A shadow flitted through the evening sky. The shadow had a name, but she preferred to think of herself as nameless. The pony who would be shadow didn’t want a name while she was sneaking around the Golden Oaks Library, rather than crowing and boasting from the rooftops as she usually did. She arrived just as the last light faded from the sky, as she always did on these clandesto— clandest? Sneaky. Sneaky meetings. A black jumpsuit covered her body from head to tail. Only one telltale tuft of her unruly mane betrayed her, but in the fading light it was hard to make out the prismatic tones that marked her identity as assuredly as the cutie mark on her flank would have done. Being born cool wasn’t always what it was cracked up to be.
Rainbow looked around nervously, trying to see if she had been spotted during her flight. Seeing nopony, she knocked on the window, trying to get the attention of the pony inside before she was seen. This was just far too embarrassing to risk anypony else knowing about. She could barely endure one pony knowing. Her only consolation lay in the fact that that pony was the only one who truly understood her hunger — she shared it, even.
The window opened, and there she was; the temptress. Oh, how Dash hated what this unicorn did to her. How the mighty had fallen. The unicorn smiled warmly when she found that her hapless victim had come back, begging for more, just like she’d predicted. She’s like some kind of wizard! Well, actually, that was true, she was. Huh.
“Hi, Dash.”
Only Twilight, and maybe Rarity, could pull off that sweet and innocent look while being so conniving. Maybe it’s a unicorn thing.
“I was so sure you actually meant it when you said you’d never be back. Just like last week, and the week before.” She motioned for the black-hooded pegasus to come in.
Dash entered quickly and visibly relaxed, finally safe from public view. She hated this, and yet she could not stay away. She both blessed and cursed the day she’d let Twilight convince her to try some of the harder stuff. Like I had a choice, she showed me Spitfire’s autobiography! It all went downhill from there; soon enough she found herself reading more and more. Not just the fun stuff either... no, she was reading textbooks on flying theory!
Annoyingly, she couldn’t deny that physically speaking she was in the best shape of her life. So it made sense, even if she felt uncomfortable doing it; the best way to keep improving her performance was to hone the mind that drove the body. At least, it had at first, but over time it was making less sense. She was way too cool for this! She had been so ashamed when she first realized what she had become.
It was during one of their weekly study dates. Well, that’s what Twilight called them. Dash tried not to even think about them. She’d finished Spitfire’s autobiography, Spitfire: The High-Flying Life of a Showmare, Stuntpony, and Legend and was now starting on a new book Twilight had recommended. Dash had promised herself that she would stay out of the nonfiction section from then on, but what Twilight showed her next... she couldn’t resist. This was by another Wonderbolt, Soarin’ specifically, and it detailed some of the flight patterns they used in their shows. It was technical stuff, but nothing Dash couldn’t handle. The realization, when it came, was startling. This is a textbook. I’m... an egghead! She was reading a textbook, and she liked it; how uncool could she possibly get?
She had never asked for this! She was a good pony. For instance, she’d never cheated in school... well, except for written tests. Those don’t count; stupid busy work. Yeah, the exams had always caused her problems. She’d always been perfectly able to demonstrate her understanding of the applications of flight and weather manipulation in practice, but writing out her answers on paper was something that had forever eluded her. If it hadn’t been for Cloud Kicker sitting in the desk in front of her, she never would have made it. But here she was, studying — and having fun doing it. It’s her fault...
She glared at the face of her purple-coated tormenter, entertaining anger and resentment for just a moment, before being hit by guilt once more. Why do I keep coming back? There’s no way I’m enjoying this, is there? She sighed heavily; she had this fight with herself every week, and coming to terms with her addiction was becoming easier and easier.
Rainbow flitted over Twilight’s bed, while the unicorn closed the window behind her with her magic. Before opening her bedroom door, Twilight stopped suddenly. “Dash, I didn’t mean to pick on you before. You know that, right?”
Dash cursed silently. It was hard to be upset with Twilight when she was like this. It’s not fair! She knows this bothers me, but she still takes every opportunity to tease me. Then it’s supposed to be all better when she says she’s sorry. I don’t make fun of her for being... purple. Even Dash had to admit this was a lame reason to be mad at her friend, but it was the best she could come up with.
“I know, Twi. This is just hard for me to accept. I never expected to be... what I am.” She lowered her head, only to gasp when a set of forelegs reached out to embrace her. Twilight held her gently, affectionately nuzzling at her ears. Every time... She gave in and just enjoyed the embrace, more annoyed with herself than with Twilight.
“There’s no shame in it. I really don’t understand why it bothers you so much. You seemed fine when we started you on Daring Do, so why should this be any different?” She looked into Dash’s eyes with a perplexed frown on her face.
Rainbow Dash averted her gaze. I’m not a bug, quit acting like you’re studying me like you do one of your textbooks.
“It is different, Twi! I never expected to like books, okay? I mean, Daring Do was cool and all, but the stuff I’m reading now... it’s totally not. Studying is not cool. So I’m just weirded out that I like it. I mean, I’ve always had a knack for this stuff, you know, flying and stunts. I just never felt like... like...”
“Applying yourself?” Twilight supplied helpfully to her floundering friend. “Taking something seriously, maybe? Come on Dash, it’s not that hard to say. Do you really think the Wonderbolts got to where they are now without some serious study? They have to plan and memorize complicated routines. That’s way more than just physical skill up there — that’s the result of study!” She smiled triumphantly. Satisfied that her point had been made, Twilight opened the door to let them both through.
That particular smile only brought to mind further issues for Rainbow Dash. Spending more time with Twilight was leading to some very confusing thoughts about her friend. It had started out as just a feeling of closeness. The hugs were always nice. The teasing not so much, but she figured Twi was owed a little slack for not making a fuss when Pinkie and Dash had pranked her in the past. However, the situation hadn’t stayed that simple. She now found herself looking at Twilight in ways that her friend would not appreciate if she knew about it. Twilight never seemed to notice, and Rainbow always looked away, but it was getting harder to do that every week.
She’s definitely not cute. Dash’s wings rose rigidly. Y-you stay out of this! “Let’s just not talk about it. I want to finish that thing on applied whatses to the other thing. I think that guy was onto something.” She carefully shed the jumpsuit while Twilight trotted down the stairs leading to the studying table. Pfft, studying table. So not a cool name. Why can’t anything about this be a little more awesome? She briefly entertained the idea of asking Twilight if they could rename the table, before deciding that this was, in all actuality, even less cool.
She hovered up to the shelf where she’d stowed away her textbook last week, carefully lifted the tome in both hooves and cradled it to her chest as she made her way over to the table. Twilight was waiting there, having already picked up the book she would be poring through for the evening. Well, the first one in the stack, anyway. She already had her whole night planned out, from the look of things.
Rainbow carefully alighted next to Twilight, finding a clear space prepared for her on the table. To her surprise (and embarrassment), Dash found that two drinks had been sitting there before she even got settled. Just like last week. She knew you were coming. Face it: she’s got you hooked. I mean on studying! Her wings flared up again, and she willed them back down. Aggh! I have enough problems dealing with this whole egghead thing! I am definitely, one hundred percent not attracted to Twilight Sparkle. You can just stay the hay out of this conversation, thank you very much!
They both reached forward for their respective glasses, blushing furiously when their hooves accidentally brushed past each other. A-and you can stay out of this too, Twilight!
Please...
Try as she might, Twilight couldn’t make it through the passage she was reading. It didn’t help that she had read this same paragraph at least five times now, or tried to anyway. She kept losing her place. I’m sorry, Mr. Green. I’m sure it was a wonderful new gardening technique. Twilight gave her friend furtive glances every once in a while, obviously trying not to be obvious.
She felt so guilty. Here Dash was again, joining her in her favorite nighttime activity, and what was Twilight doing? Staring at her brazenly, while cravenly trying to hide it. She sighed heavily. She’s just way too... cool? Awesome? Radical? She made a mental note to get Rainbow to pin down those definitions. Wouldn’t want to insult her by using the wrong one. And anyway, I’m too busy. Heck, she’s too busy. It would never work. Yet she simply could not stop thinking about it. It’s just a chemical reaction in my brain, triggered by visual and mental stimuli. I could reproduce the same effect by eating lots of chocolate. Too much chocolate made her feel ill, though, whereas she couldn’t imagine ever getting too much Rainbow Dash.
Just do it already! Think of it as an experiment. Simply testing a hypothesis. Studying the fascinating interactions of two distinct bodies, particularly given the immense, seemingly magnetic properties possessed by one of them. I would merely have to provide a little action, and wait for the reaction. A body at rest should remain so unless an outside force acts on it, after all. She nodded to herself; couching her dilemma in scientific terms somehow made it sound more rational. And then maybe we could switch to some fluid dynamics!
She blushed, hard. Kissing Rainbow? Stop, just stop. Thinking about it only makes it worse.
“Rainbow?”
“Huh? What’s up, Twi?”
“I...” She stopped, realizing she had no real idea what to say. Taking a calming breath, she tried again. “Thank you for coming over again. I really like you...” She trailed off, affectionately gazing at her friend’s mane. Then she snapped back to reality and hastily covered her flank. “... studying with me! Yep, I absolutely love you studying with me!” She buried her snout back in her book, trying desperately to hide her blush.
A distracted response came back: “It’s cool.” Another page was turned.
Rainbow was always like this, no matter what she was doing. She always had her ‘eyes on the prize’. It was amazing just how focused she could be when she decided to do something.
They kept reading, oblivious to each other, yet highly aware of each other. The sound of turning pages filled the library.
Twilight, holding her book open with magic, reached for her drink with her muzzle while turning the page of the book she was not reading. She was confused by the soft obstacle that impacted the side of her face and turned, bumping muzzles with Rainbow, who was reaching for her own drink.
“Oh... sorry. Um...” Twilight blushed heavily. Just do it! “Oh... to Tartarus with it!” She clutched Rainbow’s face in both hooves and planted a kiss on her friend’s very surprised lips. There, was that so bad? Finally releasing her friend, she looked into Rainbow’s eyes — eyes that were glassy with shock.
Twilight initially felt a little proud at being able to affect Rainbow so. The feeling quickly dissipated as her friend continued to stare unblinkingly at Twilight, her gaze seemingly catatonic. “Rainbow?” There was no response. “I’m... I’msosorryIgottago!” She jumped up, letting the book fall from her levitation field, and galloped upstairs to her room, quickly opening the door and slamming it shut after her. The whole library shook.
Several eternities later, there was a knock on her bedroom door. Twilight looked up at it in panic and held it closed with her magic. “Go away, Rainbow! I can’t... I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to... Just go, please!”
Rainbow, when she responded, sounded confused and more than a little annoyed. “Twilight, please open the door?”
Twilight hid under her covers. “Dash...”
The sound of the front door opening, followed two seconds later by her bedroom window creaking open, alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone in the room. A hoof poked at her side, the accompanying voice sounding impatient now. “Twilight, come out from under there!”
Twilight squirmed away from the offending hoof like it was a snake. “No! I-I’m going to live here now. Spike can bring me food and books. It’ll be okay, I’ll be fine!” She huddled down further under the covers.
A head peeked in under the fortress of blanketude. “Twi, it’s okay.”
Twilight looked at the face in panic. “No, it’s not okay! I kissed you and I didn’t even ask you if you wanted to kiss me and now you hate me and I have to move back to Canterlot and—” Any further breakdown was cut off mid-sentence by a pair of lips pressed against hers. “-mmppf-”
Twilight returned the kiss desperately. She gave up trying to think and just leaned into it. When contact was finally broken, she found Dash smiling into her eyes.
Dash gently removed the covers and plopped down on the bedside next to Twilight, swinging her legs a little. Twilight sat up, not quite sure how to feel. Neither said anything for a long time.
The pegasus finally broke the silence. “Now we’re even, ‘cuz I didn’t ask you for permission either.”
Twilight nodded, not daring to speak for fear of saying something incredibly stupid.
Dash ran a hoof along her mane nervously. “Um... I guess this means you like me too? I mean I know you like me. But, yeah...”
Twilight nodded again, still not trusting her brain-to-mouth control.
Dash’s wings rose slightly and she gave a wry grin. “Okay, that’s cool I guess. We can do the whole ‘couple’ thing if you wanna try it out. Might be fun. Um...” She really looked nervous about something. “Just one thing; will you promise me you won’t tell anypony?”
Twilight let that sink in for a moment. “Wait... you want to date me, but you don’t want anypony to know?”
Rainbow chuckled, trying to hide her discomfort. “No... it’s not that, I just... I don’t want to ruin my rep, Twi. If ponies knew what I was doing, they’d get the wrong idea...”
Twilight did not respond at first, too confused to know what to say. Gradually she came to a conclusion she did not like, and her expression fell. “Rainbow! You can’t be serious! I won’t date somepony who doesn’t want to be seen with me!”
“What?” Dash looked puzzled, then quickly backpedaled. “Oh! No, not that. It’s cool. I know what I like, and I like you.”
“So... what’s wrong then?” Twilight cocked her head her to one side. She was happier, but still confused.
“I don’t want anypony to know... look, I can’t say it okay? It just bothers me.”
“The kissing?”
Rainbow squirmed on the bed, clearly uncomfortable. “No, not... Look, it’s hard for me to say! Just pleeeease don’t tell anypony what I was doing when we had our first kiss...”
Twilight stared at her for a while, then smiled brightly. “It will be our little secret —” She threw her forelegs around Rainbow and kissed her gently. When they finally came up for air, Twilight pressed herself closer and whispered softly into Rainbow’s ear, “— Egghead.”
The unicorn darted away, squealing with laughter as Dash grabbed a pillow in her teeth and launched it after her retreating form.