Twilight and Rarity stood in the basement of the library. Rarity had brought over variously colored fabrics and string at Twilight's request. All the alabaster mare knew was that Twilight planned on making a special kind of cloth that would mimic the sun's light. This would create the perfect banner for this year's summer sun celebration and this year's festival would be a big one. Applejack and Pinkie had been assigned catering, Fluttershy on music, and Rainbow on weather duty. Rarity was doing the decor again and she was having trouble finding the best material to use for this year's celebration, at least until Twilight showed up.
"So, what exactly are you doing again?" Rarity asked.
"I already told you, Rarity!" Twilight replied.
"Yes, but I just want to make sure. These materials were very expensive and I'd hate to have them ruined in some silly experiment!"
"It's not silly, but I'm trying to create a solution that will simulate a ruby's luster, that way the fabric will shimmer just like the sun!"
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"By using this stone," Twilight held up an orange stone that resembled a sun, "and mixing it with the aluminum oxide in the ruby, then adding a bit of lucid magic and voila! A fabric that shines just like the sun! Perfect for the Summer Sun Celebration."
Rarity nodded in understanding. When she had first told Twilight of her problem, all her friend had told her was that she had the perfect solution to her problem, however this wasn't quite what she had in mind. Nonetheless, Rarity appreciated Twilight's help and if this worked it would turn out to be an amazing display.
Twilight lifted a beaker full of aluminum oxide and placed it on a table. She then broke the sun stone into very tiny pieces, then dropped them into the aluminum. After the pieces had dissolved, Twilight then picked up a ruby from a box underneath the table. Upon closer inspection Rarity found that the box was filled to the brim with the red gem.
"Twilight, how in Equestria did you acquire all of these rubies?"
"Oh, uh I sorta had Spike hold on to some while you guys were on your gem hunts." Twilight smiled sheepishly.
"What!?" Rarity cried.
SoTHAT'S why I was missing some! I knew that my count was off!
Twilight dropped the ruby in the beaker and watched as it's color and luster were drained from the stone leaving it dull. Twilight then removed the stone from the beaker and watched the chemicals mix and swirl. There was a ferocious bubbling, then the liquid simmered down to still waters.
"Now, all we need to do is add some magic," Twilight's horn lit up and enveloped the beaker. Rarity watched as Twilight fused the magic with the solution and create a sparkling pink water, "and now we'll leave it out in the sun for a bit."
Twilight grabbed the beaker and walked upstairs. Rarity followed her friend up into the foyer of the library. It was relatively quiet, save for Spike's faint humming in the kitchen. Rarity peered in and saw the baby dragon wearing his signature apron and hat while mixing a bowl of batter. He had a gentle smile on his face and he was doing a little dance while he worked. Rarity grinned, then followed Twilight up to the balcony.
Twilight opened the doorway to the balcony and placed the beaker on the stand outside. The sun was very intense, so this would be the most opportune time to allow some of the sun's UV rays to mix with the potion.
"With this intense heat, it shouldn't take long for the potion to mix. We'll just need to keep an eye on it so nothing happens." Twilight stated matter-of-factually.
"Uh, Twilight?" Spike called from the doorway.
"What?" Twilight asked.
"Where's the sugar?"
"It should be in the cabinet."
"Which one?"
"The one next to the stove."
" Already checked that one and there was nothing there!"
"Are you sure? Did you double check?"
"Yes and yes!"
Twilight sighed. "Alright, hold on. Rarity, do you think you could keep an eye on this and make sure nothing happens?"
"Of course, darling! I'll make sure nothing happens to it!" Rarity replied confidently.
Twilight smiled and walked with Spike down to the kitchen. Rarity turned back to the beaker. It wasn't very big, maybe a 6 inches at best. Rarity wondered how in Equestria Twilight was planning to use this tiny amount of solution to make ALL the fabric she was using sparkle, that is if it even worked. Rarity had faith in her friend's endeavor granted that most of the time Twilight knew what she was doing, most of the time.
Rarity zoned out, not paying any attention to the beaker which was now starting to bubble viciously. Twilight and Spike were still in the kitchen, the former questioning where exactly her sugar had gone and the latter beginning to lose his patience. The beaker continued to bubble and started to rattle on the wooden stand. The violent shaking drew Rarity out of her ruse. Her eyes widened a bit when she focused on the beaker, uncertainty and panic starting to creep into her head.
Before she could call for Twilight's assistance, the beaker exploded into a vibrant pink cloud. Shards of glass and water shot everywhere some hitting Rarity. Her vision and mouth were covered by the pink smoke cloud and threw her into a coughing fit. Twilight was at the door in mere seconds.
"RARITY!" Twilight shrieked.
"What happened!?" Spike shouted.
"I don't know, I don't know!" Twilight flung open the door and used her magic to clear the air of the debris. "Rarity!? Are you alright!?" Twilight called.
Rarity was still coughing, but it subsided quickly and she was busy rubbing her eyes. Her coat had various pink wet spots all over it, as well as tiny cuts on her legs and face from the glass.
"Oh goddess, Rarity I am so sorry! Are you OK?" Twilight asked.
"I'm fine, Twilight! I just wish you could warn me if something like that happens again. I'd rather not have to spend the day trying to get pink spots out of my mane and coat!" Rarity teased.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Twilight rubbed the back of her head with her hoof. "I don't know what went wrong. The aluminum was supposed to fuse with the sun stone's mineral composition. It wasn't suppose to explode!" Twilight stated frantically.
"It's best not to fret about it now, especially since the Summer Sun Celebration is a week away and I still have to decorate!"
"Here, let me get you a towel." Twilight started for the door.
The librarian entered into library heading towards the bathroom. She opened the door and lifted a towel from the pile on a shelf. She turned around and took a look at herself in the mirror. She took a moment to notice her straight edge mane, not a single hair out of place, one pink stripe in a sea of indigo. Her eyes shifted to themselves, taking in the bright violet irises surrounding the pitch black pupils. Twilight breathed a heavy sigh and turned to leave, but instead came face to face with one Rarity. Twilight jumped, the sudden appearance of her friend scaring her.
"Jeez, Rarity! You scared me. I thought you were waiting for me to get the towel?" Twilight stated.
"Yes, but I thought I'd accompany you." Rarity smiled warmly.
Twilight handed her friend the towel. Rarity wiped it all over her torso and forehooves, drying off the wet patches in her coat. Twilight opened a cabinet and took the band-aids out. She opened the box and removed a couple handing them to Rarity. After the bigger cuts had been covered up, Twilight and Rarity both headed down into the lobby where they found Spike sitting at the table. He immediately stood up when he saw Rarity and walked over to her to inspect her himself.
"Rarity, are you alright? All I heard was an explosion, and why are you covered in band-aids?" Spike questioned.
"Yes, I'm quite alright, and Twilight gave me these to cover up the cuts." Rarity answered.
"The explosion was from my latest experiment going wrong. Spike, did you notice anything off about some of the rubies downstairs?" Twilight asked.
"Nope, they all looked like rubies to me!" Spike replied confidently.
Then why didn't it work?
"Well, now that that is over," Rarity started. "I do hate to cut our time short, but I must get started on town hall! It will take some time to make it look as dazzling as last year!"
Rarity walked towards the door, Twilight in tow. Twilight opened the door for her friend and said her farewell.
"I'm really sorry my potion didn't work out and that you got hurt because of it." Twilight's ears flattened against her head.
"It's ok, Twilight! We shall put this behind us! Now I really must be going before I fall behind schedule and we can't have that!"
"Of course!" Twilight said happily. "I'll see you later, Rarity!"
Goodbye, Twilight!" Rarity leaned in and gave Twilight a quick kiss on the lips and left.
Twilight, not expecting the sudden gesture, stood frozen her mind trying to process what had happened, her cheeks beginning to turn crimson red. Twilight closed the door and turned towards the kitchen, nothing but Spike's humming could be heard. After a few moments of silence, she finally muttered something under her breath.
"Something tells me Rarity isn't alright after all."
The unicorn's eyes shifted towards the basement where her potion was concocted. Suspicions arose as her eyes lingered on the wooden doorway. Ultimately she decided against it, waiting to take it up with Rarity later tonight when they were supposed to meet their other friends at Pinkie's for some cupcakes. She put the matter aside for now and instead refocused her attention on the day's work. She picked up her clipboard which was conveniently left on the table and looked at her first thing on the list.
"Ok, weather!" Twilight drifted back to her first day in Ponyville, when she had first met the speedster.
"Spike!" Twilight called.
"Yeah?" Spike called back.
"I'm going to be out for a bit! I'll be back later."
"Alright, try not to make anymore explosions while you're gone. Kinda hard to have a Celebration when half the town is full of craters."
Twilight rolled her eyes. With her checklist at her side and Rarity's kiss on her mind, the lavender mare opened the door and left to find Rainbow Dash.
