//------------------------------//
// Chapter 25 - Whassup? 
// Story: The Lost One 
// by thedarktome 
//------------------------------//

After Rainbow Dash finished chasing buff through the skies, the two landed in her mansion's backyard next to the pool. Rainbow was really tempted to push him in the water, but she had other plans. Like check her mail.

"So that was one of your studios in Equestria," Buff repeated as they walked into the mansion by the back door.

"Pencil and I. Our studios," Rainbow corrected while making her way towards her library. She flopped down behind her desk and started on the mail. "We have nine in total all over Equestria. One in Ponyville, three in the Crystal Empire, three in Las Pegasus, and two in Canterlot. I am going to review those in the Crystal Empire tomorrow. Apparently it is finished." She handed one of the opened envelopes to Buff to let him read it with her magic. Then went back to the rest of the mountain of mail. "Some of these are from exhibits, others are from schools. It seems that my show-up at the academy has gotten some impressive reviews. There is also some more mail here from foals more than likely just learning how to write." She placed the mountain of letters on the floor to clear her desk, then sorted the letters into stacks on top of it. As they piled up, she started to count. "There are....fifty three...seventy four.....eighty nine envelopes here in total. This all came in a box, mind you."

Buff grinned and nuzzled the top of her spectrum colored head. "Well I'm proud of you. Gonna make some new art soon?"

Rainbow chuckled and nodded. "Oh you have no idea. I am actually going to be working on a new project....3D." Buff froze and stared up at the ceiling. A moment later, he looked back down at her with uncertainty.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Absolutely! Imagine seeing that—" She pointed to an unreleased painting of a manticore behind her sitting next to her wine glasses. "—sticking out at you. THAT would be amazing. My paintings are already good. I just need to learn all about dynamics and opposite colors." She sighed and shook her head. "It's much harder than it looks."

"And so are your paintings, I'm sure. Yet you somehow managed to capture the whole heart of everypony in Equestria and beyond. Possibly some unknown world we have yet to see. Either way—" He poked a hoof into her chest. "—I believe in you. You could do it."

Pencil took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. I can do it. Thank you, Buff." He leaned down and kissed her on the lips, making her giggle. She pulled back with a smack and grinned at him. "You're supposed to say you're welcome."

"Oh. Right." He leaned in again and captured her lips once more. Then mumbled "You're welcome" in the middle of it. Rainbow rolled her eyes but continued to kiss him. She was relishing this moment. after a few more seconds, they pulled away. "When do you think...they should know?" He asked.

Rainbow sighed and tapped her hooves together. "Well...the best would be during an interview. Then sort of ease them into it. we can't just drop the bomb on them. Unless somepony were to do it for us."

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

"I...I'm not sure. I mean, yeah, the ponies of equestria are going to know either way about our relationship. But how exactly they react to it depends on how it's put out there. If someone were to just blurt out that I'm dating somepony, then my audience will believe that I was keeping secrets. And they'll keep pestering me about it. But if we were to tell them, we have to be sweet about it. Happy."

Buff shrugged and nodded. Then asked, "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

"Easy." Rainbow stood up and turned into Pencil Sketch. "I walk outside that front door, 'check my mail', then wait for one of the newsponies outside to come over and ask me a question. They—for some odd reason—never leave my property. They'll ask me about my next painting, my new studios popping up over Equestria, and I'll respond with, 'I cannot answer your questions right now. I am too busy going on a date.' Boom. I just lit a bomb, and it blew the minds of all the ponies in equestria. And with these 'televisions' coming out soon now I will not be surprised to see my face on some of the screens."

"Televisions?" Buff asked confusedly as they walked out the door of the library and made their way to the foyer. "What the hay is a television?"

"It's a device that will be used to have everyone connected. It will display many things. It hasn't launched yet, but I get a lot of insight into what it does. It is very complicated and runs on magic. Do not ask." Buff nodded before she made her way to the door,confusing him for a moment.

"Wait, you're going out there  right now?!" He asked worriedly. He started doing a little dance with his hooves, obviously nervous. "I-I'm not ready! Y-You can't put me on the spot like that!"

"Buff, I am not putting you on the spot," Pencil reassured blandly. "I am going into a nearby shadow to put on my dress. We are going on a date tonight. Here. My treat. I am cooking. You are going to see what I can do."

Buff stopped jumping and took a deep breath. "Phew, good."

"But before that, I am going outside to meet with the news and tell them that there are more paintings and that I cannot answer anymore questions because I am going on a date tonight. Bye!" Pencil ducked into a shadow before Buff started dancing and muttering again. Once she was dressed, Pencil teleported down and opened her door to walk towards the gates, where her mailbox was standing. Below it though was a cardboard box that had more than likely one hundred letters in it. And Just like she suspected there were, there were paparazzi and newsponies there doing reports and recordings of her home. Wishing to see the inside of it. Unfortunately it wouldn't be open for business until Sketch It All! Studios was complete and had a board. As well as approved by the Education Board as a funded school. Which depending on the mail she has been getting will be. The second somepony spotted her, the crowd went crazy once again, shouting her name to get her attention and taking plenty of picture. She had a small smirk on her face the whole time as she went out there in her elegant black dress with a gold hem and neckline. The gate was unlocked before she stepped out into the mess of reporters.

"How long will it take for a new painting?"

"When will Sketch It All! Studios be opened?"

"What's your next step for revolutionizing Equestria?"

"Do you have any direct role in the Sketch Movement?"

Pencil sighed and used her wing to scoop the box onto her back. Then straightened up to give the press her face, adorned with a happy smile that they immediately blinded her with flashes for. "I am sorry but I cannot answer any of your questions now. I...have a date to go on." They all gasped and asked even more questions, practically drenching her cameras before she trotted back behind the gate and towards her front door. Then walked inside, leaving the ponies there with a story to share across the nation.

"Annnnd...the bomb is dropped!" Pencil exclaimed as she lowered the box down onto her marble floor. "I give it two hours until the ponies of Equestria get word of it all." Buff groaned from the kitchen, catching her worried attention. "Buffy? What's wrong?" She teleported inside and saw him lying over two of her stools on his back. "What's wrong? Where are you hurting? Can I—EEP!" Buff reached up and grabbed her in his hooves, holding her close so that she was laying down on his chest. "You. Tricked. Me."

Buff chuckled and nuzzled the top of her head. "That I did. I've never seen you so worried. Or full of energy like this before. What's got you so excited?"

Pencil sighed and rolled her eyes. "You take this one, Rainbow." She changed back into Rainbow Dash who started giggling and rubbing his chest like a school filly. Buff looked at her with a knowing smirk before she froze in realization at what she was doing then moved her hooves. "Oh, uh...sorry. It's just...my dream's...come true. When we landed in the backyard earlier I looked around the property. My property. It's huge. I have a mansion with a pool that could hold so many ponies, it's ridiculous. An eight bedroom and sixty five room mansion. That has marble floors, an insanely large master bedroom with a large closet, dresser....basically everything a Princess of Equestria would want when starting off. And I'm glad I got through everything I went through to get here."

Buff smiled and hugged her tighter. "Yeah," he agreed quietly. "I guess that is something to be happy about. And I never would have met you. I would still be alone in my house. Hey. Wanna come over this weekend? I have something small you could sleep in, Ms. Big Life."

Rainbow laughed and looked around. "Well I have to check my schedule first before I go and make that decision. I know tomorrow I have to go to the Crystal Empire. Then I have to speak with Celestia about an important matter that she was really vague on. So I'm going over to the Canterlot Castle to see what's up. Then after that, I'm...free. Unless something else comes up. We could always take a night stroll."

Buff nodded slowly. "I'd love that, Rainbow dash." Then the two shared another loving kiss, completely forgetting about everything that was going on with the papers outside. By this point a few cities of Equestria know about Pencil Sketch's relationship rumor. Which has yet to be confirmed.