Log Twenty - Chapter Nineteen

Twilight and I moseyed on down the stairs, conversing over the awkward moment, to say the least, that transpired.

"The nerve of that guy," I grumbled as I took cautious steps down the stairs with Twilight, who was vigilant I'd make it all the way down without incident, flanked to my left.  "Honestly he could have, I don't know, taken a different approach than... than that!"  I wrapped my arms around myself and grimaced with a shiver.  "And I almost kissed him!  Blegh!"

"Yeah...  About that.  What was Discord doing in your room anyway?  And how did he know your name?  Did you two bump into each other or something?"  Twilight wondered in curiosity.

I chuckled with a touch of humor.  "To say we "bumped into each other" would be misconstrued."

"Then how did you two meet?  Oh, wait, this would be an excellent topic to talk about at the coronation buffet!  I'm sure all the girls would be fixated to know about your affiliation with Discord!"

"Err, sure.  I guess?"  I answered unsurely.  First and foremost, nobody still knows about me and Discord's spot at the lake, and we've kept it that way ever since.  I wasn't exactly determined to know the reasoning behind it.  Then again, since when has Discord ever been subtle or reasonable at any point in time?  It'd be best not to ask or question it, for the sake of sanity.

We were now on the second step from the cottage's ground floor when Twilight halted in place and tapped her chin thoughtfully.  "There's still one thing that eludes me," she mused aloud.

I hit the final step and stopped to look at the puzzled mare.  "Yeah?"

"The slates on the doors; I was definite that the room I went into was your room hence the slate on the door was labelled 'Rick's Room'.  But if it wasn't, why were the slates switched?"

She had a valid point.  I wondered how, or why, the slates had gotten switched...  Both me and Twilight widened our eyes as if our minds were insync.  "That son of a..." I growled through gritted teeth.  That bastard must've switched the plates while we were all downstairs and switched them back after I went to the bathroom.

The mare shook her head, sighing in annoyance.  "Discord will be Discord..."

"Where did you go anyway?" I asked.

She just snickered.  "Discord switched the signs, so I went into the other room on accident to wait for you."

"But wouldn't you have figured out it wasn't my room; how long were you in Fluttershy's bedroom before you figured out it wasn't mine?"

Twilight, much to her chagrin, flattened her ears.  "Apparently too long, judging by what I caught you doing with Discord."

"Hey!  I told you that I had nothing to do with it," I retorted.  Twilight nudged my side, and I could only turn my head away and... blush.  "And what did you want me for anyway?  I think that much got lost up until now."

This time it was Twilight's turn to blush. "I... I, uhm..."

I turned to her with mild confusion and then the realisation why she stammered sunk in.  "You were going to do what Discord did, weren't you!?"  I couldn't help but laugh to myself.

"...Uhm, no?"

"So you're telling me if I searched you, I wouldn't find lingerie?"

She adorably hung her head and grumbled.  "Fine, you win.  But I still get the satisfaction from knowing you would have kissed me!"  Damn, couldn't deny she got me there.  "Long as we're still on the topic, how did Discord capture my looks?"

"Huh?" I intelligently asked.

"When Discord disguised himself as me, how spot on were the details?  Don't be afraid to tell me what was running through your mind."

"Uh..."

I'll be frank - there really wasn't much thought to be had when I saw Discord imitating Twilight in black, silky stockings and corset.  It was that moment where everything inside my head turned blank that I was shockingly stunned by not just from how the imposter Twilight looked but from how much the show obscured the other side of these characters.

Then it wouldn't be a kid's show if they showed everything of this world...

And seeing Twilight pretty eager for my response, I ran a hand up along my forehead to the back of my head and answered, "Let me be a little disarmingly honest with you, Twilight.  The moment I saw you- err, I mean you as in the Discord you- ugh, I mean the imposter you, dressed up like that, I was so stunned that I essentially lost the ability to think for myself from the blood rushing elsewhere," I said.  Twilight's ears drooped, disappointment composed on her expression.   "BUT," I spoke up before Twilight could speak, "But I will recap the moment so that I can then tell you what my exact thoughts are."

Twilight's spirit lifted, the disappointed look vanishing from her features, as a pleased, adorkable smile now adorned her muzzle.

"At first, I was awfully nervous what was going to happen from there.  Discord had you down flawlessly in all aspects; your voice, your eyes, your body -- I don't think there was any mistake I could identify.  Everything was spot on from top to bottom."  I stood momentarily silent, thinking that was too brief.  "That wasn't detailed as much...  Let me rephrase."  I said, clearing my throat.  Twilight nodded and goaded me to proceed.  "I was rather angst about what would've happened if that was you, and where we would've gone from there.  A part of me still has that opposition of inter-species relationships, but the other side of me really wants this to work since I've left everything on Earth and would rather have that 'everything' here - a home, a daughter; a simple life basically."

Twilight sat on one of the steps, patiently listening to every word.

I sighed.  "And I considered the last thing I needed in my life was an intimate relationship.  I've thought of that all my life.  But that's when you came along with your confession."  Twilight's ears pricked to that.  "I don't want to sound like a jerk, but, a million scenarios ran my mind during that time, a good amount were prejudices of me dating a pony.  I know you know that I've mentioned this before.  Though I wanted to be more clear with you how unsettling I believed it was firsthand."

"Right," Twilight confirmed, inclining a comprehensive nod.

I let out another sigh.  "Yes- I was a tad shocked and somewhat disgusted, and you have every right to call that unjust.  Yet the other scenarios inside my mind were how I found someone who likes me for who I am."  I raised both hands in the air which Twilight instinctively extended her hoof to let me clasp my palms gingerly around it.  "Twilight.  Your confession made me realize that I didn't have to live a lonely life.  You could call it an epiphany or whatever.  The bottom line is that, like Fluttershy, you've given me a different kind of love I've neglected for years.  And oddly enough, Discord's little prank gave me that courage to man up and do what feels right."

"When I saw the imposter you with that cute hair tied up to a bun, your pupils reflecting in the sunlight, I never realized how more beautiful you are, even if you are a pony.  To me, you don't have to sway me with clothes, innuendo, flattery or actions; to me, I see beauty through two things: eyes and personality.  When I look into your eyes, I get entranced by how stunningly alluring they are and the soul flickering with brilliant pureness behind them.  I like the way your hair is straight.  You don't use fancy shampoo or stuff Rarity uses to make her hair that meticulously curled."  Twilight blushed but motioned me to press on.  "And from those conversations we had about my planet, I really liked how you documented the newfound knowledge you obtain.  You take things a bit seriously and express your opinions in a profound context.  So not only are you beautiful, you're incredibly smart."

"Rick," said Twilight, flashing me with bedroom eyes.  "Fluttershy has never mentioned this side of you."

I smirked.  "Well, I tend to get sappy whenever I feel this way.  Heh.  Though I am willing to give us a future."  Serious as I mostly am, I was dead-set in those words there.  I may had lost my chance with Tina but I'd be damned if I let this chance slip by me again.  "The road will be rough, but I'm determined to stick through to the end if you ar-"

Twilight abruptly ignited her horn, the purple aura engulfed the front of my shirt's collar and pulled me into a loving kiss, one that's more perfervid than the last time we've done it.  I felt the wave of passion circulating throughout my body reaching its way into my heart's core.  Twilight wrapped her hooves around my neck, while I held both hands to each side of her face, savoring every second of this moment.

There was one man.

There was one pony.

Their bond seeded.

Growing with passion.

Blooming into an explosion of love.