Twilight gave a deep sigh. “Rainbow, when I was under the tutelage of Princess Celestia, I thought I didn’t have time for friends, let alone love. I’m a Princess now and busier than ever.”
“I understand…” Rainbow lowered her head.
Twilight used a hoof to lift Rainbow’s chin. She tilted her head and went in for the kiss. Rainbow’s wings and eyes shot open. Slowly she calmed herself and returned the gentle passion of the lip lock.
Rainbow’s chest was still pounding when she spoke. “Twilight, I thought…”
Twilight smiled, confidently. “I mastered Starswirl’s time spell, we’ve fought off Changeling Armies, we faced evil gods and all the odds. I think we can handle a little romance.”
Rainbow swallowed then gushed. “Omigosh, omigosh, omigosh! I’ll have to train up the new officers to take charge. Maybe Spitfire and Soarin could help. I’ll have to call the moving company for my stuff! I’ll have to-”
Twilight smiled as Rainbow recited a list of things for her to prepare. “Rainbow, it’s alright. Even if you can’t yet fulfill the Captain part fully, we still can be Companions.” Twilight winked. “I’m thinking about having my new offices near the soldier barracks.”
Rainbow relaxed but found her wings were still deployed. She tried to calmly hide her enthusiasm. “That sounds totally awesome, Twilight.”
Twilight’s magic sparked and the room’s lock clicked. With a mischievous grin, the lavender Alicorn leapt onto the bed and moved towards Rainbow with panther like litheness.
Rainbow noticed the heightened beeping of the her hospital heart rate monitor. “Whoa, Twilight!”
Twilight backed off and examined Rainbow’s bandages. “Your injuries? I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you. I-”
Rainbow chuckled internally; Twilight was still the nerd she loved. As Twilight sputtered onward, Rainbow braced herself. What was pleasure without pain? Griffins were known to take both in equal measure. She entertained the idea she was also a predatory beast.
Rainbow growled and pounced Twilight with kisses upon her neck.
“Oh Captain!” Twilight moaned. “My Captain!”
New recruits in the Canterlot Barracks Cafeteria took their meals with a healthy helping of conversation. The background chatter was silenced when the Cafeteria doors were slammed open. An orange Pegasus was panting, heavily.
A Royal Guard saluted then asked. “Lieutenant Scootaloo, what’s going on?”
In between breaths, Scootaloo spoke. “The Mage Commander-”
“What about the Commander?”
“-and The Wonderbolt Colonel are-”
A collective cry came from the soldiers. “What?!”
Scootaloo grinned then shouted atop her lungs. “-dueling!”
Some ponies gulped down their meals while others scurried off, abandoning theirs altogether. Chairs and benches were kicked aside as there came a mad dash for the doors.
Sparks flew as Rainbow dodged bolt after magic bolt. Several training dummies in the courtyard were blown apart in a spray of hay.
Twilight’s Mages Corp robes flickered with power as her eyes glowed. “You’ll put used clothes in the laundry hamper or so help me Dash!”
Rainbow swiveled for a lance lunge. “Seriously, Twilight, it’s not fair if you use an animate spell on the house furniture to do your share of the chores!”
“Done, I’ll use less magic! Tonight’s your turn to do the dishes, Dashie!”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I said I’ll do them!” Rainbow ran towards Twilight.
Twilight flapped her wings, barely evading Rainbow’s attack.
Rainbow skidded on the sandy ground and turned. “You’re going to keep up your training regimen so your wings don’t become decorations!”
“Fine!” Twilight fired another barrage of bolts.
Rainbow outpaced the explosive bursts of magic. She swiftly turned and closed in during Twilight’s pause. “You’ll keep up with your diet!”
Rainbow and Twilight met face to face as Rainbow’s practice lance slapped Twilight’s flanks. “Got ya. You’ll have to keep up with your diet so that fat flank stays in shape.” Rainbow gave a toothy grin.
Twilight used her eyes and gestured to her horn that was already charged for another bolt. “I got you too. Rainbow, you’re going to organize your paperwork and your clothes.”
Both combatants gave each other a lusty look.
Rainbow’s hot breath tickled Twilight. “I like it when you build a sweat.”
Twilight pressed her muzzle to Rainbow’s ear. “We’ll be sweating more later.”
Their moment was interrupted by cheers from the different divisions of Guards. Members of the Mages Corp tossed their wizard hats upwards while Wonderbolt recruits did small aerial flips. Undecided recruits, who wore generic armor, whooped. Both girls blushed as they became aware of their audience.
Upon a cloud, Twilight and Rainbow lay with their wings wrapped around each other.
“That was an awesome show.” said Rainbow.
“I hope we put up a convincing performance,” said Twilight, twiddling her hooves. “I’m sorry if I was too forceful.”
“Nah, you were perfect.” Rainbow swatted her hooves. “The newbies seem to love it. We’ll get recruits to join both our divisions.”
Twilight nodded. “It’s gotten me thinking, maybe Equestria could do better if we have integrated units. Magic and might would be good combination.”
“Any excuse to see me more, huh?” Rainbow tossed her head back, nonchalantly.
Twilight grinned. “You’ll pay for that fat flank comment.”
“Make me, jelly belly.” Rainbow pressed her muzzle to Twilight’s tummy and blew, causing her to squeal.
Twilight flailed her hooves. “Stop, I’m ticklish there!”
“I know.”
“I know your weak spot too!” Twilight passed her hooves through Rainbow’s wings to the tips. The Pegasus became paralyzed as her tongue lolled out and she fell onto her back.
Twilight had sat up and stared at the world below from their cloud mattress. “I’m really glad we did this.”
“Me too. Sometimes it scares me to be this happy.”
Twilight pulled Rainbow into her wings. “Don’t be. This isn’t the end, it’s only the beginning. We have the rest of our lives.”
Rainbow looked sadly at Twilight’s horn and wings. “Maybe mine. I wish I could be there for you always though… I held back before because I didn’t want you to be sad. I’m afraid when I’m gone, that’ll give you the biggest hurt of them all. Every moment together I’m hurting you… I can’t....I...”
Twilight gently placed her forehead against Rainbow’s. “I have just as many years as you. We’ll grow gray together.”
“Wait, Twilight you didn’t have to-”
“I want to; eons would pass without another Rainbow Dash.”
“Let’s not waste a second more then.” Rainbow extended her wings, a tip of hers touched Twilight’s wing. “There’s another tradition among Pegasi, it’s rather a difficult maneuver.”
Twilight’s wings stood on ends. “The nuptial flight, the wingtip to wingtip dance! I’ve been training for this! I read the diagrams and manuals.” She bounced upon the cloud. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Stop cheating and reading ahead of the lesson plan. We’re not dancing. It’s totally serious.”
Twilight sat at attention reminiscent of foalhood school days. “Okay, Ms. Dash, teach me.”
Rainbow smiled, and began her explanation. “Now this dance…”
Since before the first Weather Warlord, since the first Pegasus took to their wings, it was an age old ballet. They spiraled together in the air, swishing through the clouds, and entwined in each other’s flight paths. Above in the heavens, the world bore witness to their union. Wingtip by wingtip, enraptured by their partners’ glow, two forms faded into the light of the sinking sun.