Twilight trotted down the dirt path out of Ponyville, the small sweater twisting in her magical grip. She lowered the sweater, a smile on her face as Fluttershy's cottage came into view through the trees. She approached her friend’s house, her eyes narrowing as she saw a rainbow-colored tail flash across the window. She dove into a bush, her eye peaking between the leaves, quietly watching the small cottage.
A mischievous grin appeared on her face, her horn flaring as she cast her new spell, grinning as the familiar feel of her magic swept over her. She sneaked forward, slowly tiptoeing to the open door, edging her body around the cottage until she was pressed firmly against the doorway. Inside she could hear the loud rambunctious tone of Rainbow Dash, overpowering the soft demure tone of Fluttershy.
She slipped into the cottage, slidin around the edge of the room until she was crouched behind the couch, peeking over the edge with a devious grin. They appeared to be in an intense conversation, judging by Rainbow's flushed and frustrated appearance.
“I just mean... I don't even know if she'd consider us good friends... We never spend time together, at least not without the rest of the gang. Everyone else has plenty of time alone with her, except for me.” She lowered her eyes to the ground, her hooves pulling at her mane. Twilight peaked over the couch, her eyes darting to Fluttershy, before drifting to stare at the back of Rainbow Dash's head.
“Dash... I-I never get to spend time alone with her either.” Fluttershy hesitantly pointed out, her head lowered between her shoulders. “I think you should just tell her. Wha-What's the worst that could happen?”
Twilight glanced around uncertainly, her hooves itching for the doorway, but her curiosity held her still. She frowned as Rainbow suddenly tensed, her entire body rigid. Dash tensed up, her wings held stiffly at her side as she stared at her hooves for a moment.
Twilight clapped a hoof over her mouth as Rainbow darted towards her, her wings flapping mere inches over her head. She sat frozen as the door behind her slammed shut, her eyes closed tightly. She slowly opened her eyes, her head turning slowly toward the door, her head cocking as she spotted Rainbow at the doorway, her hoof pressed firmly against the door. Twilight's heart sank as she realized she had just been trapped inside the cottage with a mare who desperately wanted privacy.
Rainbow turned, slowly walking back to her seat before throwing herself into the chair. Her mane hung limply over her face, her eyes hidden behind a rainbow curtain. Fluttershy sat in her chair, her hooves pressed together as she smiled at Dash, patiently waiting for the cyan mare to continue.
“If I told her... She couldn’t answer.” She said, her shoulders slumping as she sighed. She huffed as Fluttershy cocked an eye at her, prompting her to continue.
“If I tell her how I feel and she tells me she doesn't feel the same way, I'll at least know that we will still be able to be friends. If she doesn't answer, I won't know where we stand. I won't know if I just came on too strong, or if she just doesn't like me...” She explained, her voice cracking heavily as she shuddered. “I can't happy just being friends with her, and I can't imagine my life without her.
Twilight's heart sank as she listened to Dash speak. She edged towards the door, slowing as her curiosity peaked. If Twilight had to bet on which of her friends Dash was in love with, she would have guessed Applejack. When the two of them got in their competitive moods, it just felt like unresolved sexual tension to her, and she could easily see the two being together.
“You know Twi-Twilight. She may be slightly... headstrong... but she'd never stop being your friend, even if she doesn't feel the same way about you... I mean, that's my opinion. I think you should tell her... If you d-don't mind me saying so.” Fluttershy said, pressing her hooves together nervously.
Twilight sat behind the couch, her jaw on the floor as her eye twitched. She turned, her eyes darting to Dash, hoping against hope that the mare would be joking. She was sitting quietly, slowly nodding in agreement. Her mind raced, heat spreading across her chest as she felt her cheeks burn.
“Deep down I know you're right... But Flutters, when I see her, she makes me feel all tingly inside, and I'm just so happy... I don't worry about anypony or anything! I see her, and suddenly she's the most important thing in my world... You know, when I'm practicing my new moves, I think about her more than I do about being a Wonderbolt...” She trailed off, her eyes inspecting her hooves intently, avoiding Fluttershy's sympathetic smile. For Dash to say she thought of Twilight more than the Wonderbolts proved the depths of her feelings far greater than she could ever explain.
“The chance of me ruining that scares me... scares me so much I clam up.. I can't think straight around her. When I'm flying, I find myself flying past the library daily, just to catch a glimpse of her...” She chuckled, a small grin appearing on her face. “I got so lost in thought one time that I actually crashed straight into the library!” Rainbow’s voice had taken on a sorrowful quiver, as if the mare was a mere moment from breaking down.
Twilight knew Fluttershy would catch the sadness in her voice, and sure enough, she was already pulling Dash to the door. “Come on. Let's go fly for a little. Just me, you, and whatever you wanna talk about.” Rainbow Dash stared at her for a moment, her eyes roaming across Fluttershy's face before a genuine smile appeared on her face.
“Thanks, Flutters.” Dash said, a smile on her muzzle. “Please don't mention this to anyone... I'm gonna need a little time before I work up the courage to tell Twi... I'm not sure how she'll react to this, but I have to tell her.”
Twilight froze, her fur standing on end as a chill ran down her spine. She stared at Dash helplessly, her chest beating strongly against her chest.
“I love you, Twilight...” Dash said, a large smile on her face, her wings arched behind her as the pair trotted toward the couch, and unknown to them, closer to Twilight's hiding spot. Fluttershy stepped on Twilight's rearleg, stumbling over the invisible limb as Twilight yelped loudly. Twilight's eyes went wide, her horn flaring as she ripped the door open, a strong wind blowing through the room. A moment later, a bright light filled the room as the unicorn popped out of the room, reappearing in the library in a blink of the eye.
Twilight raced around the room, her horn glowing as she closed all the curtains, shrouding the room in darkness. She retreated to her bedroom, her hooves tracing a familiar groove in the floor as she started pacing.
No matter how many times she wrapped her mind around Dash's affection, she couldn't understand her feelings. To think that the athletic, sleek, sexy pegasus had a crush on a clumsy, plain, bookworm was beyond her. She was flattered by Dash's feelings, but she was scared that she wouldn't return the feelings, or she would let Dash down.
Twilight slipped onto her haunches, her horn glowing as a book floated into her grasp, her hooves gripping the book close to her chest. She sighed, her heart slowing as she gripped the hard book against her fur. Her ear twitched as a dulled giggling filtered into the library, drawing her attention.
She quietly made her way to her window, peeking through a small gap in the curtain. A yellow and cyan pegasus were flying circles around Ponyville, their mane's flowing in the chilly wind outside. Twilight watched for a moment, her eyes trailing Dash's confident form, a blush burning its way onto her cheek as her eyes drifted to the mare's feminine curves. She shook her head, pulling away from the window with a sigh.
Where Rainbow was quick to jump into a problem, Twilight preferred a slow and measured approach. She liked to have everything already worked out, while Dash liked to rush into any given situation without a plan.
“Ugh!” She screamed, her horn flaring as she slammed the book she held on her table in frustration. “This isn't getting me anywhere!” Twilight looked at the book she was holding, a smile growing on her muzzle as her brain kicked into gear. “Books! Books never fail me!”
She ran around the library, her horn flaring as stacks of books floated from their shelves, floating behind her as she scanned title after title. She would learn everything she could about love and dating, and then, she would figure out if Rainbow and her would be a good couple or not. Until then, she would have to avoid Rainbow Dash at all cost.
With a sudden tree-shaking bang on the side of her library, Twilight realized just how hard it would be to avoid Rainbow.