• Published 17th Sep 2012
  • 1,958 Views, 88 Comments

Cracking Dawn - Didily Winkles



Dawn makes a trip to Ponyville for a magic convention. She starts to reevaluate her in life.

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Chapter 18: May Flowers

Chapter Eighteen

Dawn stretched free all the cramps of the day's work or rather lack of. Her date with April was tonight. The sun was just about to set and she would be here within the hour. Dawn slid down from her chair behind her desk and limped over to the bathroom across the way. She peered into the mirror of the bathroom to inspect her reflection. Her mane for the most part was unkempt aside from the morning combings she typically did. Her pink summer coat was thin and shiny. Any signs of sleeplessness were gone with last night's very restful sleep. She turned on the hot water for the shower and hopped in.

As she got out of the shower, a towel scrubbed Dawn dry as she stepped out, leaving behind a sparkly clean coat. She searched the bathroom drawers with her magic for something special, for rare occasions. Out popped a brush she had used all but once or twice in her life. Her parents gave it to her for, "Fancy unicorn manes" she muttered to herself. She started to drag it through her damp hair, straitening it, pulling it, making every strand stand in parallel with each other. The purple stripe, that used to just breach through the orange mess of hair, ran along her mane drawing straight down uninterrupted. Her mane appeared to be longer than normal; it was nearly hitting the floor now. She did the same thing to her tail. She straightened out all the strands, letting her tail's purple stripe of hair run end to end. She started play with her tail to figure out how high she needed to hold it up to keep her tail's hair from dragging on the floor and how low to keep everything important covered up. Too much work. She gave a thoughtful sigh as she found the perfect awkward height she needed to keep her tail at.

She magically beckoned over her scarf from the other room, having it wrap itself around her neck. "I look good." She admitted to the mirror image of herself.

"You do."

"Luna! You've been making yourself scarce lately?" She said, looking around to the waxing moon goddess, who was in the door opening of the bathroom. "In fact it's been since breakfast the morning before yesterday since I last saw you…" Dawn paused to think back to the events of that morning. "I did not tell Celestia about you looking for her diaries."

"I hoped not. Thank you." Luna stood quietly inspecting her student. "Why are you all dressed up?"

"Date with April." Dawn said, looking back to the mirror inspecting her image.

"But you've never dressed up like this before." Luna stepped into the mirrors reflection behind her.

"First date since I rejoined the living." Dawn chuckled at the morbid concept. "Thought I would make it special."

"Ahh, well you look good." Luna assured with a smile.

"So? Did you find anything?" Dawn asked. She turned around to walk past the night princess into the main room to sit and watch stars appear from the balcony window.

"No..." Luna answered, following Dawn. "I've spent almost every minute not spent with my royal duties in research. I have found nothing." She admitted as she sat next to Dawn.

"That's a shame."

"What about you?" Luna asked, looking down to Dawn.

"Well I used light teleportation to Twilight's tree today. I think I could have gone farther." She surprised herself with that one. She expected to pop up at least half way there if that, exhausted, and ready to collapse to the ground.

"I suppose that much is to be expected..." Luna trailed off into thought while looking back to spot the beginnings of a rising moon.

"What do you think it could mean?"

"Well... You are still drawing magic from the same source, correct?"

"Yah... That's what has me and Twilight so baffled."

"It makes no sense. You are a very unique unicorn but nothing makes sense about you." Luna turned to look at Dawn. "I count my blessings that you are alive and sane but you really shouldn't exist."

Dawn hummed in agreement with Luna.

Luna turned back to her sky. "I've been doing some much needed reading..."

"Oh?"

"My diaries. My thinking was I may have erased something that Celly did not."

"And?"

"Well... Let's just say 'She' kept diaries too." Luna searched for words explaining what she found. "I guess... in a lapse of sanity I wrote down that Discord would return if something didn't happen. I am unsure what drove me to write that in my diary but it maybe what Celly knows that I do not."

I wonder what that means... More cryptic nonsense. "Perhaps it is time to just talk to Celestia." Dawn suggested.

"Celestia? You have never called her anything less than Princess before..."

"Hmm... yes well I spent a long afternoon with her the other day."

"I see..." Luna studied Dawn's appearance briefly before letting out a small sigh. "Well I will leave you to prepare for your date."

"Prepare..." Dawn laughed as Luna seeped through the night's shadows.

April had planned the entire night, keeping it a secret from Dawn. She wasn't sure what to prepare for. She took a familiar position on her couch, minding her hair and tail as she did so. What a pain. She closed her mind to her body's senses and focused on feeling through the void for April. Dawn briefly felt cold, quick, and boundless. April was in flight. "I Guess I wait..." She mumbled to herself as her magic brought her a new book from the shelves across the room. She sighed as the book's spine cracked opened in front of her.

After a chapter and half, the balcony door flew open, bringing a very cold breeze with it. "Whoa! Dawn is that you?" Asked April, who touched down right in front of Dawn's book. She was wearing a dainty little saddle bag for the night. It laced around her delicately, complementing April's sky colored coat and mane.

Dawn put down her book to properly gauge April's reaction then she turned her attention to herself. The hair on her tail was flowing like so many unicorns of high fashion. "Like it?" She asked, whipping her tail at the question.

"Ha..." April was at a loss for words as she inspected Dawn's figure. Dawn giggled at her reaction as she slid off the couch, letting her hair drape with gravity. "You look so lady like." She muttered. "Worthy of your title."

Dawn rolled her eyes at her. "Soak it up while you can." She suggested. "Where are we going Miss April Showers?" She asked with a mocked poise.

"That is still a secret." April said, lifting a wing to guide Dawn to the door leading down the spiral stair case. They were mostly silent as the climbed down the stairs. The unflattering light of the passing windows and lamps highlighted April's exposed ribs though her coat. Need to fatten her up before her summer coat comes in.

"You know I have climbed these stairs twice before this. If you would just tell me where to go we can skip the silly traveling."

"Nope."

Dawn sighed in defeat. She watched April with each passing window. The moonlight seemed to showcase her ribs a bit more with each passing window. When they reached the bottom, April guided Dawn to the front gates. Just as they were about to go into the cold January night, Celestia appeared besides them with a pop of her magic.

"Oh wow Luna was right." Princess Celestia came up to the couple. "You do clean up nice." She said, fluttering some of Dawn's air with her hoof. "Kinda spooky." She giggled to April.

"I think she looks beautiful." April conceded before wrapping her tail around Dawn's.

"Mmmm, I'll be the envy of all the ponies." Dawn said, rolling her eyes.

"Well Miss Showers I hope you will be taking good care of Dawn." Celestia said with the authority of Equestria backing up her voice.

"Of course." April said firmly.

I was stupid to think Celestia didn't talk to her…

April guided Dawn out the door the guards had swung open for them. Dawn defiantly felt like there was a role reversal here. The two mares walked with tails in twined out of the castle grounds, down the main street of Canterlot. The surrounding alabaster buildings were lit up by gas lamps, giving off a bright yellow glow to the street. The street itself was bare, plowed clean after every storm the pegasus' threw at the capital. April was smiling as brightly as she did the morning Dawn woke up. It was contagious. Dawn could feel the strain on her face from mimicking April’s.

April turned Dawn down a street half as narrow as the one previous. The buildings turned to a red brick as they walked further down. "Trixie was the one that suggested this place. Her parents own it."

"Trixie? Wait what place?"

"You'll see." April giggled as she turned Dawn down another corner.

Dawn did see. Lights off in the distance focused on a single building. Large lamps were swinging and shining in the air, drawing in the attention. Electric lights flashed brilliantly in the widows welcoming all. "Star dancer's café."

"Performance and a show." April said excitedly. "Somepony I’ve never heard of is singing tonight but Trixie assured me we will not be disappointed." April said while whipping her tail, pulling Dawn's with it.

"Well ain't that the tops." Dawn chuckled at April's excitement. She personally didn't care for shows but April looked happy with her choice.

"Trixie got us a table right in front near the stage." April added as she started pulling Dawn to walk faster. They quickly trotted up to the blinding building only to be stopped by, what Dawn could only guess was the largest mare in Equestria.

"You got a reservation?" The gigantic mare asked April. Huh. Has everypony, by default, always been talking to me first?

April gave a half step forward. "April Showers for two."

The Gigantic pony's horn flared up with a chip board and pen levitating in front of her face. "Enjoy the show."

April pulled Dawn inside and guided her down a long hallway where a podium sat with an older looking stallion behind it. "April Showers." April said as the pony lifted his head.

"Ah you are my daughter's friend." The pony greeted from behind his podium. "And you brought such a lovely date." He said, looking at Dawn. Lovely… Right. Not going to do this to my mane again. Ever.

Dawn just smiled back as the older pony motioned to his side, beckoning them to follow him to their seats. He guided them into a large room with large red tapestry hanging on the walls. The floor was littered with tables dressed with long white table cloths. The stage was against the far wall, extending into about a quarter of the room's length inwards. About half of the tables were populated. The older stallion showed them to their table and let them be. As Dawn sat down, she took careful care to tuck in her groomed tail in. Never again.

"I think your hair is beautiful, Dawn." April whispered across the table. "Is there any way I could convince you to make that your norm? I can tell you don't like how ponies have been treating you but still…" She ended with a pout, stiffing up her upper lip in a plea.

"I don't know... 'Lovely' isn't my thing." Dawn forced a cringe at the word.

April laughed at Dawn from across the table. "Oh but it should be a crime to tease me with that." She teased.

"April?" Dawn recognized that voice behind her as her brother's.

"Hello Metal. What are you doing here?" April asked, mildly surprised.

"I'd ask you the same thing." Metal sounded angry, even frustrated. "Where's Dawn?"

April couldn't hold in her laughter after she figured out his frustrations. Dawn's head fell with gravity onto the table with a thud. "I guess I am 'spooky'..." Dawn said from under her draped mane once April had cooled down. Dawn lifted her head off the table and turned to her very confused brother behind her.

"Dawn? Holy Celestia's beard!" Metal flapped his wings out of surprise, nearly knocking him in the table behind him.

Dawn laughed at the reaction. Silly pegasus race. "Is that a thing now? Celestia's beard? I should've trade marked that."

"Don't mention that to Celestia she's furious about it." April said quietly.

"What did you do?" Metal asked as he cautiously approached the new mane.

"I brushed my mane..." She answered as her brother slowly extended a hoof to poke her hair. "What are you doing here?" She asked, swatting away his encroaching hoof. "Got some hot date?"

"Not quite..." Metal peddled backwards away from his sister. "err... I talk to you later..." Metal said, before quickly making off down a hallway.

Well that's interesting.

"When was the last time you brushed your mane like this?" April asked, cocking her head at Metal as he made his way out of sight.

"Hmmm." Dawn thought back. I think it was the first time I got the stupid thing. "Grandmother's funeral. I was about twelve or so? About the time I got my cutie mark."

"So that would have made him seven. I guess he just forgot." April shrugged away her thoughts with a light laugh. "So... How did you get your cutie mark?"

"I never told you that story?" Dawn asked while daintily giggling at her 'Story'.

"No."

"Aww it is a gem. Full of intrigue and scandal to be sure." Dawn lied.

"Intrigue and scandal?" April asked, buying into the lie.

"Oh, yes. So there I was about to go to sleep." Dawn paused for dramatic effect. "When I woke up... It had appeared on my flank!" She finished, waving her arms up dramatically.

"You're joking..." April deadpanned.

"Yes... but it's still true."

"You got your cutie mark while asleep?" April bent forward over the table, seeking clarification.

"Yep." Dawn smiled at April's astonishment.

"What does sleeping have to do with your magic?" April asked a bit annoyed at the lack of scandal and intrigue in Dawn's story.

"Nothing and everything at the same time. I don't know what triggered it but sleep is just feeling, something of which is essential for dark magic. It only started to make sense to me after I learned how to control the void."

April briefly went into thought, recollecting what that meant. "My first visit to Canterlot?" She asked unsure of herself.

"That’s the one."

"So what does it mean?" April asked, pointing to Dawn's flank through the table.

"I can tell you if you can keep a secret." Dawn flexed her eyebrows to bring a seriousness to the topic.

April rolled her eyes at this. "Dawn, just tell me."

Dawn bent over the table causing, by reflex, April to do the same. "I'm bringing dark magic back to the unicorns." She whispered. "Eclipsing the sun as it were." She said while returning to her cushion. "What about you? I'm sure you might have told me on our real first date or something but I was mainly focused on getting under your tail."

April giggled at the lack of class coming from a classy looking pony. "You would." She finally said, blinking sultry eyes in Dawn's direction.

"I did." Dawn said, pounding her chest like the pegasus do.

April gave a remiss sigh as the illusion she may have had of Dawn as a graceful lady shattered. "I got mine like many pegasi. Flight camp. I picked up flying at a young age so I volunteered to teach. When one of my students finally got the hang of it, seeing the joy in his eyes, it appeared on my flank." April finished briefly and plainly.

"Yah my story was better." Dawn teased.

"Less intrigue and scandal." April admitted.

An fresh idea popped into Dawn's head, causing her to smirk at the idea. "Any thing else you would like to know about me Miss Showers? I am an open book tonight."

"You're always an open book." April snorted. "In fact I'm pretty sure I know more about you than you know about me." April challenged, flaring her wings to half mass.

Damn mind reading ponies. "Well that's not fair. You got six months to study."

"Yah cause that's what I did with my time." April groaned sarcastically as she thought.

"When's my birthday?" Dawn asked quickly, accepting April's challenge.

"March twentieth." April answered quickly and confidently only to don a confused look. "Wait…" She closed her eyes in thought, letting moments pass. "You don't know my birthday. Oh Celestia help you."

"Hold on I know your birthday…" Oh damn, I don't know her birthday. "It's…" Shot in the dark here. "…in April."

"Good start, April what?" April egged on very much like a teacher does to a student. April groaned at being right as her hoof came in for a landing on her face. "Fourth, April fourth. Four-four should be easy to remember in the future."

"Oh."

"Do you know how old I am?"

That's important too. "I don't want to play this game."

April's hoof came to meet her face again. "Would you like a hint?" She asked from behind her hoof.

"Get out of jail free card would be much more useful." Dawn nervously chuckled.

"You really were just trying to get under my tail when we first met." April realized.

"Can you blame me?" Dawn asked with a smile, hoping her charm would get her out of this.

April rolled her eyes at the sight. "I'm twenty-two."

"Good to know." Dawn mumbled the napkins on the table.

The room grew quiet with the tapping of a microphone. Dawn and April turned to the stage to see it had been set up. "I think they got it backwards. Its dinner and a show not a show and dinner." Dawn whispered across the table. She didn't get a response of any kind.

A piano was on stage with a unicorn lightly pressing its keys with her magic. Much to Dawn's surprise and astonishment, the cute adolescent filly she had attempted to hook up with her brother, Sweetie Belle, came out holding a microphone using her own telekinesis.

"How are we doing tonight?" Sweetie Belle asked the room. The room cheered as if it was an appropriate response to a question. Dawn looked around the room. It was apparently quietly filled as she and April talked. Every table was full with couples of all kinds. "My name is Sweetie and that's Chocolate. We're going to be your entertainment for the night." Sweetie Belle cued the piano player with a hoof. The piano, under the magical control of the unicorn, erupted in notes with an underline beat that Sweetie Belle bobbed her head to. The first song she sang to the room was appropriately chosen. She sung of growing love and its many emotions that came with it. Her voice echoed sweetly through Dawn's ears as she hit notes below and above all expectations Dawn had for the female pony voice.

Dawn chuckled after Sweetie Belle left the stage for a 'fifteen minute break'. It's better than Metal's music. "I'm really enjoying this April." She said across the table.

April looked delighted ear to ear. "I'm glad." April paused as she leaned over the table slightly. "I wasn't sure if you would enjoy this." She admitted.

"Hard not to." Dawn said as a waiter silently placed two menus on the table. Dawn passed April a menu with her magic and lifted one to herself.

The two mares inspected the elaborate menu letting minutes pass in their deliberation. Dawn was secretly holding in bucket loads of excitement for what April would be ordering. The previous day she got April to agree to actively gain weight. Every kilocalorie I shove down that mouth is a true victory.

"How about I make a deal with you." April purposed suddenly, putting down her own menu to look at Dawn who put down hers at the sound of the business-like tone.

"What kind of deal?" Dawn asked wearily, having April's apprehension in yesterday's conversation in mind.

April leaned over the table with a sly grin on her face. "I will order and eat what ever you do, so long as you brush your hair like that."

What? Dawn felt a chill of dread torrent through her chest. "You're joking…" Dawn managed to say with a straight face.

"Nope." April smiled at the very apparent dread on Dawn's face. "I already agreed to try to consciously eat ‘healthier’ whatever that means. I'll 'hide these ribs' faster if I eat like you." She argued.

She's right on all counts. Dawn shuttered at the thought of always looking this... feminine. "Fine you're on." She muttered under her breath just loud enough for April to hear.

April gave a silent shrill of excitement as if she was the one winning the lottery. "I get to date a fancy looking unicorn!" She cheered.

With the new variable added to the equation Dawn didn't take very long to figure out what she wanted from the waiter who asked. "I would love two Oatburgers with extra cheese, grilled onions and lettuce, hay fries and a chocolate shake." Dawn's stomach growled in agreement.

As promised April begrudgingly just said, "I'll have what she's having."

"I think my pain and torment may be worth this." Dawn said, smiling as the waiter left them.

"Yes well you do look lovely." April teased.

Dawn churned inside at the word but tried to save face. "Well thank you." Dawn said with the amount of poise and grace she had seen the princesses use.

When the dozen or so waiters retreated to the back rooms of the establishment, Sweetie Belle came out back onto the stage singing, giving little warning to the audience. She did however give them a prolonged note for them to greet her properly with applause. April and Dawn took to scooting closer to each other to get a better view of the show. Sitting flank to flank, they wrapped their tails around each other. April gigged like a little foal as she played with Dawn's groomed tail by her side.

Playfully winking to the room full ponies, Sweetie Belle retreated to the depths of the back stage once again. As orchestrated, the surrounding doors opened with treys of food being carried out via the magic auras of the waiters. Everypony was given their order in a matter of minutes as the food flooded from the kitchen still hot. Dawn was amazed by the logistical feat of fixing so many dishes in so little of time. Four oatburgers, two baskets of hay fries and two large glasses of chocolate shake were placed in front of April and Dawn.

Dawn chuckled at the amount of food on the table as they retook their seats across from each other. The table looked too small to handle it all. She watched April slide and balance one of her burgers onto her hoof only to take the first bite. Dawn beamed out of excitement as she lifted her own food to her mouth with magic. Dawn couldn't hide the smile behind her burger, shake or hoof full of fries.

"Would you stop cheering with every bite I take?" April asked with a feigned annoyance.

"Sorry, I just feel like I could walk on rainbows right now." Dawn beamed back.

"Well that should be a small feat for the all powerful Dawn." April joked as she took a sip from her shake.

"Right now I'm the 'Lovely' Lady Dawn of Canterlot castle's east tower." Dawn joked back with a mouth full of fries.

April rolled her eyes at the contradictory pony before her. "Forgive me, milady. I was mistaken." April said, bowing her head out of pretend respect. They both giggled at their silliness.

Dawn finished her food way before April as expected. She watched as April struggled to swallow bite after bite, enjoying every bit of it all. April did manage to finish off the shake which Dawn knew had the most kilocalories. She watched April take her third bite from the second oatburger when the stage erupted in music again. This time around the music was significantly more up beat making even Dawn want to jump up and dance. No pony in the room indulged Dawn's urge though, they were all minding their own food.

"I think Metal is here to see her." Dawn whispered across the table, getting in the gossipy kind of mood.

"Really? Why do you think that?" April jumped on the topic, desperate for respite from her food. She looked around the room, looking for the black and brown pegasus. "Where is he?"

Dawn shrugged as she joined April in her search. "I introduced them at my resurrection party." She giggled across the table. "She is apparently a fan of his."

"Zombie party." April corrected. "Wait you did? She's from Ponyville?" She asked, now scrutinizing the singer.

"Yep." Dawn said.

"Huh." She grunted before half-mindedly grazing her basket of fries.

By the time Sweetie Belle walked off the stage for the last time, keeping it classy by saying 'tip your servers', April had finished her oatburger and most of her fries. Dawn decided not to penalize her by only brushing most of her hair the next morning. But there will be that time. Dawn giggled at her thoughts as the room lit up.

"I'm stuffed." April groaned from across the table.

A check had been slid on the table without the two noticing. Tip these servers well, indeed. Dawn picked up the paper while letting her purse drop from her bank onto the table with a plop. Sixty bits… greedy ponies.

"Dawn, no. I'm paying." April bit the bill from Dawn's aura. "I make more than you any ways." She said after setting the paper on the table. She bent over to pull her own purse out of her saddle bags.

Wait… "How would you know that?"

"Luna pays you nothing..." April said bluntly after spitting out three twenty bit pieces on to the table, only to dig in her purse some more with her snout.

"Does she now..." I suppose she does. "I guess I forgot I have a whole entire tower of the castle for a home."

"And work." April added, after spitting two ten bit pieces to join the others. "And last time I checked they don't accept castle towers as currency." She giggled to herself as she got up. "Plus what kind of a date would I be if I didn't pay for the 'lovely lady of the east tower'?" April asked, offering a hoof for Dawn to get up herself.

Dawn feigned a pout and denied April her hoof to get up on her own. She then walked up and bumped April's flank with her own while grabbing April's tail with hers. She needed the small victories of the night. April smiled back as Dawn's purse disappeared from the table.

They both walked out into a chilling night happy as can be. The wind had picked up, which in turn littered the streets with icicle shards. April offered Dawn protection with her wing. It was so cold outside that she needed the warmth she offered. Because of that she was truly grateful for the horrid winter.

The two walked down the streets of a silent Canterlot. April was leading the way. It was a true shame that Dawn never took the time to memorize her way around the city. She had no idea where they were going. They soon ended up in a group of buildings she did recognize by chance, the Canterlot University. April led her through the desolate campus to a strange building in the far reaches of the campus.

"I asked for a couple favors so they would lend me the keys to this place." April said as she took back her wing to search for something in her saddle. The building they had approached was like all the others, coated in alabaster slabs and trimmed with gold but this building had a round roof. April pushed open the previously locked door and welcomed Dawn in. "If you're curious, this is what I did with most of my time at night when you were missing."

April lit a couple lamps to the room, revealing a large telescope protruding the ceiling. It was the largest telescope Dawn had ever seen. She had heard of the Canterlot's astronomy department but she never took such a vested interest to go find it.

"Whoa."

April giggled at Dawn's dropping jaw. "I never really looked at the sky twice before you disappeared but I figured to give it a try since you liked it." April said as she guided Dawn to the end of the telescope.

"Neat." Dawn lauded, stepping up the eye piece of the giant telescope.

April started to direct the telescope to her favorite stars of the winter sky. The many gears and machinations on the telescope had Dawn fascinated as much as what the telescope offered through the eye piece. After, what felt like minutes but was actually well over an hour, Dawn started showing her favorites of this season's sky. They spent the rest of their night just gazing at night's eternal.

"I have school tomorrow." April revealed as she drooped at her own realization.

"Well that is important. You have tests this week right?" Dawn asked, adding to April's responsibilities.

"Yah..." April started to show worry of the doom to come. Dawn swooped in to kiss her. She seemed to relax, even melt, under Dawn's lips. As they broke apart, April opened her eyes with a new realization. "You still haven't seen my apartment."

"I helped you pick it out." She was so close she could feel the warmth radiating from underneath April's coat.

"No. You haven't been to my apartment since I put in my furniture." She said, pushing Dawn back to look in her eyes. "By the way that was pretty hard to do when the unicorn who promised to do it for me disappears."

Dawn remained silent. Her thoughts were whirling around, trying to imagine what it was like for April that first week she was gone.

"So you wanna come to my place?"

Snapping back to now. Dawn grinned at the question. "Miss April Showers you wouldn't want to take advantage of me, would you?"

"That was my hope milady." She replied in kind as Dawn conjured the void around them.

Before the smoke from the void had cleared, April was already blindingly kissing Dawn's already hot face, each mare taking in each other's bodily scents with a profound adoration. "I love you." Dawn managed to laugh out loud once April started pushing her back, kissing her neck and adding small nibbles with each one. She pushed her down the hallway they appeared in and around the corner into the bedroom.

-----

When Dawn woke up, the sun was just breaking the horizon. At least she thought it was since it was kind of light outside, the surrounding buildings made it hard to tell what time it truly was. April was still asleep next to her spread eagle style. One of April's wings was draped over her, forcing Dawn to remain incredibly still.

Her efforts didn't stop April from sensing Dawn's consciousness, however. April cracked open her eyes, letting Dawn to gaze into her limpid grey circles of wonder. Dawn got lost in those eyes even as April wished her a good morning.

Blinking very hard to come back to reality she wished April a good morning back. "What time do you have to be at school?" Dawn asked, hoping it was a day full of afternoon classes that she some how got spur of the moment.

"In a couple hours." April snuggled close up to Dawn, nuzzling under her neck. After a longing inhale, April straitened up to look at Dawn proper. "I messed up your hair." She said, giving a small frown.

"Yes well I messed up your bed." Dawn laughed. "I'll brush it again if you join me and the princesses for breakfast."

April cuddled back up to Dawn, digging her snout into Dawn's chest. She then giggled into it. "I think we both need showers first before we have an audience with the princesses."

"Deal." Dawn lit up her horn, popping them both into Dawn's bathroom with a flash of magic.

April groaned when she found herself without Dawn right next to her. "I didn't mean right now." She pouted.

"You can have the shower first." Dawn said, ignoring her as she walked into the main room.

Dawn heard the shower flare up behind her as she made for her desk. She pulled out the book she was reading to open it where she had left off. She stared at the page of words but her mind was on the events of the night before. So fresh in her mind, she cherished them dearly. She smiled at the book as the words blurred out of her vision.

"Dawn, I'm done." April yelled from the bathroom.

Dawn blinked to focus her eyes. Already? Sure enough April stood in the door way, soaked head to hoof. She was working a towel into her mane. Dawn quickly hopped over into the shower, willing her brush to scrub her thoroughly.

April chuckled at the sight of Dawn showering.

"What?"

"Nothing." She said quickly, cutting off her own laughter.

Dawn gave April a curious look as she dragged the soapy brush through her mane. April finished up her morning routine before Dawn got out of the shower. She just watched looking amused. "What?"

"You just look so... Cute?" April stopped to search for the right word. “Adorable?”

Dawn just gave a wink back as she finished up. When the shower was turned off she willed two spare towels to dry her independently, leaving a damp frizzy mess of a mane behind and a dry ruffled coat. She let out a heavy sigh as she realized what April was waiting for. She pulled out her brush from one of the drawers and ran it though her mane leaving a straight, orderly, and, apparently, lovely mane behind it. April's eyes glazed up as she watched the brush work.

"You should do my mane some time." April suggested, whipping her tail at the idea.

Dawn stopped mid stroke in thought. "I don't wanna date a fru fru pegasus."

"You just want to keep it all to yourself don’t you." April teased.

"Yah, that's it. Caught me." Dawn rolled her eyes. She finished brushing her tail soon after. "Shall we?" She asked, only to receive a nod. She then pulled the two of them to the dining room with a puff of the void.

"Good morning you two." Princess Luna cheered.

"My, my, Dawn. You look lovely this morning." Celestia teased.

Dawn winced at 'that' word again.

"Yah. Get this Celestia, I got her to agree to do that every day." April said excitedly, while playing with Dawn's mane with her hoof.

"So long as she eats everything I do." Dawn amended.

"That seems like a good arrangement." Luna said, nodding.

The two new arrivals sat down at the dining table. Princess Celestia was working on her morning cake which meant... Chef Stew bounded in the doors with his usual energy. He enthusiastically took all their orders, waffles all around, and left with the same energy.

"So am I correct to understand that your date went well?" Asked Luna with an odd curiosity unlike her.

Dawn let April answer. "I think we both had a lot of fun."

Dawn just nodded, noting her hair bounces now into her face when she does.

"There has been something that has always bugged me since Celly told me of this new concept, if you two would indulge me." Luna started to say. Celestia's eyes narrowed on her sister. "How do two females mate? They are anatomically inadequate to do such activities are they not?"

Celestia and April face hoofed. "Not here Luna." Celestia plead.

"It is an entirely legitimate question." Luna assured.

Princess Celestia gave a heaving sigh preparing her for what is to come. "If I promise to tell you later will you promise to not do anything rash like spying or something?"

A rare type of silence flooded the room. The kind of silence Dawn didn’t really have the pallet for. April and Dawn had both realized that they would be none the wiser if Luna so chose to do such things. It sent chills down both their spines. Luna's eyes critiqued Celestia as she considered the offer. "I have a preference for an organic response not one from your ‘observations’." Luna said turning to the couple.

"Observations?" April and Dawn asked under their breaths.

"What ponies do under their sheets is none of your business. You will have to settle with my explanation." Celestia said sternly.

"Perhaps I'll ask Twilight." Luna baited.

"You will do no such thing!" Celestia bit.

"Oh won't I?" Luna grinned.

The two Celestial goddesses glared at each other. The sun goddess standing, wings flared out. The smaller moon goddess sitting calm with a grin that would make most foals cry.

April face hoofed at yet another sisterly spat. Minutes go by without a word spoken. The two princesses locked in a staring match only to be broken by...

"Waffles." April cried out, desperate to break the silence Dawn was blissfully enjoying.

Waffles were laid in front of every pony as the princesses broke their united glare at each other. Luna chuckled as if she was the victor. Dawn enchanted April's fork and knife before starting to dig in for herself.

"To your apartment after we eat?" Dawn asked, while shoving waffles into her mouth.

April nodded mindful of the enchanted forks tendency to fill her mouth if she opened her mouth. The room was quiet from then on until April and Dawn finished eating at the same time. April didn't wait for the last bits of food to clear their throats before cueing Dawn to teleport them into her apartment.

"That was awkward." April admitted once she set focus on her room.

"Good to know." Dawn said, yawning. She fell back on her quarters to study the room she was dropped in. It was lined wall to wall with Wonderbolt posters, books, and stray papers. April lived as a pig apparently. Dawn pulled over a heavy looking book and cracked it open in front of her. "You ready for your tests today?" Dawn asked behind the book she had found.

April sighed as she walked out of the room leaving Dawn alone. "I guess so, you were right earlier. I should have more confidence in myself." April said from around the corner, sounding quite unsure of herself.

"Yah, you'll be fine." Dawn assured indifferently. Dawn was reading a sociology textbook focused around the 'Conflict Theory' and how the society she knew and loved would all fall apart if the princesses were to ever disappear. Dawn scoffed at the notion as she put down the book to follow April into the depths of her apartment.

The following rooms were just as dirty if not more. School work, paper work, and star charts littered her entire apartment. She walked around to find the culprit for the mess only to be flanked by her. "You are so pretty." She said, playing with Dawn's hair again.

"Any one would look 'pretty'..." She said the last word to describe her as if most dirty, vile and disgusting thing to roll of her lips. "...In this mess." She gestured around her.

April giggled. "Would you mind taking me to the university library? I would like to study a bit before class." Before she could finish speaking the void pulled them to the large building lined with books.

"I've never been here before." Dawn said, looking around at all the eyes on the two new arrivals.

"Thank you." April said quickly, giving Dawn a peck on the cheek.

"Have a wonderful day." Dawn said, smiling as she pulled the void around herself to reappear in her tower. She planted herself behind her desk and pulled out a stack of paper to write on.