//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: The Spell to Happiness // by ScientistTrixie //------------------------------// "So... what do you think was up with the way the manager was acting?" Twilight asked a few moments later, grinning as Rainbow sat next to her, already working on her second glass of Cider, and holding a bowl of pretzels. "What do you mean?" She asked, her eyes roaming over the stadium seats. "Well he was acting like ponies normally act toward... well toward Princess Celestia?" Twilight responded, hoping Rainbow agreed with her. "Oh. Well you are the student of the Princess herself, as well as the Element of Magic, and the four time savior of Equestria. Your practically royalty now Twi." The mare said, poking Twilight in the shoulder with a hoof. She frowned as the Unicorn's face fell, her eyes dipping to the ground. "What's wrong Twilight?" "I hate being treated like something special." She said, glancing up. "When I first became Celestia's student, ponies would bow to me, and act as if my word was law, and it used to scare me. I was afraid I would say the wrong thing and upset somepony. I had a few ponies try to hurt me when I was younger, and it was all just to get to the Princess." She answered, her eyes flashing for a moment as she relived the memories. She nervously ran a hoof through her hair, picking at imaginary knots in her mane. "I prefer my nice private life I have now with all my friends... and you." She added, trying to brighten the tense mood that had developed. "Don't worry Twi. We'll be back home soon and we can have all the privacy you want. And if anyone thinks they can hurt you, they've got me to go through first!" Rainbow exclaimed, puffing her chest out and flexing her wings. "My Hero!" Twilight threw her hooves together, batting her eye lashes at Rainbow, a smile on her muzzle. Before she could reply, a loud cheer rose up from the stadium. The pair turned, casting their eyes to the field below them. Twilight giggled at Dash as the pegasus sighed when the Wonderbolts stepped onto the field, dressed in their matching flight suits. They lined up, waving to the crowd around them as they took wing, one by one. Several hours later... Twilight smiled as Rainbow landed next to her, complaining about her throat hurting. "Maybe if you hadn't spent the last hour of the show trying to scream tips to Soarin, your throat wouldn't hurt as much you silly filly." Twilight reprimanded, giggling as Rainbow stuck a tongue out at her. "Well I didn't expect him to need them obviously!" Twilight just shook her head, smiling as the pair walked out of the V.I.P. booth and merged with the crowd around them. Twilight glared as pony after pony bumped into them, almost causing the unicorn to stumble several times. Rainbow arched a brow at the mare next to her, smiling as she lifted a wing and draped it over Twilight's back. Twilight turned her head, looking at Rainbow before she blushed slightly and snuggled into Rainbows wing hold. "Did you have fun today?" Rainbow asked, pulling Twilight next to her. Twilight sighed as she grinned at the pegasus holding her. "Yes I did Dashie. It was really interesting once you started explaining some of the aerodynamics, and it let me know how hard it is for you to do some of your tricks back home!" The unicorn said, a proud smile on her muzzle as she bumped flanks with the pegasus next to her. "I wish I could fly like you sometimes." Twilight said, gazing into space for a moment before shaking her head. Rainbow's cheeks colored at Twilight's kind words. She grinned as an idea wormed its way into her mind as Twilight expressed her desire to fly. "Well the date's not over yet is it?" "Not necessarily. It's only a little after lunch, and we don't need to catch the train so we could just find something else to do." Twilight glanced upwards, judging the time by the suns position overhead. "Well what's there to do in Canterlot? I've never been here long enough to just see the sights." Rainbow grinned as Twilight's eyes lit up and she sat back on her haunches, clapping her hooves together as she started listing the many activities they could do. Rainbow gazed at the unicorn before her, her eyes trailing down the mare's body, hesitating on her Cutie mark. "Dash?" Twilight's voice broke through the Pegasus's thoughts. "Uh... yea?" "Did you hear a word I said?" Twilight said, narrowing her eyes. Rainbow opened her mouth to respond when Twilight continued. "Or were you to busy staring at my flank?" "I wasn- I di- It's." The cyan ponies muzzle turned bright red as she stammered. Twilight broke out in a giggle, poking her with a hoof as she laughed. "I'm playing Dash. I know you were staring." She said, winking at the still blushing pony as she turned and trotted off, heading toward the towering structures that made up the Princess's castle. A few moments later, Twilight caught the faint sound of whistling, and turned as a furry missile slammed into her, sending her and Rainbow rolling down the street, a blur of purple and cyan. The pair were giggling loudly, smiling as they came to a stop. Rainbow was atop Twilight, holding the unicorn down with her hooves. The giggling slowly died down as the pair realized the position they were in. Rainbow looked down at the purple mare beneath her, who was currently blushing and biting her lower lip. Twilight was staring at her, her eyes wide and her tongue darting out to moisten her lips. Rainbow lowered her head, her lips about to brush Twi's... "Twilight Sparkle? Rainbow Dash?" A voice called out, from a few feet behind them. "Yes Princess Celestia?" Twilight murmured, her eyes not moving. Rainbow felt a breeze below her, and suddenly Twilight was gone, a panicked look on her face. "OH MY- Princess Celestia! What are you doing here?!" Twilight asked, her eyes wide as they darted between the princess, who was standing a few inches away with a amused look on her face, and the smirking face of Rainbow. "This is my palace, is it not?" Celestia responded, grinning at the dumbstruck look on her students face. Twilight glanced past her teacher, noticing for the first time that Twilight had made it all the way into the castle, before being tackled inside by Dash. "Oh." "Please come inside. It's been a while since I've had a chance to speak with you directly my dear." Celestia said, turning and stepping further into the castle. Behind her she heard Twilight whine slightly as the mare spoke. "Um... actually Princess. I was hoping to take a walk through the royal gardens with Rainbow today." She said, blushing as Celestia gave her a knowing smile. She felt a nudge at her flank, and smiled as she turned to the Cyan pony. "We would be honored to join you for dinner, if that is okay with you, your majesty?" Rainbow said, bowing down on her front legs, fanning her wings out. "That would be delightful. It seems we have some happy news to speak of later?" Celestia asked imploringly, her tone almost hopeful. "We do," Twilight said, grinning as she ran her hoof lightly over Rainbows. "But for now, if you'll excuse us we have a date to finish in the gardens." Twilight said, grinning at Celestia as she led Rainbow toward a small door, just off from the main room. "I will see you at dinner than, my faithful student." Celestia said, smiling as the pair waved and stepped through the doorway, their hooves clip clopping through the hallway. The princess smiled, pride swelling up in her chest as she turned, making her way through the castle straight for her little sisters room, eager to spread the good news.