Apart From The Pegasi

by KillerChainsaw

Conflicted Feelings

Standing speechless for a few more moments, Twilight tried to make sense of what Lightning had just told her, but had no luck as she looked back to the other mare with a shocked and confused expression still, "Just what are you talking about Lighthing Dust?" she asked, clearly wanting more of an explanation as her head was starting to buzz with countless questions right now.

While Lightning hesitated for a little bit, biting her bottom lip as she glanced to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, before turning back to the Princess, as she slowly set down her gift on to the floor and sighed deeply, seeming like she was going to maybe make things a little clearer for the other mare. Or at least that was what Twilight hoped for as she continued to look at Lightning with a questioning and still very surprised expression.

"Listen, I know this might be hard for you to hear Twilight, but...I...I took a walk through the town before coming to the library this morning, and when I went walking past here, I...I saw Rainbow Dash walking into the bakery," Lightning explained in a nervous tone, causing Twilight to just seem even more confused, looking like nothing had become any clearer to her at all.

"And because of that, you think that she did this, are you hearing yourself right now? Do you honestly think that- Twilight began to raise her voice now as she was clearly not understanding just how Lightning had come to the conclusion that she had, while she still tried to wrap her head around all of this, before the other mare cut her off, and spoke to her in a calming voice, hoping to cause the Princess to lower her tone a little.

"I'm not saying that she did this Twilight, I'm just saying that she might have something to do with it, after all she was pretty mad about somepony trashing the library," Lightning pointed out causing Twilight to just shake her head, clenching her teeth together, as her confusion was now quickly turning into anger, feeling it building up inside of her as she didn't get how Lightning could accuse Dash of having something to do with a terrible thing like this, especially since it had happened to one of their friends.

"While that's true, do you honestly think she would do something like this to Pinkie?" Twilight raised her voice again as she was clearly just getting more and more angered by all this, looking like all kinds of emotions were rushing through at the moment, not knowing how she should feel about everything, but knowing that her marefriend was most certainly not at fault for any of this like Lightning was seeming to say she was.

"Listen Twilight, I'm just as confused as you are right now, but just in case Rainbow Dash does have something do to with this we shouldn't bring the Princess or the Royal Guard into it all just yet, after all Dash could end up getting into a whole lot of trouble if they found out she was here this morning when the place was trashed," Lightning tried to reason with Twilight as it was clear that she didn't want her going to Princess Celestia about what had happened, causing Twilight to become even more conflicted about everything right now, she didn't know how to feel or what to do at this point, she just wanted to stop and rest for a few moments as her head was killing her while she held it a little low.

"I...I don't believe you...I can't believe you...there's just no way that..."

Twilight felt her speech leaving her again as she spoke in a whsipered tone now trailing off slightly as she shook her head again, turning away from Lightning as it seemed like she just couldn't picture Dash being involved in anything like this, after all she wasn't the same pegasus as she used to be.

"That's okay, you don't have to believe me Twilight, just please. I know what I saw, so please don't go to the Princess about all this, for Dash's sake. After all you love her don't you, you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her over this, right?" Lightning asked as she caused for Twilight to widen her eyes a little before she glanced over to her marefriend and Pinkie, biting her bottom lip and seeming unsure yet again on just what she should do at this point in time.

'There's no way that I can believe that Dash has anything to do with all this...but why would Lightning Dust lie? Maybe I need to talk to Dash about all this,' the Princess sighed heavily as her mind was still asking her so many questions at the moment, which she felt like she couldn't even try to answer as she looked to her marefriend with a saddened expression wishing that the cyan pegasus could make things make sense finally, and help her to find all the answers to the questions that she had spinning around inside her mind right now.

"So what are we going to do Twilight?" Spike now asked as he came walking over to Twilight and Lightning, causing the Princess to look down to him for a moment, before she glanced back to Lightning as the turquoise mare just nodded to her. Twilight hesitating a little, as she looked back to Dash and sighed deeply again.

"I don't think we should go to Princess Celetsia just yet, not until we know more,"

Twilight stated as Lightning sighed a little with relief, and nodded with a slight smile, as she patted the Princess on her shoulder lightly, before she picked up her gift for Pinkie and walked over to give it to her, hoping that it would cheer her up a bit. As the pink pony had calmed down and stopped crying now, but was still clearly distraught about what had happened to her home.

"Are you sure about this Twi?" Dash asked as she now left Pinkie to Lightning and came walking over to Spike and her marefriend, wondering just why Twilight had agreed to go with what Lightning Dust had said and not go to the Princess or Royal Guard about all this just yet.

'No...I couldn't be more unsure about all this right now, but my head is hurting so much that I just want to lay down and forget what is going on for a bit,' Twilight thought as she just sighed and nodded to Dash, feeling like she had been defeated even though she wasn't completely sure just why she felt this way at the moment.

"We don't know all the facts just yet, and it's better for us to get all the information we can before we go to Princess Celestia about all this, but we definitely will find out just who is responsible, and I think it's clear judging by how much damage they've done this time, we could be dealing with more than just one culprit right now," Twilight explained still feeling so uncertain if this was the right thing to do or not, but then shaking her head as she tried her best to push all her thoughts and unanswered questions to the back of her mind for a bit.

"But we shouldn't be focusing on that right now, what matters most at the moment is that we need to help Pinkie with cleaning the bakery up," the Princess stated as she seemed to have a more determined expression now, while Dash and Spike just nodded back to her before they both soon started to work on cleaning up Pinkie's home. Lightning and Pinkie joining in as well, once the earth pony had seemed to have regained her composure, clutching the soft teddy bear that Lightning had gifted to her tightly to her chest, while she sniffled and worked to get her house tidy again before Mr and Mrs Cake would be returning.

Twilight was just about to join in the cleaning up when she glanced over to Lightning Dust, and instantly stopped dead, standing as still as possible as she felt paralysed all of a sudden, her eyes widening as the turquoise mare just stared at her coldy out of the corner of her eye.

"Twi?"

Dash tapped Twilight on the shoulder as she noticed her just standing still and wondering just what she was doing at the moment, as she brought the Princess's attention on to her now, causing Twilight to shake her head in response before turning to the cyan pegasus.

"Huh?

"You okay?" Dash asked as she looked a little concerned for her marefriend as Twilight just glanced to Lightning and saw that the turquoise mare was no longer looking to her, and was instead just working to clear away all the mess in the bakery along with Pinkie and Spike.

"Yeah...I'm fine,"

Twilight replied as she nodded to Dash and thought that maybe she just imagined what had just happened, while Dash just patted her shoulder in a comforting manner, as the Princess glanced back over to Lightning again, and sighed a little, 'I don't know what that was all about, but...I swear I could see hatred behind those golden eyes of Lightning's when she was looking at me just now,' she thought before she and Dash began to work together on helping out the others with cleaning up the bakery as well, Twilight trying not to let her own thoughts bother her right now as she just put all her focus into helping to tidy up Pinkie's home, in order to get it back to how it once was again.

....

Hours having passed, and late afternoon now settling in as the group of five had been working to get the bakery to how it used to look together, helping Pinkie Pie to clear away all the mess and Twilight using her magic to fix the smashed windows and kicked in walls. The place soon looking a lot better than it did this morning as Rainbow Dash sighed, stopping for a moment to take a quick break, while all the others continued to clean up the bakery still.

Dash looking over to her marefriend as she noticed her slowing down a little with what she was doing, and looking like she was a little distacted at the moment as something clearly seemed to be on her mind right now. Causing Dash to raise her eyebrow slightly as she wondered if she should be concerned for the Princess.

Twilight stood trying to collect her thoughts and keep them off of Lightning for the most part, but her efforts seeming to be in vain as she just couldn't seem to stop going back to the turquoise pegasus who she would glance over to every so often, 'That cold glare that she gave me...I didn't imagine it did I?' she wondered as she saw Lightning simply talking and smiling cheerfully to Pinkie as they both worked on cleaning up the earth pony's home together, leaving the Princess to still be unsure about pretty much everything that was going on right now.

'This is just all so confusing to me right now,' she sighed deeply as she stopped what she was doing and hung her head low for a few moments, her head still feeling like it was pounding as she bit her bottom lip and wished that her mind could clear for a little while and give her a break, but knowing that that wasn't very likely to happen at this point.

Dash walking over to her marefriend and tapping her shoulder to get her attention as she could see just how stressed the Princess seemed right about now, and was feeling a little worried for her. Twilight being brought out of her thoughts and looking back to Dash, shaking her head and trying to look like she wasn't being bothered by anything at the moment, when it was already obvious to the cyan pegasus that she clearly was.

"Hey are you sure you're okay Twi?" Dash asked as she was very clearly worried for the Princess, while Twilight just forced a smile and nodded back to her.

"I'm fine Dash, really," the Princess stated as she simply pecked Dash on her forehead and hoped that she could reassure her enough so that she would be left alone by the pegasus and not questioned again.

Dash however not looking convinced as she raised her eyebrow again and was just about to question her marefriend yet again, but was interrupted by Pinkie Pie and Lightning coming over and catching their attention while Spike had also stopped for a bit of a break, as he came walking over to Twilight and Dash as well now.

"You know there's not that much left to clean up, and Mr and Mrs cake will be coming back any moment now, so you all really don't have to stay here, I can do the rest by myself," Pinkie stated as she smiled to Twilight and Dash, however her offer was quickly turned down like she expected it to be.

"Pinkie we really don't mind at all- Twilight started to protest but Pinkie instantly shook her head and cut off the Princess as she stopped her from continuing on.

"Really Twilight you have all done more than enough for me, and I honestly can't thank you enough for helping me. You don't need to do anymore, and I can see just how tired you are right now, so please, you all deserve a nice, long, relaxing break," the pink earth pony didn't seem to be taking no for an answer, as she could also see how stressed Twilight was at the moment and wanted them all to go home and take the break that they all definitely deserved after all they had done for her today and last night.

Twilight felt like protesting again, but just closed her mouth as Dash rested a hoof on the Princess's shoulder and shook her head to her. Twilight looking back to Dash and sighing a little, knowing that Pinkie was right and they all did need a break right now, as she just looked defeated and nodded, giving into the pink pony's request it seemed.

"Fine, but are you sure you'll be okay here by yourself?" Twilight asked as she gave Pinkie a serious expression, letting her know that they were all here for her if she needed them at all. While Pinkie just chuckled slightly and nodded back to the Princess.

"I'll be okay Twilight, besides Mr and Mrs Cake should be home in a minute or two, so I won't be alone for very long. All of you just go, and really thank you for all that you've done for me," Pinkie smiled to all the others as she reassured Twilight that she would be just fine without them all being beside her, which in turn caused Twilight to sigh a little before she just nodded back to the earth pony with a slight returned smile.

"Very well, but know that we will definitely find out just who is responsible for all this," the Princess stated as her expression changed into one of determination, letting Pinkie know that they weren't going to just sit back and let the culprits get away with this, and would definitely be acting on it very soon.

"Yeah, and we'll most certainly make them pay for the pain they have caused us all," Dash chimed in with a smile and the same determined expression that Twilight had, while Pinkie simply just nodded to the two mares with a smile in reply, knowing that they obviously meant what they were saying right now.

Lightning Dust as this point had started heading towards the door as she stopped and glanced back to the others, her gaze being a cold stare as she looked to Twilight and Dash, before just sighing deeply and rolling her eyes a little, as she simply turned around and stood waiting for the others, now with a much more relaxed expression on her face. It not being long before they all left the bakery, Pinkie waving 'Goodbye' to them all as they headed back to the library together.

The four now all walking together as Lightning and Spike were causually talking to each other about random things, while Twilight and Dash were silent for the most point. It definitely seeming like there was still something that was clearly on the Princess's mind as she sighed again and kept her gaze directed at the ground. Currently walking at quite a slow pace, causing Dash to look at her with a concerned expression still, wondering if she should ask her how she was again, but soon just deciding she should just leave it, since she could easily guess the kind of answer that she would be getting from her marefriend.

"Hey do you all want to get together for a little while after we've all had some lunch?" Lightning asked as she caught Rainbow Dash's attention, while Twilight still seemed like she was distracted by other things at the moment.

Dash looking to her marefriend for a few moments, and could clearly see that she wasn't paying much attention to any of them right now, and so just shook her head to Lightning, "Sorry Lightning, but I think we're all a bit tired, so let's all just get some rest instead, okay?" she stated giving the other pegasus a slight smile as Lightning seemed a little disappointed, but soon just smiled back to Dash.

"Of course, we should all be taking it easy for a bit, I'll see you all tomorrow then right?" Lightning asked with her classic cheerful smile formed on her lips, as Dash and Spike just nodded to her simply in reply, before they both said 'Goodbye' to the turquoise pegasus as she soon took off into the sky and flew towards Cloudsdale, while leaving the others to continue making their way back to the library together.

Dash sighing a little as she looked to Twilight again and saw that she didn't seem to notice that Lightning had left at all, and was currently just stuck on walking home with her head still hanging low, and her gaze directed at the ground. The pegasus wanting to know just what was going on with her marefriend right now, but not wanting to push the Princess and so just silently followed Twilight back to their home with Spike leading the way in front of them both as they all made their way back to the library at a slow and steady pace together.

....

It not being all that long before the three were able to make their way back to their home together as Dash suggested that she and Spike would make a late lunch for them all, while telling Twilight to go and get a little rest and wait in her bedroom for it all to be ready, as the Princess didn't seem to protest very much this time, and instead just made her way up to her bedroom and did as she was told. Dash and Spike now standing in the kitchen as they had started to make some lunch together.

Dash sighed slightly as she thought about her marefriend and still was wondering just what was going on with her, and trying to decide if she should try to talk to her about it again or not. Spike soon noticing that the pegasus didn't seem all that focused on the food she was currently preparing right now, and could tell that Twilight was most probably causing her to seem distracted at the moment.

"You know, Twilight's probably just tired, I know I am after all that cleaning," Spike stated as he caught Dash's attention and caused her to turn to him, while she just nodded slightly in reply.

"I know...but it just seems like there's something else bothering her right now," Dash said as she still seemed a little distant, while Spike just shrugged his shoulders and went back to preparing the food for lunch, as Dash did the same but it still being obvious that her mind was preoccupied with thinking about her marefriend and just what her reason was for the way she was acting at the moment.

Meanwhile Twililght was resting up in her bedroom, lying on her bed as she looked to the bed covers and tried to sort her thoughts out a little, as she knew it wasn't good for her to focus on all this too much, and already knowing that she was causing Dash to worry over her because she was acting so distant around her.

'Just what in Equestria was Lightning Dust talking about eariler, does she honestly think that Dash would have anything to do with this sort of thing, but then why would she lie to me? Just what would she gain from that?' she questioned as her head was still hurting quite a bit, while countless unanswered questions still clouded her mind as she tried to collect all these thoughts she was having, and hopefully make them make sense to her a little.

'Even if she is telling the truth and she did see Dash at Sugarcube corner eariler on, that still doesn't mean that she could have anything to do with what happened, I mean there's no way that she would do something like that, espcially not to Pinkie Pie. I mean it's true that I don't actually know where Dash was this morning before I got up and saw her making breakfast in the kitchen, but what reason would Dash have for going to Pinkie's so early in the morning anyway?' she wondered as she seemed to be stuck on that particular thought for a few moments, before she widened her eyes and shook her head quickly.

'No, Dash isn't at fault here...I shouldn't be assuming anything until I talk to her. But why was Lightning Dust so quick to accuse her of being involved with all this? Is she really just worried for her in case she gets into trouble? Something just isn't adding up to me here, Lightning Dust started to get really worried when Dash and I mentioned going to Princess Celestia and the Royal Guard about what had happened, would she have told me about Dash being at the bakery if we hadn't brought that up I wonder,' she thought as things were still very much unclear to her about Lightning, and still feeling so confused about everything that had happened this morning. Suddenly her eyes widening again as she considered a certain thought that had entered her mind now.

'Maybe I'm looking at this wrong, maybe Lightning...maybe she isn't being truthful after all, but then why? What would be her reasoning for...' Twilight paused as she seemed to realise something, thinking back on all Lightning had told her eariler, and the way she was acting at that moment, including the glare that she remembered getting from her.

'Could we have possibly made a mistake in trusting her? What if all this time...Dash could be right about her?' she questioned feeling like she was beginning to think about this all a bit too much. Before she was suddenly dragged out of her thoughts as Dash came knocking at the door and slowly opened it as she smiled to her marefriend. Twilight's attention now on the pegasus as she looked to her, while she walked into the bedroom.

"Hey, how are you feeling Twi?" Dash asked in a caring tone as she slowly came to stand beside Twilight, hoping that her marefriend wasn't as stressed as she seemed before, after she had had sometime to herself.

"I'm okay," Twilight simply answered after a short pause as she felt like biting her lip, wondering if she should really talk to Dash about all this just yet, as the pegasus just nodded to her in reply.

"That's good, I just wanted to let you know that lunch will be ready soon, so just come down whenever you feel like it okay?" Dash smiled as she gave an softened expression to the Princess and pecked her forehead lightly, wanting to let her know that she wasn't going to pressure her into anything at all, and so just turned to leave instead of pressing like she wanted to right now.

However as she turned to head for the door, Twilight felt like she shouldn't try and work this all out by herself anymore as she knew she wasn't going to get very far by doing that, and to be honest right now she wanted another pony to help her make sense of this all, and maybe Dash could be just the pony for that.

"Wait Dash!"

Twilight raised her voice a little as she called to Dash and caught her attention, causing the pegasus to turn back to her now as she looked to the Princess with a raised eyebrow and wondered why she had suddenly stopped her from walking out the door.

But Twilight hesitated a little as she bit her bottom lip, and took a deep breath, trying to get her head straight for a moment, 'I don't know what to think of Lightning Dust right now, but if I want any of this to start making some sense to me, then I need to talk to Dash about it all,' she thought as she nodded to herself and plucked up her courage, looking back to her marefriend again as her expression turned into a serious one now.

"Twi, what is it?" Dash questioned as she tilted her head a little, and waited for the Princess to continue.

"Listen Dash...do you...do you think that we could maybe be wrong about Lightning Dust?" Twilight simply asked in a nervous tone, looking to her marefriend out of the corner of her eye, and causing Dash to just look confused now as the Princess sighed a little and finally seemed like she was going to come out with all that had been bothering her and causing her to act as distant as she had been since they all had come back from helping Pinkie Pie at Sugarcube corner.

Author's Note:

Some people/ponies aren't always as they seem.

Thank you ever so much for reading.

KillerChainsaw ;)

Comments

[Fire Seeker12]

And now it's starting to make senses. Keep it up.

[KillerChainsaw]

8597601
Will do and thank you for reading as always by the way.

KillerChainsaw ;)

[Leviathan Eclipse]

Please for the sake of future readers, go back and edit your story. There's spelling errors and run on sentences everywhere.