To Be Better
Twilight Sparkle could only hear one thing. Cries. The cries of the citizens of Ponyville, concerned for the sight before them. The cries of her friends in equal measure. And, worst of all, the cries of her baby. Through all of the cries, she walked forward in a dark expanse. She couldn't see anything past her own muzzle, and her horn refused to light. After a few minutes of walking, she bumped into a solid body. She backed up a step, bowing her head in apology, but found there was no response from the mare she had brushed against. Giving her an awkward look, she continued on. She was in a crowd, shuffling her way past a plethora of ponies to make it to what she hoped was the front, to see what they were all so intent on. As she went, the cries grew louder. More and more voices added to the horrid chorus that pierced her eardrums.
“You weren't there…” Cried the voice of Starlight.
Twilight stopped dead, looking around for the voice's owner. “Starlight? What do you mean?” Some of the ponies in the crowd vanished in a puff of smoke, clearing a smidgeon of a path for her. She cantered forward again, the crowd seeming to form an imaginary bubble around her.
“You weren't there!” Cried Applejack, the image of her face appearing from above.
“Not there for what?!” Twilight asked, staring up at the floating face. “I don't get it!” With no response, the face vanished. She shook her head, redoubling her efforts and increasing her gait. Another minute passed with nothing but cries and dispersing ponies. Until a pair of large, imposing figures blocked her way. One of them was her beloved teacher and friend, Princess Celestia, while the other was a tall gray Unicorn stallion with a gray-striped white mane, tail, and full beard. He wore a wizard's hat and cloak, decorated with bells on the edges of each, and star patterns all throughout. His blue eyes looked down at the Princess of Friendship with sheer contempt, a snarl forming from under his moustache. Twilight skidded to a stop, gawking up at the towering ponies with her mouth agape. “Celestia? Star Swirl? What’s going on?”
“What kind of ‘Princess of Friendship’ isn’t there at a time like this?” The stallion inquired, turning away from her. “Quite the disappointment, if you ask me.”
Celestia scoffed, flaring her wings and turning her back on her student. “A disappointment indeed.” She briefly looked back with a fierce scowl. “I don't know what I'm going to do with you…” She flapped her wings, the wind dispersing Star Swirl like a cloud of dust.
“I wasn't there… I wasn't there!” Twilight repeated, standing up and stomping her hoof. “What the heck wasn't I there for?!” Her wings spread dramatically, sending her airborne with a forceful flap. From an aerial view, she spotted a small blue light at the end of the crowd. Her focus intensified, zeroing in on the light like Pinkie Pie on a cherrychanga.
“You weren’t there, Twilight…” Cried another voice, this time sounding like Fluttershy.
“You weren’t there…” Came the repetition from Pinkie.
“You weren’t there!” Rainbow and Rarity simultaneously continued. Twilight looked around as the blank faces of her friends continued to appear around her. Their gaze pierced her to her core, faltering her wings and forcing her to wobble in the air.
“Please, just tell me what you mean!” She pleaded, bringing her hooves together. “I can’t fix the problem if I don’t know what it is!”
That instant, all six of her friends’ faces appeared all around her, closing in quickly. “YOU WEREN’T THERE FOR THEM!!!”
The physical and psychological force of their voices caused the Alicorn’s wings to seize up, snapping to her sides. She flailed her legs in an attempt to stay aloft, finding herself careening towards the blue light amidst the cries. She closed her eyes, feeling the familiar sensation of crashing on the ground mere moments later. Sitting up, she looked around. The baby’s crying was at its loudest, seeming to come from the light. “Nova?” She climbed to her hooves, slowly approaching the baby. His horn was charged with electricity, sucking in all light around him. “Calm down, sweetie. Mommy’s here…” Nova let out a scream, sending his mother back with a quick discharge. She reeled back onto her rump, staring in shock at the colt. “Nova, why…?” She moved her foreleg to reach out, but found a weight against it that prevented her from doing so. Looking at the source of it, her eyes widened and watered. “Bolt…” She put her hooves on the stallion crumpled up next to her, rapidly shaking him. “Boltsinger, wake up!”
No response.
“Bolt, please… please wake up…” She begged, draping herself over him with tears streaming down her cheeks.. “I’m sorry… I wasn’t there for you… I wasn’t there...” She began rocking back and forth, holding the unresponsive Pegasus close as she repeated herself between sobs.
Twilight’s eyes snapped open, sending her sitting up in a flash. She lingered for a moment, panting heavily as she felt the water running down her face. “I wasn’t there…” She looked to the other side of the bed, where her favorite stallion lay comfortably, snoring softly. She reached tentatively forward, unsure of whether or not she should attempt to wake him.
A yawn interrupted her thoughts, followed by a stretch. Boltsinger slowly opened his eyes, pushing himself up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Morning, Twilight… How’d you--”
“THANK CELESTIA!!!” She exclaimed, tackling him in a cloud of blankets and pillows. “You’re okay! You’re okay!” Her grip around him grew tighter as his shoulder got progressively more soggy.
Boltsinger put his forelegs and wings around her, nuzzling her damp cheek affectionately. “Of course I’m okay, Twilight. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Twilight lifted her head, looking the stallion in the eye. “I… I wasn’t there for you… You and Nova needed me and I wasn’t there…” She went on at length, explaining the events of her recent experience in the realm of dreams. With each new detail, Boltsinger’s face softened more, until he finally pulled her close again at the end. “I just felt so helpless… So weak… I couldn’t do anything for either of you!”
“Twilight, that whole debacle was months ago… And both of us have improved how we handle things a lot since then!” He pulled back again, looking assuringly into her purple orbs. “We got this together, remember?”
Twilight gave her husband a weak smile, brushing his mane away from his face. “I remember…” She leaned in, kissing him on the cheek as they proceeded to climb out of bed. As if on cue, the unmistakable cry of a baby echoed into the room from the other side of the wall. Boltsinger stretched his legs, preparing to answer the call, but found a large, purple wing in front of him. “Let me handle it this time, please.”
Boltsinger smiled, patting her on the back as he began to walk past. “Okay. I’ll go get some breakfast started.” When he reached the doorway, he stopped, looking back at her. “And, Twilight?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s okay to feel weak sometimes.”
Boltsinger’s last comment before breakfast rang through Twilight’s mind hours later. She walked to her classroom, reflecting on his words along with the dream she had had and the events of the last few months. It’s true, he hasn’t collapsed again since, largely because of the way we’ve tackled the issues, but… Have I really been doing enough? She took her place on the room’s main stage, straightening herself up as the students began to file in. I guess I’ll figure it out later. “Good morning, students!”
“Good morning Professor Sparkle!” The students greeted back.
The proud teacher produced a pile of notes from beyond the door, straightening them and keeping them close. “Today, we'll be talking about…” She looked at the first of her notes, just to be sure. “... the importance of…” She choked on the next words, finding an odd coincidence between the lesson and her recent emotions. “... Always being there for your friends…” She swallowed a lump in her throat, putting the notes aside. “It should come across as obvious, but it's of the utmost important to always be there for your friends whenever you're able. Sometimes, it can mean the difference between success and failure. Or affect their decisions moving forward! Or…” She hung her head with a sigh. “Or ot could mean the difference between ending up hospitalized and being healthy…”
A chill silence fell upon the classroom, leaving many of the students at a loss for words. Gallus eyed the mare sharply, turning to the Changeling next to him. “Well that was really specific.”
Ocellus nodded, her gaze transfixed on her teacher. “Yeah… It feels like…” Her Changeling instincts took hold, bringing a plethora of colors to life around the Alicorn. The warm pink of love was ever-present and encompassing, but an inky black had started to form, just at the back of her head, that caused her a measure of concern. “... hopelessness.” She raised her hoof. “Excuse me, Professor!”
Twilight's head rose, catching the bid for attention. Yes, Ocellus?”
She lowered her hoof, leaning inquisitively forward. “Could you provide an example, please?”
Gallus cocked an eyebrow. “Wait, what?”
“She needs to talk about whatever is bothering her.” Ocellus whispered, gesturing to the mare. “I learned in the feelings forum that if you don't talk about your problems, they can fester and then they only get worse.”
“Oh. One of those things, huh?” the Griffon replied, resting his head in his talon. He waved his free talon dismissively. “Yeah, an example would be good.”
“Well, if you really want something, I have a few examples right here!” She searched through her notes, trying to find something she could work with. “A few years back, Rarity accidentally used some of Zecora's magical remover potion on her own mane and tail, leaving only a few scraps of hair left. She was so desperate to have something for an upcoming photoshoot that when nopony was able to find a viable solution, she spiralled into a deep depression. It wasn't until Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and I reminded her of who she is that she found her confidence again, and started to shine brighter than ever before!” The class began writing notes on the story they had just heard, exchanging thoughts amongst themselves. Ocellus, alone, fixed her gaze forward. The colors around her teacher had grown slightly brighter, but that little bit of pitch behind her still crept outward as she put the notes aside. “So, you see, just simply being present and offering an opinion can make all the difference in the world to your friends!”
Another chitinous hoof rose up, waving rapidly. “So, what about a time when you weren't there?”
Twilight recoiled, a little baffled at the sudden desire for a bad example. “I… don't think it's a good idea to give you an example for that… I don't want to encourage any bad decisions, after all.” She searched her notes once more, pulling up a particular card. She inhaled sharply, ready to share another anecdote, but gave herself a small pause to look over the note card. Ocellus was staring intently at her with an earnestness she didn't show often. There was a desire to help in her eyes that burned into her, demanding that she vent her frustrations. She let her inhale out, putting her notes aside once more. “But… Maybe an example will do you some good…” She pulled up a stool, taking a seat. “You all remember the time Mr. Cake came in during class, right?” The class gave various indications of confirmation. “Well, the reason I called school off that day was because my husband, Boltsinger, had collapsed in town and went to the hospital.”
Several of the students gasped, Gallus and Ocellus chief among them. “What the heck happened to him?!” The Griffon inquired.
“Fluttershy was able to deduce that he'd… burned out.” She continued. “He had been going for several months taking care of Nova almost nonstop, save for a small break about once a week.”
“And how does that relate to ‘not being there’?” Gallus wondered.
Twilight rolled her eyes at the impatient hybrid. “I was getting to that.” With one preparatory breath, the thoughts that plagued her came forth once more. “The problem is the fact that if I had been there, both for Bolt and for Nova, then that wouldn't have happened. If I had spent more time taking care of my son, then my husband would’ve gotten the rest he needed, and then Nova wouldn't have had to save his father from a horrible monster that lives in his mind that I…” Her full attention fell to the floor beneath her, slowly closing her eyes. “I can't do anything about. That whole time, I was totally helpless… I was weak, I was useless, and I never want to feel that way again…” She raised one hoof to rub her foreleg, lingering on shaky breaths. “Never again…”
A soft silence filled the room. Ocellus’ features softened, seeing the blackness grow amidst the colors around Twilight. She raised her hoof one more time. “So what if you made a list of things you can do to ensure that?”
A proud grin crossed the Princess’ lips as she raised her head and hoof, pointing assuredly at Ocellus. “That's exactly what I was thinking of doing!” She thought for a moment, then teleported a quill and parchment into view. “In fact, I'm open to suggestions!”
School was finally out, and several ponies began galloping out. Chief among them was the head-mare. Twilight bolted into the castle with a scroll full of ideas nestled under her wing, navigating the halls like they were an open field. Before she knew it, she was outside of the nursery, swinging the door open with a force she didn't even realize she was applying. Inside sat Boltsinger and Nova, playing with various toys. “There's my boys!”
Boltsinger turned to face the entering mare, his excitement to see her evident on his muzzle. “Well, you got back quickly!” He stood up, giving his spouse a hug as the resident foal followed suit with a happy babble. “Feeling any better?”
Twilight caught both hugs with a tight squeeze, nodding at the stallion. “Much better!” She magically lifted a teddy bear into the air, making it prance across the floor and tap Nova on the back. The colt turned around, giving off a high-pitched giggle as he chased the bear.
“Awesome!” He replied, squeezing her back. “You're doing all you can, after all.”
Twilight shook her head emphatically, making the bear jump around. “No, I can definitely do more! And that's exactly what I'm going to do!” She added more toys to the dance, leading Nova to rear up and attempt to join them, balancing with his wings and forelegs.
Boltsinger's smile gave way to his concern as he looked more closely at her. “Are you sure? I mean, you kinda run and teach at your own school. That's a lot of work for a really important cause.”
“That's true, and I love doing what I do at the school.”
“I'm sensing a ‘but’ here…”
“But, I love my family just as much. If not a little more.” She moved further into the room, laying on the floor. “And I want to make sure I'm there for everything all of you might need. No matter what!”
“Well, if you're that set on it, I won't try to stop you.” He conceded, joining her on the floor. “Not that I'd be able to stop you. Just… Be careful. I know how you get when you get all determined.”
“I will.” She unfurled her occupied wing, revealing a list she had written. “I'm actually doing the first thing on my list! ‘Spend more quality time with Nova!’”
Boltsinger chuckled, planting a kiss on her cheek. “Well, then, I'll leave you to it.” With a flap of his wings, he was back on his hooves. “And since our devoted mommy is front and center, I'm gonna go pick Scootaloo up from school.” He twinkled the feathers on his wing, waving at the Alicorn. “See you later!” As the door closed, Twilight looked at the next item on her list with a warm smile. With a swift nod, she rose up, giving her son a tackling hug followed by a barrage of kisses.
“Item number two, connect with Scootaloo!” Twilight told herself, trotting through the hallway. Despite playing with Nova so much that the colt needed a nap to recover, she was full of energy and drive. “So what should I do with her? I've been helping her in learning so many new things over the years, it's hard to think of something to do beyond that…” She stopped at the Crusader's door, taking a deep breath and slowly opening the door. “Scootaloo?”
The filly in question shot up from her chair, hovering a few feet above. “I'm up! I'm up! Who needs Cutie Mark help? I'll be right there!” She buzzed her wings, making ready to head for the door.
Twilight lit her horn, catching her before she could zoom off. “Slow down, Scootaloo. It's just me.”
Scootaloo blinked a few times, realizing who was in front of her. “Oh! Hi, Twilight. You need something?”
“Nothing, really.” She admitted, releasing her and entering the room. The room looked well-lived-in, and was filled with Rainbow Dash and Wonderbolts posters, along with small Ponyville flags from the Equestria Games. A medal with a jester hat design hung from the corner of the four-post bed, and a small desk was set up near the window with a small bookshelf next to it. As always, a blue scooter with red handles was leaning on the wall by the door, a purple helmet with white stripes hanging from the handles. Twilight sat on the bed, looking around the room. “I just wanted to spend some time with you, just you and me.”
The little Pegasus tilted her head. “Really? What did you have in mind?”
“Whatever you want to do.” She stated, bringing her attention back to fully focus on the filly. “We just haven't had any quality time together, lately. I was hoping we could fix that.”
Scootaloo rubbed her neck sheepishly, letting her eyes drift in thought. “Okay. How about we get some Hay Burger?”
Twilight nodded, noting a rumble in her stomach. “That sounds good. And tasty!”
“That's what I was thinking.” Scootaloo confirmed. “And then…” Her head turned back to the desk, where a parchment sat with a small puddle of drool in the center. “I could use some help with my homework… If you don't mind.”
The word ‘homework’ caused a slight twitch in the studious pony's ear, completely culling the rumbling of her belly. “Mind? Why would I mind?” She sprang off of the bed, looking at the puddled parchment. “Honestly, we should probably take care of this, first. Food always tastes better after a successful study period!” She gave off a giggle with the smallest hint of a snort mixed in. “Well, for me, at least. I don't know about you. But, either way, I'd be happy to help!”
Once Scootaloo sat down, the next few hours had become a blur. Twilight lifted the textbook, floating it so that both of them could see it, and went into a series of explanations every time the Crusader would point to some of the subject matter, always making sure to put it in a way she would easily comprehend. before long, Scootaloo became a whirlwind of writing, finishing up a report on Equestrian history in a shorter span than any assignment she'd ever done. Twilight looked over the paper thoroughly, letting her now finely-honed teacher's skills come out on display. She sat back, getting a hopeful look from the little orange pony, and nodded confidently. “You mean it? You think I can get a good grade with this?”
Twilight brought a hoof over her heart, puffing out her chest. “Scootaloo, I guarantee that with work like that, you'll get the best grade!”
Scootaloo beamed, putting the assignment in her saddlebag. She looked back up at the mare with a new sense of awe behind her eyes. They smiled at one another for a moment, letting the feeling of accomplishment sink in. Only a moment, though, as the sounds of their stomachs made a triumphant and demanding return. “I bet those Hay Burgers are gonna taste really good, now!”
“I think so!” The Princess confirmed. “And if you ever need more homework help, my door is always open to you!”
“Thanks, Twilight. That means a lot.” Scootaloo walked to the door, stopping for a moment and looking back at Twilight. “Maybe after Hay Burger, we could go flying? I could show you what Rainbow Dash has been teaching me!”
Twilight gave her an ecstatic nod, following her out. “I’d love to!” Looking at the filly in front of her, a new swelling of confidence burning its way up from within. She felt strong. Like she could take on anything, let alone the needs of her family. I’m never going to feel that helpless again. I promise!
Starlight Glimmer, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack sat in the teacher’s lounge, going about their typical end of the day discussion as the door opened fast enough to slam against the wall. Boltsinger plodded into the room, dragging his tail on the floor with a tired look in his eyes. “Need… help…” He wobbled slightly, tripping over the edge of the rug and falling towards the coffee table.
Starlight’s horn lit up that instant, catching the stallion before the worst could happen. “Whoa, there, Bolt! Why don’t you tell us what you need before you pass out?”
“Yeah… Sorry…” He spread his wings as the magic dissipated, flapping his way onto the couch. He took a moment to gather himself, resting on his fetlocks and looking around. “Have you seen what Twilight’s been up to lately?”
Applejack shook her head. “Nnope. Can’t say I have.”
“I’ve only seen her here at the school.” Fluttershy added. “She’s been in a hurry to get out at the end of each day.”
Boltsinger hung his head. “That’s what I thought… She’s been going a little… I think Shining Armor uses the term ‘Twily-nanas’, lately.”
Rarity let her head go askew, leaning in with intrigue. “And what would be driving her so… ‘Twily-nanas’?”
“She won’t say. But she’s pretty much been in a full-force family fun frenzy!” He sat up, spreading his forelegs. “Every single day for… What day is it?”
“Thursday!” Pinkie answered.
“Thank you.” He said, giving Pinkie a quick nod. “For the past six days, she’s been like an unstoppable force. Every waking moment outside of the school has been devoted to ‘doing more’ for the family!”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, motioning a poignant hoof at him. “But ain’t that a good thing?”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I love that she’s connecting with Scootaloo and trying to be better. That’s wonderful.” He looked over to the door, laying back down. “I just wish she wasn’t so hyper-obsessed with it. She’s going from Twily-nanas to Twily-fruitcake! Every single day is some big family activity, one after the other. I love doing things with my family, but I need a break… And… I think she needs one, too.”
“How do you know?” Rainbow wondered. “Twilight’s not exactly a pushover.”
The sound of hoofsteps came from just outside the room, revealing a lilac hoof that preceeded its Alicorn owner. She looked otherwise normal, but there was something off about her. Circles had started forming under her eyes, and her mane had seen better days. She looked into the room with an enormous smile on her face. “Hey, girls, have you seen Bolt? He was in my office just--” Her target caught her attention, lighting up her face and horn simultaneously. “Ah! There you are, Bolt!” She wrapped her spouse in her magenta glow, pulling him along so that his hooves dragged on the floor. “I’ve been looking all over for you! We’ve got another great day ahead of us, and I knew you wouldn’t want to miss out! Scootaloo should be home by now, and I set everything up in advance! All we’re missing is you!” With one final look back at her friends, she waved a wing, trotting out with a delighted hum as her husband settled into the magic like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Starlight turned to the other ponies in the room. “You all just saw that, right?”
The next morning arrived, and Boltsinger began stirring to probably the most pleasant aroma he’d experienced in years. It pulled his eyes open like a window curtain, looking around for the source of the enticing scent. Sitting on a tray just over his lap was the answer. A fresh, steaming pastry next to a heaping pile of fried hay, with warm cup of tea sitting next to it, smelling of jasmine. He inhaled deeply, taking in the smell, and looked up at the smiling mare standing over it. “What’s this for?”
“Do I need a reason to treat my favorite stallion to a delicious breakfast?” She wondered, motioning to the meal. “I just felt like you deserved it!”
“Well… thanks…” Boltsinger said, picking up the pastry with his wing. “So, how long has it been since you last slept?”
Twilight recoiled, the question taking a jab at her side. “I'll have you know I've been getting to bed consistently for quite a while, now!”
A slow nod came from the Pegasus as he swallowed his first bite. “That's good, but how many hours per night?”
The Alicorn waved her hoof between them, stepping back from the bed. “Oh, what does that matter? I've been sleeping! That's what counts!” She turned to the mirror with a twitch of her disheveled tail. “And I've been able to keep up with everything on my new schedule! It's no problem!”
“That may be, but don't you think you're overdoing it a little?”
“Not at all! I've got everything under control!”
“Except your mane.”
“Right. Everything except my mane.”
“And tail.”
“And my tail.”
“And those super dark circles under your eyes.”
“And… those… Yes.”
“And your overall super hyperactive behavior that has you late for class.”
Twilight could have sworn she heard glass cracking from somewhere. Her head turned to look at him with a strange creaking noise. “I’m… late?”
Boltsinger pointed at the clock on the wall. “By about five minutes.”
The crack turned into a break as a nervous twitch tugged at her right eye. “I need to go.” She broke into a mad gallop out the door with a vigor she hadn’t shown in a solid week. “You go ahead and take today off! Nova’s with Trixie until I get home, so everything is under control!”
Boltsinger kept his eyes on the doorway, taking a quick breath. He finished his meal as quickly as possible, springing up from the bed and galloping to the balcony, where he spread his wings and took off towards the school. “Day off? No, thank you!” He burst through the front door with a boom that resonated through the halls, landing with a gallop. He made a sharp turn, skidding into a door as he barrelled down the hall. “Sorry! In a hurry!” He called, scrambling forward as the door in question opened.
Starlight stepped into the hall, watching the sprinting stallion as he stumbled into more doors and walls. “This… doesn’t look good.”
Boltsinger clambered over to the door he sought, sliding to a stop in front of it with his wings splayed as a brake. Under the crack was a magenta flash, indicating the arrival of the instructor. With a slap of his muzzle, he burst through the door.
“Good morning, class!” Twilight and Boltsinger simultaneously greeted, drawing their attention to one another.
“What are you doing here?” The mare inquired, putting her hoof down. “I gave you the day to relax!”
“No, you gave me the day off.” He corrected, stepping up next to her. “And I thought I’d spend that day off giving my darling wife a much-needed break.”
“I don’t need a break!” She stated, floating over some notes. “I thought I told you I have everything under control!”
“Says Little Mrs. Tardy Teacher!” He retorted, pointing his hoof to the clock on the wall. “You need a break like Trixie needs magic lessons!”
Twilight’s brow furrowed at the comment, stomping her hoof and standing her ground. “I’m late one time and suddenly I need a day off? Do you know how much I do? What all I have to keep up with? I’ve been doing--”
“Extra!” He finished, flaring his wings. The two continued their bickering for two solid minutes while six more ponies filed into the room.
Starlight let out a sigh, looking up at the class. “Don’t mind this, everycreature. It’s just… um… An example of how honest good friends can be when they’re completely comfortable with each other! I’ll be back to explain it in a little while!” She turned to her friends with a determined face, motioning her head to the side. “Meet me you know where.” The other mares nodded in agreement, hurrying back out of the room while the Unicorn approached the couple. She ignited her horn, creating a blue flash that carried them all away to the castle library. She came up to face the Princess and the Pegasus more directly, clearing her throat. “Excuse me…”
The bickering continued, only seeming to grow louder.
Starlight cleared her throat once more, taking a deep breath. “Excuse me…”
Still more bickering. The glares coming from the clearly-married ponies was focused and fierce, making Starlight wonder if they had some kind of blinders on.
Her wondering didn’t last long, as her frustration came to the forefront. With a flick of her head, Twilight and Boltsinger’s jaws were cased in magic, stopping them from moving entirely. “WOULD YOU TWO STOP ARGUING FOR ONE SECOND, PLEASE?”
The royal ponies unwillingly did as requested, recoiling back from their mutual glare to look around the room. As the magic faded from their mouths, Twilight shot a look at the guidance counselor. “When did we get here?”
“When I teleported us.” Starlight explained. “Now, what's the problem?”
“I told you all about it yesterday.” Boltsinger stated.
Twilight took another befuddled look at the Pegasus, her mouth hanging open in shock. “Wait, you had a problem and you told them before telling me?”
“Yes! Because you've been going all nonstop Twily-fruitcakes in your recent crusade!” He admitted.
“That doesn't mean I wasn't going to listen!” She countered, leaning in again. “I haven't been so ‘Twily-fruitcakes’ that I don't have time to listen to my own husband!”
Starlight put her hoof between them. “Actually, Twilight, he's got a point. You tend to shut your ears when you get obsessed.”
“I do not.” Twilight turned around, refusing to give them another glance. “I hear everything that goes on around me! It's why I like it quiet when I study!”
Starlight stepped up beside her mentor, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You may hear, but do you listen?”
Twilight's eyes shot open, thinking back on some of the times where her autopilot responses from a lack of listening have caused some sort of disaster for her and her friends. “I… well… Not always…”
“Then why don't you listen to your husband right now?” The Unicorn suggested, guiding her friend's attention to the stallion behind them.
Twilight closed her eyes, taking one of her well-practiced calming breaths. “Okay.” She took a step closer, looking him in the eye. “I'm listening.”
Boltsinger took long, deep breaths, staring into the deep purple orbs before him. “I… I really love that you want to do more… be better. But you need to slow down! If you keep going the way you have been, you’re going to burn out, just like I did!” He reached forward, putting his hoof on her cheek. “And that scares me to no end…”
The Alicorn brought her hoof up to his foreleg, leaning in closer still. “You don't know how it felt… feeling so weak… I hated it… I hated not being able to help you!”
“You honestly believe i don't know what it's like to feel weak?” Boltsinger closed the distance between her forehead and his own, letting out a soft breath. “I am weak, Twilight. All the time.” He intertwined his hoof with hers. “I failed as a father, that day, and I don't want you to go through that. So, please… Listen to me. Slow down. Okay?”
Smiling with a warmth that could rival the sun’s rays, Twilight brought her muzzle forward, locking lips with her favorite stallion. Starlight looked on with a soft smirk as they leaned into each other, lingering for more than a few moments. Finally separating, Twilight gave her spouse a firm nod. “Okay. I promise I’ll slow down.”
“Thank you.” He replied, his face turning to the dopiest of grins. “But, you know, you could’ve just said it.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” She asked, nudging him with her wing. “Now, I believe we have a class to get back to.” She turned to the doorway, making to step forward.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Starlight shouted, trapping her friends in her magic once more. She looked back at the doorway, raising her hoof. “All right, girls! Hit ‘em with number twenty-three!”
The doors flew open, Pinkie Pie and Applejack charging in and placing a spread of treats in a clearing on the floor. Rarity was next to appear, tossing an elaborately-designed quilt up, lighting her horn to pull at least eight pillows into place behind the spread. Finally, seven colors of Pegasus flew into the room, grabbing either side of the quilt and wrapping it around the trapped pair while the aura around them faded. They pulled the two of them together inside the quilt, ensuring that it fit as snugly as possible as they placed the ponies on the floor with the pillows and treats, letting them poke their heads and forelegs outside the blanket. Starlight gave them one more cocky smirk, floating what, to most, would be an absurd number of books to pile around them.
Twilight and Boltsinger showed their friends a simultaneous wide-eyed blink, their jaws dropping from the display. The Alicorn was the first to close her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. “What was that?”
“That was our emergency rest procedure number twenty-three.” Starlight answered.
“Or as I like to call it…” Rainbow started, coming to a landing in front of them. “The Twi-Bolt Burrito!” She struck a dynamic pose, pumping her hoof. “Pretty epic, huh?”
“You could certainly say that.” Boltsinger affirmed. “But why include me in it? Twilight’s the one that needs rest.”
“‘Cause yer both wound up tighter ‘n a rattlesnake before the strike!” The farm mare pointed out, pushing some of the more apple-centric food items over. “So don’t you worry yer little heads about anything today. We’ll take care o’ everything.”
“I can cover your classes today.” Starlight stated,
Rainbow put a confident hoof on her chest. “And I’ll be here with Soarin and Scoot to handle the kid.”
Rarity lit her horn, bringing a bell forward and placing it next to them. “And if there’s anything at all you need, don’t hesitate to call!”
Pinkie pounced on the wrapped ponies from behind, giving them reassuring pats on the back. “Yup! We have everything under control!”
The irony of Pinkie’s words drew a laugh out of the Princess of Friendship, finally settling her into her spot. “Okay, you win. We’ll take a rest today.”
Starlight nodded firmly, moving towards the door. “Good. If you didn’t agree with us, I was gonna have Fluttershy sing you two a lullaby!”
Boltsinger smirked, nuzzling up next to his wife. “Threaten us with a good time, huh? I see how you are.”
Fluttershy squeaked, hiding a mild blush with her hoof as Starlight waved the comment off. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. You two just stay here and relax, got it?”
“Got it!” The couple confirmed.
The remaining ponies slowly filed out of the room, finally leaving Twilight and Boltsinger alone. The stallion lowered his head to the floor, snuggling up to the mare. “We have the best friends ever.”
Twilight closed her eyes, putting her head next to his with a silent yawn. “We sure do…”
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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Okay, I am kinda wanting to see a what if Chapter of Bolt & Fluttershy in a relationship.
I just want to see Fluttershy and Applejack with coltfriends of their own.
9265762
Trust me. Those two have some interesting futures ahead of them.
9252018
Uhh I'm not trying to offend your profile picture but when you look on the story page And you posted well looks like your glaring At the comment bellow. Crazedgamer125