Fall Down
by Present Perfect
VII
The rustling of the white dress's train only made Twilight more nervous.
"Ohh, where could she be?"
She was doing her best to look anywhere other than the copious mirrors surrounding her. They only helped to accentuate the worry lines in her brow, the shaking of her hooves, and the beads of sweat threatening to mar her Rarity-perfected makeup.
At the knock, Twilight nearly flew off the dais. "Aaah!"
"Whoa, careful," Rainbow Dash said, poking her head in. "Sorry I scared you. Pre-wedding jitters?"
"Is it that obvious?" She smiled, but there was no effort behind it. She couldn't even muster up a half-hearted laugh at her own lame joke.
Rainbow entered the dressing room, streamers from her dress trailing on the floor behind her. Rarity had been quite busy over the last three weeks. "Don't worry about it," she said with an easy laugh, "they say everypony feels that right before their wedding. I hear your stallion's going through the same thing."
"He is?" Twilight laughed despite herself, but it was high-pitched and strangled. "That almost makes me feel better."
"Yeah, well, at least you don't have to worry about marrying a princess." Rainbow moved over to her, reached up, adjusted the veil, frowned, adjusted it again, adjusted it a third time, and with a snort, stepped back and shrugged. "Anyway, it's just a wedding. The palace was scanned like, twelve times for changelings. Nothing's gonna happen 'cept the best day of your life."
Though Rainbow's grin was enough to finally calm her nerves, Twilight couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of guilt creeping through her.
"Rainbow, I... I'm glad you came, but that's not what I wanted to talk about."
"Huh? Well, lay it on me, Twi." Rainbow removed her jaunty green archer hat and began fiddling with it, poking at the inside to get the creases just so.
"It's just..." Twilight bit her lip. "It's probably not the best thing to bring up minutes before I'm about to get married for the first time." She began to chew, smearing her lipstick. "It's a big day for me, and I guess it's only natural to feel hesitation. I feel like I'm ready, at least I think so. I gave it a lot of thought, the whole marriage thing." She let out a breath, her head going slack. "I've done nothing but think about it for months now. You know how I am."
Rainbow nodded, snickering.
"And I love him, and I know he loves me, but still..." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "I know you never stopped having feelings for me."
Rainbow ceased her fiddling. She glanced at Twilight, nothing but her eyes moving. "Yeah, and?"
"I know it's been a while since we were... I mean, I just can't help wondering if maybe I'm making a mistake. If maybe it shouldn't be you beside me at the--"
"I'm gonna stop you right there." Rainbow flicked her hat back onto her head and turned to face Twilight. "D'you remember what I told you back then, at Sweet Apple Acres?"
"Uhh..."
"Friendship, Twi." Dash rolled her eyes, as though it had been the most obvious thing in the world. "If I wasn't your friend, if I was still heartbroken over what happened between us, I wouldn't be here, trying to psych you up before you get married to a pony who isn't me." She snorted.
"I don't wanna hear how Twilight Sparkle's living in the past anymore." She walked around Twilight once, checking her dress over. "Now you get your flank out there and make that guy the happiest stallion in the world, or so help me, Twilight, I will never forgive you." She spread her wings and lowered her head, glaring daggers at Twilight.
Twilight laughed. "Okay." She leaned down, and Rainbow Dash accepted the hug. "Thank you, Rainbow."
"What're friends for?" Rainbow smiled, her eyes bright. "Also, Rarity's gonna kill you if we don't fix your makeup. C'mon."