Beauty, Books, and Butterflies

by Rough_Draft


Twelve – A Royal Rest

The ceiling was warping hideously as Twilight opened her eyes. This didn’t feel like her bed anymore. It was too cold and painful in here. Everything ached from the nape of her neck to the edge of her hooves. She wished she could curl up into a ball and disappear.

“Blegh,” was the first thing she managed to say. She sniffled and rubbed her hoof over her nose. “Note to self... no more open-air chariot rides on cold winter nights…”

By now, Twilight was accustomed enough to Fluttershy that she could tell when her marefriend was flying nearby. Like hearing the breeze rippling over a meadow, even though the air was deathly cold outside this morning.

A moment later, Fluttershy flew into her bedroom with a meal tray. She smiled tenderly as she set down the tray on Twilight’s bed and nestled up against her marefriend. “Morning, Twilight. Feeling any better?”

“N-no.” Twilight’s face twisted up as she fought to stifle a sneeze. There was only enough time to brace her hooves against her face before letting out a fierce, “Ah-choo!

“Goodness!” Fluttershy took a box of tissues from the nightstand and held them out. “You poor thing.”

As she blew and wiped her nose with a tissue, Twilight reflected on what a blessing it was to have somepony like Fluttershy in her life. All their friends were great ponies, but when it came to taking care of others, there was no one better than the kindhearted pegasus now offering Twilight a bowl of soup.

“What about your—?” Twilight started to ask, but she stopped when a spoonful of fresh broth was shoved into her mouth. She swallowed, savoring the liquid warmth running down her throat and into her belly. Her eyes drifted shut as she succumbed to the utter bliss. “Mm, that’s wonderful...”

Fluttershy dipped her spoon into the bowl again. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

“I was just asking who’s looking after your animals today.” Twilight groaned as she tried to shift her position under the blankets. “I’d hate for any of them to go hungry because of me.”

“Oh, no worries!” Fluttershy smiled as she held out another spoonful of soup, which Twilight gratefully accepted. “I’ve got Spike and Pinkie Pie handling it.”

“Pinkie Pie? Really?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Of course. She’s gotten much better at working with animals. Though, between you and me, I think it’s because they like the way she smells.”

Twilight blinked. “Smells?”

“Cupcake frosting!” Fluttershy answered with a cheery grin. “You never noticed?”

“I... I guess not.” Twilight coughed up a little of the soup, confirming that it tasted just as good coming back up as it did going down. She paused to clear her throat and looked up at Fluttershy, who continued to sit patiently and talk about animals and how they usually saw the world through sound and scent.

In an abstract way, Twilight already understood this from her recreational studies as a filly. But it was a marvel to just sit and listen to her marefriend chatter. When was the last time they had just sat and talked? Everything since their first date seemed to have been one project or party after another. Even meeting Twilight’s parents was an event in and of itself.

And of all the times we get to be truly alone, it’s right when I get sick. Twilight pulled the blankets up around her throat, trying to snuggle up against Fluttershy. I’ve got the best marefriend and the worst luck in all of Equestria.

Still, as Fluttershy sweetly fed her more soup and rambled on about animal scent habits, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. She wanted to do more for Fluttershy. They’d spent so much time at the library or visiting in Canterlot. What about Fluttershy’s cottage? What about her parents? She tried to remember where Rainbow Dash said Fluttershy’s family lived. Fillydelphia, maybe.

On the sixth or seventh mouthful of soup, Twilight let out a quiet sigh. It could wait until after she got better. Right now, all she wanted was to cherish this time together.

“So,” she asked Fluttershy, “if Pinkie Pie has a scent like frosting, then what does Rarity have?”

“Oh, only the most wonderful fragrance. Eau de Ếcurie, I think it’s called.”

“And I would assume Applejack smells like apples.”

“Right!”

She hadn’t caught on yet. Despite stiff muscles, Twilight allowed herself a devious smile. “So what do I smell like? To your pets, I mean.”

Fluttershy didn’t respond. She stared down into the bowl of soup in her hooves, trembling ever so slightly.

“It’s okay.” Twilight patted her on the shoulder, even though it meant moving through her whole-body ache. “You don’t have to tell me.”

But when Fluttershy looked up at her, her eyes were watering. “Daisies.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You...” The poor pegasus was chewing on her bottom lip. “You smell like fresh daisies.”

“I do?” Twilight would’ve immediately checked for herself, but her nose was too stuffed to be of any use.

Fluttershy nodded meekly.

It took Twilight a moment to figure out why. After all, she spent more time indoors. She would’ve guessed she smelled like old books or the dust that she and Spike continually swept off the library shelves. But when she considered her usual diet of daisy sandwiches and salads, it was obvious that it was the smell like lingered the most.

Not to mention, Fluttershy really liked hearing Twilight’s voice. Of course the first thing she’d notice would be the smell of her breath.

“Do you like it?” Twilight asked softly. “The smell of daisies?”

“Yes!” came out of Fluttershy’s throat as a tiny squeak, less of a word and more of a bird’s chirp. She set aside the bowl of soup and hid behind her mane.

Twilight’s heart skipped a beat. Seeing her marefriend like this was both adorable and heartbreaking. She wished she was well enough to comfort her--or sit up, for that matter.

“Shy,” Twilight whispered. She wrapped her hoof around Fluttershy’s elbow and gave it a weak squeeze. “You don’t have be ashamed. I think it’s cute.” She sniffled and added, “And I think you’re cute, too.”

Slowly, Fluttershy peeked out from behind her mane. “I-I think you’re cute, too.”

“Then don’t worry about it.” Twilight stroked her hoof up toward the other pony’s shoulder, rubbing out the tension she felt there. “Tell you what. You can make me a sandwich for lunch. With extra daisies.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I will! I promise!” She leaned down and leaned a quick kiss on Twilight’s forehead.

“Careful,” Twilight groaned, trying to pull the blanket over her head. “Don’t let yourself get sick, too.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Well, you should. Besides, I’m not attractive right now.” Twilight giggled underneath the blanket. “In fact, I’m kinda gross.”

“No, you’re not.” She felt delicate hooves wrap around her body, holding her close. “You always look good to me.”

Twilight smiled and pulled down the blanket just enough to let her look into her marefriend’s eyes. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” The warm bowl was lifted to Twilight’s lips again. “More soup?”

“No, thank you.” After another sniffle, she rubbed her nose with her hoof and asked, “Can you just stay here?”

Fluttershy nodded and pulled aside the sheets. Twilight scooted over to give her room as they held each other under the covers. As soon as she rested her head on Fluttershy’s chest, Twilight felt her eyelids getting heavy.

A minute later, she had almost completely fallen asleep, dreaming...


...She was running through downtown Canterlot, sweating furiously beneath her royal gown. She didn't even stop to think why she was wearing her gown without her crown. How could she stop with that horrible thing on her trail?

It's only a hop, a skip, and a jump! Pinkie Pie's voice called out from above.

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Twilight cried back. "I can't outrun a storm!"

And it was a storm following her. The biggest, blackest storm cloud she'd ever laid eyes on. It was like something out of a fairy tale, where the old crone conjures up a spell to take over the sacred woods—

Thunder cracked and suddenly every home in the neighborhood was on fire. Now Twilight faced a new challenge: trying to see, let alone breathe, though the hideous ash cloud in front while the impossible storm gained speed.

Unfair. That was the only word for all this. It was simply unfair. Why did this storm have to be her responsibility? Why couldn't she just stay home with Fluttershy—?

Hold on, she thought, coming to a dead stop. Since when was this about Fluttershy? What am I even doing here?

As she paused to consider this, Twilight noticed that her nemesis the storm wasn't pursuing her anymore. Though it remained vast and imposing in the air behind her, the sinister cloud had fallen eerily silent.

Nervously, Twilight extended a hoof toward the cloud.

"Fear not, Twilight Sparkle," said a low, familiar voice. "Though it tries, this foe has no power in the world of dreams."

Oh, Twilight thought. That explains it. She turned around and saw Princess Luna striding toward her. Her dark blue mane rippled across houses that had recently been set on fire, but now were perfectly undamaged.

Twilight bowed her head. "Um, good evening."

Luna smiled. "It certainly is. I apologize for this intrusion, but we have the good of the realm to consider. This ethereal cold front is severe enough without sending all our subjects into a panic. Only we handful of royals may know its true nature so far."

"You mean..." Twilight pointed her hoof at the dormant storm. "That?"

"Indeed. Though you have seen the effects of this storm many times now, only your friend Rainbow Dash has come face to face with it."

"Then how do we stop it?"

For a second, Luna broke her regal composure. Her eyes dropped toward the cobblestone street.

"Sadly, neither I nor my sister yet know."

Twilight blinked. "What?"

Luna meet her disbelieving stare with a more stoic expression. "This storm is something no one princess can endure. We have contained it and will continue to do so, but it will drain us if we try to hold it forever." She offered a grim smile. "History has shown that we can only contain threats to the kingdom for only so long. No more than a millennium at most."

Despite the smile on her face, Twilight could sense the bitter memories that Luna was reliving. Not just her time as Nightmare Moon, but all the ancient enemies. Discord. The changelings. King Sombra and Sunset Shimmer.

She was right, unfortunately. Sooner or later, they all came back.

As she dug her hoof anxiously over the cobblestones, Luna seemed to regain more of her composure. She offered Twilight a sympathetic smile. "But this is not the time for such concerns, Twilight Sparkle. The storm will rest for now, as must you. My sister and I will speak of this again when the time is right."

"A-are you sure?"

"Quite sure," the Princess of the Night replied, standing tall as she did before. With an elegant flick of her tail, Luna turned back the way she came. "Now, if you like, you may join me in my duties tonight. There is another pony whose sleep is troubled."

Twilight swallowed. While she had no qualms about Luna safeguarding the dreams of her subjects, she herself was hesitant to tread on somepony else's dream without permission.

Then again, she reflected, I'm still learning how to be a princess. Maybe I can do some good this way.

She was grateful, at least, that she didn't feel sick in her own dream. She had no doubt that she'd need to catch up on sleep when all this was over.

When Luna lifted her right hoof, there were still in downtown Canterlot. Twilight didn’t spot the transition, but as soon as the princess set down her hoof, the entire scene had changed. Houses and streets gave way to gnarled trees and a heavy fog. The air was dark and oppressive, with only shafts of moonlight piercing through the thick canopy.

Twilight gulped. It was the Everfree Forest. No, it was worse than that. It was the Everfree Forest when she’d first set hoof in it with her friends. So many years ago, when they’d set out to regain the Elements of Harmony and stop Nightmare Moon.

“Be brave,” Twilight whispered to herself. Her wings fluttered anxiously, but she lifted her hoof and took a quick breath. She remembered that it was Princess Luna walking ahead of her now—not Nightmare Moon—and that this forest was only a nightmare. A twisted reflection of the real place, where some poor pony’s fears came to life.

She had promised to help this pony as best she could. As a princess, she could do no less.

On the trail ahead, Luna had advanced deeper into the woods. She came to a halt near the edge of a bog, which bubbled with thick green smoke and dark waters. As Twilight trotted desperately to catch up with her, the elder princess turned and offered her a severe frown. “Are you ready to begin?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course.”

“Then reach out your hoof and grab hold of her before she drowns.” Luna smiled softly—a rare sight that Twilight felt privileged to witness every time. “Once she sees you, the nightmare will pass.”

“But how can I—?”

“No more words, Twilight Sparkle.” As she spoke, Luna began to disappear into the rising green mist. “Act quickly!”

Her smile was the last thing to disappear. It sent a chill down Twilight’s spine when she saw it leave—a chill that the cold, oppressive air only made worse.

Her ears drooping, Twilight turned toward the bog. There was a vague outline of wings and a tail in the water. A pegasus by the look of it. She felt a tiny voice grunting and squealing over the rising gurgle of the bog. It seemed as though the whole swamp had become a monster in its own right, poised to devour the small pony.

Another squeal emerged from deep within the misty waters. The cry pierced Twilight’s heart like a thorn. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to turn away.

“Well, here goes nothing!” said Twilight and she thrust her hoof into the mist without another thought.

Being a lucid dream, distance was irrelevant. She had only to reach out and feel the delicate wings and strong back of a pegasus against her hoof. With a grunt, Twilight dug in her rear legs and pulled as hard as she could.

With a sudden “Eep!” the pegasus was yanked free from the bog and came crashing into Twilight. Only a last-minute spell caused Twilight to land on a cushion of magic energy, floating just an inch above the ground.

She looked up into the pegasus’s eyes and blinked.

Fluttershy blinked back.

Then, before anypony could say a word, their lips met with fierce passion. Twilight felt Fluttershy’s tongue slip into her mouth. Her own tongue worked itself past her marefriend’s lips, and as their tails intertwined, Fluttershy moaned loud enough to echo throughout the forest. Birds scattered from the treetops as her cry broke through the canopy.

“Thank goodness it’s you,” Twilight gasped as she pulled away from the kiss. “I-I’m so glad it’s you!”

“Me, too!” Fluttershy responded with a grin. She lowered her head and planted a soft kiss against Twilight’s neck. “Tell me this isn’t a dream.”

“It’s our dream, that’s for sure.” Twilight closed her eyes as a shiver of pleasure ran down the length of her body. Her wings twitched in ecstasy. “Let’s try somewhere nicer, okay?”

As before, there was no transition. The moment Fluttershy lifted her head and smiled, the nightmarish bog had disappeared. Where once stood the ominous Everfree Forest, there was nothing but sky and clouds as far as the eye could see. It was as if somepony had scattered pieces of Cloudsdale all over the sky, with each cloud looking warm and inviting.

With a flap of her wings, Twilight had readjusted herself so that she was hovering next to Fluttershy. She reached out and took her marefriend by the hoof, giving her a gentle squeeze.

Twilight giggled and pulled her in for another kiss. As she held Fluttershy, she felt them falling just a little, passing through the clouds below.

When she looked down, Twilight saw a vast expanse of gray and green—impressive towers of rock bordered by grassy plains and a tiny river. These were the Mariposa Mountains, where the Great Butterfly Migration always ended up. Of course Fluttershy would pick this spot to take Twilight. It was the closest thing to paradise for an animal lover.

Twilight had never enjoyed an aerial view of the mountain range before. It really was quite a sight. Now if she’d just dreamt up a library on the side, it’d be perfect! She smiled deviously when she remembered where she was. Then again, I’m dreaming, too…

The cloud on which they stood drifted to the left. As Twilight leaned over, she looked down at the new building that suddenly appeared beside the extensive mountain range. A stately tower built in the classic style from the First Diarchy: the Canterlot Archives.

There, she thought with a grin. Much better!

Fluttershy didn’t say a word as she led Twilight by the hoof down toward the mountains. They flew silently and without effort, whizzing through clouds and along the mountaintops like carefree birds. There were no obstacles here, no danger lurking in every crevice. It was Fluttershy’s dream and the only place Twilight wanted to be right then.

Luna was right. The magic storm could wait until Celestia said it was time. For now, she would have her lover in this magical place, where no sinister cloud could touch them.


Long shadows stretched across the throne room, twisting across gilded floor tiles and ivory walls from the precise center of the hall. Eldritch light shone from the depths of a crystal orb, which rested on a cushioned pedestal. And peering into the orb were a pair of tall mares in fine regalia, watching their subjects at play.

In the orb, Twilight Sparkle was smiling, her wings silhouetted magnificently against the midday sun as she and her lover Fluttershy dove and soared over the Mariposa Mountains. The world around them warped and shifted imperceptibly, creating new delights that no mortal eye could track—not even one so practiced as that of a Princess.

“To anypony watching,” Luna commented, “they’ve only been asleep for a few minutes.” As the Princess of the Night, she had power and clarity over all ponies’ dreams. It was a simple task for her to light her horn and project the image from the girls’ minds into the orb. “But for them, they’ve spent at least a few days like this.”

Celestia leaned closer to the orb for a better look. “I can only hope they’ll have many such days ahead of them.”

In the three millennia that she had walked these lands, Celestia had seen so many of her subjects be born, grow up, grow old, and fade away. Like watching flickering embers scattered by the wind.

But each ember—no, she amended, each life—was precious to her. And every smile on her subjects’ faces was worth more to her than any castle or crown. That was something that Discord himself had finally learned, even though it meant risking the happiness of six fine ponies and the welfare of Ponyville itself.

Such thoughts steered Celestia toward the more pressing matter at hand. Though the sight of her protégé and her lover was heartwarming, she could not neglect her duties as Princess.

“And where is the storm now?” she asked Luna.

“Right where we left it.”

“Show me, please.”

Her younger sister wore a troubled frown, though she obliged and caused the scene inside the orb to change. The shared dream of Twilight and Fluttershy gave way to a swirling black mass of clouds and lightning. Its surface writhed and hissed in the open air above the Everfree Forest, scattering flocks of birds and packs of beasts that drew too close. Even at this great distance, Celestia could feel the malevolence at the heart of the storm.

This was no rare occurrence. Somepony—or something—had fabricated this storm.

Luna’s ears drooped as she stared into the orb. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. We have encountered creatures that feed on chaos and emotion, such as the draconequi, the changelings, and the wendigos. But this storm is self-contained. Nothing feeds it.” She pursed her lips grimly. “At least, nothing that we can detect.”

The “we” that Luna referred to meant her network of agents spread across Equestria. Celestia had managed them for the thousand years during her sister’s absence and was relieved when she had relinquished command of them. Though she cared deeply for her subjects, she disliked the necessity of the Secret Service and all their deceptions. But it was up to ponies like False Flag and Strider, who swore an oath of fealty to the Two Thrones, to alert their Princesses of every threat in the realm. And such as it was, there were few ponies so brave as to come anywhere near this storm.

“Even Discord claims not to know about it.” Though she didn’t smile, Celestia didn’t miss the twinkle in Luna’s eye when she added, “He could, of course, be lying.”

“He has done so once or twice, yes.” Celestia allowed herself a smile as she thought about his latest prank during Hearth’s Warming Eve. The high society of Canterlot were still talking about it. “If he wouldn’t admit it even to Fluttershy, then he might actually be in the clear this time.”

A shiver passed down her back. “And that doesn’t comfort me at all.”

“There is a possibility that the storm is destiny-locked,” said Luna. She tapped her hoof pensively on the carpet, leaning in to stare at the orb. She seemed so focused, like she could almost see into its very heart. “I seem to recall you telling me about Rainbow Dash and the first occurrence of a sonic rainboom when she obtained her cutie mark.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

By the way her tail was swaying back and forth, Luna’s thoughts were flying fast now. “And her friend Rarity. She attributed her cutie mark to a bizarre magical attraction, did she not?”

Celestia nodded, beginning to see her point. When it came to the matter of a pony’s cutie mark, there was no such thing as mere coincidence. Like the force of gravity on an object, events and environments shifted around the weight of a pony’s destiny, attracting a filly to her talent in wood carving or a colt to his bright future as a baker. Magic was strong in Equestria, shaping not only the world and all its creatures, but the flow of life itself.

“I think I see what you mean.” Celestia lifted her hoof to the orb. “Tell me, dear sister. When was this magic storm first sighted?”

Lifting her eyes toward the ceiling, Luna pondered the question. “If memory serves me right, it would have been a little over two months ago.”

“Perhaps two months and a week?” Celestia asked, feeling the start of a teasing grin on her face.

“I believe so, yes.” Her sister turned and stared, her cheeks suddenly flushing. “You can’t be serious, Celestia. You think it might be them?”

“Why not?” Celestia lit her own horn. From the bottom of her heart, she conjured up a golden wave to wipe away the image of the storm and reveal once more the sight of two ponies laughing and flying without a care. For a second, Celestia almost forgot all her worries. “That was about the time that Twilight confessed her feelings, wasn’t it?”

“But…” Luna shook her head again. “What can we do, then? It would be unthinkable to break them apart.”

“Never fear. Their love isn’t the cause of the storm.” Celestia stared at the two ponies. “I don’t yet know how, but I believe that it may turn out to be the solution.”

Luna smiled, lightening the mood in the room once more. “Let us hope you’re right.”