Sunlight had started to pierce through the windows of the library, slowly banishing away the darkness which had gripped it for the past few hours. Twilight sat at her table, flipping closed the last page of the red book which sat in front of her. Her mane and tail were both unkempt and had quite a few strands sticking out, signifying how long she had stayed up.
Her library was once again in a complete mess. Papers, books and every single kind of material she could get her hooves on lay scattered across the wooden floor of her living room. Empty cups of cocoa were stacked to her left while a wax stump of what used to be a candle sat to her right, having burnt out hours ago.
“That’s it. That’s the last book,” Twilight grumbled before slamming her face onto the book in front of her. “None of my books hold the answer to the two riddles,” she said in a frustrated tone.
“Of all the weeks Spike had to be in Canterlot, why did it have to be this week?” Twilight continued to complain before slowy lifting her head off the table. “And why do I feel like I’m forgetting something?”
She mustered whatever will she had to stand up and trot towards her calender, her steps slightly wobbly and her eyes half open.
“Let’s see... the 6th. That’s- oh pony!! That’s the day I have to help Rarity!” Twilight’s eyes immediately shot open, energy returning to her almost instantly. Purple energy radiated from her horn, causing the papers on the ground to levitate into the air. With a sharp, violet-coloured flash, they flew back into the shelves where they belonged. “No time, no time!” she shouted to herself, running into her bedroom.
Inside her room, she hastily hovered over a brush to straighten her mane and tail, before galloping down the staircase and bursting out the front door.
Twilight already had the route to the Carousel Boutique planned out in her mind. Scanning the streets with her eyes, she saw few ponies awake and about, but she knew that Rarity would have awoken hours ago to get started on her orders. Twilight galloped forward, through the marketplace where, in a few hours, would no doubt be buzzing with life.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her from above.
“Heya, Twi!”
Twilight tilted her head up to see Rainbow perched on a cloud, a smile plastered on her face.
“Oh, hi, Rainbow!” Twilight replied.
“What’re you doing up so early?” Rainbow inquired.
“I promised to help Rarity with her orders today!”
“Heh, when I’m done training to get into the Wonderbolts, Rarity will be asking me to help her with the orders! I can go around the shop like ‘voosh’ and ‘fwoosh’!” Rainbow boasted, her chest pushed forward.
“Oh yeah?” Twilight said with a sly smile and arched eyebrows. “Explain a cross-stitch.”
Rainbow’s eyes opened wide, her smile vanishing. “Well, umm... it’s sorta like...” she stuttered.
“Yeah, you’ll be a big help,” Twilight mocked Rainbow, rolling her eyes with a grin.
“And do you know what’s a cross-stitch?” Rainbow shot back the question, slightly flustered.
“Cross-stitching is a form of stitching in which X-shaped stitches are used to form a pattern or picture,” Twilight recited, her hoof waving around as she spoke. “I read a few books on the subject.” When she was finished, she stood proudly, a smug look on her face.
“Yeah-huh. Well, unlike some egghead I know, I gotta get practising if I’m gonna make it into the Wonderbolts!” Rainbow stood on the cloud, preparing to fly off. “You know, doing something important!”
“Yeah, keep at it Rainb-” Twilight blinked several times. “Hey! What’s that suppose to mean!”
Rainbow brought her hoof to her mouth as she stifled a laugh. “N-nothing. Egghead.”
“Rainbow!” Twilight called out to the pegasi in question as she took off into the skies.
When Twilight could no longer see Rainbow, she couldn’t help but smile at the friendly banter they had just exchanged. “Typical Rainbow...,” she muttered to herself before continuing her trot towards Carousel Boutique.
Upon reaching her destination, Twilight lifted her hoof to the bright purple door, knocking on it several times, trying to look as upbeat as she could. Moments later, the door swung open, revealing the white unicorn. Her mane and tail were brushed perfectly and her coat almost seemed to glow a radiant white. Rarity’s face gave a surprised look upon seeing Twilight at the door.
“Well, this certainly is a surprise. You’re early, Twilight!” Rarity commented.
“Early? I thought I agreed to meet you at 7! It’s almost 7:10!”
Rarity lifted her hoof to her chin, tapping it lightly.
“Well, you see, Twilight. I know that you have a habit of, how should I say this, sleeping in? As such, I arranged for you to meet me at 7 A.M. sharp, hoping you would meet me at around 9,” Rarity explained.
Twilight stood with her mouth hung open. “I do not sleep in!” she argued.
“May 12th, we were out for a picnic. You arranged to meet us at 8 A.M. and you arrived at 11.”
Twilight’s cheeks started to glow a tiny shade of red.
“Well, so I sleep in a little, but that’s because of all the late night studying I have to do!”
Rarity smiled and nodded. “Yes, well, no worries, Twilight. You being here is all that matters.” she stepped aside, allowing Twilight to trot in. “I’ve already started work on the new dress I’m making. I’ll need your help in bringing me several stuff around the shop and, of course, the occasional stitching.” She paused for a moment. “You do know how to stitch, right, Twilight?”
“Yup!” Twilight replied without a second thought. “I read a few books on the subject!”
“Heh heh.” Rarity tried her best to keep positive, forcing out a worried smile. “Well, yes. I suppose that’s... sufficient.”
“Well, let’s get started!” Twilight said eagerly.
“Very well. First thing’s first.” Rarity trotted towards a mannequin which wore a long flowing red fabric. “I need a pair of scissors, Twilight. Would you please?”
“Yeah! No problem!” Twilight replied perkily as she wandered around the shop. The shop was extremely neat. Fabrics were sorted on the shelves according to their color, and sorted further according to their shades. Twilight looked around on the floor, which glimmered, spotless. The mannequins which were not in use were lined up at the back of the shop, all of them facing the main doorway.
Twilight trotted towards the cabinets next to the staircase leading to the upper floor of the boutique. “Let’s see here. Extra fabrics, jewels, accessories... a-ha! Small equipment.” With her horn glowing bright, the cabinet’s door opened slowly as Twilight hovered a small pair of scissors out before sending it over to Rarity.
“Much appreciated, Twilight,” Rarity thanked her friend before beginning her work.
Silence fell between the two mares. For about a minute, the only sound that resonated through the room was the snipping of Rarity’s scissors. Twilight stood, impatiently tapping her hooves, her mind running through subjects she could discuss with Rarity.
“S-so... ,” Twilight began. “Rainbow’s Wonderbolt... two days,”
Rarity merely replied with a quick ‘mm-hmm’.
“I think Rainbow’s got it!” Twilight continued.
“I wouldn’t say so,” Rarity quickly rebutted, not even looking up from her trimming of the cloth.
“Huh? What do you mean, Rares? Rainbow’s such a great flier!” Twilight complimented the pegasus.
“Yes, but ‘great’ isn’t good enough for the Wonderbolts. They are extremely strict on who they let into their team. When the auditions end, all ten members have to agree that that one candidate is fit to join the team. If even one Wonderbolt disagrees, that candidate fails.”
“T-that’s not fair!”
“You have to understand, Twilight.” Rarity shifted to the other side of the mannequin. “The Wonderbolts need to work as a team. If even one member does not agree, they are unable to bring that pony on board as it would ruin the team’s relationship,” she explained, trimming off more fabric.
“I guess that makes sense.” Twilight agreed, turning her head down.
Rarity took a step back, her eye scrutinizing every cut she had made before nodding approvingly seconds later, turning back to Twilight.
“Twilight, would you please pass me a spool of gold thread and a needle?”
Twilight immediately trotted over to the ‘small equipment’ cabinet once again, this time levitating out the needle and thread.
“So if Rainbow does pass the audition, she’s a Wonderbolt, right?” Twilight asked as Rarity’s horn glowed, taking the items.
“Have you forgotten, Twilight?”
Twilight’s face twisted in confusion. “Remember what?”
“There’s that one month stay in Cloudsdale for Rainbow to prove that she can handle their training.”
“Yeah I rem-” As the words processed in Twilight’s mind, her eyes widened and she froze on the spot. “Wait, what!?”
So then, I’ll do the loop and then fly up, dive down and ‘wham!’ Sonic Rainboom to a place in the Wonderbolts! Rainbow thought to herself as she lay on a cloud, staring up to the afternoon sky.
“Oh Dashie!” a high pitched voice called out to her from below. Rainbow immediately pushed herself off the cloud to peek over the edge, even though she already knew who it was.
“Heya, Pinkie!” Rainbow greeted the gleaming pink mare under her, who was hopping on the spot excitedly.
“Do you know what day it is, Dashie? Do ya? Do ya?” Pinkie asked, her grin getting wider and wider.
“Umm...Thursday?” Rainbow gave a shrug as she answered.
“Yup! And its the first Thursday of the month! Which means... Prank Day!” Pinkie yelled.
Oh pony! I totally forgot! I was suppose to come up with a prank! Dash’s mind raced to think of a reply.
“I... I knew that, Pinkie. It’s just, with the Wonderbolts auditions coming up I... d-don’t have time to spare!” Rainbow stuttered while trying to maintain a false smile.
Pinkie sat down on the floor, her ears drooping upon hearing Rainbow’s words. “S-so, no prank day?”
“Sorry, Pinkie Pie. The Wonderbolts auditions come first!” Rainbow explained, her heart starting to feel guilt upon seeing Pinkie’s disappointed face.
Pinkie sighed. “It’s fine, Dashie. I just thought, since this’ll probably be our last prank day for a while that maybe we could spend some time together. But you’re right. Your dream comes first.”
Pinkie started to trot away, dragging her hooves with her head hung low.
Dash gritted her teeth, shutting her eyes tight.
Awww nuts.
“H-hey, Pinkie?”
Pinkie turned back to look at the pegasus with a sorrowful look in her eyes.
“Up for some pranks on AJ?”
In the blink of an eye, Pinkie’s smile returned and her ears shot straight up.
“Yippee!” Pinkie leaped up into the air. “Let’s go!” she yelled, hopping away towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Rainbow quickly descended from her cloud to catch up with Pinkie Pie.
Usually, trots with Pinkie Pie would be filled with stories about her experiences in the past month. Rainbow was waiting Pinkie to retell the tale of ‘How I got the mixer to play music’ or ‘How I burned water’, which was a story Rainbow was still trying to understand months later. However, this trip was silent.
Rainbow felt uneasy with the atmosphere being so... quiet.
“H-heya, Pinkie?”
“Yeah, Dashie?”
“Have you ever felt....” Rainbow paused.
Are you crazy, Rainbow? Asking Pinkie this?
“Felt what, Dashie?” Pinkie asked, a curious look on her face.
“Have you ever felt... love?”
Pinkie giggled and snorted. “Of course I have!”
“You have?” Rainbow replied on instinct.
“Yup! I love sweets! I love chocolate! Ooo, pies are great too!” Pinkie stopped her bounce, reaching her hoof over to pull Dashie close before whispering into her ear, “don’t tell anypony but I don’t really love cookies as much as I do with pies.”
Rainbow broke the grip. “No, Pinkie! I mean love with other ponies!”
“Ohhhhh, hehe, Dashie you’re so funny!”
Rainbow shook her head. I knew this was pointless.
“Nopey Dopey, Dashie! My special somepony is still somewhere in Equestria waiting for me!” Pinkie cheerfully continued. “What about you, Dashie? You found that special somepony?”
“N-no! Well, yes, maybe, I don’t know yet.”
“Oooo! Dashie’s in love! Dashie’s in love!” Pinkie chanted loudly as they approached the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres.
“Pinkie! Shhhhhh.” Dashie gripped Pinkie’s muzzle, closing it shut. “You have to promise me that you won’t tell anypony!”
Pinkie nodded, lifted her right hoof to make a cross over her heart and sticking the same hoof in her right eye.
Dashie breathed a sigh of relief, letting Pinkie’s muzzle free from her grasp.
“So, what are we gonna prank, AJ with?”
Dashie smiled, having already thought of a prank on the way here.
“Pinkie, find a bottle of glue and meet me at the apple tree just outside AJ’s house.”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie joyfully said before trotting away.
Rainbow raced to the tree which stood only a few feet away from the backdoor of Applejack’s home.
“This is the first tree Applejack bucks every season.” Rainbow gazed up to the tasty apples hanging by their stems. Looking around to make sure that nopony was around her, she flew up to pluck the apples one by one, holding as many as she could in her hooves.
Just as Rainbow plucked the last apple from the tree, Pinkie appeared behind her, shouting, “heya, Dashie!”
Rainbow recoiled back, barely managing to hold onto her apples. “Pinkie!”
“Hehehe, sorry!” Pinkie apologized, before reaching her hoof into her tail and pulling out a small white bottle. “You asked for glue, right?”
“Yeah!” Rainbow lowered herself to the ground beside Pinkie and dropping the apples.. “Okay, Pinkie. Take each apple and put a little glue on top of each stem. Then hand those glued apples to me.”
“Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie agreed, picking up one apple at a time and, just like Rainbow said, squeezing a tiny bit of glue at the top before passing it to her.
Rainbow took each apple before placing them back from where she plucked them, making sure that the glue could not be seen. The mere thought of Applejack trying to buck this tree sent giggles up to Rainbow’s lips.
In no time at all, Rainbow had stuck the last apple to the tree, grinning slyly as she stared at her ‘artwork’. To anypony, this tree looked exactly like the rest.
“This is gonna be so awesome!”
Rainbow’s ears perked up, she could hear the wooden boards in Applejack’s house creaking. Her eyes frantically darted around, searching for a place where she and Pinkie could hide.
“There!” Rainbow pointed towards a orange wheelbarrow sitting near the tree, which was just wide enough to hide both her and Pinkie.
They wasted no time in rushing straight for the hiding spot and hopping behind it, their ears listening closely as the hinges of the back door squeaked.
“Ahhh.” Applejack took a deep breath in. “There ain’t a more beautiful day to start bucking trees than today!”
Rainbow peaked out from her hiding spot, managing to catch a glimpse of Applejack trotting towards the rigged tree.
“Well, better get started. Whole lotta trees need bucking today!” Applejack turned around, her back hooves facing the tree. Reeling them up, she slammed them against the trunk, expecting all the apples to come falling off like they always did. However, the apples merely swayed, not one of them was sent tumbling down.
“What the hay?” Applejack whispered to herself, perplexed. “This ain’t never happened before.”
Reeling back her hooves, she hit the trunk of the tree as hard as she could but again, not a single apple fell. Rainbow and Pinkie were stifling loud laughs, making odd snorting noises behind the wheelbarrow as they watched their friend try with all her might to get the apples. Applejack continued to buck the tree repeatedly, as hard as she could each time but there was no change.
The two playful ponies could no longer contain their laughter. They collapsed on the floor, tears flowing from their eyes as they rolled on the ground, in full view of the angered Applejack.
“Ya’ll did this!?” Applejack screamed.
“Y-y-y-ye-” Rainbow tried to answer but the intense laughter got the better of her as she continued to twist and turn, clutching her stomach.
“Ya’ll better get off my farm before Ah buck you to Can’talot,” Applejack warned through clenched teeth.
Rainbow and Pinkie stopped their laughter instantly, staring up at Applejack’s furious face.
“We were... just about to go! Right, Pinkie?” Rainbow stood up, backing away slowly.
“Uh huh!”
Both ponies quickly took off as fast as they could, their hooves blurring at the speed which they were running. Once they were sure they were at a safe distance, Rainbow turned to Pinkie, panting hard.
“Where do you wanna go now, Pinkie?”
Pinkie smiled and giggled softly. “Time to prank...Rarity.”
“Rarity, you’re joking right? Please tell me you’re joking!”
“I am most certainly not joking! Rainbow does need to stay in Cloudsdale for a month to train! And if she succeeds, then the stay will lengthen to Celestia knows how long!”
Twilight felt her hooves begin to shake, her mouth unable to form the words she needed to say.
“R-Rainbow... she never, never told me any of that,” Twilight barely managed to get out of her trembling lips.
Rarity took a few steps back, staring intently at the red dress with various patterns sewn in gold.
“I’m as surprised as you are, Twilight. I thought Rainbow would have told all her friends by now!” Rarity turned to Twilight, who was still trying to comprehend what she was told.
“So... I’m not her friend?” Twilight’s breathing became heavy.
Rarity trotted up to Twilight, giving her a hug.
“How could you possibly say such a thing? Of course you’re her friend!”
“Then why didn’t she tell me that she was going away for a month!? That’s kind of a big deal, Rarity!” Twilight’s mind was in a mess, her thoughts were scrambled and her heart was racing. She pushed herself off the ground, pacing around the boutique.
“Twilight, there has to be a reasonable explanation!” Rarity reasoned, trotting up to her ‘gem’ cabinet and pulling out a blue, ornate box. She proceeded to open it and take out several different gems.
“And you’re okay with this, Rarity!? You’re okay with Rainbow going away for a month!?”
Rarity didn’t seem affected by Twilight’s shouting. Instead, she trotted nonchalantly to her dress, placing several jewels on it.
“Why wouldn’t I be okay with this? I mean, this is Rainbow’s dream after all. It’s what she has wanted for as long as I’ve known her. I’m quite shocked that you aren’t happy for her.”
Twilight quickened her pace, running her hoof through her mane. “I am happy! I mean, I was happy!” She groaned, tilting her head upwards. “This is bad, this is so bad!”
Rarity lifted her head up, gazing at the exasperated mare.
“And might I ask what’s so bad about Rainbow fulfilling her dream?”
“What’s so bad!?” Twilight yelled, “can’t you see!? Rainbow’s going away for a month! Or more! This could ruin our friendship!”
Rarity couldn’t help but give a controlled giggle. “Oh Twilight, we’ve been friends with Rainbow for years! A few months won’t ‘ruin our relationship’!”
“Well, if Rainbow’s gone for a few months... we could, I mean, maybe it would- it should-” Twilight tried her best to think of an excuse, any excuse, rejecting the only one in her mind.
Rarity resumed her gem placement. “Well, by Celestia’s word, I’d never thought I’d see the day.”
Twilight stopped her frantic trotting and fixed her eyes on the white unicorn. “See the day?”
“When you fall in love, darling!” Rarity remarked, speaking as if it was nothing special,“with a mare, no less!”
Twilight lifted her hooves in front of her in a cross. “What!? No way! I am not in love with Rainbow!” she defended. “Love is just a word, made up by ponies who had nothing better to do with their lives than squander it away, sitting in the park bench in each other’s hooves. Love does not exist!”
Rarity released a loud, long laugh. “Oh, Twilight. You are more deep in love than I thought!”
“I am not in love!” Twilight repeated, stomping her hoof. “And what makes you so sure I’m in love anyway?”
“Well, as a dressmaker, I have to make sure every detail is in place. My eye for detail is unparalleled. Why, I could see a stitch out of place from a mile away! Not only that, I’ve dealt with countless clients over the years. I’ve seen near every type of pony out there, from the Canterlot crowd to the Ponyville ponies. As such, I’ve gained the ability to see when a pony is expressing many emotions, a trait that is essential when you’re in a business such as mine. I can see when a pony is lying, when a pony is worried, or in your case, when a pony is in love.”
“For the last time, I am not in love with Rainbow Dash!” Twilight screamed, her voice echoing outside of Carousel Boutique.
Pinkie and Rainbow continued their trot towards Carousel Boutique, the sun starting its descent from its apex.
“So, hows the training going, Dashie?”
“It’s great! When I’m at the auditions, the Wonderbolts won’t believe their eyes at how awesome I am!”
“Hehehe, I’m gonna miss you! Promise you won’t forget us little ponies when you get all big and famous?”
Rainbow chuckled. “Trust me, Pinkie. I couldn’t forget you even if I wanted to.”
“Well, here we are!” Pinkie pointed to the beautifully decorated building.
“So what prank are we gonna pull this time, Pinks?” Rainbow inquired as they pressed themselves against the nearest window of the boutique.
“I got one in mind, but I need to get something from Sugercube Corner!” Pinkie explained.
“Alright. I’ll wait here.”
Pinkie nodded before zipping away. Rainbow’s pressed herself closer to the window, managing to hear Rarity’s voice coming from the inside.
She won’t know what hit her! Rainbow gave an evil grin.
She could hear Rarity’s posh accent as the unicorn spoke, “well, as a dressmaker, I have to make sure every detail is in place. My eye for detail is unparalleled. Why, I could see a stitch out of place from a mile away! Not only that, I’ve dealt with countless clients over the years. I’ve seen near every type of pony out there, from the Canterlot crowd to the Ponyville ponies.”
Yup. That’s Rarity alright. But who is she talking to? Maybe Sweetie Belle? Rainbow listened in closer as Rarity’s speech continued, “as such, I’ve gained the ability to see when a pony is expressing many emotions, a trait that is essential when you’re in a business such as mine. I can see when a pony is lying, when a pony is worried, or in your case, when a pony is in love.”
Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat.
In love!? Just who is she talking to!?
Rainbow lifted her head to the window as she saw Rarity and her dress. As she peered deeper into the boutique, she could make out another unicorn. The unicorn had a purple coat and her mane too, was purple, save for a pink highlight at the side. The pegasus’s eyes opened wide when she realized who it was, ducking back down away from the window.
T-Twilight!? Twilight’s... in love!?
Rainbow felt an intense wave of happiness within her, yet at the same time, worry.
W-what if Twilight’s in love with somepony else? Maybe I should listen a little more.
This time, she could hear Twilight’s loud booming voice scream clearly, “for the last time! I am not in love with Rainbow Dash!”
Rainbow’s happiness washed away in an instant. Her shoulders dropped and her mouth fell into a frown. Her mind was empty and she felt her hooves grow weak. To her, there wasn’t much else to think. That one phrase shattered her heart. She didn’t want to listen anymore. She just wanted to stand up and run away. However, her hooves were far too weak to even move, much less carry her back home. Reluctantly, she heard more of the conversation...
“Why are you so upset, Twilight? It’s not embarrassing to admit one’s love for another mare!”
Twilight collapsed on the ground, her hooves covering her face as she let out a long, drawn-out, groan. “I don’t know, Rarity. I already have two riddles from the Princess I stayed up all night trying to solve. I really don’t need another one from my friend!” Her voice was filled with spite and anger.
“Ah, so that’s why you were on time,” Rarity whispered quietly to herself, picking up the gold thread and needle once again. “Well, Twilight, I’m sorry if I offended you. I was merely going on and observation I made,” she apologized, sensing the vexed pony’s tone.
Twilight pulled herself off the ground. “I’m sorry too, Rarity. The late night research has just made me really irritable.”
“No trouble, Twilight. You may leave if you want.”
“Wait, you’re done with your dress?”
Rarity continued sewing several more intricate details into the red fabric draped over the mannequin.
“Well, not exactly,” Rarity spoke, “but I’d rather see you get some sleep than suffer here any longer. Plus, you look absolutely horrid!”
“Are you sure?” Twilight asked, feeling a little guilty for leaving her friend alone.
“Yes, most definitely. Now please, Twilight. Get some rest!”
Twilight gave Rarity and huge hug. “Thank you so much! Oh and whatever we say... doesn’t leave this room, right?”
Rarity gave a warm smile. “Of course. It’s just between us.”
Twilight tightened the hug. “Thanks, Rares!” She released her hug, before trotting towards the door.
Rainbow sat, silent and torn when Pinkie’s voice shocked her back to reality.
“I’m back!” Pinkie sung. In her hooves, she gripped a large hose which led all the way back to Sugercube Corner. “This hose is plugged into a cake batter storage in Sugercube Corner! She’ll never see it coming!” She stared at Rainbow, who seemed near lifeless. “You alright, Dashie?”
“You know what, Pinkie. You do the prank. I can’t go through with this, not now.”
Pinkie cocked her head sideways, baffled. “Are you tired?”
The words took a while for Rainbow to understand, her mind having wandered somewhere else. “Huh? Yeah sure, tired... Listen, Pinkie, if you wanna go through with the prank, go ahead. I’m heading home. See you at the auditions, Pinks?”
“Yup! Night night, Dashie!” Pinkie paused for a moment, looking up to the bright orange orb, which was still dropping from the sky. “Or... day day, Dashie! Since its still day and all!” She giggled, lifting the hose to the window.
Rainbow had started to walk away, unaware when the main door swung open as Twilight stepped out.
“Rainbow?” Twilight called out to the pegasus, who was trotting away from the boutique.
“Huh? Oh, heya, Twi.” Rainbow’s voice was soft, her eyes staring at the ground beneath her feet.
There was an aura of awkwardness between the two. Neither pony knew what to say. One kept up a noticeable forced smile while the other hid her face from the gaze of other ponies.
“S-so... what have you been up to, Rainbow?” Twilight questioned.
“Just... things.” Rainbow gave a short reply.
Again, awkward silence fell over the two mares.
“W-well... do you, wanna have dinner together?” Twilight asked, hoping to strike up a conversation.
Rainbow finally turned up to look at Twilight. “Well, I would but, I’ve been training and I’m really tired. I should probably go back home and sleep,” she lied.
“Huh? O-oh of course! The Wonderbolts auditions are coming up and all. It’s very important for you!” Twilight gave several short spurts of laughter. Rainbow returned the odd laughter with a few weird chuckles of her own and, as if on cue, the silence returned once again.
After a few seconds, Twilight would be the one to break the silence.
“So, I’ll see you around?”
“Y-yeah. See you around, Twi.” Both mares quickly turned around and went their separate ways, away from each other.
Rarity slammed open her door, covered horn to hoof in thick and sticky batter.
“Pinkie Pie!” Rarity yelled at the top of her lungs.
“Uh oh.” Pinkie grabbed the hose and pulled it out of the window, whizzing through the air towards Sugercube Corner, the enraged unicorn in hot pursuit.
The sun had all but set over the horizon and in its place was the shimmering moon. Twilight sat on her bed, grasping tightly in her hooves ‘Daring Do and the Feather of Dreams’ with Rainbow’s light-blue feather sticking out at the top. A small flame danced on the wic of the candle, which sat next to her, causing the light to move along with the flame.
Twilight sighed, looking at the feather in front of her. She turned her attention to the crescent moon, which hung like a pendant among the thousands of other diamonds.
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” Twilight admitted before giving exhaling heavily, “I wish you didn’t have to go. I wish...you failed at the auditions, so that I could be with you.”
Unknown to her, Rainbow was laying on a cloud at the other end of Ponyville. She stared up to the same crescent moon, her heart in pieces.
“I guess there’s only one thing left for me.” Rainbow picked herself off the cloud, shaking her head in hopes of forcing the sorrow away. “The Wonderbolts are all I have left. Better train harder than ever!” she said to herself before taking off into the skies.
Twilight reclined onto her bed, the book hugged tightly in her hooves. She turned to her left, where the burning candle stood. She took a deep breath in before letting out a blow, snuffing out the flame and flooding the room in darkness. Closing her eyes, she felt herself drift further off to sleep, the book still clenched to her chest...
Proofreading done by: writer