> A Vivid Twilight
>  by Ninestempest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle awoke from her nap with a start.  She desperately grabbed for the clock at the end table on her bed, but dropped it in her rush.  As she grabbed for it from the bed, the commotion made Spike call up from the ground floor.
"You awake now, Twilight?"  He called.  The ground floor of the house had little in the way of comforts.  A few chairs, a few tables, a door on the west side of the room lead to the rest of the house, such as the kitchen and dining room.  The walls were lined with books that made her house look like a library.  The south end of the room had a door to the outside, and the north end had a gap in the bookshelves for a ladder that lead to a hallway on the upper floor.  A door at the end of that hall opened into a rom where there was a bed, a guest bed hidden in the wall, a personal bookshelf, and a table with some chairs, essentially holding her bedroom.  Spike, a purple-and-green baby dragon who is Twilight Sparkle's assitant, called up again.  "It's five o'clock, why are you in such a tizzy up there?"
Twilight Sparkle was a Unicorn pony from the Canterlot, the capital city of Ecuestria.  Her fur was a violet and her mane and tail were a deep purple, with two stripes of dark shades of red mixed inside her mane.  She was kind, and a bit of a bookworm, as she had been the pupil of the Princess Celestia, who made sure that Twilight studied often and always.  Her unicorn horn on her forehead was the key characteristic of unicorn ponies, as they can use magic with this horn, normally along the lines of levitating, spells, and enchantments.  Like all ponies as well, she had her cutie mark on her flank; a red star with several smaller white stars.  The mark signified what her greatest interest was in life.  She had always had a great interest in stars, and even has a telescope in her old home back in Canterlot.   Twilight now lives in Ponyville, where she has been assigned by the Princess to learn and report to the on the subject of Friendship, and what she has learned each and every day.  Twilight has been learning well, reporting several times a week to the Princess on what she has learned.
Twilight sighed before responding to Spike.  "Don't you remember Spike?  I told you that Rarity was coming over later.  We're meeting up here then going to Dinenr."  She got out of bed, and made it quickly before turning around to look in the mirror on her vanity.  "Haha, oh wow, I look like such a mess.  Rarity would faint!" She said, laughing to herself.  Her hair was split some places and flat in other places; classic bedhead.
"Right, I remember now.  You're meeting at Seven, right?  Seems a bit late to eat, if you ask me."  Spike shrugged, despite no one even seeing him.  "I thought everyone ate at around five."
"Adults do things different Spike.  It's a little more formal to go out later.  Unless it's a really nice restaurant, doing something at five would seem like we were just going out to catch some food, and not be some kind of romantic dinner."  She gasped at what she had just said, blushing as she saw Spike opening the door behind her.
"Romantic?  Yeah, I guess I can see that."  He said.  "Hmm, maybe I should try eating later to impress Rarity..."
Twilight shook the expression from her face and smiled at him.   Glad he hadn't noticed what she said, she played along.  "How about a mustache for when she comes by later?  Maybe you'll catch her eye."
"Awesome!"  He said, as he raced around the bedroom, to finish cleaning up.  Twilight smiled at his enthusiasm to earn the mustache, and looked back at the vanity.
Ugh, she thought, I'm going to have to take a shower to fix this hair.  She took a brush and, going through her hair with it, she started thinking again.  Her smile turned to a frown as she remembered the last several months with Rarity and her friends.  If we're such good friends, thought Twilight, will she even understand... what I'm doing?  She mentioned that she wants to see the Princess's nephew at the Great Galloping Galla.  Am I being stupid here?  What if she doesn't think this is right?
"Hey Twilight!" Said Spike, standing at her wardrobe, at the opposite end of the room.  Her train of  thought shattered, she gathers her compsure and looks over to him.   "I'm basically done getting your books in order, what should I do next?   Are you going to wear anything?"
She thought for a few seconds replied "Just a scarf, the scarlet one."  She decided to stop thinking about it, and when the time came, she would know how to say what she felt.  She went down the ladder to  get ready for the date with Rarity.
 
-----
 
Twilight Sparkle had been ready for about 10 minutes.  She was reading through books in the fiction section of her little library, in particular a romantic novel when Spike finally spoke to her.  "How do you girls read those books?"
Twilight didn't even move as she responded.  "What's wrong with books that have introductions, plots, conflicts, complications, and resolutions where they simply deal with personal matters, and most stereotypically, love?  If the story is good, it's good.  I don't understand why boys would dislike them.  They all did in Canterlot as well."
Spike shrugged.  He was walking across the room with a candy bar as the doorbell rang.  Twilight put down the book quickly and hurridly ran to the door.  Just before opening it, she heard talking outside.  Looking through the small glass half-circle at the top of the door, she saw outside that Rarity was talking with another of their friends, Fluttershy.
Rarity is also a unicorn pony.  Her fur is a pure white, and her mane and tail a very deep and rich purple, the hair smooth and curled, as always.  She was wearing a purple scarf as well, to match her mane.  Twilight quickly grimaced at her own choice in scarf, but she wasn't sure if it was bad or not.  Her cutie mark is three diamonds, probably to symbolize her taste in jewelry, as she owns a shop where she makes clothes, most often very high-class styles, for other ponies.  She gets orders often and has sometimes had to send her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, to sleep over with other ponies instead.  Fluttershy is one of those ponies.  She is a pegasus pony; she has wings, and no horn for magic.  Her fur is yellow and her tail and mane pink.  Her cutie mark is that of a few pink-winged butterflies, to signify her love for small animals.  She has something of a farm, or more of an animal daycare, set up in and around her house.
They were talking calmly, but Twilight could only see Fluttershy's expression, as she was facing the house while talking to Rarity.  "Oh, well, I didn't know you were busy tonight is all.  I guess I'll have to go and ask someone else to help me..."  She said, her voice very quiet.  Fluttershy was very shy, and when she first met Twilight, didn't get out much more than a "meep" when greeting her.
"I'm sorry dear, but I already have plans with Twilight Sparkle tonight.  We're going out to dinner for a little girl talk."  She said, almost confidently.  Twilight knew she hadn't been specific on what the dinner was about, but that seemed like an odd statement.
"Well, I'm a girl too you know, but that's okay I guess.  I think I can get them to listen to me tonight.  The rabbits have been pretty irritable as of late, not sure why..."
"If you really need help, perhaps sweetie belle would like to help.  She should be at home with Lyra, but if she wants to go over to your house to help, and perhaps spend the night, that would be fine.  It is Friday night after all."  Twilight couldn't stop admiring the confidence in her voice.  Even just summarizing the state of her sister, she seemed to say it as if it was all perfectly laid out.
"Okay!"  Said Fluttershy, excited almost.  "Sorry to have bothered you.  Have fun tonight!"  She flew off in a hurry.
"It's no problem Fluttershy. I'll see you tomorrow if she decides to go over!" Yelled Rarity after her.  As Rarity started turning around, Twilight realized she was probably in plain view.  Not wanting to be seen eaves dropping, she started backstepping away from the door in a panic.  She lost her footing almost instantly on the loose carpet  and slid on it,  falling right onto Spike as he was proceeding across the room with a glass of water.  She yelped, and he gave a startled gasp as the impact threw the glass of water straight up, and arcing down back onto Twilight's face.  She closed her eyes, embracing for the impact, but only felt water smack her face.  She shook her head to get rid of loose water, then opened her eyes to see why she hadn't heard the sound of glass breaking.
"My my Twilight, how do you get yourself into these messes?"  Said Rarity.  She was standing in the doorway, her horn glowing a faint purple.  Twilight looked up and saw the glass of water also enveloped in a purple glow, the signal that the glass was being levitated by Rarity.  Her magic wasn't nearly as strong as Twilight's, but it was still good enough to move simple objects around.  She put the empty glass on a nearby table.  "If I wasn't around here to be responsible, someone might get hurt.  We can't have that now, can we?  No no, a bleeding eye simply wouldn't be suited to a date."  Hearing the word date made Twilight's heart jump, the force almost bring her to her feet by itself.  Her mane and scarf were soaking wet, but she was unperterbed.
"Uh, Twilight, you sure you want to go out all wet like that?"  Said Spike, smiling.
"Now now, Spike, I'll simply have to take care of this for her."  Said Rarity.  She walked up to Twilight and lead her to the bathroom.
"Don't I have a say in this?  I'm pretty sure I can dry myself off."  Said Twilight, hoping to get a little independence out of the situation.
"You could get a bunch of split ends again if you don't dry this out correctly, so we're dealing with it now instead of at the restaurant.  I simply won't stand for drying your hair with paper towels."  She got towel and started to dry it, not wanting to use the hair dryer.  Twilight stood still like a pouting child, as Rarity fiddled with her mane.  "It's a good thing you have these nice towels, they soak up the water almost immediately after touching it.  Avoiding this heat could maintain your hair as you left it, thank goodness."
Twilight smiled as Rarity dried off the last few patches of her fur.  Rarity stepped back a few steps, and as Twilight turned around, she noticed Rarity staring.  "Why that scarf?"  Was all she said.  Taken by surprise, she stuttered a bit with her response.
"O-oh, well, s-s-see, I kind of wasn't sure what to ch-ch-chose, so I just went with a nice, vivid color!"  She said, not very confident.  The little uptake in pacing at the end, she realized, really revealed how nervous she was.
Rarity only smiled.  "It was a nice try, but your natural color scheme is already great as it is!"  She lead her outside the room, through the library, and up her ladder as she looked through her wardrobe.  "Yes, this will do!"  She quickly took the scarf off of Twilight's neck using magic, threw it in the wardrobe, and brought a dark purple scarf, wrapping it around Twilight's neck without even looking.  She closed it and turned around, looking at an embarrassed Twilight.  "Well, don't feel bad, darling.  Your mane is the easiest color to bring out, so we either enhance it or use an opposite color, and seeing no yellow scarves, it was the easiest option!"
"Well, thanks for that quick little lesson in colors then, I suppose."  Twilight felt a more than a little stupid.  Her expression was meek.  "I have a lot to learn about fashion I suppose..."
"It's an art, darling.  Now lets head out already, we've already been held up about 15 minutes, they'll be wondering where we are."  She headed down the ladder and to the door.  Twilight looked out as Rarity walked out of the room to the main entrance, from the upper balcony.  She sighed, and walked down the ladder.  As she got to the center of the room, Spike stopped her.
"What's up?"  She said, confused.
"Twilight."  He had narrow eyes, but they weren't angry.  "What you're doing right now... are you sure you want this?"
His tone was serious, and she knew instantly that he had somehow figured out her motives.  "I... I want to tell her somehow, and I'm not just going to blurt it out in front of friends."
"Is misleading her into having a fun night just eating out the best idea though?  She said date, but I don't think she realizes that you-"
"Enough of this!  I'm going on a date with Rarity and you don't have to like it!"  She yelled, brushing him off as she walked out the door.  She slammed the door loudly.
"Tch, well, it's not like I liked Rarity at all anyway."  He said.  He threw a towel down on the wetspot of the carpet, and picked up the novel Twilight had been reading before Rarity arrived.
 
-----
 
Rarity and Twilight Sparkle were sat down in a booth.  The cushioning was a vivid red, and the light above them pale with a red cover over it.  The table was wooden, with a very smooth finish that let Twilight slide her hoof across it like it was glass.
"Forty-five minutes late, gosh!  I almost feel bad for the staff."  Said Rarity, chuckling to herself.  "Guess it could be worse.  We could have not had a reservation afterall."
Twilight gave a nervous smile.  "Right.  So, what are we ordering?"
"Stop being so to the point, darling!"  Said Rarity.  "I know you were a book worm in Canterlot, but was a long time ago!  Loosen up, make small talk.  Surely you can at least do THAT after spending a lot of time in Pinkie Pie's company."
Pinkie Pie was another friend of both of them.  She was hyperactive, random, obsessed with parties, and obsessed with candy.  She never shut up either.  "I-I guess..." Said Twilight, stuttering a bit.  "I just... don't really know how to let go.  Cut loose would be a word for it?"
"That's more for dancing, sweetheart-"
"Stop calling me those names!"   Rarity was cut off by Twilight raising her voice.  "I'm just a friend, not your Darling or your Sweetheart or anything!"  She exhaled heavily when she was done.  She covered her face with her hooves.
Rarity was surprised.  "I'm sorry Twilight, I wasn't aware it was such an issue.  Shall I be calling you pal, or girlfriend, or what have you?  I just happen to call everyone those names, you should know that by now."
Twilight shook her head quickly.  "No... no, it's okay.  I should know by now, you're right.  Sorry, I'm just really anxious lately."
"About what, de- I mean, Twilight?"
"Oh, just... stuff..."  She trailed off, but Rarity didn't pursue the conversation anymore.  They both ordered calmly, and within 20 minutes, the food came.  They didn't speak a word to each other.
They both had ordered a kind of hay salad.  It was good, and Twilight was hungry, but she wasn't particularly in the mood to eat anymore.  She had overreacted to something incredibly pointless.  How could she have a discussion with Rarity now?  She thought to herself.  I can't tell her how I feel if we're going to keep arguing... if I'M going to keep arguing...
Rarity hit her hoof on the table, breaking Twilight from her train of throught.  "I'm tired of this silence, Twilight!  Why did you want to come out to eat and then do nothing but clam up when I'm just trying to talk with you?"
Twilight looked around.  She couldn't see anything that could divert their discussion.  She looked at Rarity, who was still waiting for an answer.  She wasn't mad, if anything she looked sad, as if she had disappointed a friend.  Twilight decided to make a convincing lie.  Well, not a lie, but to put more of something she had been pondering for the past month or so.  She figured if she talked about it, maybe she could avoid the topic she meant to discuss, just for that night.
"I've... been thinking about me and Ponyville."  Explained Twilight.  "My parents were enthralled when they learned I could be taken under the Princess's wing as an apprentice, and that I could study magic.  And from my own interactions with Celestia, I'm sure that I know more about magic than even her.  Mine is powerful as well, but obviously not on her level."  She sighed in frustration.  "But here I am... just hanging out with friends in Ponyville... doing what?  Having friends?  'Telling the Princess what I've learned every day about Friendship?'  It's like some kind of perverted rat race!  My parents... no, I wanted to accomplish something, and all I'm doing is being nice to everyone!  What is the point of just learning your whole life, and doing nothing with it!"
"Of course there's a reason Twilight!"  Yelled Rarity, who had brought more than a little attention to herself with the racket.  Twilight looked up, her expression pale and melancholy, as Rarity grabbed her hooves to comfort her.  "It... may not be what you set out to do when you left for Canterlot, but you can't say you don't love your friends either.  Almost every day, we have a problem and it almost never gets resolved until someone else intervenes.  Remember the sleepover we had at your house a few months ago?  The one with Apple Jack and I?  Do you think we would still be talking to each other after all of that?  It took you 3 hours of you being... you to get us to even start seeing each other as different ponies that can relate in some ways, but not all ways.  I think I might have kept on hating her if we just left our duties cleaning the trees of broken branches that day and went home without making up.  And what about saving Luna and Celestia, and all of Ecuestria, hmm?  Is that nothing now?"
"I don't understand!"  Said Twilight, shaking Rarity's hooves away from her own.
"You're some kind of... envoy, or counselor, Twilight!"  Rarity had an odd grin on her face.  "You help everyone deal with each other in such a easy and logical way.  Even during the Winter Wrap Up, and you basically ruined half of the clean up job, you still came back, organised everyone, and got everything finished on time.  No one I know in Ponyville can do that.  We all have a place in this world, and we all fit into it eventually, doing what we love and what we do best.  The friends you make... they're special, and what you learn is channeled through all of us.  You are who you are, and you certainly must not deny that, as doing what you hate the rest of your life will only lead you to live a tortured life."
Twilight smiled.  She had never felt so good about herself before.  She should accept herself for who she was, and let go.  "Yeah... I guess you're right.  I didn't keep friends in Canterlot, I even just tossed presents they gave me aside like they were useless trinkets.  I ignored everyone but Spike, who I only treated like an assistant, and not even a friend or coworker."
"Darling."  Rarity said.  Twilight looked up at her.  Rarity had inched up quite a bit to her face, and she almost lurched back in surprise.  "I'm one of your best friends.  Whether or not I'm your best friend doesn't matter.  You can tell me anything, and even if I don't have an explanation or a response, I'll support you through it.  If you need help, I'll be there.  You don't have to suffer alone."
"Anything at all, Rarity?"  Twilight felt like this intimate moment might be the last chance she had to say anything meaningful.
"Of course!  If something is really troubling you, then you can tell me!"
Please, don’t let me be wrong, please, were Twilight's last thoughts before blurting out what she had been bottling up.  "I love you, Rarity."  Said Twilight.  She was blushing and had a dorky smile as she said it.
She had hoped not to have to repeat it.  "I love you too darling!  We all do-"
"No... Rarity... I don't think you understand exactly... My love."  Her smile went flat and she looked down and away, ashamed and still blushing.  "I... love you."
"You... oh dear.  Oh dear oh dear oh dear.  That's what you mean then.  That's why you've been so unwilling to talk.  You were... ashamed or something?  I don't... even..."
"I felt like I may just blurt it out, Rarity."  Twilight looked staright at her with hopeful eyes and blind optimism.  "I... I've felt pretty strongly about you for a while Rarity, but I wasn't sure if it felt right or not... but now I am sure!"  She reached across the table and hugged Rarity.  Rarity struggled to let go, but to no avail.  "I love you with all of my heart, in every way possible.  I want to be with you for the rest of my life."  She finally let go, and Rarity's eyes were stricken with panic.
"I'm... oh dear!"  She cried out as she jumped away from the table and ran out of the restaurant.  Twilight, confused, got out, leaft more than enough money on the table, and ran out after her.  Not finding her in the entrance area, which has now been closed down to customers, she heads outside.
There was no light, as the sun had completely set.  It was the darkest time of the night, it felt to Twilight.  The sky was a vivid midnight blue, stars almost impossible to find, indicating that there were clouds.  She was immediately soaked upon walking outside by the heavy rain.  No, we had planned to get out by 9, and it's almost 9:30, of course it's raning.  The pegasi had planned a rain storm tonight. She darted to a nearby tree to look for any sign of Rarity.  Safely under it, she looked around.  The rain was too heavy to look for tracks, and there was no sign of anyone around.  She could make out the buildings that made up the square, but not much beyond that.  No signs of movement except from wind.
Oh, the wind.  It made the rain fall at almost a 45 degree angle, making rain hit her no matter where she stood.  It was also cold, simply caring the freezing temperature from the rain to her.  She had left her scarf at the restaurant, but she knew they'd pick it up and hold it for her.  Her priority was finding Rarity.  Why did she even run away like that?  Thought Twilight.  If anyone should be ashamed or embarrassed, it's me.  I still am I think... why did she dart off...
Her search of the nearby area was hopeless, so she decided to check her place, and then Rarity's.  They were close enough, so it wasn't a big issue.  A quick look inside of her own doorway revealed nothing inside.  She darted off to Rarity's home.  She could make out the white and purple painted wood that formed her steps, walls, and railings of her house.  They all matched Rarity's hair and fur.  It was a gorgeous house that she had gotten much help on from Ponyville, as she had designed it but couldn't do any of the work herself.
Twilight walked up the front steps and knocked on the door.  Sure enough, Rarity answered.  She had a towel on and a pink bathroom, to keep her warm and dry her.
"Twilight."  She said, as she looked away from Twilight with almost empty eyes.  "I think you should go home and evaluate what you're saying to me."
"But Rarity..." Twilight could feel any kind of excitement she had, seeping through her hooves and into the ground.  "You said... that I should embrace who I am..."
"If you're going to involve someone else in it, maybe you should think about them a little, too!"  She yelled.  "What does it feel like to have your best friend tell you that they love you, without even having dated them, or even revealing they were a lesbian!  I wasn't even aware I was some kind of option!"
"Rarity, please!"  pleaded Twilight.  "We can just sit down... don't make me leave you without a response..."
"You've heard my response Twilight!"  She yelled, visibly angry.  "Think through what you're doing!  Good night!"  She slammed the door, the wind from it making water fly off of her mane.
This... doesn't make any sense, Thought Twilight.  Rarity.  She's never acted like that before...  She began to weep as she walked in the general direction of her own home.  She... doesn't love me.  She couldn't even love me.  Screaming at me for loving another girl... it was pointless.  She looked straight down as she walked home slowly.  She heard every squish as her hooves hit the wet ground, moving mud and flattening grass.  She began to see a stream of droplets fall where she had been blocking the rain, and realized that they were her own tears.  She forgot to register that she was even crying or sad.  She felt empty.  This was a giant mistake, she thought.  This shouldn't have happened.  I should have told her when she was ready.  There was no point in springing it forward without a reason.  I'm so stupid.  She tripped on an exposed root, her tears almost completely blocking her vision.  She got up, half her body covered in mud, and continued the treck home.
She arrived almost fifteen minutes later, where Rarity's house was so close to her own she could see it out her bedroom window.  Her back felt almost numb, and she could hardly move her back legs.  The tears were still flowing, and she couldn't even reach the door handle.  Just as she was about to just fall at the door, Spike opened it and ushered her in.
She flopped inside, having little strength to even move once inside.  The sound of the rain pounding around her gone, she could hear herself weeping.  Spike was asking her questions, but she payed him no mind.  She took a towel he offered, half-heartedly wiped some mud off her side, got up, and walked to the ladder that led to her room.  She tried to climp up the ladder, but half way up, her back legs gave out and she fell down to the floor.  The back of her head hit the floor, and felt nothing but a searing pain in her neck as she lost consciousness.
 
-----
 
Twilight Sparkle eyes opened up slowly.  Her back was against a carpet, and the lights were on.  She was covered by a blanket, and totally dry.  She tried to tilt her head, but doing so caused her neck to feel a stabbing-like pain.  She yelped at the feeling, and felt someone covering her mouth.  She looked down her body to see Rarity and Spike next to her.  She had a blanket on, and was completely dried off.
"Don't move and don't talk, okay?"  Rarity sounded very reassuring.  "You had quite a nasty fall.  It seems you hit uneven wood in your flooring, you had a gash open across the back of your neck!  It's a wonder you didn't somehow break anything.  We've got some bandages on you, just try and rest."
"Wha..."  Twilight Sparkle was too groggy to say anything beyond a syllable.  The pain was starting to grow as she struggled to stay awake.  She heard Rarity start to explain, but it was to no avail, and she blacked out again.
Twilight's eyes jumped open this time.  She actually tried forced herself off the ground, only to be greeted by a stabbing pain, and she fell down against the carpet, causing another pulse of pain that drove through her head and neck.  She yelped as Rarity shook her head at Twilight.  "You'll probably think I'm crazy... but I used some healing magic on you.  You had been out for 20 minutes, and that was far too long for anypony to lose consciousness for.  Your pulse was weak, and you barely felt warm to the touch..." she looked away in shame.  "I know I lost some part of me, as it has a much higher price than regular magic, Spike told me that much."  She gave a weak smile.  "I was in agony for a few minutes, but it's subsided completely now.  I'm just grateful you're okay."
Twilight felt a tear flow down her face.  Unable to face that she had caused her best friend to suffer so much, she slammed her head against the carpeting.  The pain overtook her entire upper body, making her give out a weak scream, and she blacked out again.
Rarity was starting to get worried.  Using the ounce of magic Rarity could use, she lifted Twilight Sparkle on to her back, to get Twilight to her bed so she could get the real rest that she needed.  Spike stood at her side, keeping Twilight's head straight, as to not bend her neck and cause the bleeding to worsen.  They slowly worked their way up the ladder, Rarity straining to keep Twilight level, and keep her balanced on her back as they walked down to her bedroom.  They rushed Twilight to her bed, covering her as much as possible.  Twilight woke up again as soon as they were turned away.  Noticing she was in the comfort of her bed, she closed her eyes to let sleep overtake her.  Just before falling completely asleep, she felt something nudge her back.  She was unperturbed, and sleep overtook her, leaving her with the most peaceful and dreamless sleep she had had in years.
 
-----
 
Twilight Sparkle woke up slowly from her deep sleep.  The first thing she noticed was the lack of pain, which made her let out a sigh of relief.  She hadn't ever felt that kind of pain before.  Heck, she wasn't sure if anything that happened to her as a kid really hurt her remotely as much.  As she stretched her legs out, she felt her hind legs hit something.  She looked down the bed, and saw someone was next to her.  She makes a meep sound, jumping out of bed.  The sudden movement makes a ping of pain ring out from her neck, but it's minute compared to seeing Rarity sleeping in the same bed as her.
"Hmmmrmm..." she moaned in her sleep.  Twilight had concerns and questions, but she wasn't about to wake someone up over them.  She decided to go downstairs and see the damage.  She went out the door, down the hall, and she looked down the ladder to the main hall.
The first thing she noticed was the smell.  The blood, not even having all dried up yet, had a smell wafting up towards her, some horrid mix of iron and citrus.  The carpet, normally a mix of purple, violet, red, and pink, was stained with maroon so badly, it seemed beyond all repair.  There was a pool, a small path where she was probably dragged by Rarity and Spike, and another smaller pool of blood.  She had no way of telling how much there was, but considering it wasn't even all dried up after a full night's sleep, she didn't want to think about it.
She reached around the back of her neck to her bandage.  It was pretty weak, and felt wet.  She levitated the first aid kit off the ground and brought it to herself.  She carefully took the bandages off her own neck using her levitation magic, as to avoid damaging the fur, and re-applied her own bandages.  The bleeding seemed to have almost completely stopped, so she walked back to her room to see if anyone had woken up in the five minutes she had walked out.
She saw Rarity was sitting on the edge of the bed.  Her face stern, she walked over to Rarity.  Intent on giving her a thorough interrogation, she turned and saw a face of Rarity she had never seen before.  She was crying.
"Oh Twilight..." she babbled, the words jumbled with her crying.  "I feel... awful about this whole thing."
Twilight smiled weakly at her.  She climbed on to the bed, and Rarity's head fell onto her lap.  "I've done awful things in the past day... to you... and I don't know how I could make it up."  She sniffled as the tears fell slowly down her face.  She looked at Twilight.
"You don't have to do anything, because I forgive you."  She brought Rarity up to her level, and leaned against her, wrapping her forelegs around her.  They both closed their eyes and let the comfort of their company melt away their worry.  After a few minutes, Twilight saw Spike wake up.  Promptly, she levitated him and threw him out the door, closing it immediately afterwards.  She pulled herself away from Rarity, and looked at her with sad eyes.  "What I did last night was awful.  I put so much pressure on you to accept me for who I was, when you didn't know what to expect, or how to feel.  I should have thought about what would happen if you didn't want me.  Rarity, I think it's okay if you can't love me back, because really, I just want you to be happy.  Maybe we can't always be together, but we can maybe... be together a little more often.  That much alone will make me happy.  You... didn't have to do anything you did last night Rarity, I'm okay with how you are right now, you shouldn't act out of remorse.  You didn't have to use healing magic for me last night."
Rarity laughed.  A stark look of confusion took over Twilight.  Laughter, thought Twilight, isn't really how one would address this situation...
"Oh, dear, you haven't even realized it yet.  But I guess you were only half conscious weren't you."  She takes a hoof and pets Twilight on the head.  "Twilight, think about everything I said last night."  Twilight took to her own memories, and recalled the selfish words Rarity had yelled.  They weren't comforting, but she knew they weren't relevant anymore.  "Try to imagine, now, that I was the one coming out of the closet for you, and that I ran off, and you followed me to get an explanation."  Twilight's eyes widened.  "Dear, I do love you.  I really do.  But I had no idea you were... even that way about other ponies.  No idea at all.  It scared me, and startled me, and I couldn't face up to it.  I didn't have the courage to tell you how I felt, even though you somehow did when you had no idea if I may even be able to respond to your love with my own.  I ran home, and was thinking... about our talk at the restaurant."
This time, Rarity hugged Twilight.  "Dear, I couldn't even take my own advice to heart.  I couldn't accept how I was, or that I was supposed to be there for you.  To see you embrace such preaching so quickly, and dive in head first... it was breath-taking.  I was almost sobbing by the time Spike arrived, and he told me what had happened.  Only after I saw you hurt on the floor, did I realize that I wanted you in my life... more than anyone."  She sighs.  "Oh, that is quite sick isn't it?  Only seeing you bloodied and beaten could I even admit to myself that I loved you..."
Twilight started laughing.  Rarity looked at her, utterly perplexed.  "You know, Rarity."  She said, grinning ear to ear now.  "Last night... I was captured by your voice.  Your confidence.  I had hoped that maybe one day, I'd gain the confidence you had... so I could tell you how I felt.  And when I built up that confidence to tell you how I felt... It was amazing.  And now what I'm hearing from you..."  She gave her a sly grin now.  "... is that you weren't confident enough to even tell me you loved me?"
"Irony at it's greatest potential, as it were."  Said Rarity.  "So... now what?"  She said, looked embarrassed.  "I think... we've both admitted that we love each other.  I guess this pretty much makes us Lesbians, right?  I've... never thought about it that way."  Her face turned grim.  "What if... no one likes the way we are?  Could they accept us?"
Twilight reassured her.  "Then they wouldn't be the best of friends now, would they?  I'm sure they will, and if they don't, then I guess they will just have to deal with us... the way we were born.  That this is where we are supposed to be, right now."  She scooted herself a little closer, and leaned her head forward.  Rarity responded in kind, their lips locking, in what was the first kiss of their lives.