21st Spell: [Video/Action for Olivine]

[friendyousohard]

[The view opens to a shot of the sea. Pure, pristine, gorgeous...

And apparently filled with swarms of oncoming Pokemon.]

Tesla, fire!

[A huge blast of electricity rips past Twilight into the sea, striking all the nearby swarming fossil Pokemon and knocking out a good chunk of them.]

Thank Celestia for strong Electric-types... Does anyone know what's causing this? I woke up this morning and the town was practically covered in these ancient Pokemon. I've been doing my best to hold them back, as have several others, but they just keep on coming no matter what we do. Is this happening everywhere?

[A small group of Kabuto, Omanyte, and Tirtouga dare the beach again only to be zapped into unconsciousness by Tesla. The Magnezone doesn't even seem tired when Twilight turns the camera on it, though it would probably be hard to tell...]

We've been okay so far, but we can't keep this up forever. And what if they start coming from somewhere aside from-

[There's a loud cry from behind. Twilight whirls around and the shot pans up to show the top of the lighthouse-

Which is covered in Archen that have just flown down from Route 39.]

The sea. Oh horseapples.

[One of the Archen screeches as it lifts off, and the feed ends with that ominous shot.]

Comments

[friendyousohard]

Don't be ridiculous, AJ. You've saved me plenty of times. Have you forgotten our first time in the Forest?

[She can still hear her voice if she closes her eyes and envisions it. "Let go. I promise you'll be safe." And she had been. Applejack had held onto her just long enough for Rainbow and Fluttershy to get where they needed to be. It was probably the turning point in getting her to trust these strange ponies who insisted on befriending her.]

So... I don't think I can move right now. You?

[Part of her kind of actually hopes Applejack won't be in any better shape than she is. Now that the immediate threat is over, lying next to her at the lighthouse is kind of... nice.]

[sitdownbecider]

[Truth be told, though every nerve in her body cried out for rest, if need be, she could have been up and ready for more. But... it looks as if Amphy's light is keeping the monsters at bay, at least for now.

Still, Twilight's body was soft and comfortingly warm. Her arms, still shaking from nerves, gently tighten around her dear friend's waist.]

...I reckon we can stay here for a little while.

[friendyousohard]

[Twilight is thoroughly relieved by that acquiescence on AJ's part, and starts to relax against her friend and the floor of the lighthouse roof...

Until she notices something. Her eyes turn to the railing one more time, but now she's looking past it.]

Hey. The sun's setting.

[It's a gorgeous sight, to be sure. The horizon turning red, pink, and purple all at once as the sun goes down, over the gently wafting waves... and all with no ancient Pokemon to get in the way, thanks to them. It's like they can bask in their victory, at least for a little while.

Her eyes turn to Applejack. The light's playing on her hair, making it look reddish-gold. It's a lovely look on her, really. Twilight finds herself completely caught up in it.]

[sitdownbecider]

Should make Amphy's light all the more frightenin' to 'em.

[Though for now, her gaze is distracted by something far more attractive. The sunset frames Twilight's face in a soft corona of red and purple.]

Maybe we should just spend the night up here?

[friendyousohard]

It's not really the most comfortable bed... but it's better than the ground. Maybe... just see whether we feel like moving in a little bit? I'm sure Amphy won't mind sharing the space.

[She's already cuddling into Applejack as she says that, making it that much less likely they'll be moving anytime soon. It doesn't help that her eyes are still glued to AJ's face.]

[sitdownbecider]

I could send Champ t'pick up our sleepin' bags from the wagon.

[Said as she slowly closes her eyes. Her body desperate to just shut down, but she stays awake so she can feel Twilight's body against hers for a little longer.]

[friendyousohard]

Not a bad idea. I'm sure we can stay awake that long.

[Her hand reaches out to brush away some of that hair from Applejack's face, and she finds her fingers entangling themselves into it, not entirely by her conscious will... but not really against it either.]

[sitdownbecider]

[She chuckles, reaching up and touching Twilight's hand with her own.]

I'll try my hardest, at least.

[friendyousohard]

[Once Applejack's hand touches hers, she takes it and holds it in a gentle grip, looking into her eyes for a few moments, thoughts whirling in her mind.

After a few moments, she comes to a decision.]

Hey, AJ?

[sitdownbecider]

[AJ was in the twilight of a dream. Her body could barely move, and her mind was following into gentle sleep. In this state, Twilight's voice was Applejack's entire world. She smiles, dreamily, gently holding her friend's hand in her own.]

Yeah, Twi?

[friendyousohard]

This one's not an accident.

[And then, quickly, before she can lose the nerve she worked up to say that, Twilight leans in...

And gives her a kiss.]

[sitdownbecider]

What ar--

[And then suddenly, Twilight's lips were against her own. Her eyes flutter open, and meet Twilight's closed eyelids. She had never had second thoughts about being affectionate with her friends, but she had never been so close to anyone before. That she can remember, at least.

Her hands tremble lightly, and her cheeks begin to burn like the sun.]

T...Twilight.

[friendyousohard]

I honestly do not know how long I've wanted to do that for.

[She's smiling, weakly, but with evident amusement.]

Maybe since the accident... maybe since our date. Maybe earlier. I honestly can't remember. But right now... I guess it's the adrenaline winding down, or it could be just because I've been holding it in for so long, but I needed to get that out there.

And I guess I should get this out in the open, while I'm at it... [She breathes in deep.] Applejack... I love you.

[sitdownbecider]

Y-you, I...

[She's speechless. Maybe it was the exhaustion, or the kiss, or the pain or the confession, or some crazy combination of everything that had transpired that day, but Applejack found herself physically unable to form words.

Her arms, still trembling from moments before, tightened around Twilight's waist. She was so close. Closer than she had ever been before. She had never noticed it before, but their bodies seemed to fit together like puzzle pieces. Like whoever was so sick to trap them in these bodies had made them perfect for each other.

She rests her head atop Twilight's, hiding her face in her purple hair.]

[friendyousohard]

[Her own smile doesn't fade, even if AJ can't see it now.]

You don't have to say anything to me now. I know I just sprang this on you... And it's not like either of us really know what we're doing with this sort of thing. I think we proved that on our date night.

[Because as enjoyable as that had been, Twilight still believes they didn't do half of it the way it probably "should" have gone.]

But still... as much as I even understand the subject of romantic love, I can't think of anything else this feeling could be. It's not ordinary friendship, I'm intimately familiar with that. It's something... something different, somehow. [She chuckles self-deprecatingly.] I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. And at this point I'm rambling a bit. But I feel like this is the sort of thing that deserves some sort of explanation, even if it's a bit of a jumbled one.

[buckyouup]

...We sure have been through a lot, huh?

[The closest thing to a response she can manage. Her hand gently touches against the small of her friend's back. Honestly, she was amazed that Twilight could think clearly enough to make such a confession, or deliver reasoning behind it. Her head was still spinning from her near-death fall, and then from the kiss from her closest friend. There was just too much for her to process at once.]

I j-just... wanna be close t'you right now.

[friendyousohard]

One more reason not to move.

[Not that they really needed one.

Oh, hey. Her eyes are closing. She probably just needs to rest a bit... against AJ's oh-so-comfy body.]

[sitdownbecider]

[A small smile creeps across her lips.]

Good point.

[friendyousohard]

Maybe I should- [Yawn] Ask Spike to pick up our bags... He'd probably get there faster than Champ.

[buckyouup]

Don't let... [Mmph.] Champ hear that. He'd be quick to challenge him to a race.

[Yawn.]

...Prolly find a way t'win, too.

[friendyousohard]

Isn't that- [Nnnn.] Beneficial to us, though?

[buckyouup]

...If we send 'em both, we might get some privacy.

[friendyousohard]

Not entirely. [She points with a half-limp hand at Amphy, but then again she seems to be largely ignoring the two intruders on her domain, so...]

NOT ACTUALLY HERE BUT

[loveisabattlefield]

(This is TOTALLY not getting photographed and/or recorded by a certain sister-in-law.

That TOTALLY wasn't a squee you heard.

That TOTALLY wasn't a camera flash you saw.

That TOTALLY wasn't a fist pump of victory in your peripheral vision.)

[friendyousohard]

[Sis, that's creepy.]