"Whew...!" Rainbow Dash hovered out of the front entrance to Twilight's palace, patting her fuzzy belly. A moist landscape lingered outside while a red sunset peaked through the clearing thunderclouds. "Mmmm... that was certainly..."
"Cheesy?" Twilight said with a soft smile, leaning against the doorframe.
"And a half!" Rainbow spun around. "And here I thought Spike did all the best grilling!"
"Heeheehee..."
"I'm curious..." Rainbow cocked her head aside. "You ate tons of grapes, but none of the grilled cheese. Why's that, Twilight? I mean... after all, you cooked the stuff."
"I... uhm..." Twilight shuddered slightly, avoiding Rainbow's gaze. "I have my reasons." A gulp, and she smiled back at the pegasus. "I'm just glad you liked it. I've always been afraid that becoming a princess would spoil me. So... I-I have to look after my own habits with caution."
"Heh... you worry over everything."
"I do. I do." Twilight kicked at the floor, and her voice took on a muttering tone. "Rainbow..."
"Yeah, Twi?"
"Thanks again," she murmured. "You know... for everything..."
"Hey." Rainbow shrugged. "Forget about it."
"But... but I don't want to forget about it." Twilight lifted her gaze. "It wouldn't be right."
"Okaaaaaay..." Rainbow shrugged again. "Then don't forget about it. Either way, just don't fret."
"Hmmmmmm..." Twilight leaned against the doorframe, smiling calmly. "Because of you, I won't." She exhaled. "You're such a good friend, Rainbow. So loyal and understanding..."
"Blechkk!" Rainbow made a face. "Keep pouring on the sap, and one of us will start farting flowers, for sure!"
"Heeheehee..." Twilight's cheeks turned rosy. "I... I can't emphasize this well enough. You've just... taken a load off my heart and mind."
"Well, after all the loads you've taken, I'm guessing it had to squeeze out somewhere."
"Huh?"
Rainbow shook her head. "N-never mind. Just... just remember, Twilight..." Rainbow gave her a thin smile. "If ever you feel like you're chomping at the bit over... well... you know what... just feel free to rein me in from the clouds and we can have another talk."
"Really?" Twilight blinked, lips pursed. "You mean... y-you'd be willing for me to share more?"
"Sure! Why not?" Rainbow smirked proudly. "My days could use a little bit of extra creativity every now and then! Besides..." She hovered closer and placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "The last thing I ever want is for my royal friend to feel like she's bursting at the seams."
"But... but I've already taken up so much of your time with... with—"
"I mean it," Rainbow said. "I'm there for you, girl. You shouldn't ever have to feel weird or guilty. So, when you feel the need, just flag me down, okay?"
"And... uhm..." Twilight fidgeted slightly. "The others...?"
Rainbow shook her head. "It'll be our little secret."
"Okay..." Twilight nodded, exhaling through a happy grin. "Okay...!"
"We good now?"
"M-more than good, Rainbow," Twilight said, fighting back a squeal. "And if you ever want to share about your... your..." She paled slightly, blinked, then said, "Well... if you want more grilled cheese... I-I'm your mare! Heehee!"
"Er... yeah..." Rainbow nodded, smiling faintly. "I'm your... squeaky clean... cheese-loving mare."
"Ohhhhh Rainbow..." Twilight leaned in, nuzzling the mare close. "Beneath your rough'n'tumble exterior, you really are the cutest, adorablest friend a pony could ever have!"
"Eheheh..." Rainbow nodded, her muzzle slightly twisted. "You know me. Always early for school. Only occasionally eating the paste."
"Heeheehee... funny as always." Twilight backtrotted into the castle, waving. "Bye bye!"
"Have an awesome evening," Rainbow waved back. She cupped her hooves around her muzzle: "Say 'hello' to Flash and the Rocketeers for me!"
The Palace doors slammed shut. Rainbow stood alone upon the crest of evening.
She squirmed where she stood, observing her youthful complexion in a nearby rain puddle. The mare smoothed her bangs back, blinked at her blank expression, then sighed. Wings flapping, she carried herself home.
Minutes later, the mare arrived, yawning from the exhausted events of the day. She cleaned the kitchen of her cloud home, filed away her mail, then trotted—stumbling slightly—into the dimly-let recesses of her bathroom. However, as she was about to step into her shower stall, she froze completely. The mare lingered, blinking, her eyes locked on the dangling shower nozzle.
The minutes limped by, all the while Rainbow Dash remained frozen in place. A dull shudder ran through her, though she couldn't put her hoof on the reason why. With a bitter chill, she turned from the stall and chose to brush her teeth instead.
Moments later, she limped to bed. Everything about the sheets and the posters and the decorations of her room were brighter-than-bright, with foalish pastels adorning the walls and boldly-titled sports magazines littering the floor. The mare fidgeted slightly, then threw off the covers of her large, empty bed.
In so doing, she exposed a tiny, button-eyed Daring Do plushie.
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, trying to look anywhere but at the doll. Eventually, she crawled into bed—one hoof after another—and slid in behind the covers. With a flick of her tail, she pushed the plushie away, then rolled over to face the bedside table. After one last forlorn look at the colorful lightning bolts bordering her room's ceiling, she sighed and turned the light out.
No less than half-a-minute passed. With a defeated groan, Rainbow Dash reached under the covers, scooped up the tiny Daring Do, and hugged the doll tightly to her chest. She curled up into a fetal position until she was warm and snug beneath the bed covers, and was out like a light...
...or so she had hoped.