Chapter 2
Rainbow groggily blinked open an eye, then blinked again and smiled. Twilight's mane blocked her view of her face, but even still, she could feel her lying atop of her body and sleeping peacefully. She sighed happily, then yawned and nestled back into the pillow her head rested on. She closed her eyes and laid there in silence, enjoying the moment and not wanting to disturb her friend.
She opened her eyes again, then rolled her head over and glanced down at Twilight. She unwrapped her legs from her friend's body and stretched them out, eliciting a soft, content moan from herself, and threatening to lull her back to sleep. She pushed her exhaustion away and lightly squeezed Twilight's body with her forelegs, pressing her friend's body into her own, then releasing her. Twilight shifted in her sleep and rubbed her muzzle against Rainbow's chest.
Rainbow pulled her forehooves away from Twilight and laid them beside her body on the bed. For a few seconds, she relaxed and let her mind wander. Every thought was about Twilight or involved her in some way. The way Twilight laid on top of her body, Twilight's comforting weight laying down on top of her, Twilight's soft fur pressed against her own, Twilight's body heat radiating into her and being trapped beneath the blankets, and Twilight's steady breathing.
She slowly raised her left foreleg up, then brushed it against Twilight's coat in an upward motion, bringing her hoof up to her friend's mane. She slowly wrapped her forehoof around Twilight's neck, then started running the edge of her hoof through her friend's messy mane. Her forehoof easily slid through Twilight's unkempt mane and she enjoyed feeling her soft hairs sliding against the base and edge of her hoof and caressing her. As she continued the repetitive, gentle motions, Twilight sighed and nestled up against Rainbow's body, slowly sliding her forelegs out, then over Rainbow's chest and wrapping them around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.
"Morning," Rainbow whispered, still brushing her hoof through Twilight's mane.
Twilight opened her eyes and slid her head back so she could look up at Rainbow, then smiled and moaned softly. "This... is a nice way to wake up," she said, then closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow. She sighed happily and closed her eyes. "But I don't really want to get up," she added.
"We don't have to get up yet," Rainbow replied, bringing her forehoof down to the end of Twilight's mane, then sliding it across her back. She slid her other forehoof up Twilight's body, then crossed her forelegs over Twilight's withers and laid them there while she looked down at her.
"But we will eventually," Twilight countered, grimacing a little. She lifted her head up, then pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's coat. She inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, sighing.
Rainbow smiled and uncrossed her forelegs, then ran her forehooves down Twilight's body before coming to a stop between her wings, then she slowly slid them back up to Twilight's withers and wrapped her forelegs around Twilight. She gave Twilight a light squeeze, then slid her forelegs back down Twilight's body and let them drop down beside her in bed. "We can't just stay here all day. You were the one wanting to get back to Ponyville," she replied with a light chuckle.
Twilight slid her muzzle up, then laid her head down flat against Rainbow's chest and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted. She gave Rainbow a little squeeze with her forehooves, then slid them down to the bed and pulled herself further up on top of Rainbow, then smiled down at her. She shifted her weight to where they were stomach to stomach with herself laying flat on top of Rainbow, although because of Twilight's stature and how she was laying, her entire body wasn't on top of Rainbow.
Rainbow took a deep breath, then pulled her legs back and wrapped them around Twilight's flanks, then shifted her weight to the left and rolled onto her side, bringing Twilight with her. She wrapped her forelegs back around Twilight, then pressed the alicorn into her body and held her there, close to her. She sighed contently as Twilight lifted her head up, then laid it down on her neck. Her friend's warmth and softness threatened to lull her back to sleep, but she resisted the urge and leaned her muzzle down and brushed up against Twilight's muzzle.
Twilight giggled and leaned into Rainbow's muzzle. She tenderly nuzzled against Rainbow's neck and cheek for several seconds before slowing to a stop. "Did you sleep alright?"
"Yeah. The bed's a little small and it's not quite as comfortable as what I'm used to, but it was fine," Rainbow answered.
Twilight smiled softly. "Well, thanks for... sleeping with me. You could have taken the guest bedroom, and you probably would have been more comfortable there since you wouldn't have been so crowded, but... thank you for staying with me."
Rainbow rolled her eyes, then stretched her legs out and held Twilight more tightly with her forelegs. "Sure, I might have had more room, but it still wouldn't have been as nice as this."
Twilight's lips curled further upward into a brighter smile. She lifted her head up and scrutinized Rainbow for a few seconds. Her smile wavered and she bit her lip. Rainbow frowned slightly. Twilight tentatively lowered her head, then slid her head up into the crook of Rainbow's neck and pressed her muzzle flat against her neck. She inhaled deeply, then sighed happily and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow's withers and held her close.
Rainbow smiled and gently nuzzled into Twilight's mane, then she unfurled a wing and laid it over Twilight's wing. Twilight relaxed her grip on Rainbow but kept her forelegs wrapped around her. "I could go back to sleep at this rate," she cooed, gently rubbing her muzzle against Rainbow's neck. She leaned away from Rainbow slightly, then tucked her legs in between their bodies.
"I wouldn't mind that, but maybe we should wait until we get back to Ponyville," Rainbow replied. She absently stared at the wall, smiling while enjoying holding her friend's warm and soft body against her own.
Twilight sighed into Rainbow's chest, then slid her muzzle up onto Rainbow's neck and tenderly nuzzled her. "Yeah, that's probably a better idea. I can feel my body hanging off the edge of the bed as it is..." she commented warily.
Rainbow frowned, then pulled away from Twilight, causing the alicorn to frown a little. Rainbow scooted herself back, then pulled Twilight back against her once more, pulling her away from the edge of the bed. "This bed wasn't designed for two adult ponies in mind," she grumbled, feeling like she was almost dangling off the edge of the bed.
Twilight fluffed her wings and snuggled up against Rainbow's body and let out a happy sigh as their coats brushed against one another, causing their fur to intermingle. "You didn't have to move, I was fine where I was..." she replied. She hesitated for a second, then pressed her forehead into Rainbow's body. Rainbow slid a hoof back up to her mane, then started idly running her hoof through it, while she kept her other hoof wrapped around Twilight's withers.
A couple short, sharp knocks on the door broke the serenity of the moment. Twilight groaned and pressed herself further into Rainbow's embrace. "Twilight, Rainbow, breakfast is ready!" Twilight Velvet's muffled voice called from the other side of the door.
Twilight huffed, then pulled back from Rainbow, only for Rainbow to smirk and tighten her grip on her, holding her in place. Twilight giggled a little and leaned back into her, then nuzzled her. She looked toward the door, angling her muzzle away from Rainbow, "We'll be out in a minute!" she called, then turned her attention back to Rainbow and stared into her eyes.
Rainbow watched Twilight for several seconds, letting her gaze wander over Twilight. She found herself smiling, but it was broken by a yawn. She giggled sheepishly as Twilight's lightly smirked at her, then she pulled her foreleg out from under Twilight and pushed herself up. She smiled and pushed the covers off of herself, though leaving most of Twilight's body protected beneath the blankets. She stretched her wings out and closed her eyes, moaning contently.
Twilight remained silent and rolled over onto her back, then threw her forelegs up onto the pillow. She stretched her limbs out, then let them go limp and laid there. Rainbow opened her eyes and looked down at Twilight for a couple seconds before hopping off the bed, then bending forward and stretching out her legs and forelegs. Twilight slowly sat up, then turned and slid off the bed and made her way toward the door. "We can eat breakfast, then shower and be on our way," she said hastily. "You can shower first," she added, glancing back at Rainbow.
“Alright,” Rainbow replied. She smiled at Twilight, then yawned. Twilight watched her yawn, causing Rainbow to sheepishly rub the back of her mane with a hoof. “What do you think breakfast will be?” she asked. She brushed her body against Twilight’s coat as she walked beside her. Twilight closed her eyes and sighed, leaning into Rainbow’s body as she walked passed. After Rainbow broke contact, Twilight scurried back over beside her, drawing a glance from the pegasus. Rainbow turned back to the door, then pulled it open and motioned Twilight on out.
Twilight looked straight ahead and fluffed her wings. "I don't know, but we'll find out shortly." She took a deep breath, then calmly peeked on passed the doorway, looking left, then right. After she was sure nopony was immediately around, she hastily stepped out of the room, then turned to face toward the stairway and glanced back at Rainbow.
Rainbow leisurely walked out of the room, then stood beside Twilight, who leaned against her. Rainbow rustled her wing against Twilight’s side, drawing a soft coo from her. Her lips flashed upward into a smile, then she pulled her wing out from in between them and slid it over Twilight’s back, then wrapped it around her side and rubbed her wing. She leaned over and gave Twilight a quick nuzzle, then started toward to stairs, Twilight matching her pace and sighing happily from the contact.
They descended the stairs together, then walked around to the dining room. Twilight Velvet smiled as the two rounded the corner, and a second later, Night Light looked up from a book and beamed at them. Twilight Velvet levitated plates over to two empty chairs for them, then levitated over two glasses, along with a jug of milk and a jug of orange juice. “Good morning, Twilight, Rainbow,” she acknowledged in a warm, sweet voice.
Night Light levitated his book aside and bookmarked the page he was on, then close the book and set it down. “I hope you slept well,” he said, watching Twilight with a smile.
Twilight blushed a little, shifted her weight on her hooves, and looked down at the floor. She glanced at Rainbow, then hastily pulled away from her and pulled out a chair, then sat down. “Y-yes. I slept... well. The bed was... a little small, though.”
Rainbow absently folded her wing back to her side, then took a deep breath and walked around and pulled out a chair beside Twilight, then casually sat down. Rainbow looked at the jug of milk, then at the jug of juice. She reached out for the jug of juice, only for Twilight Velvet to pick it up in her magic. Rainbow blinked and turned to her.
“Let me get that for you, dear,” Twilight Velvet said calmly. She levitated the jug over, then twisted the cap off and filled Rainbow’s glass with juice. After she finished, she put the jug back down.
“Thanks,” Rainbow said. She reached out for her glass with both hooves, then pull it closer to her before lifting it up and taking a quick drink.
“You’re welcome,” Twilight Velvet replied, flashing her a smile. She turned to Twilight. “And what would you like?”
“Milk is fine,” Twilight answered. Twilight Velvet levitated the jug of milk and twisted off the cap, then poured Twilight a glass of milk before setting the jug back down and putting the caps back on both jugs. “Thank you,” Twilight said.
“Pancakes?” Night Light asked, levitating over a large plate heaped with pancakes. Twilight eyed them absently but nodded. He levitated over a couple pancakes for both Twilight and Rainbow, then himself and Twilight Velvet. “Don’t worry, your mom fixed them,” he said with a light chuckle.
Twilight smirked and shook her head. “You’re not that bad of a cook.”
“Oh, let’s face it Twilight, I did not study cooking in my day,” Night Light replied.
Twilight Velvet just smiled innocently and levitated over syrup and butter. She levitated out small slabs of butter and distributed them atop everypony’s plate of pancakes. The heat from the fluffy pancakes quickly started melting the butter, but it slowed as she poured out the cold, sticky syrup on top of them.
“I’m going to be burnt out on pancakes at this rate,” Twilight commented. She pursed her lips and turned to Rainbow. “Maybe we should have waffles tomorrow?” she suggested idly. Rainbow shrugged and took a fork and knife in her wings, then started cutting into her pancakes. Twilight turned back to her food, then hesitantly unfolded her wings. She carefully picked up her fork and knife in between her feathers, then delicately moved them around and cut her pancakes into small, manageable bites.
They ate and drank in silence, then as they finished, they sat back and relaxed. After everypony finished, Twilight Velvet hopped out of her chair and collected the empty plates and leftover pancakes, then retreated into the kitchen. Night Light’s expression slowly fell over the course of a minute as he watched Twilight, while Twilight mostly focused on the table and Rainbow, though occasionally glancing back at her dad. “Can... you tell if it’s going to grow back?” he asked, breaking the lingering silence.
Twilight turned to him and her lips contorted into a grimace. “No... and it’s not likely I will. From what the doctors have said, either it’s going to happen so slowly that I won’t notice it growing back,” she looked away from her dad and scrutinized the table, displeasure washing across her muzzle, “or it’ll be sudden and painful...” she quietly finished.
Rainbow frowned and watched Twilight closely for several seconds. “You never told me that...” she said, her voice holding a slight hurt to it.
Twilight glanced up at Rainbow and bobbed her head. “There wasn’t a reason to...” she answered. “Since my skin and coat grew back over it, it... could get a bit messy. And it will hurt if it’s sudden. If my horn grows back... when... it does, I’ll probably be at a higher risk of infection, at least for a short time, although my alicorn physiology should protect me. There is still some risk because of the damage I sustained from the radiation, however,” she said in a lecturing tone. “It’ll probably be uncomfortable while it’s growing back if it’s slow, too...” she mused.
Rainbow slowly turned away from Twilight and stared at the wall. ‘I’ll be there to help you through that, Twilight... that won’t be easy on you, will it?’ “Will you be able to use magic while it’s growing back?” she asked cautiously, tilting her head back toward Twilight.
Twilight grimaced and shook her head. “No. I’ll have to wait for it to completely heal.” She squinted down at the table, then at her hooves. “I... think I would prefer it to be... sudden. That way, it would be all at once and I’d be able to use my magic sooner...” She blinked, then shook her head and sat up straighter. She glanced at Rainbow, who looked at her distantly. She frowned. “Are you alright?” she asked after several seconds.
Rainbow slowly nodded. “Yeah, I just...” she shook her head, then looked at Night Light. “Um, is it alright if I go ahead and take a shower?”
Night Light nodded. “Yes, it should have everything you need. Go ahead,” he said.
Rainbow glanced down at the table and scooted the chair back. “Right, thanks,” she breathed out. She hopped out of her chair and fluttered her wings. “I’ll be finished in half an hour or so,” she commented as she headed off to the shower. Twilight watched her leave, then turned back to her dad, smiling a sad, reserved smile.
Rainbow paused at the base of the stairs, then unfurled her wings and flew up to the top. She silently landed, then continued on down the hallway before turning into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her, then locked it and looked over the room. The room was somewhat small, and the marble sink looked like something found at an expensive restaurant or a hotel. The shower was a combination of a bathtub and a shower, with a plain, white curtain. To the right of the shower and filling the otherwise empty space between the shower and the wall was a door. She glanced around, then walked over to a door set in the wall. Opening the door revealed a small closet with towels. She pulled out a towel and set it on the sink, then turned the shower on.
As soon as the water warmed up, she stepped inside and hung her head. The hot water beat down on her mane. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, then stepped forward a little, bringing the flow of water down to the back of her neck. She relaxed under the hot water for a few seconds, then she sat down and started running her hooves through her mane, careful not to tangle it any more than it already was while working on straightening it out.
“It’s going to be hard on you when your horn starts growing back, isn’t it? I’ll be there for you, though... But...” she trailed off, frowning and opening her eyes as a foreboding concern slipped into her mind. “But... what if I’m not around by then?” she wondered aloud. She forced back a knot in her throat and shook her head. “No, it’s... it’ll be sooner than that.”
Despite her best attempts to force the concern and worry down, they lingered in her mind, souring her relaxation from the shower's hot water. She absently poured shampoo out into her mane and worked it in with her hooves. ‘How can anypony put up with that? How did Celestia and Luna cope with that?’ she wondered. 'They're so old, but they look and act so young...'
Once more, an uncomfortable pit grew in her stomach, along with an emptiness in her heart. ‘You’re going to have to deal with outliving everypony you know... do the girls realize that? If they did, would they make more time for you?’ She sat there for several seconds, the only company was the rushing water, which fell from the showerhead, hit her body, then slid down and was swept away into the drain in the span of a few seconds. ‘But... Celestia and Luna said we might live longer since we’re connected to the Elements of Harmony! But... you were exposed to enough radiation that...’
She clenched her eyes and bared her teeth. She huffed, then stood back up. “It’s going to be fine, you’re recovering. I’m not going to lose you,” she told herself. She forced her concern and worries aside, stomping them out with an iron hoof. “I just wish you realized that, Twilight...”
She sighed and went back to washing herself.
Twilight tilted watched her reflection idly as she ran her brush through the back of her mane in long, gentle strokes. She firmly held the brush in her hooves. Despite it not being very comfortable or natural, she was slowly adapting to it, although it didn’t feel quite as right as when Rainbow brushed her mane. She held back a sigh and continued on, her repetitive motions leaving her mind free to wander.
‘You brush my mane, but you don’t want me brushing yours... What am I supposed to do to show you my appreciation for everything you do for me? We sleep together and cuddle together, but... is that really enough?’ she wondered. A pang of emptiness rang out in her chest, even though her heart felt warm and fuzzy thinking about her friend. ‘You enjoy cuddling with me, and... I’ll never be able to thank you enough for doing that, Rainbow...’
She absently stood up as she finished brushing her mane, then she drew her tail up between her legs and sat back down. She slowly slid the brush lengthwise through her tail, working out kinks and tangles while straightening it back to her preferred state. ‘I wish you would stay with me, but... that’s not fair to you. I’m just... I’m being selfish...’ She sighed and slowed her work. She idly watched her tail for several seconds, then hastily resumed her pace and finished.
She put the brush away, then stood back up. She looked herself over in the mirror, then turned to the door and hastily exited the bathroom. She turned down the hallway, then made her way downstairs. She hesitated at the bottom step for a second and bit her lip, then fluffed her wings and continued on into the living room. She smiled as she caught sight of Rainbow sitting on the couch. A little of her earlier pain and melancholy faded at her sight. She walked around into the living room.
Rainbow glanced at her, then turned to face her. “Finished?” she asked.
Twilight nodded. “Yes, I’m ready to leave now.”
Twilight Velvet walked out from the dining room. “You’re leaving already?” she asked, a whisper of pain flashing across her features before fading away.
Twilight grimaced and nodded. “Yes. I had planned to be back in Ponyville by now... I’ll...” she trailed off, glancing at Rainbow. “We’ll,” she corrected, Rainbow’s lips twitched slightly, though she couldn’t tell whether it was up or down, “come back sometime in the near future to visit, but we need to get back to Ponyville.”
Twilight Velvet smiled a small, soft smile. “Oh, of course, dear...” she said softly. She shook her head, then walked around to Twilight and pulled her daughter into a hug. Twilight returned the hug, squeezing her mom, then nuzzling her neck, which her mom happily returned. “Stay safe, Twilight,” she whispered.
“I will. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine...” Twilight replied. She leaned away from her mom and smiled gently. She met her mom’s gaze, then glanced over at Rainbow as she stood up from the couch. “Besides, I have some friends who’ll help me out...”
Twilight Velvet smiled warmly and tilted her head to the side, her eyes taking on an almost glossy appearance. She pulled back from Twilight, then lifted a hoof to her muzzle. “I’m so happy for you, and I’m so proud of you, dear.”
Night Light stood up from his chair and walked over to Rainbow, then stood beside her, watching Twilight and his wife. “Take care of her, alright? You all mean so much to her. I’d hate to see her if something happened between you two, or any of you really, but...” he trailed off, sighing sadly and shaking his head.
Rainbow nodded. “I promised her that I wouldn’t leave her, and I promised that I’d help her get better.”
Night Light nodded. “Well, I guess we’ll be seeing each other around...” he trailed off, then turned around to face Rainbow and stepped over to her, then wrapped his forelegs around her.
Rainbow smiled nervously, then tentatively returned his hug. “Uh... yeah, I guess...” she replied. She blankly looked over the wall opposite of her while he continued to hug her, but her discomfort was short lived as he pulled away from her after a few seconds. She shifted her weight on her hooves and then walked over to Twilight, glancing around at the other three ponies present.
Twilight walked over to her dad and reared up on her hind legs, then wrapped her forelegs around his neck. He wrapped a foreleg around her and pulled her close, while Twilight slid her head under his and nuzzled him. He chuckled and laid his head on hers and returned the nuzzle. Before they parted, he leaned over to her ear, “I still expect grandfoals,” he whispered.
Twilight tensed up and hastily pulled away from him, muttering something indeciphorable under her breath. She stared at the floor and quickly strode back over beside Rainbow, not looking up once.
“Rainbow, dear, do come back soon,” Twilight Velvet said. “It’s always nice to see one of Twilight’s friends, even more so if they’re a bit closer than just friends.” She smiled and giggled a little, then closed the distance and gave Rainbow a quick hug before pulling back.
“We’ll come back to visit...” Twilight said hastily as she turned toward the door, then took off at a lengthy stride.
Rainbow smiled nervously and hastily joined Twilight’s side, then got ahead of her and opened the door for her. Twilight glanced at her from the corner of her eye and then strode on out onto the porch. Rainbow calmly stepped outside and closed the door behind her, then took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “So,” she said.
Twilight turned back to Rainbow. “We’ll stop back at the tower to grab out stuff and then we’ll be on our way,” she replied. “Sound okay?” she asked, studying Rainbow’s expression.
Rainbow nodded. “Yeah.” After a second of hesitation, Twilight took the lead, walking down the steps, then leisurely strolling down the concrete walkway to the street. Rainbow beat her wings and hovered close beside her. “You doing okay?”
Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I think.” She paused and turned her head to Rainbow, smiling at her. “When we get home, would you maybe... just...” she trailed off, bobbing her head and biting her lip. She slowly shifted her weight on her hooves and looked away from Rainbow, lowering her gaze to her hooves. “Cuddle with me? The rest of the day? Please?” she asked quietly.
Rainbow hovered for a couple seconds, then slowly landed. She closed the distance to Twilight and laid a wing around her, then nuzzled her cheek, drawing a small smile from the alicorn. “Well, if you want me to go back to the Wonderbolts, I guess I’ll spend the day with you today, and then tomorrow I’ll start getting back in shape...” she trailed off sheepishly, leaning away from Twilight. “I didn’t push myself as hard as I should have while I was away, so I’d prefer to be in better shape before going back...”
Twilight glanced at Rainbow and then nodded slowly. “Alright...” she hesitantly relented. “You... you do that. You should work on that instead,” she hastily replied in a quiet voice. “We can cuddle tonight instead.”
Rainbow frowned a little, her brow creasing while her lips pulled downward. “Twilight, you sure? I don’t... have a problem if you want to spend the day with me. I mean, I need to fly and all that, but you can’t really keep up with me... So if you want to spend the day with me, then we can do that instead. Spitfire said I could take as long off as I needed, I’m not in a rush to get back...”
Twilight forced a small, soft smile, though her eyes still gave it away. “Yeah, just... I can’t keep you from that,” she answered. She took a deep breath and calmly exhaled. “We can cuddle tonight instead. Besides, there are a few things I could stand to do once we get back anyway.”
Rainbow watched Twilight closely for a few seconds, then hesitantly nodded. “Alright, if you’re sure, Twilight. If you need me though, come get me, alright? I promised I’d help you, and I can’t help you as much if I’m away with the Wonderbolts or practicing...”
Twilight nodded. “I know, but being a Wonderbolt means a lot to you.”
Rainbow pulled Twilight against her side with her wing. “That doesn’t mean that you don’t mean a lot to me too,” she said with a chuckle. “You’re my friend, you matter to me.”
Twilight smiled, then leaned into Rainbow. She closed her eyes, then took a deep breath, letting the cool, early morning mountain air fill her lungs. She sighed contently, then rubbed her head against Rainbow’s neck before pulling away. She slipped out from under Rainbow’s wing and started off down the street, heading toward the castle. Rainbow started off at a casual pace, staying beside her with her wings held to herself so that nopony would pay them any mind.
Despite the early morning hour, or perhaps because of it, not many ponies were out, and none were around to have seen Rainbow’s earlier display of affection for Twilight, which helped to relax and sooth her mind from the turmoil she felt. The warmth of the sun caressing her coat felt reassuring, and the cool mountain air helped make sure their walk was pleasant.
“It’s weird flying in one of these,” Rainbow commented as she watched Canterlot in the distance. She turned away from Canterlot, then slid her hooves off of the railing and set them back on the floor of the chariot. She turned around to face Twilight, only to find the alicorn hung over the railing, lost in thought. She tilted her head to the side and watched Twilight for a couple seconds, though her gaze fell mostly on her mane as the wind blew through it, giving it an almost fluid-like quality. ‘Are... is your mane ever going to be like Princess Celestia’s mane? Well, no, your mane would look more like Princess Luna’s, wouldn’t it, since your mane has darker colors...’ She absently mulled over the thought for a few seconds, then scooted closer to Twilight and slipped her wing around her.
Twilight blinked and jerked her head around to look at Rainbow. She smiled for a second, then looked back out toward Ponyville in the distance. “It’s a bit nostalgic for me. The first really memorable trip I had in one of these, I was sent to Ponyville by Celestia...” she trailed off, looking down at her hooves and slowly shaking her head. “That... that feels like a lifetime ago.”
Rainbow smiled. “Good times,” she said cheerfully, her mind wondering back to the early days of their friendship.
Twilight smiled and nodded as she lifted her head back up. She watched the two armor-clad pegasi pulling the chariot for a couple seconds, then leaned against Rainbow. Rainbow said nothing and shifted her weight to better support Twilight. “Maybe we should have taken the train instead. It would be longer, but it wouldn’t be so cramped.”
Rainbow shrugged a little. “It’s not that bad. It’s just kind of weird flying in one of these things and not using my wings.”
“The first time I flew with wings, rather than having something underneath me to support me was...” Twilight trailed off, leaning away from Rainbow and shyly smiling at her. “Well, you were there...” she added.
Rainbow stifled a giggle and pulled Twilight back against her. ‘I’m glad it’s just us. Well, mostly just us, the two pegasi pulling the chariot are minding their own business though...’
“Thanks for teaching me how to fly, Rainbow,” Twilight commented.
“You’ve thanked me before, Twilight,” Rainbow replied, rolling her eyes. She closed her eyes. Without sight, she could almost feel like she was flying under her own power, but the floor beneath her and the lack of feeling the air under her wings limited her to reality. She opened her eyes, then arched her wings up slightly, letting the wind currents flow under them and caress her bare sides. “You know, I was really looking forward to being able to fly with another one of my friends. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed you didn’t fly with me more than what you did.”
Twilight grimaced. “Sorry, I just... had other things to do and... well, adjusting to being an alicorn and...” she trailed off, shaking her head. She put on another smile and turned to face Rainbow. “But, once I get better, I... I’ll try to fly with you more.”
Rainbow smiled boldly. “I’ll make sure you do, Twilight. When I’m done with you, you’ll be Wonderbolt material!”
Twilight’s smile faded. She hastily looked away from Rainbow and shifted her weight, leaning away from Rainbow, only for the pegasus to lay her wing back on her and grip her tightly to her side, reassuringly. “Hey, relax, okay? I’d like to be able to fly like that with you, but we don’t have to. I would like for you to be able to keep up with me, though.”
Twilight gave Rainbow a wry smile. “I’m not sure if I could ever keep up with you, Rainbow.”
Rainbow tossed her head to the side. “Oh, come on! You’re an alicorn, surely you have it in you!”
Twilight looked away from Rainbow and hung her head slightly. “I’m not that fit, nor athletic. I’m more intellectual than anything... Plus my physical strength still hasn’t recovered from being exposed to radiation, but I am stronger than I was immediately following my exposure...” She nibbled on her lower lip. “I’m not sure if it will recover to what it was before,” she tentatively added.
“Twilight,” Rainbow said seriously, “you’ll recover. You have to get better. I can’t... you can’t be this way forever. You know how hard it was for me when I thought that... you were going to die?” Twilight remained silent and leaned her head into Rainbow, then tenderly nuzzled her. Rainbow accepted her friend’s comforting nuzzle and returned it, then laid her head on Twilight’s head. “I felt so powerless. I couldn’t do anything to help you. It hurt. We and the rest of the girls have done a lot together, and there wasn’t anything we could do to help you.”
“You were there for me,” Twilight replied quietly. “That’s... what counted. That’s what mattered to me.” She paused, letting her eyes study the golden edges of the chariot. “You chose to be there, even though I... screwed things up between us. Even though it put a burden on you, having to fly back and forth between Ponyville and the Wonderbolt Academy...”
“You’re my friend, I needed to be there for you,” Rainbow replied solemnly. “We all needed to be there for you.”
“You all were,” Twilight replied.
“It doesn’t feel like it was enough,” Rainbow admitted, glancing down at her hooves. After a second, she pulled her head away from Twilight, causing her to lift her head up and look over at her. She hesitantly looked over Twilight’s expression. “Are you sure that you don’t want me to stay with you?”
Twilight smiled and laid her head back on Rainbow’s shoulder. “Yes, Rainbow. It means... a lot to me that you ask that, and that I know you would if I asked you to, but I can’t just keep you from your dream.”
Rainbow frowned but said nothing. She studied Twilight for a few seconds, then turned back to look toward Ponyville. “Things have really changed over the years,” she mused soberly.
Twilight slowly nodded in agreement. “Yeah. Just imagine how things are going to change in our lifetimes... just... imagine how they’ll change in my lifetime if... if I outlive you and the girls...” she replied softly. Rainbow glanced over at her. She took a deep breath. “But... imagine how things have changed during Celestia’s lifetime or Luna’s absence.”
Rainbow winced and shifted her weight. “That... must have been hard on Princess Luna. You said she had trouble adjusting on Nightmare Night... was it... worse? In general?”
Twilight nodded. “Yes, it... was hard for her. It’d be hard for anypony...”
Rainbow grimaced and looked over the floor of the chariot. ‘I can’t begin to imagine what Princess Luna went through...’ she mused. She shook her head a little and looked back up, then slid her wing up and down Twilight’s side. ‘Although she did become Nightmare Moon by her own choice, but... that was because of how she felt. Eternal night would have sucked though...’
Twilight leaned a little more of her weight into Rainbow. “It’ll be nice to get home and see the girls again. I wonder what Starlight and Spike have been up to...”
“Anywhere, in particular, you would like us to land, Princess?” the pegasus stallion clad in Royal Guard armor on the right asked, glancing back at Twilight and Rainbow.
Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and looked out at Ponyville, which was fast approaching. “Near the castle, please,” Twilight replied. She shifted her weight and glanced at Rainbow, then shuffled back over to the edge of the chariot.
“Yes, Princess,” the pegasus guard acknowledged. After a couple of seconds, they leisurely adjusted their course and headed toward the crystalline castle which loomed over Ponyville.
Ponyville swiftly passed them by, and before they knew it, the two pegasi pulling the chariot landed in the grass just off the road from the castle. Twilight shot them a smile and hopped out of the chariot. “Thank you, you may return to Canterlot,” she said. Both stallions saluted her, then took off into the sky again as soon as Rainbow stepped off beside Twilight.
Rainbow casually looked around, noticing only a few ponies in their immediate vicinity, though she was surprised that none of the girls were there to welcome them back. She glanced over at Twilight and found that she had already started walking toward her castle. She watched her for a second, then beat her wings and leisurely flew over toward her, then hovered beside her. “Princess Celestia did send them a letter, right? I don’t see them anywhere.”
Twilight glanced over at Rainbow and smiled warily. “They’re probably busy. It’s... not a big deal, really. We were only gone for a week,” she said. She slowed to a stop as she reached the top of the stairs to her castle, then she lifted a hoof and pulled open the door.
“SUUUPRISE!” a chorus of voices rang out.
Twilight jumped back in surprise, then landed on her haunches. She winced a little but had no time to regain her bearings as a pink blur rushed over to her and filled her vision, then picked her up and grabbed Rainbow Dash before zipping back inside, closing the door behind them. No sooner had she recovered from her shock than had a pair of pink forelegs wrapped around her and squeezed her. “Welcome back, Twilight!” Pinkie exclaimed, then jumped back and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow Dash. The pegasus wheezed for breath and struggled against Pinkie’s grip. “Welcome back, Rainbow!” Pinkie jumped back, then hopping back while four other ponies and a young dragon walked over to them.
“We weren’t even gone that long...” Twilight mumbled as she stood back up. She forced a smile and looked around at her friends and the decorated interior of her castle. As her gaze passed over each pony, her smile grew more genuine and less forced. “Hey, everypony,” she acknowledged, her gaze lingering on the colorful confetti and streamers adorning the otherwise barren crystalline walls. She turned to her right and found a long table alongside the wall with cake, cookies, ice cream, and cupcakes. She tore her gaze away from the delicious looking confections and her gaze fell on Rarity.
“Welcome back, Twilight dear, how was your week?” Rarity asked with an almost mischievous smile.
Twilight shifted her weight under Rarity’s smile, and she glanced over at Rainbow and found the pegasus ruffling her wings. When she looked back at Rarity, the unicorn’s smile had calmed down, turning warm and welcoming. “It was a busy week,” she answered. She averted her gaze from Rarity and looked at Pinkie. “I’m... Well, I had expected that if we took the train back, you all would have waited for us at the station, but... I wasn’t expecting this.”
Pinkie giggled and smiled happily. “Silly Twilight, of course we’re going to throw you a welcome back to Ponyville party! You should know better than to think that we weren’t!”
Twilight’s lips lifted up into a smile. “Thank you, Pinkie,” she replied.
“Well, how was Canterlot and your trip, Twilight?” Applejack asked.
Twilight pursed her lips and tilted her head to the side, mulling over the week and how best to answer it. “Well, it was a busy week, but... all things considered, it went better than I expected.” She paused briefly and frowned. “I think,” she hastily added. She smiled again. “My parents showed up yesterday right before we left, so we had to stay in Canterlot another day, and we ended up spending the night with them.”
“Oh, your parents are finally back? That’s good. I hope that you enjoyed seeing them again and... I hope they’re doing well,” Fluttershy commented, smiling lightly.
Twilight nodded. “I did, and they’re doing okay... they... kind of regret leaving because of...” she trailed off, growing quiet. She blinked, then shook her head. “Let’s... let’s not talk about that. How was everything in Ponyville while I was gone?”
“Things were pretty quiet and normal,” Starlight answered.
Twilight nodded and looked back at the sweets arranged on the tables. “Why... don’t we move this to the dining room? Then we could sit, eat and talk.”
“And party!” Pinkie added.
Twilight nodded slowly. “I guess... a party might be... nice...” she commented tentatively.
Twilight groaned lightly as she plopped down stomach first onto her bed. “Doctor Manner isn’t going to be happy that I’ve indulged in so much sugar...” she idly mused aloud.
Rainbow chuckled lightly as she silently slid the door shut. “It can’t be that bad, I mean, you’re doing pretty good, right?”
Twilight groaned and closed her eyes, then rolled her head over and looked back at Rainbow flatly. “Well, Rainbow. The word you’re looking for is well, not good,” she lectured.
Rainbow snorted and rolled her eyes. “You’ve not really had any issues with getting sick for a while, so you’re doing well, right?”
Twilight flashed Rainbow a sheepish smile, then lifted her head up only to plant her muzzle into her pillow. After a few seconds, she sighed into the pillow, then nodded and laid her muzzle flat against the pillow. “Yes, but it’s still not all that healthy. It could cause problems, especially since I haven’t fully recovered.”
Rainbow sauntered over to the bed, then hopped up beside Twilight and sat there. She idly laid her hoof on Twilight’s back and gently slid it up and down her friend’s spine, then rested it on her withers. “Do you want me to help you with anything else while I’m here-”
Twilight rolled over onto her back and let her limbs and wings go limp and spread out across the bed. “No, Rainbow, it’s fine. I’m going to do some light reading and hang out with Starlight and Spike,” she said, absently looking up at the ceiling. “Maybe I’ll go for a walk and talk to Fluttershy...” she mused. ‘I can’t just keep... monopolizing your time...’ She grimaced, then looked over at Rainbow with a weak smile. “Go fly. I’ll be waiting for you here tonight.”
Rainbow smiled audaciously. “I’m looking forward to it.” Her smile briefly wavered. She glanced around the room, then shifted her weight on the bed. She lifted her forehoof out, then set it down beside Twilight’s foreleg and slowly leaned over to Twilight and tenderly nuzzled her soft neck, then brushed her muzzle up against Twilight’s cheek and planted a soft kiss on her. As she pulled back, Twilight’s cheeks tinted red, and she smiled a bit lopsidedly, glowing from the brief kiss. “I’ll be back. If you need me, don’t hesitate to come and get me, alright?” Twilight nodded in affirmation. Rainbow flashed Twilight a smile, then sat back up and flapped her wings, then flew over to the balcony door. She hovered there for a moment, then opened the door, flew outside, and closed it behind her.
Twilight watched Rainbow fly off through her window. Her smile grew for several seconds, then she absently lifted her forehoof to her cheek and pressed the base of her hoof where Rainbow had kissed her. Her heart stammered as the memory replayed itself in her mind. She closed her eyes and smiled giddily while letting her forehoof slip down to her neck. The memory of Rainbow’s nuzzles replayed itself in her mind. She rolled over onto her side and curled herself into a ball, smiling and giggling happily.
After several seconds, she sat up, then hopped off the bed. She took a deep breath, then calmly paced over to the door, then opened it and stepped out into the hallway.
“Hey, Twilight,” Starlight acknowledged.
Twilight spun to her side to face Starlight. “Oh, I was just about to go and find you.”
Starlight smiled sheepishly. “You seem happy.”
Twilight smiled and nodded. “You want to talk?” she asked. Starlight nodded slowly. “Okay,” Twilight replied, then glanced down the hallway before opening her bedroom door and motioning Starlight inside. The unicorn walked on into the room, then Twilight followed her and shut the door behind her.
“So how’re things between you and Rainbow?” Starlight asked, turning around to face Twilight.
Twilight smiled. “I... think they’re good. We... well. We went on a date,” she said, her expression falling. “It... didn’t go as I had planned or hoped, but... it... it sort of worked out, I think,” she said, nodding as she finished. “We’re...” She licked her lips and scrutinized Starlight’s expression. “Together,” she finished, then giggled happily.
Starlight walked over and pulled Twilight into a hug. “See, you worried about it too much,” she assured.
Twilight returned the hug, then slowly pulled back, frowning. “She still... said no the first time,” she commented warily. She sighed, folding back her ears, then walked over to her bed.
“Hey, it worked out, didn’t it?” Starlight asked.
Twilight grimaced and cast her gaze back on Starlight. “Yes, but... she can’t... just spend all of her time with me. She’s a Wonderbolt, that’s her dream. I can’t fly like that, and she loves flying... I can’t take that away from her, it’s... not fair for her, especially after all she’s done for me.”
Starlight frowned a little and slowly walked back to Twilight. “Do you really want to be with her all the time? I know she means a lot to you, but... that seems... a bit... much?”
Twilight smiled sheepishly, then sighed and sat down on her haunches. “I know, I know... I shouldn’t, but... she means that much to me. I just... I want to be with her, and... I am, so I’m happy, but... I can’t help but think that it’s wrong because if she’s spending time with me that means that she’s away from her dream.”
“She offered to help you and stay with you, didn’t she?” Starlight asked, smiling gently.
Twilight didn’t respond at first, but after a few seconds, she nodded slowly. “Yes, and... that’s why I’m so happy, I guess...” she trailed off, shaking her head.
“From what I’ve seen, what you’ve said, and what she’s said, I can tell you that she wants to be with you,” Starlight replied. She walked over beside Twilight, then sat down on her haunches. “When you were in the hospital, she... told me that she felt like it was her fault that you were there.” Twilight’s lips contorted in a frown, and she slowly looked over at Starlight. She remained silent, but her eyes filled with pain. “She wants to be there for you, Twilight.”
Twilight glanced down at her hooves and nodded. “I know she does... she’s told me, but...” She closed her eyes, sighed, and tilted her head to the side. “This... shouldn’t be so hard. I... I love her, and... we’re together. She’s helping me, she wants to help me, and she wants to be with me... but... I want to be with her, but I don’t like feeling that I monopolize her time. It... feels wrong.”
Starlight calmly lifted a forehoof, then rested it on Twilight's shoulder. "You're not monopolizing her time. She's choosing to spend her time with you," she replied in a soft voice. "She isn't with you out of some sense of obligation, she wants to be with you."
Twilight lips lifted upward, and she slowly nodded, then looked over at Starlight. "Thanks... I... I think I needed to hear that..." she trailed off, looking back down at the floor. She sighed a little, then stood up. "I'm... going to go see if Fluttershy would like some company," she said.
Starlight nodded and stood up. "I'm sure she'd appreciate your company."
'I'm glad I took the long way to Fluttershy's,' Twilight mused as she trotted down the dirt road to her friend's cottage. 'Even if it did take longer it was nice to be able to relax and enjoy being back in Ponyville, although I wish I hadn't been alone... but I'll be able to spend some time with Fluttershy. I'll just take the short way back on my way home...'
Several brightly colored birds aimlessly flew overhead, carried on by their wings and the gentle breeze rolling by. Twilight watched them fly off while she continued along the road, then she closed her eyes and slowed to a stop. She took a deep breath, then slowly pressed her forehoof to her chest before calmly exhaling. As she exhaled, she extended her hoof outward, and her mind wandered back to Rainbow Dash, even as she listened to the chirping of birds and the soft babbling of the nearby stream.
She opened her eyes with a smile and cast her gaze off into the sky, knowing that somewhere out in the distance, Rainbow Dash was flying and having fun. A pang of guilt struck her heart, and her smile faltered. 'And... I'm not there with you...' She sighed and hung her head, her ears drooping. After several seconds, she started shuffling on down the road toward Fluttershy's cottage. Her slow pace caused the last track to linger and take far longer than it should have.
Eventually, she made it over the bridge and found herself idly standing at Fluttershy's door. She took a deep breath, then hesitantly raised her forehoof. She put on a brave face, then gently rapped on the door. Several seconds passed before the door creaked slightly and pulled inward, revealing the face of a timid, pale yellow pegasus mare with a light pink mane. Fluttershy immediately brightened up at the sight of Twilight. "Oh, hello Twilight!" she greeted, pulling her door all the way open. "Did you um... want to come inside?"
Twilight nodded happily. "Yes, I hope you don't mind. I was hoping I could stay for a little bit and that you wouldn't mind having some company."
Fluttershy smiled warmly and motioned Twilight inside. "Oh, yes of course. You're always welcome, Twilight. Make yourself at home, I'll go fix some tea for us." She turned around and leisurely walked off to the kitchen as Twilight walked inside, then shut the door behind her.
Twilight took a deep breath and calmly sighed, allowing the comforting cottage to welcome her. She walked around into the living room, then sat down on the right end of the couch and looked over the wall opposite of her. Several things had changed since the first time she had been in Fluttershy's cottage, but perhaps what stood out the most was just how many more pictures she had. Pictures of Fluttershy and the rest of the girls, pictures of Fluttershy and her other friends, pictures of her with the princesses, and most disconcerting, pictures of her and Discord.
Still, a smile pulled at her lips. 'As much as you get on my nerves, Discord, you're not all that bad, and Fluttershy cares about you.' She pushed the thought aside and leisurely shifted her weight, then let gravity pull her into a fall. She landed softly on her side on the couch. For a few seconds, she idly stared at a picture of all of seven of them together, then she rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.
Fluttershy walked back into the living room, carrying a large plate on her back in between her wings. On the plate, there was a large, steaming pot of tea, along with two small teacups. She paused, seeing Twilight laying on her back on the couch, then continued walking into the room. She carefully sat the plate on the table, then took the teapot in her mouth and poured two cups of tea, then set the teapot back down. Twilight rolled her head over to face Fluttershy, then she sat up on her haunches.
Fluttershy smiled, then took one cup of tea over to Twilight before returning and taking her own cup of tea. She flew over and sat down in a chair across from Twilight, then took a small sip. "How are you doing, if you don't mind me asking. You seemed... um... okay when we were at the party, but you looked like there was something bothering you. And you seemed a little vague when talking about Canterlot..."
Twilight grimaced a little and looked down into her cup of tea. "I'm mostly fine. I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed. I kind of wanted a quiet day when we got back to Ponyville. Not that a party wasn't nice, it was, I just mean..." she trailed off, shaking her head. She glanced up at Fluttershy, then raised her cup to her lips. She closed her eyes, parted her lips, and tilted the cup up. She smiled as the warmth caressed her mouth, though she longed for the tea Celestia made.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Fluttershy asked. "Not that you have to. I don't want to pry, but... it might make you feel better."
Twilight nodded slowly. "It... was just..." she trailed off, biting her lip and bobbing her head. "I saw my parents again. I'm happy about that, but... I just... I drifted apart from them. We used to be so close, but now we never really see each other or talk. I... I could have died, and I wouldn't have gotten to see them again. It... bothered me," she said quietly.
Fluttershy smiled sadly. "It's alright, though. You survived, and you're recovering. It... was hard on all of us to see you like that, Twilight... I'll never forget what you looked like... Um... thank you, though. I'm not sure... that any of us thanked you for saving Ponyville. It would have been horrible if the reactor melted down, and... what happened to you was horrible, but... thank you."
Twilight's expression shifted between disgust, regret, and solemn acceptance. "I didn't really have a choice. I would have chosen to save Ponyville regardless. It... it's worth it." She glanced up and met Fluttershy's gaze. "You're all worth it." She broke her gaze from Fluttershy and looked at her reflection in her cup of tea. "It was my duty to act to save you all, and I accept the consequences of my actions. I... honestly thought that I was going to die, but... dying to save you all was a cause worth dying for..." she said quietly. She took a deep breath, then sat up straighter and took a quick drink of her tea. "But whoever designed that core room was an idiot. They seriously put the release on the opposite side of the room from the door..." she shook her head and snorted.
Fluttershy remained quiet, tentatively glancing between her tea and Twilight. Twilight stared at Fluttershy for several seconds, watching her crestfallen expression and feeling a hollow emptiness forming inside her chest, She sighed mournfully. "I... feel like we're drifting, too. All of us," she said. "We used to spend so much time together, and we're all so busy anymore. I miss back when we weren't so busy..." she trailed off disheartened. "I don't want to drift from all of you... you all made me who I am today. I owe you five everything..." she trailed off softly.
"We're trying to make more time for you, Twilight, but... it's hard. We have so many more responsibilities now and... and... I'm sorry," Fluttershy said in a soft, apologetic voice.
Twilight grimaced. "I... know. It's... not all your fault." She smiled a forced, empty smile. "I'm the pony who became the princess, not you..." The smile started to fade, "But... just, now that I'm not so busy, it's... it's harder than it was. I have less to occupy myself with, and... my mind keeps wandering." She carefully set her teacup down on the end table, then hopped off the couch and walked over to Fluttershy, then put her forelegs around her and pulled her into a hug. Fluttershy tentatively returned the hug, wrapped a foreleg around Twilight's withers. After several seconds, they parted. Twilight lingered for a second, putting on a reassuring smile for Fluttershy, then she shuffled back to the couch and sat down. "How... have you been doing?"
"Oh, I've been okay. Discord hasn't been around as much as usual. He says he's been busy..." Fluttershy replied, trailing off with a slight frown.
Twilight frowned and squinted. "Discord? Busy? Busy... doing what?" she tentatively asked, afraid of the answer.
Fluttershy smiled warily. "He hasn't really said what he's been doing, but... he promised that it wasn't anything bad."
Twilight nodded slowly, her fears partially alleviated. 'I don't think Discord would really lie to Fluttershy about something important...' she mused.
Rainbow looped and spiraled through the air, twisting across the sky with grace and efficiency befitting a Wonderbolt. She beat her wings hard and rolled into a rapid climb, slowly angling herself straight up into the sky, then starting to arc back down, letting gravity pull her backward and slow her down. She folded her wings to her sides and closed her eyes. For a single instant, her body lurched in weightlessness, then the wind picked up around her as gravity accelerated her back down toward the ground, still pulling her body back into a short loop.
She opened her eyes and looked up into the vast expanse of the sky as the horizon rolled up passed her. She flared her wings and rocketed toward the ground. With the help of gravity, she easily reached terminal velocity. The wind buffeted her body and slipped in between her feathers, dragging against them as she zoomed down toward the ground below, while her mane and tailed rippled almost violently in her wake, getting pulled by the wind. The cool evening air contrasted sharply with the warm sun beating down on her back, although the sun was much cooler than it had been when she first started.
She grunted and folded one wing to her side, then beat her left wing and pushed herself into a spiral. She spread her other wing back out and angled them just so and started bleeding her downward speed while also redirecting her flight into a glide. She slowed her glide to a more casual speed, then lifted her hoof to her forehead.
She wheezed slightly, panting for breath. 'Well, I'm not out of shape that bad, but my endurance isn't quite as good as it should be.' She grimaced at the thought, then pushed it aside with a shake of her head and smiled. 'Still, I was flying for most of the day! I bet even Spitfire herself wouldn't be able to keep up with that!' She swung her hoof up into the air and pushed herself up a little higher into the air, ignoring the burning ache in her wing muscles as she celebrated her victory.
She took a deep breath, then lazily glided around in a couple loops while looking around for a cloud to land on. The sky was mostly cleared from clouds, save for a few ominous black ones hanging low in the sky over the Everfree, but those were clouds she wanted nothing to do with if she had any choice in the matter. She turned around and looked out toward the sunset. The vibrant reds, oranges, and pinks which filled the skyline gradually broke and faded into light blues before fading into darker colors. She glanced back around to the other horizon. She couldn't see the moon, but she knew it would rise soon.
After a couple of seconds, she grimaced to herself. 'Twilight's probably wondering where I am...' She winced a little at the thought and felt her ears pinned back against her head. She shuffled her shoulders around, then glanced around for a cloud again. The closest one she spotted was a little small for her liking, but she pushed it aside and leisurely flew over to it, then landed. The soft cloud supported her weight but compressed like a spring under her body.
She sat down and looked upward. Before she knew it, she grunted slightly as her back hit the cloud. She groaned lightly and let her limbs go limp, her arms fell out beside her, while her legs fell apart. Her wings throbbed as they limply fell at her sides. "Maybe I pushed myself too hard..." She looked down at herself and watched her chest rise and fall with her deep breathing several times, then she rolled her head over and glanced down at her left wing. She tentatively stretched it out, then lifted it up. After a couple of seconds, she stretched her other wing out, then spread them out over the cloud and looked back up at the sky.
Several specks of light broke the dim darkness left behind by the retreating sun, although nowhere near as many as would be visible once the sun disappeared below the horizon. She took a deep breath and held it for several seconds. She felt her heartbeat slowing down to a dull, heavy thumping. After several seconds, she exhaled, then quickly inhaled as her lungs grew weary. She felt her heartbeat pick up once more as the fresh air filled her lungs, although it wasn't as fast as it had been.
She idly watched the sky as its colors continued to darken, and her thoughts drifted off back to her closest friend. She rolled her head to the side and looked down at Ponyville, specifically, Twilight's castle. Her eyes glossed over into a longing look as her mind continued to wander. The memory of the two of them laying on a cloud together in Canterlot replayed itself in her mind. Her lips quickly pulled up into a smile. She blinked, then rolled her head back to look at the sky. She lifted her head up, then folded her forearms behind her head and laid her head back down on them. She quietly sighed.
A cool breeze drifted passed her body. She shivered and drew her limbs back to her body to protect herself. She rolled over, then sat up and ruffled her wings, wincing a little from the chill. 'I shouldn't be cold, it's not that bad up here. It's a little chilly, but... Oh, right, I was flying for so long that... right.' She closed her eyes and grunted a little, then shook her head. She leaned her weight forward, then let gravity take her and pull her off of the cloud.
She closed her eyes and smiled a little as the wind rushed up passed her and drifted through her mane and tail. 'I'll take a shower and then join Twilight,' she mused. After a few seconds, she fought off the wind and took a deep breath, then flared her wings out to bleed her speed. She idly watched Ponyville as she slowed, then finally once she was slow enough, she leisurely flapped her wings and headed off toward her cloudhouse.
As she flew along undisturbed, she found herself growing giddy the closer she got to the castle. By the time she landed at her house, she found herself bristling in anticipation, and ruffled her wings eagerly as soon as she folded them to her sides. She all but bolted to the door, threw it open, then ran inside, dashed up the stairs, and made her way to her bathroom. She didn't even bother to stop to close the bathroom door before turning on the shower.
It was only when she jumped into the shower that she regretted her eagerness. She let out a sharp, high-pitched yelp and violently shook while her breath caught in her throat from the icy water. She clenched her eyes closed and bit her lip. Her pain was short lived, as the water soon warmed up and heat seeped back into her body to replace what the cold water stole from her.
She relaxed and let her head hang forward while the stream of water fell on her withers. She let her wings hang idly beside her and stepped forward so that the water splashed against her back, in between her wings. She smiled and let out a soft moan as the heat dulled the pain from her aching muscles. After a while, she sat down on her haunches and leaned her head back into the stream of water.
The water fell from the shower head and ran through her mane, then dripped down her body, washing off all of the reminders of her day's strenuous flying, save for her exhaustion and aching wings. She hesitantly stood back up, then made sure to let the water run all over her body, then grabbed her bottle of shampoo with a wing and poured out the soap over her mane, neck, body, and then her tail. She sat back down just outside of the stream of water and worked the shampoo into her coat with her hooves and wings, then she stood back up and thoroughly rinsed herself out.
For a couple minutes after finishing, she silently stood under the stream of warmth, enjoying the relaxation that she knew she would lose when she went back to the Wonderbolts. She sighed, then turned the water off with her forehoof and casually stepped out from her shower, water still rolling down her body. She idly looked around her bathroom, then walked over in front of the mirror. She looked at her reflection for a second, then turned and grabbed a towel before the chill of the air could steal her warmth once more.
She dried herself off quickly, then hastily brushed her mane and tail. After looking herself over once more, she strolled back out into her bedroom, then made her way over to her window. She looked out of it, then opened it and jumped outside. She caught herself with her wings, then turned around and hastily closed her window.
As soon as she could, she shot off towards Twilight's castle, leaving a faint rainbow trail behind in the dark sky. Operating off of memory, she easily identified Twilight's balcony, then landed with barely a sound, save for her hooves clicking against the crystal. Without missing a beat, she strode over to the door, then opened it and peeked inside.
Twilight's ears perked up, and she looked up and at the door, then frowned. After a second, her head swung around to the balcony door. A warm, welcoming smile grew to replace her frown.
"Hey," Rainbow greeted.
Twilight slid a bookmark into her book, then closed it with her hoof. "Hey, yourself," she returned.
Rainbow rolled her eyes as Twilight giggled softly. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, then locked it. "How was your day?" she asked, casually making her way over to the bed.
Twilight bobbed her head as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "It... was fine," she answered calmly. "It... could have been better, but... I can't really complain." She scooped her book up with a wing, then swiveled around and deposited it on her nightstand. She hesitated a moment, then turned back around.
Rainbow frowned and paused at the base of the bed. "You don't sound like it was fine," she said quietly.
Twilight offered Rainbow a smile, but both of them could tell it was forced, it wasn't as bright as her first smile. "It's nothing," she said timidly. "How was your flying?"
Rainbow hesitated, then lifted a forehoof and placed it on the bed. She went to pull herself up, then paused. "I've missed flying like that and really getting to push myself, but I'm exhausted." As if to emphasize her point, she opened her mouth and closed her eyes as a yawn overtook her body. She smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her neck with a forehoof. Twilight's smile grew warmer, almost growing into a smirk, with one side of her lip lifted further up than the other. Rainbow grimaced a little, then put her other forehoof on the bed and jumped up onto the bed. Her weight caused the bed to shift slightly. "I wish you could fly with me like that, though. That's my only complaint," she said.
Twilight's smile faded. She slowly looked away from Rainbow and shifted her weight. "Well... I'm... not a good flier, anyway. Even if I had recovered that much, I'm still me. I'm..." she trailed off and shook her head. She turned back to Rainbow and took a deep breath, then smiled. "Maybe after I recover we can fly together more."
Rainbow grinned. "I'd love that." Her smile turned a shade darker, "And when I'm through with you, you'll be Wonderbolt material."
Twilight's smile almost immediately disappeared, her eyes widened, and she shifted her weight away from Rainbow. "You said that-!"
Rainbow snickered a little, then scooted over to Twilight, then enveloped her, wrapping her wings around her friend's body, and wrapping her forelegs around her neck. "Don't worry, I won't be that hard on you. We'll do it gradually..." she offered in a soft voice.
Twilight pursed her lips and slowly bobbed her head. "Maybe..." she said cautiously.
Rainbow pulled Twilight against her chest, then nuzzled her neck. "Come on, it'll be fun!" She slid her wings down Twilight's side, then slipped her feathers between Twilight's wing and her body.
Twilight closed her eyes and smiled, pulling her wing close against her body in an attempt to keep Rainbow's feathers there. Twilight sighed and leaned her weight against Rainbow, then shifted her muzzle around and buried it in Rainbow's mane. She inhaled deeply. Her lips pulled into a warmer smile, she opened her eyes and nuzzled Rainbow's neck. "You smell nice... I've missed the way you smelt before you used my shampoo..." she said quietly.
Rainbow shifted her weight slightly, then ran her right foreleg down to Twilight's back and gave her a quick squeeze while she absently, blankly studied the wall behind Twilight. Her muzzle scrunched up slightly, then she closed her eyes and shook her head. She leaned in a little closer to Twilight's mane and tentatively inhaled. Her muzzle relaxed, then she opened her eyes. "Yeah. Um... maybe I can get some more and bring it over to the castle?" she offered.
Twilight giggled a little and nodded, brushing her head against Rainbow's neck and shoulder. "I'd like that," she said happily. She pulled back from Rainbow, then laid down and stretched out.
Rainbow smiled down at Twilight. She tore her gaze away from Twilight, then flapped her wings and hovered in the air. She calmly hovered over to the other door, then made sure it was locked before returning and landing beside Twilight. She took her forehoof and ruffled Twilight's mane, then pushed the blankets back. Twilight rolled over onto her stomach, then slipped beneath the covers and scooted back until only her head was visible and resting on the pillow. "So, what way will it be tonight?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight tilted her head and spaced out in thought. After several seconds, she grimaced and turned her gaze back to Rainbow. "I'd love to sleep facing you tonight since... well... yeah. But um... I... I kind of want you to... you know, hold me and... hold my legs to my body."
"Alright," Rainbow replied. She leaned down, then slid under the covers and got comfortable. She drew the blankets back up over her body with her forehoof, then she scooted up to Twilight. Twilight's cheeks took on a faint pink hue in the dim light as their bodies drew closer together.
Twilight averted her gaze from Rainbow's head and looked down at her neck, then chest. After a few seconds, she shifted her weight, then leaned over to her and gave her a quick nuzzle on her chest. She pulled back and glanced up at Rainbow and smiled nervously, then rolled over.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Good night, Twilight," she said softly. She scooted further down under the blankets, then slid her body up against Twilight's back. "Uh, you want to get the light?" she asked.
"Sorry," Twilight muttered under her breath. She scooted away from Rainbow, then pulled on a chain. The lamp clicked, then the room grew dark as she released the chain. She hastily scooted back up against Rainbow, then nestled up against her back.
"Thanks," Rainbow replied. She pushed herself up a little, then pushed her left foreleg under Twilight's neck. The alicorn lifted her head up to give Rainbow room, then laid her head back down on Rainbow's foreleg before letting out a calm, happy sigh. Rainbow shifted her foreleg down a little and wrapped it around the mare's chest, pinning her forelegs against her, then she took her right foreleg and wrapped it around Twilight's chest and forelegs. Twilight shifted beside her a little while she slid her left leg under her, then she scooted back against Rainbow's abdomen before Rainbow laid her other leg on top of Twilight's flank. She reangled her legs, then she tightly, yet gently pulled Twilight's legs against her body. "Good night, princess," she said.
"Rainbow!" Twilight huffed. After a second, she relented and snuggled back up against her friend, shifting her back against Rainbow's body and causing their coats to brush up against one another. She giggled sweetly from the contact. "Sweet dreams, Rainbow..." she whispered as the pegasus draped her wing over Twilight's body.
The quiet stillness of the night was broken as something darted through a bush, eliciting a rustling sound from the disturbance. Three earth ponies clad in Royal Guard armor all perked up at the faint, distant sound. They gripped their spears tighter and ever so slightly spread their hooves apart, all the while, their ears swiveling around to pick up any more sounds indicating somepony, or something else nearby. They slowly and carefully scanned the treeline for whatever had broken the silence.
A nearby unicorn frowned at the soldier's unease, then tentatively made his way over toward them. He moved slowly and quietly, while constantly scanning the treeline for any signs of danger. He came to a stop, then surveyed the surroundings. He remained silent for what felt like an eternity while he intently listened for any sounds breaking the silence. In the distance, the hooting of owls could be heard, along with quiet growls and calls from various animals and creatures. "Nothing yet?" he asked quietly.
The earth pony closest to him nearly jumped and turned to face him when he spoke. He closed his eyes and took a second to catch his breath, then shook his head. "No, sir," he answered, then turned back around and resumed cautiously looking and listening for any signs of company.
The unicorn remained stoic. "Team Charlie's late," he commented. "They should have been back half an hour ago..."
The other earth pony on the right shifted his weight uncomfortably. The earth pony on the left side perked up and turned to face the left, raising his spear up and spreading his hind hooves apart in a defensive stance. His ears quickly swiveled around, and his eyes darted back and forth over bushes and checking shadows.
The unicorn squinted into the darkness, but say nothing. He glanced at the other two earth ponies to find both of them having taken an interest in the third, though neither of them had taken the same positions.
The closest earth pony hastily jumped around and crouched down, holding his spear close. He squinted into the darkness and his ears rapidly turned about.
The unicorn glanced over the three earth ponies, then tentatively turned to face where two of them were looking. He cautiously watched the darkness for any signs of movement. A chill slowly crawled down his spine. He took a deep breath, then silently exhaled, forcing his nerves back under control. After several seconds, he tentatively channeled his magic into his horn, filling the air with a quiet, high-pitched rhythmic ringing of magic and casting a faint blue glow over the group. He took a deep breath, then stepped forward, standing ahead of the group of earth ponies, then focused his magic into a beam of light. The light pierced the darkness, illuminating the brushes and revealing the shadows. "Identify yourself!" he called out.
Silence greeted his call. He felt his pulse slowly rising in pace. He shifted his weight on his hooves and carefully studied the area lit by his horn, then he slowly swept his head to the left. He scrutinized every detail revealed by the light from his horn, then once he reached his full arc, he slowly swept his horn back to the right.
After a few more seconds, another sound pierced the air, more rustling branches and bushes. He shot his head back toward the center and crouched down. The third earth pony took up a position on his left side and held his spear at the ready while the other two stood defensively.
The sound grew in volume, and soon, heavy hoofsteps could be heard pounding against the uneven ground and occasionally snapping a dried branch or twig.
A unicorn and an earth pony burst out of the brush, both of them panting heavily. Their once pristine, gold-plated armor was covered in a thin skim of dull red which reflected some of the light from the unicorn's horn, blackened scorch marks, and dents. Both of the Royal Guards came to a sudden stop and went rigid, then saluted. "Sir!" the unicorn shouted.
The unicorn grunted, then looked at the three earth ponies. "Go get the medics," he ordered, then turned back to the two soldiers. "What happened!?" he demanded, stomping over toward them.
The injured unicorn slowly shook his head. "There's a cave about a mile north from here. We didn't find it in aerial recon because it's set into the ground. We entered it to investigate and were ambushed!"
The first unicorn grunted. "Changelings? Did you identify Queen Chrysalis?"
The unicorn grimaced. "Changelings. A lot of them. I didn't get a count because we were retreating, and I didn't spot Queen Chrysalis. I'm sorry, sir."
A few seconds later, the bushes rustled again. An out of breath, panting changeling with a purple carapace stumbled out of the treeline, then tripped on a rock. His wings buzzed and he grunted a high-pitched grunt as he hit the ground.
The uninjured unicorn rushed over to him, then crouched down. Examining his body revealed multiple burn marks covering his body. All of the injuries had blood trickling out of them, but the more serious injuries were being filled with a thick, viscous green fluid. His muzzle scrunched up in revulsion. He turned back to see several more Royal Guards rushing over, along with several changelings with bright carapaces. He stepped back as one of the changelings and a medic rushed over to the wounded changeling.
"His injuries are severe, but he is healing," the changeling medic rasped in a high-pitched voice. Without hesitation, he lifted the injured changeling up and placed him on his back, then spread his large, light blue, see-through wings and buzzed back over to the camp.
The medic who came to inspect the changeling just blinked as his patient was carried away. He shook his head and turned back to the other two injured. "Changelings..." he muttered under his breath as he rushed over to the unicorn and earth pony.
"Lieutenant!"
The unicorn scowled, then trotted back to the camp. Another unicorn greeted him with a scowl. He was flanked on both sides by changelings with light green carapaces. "Get your ponies ready to move. We need to find out if Queen Chrysalis is in there."
"Yes, sir," the Lieutenant saluted rigidly.
A group of twenty-four earth ponies and nine unicorns, all clad in Royal Guard armor, accompanied by a dozen reformed changelings hastily, steadily trekked through the forest's underbrush. Branches and thorns tried to prick and snare them, yet their armor and carapaces help up against nature's assault. Despite their attempt at stealth, the crunching of dried twigs and leaves under their hooves constantly broke the silence.
"It's just up ahead!" a stallion softly called out, his voice just barely carrying through the night.
"Eyes on target. Looks clear," another soldier quietly called out.
The cave entrance was a large hole in the ground, gently sloping downward despite the rough, rocky terrain. At the deepest end of the entrance, where ground and rock hung over the opening, a single, large oak tree sat, its roots penetrating the rock and holding it together, while some of the roots stuck out from the dirt and rock, showing evidence of erosion.
The lieutenant quickly surveyed the surrounding darkness and shadows for any dark forms of changelings, but the only changelings he saw where the brightly colored reformed changelings. He felt his pulse racing with his heartbeat. The anxiety and nervousness he felt at the prospect of what could come made him uncomfortable standing still. He shifted his weight, then stepped forward. Peering down into the cave, he light his horn and used his magic to illuminate the interior.
The darkness broke to reveal an empty cave with dull, orangish rock for walls. As the light faded further down the cave, the cave bent and snaked away from a straight path, mostly pulling to the left. For the first few feet, roots could be seen tangled and piercing the roof from the trees above. The floor was dull and dusty.
He stepped around and set a hoof down on the rough floor. "It's dry," he noted. He stepped back and turned to his left, then his right. His ponies and changelings broke from their cover and gathered around, their attention evenly split between the lieutenant and the cave's darkness. "Alright, earth ponies up front, changelings take the middle, and unicorns follow up in the rear. If we have to split up, I want teams of at least three earth ponies, a unicorn, and two changelings."
A quiet chorus of "Yes sir!" rang out.
He took a deep breath and focused his gaze back into the darkness. "Team echo, you stay here and guard the entrance." He felt a tingle run down his spine and ignored it. The rough walls and floor offered plenty of traction should it be needed, but a thin layer of dried dust indicated that the cave should be dry. Glancing up, he couldn't see much of the sky for thick tree branches, but what he could make out was a clear sky. He turned his gaze back to the cave, noting a few places which blocked the beam of light from his horn, casting shadows behind them, but nothing looked unnatural. After a couple of seconds, he turned back to his soldiers to find them having assembled in the proper order. "Alright, let's go. Check your corners and to the unicorns and changelings, make sure to light it up well."
Several earth ponies quietly jumped down into the opening, then paused while more ponies filled in behind them. They slowly moved forward until the reformed changelings hopped down behind them. The cave grew brighter from the multicolored auras of the changelings who cast light spells to further illuminate their path. They slowly made their way forward and unicorns jumped down to take their place.
Finally, the lieutenant jumped down after the last unicorn joined the group. The cave was large enough for five ponies to stand side by side. He took a deep breath and cautiously moved forward with the rest of his soldiers, sweeping his horn from side to side and double checking shadows already checked by changelings and unicorns before him.
The cave was quiet enough to unnerve him and keep him on edge. The only sounds were the quiet clanking of metal on rock or the occasional chittering of one of the reformed changelings. It wasn't long before they reached the winding part of the cave and realized that it branched off into three sections. They divided up as evenly as they could, then set off down each path. The lieutenant went with the group on the left and continued down the main path of the cave.
"I don't like this, it's too quiet..."
"Hey, it's better than hearing a bunch of changeling's, isn't it?"
"I just about think I would prefer that."
"Cut the chatter!" the lieutenant scolded. As soon as he spoke, the soldier's voices were silenced. He shook his head and slowly, quietly exhaled. They walked into a large cavern. He swept his horn around, scanning everywhere the light fell. Nothing looked out of place, and the room was very rocky. The top of the chamber was covered in stalagmites, while close to the entrance, there was a group of three boulders jutting up from the ground. He turned his gaze away from them as they continued into the cavern and spread out.
"Found another crevice!" a stallion quietly called out.
The lieutenant turned his attention to the stallion and he, along with everyone else, made their way over to him. "It's pretty small. If you wanted to hide out for a while, this would be a good place to go, but it's not very good for getting in and out of in a hurry," he said quietly.
Whoosh.
One of the soldier's ears perked up. "Did you hear?" he asked hastily in a quiet voice. His ears swiveled around rapidly, trying to discern any more foreign sounds.
The lieutenant frowned and turned around, sweeping his horn over the walls and everywhere they had already checked. "I don't see anything, and I didn't hear anything. Keep your eyes open, though. Could be somewhere we didn't see or failed to check," he ordered. A couple of the unicorns joined him in his search, their beams of light illuminating more of the cavern. He idly swept his horn back over the way the came, including the two rocks they passed as they entered the room.
As he finished his arc, he shook his head, then turned back around. "Let's keep moving. Maybe one of the other groups is having better luck than us."
Click... click click.
"I swear I heard something just then!" another soldier, a unicorn this time, said. He turned around from the crevice and swept his horn quickly over the cavern's floor and walls, searching for anything that had changed.
"It's just your nerves," the lieutenant said dismissingly. "But stay alert..." he ordered cautiously. He squinted, then glanced back at a couple of the changelings and jerked his head toward the room. The two changelings pulled back from the crevice and surveyed the room.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
The lieutenant frowned and turned to his right, then left, the two changelings mirroring his actions, while his unicorns quickly looked over the room. "Hold up," he ordered.
"What is it?" a quiet voice called out from the crevice.
The lieutenant turned his head back toward the crevice. "We might have company," he whispered. He turned back to the cave while listening to the earth ponies hurriedly rushing out of the crevice.
Several moments passed in absolute silence after the earth ponies exited the crevice, but no new sounds presenting themselves. The lieutenant turned back to face them. "Did you find anything?"
The earth ponies shook their head. "No, sir. We didn't get in far enough."
"Right," the lieutenant replied, then turned back around. "Let's try again," he said. "The rest of you, try to find anything we might have missed.
Click... Click click click click.
"Alright, I swear I heard something!"
"Keep quiet!" the lieutenant harshly whispered back. Several more seconds passed in quiet.
Drip...
The lieutenant felt something impact the top of his helmet, bringing with it a dull, almost unnoticeable thud. 'Water? But the cave is dry...' He frowned, then looked up. The light from his horn pierced the darkness, and unveiled a wall of black.
Click click click click click... Whoosh Whoosh... Click click click click.
A loud booming rang out through Celestia's personal bedchambers. She grunted and opened her eyes, then squinted into the darkness, perplexed by the disturbance. She sighed as another loud knocking pierced the air.
"Celestia!" a voice shouted from behind the door. In an instant, she was wide awake, having recognized the voice of her sister.
Celestia jumped out of bed, then glanced at the clock. She winced a little at the time it read, but forced it aside, knowing that her sister would not have disturbed her at such an hour unless it was vitally important. She hurriedly walked through the door and out into her study, then she reached the door and hastily opened it. "What is it Luna?" she asked.
Luna glanced around, then stepped into Celestia's study and closed the door behind her. "I was just informed that contact with our forces who had cornered Queen Chrysalis was lost following a report that they were investigating a cave that pegasi reconnaissance missed. They sent pegasi to reestablish contact following the loss of contact, but we've heard nothing back from them yet."
Celestia frowned and motioned her sister into her study with a hoof. As soon as Luna cleared the door, she silently closed it, then paced around the room a few times, looking at the floor and frowning in thought. She came to a stop and turned to face Luna, who wore a distressed, yet still calm demeanor. "How long overdue is the communication from the detachment?"
"Approximately four hours, sister. The pegasus team sent to reestablish contact was sent out not quite an hour ago, and it could be a couple of hours before we hear anything back from them," she answered.
Celestia grimaced and turned to the door to her balcony, then calmly strode over to her balcony and walked out into the calm night. Luna tentatively walked over to her as she opened the door, then stepped out onto the balcony. In the dark of night, the moon was high in the sky, casting a faint white glow upon the world. Celestia glanced out across the world and found her gaze drawn on Ponyville. "So we are in the dark, then..." she mused, then grimaced. "Should... we inform Twilight?" she asked cautiously, turning back to face her sister.
Luna pursed her lips. "This... matter may prove problematic. We have no eyes on Queen Chrysalis or her changelings right now. They are very far away from Ponyville, however. Informing her of what has transpired could worry Twilight more than she already is, and I'm not sure that we should. However, not informing her may be an even worse choice. If something does happen, then if we inform her, at least she will have a forewarning. However, we have no way of knowing exactly what has transpired, and we may be overreacting to nothing."
Celestia sighed and hung her head. "Telling her would only worry her more. They changelings under Chrysalis's control aren't a threat to her because of how far away they are from Ponyville. Although she will likely want to go after Twilight for revenge, she is in no position of power for that, having expended most of her resources on her last attempt. Perhaps it would prove wise to reposition some guards to Ponyville in case something were to happen."
Luna tentatively nodded and walked over to the railing, then draped her forelegs over the railing and propped herself up slightly. "As of right now, we have no idea what has transpired. It is possible that their messenger simply encountered a problem..."
Celestia slowly sat down on her haunches. "Perhaps we are overreacting, but in this case, it will be better to act on the side of caution. Best case scenario, it's just a simple problem that will be rectified quickly. Worst case scenario... our forces were overpowered, in which case we have no idea what happened and where Queen Chrysalis is right now. But at least we know that she is too far to pose an immediate threat..." she trailed off and turned to her sister. "We need more information."
Luna nodded. "I agree, acting hastily isn't wise, but precautions should be taken, lest we get caught by surprise once more."
Celestia winced a little. "Chrysalis... has a habit of catching us off-guard." She shook her head and then stood up to her full height. "It won't happen again," she affirmed, stamping her hoof to the floor in finality. "We will wait until we know more before we tell Twilight... she has enough to worry about as it is."
Luna slowly nodded in agreement, then drew back from the railing and looked at Celestia warily. "Once we pinpoint Chrysalis's position, as discussed, I will move to engage her immediately, before she has time to react."
Celestia nodded absently. "I trust you to handle that specific matter... you've always been more... combatively and tactically inclined than myself." She offered a slight smile at Luna, who returned it and nodded.
"I will not fail, sister. Chrysalis will pay for what she has done," Luna promised. "I will not let her get away with hurting so many ponies, especially not family."
The opening scene of this chapter is really depressing. "But it's so cute, how can it be depressing?" you ask. It is a reminder that no matter what, none of us will ever get to experience holding and cuddling any of the ponies we want to. 
No, I am not writing heavily awkward scenes with the parents. Only slightly awkward. About the most awkward you’re going to get was last chapter with the mention of foals. Why? Because I don’t want cringe, and awkward scenes with the parents would be cringe. Nobody likes cringe, or at least nobody I’m aware of likes cringe.
It seems like all they eat for breakfast is pancakes, and the funny thing? I’m not that big of a fan of pancakes myself, but it’s the breakfast food I’m most familiar with. However, pancakes topped with strawberries and blueberries sound amazing. 
I want to have those sometime.
You know... When going over this for proofreading and editing, I found myself thinking about Twilight drinking milk... Is it cow milk? Is that somehow creepy because of fridge logic? I'm a bit disturbed...
I’m a bit interested in how many of you think about Twilight’s horn regrowing in terms of, will I have that happen, and, how will it happen? I’ve thought about it a lot. If I were to have it regrow, I’m not sure how I’d set that plot up, and the part with Twilight talking about it is the jest of it. Either it would be slow, with her feeling a bump starting to grow back where her horn was (likely Rainbow noticing it first), which would slowly grow back out to her horn, or the sudden, complete regrowth of her horn. The former is more realistic, but the latter seems to be more a result of magic, and both are potential ways I could use. It depends on different, yet to be determined variables. Although, I may have her horn grow back by/at the end of this story. It’s not set in stone.
There’s a scene I really want to talk about, well, actually two scenes, but both of them are going to take place toward the end of this story, so it’ll be a few months before I get to talk about them. 
If you paid close attention in Reaction, and you’re paying close attention in this, you may notice two things that seem curious. They’re Chekov's guns. This paragraph mentioning them is not in place with where it is in the chapter... Eventually, my master plan will be revealed for this series. One of these days, I would absolutely love to sit down and go through and talk about this series, doing an Author’s commentary...
You may notice that Twilight’s still depressed. If you don’t, I point you to the part with Twilight stating that she doesn’t like monopolizing Rainbow’s time. She’s still in a bad spot right now, and talking about it deeper, a brief analysis of her character shows her in a very bad spot. She lost her horn and feels useless like she can’t do anything, and that she’s a burden on her friends. She loves Rainbow and is happy to be with her, but then at the same time, a part of her is rejecting that- which ties back into her depression. There is a potential there for a very, very dark and bad situation. To further elaborate, imagine someone being depressed getting all of their self-worth from one thing, and that thing being taken away from them. In this case, her self-worth came from her magic, and her friends, but both of those are being taken away from her, of sorts. In Reaction, there is a scene with Twilight more or less recognizing that she’s in that state, and that deluding herself to think Rainbow loved her was a grave mistake- that would have hurt her deeply. But as we see, things have improved, although some issues remain. I can comment a bit more on this personally since I seem to suffer from depression. I enjoy spending time with my friends, but as soon as their gone, the satisfaction starts to fade, then it eventually leaves me in a worse state.
Just a random comment to throw in here, not really spurred on by any one thing in the story. Most things in a story are written with a purpose. Some things can be unintentional, but generally speaking, everything is placed with purpose.
When rereading this for edits, I realized, "Twilight just called me an idiot!" The scene where she calls whoever designed the reactor core room an idiot. Since technically, I designed it because I wrote it, Twilight's insulting me, and because I'm writing Twilight, I just insulted myself, without intending to... 
You know, the scene with Twilight and Fluttershy kind of ends abruptly, or at least it feels like it does. Just... you know, mentioning Discord and Twilight being cautious about that, then just ending it. I wasn't sure how else to end it, though...
I enjoyed writing the scene with Rainbow flying. It went better and was easier than I expected. I'm still not comfortable writing shower/bath scenes, even though with this chapter I've written... four to five of these scenes... WIth at least one more planned later on in this story. That scene is very important for Twilight and Rainbow and their relationship. Get your head out of the gutter.
I don't really have anything to comment about the scene with Twilight and Rainbow cuddling after Rainbow gets done showering. Rainbow's kind of/pretty eager for that, though, and so is Twilight. And, well, they do talk about flying. You know, just... after this story is finished, if you reread it and come back to this part... Well, hindsight will be 20/20, and you'll really think about it. Also in Reaction with them talking about flying...
I got off topic there. There is one comment I kind of want to make about the cuddle scene, but I can't word it properly, so I'm just not going to comment on that.
And then we get to the "exciting part." I'm kind of a veteran writer for writing this sort of stuff. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I haven't enjoyed writing it in this story. This part is meant to be vague and not detailed insofar as names of them and such. It's meant to show what else is going on and to start off what's going to happen without getting bogged down in details. I may have somewhat tried to use it in an attempt to "wet your appetite" for more. I'm actually fairly decent at writing action. Or at least in theory. I "have a lot of practice with it." Just look at the stories I've written...
PROGRESS! You know that bad things are going to happen in the future, now, don't you? I suppose one thing I can comment on here is something about it being 30,000 words into the story before we get to the part of the relevent plot. Also, something to be said about it being toward the end of chapter two, and that being 30,000 words into the story, although it's more like 27,000 words into the story is where this part stops.
I need to stop analysising my stories and sharing my analysis.
I'm not a fan of describing the new 'good' changelings...
I'm assuming you've read the whole chapter before reading author's notes. I enjoyed writing that scene with the soldiers in the cavern... hehehe. I kind of aimed for pulling off something out of an alien horror movie or something with it. I don't watch those kidns of movies. They'd scare me and then I'd have nightmares... But, I wanted to try. I hope I pulled it off well... Also, I'm sure you can imagine what happened following the scene break...
Celestia and Luna know that overreacting is a bad thing. Both of them know what happens when you overreact, and so they're playing it safe and not overreacting, because after all, it's just a communications glitch. Nothing to worry about at all...
I opened this up in an editing app, and it said "reading time: 1 hour 4 minutes." I am not quite sure what to think about that.
This was kind of a struggle to meet my self-imposed deadline to publish it on 6/17/17. I could go into details about it, but I won't since it would just detract from the story.
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Should it concern me that you're so good at writing bed snuggling scenes?
The intimacy really brings it to life
Okay, been dying to mention/ask since early in the last story. But what of physical therapy? Cuddles are awesome, but if an athlete like rainbow can get rusty in this amount of time then twilight is adding a lot of time out of commission if she doesn't build her strength! Heck, with the way this series goes i wouldn't be surprised if she atrophied her entire body in an eternal cuddle
Anyway, that was actually the minor point. The big point is why didn't anything think of therapy/reducation to get a 100% horn weilder able to at least learn how to use her hooves for more than standing! This especially came to mind when twilight had her preening problem. It could have been doctors orders, princess getting her acquainted with alicornhood, or just having a friend teach her the obvious stuff at the risk of embarrassment. She'll never stop feeling useless if she's stagnating.
Side note, your clingy twilight all too painfully reminds me of myself in a relationship. I keep feeling like I'm yelling at myself when i have an "OH COME ON" moment towards twilight
