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Chapter Text

STEVE AND HARU

Steve is angry and not talking to Haru, he's just looking out the car window brooding. He didn't even want to go on the show in the first place. Haru is calm at first trying to explain why she did what she did saying she believes it would help the relationship but during the long drive she starts losing her cool and in hysterics says “Don't you want this to work!?”  Steve finally breaks his silence, he looks at Haru enraged he replies “This WOULD be working if you didnt fuck Shadow The Hedgehog.”  Haru looked at Steve in shock, she turned her head away, she didn't know how to respond to his statement she couldn't deny it after all he had caught her in the act. Haru felt so incredibly guilty about it since she knew Steve already had some trust issues from his ex-girlfriend Nancy. The rest of the car ride was silent after that.

SPIKE AND RED

Spike is writing letters to his friends back in Ponyville but Red keeps yelling at him because every time he sends them with his magic he says his breath stinks and how the fire is making a burning smell in the car. Red ends up hitting Spike in anger and Spike spends the rest of the car ride getting lectured by Red.

CHIBI DOKI AND RAINBOW DASH

The car ride is loud with both Chibi and Rainbow screaming, laughing and singing along to songs on the radio. The ride did have some awkward moments of silence till Rainbowdash turned off the music and finally spoke up  about how she was ready to put her all into the relationship even if they didn't get married in the end she wanted to be there for Chibi because Chibi is the love of her life. Chibi seemed to appreciate the sentiment, shortly after Rainbow turned the radio back up and they continued to sing along to the radio.

LIGHTNING MCQUEEN AND MEIKO

 Lightning is driving them to the resort while Meiko sings along to songs on the radio as practice for her next concert. He always loved listening to her singing; it was one of the few things that could hold his fleeting attention other than racing. Meiko was nervous so she kept messing up the notes and was getting frustrated so Lighting just told her how beautiful her voice was and stopped to buy her some of her favorite snacks from the gas station. 

AARON BURR AND MARLIN

Marlin x Burr - Marlin was on facetime with Nemo showing him the way to the resort and a few of the cool looking areas. Nemo was excitedly talking to Burr and accidentally called him “dad” making Burr feel a pit in his chest but he smiled and nodded along to what Nemo was saying. His eyes kept glancing over to his phone's lock screen that was still a photo of his daughter whom he hadn't seen in weeks now. He didn't want her to grow up in a home where her father didn't love her mother but even more he didn't want her to see him so low in life feeling so sinful when he had nothing but love in his life. He had to pull over once Marlin got off the phone saying it was a bathroom break but when he went inside he messaged his ex wife asking about his daughter for the first time since he had left.

MARIA LEWIS REYNOLDS AND AMERICA (HETALIA)

The two were holding hands and admiring the scenic drive to the resort mostly having idle chatter and stopping occasionally for bathroom breaks and to take photos to send to friends and family. Maria had’nt felt this loved in… well in a long time, America made Maria truly happy, after all it was Maria’s idea to go on the show to get to know America better and spend more time with him, and mostly.. To prove her loyalty, because Maria had a lingering feeling that America questions her loyalty since he had recently found out about her torrid affair with Alexander Hamilton. He had every right to feel that way, because on the surface it seemed like a normal affair, but America didnt know the circumstances so Maria was determined to break the ice between them and explain herself.

FLUTTERSHY AND PEARL

Fluttershy x Pearl - Pearl was behind the wheel steering the car feeling frustrated because she had to drive so slow because of Fluttershy's animals in the car but when she turned her head to look over at Fluttershy she couldn't help but smile as all the annoyance left her just happy to see the woman who loved her and helped her through so much smiling and comforting her animal friends who were nervous. She was doing it for her after all.

EBONY DARK'NESS DEMENTIA RAVEN WAY AND IZUKU MIDORIYA/DEKU

Ebony took the aux cord as soon as they had gotten into the car playing nothing but MCR and Evanescence so loudly it was making Deku’s head throb and ears ring. He had to stop every so often just to get a break from the music and the way Ebony spoke it all was just making his head hurt. He would sit in the bathrooms of gas station after gas station just calling his friends and mom to stay away from her.

ZUKO AND YACHI HITOKA

Yachi chatters nonstop, her voice bouncing with excitement as she lists everything she wants to do on the trip. Zuko stays quiet, watching the scenery outside the window, giving the occasional “hmm” or nod. When the car jolts over a pothole, Yachi gasps, grabbing Zuko’s arm before immediately pulling back and apologizing over and over. “It’s fine,” Zuko says softly, surprising her. For the rest of the drive, Yachi keeps sneaking glances at him, her cheeks pink, while Zuko fights a small, shy smile as he listens to her ramble.

IA AND TSUKISHIMA KEI

Tsukishima has his earbuds in, arms crossed as he stares out the window. IA hums along to the radio, occasionally trying to talk to him. When he doesn’t answer, she slumps back dramatically, muttering, “Do you even want to be here?” He doesn’t respond, but after a long silence, he finally pulls out one earbud and asks about the song she’s been humming. IA lights up, and even though his tone is bored, he doesn’t stop her when she keeps talking. He doesn’t say much after that, but by the time they arrive, she’s smiling, and he’s not quite as annoyed as he was before.

DAZAI AND PUTIN 

Dazai sprawls in his seat, making loud, dramatic complaints about how boring the trip is. Putin doesn’t react, staring at the road with a blank expression, his hands tight on the steering wheel. When Dazai jokes about jumping out of the car, Putin finally snaps, muttering in Russian that he’s had enough of this nonsense. Dazai grins, clearly pleased with the reaction. Putin tries to ignore him, but the corner of his mouth twitches when Dazai says something ridiculous. By the time they arrive, Dazai is smirking, and Putin is pretending he didn’t just laugh.

                                                                                                                                      MISA AMANE AND PAWN_SHOP

 Misa flips through a magazine, sighing loudly every few minutes. “Light never took this long to get somewhere,” she mutters under her breath. Pawn doesn’t respond, gripping the wheel tighter. She glances at him, waiting for a reaction, but he keeps staring straight ahead. After a while, she leans over, her voice soft. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” Pawn flinches but doesn’t say anything. The rest of the drive is quiet, the air heavy with tension neither of them is ready to address.

        KIYOKO SHIMIZU AND TENDOU SATORI

Tendo taps his fingers on the steering wheel, stealing glances at Kiyoko. She’s quiet, her gaze on the window. “You’re really hard to read, you know that?” Tendo says, trying to laugh, but it comes out nervous. Kiyoko turns to him, her expression calm. “I don’t mean to be.” That makes him fidget even more. He blurts out, “You don’t think I’m annoying, do you?” She blinks, surprised, before shaking her head. “No, I don’t.” The way she says it is so soft and sure that Tendo doesn’t know what to say. He spends the rest of the ride overthinking, while she quietly smiles to herself.

    AMETHYST AND VI

 Amethyst blasts her playlist, drumming on the dashboard while Vi tries to keep her focus on the road. They’re arguing over music, Amethyst calling Vi’s taste “soulless” while Vi rolls her eyes and mutters something about “ancient tunes.” Amethyst grabs a water bottle and starts singing into it, her voice way too loud and way off-key. Vi snorts, trying not to laugh, but when Amethyst notices, she leans in and belts the next line even louder. By the time they reach the resort, Vi’s cheeks hurt from smiling, and Amethyst is already planning their next playlist battle.

    ATSUSHI NAKAJIMAN AND GOSHIKI TSUTOMO

 Goshiki can’t stop talking, bouncing in his seat as he asks Atsushi question after question about the trip. “Do you think we’ll win? Who do you think the judges will like more, me or you?” Atsushi answers calmly, ruffling Goshiki’s hair to keep him from spiraling. When Goshiki starts rambling about how they’re clearly the best couple, Atsushi laughs softly. “Don’t get too cocky,” he says, teasing. Goshiki pouts until Atsushi pats his head again. “You’re doing great,” Atsushi says, and just like that, Goshiki is smiling again.

    KAMALA HARRIS AND KENJI

 Kamala’s on her phone, typing quickly, while Kenji stares out the window, his jaw tight. “You could at least pretend to care,” he mutters. Kamala doesn’t look up. “I’m working.” He scoffs, crossing his arms. “You’re always working.” She snaps, “What do you want me to do? Quit my job?” Kenji’s quiet for a moment before he mumbles, “Maybe stop texting him.” Kamala freezes, the tension thick between them. Neither of them says another word, the silence stretching all the way to the resort.

AT THE RESORT...

Soon, one by one, all the couples showed up at the resort. It was big and lavish, not at all what any of them were expecting. “Wow!!! This is bigger than Princess Celestia’s castle!” said Rainbow, who was already running around sizing the place up, Chibi was not far behind her 

Fluttershy took a step forward, “oh wow, Pearl, this resort is very lovely, but i wonder if they’ll let me bring my animals." Pearl smiled at Fluttershy “you really thought I wouldnt have triple checked that before we came here?” Fluttershy puts her hand on Pearl’s cheek. “Hehe, of course, why would I ever doubt you?" Fluttershy and Pearl shared an intimate moment before Pearl quickly backed away. Fluttershy looked at Pearl; her face saddened. “Oh, I'm sorry, Fluttershy.. I didn't mean to I-” Fluttershy quickly changed her expression back to her signature soft smile

 “No, no, it's ok, Pearl.. Don't worry about it; let's just go inside, ok?” Pearl watched Fluttershy as she walked inside with the rest of the contestants, and Pearl felt a pit in her stomach. Why can't I just do this? I always end up doing this to her. Pearl saw Amethyst in the distance with her new partner Vi; why was it so easy for her? Her and Sadie only broke up 6 months ago, and she had just moved on so easily. Pearl stood there for a minute wondering if there was any hope for her until she realised almost everybody had gone inside without her, so she quickly paused her thought process and shoved her feelings deep, deep down.

Once everyone piled into the resort, the contestants began to mingle with each other while they waited for something to happen. Burr walked over to Maria and started to initiate small talk with her. “Maria? You’ve found somebody new?”

“Things change, and I guess I wasn’t meant to be alone forever.” Burr smiled at Maria as he thought about Marlin and how he had found him at an incredibly low point in his life as well. He thought about how he had talked to Theodosia again. He was trying to justify it by telling himself it was just to ask about his daughter, but he knew that wasn't it. He loved his life now, but he was scared and hated who he was. He wanted to be normal, and being with Marlin was the best thing for him, but it felt so wrong. “Good for you, Maria; I'll be on my way now; I have to go find Marlin.”

Marlin was just across the room taking a few pictures of the fish in the large fish tank in the lobby, all to send to Nemo. When he looked up from his phone and saw Burr, he smiled, waving him over to take a picture with him for Nemo. Burr and Maria exchanged their final goodbyes, and he went to his boyfriend, smiling as Marlin wrapped an arm around him, pulling him in closer for a photo. They smiled for the camera, and as Marlin sent it to Nemo, Burr planted a small kiss on his forehead, just taking in his boyfriend while he could.

Zuko was awkwardly walking around the venue dodging people while he was scanning the place for his girlfriend Yachi Hitoka. The relationship was only less than a year old, but they already acted like an old married couple. He could hear her in his head scolding him for going off without her. He sighed, fixing his shirt as he walked past the contestants that were still mingling till he finally reached Yachi, who was nervously tugging at the hem of her dress. Zuko smiled as he saw her and gently took her hand. 

"Zuko, you scared me!” Yachi said as she let out the breath she was holding in, then laughed. “I thought you got lost,” she said with a smile. “Sorry, I went to go look around, but then I couldn't find you.” Yachi laughed, “No need to explain yourself, Zuko; I know how you are." Yachi placed her hand in Zuko's. “Here, this way we won't get separated.” At this point, both Yachi and Zuko were both blushing messes. They stood in the corner of the venue holding hands, both anticipating the other to say something. The silence didn't last long. Just as Yachi was about to speak up, someone burst open a door that nobody knew was there prior. And the people who came out… were Tommyinnit and Asuka Langley Soryu, the host and co-host of the show.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their heads toward the two hosts. “Hellooo love birds! Welcome to 90 Day Fiance and welcome to the Serenity Cove Resort. The owners of the resort, Penelope and Odysseus, were kind enough to let us use this resort.

 So if you guys need anything, don't be afraid to ask them.” Tommyinnit looked at Asuka, annoyed. “I was supposed to say all of that; Asuka, you're just the co-host, remember." Asuka looked back at Tommy, letting out a sound of annoyance, and rolled her eyes, “I’m still a host,” she said, facing towards him fully. Tommy threw his hands in the air dramatically as he spoke. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. The point is, you better behave yourselves; no funny business!” He sent a knowing look to a few in the crowd, his eyes narrowing as he did. “If any of you break anything, you'll be paying, not us.”

Asuka turned back to the small crowd of the contestants and smirked, “What he means is enjoy yourself over these 90 days.” She glanced back at Tommy with a smug look. “We don’t want another Twitter call out now, do we?” Tommy’s face turns red as he raises his fist to Asuka “Why you-” Asuka turns away from Tommy and looks back at the contestants. “Anyways! You guys can head up tour rooms now and start to get settled in, ok?” 

Everyone began to move up to their rooms and soon the venue became empty.

Chapter Text

Zuko and Yachi took the elevator to their room; they and the other contestants were staying on the 16th floor. When they got to their room, they saw that it was quite spacious and homey. “Oh wow, Zuko, this is so nice!!” Yachi said amazed while Zuko was off to the side admiring the view they had; they were overlooking a beautiful beach. He saw a breathtaking expanse of shimmering blue. Zuko stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the endless stretch of ocean. The sound of the waves crashing softly against the shore was almost calming, something he didn’t expect to feel in a place like this. He hadn’t realised how much he missed the sea, even if it wasn’t the same kind of water he was used to back home.

Yachi, still in awe of the room, wandered over to the balcony, her eyes lighting up as she joined him. "It’s beautiful here... I can’t believe we get to stay somewhere like this for 90 whole days!" she said, her voice filled with happiness, but not because of the view before her but because she had Zuko there, with her watching the ocean waves crash against the shore.

Zuko glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yeah, it's nice,” he said quietly. Yachi smiled back at him; she could stand there with Zuko for hours. She still didn't understand how someone like Zuko would ever want to be with someone like her; he was so cool, calm, and collected with her. Well, she was an awkward mess and couldn't even talk to her own boyfriend without feeling like her lungs would explode. Just standing there with him.

She felt his presence beside her and felt for a moment she felt the anxiety bubble up in herself. Yachi fidgeted with her sweater for a moment and snuck a small glance at Zuko out of the corner of her eye. He looked at peace while her thoughts were racing a mile a minute. “I was worried,” she blurted out, suddenly her voice coming out in a whisper “That you would think this is all a bit silly.”

Zuko turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting with hers with a look she couldn't quite read. “Why would you think that?” he asked, genuinely curious. Yachi swallowed hard, feeling her cheeks heat up. “I dont know, I mean this show all the cameras, people watching us, having us go on dates, and other couples stuff. Its kind of overwhelming, right? And youre so serious, I guess I just thought youd think I was silly for wanting to do this.”

Zuko leant against the balcony's railing, folding his arms. “It is overwhelming,” he admitted, glancing down at the beach below. “But I wanted to do this with you, Yachi. You thought it would be worth it, so I figured it would be.”

Yachi blinked up at him, surprised. “You mean it?”

“Yeah,” he said with a small shrug, a rare smirk forming on his lips. "Besides, its not so bad the views are nice and,” his eyes glanced back to hers. “I get to spend time with you without being dragged off into war or family drama.”

Yachi laughed nervously as she tucked a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “I guess that's a plus,” she said quietly, feeling more at ease. “It’s, uh, getting a bit late now; I might head off to bed.” Zuko smiled at Yachi, which was somewhat rare for him as he planted a kiss on her cheek. “I think I’ll do the same; goodnight, Yachi.” Zuko walked off nonchalantly as if none of it ever happened. Meanwhile, Yachi stood on the balcony for another minute or so, still processing what just happened.

Chapter Text

Red and Spike had taken the elevator to their room the moment they stepped inside. Red let out a long sigh as he dropped his old duffel bag on the floor with a loud thud "Wow,” he mumbled, looking around with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. “This is something.”

Spike, though, was already by the window, staring out at the view. “Come on, Red, look at this; we are looking at the beautiful beach!” He pressed his face against the glass like an excited kid, his breath fogging up the glass. “The waves at the sunset are so romantic, don’t you think?”

Red crossed his arms, his face deadpan "Yeah, sure, super romantic almost makes me forget how much I hate this stupid fucking trip.” Spike rolls his eyes. “Look, Red, I know your only here for your equestrian visa, but can you please just not be an absolute cunt for one second?”

Red rolled his eyes, flopping onto the couch. “Yeah? Ninety days of pretending we’re in some happy relationship just so I can get my citizenship? What a dream.” He rubbed his temples “I swear, Spike, if I have to hear you talk about love and growth one more time, I’m throwing myself off the balcony.”

“Youre so dramatic.” Spike said with a scoff.

Red gestured wildly at him, “Youre just a dumb kid who throws a fit when I dont hold your hand and youre calling me dramatic?”

Spike groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Oh my Celestia, Red. I ask for the bare minimum! Excuse me for wanting a little affection from my boyfriend!” He turned back to the window, muttering under his breath “You could at least try to act like you dont hate my guts.”

Red leaned back against the couch, throwing his arms over his head. "Yeah, well, I do so why start lying now?” He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in deeply before cracking one eye open. "Besides, youre the one who begged me to come on this stupid show. You said it would be fun.”

Spike rolled his eyes once again, turning away from the window “And you said you would try. Instead, all you do is complain and act like I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to you.”

Red let out a bitter-sounding laugh that left a bad taste in Spike’s mouth. “You are the worst thing that's ever happened to me.”

Spike dramatically clutched his chest. "Wow, okay, love that for us,” he turned back to the window, squinting at the horizon like it held the answers to his shitty life choices. “You know, I thought coming here could be a fresh start for us. A chance to build something real.”

Red snorted, sitting up a bit straighter, "Spike, the only thing we're building is my case for permanent residency.” He reached for the TV remote and started flipping through channels aimlessly. “Once I get that sweet, sweet Equestrian citizenship, I’m out of here. You knew that from the start.”

Spike groaned, “You're such a fucking jerk.”

“And yet, here we are,” Red shot back, not looking up from the TV.

Chapter Text

IA and Tsukishima stepped into their hotel room, the door clicking shut behind them. IA let out a soft gasp, her eyes lighting up as she took in the spacious room. "Wow, this place is so amazing, Kei!” she spun around her hair, moving back behind her as she took in every detail of the room. “Look at the view!”

Tsukishima stayed by the door, his hands shoved into his pockets. He glanced around the room for a moment, unimpressed. “Yeah, its great.” His gaze lingered on the window overlooking the beach, the ocean stretching seemingly endlessly over the horizon. He sighed, walking over and leaning against the glass. “So romantic,” he muttered sarcastically.

IA ignored his tone, stepping beside him with a hopeful smile. “It is romantic,” she insisted, resting her hands on the balcony railing. “We're here for ninety whole days. Doesn't that excite you even a little?”

Tsukishima shrugged, his reflection in the glass looking just as unimpressed as he felt. “I’m thrilled,” he mumbled out.

IA’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly brushed it off. "Well, I think it’s going to be good for us,” she said softly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. “A chance to figure things out.”

Tsukishima scoffed, turning away from the window. “Figure things out? You mean how we can’t hold a conversation for more than five minutes without you having a problem and picking a fight?” He dropped onto the couch and stretched out his legs. “Yeah, that's going to be fun.”
IA frowned, crossing her arms. “You act like you didn’t agree to this.”

“I did agree to it,” Tsukishima said, rubbing his temples. “Doesn’t mean I have to pretend to be excited about it.”

IA sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and fiddling with a loose thread on her skirt. “Kei, I just want us to try, you know? I feel like you don’t even care sometimes.” Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant as it came out in a barely audible whisper.

Tsukishima shifted uncomfortably, staring up at the ceiling. He hated how easily she made him feel guilty without even trying. “I do care,” he muttered after a long silence. “I just don’t know how to show it.”

IA amiled sadly. “Maybe this show will help us figure that out.”

Tsukishima glanced at her, his expression unreadable as always. “Maybe.”

For a moment the silence settled between them, awkward and heavy, so many unresolved issues begging to be fixed even after just being together for a few months. The problems were piling up every day, it seemed, and neither really knew how or where to start to fix things.

Then IA clapped her hands together suddenly, putting on a bright smile. “Alright! Let's unpack and get settled in!” She said as she started to open her suitcase. “It’s going to be a long ninety days!”

Tsukishima sighed, standing up and grabbing his own bags. “Yeah, a really long ninety days.”

But even as IA hummed quietly while unpacking her clothes, he found himself watching her for a second longer than necessary before looking away. Maybe just maybe this wouldn’t be the worst way to waste his time.

Chapter Text

Pearl struggled to help Fluttershy carry all of her animals to the room while Fluttershy did it with ease; she was perplexed on how she did it; she seemed like a frail woman for the most part. But her sudden display of strength intrigued Pearl, and she found herself thinking about how useful she would have been during the gem war, but Pearl quickly shook the thought; she had to get out of that mindset; it wasn't good for her.

When they finally got all the animals settled in, the both of them flopped on the couch Pearl did a big sigh of relief. Fluttershy chuckles, "Oh, I'm sorry, Pearl! I didn't think that would be so hard on you.” Fluttershy says playfully, and Pearl looked at her gasping, “It was not hard for me! I just haven't done physical labour in a long time." Pearl said embarrassed. Fluttershy smiled at her, and she moved closer to Pearl; she put her hand in hers and rested her head on Pearl's shoulder. Pearl stiffened; she didn't know how to feel about Fluttershy’s advances; it felt nice, but every time Fluttershy showed her affection, she never knew how to receive it; she couldn't help it. Every time she looked at Fluttershy, she was suddenly filled with remorse; she felt like she was betraying Rose every single time she was with her. Pearl swallowed the lump in her throat, her body going ridged as Fluttershy bestled against her shoulder. The warmth of her touch seeped through Pearl’s form. She glanced down at their intertwined hands, delicate and gentle, so different from the sharp edges and battles she had once known and felt at home with.

“I…” Pearl started, but the words caught in her throat. She didn’t want to push Fluttershy away, not when she was so kind, so patient, just so unlike anyone Pearl had allowed herself to get close to before. But that nagging guilt gnawed at her, the always-present weight of Rose in the back of her mind like a ghost she couldn’t shake.

Fluttershy must have sensed her hesitation because she lifted her head slightly, looking up at Pearl with those soft, understanding eyes. “You don't have to pretend with me, Pearl,” she said gently. “I know it’s hard to open up sometimes." Pearl looked embarrassed as she buried her head in her knees. “Im so sorry, Fluttershy; I always do this to you.” Pearl looked at Fluttershy with a hint of sadness in her eyes. She extended her hand out to Fluttershy, and Fluttershy took her hand, anticipating for what Pearl would say next “I thought I had moved on, I mean, after the fight with the Diamonds.” Pearl sighed, “I thought I'd finally have the courage to move on from her, but... when it all comes down to it, I was made for her, so how could I just forget so easily?”

Fluttershy gripped Pearl’s hand tighter, her gentle touch grounding her in the moment. "Pearl, you don’t have to forget her,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “You’re allowed to carry those memories with you. But you don't have to carry the weight of them alone." She tilted her head, her eyes searching Pearl’s face. "What matters now is that you're here, with me. And you're allowed to let yourself be happy, in whatever way that looks like."
Pearl swallowed hard, the tight knot in her chest tightening. "But what if moving forward means I'm leaving her behind?" Pearl's voice cracked; her words pierced the air between them
Fluttershy gently rested her other hand on Pearl’s cheek, brushing away the softest of tears that had escaped. "You're not leaving her behind," Fluttershy said with a tenderness that made Pearl’s heart ache. "You’re just allowing yourself to grow. Rose would want that for you, wouldn't she?"
Pearl closed her eyes, her thoughts a storm of memories and regret. "I want to believe that... I just don't know how to."
"You don't have to figure it all out now," Fluttershy murmured. "It's okay to take it slow. I’m here. We’ll go at your pace."

Pearl let out a shaky beath, leaning into Fluttershy’s touch. The warmth of her hand against her cheek felt so different yet comforting in a way Pearl wasn’t sure she deserved. She opened her eyes, searching Fluttershy’s face for any hint of doubt or hesitation, but there was none. Only kindness. Only patience. It made Pearl feel small and vulnerable in a way that battle never had.

“You make it sound so easy,” Pearl whispered. “But it’s not. I spent so long following her, loving her, being hers in every way I could be; I don’t know who I am without her." She glanced down at their joined hands, her grip tightening almost instinctively. “And what if I can’t love you the way you deserve?” Fluttershy looked at her in all seriousness. “Pearl, I know that you love me, and that's all that matters to me.” And in that moment, Pearl realised that perhaps, just perhaps, she didn’t have to carry everything alone anymore.