//------------------------------// // The End in Friend // Story: Mrs. and Mrs. Dash // by LoriLoud //------------------------------// At a certain point, they did break up the hug, and their picnic time was coming to a close. While everypony else was putting away their snacks and baskets, Twilight picked up the somewhat-forgotten letter and quickly skimmed through it, just to make sure there weren’t any other announcements that were pertinent to everyone present. Just one thing. “Wait, who’s getting married? It doesn’t say.” “Oh!” Spike stood up, before handing over another scroll, also with the royal stamp, “I should have given you this one first.” Twilight unfurled the scroll. Her jaw dropped. Having gone from “mildly appeased but still curious” to “ball of insurmountable fury” in less time than healthy, she shot a pinprick glare at all present company, biting her lip and nearly crushing the wedding invitation in her magical grasp. “Does literally anypony else have any big, marriage-related confessions they’d like to make today? Anypony at all?!” “Uh…” Twilight aimed her laser-hot anger at Pinkie. The fearless party pony winced and smiled. “Nevermind! Nothing at all. No big weddings I’m planning to host or surprise-invite anyone to, no sirree!” “Hey, Twi, what’s got you so bucked up?” Rainbow Dash, the first of today’s big giant liars, asked. “Bucked? This is more than bucked. It’s kicked. Punted! Booted! Calcitrated and defenestrated! Its my brother’s wedding, and he never told me!” One bad impression of her brother and one heartfelt, heartbroken, utterly seething heartsong later (half the girls weren’t a big fan of the growly direction the song went into, but Rainbow Dash admitted she liked the six-string heavy metal guitar instrumental, at least), and Twilight had gotten it mostly out of her system. Keyword being “mostly”. Everypony else was excited. Rainbow Dash was elated to be part of another bachelor party: apparently hers was a banger that drained Sweet Apple Acres of at least three barrels of cider. Spike nodded his head and agreed to help, but Twilight was ninety percent sure he had no clue what she was talking about. Twilight, herself, was… “mostly” excited. Sure, her brother was getting married, of course she should be elated for him. But she still had no clue who this Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was. Probably some gold-sniffer mare. Or someone who only wanted her B.B.B.F.F. for his looks! Or for political reasons, those were the worst. Probably had some gross Hoofsburg jaw and went about wobbling her chins at common working ponies, making them jump into the street so they didn’t stain the same sidewalk as her! She’d read it in a history book. They existed. Just the thought of it made her angry. Who did this mare think she was? Why was she important enough that Shining couldn’t at least mail her? These questions, and more, swirled through Twilight’s brain like the the gross pile of hair at the bottom of whatever bathtub that Spike was describing in the last chapter that definitely wasn’t hers. They were on her mind so much that, three days later and a week before their train to the wedding, Twilight decided it would be a good idea to perform field research on what made a good married couple, if only to provide some positive control data to compare to the trainwreck wife that was probably leeching off Shining Armor. It was terrible scientific practice, but shut up, she’s working. The first data point Twilight needed was a baseline formed on the basics of dating. The precipice line between newfound friendship and a blind crush was razor sharp, based on the sample set of mares-slash-colts asking Twilight out back in Canterlot, but she’d never truly observed actual romance in its simplest form. (Also, she had no clue what Rainbow Dash and Rarity even did together. They’d mentioned dates before, but Twilight hadn’t seen those. Obviously.) Taking up her binoculars and notepad, Twilight set off. A familiar indigo-with-pink-streaks ponytail snuck between trees and buildings, before finally settling into an inconspicuous bush. Binoculars then jutted themselves out of the bush, again, totally inconspicuously. Ignore Lyra and Bon Bon staring. Eyes towards targets. Currently enjoying the weekend were Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Mrs. and Mrs. Dash were heading into a bookstore, which irked Twilight just a little bit. Not because they could have been going to the Golden Oak Library and it would have been way easier for her to eavesdrop perform observational testing, no. In fact, buying books is great! Rather, it blocked her vision. As such, she was forced to make rough inferences on what was occurring within, based on previous knowledge. “Oh, wow, a first edition of Daring Do and the Griffon’s Goblet!” Rainbow Dash smiled, fluttering her lashes at Rarity. “I would have never found it in the back of this bookshelf without you, Rare-bear.” “Don’t worry, darling. We did it together,” Rarity cooed, before reaching over Rainbow Dash’s entire body and holding a hoof over hers, “let me help you retrieve it for purchase.” “Rarity…” “Rainbow Dash…” “Rarity…” “Rainbow Dash…” The bookstore bell jingled as the married couple left with a bag with a couple of books and smiles on their faces. Twilight yelped and tried to shake off the burning blush on her face, practically shoving the binoculars into her eyesockets as her hooves trembled. Rainbow Dash’s coat was out of place here and there… and Rarity was walking a centimeter closer behind her than usual… did they…? No. They wouldn’t. Not in public! Before Twilight had time to recover, they made their way across the plaza to Café Hay. Seeing them sit down for a meal, she readied her quill and readied herself to take notes. Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing happened. Twilight expected a surprise rainstorm, or for Pinkie to come barreling towards them and shake both of them talking about teleporting bread monsters or something, or for… something! But they talked about normal things and did nothing else. They laughed every once in a while. They joked here and there. But that was it! She was even able to overhear some of it, but that didn’t really help. Gossip about work: apparently, Thunder Lane accidentally ordered some thunder clouds a week early, and Rarity had been getting some commissions from Canterlot, which she was excited about. Twilight put a footnote down for that. Gossip about friends: Fluttershy’s been hanging her hair on the other side, which Rainbow Dash thought was a bit freaky, but Rarity thought it was cute. Also, the egghead’s going slowly crazy again, this time from the wedding pressure, and now she’s eavesdropping on them from afar. Not very useful data, there, but Twilight noted it down. Especially the two bits that Rainbow Dash slipped Rarity under the table. Wait. Twilight looked at her notes again. A light blue magic had enveloped her quill, writing down “Gotcha ~” in a neat cursive handwriting. Stumbling out of the bush, Twilight paused in her scientific observations to attempt to speak to them coherently. The second keyword for today being “attempt”. “Buh… You knew… When? Since?” “Lyra gave us the heads-up on our way to the bookstore. You really gotta work on your hiding skills, Twilight.” Rainbow Dash smirked, picking out some leaves from the science pony’s hair. “After that, we put two and two together. Mind if I see your notes, darling?” Defeated, Twilight sighed and surrendered the notepad. Looking them over, Rainbow Dash scratched her chin, while Rarity scoffed and shook her head. “Unfortunately, your observations were anything but astute. You didn’t notice the way my eyes slid over my wife’s figure? The way I was toying with my hair? The prolonged hoof contact as we exchanged bits under the table?” “I, uh… No, I didn’t. I didn’t realize those were…” “Oh, dude, Rarity totally does this thing where she giggles and stares too long when she thinks I’m not looking. It’s the cutest. You shoulda wrote that down!” “Honey!” The unicorn play-smacked Rainbow’s wing, gasping, “I do?” “Schyeah. Like a lil’ schoolfilly,” Rainbow Dash purred, and Twilight wanted to gag as Rarity swooned into the future Wonderbolt’s legs. Putting away the binoculars, the bookmare cleared her throat, gaining their attention. “Look, I’m sorry. I know everypony thinks I’m worried about nothing when it comes to my brother’s wedding. I get it, okay? I felt like I couldn’t really… ask anyone what I’m supposed to look for in a happy relationship,” Twilight admitted. “Hey. I get it. Kinda. Like, my parents love each other, but they supported me… a little too much, so I didn’t really have a good idea of what being in love actually looked like, at first,” Rainbow Dash ran a hoof through her mane, “I think it’s just different for anypony.” “Excellent advice.” Rarity nodded, before looking apologetically at Twilight. “I will have to politely ask you from refraining any further from snooping around our dates, though, Twilight. If you must know what our plans were after lunch, we were going to take the long route to Sweet Apple Acres and enjoy a meandering walk before picking up Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and then dropping them off at their homes.” “Then, we were gonna have some alone time at my place.” “Rainbow Dash, please!” And just like that, the red-hot blush from before exploded back onto Twilight’s face, while the two of them laughed it off. “Aaaanyways, hope that helps, Twi. See ya tomorrow!” “Have a good day, dear. I hope you get a better idea of what you’re seeking.” “Uh, yeah. See you, girls! Sorry for the trouble…” With that, the couple trotted off in the general direction of the farmlands, leaving Twilight pensive. Love was different for everypony… Although it sounded good in theory, she still wanted the best for her brother. Holding her reservations for a better day, Twilight packed up her things and headed home, already categorizing what she’d seen today in her head. At least it’d make a good emergency friendship lesson, if none of the other girls had any this week. A few years later... "Hm, who'd be a good couple of friends showing compromise in friendship..." Starlight Glimmer tapped her chin, devising the lesson plan, "Rarity and Rainbow Dash? They're pretty different." Twilight shook her head. "They're joined at the hip whenever they have the time. Try Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, instead." "Oh, that's a good one." Starlight nodded, writing it down.