Twinkle/TOCP's Thirty Minute Ponies Stories

by Twinkletail

Prompt #7: Looking For Help

The Prompt: The circumstances leading to, following, or surrounding somepony uttering the question, “How could Twilight Sparkle be so stupid?”

Rainbow Dash had flown excitedly into the library today. When she was a filly, she had never imagined herself being excited to enter a library. In fact, it was rare that she ever envisioned herself entering a library in any fashion, let alone being this anxious to do so. Twilight Sparkle had changed that. Ever since the two got together, going to the library was possibly the biggest highlight of her day. While her excitement was usually due to the promise of romantic activities, though, today's visit was much different (Although said romantic activities would not be unwelcome). Today's visit was a business-related one, and she knew that when Twilight heard what she needed from her, she would be ecstatic to help. It was for this reason that she was extra-surprised when Twilight's answer was a flat "no."

"...What?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "No?? I thought this would be right up your alley!" Twilight sat, hooves crossed, not looking at the blue pegasus. Rainbow was absolutely baffled. This was something that the bookish unicorn should have loved. After finishing up the meeting with her fellow Ponyville pegasi about the hurricane that they needed to create, Rainbow had gotten the idea to talk to Twilight and see if she could come up with something to help them measure the strength of the hurricane. It was something that required research and study, and that would provide her a good learning experience on the strength of a pegasus's wingpower. All that think-y stuff that Twilight liked, rolled into one big event. Plus, it was something for them to do together, and that just sweetened the deal in Rainbow's mind. Still, Twilight refused.

"No," Twilight repeated. "I will not help you." The purple unicorn turned her nose up, eyes closed. This only served to frustrate Rainbow further.

"This is a great opportunity to learn stuff, Twi!" Rainbow shouted. "Why in Equestria would you not want to help out?" Twilight finally turned to face the blue pegasus, giving her an icy stare.

"You know why," Twilight responded, and then looked away again. Rainbow facehooved. Twilight was mad at her for something, and she had no clue what it was.

"Don't be like this, Twi," Rainbow said. "I need your help really badly! You're the smartest pony I know, and I need a smart pony to-"

"Oh really now?" Twilight snapped, turning to glare at her again. "The smartest pony you know, huh?" Rainbow nodded slowly. She hoped this wasn't another instance of Twilight trying to be humble, or trying to defend their friends when something like this was said. She knew that each of their friends was smart in their own way. Applejack had an amazing business sense and knew so much about farming. Rarity was the most artistically creative pony she'd ever met. Fluttershy was like an encyclopedia of animal knowledge, and Pinkie, despite how flighty she seemed, was deceptively bright. Of all of them, though, Twilight was the smartest in the terms of what Rainbow needed right this moment. Her wide array of knowledges was astounding due to all her studies, and surely in those studies she'd found something that could help in this situation.

"Yes!" Rainbow answered. "The smartest pony I know, okay?"

"Then why did you say what you did exactly three weeks, four days, and eleven hours ago?" Twilight asked, glaring. Rainbow blinked a few times. She couldn't remember saying anything that would have upset Twilight. There were times that she barely remembered what she had for breakfast in the morning, let alone a comment she made three weeks, four days, and eleven hours ago. She knew it was no use playing dumb, though.

"Uh...what comment?" Rainbow asked sheepishly. Twilight let out an exasperated sigh, then pulled out her journal and turned back a number of pages.

"Ahem," Twilight said, pointing to a page in the book. Rainbow floated over to look.

"How could Twilight Sparkle be so stupid?" Rainbow read. She didn't remember this at all.

"You were talking to me about making out," Twilight said. "And I didn't know what you were talking about, and I asked in what context it would make sense, since the only reference point I had was "making an out," a kickball term, and that made no sense in the way that you were talking about it. And when I told you that I had no idea what kickball had to do with a romantic evening together, you said, 'How could Twilight Sparkle be so stupid?' Well, I guess if I'm stupid, I can't very well help you with something like this, can I?" Rainbow floated there, dumbfounded. She hadn't even thought anything of that comment. It was the same kind of mostly-good-natured ribbing that she and Applejack often shared.

"...Is this really why you're so upset?" Rainbow asked, trying to wrap her brain around this.

"And you didn't apologize," Twilight answered. Rainbow facehooved. She never apologized for anything. It wasn't her way. However, she hated to see Twilight this upset with her. The blue pegasus sighed lightly.

"Okay, Twi," Rainbow said. "I'm sorry I said that. It was wrong of me. You really are the smartest pony I know, and I can't think of anypony else that I'd rather have help me than you." Rainbow prepared to keep going, but was interrupted by a hug from the purple unicorn.

"Apology accepted!" Twilight said gleefully. Rainbow was once again confused.

"...That's all?" Rainbow asked. Not that she wanted Twi to stay mad at her; it was just that she seemed so angry a moment ago, too angry to just drop it like this.

"That's all!" Twilight said, letting go. "I got what I wanted! You barely ever apologize to anypony, and you apologized to me! That means a lot to me, and according to my studies, something like that is an important step in a relationship." Rainbow smiled with relief.

"So you'll help me?" Rainbow asked. Twilight nodded happily.

"I've been looking for a reason to use my anemometer!" Twilight answered. "And thank you again for apologizing to me. I know how stubborn you can be."

"...Excuse me?" Rainbow said. "Stubborn?" Twilight trotted into her study, smiling. Rainbow glared at her as she left. Now it was her turn to be angry.

Comments

[Makokam]

For a second there I was expecting there to be a twist about some other Twilight...but I see that the prompt included hr full name. Perhaps to avoid such an easy out in the first place.

But I liked thiis. It was a very Twilight thing to do.