Chapter 5: A Chance for a Choice.

Twilight walked into the library solemnly, her friends were all inside waiting for her.  Upon seeing her they all smiled warmly, sans Applejack of course, who was sporting a nice shiner from Rarity's astounding left hook earlier.

"Hey girls," Twilight started, and they gathered all their attention upon her," I've got something I have to tell you all."

"What is it darling?" Rarity said, swinging back her unusually tangled hair. Apparently their must have been quite a scuffle if Rarity wasn't interested in her looks as much as she was beating Applejack senseless. "She thinks two months away from Ponyville will do me some good."

They all frowned at the prospect, well, almost all of them. Once again Applejack seemed to be reveling in victory at Twilights sad face, and like before, she was met with another quick strike from one of the others, this time it was from Pinkie Pie, though nopony noticed other than themselves with all of the attention turned toward Twilight.

"There's not all bad news, I can take one of you with me," Twilight said, smiling a half-cocked smile at the rest of them.

Rainbow Dash beamed as she walked up to Twilight, "does that mean you're taking me?" Twilight frowned, unable to hide a tear as she shook her head. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and turned away at her answer, mentally kicking herself.

"Wait Dashie," Twilight spoke up as the cyan pegasus started to walk away," it's not because I don't care about you, don't think that for one second." Rainbow Dash turned back toward Twilight, the look of defeat evident on her face. Twilight made her way over to her friend and pressed her muzzle Dash's own. "I really do care for you, ever so much, but I need to go with someone who won't try to inflluence my decisions, I have to bring someone unbiased. So I'm bringing Rariy."

Twilight turned to her fashonista friend with a smile, but was soon perplexed as Rarity's eyes widened. The off-white unicorn shook her head haphazardly in response.

"I-I-I can't, I just can't, I've got all these things going on here in Ponyville, I mean, there's the boutique, and taking care of my sister, and. . ." She continued to ramble on, trying desperately to get her thoughts in order.  It was quite a sight to see for everypony, the fashonista freaking out so wildly. Though all her confused ranting did was leave everyone even more confused. Finally, it all became too much for a certain yellow pegasus, and with a cry of "for Celestia's sake,"  Fluttershy wrapped her front hooves around Rarity and planted a deep kiss.

When the kiss broke, Rarity's eyes grew even wider (if that was even possible), as her ivory face suddenly resemble a ruby glimmering in the sunlight.

"S-s-sorry Rarity, I just couldn't help it, you were. . .kind of making a fool of yourself," Fluttershy said, pointing her head to the floor. The yellow Pegasus obviously felt like she'd done something wrong. Fluttershy's fears were soon alleviated when she felt Rarity's lips upon her own.

"No need to be sorry dear. I've been a fool." Rarity hugged her marefriend tight, then looked at Twilight apologizingly. "As you can see, I have my reasons for staying here."Twilight  just smiled at the cute couple almost victoriously

"Well, I guess I have no choice then, Pinkie," Twilight started, turning towards her party loving friend," would you like to come with me."

"Oh, oh, oh, I love that idea, it sounds like so much fun. We're gonna have such a fun time." Pinkie jumped up and down happily, somehow not knocking down any of the orderbs that had been placed on the table she'd climbed upon during Rarity's babbling.

"Very well then," Twilight replied,smiling brightly,"looks like you're coming with me."

Twilight stood outside of the carriage that would be taking Pinkie and herself to Canterlot. In front of her Rainbow Dash stood, trying her best to keep a cool head as she wished them off.  Twilight nuzzled Dash affectionately and smiled, unconvinced by Dash's act.

"Will you be OK Dashie?", Twilight asked, apprehension in her voice. She could only imagine the things Applejack could be planning in an attempt to ruin Rainbow Dash's feelings for her.

"I'll be fine Egghead," Dash replied," I've had plans to go to Cloudsdale this month anyway, I have an old friend who wanted to talk. Yesterday I had made the decision to stay here with you, but if you're not going to be here then why should I. I'll go to Cloudsdale for a month, then I'll stop by Canterlot to check up on you." Rainbow Dash smiled as she motioned for Twilight to get in the now open carriage. Pinkie popped out of the open door and waved at Twilight, in a similar manner, calling her inside.

"Oh, and don't even think about trying to stop me from checking up on you. You might have some thinking to do, but I don't, my mind's made up. I love you Twilight." With that, Dash flew off in the direction of Cloudsdale, leaving her last words burning in Twilight's heart.

Twilight followed Pinkie inside and smiled, sharing the cart with them was a blue alicorn, with splotches of black fur on different parts of her body, her lunar cutie mark glistening in the shadows.

"Your Majesty," both Pinkie and Twilight greeted.

"Hello you two," the princess of the night responded," I'm here to see you both to Canterlot, Tia's orders."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Twilight responded.

"Please, just Luna."

Twilight was about to say something about being uncomfortable speaking so informally to the Princess, but was cut off by the sudden rumbling of the cart that announced the carriage's liftoff. Twilight and Pinkie looked out upon Ponyville as it was quickly swallowed up by the distance. Twilight was suddenly struck with an odd feeling that she could only describe as homesickness. Whatever happened to her in these next two months would be odd for her.

"Looks like we're turning our backs to quite the eventful chapter of our past," Pinkie exclaimed to nopony in particular, leaving Twilight flabbergasted at her friends sudden outburst.

"I didn't think you to be the philosophical type Pinkie," Twilight stated, cocking her head to the side inquisitively.

"There's a lot nopony knows about me you silly filly," Pinkie responded," a lot nopony knows." Twilight chose not to worry about the party pony's answer and went back to looking outside of the carriage. Change was coming, she could feel it.

What she didn't know was how dangerous that change was going to be.