Two Weeks

by Starlitomega

Out of the frying pan...

“I think you know why I’ve summoned you here, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia's voice echoed throughout the expansive throne room.

“N-no I don’t, Princess,” the unicorn squeaked out. She leaned into Rainbow's side, half because she thought she might pass out under her mentor’s harsh glare, and the other half because she felt the need to be closer to the one that had meant so much to her.

The alicorn stood up to her full height. “Young lady, do not lie to me! I raised you practically from a filly. I know you better than you know yourself!”

Twilight hung her head in shame. From the very start, she’d known that dating Rainbow was a big mistake. Even so, the feeling, the wonderful feeling, of having somepony love her and wanting to be with her proved too hard to resist.

“I sent you to Ponyville for a very specific reason: to learn friendship, and what do you do? You put yourself out to the public like a common floozy! Worse than that, you chose to do so with a fellow Element of Harmony!” Celestia stamped her hoof on the floor, causing the entire room to shake.

Twilight had never seen the princess so upset. She couldn’t even begin to fathom the punishment Celestia would mete out. She tried to blink back tears that threatened to fill her eyes.

“That’s right, cry. Cry like the irresponsible filly you are! This is why you failed at being a great unicorn like Starswirl. You wouldn’t grow up. You just wanted to go have fun and play with the other ponies rather than taking care of your responsibilities.

Twilight felt Rainbow’s wing unfold, covering her in a blanket of protection. She wrapped her hooves around the feather-covered limb and cried into it, feeling her tears drip off onto the floor.

“From this day forth, you are no longer my student. You shall not live at the Golden Oaks Library, either. Spike will come back to Canterlot to serve at the castle and you will live amongst the rabble in Ponyville.”

“P-P-Princess... why?” Twilight sobbed out.

Celestia turned away from her and walked back to her throne. “Because you failed to remember your responsibilities and duties, because you put your needs above Equestria's, and because you are a failure. Guards, remove them.”

Twilight’s sobbing intensified as Rainbow grabbed her hoof.

“Twilight, we have to go.”

The unicorn shook her head. She refused to move, frozen in place.

“No...”

“Twilight, wake up!”

The unicorn froze for a moment, confused by the request.

“C'mon Twilight, you have to get up!”

---

“What?” Twilight gasped. She looked down at Spike’s claw, which was gripping her leg.

“Twilight! We gotta go! There’s a fire in the Everfree Forest burning towards Ponyville!”

The unicorn's eyes snapped open. “Are you serious? This isn't one of your jokes, is it?”

Spike shook his head frantically. Magic surrounded the baby dragon’s body lifting him off the ground and placing him on her back.

“Where are we going first?”

Twilight ran for the door. “First, we find a pegasus to go wake up Rainbow. Then, we gather up as many ponies as we can!”

---

All night long, the time had run away from Rainbow. Every time she had tried to go to sleep, she just kept thinking about the kiss she had stolen from the pony she cared for. At first, she had been worried, heck, downright terrified of what Twilight's reaction would be. However, the crimson glow on the unicorn’s cheeks told her she had nothing to worry about.

Her eyes drifted to the lotus blossom yet again. She lost count of how many times she had glanced at it, as if staring at the flower was the same as staring at Twilight. Her eyes shifted back to the window. The sun had been up for awhile now, teasing and reminding the pegasus of the sleep she had let slip through her hooves.

A frantic knocking on her door elicited an exasperated groan from the pegasus.

Ugh... here I am being soft and sappy for once, and somepony has to come ruin it! I mean, it’s my day off, for Celestia's sake! I hope those nuts have a good reason for waking me up.

Rainbow slid out of bed and flapped her wings a few times to make sure they were limbered up. She did this habitually any time she got up just to help prevent a sprain in case she needed to fly. The blue pegasus walked to the door and opened it. Flitter pranced in place on her doorstep, clearly troubled by something.

“Okay, what is it this time? Lightning and snow, or maybe rain in a clear sky...?”

“Fire!”

Rainbow grabbed her, and with a strong flap of her wings, took off with the panicked pegasus in tow.

---

Twilight rushed to Fluttershy's cottage as fast as she could. According to a few ponies lingering about, most of the townsfolk were massing there to help stop the blaze.

“T-T-T-Twilight! Just gimme a second to get a better grip!” Spike pleaded.

“No time, Spike! Every second we waste here is a second we lose to fight the fire.” Twilight used her magic to plant the baby dragon flat on her back, holding him in place.

She galloped past the homely cottage and spotted the mayor, as well as a large group of ponies, gathered by the edge of The Everfree Forest.

Twilight skidded to a halt in front of the mayor. She gasped for breath, recovering from her extended run.

“Ms. Mayor... what... whew, what can I do to help?” she finally managed.

“Oh, Twilight, thank goodness you’re here!” the mayor said, clearly relieved by the unicorn’s arrival.

“Don't forget about me!”

Twilight's eyes went skyward. She saw Rainbow Dash flying straight towards them.

“Rainbow Dash of the weather team, reporting for duty, Miss Mayor!” Rainbow said with a salute.

“Oh, we have all the leaders then. Excellent! Now we can get started!” Mayor Mare exclaimed.

There was an awkward moment of silence as everyone's eyes went to Twilight in unison.

“Ummm, is something wrong? Other than the giant fire, I mean.”

Fluttershy stepped forward timidly. “Well, you see... when there’s a fire, the leaders of the Winter Wrap Up teams lead their team in a fire.”

Rainbow jumped in front of Fluttershy.

“Yeah, so I'm in charge of the weather team, Applejack is in charge of cutting and moving burnable grass and trees and stuff, Flutters here is in charge of rounding up animals that might get lost in the fire, and Pinkie is in charge of making sure the ponies have plenty to eat and drink, and makes sure they take breaks when they should.

The gears in Twilight's head started turning.

“Wait a minute, if we’re all chosen by our Winter Wrap Up roles, does this mean that...”

All of the ponies there continued to stare at her.

“Oh gosh, oh no, I can't! I've never been in charge of fighting a fire before! I-I don't even know what to do!” Twilight squealed as panic set in.

Rainbow Dash jumped forward and grabbed her by her head. Her fuschia eyes, filled with determination, connected with Twilight's own. “Twilight! Are you telling me that you've never read a book about fire before?”

“I... I have, but-”

“The Twilight I know wouldn't give up before she tried,” Rainbow continued. “We need you, so get it together, pony up, and help us get this thing under control.”

Twilight stared back at those bright eyes, which seemed to be simultaneously pleading and pushing her to take action.

“I... I think I can do this.”

"Now that's the Twilight I know!" Rainbow gave her a quick hug.

“Alright, what do we have to work with?” Twilight asked

The mayor gave her a parchment, which she scanned through quickly. It was a sheet of available resources and ponies which could be mobilized to fight the fire.

“Okay everypony, listen up. Applejack, I need you to get the plant team to gather the hoses and water pumps.”

“Sure thing, sugarcube!” The earth pony answered, before disappearing into the crowd of ponies.

“Rainbow Dash, I need you to get the weather team limbered up and ready to go. We don't want somepony spraining a wing above the fire.”

“On it!” Rainbow replied.

“Rarity, you and Fluttershy will round up the critters where the fire hasn't spread to yet. Make sure you go in pairs, and don’t let your partner out of your sight!” Twilight advised.

Rarity nodded.

“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight called out. A pink hoof flew into the air excitedly.

“Just... be Pinkie Pie.”

The pink hoof disappeared into the crowd and after a brief moment of silence, a bright pink tent

sprang up with a sign labeled "Pinkie Pie’s Refreshments and Restoration".

“And finally, I need two ponies in particular: Raindrop and Crossfire.”

Two pegasi stepped out of the crowd.

“Raindrops, you will soak the grass in a line from behind Fluttershy's house, all the way to Whitetail Wood. Crossfire, you will burn the grass right before the line on fire. That way we have a clear line of already-burnt grass protecting Fluttershy's cottage and the rest of Ponyville. Hard for a fire to burn something that’s already been burnt. Everypony else, on me!”

Twilight realized she had started smiling halfway through her spiel. It may have seemed quite odd that she would smile at a time like this, but she enjoyed being a leader. She loved the feel of ponies racing alongside her to solve whatever problem reared its head. She thought it might be more appropriate to drop the smile given the dire circumstances.

At that very moment she realized the other ponies had similar smiles of fierce determination upon their faces, as well. Suddenly, the intense weight of the situation seemed to be lifted from her heart.

Yeah... I’ve got this…

---

The weather team, as well as many volunteer pegasi, stood in a line before Rainbow Dash. Looking across the lot of them, the mood seemed to fluctuate wildly among the ponies, ranging from unshakable confidence, to hysteria and panic.

“Okay everyone, listen up!”

The crowd of ponies snapped to attention.

Rainbow loved giving speeches, especially to a captive audience.

“We have an emergency, and when the ponies in Ponyville need our help, the weather team is there to answer the call. Am I right?” Rainbow asked, holding her hoof to her ear.

“Yes, ma’am!” the ponies shouted in unison.

“Good! When Twilight calls for us, I want you to fetch a cloud and a pair of goggles from Ditzy Doo. We’ll be flying in the echelon formation. Remember, that’s a staggered formation where the lead pony sits frontward, and the wingponies position themselves back and to the right of the leader for optimal water coverage. Do not let your wingponies out of your sight. Each pony in formation is responsible for watching the pony behind them before, and after their pass. Hold your breath if you fly through the smoke, and if one of your formation goes missing, alert the formation behind you so search and rescue can begin immediately. Any questions?”

The entire team of pegasi stood silent.

“Good! Now get those kinks worked out before the equipment gets here. Dismissed!”

Rainbow watched the ponies scatter. Despite the confidence in her instructions and the thoroughness of her briefing, she felt unsure of herself, not that she would let anypony else know that. She had only lead the team against a fire twice since becoming the weather team manager. The other fires were small fries, though. This was a full-scale forest fire. A fire that, if she failed to stop, could lead to Fluttershy being homeless, not to mention the danger to Ponyville itself.

I wonder what Twilight would do if she were leading the wea-

“Rainbow Dash!”

A perky voice pulled the pegasus out of her thoughts.

“Just wanted to let you know that I whipped up some punch and juice for everypony before we get started fighting the big, scary fire! Make sure you drink up. Don’t want you and the other pegasi to be so thirsty that you drink all the water in your clouds, now do you?” Pinkie asked.

“Thanks, Pinks. I’ll let the team know,” the pegasus said, trying to lose herself in her thoughts again. Her attempts ended in failure as she felt the big blue eyes and smile of the earth pony boring a hole through her.

“Uh, Pinkie? Was there something else?”

“Nothing, really.”

“Oh, okay. Good.”

“Except...”

Rainbow raised her eyebrows.

Pinkie pushed her head in really close.

“I was just wondering if you got a flower yesterday?” Pinkie asked with a bright smile.

The blue pegasus pushed her back gently. “Pinkie, you know that I'm not supposed to tell anypony except the one who gave me the flower.”

“Well yeah, but-”

“So you know why I can't tell you then.”

“But... okay.” Pinkie relented, her face falling in disappointment.

“Rainbow! The earth ponies are almost ready for us!” Blossomforth announced.

“Thanks for the heads up." Rainbow gave the whistle around her neck a long blow.

“Okay everypony, go see Pinkie Pie, get something to drink, and then go fetch a cloud!”

---

The earth ponies moved like a well-oiled machine. Hoses unrolled across the grass to the edge of the forest, while other ponies connected them to the large water pumps.

Twilight lost count how many times the animal team went into and out of the forest with a fresh batch of frightened critters, not the least of which was a timberwolf who had apparently decided it would be better to follow the helpful ponies, rather than attack and be left to the ravages of the fire. On this particular trip, Fluttershy and Rarity returned with a family of armadillos trundling their way out of the forest, eager to escape the disaster that would surely spell their doom.

“Fluttershy, Rarity, you two need to pick up the pace!” Twilight urged. “As soon as the weather team gets here with the clouds, we'll be spraying water into the fire and it'll be too dangerous to go back in!”

“I... I know.” Fluttershy struggled for the words, coughing violently. “I just...”

The pegasus nearly collapsed, but was caught in the soft glow of Rarity’s magic before she could hit the ground.

"I’m afraid the wind turned on our last run, and she caught a large amount of smoke,” Rarity explained. “I nearly had to drag her back myself. She wanted so badly to stay and help, the poor thing.”

Twilight nodded. "Take her to Pinkie's tent, get her some water, and more importantly, don't let her leave!”

Rarity nodded solemnly and carried the unconscious pegasus to Pinkie's tent.

The colorful teams of pegasi, each carrying a dark and damp cloud, contrasted against the blue sky and billowing black smoke, dragging Twilight’s gaze upwards. Her eyes lit up as a distant rainbow blur headed her way, closing the gap before she had time to blink.

"Hey, Twi. The weather team is all ready to go, just say the word!" Rainbow said.

Before she could even respond to Rainbow, an earth pony called for her attention. "Twilight, ma’am?"

The unicorn spun around to face the stallion calling her name.

"The earth ponies are ready with the hoses. All you need to do is say the word."

A sense of satisfaction bubbled up in Twilight’s chest. So far, everything had gone according to plan. Now it was time to see if it would pay off.

"Okay, everypony,” the unicorn called out. The crowd quieted their chatter and looked her way. "The weather team will start their passes over the fire. After the first pass, the earth ponies will open up with their hoses. Is everypony ready?"

Cheers erupted from the throng of ponies.

"Okay then, let’s douse this fire!"

Another cheer passed through the crowd as they prepared their equipment. Twilight blocked the raucous noise out. Instead, she looked back at the rainbow-maned pony hovering in front of her.

"Rainbow, please be careful."

"This'll be easy. You'll see." The pegasus winked at her and took off to join her team.

Moments later, the water pumps kicked on, and the strong earth ponies aimed their hoses at the approaching fire.

I hope we’re ready for this...

---

A large swath of foliage in the Everfree Forest lay in ash due to the devastating fire. Rain fell in sheets over the still active and burning portions of the forest, thanks to the efforts of the pegasi flying overhead. For a pony who had never mobilized against a fire before, Twilight was surprised by what she was able to accomplish with just a few able-bodied ponies, and bits of information she had picked up from reading.

"Hey, Twilight?"

She turned to see a pony with white and mint colored hair calling for her.

"Is something wrong, Lyra?"

The green unicorn shook her head. "No, not at all! That's exactly why I'm here. The pegasus on lookout said that the fire's forward progress has slowed, and we should be able to finish it off soon!" Lyra said, clapping her hooves together.

"I guess I knew more about fighting fires than I thought. Who says reading is a waste of time?" Twilight asked with a self satisfied grin.

“Twilight! You have to talk some sense into her!"

Upon hearing her name for what must’ve been the millionth time, the purple mare pivoted around, looking for the source. Fluttershy staggered towards her, with Rarity following very close behind.

Twilight stood in the pegasus’ path. “Fluttershy! You’ve pushed yourself too hard. I can’t let you go back in there."

Fluttershy breathed heavily as she approached. "I-I have to... get to the forest."

Twilight grabbed her by the shoulders. "Are you crazy? You're not going in there like that!"

Fluttershy struggled in Twilight’s grasp. In her weakened state, she merely fell into a coughing fit, lacking the strength to break free.

“I know there are still animals in the forest, but we've done all we can. We can't go in there with the fire this close to the edge,” Rarity said, putting a gentle hoof on Fluttershy’s back.

Suddenly, a bird flew out of Fluttershy’s mane. Twilight jumped in surprise as the creature started chirping frantically at her.

“Uh, I don’t speak bird. A little help here?”

“That’s what I was trying to say. This poor bird has a nest full of eggs in the forest. She told me how awful it was to leave them behind to get help. I know we can't save all of the critters, but surely I can save her nest... can't I?” Fluttershy pleaded.

Twilight thought for a moment. “Hmm... no.”

Fluttershy looked crestfallen.

“Rarity and I will go. You need to stay here and recover.”

Fluttershy's eyes brightened. With a grateful smile, she wrapped her hooves around Twilight’s neck.

“Thanks, Twilight.” She looked up at the bird perched on her head. “I can't go with you, but my friends here can save your nest. You’ll have to show them where it is. Can you do that?”

The bird chirped loudly in response and took flight. Twilight and Rarity turned and gave chase, following the bird into the forest.

“Don't worry, Fluttershy. We'll be back in no time,” the purple mare called out.

---

The sound of a paper cup being crushed, followed by a long belch emanated throughout the tent.

“That punch of yers sure hit the spot, Pinkie,” Applejack said. “It tastes a bit different than usual, though.”

Pinkie smiled. “I changed the recipe! You see, lots of sugar is great for parties, but not so much for work. So instead of adding the entire bag of sugar like I normally do, I just added more fruit juice. That way, the only crashing that happens is after the fire is out,” the pink mare explained.

“Huh. Well, that’s awfully smart of ya, sugarcube. We sure wouldn't want ponies givin’ up too early.”

Applejack jumped backwards as a pink hoof slammed onto the table, her eyes narrowing angrily at the cowpony.

“Well duh! It’s not like Twilight is the only pony allowed to be smart, y’know!”

At that very moment, Fluttershy walked into the tent, allowing Applejack a quick escape from Pinkie’s intense glare.

“Well, look who’s back. Back again. Glad they talked some sense into ya, Sugarcube. I know ya wanna help all them critters, but we gotta be careful, especially when the fire is gettin’ this close.”

Fluttershy smiled. “I know, but there’s nothing to worry about. Rarity and Twilight said they would save the bird's nest.”

Without a word, Applejack hopped up from the table and placed her hat firmly on her head.

“Applejack, where are you going?” Pinkie asked.

“I'm gonna make sure those two come back in one piece. Ain't neither one of them been that close to a forest fire before. If the wind turns and they’re too close…”

Applejack slammed her hoof onto the table, causing everypony around her to jump.

"They’re ashes."

---

Twilight galloped at full sprint, keeping the bird in her sights. Black smoke hovered in the air blocking out all but a scant few rays of sunshine. The greenery of the forest took on an orange hue as they neared the fire.

“Rarity! We can't stick around too long! If the wind changes course, they’ll have plenty of marshmallow for s’mores.”

“That’s not funny,”

Twilight grinned back at Rarity playfully.

A loud crack echoed above the din of the fire as a tree, partially covered in flames, fell to the ground ahead of them. Twilight's eyes followed the bird as it flew higher until it perched next to a small brown object on a limb.

“There it is!” shouted Rarity. Shimmering blue magic lifted the nest gently, so as not to let any of the delicate eggs tumble out. The bird chirped anxiously as the white unicorn held the nest close with her magic.

“Okay, we’re done! We have to get outta here!” Rarity nodded and ran forward, her eyes trained on the nest.

Twilight started into a gallop close behind Rarity. Another ear splitting crack echoed behind them. She glanced backwards and saw a tree falling straight for her. Her horn glowed as she charged a teleportation spell, hoping she could fire it off before the tree fell.

---

“Okay weather team, bring it in!”

The pegasi stopped their passes and beelined towards Rainbow Dash.

“Okay everypony, we've slowed the fire down big time. The hard work is over, but we're not done yet. Get ready to grab your clouds and line up above the fire. Anypony who is due for a break should go get one now, because once we start pushing it back, we're not stopping until it’s over.”

“What do y'all mean Twilight's missing?”

Rainbows ears perked up at the sudden outburst. She looked down and saw Applejack and Rarity talking. In the blink of an eye she blazed down between them.

“Woah woah woah! What about Twilight?” Dash jumped in.. “Is she missing? Where is she?”

“I-I don't know! We went into the forest to save some birds nest. I grabbed it and we left together, but when I exited the forest, she was nowhere to be found!” Rarity explained frantically.

“You what?” Rainbow screamed. “You risked your lives for some stupid bird’s nest? What the hay were you two thinking?”

Applejack jammed her hoof into Rainbow’s mouth. “Now cut that out! Fluttershy talked ‘em into it, and there ain't nothin’ getting done by yelling about it!”

Rainbow spat out the cow pony's hoof. “You're right! I'm going in after her!” The pegasus turned to fly into the forest, but felt something holding her in place.

“I'm coming with you!” Rarity announced.

Rainbow struggled to break free from Rarity’s magic. “No! The last thing we need is two missing ponies!”

“Which is exactly what will happen if you go in there blindly! I know where we went, just follow me!” Rarity said, starting into a gallop.

Rainbow, now free from the unicorn’s magic, took off in close pursuit. She followed the bobbing purple tail in front of her as if her life depended on it. Grass and trees flew by like green and brown blurs as the two ponies sped through the forest. Noticing Rarity’s muddy hooves and relentless pace, Rainbow couldn't help but be a little impressed by the unicorn’s determination to get something done when it truly mattered. Any other time, Rarity would’ve dodged the mud or complained about having to run so fast.

This wasn’t just any time, though. Twilight was missing, and as the fire came into view, Rainbow hoped they could find her in time.

"We were right here," Rarity said, coming to a screeching halt.

Looking around, there wasn't much out of place apart from a few fallen trees, and the roaring fire they had spent most of the day trying to stop.

“Where is she, Rarity?” Rainbow demanded.

“I don't know! We pulled the nest out of..." the unicorn trailed off. Her gaze shifted to the side and her eyes widened. “Wait! There she is!”

The pegasus followed where Rarity was pointing and saw a purple figure lying on the ground. In a flash, she flew over to her friend’s side.

Twilight's eyes were shut, and her body remained motionless. A small wound in her head allowed a tiny trickle of blood to drip down her face. Only the slight rise and fall of her chest gave them hope.

“Rarity, she's breathing, but we have to get her back right now!”

“I'll go get the others!"

“No! We don't have time to wait for them!” Rainbow scooped the unicorn up and held her as close as she could.

“Rainbow! You shouldn't move an injured-”

“Stuff it, Rarity! If this fire turns, there’ll be nothing left for the doctors to save. Now get galloping!”

Rarity hesitated a moment, but nodded and started toward the forest entrance. Rainbow followed closely behind. Her wings had to work twice as hard to hold both of them up, especially since Twilight was dead weight in her grasp. She felt the unicorn shift, trying to slip through her forelegs and fall to the ground.

“Oh no you don't, I won't let you fall. I can't let you fall!” Rainbow hugged the unicorn as tightly as she could.

Not this time...

---

Twilight clung to the edge of the cliff with all her strength. Her legs dangled freely, giving her a clear message to the emptiness beneath her. Knowing it was a bad idea, she looked down anyway.

She had never seen a canyon this large before, not even in her books. She couldn’t even see the bottom, as it was obscured by fog. Given the size of the ledge she clung to, she estimated the actual bottom lay far below what was visible.

A strong leg wrapped around her own, snapping the unicorn out of her trance.

“Come on, Twilight! You're stronger than this.”

She saw Rainbow hanging off the edge, grabbing her arm. The pegasus' fuschia eyes beamed down upon her with laser-like intensity. Her confident smile radiated a powerful aura.

Twilight nodded and tried pulling herself up.

“You've got this, Twi!”

She pushed against the cliff with her legs, giving her the leverage she needed to pull herself up. Panting for breath she looked up at the pony standing above her, still holding her foreleg despite now being safe.

“Come on, Twilight. Wake up.”

---

Twilight gasped, bolting upright simultaneously. Numerous hooves pushed her back down on the bed..

“Easy, sugarcube! Ya'll don’t need to be moving too much right now!” Applejack’s hoof pinned her to the bed long enough for the unicorn to calm down.

She looked up and saw that Rainbow Dash was still tightly gripping her hoof. That much of her dream hadn’t changed. The simple gesture, an anchor that pulled her back, did much to set her at ease.

“See girls? I told you she’d be fine. Heck, it took all of you to hold her down," Rainbow stated with a laugh.

Twilight looked around and realized she was in Pinkie's tent. Her friends, minus Pinkie, were gathered around, each smiling and looking greatly relieved.

“Ummm, hi everypony.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at the unicorn. “Ya'll mind telling us why ya thought ya might make a good pony fricassee?”

The unicorn’s ears lowered in shame, as if she were a filly caught trying to sneak an extra cookie from the cookie jar.

“Applejack, there’s no need in trying to make her feel bad. Besides, you're making Fluttershy feel guilty.”

Fluttershy had, indeed been burrowing herself behind a curtain in the corner.

“Come on out, Fluttershy. I'm sure Twilight isn't mad at you,” Rainbow insisted.

The yellow pegasus hesitantly slinked out from behind the curtain.

“Umm is Twilight okay?”

“She's fine, just a nasty blow to the head.”

Everyone turned as the triage nurse walked over to the bed.

“You really are lucky. As far as I can tell, a tree fell on you at the same time you used a teleportation spell. Had you been any longer in casting, we would be talking wheelchairs or coffins here. As it stands, just a small wound three stitches can handle.”

“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’ve practiced speeding up my teleportation spell.”

The nurse walked away with a wry grin, leaving Twilight with her friends.

“So, how's the fire?” Twilight asked.

“Already handled, darling, and we have you to thank for it,” Rarity announced.

“Yeah, the mayor said something about this being one of the best handled fires in Ponyville history, but whaddya expect when you and me are on the job?” Rainbow bragged.

Applejack tipped her hat and started for the entrance. “That's it, y'all just gettin’ a little too big for yer britches. Too big for an earth pony like me, at least. I’ll catch ya later, Twi. Don't go jumping into anymore fires, ya hear?”

“Bye, Applejack! Tell Big Mac and the others we couldn't have done it without them.”

The earth pony winked and walked out the tent.

Fluttershy nervously approached the bed, trying to hide behind her mane.

“Thanks for helping save my cottage and all the critters, Twilight. I just wish you didn’t get hurt...”

Twilight waved off the pegasus' concerns with a smile and shake of her hoof. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy. You heard the nurse, I'm just fine. You should get back home. The animals are probably waiting for dinner.”

Fluttershy paled. “Oh my! You're probably right! The poor things! Bye, Twilight!”

Now, only Rarity and Rainbow Dash remained.

“Hey, has anypony seen Pinkie Pie anywhere?” Twilight asked.

Rarity's brow furrowed. “She was here a little while ago. “That’s odd, Pinkie is usually the first pony to show up for something like this. I could go find her, if you want.”

“No, that’s okay. I'm sure she'll turn up. You should get going, too.”

Rarity stuck on a playful smile. “My, my, somepony is sure anxious to be alone with somepony else.”

Twilight fired back a grin of her own. “If I remember correctly, weren’t the Cutie Mark Crusaders supposed to be staying the night at the boutique?”

Rarity's eyes shot wide open. “Oh my! Nopony has been there all day! I’m sure they’re starving... or about to burn down my boutique trying to cook! Don't worry, Sweetie Belle! I’m on my way!” The white unicorn took off like a shot.

“Now that was funny!” Rainbow cackled. “Although I wonder if she wasn’t right about you wanting me all to yourself, though.”

Twilight smiled momentarily until an odor hit her nose. Giving herself a quick sniff, she could smell smoke on her fur and hair.

“Actually, I really need a shower, and you aren't much better off,” Twilight noted as she reached up and wiped a bit of soot off the pegasus' face.

“Hah, point taken. We could both use showers. Why don't I go make sure the weather team is cool, and cut through a few clouds to clean up? By that time, you should have made it back to the library and gotten a chance to clean up.”

“Inviting yourself over?” Twilight raised her eyebrow.

“Only if you aren't turning me down,” Rainbow said with a hopeful grin.

“Hmm... alright, sounds good to me.”

“Yes!” Rainbow cheered, doing a small hoof pump. “See ya in a few, then!” The pegasus quickly bolted out of the tent.

Twilight begrudgingly sat up in the cot and placed a shaky hoof on the ground. Luckily that knock to my head hasn’t affected my equilibrium, as far as I can tell.

She started to leave, but stopped in her tracks. She scanned the room one more time, but saw just an assortment of townsponies. A small twinge of disappointment clear in her face, she decided to just go home.

---

The clip clop of heavy hooves echoed in Pinkie’s room. Barring her furniture, not a single streamer, balloon, or shred of confetti was on display. Twilight’s peptalk had lifted her spirits a bit, but after the festival and the fire, she seemed to be back at square one.

“Maybe I should have a sleepover... but with who? I just had one with Fluttershy. Besides, she seemed pretty tired today. I don't think she could handle any Pinkie-ness tonight.”

Pinkie continued pacing while gummy stared from his pet bed.

“Twilight got hurt today, so she probably needs her rest, and I bet Rainbow Dash is staying over tonight. The way she was holding Twilight’s hoof...”

Pinkie walked to her dresser and opened the drawer. She didn't even smile at the puff of confetti that flew in her face, such was her mood. She removed her date planner and jumped on her bed.

"It looks like Rarity's is a no go. She has the Cutie Mark Crusaders for a sleepover, and I’m sure I would just make things worse."

She flipped back a few pages to check her last prospect. “I had a night with Applejack a week and a half ago.”

Pinkie closed the book sadly. The sound of distant thunder caught her ears, drawing her eyes to the window. A few stray droplets of water hit the glass as a precursor to the storm scheduled that night.

“Even if I wanted to go to Applejack’s, I’d never make it before the rain comes,” Pinkie mumbled.

She looked at the alligator, who seemed rather unaffected by everything going on. “What do you think Gummy?”

Unblinking eyes answered her question.

“And just how is bungee jumping out of a balloon going to solve anything?” Pinkie scoffed. She reached down and grabbed the reptile, pulling him onto the bed with her.

“Looks like it’s just you and me tonight, Gummy.”

---

Twilight let the damp towel fall to the floor haphazardly. She peered at herself in the mirror to judge her mane. While it wasn’t quite up to her standards, she quickly decided it was good enough. Especially considering what she had just gone through.

“I’m sure Rainbow Dash won’t mind. It’s not like she’s going to sit down and style her mane before coming over." She walked out of her bathroom and through her bedroom, hoping she had been quicker than usual with her shower. Sitting on the floor in the main area of the library was Rainbow Dash, her coat and mane pretty much normal.

“Hey Twilight. Trying out a new mane style?” Rainbow laughed.

“Haha. No, I just didn't want to brush my hair too much with these stitches up there,” Twilight lied. “How did you get cleaned up so quickly, anyway?”

“Best part about being a pegasus, fly through a couple clouds and kick up the speed and it's like taking a shower in seconds,” Rainbow said, flapping her wings.

“And your mane?”

“That’s the best part about being me. This baby is low maintenance. I never really have to brush it.”

Twilight smiled. “Come on, let’s go lay down. I’m so sore right now.”

Rainbow flapped up from the main room into the bedroom. She waited until Twilight was seated and comfortable before joining her on the bed.

Rainbow looked to Twilight and reached towards the wound on her head, but the unicorn immediately flinched.

“Easy, I’m not gonna touch it. I just want to see it.”

Twilight slowly lowered her head to let Rainbow have a look. She felt the pegasus part her mane until she found it.

“Eeesh. That’s a good one, alright. Your first time having stitches, I bet,” Rainbow wagered.

“Yeah... it feels weird, and kinda gross.”

“There’s nothing to it. Pretty soon you won’t even know it’s there.”

Twilight breathed a sigh of relief.

“Until it’s time to take them out.”

The unicorn’s eyes flew open again.

Rainbow laughed and waved her hoof dismissively. “Just kidding! It’s not like you have anything to worry about anyway, having magic and all.”

Twilight relaxed. “I guess you're right.”

Silence took hold as they awkwardly stared at each other.

“So... what do you want to do?” Twilight asked.

“Why don't we talk a bit more tonight? I’m sure there’s something we don’t know about each other yet.

Twilight grinned at the pegasus. “That’s funny, you don’t normally strike me as the talking type,” she teased.

“Normally I'm not, but I need to work on my wings tonight. These babies don’t take care of themselves, ya know,” Rainbow said, flapping one of her wings.

“Your wings, huh?” Twilight reached over to grab the other free wing, only to have Rainbow pull it away.

“Woah, woah, woah. I’ve got to take care of this myself.”

The unicorn moved in, slower and more deliberate. “It’s okay, Rainbow. I can help you with them.”

“No, you don’t understand,” The pegasus protested.

“Rainbow, I’ve read lots of books about pegasi and their wings. I know what I’m doing.”

Rainbow's eyes widened. “Y-you have?”

“Of course I have. I wouldn’t work on your wing if I didn’t know what I was doing.”

Rainbow slowly opened her wings allowing them to spread fully. She still seemed apprehensive about the arrangement.

“I... I can trust you with this... right?"

Twilight gently placed her hoof on Rainbow’s right wing, causing the pegasus to flinch.

“I promise I won't hurt you.”

Rainbow nodded and laid down on the floor. Twilight gently grabbed the feathery appendage with her magic and started identifying the various pieces that, in all, made up the marvel which allowed a pegasus to fly.

“So, Rainbow, what did you want to talk about?”

“Have you... ever had a crush on sompony before?”

“Not really,” Twilight answered as she picked out a damaged feather. “Most of the unicorns I knew growing up weren't interested in somepony like me. I was too busy studying as Celestia's student.”

“So being a student of th- ahhhh...”

“Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?” Twilight asked, stopping her work.

“No, It’s... it's alright. Wings are just... very sensitive.”

“Oh yeah, I read that. I guess I didn't realise how sensitive.”

“Imagine the best massage you've ever gotten at the spa, and multiply it by ten.'

“That good, huh?”

Rainbow nodded. “As I was saying. What does a student of the princess do anyway?”

“Whatever she wants, really. If she were to go on a goodwill visit, she would usually ask me to compile a list of relevant information, like what a town is known for, or what a certain area’s customs are. Before I came to Ponyville, I had a feeling she might have lost faith in me.”

Rainbow laughed. “Really? Lost faith in you? You must be the best student ever! What made you think that?”

“She kept urging me to take a vacation and socialize with other ponies. She started giving me assignments that were of little to no use to anypony,” Twilight said as she straightened the pinions on Rainbow’s wing.

“No use to anypony? Whaddya mean?”.

“My last assignment before being sent to Ponyville was to catalog the stages and effects of paint drying.”

“Really? That seems kinda... dumb.”

“To her credit, she did order the workers to paint her personal quarters after I filed my report. Did you know painting your room a dark shade of blue, black, or purple can cause depression?”

Rainbow snickered. “I do now. How exactly did she try to make you ‘socialize’?”

“Well, the assignment before drying paint was for me to study the effects of the receiving of gifts on other ponies, and the ponies in question happened to be ponies from my class.”

“Wow, no points for subtlety on that one.”

Twilight sighed as she shifted her attention to Rainbow’s other wing. “It went straight over my head. I wrote every single detail down. Everything from the facial muscles that engaged when the gift is first opened, to the reactions to various gifts that may or may not match a pony's interest.”

“Sounds like you just didn’t know how to turn off,” Rainbow suggested.

“I was... dumb,” Twilight admitted.

“Dumb?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “How could somepony in charge of a library be dumb? Actually, scratch that. How could Princess Celestia’s prized student be dumb?”

Twilight lowered her head in shame. “Not dumb, intelligence wise. I was just so caught up in my studies, I couldn't see the forest for the trees. All of that time wasted just because I told myself I was too busy.”

Twilight felt Rainbow’s hoof gently lifting her chin. “Hey, you're here now. You see what you were missing before, your studies have come further than they ever have, and you got me now. That has to count for something.”

Twilight gently grabbed Rainbow’s hoof. “Yeah, I guess you're right, but I still have so much responsibility. I mean, if I had bothered to follow Pinkie when she blurted out the legend of the mirror pool, I could've saved us all a lot of work and we never would have risked losing her. Instead, I just went back to studying magic.”

“Maybe you're right,” Rainbow conceded. “But if you had stopped her, Pinkie never would have learned how to handle only being with one of us at a time, and it sure made for a sappy scene later.”

“I know, I know, you're right,” Twilight admitted.

“Good, now you can get back to my wing,” Rainbow said, turning back to let the unicorn resume her work.

Both ponies sat in silence while Twilight diligently worked on the pegasus' wings.

“Apart from being a Wonderbolt, what do you have planned for the future?”

“Hmmmmm. Ya know, I haven't really thought about it. I live my life day to day.”

“So... where would something like marriage fit into that?” Twilight questioned.

“It doesn't, at least... not yet. How about you?” Rainbow asked, spinning the question back.

“Me? I'd like to someday. I just don't know if I can,” Twilight said.

“What? Why not?”

“I have responsibilities and duties, Rainbow. Marriage and-I can't believe I’m saying this-foals take up a lot of time. I don't think it's something Princess Celestia would allow.”

Rainbow laughed. “Are you kidding? The princess wouldn't have a problem with it at all. I bet she would be the first one to congratulate you.”

“Maybe,” Twilight mumbled.

Silence took hold again while Twilight worked in concentration. After what felt like a minute or two, she let go of the pegasus' wing, which instinctively folded and unfolded a few times.

“Ya know, I don't think I could have done a better job myself,” Rainbow said, working the feathery appendages.

“I'm glad you approve,” Twilight said. Her mind off the task and now free to roam, she suddenly felt tired and yawned deeply.

“Let me show you what else this baby can do.” Rainbow extended her wing around Twilight and gently pulled her down to the bed.

The soft feathers moved in tandem, forming a super soft, but firm blanket around her. The feeling, the sensation, the comfort of the gesture made Twilight smile.

“Rainbow... you're making it awfully difficult to want to move.”

The pegasus leaned into Twilight’s ear. “Who says I want either of us to move? Maybe this is exactly how I want to sleep tonight,” Rainbow teased.

Twilight wrapped her own foreleg around Rainbow’s neck.

“Who am I to argue?” The unicorn's eyes closed from exhaustion as she lay on the bed. Twilight buried her head in Rainbow’s chest, feeling the gentle thumping of her heart. She sighed happily as sleep overcame her.

---

Applejack ambled down the stairs to the living room, trying to keep her eyes closed so that sleep might come easier when she went back to bed.

“Confounded varmints must be roughhousing tonight.” She walked to the living room window to peer out and spot whatever made the thumping noise that stirred her in the first place.

She scanned the yard as best as she could through the sheets of rain and saw nothing out of the ordinary. She was just about to chalk it up to the wind, when she heard the same thumping noise again.

“That sounded like it came from the door.”

Applejack grabbed a shovel, leaning by the door just in case, and slowly opened it, prepared to attack whatever was on the other side. The tool clattered to the ground when she saw what it was.

“P-Pinkie Pie?”

Standing on her front step was the pink pony. Her mane drooped around her head, though Applejack wasn't sure if it was due to the rain, or the obviously distressed look on the pony's face.

“Hey Applejack. I know this is sudden, but... can I stay over tonight?” the pink pony asked above the din of the rain.

Applejack reached out and pulled her inside without a second thought to the water pouring off her.

“Landsakes, girl! You tryin ta catch a death of cold? Get in here!”

Applejack wasted no time in grabbing a blanket off the back of her couch, and wrapping it tightly around her.

“Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up and dried off. Then y’all can tell me why you thought it’d be a good idea to come all this way in the pouring rain.”

When the cowpony received no answer except a slow and sad nod, she knew something was wrong.

Comments

[totallynotaunicorn]

These scenes with pinkie are so heart wrenching

[Hexy]

Pinkie knew...

[TheGreatEater]

“Yeah, so I'm in charge of the weather team, Applejack is in charge of cutting and moving burnable grass and trees and stuff, Flutters here is in charge of rounding up animals that might get lost in the fire, and Pinkie is in charge of making sure the ponies have plenty to eat and drink, and makes sure they take breaks when they should.

needs end " marks.
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Ya'll don’t need to be moving too much right now!”

Ya
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Ya'll mind telling us why ya thought ya might make a good pony fricassee?”

Ya
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“She was here a little while ago. “That’s odd, Pinkie is usually the first pony to show up for something like this. I could go find her, if you want.”

delete
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“Why don't we talk a bit more tonight? I’m sure there’s something we don’t know about each other yet.

end " marks.
_____________

“Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?” Twilight asked, stopping her work.

move down one line.
_____________________

“Come on, let’s go get you cleaned up and dried off. Then y’all can tell me why you thought it’d be a good idea to come all this way in the pouring rain.”

ya
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Wow we can finally see why Pinkie's depressed. I look forward to that.

[Ttkitty441]

I really like this story. I could say its the best story I have read with multiple ships.