//------------------------------//
// Twilight 
// Story: Matchmaker, Matchmaker... 
// by ThunderChaserCreate 
//------------------------------//

	Let's review, shall we?

So far, we have Rarity's story: accepted, dumped, friendship with flirting. That alone is too much for Rainbow to solve on her own.

Then we have Pinkie: accepted, dumped before the second date. This time, Pinkie did the dumping, so it was pretty cut and dry.

Next, Fluttershy. It turned out that Fluttershy had been after Rainbow for years, but after one night of pleasant fun she ran off and never came back.

Finally, Applejack: scary.

As Rainbow walked home, leaning on her friend for support, she tried to sort her five friends into two groups: 'date-able' and 'can't do that again.'

So far, only Pinkie Pie was in the 'can't do that again' category, while everypony else occupied the hazy area in between. 

The only pony Rainbow hadn't tried yet was Twilight, which Rarity knew and was probably already preparing for.  But, of all of her friends, she and Twilight had the least in common personality wise. While Rainbow enjoyed being outdoors, rain or shine, Twilight preferred inside pleasantries. While Rainbow was normally focused on her outward appearance, Twilight didn't care about that... at all.

But they did have Daring Do.

So maybe there was a chance of this working out.

"So. I assume you want to take a day off before trying to take out Twilight, hm?" Rarity asked.

"Why would I do that?"

Rarity chuckled. "Well, dear, to be frank, you seem drunk."

Rainbow sighed, but she knew this was true. "Alright. Probably a good plan."

"Aw, I think you're cute when you're drunk. Remember when--"

"Yes. I remember," Rainbow cut her off dryly before she could bring up an embarrassing memory.

Rarity giggled. "I don't know how nopony's made it more than one date with you. You're just adorable!"

"Yes! I know!" Rainbow stopped, pounding her hoof. "Look, Rarity, I'm no good at this stuff. If you have something you need to tell me, you've gotta stop dropping these stupid hints and just spit it out!"

Rarity frowned. "I'm... I'm sorry..."

Rainbow heaved another sigh. "It's fine. I just... I'm not like everypony else. I don't pick up on those little cues you give each other. It's kinda... I don't know, it..."

"It makes you feel lonely?" Rarity guessed.

Rainbow looked over at her. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

Rarity smiled sympathetically. "Do you know how hard it is to be generous sometimes?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to always be the filly at the back of the line because you let others go first, to always give up the good seat to somepony who deserves it more, to give up things for a younger sibling?" Rarity sighed. "Everypony says they're grateful, and I feel good doing it, but sometimes it's hard to really see that ponies appreciate you. It kind of turns you into the world's doormat..."

Rainbow blinked slowly, trying to process what she'd just heard. "Oh."

Rarity shook her head. "Oh, don't listen to me."

"No, no. I... I never knew that about you."

"It's nothing. I'm being silly. Come on, let's--"

Rainbow grabbed Rarity's shoulder as she tried to walk away. "Wait a minute. That matters."

Rarity shook her head again. "It's who I am."

"But--" Rainbow couldn't think of what to say. She just stood there, her hoof on her shoulder, trying to come up with a comforting phrase.

Something fired in her head. Something told her what Rarity was asking for. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she pulled her friend close to her chest, embracing her tightly.

Rarity made a small noise of surprise. This wasn't the normal Rainbow Dash. The normal Rainbow would change the subject, walk away, be awkward and goofy but not helpful.

Rarity chuckled lightly. "Look at you. Miss Seduction."

"Hey!" Rainbow pushed her friend away. "No fair! I was trying to be nice."

"Stop being adorable, and I'll stop making you be adorable." Rarity tapped Rainbow on the nose with her hoof.

"Quit it! I'm taking Twilight on a date tomorrow, I can't be distracted by your weirdness!"

"You love it. I know you do." Rarity trotted off, leaving Rainbow to catch up.

"Again, Twilight's the one I'm taking out on a date, not you."

Rarity didn't say anything.

That meant she agreed, right?

"So, could you help me to fix up my mane a bit?"

Rarity nodded. "If you want. I don't think it would make that much of an impact on a pony like Twilight, though. You could... you could use some of my fancy soaps and shampoos, if you want."

"Wait, are you serious?" Rainbow asked. "You never let anypony use your fancy stuff."

"You're my friend. My best friend. And right now, you need the help." Rarity pointed to her cutie mark. "Generosity, right?"

I frowned. "But you just said--"

"I don't feel alone when I have a friend like you." Rarity grinned. "Come on, let's fix you up."

Rarity trotted ahead, Rainbow right on her heels, and down the street towards the Boutique. The pale unicorn's curly purple tail bounced with her jaunty steps.

"Hey, Rarity?"

"Yes?"

"Um... what is it you... like about me?" Rainbow hesitated to get the sentence out. "Just-- just cause I wanna know if I have a chance with Twilight."

"Oh. Right. Well, you're very confident. Everypony loves a mare who's sure of herself."

"Uh-huh."

"You, um..." Rarity had reached the door of the boutique, but didn't try to open it just yet. "You have an air of greatness about you. You've accomplished a lot, and you aren't afraid to let the world know. Ponies like that, too."

"Isn't that the same as having confidence?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity chuckled. "I suppose you're right. Well, your loyalty is admirable. Ponies like it when they see a pony with the same group of friends all the time. You know, laughing, having fun..."

"Yeah?"

"Mm-hm. Oh, and, even though you won't admit it, you care about the way you look. You're always put together, even though your version is slightly messy. It's nice to see somepony who cares what the world thinks. But, even with that, you still have a... an aloofness." Rarity turned to open the door. "It's a wonderful combination of traits, really."

"Wait, so you don't like me because of how I look or what I like or something?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity laughed. "Of course not! We like for your personality!"

"Really?"

"Yes! What kind of friends would we be if... if the color purple was the only thing we had in common?" Rarity handled the purple stripe in Rainbow's mane.

"Huh."

"Did you really just figure that out?" Rarity asked.

"Um... sorta."

Rraity practically doubled over laughing. "Aw, you're so funny sometimes, Rainbow!"

"What's so funny about that?"

Rarity stood up straight, wiping tears from her eyes. "Well, I know for a fact that you don't care about those kinds of things. Do really think that that is the only thing the rest of us like about you?"

"I mean... well, not all, but you..." Rainbow murmured. 

Rarity paused. "Oh?"

"Yeah! I mean... I mean you had a crush on that Benderhoof guy before you'd ever even met him!" Rainbow pointed out.

"Because I liked his taste. But, Rainbow, a crush is different from friendship or love. You understand that, don't you?"

"It is?"

Rarity went back to laughing. "Of course! A crush is something you feel, and only feel. A crush is when... when your most primal parts fall for somepony."

"Huh?"

"Uh... it's... it's purely looks and surface personality."

Rainbow nodded slowly.

"But friendship and love... they mean a lot more. It's about knowing a pony, knowing what they'll do and say. It's... it's not what it looks like. It's... it's all the good things, and all the bad things, and all the things in between. It's..." Rarity struggled for the right words. "Do you know what it's like? Love is like water. Everypony likes it, but you don't quite know why or how. And they all like it for different reasons, and they all like to use it for different things. It's versatile, but in the best possible way."

Rainbow stared at Rarity. For a long time.

"Does that make sense?" Rarity asked.

"I think so..."

"No, no, no. That's the problem you're having. Rainbow, I never thought I would say this to you, but you're thinking too much. Just... feel it. If you love somepony for more than their looks, you'll feel it."

"But... but what does it feel like?" Rainbow asked.

Rarity shook her head. "I... I don't know."

"You don't?"

"It could feel like anything. I've never been in love," she said simply. "Let me draw up that bath for you!"

Rainbow sat back in the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

This was getting way too complicated for her.

How many days had it been?

Day one: Discord and Rarity.

Day two: Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.

Day Three: Applejack.

Days Four, Five, and Six: out like a light.

Plus today... then it had only been a week.

"A week?" Rainbow asked herself, flopping onto her side.

"What's that?" Rarity called over the rushing water.

"Nothin'," Rainbow replied. "A week?" she repeated, softer. "You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Bath's ready, Rainbow!" Rarity called.

Rainbow rolled off the couch, landing heavily on all four hooves. She plodded into the bathroom, easing herself into the bubbly water.

"I, um, I added some bubble bath!" Rarity told her friend, gesturing to the water.

"Mm-hm."

"Something on you mind, dear?" Rarity asked, concerned. She squeezed some lavender-scented goop into her hoof, proceeding to scrub it into her friend's mane.

Rainbow sighed. "What isn't? I'm worried about everything... everything!"

Rarity chuckled. "Sounds like somepony else I know..."

"Right, right..." Rainbow nodded, not having actually listened to the comment.

"Speaking of which, are you excited about your date?"

Rainbow frowned. "I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... I mean, I guess so, but... I'm kind of unsure of myself now. I don't know if what I'm feeling is real." Rainbow splashed at the water a bit.

"Do you want to know the trick I use?"

"Okay."

Rarity drew her hooves away from Rainbow's scalp, closing her eyes. "Imagine... imagine life without that pony."

Rainbow squirmed a bit in the water. "Alright."

"How do you feel?"

Rainbow looked over at her friend. She kept her eyes closed, still imagining her special pony gone.

"I-I feel... sad?" Rainbow stammered.

"And...?" Rarity prompted.

"And..." Rainbow rubbed her hooves together under the soapy surface. "Hurt. Not by them, just... hurt."

Rarity opened her eyes, smiling softly at the pony in her tub. "Right... right here?" She reached over, placing a hoof on Rainbow's chest, right over her heart. She pulled it away, leaving a purple clump of suds there.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah."

"Rainbow... I think what you're feeling is real."

Rainbow's eyes widened.

"Rainbow Dash, tom-mare of tom-mares, is in love!" Rarity squealed. But she didn't lean over for a hug. She didn't really smile, either. She just... she just kind of went back to what she was doing.

"You think?"

"Mm-hm!" Rarity scrubbed a little harder.

Rainbow wiggled a bit more.

"Would you quit squirming? I can't hit a moving target, here!" Rarity complained, though with an air of fun in her voice.

Rainbow splashed a bit of water over at her friend, dousing her perfect mane in sudsy water.

Rarity gasped. "Oh, you asked for it..." she muttered, digging around in the basket beside her.

Rainbow laughed triumphantly until a bar of soap was shoved in her mouth. "Eh!" she screamed, spitting the bar out in the tub. "That's so gross!"

It was Rarity's turn to laugh as Rainbow gathered a copious amount of suds on her hoof, then attached them to Rarity's chin.

She stopped laughing to lean over and peer in the mirror. She giggled a bit more. "Scooch over."

"Huh?"

Rainbow had barely any time to react before Rarity was in the tub beside her, washing her own mane.

"Uh..." 

"What?" Rarity asked, as though this was normal.

"Well... you just climbed into a bathtub with your sexually awkward, virgin friend," Rainbow pointed out.

"We'll see about that."

"About what?"

"Virgin." Rarity looked over at her friend. "Oh! See, I told you! Every time, the color just leaves your face!" She laughed. "Don't worry. This is a King Size tub, there's plenty of space."

"Oh, ha, ha," Rainbow mocked.

Rarity went back to washing her mane, not even looking in Rainbow's direction.

Rainbow tried to mimic her friend's movements, giving own scalp a deep massage. "So..."

"So?"

"Well, uh... I was just wondering... who was it you were... you were thinking about?" Rainbow stumbled through the question.

"Thinking about who?" Rarity asked.

"When you said to imagine a pony gone... who did you imagine was gone?" Rainbow asked again.

Rarity paused, her hooves not moving anymore. "S-somepony close to me. Somepony I care about. They recently got themselves caught up in something that's forcing them to adapt, to change. I'm worried about them, and I've... I've been trying to imagine being without them. That way I don't get shocked too badly when they change completely."

"Oh... do I know them?"

Rarity swiveled to look at Rainbow. She stared into her eyes for a long time before saying. "You know... I'm not sure."

Rainbow shrugged. "Oh."

Rarity was quiet for another few minutes before climbing out. As she dried her mane, she said "You can get out, too. Just make sure you pull the plug and let the tub drain."

Rainbow nodded. "Okay."

Rarity nodded back, then left.

Rainbow took a few deep breaths. It seemed hard, nowadays, to say anything without hurting somepony. Rainbow would speak her mind, like usual, and everything would go wrong.

The pegasus clambered out of the tub, shaking her coat dry and leaning over to pull the stopper out. Her wings were drooped by her sides, dripping wet. Once again, Discord's original threat entered her mind. It hadn't even been that long, but this battle with herself had already evolved far beyond a simple game with Discord.

Not to mention, her puppet master already seemed to know how things were going to end up. I mean, wouldn't a hint now and then be nice? Even a super cryptic one?

Rainbow sighed, stepping away from the tub as the water was sucked out of it. The clumps of suds swirled around in a dizzying spiral before finally disappearing for good.

Rainbow grabbed a towel, scrubbing at her mane with one hoof as she trotted out into the main room. "Hey, do you have something to drink?"

There was no response.

"Rarity?" Rainbow called. She dropped the towel on the couch, wandering into the kitchen. "Rares?"

There was a bright orange sticky note on the fridge. Rainbow pulled it off slowly, reading the elegant script carefully.


Off to run an errand. 
I think you should ask Twilight out today.

-Rarity


Rainbow read the note several times, as though the exceedingly simple words weren't making enough sense to her. She frowned, stuck the note back to the fridge, and turned to leave.

Twilight's new castle was just down the street from the Boutique, only a three minute journey on hoof, but a much shorter flight. 

After clearing her throat, patting down her mane, and wiping her hooves on the welcome mat, Rainbow tapped on the crystal door.

"One second!" Twilight called.

Rainbow kept shuffling her hooves.

"Hi-- Rainbow!" Twilight threw her forelegs around Rainbow, squeezing her tightly. "You're okay!"

Rainbow chuckled. "I'm fine, Twi. Can I come in?"

"Of course! Always room for one of my friends!" Twilight waved Rainbow inside, smiling.

"Thanks. I, um..." Rainbow followed Twilight in, then stopped right inside the door. "I have to talk to you."

"What about?" Twilight asked. "Sorry, could you follow me in? I was trying to make some food..."

"Sure, sure..." Rainbow followed Twilight into the kitchen.

"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Twilight asked. She pulled a large, oddly-shaped lump of dough out of the oven.

"Um... well, I don't really know what happened. I was hanging out with Rarity, and... and I asked her a question. She answered it, and then she got all sad and quiet... and then she just left," Rainbow rehashed recent events.

Twilight frowned. "Shoot. This doesn't look right at all."

"What was it supposed to be?" Rainbow asked, leaning over to look at it.

Twilight sighed. "It was meant to be a heart-shaped cake! You know, for Heart's and Hooves?"

"That's today?" Rainbow asked.

"No, no! It's about a month away... I was just practicing. How does it look?" Twilight turned the pan to face Rainbow.

"Uh..." Rainbow stared at the misshapen dough, trying to form a non-offensive opinion. "Well, it kinda looks like a dead body."

Twilight laughed. "Yeah, I gotta work on this..." She sighed lightly, dumping the failed project in the trash. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

"Oh! Erm... never mind..." Rainbow hung her head.

"What's up? You definitely look like you have something to tell me," Twilight pressed. She was right, of course.

"Well..." Rainbow swallowed hard, This never really got any easier. "More of a confession, really."

Twilight frowned. "Did you... did you do something wrong?"

"No!" Rainbow shook her head. "No, no. I had something to confess... to you."

Twilight put down the jug of milk she was about to put away. "Yeah?"

"Yeah..." Rainbow drug the sound out. "I kind of... like you."

Twilight froze, just staring at Rainbow. She stood that way for a long time, then started giggling. The giggle grew swiftly into a loud stomach laugh. "No, you don't!"

"I..." Rainbow looked confused, even if Twilight was right again. "I don't?"

The unicorn kept laughing. "No!"

Rainbow scoffed, then started to stutter a sentence. This only made Twilight laugh harder, tears now glittering at the corners of her eyes.

"Hey!" Rainbow finally got out.

Twilight calmed her laughter. "Sorry... I'm sorry, but you're such a bad liar!"

"I'm not lying!" Rainbow protested.

Twilight forced out a few more laughs. "You so are!"

"Am not!"

Twilight smeared the liquid away from her eyes. "Oh, Rainbow. Did you really think something like this would work on me?"

"Something like what?"

"A dumb prank!" Twilight's laughter faded to light chuckles as she swiftly packed up her cooking materials.

"This isn't a prank!" Rainbow stamped her hoof like an angry foal.

Twilight nodded. "Well, maybe not, but you definitely don't have feelings for me."

"What makes you so sure?" Rainbow asked smugly.

"First, that not-so-bright look on your face. Second, you didn't blush or hesitate. Third, you came here to tell me something different."

"Hmph." Rainbow huffed. "Fine."

"I bet I can guess who you're into..." Twilight taunted.

"Please don't." 

"Is it..."

"Stop!"

"...Rarity?"

Rainbow paused. "Huh?"

"Rarity! I bet you're into Rarity," Twilight said matter-of-factly. She trotted back out into the throne room, then turned to go up the stairs to the sitting room.

"Hey--" Rainbow went after her, flying to her side. 'What... why would you think that?"

Twilight scoffed. "Well, you guys are a lot alike! You're both passionate, bold ponies who actively pursue an important goal in your life. Then there's other things... you saved her life, for one."

"I save lots of ponies!"

"Yes, but... Rarity tends to take a lot of that stuff personally. Plus, Rarity seems to be the only pony capable of keeping you under control."

"What?!" Rainbow exclaimed. "That's ridiculous!"

"No, it isn't!" Twilight replied. She grabbed a blanket and cushion off the floor, tossing them onto a nearby sofa. "You make fun of me, you clash head-on with AJ, you barely associate with Fluttershy (let alone listen to what she has to say), and Pinkie Pie pretty much eggs you on no matter what you do!"

"Oh..." Rainbow rubbed her elbow, realizing that this was true.

"I honestly think you two would make a great match. You're kind of the, uh... the prince she's been waiting for, Twilight pointed out.

"Excuse me?"

"Yeah." Twilight smiled. "You know Rarity's always on about finding the perfect stallion... really, what she wants is a mare who takes a stallion's role. I mean, have you ever heard of a stallion who'll watch rom coms without screaming?"

"What the hay is a rom com?" Rainbow asked dramatically. She threw herself at the couch, burying her face in the pillows that rested there. 

"Whoa!" Twilight rushed to Rainbow's side. "This... this is really eating you up, huh?"

"Ugh... you have no idea..." Rainbow mumbled.

Twilight rubbed rainbow's shoulder. "Hey. You know what helps?"

"I swear to Celestia, Twi, if you say read--"

"You wanna go for a fly?"

Rainbow rolled over to look at Twilight. "You... you have no idea how bad I wanna do that."

"Great!" Twilight offered a hoof to help Rainbow up, and the two mares trotted out onto the balcony.

Before they could even take off, though, Rainbow spotted a familiar shape.

"Rarity..." Rainbow murmured.

Twilight smiled over at her friend. "I'm guessing you'd rather..." She didn't have to finish the question for Rainbow to understand.

"I... I don't know about this," she whispered. "I feel really weird..."

"It's called love, Rainbow! Honestly, how ignorant can you possibly be?" Twilight hissed back. They knew well that nopony could hear them, but for reason found it easier to speak softly.

"I-- I--" Rainbow stuttered. "No! You must be wrong, Twi."

"Oh yeah?" Twilight asked, smirking wickedly.

"Yeah!" Rainbow avoided Twilight's face.

Twilight hummed. "Well, how does she act around you?"

"I don't know, nice?" Rainbow wondered. "What kinda question is that?"

"How do you feel when she acts nice to you?" Twilight pressed.

Rainbow spluttered a bit. "Normal!"

"Right. Don't you... don't you get a little pain here?" Twilight pointed at Rainbow's chest.

"Yes! Fine, yes!" Rainbow shouted. "Why is that the first thing out of anypony's mouth? Sometimes my chest hurts, okay? Like... like after that sonic rainboom at the young fliers thing! It's just a little strain, that's all." 

"Right after you saved Rarity's life, you mean?"

Rainbow's stomach leapt up into her throat and fell thirty stories at once. "What?"

Twilight giggled. "Gosh, Rainbow. You can be so dense sometimes!"

"But I-- but I-- I!" Rainbow stuttered.

Twilight ruffled Rainbow's mane. "You love her! It's no surprise! You guys were practically meant for each other!"

"Meant for-- meant for--"

"There an echo in here? You are in love with her!" Twilight enunciated, shaking Rainbow's shoulders. "Now, go down there and tell her, or I'll invite her in."

"What? You wouldn't do that!" Rainbow yelled.

"I would. You need to show her how you feel! She's definitely got it for you! Should've seen her at your bedside!" 

"My bed... my bed--"

"Yes! You were out for three whole days! Everypony came to visit you, and Rarity was practically in tears! She told me that she came at least twice a day to see you."

Twilight continued talking, her voice fading in and out in Rainbow's ears. The pegasus' vision was slowly taken over by strangely colored shapes, like after looking directly at a bright light.

"Rainbow?" Twilight's voice murmured, as though muffled by a pillow. "Rainbow!"

Long before the mare's head hit the wooden deck of the balcony, she was out.