“Eyes On You”
Chapter five: Cluelessness
The silence that settled over the library lasted for a long while. Spike soon emerged from the kitchen – albeit hesitantly – with the two plates of pancakes, setting them down on the table to a quiet 'thank you' from Twilight, before hurrying off to clean something upstairs.
As the two of them wordlessly tucked into their food, Twilight couldn't help but wonder what was going through Trixie's head right then. To be honest, she wasn't sure what was going through her own head...
She couldn’t remember how many times she'd lost her temper with Trixie since the hospital tent – and she was still no closer to figuring out why it kept happening. She refused to believe that Trixie was just that difficult to get along with – it had to be something else. Maybe the stress of the last few days was just getting to her? Yes, that had to be it...
Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, Twilight turned back to pretend interest in her own breakfast. She still cast the occasional glance over at Trixie, but she forced herself to keep quiet until the last of the pancakes had disappeared from their plates. Offering Trixie a smile, Twilight got to her hooves, gathered up the utensils with her magic and carried them out to the kitchen.
As she placed them into the sink and turned on the tap, something outside the open window caught her eye. A mutli-chrome blur shot across the sky in a zigzag, bouncing between the clouds like a chaotic pinball as it cleared a path for the blue horizon to shine through. Twilight frowned sadly as she watched it – her falling out with Rainbow Dash coming back to the forefront of her mind.
Rainbow rounded on another cloud and bucked it out of existence with extreme prejudice. “She is still mad,” muttered Twilight dejectedly. “And it's all my fault...” Twilight followed with her eyes as Rainbow finished her rounds, leaving only a single cloud, upon which she alighted before disappearing from sight. Twilight let out a pouty sigh. “I have to do something!” she told herself.
Gazing idly towards the cloud, Twilight racked her brain for the solution. There had to be some kind of practice or ritual that she hadn't considered yet – something that could make her and Rainbow 'alright' again...
“You should go and talk to her,” came another voice. Twilight jumped back with a yelp as a pink and yellow fluffy-thing rose up outside her window. “Ohmygosh, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you,” said Fluttershy, retreating behind her mane a little.
“F-Fluttershy?” breathed Twilight. “What're you doing down there?”
“Oh, I was, um, coming to see you – to talk about--” Fluttershy paused and glanced over her shoulder at the lone cloud in the sky. “—Rainbow Dash,” she whispered. “...But then I realised that I wasn't sure what I was going to say, so I just sat down out here to think for a minute... o-or ten... and then I heard you talking just now and I thought you might be talking to me. But I guess you weren't...”
Twilight kept her brow furrowed for a long moment after Fluttershy finished her explanation. Fluttershy gave a frightened 'mewl' and backed up a bit, which snapped Twilight out of her daze. “Uh, right, okay,” said Twilight quickly. “So... what were you coming to talk to me about?”
“R-Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy repeated. “Last night, she... well, she didn't mean to get angry. She was just a little bit upset, but it's not your fault, really.”
“Really?” said Twilight. “D-Did you talk to her after the party?”
Fluttershy gave a little nod. “Yes. Well, I listened mostly, but... I probably shouldn't talk about it...”
“Why not?” said Twilight, furrowing her brow.
Fluttershy looked down at her hooves and frowned. After a moment, she managed to shake her head. “I... I'm sorry, I can't. Please don't be angry with me...”
“Fluttershy, I couldn't be angry with you!” said Twilight, taking an empathetic step forwards – only to bounce off of the kitchen unit in front of her. She snarled at the unit before shutting her eyes and focusing on a spot outside the window as she channelled magic into her horn.
With a flash of light, Twilight appeared beside Fluttershy, who gave an eep in surprise. Twilight offered a reassuring smile. “You don't have to tell me,” she said gently. “It's just... are you sure that Rainbow will talk to me?”
“P-Probably?” said Fluttershy. “But I think you should try anyway. Unless you don't want to...”
Twilight sighed. “Of course I want to...” She paused a moment to think about it, then looked up at Fluttershy with a smile. “Yes, you're right. She's my friend, she'll talk to me!”
“R-Right!” said Fluttershy.
“And if she won't, then I'll make her talk to me!” said Twilight with conviction.
“Um, pardon?”
“Thanks, Fluttershy! I'll go right now, I just have to let Spike know I'm going out.” With that, Twilight visualised the kitchen in her mind's eye and teleported herself back inside.
“Oh, um, y-you're welcome!” Fluttershy called after her. “Good luck...”
Feeling renewed, Twilight took a powerful stride towards the door to the lobby…
Splash.
Furrowing her brow, Twilight looked down to see that the floor was hoof-deep in water from the sink. With a heavy sigh, she magically switched off the tap before calling upstairs. “Spike – I broke the kitchen again!”
His groan carried all the way down from the attic.
Grasping a hoof-towel with her magic, Twilight stepped out into the lobby, where Trixie, still sat at the breakfast table, gave her a questioning look as she started drying her hooves one-by-one.
“What's going on?” Trixie asked. “And why are you dripping?”
Twilight gave a nervous little chuckle in response as Spike came stomping down the stairs. “Thanks, Spike,” she said with a smile. “And I'm also going out for a while, so keep an eye on Trixie for me, okay?”
“Yes, master,” Spike grunted unemotionally as he walked past into the soaked kitchen. Twilight flashed one last smile at the back of his head before turning to the door.
“I'll be back soon, you two!” she called over her shoulder.
“Wait!” said Trixie. “Where are you going?”
Twilight turned around to smile at her. “Just to see Rainbow Dash – we have to have a talk.”
“A talk?” Trixie repeated, furrowing her brow. Twilight nodded. “...Can Trixie come?”
“Can-- What?” said Twilight, having to shake herself to register Trixie’s question. Trixie simply looked at her expectantly. “Uh, I guess you could walk me there...” said Twilight. “But why?”
Trixie glanced to the side. “Trixie... wants to stretch her legs. Is that a problem?” she added with a dangerous glower.
Twilight furrowed her brow. “Um, no... If that's all you want then I won't stop you coming along. But it might be kind of hard to talk to Rainbow Dash with you there... no offence.”
“Trixie will keep her distance,” said Trixie, getting to her hooves. “But before we go, can Trixie borrow your hairbrush and mirror again?”
Twilight opened her mouth to argue further, but it was obvious that Trixie's mind was made up. “Okay, sure,” she sighed resignedly.
* * *
Twilight ran her hoof through her mane compulsively as she stood beneath Rainbow’s cloud, which had come to rest just over the bridge leading out towards Fluttershy’s cottage and the Everfree. She chanced a look at Trixie, who simply cocked her head as if to say ‘What now?’
Clearing her throat again, Twilight turned to call up to the cloud. “Rainbow Dash, are you up there?”
The cloud shuffled a little and Rainbow poked her nose out over the side. As soon as her eyes fell upon Twilight, she gave a huff and rolled back over. “What do you want?” she spat.
“I just want to talk,” called Twilight.
Rainbow scoffed. “I’m not saying anything with her here,” she said, throwing a hoof out to the side.
Twilight turned to frown at Trixie. “Sorry, but would you mind--”
“Trixie will go and stand over there,” Trixie interrupted. Without further comment, she limped away to stand beside a nearby bench and pretend to look around at the scenery, though Twilight suspected that she was still listening intently. All the same, Twilight gave her a grateful nod before she looked back up to the cloud.
Rainbow poked her head out again and glanced between Twilight and Trixie. Apparently satisfied, she rolled off of the cloud and flapped her wings lazily, carrying herself down to alight in front of Twilight. “Alright, egghead – let’s talk,” she said levelly.
Twilight offered a weak smile. “Thank you,” she muttered. “It’s about yesterday…”
“About you stabbing me in the back, you mean?” snapped Rainbow. “You come to apologize?”
Twilight took a step back from the fire in Rainbow’s voice. “T-That’s not it at all! I didn’t mean--”
“No, I get it,” Rainbow interrupted, casting a baleful look at Trixie. “You chose her over me – not really much to talk about, is there?”
“Chose her?” said Twilight. “When did you get so melodramatic?”
“W-What? Now you’re making fun of me?!”
“No! Just--” Twilight huffed. “Would you just listen for a minute?”
Rainbow dropped back onto her haunches and folded her forehooves seriously. “Fine. Listening.”
Twilight automatically opened her mouth to argue, only to close it again when she registered Rainbow’s answer. “R-Right,” she said, trying to refocus herself. “Look, I am sorry that what I said yesterday upset you – I didn’t mean for it to come out like it did…”
Rainbow rolled her eyes before bringing them to rest on the grass, but her expression seemed to soften a little.
Twilight glanced over at Trixie. “But I still meant what I said,” she continued. “Do you really blame Trixie for what happened? Or is it something else?”
Rainbow’s eyes went wide all of a sudden. She looked up at Twilight with an exaggerated expression. “Something else? Like what? What’re you talking about?”
With a knowing smile, Twilight took a step closer to Rainbow. “I think you know.”
Rainbow’s head drooped. “How much did Fluttershy tell you?” she sighed.
“She told me enough,” said Twilight.
Rainbow shook her head and closed her eyes. “Ah, look, Twilight…”
“I understand, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight broke in. “But you need to listen to me.” Rainbow looked up pleadingly as Twilight laid a hoof on her shoulder. “I know you’re mad at Trixie for what she did before, and I agree with you.”
Rainbow furrowed her brow. “Wait, what?”
Twilight lowered her voice. “But she doesn’t know you like I do – she doesn’t know how much looking cool means to you. And she didn’t know her little ‘performance’ would hurt your feelings.”
“Oh, right,” said Rainbow. A shadow seemed to dance across her face as she glanced down at the ground again. “So, you’re still defending her?”
“No,” said Twilight, shaking her head. “I’m saying that you need to try and give her a break. If you keep treating her like you did last night, she’s just going to think you’re a jerk – and that’s going to make it a lot harder for her to warm up to you… to all of us.”
Rainbow scoffed. “Do I look like I care whether she ‘warms up’ to you or not? Go, be her friend, doesn’t matter to me.” If the poorly-masked look of hurt on her face was any indication, nothing could be further from the truth. Twilight took her hoof back and turned her lip up in thought. There had to be something she could say or do to make Rainbow see…
An eagle shot overhead. Twilight watched it soar into the distance and settle somewhere near Fluttershy’s cottage. Her mouth fell open a little as she tried to make sense of the spectacle. And then it hit her.
Leaning in close, she tried to catch Rainbow’s eye. “Rainbow Dash,” she began levelly. “This isn’t how I thought my old friends would treat my new friends.”
Rainbow gasped and drew back, looking at Twilight as if she’d just spoken a terrible swear. “H-How could you say that?!” she said, colour rising into her cheeks. “I’m not like her!”
Truth be told, Twilight felt extremely guilty to have said it – Rainbow was nothing like Gilda, after all – but she knew it had to be done. Just about managing to keep herself composed, Twilight offered what she hoped was her kindest smile. “No, Rainbow – you’re not.”
Rainbow Dash regarded her with a furrowed brow, mouth moving slightly as she worked it over in her head. Twilight just kept up the smile until Rainbow finally cast her eyes down to the ground and sighed.
“…Fine, okay, I get it,” said Rainbow. “I’ll… I’ll take it easy on her, alright? Just stop looking at me like that.”
Unable to contain herself, Twilight practically beamed as she leapt forward to pull her friend into a hug. Rainbow stammered for a moment before huffing and reluctantly sliding a hoof around Twilight’s back.
“Thank you,” said Twilight. “I promise you won’t regret it.”
Rainbow said nothing, but she shifted her head a little. Twilight took that as confirmation that she’d heard. Strangely though, Rainbow didn’t seem to be making her usual attempts to escape the hug. Even more strangely, Twilight could’ve sworn that she heard Rainbow sniffle.
“Rainbow Dash… are you crying?” she breathed in awe.
“W-What?!” said Rainbow immediately, as if snapped out of a daze. “N-No, I’m good!” She pulled back and rose to her hooves, offering Twilight a toothy but confident smile as she did. Her eyes certainly didn’t look tearful, and Twilight briefly wondered why she’d expected anything different – this was Rainbow Dash, after all.
“Right, sorry,” said Twilight, returning the smile. “So… are we okay?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and took a step forward. “Twilight, we were always okay--” She cast a look over towards Trixie. “But… yeah.” The two of them exchanged one last smile before Rainbow rolled her neck restlessly. “So, yeah – I’d better get going before ponies start thinking I’ve lost my cool and gone all sappy. I’ll catch you later, okay?”
Twilight nodded as Rainbow kicked off from the ground and started towards the sky. “Hey, Rainbow,” she called after her.
Rainbow looked over her shoulder. “Yeah?”
“You’ll always be cool to me,” she said with a friendly grin.
Rainbow scoffed and shook her head, but Twilight saw a hint of red creeping into her cheeks all the same. “W-Whatever. Egghead!” With that, she turned and rocketed off into the sky, leaving Twilight chuckling behind her.
‘Egghead… what does that mean’? Twilight wondered lightly as she watched Rainbow disappear into the distance. ‘I’ll look it up later.’ Smiling, she turned towards the bench across the way – where Trixie was stood, staring at her. Twilight trotted over to meet her with a cheery bounce in her step.
She slowed down as she neared Trixie, noticing the questioning frown on her face. “Everything okay, Trixie?” asked Twilight.
Trixie eyed her for a moment longer. “Trixie thinks it’s about time she got an explanation, Twilight Sparkle,” she said.
Twilight furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”
“That’s the second time you’ve stuck up for Trixie against your friend. Why?”
Twilight opened her mouth to answer, though she wasn’t quite sure what to say. “I-I don’t want anything in return, if that’s what you mean…”
Trixie furrowed her own brow. “You said that before…” she muttered. “So, you’re just being randomly kind?”
“Well… yeah,” said Twilight with a shrug. “Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes!” Trixie snapped. “It doesn’t make sense!”
“You’re telling me that you’ve never done anything nice for somepony, just because you felt like it?” Twilight countered. Trixie’s face seemed to go blank all of a sudden – as if she’d been caught up in her thoughts. Twilight gave her a moment before cocking her head to the side. “Uh, Trixie?”
Trixie shook herself out of the daze. “N-No! Not really… and especially not for a complete stranger!” she added quickly.
“You’re not a stranger, Trixie,” said Twilight, shaking her head. “You’re a pony who needs a helping hoof, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
Trixie turned to one side and stared at the ground. “…Trixie will never understand you, Twilight Sparkle,” she said resignedly.
Twilight threw her a smile. “Maybe you would if you got to know me,” she offered in a mock thoughtful voice. Trixie looked up at her with one of her softer glares. “I might surprise you,” Twilight added.
Trixie scoffed. “Nothing surprises Tri--”
“Surprise!” yelled Pinkie Pie, jumping up from behind the bench. Trixie rose up onto her hind legs and gave a Great and Powerful whinny before toppling over onto her side. Twilight Sparkle could only gawp as Pinkie fell to the ground, giggling so wildly that she had to hold her sides whilst Trixie blushed bright red.
“I-I got you!” laughed Pinkie. “Y-You should’ve seen your face! Ahaha – I knew I could do it!”
“S-Stop laughing, that wasn’t funny!” snapped Trixie. She flailed her good forehoof around, trying to push herself upright again. It looked extremely awkward to say the least…
Pinkie Pie seemed too paralysed by her laughter to notice Trixie’s predicament so, with a huff, Twilight held out a hoof to Trixie. Trixie stopped struggling and stared at it for a moment, before turning to glower at Twilight.
“Unless you’d rather stay down there,” said Twilight sarcastically.
Trixie regarded her in silence for a moment. “…Fine,” she said at last, reaching out to grasp Twilight’s hoof. With a smile, Twilight helped Trixie upright. Something stopped her from breaking contact right away, and she found herself staring into Trixie’s eyes for a moment. There was something… ‘different’ about them. ‘Different how’, Twilight had no idea, though she couldn’t help but wonder…
“What?” said Trixie indignantly. Twilight blinked as Trixie wrested herself from her grip and resettled on her own weight.
“Uh, n-nothing!” said Twilight with a toothy smile. “Just thinking.”
Trixie raised an eyebrow before shrugging it off and turning to face the still snickering Pinkie Pie. “That wasn’t fair – Trixie wasn’t ready!”
Pinkie bounced to her hooves with a giggle-snort. “That’s why it’s called a surprise, silly!”
“W-Well, don’t you have better things to do than jump out at ponies?” snapped Trixie.
“Nope,” said Pinkie, beaming from ear to ear.
Trixie deflated a little. “Oh.”
Twilight sighed.
“Oh wait! I remember now!” Pinkie blurted out. She bounced forwards to touch snouts with Twilight. “Have you seen Rainbow Dash?”
“Uh, yeah – she went that way,” said Twilight, pointing Pinkie in the vague direction. “You just missed her--”
“Thanks!” chirped Pinkie. Without another word, she bounced off in typical Pinkie fashion. Twilight and Trixie watched her go, the latter still gawping in confusion.
With a shake of her head, Twilight turned to smile at Trixie again. “Don’t mind her. She’s just a little excitable…”
“You don’t say?” muttered Trixie, still following the pink tail with her eyes.
Twilight giggled. “Anyway, what do you say we take a walk? It’s a pretty nice day, after all.”
Trixie just gave her a questioning look.
“…You did say you wanted to stretch your legs, didn’t you?” said Twilight, raising an eyebrow. “And maybe we could talk some more along the way.”
Trixie stared at her in silence, blinking a few times before finally giving a slow nod. “Trixie… supposes so,” she said. “So long as we walk away from your manic pink friend…”
Twilight gave another giggle and nodded gratefully.
* * *