Guilty Pleasures; Epilogue
Guilty Pleasures
Epilogue
Twilight paced anxiously, eyes fixed on her hooves as the crystal floor passed by beneath her. Every now and then she furtively glanced to a nearby table, atop which sat the folded Letter Rarity had given her.
She looked to the clock, then out the window. Rainbow was late. As always. One of the pegasus’s infuriating charms, she supposed. Twilight sighed; she was starting to realise just how much she would miss about her.
There was the familiar sound of flapping wings, and Twilight couldn’t stop herself from smiling as a familiar pegasus landed on her bedroom’s balcony, looking awkward and uncomfortable. In a magic glow the doors were opened, and Rainbow scratched the back of her head instead of coming inside.
“H-hey,” she said, unable to meet Twilight’s eyes. “Fluttershy said you wanted to… talk?”
“Yeah,” Twilight stepped forward. Rainbow stepped back. Twilight sighed at the action, nodding to herself. Some part of her had thought, hoped that nothing had really changed. That on some level they’d still be…
She shook her head. “Rarity came by last night,” Twilight explained slowly, noting the way Rainbow’s ears splayed back at the name alone.
Rarity was right; I’m hurting her too. Oh, Rainbow...
“She left this.” The letter was lifted from the table and set down on the border between the balcony and the bedroom, sitting at Rainbow’s hooves. “Said it was for you.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” Twilight said with a shrug. “She said it was for you; I didn’t open it.”
Snorting, Rainbow prodded the small paper. “Probably some formal renouncement of our friendship or somethin’...” she chuckled under her breath. “Maybe a bill for that Gala dress she made.”
“I doubt it.” Twilight’s eyes fell, and she found herself looking at her own reflection. “She also said she doesn’t blame you; I made sure she knew everything was my fault.”
“Huh?” Rainbow paused, ignoring the letter for a moment. “What are you talking about?”
“Everything that happened between us was my fault,” Twilight explained, looking past Rainbow at the bright blue sky outside, the colour only reminding her of the mare she could hardly bare to see. “I’m the one who couldn’t talk to her. I’m the one that kept asking you to come over, kept asking you to be with me. I-I’m… I asked you to stay over, that night - it was all me.
“I’m sorry, Rainbow; I dragged you into this mess without even considering how you felt. It must have been awful to be put in that position. I couldn’t even see what I was doing to you; I was too blinded by my own selfish desires.”
Rainbow’s jaw visibly flexed. “Now hold on a second. It’s not like you forced me into anything. I kept being with you because I wanted to. Don’t you think for a second I didn’t want to be there. You’re my friend, Twilight; I wasn’t gonna leave you. And that night…” she shuddered at the memory. The guilt and regret it brought, but also a sinful desire for more. “Well, it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t want it to. I didn’t get dragged into anything I wasn’t ready for; I knew what I was doing.
“I’m just as responsible as you.”
Twilight blinked, surprised at the outburst, but also at how close Rainbow was to her; she’d crossed the boundary and entered her room, and they were face to face, muzzles mere inches apart. “Rainbow…” Twilight could feel the pegasus’s breaths on her cheeks, a sensation that brought forth images and scenes of countless nights spent together. Her chest felt tight. Her cheeks growing hot and before she realized what she was doing she was leaning forward. Her body yearning for that connection once more. Just once more wouldn’t hurt anything, would it? Just one more time, before it all had to end.
But Rainbow was too fast; she stepped back, leaning away. “Twi…” Her eyes were as firm as they were sad. “I’m sorry; we can’t. You know we can’t.”
“I-...” Twilight’s breaths were heavy and ragged, and she coughed into her hoof. “I’m sorry. You’re right.” She shook herself and rubbed at her cheeks. “You should open it.”
Rainbow looked down at the letter. She nodded, mostly to herself, and gently unfolded it, moving slowly as though holding an ancient scroll that would crumble if she were too rough. Or perhaps as though the paper itself would bite her. Was there a spell that could do that? Maybe have the note yell at her? Sounded like something magic could do.
Watching, Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. “For what it’s worth… I don’t regret what we had. How it happened was wrong, and I’d do anything to take that back, but… if things were different, I’d-”
“Twilight,” Rainbow interrupted, her voice shaking as much as her hooves. “This is from Rarity, right? You’re not pulling my leg here?”
“Huh? Of course it is, why- mmmph.” Twilight didn’t fully know what happened. One moment she was stood in her room, the next she was one her back on the floor, soft and smooth and familiar lips pressed against her own. A warmth and weight she craved above her, pressing her down.
Rainbow pulled back, and their eyes met, both wide open. “Rainbow, what-”
“Shut up.” The pegasus dove forward again and kissed her forcefully, silencing any further complaints. Not that Twilight had many - plenty of questions, but complaining was far from what she wanted to do right then.
What she wanted more than anything was to return the kiss with everything she’d held back since the last time they’d been together like this. It felt like years, even though it had only been a few weeks since she’d left for the Crystal Empire, and only days since she’d thought it over between them. She kissed back with all the passion she could muster, her eyes closing.
Moments, minutes, maybe hours later, they parted, panting. Rainbow’s face was an awkward mix of relief and guilt. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I never wanted it to end, I just thought… it doesn’t matter. I love you, Twilight.”
“I didn’t want to lose you, either, but what you wanted was more important. I-... I love you, too, but what-”
“Doesn’t matter what,” Rainbow mumbled, lowering herself so she was laying fully atop the larger mare. “Just… yeah, don’t worry about it. We’re good.”
Twilight wasn’t at all appeased by the half-answer. “What was in the letter that changed your mind? What did Rarity say?”
Fishing around on the floor with a hoof, Rainbow grabbed the paper and held it up for Twilight to see. “Read it yourself.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow curiously; there wasn’t much, just two lines and a signature in Rarity’s distinctive writing.
If you really do love her, and you can say beyond a shadow of a doubt she loves you back, you have my blessing.
Take better care of her than I did.
-Rarity
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I don't know that I would call this "fuzzy-feel-goods" maybe more bittersweet. It was well written and, while I think Rarity's blessing came a little too fast, I could actually see Rarity taking this stance. It leaves a huge mess to be cleaned up, not just between them and Rarity but all of their friends. And between each other as well. They are still headed for a lot of struggles and a lot of work to repair the relationships they've wrecked. I understand perfectly how Rarity feels. This story was odd timing for me as I am going through something very similar on Rarity's end of things. So this story hurt to read but I love TwiDash so I read it anyway. Coming from you this was more or less the ending I expected, and hoped for. I don't like fics where they don't end up together and I most certainly don't like endings where just everybody is miserable. It was a great read and probably only not going on my favorites list right now because it brings up too much of my own negative feelings. Always looking forward to your work.
I'm glad at least Rarity understood anger and hurt fades but the actions we take due to them can be a lot more permanent. I figured this was going to be the type of ending it would get. It was just the idea of every other pony including Cadence not realizing how harmful that advice would have been.
TwiDash for Ever!!!!!!
Very enjoyable read
Personally I’m glad that you went for the happy ending. Because sad/angsty/dark romance with a happy/hopeful ending is the reason I get out of bed in the morning.
Now it needs a sequel where somepony helps Rarity love again.
Somehow you managed to write a story where all three guilty parties are both dislikable and sympathetic in almost equal measures. Well, Twilight is without a doubt the least sympathetic one of the lot by some margin, but at least her reasons for doing what she did are... understandable. Not condonable, mind you, but understandable. It was also an interesting thing seeing RD's element twisted against her!
"Don't cheat on your partner(s)" is certainly a good lesson to take away from this one, but I believe another worthy lesson to be taught by this fic is "Never, ever grow complacent and start taking your partner(s) for granted."
Wow. This was insane and really kept me on edge, loved every moment.
Yeah this is the wedding all over again . . .
Good for Twidash to win, fuck the others.
Rarity has doomed the world, if the bearers are ever needed again.
This was one crazy, bittersweet tale
thank you for writing this
I never liked this romance drama type stuff but I think i get it now!
Props to you for writing a very believable story with a very complicated concept. A lesser writer would have devolved this into romance tropes but I can look at everypony's actions and reactions and think "Yeah, that's a realistic reaction to what happened. I can see why they feel that way."
Bravo.
A happy ending. How wonderful.
The two lovebirds are together at last, and the old evil hag Rarity is vanished back to her lair, never to be though of again. Why she even gave them her blessing!
And what of the others? Perish the thought darling! They'll come back around after they see how just wonderfully happy the couple is together...