Appledashery

by Just Essay

Librarian Pride

"A Chaotic Energy Detection Spell?!" Twilight Sparkle looked up from a pile of books and blinked across the library in surprise. "Why, yes, theoretically such a thing is possible—but why in Equestria's name would you need me to cast that, Rainbow Dash?!"

"Mrmmfmmf-Mrmmfmf-Mrmmmff!" Rainbow's eyes crossed. She swiveled around, spat the leftover crumbs of dense muffin into a waistbasket, wiped her muzzle clean, and turned to smile once more at Twilight. "It's better to be safe than sorry, y'know?"

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "Uh huh..."

"I mean, between the parasprites and the snoring dragons and the bunny stampedes and the attacking ursa majors—"

"Minor."

"Whatever. Seems like we're the chaos capital of Equestria!" Rainbow smiled twitchingly. "So, might be a darn good idea to get on that crap! Ya feel me?"

"Ehhh... actually, I don't." Twilight managed an akward smile. "We've had our fair share of challenges, yes, but we've always overcome them, Rainbow!" She smiled. "With friendship on our side as well as the Elements of Harmony, we've kept this town rather peaceful, if I do say so myself."

"Eeeunnngh..." Rainbow face hoofed, her wings drooping.

"Now, if we were dealing with an actual object imbued with chaotic energy, then things would be different." Twilight flipped a page in her book and prattled on, "Such thing would be very, very dangerous to Equestria, indeed. That would be a very good reason to use such a powerful detection spell. But, that's just the thing. It's been many, many eons since Equestria ever had to deal with a wielder of chaos..."

Rainbow muttered into her hoof. "You mean a Chaotician?"

"Why... yes!" Twilight looked up, mouth agape. "How'd you know what they were called?"

The pegasus' eyes bulged. "Derrrr... n-no reason! Just crapshooting!" Rainbow smiled crookedly. "And I-I certainly wouldn't know anything about New Saros or the Lunar Code either!"

Twilight stared at her.

Rainbow gulped in mid-smile, starting to sweat.

Twilight stared some more. "Y'know, Rainbow..." Her lavender muzzle formed the tiniest of smirks. "The girls and I have noticed something about you..."

"You and the girls?!" Rainbow's voice cracked. "Wh-what?"

"I mean, you seem to be a great deal... stressed as of late."

"Uhm..."

"You're always flying out and about in a hurry. As a matter of fact, aside from a lunch or two at Sugarcube Corner, it almost feels like we never see you anymore."

"Uhhh..."

"And Rarity brought up a very interesting idea. And, well, rather than let it stew around and become bridle gossip..." Twilight paused to giggle, then stared warmly at Rainbow. "I can't help but ask."

"Ask...?" Rainbow fought the urge to hyperventilate. "Ask what?"

"Well..." Twilight fidgeted, blushed, and murmured, "What's his name?"

"...buh?"

"I mean, y-you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But at the same time, you deserve to have all the support you want, even if I'm not... erm... well-versed in relationships and all. But you don't have to keep it to yourself!"

"Keep what to myself?" Rainbow blanched. "Whose name?! Huh?"

Twilight giggled again. "Oh dear. I've gotten you all flustered. Never mind, Rainbow. Forget I said anything."

"No. For real!" Rainbow leaned forward, squinting. "What's Rarity been saying about me?"

"Please, it's not what you think. Besides, I'm sure most of it is in her head." Twilight nevertheless raced her warm eyes across the ceiling as she smiled. "But, I know how you are with this sort of stuff, so try not to overreact when Rarity meets you next, because she's been working on something for a while from the bottom of her generous heart, and it would be super nice of you not to trample all over it 'cuz of how... well... girly it is."

"Twilight, you and I both know that Rarity's super freaky with her giving nature. But we also know she's a drama queen!" Rainbow frowned. "If she's been spreading rumors about me—"

"Oh please, Rainbow! It's all between us girls!" Twilight winked. "Well, mostly just Rarity, Pinkie, and I. We're not about to tell anyone else in Ponyville."

"Tell anyone what?!"

Twilight stared directly at her for once. "That you're in love."

Rainbow was dead silent.

Twilight cleared her throat and leaned forward. "And it's nothing to be ashamed of! I'm sure that whoever he is, he's a real lucky stallion to be going steady with a dashing pegasus as loyal as you!"

Rainbow hung between chattering her teeth and gnashing them. With a deep breath, she firmly spoke. "Twilight, I am... n-not in love..." She winced, but continued. "...w-with any stallion at the moment."

Twilight's ears folded. "Oh?"

"I just happen to be turning a new leaf, that's all!" Rainbow exhaled. "Training for the wonderbolts, performing stunts in Ghastly Gorge, and taking afternoon cloud naps? Pffft! I'm totally into all of that, of course, but there's a time and a place, y'know? I just... got into the habit of working overtime and I haven't quit since! That's all there is to it!"

"So... s-so you're not seeing somepony?"

"Twilight, let's be honest." Rainbow smirked and placed a blue hoof over her fuzzy chest. "Do I really look or sound like romance material...?" At the end of saying that, she blanched visibly.

Twilight wasn't looking at the time. She stared pensively at her books while her hooves squirmed. "I suppose you have a point there, Rainbow..."

Rainbow winced even more.

"I've never really observed a relationship up close before, so... uh... I-I guess a part of me got excited to see if it was anything like I've read about." Twilight gulped and stared up. "I got a bit too excited, but mainly for you. Please forgive me."

"It's... uh..." Rainbow sighed and plopped back on her haunches. "It's nothing to get your saddle in a twist over, Twilight."

"And I guess I gleaned a little too much from what Rarity was theorizing." Twilight suddenly winced. "Euuuughhh... how am I going to break it to her?" She blushed slightly. "Especially with her recent project..."

Rainbow waved her hoof. "I'll deal with Rarity myself. Don't you worry?"

Twilight bit her lip. "'Deal... with her?'"

"I'm not mad or anything!" Rainbow barked, then cleared her throat. "I'm not mad, Twilight. I'm just not... just... well, you know me" she muttered.

"Yes. Yes, I do, Rainbow." Twilight nodded, sighing through a smile. She then blinked. "Yeesh, what were we talking about before the mother of all derailments?"

"Uhm..."

"Right, well, Chaos Detection Spells are no laughing matter. And as much as I'd love to practice performing one, I simply wouldn't feel right doing it without express permission granted by Celestia. But... eheheh... thankfully there's no need for such a thing in these modern times."

"Yeah. Guess you're right..." Rainbow fidgeted. "Now... uhm... onto a completely different and totally unrelated topic."

"Shoot."

"Have you ever... lost something that you could have sworn you kept in one spot and suddenly it wasn't there anymore?"

"Hmmmmm..." Twilight Sparkle flipped a page and smiled into her book. "Nope. Can't say that I have."

Rainbow stared through dull eyes. "Really?"

"That's why it helps to stay cleaned and organized at all times!" Twilight sing-songed.

"So you've never lost anything ever?"

"Well, even if I have, Spike's always been around to scrounge the thing up for me before it ran off on invisible little hooves." She giggled to herself. "Plus, I... uh... really don't get out of the library much, even after moving to Ponyville." Her cheeks reddened again. "So, I suppose I haven't had much experience in misplacing things." She paused to tap her chin in thought. "Oooooh, I wonder if there's a 'Guide to Misplacing Things' book?"

"Thanks anyway, Twilight..." Rainbow droned, flapping her wings as she lifted herself towards a sunny open window. "Maybe I'll go ask Pinkie Pie. She's the expert on keeping stuff in random places."

"It'd help to know where you've been."

Rainbow paused to glance back at her. "Huh?"

"Well, theoretically speaking," Twilight muttered as she flipped page after page. "If I suddenly couldn't find something that belonged to me, the first thing I would do is retrace my steps. Or—in your case—my wing-flaps. Heheh..."

"Retrace my steps..." Rainbow's eyes bounced across the walls in thought. "Retrace my steps... retrace my..." She gasped sharply, her face pale. "Sweet Apple Acres!"

Fwooosh! The pegasus exited the library so quickly the curtain wrack fell from the window frame.

Silence.

Twilight's voice rolled across the empty room, "Did you misplace an apple?"

Comments

[zaponator]

Nice save, Rainbow...

[Aatxe360]

Twilight's voice rolled across the empty room, "Did you misplace an apple?"

The 'a' in apple should be a capital 'A.'

Actually, that would be disconcerting if she ever did misplace Applejack.

[Tchernobog]

4239236
Don't give him ideas...

[Aatxe360]

4239282

But...why not?

[Tchernobog]

4239285
I like AJ where Dash can find her!

[Aatxe360]

4239350

That makes sense. But the journey is the best part, don't you agree?

[Lightning Bearer]

Well, Twilight obviously misplaced her gaydar, if nothing else.

[Lilith Evanson]

Rairty, watch out, girl!

[Novi]

145 chapters and still no confession or whatsoever, but a darn good storyline..
This needs more attention, and the author more recognition for the creativity.

[HyperMonica]

that last line is I think the best thing Twilight says in this whole book.

[Fishberry]

"And I-I certainly wouldn't know anything About New Saros or the Lunar Code either!"

RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, RD!

Guess what? Hooves are hard and heavy and they hurt. I facehoofed so hard, I have an upside-down U imprint on my face now. Thanks author!

[Snowdrifter]

Fwooosh! The pegasus exited the library so quickly the curtain wrack fell from the window frame.

"I do believe you meant 'rack', darling."

[arancaytar]

Rainbow hung between chattering her teeth and gnashing them. With a deep breath, she firmly spoke. "Twilight, I am... n-not in love..." She winced, but continued. "...w-with any stallion at the moment."

The best kind of correct.

[True Edge]

4242203
Eeyup.