> Twilight's Rainbow
>  by Kodeake
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Crash Landing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crash Landing

“Spike! Where is that book I asked for?” Twilight called, looking up from the book in front of her while closing it with a quick glow of magenta.

“You mean ‘Pegasus Courting Rituals, A History’?” Spike asked, his head poking out from behind a tower of books held in his arms.

“Yes.” Twilight said, more then a little annoyed her assistant had already forgotten what book she wanted. Sighing, she stood from the cushion at her reading table and levitated her book beside her.

“Why do you need that anyway?” Spike asked curiously as he started placing books back onto the shelves. He froze suddenly, inhaling sharply as the top of his stack started to wobble dangerously.

“Uh… no reason, just one of the last books in the library that I haven’t read yet, and I want to read them all.” Twilight said, her voice rising in pitch and speed as she spoke. By the end it was between ‘inaudible’ and ‘dog whistle’.

Spike sighed in relief as the tower steadied. Cautiously, he reached his claw a little closer to the shelf, only to have the top book slip off and land directly on his head. He stumbled back only to trip on the book that had fallen and land on his back. He squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for the crashing of books on his chest.

“Spike, you should be more carful.” Twilight scolded. Spike tentatively opened one eye just a crack. Noticing the books floating a few metres above him in a pale purple glow he allowed himself to breathe again.

“Sorry.” Spike grumbled as she lowered the books back to the ground, forming a neat stack and making sure they were steady before releasing them.

“Now where is that book?” Twilight repeated, voice betraying her annoyance at the delay.

“It’s on the table next to the reading table, just like every other book you ask me to get while you’re still reading another book.” Spike grabbed a few books from the stack; less then half what he had previously, and continued putting them away. They hadn’t been checked out and Twilight hadn’t even been reading them. To be honest Spike didn’t even know why they were out, every now-and-then a pile of books would just appear, and Twilight would ask him to put them away. He just assumed they were part of her re-shelving. He swore she did that every other day.

“Oh… thanks.” Twilight’s cheeks grew slightly hotter out of embarrassment, but she quickly brushed it off as she walked up to the table indicated. Sitting on top in plain view from anywhere in the room was the book she had been looking for. Grabbing it in her magic with practised ease she turned back to the reading table and set it down, the cover opening to the first page. Glancing over to the window, she noticed the sun had begun its journey to the horizon. She had been reading all day. She made a mental note to plan more days with nothing but studying. One day was not going to be enough for what she wanted to know.

-_-_-_-

“Spike!” Twilight called, having finished the book. Upon getting nothing for an answer she looked around the library, eyes quickly finding a purple and green dragon. He was lying on the floor, chest rising and falling gently as he slept, the last book in the stack clutched to his chest with both claws.

Twilight giggled a little at the site. Gently, she levitated the book from the dragons grasp and put it on the shelf before lifting the dragon up the stairs and into his basket. He grumbled something about a demon cat (Twilight assumed he was talking about Opal) before snuggling into his bed and clutching his blanket. Twilight smiled at the heart warming site, he really was cute when he was asleep. Twilight’s thoughts were derailed by a snore loud enough to rattle the library. Okay, maybe he wasn’t that cute.

Sighing quietly to herself she walked out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind her as quietly as she could. She walked on the tips of her hooves back the main room of the library, and her reading stand. She quickly found where her book belonged and put it back without really thinking about it. At this point she had memorized every single book she had and where it belonged. Scanning the shelves she searched for the next book on her list.

“Who.” Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden noise. Whipping her head around she came muzzle to beak with large, yellow eyes. She squeaked and jumped back, accidentally colliding with the bookshelf behind her. In a flurry of panic and magic she managed to stop the bookcase from falling over, though not before it hit the one behind it and caused it to fall. It hit the ground with a large thud, books flying into the air along with a rather large dust cloud. Apparently Spike had fallen asleep before he finished dusting.

“Great.” Twilight muttered under her breath. She turned back to Owlowiscious, giving him a hard glare. “Don’t scare me like that!”

“Who.”

“Me!”

“Who.”

“ME!”

“Who.”

“Forget it. Just help me clean this up.” Twilight sighed, admitting defeat.

“Who.”

“MMMMMPH.” Twilight glued her mouth shut, biting her tongue almost hard enough to draw blood. Taking deep breaths through her nose she eventually calmed down enough to start cleaning, Owlowiscious swooping down and grabbing the odd book to put back on the shelf. 

“Who.” The owl said one more time. Twilight got the odd feeling he was mocking her.

-_-_-_-

It was a beautiful night. The stars shone brightly, the moon almost but not quite full, illuminating Ponyville with an incandescent glow. Not a single cloud in the sky to block the view. The night sky was always beautiful when you could fly above the clouds, but there was something about admiring it from lower that made it even better. You didn’t have the biting cold or the harsh winds. All you had was the silver glow and a light summer breeze. Things Rainbow Dash loved, but would never admit to.

No, loving something like the night sky was so not cool, no matter how beautiful it could be. Her reputation would be destroyed if anypony were to catch her admiring it. But she always had back up plans should she run into somepony during one of her night flights. She always flew in just a way where she could turn it into a stunt at a moments notice. That way she could say she was practising, and nopony could disprove her. 

Sighing happily she flipped onto her back. The sky could not get any more beautiful, in her opinion. Looking ahead she saw nopony flying, and anypony on the ground would never be able to spot her against the black of a midnight sky. She looked back up at the sky as her lips stretched up into a smile. Not her cocky, self confident smile. Not the one she wore when she was trying to impress somepony, but an honest, genuine smile. It was rare for her to smile like that now. She had to maintain her reputation if she ever wanted to make it into the Wonderbolts, and smiling and being all happy was not cool. She liked being happy, but sometimes sacrifices must be made to get what you want. And she wanted the Wonderbolts more then anything.

There was only one thing in the world she would want over being a Wonderbolt. But that one thing she knew she would never have. So instead she focused on her more-then-achievable dream. She was already the fastest flier in Equestria. And once she was a Wonderbolt she wouldn’t need anything else.  She would be content with her life. She would have achieved everything she had wanted since her filly hood.

Glancing forward to make sure she was on the right path she spotted the one thing she didn’t want to; another pegasus. A wave of terror swept through her mind, this was it. Her reputation that she had cared for and groomed all these years was over: All because she was a big softy who liked the night sky. It was then she remembered her contingency plan. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she leaned back into a dive. She plummeted towards the town below, expecting to be high above an empty field. She was not however, and instead all she could see below her was a very large, very close house.

Another wave of panic sped through her as instincts took over and she pulled up, where she came face to face with a large tree. Directly in front of her was a window. Realizing she wouldn’t have the time to maneuver around the tree no matter how much awesome she had on her side, she just prayed she could squeeze through the window. 

-_-_-_-

Twilight smiled at her now spotless library. It had taken nearly three hours even with magic, but she had done it. The bookcase was perfect. Exactly where it had been before it had been toppled (she checked against a few pictures she had of the room) and now the books were finally exactly where they belonged. Every tome was aligned, every volume next to the previous and next volumes. Perfect. She liked it when things were perfect.

CRASH

Suddenly a cyan and Rainbow blur shot through a window and right in front of her. Twilight knew what was going to happen before it happened. All she could do was shut her eyes as the intruder crashed into the bookshelf that she had perfected seconds before. Within seconds her ears were greeted with another crash. This time added by a few thuds as books fell to the floor, having been thrown free of the bookshelf from the force of the blow.

Twilight took a few breaths to calm herself down. She didn’t want to yell. She didn’t like yelling. “RAINBOW DASH! WHAT IN EQUESTRIA ARE YOU DOING!?” Sometimes she just had to scream.

“Uh… just stopping by to say… hi?” The pegasus answered weakly. She stood up, shaking a few wood splinters from her coat. She was just thankful the window had opened rather then smashed; she didn’t like the idea of crashing through glass. Looking at the now open window, she spotted the object she thought was a pony, instead all that was in the sky was a large Bluejay.

“At one in the morning through my window?” Twilight accused. She managed not to scream, though she had to bite her tongue to stop herself from yelling anymore.

“Heh… yeah, sorry ‘bout that Twi, was just… practising…” Dash said, he eyes shifting nervously around the room until she found a rather interesting wood splinter on the floor at her hooves.

“You know what? I don’t care. Just help me clean this up. And in the morning you can help me get a new bookshelf.” Twilight sighed, beginning the process of once again picking up books. A sense of déjà vu over took her as she read one of the titles. She could have sworn she had just picked this book up... oh wait, she did. She grumbled something under her breath about clumsy pegasi and respect for books, but other then that she was silent.

The silence was torture for Rainbow Dash. She had nothing but the flapping of her wings and the faint hum of magic for company. Somehow a quiet Twilight was worse then no Twilight at all. “So… What are you doing up at this hour?” Dash started, weakly trying to strike up a conversation.

“Studying.” Twilight answered, not even looking at the pegasus as she levitated a stack of books to a back room with an empty shelf.

“Studying what?” Dash pressed, holding a dust pan in her hoof and a brush in her mouth as she swept up wood splinters from the recently destroyed bookshelf.

“Just some books… on history.” Twilight answered nervously, feeling a slight blush start to form.

“How very egghead of you.” Dash chuckled, shaking the pan into one of the waist baskets scattered about the library. Twilight’s heart fluttered at the nickname. It was usually an insult, but coming from Rainbow it made the unicorn feel special; like she meant something to her. She new it didn’t mean anything, but she could always pretend. Her blush deepened as she thought more about it.

“Twi? Hey, Twi! Earth to egghead.” Twilight was snapped out of her thoughts by a cyan hoof waving in front of her.

“Huh? Wha? Oh, sorry Rainbow, just thinking.” Twilight said, starting to sort the books she had dropped in front of the temporary bookcase.

“Something wrong?” Dash cocked her head slightly, noticing she just put ‘Daring Do and the Griffons Goblet’ after ‘Daring Do and the Temple of Sand’; something no self respecting Daring Do fan would ever do.

“No. Everything’s fine. I’m just tired. It’s been a long night.” Twilight said almost too cheerfully for Rainbow’s taste. But for now she let it slip. Her mind could just be making the situation fit one of her many dreams or fantasies. Hearing things that weren’t there. She would have to remember to get more sleep from now on so her mind couldn’t betray her like that.

“Alright, well I guess we should hurry up and finish then, huh?” Rainbow offered, fixing the mistake Twilight had made. And another… and another. It seamed like every book was out of place. Not that she would know or care, they just looked wrong to her.

“Yeah.” Twilight said quietly, not even paying attention to where she was putting the books. Instead she was just watching the pegasus fixing her mistakes. There was something about the way she flew. How her muscles moved under her coat. How she hovered so effortlessly, just like she was standing. The steady beating of her wings almost hypnotic to the already distracted unicorn.

“Twi? Twi! Come on, you gotta stop zoning out or we’ll never get this done.” Twilight was once again forced back to reality, a heavy blush on her face as she realized she was staring. She quickly looked away and actually paid attention to what she was doing.

“GAH! Nonononononononono. Those books go on that shelf! And those need to be to the left of those, and... Oh I’ll have to restart.” Twilight rattled off, shaking her head, her mane whipping around as if she was in a tornado. There was something about her mane flying about that Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but stare at, something oddly alluring about the flying purple strands.

Rainbow was suddenly pelted with books flying off the shelf, a rather thick hard cover hitting her directly in the face.

“Hey, be careful with where you throw those things.” Dash said as she rubbed her throbbing nose. When Twilight didn’t answer she turned to look at where the purple unicorn had been sitting moment before. She was now lying on the floor, a book leaning against her side.

Smiling to herself Rainbow just watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, so calm. Her face was relaxed into the slightest of smiles as her chest slowly rose and fell in time with her slow, methodical breathing. There was something about watching Twilight sleep that relaxed the cyan pegasus. Just how cute she could be still surprised her.

Giggling, she flew out of the back room on silent wings, carrying a sleeping purple mass on her back up the stairs and into the bedroom. Gently, being careful not to wake her, she tucked Twilight into her bed before turning back towards the door. She looked back one more time at the door way, allowing herself one last look before closing the door, whispering a ‘goodnight’ as she did so.

> Shelves
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shelves

Twilight’s vision was filled with a bright orange as she awoke. The sun streaming through her window pierced through what little protection her eyelids gave and found its way into her eyes. She grumbled groggily, rolling over and hopefully away from the light. Instead all she managed to do was roll off her bed. She hit the ground with a thud, and for a minute she contemplated going back to sleep on her bedroom floor. There were a few things, however, that stopped her from doing this. One was the fact that the sun was still somehow in her eyes. And the other was the fact that she didn’t remember getting into her bed last night. To be honest, she didn’t remember much of anything past Rainbow Dash crashing through her window and wrecking the shelf she had just fixed.

Slowly and begrudgingly she lifted her self off the floor. What she failed to take into account was the fact that her back legs were still tangled in her blanket, resulting in a rather painful face plant into her wooden floor when she tried to walk. Trying again – this time kicking the blanket off before trying to get up – she made her way over to the door.

As soon as she opened the door her nostrils were assaulted with the smell of cooking, her stomach announcing its opinion with a loud rumble. With an empty stomach and a curiosity about how she made it back to her room she descended down the stairs. Upon reaching the ground floor she spotted the source of the smell; a grilled tulip and daisy sandwich sitting at the table. It was fresh enough that she could see the steam wafting up into the air. Though it was not the only thing at the table.

Switching her eyes over to the other side of the table where a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane sat eating her own sandwich. 

“Morning, Twi.” Rainbow said cheerfully, waving to the unicorn standing at the opposite side of the room.

“Uh, hi. Um, Rainbow, why are you here?” Twilight asked cautiously as she made her way over to the table, sitting across from the cyan pegasus.

“You said you wanted me to help bring the new bookshelf here, remember?” Dash shoved another mouthful of sandwich into her mouth as she spoke, still wearing her cheerful smile. As if she was going to enjoy manual labour.

“I did? Well, now that you mention it, I do remember you crashing into my bookshelf… no wait, I did!” Twilight said as her face lit up, her memories from the night before started to clear up. The fuzz caused my exhaustion slowly fading to crisp, clear images. She remembered Dash crashing into the bookshelf that she had just finished fixing. She remembered making Dash help. She remembered staring at Dash’s- ok, maybe she remembered a little more then she would like to.

“You forgot?” 

“Well… I was tired.” Twilight grinned sheepishly, quickly taking a bite of her sandwich, hoping against hope that Rainbow would leave it at that.

“Tired or distracted?” Dash smirk maliciously; sure, she was convinced Twilight staring was her imagination. She had all but given up hope on that, but something just wanted to see where this would go. Some part of her still believed she had a chance. 

“Just tired.” Twilight answered quickly, though Dash could have sworn she saw her muzzle turn pink before she looked away. She convinced herself it was just a trick of the light.

“Alright,” Dash said, shrugging off the incident, “So when did you want to get that bookshelf? It’s almost noon.”

“What? Oh, I don’t know. As soon as I’m done my sandwich, I guess, this is my favourite.” Twilight put on her most innocent smile, hoping Rainbow wouldn’t notice the very distinct blush on her face.

“I know, that’s why I got it. I figured I could at least try to make up the whole destroying your bookshelf to you. And what better way to start then you’re favourite sandwich for lunch?” Dash quickly tossed the last of her sandwich in the air, shooting her neck forward and crashing it in her mouth with practised ease. Twilight had to admit; she was kind of awesome sometimes, at least when she wasn’t crashing through windows.

“Oh, thanks. I thought it was Spike.”

“Nah, he was just leaving when I got here. Something about dragon sitting cutie marks and hiding from Applebloom.” Dash said, looking puzzled over the very cryptic message Spike had given her earlier that morning.

“Yeah, I heard about that. Apparently it was Sweetie Belle’s idea, since she always saw him at Rarity’s shop.” Twilight giggled when she remembered the look of pure terror on the dragons face when he had first learned of their plans. It was somewhere in between ‘running from a Manticore’ and ‘out of gems’. How he was more scared of running out of gems then a Manticore, she had no idea.

“Any idea where he was going to hide?” Dash asked, getting off of her chair and hovering beside the table, obviously getting tired of sitting still.

“No, he said something about bribery and secrets or something. I don’t know, at that point I had tuned him out to read.” Twilight noticed Dash’s restlessness and quickly took the last few bites of her sandwich. While she would rather savour it something told her that if she took any longer Rainbow would start practising. And with her luck she would crash into another bookshelf.

“Awesome, let’s go.” Rainbow was at the door in a flash, needing only a single flap from her powerful wings. Not even waiting for Twilight she opened the door and flew outside, only to be dragged back into the library by a magenta glow around her tail.

“Hold on, I still need to do a few measurements, not to mention figure out how many bits I’ll need.” Twilight quickly went about the task of grabbing a measuring tape from her closet in a purple glow and stretching it across an empty space in the room.

“Not to burst your bubble, Twi, but I don’t think you can measure the bookshelf while it’s nothing but a pile of splinters.” Dash cocked her head at her odd behaviour. She didn’t see how measuring air was going to help find a new bookcase.

“Pictures, Rainbow, I can tell where the bookshelf was from these pictures, and using these I can find reference points, and using those I can find where the bookcase would have been, and if I know that then I can measure it” Twilight said, shoving one of the pictures in her face as if to prove a point. Though what was more interesting was what the picture was of. It showed the reading table, with a familiar cyan pegasus reading a book in it.

“Uh, Twi, when did you take this picture?” Dash flipped the picture over in her jaw, showing it to Twilight. 

“I took that one a while ago, when you first decided to start reading here instead of your house.” Twilight said calmly, still checking and double checking measurements and jotting down notes on a parchment floating in front of her, quill and ink next to it.

“I don’t remember you taking a picture.”

“Of course not I- uh… what picture?” Twilight suddenly snapped her head out from behind her parchment, nearly dropping her ink, saving it just before it tipped. Everything else she was holding was not as lucky as her magic failed, the room filled with the clattering of quills, measuring tapes, and a few objects she had moved to match the pictures.

“This one.” Dash sounded somewhat annoyed as she pointed at her now empty muzzle. 

“I don’t see a picture.” Twilight said, giving a grin far too large for the rest of her head..

“This one- wait, where did it go?” Dash looked around, confusion etched in her features; she could have sworn she had just had it. She was sure she hadn’t dropped it, and if she had it would be below her, but it wasn’t.

“Are you feeling alright?” Twilight asked, letting a little concern bleed into her voice at her apparently hallucinating friend. She was just thankful Rainbow hadn’t noticed the flash when she had teleported it back to her room. She hoped it had gotten into her photo album alright. Teleporting an object inside of a solid object was not something Twilight wanted to do again.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PICTURE!?” Dash yelled, flying frantically in circles, checking every square inch of the room for the photo she was positive she had seen.

“I’m not sure what you thought you saw, but I’m done with this, so let’s go get a new shelf.” Twilight said quickly, jotting down the last few measurements as she picked her parchment back up and started ushering the dumbfounded pegasus towards the door.

“But… the picture… I… and you… and reading… and you said… and… I know what I saw…” Dash mumbled out, waving her hooves in the air as if connecting invisible dots as she was slowly dragged through the air towards the door.

“Don’t go crazy on me yet, you have a shelf to carry.” Twilight mocked as she stepped out the door, a very confused Rainbow Dash floating behind her.

-_-_-_-

“Here are the measurements I need, what do you have?” Twilight tossed her list of measurements onto the counter at Shelves ‘n Such. The clerk behind the counter examined the list for a moment before smiling and motioning for Twilight to follow him.

“I think I have exactly what you need.” He said as he led the pair down one of the many isles. 

“What exactly do we need?” Dash asked, leaning her head down so it was level with Twilight’s as she flew beside her. The slow speed was finally starting to get to her.

“A new shelf, to replace the one you broke.” Twilight smiled as they rounded another corner and were in the shelving section of the store, the clerk standing next to a particularly large mahogany shelf.

“Uh, does it really need to be that… big?” Dash swallowed nervously as she imagined how heavy it was going to be. Why did she offer to carry it too?

“To hold all the books you knocked on the floor.” Twilight accused mockingly. She gave the pegasus a sarcastic glare as they approached the shelf in question.

“I think you’ll find this to suit your needs quite well. Ah, hello Rainbow Dash! I didn’t see you before. I take it this is due to another one of your stunts?” The sales clerk chuckled as he saw Rainbow’s face turn a light pink. She was a regular customer by this point; there were just too many houses and not enough fields for her to crash into. And surprisingly often she ended up agreeing to either pay for or carry a new whatever it was she broke. There were very few houses that did not have a meeting with a rainbow blur.

“This time it was my library.” Twilight grumbled, giving a real glare to the pegasus before looking back to the clerk. “I think this will do just fine, how much do I owe you?”

“Well, this is a rather large one, mahogany, too, a very fine wood. I’d say… 80 bits.” 

“That seems reasonable. Thank you.” Twilight said happily, fishing through her saddle bags for the appropriate amount of bits before a blue hoof on her shoulder caused her to stop.

“I got this.” Dash smiled softly, reaching into her own saddle bag with a wing.

“Are you sure? It’s a lot of money. I have more then enough coming from the princess for my studies. I wouldn’t mind paying.” Twilight assured, though she new it was a loosing battle if Rainbow actually wanted to pay. She could be stubborn, but nothing compared to Rainbow Dash when she had her mind set on something.

“No. I broke it, I should pay. I have enough.” Twilight allowed herself to smile a little. Dash may be stubborn, brash, and cocky, but she knew when she screwed up and when she needed to fix something. She just nodded as the pegasus fished out the agreed amount and gave it to the clerk.

“Thank you. I’ll have a cart here to deliver it within ten minutes.” He said, starting to walk back down the isle.

“That won’t be necessary, we can carry it.” Twilight called after the clerk, stopping him dead in his tracks.

“Miss, I understand that you’re a unicorn and can lift rather heavy objects, but that is one of the heaviest shelves we have.” 

“I know. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.” Twilight assured, turning back to Rainbow Dash and levitating a few ropes from her saddle bags.

“Uh, Twi, I know I said I’d carry it, but I don’t think even I could carry that without a cart.” Dash chuckled nervously. She might be Rainbow Dash, but she was pretty sure nopony alive could lift that without a cart.

“Don’t worry. Just stop flying for a second so I can tie this on.” Twilight Scrunched her eyes closed and grated her teeth as Rainbow slowly stopped flapping and fell to the ground, landing on all four hooves and tucking her wings to her sides. After a moment the bookshelf was encased in a purple glow and the aura around Twilight’s horn doubled in size as she dug her hooves into the ground. A few seconds later a quiet pop echoed through the store.

Twilight wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hoof as she opened her eyes. “There, now to just tie it on.” She panted slightly before closing her eyes again and picking up the shelf in her magic. It slowly floated over to Rainbow Dash, who squeezed her eyes shut in preparation for the weight about to land on her back. Then she felt what felt like a pillow land on her back. Risking opening one eye she saw that Twilight was trying to contain her laughter as she levitated the ropes over, tying them around Dash’s waist. She couldn't believe that the shelf was that light, Twilight must have been holding it in her magic still. That must be it.

“You can open your eyes, Rainbow.” Twilight giggled before letting the magic fade from her horn. This was it, she was going to let go of the shelf and it was going to crush her. There was no way she would be able to hold it up. Sucking in a breath she waited for impending doom, and then it didn’t come. Looking up, she confirmed that the bookshelf was in fact, resting on her back. No magic was holding it. Nothing was stopping what must be tonnes of wood from crushing her.

“Huh, it’s not that heavy.” Dash said, standing up fully, shaking slightly to ensure the ropes around her waist were secure. An action that did not go unnoticed by Twilight as Dash’s flank rocked back and forth directly in front of the now heavily blushing unicorn.

“Of course not, I put a ‘Light Weight’ Spell on it, should be as light as a pillow.” Twilight just managed to look up in time to see Dash turning her head back to look at her. 

“Cool. Well, I guess we should be getting back to the library now, we still need to but all the books back, right?” Dash took a few steps forward. Unfortunately, while the bookcase didn’t feel heavy to her, it still had mass, and as such it still drastically changed her center of balance, causing her to sway back and forth as she struggled to stop herself from falling. All the while Twilight was staring at the lithe cyan figure swaying directly in front of her. 

“Uh, Twi? A little help here!” Twilight was snapped out of her thoughts by a now panicking Rainbow Dash, narrowly missing crashing into the store clerk, who was desperately trying to protect the rest of his merchandise.

“Wha? Oh, right, sorry. Hold on, I got it.” A magenta glow quickly encased both the bookcase and Rainbow Dash along with her horn. As she extended her senses to help control the out of control bookshelf she couldn't help but ‘sense’ the pegasus it was attached to. Fit, muscular body, yet still small and light to allow for flying, the muscles flexing individually under her skin to maintain balance. She felt everything, and something about it made her want to keep looking, to keep studying. However, another thought managed to fight its way through the jungle of desires and fantasy her mind had become: What would Rainbow Dash think? At that single thought she quickly got to her task of balancing the pegasus and letting go as soon as she was stable.

“Whoa, that’s not what magic normally feels like. Normally it was just a light tingling. That was… something else. What did you do?” Dash asked, quickly spinning to face the unicorn behind her, forgetting all about the giant shelf on her back and loosing her balance yet again. Only this time Twilight was ready, she managed to catch Rainbow before she took two steps out of place and balance her yet again.

“Nothing, I just used a bit more power then normal. Come on; let’s get back to the library.” Twilight walked briskly past both Dash and the sales clerk, who was still crouched in a defensive pose in front of one of his more valuable antiques. Rainbow gave a sheepish grin to the sales clerk as she walked past him, this time being more careful to not bend more then was necessary to get out of the store.

“Hold up!” Dash called after Twilight, who was already almost out of the building, wishing for her cheeks to stop burning before dash caught up. Luckily it died down just enough that in the light outside it could go unnoticed unless you were specifically looking for it, and she was pretty sure Dash was not looking for it.

Catching up Dash just barely managed to squeeze through the door with a bit of magical guidance and was standing next to Twilight. Though she could have sworn the lavender unicorn was blushing, she chalked it up to a trick of the light and started the short journey to the library. It was only occasionally interrupted by her loosing balance and a following glow of magic to steady her. Though each time it happened Dash couldn’t help but notice that the magic just felt different. Normally she didn’t like having magic used on her, it always felt weird. This magic, however, was more gentle, more relaxing. Almost like a massage. Not that she liked massages, they were so not cool. But she couldn’t deny her muscles had been a little tense recently.

> United We Stand
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

United We Stand

“You don’t have to help me put the books back you know. I’m sure you would much rather go nap or something.” Twilight said as she floated book after book in front of her face in a line. She only needed seconds to read the title, find out where it went, and put it there. Rainbow’s help was… nice, but not exactly efficient. She needed to double check each books title to get the author, fly over to the front desk to find out where it went, then spend another 5 minutes looking for that exact spot on the shelf. And half the time she got it wrong and Twilight had to fix it.

“But I want to.” Dash blurted out, she quickly realized this mistake, however, as Twilight suddenly turned around and looked at her as if her head had been cut off and replaced by a pickle.

“You want to? You, the Rainbow Dash, worlds best napper and all around lazy pegasus, want to do manual labour, manual labour involving books, no less.” Her voice was thick with doubt. She liked to give her friends the benefit of the doubt, but this was going a little too far. This was against everything she knew about Rainbow, this was wrong.

“Um… well… yes?” Dash began sweating profusely. Sure, maybe she was having a good time, but she wasn’t even paying attention to what she was doing. Enjoying putting books away? So not cool. Spending the day with your secret crush? Also not cool, but Dash loved every second of it. She just hoped Twilight wouldn’t catch on, she wasn’t ready for that. That would ruin their friendship, and what little chance, if any, she had of getting a date with her.

“Why don’t I believe you? I think you’re just waiting for the perfect chance to slip away and nap for the rest of the day.” Twilight said it, and she believed it, but she wished she was wrong. She hoped that Dash actually wanted to be there. For her or the books, she didn’t care, just as long as Dash didn’t hate her for making her do manual labour. That one thought had been nagging her all day; what if Dash resented her for this? What if this was all an act to fix the damage then just leave? Had she crossed the line by asking her to stay and help? Twilight didn’t know, but her mind had told her that was the case, and her mind was rarely wrong.

“Does that really sound like me, to just abandon a friend?” Dash’s tone was that of mock hurt, though all Twilight heard was white noise. That was it, Dash hated her. She had made her do one too many things. She had ruined their friendship and any slim chance she had had at getting a date with her. 

“Hello? Earth to egghead?” Twilight was snapped out of her thoughts by that nickname. That nickname that Dash only used when she was fooling around; when she was having fun. When she was happy. 

Hope restored, she spun on her hooves to meet Dash’s eyes, ignoring the books falling to the floor in the lack of her magic. Her mouth opened; the words she had wanted to say for months on her tongue. But they never came out, instead all she said was “Yeah I guess your right.” Before she turned back around and continued her re-shelving. How many times had she done that now? 39. 39 times she had been so close. Just three words. Three words she could never say. Three words that Dash would never hear from her, three words that she herself would never hear. 

“Something wrong, Twi? You’ve been off all day.” Dash asked, cocking her head slightly.

“Yes, I-I’m f-fine.” Twilight sniffled, looking down as her books floated by one by one. Somehow even they seemed sadder then usual. Rainbow would have to be blind to miss the fact that as each cover passed under her bangs it came out with a few wet spots. Luckily, Rainbow Dash prided herself on her vision (and everything else).

“Then why are you crying?” Dash asked, real concern evident in her voice as her cheerful smile was replaced by a solid frown. She dropped the books she was supposed to be putting back, they didn’t matter right now. Nothing mattered right now except a crying purple unicorn.

“I-I’m not.” She lied. She hated lying, but she couldn’t risk Dash finding out. Not now, she wasn’t ready. She had to read more books; she had more notes to take. Maybe she should make some flash cards too.

“I know you’re lying.” Dash said, walking up behind Twilight on silent hooves.

“My allergies are acting up.” Twilight fell back on her haunches, book after book floating through her tear blurred vision, hoping that she could keep her mind off it and hold herself together long enough for Dash to leave. Books had always helped her do it before, and they would help her now.

“You don’t have any allergies.” Dash said smoothly, wrapping a lone wing around the unicorn’s shoulders. She jumped at the touch, having been unaware of Dash's proximity. She wanted to tell Dash everything, to poor her heart out for all to see. She didn’t care anymore; she wanted it off her chest. But at the same time she couldn’t, she couldn’t risk loosing Dash as a friend, and something like that would make things worse then ever. It would be worse then if she had never met Rainbow in the first place.

“C’mon Twi, you once told me I didn’t have to hide my feelings from you, same goes for me. You don’t have to hide anything.” Dash spoke in the most comforting tone her naturally scratchy voice could muster. To Twilight it was the most comforting thing in the world, and for a second she found herself believing it. For just the tiniest moment, she believed that she could tell the truth and everything would be fine. Dash might even feel the same way. Her logical mind, however, quickly shut these thoughts down. There was no logic behind them. Every book she had read said the exact opposite would happen, and books had never steered her wrong. But at the same time, when had her friends ever lied to her? When had Rainbow ever lied to her? 

“I-I l-l-lo… l-lo-love… y-y…” Rainbows breath caught in her lungs. Surly she had misheard her? Surly Twilight didn’t feel the same way. She must have misheard her. There was no possible way. Still, her quick mind took a chance, a leap of faith.

“Me?” She asked quietly. So quietly had she been so much as an inch further away Twilight would not have even known she had said anything, but she did hear it, and she still didn’t believe it. She couldn’t bring herself to answer, instead she responded by giving a weak nod: Indistinguishable from the shaking motion of crying or the rising and falling of breathing. But Dash saw it, and that’s all she needed to see.

Twilight felt a tickling sensation as Dash’s wing was slowly pulled off her shoulder. This was it, it was over. Dash had lied to her, and she had fallen right into the trap. She felt her quiet crying turn into outright sobbing as the wing was pulled fully off of her shoulders, followed by the distinct sound of hooves on wood. Dash was walking, just walking away. She didn’t even have anything to say to Twilight. Every step echoed loudly in Twilight’s mind, every step feeling like a thousand years.

CLIP… CLOP… CLIP………

The hoof steps stopped

“Twi?”

“W-what?” Twilight choked out between sobs. Her body was shaking, a solid pool of salty water forming below her. She didn’t care anymore. She just prepared herself for the verbal lashing she was going to get. Dash hated her now, there was nothing she could do to change that fact. Her books had always warned her of this, but her friends had never lied, so she trusted a friend over countless books, just like she had been taught. The magic of friendship was always stronger then any other magic or explanation. In the three years she had been in Ponyville she had learned that, and now those lessons were the defining factor in her downfall. 

“I love you too.”

-_-_-_-

“She’s waking up.”

“About time, why did she pass out anyway?”

“I’ll tell you later Spike.”

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, the world a colourful blur. Slowly, her vision began to clear, fuzz became objects, blobs became shapes, and blurry circles became Spike and Rainbow Dash.

“What happened?” Twilight sat up slowly, her head swimming as the world came into full focus and she recognized her bedroom. Spike and Rainbow Dash were standing beside her bed.

“You passed out.” Dash said calmly, stepping closer to the bed.

“I still don’t know why.” Spike glared up at Rainbow Dash, obviously expecting an explanation she was not going to give him.

“It’s not important, why don’t you go downstairs and make something for Twi to eat, I’m sure she’s hungry.” Spike grumbled something in response, but walked out of the room and down the stairs anyway. Sometimes things just weren’t worth arguing over.

“Why did I pass out?” Twilight sat fully upright in her bed, her head had finally stopped spinning enough for her to lean back against the head board without fear of falling.

“You mean you don’t remember?” Dash asked, almost sounding disappointed.

“The last thing I remember is trying to tell you…” She trailed off as she tried to remember what had happened after that, though it was all a blur of shapes and emotions. One stood out though; fear.

“Well, you kind of told me that you loved me-” Dash was cut of by Twilight shoving her head under the covers, an ‘eep’ escaping from beneath the purple blanket.

“Nonononononononononononononono, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I don’t even remember, I’m so stupid! I’m sorry, please don’t hate me, I just I-I-I always just GAH!” Twilight gave up trying to form coherent sentences and instead decided to fall back to her fail safe; blubber out apology after apology and pray that she accepts one of them.

“Twi, breathe, come out from under there, I need to talk to you.” Dash clutched the edge of the blanket in her jaw and tore it off, revealing a bawling Twilight covering her head with her hooves.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please, forgive me, I’m sorry.” Twilight spat out apology after apology, not even noticing Rainbow drawing closer until she was sitting on the bed next to Twilight, wing wrapped around her shoulders and a cyan hoof was slowly stroking her mane. It felt good, good to be comforted, good to be held, maybe, just maybe, she could be forgiven.

“Twi, I love you too.” Dash said quietly. Twilight’s crying instantly silenced itself, not a sound escaping the purple unicorn as she let the new information sink in.

“W-what?” She asked hesitantly, doubting what her own ears had told her. Her books said this would never happen. Her books said two friends that were already as close as they were could never be anything more. Her books had never lied, but nether had her friends.

“I said I love you too, have for months now. I’ve just been too scared to tell you.” Dash admitted, her voice was happy, yet there was still some tiny trace of shame; Shame that if she had just been stronger she could have avoided this. She could have spared Twilight so much pain of loving somepony that would never lover her back, the same pain that she had felt for months.

Twilight just sat in the silence, Dash’s hoof had not stopped stroking her mane, and her wing still firmly wrapped around Twilight’s shoulders. There was no where she would rather be. Nopony she would rather be with. She enjoyed the slow, methodical pace of Dash’s hoof, counting each stroke as if it were going to be the last, but at the same time knowing that there would be another. Even if it would be a while, there would be another. Then, all too soon for Twilight, the hoof stopped. 124 slow, methodical strokes had managed to stop the tears, sobbing, and shaking. She wanted just one more, just one more to assure her that it could happen again, that this was not a dream.

“We should go, you’ve been out for a few hours, and you haven’t eaten since brunch this morning. Let’s go see what Spike made.” Dash said, gesturing towards the door with a hoof. A hoof Twilight was determined to get back.

“We should… but, is it ok if we just, stay here for a while longer? I’ve waited a long time.” Twilight closed her eyes and wished for the hoof to return, and to her surprise it did. She was delighted, this was better then anything she had fantasized. This was better then her dreams where anything could happen. This was real.

“I hoped you’d say that.” Dash said quietly, resting her chin on top of Twilight’s head, her horn sliding along her cheek as she got comfortable. Ok, maybe cuddling could be cool, but only when it was with Twilight.

“Why me?”

“What?” Dash was caught a little off guard by the random question.

“Of all the ponies you could have chosen, why did you choose me?” Twilight repeated; her voice barely audible as she continued to enjoy the hoof. It was the only constant thing now, everything else she had planned or rationalized had been blown away. That hoof was one constant that she could count on coming back time and time again.

“I don’t know, probably ever since Discord. You never gave up on me, even after I abandoned you, but it was more then that, because all our friends were there. I think it was when you cast the memory spell on me. Of all the memories I got back, the happiest were always the ones with you. The brightest and the strongest were always when we were together. I guess after that it just grew.” Dash shrugged, she didn’t think the why was important, so long as they had the what.

For the moment Twilight was content with the answer. She knew there would be time later to study it if she wanted to, but for now she didn’t want to. She didn’t feel the need to explain why it happened. Maybe it was Rainbow, maybe it was finally getting her love out in the open, or maybe it was the hoof, coming back for its 211th stroke. Whatever it was, it calmed her nerves and dulled her mind. She wanted nothing more then to freeze time, to hold this moment in time with her forever. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.

Slowly, Dash allowed her hoof to come to a complete stop, resting just above her wing. She was met with a mumbled complaint from Twilight, who stretched head up and nuzzled her neck, asking for her to continue. For now, however, Dash was happy to just sit with her, Spike would have dinner ready soon and she wasn’t sure she was ready for anypony else to know just yet.

“Why’d you stop?” Twilight grumbled groggily. She was so close to slipping off to sleep in the comforting embrace, her breathing matching the stroking of Rainbow’s hoof.

“Don’t you think we should go eat before Spike get's suspicious?” Dash withdrew her wing and hoof as she started shuffling to the edge of the bed.

“I guess.” Twilight sounded as if her heart had broken. Like this was a one time thing and Dash would never come back. Dash leaned in close, her muzzle right in Twilight’s ear.

“If you want we can continue after dinner.” Twilight instantly perked up, she got that look that she only ever got when she had made a new list, when she had just finished planning out the next month down to the minute. The look of a pony looking forward to the thing they loved most. In this case it was something as simple as being held by Rainbow Dash.

“Well then, let’s hurry up and eat.” Twilight jumped energetically off the bed and bounced to the door much like Pinkie Pie. Where she got the new found energy Dash didn’t know, but it warmed her heart to see her so happy. Cuddling may not be cool, but if she got to see Twilight like that, then she could take it; after all, she had plenty of coolness to spare. Smiling to herself she got off the bed with a quick flap and trotted over to the door.

“Hold up.” She called after the fading purple form trotting down the stairs. She got no response however, as Twilight just kept going, forcing her to pick up the pace to catch up.

“Come on, I thought you were the fastest pegasus in Equestria, surly you can catch me?” Twilight taunted, reaching the base of the stairs just as Rainbow got to the top.

“Oh you are so on!” Dash challenged, quickly taking to the air and diving right past the stairs at break neck speed. She heard Twilight giggle as she rounded a corner, revealing Twilight sitting at the table, reading a book as if she had been there for hours.

“Wow, you must be out of practice.” Twilight raised her hoof to her mouth in a fake yawn, though it still failed to cover up the huge grin she wore.

“Yeah, laugh it up, you got a head start. I won’t go easy next time.” Dash landed and walked up to the table where Twilight sat.

“Good timing, I was just about to come get you two. Here.” He passed a plate loaded with hay noodles to each pony. “Now will you please tell me why Twilight was knocked out when I got here?” Twilight and Rainbow Dash glanced nervously at each other, both unsure as to what the other wanted to do. As they stared at each other an uncomfortable silence befell the room, nopony daring to break it.

“When I was putting the books back on the shelf I kind of dropped a rather heavy one on my head.” Twilight was first to break the silence, having come to the conclusion that it would be best to wait a while before telling the others. Dash seemed to agree, as she quickly ran with it.

“Yeah, it was a pretty big book.” Spike looked suspiciously between the two ponies who were still staring at each other.

“You dropped something as light as a book? C’mon, I know you’re stronger then that.”

“I, uh, startled her accidentally?” Though it sounded more like a question then an answer, Spike seemed to accept it as he glared angrily at Dash,

“Why would you do that? You know she needs to concentrate when she does her magic!” Spike yelled; the anger thick in his voice. Twilight was like a big sister to him, it was only natural for him to be protective, even if he was going a bit too far for Twilight’s taste.

“It was an accident!” Dash defended weakly, though from the look on Spike’s face it had done little to calm his anger.

“So what? She could have been hurt worse! She could have a concussion, or she could have bent her head the wrong way and broke her neck! Do you have any idea what could have happened?” Spike seethed, his claws clenched into fists as he verbally assaulted Rainbow. Rainbow knew he was mad, but she couldn’t keep from snickering a little.

“So what it’s funny to you now? It’s funny Twilight could be seriously injured?” 

“No, it’s just… you sound like Twilight!” Dash burst out laughing, falling from her chair and kicking her back legs out as her body shook with a booming laugh. Even Twilight couldn’t help but start laughing as she connected the dots. It would be just like her mind to rush to the worst case scenario.

“It doesn’t matter who I sound like! Twilight, back me up on this.” Spike turned to look at Twilight hopefully, but what he saw was a purple ball of giggling that had collapsed onto the table. “Not you too!” Spike groaned, slapping a claw to his forehead.

“She has a point, Spike. None of that happened and it was just an accident, just calm down, alright?” Twilight slowly regained control of her breathing.

“Fine. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” Spike spat before walking back into the kitchen, the door slamming behind him.

“Wow, I’ve never seen him so protective.” Dash said, finally cutting off her laughing as she climbed back into her chair.

“Yeah, he’s growing up. He’s really cute when he gets like that. He’ll be fine in a bit.” Twilight levitated a fork full of pasta and sauce up to her mouth. He may be a bit over protective, but he made some amazing food. Those cooking lessons in Canterlot really paid off. Rainbow chuckled a bit before diving into her own food; Spike really was a good chef.

For the rest of dinner they ate in a happy silence. The sound of chewing the only noise in the room, along with the occasional clatter of dishes being cleaned and put away in the kitchen. They were happy to let it stay that way. For now no words needed to be said, no conversations had, no feelings exposed. They had gotten it all previously, and now they could enjoy a quiet meal with each other as a new couple.

When dinner was done they went back to Twilight’s bed. Dash had a promise to hold up, and Twilight needed comfort. For what, Dash wasn’t sure, but she could tell there was something going on in her head. Upon walking into the room Twilight immediately rushed to the bed and sat, motioning for Dash to join her.

“What’s up, Twi?” Dash asked as she sat next to Twilight, wrapping her wing around her instantly. There was just something about it that felt right to Rainbow Dash, something protective about the gesture that made Dash feel proud of herself; like she was protecting Twilight from some giant monster or something.

“What do we do now?” Twilight spoke quietly. She refused to meet Rainbow’s gaze as she glued her eyes to her hooves.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what does this make us? A couple? Do we tell our friends? Should we be together? Do we want to be together? Every book I’ve read has told me this will never work and books have never been wrong. But, at the same time, I don’t want to believe that, I want this to last forever.” A single tear rolled its way down Twilight’s face. Rainbow quickly saw it and brought her hoof up to wipe it away.

“Then don’t listen to your books. Listen to what your heart is telling you.” Dash made a mental note to do something awesome later to counteract how un-cool that statement was. However, as clichéd as it was, it seemed to at least start to calm Twilight’s nerves, as she looked up from her hooves and met Dash’s pink eyes with her own violet ones.

“But… my books, they said that-” Twilight was cut off by a cyan hoof resting gently over her lips.

“It doesn’t matter what they said right now. Right now all that matters is that we’re together. I bet your books said that was impossible as well.” Rainbow said in the most comforting tone she could. It was calming for the unicorn to have Dash be there, for her, telling her to ignore her books; the only things that had been constant throughout her life other then the Princess herself. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to add one more constant.

“Rainbow?” Twilight asked timidly, the pegasus smiled and looked at the unicorn as she brought her a little closer with her wing.

“Yeah?”

“Would you be my marefriend?

“Any day of the week.”

> Announcements
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Announcements

For a while they sat in a comforting silence. Just enjoying the closeness they now shared. They were both stifling yawns before they even thought about separating, and even then they didn’t leave each other. Sighing, Dash decided it was time for her to go to bed, slowly she withdrew her wing from Twilight’s shoulders and folded it neatly back to her side. Twilight responded by squeezing Dash’s body tighter in her grip.

“C’mon Twi, we both need to get to sleep.” Dash complained, still trying to get out of Twilight’s death grip.

“Just a few more minutes.” Twilight mumbled, clearly just barely preventing herself from falling asleep. Her head was lying limply against Dash’s shoulder and her eyes were closed.

“You’re barely awake Twi.” Dash repeated, putting a bit more pressure behind her struggling. She was met with even more resistance from the sleepy unicorn.

“Please don’t leave me.” Twilight whispered as she allowed her hooves to relax and Dash slipped out of them.

“Huh? What do ya mean? I wouldn’t leave you.” Dash said, puzzled by the odd request.

“I know. It’s just… when I was a filly all of my friends left me. They always saw me as some creepy nerd and abandoned me, left me on my own. Ever since then I’ve been scared to be alone, simply because I never know if I’m gonna see anypony again or if they were just going to abandon me like all the others. I don’t think I could stand having it happen again.” Twilight paused, taking a deep breath before continuing her story.

“I guess that’s why I became such a recluse. Books never abandoned me; I always knew where they were.” Twilight finished, sadness tinting her voice as she thought back to her less-then-happy filly hood.

“Oh…” Dash lay back down on her side next to Twilight and drew her close with a wing. “Would you rather I stayed here tonight?” Twilight just nodded sleepily as she got into a more comfortable position against Dash’s chest.

“I promise I won’t leave you.” Dash soothed quietly, wrapping both her hooves around Twilight’s body, the unicorn using her chest as a pillow as she sighed deeply. Dash got the same feeling as she did earlier, only this time much stronger. Twilight was honestly scared of being left alone, and she was protecting her from that. It was exhilarating, the feeling of Twilight’s head resting against her chest, Twilight’s slow and steady breathing across her fur, and the feeling of holding another pony so close. Dash loved it.

Twilight sighed as she relaxed in Dash’s grip. She rubbed her cheek against Rainbow’s soft fur. She didn’t know what she was doing, her books said this would never work out, and the books she had read about actual dating would say that this was way too fast, but she didn’t care. She had Rainbow Dash, and that was all she needed for right now.

“Hey Twilight, I thought you would- Rainbow Dash? What is… what are… what… huh? You know what? I don’t care.” Spike grumbled and grabbed his basket, walking out the door just as suddenly as he walked in. Sometimes it was just better to sleep in the lobby rather then deal with Twilight’s antics. Twilight and Dash both shared a sleepy giggle.

“Guess we should tell him before he asks Rarity or somepony else before we want the others to know.” Dash chuckled, looking over to Twilight, who just snuggled closer to her chest.

“In the morning, if I know him he’ll sleep in, so we’ll have plenty of time to tell him.” Twilight murmured, breathing deeply as she felt sleep slowly take her mind.

“I suppose.” Dash tightened her grip once again, squeezing the unicorn even tighter to her chest until they had just enough room to breathe. Twilight didn’t complain; there was something about being held so closely that she loved.

“Goodnight, Rainbow.” Twilight sighed before finally drifting off in the legs of her new found marefriend, Dash quickly doing the same.

-_-_-_-

Twilight awoke to the sound of birds chirping from outside. Living in a tree had advantages and disadvantages. While it was completely self sustaining on the outside, she had to deal with a quite a few animals, including a few birds whose favourite hobby seemed to be waking her up in the morning.  Groaning, she opened her eyes; her vision was instantly filled with cyan fur. Shifting her head up, she noticed Dash still sleeping soundly beside her. "A few more minutes wont hurt" she thought as she rested her head against Rainbow’s chest once again and closed her eyes. She sighed contentedly as she felt Rainbow’s steady heart beat pulsing from within her chest, the sound slowly lulling Twilight back into a peaceful sleep.

Rainbow awoke to the same bird’s mere seconds later, growling angrily at the rude awakening. She was about to get up and close the window when she noticed the lavender bundle held tightly in her arms. Breathing deeply as she slept, her head still resting against Dash’s chest. Rainbow couldn’t help but smile softly at the site; Twilight had officially taken first place for ‘most adorable thing ever’.

“Twi?” Dash asked quietly, making sure the unicorn was, in fact, asleep. Upon receiving nothing but a twitch of her ears as a response she assumed she was correct.

“Twi.” Dash repeated a bit louder, this time Twilight grumbled in her sleep and tried to burry her head deeper into Dash’s chest; hoping to block out the noise trying to wake her.

“Twilight!” That did the trick. Groaning Twilight slid her eyes open slowly, once again welcomed to the sight of cyan fur.

“What.” Twilight mumbled angrily, cleary unhappy with being woken up.

“It’s morning.” Dash chuckled when Twilight tried to hide her eyes from the light streaming through the window with little success. 

“So what? You love sleeping in.” Twilight protested, turning her head and rubbing her face into Dash’s soft chest. She was definitely better then any pillow the unicorn had previously had. Even better then the ones professionally made and fluffed back in Canterlot.

“I love napping, not sleeping in; there’s a difference. I need to get up for work most days.” Dash nuzzled the top of Twilight’s head lovingly, just beside the base of her horn. While she didn’t need to go to work today, once she woke up in the morning she had to go flying at least once before her body would let her nap. It was both a blessing and a curse; it insured she didn’t waist the day sleeping, but it also meant that if she was woken by anything before she wanted to get up she would have to get up.

“Then take a nap.” She tried once again to sleep, but it was too late; she was already awake.

“Sorry Twi, but once I’m up, I’m up.” Dash yawned and started to unwrap the unicorn from her arms. She was met with little resistance; Twilight was already starting to pull away anyway. After a few seconds of struggling and getting tangled in the blanket they eventually managed to roll off the bed onto opposite sides.

Dash promptly went about the task of stretching; having your wings extended all night tends to make them lose all form of feeling. She spread her wings as wide as they would go, she felt the tell tail sensation across her back and chest of her muscles slowly loosening. From there she bent forwards into a very low downward dog position, her flexibility clearly showing, as her chin was nearly resting on the floor.

Twilight, who was still standing on the opposite side of the bed - behind Rainbow Dash - felt her face heat up considerably as soon as Rainbow had started stretching. There was something about the bobbing of Dash flank - stuck high in the air - which Twilight couldn’t help but stare at. She was fairly sure her face was the same colour of one of Applejack’s apples.

“Uh, Twi? Something wrong?” Dash asked, having caught the heavy blush on Twilight’s face and her nearly bulging eyes. “You like you’ve seen a ghost… a rather pretty one, too.”

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing. I’m gonna go get Spike and have him start on breakfast. I’ll be downstairs.” She briskly walked past Rainbow and out the door, trying and failing to hide her blush as she walked by.

“You still got it Dash.” Rainbow said to herself, assuming a less lewd stretching position. 
-_-_-_-

“Oh, Spike darling, it is simply beautiful!” Rarity exclaimed in her usual manner, covering her mouth with a hoof as she gazed at the scene before her.

“Glad you think so, Rarity, I made it just for you.” Spike replied dreamily, though his eyes were glued firmly on the stunning mare before him.

“Spike, there’s something I need to tell you.” Rarity whispered, still not taking her eyes off of Spike’s gift for her.

“Yes, Rarity?” The anticipation was killing him. He clutched his chest, trying desperately to prevent his heart from bursting out. Slowly, Rarity turned to him, that all too beautiful sparkle filling her eyes.

“Spike, wake up.” Rarity’s lips moved, but it was another pony who spoke. A pony he was very familiar with.

“Huh? Twilight, where are you?” He asked, looking around for the purple unicorn who had spoken.

“Wake up.” Rarity repeated in Twilight’s voice, still giving him her dazzling smile.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Spike cocked a brow at Rarity. His confusion over riding his excitement about being so close to her. Before Spike could register what had happened, the world around him faded to black. The beautiful view over the valley, the faint light of Ponyville from behind him, the gift he had given Rarity, everything. The only thing left was Rarity, but she too faded to black after a few more seconds. Spike knew what was going on now; it had happened far too often. 

He grumbled as he rolled away from the unicorn poking his shoulder. “Go away, Twilight, I was having a dream that I would really like to return to.”

“Sorry Spike, but we all need some breakfast, and I need to talk to you.” Twilight giggled as she continued poking him with her hoof. The constant annoyance eventually earned her a single open eye. The slight crack of light revealed Twilight, as he had suspected, standing over him. Though behind her were the stairs to the upper floor, and on those stairs was a pegasus. For a moment he was stunned, Rainbow Dash? Walking down the stairs? Spike thought to himself, it went against everything she was known for. She didn’t walk anywhere if she didn’t have to, and she never walked down the stairs.

Then another thought occurred to him; why was she upstairs anyway? Sure, she had been up there last night. Sure, maybe she had been holding Twilight awfully close. Maybe he had assumed something… worse, something Twilight would never do. But surly he had to be wrong, right?

“Dash? What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be at your house?” Spike asked, having decided the best way to get a straight answer was to ask a straight forward question.  At the mention of her name Twilight turned around to face Dash, face instantly growing hotter as she remembered what she had seen before coming to wake Spike. This just confused Spike even more; sure, they were good friends, but they weren’t that close, right?

“Nah, I spent the night here. I thought you would have figured that out after you saw us last night.” Dash’s voice was calm as she walked up beside Twilight, her smile as self confident and cocky as ever. Spike couldn’t help but think she was somehow… different, today. She looked happy, like she had actually done something instead of just bragging about something. As if she didn’t need to brag about it to be happy, and that didn’t sound like Rainbow to anypony that knew her.

“Okay.” Spike got out of his basket, eyeing the two suspiciously before walking towards the kitchen door. “I’m just gonna go get breakfast started.” He quickly ran through the door without another word. Though his panic didn’t end once he was gone, if anything it got worse as he collapsed to the floor and started shaking. Twilight wouldn’t do that? Right? RIGHT? He didn’t know. He didn’t want to know. But apparently he didn’t have a choice as images flashed through his head of Twilight and Rainbow in very… compromising positions. Things he would rather not think about, especially about Twilight.

“Guess he either assumes the worst, or he just doesn’t understand.” Rainbow laughed, though she only earned a glare from Twilight.

“You could have been a little clearer with what you meant, he probably thinks we were… you know…” Twilight trailed off as Dash fell to the floor laughing uncontrollably.

“RAINBOW!” Twilight yelled, stamping a hoof to stress her point, “If he tells Rarity, and you know he will, the entire village will know in a few hours! Is that what you want?” Suddenly Dash stopped laughing and grew quiet. She stood slowly from the floor; her face was blank as she rose. Though it was not directed at the door where Spike had gone, instead it was pointed directly into Twilight’s violet eyes. Twilight could have sworn she saw a brief flash of sadness before she started talking.

“Do you not want that?” Dash asked quietly, not removing her pink eyes from Twilight’s. Twilight was speechless for a few seconds. The word ‘no’ dying in her throat before she had the chance to say it. Did she not want that? If not, why? Twilight stared blankly back at Rainbow, her mind too deep in thought to register what she saw. Had she actually been aware, she would have seen Rainbow take a step forward before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Why not?” The words smashed through Twilight’s thoughts like a wrecking ball. Reaching her no matter how hard her wall of thoughts had been.

“Why not?” Dash repeated, louder this time as anger leaked into her voice, her emotions spilling out in the form of words. “What would be so bad about that? Why don’t you want others to know? Are you ashamed? What, am I to stupid for you?” Dash yelled, looking away as she fought the tears trying to escape. Drying them through anger and will power.

“Am I embarrassing to you?” No matter how quietly Dash spoke those words, not matter how much emotion was clouding her voice, Twilight heard them, and it only caused her to choke up more.

“N-no.” Twilight stuttered out. To shocked to do anything else.

“Then why not?” Dash’s voice was laced with venom. A small part of her thought she was being too hard on Twilight, but she quickly silenced it. If the unicorn wanted to hide their relationship, she had to know why, even if that meant being a little forceful

“I-I… I thought… thought that y-you…” Twilight sputtered out the words like the last drops from a faucet. The words accompanied by the first sign of tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Was she about to loose Rainbow? How could she have been so stupid? Not even one day and they were having a fight, a fight Twilight didn’t even want to win.

“Thought what?" Dash seethed, though she looked away. She still couldn’t stand to see Twilight cry, her fault or not.

“I don’t know… I don’t know what I thought… I’m sorry.” Twilight whimpered as her tears over took the protection of her eye lids as she cried through closed eyes forced open. It tore at Dash’s heart to see Twilight like this. It hurt even more to know that she was the cause.

“I’m sorry.” Dash spat. The words felt foreign to her tongue. Yet they also felt needed, like they were the right words. To Dash’s relief Twilight stopped crying.

“No. You have nothing to be sorry for; I do. I should have asked before trying to keep this a secret. I should have known. I should have read more books.” Twilight listed reason after reason why it was her fault, but Dash stopped listening. Instead she closed the short distance between herself and Twilight and silenced her by pressing their muzzles together.

“MMM!” Twilight let out a surprised squeak, only to have it die as her eyes closed to match Dash’s. Her body relaxed as she moved her lips against Dash’s.

Dash barely kept herself still as she let her eyes close. What was she doing? First she yells at Twilight, makes her cry, and now she kisses her? How did she think this was going to be a good idea? It took all of her will the stop herself from flying out the nearest window, and the only thing stopping her from breaking the kiss was the feeling of Twilight’s lips against her own. Slowly, she felt Twilight draw back.

“This is it.” She thought to herself, her eyes still glued shut, “She’s going to chew me out and kick me out of her house. If I’m lucky, that is. She’ll probably kick me out of her life.” Dash struggled to keep her breathing under control as she felt her lips loose contact.

“Rainbow.” It was over.

“Yeah Twi?” She couldn’t look. Even with her eyes close she turned away.

“What was that for?” She was doomed. No point trying to stop it.

“I’ll leave now.” Without another word she flew towards the nearest window, only to have the familiar tingle of magic wrap around her body.

“Why would you leave?” She was mocking her. She wanted her to admit her mistake so she could feel the true misery she disserved.

“Because I yelled at you. I made you cry, and then I go and kiss you. I don’t deserve you. I'm so stupid!” Dash struggled against the magic, only to be dragged in the opposite direction. Away from the window and her freedom, towards a purple unicorn she didn’t deserve to even look at.

“I needed it.” Dash was thrust out of her self loathing by purple hooves wrapping around her cyan body and holding her tightly.

“You didn’t need to cry.” Dash said sadly. Still convinced that she didn’t deserve the purple bookworm holding her.

“No, but I did need the kiss.” Dash could hear the happiness in her voice. Happiness she didn’t deserve to hear.

“I didn’t deserve it.”

“I did, and you gave it to me. That’s all that matters. Now stop beating yourself up.” Twilight was firm yet caring.

“But-”

“No buts!” Twilight silenced any further complaints with her own lips. In her own misery and behind closed eyes Rainbow hadn’t noticed herself slowly turning to face the unicorn that held her, nor did she notice how close they really were.

Dash didn’t try to pull away, but she didn’t do nothing either as she pushed back against Twilight, her lips pushing against Twilight’s. Maybe she didn’t deserve Twilight. Maybe she shouldn’t have been forgiven, but she was, and she would work every day to deserve her.

“Hey guys, breakfast is-” Spike dropped the plate of eggs and toast he had be carrying as he stared flabbergasted at the scene before him. Twilight drew back instantly upon hearing the baby dragon's voice, while Dash just sat still, still being held by purple hooves, a content smile on her face. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal Twilight chewing nervously on her lower lip. Dash just smiled at her, and after a second a similar smile bloomed onto Twilight’s face as she leaned back for a brief kiss.

This only made Spike even more uncomfortable as he began shuffling nervously and rubbing his arm. “Should, I, uh, leave you two alone?” He offered, though his voice made it clear he was asking for his own sake rather then Twilight’s and Rainbow’s privacy.

“No, it’s about time you know what’s going on.” Twilight started nervously, though after looking back to Rainbow and seeing her confident, beaming smile, she couldn’t help but hold her head a little higher.

“And what is going on?” Spike tried to act innocent, putting on his best impression of Applebloom’s smile when she was telling her sister she had done the chores that she really hadn’t. Though all he did was put on a too large grin and fiddle with his claws unconvincingly.

“Rainbow Dash and I have decided to give a relationship a try.” Twilight answered confidently, not taking her eyes off of Dash’s beaming face. Something about her smile gave her all the confidence she needed to continue.

“Alright. What type of relationship?” Spike asked cautiously, he still didn’t think he needed or wanted to know the details.

“Romantic like-” Twilight was cut off by Rainbow dashing in front of her.

“You already saw us kiss, and I refuse to believe you are that stupid. C’mon, what is your problem? I know you know, so why are you playing innocent.” Dash was not yelling out of anger, merely frustration at what was taking so long. She saw the dragons beat red face; he had to know by now.

“I just… I know you two slept together last night, and… I thought that… I thought you… and I didn’t want to think about Twilight like that.” Spike shot back, though it was clear even he was unsure of what he was trying to say.

“You thought what!?” Rainbow and Twilight yelled in sync, not needing the rest of the sentence to finish it on their own.

“Spike, no, we’ve only been together for a day or so.” Twilight said comfortingly, she wasn’t sure why he had been so traumatized by the thought, but for now it didn’t matter. He was scared and confused, and he needed somepony to help him.

“But… she slept with you, and I… I just assumed… I don’t want to lose you, Twilight.” Spike ran up and wrapped his claws around Twilight fore leg.

“I’m not going anywhere, Spike, what would make you think otherwise?” Twilight ran a very gentle hoof over Spike’s scaly back. Watching Twilight hold Spike and comfort him sent a tiny twinge of something to Rainbow’s gut. She couldn’t figure out why, she couldn’t be jealous, it was Spike! But still, the more Twilight comforted and held the small dragon, the more she felt it build up. 

The scene lasted about two minutes before Dash had decided she’d had enough. “Alright, this is all very sweet and stuff, but we really should tell the others before they hear it through rumours.” Dash said as nonchalantly as she could manage while she walked up to the unicorn and dragon pair.

“We probably should.” Twilight nodded in agreement and bent her neck down to gently nuzzle Spike’s head. “We have to go now, I know we said we wanted breakfast, but we’ll just have an extra big lunch when we get back, ok?”

“Alright.” Spike seemed much happier then he had been and willingly let go of Twilight’s leg. “Thanks, Twilight, I guess just kind of over reacted.”

“It’s alright Spike, just know that you can talk to me.” Twilight smiled cheerfully as she walked towards the door. “Let’s go.” Dash followed willingly behind Twilight out the door, instantly wrapping a protective wing around Twilight’s shoulders. Okay, maybe she was just the tiniest bit jealous, but that wouldn’t hurt anything, right?

-_-_-_-

“So who should we tell first?” Twilight asked as they walked away from her library down one of Ponyville’s many streets. It was just before noon, the sun approaching its peak. There were a fair amount of ponies out in the streets, most either on lunch breaks or not working today.

“Well, as far as I know Fluttershy is the only one that knows I’m gay, so I guess she would be the best pace to start.”

“I suppose. Let’s go.” Twilight turned down the street to the outskirts of Ponyville, the couple engaging in idle chatter as they walked the path to Fluttershy’s cottage. Before they knew it they were confronted with Fluttershy’s door, the chattering of animals announcing the pair’s arrival. Without hesitation Dash brought her hoof off the ground and knocked on the door.

“One moment.” Fluttershy’s quiet voice called from within the house. A few moments later the door opened silently to reveal a butter yellow pegasus half hiding behind her light pink mane. “Oh, it’s you, how are you?” Fluttershy asked, brightening up as she recognized her friends.

“We have something to tell you.” Dash said, her usually joyful voice flat and serious, announcing her intentions to Fluttershy before a single word of the future conversation had been spoken.

“Oh, is it about that?” Fluttershy asked quietly, shrinking back a bit. She had never been comfortable with these types of discussions. She was there when Dash needed her back in flight school, but that didn’t mean she liked it.

“Yes.” Dash nodded lightly. Fluttershy looked up to her friends pink eyes, though she quickly noticed the cyan wing wrapped around lavender shoulders.

“Oh my gosh! I’m so happy for you two! How long?” Fluttershy shouted, though it barely made the volume of Pinkie’s whispering (though to be fair, that wasn’t exactly quiet). A smile danced its way onto her lips as she drew the two into a light embrace, the new couple returning happily. 

“Just over a day. I knew you’d be cool with it, ‘Shy, you always have been.” Dash said, though she smiled all the same. No matter how many times Fluttershy had assured her she wouldn’t judge, there was always that one nagging thought in the back of her mind that told her otherwise.

“It’s great to know you’re okay with this Fluttershy. Sorry we can’t stay, but we have to tell the rest of out friends soon. You know how gossip travels in this town.” Twilight rolled her eyes as she remembered a few times something had grown way out of proportions with the mad gossip that tended to spread like wild fire.

“That’s quite alright. Thanks for telling me, I know how bad gossip can make things sound. I’ll see you two later.” Fluttershy said; her voice more confident then it had been in a while, not a single hint of judgment or anger in it.

“Alright ‘Shy, we’ll talk later.” Dash said before turning back to Twilight and whispering in her ear. “I told you they wouldn’t think any less of us.” Twilight just giggled as she said goodbye to Fluttershy.

“Come one, let’s go see Rarity, she’s the closest other then Applejack. And I’m not sure I want her to know yet.”

“Why not?” Dash cocked a brow, not understanding why Applejack shouldn’t know.

“Think about it, she’s very old fashioned. And very traditional. She may not take as kindly to it as the others.” Dash had to admit Twilight had a good point.

“Fine, we’ll see her last, sound good?” This earned a nod from Twilight before they turned and began the short journey to Carousel Boutique.

It didn’t take long to get there, and as soon as they did Twilight knocked on the door with a single hoof.

“Coming!” Rarity’s voiced chimed from inside, followed be the sound of several things hitting the floor. “OPAL!” Rarity screamed, before another set of crashes sounded. Sighing dejectedly, she opened the door, her face lighting up at her friends.

“Why hello you two, I was wondering where you were yesterday, I didn’t see you around town.”

“That’s actually why we’re here; we need to talk to you.” Twilight replied calmly, the wing around her giving her all the confidence she needed to get through this.

“About what, darling?” Rarity asked, honest curiosity etched across her face.

“Rainbow Dash and I have decided to start dating.” Twilight smiled proudly. Rarity, however, only sucked in a breath.

“I-is that so?” Rarity smiled nervously.

“Rarity? Something wrong?” Twilight raised a concerned brow at her friend’s less-then-happy reaction.

“Well, you are aware of the recent push to make same gender marriage illegal in Ponyville, correct?” Rarity asked, her usually elegant exterior melting into a pile of nervous ticks, her eyes locked onto a particularly interesting cloud off to her right.

“That’s a bunch of horsefeathers.” Dash stomped a hoof at the law recently introduced to town meetings. 

“Well… I’m actually the one that’s been pushing for it.” Rarity admitted quietly.

“YOU!?” Rainbow shouted, her voice betraying how shocked she was.

“If you paid any attention to the news, you would have noticed Manehatten did the exact same thing a few months ago. Clearly it’s the right thing to do if someplace like Manehatten did it.” Rarity’s confidence returned with force as she held her head up.  “I was just trying to get Ponyville into this new generation of thinking before it was too late.”

“WHAT!?” Dash shouted, her shock replaced by anger. “Just because some snob up in Manehatten says it’s not proper doesn’t mean it’s true!”

“There was a vote, almost unanimous. Ponies just don’t like same gender relationships.” Rarity spat defiantly, clearly not about to back down.

“That’s a bunch of-”

“She’s right, Rainbow. Let’s just go. Thank you for your time, Rarity.” Twilight’s head was nearly on the ground, her voice barely above a whisper. Rarity looked utterly heartbroken. She had never seen her friend so sad before in her life.

“No, not until she admits she was wrong.” Rainbow said, removing her wing from Twilight as she walked right up into Rarity’s face. “So. You decided that because some snobs in someplace that doesn’t have any interactions with Ponyville decided to make this dumb law, you needed to make the same law here?” Dash’s voice was laced with venom as she glared daggers at Rarity.

“Um. Yes?” Rarity sounded more like Fluttershy then herself as she shrunk back a bit.

“Did you know that Canterlot recently rejected the same law?” Dash spat, her confidence rising as she fed on every bit of knowledge she had. The only reason she knew about Canterlot was from the town meetings she had been forced to attend due to her work.

“Yes, but-” Rarity never got a chance to finish her sentence as Rainbow continued her offensive.

“Then, by your reasoning, not passing the law is even more ‘proper’ then passing it.” Rarity opened her mouth to defend herself but found herself unable due to the sudden rush of logic Rainbow was throwing at her. “By that same reasoning, you are being improper by even trying to have this law be passed in the first place.” 

“But Canterlot-”

“What do you think about it?” Dash finished her tirade with a question.

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked, honestly puzzled by what the rainbow maned mare had meant.

“What do you think about same sex marriage? Surly you have your own opinion.” Rainbow clarified.

“Well, yes, but-” Rarity was cut off by a cyan hoof, though it was not directed at her. Instead it was wrapped around lavender shoulders. Shoulders that were shaking.

“I don’t want a speech, neither does Twilight. We want to know what you think.”

“Congratulations. I’m happy, for both of you.” Rarity said quietly after a long pause.

“Good.” Rainbow said, before helping Twilight up from her previously assumed sitting position. “Now, we have the rest of our friends to tell. Maybe they’ll have enough common sense not to act that way.” Rainbow spat in a malicious voice over her shoulder as she started walking away with Twilight, her wing wrapped firmly over her shoulders.

“I-I’m sorry!” Rarity called weakly, earning nothing but an angry glare from Rainbow Dash as she walked a little faster. Rarity sighed and went back inside her store, she had things to think about, and she never thought better then when she was working on a dress. A faint blue glow surrounded her horn as she brought out all the necessary supplies.

-_-_-_-

“You sure you’re alright to do this, Twi? We could tell the last two tomorrow. If Rarity reacted like that I dread to think what AJ will do.” Rainbow offered as she kept pace with Twilight, whose cheeks were still wet from tears.

“We have to, or they’ll hear from gossip, and then they’ll wonder why we didn’t tell them. It’ll be less of a headache to get it over with now.” Twilight sniffled as she stared at the ground.

“If you’re sure. The nerve of Rarity, going with whatever those fancy pants ponies say or do.” Rainbow grumbled, her mind still trying to comprehend how she could have been so blind. What was she thinking? She made Twilight cry – that on its own is unforgivable – but then she stood by those snobs up in Manehatten? That just wasn’t right.

“She was entitled to her own opinion, Rainbow; you didn’t have to do that.”

“Didn’t you hear her? She was happy for us.” 

“After you all but assaulted her.” Twilight snapped. After that Rainbow Dash was quiet, not another word was shared between Rarity’s shop and Sugar Cube Corner.

As expected Pinkie had nothing but good will towards the new couple. Even if she was a bit mad that they didn’t tell her sooner so she could give them a party. Pinkie’s more then enthusiastic response had increased Twilight’s mood by quite a bit after her interaction with Rarity.

Now, however, she was dragging her hooves along the rough dirt road to the outskirts of Ponyville. A familiar red barn looming in the distance. Even the cyan feathers across her back didn’t help calm her shaking legs as the barn slowly grew larger as they got closer. She had barely made it away from Rarity without breaking down, but could she do it again?

Dash felt the shiver run down Twilight’s spine as the entered the property. She wrapped her wing a little tighter, pulling Twilight against her side. Cyan and lavender fur rubbing against one another. “You sure you want to do this today?” Rainbow offered again. She wasn’t sure how much more Twilight could take, and she would never forgive herself if she forced her into this.

“I’m sure.” Twilight’s voice was firm, but her trembling hooves said otherwise. Dash didn’t push it further; Twilight was not a pony to be pushed around. Within minutes they were at the door to the main house, the sun telling them it was mid-afternoon. Raising a tentative hoof, Rainbow Dash knocked on the door, drawing the sound of running hooves from within the house. After a few seconds the door was opened by Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo behind her.

“Howdy Twilight, are ya looken for mah sister?” Applebloom asked in her familiar southern drawl.

“We are.” Twilight answered as pleasantly as she could manage.

“Ah think she’s out in the south field.” 

“Thank you.” Twilight smiled pleasantly before turning, forcing Rainbow Dash (who still had her wing around her) to follow. The south field was a ten minute walk from the main house, so Twilight decided to use this time to prepare herself. She didn’t know what was going to happen, but if Rarity was any indication, it wasn’t going to be good. For a while they walked in silence, both either too nervous to talk or not willing to break the silence.

“You alright?” Dash asked, finally breaking the silence that had befallen them like a blanket.

“No, I’m not.” Twilight admitted with a sigh. “What if she doesn’t accept us? What if she thinks less of either of us?”

“She may be old fashioned, but I don’t think she would go that far.” Rainbow Dash tried to reassure her, but truth be told her mind was thinking very similar thoughts. Twilight didn’t have the chance to respond, however, as they were quickly alerted to the sound of hooves colliding with wood.

“I hope you’re right.” Twilight turned in the direction of the sound and picked up the pace; eager to have it over with as fast as possible, Dash couldn’t argue with that. After walking around a few more trees they saw the familiar orange mare, followed by another thud as her hooves once again clashed with wood.

“AJ!” Twilight called, galloping the last few metres between them.

“Howdy Twilight, RD, what brings y’all ‘round here?” She asked, momentarily taking a break from her apple bucking. Wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of a hoof.

“We need to talk to you about something.” Twilight talked as quickly as she could, hardly waiting for the last word to finish before starting the next one. “Rainbow dash and I have decided to start dating.” Out of fear and instinct Twilight shut her eyes. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad if she couldn’t see Applejack’s face.

“Whoa, slow down. What was that?”

“She said that we’re dating now.” Rainbow Dash said as she walked up beside Twilight, whose eyes still screwed shut.

“Well, congratulations!” Applejack responded cheerfully, giving one of her famous honest smiles.

“I don’t blame you if- wait, what?” Twilight’s eyes bugged out as what Applejack had said sunk in

“I said congratulations. Not everyday y’all get a special somepony. Though I’m honestly surprise RD would go for somepony like you- uh, no offence.” She added quickly, having spotted the glare from Rainbow Dash.

“You’re okay with this?” Twilight asked incredulously.

“Why wouldn’t ah be? Ah’ve been fighting that dang same sex marriage law since it was first announced. Ah have half a mind to give a good buck to the face for whoever started that.” Applejack still wore her smile. Any doubt it Twilight’s mind melted at that one, honest smile.

“Thanks AJ, for being okay with this, I mean. Some others weren’t so… accepting.” Twilight thought back to what Rarity had said. Almost unanimous. They were wrong.

“Like who?”

“It’s not important. We have to go, but we’ll talk to you later at the party.” Twilight smiled, relieved to finally be done with the days task.

“What party?” Applejack cocked her head slightly at the sudden mention of a party she had heard nothing about.

“You’ll know soon enough.” Twilight giggled when the look of confusion only increased. With that she turned and trotted off, Rainbow Dash glued firmly to her side. They had the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted, and Rainbow Dash had some pretty good ideas.

“What party?” Applejack repeated to herself as she watched the new couple disappear around some trees. Giving up with decoding what that meant, she returned to her apple bucking, only to have the tree in front of her have a pink mane and tail… and eyes.

“Pinkie Pie!?” Applejack jumped at the sudden aperance of her pink friend.

“I’m just here to tell you about the party tomorrow.” She said as energetically as ever, handing a pink envelope to a very confused farm worker. “BYE!” She shouted, jumping to the top of the tree in a single jump, then proceeding to jump her way through the orchard on the tops of the trees. Applejack just watched her go speechlessly.

Slowly, she looked down at the invitation that had been dropped at her hooves, “Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash are Together Party!” the cover read. She was never one to beat around the bush with the reason for her parties. Laughing quietly she tucked the envelope under her hat and resumed her work. She would need time off tomorrow, and that meant more work today.

> The Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

					The Party
You are invited to Rainbow Dash’s and Twilight Sparkle’s Special Somepony Shindig.

It will be held at Sugar Cube Corner, starting at 6 PM, don’t be late!

See you there!

-Pinkie Pie

(Presents are not expected)


-_-_-_-

“I guess we better get ready.” Rainbow Dash set the invitation down on the centre table of the library and turned to the lavender mare sitting at the reading table.

“I guess.” Twilight sighed, sinking a little lower into her chair, her mane hanging down and hiding her eyes from the world. He vision filled with text from a book resting open on the table in front of her. 

“What’s wrong?” Dash cocked her head slightly as she made her way over to her new marefriend. She rested a comforting cyan hoof on her shoulder, though the reaction she got was anything but comforted. Twilight shied away from the hoof, trying to shrug it off, without success.

“Nothing.” Twilight finally caved in and removed Rainbow’s hoof with one of her own. 

“I know you’re lying to me. C’mon, what’s eating at you?” Rainbow asked, her concern trickling into her voice as she sat down next to Twilight in an effort to comfort her without touching her.

“It’s what Rarity said.” Twilight admitted sadly, her head sinking lower towards the book. A brief flash of rage went through Rainbow’s eyes before she regained control enough to speak.

“What’s that?”

“That it was almost unanimous in Manehatten. What if… what if it happens here too?”

“That’s all? Twilight, there is no way that law is going to get anywhere near what it needs to be passed.” Dash couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter, it seemed so obvious to her, and Twilight couldn’t see it?

“How do you know that?” Twilight whipped her head around to face Dash, a mixture of worry and hope painted across her features. Hope Dash was right, and worry that she wasn’t.

“Well, if our friends are any indication, five of six ponies are against it. Hay, even Rarity has no problems with gay couples, the only reason she’s doing it is because Manehatten did.” Dash smiled warmly, trying to support the flicker of hope she saw in Twilight.

“It was almost unanimous, Rainbow, an entire city.” Twilight stressed, albeit weakly.

“If most of Ponyville was against gay couples, then would they show up to the party?” Dash’s warm smile turned into that of a mare with a plan.

“Well, no, probably not.” Twilight raised a brow, not entirely sure where she was going with this train of thought.

“Well then, let’s go to the party. You know Pinkie will have invited the whole town, and only supporters of gay relationships will be there. So, if most of the town is there, we’ll know we’re fine. Make sense?” Dash smiled proudly and puffed her chest out slightly. Had she really outsmarted Twilight Sparkle?

“But…” Twilight trailed off, unsure of a counter argument.

“But nothing, if I’m right the majority of the town will be there, and if Rarity is right then only our friends and a few others will be there.” Dash pushed, encouraged by the thoughtful look Twilight had adopted. For a while Twilight stayed silent, her lips slowly turning up into a slight smile. Suddenly her face fell, her previous smile replaced with a look of worry.

“But… why?” Twilight asked, not really pointing the question at anypony in particular.

“Huh? Why what, Twi?” Once again Dash’s face was filled with confusion at the strange question.

“Why are you trying so hard to make me feel better? Why are we having this party? Why did we tell our friends? Why are we even considered together? It’s been two days, Rainbow!” Twilight’s voice built up in volume much like the moisture in her eyes. “Why… why are we together?”

“Because I love you.” Rainbow replied before she thought it through. Even after she had time to register what she had said, she wouldn’t take it back; it was the truth. A truth she had been trying to fly away from and suppress for a long time. Twilight, on the other hoof, was not so sure. She was speechless. She didn’t know how to respond, she didn’t know how she felt about it. She had spent weeks dreaming about how this would go, and all of them involved her confessing her undying love, and Rainbow confessing the same. But now that it was real? She couldn’t form the words.

“I… I-I I don’t… I don’t know-” Twilight was cut of with nothing but a smile.

“It’s okay. Take your time, think it through. I love you and that’s all that matters for now.” Rainbow held her smile and rested a hoof across the unicorn’s shoulders, this time she did not shy away; instead she leaned closer into it. The tears dried themselves before Twilight had even thought about it.

“I thought I knew…” Twilight mumbled sadly, her gaze directed out the window to the sun nearing the horizon.

“Hmm?” Dash asked, only half aware Twilight had spoken at all.

“I thought I knew how I felt. I already said it, but hearing you say it now… I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t know if I ever will.”

“Is that such a bad thing? Not knowing, I mean.” Dash nuzzled Twilight’s cheek gently, admiring how soft her fur felt.

Twilight remained silent as she pondered the question for a while. “No, I suppose it’s not. Had I known what I was doing I never would have told you in the first place, all of my books said it wouldn’t happen.” Twilight stated with an odd air of confidence. Like she was… happy she didn’t know. In truth, she was. Planning out every second of every minute of every day, it got old, especially when patterns repeated.

“Exactly!” Twilight smiled and looked toward Rainbow, her pink eyes bright as the sun. Twilight shifted her gaze from Dash’s face to another’s face, one with two hands, the shorter of the two pointed at the six and the longer pointed at the four.

“We’re late!” Twilight shouted, scrambling to her hooves and dashing towards the bathroom, her head poked inside for a second and came back out with a brush running through her mane. Rainbow Dash remained seated, giggling lightly at Twilight’s mad dash around the library.

“Twilight, calm down, we can go now.”

“But we need to get ready, I need to brush my mane and tail, and at the very least you could run a comb through yours, then we’ll need to-” Twilight was cut of by a cyan blur rushing in front of her and shoving a hoof in her mouth.

“Twi, your mane and tail look fine, unless it’s for the Wonderbolts I will not brush my mane or tail, and we don’t need anything for the party.” Dash smiled as she removed her hoof, pleased to see a somewhat calmer expression on the lavender unicorn.

“Alright, but let me just-”

“No, we are going. Now.” Rainbow enforced her point with a wing wrapped around Twilight and a slight tug towards the door.

“But-” Twilight tried to protest again, only to be silence by another tug as she was dragged towards the door.

“Let’s go.” With one final pull they were out the door, the brush still in Twilight’s mane as they made their way to Sugar Cube Corner.

-_-_-_-

The party was in full swing once they got there, it looked as if all of Ponyville had showed up. The music could be heard all the way to the end of the block, and the lights inside danced across the light layer of clouds the weather team needed for the storm planned for tomorrow. All in all, it looked like a pretty awesome party, if Dash said so herself.

Smiling brightly she approached the door, Twilight wrapped snugly in her wing. She had given up resisting; they were already more then half an hour late. Twilight copied Rainbow’s smile as best she could as she opened the door with a flick of her magic, the previously mumbled music spilled out into the street as the sound of happiness floated out the door to great them.

Instantly, the two were dragged in by a pink blob of pure energy and forced into the centre of the room. All the while Pinkie was saying something about being late, but that it was okay because the muffins she made were really distracting and the ponies had enjoyed them and Twilight had lost track right about there. Rainbow hadn’t even tried to listen.

For a few seconds they stood, partially stunned, in the middle of the room, surrounded by most of Ponyville. Suddenly the music cut out. Silence rang through the room as ponies looked at the pink pony that had stopped the music.

“Hello Ponyville! Hope you’re having a good time, and I’m sorry to interrupt, but the main guests have just arrived!” Pinkie shouted over the crowd of semi-silent ponies.

“Let’s give a warm welcome to Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash! Currently seated in the middle of the dance floor!” Pinkie continued to shout, though the crowed had opted to look at the couple in the clearing slowly forming around them. For a while an unnerving silence fell over the room, most ponies unsure of what to do. Pinkie, however, wasted no time in giving them a head start. She zipped through the room with a speed that should be impossible in the thickness of the crowd.

“Don’t be shy!” She yelled as she started stomping her hooves on the ground as applause, the rest of the audience quickly catching on and doing the same, a few whistling and hollering congratulations, though most were lost in the sea of noise Pinkie had created.

After a while the noise died down, just a few more yells of and cheers before the room was once again silent, all looking expectantly at the pair they were celebrating.

“FILLYFOOLERS!” A voice called from somewhere in the crowed. A gasp cascaded through the gathered ponies around them. Twilight whimpered and hung her head a little lower as the derogatory term reached her ears; her earlier fears coming back to light. In that moment the look of rage and hatred on Pinkie Pie’s face was unmatched by anything Twilight had ever seen. She swore she even saw her entire pink coat turn a threatening shade of red.

“Will somepony…” Pinkie spoke quietly as she paused, gasping for breath as she struggled to keep her rage under control. “Please be so kind…” Pinkie paused once more, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “AS TO SLAP WHOEVER SAID THAT AND THROW THEM OUT OF THIS TOWN!” Pinkie screamed, jumping off the floor, the audience around her cringed in fear as she spun on her hooves to look for the source of the voice. Her search was unnecessary, however, as a sharp smack was heard, followed by the bell above the door ringing and another thud as they were thrown out.

Satisfied with the sound, Pinkie returned to her usual happy smile and looked back at the pair. “So sorry about that, but I guess some ponies just like being big meany-mean-pants.”

“It’s cool Pinkie.” Dash replied with a smile. Twilight, on the other hoof, was anything but fine

“Cool? It’s ‘cool’? How is that cool? Somepony was just slapped and thrown out for voicing their opinion! That is not ok, Pinkie. And Rainbow, how could you support that? That was just plain wrong.” Twilight ranted more about how everypony was entitled to an opinion, but neither Rainbow nor Pinkie paid much attention.

“Even if the opinion is both wrong and offensive?” Dash asked when she was sure Twilight had finished.

“Well… yes.” Twilight stood up a little straighter, Dash recognized this as her ‘lecture’ mode.

“Alright Twi, it was wrong, we get it. Now can we enjoy the party?” Dash asked hopefully, trying to stop Twilight from going into a full blown lecture about rights and other nonsense. It was only then Twilight realized that the music was still off, and all the ponies were still staring at them.

“Oh… right… the party… shall we?” She grinned sheepishly as she motioned for Pinkie to start the music again, the pink pony doing so within seconds. The rest of the ponies present gave one last look towards them before continuing whatever it was they had been doing before. Some dancing, some trying to dance… and failing. Others were just standing around talking. 

“Smooth, egghead.” Dash taunted over the music. Twilight’s comeback died in her throat as a familiar alabaster unicorn approached the two. The conversation from the previous day coming back in full force, Twilight shrunk back a bit, doing her best imitation of Fluttershy as she made herself as small as she could.

Rainbow took notice of this and looked to were the purple maned mare was coming from. She instantly took up an aggressive pose in front of Twilight, lowering her stance and flaring her wings. “What do you want?” She growled.

Rarity flinched at the aggressive tone, her approach halted instantly. “I’m here to… congratulate you?” The answer sounded more like she was asking permission.

“You made it perfectly clear you didn’t support us. Why the change of heart?” Dash took a single step towards Rarity, the unicorn mirroring by stepping back.

“Well, after our… discussion, yesterday, I was forced to think about my views on the subject, and…” Rarity trailed off, suddenly distracted by a stray strand of her mane.

“And what?” This time Twilight spoke, rising from behind Rainbow Dash and advancing a few steps past her, much to Rainbow’s surprise and Rarity’s displeasure.

“Twi, I got this.” Rainbow whispered, quietly enough that only Twilight could hear her.

“No, it’s time I defended myself for once.” She said firmly, casting a quick glance over her shoulder. Rainbow smiled as he straightened herself and stood next to Twilight; resuming her scowl as soon as she looked back to the white unicorn.

“Well, I realised I was… wrong.” Rarity mumbled the last word, the music and general noise making it impossible to tell she had spoken at all.

“Realised you were what?” Twilight pressured, glancing briefly beside her to ensure Rainbow was still there. She wasn’t sure if she could do it on her own, but she didn’t want to find out just yet.

“Wrong!” Rarity shouted, her ‘proper lady’ composure cracking like a dried up twig under a hoof. “I was wrong, alright? I was wrong to follow others so blindly! I should have thought, I’m sorry! Please, forgive me!” When she was done her breathing was irregular. She gasped for breath, trying to regain some form of decency.

“Does this mean you’re withdrawing your support from that ridiculous law?” Rainbow asked, her scowl softening into a stern glare.

“Well of course! I wouldn’t dream of associating with ponies like that ever again!” Her tone returned to its usual dignified ring as she held a dramatic hoof to her head.

“It was you!?” Applejack shouted, stepping out of the crowed, flanked by both Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, all with firm glares on their faces.

“Uh, hi, Applejack, how are you?” Rarity’s eyes switched from face to face nervously, the rest of the crowed glaring at her as well.

“Don’t try and change the subject. How could y’all do that?” Applejack advanced as Pinkie and Fluttershy kept pace as she trotted until she was inches away from the unicorn.

“That’s just wrong.” There was surprising amount of force to Fluttershy’s voice: That animosity that was rarely seen from the usually timid pegasus.

“That’s just… that’s… I don’t know what it is, but it’s pretty bad!” Pinkie swung her hooves to emphasize how bad it was, though it just looked like she was trying to row a boat upside down.

“I know that now! I told you I’m sorry.” 

“I have half a mind to buck ya to the moon!” Applejack shouted as she took the last step she had room for, her emerald eyes drilling holes through Rarity’s head.

“We know you are. We want to forgive you, we really do. But…” Fluttershy trailed off as the look on Rarity’s face sunk into a frown.

“I know. I’m sorry, but apologizing is really the only thing I can do to make up for it, unless you want a dress.” Rarity said sadly as she looked down to the floor out of shame. She brought her head back up when she felt a hoof rest comfortingly on her shoulder; her face meeting the smiling face of Twilight.

“It’s alright, Rarity, I forgive you. You were just doing what you thought was right. We all make mistakes, at least you learned from this one.” Twilight soothed gently, smiling comfortingly at the alabaster mare.

“T-thank you, Twilight.” Rarity reached over and wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck, pulling her into a much needed embrace. Once again Rainbow felt a twinge of something form in her gut at the scene. 

Rarity pulled away to see the gentle smiles on the rest of her friends lips. “Now that that’s out of the way… LET’S PARTY!” Pinkie shouted, the DJ taking the queue and switching tracks to something more upbeat. 

-_-_-_-

“C’ya later Pinkie!” Dash called as she walked out the door, her and Twilight that last ones to leave.

“Bye Dashie!” Pinkie waved out the door before closing it and returning inside, presumably to clean up.

“Well that was fun.” Twilight said sleepily beside her, wobbling slightly as her hooves threatened to give out. Rainbow wrapped a quick wing around her to steady the wobbling unicorn.

“Whoa, Twi, you alright?”

“Yeah… just tired.” She admitted sleepily as she started walking towards the library. Rainbow followed, letting Twilight lean on her as they made their way slowly down the street.

“C’mon, let’s get you to bed.”

The moon was high in the sky, almost midnight by the time they got back to the library. The sky illuminated by the stars. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked as she opened the door with her magic.

“Yeah?” Rainbow helped Twilight into the dark tree-turned-library.

“I love you too.”

> Divided We Fall
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Divided We Fall

Rainbow awoke to sunlight streaming in through a window, the bed having been placed directly into the light of the rising sun. Probably to make sure the unicorn that normally slept in the bed didn’t over sleep. She grumbled as she tried to shift away from the light, only realise she was still being held tightly by lavender hooves. The mare herself protected from the sun beam by Rainbow’s shadow. No matter how many times she had seen in over the past week, it still made her heart flutter and a smile form on her face.

She craned her neck towards the unicorn’s head, nuzzling her cheek. “Wake up.” She added quietly when the initial nuzzle had little to no effect. Twilight grumbled and buried her head deeper into Rainbow’s chest, mumbling groggily in her sleep. Dash smirked as an idea wormed its way into her head.

“Twilight, the Princess is here.” She whispered directly into the unicorn’s ear. Twilight instantly bolted upright, the covers flying off the bed in a purple glow as she looked around frantically.

“What? Where? Why?” She spun her head back and forth, whipping her mane directly into Rainbow’s chuckling face.

“Relax Twi, I was kidding.” Rainbow sat up and grabbed Twilight’s head with her hooves, forcefully stopping the frantic search for a princess that wasn’t there.

“What?” Twilight looked puzzled for a second before the words sunk in and her confusion was replaced by a glare. “Not funny, Rainbow.” She scolded.

“Hey, it was the only way I could think of to get you up. Besides, it was pretty funny.” She added with another chuckle. Twilight didn’t respond, instead opting to continue her glare as she got out of bed.

“Fine. Now go get Spike up, and tell him to make some breakfast.” The unicorn didn’t wait for a reply as she trotted swiftly out of the room and into the bathroom. Once she was in she grabbed her brush in her magic and began the rather boring task of getting the knots out of her mane as she levitated a tooth brush out of the medicine cabinet.

She watched her reflection in her mirror as she prepared herself for the day, her mind drifting back to the last week of her life. She went through every second she could remember, which was almost the entire thing. She thought back to that night, nearly a week ago, when she had finally told Rainbow Dash about her feelings, and when Rainbow said she did as well. The joy she had felt at that moment was something she had never felt before. It was better then gaining entrance to Celestia’s school. Better then any test she had ever aced. 

She smiled around the brush in her mouth as her mind moved to the next day; the day they had told their friends. Her smile didn’t even crack as she thought about what Rarity had said, it didn’t matter now. She supported them now. That’s all that mattered to her. The rest of her friends had been more then happy, something she was grateful for. She didn’t know why she had thought otherwise, but she did. So it was a huge relief to know she could put those fears to rest.

Then she moved to the party. That one night; that could be considered as her and Rainbow’s ‘first date’.  It was amazing. They had laughed together, ate together, she even convinced Rainbow to dance with her once. Rainbow may deny it, but she could tell when the cyan pegasus enjoyed something. And she enjoyed that dance, whether she would admit it or not. Rarity nearly in tears, practically begging for forgiveness, even Twilight had to admit; that was funny to watch. Especially the look on her face when she realized the entire crowd had been staring at her.

The past four days had been simpler. It had been just her and Rainbow for the most part; doing whatever they felt like. Some nights they went out for dinner, and some they would spend in, lying together reading their books. Rainbow Dash had almost finished the Daring Do series, and Twilight had recently gotten some new textbooks from Celestia on modern magic. More often then not Rainbow found herself reading well into the night, and most of the time spending the night. The previous night had been no different.

Smiling contentedly, she spat and rinsed her mouth out quickly, her mane having been finished for some time now. She trotted happily down the stares to the main floor of the library. There she found Spike, standing in the middle of the room, a bewildered expression on his face. Papers and books were scattered across the room, the door swung gently on its hinges in the breeze coming from outside.

“Uh, Spike, what happened?” Spike was snapped out of his confusion by the lavender unicorn crossing the room to stand next to him. “And what happened in here?”

“Rainbow Dash, she took one look at the calendar and bolted out the door, she didn’t say anything, but she looked excited.” Spike answered, still staring at the chaos that had been created around him. Even some of the heavier books had been knocked off shelves.

“It looks like a cyclone blew through here!” Twilight went about the task of neatly stacking the papers back on the various tables around the room. Before Twilight could ask another question, a cyan blur flew in threw the open door, a high pitched squeal following closely behind.

“OMYGOSHOMYGOSHOMYGOSH!” Dash rattled of as she dashed in front of Twilight and pulled their muzzles together, taking Twilight by surprise.

“Rainbow?” Twilight asked, breaking the unexpected kiss and raising an eyebrow at the obviously excited mare.

“I did it, Twi! I got in! I’m a Wonderbolt!” Dash shouted, drawing Twilight back in for another brief kiss before holding up a piece of parchment.

“I got the letter today, just when they said I would!” She all but shoved the thing down Twilight’s throat as the unicorn took it in her magic and held it at an angle easier for her to see.


Dear Rainbow Dash

We are pleased to inform you that after your spectacular job at the Training Academy, it was unanimous. You have been accepted into the Wonderbolts. You are to report to the Cloudsdale arena on the fourth of this month. While we are aware this is very short notice, as you should receive this on the first, but we need to get a few things sorted before the show. Be there at 7 AM sharp.

-The Wonderbolts

“Rainbow! This is great news!” Twilight smiled as she wrapped her leg around Rainbow’s neck, giving her a quick hug before releasing her and setting the letter on the table.

“It’s more then great! It’s AWESOME! I’m a Wonderbolt… Rainbow Dash Wonderbolt… Rainbow Dash the Wonderbolt? I dunno, will have to think of the title later.” Dash shrugged and looked toward Spike, currently placing and assortment of books back on the shelves. “So, breakfast?”

He grumbled as he walked towards her, dropping a stack of books in front of her and making his way to the kitchen.

-_-_-_-

“C’mon Twi! We’re gonna be late! When they say 7AM sharp, they mean 7 AM exactly, not two minutes after 7, not 30 seconds after 7, 7 SHARP!” Rainbow whined, waiting for Twilight to finish whatever nerdy thing the bookworm was working on that had to be finished. It was time for her to become a Wonderbolt, and Twilight had decided she needed to finish her project before they left.

“We won’t be late, besides, this is important.” Twilight waved a hoof, dismissing her whining as she put the finishing touches on her project. “There, now we can go!” She said triumphantly, levitating a small box with her as she trotted over to the door and the impatient pegasus.

“What you’re not even going to show me what was so important I had to risk being late?” Rainbow cocked her head as Twilight trotted past her out the door.

“It’s a surprise.” She said simply before turning around. “Are we going or not?”

Rainbow grumbled about secrets and annoying marefriend’s, but followed her outside anyway, crouching down and motioning to her back with a wing. “Get on.” Twilight gladly accepted the invitation, this was not the first time Rainbow had flown her somewhere. She climbed carefully onto the cyan mare’s back, being sure to avoid the wings before wrapping her hooves around Rainbow’s neck and squeezing, informing Rainbow she was ready to go.

“Let’s go!” With that Dash took off quickly, arching towards Cloudsdale, the cloud city lying half way between Ponyville and Canterlot. A thin Rainbow trail followed her as she pumped her wings harder then normal; she wasn’t quite used to carrying another pony yet.

Within ten minutes Cloudsdale was on the horizon and rapidly expanding before them. It wasn’t long before Rainbow could see the massive clock on the main weather building; 6:56. Beating her wings a little harder the first clouds of the city sped by below her, a few houses placed further away from the noise of the mane weather district.

In another minute they were above the weather district, the arena clearly visible. She risked a glance back at the clock, 6:58. She willed her wings to move just a little faster. Once she was sure she was close enough she began to slow down, just enough to land. She touched down at the front gate to the arena, the clock reading 6:59.

“Made it!” Dash cried triumphantly as she knelt down, allowing Twilight to get off her back. Her hooves touched down on the clouds, firm as stone thanks to her cloud walking spell. “No, I need to get in there; I’ll be back out as soon as I can, alright?” Dash turned to face Twilight.

“Go on, I’ll-” She was cut short by the clock ringing, announcing the fact that it was 7 AM.

“BYE!” Dash yelled, galloping into the arena.

“Bye.” Twilight called, her box still floating next to her head.

-_-_-_-

Dash emerged nearly an hour later. Twilight had found a bench to sit on and waited patiently. Noticing the cyan pegasus Twilight rose from the bench and began her approach. When Twilight was a little closer she noticed the slow, sluggish steps Rainbow was taking. That combined with her head, which was hung so low hat it was nearly brushing against the cloud floor, told her something was wrong. A frown formed on her face as she picked up the pace, noticing Rainbow’s cyan ears were laid flat against her skull.

“How was it?” Twilight called as soon as she was within earshot. Rainbow Dash didn’t respond. Instead she continued her slow, sad journey across the clouds. It wasn’t long before she reached the unicorn, and by then her eyes were already moist.

“We can’t… be… together.” Dash said quietly, standing a few steps away.

“W-what?” Twilight’s mind was reeling. Had she really heard what she thought she did? Did Rainbow really say that? Did she really mean it? 

“If I’m going to be a Wonderbolt I have to stay with them most of the time. I won’t have time for a relationship… I’m sorry, Twi, but I only get one weekend a month off, and that’s not enough time to keep this going.” She tried to hold her head up, tried to put on a confident smile, but it shattered like her tears hitting the cloud below them. Rarely did she cry. Rarer still did she let somepony else see her cry.

“N-no, we can make it work! We can… we can do something! Anything, just… don’t say it’s over… please…” Twilight fell back onto her haunches, tears filling her vision. “Please don’t say it’s over.”

“Can we make it work?” Dash asked doubtfully. She knew it wouldn’t work. She knew Twilight knew it wouldn’t work.

“We can at least try. Maybe we can make it work!” Twilight sounded hopeful, like she really believed in her own words. That was a lie; Dash knew it was a lie.

“I know when you’re lying, Twi.” Rainbow deadpanned, her tears still flowing freely.

“It doesn’t matter! We should at least try!” Twilight yelled angrily, though she was angrier with herself then at anything else. She felt selfish for this. She knew it was wrong, but she had to try. She couldn’t lose Rainbow. Not now, not ever. 

“Alright… we’ll try.” Dash nodded after a few minutes of silence, quickly wiping away her tears. “Maybe it’ll work out.” She reached over and pulled Twilight into a hug.

“The first month will be over before you know it.” She whispered into a lavender ear, earning a twitch and the lavender hooves around her tightening.

-_-_-_-

Twilight sighed as she stood out on her balcony, the moon high in the sky.

“Over before I know it.” Twilight repeated sadly, glancing back at her calendar. A date circled with a large cyan circle. Only 3 days away.

“It felt like so much more then a month.” She sighed again, returning inside her tree and walking to her bedroom. Walking slowly over to her bed and getting in. She had never felt so alone in her life. Her house felt empty without an energetic pegasus hovering around constantly. They may have never ‘officially’ moved in together, but it was close enough for her. It had been two weeks. They had only been together for two weeks and she could hardly stand being away from her rainbow maned marefriend. 

A tear rolled its way down her check as she grabbed a spare pillow with a flick of her horn. She guided it gently over to her bed, levitating it below the covers where she wrapped her hooves around it. She wished it would hug her back. She wished it wasn’t just a pillow. She wished it was Rainbow Dash.

She fell asleep like that more often then she cared to admit. Hugging a pillow, pretending it was the cyan pegasus she desperately wanted to hold instead.

-_-_-_-

“Twi?” Dash called out into the dark library. It was mid-day; ponies were bustling about the street outside of the library. She took a few hesitant steps into the eerie blackness before her. As soon as her hoof touched the floor, she was wrapped in a magenta glow and drug inside the blackness, the door slammed shut behind her and the windows around the library opened simultaneously, flooding the room with light. Before Rainbow could utter a single word in protest her vision was filled with a flash of light, followed by violet eyes as she felt a familiar pressure on her lips.

She allowed her eyes to slide shut in sync with Twilight’s as they stood together. Twilight wrapped her hooves around Rainbow’s neck, the pegasus doing the same. Rainbow felt Twilight’s tongue brush gently against her lips, politely asking for entrance. Rainbow obliged as she opened her mouth, allowing the warm muscle to slip inside. It fought against her own; both trying to win an imaginary competition. Rainbow won (as always) as she pushed back against Twilight, her own tongue slipping into the warm confines of Twilight’s mouth. Exploring every nook and cranny it could find, Twilight offered little resistance as let a low, pleasured moan reverberate in her throat: The vibrations escaping her own mouth into Rainbow’s.

It continued for a while before Twilight pulled back, breaking the kiss. A lone string of saliva joined the two, but the broke as they both started panting lightly.

“Hey.” Dash panted, still gazing into Twilight’s violet eyes.

“Hey.” She responded.

-_-_-_-

“Already?” Twilight whined, looking pleadingly at the cyan pegasus hovering just above her balcony.

“Yeah, gotta be in Manehatten by tonight, that’s about a five hour flight.” Dash said sadly, eyes glued to the floor as she spoke.

“Wait! Before you go, I made something for you. I never got a chance to give it to you before you were accepted last month, here.” Twilight levitated a small box over to the pegasus. It landed softly in one of her hooves. Wasting no time, she quickly nudged it open with her muzzle, revealing a rainbow lightning bolt on a purple six-pointed star background on a silver chain. Dash stayed there for a second, admiring the amazing details. Each colour in the lightning bolt was a row of tiny, round gems. The outlines were silver like the chain, and the purple star glistened brightly in the morning light.

“Do you like it?” Twilight asked nervously, scraping a hoof slowly along the ground as she turned her head to the side.

“Like it? Twilight, it’s beautiful, I love it!” Dash’s smile brought a similar one to Twilight’s lips as she took the necklace out of the box in a magenta glow. It the chain floated over Rainbow’s head and secured itself snugly around her neck, the small emblem dangling down to her chest.

“I’m glad, it took a lot of favours to get it on such short notice, but I think it was worth it. Now you’ll have something to remember me by, just don’t lose it!” Twilight poked Rainbow playfully on the nose, causing the pegasus to chuckle lightly as she rubbed her nose.

“I wouldn’t lose this. I just wish I had something to give you…” Rainbow trailed off as she looked around for something to give the lavender unicorn.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to-” She was cut off by Dash’s triumphant shout as she reached under her wing. After a second her wing twitched and she withdrew her head.

“Here.” She mumbled around a blue feather in her mouth. It was slightly smaller then a quill.

“Didn’t that hurt?” Twilight winced as she imagined pulling out a bunch of fur.

“Nah, we shed regularly, I’m fine. Now take it.” Dash pushed her head toward Twilight. Twilight took the feather in her magic and brought it closer to her face for inspection.

“It’s… beautiful…” She stared, mesmerized at the feather for a few seconds before shaking her head slightly and bringing it up to tuck it between her ear and her head. It rested proudly, sticking out slightly over her face as she beamed back and Rainbow

“Nothing compared to this.” She said, bashfully batting at the piece of jewellery hanging around her neck. “Oh hey, we’re doing a show in Canterlot in a few weeks, think you can make it? It’s on me.” She offered, thankful to change the subject from the mushy-gushy stuff she still wasn’t completely comfortable with.

“I’ll be there!” Twilight smiled. Rainbow smiled back for a second before she took notice of one of Twilight’s clocks (she had a lot scattered around the library) and her face fell.

“Aw nuts, I got to. I’ll see you at the show!” She leaned down and gave the unicorn a quick kiss before she turned and launched into the horizon. Twilight stood and watched until even her rainbow trail had faded into the blue of sky.


> All Good Things
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

All Good Things

Twilight stood, awe struck in front of the Canterlot arena. It was a huge marble building, pillars in much the same style as the one in Cloudsdale lined the outside. The only thing that wasn’t white marble was the obsidian floor along with the golden chandelier hanging over the entrance. Having been raised in Canterlot she had both seen and been in it before, but it still managed to dazzle the lavender unicorn. The only thing she didn’t like about it was the massive multicoloured group of ponies that formed something resembling a line. She sighed as she stood on the tips of her hooves, looking over the ponies in front of her.

“Great. At this rate I’ll never get in.” She slouched back down onto her hooves as she stuck her lower lip out into a pout.

“Excuse me, but are you Twilight Sparkle?” A pony asked from behind her. She turned around to reveal a tan pegasus floating behind her wearing a red tie and a semi-formal white shirt.

“I am. Who are you?” She gazed questioningly at the pegasus behind her. She noticed he wore a pin on his shirt in the shape of the Wonderbolts logo.

“That doesn’t matter. Come with me.” Without another word or a missed beat he landed beside Twilight and started pushing through the crowd with relative ease. Twilight’s mouth was hung open as she tried to ask more questions, but before she could start he had already disappeared into the crowd. She had no choice but to follow him through the all-consuming horde of ponies.

Within a few minutes they had pushed through the majority of the crowd. Looking up, Twilight realized she was almost directly in front of the arena, though instead of continuing forward through the gates, they turned around and went to the side of the building. At first Twilight didn’t see anything, but upon closer inspection she saw a small door, guarded by a buff looking earth pony in a black shirt.

“Uh, what’s going on?” Twilight placed a hoof on her escort’s shoulder, drawing an annoyed grunt.

“You’ve been given VIP access by one of the Wonderbolts.” He replied, obviously annoyed as he shrugged her hoof of and approached the guard. He nodded at him, and in return he nodded back before stepping aside. The pegasus walked over and opened the door, motioning Twilight inside.

Once she was inside she heard the pegasus say “Top floor, straight through the door.” Before the door was slammed shut. Looking ahead she was met by a dimly lit staircase leading up. The usually deafening noise of the crowd outside was nothing but a low murmur from within the back stairwell.

Without another second’s hesitation she began the climb up the stairwell. The stairs were like the rest of the arena floor; made of a smooth obsidian tile surrounded by marble walls. The imperfections in the marble gave the stairs a level of depth, the black cracks of rock running in seemingly random patterns over the walls. Each one connected to another.

In a few minutes she reached the very top of the stairs. In front of her stood a very elegant marble door, detailed in gold and obsidian. She pushed the door open as the light of day flooded the stairwell and momentarily blinded her. She raised a hoof to shield her eyes, squinting as she tried to see where she ended up. After a moment her eyes adjusted enough to see the arena stretch out around in a circle in front of a balcony. But the thing her eyes were drawn to was not the pre-show stunt team flying in the arena. Nor was it the multi coloured stands filled with cheering ponies or the spectacular view. Instead her eyes were draw to the centre of the balcony. There sat a pegasus in a Wonderbolt uniform, her chromatic mane blowing lightly in the wind, her cyan wings a perfect match for the feather Twilight had tucked safely behind her ear. Around her neck hung a silver chain, at the lowest point, just above her chest, was a rainbow coloured lightning bolt on the background of a purple, six-pointed star. 

“Rainbow?” Twilight burst into a smile as the pegasus turned to face her, revealing bright pink eyes below the goggles resting on her forehead. Without warning she ran up and drew Twilight into a brief but passionate kiss.

“Hey, glad you could make it!” She smiled, releasing Twilight from her embrace and standing a step back.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world!” The unicorn replied happily, smiling brightly, matching Rainbow’s smile to a T. Rainbow just blushed and scratched the back of her neck sheepishly.

“Oh hey, check it out, I told you I wouldn’t lose it!” She grinned triumphantly as she motioned to the pendant around her neck. “They even said I could wear it during our shows.”

“That’s great, Rainbow, but shouldn’t you be getting ready?” Twilight motioned to the team doing some more basic tricks in the arena.

“Nah, we have a good half hour before we start, and we have this routine down pat. I figured we could spend some time together before the show.”

“I’d love that.”

-_-_-_-

Twilight sat happily as she watched the stunts being preformed in front of her. She had one of the best seats in the stadium, second only to the Princess’s seat when they attended. She watched a pegasus with a rainbow trail pull up, away from the rest of the group. She sped up, flying straight up towards the sky, a slight glint caught Twilight’s eye around her neck. Twilight’s smile widened as the mare stopped mid ascent and started her return, a white cone forming around her seconds before a brilliant rainbow ring filled the sky. Following closely after was a loud explosion, the rainbow trail leading away much thicker then normal, and heading straight for her balcony.

As it grew closer Twilight could make out the grin on her face, there eyes locked for a split second before she pulled up, inches from the balcony. She curved up and over the stadium, making a sparkling rainbow over the stadium and causing the crowd to erupt in applause and cheers. Suddenly, the loud speakers crackled to life, the voice of the announcer echoed through the arena.

“Fillies and gentelcolts, let’s hear it for the newest member of the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash!” If it was possible the crowd got even louder, even Twilight let out a few loud whistles and cheers as the Rainbow trail slowed down to a halt in the middle of the arena, flying alongside the rest of the group. 

“And that marks the end of today’s performance. We thank you for coming out today to watch this spectacular show, and we hope to see you all again!” With that the movement in the crowd increased as ponies began standing and shuffling out of their seats towards the doors. Twilight was about to do the same when Rainbow shot off from the rest of the team, flying up to her balcony with the biggest smile Twilight had ever seen on her face.

“Well, how was that?” She asked, puffing her chest out slightly, “Pretty awesome, if you ask me.”

“Yes Rainbow, you were amazing.” Twilight giggled at the cocky grin Rainbow gave her.

“Hey! Rainbow Dash! Get down here; we gotta get started on planning for our next show!” A voice called from somewhere below them. Both Rainbow’s and Twilight’s face fell; they both knew what that meant.

“That’s Spitfire, I’ll see ya my next break, k Twi?” She waved sadly as she started her decent, giving Twilight one final hug and kiss before she flew below the balcony to the makeshift command centre to begin the planning for the next show.

“Twilight sighed as she reached up and touched the feather in her ear, hanging her head as she turned back to the door.

-_-_-_-

Twilight rolled over in her bed, her blanket cocooned around her body as she glanced at the calendar on the wall opposite her bed. Her eyes fell first on the red x, marking the current day, and then finding her cyan circle that she was waiting for. Still two weeks away. She sighed as she rolled beck over, covering her head from the afternoon sun with a spare pillow. Her eyes closed, her mind filling with images of a cyan pegasus.

“I miss you.” Twilight sighed, drifting off to yet another dreamless sleep. She had done this for the past 3 days, ever since she got back from the show. She barely ate, only eating when Spike came in with a plate of food and practically forced it down her throat. And even then she didn’t get out of bed. Her logical mind was screaming at her to do something, but her heart weighed too heavily in her chest to even get up. She didn’t have the energy to do anything anymore. To make things worse each and every one of her friends had tried to cheer her up. They were just trying to be helpful, but all they did was remind her that they were missing somepony. They were missing Rainbow Dash.

Twilight snorted, Element of Loyalty, chooses fame over her friends. Meanwhile she stayed behind, trying her best to keep the group together without her. It was hard, but for the first month she had managed. But now? She could barely get out of bed most days. And on those rare days she had enough energy to leave her room all she did was sit in the library and look at pictures. Pictures of her and Dash during the short two weeks they had been together, or from before they were together. Any picture containing the cyan pegasus. 

-_-_-_-

“Hey Twi, I’m back!” Rainbow called happily, stepping into the library. Though this time, instead of being draw in, or kissed passionately, or even so much as a ‘hello’, there was silence. She made her way fully inside the library, swivelling her ears around to try and locate her missing marefriend. Eventually she picked up on a sound, emanating from the second floor. Curiosity forcing her to investigate, she climbed the stairs. 

The top of the stairs revealed a dark hallway, the sound coming from the door on her right; Twilight’s room. She pushed the door open gently with her hoof. In the darkness she could see nothing but the rough shapes of a desk and a bed. Though as her eyes adjusted, she began to see more details, there were papers and books spread everywhere across the floor. Some of them stacked in the middle of the floor, some looking as if they had been thrown at the wall, and some just lying on the floor like a bookshelf had fallen over. She turned her head to the side where she noticed a calendar, a date circled in a cyan circle and red X’s through half the dates. The X’s stopped at the 20th, today was the 31st: The same date that was circled.

Her eyes were drawn from the calendar back to the bed, where she could now make out a lump under the covers, shaking lightly as the sound from earlier continued, the sound of somepony sobbing.

“Twi?” She ventured cautiously closer to the bed. If the unicorn heard her she made no mention of it, as she kept sobbing on the bed, under the covers.

“Twilight?” Dash called a little louder, this time Twilight stopped crying, but still did nothing. Deciding she had had enough, Rainbow walked the rest of the distance over to the bed, ripping the covers of in one quick motion, revealing a lavender unicorn. Her coat had dulled, no longer the vibrant lavender it used to be. Her mane and tail hollow memories of what they used to be. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, missing the brightness that usually filled them. She stared back at Rainbow Dash, no emotion showing in her features. She didn’t look sad, yet somehow this was worse. She just looked lifeless, like she was nothing but a walking corpse, though she didn’t feel much different.

“T-Twilight?” Rainbow gasped, not expecting the appearance of what used to be the mare she loved. Instead it was just a hollow, empty vessel. A distant memory of the mare she had seen just three weeks ago.

“Rainbow Dash.” Twilight greeted stoically, the only evidence that she had been crying were the tears on her cheeks. Other then that she showed no emotion. Rainbow could see nothing other then dull acceptance in her eyes.

“Twilight? What’s wrong? What happened to you?” Rainbow stared, dumfounded at the clearly un-well mare in front of her.

“Nothing, I’ve just been thinking, and I’ve decided, finally.” Twilight answered calmly, her lifeless eyes staring back at Rainbow’s bright pink ones.

“Decided what?” Dash asked cautiously, tilting her head slightly.

“That it’s time for you to choose: Me or the Wonderbolts.” Twilight’s voice was flat. There were no emotions or feelings in those words. She meant what she said and nothing more.

“W-what are you talking about?” Rainbow’s jaw hung slack at the decision presented to her.

“You need to choose, me or the Wonderbolts. I can’t keep this up, Rainbow. If you choose me, you quit the Wonderbolts, if you choose the Wonderbolts, we break up, then we can both move on. I won’t hold your choice against you.” Twilight said, her voice was still empty and serious. 

“I… Twi, where did this come from?” Rainbow was still in a state of shock. This was not the Twilight she knew. This was not the mare she loved.

“I can’t focus anymore. I’m too busy thinking about you; too busy worrying if you’ve found another mare, or if you’re coming home. I can’t focus while we’re still together while you’re in the Wonderbolts. I can't think about anything but you. So make your choice. You have until the end of your break to come to me with an answer. Until then, you can leave.” With that Twilight sank back below her covers, forcefully shutting down any protest from the rainbow maned mare.

For a while Rainbow stood there, staring at the breathing mass below the covers. Finally, with a shake of her head, she took off out the window, tears already falling from her eyes. She had to choose between love and dreams. How was she supposed to do that? She flew aimlessly for a while, mostly just flying in circles above the library. She didn’t understand what was going on or why, but Twilight had sounded serious, and when Twilight was serious, she was not going to back down. But did she really expect her to choose between the Wonderbolts, her life long dream, or Twilight, the mare she loved?

Flying helped her think, but today it did nothing but remind her that she had to choose between flying and love. She landed on the first cloud she spotted, immediately collapsing and crying. She couldn’t choose the Wonderbolts over Twilight, never. But could she give them up for Twilight? She looked down to her neck, the necklace Twilight had given her still hung around her, shining slightly in the afternoon sun. She looked out to the Everfree Forest. It was then that a thought came to her mind. An old story Pinkie had told her. It had gotten out of hoof once, but maybe, just maybe, it would work. She hated seeing Twilight like that, it just wasn’t her. And she knew it would only get worse if she chose the Wonderbolts, no matter what Twilight said. But at the same time she couldn’t bring herself to give up her life long dream. A compromise had to be made, and she had the perfect solution.

She jumped of the cloud, and with one powerful flap of her wings she was on her way to the Everfree Forest.

> Rainbow and Dash
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rainbow and Dash

“Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines.” Rainbow muttered the rhyme as she pushed her way through a particularly thick bush. Her mane was a mess, twigs and leaves practically turned the rainbow of colours into a dull brown due to how many there were. Her coat was no better; tangled and matted, a few scratches showing from particularly sharp branches. She would have much rather flown, but the trees made it impossible for her to see anything from above, forcing her to follow Pinkie’s old story.

She emerged on the other side of the bush, sporting a new and particularly deep cut across her cheek. She felt a single bead of blood trickle down her cheek before raising a hoof to wipe it away. She looked around, realizing she was in a small clearing. In the centre was a large grey stone, half buried in a hole of some kind.

“Twilight mentioned she plugged it.” She grumbled approaching the rock and poking at it with a hoof. “Now how am I supposed to get down there?”

As if on command the ground shook slightly as the rock fell a few inches down the hole. Curious, she stomped on it, causing it to fall quite a distance. He lips spread into a smile as she jumped down the hole, landing on the rock with a solid thump before continuing further towards the cavern said to hold the Mirror Pool.

A few more minutes of stomping and jumping let the rock finally fall away from the tunnel that was just barely big enough for it, rolling to the side to reveal a large cavern with a pool in the centre. The cavern was lit with mushrooms and various other luminous plant-life that let off a soft light.

Rainbow didn’t waste her time as she approached to pool and looked into it. Staring back up at her was herself, a confident smile on her face. She took a second to admire herself and her brilliant idea before thinking back to Pinkie’s rhyme.

“And into her own reflection she stared… yearning for one who’s reflection she shared… uh, how did it go? Oh right, and solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!” As she spoke the final words the pool started to shift, a few ripples emanating from the edge. The ripples slowly turned to bubbles, then to a cyan head with a rainbow mane. The head was followed by a pegasus body; cyan wings a perfect match for her own.

“It worked!” Dash cried happily, thrusting a hoof into the air. Her clone stared blankly at her for a second before opening her wings and cocking her head.

“Race?” She asked inquisitively.

“Uh, sure, but for now we need to sort some things out. First, though, what should we call you?” Rainbow sat back on her flank, her front hoof rising to rub her chin thoughtfully. “I know! I’ll be Rainbow, and you can be Dash, sound good?”

“Race?” Dash asked curiously, flapping her wings and hovering in the air.

“Not now. We’ll need to teach you a few things. Come on.” Rainbow led Dash back up the tunnel to the entrance.

-_-_-_-

“You know what you need to do?” Rainbow asked, peeking out from behind a bush across the street from a tree.

“Yep, I need to go find Twilight, my marefriend, and tell her I chose her over the Wonderbolts, my life long dream. From then on we can live happily; all I need to do is keep her and her friends away from anything Wonderbolt related to keep our secret safe.” Dash responded, puffing her chest out proudly at the fool proof plan.

“Excellent, now go on, the sooner the better, she didn’t look too healthy when I saw her.” Rainbow shuttered as she remembered the pale, sickly looking unicorn she had seen earlier that day. With a nod Dash walked towards the library and knocked on the door. Rainbow sighed sadly as she looked up, the sun had just gone down and the moon was just peaking over the horizon. It had been a hard decision, deciding where she would go, either to stay with Twilight or stay with the Wonderbolts. In the end she had decided to stay with the Wonderbolts. In the end it came down to the fact that everypony would be happier that way. She could fulfill her life long dream, and Twilight and her friends could stay happy. It was a win-win scenario.

She took off into the air with a powerful flap and started making her way back to Cloudsdale, only to stop and turn around. She looked sadly at the scene before her. There was Dash, her clone, being kissed passionately by Twilight. She felt a tear threaten to leave her eyes as something dawned on her; she could never see Twilight or any of her friends again. They would be happy, but would she? Sure, she had the Wonderbolts, her life long dream and long time goal, but was it worth it? And if she changed her mind now, was it too late? What would Twilight say when she walked up behind them and told her what happened and what she was going to do? She didn’t know and she didn’t want to find out. She took of as fast as her wings could carry her, her necklace bouncing against her chest as tears forced their way out of her eyes.

“Element of Loyalty. Who am I being loyal to now? The Wonderbolts? Myself? Certainly not my friends or Twilight. But who takes priority?” Rainbow’s thought bombarded her until she could no longer see Ponyville. There was no going back now. She forced her eyes to dry and shoved her thoughts to the back of her mind. Filling it instead with thoughts of her next show. Her new stunts she was working on, anything except a tree library and a lavender unicorn.

-_-_-_-

Twilight stayed in her bed, wrapped in her blanket in her darkened room, tears both fresh and old staining her cheeks. Even now she wanted to cry, but she had no more tears to use. She gripped a picture to her chest with her hooves; her and Rainbow Dash, flying through the sky as the sun was setting behind them. Twilight was glad she brought her camera with her that day; her very first flight with Rainbow. She scrunched her eyes tightly as a new wave of tears washed over her. She remembered giving Rainbow the ultimatum, remembered her dumfounded reaction, and remembered telling her to get out. She wished she could undo every second of it.

Did she really expect Rainbow to choose her over the Wonderbolts? No, not really, but at least then Rainbow could move on. Twilight wouldn’t hold her back anymore.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

She was about to call for Spike when she remembered she had sent him away. She had sent him up to Canterlot on some bogus errand she couldn’t even remember so he would be out of the way when Rainbow came home. But now she had a problem; there was somepony at the door, and Twilight didn’t want to get out of bed.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Whoever it was they were being persistent. Gathering what strength she could muster, Twilight stood slowly from her bed, her blanket still wrapped around her shoulders. As she approached he door she passed her desk, sitting on top was a pristine cyan feather. With a flick of her horn she put it back where it belonged; behind her ear. She may lose Rainbow Dash, but she’d still have her feather. She would never forget her.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“ALRIGHT!” Twilight yelled, her annoyance giving her the energy to make it down the stairs and to the door. She opened it, fully intending to chew out anypony who would disturb her at such an hour. To her shock, opening the door revealed a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and a confident smile on her face.

“R-Rainbow?” Twilight stuttered, taken aback at the sudden appearance.

“I choose you!” Rainbow said proudly, her smile widening to a grin as she puffed her chest out. Her eyes flashed to the side briefly, to brief for Twilight to see where she looked, but long enough that she noticed it. He mind, however, didn’t pay attention to it as she wrapped a hoof around Rainbow’s neck, dragging her in for a kiss.

When she broke the kiss she caught a glimpse of something shiny out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look at it, only for the dark of the night conceal it from her. Her focus was brought back to Dash as she gave her one more hug and motioned to the inside of the library. “Mind if I crash here tonight?”

“Of course, Rainbow.” Twilight smiled brightly as she stepped aside, letting Dash into her house. Whatever she had seen was instantly forgotten as she watched her marefriend trot happily into her home. Into her life.

-_-_-_-

Twilight awoke the next morning to the sun streaming through her windows like she had countless times before. But this time was different, this time she wasn’t alone. This time there were cyan legs wrapped around her midsection; holding her tightly to a cyan body behind her. The steady rising and falling of Rainbow’s chest nearly rocking her back to sleep as her heart pulsed rhythmically against her back. She smiled as she closed her eyes. How many times had she awoken without the safe feeling she now had? Too many for her to count, but now it all seamed like a bad dream. Rainbow was there, with her, for her. 

Her sigh caused the pegasus to shift. She too opened her eyes.

“Morning Twilight.” She said groggily.

“That’s odd; she normally calls me Twi, especially in the morning.” Twilight thought, but quickly pushed the errant thought out of her mind. There was no reason for her to doubt Rainbow, not after she had chosen her over the Wonderbolts.

“Morning Rainbow.” Twilight replied, rubbing her eyes to clear her vision. Today was a big day, and they needed to get up. They had to tell their friends about her decision; Pinkie would probably throw a party. Twilight giggled at the thought, Pinkie would throw a party for any happy occasion, but was it still happy when Rainbow had to give up her dream for it?

“Not morning yet, you can get up if you want, but I’m sleeping in.” Rainbow released her grip on Twilight and rolled over. Again Twilight found this odd; Rainbow never slept in once she was up. Twilight just sighed and chalked it up to the stress of being a Wonderbolt for two months and got out of bed. She headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. The cyan feather discarded on her desk. She didn’t need it anymore; she had the real thing now.

> Regret
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regret

“Hey! Rainbow Dash! What was that? You’re flying like a rookie!” Spitfire yelled, catching up behind Rainbow as she flew slowly towards the showers.

“What? Oh, sorry, Spitfire. I just have a lot on my mind right now. I’ll be fine.” Dash gave a very unconvincing smile as she flew a little faster; hoping Spitfire would drop it there.

“It’s about that marefriend of yours, isn’t it?” Spitfire’s voice dropped from that of an annoyed team leader to that of a concerned friend. A voice she rarely used. Rainbow remained silent as she continued her flight path.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Dash stated flatly, dashing off before she could protest. Spitfire just watched her go, shaking her head. 

“You only need to ask.” She mumbled before turning and heading to her makeshift office in the Trottingham Sports Arena

-_-_-_-

Rainbow flew until Trottingham was nothing but a speck in the distance. She finally came to a stop, scanning the horizon. Eventually her eyes stopped, landing on the thing she had been looking for. Another flap her wings carried her over to a white cloud. Nothing special, just a regular cumulus, but to Dash it was a save haven. Somewhere she could relax and think, away from the rest of the world.

Once she landed she collapsed onto her stomach, burying her face into the cloud. She breathed deeply, trying to stop the tears she could already feel coming. She rolled over onto her back, gazing up and the light blue sky. Her hoof rose of its own accord to the pendant around her neck, holding it at arm’s length above her face. That did it. She chocked back sob as she looked at the beautiful piece of jewellery. She had not taken it off since it was first given to her, not even to sleep.

Her mind had not once been able to shove the purple unicorn out of her thoughts. Every waking second she thought about her. She even appeared in her dreams, and she had seen her just 3 days ago! But it wasn’t how long it had been since she saw her last, no, it was how long until she could see her again; never. She had tried night and day to convince herself it was the right choice, being loyal meant nothing if you didn’t know who to be loyal to. And she didn’t know who to be loyal to, or who she was being loyal to. She had made Twilight and her friends happy, and she had fulfilled her dreams. She should be happy, thrilled even.

But she wasn’t. And she never could be again. She had given up her friendships for her own selfish dreams. She could make new friends, but they would never fill the spot that her current friends held. She knew that while she was out here, they would be back in Ponyville; happily living there lives with her clone. They would be living a lie. She had lied to each and every one of her friends, without flinching. What kind of friend was she? What kind of friend uses some brain-dead clone so she can go live her dreams without the guilt of leaving her friends behind? What self-centred mare leaves her marefriend with a cheep imitation of the pony she loves? She was right the first time, all those months ago; she didn’t deserve Twilight, and she never would.

-_-_-_-

“Why’d you choose me?” Twilight asked quietly, looking up from the book she had been trying to read for the past half hour. Her mind kept wandering, so much so that she had barely made it two paragraphs in.

“How could I not?” Rainbow answered calmly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I would never leave you, or any of our friends, for that matter. It just took me a while to realize it.” She sighed and laid back into the couch, resting her head on her fore-hooves.

“You don’t have to do nothing. I did get the new Daring Do books in.” Twilight said, tempting the pegasus with her favourite series.

“Daring-what?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head in confusion at the name she had never before heard. Twilight just sat there, stunned. Rainbow forget about Daring Do? Never! Suddenly, and idea formed in her head. It explained all the things Rainbow had been doing recently. Not once had she called her ‘Twi’ or ‘egghead’, she seemed to actually pay close attention to her when she talked about her books, and, for some reason Twilight couldn’t explain, she wanted to cook instead of Spike. There was something fishy about this, and Twilight didn’t like what her mind was telling her.

“Hey Rainbow, where’s you’re necklace?” She asked cautiously, standing from her pillow on the floor and taking a cautious step back.

“What necklace? You know I don’t like jewellery, Twilight.” Rainbow stood from the couch as well, a confused expression still on her face.

“I need to go check on something, I’ll be right back.” With that there was a bright flash as Twilight teleported out of the room, sparing no time for any argument Dash may have had.

Twilight reappeared in the same fashion she had disappeared, this time she was outside, on the outskirts of Ponyville. Before her stood the Everfree forest, it’s dark trees seeming to reach out to her, shrouding the inside in darkness, even in the after noon sun. The idea she had formed was ridiculous, crazy. Rainbow Dash would never do that. And yet it lined up with ever solid fact she had. She knew it wasn’t true, but she had to be sure, and there was one way she could be.

Taking a deep breath to steady her shaking legs she ventured into the forest. She had done this many times, whether it was to visit Zecora’s or for some other reason, Twilight wasn’t scared of the forest anymore, especially in the middle of the day. No, what scared her was what she might find. The thought that her hunch was correct. The thought that she was living a lie.

She walked down a path she was familiar with, a path worn down thanks to the aid of a cart, pulled by Big Macintosh just a few months prior. A path she assumed would never be used again. As she got closer to her destination her progress slowed. The path itself was easier to follow, but her willingness to follow it weakened. Her resolve for truth vanished as she realized what could very well be true. She didn’t want to know if she was right. If she was right, she didn’t have to know. She could continue living her life with Rainbow Dash, never knowing or needing to know if she was right or wrong. She could be happy, as could all her friends. They would have Rainbow Dash, no matter what would be revealed should she continue down this path.

It was tempting, to just turn around and go home, leave the mystery alone so she could be happy. But would she still be happy? Knowing how likely this possibility was? And if the truth leaked out, and somepony found out that she knew, what would happen then? They would blame her. They would be mad at her for hiding something like this. They would shun her. No matter how hard half of her tried to turn around, the other half pushed harder for her to continue. It would be better to find out now and fix it. It would be better. She repeated that in her mind over and over again, trying, and failing, to crush her resistance. She kept her hooves barely moving along the path though the temptation would not leave her. They say ignorance is bliss, and in this case it could very well be true.

Before she could decide what to do it was too late; the path opened to a clearing. In the centre was a hole, and hole that should have been covered by a rock. A hole with two pairs of hoof prints leading away from it before suddenly stopping, as if their owners had taken off into the sky itself. Break would have been an understatement, Twilight’s heart shattered.

Twilight fell to her haunches; tears long forgotten came back and spilled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. Rainbow had cloned herself. Rainbow, the real Rainbow, was with the Wonderbolts, not her. Rainbow had chosen her dream over her, like she thought she would. She knew it didn’t make sense for Rainbow to give up on her dreams so easily. Mixed with her misery was another emotion, however; anger. Rainbow had lied to her and all her friends. Rainbow had abandoned her, leaving her clone to pick up the slack. Rainbow had broken her promise.

Her tears stopped like somepony had thrown a switch. Every bit of sadness she had felt turned into pure rage. She lit up her horn for a brief second before she teleported back to the library, appearing with a pop in front of the cyan pegasus.

“Hey Twilight, where’d you go?” She asked calmly. Twilight didn’t answer, instead she charged her horn, the spell to send the clones back refreshing itself in her memory.

“You’re Rainbow Dash, correct?” She asked in a low, controlled voice. Rainbow looked at her like she was crazy.

“Uh, yeah, the one and only!” Rainbow puffed her chest out.

“Then you won’t mind if I use the spell to send clones back to the Mirror Pool on you, right?” She tilted her head down in a threatening position, aimed directly at Rainbow’s chest.

“Whoa, I’m no clone; I’ve never even made a clone, no need to do that!” As much as she tried to control it, panic still leaked into her voice. She back away from the unicorn who could easily end her life.

“If that’s true, then this spell will do nothing. While it is possible for me to send the original back to the pool, it is not possible for me to send somepony who has never made a clone back. When you make a clone you are marked magically, as is your clone, this spell has a safety so I can’t send ponies that don't have that magic mark to the pool. So if you’re not a clone, and have never made one, then this spell will do nothing.” Before she could argue her way out of it Twilight asked one more question.

“Did I ever give you a necklace?”

“No, I told you I hate jewellery, you know that. See, it’s all me!” Rainbow insisted.

“Wrong answer.” Twilight sighed sadly as she let her spell go, flying at Rainbow before surrounding her, trapping her in a magical glow before causing the clone to collapse upon itself and fly out an open window.

Twilight collapsed onto the floor and cried. She could have lived happily with the clone. It was nearly perfect. She could have never thought of the Mirror Pool and just assumed any changes were from the stress of being a Wonderbolt. She could have lived a lie and been perfectly happy. Just like Rainbow Dash was happy, leaving her friends with a clone to keep them happy while she lived her dream. Once again Twilight’s sorrow turned to rage at the very thought of the cyan pegasus who had lied to her, if indirectly. She had broken her promise, abandoned her with a clone to live a lie, and lived happily without a care in the world. She had a thing or two to say, and she knew for a fact there was a Wonderbolt show happening in Cloudsdale in a week. The girls would probably like to come as well. Twilight did not smile at her plan. Her frown only deepened. Rainbow was happy; she couldn’t find it in her to take that away. No matter what Rainbow had done to her, she couldn’t intentionally hurt Rainbow. Not now that she had her dream come true.

She regretted that the last thing she had said to the real Rainbow Dash was forcing her to choose between her dream and her love. No more would she bother Rainbow Dash. No longer would she hold her back.

-_-_-_-

Rainbow flew lazily in the air. She didn’t want to fly for the first time in her life. For the first time ever she would rather walk then fly. She lived for the sky, and now she yearned for the ground. Flying made her happy; she didn’t deserve to be happy. Not after what she had done. She deserved to be miserable, not to fly - care free - through the sky. She didn’t deserve to smile as she felt the wind in her mane and the adrenaline pumping through her body. She deserved nothing less then sorrow and pain. And still she had no choice but to fly. She had to get off her cloud that she had spent hours on. Not napping like she normally did on such clouds. Instead she had spent hours crying, thinking about a lavender librarian and her friends in Ponyville. They were all happy; they had her clone and their lives, that’s all they needed. She couldn’t take that away from them.

And yet she still wanted to. She wanted to take her clone away, to go back into her own life. But she could never do that now. She had turned her back on them. Twilight had once told her she was scared of being abandoned, so what did she do? Abandon her. With or without Twilight’s knowledge, Rainbow had abandoned her. She had taken advantage of her one biggest fear. She landed silently on the ground. She was still some distance from the city, but that didn’t matter to her. She would walk until she could walk no longer. Her wings would not be used again; they were nothing but a reminder of what she gave up to use them.

She began the long walk back to Trottingham. How she would reach her next show she didn’t know. Maybe she wouldn’t reach the next show. Maybe she would quit as soon as she got back to Spitfire. It was the only way she could even pretend she had made up for what she had done. But she knew it still wouldn’t be enough, it would never be enough. 

She thought back over her life: When she first moved to Ponyville with Fluttershy, meeting Applejack for work before she found her current weather job, Pinkie Pie at her welcome party, Rarity at the same party. Then Twilight that first day she was in Ponyville. For some reason she couldn’t place to this day she had an urge to impress her. She tried one of her new stunts, only for it to backfire when she failed and crash directly into her. Twilight may not have noticed the trick, but it did end up forcing them to meet. In the end it turned out well, finding out they embodied the elements. Freeing Luna from Nightmare Moon, and then Discord a year later, then her mind was drawn the Changeling invasion. Her walking stopped as she remembered what Cadence had said.

“They take to place of somepony you love.” Take the place… Rainbow mulled the sentence over in her head for a bit. Then an idea came to her. What if her and her cone switched places one night? Nopony would know, she could be in Twilight’s and her friends lives like nothing happened. She wouldn’t have to worry about the clone since she would be with the Wonderbolts. She could go back to her old life and nopony would be the wiser. She would make it up to Twilight that she had left her. She could undo at least some of the damage she had done.

She smiled as her wings spread. Now she had a reason to be happy, now she had a reason to fly. She would make the exchange tonight after Twilight and her clone had gone to bed. Twilight was a heavy sleeper, so she should be able to make the switch relatively easily. It was perfect, as fool proof as her original plan. She took of into the air, turning to Ponyville instead of Trottingham. It was just past noon now, she should make it just before sunset.

“Twilight, I’ll be there soon.”

> The Return
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Return

Rainbow arrived in Ponyville after sunset; the moon had long since begun its journey towards the centre of the sky. The town was dark save for a few lights streaming through the windows of the odd pony that was up this late. As her luck would have it, however, Twilight was one of those ponies. She crouched behind a bush, the same bush she had hidden behind 4 days ago when she made the clone take over for her. Even now she was repulsed by the idea that she had done that. Looking back was like looking at another pony’s life. What she did was not something the Rainbow Dash everypony knew would do. And yet she had, and that made it sting even more.

She peered out over the bush at the tree, light still streaming brightly through the windows and spilling onto the street. She was about to crouch back down when she felt a hoof on her back.

“Well howdy, RD, what are ya doin’ out here?” Applejack asked as happily as ever. Twilight must have told her friends that she came back.

“Oh, nothing, what are you doing here?” She asked as casually as she could, hoping to get Applejack away from her as fast as possible. She glanced quickly toward the library, the lights remained on.

“Comin’ to see you an’ Twi, she’s the one that asked us all to gather here tonight. Didn’t you know? She said it was about ya, after all.” Applejack reached a hoof to adjust her hat a little further onto her head. Something seemed off about Rainbow.

Rainbow’s heart stopped at that. ‘About me? What did my clone do? What happened while I was away… this isn’t good.’ her eyes grew wide. Applejack took notice of this.

“Y’all mean she didn’t tell ya?”

“Uh…” Was all Rainbow could manage to say. Had Twilight discovered that it was a clone? Had the clone done something really stupid like propose? Rainbow had to find out.

“Well let’s go see what she wants then!” With Rainbow unable to form a coherent excuse to not go in Applejack wrapped a hoof around her neck and dragged her across the street. Rainbow barely noticed as she knocked on the door.

“No, I can’t… this is gonna be bad… no, no, no… bye!” 

“What is your problem, did y’all have a fight or something? Sugar cube?” Applejack turned to look at Rainbow, only to see an empty space and her hoof wrapped around nothing. Applejack stared bewildered for a second before Twilight opened the door. Her eyes were bloodshot and her mane was frizzier then Pinkies. The mare had seen better days.

“Hey, Twi, ah just saw- sweet Celestia, what happened ta y’all?” Applejack’s jaw dropped when she saw Twilight. She hadn’t looked like this since Rainbow had left the first time.

“I’ll explain when the rest are here. What were you saying?” Twilight brushed off the comment. She knew she looked terrible, but spending all day crying in a dim library bedroom does that. The only thing keeping her from breaking down on the doorstep was the left over anger she held. It dried her tears and forced her to tell the others. It made her want Rainbow to suffer if she ever came back. The more logical part of her mind had been silenced by sorrow; though enough of it managed to get through to tell her Rainbow was never coming back.

“Ah just saw Rainbow Dash, and she looked… off, scared, almost. Y’all didn’t have a fight, did ya?” Applejack’s voice was concerned, and that concern only grew when she saw the look on Twilight’s face. It went from neutral, to shocked, to grief, and now it rested on anger.

“She did, did she? And she’s here?” Twilight motioned outside with a hoof, her words low and measured.

“Uh… ya, ah just saw her…” Applejack trailed off as Twilight stepped outside past her, into the middle of the street. She stood for a second, breathing deeply.

“THEN MAYBE SHE SHOULD STOP BEING A COWARD AND SHOW HER BUCKING FACE! OR AT LEAST HAVE THE DECINCY TO TELL THE TRUTH!” Twilight screamed into the night: Waking anypony within a three block area, and scaring one Rainbow Dash, currently hiding in the thick leaves of the tree. She was at war with herself. Twilight either knew it was a clone, or the clone had gotten into a fight with her. She felt her heart beating in her throat. Never before had Twilight been this mad at her, clone or not. It truly scared her.

“Ah take it y’all had a fight?” Applejack asked hesitantly, careful to not direct Twilight’s wrath onto herself. Twilight just ignored her.

“I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, RAINBOW. WHY ARE YOU HERE?” Twilight did know, and she was not happy about it. Rainbow was about to take off. She didn’t know where she would go, but she couldn’t stay here, not with Twilight like this. But at the same time she couldn’t leave Twilight like this. This is exactly what she had come back to prevent; only to find out she was too late. Twilight hated her, and she deserved it. She deserved whatever the unicorn could throw at her. She didn’t deserve to run away without harm.

Slowly, she dropped from the tree, barely flapping her wings as she made her way to the ground, landing silently with her head hung.

“I’m here.” She said quietly, getting the attention of both mares.

“R-Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked quietly, disbelieving her own two eyes.

“Now hold on a second. What the hay is goin’ on?” Applejack stomped her hoof, drawing the attention back to herself.

“Go ahead, Twilight, tell her.” She couldn’t deny it any longer. They would all find out now, it’s the reason they were all called to the library in the first place; may as well get it over with now. Twilight had no problems with that.

“She’s been with the Wonderbolts the entire time. The Rainbow Dash that was with us was… she was a clone… I sent her back to the Mirror Pool this morning. It’s why I gathered all of you here.” Twilight was calm, almost disturbingly so. Not a shred of emotion showed in her features as she threw Rainbow’s mistakes back at her. Rainbow winced with every word, each syllable true, each like a blade cutting deep into her flesh. Having everything she had done thrown into her face, it hurt.

“Rainbow? Is this true?” Applejack turned a disbelieving eye to Rainbow, who refused to meet it. She couldn’t force herself to respond; instead she pawed nervously at the ground. She managed to gather enough courage to nod.

“Ah don’t believe this!” Applejack stomped her hoof, her anger finding any way possible to vent itself. “Y’all lied ta us, all of us! How could ya do that?”


“I… I-I thought…” Rainbow trailed off to silence under the stern glare of Applejack.

“Thought what?” There was the calm yet again. The calm that should be impossible with the situation. Even Twilight was surprised at how calm her voice was.

“I thought you would be happier this way. I thought I would be happier this way. I was wrong.” Rainbow spoke through tears streaming down her cheeks. All she wanted was for everypony to be happy.

“Ah have half-“

“Applejack, stay here and wait for the others. When they get here tell them what happened, but do not tell them Rainbow came back. It’s not lying if you don’t mention it at all. Rainbow and I need to talk; I’ll explain the rest to them later.” Twilight cut through Applejack’s speech breezily and teleported herself and Rainbow without a second thought. Another pop later and they found themselves seated in the library.

“T-Twilight, please listen to me! I’m-”

“Sorry? Rainbow, look around you. Do you recognize anything?” Twilight gestured to the room around her, encouraging the pegasus to actually look.

“No?” Rainbow was unsure of her answer. It was a library, it looked the same, she recognized all of it, and yet nothing stood out as to what Twilight meant.

“That bookshelf, you paid for it then carried it here. This bookshelf,” She poked it with a hoof for emphasis, “is how it all started. I sat where you’re sitting now, crying my eyes out, with your wing wrapped around my shoulders, and I told you about my feelings. Do you know what you did after that?”

“Yeah, I said I returned them, then you fainted, and I carried you back to your room.” Rainbow raised a brow, unsure of where this was going. Her misery blocked by confusion for the time being.

“Exactly; you said you loved me.” Twilight looked over at the bookshelf, the unmistakable gleam of a tear in the corner of her eye. “You said you loved me.” She repeated sadly, closing her eyes and looking down. A sad smile spread itself over her face.

“When I woke up, I didn’t know what had happened, but you were there. I panicked, and you calmed me down. You held me, promised it would be alright. I believed you, too. Then, after dinner, when you said you should go, I asked you to stay. Do you remember why?”

“Because you were afraid of being abandoned…” Rainbow answered quietly. She looked to her own two hooves. She was a monster and she knew it. The one thing Twilight was truly afraid of had been done by her own marefriend. 

“Do you know what you did less then a month later?” Twilight looked up from the floor and opened her eyes, her sad smile still worn proudly upon her lips.

“I abandoned you.” Rainbow responded quietly.

“No, you didn’t.” Twilight said forcefully, “You made your dreams come true. You joined the Wonderbolts. I was proud of you; so few ponies achieve their dreams, but you did.”

“But I abandoned you, I chose the Wonderbolts over you.” 

“No, I made you choose. Something I shouldn’t have done. But I did anyway, I wanted one thing from you; honesty. I didn’t care if you chose the Wonderbolts, and I didn’t care if you chose me. All I wanted was some closure so I could move on.” She walked over to Rainbow, stepping up directly in her face, before taking a deep breath.

“It was then that you lied to me. It was then that you. Abandoned. Me!” Twilight began her speech in her usual serene tone, only for it to grow, her anger, her hurt, her sorrow, it all came out in the one scream. That one, emotion filled rant that she had been holding in the entire time. Her bottled up emotions came spilling forth like a river, so much so that she could no longer hold it all. 

“YOU LIED TO ME, YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD ALWAYS BE WITH ME, BUT YOU WEREN’T. WHEN I NEEDED TRUTH ABOVE ALL ELSE YOU LIED TO ME, WHEN I NEEDED YOU, YOU GAVE ME A CHEAP IMITATION.” She took a deep breath, pulling her thoughts together.

“When I needed loyalty, I was abandoned. Like so many times before, I was left alone.” She finished quietly, turning her head to hide her tears from Rainbow.

Rainbow sat in silence. Staring back at the pony she had longed to see, only for her to yell at her. And maybe that’s what she deserved. Maybe she should never have come back, Twilight would have been happier to forget about her. 

“I even told you what I was scared of about this relationship, and still, it happened. You betrayed us, Rainbow. Not just me, but all our friends.” Twilight continued when Rainbow didn’t answer. She took a step back, returning to Rainbow her much desired personal space.

“Twi-” Rainbow tried once more, only for the words to die in her throat. The look on Twilight’s face ended any coherent speech she had left. The anger was gone, having been vented in her rant. All that was left was sadness and that feeling you get when somepony betrayed you. Rainbow realized she had caused it, and that only caused the knife to cut deeper.

Twilight faired no better, her once enraged yelling reduced to half voiced cries of sorrow. “I loved you, Rainbow.”

Rainbow’s heart stopped. She was pretty sure it didn’t restart, either. ‘Loved’ the word echoed around her skull as she struggled to comprehend its meaning. ‘Loved’, past tense, meaning it was something that was no longer present. Twilight no longer loved her. The knife she had felt cutting through her heart the entire time felt worse, as if it had been heated up, then somepony started twisting it. Slicing up her gut like a hot knife through butter. Her stomach knotted, her mouth dried, and her breathing stopped. 

“I… Twilight… please…” Her throat suddenly closed on her, cutting off anything further.

“What?” Twilight snapped her head back up to look her in the eye, a brief flash of anger surged through her.

“I’m sorry.” Rainbow barely managed to choke the words out. Every syllable grinding against her dried throat and protesting with everything it could. For a second there was a flash of something other then anger on Twilight’s face. It looked almost like hope, but it was replaced by anger just as fast as it had appeared.

“Great, you’re sorry. Sorry is just a word, Rainbow. Actions speak louder then words, no matter how many words you have. You did what you did without a single word. Words cannot fix it any more.” Twilight was beginning to struggle with her voice, no longer was her composure held by anger. The only thing she had to fall back on was her own will, a will that had been weakened the second she noticed Rainbow was crying. Her tears grew in number and strength as she watched the cyan mare mull over her words.

“You’re right. Words will never fix this… nothing can…” Rainbow sounded dejected, almost defeated. She had one last chance to make things right, she just didn’t know how.

“Would be better for both of us if I never came back, wouldn’t it? It would have been easier if I had never met you. It would have been better if I was never here at all.” With one last tear filled look, Rainbow spread her wings and took off, flying out the window.

“Rainbow! Wait!” Twilight's calls fell on ears that were no longer there. The only proof they had even been there at all was a faint rainbow trail leading into the sky. Through the now open window she could hear her friends talking, they sounded worried; most of them didn’t know why they couldn’t go into the library.

“She was a clone?” Fluttershy; not angry, but confused, even a little sad.

“Rainbow did what!?” Rarity; as proper as ever, she was angry, though not for the right reasons.

“How could she!” Pinkie Pie; even she was angry at one of her best friends.

“Twilight will explain more when she’s done.” Applejack; trying to hold them off without lying. 

All her friends, her true friends, were there. Casting on last glance out the window, she took a deep breath to steady herself, then walked to the front door, dissipating both the locking spell from the door and the sound proofing she had managed to cast before she teleported with Rainbow. She had a feeling if they heard her yelling they would not hesitate to break down the door.

Maybe Rainbow was right, maybe it would have been easier if she never came back.



> Last Chance
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Chance

Rainbow sat alone on her cloud. High above the ground and even further away from Ponyville and a certain lavender unicorn. For what felt like the hundredth time she sighed, her cheeks marked clearly with her tears. She had long since given up the fight to prevent or even dry them.

“I loved you.” Twilights words cut deep, bouncing around in her head, preventing her from getting anywhere near the sleep she so desperately wanted.

“I loved you too… and I still do.” Rainbow tried to comfort herself, though it was useless. At this point there was only one pony in Equestria that could achieve that, and she wanted nothing to do with her. When Rainbow had left, she thought Twilight had called her, asked her to wait. But she was just fooling herself, there was no way Twilight wanted her to stay for any reason. She had yelled at her enough to vent the anger, and all that was left was her sadness; sadness that Rainbow had caused. 

So she left, she didn’t look back. She had hurt Twilight too badly to even apologize any more. She had nothing left to make it up to her. Nothing left for her to try and make things right. She had made a mistake so bad that she would never be forgiven. But maybe she shouldn’t be. Maybe this is what she deserved. 

What kind of friend does what she did? What kind of marefriend lies for her own selfish reasons? One who is undeserving of Twilight; that was for sure.  And yet she couldn’t shake the lingering thoughts she could still do something; like she hadn’t given everything in trying to make things right. She had given up her dreams and she had stopped flying for fun. The entire flight to the cloud was mind numbingly slow compared to what she normally did, and even then the entire flight was spent in tears and sadness. She had given every last thing that had even remotely been involved, and still, something told her she could give more.

You never deserved her. A voice called from within her head.

“I know that!” She shouted into the night sky, being rewarded with more silence from the stars.

She chose the wrong mare.

“I know! I gave everything to make it right!”

Everything?

“My dreams, my fun, my love. Everything worth any true value to me.”

What else do you have, that you still do?

“Twilight is not the type of pony to forgive over material goods.” Dash spat, the voice nothing more then an annoying disturbance, spouting ideas she herself had already gone through.

Surly there is more you posses. For example, you can still fly. They may be physical, but they represent your freedom.

As if the voice had a physical hoof to point, she snapped her head around, looking back at her wings.

“What are you saying?”

Do you honestly still think you deserve them?

Rainbow felt a shudder run up her spine at the implications. “No, giving up my flight is the same as my wings.” She shook her head firmly, attempting to quell the rebellious thoughts bubbling in her mind at the voice’s suggestion.

But what else can you give? You know you need to make this right, no matter the cost. Isn’t she at least worth that to you?

“Of course she is! She’s worth my whole life! I would give anything-” She was cut off by the smooth, chilling voice.

What about your life? You just said she’s worth your entire life, and you still have that to give. Rainbow gave a confused look towards the air around her cloud as if the voice was something physical she could look at. 

“What do you mean? Like, servitude or something? I doubt Twi would go for that.”

No, she wouldn’t, but you could still give up your life for her, not to her. Do you still think you deserve it as well?

Something in Rainbow’s mind clicked onto what it was saying. Her life meant more to her then her wings and dreams combined. Surly Twilight would have to see how much she was sorry if she gave that up? Maybe Twilight would even forgive her!

“You think?” She asked hopefully.

Of course, Twilight is not so blind as to not see when something is done for her. She will see what you are doing and why, then she will understand.

“But how? If I were to just jump off the cloud she would never know, she would have to be there, to see it.” Rainbow’s thoughts and words were no longer her own. A near delusional state over came her, only thoughts of Twilight and giving her life for her could get through to her, everything else came out as a vague blur. She occasionally caught tail ends of half-voiced arguments from somewhere in her mind, but nothing clear. All she could comprehend was her, the voice, and Twilight. And the voice had given her the perfect way to win Twilight back.

Isn’t there a Wonderbolt show in a day or two? You never officially quit, all you need is for Twilight to be there. Then the whole crowd would see you, all of them could appreciate what you were doing and why. Twilight would be so proud of you!

The voice was making more and more sense to her already weakened mind. No longer did she have the walls of sorrow or anger or anything to protect her, instead there was the voice. Offering comfort and forgiveness, all she had to do was listen to it. Maybe it was on to something.

“How do I get her to show up? She hates me now; she would never come just because I wanted her to.”

Maybe, maybe not. You could try asking her, tell her it’s something special, one last effort to make things right. She might show up.

It made sense to Rainbow, the voice had yet to suggest something that wouldn’t be helpful, and Twilight may just take a chance to make things right. She may never love her again, but at least she would forgive her.

“I’ll get the tickets!” Dash launched into the sky, heading to the Wonderbolts main office in Cloudsdale. A nearly insane smile spread her lips, showing just a bit of her teeth as she flew through the air. One last chance, this was a one shot thing, it had to go perfectly.

-_-_-_-

Twilight sat in her library, on a cushion in front of her fireplace. A lone piece of wood burned inside it. She rarely used it; most of the time she heated her tree magically and even then it was rarely cold enough outside for her to need to. But this time she had forgone her magic for a fire. For some reason the inconsistent heat against her coat always calmed her down. The dancing oranges and yellows brought to her piece of mind no matter the situation. Right now she needed calm above all else. 

Her friends had left some time ago, though with much protest. She had told them what had happened; she hid nothing from them, ‘unlike a certain cyan pegasus’ her mind noted dryly. She quickly shoved the thought out of her mind. Now was not the time to be sad or bitter, she reminded herself with a quick sip of cocoa.

Most all of her friends had all but demanded to stay and keep her company. All of them concerned about her mental health or something. She hadn’t listened, after all, the smarty pants incident was a one time thing. She assured them over and over, but they held on until the bitter end. Of all of them Fluttershy was the hardest to convince. Rainbow’s oldest friend, and arguably most trusted, had insisted over and over that she souldn’t be alone.

Twilight was surprised she didn’t run off after Rainbow, being the caring creature she was Twilight doubted she would be only concerned about her. Though something was off about her from the beginning; every time Twilight would say Rainbow’s name she would hide a little more behind her mane. She would not partake in any discussions about the pegasus, not even when specifically asked her opinion. While it was not unlike her to keep her true opinion to herself if she thought she may often somepony, it was rare she would offer no opinion at all.

Twilight shelved the thought for later, deciding she would make sure Fluttershy was alright in the morning. Now was her time to relax, let her troubles leave her, and let calmness-

THUD… THUD… CRASH

Two consecutive thuds, followed by the sound of a window breaking forced her out of her clamed state of mind. There was only one pony who ever crashed into her house. Sure enough, turning around from the fire revealed a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane, lying upside down against a bookshelf, glass littered across the floor in a trail leading right up to her.

“Rainbow Dash, what they hay!?” Rainbow stood quickly, balancing herself with her wings, she shook her head lightly and mumbled something to herself. She stared at Twilight, suddenly unsure of herself. With another quick shake of her head her apprehension turned into what could only be described as a maniacal smile as she reached into her saddlebags with a wing.

“Rainbow! What are you doing?” Twilight shouted again, waving a hoof to catch Rainbow’s attention. It seemed to have no affect as Rainbow continued rummaging through her bags. Eventually she withdrew her wing, passing whatever she had withdrawn to her mouth. Holding a plain slip of paper in her mouth she ran over to Twilight and set it down on the floor in front of her.

“Wonderbolts show, 2 days away, date’s on the tickets. Please be there, it’ll be my last show, and it’ll be special, one last chance. See you there!” With that Rainbow took off out the same window she had smashed flying in (and apparently missed twice) and was gone in the blink of an eye. 

Twilight stood in the middle of the room, looking between where Rainbow had been standing, her freshly smashed window, and the ticket at her hooves. Her mind flashed images of the rainbow maned mare. The mare that had taken over her thoughts for months and even after being betrayed by her would not leave her mind in peace. She should be enraged with what Rainbow had done, and she was, for a while. But eventually her anger had subsided. It had taken less then a day, all it took was that one rant of screaming at Rainbow, and her anger was gone. For some reason she still couldn't stay mad.

She shook the thoughts from her head as she remembered Rainbow’s smile. There was something off about it, something… disturbing. Her eyes were wide, heavy bags under them as if she hadn’t slept in days. But what was worse was the fact the she kept mumbling to herself. She heard it before she had turned around, but she thought it was her imagination, but after actually watching Rainbow do it she knew she had actually heard it. There was something unnerving about it.

“We could talk about this.” Twilight sighed sadly, speaking to the mare she wished had stayed longer. Her mind was racing for an answer to her feelings. She knew what she should feel, but she couldn’t feel it no matter how hard she tried. She truly wanted to forgive her. But she knew she couldn’t, she may want to forgive her, but that wouldn’t fix all their problems, that wouldn’t fix her new trust issues she knew would be showing soon. It wouldn’t fix her broken heart, either.

She looked down at the ticket at her hooves. “One last chance for what?” Twilight asked, half expecting her books to answer her. When they didn’t she picked up the ticket with her magic and read it carefully. It was for a Wonderbolts show in Cloudsdale, the day after tomorrow; well, the day after today, since it was probably past midnight. Twilight stared at the ticket for a second; half wondering what Rainbow was going to do, and half wondering why she was considering going.

Sure, maybe she wanted to forgive her. Maybe she wanted her life to return to normal. But something still told her she shouldn’t, one nagging thought that told her it would happen again. She studied history enough to know history often repeated itself. She was scared of it happening again. She could barely live after the first time, but if it were to happen again… 

Twilight’s thoughts trailed off as another took their place. Why shouldn’t she go? She could at least give Rainbow a chance. She may even do something that could quell the doubt that hung in her mind. 

“One last chance.” Twilight repeated to herself, shelving all other thoughts for after the show. She could at least show Rainbow the decency of giving her a chance. Even if her mind told her she didn’t deserve it. Even if her books said she should never want to see Rainbow again, her books had been wrong more then once when it came to Rainbow Dash, maybe they could be wrong again. She hoped they would be wrong again.

-_-_-_-

“You think she’ll come?” Rainbow asked doubtfully, wings flapping slowly as she made her way back to what she had come to call her ‘comfort cloud’.

She will be there, all you need to do is make sure you give your life for her and her alone; no other pony should get it.

“Don’t worry; I know how to make sure she knows it’s for her. The announcer owes me a favour anyway.”


> Forgivness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forgiveness

Twilight sat in her library, eyes switching between the door, her calendar, and her desk. On her desk sat a single, small strip of paper, on the calendar a day was marked with a red circle, the day just before had been crossed out. She sighed as her eyes switched back to the door, it was the only way to exit the library, and the only way she was ever going to get to Cloudsdale to see the Wonderbolts show Rainbow had told her to come to. She would say invited, but there was no question, she showed up out of no where, basically threw the ticket at her, and left out the same window she had crashed through.

At the thought, she looked up to the now-boarded window. It was covered in two simple wooden planks, nailed to either side of the window frame in a criss-cross pattern. Even she had to admit; the breeze that came through felt rather nice. Now, however, she had more important things to think about then her broken window, now she had to decide if she was going to give Rainbow a chance. Sure, while she was no longer mad at her, she wasn’t sure she had forgiven her, nor if she could forgive her.

It was a terrible feeling, knowing that she had, in part, caused it all. If she hadn’t made Rainbow choose, if she had tried harder to live with it; if she hadn’t been so selfish, this may not have happened. But now it was too late, now her actions had been taken and so had Rainbow’s, and now there was no going back. She had not left the library since Rainbow had come back the first time, not even her friends could get her out. When they came she would put on a brave face and answer the door, then she would convince them she was fine (even if most of them didn’t believe her) and close the door before they could argue. Then she would wait, she would lean her head against the door, waiting for the sound of hoof steps leading away from the door. When she could no longer hear them, she would wait another two minutes thirty seconds, and then she would start crying. 

She would cry until she couldn’t cry anymore, and even then she wanted to cry more. They were just trying to help, trying to boost her spirits, but they always mentioned Rainbow Dash, and her name alone was enough to bring Twilight to tears. Not tears of anger, or of betrayal, but of regret. She had driven off the one mare she had ever truly loved, and because of that all her friends were mad at Rainbow as well. She had successfully ruined Rainbow’s life, all because she couldn’t live with seeing her less then every single day. She felt disgusting. And yet here she sat; Rainbow’s attempt at an apology or whatever she was going to do just a few hours away. And she didn’t know if she was going to go. It was her fault, and Rainbow was trying to make up for her mistake, and still Twilight wasn’t sure if she wanted to go.

By all accounts it was her fault; she should be begging Rainbow for forgiveness. She had caused everything, the only reason Rainbow did what she did was to make her happy. It was always all about her; she was just too blind and selfish to notice. She shook her head hard, forcing the thoughts to quiet, when her head stopped, she was looking directly at the desk, the ticket resting neatly on top.

With a flick of her horn she drew it closer, examining it in excruciating detail. With a firm nod she stood. Rainbow may be the one apologizing, but Twilight was the one that needed to. With that final thought floating in her mind, she turned to the door, a smile brought to her lips at the mere thought of seeing Rainbow again. She may never be loved by her again, and she may never be forgiven, but at least she could try.

-_-_-_-

Rainbow paced nervously back and forth, glancing out the arch every now and then to examine the crowd slowly growing the Cloudasium. Her diligent eyes scanned the crowd, her sight drawn to one specific seat in the middle of the arena. It was a seat that would give anypony who sat there the perfect view of her; of what she was going to do.

‘She will be here. All you need to do is follow the plan. Did you make the arrangements with the announcer?’ The familiar voice asked. A voice that had been with her almost constantly for the past two days. A voice that offered her forgiveness, a voice that she trusted completely.

“Yes.” Rainbow answered flatly, no emotion showing in her voice. To any who heard it she could have been a machine, it was hollow; lifeless.

‘Good. You will be forgiven, all it will take is your life, but you won’t need that anymore’ The voice was still as calm as ever, it’s calmness calming Rainbow’s pacing to a standstill.

“My life…” Rainbow echoed, staring at the far wall. After a few minutes of listening to the voice and staring at a wall, she finally looked back out at the crowd, the one seat she had been staring at for all this time was no longer marked by a white smear in the middle of the multicoloured crowd, instead it was marked by a brilliant purple. It was a purple she would recognize anywhere.

“She’s here!” She shouted, excitement filling her normally flat tone.

‘Excellent, now give her a show she will never forget’

-_-_-_-


Twilight forced her way through the last few ponies blocking the path to her seat; a smile graced her lips as she found her seat to be empty. As she sat down in the fluffy cloud she finally took a look around the arena, filled with pegasi of every age shape and colour. It was when she turned to get a gauge on how far back she was that she notice most of them were staring at her. Or, more specifically, her horn. Twilight glanced up at her horn, ensuring nothing weird had happened to it, but much to her relief and even greater confusion, it was fine. It took her another few moments to realize why they were staring at her.

“Guess it is pretty rare to see a unicorn up here.” She giggled under her breath, turning back around to face the space in the centre of the arena where the show would take place. While having half the arena staring at her was a little unnerving, she did her best to put it out of her mind. Instead she began thinking of her plan for apologizing. It would be a while until the show was over, but it never hurt to get an early start.

-_-_-_-

Rainbow’s wings stretched out from her side as she crouched into a take off position. To her left was Sorin and to her right stood Spitfire, next to her was Fleetfoot. All four of the main Wonderbolt squad stood crouched, readying themselves for the coming show.

“Welcome to the Cloudasium, tonight we are pleased to give you, the Wonderbolts!” As the announcer said their name they launched in perfect sync, flying out of the back stage area directly to the centre of the arena, taking a second to bank around to the perfect spot, they turned skyward. Rainbow’s wings pumped as she felt the adrenalin slowly seep into every fibre of her muscle. Her eyes were glued firmly onto the sky, the sun half way down, the perfect place so it wouldn’t get in their eyes. 

Her attention snapped back from the sky to the crowd as they began there first warm up maneuver, flying above the crowd she spotted the lavender splotch without wings she had hoped to see. She was there, now all she had to do was follow the plan.

‘It will be fine’ the voice assured from somewhere in the back of her mind. She felt compelled to believe it, after all; she was the Rainbow Dash, her plans never back fired. The smile she always got when she took off wiped itself from her expression, steely determination taking its place. 

-_-_-_-

Twilight watched the show with incredible focus, never once taking her eyes off the cyan blur trailing a rainbow across the sky. It tore at her heart, knowing that it was once her rainbow and cyan blur. It was once her mare that was up there now. ‘There I go again. My cyan blur. I’m always so damn selfish!’ Twilight scolded herself once again. This was not a time to be selfish, this was time to try and make it up to Rainbow. This was time to seek forgiveness.

As Twilight thought she looked up to Celestia's sun, nearing the horizon, the edge of it scraping along the very tips of the mountains, just barely visible over the rim of the coliseum. Sunsets were always beautiful, it made sense that the Wonderbolts would perform at such a time. The light from the setting sun always provided an incredible back drop to anything in the sky, that included four flying pegasi.

Twilight sighed as she returned her attention to the stunt team flying around. Barrel roles, dives, banked turns, loops, even some other tricks she didn’t know what to call. All of them preformed in perfect sync with one another. They trusted each other to stick to the plan, to hold each other up, to be there for each other. Something Twilight never was.

This thought brought a tear to her eye. They were closer then she ever was with Rainbow, Rainbow could never trust her again like she did the rest of her team.

-_-_-_-

Rainbow glanced nervously at the sun, rolling into the last stunt of the show. After this the other Wonderbolts would descend to the area backstage, expecting her to come with them, but instead she would stay. She would continue to fly, just for Twilight. Then she would begin her last trick, her last stunt as a Wonderbolt, the announcer she had made plans with would read out the letter she had given him. Nopony but her knew what was inside of it, not even the announcer would until he began to read it. All she had to do was stick to the plan while he read it. If she timed it right, it would be perfect. It would coincide with the setting sun and the end of the letter. It would be perfect. It had to be perfect. For Twilight.

Grinning at the thought, she pulled out of the final loop of the trick, all four Wonderbolts made there was to the centre for a quick bow. They did, and then the other three turned to the area back stage. Leaving Rainbow alone in the middle. It was time. Right on cue the announcer began announcing.

“Thank you all for coming out to watch the Wonderbolts! This is the end of the official show, but I have been requested by Rainbow Dash to read you a letter while she continues her flying.” This was met with a collective, puzzled murmur from the audience, but Rainbow just shrugged it off as she stared directly at Twilight.

‘Go! Now!’ the voice hissed, snapping her back to reality. She still had something to do. With a powerful flap of her wings she took off, going straight up as her letter was read to the crowd. As the announcer read it she recited it in her mind, timing her actins with her words for it to be perfect.

“I, Rainbow Dash, had something that many ponies crave. Many ponies wanted what I had, but only a few would ever truly have it. I had love.” Rainbow reached the lip of the arena and still continued going higher and higher, Equestria spread out far below her.

“I found it in a pony that is in this very arena, a unicorn with a lavender coat. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. We both found love within each other, and we were happier then ever when we were together.” Twilight raised a hoof to her muzzle to stifle a gasp. Never before had she imagined Rainbow could ever write something so… mushy, for lack of a better term. 

“But then I was accepted into the Wonderbolts, and I could only see her for two to three days a month. We tried to make it work, but in the end it didn’t. All loving me did was force her to be alone when I wasn’t there, which is something I can never forgive myself for.” Rainbow could no longer hear the announcer, or the sound of the audience, all she could hear was the wind. As she read the last line in her mind she stopped, hovering momentarily and looking down at the tiny dot the arena was before beginning her dive.

“So she gave me a choice; her or the Wonderbolts. I will never forget that day. That was the day I made the biggest mistake of my life; I chose the Wonderbolts, my dream, over Twilight, my love.” A collective gasp of shock echoed around Twilight. She couldn’t do anything but watch as the cyan speck began getting closer and closer to the arena. The rainbow trail slowly growing larger and clearer as she gained speed.

“I will never forgive myself for what I did. I betrayed not only her, but all my friends, all because I was too selfish to make a real choice. I abandoned her because I wanted my dreams too come true. No good would ever come to her for loving me, and yet she did.” A cone of white formed around her as she dove forward, the sun beginning to set behind her. In a flash of colour her speed nearly doubled, she was still miles above the arena.

“I can never make it up to her. I can never truly be forgiven, and because of that I can never be loved again, nor can I love. She was the only one I could love, and I ruined it.” Twilight stared in awe with the rest of the crowd at the rain boom miles above the stadium. The words providing a saddening backdrop to her thoughts.

“I ruined all of it, and now is my only chance to make things right.” Rainbow sped past the Cloudasium in the blink of an eye, a thick rainbow trailing her descend towards the earth.

“But I didn’t know how. I had no idea how to make things right. But now I do.” The ground was rapidly approaching now, filing her vision completely.

‘Just a few more seconds, and you will be forgiven. You have done well’ the voice said, the ground approaching ever faster.

Before Rainbow could process what the voice had said she pulled up, levelling off within seconds. After a moment of going straight she pulled up more, going back up towards the arena.

‘No! What are you doing! Your life is the only thing you can give to be forgiven! Do you not want to be forgiven?’ The voice screamed inside her head, making her cringe at the volume.

“My life is mine to decide when it will be given, not yours.” Rainbow thought defiantly, the ground receding, as was the voice.

‘You still have time! Turn back down now and you may still be forgiven!’ the voice sounded desperate, begging and pleading with her to end it all. Without another thought Rainbow came up beside the Cloudasium, the audience roaring at her sudden return. She waited until she was at the perfect height the levelled off and began to circle the outside of the arena.

“Now I know how I can make it up to her. When we last spoke you told me you loved me. I took that to mean that you no longer did. And I may be right, but I still want to make it up to you. I want to be forgiven.” Rainbow completed one loop of the arena, and then angled herself up, coiling her rainbow trail around like a spring.

“I hope you can some day forgive me, that some day I may forgive myself.” Her trailed formed a semi-transparent shell around the arena, the colourful stripes wrapping around in a hemisphere.

“To begin the healing, I have dedicated my final trick in the Wonderbolts to you.” Rainbow neared the top of the shell, nothing but a tiny gap remained. She looked back to the sun; it was in the perfect position.

“My last stunt as a Wonderbolt; Twilight’s Rainbow.” As she completed the shell the sun moved into position, refracting against her rainbow trail in the perfect light; the light of twilight. The oranges and purples of twilight mixed with her rainbow trail and passed through into the arena, the blank white clouds the perfect canvas for the brilliant light. It shifted slowly with the sun and the rainbow shell as it began to slowly dissipate in the wind.

The crowd ‘oohed’ and ‘awed’ at the sight, but there was one mare who was not smiling at the beautiful display. There was one mare who was not dazzled by the artificial rainbow light. There was one mare who was crying. There was one mare who had forgiven another.

> Love: The Undying Force
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Love: The Undying Force

Rainbow Dash lowered herself slowly towards the clouds below her, the necklace Twilight had given her still hung around her neck. She watched it sway with the rhythmic beats of her wings as she felt the beginning moisture of tears form in her eyes. Her mind was plagued by doubts; she was second guessing every decision she had made up to this point.  There was part of her that believed Twilight would hate her even more because of this, or the thought that maybe nothing had changed at all. Then there was the tiny part of her mind that told her she shouldn’t have pulled up from her dive, but that tiny part was silenced by a shake of her head. There was another part willing to take over for it; hope. She hoped it was enough, hoped that at the very least she could be forgiven, and an even smaller part hoped that she could once again be loved by the lavender mare. She grimaced at the thought, preventing herself from believing it. There was no way; she had hurt Twilight far too much for that. The scars were simply too deep.

Before she had time to contemplate the possibilities any longer her vision was filled with a bright white flash, followed by lavender fur. Her nose was assaulted by a sent she had been missing for over a month, her mind filled with a new found hope as she felt something collide with her chest, throwing her wings off balance and sending her tumbling down to the clouds. Her hope was replaced by dread as she felt her back hit the clouds, her assailant standing above her, forcefully pinning her to the ground. What was she going to do? Was she going to hit her? Yell at her? Whatever it was, she had no choice but to accept it; whatever it was, it was what she deserved, nothing more and nothing less.

Her eyes opened slowly, revealing two shimmering violet orbs staring back at her own magenta eyes. She stared into those violet pools, she searched for some kind of emotion, some kind of answer, to either confirm or put to rest her fears. She searched for some kind of sign, but there was nothing. Nothing but the slight moisture of tears, tears of anger, sadness, or joy, she could not tell. Their muzzles were inches apart, and her lips yearned for her to close the miniscule gap, but she held herself still. She would not risk something like that, especially not until she knew for sure how Twilight felt. 

They kept their eyes focused, no words, no actions, no movements, nothing. Nothing but eye contact was made between the two. Rainbow felt the tension begin to build, slowly coiling in her gut like a spring compressed farther then it was meant to be. The air itself began to feel thicker, her breathing slowly growing deeper and more audible, Twilight’s doing the same. Anything could release the spring, the twitch of an eye, the sound of the wind, anything. And yet nothing did, the tension hung over them like a blanket, so thick you could cut it with a knife. 

Finally, something snapped, and Twilight finally broke the silence. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered quietly, closing her eyes as a few tears began to leak down her cheeks. Dash’s jaw nearly dropped, Twilight was apologizing to her? For what? What could Twilight possibly be sorry about?

“You have no reason to be sorry; I’m the one that should be begging for forgiveness.” Rainbow said sadly, switching her eyes off of Twilight’s onto the cloud roof of the back stage area.

“No, all you did was try to make me happy, I see that now. But I forced you to do something that no mare or stallion should ever have to do; I made you choose between love and dreams. Please, forgive me…” Twilight closed her eyes in a desperate attempt to contain her tears, the salty droplets already running down her cheeks in steady streams. “I’m so sorry…”

Rainbow Dash’s response came in the form of an action rather then words. Very carefully and slowly, she reached her hooves up from the floor and around the lavender mare standing over her, pulling her into what she hoped was a comforting embrace. At first Twilight hesitated, the touch unexpected, but still somehow nice. After a moment of hesitation she allowed herself to be pulled into the hug offered to her, lowering herself onto Rainbow’s chest. It was still just as soft as she remembered. A sense of safety washed over her, a feeling she had not felt for well over a month, a feeling she had missed dearly. On instinct alone she wrapped her lavender hooves around cyan body, careful to avoid the wings outstretched on either side.

Twilight let her head rest on Dash’s chest, every move slow and cautious, ensuring Rainbow made no signs of being uncomfortable with the situation. However, upon receiving nothing but a light squeeze from the cyan hooves wrapped around her, she allowed her head to rest and her eyes to flutter closed. This felt more then safe, it felt right. Then, like a switch had been flipped, she started sobbing into Rainbows fur, her breath coming in short ragged gasps as two months of captured emotions flowed freely into Rainbow’s coat.

Her anger had been vented when Rainbow first came back, but her sorrow and loneliness had yet to leave her, and now that it saw a path to escape, it did not look back. The safety she felt when she was held by Rainbow was something that had not faded, not after two months of separation or the sting of betrayal. It was something that would always be there. It was something hard wired into her brain that nothing could truly get rid of it. She realized now why it was so hard for her to stay mad, why it was so difficult to yell at her, and to watch her cry. Twilight realized that she still loved Rainbow Dash, and nothing had changed in that respect. 

“Rainbow?” Twilight sniffled quietly, her sobs having subsided with her realization.

“Yeah Twi?” Rainbow had hardly heard the unicorn speak at all, too wrapped in her own thoughts to notice anything else. After two months of hardly any contact between the two, she felt no different in the position they were in. It still felt natural to her to hold the unicorn in her hooves. It still made warmth spread through her entire body, no matter how much her mind told her that this shouldn’t be happening. The position they were in now… it was as if Rainbow had never left at all, it was like nothing had changed at all between the two. It was like it was all a bad dream that they were just now waking from. It was like Twilight had both forgiven her, and still loved her. Something she had not allowed herself to truly hope for.

“Can you forgive me?” Twilight asked, her voice was tinted with the worry festering in her heart and mind. Was this just a heat of the moment thing? Was this going to end as soon as her tears stopped? Would Rainbow Dash decide not to forgive her? Would Rainbow dash hate her?

“Only if you can forgive me…” Dash had to suppress a chuckle at Twilight’s question; she still thought she was the one at fault. Rainbow knew that Twilight was not at any fault, and yet Twilight demanded some form of blame fall on her, just like always. She couldn’t just let others take the blame; she had to take the fall with or for them. It was one of the many reasons Dash loved, and still loved, Twilight Sparkle.

“I can’t forgive you, Rainbow,” Rainbow’s breathing froze in her chest. Twilight couldn’t forgive her? Why not? Had she just screwed up that badly? “Not for something I forced you to do.”

“Twi, you didn’t force me to do anything I didn’t need to do in the first place.” Rainbow allowed a small smile to stretch across her lips, her hope restored that she had been forgiven. But her mind still fooled with her hopes, for every thought she had that said she had been forgiven was countered by a thought of uncertainty. It was time to put the fears to rest.

“I chose to do what I did, and I’m sorry. Can you forgive me for abandoning you?” Rainbow asked again, putting a bit more force behind her words. She needed to know. She needed to lay her fears and doubts to rest, no matter what the answer would be.

“Do you still love me?” Twilight asked quietly, closing her eyes in anticipation of both the answer she feared and the answer she hoped for. The question caught Dash a little off guard; it was a question she had not expected. Why would Twilight care? What could her answer possibly change between them? There was no way Twilight still felt that was about her. Whatever the reason, Dash knew the answer, and she refused to lie to Twilight any more then she already had.

“Yes, I do. But I don’t blame you if-” Rainbow was cut off as something very strange happened. Very strange, but not at all unwelcome. Twilight closed the gap she had contemplated closing countless times over the course of their talk. The gap her lips begged her to close, but her mind prevented her from granting that wish. It almost seemed like it was forbidden to do what she wanted, and yet Twilight had just done it.

Twilight had closed the final gap between the two, and once again their lips could meet, and meet they did. Rainbow’s eyes nearly popped out of her skull at the sudden contact. She stared numbly at Twilight’s closed eyes for a second before closing her own and putting a little more pressure behind the kiss. It was a hope she had not allowed herself to believe in, a thought she had shut down time and time again, an idea she had ruled out as impossible. But the proof was above her, the unmistakable feeling of Twilight’s lips on her own confirming what her eyes refused to believe. Twilight was kissing her. Twilight loved her. 

Despite what she had done she still had Twilight. She still had the most wonderful mare in the world, and nothing would ever change that fact. She would choose Twilight over everything else. Twilight had been too kind to her, she never deserved the kindness and love she had been shown. And yet Twilight had given it to her, twilight had given her the one thing worth more to her then the Wonderbolts, worth more then life itself. Rainbow swore to herself, from this moment on she would never, ever leave Twilight again. Never again would Twilight be alone. Even if that meant she had to give something up, it would all be worth it. It would be all worth it if she knew that somewhere a lavender unicorn loved her, it would all be worth it if Twilight loved her.

Neither Twilight Sparkle nor Rainbow Dash would ever be alone again.

> Epilogue: Promise
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight’s Rainbow
Chapter 14
Epilogue: Promise

Twilight and Rainbow stood in the hall outside Spitfire’s office. There was hardly a sound in the building; the only noise was the steady ticking of a clock at the end of the hall. Rainbow stood, Wonderbolts uniform held under her wing, a hoof raised in preparation to knock on the door. Her breathing came in shallow breaths as she worked up the nerve to do what needed to be done.

“You don’t have to.” Twilight spoke from beside her, offering a comforting smile. Rainbow just shook her head.

“No, I need to do this. I promised you, Twi.” Rainbow took a final deep breath a knocked three times on the door. Three solid thuds rang through the hall, drowning the ticking of the clock. As the final thud’s echo faded from existence, the door opened, revealing the captain of the Wonderbolts with her trademark glasses.

“Rainbow Dash, I was wondering how long you would be standing out here.” She said knowingly, giving a small smirk.

“I… uh…” Rainbow fumbled with her words, trying to think of an excuse.

“Come in.” Spitfire beckoned, turning back into her office. Rainbow looked uncertainly at her partner. Twilight nodded comfortingly, and Rainbow stepped into the office after another deep breath, the door closing behind her.

Twilight sat back on her haunches and leaned back against the wall. She tilted her head to rest it on the wall, and stared up at the ceiling. 

TICK… TOCK… TICK…TOCK

The clock continued ticking almost merrily, as if it were unaware of what was happening beyond the closed door. As if it didn’t know the dreams that were being crushed as it counted the time that flowed by. Un-halting and unforgiving, time would continue, no matter what happened in that office.

TICK…TOCK…TICK…TOCK 

Rainbow didn’t have to do this; Twilight had told her that over and over again. And yet she insisted. Rainbow was hell bent on keeping a promise that Twilight no longer cared for. Twilight didn’t care anymore; all she wanted was to know Rainbow loved her, even if Rainbow wasn’t with her. But no, Rainbow had to go and quit the Wonderbolts for her. All of it was for her. 

Again that tiny nagging in the back of her mind came back to her, poisoning her thoughts with guilt. It was her fault, she had started it all, and now Rainbow had to fix her mistake all over again.

TICK…TOCK…TICK…TOCK

And still the clock ticked and tocked as time kept flowing through the hall where the unicorn sat. Time was unyielding, even for the briefest of moments, no matter how much Twilight wanted it to stop. No matter how much she wanted to rewind the clock, time would march by. With or without her, time would go on. 

TICK…TOCK…TI-

The ticking was halted forcefully as the now smashed clock was lowered to the floor in a purple glow. Twilight made a mental note to buy them a new clock when all this was over. She sighed heavily, straining her ears to hear the discussion going on through the door. Any attempt to hear the words was useless, the walls and doors were too thick to allow anything short of yelling to pass through into the now-silent hall. She began to miss the ticking of the clock.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and a cyan pegasus stepped out. The Wonderbolts uniform was still clutched tightly under her wing and a relieved smile on her face. She stepped out fully into the hall, closing the door behind her. Twilight instantly shot off the floor and raced over to her marefriend’s side.

“How’d it go?” Twilight asked cautiously, putting a comforting hoof on her friend’s withers.

“Well, I’m not a Wonderbolt anymore…” Rainbow trailed off sadly, looking to the uniform under her wing, “But they offered me a position as an instructor at the academy they’re opening next month. It’ll be like a regular job, so I’ll be able to come home every night. I even get extended vacations during the winter when we aren’t training any new cadets.” 

“My picture’s even going to be in the Wonderbolts hall of fame! It may have only been a few months, but I was one of their best fliers ever!” Rainbow explained enthusiastically, earning a smile from Twilight.

“That’s great, Rainbow. But your really didn’t have to-” Twilight was cut off as a hoof was rested gently across her lips.

“Yes, I did. I needed to quit, for you, and for me. I made you a promise, Twi, I intend to keep it.” Rainbow removed her hoof slowly. As soon as the hoof was clear Twilight opened her mouth to protest again, but was silenced as Rainbow leaned in and kissed her. It was brief, but passionate. When Rainbow drew back, Twilight was smiling.

“Come on, let’s go home.” Twilight offered as she turned and began walking down the hall. Rainbow rested a wing over her back, drawing her close as they made their way out of the building.

“Hey Twi, wasn’t there a clock there?”