Longing for the Past

by Fantasia

The Calm Before the Storm

"Okay..." Rainbow breathed out deeply, psyching herself up. "Here goes nothing..." She swallowed hard, then leaped into the air, flying forward, and throwing the doors to Golden Oaks Library wide open.

"Twilight!" she called out into the main foyer. "Hey, Twilight, where—?"

Rainbow's question drifted off, answering itself as she spotted her friend, and couldn't help but smile at the sight of her.

Twilight rested on her cheek, particularly on a couple stacks of paper that were surrounded by stacks of books, some of which were flipped open. As she flew closer, she could make out signs that some fresh ink had—more than likely—spilt out onto her friend's cheek, and that her mane seemed slightly frazzled..

Must not have been able to sleep, Rainbow gathered, as she lifted a gentle hoof to her friend's shoulder.

Twilight's muzzle scrunched up as Rainbow nudged her once, then again, after waiting a moment.

She let out a tired groan as she came to, opening her eyes groggily, and blinking them a few times to clear away the sleep.

"Mmm... W-wha...?" Her vision cleared, only to be greeted with a face full of cerulean fur. "Rainbow Dash...?" Her brow furrowed as she peered up further, at her friend's face... her mind remaining a little foggy. "What're you doing here at..." She blinked, taking in her surroundings. Chilly Autumn air filled the foyer, as well as the occasional sounds of birds and passing conversations of ponies outside the open library door. "What time is it?"

"It's still early, like around nine-ish, I... think." She smiled reassuringly, disregarding the half-hour or so she had spent pacing just outside the front doors. "I see you fell asleep at your desk."

Twilight chuckled, sitting up. "It isn't the first time," she replied, wiping the wet grime that she felt from her cheek, then frowned, and deadpanned the moment she realized that the grime had been ink.

Her shoulders slumped, and she carefully set it back down, the right side of her foreleg now matted with black ink. Oh well, she thought with a dreary sigh, feeling like such a featherbrain. Now's not the time. She looked up and smiled at Rainbow. One of my friends need my attention.

She'd clean it later anyway.

Rainbow snorted in response. "Yeah, I... can... can imagine..."

Her smile fell as something on Twilight's desk, sealed in a round glass case, caught her attention.

A curved, red horn.

She paled, tentatively raising a hoof in its direction. "Is that...?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, glancing over at what had captured her friend's attention. "King Sombra's horn? Yes, it... it is."

"Well, where the hay did that come from?" Twilight flinched at her friend's sudden outburst. "And for that matter, why the hay do you have it?"

Twilight's eyes grew a little sad, her ears falling flat. "Well, I... S-some guards stumbled upon it in the fields outside the Crystal Empire. I-it was taken to the labs there to be studied, a-and, well... I-I asked Cadance late last night if I could study its effects. She wrote back to me as the sun was beginning to rise this morning—some pegasi couriers arrived with it a few hours ago I think—and I went to work on it immediately." She shrunk back, scuffing one of her hooves. "Guess I was more tired than I thought..."

Rainbow could only shake her head, unable to believe what her friend was saying. "Why would you even consider—?"

"Because, Dash!" Twilight burst out suddenly. "King Sombra could turn into this... I mean, he could like... transmutate his body into this... cloud of smoke, a-and just think what could happen if I could duplicate that power..."

I'm trying not to, Rainbow thought apprehensively, biting her inner lip.

"He could encompass an entire empire," continued Twilight, "and potentially ensnare everypony, or changeling," she added with a sly wink, "within his smoke." A giddy smile formed on her lips. "I could be everywhere at once, a-and take down entire armies! Oh, the possibilities to do good would be endless!"

"Or catastrophic." Rainbow sighed, shaking her head as Twilight looked at her inquisitively. "Look, Twilight... When you said you'd never stop searching for faster solutions to these disasters... I admired that. But now you're risking one by like, trying to pickup a trick from a pony who was notorious for dark magic. I mean..." Rainbow threw a hoof out at her. "Who knows what his magic might do to you!"

"I... get headaches whenever I channel dark magic, Dash, that's all." Twilight gazed away stubbornly from her disapproving friend. "I'll be fine."

"Will you?" Twilight pouted her lips, remaining adamant. "Do you really want to press your luck, Twilight?" Rainbow's voice softened as she took a step forward. "Twilight, if this stuff makes your head hurt... you could go mad."

Twilight bit her lip, looking back at her from the corner of her eye... her resolve slowly weakening. She's my friend, she supposed, and... she's right. She is only looking out for me, and... "Oh, what was I thinking...?" She turned towards Rainbow ashamedly. "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. I don't know what came over me, I mean... wanting to utilize a known tyrant's power?"

"H-hey," Rainbow comforted, "it's... it's cool, Twilight, really!"

She smiled in understanding, stepping over and placing a foreleg around her. "You're just frustrated, possibly sleep-deprived, and... you can't stand waiting for things to just... play out; I get it. I promise you though," she added with a soft laugh, "that things will get better, without any of us having to resort to dark magic."

I know things turned around for you, Dash, thought Twilight, but, I... She sighed, caving in. "Alright, Dash... I, I trust you." She forced a smile to her lips. "After all, what kind of... Princess of Friendship would I be if I didn't even trust my own friends?"

Rainbow grinned back at her.

A moment of silence passed between them, Twilight hesitating briefly before breaking it with a question.

"So... really, why are you here?"

Rainbow's smile fell, and she cocked her head, dumbfounded.

"You really don't remember?"

Twilight shook her head, an embarrassed smile on her lips.

"You said we should totally hang out today... remember?"

She did now, as the memory clicked into place.

Rainbow peered away dejectedly. "Honestly, I was... sort of looking forward to it... but if you'd rather study, or if you have work to do—"

Twilight's brow lifted and she hurriedly raised a hoof. "N-no! No, I mean... I...! I-I would love to, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow's heart swelled, her spirits lifting.

"You would?"

Twilight nodded back at her. "Mhm."

Rainbow's heart did a somersault in her chest, and a goofy, lopsided smile formed on her face. "A-awesome!" she stammered, then blushed. "I-I mean... y-yeah."

Twilight giggled at her friend, holding a hoof over her lips. "You've been acting pretty strange lately, Rainbow Dash," she noted, causing Rainbow to freeze on the spot.

"W-what? No I haven't."

Twilight raised an eyebrow, seeing right through her charade.

Rainbow gulped.

"W-well..." she began, seeing no way out of this, "if I have been acting strangely... it must be because of you, Twilight."

"Me?" Twilight asked, taken aback.

"Well... yeah, 'cause, I mean... I only stutter and stammer in front of you, don't I?"

"Well... for the past couple of days, I suppose you have... Hm..." Twilight put a hoof to her chin, staring thoughtfully at her.

Rainbow swallowed hard.

"What about me makes you act, well... like this?" She threw a hoof out at her questioningly. "It must be something amazing if it has the Rainbow Dash tripping over her own words."

Y-yeah," Rainbow laughed a little awkwardly, "must be."

Twilight replied with a snort of amusement. "First you tell me you admire me, and now you're telling me there's something... absolutely amazing about me."

She smiled warmly at her. "You sure know how to flatter a girl, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow cocked her head and smiled back at her. "Do I?"

"Or," Twilight supposed, "you just know how to flatter me—it is refreshing after all... hearing you say something sweet, rather than just calling me an egghead every time we speak."

"It isn't every time," Rainbow mumbled with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, I guess not," she agreed. "Still, I—I really do appreciate this. No more calling each other egghead or featherbrain, just... two friends being honest, and sharing how they really feel about one another, deep down."

Rainbow averted her eyes, biting her lip.

"W-well, anyway... Come on."

Rainbow glanced back up, looking at her funnily.

"You wanted to hang out, right? So... let's go. Get some breakfast, fresh air... That way Spike can sleep in—I'd hate to wake him after all, only to ask him to make us something."

Rainbow nodded in understanding.

"I just have to wash this ink off first..." She smiled sheepishly, shrugging her shoulders, and turning to leave. "Be back in a jiffy."

And she was, approximately one jiffy later.

Rainbow greeted her with a smile as she stepped back into the foyer, sporting a matted cheek and foreleg.

Twilight chuckled awkwardly. "Good thing this kind doesn't stain fur," she joked, Rainbow chuckling as well.

"Now, how about you? I'm guessing you skipped breakfast."

"Uh..." Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck. "You'd be correct."

The two shared in another soft bout of laughter.

"Alright, alright... I'm game—a-as long as whatever they serve doesn't contain hay."

Twilight shot her a quizzical look. "You're allergic?"

"What? No, no, I... I just don't like it, you know?" Rainbow's muzzle scrunched up in distaste as she went on to explain, "It's like, too drab, and crunchy for my tastes."

"Hmph. Well," Twilight shot back, a little indignantly. "I think it's alright."

She turned for the front door, Rainbow running up beside her.

"You know I... I'm still going to call you an egghead." Rainbow backpedaled, smiling jokingly over at her. "From time to time, anyway."

"Love you too, Featherbrain," Twilight replied sarcastically, turning to her with a playful grin before galloping up on ahead.

Rainbow all the while, picked up on her friend's deadpan demeanor, but couldn't help herself from becoming a little flustered, her breath freezing in her throat.

She snapped out of her amazement, and hurriedly followed Twilight out into the morning air, all of a sudden feeling very light on her hooves.

---

Twilight scarfed down another roasted honeysuckle sandwich, dripping with dressings and additives, using the remaining corner of a piece of bread to wipe her mouth before popping that into her mouth as well.

She licked her lips before digging her muzzle into a slightly spilt out container of onion horseshoes.

Their table was littered with wrappers, and paper dishes speckled with sandwich crumbs, or food partially polished off.

Very few of their dishes had food yet to be touched, and Twilight, almost finished with her food, asked Rainbow, "Are you going to eat that?"

Rainbow blinked, snapping back to reality at watching the young alicorn eat. "Uhm..." She glanced down at her grilled tomato and cheese sandwich, and frowned wryly. "Y-yeah."

Twilight nodded, and dug back into the table scraps.

The sound of her own stomach rumbling reaffirmed how hungry she was, and Rainbow picked the sandwich up in her hooves, biting into it with an audible crunch.

Finishing down a few final corn chips, Twilight drew her head back from the table and let out a happy sigh. She gazed across the table at Rainbow, then down at their littered table.

She blinked her eyes.

"I ate all this?"

Rainbow stopped mid-chew, and gazed up at Twilight, incredulous.

Twilight's ears flopped, and she smiled shyly. "Guess I didn't realize how starved I really was..."

Rainbow shrugged, then looked right back at her teasingly.

"Maybe it's because you're a growing alicorn," she suggested.

Twilight giggled softly.

"Maybe, Rainbow Dash. Maayybe..."

Her laughter died after a couple moments, the gravity of the situation weighing in on her.

"How am I going to pay for all this...?"

"You're a princess now, Twilight," said Rainbow. "You don't have to pay for anything."

Twilight stared across at her friend in disbelief. "You're saying I should just... up and leave, without paying for the wonderful service that these ponies have provided us?"

"Would you believe me if I said yes?"

"No!"

Rainbow sighed, leaning in a little closer. "Twilight... These ponies are happy to serve their princess. They don't care about payment because your happiness is reward enough... Know what I'm saying? You do so much for them already."

Twilight bit her lip, unconvinced.

"Hey, waiter!" Rainbow waved for one's attention.

One approached their table, not wasting a moment.

Rainbow cocked her head in her friend's direction as she addressed the mare. "The Princess of Friendship doesn't have to pay... does she?"

"Oh, no, no! We're just happy to serve her," came the waitresses' response. "Her and her friends."

She smiled and bowed respectfully, before turning and cantering back to cater to others.

"See?" Rainbow said with a bit of a smug smile, turning back to address her friend. "What'd I tell you?"

"It... still doesn't sit right with me..." Twilight lifted her head, looking into her friend's eyes. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate you trying to help me, but... I have to leave them something. A tip, at the very least."

"Then let's tip 'em together. I am Ponyville's top weather mare, and hey! This place deserves... a little something I suppose, for starting our day off right."

Twilight stared back at her friend, a little in awe of her resolve, and smiled adoringly.

The two nodded, and without another word, flew off to gather some bits before reuniting... seating themselves back at the same outdoor table.

It came as no surprise to Twilight that Rainbow Dash was already seated by the time she returned.

"Come on, Twilight," teased Rainbow. "You've kept me waiting for, like... minutes!"

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully, dropping the pouch of coins between her teeth onto the table.

"You know," she said coyly, "some things in life are worth waiting for, Rainbow Dash."

"You're telling me," Rainbow murmured, then swiftly asked, "So what's next?"

"Next?" Twilight repeated inquisitively, when it dawned on her. "Oh, right... You're asking what I have planned for us next..."

Rainbow's brow creased in slight worry. "Don't you have something planned?"

"Well, to be honest, Rainbow... No, I don't. I didn't put a lot of thought into today because of that stupid horn, and... I'm so terribly sorry." She bowed her head ashamedly. "It's... not like I don't value our friendship, I just—"

"H-hey... it's alright." Rainbow reached a hoof out to reassure her. "Don't beat yourself up over this, okay?"

Twilight sighed, then nodded reluctantly... redirecting her gaze to meet her friend's, and brandishing a shy smile.

"I'm still fresh out of ideas though."

"Hm. Well then..." Rainbow sat back, mulling over their options. "Why don't... we go flying?"

"Flying?" Twilight raised an eyebrow, giving her friend a dubious look. Of course she would suggest... Well, in either case... "You know I'm not very good," she ended up arguing.

"Then it wouldn't hurt to get some practice in, am I right?" she replied, smiling as she unfurled her wings, her feathers catching the already-present breeze.

"Well, I..." Twilight's argument stopped dead in its tracks once she saw the readiness in her friend's eyes. "Aw, what the hay." She smiled, and rolled her eyes in defeat. "Alright."

Rainbow grinned, leaping up into the air above her friend.

"Alright!"

---

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, but Dr. Caballeron is a way better villain than Ahuizotl."

Rainbow scoffed at the assertion.

"Ahuizotl is the big bad, Twilight. Caballeron is just a lackey."

"True, but it's more often than not the second-in-command that is cunning, manipulative, and even pulls the strings of their boss."

"But what good is intelligence when you're an invincible beast like Ahui? Daring is hardly ever able to lay a hoof on him."

"Ahuizotl poses a physical threat, sure, but it's the villains that are always one step ahead of her that pose the biggest threat. Remember Mojo?"

"I remember him getting his cutie mark scarred for trying to leave Ahuizotl, and was never really bad to begin with. Talk about laay-aim!"

"But he nearly succeeded in drowning three whole villages in lava!" Twilight emphasized. "That's worse than anything Ahuizotl ever tried."

"Er, well y-yeah..." Rainbow agreed, finding herself struggling, her argument weakening. "Maybe you're right, Twilight... but I want a villain I can hate, not feel sorry for."

"Villains are ponies too, Rainbow Dash," Twilight reminded her. "A lot of readers—myself included—enjoy an imposing villain, yes, but enjoy their redemption more."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, but listened nevertheless as Twilight continued.

"It's nice to see so and so be reminded of who they once were."

"And if they were never any good?" she asked.

Twilight deadpanned. "Then they're a flat character, Dash."

Rainbow lifted a hoof to refute, before drawing it back.

"Let's just agree to disagree," she proposed.

Twilight smiled back at her.

"Sounds good to me," she said, and the two shared a nod in agreement, all the while thinking, But I just know I'm right.

Twilight turned back ahead, flying contently alongside Rainbow for a few moments more, when she was struck by a sudden realization.

"Oh gosh," she murmured, "where are we?"

"Somewhere between Canterlot and Whinnyapolis," Rainbow replied without hesitation, turning to look plainly at her friend.

Twilight stared back at her in stunned silence.

"What?" She shrugged, a little irritated that her friend was making a big deal out of what she thought was nothing. "I pay attention to things while I'm flying. There was a sign a ways back."

"That's impressive, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow's face grew hot, and she raised her hoof to the back of her head, scratching her mane. "Eh, if you say so. I just happen to be aware of things is all. I-in any case, it, ah, seems like Ponyville got away from us."

"Yeah," Twilight agreed with a chuckle. "Say, since we're out here though, wanna check up on our friends in Whinnyapolis?"

She turned to her friend, Rainbow shrugging in response.

"Sure, I mean... we never really got to see the sights last time, since the city was under siege and everything."

A moment passed before Twilight leaned over, playfully elbowing her friend's side. "Race ya!"

Rainbow looked back at her skeptically.

"Seriously, Twilight? You know you don't stand a chance when it comes to rivaling my speed."

"Well, who said anything about that?" She grinned, then disappeared in a flash of purple light... reappearing as a speck in the far off distance.

Rainbow blinked, left stupefied for a couple of seconds before snapping to her senses. "Okay, Sparkle..." She smiled in determination, rearing up. "You are so on!"

Comments

[IDontWatchMLP]

Okay... Now THIS looks good.

You have my interest.

[King Ice]

I love the story so far!