Gray clouds greeted Spike on his way toward the town center. He ignored the odd looks he got from the ponies he passed by; all that mattered was the thick scroll tucked under one arm as he dashed across town. Not for the last time, he wished that he could simply breathe his fire onto the scroll and let it show up at his intended destination, but of course that was only reserved for letters to and from Celestia.
But at least I’d be back home with my triple fudge hot cocoa instead of out here! Spike thought bitterly.
The light drizzle that fell as he reached town hall did nothing to dissuade him from his errand. This wasn’t just something Twilight had asked Spike to do; this was a capital-O Order straight from the Princess of Friendship. A matter of royal business. And Spike, despite his reluctance, was nothing if not a friend of the Crown.
Mayor Mare opened the door as soon as Spike knocked on it. Even in his sour mood, he couldn’t resist a giggle when he saw the tiny strand of pink hair that she’d failed to dye. Fortunately for her own sense of embarrassment, she didn’t seem to realize it herself. “Spike, what in the world are you doing out here? It’s not fit for colt nor filly in this weather!”
“Nor dragons either,” Spike groused as he handed her the scroll. “Twilight, however, insists that you get this out to the townsponies as soon as you can. She said it was a matter of public safety.”
The mayor frowned and unfurled the scroll. She squinted down at the text that Spike himself had transcribed, the words still fresh in his mind.
Fellow citizens of Ponyville,
As both your princess and your neighbor, I am just as concerned as you about the very strange storm that has taken up residence over our town. The weather team has informed me that it won’t budge despite our best efforts.
In the meantime, I urge you all to go on with your daily business in spite of the unseasonable rain and wind. I will be using my magic and organizing the pegasi weather team to manage this weather pattern and keep you all safe.
Please take precautions regarding your littlest ponies and make sure that they stay indoors as soon as it gets dark. I thank you for your patience and understanding in this terrible time.
Ever your friend and neighbor,
Twilight Sparkle
“This really is terrible,” the mayor remarked. She glanced at Spike. “And what does she want me to do with this? Post it in the town square? It’ll go flying the moment a strong wind so much as touches it.”
Spike shrugged. “Y’know, she didn’t mention that part.” Then an idea struck him and he smiled. “Maybe you could go to the Foal Free Press? Have them print the letter in tomorrow’s paper so everypony reads it.”
The mayor smiled back. “Now that does sound like a good idea! Well done, Spike!”
It wasn’t every day Spike got a little recognition for his hard work. He knew it would make the hot cocoa waiting for him at the library that much more delicious.
He exchanged a few more pleasant words with Mayor Mare before they parted ways. On his way home, Spike noticed several teams of pegasi streaking in formation across the darkening sky. He saw earth ponies throwing tarps over their vegetable gardens and boarding up their windows. When one colt went skidding across a fresh patch of mud, his unicorn mother was there to catch him with her magic and drop him onto her back before galloping back home.
Spike shook his head. This town was too nice to deserve the awful things that kept happening to it. But he trusted Twilight was being sensible about all this.
Her present good mood was, however, rather unusual. He’d found her skipping across the library—honest-to-Celestia skipping—and making such remarks as “I know we can fix this!” when confronted with a gloomy report from Rainbow Dash. Even for Twilight, this was far too optimistic. She’d been pleasant and studious at the same time, scouring books for hours in search of a solution; that was the best it was going to be around her.
Spike trudged his way back to the library door. He willed himself to grab hold of the doorknob and turn it, knowing that at least a lukewarm mug of cocoa was still waiting for him in the kitchen.
The knob turned before a familiar magenta haze surrounded Spike. He was yanked off his feet as the door opened and he was flung into the library. Twilight caught him in midair, flying about the library with a giddy smile.
“I’ve had the best ideaaaaaaa!” she exclaimed, pausing to let him drop back to the floor. Spike bounced on the wooden floorboards and rolled back to his feet. He only wished he could be more graceful about those landings. That was when he noticed the way she said idea sounded distinctly like Rarity. Another quality she’d picked up from her marefriend.
“Oh yeah?” Spike asked, dusting himself off. “That’s great. So how do we beat this storm?”
Twilight blinked and the smile fell from her face. “Huh? Oh, no, it’s not that. I’m still in the dark about this weather. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen.”
“But…” Spike tilted his head to the side. “How is that good news?”
“That’s not the good news I’m talking about.” Twilight landed on all fours and trotted over to Spike. “I figured out a way to arrange a date with both Rarity and Fluttershy!”
Spike’s claw trembled and he wanted more than anything to smack his forehead. But he knew better than to mock his sister like that. And besides, he didn’t want to admit that he was trying to find a better way to ask Sweetie Belle out on a date, too. He’d have to sneak a peek at the open book on Twilight’s desk—the source of her inspiration—when she wasn’t looking.
“That’s nice, too,” he finally said. “What’s the plan?”
Twilight paced around him in a circle, her giddy smile returning. “Well, Rarity’s favorite place to dine is Le Abreuvoir. It’s tasteful and has great food, so I know we’ll both love it there. And as for Fluttershy, it’s the only restaurant in town with soft lighting and corner tables, so she’ll be able to go out with us in total privacy. Not only that, but this will make an excellent opportunity to show the rest of Ponyville that we’ve nothing to fear from this current storm. If the three of us can have a great night out, then everypony’s going to be just fine!”
Spike had to admit that her reasoning was sound. He also noted that she had found a way to have both a romantic dinner with her two marefriends and a reassuring public relations event during a natural disaster.
You’re finally learning to think like a politician, Spike thought. I’m so proud!
Meanwhile, Twilight had gone back to her desk and summoned two fresh sheets of paper from the top drawer. “I’d hate to do this since you just got back, but I’d like you to go and tell both Rarity and Fluttershy for me.”
Spike blinked. His claw tightened around the space where a hot mug of cocoa should have been. “R-right now? In this weather?”
“Yes!”
“Can’t you just teleport to them?”
“No time, I’m afraid.” Twilight’s horn was already glowing and a levitated quill was scribbling down notes on her desk. “Rainbow Dash asked me to calculate the upcoming wind shear and barometric pressure changes so nopony on her team gets hurt. I’ve got a lot of research to do between now and tomorrow night!” She trailed off into an excited squeal and stamped her hooves on the floor.
“But I—”
“Better hurry. The rain’s only going to get worse tonight.”
Spike stared at her for a moment. Then he let out a deep breath and dashed toward the kitchen.
He made a gargantuan leap from the entryway, somersaulted across the room, and landed on the counter in a victorious pose. Without even a second’s hesitation, he downed the lukewarm cocoa in a single gulp, conjuring up a tiny puff of flame to heat the drink as it raced down his throat.
He let out a long sigh of satisfaction and patted his warm stomach. “That’s more like it. Now we’re good to go.”
The rain continued to pour down in a steady squall, a constant patter that would’ve driven anypony mad. Anypony except for Photo Frenzy, who took another sip of his hot cider and stared over the headlines of the Foal Free Press inside a juice bar.
He had to give Ponyville some credit—for a town as small as Trottingham, they were livelier in every way, from colorful festivals to a cheery, student-run newspaper. Just the sort of lateral thinking that was missing back home. Frenzy had half a mind to look up listings for a new apartment or cottage that he could lease out here, not to mention any new job openings for a qualified photographer.
That’s the plan, he decided with a grim smile. Wrap up this story, stuff it into Ed’s face when he’s proven wrong, then catch the first train back to Ponyville.
While thoughts of his coworkers at the Tattler cheering his triumphant exit still danced in his head, Frenzy realized that he wasn’t sitting alone at the bar. A cute mare with a raspberry pink mane and tail sauntered up with a notepad in her mouth. She dropped it onto the bar, then slid it forward with her hoof.
“How’s the cider?” she asked. “Anything else I can get you?”
Frenzy smiled. “It’s great, thanks. Can’t remember the last time I had hot cider like this.”
“Well, you picked the best weather for it.”
“Yeah, about that…” Frenzy reached down into his saddlebags and snatched out the press badge, which he showed to the mare. “I’m in town doing a story on this bizarre weather phenomenon. Care to comment, Miss…?”
“Berry Punch,” the mare answered. Her eyes lit up in the way most ponies did when they realized they were speaking to a real-life reporter. “And yes, I’d love to talk about this storm! It’s positively awful!”
While she spoke, Frenzy grabbed his own notepad from his saddlebags and began to write with the pen clutched in his teeth. “Mm-hmm.”
“Did you know we’re getting more than six inches of rain every two hours? It’s a nightmare for anypony who wants to grow something and that’s half of Ponyville’s economy!” Berry Punch’s face twisted up as if she were about to cry. “I mean, my poor berries…”
A momentary pang of sorrow stopped Frenzy’s writing. He glanced up at the mare, spat out the pen, and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Brave heart, Miss Punch. I figure the sooner we know what this storm’s all about, the sooner your local weather team’s gonna kick its flank to pieces.”
That got a laugh out of Berry and she wiped a tear from her eye. “You’re right, of course. That’s exactly the sort of thing that Princess Twilight likes to say.”
Frenzy’s ears perked up immediately. “I see. And what else has the Princess being saying about this storm?”
“Oh, just the usual. ‘Ponyville can weather any storm with the magic of friendship’ and so on.” Berry paused for a moment. Then she smiled and tapped her hoof on the newspaper. “Actually, I’m surprised you haven’t read about it yet. She’s due to make some big public event tomorrow night. A morale boost for the whole town.”
“Really?” Frenzy flipped through the paper with renewed vigor. He’d been so focused on the headlines that he’d neglected the society page.
And there it was on page eleven, the lead story in big bold text: Princess Twilight and Friends Host Charity Dinner.
Frenzy couldn’t write down notes quickly enough. He kept one eye on the newspaper and another on his pad, scribbling out every single key name and date he could find. Names like Rarity, Fluttershy, Spike, and Sweetie Belle. Locations like Carousel Boutique, the Everfree Forest, Le Abreuvoir, and the Golden Oaks Library. And there was the all-important time and date: tomorrow evening at seven-thirty, though the article writer speculated that Rarity—and by extension, the Princess—would be fashionably late.
Never before in all his years had Frenzy ever hit upon such a stroke of good luck. It was like the photographer who got the prize-winning shot of a Wonderbolt crossing the finish line.
He sat back on his stool and gave a relieved smile. “Thanks for the tip, Miss Punch. I’ll be glad to cover tomorrow night’s event.”
Berry looked up from the fresh glass of juice she’d been sipping. The mare gave him a smile before turning back to tend her bar. “You’re welcome.”
“I better be going. How much do I owe you for the cider?”
“On the house. Journalists drink for free here at Berry’s!”
A terrible policy, Frenzy decided, given the crass lot he knew back in Trottingham. They wrote enough nasty and speculative things while sober that the promise of free drinks was a nightmare from which Equestria would never recover. But he knew better than to spoil Berry’s good mood.
On that note, Frenzy reached down again and picked up his camera. “If you’ll indulge me, I happen to be a photojournalist and could use a few headshots of some locals for the article.”
Berry’s smile widened. “Oh my stars, yes! I’d love to be in your paper!” She immediately struck a pose, a half-decent imitation of a Manehattan fashion model.
Frenzy chuckled and lifted the camera. For a second, he imagined Twilight Sparkle on the other end of it. Not the bitter member of royalty he’d encountered before, but the more pleasant mare he’d heard so much about. And he imagined how he’d have to explain himself to her once this whole story was done and printed. Yes, Your Highness, I spared no expense to find the truth, just as you would’ve done…
It was about time that both of them started to take their jobs a little more seriously.
“Hold it,” he said to Berry Punch and adjusted his lens. “And… smile!”
Fluttershy did her best not to cringe as Rarity continued plucking at her eyebrows and primping her mane. She wished her marefriend didn’t have to go to so much trouble. It was only dinner with Twilight, nothing that a simple dress and a little brush couldn’t solve.
Except… it really wasn’t so simple.
“Do you really think there’ll be press there?” Fluttershy asked. Her voice trailed off into a light “Ah-choo!” as Rarity dosed her with another puff of hairspray.
“Sorry, love.” Rarity coughed and wiped away the cloud of styling spray. “No, I’m quite sure that there won’t be anypony from out of town. Not in this weather, anyway. Most likely some young colt to take pictures for the Foal Free Press.” She offered a disdainful sniff. “Twilight told me she only wanted local publicity.”
For somepony like Fluttershy, publicity was only a fine line away from scrutiny. She remembered well the pitfalls of being in the public eye during her short-lived modeling career. She dreaded the prospect of so many eyes staring at her. All those eyes, judging her.
Don’t disappoint the family. Her father’s stern voice echoed in her head. Fluttershy ducked on reflex.
But she had to remind herself that Twilight was going to be there, too. As far as anypony knew, it was nothing more than the Princess and two of her friends out for dinner. Yes, nothing more than that. No reason to be suspicious of the love talk they whispered over a plate of hayfries.
Slouching in the chair Rarity had set up in her dressing room, Fluttershy glanced at their reflections in the mirror. They wore simple frocks in matching styles, with a dark blue for Rarity and a light green for Fluttershy. Rarity had added a few braids to Fluttershy’s mane and given herself one or two extra curls. Nothing overly formal, of course. Enough flair to draw the discerning pony’s eye, Rarity had insisted with a dreamy smile.
Fluttershy would’ve sat and fretted about it the entire night, but fortunately, there was a knock at the front door to distract her.
“Ah, there she is!” Rarity turned before calling out, “The door’s open, darling! Do come in and make yourself comfortable!”
As Rarity put the finishing touches on their manestyles, Fluttershy listened to the sound of anxious hoofsteps trotting upstairs. A moment later, she heard the door open and turned around in her chair to see Twilight panting and smiling back.
She hadn’t changed her mane, though she wore a lovely lavender fragrance. Fluttershy recognized it as the birthday gift Rarity had given her just last year. But the real surprise was in Twilight’s attire. She wore her crown, as well as a golden breastplate with her cutie mark emblazoned on the front. On her hooves were four golden slippers, all neatly polished and gleaming.
Fluttershy blinked. “Goodness, Twilight. You look just like Princess Celestia!”
“Hardly!” Rarity pranced over to Twilight’s side, sweeping her into a side hug and a nuzzle. “I daresay she looks better!”
“It’s nothing much,” said Twilight as she gave her breastplate a quick polish with her hoof. “I was supposed to get my official regalia at the coronation, but it took the craftsponies at the palace a little longer to get them made to my specifications.” She grinned. “I’ve just been waiting for the right opportunity to use them.”
Rarity giggled. “Well, you couldn’t have picked a better night!” She sighed and dropped forward; Twilight barely caught her in time. “Oh, isn’t this marvellous! A royal charity dinner! I must be dreaming!”
“I wish I was dreaming,” Fluttershy mumbled. But even she had to admit that Twilight did look good in her regalia. She was the most modest-looking princess in Equestria. And the cutest, Fluttershy added silently.
Twilight, having helped Rarity back to her hooves and complimented her dress, now turned to Fluttershy with a huge smile. “You look lovely, Fluttershy.”
“Thanks, so do you.”
A shadow crossed Twilight’s face as she took a step closer. “I hope you’re not too nervous about going out tonight.”
The pounding of her heart confirmed it, but Fluttershy put on a brave face and said, “N-no, not at all.” Then, after clearing her throat, she added, “I mean, I’d do anything for you, Twilight. It’s an important night for everypony—eep!”
She broke into a squeal as Twilight lunged forward and wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy. Stunned, all Fluttershy could do was sink into her embrace. She glanced over Twilight’s shoulder and saw Rarity watching them with a delighted smile.
“I just want you to know something,” Twilight whispered into Fluttershy’s ear, her warm breath making the pegasus melt inside. “You’re my marefriend. You and Rarity are the most important ponies in the whole wide world to me. There’s no way you can embarrass me tonight, all right?” She leaned down and kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. “Just be yourself and have a little fun, okay?”
“O-okay…” Fluttershy returned the hug and smiled against Twilight’s neck. “If you say so…”
Twilight pulled back, still grinning from ear to ear. “Consider it a royal decree to my dearest subjects.” She back at Rarity. “And that goes for you, too.”
Rarity gave a jaunty salute. “Yes, Your Highness!”
Now Fluttershy was laughing, her fears completely forgotten. What did she have to fear when she could listen to Twilight’s reassuring voice forever? Between her voice and Rarity’s loving smile, Fluttershy felt empowered to do anything she wanted.
And besides, it really had been a while since they’d enjoyed a nice, quiet meal together. Fluttershy felt she deserved a little fine cuisine tonight.
Twilight reached out and took Fluttershy by the hoof. They walked toward the door as Rarity fell into step beside Twilight, using her magic to turn down the lights in the boutique on their way out into the cold autumn evening.
Shouldering his way through the crowd of fellow paparazzi—and the thought of equating himself with them left such a bad taste in his mouth—Photo Frenzy made it to the very edge of the red carpet. A pair of earth ponies in work vests were still setting up the canopy over the grounds outside Le Abreuvoir, Ponyville’s most esteemed restaurant. With so much turbulence in the air, it seemed as if heavy rainfall was inevitable.
That didn’t make being bunched up with a dozen other photographers and local bystanders any easier, but Photo Frenzy could put up with it. If he could put up with several years at a two-bit newspaper, then this was a cakewalk.
He adjusted the exposure on his camera and peered through the tiny lens at the red carpet. Satisfied at the intensity of color coming in, Frenzy nodded to himself and put down his camera.
And not a moment too soon. Everypony around him burst into cheers as a carriage, drawn by two local stallions, pulled up to the red carpet. Frenzy raised his camera and took aim at the door. He licked his lips and whispered a short prayer to Celestia—then realized how absurd it was that he was praying to the mentor of the very pony he was trying to get pictures of.
We live in an age where Discord roams free, Frenzy mused. The world’s allowed to be absurd.
The door opened and then came the inevitable chorus from the crowds.
“Princess Twilight! Three cheers for Her Highness!”
“Your Highness, Your Highness! Over here, please!”
“Yes, please! Miss Rarity! Can we just get a shot of you and Her Highness!”
“Is that Fluttershy! Ma’am, if you wouldn’t mind stepping a little closer…!”
Frenzy snapped off one shot after another, making sure his camera was up to block his face in case Twilight Sparkle happened to take notice of him. Not that she could anyway, what with all those camera bulbs flashing and blinding everypony. Still, Frenzy was slow and deliberate with his shots. Ed might have hated him for it, but he couldn’t complain about the quality of Frenzy’s photos, especially when they made the front page of the Tattler time after time.
Now that he was close enough, he got a good look at the Princess and her friends. Frenzy snapped another photo, perfectly framing all three mares as they made their way up the red carpet and into the restaurant. He took a moment to observe them, noting the way Fluttershy cringed back from the cameras—a nest of vipers to her eyes, unless she didn’t think vipers were all that scary. Twilight leaned over and whispered something into her ear, and Fluttershy put on a brave smile—
Wait. Frenzy leaned forward and snapped another picture. Surely he was seeing things. He had to be.
He didn’t know for certain, but he could have sworn he’d just seen Twilight plant a kiss on Fluttershy’s cheek. A friendly gesture to be sure, but not one often shown in public, even between mares. The more he looked, the more details Frenzy noticed, like that blush on Fluttershy’s cheeks and the way Twilight’s eyes flashed with joy for only a second before they fell back into step alongside Rarity. And Rarity hadn’t even batted an eye at this behavior.
Though he hated to admit it, Frenzy had read the Tattler’s latest stories about Twilight and Rarity being the hottest celebrity couple in Equestria. But this reaction with Fluttershy seemed a touch too intimate, didn’t it?
Mentally, Photo Frenzy kicked himself. He really needed a new job. Now he was starting to think like a gossipmonger.
He sighed and hefted his camera again, snapping a few more photos as the trio entered Le Abreuvoir, escorted by a smiling maître d’ in a red coat. Only a few more photos once they left, he promised himself, and then he go back to Trottingham and deliver the bad news to his editor. Nothing was going to change his mind about that.
“Madames, welcome to Le Abreuvoir,” said Garçon, guiding the three mares to their table near the center of the restaurant. “We are so pleased that you could join us this evening in spite of the weather and look forward to making your time with us as pleasant as possible.”
Twilight smiled back. “Thank you, Garçon. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Rarity leaned forward and offered a wink to the maître d’. “We’ll have a bottle of the usual, if you please. And then, I think, some mushroom tartlets to start.”
Garçon nodded while she spoke, committing every word to memory. Twilight had always admired that about him, even if she’d been too depressed for the last few months to realize it. As he left with their order, she looked around the restaurant. She couldn’t tell if the staff had gone the extra mile in decorating everything for tonight or if she was simply in a far better mood after coming here with Rarity during the first few months after her breakup. Perhaps it was both.
When she looked back at the table, Twilight stopped and smiled. Rarity and Fluttershy were speaking in hushed tones as Fluttershy read through the menu. The dear little pegasus was looking more confident by the minute, especially with Rarity’s reassuring voice in her ear. Twilight could sit and watch her two beloveds, though she didn’t want them to feel left out.
Besides, there were enough ponies inside and outside the restaurant watching their every move. The things that Twilight really wanted to do and say with her marefriends would have to wait. Her public image, unfortunately, came first.
“So, Fluttershy,” said Twilight as soon as the other mare had looked up from her menu, “I imagine you and Rarity came here a lot together.”
“Yes, when we could both afford it.” Fluttershy shot a sweet smile at Rarity. “It was our little treat at the end of every month. We’d meet at the spa and then spend the rest of our bits on a nice lunch.”
“I do miss those days,” Rarity sighed. Then she perked up and glanced at Twilight, blushing. “Er, of course, I wouldn’t dream of regretting the time we all spend together now, darling.”
Twilight giggled. “It’s okay, I know what you meant.” She reached her front hooves across the table, taking hold of both Rarity and Fluttershy. “I want you two to be happy with each other as well as with me. Whatever happens, no matter how long this storm goes on, we’ll face it together. Promise?”
“Promise,” Rarity said.
“Of course we will,” Fluttershy added softly.
Twilight wanted to kiss them both so badly, but she could feel everypony watching, even if it was only a few stolen glances. She sat back in her chair and readjusted the napkin on her lap.
How had it been for Celestia and Luna, if they even had romances of their own? For that matter, how did Cadance ever manage things with Shining Armor before their wedding? Twilight couldn’t imagine the press hounding her brother at every turn—though, as a member of the Royal Guard, he wasn’t that hard to find. Twilight herself hadn’t even heard about the wedding until she’d gotten a letter from Celestia; perhaps the elder Princess had issued a media injunction. Or maybe the news was just slow to reach Ponyville.
Garçon soon returned with a chilled bottle of strawberry wine and a plate of mushroom tartlets. He bowed his head and backed away in a fluid pace. “Bon appetit, madames.”
Rarity immediately floated a tartlet to her mouth and took a bite. She squealed and took several more, devouring the whole thing in seconds. “Mmm! Sublime as ever!”
Twilight took a nibble from her own and glanced back at Fluttershy, who was eyeing the dish and dragging her hoof toward it. She rolled her eyes and floated her own tartlet to the pegasus, who looked at in surprise.
“I don’t mind sharing,” Twilight whispered. She slid a quick glance to the side. One or two ponies had glanced in their direction, but everypony else was too busy enjoying their own meals to notice. And that was the whole point of tonight, wasn’t it?
Fluttershy sniffed the tartlet before taking a tiny bite. Then she smiled and ate the rest. Twilight giggled and picked up her napkin, wiping off a few crumbs from her marefriend’s face.
“Th-that’s quite all right,” Fluttershy stammered, still smiling. “I can manage.”
“I know you can, but I like helping you.” Twilight pulled back her napkin and gave it a soft kiss before dropping back onto her lap. “Do you know, Shy, you look adorable when you’re a little bit helpless?”
Rarity frowned. “That’s hardly fair, Twilight. She’s not some delicate flower—”
“Oh, but I am!” Fluttershy squeaked when both mares turned toward her. Then she added, “I-I mean, I know I’ve faced a lot of scary things with your help, but I don’t mind being weak compared to everypony else.” She shrank back into her chair. “A-actually, it’s being humiliated that I can’t bear.”
Twilight reached out and took Fluttershy’s hoof into both of her own. “Remember what I told you earlier, Fluttershy. There is no way you can embarrass me.” She smiled. “And that goes double for you. As your princess, I simply won’t allow it.”
Rarity nudged Fluttershy with her elbow. “Oh my, a royal decree. I’d listen if I were you, dear.”
That got a laugh from Fluttershy—a soft, tinkling sound that never failed to warm Twilight’s heart. She decided to take a risk and bent down to kiss Fluttershy’s hoof.
She thought she heard a tiny gasp somewhere in the background, but what did she care? It was a friendly gesture and nothing more. What kind of twisted mind could read a romantic subtext in something so innocent?
Garçon returned a few minutes later to take their dinner order, and as the background hum of the restaurant went on as usual, Twilight found herself starting to relax. She was beginning to feel comfortable in her new roles: as a marefriend, as a princess, and as a celebrity.
She’d never felt this way around Flash, no matter how hard she’d tried. Maybe it was for the best, then. Twilight leaned back in her chair, marveling at the quiet confidence on Fluttershy’s face as she ordered her meal and the proud expression that Rarity wore, which matched the rest of her ensemble so well.
Even with the stormclouds rumbling overhead, this night was still spectacular.
Photo Frenzy glanced up as thunder rolled across the sky. He frowned and looked over at the cream-colored mare standing beside him in the press pool. “Bit dangerous for a public event, don’t you think?”
“Y-you’re telling me!” The poor mare was shivering as she pulled her cloak tight around her shoulders. “I-I’m not risking my life for a few more photos, editor or not!” And with that, she turned and galloped off into the night.
Frenzy watched her leave, half-tempted to join her. Then he looked down at his camera. The roll of film inside was almost used up: a few surreptitious location shots of Carousel Boutique and the Golden Oaks Library, some headshots of the locals, and of course glamour photos of the celebrity couple and their plus-one Fluttershy. Not bad for a full day’s work, but something was still bothering him.
Was it that kiss? It was entirely possible that Photo Frenzy had imagined the whole thing. A tiny stress-induced hallucination, surely.
And yet… the storm. Photo Frenzy craned his neck around to glance at the dark gray, almost black, clouds that blanketed the skies. It had been overcast all day, but the storm hadn’t grown any fiercer until the royal carriage had shown up. And the more he thought about it, the more Frenzy wondered about Daily Edition’s whole tabloid-fueled hypothesis.
What several of our readers and I would like to know is what connection there—if any—between this recurring storm and Princess Twilight…
Frenzy was ready to believe it wasn’t true. And yet here he was, watching Equestria’s most powerful student of magic enter a restaurant, giving stolen kisses to somepony who wasn’t her marefriend, right before the storm grew stronger and deadlier.
Nothing made sense here. Did Twilight’s emotions somehow influence the storm? Was her passion responsible for all this drama? And when had this storm occurred exactly? The initial sightings had been almost six months prior—just around the time when Twilight Sparkle and Flash Sentry’s breakup had been officially announced following an airship crash.
An airship crash, Frenzy recalled, in the heart of the Everfree Forest. Right here this sinister weather pattern had first emerged.
No, it couldn’t be possible. It seemed far too unlikely that some bitter photojournalist from Trottingham had stumbled across a major magical crisis when there were hundreds of more qualified mages and scholars in Canterlot keeping an eye on things. Surely Princess Celestia and Princess Luna knew far more about the storm than they let on and were taking steps to contain it. So perhaps that was what all this was about.
That concept suited Frenzy a lot more than Ed’s wild accusation. Far more rational to think that Celestia or Luna had lured the storm to Ponyville, where their Princess-in-training could contain it or perhaps even dispel it with her own magic.
That was it, then. Photo Frenzy knew exactly what story he was going to tell Ed the moment he got back, his own career be damned.
“Anypony want this spot?” he asked, glancing back. “I’m off.”
Three mares and one stallion argued with each other over his cherished spot in the front of the crowd, giving Frenzy a chance to slip away unnoticed. He chuckled and trotted back to his hotel.
Spike yawned and rubbed at his jaw. Sitting up in his tiny bed, he stretched out his arms and let the memories of last night play over him. He’d never realized how funny Sweetie Belle was; she’d kept him up with all her stories and wild schemes for getting a cutie mark. Spike had to admit that she was the only filly who could almost make him skip a meal just to hear another of her strange tales.
Almost being the key phrase, of course. Spike patted his tummy and jumped out of bed in an instant. Then he grinned and raced downstairs toward the kitchen.
He was halfway there when somepony knocked on the front door. Growling, Spike turned to answer it; he promised his poor stomach that there’d be plenty of hotcakes to devour soon enough.
When he opened the door, he smiled. “Hey, Derpy.”
“Hiya, Spike!” The mailmare grinned and reached into her saddlebag, producing a rolled-up newspaper. “Here ya go!”
“Thanks!” Spike took the paper and waved. “Oh, and tell Dinky I said hi!”
“You bet!” Derpy Hooves was still smiling as she trotted away.
Spike chuckled and closed the door. He yanked the rubber band off the newspaper and unfurled it. A quick skim of the front page headlines and then he’d go make breakfast.
But the moment he read the top story, all thoughts of blueberry and sapphire hotcakes vanished from his mind. His stomach curdled as he continued to read.
“Good morning, Spike!” Twilight called out. She came trotting downstairs at a brisk pace. “Isn’t today lovely?”
“I, uh…” Spike coughed into his fist. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that…”
Twilight tilted her head and gave him a quizzical frown. “What’s wrong?”
“You’d… better read this.”
Twilight floated the paper out of his grip. Spike braced himself for the outrage that was sure to come pouring out of her the moment she read the front page headline.
An Affair to Remember? Princess Twilight and the Storm of Passion.