Unicorns and Pegasi did not spend too much time together these days. Although earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi had been living in harmony for as long as even Celestia could remember, the two races had lived separate lives, each fulfilling their time-consuming duties all throughout Equestria.
On the one hoof, there was Canterlot’s elite, whether noble or savvy business ponies who tended to associate only amongst themselves, or the more humble unicorns who were typically too busy studying the art of magic to make time for friends and relationships and married only out of family obligation.
On the other hoof the majority of pegasi grew up to manage and monitor the weather. Weather was so crucial to balancing life in Equestria that only few pegasi squandered their feathery gifts to explore other opportunities. If a pony had wings, they were expected to pitch in and make sure the land got the rain it needed, or blanket the countryside with snow when the days seemed fit.
By the sheer nature of their duties and lifestyles, unicorns and pegasi often found the greatest challenge in working out a social life, let alone fit in each other into their schedules. Whenever this topic emerged, many perspectives were tossed around:
“Unicorns and pegasi can form strong friendships! I don’t know and pegasi myself, but I’m sure they are nice ponies to be around. Maybe I can find a spell to show me-”
“A pegasus knows his job, and shouldn’t ask for more. I respect unicorns and everything they do for Equestria, but I think there is nothing wrong with pegasi sticking together. What’s worked before works again, right?”
“Mercy me, I don’t think I could ever be – friends – with a common-hoof. No offense to the company present, of course.”
“That’s fine with me. I’m too busy making sure Canterlot isn’t buried in a whiteout every winter. Your wing-making magic doesn’t quite do the job a Pegasus is required for.”
The arguments had changed little over the centuries. The few couples between the two races would raise eyebrows here and there. Ponies would dig their hoof into the ground with heads lowered as they felt it necessary to explain their relationship to their parents. Surprisingly, earth ponies had enjoyed the privilege of associating with both sides since Equestria was founded. They had climbed up the social ladders of the elite and worked their way into the hearts of those ponies who would soar above them. However, since taking sides usually lost them their friendships, they tend to stay out of the endless debate.
In modern times, the subject was less fierce. While older ponies still quietly stuck to their stance, the younger generation was quieter about their ideas on the matter. Unicorns in Canterlot found it easier to avoid or outright ignore pegasi as they passed by. Pegasi, being more work-oriented, kept to the task at hoof. As they said, the only pony who worked harder than a pegasus is a down-to-earth earth pony.
Even in Ponyville - the famous melting pot of pony towns - one would not have found find too many mixed couples. The only true evidence of possible change in this trend would have been the Cakes, whose mixed ancestry had blessed them with a unique pair of the most popular foals in town. Although, they did not talk about it too much – not everypony was comfortable discussing something which had not been truly culturally accepted. Some also pondered whether the Cakes were even aware of the significance of their foals having been the first pair of siblings of different races.
The uneasiness had been considered a great irony of the harmony and magic of friendship in Equestria for ages. Unbeknownst to Ponyville, the greatest surprise was yet to come, for there was one pony who had never been exposed to the controversy, its history, or its sheer magnitude.
This town’s one weather-pegasus, a light blue pony with a mane of many colors, flew over the clouds and spun them to her will as she pondered what she would say to the one unicorn whom she felt may have been her special somepony. There hadn’t been any talk of who could or could not be friends in flight school. Her time spent in Ponyville had never engaged her in anything philosophical or controversial either. After all, it hadn’t been until recently that she had considered ‘big thinking’ only for eggheads.
She definitely wasn’t too busy for a social life, either – everypony knew how fast she could finish her daily work tasks. Her role as an Element of Harmony had brought her even closer to unicorns, two in particular, which had brought her to the opinion that such daily interaction with unicorns was normal for anypony. Upon retrospect, one might have concluded that this once-in-a-lifetime concoction of circumstances may have been responsible for what could be considered one of the most heartfelt relationships ever to grow in this humble town.
Rainbow Dash, showing off her namesake, whipped through the air to dissipate the stratus clouds. Once she freed up some work space, she pulled on all sides of a cumulus until she formed a more spherical shape.
It needs a horn, Rainbow thought to herself. Banking around to the underside, she flew through the cloud and out the top, achieving the desired effect. Next, she bucked chunks of cloud out to shape a few spaces. “Eyes and mouth… check!”
She designated extra cumulus to add details. She dragged a trail of stratocumulus once spreading under her and styled it on top of her masterpiece. “And the mane completes it!”
“Sweet! Now the hard part.” She molded a stratocumulus into a makeshift rope to lasso her piece of art and fly it to its intended spot. She pulled her sculpture very carefully to the destination, brushing her mane out of her eyes so she could see where she was going. One bump into a stray cloud and this would all have been for nothing. She broke a few sweats, but for that special somepony she would have made one of these in every city.
* * *
Twilight Sparkle had a few days off. Her five checklists were run through and complete, Spike was napping downstairs, her magic study assignments had all been finished the week before, and she had read the latest ‘Daring Do and the Missing Merchant’ ahead of time. With a basic levitation spell, she put the novel onto a new shelf she had added to her room, labeled as ‘outbox’ for any books she thought – or in this case knew – Rainbow Dash would request to read.
However, having two days off felt strange to her, strange enough that she started pacing around the room with unease. She barely finished a single lap when she started hearing shouting from outside the library. “What is that?” she said to herself. “It sounds like somepony’s calling my name, but who would-”
Spike ambled into the room with a yawn briefly stuck in his throat. “Sheesh, what’s all the commotion, Twilight? Even a dragon needs his beauty sleep.”
Twilight laughed. “Beauty sleep? You’ve been spending too much time with Rarity, haven’t you?” She turned to the window to peer out and caught a glimpse of rainbow mane. “Oh, it’s just Rainbow Dash. Figures. My other friends knock. Spike, take this down: Remind me to lecture her.”
“I don’t mind, but can I do it later? I just want her to stop so I can doze off.” Yawning continued to interrupt his speech. “Don’t try to wake me. And I don’t want to see a quill, let alone TOUCH one, for at least two days got it?”
“Go ahead and get some rest, Spike. I got this.” Twilight took a step back. After a little concentration, she worked her teleportation magic and appeared in front of the library’s main doors. “Rainbow! How am I supposed to figure out how to plan my next two days off with all your yelling?!”
Rainbow Dash flew three somersaults in excitement. “Hey, Twily! What took you so long? If it were me, I would’ve been outside in-”
“Yes, Rainbow,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes, “I know how fast you are. But still, why are you-” She looked up as she was speaking, then stopped mid-sentence as she saw the cloud her pegasus friend worked on all morning. Her eyes widened in shock, awe, and a little confusion. “Is that … me?!”
“Yep! I finished my work in town early to finish this baby! I only sculpted your head though,” she added, scratching her head in nervousness. “To be honest, it was the first time I did anything this detailed. Pretty cool, huh?”
Twilight blinked, still in surprise. “Oh, wow. It’s like looking into a mirror. At least, a mirror that turns ponies into clouds, I guess.”
“Sweet! I knew my favorite egghead would go for something like this. So you’re not… doing anything tomorrow, are you? I thought we could,” she stumbled her words in hesitation, “you know, hang out. ‘Spending time together,’ if you want egghead-talk.”
“I actually just cleared up tomorrow! We could make this work.” Twilight used her horn to conjure a scroll and quill in excitement. “Let me just make a list for what we can do. With the right planning, I bet we can-”
“No! I’m taking care of all the planning and all the boring stuff.”
“Boring?” Twilight zapped her planning supplies back into the library.
“Well, yeah. Not to be mean or anything. We just don’t hang out very often.” Dash threw on her bravado, flexing and zipping to and fro. “You worry too much; you don’t want to end up with a grey mane!”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Okay then, should I invite the others?”
Rainbow’s anxiety started to get the better of her. “NO! Sorry, I’m just jumpy today. Lots of sugar – yeah, from Pinkie’s treats! I was actually planning out a day just for the two of us.” Her voice became hushed. “You’re so busy all the time. I just wanted to show you some of the exciting stuff that I get to see. Look, spells can’t show you everything. I can show you awesome things your magic could never bring to your library!”
Twilight couldn’t help but start laughing. “What’s this all the sudden? Where's the too-cool-for-school Rainbow Dash?” She motioned for Rainbow Dash to land, who complied and slowly floated to the ground. She then trotted up to her, causing Dash to lean back from their sudden proximity. “In that case, you write your plan out for us. Be sure to make use of the whole day. No pressure! You sure you’ll have your work done in time for us to have the whole day?”
Rainbow’s confidence visibly soared, nodding upward with her chest puffed out. “Don’t worry yourself, Twily – I’ll have it done in-“
“Yes, yes, I got you the first time,” she managed to say in spite of giggling up again. “Meet me here in the morning, okay?” Twilight began to trot back into her house. Thinking she could no longer be heard, she asked herself one loose end of confusion from that conversation. “Twily?”
Rainbow waited until the door was shut before she flew in the air to blow off some steam, but mostly she blushed. “Stupid, stupid Rainbow Dash,” she called out into the air resistance, which replied by muffling her. “Why’d you call her ‘Twily?’ Ungh, she probably thinks I’m an idiot now.”
Both ponies went about their business in preparation for the next day. A unicorn looked forward to the excitement and wonder the next day would bring and a pegasus looked forward to the magic they might share.