//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 
// Story: Reaction 
// by SC_Orion 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow Dash stifled a yawn and nuzzled the pillow, then opened an eye. Immediately, she looked down at Twilight and smiled. She had expected to wake up confused, wondering where she was, wondering why her alarm didn't wake her up. She had expected to wake up and not immediately remember that she stayed with Twilight, but she did remember. She yawned, then licked her lips, wondering what to do. 'I'm already late. Spitfire won't be happy, but... I'll just tell her that Twilight needed my help. It's not a lie.'


She resisted the urge to stretch out, not wanting to wake up the sleeping alicorn. After a few seconds, she focused on how they were lying together. Sometime during the night, she must have rolled over onto her side, because Twilight was lying on the bed, rather than on her chest. Despite that, Twilight's head was lying on top of her neck. Rainbow still had her arms wrapped around her, and Twilight was lying on one of her cerulean wings, while her other wing was covering the alicorn's wing. Her hind legs were wrapped around Twilight's, and Twilight's legs were pressed against her abdomen. It felt like Twilight's arms were also folded against her chest.


She smiled and sighed contently, then shifted her head on the pillow and looked towards the door. 'This is nice,' she mused. A few seconds passed while she contemplated the feeling of Twilight's warmth radiating into her chest contrasted with the chill of the air against her back. 'How much longer is she going to be asleep for?' she wondered. She looked back at Twilight. Her mane wasn't as messy as she had expected it to be. She could make out the pink and purple highlights in her mane, and although they mixed in with her indigo mane, for the most part, it still looked like her.


Rainbow fidgeted and rolled back over onto her back, pulling Twilight with her so that she laid on her chest. Twilight shifted her weight and nuzzled her as she repositioned her head so that it laid over Rainbow's heart, facing the window. 'This is nice...' Rainbow repeated, enjoying feeling Twilight's body heat and her calm, gentle breathing. Twilight was sleeping peacefully, it was striking contrast compared to last night when Twilight's heartbeat was erratic, and how nervous she was. Rainbow tilted her head and glanced at Twilight's muzzle. Twilight was softly smiling. For a second, Rainbow thought Twilight was faking, and that she was actually awake, but she doubted that Twilight would do that.


Rainbow contemplated pulling Twilight up on her more but decided against it. After a few seconds, she wrapped her arms around Twilight again and briefly squeezed her, then folded her wings back to her sides and looked over Twilight's back. She was by no means a large pony, but she wasn't a small one either. Despite her being an alicorn, Twilight was barely any bigger than Rainbow, and Rainbow found herself wondering how long that would last, or if she would always be a small alicorn.


Rainbow's musings were broken as Twilight shifted her weight, pushing herself up and leaning her weight on her side like she was trying to lay on her side. Rainbow shifted her own body to accommodate her, then laid her wings around her again. After a few seconds, Twilight nestled against her and stopped moving. Rainbow glanced at the clock and internally winced, then she looked back at Twilight.


She didn't want to wake her up, but at the same time, she didn't like the idea of being any later than she already was. 'Maybe it would be better to just... use a personal day... I'd still have to tell Spitfire, but... It's better than the alternative?' She didn't really like the idea of leaving Twilight there by herself, either. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. 'Just... relax,' she told herself. She smiled as the thought brought the previous night back to her mind. 'Spitfire will understand,' she told herself.


Rainbow slid her arms under Twilight's arms, then pulled her up, eliciting a groan from the alicorn. Rainbow nuzzled Twilight on her cheek, and the alicorn sighed contently. After a few seconds, it became apparent that Twilight wasn't waking up, so Rainbow pushed her head farther back into the pillow and closed her eyes, relaxing. After a few minutes, the heat from their bodies threatened to lull her back to sleep, but it wasn't enough to force her back to sleep. 'If we were under a blanket, I could probably fall back asleep...' She pushed the thought aside for later, 'Maybe... next time,' she told herself as she yawned.


Twilight shifted her weight again, then moaned softly. For a few seconds, she laid there, not quite awake, but on the path of waking up, then she nuzzled against her bed and stretched out and yawned. Rainbow suppressed a smile at the sight of her yawning. Twilight nestled against Rainbow's chest again, still not realizing that it was her friend, rather than her pillow. Her still asleep mind slowly started to wonder why she was as warm as she was. After a few seconds, she realized that the heat wasn't coming from herself. She shifted her head and looked curiously at Rainbow's chest for a few seconds, then her lips drew into a straight line. She glanced back at her body. She smiled when she realized Rainbow's wings were wrapped around her, rather than it just being a blanket.


Twilight sighed contently, then rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's chest and looked towards the wall, not wanting the moment to end, but knowing that it was only a matter of time before reality came crashing down. She closed her eyes and slid her arms out from between their chests and wrapped them around Rainbow's neck and held her tightly.


"Finally wake up?" Rainbow asked.


Twilight swallowed, then tilted her head  so that she could look at Rainbow, even though she was half worried what she would see. She felt relief at the sight of Rainbow smiling down at her, rather than glaring at her condemningly. "Yes," she answered gently. She averted her gaze from Rainbow and looked down at her chest. "You... you stayed?" she asked.


"Hey, I said I would, didn't I?" Rainbow replied. She unwrapped her wings from around Twilight and folded them.


Twilight nodded, rubbing against Rainbow's chest in the process. She slowed as she realized what she was doing, then looked back at her body. She had expected to feel afraid or condemned by her action, but she didn't. Rainbow didn't hate her, and the pegasus was still her friend. Dash had stayed with her all night like she promised. Twilight found herself smiling the more she thought about it. 'I... wish I could wake up like this every morning...' She sighed at the thought, but she still felt better than yesterday. The day was off to a better start, too. She woke up next to somepony who cared about her, even if it wasn't the same way she cared about that pony.


"You sleep alright?" Rainbow asked as she watched Twilight shift on top of her.


Twilight lifted her head from Rainbow's chest and turned to her. She nodded, then smiled. "Yeah, I slept... well. You're really comfortable," she answered with a sheepish and nervous smile. Rainbow smiled awkwardly at the compliment. Dash knew Twilight meant well, but it made her uncomfortable. Not because Twilight was saying that she was comfortable to sleep on, but because of how Twilight felt about her. "What... about you?" Twilight asked, once more feeling her heart beat faster. She immediately regretted asking the question, fearing the answer. 'Rainbow Dash... she's... she's too cool for something like this, she wouldn't... enjoy this...' She looked away from Rainbow's gaze at the thought. Her gaze settled on Rainbow's beautiful chest.


Rainbow hesitated for a second, then nodded. "It was... nice. I enjoyed it," she replied. "I wouldn't mind doing it again... sometime," she added with a nervous chuckle.


Twilight blinked, then looked up at Rainbow with wide eyes. For a few seconds, she just stared at her. 'She wouldn't mind doing it again?' The thought made her heart flutter, and she found herself breathing quicker. She closed her eyes and imagined waking up every morning, next to her. It made her smile, but the smile quickly faded and she opened her eyes. 'She... no... she just means that... she... enjoyed it... but...' She looked away from Rainbow. 'She's just... she's doing it for me, to help me... not because...' She sighed.


Rainbow swallowed and licked her lips. Twilight looked sad again, and she didn't like it. It made her feel sad. "Twilight?" she asked. Twilight lifted her head back towards Rainbow, and despite her attempts to mask it, she still looked at Rainbow pleadingly. "What's wrong?" she asked.


Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing," she replied slowly.


"Twilight..." Rainbow paused to think of what to say. 'What's wrong..? Should I... have not said that?' she wondered, feeling increasingly regretful at admitting she wouldn't mind doing it again. After a few seconds, she steeled her resolve and crushed the regret. "You can talk to me, you know," she coaxed. "I may not be the best pony to talk to, but I'll listen."


Twilight sighed, and her ears drooped. "I don't want to talk about it," she said glumly. "Besides... don't you need to leave?" she asked with  a hint of depression in her voice.


Rainbow sighed. "I uh..." She pulled Twilight up onto her until they were eye to eye. Twilight immediately looked away from her. "I do, but..." she trailed off and groaned, then rolled over onto her side, pulling Twilight with her. Unlike last night, Twilight didn't panic, instead, she just looked at Rainbow quizzically. "You are just as important as the Wonderbolts are, if not more important, Twilight. You're a princess, I'm pretty sure Spitfire would understand if I missed a day because you needed me."


Twilight sighed, then pressed her forehead against Rainbow's neck and slid her muzzle against her friend's warm and soft chest. "I can't ask you to do that, Rainbow. Being a Wonderbolt is your dream, it's..." she trailed off. 'Something you love...'


"Then don't. I'm offering to, okay? The Wonderbolts are cool, and it's pretty awesome being one and all that, but you're important too. I care about you, okay?" Rainbow retorted. She paused, searching for something more to say, then she smiled. "I want to help you, remember? This is me offering to help you," she said warmly.


Twilight was silent for several seconds. She was glad to know Rainbow cared, and that the pegasus wanted to help her, but she couldn't help but feel that Rainbow was doing it out of pity, rather than actually wanting to help her. The thought that Rainbow was doing it out of pity stung, and more than a little bit. 'No, she doesn't pity me. She's my friend, she cares about me,' she told herself. "Thank you..." she said absently.


"So," Rainbow took a deep breath. "What do you want to do today?" she asked.


Twilight frowned, then pulled her head away from Rainbow and met her gaze. "What do you mean?"


Rainbow blinked, having not expected that response. She recovered after a few seconds and opened her mouth to reply, but found no response forthcoming. A second later, she closed her mouth. "What... do you want... to do?" Rainbow asked at length in a dry voice, as if saying that the question should have been the most obvious thing in the world.


Twilight shifted her weight and looked over Rainbow's expression for any sign of pity, or anything that made her look less than genuine. After several seconds, she met her gaze and nearly lost herself in the deep, beautiful pools of magenta that were Rainbow's eyes. "You're offering to-to st... to spend the day with me?" she asked.


Rainbow nodded energetically. "Yeah!" she answered, then smiled at Twilight. She had expected the smile to feel awkward or forced, but she felt relaxed, even knowing Twilight might take it the wrong way. She felt relaxed, even though she was holding Twilight against her own body. She felt relaxed, despite Twilight's nervousness. She felt relaxed, even though she was missing her Wonderbolt training. She had worked hard training for the past few weeks, she could take a day off, she felt. Besides, she'd just blame it on Twilight, and there wouldn't be anything Spitfire could really do about it. She wouldn't make a habit of it, though. She did enjoy the intensity of it all.


'You aren't doing this out of pity, are you?' Twilight wanted to ask, but she resisted. The answer she was looking for was the smile on Rainbow's muzzle. Twilight sighed and slid her head back under Rainbow's then pressed her muzzle lengthwise against her chest. "I... wouldn't mind staying like this for a few more minutes," she mumbled contently.


"Uh, okay..." Rainbow replied lamely. She hadn't minded it before, in fact, before she had liked it, but with Twilight lying against her like she was, she felt uncomfortable. It wasn't that the position was uncomfortable, it was nice, it was just that Twilight might take it the wrong way. 'She really likes me, doesn't she?' she asked. She felt bad for Twilight, she didn't feel the same way about the alicorn, but she'd at least be there for her.


Twilight nuzzled Rainbow and closed her eyes, enjoying letting Rainbow hold her. She felt like she could have fallen back asleep, she felt safe and relaxed in Rainbow's embrace. "Can you... wrap your wings around me again, please?" she asked meekly.


Rainbow hesitated and grimaced, then carefully unfolded her wing and laid it over Twilight's wing. "Yeah, sure..." she replied as she ran her wing over Twilight's wing, then pulled Twilight closer to her. She stared at the wall, contemplating the feeling. She frowned, Twilight's feathers weren't as well-kempt as her own. She was surprised by that, considering that Twilight was a princess. She had expected her feathers to be softer than her own, not coarse and stiff.


Twilight sighed contently as Rainbow's feathers ran over her own. "Thank you, Rainbow," she cooed. After a few seconds, she lowered her arms and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's shoulders. She shifted her head, feeling pain from her forehead because of its close contact with her mane and Rainbow's coat. The pain wasn't as bad as it had been in the previous days, but it was still very sensitive. The pain went away after she adjusted her head, and she relaxed again.


For several minutes, both of them laid there in silence. Rainbow watched Twilight's barrel rise and fall with each breath she took, and she felt her heartbeat. At the same time, Twilight listened to Rainbow's gentle heartbeat and felt the rise and fall of Rainbow's chest as the pegasus breathed. 'I don't want this moment to end,' Twilight thought sadly. She shifted her muzzle and inhaled of Rainbow's scent. She smiled as she pondered the smell, then she sighed as she exhaled. After a few more seconds, she pulled her head away from Rainbow and felt Rainbow remove her wing from around her body. She closed her eyes as Rainbow's soft feathers slid across her back, then disappeared. She opened her eyes and hesitated, then pulled her arms between her and Rainbow and pushed gently. Rainbow released her from her grasp, and Twilight pushed herself away from her. Rainbow watched her as she slid off the bed and stood up.


Twilight ruffled her wings and stretched. She closed her eyes and moaned as she arched her back down and spread her wings out, then she stood back up, folded her wings, and opened her eyes. She looked at Rainbow, who was still lying on the bed, watching her. Rainbow had barely moved from how she had been holding her, and her right leg was still in the air like it was still lying over her body. Twilight looked at her quizzically. "Rainbow?" she asked.


Rainbow Dash blinked, then rolled over onto her stomach, then pushed herself up and propelled herself off of the bed with her wings. She landed gracefully on the floor, next to Twilight. "Yeah?" she asked.


"Are you okay?" Twilight asked with concern. "You were just kind of lying there, spacing out. If... if you don't want to do that again, or if I made you uncomfortable-"


Rainbow shook her head. "No, it's... I was just thinking," she answered.


"Oh," Twilight replied.


For a few seconds, both of them just stood there, looking at each other, then Rainbow inhaled and walked away from Twilight. "So, breakfast?" she asked.


Twilight mulled it over and checked the state of her stomach. Now that she thought about it, she was a bit peckish. "Sounds good to me," she chirped and smiled brightly. "Do you want to see what Spike or Starlight made? Or would you rather go... go out... somewhere..." she trailed off despondently, remembering how well that went last time.


Rainbow walked back over to Twilight. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. 'Great job... I made her feel worse,' she mentally scolded herself. Twilight watched Rainbow expectantly. Rainbow knew she needed to do something, but she wasn't sure what that something was. She eventually settled on wrapping one of her arms around Twilight and hugging the alicorn sideways. After a few seconds, she loosened her grip. "Uh, how about we see what Spike and Starlight made?" she asked.


"That's probably the best idea," Twilight answered quickly.


Rainbow pulled her hoof away from Twilight and stepped aside, "Lead the way, Princess," she joked.


Twilight looked at her blankly for several seconds, then shook her head and looked at the door. She hesitated, then walked over to the door. She stopped at the door while Rainbow caught up to her, then she fumbled with the handle and pulled the door open. Rainbow hesitated, waiting for Twilight to go first. Twilight motioned her on with a hoof. Rainbow rolled her eyes and flew out of the room, followed closely behind by Twilight, who walked out of the room.


The two ponies leisurely made their way through the castle, one flying, and the other walking. Both of them stayed close together, but not close enough to make things awkward. They made their way down to the dining room in silence. Rainbow Dash was surprised to see both Starlight and Spike sitting at the dining room table. She had expected them to both be busy doing things, but she wasn't really sure of the time, other than that she was late.


Spike and Starlight turned to regard the pair as they entered the dining room. Neither of them was surprised to see Twilight, but both of them looked surprised to see Rainbow Dash there. Rainbow smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her mane, "Hey, guys..."


"Oh, hey Rainbow Dash. I didn't expect to see you..." Spike trailed off, not quite sure what to say. He glanced back at Starlight, who shrugged. He looked back at Twilight and Rainbow. Both of them sat down by each other. "I'll uh, go get you two something," he said as he jumped off his chair and then quickly scurried off into the kitchen.


Starlight watched Spike scurry off, then turned her attention back to Twilight and Rainbow. She watched Twilight run a hoof through her mane, straightening it, then she turned her attention to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus was fidgeting in her seat, and her mane was messier than normal. "I'm guessing you stayed the night last night, didn't you?" she asked.


Rainbow blinked and turned to her. "Uh yeah," she answered. "I... stayed here last night," she added. Twilight glanced at Rainbow, and Rainbow looked at Twilight. For a few seconds, both of them watched the other. Neither of them said anything, and Rainbow eventually broke the staring contest.


Twilight kept looking at Rainbow for a few more seconds, debating on what to say. "You're welcome to stay any night," she said gently, knowing that Rainbow at least wouldn't chastise her for her offer. Rainbow glanced at her but didn't meet her gaze. Twilight looked down at Rainbow's wing, then sighed and turned away from her.


"If... you want me to, I can stay in the castle for a few nights, I guess... I'll have to bring some of my stuff over, though..." Rainbow said at length. 'She would appreciate that... And if she needs anything, I'll be close by so I can help her... Yeah,' she nodded to herself.


Twilight flashed a smile at the offer, then it faded. "I... Starlight, can you prepare one of the guest rooms for Rainbow today?" she asked.


Starlight quickly nodded. "Sure, I can do that." She turned to Rainbow. "If you need any help moving anything, I'll be happy to help you with it."


Rainbow nodded her head at her, "Thanks," she said, "but I think I can get it all. It's really not a lot, just a few necessities and my flight suits," she replied.


Starlight frowned. "Speaking of flight suits... shouldn't you be at the academy right now?"


Rainbow smiled wryly. "Yes, but..." she trailed off, thinking back to last night, and then the morning. "Twilight needed me," she replied.


Twilight internally winced and sighed, then lowered her head and looked at the crystal table. For a few seconds, she just looked at the whitish crystal, then she laid her hoof on top of it. The crystal was cool to the touch, but not unbearably cold.


"Twilight?" Starlight spoke. Twilight lifted her eyes from the table and looked at the unicorn. She wore a worried expression, one directed entirely at her. Twilight swallowed and lifted her head up. "Are you doing okay?" she asked.


Twilight thought about it for several seconds, then nodded and smiled. If she thought about not being able to use her magic, she knew she'd feel depressed. If she thought about what else she lost, she'd feel depressed too. There was a highlight to it, though. Rainbow promised to help her, and that made her nod her head. Rainbow stayed with her all night and held her. That made her smile. "I'm... I'm okay," she answered. She glanced at Rainbow and swallowed. She wanted to thank her again. She wanted to acknowledge what Rainbow did for her. Rainbow knew how she felt, though, so she decided not to bring it up. "At least... for now," she added.


A few seconds later, Spike walked back in, carrying two plates of pancakes in his claws. Twilight smiled as the young dragon walked proudly over to them and then set the twin plates down, one in front of her, and the other in front of Rainbow. "Breakfast is served, Princess," Spike said lightly.


"Thank you, Spike," Twilight said and smiled sweetly at him, then she turned to the plate of pancakes, topped with two strawberries.


"Thanks," Rainbow said as she lowered her head to the plate and eyed the pancake hungrily. Three blueberries adorned the two pancakes on her plate. She picked one up with her wing, then threw it in her mouth and bit down on it. The blueberry was rather bland, but the subtle taste was welcome. She leaned down and took a bite out of the pancake, then closed her eyes and moaned. She pulled back and swallowed, then turned to Spike. "This is really good, Spike," she complimented. Spike stood up straighter and beamed at the compliment.


Twilight reached out with her magic to pick up the utensils, only to fail. She maintained an even expression as she remembered that she couldn't use her magic. She slowly extended her wing, then carefully picked up the fork on her plate with it and stabbed it into the pancake. She loosened her grip, then extended her other wing and picked up the knife, then slid it through the pancakes, making two cuts of less precision than she was used to. She wrapped her feathers around the fork, then lifted it up and lowered her head closer to the plate. She closed her mouth around the fork and pulled it out, depositing its contents in her mouth, then she started chewing. Despite having had Spike's pancakes many times before, they still tasted good, maybe not as good as normal, but they were still good.





Twilight pushed the door to her room open and walked in, then made her way over to her bed. Rainbow stood at the door for a few seconds, watching as Twilight got on the bed and then laid down on her stomach. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, then walked over to Twilight's bed and sat down on her haunches beside it. "I can ask Spitfire for some time off or something if you want, you know... I'm sure she'd understand if I told her that I'm helping you... get better," Rainbow commented.


Twilight tilted her head towards her and shook it. "No, it's fine. It's something you enjoy, you shouldn't stop on my behalf," she coaxed.


"It's not like I'd be quitting or anything," Rainbow said. "I'd just be taking some time off until you get better," she added.


Twilight sighed, then buried her muzzle in the wrinkled bedsheets. "You're assuming I'll get better," she mumbled into the covers. Despite her voice being muffled, Rainbow heard her and grimaced. Twilight pulled her head back and then laid it down so that she could look at the rainbow-maned pegasus. "If my horn does grow back, it'll be a long time before that happens, Rainbow," she said at length.


"Well, what do you want me to do, then?" Rainbow asked.


Twilight sighed. After a few seconds, she marshaled her strength and resolve, "I'm fine, really," she said gently. She added a smile at the end, hoping to convince Rainbow that it was the truth. 'Rainbow knows I'm hurting, and that makes her hurt... I don't want to hurt you, Rainbow.' She turned her head away from her friend and looked at the balcony door.


Rainbow could see through Twilight's lie. The previous night and morning were evidence that she was in pain, perhaps not physically, but emotionally. Rainbow also knew that Twilight was happy that they spent the night together. She put her hooves on the bed and then pulled herself up onto it. She laid down on her stomach beside Twilight and felt the alicorn's body tense at the contact. Rainbow cautiously shifted her weight and wrapped an arm around Twilight's neck, then gently tugged her until the alicorn laid against her body. "I'll be back soon, I promise."


Twilight smiled, then frowned, then her lips returned to a neutral line. She turned back towards Rainbow and briefly looked into her eyes, then looked at her mane. "You're busy, you shouldn't... do this for me," she replied softly.


Rainbow rolled her eyes. "One day isn't going to hurt, Twilight."


Twilight closed her eyes and sighed happily. "Thank you." She opened her eyes. 


"You could come with me," Rainbow suggested.


Twilight opened her mouth to decline but hesitated. She closed her mouth and thought it over for a few seconds. 'I... owe it to you to do that, don't I? But... I can't, I'm not in good enough shape to fly that far, and I certainly can't... teleport...' She looked at Rainbow's shoulder for a few seconds, then slowly laid her head on it. She smiled as Rainbow's coat rubbed against her cheek. For a few seconds, she just stared at Rainbow's mane and ear. Rainbow watched her expectantly out of the corner of her eye. "I don't think I can fly that far," Twilight said sadly.


"Oh..." Rainbow felt a little disappointed at hearing that. 'I guess I should have known that,' she told herself. 'I probably just made her feel worse...' "Well... what if... what if we flew over to my house, then... I could shower and put on my flight suit and then go talk to Spitfire, then come back and... we could do something then?"


Twilight's ears drooped slightly. "I don't really feel like... going out today," she said. "I... I guess I could come with you to your home, but... I don't really want to fly back by myself."


Rainbow tilted her head back and looked at Twilight, then she rolled over onto her back and smiled at Twilight as the alicorn shifted her head to lay on her chest. "You can stay there, you know."


Twilight immediately averted her gaze from Rainbow. "That's kind of you, Rainbow, but... it wouldn't feel right without you being there."


Rainbow watched Twilight's expression for a few seconds. "You sure?" she asked. "I could... fly with you back to the castle then go," she suggested.


Twilight smiled and nodded, then pushed herself up and away from Rainbow. "I... guess that could work," she relented.


Rainbow shifted back over onto her stomach, then glided off the bed. She landed gracefully on the floor and turned around to face Twilight. "You want to go now, or would you rather take a shower or something first?"


Twilight swallowed and licked her lips as she stepped down from the bed. "I... we can go now," she said quickly.


"Okay." Rainbow beat her wings and flew in the air just above the floor, then flew over to the balcony door and stopped. She looked back at Twilight as the lavender alicorn walked towards her. "Should you tell Starlight where you're going?" she asked.


Twilight shook her head. "No, it's fine."


"Okay then." Rainbow turned to the balcony and opened the door, then flew outside and hovered in the air, holding the door open for Twilight.


"Thank you," Twilight mumbled as she walked through the doorway. Rainbow shut the door behind her, then flew to the edge of the balcony and looked at Twilight expectantly. Twilight tentatively spread her wings and looked at both of them in turn, then flapped them experimentally. Twilight grimaced briefly, then flew over to Rainbow. "Lead the way," she commanded.


Rainbow turned away from the castle and took off flying towards her distant cloudhouse. Twilight beat her wings harder and eventually caught up to Rainbow after the pegasus slowed her pace.





Twilight hung her head and folded her wings as she landed. She breathed heavily, and just stood there for a few seconds, catching her breath. She had flown from her castle to Rainbow's cloudhouse before, and it hadn't been anywhere near as exhausting as it was now. She did not look forward to the flight back, and she felt like she could sleep the rest of the day. "You doing okay, Twilight?" Rainbow asked. Twilight looked up and smiled at the pegasus. Rainbow Dash didn't even look like it was any more taxing for her than walking through town, but she was an athletic pegasus, and a well-trained one at that.


Twilight's smile slid into a grimace. "I'm just..." she trailed off and shook her head.


Rainbow turned to her and looked at her with an expression of concern. "Do you need something?" she asked.


Twilight swallowed and shook her head. "No." She closed her eyes and filled her lungs to capacity, then slowly exhaled through her nose. It helped steady her breathing, but she was still exhausted. 'I'll just take a nap while she's gone,' she told herself.


"Alright," Rainbow hesitantly responded. She continued to watch Twilight for a few seconds, then turned around and opened the door to her house. She turned back to Twilight, then motioned her in with a hoof. Twilight rubbed her wings against her sides, then slowly walked inside. Rainbow stepped in and closed the door behind her.


Twilight hesitated as Rainbow flew towards the stairs. "Do you want me to stay down here or?" she asked in an unsure voice, not knowing what to do.


Rainbow slowed, then stopped and turned around. "It's not like you haven't seen my bedroom before, so come on up I guess," she answered.


Twilight carefully made her way over to the stairs while Rainbow waited on her. As soon as she reached the stairs, Rainbow flew upwards but stayed near Twilight as the alicorn followed her. Both of them quickly and quietly made their way into Rainbow's bedroom, the pegasus entered first, then flew to the bathroom. She stopped and landed, then glanced back at Twilight. "Just uh... make yourself at home. I'll be done in a few minutes," she said quickly.


Before Twilight could reply, Rainbow had closed the door to the bathroom behind her and locked it. Twilight blinked, then looked around. Several posters of the Wonderbolts adorned the walls, along with a shelf that held several trophies. One of the 'trophies' she immediately recognized was the headband she won at the Best Young Fliers competition when she single-hoofedly saved Rarity's life, along with the lives of three Wonderbolts. The memory brought a smile to her face, which quickly turned into a yawn.


She walked over to Rainbow's bed, then sat down on her haunches beside it and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hooves, hoping to rub the drowsiness away. She brushed her hoof against her forehead. It throbbed slightly at the contact, but it was manageable. She extended her right wing and looked at it. She sighed heavily as she looked over her disarrayed feathers. She closed her eyes and folded her wing back to her side, then opened her eyes and watched the bathroom door, waiting for it to open back up and for Rainbow to walk out.


She heard the water turn on and grimaced, knowing it would be several minutes if not longer before Rainbow finished. 'Why am I even here?' she asked herself. 'I shouldn't be here. I pushed myself too hard flying here... That... That's going to hurt tomorrow...' Her mouth curled in disgust, remembering the pain she felt from briefly flying through her castle. She had the feeling that it wasn't going to compare to how much she had flown today, and she wasn't finished yet. 'And I still have to fly back to the castle.'





Rainbow looked at herself in the mirror and smiled as she slid her goggles over her eyes. She quickly ran a hoof through her mane, fixing a small section that looked too well-groomed, then she turned to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out. "Twilight, are you..." she trailed off, seeing the lavender alicorn asleep on the floor beside her bed. She was lying on her stomach, resting her head on her hooves, with her muzzle pointed straight at the door. She blinked at the sight. 'She's... sleeping?' She frowned and looked at her clock. 'She hasn't even been awake for two hours, and she's... she...' "Ugh..." she groaned and shook her head. 'What am I supposed to do now?' she asked herself.


'I don't think you'd like me leaving you here. You'll probably freak out when you wake up, and it would be even worse if I put you on my bed...' She grimaced at that thought. 'And if you're that tired from flying, then...' She pressed her hoof against her temple, not knowing what to do. She groaned, then flew over to Twilight and landed beside her. "Twilight?" she asked.


She nudged her with a hoof, "Twilight?" she said louder than the first time.


Twilight groaned and clenched her eyes shut tighter, then loosened them and opened an eye. She blinked and frowned. "O-oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep, I just-"


Rainbow shook her head. "It's fine. I would have let you sleep, but I didn't think you'd appreciate the panic attack you'd feel when you woke up and realized that..." she bobbed her head and let Twilight imagine the remainder of the sentence.


Twilight sighed and pushed herself up. "Thanks." She lifted a hoof to her mouth to stifle a yawn and then looked at Rainbow sheepishly.


"Are you sure you're okay?" Rainbow asked as she studied Twilight's expression and body for signs of stress. "That shouldn't have worn you out that much."


Twilight grimaced. "I've not... flown hardly any in the past several weeks. I'm out of practice and... well, I'm still recovering and all that." She looked away from Rainbow and stood rigidly.


Rainbow tilted her head to the side and looked at Twilight's wings. They were firmly pressed against her sides, Twilight was in distress. "Right..." she said. She decided not to press the issue. "Do you need anything?" she asked.


Twilight looked back at Rainbow and relaxed slightly. "No, I'm fine. Thank you," she said.


"If you're ready, we can fly back now, or..." Rainbow trailed off at Twilight's grimace. "My offer to let you stay here still stands," she said.


Twilight sighed and her ears drooped. She looked at Rainbow thoughtfully but shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Rainbow, but-"


Rainbow looked at her sternly and cut her off, "You're not in any shape to fly the distance back, Twilight. You should just stay here and sleep. You can even use my bed," she offered.


Twilight quickly shook her head. "Fine, I'll stay." She turned away from Rainbow. "I'll just... sleep on the couch."


"Alright." Rainbow glanced back at the clock and found herself grimacing. "I'll go tell Spitfire what's going on and I'll... take a week off-"


Twilight gaped at her. "What? You said you're taking a personal day, not that you're taking a week off and-"


Rainbow facehoofed. "Twilight."


"No. You have important things to do," Twilight argued. "You're a Wonderbolt, you can't just take a week off at such short notice, even if it's-"


"To help my friend, who just happens to be a princess, get better?" Rainbow asked with a blank expression. "Spitfire will understand, Twilight. Just relax and stop worrying so much."


Twilight closed her mouth and she stared at Rainbow for several seconds. "Is that something you really want to do?" she asked.


"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked curiously.


"You're offering to take a full week off from your dream just to help me. Is that something you really want to do?" Twilight asked. Rainbow looked at her blankly. Twilight sighed and looked away from her. "If... If you're doing this because you feel an obligation to me, please-"


Rainbow tentatively put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Twilight, I'm doing this because I care. Maybe I don't... feel the same way about you that you feel about me," she said gently. Twilight closed her eyes and swallowed. "But I'm your friend. I care about you and I don't like seeing you in pain. It hurts me. It makes all of us hurt to see you in pain, Twilight." Rainbow smiled and pulled Twilight into a hug. The alicorn resisted at first, then relented and returned it, along with an affectionate nuzzle, rubbing her cheek against the side of Rainbow's neck. Rainbow hesitated when she felt Twilight's cheek rub along her neck, then she grimaced and briefly returned it, nuzzling the alicorn's neck in return.


Twilight stopped when Rainbow returned the nuzzle, enjoying the sensation. She sat down on her haunches and leaned sideways against Rainbow. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash," she whispered.


"Don't worry about it, and don't mention it," Rainbow replied. Twilight pulled away from her and smiled lightly. "Really. Don't mention it. I don't want anypony thinking I'm weak," she said with a lighthearted smile.


Twilight giggled. "I won't," she said. "Except maybe Luna... she... probably already knows what happened last night. She knows I have feelings for you, and-"


"Did you tell her or... am I in your dreams?" Rainbow asked.


Twilight looked away from her and took interest in the floor. She ruffled her wings. "Well. You... yes, you're... in my dreams," she answered sheepishly.


"Eh, I suppose I can't blame you, I dream about me too. I'm just that awesome," Rainbow chuckled to fight off the unease she felt. For a few seconds, both of them just sat there, smiling and thinking about their conversation. "I should probably get going... but I'll be back soon! Just... make yourself at home and relax," she said. Twilight let go of her, and then Rainbow pulled away and flapped her wings. She quickly stopped at the window and turned back to Twilight. She met her eyes and just looked into them for a few seconds, then Twilight blinked and lowered her gaze away from Rainbow's eyes. Rainbow wanted to say something else but didn't know what to say. She jumped out the window and spread her wings wide.


Twilight smiled as she watched Rainbow fly away. It felt bittersweet, Rainbow was leaving her so that she could come back and spend more time with her, but she was still leaving. She sighed, then picked herself up and looked at Rainbow's bed. She cautiously put a hoof on it and felt it sink into the bed, then she put her other hoof onto the bed and pulled herself up.


She tentatively laid down and rested her head on Rainbow's pillow, then closed her eyes. She nestled against the soft pillow as the cloud bed shifted to accommodate her form. She sighed contently, though she missed having Rainbow beside her.





Rainbow carefully scanned the academy's grounds for the third time from high up in the sky. From what she could see, Spitfire was nowhere in sight. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but she breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the pegasus wasn't going to immediately hammer her. She quickly looked over the grounds again as she began her descent.


All too soon she landed, and she winced as her hooves touched the cool pavement. She was half expecting Spitfire to pounce on her, despite not being present. "Hey, Crash!" Soarin called. Rainbow puffed up her chest and turned around. Soarin, a light bluish green pegasus with a dark blue mane, and Misty, a pale yellow pegasus who had a light blue mane with white highlights, calmly walked over to her. "You're late. Spitfire's been looking for you, she didn't seem very happy either."


Rainbow winced. "Right... Did you by any chance see where she was?"


Misty smiled and elbowed Soarin. "See? Even she knows to go and acknowledge the problem, rather than avoiding the issue and waiting for the problem to find you," she chuckled.


Soarin smiled nervously. "R-right... Uh, I think Spitfire's in her office, at least she was when I last saw her." He glanced at Misty, who smiled maliciously at him. He chuckled nervously and looked back at Rainbow. "Uh... gotta go, sorry!" he said before flapping his wings and taking flight.


"Good luck, Crash," Misty said with a wave of her hoof as she flew off after Soarin.


Rainbow blinked as the pair flew away, then turned and looked at the building across the runway. She took a deep breath then exhaled through her mouth and started walking towards it. She slowed and checked both ways at the runway, then quickly darted across it and slowed back to a leisurely pace once she reached the other side. She continued to walk to the structure, and a few Wonderbolts or trainees gave her sideways looks, but nopony said anything.


She calmly strode into the building, then turned to her left and quickly walked through the hallways, navigating them with skill and precision. She slowed as she approached the door to Spitfire's office. The two guards standing outside remained stoic as she stepped up to the door and knocked.


"Enter," Spitfire commanded from behind the door.


Rainbow tentatively worked the doorknob, then opened the door and slid inside the office. Spitfire didn't look up from her paper, but her brow furrowed as Rainbow closed the door behind her. "Crash," she acknowledged dryly.


"Captain," Rainbow responded calmly.


Several seconds passed in silence while Spitfire read over the paper she held in her hooves. Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably. Waiting there always made her uncomfortable, even in better circumstances. Spitfire dropped the paper from her hooves and looked up at Rainbow Dash. "You're late." She stamped the paper, then slid it across her desk and pulled another form in front of her. "What happened?" she asked empathetically.


Rainbow grimaced and stepped away from the door. "I was with Twilight," she said.


Spitfire sat up straighter. "Is she doing okay?"


Rainbow bobbed her head and took a deep breath. "I don't know, she's..." she trailed off and shook her head. "She's still sick, I think, but she's recovering. It's just... slow."


Spitfire grimaced. "So you were with her because she still has problems?" she asked.


Rainbow hesitated to think about it, then nodded. It wasn't entirely accurate, but it was close. "She's my friend and... well, yeah. I'm sorry that I'm late, but I want to help her get better. She is a princess, after all."


Spitfire nodded. "Do you want some time off?"


Rainbow grinned wryly. "A week," she said.


Spitfire frowned and nodded. Her brow creased and she looked back at her desk as she thought about it. After several seconds, she looked back up at Rainbow. "Take as much time as you need, but keep me posted, alright?"


Rainbow blinked. "Uh, what?"


Spitfire took off her sunglasses and folded them, then set them down on the desk. "Twilight's a princess, so she outranks me. On top of that, you're the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Take as much time off as you need to help her get better."


"That's-"


"But," Spitfire looked at her sternly. "When you get back, I expect you to be in peak physical condition." Spitfire smiled, knowing that wouldn't be a problem for her. "Understood, Dash?"


Rainbow went rigid and saluted her. "Yes, maam!"


Spitfire chuckled. "The princesses don't think that the sabotage was a prelude to an invasion, but keep your eyes open." Rainbow nodded. "I'll see you around, Dash."


Rainbow saluted. "I'll stop by next week and give you an update," she said.


Spitfire smiled. "Thanks."


Rainbow quickly turned around and stepped out of Spitfire's office, then closed the door. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, then opened her eyes and quickly made her way back outside of the building. No sooner had she stepped outside than she had spread her wings and taken flight back to Ponyville.





Rainbow Dash flew in through her still-open bedroom window, then silently landed on the floor. She hadn't missed seeing the alicorn sleeping on her bed, but she was surprised she was uncovered, considering she hadn't shut the window. In hindsight, she knew she should have shut the window, but she hadn't thought about it.


She glanced around her room, then walked over to the bed and looked at Twilight. She was lying on her side and had a soft smile plastered on her muzzle. 'What's she dreaming about?' She considered the question for a few seconds, then shook her head and smiled. She sighed, then slowly placed a hoof on Twilight's side, gauging her temperature. She felt cool to the touch. Rainbow winced, then glanced around her room. Her eyes settled on the blanket on the bed. She tentatively bit down on it and threw it over Twilight. The blanket laid over Twilight awkwardly because its end was still tucked in, but it was better than nothing.


Rainbow turned away from Twilight and walked out of the room, then paused at the doorway. She grunted and turned around, then flew to the window and then shut and locked it. She flew over to the bathroom then silently shut the door and took off her flight suit and goggles, then set them aside and stepped back out of the bathroom. She grimaced and flew across and then out of the room. She leisurely flew down the stairwell, then  flew to her front door. She barely paused as she opened her door and then shut it behind her before rocketing off towards Twilight's castle. The trip flew by in a blur for Rainbow, and before she knew it, she was walking into Twilight's castle through the front door.


"Oh, Rainbow Dash, dear!" Rarity happily greeted the pegasus. Rainbow turned towards the source of the voice to see Rarity and Starlight walking side by side, both smiling.


"Hey, Rarity," Rainbow greeted the fashionista. "What are you doing here?" she asked.


Rarity's expression shifted from happy to worried. "Well, I had come to visit Twilight, but she wasn't here. Starlight told me that she was probably with you, but uh..." Rarity trailed off, bobbing her head at Twilight's lack of appearance with Rainbow. "Do you by any chance know where she is?"


Rainbow grinned. "Yeah, she's at my place. Taking a nap. We went for a quick flight and she wore herself out," she explained.


"Oh, dear... She's feeling alright, though, right? I'd hate for her to get sick from pushing herself too much..." Rarity stared off at the wall and frowned. "That would be absolutely dreadful," she added in a low voice.


"Yeah," Rainbow nodded in agreement. "That wouldn't be good." She paused and thought back to how Twilight acted. "I think she's feeling alright. At least other than being tired."


Rarity hummed, then spoke, "Well, that's good." She paused and squinted at the pegasus. "Shouldn't you be... at the Wonderbolt Academy?"


Rainbow waved a hoof dismissingly. "Eh, I talked to Spitfire." She smiled. "I actually..." she trailed off and her smile fell slightly, "stayed in the castle last night. I... was late because I was helping Twilight... with something," she said dryly. "So I went and talked to Spitfire, and she's giving me time off to help Twilight."


Rarity smiled thoughtfully at Rainbow. "Oh, that's very thoughtful of you, Rainbow Dash." She frowned in thought, "Though, I have to admit that surprises me a little. I would have thought that..."


Rainbow looked at her questioningly. "That what?" she asked sharply.


Rarity curtly shook her head. "Nothing, darling, it's just that... I am surprised you'd take time off to help her, considering that she's through the worst of it."


Starlight grimaced at that. "I'm not sure she's through the worst of it, actually," she said glumly, drawing the attention of both other mares to her. "She has her magic but can't use it. Her special talent is magic. That has to be... torturous for her..." she trailed off with her lips halfway between a grimace and a frown. "She used her magic for everything, and I know she's having problems adjusting."


"Oh, dear... I hadn't even considered that..." Rarity sighed.


"It's only been a few days, though, so I'm sure she'll get better," Starlight quickly added. "It's just going to take time."


"Yeah, time," Rainbow mumbled.


Starlight inhaled deeply and turned to face Rainbow Dash, "So what brings you back here anyway?"


"Oh, right. I just wanted to let you know where Twilight was. I didn't really want to wake her up, I figured she could use the rest, so I just let her sleep," Rainbow answered.


"Rainbow, dear, please make sure Twilight knows that I stopped by," Rarity chirped.


"You're leaving so soon after I get here? What gives, Rarity?" Rainbow asked suspiciously.


Rarity batted a hoof in the air at her dismissively and leaned away from her. "Now, Rainbow, you know that I'm quite busy. And since Twilight isn't here, there's no sense in me staying around and getting in the way of..." Rarity grimaced and hummed, "whatever it is you're doing, dear."


"Twilight will be happy to know that you stopped by," Starlight commented.


Rarity waved after she left, then closed the door. Rainbow let out a sigh of relief as soon as the door closed, glad that the unicorn was gone.


"Did you need something else or did you just want to let me know where Twilight is?" Starlight asked.


Rainbow shifted her weight. "Not really, I just wanted to make sure you knew where she is so that you didn't get worried." She paused, then added, "Spitfire told me to take as much time as I needed. So... I guess I don't really need to move much of anything over to the castle."


"Oh, that was... nice of her?" Starlight asked.


Rainbow nodded her head absently. "Yeah. I think it was because Twilight's a princess." She chuckled. "She told me to keep an eye on her... I kinda get the feeling it's supposed to be an assignment, just... you know, not specified as such."


Starlight nodded. "Maybe Princess Luna had something to do with it? According to Twilight, she's been visiting her dreams every night and they've talked."


"Why would Princess Luna have something to do with... that?" Rainbow asked uneasily.


Starlight shifted her weight. "Well... has Twilight told you about..." she trailed off, bobbing her head. A few seconds later, she grimaced and sighed. "She... feels like she's drifting apart from all of you. She's felt that way for a few months... Everypony's so busy anymore," she shook her head


Rainbow winced. "She... never talked to me about that."


Starlight sighed and shook her head. "It's a touchy subject for her. It took me a while to get her to tell me that she feels like she's drifting apart from all of you," she admitted.


Rainbow looked at the floor sadly. She knew that they had been busy and that they had been getting busier all the time. They still made time to spend with each other, but it was less common. "She's felt that way for months?" She looked up at Starlight, who nodded somberly. "Why hasn't she talked to any of us about this?"


"She doesn't want to make a big deal out of it," Starlight answered.


Rainbow frowned. "If it's bothering her that much, then she should talk about it."


Starlight groaned and shook her head. "That's what I tried telling her. At least she's talking to Princess Luna about it now."


"Ugh. She should be talking to her friends. I mean, not that talking to Princess Luna about it is bad or anything, but, it's not the same." Rainbow shook her head. "Maybe I should talk to her about it?"


"That might be a good idea," Starlight replied. She looked at the floor in thought, then shook her head.


"I'll do that." Rainbow nodded to herself. 'What if she brings up... the date?' She wanted to groan at that, but she held it in. "I should probably get going..." she said slowly. Starlight looked at her curiously. "Twilight," she answered. Starlight nodded in understanding. Rainbow watched Starlight for a few seconds, then turned around and flew out of the castle.





Rainbow looked around the doorway into her bedroom. Twilight was lying on her stomach, facing the wall. Her head was lying on her hooves, and her ears were lying back against her head. She had pushed the blanket off of herself and had her wings spread out across the bed. Her eyes were half opened and they looked dull. "Hey, finally wake up?" Rainbow asked gently.


Twilight quickly lifted her head from her hooves then turned towards the doorway. Rainbow casually walked into the room, smiling at her. Twilight glanced at the clock on the wall and grimaced. "I'm never going to get back on a decent sleep schedule..." she groaned. She buried her head in the blanket and exhaled. She listened intently to Rainbow's hoofsteps as she approached, then felt the bed shift beneath her as Rainbow crawled up onto the bed. She folded her wings back to her body, making room for the pegasus to lay beside her. She tensed up, then relaxed as Rainbow's coat met her own. She closed her eyes as Rainbow's soft feathers pressed against her own. She inhaled, then lifted her head away from the bed and looked at Rainbow. "I'm probably not going to sleep very well tonight now, either..." she said in depressed exasperation.


"You've not been out of the hospital that long. You're worrying too much, just give it time," Rainbow suggested, smiling a gentle, reassuring smile. Twilight smiled back at her, then looked back at the wall. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then ran her eyes over her disarrayed mane. She shifted her weight away from Twilight, then laid an arm around Twilight's neck. Twilight glanced at her from the corner of her eye but didn't turn to face her. 'Starlight said you felt like we've all been drifting apart.' She wanted to ask her about that, but it didn't feel like it was the right time to ask. "Besides, I can..." she trailed off uneasily, unsure of whether to say stay with her all night, or offer to stay with her until she fell asleep, "stay with you until you fall asleep tonight." She felt torn by saying that, she wouldn't mind spending another night with Twilight, but it felt too soon, and she didn't feel the same way about Twilight as the alicorn did her. 'If I spent tonight with her would she get the wrong idea?' Rainbow sighed internally at the thought, but didn't voice it, she had already said she would stay with Twilight until the alicorn fell asleep.


Twilight licked her lips. "I take it Spitfire understood and let you take the week off?" She turned to see Rainbow boldly grinning.


"I talked to her and told her that you were having problems. She actually told me to take as much time off as I needed..." she trailed off, then deadpanned, "And to keep an eye on you."


Twilight smiled and giggled at that. "Did she actually say that?"


Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, she did. So it's kind of like an assignment, I guess, because she wants me to stay in top physical condition and report in every week and all that."


Twilight nodded, then looked away from her. "Thank you, but... you know you don't have to do this, right?"


Rainbow looked at her seriously. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then Twilight glanced at her and turned to face her. "I want to," she said seriously. Twilight smiled sweetly, then glanced at her chest. She bit her lip, then slowly leaned her head against Rainbow. Rainbow pulled her wing out then laid it across Twilight's back.


Twilight closed her eyes and sighed at the contact, feeling warmth well up inside of her chest. "Why do you do this?" she asked.


Rainbow frowned. 'Why do I do this?' she wondered. "It's kind of nice, and you enjoy it, don't you?" Twilight smiled and sighed contently. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's presence, then the silence was broken by Rainbow's stomach. Twilight pulled away from her and looked at Rainbow blankly. Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane sheepishly. "Dinner?" she asked.


Twilight bobbed her head as she thought about it. Her stomach felt queasy from flying so much, but it did feel empty. "Something light, maybe," she answered.


"I could go get something, or we could go back to the castle and get something..." Rainbow trailed off, considering the third unspoken option, going out to get dinner somewhere. She wouldn't have minded it, but she knew that Twilight wouldn't like the suggestion. Knowing that Twilight didn't like the suggestion because of her actions left a bitter taste in her mouth. 'A date... might be okay?' she wondered, considering the option.


"I... don't know if I should fly that far, Rainbow..." Twilight muttered dejectedly.


Rainbow pulled Twilight tight with her arm, then released her. "Then I'll carry you," she said. Twilight looked at her and smiled, but it wasn't as bright as normal, then she nodded. Rainbow pulled away from her and slid out of bed, then Twilight made her way off the bed. Rainbow sat down on her haunches and motioned Twilight onto her back. Twilight hesitated, but said nothing and tentatively stepped over to her and wrapped her arms around her neck, and legs around her barrel.





Twilight leaned over the table, massaging her temples with her hooves and partially supporting her weight with her elbows on the table. She had her eyes closed, and for the most part enjoyed the relative silence. According to Spike, Starlight was out doing some errand. He hadn't been specific, and he had dismissed her concerns, but he seemed genuine enough that she didn't press the issue. "Are you doing alright, Twilight?" Rainbow's raspy feminine voice asked.


Twilight brought her hooves down to the table and she nodded as she turned towards the source of the voice. "Yes, just a bit of a headache is all," she replied dismissively.


Rainbow sat up straighter in her chair, then blew air out of her mouth and stared off at the crystal wall. She tapped her hooves impatiently on the crystal table and went through all the thoughts in her mind. She shifted her weight as the seconds droned on and the silent stillness got to her. "Spike sure is taking a while, isn't he..." she commented, unsure what else to say.


Twilight slowly nodded, then froze. She slowly looked up from the table and looked at Rainbow with wide eyes. "I... um... he might be preparing... something... nice... for us..." she said at length. She shifted her weight and clenched her wings to her sides at Rainbow's blank look. She ran the edge of her hoof in circles on the crystal table. "H-he may think that... well..." she trailed off and looked at the table and her hoof.


After a few seconds, it hit Rainbow. She immediately shrugged it off and dismissed the notion. "Oh, he may think that this is a date? Is that what you're worried about?" she asked. Twilight nodded quickly and kept her gaze focused on the table, not trusting herself to look anywhere else.


"I-I mean, since... Starlight's not here, and it's just the t-two of us," Twilight added.


"Eh, don't worry about it," Rainbow replied. "You're probably just overthinking it. Starlight's probably just helping Rarity or Fluttershy. And as for Spike taking a while, maybe he is making something nice. So what? It'll be a nice change of pace, right? It's gotta be better than hospital food, sandwiches, and soup," she chuckled lightly.


Twilight looked up at her and smiled happily at the pegasus. "It would be nice," she admitted.


The next few minutes passed in silence, broken only by the sound of Rainbow tapping on the crystal table while they waited. Eventually, the doors to the kitchen were thrown open, and out walked one dragon with two silver platters precariously balanced on his claws. Both Twilight and Rainbow watched him intently as he wobbled over to him, the former in fear, and the latter waiting to pounce to save the dishes from the floor.


How Spike managed to serve them without spilling or revealing the contents of either dish remained a mystery to both of them, but neither of them said anything about it. "Thanks, Spike," Twilight said sweetly as the young dragon lifted the lid from her platter. She leaned over the plate and inhaled the steamy aroma of the cooked broccoli, pasta, and salad. She smiled and looked to her right, then giggled as she watched Rainbow practically plant her face into the bowl of broccoli.


"No problem, Twilight," Spike said gently, then glanced at the floor and tapped his index claws together. "Do you um-" he looked up at Twilight, "-need any help?" he asked.


Twilight glanced at her food, then mulled it over. "No, I... think I can manage," she replied.


"O-okay," Spike said in an unsure tone. "If you need any help, just let me know... I'll be in the kitchen." He stood there for a few seconds, watching Twilight tentatively fiddle a fork in between two of her feathers. Eventually, Twilight managed to pick up some pasta with the fork and then carefully brought it to her mouth. Her first attempt failed, then she tried again, but this time she leaned in closer with her muzzle and succeeded. Spike smiled at her success, then made his way back into the kitchen.


Twilight meticulously chewed her food, knowing it was both better for her body and less likely to cause her stomach problems. She occasionally cast a sideways glance at Rainbow, only to quickly look back to her own food. The bright lighting didn't have the romantic atmosphere that she had wanted, but she could almost consider it a date with the pegasus. She knew that it wasn't a date, though, but she didn't let that get her down. She took the time to savor every bite and enjoy the company of her friend.


Rainbow, for the most part, ignored Twilight, only occasionally slowing down to glance at Twilight while she ate before quickly returning to her own food. She found herself bored when she finished the last of her broccoli. She looked wryly at the salad, then shook her head and pushed the platter away from her. The meal was good, but she wasn't a fan of the salad. For a few minutes, she was content to look around the dining room, every once in a while, she caught sight of Twilight glancing at her. After one glance that lasted a moment longer than the others, she turned her body to face Twilight and watched her thoughtfully. Twilight purposefully avoided looking at her, but after a few seconds, she couldn't help but glance at her.


Although Rainbow said nothing, Twilight shifted her weight and refocused on eating. A minute later, she swallowed and pushed the platter away, having only eaten half of her meal. She licked her lips, then sat up straighter and put the fork down on the platter. The metal fork clanked as it hit the silver, breaking the silence. "It was good," Twilight said absently.


Rainbow hopped out of her chair and nodded. "Yeah, it was."


Twilight slid off her chair and sighed. "I can't believe I slept the day away... literally," she groaned and hung her head.


Rainbow frowned, then walked over to her and slid up beside her. Twilight sighed and shied away from the contact. Rainbow looked at her quizzically, "What is it?" she asked.


"It's nothing," Twilight answered. "I just... I get the feeling I probably shouldn't be flying at all in my condition, considering how much it wears me out..." she grimaced and bobbed her head, "Although today my wings don't hurt as bad... That's probably a good thing."


"It'll get better, trust me," Rainbow chuckled. Twilight looked at her questioningly. "The whole not flying for a month really does a number on you," she elaborated, "though, in your case, it probably has more to do with getting exposed to the radiation..." she trailed off grimacing. "I'm sure you'll get better, though... You have to," she finished grimly.


Twilight shook her head and started walking towards the hallway. "Right now, Sweetie Belle could probably beat me in a hoof-wrestling match." She chuckled after she finished, attempting to mask the sting that she felt from saying that.


Rainbow beat her wings and landed beside her, then fell in step behind her. "So what are we doing now?" she asked.


"I'm going to bed," Twilight answered dryly.


Rainbow paused. "What? Don't you have something you need to do? I mean, it's not that late and you've only been up for an hour or so..."


Twilight stopped and turned around. "I don't. I really... don't. I had a full schedule five weeks ago, then... you know what happened," she said in a slightly bitter voice. "And now here I am. Everything scheduled is either delayed until I'm better or, most likely, taken care of. I d-don't have my h-horn, so I can't just..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have taken over my royal duties for the time being. I slept too long, so now I don't have light to read unless I want to ask Spike or Starlight and I don't want to bother them and..." she trailed off shaking her head, then opened her eyes. "So no, there's not really anything I need to do. The day after tomorrow I have an appointment to see Doctor Manner. Tomorrow, well, I doubt I'll feel like leaving the castle. I could be wrong I guess, but if I feel like I did yesterday, I won't even want to leave my bed."


Rainbow grimaced, then she slowly stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck, and pulled Twilight into a bear hug. Twilight shook her head and sighed. For several seconds, Twilight resisted the embrace. She eventually relented and briefly returned the hug, then pulled back. Rainbow slowly pulled her hooves away from Twilight and looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you actually tired right now?" Rainbow asked.


Twilight groaned and shook her head. "No."


"Then why don't we do something?" Rainbow suggested in a light, optimistic voice.


"Like what?" Twilight asked.


"I don't know, something you like? There's gotta be a million things you'd like to do, I mean, you're... you." Rainbow paused to think, then looked at Twilight questioningly, "Isn't... the library still going to have lights on or something?" Twilight blinked. "We could go read there then if you wanted." Rainbow shrugged.


"That's..." Twilight shook her head then smiled. "Thanks, I guess I kind of overreacted a little, huh?"


"Just a little?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight blushed in embarrassment. "Well, lead the way, Princess!" Twilight shook her head and groaned at Rainbow's teasing, but said nothing as she turned back down the hallway.


The pair quickly made their way through the hallways and found the library. Sure enough, and unsurprisingly, the lights were still on. "I should have known the lights would be on." Twilight huffed.


Rainbow walked passed her and looked at the familiar stacks of books. The castle's library was massive. It was at least as big as the Golden Oaks Library, just in terms of the number of books it held, to say nothing of how voluminous it was. She walked over to a row of books and looked over the titles. She mostly blocked out the titles she saw, they weren't books that caught her interest. They were egghead books, the kind of books Twilight would have read. "So what do you want to read?" she asked. "Daring Do?" she suggested.


Twilight walked up beside her and glanced over the titles of the books, then sighed. "That would be nice, I guess. I started reading the Quest for the Sapphire Stone again, but I left that on my nightstand..." she trailed off sadly, unhappy at the prospect of not finishing the book tonight.


Rainbow turned to her. "I can go and get that if you'd like."


Twilight smiled fondly at her and nodded. "Thanks, but you don't have to. I can. find another book."


Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'll go get it. You just get comfortable. I'll be back soon." She beat her wings and hovered in the air, then flew to the door and paused. She turned around and flew back to Twilight at a slower pace. "But... on the condition that we start over from the beginning. I really don't like skipping ahead."


Twilight giggled and nodded. "That's fine."


Rainbow flashed her a smile, then zoomed away and out of the library, leaving a faint and rapidly fading rainbow trail behind her. Twilight stood there for a few seconds, calculating how long it would take Rainbow to return, and fretting over her absence. She shook her head, then turned and walked over to the couch in the middle of the library. She tentatively flapped her wings, then landed on the couch and laid down. She laid on her side and watched the crystal wall, waiting for her friend to return.


Seconds passed away. She shifted her weight and rolled over onto her back, then let her body go limp. Her right wing fell off the side of the couch, while her left one was blocked by the back of the couch. She laid her arms on her chest and let her hind legs fall apart, then she looked up at the ceiling and blinked. Her position wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't uncomfortable either. She shook her head and dragged one of her hooves down to her stomach and gently massaged it, rubbing her hoof around in small circles, attempting to placate the pain she felt.


She laid on her back for half a minute before shifting back over to her side and looking at the wall. She continued to rub her stomach for a few seconds, then pulled her hoof away and placed it under her head so that her cheek was lying atop it. A couple minutes later, Twilight pushed herself up into a sitting position. Right on schedule, Rainbow Dash flew inside half a minute later.


Rainbow Dash landed in front of the couch and Twilight smiled at her. "I'm back," she said. Twilight motioned for her to sit down beside her. She took the invitation and jumped up onto the couch, then frowned. She held the book in her hooves and opened it to the first page with her wing, then held it over for Twilight to take it.


Twilight shook her head. "Could you read it for me?" she asked quickly to mask her nervousness. 'I just want to listen to your voice...'


Rainbow looked at her hesitantly for a few seconds, then nodded and pulled the book back to herself. She watched Twilight while she flipped to the start of the first chapter. Twilight normally read the preface, but Rainbow never really found it that interesting. She blinked and looked at the page, then swallowed. "Chapter one," she read aloud. "As Daring Do trekked through the tropical jungle..." She read on for several minutes, then felt Twilight lean against her. She slowed to a crawl when Twilight laid her head against her shoulder, but continued and said nothing. A quick glance at the alicorn told her that she was happy, and that was enough to make her endure it.





Rainbow carefully balanced Twilight on her back, using her wings to keep the sleeping alicorn from falling off, lest the mare wake up. She wasn't sure when Twilight fell asleep, she had been reading to her for nearly three hours and was about halfway through the Daring Do book. Normally the roles were reversed, and Twilight was the one reading, but she was happy to read it for her. She had the suspicion that Twilight just wanted to relax, despite having chosen an adventure novel.


Rainbow shook her head as she turned a corner. 'Twilight, you really like being close to me, don't you?' She didn't need to ask the question to know the answer, how Twilight behaved around her was evidence enough that her friend enjoyed it. Twilight might have enjoyed it too much. Despite that, she found herself smiling as she thought about it. 'Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad to say yes after all,' she thought. The thought still didn't provoke any emotion, save for curiosity, a feeling of awkwardness, and slight fear. She glanced back at the alicorn lying on her back and looked over her features.


Twilight's mane really needed to be brushed. The mare hadn't combed her mane, despite an entire day having passed. 'Can you even brush your mane?' She grimaced at the thought, remembering that Starlight had said Twilight used her magic for everything. She could remember seeing Twilight brushing her mane once before, and she had been using her magic. Rainbow felt numb and slowed her pace, not knowing how to react to the realization.


'How are you going to get better?' The question was distracting. 'Are you going to be stuck like this forever?' Rainbow clenched her jaw at that thought. It was unthinkable, Twilight never being able to use her magic again. 'Your magic is a part of you, and you can't use it...' Rainbow felt cold. 'How are you handling this so well?' She had seen Twilight's problems, but how Twilight managed not to break down eluded her. 'You're brave, you know that? I don't think I could handle losing my wings...'


She turned her head away from Twilight then picked up her pace, trying to run from the thoughts. After several minutes, she finally arrived at Twilight's room and opened the door with her mouth, then slid inside and shut the door with a swift kick from her hind leg. The door clicked shut, and she surveyed the room for a few seconds before gazing at Twilight's bed. Carrying Twilight from the dining room to her bedroom hadn't been too much of a challenge, but although Twilight didn't weigh as much as she expected, the alicorn still weighed somewhere around as much as Rainbow did. She still could have carried her further, though.


She walked over to the bed, then lifted the covers with her hoof. She shifted her weight and lowered her left wing, slowly sliding Twilight off her back and onto the plush bed. Twilight groaned from the motion but didn't wake. Rainbow carefully pushed Twilight over to the center of the bed. Twilight rolled over onto her side so that she faced Rainbow. The alicorn tilted her muzzle down against her neck and smiled softly. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then pulled the blanket over her. 'You're already asleep... joining you would be just... weird.' She shook her head and turned around, then folded her wings and walked over to the door and stepped out of Twilight's room.


Rainbow tentatively made her way down the hall and then into the guest room she had stayed in while Twilight was in the hospital. She closed the door behind her and pressed her weight against it and sighed. 'If I had said yes instead of no, would all this have happened?' she wondered. She had no answer for it. She groaned and walked over to the bed sulking and having grown weary from thinking so much, then she slid beneath the covers and winced at the cold. She laid her head down on the pillow and pressed her eyes closed, irritated by her lack of answers.