//------------------------------// // Chapter Six: A New Day // Story: Facets of the Equestrian Sky // by Cirrus Sky //------------------------------// A New Day ~ Post ~ Planning ~ Popcorn The next morning Twilight slept in, her alarm clock and Spike’s calls went unheeded until mid-morning. In the meantime Spike tidied up some of yesterday’s mess and checked what chores needed doing. He had been a little puzzled at the wig and party blower but following standard procedure he took it down to the basement and tapped in a code on a box. When it opened he kept his sights on the contents while loading the new things in. Taking a book he made a note. “Added wig and blower to Pinkie Box, origin uncertain. Contents previous still intact…” he checked the calendar and dated the entry. “Now, groceries, take letters to the post office and check for parcels…” The number one assistant carried on with the rest of his chores. * “Hmmm…. Rainbow, are you really sure… Oh alright then, if you insist….” Twilight rolled over in bed smiling from ear to ear. A sudden inrush of air woke her up with a shock and she jumped in surprise. “Aaah! What?” she landed with a crash and a tangle of blankets. “Oh dude, that was awesome! You were all like ‘Aaahh!’ and Crash!” Rainbow hovered in the air laughing, her head back and her wings lazily maintaining her loft. “Good job you left the window open else that would have been a bit louder!!” Twilight grumbled and sat up, pulling the blanket from her head. “Why in Equestria did you do that?” she fumed. Rainbow just laughed even more. “Aww, your angry face is sooo cute! Noogie!” The flying pony ruffled the unicorn’s bedhead, smiling with amusement. “Rainbow…” Twilights voice had a warning tone and her magic grasped the cyan coated mare, teleporting her into the main library. A few minutes later she joined her. “Now, after being so rudely awakened I would appreciate it if you could explain why?” Rainbow sat in her favourite spot and looked at Twilight, trying not to get drawn too far into her eyes… “I uh, um… The front door was locked?” Twilight gave her a look. ‘Oh man, she doesn’t buy it…’ Rainbow quashed any outward signs of nervousness, ‘You can’t say you were watching her sleeping, you can’t say you woke her up because you couldn’t bear to watch her any longer without doing something…’ She gave her best smile. Twilight stopped her look, it wasn’t quite a Fluttershy stare but it was a relief for it to be over. “Alright, I wasn’t aware you were that eager to come in and read. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some plans to make.” A loud grumble came from her stomach, “and some food to eat.” Rainbow nodded and flopped down on her favourite cushion, re-reading a Daring Do might take her mind of that stupidly attractive egghead! * Shutting the kitchen door and leaning against it Twilight started hyperventilating. She had been so close to just grabbing Rainbow Dash with her magic and flinging her down onto the bed… “Lust, that was definitely lust and not for the first time…” She started making a nice strong sweet tea, “I need to work it out first, I can’t destroy our friendship over this.” Magically boiling the water and steeping the leaves she relaxed a little and started nibbling on some mixed nut haybar. The tea was ready to drink and soon enough Twilight felt she had calmed down. Back in the library she levitated her cup to the desk and brought some plans and maps down to join it. Sharpening her pencil she pulled out some journals and local records with her magic and began planning what locations and sites to take Andromeda too. There were plenty of places she liked to stargaze but one pony with a hobby was quite a ways off professionals with a lab. She was engrossed with her work and completely unaware of the rose coloured eyes regarding her from over a book. * ‘I have to think of a way to let her know.’ Rainbow gnawed her bottom lip. ‘I can’t keep on like this. It’s killing me.’ She glanced Twilights way again, ‘I really need to talk to her… Or at least somepony!’ shuffling her hooves she looked back down to her book. “Uh, Twi’?” she barely spoke. Knowing full well that Twilight wouldn’t hear. However, she had. “Yes Rainbow?” that purple regard knocked her out of the park. “Uhhh…” Dry throat, total mental shutdown, no words forthcoming…. “I… uh, wondered if you want to come over to see Applejack? I have a hankering for some fine apple based products and thought you might too?” Rainbow managed to spit out, cursing herself for not being able to say three simple little words. Two of which she used quite regularly. It was really just the one that was causing a problem. ‘Egghead!’ she added, Twilight was really having an effect on her. “Sorry Rainbow,” Twilight really looked sincere, “I am a little busy for now. Maybe I’ll meet you at Sugarcube corner for a snack later?” Rainbow nodded and hurried out, taking to the sky and heading for Applejack’s farm, her goodbye trying to catch up. “Well, that was odd.” Twilight mused, getting back to her increasingly detailed site information. * Later that day Twilight had finished up, she had a few sites to check that had looked good from the map and some old papers from a long gone Ponyville resident had suggested a handful of other locations. She’d wait for a reply to her letter and get right on to inspecting them. Now, though, it was time for something sweet to eat. As she walked to the best bakery in town she was sure she spotted a cloud propelled by blue wings… Smiling to herself she entered the shop. “Twilight, Hi!” Spike said from the counter, he was chowing down on what looked like a bowl of popcorn. “You’re just in time for a taste testing session.” He grinned, crumbs of corn kernel and what looked like gemstone. At that point Rainbow sauntered through the door in an all too casual way. “Hey guys, didn’t expect to see you here now, I thought you’d be a bit later Twi’” Twilight was about to reply when a fully loaded Pinkie came out of the kitchen. “Hello everypony! You came just in time! I have been experimenting with popcorn flavours!” In one movement all surfaces in the room were covered in bowls of popcorn. Some smelt strange, others were unusual colours and Twilight could swear one was glowing and a stone bowl at the far end had heat waves coming from it. “Popcorn? I thought it was all cupcakes with you Pinkie?” Rainbow said, sniffing the contents of a bowl that seemed to be floating. “I decided to try out all my new flavours on something faster to make silly! Popcorn is all pop-pop-pop-pop! Cupcakes are a little slow for all these new tastes!” As she spoke more bowls appeared. “So, what flavours did you make?” Twilight found herself saying. She instantly regretted it, Pinkie was taking a very deep breath... “We have: Sweet, Cupcake, Raspberry, Chocolate, Banana, Toffee, Coffee, Tea, Red Cherry, Black Cherry, Blueberry, Cheeky Chimmy Cherry Chonga, Guava, Jalapeño, Lychee, Violet, Super Green, Dragonfruit, Ruby, Toothpaste, Salted, Sweet Pea, Cheese, Apple Cider, Buffalo Ale, Citrus, Pine Tree, Citrine, Pear, Each Peach, Pear, Plum, Mica, Buttered and Macaroon.” Pinkie bounced up and took a mouthful from one of the bowls. Twilight and Rainbow simply stared in surprise, trying their best to process the information...