NOV 21 Sunday.

I slowly turn another page of the book I'm reading as I rest under the pavilion.

As much as it pains me to admit it, romance novels, maybe, aren't that bad. This is why I'm currently spending some free time relaxing and reading one of the books Cadance gave me, I am also reading a few other things. I can never tell her any of this, she is already adept at teasing me as it is and doesn't need help.

As for what I find entertaining about these books? Well, oddly enough the romance is not what I enjoy, no it's the creativity of the scenarios they think up. Some are humorous and some are just plain crazy, but as loathed as I am to admit it they are decently good at entertaining me.

I chuckle a little as Entropy fusses over my wings before they vanish. Today is the day I'm going to talk to Twilight and I spent some time flying over Gaia's Eden to clear my head. "Mess! Bad!" I smile as she finishes her work and lays down next to me again.

"It's not my fault nopony ever taught me how to do it myself, but at least I can bribe you too, and you know you'll take it." I defend myself a little and pass her some fish jerky. She immediately switches her attitude and gobbles down the treats. "That's what I thought." I leave her to enjoy the food and start reading my book again.

Beyond trying to relax I've spent some time today breeding various plants, and even working on something new. Let's start with the frost crops, they have been progressing well and sometime past the new year the Frost Potatoes and Frost cabbage will definitely be complete.

For the Copper Lily, over the past few months, I've been able to shrink the size of the flowers by a little less than one-eighth of the flower's original size, only around half an inch in total. It's not a lot, but the magical cost of growing a single flower is already dropping and the process will eventually become a feedback loop. The flowers will shrink, letting me breed them faster, and that will let them shrink faster, rinse and repeat.

Now onto the new thing, I spent some time over the last week looking into the possibility of an idea I had to improve my armor. I've been looking into how to debark a tree while keeping the bark intact, after I succeeded enough to get a few good-sized pieces I tried to graft them onto my armor with life magic.

It's proven to be difficult, the amount of life magic needed to graft living plants together is more than I'd expected, and the harvesting process of the bark is a bitch. The Fire Blossom Tree is spindly and doesn't like to grow smooth or even patches of bark, and growing the trees also takes more life magic from my other projects and training.

But as a silver lining, when I grafted the Fire Blossom bark onto the armor, the armor held up to fire pretty well. It's not perfect but the Firebolt spell is useless against it and most open flames do nothing as well, a fireball might do something more but it's good at resisting fire and dealing with any heat made in the process. I'll need to think about how best to graft the bark in the future for the larger pieces of armor as I tested this on a single small piece, and maybe I should try selectively breeding the Fire Blossom Tree to produce thicker and more uniform bark.

Interestingly enough I found out something else while researching magical tree bark, the Water Tree I have works as a defense against water magic. I don't really have a use for this but it gave me an odd idea for an experiment, do you think the magical affinity of a plant affects what plants it can crossbreed with? Because I couldn't find anything about that and it got me curious.

With this thought in mind, I tried to breed the Fire Blossom Tree and the Water Tree together a few days ago, only to be met with some odd results. For the first time in a long time, I couldn't grow a seed, when I bought them the vast majority of the seeds were completely unviable from the beginning.

I tried several times but most refused to grow at all, I think the seeds were so charged that the seeds failed before even fully growing on the tree. This led me down a small rabbit hole looking for an answer, and I did find something that could explain it to an extent.

The idea of Affinity Contrast. Fire and water are opposites, so mixing them has about the result you'd expect, the magic inside of the plants works a similar way. The small amount of fire magic in the Fire Blossom's pollen contrasted with the water affinity magic in the Water Tree's flowers.

This is just a theory but it seems pretty likely from what I understand of magic. What I'm still unclear on is what actually happens to the different types of magic involved, do they destroy each other? Or maybe they mix in some way as some affinities can be artificially made that way, a good example of that is any complex emotional affinity.

I abruptly pause my thoughts as I feel something that's becoming a little more common, I feel a large amount of life magic far off in the forest. From this distance, I can't feel much, but I know it's at least a few miles away from Gaia's Eden, and it also hasn't gotten close yet.

I'm pretty sure it's the snake, but I haven't truly committed to that because I've felt it in the daytime as well as nighttime, and I think the snake is nocturnal. And like I said I can't tell much from this distance, only that it has a large amount of life magic and I can only sense it vaguely at best, I can't even tell what direction it's moving in.

Stretching my senses out this far also drains my magic fairly quickly, which is why I'm stretching out my senses while reading, to get some practice and get better at paying attention to changes in my environment. I focus on that source of life magic but it leaves my senses not long after.

It hasn't come anywhere near Gaia's Eden recently, I think the selectively bred Lemongrass has had some effect. Or, maybe the snake just no longer considers this area its territory, that may sound odd but you have to consider that all beings can sense life magic to some degree, and that thing is probably better at sensing it than most.

So I think Celestia scared the snake off, she is on a whole different level of strength and shines like the sun with life magic, that thing probably thinks she's claimed this area and wants to stay far away. Which is fine by me, I would rather never go near that thing again. After a few more moments watching the forest, I go back to my book and continue to pass through the morning.

At some point, I feel a different disturbance as space shifts in an odd way before Philomena teleports into the pavilion and lands on my back a few moments later with a letter in her beak. After our last meeting, Celestia had an odd mix of pride and humor when I explained what happened with Daisy, but didn't say too much after I told her, to be fair she was busy with work.

I pass some berries to Philomena and open the letter, it's just telling me when our next meeting will be with Celestia, it will be nice to relax with her again without work getting in the way. And, there is something I could use a little advice on, but those thoughts are for later.

I take a moment to check the time and see it's about time to go, I stand up and stretch a little before looking down at Entropy. "Sorry Girl, but we have something important to do, you can play later. Come on, let's get home." I reassure her a bit and she reluctantly jumps onto my back before we vanish leaving Philomena behind.

When I arrive home I don't spend long there, Twilight seems like the type to be early to everything and I don't need her worrying over me not showing up. I clean myself up a bit but keep it simple, when I'm ready I leave my apartment and put on my cloak to start walking through the snow, while Entropy decides to come with me like the faithful shadow she is.

The snowfall is light and I'm able to make good time. When I arrive at the library it doesn't take me long to notice Twilight sitting at a table reading, called it. I pack away my cloak and walk over to her with a smile, this is where things get difficult. She notices me almost immediately and smiles back, "Hey Twilight, how have you been?" I ask but don't sit down.

She looks too excited to blush but her eyes have that familiar look in them. "Shade! I've been great W-Well, actually I've been really busy, the Princess has been testing me a lot." She backpaddles a bit but just looks happy to see me show up. By magic, this entire thing is going to suck, but it's necessary.

I nod back. "Being busy can be a good thing too, it depends on how you look at it really." I give some bullshit advice and try to calm my mind to not let myself be distracted. "Come on." She looks confused at that. "I have something to talk about, and I know a better place for it." I take a neutral tone but make sure it's not unkind.

She is obviously confused about this, but she nods after a moment and picks up the few books she has on the table. "Sure, where are we going? Is it somewhere secret?" I can tell her imagination is getting the better of her.

I start to lead her deeper into the library and chuckle a bit. "Sadly no, nothing that interesting. But I've worked here for years now, and there are a few places that are far less used by ponies. We are going somewhere more private though, fewer eyes and ears there." I can't help but keep things a little vague, still I don't lie in any way, doing that would be a horrible move.

She looks curious about that and does exactly what you would expect. "Talk about what? Wa-ait, s-somewhere private?" She seems to get some idea in her head and blushes a bit. :Fuuuuuck, that was not how I wanted it to be taken, magic damned teenagers and their imaginations:

I nip that in the bud quickly. "Just somewhere to talk, I have something... Important to say. How have your studies been going? I think you mentioned something about incantations." I again don't lie but try to distract her a little this time. She smiles at that and starts to rattle off about how her tests went and a few small things Celestia had her learning about.

When we arrive we turn into a small reading area with a few tables surrounded by tall shelves on all sides. She's still going on about her tests, which she apparently did well on, while I listen and guide us. "Here we are, nice and quiet. It's one of my favorite spots in the library." I take my seat at the table, she does the same a moment later still with a smile on her face as she puts down her books.

She takes a moment to look around. "Huh, I never noticed the library could get this, quiet." The library isn't that loud normally but even what little noise there is doesn't reach here. "It's nice." I can tell her curiosity is still there and she's been holding herself back. "So... Y-You wanted to talk about something?" There it is.

At this point I don't try to hold a calm face and nod slowly while giving her a more kind look, something she does notice. "Yes. But before that, I want to explain." My tone is calm but somewhat serious. "You've probably noticed that I'm pretty blunt, I speak my mind a lot."

She stays quiet but I think at this point even a pony like her is able to realize that this is going to be different than our last hangouts. "I'm not good at being... Delicate, so I'm sorry if my words come off as... Well, cold." I'm really trying to say this quickly, but it's hard.

She seems to have noticed my mood. "Umm, I... Ok? Are you ok, or something?" She's both confused and a little weirded out, not that I blame her, we really don't know each other well enough.

I let out a long sigh. "This is why I'm blunt. Ok, I consider you a friend." Her ears jump up at that quickly as I've never full-on said that before now. "Maybe not my closest friend, but a friend nonetheless."

She smiles widely. "R-really?! I, that's- I mean! Me too!" She's excited and is a ball of nervous happiness. I try to stay strong but slump a little at her happy mood, which she notices. "Is- Is there s-something wrong though?" She asks as that nervous energy changes direction to mild concern at my look and tone.

I quickly shake my head. "NO! No. But... Look, I'd very much like to be your friend, but I've noticed you might think… More of me as more than just a friend." I realize dragging this out is not doing favors so just finally say it. There is a long lap of silence as she looks to be a mix of shocked and nervous as my words sink in.

I watch as she seems to retreat into herself a bit and quickly try to soften the blow. "I. It's ok." I have no idea what to say even after all my thinking and just try to stress that point. "I'm not mad, or anything bad like that! I promise!" I panic a little seeing her deflate and I just start talking.

We both fall into silence as she seems to stare off for several long moments and I wait patiently. I think my words really started to hit her after a few moments. "I..." She stops herself and takes a breath. "I, maybe I should just go." I can tell this is probably overwhelming her a bit.

"Wait!" She stops as I raise my voice a little more than I meant to. "I, sorry. I really want to explain, please?" I have little words for this as I never expected her to just walk off, so I try the only thing I can. She looks a bit surprised at me begging her to stay but after a very long moment sits back down, even as I see a few tears well up in the corners of her eyes. I nod, "Thank you."

There is a long moment of silence but before I can speak she ends up breaking that silence. "You... Do you, feel..." I knew this was coming, and it would be all downhill from here, but I could also see that this was a bit much for the poor mare and just shook my head silently in a negative way. "O-Oh... ... T-Thank you. For, b-being, honest." I nod again after a long silence before sighing tiredly.

Her look by this point has changed completely, her ears are pinned back and she has this look that just makes me want to give her a hug. Never thought I'd be crushing a mare's heart like this, but all things considered, she's taking this far better than I thought she would, or maybe I'm reading too many romance novels.

It's clear she's very uncomfortable and probably just wants to cry somewhere on her own. "I, I meant what I said, and I'd still like to be your friend," I say, making sure to hold some of my conviction in my tone. "But I can understand if you need time, I just wanted to try and... Well, try to be friends, even with all of this." That does seem to get some positive reaction, but she seems caught up in her own thoughts.

I really have come to enjoy talking with her, and being her friend is something I would like to do. "Again, I'm sorry for raising my voice, and you're free to leave. I just wanted you to know that." I apologize again and resign myself as I don't really have much more to say as it's clear she'll need space and time after this.

She's silent for a long moment, before nodding again with a minuscule smile. "I think... I'd like that-t." It seems everything is really hitting her now and a tear nearly falls from her eyes. "I- ... I'll send you a letter, goodbye Shade." With that last whisper, she just stands up and quickly retreats from the table while degrading even further.

"Goodbye Twilight, and.. Please do write, I'll be happy to hear from you, next time we can even work on something." I try to keep a more upbeat tone and reassure her some more, but all I get is another nod before she leaves out of my sight while continuing to sniffle, and then cry. She didn't even remember her books, but honestly, that went better than I thought it would.

She's really upset, but at least I was able to say my peace and potentially keep a new friend. Well, not a full-on friend but at least somepony I could consider a friend. I didn't lie when I called her a friend, but I won't lie to myself and say I trust her like my other friends.

I sigh after a few minutes and Entropy moves out of my shadow, despite my mood I cast an illusion over her before grabbing her for a hug. "Good. Ok." She tries to reassure me even though she probably doesn't fully understand what happened.

I smile as I let her go and start to pet her. "I know Girl, I know." This entire thing was mentally draining, but it's done, I don't have to worry about being silent or over what words I'd use. It was far from perfect, and I fucked up a bit looking my calm, but I did my best and that's all I can really do.

I take up the task of putting the books she left on their proper shelves, something to distract me more than anything else. When I'm done I decide I've had enough of the library for today, so I once again walk out into the snow and head home. I think Cadance said it best. 'There is no easy answer, there never is when it comes to love.'

When I get home I have a single thing to do, I need to send a letter to both Cadance and Celestia. They never asked me to, but they could use some heads up about this and I think Twilight could use some of Cadance's advice right now. Once they are done I pass them off to Entropy and tell her where they are needed before deciding to take a shower, it always helps.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :]
Current year is 994

I've never written anything like this and romance is not my specialty, I think it came out ok overall.

Also, just a small fact I thought you all might find interesting. I don't like reading slow paced stories, yup, me. If your wondering why someone who's made a 500k story can somehow not read stories like that, they you can get in line behind me because I'm just as confused.