Part 2: The Strength To Go On
Rainbow Dash sat up on a small cloud, hovering high up above Ponyville with her head resting in her hooves, deep in thought. She rubbed her forehead with a hoof and her brow was furrowed as she raked her mind.
It had been two weeks since the Mare Do Well incident, and as Twilight suggested, she approached the others about the entire ordeal. She struggled to work up the courage to start, but with some encouragement from Twilight and a box of tissues from Pinkie Pie, Rainbow was able to tell the group everything she told Twilight the previous night.
It had been a long breakfast, and though many tears were shed, Rainbow couldn’t have been happier with how things turned out. Despite Twilight’s assurances, Rainbow still feared that the others would shun her and abandon her again. Even though the rest of her friends might leave her, Twilight would always stick with her. This was enough to get her to swallow her pride and do the most uncool thing she had ever done; share her feelings. Rainbow Dash was the coolest, most awesome pony in Ponyville, if not all of Equestria, so dropping the barriers and masks of ambivalence she had spent so many years building was no easy task.
Instead of scolding her, her friends were all incredibly supportive, much to Rainbow’s surprise and gratitude. As soon as she finished, Pinkie enveloped her in a spine-crushing hug, wailing all the while. It wasn’t long before all of the others joined in, each apologizing in their own way. Fluttershy sniffled the whole way home. Rarity said that she wished she had never even created the outfits in the first place, and Applejack couldn’t find anything to say.
As they cleaned up after breakfast, Pinkie pulled her Mare Do Well costume seemingly out of nowhere and tossed it onto the flames of the campfire. The bad memory for all of them burned and smoldered in the pale morning light as the six packed up their gear.
Rainbow didn’t hate her friends for what they did, but it would take some time for her to forgive them. The road to recovery was going to be a long one, but now that she admitted her troubles in the first place, she already felt as if she could move on, especially since Twilight was determined to stay by her side through the whole ordeal. Ever since that night, Twilight had been acting differently, and Rainbow couldn’t put her hoof on what it was, she noticed it all the same.
Speaking of Twilight... Ever since that night when Rainbow opened up to her, she found herself hanging around the library with Twilight more and more. Rainbow cared about all of her friends deeply, and would spend time with them whenever she could, but she had never really spent time with just Twilight. Normally when she was with Twilight, one of the other girls would be there too and they would go on an adventure or something.
When she wanted to hang out with somepony, normally Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack were her go-to ponies, and if Twilight happened to be there too, then awesome, but she had never set aside time just for Twilight. She still cared about her as a friend, but now though, she felt as if she owed Twilight a chance after she exploded at her. Through it all, Twilight was there to comfort her. She was the one who dragged Rainbow out of her shell and made her better. Twilight helped her heal, and simply spending more time with Twilight was the least she could do.
Still, the thought of spending all day in a dusty library with nothing to do but read books sounded boring beyond all belief and incredibly uncool, which now that she thought about it was probably the main reason why she never made any real effort to hang out with Twilight. All the unicorn did was sit in the library and study.
Yet, after spending a day with her, Rainbow discovered that Twilight was a lot more fun to be around then she gave her credit for. She found that she could literally spend hours there talking with Twilight, and though she never would admit it to anypony, some of the stuff in her books was actually kind of interesting. Not that she’d ever be caught dead reading in a library with Equestria’s biggest egghead.
But all the same, Twilight told her what some of the books were about, some in more detail than Rainbow would have preferred. A good deal were typical egghead stuff, involving things like magical theory, advanced physics, and other boring things that left Rainbow drooling on Twilight’s couch. Which reminded her, ever since she started hanging out at the library, she’d been doing a great job of catching up on her sleep. Some of her other books seemed pretty interesting, especially this one series Twilight had that was about some pegasus named ‘Daring Do’ or something like that. They sounded almost... Cool.
She even agreed to let Twilight read her some of her favourite books. Rainbow had never noticed it before, but Twilight had a really soothing voice. She felt all strange and peaceful whenever Twilight read to her. Her mind and body relaxed, and she never wanted Twilight to stop. Rainbow didn’t understand the feeling, but she liked it. A lot.
Rainbow snapped out of her reverie and shook her head violently to get back on track.
In three days time it would be Twilight’s birthday, and Rainbow was determined to get her something awesome. But what exactly she should get her, however, left Rainbow there, sitting isolated above the whole town trying to come up with the perfect gift.
She went over what Twilight liked to do. The first thing that came to mind was reading, and instantly she thought of getting her a book.
Wait, how would that be special? She lives in a library, so she has books everywhere! Besides, how would I even know which books she has or which ones she doesn’t? I’d probably just end up getting her something she’s already read.
Rainbow groaned into the cloud, “Why do eggheads have to be so hard to shop for?”
A cool wind made the pegasus shiver and tuck her wings in closer for warmth, wishing she brought a scarf with her or something. Winter was coming soon, and the weather was starting to take a colder trend.
“Wait... A scarf! That’s it!” Rainbow whooped, leaping into the air and somersaulting. “Rainbow Dash, you are a genius!”
Rainbow remembered that the other day Twilight had to throw out her old scarf after Spike hiccupped and engulfed the whole thing in flame. She remembered the two scrambling about the library trying to put the small fire out before Twilight doused it with her magic. She seemed pretty irritated about it too.
If Rainbow was going to pull this off it would have to be the most awesome scarf in all of Ponyville, and made just for Twilight. It would have to be unique. There was only one pony that could help her make this just right.
With a strong flap from her wings, Rainbow Dash bolted into the sky, giggling as the wind tore through her mane.
“Hehehehe, a scarf designed by Rarity just for Twilight! It’s perfect!” Rainbow yelled into the wind, catching a thermal and riding it higher above the town. “It’ll be stylish, and totally practical since she needs one anyways!” Rainbow gave herself a mental pat on the back, alighting down as Carousel Boutique came into view.
She contemplated flying in through one of the windows, but settled on knocking on the front door to avoid any ‘unpleasant’ surprises for either party. Rainbow remembered the last time she flew in unannounced. She vaguely remembered something involving a pair of scissors, several sewing needles, and an uncanny ability to be pinned to the wall without being impaled.
Clearing her throat, she knocked on the door.
“Cooooming!” came the sing-song voice of her fashionista friend.
The clip-clop of hoofsteps could be heard approaching, and the door opened to reveal the styled purple mane of Rarity, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is... Rainbow Dash?”
“Ehehe, hi Rarity.”
“Oh, where are my manners? Please do come in,” Rarity gestured with her hoof, opening the door wider to allow Rainbow in. “Forgive my surprise, but it is not very often that you happen to drop by unless we have something planned beforehoof.”
“Yeah, sorry about that Rares. I should really stop by more often to hang out and stuff,” Rainbow said meekly, scratching the back of her head with a hoof.
“Think nothing of it, darling. Now, what can I do for you? I assume there has to be some reason for you to come by at this hour.”
“Well, actually I was hoping I could place an order-”
“Oh wonderful Rainbow Dash! I’ve been dying to get a chance to make you a dress! It will have to be something splendorous to go with that unique mane of yours, and not to mention your coat and eyes!” she interrupted, grasping one of Rainbow’s wings in her hooves in inspection, “It will most certainly be a challenge, but I promise you something so spectacular that it will put your gala dress to shame!”
Rolling her eyes, Rainbow huffed and pulled her wing away from her friend’s grasp, “Actually Rarity, it isn’t for me.”
“Oh?” responded a confused Rarity, slightly stung from Rainbow’s bluntness. “Then who is it for, if I may ask?”
“It’s for Twilight.”
“Ahh, I see,” Rarity responded with a suggestive tone. “Feeling like getting something special for our little librarian, are we?”
Rainbow could feel her ears burn at the implying tone of the unicorn’s words, “W-what? No no no, nothing like that!”
“Mmhm,” grinned an unconvinced Rarity.
“Really!” sputtered out a now visibly blushing Rainbow Dash. “It’s just a gift for her birthday! You know, the one that’s coming up in a couple days?”
“Do calm down, darling,” laughed Rarity, “I was simply having a little fun with you. Had I known you’d be so easy to tease, I would have tried a little harder. Of course I know you aren’t planning on asking Twilight out. The idea is utterly preposterous, is it not?”
“...yeah, totally ridiculous,” came the slow reply. Though she didn’t know quite why, she felt as if she was lying when she said that to Rarity. She wasn’t interested in Twilight that way… was she?
No way, I’m way past too cool for an egghead like her.
Then... Why doesn’t that sound very convincing? You have been spending an awful lot of time with her, and admit it, you have fun hanging around her.
Rarity coughed to get Rainbow’s attention, “Now then darling, what did you have in mind for Twilight?”
“Huh? Oh yeah! I had this great idea on the way over! I was thinking I could get her a scarf since her old one was wrecked! And, well, I’m kinda horrible at the whole sewing thing, and was hoping you could help out!” Rainbow said quickly, grateful for the change in subject.
“Hmm,” Rarity closed her eyes in thought before she smiled. “Yes, I think it sounds like a wonderful idea for our Twilight. I have had this idea for a new rollout of winter fashion, and this is the perfect time to field test it. It will be new, it will be stylish, and I can tell you that it will be one-of-a-kind. In fact, inspiration is beginning to strike, so off with you now! Let me work, and it should be done sometime tomorrow afternoon.”
“Awesome! Thanks Rares! I’ll get outta your mane,” Rainbow said as she prepared to take off.
“Hang on a second Rainbow,” Rarity called just before Rainbow left, “I do have one question for you before I begin.”
“Shoot.”
“It’s just that I’m a little curious,” Rarity started, looking for the right words. “Why are you going through all this trouble to get Twilight a birthday present? No offense darling, but I’ve known you for quite some time now, and I can’t recall you doing something like this for anypony else.”
“Really?” shrugged Rainbow Dash. “Well, I guess it’s because of how awesome she’s been lately. I mean, she really helped get me through the whole Mare Do Well thing, y’know? She’s helped me start to move on, and I really want to do something special for her in return. This is my chance to do that, and I’m not going to blow it.”
“Is that the only reason?” Rarity inquired further, eyebrow raised.
“Yeah...”
Rainbow paused. There it was again, that feeling in her chest like she was somehow lying. Her eyes glazed over as she tried to figure out what was going on with her.
“Well, if you’re sure, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Later Rares,” Rainbow called as she left the shop.
Stepping out into the now cool night air, Rainbow inhaled deeply before she took to the skies, stuck deep in thought. The sky had always been her own haven from the rest of the world. Up there, nopony could match her. It was a place where she could go and think. And now, her mind was stuck on a certain lavender unicorn.
She didn’t, she couldn’t really feel that way about Twilight, could she?
Nah, Rarity’s just messing with me.
Then why does it feel like I’m lying to myself?
Because... well, because...
Rainbow’s eyes drifted closed and she pictured Twilight in her mind’s eye. She could see her large purple eyes, filled with kindness and caring, her silky violet mane with the pink highlights running down the length of her neck. She could picture Twilight smiling warmly at her and a small shiver went down her spine.
She could almost smell the faint traces of lilac that clung to Twilight’s coat, and instantly she could feel the blood rush to her cheeks. She imagined Twilight reading to her from one of her books, allowing the ghost of her voice to wash over her. She hummed in contentment, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
She opened her eyes and found that she had instinctively flown over to the library. Rainbow opted to lay on a nearby cloud for a quick nap to refresh her mind. She stared wistfully down at the home of the purple unicorn below, and could just make out through the window the silhouette of a pony curled up reading. She rested her head on her hooves and slowly her eyelids drooped down.
Because... maybe I am.
“Snnrrrk, wha-whosat, where in the...” mumbled a frantic and bleary Rainbow Dash, startled out of her sleep by the sound of something shattering nearby. She turned her head wildly before she remembered where she fell asleep.
“Oh, right. Cloud above the library,” Rainbow half-laughed bashfully to herself. “But what was that noise? It kinda sounded like glass shattering...”
Stretching the kinks out of her neck, Rainbow noticed that it was now officially nighttime in Ponyville. She shifted her gaze to the panorama before her. The streets were empty, all residents of the town fast asleep in the warm and comfort of their beds, and a few orange lights twinkled in the windows of the few still awake. She sat there puzzled, all seemed quiet and peaceful. Thoughts and images of what could have caused such a noise danced through Rainbow’s mind, none of them pleasant.
Shivering, Rainbow spread and flapped her wings lightly to release some pent up nervous energy. “M-maybe I’ll just go down and check to make sure Twi’s alright...”
As Rainbow alighted down to the ground, she looked up to find that there was an abnormally large amount of cloud cover that night, obscuring the moon and stars from view and only adding to the sinister feel of the night. Rainbow touched down, ears rotating to catch any sounds. It was strangely quiet. Normally there were crickets chirping somewhere, but tonight it was deathly quiet.
Softly, she raised her hoof and knocked four times on the oaken door. In the still of the night it sounded more like a battering ram was being used in the door, and the disturbance of the silence made her cringe.
When there was no response, Rainbow raised her hoof again and knocked another four times a little louder. Soon enough she heard the scratching of feet against the hardwood floor of the library and the door was opened by a bleary and incredibly tired Spike.
“Rainbow Dash?” the baby dragon yawned. His favourite blankie was draped over his shoulder and he rubbed his half-lidded eyes. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have any idea what time of night it is?”
With a sheepish smile, Rainbow scratched the back of her head with a hoof. “Yeah, sorry about that Spike. I was just doing some, uhh, night flying when I heard something smash over around here. It sounded like somepony breaking a window or something, and I just wanted to make sure Twilight was okay.”
“Oh, well that’s really nice of you Rainbow...hey wait” Spike said, a little more alert, “what about me?!”
“Hey, c’mon Spike, that goes without saying,” Rainbow smiled, trying to save face. “Like I’d leave my favourite dragon hanging!”
“Riiiight,” deadpanned an unconvinced Spike, his arms folded in front of his chest. “Thanks for your ‘concern,’ but everything’s fine here. I just came down from upstairs and didn’t see anything, and Twilight’s not even here.”
“Wait, she’s not?” asked a very confused Rainbow Dash. “Then where is she?”
“I dunno,” shrugged Spike. “When she told me she was going out for the night and wouldn’t be back until morning, she was being all elusive and secretive about it. I didn’t push it though, knowing her. Why, do you think she’s in trouble?!”
Rainbow forced a smile, she could tell that Spike was just going to start freaking out on her if she didn’t calm him down. “No no no, this is Twi’ we’re talking about, remember? I’m sure she’s fine, wherever she is. I’ll keep my eye out though on the way home for anything suspicious.”
“Okay,” Spike breathed, calming himself down. “Thanks for stopping by, I’m going back to bed.”
“Alright, see you tomorrow Spike,” Rainbow waved as Spike closed the door to the library. She could hear from her side a few extra locks than normal being used. Rainbow felt a little guilty, she didn’t mean to scare the poor little guy, but she also needed to make sure that they were okay.
But where would Twilight have gone? It’s not like her to run off in the middle of the night without having it planned in advance.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted a figure dart through an alley down the road.
“What the…? Who would be running around town this late at night?” Rainbow said to nopony in particular. “Except for maybe whoever’s responsible for the crashing noise! Hey you! Hold up!” she shouted after the quickly retreating figure.
“Oh no you don’t!” she yelled, taking to the sky with a powerful flap from her wings, bolting in the direction of Ponyville proper. Despite her speed, Rainbow quickly lost sight of the pony in the inky darkness. She landed on a rooftop, eyes scanning the area and ears strained to pick up on any movement.
A cloud drifted away, revealing the waning moon above. The pale light of the moon shed some illumination in the area around Rainbow Dash, and in the corner of her eye, she could see the faintest traces of movement as a cloak turned a corner.
“Gotcha!” she shouted as she pursued her target. She didn’t know why she was so determined to catch this pony, but the thought of Twilight in danger in her home alone just made Rainbow Dash angry and more scared for her friend’s safety than ever.
Whoever this was, they were good at evading Rainbow Dash. Every time Rainbow thought she had the mysterious figure cornered, it would duck down another small alley and out of sight, forcing Rainbow back high into the air to find the pony again. But Rainbow Dash would not be beaten by this pony, no matter how clever they thought they were.
She huffed, feeling the strain of the continuous takeoffs in her wing muscles as they began to groan in protest. This wasn’t going to last forever, sooner or later one of them would tire and it would all be over, but Rainbow couldn’t wait that long. She needed a plan.
She glanced down at the alleyway the figure was currently running down. The path it was going down right now led to a dead end, but there was a small pathway that would take her back into the maze of the town’s alley system. There was a stack of crates precariously stacked next to said alleyway, and Rainbow grinned devilishly as she put her plan into action.
Swooping down, Rainbow turned in midair to kick the stack of crates with her hind legs. The force of the impact was enough to topple the large boxes, effectively blocking off the still running pony’s only escape route. The figure kept on running down the alleyway, unknowingly heading right for a dead end and into Rainbow’s trap. Just as she expected, the figure stopped as soon as it realized that there was no way out. It turned its head back and forth, searching for another avenue to evade the pursuing pegasus.
Rainbow landed behind the figure, panting but smiling in her victory. “Hehehe, nice try pal, but nopony outruns Rainbow Dash! Now who the hay are you and what are you doing out here anyways! Why are you running?!”
The figure remained silent with its back turned to the rainbow-maned mare. Now that it stood still, Rainbow had a better look at her target. Much of the pony was still obscured by the darkness, but she could make out that it wore a cloak covering most of its frame and donned a very familiar hat on its head. Rainbow knew she had seen that hat somewhere before, and her eyes narrowed as she began to suspect the impossible.
“No way...”
Before she could approach the mysterious pony, it dived behind a nearby dumpster.
“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow shouted as she dove after the pony. She jumped behind the dumpster only to find nopony there. She whipped her head around, trying to find where her quarry had escaped to.
She hovered in midair and found the alleyway empty. A resounding popping noise echoed through the streets, originating from near town square.
Rainbow blinked in confusion before the dots connected in her head. “A unicorn huh?!” she shouted into the darkness. “Not bad, but you’ll have to do better than teleporting away to lose me!”
Taking to the skies once more, she scanned the area around her for the figure, back to square one. She strained her ears to listen for any movement or the telltale sounds of teleportation, having been around Twilight enough to recognize it. Quietly, she landed on a nearby rooftop, shrouded in the shadow of the chimney to keep herself hidden from her prey. Refusing to give up the chase, Rainbow prowled across the rooftops in search of her quarry.
Down a few streets Rainbow saw another flash of light, the clear sign of a teleportation spell. She held her breath and made not a sound as she waited for the return of the unicorn. Just down a street to her right she saw the flash, and without a moment’s hesitation pounced on the unsuspecting mare.
She tackled the figure to ground, pinning the pony underneath her by the shoulders. With a snarl, Rainbow looked upon the figure’s face for the first time and her blood ran cold. Pinned underneath her she was met with the expressionless stare of the Mysterious Mare Do Well. Rainbow’s eyes widened and her pupils shrank to pinpricks.
“Wh-what?” she gaped.
In her surprise, Rainbow’s grip on the mare below her loosened enough for Mare Do Well to squirm free, kicking Rainbow in the chest and sending her sprawling on the street.
Rainbow slowly stood back on her hooves, mind reeling from the return of Mare Do Well. She didn’t know what to think, her mind went blank as she gazed on the pony that had caused her so much pain, so much strife, standing tall above her. Mare Do Well’s cloak fell around her form, her mask covering all of her face, and she watched Rainbow Dash with a look of superiority.
Rainbow could feel red hot tears beginning to build up in her eyes.
No, Rainbow Dash would not cry here! She would not show this pony any weakness.
Gritting her teeth, Rainbow lowered herself into a crouching position, ready to attack. “You. Just who are you!?” she screamed, launching herself at Mare Do Well.
Mare Do Well sidestepped, and attempted to jump away from the attacking pegasus. As she tried to evade, Rainbow grabbed onto the hem of Mare Do Well’s cape with her teeth and tugged. All she succeeded in doing, however, was ripping off part of the cape, the rest of Mare Do Well already fleeing into the town square.
“Get back here!” Rainbow yelled after the retreating Mare Do Well, the piece of the cape still in her mouth. She began to run after the costumed mare, but failed to see a nearby tarp surrounded in a magical glow being thrown at her.
Her hoof caught, and she tripped and tumbled in a crumpled heap in the middle of town square, tangled in the rough fabric. After some struggling, she freed herself only to find that her quarry had escaped, disappearing without a trace.
“Darn it...” she mumbled to herself. She looked at the piece of the cape she ripped off of Mare Do Well’s costume. “Mare Do Well is back,” Rainbow cringed, “and there’s only one of her this time. She’s a unicorn, has a pretty good idea of the layout of Ponyville, and can teleport.”
Her breath caught. “She can teleport...”
There was only one unicorn that Rainbow knew of that could teleport. This unicorn was also one of the few ponies in Ponyville that had access to a unicorn-specific Mare Do Well costume.
She wouldn’t...would she?
She couldn’t believe that Twilight would do something like this. She wouldn’t believe it. But at the same time...
She sighed and rubbed her head with her hooves. Her mind was still racing and she tried to calm herself. Mixed feelings of anger, despair, surprise, confusion, and hatred filled her mind, and not knowing what to do next drove her to the edge of desperation.
“Okay, gotta calm down. It’s late, and it’s been a long night,” she steadied herself with a deep breath. “Twilight. Tomorrow I’ll go see Twilight. I’ll figure this out tomorrow.”
Twilight yawned widely, completely drained from the previous night’s activities. She nursed a cup of coffee between her hooves as she sat at the breakfast table, taking a few small sips every now and then to wake herself up. A tired but satisfied smile graced her lips. Last night had been exhausting, but as far as she was concerned, it was entirely worth it just to see the look on Rainbow’s face. She could almost picture the pegasus rendered speechless as soon as she...
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted by loud knocking on her door. She glanced at her clock mounted on the kitchen wall and groaned. It was barely nine o’clock and she was still far too tired to deal with anypony this early in the morning.
“Spike?! Could you get that?”
When there was no response she groaned again and her head became acquainted with the breakfast table. She had already forgotten that Spike had left extra early this morning to go on a gem hunt with Rarity, leaving her alone in the library for a good part of the day.
The knocking returned, this time a little more frantic.
“Coming! Just hold on a second!”
With a heavy sigh, Twilight forced herself to stand up from her seat at the breakfast table, coffee suspended in the glow of her magic. As she dragged herself through the kitchen she shivered as she felt a cool morning breeze waft by her. None of the windows should have been left open last night. Stopping, she gently placed the coffee on her desk as she tried to locate the source of the draft.
It only took a few seconds to find a small pile of shattered glass scattered across the hardwood floor. One of the windows at the far end of the hall had been broken last night.
“What the...?”
Before she could investigate further the knocking on her front door resumed, increasingly frantic and loud. Fixing up the window could wait, whoever was at the door was getting really impatient.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming!”
Still trying to clear her thoughts from the fog of sleep depravity, Twilight walked through the main sitting area of her library towards the door. She noticed that the Mare Do Well costume Rarity had made for her was draped over the sofa.
She paused a moment to examine the costume and a frown of confusion tugged at the corners of her mouth. She couldn’t recall taking the costume out of its cardboard box in the closet ever since the Mare Do Well incident two weeks ago.
She looked around the rest of the room and found that there were a few other items out of place. Books weren’t in the proper places, and few chairs and cushions had been moved. She then noticed a pile of cleaning materials sitting next to a mop and bucket over in the corner of the room.
“Spike must have been getting a head start on his chores today before heading out to meet Rarity, I guess,” Twilight shrugged. Spike really did a lot for Twilight, she would have to reward him with something later.
She double checked to make sure that the book she had been reading with Rainbow was still in its proper place on the desk by the fireplace. She smiled when she found that it had not been touched, cyan feather bookmark still saving their place. Lately she had been able to convince Rainbow Dash to at least let Twilight read to her from some of her favourite books in the library. Rainbow seemed to be having fun with it, and Twilight would often catch her smiling as she read to her. That, and any excuse to spend more time with Rainbow Dash made Twilight feel all giddy and warm inside.
The knocking returned more fervently than before. She groaned, whoever was at the door was really starting to get on her nerves. Grumpily, Twilight opened the door mid-knock to find a half-surprised Rainbow Dash as her hoof swung through empty air.
Twilight’s foul mood disappeared almost instantly. “Oh! Rainbow! Good morning! Sorry for the wait, I’m not entirely awake yet. I was out all night last night, and things took an interesting turn. Long story short I didn’t get much sleep.”
Righting herself, Rainbow made her best effort at putting on a convincing smile, “Yeah, morning Twi’.”
Twilight could tell something was wrong. Ever since the campout two weeks ago, Rainbow was getting back to her usual self, but now she seemed...unsure, confused, and even a little hurt, just like she was the night after their unmasking.
“Rainbow, are you okay?” Twilight asked, suddenly at her friend’s side, resting a hoof on her shoulder.
“Yeah, of course I am...” Rainbow started, turning her head away, suddenly interested in a flower patch underneath the windowsill. Twilight placed a hoof under her chin, turning her head so she would look her in the eyes and saw the same fear and confusion that she saw two weeks ago when she confronted Rainbow.
“Rainbow...you know you can tell me anything, right? I promised I’d always be here for you, remember?”
Rainbow’s expression softened and she put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Yeah, I remember.”
Twilight smiled. “Good, now what’s wrong? Something has to be bugging you if you’re up this early in the morning.”
“Yeah, about that...” Rainbow pawed the ground with a hoof, “last night...something happened. I-i don’t know how or why, but...I saw Mare Do Well.”
Twilight stopped, her eyes widening and her heart beating wildly in her chest. “M-mare Do Well? But how? The only ponies that have the costumes are myself and the others! That, and Pinkie burned hers, Rarity has hers under lock-and-key, and I’m pretty sure Applejack threw hers out as soon as she got home! Are you sure?”
“Very. Look, Twi’, can we talk about this inside please?” Rainbow asked, looking around nervously.
“Oh, right,” Twilight smiled sheepishly, “come on in. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? Maybe some tea?”
“Some coffee would be nice. I haven’t exactly had anything to eat or drink yet. After seeing Mare Do Well last night, I decided to come here first thing. I trust you with all of this Twi’, and I really needed to talk to you.”
Twilight felt her ears burn and the blood rush to her cheeks, but kept her head turned away from Rainbow as she led her back into the library. “Oh...well, I’m honoured Rainbow. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I get you some coffee.”
With a silent nod of thanks, Rainbow moved over into the sitting area of the library while Twilight made a beeline for the kitchen and set about preparing another cup of coffee.
“So Rainbow, what exactly happened last night? Where did you see somepony dressed up as Mare Do Well?”
“I was, uhm, out doing some flying late afternoon yesterday. I stopped by on a cloud to take a nap and by the time I woke up it was already really late at night. Like, really late,” Rainbow began to explain. “I heard the sound of something smashing and thought I’d investigate. At first I didn’t really see anything, but after a bit I saw somepony running down through an alley. I followed, and after some chasing I foun-”
Twilight had been paying careful attention as Rainbow spoke, trying to piece together what happened, and lifted her head at the sudden silence in the library. Levitating the cup of coffee in her magical glow, she returned to the library proper.
“Rainbow? Is everything okay?”
Rainbow had stopped in front of the sofa, staring wide-eyed at the Mare Do Well costume draped over the back. She held part of the cape in her hoof, and in the other held a small piece of fabric that matched the cape’s colour. As Twilight entered the room, Rainbow’s head slowly turned to her, eyes narrowing and wings outstretching to their fullest, a look of disbelief on her face.
“Rainbow?” Twilight ventured slowly. She glanced at the incriminating costume on the sofa and picked it up in her mulberry glow. “Sorry about that, Spike must have started some cleaning up around the library before he left to go help Rarity for the day. He must have been looking for something in the closet over there and moved the outfit out of the way. I’m really sorry that you had to see it out in the open, I know you don’t exactly have the best memories of-”
“Twilight. Stop,” Rainbow said, silencing Twilight with a strained tone, as if to keep her temper in check. “What is this?”
“W-what do you mean?” Twilight stuttered. She had never seen Rainbow like this before. If she was angry or confused like she was before, Twilight could understand and would know what to do. But this was different. It was almost like Rainbow was restraining herself mentally and emotionally.
“What is this Twilight?” Rainbow barked, taking a few steps forward. For every step Rainbow advanced, Twilight took another one back, retreating from the advancing pegasus.
“I-i told you, Spike must have been doing some cleaning and just left it out-”
“Come on! After I chase Mare Do Well around Ponyville all night last night I come here first thing in the morning and find you incredibly tired from a ‘mysterious’ night out and your costume sitting out here in the open!” Rainbow accused. “You’re telling me this is all just one giant coincidence?!”
“Wait, are you accusing me of putting on the Mare Do Well costume and then leading you around Ponyville last night?” Twilight asked, halting in her retreat, a look of hurt appearing on her face. “Rainbow, I would never do anything like that to hurt you. You’re my friend, and I really care about you, I wouldn’t ever intentionally try and hurt you, especially since I know how much of an issue Mare Do Well is with you.”
Rainbow stopped her advance and Twilight watched as a myriad of emotions danced in the pegasus’ eyes. Anger, confusion, sadness, guilt, and hope all shone in her eyes and Twilight could feel a pit form in her stomach. She did not look entirely convinced, more like she wanted to believe Twilight, but for some reason couldn’t.
“Rainbow, why do you-”
“Mare Do Well was a unicorn, Twilight,” Rainbow whispered, her eyes red and puffy as she fought back the tears. “After I cornered her, she teleported away. Rarity told us that there was only one unicorn-version of the Mare Do Well costume that was made, and you’re holding it.”
“B-but I didn’t...I wouldn’t...” Twilight pleaded, searching for anyway to prove to Rainbow that she was innocent.
“I...I really want to believe you Twilight. I...I didn’t think that you would do something like this, but if not you, then who? What other unicorn would be able to get the same costume and teleport like that?” Rainbow said, her bangs hiding her face from view.
“But it wasn’t me!” Twilight screamed in desperation, the tears beginning to flow. “I wouldn’t ever! And what if somepony made a copy of the Mare Do Well costume? I don’t know who or why, but we can figure that out! Just...please...”
Twilight needed to breathe. This whole situation was getting out of hoof, and Rainbow didn’t seem to be in the calmest and most rational state of mind. She needed to be careful, or she might just make things worse.
“...Let me see the costume.”
“W-what?”
“The costume, let me see it,” Rainbow said with a tone of finality.
“Why?”
“Last night when I was chasing Mare Do Well into town square, I ripped this piece off of her cape,” she gestured to the small square of dark blue fabric she had placed coffee table a few moments ago. “I was hoping that you could help me figure out who might be running around as Mare Do Well from this. If it really wasn’t you out there last night, then this shouldn’t match your outfit.”
“R-right...” Twilight stuttered. She was nervous and scared. Even though she knew that she had not put on that costume ever since the Mare Do Well incident, all of the evidence pointed to the contrary. She prayed to Celestia that the fabric didn’t match...it might be the only thing to convince Rainbow otherwise.
Slowly, Twilight levitated the folded costume over to Rainbow Dash’s waiting hooves. Twilight gulped audibly as Rainbow began to unfold the costume. She watched as the pegasus found the cape and began to examine it. In a moment of absolute horror, Twilight could only stare as Rainbow held the small piece of fabric up to a tear in the hem of the cape...and it fit perfectly.
“No,” Twilight gasped, backpedalling against the library wall. She couldn’t believe her eyes and buried her head in her hooves. “No, no, no, this can’t be happening.”
“How could you!?” Rainbow snapped, tossing the costume across the library. She had no problem expressing her feeling this time, tears flowing down her cheeks, eyes red and puffy with barely controlled rage.
“R-rainbow, I didn’t, I swear,” Twilight begged.
“Then where the buck were you last night!? I came down here to check up on you and Spike told me you went out for the night without even telling him where you were going!” Rainbow demanded, advancing on the cornered unicorn.
Twilight froze again. Rainbow knew that Twilight was out all night last night, and the Mare Do Well outfit in her living room was the same one worn by somepony masquerading as her. Her mind raced as she tried to think up something, anything. She couldn’t possibly tell her where she really was, this was not the time nor the place, and it would only confuse her more. Doing so would require her to tell the truth about how she feels about Rainbow Dash, and given the situation, she didn’t think she would be receptive to the idea.
“Uhm, well, I was, uh, out doing something,” Twilight summed up lamely. “But I-”
“Save it! If you’re not even gonna come clean about all this, then I’m done Twi’!” Rainbow yelled, turning and heading for the library door.
“No! Rainbow wait please!” Twilight shouted after her, teleporting between Rainbow Dash and the door to cut her off. “Just give me a chance to explain! You have to trust me!”
“I did! I opened up to you Twilight!” Rainbow cried. “I don’t know about you or the girls, but that’s really hard for me to do! And now, I find you home after a night doing Celestia-knows-what with the same Mare Do Well costume that was worn by somepony last night. You honestly expect me to believe that it wasn’t you!? How can I trust you when you won’t even tell me where you were last night!”
The rage that littered Rainbow’s normally carefree and beautiful face was more menacing than any monster or demon she could have imagined. The spark of anger that lit up her pink eyes bore into her soul, shredding any confidence she had.
“B-but-”
“No! I’m done!” she shouted, silencing Twilight’s plea. “First you go behind my back with Mare Do Well to show me up. That stung, Twi’, but then you and the girls asked me to cover up for you. And, after I open up to you, you go ahead and stab me in the back all over again! Just...just leave me alone Twilight! I can’t talk to you right now!”
Twilight’s heart shattered in her chest as Rainbow pushed past her. She fell to her haunches, silently crying as Rainbow’s words hit home.
She didn’t even register Rainbow walking to the front door, still numb from the verbal lashing until she heard the front door slam shut. Snapping back into reality, Twilight ran to the door and swung it open with her magic. She realized that lying to her about anything wasn’t going to get her to stay. Twilight needed to tell the truth before it was too late.
“Rainbow! Wait!” she shouted, running out the door, eyes searching for the cyan pegasus. She turned her gaze to the sky, her hope extinguished as the only signs that remained of her friend was an already fading rainbow trail leading far away from her home.
“I need to tell you something...” she finished quietly, her words falling uselessly to the ground. She was too late, and the weight of what was said and what wasn’t said between the two pulled Twilight down. Shoulders sagged, she slumped to the dirt, trying to pick up the fragments of her broken heart.
Eventually she picked herself up from the cold, unforgiving ground and returned to the library to wallow in her self-pity. The coffee she had made for Rainbow Dash sat on the table nearby, completely forgotten, and the Mare Do Well costume lay in a crumpled heap in the corner of the room.
It felt as if the room drifted by her as she walked over to her desk, opening it to reveal a small package wrapped in cyan blue paper, perfectly matching Rainbow’s coat, with a multi-hued bow placed nicely on top. It had taken her all night to finish, but with Rarity’s help, she managed to somehow make Rainbow her very own personal flight suit. It was one-of-a-kind, and made specifically for Rainbow Dash. Twilight had thought on giving it to her tomorrow after her birthday party that she knew Pinkie was planning...and then telling Rainbow how she really felt towards her.
But that isn’t going to happen now...She hates me...I’ve ruined everything!
She gingerly picked up the parcel in her hooves, holding it against her chest as she began to break down, her sobs filling the empty library.
She couldn’t stay here, not after what just happened. Twilight felt more hurt and heartbroken than she had ever before, and she needed comfort. She didn’t feel comfortable going to her friends, and she couldn’t take something so trivial as her lovelife to the princess.
Sniffling all the while, Twilight walked up to her bedroom and, with her magic, packed a bag with a few of her essentials. She needed to go somewhere where she’s always been safe. Grabbing the bag in her magic, Twilight left a hastily written note on the dinner table as she walked out of the library and began the long walk to the train station. She needed to go home to Canterlot.
For the first time in a long time, Twilight needed her mother.
Stats
Page generated in 0.046 seconds
Total duration
974 users online
552,046 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Damnit. I'm on the edge of my chair right now. If Twi didn't do it, who did?
I can only see Trixie or Rarity... That or Twilight in under a spell of mind control
"The Strength To Go On"… ? … Rise Against?
2561905
Even I don't know, and I'm the editor ferret on this one.
2561982
Knowing Timaeus, prolly.
<3 DarqFox
Well done, Timaeus. You is ferret.
A unicorn that can teleport narrows it down to just Twilight, really, but she has an alibi.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxi7u0NOtd1r84xgjo1_1280.gif
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw5491-1338666996310.gif
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/313/9/5/crying_twilight_sparkle_vector_by_hombre0-d497giy.png
What's this? Believable drama that isn't there for the sake of drama? And a mystery?
Is it my birthday and I forgot?
Imma guess trixie using illusion magic (or teleporting depending on your headcanaon with her) or discord which isn't very likely.
oh or an oc
Yeah, I aint got a hope in the world of beating this thing in the competition...
Amazing chapter, you've set it up too well for me to wait, I MUST KNOW WHO IT IS!!!
Can't wait for Monday, I'll be cheering for your fic in the contest.
I'm liking where this is going. Nice to see some believable drama indeed.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Good god...this is amazing.
Broken glass, a messed up living room and MMDW out gallivanting, Twilight maintaining her innocence, it doesn't take Sherclop Holmes to figure this one out Dashie.
As I was reading this chapter, I kept hoping that the misunderstanding would be cleared up before the end of the chapter. Being left with a cliffhanger on such a sad note just makes me want to use this emote
. Well, can't wait for another update and hopefully they patch things up and catch the imposter.
Wow, great cliffhanger! This story is great (a lot better than the original episode, IMO)!
UMMMMM... I don't mean to complain or anything but there was still a few mistakes I found...
Holy balls, over a dozen new comments that aren't debating MLP episodes? What kind of sorcery is this? (I just jinxed it, didn't I?)
2561905 2561955 2562045 2562073
Only time will tell...and how much inspiration strikes me as I finish up the last part frantically.
All will be revealed in the final part...or will it?
2561982 2562001
And would you believe I wrote the majority of this fic listening to "Appeal to Reason" and "Endgame"?
Darqy you know me too well
2562046
;-;
SO MANY TEARS
2562066 2562172
My biggest concern while writing this was making the drama believable. After reading some long-standing fics (that I will not be naming here, but you know which one I'm talking about bats), I was really worried I'd end up with something that was entirely unbelievable.
2562134 2562197 2562416
Thank you all! I really appreciate it!
2562299
I can say that things will be resolved in some form or another on Monday. The trick will be actually finishing it in time...
2562429
Yeah...no matter how many times I go over it something slips through the cracks. Some parts I added in at the last minute before posting, and while I thought I caught them all...I guess in short I didn't
Argh, come on!
Why always the extravaganza ways of doing it? I am unable to see why you should introduce Twilight's mother to this story.
2562500
My rationale at the time was that Twilight had just gone through quite an ordeal with Rainbow Dash and effectively had her heart broken and basically hates herself. I thought who she would go to for comfort and care with such a personal issue, and it was either her mother or Celestia. I went with her mother because...well, who would you go to as a young person/pony after your heart was just broken?
2562526
She could have done both. My justification was that Rainbow had just bitten Twilight's head off (so to speak), and that Twilight wasn't in the clearest state of mind. It was early in the morning and she wasn't entirely awake yet and put on the defensive. With regards to the glass, it never really registered for her as she was distracted by Rainbow nearly knocking her door down and simply slipped her mind while she was trying to calm Rainbow down.
At least, that's what I was thinking when I wrote it.
Cool story so far, but I can see internet fights on this topic on their way...
i3.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/154/170/131168382487.gif
2562570 You are my new favourite person for the day.
2562571
Okay. Don't take this the wrong way, but...
cdn.derpiboo.ru/media/BAhbBlsHOgZmSSI4MjAxMi8wOS8xNy8wNF81N180MF80MzRfMTAwMDUyX19VTk9QVF9fbHlyYV9zdWljaWRlBjoGRVQ/100052.png
WRITE THIS SHIT FASTER MOTHERFUCKER OR I WILL RAPE YOUR FUCKING SOUL
Good story btw
2562586
Dude, just put down the gun, we're all cool here. Everything's chill. Just. Put. Down. The gun. Please.
2562705
*logs off Fimfic to frantically write the last part*
*Realizes he's nowhere near done*
*Prematurely dies of heart attack*
2562497 Hey it's alright. But a suggestion I would give is have different people read it.
But hey, that's just me.
wow, this is truly believable, its fantastic! I can only wish I can write something this good!
Well, that had a bit of the ole The Games We Play-esque feel to it. Good times.
(continuing from my comment on the first chapter) The dialogue still has some flaws, but it's better in this chapter.
Good work, and good luck in the contest.
2562497
I believe you (since Laarsgaard writes his stuff listening to metal, I can believe just about anything), but I feel that "Lanterns" would have fit better.
<3 DarqFox
2562745
And now you shouldn't answer to any comment until you post the next chapter.
Good job ruining my day. The story was going along so well and then a cliffhanger like that.
Can`t wait until this is finished on monday. Good story so far.
troll.me/images/stoner-dog/too-late-bro-too-late.jpg
Can't wait for more!
2563007 I write almost exclusively to Electro/House, but since I've yet to post anything on this website I guess that doesn't say much.
2562992
Flaws in the dialogue, you say? I is editor ferret for this story. Point these 'errors' out plawks. :3
<3 DarqFox
2563687 As I said in my comment on the first chapter, the dialogue (especially in the first chapter) feels rushed and a bit stilted. The characters' emotions don't flow naturally; I suggested taking more time with the dialogue, adding more filler speech, so the reader can get a handle on what each character is feeling before it changes.
The second chapter is better, but not perfect, in that regard.
now i'm sad.i want to know the entier truth.(finds out the next chap won't be till monday)NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Well, that was cheerful...
2562518
Sorry, I see what you mean.
Two things.
1. Twilight is supposed to be smart. Why is it she couldn't connect the dots from Rainbow telling her about the night before, the broken window, her MDW outfit being out, and the other stuff out of place. Then simply tell Dash?
2. This is mostly just a pet peave of mine. I hate when characters can easily remedy a situation by saying one small thing. They don't because its a surprise, but then when they don't say it, they ruin the relationship with the person the surprise was for in the first place, thus making the reason to not tell them voided and making it a reason to tell them...Just....uuuhhhh...Such an unrealistic situation.
2567927
I know I'm supposed to be dead, but I think you deserve a few answers.
1) See my earlier comment to a person who asked something along the same lines.
2) I think it's reasonable for Twilight to do this, especially considering her behaviour in "Lesson Zero." Twilight has a history of over-thinking things and in many cases being paranoid and refusing to simply say one thing that could remedy the entire situation. For example, Twilight could have simply asked Celestia for an extension, but didn't. While listening to Rainbow's rant or however you want to phrase it, she was at the same time paranoid/scared to say that one thing that could have fixed everything. And again, I defer you to another comment I made earlier about Twilight additionally not being in the best state of mind at this point.
2567952 I get that, which is why it's mostly a pet peave, but Twilight thought about how she couldn't tell Dash where she was while Dash was ranting. Because of the surprise she had for her.
She wouldn't have to spill the beans about the surprise or how she felt though. All she would have had to say is that she was with Rarity all night and she could vouch for her.
Maybe it's just me, I just don't see how she(anyone for that matter) could jump that thought of giving a half truth. Again. Thats why it's a pet peave for me.
2567997 I see your point, and I'm sorry I played into your pet peeve.
2568013 Lol, don't be. We are talking about technicolor talking ponies. How much more unrealistic can you get? Either way, I'm going to continue reading. I don't let stuff like that stop me from reading. I'm liking the story. Just had to vent that.
Anyway. Don't waste your time w/ some random internet guy leavin a-hole comments. You've got a contest to win, correct?
2568027 This is true, though it means I have to beat Subsolar's entry. This is gonna be an uphill battle
I know of one other unicorn that can teleport...lets see if I'm right or not. A most excellent chapter and can't wait for more!
Great story, can't wait till the next part.
Timeframe issue here. Twilight and Rainbow talked about the ordeal the night of the incident, so it can't be both yesterday and two weeks ago.
Em dash for the interruption
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that the words are still capitalized when there is a break like that.
Should it be felt? The sentence read awkwardly to me.
The beginning bits still focus greatly on telling as opposed to showing. I understand the contest probably cut down on the time you had to change that, but if you do decide to rewrite it, that's a place I would focus on.
As with the previous chapter, the emotional impact is quite strong. Fights like these are always my favorite part of romance stories.
I liked the first paragraph of Twilight's morning, making it seem she was Mare Do Well until it confirmed she wasn't even before she started wondering about the broken window with 'almost picture' instead of 'remember.'
The narration strikes me as repetitive in place, 'eyes red and puffy' being the one that jumped to my eyes most.
I liked these lines;
'do the most uncool thing she had ever done; share her feelings,'
'Not that she’d ever be caught dead reading in a library with Equestria’s biggest egghead,'
'and other boring things that left Rainbow drooling on Twilight’s couch,'
'She vaguely remembered something involving a pair of scissors, several sewing needles, and an uncanny ability to be pinned to the wall without being impaled,'
'The sky had always been her own haven from the rest of the world,'
'She imagined Twilight reading to her from one of her books, allowing the ghost of her voice to wash over her. She hummed in contentment, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips,'
'Thoughts and images of what could have caused such a noise danced through Rainbow’s mind, none of them pleasant,'
'“what about me?!”
“Hey, c’mon Spike, that goes without saying,” Rainbow smiled, trying to save face. “Like I’d leave my favourite dragon hanging!”'
'She huffed, feeling the strain of the continuous takeoffs in her wing muscles as they began to groan in protest,'
'She nursed a cup of coffee between her hooves,'
'The rage that littered Rainbow’s normally carefree and beautiful face was more menacing than any monster or demon she could have imagined. The spark of anger that lit up her pink eyes bore into her soul, shredding any confidence she had'
and
'She was too late, and the weight of what was said and what wasn’t said between the two pulled Twilight down. Shoulders sagged, she slumped to the dirt, trying to pick up the fragments of her broken heart.'
I found a few mistakes;
There seems to lack a 'while' in 'and Rainbow couldn’t put her hoof on what it was, she noticed it all the same,'
You forgot a comma in 'As she dragged herself through the kitchen she shivered,'
I'm not sure 'the' is necessary in 'Rainbow whispered, her eyes red and puffy as she fought back the tears'
and
'anyway' should be 'any way' in 'searching for anyway to prove to Rainbow that she was innocent.'