Universe 63

by CarmenColor

A Pleasant Picnic?

Twilight woke up feeling...odd. Sort of...fluttery. But it felt wrong, like there was something missing that she didn't understand. The feelings of unpleasantness faded as Elusive knocked on the door. "Twilight, my dear, are you up yet?" She's trotted over to the door and opened it. Elusive smiled at her, but frowned as he spotted her mane. "Twilight! Your hair!" She blushed.

"Oh, sorry. I'll get a brush-"

"Nonsense, Twilight!" the designer declared, "I'll do it for you! Come!" She was pulled into the main room of the boutique. The windows were open, but nopony was about at this time of morning. Twilight was sat down in front on a mirror and Elusive styled her mane just the way she liked it done. "Ah, there! That'll do."

"Thank you so much, Elusive. You're so nice to me. I wish the others were like you." The alabaster colt chuckled.

"If they were all like me, I don't think we'd get along," he admitted, "Getting to know yourself and seeing your own flaws is not something I would enjoy." Twilight thought on that for a moment. She and Dusk got along just fine. Maybe that was because they weren't exactly alike, but they were similar enough to bond with each other. "Are you feeling alright this morning, Twi? You seem a bit distant." Twilight's eyes snapped to the other unicorn.

"What? Oh, sorry. I've just got a lot on my mind right now." She smiled at the colt. "Wait a minute..." she eyed him suspiciously, "Did you just call me 'Twi'?" Elusive's face went a bit red.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, "Do you not like it?" Twilight blushed a little too.

"It's fine. Actually, the Applejack from my universe calls me that. I just wasn't used to you calling me that." She smiled at him, and another odd feeling settled inside her. A good feeling, this time. Not the uneasiness that had bothered her when she had first awoken. Did she...like...him? Even though she told herself no, her heart told her otherwise. Twilight felt her cheeks reddening.

"Twi, are you sure you're okay? You look a bit feverish." He voice was like silk to her ears. It was so perfect. Oh, wait. He was talking to her.

"I'm fine, sorry. Just...something I was thinking about." She suddenly remembered something. "Oh, no! Dusk Shine! He's probably wondering where I am." She became suddenly worried. "I should go tell him I'm okay and not in mortal danger or something." She quickly left Elusive, suddenly feeling very awkward in his presence. She noticed the look of disappointment on his face as she closed the door.

She galloped home, noting the closed curtains of the library. That always meant that he was worried about something. Twilight knew exactly what that something was. She opened the door lowly and looked inside. She didn't see anypony, so she took a few steps inside. Something purple tackled her. "Twilight!" Dusk Shine hugged her tight. "Thank Solaris! I thought something had happened to you." Twilight pushed him away.

"Jeez, Dusk. Don't do that," she scolded, "I'm fine. I just couldn't get home last night when the storm started up. I stayed at Carousel Boutique with Elusive." Even saying his name made her feel weird. "We were wondering if we could all go have a picnic or something. You know, so we can all spend time together and stuff. We never all do stuff together."

"You're right, we never do anything together...and I'm sorry about tackling you. I was just so worried last night that you had gotten hurt or something because of the storm." Twilight smiled at the purple colt.

"I understand," she said truthfully, "Would you mind going around to see when we could do that?" Dusk nodded, pulling out a list.

"Yeah, I've got stuff to do in town anyway, so I'll go around and ask them. I probably won't be back until tonight though, because I am helping Applejack today. I'll see you tonight. Don't go wandering off without leaving me a note." She nodded and rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to stay here today anyway." Dusk trotted out the door, and she went upstairs. Twilight opened the curtains and sat down on the bed next. Her eyes scanned Ponyville below her. She watched ponies emerging from their houses. Pegasi flew above the town, and she noticed a prismatic pony that looked very familiar. For a second, she almost thought it was Dash, but then she saw the jaggedness in the tail, and realized it was Blitz. How would Rainbow Dash get here anyway?

A tear rolled down her cheek. She ignored it.

Applejack and Bubble Berry were walking towards the library where Dusk was standing, reading his list. He looked up at them and galloped over. He told them something, probably about the picnic. They nodded and said something in return. Bubble got very excited. Unless he was talking about a party, Twilight was positive he was talking about the picnic.

Butterscotch appeared in her sight. The canary yellow pegasus met up with Dusk Shine on the road, and he stopped to talk to him. Butterscotch looked up at her window and she flinched away, hoping the pegasus hadn't seen her. Why am I hiding from them? They're my friends... Tears clung to her eyelashes. No they're not. They're his friends. Not mine. More tears. She crawled off the bed and trotted slowly to the open door of the closet. She pulled herself inside. No pony knew that she liked to hide here when she was upset. Not even Dusk or Spines. Twilight looked around, wondering where the little dragon had gotten to.

She was probably sleeping or watching Elusive from outside the boutique window. Elusive... Twilight wished that she was back at the boutique with him. She'd let him do her hair or design an outfit for her. She'd even-

The front door opened, knocking her out of her reverie. "Twilight?" It was Applejack.

"Twi?" And Elusive. Twilight slowly closed the closet door, but it squeaked a little.

"Oh, she's upstairs! I heard her!" Bubble Berry's voice chimed in. Twilight yelped softly and buried herself in Dusk Shine's old clothes. She listened as the colts galloped up the stairs and came into the room. "Oo! I can't see her. Is she hiding?" Twilight remembered Pinkie Pie saying that when Nightmare Moon had returned.

"Everypony look for her," Applejack drawled, "Dusk doesn't want her to miss the picnic." Picnic? Oh, but I can't let them see me like this.... She could hear the sounds of the search going on. The closet door was opened, but the closet itself was not thoroughly searched. Through a hole in her clothing covering, Twilight could see them searching. Bubble Berry managed to get under her bed, which was impressive since it was only an inch off the ground. He emerged covered in dust.

"AHHH-chooooo!" he sneezed, the coating of dust falling off of him. His sneeze made Twilight realize just how dusty the closet was. Oh, no...

"HaaaaaTCMPH!!" She explosive sneeze launched her into the air, knocking the clothes off of her. She looked over at the ponies in the room and blushed, "Eh, heh... Hi..." She emerged from the closet, still blushing, and magically closed the door. She went over who all was in the room. Applejack, Bubble Berry, Elusive, and Butterscotch stared back. "Sorry, I was just trying to find something. It's kinda secret..."

"Oh," the other chorused. Twilight was glad that she wasn't the Element of Honesty. She smiled a them.

"So, did you say picnic?"

-----

"We really should do this more often." Twilight was laying back on the picnic blanket, having already finished her lunch. "Ponyville Park is lovely this time of year."

"I agree," Elusive said, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"Eyyup, this sure was fun, but I gotta get home now y'all. Bye," Applejack trotted off. The others started to disperse. Twilight watched them go. Dusk was the last one to stand.

"You coming, Twilight?" he asked.

"In a little while," she answered, "I'm going to lay here for awhile and think." Dusk's brow furrowed and he approached her, concerned. He sat down next to her.

"Twilight," he said softly, as if talking to a wounded animal, "What's going on? Why are you so distant to everypony?" She gave him a look that he seemed to understand. He pulled her into a hug. "I know that you miss your own universe, but at least you have us, right?" She nodded.

"Yeah, but I still miss them, even with you guys around. I mean, what if you had come to my universe, and all your friends we girls, except maybe Rainbow and Applejack, and you didn't feel comfortable around them? Not to mention that there's already one of you in this universe, and they all spend time with her instead because she's a girl, like them." Dusk seemed to get was she was talking about.

"Twilight, maybe you should write to Solaris about this. I'm sure he could help you." Twilight thought about that. It would almost be just like talking to Celestia.

"Alright," she agreed, "I haven't written anything to him by myself yet anyway, and I expect that he might want me to do a bit more than the compiled notes we've done so far. I mean, you write to him on your own, don't you?"

"Yeah," he replied, "And Spines can send your letters too. I hope Solaris can help you get through this, but don't forget that, even if we don't seem to be, we're all here for you too."

"I know, Dusk. Thank you so much." They started walking back to the library. Twilight was already planning out her letter as the left Ponyville Park.

Author's Note:

This story is consuming my time, but I like it, so that is fine by me.

Comments

[Listie The Scribe Maid]

(Joke) Alt. Title: 34 Ways To Write A Rule 63 Fiction

[Winter Storm]

I do hope you're aware that this has already been done...

On A Cross and Arrow

People might start to downvote and/or claim that you're ripping off that fic. Just be ready.

[CarmenColor]

1932760 I thought that fic was about all of them meeting themselves or something... I don't know. I know it exists, but I've never actually read it, so anything (besides names, 'cause that's where I got them) that is like that story is coincidence, except like obvious things.

The only reason I know the names is from the colt versions of the songs on Youtube.

And if people downvote it because they think I ripped it off, well, that's their choice. I personally don't think I did since I've never actually read it, but I have heard about it. I'm not actually sure what happens in it though, just that there's male versions of all of them.

[CarmenColor]

1932670 Yes, it is supposed to... I did that on purpose.

[CarmenColor]

1933758 I've heard both, and I kinda forgot about the name Barb and went with the one I remembered at the time.

[Winter Storm]

1933740 Welp, you might want to give it a read. Not only would it help you to avoid copying it by mistake, it's a VERY well written story, and is hilarious.

[BronzeFog]

1933746 Oh ok

[StarshythePegasus]

[Infernity Zero]

Twilight's still sick right? Then why has she stopped sneezing as regularly?