//------------------------------// // The morning after // Story: After the Honeymoon // by Pokey the Unicorn //------------------------------// Twilight trotted back to her room swiftly, ears pricked. The morning was beautiful. The Sun was out, there was a gentle breeze, and it was quiet. Twilight had decided to make good use of her new abilities and take the form of a gray Earth pony. Chrysalis was hunting for a lavender unicorn, and Twilight hoped that her new appearance was plain enough to allow her to go unnoticed. The Earth pony moved with precise, cautious steps, always scouting ahead before she moved a significant distance. Her head was much lower to the ground than usual, a useless attempt to go unnoticed as she skulked back to her room at Canterlot Castle. Her rational mind caught her looking back occasionally, checking to make sure that there wasn't anything following her. Said part of her mind told her to calm down and stop breathing so hard. It was a short trip in a fortified area. She was safe here. ... Right? The eerie disquiet said otherwise. Twilight wished that she had her saddlebags. A random Earth pony sneaking around with all six Elements of Harmony hanging off her body like jewellery would definitely turn heads. She'd feel much more comfortable if she could stow them away where nopony could see them. Failing that, she could hold them with her magic. If she bundled all six by her side and hugged the wall, nopony would be able to see them. She didn't though. If she were ambushed, she wanted to be able to focus all of her power and concentration on defense, and not have to worry about holding onto six little pieces of eye-catching jewellery. After what seemed like hours, Twilight reached her room. After casting a quick glance around to make sure she wasn't being watched, her body shifted back to its usual appearance. She pushed the doors open with her magic, still trying to be quiet. Once she was inside, she let out the breath she'd been holding the entire walk up. She turned on the spot, surveying the room. Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie were huddled around the furthest of the three beds—Pinkie and Fluttershy's. The three of them turned to greet Twilight when she entered. Worryingly, Fluttershy and Rainbow were missing. "How did it go, darling?" Twilight paused. This was a fairly big announcement. She was relaying orders directly from the Princess, she had new powers to explain, she had to give her friends the Elements... "It was... alright. Where are Rainbow and Fluttershy? I have an announcement." Pinkie gestured toward the bed. There was a curvy lump under the sheets. Twilight approached the bed curiously, looking the lump up and down. She didn't notice Rarity and Applejack exchanging surprised glances. "Did something happen?" Twilight asked. "She's refusing to get out of bed." Pinkie explained, sounding uncharacteristically serious and concerned. "She won't even let us look at her. We've tried to talk to her, but she's been buried under the sheets all morning, Twilight!" Twilight rubbed her chin with a hoof, looking the lump up and down. "Fluttershy?" She called tentatively. The lump squeaked. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?" Another squeak. "I'm going to remove your sheets." Twilight explained carefully. Fluttershy gave a frantic squeal of protest. Twilight could make out her hooves grabbing at the sheet in bunches and gripping extra-hard. Invoking her magic, Twilight gingerly eased the sheets from Fluttershy's grip, revealing a quaking pegasus curled into the fetal position. Fluttershy let out a mortified scream, covering her face with her hooves. "Oh!" Twilight chirped, getting an idea. "She probably has a hangover!" Rarity and AJ stared at her. After a few seconds, the Earth pony's eyes narrowed. "Fluttershy doesn't drink." "Yes." Rarity agreed. "The Fluttershy we know wouldn't dare touch a single drop." Twilight winced when she heard the lump whimper. "Well she's clearly hung over. Rarity, could you please get her a glass of water? Applejack, close the blinds. We should all try to be quiet for her, okay?" The two ponies nodded, going about their respective tasks. Twilight glanced over at Pinkie. The pink mare had a hoof over her mouth, and her eyes flew back and forth between Twilight and Fluttershy. Twilight climbed onto the bed and sat next to Fluttershy, stroking her mane tenderly. "Shh..." She soothed. "I think I might have a spell for this." Twilight looked up when she heard Pinkie let out a tiny squeak. "What happened last night, Pinkie?" She asked in a hushed tone. Pinkie stared at her for a second before replying. "I don't know. I took her for a night out because she needed to calm down after what happened yesterday. She wanted to go to a bar. I promised her that I'd look after her, but... She had one drink, then disappeared into the crowd. I..." She cast her gaze downward ashamedly. "I lost her, Twilight." "Don't worry about it." Twilight assured, smiling. She knew how responsible Pinkie could be, and despite her craziness, she wasn't negligent. There was no point berating her about this. Rarity returned, levitating a glass of water. She gave Fluttershy a gentle nudge. "Here, darling. You'll feel better once you've had some fluids." She lowered the rim to Fluttershy's lips, letting her take a sip. The pegasus took one big gulp and dived back under the sheets. "You have to drink more than that." Rarity urged, peeling back the sheets. "P-please let me have my sheet back..." Fluttershy murmured. Twilight groaned and lifted her into a sitting position. The resultant scream nearly blew her off the bed. "Yaah! Fluttershy, what's wrong?!" "Don't look at me!" Fluttershy cried, hiding behind her hooves. "Fluttershy, you have to sit up and drink your water! Please tell me what's going on?" Fluttershy squeaked again. Twilight looked at her friends, thoroughly confused. "Land sakes! We're your friends, Fluttershy. Now what's goin' on!?" Applejack yelled. Fluttershy squeaked again, curling up even tighter. "I'm never getting out of bed again!" "What?" Rarity gasped. "Whyever not, dear?" Fluttershy peeked out from behind her hooves, glancing at Rarity. She sat up reluctantly, gazing at the bed. Rarity gave her the glass, and she began to drink. "I'm so embarrassed..." "Fluttershy, sweetie, it's only a hangover. We're not going to judge you." Rarity soothed, rubbing her shoulder. "N-no, it's not that..." Suddenly, the pieces in Twilight's mind fell into place. "Ohh. This is about what happened last night, isn't it?" She asked. Fluttershy nodded. "What happened?" Applejack asked. "Rainbow and I found her wandering the streets last night. She was heavily inebriated, and... well, she was alone." "Pinkie Pie!" Rarity admonished. "How could you?!" The party pony pouted, shrinking back ashamedly. "I didn't mean to leave her alone..." "You left her?" Rarity cried. "What in Equestria were you doing, Pinkie? How could you lose Fluttershy? Something could have happened to her!" Rarity frowned when Fluttershy started crying. She climbed onto the bed and held the sobbing pegasus, throwing a glare at Pinkie. "I was afraid that this sort of thing would happen. How could you be so irresponsible?! You know how Fluttershy is with alcohol!" "No." Fluttershy spoke with surprising firmness. "Pinkie didn't do anything wrong. She was only trying to cheer me up. It was my decision to drink, not hers." She paused to take a deep breath. "I... I made a foal of myself last night. I'll never be able to speak to Rainbow Dash again, but it's my fault. Rarity, please don't be mad at Pinkie." Rarity sat there for a few moments, going over everything in her mind. Her scowl softened as she cast a glance over at Pinkie. The pink mare was sitting next to the bed, staring at the floor. Her mane had lost its curliness. It now hung straight, veiling half of her face. Rarity shivered when she noticed the state Pinkie was in. She had never seen her friend look so utterly devastated before. A few stray tears rolled down Pinkie's cheeks, and her face was twisted into an anguished grimace. She didn't look so bright and pink anymore. "I suppose you're right. I shouldn't have snapped at you, dear." Rarity said gently. Pinkie didn't respond. Her friends watched with increasing worry as she wilted, almost seeming to melt into the floor. Fluttershy wiped away her tears, got up, and walked over to Pinkie. She wrapped a warm, feathery wing around her friend and nuzzled her to get her attention. "Don't feel bad, Pinkie. You had good intentions, and I appreciate that you'd go out of your way just for me." Fluttershy finished with a friendly smile. Pinkie's lower lip quivered, and her gaze turned back to her hooves. "I'm sorry Fluttershy..." The pegasus pulled her into a hug. "Shh." She soothed, rubbing Pinkie's back. Pinkie squeaked quietly, biting her lip as she cried into Fluttershy's shoulder. "I'm so sorry..." She mumbled. "It's okay." Fluttershy whispered. She ended the hug, stroking Pinkie's back with a wing. The pink pony didn't look any better. Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Twilight? Do you know wha-" She stopped talking abruptly. Twilight blinked confusedly, watching as Fluttershy's eyes widened. The pegasus shimmied back a little, ruffling her wings. She glanced over at her friends, who met her gaze. "Oh... oh my. Rarity?" "Y-yes. Yes, I noticed it too Fluttershy." Rarity stammered. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stood there, staring at Twilight apprehensively. "What?" Twilight exclaimed, looking down at her chest. "Is there some-Oh! The Elements! I completely forgot. Princess Celestia gave me the Elements of Harmony, and I'm to deliver them to you. I must look strange wearing them all like this!" She chuckled uncomfortably, waving a hoof. "Or you stole them." Applejack countered. "Applejack!" Rarity snapped. "Um... She is acting a lot like Twilight..." Fluttershy said. "Acting like Twilight?" The lavender mare exclaimed. "Girls, I am Twilight. Why are you doubting me? And why did you wait until now to say something?" "We weren't sure..." Rarity said, looking her over carefully. Twilight noticed that Applejack was glaring at her rather fiercely. "Applejack? You trust me, right?" Twilight asked hopefully. If anypony trusted her, it had to be Applejack. "Trust you?" The farm pony repeated, snorting derisively. "Ohh no. I wouldn't trust ya for all the apples in Canterlot." Twilight's heart sank. "But... why not? Why don't you-" She stopped herself. This was getting her nowhere. "Look, I can easily prove my identity. Ask me anything." "No!" Applejack yelled. "How do we know you haven't done somethin' to the real Twilight? You could have used one of your fancy spells to read her mind!" Rarity sighed, looking over at Pinkie and Fluttershy. "Chrysalis, we know that it's you. Thank you for helping Fluttershy, but-" "Stop insultin' us with your lame tricks!" Applejack interjected. "Applejack!" Rarity snapped. "Please let me do the talking!" She glared at the Earth pony, who huffed, then sat down. Twilight stared at her friends petulantly. Rarity paused, returning the gaze thoughtfully. She acted like Twilight, but there was no way it could be her. "Chrysalis, I want you to know that Fluttershy, Pinkie and I support you." She glanced over at her friends. Fluttershy nodded, but Pinkie was staring at the floor. "We believe that you should be given the benefit of the doubt, as we told you yesterday. But after attempting to deceive us, I can't say that we trust you." Twilight's posture sunk. "You're convinced that I'm not me. Why are you so sure?" Rarity walked over to her tentatively with a half smile, half grimace on her face. She held Twilight's gaze for just a little too long. "You made a mistake." Rarity said simply. She reached out and tapped Twilight's side. "Twilight doesn't have wings. You already knew that though, you saw her at the wedding." The dressmaker stood there, staring, unable to make sense of it. Twilight groaned. "Oh hoof! Is that what this is about?" She shouted. She had completely forgotten to hide her wings. The appendages glowed and merged back into her sides. Everypony gasped. "Perhaps that is Twilight." Rarity mused. "And perhaps my flank is green." Applejack spat. "More fancy tricks! I'm done. Hoof over the Elements. Now!" Twilight sighed. With a spark of her horn, four necklaces levitated over to their bearers. Rarity was deep in thought. "She didn't flash green..." "What?" Applejack asked. Rarity raised her head. "Do you all have the right necklaces?" Fluttershy and Pinkie nodded. Applejack grunted. "You know which is which." Rarity mused, turning back to Twilight. She approached the lavender unicorn slowly. "You didn't flash green." She repeated. "The Changelings flash green when they transform." "It's a spell." Twilight began. "Princess Celestia told me that the Changeling Queen is after me, so she allowed me access to a complex shapeshifting spell. She told me to flee if the Queen attacked, to slip away into the crowd. Nopony knows how powerful the Queen is, and considering that she overpowered the Princess, I couldn't fight her directly." Twilight stood up and smiled hopefully. Her friends looked much more convinced now. Even AJ was beginning to look doubtful. "Princess Celestia has given us permission to use the Elements of Harmony. We have to be prepared this time, girls. We stick together, ready anytime. Right?" Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie nodded. Applejack shuffled her hooves begrudgingly. "Right!" They chorused. Rarity and Fluttershy ran over and enveloped Twilight in a giant hug. Applejack followed, leaning in halfheartedly. Twilight frowned as she met Pinkie's gaze. The pink pony hadn't moved. She sat there, looking up with a mournful expression on her face. "What a relief!" Rarity exclaimed. "We're sorry Twilight." Fluttershy agreed. Once the group hug ended, she pouted. "I don't like this." The pegasus said. "We should be able to trust each other." "Ah!" Twilight chirped. "That's the good part. We can use the Elements as identification. Girls, do you remember when we fought Discord? He attempted to take them off you, but they wouldn't budge. Each necklace is enchanted. It's impossible to remove unless you want to remove it." "So if we're not wearing our necklace, it's not us. Oh, that makes me feel much better!" Fluttershy cried, nuzzling Rarity happily. "So." Rarity had a mirthful grin on her face. "Twilight, do you really have wings now?" "Yes, I do." Twilight grinned back, manifesting her wings once more. "Neat, huh?" She wiggled her wingtips at Rarity. "In fact, I'm able to morph my entire body, just like the Changelings. And now I need to go find..." Twilight's entire body glowed gently. Her stature shrunk slightly, and her horn retracted into her skull. Her mane bristled as swathes of color ebbed through it, and her coat tingled as it too was changed. The girls gasped. They were now looking at an exact mimicry of Rainbow Dash. "Oh my! You look just like her!" Fluttershy cheered. "Woo..." Pinkie murmured. "Fair, fair." Rarity muttered, her tone playfully aloof. "But can you imitate her voice?" She challenged, leaning in and wiggling her eyebrows at 'Rainbow Dash.' "Hmm, I'm not sure..." Twilight spoke in a strange mix of hers and Rainbow's voices. She held a hoof to her throat, vocalizing as she tuned her voice. "Aaaaah oooooh eeeee... testing... How about this?" She asked. Rarity tilted her head and grimaced. "It sounds rather... strange, dear." "I hope you're not going to go confusin' us now with pranks." AJ grumbled. Twilight quickly reverted to her unicorn body, giggling. "Maybe..." "Rarity chuckled. "It's all in good fun, darling." She walked over and hugged AJ. "Twilight, I was going to suggest that we all go out for breakfast. How does that sound?" Rarity enquired, glancing around the group. Everypony agreed except Fluttershy, who shook her head nervously. "Oh no, I don't think I could go if Rainbow Dash is going to be there..." "Huh? Why not?" AJ asked. "Oh." Twilight giggled a little at the memory of Fluttershy's raunchy dance with Rainbow. "Don't worry about that." She reassured. "We should all be ready to leave in about twenty minutes." Rarity said. "You should be back by then, Rainbow can't have strayed far." Twilight nodded. "Don't let anypony else in, okay?" Her friends nodded back, and she turned and cantered out the door. -------------------------------- She thought that the sound of dripping water would drive her insane. It echoed incessantly, coming from somewhere unseen, somewhere distant. Each little drop hitting the cold stone floor made her tense up further and further. Where was it coming from? A pipe? Somewhere outside? Cadence sighed, shifting her weight slightly. The bed she was lying on wasn't that bad. It smelled a little musty, but at least it was clean. She tried to distract herself by preening an itchy spot on her wing. Her ears pricked up at the sound of approaching hoofsteps. The sharp clops of a Guard echoed down the corridor to her cell, and one of the nondescript white, golden armor-clad unicorns strutted into view. He walked over to Cadence's cell with a smile on his face. "Oh." The alicorn said glumly. "Have you come to take me to trial?" The guard grinned as his body disappeared in a flash of green light. A moment later, the Queen of the Changelings stood in his place. "Hello Cadence. Did you miss me?" "You... you came back for me?" Cadence gasped. Chrysalis reached through the bars and touched her shoulder. "Of course. I couldn't leave you behind. We're friends." She said, smiling. Cadence frowned. "Are you here to break me out?" "Well, I'm not here for the fresh air." Chrysalis grinned. Cadence's gaze dropped to the floor. "... I can't go." She mumbled, ears drooping. "What?! Why not?" The Queen protested. "If I can get you away from here we'll be able to work something else out. If you stay, you'll just be put to trial!" "Yes. Chrysalis, I have to stay. I have a home here, I can't just run away like you do. I have to face my crimes. Running away now will only make things worse." Cadence sighed, slumping against the bars. "Oh really? Says who?" The Queen said. "What?" "If we escape, we can devise a plan to clear your name. The only trial Celestia will give you is an instant banishment." Chrysalis couldn't help but sneer. "You're wrong." Cadence muttered, shaking her head. "She wouldn't do that to me. And she couldn't do it to Shining Armor. He'd be so upset if we were separated, and she'd be putting the integrity of the entire Royal Guard at risk. Shiny is the best Guard-Captain since Constant Vigil. She can't just replace him, and I mean too much for her to just send away. Celestia cares about me." Cadence stated firmly, nodding. "Does she really? As I recall, she barely listened to your speech in the ballroom. As soon as she was released, she ushered out her little unicorn pet and turned on us. Don't you remember what she said? She wanted to banish you right there and then." Chrysalis shouted, leaning forward. "No. She was just angry, she wouldn't actually do it. Anyway, Luna is vouching for us. It'll be fine." Cadence declared, taking a deep breath. "And what do you mean 'little unicorn pet?'" "I'm talking about that little lavender unicorn she loves so much... Twilight something." Chrysalis smiled. "Twilight Sparkle. And don't you dare insult her in front of me." Cadence snapped, glaring dangerously. "Well I suppose she's not that bad. I was impressed that she managed to see through my ruse at the wedding. And she is rather cute..." The Queen purred, tapping her chin with a hoof. Cadence stared at her blankly. "Anyway." Chrysalis shook her head. "Come with me. You're a foal if you expect mercy from Celestia. Being noble won't help you. I can." She offered a hoof to Cadence. Cadence stood there, mulling over the choice. "No." She eventually decided. "Thank you for trying, Chrysalis, but this is something I have to do." "Very well." Chrysalis muttered stiffly. She took a moment to look Cadence over. "Are you scared?" "Yes." Cadence murmured. "Of course I am. What I've done is serious, and I have no idea what Celestia might do." "Well... Don't worry." Chrysalis said awkwardly. "So where have you been hiding?" Cadence asked, opting to change the subject. "What do you do all day?" "I've been planning. I was going to break you out of here. Now? I'm not sure." Chrysalis buzzed her wings idly, looking around. "It feels strange, having nothing to do." She said. "I've always looked after my Changelings, spending my days making sure that they're all fed, and searching for places for us to stay... Now that I don't need to do any of that, I... I'm bored." She exclaimed, tilting her head. "Well, remember the bits I gave you? Have you used any of those yet?" Cadence asked. "The bits? No, I haven't." Chrysalis muttered, furrowing her brow. "You'll have to tell me again how they work. I exchange them for... what?" "Anything. I gave you more than enough to last a few days. Why don't you try living like a pony for a while?" The alicorn suggested. Chrysalis drew back, stunned by the uncouth suggestion. "Live like a pony?" She repeated. "Yeah!" Cadence nodded vigorously. "You could stay in a hotel, go get something to eat and drink..." She mused, gazing at the ceiling as she reeled off suggestions. "Oh! Have you picked a disguise?" Chrysalis nodded, morphing into her pony form. "No, that won't work at all." Cadence muttered, holding a hoof to her chin as she looked the Queen over. "You need to choose either the wings or the horn. Ponies will notice if you have both." Chrysalis's wings disappeared with a flash. "How is this?" She asked. "Good. It's funny being taller than you all of a sudden." Cadence remarked. "Why-" "She's down here!" A voice called from down the hallway. "Oh clop!" Chrysalis cursed. She whirled around, reverting to her Changeling form. Her horn glowed. "Chrysalis...?" Cadence called softly. The Queen cast her a forlorn glance, then took a deep breath and steeled herself for battle. "No, no! Please don't hurt them!" Cadence begged. "She's here!" Three unicorn Guards clad in golden armor rounded the corner, staring down their adversary. "Wait, stop! Don't hurt her!" Cadence cried frantically, reaching through the bars. The Guards faltered momentarily, casting her a confused glance. Chrysalis seized this opening, firing a burst of concussive magic at them. With all three blasted off their hooves, she made a break for it. All three Guards recovered in midair, teleporting backward as the Queen galloped underneath them. "No! Stop it! Please stop fighting!" Chrysalis's hooves skittered as she ground to a halt, attempting to dodge. One Guard seized her with his magic, holding her aloft while the other two charged up a spell each. Chrysalis growled as her horn flared. The Guards fired. Chrysalis roared. An intense blast of green magic blinded Cadence, filling the room with brilliant light. The force blasted off her hooves, throwing her body into the far wall. She sunk to the floor, unconscious. -------------------------------- Twilight couldn't wipe the grin off her face if she tried. This is going to be so great! Rainbow will go wild! She was just brimming with excitement. Rainbow was going to be so happy, and it made Twilight feel... good. She and Rainbow had become so close over the past few days. She was close with her other friends, of course, but it was different with Rainbow. The pegasus had opened herself up to Twilight, stripped back the tough exterior and let her in. Twilight knew that she still felt a little uncomfortable, but she wasn't pulling away. She wanted it too. With a few too many awkward flaps, Twilight managed to move herself forward onto the cloud. Hooves setting down, she quietly trotted towards her friend. Rainbow lay there, curled up in a particularly cushy corner. She looked so... peaceful. I'll have to prove my identity quickly. I don't want to scare her. Twilight shuffled over to the sleeping pegasus, making sure to spread her wings. With a quiet giggle, she leaned over to whisper into Dash's ear. "Raaaaaainbow..." She singsonged quietly. "Raaaaaaaaaaiinbooow..." Rainbow groaned, writhing a little. Twilight had to pull back to avoid her swinging hoof. "Nnng... sleeping..." "Raaaaaiinbow! Wake up little pony!" Twilight cooed, a little louder this time. With a flick of her tail and a snort, Rainbow awoke. "Who wha? Mm busy sleeping..." She grumbled, rubbing her eyes. Twilight stood there grinning, wings stretched open. Rainbow yawned, then looked up at Twilight groggily. "Good morning Rainbow." Twilight purred affectionately. "Oh, hey Tw-" That did it. Rainbow's blank, incredulous look set off a fit of laughter so strong that the unicorn nearly collapsed. Rainbow shrieked. Twilight's fell to the ground giggling as the pegasus tackled her. She had expected a hug. She had expected Dash to laugh, start spluttering incredulously, or maybe even guffaw and tell her how silly she looked with wings. Rainbow punched her. Twilight screamed. Her eyes flew open as pain seared through her cheek. Dash was snarling. "No!" The pegasus roared defiantly. Twilight looked up at her. She was quaking. Her teeth were gritted, and her eyes squeezed shut. She was growling, overcome by rage and... grief? "NO!" Twilight tried to say something, but was cut off as Rainbow punched her again. "AAAGH! Rainbow!" Twilight cried, trying to cover her face with her hooves. Driven by instinct, Twilight's horn sparked, and she pushed Rainbow away. Twilight took a few seconds to compose herself, panting, then winced as her cheek throbbed. "Rainbow?" She called, looking up at the enraged pegasus. Their eyes locked as Dash tackled her. Twilight's head hit the cloud, and she cried out in a mix of fear and frustration. "Please, wait! Let me-" "Where. Is. She?" "Rainbow, please sto-" "Where the buck is she? What did you do to her!?" "Rainbow, it's me! I'm Twilight! I can explain!" She cried desperately. Anguish tugged at the corners of her mouth as she tried to placate her friend. This was bad. Seeing Rainbow so mad at her made her feel stupid. She had become so caught up in her little surprise that she had put aside any thoughts about what Rainbow might think, who she might think Twilight would be. Rainbow's nose was mere inches from Twilight's. She fixed the unicorn with an intense glare, panting aggressively. "Wrong answer, Changeling." She growled. "You got out. Everypony knows. I knew we couldn't trust you." Tears began to well up in the corners of Twilight's eyes. The pain, the aggression, the hate... from her closest friend, no less—this was worse than anything in her nightmares. She turned her head away, letting out a quiet sob as her eyes squeezed shut. A little voice in the back of Rainbow's mind was screaming at her. Slowly, she started to notice just how well the Changeling was mimicking Twilight's personality. Dash felt a little remorse for making it cry, but that was washed away by the churning sea of worry over Twilight's safety. Chrysalis didn't strike Rainbow as a coward though. Would she really lose face after a few punches? The thought that she could be attacking her best friend made Rainbow's blood run icy, but that only made her angrier. She was certain this thing in front of her was a Changeling, and it was playing her emotions like a lyre. It couldn't be Twilight. It had wings. It had stolen their Elements of Harmony too. It had done something to Twilight, and now it was coming after her! What reason could Twilight possibly have for wearing the two Elements like that? Rainbow needed to find her friend. Now. She had to keep pressing, but doubt softened her voice and stayed her hoof. "You listen to me, Changeling." Rainbow muttered, glaring at the stricken mare under her. "I care about Twilight Sparkle more than... than any other pony in Equestria. If you've done something, anything to hurt her, I swear I'll rip you to shreds." She inhaled deeply, glaring. No reply. The mare just lay there, looking away. "You're going to tell me where Twilight is. Now." Twilight was frozen. There was nothing she could say. She lay there under Rainbow, bruised and teary. She couldn't bring herself to meet the pegasus's gaze. It hurt too much. A few seconds passed, and Rainbow's resolve wavered. Icy shards of panic danced around her body, threatening to strike as soon as she faltered. "Your... your lame disguise doesn't fool me. I know Twilight, and she doesn't have any bucking wings." Rainbow cried, the first notes of panic beginning to seep into her voice. "P-princess Celestia summoned me to the throne room." Twilight mumbled, taking a ragged breath. "She told me that the Changeling Queen is after me, so she gave me a shapeshifting spell. She wanted me to be able to protect myself..." She raised her head ever so slightly, looking up at Rainbow out of the corner of her eye. As soon as their gazes met, Rainbow knew. She knew that she was looking into Twilight's eyes. She knew that she'd just assaulted her best friend. She saw all kinds of things in those eyes. Fear. Confusion. Vulnerability... Rainbow stood there, frozen. She didn't know what to think. She didn't want to think. She didn't want to accept what she'd just done. Her body started shaking, and she suddenly became aware of her throbbing pulse. "... Wings...?" "The spell." Twilight squeaked. Said appendages glowed, disappearing. The pegasus felt dizzy, like she was falling. Her body tumbled and wavered, and for a second, she felt weightless. Then, everything changed, and her body stopped. There was an impact in her chest that felt real enough to knock her backwards. It was enough to make her scream. The reality of the situation came crashing down like a ton of bricks, burying, suffocating her. Without even thinking, she turned. Spun around to escape. Tripped over her hooves. Fell onto the cloud. Rolled, bucked, kept going. Scrambled away. Reached the edge. Put as much space between herself and Twilight as she possibly could. Part of her wanted so desperately to run, to hide her shame, but she couldn't move. She stood there on the edge of the cloud, looking at her friend. Twilight was lying there shaking, eyes squeezed shut. She had reached out with her magic and imprisoned Dash. The pegasus howled as she was slowly dragged, kicking and screaming, back to her victim. Twilight stood, wiping her eyes, and sighed as she held Dash in place. "No! No! Get off! Get off me!" Rainbow thrashed wildly. Twilight walked over to her friend, folding her ears away from the frantic screams. "Rainbow?" Twilight murmured. The pegasus let out a feral howl, struggling uselessly. Twilight swiveled her around until they were face to face. The unicorn's eyes pleaded silently. Rainbow averted her gaze, wishing she could punch herself. "Rainbow..." Twilight whispered. "Please don't leave. We can fix this." Dash clenched her eyes shut. She had to stifle a sob. "No we can't. I'm a monster." "Don't... don't say that Rainbow. You were trying to protect me." Twilight's eyes were getting misty again. She couldn't get the image of Rainbow's face out of her mind. They had to fix this. "That's what friends do." "No! I'm not a friend! I'm... I'm... I hurt you! I-" "No Rainbow! I forgive you, you're my best friend and I know you'd never do that to me!" Twilight sobbed, grabbing Rainbow by the shoulders. The pegasus refused to meet her gaze. She'd stopped struggling. It only made the horrible pain in her body worse. She slumped, quaking as violent sobs wracked her body. "Rainbow look at me." Twilight pleaded. "... lemme go..." Twilight tackled Dash onto her back, pinning her down. "Look at me." Twilight panted. Rainbow kept her eyes squeezed shut. Her mind screamed at her, commanding her to get away, but then something broke through the noise. She gasped as she felt Twilight's gentle hoof on her cheek. The unicorn turned her head to face her own. Slowly, Rainbow opened her eyes, looking at the sky behind Twilight. "Rainbow..." Twilight's voice was soft. Gentle, but insistent and... calm. Taking a deep breath, Dash obeyed. What she saw made her want to burst into tears. There was no anger in Twilight's eyes. No hate. All Rainbow saw was concern, and... forgiveness. Twilight never stopped forgiving, but Rainbow wasn't sure that she wanted her to this time. "I'm a monster..." "No you're not." Twilight said simply. "How can you even say that?" "Because it was my fault! I should have known that you'd be paranoid!" "I beat you up." "Because of my own mistake!" "No! I still shouldn't have done it! I wasn't sure that it wasn't you! "Do you really care about me that much?" Rainbow froze. She bit her lip, looking away. "I..." Her heart thumped in her chest. Breathing was becoming difficult. She looked back up at Twilight, covered her mouth with her hooves, and let out the tiniest whisper. "Yes." "You care about me more than any other pony in Equestria?" Twilight felt a smile tugging at her lips. "If something ever happened to y-" Twilight cut her off with a gentle hoof. "A monster wouldn't care about me like you do, Rainbow." Rainbow choked back another sob. Twilight didn't know what more she could say. She lowered her body onto Rainbow's, wrapped her forelegs around the pegasus's neck, and pulled her into the tightest hug she could muster. Rainbow trembled as Twilight held her tightly. In her stricken state, she kept her hooves at her sides, not trusting herself to touch Twilight again. She felt another painful stab in her heart as Twilight's feathery wings wrapped around her. When Rainbow finally calmed down, Twilight stood up. "Twilight... You can't forgive me for this. Not-" "No, I can't." Twilight cut her off. "Because you've done nothing to need my forgiveness." She stated, nodding with finality. Rainbow's eyes widened. "But... but I hurt you." She argued, raising a tentative hoof to Twilight's face. Glancing at the hoof, Twilight made no move to pull away. Rainbow swallowed as she reached up and brushed over the bruise on Twilight's cheek. "It's really bad." Dash murmured. Twilight furrowed her brow in response, thinking. She turned her gaze back to Rainbow, and her cheek began to glow. Idly, Twilight noticed and admired how the soft light reflected in Rainbow's eyes. She smiled despite herself. If this worked... Rainbow gasped as the light ebbed away. Twilight was smiling down at the pegasus with not a scratch on her. The bruising had been completely healed. Awed, Rainbow reached up and traced a hoof over Twilight's cheek. "See? I'm all healed." Twilight exclaimed. She wasn't sure what to say. Knowing that Rainbow cared about her that much, it made her feel warm inside. It was possible that she now felt even closer to Dash. She gazed down at her friend, smiling warmly. Neither spoke as they gazed at each other, unsure of what to do next. A battle raged in Rainbow's mind. Feelings and emotions clashed. Twilight had forgiven her. After what she had done, Twilight didn't even think about running away. Twilight's nose was so close to Rainbow's. The pegasus felt her pulse quicken, and that familiar flustered feeling began to return. Twilight was right there, inches away. She wasn't moving. Rainbow licked her lips nervously. They... they were tingling. Was that anticipation? I... I want Twilight to kiss me...? Now? But... Rainbow's heart skipped a beat as Twilight lowered her head. She was going to do it! Oh clop oh clop oh clop. Rainbow's eyes fluttered shut as she felt the corner of Twilight's lips touch her own. They brushed against hers and... Twilight was nuzzling her cheek. After a few seconds, she pulled back. "See? It's fine." She reassured. Twilight shuffled backward and turned away. She felt herself wince as soon as her face was hidden. Her cheek still throbbed sharply. Rainbow lay there for a few seconds, dumbstruck. It had almost happened. Her stomach churned. She wanted to feel Twilight's lips so badly... If only she had the guts to say something. But what if Twilight said no? Did she feel that same way, or was she just being affectionate? Shaking herself off, she climbed to her hooves. Twilight was sitting on the edge of the cloud, gazing down at the city below. Rainbow slowly skulked over and sat herself down next to the unicorn. She looked away, both hating and finding comfort in the silence. She had to stifle a gasp when she felt Twilight's wing over her back. "Do you want to talk about last night?" Twilight asked. "Last night?" "Rainbow..." Twilight turned to look at her, rubbing her foreleg thoughtfully. "You seemed uncomfortable when you woke up this morning. I understand that you don't like sappy stuff, but it means so much to me when you open up and share your feelings." "It does?" "Yes! Last night, when we were in bed? That was big of you. Nothing bad is ever going to come of you being honest with me... and with yourself." Twilight reached over and lifted Rainbow's wing. She pried it open with her own and held it, interlocking their feathers. Sighing contentedly, she looked at her friend with a happy smile. Her tender gaze made Rainbow's heart flutter. "I..." She turned her head away. "I care about you too, Rainbow." Rainbow's heart jumped into her chest. "You mean..." "Yes." Twilight whispered. "B.F.F.s? Best friends forever?" Best friends? Rainbow thought. I guess it's a start... "B.F.F.s" Rainbow agreed. Twilight cheered, leaning over to nuzzle Dash. She sighed, resting her head on a blue shoulder. Rainbow could feel herself welling up a little. They sat together for a few moments before Twilight broke the silence. "We should head back. We're all going out to breakfast, and the girls should be ready to go by now. By the way, Fluttershy is really embarrassed about what she did to you last night, so if she's avoiding you, that's why." Rainbow chuckled. "I bet she has a massive hangover." "Yeah, she does." Twilight giggled. "Oh! Your Element!" With a spark of her horn, Twilight took off the Element of Loyalty. It levitated into her awaiting hooves, and she reached over and did it up around Rainbow's neck. "There. Now let's go."