thenearshore | A First Time for Everything

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A First Time for Everything

Who: Ginia and Celestia
When: Dec. 5
Where: A park in the Near Shore.
What: After a day of fun and an evening of delicious food, the night begins in a park.

The best part about the date, in Celestia's mind, was also the part she'd expected: it wasn't different.

They'd tromped all around the amusement park, riding rides and watching performances and winning each other stupid souvenirs that, mathematically speaking, were complete ripoffs compared to anything they could have just bought from a store. And they'd determined that, no, you couldn't do everything the park had to offer in even two days, and maybe they'd have to go back and see if third time was the charm. And that was much as it had been.

And dinner had been one long and roaming conversation, covering mostly the quirks of Equestria and some of the things Celestia had seen in her long reign over ponykind. Again, nothing new. Nothing unexpected. Nothing had suddenly become different because they'd called this a 'date', except maybe some times when Celestia's heart had raced a little faster than it might have otherwise. And that meant she'd made the right decision.

With the restaurant now behind them and delicious satiation warming her veins (while her magic, quietly and helpfully, warms the rest of them out in the cool December air), the two drift into the night of a dimly-lit park. Celestia wasn't ready to let go yet, metaphorically or literally with her hand in Ginia's, and the Princess let out a delightedly contented and happy sigh as they walked down the concrete path, beneath the brilliant night sky.

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No, the popcorn doesn't taste any better because it comes in a refillable plastic souvenir container with dancing Capypa around the edge. Yes, the stuffed animals won from the shooting gallery were cheaper in any store. But there is joy in the frivolous and a moment of levity is always welcome. Today Ginia doesn't think about scrubbing through surveillance footage or cataloging her collection of photos from the forest for closer study. There are only performances and amusement park rides and more and more selfies with the park's mascots or at scenic spots.

The day is good. Nothing has changed. It's no different now that it's a date, though Ginia finds herself noticing the small lines around Celestia's mouth and eyes when she smiles and laughs (and there are plenty of those). The way her hand feels entwined with hers, softer in comparison but not from a lack of work. That there's an order to how Celestia's hair flows into itself, teal to green to purple to pink, flowing and blending without ever losing its graceful striations.

They walk through the park hand in hand, the only sound the light rustle of wind in the trees and the sound of their shoes on the paved path. There are some stars in the sky, the ones bright enough to shine past the light pollution of a major city. It's a nice view, though not as nice as the unobstructed views in the Far Shore.

Ahead of them is a vending machine and a bench, lit lamp post and the vending machine providing ample light. Ginia gestures at the machine, full of cold and hot drinks, and takes out her phone. The screen lights her face as she types with one hand, synthesized voice breaking the silence around them.

"Do you want something to drink? My treat."

And as always, the light rustle of wind tugs at Ginia's hair and ignores Celestia's, so they brush together between and behind them. Celestia noted the contrast with a smile. They were so very different on the outside even when she was a human, and the reality was even stranger, but it didn't matter at all, did it?

Her mind returned to one thought it had constantly bounced back and forth from all evening: I have no idea what I'm doing. By now it was practically an anthem, defiance of the constraints of her position, a rejection of fear. It was dangerous, very very dangerous, but Celestia trusted herself.

But that was why, when Ginia asked that question, Celestia broke into giggles. It was so mundane for such a very deep and portentous evening!

"Yes, I would like that."

Water, soda, juice, milk tea, coffee, tea; the usual things. Ginia pulls her coin purse out of her bag and waits for Celestia's decision. She buys a milk tea for herself after and sits on the bench, the tiny crack of the seal breaking a quiet disruption. The drink is good, cool and refreshing. Ginia clutches it in her hand, lightly squeezing the plastic bottle.

The night is nice, quiet, and Ginia's not sure where to go from there. Certainly someone with more experience dating would know what to say or do. She doesn't mind the quiet in Celestia's company, but there's the pressure to say something. Be witty, be charming, be someone.

But she only be her and certainly that can't be enough.

So she's quiet, waiting for Celestia to pick up the conversation again.

Edited 2018-06-22 03:14 (UTC)

Celestia chose a soda -- a strange choice? Maybe, but she was trying new things and letting herself go a little, especially tonight. Then she perched on the bench next to Ginia, popping it open with a hiss that sounded especially loud in the quiet evening, and lifted it in something of a toast.

After she took a sip, she set it aside in midair, golden light wrapping around it to support it. Just in case the ethereal hair hadn't been a constant reminder that Celestia was a little different.

"I think this is going pretty well," she said, with an amused smile like she was confiding a great but silly secret in Ginia. "Not that I'm asking for a comparison to any others you've had, but I hope you agree!"

Ginia might have forgotten that of the two of them, she was by far more experienced in dating.

Ginia glances at the soda floating in the air and laughs softly. Magic. She's grown used to it with it being around her in so many forms, but it serves as a quiet reminder of the differences between everyone. There's nothing wrong with that, but as Ginia looks down at her hands, blinking on her eye nanites and studying the glow of the technology running through her blood, she wonders how Celestia would take it? How would she even explain it? She looks out at the park; the glow of the wires connecting the lamp posts and vending machines run under the ground unseen by everyone. She looks at Celestia, the small rectangle of her phone a glowing spot on her person.

She blinks off her nanites as Celestia smiles, another whispering laugh following.

"This has been a wonderful day, thank you for asking me out. Though I can't believe there's still so much to see at the amusement park."

Though Celestia wondered what Ginia was laughing about, she was happy just to see her laughing, and smiling, and happy. She had, after some pondering, concluded that part of how all this happened was Ginia's particular blend of capability and vulnerability all in one. Strong and smart enough that Celestia never felt that her own magic or power or knowledge made a burden between them; in need of the support that providing was part of Celestia's nature. Understanding that helped too, put Celestia even more at ease with all this utterly unfamiliar territory.

"Maybe we'll have to go a third time. Or would that be boring now?" The question is downright rhetorical, the comments just another way of saying 'I'm happy' without uttering the words directly and repeatedly. "But whatever the case... I hope a second date is in the cards now."

As wonderful as this one had gone, it was still unexpected. Part of her, the quite and irrational part that lurked deep inside her well below where she let anypony see, still expected that at any second Ginia would just chuckles softly and say 'thanks but no thanks'. That she didn't deserve this happiness, wasn't allowed this happiness. That there were too many things in the way.

Celestia knew better than to let that part of her have any control over her life.

"There's still so much to see there, I can't imagine it'd be boring a third time." There's still a whole section they haven't explored, restaurants to try out. On a second time around, they've picked up a few favorite rides and revisited old ones. The roller coasters are a must, but there's something nice about riding the ferris wheel and seeing the view together. Yes, it can't quite beat Celestia creating a cloud and lifting them into the sky, but there's a niceness about sitting in the carriage as it rises, admiring the view rising around them as the minutes tick away to the precious moment it reaches the very peak.

"We can go there again or go elsewhere on a second date." Ginia plays the message with a smile before she can regret it or even consider the implications. Because of course she wants to spend more time with Celestia; being around her is a joy unique to the alicorn.

But what does a second date mean? That notion sticks in Ginia's mind. Are things serious between them? Is there anything to be serious about? There Ginia stumbles and stews in her regret, staring down at the words that can't be taken back or modified without consequence.

Not that she wants to take back the words, but wanting something is still so strange. It's easier to give, devote herself to a cause, to someone else, follow an order to the end.

(It's so easy being a shinki.

It's dangerous being a shinki.)

So very well. Maybe then the answer is it doesn't matter what she wants, but what Celestia wants. And if she wants a second date, she'll definitely get one.

"We might want to switch it up. What do you say to swimming?"

Serious? Celestia had no idea. None of this was planned, none of this was anything she understood. But she had no regrets and no fear, knowing that what she sought was simply happiness, and this offered her that. Inexpressibly precious and delightful.

On that note, Celestia reached gently out to lay a hand on Ginia's arm, the next best thing to holding her hand when the other woman needed both at the moment. She'd never had so much physical contact with anyone in her life, really, save for her sister, which of course was quite a different matter. In this moment, she felt warm, and wanted, and welcome.

It really was quite amazing.

"Though is there some sort of holiday coming up soon? Should we prepare at all for that?"

"I still need to buy a swimsuit, but swimming could be fun." Does she know how to swim? Ginia supposes she'll find out one way or another. If she can, great. If not, splashing around in shallow water can't hurt. A change of weather would be nice given the rapidly cooling weather in Tokyo and the greater Far Shore.

"Christmas is coming up, New Year's Eve as well. The former is a time for gift-giving and seems to be a popular holiday for couples in Japan. The latter is ringing in the new year. Shrine visits seem to be popular so I imagine plenty of gods are making preparations for that."

Celestia can't imagine Ginia wouldn't know how to swim -- she was so capable in other ways, the thought had literally never occurred to the pony. But the thoughts of a beach trip fluttered away as she sat up slightly, pushing against the bench with her elbow to turn and face Ginia fully.

"The Near Shore has a winter holiday of gift-giving as well?" she said, wonder and delight written across her face. "That's remarkable! Although I'm certain it doesn't have anything to do with Hearth's Warming after all..."

But then Celestia giggled, one arm twitching as brief instinct made her want to cover her mouth. "Well, so much for my plans to surprise you with a Hearth's Warming present!"

"Then it's only fair I was planning on getting you a Christmas present." Though exactly what, Ginia hadn't figured out. What do you get a god when they can get just about whatever they want themselves? For the most part, Ginia's had trouble figuring out what to get everyone, but there's still time.

"There seem to be a lot of holidays around gift-giving and family around this time of year. It's really nice."

"One more way in which everypony is really just the same, deep down inside." Which only made her happier, her smile so warm and delighted with that thought and the general joy of the day that they seemed to be surrounded in their own personal summer. "And perhaps I might not be lucky enough to have you for Hearth's Warming, or its equivalent that you'll celebrate, but maybe the evening before?"

Everypony. It's a word Celestia uses the same way Ginia uses 'everybody' but something about her words prickles Ginia, though she can't understand why. Letting the slight unease go, she considers her schedule. Caster didn't seem to indicate he was doing anything, though Christmas isn't a holiday his pantheon celebrates. Nor did she know if Archer was planning anything, though she hadn't spoken him about any plans.

The extent of celebrations Ginia had in mind was dropping off presents for everyone.

"I'm not sure if my temple is planning anything. I'll let you know when I'm free as soon as possible."

"Well, we'll see." One date didn't make Celestia anything close to competitive with the others, she had no illusions there. But her smile remains just as happy and warm as before. "It is all right, though -- Hearth's Warming is hardly the biggest date night of the year. Though," she added, one hand curled around her chin and not hiding her mischievous smile at all, "if I can figure out when exactly Hearts and Hooves day is in relation to the calendar here, then I'll be pulling out all the stops."

"Hearts and Hooves day? What kind of holiday is that?" There's a meaning in the holiday name that's easy enough to figure out, but Ginia enjoys hearing about various holidays and the customs surrounding them. There are a lot in the Near Shore, especially around this time of year it seems, and though she hasn't participated in any, seeing the decorations change and reading up has been interesting.

It's also for that reason Ginia plans on getting presents for everyone for Christmas, regardless whether the holiday is celebrated itself.

"It's a day for celebrating with your special somepony!" Celestia said, amused and delighted to explain the holiday now that it didn't seem so quite out of her reach. "However you want, really, but on that day ponies go out of their way to have a good time with that other pony who just makes their life that much brighter. A perfect day for a date!"

"Why do you need a specific day for that? Can't you do that any day?" Welcome to commercial driven holidays, Ginia. Though she can't argue it does sound like a nice reason for a holiday. Maybe the holiday is an excuse to go all out for someone. A small quandary does cross Ginia's mind though.

"What if you have more than one person you want to spend time with?"

"Relationships like that are not very common," Celestia said, "and I have found they usually work best when all involved parties wish to be with each other."

Celestia wondered if she might be doing her own efforts to date Ginia more harm than good by heavily implying that relationships like that can work very well when they do, but she wasn't going to lie.

"But as for the whys, I've far less firsthoof experience in these things than you. I should be asking you!"

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A First Time for Everything

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