“Another day, another villain locked up, and another all-expenses-paid vacation courtesy of the princesses.” Rainbow Dash slouched back in her chair and burped loudly, patting her stomach. “The rewards for saving Equestria just keep getting better and better!”
“‘T’was mighty kind of them,” agreed Applejack with a belch of her own. “Supper sure was good, too.”
Rainbow Dash grinned, swallowed a few mouthfuls of air, and let out and even louder burp. “I know, right? This is just the first day, too!”
A silent acknowledgement of the challenge passed between Applejack and Rainbow Dash, and the burping match was on. Not even a minute of almost non-stop burping later, the pair broke out in laughter when they caught Rarity staring at them with abject horror.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash bumped hooves, laughter devolving into quiet giggles as they leaned against each other.
Twilight stood up from the table and stretched her legs. “I agree with Rainbow. I can’t wait to see what else Marezambique has to offer. I love getting to experience other cultures throughout Equestria.”
With a light cough, Rarity finally managed to regain her composure. “Speaking of… what’s next on the agenda, Twilight?”
“Well, I didn’t have anything planned for everypony after dinner. I was hoping to spend a couple hours reading on the beach today. It’s mine and Rainbow’s regular reading day.”
Rarity frowned. “Honestly, Twilight, we’ve come all this way and you want to read?”
“I do. It’s been a long day and there’s nothing like a good book to relax.” Twilight looked out toward the ocean. “Plus, we don’t get to see the beach very often, so I might as well make the most of it while we’re here. You’re all welcome to join me, of course.”
Rainbow Dash took to the air and landed next to Twilight. “Yeah, that sounds cool. Count me in.”
Fluttershy spoke up next. “Reading sounds lovely, but I want to get to know some of the local birds. Their songs are so different from the birds back in Ponyville.”
“And I think I’m going to head into town,” pondered Rarity. “Some of the ponies were wearing absolutely stunning fabrics and I simply must see more.”
“Those all sound like good plans to me. How about you, Pinkie Pie? Applejack?” Twilight looked to the silent hold-outs.
Pinkie Pie shrugged. “I don’t know, Twilight. Reading sounds fun, but I think I want to do something more exciting than that.”
Applejack bit her lip. “Don’t rightly know what I want to do, but I reckon I’ll figure out somethin’ with Pinkie Pie. You two go on ahead.”
“Why don’t we all meet back here in a couple hours for dessert?” suggested Twilight.
Everypony nodded in agreement.
“Perfect.” Twilight pulled everypony into a group hug. “See you all in a few hours, then.” She freed everypony from the hug and started toward the door, beckoning Rainbow Dash. “Come on, Rainbow. Let’s get going. Have fun, everypony!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Rainbow gave Twilight a quick salute and turned to follow her. “Later, everypony!”
“Bye, y’all. You have too!” called Applejack.
“Will do!” replied Rainbow over her shoulder.
The walk to their huts was short, saddle bags were quickly packed, and the two set off down the beach.
Twilight noted Rainbow’s bags looked full enough to fit a couple large books and opened her mouth to mention it, but thought better of it. Far be it from her to keep Rainbow from reading more than one book. “Thanks for joining me, Rainbow. Reading is always more fun with a friend.”
Rainbow chuckled, took off with a single flap of her wings, and hovered over Twilight, reaching down to ruffle her mane. “Of course. I couldn’t just let my favorite egghead down. Besides, I love the ocean. I don’t get to see it enough. And I didn’t get my nap today. Something relaxing sounds great right now.”
“We were on the airship for hours this morning. Nopony saw you for half the trip; we all thought you were napping. You didn’t get any sleep then?”
“Nah. I just can’t seem to get to sleep when flying, even if I’m not the one doing the flying. I was on the bridge watching everypony.”
“Really? You can usually sleep anywhere.”
“I know, right? I love flying too much.” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck. ”Airships are cool, too; they don’t look like they should be able to fly at all. Unicorns can do some crazy things with their magic.”
Twilight hummed in agreement and the two fell into a comfortable silence while they trotted along the beach. Rainbow stared out at the ocean while Twilight searched along the treeline for the perfect place to read, shaking her head to herself with every disqualified location.
After a few more minutes of searching, Twilight found it: a little alcove, recessed slightly into the palm trees with a clear view of the ocean. It provided some nice shade from the setting sun and still had a line of sight to their huts off in the distance. She tapped Rainbow’s shoulder and pointed to the alcove. “Here looks good.”
Rainbow studied the location, then nodded her agreement.
Twilight levitated a couple large beach towels, a flask, a pair of cushions, and her book out of her saddle bags, and in mere seconds, the optimal reading spot was constructed.
Rainbow’s jaw fell open as she watched Twilight’s bag with wonder. “...Whoa. That’s so cool.”
“Isn’t it?” Twilight grinned. “It makes packing so much easier.”
“I’m gonna have to get you to do that to my bags.”
Twilight shook her head. “Later. It’s not an easy spell and it takes several hours to cast. For now, we should get started on reading.”
Both ponies took their places on either side of the towel and retrieved their books, propping them up against the cushions.
“Mmm, just like home,” said Twilight as she stuck her nose into her book and inhaled deeply.
Rainbow glanced over at Twilight’s book. “The Complete History of Marezambique volume four?” She chuckled. “Just like home, alright.”
Twilight blew a raspberry at Rainbow. “Oh yeah? And what did you decide to read? A coloring book?”
“Wha—no! I don’t—it isn’t—” Rainbow Dash sputtered indignantly.
“...It was just a joke, Rainbow. No need to get so worked up over it.”
Rainbow eyed Twilight carefully. “If you must know, I brought along the first book in the Shadow Spade series.”
Twilight eyed her right back. “When did you start reading something other than Daring Do? You seemed fairly set upon reading only Daring Do books last time I suggested something else.”
“I think I just finally needed a change of pace. Even I can only read Daring Do so many times and it helps to have something else to read in between books.” Rainbow shrugged. “I figured that I should try Shadow Spade after Rarity saved my reputation with the Wonderbolts. If a book could help Rarity do that, it must be pretty cool, right?”
“I think it’s wonderful that you're branching out into other books.”
“Yeah, I guess. Shadow Spade doesn’t have anything on Daring Do, but I think I’m starting to like this whole mystery thing. It’s different, you know?”
Twilight smirked. “Of course. You do know who you’re talking to, right?”
It was Rainbow’s turn to blow a raspberry.
The sound of breaking waves and the gentle wind took over as the two opened their books and began to read.
An hour or two passed and the sun had just reached the horizon. Twilight scrunched her face in concentration, trying to make out the words in front of her in the rapidly fading light. With a nearly silent grunt, her concentration was broken and she lit her horn, preparing a light spell. A spell that promptly fizzled out of existence when she glanced over at Rainbow.
Rainbow was staring intently at her book, but she wasn’t reading it. No, it was far worse. It was unthinkable! She had a pencil in her mouth and was scribbling frantically.
“Rainbow Dash!” screamed Twilight Sparkle.
Rainbow Dash yelped and dropped her pencil in a panic, breaking the tip against the page. She snapped the book closed.
“Rainbow Dash! Were you writing in a library book?! H—how could you?! I thought we were friends! How could you do that to a library book?” Tears welled up in Twilight’s eyes. “How could you do that to me?”
“What? No! I wasn’t—I—” Rainbow clutched the book against her chest.
“Give me the book, Rainbow!”
“I wasn’t writing in it, I swear!”
“Don’t you dare lie to me. I saw you!” Twilight lit her horn and growled. “Now hand it over!”
“No!”
“Give. Me. The. Book.” Twilight leapt into the air and tackled Rainbow into the sand with a battle cry.
The two rolled about in the sand, Twilight grabbing frantically at the book as Rainbow flailed a hoof, trying to dislodge her attacker. Rainbow soon found her chest pinned against the ground, her head forced roughly into the sand by an aura of magic.
Rainbow opened her mouth to try to protest, but her efforts only rewarded her with a mouth full of sand. “MMmff-mmmf! Mrrrrrmfff!”
Ignoring Rainbow’s struggles, Twilight pulled Rainbow’s legs out from under her with another flare of her magic and wrenched the book free, shouting in triumph.
Squirming helplessly against the magic, Rainbow spent the last of her breath yelling into the sand.
Twilight levitated the book in front of her and drew in a deep breath, ready to unleash her full fury upon the pony beneath her. That breath caught in her throat when she cracked open the book. Instead of the desecrated tale of Shadow Spade she had expected, she saw a magnificent sketch of the very beach they were sat upon. A brief examination revealed the jacket of the Shadow Spade book had been placed around a sketch book, concealing its true nature.
Soft, flowing lines took the shape of clouds on the horizon in stunning accuracy. Quick, fluid strokes of the pencil had brought life to the palm trees swaying in the breeze, the waves crashing against the shore, and the birds sailing high above. She could make out the glint of sunlight off the ocean and the few stars poking through the darkening sky. The sand looked warm and inviting with the softest marks bringing out the texture of the thick paper. She could almost feel the foam on the beach against her hooves, just from the detail Rainbow had poured into her work. She felt horrible as her eyes fell upon the thick, black mark running right through the middle of the piece, caused by her startling Rainbow. She had ruined such a beautiful piece of artwork.
When it was clear that Twilight had gotten a good look at the contents of her book, Rainbow Dash ceased her struggling. The lack of movement startled Twilight out of her reverie and she realized just what she was doing to her friend. Her magic disappeared in a flash and she jumped away from Rainbow.
Rainbow sat up and spat out the sand in her mouth, coughing and gasping for air. She flapped her wings and pounded her chest, trying to clear her throat.
“Oh my gosh, are you okay, Rainbow?”
She was met with a piercing glare as Rainbow coughed out the last of the sand. “Twilight! You almost killed me!”
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
Twilight threw up her wings defensively. “Okay, so I overreacted a little—but I’d never let you suffocate!”
“No. You’d just almost let me suffocate.” Rainbow’s glare hardened. “Seriously, what the hay Twilight?! Friends don’t suffocate friends!”
“I’m sorry! I just—I thought you were—” Twilight’s throat seized up for the second time in as many minutes and she splayed her ears back.
Rainbow placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Whoa, easy there, Twilight.”
“But I—”
“I’m fine.”
Twilight took a few calming breaths, letting each out slowly, then pulled Rainbow into a hug. “I’m sorry. I should have listened to you first. I should have trusted that you wouldn’t ruin a book like that.”
Rainbow pulled herself out of the hug and looked at Twilight expectantly. “And?”
“And I shouldn’t have done that even if you had.”
Rainbow broke out into a grin and wrapped her hooves around Twilight again. “Maybe you should write a letter to the princess of friendship. I’m sure she’d love to hear all about the friendship lesson you just learned.”
Twilight snorted and leaned fully into the hug. Once both ponies had calmed down, they separated and just looked at each other.
“So… now you know,” mumbled Rainbow, her smile turning into an uneasy, wavering frown.
Twilight picked up Rainbow’s sketchbook and flipped through the pages, stopping to admire each one. “These are incredible, Rainbow. Where did you even learn to draw like this?
“Just practice, I guess. Drawing out new tricks and routines has always helped me plan things out. I just got better at it over the years.” She stared down and scuffed a hoof against the sand.
“You have an amazing talent. Why don’t you share these with anypony?”
“They’re… nothing special.”
“But they are! I don’t think even Rarity draws this well.” Twilight tapped a hoof to her chin. “You know, I’m attending a painting class next week. I think you should join me.”
“First books, now painting? How much more of an egghead do you want me to be? And why are you taking a painting class, anyway?”
Twilight nudged Rainbow’s chin back up to look at her. “I’m not bad at sketching, myself, but I’ve been meaning to learn to paint so I can more accurately reproduce my scientific observations.” She booped Rainbow’s nose. “You, however, would make an extraordinary painter with even just a little bit of practice.”
“I guess...” Rainbow shrugged and thought hard for a moment. “I don’t know, Twilight.”
“Oh, please. I think you’d have a lot of fun and I’d love to have somepony else there with me.”
Rainbow sighed in defeat. It was hard to deny Twilight when she donned her hopeful smile and puppy-dog eyes. “Fine, you win. I’ll go to your dumb painting class.” She couldn’t help but smile back.
“Oh, thank you, Rainbow! We’re going to have so much fun.”
“Whatever you say, Twi. Whatever you say.”
Twilight floated the sketch book back to Rainbow. “I guess I wasn’t too far off the mark with that coloring book comment earlier.”
“I guess not.” Rainbow stuck her tongue out at Twilight.
The two laughed and settled back onto the towel with the intent to finish up their reading and drawing.
Twilight tried to focus on her book, but the quiet scribbling noises next to her were too distracting. She closed her book and moved to where she could watch Rainbow’s masterful work over her shoulder. She couldn’t wait to see what she could do with a paintbrush.