//------------------------------// // 265: Funnier Than You Might Think // Story: Thirty-Minute Pony Stories // by Silvernis //------------------------------// 265: FUNNIER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK The sign on the library door said CLOSED, but Rainbow Dash knocked anyway. She waited, hovering in place while trying to keep an eager grin off her face. They’d left off on a cliffhanger last week—literally; Daring was clinging to a ledge above a pit full of bubbling lava—and Rainbow couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Plus, Twilight had said there would be a special treat after they finished reading this week, wink wink, nudge nudge. Twi didn’t do seductive very well, but she was so bucking adorable when she tried that it made Rainbow’s wings pop anyway. Rainbow loved Wednesday afternoons. They were almost as good as Friday nights. She knew Twilight loved them, too, so what was taking the egghead so long? Rainbow grumbled and knocked again. She froze as she heard something inside the library. She dropped to the ground and put her ear against the door, listening hard. Maybe she’d imagined it? She was a little twitchy today, after all—wait, there it was again. It sounded like . . . crying? Rainbow’s eyes went wide, and she yanked at the door. To her surprise, it sprang open; she spared half a second to mentally kick herself for knocking at a door that hadn’t even been locked before rocketing inside. “Twilight?” she shouted, looking around at the deserted main room. Where was she? Maybe she was down in her basement lab, and some crazy magical experiment had gone horribly wrong in the way that only Twi’s experiments could. No, it was coming from above her. Rainbow flew upstairs, her wings pumping and her heart pounding. The crying was definitely coming from behind the door to Twilight’s room. “Twilight!” she shouted again as she tore the door open. The unicorn was curled up on her bed, shaking uncontrollably with heaving, gasping sobs. Rainbow rushed to her side and gently rolled her over. “Twi, talk to me!” she pleaded. “Are you hurt, or...or...” Rainbow suddenly leaned back, frowning suspiciously at the unicorn. “Twilight,” she said, “are you laughing? Twilight managed to nod. Tears streamed down her face, and she held her belly as she continued to gasp and shake. Rainbow scowled. “What the hay, Twi? I thought you were in trouble. What’s so bucking funny?” Twilight smacked a hoof at a small book lying open on the bed. “The earl!” she nearly shrieked, her voice thin and breathless. “The what?” “The earl. The Earl of Trotchester.” “Uh . . . is this one of those things that’s only funny if you’re a real egghead?” “His poetry!” wheezed Twilight, pointing at the book again. “Just—oh, Celestia, my sides—just read it.” Still scowling, Rainbow picked up the book and began to read. After a moment, she snickered despite herself. She glanced at Twilight. “Uh . . . is he saying what I think he’s saying?” “Uh-huh.” “So this whole poem is about . . . ?” “Uh-huh.” “That’s crazy. And . . . kinda cool, in a weird way.” “Yep.” “Uh, Twi . . . ” “Hmm?” Rainbow fidgeted. “Do you maybe wanna read this instead of the Daring book?” Twilight gave her a heavy-lidded look that Rainbow assumed was meant to be sultry. It made her look a little ridiculous, and completely adorable, and Rainbow felt her wings flutter involuntarily. “Sure, Dashie,” said the unicorn, giggling and sliding over to make room for the pegasus. Wink wink, nudge nudge.