Twilight happily sighs as she stares out of the farmhouse. Water is coming down in buckets, promising to soak the poor purple unicorn to the bone. And yet, she can't seem to get herself to care. As if the weight of Equestria has been lifted off of her withers, and it doesn't matter if she gets drenched. Or, maybe it does. While she won't need to trifle herself with appearances, neither here nor at the Gala, that doesn't mean she wants to catch a cold from trotting around in the rain.
Perhaps a shield spell would work, though it might be hard to continuously channel it as she walks along. And it would leave her hooves muddy. Maybe if she made a spherical shield, and rolls around inside of it? Twilight smirks; while an entertaining suggestion, it would be even more draining on her magic. More than quadruple the output, since she'll be at least doubling the area of the simultaneous impacts.
Teleportation? Maybe if she had a clear destination in mind. She's spent the most time in the library, the town hall, and the Carousel Boutique. But any of those places might be occupied; and while the risk of a catastrophic failure is always possible, though unlikely for a unicorn with her talents, the likelihood dramatically increases if one doesn't have an unimpeded line of sight to an unoccupied (besides air, of course) destination. And if she merely skips from one visible point to the next, she'll either need to find areas completely covered or tire herself out displacing the rain. And she needs to get back to the library, the books are still everywhere. And filthy. Ugh.
She could just cut loose, scamper through the rain and the mud and the puddles like a particularly unruly filly. While Velvet isn't around to yell at her she can still hear her dam's admonishing tone in the back of her mind. Echoing around just like when dam yelled at her brother every time he tracked a bunch of mud into the house after one of his guard training sessions. And then, once she got back to the library, she'd have to clean her hooves off, and then dry off her mane and coat without it turning into another fiasco like what happened two days ago. She just knows Rarity would catch her if that happened, and drag her kicking and screaming to the Boutique. And then she'd still have to clean up the library. Which is still filthy. Ugh.
Grow an extreme excess of facial hair on Spike, using the ensuing hair monster as an umbrella? Then, just wash her hooves off with rainwater after she gets to the library? Well, levitation is far easier than a shield spell, as far as sustaining a personal version goes.
That could work.
Plan A, ready.
"Okay, Spike," Twilight says, levitating the small dragon to her back.
"Yes?" comes the, to his credit, only slightly wavering voice of her newly reinstated Best Assistant Ever.
Twilight takes an adventurous step outside, "Okay, this is going to feel a little weird." Twilight levitates Spike up, though she stops as the cadence of the rain immediately around her abruptly shifts, grinding to a halt.
Twilight glances up, a few rays of sunlight piercing through an opening in the clouds. A chromatic mane pokes out, Rainbow Dash waving to Twilight. The unicorn waves back, dropping Spike onto her back and asking in a confused voice, "What's going on? Rainbow?"
"Hi there, second best friend forever that I've ever ever had!" Rainbow shouts. She zips back and forth among the clouds above as Twilight starts walking along the road, the pegasus making sure Twilight isn't being rained on while the hole in the cloud layer doesn't get too large. She calls down, her normally raspy voice sounding as pleasant as possible, "Enjoying the sunny weather?"
"I am!" shouts Twilight, grinning back at Spike. The dragon returns a smile, glad to not be getting rained on. Twilight looks to the sky, "So, who's your first best friend forever that you've ever ever had?"
Rainbow merrily laughs, "Oh, you're a riot, Twilight Sparkle! I mean, that's just chronogo-... chronlo-... from when I met him! I met Doug first. But that doesn't mean he's a bester best friend forever than you!"
"Oh, well, thank you, Rainbow!" Twilight smirks, "I really appreciate you doing this out of the goodness of your heart! Loyalty to a friend!"
Rainbow grins as she rubs the back of her mane, continuing her quick pace, "Of course! I mean, I'd do this for anypony, you know?"
Twilight smiles, glancing ahead at the town and a few of the ponies scurrying about in the rain. "And, since you're definitely not doing this to try to get extra consideration for the ticket, I don't have anything to worry about!"
Rainbow nods, her smile getting larger and even more forced, "Yup! Exactly! Totally not doing it for that!"
"Good!" Twilight yells over the pounding of the rain around her, her coat still thankfully dry, "Because I already gave the ticket to Doug, and I'm so happy you're helping me out!"
"You WHAT?" Rainbow shouts, nearly letting Twilight get soaked by the rain as she stops clearing ahead. "BUT! But... but... the Wonderbolts! Everything I've worked towards!" She sighs as Twilight stops; the purple unicorn pokes a hoof forwards, raindrops bouncing off her foreleg, glancing up at the rainbow pegasus still hovering. Rainbow Dash, now dejected, continues clearing ahead, all of the excitement gone from her efforts.
At some point along the trip Rainbow lights up, as if she just had the most awesome idea ever. She groans as she looks down, Twilight continuing to plod along at her snail's pace. After about three forevers they finally get to the library, Twilight turning upwards and waving at Rainbow Dash. "Thanks for everything, Rainbow! You're a great friend!"
"Ofcourse noproblem you'rewelcome bye!" Rainbow shouts, a rainbow contrail as she speeds back to the farmhouse.
Twilight washes off her hooves, drying them with a quick heat spell. She needs to figure out a way to use that spell on the rest of her hair, otherwise her coat just gets all tangled and curly. She walks up to the front door of the library, pausing as she notices the door is slightly ajar. Twilight cautiously checks left and right before sticking her head through the doorway. "Hello?" she calls, Spike dropping from her back to peer inside as well.
Fluttershy greets her with a wave from deep in the library, "Oh! Hello, Twilight! Come inside! You must be soaked to the bone!" A pair of jays fly a towel over to the unicorn, chittering merrily. A pink aura snags the towel from midair, using it to clean the last of the water from her hooves as Twilight and Spike step inside.
The two look around the cluttered library, the many books still on the floor. However, a veritable army of squirrels, birds, and other assorted animals are attacking the books, bookshelves, and walls with fur, feathers, and feather dusters. A group of birds hover by two windows on opposite sides of the room, flapping their wings and creating a breeze that blows the dust out of the library. Fluttershy is hovering against one wall, scrubbing away with a sponge.
Fluttershy smiles at Twilight, fluttering over to her and cheerily saying, "I hope you don't mind, but we're all pitching in, helping with a little bit of spring cleaning."
Twilight deadpans, "It's summer." She smiles, "But, I still appreciate the help!"
Fluttershy grins, rubbing the back of her mane, "Heh! Better late than never, right? It was Angel's idea."
Angel Bunny waves while using his cottony tail to dust a few of the books on the ground. He simultaneously tosses a salad of carrots and greens, Twilight's stomach reminding her that it looks delicious and she is still a little hungry.
Twilight nods, moving forward and wrapping the pegasus in a hug, "Thank you so much for doing this, Fluttershy! It's so incredibly kind of you!"
Fluttershy hunches down a little as she returns the hug, awkwardly saying, "Oh, well, it's not that much."
Twilight nods, releasing Fluttershy as she motions around the room. "But it is! I was so worried about having to do all this dusting and cleaning myself, and here you are! And I'm so glad you aren't doing it for the ticket, either!"
Fluttershy raises an eyebrow, "I'm not?" At Angel Bunny's shake of the head Fluttershy recovers, "Oh! No, I mean, I'm doing this because I'm your very best friend!" Angel Bunny slaps a paw to his face and grimaces; he then stares at Fluttershy while nodding and smiling. Fluttershy takes a few seconds to get the hint before she mirrors the bunny and says, "Actually, wait. Yes. I am doing this just for the ticket." Angel Bunny walks over, offering Twilight the bowl of salad.
Twilight sighs, "Oh. Well, I'm sorry, but I already gave the ticket away."
Angel Bunny throws the salad into the air, spinning around and waving his tail at Twilight. He scampers off, pouting in the corner as Twilight catches the falling salad, neatly replacing all the vegetables now sorted by size and color.
Fluttershy gasps, "What? I mean. Oh." She sighs, her depressed frown enough to send most of the animals into despondent wailing, "I'm sorry, I just really, really, really, really hoped that I would be the pony to go with you to the Grand Galloping Gala."
"That's okay!" Twilight exclaims. "Nopony is going with me to the Gala!" Fluttershy gives her a puzzled look as Twilight continues, "I gave one ticket to Doug, and the other ticket to Spike! It's perfect, don't you see?"
The gears slowly turn in Fluttershy's head as she blankly nods. Her face lights up, a scheming grin spreading across her muzzle, "Yes! Yes, it is perfect. I agree. So, um, I'll just leave the animals here to help you continue cleaning up." She points a hoof at each animal in turn, managing to point at Angel Bunny three times and change the recalcitrant bunny from a mean look to a merely unhappy one and finally to a grumpy nod. The rest of the animals cheer up quickly as Fluttershy beams at Twilight, "And I'll... see you later, Twilight!" Fluttershy zips out of the library, barely disturbing the books she flies over.
"Huh," Twilight says, glancing over at Spike. The dragon shrugs, munching on one of the carrots from the salad before passing the bowl to Twilight. She happily snacks on the rest as the animals continue cleaning.
The salad finishes far quicker than she thought possible, though that might have been due to Spike's assistance. Her stomach grumbles; Twilight looks to the front door and sighs. "I wonder if I could teleport straight to Sugarcube Corner. I am still a little hungry."
As if on cue the door bursts open, an only slightly muddy Applejack standing outside. She calls, "Somepony looking for some more lunch?" and motions to the covered cart behind her. "Ah've still got a lot left! Apple pie, apple fritters, apple tarts, apple dumplings, and apple Brown Betty. Uh, the dessert, not my auntie. What do ya say there, best friend?" Applejack beams a smile at Twilight, tipping a bit of the water from her hat onto the porch outside.
"Ooh, hmm, all of those sound delicious! I'm only sad I have to pick just one of the five options!" Twilight holds a hoof to her chin, "Now, how do I choose between them?"
"Oh, shucks, that's easy!" laughs Applejack, deftly grabbing plates left and right. "Just pick one of each!"
"That's so generous of you!" says Twilight, the slight smirk growing on her muzzle quickly turn down. "Oh, wait. That would be Rarity, wouldn't it?" She sits back a little, holding a hoof to her chin as she ponders how to best complement Applejack.
"Oh, don't think nothing of it," replies Applejack, a cautious look at her muddy hooves. She waves the various desserts up and down, Twilight taking the hint and levitating each of them over to her. She solemnly holds a hoof to her chest, "Honestly, Ah'd do the same for any of my friends. And you, Twilight, are one of my best friends."
"Aww," Twilight says, moving over to nuzzle the farmpony, "That means so much to me! Especially because I already gave away the ticket, so I know that you aren't doing this to try to curry any extra favor with me!"
"You... you already gave away the ticket?" comes the stunned response. Applejack coughs, "And, um, since Ah'm sure not doing this only because Ah wanted that ticket, can Ah interest you in seconds? And, um, if'n you don't mind me asking, who was the lucky recipient?"
Twilight takes a bite of the apple fritters, a contented sigh at the taste. "I think I'll be good, thanks. And, to answer your question, Doug. Spike gets the other one."
"Doug, you say," Applejack murmurs, glancing back towards Sweet Apple Acres. She coughs, "Well, Twilight, it's been a right nice time meeting up with ya. Glad to see nopony going hungry 'round here. But Ah gotta skedaddle. See ya later!"
"Bye, Applejack!" Twilight calls, waving as the farmpony speeds off. One of the squirrels rushes over, wiping off any remnants of mud from the entrance. Twilight mutters to herself, "Three down, two to go." She peeks out the entrance to the library, saying, "I never thought that being showered with favors would be so freeing!" Twilight grins, walking back to start organizing books.
An explosion of pink confetti inches away from her face ends those plans before they can begin.
"SURPRISE!"
Pinkie Pie blows on a trumpet before pronking around, loudly singing, "Twilight is my bestest friend! Whoopie! Whoopie!"
Twilight groans, holding a hoof to her face. "Pinkie..."
Pinkie Pie continues unabated, rolling around while singing even louder, "She's the cutest, smartest, all around best pony! Pony!"
Twilight doesn't move from her spot. "Pinkie."
Pinkie Pie belts out, "I bet if I throw a super-duper fun party! Party!"
Twilight tries a little louder this time, "Pinkie!"
Pinkie Pie cannot be stopped, "She'll give her extra ticket to the Gala to meeee!"
Twilight belts out, "PIINKIIEE!"
Pinkie Pie innocently asks, "Yes, bestest friend Twilight?"
Twilight groans, "I don't have an extra ticket any more! I gave it to Doug! And at least the other ponies tried to be subtle about the ticket!" At Pinkie Pie's crestfallen face she continues almost unabated, her tone merely slightly softening, "Look. I'm sorry, Pinkie. I couldn't decide between which of my friends would get the ticket. And I didn't want even one friend to be left out of the excitement."
"Wait, Doug isn't your friend?" Pinkie Pie says, a confused look accompanying her raised eyebrow.
Twilight rolls her eyes, "Yes, Doug is my friend, too."
"Oh." Pinkie Pie squats down, sitting on her rump. "I don't get it." She immediately brightens up, "Oh wait, I get it! I'll just go to Doug, and get him to give the ticket to me! I just hope that nopony else got that idea before I did! See you later, best friend Twilight!"
Pinkie Pie disappears in a burst of balloons and streamers, Twilight coughing out a piece or two of confetti. A few birds fly over, blowing the biodegradable party materials outside.
Twilight gives an appreciative nod to the industrious animals, looking outside at the rain still coming down. She says to Spike, "Hmm; well, knowing Rarity, she has something planned for us. And, likely, she is either wandering around Ponyville looking for us, or is already on her way here. What do you say we beat her to the buck?"
Spike looks at the rain outside, "Are you sure about that? It's still raining. Do we have an umbrella?"
"Oh, I've got a better idea," Twilight says with a smirk. "Want to help me practice number twenty five?"
"Number twenty five?" Spike says, a puzzled look on his face that slowly turns to a mischievous grin. "Spiky likey number twenty fivey."
Moments later, a purple unicorn idly prances through the muddy streets of Ponyville, a giant mass of black mustaches levitating above her. She calls, "You doing okay up there, Spike?" as she walks towards the Carousel Boutique. The makeshift umbrella is doing wonders at keeping all of the rain off of her, though it doesn't quite keep out all the grumbles of the dragon when a particularly lucky raindrop pierces through his bristly barricade.
"I can't believe you can cast the spell that rapidly, Twilight," Spike replies, twirling the one mustache that all the other mustaches spring from. "If I wasn't about to eat my fill of gemstones, I'd be a little miffed at the rain! But I'm not!"
"That's great to hear, Spike!" Twilight calls back. "Wait, where are you going to get that many gems?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Spike says, holding up his ticket. "Ra-"
"Oh, there you are! Twilight, come quick, it's raining!" Rarity strides over, as quickly as a refined mare may while levitating an umbrella. Her eyes dart between the ticket and the mass of hair Twilight is holding up.
"Really?" Twilight says with a smile, "I hadn't noticed!"
"Yes, come with me before you... 're umbrella catches a cold," Rarity says, a confused look at Spike underneath an umbrella of mustaches. "Is that...?"
"Oh, you like it?" Spike says, a plucky wink at Rarity as he twirls the ticket through his claws. "It just so happens that I might have a few extra things laying around."
"Really? Oh, darling, you must tell me more!" Rarity coyly laughs as she escorts the two into the Carousel Boutique. Rarity dries off their hooves as Twilight fires a burst of magic at Spike, the mass of mustaches detaching from his upper lip. Rarity dumps the magically unstable mess of hair outside as Spike gives a forlorn sigh, waving at the departing defense. Rarity turns to the two relatively clean and dry creatures in front of her, a broad smile on her muzzle.
"Sorry about that," Twilight says, looking at Spike. "I don't know if I could have just left the one on."
Spike shakes his head, an unconcerned shrug as he smiles, "Eh, it wasn't getting me anywhere I wasn't already going." He flutters his non-existent eyelashes at Rarity while letting the ticket peek out from behind him, "Isn't that right?"
Rarity stares at him for a few seconds before deadpanning, "You think I'm going to let you eat your fill of gemstones in exchange for your ticket."
Spike shakes his head, "No!" At Rarity's continued stare he sighs, "Okay, yes. That's exactly what I thought you'd do."
"Darling, please. We are the best of friends, are we not?" Rarity beams a smile at Spike and Twilight, "I would never expect such a 'deal' from a friend, either offered or accepted. If you would like to eat your fill of gemstones? Then please, make yourself comfortable. My home is your home." Rarity graciously bows, holding a hoof towards her storeroom as Spike salivates. "Just, try to focus on the stockpiles I have the most of. And, if the taste is decent, eat any of those sickly green ones. The fear essences. And the blue crystal. I simply cannot find a use for them!"
"You got it!" Spike exclaims with glee, racing out of the room and leaving a puddle of saliva on the floor.
Rarity levitates a towel over, cleaning up the liquid before she turns to Twilight. "Now that he is out of the way, we can focus on what is truly important. After all, we are... truly the best of friends, are we not?" Twilight nods as Rarity grabs a blue and pink outfit, complete with saddle. Rarity pauses, "Now, I would like to hear you say it. I mean, if you don't feel that way, I perfectly understand and I wouldn't want to pressure you into anything."
Twilight shakes her head, "No, no, we're the best of friends. And friends do generous things for each other!" Twilight groans as Rarity slides the dress over her head. Her legs stretch in ways she didn't know they could as Rarity pulls and tugs, levitating various pieces over and around her until Twilight is fully strapped in. Twilight admires herself in the mirror Rarity wheels over, flipping a hoof through her mane. The polished necklace shines brightly, the pink accents are a good match for her aura, and the turquoise saddle complements her purple coat.
Rarity beams, "Oh, you're simply darling! Wouldn't you agree?" Twilight nods again, Rarity's grin growing larger as she seductively intones, her voice dripping with lasciviousness, "And you know what the best of friends do?"
Twilight briefly smiles, twisting and taking a second look at the saddle strapped to her back. Only two reasons to wear a saddle come to mind, and Spike getting a more comfortable ride isn't the one she is thinking of. Her smile slowly fades as she runs a hoof under her barrel, feeling the buckle holding the saddle in place. "Apparently the best of friends set each other up with their stallions, if this dress says anything."
Rarity snickers, "Is that what you think? Oh, they don't call you a savant for nothing! And, oh, my goodness, what a coincidence! I happen to have an ensemble of my own that matches yours to a T. Does that change your analysis at all?" She smirks, "We would be the belles of the ball, you and I. Everypony would be clamoring for our attention! All eyes would be on us-"
Twilight shakes her head, "Nope! Nope, nope, nope. I see what's going on!"
Rarity pauses, a slightly confused look at the purple unicorn. "You do?"
"Come on, Rarity!" Twilight motions to the saddle, the necklace, the dress, "You're trying to get me to go to the Gala with Doug!"
"What? No, that isn't at all!" Rarity shakes her mane back and forth, motioning to the second dress. Her voice draws out, as if trying to spell out her hint to a particularly dense young foal, "This is my dress. For when I go to the Gala." She points a hoof at Twilight, "And this is all about you, and how fabulous you'll look in your dress at the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"Me?" Twilight nearly shouts, motioning to the saddle, "I'll look like a whorse!"
Rarity gasps, "What? No, no, no! Darling, that isn't my intention at all! In a high society setting such as the Gala, the saddle has a completely different meaning! It shows that one is already spoken for, though the formalities of marriage have not yet been observed! Honestly, you should know this sort of thing, growing up in Canterlot! Wearing a dress like this would keep all of the stallions from hitting on you, since I can obviously see how uncomfortable that kind of attention must be for you! And, given your new status, you will be receiving all sorts of attention!"
"Wait, what?" Twilight says, a little taken aback. "Really?"
"Of course! You think..." Rarity snickers, trying to hold in her laughter and mostly failing, "You thought that you... Princess Celestia's personal prodigy, Bearer of the Element of Magic and Friendship, Liberator of Princess Luna, would go to the Grand Galloping Gala as a sky glider?" Rarity releases a very unladylike snort as she collapses to the floor, laughing her flanks off in loud guffaws. "Especially because I would be dressed the same way!"
Twilight closes her eyes, trying to restrain her building fury at the unicorn still rolling around on the sparkling clean floors. "Okay, okay. I was wrong. So, you're not looking to set me up with Doug. Or somepony at the Gala."
"And it isn't even the right kind of saddle if I was!" Rarity motions backwards with a hoof, "Look at the flare near your dock! It would be incredibly uncomfortable for a stallion to lay on you, or he'd be so high up he couldn't get it in, or he would completely destroy the dress!" Rarity shakes her head as she gets up, "Although, the way Doug is proportioned it wouldn't have impeded him very much. Though it would curtail the use of his favorite positions."
Twilight groans, "Okay, that's more than I needed to know, thank you very much." She smirks as she tries to beat Rarity at her own game, "Though I am more than a little intrigued by his... biology. You don't suppose he would be up for some... testing?" Twilight shakes her flanks a little, though the timing of her wink is a little off.
Rarity slowly recovers, smirking back at Twilight, "Well, I certainly wouldn't say no were you to ask Doug about that kind of arrangement. But, I'm certainly not looking to pressure you into something, or any seriousness, this quickly." Rarity offers Twilight a soft, conciliatory smile as she gets back up. "I thought that the two of us would go to the Gala, as I stated earlier. It would be a fabulous place for the both of us, would it not?" Her horn flares, the various buckles and straps around Twilight coming undone.
Twilight smiles briefly before her face falls, a depressed look at the floor. Rarity raises an eyebrow; Twilight responds to the unasked question, "Well, that would be a great idea, Rarity, except for two things." She steps out of the dress, Rarity levitating it to a spare ponnequinn.
"And what is that, darling?" Rarity says, inspecting the dress for any rips or tears.
"Well, for starters, Spike still has one ticket."
Rarity smirks, "Does he? I imagine the dragon that doesn't want to go to the Gala would be so happy at my unconditional offer of gems that he would gladly give his ticket to me. But, I am under no such illusion that he must. If he does not? Then I shall have to find another way to win the fair dragon's ticket."
"Point. But, sadly, the second issue still remains."
"And what is that, darling?"
Twilight sighs, "I gave the other ticket to Doug."
Rarity stares at Twilight for a few seconds before her smile doubles in size, "You did? You took my advice!" She slips next to Twilight, nuzzling her on the cheek, "I'm so happy for us! We'll look amazing! You and me, together at the Grand Galloping Gala!"
"What?" Twilight says, a dumbfounded look at Rarity. "I thought you wanted him to have the ticket?"
"Well, it is important to have some contingency plans, wouldn't you agree?" Rarity shrugs, "It would be my second choice, at the very least. But whether I go to the Gala with Doug or with you is completely incidental to how fabulous I'll look there!"
Twilight nods, a slight roll of her eyes, "Okay, so, how are we going to get the ticket from Doug?"
"Oh, please, I have that human wrapped around my horn. Observe." Rarity clears her throat as a very full, very content dragon walks out of the storeroom. She gives Spike a pleasant smile, "Are you ready to go, my precious little Spiky-Wikey?"
"What?" Spike yawns, barely holding onto his ticket. "Oh! Yeah, I guess. I could go for a nap right about now, too." He moans a little as he rubs his slightly distended stomach.
"Darling, please pardon me saying so, but you look exhausted! You can ride me, if you'd like. Just the one time, of course!" Rarity beams at Spike, then Twilight, a short wink at the latter.
"You're the best, Rarity!" Spike says, grinning as a blue aura surrounds him. He holds the ticket out as he drops onto Rarity's back, "And I'm sorry I tried to barter this ticket for the gems. You're a much better friend than that. I'd like you to have it."
"Oh, Spike, thank you very much for the offer. I just may take you up on that in the future, but for now, keep hold of it yourself." Rarity smiles as she opens the door, turning to smirk at Twilight. The three step outside, the rain having mostly cleared up. "Just in case you decide that you really would like to go to the Gala, after all."
Spike laughs, "Yeah. Like that'll happen."
"Well, off we go to get you your ticket back!" Rarity calls, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres.