//------------------------------// // Twilight's Nightmare // Story: I'll Do Anything for You // by The Abyss //------------------------------// Shining cleared his throat. “Dear, uh...” he whispered into Cadence’s ear. “Don’t you think it’s getting a bit late? I think it’s time for the little ones to get to bed,” he said as he bit back a yawn. “Yes, I suppose it is…” She lit her horn for a few seconds and let her gaze come to rest on Twilight and Rainbow, her eyebrows narrowing almost imperceptibly before her magic faded away.  “Already?” Spike asked. “And let us not forget that I’m not a ‘little one’,” he said, lifting his claws to make the air quotes gesture.  “Oh, of course not. I was talking about Twilight,” Shining said with a chuckle. “She’s always a little one to me,” he finished, earning a playful glare from his sister. “Hey, so…” Spike glanced up at Twilight and poked her leg. “Can we make one more? Please?” “Yeah, please?” Scootaloo piped up, making Rainbow giggle. Before either Twilight or Rainbow could respond, she tossed a marshmallow on her stick and held it up for him. “You wanna fire this one for me, please? I’ll split it with you!” Spike’s eyes lit up as a smile slid across his face. “Sure!” he said before anypony could say otherwise. He took a deep breath and blew fire across the marshmallow on Scootaloo’s stick. The high heat of his flames seared the outside of the delectable treat, and before it started melting, she pulled it out of the fire and placed it between two pieces of chocolate then in between some graham crackers. She yanked her little rod out of the marshmallow and set it down, then bent the treat in half and tossed one to him.  “Thanks!” Spike said. He wolfed it down like he hadn’t had anything to eat all day and then curled up in between Twilight’s legs. “These pillows sure are soft… I wouldn’t mind sleeping here tonight.” “I think we’ll be going back to our rooms soon, Spike,” Twilight gently said. He hasn’t snuggled with me like this since he was just a baby… she thought with a warm smile.  “That’s fine. Just wake me before we go,” he murmured, his eyes already shut.  A yawn forced itself past Scootaloo’s lips as she moved to lay against Rainbow’s side. “I don’t think I can eat any more of those; I feel a little bloated,” she muttered. She nudged Rainbow’s wing open with her snout and crawled underneath, her head the only part of her body sticking out from under her wing. “Be that as it may, I think it’s time we put little Shiny here to bed,” Cadence said with a playful flick of her tail. “He can get a little cranky if he doesn’t get his beauty sleep.” “You got that right,” he said with a chuckle. “Mom always used to say that.” He looked up at Twilight. “Remember?” Twilight glanced off to the side as she heard her mother’s voice chastising her big brother in her head, usually from staying up so late. “Yeah, I sure do. She always tried to make me go to bed before I was done reading, too.” “Bet you didn’t like that!” Rainbow laughed, doing her best to keep herself in check. “My mom always said the same thing about beauty sleep back when I was younger. I think it’s just something mothers say.” “Yeah, sure is...” Twilight trailed off. “Hey, hold on a second.” Her gaze snapped up to flick between Cadence and her brother. “Are you two…” she trailed off, her right hoof switching between pointing at the two of them. “Uh…” “Yes? What is it, dear?” Cadence looked up at her. As the seriousness of the question drew down upon her, she nervously cleared her throat to stall for time to think how to ask if they were trying for their first foal, especially with Spike and Scootaloo sitting with them. “Um… are you two… expecting?” she cautiously squeaked out. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed Cadence’s breath catch in her throat as she shot a quick glance up at her husband. Shining nodded once then wrapped his right hoof around Cadence’s left before they both looked back at her. That was all the confirmation that Twilight needed. A large smile broke out on her face as her eyes lit up with joy. “That’s awesome! Have you thought of any names yet?” “A… few,” Cadence replied. “We’re still working on it, though. We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. I think we want it to be a surprise, right?” she asked, looking back up at Shining.  “Yeah, that’s right.” He cleared his throat. “Anyways… like I said, I think it’s time we get ready for bed. Expecting mothers need as much sleep as they can get before the baby comes,” he said with a snicker, turning the joke back on his wife. Before she could reply, he pecked her on the cheek and whispered something inaudible into her ear, making her blush.  “Of course, I’ll only be a little while,” Cadence said as she stood up, folding her wing back against her side. “Twilight, Rainbow? If you’ll come with me, I’ll bring you back to your room. Shining will escort Spike and Scootaloo back to theirs. I wanted to speak to you two in private real quick.” Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed as she wondered if she’d pushed too far about Cadence’s pregnancy. She nudged Rainbow as she pulled her wing back to her side. “Did I say anything wrong?” she whispered. “No, I don’t think so,” Rainbow whispered back. “I thought you were fine.” Looking back down, she placed a hoof on Scootaloo’s back and wiggled her around as gently as she could. “Hey little one, time for bed. Shining is gonna give you and Spike a ride back to your room,” she said as Scootaloo woke from her light slumber. “He is? Oh, okay…” she blearily said as Shining’s magic lifted her and Spike up onto his back. “Good night, Dash,” she mumbled out. “Good night, Scoots,” Rainbow called out. “You too, Spike. Don’t stay up too late tonight; we’re gonna find something fun to do tomorrow.” She stood up and stretched, only noticing Twilight stumble as she finished standing back up. “You okay?”  “Y-Yeah, my leg was just numb,” she fibbed.  “Are you feeling cold again or something?” Rainbow asked as she reached out to feel Twilight’s fur with the side of her hoof.  “No, not with you keeping me warm,” Twilight shot back with a grin. She looked up at Cadence and noticed a look of concern upon her face as well. “Truly, I’m okay. See?” She stood up straight and tall, doing her best to exude a strength that she didn’t feel. Her front left leg trembled ever so slightly, making Cadence’s eyes narrow. “You were just in the hospital ward not too long ago,” Cadence said slowly as she walked up to Twilight. She held out a hoof for her to take. “Would you like to go back to your bed in the hospital ward or would you prefer to sleep in your room?” she asked. Twilight thought for a few seconds. “You know, I think I just need some rest and I’ve always slept better with Rainbow, so I’d like to sleep with her tonight. Our bed was a lot softer than the one in the hospital ward and I feel like I can sleep for a whole day,” she said right before she yawned. The mere thought of getting a good night’s rest with Rainbow keeping her warm in bed made her heart pump a little bit faster. Cadence looked her up and down then lowered her hoof. “Very well.” She nodded towards the bedroom door. “I’ll walk you back to your room, then. There is still that matter I wish to discuss with you two.” “That wasn’t it?” Rainbow piped up.  Cadence shook her head. “I’m afraid not,” she said, using her magic to push open their bedroom door once more. She stopped in between the two guards that flanked the doorway. “I’ll be back shortly.” “Yes, your highness!” the two guards barked out. “Thank you.” Cadence used her right wing to gesture down the hallway, prompting Twilight and Rainbow to follow. “Uh… what’s on your mind?” Rainbow asked. “It’s… something I want to discuss privately. I’ll bring it up once we’re back in your room. It’s not something I’d want the guards or the staff to hear.” “So it’s something serious, then?” Twilight asked. “At least tell us what it’s about. Please?” “Yeah, seriously. Is it something bad?” “It’s about you two,” Cadence said after a few seconds of silence. “I… noticed something earlier.” Rainbow nudged Twilight’s side with her shoulder, then leaned in to whisper, “What do you think she wants to say? I’m feeling a little worried.” “Me too,” Twilight whispered back. She cleared her throat and ruffled her feathers. “At least our room is closer than the hospital part of the castle is,” she said, her voice returning to its normal volume. “I don’t think I could walk all the way back there.” “Need me to carry you?” “If we were going all the way back to the hospital, yeah, I’d need someone to carry me. I think I’m okay, though. So long as we take it slow, that is,” Twilight said, letting her pace slow down a little.  “Yeah, of course…” Rainbow watched Twilight walk for a few seconds and noticed her front legs trembling. She had a feeling that Twilight didn’t want to burden her, so instead of asking her again if she wanted help, she dipped her head down and nuzzled her marefriend near the base of her wing, prompting Twilight to slow down even further. When she stopped, Rainbow saw her chance. She pushed her head under Twilight’s barrel and between her forelegs, then used all of her strength to stand back up with Twilight on her back. She grunted as she shifted her into a better place, then started walking forward again with a smug smile. “D-Dash, um…” Twilight trailed off as she wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck.  “Don’t ask me to let you down,” Rainbow firmly said. “Cuz I won’t. Not till we get back to our room.” She felt Twilight’s grasp around her neck tighten before she felt Twilight’s lips grace the back of her head.  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Twilight murmured. She lay her head on top of Rainbow’s and nuzzled her kiss in ever so gently. “Thank you,” she whispered. “My forelegs were getting a little sore.” “Yeah… I noticed,” Rainbow simply said. Their room came into view after another minute, a fact she was grateful for. While she would never admit it to anyone, Twilight was just a smidgen heavier than she thought she’d be. Now I’m gonna be the one with shaky legs… she thought with a smirk. Better me than her, though… Once Cadence opened their door, she trudged over to the bed and helped Twilight settle down onto the bed. She flapped her wings and fetched a couple of big blankets from a chair near the balcony, then promptly piled them on top of her. “Warm enough?” she asked.  “Yeah, sure am. Thanks again.” Twilight pushed herself up under the blankets until she was sitting upright, then opened up her left wing and patted the empty space next to her. “You gonna help keep me warm?” she asked. “Yeah, for sure, but I think Cadence wanted to talk to us about something… right?” she asked as she looked up at Cadence. She noticed the door seal shut with her familiar blue magical light, the color sweeping across the walls, ceiling, and the floor. “That was a noise-blocking spell,” Cadence said as she hopped up onto the bed with them. “It’ll block any sounds from outside and nobody will be able to hear us until I cast the counterspell.” “Yeah, that’s one of Starswirl’s, right? I remember reading it when I was younger,” Twilight said with a grin as she turned around to face her old foalsitter. Rainbow sat down beside her and lay down, then wiggled herself backwards until she was in her rightful place by Twilight’s side.  Cadence nodded as she settled down on the bed. “So… about that thing I wanted to talk to you about…” She placed her right hoof over her left and glanced outside for a few moments. “Yes? What is it?” Twilight asked. “You said it was about us, right?” “Mhm. So… you remember the changeling attack on my wedding with your brother? I found it very interesting to learn that their species lives off of love, so in my spare time, I learned as much as I could about them. I even combined some spells together, and if you combine that with my abilities as the princess of love, I’m able to see just how strong someone’s love and relationship is.” “Whoa… Really? What’s it look like?” Twilight asked. Her ears perked up. “It’s fairly similar to the northern lights you see in the sky up here,” she said, a smile growing on her face. “It’s something rather… special, because no two relationships show the same aura.” “What’s ours look like?” Rainbow blurted out.  “Imagine the northern lights but with a few shades of Twilight’s magic’s color mixed with a few shades of cyan. It’s always swirling around you both, even when you’re away from each other. Sometimes it flares in brightness; I think that happens when they’re thinking of their partner. It’s also strongest when the couple is together, too.” “That’s incredible!” Twilight exclaimed. “Have you thought about submitting your findings to the Canterlot Journal for Magic?” Cadence chuckled. “Yes, however, I think I’m the only one who can use the spell. I sent clear instructions to Celestia a while ago and she said that she isn't able to cast it. I believe it’s due to my unique abilities surrounding love and romance, much like how Celestia moves the sun and how Luna moves the moon.” “Oh…” Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “That makes sense.” Cadence nodded. “So with that being said, I noticed that your auras aren’t as… energetic, almost as if there’s something going on between you. Being the princess of love, and as your friend, I’d very much like to help you through whatever it is you two are going through.” Twilight and Rainbow shared a quick glance. “You want to go first?” Rainbow asked with a smile. Twilight smiled back at her. “No, you go first.” She felt Rainbow tense up. “Really, it’s okay. I trust you.”  “O-Okay.” Rainbow took a deep breath. “I feel… conflicted, I guess? When we heard that Scootaloo’s dad might be out here looking for us, I wanted nothing more than to find him and… give him a piece of my mind before throwing him in front of some guards to be arrested. I know he’s dangerous but I really think I can find him, but…” She trailed off as she once again looked at Twilight. “Twilight doesn’t want me anywhere near him. I know she’d never forgive herself if… you know.” “That was very well articulated, Rainbow,” Cadence said.  “Heh, thanks. Twilight’s been helping me get over acting tough and all. It’s still hard talking about my feelings, but she’s shown me how important it is to get some things off your chest,” she said, earning a smooch on the cheek from Twilight. “It’s brought us closer, too.”  “That’s quite apparent.” “But yeah… while I really want to go out looking for that scumbag, I also know my place is here right by Twilight’s side. With her not being one hundred percent, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if she got hurt while I was gone. All I want to do is make sure that Twilight, Scootaloo, and Spike are all safe. We’ve seen Scootaloo’s parents get really desperate in the past so I just know that I have to put up a strong offense to keep us all safe. Waiting for us to get attacked just doesn’t sit right with me… if that makes sense.” “It does,” Cadence said. “Shining is the same way. He’s always been one to take charge of a situation and see things through. I see the same desire in you. Let’s see if your aura has changed at all,” she said with a bit of excitement in her voice. Cadence lit her horn and glanced between the two of them for a few seconds. Twilight’s and Rainbow’s auras thrummed together, its brightness ebbing and flowing like a single heartbeat. It was a little bit brighter than before, but it still lacked the clarity that she’d seen compared to her aura with her husband. “I… It looks better, but…” she said slowly. “Is there something else?” Twilight glanced between Rainbow and Cadence for a couple seconds before she spoke up. “Y-Yeah. But if it’s okay with you, it’s really personal. Is it okay if I speak with Rainbow alone?” she asked. “Of course,” Cadence said with a warm smile. “But before I go, do you two need anything?” “I think we’re okay,” Twilight said. “Thanks for your help tonight. The treats back in your room were lovely.” “It was my pleasure,” Cadence said as she slipped off of the bed. “We can all meet back in my quarters for breakfast with everyone in the morning. I’ll have Shining come fetch you two when it’s all ready. Sound good?” “It sure does!” Twilight said with glee.  “Yup! Can’t wait!” Rainbow piped up as well. “Great! See you then!” Cadence said as she left them to themselves. Rainbow cleared her throat. “So… you had something else on your mind?” “...Yeah, I do. I didn’t want to alarm Cadence because if I told her, then she’d tell her husband, and since her husband is my brother… it wouldn’t put you in a good light.” “What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked, feeling her throat go dry. “Remember that night when you thought Scootaloo had… died?” Rainbow’s throat felt dryer than the desert. “Oh… that,” she croaked out. “I remember. I know we haven’t really worked that out, but I still feel really, really bad about treating you that way. And me… hitting you?” She felt bile form in her throat, then made an awkward sound as she struggled to swallow it back down. Twilight let her head come to rest against Rainbow’s neck. “I forgave you back then because I knew you were acting without knowing all the details. I know you didn’t want to hurt me. It just… happened,” she murmured. “Yeah, but it should have never happened. I know I can get hot-headed sometimes, and when it concerns Scoots, I…” She paused and took a deep breath. “No. There’s no excuse for hitting you like that. I was totally in the wrong. Same goes for that incident in Cloudsdale when I yelled at you for keeping us safe. I just… he was right there and I got so focused on what I wanted that I didn’t see what you needed until it was too late. I’m still super duper sorry for yelling at you like that.” “Thank you. I know your heart is in the right place. That’s all that really matters,” Twilight said softly.  “Yeah… I need to learn to be more like you where I try to take in all the information before acting instead of just… acting. I promise I’ll do better and be better in the future for us.” “That’s really nice to hear, Dashie,” Twilight said. After Rainbow didn’t respond, she licked her dry lips then nuzzled the side of Rainbow’s neck. “So… are you feeling tired yet? I sure feel like I could go to bed.” “Yeah, but… wait. You’re done talking about this already? Don’t we need to spend at least a little more time talking this through?” “Well, I already forgave you. The fact that you want to keep talking about it is enough for me. In the future, I think it’d be nice if we could have more of these little heart-to-hearts.” “Yeah, I’d like that, too,” Rainbow said. “We’d be able to squash anything small before it gets really big and blows up in our faces.” The moon broke out from behind some clouds, its light shining brightly through the windows. “Looks like a full moon tonight,” she said.  Twilight’s ears flicked up. “Yeah? Let’s see.” She pushed herself off the bed and gingerly walked over to the balcony door, then peered up. The moon and all the stars stared down at her, twinkling amongst each other in the sea of space. She pushed the door open to get a better view and sat down, the cold wind making her shiver as she looked every which way.  Rainbow dragged the heavy blanket out onto the balcony and sat down next to Twilight, and with a quick hoof, tightly tucked the blanket in around them then held her close with her left wing. “Kinda cold out here,” she said with a chuckle. “Yeah, no kidding…” she murmured back. “I was wondering… once this all blows over and Scootaloo’s dad is behind bars again, what do you think the future has in store for us?” Rainbow looked up at the stars, her mind racing for an answer. “I’m… Well, I always had this dream of being a Wonderbolt. I think I’d try to become one of them. Wouldn’t that be so cool?” she asked with a laugh. “Plus we’d get to travel all over Equestria for shows; it’d be like going on a vacation for every show!” Twilight smiled as she felt Rainbow shiver against her, though she figured it was most likely from her envisioning her fantasy becoming reality than the cold. “You know, I think you could really do it. With Scootaloo being your number one fan and with me being your second biggest fan, I… I think–” “You’ll always be my number one, Twi, no matter what,” Rainbow softly said. “T-Thanks. That was a little cheesy, though.” Rainbow laughed, then pulled Twilight tighter against her side for a few seconds. “Yeah, it kinda was.” She noticed a lot of dark clouds creeping ever closer out of the corner of her eye, making her look in that direction. A large, scary-looking storm came from over the mountains that rose up far, far away, their peaks standing taller than the castle in which they sat. She saw lightning strike the mountains several times. “Looks like we’re gonna have a little storm tonight,” she said. “I’m just glad we’re here and not in there.” “Yeah, good thing I have a huge bed and a warm pegasus,” Twilight said. She glanced over her shoulder and looked back at the bed. “Mind if we go get some shut-eye? While I’d love to just sit out here watching the stars, I am feeling pretty tired.” “Yeah, for sure. Need me to carry you?” Rainbow asked as Twilight stood up. “It’s no trouble, really.” “Thanks, but I think I’m okay.” Twilight carefully made her way back to the bed then slid under the sheets as Rainbow closed the door to the balcony. She double-checked to make sure that it was locked then flew over to the bed, her eyes full of excitement for what was to come. She wiggled her way under the sheets and lay down, staring into Twilight’s eyes. “Hey,” she lamely said. “Hey there yourself,” Twilight said with a giggle. Rainbow’s eyes flicked upwards for a couple of seconds as she looked at Twilight’s horn. “So… how’s the ‘ol horn feeling? You think you could use magic?” Twilight’s smile faded. “I… I don’t know. It doesn’t hurt that much anymore. It’s been hurting less and less, too. Being with you helps me keep my mind off of it.”  “Okay… does it still feel warm or hot?” Twilight felt her horn with a hoof then shook her head with a grin. “What about your wings? Your feathers feeling better?” “Loads better, yeah. Something about it still feels… off, though. I’m sure I’ll feel better in a few days…” A yawn forced itself past her lips as Rainbow sat up and motioned for her to do the same. “What is it?” “I just wanna make sure,” Rainbow said as she walked around to sit behind her, her hooves sinking into the bed with each step. “You worry too much.” She opened up her right wing and held it open until she felt Rainbow’s gentle touch on it. “But t-thank you,” she said as her lover started preening her wing. “You know, they’ll just be a mess when we wake up.” “Yeah but then it’d just give me another chance to show you how much I love you,” Rainbow murmured, her attention still focused on straightening the feathers in Twilight’s wing. “Do you… Do you need me to take care of yours?” Twilight offered. “...Sure, but we can do that in the morning. It’s you that needs to be taken care of, not me.” She finished up with Twilight’s wing then moved to the other, though as she slid over, she planted a light kiss in between her wings. Twilight blushed at the intimate gesture. “Didn’t need to pluck any feathers this time?” “Nah, we got all the bad ones last time. I’m just making sure all of these ones are still healthy,” Rainbow said as she gently moved a couple feathers back into their rightful spot. “Alright, I think we’re done. Can you open both of them up?” she asked, observing her work as Twilight spread both her wings wide. “Great, looks good to me. Now it’s time for you know what, so…” “Little spoon, please,” Twilight said as she settled back down on her side. “I had a feeling you’d say that.” Rainbow settled back down beside her then pulled Twilight deep into her embrace. She made her pillow more comfortable then tugged the sheets up to their necks with a hoof. “You comfy enough?” she asked as she planted a soft kiss on her lover’s head.  “Oh yeah… And Rainbow?”  Rainbow licked her lips. “Yeah?” “I lov–” Their door smashed open against the wall, shocking them both. Twilight lifted her head to find a single pony standing in their doorway, illuminated by faint candlelight spilling in from the hallway. Time slowed down almost to a standstill. “E-Excuse me, who do you…” she trailed off as she recognized Scootaloo’s father. A sinking feeling appeared in her gut as her grip tightened on Rainbow as her eyes shifted down to something shiny in his mouth. She recognized it as a knife a split-second later. “Guards!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.  Twilight scrambled out of bed away from him with Rainbow right behind her. A faint blue aura shimmered against the walls, catching her attention for a couple of seconds. Cadence didn’t drop her soundproofing spell! she thought in a panic. Her heart rate tripled as a million different possibilities sped through her mind. “Stay back!” she ordered, trying to think of a way to alert the guards to help them.  “Yeah? Or what, my precious little alicorn?” Brick smirked at her. “You haven’t used your magic against me yet; why is that?” He took a step forward, forcing Twilight and Rainbow back a step closer to the wall. “Do I frighten you? Too scared to use your power against me?” Worried about Rainbow and what she might do, Twilight glanced back over her shoulder and saw her standing with her wings in a low-ready position, ready to take flight at a moment’s notice. With the balcony behind them, and with Brick blocking their way back out into the hall, it seemed like they only had one way to go and she didn’t know if she had the strength to fly. She locked eyes with her for a split second before she shook her head. Brick spat the knife into a hoof as he took another step forward towards them with his wings spread wide. He snarled in disgust as he noticed how scared they looked. “Oh, stop worrying, I’m not here for you,” he said, his tone ice cold. He held up the knife and observed how the candlelight danced upon the blade. “Actually…  You being here gives me an opportunity, so… tell you what. I’m a reasonable pony. All I want is for my wife to be released from prison. We’ll be on our merry way and you’ll never have to see us again.” Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “And what about Scootaloo?” “At this point… I couldn’t care less about her. The love of my life wants her… out of the picture, but I’d rather not let things get messy. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, after all,” he said, his tone still devoid of emotion. He held up the blade and pointed it at them, then shrugged. “So what do you say? Will you order my wife’s release for us to disappear into the sunset forever?” he asked. “After all you two have done?! Fat chance of that!” Rainbow barked out. Twilight shot a quick glare back at her in the hopes of silently letting her know that she was going to handle it. “No. You know I can’t order her release,” Twilight said as she looked back at him. She held her head high, wondering if she would be able to cast any sort of spells without hurting herself or damaging her horn. “Even if I did, Celestia would never let her go. Her will supersedes mine.” Brick’s eyes narrowed as he dropped the fake friendly act. “Then I’m sorry it had to come to this. If I cannot have the one thing that makes life worth living, then tell me where she is so I can at least make my wife happy.” He took a step forward, then another, then another until he stood on the other side of the bed. “I’ll find out the easy way, or… the hard way,” he snarled as he placed a hoof on the bed. “Which would you prefer, my lovely ladies?” he asked with a smirk. Twilight glanced over her shoulder. “Rainbow, the spell Cadence used; remember?” Rainbow grimaced for a second then nodded. Twilight flicked her eyes at the balcony then murmured, “Go.”  “Bu– Okay.” Twilight looked back at Brick and steadied herself. The sounds of glass shattering filled the room a second later as a faint rainbow trailed out the broken window from her lover’s quick exit. “Before you do anything rash, think about what you’re about to do. I can tell you don’t want to do this. In fact, I think this is the last place you want to be, right?” Twilight calmly asked, trying to exude a strength she wished she felt. Brick paused. “Quite perceptive, my princess,” he spat out. “That doesn’t matter. Tell me where Scootaloo is, or…” He held up the knife once more in a suggestive manner.  She knew Rainbow wouldn’t waste any time in getting reinforcements so she only had to stall for a little while. “You know, attacking a princess never ends well,” she said, letting her voice turn as cold as Brick’s. She locked eyes with him and glared at him.  Brick snickered. “Usually it doesn’t, but you? You’re different. Every other princess would have used their magic on me the moment I came through that door, but yet here we are.” He leapt up onto the bed and looked down upon her. Twilight walked backwards into the middle of the room, her gaze locked on Brick. She tried her hardest to keep her legs steady, even if it meant being a little closer to him than she was comfortable with, but her hind legs trembled on her last step. She winced as she watched his eyes crawl over her body. “Not feeling so well, my princess?” Brick hopped off the bed and stood in front of the doorway. He took a quick peek outside the door. “We’re still all alone, just you and me, so… this is your last chance. Tell me where she is or bad things will happen.” A clever idea popped into Twilight’s head. “I, uh…” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then stared at the floor and let her ears flop down in mock defeat. “She’s down in the kitchen near the base of the castle. She… wanted my permission to have a late-night snack.” Brick’s eyes lit up like he’d just won the lottery. “Ah, acting like a starved rat like always. I should have looked there first!” He looked her up and down with a newfound modicum of respect. “I knew you’d make the right move.” He bowed to her as a mockery then shouldered open the door to the balcony. “She better be there,” he snarled out as he leapt into the air, disappearing into the night. A single bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere, briefly illuminating him before the falling snow concealed him in the darkness. “Oh, we’ll be there, alright!” Twilight snarled.