//------------------------------// // Additional Responsibility // Story: Rainbow Unicorn: Friendship is Magic // by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof //------------------------------// Rainbow Burst walked along the halls of the royal castle. She let out a huff, blowing some of the stray strands of her rainbow colored mane out of her face. "Do you think she knows?" Spike asked. "About... you know...Blueblood?" The young dragon looked at the back of the mare's head from his position on her back. He held the letter from Princess Celestia in one claw close to his chest. "Probably," Rainbow responded. "I mean Blueblood does tend to tell her what we did." "We don't know that. We've never seen him tell on us." "Who else would, though?" "The guard?" Spike suggested. "Do you remember when we got in trouble for pranking the guard?" Rainbow asked, trying to look at Spike from over her shoulder. Spike paused and thought about it, scratching at the base of his ear fin. They had played some pranks on the guard from time to time. Not as often as on Prince Blueblood, and nothing serious. After all, the two of them liked most of the guards and it was a bad idea to upset the ponies who were supposed to be protecting you. After some thinking, Spike remembered what happened. Not the actual prank itself, but what happened because of it. He and Rainbow were escorted to the office of the captain. Talking about it after, the two had been expecting some sort of punishment, like running the obstacle course. Instead, the captain said that he had no problem with pranks on the soldiers, it could be helpful in learning to deal with the unexpected. However, time and place had to be considered so that such acts neither put anypony in danger (they never did) nor interfere with the performance of duties (that one might have actually happened). After, Spike and Rainbow Burst were given a list of new recruits who might be a prime target for "initiation." "What about it?" he asked. "I'm pretty sure that if the guard were telling us," Rainbow responded, "they would bring us to Celestia with them when they told. Otherwise, they would just keep it among themselves." Spike looked at the unicorn a moment as they continued down the hall. He was not completely clear how she had come to that conclusion, but it did make sense. "One of the servants?" he suggested. "After the way he treats them?" "Yeah..." Spike said slowly, rolling his eyes. From what they had seen, Blueblood had a tendency to ignore the servants. With two exceptions: bossing them around to make them do something he wants, or yelling at them for doing something wrong (even though it was normally his fault and could have been avoided if he watched where he was going). Judging from some of the looks a few have given to Prince Blueblood behind his back, they would like to do more than just some embarrassing pranks to him. The two of them reached the door to Princess Celestia's quarters. Neither guard said anything as the pair approached. Instead, one reached up and took a hold of the door to push it open. Rainbow Burst looked at the guards and let out a sigh. She moved past the two and into the room. "Princess Celestia?" Rainbow called out. "Rainbow Burst," Celestia said, "Spike. Please come in." Spike hopped off of Rainbow's back as the two of them stepped further into Princess Celestia's quarters. The princess stood beside her pillow, watching the pair. As they walked further into her room, she approached them. The princess lowered her head, looking at Rainbow Burst at eye level. "It seems you have gotten Prince Blueblood quite upset," Celestia stated. "I am curious though. How were you able to make water cause his hair to go like that?" "I just added a delay spell to a hairstyle spell," Rainbow explained. "I casted it earlier when he was busy, but made it so it wouldn't work until it was triggered. In this case, it was by getting wet." "That is a very clever trick," Celestia said. "Thanks," Rainbow Burst said with a grin. "It's a shame you don't do more with it than attempting to annoy him." Rainbow Burst's cheeks turned pink as she looked away, ears pinning back against her head and nose scrunching. Celestia narrowed her eyes at the unicorn, a small smirk forming on her mouth. "Perhaps," the princess said slowly, "it's because you have an infatuation with the prince?" "What?!" Rainbow Burst and Spike both cried out in surprise, eyes wide as they stared at Celestia. "You think I like him?" Rainbow asked. Spike found this all very funny. So much so that he fell over in laughter. "It's nothing to be ashamed of," the princess continued. "I think you two would be wonderful for each other. If you like, I could have you and him married by this weekend." "Married?!" Rainbow Burst squeaked out. "To him?" She shuddered. "That's gross. That's wrong. That's... that's..." She stopped as her mind shifted, working on it a moment. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the princess. "You're messing with me, aren't you?" "Correct," Celestia said with a grin. "Although if you were seriously interested, it could be arranged for you to be married rather quickly." She raised an eyebrow. "If not to Blueblood, then perhaps to a certain pegasus that is a lieutenant in the royal guard." Rainbow Burst's eyes went wide as her ears flopped. With a shake of her head, she looked away, eyes narrowed as her cheeks turned a bright red. "I don't know what you're talking about." This immediately got a burst of laughter from Spike, making Rainbow blush harder. "Well it is rather off the subject anyways," Princess Celestia stated. "Getting back to the matter at hoof. You seem to be causing more mischief than usual as of late, as well as having it become much more elaborate." Rainbow and Spike looked at each other, but said nothing. After all, what was there to say? It was true. As much as she enjoyed being Princess Celestia's personal student and learning under her, Rainbow Burst had been feeling... restless seemed like the right word. "Perhaps," the princess continued, "it is time for you to be given more responsibility as well as spend some time among ponies your own age." "...What?" Rainbow muttered, blinking in confusion. Celestia stood up to her full height and turned around. Her horn began to glow with a golden light as she took a hold of a scroll. "Are you aware of what event is coming up?" "The Summer Sun Celebration?" Rainbow Burst guessed. She glanced over at Spike, trying to figure out where this was going and getting a shrug in return. "Correct," Celestia responded. "And I am expecting...." She looked at the scroll a moment."...it to be special." Princess Celestia rolled the scroll back up and turned back to Rainbow Burst and Spike. "As such, I am sending you and Spike to supervise." She held the scroll out. "It is being held in a town called Ponyville. This list contains whom is supposed to be responsible for which portion: food, music, decor, and so on." Rainbow stared at the scroll, then up at the princess. Her face scrunched up as she tried to process what was going on. "So... let me see if I got this." She took the scroll and passed it to Spike. "I give Blubberbutt a messed up mane, and we dump water on him, making him mad." She narrowed her eyes. "And you decide that the best solution is to give me 'more responsibility' by putting me in charge of a major celebration?" Princess Celestia smiled and moved closer. Leaning down, she nuzzled her student gently. "I believe it will do you some good. Plus, it will give you the opportunity to spend some time outside of Canterlot and -- most importantly -- to make some friends." "...Friends?" "Friends," Celestia repeated. "It would do you good to have some friends." "I have friends," Rainbow snapped, pulling away. She stopped when she felt Princess Celestia's hoof on her cheek, turning the unicorn to look eye to eye. "Rainbow," Celestia said gently, "I appreciate how well you get along with the guards and staff, but it is not actually the same as friendship." "But Spike-" Rainbow started before being stopped by a wave of a hoof. "Is more like a little brother and an accomplice than a friend." Rainbow Burst and Spike looked at each other, thinking about it. "Yeah," Rainbow admitted. "It's true," Spike replied. "So it's decided," Princess Celestia stated. "The two of you will leave first thing in the morning- Rainbow Burst let out a groan. "- and head to Ponyville. There you will check on the preparations for The Summer Sun Celebration, and hopefully make some friends." Rainbow looked at the checklist one last time. She took a deep breath and looked up at the princess. "You can count on me, Princess." She gave a salute. "I'll do my best." Princess Celestia reached out and ran a hoof through Rainbow's tousled mane. "I know you will. And know that whatever happens, I am already proud of you. "Now you two should go get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you." Rainbow smiled and gave a nod. "Okay. C'mon Spike." Rainbow Burst and Spike headed for the door, leaving the princess alone. Once the door shut behind them, Princess Celestia let out a sigh. Her large form sagged as her head drooped. Her mane and tail turned paler, moving less with their magical energies. Tears leaked from her eyes, dripping onto the stone floor. With a flicker of her magic, she opened the glass double doors and went out onto the balcony. Walking to the banister, Princess Celestia looked up. It was a clear and beautiful night. The stars were shining brightly far above Canterlot. The moon was full and bright, except for a faint silhouette of what looked like the head of a unicorn. "No matter what," she whispered, "I'm already proud."