the case, Gallus and Smolder would have had loud and blaring battle music when they had that fight in the mess hall last month.”
Ocellus didn’t respond verbally, but did have a silent chuckle at the thought.
“Not to say that wouldn’t have been cool,” Sandbar added, “And finally, our first kiss was far from perfect. It involved headbutting.”
At being reminded, Ocellus quickly buried her face in her hooves. Her face was burning red at the embarrassment, “Yeah, don’t remind me!”
“At least we got it right after a couple of tries!” Sandbar laughed.
The changeling’s face was still in her hooves as she mumbled in anguish, “How did it take five tries!” Sandbar couldn’t hold back his laughter, much to Ocellus’ annoyance. She finally turned her attention to him, her face still flushed, and shared another thought, “What about an ‘indirect kiss’? I heard those happen quite a bit!”
This caught Sandbar’s attention, “An indirect kiss? I mean, you are right that those happen in stories a lot, especially in manga. Especially with sharing food and drinks. But I feel that you might freak out a little about it.”
“And why is that?” Ocellus asked, still a little sour.
“Because you get flustered and change color when we even normally kiss,” Sandbar said before adding and pointing at the changeling’s coat, “You’re starting to change color right now at just the thought of an indirect kiss.”
Ocellus looked down at her coat and he was right. Ocellus’ coat was a few different patches of color. In addition to her normal blue hue, a few parts of Ocellus’ body were a light red, a seafoam green, and even a few spots of yellow. Taking a couple deep breaths, Ocellus calmed herself back to her normal shade of blue.
With a sigh, Ocellus spoke, “I guess there’s nothing in my life that will be like a rom-com.”
“Why do you want your love life to be like a rom-com, anyway?” Sandbar asked.
“Because....” she started but stopped herself for a moment, “Because I thought that’s how pony courtship was supposed to be. Budding romances, comical misunderstandings, back and forths with one another, sharing special moments that are dreamy, going over everything with my inner monologue....” Ocellus trailed off for a moment before adding one last thought,” I guess it was silly for me to think all of those things I studied were accurate. But I still sort of hoped.”
“Inner monologue?” Sandbar quietly said to himself, surprised she mentioned it. However, he spoke up, “May I make an observation? I feel that maybe you want all of those scenarios because you want to feel normal?” He paused before he corrected himself, “Maybe normal isn’t the right word, but you want what you think is a normal relationship according to all that media. But there’s no such thing. A normal relationship is whatever you and the other both want, and you both work together for it. And in time, it’ll feel comfortable. Finding a way to be comfortable with it is part of the journey.”
Ocellus turned to Sandbar as he spoke, hanging on every word.
Sandbar gave a small nervous chuckle as he spoke, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that this isn’t some sort of rom-com, Ocellus. Life isn’t like films, comics, or whatever. But that’s the beauty of it. It’s so much more different, and more real.”
“Maybe....I don’t need to figure it all out right now,” Ocellus softly and humbly spoke, “Maybe it’s alright to just go with the flow.”
The pony nodded as he continued with a gentle smile, “Remember what we said during Hearth’s Warming Eve? Everything creatures do is different, but that’s what makes each so special and unique. And the best part is that we can take our time to figure ourselves out.”
As Sandbar finished speaking, Ocellus’ face grew pink and flushed as she shoved the pony with a hoof, “Why’d you have to and say something cool like that?! It’s like straight out of a rom-com! How can I follow up on that?!”
Sandbar laughed as Ocellus continued to playfully shove him. The two then shared in the laughter together. Ocellus then leaned her body to rest against Sandbar’s shoulder. Both of them looked up at the clouds that were being gently pushed by the breeze.
“So, I gotta ask,” Sandbar broke the silence, “what were some other things you were hoping for?”
“Hoping for?” Ocellus echoed.
“You know, for our rom-com of a relationship. I already know you wanted the sparkles and flowers for the big confession, but what else?”
Ocellus thought for a moment, “Well, I was curious what it would be like to share an umbrella on a rainy day.”
“See, now that’s more realistic,” Sandbar said with a smile.
“And even wearing your jacket.”
Sandbar thought, “Jacket? I don’t really wear jackets....though I think I have a flannel somewhere.”
Ocellus continued with her listing of various things, “Cooking together, watching fireworks together, sharing a mixtape of favorite songs, sharing chocolates together....”
“Whoa, whoa, take it easy,” Sandbar insisted, “I didn’t think you really had thought all of this through!”
“Of course, I did,” Ocellus lifted her head off of Sandbar’s shoulder, “I made a very thorough list, Sandbar!”
“Okay, okay, you’re very thorough when it comes to these sorts of things!” the pony conceded with a small laugh in his voice. “I do kinda like the idea of the mixtape though. Any other couple things you want to do?”
Ocellus became a bit bashful as she started to speak, “Well, there was one thing I learned about when reading....”
The changeling’s shift in demeanor caught Sandbar’s attention, “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
Looking downward at the ground, Ocellus spoke, “It’s that thing when a character has their back up against the wall while the other character, filled with such strong emotion, draws close to them. Then, they raise their limb up and slam it against the wall behind them with a forceful bang, and they pour their emotions out to the trapped character.”
Sandbar thought and processed what exactly Ocellus was talking about. “Wait,” he said as the answer came to him, “you mean a kabe-don?”
“A what?”
“Kabe-don. It’s used in a lot of romance manga for confessions and stuff. But it’s the sort of thing that usually only happens in those things,” Sandbar explained.
Embarrassed, Ocellus gave a guilty laugh with her eyes closed, “Yeah, that does seem like something that would only exist in media. Though I have to admit it does have a bit of appeal to it; having a suitor take charge and confess their soul to me.” Upon opening her eyes, she looked to the pony next to her.
The stallion didn’t say a word as she looked back at Ocellus with intent in his eyes.
“Sandbar?” Ocellus asked with puzzlement.
Moving to the space in front of the changeling, Sandbar drew close to Ocellus and then raised up one of his hooves. With a single motion, he slammed the hoof on to the wall behind her. Ocellus’ entire body was at attention as Sandbar’s head was very close to her own. Her heart was beating uncontrollably as if it wanted to burst out, and it reflected in her labored breathing.
There was a serious look to Sandbar as he softly spoke, “Ocellus?”
“Y-Yes, Sandbar?” The changeling tried her best to calmly speak through her nerves.
“Ocellus, I....” Sandbar spoke again, however, he was unable to keep his fake demeanor. He began snickering and then laughed aloud as he moved his hoof from the wall and disengaged from the kabe-don.
Upon realizing what Sandbar had done, Ocellus quickly grew sour and pushed Sandbar away, causing him to fall back and sit on the ground. “Sandbar, you big jerk!”
He continued with his laughter, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it!”
“I’m sure you could have!”
Sandbar’s laughter died down, “I’m sorry, Ocellus. You were talking up how much you would have liked a kabe-don, and I figured why not surprise you?”
Ocellus still was sour, “That was still very rude, Sandbar!”
“Didn’t you want a surprise like that? A forceful, and even anguished, declaration of how I feel about you?” Sandbar asked.
The changeling was quiet as she looked off for a moment. Upon turning her attention back, she admitted, “You’re right, that is something I would have liked.”
“Well, I thought I’d give it a try, even if it’s not really my style,” Sandbar said, looking up at the few clouds still hanging in the sky.
“Not your style?” Ocellus echoed.
“Nah, being all pushy isn’t me,” Sandbar said. “I’m more of a ‘go-with-the-flow’ kind of pony. You’ve seen my parents, so you know where I get that from. I learned from them that we can always go at our own pace with things. Besides, if I didn’t go at my own pace, I wouldn’t have learned that you’ve been reading comics.” He looked back down towards the blue changeling.
Ocellus had a small, guilty smile. “I started to read a few because I knew you liked them. Turns out I have acquired the taste as well!”
Sandbar happily smiled at the new piece of information he was given, “See? I just learned another thing about you! And truth be told, I’m always eager to learn more about you, Ocellus.”
“Really?”
A warm smile was on the stallion’s face, “I want to get to know you better, and I always will want to.”
Returning the smile, Ocellus welcomingly invited Sandbar back to the space next to her against the wall. Sandbar joined and sat closely next to her. The two creatures silently savored the moment together.
Looking down at the comics that came from her bag, Ocellus mused aloud, “Pony courtships sure are hard and complex.”
“They can be,” Sandbar replied, “But at least I got a pretty awesome creature by my side.”
“That’s such a cliché.”
END
