Chapter 9
Twilight and Rainbow walked side by side down the streets of Canterlot. Looking up, Twilight smiled at the vast expanse of the nighttime sky, dominated by the moon and sparkling with countless hundreds of visible stars. The cool air was refreshing but it also made Twilight shiver. Twilight leaned more against Rainbow. She gave the pegasus a quick nuzzle on the neck and was rewarded with the pegasus laying her wing over her back. Twilight used it as an excuse and pressed herself closer to her friend, her warmth fighting off the chill of the night.
The streets were completely quiet, save for the sound of their hoofsteps. The only pony in sight of Twilight was Rainbow, and she was more than happy that was the case. She loved spending time with the pegasus, even more so when they were alone. Twilight glanced up along Rainbow's neck, scrutinizing her soft fur, then settling her gaze on Rainbow's beautiful prismatic mane. Leaning against Rainbow like she was made walking a little more difficult for both of them, but Rainbow said nothing, and Twilight enjoyed it. Twilight wouldn't trade it for all of Equestria.
Twilight shifted her gaze away from the pegasus's mane. "Rainbow?" she asked softly.
The pegasus turned her head back to look at her, smiling softly. "Yeah, Twilight?"
Twilight met Rainbow's gaze. Staring into her big, magnificent eyes, Twilight lost herself. The vast expanse above them paled in comparison to the beauty she found in Rainbow's eyes, which twinkled ever so slightly in the soft moonlight. After a few seconds, she realized they had stopped moving. Twilight lowered her gaze and looked over Rainbow's lips, then blushed and looked at the stone street, drawing her hoof across the street in small circles. Instead of saying anything, she brushed her cheek against Rainbow's neck in long, loving strokes.
Rainbow's wing tightened around her back, and Twilight closed her eyes. Twilight didn't want the moment to end, it was too peaceful, too beautiful. She drew her muzzle back and placed it over Rainbow's withers, then pressed into the back of her mane. She sighed into Rainbow's mane contently, then sat down on her haunches. Rainbow mimicked her action and sat down beside her. Twilight pulled her head away from Rainbow's mane, then laid it on her shoulder. She lifted her gaze to the moon and scrutinized it. Even the beauty of the moon couldn't hope to match the beauty of the pegasus sitting beside her.
Twilight glanced down at her chest, then removed the regalia from her neck. She held the familiar weight in her hoof, then looked back at Rainbow. She leaned away from her pegasus, causing Rainbow to look at her. Twilight smiled softly and pressed the regalia against Rainbow's chest, then she reached around her neck and fastened it into place. Twilight smiled, it was right. The gold accented Rainbow's body perfectly. In her mind, Rainbow wearing her regalia had more than one meaning. The regalia was a part of Twilight, it was a gift from Celestia upon being coronated as the fourth princess of Equestria. It was a part of her she would gladly give to Rainbow, there wasn't any part of herself she wouldn't give to her in a heartbeat. It was symbolic, too. Her regalia was also a symbol of strength and power, something that princesses were supposed to wear. She would gladly give up being a princess for Rainbow, just to be with her. She would even give her power to Rainbow if she wanted it. Her regalia meant a lot to her too, and she wanted Rainbow to have it. If anything ever happened to her, the regalia was Rainbow's as far as she was concerned.
It also looked better on Rainbow than on herself.
She looked up from Rainbow's chest and met Rainbow's gaze, smiling contently. Rainbow smiled back with a warmth that rivaled the sun, and a brightness that put the sun to shame. She tilted her head forward, then rubbed her ear and mane along Rainbow's neck. Rainbow giggled and returned the nuzzle, an action that made Twilight glow and left her with a pleasant warmth in her heart that she knew would never leave her, not even in ten thousand years.
The silent stillness was broken by a faint and distant sound, one that was familiar. Light hoofsteps falling on the stone. She ignored it, whoever it was could wait, the pegasus she loved held more importance to her in that moment. The hoofsteps grew in volume as they neared, and she continued to ignore them, then they came to a stop. For several seconds, the only sound came from Rainbow's heartbeat, one of the sweetest sounds she could imagine, one which put the songs of birds to shame. Whoever had stopped was watching them, she could feel it in the back of her mind. It made her uncomfortable, and even Rainbow seemed to notice. The pegasus looked away from her and turned back.
Something unfamiliar crossed Rainbow's expression. It was wrong, and Twilight knew that. She couldn't place it, and she didn't know what it was. It was alien to her, and anathema to Rainbow. Another sound filled the air, it was familiar. It started slow and soft, then grew, reverberating around the street and filling her being with dread. The sound brought fear to her mind, along with two words.
"My my, what do we have here? Two little ponies, alone in the dark..." Queen Chrysalis laughed.
Twilight shivered and closed her eyes, trying to force it away.
"And what's this? Ahhh yes, I could barely recognize you, Princess, without your horn and all that," Chrysalis mocked.
"Leave her alone," Rainbow said in a firm and low voice.
Twilight's heart fluttered, but her anxiety increased tenfold. Chrysalis wanted her, not Rainbow.
Chrysalis laughed once more. Twilight sensed the magic and her eyes shot open. She pushed Rainbow to the side, narrowly avoiding the beam of sickly green magic, and landed atop her pegasus. Rainbow quickly rolled over and switched positions with Twilight, then leaped up and landed between the two of them. Twilight scurried to her hooves and took a step back in fear.
The black chitinous carapace of Queen Chrysalis was more intimidating than she remembered, and Twilight felt her hooves shaking. She couldn't do anything. She didn't have her magic. Chrysalis had magic. The changeling laughed mockingly. Twilight mustered her courage and jumped in front of Rainbow. "Twilight..." the pegasus said softly. Twilight glanced back at her and looked at her pleadingly.
Chrysalis laughed, the heavy weight of her voice pressed down against Twilight's mind. "Oh... I see... I don't know how I could have missed that... You love her..." Twilight looked back at Chrysalis as the changeling charged her horn. "Well, I was content with killing you since you ruined my plans..." the changeling trailed off as she charged forward. Twilight braced herself for an impact that never came, Chrysalis jumped over her. Twilight looked up and followed her with her eyes, turning her head and watching in horror as the bug landed between her and Rainbow. "But this will hurt more," she said as she released the charge of magic into Rainbow.
The pegasus yelped and flew through the air, then impacted a solid marble wall. Twilight's legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the street. Her only solace brought more pain to her broken heart, Rainbow groaned as she tried to pick herself up off the ground. Chrysalis looked back at her, and Twilight felt the changeling's magic take hold of her, then she lurched forward. Chrysalis threw her to the ground, then twisted her head and held it in place so she had no choice but to look at Rainbow. She fought against Chrysalis's magic, but it was useless, she was held in place. Rainbow was just out of reach, but with the magic holding her down, her pegasus might as well have been across the world.
Twilight jumped awake. She hit her head on something and she winced in pain. Whatever she hit her head on grunted and pulled back from her. Twilight paid that no mind. She looked around the room she was in, it was dark, and the only light came from the moon. She threw her head about every which way and searched for Chrysalis, but to no avail. It was only after she stared out at the moon that she stopped looking around. She listened intently and tensed up as something moved beside her. She was afraid to look at it.
"Twilight?" Rainbow grumbled softly.
Twilight's head shot over to the pegasus. Shock, fear, worry, and happiness filled the alicorn's eyes in the span of a single second. "Rai-ainbow..." she croaked, burying her head into the pegasus's chest.
Rainbow forgot about nursing her jaw and wrapped her arm back around Twilight's back. "Twilight, what's wrong?" she asked, now wide awake from the pain in Twilight's voice. The alicorn sobbed into her chest. Rainbow pulled herself up onto the pillow more, then pulled Twilight further up. Twilight made no move to answer her. Rainbow flexed her grip on Twilight, hoping to reassure her. "Hey, it's alright..." she said. She brought her hoof up to Twilight's head, then drew it through her mane in long, gentle strokes. With each sob, Twilight shook, but what was worse was that she was shaking even when not crying out in pain. Rainbow considered pulling the blanket up more, but she didn't want to let Twilight go, afraid that would be worse for the alicorn than possibly being cold. Twilight didn't feel cold to her anyway, something else was affecting her.
Twilight gradually pulled her hooves up around Rainbow's shoulders, then she squeezed tightly, clinging to the pegasus, the nightmare still fresh in her mind. Eventually, she pried open her eyes and stared at Rainbow's chest. Barely enough moonlight made it in, but it was enough to see her coat. It was matted and wet, but it was Rainbow's coat. She pressed her eyes together, then slid her muzzle between their bodies and pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest as much as she could. Rainbow's grip on her tightened, holding her close, and her hoof moved through her mane. 'It was... just a nightmare...' she told herself after several minutes, during which time Rainbow's grip had not faltered, neither had she slowed nor ceased running her hoof through Twilight's mane.
As Twilight's sobs softened, and her breathing stabilized, so too did her shaking slow. Rainbow took that as a good sign. She leaned in over her ear. "Twilight?" she whispered. It took Twilight a few seconds to muster her strength. When she did, she pulled her head out from between them and laid on Rainbow's neck. Rainbow nuzzled her mane lightly, causing her to smile a little. "Are you okay?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight held on to Rainbow tighter. "It..." She closed her eyes and felt a cold chill run down her spine. "Chrysalis... she.... She tried to-to..."
"Twilight, it was just a nightmare..." Rainbow said softly, staring out at the moon. She would have been lying if she said she wasn't worried about the former changeling queen, but she trusted Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "You're safe... I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you, okay?"
"S-she had you," Twilight said. "An-and I couldn't stop her..."
Rainbow squeezed her, then relaxed her grip. "Hey, Twilight... Don't worry so much, I can take her on any day," she said in a soft voice, one filled with determination and courage.
Twilight's lips curled upwards, then fell back into a rigid line. "I-"
"Relax, okay? Just... try to go back to sleep. I'm not going anywhere," Rainbow said. She pulled her hoof away from Twilight's mane and pulled on the bedsheet. It didn't budge as much as she wanted. She sighed, then tightened her grip on Twilight. She rolled over, then scooted them both back under the blankets. She had planned to roll back over and lay Twilight down beside herself, but she hesitated. The way Twilight looked at her, eyes glistening in the moonlight from the tears she had shed, made her pause. She could still see moisture at the corners of Twilight's eyes, and her cheeks were wet from the tears she had shed. 'You love me...' she remembered. 'You dreamed that Chrysalis had me... and you love me...' With that thought in mind, Rainbow had a new perspective on the pain that Twilight was in and why she was so devastated by the nightmare.
Over the next few seconds, Twilight slowly laid her head down on Rainbow's chest, and she stared up at Rainbow. Rainbow followed her and looked down at her. Twilight eventually broke eye contact and shifted her weight so that she was laying on her side on top of Rainbow. She closed her eyes and tilted her head over onto her cheek, then gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle, moving her cheek in circles over Rainbow's chest. She didn't care that Rainbow's chest was wet from her tears, she just wanted Rainbow to know how much she meant to her. Three very simple words came to mind. She had never said them to Rainbow, but the pegasus knew. She had admitted to it, but she'd never spoken the words. She was terrified of saying those words. Her fear won over her, and instead of speaking, she tightened her grip on Rainbow again, clinging to her as if her life depended on it. She held onto Rainbow for a few seconds before letting go, although she kept her hooves wrapped around her.
"It's okay, Twilight... I'm not going to leave you..." Rainbow said softly. She slowly trailed her hoof across Twilight's back, then laid it on her neck. Twilight's weight was familiar, and she welcomed it like an old friend. It had been a while since Twilight had lain on top of Rainbow, and she couldn't help but think about it, along with the alicorn herself. Despite Twilight being an alicorn, she was barely any bigger than herself. She didn't know if Twilight would stay that small forever, or if she would outgrow her, although it felt like Twilight weighed more than she remembered. 'If... you outgrow me, how will that... work?' she wondered, trying to picture herself holding Twilight if she was as large as Princess Cadance or Princess Luna. The thought brought a smile to her lips. She had trouble picturing Twilight being that tall. It would make holding her difficult.
After a few seconds, she glanced over Twilight's moonlit mane then looked out the window and at the moon. 'Princess Luna... why didn't you stop her nightmare?' she wondered. She knew Princess Luna was busy, but the alicorn had said that she kept a close eye on Twilight, and although she would never admit it, she was worried there was a reason that Princess Luna didn't intervene in Twilight's nightmare.
She pushed the thought aside and looked back at Twilight. She couldn't tell if the princess was asleep or not, but her breathing was steady and her pulse had calmed since she had awoken. Rainbow gently shifted her weight, then laid Twilight on the bed. Twilight shifted her weight and looked at her with the same glistening eyes that she had earlier. Rainbow pulled her closer, then tucked Twilight's head in against her neck and pulled her head over Twilight's. Twilight shifted her muzzle and laid it over Rainbow's neck. Rainbow smiled at Twilight's warmth on her neck, and over a few minutes, tiredness crept back into her mind and body. She was still worried about Twilight, but the alicorn remained silent, and she had not moved at all for those few minutes. Just when she was sure that Twilight had fallen asleep, she felt warm tears against her neck. She blinked open her eyes and looked over Twilight. "Twilight?"
"Y-yes?" Twilight replied weakly.
"Are you okay?" Rainbow asked.
"I... I don't know," Twilight answered softly.
Rainbow wanted to ask if it was the dream, but she was sure it was. She also wanted to ask what happened, but if Twilight wanted to share, she figured she already would have. "Is there anything I can get you or do to make you feel better?" she asked.
Twilight bit her lip. "I... I don't know. I... wouldn't mind staying up for a little bit," she said. "I... don't want to go back to sleep right now."
"Okay," Rainbow replied. "We don't have to..."
Twilight tentatively lifted her head from Rainbow, and the pegasus slowly sat up, pulling Twilight up with her. After several seconds of gentle coaxing, Twilight let go of Rainbow, and they both slid out of bed. As soon as their hooves hit the floor, Twilight pressed her side against Rainbow's coat, almost with enough strength to push Rainbow over. Rainbow could see the fear and uncertainty in Twilight's eyes, and as much as she wanted to sleep, Twilight needed her. She pulled her wing from out between them, then laid it over Twilight's back and held her close. "What do you want to do?" Rainbow asked gently.
Twilight bit her lip and glanced around the room. "C-can we go... sit on the couch?
"Sure..." Rainbow replied, turning towards the door to the stairway. She stepped forward, and Twilight stepped forward right beside her. Never once did either of them miss a step, and soon they were walking down the stairs side by side. Rainbow couldn't help but question the design of the tower, with the bedroom being at the top, and with the door to the outside, and also having an internal stairwell to access the rest of the tower. She shook it off as they stepped down the last few steps. She immediately flipped a switch as soon as she stepped into the living room, activating the magical lights which glowed in a warm and welcoming yellow light. Twilight broke off from Rainbow and hurried over to the couch, then sat down. Rainbow shut the door behind them, then made her way over to Twilight and sat down beside her.
Twilight leaned against Rainbow and looked at the deep purple carpet. Rainbow laid a wing over Twilight's back, then she scooted back and slid her leg around Twilight. "Come here," Rainbow said. Twilight slid over in front of Rainbow as the pegasus wrapped her in her embrace. Twilight relaxed in Rainbow's embrace and closed her eyes. Rainbow laid her head on Twilight's and stared across the room at the wall.
Twilight begrudgingly cracked open an eye. She blinked once, then twice in surprise. She had expected to wake up facing a sky-blue coat, like normal. Instead, she was greeted with a dimly lit room. It took her a few seconds to remember where they were and why she wasn't facing Rainbow Dash. Unfortunately, it reminded her of the nightmare. She shifted her weight, only to find herself firmly lodged in Rainbow's grip and unable to move. She tilted her head and glanced down at her chest and she smiled, finding Rainbow's limbs pinning her own limbs to her body.
She sighed contently and scooted back. Another glance around confirmed that they were still on the couch, and surprisingly, she couldn't complain about sleeping poorly because of it. She couldn't see how Rainbow was positioned, but she suspected it couldn't be very comfortable. For a few seconds, she laid there, letting her mind wander, but preventing it from wandering back to her nightmare. Eventually, a thought came to the forefront of her mind. 'This is nice...'
As if taunting her, Rainbow inhaled deeply and stretched out her limbs before nuzzling Twilight's mane. Twilight stifled a giggle, but despite her best efforts, it still escaped her muzzle. "Good morning, Rainbow..." she greeted.
"Morning..." Rainbow muttered, still not awake. After a few seconds and some prodding from Twilight, Rainbow pulled her head away from the alicorn, and Twilight turned around to look at her, smiling at the pegasus with a bright smile that almost glowed. "Sleep okay?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight's ears drooped down, causing Rainbow's mind to start waking up. "I..." For a few seconds, she said nothing. "Yes... After we fell asleep again I don't... I don't think I had any nightmares."
Rainbow grimaced. "That's... good."
Twilight tilted her head away from Rainbow and looked at their hooves. "Thanks for... coming down here with me. You didn't have to, but you... you did."
"You needed me," Rainbow replied dismissively.
Twilight sighed sadly.
Rainbow unwrapped herself from around Twilight and scooted herself up. "What's wrong?" she asked. Before she could pull Twilight back up on her, the alicorn slid off of the couch and fluttered her wings. Rainbow watched Twilight stretch out and flick her tail through the air, then turn around.
"Nothing," Twilight replied, turning around and smiling.
After a few seconds, Rainbow got up from the couch and stretched out, earning a series of soft pops throughout her body. She sighed in relief. "That... was nice, but can we not sleep like that on the couch? Like... ever again?"
Twilight giggled and nodded. "Yeah, that probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had..." She turned back around and bit her lip. "And now you're... paying for it," she said softer.
"Hey, it's okay..." Rainbow replied, stepping forward and standing beside Twilight. For a few seconds, she couldn't help but look over Twilight's body, scrutinizing her coat, wings, and feathers. Twilight's wings looked much better than they had yesterday morning, and she couldn't help but smile a little at her work. When she looked back forward, she found Twilight smiling softly at her. "Want me to show you how to preen later? Your wings aren't in as bad a shape as they were yesterday, so it shouldn't take as long."
Twilight turned her gaze to her wing, then unfurled it and examined it. "I think my wings are probably fine for today," she replied after several seconds.
Rainbow frowned at her. "Just remember that the longer you wait, the longer it'll take to do."
Twilight pursed her lips. "I wonder what kind of relation there is between how often one preens and how long it takes to preen versus waiting extended periods of time and preening..." she trailed off, then shook her head, filing the thought aside for another time. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Other than being cramped?" Rainbow asked. Twilight nodded guiltily and lowered her gaze to the floor. "Yeah." Rainbow nudged Twilight with an elbow. "Hey, don't worry about it..."
Twilight looked up at Rainbow and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I just..." 'You do so much for me and I can't seem to make it up to you...' She looked at the carpet. 'Can this really even work out? You don't... feel anything for me, and I love you, and...'
"Hey, it's okay, alright?" Rainbow replied. Twilight sighed and turned away from Rainbow. She held her head evenly with her back and stared at the floor. Rainbow glanced around the room, still lit with darkened lights from before they fell asleep. Twilight hadn't wanted them turned completely off, and at the time she suspected it was because she was afraid. "Hey, why don't we go get something to eat, then we can go fly around Canterlot for a bit?" she said as she walked over to the dimmer, then turned the lights up. After a second's delay, the magic responded and cast a brighter glow throughout the room. Both Rainbow and Twilight blinked several times from the brightness, then Rainbow turned around and walked towards Twilight. "Or we can-"
"We... can go flying..." Twilight said weakly. She timidly turned back to face Rainbow. "Don't you need to... exercise, though?"
Rainbow slowed her pace. "I... do, but-"
"Then you should exercise instead," Twilight replied quickly, looking away from Rainbow.
"Maybe I want to spend time with you?" Rainbow countered with a smile as she stepped up beside Twilight.
Twilight smiled slightly, then the smile evaporated. "Do you really want to do that?" she asked softly.
The smile left Rainbow's muzzle. "What's wrong, Twilight?"
Twilight bobbed her head. "You worked so hard to get into the Wonderbolts, and in the past few weeks you haven't been able to... actually do anything with them. And... it's your dream, and because of me you haven't been able to enjoy it..."
Rainbow sat down on her haunches and looked at Twilight seriously. "Twilight, that may be my dream, but you're my friend."
Twilight tensed up. "You said that you'd help me until I get better, then that you'd never... abandon me. But... what about the Wonderbolts? I... Can you really do both?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Hey, just let me worry about that."
Twilight bit her lip and cautiously turned to look at Rainbow. She ruffled her wings, then met her gaze. "Rainbow, I don't want to... hurt your dream," she said. She swallowed. "The more time you're with me, the less time that you're flying with the Wonderbolts..."
Rainbow walked around in front of Twilight, the alicorn followed her with her eyes. Once Rainbow was in front of Twilight, she sat down on her haunches, then she wrapped her arms around Twilight and pulled her into a hug. "I... appreciate your concern, Twilight, but I can handle this, okay?" For a few seconds, Twilight made no move to return the hug, but eventually she caved and wrapped her arms around Rainbow, then laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow smiled at the feeling of Twilight's warm neck against her neck, then frowned. "That's..." she trailed off, squinting. "What's really bothering you..?" she trailed off, feeling her lips draw into a straight line. "Was it... the nightmare?" she asked. Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably. "What happened?"
Twilight let her gaze fall down Rainbow's back, then land on her prismatic tail. "It... didn't start as a nightmare. It was actually a... a really good dream," she said softly, swallowing and smiling at the memory of the start of the dream.
For a few seconds, Twilight didn't continue. "What was it about?" Rainbow asked.
"We were... sitting together, in the street, watching the stars," Twilight answered. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then she nuzzled Rainbow affectionately before continuing. "And then... Chrysalis showed up and... attacked you. She tried to kill you..."
Rainbow tightened her grip on Twilight. Questions plagued her mind. "Why didn't Princess Luna stop it?"
"I don't know... Maybe it was because the dream started out so... beautiful," Twilight said.
Rainbow pulled back from Twilight, and the alicorn lifted her head from the pegasus' shoulder. "Why did Chrysalis attack me?"
Twilight lowered her gaze to her hooves. "She... found out how much I cared for you and... wanted to hurt me," she answered, then looked up at Rainbow.
The pegasus was frowning deeply. She remembered how distraught Twilight was when waking up, how she shook and cried. The dream had really shaken her up. 'You... care about me that much?' she asked in her mind, afraid to ask the question out loud. She knew Twilight loved her, and Twilight cared for her a lot if how shaken up the mare had been was any indicator. She gradually pulled Twilight back to her, then held her comfortingly. She wasn't as good as Fluttershy was at it, but she had gained a lot of experience in the past few weeks. "It was just a nightmare, it wasn't real."
"I... know, but it still hurt," Twilight replied, laying her head down on Rainbow's shoulder and enjoying feeling the pegasus hold her. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into Rainbow's mane.
"Well... Why don't we go do something fun then?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight took a deep breath, then pulled away from Rainbow's mane and looked at the smiling pegasus. "What do you have in mind?"
"Breakfast and then flying?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight smiled. "Sure... but..." she trailed off, looking down at her body. "I... should probably take a bath first..."
Rainbow pulled back from Twilight and stood up. "I'll start on breakfast then, how's that sound?" She ruffled Twilight's mane with her hoof, causing the alicorn to pull away from her and lightly pout. Sure, she knew it would make it harder for Twilight to brush her mane, but she could do it for her. "Oh relax, I can brush your mane again if you want!"
A smile slowly crept back onto Twilight's muzzle. "Okay..." she said weakly. "But um... you might want to wait before starting breakfast since it takes me a while to take a bath without my horn."
Rainbow frowned. "Even without brushing your mane and tail and trying to preen yourself?" she asked.
Twilight shifted her weight and looked at the carpet. "Well... yes. I... used my magic for everything, Rainbow."
Rainbow stood up a little straighter. "Oh... uh..." she trailed off. "Do you... want me to help you, then?" she asked seriously. Twilight looked up at her. She chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her mane with her hoof. She wasn't sure she liked the idea, but she had made a promise to help Twilight, and she wasn't going to break that promise.
Twilight pursed her lips. "I..." she trailed off. On one hoof, it would be quicker if Rainbow helped her. On the other hoof, it was embarrassing, probably for both of them, and it would be awkward. "I don't know..." Twilight said at length.
"Well... you always take a really long time, Twilight. And I promised I'd help you get better..." Rainbow said. She waited a second before continuing. "And I uh... Kinda feel bad about not knowing that you needed help preening..." She smiled sheepishly.
Twilight swallowed. "O-okay... I trust you." Rainbow smiled nervously, then turned around and walked over to the door. Twilight waited for her to open the door, then she walked over to her, and then they both made their way up the stairs. Twilight hesitated when they reached the top and Rainbow shut the door to the stairway behind them. She glanced at Rainbow, and the pegasus looked at her reassuringly. Even then, it took her a few seconds before she walked into the bathroom.
Rainbow walked in behind her, then closed the door and locked it. She turned around, then walked over to the bathtub and briefly scrutinized it. She hadn't used it yet, although Twilight had. Twilight walked in front of her, then turned on the water with a hoof before sitting down. After a few seconds, she stuck her hoof under the water, then pushed a knob. A few seconds later, the tub started filling with water. Twilight shifted her weight while the tub filled, and Rainbow sat down.
"It... I probably could do this on my own more quickly, but... I try to take good care of my coat and my mane and tail..." Twilight commented idly.
Rainbow glanced sideways and looked at Twilight's body. "You look nice," Rainbow replied. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were still using your magic to take care of your coat."
"It's not as easy and it takes a lot longer now..." Twilight groaned.
"Well... I'm here to help with that," Rainbow replied.
Twilight turned to Rainbow. "Since... we're doing this, do you want to join me and I can help you?"
"Um..." Rainbow shifted her weight. "Sure..."
"I'll be careful, I promise..."
Rainbow smiled. "I know you will. Just uh... never tell anypony about this."
"I won't." Twilight smiled, then turned back around and watched the water fill the golden edged white bathtub. A couple of minutes passed in silence, the only sound coming from the water splashing into the tub. Eventually, the tub was filled enough and Twilight turned off the water, then stood up. She took a deep breath, then dipped a hoof into the water. She closed her eyes and reached in until her hoof hit the bottom, then she pulled her other hoof into the water. After that, she glanced back at Rainbow, then pulled her hind legs over the rim and sat down on her haunches. She closed her eyes as the warmth of the water seeped into her coat, then she dunked her head beneath the water.
A few seconds later Twilight returned to the surface and scooted forward. Rainbow stuck a hoof into the water, then stepped over the rim and sat down. Rainbow turned to the right and grabbed the bottle of shampoo with her wings. Twilight tentatively scooted back and leaned forward, giving Rainbow better access to her back. Rainbow squirted a glob of soap out onto her hooves and set the bottle down as she rubbed her hooves together. When the soap was lathered up, she gently put her hooves on Twilight's back, then vigorously worked the soap into her coat, focusing on her withers and shoulder, slowly working her way down. "This might be cold," she warned before squirting out more soap, this time directly onto Twilight's head. Twilight winced as the cold soap hit her, then relaxed again as Rainbow's hooves started gently working it in.
Rainbow slowed as she went forward. "It won't hurt if-"
"No, it hasn't hurt for a while," Twilight answered.
"Okay, good," Rainbow replied, then went back to work massaging the soap into Twilight's mane. The more soap she used, the stronger the scent of lavender became. It was a pleasant smell, soft and gentle, and it wasn't overwhelming like some soaps. She found the smell relaxing, and she found herself not feeling as awkward as she had expected. She scooted closer to Twilight, then straddled her and poured soap onto the back of Twilight's mane. She worked the soap into her mane in long strokes, careful not to knot her mane but still making sure to thoroughly work the soap into her mane and coat. Twilight found herself smiling. A minute later, she scooted back and finished lathering up Twilight's back. Twilight spread out her wings to grant Rainbow access to her sides, and Rainbow quickly lathered up her sides and moved on, allowing Twilight to fold her wings back into place.
Rainbow continued lathering up Twilight's back and made her way down until she reached the water line. "Stand up," she said, scooting back.
Twilight scooted forward and stood up, her tail sagging from the water. Rainbow ignored it and quickly massaged the soap into her flanks, then worked it into her legs. She pulled Twilight's tail out, then poured soap out onto it and carefully worked it in, making sure not to hurt Twilight or tangle her tail, but also making sure that her tail was well cleaned. She ran her hooves through her tail lengthwise several times, straightening it out. Twilight's tail sagged back into the water when Rainbow released it, and the blushing alicorn quickly sat back down without saying anything.
Rainbow scooted back around Twilight and put her hooves around the alicorn's shoulders, then pulled her back into herself, and leaned backward. Both of them toppled back in the tub, causing the water to splash around and out onto the floor. "Ahh!" Twilight groaned.
"Sorry," Rainbow quickly apologized.
"Warn me next time, please..." Twilight sighed.
Rainbow smiled at her. She scooted back and leaned against the wall. She extended her wings and pulled the soap bottle to her, then she poured out a generous amount on Twilight's chest and stomach before putting the bottle of shampoo back onto the rim of the tub. She wrapped her arms under Twilight's arms, then pulled the alicorn onto her and then she slid her hooves up to the soap and then started massaging it into her coat. Over the next few minutes, Twilight was content to lay on her while she rubbed the soap into her chest, neck, and stomach.
Rainbow slowed as she went lower, but Twilight continued to say nothing as she lathered the soap into her abdomen, then she ran her hooves in circular motions before moving on to her thighs and hesitantly rubbing the soap into her coat. Since she had already rubbed soap into the rest of Twilight's legs, going over them again was easier. When she finished with that, she took Twilight's left arm and worked soap into it, then over her hoof and switched over to her right arm and hoof. After that, she poured out a glob of soap onto Twilight's upper chest and worked it into her neck.
After she pulled her hooves back, Twilight slid off of her and slid her wings against her body. She quickly closed her eyes and lowered her head and body beneath the water, then felt Rainbow's hooves going over her back again, this time washing the soap out of her coat. After finishing, she pulled her head back above the water and wiped her mane to the side, then turned around and looked over Rainbow's body. "Quicker, right?" the pegasus asked.
Twilight nodded but blushed. "Yes," she said quickly. "S-so you want me to-"
Rainbow winced. "Actually, Twilight, I-"
"This was... It made you uncomfortable, didn't it?" Twilight asked quizzically.
Rainbow bobbed her head. "Yeeaahhh... a little," she admitted.
"You... want me to leave you alone then?" Twilight asked, shifting her weight in the water.
"Do you want to leave?" Rainbow asked.
"Not really..." Twilight said with an awkward smile.
"You really don't want to leave my side, do you?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight looked at her reflection in the water, blushing lightly. "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to stay. That way I can show you how to shower on your own?" she suggested.
Twilight tentatively looked up and nodded. "Okay then, I guess..." For a few seconds both of them sat there, then Twilight stood up, water ran off of her body and splashed into the water below her, then she turned and stepped out of the bathtub, her waterlogged tail dragged across the rim, then fell back down, sagging from the water and gravity.
Rainbow stood up, then stepped forward and pushed the tab which opened the drain, causing the water to start rushing out of the tub. It drained slowly, and Rainbow wasn't about to wait around for it to drain. She stepped out of the tub, then grabbed a towel from the towel rack, then walked over to Twilight and dropped it over her back. Twilight smiled at Rainbow as the pegasus started drying her off.
Twilight took a bite out of her doughnut and smiled, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor. She happily chewed on the delicious treat before swallowing. She licked her lips and opened her eyes to see Rainbow smirking at her. "Thanks for convincing me to do this," she said sweetly.
"Well, it's better than a sandwich, right?" Rainbow asked back, picking up her doughnut and taking a bite. She quickly chewed it and then swallowed.
Twilight nodded in agreement, watching her own doughnut. The sugary treat wasn't very filling, although it was delicious. She turned her attention away from the treat and looked around. She was surprised to find Doughnut Joe's so empty with it being morning, but she pushed the thought aside. She enjoyed the quiet and decided that they probably missed the morning rush. She was glad that there were only a few other ponies in the building, although she was far more glad none of them recognized her. She still didn't want to have to deal with that, and the anonymity was welcomed.
She sighed and took another bite out of her doughnut. The only thing she didn't like about eating doughnuts without her magic was that it made her hooves sticky from the sugary coating. Still, she would rather eat doughnuts with her hooves than her wings, and the thought of holding the doughnut in her feathers made her shiver. Rarity would have thrown a fit if she did that, too.
She quickly ate the rest of the doughnut, then turned back towards Rainbow. The pegasus was only about halfway done with her doughnut, so Twilight looked out the window. The fluffy clouds lazily drifted about in the wind, and the bright sun shone brightly on Equestria. Ponies walked about the street, some with their heads held high, and others without a care in the world.
"Anything else I can get for you, Princess?" A kind voice asked.
Twilight turned towards the stallion- the one who the bakery was named after- intending to decline his offer, but she thought better of it. "I'll take a muffin, please."
He smiled at her, "I'll bring you out two muffins, how about that?"
"Sure!" Rainbow answered.
"Alright, two muffins coming up!" he said as he turned to leave.
"I'm really going to have to learn how to cook without my horn," Twilight said casually.
Rainbow swallowed another bite of her doughnut, one which Twilight wasn't sure was properly chewed up. "You can always have someone else cook, you know."
Twilight winced. "I don't have a problem with that at my castle, but I don't like doing that here unless Princess Celestia is around..."
Rainbow frowned and sat up straighter. "Why?"
Twilight bobbed her head and ran her hoof in a circle on the table. She lowered her gaze and stared at her empty plate. "Well... it just... doesn't feel right," she answered. She looked back up at Rainbow, not sure what to expect.
Rainbow smiled and slowly shook her head, chuckling. "Only you, Twilight..."
Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably and looked back out the window. "So where are we going to fly?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Eh, around," Rainbow replied. "Nowhere in particular. I figured we could just stretch our wings." She paused. "You do feel up to that, right?"
Twilight turned back to Rainbow and nodded. "Yes, that should be fine."
"Here's your two muffins! Enjoy!" the stallion said, placing a platter with two steaming muffins onto the table.
Twilight smiled her thanks, then slid a muffin onto her plate. Rainbow took the other muffin and stared at it like a predator sizing up her prey. Twilight took a quick bite, then paused to enjoy the warmth. As she chewed, she found the subtle taste of blueberries calming, and all too soon she finished the muffin. Once again, she went back to watching Rainbow eat. Eventually, the pegasus finished, then promptly slid out of the bench and walked over to Twilight. Twilight casually slid off the bench and slid up beside Rainbow. Rainbow glanced around nervously, causing Twilight to wince and step away from her. "Sorry," she apologized.
Rainbow shifted her weight. "Let's go..." she said quickly. She immediately started walking forward, then the pair stepped outside, the bell above the door ringing a little as they left. Rainbow flared her wings and hovered in the air, waiting for Twilight to join her. Twilight hesitated for a brief moment, then flapped her wings and joined the pegasus above the street.
As soon as Twilight was beside her, Rainbow took off at a leisurely pace, flying higher up into the sky. Twilight followed her with curiosity, careful to keep up and stay close with her and watching her carefully to make sure that she wasn't going to suddenly surprise her and take off. Her worries proved unnecessary as the pegasus picked up speed then did a little loop in the air, eliciting a smile from Twilight. Her loop turned into a spin, then Rainbow flew backward on her back, looking back at Twilight and smirking. Twilight rolled her eyes and flew a little faster to catch up with her. "That seems a little tame for a Wonderbolt," Twilight called.
Rainbow slowed, then in the blink of an eye, she shot straight up into the sky at a speed Twilight couldn't ever hope to reach, leaving a faint rainbow trail in her wake. Twilight slowed down and followed the pegasus with her eyes, not even bothering to try to catch up to her. Rainbow gracefully twisted in the air, then arced back downwards and flew straight for Twilight. The alicorn watched her with fascination as Rainbow slowed, then looped around her and disappeared from her vision. Twilight tilted her head to the other side and came face to face with Rainbow. "That better?" Rainbow asked with a smile.
Twilight smiled back. "You're a better flier than I'll ever be," she said softly.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I have practice, Twilight. I've been a pegasus all my life." She started flying away from Twilight at a casual speed that the alicorn could easily keep up with. Rainbow looked at Twilight, flying beside her. "You? You've only been an alicorn for a few years, so you just don't have as much experience as I do."
Twilight bobbed her head. "Still... there are pegasi who are older than you and have more experience who aren't half as good a flier as you."
Rainbow smiled proudly. "Yeah..." she said contently before turning back forward. She glanced throughout the sky and was surprised that there weren't any pegasi around. Canterlot was predominantly a unicorn city, but there were still pegasi living there. She shook the thought aside. "I'll have to teach you to be a better flier so that you can keep up with me then, I guess."
Twilight laughed nervously.
Rainbow looked at her and rolled her eyes. "Oh relax! It won't be that bad, I promise! Besides, you enjoyed me teaching you how to fly when you first got those wings of yours."
"W-well, that was different. You were teaching me how to fly, not... how to..." Twilight trailed off, frowning because she wasn't sure how to word it. "How to be a Wonderbolt," she said.
"I guess that's true," Rainbow admitted. She closed her eyes and did another little loop before falling back in sync with Twilight. She loved flying, and she always found it relaxing. Flying was easily the best feeling she knew, with the wind blowing through her coat, the air ruffling her mane and tail, and the unmatched feeling of freedom, to say nothing of how the air currents flowed through and around her feathers. She sighed contently, then opened her eyes. "Don't you just love flying?" she asked.
"It's nice," Twilight agreed. "I never thought I'd get a chance to fly on my own. There were spells I could have used to fly, but flying like a pegasus is so much different."
"And you're an alicorn," Rainbow added.
"It doesn't feel like it, at times..." Twilight trailed off, then tilted her head to the right. "Which... I suppose can be a good thing, since a lot of times when I do feel like an alicorn, I don't like it."
Rainbow looked at her curiously. "Huh?"
Twilight smiled at her. "Don't get me wrong... being an alicorn is... great... I guess, but it's..." Her ears folded back against her head. "It's so different, and..." She slowed down her flight, and Rainbow matched her speed, both of them pausing to hover in the air.
Rainbow looked around quickly, then spotted a nearby cloud large enough for both of them. She grabbed Twilight's hoof, then tugged her over to the cloud and landed. Twilight cautiously landed beside her and pressed her coat up against Rainbow's. Both of them sunk into the cloud a little as they landed, and they cloud seemed to pull them closer together. "You okay?"
Twilight nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's just... It's kind of hard being an alicorn," she said at length. She glanced at Rainbow, sitting to her right, then leaned against her shoulder. The pegasus wrapped her wing around her back and Twilight cooed as her feather's slid across her fur. For a few seconds, she said nothing, just letting herself relax. She lowered her gaze and looked at her hooves. "Everypony looks at you differently and treats you differently. They all look up to me..."
"Twilight, I think everypony looked up to you before you ascended and whatnot," Rainbow replied lightly.
Twilight snorted. "Yeah, but it wasn't as bad as it is now." She leaned away from Rainbow and looked at her. "You all looked at me differently after I ascended, and it took weeks before you finally got used to it." Rainbow smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her mane. Twilight looked away from Rainbow and laid her head on her shoulder. "And... Well, I am different now, but... I'm no better than anypony else, it's not like I'm above everypony, and yet... a lot of ponies look at me that way. It's hard to live up to that standard..."
Rainbow rubbed her wing against Twilight's side. "Well, I think you're doing a good job at it."
Twilight smiled weakly. "Thanks."
"Well, it's true," Rainbow replied. Twilight sighed. "Twilight, you may be an alicorn and a princess, but don't forget that you're still a pony."
Twilight grimaced and looked at her hooves. "It doesn't feel like that a lot of the time..." she said softly.
"And this is why you need to relax," Rainbow chuckled.
"Maybe," Twilight said as she leaned away from Rainbow. "And then other times, the times when I don't feel like an alicorn... I guess I just don't feel very important." She tilted her head away from Rainbow. "It's been worse in general lately, and I'm sure losing my horn hasn't helped with that..." She turned to Rainbow and smiled, although Rainbow looked at her wryly. "But... you've helped me with that, I think..."
Rainbow smiled, but Twilight could tell her heart wasn't in it, it didn't fill her expression as much as it should have. Twilight slowly drew her gaze away from Rainbow and looked down at the cloud beneath them before leaning against her again and giving her a quick nuzzle. "Well... I'm glad that I can make you feel better," Rainbow said gently.
"It means a lot to me that you're willing to do this..." Twilight said. "Although... you already know that," she said as she leaned away from Rainbow. She was happy that Rainbow didn't try to stop her from pulling away, but at the same time she was disappointed. She smiled at Rainbow wryly and stood up, then stepped out from under her friend's wing. She paused at the edge of the cloud, then spread her wings and fell into the air before hovering a short distance away from the cloud. A second later, Rainbow beat her wings and joined her.
The more Twilight thought about it, the more she thought for sure that she had never been more nervous in her entire life. Statistically speaking, she knew it was unlikely, but she was more nervous than the day of her coronation. Her anxiety had steadily risen over the past hour, and as much as she had tried to hide and manage it, it still showed. She glanced at Rainbow and smiled brightly before ruffling her wings. Rainbow looked back at her with a suspicious look. 'Tone down the smile...' she told herself.
The closer they drew to their destination, the faster her heart beat, and the more unsure she grew. The distance between the entrance and the dining room was so great at first, but as time passed, they made progress, and the once long hallways weren't so long anymore. She looked back forward. 'Take a deep breath,' she told herself. She methodically and slowly inhaled deeply, then she slowly exhaled. It helped. She glanced sideways at Rainbow. The pegasus was so calm and relaxed compared to her. 'Just relax...' she told herself for the hundredth time.
It was easier said than done. Three months ago she had asked Rainbow on a date. Three months ago she had said no. A couple weeks ago she said yes. Rainbow had been helping her for around two months. She felt like she shouldn't have been nervous at all, considering how much she had been around the mare over the past few weeks. Even with that thought in mind, she was nervous. 'What if this doesn't work out? What if I ruin everything? What if I say something wrong?' Each question brought on a scenario, and each one felt worse than the last, although she knew that objectively, not every outcome she thought of was worse than the last.
She almost jumped into the air when Rainbow's wing brushed against her own wing. Both of them came to a stop. While Twilight had been worrying, she had unconsciously slid closer to Rainbow. "S-sorry," she hastily apologized and stepped away.
"Twilight," Rainbow groaned, shaking her head. "If I have to tell you to relax one more time, I'm going to drop you into a river." Rainbow started walking forward again, then paused when she realized Twilight wasn't following her. She turned around and looked blankly at Twilight. The alicorn looked terrified.
"Y-you... wouldn't actually do that, would you?" Twilight asked.
"No..." Rainbow sighed and walked back to her. "Look, Twilight, seriously. Stop overthinking this and relax... I'm not going to hurt you." 'At least not on purpose.' "We've known each other for years, and we've been around each other a lot lately." She paused and switched tactics when she saw that it wasn't helping calm the alicorn down any. "You remember that Princess Luna said that you didn't have anything to worry about, right?" Twilight looked away from her and nodded. "You trust her, don't you?" Twilight hesitated, then nodded and looked up at her. "You trust me, don't you?" Twilight nodded without hesitation. "Then please, just relax..."
Twilight slowly bobbed her head and looked away from Rainbow. "I... can't."
Rainbow slid up beside Twilight and laid a wing across her back, not caring if anypony saw her. "Why not?"
Twilight clenched her jaw. A few seconds passed, then she cautiously pressed her side against Rainbow. It helped ease her nerves, feeling her friend's coat against her own coat, and feeling her fur against her feathers. She turned her head and met Rainbow's gaze. "What if something goes wrong?" she asked. She pulled her gaze away from Rainbow. "I can't lose you..." she trailed off, trying not to think about that. "Your friendship," she swiftly corrected, glancing at her friend.
"You won't," Rainbow said in a firm voice backed with a warm, determined smile. "Now come on, let's go, I'm hungry." She pulled Twilight closer with her wing, then coaxed her forward. The alicorn resisted at first but quickly gave in as Rainbow started walking forward, not wanting to lose her protection.
As they made their way ever closer to the dining room, Twilight's anxiety returned and intensified, although it was lessened by their coat's being pressed together and Rainbow's wing being around her back. Eventually, they reached the dining room. The guards pulled open the doors for them, paying no mind to their close proximity nor Rainbow's wing being wrapped around Twilight. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Rainbow withdrew her wing from Twilight and broke away, glancing over the table and chairs for a good place to sit. Twilight stayed near to Rainbow until she started walking to the other side of the table.
Twilight clenched her jaw and pressed her wings firmly against her side, then she calmly walked over to the table and sat down across from where Rainbow was sitting. The pegasus paid her no mind, staring at the door and tapping her hooves on the table to pass the time. After a few seconds, she turned to Twilight. "So-"
She was cut off by the door opening and two ponies dressed in formal attire walking in, smiling warmly and carrying platters covered by lids in their magic. The two unicorns stepped to the side, allowing two more ponies walked in after them, both carrying platters without lids. One of the uncovered platters had two glasses, and the other had two bottles. Twilight couldn't make out the label, but she was sure it was going to be good, they would only serve the best at the castle, after all. They were followed by another pair of unicorns carrying a white tablecloth. They stepped into the room and strode over to the table, unfolding the pristine linen as the walked, then they draped the tablecloth over the table in one majestic motion, covering the wood with a beautiful sheet of white that almost looked like it sparkled with stars mixed into the cloth.
After the tablecloth was set, the four other unicorns skillfully navigated the room, then set up the table before removing the lids from the platters set in front of Twilight and Rainbow and pouring liquid into the two glasses. Twilight smiled her thanks and nodded, to which the six stallions smiled back and promptly left, closing the door behind them and leaving the two mares alone in silence.
Rainbow eyed the cheesy pasta and broccoli hungrily. "When did you-"
Twilight smiled and looked up a little. "I actually made these arrangements when getting the room for tonight," she said, then frowned. "That's... okay, right? I can always-"
"Yeah," Rainbow replied quickly, stopping Twilight's worry before it could take hold. "This looks delicious." Twilight smiled pleasantly, happy that Rainbow approved so far, then Rainbow looked at her and smirked. "No candles?" she asked.
Twilight shifted her weight and the smile faded from her face. "W-well... um... Did you want candles?" she asked, heart pounding. 'I-I knew I should have put up candles... Rainbow, I-I'm sorry, please...'
Rainbow shook her head. "I'm joking, Twi... Relax." She picked up her fork in her wing and scrutinized it.
Twilight closed her eyes and slumped down, relieved. After a few seconds, she sat up and opened her eyes. "I just... I figured that you weren't really into the whole... candlelit dinner thing..." Twilight said under her breath.
"Well, I'm not, but that would have been fine, I think..." Rainbow replied, twirling her fork in her pasta. She picked up the bite then bit down and slid the fork out of her mouth. As she chewed, she watched Twilight. For a few seconds, Twilight did nothing, then she looked down at her plate and picked up her fork, then went to work on her own pasta. 'So this is what a date with you is like?' Rainbow wondered, glancing around the extravagant room. It wasn't what she had expected, but she appreciated the privacy when it came to the fact that it was a date. She didn't want anypony to know she had agreed to a date, let alone the fact that it was a date with Twilight. Rainbow glanced up from her food and watched Twilight chew, then swallow. 'Thanks for not eating meat, Twilight.' The thought gave her pause. 'This is my first date, and it's with Twilight. Am I supposed to... are we supposed to kiss after this is over?' She quickly forked another bite of food into her mouth, helping her feel less stress from the thought. 'That... is that why you're not eating meat?' The idea of kissing somepony who ate meat disgusted her, although in the back of her mind, she wondered what it would be like to kiss Twilight.
She pushed the thought aside. 'No, you just... you don't want to make me uncomfortable,' Rainbow told herself. She swallowed, then took a sip from her glass and glanced over Twilight's lips for a fraction of a second. They were mostly obscured from her wing because she was taking a bite of her food, but she still saw the mare's light lavender skin. The thought lingered in her mind for several seconds, each one making her more uncomfortable than the last. 'Stop thinking about it... She's not going to kiss me,' she told herself. The thought brought relief. 'Although, that's because she's too afraid to,' another part of her said. Rainbow grimaced at that and looked at her plate, feeling guilty. A few seconds passed, then she started eating again.
They ate in silence, enjoying their meals and occasionally sipping their wine. Every so often, Twilight would stare at Rainbow for a few seconds, then return to looking at her plate. Rainbow caught Twilight looking at her more than once. Each time, Rainbow expected Twilight to say something, but the alicorn never did. Eventually, Rainbow lost count of how many times Twilight had glanced up at her and decided to watch her back. Twilight glanced up at her again, only to find Rainbow watching her. She immediately looked back down to her plate then took another bite. She glanced back up and watched Rainbow for a second, then swallowed and looked up at her. "Yes?"
"You look like there's something on your mind," Rainbow replied.
"Oh," Twilight replied, shifting her weight and looking away from her.
After a few seconds, Rainbow frowned. "Well?"
Twilight glanced back at her. "I... was wondering if maybe you could sit beside me instead of across from me?" she asked at length. Rainbow hesitated, thinking about it. Twilight looked at her almost pleadingly.
A few seconds passed, then Rainbow pushed her plate and glass across the table. "Okay," she said. She flapped her wings and flew around to the other side, then sat down in the chair to Twilight's left, pulling her plate and glass closer. Twilight smiled at her before returning her attention to her food.
"Thanks for giving this a chance," Twilight said.
"Well, I was curious about what this would be like," Rainbow replied. She turned to face Twilight and smiled at her wryly. "It's not that great, but it's not terrible." Twilight's smile wavered. "Hey, I'm not really into the whole romance thing, alright? So relax, this is the best date I've ever been on." She smiled reassuringly at Twilight, who wasn't convinced.
"It's also the only date you've ever been on," Twilight mumbled.
"See? You don't have anything to worry about!" Rainbow chuckled.
Twilight sighed and leaned away from Rainbow, her ears pinned against her head. "I wanted it to be perfect..."
Rainbow watched Twilight for several seconds. Each second felt almost like a lifetime, and each second left her feeling worse than the last. "Twilight, I didn't mean it like that." Twilight shook her head and grimaced. 'Oh come on, Twilight! I hate seeing you sad... it hurts...' Rainbow wasn't sure what to say. She looked away from Twilight and shifted her weight, staring blankly at her platter of food. 'Maybe this wasn't a good idea,' she thought.
She sighed and shifted her weight, then extended a wing and wrapped it around Twilight. The alicorn, as she expected, shied away. Rainbow was persistent, however, and she pulled harder. Twilight eventually relented and scooted herself over onto Rainbow's chair and leaned her head on the pegasus' shoulder as she pressed their bodies together. Rainbow didn't stop there, she scooted back away from Twilight, then she straddled her and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into her chest. "I keep hurting you when I don't mean to," Rainbow said softly. "And I'm sorry for that." She laid her head down on Twilight's head, her muzzle resting where Twilight's horn would have been. Twilight welcomed her muzzle and tilted her head up slightly, rubbing her forehead against Rainbow's muzzle. Rainbow gently wrapped her wings around Twilight and ran a hoof through her mane. Twilight closed her eyes and scooted back against Rainbow until her back was against the pegasus' stomach as close as it could be. "Feel any better?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight opened her eyes and smiled at the blue holding her body. "A little..." she said at length. "Neither of us can really eat like this, though..." she mumbled.
"Well... I'm pretty full," Rainbow didn't exactly lie, she knew she could have finished the rest of her food, and she would have liked to, but Twilight was uncomfortable. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make, and she knew she could always fix herself a snack later or before bed. "What about you?" she asked.
"I'd like to finish it," Twilight replied lightly. "But-"
Rainbow cut her off by pushing her plate away and pulling Twilight's plate over in front of her, followed by her glass and silverware. Twilight sighed and wiggled free from Rainbow's embrace, then extended a wing and picked up her utensils to resume eating. After she took her first bite, Rainbow pulled away from her and loosened her grip, but she stayed close to her until she finished several minutes later. After she finished, Twilight pushed her empty plate away and pulled Rainbow's plate in front of them. She tried to pull away from Rainbow, only for the mare to fold her arms around her. "Let me go so that you can finish your food too."
"I don't want to let you go," Rainbow countered. Twilight smiled a little. "I'll just end up hurting you if I do."
"I'll sit beside you..." Twilight replied. After a few seconds, Rainbow's grip loosened. Twilight used the opportunity and wiggled free, then slid around to Rainbow's side and leaned against her. "The sooner you finish the sooner we can... leave."
Rainbow turned to face the alicorn leaning against her. "Twilight..." she sighed. "I'm sorry I ruined this for you. You were supposed to enjoy this and I just kinda... ruined it by not thinking."
Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and shook her head. "You didn't ruin this, Rainbow. If anything, it's my fault. I thought that this might... actually work. I'm sorry I wasted your time."
Rainbow groaned and shook her head. "Twilight, you didn't waste my time. We'd still be together eating even if this wasn't a date, you know that and I know that."
"Maybe," Twilight tentatively agreed. She cautiously leaned against Rainbow and closed her eyes. "This was still a mistake, though." The words stung her heart to say, but it was a simple truth. A few seconds passed, then she felt Rainbow's feathers caressing her fur. At the feeling of the mare's wing gently running along her side, she nuzzled Rainbow's neck and pressed her eyes closed even tighter, afraid that she was going to cry.
"This wasn't a mistake, Twi," Rainbow countered firmly. She wrapped her arm around Twilight's neck and nuzzled her mane, then let her go and placed her hoof back on the chair. "So what if our first date kinda sucked? I'm not just going to leave you because of that! Besides, there's always next time, you know."
"Is there going to be a next time?" Twilight asked softly.
The question gave Rainbow pause. She had expected Twilight to ask it, but it still made her pause. A few seconds passed before she started stroking Twilight's side with her wing again. "It's completely up to you. If you want to try it again, I don't have a problem with that."
Twilight shook her head. "I shouldn't be doing this." Rainbow grimaced and squeezed her. "I'm... I'm not okay to do this. I shouldn't have asked you that, I shouldn't have agreed to this, and... and I'm still recovering from the accident. I should have waited until after I had recovered, but... I'm never going to recover..."
"Do you regret asking me?" Rainbow asked.
"No..." Twilight answered softly.
"Do you regret agreeing to go out on a date with me?"
Twilight had to think about that question for several seconds before she could answer it. "No. I don't, even with it turning out so badly," she said with more strength.
"So stop worrying, please. I want you to relax and have a good time..." Rainbow trailed off, glancing at her plate of food. "We can always just forget about the whole... date if it's making you that uncomfortable. We can go back to your tower and... do something else."
"I... want to date you, though..." Twilight replied with hesitation, still not looking up from the chair.
"And I don't want you to be uncomfortable," Rainbow replied with a smile. Twilight still didn't look up. Rainbow waited a few seconds, then unfurled her other wing and brought it around to Twilight's head, then she gradually pulled Twilight's muzzle until the alicorn was looking at her. "I want you to be relaxed and happy, and this date doesn't seem to be doing either."
Twilight sighed and looked back at her hooves. "I said this was a mistake..."
Rainbow groaned and leaned forward until her muzzle hit the table. The thud made Twilight jerk, and Rainbow grunted from the impact. "Rainbow, are you okay?" Twilight asked quickly.
Rainbow pulled back and nodded her head. "Twilight, you..." She lifted a hoof to her temple and started rubbing it vigorously. "Okay, maybe the date was a mistake. But ONLY because it's making you uncomfortable, not because it's not turning out like you wanted. Maybe we shouldn't date because they make you uncomfortable, not because I'm not... interested... in you or anything like that, okay?"
Twilight slowly lifted her head and turned to Rainbow. She spent several seconds scrutinizing the pegasus' expression for any signs of doubt or betrayal. Finding none, she spoke, "You... you're actually willing to give being with me a... a chance?"
Rainbow nodded enthusiastically, but both of them knew she was nervous. "I have been giving it a chance already, haven't I?" she asked, frowning at Twilight.
Twilight shifted her weight. "Yes, you have, but... are you sure about this?"
Rainbow looked at Twilight seriously. "Yes," she said firmly. 'Even if I don't think of you as anything more than a friend, I'm not going to hurt you by saying no. I promise.'
Twilight smiled, then sighed and looked away from her friend. "But... if we're not going to date, what are we supposed to do?"
Several seconds passed before Rainbow spoke. "I don't know," Rainbow replied lightly. "Like what we have been doing?" she asked.
Twilight pursed her lips and looked away from Rainbow. "Just... spending time together and sleeping together?"
"Well... yeah?" Rainbow shifted her weight.
Twilight bobbed her head in thought. "That... makes sense, in a way," she admitted. A few seconds passed, then she looked back up at Rainbow and nuzzled her. "What happens now?"
Rainbow looked down at her hooves in thought while rubbing her wing over Twilight's side. 'It's kind of nice when she nuzzles me and does those kinds of things... You can be a little clingy... but it's nice...' She looked back up and glanced at Twilight, the mare smiled a soft, fond smile directed entirely at her. She smiled back, then looked away from Twilight and shrugged. "I have no idea," she said lightly. Twilight giggled at Rainbow's inept response. A few seconds passed, then she glanced over at Twilight and felt around her side with her wing. Once she found Twilight's wing, she took it with her own wing and meshed their feather's together. Twilight hadn't been expecting it, and the warm glow it left on her features made Rainbow's smile even brighter.
Twilight closed her eyes and leaned into Rainbow. Feeling her soft wings and feathers brushing against her own and intertwining made her heart flutter. She ran her cheek and neck all over Rainbow in long, loving strokes, giving the pegasus some small idea of how much she liked the feeling. Twilight knew that no matter how hard she tried, she'd never be able to repay Rainbow for holding her wing, but she was willing to try.
"You really like that, don't you?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight's reply was to continue nuzzling her, eliciting a giggle from her friend. Eventually, Twilight slowed and then stopped, leaving both of them with warm smiles. Both of them were glad they were alone. Twilight didn't want to be around anypony else right then, she wanted Rainbow all to herself and anypony who wanted to get between them would have to wait. Rainbow didn't want anypony to see what Twilight did and even more than that, she didn't want anypony to know that she enjoyed it.
"Are you sure you're full?" Twilight asked several seconds later.
"Yeah, I'm good," Rainbow replied. "You ready to head back to the tower?"
Twilight bit her lip and shifted her weight. "If you're ready, then I guess I'm ready."
"Alright," Rainbow replied. She scooted the chair back from the table, then pulled her wing away from Twilight and jumped down. No sooner had Rainbow touched the floor than Twilight was already at her side again. Rainbow didn't even hesitate before laying her wing back over Twilight, and the alicorn pressed herself close to her friend. The made their way over to the door, Rainbow pushed it open, and they walked out side by side. Almost immediately, six well-dressed unicorns smiled at them and walked passed them into the room, none of them saying a word.
Rainbow opened the door to Twilight's tower and motioned the alicorn inside. Twilight ruffled her wings apprehensively and stepped through the doorway. Rainbow followed close behind her, and as soon as both of them were in, Rainbow shut the door behind them and locked it out of habit. Twilight's first thoughts were drawn to the pegasus standing beside her, then to their bed. She glanced sideways at her friend, then she made her way across the room. To Rainbow's surprise, the bed wasn't Twilight's destination, rather, the balcony door was. Rainbow walked over to her as she opened the door and stepped outside. Rainbow made sure that the door was unlocked before closing it behind them, she didn't want to accidently lock Twilight and herself outside.
Twilight sat down on her haunches and stared up at the dark blue sky. The sun was setting in the distance and it would be night soon. The longer rays of sunlight carried less energy than they would have during the day, and they both felt it in the air. Rainbow sat down beside Twilight, and the alicorn princess immediately pressed herself into Rainbow's warm and soft coat. The pegasus returned the gesture, ever so slightly leaning on Twilight.
Their trip back from the dining room had been a quiet one. Neither of them had much to say, but Rainbow could tell that something was bothering Twilight. Throughout the duration of their trip, Rainbow kept thinking about what was bothering Twilight. She decided that the alicorn was nervous and disappointed by how their date turned out. Twilight believed it to have been a failure, despite Rainbow's attempts to convince her otherwise. Rainbow didn't view it that way. She wouldn't have called it a success by a long shot, but she wouldn't have said it was a failure.
Rainbow glanced at Twilight, her eyes briefly trailing over her beautiful indigo mane and her warm, soft fur. 'Do I love her?' she asked herself. For several seconds, she searched all of her thoughts and memories. She found herself smiling at the thoughts of Twilight flooding her mind, but feeling growing dread. Several seconds passed before she stopped smiling. She sighed, knowing that the answer would hurt Twilight more than she was willing to. 'I don't do I?' Whatever way she looked at it, she couldn't see herself loving Twilight as anything more than a friend, and if she was being honest, she didn't like that. It felt almost wrong, and it caused her a tinge of pain, knowing it would hurt Twilight.
'Even if I don't love you, Twi, I'll be here for you. I'm not going to hurt you by leaving you,' Rainbow promised herself. 'I hurt you so much before... I'm not doing that again.' She turned away from Twilight and looked up. The sky said more than a few seconds had passed. It looked almost like several minutes had passed. The brilliant shades of orange and pink had nearly faded from the sky, and she could see more stars than she could count in the darkness high above.
"Do you really think we shouldn't date?" Twilight asked in a soft, gentle voice that took Rainbow several seconds to realize Twilight had actually asked a question.
Rainbow turned her attention from the sky and looked at Twilight. Twilight's eyes were focused on the stars, but the alicorn tore her gaze away from the sky. No small amount of pain was visible in her glossy eyes, and Rainbow felt a stab of guilt strike her with the precision of an assassin's blade. "Twilight," Rainbow started in an equally soft voice. "I don't mean that I don't... want to give us a shot. I really do want to give us a shot... I mean that... It just makes you uncomfortable to be on a date with me. You just... you can't relax. So maybe we shouldn't date. We can do something else besides that. I mean, we already do things that only really close ponies do," she said with a gentle smile.
Twilight smiled back and looked back at the sky. "I guess you're right... It just... it doesn't feel right, though. It doesn't feel like..." she trailed off, shaking her head and looking at her hooves.
"Like what?" Rainbow prompted.
"I don't know," Twilight answered before sighing. "It doesn't feel like I imagined."
Rainbow frowned glumly. She could hear the sadness in Twilight's voice, and it carried over into her being. Suddenly, the night sky didn't look as wonderful as it had nor was it as awesome as normal. Rainbow shifted her weight and leaned back, then pulled Twilight's head into her lap. The alicorn looked up at her with the soft and curious look that belonged to her alone. Rainbow smiled fondly down at her, running her hoof through her mane. Twilight cooed and closed her eyes as Rainbow's hoof trailed through her mane in long, loving strokes. "Better?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight nodded happily. "Yes."
"I think we need to talk," Rainbow said.
Twilight frowned and opened her eyes to see Rainbow looking down at her with a sweet expression. Weeks ago, hearing her say that would have given her a heart attack. "We do?" she asked innocently.
"Well... yeah. We just went on a date. We're dating. It obviously made you uncomfortable, and I didn't think it was that great," Rainbow explained.
"Oh..." Twilight said softly, averting her gaze from Rainbow and cursing herself for resting her head in the mare's lap.
Twilight found her muzzle pulled back to face Rainbow by the pegasus' hoof. "I don't mean it like that. Seriously... I feel like I'm walking on a tightrope whenever talking about this... You really need to relax, I'm not going to hurt you..." she trailed off, pulling her hoof through the alicorn's long, beautiful indigo mane. She met her eyes and smiled. "I just mean like uh..." She shifted her weight and tried to come up with a better way of wording it. No better way came to mind, so she took the straightforward way of saying it, hoping not to hurt Twilight. "So uh... We're dating but we're not going on dates is what I mean..." she said. "Like... we're marefriends-" 'I never thought I'd hear myself say that word, let alone using it to refer to you and me...' "-but we're not going to go do super boring romantic stuff like going out on dates. I mean, if you want to go out and eat we can, but let's not make such a big deal out of it, alright?"
Twilight smiled lightly, understanding and relief flowing through her features. "O-okay," she agreed. "S-so kind of... more relaxed?" she asked.
Rainbow smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, exactly like that. That way you won't be so stressed and worried and I won't feel so..." she trailed off and eyed Twilight cautiously. She wasn't afraid, nor was she nervous. "Awkward," she said testingly. Twilight giggled at her. "But yeah, I don't like seeing you so stressed out either."
"Maybe... maybe I am worrying about this too much," Twilight admitted. "I... have issues with worrying about things and I may have a slight habit of blowing them out of proportion..."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow at her. "Slight habit?" she asked. Twilight smiled sheepishly at her. "Seriously? I'm pretty sure you blow things out of proportion more than anypony I know. Remember that one time when you brainwashed the whole town? I mean, come on!"
Twilight shifted her weight and looked away from her friend. She held her wings to her sides tighter. "W-well, I..." she trailed off, having nothing to say to defend herself. "Maybe we shouldn't try to do this. There's a lot of me that you probably don't want to put up with..."
Rainbow snorted. "Twilight, I've seen you at your best and your worst. Trust me, I can handle you." Twilight shifted her weight and rubbed her wings against her sides, uncomfortable with Rainbow saying she could handle her. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then pulled her hoof away from Twilight's mane. "What exactly are you wanting out of me anyway?"
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked slowly and cautiously like she was afraid to approach the question.
"Why do you want to... to be with me? To be in a relationship with me?" Rainbow frowned as she thought about the questions.
Twilight slowly pushed herself up out of Rainbow's lap, then she laid down on her stomach beside Rainbow. Rainbow leaned back all the way so that she could look at Twilight without straining her head. Twilight folded her hooves beneath her head and glanced over Rainbow's chest. "You're my best friend, Rainbow... I still want to be closer to you, though. You're beautiful and free-spirited. You're a strong mare, stronger than I am by a long shot, even physically right now." Twilight flashed her a small smile and laid a wing over Rainbow's chest, drawing the pegasus's attention to the lavender wing caressing her body. "You're loyal to your friends, and even though you can be... challenging... you're one of the best ponies I know. You make me feel safe, I know that when you're around, you're not going to let anypony get hurt without a fight. You may not always be the most dependable pony, but if it comes down to it, we can count on you for anything."
"Did you practice that?" Rainbow asked with a smirk.
Twilight shook her head. "No. If I had practiced it, I would have written it down on paper and read it to you."
Rainbow laughed and looked up into the sky. "Yeah, that sounds like you."
Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled herself up on top of Rainbow. "Plus it would have been more... poetic." She folded her arms and legs between them and smiled down at the pegasus before lying her head down on her chest. Rainbow wrapped her wings around Twilight's barrel and folded her legs around Twilight's back. "Are you comfortable?" Twilight asked with a furrowed brow, "The floor can't be that comfortable..."
Rainbow shrugged. "It's not that comfortable, but it's not bad either."
"It probably doesn't help that I'm lying on you," Twilight commented with a wry expression. She unfolded her arms and put them on either side of Rainbow, intending to stand up.
Rainbow pulled her back down, smirking the whole time. "Maybe I like you lying on me?" Twilight smiled affectionately at her and laid her head back down on her chest. She put her ear against Rainbow's chest and listened to her steady breathing and gentle heartbeat.
A few seconds passed, then Rainbow rolled over onto her side, still holding Twilight off the floor with a wing. She slid one of her arms under Twilight's head as the alicorn pulled away from her. Twilight glanced at Rainbow's arm, then tentatively laid her head down on it and smiled at the mare. 'This is better than some romantic dopey date or something,' she thought. "This is nice," she said aloud. "Just being with you," she added.
Twilight slid her muzzle up to Rainbow's body and sighed into her coat. Rainbow smiled as the alicorn exhaled into her chest and then inhaled. "I don't want this to ever end," Twilight said softly.
Over the next several seconds, Rainbow's thoughts turned against her, and her smile faded to a frown. She didn't want to say anything about it, knowing that it would cause Twilight unnecessary pain. She still felt like she needed to address it. "You're an alicorn... you know you're going to outlive me..." She felt Twilight's body tense up in her grip. "We should talk about that?"
Twilight pressed her muzzle deeper into Rainbow's coat, hoping that it would make the discomfort go away. While it made her feel better, her discomfort didn't leave. "I don't want to talk about that, Rainbow..."
"Okay, we don't have to..." Rainbow replied, bending her hoof up and caressing Twilight's mane. Twilight closed her eyes and rubbed her nose against Rainbow's soft coat, smiling as their fur mixed and intertwined. "It's getting kind of late... maybe we should go to bed?"
Twilight pulled back and pouted at her, unhappy with the prospect of losing the feeling of closeness with her pegasus. She eventually relented and pulled away from her, letting the mare stand up. As soon as the mare was on her hooves, Twilight was right beside her, sliding up against her coat. Rainbow quickly opened the door and motioned her in, then closed the door behind both of them. Twilight sighed and beat her wings, flying over to the bed and then landing. As soon as she reached the bed, she slid her hoof over the soft silken covers. She closed her eyes and smiled at the feeling, though, it still didn't compare to Rainbow's soft coat. She objectively knew that the bed was softer than Rainbow, but Rainbow just felt so much better to her.
Rainbow flew over to her and landed silently beside her, barely disturbing her. Rainbow immediately pulled Twilight into her body as she fell to the bed, then they both slid beneath the blankets in one graceful move. Twilight shifted her weight so that her back was against Rainbow's stomach. Rainbow was a little surprised Twilight wasn't going to sleep facing her, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she slid one of her hooves under Twilight's head while pinning the mare's arms to her chest with the other, then she pinned Twilight's legs to her body and wrapped her wings around her. Twilight snuggled back against her and sighed contently as she closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Twilight," Rainbow said sweetly.
Twilight turned her head and looked back at Rainbow. "Goodnight, Rainbow." For several seconds, she watched the pegasus holding her, content to stare at the mare's chin. Eventually, she turned back around and scooted herself up so she could lay her head down on the pillow. Rainbow adjusted her body to accommodate her, and she found her muzzle pressed up against the back of Twilight's mane. A soft, gentle and light lavender scent worked its way into Rainbow's nose. Rainbow cracked open an eye, curious about the source of the pleasant scent she smelt. Finding it coming from Twilight's mane, she said nothing and smiled, then she pulled Twilight further into her embrace and slid her muzzle against Twilight before taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling.
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7863710
You don't like how doctors try to act professional or competent in a job with lots of uncertainty?
christ on a motorbike, am i reading an auroradawn story?
omg
Ok I know the world can't always be happy and this story isn't over but god dang it why can't I stop getting attached to happy endings
it ruins my reading experience and I can't blame anyone but myself
I can't help but feel like Rainbow WANTS to love her back but iss for some reason unable to. That could be just me, though.
Calling it: Princess Luna is captured by Chrysalis who's drained her of her magic. The "Luna" we saw in the last episode was Queen Chrysalis disguised as Luna.
The Golden Edged Bathtub.... Why does that remind me of The Golden Oak Library?
Klavier Gavin: "Ja, her forehead is doing fine."
<--- Female Pony Klavier