Humming quietly, Twilight passed through town at a gentle trot. Thankfully, it was getting a little warmer, so there was no need for a scarf. Winter Wrap-Up had only occurred two days prior, but the air was so clear and the grass was so green that it seemed like there’d never been any snow to begin with. She felt particularly proud of how well she’d organized this year’s Wrap-Up.
Then again, Twilight reflected, allowing herself a proud smile, everypony’s gotten much better at working together. All I need to do is show up with a checklist. And that’s after I’ve finished a checklist about making the official Winter Wrap-Up checklist!
Beside her, Spike groaned. His eyelids fluttered, struggling to stay open as he trudged half a step behind her. “Remind me again what we’re doing up so early. And why I needed to be here?”
“I told you, it’s a surprise for Fluttershy.” Twilight paused mid-trot and leapt ahead in a giddy bounce that would have made Pinkie Pie smile. “I can use it to pay her back for taking care of me when I was sick!”
“You know you don’t have to.” Spike yawned into his claw, falling behind by another step. “She’s your marefriend. That’s what you guys are supposed to do for each other.”
He was right, but that didn’t diminish the brilliance of the idea for Twilight. It came out of a nagging feeling she’d had when she’d gone to check up on Fluttershy during Winter Wrap-Up.
Ever since Twilight’s first year in Ponyville, Fluttershy had used her system of bells and chimes to simultaneously wake up every animal that had gone into hibernation. Seeing Fluttershy beam like a loving mother over the sleepy critters flocking to her had made Twilight think about all the time they’d spent together as a couple. Nightmare Night. The rainy day at the park. Poetry readings by the fire. Hearth’s Warming in Canterlot.
And then, in a flash of insight and guilt, she realized that every moment she’d spent with Fluttershy was a moment spent away from her animals. Away from all her friends, who seemed just as dear to her—if not more so—than any of her pony friends. It didn’t seem fair that the two of them spent more time at the library than they did at Fluttershy’s cottage. And since both of them could fly, it wasn’t as though the distance between their homes was an issue.
So today was going to be a new personal task for Twilight. A chance to bring their relationship right to Fluttershy’s doorstep.
In no time at all, they’d reached the edge of town. Trotting up the dirt road, Twilight saw a flock of birds nesting in the thatched roof of her marefriend’s cottage. Their tweets and chirps suddenly fell silent as they turned as one toward the new pony coming from below.
“That doesn’t sound good,” Spike commented. His eyes drifted shut as he came to a halt and sat down on the road. “Wake me up when you’re done, okay?”
“Hmm.” Twilight examined the birds, wondering if she could come up with a telepathy spell to communicate with them. But she didn’t have the faintest idea where to begin. What was the common language for an avian species? Did it resemble anything like a pony’s speech?
A breeze wafted over her at that moment, ruffling her feathers with a slight chill. That gave Twilight her second brilliant idea for the day.
As she leaned back onto her rear legs, Twilight spread her wings and slowly lifted herself into the air. She took a calming breath and let go of her fears and anxieties, just like Rainbow Dash had showed her.
I’m a cloud in the sky, she chanted in her head. I’m a leaf in the wind. I’m brave. I’m awesome. There’s nopony else in the world like me.
It wasn’t the most humble of mantras, but it seemed to work for Rainbow Dash. Even Twilight had to admit that it did a good job of making her forget her doubts—or at least burying them deep inside her heart.
Slowly, the other birds took notice of her gentle wing flaps. A few robins began to beat their own wings in response and soon the whole flock was chirping happily.
“It’s nice to see you, too,” Twilight answered. “Can anyone tell me if Fluttershy’s home?”
The flock suddenly went quiet. Twilight didn’t realize how heavy silence could be until that moment. And the worried looks the birds gave each other wasn’t helping the sinking feeling in her stomach.
“Spike?” She trotted back a few paces. “I think we’d better go inside.”
“Huh?” The dragon sat up, spreading out a small cloud of dust as his tail smacked into the road. “W-why? What’s the matter?”
A shiver passed along her flank as Twilight pressed her hoof against the cottage door. She knocked once and waited.
No answer.
She knocked again. “Fluttershy? Are you home?”
Right now, Twilight was beginning to regret not performing a repeat of her Somepony Sensor spell on Fluttershy’s cottage. In retrospect, it would’ve been perfect for such a skittish pony to know that her marefriend was nearby.
She lifted her hoof to knock once more, but the door opened. On the threshold stood Angel, who glanced up at Twilight in surprise. The rabbit stamped his foot a few times, rather impatiently.
“Hi Angel,” said Twilight. She wished she remembered she’d put that textbook on rabbit psychology; it was on her reading list for getting acquainted with Fluttershy’s life. Still, she had to try as best she could.
Bending toward him, she asked, “Where’s Fluttershy? Is she all right?”
Angel shook his head and waved a paw for her to follow him. As he hopped back into the cottage, Twilight turned and looked at Spike, who had curled up into a ball on the dirt. His snoring was loud enough to send the birds on the roof fluttering away in dismay.
With a sigh, she cast a simple telekinetic spell on him and floated him inside the cottage. Twilight joined him a moment later, using the same magic to close the door behind her.
“Choo!”
Moving an anxious trot, Twilight followed the muffled sound through the cottage. Ahead, Angel hopped quickly, taking the stairs two steps at a time—an impressive feat for a bunny his size. Twilight could’ve teleported herself to the top in a flash, but she felt it would be rude to do so. Something about Fluttershy’s home made her feel like using too much magic would be wrong. Like it would disturb the fundamental structure somehow.
By the time she reached the top, Angel was already at the bedroom door. He gently pushed it open and turned back to give Twilight a nervous frown.
Poor little guy, she thought. It was obvious sometimes how much he cared for Fluttershy—sometimes to the point of jealousy. He and Spike had that much in common. Twilight decided that he deserved a carrot once she got to the bottom of this.
As she poked her head inside, Twilight whispered, “Fluttershy? I-it’s me. It’s Twilight.”
On the bed, bundled up under the sheets and a fluffy white robe, was Fluttershy. The poor dear lifted her head up from under the covers. When she saw Twilight, her face lit up, but all Twilight could see were the bags under her eyes. It felt like blasphemy, but she couldn’t help thinking it.
Her marefriend looked awful.
“H-hello, Twilight…” Fluttershy’s voice was quiet enough when she was feeling well; getting sick had reduced it to a dry whisper, barely audible if not for Twilight’s improved hearing as an alicorn. She broke into a phlegmy cough and quickly covered her mouth with her hoof. “I’m sorry… I should have sent you a letter before you came all this way…”
“Don’t worry.” Twilight wanted to rush over and sweep her love into a great big hug, but she knew better. Besides, she had a feeling that was how Fluttershy had caught her cold.
As a compromise, she half-closed her eyes and focused on her magic. A magenta spark flew out from her horn, turning into a soft aura that surrounded Fluttershy from mane to tail. Twilight crept over to her side and planted a soft kiss against her now-protected cheek.
Fluttershy sighed and closed her eyes. “Thank you. This feels wonderful.”
“You stay here and rest,” Twilight insisted. “I’ll make sure that all your animals get fed and taken care of, okay?”
“That would be lovely.” Fluttershy covered her mouth when another cough hit her. Her whole body shivered under the impact. “Oh, goodness… um, you should talk to Angel… he has the checklist…”
Twilight’s entire brain lit up like a fireworks display. “You keep a checklist?”
Fighting back a sniffle, her marefriend replied, “Of course… ’s a lot of animals to feed…”
Twilight wanted to say that she’d never been more attracted to Fluttershy than she was at that moment. However, she didn’t get the chance. As soon as she opened her mouth, she heard the front door open and a regal voice call out, “Hello? Fluttershy, darling? Is everything all right?”
“Oh, no!” Fluttershy exclaimed quietly. She tried to sit up, but barely had the strength to manage it. Slumping back onto the bed, she added, “Today’s our spa day… oh, horse feathers. Why did I have to get sick today?”
After leaning in for another kiss against the germ-free force field, Twilight patted the back of her mane. “It’s fine. Just get some rest. I’ll talk to Rarity and then I’ll get started, okay?”
“Oh... kay…”
In the mental checklist that she’d been running since she entered the cottage, Twilight added a note to make Fluttershy her favorite tea. Hopefully it’d be strong enough to help her sleep and recover her strength. If her eyes were anything to judge by, she must not have gotten a wink of sleep through the previous night. And that only made Twilight feel guilty about the wonderful dreamless sleep she’d experienced herself.
She made it halfway downstairs when she saw Rarity anxiously trotting up toward her. The unicorn was wearing one of her trademark hats, a lovely cream-colored fedora with an enormous blue feather sticking off the side. Her eyes went wide when she noticed Twilight waiting for her.
“Please tell me she’s alright,” Rarity asked quietly. “I waited ten minutes for her at the spa and I didn’t want to intrude, but I simply must know she’s well!”
“She’s fine.” Twilight walked down and put a comforting hoof around her friend’s shoulders. “Fluttershy just caught my cold.”
“Oh!” Rarity wiped the sweat from her brow, simultaneously using her magic to readjust her hat. “Oh, what a relief!” After a beat, she blushed. Twilight could practically see the gears shifting backwards in her head. “No, I-I mean, not a relief, obviously! I mean, how terrible! How is the poor thing doing?”
Twilight guided her back down the stairs, trying not to let her own worry show on her face. “She’ll be fine. I just need to make sure she gets plenty of sleep today. And I even offered to take care of her animals.”
Rarity nearly stumbled as they crossed the final step. “A-all of them? Are you sure that’s wise?”
Twilight stared. “Well, yeah. Why?”
“Oh, nothing, dear. Nothing wrong with that.” Rarity glanced around, desperately looking for anything that wasn’t Twilight’s steady gaze. “I only meant that, well… you remember that nasty business with Rainbow Dash and the switched-around cutie marks?” She leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial hush, “They nearly cooked and ate her!”
“Rarity, that was Rainbow Dash.” Twilight chuckled. “I mean, no offense, but she’s not sensitive with other ponies, much less animals. Besides, Angel and I get along fine. I’m sure the others will listen to me.”
The worried frown that Rarity wore suggested otherwise, but she didn’t seem inclined to press the point. Instead, she looked back upstairs. “Well, I guess I’ll have to put off my spa treatment for tomorrow. I couldn’t possibly stand by and let handle this by yourself!”
“I’m not alone. I’ve got…” Twilight frowned and looked around the living room. “Spike? Spike, are you awake yet?”
“Yeah!” Spike called out from the kitchen. He came around the corner two seconds later, holding a giant bran muffin in one claw. He was still chewing as he added, “Wan’ some?”
Twilight’s ears flopped. “No time for that! We’ve got to take care of Fluttershy’s animals today. I need you to find Angel and look for a checklist—”
Spike laughed and took another bite of his muffin. While still chewing, he forced out the words, “Twilight, not everypony’s as crazy as you about making lists. We’ve had this talk before.”
Twilight had a withering retort in mind for the little dragon, but before she could unleash its devastating potential, she felt Rarity’s manicured hoof rest on her shoulder.
“Please, Spikey-wikey.” Rarity leaned in and batted her eyes. “Would you be a dear and look upstairs for that list? I’m sure it won’t take you too long, hmm?”
“Uh, right!” The bran muffin fell from Spike’s numb claw. He swallowed and hastily brushed the crumbs from his chest. “Anything for you, Rarity…”
As he dashed upstairs, Twilight turned and shared a pleased smile with Rarity. “Thank you for that. And if you’re serious about helping, would you mind brewing some tea for Fluttershy? I can enchant the brew to put her to sleep for a few solid hours.”
“No need!” Rarity pressed a hoof to her chest. “I’ve used that same enchantment on my own tea many times, darling. You just take care of those animals and I’ll look after sweet Fluttershy.”
Twilight smiled and watched her friend trot into the kitchen. Her smile widened when she saw the unicorn’s magic daintily sweeping up the trail of muffin crumbs left by Spike. Leave it to Rarity to think of cleanliness even when their friend’s well-being was on the line.
That thought gave Twilight just enough spirit to turn around and head for the front door. If she was lucky, the birds would still be nesting in the thatched roof outside. They’d be the easiest critters to track down…
One hour later, Twilight flew through the open front door. Her wings sputtered out one more flap and then refused to work. The fatigue that she’d been fighting off for the last twenty minutes finally took hold and dragged her onto the inviting wood floor of the cottage.
With a sigh, she lifted her head and looked up at the assortment of animals crowded into the living room. There were eight robins and bluebirds, seven field mice, six rabbits, five chatty squirrels, four raccoons, an iguana, a pair of cats, and an enormous brown bear with a very confused expression. All of whom had been either hiding out or wandering around the neighborhood, surprised to find Twilight instead of Fluttershy. It had taken all of Twilight’s willpower—and the occasional “Royal Stare” that Luna had taught her—to corral each animal into the cottage.
“Okay…” Twilight wheezed from her spot on the floor. “Thank you for coming on such short notice…” She shook her head and forced herself to get up. These animals would never take her seriously when she could barely catch her breath. “As I’m sure you’re all aware, Fluttershy isn’t feeling well—”
It was impossible to even try speaking after that. The whole animal assembly broke out into a swell of angry and upset chirps, snarls, and hisses. Twilight ducked as a trio of bluebirds dive-bombed her from their perch on the back of the sofa. She backpedaled into the brown bear—whose name she couldn’t remember to save her life. He wheeled onto her with a vicious growl, which scared Twilight off her hooves and into a nervous hover in the middle of the room.
Maybe they’d listen if I was perfectly equidistant from everypony? Twilight thought quickly, only to dismiss it just as fast. That was just her memory of geometry class trying to offer her support—and doing a very poor job of it.
She didn’t have a clue what she was doing. She could talk to ponies, but animals were Fluttershy’s specialty. All she knew was magic and she was alone in a roomful of angry, frightened animals—
Twilight’s face lit up. She knew exactly what to do.
Slowly, she lowered herself back to the ground and stood perfectly still. Meanwhile, the animals in the living room continued to growl and chirp out their protests, waving wings and paws and claws in Twilight’s direction.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
When she let out her breath, a wave of magic surged outward from the bottom of her heart, channeled through her horn and into the room beyond. Every animal, no matter how tall, no matter how small, became nothing more than an object to be handled.
Twilight opened her eyes again. A strong magenta field held each animal in place, perfectly immobile. Their faces were frozen in surprise, their mouths and beaks locked in silent snarls. All the critters could do was move their eyes.
Once she was sure that every creature was looking right at her, Twilight cleared her throat and said, “May I finish?”
Since none of them were capable of responding, she smiled. “Good. As I was saying, Fluttershy isn’t feeling well today, but I’m sure she’ll be fine by tomorrow. In the meantime, Spike, Rarity, Angel, and I will be taking care of you. We will do everything Fluttershy does for you, including feeding, grooming, tending to the sick, and playtime.”
She inhaled again, focusing on the immobilization field surrounding each animal. With a nod of her head, the aura dissipated, leaving each animal free to move again.
Not a single creature stirred—not even the field mice beside her hoof.
“So…” Twilight gave them all her friendliest, least suspicious smile. “Do we understand each other?”
Her response was a series of timid nods and cheerful bird calls. Twilight grinned when she felt the brown bear hesitantly stretch his paw out and give her mane a friendly pat.
“Great!” She trotted toward the kitchen, feeling very empowered. “Now, who’s hungry?”
The animals, to her amazement, organized themselves into a perfect line behind her, ranging from smallest to largest. Twilight couldn’t have organized them better herself.
She supposed this was Fluttershy’s trick after all. Everypony knew her as the gentle, soft-spoken pony that could barely speak up for herself. But there was a lot more behind that sweet smile. A firm sense of conviction that every animal from here to Canterlot could instantly recognize. When Fluttershy spoke from the heart, everypony listened, from newborn foals to mighty dragons.
Twilight had seen it all along. She loved her for it more than words could ever say.
Not that’ll stop me from trying, she reflected and chuckled to herself.
Rarity hummed as she summoned the tray off of Fluttershy’s bed and onto her nightstand. She glanced over at the sleeping pegasus, who now lay under the sleeping spell’s effects. With any luck, she’d be a hundred percent better by morning. Until then, Rarity was content to watch over the lovely mare while she slept. It seemed that she could never turn off her ability to look adorable and charming, even when ill and exhausted.
The sound of hooves trotting in the hallway outside caught Rarity’s attention. She went over to the door and pulled it open as quietly as she could.
Twilight stood outside, looking a little less tired than Fluttershy and a lot happier. “Hi. How’s our patient doing?”
“Sleeping like an angel,” Rarity answered. She crossed the threshold and used her magic to close the door behind her. “How are her pets doing?”
“I think we’ll get along just fine.” Twilight turned toward the stairs as Rarity moved to follow her. “Actually, I was surprised. I don’t know why they didn’t like me at first. They seemed to be content when it was somepony else taking care of them.”
Rarity smiled. Twilight might have been an excellent reader, but she could still misread a situation like nopony else. “Yes, darling, but you must consider how they feel about Fluttershy. They’re worried for her just like you and I are. More so, in fact. It’s one thing when she has to leave for a trip or take care of a friend. It’s another thing when she’s the one who needs taking care of.”
“Oh.” Twilight gave herself a soft hoof-slap to the cheek. “That explains a lot. I keep forgetting how well you know Fluttershy.”
“Well, she is my dearest friend, after all.” Rarity felt a slight chill in her heart, but she forced herself to keep smiling as she added, “How could I deny her anything?”
They continued downstairs in silence, which gave Rarity plenty of time to start fretting. It had been such a long time since she and Twilight had been alone together. She prayed that they could get through this day without much fuss. So many times before, during their post-date debriefings and restaurant lunches, Rarity had been on the verge of letting something slip. Something that would embarrass her to no end and undoubtedly ruin her beautiful friendship with Twilight.
But when Twilight gave her a quiet smile as they entered the living room, Rarity felt her heart skip a beat. Did she know? Was she tormenting Rarity with the knowledge?
No, she decided. Twilight couldn’t have known. Rarity would have to tell her. A friend was owed nothing less than the honest truth, but unlike Applejack, Rarity could at least give it a nicer presentation.
“Is everything all right?” Twilight waved her hoof in front of Rarity’s face. “Hello?”
“Hmm?” Rarity came to a sudden halt, tossing her mane back over her shoulder. “I-I’m sorry, dear. What were you saying?”
“I was just asking if you’re feeling okay. After all this, I wouldn’t want you to get sick, too.”
Rarity laughed. “Perish the thought, darling. Why, I’m as fit as a fiddle!” She cleared her throat. “But there is, er, something I would like to talk with you about.”
“Of course!” Twilight’s tail swished upward as she turned toward the kitchen. “Right this way!”
It had been an hour and a half since Rarity had gone to work looking after Fluttershy. As she followed Twilight into the kitchen, she took a glance out the nearest window. On the fields outside the cottage were all the local animals, running around at play after their breakfast. She caught sight of Spike getting a noogie from an overly friendly bear while the rabbit Angel rolled on the ground in laughter. Very amusing, though Rarity did feel for poor little Spike. He deserved a day to himself after all he’d done for Twilight and Fluttershy these last few months.
Rarity sighed and moved away from the window. If only he’d come to the spa with me! Aloe and Vera would get those scales to shine marvelously in no time!
In the kitchen, Twilight was already pouring some of the extra tea that Rarity had brewed earlier into a pair of cups. She sat at the table, waiting with a pleasant smile while Rarity took her own seat and gripped the teacup in her magic.
“What did you want to talk about?” asked Twilight.
Rarity lifted the cup to her lips and sipped quietly to steady her nerves. She had come close to this confession several times before. This time, she would need all her courage to go the distance, as Rainbow Dash would say.
“I just want to say, first of all, how much I appreciate what you did for Fluttershy today.” Rarity set down the teacup on the table and looked her friend straight in the eye. There was no backing out now. “And I wanted to congratulate you on finding happiness with such a lovely pony.”
Twilight giggled. “Well, I have you to thank for that, after all. If you hadn’t suggested the match, we’d never be here today.”
“Yes, about that…” Rarity took a deep breath. Just spit it out, you silly filly. “You see, Twilight, I’m afraid I haven’t been entirely honest with you. I’ve misled you about my intentions as a matchmaker.”
The young princess stared at her. “What do you mean ‘misled’?”
“Do you remember what I told you every time I set you up with somepony new to date?”
“Yes. You said you wanted me to be happy.”
Rarity rubbed her front hooves together. “And I do, dearest. Truly I do. But that wasn’t the only reason. It was also because I…” She let out a terrified squeak, almost cutting off the words before they could escape her mouth and damn her.
“It was also because I loved you. And I could never admit it until now.”
Twilight nearly choked on her tea while she still sipping from it. Rarity watched her set down the cup with an awkward fumble, nearly spilling all her tea into the saucer. She recovered quickly by rubbing the back of her hoof over her mouth.
“You…” Twilight stared, her mouth hanging open ever so slightly. “You love me?”
Rarity nodded, feeling ashamed and elated at the same time. How wonderful to finally get this terrible truth off her chest! And how horrible she must have looked to Twilight! What friend could stomach news of this sort? It was the worst thing.
Ever.
“Then why didn’t you say anything?” Twilight leaned forward with a concerned frown. “Why did you wait until now?”
“It’s complicated—”
Twilight glared. “So’s the theory of gravity and I mastered that in an hour. Surely you can explain.”
Another squeak died in Rarity’s throat. She wrung her hooves and looked down at the smooth wooden surface of the table. It was so much like the main table in the Golden Oaks Library. But did that really surprise her when Fluttershy and Twilight were so right for each other?
“Well, I’ve had these feelings for a while now. Ever since you first came to Ponyville, actually.” Rarity blinked away her tears as very old memories struggled to the surface of her mind. “I wasn’t born a noble pony despite my airs. I was a common mare from Manehattan. I dreamed of being a star in Canterlot, and when I heard you were from there, I was overjoyed. I…” She licked her lips, fighting a sudden onslaught of dry mouth. “I studied everything about you. What you liked, what you didn’t, what dress would look best with your lovely mane… and that’s when it happened. I suddenly stopped caring about Canterlot and was more concerned about making you smile. Even for just a moment, fleeting though it might be.”
Twilight didn’t say a word, but continued to stare sadly. Rarity decided to press on. “When you became a princess, I thought I couldn’t possibly confess my feelings then. I knew that it would look like I’d was only attracted to you for your royalty and nothing else. So after that business with Flash Sentry, I resolved to see you paired off with somepony else. Somepony who could make you happy in a way that I knew I never could.”
“Fluttershy…”
“Yes, dear.” Rarity slumped forward on the table, her hoof narrowly missing the teacup. “What could be more generous than to give my special somepony the chance to be happy with my best friend in the whole world? What could be more generous than to give my best friend a chance to love the very pony I’d had my eyes on for so long?”
It was a subtle change, but Rarity was skilled enough to read the five different emotions that cycled across Twilight’s face. Surprise. Anger. Embarrassment. Worry. Sorrow. She had expected far worse whenever she’d imagined giving this confession. She’d expected slammed doors and a refusal to speak to her for several months.
“You really should’ve said something.”
Rarity lifted her head, not daring to believe what she’d heard. “I’m sorry?”
While she spoke, Twilight got up from her side of the table and trotted over to Rarity. “I can’t imagine how it must’ve hurt not to say anything. I remember how hard it was trying to keep secrets for you and Fluttershy during the whole Photo Finish debacle.” To Rarity’s surprise, she put a hoof around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. “Next time, just come right out and say it.”
Rarity buried her face into Twilight’s neck. “I will. Celestia help me, I will…”
“Good.” Twilight leaned down and gave Rarity a soft kiss on the forehead, just below her horn. “Because I think I could’ve been happy if you’d given it a chance. As it is, I can’t thank you enough for giving me a chance with Fluttershy instead.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Rarity said, choking back a sob. She would not break down any further today. Now that was the truth was out, she could be strong again—for all her friends’ sake. “Would you be surprised to know that I once fancied Fluttershy when I first met her, too?”
“I guess not,” Twilight said, laughing.
“It’s a terrible weakness of mine. I fall in love so easily!” Rarity found herself laughing a little, though it hurt the back of her throat to do so. “But it was the same pattern with her. I didn’t want to be responsible for hurting Fluttershy. She’s so sweet. I’d never forgive myself if I caused her to be unhappy even for a second!”
Twilight cradled Rarity’s head against her chest. “Don’t worry. You’ll find somepony special, too. You deserve to be happy just like the rest of us.”
Rarity sniffed and dabbed a hoof at her eyes. “You think so?”
“Of course!”
The two mares leapt in surprise at the sound of Fluttershy’s voice. They turned to the kitchen entrance where she was standing, wearing her robe and a sleepy smile.
Rarity wanted to blurt out how sorry she was. She was ready to go through the whole litany of apologies and excuses like she’d done with Twilight. But there was no need. Fluttershy quietly came over to her and wrapped her forelegs around Rarity, hugging her tightly. Then Twilight was hugging them both and Rarity was lost in a world of tender warmth.
“Thank you,” Fluttershy whispered into her ear. “Thank you for all of this.”
“No, sweetheart,” said Rarity. Her head sank against Fluttershy’s breast. “Thank you. Both of you are better friends than I deserve.”
The rest of the day was relatively uneventful. Rarity brewed another enchanted cup of tea for Fluttershy, who was recovering fast. Spike and Angel made sure all the animals were fed and run ragged outside. As night fell, Twilight personally escorted each set of critters back to their homes. She was glad to see how happy they’d all become now that Fluttershy was feeling better. It was nice when one of the other rabbits gave her a tiny nod of respect before hopping off with its friends in the woods.
When she reentered the cottage, Twilight came upon a pleasant sight. Spike and Angel were sitting on the rug in front of the fireplace, munching on gemstones and carrot chips respectively. Meanwhile, Rarity was snuggled up against a sleeping Fluttershy on the couch, with the former brushing the latter’s mane.
The moment seemed to stretch on forever for Twilight. She never wanted it to end. But it was getting late and she was ready to whip up a snack in the kitchen. And something told her that Fluttershy would have a fresh stock of daisies to use for a sandwich in one of her cabinets.
“She’ll sleep for a little longer,” Rarity said as she put aside her hairbrush. Tilting her head down, she looked over Fluttershy with a motherly smile. “In which case, I should probably get going. I need to pick up Sweetie Belle from Scootaloo’s house before nine o’clock.”
Twilight nodded. “By all means. I’ll see to it that Fluttershy’s in good hooves.”
Rarity offered an embarrassed smile as she got off the couch and turned to Twilight. “Darling, about what I said earlier—”
As she saw where this was going, Twilight held up a hoof to Rarity’s mouth. “It’s fine, Rarity. Honestly. I can only imagine how hard it was for you to say all that. But at least we know now.” Moving her hoof from Rarity’s mouth to her shoulders, Twilight guided her toward the front door. “And if you ever want to talk, you know where to find either of us.”
Slowly, Rarity’s shoulders sagged. She leaned into Twilight and nodded again. “I know, dear. Thank you again.” For a moment, she wavered in place, with Twilight expecting her to lean in and nuzzle her affectionately. But instead, Rarity lifted her head and smiled with all the pride she could muster. “Good night, darling. Sleep well.”
“Good night, Rarity.” Twilight smiled and waved from the front door until she saw that Rarity had gone over the nearest hill and disappeared into Ponyville again.
When she closed the door, Twilight heard a gentle cough. She turned and saw Fluttershy lifting her head with a tiny shiver. Twilight was at her side in a heartbeat, pulling her marefriend back onto the sofa and tucking in the blanket around her.
“I-I’m cold,” Fluttershy whispered. “Can you cuddle with me?”
“Sure thing,” said Twilight. She jumped onto the couch and pulled part of the blanket around herself. Beside her, Fluttershy’s body was warm, though she was still shivering a little. Twilight slid her foreleg around the poor pegasus and gave her the softest squeeze she could manage.
“Hey, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, pausing to cough into the back of her hoof.
“Yes, love?”
“I don’t know about you…” Fluttershy sounded more tired than sick. An exhausted pony whose only solace was in the touch of her librarian marefriend. “But I think that Rarity needs to find her own special somepony quick. I can’t stand the thought of her being miserable. Especially when we’re the ones she put aside her happiness for!”
“Glad to hear I’m not the only one who thinks that,” Twilight replied. Raising a hoof to her mouth, she covered up a yawn and lowered her head against Fluttershy’s shoulder. Maybe she’d have more of an appetite for a daisy sandwich after a short nap.
Fluttershy shook her head despite a fit of coughing. “It’s not right. We should return the favor. Find somepony for Rarity.”
“There’s an idea,” said Twilight. But as soon as she said it, all thoughts of a quiet evening with Fluttershy quickly jumped out of her head.
She remembered the list that Rarity had made back at Le Abreuvoir. A list of ideal qualities for Twilight Sparkle’s new special somepony. She could hear Rarity’s voice as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. Somepony who’s kind and brave! A pony with a brilliant mind and a warm soul—and plenty of fun!
Twilight smiled slowly. If she thought hard enough—and she didn’t have think hard at all—she knew just the pony who’d be perfect for Rarity.
Or rather, the dragon perfect for her.
“I think I know just who we can set her up with,” Twilight suggested. Her hooves tightened around Fluttershy, holding her close to Twilight’s chest. “Once you’re feeling better, think you’ll be ready to help me play matchmaker?”
All Fluttershy had to do was turn her head and wink at Twilight to let her know that she was on board. Twilight couldn’t be happier.
She was looking forward to this project.