Twilight let out a content sigh and smiled. She opened an eye and nuzzled the sky-blue chest she laid against. Rainbow shifted her weight and Twilight slid her head down closer to Rainbow's chest. She enjoyed the warmth trapped beneath the covers, but it didn't compare to the heat radiating off of her pegasus friend. She dipped her muzzle under the blanket and inhaled, letting the warm air fill her lungs. She briefly pondered their combined scents, then slid her head back against Rainbow's neck.
Twilight rubbed her nose against the still-sleeping pegasus' chest, eliciting a groan from her friend. She smiled as Rainbow tightened her grip around her, pulling her closer. She welcomed the feeling of Rainbow's warm chest being tightly pressed against her chest, and all too quickly the feeling of closeness went away when Rainbow's grip loosened. She sighed and slid her head up and down Rainbow's neck. She relished feeling Rainbow's coat rubbing against her own coat.
Rainbow's chin pressed against Twilight's head as she yawned. She stretched out, causing Twilight to fall away from her a little. Twilight immediately reached her hooves around Rainbow's neck and wrapped her arms around her, then pulled herself closer to the pegasus. Rainbow blinked a few times, then pulled her arms and legs back around Twilight. She gently ran a hoof along Twilight's back in a reassuring manner. "You're being a little clingy again, Twilight..." she muttered.
Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and smiled nervously. "Sorry," she hastily apologized. She tucked her arms between them and folded both her hooves against her chest. She smiled sheepishly at Rainbow.
Rainbow unwrapped herself from around Twilight. She still wasn't used to the idea of waking up next to Twilight, let alone waking up with Twilight's muzzle buried in her chest or neck. Twilight preferred to sleep facing her, though. She didn't mind it too much, but it made mornings weirder for her, waking up beside Twilight with the mare nestled in her embrace. It was nice but it was strange. Something about it was comforting, although she couldn't quite place it, but she knew she enjoyed it, regardless of how strange it was. "Sleep okay?" she asked.
Twilight nodded. "Yes. My stomach... feels okay, and I don't think I woke up once."
Rainbow smiled. "That's good." She looked at Twilight's forehead and squinted. She reached out with a hoof, then gently brushed Twilight's bangs away so she could glimpse Twilight's injury. Twilight immediately looked away from Rainbow's eyes and focused on her chest. Rainbow could still tell that the area was wrong. The fur was discolored, shorter, and she could still see patches of Twilight's pale pink skin. Rainbow ran her hoof along its course and then brought it back to her side.
"It's still healing," Twilight stated evenly.
Rainbow frowned. "Is it still sensitive?"
"It's a little sensitive," Twilight affirmed, then pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest. "This still feels nice, though."
Rainbow forced a smile, despite knowing Twilight wouldn't look to see it. After a few seconds, Twilight pulled away and rolled over, then slid out of bed. Rainbow glanced at the clock, then pulled herself out of the covers and stood up. She fluttered her wings and glided over to Twilight, then sat down beside the alicorn. Rainbow smiled at her. Twilight returned the smile, then sat down and leaned against her. "You sure you'll be alright with Fluttershy today?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight nodded, rubbing her cheek against Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow was glad they were alone. "Yes," she answered happily. Her expression fell and she pulled away from Rainbow. "You shouldn't spend all of your time with me... I... would be fine staying in the castle alone..." 'Where I wouldn't be a burden to anypony except myself... no... My friends care about me... Fluttershy offered to keep me company today when I mentioned that Rainbow should take some time for herself... She offered! I didn't ask...' She felt herself smile at the realization, despite still feeling useless since she couldn't use her magic.
"Twilight... just stop," Rainbow groaned while shaking her head.
Twilight looked at Rainbow curiously. "Stop what?"
Rainbow tilted her head backward and looked at the ceiling. "Seriously?" she groaned. She looked at Twilight empathetically. "Stop acting like you're okay with being left alone, I know you don't like being alone. And stop putting yourself down, you're a princess for crying out loud!"
Twilight shifted her weight and turned away from Rainbow. "I-I know you all care about me, and that I'm... not... a burden on you all, but... I don't want to make things any more difficult for any of you than they are!"
"Twilight," Rainbow sighed. "We choose to stand with you, we want to help you." She swallowed and wrapped a wing around Twilight, then pulled the small alicorn against her body. "When are you going to realize that?" she asked softly.
Twilight leaned into Rainbow's hold. "I... I know that you want to, but I still feel... useless." She lowered her head and looked at the floor.
Rainbow scooted around and sat in front of Twilight. She wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck, then laid her head over the alicorn's head. "You're not useless," she said in a gentle but firm voice.
Twilight snorted and shook her head. "I'm pathetic. I can barely take care of myself-"
"Twilight." Rainbow wrapped her other wing around Twilight's back and held her more firmly. Twilight slid her head against Rainbow's neck. "It hurts to hear you say that you think you're useless or pathetic. You're not useless or pathetic. You saved Ponyville, and everypony living in Ponyville. Please, stop saying you're pathetic or useless, because you're not. It doesn't just hurt me, either. It hurts all of us."
They sat in silence for a few seconds before Twilight pulled her head away from Rainbow. Her eyes twinkled and a few tears had fallen down her cheeks. She smiled softly at Rainbow. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered softly, not trusting her voice to be any louder.
Rainbow smiled at Twilight and ran her hoof up the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight closed her eyes, then Rainbow gently pulled the princess's head back against her chest. "Stop apologizing," she chuckled. Twilight's smile widened for an instant, then shrank back.
Twilight pressed her head against Rainbow's chest, then she slid her hooves up on Rainbow's sides, stopping just below the pegasus' arms. Rainbow tightened her grip on Twilight, hoping to reassure her. Twilight pulled her head back and then laid the side of her head against Rainbow's chest. For a few seconds, she just listened to Rainbow's heartbeat. "This is-is hard," she admitted. "W-what if..." Twilight pressed her eyes closed tighter, tears still spilled out. "M-my horn never grow-grows ba-ack?"
Rainbow pulled up a hoof and then slowly ran it through Twilight's mane. "Maybe it won't grow back..." she said glumly. Twilight opened her eyes and looked at her. The alicorn's eyes twinkled, and Rainbow could see a hint of a feeling of betrayal in them. Rainbow smiled gently. "But I'll make you a promise, I'll stay with you and help you, no matter what." Twilight's lips turned upwards at that, then the alicorn buried her head in Rainbow's chest.
"You-you can't just drop everything to help m-me get bet-better!" she sobbed. "You... you know that," she said softly.
Rainbow rubbed her chin against the top of Twilight's head. "Twilight, do you really think I could enjoy performing as a Wonderbolt, or that I could focus on training, or... if I was in a fight, that I could focus if I knew that you were in pain because you were alone or something?" Rainbow pulled her head away as Twilight pulled her head back and looked up at her. The fur around Twilight's eyes was matted from tears, and Rainbow suspected her coat was also matted and wet from the alicorn's tears, but she didn't care, Twilight needed somepony to cry on, and even if it was uncool, it was more uncool and unfriendly to leave her like that. "I wouldn't enjoy that," she continued.
"Y-you promise?" Twilight asked hopefully.
Rainbow smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I..." She bobbed her head. "...may not feel the same way about you that you feel about me," Twilight's expression wavered, "but I promise I'll stay with you, okay? I enjoy sleeping with you, although you can be a little..." she trailed off looking for the right word. The smile left her face. 'A little... too affectionate... maybe...' "Clingy..." She smiled again. "But it's nice."
Twilight smiled, then wrapped her arms around Rainbow and pressed her head against the pegasus' neck and slid her muzzle against her chest. She clung to the pegasus with as much strength as she could, and Rainbow returned the gesture, holding her tightly and bringing a smile to the princess's face.
After a few minutes, tears stopped falling from Twilight's eyes, and her sobs had died down. She pulled back and Rainbow released her. Twilight kept her head low and she looked around at the floor. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof. "Thank you," she said softly. Twilight looked up at Rainbow, unsure of what she'd see, though knowing Rainbow wouldn't look at her condemningly.
Rainbow smiled at Twilight. "Like I said, I want to help you," she said as she stood up. "I'm going to take a shower and then I'll wait for you in the dining room."
"Okay," Twilight said simply as she watched Rainbow fly over to the door and then land. The pegasus glanced back at her, then unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway.
'Should I really leave her just like that? That doesn't seem like a good idea to leave her here like this...' Rainbow pursed her lips, then walked back into the room and closed the door. "Do you want me to stay?" she asked. "I can wait here for you to finish if you want. And then when you're done you can... wait on me or go to the dining room while I shower."
"You don't have to," Twilight replied.
Rainbow bit her lip. "I don't feel like I should leave you alone right now," she admitted.
Twilight tilted her head to the side and looked at the pegasus fondly. "Rainbow, you promised that you wouldn't..." she paused, searching for the right way to put it, "leave me," she said tentatively. She took Rainbow's lack of reaction as a good sign. "I'll be fine, really... but, thank you for offering."
"Alright," Rainbow relented. For a few seconds, she just stood there, then she walked over to Twilight and hugged her again. Twilight laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder for a few seconds, then lifted her head and nuzzled Rainbow's neck. Rainbow smiled and pulled back, then she slowly flew over to the door and landed. She looked back at Twilight and grimaced. "Are you sure?" she asked.
Twilight smiled fondly and giggled. "If you're really that worried, you can stay I guess... But you don't-" Rainbow landed beside her before she could finish, "have to..." she trailed off. She poked Rainbow's chest playfully, then grimaced, the pegasus' coat was still wet from her tears. 'I'll have to make it up to her somehow...' she told herself. Rainbow looked at her indignantly. "I'll try to hurry, that way you won't have to wait as long on me..." she trailed off as she turned towards the bathroom.
Rainbow Dash happily flew out of the castle's door and looked over Ponyville. She couldn't remember the last time she had an opportunity to spend a whole day with Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She was looking forward to the opportunity. It wouldn't be the same as it had been last week when Twilight and herself had spent some time with Applejack, she had planned to challenge Applejack to a few dares, and Pinkie Pie would keep score. She smiled brashly and rubbed her hooves together.
Twilight calmly walked out of the castle. She raised a hoof over her eyes to block out the sunlight, spending most of the past two months indoors left her eyes sensitive to the late morning sun. After a few seconds, her eyes adjusted and she lowered her hoof to the ground, then proceeded down the steps. Rainbow turned around and flew over to her, then hovered beside her. "So..." Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane. "You sure you'll be okay?" she asked.
Twilight nodded and smiled. "I'm going to enjoy the picnic with Fluttershy," she answered. "I wonder where she has picked out..."
Rainbow shrugged. "If you need me, I'll be somewhere around Sweet Apple Acres, unless we go someplace else. I'll try to make sure Starlight knows where we're going if we go anywhere else, okay?"
"Just go and enjoy yourself," Twilight replied warmly. "Just because you're helping me doesn't mean I expect you to be... with me every single second of the day..." she trailed off sheepishly. 'Although that would be nice...'
Rainbow didn't look convinced. "Right..." she mumbled under her breath, Twilight didn't hear it. She inhaled deeply then spoke louder, "Anyway..." She looked up at the cloudless sky and smiled. 'It's good to know they can keep the weather nice without me,' she thought. She looked back at Twilight. 'She hasn't been out alone since before the accident... Should I really make her go on her own?" "It's a bit of a walk to Fluttershy's... You sure you'll be okay on your own?"
Twilight nodded. "Of course! I'm feeling much better than I was last week, so I don't think I'm going to get sick or anything... but if I do, I'll..." she trailed off in thought. 'What would be the best course of action if I did get sick?' she wondered. She pursed her lips and frowned at the dirt. 'I'll be with Fluttershy for several hours... I shouldn't have to worry about anything while I'm with her unless the sun gets too hot and I'm outside too long... ' "I'll probably just stay at Fluttershy's cottage until I'm feeling better, then." she finished.
Rainbow nodded cautiously. "Alright... So, if you're not back by... Five? I'll come check on you?"
Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head. "I... should be fine... Although that would probably be a good idea," she admitted.
"Okay," Rainbow replied. "And you're sure you don't want me to keep you company until you get there?" she asked skeptically.
Twilight lowered her head and smiled. "Yes, Rainbow. I'm sure. You haven't spent nearly as much time with the rest of the girls as you should have-"
Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight. "Says the pony who tried to lock herself in her room and avoid everypony."
Twilight stood up straighter and fluffed her wings. "That's... different," she argued. It sounded weak, even to her.
Rainbow landed and looked at Twilight seriously. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."
Twilight shook her head and smiled. "It's okay, I forgive you..." For a few seconds, both of them stood there in silence. Twilight found her gaze drawn to Rainbow's magenta irises. Looking into them made her feel anxious. Twilight blinked and shook her head. "We... should get going. I don't want to be late," she said softly.
"Alright..." Rainbow shifted her weight, then glanced around. Nopony was around, then quickly pulled Twilight into a hug, then pulled back. Twilight smiled at her. 'I feel like I should say something else...' She pondered the thought for a few seconds but found nothing. She shook her head, then beat her wings and took off towards Sweet Apple Acres. She glanced back at Twilight. The alicorn was sitting there, watching her fly away. She looked back forward. She smiled at the prospect of spending time with Applejack and Pinkie, but she frowned at the idea of Twilight not being there. 'This will be the longest period of time I've spent away from her in two weeks...' The thought was distracting.
Twilight watched until Rainbow Dash was just a speck, then she blinked and picked herself up. She thought back to the morning when she woke up and smiled. Waking up with Rainbow every day was certainly a highlight of each day. With that thought in mind, she took off heading towards Ponyville at a leisurely trot, smiling.
She enjoyed feeling the warm sun against her coat, it reminded her of Princess Celestia. It also reminded her of Rainbow's warm embrace, though it wasn't half as comforting as her embrace was. A pleasant light summer breeze followed her on her journey, almost caressing her in a gentle and reassuring manner.
She passed several ponies as she made her way through the outskirts of Ponyville, and almost every single pony smiled and waved at her. Each time, she stopped and waved back at the pony. 'It's good to be back...' She thought after waving to a smiling filly that had waved to her. As she made her way further into Ponyville, the number of ponies she saw steadily increased, and the percentage of ponies waving to her increased as well. Ponyville citizens knew her, and she knew them. She had a good relationship with nearly everypony in Ponyville, although she couldn't claim to know half of the town's inhabitants.
A couple of ponies passed her by without acknowledging her, but she brushed it off with ease. It wasn't like everypony had to acknowledge her presence, the fact that she was a princess or the fact that she saved Ponyville. She didn't need the recognition, and she didn't want ponies to treat her differently because of her status as a princess. A few ponies smiled at her, but their smiles weren't as happy as she thought they should have been, a closer inspection revealed that they couldn't help but stare at her lack of horn.
She shook off the pain and continued on. The number of concerned and empathetic looks she received increased as she continued through Ponyville, but so did the number of smiles and waves. Whenever a pony stared, it bothered her, but she didn't let it show. After a few minutes, she found herself leaving Ponyville and heading towards Fluttershy's cottage.
The number of ponies she saw continually decreased until she left the town, then on the road to Fluttershy's cottage, she saw no ponies around. As she continued to trot at a brisk pace, she couldn't help but think back to all the ponies who stared at her. It hurt, but she knew they didn't mean to hurt her. The longer she progressed, the more she found herself frowning.
As she neared Fluttershy's cottage, she saw the quaint stone bridge over the stream that flowed by the charming cottage. The sight brought back many fond memories from years past, along with memories of what herself and her friends had accomplished. She found herself smiling once more as she trotted over the bridge. She slowed once she passed the bridge, then leisurely walked up to Fluttershy's door and knocked.
She fought off a yawn while she waited. A few seconds passed, then the door creaked open, revealing a timid yellow pegasus with a light pink mane. Twilight brightly smiled at Fluttershy. Fluttershy returned the smile, but it was more reserved and calm than Twilight's. "Oh, hello Twilight!" she said softly.
"Good morning, Fluttershy!" Twilight chirped. "I hope I'm not late..."
Fluttershy shook her head gently, "Oh, not at all. I'm actually still getting ready..." She glanced back into her cottage, then stepped to the side. "You can come in if you'd like," she offered.
"Thanks," Twilight said as she walked passed the pegasus. "I was kind of getting tired..."
Fluttershy shut the door behind the alicorn and frowned. "Oh, goodness! You're not getting sick again, are you? I-"
Twilight shook her head. "No, it was just a long walk..." she trailed off, not wanting to discuss the details of the walk. She knew Fluttershy wouldn't push the subject, and she was grateful for it.
Fluttershy bit her lip, then flew into her kitchen. "You're by yourself?" she asked.
"Yes," Twilight replied as she looked over Fluttershy's couch, pondering how many animals had laid on it before. The only answer her mind could come up with was 'A lot.' There were too many variables to do the math on it. She shook the thought aside and hopped up on it, then laid down on her stomach. She tucked her front hooves under her chest and folded them.
There was a loud clang from the kitchen. Twilight swiveled her ears and head towards the source. "I was expecting Rainbow Dash to walk you here at least..." Fluttershy mused.
"I told her she needed to spend some time with the other girls," Twilight dismissed her concern. "She spends enough time with me as it is..."
After a few seconds, Fluttershy walked out of the kitchen. Her tan saddlebags were thrown over her back, and both bags looked full. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," she apologized.
Twilight shook her head. "No, it's fine. Really." She smiled reassuringly at Fluttershy, sometimes the mare could be too sensitive.
Fluttershy walked over to the couch. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" she asked in a timid voice. "We can stay here if you want."
Twilight shook her head and slid off the couch. "I'd rather have a picnic outside than inside," she giggled. "Lead the way."
"Oh... Okay," Fluttershy relented.
As the pair walked over to the door, a small white rabbit hopped out from wherever he had been hiding, then he pulled himself up Fluttershy's tail, drawing Twilight's gaze. The rabbit looked at her like he was trying to decide whether to be mad at her or forgive her. Fluttershy stopped at the door and opened it, then motioned Twilight through with her hoof. Twilight made her way outside, then Fluttershy followed her and closed the door behind her. Fluttershy took the lead, and Twilight stayed close beside her. They walked away from the cottage, then over the bridge.
Rainbow circled around Sweet Apple Acres, she flew low as she searched from Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Both of the mares were supposed to meet her at the farm, but she had yet to see either of them. She frowned as she carefully scanned the ground beneath her. Countless apple trees blocked her vision of the ground below their leafy branches, but it didn't deter her, despite slowing down her search.
Searching for the two ponies and flying at the same time was a piece of cake for her, she didn't need to give it a second thought, and she was beginning to regret being such a talented flier. She kept worrying about Twilight. She kept telling herself that Twilight was okay, but she still felt that she should have stayed with the mare until they reached Fluttershy's house. She frowned. 'Why is this bothering me so much?' Her mind chose that moment to stop thinking, and no response came to her that made sense. Twilight had argued that she could take care of herself, or at the very least make the walk on her own, despite having said that she couldn't take care of herself multiple times before. She groaned at that, not knowing what to think. 'Is that what's bothering me? Not actually knowing if she's okay?' She blinked and her frown deepened at the thought. She pursed her lips as another question pierced the veil of her mind, 'Do I think of her as more than a friend?'
Once again, her mind didn't immediately respond to her question. She groaned, but before she could put the effort into thinking about it, she saw a flash of pink dart by on the ground beneath her. She immediately recognized the pink as the same shade as Pinkie Pie's coat, and she smiled brashly. She beat her wings faster, then looped up into the air and zoomed back to the ground. She closed her wings as she approached the ground, then she flared them open at the last second, bleeding her speed. She landed firmly on the ground, smiling at her entrance. Pinkie smiled brightly at Rainbow, and Applejack smirked. "Hey, Applejack! Hey, Pinkie!"
Applejack shook her head. "Rainbow," she acknowledged.
"Hiya, Dashie!" Pinkie greeted as she bounced over to the rainbow-maned pegasus.
Applejack walked over to Rainbow. "So, you been looking forward to today, Rainbow?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah," she said nonchalantly. "It's been a while since we've just hung out."
Applejack grimaced and nodded sadly. "I reckon the farm has been taking a mite more effort to manage now than it has been in the past," she admitted. Rainbow looked at her blankly. "Okay, a lot longer," she relented.
"You think?" Rainbow said matter-of-factly. She beat her wings and hovered just off the ground in the air.
Applejack rolled her eyes. "It aint my fault that the farm's taking up so much of my time," she retorted.
Rainbow groaned and put her hoof against her forehead. "You do know you could hire help, right? I mean, seriously. Or you could just ask."
Applejack looked sternly at the pegasus. "Now Rainbow, you know-"
Rainbow cut her off with a loud groan, "Ugh!" She shook her head sharply.
"Besides, you're one to talk. You're always busy with the Wonderbolts and all that," Applejack replied evenly.
Rainbow blinked, then slowed her wingbeats and landed. "Yeah... I guess I am, aren't I?"
Applejack blinked in surprise. She had expected Rainbow to deny it, or respond defensively, but she had not expected Rainbow to agree with her. "Are you okay, Rainbow?" she asked, now concerned for her friend.
Rainbow frowned at her. "Yeah, of course!" she replied. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked quickly.
Applejack tilted her head away from Rainbow. "You just... agreed with me about being so busy with the Wonderbolts."
Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "It's true, though. I have been... really, really busy with them... And not just following Twilight's... accident... but before that, too." She smiled wryly and rubbed the back of her neck, rustling her mane. "I... guess I've kinda been neglecting you all, haven't I?"
"Well, now that you mention it," Pinkie said obliviously. She plopped down on her haunches and tilted her head, looking deep in thought at Rainbow. "And even now, you really haven't been around all of us that much. You're like always with Twilight, but that's nice of you. I mean, she does need your help, although she probably really needs all of our help and we really haven't been there for her as much as we should be..." she trailed off sadly, looking at the dirt.
"Pinkie..." Applejack said softly as she walked over to the pink earth pony. She wrapped a hoof around her neck and hugged her. "Twilight says she's doing fine, and I for one trust her." Pinkie looked up at her and smiled.
Rainbow grimaced. "She's..." Both Pinkie and Applejack turned to her. "...Not really doing okay... I mean, don't get me wrong! She's getting better, and she says that she's recovering, but... She still has... issues..." she sighed.
"What kind of issues?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow shook her head and her ears drooped against her head. "She... Not being able to use magic has really taken a toll on her. She feels like she can't do anything and that we all think of her as a burden."
Applejack pulled back and looked at Rainbow like the mare had slapped her. "Well, that's just silly! We'd never think of her as anything less than our friend!"
Rainbow looked at Applejack wryly. "That's what I keep telling her! She says that she knows that, but I don't think she believes it..." she trailed off dejectedly. 'Is that my fault?' she wondered. The thought struck deep, and it hurt.
Pinkie looked at Rainbow thoughtfully. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then she nodded her head and smiled. "We'll just have to show her that we all care, then!" Both Applejack and Rainbow smiled in agreement.
After a few seconds, Rainbow grimaced. "Actually... that might backfire. She might feel worse than she already does if you all take more time away from everything that you need to do to spend with her..." she trailed off with a grimace. 'Maybe she really does need a vacation,' she thought. A smile slowly formed on her lips. 'I'll just have to make it a good vacation for her, then.' Her smile wavered as she thought about how exactly to make the vacation worthwhile.
Twilight leisurely sipped the tea she held in her hooves. The tea was cooler than she was used to. The coolness of the tea was a reminder of her lack of horn. If she had access to her magic she could have easily warmed the tea back up. She did her best to ignore the thought, but every sip was a reminder of what she lost. She opened her eyes and carefully set the cup back down on the plate in front of her. Fluttershy had chosen a beautiful meadow for the picnic, and the blanket beneath them was a shade of yellow even paler than the mare's own coat. The gentle summer breeze rolling through the meadow carried scents from a multitude of flowers, too many for her to identify individual kinds, but not enough to be overwhelming.
"This is nice," she commented with a sigh. 'Maybe not as nice as it could be... but it's nice.' She suppressed a yawn and slowly scooted her plate and teacup away, then folded her hooves and laid her head down. She flashed a smile at the tree which shaded the blanket, she had enjoyed the sun on the walk through Ponyville and to the meadow, but she wasn't sure she wanted to eat with hot sun against her back.
Fluttershy sat her cup of tea back down on her plate. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," she replied lightly. "I was worried that you wouldn't because..." she trailed off sheepishly and shifted her weight. Twilight looked at her. "I-I'm sorry, I-"
Twilight halfway smiled and shook her head. "It's fine, Fluttershy..." she trailed off. "I'm..." she bobbed her head and stopped smiling, "kind of used to it by now... It... still hurts, but..." she trailed off glumly. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and lifted her head off of her hooves.
Fluttershy stared at her cup of tea and ran her hoof through the end of her mane. "I... I can't imagine what it's like for you, Twilight... I'm so sorry that that happened to you, and... I-I wish that it hadn't..."
"So do I, Fluttershy," Twilight sighed, "but if I had to do it again, I would." She looked over Fluttershy's crestfallen expression, and a thought came to mind, 'She's this upset because of me, not because she's mad at me, but because of what happened to me. She cares.' It hurt knowing she was hurting Fluttershy, but she smiled, knowing her friend cared about her.
Rainbow wryly looked over the bale of hay. 'This used to be a lot more exciting,' she thought. She really hadn't been having a whole lot of fun, her mind kept wandering back to Twilight. 'I hope she's doing okay... Should I go check on her?' She mulled over the idea before deciding against it, despite feeling unsure about her choice.
Applejack ran forward, then jerked her head forwards and let go of the rope tied to the bale of hay. The hay launched into the air and flew a short distance, then landed right behind a white line in the dirt. She smirked, then looked back at the pegasus. She frowned at her uneasy expression. "Rainbow? You okay?" she asked.
Rainbow blinked and looked up. "Y-yeah, just... thinking..."
Applejack put on an expression of mock shock. "Rainbow Dash, thinking?" she chuckled. "Now there's something I never thought I'd hear."
Rainbow rolled her eyes, then flew over to her. "This really isn't that fun," she admitted.
Applejack was worried now. "Is everything alright?"
Rainbow landed and shifted her weight. "I'm just... worried about Twilight." Applejack's expression turned sober. "I feel like I should be with her," she admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be away from her... She's..." she squinted and thought about the right word to say, a word that accurately told the tale, and didn't give anything away. She doubted Applejack would ever let her live down accidently admitted she was sleeping with Twilight. A look of revulsion passed through her expression briefly, then disappeared. "She's clingy," she said testingly.
Applejack frowned and rubbed her chin with a hoof. "She didn't seem clingy yesterday or at the party last week... What do you mean clingy, anyway?"
Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "She..." 'Doesn't like the idea of me having personal space? She doesn't want to be left alone, and she doesn't even like the idea of me leaving her for any period of time, let alone a couple hours?' She groaned, "Ugh, nevermind..." Applejack raised an eyebrow. "It's not important," Rainbow added.
"Uh huh," Applejack said skeptically.
Rainbow looked at Applejack blankly, then sighed. "Why does this bother me so much?" she asked, knowing she wouldn't get an answer.
Applejack grimaced and shrugged. "I'm sure Twilight's fine, but if you think you need to go check on her, go ahead and go. I've still got some work to catch up on, and maybe we can hang out again when Twilight's better, or when I'm not as busy."
Rainbow winced. "I'm sure she's fine too, but..." She groaned and shook her head. "Tell Pinkie what I'm doing when she gets back, and that I'm sorry."
Applejack smiled. "Will do, sugar cube."
Rainbow smiled, then beat her wings and took off into the sky. Applejack watched the pegasus soar into the sky while the faint rainbow trail left in her wake faded. She wasn't sure what to think about Rainbow being so concerned for Twilight, although she knew she shared that concern herself, but she had more faith in the alicorn than Rainbow did, apparently. She shook her head then turned around.
"Where'd Dashie go?" Pinkie asked, her head tilted at an angle and looking curiously at Applejack.
Applejack was startled by Pinkie's appearance but quickly recovered. "She went to go check on Twilight," she explained.
Pinkie fell down on her haunches. "Aww..." She quickly bounced back up. "Oh well more cake for us!" She pulled a cake out from her mane, then smiled at it. A second passed, and then she frowned at it. "Hmm... Maybe we should go check on Twilight too, I'm sure she'd like cake!"
Applejack chuckled warmly. "Alright, Pinkie," she agreed.
Rainbow quickly flew the distance between Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage, then she landed as gracefully as she had earlier. Almost immediately, she walked up to the door and knocked. She wasn't sure if Twilight and Fluttershy would be there, but she figured it was probably the best place to start. She waited patiently for a few seconds, then shifted her weight and knocked again. On the third knock, the door opened and revealed Fluttershy. "Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. I didn't expect you to stop by..." she said as she stepped aside and motioned the pegasus inside.
"Thanks, Fluttershy," Rainbow said as she walked passed the pegasus. "Is Twilight here?" she asked as she looked around the room. Almost immediately after asking the question, her eyes landed on the purple alicorn lying on the couch, looking at her with a mixture of surprise, joy, and curiosity. "Uh... nevermind." She quickly flew over to Twilight, and the alicorn sat up to make room for her.
"Rainbow?" Twilight acknowledged. She glanced at the clock and frowned, barely an hour and a half had passed. She frowned, then looked back at the pegasus.
Rainbow smiled sheepishly at Twilight. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright."
"I'm doing fine," Twilight replied. A few seconds passed, then she bit her lip. "Um... How were Applejack and Pinkie doing?"
"They were doing good," Rainbow answered.
"And..." Twilight trailed off, tilted her head, and took a deep breath. "I thought you were planning on staying with them until... four?"
Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "I was, but it really wasn't that fun." She smiled nervously, worried that Twilight would take what she was about to say the wrong way, "I kept worrying about you."
Twilight flashed a smile at Rainbow, then it faded. "I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it..." 'She couldn't enjoy it because she kept worrying about me... maybe... Maybe I should just... pretend I'm okay, that way...' She glanced at Fluttershy and felt strained. 'That way nopony will be upset or worried about me...'
"Eh, it's no big deal," Rainbow dismissed, "Applejack still had a lot of work to catch up on anyway."
Twilight frowned. "Oh..." She shifted her weight and scooted over. "Do... you have other plans, or would you... maybe... like to stay?" she asked.
Rainbow forced herself to not grimace. Over a few seconds, it got easier as she thought about it. 'I don't have other plans, and it's been a while since I've hung out with Fluttershy...' She paused and pursed her lips. 'I flew all the way from Sweet Apple Acres to check on you, and here I am, finding myself wanting to leave... I wanted to come check on you, and... Ugh.' She stomped the dissent out, then jumped up on the couch beside Twilight. "I don't really have other plans, so sure."
The alicorn princess smiled at her, though she kept the smile in check so that it wouldn't make things awkward for them. She was a little disappointed that Rainbow wasn't right beside her, but she understood why the pegasus wasn't sitting any closer to her. She pushed the worry aside, 'She chose to stay, and she chose to sit beside me...' It warmed her heart.
Fluttershy smiled at the two, Twilight's smile looked genuinely happy, like her worries were the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. It also hurt, knowing that Twilight wasn't as happy around her or the rest of her friends as Rainbow Dash. 'Is it because we didn't make enough of an effort to spend time with you?' The thought stung, but she pushed it aside. She didn't want Twilight to be sad again, not so soon after cheering up. "Are-" Fluttershy blushed as a knock at the door cut her off. "Excuse me..." she said sheepishly as she slid out of the chair and gracefully flew over to the door.
Rainbow looked at Twilight. "Are you really doing okay?" she asked.
Twilight turned to her. She hesitated, then nodded. "I... am. I missed you, but-"
Fluttershy opened the door and smiled brightly at the sight of her friend. "Fluttershy, darling!" Both Twilight and Rainbow turned to the door, the beautiful voice of Rarity drawing their attention.
"Hello, Rarity," Fluttershy greeted. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, well, I had some free time, and I remembered that Twilight was going to be with you today, so I thought I would just stop by," she chirped. "I hope you don't mind," she said softer and with an apologetic smile.
Fluttershy shook her head and stepped out of the doorway. "Of course not, Rarity..." she trailed off as the pristine white unicorn walked in passed her. She closed the door, then flew back and sat down beside Twilight.
"Twilight, darling! I'm sorry I haven't had more time to stop by, but... Oh, you would not believe how busy I've been!" Rarity draped a hoof over her forehead in distress. Twilight giggled. Rainbow groaned. Rarity turned her attention to Rainbow. "I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you said you were going to be spending the day with Applejack and Pinkie Pie?"
Rainbow shrugged. "I was going to, but I was worried about Twi."
Rarity winced. "Oh..." She looked back at Twilight and scrutinized her. "You are... doing alright darling, correct?" she asked more seriously.
Twilight quickly nodded. "Yes," she answered. "I'm doing much better."
Rarity's smile brightened. "That's wonderful news." She turned and surveyed the room, then walked over to the chair Fluttershy had been sitting in and leisurely sat down on it.
Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Are you looking forward to your trip to Canterlot?" she asked.
Twilight turned to her. Her lips wavered, unable to form a smile, nor form a frown. "I... am," she said. She turned away and looked at the floorboards. "I'm just..." she shook her head. 'They're all so busy anyway, it'll give them a reason to not worry about me. Besides, they didn't have time available... I could have... offered to help them, but... No, I would have been in the way...' "I'm looking forward to being in Canterlot, even if it's only going to be for a week..." 'I'll be gone for nine days, though... It'll be good for me, I think.'
"Well, at least Rainbow Dash offered to go with you to keep you company. I would have," Rarity sighed sadly, "but I really do have a lot to catch up on, and orders to fill. I'm sorry, Twilight. You know I would have loved to come with you." she smiled apologetically.
"That's alright, Rarity," Twilight replied. "How's the Manehatton branch doing, anyway?"
Rarity swooned at the question. "You would not believe how many orders I've gotten. It's..." she paused and tilted her head. "Actually a bit overwhelming," she said quickly. "I've had to hire additional help, I'm no longer the sole seamstress," she said with a slight smile. "They're both talented young mares, and I'm quite pleased with them."
Twilight smiled. "That's good to hear. And what about Canterlot Boutique?"
"Sassy Saddles is doing a splendid job of running it and keeping it in business. I probably have enough bits to expand to anywhere in Equestria by now, but... with as much work as it is to run just three stores, I think I'll hold off on that for now," Rarity said.
Twilight frowned. "That's probably wise..."
Rainbow shifted her weight and looked at Rarity. "How much do you make from those stores anyway?"
Rarity turned away from Rainbow and tilted her muzzle up in the air. "It's not very polite to ask a lady how many bits they make, Rainbow Dash." She smiled, then turned back to Rainbow, "But if you must know, about one thousand bits a week. Averaged."
Rainbow did a double take. "That's..." She squinted at the unicorn's smug look. "Decent... More than I expected."
Rarity smiled. "It's not a competition, Rainbow." She lowered her voice, "If it was, Twilight would have all of us beat."
A few minutes passed by, filled mostly with idle conversation. Eventually, it was broken by another knock on the door. As before, Fluttershy quickly flew to the door, opened it, and welcomed the visitors. "Oh, hello Applejack, Pinkie Pie." she greeted.
"Hiya, Fluttershy!" Pinkie greeted. "Can we come in? Okay, thanks!" Fluttershy barely had time to step out of the way before Pinkie Pie ran in passed her.
"Sorry about that," Applejack apologized. "I hope you don't mind that we stopped by. Pinkie brought cake."
Fluttershy shook her head and motioned the orange earth pony inside with a hoof. "Not at all, Applejack." Applejack walked inside, and Fluttershy shut the door behind her. She looked around the living room and blinked several times. There was no way Pinkie Pie had the time to redecorate the whole room and put up a party table in the middle of the room, along with a cake that was large enough to feed all of them, but yet somehow the pink pony had done it all. Everypony knew it was better not to ask how. Instead, they all giggled at Pinkie's antics as she cut the cake and passed out plates.
Twilight smiled warmly, the impromptu get together turned party made her day much better than it had been. She eagerly accepted the large piece of cake Pinkie gave her, despite having eaten lunch with Fluttershy. "Thanks, Pinkie," she said softly. Pinkie smiled gently at her, then bounced back to work at distributing the cake.
They ate and talked for a few hours, but eventually, the festivities relaxed, and the topics turned more somber. "You really think you should be visiting Canterlot right now?" Applejack asked.
Twilight blinked and looked up from the floor. Pinkie and Applejack were sitting on a small couch to the right of the chair Rarity sat in. She regarded Applejack silently for a few seconds while she thought about her question. She licked her lips, then answered, "I'm well enough that I shouldn't have to worry about getting sick, and if I do get sick, there shouldn't be any problems since Rainbow Dash will be going with me and the hospitals in Canterlot are very well equipped. Doctor Manner also said that I'm doing well enough to travel, so long as I don't try to fly that far or... push myself too hard." She paused and pursed her lips. "I think it'll be good for me to take a vacation... Not that I... don't love Ponyville, but... I'd like to see Celestia and Luna... in person, and... it'd be nice to go home for a few days." While she considered Ponyville her true home, Canterlot was still the city she was born and raised in, and she missed it at times.
"To get your mind off of things?" Rarity asked.
Twilight smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes..."
Applejack took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that we haven't been here for you like we should be, Twilight..." she trailed off, choosing not to say the reason, because even if the reason was understandable, she knew it wasn't an excuse. "But we'll always be here for you when you need us," she added.
Twilight smiled and nodded. 'She meant that... She wouldn't lie about that.' She sighed. "I think I ate too much," she said lightly. "I don't look forward to walking back to the castle."
Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "You can stay here tonight if you want to."
Twilight shook her head. "No. Thank you, but I wouldn't want to impose... Besides, I'd need to go back to the castle to get the tea anyway." 'Although Rainbow could go get that for me... And,' she glanced at Rainbow, who was mostly ignoring her, 'I don't think she would be okay with sleeping with me if I stayed here...'
"Oh... okay then," Fluttershy replied.
Rainbow closed her eyes and silently sighed in relief. 'Would I have stayed with her tonight if she stayed here?' She parted her lips at the thought. 'Would Fluttershy have been comfortable with that?' She doubted the pegasus would mind, and she was sure that Fluttershy wouldn't say a peep about it to anypony else. She smiled. 'I... might have.' she said to herself. She wasn't sure what to think about that, but she was okay with the idea.
Over the next half hour, the idle conversation was replaced with musings and memories of times they had all spent together, provoked by stories they shared. Not once did anypony frown, although a few times somepony was embarrassed by a story. The only thing missing from the party was a unicorn mare and a young dragon, both of whom were still at Twilight's castle. Twilight regretted them not being present. 'I'll make sure they're here next time,' she told herself.
Rarity grimaced. "It's getting kind of late, isn't it?" she asked. Everypony turned their attention to the clock and found themselves asking where the day went. The answer was obvious, it was spent hanging out with friends and having a good time.
Applejack grimaced. "I reckon I'm gonna regret this in the morning when I have a lot more work to do, but I think it was worth it," she said happily as she stood from the couch and made her way to the door. "Goodnight, y'all."
Pinkie bounced out after Applejack. "Goodnight Fluttershy! Goodnight Rarity! Goodnight Twilight! Goodnight Dashie! I hope you all have sweet dreams filled with candy and cakes and parties!"
Twilight slid off of the couch, followed by Rainbow. "Well... we should probably get going. Sorry that I took up so much of your time," she said gently.
Fluttershy shook her head and smiled. "Oh, not at all. I really enjoyed today. It was nice."
"Well..." Twilight glanced at the clock and grimaced. "You probably still have a lot to do, and there's only a couple hours of light left, so I guess we should be on our way..." She started walking over to the door, followed by Rainbow. "Goodnight, Fluttershy, Rarity."
"Goodnight Twilight. Goodnight Rainbow. I hope you two enjoy the rest of the evening." Fluttershy's kind parting words brought smiled to both mares' faces.
"Well, goodnight, Fluttershy. We will have to visit the spa together sometime," Rarity paused and looked away from Fluttershy, "it's been... far too long," she said with a shudder,
Fluttershy laughed quietly. "That's okay, Rarity. I'm sure we can find the time sometime." Rarity walked over to Fluttershy and then hugged her.
"I'm really not looking forward to walking back to the castle," Twilight admitted in a mutter, breaking the silence that had followed Rainbow Dash and herself for the past minute after leaving Fluttershy's cottage.
Rainbow immediately came to a stop and turned to face her. "Eat too much?" she asked.
Twilight stopped and looked at her. She smiled and shook her head. "There is that... it doesn't help that it was so... so sugary..." She shuddered, knowing she'd pay for the sugar she ate that night, and possibly the next morning. Time would tell if it was worth it. She grimaced and walked back to Rainbow. Her ears fell with each step. "It's just..." she came to a stop and looked at the ground. "A few ponies... stared, and..." she trailed off.
Rainbow's lips pressed into a straight line. She wanted to be mad at the ponies who stared at Twilight. She wanted to make them apologize, but she knew Twilight wouldn't want that, and that it was unlikely she'd successfully find the ponies anyway. Instead, she shared Twilight's pain, despite not knowing what to say to console her. After a few seconds, Twilight shook her head and the princess sighed, then she looked back up. "So you don't want to go back through Ponyville, then?" she asked.
Twilight smiled wryly and nodded. "I know it's silly, and I know that nopony meant to be rude, but... it hurt. This... this is my home, and I lost my horn saving it..." She closed her eyes and her lips quivered. "What if... what if Canterlot is like this? What if it's worse?"
"You're overthinking it, Twilight," Rainbow said calmly. "So what if they stare, it's-"
"It's a reminder of what I lost, Rainbow," Twilight said glumly.
Rainbow sighed, she hated seeing Twilight like that. It made her heart feel heavy and sluggish, and she hated it, she felt uncomfortable and unhappy because Twilight wasn't happy. 'You're afraid, and you feel so vulnerable and weak, don't you?' She clenched her jaw. She didn't know what to say to make it all better, and she knew there was nothing she could say that would magically regrow Twilight's horn, if there was, she would say it without hesitation, but such a word didn't exist. She settled on the only thing she knew how to do. "Twi... it'll be okay, alright? You have all of us."
Twilight lowered her head at Rainbow's words. 'I... I know, Rainbow. I do, I really do know that I have all of you, but...'
'You were so happy when we were all at Fluttershy's, and now that we're alone, you feel... alone, don't you?' Rainbow thought. "How about... we fly back to my place instead of going back to the castle. It's closer and we shouldn't run into anypony then."
Twilight mulled it over for a second, then nodded. "O-okay," she reluctantly agreed. "But the tea is-"
"I can go and grab it after we get to my place," Rainbow answered.
Twilight bobbed her head and smiled slightly. "Starlight and Spike-"
"I can tell them that you'll be staying at my place, too," Rainbow replied. Twilight smiled and looked up. Rainbow smiled brashly back at her. "You ready?"
Twilight hesitated, then nodded. 'I've... never slept with her at her house... What will that be like?' she wondered. She bit her lip and unfurled her wings.
Rainbow slowly beat her wings and rose into the air. Twilight mimicked her, for a couple seconds, they just hovered there, then Rainbow took the lead, flying at a casual pace that Twilight could easily keep up. Ten minutes later, they both landed on the doorstep of Rainbow's cloudhouse. Rainbow immediately opened the door and motioned Twilight inside with a wing, bowing a little and smirking as the princess walked inside before her. Twilight couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes at Rainbow's antics.
Rainbow walked in after Twilight and shut the door, then locked it. 'How... does somepony lock a cloud door...' Twilight wondered, perplexion filled her face as she considered the question. After a few seconds, she decided not to ask, instead, she made a mental note to look it up in a book sometime.
Rainbow walked over to her. "I don't really have a lot to do at my place," she admitted in an uneasy voice. "But I'm sure we can figure out something to do for a couple hours," she said in an uncertain voice. She thought about it for a second. "Want me to grab a book while I'm gone?"
Twilight pursed her lips, shifted her weight and slowly turned to face Rainbow. "A-actually... um... I... was wondering... If... maybe you'd... lay with me?" she asked in a small, scared voice.
'I... ugh, what am I supposed to say to that? I... wouldn't mind it, but it's only six thirty... there's still like two hours left until it gets dark outside!' Rainbow looked at Twilight, the mare's expression was wavering. "I... guess," she said at length. Twilight fluffed her wings. "I mean, it's... kinda early to go to bed, isn't it?"
Twilight looked flabbergasted at Rainbow's response. "I... uh... er... meant that..." She shifted her weight and looked away from Rainbow. She closed her eyes, lifted a hoof to her chest, took a deep breath, and then exhaled and extended her hoof out. "I... would you cuddle with me?" she asked, feeling her cheeks heat up more with each word that left her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at the fluffy cloud walls, but she didn't dare turn around to look at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow squinted at Twilight. 'You're being clingy...' she thought. 'But it's an opportunity too,' her mind replied. 'I enjoy sleeping with you,' she admitted. 'But... cuddling? Ugh! I hate that word, it's... it's so uncool!' The thought disgusted her. 'But... that's... what we've been doing, isn't it?' She bobbed her head. 'It's... I enjoy it... Ugh, I'm Rainbow Dash! This... I actually enjoy it, though...' She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, then opened her eyes. "Okay," she said. "I'll... cuddle... with you..." she trailed off, looking away from Twilight.
Twilight wanted to be happy at hearing that, but she felt condemned. The way Rainbow said the word 'cuddle' was more than enough to tell her how she really felt about it. She sighed and lowered her head. "No, it's... it's fine, you don't have to if you don't want to." She turned around. "I'm being... clingy..." she said evenly.
Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'll cuddle with you if you want to," she said with a bit more strength, though internally wincing at the word. She looked back to Twilight. "I... I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoy it, it's just... that word..." she shook her entire body in disgust. Twilight smirked and giggled. Rainbow groaned. "I like cuddling with you, okay? I enjoy it, and I'll admit that along with enjoying sleeping with you. I didn't think I would, but I do. Just..." she trailed off shaking her head. "I'll be back soon, make yourself comfortable..." she grumbled as she flapped her wings and flew upstairs, into her bedroom, and out the window.
Twilight smiled as the pegasus flew off. Rainbow had admitted to enjoying sleeping with her multiple times before, but the pegasus had never admitted to enjoying cuddling with her. It wasn't the 'yes' that she had wanted, but it was so much more than she had hoped for. With that thought in mind, she made her way upstairs and into Rainbow's bedroom, putting a little bit of a jump into her step.
She made her way into Rainbow's bedroom, then laid down on the cloud bed. She immediately sank into it and relished the feeling, even if it couldn't compare to laying on Rainbow. She rolled over and watched the window while pressing herself further into the bed, eagerly waiting for Rainbow to return.
Within fifteen minutes, the sky-blue pegasus returned. She gracefully flew in through the window, then landed beside the bed, looking at Twilight. Twilight smiled at her and pushed herself up. "Alright, I got your tea and told Starlight that you're staying here tonight," Rainbow said. She walked over to the wall and put her saddlebags down on the floor. She turned around, then flapped her wings and glided over to the bed and landed beside Twilight. Her hooves immediately sank into the bed, then she plopped down on her haunches. "So you just want to lay with me the rest of the day?" she asked.
Twilight nodded sheepishly. The question excited her but worried her. As if knowing that Twilight was in distress and wanting to fix it, Rainbow wrapped her wings, arms, and legs around Twilight. "Relax," she said, confirming Twilight's guess that Rainbow could tell she was uncomfortable. Twilight smiled and relaxed into Rainbow's embrace. The pegasus shifted her weight, and both of them fell onto their sides on the bed, Twilight didn't try to fight it like the first time.
Twilight nuzzled Rainbow's chest and folded her hooves between them. The only thing she didn't like about doing that was that her hooves separated them more than she wanted, but she still enjoyed being pressed against Rainbow. The bed aided Rainbow's embrace and lightly pressed up against their backs. Twilight cooed and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's neck. She pulled her hind legs up between them and felt Rainbow wrap her legs around her flanks. Rainbow shifted her wings and covered as much of Twilight's body as she could with them, then she wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck and pulled her closer. The alicorn nestled into Rainbow's chest and inhaled, then sighed. "I love this," she said sweetly.
"I can tell," Rainbow replied with a chuckle as she put her head over Twilight's head, then pressed her muzzle against the back of Twilight's neck.
Twilight slid her head up into the crook of Rainbow's neck and slid her muzzle between their necks. She closed her eyes and sighed contently. She wiggled her hooves free from between their chests, then loosely wrapped them under Rainbow's arms. She immediately welcomed Rainbow's chest brushing against hers, and she shifted herself as close to the warmth as she could. Rainbow lowered her arms around Twilight's withers and pulled her closer, pressing their chests together. Twilight smiled as heat radiated between them, and their coats pressed against each other. She tentatively slid her legs out from between them and laid her right leg over Rainbow's body, above her flank, and wrapped it around her back as best she could, then she slid her other leg beneath Rainbow and wrapped it around Rainbow's back and pulled herself as close to Rainbow as she could. She wiggled her muzzle against Rainbow's neck and giggled as the pegasus' fur tickled her nose.
Rainbow smiled as she held Twilight and the mare repositioned her limbs. She had never been so close to another pony before, and she hadn't known that it felt so nice. She was a little leery when Twilight repositioned her legs and then pulled their stomachs together, but she quickly found herself enjoying it. She enjoyed feeling Twilight's warmth against her chest and body, but her back was a little cold. 'I didn't close the window...' She wanted to groan at the realization, but she didn't. She wanted to close the window, but she didn't want to disturb Twilight. She held Twilight tighter, then rolled onto her back and pulled her head away from Twilight. Twilight slid her muzzle across her neck and looked up at her. "Hold on," she said. Twilight flashed her a smiled and laid her head back where it had been.
Rainbow unwrapped her legs from around Twilight, then pushed herself up from the bed and scooted the blankets away. As soon as the blanket was out from under her, she laid back down and grabbed it with a wing and pulled it over them. She quickly wrapped herself back around Twilight, then rolled over and tucked the blanket against her back and laid her head down back on the pillow. Twilight scooted further down and nearly disappeared beneath the blankets, then she repositioned herself and laid her muzzle on Rainbow's neck, while the rest of her head was mostly covered by the blanket.
Twilight awoke first, which didn't surprise her. She felt warm and loved as she nestled into Rainbow's embrace, despite knowing Rainbow didn't feel the same way about her. Her neck was a little stiff from the position it was in, but Rainbow's scent easily made up for it. She cracked open an eye and marveled at the beauty of Rainbow's coat. For several seconds, she just looked over her fur.
She tentatively wiggled her head, only to find her head held in place by Rainbow's muzzle. She smiled at that. She trailed her gaze over the pegasus and looked down. The blanket blocked out the early morning light, but she could feel that their bodies were wrapped around each other's body. 'When did we fall asleep?' she wondered. She thought about it for a couple seconds, then pushed it aside.
After a few more seconds, she realized she wasn't in the same position that she had been when she was cuddling with Rainbow the night before. She was further up than she had been, and her neck was curled more. 'That explains the stiffness...' She mulled her position over for a few seconds, then slowly and carefully slid her head up and out from under Rainbow's head, then she laid her head back down on the pillow and smiled at the still-sleeping pegasus.
Their muzzles were so close. She ran her eyes over Rainbow's lips, and her heart beat faster. For a few seconds, she pondered what they felt and tasted like. She wanted to feel Rainbow's lips against her own, but Rainbow would hate her if she did, and knowing that the pegasus would likely abandon her if she did something like that made her decide against kissing her. She looked away from Rainbow's lips and looked at the mare's rainbow mane. The colors were mixed together where they combined, but she could still make out the separate streaks. She smiled fondly, then extended her head out and tucked Rainbow's head into her neck.
Feeling Rainbow's mane against her chin and neck was nice, she decided after only a few seconds. She turned her attention to her legs and pulled Rainbow closer to her, they had drifted apart far too much for her liking in their sleep. Despite still being able to feel the warmth radiating off of her body, she couldn't feel the mare's fur. She nuzzled into Rainbow's mane and looked out the still open window. After a few seconds, it made sense to her why Rainbow's mane and muzzle felt chilly.
Twilight snaked her arm under Rainbow all the way, then held her close to her chest. She lifted her head and looked longingly at Rainbow, wishing that Rainbow felt the same about her as she did the pegasus. 'It was a fool's hope.' She had known it was a longshot the first time, but she did take solace in knowing that Rainbow at least knew how she felt. 'I... didn't actually tell her, and I... still haven't.' She grimaced. 'Maybe I should just... tell her that... No...'
'I'm deluding myself, even now... If she was awake, she wouldn't want this...' She clenched her eyes and pulled back from Rainbow. The mare shifted in her sleep and nuzzled her neck. Twilight smiled at the sensation, then sighed as Rainbow pulled her head back up on the pillow. She lifted her head, then looked over Rainbow. She leaned in and tenderly nuzzled the pegasus on the cheek, then she pulled her arms back and folded them against Rainbow's chest and laid her head down on Rainbow's neck. She unwrapped her legs from around Rainbow and tucked them in between their bodies, then she closed her eyes as tears threatened to leak out.
'At least I'll be able to talk to Celestia and Luna tomorrow... Maybe they'll have caught whoever was responsible for... the sabotage by now...' It hurt her to think that they wouldn't have told her if they had captured whoever did it, and she didn't want to believe they wouldn't have told her, but she hadn't heard anything from them in regards to the investigation, and she hoped that they had caught whoever was responsible.
Despite that pain, it was far outweighed by the pain that the pegasus she was cuddling had caused her. 'Maybe I shouldn't have asked her on a date... Things would be... so much different now, if I hadn't... Or would they? Would she still be sleeping with me if I hadn't asked her?' She felt a twinge of hope at that thought.
For a few seconds, she considered the thought. 'She's sleeping with me despite the fact I asked her on a date and she said no. She cuddled with me last night, and she... holds me...' She licked her lips and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's neck. 'Even if you don't feel anything for me other than friendship...'
Rainbow giggled as Twilight rubbed against her neck. She instinctually pulled back and cracked open an eye. She yawned and blinked several times to adust to the low lighting. She licked her lips and pulled her head back. It took her a few seconds to find Twilight, she hadn't expected the mare's head to be on her neck. Twilight smiled sheepishly at Rainbow. "You're always so happy whenever you wake up," she commented.
Twilight looked back out the window. "Sorry," she apologized.
If Twilight had been looking at Rainbow, she would have seen a look of hurt flow across her features. As soon as she recovered, she squeezed Twilight, then released her. Twilight looked back at her sadly. "It's a good thing that you're happy, though." 'It's pretty much the entire reason that I'm helping you...' she added in her mind. "It means you're getting better."
Twilight flashed her a smile, then slid her head back under Rainbow's neck and sighed into her chest. She laid there for a few seconds, relaxing, enjoying the warmth, enjoying Rainbow's scent, enjoying Rainbow's steady pulse, and enjoying Rainbow's breath tickling her mane. The pegasus didn't seem like she was going to get up very soon. Twilight considered what to do, 'I could go try to fix breakfast... no that's probably a bad idea. I could get up anyway...' She snorted at the absurdity of the idea and pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's chest. Rainbow forced herself not to pull away from Twilight, knowing it would upset her. 'I don't have anything better to do...' She frowned. 'I'm not sure I'd even leave if I had something important to do, this is just... too nice.'
Despite how pleasant it was, Twilight found herself disappointed. 'Maybe I am getting better...' The thought should have made her happy. Getting better meant she was healthier, which generally makes ponies happier. Of course she would still have problems, most notable her lack of horn and the permanent damage caused from the radiation, but she could learn to deal with it, even if the prospect scared her more than facing down Nightmare Moon did. No, the thought was bittersweet, and more bitter than sweet at that. "If I get better-"
"When," Rainbow corrected seriously. Despite being tired from just having woken up, she put a lot of effort into that single word. She had corrected Twilight on that problem before, and she'd keep correcting her as long as it took to make her believe it.
Twilight's lips curled up into a smile, then fell back down. "When..." she hesitently corrected, "I get better..." she trailed off and pressed her forehead against Rainbow's neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you going to... leave me?" she asked.
Rainbow clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth. Twilight sounded so weak, vulnerable, and scared. She pulled her head back so that she could look at Twilight, then she brought a hoof up to Twilight's head and ran it through her mane. 'How am I supposed to...' She sighed in defeat. "Twilight..." 'I don't feel anything for you... do I?' "Look," she paused as she felt Twilight tense up, "you're one of my best friends, and probably the closest friend I've ever had, with the exception of Fluttershy. I've never done... this... with anypony before, but I... you..." She bit her lip and pressed her eyes shut. For a few seconds, she searched for the right thing to say, the right way to put it, meanwhile, Twilight prepared her mental defenses for the oncoming onslaught. Twilight once more found herself asking a question that was going to get an answer that tore her apart. "Look, Twilight, if it helps you, once you're better, I'll still spend... some nights with you, okay? It's nice and all that, but... I'm still a Wonderbolt and I..." Twilight quivvered in Rainbow's embrace. Rainbow looked at her sadly and sighed. She tightened her grip on Twilight and held her firmly, attempting to reassure her. 'I'm hurting you again...' That realization made her grimace and her heart feel heavy.
Twilight took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. She repeated the process several times during the next few minutes, and eventually her breathing steadied, and her body stopped shivering. "I'm sorry... I should just... go." She pulled her hooves between them and pushed against Rainbow's chest, only for the pegasus to hold onto her tighter.
"Twilight. I care about you. Don't forget that, please," Rainbow replied gently.
Twilight clenched her eyes and stopped struggling against Rainbow. It was futile, the pegasus was still stronger than her, despite her recovery's smooth progress. Her strength, another aspect stolen from her by the radiation. 'I should be able to push you away...' Thinking that thought hurt, not because she wasn't physically stronger than Rainbow, but because of even considering pushing her friend away.
"Twilight?" Rainbow said her name softly, but the alicorn didn't react. She tightened her grip on Twilight and then rolled over onto her back, forcing the alicorn to shift her weight and reposition her head, although she made sure that she couldn't see Rainbow's gaze. "Look at me, please..." Rainbow trailed off. The princess made no attempts to remove her gaze from the blanket she intently stared at. Rainbow sighed and loosened her grip, then drew her hoof to Twilight's head. Twilight shied away from the hoof as Rainbow tried to pull her head forwards.
Twilight was loosing the fight, and she panicked. Her first instinct was to teleport away from the source of her oncoming defeat, but not having a horn made that impossible, so she resorted to the only thing she could do. She pushed away from Rainbow and bolted out of the bed. Rainbow grunted and blinked in surprise, still too tired to process what just happened. Twilight fell to the floor, tangled in the blankets, fortunately the cloud broke her fall and lessened the pain, but she still struggled against the blankets. As soon as she was free, she bolted from the room.
'What just...' "Twilight!" Rainbow shouted as her mind caught up. She rolled over onto her stomach and beat her wings, then flew out of her room chasing the alicorn.
Twilight did her best to ignore Rainbow and focus on escaping, but it wasn't easy. Her heart pounded, and fear kept making her want to look behind her. She knew if she looked back, she'd fail though. She slid to a stop at the front door, then fiddled with the lock until she could open the door. As she jumped out the door, she could hear Rainbow quickly gaining on her. She did the only thing that seemed sensible to her, she shut the door, then beat her wings as hard as she could and flew into the sky, hoping that the pegasus wouldn't follow her, although knowing that Rainbow would find her easily if she went back to the castle. 'M-maybe she'll just not look for me!' She knew better than that, though.
Rainbow braced herself for the impact with the door. The door held but buckled. She groaned in frustration, then opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She quickly scanned the sky and locked onto Twilight, then took off like a bolt of lightning towards her. "Twilight! I can outfly you, you know!" she shouted.
Twilight beat her wings faster and looked back at her in fear. Rainbow quickly closed the distance and hovered in front of Twilight. "Twilight-"
Twilight shot downwards towards the ground, gravity aided her wings and she fell out of the sky at a worrying rate. Rainbow gritted her teeth and mimicked her. Despite Twilight's advantage of having bigger wings, Rainbow easily caught up and flew in front of her. Twilight fortunately started slowing down. 'I really hope you can slow down... I don't want you to land on me...' She grimaced at the thought, wondering how painful that would be, or even if they'd survive. "Twilight, seriously-" She paused when she saw tears in the princess's eyes.
The alicorn flew away angled downwards. Rainbow waited a few seconds, still processing Twilight's tears, then she took off after her. Twilight landed on the grass below and stumbled, but quickly righted herself. 'It's just a matter of time until Rainbow catches up with me...' The thought made her happy, but it also terrified her. She couldn't hear those words from her again. She glanced back at the rapidly approaching pegasus. 'Maybe I should just stop... what's the point, she'll catch me anyway...' She sighed at the thought and hung her head low. She clenched her eyes tight as she came to a complete stop.
A few seconds later, Rainbow tackled her to the ground, then rolled her onto her back and pinned her against the grass. Twilight's lips quivered and the fur around her eyes was matted from tears. Rainbow took a deep breath to calm herself down, then looked intently at Twilight. It was clear she had no intention of opening her eyes. Over the next few seconds, Rainbow's expression softened. "Twilight, listen to me. Look at me, please..." she pleaded. Rainbow sighed and dropped her gaze to Twilight's chest as she tried to figure out what to do. She swallowed. "Twilight, I represent the Element of Loyalty. Do you really think that I'm just going to abandon you?" she asked.
Twilight opened her eyes and wished she hadn't. Rainbow looked hurt. "N-no!" she croaked out. "B-but-"
Rainbow sighed, then sat down on her haunches on Twilight's abdomen. Using her weight to hold Twilight down, she pulled a hoof away from Twilight's arm and rubbed her forehead. "Twilight... Okay, fine," she sighed. "How about this, I'll give dating you a try, okay?" Twilight immediately struggled to pull herself away from Rainbow but failed when Rainbow pressed her hoof back against her arm.
"N-no! You... You're just trying to-"
Rainbow groaned. "Seriously?" She huffed. "I'm offering to try dating you. It'll make you happy, won't it?"
"It-it's not some-something you wa-ant to do!" Twilight refuted and pressed her eyes closed as fresh tears fell out.
Rainbow looked up at the sky. "You know, I've been curious about what it would have been like to go on a date with you. I told you I regretted saying no." She looked back down at Twilight. The alicorn didn't believe her, much to her distress. "Twilight, please... I don't like seeing you like this, it hurts..." She stood back up and stepped back, then sat down on her haunches and pulled Twilight up and into her chest.
Twilight brought her hooves against her chest, and for a few seconds, Rainbow thought she was going to try to escape again. Instead, Twilight started sobbing into her chest. "I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't ha-ave asked you-ou!"
Rainbow wrapped her wings around Twilight's back and pulled her arms up around the princess's neck and held her close. She wrapped her legs around Twilight's flanks and ran a hoof through her mane. "No, you wanted to. I was stupid and didn't think it through. I should have said yes," Rainbow said calmly. "I'll... stay with you once you're better, if you want," she added. "I... didn't... I don't want to hurt you, you're my friend!"
Twilight pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest, hoping that it would hurt and distract her from the emotional pain. It didn't work, it still felt as pleasant as normal, but it did nothing to cheer her up. "You-ou're just do-oing this out of-of pi-ity! Rai-ainbow..." She clenched her eyes tighter as Rainbow squeezed her tightly.
"No, I'm not," Rainbow said gently.
Twilight pulled back and looked up at Rainbow with a sense of betrayal. "Why should I believe you?" she mouthed out.
That hurt Rainbow more than she would have admitted. 'I keep hurting you when I don't want to,' she thought in disappointment. She took a few seconds to recompose herself, then smiled a soft, reassuring smile at Twilight. "Do you really think that I would lie about this?" she asked. "I'm not just going to leave you alone, okay? I made that mistake when you were in the hospital, when I should have stayed with you," she said firmly. After a few seconds, the firmness left her, "You love me, don't you?" she asked. Twilight looked away from Rainbow's gaze, instead choosing to focus on her coat. She clenched her jaw and tentatively nodded. Rainbow laid her head on Twilight's head and sighed. "I don't feel the same way about you... I mean, you're my friend and all that but..." She nuzzled Twilight's neck. "I'm willing to give dating you a chance. Please don't say no just because I screwed up and said no," she said softly.
Twilight took a few minutes to recompose herself. By the time she felt stable, the sun was drifting into the sky. "O-okay," she squeaked out. "I... I'll go on... a date with you..." she agreed. "In Canterlot, though," she hastily added. "I... Think it would be better..."
"You have a place in mind?" Rainbow asked curiously.
"I-I was thinking the castle..." Twilight trailed off.
"That'll be unique. How many ponies have actually had a date in a castle?" Rainbow chuckled.
Rainbow's question and laugh brought a smile to Twilight's face. "Well... My sister in law and brother had a date in the Canterlot Castle once... other than that, I really don't know... I doubt a lot of ponies have had a date in a castle."
Rainbow lifted her head away from Twilight and ruffled her mane with a hoof. Twilight looked at her poutingly. "Hey, you're mane was already a mess, Twi! We both just got up. And went flying," she said with a smirk.
Twilight smiled weakly and pulled back, then looked at the grass to their side. Rainbow missed her warmth, if only because her tears sapped the head from her body because of the chilly morning air. "I'm... sorry that I..." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that I've caused so many problems for you," she said softly.
Rainbow pulled Twilight back into her and smiled. "Hey, it's okay, alright? Nopony's perfect, and I know I've caused you more than my fair share a trouble," she chuckled.
"All those times that you crashed into the library," Twilight said dryly.
Rainbow snorted. "Yeah, that."
Twilight smiled and nuzzled Rainbow's chest. She frowned. "I'm sorry that I cried all over you..." she apologized.
Rainbow grimaced. Normally, if somepony needed a shoulder to cry on, she wouldn't be that shoulder, although if it really mattered, she would make the sacrifice. It wasn't as bad with Twilight as it was with other ponies. She pulled back from Twilight and smiled down at her. "Come on, you ready to go home?"
Twilight opened her mouth and ran her tongue over her teeth. "Yours or... mine?" she asked.
Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight's uncertainty. "Mine, duh," she replied. She turned around and glanced back at Twilight. "Come on, hop on," she said. Twilight looked at her hesitantly, then scooted closer to Rainbow and wrapped her arms and legs around her. Rainbow testingly spread her wings out and flapped them experimentally to make sure that Twilight wouldn't impede her motion. Once she was satisfied, she stood up and felt Twilight's grip tighten slightly, then she extended her wings all the way out and flapped them as hard as she could. After a few seconds she hovered in the air, then she flew up into the sky headed back to her cloudhouse.