//------------------------------// // "The Bed's Too Big Without You" // Story: Jukebox Scribbles // by Timaeus //------------------------------// Song Prompt: "The Bed's Too Big Without You" - The Police Twilight sighed for the umpteenth time that night. It was late; well past midnight, but for some reason she just couldn’t find sleep. Actually, there really was no mystery as to why she couldn’t sleep. It was the absence of a certain rainbow-maned pony that Twilight had been dating for the past few months. Twilight had been called to Canterlot a little over a week ago to help carry out some research on the magical leylines running through Canterlot and spreading like a spider’s web across the rest of Equestria. She had asked Rainbow Dash if she wanted to come with her to Canterlot while Twilight was doing her research. Sadly, as much as the prismatic pegasus wanted to go with Twilight, her weather schedule would not permit taking three weeks off of active duty. Apparently, Rainbow had been taking a lot of time off just to be with Twilight, and the Weather Coordinator in Cloudsdale would not let Ponyville’s Weather Manager take any more time off. Despite Rainbow’s protests, Twilight was eventually able to convince her that she’d only be gone for a few weeks. … Twilight was a moron. She rolled over and began to stroke the side of the bed that Rainbow normally slept on. The train whistle pierced through the silence that normally covered Ponyville like a blanked in the early morning. Normally ponies would still be asleep at this time, with the exception of a lavender-coated unicorn and a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane at the train station. “Come on, Dashie, it’ll only be for three weeks. It’s not like I’m leaving forever,” Twilight tried to console her distraught marefriend. “Only three weeks?! Twilight! That’s, like, twenty-one days without even getting the chance to see you or talk to you or anything!” Rainbow ranted while pacing back and forth on the train station platform. “Rainbow, stop your pacing. You’re making me dizzy. And we won’t be completely cut-off from you. I promised I would write every day, didn’t I?” Twilight said, placing a hoof on her marefriend’s shoulder before pulling her into a hug. Still agitated, Rainbow resisted a little at first before relenting and returning the hug, squeezing the unicorn. “It’s just…I’m gonna sound totally uncool for saying this, but I’m really going to miss you. I know it’s not forever, but three whole weeks? That’s still a really long time to be away from you Twi’. I don’t want to sound clingy or anything…but I don’t know if I can take it,” Rainbow said, sniffling as a few tears welled up in her eyes. Twilight pulled back and kissed the tears from her cheeks, “Hey now, there’s no need to cry.” She placed her forehead against Rainbow’s, “I’m going to miss you too. I don’t want to go, but they need my help up there, and it’s my responsibility to do my best to help with this research. I’m still Celestia’s prized pupil, remember?” “Yeah…” Rainbow said glumly. “They say separation makes the heart grow fonder. Besides, I bet you the three weeks will come and go before you know it. And when I get back, I promise we’ll do something special. Whatever you want, okay?” “Okay…fine. It doesn’t mean I’m not gonna miss you though. And I better get those letters every day!” Rainbow conceded. Twilight giggled, “Only if you remember to write me back every single letter, okay? I’m really going to miss you too.” The train whistle went off one last time, signalling it was about time for the train to pull out of the station. “That’s my cue. Bye Rainbow, I lov…mph!” Twilight was interrupted as Rainbow pulled her into one last kiss before she boarded the train. Twilight’s eyes fluttered closed as she returned the kiss, wrapping her hooves around Rainbow’s neck to pull her in closer. Twilight considered not going at that moment, and she almost conceded. Almost. Rainbow broke the kiss and looked into Twilight’s eyes, “See you in three weeks,” she smiled, placing a hoof on Twilight’s cheek. “ALL ABOARD!” “See you in three weeks Rainbow, I love you,” Twilight said before getting on the train. As the train began to pull out of the station, Rainbow ran alongside it to keep Twilight in view for as long as possible. “I love you too!” Rainbow called out. “They say separation makes the heart grow fonder. Whoever said that should be locked up. Obviously they had no idea what they were talking about,” Twilight grumbled. Deciding that she had enough, Twilight forsook sleep and got to work. The next morning Twilight marched into the office of the head of the research team. “Ah, Miss Sparkle, how can I help you? We’re not scheduled to get to work for another couple hours, unless I’m mistaken,” the wizened grew unicorn stallion greeted. “No, you’re not mistaken. I just wanted to stop by to say thank you for the opportunity and to say goodbye. I will be returning to Ponyville on the one-o’clock train today,” Twilight said with a tone of finality. “B-b-b-but you can’t! We still have another week’s worth of research to compile, data to integrate, and reports to write!” the stallion sputtered. “Check, check, and check,” Twilight said as she deposited the corresponding documents on the unicorn’s desk. “I think you’ll find everything accounted for here. If you need any further assistance, I suggest you send me a letter and I will help in any way I can. From Ponyville. It was a pleasure working with you,” Twilight said as she strolled out of his office. As she boarded the train, she couldn’t help but get excited. Rainbow will be so surprised!