Chapter 1

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Twilight slept peacefully throughout the night, aided by the presence of Rainbow Dash sleeping beside her, and the heavy dosage of medicine the doctors had given her at some unmentionable hour during the night. It had been a rough day, and with the prognosis of being exposed to three times the lethal dose of radiation, nopony blamed her for sleeping in well past breakfast. The doctors and nurses were careful not to wake Twilight or Rainbow Dash whenever they went in to check on her throughout the night and into the morning hours.

Eventually, Twilight awoke to a tingling sensation all throughout her body, almost feeling like she was on fire. The sensation was tolerable, at least for the moment. She stirred under the covers and shifted her weight. Pain shot through her back from the movement, but she ignored it. She tentatively opened her eyes and immediately felt a dull throbbing at the base of her horn. She groaned and looked around the room. Her gaze fell on Rainbow Dash, who was still asleep beside her. She felt a smile tug on her lips at the sight, and she gently draped a hoof around her back to pull her closer but she was careful not to wake her.

She found her gaze drawn to her regalia still resting around Rainbow's neck. She smiled at the sight before frowning. She felt a cold chill run down her spine. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them and letting the worry flow away. If the regalia hadn't been enchanted to be nearly indestructible... she could have killed Rainbow Dash with it. It was a somber thought. Fortunately, she knew it was enchanted and wasn't a problem. If it had been a problem, for one, the doctors would have taken it away and disposed of it properly. She pushed the thought aside and held Rainbow Dash a little tighter.

After a few minutes of watching Rainbow sleep, her ears folded back to her head and she looked away from her. Countless thoughts flooded through her mind, thoughts of her friends, thoughts of Spike, thoughts of Equestria and Ponyville, thoughts of Rainbow and thoughts of what had happened. She found her mouth dry at all the unpleasant thoughts which outweighed any pleasant thoughts. She looked back to the table beside her bed and reached out with her magic to grab the cup of water. She grasped the plastic cup in her magic and frowned, something felt wrong. She pushed the thought aside and levitated it over to her and then wrapped her lips around the straw and quickly drank all the water in the cup. She swished the water around in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing, then she levitated the empty cup back over to the table and set it down before staring off into space.

She wasn't sure how long passed before Rainbow Dash stirred, but she unconsciously nuzzled Twilight's arm as she started to wake up. Twilight smiled at the sensation, even if she knew it was fleeting, and that it didn't matter, and that Rainbow hadn't chosen to do it. That thought held a bite to it, and her heart ached at that. She turned away from Rainbow as she lifted her head up. "Good morning," Twilight greeted.

Rainbow blinked and then looked at the bed and ran a hoof through her mane. Her eyes fell on Twilight's golden regalia, which was still around her neck and resting against her chest. After looking at it for a few seconds she looked back at Twilight and saw her looking away from her. She felt Twilight's arm resting on her back and she shifted her weight, causing Twilight to withdraw her arm. Rainbow wanted to say something to Twilight, but she had no idea what to say. Her thoughts gradually turned to the previous day. She tentatively laid her head down on Twilight's chest, still tired and feeling dull.

Twilight looked back at Rainbow and pulled her closer with a wing and hugged her tightly for a brief second before relaxing her grip. She could have laid like that forever, but her body wouldn't let her. She felt the need to cough and turned away from Rainbow. Not a second later, she fell into a coughing fit. Rainbow lifted her head from Twilight's chest and looked at her in fear, worried that she had caused her pain as each cough wracked her body. Each time Twilight coughed, it hurt and sounded worse than the previous time. She could taste blood in her mouth before it was halfway over, and one of the doctors ran in a few seconds after she finished. Twilight clutched her chest with a hoof and whimpered.

Rainbow slid off the bed as the doctor rushed over to Twilight and helped her sit up. The pain from her body moving once more caused her to whimper. A few seconds later three nurses ran into the room. Rainbow backed away to give them room to help Twilight as she fell into another coughing fit. Each time Twilight coughed, Rainbow winced. After half a minute, another doctor joined the group in the room. He quickly looked around and met Rainbow's gaze, "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave..." he said and then trotted passed her.

"W-will she be okay?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know..." the doctor muttered under his breath as he passed her. He came to a stop beside the other doctor. The pair looked at each other and talked quietly. Rainbow couldn't make out what they said, and she was afraid.

Rainbow felt herself starting to tremble, and put a stop to it. She quickly made her way out of the room. She looked to the left and then to the right side of the door as she exited, and the twin royal guards remained stoic as she walked to the other side of one so she wouldn't block the door. It felt like minutes passed, and she had to give the guards credit for not being phased by Twilight's coughing. As time progressed, the coughs became less numerous and less violent. A few minutes after the coughing stopped, the two doctors walked out of the room, followed closely behind by the three nurses. One of the doctors was scowling, and the other wore a worried expression. Rainbow stepped out in front of one of the doctors, she opened her mouth to speak but one of the doctors answered her unspoken question, "She's sleeping now. She was bleeding internally... Still is. Radiation and all that. Blood was filling her lungs. Last night it slowed after Princess Celestia used her magic on her, but it wore off this morning. It didn't help that you were there," he snapped, then immediately regretted it as Rainbow clenched her eyes shut.

Rainbow opened her eyes and looked at her hooves. She realized she was still wearing Twilight's regalia and shifted her weight from embarrassment but didn't take it off. "S-sorry..."

He sighed. "I... I'm sorry. I Didn't mean to snap at you like that... She's doing worse than she looks. We're going to give her a transfusion in about half an hour. Hopefully, that'll help her..." he trailed off with a grimace, then shook his head. "Her body is shutting down," he said flatly. "Her immune system has been compromised, so please keep your distance from her. I don't even like letting anypony aside from doctors or nurses in to see her, but Princess Celestia said that her friends could see her." He turned to leave, then looked back at Rainbow. For a second, he just stood there looking her over. "You can stay with her..." he finally said and then left.

Rainbow remained in the same spot for a minute before walking back into Twilight's room. As the doctor had said, Twilight was asleep. She wanted to smile at that, but there was too much on her mind. She watched Twilight for a few seconds before walking over to a chair and then pulling it over beside the bed and sitting down.

Twilight jerked awake a few hours after lunchtime and took a deep breath. Twilight whimpered from pain and Rainbow Dash immediately rested a hoof on her arm. Twilight's gaze shot over to her, and then she looked back at the cover over her chest. Twilight laid in silence for a few minutes before she looked back at Rainbow Dash. "You don't have to be here, you know. I'm sure you have important things to do..."

"I want to stay here..." Rainbow trailed off and shifted her weight. Twilight's gaze was drawn to her regalia still hanging around Rainbow's neck. She smiled at the sight. Rainbow glanced down at Twilight's regalia and then looked back at Twilight. "Why did you give me your regalia?"

Rainbow reached around to the back of her neck with her free hoof intending to pull her regalia off and give it back to Twilight. "I want you to have it," Twilight said. Rainbow held her hoof where it was for several seconds before Twilight spoke again, "It looks better on you than on me."

Rainbow shifted her weight, feeling uncomfortable from Twilight's complement. After a few seconds, she shook her head and undid the latch on the regalia anyway. She caught it in her wing as it fell, and then held in in her wing for a few seconds. Twilight held an even expression, she didn't want Rainbow to know how disappointed that she was about her taking it off. Rainbow stood from her chair and then sat down on the bed and then placed the regalia back to its rightful place. Twilight watched Rainbow and lifted her head slightly so she could fasten the regalia around her neck. As soon as Rainbow finished, she looked over Twilight for a few seconds and then slid off the bed and sat back down in her chair.

Twilight brought her hoof to her chest and rested it against her regalia. She sighed, and that sigh turned into a cough. Rainbow felt panic, fearing Twilight would fall into another coughing fit, but her fear did not come to pass. Twilight took a deep breath and then swallowed. "If I get out of this-"

"When," Rainbow corrected. "Don't say if..." Rainbow looked away from Twilight as she spoke, "I don't want to think about that."

After a few seconds, Twilight started again, "When I get better..." she paused, waiting for Rainbow to look back at her. Rainbow slowly turned back to look at her and she felt guilty for wanting to ask her question. She had already asked it, and Rainbow had said no. That hurt her more than she would ever admit. And now she was wanting to ask again, despite the fact that being sick could affect her answer. "Nevermind..." Twilight trailed off and looked away. She wouldn't ask that question. Not now. If she lived, maybe, but not while she was sick. She didn't want Rainbow to say yes out of pity.

"What is it?" Rainbow asked as she scooted closer.

Twilight shook her head and found herself grateful for the medicine she was on, even if it felt like it was wearing off. "It's nothing," she replied. "It's not important."

Rainbow looked over Twilight for a few seconds, but Twilight refused to look back at her. "Alright..." she reluctantly said, Twilight could tell she didn't believe her.

Silence reigned between the pair for several minutes, disturbed only by the sound of the heart rate monitor. As the minutes passed, both of them lost themselves in thought. Both of them barely noticed when the door to the room opened and Princess Celestia walked inside. She hesitated as she looked at Twilight and saw Rainbow sitting on a chair beside her bed. Neither of them had noticed her, and she didn't want to disturb them. After a few seconds of getting no reaction, she decided they were just preoccupied with their thoughts and stepped into the room in earnest. Rainbow Dash glanced at her and did a double take "Princess Celestia..." she said then stood from her chair and awkwardly bowed to her. Twilight's gaze shot towards her when Rainbow said her name.

Celestia shook her head, "That isn't necessary," she stated. Rainbow rose from her bow and Celestia shifted her gaze to Twilight. She sighed and walked over to the bed, and then sat down on her haunches. She glanced at Rainbow Dash and then looked back at Twilight. "I did not expect you to have company right now. I am surprised that Rainbow Dash is here, but I am glad you are not alone right now." After a few seconds, she spoke again, "How are you feeling?"

"The pain is getting worse," Twilight stated dryly. "I feel like if I eat something I would throw up." Celestia sighed and looked away. Twilight looked over her mentor's features. Like last night, she looked exhausted. Her coat didn't shine as bright, her mane and tail seemed to flow more slowly, and her eyes told the tale of how she felt.

After a few more seconds, Celestia met Twilight's gaze. "Is there anything I can get you?"

Twilight shook her head, "No. All we can do is sit around and wait while..." she trailed off. She knew what was coming, but she didn't want to say it out loud. Knowing what to expect to happen weighed heavily upon her mind. She didn't need to put that burden on Princess Celestia or any of her friends. She couldn't put them through that, especially not Rainbow. "I'm just... Glad you're here," she said at length.

"Luna is going through the archives... She's looking for something... anything that can help you," Celestia said absently.

"If there's a spell for curing radiation poisoning, I sure don't remember seeing it, and I've gone through that archive three times," Twilight said thoughtfully.

"Maybe you just don't remember it?" Rainbow suggested.

Twilight smiled wryly. She doubted that was the case, but maybe. "May-" she was cut off by a single cough which sent a wave of pain through her body. Both Celestia and Rainbow flinched at Twilight's cough. Twilight once more tasted blood in her mouth. The taste was revolting, she tilted her head towards the table and levitated the cup of water over to her. Again, her magic felt wrong, but she pushed it aside as a side effect of the sickness. As she pulled the cup of water towards herself, her headache intensified from using her magic. She grunted in pain, but eventually she managed to bring the cup to herself and put it in her hooves, then took the straw with her mouth and drank until the taste of blood was gone. "Maybe..."

Twilight started to levitate the cup of water back over to the table, but Celestia took it in her magic and set it on the table for her. Twilight weakly smiled her thanks. In a few minutes, one of the doctors came in to check on her. They barely said a thing while the doctor was there, not that they said a lot since Twilight had coughed. Before he left, the doctor gave her a shot in her arm. Where the needle pierced her skin it stung a little, but the pain quickly died away, being replaced by a numbness which slowly spread throughout her body. As the numbness spread, she found her ability to think clearly hampered. It wasn't long before she felt drowsy from the medicine, but she fought against the overwhelming urge to sleep for several minutes before she fell back to sleep, with both Princess Celestia and Rainbow Dash watching over her. Knowing that they were both there, watching over her, made her feel a little better.

Starlight Glimmer slowed as she approached the door to Twilight's hospital room, much to her passenger's annoyance. Spike had bugged her all day about visiting Twilight. He was persistent and stubborn about the matter. Eventually, she gave in, and they left earlier than she had planned, but not before finishing several chores and duties around the castle. Life didn't stop just because your teacher and friend was in the hospital, dying. On the way to the hospital, she ran into Rarity, who had been unable to break away from her current engagement to join her. She apologized profusely, but Starlight understood her predicament. Starlight was happy Spike didn't point out her lack of teleporting them to the hospital. She had wanted to at least run into one of Twilight's friends and tell them they were visiting her earlier than they had planned. She knew that was just an excuse she told herself, though. In truth, she wasn't sure she was ready to see Twilight again.

She pushed the thought aside as she pushed open the door and stepped inside. Spike immediately jumped off her back but stood beside her. Twilight was asleep, and neither of them wanted to wake her up. Both of them were disappointed, but they didn't let that sour their moods. They turned their attention to the other two occupants of the room, Princess Celestia, and Rainbow Dash. Spike ran over to Celestia and sat down to her left, while Starlight hesitated before walking over to the trio and sitting to the right of Rainbow Dash. She still didn't feel completely comfortable around Celestia, and she felt better with Rainbow Dash sitting between them. It wasn't that she didn't like her, or that the princess had it out for her.

Rainbow Dash glanced at Starlight as she sat down beside her. "How is she doing?" Starlight asked.

Rainbow sighed and looked at the floor. "She's doing... Okay... I guess..."

Starlight sat up straighter. "You don't sound very sure about that..." she said grimly.

Rainbow groaned and her ears fell back against her head. "I don't know. I just... I don't know what to do. I can't do anything to help her. We have battled how many bad guys? And we beat them all together! And then she gets sick and... and we can't help her."

Starlight nodded absently, her thoughts turning back to when she first met Twilight and her friends. The memory left a sour taste in her mouth whenever she thought about it anymore. She pushed the thought aside with a shake of her head. "I'm sure just being here for her is helping her, Rainbow Dash." Rainbow halfway smiled at that but said nothing.

Celestia shifted her weight, "I know she is happy you are here, Rainbow Dash..." she said softly. Rainbow nervously glanced at her, then looked back at the floor. "That alone is helping her. Being alone isn't good for anypony, let alone Twilight in the state she is in right now... I know from... personal experience..." she trailed off with a strained expression, her thoughts shifting to her sister.

"Any idea when the rest of the girls are going to be here?" Rainbow asked, changing the subject to something more benign.

Starlight glanced at the clock in the room, then looked back at Rainbow Dash. "They should be here in about an hour," she said, oblivious to Rainbow's manipulation.

"Hopefully Twilight will be awake by then..." Rainbow trailed off. Twilight would be happy to see them all again. There was no doubt in her mind about that. Though, she might be unhappy if they weren't happy because she was sick. She grimaced at that.

"The medicine?" Starlight asked.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah. They have her on all sorts of medicines... I'm surprised they don't have her on an IV or something."

"I can't imagine that's very pleasant..." Starlight trailed off as she bobbed her head about.

"Because of our accelerated metabolism, they're having to give her more medicine to keep the pain away," Princess Celestia commented.

Starlight, her curiosity piqued, turned to face Princess Celestia and frowned, "So your body would burn off the drugs faster than a normal pony?"

Celestia nodded. "Yes, and while it is very useful, making us nearly immune to the effects of poisons, it also reduces the efficiency of medicines," she grimaced.

Starlight's frown deepened. "That sounds like a bad thing."

"In this case, yes," Celestia said calmly. "Normally, we are immune to sickness and diseases... Our bodies have a very powerful ability to heal themselves. In this case, I do not know if that will help, though I imagine it will. I do not know to what extent, however."

"What is your healing ability tied into?" Starlight asked.

Celestia pursed her lips. She was approaching information that she did not wish to discuss with just anypony, and few ponies knew about. She thought for a few seconds about what she could say that didn't divulge any information that was too sensitive. "It is... Tied into our metabolism and magic," she said at length. Starlight nodded to herself at that as she went over the information in her head. "I have a spell which can help reduce the pain she is in... I used it on her last night, but I am weary about using it again in such a short period of time..."

Twilight groaned, immediately drawing everypony's attention to herself as she started to wake up. The four others present in the room quickly rose to their hooves as Twilight stirred. After a few seconds, Twilight forced her head up and winced in pain as the effort caused her headache to intensify. She felt tender and sore all over. After a few more seconds, she added nauseous to the list. The nausea quickly stomped out any desire she had to eat anything. After a few more seconds, her four visitors made their way over to her and stood by the side of her bed. Twilight glanced over all four of them and then laid back and focused on the dull, bland, white ceiling. The lack of visual stimulation made her feel better. She tried closing her eyes, but her stomach lurched at that. She fought back the urge to vomit over the next few seconds as she opened her eyes.

"How... are you feeling?" Rainbow tentatively asked, afraid of the answer. She swallowed as Twilight tilted her head to look at her. Twilight just looked at Rainbow's features for a few seconds before briefly meeting her gaze and then looking back at the ceiling. Rainbow felt the pain of guilt strike her heart at that but said nothing. Twilight had looked so lifeless when she met her gaze, it rattled her to the core.

"Twilight..." Spike's sad voice broke the silence that had taken hold of the room. Twilight clenched her eyes closed at how much pain there was in his voice. After a few seconds of getting no response, he crawled up the bed and then sat at her side. She lifted an arm and wrapped it around him before pulling him into her chest and squeezing tightly.

"I'm sorry..." Twilight whispered in a hoarse voice. The raspiness caused every pony to flinch. Twilight coughed and felt the all too familiar taste of blood return to her mouth. She turned her head away from Spike and fell into a fit of coughing. Each cough violently racked her body, causing the bed to rattle. Twilight licked her lips and reached out with her magic for the plastic cup of water. She grabbed it and quickly brought it over to her mouth and drank through the straw. She nearly vomited as soon as the blood tainted water hit her stomach. Over the next few seconds, the rising bile in her stomach became unbearable. She forced herself up and groaned from pain and forced her mouth off of the bed. Spike jumped off the bed and stood beside Starlight as Princess Celestia raced out of the room to find a doctor. Twilight's entire body heaved as she expelled the limited contents of her stomach onto the floor.

Rainbow, Spike, and Starlight all looked away in disgust, though Twilight was on the opposite side of the bed from them. When they looked back, Twilight was still resting with her head off the side of the bed, and her breathing looked labored. Rainbow put a hoof on the bed, "Do you want us to get you anything?" she asked. She bit her lip as Twilight didn't move except for breathing.

After what felt like an eternity, Twilight finally spoke, "Please leave..." she croaked out.

Rainbow opened her mouth to argue with her, but Starlight put a hoof on her shoulder. She turned around intending to give Starlight a piece of her mind, but the look on her face told her not to. She looked back at Twilight and ignored the smell starting to fill the air. She reluctantly set her hoof back onto the floor and stepped back. Her ears fell to her head as Twilight's body heaved again. Starlight levitated Spike onto her back and started to walk towards the door. She slowed as she neared it and watched Rainbow Dash look at the floor and start to approach her. As they walked out of the door they could hear Twilight whimper in pain. Unbeknownst to them, it wasn't just physical pain that caused her whimper.

"This doesn't make any sense," Doctor Taker said as his eyes trailed over the report he held in his magic. He lowered the report and looked at his colleges, "Radiation shouldn't interact with magic this way. And she's not even being exposed to anything now!" The information was infuriating him. There was no possible way that the report could be right. It had only been a day, and their data was limited, but it was pointing to something very specific, and something that would necessitate his expertise.

Doctor Manner winced and shifted his weight. "We've never had anypony exposed to the levels of radiation she was exposed to... Despite being in an underground room, she's still being exposed to low levels of background radiation regardless," he replied.

"We need more information before we can come to any conclusions about this," Doctor Taker said as he massaged his temple with a hoof. He was not going to do what was looking like was necessary unless it was absolutely necessary. He did not want to go down in history and be remembered as the doctor who rushed to conclusions with disastrous results.

"She won't last that long..." Doctor Manner replied as he looked at the floor. He hated having to be the one to voice what they all knew, but it was the truth that needed to be spoken. "She absorbed enough radiation to severely damage her DNA. She has internal bleeding, and her brain is bleeding." He looked around at everypony present, making sure they grasped the seriousness of the situation. "The fact she hasn't suffered any detectable neurological damage yet is a miracle. The fact her body is still healing itself is a miracle."

"But she is healing?" Celestia asked. She didn't want to even consider what it could mean if she wasn't healing. If she wasn't healing, she knew she wouldn't survive very long. She had ascended Twilight, she was practically her daughter. It hurt knowing what she was going through. It hurt knowing what they might have to take to save her. She wasn't sure if Twilight was willing to pay that price. Both thoughts caused her to shiver.

Doctor Manner nodded, "Yes, but it's at a reduced rate because of the genetic damage caused by the radiation, however, her body is also attempting to repair the genetic damage... to... limited success..." he trailed off, grimacing. Twilight was so young, especially in comparison to the other princesses. Even compared to him, in his fifties, she was young. She had her whole life ahead of her, but now she could have problems nopony should have to deal with. It was a sobering thought, one that reinforced the value of life.

"How bad... is it?" Rainbow Dash asked. She knew she wasn't that smart, but she knew what he said was bad. Very bad. She had some idea what genetic damage was, but only because she remembered Twilight mentioning it once before. She couldn't remember well, but she knew that genetic damage was bad.

Doctor Manner turned to face her. "We don't know a lot about alicorns, but her ability to heal herself is functioning at roughly eighty percent of what we measured last night. Even if by some miracle she survives, she will suffer permanent damage from this, even if her body manages to... completely heal itself on a physical level, there's still the genetic damage. We know of no way to repair genetic damage, and most of the time it's permanent, but she is an alicorn." He looked at Princess Celestia, "We don't know if alicorns are truly immortal, though you are very long-lived, but she isn't going to have as long of a lifespan now as she would have before..." Celestia's face contorted in pain at hearing that, as did the rest of her friends.

It hit Rainbow particularly hard, and she found her gaze drawn to the tile floor beneath her hooves. She never really thought about how long Twilight would be alive for after ascending into an alicorn. In hindsight, she felt stupid for not thinking about it. It made sense to her now why Twilight thought she was overreacting about Tank hibernating for the winter. Twilight would have to deal with something worse than her eventually. She swallowed at the thought.

The doctor looked among the mares and baby dragon present and looked at the floor. "I know this isn't what any of you wanted to hear but it's the truth."

The silence that hung in the air was deafening, broken only by somepony's hoofsteps as they approached the group. The sound of the hoofsteps slowed as they neared, and Celestia looked back to see who was bothering her. A smile crept onto her face as Luna approached, holding a scroll in her light blue magic. She turned around to give her sister her full attention, "Did you find something?" she asked. Almost immediately, everypony realized it was Princess Luna that was approaching and turned around to face her and then bowed respectfully.

Princess Luna's mane and tail were reminiscent of the night sky she was known for. Her mane and tail looked almost like nebulas, flowing away from the back of her head and body, and filled with specks of light. She was the princess of the night, and ponies knew it. Anypony who had ever touched her mane or tail would tell say it actually wasn't actually a nebula, but wouldn't be able to describe it. Luna glanced around at the bowing mares before she looked at her sister and bowed her head lightly. "Yes, sister. I believe I have indeed found the spell we are looking for." Celestia's smile widened. "It will require both of us to perform, it is a complex spell with multiple stages. It will not cure her, but it will help her body to recover."

Celestia quickly nodded joyfully. Not for the first time, her sister had brought her good news that restored her hope. She clung to that hope like a newborn foal clings to her mother. She wasn't going to let go of it. She couldn't, and not just for herself, but for Twilight and all of Equestria. "We should begin at once."

Luna bowed her head in agreement. She looked around at the hopeful expressions that each mare, dragon, and doctors carried. "I would ask that you all remain here while my sister and I perform the spell. It requires a very high level of concentration over a period of time." The ponies looked between themselves nervously but the general sentiment was agreement. Luna looked at them all one last time before turning around and leaving without saying another word. Celestia quickly left after her sister, and the pair made their way to Twilight's room.

"What now?" Starlight asked as she shifted her weight. She wanted to help. She knew she could help Princess Celestia and Princess Luna with whatever spell they were going to use, but they hadn't asked for her to help them. She had barely met with Princess Celestia during the day, and while she was polite, she didn't exactly look forward to having her as a student, she didn't say so but Starlight could tell from how she acted. She had met Princess Celestia before, and when she did, she liked her, and she was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. Maybe it was just that their personal meeting felt awkward and oppressed because of Twilight's condition.

"I guess we just wait..." Rarity trailed off. Though she had complete faith in the princesses, she still worried. It was her friend's life on the line after all.

"Ugh," Rainbow groaned, "I hate waiting..." Princess Luna saying she found a spell that could help Twilight made her feel better. Hearing that it wouldn't cure her outright brought back the worry she had from earlier. She hated what Twilight was going through. She couldn't imagine the pain she was in, nor did she want to. She didn't know how she felt about Twilight, but she knew how much it hurt her to see her in the state she was in. After a few minutes of dwelling on that thought, she made a promise to herself that she would at least help Twilight when she recovered. She wouldn't think about if she didn't recover.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna worked the spell Luna had found. It took a lot out of them, and after half an hour, they finished the first step, which left them exhausted. They silently agreed to take a break and come back in an hour to continue again. When they went back to the room everypony had been, it was now deserted, save for Rainbow Dash, Starlight, and Spike. The trio was asleep by now, being late into the night. Celestia and Luna didn't want to wake any of them and decided to go and grab a snack from the hospital cafeteria. They spent their hour break taking their time to eat and savor the subpar food. 'At least the cookies are good,' both of them thought. They still didn't quite match the cookies made by their own chefs, or Pinkie Pie's cookies, but they were good.

The hour passed quickly, and before they knew it they were walking back down the deserted hallways to Twilight's room. The next session took another half an hour, and before they were done with it, both of them were panting from exertion and the concentration required. They both knew the spell wasn't very efficient and that several significant improvements could be made so that a single unicorn could use the spell, but neither of them felt they had the time to rework the spell, especially given the circumstances. The food they ate had helped with keeping their energy up, but with as late into the night as it was, they were already tired from the day.

They spent the next hour resting in Twilight's room as the night waned on, and then they continued their spellwork. Much to their disappointment, neither of them could see any immediate indications that the spell was working, but they fought passed that and pushed on until the third session was done. During the next hour, several doctors stopped by to check in on all three of them to make sure they were doing okay. When the time came for Celestia and Luna to raise and lower the sun and moon, they were both exhausted from staying up all night and using their magic on Twilight. After staying with Twilight for a few more hours, the pair reluctantly departed and took a vacation day to recover from the exertion.

Twilight awoke the next morning feeling nauseous. She tried to lift her head to get a better look around the room, but even the thought of moving her head caused her world to spin. Reluctantly, she nudged her head so she could see if anypony was around. She was alone. She licked her lips and swallowed. She frowned as she realized how dry her mouth felt. She glanced at the table beside her bed and powered up her horn to grasp the bottle of water.

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong as she brought the cup of water over to her mouth and drank. She pushed the feeling aside as she set the cup back down. The longer she laid there, the worse her head felt, but her stomach might have started to feel better. She wasn't sure, the change was so minimal.

The morning droned on, doctors came in and checked on her, but she barely paid attention to them, her focus being directed on her growing headache, hoping that it would distract her from the isolation and fear she felt from none of her friends being with her. Eventually, a nurse brought in breakfast, which she completely ignored. Twilight lost herself in her thoughts as medicine kicked in.

"Ugh, it's been over a full day!" Rainbow groaned in distress. "Why can't we see her yet?" she practically yelled, drawing nervous looks from the two doctors conversing across the room.

"Patience, Rainbow Dash," Celestia said calmly. "She is doing... better..." her lips contorted into a grimace. Other than the grimace, she did her best to keep the concern she had to herself. She had talked with the doctors. She knew what had happened. She knew what they were going to recommend, or more accurately what they were going to do. She had agreed to it in Twilight's place. She felt guilty about it, but she wasn't going to sacrifice her life in the off chance that she would recover without the operation. Telling the rest of her friends was merely a formality. She still felt they were jumping to conclusions, though she had no better ideas.

Rainbow looked at Celestia disrespectfully. "If she's doing better, then why can't we see her?" she asked rhetorically. She folded her arms over her chest at Celestia's lack of response.

Rarity shifted her weight as she looked between the two mares. "While I hate to admit it, I agree with Rainbow Dash, even if her..." she paused, searching for the right word, "statement-" she said in a higher pitch than usual, "-was a bit... uncouth..."

Applejack slowly walked over to them, she paused a few feet away from Rainbow Dash. "What aren't you telling us, Princess?"

Princess Celestia pursed her lips before opening her mouth to respond, only for Rarity to cut her off. "Applejack! You can't just accuse the princess of lying!"

"I didn't say she was lying, just that she isn't telling us something," Applejack replied evenly.

"I'm afraid she is correct, Rarity," Celestia said calmly. Rarity's composure broke and she looked at the princess in shock. "I do know more than I am telling you, but..." she trailed off as the two doctors walked over to the group.

"It's a sensitive matter," Doctor Manner explained. All eyes fell on him. He looked around nervously and felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead. "She's... Well, she's doing better for the most part, but she has... slipped into a coma..." Everypony in the room who didn't know about Twilight being in a coma found their mouth dry. Rainbow Dash found her hooves on the floor without remembering landing, and she felt her heart pounding. "Internal bleeding is stabilizing, with the exception of her brain." He frowned and rubbed his chin with a hoof. "All data points to..." he trailed off. "We honestly have no idea," he said simply. "But, tests on her magic indicate something is wrong with her horn. It's also emitting low levels of radiation, that normally wouldn't be mentionable, but under the circumstances-"

"Her horn is killing her," Luna stated grimly.

The doctor nodded gravely. "If we don't remove the horn, I give her thirty-six hours, tops. We've already scheduled the operation for later today at the earliest possible appointment. It's possible we're already too late and she could die anyway, but we'll try our best."

"That... doesn't make sense..." Rarity said softly.

"No... It doesn't." Doctor Taker agreed. "But our knowledge about alicorns is very limited. Their ability to heal is unparalleled, as is their magic. Nopony has ever been exposed to as much radiation as Princess Twilight was, let alone another alicorn. This is all new to us, and we have a lot of data to go over."

"She'll never be able to do magic again?" Applejack asked solemnly.

Celestia shook her head, "No, there is a chance her horn could regrow, but I have no idea how long that would take. An alicorn has never lost their horn before. Many unicorns have lost their horns, but they have never regrown..." she looked away and grimaced, "with the exception of King Sombra..." she added under her breath. His name left a bitter taste in her mouth, and dread filled her mind. After a few seconds, she regained her composure and looked back at Twilight's friends, "She will still very much be an alicorn, and a princess. She may not have a horn, but she will still possess all the other traits of an alicorn."

"Most." Doctor Taker corrected, drawing Celestia's gaze. "Your accelerated healing is tied into your longevity, isn't it?" Celestia bit her lip but nodded, even if it was reluctant. "Her body is still healing itself, despite the genetic damage that should prevent it from healing itself. But, her healing is much slower. It... may affect her longevity..."

"Will it... recover?" Celestia asked tentatively. The thought of losing another friend, another student she wanted to elevate to her status struck a tender nerve in her heart that had not been struck for years. It left a bad taste in her mouth, one which she had tasted too many times before.

Doctor Taker bobbed his head. "I don't know. It's still far faster than a normal pony, and she hasn't eaten in a few days, so that could be contributing to it also."

Celestia's mind kicked into overdrive, planning Twilight's recovery, and planning countless redundancies in case something bad were to happen. It didn't change the fact that it rested on her surviving, however. She blinked when she realized she was looking at her golden shoes. She looked up and met the doctor's gaze, "How long will she need to recover after the operation before she can be released from the hospital?"

The doctor cautiously tilted his head away from Princess Celestia. He knew where that question was going, and he wasn't happy about it. "If I had my way, she'd stay in the hospital for a year, or at least until she regains her strength... But that's not going to happen, is it?"

Celestia shook her head. "I would like to have her moved to Canterlot so that my sister and myself can watch over her and take care of her," she said. She turned to Twilight's friends, all of whom were looking at her in disbelief, "You will be able to visit her whenever you wish, but I believe it would be best for her to stay in Canterlot to recover... Ponyville can be rather..." she trailed off, not sure what word to use to describe the town's chaotic history. "Busy," she finally said.

"How is she doing, doctor?" Celestia asked the second the door opened. She knew who it was without even looking.

Doctor Taker hesitated briefly before sliding into the room in with an expression of surprise plastered over his muzzle. Everypony in the room looked at him with hopeful expressions. He felt uncomfortable under the gaze of not one, but three princesses and a prince. He glanced at Flurry Heart and felt a twinge of a smile cross his lips. "She's doing well," he said after looking back at Princess Celestia. "The surgery was a complete success. It will be a couple hours before we will see any changes, but with any luck, the bleeding will stop sooner rather than later." His face scrunched up for what he said next, "We had to give her a transfusion mid-operation, but other than that, no complications." Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and felt her tense body relax for the first time that day.

Shining Armor squeezed his wife's hoof in a reassuring manner. He wasn't sure whether he was doing it for her sake or his own. Hearing what had happened to Twilight nearly sent him off the deep end. Fortunately, Cadance had been there when he found out. "When can we see her?" he asked.

"I don't know," Doctor Taker said simply. "She's recovering, but she's still unconscious. There's still the chance that we're too late, but I'm willing to bet she'll pull through."

Everypony breathed a sigh of relief at that.

"How do you think she'll react?" Rainbow asked.

Starlight paused, holding the book she was putting away with her magic still. She didn't want to answer that question. She couldn't imagine living as a unicorn without a horn, let alone being an alicorn without a horn. As much as she relied on magic, Twilight's special talent was magic. Her special talent was magic too, but Twilight was still on another level compared to her. She knew it would be hard for herself to adjust to not using magic. "I... don't know..." she said at length. She hesitantly turned around to face the pegasus, who was lying upside down with her back bent over the back of the couch, her rainbow mane fell to the cushion. Rainbow looked at her curiously, though she could tell the pegasus wasn't entirely there. "I... doubt she'll be happy..."

Rainbow was pained by hearing that. She knew that was the likely outcome, that Twilight would be upset. Starlight frowned in thought, "I... imagine it would be comparable to a pegasus losing their wings..." It was the only comparison she could think of that could do it justice.

Rainbow's face paled at that. She subconsciously wiggled her wings at her sides, making sure they were still there. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be a pegasus without wings, and her mind briefly wondered to Scootaloo. She felt pity for the filly, having her cutie mark but barely being able to fly, despite being a pegasus. She knew it was hard on her, despite her bravery. "She's going to have a hard time adjusting, isn't she?" Rainbow hesitantly asked.

Starlight nodded grimly. "At least she has ponies who care about her to help her..." She briefly thought back to her foalhood, though she knew it didn't compare to Twilight's situation. She pushed the thought aside with a shake of her head and she walked over to the couch and sat down. Rainbow looked at her quizzically as she slid into the couch and sat up in one graceful motion. Starlight looked at the book she was holding absently for a few seconds before taking a deep breath and setting it down on the table beside the couch.

"I want to help her," Rainbow said solemnly. Starlight slowly turned her head to look at her. "I don't know how I feel about her, but I don't like seeing her in pain..." Starlight solemnly nodded in agreement and looked away from her.

"I don't think I've ever asked..." Starlight trailed off as she looked back at Rainbow Dash, "How long have you all been friends?"

Rainbow leaned back into the couch, "About four years..." she answered. "It feels like a lifetime ago..."

Starlight tilted her head to the right, "In a way, it is..." she said under her breath. Starlight pushed the thought aside and smiled, "She'll be happy that you want to help her, even if you don't return her feelings..." Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably as Starlight trailed off. She had never been interested in another pony before on the level Starlight was talking about, ever.

"I do care about her..." Rainbow trailed off, not knowing what to add. "She's my friend, and... I... regret saying no to her..."

Starlight turned to look at Rainbow, who was pointedly avoiding her gaze. "I thought you said-"

"I don't know how I feel about her," she slowly answered. "But I know I shouldn't have said no. I can't help but feel like all of this could have been avoided if I just said yes, but..." Rainbow's ears fell to her head, and she looked at the floor.

Starlight sighed. "Rainbow Dash, Twilight doesn't want you to be there for her out of pity... She would want you to be there because you want to be there, not because you feel like you have to."

"I do want to be there for her, not because I feel like I have to. I just... I want to help her," Rainbow replied. "I want her to be happy... And I don't want her to die..." she trailed off softly.

Starlight grimaced. "She'll pull through... She has a habit of succeeding... Besides," she swallowed, "she's an alicorn."

Rainbow slowly looked to her, worry gripped her expression. "Is... is she, though? Without her horn, is she still-"

Starlight nodded quickly. "Yes. According to Princess Celestia, she is, and I believe her. She just... doesn't have a horn." She shifted her weight uncomfortably, her thoughts returning to what it would be like to lose her own horn and never be able to use magic again. Her own talent was magic, like Twilight's special talent, but Twilight's talent was far greater than her own. She had been as strong as Twilight, although Twilight recovered faster from their battle several months ago than she did. "It'll be hard for her, though..." She found her gaze drawn to the book resting on the table beside the couch. She looked at the book for a few seconds while they sat in silence.

The silence was broken by Rainbow Dash, "This is hard. Waiting like this... I don't like it. I hate waiting..." She swallowed and turned to Starlight Glimmer, hoping the unicorn would offer some incite she didn't know, "What am I supposed to do?"

Starlight turned to look at Rainbow and met her gaze. "Just be there for her. She'll appreciate it..." Rainbow nodded and smiled, even if it was only halfway.

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes until Princess Celestia walked into the library, carrying a cup of tea in her magic. The two mares stood from the couch, intending on bowing to her, but she raised a hoof stopping it. She smiled softly at them before making her way over to the nearest bookshelf. "Doing a little late night reading, Princess?" Starlight asked as Rainbow and herself sat back down.

Princess Celestia nodded, "Yes..." She tilted her head away from the bookshelf and sighed deeply, longing for what she could not have. "I am having difficulty falling asleep." She turned around and looked at Starlight and Rainbow. To her, both of them looked exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Her smile slowly faded into solemnness and worry. "It seems we all are..."

Rainbow shifted her weight as Princess Celestia's gaze fell on her. She quickly glanced at the clock but didn't read the time. It was the middle of the night, and that was all she needed to know. "I should go..." She slid off of the couch and stretched her wings out.

"I do not believe Twilight would have a problem with you staying at the castle for the night, Rainbow Dash," Celestia said in a calm voice. Rainbow looked at her uneasily, not quite sure what to think of her suggestion. On one hoof, she would rather stay just because she didn't feel like flying back to her own home. And on the other, it didn't feel right, spending the night in Twilight's castle without her there. Especially since Twilight was in a coma and they couldn't tell her she was going to stay the night.

Starlight slid off the couch and nodded in agreement. "She'd be more than happy to let you spend the night here..." Rainbow turned to Starlight and clenched her jaw shut. Starlight smiled softly and continued, "I can show you to one of the guest rooms. The castle has hundreds," she shivered. She didn't think she would ever be able to wrap her head around how the castle managed to look so small on the outside, but be so massive on the inside.

Rainbow Dash glanced at Princess Celestia before looking back at Starlight and hesitantly nodding. "I... guess..." It didn't feel right, but she knew Twilight would forgive her. She would have to talk to Twilight about it when she woke up.

"Twilight?"

Twilight sat at her desk, skimming through the pages of the open book before her. She didn't really read anything on either of the pages, she looked at the words but didn't read them. She flipped the page with her magic and set to work on reading the next two pages. She took a deep breath, letting the musky air of the library fill her nostrils, and sighed contentedly.

"Twilight Sparkle, can you hear me?"

She rested her head against her hoof and levitated the book away before replacing it with another book. She opened it to the middle and started skimming over the words, once again not really reading anything the book said. She squinted at the words and tried to read them, but eventually gave up. The harder she focused on reading them, the blurrier the words became and the less sense they made. She eventually settled back on skimming through the words and turning the pages with her magic.

She levitated the book away and replaced it with another one. She perked up immediately and almost salivated at the title, then she frowned. The book was important to her somehow. She recognized it, and she recognized the title, but she couldn't read it or make any sense of it. It was almost like the title was a word on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't find it.

"Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna said as she appeared from behind the corner of one of the massive bookshelves that stretched upwards into infinity. Luna glanced over the book titles uncomfortably before turning her gaze to Twilight, who was watching her patiently.

"Princess Luna," Twilight casually acknowledged her before turning back to the book that was sitting in front of her on the oak desk. She sat back in the cushioned chair, Luna thought the chair looked like a poor imitation of classical furniture if it had modern comforts.

Luna tentatively stepped out and walked over to Twilight, "It is good to see you, Twilight Sparkle..." she trailed off and bit her lip.

Twilight grunted in acknowledgment. She was preoccupied with the book before her. It was a captivating skim. Each word held her interest for fractions of a second before she moved onto the next. It reminded her of a puzzle, one that she had already solved many times before, and knew how to put it together without even looking at it. The only problem was that it wasn't the right puzzle. None of the words made sense to her. The more she focused on trying to read the words and make sense of them, the harder they were to read, and the less exact their meaning became.

Luna walked over to Twilight's side and looked over her shoulder at the book she was reading. She squinted her eyes and skimmed over the words. They made even less sense to her than they did to Twilight. She hesitantly looked away from the book and at Twilight as she turned a page with her magic. "I... we were worried about you, Twilight..." Luna trailed off.

Twilight sat back up and paused, holding her eyes on a single word on the page where she had stopped. She turned to face Luna and looked at her in confusion. "Worried about me?"

Luna cautiously nodded. "Yes... It's... been a while since..." she trailed off and reformed her line of thought, "It has been a while since I have been able to enter your mind."

Twilight frowned at her. She was sure Luna said something important, but it didn't make any sense. It was like the books she had been skimming over. If she just repeated the words in her mind, it made perfect sense, at least it did if she didn't think about it. If she stopped to think about what Luna had said, the words became less clear in their meaning and distorted. "Been a while since..?" Twilight repeated, still unable to wrap her mind around the meaning of Luna's words.

Princess Luna swallowed and nodded. Something felt wrong, and Twilight wasn't acting right. She pushed the feelings away, "Yes... I have been trying to reach you for a week... You've been in a coma for seven days, Twilight Sparkle... None of us could reach you, nor could I enter your mind..."

Twilight frowned. "Coma..?" she repeated. That didn't sound right. She knew what a coma was. Or at least she did until she thought about it. Her frown deepened, It didn't make sense, but it was clear as day. Luna said she was in a coma. At least she thought that's what Luna said. She was kind of hard to understand at times. Sometimes she would even slip into her archaic dialect. Then it was really hard to understand her. "Seven days?" Seven was a number. She frowned and squinted, deep in thought. She knew it was a number, and a day was a measure of time. Days was plural, more than one. Seven days was more than one day, but she wasn't sure how many. How long was a day? A day was important somehow.

Luna bit her lip and nodded, "Yes... You... are doing better physically... but... mentally you seem to be... not doing well."

Not doing well. The phrase was bad. She knew it was bad. Luna said she was not doing well. That was just silly of her, she was in her library reading. Well, skimming actually, but it was similar. Twilight frowned and looked away from Luna, down the center of her library. She squinted her eyes and her frown deepened. It didn't make sense. Her library was supposed to be infinite, never ending, holding all knowledge in the universe and every possible permutation of it. She swallowed, she could only see so far before darkness took hold of her library, overshadowing the light. That wasn't right.

Luna caught sight of Twilight's fear, and slowly looked up and followed Twilight's gaze until she was looking at what Twilight was looking at. She frowned. "Twilight..? What is it?"

"No..." Twilight said quietly and firmly. She stood from her chair and took her book in her magic and teleported it away. She could sort it later, she had more serious issues at hoof. She took off at a dead gallop towards the darkness, taking Princess Luna by surprise. The chair and desk were there one second and gone the next as Twilight passed through the area they previously occupied. Princess Luna powered up her horn with magic and took off in a run after her.

It took her what felt like an eternity to catch up to Twilight, when she finally caught up to her she ran beside her. Twilight barely spared her a glance, "We have to save them, Luna... We have to save them."

"Save... who?" Luna asked. She found her curiosity, fear, and worry all growing as they approached the menacing darkness. She had plenty of experience with dreams and nightmares. She had some experience with comatose ponies, though it was limited. This felt different somehow, it didn't feel like a coma. She couldn't quite place it, and it was confusing. The library was similar to the one she was in when chasing the Tantibus, but it was different. It was like Twilight knew, but at the same time, she didn't know. Or maybe she knew and didn't want to realize she was in a coma.

They both came to a stop in front of the wall of darkness. Neither of them could see anything passed it. Luna felt a tingling sensation run down her spine, in the back of her mind something felt off. "Twilight..."

Twilight ignored her and ran to the nearest bookshelf and started levitating all the books out of the racks and teleporting them away. Luna turned her attention to the darkness. She watched it cautiously for a few seconds before she realized it was moving, and growing closer to them. Inch by inch, the darkness slowly closed in on the bookshelf Twilight was attempting to save. Luna looked up to the ceiling, the bookshelf stretched on into infinity, and Twilight still hadn't saved a fourth of the books she could make out as individual books. She quickly looked back at Twilight, her tail was mere inches away from the darkness. "Twilight... we must go, now. You need to wake up."

Twilight looked back at Luna and held her ground firmly, "I'm not leaving them, Luna."

The darkness crept closer. Luna didn't want to know what would happen if it reached her. "Twilight... books can be replaced, you cannot be replaced..." She didn't know for a fact what would happen if Twilight or herself were consumed by that darkness, but she doubted it would be good. She was doing better physically, and she was continuing to heal, but she should have awoken from the coma already. She wasn't sure what the darkness was, but she worried it had something to do with Twilight still being in the coma.

"They can't be replaced, Luna!" Twilight shouted back on the verge of tears, watching in horror as the darkness encroached upon the edge of the bookshelf. She had to save them, even if the darkness reached her.

The darkness was an inch away from Twilight. Luna lit her horn and grabbed Twilight before pulling her away from the wall of darkness. "NO!" Twilight screamed as the darkness slowly consumed the remainder of the bookshelf, preventing her from seeing the spines of the books. It was torture for her to watch, and she averted her gaze, pained by the loss. Luna wrapped her arm around Twilight and squeezed her in a comforting manner as Twilight started to sob. "I couldn't save them..."

"Shh..." Luna comforted as she eyed down the darkness, glaring at it as if daring it to attempt to stand against her. "They can be... replaced..." She trailed off and watched curiously as one of the books fell to the floor, swirling around like a feather before gently touching the blue carpet. She frowned, the shade of blue looked familiar somehow, but she couldn't place it. She pushed it aside and picked the light pink book up thinking she might obtain a better understanding of why Twilight wanted to save the literature at the potential cost of her own life.

She trailed over the unreadable title and opened the book to the first page, and her breath caught in her throat. It was a picture book, like a foal's. The first picture on the first page was of Pinkie Pie and Ponyville. The second page was the same picture, she flipped the page and saw the same pictures again. She flipped through the pages and skimmed the images until she realized each image was slightly different from the last. She stopped on a page that had words written on it. She couldn't read them, but they seemed important. She flipped through the pages again, Pinkie Pie ran off, and Spike became the center of focus.

Luna squeezed Twilight tighter for a second before releasing her grasp on the crying alicorn. She gently put the book aside and levitated Twilight onto her back, then ran back to the center of the library. The further from the darkness she ran, the calmer Twilight grew. She slowed as she approached the desk, and Twilight hopped off her back and sat down again. A book appeared in front of her and she started reading again. "Twilight..." Something was wrong.

"Yes, Luna?" Twilight said without looking away from the book she was skimming over. She ignored Princess Luna for several seconds before the alicorn walked back beside her and put a hoof on her shoulder.

"You're in a coma, you need to wake up, Twilight."

Twilight turned and looked at her blankly, "Coma..?" she repeated.

Luna ignited her horn and extended her magic out to explore Twilight's mind. Twilight looked at her blankly for several seconds before she realized what she was doing. When she realized what she was doing, she jumped out of her chair, which immediately disappeared, followed closely behind by the desk, and she fell into a defensive posture, with her body nearly touching the ground. "What are you doing?" she spat at her. She reached out to the wall of darkness and examined it in her magic.

Luna found herself grimacing, Twilight was trying to force her out of her mind. "You... are not the real Twilight Sparkle. You are a diversion... which means..." her expression hardened and she turned around. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" she shouted in the royal Canterlot voice. The dreamscape shook visibly and distorted with the force, but it wouldn't cause her any harm. She stood still for several seconds, hoping Twilight would show herself to her, to no avail. "Why do you refuse to speak to me, Twilight?" she asked. No response. She turned around and looked at Twilight's mental defense. It appeared at least two-fold, to mislead and to distract her. To draw her away from her real self and buy time to push Luna out. Luna was pained at that realization, Twilight had been intentionally blocking her out for the past week, and she was trying to force her out even now.

Twilight's mental defense still made no attempt to fight her, though it looked ready to at a moment's notice. "Twilight, I do not wish to fight you, but if I have to break your mental defense to speak with you, then I will." Her mental defense remained where it was, unmoving for several seconds. "So be it," Luna said as she flared her wings out. She prepared to strike, but hesitated at Twilight's mental defense showed signs of relenting. After a few more seconds, her mental defense stood up and faded away.

"Luna," Twilight said calmly from behind her.

Luna depowered her horn and folded her wings as she turned around to face the real Twilight Sparkle or at least the real version of her in her mind. She sighed visibly at the sight, then her expression hardened. "Twilight... I am disappointed that you were preventing me from talking to you and that you tried to force me out of your mind."

Twilight's ears folded back and she sighed. "I..."

Luna took a deep breath and sighed. She walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her in a hug. "But, I am relieved that you are still here..."

Twilight tentatively wrapped one of her arms around Luna's neck. "Well... Yes, I'm here." Luna cautiously tilted her head away from Twilight. She shook her head. "I don't want to wake up," she said quietly.

"Twilight... It is unhealthy for you to remain... here." Luna looked around the library again before looking back at Twilight. "It is not real, Twilight," she said as she pulled away.

"I know that, but I also know what they did to me, Luna. I can feel it. It's wrong," Twilight said calmly.

Luna frowned at her. "How can you possibly know..?"

Twilight snorted emptily, "Former alicorn princess with a special talent for magic. Former bearer of the Element of Magic. Former talented unicorn," she ended abruptly. "I can feel it, even... here. It's... difficult to describe. It's just... gone."

"Twilight... I am sorry, but it was the only way to save your life."

Twilight shook her head. "I'm not... angry... just... upset. Disappointed too, maybe. Probably." She sighed. "I don't hate you, or whoever agreed to this in my place."

"That is good to hear, Twilight..." Luna trailed off. For several seconds, neither of them said anything. "When I first tried to communicate with you after your surgery... I could not enter your mind..." she trailed off. The knowledge that Twilight had been keeping her out of her mind left a bitter taste in her mouth. She shook the thought aside. "We were all so worried. Physically, you were recovering well, but... you just... weren't there. But now I know you were blocking me out... I have to admit, I did not believe you could do that, Twilight." Twilight smiled halfway, unsure as to whether Luna meant it as a compliment or what. She chose to take it as a compliment. "Talk to me, Twilight. What is wrong, why did you keep me our of your mind?"

"I'm not an alicorn now, Luna. I'm not even a unicorn. I can't do magic, and magic is my special talent. I'm practically the princess of magic..." she trailed off grimly. "Was..." she corrected. "Now? I'm... just half an alicorn... Two-thirds, I suppose... I don't want to wake up, I don't want to..."

"Twilight... You are still an alicorn, and you shouldn't even think for a second you're not one!" Luna said sharply before continuing in a softer tone, "When my sister ascended you, you joined our family, Twilight. You are as much an alicorn as myself or Celestia... We are worried about you, Twilight. My sister, myself, your brother, your sister-in-law, your niece, your friends..." She shook her head. "If you stay here, Twilight... What would your friends say if they know you chose to stay here?"

Twilight steeled her resolve and looked at her seriously, "Luna, when I walked into that room, I knew I was going to die. I accepted that, Luna."

Luna clenched her jaw. "Twilight... If my sister of myself had been here, you wouldn't be in this position now. We will have to live with that knowledge for the rest of our lives..." She leaned over to Twilight and wrapped her arms around her neck and wrapped her wings around her back. Twilight rested her head against her chest, and she felt wetness coming from her eyes. "Losing your horn is not all that is bothering you, I can tell."

After a few seconds, Twilight responded, "It's nothing, Luna. Just go. Leave me here, please."

Luna held her tighter, "Twilight, I know I'm not my sister, but you can talk to me about anything. We're family," she said tenderly, almost as if she was attempting to mimic Celestia's motherly tone. She didn't manage to pull it off quite right, but it came close.

Twilight took a deep breath and sighed. "I know... but I don't want to talk about it, Luna. It's not that I don't trust you, it's just... I don't want to talk about it... I want to stay here."

"Twilight, there are ponies waiting to see you! Would you want one of your friends, if they were in your position, to willingly stay in a coma?" Luna chided.

Twilight took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Luna..." She pulled away from Luna and met her gaze. "No. I wouldn't want that... and I don't want them to worry about me." She lifted a hoof to her eye and wiped away a stray tear.

"If you do not wish to talk about what is bothering you with me, please talk to somepony. Your friends are all waiting for you to wake up, and we're all worried."

"I won't be able to do magic, Luna. Magic is who I am, it's-"

Luna pulled back and looked at Twilight evenly. "I thought friendship was who you were, Twilight," she said evenly.

Twilight visibly recoiled at that. For a few seconds, she stood still with her jaw parted slightly. After she realized her jaw was open, she closed it, and a few seconds later, she closed her eyes and sighed. "I... suppose I've had a long enough vacation... I have... duties... to attend to..." she said absently, her heart wasn't in it at all. It wasn't that she didn't like her princess duties. For the most part, she loved them, some of them not as much as others. Now, she just wanted to be left alone so she didn't have to deal with anything or anypony. She knew she had to, though.

Luna grimaced. "You... do not need to worry about that, Twilight. Celestia... wishes you to come live with us in Canterlot while you recover. While there, you won't have to take care of anything, instead just focus on getting better."

Twilight opened her mouth and then closed it. After a few seconds, she shook her head, "Isn't that hypocritical? Telling me how my friends are waiting for me to wake up, only to later mention that you want me to leave them to recover?"

"It should only take a few months for you to recover, and then you can return to Ponyville..."

Twilight looked at Luna blankly. "A few months to recover," she repeated. "Luna, we both know my horn isn't going to grow back in a few months. Maybe in a few centuries..." she sighed and felt on the verge of tears just thinking about it. "You know, it took a lot of effort on my part to keep you out of my mind..." She snorted and shook her head. "Keeping you out of my mind without magic is hard... If I stay here, you'll just keep coming back, wont you?" Luna smiled and nodded. "Fine," Twilight said glumly, "I'll wake up. Just... please don't tell anypony that I..."

Luna nodded, "I will not speak a word of this, Twilight."

Princess Luna opened her eyes and found everypony looking at her expectantly. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before standing to her hooves. The ponies surrounding her respectfully took a step back as she stood to her full height. She was surprised they didn't shower her with questions the second she opened her eyes, and she was thankful they didn't. "She should be waking soon," she said. Almost immediately, it felt like a weight had been lifted from the room. The very air felt both fresher and lighter, the oppressive atmosphere having been banished by the words she spoke. "She knows what was taken from her." The oppressive atmosphere returned, many of the mares swallowed or shifted their weight on their hooves as they glanced about themselves.

At the sound of Twilight groaning and shifting her weight, the ponies surrounding Luna quickly and quietly made their way over to her. Twilight clenched her eyes shut and brought a hoof to her head. She rested her hoof on the soft bandage which now replaced her horn. She felt a sharp pain from the injury. She winced and quickly pulled her hoof away. She groaned and again and opened her eyes. She blinked several times before her eyes adjusted to the brightness. She was staring up at the same accursed white ceiling she had grown to hate. She pushed the feeling aside and pushed herself up. She immediately felt overcome by a feeling of dizziness. She stopped and closed her eyes again. She waited for a few seconds before opening her eyes.

"How do you feel?" Princess Celestia asked.

Twilight sighed and turned to look at her- and her friends. She smiled at the sight, Rainbow Dash stood beside Starlight and Spike, all three of them, like the rest of her friends, were happy she was awake. She turned to face Princess Celestia. She scrutinized her, looking over her features. She could see happiness and joy, but she could also see worry and guilt. Her mane and tail were flowing, almost normally, and her coat seemed to shine with the same overwhelming white purity it had before the incident, but her eyes still looked dull and haunted. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. She sighed and laid her head back down.

"Twilight?" Shining Armor said. Twilight was surprised to hear his voice, and she turned towards the source. She smiled, seeing her big brother. His blue mane with light blue highlight looked disarrayed, and he looked like he had seen better days. Cadance, her sister-in-law stood beside him, only half a head taller than him, but still taller than him. Her mane was in a better shape than his, but her attention was quickly drawn to the sleeping baby alicorn she held in her magic. The light pink foal was curled up, almost in a ball, with her wings wrapped around her hooves. "Do you feel alright?"

Twilight was both surprised and pleased that that was only the second time she had been asked that since she woke up. She made a note to thank her friends later because she was sure she would have a headache if they hammered her with questions so soon. "I'm... still here..." she said tentatively. She was surprised by the roughness in her own voice. She turned to the table beside her bed and reached out with her magic to levitate the glass of water over to her. Nothing happened. It took what felt like as much effort as it had taken to keep Luna out of her mind to force herself not to break down. She methodically looked away from the glass of water and swallowed, hoping to maintain some appearance of being okay. Fortunately for her, nopony seemed to notice, or if they did they didn't say anything.

Silence reigned for several seconds before the door opened to reveal Doctor Manner walking in, followed by Princess Luna who had slipped out unnoticed. The doctor smiled at her, seeing she was awake. "Good afternoon, Princess," he chirped as he made his way over to her. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor stepped out of his way as he approached on their side of the bed. Twilight followed his approach with her eyes until he stopped beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like Lord Tirek stole my magic again," she replied dryly. It wasn't the perfect description of it, but it was the closest thing she could think of off the top of her head. Unlike when Lord Tirek stole her magic, she still had it, she just couldn't use it. She wasn't sure which was worse.

Doctor Manner lost his smile at that for a few seconds before he recovered. "Right well... it is to be... expected..." He reached out with a hoof and felt Twilight's forehead. She winced at the contact but said nothing. After a few seconds he pulled his hoof away and pulled the bedsheet up from her body with his magic and rested his hoof over her heart. He held his hoof over her heart for fifteen seconds before pulling it back and scrutinizing her body. She looked a little paler than when she first was brought in, but other than that she looked normal on the outside. He levitated a flashlight out and checked her pupils' dilation. She winced and blinked away the temporary blindness. "Sorry..." he apologized. "Are you in any pain?"

"A little," she replied evenly.

"I can get you something for it if you would like," Doctor Manner courteously replied.

"No, thank you," Twilight answered.

"Alright..." Doctor Manner trailed off. "So good news and bad news, which do you want to hear first?"

Twilight mulled it over for several seconds. The obvious choice was good news, but then the bad news would probably make her break down. If it was bad news first, she would break down and then see hope from the good news. Unless the only good news was that she was still alive. Neither option sounded very good to her. She licked her lips as her stomach churned. It still didn't feel right, but the queasiness wasn't as bad as it had been. "Can this wait until after I eat something?"

"O-oh yes, of course, Princess. I'll... I'll get right on that," Doctor Manner replied before he turned around and walked out of the room.

Twilight pressed her head into the pillow and groaned as she laid her arm over her eyes in an attempt to block out the bright white light. She felt a pair of hooves wrap around her. When she removed her arm from over her eyes she saw Fluttershy holding onto her, silently crying. A few seconds later, Pinkie Pie joined her. The rest of her friends joined in on the group hug shortly after. Twilight didn't know how to react. It took her a few seconds to recover. When she recovered, she felt tears forming in the corners of her eyes and her vision started to blur. She happily returned the gesture as best she could, and they each tightened their grip on her. "Girls..." she choked out.

Luna calmly walked over to her sister who kept her distance from the group hug. Twilight's friends deserved it, and so did Twilight. "She will be alright, 'tia." The corner of Celestia's mouth turned upwards into a smile hearing her sister call her that name. It had been too long since she had heard it, far too long. "But perhaps she should stay here with her friends instead of coming to Canterlot with us."

Celestia felt her smile waver for a second before failing. She turned and met her sister's gaze. She could see what went unspoken in her eyes. She reluctantly nodded, but her sister was right. While taking her to Canterlot she would be closer to them and she would likely recover sooner, she wouldn't be as happy as she would if she stayed in Ponyville.

For several minutes the group of mares and baby dragon just held each other in the group hug until the doctor returned, followed by a nurse and a plate of food. Twilight's friends pulled back to give the nurse room to set the plate down on a table which slid over the bed. She closed her eyes and wiped the tears away with her hooves before turning her attention to the food. Sure it was hospital food, but when you hadn't eaten in a week hospital food looked pretty good in its own right.

She instinctually reached out with her magic to grasp the utensils before exhaling in defeat. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them and pushing herself into a sitting position. Thankfully, her head didn't immediately hurt. She slowly looked from the plate to her right wing before extending it out and tentatively grasping the fork between two of her feathers. Unlike pegasi wings, alicorn wings weren't designed for such use. They were too full in comparison to a pegasus's wings. It went about as well as she expected. It didn't help that she had no experience using her wings for picking up silverware. She reluctantly returned her wing to her side and mulled over her predicament while fighting a losing battle to keep herself from crying again.

Cadance and Shining Armor shared a pained look before Cadance levitated the fork from the bed and stabbed a cut peach with the fork and then levitated it over to Twilight's mouth. Twilight dejectedly eyed the fork and clenched her jaw. For a few seconds, she just stared at it.

The day was long and exhausting, both physically and emotionally for Twilight and her friends. She was happy to see her friends and they were glad that she was awake. She was both glad and distraught when it was time for everypony to leave for the night. Unlike before, this time, her doctors insisted nopony stay with her. She didn't have the strength to protest. Fortunately for her, her brother did.

"We would have been here sooner, but..." Shining Armor trailed off with a shiver. Bad timing, pure and simple. If the accident had occurred a week before or a week later, he would have been able to see her before the coma, even if he couldn't have done anything.

"It's not your fault," Twilight replied in an attempt to cheer him up. Flurry Heart shifted her weight beside Twilight, eliciting a smile from both of them as she snuggled closer to her aunt. Twilight gently draped a wing over her niece, who wrapped her arms around the edge of her wing like it was a blanket.

Shining Armor smiled watching his daughter and sister. Twilight was lying on her side, her head resting on a pillow and her hoof, watching Flurry contently. "You're a natural," he commented. Twilight swallowed and bit her lip. He didn't know what she knew. She forgave him for it, but it still hurt.

Her discomfort was short lived. Soon, Her sister-in-law returned. Her brother stood up as she approached them. She looked at Twilight curiously. As the sight of Flurry Heart wrapped in Twilight's wing entered her vision, she cooed and smiled of the deep, genuine love that a mother had for their foal. Twilight felt a pang of sadness and regret but forced it away. "She's sleeping," Shining Armor said softly.

Cadance walked over to her husband and levitated a chair over and sat down beside him. "You know I gave her to you to watch, right? Not to pawn her off on your sister?"

Shining laughed sheepishly, "And... deny her the opportunity to spend time with her niece?" he asked back. Cadance tilted her head and gave him a knowing look.

"Well, I'm happy to hold her," Twilight said softly as she watched the foal sleep. Flurry Heart unconsciously nuzzled her, causing her to smile again and making her forget about her problems. Twilight grasped at the covers with her magic, only to fail. She reached with her hoof and pulled them up around herself a little more. Doing things with her hooves or wings was so imprecise compared to with magic. She didn't know how earth ponies or pegasi did it.

She also didn't think adapting to it would be as hard as it had been, but it had only been a day. She still had the instinct to do everything with her now inaccessible magic. She could still feel the magic inside herself, but she couldn't feel the connection that she could use to channel it. It was torturous. Each time she tried to do something, she was painfully reminded of her missing horn.

"Twilight? You doing okay? You kind of spaced out there," Shining said.

Twilight blinked and forced a smile, "Yes..." she lied. "Just... thinking."

"Well..." Shining paused. "We'll... we'll find out who did this. Don't worry, Twilight..." he trailed off.

"Knowing you, you won't stop until whoever did this is locked away in the deepest dungeon in Equestria... Or maybe the Crystal Empire?" Cadance said. She shook her head and sighed, "Now's not the time to talk about that, though... I think you should take Flurry so Twilight can get some rest."

Shining laughed nervously as he stood up and approached the bed, still watching Cadance look at him. Twilight held Flurry Heart tighter for a second before she reluctantly drew her wing away from her niece. Flurry's muzzle scrunched up when her wing left, but she didn't wake up. Shining hesitated for a moment to just watch his daughter and sister before he smiled and picked Flurry up in his magic and walked back over to Cadance and sat down.

Author's Notes:

When I set out to write this chapter, it wasn't intended to be emotionally intense or heavy. It's emotionally intense or heavy. Heh.

Wait... maybe it was... The original original chapter 1 (Chapter 0 using %i% format) was... a little more... okay, a lot more depressing than this. Kind of. I think. Probably, depending on how you look at it. Twilight was in a lot more pain, and... And I think this chapter turned out better.

But yeah. I'm not sure if I'll continue with making this story heavy emotion wise. If you consider it heavy emotion wise. Yes, the original plan involved her having to have that surgery. So I guess it was intended to be heavy. But I don't know that I want to write something that's constantly depressing.

I put a lot of work into Twilight's coma/insider her mind scene. I think it was worth it. I almost, almost, wrote the scene in this chapter for her getting out of the hospital. Almost. And I would have, too, but I think chapter 1 sitting at fifteen thousand words is long enough for the first chapter. I don't want to set... too... high expectations for chapter lengths... Who knows, maybe in a few months I'll look back on this and scratch my head at how I have a bunch of chapters that are all ~15k words long. Or maybe there will be a bunch of smaller chapters that come out "quicker". Depends on how motivated I am and how busy I am I guess.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I hope you enjoy the chapters that will come (barring any freak accidents or events I have no control over).

Chapter 2

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Twilight watched Celestia and Luna as they spoke. They were talking to each other in hushed voices. They stood in the corner with their backs to her. From what she could tell, they didn't want her to overhear them, but she found it strange since they could have simply stepped outside to speak privately. She wasn't paying attention to what they said, despite the words carrying to her. They went in one ear and out the other.

Their conversation was drawing to a close. She sighed and tilted her head further to the side so that she could look out of the lone window. The bright morning light streaming through it made her feel better. Being stuck in an underground room for over a week wasn't good for one's health, mental, physical, or emotional. She glanced at Princess Celestia as she walked over to her, she looked as beautiful as ever. It was almost as if just seeing Twilight awake and healing was enough to completely restore Princess Celestia's sheen. Her coat was as white as ever, and her mane almost sparkled like Luna's. Maybe it was the way the morning sunlight hit her coat. She wasn't sure.

Princess Celestia smiled brightly at her, "Good morning, Twilight," she said in her sweet motherly tone she was known for.

Twilight decided that they hadn't realized she was awake when they were talking. When she had awoken, they were in the corner, talking. It explained why they had their backs to her and were talking quietly, but still in the room. "Good morning, Celestia, Luna," she replied.

Luna strode over to them. She looked weary. Tired, even. Her mesmerizing mane and tail slowly flowed in an unseen wind, almost like they were fluids, but it looked a little slower than normal. Twilight felt like she should know why, but the reason eluded her. "It is good to see you are well, Twilight Sparkle."

"Well..." Twilight started. She paused to take stock of how she felt. It was nice, not feeling like she would vomit if she ate something. She was still nauseous, but it was tolerable. Her headache, for the most part, was just a dull throb in the back of her mind. Two days of actually being able to eat solid food did wonders for her condition, or so the doctors said. If she were honest with herself, she would agree, at least physically. She could even feel her magic getting stronger. Twilight sighed. It was definitely worse than when Lord Tirek stole her magic. Back then, she couldn't even feel her magic, so she didn't instinctually try to use it. She could still feel her magic now, and it was stronger than ever. She just couldn't use it.

It was torture.

And then there was the loneliness. Two days since she had awoken, her friends had been with her for a few hours, but most of the time was spent alone. She knew it was her own fault for not asking them to stay, but how could she? They had their own lives to take care of. Rarity had to manage her stores, Applejack had her farm, Pinkie Pie had her job at the bakery and unofficial job making sure Ponyville was happy, and Fluttershy had to take care of her animals. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had to deal with running Equestria and handling the political fallout of what happened, Princess Cadance and her brother had to manage the Crystal empire, her student and Spike had to take care of the castle and other things she would have if she wasn't in the hospital. Rainbow Dash was a Wonderbolt and still helped out with Ponyville's weather.

Celestia and Luna exchanged a worried look. "Twilight?"

Twilight blinked and looked up at her. She swallowed to compose herself before speaking. "Yes?" she asked simply. She blinked again. "Sorry... Just thinking."

Celestia bit her lip and sighed. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off when the door opened. She turned to regard whoever entered. It was a Royal Guard. He looked around uncomfortably before bowing. Celestia looked at Luna, who nodded at her before walking over to the guard and exiting the room. The door silently shut behind her. Celestia stood in silence for a few seconds before walking around closer to Twilight and sitting down on her haunches. "I am sorry, Twilight. I know you didn't want this... I did not want to lose you."

Twilight met her gaze evenly, "Princess, I already told you, it's fine. I don't hate you. I know you did it to save my life..." She sat up, supporting herself with one of her arms and turned to face Princess Celestia. Celestia bit her lip but made no move to stop her. Twilight tentatively removed her hoof from the bed and rested it against her forehead. It still hurt the same as before when she touched the bandage.

Twilight moved to slid out of the bed, "Twilight..." Celestia said in a slightly warning voice. She slowly stood up and took a step back, giving Twilight room despite wanting her to stay put.

Twilight ignored her and slid off the bed. She felt dizzy from standing up, and she spread her wings out to help balance herself. She clenched her eyes closed as her stomach became queasy from the movement. After a few seconds, it settled. She tentatively stepped forwards. It took more effort to stay upright than she would have admitted. She stood there for a few minutes before slowly walking over to the window and looking outside. Celestia moved beside her to join her.

Twilight sighed. It was a beautiful day outside, the day hadn't even really begun, and already she was bored of being stuck in the hospital. A few minutes passed, both of them just stood there, watching the day as it slowly passed, until Princess Luna returned to the room after conversing with the Royal Guard for several minutes. Celestia and Luna regarded each other evenly for a few seconds before Luna walked over to join them. A few more minutes passed, and Twilight found herself leaning on Celestia to support her weight. Eventually, Twilight pulled away and turned to walk back to bed. She wobbled slightly. Celestia wrapped a wing around her and escorted her back to her bed, then helped her back in it. Twilight laid her head down with a sigh.

She thought that since she had slept for over a week, being in a coma, she wouldn't feel the need to sleep as much afterward. She was wrong. Eventually, the call of sleep became too strong for her to resist in her weakened state, and she lost consciousness. Princess Celestia and Luna watched her sleep for several minutes before the former left, leaving Princess Luna to watch over her in her sleep.

Twilight jerked awake, her eyes darted around the room, and her breathing was quick, shallow breathes. It was dark. A quick glance out the window told her it was night, and the lights were off inside her room. She tentatively forced herself up into a sitting position and rested a hoof against her temple, massaging it gently. She forced herself to take a deep breath and she held it for several seconds before slowly exhaling. She turned to the table beside her bed and reached out with her magic levitate the glass of water over to herself.

She gritted her teeth as she was reminded of what was taken from her. She shifted her weight and slid across her bed until she managed to reach out with her hooves and grasp the cup of water. She carefully lifted it from the table and brought it over to herself. She sat up and brought the straw to her lips to drink from. As soon as she had her fill, she put the cup back and sat still in the darkness for what felt like an eternity before she shifted her weight and looked around the dark room once more. The door was shut, and the window was, unsurprisingly, closed.

The room felt cold and stuffy, and while her body was warm beneath the bedsheets, it was uncomfortable. A quick check told her that nopony else was present. She was alone. She sighed and rubbed her temple harder. After a few seconds, she tentatively touched her hoof to the bandage replacing her horn. She winced. She suspected it would always be a sensitive spot for the rest of her life, however long that was. She looked around the room again, then slid out of the bed and stood on shaky hooves.

She walked over to the window and propped herself against the wall to help support herself. Looking out over the town during the night, it looked absolutely beautiful. The view still didn't compare to the view from her own castle, but it was pleasant. She looked at the sky, the dark blues and purples broke only by the moon and the countless millions of stars. Each one, a jewel adorning the beautiful night sky. She looked towards the ground, the soft moonlight cast everything in a pale light. Just looking at it made her drowsy again, and she felt relaxed. It would have been a lovely night for a stroll or a flight. She looked back towards the sky, not a single cloud was in sight. She couldn't remember the weather schedule, but it was probably supposed to be this clear. It was a perfect night for stargazing too. There were so many things she would have loved to be doing, and she was stuck in a hospital room, wasting away while she 'recovered' from the 'accident.'

It would have been a nice night to spend with Rainbow Dash. The thought turned bitter in her throat, and she swallowed before forcing back tears. Rainbow Dash didn't hate her, but she didn't return her feelings. As much as she told herself that would be what happened, it still didn't prepare her for rejection, and it hurt. She had always hoped to be wrong when it came to that, but at least she didn't ruin their friendship. She didn't know what she would have done if she had. No, actually she did know what she did because of thinking she ruined their friendship. She clenched her eyes shut and focused on her breathing.

She stood against the wall for a few more minutes before cautiously walking into the bathroom. She instinctually tried to turn on the light and close the door with her magic. She exhaled sharply and bucked the door closed. Her leg hurt from the effort, but it served to take her mind off of other pain. She turned to the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her mane had been cut shorter. It still looked like her mane, but it'd be a few weeks before it was back to the length she liked. Most of her attention was drawn to the white bandage which replaced her horn.

She stepped forward and rested against the sink before lifting a hoof to nudge the bandage. As expected, it hurt, and she winced. She withdrew her hoof and trailed along the medical tape which wrapped under her ears and connected behind her head. The back of her mane was still like it should have been, much to her pleasure. The tape wouldn't hurt when it was removed, and she looked forwards to it being gone. It'd still be a while before it was gone. Her accelerated healing was getting back to a more normal rate for her, but where her horn had been was taking a while to heal.

She reached out with her hoof and turned the cold water faucet on to its highest setting, then picked up a washcloth with her wing and wetted it before closing her eyes and throwing it over her muzzle, letting the cold cloth cool her already chilly fur even further. After a few seconds, water ran down her muzzle, then her neck, and down her chest. She ignored it and turned off the water, then dropped the cloth to the floor. She wiped the water from her face with her other wing and flapped both of them to get the water off of them. She turned to the door and opened it then slowly made her way back over to the window. It felt like the air had more bite to it because of her wet fur, but she ignored it.

She spread her wings and looked at them in turn before looking back out the window and letting them fall to her sides. She shook her head and walked back to her bed and slid under the covers. She laid her head down on the pillow and pulled the covers tight around her neck to trap in heat. She stared at the ceiling until she eventually fell back to sleep.

Twilight groaned as she woke up. She blinked several times to clear her vision and then stretched out her body before relaxing it. After a few seconds, she turned to look out the window and frowned. It was the middle of the day. Normally, she had a lot of things to do or occupy her time with. Now that she didn't, it was boring, and getting on her nerves. She didn't have anything to occupy her time with. She looked back at the ceiling and scowled. It felt like the white ceiling was mocking her for being stuck under it.

She had the power, not magically, but authoritatively, to fix that. A simple royal decree and the ceiling wouldn't be white. Though the fumes would probably get to her if she stayed in the room while they painted it, and that wouldn't be good. She grunted and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She gave the ceiling one last stern glare before deciding to have mercy on it. It would have been a waste of her time to issue such a decree.

Then again, she didn't really have anything better to do.

She massaged her temples with her hooves and forced the rogue thought away. She looked towards the door, it was cracked open slightly, but for the most part closed. A quick glance around the room confirmed that she was once more, unsurprisingly, alone. She was growing acquainted to being alone, though, and she didn't blame anypony for it. For one, it would supposedly help her recover faster. Resting, not having to deal with other ponies. Her friends still came by in the evening, and she relished that time, but during the afternoon or morning, she was generally alone since Celestia and Luna had to go back to Canterlot, and her brother, sister-in-law, and neice had to go back to the Crystal Empire. They had all apologized profusely, but she waved it off. They had more important things to take care of, after all, it wasn't like she was dying now.

She shook the thought away and looked at her body. She wasn't exactly a mess, but she wasn't exactly well groomed either. She extended her right wing out and looked it over. In particular, it looked worse than the rest of her body. That probably had something to do with it being close to two weeks since she last preened. She folded her wing back to her side and groaned, "So bored..." She sat in silence for several minutes, just thinking, before finally sliding her body out of bed.

She was a little too eager to get out of bed and found herself sprawled out on the floor. She would have sworn she saw specks of white light darting around in her vision, but when she blinked they were gone. She laid on the floor for a few seconds while the new pains set in, then tentatively pushed her body into a standing position. She must have fallen hard on her left arm, because she found herself half-limping over to the window, wincing each time she put her weight on her injured arm. When she reached the window, she rested some of her weight against the wall to make it easier for her to stand up.

She was supposed to be stronger than that. She was an alicorn, she was supposed to be strong. She was strong before, though granted, Applejack was still stronger than her because she wasn't very physically active. The radiation hadn't just robbed her horn and magic from her, it even robbed her strength. 'So now I'm just a pegasus,' she shook her head at the thought and mulled it over. There wasn't anything wrong with being a pegasus, but she had been born a unicorn, then ascended into an alicorn. She had her magic her entire life, being born a unicorn. When she ascended into an alicorn, her magic grew even stronger. And now that she was a pegasus, she couldn't use magic. She deserved an award of some kind. 'Most transformations into other kinds of ponies in three years' sounded about right. She smiled a little at the thought.

Eventually, she found herself zoning out as she watched the day go by. After a while, the door opened. She tilted her head back to see who it was. "Doctor Manner," she casually acknowledged.

Doctor Manner pursed his lips at seeing Twilight out of her bed. For a few seconds, he just stood in the doorway. "Princess... You should be in bed, resting," he said softly. She could hear concern and pity in his voice.

Twilight turned her head to face him. She wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. After a few seconds, she relented and pushed away from the wall and walked back to her bed. Doctor Manner walked over to her intending to her her back into the bed, but Twilight managed to pull herself back onto the bed and laid down before he reached her.

Doctor Manner stopped beside the bed, "I'll have one of the nurses bring you lunch in a few minutes... Anything, in particular, you'd like?" he asked as he laid a hoof over Twilight's heart. Each time it beat, he made note of it and how it felt.

Twilight mulled it over. Her appetite was still recovering, though she was eating like normal. It just didn't taste as good as before. Then again, it was hospital food, so maybe that was why it didn't taste as good. "Not really," she answered.

Doctor Manner nodded and withdrew his hoof away from Twilight's heart. He ran it down her stomach and pressed, earning an uncomfortable grunt from Twilight. He levitated a clipboard from one of his white coat's pockets, along with a pen, and quickly scribbled a note down. "Still hurts?"

"Yes..." Twilight hissed.

"Sorry," Doctor Manner apologized as he let up on the pressure. He ran his hoof to the other side of her abdomen and pressed, "What about this?"

"No," Twilight answered.

The doctor nodded, mostly to himself, and pulled his hoof back and pressed on her side closest to him, "This?"

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds. It was a little uncomfortable, but she wouldn't say it actually hurt. "Maybe a little," she tentatively replied.

Doctor Manner scribbled another note down. After he finished, he ran his hoof along Twilight's side, pressing against her at what seemed like random intervals. He paid close attention to her facial expression each time he pressed, noting any reactions or lack or reactions. "You seem to be healing nicely if that wasn't that painful," he commented. He slid his hoof over her chest and started pressing at random spots, watching her reaction. It was mostly even, and it never really looked like she was in pain, just uncomfortable at times. He levitated a stethoscope over to her and pressed it against her right lung, "Deep breath," he ordered.

Twilight did as instructed and took a deep breath. "Good," he said, "exhale." Twilight exhaled and Doctor Manner listened intently to her lungs as the air passed out of it, then he slid the stethoscope to the other side of her chest, "Deep breath." Twilight once more inhaled deeply, letting the doctor listen to her breathing. "Exhale," he said. "Breath normally."

After a few seconds, he levitated the stethoscope away. "Your lungs seem to be fine now," he said with a smile.

Twilight was glad to hear her lungs were fine. Coughing up blood wasn't very fun. She tilted her head towards Doctor Manner and watched him for a few seconds. "So when do I get released?" she asked.

Doctor Manner smiled sadly, "Sorry, Princess. It'll be a while."

Twilight sighed, then winced as Doctor Manner lightly touched the bandage. He grimaced at her reaction. After a few seconds to think, he turned his head towards the door and shut it, then looked back at Twilight and gently undid the tape around it, pulled back her mane and levitated the bandage away from her forehead. He squinted at it and rubbed his chin with a hoof. After a few seconds, he pressed it back down on Twilight's head and held it there with his magic, then pulled out another bandage. "Your friend Rainbow Dash came by last night after you fell asleep," he said as he levitated the bandage off of her head and opened the plastic bag holding the fresh one. He quickly pulled the medical tape off of her and pulled out a clean roll, then levitated the old bandage into the plastic bag and set it aside. "Are you two very close?" he asked while placing the fresh bandage over where her horn once was.

Twilight winced briefly from the contact before numbness set in. "I... don't know. Sort of..." she answered while Doctor Manner wrapped the medical tape around her head to hold the bandage to her.

"She seemed disappointed that you were asleep," he said as he walked over to the trashcan and dropped the plastic bag along with old medical tape into it. He walked back over to her, Twilight gave him a wry expression. Doctor Manner smiled sadly as he pulled out a syringe, Twilight eyed the needle. "Sorry about this," he said as he came to a stop beside her bed. He levitated out a sterile cleaning pad and sterilized a spot on Twilight's arm. "I know it's not really any of my business, but she was wearing your regalia that first day after..." he trailed off as he stuck the needle into her arm. Twilight winced at the sharp pain as he injected the medicine. She could feel the cold fluid being forced into her arm, and it made her queasy. When he finished, the pain was replaced with a dull tingling sensation, and then he pulled the needle out with his magic. "After you two... slept together..." he said tentatively. He levitated a small bandage over to Twilight and held it against her arm where the needle went in.

Twilight sighed longingly, "I did sleep well that night," she mused. She shook her head, "I asked her out on a date a few hours before the reactor..." Doctor Manner grimaced. "She said no, which... really wasn't surprising... Disappointing yes, but..."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Doctor Manner said while disposing of the empty syringe.

Twilight bobbed her head, "I knew she would say no, but... I just needed to ask her." She thought back to that morning, then the previous night. "If... I had not recovered, I wanted her to have it..."

"Your regalia means a lot to you, doesn't it?" the doctor asked.

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds, "I... guess it does. I know it's just jewelry, but... It's special. It's almost a part of me..." she trailed off.

Doctor Manner pulled the cloth away from her arm and scrutinized it for any sign of bleeding. No signs were forthcoming. "Well... you don't need to worry about any of this leaving this room or hospital... I just felt like I should say so."

"Thank you," Twilight replied.

"You know, I think you're doing well enough that we could let a friend or two spend the night... in your room... with you, if you wanted," Doctor Manner replied.

Twilight smiled wryly, "They're probably all busy anyway."

Doctor Manner sighed at that. "Surely it couldn't hurt to ask? They might be busy, but you never know. They are your friends." He shook his head sadly, then took Twilight's wing in his magic and examined her feathers for any signs of damage. He carefully ran over each feather in his magic, then moved on to the next, until he went over each feather. "Well, your feathers look fine... Any pain while I was doing that?"

Twilight shook her head, "No."

"Good," he replied. He once more scrutinized her wings and feathers. "It does look like you could stand to preen your wings, but other than that, they seem healthy." Twilight grimaced as he walked around to the other side of the bed and repeated the process with her other wing. Doctor Manner nodded to himself, "Well, despite being exposed to that much radiation, you're one of the healthiest pegasi I've ever seen," he said with a smile. Twilight smiled back at him. "Alright, well... Anything else you need?" Twilight shook her head. Doctor Manner nodded and turned to leave, "I'll have the nurse bring you something to eat... It should be here in a few minutes. I hope you have a nice day, Princess," he said with a smile as he opened the door and then walked out of the room.

True to his word, a few minutes later a nurse brought in food for her to eat. As usual, the nurse stayed to help her eat it. Or, more accurately, to feed her. It still felt demeaning, but she wasn't going to complain, she didn't feel like making a fool of herself again. At least not until she was home with Spike and Starlight and with nopony else around.

She would be a burden to them when she was released, more than before. She didn't really know how to take care of herself without her magic. It was a frightening and overwhelming thought.

Princess Celestia groaned and lifted a hoof to her temple, then firmly massaged it. It came as no surprise that ever since the accident with the reactor, which clearly wasn't an accident, there had been a backlash against all things nuclear. She opened her eyes and re-read the paper. It was the tenth complaint about reactors she had seen that day. One isolated case of sabotage, and suddenly everypony wants every reactor in Equestria shut down. Not that they actually knew it was sabotaged. She wasn't going to let that information escape, nor was she going to let whoever was responsible escape. She could understand their concern, but it was ludicrous.

She reached out with her magic and grasped the bottle of wine and wine glass sitting on her nightstand in her bedchambers, then levitated it all the way through the room and into her study, then over to herself and poured a generous quantity of the liquid into the glass. She tilted the glass around briefly while contemplating what to do. The wine was good, a replica of some of the finest wine from before her sister descended into madness. A perfect replica, if she were to be asked, but of course, she was the one who replicated it, so pride might have influenced her reply. It even tasted a thousand years old. She sighed, then levitated the glass to her mouth and took a quick drink, letting a small quantity of the liquid flow through her lips and caress her tongue. She levitated the glass down and then swallowed. The taste it left in her mouth was nostalgic, bringing back memories, some good, and others she would rather forget.

She forced the thoughts away and teleported the paper into the sun. If anyone asked her, she would say she misplaced it. They were getting on her nerves, using her valuable time she could have been using in better ways. Every second she spent going over another complaint could have been spent figuring out who, or what, was responsible for the sabotage, and the pain caused to Twilight. Shining Armor and Luna were working on it, along with half the Royal Guard, and some of the brightest minds Equestria had to offer. It was still slow going.

And it weighed heavily on her mind. She wanted to be with Twilight right then, but she couldn't, she had royal duties. One of the drawbacks of her position, and spending so much time in Ponyville really cut into her schedule. And it cut into Luna's schedule also. And Cadance's schedule. Things were hectic in Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, which was unsurprising, considering that she had not released a lot of information about Twilight's condition.

The media was going crazy because of that. Every time a news outlet ran a story about a rumor that Twilight had died, everypony panicked and she had to reassure them, not that she didn't want to. She just explained what she had explained before, that Twilight stopped the reactor meltdown but was exposed to high levels of radiation, and that she was recovering. She never mentioned the details, especially where she was. A lot of the ponies in Ponyville knew she was in the hospital, but they didn't talk about it or say anything. Twilight was their friend, they weren't about to make life harder for her by spreading rumors or talking to news outlets in other cities.

There was a knock at her door, a welcomed reprieve. "Enter," she called out calmly as she stood up and turned towards the door.

The door glowed in a familiar light blue aura, and Princess Luna strode into her room, then silently closed the door behind her. Luna briefly surveyed the room before looking into Celestia's bedchambers. From Celestia's magnificently large and plush bed, with red velvet silk covers and pillows, to the cold marble floor, shiny enough to see one's own reflection, each aspect of the room proudly displayed their wealth and the work and love put into her chambers, like her own. She briefly traced over the golden designs set in the marble before meeting her sister's gaze, "The Yaks heard about what happened," she said evenly.

Celestia visibly winced at hearing about that. After a second to compose herself, she spoke, "Did they-"

"They send their condolences, and hope Twilight gets well soon," Luna answered.

Celestia levitated her glass of wine back to her lips and took another small drink before setting it back down. "Perhaps we should have sent Twilight to negotiate with them instead of both of us going... They actually like her."

Luna grimaced and tilted her head side to side, contemplating her response. "Perhaps that would have been wiser, but considering she almost started a war with them..." Celestia grimaced at that reminder. Luna shook her head and then walked over to the balcony door. Celestia followed her, and Luna opened the door with her magic, then stepped outside, followed by Celestia.

Celestia walked to the railing and rested a hoof atop it, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. For several seconds, neither of them said anything, choosing instead to enjoy the view or the feeling of wind blowing through their manes and coats. When Celestia opened her eyes, she looked out at Ponyville. "Do you think we were wrong to embrace the technology?"

Luna glanced at Celestia and considered it. "I do not know, sister. Equestria has always been prosperous, and unlike other nations, we have not mindlessly destroyed the environment in the name of progress. The reactor technology is still new, and perhaps Ponyville wasn't the best choice for a reactor to be built, being so close to the Everfree Forest, along with being a prime target for..."

Celestia smiled wryly, "In hindsight, I have to agree. Twilight wanted it, though, she was excited at the prospect."

"She used to be so curious... She still is, but the likeness of a foal's curiosity has left her," Luna replied. "She has seen a lot and done a lot in these past years. She is not as young and naive as she once was, but she is stronger and wiser for it..." she trailed off. "In a few centuries, perhaps all three of us will look back and laugh at our stupidity," Luna said with a smile, eliciting one from Celestia as well. Silence reigned between the pair for several seconds, both of them just watching the growing shadow cast by Canterlot as the sun traveled to the west. "The decontamination is progressing quickly," Luna said.

Celestia nodded, "That is good news."

"Indeed it is, sister," Luna agreed.

"I worry about her, Luna," Celestia said.

Luna walked over to her sister and nuzzled her neck, "She will be fine, 'Tia. She is a strong pony. It will just take time."

"What if her horn never grows back?" Celestia asked as she turned to face Luna. "I don't want to see her so unhappy... I know how much her magic means to her..."

Luna sighed. "Maybe it will never grow back. If it does not, she will adjust."

Celestia smiled half-heartedly. It was one thing she missed during Luna's thousand year imprisonment, her support, and her reassurance. While Luna wasn't always the most optimistic pony, she could lean on her to support her, and Luna could lean on her for support. It was one of the benefits of having a sister you could share everything with. Though their relationship had been strained after her return. Both of them fought through it and reunited. She liked to think they were closer than ever now. "You still have not told me what Twilight said to you when you entered her mind..."

Luna sighed, "Sister, I promised I would not speak a word of it... Losing her horn was hard on her, and it still is. Every night, I can sense her pain. Her dreams are troubled..."

"Perhaps you should talk to her?"

Luna smiled softly, "I have tried. Most of the time she does not even acknowledge my presence in the dreamscape. I am not sure if it is intentional or not. Her mind is very... preoccupied right now." Celestia looked back at Ponyville. "She has her friends to help her, sister. I know you want to be with her, but she will do better with them than with us."

Celestia sighed. "I hope you're right, Lulu...."

Twilight grunted as she opened her eyes. The soft rays of moonlight flooding through the window painted the room in a serene glow that felt almost like a dream. She knew it wasn't a dream. For one, if it had been, either somepony would have been with her or it would have been a nightmare.

She stared up at the ceiling. For once, it didn't mock her. Instead, it looked almost sorry for her. Getting a solid night's rest was impossible, she concluded after her experiences the past four nights. She knew four nights was too small of a sample to scientifically conclude it was accurate, but she didn't care. She would always wake up in the middle of the night at least once, sometimes more than once. Sometimes she would fall back to sleep easily enough, other times it took a while.

Considering that she still slept a large portion of the days, she was surprised it annoyed her that she couldn't sleep through the entire night. Generally, she awoke from a dream or nightmare. Once or twice it had been from pain, but that was the first night after she woke up from the coma.

She tilted her head to look out of the window, the moon stared back at her. She slid her hooves beneath the covers of the bed and rested them on her abdomen before gently massaging her stomach, hoping to relieve some of the pain. After a few minutes, she sighed and pushed the covers off of herself with her wings, immediately the heat they trapped in was lost to the cool hospital air. She shivered lightly, then scooted over to the edge of the bed and carefully stepped down.

She turned to look at the heart rate monitor and smiled. She was very glad the accursed device was no longer needed, the incessant beeping was driving her mad. She had made herself a Pinkie Pie Promise that if it drove her insane, she would take somepony with her. Fortunately, the doctors, mostly Doctor Manner, decided that she was well enough that it wasn't necessary. Her status as an alicorn and a princess might have influenced their decision more than a little bit.

She walked over to the window and listened as her hooves clopped against the tiled floor. The gentle rhythm was relaxing and ended all too soon. When she reached the window, she just stared out of it, spacing out, letting her thoughts wander. After a few minutes, she turned around and sat on her haunches. The cold floor bit into her flanks, but she ignored it and leaned against the cold wall. She brought her forehooves to her temples and rubbed them gently. After a few seconds, she winced. One of her hooves had made its way up to the bandage where her horn was supposed to be. She didn't remember telling her hoof to do that.

She shivered as the cool air circulated around the room. She glanced at the clock, it read three in the morning. She grimaced not knowing how long she had been awake for. She shook the thought aside and forced her body back onto her hooves. She looked around the room briefly, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Her gaze was drawn to the balloons Pinkie Pie left her, along with the cards and streamers decorating the chair closest to her bed. The sight caused her to smile.

Eventually, she walked back over to the bed and laid down again. She pulled the covers back over herself and rested one hoof on her chest and the other on her abdomen. She laid like that for a few minutes before rolling over onto her side to face the window. She unfurled her right wing and let it hang over her body, trapping more warmth to her chest than before. She slid her hoof away from her abdomen and put it underneath the pillow she laid on. Eventually, she curled up and fell asleep again. She wished Rainbow Dash was with her, with her warm body pressed against hers, like her first night in the hospital.

If anypony had been present and looking, they would have seen a tear roll down her muzzle as she slept.

Spike nearly tackled Twilight to the floor as he jumped up to hug her. Twilight wrapped an arm around him and squeezed him firmly as she sat down on her haunches. She nuzzled his cheek and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I missed you the last time you were here, Spike..."

Spike squeezed her neck tighter, "It's okay... I know you need to sleep to get better and all that..."

"You should still be in bed, Princess," Doctor Manner said in his well-known, kind yet stern, warning voice.

Twilight rolled her eyes at him, "Thank you, Doctor, but I am doing fine."

Doctor Manner sighed, knowing it was pointless to argue with her, and in actuality, she was correct. She was well enough to be out of bed, but that didn't mean he liked it. "I will be back in half an hour to check on you," he said as he left the room.

Starlight smiled wryly as he left, "I tried convincing the others to come, but they were preoccupied..."

Twilight loosened her grip on Spike and lowered him to the floor, then she nuzzled the top of his head, rubbing against his spines. She looked at Starlight and sighed, "It's fine. I'm not surprised. I mean, it's not like I'm dying now or anything." Starlight and Spike exchanged a worried look, Twilight's tone said something was wrong.

"You don't... sound like it's fine..." Starlight said softly. She looked back at the door, then closed it with her magic and walked over to Twilight. Twilight stepped forwards and met her with an embrace, they hugged each other tightly, showing their support and friendship, not as teacher and student, but as friend and friend.

Twilight broke the hug, looked away and sighed. "It's just... It feels like we've been drifting apart for a few months. Everypony's so busy now, I mean, I don't blame them, and it's not all their fault. I'm as much to blame as any of them, between my princess duties and... well... It's just... hard."

Starlight nodded sympathetically, she knew from personal experience what it was like to drift apart from friends. "Hey," she said reassuringly, "It'll be okay, alright? You'll be out of here in no time, and when that happens, you can spend all the time in the world with them." She smiled.

Twilight's ears drooped to her head and she sighed again. "I doubt that," she said softly.

"Cheer up, Twilight!" Spike said as he hopped onto her back and latched around her neck. Twilight smiled at his antics. "You're the Princess of Friendship, you have all sorts of friends, and none of them will ever abandon you!"

Twilight's mind wandered at that. She put on a forced smile in an attempt to appease the young dragon, though it was difficult when her mind was wandering into territory she tried her hardest to avoid. For whatever reason, the thoughts weren't as depressing when she first realized, compared to now. Starlight squinted at her, she clearly saw through the forced smile. Twilight sighed, "Maybe I should just..." She shook her head. "I know they care about me..." Twilight was cut off by Starlight pulling her into another hug. Twilight leaned into the hug and rested against Starlight's shoulder.

They stayed like that for several minutes. Eventually Twilight pulled back, and they separated after Starlight squeezed her again.

Silence reigned between the trio, none of them were sure what to say. Eventually, Starlight broke the silence, "I talked to Rainbow yesterday... She was doing well and wanted to know how you were doing. I told her you were doing better... She wanted me to tell you she's sorry she is so busy right now, and she said to tell you she promises to make it up to you." Twilight felt a smile tug at her lower lip.

"Is there anything we can get you, Twilight?" Spike asked.

Twilight bobbed her head. "The hospital food isn't that great, and it's been a while since... certain alicorn dietary requirements... have been... met..." she trailed off absently. She almost found herself salivating as she thought about it. Both of them knew what she was talking about, so she didn't need to actually say what she needed, which, she preferred. She didn't like talking about it, nor did any of the other princesses.

Starlight and Spike both nodded, the former nodded absently. "When you get released to the castle I'll fix up that dish you really like," Spike said.

Twilight looked at him with a sheepish smile, "Thanks, Spike... But it could still be a while before they let me out of... this... place..." She didn't even try to mask her distaste.

Starlight and Spike smiled wryly.

Twilight opened her eyes and squinted in the darkness. She thought she had heard a sound. It was a soft sound, almost like a door opening. Upon closer inspection, she saw a fading beam of light falling on the wall. The door closed with a soft click. She groaned and pushed herself up and looked towards the source of the sound. She blinked in surprise, thinking her eyes were deceiving her. She was still standing there, watching her. "Rainbow Dash..."

Rainbow smiled sheepishly at her as she flew over to the bed and landed on the floor before sitting down. She was still wearing her Wonderbolt's uniform, hiding most of her body, but her unkempt Rainbow mane and deep, magenta eyes gave her away. "Hey..." she said softly. "I uh... didn't mean to wake you."

Twilight smiled and pushed herself all the way up, "It's fine."

Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much... I've been... busy..." she thought back to her Wonderbolt training. All of the Wonderbolts heard about what happened, and they doubled down on their training because of it. Instead of getting a holiday, they redoubled their effort, they needed to be in their best shape should anything else happen, especially if whatever happened necessitated their deployment. Spitfire, however, cut her some slack, she knew Rainbow was one of Twilight's friends.

"I know you're busy..." Twilight trailed off. After a few seconds, she shifted her weight to the side and motioned Rainbow to join her on the bed.

Rainbow ruffled her wings, shifted her weight, and looked away from Twilight, "I just got back from training... so I haven't had a shower or anything."

Twilight looked at her in mock surprise, "You mean you actually take showers?" Rainbow snorted, Twilight smiled. "Please?" she asked softly. Rainbow relented and stood up, then pulled herself onto the bed and sat beside Twilight. Both of them looked out the window at the rising moon, watching as it slowly rose into the sky.

"Starlight said you were feeling better," Rainbow commented idly.

Twilight nodded, "Yeah... Coughing up blood isn't as fun as it sounds..." her face scrunched up at the memory of the taste.

"It doesn't sound fun anyway..." Rainbow said with a frown.

Twilight shifted her weight away from Rainbow and turned her head to face her. "How are things with the Wonderbolts?" she asked.

Rainbow set her forehooves back on the bed behind her and leaned back slightly while taking a deep breath. "Really busy. The princesses have kept the fact that the reactor was sabotaged away from the public, but we know. So we're training our flanks off now. Captain Spitfire wants us to be ready for anything. She seems to think it was intended as a prelude to a full-scale invasion," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Twilight snorted at that, "Anypony foolish enough to do that isn't a threat."

Rainbow shook her head, "Yeah, but she has a point, though. We should be ready to respond to anything..." she trailed off with a grimace, hoping that the 'anything' Spitfire referred to didn't mean the death of one of the princesses. Especially not the death of the princess sitting beside her, her friend. "And considering that the Wonderbolts haven't had the best track record lately..." Both of them grimaced.

"Well... I'm sure we can handle anything the Wonderbolts can't..." Twilight trailed off, she wasn't sure if she believed that now. Sure, her friends and herself had a great track record, but that could have been pure luck. She couldn't help but worry that their luck was running out, and in her condition, her ability to help them was diminished. Maybe Starlight could help make up for that, so maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she worried it would be.

Rainbow looked at her and halfway smiled. After a few seconds, her smile left her. "So when are they letting you go?"

Twilight sighed, "I don't know."

Rainbow looked at her seriously, "What's wrong?"

Twilight waved her concern away with a hoof, "I'm just... I'm still recovering, that's all." She paused, then added, "The expect me to make a full recovery... with a few... exceptions..."

Rainbow looked at the bandage on Twilight's forehead. She grimaced at the sight and remembered her conversation with Starlight. "Your horn?" she cautiously asked in a soft voice.

Twilight sighed and nodded. Her ears folded back down, she didn't like it when others mentioned it. "Among... other things..."

Rainbow let the words hang in the air for several seconds before speaking again, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know..." Twilight answered.

Rainbow shifted her weight and sat normally. She watched Twilight intently, making sure she hadn't pressed too hard. Twilight eventually shook her head. She grimaced and looked away from Twilight and out the window. They sat in silence for a few minutes, and the cold air eventually got to her since she was no longer moving. She shivered and fidgeted on the bed. She hated hospitals.

Twilight leaned on her and wrapped her wing around Rainbow's back. She was surprised by how cold she felt, and she was sure that the damp suit didn't help that any. She thought about asking how hard they were pushing her, or how hard she was pushing herself, but decided against it. Twilight pulled her closer to her and felt her cold, damp suit press against her side.

Rainbow squirmed for a second before stopping and letting herself relax. "Thanks..." she said awkwardly. In the quiet stillness, she soon found her thoughts focused on the alicorn beside her. Her gentle heartbeat, her breathing, her warmth, the softness of her fur and feathers pressed against her unprotected wings. She wondered what it would feel like if she didn't have the suit on, but pushed the thought aside. Twilight herself felt a little cold but still warmer than herself. She still welcomed her warmth, even if it felt awkward to her. Twilight wanted to rest her head against Rainbow's shoulder but decided not to push her luck. Rainbow just sitting beside her was enough for her, knowing that they were still friends and that she hadn't ruined their friendship.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Rainbow looked at the clock and grimaced. She looked at Twilight and smiled apologetically, "I should go and let you get some sleep..."

Twilight bit her lip. "You can... stay here, you know. I wouldn't... mind..." 'No, I would actually prefer that...'

Rainbow winced. "Uh... Sorry, I still have to go to the academy in the morning... I really should get going... My stuff's at my house and all that..."

Twilight nodded and held in a sigh as she retracted her wing from around Rainbow's back. For a few seconds, both of them just sat there. Eventually, Rainbow slid off the bed and flew towards the door. Twilight watched her evenly as she flew away. Rainbow paused once she reached the door and looked back at Twilight. She smiled apologetically. "Hey... uh... I'll... try to stop by again tomorrow night..." she said. After a few seconds of silence, Twilight nodded and smiled. Rainbow opened the door and slid out into the hallway, watching Twilight watching her leave.

Twilight sat in silence for a few seconds before laying back down and pulling the covers back over herself.

Rainbow groaned as she landed on her cloud yard and walked to the front door of her cloud house. She pushed it open with a sighed and immediately closed it, then stripped off her Wonderbolt uniform before picking it up in her mouth. She ignored the darkness and walked towards the stairs at the end of the hallway, paying her kitchen and living room no mind. She stopped before the stairs and then lifted off and flew to the top of the stairs and landed. She immediately turned to her right and walked the rest of the way to her bedroom.

She ignored her large cloud bed and headed straight for the master bathroom. The second she was inside, she closed the door behind her with a swift kick, then deposited the dirty Wonderbolt uniform into the laundry hamper and flipped on the lights with her wings, flooding the room with light. She looked at the hamper wryly for a few seconds before turning her attention to her reflection in the mirror.

She barely gave it a second glance before she stepped into the shower and turned it on hot. At first, she winced as cold water came rushing out through the metal shower head and shivered, then she slowly relaxed as it quickly heated up. She sat down on her haunches and hung her head, just let the hot water run over her body for several minutes. The hot water was relaxing and helped her tense muscles recover from their vigorous workout. One perk of her own shower, it could get hotter than the ones at the academy, and she welcomed it. She would never say so to Spitfire.

She turned her head and grabbed the bottle of shampoo in her mouth, then squirted some on her hooves and went to work on her mane. After lathering it up, she closed her eyes and ducked her head back under the stream of water and massaged her head, getting the soap suds out of her mane and cleaning it.

She repeated the process with her tail and then spent several minutes washing the rest of her body before turning off the water. She stood in the shower for a few minutes, just thinking while the excess water drained from her coat, mane, and tail. Eventually, she stepped out, grabbed a towel and dried herself off, then walked back in front of the full body mirror.

She extended her wings and scrutinized them in the mirror, then she carefully eyed over each feather. There were a few feathers out of place. She quickly corrected each one, bringing her wing up and tilting it so she could access it with her mouth. One of the feathers was damaged, and she pulled it out quickly, then spit it out in the trash. After repeating the process with her other wing, she opened the door and walked back into her bedroom.

She looked around briefly, it felt so empty. There were posters of the Wonderbolts on her walls and shelves with trophies, but it still felt empty. She looked at her nightstand and smiled at the picture sitting on it. It was one with all of her friends, the day of Twilight's coronation. "Good times..." she sighed fondly at the memory.

She flew over to her bed and landed. Immediately, she slid under the blanket and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her.

She was exhausted, so very, very exhausted, physically. Mentally, her mind was wandering against her will. It made her groan and roll over. After a few minutes, she sat up and slid out of bed, then walked out of her room, flew down the stairs and into the kitchen. She knew her kitchen like the back of her hoof, and she skillfully navigated her way to the refrigerator, then pulled out a carton of milk and took a long drink.

She put the milk back and stood in the darkness for a few seconds, then turned around and headed through the cloud hallway and into the living room. She walked over to the couch and lied down, laying her head on the armrest and kicking her hooves off the end. She let her wings go limp at her sides, and just stared at the ceiling, doing nothing, and thinking about nothing.

She felt bad about leaving Twilight so suddenly, but she hadn't lied. And since Spitfire going easy on her meant she had to fly from Ponyville to the Wonderbolts Academy twice a day, she really had needed to go. Besides, she had promised to stop by again tomorrow. She closed her eyes and let her mind go blank again. After a few minutes, she felt the draw of sleep, and slowly made her way back to her own bed before sliding under the covers and falling asleep.

Rainbow groaned as the incessant beeping of her alarm clock jarred her from her peaceful slumber. She curled up under the covers before extending her limbs and stretching. The act of stretching relaxed her further, threatening to send her back to sleep. She fought off the urge, there was no way she was going to let Spitfire get after her for being late. She rolled over to face the clock sitting on her nightstand, then slapped it off with her wing. She laid there in silence for a few seconds before she pushed herself up and stood from her bed. She glided to the floor, rubbing her eyes with her hooves before landing. She immediately walked over to her bedroom window and looked outside. The window faced Cloudsdale, but the distance from Ponyville to Cloudsdale was too far for her to see it in the early morning twilight.

She shook the thought from her mind and pushed on the window until it parted open, letting a cool morning breeze fill the room. She sighed contently as the fresh air rolled over her body. She turned her attention away from the window and flew to the door, then exited her room and flew down to her kitchen. She quickly made her way to the fridge and withdrew milk, then she flew to the island counter and pulled out a box of cereal. She sat both items on the counter and then retrieved a ceramic bowl and sat it on the table. She took the box of cereal and filled the bowl, then poured milk into it until it reached the top of the cereal, filling the bowl about three-fourths of the way full.

She retrieved a silver spoon from the silverware drawer, then sat down and took the spoon in her wing. She ate in silence for several minutes until she finished the oats, then tipped the bowl up and drank the last of the milk. The milk was sweetened with a hint of honey, and the bowl was emptied far sooner than she would have liked. She sighed and flew the bowl over to the sink and sat it down, then ran water into it before quickly cleaning it and putting it away.

She glanced at the clock and then quickly flew back upstairs, through her room and into her bathroom. After a few minutes, she turned on the shower and let it warm up until it was a pleasant temperature, warm, but not hot. She quickly stepped into the shower and cleaned her body and mane, then washed the soap out of her fur. She was careful with her mane and tail, she didn't want to pull too tightly and knot her prismatic mane, and she was not about to show up at the academy looking like a mess.

After she finished, she turned off the water and quickly dried off. She walked over to the sink and withdrew her toothbrush and toothpaste from the cabinet. The toothbrush was fairly average, it was transparent in the center, and slowly tinted to sky blue as it approached the edge. She squeezed out an inch long strip of the toothpaste onto her toothbrush, nearly covering all the bristles, then picked the brush with her wing and opened her mouth.

She vigorously brushed her teeth, the minty flavor of the toothpaste was refreshing. After two minutes, she pulled the toothbrush out, turned on the faucet and rinsed out her mouth and washed off the toothbrush. She put the toothbrush and toothpaste back in the cabinet, then pulled out her mane brush. Even she took care of her mane and tail, but she was careful never to let Rarity hear about it. She'd never hear the end of her about it. She shivered at the thought, then took the handle in her mouth and quickly brushed the back of her mane, carefully working out the kinks and knots formed when she showered.

Her mane quickly went back to looking normal, she spat out the handle and took it with her wing, then went over the top of her head. She briefly wondered how much of a hassle it was for a unicorn to groom their manes around their horns. She pushed the thought aside and turned her attention to her tail.

As soon as she finished, she stuffed the brush back into the cabinet and looked around. Despite knowing she was alone, it never hurt to double check. She extended her wings and looked over both of them, it wouldn't do to show up at the academy with messy wings. She nudged a few feathers back into place with her muzzle, then opened the bathroom door and flew back into her room. She ignored the messy state her bed was in and flew straight to her closet.

She quickly found a fresh uniform and donned it. She flew back into the bathroom to sort out a few problems caused by putting it on in a rush and tidied it up until it hugged her sleek form. The uniform wasn't exactly tight, but it wasn't loose either. She quickly reached up to the goggles over her head and pulled them down over her eyes. She smiled brashly and gave a salute to the mare staring back at her in the mirror.

She flew back out into her bedroom and glanced at the clock. She had plenty of time to get to the academy, especially considering how fast she could be when needed. Although it was a bit of a flight, and she still didn't have the endurance some of the Wonderbolts had. She was quickly reaching their level, but she would do better if she paced herself. At least that's what Spitfire said. Constantly. She shook her head, then flew over to her window and quickly jumped outside. She caught herself as she fell, then closed the window as best she could from the outside.

She took off towards the academy at a leisurely pace. It wouldn't be good to tire herself out so soon in the day after getting so little rest like she had been, considering what Spitfire would probably make her do. She groaned at the thought. She would get there early, but early was good. If she flew at the same speed until she got there, she estimated she'd be half an hour early. She briefly considered adjusting her schedule so she could get more sleep, but pushed it off. She could rest when she got there, and it was best not to push her luck, even if she was the fastest pony in Equestria.

Doctor Manner knocked his hoof on the door twice before pushing it open and looking towards the window. He expected Twilight to be standing, looking out of the window, much to his surprise, she wasn't. A quick glance around revealed her in bed, looking at him. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, "You're not standing by the window for once? What happened?" he asked with a smile.

Twilight rolled her eyes and sat up on the bed, "There's only so much time you can spend looking out of a single window before it gets boring," she explained. "Believe me, I tested it," she said dryly.

Doctor Manner chuckled lightly and walked over to her bed. "Perhaps you should publish your research in a paper?" he suggested lightly.

Twilight bobbed her head and shrugged. "I don't think anypony would actually care about that... It wouldn't be a very interesting read."

He sighed, "True." After a few seconds, he shook his head, then pulled out his stethoscope, clipboard, and pen. "How are you doing today?"

Twilight smiled wryly, "A little nauseous, but other than that I'm feeling fine."

Doctor Manner smiled at that, "That's good," he said softly as he scribbled a note down. He put a hoof on the bed and levitated the stethoscope over to Twilight and put it on her chest, over her lungs. He listened quietly while she breathed. Everything sounded normal. He slid them over to her other lung and listened. It sounded fine too. "Lungs still sound like they're fine." He scribbled down another note. She was recovering quite nicely indeed. "Please lie down on your stomach," he said.

Twilight laid back down and rolled over onto her stomach, resting her head on her hooves. Doctor Manner ran a hoof over her back, pressing along the length of her spine, then gently pressing at the base of each of her wings. "Any pain?"

"No," Twilight replied.

Doctor Manner shifted his hoof to just under her ribcage and pressed, "Anything?"

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds. She wasn't sure. Doctor Manner moved his hoof and pressed in another spot nearby. She could definitely feel the pressure, and it was uncomfortable, but she wasn't sure she'd call it pain. "It's a little uncomfortable from the pressure."

Doctor Manner nodded to himself and walked around to the other side of her. "Rainbow Dash stopped by last night," he said.

"She didn't stay very long," Twilight replied.

Doctor Manner nodded absently and pressed his hoof against her side. "Any pain?"

"Just a little discomfort," Twilight answered.

"That's to be expected..." Doctor Manner trailed off. He walked towards the head of the bed and enveloped Twilight's right arm in his magic. Twilight lifted her head, and the doctor pulled it out. He looked over her hoof, then let go of it. "How was she doing?"

Twilight pulled her hoof back beneath her head. "She was doing okay. Just a little tired, Wonderbolt training and all that."

"Mmm," Doctor Taker nodded at that. "I've heard it's very rigorous," he commented as he walked around to her other side. "Roll over onto your back," he said.

Twilight quickly turned over so that her back was on the bed. "It's very rigorous. I've seen her when she was training for it, and I've visited the academy before."

Doctor Manner turned his attention to the bandage on her head. He reached out with a hoof and nudged it. Twilight's face immediately contorted in pain. He winced at her reaction. "Sorry," he apologized.

"It's... fine..." Twilight replied. "It goes away pretty fast, and really only hurts when... touched..."

He shook his head, "Horns aren't that sensitive, I don't know why it would be hurting you so much." He frowned and brought a hoof to his chin, "It... could have something to do with you being an alicorn... but... I'm not sure. All I can say is time will tell." He shook his head, then pulled out another bag with a bandage inside of it. He tore the bag opened as he unwrapped the medical tape from her mane, then he gently lifted the bandage from her head. "It's looking better," he commented. "Still no signs of infection, either." He gently lowered the fresh bandage over her missing horn, then tied medical tape to hold it in place. He walked over to the trashcan and dropped the waste away. "You might be sensitive there for the rest of your life, with any luck the pain will be manageable..."

Twilight grimaced. "The pain... isn't... that bad..."

"Does it feel like it's fading as it heals? Or does it feel like it's getting worse?" he asked.

Twilight bobbed her head. "It feels like it's getting better," she said. Doctor Manner pulled out a needle and pulled the cap off of it. He smiled apologetically, seeing her gaze drawn entirely to the needle. "You still have to do that?" she asked dryly.

"Sorry, Princess, but-"

Twilight groaned, "I don't need that. I'm fine, really. I just want to go home..."

Doctor manner pursed his lips, then sighed. "If you think you can properly take care of yourself, or that Starlight Glimmer and Spike are capable of it, then depending on tomorrow, I may consider releasing you in a few days. You are healing quite nicely, but you still have problems. If you push it and wind up back in the hospital, however, you're going to be staying here until whatever problems you still have are fixed." Twilight visibly lit up at that and nodded her head eagerly, completely ignoring his warnings. "I still will want to check up with you every month to make sure you're doing okay and aren't developing any life-threatening illnesses as a result of your exposure to enough radiation to kill a normal pony three times over," he said with a warning glare.

"I can take care of... myself..." she lied. "Besides, Starlight and Spike can keep an eye on me..." she replied. She had to force herself to stay composed. She didn't want to be a burden to anypony, not even Starlight or Spike. She knew she was going to be a burden on them. They would help her willingly, she knew they would, but it didn't make it hurt worse, knowing that she wouldn't be able to help them as much as they were going to help her. She wasn't sure she wanted their help, despite knowing she needed it.

She could walk, she wasn't sure if she could run, but she could stand for extended periods of time. She hadn't flown in a while, and she was still weak, but she was sure she could fly. Maybe she wouldn't try flying from Ponyville to Canterlot for a while, but she was sure she could fly. She still had her superior alicorn traits, at least according to Princess Celestia, so she should be fine. Although she wasn't sure she wanted to test those traits now. She hadn't even had a chance to see what her life would be like once she was released, and already she wanted things to go back to what it was like before being hospitalized.

But, without her magic, she couldn't, not that with her magic she could have. And without her magic, how was she going to take care of herself? The question was one she didn't want to face but needed to. She already knew the answer, she couldn't. At least not until she learned how to again. She had used her magic for almost everything. Brushing her mane and coat, showering, eating, writing, holding books and turning pages, taking care of her wings, putting on dresses whenever she wore one, and carrying things. She couldn't do any of that now and she would have to learn how to do it all over again. She was an alicorn without a horn, her magic was still there, she could feel it, and it felt stronger than ever before, but that could have been because she hadn't used it for a while. Had it already been so long that she forgot what it felt like? She felt a tinge of panic at that thought.

"Princess?" Doctor Manner asked. Twilight blinked rapidly and looked back at the doctor. He looked worried for her, a frown pulling on his muzzle, and concern in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Twilight nodded, "Y-yes... I'm fine, I was just... thinking..."

He grimaced and slowly nodded. The fear and concern slowly left his expression, but he was still worried. "Are you sure you're fine?" Twilight nodded but said nothing. "I can get you something if you'd like..."

"No, thank you. Please just... if you're done... Please... please leave."

Doctor Manner hesitantly nodded before making his way over to the door. He paused at it and looked back at her, "Do you want me to get somepony for you?"

"No," she answered quickly.

He sighed and nodded reluctantly before opening the door and leaving the room. He silently closed the door behind him, leaving Twilight alone. He knew what was bothering her, and unfortunately, he knew he couldn't help her with that.

Twilight took a deep breath. There was a chance her horn would grow back. She hoped Celestia was right and that it would. She hoped Celestia hadn't lied to spare her from more pain. How long would it take for her horn to grow back if it was going to grow back? Years? Decades? Centuries? She swallowed. There was a chance she wouldn't be able to do magic again during her friends' lives. What if they needed her to be able to do magic to save them from something? What if Equestria needed her, and she couldn't help because she had acted like a foal?

No, she hadn't acted like a foal. She did what she had to stop the reactor from melting down and poisoning thousands of ponies. She had paid the price willingly. When she paid it, she didn't expect to survive, and she didn't care if she was going to survive or not. All she cared about was saving Ponyville, her friends, and Rainbow Dash. The cost of her surviving might turn out to be worse than if she had just died. If she had just died, nothing. But she was alive, and because she survived, she knew she'd suffer for it for her whole life unless her body somehow managed to repair itself completely. But, even that was impossible. The radiation would have done things to her that couldn't be fixed by any means. Some things can't be healed or fixed, even if she was an alicorn.

She clenched her eyes shut and fought back tears. It was a futile effort. She rested her hoof on her stomach.

Rainbow Dash gently knocked on the door to Twilight's room. After hesitating a second, and hearing nothing, she pushed it open and stepped inside before quietly closing it behind her. She looked around the dark room briefly before seeing Twilight lying in bed. The soft moonlight hit her just so, bathing her in a pale white light that was just enough for her to tell Twilight was awake and watching her. "I didn't wake you, did I? The doctor said you wanted me to come by even if you were asleep..."

Twilight shook her head, "No, I wasn't asleep..." she trailed off as she pushed herself into a sitting position and then hunched over a little. Rainbow stood where she was for a few seconds before flying over to a chair. She wrapped her hooves around it and then put more effort into her wings, then carried it over beside Twilight's bed, sat it down, and landed on it. Twilight smiled at her, and Rainbow grinned.

"You doing okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight sighed, then let herself fall backward. When her back hit the bed, she let her wings fall out at her sides, and she leaned back into the pillow. "Yeah... I'm fine, just a little stir crazy."

Rainbow snickered. "I guess you know why I hate hospitals now, don't you?"

Twilight rolled her eyes at that. "Oh please, you were in the hospital for all of three days, I've been here for nearly three weeks."

Neither of them said anything for several seconds following that. Both of them just enjoyed the light silence hanging between them. Twilight stared at the ceiling. While she still disliked it, she never regretted forging a truce with it. It didn't mock her, and she didn't have it painted red. Rainbow just watched Twilight on the bed. Eventually, the stillness got to her. "So... the doctor said that they might release you this week? I guess that means you're doing really good!"

Twilight grimaced and turned her head to look at Rainbow. "Well, Rainbow. Not good. The proper word to use in that situation is well." Rainbow rolled her eyes at that. After a few seconds, Twilight continued, "I'm doing... better... I still have a whole host of problems, but I am not about to stay cooped up in this hospital with nothing to do for several months like he wants."

Rainbow clenched her jaw at that. After a few seconds, she relaxed it and spoke. "You're not going to be in any danger, though, right? If they let you out early?"

Twilight looked through the window at the moon, which was almost out of view. "Well... maybe. The radiation damaged my organs, some worse than others, but they're healing faster than they expected."

"That's... good right?" Rainbow asked. Twilight nodded. "But isn't organ damage like... really bad?"

"Yes," Twilight answered. "I probably shouldn't run any marathons or fly to Canterlot... or stay outside for prolonged periods of time... But if I don't push myself too hard, I should be fine. My accelerated healing has... recovered... as much as it can... for the moment. Because of that, the damage is mostly being repaired. "

"Mostly?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight slowly turned her head back to face the ceiling. "Some of the... side effects... of getting exposed to that much radiation are... permanent..." she trailed off, feeling the familiar sensation of an oncoming breakdown. 'Rainbow, I love you, but why did you have to ask... that?' She clenched her eyes shut.

Rainbow frowned. Twilight was clearly distressed. Her ears were folded back against her head and her eyes were tightly shut. She looked like she was in pain. She wasn't sure why, but she suspected it was her question rather than a physical pain. She assumed she was referring to her horn. She flew out of the chair and landed on the bed beside her. Twilight tentatively opened and eye and looked at her. "It'll be okay, alright?" Rainbow wanted to say something more, like 'it was just your horn and not your life,' but she had the feeling that would make things worse. If she had been in Twilight's position and lost her wings, she was pretty sure she wouldn't like being told that, even if it was the truth.

Twilight sighed and tentatively nodded. Despite her attempts to keep the tears away, she felt moisture run down her cheek. She closed her eyes again at that.

Rainbow sighed, then wrapped her hooves around Twilight's neck and pulled her up into a hug. Twilight was either heavier than she looked, or resisting, making it harder. Even with the added weight or resistance, she easily pulled Twilight up into the hug. She lowered her arms and wrapped them around Twilight's back. After a few seconds, Twilight stopped resisting and cautiously returned the hug. She leaned into Rainbow more and rested her head on top of Rainbow's shoulder. She felt like she was going to cry. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to cry or not. She didn't want to be a burden to Rainbow, and that's exactly what she was going to be if she cried. She was already a burden to her, just like she was going to be a burden to Starlight and Spike. And the rest of her friends. And Equestria. A disabled alicorn. She felt nothing towards the thought, instead, she just let herself relax. The tears she dreaded never came, but she wasn't sure any peace came either. She still felt on the verge of tears even after ten minutes had passed in silence. "Feel better?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight sighed. "I don't know..." She closed her eyes and she felt Rainbow's grip on her tighten and then loosen. For a few seconds, she let everything fade away, letting her worries, thoughts, fears, and the rest of the world fade away. All of it was replaced by Rainbow Dash. Her fur was surprisingly soft. She wasn't sure what she had expected. She had felt Rainbow's coat before, but she hadn't been in the position she was in now. Now she could feel more of her body, and her chest was pressed against hers. She could feel the gentle rhythm of Rainbow's heart pulsing against her chest. She could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest with her breathing. Her warm body heat, radiating off of her and into her own body. It felt wonderful, and she felt her heart stuttering. She wanted to press herself against her more, but she knew she shouldn't. She wasn't going to jeopardize her friendship with her, no matter what her heart desired. She smiled and nuzzled against her neck, then opened her eyes. "Kind of..."

Rainbow took a deep breath and pulled back a little bit, testing Twilight's reaction. Twilight made no move to pull back, nor did she try to stop her. She frowned at that, not sure what to do. She brushed it off and pulled her in closer for a second, holding her tighter, then released her and pulled all the way back. Twilight lifted her head from her shoulder and smiled weakly. Rainbow smiled at her reassuringly. She glanced at the clock and hid a grimace. She really, really needed to go, but she didn't want to leave Twilight alone. She would have gone and got one of her friends to keep her company, but they'd all be asleep by now. "Listen... uh... Twilight... I... really... I need to go. I would stay but uh... Spitfire would..."

Twilight sighed. "Yeah... I wouldn't want you to be too tired to..." she trailed off, disappointment evident in her voice. "I'll be fine, just... go..."

Rainbow eyed Twilight cautiously for several seconds, searching for signs that told her to stay. She decided the alicorn was going to be okay. She still didn't like it. "I'll try to come back again tomorrow night..." Rainbow said as she slid off the bed. "This was probably nicer since I had a shower, right?" she said in an attempt to lighten the mood. Twilight smiled weakly and nodded her head slowly. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds then turned and flew towards the door. She stopped at the door, then opened it.

"Um... when I get out of the hospital..." Twilight trailed off as Rainbow looked back at her. She swallowed nervously. Her heartbeat quickened at what she considered asking. She closed her eyes and took a breath. In reality, it was such a simple question, one which shouldn't have caused her as much hesitation as it was. It was simple, yes, but it said a lot. "Do you think... you could... spend a night at the castle with me? Like a sleepover..?" she asked hesitantly.

Rainbow landed on the floor, and her expression was unreadable. Through the cold hospital air, Twilight thought she felt a bead of sweat roll down her forehead. Rainbow slowly nodded, then quickened. "Yeah... I... guess I could... sometime..." Twilight closed her eyes and bowed her head, silently sighing in relief before laying back down on the bed. "Good night, Twilight," Rainbow said as she stepped out of the room.

"Good night, Rainbow..." Twilight whispered as she closed her eyes.

Princess Luna looked around. It was night, the sky was clear, the moon shone brightly, and countless thousands of stars were visible. She blinked in surprise. The beautiful dark blues and purples of the sky melded together, painting a picture she could hardly describe. "Princess Luna..." Twilight's voice called in surprise. Luna turned her attention away from the sky and to Twilight. She smiled at the sight of the alicorn. She stood beside a large telescope pointed at the sky. Twilight smiled at her, then she went back to looking through the telescope.

Luna walked up the hill, taking note of the blue colored grass covering the hill. She found it strange, it was a deep shade of blue, like the blue of her mane, but darker. She pushed it aside as she strode to a stop beside Twilight and followed the telescope to where it was pointed. "I see you are feeling better," she said as she searched for the target of the telescope. Try as she did, she couldn't see anything, but she was sure Twilight was able to see whatever it was she was looking at.

Twilight pulled away from the telescope and fidgeted on her hooves. "S-sorry I was... ignoring you. I... had a lot on my mind."

Luna nodded as she sat down on her haunches, "That is understandable, Twilight Sparkle."

After a few seconds, Twilight sat down beside her, and just looked at the sky, not through the glass lenses of the telescope, but with her own eyes. It was beautiful, and as far back as she remembered, the night sky was beautiful. Its beauty was only rivaled by a few things, most of them were ponies she knew, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. Each of them easily rivaled the beauty of the vast expanse of space. "How are things going in Canterlot?"

Luna barely suppressed a groan. "You would not believe how difficult dealing with the media is... A thousand years ago, that wasn't the case. It gives us a royal headache..." she said evenly. "And my sister is the one dealing with them," she added dryly.

Twilight turned to Luna and looked at her thoughtfully. "I don't know that I've ever thanked you or Celestia for keeping the media away from me and my friends for what we've done. So, thank you."

Luna smiled, "Think nothing of it, we would not wish to deal with them either... Although a few of your friends would likely... eat the attention right up..."

Twilight nodded her head in agreement. "Rarity and Rainbow would love the attention... None of the rest of us would like it though... I'm not really sure about Pinkie."

"The pink one is indeed a mystery. Such is laughter," Luna replied.

Twilight snorted and smiled. Several seconds of silence passed between them. "Have you... made any progress with the investigation?" she asked at length.

Luna pursed her lips and took a deep breath. "My sister... wishes to not involve you in it..." she replied softly. "I believe she wishes to protect you," she added.

Twilight licked her lips and nodded. "I guess I can understand that... I think I have the right to know, but I think that is probably for the best."

"How are you doing?" Luna asked.

Twilight took a deep breath, then exhaled through her mouth, letting the air blow over her lips. "I'm... I'm doing okay. I think... I'm... alone most of the time now, but that's... that's fine."

"You do not sound like it is actually fine," Luna commented.

Twilight smiled wryly, "That obvious, huh?"

Luna nodded seriously. "Do you wish to speak about it?"

Twilight groaned and let herself fall forwards to the ground. "Why does everypony keep asking me questions..?"

"Because we care about you?" Luna asked.

"Not helping, Luna," Twilight responded. Luna looked at her evenly. After a few seconds, Twilight tilted her head towards Luna, who was still looking at her evenly. Twilight groaned again, then laid her head on her hooves. "You know I feel like my friends and myself are drifting apart. We spend less time with each other now than back when we just met. It's silly of me, I know they all have their own lives, but I can't help but feel-"

"Betrayed?" Luna asked.

Twilight turned to look at her. Neither of their faces betrayed a hint of emotion. Twilight blinked and closed her mouth. "I'm... not sure I would use that word, but..."

Luna nodded, then looked up at the sky. "They will not betray you, Twilight. They are your friends. Keep them close, and they will stay close. Even if you drift apart, you six are forever connected through your bonds. You all got your cutie marks because of the same event. Your friendship was forged by hardship and trial, and that bond is not easily broken. Your destinies are forever intertwined, through your powerful friendships and the Elements of Harmony. Even Discord could only temporarily break those bonds."

"Well, I guess Discord should have just waited a few years then since time is doing a better job than him..." Twilight deadpanned.

"Twilight, you may drift apart from them, but you will forever be friends with them. Nothing can break that bond, not even time can." Twilight sighed. Luna laid a wing over her back. "There will be ups and there will be downs, but your friendship will survive."

"I hope you're right, Luna," Twilight replied as she looked at the grass in front of her hooves.

Chapter 3

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Rainbow Dash blinked and found herself staring at the door to Twilight's hospital room. The sole guard completely ignored her and remained stoic. She wasn't sure how she ended up there. She remembered leaving the Academy and flying to Ponyville, but she didn't remember going to the hospital. She shivered in the cold air, remembering she was still wearing her flight suit. She lifted a hoof and looked at the damp fabric. She grimaced. She lowered her hoof to the ground and looked at the door. It wasn't completely shut, and she could see a single ray of light falling on the wall. She stood there for a few minutes, arguing with herself about whether she should go home and shower or just stop by and see Twilight. 'I... really don't feel like flying home, taking a shower, flying back to the hospital, and then flying back home again...' She grunted and made her decision. It was the most efficient and logical decision, one Twilight probably would have made.

She hung her head in defeat, stepped over to the door and knocked on it. Silence greeted her as she expected. After a few seconds, she tentatively pushed open the door, stepped inside and closed the door. The door clicked shut, basking the room in near total darkness, with only the light of the moon to break the darkness. She briefly looked around the now familiar room, then turned her gaze to Twilight. She was asleep, curled up, almost in a ball, lying beneath the cover. She smiled and flew over to the chair beside the bed and silently touched down.

Twilight was facing her, and she saw the shadow cast by the chair she sat in laying across the bed over Twilight, breaking the soft illumination of the moon. She sat there, watching Twilight as she slept for half a minute before the chill of the air got to her. She pressed herself against the back cushion and curled up. 'What am I doing here?' she asked herself. She laid in silence for several seconds, half expecting an answer from somewhere, something, or herself. Nothing was forthcoming, and she was drawing a blank. She could have been home, in a nice warm shower, erasing the day from her coat and mind, instead, she was curled up in a ball, laying in a chair, watching Twilight sleep. Twilight shifted in her sleep, nuzzling the pillow.

'She asked me out on a date...' She looked down at the seat cushion and took a deep breath. 'Why did I say no?' she asked. The answer was almost immediate, 'I'm busy. I didn't think I had time for that. I didn't think...' She grimaced. She wasn't sure what Twilight had in mind for a date, and now she was curious. Twilight cared about her, but how deep did her feelings run? 'She asked me out on a date.'

She still had a hard time believing Twilight had asked her out on a date. She still had a hard time believing what happened to her. She still couldn't believe she slept with her. She had been weak and not thinking right. She swallowed as she thought about it. The more she thought about it, the more divided she found herself. She still didn't know what to think. She knew she cared about Twilight, but as a friend. Love wasn't her thing, that was Rarity's, and apparently Twilight's.

'Does she love me?' she wondered. She shifted her position and pressed herself into the chair firmer. She didn't know what to think about that if Twilight actually loved her. It made her feel weird and awkward, knowing that one of her best friends might love her. She never felt feelings like that for another pony. The only thing that came close was her dad, but that wasn't the same by a long shot. How many ponies could say that an alicorn loved them? Shining Armor was the only one she was sure of. She felt a smirk at that, then it left as quickly as it appeared. Bragging about something like that would have been wrong. Even if it was true and she was one of two ponies that could say that, she knew Twilight would hate her bragging about that. She knew better than to brag about something like that anyway.

It would have attracted attention to herself that she didn't want, she could already picture Rarity squealing in delight and giving her advice on how to woo a princess. She shivered, but not from the cold. And then Pinkie, she would plan a party and probably embarrass both Twilight and herself. Fluttershy and Applejack would have been happy for them. But in the end, it wouldn't work out.

She didn't think it would, at least. They were polar opposites. Twilight was a nerd, she was an athlete. Twilight was smart, intelligent, and thought things through. She didn't. She snorted at that. Twilight was nervous, and yet at the same time she had the courage to ask her out on a date. She grimaced at that. She had done many daring things before, but going out and asking somepony on a date wasn't one of those things. Love and romance weren't awesome or even cool, they were mushy things that weren't her style. Although she had never given it much thought or tried it out.

'Could it work out..?' she wondered. The thought didn't really stir any emotions in her, one way or another. Twilight was her friend, and under different circumstances, she might have enjoyed sleeping with her. That thought made her shift her weight. Twilight had been looking away from her when she woke up that morning. Maybe she didn't want that, or maybe she was embarrassed about it too. She had been embarrassed about falling asleep on Twilight, and at the same time, she hadn't care. She doubted anypony would actually blame her for that if they knew what Twilight asked her, though they would have bombarded her with questions that she couldn't answer.

She sighed as she shivered again from the cold. After a few seconds, she shook her head and looked at Twilight. It didn't look like she was going to wake up anytime soon. She shook her head and slid out of the chair, then made her way back to the door, but hesitated. For a few seconds, she hovered there, debating on staying the night. She turned back around and looked at Twilight. She looked peaceful, lying on the bed, curled up in a ball. She hoped she was having good dreams and sleeping as peacefully as she looked. She mulled over the idea of spending the night. She could sleep in one of the chairs, like the one beside Twilight's bed. Then, maybe Twilight would wake up to a friendly face. She would appreciate that, she was sure.

She shivered from the cold and wondered if Twilight would let her sleep with her. She shook the thought aside, not quite knowing what to think about that idea. She wasn't against it, but it felt too presumptuous. Maybe Twilight would like it. Regardless, she was cold and damp because of sweating profusely from her intense Wonderbolt training. She snorted and shook her head before leaving the room.

Twilight tentatively opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling. She yawned, and then sighed. "Finally wake up?" Starlight asked. Twilight turned her attention to the unicorn sitting in the corner of the room. She looked around, searching for Spike or anypony else with her. "Spike's still at the castle," she said.

Twilight stifled another yawn and forced herself up. "What time is..." she trailed off. Looking out the window, the bright lighting told her it was sometime around noon. She shook her head and rubbed her temple with a hoof. She sighed, and then winced as her hoof nudged the bandage on her forehead.

Starlight jumped out of the chair and walked over to the bed. "I overheard the doctors talking about you," she said with a smile. "It sounded like they were discussing releasing you today or tomorrow."

Twilight's heart raced at that. She was gleeful to hear it, and at the same time, scared to death of that. She wanted to get out of the hospital badly, but at the same time, she knew things wouldn't go back to how they had been. On one hoof, she would be able to do more things, things she wanted to do, like read, because nopony had bothered to bring her a book. She knew it was her own fault for not asking, but there had been no sense in being any more of a burden. That's how she looked at it anyway. On the other hoof, she couldn't do everything she wanted to do, and what she could do would be more difficult now. She'd have to deal with losing her horn. She swallowed and searched for something else to occupy her mind, anything else. She squinted at Starlight, "You... you do know you're not supposed to eavesdrop, right? Especially when it comes to something of that nature?"

Starlight chuckled lightly, failing to see Twilight's fear and worry. "Okay, I actually asked Doctor Manner."

Twilight looked at her blankly. "He's not supposed to discuss matters of my... condition... with anypony..." Twilight frowned at her and eyed her sharply. "You didn't use a spell, did you?"

Starlight opened her mouth and slumped down, exasperated, "I use that spell one time, and suddenly everypony thinks..." she trailed off with a sigh.

Twilight looked down at the bed and then slid off and walked over to Starlight. The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before Twilight pulled her into a hug. "Sorry, I..."

"It's okay... I know you must be stressed out, and that you have a lot on your mind..." Starlight pulled back and Twilight shook her head. "You feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Twilight answered. "Just... you know..." Starlight grimaced.

There was a short knock on the door, and Doctor Manner walked in, he smiled at the two mares. "Good to see you awake, Princess. Starlight. I'm glad you're both here, too," he said in a kind voice. He pulled out a clipboard and walked over to Twilight, who was eyeing him carefully. He hadn't brought up her being out of bed. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm... well," Twilight said cautiously, not willing to appear too eager, fearing it would make him suspicious.

Doctor Manner nodded absently and scribbled something down on the paper attached to the clipboard. "Good, good..." He looked up from the clipboard and met Twilight's gaze. "Normally there's a whole list of procedures for releasing you, but... Well, let's just say Princess Celestia heard that you wanted to be released and that you were... doing... well..." he eyed Twilight carefully, clearing unhappy about that turn of events. "You know, I have more authority than her with this issue. At least in theory..." he frowned and shook his head. "I'm willing to release you, but only because your recovery is progressing so smoothly. And if I find out you pushed yourself too hard because I released you, I will not be happy, Princess," he glared lightly at her.

"I'm being released? Just like that?" Twilight asked. She felt a surge of excitement and relief flow through her body, momentarily replacing her concern and lifting her mood. She would finally be able to do everything that she wanted. Almost everything. She would appreciate having some of her independence back, even if she couldn't do everything she wanted.

He smiled and pulled out another form and levitated it over to Twilight, along with a pen, "Just sign... here..." he said.

Twilight instinctively reached out with her magic to grasp the pen and paper, only to fail. She looked at the pen and paper blankly. Both Starlight and Doctor Manner realized what had happened, and their expressions were strained at that. Doctor Manner winced and felt terrible, realizing his mistake and seeing Twilight start to break under the strain. Twilight swallowed back the growing emotional turmoil and forced a weak smile. She turned to Starlight and looked at her in an almost pleading fashion, Starlight thought she looked on the verge of tears. "Starlight, can you..."

Starlight opened her mouth to say something, then stopped and looked at Doctor Manner. He was grimacing and wasn't sure what to say either. After a few seconds, he slowly levitated the paper and pen over to Starlight, who took it in her magic and held it in front of Twilight for her to read. Twilight took far longer to read the paper than she should have. Doctor Manner didn't know, but he suspected, and Starlight could tell. Her eyes lingered on each word for too long, and her eyes didn't have the same gleam as normal. Twilight didn't really find the document as interesting as she had hoped. She didn't pay much attention to it either. She just wanted it over with. She knew she should have taken the time to read it, but she faked it. After she finished looking over the paper she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "Please sign it for me," she said in a dull voice, directed at Starlight.

Starlight looked at Doctor Manner, who reluctantly nodded. She pulled the paper and pen closer to herself, skimmed the document, and then positioned the pen over the signature line. She found herself hesitating, and she found her gaze drawn back to Twilight, who was looking at the floor. She was so still, almost lifeless. It was painful to watch. She looked back at the paper and signed her name on it, then signed Twilight's name, and filled out the relevant blanks. After she finished, she clicked the pen with her magic and levitated it back over to Doctor Manner.

"I... probably should have gone over this before, but..." Doctor Manner trailed off, grimacing. "Your organs are still healing, and they will likely be healing for a while. Do not push yourself, Princess. You could end up hurting yourself worse. Avoid strenuous activities, heavy exercise, prolonged exertion... Eat a healthy diet... I'd recommend avoiding Pinkie Pie's diet..." Starlight wanted to interrupt and make a comment about that being impossible, but she didn't think it would make Twilight feel any better. "Stay hydrated... Try to avoid getting sick or getting exposed to any diseases. Get plenty of sleep, and take it easy." He paused to take a breath. "I still want to check up with you every week to see how you're doing... You may want to see a specialist for... other problems related to your condition..." He looked at the paper and then back at Twilight, who was still looking at the tiled floor. He turned towards the door and started to leave, "I'll... go file this and have a nurse come by with a wheelchair-"

"I'd rather walk out," Twilight said emotionlessly.

He paused and looked back at her, "Princess..."

Twilight swallowed and looked up at him, "Please?"

He clenched his jaw and grimaced but nodded. "Alright..." He waited for a few seconds before leaving and closing the door shut behind him. He took a deep breath and waited outside the door for a few seconds before starting off down the hallway.

Twilight took a deep breath and fell to her haunches, then lifted a hoof to her temple and massaged it firmly. She clenched her eyes shut and exhaled sharply. She let her head hang limply, facing the floor. She felt tears at the edge of her eyes, but she fought them. She couldn't be seen walking around Ponyville, having just been released from the hospital, a sobbing mess. She wasn't just a pony, she was a princess. Despite her insistence, her body disagreed with her. But maybe that was fine. She had lost something important to her, it was a part of her. But she was still a symbol, even if she wasn't truly an alicorn.

Starlight sat down beside Twilight and wrapped her arm around her before rubbing up and down, attempting to comfort her. She wanted to say something reassuring, but she didn't know what to say. She wasn't good when it came to comforting ponies. Twilight tentatively rested her weight against Starlight as tears overflowed from her eyes and ran down her muzzle, despite her eyelids being closed. She took a shaky breath before raggedly exhaling.

Twilight had forgotten how nice it was to be outside, even if it was just outside of the hospital doors. The warm sun hitting her coat warmed her to her core, and she stood there with her eyes closed. She welcomed the warmth of the sun, it reminded her of Princess Celestia, and it made her feel better. She took a deep breath and then sighed contently, the fresh air felt wonderful and smelt wonderful, much better than the artificially freshened hospital air.

Fighting off the breakdown had been taxing, but she had managed to do it, but she didn't want to deal with anypony now, nor did she want to try flying. She still felt too weak to try flying, even if it was just from the hospital to her castle. On instinct, she prepared her magic to teleport herself and Starlight back to the castle. She clenched her jaw, just like that, her mood fell once again. The nice day suddenly didn't feel quite so nice.

Seeing Twilight's mood fall, Starlight walked over to her. "Are you doing okay?" she asked. Twilight looked back at her and nodded absently. "Do you want to walk back to the castle or..?"

Twilight ran her tongue over her bottom lip. She would have liked to stay outside and enjoy the day, but she didn't feel like it. She didn't even feel like walking back to the castle. "Please just teleport us there... I want to be alone right now," she said.

Starlight grimaced but nodded. She was reluctant to leave her alone, she felt like she needed to be with her, but she understood why Twilight wanted to be alone. "Okay..." She lit her horn and powered up the spell. She smiled at Twilight reassuringly, then cast the spell, teleporting them both back to the castle immediately.

Twilight immediately missed the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze. And now that it was gone, she missed feeling the dirt street beneath her hooves. The enchanted dirt still didn't have the same feel to it as unenchanted dirt, but she still found herself missing it. She wasn't paying attention, and Starlight pulled her into a hug and held her tightly for a few seconds. "If you need me, I'll be in the library... I'll tell Spike you're back and..."

"Thanks..." Twilight forced a smile as she pulled out of the hug. "Listen... if you see anypony... just... tell them that I'm out of the hospital, but that I don't want to see anypony for the time being...."

Starlight opened her mouth, then closed it and nodded sadly. "You know, Pinkie Pie won't be happy to hear that you don't want her to come and throw you a party immediately..."

Twilight looked down at the floor. "I... I know, but..."

"They'll probably come anyway, Twilight," Starlight said. "It would be better if you were there to talk to them rather than just hiding from everypony."

Twilight's ears folded back. "I-I'm not... hiding from anypony, I just... want time to think."

Starlight watched her sadly for a few seconds. When it became apparent Twilight wasn't going to say anything more or look back at her, she hesitantly turned and left, giving Twilight plenty of time to say something. Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, Starlight was gone and she was left alone in the foyer. She mulled over her predicament for several seconds. She wanted to get to her room as quickly as possible, but she didn't want to injure herself in the process. She couldn't just teleport herself there, and she wasn't about to go find Starlight just to ask her to teleport her back to her room. She grimaced and cautiously extended her wings out.

She gave an experimental flap to them and lifted herself into the air half a foot. She was more sluggish than she remembered, and it was harder than she remembered to lift off the ground, but she wasn't surprised considering what she had been through. She had been born a unicorn, not a pegasus, and she figured that factored into it somehow too. She pushed the thought away and looked back at her wings. She clenched her jaw and swallowed, she would have to be careful. And find a book about preening. 'Maybe I should ask Cadance...' The thought brought a smile to her face, but it was fleeting. 'No... she'd say that she would have to come and show me, and she would, and that would take time... I'd just be a burden to her... I can figure it out from a book...' She sighed.

She tentatively flapped her wings again and with more force, lifting herself off the ground, then she hovered in the air for a few seconds, gauging how much effort it was taking her. After a quick calculation and a few seconds to make sure she felt up to it, she reangled her wings and propelled herself down the hallways, up the stairwells, and through the castle until she reached her room. She was quite happy she didn't run into anyone when flying to her room. She was also glad that she ordered the guard who was supposed to be following her to go back to Canterlot and report to Princess Celestia. She didn't want to deal with him, let alone anypony else for the rest of the day.

She landed and pushed her door open with a hoof, then immediately turned around to face the door as she closed it. She lowered her head and sat down. Her strength hadn't returned as much as she or Doctor Manner thought, if how tired she was from the short flight was any indication. She stifled a yawn and turned around. Her plush bed looked so welcoming and inviting to her. She just wanted to lay down and sleep, but at the same time it was the middle of the day and she had no desire to go back to an irregular sleep schedule.

Having a solid sleep schedule would be good for her, she would have to endure the exhaustion for the moment. She was sure it would go away if she did something interesting, but unfortunately, she didn't know what she wanted to do. Normally she would find a good book to read or practice magic, but the former didn't sound as appealing as normal, and the latter wasn't possible anymore.

She slowly stood up and walked across her room, then gently pushed against the balcony door. It opened silently, and she closed it behind her. The warmth of the sun was relaxing, and the cool breeze flying through her mane and across her coat felt wonderful. It created the perfect mixture of cool and warm that lulled her into a state of relaxation. She closed her eyes and focused on her senses. The gentle breeze barely made a sound, but she could feel its presence tickling her mane and tail. The cool, hard crystal floor sapped heat from her hooves, from experiment and study, she had determined that it had to do with nothing insulating below the crystal balcony, along with the castle having a natural tendency to stay a pleasant temperature, regardless of the season. She suspected that the castle's ability to retain a pleasant temperature had something to do with its connection to the Tree of Harmony, but she had no concrete proof.

She coaxed the thought away and then opened her eyes before walking out to the crystal half-wall that served as railing preventing anypony from accidently falling off. She rested her forehooves on top of the wall and leaned against it. The vibrant pink crystal seemed to catch the sun's rays and shimmer, while the outer blue crystal covering and hiding the pink crystal from anypony looking at the castle still shone, but less brilliantly.

She closed her eyes and laid her head on her hooves. Unless anypony was looking, nopony would have spotted the lone princess resting on the balcony. It was peaceful, serene even. The lack of distraction meant her mind could wonder like it had for the past few weeks. She was finally out of the hospital, and she was glad about that, but at the same time, she wasn't. She was alive, and she was glad that she was, but at the same time, she wasn't. She lost a part of herself. It was her sacrifice to protect her home, her friends, and her 'little ponies,' as Princess Celestia would have said. She smiled sadly at the thought.

She spread her front hooves apart and rested her head against the wall, letting the cool crystal caress her muzzle. She pressed her hooves back against her head but was careful not to nudge the bandage on her head. She sat like that for a few minutes, then stood up and walked further back from the wall and laid down. She folded her forehooves and laid her head flat against the floor. She looked up at the blue sky and sighed.

"Twilight's home?" Spike repeated with a growing smile, happy that she was back at the castle. Starlight nodded. Spike could tell something was wrong. She didn't nod as enthusiastically as she should have, instead, it was more subdued. "She's doing okay, right?"

Starlight took a deep breath and looked away from Spike. "Well..." she grimaced. "She's going through a lot... I know you know that Spike, but..."

Spike sighed, "Yeah... I guess I shoulda expected that. Did she go lock herself in her room or something?" he asked in a deadpan voice. Starlight looked at him wryly and bobbed her head. Spike folded his arms, tilted his head away from Starlight, and looked at the floor. "Figures..." he sighed sadly. He shook his head and unfolded his arms, then turned his attention back to the book he held. "Think she'll want any dinner? Or maybe a late lunch? Or an early dinner?" he asked.

Starlight shook her head, "I don't know... I kinda doubt it, but maybe you could make her a sandwich just in case she gets hungry..." she trailed off. She slowly smiled, "I think she'd appreciate that, actually," she said with a nod of her head. Even if Twilight didn't eat it, it would comfort her, but considering that she hadn't eaten anything other than hospital food in nearly four weeks, she doubted Twilight would pass it up.

Spike nodded and joined her in smiling. "I'll go take care of that if you can take care of the library for me while I'm gone."

Starlight walked further into the room and levitated the book he held with her magic and nodded. "I can do that," she said simply.

It was terrible what had happened to Twilight. Just thinking about it hurt. Spike sighed as he put the slice of bread on top of the sandwich, finishing his creation. A simple daisy sandwich, something Twilight always liked. He wasn't sure it would make her feel any better given the circumstances, but he was trying, and that was what counted. It looked so bland, it reminded him of Twilight from years ago when she was the simple antisocial bookworm she had been before she moved to Ponyville. It certainly was bland compared to what most ponies expected a princess to eat.

He shook the thought aside and picked up the plate, then made his way out of the kitchen and down the long hallway. He skillfully navigated his way through the halls and up the stairs until he reached Twilight's room. The sight of the closed crystal door intimidated him a little bit. It was nothing new, but since she had just returned home, it felt wrong. He took a deep breath and then knocked on the crystal door. He stood there for a quarter of a minute, waiting in silence for a response. He knocked again, and as he expected, was greeted by silence again.

He pushed the door apart and stepped into the room, "Twilight?" he called out. "I brought you a sandwich. It's your favorite kind!" he said in a singsong voice, attempting to lure her out of hiding. He walked over to the bed while looking for her, then jumped onto it, expecting to see her lying down and sleeping. She wasn't in bed. He sighed and looked at the bathroom door, which was open. He looked towards the closed balcony door, jumped down and walked over to it. He pushed it opened and walked out onto the balcony. "Twilight..?"

She lifted her head from the floor and looked back at him. "Spike..." she smiled as his name rolled off her tongue. "I'm happy to see you again..." She trailed off and looked away, then unfolded her hooves and wiped her eyes. She felt silly for saying that since she had seen Spike a lot while in the hospital, but it wasn't as often as she was used to.

Spike stared at her for a few seconds before walking over to her and sitting down. He sat the plate down and rubbed her side reassuringly. "It'll be okay, alright? Your horn will grow back, it just might take a while..." he trailed off, not wanting to remind her how long that while would be. If it grew back at all, that was. Twilight sighed and her ears fell to the sides of her head. "I brought you a sandwich," he said as he pushed the plate in front of her.

Twilight looked at the sandwich blankly for a few seconds before smiling and looking back at him, "Thank you, Spike." She turned back to the sandwich and tentatively picked it up with her hooves, then brought it to her mouth and took a bite of it. She closed her eyes and savored the delicate flavor. Most ponies wouldn't think twice about how a daisy sandwich tasted, but she thought it was wonderful. She had only eaten hospital food for weeks, and her taste buds felt like they were finally waking up from a coma. She swallowed and put the sandwich back down on the plate, dropping it from her hooves. "That'll take some getting used to..." she mused dryly, then she sighed. Halfway in the middle of her sigh, Spike wrapped his arms around her neck. Twilight pulled him closer with her wing and nuzzled his cheek.

Starlight knocked on the door to Carousel Boutique. "Just a minute!" Rarity called from inside. Starlight shifted her weight on her hooves, debating how best to inform her of Twilight's release and tell her how she was doing. She squinted, then quickly looked at the door normally as she heard hoofsteps approaching from the other side. A few seconds later, and the door was thrown open. Rarity stood on the other side, looking as sublime as normal. "Starlight, darling, what can I... do for you?" Rarity asked with a smile that was genuine enough but wasn't quite right.

"I just came by to tell you that Twilight was released earlier today. She's back at the castle, and I just wanted to tell you all before you showed up at the hospital only to find she wasn't there..." she trailed off with an awkward smile.

"She's been released? Why, darling, that's wonderful news! That must mean she's doing much better, right? Oh, I'd simply hate for them to have released her before she was ready. Why I can just imagine how dreadful that would be for her!" she turned to the side, looked towards the ceiling and draped a hoof over her head. "Why, that would simply be horrible, darling!" She paused and frowned, "Although, considering how drab that room was..." she visibly shuddered at the memory, "It's probably for the best she was released regardless of how she is doing..."

"Uh... right..." Starlight cautiously agreed. "She's... doing well..." she trailed off, earning a curious look from Rarity. "She's still recovering, but she's doing well enough that they released her. She's just... really tired..." 'Among other things,' she added mentally.

"Have you already told the others?" Rarity asked.

Starlight shook her head, "No, you're the first."

"Oh, darling, you really should have told Pinkie first." She looked back at the ceiling and tapped her chin with her hoof. "Or at the very least don't tell her last..." She shook her head and looked back at Starlight. "You really must tell the others! In fact, I think I'll come with you. This is simply splendid news!" she smiled.

"Thank you, Rarity," Starlight said with a smile. "But don't you have things to take care of here?"

Rarity waved a hoof in the air and made a series of disgusted sounds, "Twilight was released from the hospital, this can wait!"

"Uh... well... She doesn't... really feel like seeing anypony right now," Starlight replied nervously. "She's... uh... tired... Surely you know how exhausting it is, staying in a hospital for over three weeks, lying around all day doing nothing! It really drains your strength!"

Rarity squinted at her. For several seconds, Starlight held her breath, afraid Rarity wouldn't buy the excuse. "I... suppose.... I had never really thought about it that way before. But I guess recovering from something like that would take time and would be simply exhausting... Do be sure she gets enough sleep, darling."

Starlight nodded, "I don't think I'll have a problem with that..." she mused. She thought about it for a few seconds. Spike said that Twilight fell asleep shortly after finishing her sandwich. She didn't think that the crystal floor was that comfortable to sleep on, but Spike also said she looked peaceful. She reasoned it was because she was sleeping outside rather than in a cold hospital room. She just hoped Twilight didn't wake up sore, that wouldn't be fun.

Starlight felt a deep sense of foreboding as she approached the ominous bakery that looked like something out of a foal's storybook. The stark contrast sent a shiver down her spine. Starlight and Rarity walked side by side to the door, then Rarity opened the door for her, and she walked inside followed closely behind by Rarity. The same second the door closed, Pinkie Pie was right in front of the two mares. "Hi, Starlight! Hi, Rarity! What brings you two here? Do you want some cake? Cupcakes? Muffins? Did you come for an early dinner? A late lunch? Dinch? That doesn't sound right... Lunner? Ha, that sounds like Lunar!" the pink mare rambled off, losing both Rarity and Starlight, both of whom blinked.

"Ah, Pinkie dear, Starlight has just told me the most wonderful news!" Rarity beamed.

Pinkie's muzzle slowly grew into a massive smile. "Twilight got released from the hospital!?" she guessed. Even before they answered, she could tell that she was right, and immediately she jumped for joy into the air. "Twilight got released from the hospital! Yippie! That's wonderful news, Rarity! AHHH! Do you know what this calls for!?" she rushed over to Rarity and pressed their faces together and wrapped her hooves around the back of her head.

Rarity smiled awkwardly, knowing what was coming, but not wanting it. Although she had to admit, a party was definitely needed, but not over the top like Pinkie normally did. "A par-"

"A party!" Pinkie exclaimed, pulling back from Rarity and half jumping into the air, throwing her forehooves up and standing on two legs. Confetti exploded seemingly out of nowhere and filled the air, and streamers leisurely floated down. "This is great news! I'll throw her a party like she's never seen before, there'll be cake, ice cream," Starlight and Rarity exchanged a nervous glance, "games, partying, and ponies! Lots and lots of ponies! I could probably invite all of Canterlot and-"

Rarity rested a hoof on her shoulder. "Pinkie, darling, please... She's still recovering and I don't think something on that scale is what she needs..."

Pinkie deflated and fell back to standing on all four hooves. "O-oh... okay... I... guess that makes sense, Rarity." She sighed sadly. "B-but, we're still going to throw her a party, right? This demands celebration!"

Rarity glanced at Starlight and then looked back at Pinkie. "Of course, dear, but... I think it should wait for a while. Twilight's still exhausted from recovering, but I'm sure she'd love a party... in... a week or two?" Pinkie nodded. It wasn't an overly eager nod, but it was still enthusiastic. Rarity could tell she was still disappointed, but her mood was lifted by still getting to throw Twilight a party for getting out of the hospital. Starlight smiled at Rarity. "Oh, um, right. We were going to go and let Fluttershy and Applejack know next. We were wondering if you'd like to join us. A late afternoon stroll would be quite nice, I do believe."

"Okay, sure!" Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "And we can tell Fluttershy to tell Rainbow Dash so that she knows that Twilight's not at the hospital because she's been released and that she'll be at home!" Pinkie bounced passed both of them and out the door, pastries could wait, and the Cakes would understand!

Pinkie popped her head from out of the branches of the tree Fluttershy was hovering beside while tending to a nest of birds. "Hiya Fluttershy!" Pinkie shouted. Fluttershy's wings clamped shut against her body and a second later she found herself sprawled out on the ground. Pinkie slid down the tree and offered her a hoof to stand up.

"H-hi, Pinkie..." Fluttershy said as she took Pinkie's hoof and stood up. She brushed the dirt off of her coat and looked at Angel. The white rabbit glared at her and pointed at a leaf of lettuce lying in the dirt while stomping his paw impatiently. Fluttershy blushed and mumbled a quick apology to him too quiet for anypony to hear.

"Pinkie, that was rather rude, don't you think?" Rarity asked with a hint of annoyance. "Scaring poor Fluttershy like that... You're almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!"

Pinkie smiled nervously and squeaked. "I guess I got a little carried away... But it's just soooo exciting, Rarity!" She jumped over to the white unicorn and pulled her into a tight hug. Rarity felt like she was going to pop if Pinkie squeezed her any tighter. As if testing that theory, Pinkie tightened her grip before releasing her and zooming back to Fluttershy. "Twilight's out of the hospital!"

Fluttershy perked up at that and her eyes lit up. "She was released so soon? That's good... But I thought she was hurt really badly by the radiation and that she would have been in the hospital for longer..."

"She's back at the castle right now," Starlight explained in a more subdued tone than Pinkie.

"Oh, I'm happy to hear that, Starlight..." she trailed off and looked at Angel as the bunny tugged on her tail. She frowned and then looked back at Starlight sheepishly. "S-sorry, but... I'd go see her, but I need to fix Angel a new bowl of salad... Maybe after that I'll go and see her," she finished with a smile. Though it pained her to have to delay visiting Twilight, she knew Twilight was a grown mare who could wait. Angel Bunny on the other hoof wasn't. The little bunny just couldn't take care of himself without her constant attention. "Maybe I can bring Angel with me?"

Starlight smiled at her sadly, "Sorry, Fluttershy... Twilight's... pretty worn out. I don't think she really wants any visitors right now."

"O-oh..." Fluttershy shrunk back slightly at hearing that. She should have known Twilight was going to be tired, but she just didn't think about it. "I... guess I'll have to see her another time, then..."

"Yeah, Fluttershy! I'm going to throw her a party in a few weeks, and you're invited. Which I mean, of course you're invited, you're Twilight's friend, and you're my friend too." Pinkie sat down on her haunches and looked off into the sky, "Although, you should probably visit Twilight sometime before the party if it's going to be in a few weeks..."

"Oh, don't worry, Pinkie, I'll make it a point to visit her sometime tomorrow... or the next day, if she's still tired..." Fluttershy said empathetically. "Make sure you tell her that I'll try to see her tomorrow and that I hope she gets feeling better soon..."

Starlight nodded, "I'll make sure she knows, and I'm sure she'll be happy to see you." She actually believed that. Twilight always enjoyed Fluttershy's company. She didn't think she enjoyed it as much as Rainbow's company, but with Fluttershy Twilight wasn't as nervous, although ever since Twilight asked Rainbow on a date she hadn't seemed quite as nervous around Rainbow. Though granted, she hadn't been around the pair as much as before, which really wasn't a lot to begin with. "Oh, and if you run into Rainbow Dash, can you tell her that Twilight was released?" she asked as an afterthought.

Fluttershy nodded, "Yes, of course. If I run into her I can let her know..."

Starlight smiled. "Thanks, Fluttershy." She wasted no time before turning and making her way towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Starlight sighed as she closed the castle's door behind her. They had searched for Applejack for over an hour, and hadn't managed to find her. In the end, they resorted to telling Applebloom to tell Applejack that they needed to talk to her. Applebloom had nodded enthusiastically, and they were sure that Applejack would get their message, but they didn't know when she'd find out. None of them had managed to find Rainbow Dash either, which wasn't surprising considering that she was a Wonderbolt, but she wasn't happy they didn't find her.

Starlight shook her head and forced the thought away. Twilight hadn't asked her to go and tell them that she was out of the hospital. She had only said that if she ran into them to tell them. She knew that going out and telling them was the better idea, she didn't want Rarity or Applejack to chastise her for not immediately informing them about her being released. Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, she wasn't sure how she would react to not being told. She just hoped the brash pegasus thought before she acted.

She channeled magic into her horn and cast a quick teleportation spell, appearing outside of Twilight's door. She lifted a hoof and knocked on the door before pushing it open and walking inside. Twilight shifted on her bed and held the blanket to herself and pushed herself up with her spare hoof. Twilight watched her as she closed the door behind her with her magic. "Still tired, huh?" Starlight asked empathetically.

Twilight sighed and her ears folded back. "I'm still recovering. You heard what Doctor Manner said, I need to get plenty of rest, my body is still healing..."

Starlight slowly walked across the room and over to the bed. "Do you need me to get you anything?" she asked.

Twiligth shook her head, "No, thank you..." She forced a weak smile before looking back down at the deep blue blanket she halfway clutched to her chest with one hoof. She bobbed her head. "Well... actually, could you bring me a... book?" she asked.

Starlight thought she sounded more nervous than normal, but she pushed the thought aside and nodded, "Sure," she smiled. "Which one?"

Twilight sighed and let go of the blanket and massaged her temple. "I... I don't know... Just..." The words died on her tongue. There were several things she needed to study up on, but they were all daunting. Preening, and how to take care of her mane and tail without magic were just a couple of the most pressing ones. She didn't want to attempt to study up on either of those, though. She felt like if she did, she was admitting that her horn would never grow back. Princess Celestia said it might. She wanted to believe it would, and the sensitivity where her horn had been was a good sign, or at least that's what she wanted to believe. "Just..." She paused again. 'My indecision is a burden to her... What would...' "A... Daring Do... book... would be nice..."

Starlight smiled, "Do you have a specific one in mind, or do you just want any one of them?"

Twilight shook her head, "It doesn't matter..."

"I'll go get you one..." Starlight trailed off as she turned around and walked across the room and out the door.

Twilight heard the telltale crack of magic as Starlight teleported away. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Silence filled the air. She laid back down and pulled the covers back up to her neck and held them there firmly. She laid like that for a few seconds before returning her hoof to her temple and rubbing it. The growing headache she felt told her she wouldn't be able to read for long, if at all. She nudged the medical tape gently and felt it pull on the bandage. She winced and immediately pulled her hoof away, then groaned and threw the blanket off of herself with her wings. She kicked the covers further away with her legs and let her wings sprawl out from her sides, she didn't feel like folding them back against herself. Her earlier flight, brief as it had been, left them throbbing when she awoke from her short nap.

"Maybe I should have asked her to bring me some painkillers too," she mused dryly. She slid her hooves back underneath the plush pillow and then pressed it against the sides of her head. Even with the care she took not to nudge the medical tape or the bandage, it was inevitable that it would happen. She clenched her eyes and jaw shut tightly until the wave of pain rolled away. When she opened her eyes, she found the pillow still pressed against the sides of her head. She released it and stared up at the crystal ceiling. It looked down at her in a pitying manner, like it was sad to see her sad. She wondered if the Tree of Harmony was saddened by the loss of her horn too, and if it was, how much it actually cared.

The thought turned bitter. She was the Princess of Friendship and practically the Princess of Magic. Her special talent was magic, and she was the bearer of the Element of magic. How was she supposed to fulfill her role of spreading friendship, magic, and harmony if she couldn't access her own magic? How was she supposed to help Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule Equestria if she couldn't use her magic? How was she supposed to help her friends and, if need be, protect them from harm without her magic?

Princess Luna wasn't going to be happy when they talked that night if she found out what she had been thinking. She could already see her visit devolving into an argument, and she didn't want that. Luna would keep insisting that she wasn't useless, and she should be right, but she didn't feel that way. She snorted, 'I guess I still have the option of blocking her out...' She grimaced, 'She'd think something was wrong then... so I can't do that.'

Another crack of magic broke the silence, followed closely behind by a knock on the door. Starlight pushed the door open without a second thought or any hesitation, and she strode across the room, carrying a Daring Do novel in her magic. Twilight briefly glanced over the title and smiled as Starlight sat it down on the nightstand, it was the same book that Rainbow had read that got her into the series. "Thanks," she said as she pushed herself back up into a sitting position.

"You're welcome," Starlight replied. "I went out and told all of our friends that I could find that you were released from the hospital."

Twilight grimaced and slowly turned to face the door to the balcony. "You... didn't have to do that..."

Despite the fact that Twilight wasn't looking at her, Starlight looked at her sharply. "You know that they needed to know, Twilight."

Twilight looked over the crystal door to the balcony for a few seconds. "Thank you," she finally replied in an even voice.

"We didn't find Applejack or Rainbow Dash, though."

Twilight let her head droop and she sighed. "I... guess that shouldn't be a surprise, Applejack has to run the farm, and Rainbow's so busy with the Wonderbolts, after all." She shook her head and then looked back at Starlight.

"I told Applebloom to tell Applejack, so I'm sure she'll find out sooner rather than later... And Fluttershy said she'd try to stop by tomorrow or the next day to see you."

Twilight sighed, "I'm not sure I really want to see anypony..."

"What about Rainbow Dash?" Starlight pursed her lips, "I'm sure she'll figure out that you were released and where you are... If not, well, we'll be able to tell her sometime. Actually, I can probably go and tell Doctor Manner to expect her to show up and to tell her where you are when she does show up." She paused and tilted her head to the side, "You know, you've never actually said why you wanted to ask her out on a date. Why her?"

Twilight swallowed and averted her gaze from Starlight while slowly tilting her head back towards the balcony door. "She's..." The words caught in her throat. She licked her lips, thinking about her. Her beautiful prismatic mane and tail, her deep magenta eyes, her courage, her bravery, her agility, her desire to be the best that she can be, her ability to shake off almost anything and push on. She felt her heart beat irregularly as she thought about her, although the thoughts only made her heart hurt more. She wanted to be closer to the pegasus, but Rainbow had made it clear that wasn't going to happen. It hurt, but she took comfort in knowing that Rainbow was still her friend, despite her blunder and making things awkward between them. She sighed longingly as she remembered waking up with Rainbow beside her, resting against her chest.

Starlight bit her lip. "I... guess it really isn't any of my business..." she trailed off as Twilight looked back at her. "I'll... leave you alone, unless you want me to stay."

Twilight nodded, "Go, you have things you need to do..."

"Do you need me to get you anything else?" Starlight asked.

Twilight shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Starlight pressed.

Twilight sighed and fell back down onto the bed. She instinctively reached out to take the book in her magic and grit her teeth when it failed to do anything. "I'm fine..." she said again, more firmly than the first time. She watched Starlight stare at her for a few seconds before she turned around and left. She closed her eyes and sighed after Starlight was gone, then rolled over and grabbed the book with a hoof and pulled it across the table, only for it to fall on the floor. She stared at the nightstand blankly for several seconds, just processing the book falling to the floor, then she rolled off the bed and picked it up with her wings and sat back down on her stomach on the bed.

She relaxed her wings and let them lay spread out across the bed, taking up nearly the entire width as she laid in the middle of the bed. She folded her forehooves underneath her chest and stared at the cover page of the book. It stared back at her, and she could almost hear Rainbow saying, "I'm an egghead," all over again. The memory brought a smile to her face

She shook her head and slid her wing forward and opened the book cover, then read the preface. It wasn't as invigorating as it was normally, but she wasn't surprised. She turned the page and skimmed the chapter list before turning the page again and starting at chapter one.

She read the page slowly, taking in each word before moving onto the next. When she finished the page, she slid a feather between the next two pages and parted them, and read over the pages. After finishing the fifth chapter, she found her eyes heavy, and her head was lying on the bed. She was constantly stifling yawns and her eyes were watering. She had to constantly wipe away the tears with her hooves so that she could see, but even that wasn't helping as much as it should have. With the fading light of the sun, the room grew darker. Normally, it wouldn't have been a problem.

Normally, she had her horn and was holding the book in her magic, so the glow from her aura offered enough light for her to continue to read. She sighed and closed the book, then sat up and took the book in her forehooves and placed it on the nightstand, nearly falling off the bed in the process. She laid back down on her back and stared at the ceiling before she shivered. She grunted and pushed herself back up, slid forwards, grabbed the blanket with her wings and pulled it back. After looking at it for a few seconds, she bit down on the blanket with her mouth and laid back down, pulling the blanket tight around herself with her hooves.

She laid in the silent stillness for several minutes, but sleep refused to come to her, despite her exhaustion. She rolled over and laid on her side for a few minutes before rolling over to her other side. She regretted taking a nap earlier. She huffed and pushed the covers off of herself, she still wanted to read, but she couldn't. She didn't have a source of light, and she wasn't about to go ask Starlight to give her some light or ask Spike for some candles.

She laid on the bed, uncovered for several seconds before she slid off the bed and stood on her hooves. Almost immediately, her stomach revolted against her. She stood there for a few seconds attempting to fight the rising bile in her stomach. When she realized it was a losing battle, she quickly made her way to the bathroom and propped herself up over the sink. For a few seconds, she leaned against the sink with her eyes closed before she expelled the limited contents of her stomach.

She stood there for several seconds before moving to make sure her stomach had settled. 'I thought I was done with this...' she thought dejectedly. She turned on the faucet and wiped her mouth with the back of her hoof, then rinsed her hoof off and washed the sink out before sticking her muzzle beneath the faucet and rinsing her mouth out. After she was sure that her mouth was clean, she gulped down three mouthfuls of water, then turned off the faucet. She almost jumped when the cold water hit her stomach.

She leaned against one hoof and rubbed her temple with the other. She opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. Her gaze was drawn to the bandage and her shortened mane. The face that looked back at her was so foreign to her. She closed her eyes and looked away. 'I'll... get used to it...' she reasoned as she pulled away from the sink and walked back into her bedroom. She looked at her bed and sighed, then walked out onto the balcony to watch the stars.

Rainbow Dash flew through the hallways of the hospital, ignoring all of the doors she passed, along with all of the ponies she passed. The bright overhead lights placed equidistant from each other illuminated the white walls, making their purity rival that of Princess Celestia's coat. "Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow paused in the air, hovering. She recognized the voice, Doctor Manner. She spun around and flew over to him. He smiled at her, "I assume you're here to see Princess Twilight?"

Rainbow nodded and smiled, "Yeah, did she say anything about-"

"Ah, let me stop you right there. She was released earlier today. Starlight Glimmer told me you'd be stopping by to check on the princess, but she's back at her castle."

Rainbow landed on the floor and folded her wings, "That's great news, right? That means she's doing better?"

Doctor Manner bobbed his head, "Mmm... yes, well, for the most part." He looked down the hall to his left and then to his right. "She's still recovering, but she's doing... well enough... that I'm letting her recover in the comforts of home," he explained.

Rainbow looked at the floor for a second, going over what he said. It was good news that meant Twilight wouldn't be alone all the time, and that she could go out and do things other than just lay in bed or pace around her hospital room. She looked back up and smiled at him, "Alright, thanks!" she said as she jumped into the air and raced down the hallways, her energy renewed from the good news. Doctor Manner smiled and shook his head as the pegasus rushed off and left his vision.

Rainbow circled around the castle for several minutes, trying to remember which balcony went to Twilight's room. It didn't help that most of the balconies looked the same and that there was over a hundred of them. Twilight's castle was by no means gigantic, but it wasn't small either. It was like searching for a needle in a needle stack, except less pokey. With each pass, she grew more and more discouraged, but she wasn't going to give up, not yet at least. She wanted to talk to Twilight and congratulate her.

"This isn't working..." she groaned. She hovered in the air for a few seconds, trying to figure out what to do. She briefly contemplated doing a Sonic Rainboom, but she didn't want to wake up all of Ponyville just to find Twilight. She flew to one of the balconies and squinted at the crystal window, but she couldn't see anything inside. She grunted and flew over to another balcony and looked inside, again she saw nothing.

She flew back and looked over the tree shaped castle, "Okay, think... It was... towards the top, wasn't it?" She flew up towards the top of the castle, "And... it faced Ponyville..." She flew around to the side facing Ponyville. It didn't really help much, there were still a dozen balconies, but it wouldn't take as long to check a dozen as it would to check a hundred.

Rainbow flew around, looking over each balcony, trying to decide where to start. After a few seconds and flying passed several of the balconies, she did a double take and flew back to the last one she had looked over. She hovered in the air for a few seconds, watching the alicorn lying on the crystal floor. As she slowly approached the balcony, she realized Twilight was asleep. She half-smiled and half-grimaced at the sight, Twilight was a princess who should have been sleeping in her bed, not outside and on the floor, especially in her condition!

She quietly landed on the balcony and walked over to Twilight, then leaned in closer to her and listened to her for any sign that she wasn't doing okay, or that she was awake. She showed no signs that something was wrong, which made her smile, but she showed no signs of waking up either. She leaned in a little closer and nudged her shoulder with her muzzle, "Twilight?" she whispered. No response. She pulled back and looked at her, the soft light of the moon cast her coat in softer shades than the bright light of day did. Her wings were loosely folded against her body, and she was lying flat on her stomach. Her front hooves were crossed and supporting her head, which was lying at an angle.

"Twilight?" she said a bit louder. She leaned in again and nudged her neck, earning a soft groan from the alicorn. "Twilight," she said, starting to grow annoyed that the alicorn wasn't paying any attention to her. Twilight nuzzled her hooves and shifted her weight slightly before becoming still again. Rainbow looked around, making sure that they were alone and that nopony was watching, then she leaned down and nuzzled her cheek. A smile brushed Twilight's lips as Rainbow's soft fur rubbed against her own. "Twilight, wake up," Rainbow said in a conversational tone.

Twilight groaned and mumbled something inaudible, still clearly not awake. Rainbow pulled back and nudged her with her hoof. Twilight didn't react. Rainbow poked her again in the same spot on her back, above her shoulder. Twilight's wing tried to swat her hoof away, but failed, then folded back to her side. Rainbow poked her again, Twilight clenched her eyes before opening them and groaning. "Stop that, Rai-" Twilight trailed off and swallowed, seeing Rainbow Dash sitting beside her, smiling.

"Hey," Rainbow greeted her with a soft smile.

Twilight blinked, making sure her eyes weren't playing tricks on her. When she saw that Rainbow was still there, she smiled and pushed herself up into a sitting position. "Rainbow Dash..." The change in tone in Twilight's voice caught Rainbow off-guard, but she didn't let it show. Twilight wanted to say something more, but she had no idea of what to say.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight looked at her indignantly. "Hey, I was sleeping until you woke me up!"

Rainbow smiled at her but rolled her eyes. "I said in bed, not asleep." Twilight opened her mouth to refute her but merely shook her head. Rainbow looked away from her and watched the starry sky. "So why were you sleeping out here anyway?" she asked.

"Oh, you know... it's just such a nice night..." Twilight trailed off, looking at the moon, not wanting to talk about the real reason.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah, I guess." A cool breeze pushed her mane to the other side of her neck. Rainbow tilted her head back to Twilight, "Aren't you a little cold, though?"

Twilight shifted her weight. "I... could ask you the same question?" She turned to Rainbow and smiled awkwardly. Rainbow blinked and looked at her blankly. "Um... well... now... that you mention it..." Twilight trailed off and smiled sheepishly. "I guess... sleeping outside probably wasn't the best idea, but I'm-" Rainbow extended a wing and draped it over Twilight's back. Twilight's face paled at the gesture, and her mind stuttered while her heart pounded. She just watched Rainbow Dash for a few minutes before realizing Rainbow was watching the stars. She blinked and closed her eyes, letting herself relax enjoy the moment, even though it felt like a lie.

"Are you doing okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded, "I'm fine."

Rainbow turned towards her, "You sure?" Twilight nodded again. Rainbow's gaze trailed over Twilight's face before she averted her gaze and looked back at the moon.

"So how are things with the Wonderbolts going?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow snorted. "Spitfire's still insistent that the sabotage was a prelude to an invasion... She's still pushing us, but after getting a letter from Princess Celestia, she's not as... tense."

"She isn't pushing you too hard, is she?" Twilight asked in a worried tone.

Rainbow quickly shook her head, "No, I can handle it."

Twilight nodded absently. Twilight shivered as another cool breeze blew over the balcony, despite Rainbow's body blocking most of it, and her wing sheltering her other side. Sleeping out on the cold crystal floor probably wasn't the best idea, even if it was summer, although it had not been her intention to fall asleep outside. She found it strange, though. Inside the castle, even the rooms closest to the outside were well insulated, and yet the balcony floor was cold. She pushed the thought aside when she realized she was shaking a little bit. She didn't remember being that cold when she woke up, nor did she remember the floor being that cold when she laid down on it.

"You sure you're doing okay? You feel pretty cold, Twilight." Rainbow said as she pulled Twilight closer to her.

"I uh... I may have pushed myself a little too hard today..." Twilight said absently, thinking back to her short flight. It was a scary thought, if that short flight was pushing herself too hard, then she'd have to be very careful. She was sure her strength would come back quickly now, though, since she wasn't laying in bed all day and was actually doing things.

Rainbow rubbed Twilight's side and wing with her own wing, generating warmth from the friction. Twilight's heart stuttered at the sensation, and she felt like she was going to pass out. "Maybe we should go inside... It wouldn't be good if you got sick from the cold," Rainbow suggested with a warm smile.

"Y-yeah..." Twilight tentatively agreed, feeling her heart beat a little faster.

Rainbow stood up but kept her wing laid across Twilight's back. "You coming?" she asked after Twilight just sat there, unmoving, for a few seconds.

Twilight blinked and nodded, then stood up. Rainbow's wing moved with her as she stood up, and the pegasus made no move to remove it from its position. Twilight opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. She smiled quickly before turning around. Rainbow removed her wing from her back briefly as she turned around, causing Twilight to shiver and whimper softly. Rainbow felt awkward, hearing her whimper when she removed her wing. She moved closer to Twilight and slid her wing over her back as soon as she had turned back around, and Twilight sighed internally at the contact. 'Do I really mean that much to her..?' Rainbow wondered.

Rainbow took the lead and Twilight walked close beside her as they returned to the door. Rainbow pushed it open with a hoof and they walked inside in unison. As soon as they were inside, Rainbow removed her wing from Twilight's back and shut the door. Twilight just stood there for a few seconds, not sure what to do or say. The warmer air felt nice, but she was still cold. She made her way over to her bed and pulled herself on top of it, and then turned around to look at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow watched Twilight for a few seconds. She was the first to move, she slowly crossed the room and stopped beside the bed. "You doing okay? Want me to get you something?" she asked, ignoring the discomfort she felt being alone with Twilight in her room. Just a few weeks ago, she wouldn't have given it a second thought, but then Twilight had asked her out on a date. She was still curious about that.

Twilight swallowed, blinked, and shook her head. "N-no... I..." she trailed off. 'I... I can't ask you to do that...' She closed her eyes, lowered her head and sighed. As much as she wanted to ask her to sit with her for a few minutes, she wasn't going to do that. She felt like it would be abusing her condition to get what she wanted. She knew that was wrong, and didn't want that. She didn't want Rainbow to do something like that to make her feel better just because she wasn't doing well. "I-I'm fine," she said.

Rainbow grimaced as Twilight's ears folded back, and she could tell something was wrong. "Uh... you don't look fine, Twilight."

"No, really, I'm fine," Twilight smiled softly. For a few seconds, she held the smile, just watching Rainbow, then she sighed and looked over the bed for the edge of the blanket. "What time is it..?" she asked as she looked towards her clock. "Midnight..." she groaned. "It's going to take me forever to get back on anything resembling a normal sleep schedule..."

"I wouldn't worry so much about that. I mean, I used to take naps all the time during the day, and you didn't see me complaining about not sleeping at night," Rainbow commented lightly.

"You didn't have a rigorous schedule that you adhered to, I do!" Twilight huffed.

Rainbow laughed at that, "Oh come on, Twilight! Do you even have a schedule now? I mean you were in the hospital for almost four weeks, and unless you've made a new schedule, anything you had planned is outdated by a lot."

Twilight's eyes widened as realization donned on her. "Oh... no... No. No no no... No... I... No." She shook her head and let herself fall backward onto the pillow, then clutched her head with her hooves. "I... don't have any... schedules... Ugh!" she groaned. "How am I supposed to..." she trailed off. "I... I can't even make a schedule... and... I..." she swallowed and closed her eyes, feeling like she was going to cry. She was organized, and for most of her teen and adult life, schedules are what she lived by, and now she couldn't make them on her own. Her writing with her mouth was illegible.

Rainbow grimaced, regretting bringing up Twilight's lack of organization as of recent. "Uh... I think you're making too big of a deal out of that..."

"It's a part of me, Rainbow... It's like my horn, but..." Twilight trailed off.

Rainbow grimaced and searched for something to say to cheer her up. She winced internally, "Uh... tomorrow night, I can help you make a checklist thingy if... you want." 'Never in a million years did I think I would ever say that to her...' She shivered at the thought. Twilight's checklists and schedules were infamous for their length. She didn't have a problem with checklists, she was a pegasus, former manager of the Ponyville Weather Department, and a Wonderbolt. She was used to checklists, but Twilight's checklists were ginormous. If she put together all of the checklists she had used, not each one individually, but the items on them, and compared it to one of Twilight's checklists, Twilight's single checklist would easily be twice as long as her checklist. Twilight even had a checklist for making a checklist.

Twilight sighed and let her body go limp, her hooves fell onto the pillow beside her, her wings and hind legs sprawled out, and she looked at Rainbow and half-heartedly smiled. "I don't actually have anything to do for the foreseeable future... So... I don't actually need a schedule..." she said in a heavy voice. "I can't really help Princess Celestia and Princess Luna run Equestria right now..." She grimaced and looked off in the distance longingly.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You can't be seriously telling me that you actually enjoyed that! Seriously, it's like... all paperwork..." she blinked. "You actually enjoyed that, didn't you?" she accused.

Twilight smiled sheepishly, "It's... really interesting, Rainbow. I think you-"

"Nope!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Not happening."

Twilight sighed, sad to hear Rainbow brushing her off so easily, but part of her was happy just seeing Rainbow being herself. "Right..."

Silence hung in the air for several seconds before Rainbow spoke, "So... no plans for tomorrow, huh?"

Twilight grimaced. "I'll... probably just end up staying in the castle all day..."

Rainbow snorted. "Sounds boring."

Twilight smiled at her and nodded. "What about you? Wonderbolt stuff?" she asked.

Rainbow nodded vigorously. "Yep..."

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed. It was the middle of the night, and Rainbow likely had a big day tomorrow, and here she was, wasting time she should have been asleep, staying with her. It made her chest feel heavy. "Thank you for waking me up..." she trailed off and swallowed.

Rainbow smiled at her, it was a gentle smile, one which made Twilight's heart melt. It momentarily made her forget about how cold her body was. "No problem... Listen, I uh... want to help you get better, okay? I don't... like seeing you like..." she paused and bobbed her head, "this."

Twilight frowned, "This?" she asked.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah... Unhappy and mopey. It reminds me of Pinkie Pie back when she thought we abandoned her..."

"O-oh..." Twilight shifted her weight, then slid her hind legs beneath the blanket and reached for the cover with her wings and pulled it over her body. The blankets were cold when they touched her chest, but it would warm up quickly from her body heat, although it would have been faster with Rainbow Dash lying beside her. The thought made her heart pound and her chest tingled. "I um... shouldn't... you be... really tired? And shouldn't you be in bed right now? I know you have to get up really early, and the longer you stay here the less sleep you're going to get..."

Rainbow grimaced. "I... I can handle it. It's nothing I'm not used to."

Twilight frowned. "I thought you said you didn't have trouble sleeping at night?"

"I don't," Rainbow answered. "Just... you know, I might have actually trained as intense before I became a Wonderbolt as I do now that I am a Wonderbolt." She rubbed the back of her mane with a hoof.

"Oh... Really?" Twilight pushed her head up, interested in hearing what Rainbow had to say about that.

"Eh... it's no big deal," Rainbow brushed it off with a wave of her hoof. "But um... I probably... should go... Uh..." She felt torn, she did need to leave, but originally she was going to ask if she could stay in one of the guest rooms of the castle, but she felt nervous when she thought about asking that, plus she didn't have any of her stuff with her, so she would have to fly to her home in the morning to get ready. "I... could... stay here until you fall asleep if you'd like?" She wasn't sure if Twilight could tell, but she could hear the nervousness in her own voice.

Twilight opened her mouth, then closed it and blinked. 'Why would she... No.' "I... would like that, Rainbow... I would like that..." 'Very much,' she thought. Rainbow smiled brightly, and she returned the smile. After a few seconds, she looked back at the ceiling and closed her eyes. The warmth from her trapped body heat nearly lulled her to sleep, but her mind still raced and her heart pounded from knowing Rainbow was watching her. 'Why is she staying here until I fall asleep..?' The thought consumed her mind, even if Rainbow had already told her why. 'Because she wants to help me feel better... Because she doesn't like seeing me unhappy...'

Twilight yawned and rubbed her cheek against the pillow until she found a comfortable position. Her breathing and heartbeat finally calmed down after what seemed like an hour. She made sure not to open her eyes and look at the clock, it would have sent her mind racing again, and she didn't want to keep Rainbow Dash any longer than she needed to be.

As Twilight slid into sleep, Rainbow watched her and mulled over her own thoughts. She smiled, 'She appreciated my staying here...' It didn't surprise her that it did. She didn't think she was as smart as Twilight was, but she was still intelligent. She suspected Twilight didn't want to date her just for the sake of going out on a date with somepony, even if it was somepony as awesome as her. She decided she would ask Twilight about it sometime, they needed to talk anyway. She dreaded that conversation, but they needed to have it, or at least she felt like they needed to talk about it.

"Twilight?" she whispered softly. The alicorn showed no signs to indicate she was awake. Rainbow pulled herself up onto the bed and watched Twilight closely for a few seconds. When she was sure Twilight was asleep, she slid back off the bed and silently made her way over to the balcony door. She fulfilled her promise of staying with her until she fell asleep, but she still didn't think leaving was the right thing to do. She shook the feeling off and pushed the door open with a hoof and stepped out onto the balcony. She flared her wings and took off into the night sky, flying home.

"And how are you doing tonight, young Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna asked as she strode over to the alicorn lying on the bed with her muzzle in a book.

Twilight pulled back from the book she was reading. For a few seconds, she just sat there, looking at the book, but not reading it. Finally, she turned and looked at Princess Luna. "Oh... I'm... doing fine..." she halfway smiled.

Princess Luna absently nodded and watched the pegasus lying beside her. She was unsurprised by seeing Rainbow Dash there, she was a common sight in Twilight's dreams before she was hospitalized. Normally, however, Rainbow Dash was flying around and Twilight was either watching her or flying with her. Instead, Rainbow Dash was asleep, lying with her stomach facing away from Twilight. She found it a curious sight, but she suspected she knew the reason why Rainbow was such a prominant pony in her dreams. She looked away from Rainbow Dash and met Twilight's gaze, "Celestia wished me to give you her regards when I spoke to you tonight."

Twilight's smiled brightened. "Well, she could always send a letter..." she trailed off.

Luna nodded, "Yes, she could, but a letter is so much less personable than having her sister to tell you that she hopes that you are doing well."

"Thank you, Luna. How is... how are you two doing?" Twilight asked as she teleported the book away.

"We are doing well enough. Celestia still wishes you would come to Canterlot, but she accepts your decision to remain in Ponyville. I have been..." she bobbed her head, "rather busy with the investigation..." she trailed off, not wanting to go into detail.

Twilight scooted her body around to face Princess Luna. "Have you found anything?" she asked.

Luna shook her head, "Twilight, my sister still does not wish you to concern yourself with the investigation... We are making... some progress, but it is slow going."

Twilight nodded sadly. "I understand..." She looked away from Princess Luna and watched Rainbow Dash sleep.

"You seem troubled," Luna said softly. It was a tone that was her imitation of her sister's calm, motherly voice. It sounded like it had improved since the last time, but Twilight wasn't sure. Luna walked over closer to Twilight, turned around, and sat down on her haunches.

Twilight watched Princess Luna for a few seconds. "Well... I guess you could put it that way..." she shook her head. "I flew from the lobby to my bedroom today when I got home... Thank you for intervening with that, by the way."

Princess Luna nodded, "Think nothing of it, 'twas mostly my sister's doing."

Twilight looked at her blankly. "I'm sure you talked to her about it, though. You've been visiting my dreams... every night, or at least that's what it seems like."

"I want to make sure you are feeling alright. I can keep you company while you sleep, at least for a little bit... And yes, I did talk to my sister about it..." she trailed off, looking at Twilight with a sly smile.

Twilight smiled and shook her head. After shaking her head, she paused for a few seconds to figure out what to say. "Flying from the lobby to my room exhausted me..."

Luna frowned and looked at her with an expression of worry. "You have not pushed yourself too hard, have you?"

Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head. "I... think I did push myself too hard... I'm fine now, but..." she shook her head. "I vomited earlier..." her face scrunched up in disgust at the memory. "I took a nap outside on my balcony after I got home and talked to Spike... Read a few chapters of a Daring Do book, but had to stop because of not having a source of light..." She sighed and her ears drooped. "Tried sleeping in my bed, but couldn't fall asleep. Went back outside to watch the sky and calm down, ended up falling asleep on the balcony... again."

Luna's frown deepened. "You're not still asleep on the balcony, are you?"

Twilight shook her head, "No. I'm in bed... Rainbow Dash made sure of that. She stopped by, found me asleep on the balcony, woke me up, convinced me that sleeping outside wasn't something I should do, then we talked for a little bit and I laid down while she watched me fall asleep..." she trailed off, feeling emotionally lifeless when talking about Rainbow staying with her while she fell asleep. It warmed her heart knowing that she did, but it hurt knowing Rainbow lost sleep over her.

Luna nodded absently. If she was going to ask about Rainbow Dash, now would be the time. "You care about Rainbow Dash deeply, do you not?"

Twilight half expected Luna's accusation to cause her heart to race, but it didn't. She hesitated for a few seconds, pondering her response, then nodded. "I do, yes," she said simply. "I asked her out on a date," she added. "She said no, which didn't surprise me, but... It still hurt."

Luna grimaced. "I... will not pretend to understand the complexities of the heart. As it is, my experience with such matters is... very limited. I am unable to offer you advice on this matter, other than that by sitting around doing nothing, you will reap nothing."

Twilight smiled and turned to Luna. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained..." Luna nodded. "I... She..." Twilight shook her head and took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to continue, but hesitated. "Nevermind..."

"I may not be an expert in this, Twilight, but if you need to talk, I will listen," Luna said as she wrapped a wing around Twilight's back in a comforting manner.

Luna's wing wrapped around her back reminded her of Rainbow's wing, but it felt wrong. Twilight looked at Luna and smiled softly, "No, it's fine. Besides, I'm sure there's countless other ponies who need your help more than I do," she said.

Luna tilted her head away from Twilight. "While it is true there are others I need to see... you are my friend, Twilight Sparkle."

"I'll be fine..." Twilight brushed off her concern.

Luna hesitated. "Twilight, if I leave I will be unable to know whether or not you need my help with anything. I... Very well, I will leave you alone, if that is what you wish, but I will check on you again later." She tentatively stood up and folded her wing back. Twilight smiled and nodded. "Sleep well, young Twilight."

"Goodnight, Luna," Twilight replied.

Author's Notes:

"This time... yes, this time, the chapter will focus on Twilight getting out of the hospital and resuming her life! Muwahahaha!" SC_Orion laughed maniacally before falling into a fit of coughs. "I did it-" he frowned as he reread the chapter. He sat back in his chair and scratched his head. "Sort of?"

I suppose technically I did, but... considering that the events take place over the span of a single day, and a portion of the chapter isn't dedicated to her or ~~her mate~~ Rainbow Dash... I don't remember where I was going with that...

And yay, another chapter that's nearly 15,000 words in length, bringing the story if 45,000 or so words! Yay! I apologize for how short it is, I considered adding another scene after Twilight talking Luna, but the I felt like it was the perfect place to end it, and the scene I added to lengthen the chapter felt out of place, forced, redundant, and added absolutely nothing to the story.

Let me know how I'm doing in the comments! Really, please do. I have no idea if I'm doing this right or not. Enjoying the chapter length, or would you rather the chapters be smaller? Did I handle the scene between Twilight and Rainbow okay?

Ugh, last minute editing started at 2:30, and ended at 3:20... But, that happens when one of your prereaders disappears, and the other is busy, and... Anyway... I could really use feedback. A few of the scenes felt a little awkward or worded poorly, and if you notice that too, feel free to point it out...

Chapter 4

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Twilight opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling of her castle. For a few seconds, she just sat there, unmoving, then she pushed her head further back into the pillow and pulled the blankets closer to herself and closed her eyes, hoping to fall back to sleep. She yawned and nestled further back into the bed, relaxing in the warmth and enjoying the softness of the pillow and covers. 'I wish Rainbow Dash was here...' She sighed internally at the thought, and after mulling it over for a few seconds, she opened her eyes again and looked over the bed.

She had hoped Rainbow Dash was with her, that it hadn't been a dream, but no, it had been nothing more than a dream. She hadn't stayed with her, nor slept beside her. Twilight pushed herself up and forced her eyes shut. She sat there in silence for several seconds before sliding off of the bed. The second her hooves touched the floor she stretched out her back and then her wings, only to wince and quickly hold her wings back to her sides. They still hurt and she nearly whimpered from the pain.

She stood there for a few minutes while the pain slowly rolled away until it was nothing but a dull ache, a significant improvement from the sharp burning sensation it had been at first, then she slowly walked over to the door, locked it, turned around, and sat down on her haunches, pressing her back against the door. She lifted her right hoof to her head and nudged the bandage. She bit her lip as she pulled her hoof away and nudged her temple.

She wanted to just stay there all day, sitting against the door, or lying in bed, doing absolutely nothing. She wanted to go outside and enjoy the gentle breeze that there would be out on the balcony. She wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

She settled on lowering her head and slowly letting her wings fall to the floor. It wasn't as painful as it had been the first time, but the muscles still hurt from stretching them. She watched her hooves and then looked over her wing. Feathers were strewn, misaligned, and a few were even damaged. The sight made her stomach drop, but she couldn't do anything about it. She had always used her magic to take care of her feathers and wings, and her mane and tail, and brushing her teeth, and everything else.

She slowly looked back at the floor and clenched her eyes shut. She took a deep breath and touched her chest with her hoof, then slowly extended it outwards. She felt calmer, less out of control, and more focused. She opened her eyes and tentatively stood up, then looked at the bathroom door. It scared her. She needed to take a shower or a bath, brush her mane, tail, and teeth, somehow preen her wings, and she didn't have her magic to take care of any of it like she normally did.

She bit her lip and slowly made her way over to the bathroom. Her steps were painfully slow, and it felt like an eternity passed between each step. Her heart beat faster with each step until she finally closed the door behind her and locked it, then collapsed to the floor. She knew she could have asked Spike or Starlight for help, they would have been awake by now and more than happy to help her, but she wouldn't. She wasn't going to burden them with this, she needed to do it on her own, even with as insurmountable as the task was. She was already resigned to fail miserably at it. The only question in her mind was how badly she was going to fail.

She pushed herself up and walked over to the mirror and looked at the mare staring back at her. Her mane was painfully short and a ragged mess, despite having grown out a little since the surgery. Her tail looked better than her mane, but only just. It was still a mess, she could see strands that were tangled together that would be nearly impossible to get out without her magic, to say nothing of the overall state of her tail's disarray. Her pink and purple highlights were mixed in with the rest of her indigo tail, and she couldn't easily identify either, save for at the base of her tail. She sighed, knowing she definitely needed to brush it, but not knowing how. With her wings folded, it was harder to tell just how bad of a shape they were in and hid a lot of the disorder, but she could still tell. The white bandage that replaced her horn was wrong, it made the mare staring back at her nearly unrecognizable. She swallowed and instinctively tried to remove the bandage with her magic. She stood there for a few seconds before lifting her hoof and pulling the bandage off and looking at her forehead.

It was almost completely healed, and her coat was starting to grow over it. She sighed, knowing that her horn likely wouldn't grow back and that if it did, it would hurt. She grimaced and shook her head while she undid the medical tape and then threw it in the trashcan. She slowly pulled herself away from the mirror and walked over to the bathtub. It was quite spacious, she was sure that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna could have fit in it at the same time, with space to spare.

She mulled over whether she was going to take a bath or a shower for a few seconds before settling on a bath, she didn't want to attempt to shower, at least not yet. She reached out with her hoof and turned the faucet until the water running into the tub was pleasantly warm, almost hot. She watched the bathtub slowly fill up for a few seconds and then walked back to the sink and looked at herself in the mirror. She ignored the ache at the base of her wings, extended them out, and scrutinized them.

She looked at them in the mirror and found herself frozen, unable to move, just staring at her wings. She was unable to begin to comprehend how she was supposed to preen herself without magic. She had read a book on how pegasi preened themselves once before, but it had been years ago. She looked away from the mirror and at her right wing. She tentatively twisted it so that her feathers pointed at the mirror and were closer to her head than before, then she strained her neck to reach back to her wings. She grunted, then reangled her wing so that she could reach the farthest part away from her body, and took one of the feathers in her mouth.

She hadn't tasted a feather before, aside from a quill when she was younger, and her feathers didn't taste like she expected. She wasn't even sure what she had expected, but the lack of any taste wasn't what she expected. For a few seconds, she sat there with one of her feathers in her mouth, trying to remember what she had read. Finally, she ran the tip of her tongue along the shaft and slowly pulled her head away, then nudged the feather around until it looked straighter than it was before.

She moved onto the feather beside it and took that one in her mouth, then ran her tongue over the vane as she pulled her head back. She looked over the slicked down feather, then took it in her mouth again and repeated the process, this time running her tongue over the shaft. When she was done, she nudged the feather back into alignment, only to misalign the one she had previously aligned. She nudged that feather back into place and nudged the other one out of place. She huffed and took both of them in her mouth and straightened them out as she pulled her head away, then moved on to the next feather.

She ended up wincing in pain as she pulled the feather hard enough to pluck it from her wing. The base of the feather had a speck of red which she immediately identified as blood. She gritted her teeth and spat the feather out of her mouth and into the trash, then folded her wings back to her sides and glared at the mare in the mirror. She wanted to buck the mirror, but she managed to resist the urge.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then walked back over to the bathtub, which was about as full as she wanted it to be. She caught herself before she made a fool of herself and tried to use her magic to turn the water off. She reached out with her hoof and turned the handle until the water stopped flowing from the spout, then she testingly dipped her hoof into the warm water. She closed her eyes and sighed contently, then stepped into the water and sat down on her haunches.

She sank into the water, and her wings throbbed as the water flowed over them, but the pain was quickly replaced by relaxation. She lowered her muzzle to the water until the water touched her chin. She glanced up her head and grimaced, then looked at the water and closed her eyes before quickly dropping her head beneath the water. The second her forehead hit the warm water, she wanted to scream. She clenched her jaw shut even tighter than before, but the pain rolled away as quickly as it came.

She ran her hoof through her mane while it was below the water, and then pulled herself back above the water. She sat there with her eyes closed for several seconds, letting the water roll off her face and out of her mane. She listened to the dripping of the water coming off of her body and hitting the surface of the water in the bathtub. She exhaled, blowing water from her lips, then inhaled and opened her eyes.

She brushed her bangs back with her hoof and then slid it across her temple in a downward motion, then used both of her hooves to massage her head. She pulled her wings out and slid them through the water, then sighed as she brought them above the surface and turned towards the purple bottle of shampoo. 'The moment of truth,' she thought. She hesitantly reached out with both of her wings and firmly pressed against the bottle, then cautiously lifted it from the shelf. The slick bottle slid a little, then stopped. She held her breath and pulled it closer to herself, then undid the cap with her hooves. She sat the cap aside and grimaced. 'How... how am I supposed to... pour this... out?'

She frowned and held out her hooves while twisting her wings so that the bottle tilted over. The bottle slid and once more rested between her wings vertically. She stared blankly at the bottle for a second before holding the bottle more firmly between her wings and tilting them the other way. The thick liquid rolled out of the bottle and onto her hooves, then she tilted it back and sat the bottle down on the side of the bathtub. She leaned forwards and reached behind her head with her hooves and rubbed the shampoo into her mane, lathering it up and massaging it into her neck and head. She was cautious when she reached her bangs and made sure not to get any of the shampoo where her horn used to be, then she rubbed the soap in around the backs of her ears.

She found herself rubbing the soap in more vigorously than she expected, it was like a massage, and she was surprised to find out that she enjoyed rubbing in the shampoo with her hooves. It wasn't as easy as doing it with magic, and it wasn't as relaxing, but there was just something about it. She still would have used her magic any day, and despite enjoying the feeling, it did very little to improve her mood.

She reached back out for the bottle again and pulled it back to herself and tilted the bottle so that more shampoo would fall into her hooves. Some of the shampoo ran down the bottle, but she paid it no mind as she sat it back down and worked the shampoo into her chest and neck, pointedly avoiding thinking about how she was supposed to reach her back and other difficult to reach areas.

After she finished lathering up as much of her body as she could with her hooves, she stood up and let her mind wander, searching for a way to wash the rest of her body off. She sat back down and pulled the bottle of shampoo back over with her wings and tilted it. The soap that had rolled down the bottle made it slicker, and her wings were still wet. The open bottle fell into the bathtub, and Twilight clenched her jaw.

She reached out with her hooves and pulled the bottle up, then let the water drain out of it and sat it aside and put the cap back on it. She glared at the bottle and then closed her eyes and dunked her head back under the water. The warm water didn't feel quite as pleasant as before, and her forehead throbbed as the soapy water hit it, but she ignored it. She ran her hooves through her mane, rinsing out the soap and then rubbed around her ears and washed out the fur on her chest.

She pulled her head back above the water and blew air out of her mouth and spat out soapy water which left a bitter taste in her mouth. She slid the bottle of shampoo towards the back of the tub and scooted herself back with it, then leaned backward against the crystal tub and she lifted herself above the water and carefully poured some of the shampoo on her stomach. She set the bottle aside and massaged the shampoo into her coat and worked it in around her thighs, then she pulled up her tail and applied more shampoo to it and ran her hooves through it in long motions, attempting to untangle it and brush it with her hooves as she worked the shampoo in.

She laid her tail over her stomach lengthwise so that it ran up to her chest, and then just spaced out. She felt traumatized, she had no idea what she was doing, or if she was even doing it right, but it was all that she could do. She pushed herself forwards so that water ran over her chest. She ran her hooves through her tail from the base to the end on her chest, straightening it further and washing out the soap suds, then she pulled her tail off of her chest and vigorously scrubbed her stomach until the soap wasn't clinging to her fur.

She stared blankly at the wet crystal across from her. She could almost see somepony staring back at her. It took her a few seconds to realize the glum mare that watched her was herself. She huffed and then stood up and stepped out of the bathtub. Water drained away from her body and was absorbed by the floor. It was a process that normally fascinated her, but it didn't hold her interest given the circumstances. She turned around and glared at the bathtub, then tried to turn the drain on with her magic.

She begrudgingly pushed the knob down, then turned away from the bathtub as the water drained out of it. She looked at the towel rack blankly. She hadn't given how she was going to dry herself off any thought at all. If she had her horn, she could have levitated the towel around herself to dry herself off, but she didn't have her horn. She blinked and fell down to her haunches, then pressed a hoof against her temple.

She just wanted to sit right there and cry for the next hour. Neither Starlight nor Spike knew she was awake. Both doors were locked, and only Starlight could actually get to her. She doubted either of them would come check on her. She clenched her eyes shut as tightly as she could and let her head hang as the tears came. The air would work just as good as a towel for drying her coat, and although it would take longer, she could use that time to cry.

Starlight and Spike both stared blankly at Twilight as she walked into the dining room. She had a blank expression on her face, her ears were folded back against her head, and her mane and tail sagged more than normal. They could tell that her body was still damp, though they didn't know why. "Good... morning... Twilight..." Spike said slowly, his gaze drawn to her forehead and the lack of bandage and horn.

Twilight stopped walking and looked at Spike. For a few seconds, she thought about saying something, but she eventually decided against it, and resumed walking over to her chair. As soon as she reached it, she jumped into it, rested her hooves on the table, and all but slammed her head into her hooves.

Starlight and Spike winced and shared a worried look, knowing something was wrong. "Twilight, are you doing okay?" Starlight asked. Twilight mumbled something inaudible in response. "Sorry, but I didn't quite catch that..." Starlight smiled nervously as Twilight shifted her head so that it wasn't buried in her hooves.

"I said what do..." Twilight trailed off and closed her eyes. 'I... I'm a terrible friend, I... I can't take it out on them, it's not right...' she felt tears well up in her eyes once more at the thought. She wanted to laugh at it. She hadn't even been home a full twenty-four hours and already she felt broken. It was almost a joke, she was Princess Twilight Sparkle, one of the most powerful ponies alive, and now she was just a pegasus who couldn't even take care of herself. "N-no..." she answered aloud.

Starlight and Spike immediately slid out of their seats and walked over to her and wrapped their arms around her, hugging her tightly. Starlight stood on her hind legs and Spike practically jumped on the alicorn. Despite tears once more starting to roll down her muzzle, Twilight smiled. Their support made her feel better, feeling both of their bodies holding onto her own was reassuring and calming. She still felt her body shudder as she exhaled, though. "What's wrong, Twilight?" Starlight asked.

Twilight just shook her head and trembled as she sobbed. Starlight held her tighter and laid her head down atop Twilight's and looked across the room at the crystal wall. She gently nuzzled Twilight's head and could tell that her mane was still wet. She pondered the strange discovery for a few seconds, then grimaced. "You... tried to..." she couldn't bring herself to finish the statement. "You should have asked one of us to help you, Twilight..."

"N-no... I... no..." Twilight replied.

"Twilight," Spike said softly, "let us help you. We're supposed to help you, Doctor Manner said so. And so did Princess Celestia," he said pleadingly.

Twilight clenched her eyes shut and held them closed as tightly as she could. She took a deep breath and summoned as much strength as she could muster. "I don't want t-to be a bu-urden to you-ou..." she choked out between sobs.

"Twilight, you're not... a burden..." Starlight countered. "You're just... just give it time, Twilight... Wounds don't heal overnight..."

"You want anything special for breakfast?" Spike asked as he peeled himself away and rubbed her back with his claw. Twilight shook her head vigorously, and Spike sighed. "I'll... go fix you a bowl of cereal then..." he trailed off. Twilight didn't react to his offer at all, she just kept sobbing. He looked at the floor, not sure what to do. For a few seconds, he just stood there, listening to her cries, thinking. He looked back up at Twilight with renewed determination. "Twilight, please don't cry. You're not a burden! You're an alicorn princess! You and the rest of the girls defeated Nightmare Moon, Discord, Lord Tirek and..." he trailed off, looking sheepishly at Starlight who half smiled at him. "If you can do all of that, then you can do this!"

Twilight smiled sadly. 'He's right, we did do all of that... but we did it together... and...' She pulled her head away from Starlight and laid down on the table, then draped her hooves over her snout. 'I can't help any of them now...'

"Twilight..." Starlight trailed off and pulled her hoof out from under her and then wrapped it under her neck and pulled her back up and she turned Twilight's head so that she could look her in the eye. Twilight tried to fight her, but she couldn't, and immediately looked down at the floor. "Even if for a second you were a burden, I wouldn't care, and you are not a burden! You're my friend and my teacher! If it weren't for you and your friends, do you have any idea where I would be right now?" Twilight still didn't meet Starlight's eyes. "Twilight, look at me." Twilight hesitated for a few seconds and then met her gaze, looking at her through teary eyes. Starlight swallowed, Twilight almost looked desperate. She smiled gently at her, hoping to put her at ease. "Do you want me to ask Princess Celestia to come talk to you?"

Twilight's eyes widened in fear. "N-no!" she stuttered out.

Starlight tilted her head to the side and looked at her sadly. "Twilight, you know we all care about you, right?"

Twilight looked down at Starlight's hooves, avoiding her gaze. 'And now I'm being a burden because here I am, a mess. Starlight is wasting time comforting me that she could be using for something more important...' She sniffled. "I... I do-o, but..."

Starlight searched for the right thing to say to comfort her. "We want to help you, Twilight. You've helped all of us, now let us return the favor..." 'Should I... talk to Rainbow Dash about her?' she wondered. 'Or should I just tell Princess Celestia or Princess Luna that they need to talk to her... No, don't be silly, it's only been a day... She'll feel better... soon...' She sighed internally but was glad that Twilight's cries were now just sniffles.

Starlight stood there, holding Twilight for a few more minutes while her sniffles slowly died away. Eventually, Twilight pulled herself away from Starlight and laid her head on the table, and although her cries were silenced, she still wasn't happy. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked with a soft smile, hoping to comfort her.

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head, rubbing her muzzle across the cool crystal table in the process. "No, I don't want to talk about it... I... I'll figure something out... eventually..." she said glumly. 'Do I even believe that?' she wondered. 'I lost my horn, I can't... I can't perform magic... but... I... I can't be a burden to my friends... I can't just...' She sighed again and buried her muzzle beneath her hooves once more. 'Maybe I should talk to Luna tonight...' She grimaced at the thought. She didn't want Luna to be disappointed in her or to yell at her, and she did not want to argue with her. If she talked to Luna, she wouldn't be so alone, she'd have somepony to talk to who cared about her and wouldn't tell anypony else how she really felt, that she was broken. 'Princess Luna is busy, though... She has her own duties to attend to, and I can't help with those now... I... I would just make it harder for her...' The thought was disheartening.

"You'll feel better if you talk about it, Twilight," Starlight assured. "It doesn't even have to be me. It could be Spike, or Princess Luna, or Princess Celestia, or Rainbow Dash, or any of your other friends..."

Twilight dragged her hooves off her muzzle, then lifted her head and looked at Starlight. "I don't... want to make things any harder on any of them than things already are... They... they're so busy! And I'd just be..." She lowered her head back to the table and closed her eyes. 'A burden. I'm... so useless now...' Princess Luna wasn't the right pony to talk to, Princess Celestia was, but she was too busy.

She stifled a yawn and slowly sat back up. Starlight's eyed widened slightly, "You're still tired?" she asked.

Twilight waited a few seconds and then slowly nodded her head. "I pushed myself too hard yesterday..."

Starlight's expression immediately shifted to worry, "Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself did you?" she asked in quick succession.

Twilight nodded. "I... I'm fine, just... tired and my wings hurt a little bit..."

Starlight nodded absently. "Did you sleep okay last night?"

Twilight smiled slightly as she thought back to the previous night, then nodded more energetically than she had before. "It... could have been better, but... I slept well." She licked her lips and looked at the distorted reflection of herself in the table. "Rainbow... stopped by last night. She... I... fell asleep out on the balcony... She woke me up and... convinced me to go inside..."

Starlight wasn't sure how to respond to that. She was glad and unsurprised that Rainbow had visited her, though she had expected Rainbow to knock on the castle's front door, rather than use a balcony door. That part surprised her, but at the same time, she thought it was something she should have expected the pegasus to do. "Well, I'm glad she ran into Doctor Manner," Starlight confided. She pursed her lips, "Did she... stay long?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, we... talked for... a little bit, and then..." She opened her mouth to continue but stopped herself. "She didn't stay long," she said.

"Did you... want her to stay longer?" Starlight asked curiously. She was sure she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Twilight again.

Twilight swallowed and found her mouth dry. "I..." She sighed and shook her head, "It doesn't matter, she's too busy..."

"You did, didn't you?" Starlight asked, knowing it might as well have been a statement. Twilight looked at the table for a few seconds before turning towards Starlight. She tried to glare at her, but she just couldn't, she didn't have the strength or the will. Her expression came off as resigned acceptance. Starlight took that as answering the question with a 'yes.' "You could have asked her to stay longer, you know..." Starlight suggested.

Twilight put her arms on the table and caught her head in her hooves as she fell forwards. "I can't do that, Starlight... She... She's my friend, and I don't want to lose that... I can't lose that... I... asked her on a date, and she said no. She doesn't... Besides, she's busy with the Wonderbolts," she shook her head and forced herself not to break down again. "I can't ask her to do that to her, I'm not risking my friendship with her..."

"You wouldn't be risking your friendship with her. She cares about you, just ask her..." Starlight smiled softly and solemnly.

Twilight looked at Starlight with a mixture of anger and fear. "I would just make things worse between us! I don't want to push her away..." She looked down at the floor and massaged her temples with her hooves. "Why is this so hard?" she asked.

Starlight sighed. "I don't know, Twilight." She shook her head. "Just... ask her to spend a night at the castle, and go from there. That won't make things awkward between you, would it?"

Twilight opened her mouth to refute her, but no words came. She hung her head despondently, unable to refute her logic. The only thing preventing her from asking Rainbow to stay a night at the castle was her own fear, and she knew it. She closed her mouth and regarded Starlight for a few seconds. "I can't do that, it would just be another thing she has to deal with," she finally answered.

"Maybe she wants to deal with that," Starlight countered.

"Why would she-" Twilight's words died in her throat as she remembered what Rainbow said to her the previous night. She slowly closed her mouth and she looked back at the floor. 'I uh... want to help you get better, okay?' Rainbow's voice echoed through her mind. Rainbow wanted to help her, despite her screwing up so badly. Rainbow had forgiven her and didn't hate her, despite her making things awkward between them. 'I'm being selfish... And I'm still hurting Starlight...' She stood up and instinctually prepared a teleportation spell, only to remember that she no longer had a horn.

She took a deep breath and sighed deeply, then shook her head and silently left the dining room to return to her bedroom. Starlight grimaced as she watched Twilight leave. She wanted to say something, but she could tell that Twilight wanted to be alone. She frowned, 'Is it right to let her go? She wants to be alone, but she shouldn't be alone. Or... maybe she needs to be alone?' She wasn't sure, and she felt uneasy about it.

"She left already?" Spike asked in an unsure voice.

Starlight turned to him and nodded, "Yeah..."

"Is she... Is she doing better?" he asked.

Starlight grimaced and looked back in the direction Twilight left in. "I... don't know."

Spike tentatively knocked his claw on Twilight's door, then stepped back. Seconds passed, and the longer he waited, the more nervous he grew. He shifted his weight, and if he hadn't been carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and a spoon resting on it, he would have been tapping his claws together to pass the time. He raised his claw and knocked on the door again, a little harder than before. "Twilight?" he called. He waited for a few seconds, but no answer came.

He grasped the doorknob with his claw and tried to turn it. It wouldn't budge, the door was locked. He looked at the door sharply and pulled on it harder, to no effect. He took a step back and looked at the door, trying to figure out how to get in. After several seconds of intense thought, he sighed, unable to come up with anyway for him to get in.

"Did she lock herself in her room?" Starlight asked, causing Spike to jump. Somehow he managed to not make a mess with the bowl of cereal, despite wobbling all over the place after he landed.

" Yes..." Spike turned around and shot a glare at Starlight, who smiled apologetically. "How did you sneak up on me like that?"

"Well... you were kind of staring at the door like you were trying to melt it with your eyes, so it was pretty easy," Starlight replied with a smile.

"Oh..." Spike said, embarrassed.

Starlight walked over to Spike and picked the tray up in her magic, "I'll just... go talk to her and give it to her." She cast her teleportation spell and effortlessly appeared on the other side of the door. She looked around the dim room and walked over to the bed. Sure enough, a quick check revealed that the bed was empty. She wasn't sure if that surprised her or not. She looked around the room. Her eyes lingered on the bathroom, and she felt her mouth contort into a scowl. She pried her eyes away from the bathroom door and walked around the bed and crossed the room.

She paused in front of the balcony door, then pulled it open. "Twilight?" she asked. Twilight was lying on the floor with her ears pinned to the back of her head. She lifted her head from the floor at Starlight's call and looked back at her before glancing at the tray she carried. "You left before Spike could bring you breakfast," Starlight said with a smile.

Twilight sighed and lowered her head to the floor. "I'm not hungry..."

Starlight walked out onto the balcony and closed the door, then sat down on her haunches beside Twilight. Twilight shifted her weight and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Starlight levitated the tray over in front of her and picked the spoon up in her magic and scooped some cereal into it, then pulled it out and held it in the air over the bowl and tray. Twilight grimaced, then sighed in defeat. She smiled weakly and slowly extended her wing out. She looked over her wing, trying to ignore the misaligned feathers was hard. The poor alignment made flying more difficult and made flying take more energy, 'Maybe that's why I pushed myself too hard,' she mentally scoffed. The poor state of her wings bothered her, she enjoyed things being well organized, and her wings were not well organized. She had tried preening herself and had failed. The thought stung.

She fought the thought aside and reached out to grasp the spoon between her feathers. She scrutinized how her wing, feathers, and the spoon interacted. After a few seconds of trying to figure out how to support the spoon in her feathers, she sighed in defeat and folded her wing back to her side. She tilted her head away from Starlight in shame and halfway opened her mouth.

Fluttershy smiled as she landed in front of Twilight's castle's front door. A white rabbit quickly jumped off her back and looked around suspiciously, then shrugged and hopped forwards in sync with Fluttershy's steps. Fluttershy stopped at the door and timidly knocked on it. Her knocking barely made a sound. "Oh, I hope Twilight's doing okay... and I hope she isn't too tired... and I hope she doesn't mind how early is is..." Angel Bunny rolled his eyes at her.

After a few seconds, a light blue magical aura enveloped the doors and pushed them open. "Fluttershy?" Starlight greeted with an awkward smile.

"Oh, hello, Starlight. Is... Is Twilight feeling okay?" Fluttershy asked calmly.

Starlight momentarily grimaced, then immediately replaced it with an anxious smile. "She's..." The smile left her face, she sighed and shook her head. "I... don't know."

"O-oh..." Fluttershy shrank back and hid behind her mane. "I-I can come back later..."

Starlight brushed her concern aside with a hoof and smiled brightly, "Don't be silly! I'm... sure... Twilight will be happy to see you." She squinted off at the sky, then pushed her concern aside. It was good for Twilight to spend time with her friends, she needed to know that they were all there for her. "Please, come in," Starlight said, motioning her in with a hoof. She stepped out of Fluttershy's way as the pegasus calmly walked into the castle, followed by Angel Bunny hopping inside beside her.

Fluttershy felt an urge to hide behind her mane as she walked into the castle's lobby. It was a voluminous room that could have easily housed a full grown dragon, with some room to spare. The different crystals of varying shades of blue and green combined to make the room remind her of the Crystal Empire, but the colors were wrong, they were too dark for the Crystal Empire.

Starlight silently pulled the doors shut, then hurried over to Fluttershy and walked beside her. Angel Bunny jumped onto Fluttershy's back and glared at Starlight, who smiled nervously back at him. The rabbit crossed his arms and his gaze intensified, Starlight swallowed and looked away from him. "I'm... kind of surprised you came by today..." Starlight said in an anxious tone, attempting to break the silence. "And... so early," she added dryly.

Fluttershy came to a stop and looked at Starlight, afraid that she was being too pushy about seeing Twilight. "It's... not a problem, is it?"

Starlight shook her head vigorously. "No, it's fine... Twilight's had a bit of a rough morning, but I think it'll be good for her to see you."

Fluttershy was relieved to hear that, and she relaxed because of it. "O-okay... If you say so..."

The rest of the journey from the foyer to Twilight's room was met with silence, broken only by the clopping of their hooves against the solid crystal floor. Starlight grasped the door with her magic and pushed against it, checking to see if it was locked. She smiled when she felt the door give way and part open, then she pushed it open the rest of the way. "Fluttershy's here to see you, Twilight," she called out as she scanned the room.

At the sound of blankets rustling, she turned towards the bed and watched as Twilight peeked her head out from under the covers and looked in her direction. Fluttershy walked into the doorway beside Starlight, drawing Twilight's gaze to herself. Fluttershy smiled softly at her, "Good morning, Twilight..."

Twilight smiled and pulled herself out of bed. "Hello, Fluttershy."

"Starlight said your morning hasn't been going that well... Is there anything I can do to help?" Fluttershy asked as she walked into the room. She met Twilight halfway in the room and pulled her into a hug.

Twilight welcomed Fluttershy's hug and returned it in kind, wrapping a hoof around her neck and pulling her slightly closer. Angel Bunny closely watched her from his perch between Fluttershy's wings. His expression was serious, but Twilight's ignored him. "No, I... I'm okay now... At least I think I am." She pulled out of the hug and looked back at Starlight. "Can you bring us some tea?" she asked.

Starlight smiled sweetly, "Sure," she said as she lit her horn. She disappeared in a flash of magic, glad that Twilight seemed to be doing better.

"Starlight told me you might come by today, but I honestly didn't expect you to stop by today. I know you're busy taking care of all your animal friends..." Twilight trailed off and smiled at her sheepishly.

"Oh, Twilight, I may be busy taking care of my animals, but I can make time for you... if that's alright with you, that is... If... if you're still tired, I can leave if you want..." Fluttershy trailed off guiltily, looking at the floor and running her hoof in a circular motion.

Twilight vigorously shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm glad you came by..." She smiled reassuringly.

"I mean... I wouldn't want to be a bother to you. I know you need a lot of sleep to recover and all that..." Fluttershy couldn't help but glance at Twilight's forehead. She could see that the bandage was gone, and there was some discoloration in her fur, but her mane hid where her horn once protruded from, although her mane was still shorter than she was used to seeing. Twilight almost looked like a completely different pony, when she thought about it.

Twilight saw Fluttershy's gaze directed at her absent horn and sighed. "Fluttershy, you're not a bother..." 'Unlike me... You can actually take care of yourself... You can actually do things...' She forced herself to keep smiling, even as the thoughts coursed through her mind. Although she could feel the smile slip slightly, she managed to hold onto it.

Fluttershy quickly averted her gaze, "S-sorry, I didn't mean to stare..." she apologized in a meek voice.

Twilight shook her head, "It's fine... I... kind of expected it, to be honest... And I'm kind of used to it by now... And I... kind of expected it to be worse than it is..." She snorted and smiled. "Honestly, I expected everypony to... look at me differently, but, none of you really have... I mean, I can see the... pitying look in your eyes when you look at me, but... You still view me as me. Thank you, Fluttershy." Twilight pulled Fluttershy into another hug, but it didn't last as long as the first one.

"I-I'm sorry, Twilight... I wish there was something I could do for you... I... I tried talking to Discord, but he said that he couldn't help you..." she trailed off and sighed despairingly.

Twilight tilted her head to the side and felt disheartened at the pegasus's crestfallen expression. "Fluttershy... it's fine. Okay? I don't... I don't blame any of you. It's my own fault, anyway... And I already knew Discord can't help me. It's not your fault..."

"I-I'm so, so sorry, Twilight..." Fluttershy said in a barely audible whisper. Angel Bunny scooted up along her back and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly, looking at her with a worried expression of his own.

"Have..." Twilight trailed off, racking her mind for a question to redirect the course of their conversation. She didn't want Fluttershy to be sad because of her, it wasn't fair to her. "Have you seen any of our other friends today?" she asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. "N-no... I didn't run into any of them this morning. I took care of my animals and then came straight here. I'm sorry..."

"It doesn't matter," Twilight said calmly. "I'm sure I'll see them sometime over the next few days..." she smiled at the thought, especially of seeing Rainbow Dash again. 'Will she come by tonight..?' she wondered. The thought made her heart rate increase and almost made her feel giddy. 'Should I... ask her to spend the night?' She gritted her teeth. 'No, I can't do that to her. She's busy... But... would she?' Her heart hurt at that thought. 'I... no, I shouldn't even hope that... It'll just make things worse. She doesn't...' She took a deep breath and then exhaled. 'She wants me to feel better, nothing more than that.'

Her thoughts were cut off by Starlight teleporting back into the room, bringing with her a large pitcher of steaming tea and two teacups. Twilight smiled at her as she walked over and poured two cups of tea and levitated them over to Fluttershy and herself. She sat down on her haunches and held her hooves out to grasp the cup of tea. Starlight carefully set it in her hooves while Fluttershy sat down beside her and took a drink of her own tea.

Twilight carefully lifted the cup of tea to her mouth and took a small sip, letting the hot liquid roll over her tongue and warm her entire mouth. 'Cinnamon...' She swallowed the liquid and felt it roll down her throat and fall into her stomach. It warmed her on the inside and she welcomed the feeling. She took another drink and then smiled. "Thank you, Starlight..." She extended a wing out and supported the cup with it while she adjusted her hold of the cup. She nearly dropped the cup on the floor, but she managed to set it down without spilling more than half of its contents. She looked at the spill glumly until Starlight cleaned it up. She looked up at Starlight expressionlessly.

Twilight groaned as she pushed herself up off the floor. She winced as a wave of pain rolled through her head, but as quickly as it came, it disappeared. She brought a hoof to her forehead and winced at the contact and jerked her hoof away. She looked around the room briefly and then mentally cursed herself for falling asleep while Fluttershy was with her. The pegasus was nowhere to be seen now, and she sighed at that realization. She was alone again, just like most of the time when she had been at the hospital.

She frowned at the floor as she stood to her hooves. She hadn't been tired at first, but the calmness and peacefulness had overwhelmed her. She blinked the guilt away, Fluttershy would forgive her, she was her friend, after all. Knowing that she fell asleep while Fluttershy was keeping her company still hurt, though. Fluttershy would deny it, but she was sure that her falling asleep had disappointed her.

She sighed at the futility of it and pulled herself up on her bed, then slowly laid her head back down on her pillow. She closed her eyes and listened to the silent stillness. 'Alone...' the thought rang out in her mind. 'Just like before... I... I'm supposed to be the Princess of Friendship... but...' She rolled over onto her stomach and laid her wings out at across the bed, then pulled the covers up against her sides, not caring that she was making a mess of her bed, not that she had made it before.

She just wanted to lie there and cry, but no tears came. Instead, she sighed and slid her hooves under her pillow and then buried her muzzle in it. The pillow caressed her muzzle and cheeks, but it could only provide so much comfort, even if she nuzzled it affectionately, it wouldn't return it. It was still cold and lifeless, despite being soft and plush.

She yawned. 'Why am I still tired?' she wondered dejectedly. 'I slept for...' She frowned and rolled over, then glanced at the clock and found her mouth dry. "I slept for four hours..." she said aloud, not quite believing it. She pulled her hooves out from under the pillow and rubbed her eyes, thinking they were playing tricks on her. A second glance merely confirmed what the first told her. "I slept for four hours!" she groaned.

She threw her arms and legs out in exasperation, then covered her head with her hooves. "I'm never going to get back on anything resembling a routine sleep schedule..." She pressed her hooves firmly against her temples for a few seconds before letting them fall limp, then rolling over and off the bed. She caught herself as she fell and landed on her hooves, though it wasn't as graceful as she'd like to think it was. She was certainly not as athletic or agile as Rainbow Dash, even if she had the advantage of being an alicorn.

She turned to her nightstand and looked at the sole book resting on it. She bobbed her head as she debated about continuing reading it from where she had left off. 'I don't... have anything else to do...' she reasoned. She reached out with her magic, only to blink quickly, then sigh and fall to her haunches. She stared evenly at the book while she struggled to not think about anything at all. She was always thinking about something when she wasn't distracted. Normally her thoughts were her friends, but ever since she had been hospitalized, they weren't.

She swallowed and forced a smile. After a few seconds, the empty smile faded into obscurity. 'Just get up and grab the book and then lay back down and read!' she mentally told herself. She still couldn't find the desire to stand up. She looked around, looking for something to motivate her, but found nothing. Nopony was around, there was nothing pressing that demanded her attention and nothing to distract her except for the book. The same book that had pulled Rainbow Dash into reading and liking it. 'What would...' She swallowed. 'What would Rainbow Dash do... What would... what would she say if she saw me like this?'

She hung her head in shame. She clenched her eyes shut as tears gathered in the corners of her vision. She sat there in silence for a few minutes. Tears built up and then streamed down her muzzle, but she didn't make any sounds. She didn't know how much time passed before the stream stopped, and she didn't want to. A quick look at the clock would have told her, but she avoided it. Instead, she stood up and grabbed the book in her wings, then got back up on her bed and laid down on her stomach. She put the book down in front of her and opened it up to where she left off and she started to read.

It was about as enthralling for her as a spellbook was for Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Twilight! How are you... feeling..." Spike trailed off, seeing Twilight carrying her head almost level with her body out of the corner of his eye. Twilight barely regarded him as she sat down at the table, then laid her head down. "Twilight?" he asked. After waiting a few seconds and getting no answer, he jumped off of his stepstool and walked over to her.

Twilight lifted her head up and half-smiled at him. "I'm... still here," she replied.

'It's only been two days and she's acting like it's the end of the world,' Spike mused dejectedly. He sighed and shook his head, "Hungry?" he asked. Twilight looked off in thought at the wall, then started to nod, then nodded more vigorously. Spike smiled, "Alright... Do you... want that one dish, or..?"

Twilight grimaced and shook her head. "I don't think I should eat anything heavy right now..."

"O-okay, then..." Spike trailed off. After a few seconds of lingering around Twilight, he slowly made his way into the kitchen, then disappeared behind the door. A second later, he peeked his head around the corner, "Anything specific you want?" he asked. Twilight shook her head. "You sure?" he asked. Twilight nodded absently. Spike sighed, then ducked back into the kitchen and pulled the door closed.

Twilight waited a few seconds, then laid her head down on the crystal table. She stifled a yawn and then massaged her temples with her hooves. After a few minutes, Spike came out of the kitchen, he had a prideful smile on his face and he carried himself like a professional. He held a crystal platter in one claw, and a bowl was resting atop it. He made his way over to Twilight, then slid the platter in front of her. "Dinner. Is a served, Princess," he said with a poor attempt at an accent. Twilight still found herself smiling at him.

Twilight licked her lips and lowered her muzzle over the bowl of soup, then inhaled. "Tomato soup?" she asked, turning to Spike. The dragon nodded, and Twilight smiled her thanks, then turned back to the bowl. On the platter there was a single spoon, she looked at her right wing and pursed her lips. She reached out with her wing and grasped the spoon, then thought better of it. She put the spoon down and folded her wing back to her side, then carefully lifted the bowl of soup with her hooves and brought it to her mouth.

Spike did a double take as Twilight quickly downed half the contents of the bowl, then lowered it to take a breath. "You uh... feeling alright?" Spike asked. Twilight smiled at him sideways, and Spike covered his mouth with a claw to stifle his laughter, seeing Twilight with a line of soup both under and above her mouth. Twilight rolled her eyes at him and then resumed draining her soup. After she finished it, she sat the bowl back down and scooted the platter away from her. "Want any more?" Spike asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, thank you. That was good, Spike... Thanks."

"No problem," Spike replied coolly with a wave of his claw. "Just... ask if you want anything else, alright? You don't need to stay in your room all day, you know."

Twilight sighed and absently bobbed her head. "I know," she replied. "I just... I don't have anything to do... I'm sorry..."

Spike swallowed back the pain he felt at seeing Twilight so sad again. "Twilight, it's... it's alright, okay?" He jumped up on the chair beside her and hugged her, eliciting a smile from her. "You know, you can always find something else to do. Maybe something new? Or you could go out and spend some time with your friends," he suggested.

Twilight grimaced and shook her head. "I don't think I'm well enough to spend any amount of time outside and walking... or flying... Besides, everypony is probably busy..." Twilight trailed off. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds before Twilight looked up and scanned the room, then frowned. "Where's... Starlight?" she asked, only now noticing the unicorn's absence.

"Oh!" Spike lit up, then slumped back down, "uh... She's... out helping Fluttershy with one of her animals, I think."

"Oh..." Twilight said sadly, remembering her failure to stay awake with Fluttershy. Had she not fallen asleep, she could have helped Fluttershy instead of forcing Starlight too. She sighed and hung her head again.

Twilight slid one of her feathers between the two next pages in the book, separating them, and then flipped the page and resumed reading. She frowned, not understanding the transition from the previous page to the next page. She read on for a bit, trying to remember if the story had been like that the first time, but it didn't look right. She glanced at the page number to make sure she was on the right page, then grimaced and slid another feather between the two previous pages in an attempt to separate them.

After a few seconds, she fixed her problem and continued reading from the proper page. She sighed and nudged the book away from her with her hoof, then laid her head down on her bed. She frowned, having a hard time reading because of the angle. She extended her wings and slid them under the book, then propped it up enough so that she could read. Several of the pages slowly fought gravity and bulged upwards.

She fought to ignore it while reading the next page, but she kept finding her gaze drawn to the bulge. She wouldn't have had to deal with that if she had her magic. She bit her lip to give herself something else to think about, then slid out a hoof from under her chest and pressed against the page, then ran her hoof over it, hoping to make the paper's affinity for the previous pages high enough to resist the urge to fold up because of the binding.

She smiled, satisfied with her work. Half a minute later, she finished with her page and turned to the next one using a single feather, then ran her hoof over both pages, then continued reading. Minutes passed, and with each one that passed, she found her throat and mouth feeling dryer than the last. Eventually, she pried her eyes away from the book and turned the page while she looked over at her nightstand. She grimaced, missing her magic.

It would have been a simple task to levitate the glass over to the bathroom sink and fill it up, though she might have spilled some of it, but at least she wouldn't have had to get up. She looked back at the book and made sure she was on the right page and made a note of what page she was on, then she pulled her wings out from under the book, retracted them and scooted off the bed.

She sighed as she stood up and turned towards the empty glass. She stared at it for a few seconds, then shook her head and walked over to it. She leaned against the nightstand and pressed her two hooves against the glass, then lifted it up and put a wing beneath the glass, then replaced one of her hooves with her other wing and angled the glass so that it was lying against that wing. Finally, she pulled her other hoof away, then paused.

She mentally scolded herself, then reached back up with her hooves and pressed against the glass, freeing up her wings. She flapped her wings lightly, testing their responsiveness. She grimaced and flapped them harder, then carefully flew into the bathroom and landed on her hind legs, resting the bulk of her weight against the sink.

She turned on the faucet with her wing, then quickly slid the glass beneath the clear stream of water. She mentally facehoofed and winced as water ran down the side because she turned on the faucet first. She groaned, then felt more water run over the side of the glass and nearly dropped it in surprise. She quickly turned off the stream of water with her wing, then grimaced as she moved the glass of water, causing more of it's contents to spill over the top.

She slowly leaned in with her muzzle and pressed her lips to the cold glass, then closed her eyes and tilted the glass ever so slightly. The cold water running passed her lips felt wonderful, and she felt the cold liquid run down her throat as she swallowed. She tilted the glass up more, then continued to drink until she halfway emptied the glass. She pulled her muzzle back from the glass, then placed it under the faucet and turned it on. When the glass was about three-fourths full, she turned the water off, then beat her wings until she hovered a foot off the ground, then she flew back into her bedroom, sat the glass of water down on her nightstand, and then landed on her bed, bouncing lightly.

She glanced out the window, looking at the evening sun, then sighed as she turned back to her Daring Do book and resumed reading.

Twilight tossed and turned in her bed. She groaned and threw the covers off of her with her wings, then laid still for several seconds while the warmth left her. As soon as the heat left, she found herself cold. She grimaced and reached out with her magic to pull the covers back over her, then shot up in bed and huffed before pulling the covers back to herself with her hooves. She fell back onto her pillow, pulling the blanket out from under the mattress.

She groaned as her legs were uncovered, then she laid there in silence for several minutes, struggling with what to do. Eventually, she decided she needed to make her bed. She huffed, then rolled over and slid out of bed. As she gracefully slid over and off the side of the bed, her legs caught in the blanket. Her eyes widened in fear for a brief second before she fell out of bed. She tried to stop her fall with her wings, but the blanket refused to grant her any mercy.

She winced, feeling like she hurt her wing, then groaned as she hit the solid crystal floor and felt the wind knocked out of her. She sucked in, refilling her lungs before panic could take hold, then stayed completely still for several seconds, going over what just happened. She was glad nopony was around to see her failure, even if it meant she was alone, that none of her friends were with her, and that Rainbow Dash wasn't around. 'Will she... come by tonight?' she wondered.

She shook the thought out of her mind, then spent the next minute untangling herself from the blanket. Once she regained her bearings and felt steady enough, she bit down on the blanket and walked around the end of her bed, then stopped and looked at the bed, trying to figure out how to efficiently fix the blanket.

She tilted her head to the side and let go of the blanket, then licked her lips. She stepped closer to her bed, then glanced up at her missing horn. She sighed, then leaned against the bedframe and lifted the mattress with her hooves. For a few seconds she held the mattress up, then she put it down and stepped back. She looked at the blanket, then walked back over to the side of the bed and bit down on the blanket. She flapped her wings and flew to the other side of the bed, then let the blanket go.

She walked around to the other side of the bed and grabbed the blanket in her mouth again, then pulled it over the mattress and let it go. She walked around the bed and surveyed the blanket, making sure it looked even. It didn't look even. She spent five minutes straightening the blanket as much as she could, then returned to the end of the bed.

She reached down and lifted the mattress, then used her wings to tuck the blanket under it, and let the mattress down. She ran her wing underneath the blanket and mattress, making sure it was tucked nicely beneath the bed, then yawned and flapped her wings. She landed on the bed, then quickly pulled the blanket back and slid beneath it, then clutched it close to her neck with her hooves.

She stared at the ceiling for several minutes, just thinking, before she eventually fell asleep.

Twilight jerked awake, breathing heavily. She opened her eyes and then shut them tightly, reeling from her sudden awakening. She tentatively opened her eyes and squinted around the room. In the darkness, she couldn't make out much of anything. Something had awoken her, but she couldn't remember what. She took a deep breath, then sat up. She immediately pressed a hoof against her stomach as queasiness flooded her body. Her muzzle contorted in discomfort as the feeling peaked, then she relaxed as the queasiness quickly subsided.

'Why did that happen..?' she wondered. After a few seconds, she pushed the thought aside and slowly slid out of bed. If it wasn't for her bed and knowing that she was home, she almost could have been fooled that she was back at the hospital, but the room was wrong. She slid the thought aside and picked up the glass of water on her nightstand with her wing, then drank all of the warm water and then put the empty glass back down.

The sound that had awoken her repeated itself. She squinted at the balcony door, not sure why it would be making a sound akin to a pony trying to wake her up. She thought it over for a few seconds, then decided to investigate. She casually walked over to the door, and with each step, she found herself more awake. 'Rainbow... Dash?' she wondered. At the thought, a smile filled her face and she quickened her pace. She reached out with her magic to open the door and then walked right into the still-closed door.

She fell to the floor, landing on her haunches. She groaned and reeled from the pain, grasping her muzzle. The jarring impact jumpstarted her mind, and now she was wide awake, though she doubted how long it would last. 'Stupid...' She took a deep breath and lifted her head up. She pulled a hoof away and looked at it. 'Well, at least I'm not bleeding...'

"Twilight? Are you okay? It sounded like you hit something," Rainbow's voice called from the other side of the door, and though her voice was muffled by the solid crystal, she could hear her concern. Despite Twilight's rude awakening from running into the door, she smiled again.

She slowly and methodically stood up, then grasped the handle of the door and pressed down on the latch, then gently pushed the door open with a hoof. Rainbow looked at her with a worried expression. "I... sort of ran into the door..." she trailed off sheepishly and looked away from Rainbow, feeling embarrassed.

"You ran into the door!?" Rainbow asked incredulously. "What, were you really that happy to see me?" she asked lightly. Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She looked down at the floor guiltily, unsure how to answer her question. She thought she felt heat building in her cheeks, and she wouldn't have been surprised if somepony told her she was blushing. Rainbow mentally slapped herself for asking that. "Are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself or anything right?" she asked more seriously.

Twilight looked back up at Rainbow and smiled softly, happy that she cared about her well-being and glad that Rainbow wasn't pressing her question any further. "I-I'm fine... At least I think I'm fine..." she trailed off.

"That's good..." Rainbow trailed off. They both stood there for in silence for a few seconds, looking at each other, but neither of them met the other's gaze. Rainbow shifted her weight and looked up at the sky, then trailed down the crystalline castle, then settled on looking at the floor. "I um... Can I... come in?" she asked at length.

Twilight nodded quickly, "Y-yes, of course..." she said as she stepped to the side, granting her friend entrance to her room. Rainbow hesitated for a second, then walked into her bedroom, not once looking at Twilight. Twilight quickly pulled the door shut and walked back over to her bed and sat down on it. Rainbow tentatively followed her and came to a stop at the base of the bed.

Rainbow lifted her hoof from the floor, then paused. After a second of thinking, she slowly put her hoof back down on the floor. "So uh... how was today?" she asked.

Twilight sighed. "It..." she shook her head. "It's not important," she brushed it aside with a wave of her hoof. "I'm... fine..." she lied, seeing Rainbow's unconvinced expression. Twilight forced a smile, hoping to make her lie more convincing so that Rainbow wouldn't push the issue. Rainbow tilted her head to the side and looked at her sharply, not buying it. Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. She closed her mouth and then swallowed. She slowly averted her gaze from the pegasus and looked at the floor. "I... can't... do anything..." she finally admitted in a soft voice. "I'm still recovering, and I... I can't do anything without my magic..." She sounded pathetic to herself, so she knew she must have sounded even worse to Rainbow. She clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to see Rainbow's reaction.

Rainbow bit her lip. She stood there, unsure what to do. Part of her wanted to groan at how Twilight was acting, and another part wanted to reassure her. After a few seconds of Twilight refusing to look up, she sighed and pulled herself up onto the bed and sat down beside Twilight. She looked at her sideways, raking her mind to figure out what to do. "It's... It'll be... fine..." she said. 'What if her horn never grows back?' she wondered. 'Will it really be fine if you never recover?' She licked her lip and extended her left wing and draped it around Twilight's back, then pulled on her until she was leaning against her. Rainbow felt awkward but knew Twilight would appreciate it. Twilight's body tensed up at the contact, then relaxed, although she kept her head off of Rainbow's shoulder. "Do you... want to talk about it?" she asked gently.

Twilight opened her eyes and stared at the floor. 'Do I want to talk about it..?' she wondered. 'I... don't want to... It's not important, I don't need to concern you with it. You have enough to worry about...' She sighed and shook her head. "No..."

'We need to talk, Twilight...' Rainbow said in her mind, gauging how it sounded and how Twilight might react. It felt wrong. 'Listen, Twilight... about you asking me on a date...' She grimaced and felt her heart beat a little harder. She pushed the thought aside, it wasn't the right time to bring it up, and while she wanted to know more about why Twilight asked her, she wasn't ready to talk about it, not to mention Twilight might take it the wrong way, and she didn't want Twilight to get her hopes up. 'Sh... Should I even be doing this?' she asked herself. She sighed internally, 'No, I want to help you, and I will. I promised I would, and I'll keep that promise... But... I don't want to hurt you by doing this...' She suppressed a groan. "Do you need anything?" she asked. Twilight quickly shook her head. Rainbow wrapped her arm around Twilight and gently rubbed her side in a reassuring manner. "You sure?"

Twilight nodded, "Y-yes. I'm... fine..." It was a lie, and she knew it. 'Rainbow can probably tell that's a lie... I... I shouldn't lie to my friends... but...' She closed her eyes and sighed at the thought.

"Please talk to me, Twilight," Rainbow nearly pleaded.

Twilight swallowed and felt her heart beat faster. She slowly laid her head against Rainbow's shoulder. She sighed contently at the contact, then froze as her mind wrapped around what she just did. For a few seconds, the silence felt oppressive, condemning, even. She quickly pulled away from Rainbow and sat up rigidly. She felt Rainbow resist her motion, but paid it no mind. "I-I'm sorry, please don't hate me!" she pleaded.

Rainbow looked at the bed and sighed. Her ears fell to the sides of her head, but she didn't care. "Twilight," she said firmly, yet kindly. She pulled her head up and looked at Twilight, who had her head pointed directly away from Rainbow. Rainbow let her gaze trail over Twilight's mane, neck, and shoulders, then looked back at her ears, which were pressed against her head. "I... Twilight, listen to me. I already told you once before," Twilight clenched her eyes shut and lowered her head in shame, she knew what Rainbow was going to say, and she knew she was going to cry again when she heard it. She didn't want Rainbow to see her crying, but she knew that she was going to. She took a deep breath and braced herself for what Rainbow was going to say. "I don't hate you, and things aren't... awkward between us, okay?" Rainbow continued.

Twilight waited for the inevitable 'but,' but it never came. She slowly lifted her head up, then rubbed her eyes with her hooves. She still refused to turn around and look at Rainbow, though, she couldn't. It hurt, and it would hurt worse to look at her. "Promise me that we'll always be friends, Rainbow... p-please... I... I don't..." 'I don't want to lose you...' she finished in her mind. 'And here I am, still being selfish... wanting her to promise to be my friend, despite...'

Rainbow folded her wing back to her side and removed her arm from around Twilight, then shifted her body so that she faced Twilight. "Twilight, look at me," she commanded, breaking Twilight's line of thought.

Twilight swallowed. She wanted to just keep sitting there, watching the clock as time rolled away until Rainbow was forced to leave. 'I... I don't want to waste your time...' She swallowed and forced a brief smile, then it left and she turned her head to look back at Rainbow. She was smiling at her, it was a soft, gentle, and warm smile that was reassuring. She felt her heart soar like it had wings of its own, but in the back of her mind, fear was launching a volley of spells at it, attempting to shoot her heart out of the sky.

"I promise I'll always be your friend." Rainbow lifted her hoof over her chest, "Cross my heart," she made an 'X' motion with her hoof over her heart, "hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," she finished with putting a hoof over one of her eyes and smiled meaningfully at Twilight.

Twilight closed her eyes and let herself slump forwards. She felt a flood of relief fill her mind, fear was vanquished, and the dark storm clouds were annihilated by a Sonic Rainboom. She half smiled, then looked at the bed. For a few seconds, she was content to sit there and let Rainbow's promise replay itself in her mind, then the inevitable question invaded her mind. "Why?" she asked emptily. She looked up and met Rainbow's gaze.

"Because we're friends, and I don't like seeing my friends hurting," Rainbow answered in a meaningful tone. "How many times am I going to have to keep telling you that?" she asked with a chuckle.

Twilight sighed and looked down at her hooves. She felt emotionally drained at hearing that. 'How many times has she said that to me?' she wondered. 'She's still my friend, despite how horrible I am to her...' "I'm sorry," she said.

Rainbow groaned, "Ugh, Twilight... Don't be. I'll keep saying it as many times as I need to." Twilight was still despondent despite her assurance. With each passing second, the silence grew heavier, or at least it felt that way to Rainbow. 'How... would she react if I...' She took a deep breath and hoped Twilight wouldn't take it the wrong way. 'Should I do this..?' she asked herself. 'I don't want to hurt her...' she argued, unsure which side the thought was on. 'It'll help her feel better... I think... I hope...' She tentatively reached out with her arms and wrapped them around Twilight's body. 'Am I really... considering this?' She felt her heart beat a little faster. She took another deep breath to calm her nerves. 'Yes, I am.' The mare looked at her quizzically, then panicked as Rainbow tugged on her and shifted her own weight.

On instinct, Twilight tried to flare her wings out to stop herself from falling over, but Rainbow's arms prevented her wings from opening. She braced herself for a jarring impact, only to gently land on Rainbow's soft chest. The pegasus for her part made no sound from Twilight's weight falling on her. "Rainbow!" Twilight shouted furiously. She angled her head so that she looked up across Rainbow's chest so that she could look the pegasus in the eye. "Why did..." she trailed off, seeing her smirking at her. Twilight's expression shifted from anger to curiosity, to fear, and then settled between curiosity and panic. Despite feeling frantic at the realization that she was laying on Rainbow's chest, she didn't have the will to leave the position that she was in. 'I'm... I'm a terrible friend! Rainbow, please, I-' she thought, then remembered that Rainbow was the one who pulled her onto her. She blinked, attempting to process what just happened.

"You need to relax a little, Twilight!" Rainbow implored. "Just... chillax, please. Trust me..."

Twilight opened her mouth to argue, but not a single word escaped her muzzle. She closed her mouth, then opened it again, then half closed it, then opened it and closed it several times over the next few seconds. After a few more seconds, she finally recovered from her shock, but her mind was still short-circuiting. 'I-I'm lying on Rainbow...' She felt her jaw muscles relax and her mouth opened slightly at the realization, then it quivered. 'She's... She's... holding me...' She felt a shiver run down her spine. She looked back up at Rainbow, running her cheek across Rainbow's chest in the process. The sensation sent another shiver down her spine, and her heart leaped out of joy, despite her fear. "Rainbow, I-"

Rainbow rolled her eyes and pulled one of her hooves over to Twilight's muzzle, silencing her. Twilight just laid there looking at her curiously. "Just. Relax," she commanded. 'I hope that this helps her... and that... nopony finds out about this...' she grimaced at the thought of anypony seeing her like that.

'Just relax,' Twilight repeated in her mind. She closed her eyes and nestled against Rainbow's chest, then froze again and opened her eyes, feeling the familiar sensation of dread and fear welling up inside her. "Rainbow, I'm... I'm sor-"

"Twilight, just... just stop, okay?" Rainbow groaned. "You want this, don't you?" she asked. Twilight clenched her jaw and felt her heart stuttering. She quickly nodded a second later. Feeling on the verge of tears, Twilight clenched her eyes shut as tight as she could and angled her head so that she couldn't look up and see Rainbow looking at her. "Look, Twilight, I..." Rainbow sighed. 'Please, please, be the right thing to say...' She took a deep breath and watched Twilight rise on her chest, then she slowly exhaled and watched as Twilight fell a little. "Twilight, I..." she trailed off, unable to bring herself to say it, it would have hurt Twilight too much to hear it again. "I'm doing this for you, okay?" she said quickly. "I want you to be happy and I want you to feel better, and if this helps, then I'm willing to... to do this, for you." She blinked and stared at Twilight.

Twilight looked back up at Rainbow painfully slow, then met her gaze and stared into her eyes. She swallowed and marshaled her courage, "To d-do this..?" she guardedly asked. Rainbow hesitated for a second and then nodded. "I... I mean... what... do you mean by... this?" she implored.

Rainbow shifted her weight and pulled herself further up onto the bed so that she could lay her head on Twilight's pillow. Twilight watched her with a mixture of curiosity and fear. She wrapped her arms under Twilight's arms and pulled her up on her more so that her head was laying over her heart, then wrapped her hooves around her back. Rainbow opened her mouth to answer her question but found herself unable to bring herself to say it. She groaned and pressed her head into Twilight's pillow. "I... this, you know. Holding... you..." she trailed off, cringing and feeling subtle heat building in her cheeks. 'Never in a gazillion years would I have thought I would have said that,' Rainbow deadpanned in her mind. 'Least of all to her...'

Twilight shuddered at Rainbow's answer. She closed her eyes, feeling calm and at peace. She let herself relax, though questions still plagued her mind. She decided to push them aside momentarily. She decided to focus on Rainbow. Her body heat and how it warmed her own body, her steady heartbeat, unlike her own erratic heartbeat, her gentle breathing. The feeling of her arms wrapped around her back, her chest lying against hers, her breath flowing through her mane and tickling her ears. The sensations were overwhelming, and her body started to remember that she had been sleeping before Rainbow woke her up. She stifled a yawn, then rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's chest and looked up at her. She swallowed and decided to take a chance, "C-can you um... wrap your wings... around me?" she asked, feeling smaller than she did the first time she met Princess Celestia for a magic lesson after the elder alicorn took her on as her student.

Rainbow blinked as she processed Twilight's request. She looked down at Twilight and half-forced a smile, as she slowly pulled her wings from her side and draped them over Twilight's back. Twilight cooed at the sensation of Rainbow wrapping her soft wings around her back, her left wing covered her upper back and Rainbow's arms, and her right wing was draped over her lower back. Rainbow's feathers were soft, comforting, and reassuring. She felt safe and protected with Rainbow's wings around her back, like nothing in the world could hurt her. It felt right. It wasn't long before she yawned again and nuzzled Rainbow's chest, causing the pegasus to ponder the unfamiliar sensation. 'I... can't believe I'm doing this... If Rarity ever finds out...' she looked up at the ceiling and her expression was replaced with a look of horror. 'If Spitfire ever finds out...' she shuddered at the thought.

Twilight smiled as she felt the call of sleep, and she tucked her hind legs under Rainbow's body, one on each side of her back and she pulled her arms closer to her head. She let her wings go limp and sighed contently. 'Wait... Rainbow...' She sighed sadly, then looked back up at her. "You... You have... important things to do... tomorrow..." she said sadly. "You shouldn't... stay here..." 'She... she would have stayed with me... all night?' She found her mouth dry at the thought. It was such a tempting thought, something she badly wanted, but Rainbow Dash was more important than her own happiness.

Rainbow grimaced, then looked at Twilight sheepishly. "I um... well... hehe..."

Twilight tried to push herself off Rainbow's chest, but the pegasus refused to let her go. Under different circumstances, she would have relished the sensation, but she was too concerned for that. "Rainbow, you have important things to do! Just..." she trailed off sadly, know that she needed to say it, but not wanting to. "Just go, please... I don't want you to get in trouble for my sake..." she pleaded while looking at her with a pouting face.

Rainbow sighed. "No, It'll be fine... I'll just say that you needed my help for something and that I was late because of that." She tilted her head and looked at Twilight with a sharp playful expression, "If I'm late," she corrected. Twilight smiled.

"Y-you're going to... stay here with me all night?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow nodded, "Yeah, I will." Rainbow blinked then looked up at the ceiling. 'Did I really just... promise to stay with her all night?' She licked her lips. She looked down at Twilight. The alicorn looked comfortable and at peace, and she struggled to fight back another yawn. Rainbow halfway smiled at the sight. 'I... guess I can give it a shot... I did wonder what this would be like, after all...'

Twilight looked down at Rainbow's chest. Her sky-blue fur was even more inviting than her night blue bed. "What um... What time do you need to be up at?" she asked.

"I'll... just... deal with tomorrow when it gets here, I guess," Rainbow replied, still halfway pondering her earlier thought and the feeling of Twilight lying on her. "So don't worry about it," she said calmly, "just relax."

Twilight shook her head vigorously and tried to sit up again, only for Rainbow to tighten her grip on the alicorn and hold her down, preventing her from sitting up. Twilight grunted and looked sharply at Rainbow, who smirked back at her. Twilight yielded and stopped fighting her, then pinned her ears back against her head and looked at Rainbow sadly. "I don't want you to get in trouble, Rainbow. Please..." she pleaded.

"Twilight, it'll be fine... I'll be okay. You really think Spitfire will make a big deal out of it if I tell her you needed me?" She smiled reassuringly at Twilight.

Twilight wasn't completely convinced, but she relented and sighed, then buried her head in Rainbow's chest. She felt anxiety return, feeling Rainbow's warm body and soft coat pressed up against her muzzle. She closed her eyes and inhaled, then exhaled and smiled. Rainbow's scent was comforting to her, it was like the smell after a rainstorm, combined with a light spring-like smell, reminding her of flowers. It was a sweet smell, but on top of it, she could smell the thick scent of a shampoo she was unfamiliar with that attempted to mask her natural smell. She mulled over the scents in her mind, then found her heart beating faster, realizing what she did. Her eyes shot open and she looked up at Rainbow, who looked in distress. 'I just... made things more awkward between us... didn't I... I can't believe... I just... did that... Stupid! I... really can't do anything right, can I?'

'Twilight just...' Rainbow found herself unsure how to process what Twilight did, but her nervousness escalated. Twilight looked at her in fear. 'We... really need to talk...' she thought. With what Twilight just did, however, she wanted to talk about that even less. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, then she stopped herself. 'No, I can't... say that...' She swallowed. 'What am I supposed to say now?' She held back a groan. 'If I reassure her, will she think that...'

"I'm sorry," Twilight finally whispered.

Rainbow shoved her thoughts aside and smiled down at her. She was sure Twilight saw through it and could see how she felt about it, but she forced herself to hold the smile. "Let's just..." she trailed off. "Just... relax and go to sleep, okay?" she finally said, hoping Twilight didn't see her irritation at her. Twilight was taken aback by Rainbow's words so much so that she didn't notice the pegasus's annoyance. "I'm... pretty tired myself," she added with a nervous chuckle.

Twilight's mouth slowly turned upwards into a smile, then she laid her head on its side on top of Rainbow's chest and looked at the green crystal window. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of Rainbow holding her, and listened to Rainbow's heartbeat. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes. "I... I'm being selfish," she said absently.

Rainbow shook her head. "No, you're not, Twilight. I'm doing this because I want you to feel better, not because I have to or because you're making me to."

Twilight opened her mouth to argue with her but decided not to. "Th-thank you, Rainbow... You... you have no idea how much this means to me..." she trailed off, blushing. "You... you're comfortable, right? You'll be able to sleep?" she asked. 'Rainbow's... sleeping with me again...' she felt her breath catch in her throat at the realization, then she smiled, hoping that it was a sign of things to come. 'No, she doesn't feel that way!' she shouted in her mind. 'She just wants... me to be happy...' she sighed at that realization, not knowing how to take it.

"Yeah, don't worry about it..." she trailed off. 'This isn't half as bad as I thought it was going to be...' she mused. She looked back down at Twilight. 'It's actually kind of nice...' Twilight's warm body felt pleasant, lying on her own, and every time Twilight nuzzled her chest, she felt the urge to smile. 'Do I... How do I feel about her?' she wondered. 'She's my friend, I care about her, but... Should I ask her on a date?' She expected the thought to evoke some response from her body or to stir a thought in her mind, but it didn't. 'Should that thought do something?' She didn't know.

She pushed the thoughts aside and stared up at the ceiling. For a few minutes, she laid there, feeling tiredness creep into her body and mind. The whole time, she focused on Twilight's heartbeat and breathing. Both had slowed and calmed, and she was sure that the alicorn was asleep. 'Is she dreaming?' she wondered. 'What is she dreaming about?' She yawned deeply. 'What will I dream about?' She wondered if her dreams would include the alicorn she was holding.

'I'm sleeping with Twilight again...' She winced at the thought and felt anxiety return. For a few seconds, she struggled with the thought, then she claimed victory and calmed down again. 'No. I was right, this is nice... I do enjoy this...' She licked her lips and looked down at Twilight. 'Is... this going to become a habit...?' She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She yawned, then smiled as she felt Twilight unconsciously nuzzle her chest again. "Night, Twilight..." she whispered as she closed her eyes.

Author's Notes:

Remember back when I said, "I really don't want to write something that's constantly depressing?" That still holds true. This is still depressing. Or at least the first parts are. And I am also starting to think this needs a Slice of Life tag...

I really don't know how to write breakdown scenes with somepony talking while they are crying. Feedback on how I handled that is appreciated.

I... think I've done a good job showing Twilight struggling! And it's only been two days since she's been released... Er, wow... Two chapters cover a period of two days, while the previous two chapters cover four weeks... Don't worry! I'll... something.

Also, cuddles! Yay! Right? That's a good thing, right? That's what you came here for, right? What were you expecting? Wasn't this inevitable? Do you want more?

I enjoyed writing that scene with Twilight and Rainbow... And going back and revising it... My only concern about it is it may feel rushed when you look at Rainbow's perspective. Although there's been... fifty thousand words of buildup... sort of... it's focused mainly on Twilight, and what I have shown of Rainbow is... not particularly against the idea, but not... for it... Yet at the same time, maybe it doesn't feel rushed...

Phew, this chapter feels like a rollercoaster now that I've written it and go back over it. 'Twas all over the place...

It took me three hours to re-read and edit this...

Chapter 5

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Rainbow Dash stifled a yawn and nuzzled the pillow, then opened an eye. Immediately, she looked down at Twilight and smiled. She had expected to wake up confused, wondering where she was, wondering why her alarm didn't wake her up. She had expected to wake up and not immediately remember that she stayed with Twilight, but she did remember. She yawned, then licked her lips, wondering what to do. 'I'm already late. Spitfire won't be happy, but... I'll just tell her that Twilight needed my help. It's not a lie.'

She resisted the urge to stretch out, not wanting to wake up the sleeping alicorn. After a few seconds, she focused on how they were lying together. Sometime during the night, she must have rolled over onto her side, because Twilight was lying on the bed, rather than on her chest. Despite that, Twilight's head was lying on top of her neck. Rainbow still had her arms wrapped around her, and Twilight was lying on one of her cerulean wings, while her other wing was covering the alicorn's wing. Her hind legs were wrapped around Twilight's, and Twilight's legs were pressed against her abdomen. It felt like Twilight's arms were also folded against her chest.

She smiled and sighed contently, then shifted her head on the pillow and looked towards the door. 'This is nice,' she mused. A few seconds passed while she contemplated the feeling of Twilight's warmth radiating into her chest contrasted with the chill of the air against her back. 'How much longer is she going to be asleep for?' she wondered. She looked back at Twilight. Her mane wasn't as messy as she had expected it to be. She could make out the pink and purple highlights in her mane, and although they mixed in with her indigo mane, for the most part, it still looked like her.

Rainbow fidgeted and rolled back over onto her back, pulling Twilight with her so that she laid on her chest. Twilight shifted her weight and nuzzled her as she repositioned her head so that it laid over Rainbow's heart, facing the window. 'This is nice...' Rainbow repeated, enjoying feeling Twilight's body heat and her calm, gentle breathing. Twilight was sleeping peacefully, it was striking contrast compared to last night when Twilight's heartbeat was erratic, and how nervous she was. Rainbow tilted her head and glanced at Twilight's muzzle. Twilight was softly smiling. For a second, Rainbow thought Twilight was faking, and that she was actually awake, but she doubted that Twilight would do that.

Rainbow contemplated pulling Twilight up on her more but decided against it. After a few seconds, she wrapped her arms around Twilight again and briefly squeezed her, then folded her wings back to her sides and looked over Twilight's back. She was by no means a large pony, but she wasn't a small one either. Despite her being an alicorn, Twilight was barely any bigger than Rainbow, and Rainbow found herself wondering how long that would last, or if she would always be a small alicorn.

Rainbow's musings were broken as Twilight shifted her weight, pushing herself up and leaning her weight on her side like she was trying to lay on her side. Rainbow shifted her own body to accommodate her, then laid her wings around her again. After a few seconds, Twilight nestled against her and stopped moving. Rainbow glanced at the clock and internally winced, then she looked back at Twilight.

She didn't want to wake her up, but at the same time, she didn't like the idea of being any later than she already was. 'Maybe it would be better to just... use a personal day... I'd still have to tell Spitfire, but... It's better than the alternative?' She didn't really like the idea of leaving Twilight there by herself, either. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. 'Just... relax,' she told herself. She smiled as the thought brought the previous night back to her mind. 'Spitfire will understand,' she told herself.

Rainbow slid her arms under Twilight's arms, then pulled her up, eliciting a groan from the alicorn. Rainbow nuzzled Twilight on her cheek, and the alicorn sighed contently. After a few seconds, it became apparent that Twilight wasn't waking up, so Rainbow pushed her head farther back into the pillow and closed her eyes, relaxing. After a few minutes, the heat from their bodies threatened to lull her back to sleep, but it wasn't enough to force her back to sleep. 'If we were under a blanket, I could probably fall back asleep...' She pushed the thought aside for later, 'Maybe... next time,' she told herself as she yawned.

Twilight shifted her weight again, then moaned softly. For a few seconds, she laid there, not quite awake, but on the path of waking up, then she nuzzled against her bed and stretched out and yawned. Rainbow suppressed a smile at the sight of her yawning. Twilight nestled against Rainbow's chest again, still not realizing that it was her friend, rather than her pillow. Her still asleep mind slowly started to wonder why she was as warm as she was. After a few seconds, she realized that the heat wasn't coming from herself. She shifted her head and looked curiously at Rainbow's chest for a few seconds, then her lips drew into a straight line. She glanced back at her body. She smiled when she realized Rainbow's wings were wrapped around her, rather than it just being a blanket.

Twilight sighed contently, then rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's chest and looked towards the wall, not wanting the moment to end, but knowing that it was only a matter of time before reality came crashing down. She closed her eyes and slid her arms out from between their chests and wrapped them around Rainbow's neck and held her tightly.

"Finally wake up?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight swallowed, then tilted her head so that she could look at Rainbow, even though she was half worried what she would see. She felt relief at the sight of Rainbow smiling down at her, rather than glaring at her condemningly. "Yes," she answered gently. She averted her gaze from Rainbow and looked down at her chest. "You... you stayed?" she asked.

"Hey, I said I would, didn't I?" Rainbow replied. She unwrapped her wings from around Twilight and folded them.

Twilight nodded, rubbing against Rainbow's chest in the process. She slowed as she realized what she was doing, then looked back at her body. She had expected to feel afraid or condemned by her action, but she didn't. Rainbow didn't hate her, and the pegasus was still her friend. Dash had stayed with her all night like she promised. Twilight found herself smiling the more she thought about it. 'I... wish I could wake up like this every morning...' She sighed at the thought, but she still felt better than yesterday. The day was off to a better start, too. She woke up next to somepony who cared about her, even if it wasn't the same way she cared about that pony.

"You sleep alright?" Rainbow asked as she watched Twilight shift on top of her.

Twilight lifted her head from Rainbow's chest and turned to her. She nodded, then smiled. "Yeah, I slept... well. You're really comfortable," she answered with a sheepish and nervous smile. Rainbow smiled awkwardly at the compliment. Dash knew Twilight meant well, but it made her uncomfortable. Not because Twilight was saying that she was comfortable to sleep on, but because of how Twilight felt about her. "What... about you?" Twilight asked, once more feeling her heart beat faster. She immediately regretted asking the question, fearing the answer. 'Rainbow Dash... she's... she's too cool for something like this, she wouldn't... enjoy this...' She looked away from Rainbow's gaze at the thought. Her gaze settled on Rainbow's beautiful chest.

Rainbow hesitated for a second, then nodded. "It was... nice. I enjoyed it," she replied. "I wouldn't mind doing it again... sometime," she added with a nervous chuckle.

Twilight blinked, then looked up at Rainbow with wide eyes. For a few seconds, she just stared at her. 'She wouldn't mind doing it again?' The thought made her heart flutter, and she found herself breathing quicker. She closed her eyes and imagined waking up every morning, next to her. It made her smile, but the smile quickly faded and she opened her eyes. 'She... no... she just means that... she... enjoyed it... but...' She looked away from Rainbow. 'She's just... she's doing it for me, to help me... not because...' She sighed.

Rainbow swallowed and licked her lips. Twilight looked sad again, and she didn't like it. It made her feel sad. "Twilight?" she asked. Twilight lifted her head back towards Rainbow, and despite her attempts to mask it, she still looked at Rainbow pleadingly. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's nothing," she replied slowly.

"Twilight..." Rainbow paused to think of what to say. 'What's wrong..? Should I... have not said that?' she wondered, feeling increasingly regretful at admitting she wouldn't mind doing it again. After a few seconds, she steeled her resolve and crushed the regret. "You can talk to me, you know," she coaxed. "I may not be the best pony to talk to, but I'll listen."

Twilight sighed, and her ears drooped. "I don't want to talk about it," she said glumly. "Besides... don't you need to leave?" she asked with a hint of depression in her voice.

Rainbow sighed. "I uh..." She pulled Twilight up onto her until they were eye to eye. Twilight immediately looked away from her. "I do, but..." she trailed off and groaned, then rolled over onto her side, pulling Twilight with her. Unlike last night, Twilight didn't panic, instead, she just looked at Rainbow quizzically. "You are just as important as the Wonderbolts are, if not more important, Twilight. You're a princess, I'm pretty sure Spitfire would understand if I missed a day because you needed me."

Twilight sighed, then pressed her forehead against Rainbow's neck and slid her muzzle against her friend's warm and soft chest. "I can't ask you to do that, Rainbow. Being a Wonderbolt is your dream, it's..." she trailed off. 'Something you love...'

"Then don't. I'm offering to, okay? The Wonderbolts are cool, and it's pretty awesome being one and all that, but you're important too. I care about you, okay?" Rainbow retorted. She paused, searching for something more to say, then she smiled. "I want to help you, remember? This is me offering to help you," she said warmly.

Twilight was silent for several seconds. She was glad to know Rainbow cared, and that the pegasus wanted to help her, but she couldn't help but feel that Rainbow was doing it out of pity, rather than actually wanting to help her. The thought that Rainbow was doing it out of pity stung, and more than a little bit. 'No, she doesn't pity me. She's my friend, she cares about me,' she told herself. "Thank you..." she said absently.

"So," Rainbow took a deep breath. "What do you want to do today?" she asked.

Twilight frowned, then pulled her head away from Rainbow and met her gaze. "What do you mean?"

Rainbow blinked, having not expected that response. She recovered after a few seconds and opened her mouth to reply, but found no response forthcoming. A second later, she closed her mouth. "What... do you want... to do?" Rainbow asked at length in a dry voice, as if saying that the question should have been the most obvious thing in the world.

Twilight shifted her weight and looked over Rainbow's expression for any sign of pity, or anything that made her look less than genuine. After several seconds, she met her gaze and nearly lost herself in the deep, beautiful pools of magenta that were Rainbow's eyes. "You're offering to-to st... to spend the day with me?" she asked.

Rainbow nodded energetically. "Yeah!" she answered, then smiled at Twilight. She had expected the smile to feel awkward or forced, but she felt relaxed, even knowing Twilight might take it the wrong way. She felt relaxed, even though she was holding Twilight against her own body. She felt relaxed, despite Twilight's nervousness. She felt relaxed, even though she was missing her Wonderbolt training. She had worked hard training for the past few weeks, she could take a day off, she felt. Besides, she'd just blame it on Twilight, and there wouldn't be anything Spitfire could really do about it. She wouldn't make a habit of it, though. She did enjoy the intensity of it all.

'You aren't doing this out of pity, are you?' Twilight wanted to ask, but she resisted. The answer she was looking for was the smile on Rainbow's muzzle. Twilight sighed and slid her head back under Rainbow's then pressed her muzzle lengthwise against her chest. "I... wouldn't mind staying like this for a few more minutes," she mumbled contently.

"Uh, okay..." Rainbow replied lamely. She hadn't minded it before, in fact, before she had liked it, but with Twilight lying against her like she was, she felt uncomfortable. It wasn't that the position was uncomfortable, it was nice, it was just that Twilight might take it the wrong way. 'She really likes me, doesn't she?' she asked. She felt bad for Twilight, she didn't feel the same way about the alicorn, but she'd at least be there for her.

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow and closed her eyes, enjoying letting Rainbow hold her. She felt like she could have fallen back asleep, she felt safe and relaxed in Rainbow's embrace. "Can you... wrap your wings around me again, please?" she asked meekly.

Rainbow hesitated and grimaced, then carefully unfolded her wing and laid it over Twilight's wing. "Yeah, sure..." she replied as she ran her wing over Twilight's wing, then pulled Twilight closer to her. She stared at the wall, contemplating the feeling. She frowned, Twilight's feathers weren't as well-kempt as her own. She was surprised by that, considering that Twilight was a princess. She had expected her feathers to be softer than her own, not coarse and stiff.

Twilight sighed contently as Rainbow's feathers ran over her own. "Thank you, Rainbow," she cooed. After a few seconds, she lowered her arms and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's shoulders. She shifted her head, feeling pain from her forehead because of its close contact with her mane and Rainbow's coat. The pain wasn't as bad as it had been in the previous days, but it was still very sensitive. The pain went away after she adjusted her head, and she relaxed again.

For several minutes, both of them laid there in silence. Rainbow watched Twilight's barrel rise and fall with each breath she took, and she felt her heartbeat. At the same time, Twilight listened to Rainbow's gentle heartbeat and felt the rise and fall of Rainbow's chest as the pegasus breathed. 'I don't want this moment to end,' Twilight thought sadly. She shifted her muzzle and inhaled of Rainbow's scent. She smiled as she pondered the smell, then she sighed as she exhaled. After a few more seconds, she pulled her head away from Rainbow and felt Rainbow remove her wing from around her body. She closed her eyes as Rainbow's soft feathers slid across her back, then disappeared. She opened her eyes and hesitated, then pulled her arms between her and Rainbow and pushed gently. Rainbow released her from her grasp, and Twilight pushed herself away from her. Rainbow watched her as she slid off the bed and stood up.

Twilight ruffled her wings and stretched. She closed her eyes and moaned as she arched her back down and spread her wings out, then she stood back up, folded her wings, and opened her eyes. She looked at Rainbow, who was still lying on the bed, watching her. Rainbow had barely moved from how she had been holding her, and her right leg was still in the air like it was still lying over her body. Twilight looked at her quizzically. "Rainbow?" she asked.

Rainbow Dash blinked, then rolled over onto her stomach, then pushed herself up and propelled herself off of the bed with her wings. She landed gracefully on the floor, next to Twilight. "Yeah?" she asked.

"Are you okay?" Twilight asked with concern. "You were just kind of lying there, spacing out. If... if you don't want to do that again, or if I made you uncomfortable-"

Rainbow shook her head. "No, it's... I was just thinking," she answered.

"Oh," Twilight replied.

For a few seconds, both of them just stood there, looking at each other, then Rainbow inhaled and walked away from Twilight. "So, breakfast?" she asked.

Twilight mulled it over and checked the state of her stomach. Now that she thought about it, she was a bit peckish. "Sounds good to me," she chirped and smiled brightly. "Do you want to see what Spike or Starlight made? Or would you rather go... go out... somewhere..." she trailed off despondently, remembering how well that went last time.

Rainbow walked back over to Twilight. She didn't know what she was supposed to do. 'Great job... I made her feel worse,' she mentally scolded herself. Twilight watched Rainbow expectantly. Rainbow knew she needed to do something, but she wasn't sure what that something was. She eventually settled on wrapping one of her arms around Twilight and hugging the alicorn sideways. After a few seconds, she loosened her grip. "Uh, how about we see what Spike and Starlight made?" she asked.

"That's probably the best idea," Twilight answered quickly.

Rainbow pulled her hoof away from Twilight and stepped aside, "Lead the way, Princess," she joked.

Twilight looked at her blankly for several seconds, then shook her head and looked at the door. She hesitated, then walked over to the door. She stopped at the door while Rainbow caught up to her, then she fumbled with the handle and pulled the door open. Rainbow hesitated, waiting for Twilight to go first. Twilight motioned her on with a hoof. Rainbow rolled her eyes and flew out of the room, followed closely behind by Twilight, who walked out of the room.

The two ponies leisurely made their way through the castle, one flying, and the other walking. Both of them stayed close together, but not close enough to make things awkward. They made their way down to the dining room in silence. Rainbow Dash was surprised to see both Starlight and Spike sitting at the dining room table. She had expected them to both be busy doing things, but she wasn't really sure of the time, other than that she was late.

Spike and Starlight turned to regard the pair as they entered the dining room. Neither of them was surprised to see Twilight, but both of them looked surprised to see Rainbow Dash there. Rainbow smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her mane, "Hey, guys..."

"Oh, hey Rainbow Dash. I didn't expect to see you..." Spike trailed off, not quite sure what to say. He glanced back at Starlight, who shrugged. He looked back at Twilight and Rainbow. Both of them sat down by each other. "I'll uh, go get you two something," he said as he jumped off his chair and then quickly scurried off into the kitchen.

Starlight watched Spike scurry off, then turned her attention back to Twilight and Rainbow. She watched Twilight run a hoof through her mane, straightening it, then she turned her attention to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus was fidgeting in her seat, and her mane was messier than normal. "I'm guessing you stayed the night last night, didn't you?" she asked.

Rainbow blinked and turned to her. "Uh yeah," she answered. "I... stayed here last night," she added. Twilight glanced at Rainbow, and Rainbow looked at Twilight. For a few seconds, both of them watched the other. Neither of them said anything, and Rainbow eventually broke the staring contest.

Twilight kept looking at Rainbow for a few more seconds, debating on what to say. "You're welcome to stay any night," she said gently, knowing that Rainbow at least wouldn't chastise her for her offer. Rainbow glanced at her but didn't meet her gaze. Twilight looked down at Rainbow's wing, then sighed and turned away from her.

"If... you want me to, I can stay in the castle for a few nights, I guess... I'll have to bring some of my stuff over, though..." Rainbow said at length. 'She would appreciate that... And if she needs anything, I'll be close by so I can help her... Yeah,' she nodded to herself.

Twilight flashed a smile at the offer, then it faded. "I... Starlight, can you prepare one of the guest rooms for Rainbow today?" she asked.

Starlight quickly nodded. "Sure, I can do that." She turned to Rainbow. "If you need any help moving anything, I'll be happy to help you with it."

Rainbow nodded her head at her, "Thanks," she said, "but I think I can get it all. It's really not a lot, just a few necessities and my flight suits," she replied.

Starlight frowned. "Speaking of flight suits... shouldn't you be at the academy right now?"

Rainbow smiled wryly. "Yes, but..." she trailed off, thinking back to last night, and then the morning. "Twilight needed me," she replied.

Twilight internally winced and sighed, then lowered her head and looked at the crystal table. For a few seconds, she just looked at the whitish crystal, then she laid her hoof on top of it. The crystal was cool to the touch, but not unbearably cold.

"Twilight?" Starlight spoke. Twilight lifted her eyes from the table and looked at the unicorn. She wore a worried expression, one directed entirely at her. Twilight swallowed and lifted her head up. "Are you doing okay?" she asked.

Twilight thought about it for several seconds, then nodded and smiled. If she thought about not being able to use her magic, she knew she'd feel depressed. If she thought about what else she lost, she'd feel depressed too. There was a highlight to it, though. Rainbow promised to help her, and that made her nod her head. Rainbow stayed with her all night and held her. That made her smile. "I'm... I'm okay," she answered. She glanced at Rainbow and swallowed. She wanted to thank her again. She wanted to acknowledge what Rainbow did for her. Rainbow knew how she felt, though, so she decided not to bring it up. "At least... for now," she added.

A few seconds later, Spike walked back in, carrying two plates of pancakes in his claws. Twilight smiled as the young dragon walked proudly over to them and then set the twin plates down, one in front of her, and the other in front of Rainbow. "Breakfast is served, Princess," Spike said lightly.

"Thank you, Spike," Twilight said and smiled sweetly at him, then she turned to the plate of pancakes, topped with two strawberries.

"Thanks," Rainbow said as she lowered her head to the plate and eyed the pancake hungrily. Three blueberries adorned the two pancakes on her plate. She picked one up with her wing, then threw it in her mouth and bit down on it. The blueberry was rather bland, but the subtle taste was welcome. She leaned down and took a bite out of the pancake, then closed her eyes and moaned. She pulled back and swallowed, then turned to Spike. "This is really good, Spike," she complimented. Spike stood up straighter and beamed at the compliment.

Twilight reached out with her magic to pick up the utensils, only to fail. She maintained an even expression as she remembered that she couldn't use her magic. She slowly extended her wing, then carefully picked up the fork on her plate with it and stabbed it into the pancake. She loosened her grip, then extended her other wing and picked up the knife, then slid it through the pancakes, making two cuts of less precision than she was used to. She wrapped her feathers around the fork, then lifted it up and lowered her head closer to the plate. She closed her mouth around the fork and pulled it out, depositing its contents in her mouth, then she started chewing. Despite having had Spike's pancakes many times before, they still tasted good, maybe not as good as normal, but they were still good.

Twilight pushed the door to her room open and walked in, then made her way over to her bed. Rainbow stood at the door for a few seconds, watching as Twilight got on the bed and then laid down on her stomach. She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, then walked over to Twilight's bed and sat down on her haunches beside it. "I can ask Spitfire for some time off or something if you want, you know... I'm sure she'd understand if I told her that I'm helping you... get better," Rainbow commented.

Twilight tilted her head towards her and shook it. "No, it's fine. It's something you enjoy, you shouldn't stop on my behalf," she coaxed.

"It's not like I'd be quitting or anything," Rainbow said. "I'd just be taking some time off until you get better," she added.

Twilight sighed, then buried her muzzle in the wrinkled bedsheets. "You're assuming I'll get better," she mumbled into the covers. Despite her voice being muffled, Rainbow heard her and grimaced. Twilight pulled her head back and then laid it down so that she could look at the rainbow-maned pegasus. "If my horn does grow back, it'll be a long time before that happens, Rainbow," she said at length.

"Well, what do you want me to do, then?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight sighed. After a few seconds, she marshaled her strength and resolve, "I'm fine, really," she said gently. She added a smile at the end, hoping to convince Rainbow that it was the truth. 'Rainbow knows I'm hurting, and that makes her hurt... I don't want to hurt you, Rainbow.' She turned her head away from her friend and looked at the balcony door.

Rainbow could see through Twilight's lie. The previous night and morning were evidence that she was in pain, perhaps not physically, but emotionally. Rainbow also knew that Twilight was happy that they spent the night together. She put her hooves on the bed and then pulled herself up onto it. She laid down on her stomach beside Twilight and felt the alicorn's body tense at the contact. Rainbow cautiously shifted her weight and wrapped an arm around Twilight's neck, then gently tugged her until the alicorn laid against her body. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

Twilight smiled, then frowned, then her lips returned to a neutral line. She turned back towards Rainbow and briefly looked into her eyes, then looked at her mane. "You're busy, you shouldn't... do this for me," she replied softly.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "One day isn't going to hurt, Twilight."

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed happily. "Thank you." She opened her eyes.

"You could come with me," Rainbow suggested.

Twilight opened her mouth to decline but hesitated. She closed her mouth and thought it over for a few seconds. 'I... owe it to you to do that, don't I? But... I can't, I'm not in good enough shape to fly that far, and I certainly can't... teleport...' She looked at Rainbow's shoulder for a few seconds, then slowly laid her head on it. She smiled as Rainbow's coat rubbed against her cheek. For a few seconds, she just stared at Rainbow's mane and ear. Rainbow watched her expectantly out of the corner of her eye. "I don't think I can fly that far," Twilight said sadly.

"Oh..." Rainbow felt a little disappointed at hearing that. 'I guess I should have known that,' she told herself. 'I probably just made her feel worse...' "Well... what if... what if we flew over to my house, then... I could shower and put on my flight suit and then go talk to Spitfire, then come back and... we could do something then?"

Twilight's ears drooped slightly. "I don't really feel like... going out today," she said. "I... I guess I could come with you to your home, but... I don't really want to fly back by myself."

Rainbow tilted her head back and looked at Twilight, then she rolled over onto her back and smiled at Twilight as the alicorn shifted her head to lay on her chest. "You can stay there, you know."

Twilight immediately averted her gaze from Rainbow. "That's kind of you, Rainbow, but... it wouldn't feel right without you being there."

Rainbow watched Twilight's expression for a few seconds. "You sure?" she asked. "I could... fly with you back to the castle then go," she suggested.

Twilight smiled and nodded, then pushed herself up and away from Rainbow. "I... guess that could work," she relented.

Rainbow shifted back over onto her stomach, then glided off the bed. She landed gracefully on the floor and turned around to face Twilight. "You want to go now, or would you rather take a shower or something first?"

Twilight swallowed and licked her lips as she stepped down from the bed. "I... we can go now," she said quickly.

"Okay." Rainbow beat her wings and flew in the air just above the floor, then flew over to the balcony door and stopped. She looked back at Twilight as the lavender alicorn walked towards her. "Should you tell Starlight where you're going?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No, it's fine."

"Okay then." Rainbow turned to the balcony and opened the door, then flew outside and hovered in the air, holding the door open for Twilight.

"Thank you," Twilight mumbled as she walked through the doorway. Rainbow shut the door behind her, then flew to the edge of the balcony and looked at Twilight expectantly. Twilight tentatively spread her wings and looked at both of them in turn, then flapped them experimentally. Twilight grimaced briefly, then flew over to Rainbow. "Lead the way," she commanded.

Rainbow turned away from the castle and took off flying towards her distant cloudhouse. Twilight beat her wings harder and eventually caught up to Rainbow after the pegasus slowed her pace.

Twilight hung her head and folded her wings as she landed. She breathed heavily, and just stood there for a few seconds, catching her breath. She had flown from her castle to Rainbow's cloudhouse before, and it hadn't been anywhere near as exhausting as it was now. She did not look forward to the flight back, and she felt like she could sleep the rest of the day. "You doing okay, Twilight?" Rainbow asked. Twilight looked up and smiled at the pegasus. Rainbow Dash didn't even look like it was any more taxing for her than walking through town, but she was an athletic pegasus, and a well-trained one at that.

Twilight's smile slid into a grimace. "I'm just..." she trailed off and shook her head.

Rainbow turned to her and looked at her with an expression of concern. "Do you need something?" she asked.

Twilight swallowed and shook her head. "No." She closed her eyes and filled her lungs to capacity, then slowly exhaled through her nose. It helped steady her breathing, but she was still exhausted. 'I'll just take a nap while she's gone,' she told herself.

"Alright," Rainbow hesitantly responded. She continued to watch Twilight for a few seconds, then turned around and opened the door to her house. She turned back to Twilight, then motioned her in with a hoof. Twilight rubbed her wings against her sides, then slowly walked inside. Rainbow stepped in and closed the door behind her.

Twilight hesitated as Rainbow flew towards the stairs. "Do you want me to stay down here or?" she asked in an unsure voice, not knowing what to do.

Rainbow slowed, then stopped and turned around. "It's not like you haven't seen my bedroom before, so come on up I guess," she answered.

Twilight carefully made her way over to the stairs while Rainbow waited on her. As soon as she reached the stairs, Rainbow flew upwards but stayed near Twilight as the alicorn followed her. Both of them quickly and quietly made their way into Rainbow's bedroom, the pegasus entered first, then flew to the bathroom. She stopped and landed, then glanced back at Twilight. "Just uh... make yourself at home. I'll be done in a few minutes," she said quickly.

Before Twilight could reply, Rainbow had closed the door to the bathroom behind her and locked it. Twilight blinked, then looked around. Several posters of the Wonderbolts adorned the walls, along with a shelf that held several trophies. One of the 'trophies' she immediately recognized was the headband she won at the Best Young Fliers competition when she single-hoofedly saved Rarity's life, along with the lives of three Wonderbolts. The memory brought a smile to her face, which quickly turned into a yawn.

She walked over to Rainbow's bed, then sat down on her haunches beside it and rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hooves, hoping to rub the drowsiness away. She brushed her hoof against her forehead. It throbbed slightly at the contact, but it was manageable. She extended her right wing and looked at it. She sighed heavily as she looked over her disarrayed feathers. She closed her eyes and folded her wing back to her side, then opened her eyes and watched the bathroom door, waiting for it to open back up and for Rainbow to walk out.

She heard the water turn on and grimaced, knowing it would be several minutes if not longer before Rainbow finished. 'Why am I even here?' she asked herself. 'I shouldn't be here. I pushed myself too hard flying here... That... That's going to hurt tomorrow...' Her mouth curled in disgust, remembering the pain she felt from briefly flying through her castle. She had the feeling that it wasn't going to compare to how much she had flown today, and she wasn't finished yet. 'And I still have to fly back to the castle.'

Rainbow looked at herself in the mirror and smiled as she slid her goggles over her eyes. She quickly ran a hoof through her mane, fixing a small section that looked too well-groomed, then she turned to the door, unlocked it, and stepped out. "Twilight, are you..." she trailed off, seeing the lavender alicorn asleep on the floor beside her bed. She was lying on her stomach, resting her head on her hooves, with her muzzle pointed straight at the door. She blinked at the sight. 'She's... sleeping?' She frowned and looked at her clock. 'She hasn't even been awake for two hours, and she's... she...' "Ugh..." she groaned and shook her head. 'What am I supposed to do now?' she asked herself.

'I don't think you'd like me leaving you here. You'll probably freak out when you wake up, and it would be even worse if I put you on my bed...' She grimaced at that thought. 'And if you're that tired from flying, then...' She pressed her hoof against her temple, not knowing what to do. She groaned, then flew over to Twilight and landed beside her. "Twilight?" she asked.

She nudged her with a hoof, "Twilight?" she said louder than the first time.

Twilight groaned and clenched her eyes shut tighter, then loosened them and opened an eye. She blinked and frowned. "O-oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep, I just-"

Rainbow shook her head. "It's fine. I would have let you sleep, but I didn't think you'd appreciate the panic attack you'd feel when you woke up and realized that..." she bobbed her head and let Twilight imagine the remainder of the sentence.

Twilight sighed and pushed herself up. "Thanks." She lifted a hoof to her mouth to stifle a yawn and then looked at Rainbow sheepishly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Rainbow asked as she studied Twilight's expression and body for signs of stress. "That shouldn't have worn you out that much."

Twilight grimaced. "I've not... flown hardly any in the past several weeks. I'm out of practice and... well, I'm still recovering and all that." She looked away from Rainbow and stood rigidly.

Rainbow tilted her head to the side and looked at Twilight's wings. They were firmly pressed against her sides, Twilight was in distress. "Right..." she said. She decided not to press the issue. "Do you need anything?" she asked.

Twilight looked back at Rainbow and relaxed slightly. "No, I'm fine. Thank you," she said.

"If you're ready, we can fly back now, or..." Rainbow trailed off at Twilight's grimace. "My offer to let you stay here still stands," she said.

Twilight sighed and her ears drooped. She looked at Rainbow thoughtfully but shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Rainbow, but-"

Rainbow looked at her sternly and cut her off, "You're not in any shape to fly the distance back, Twilight. You should just stay here and sleep. You can even use my bed," she offered.

Twilight quickly shook her head. "Fine, I'll stay." She turned away from Rainbow. "I'll just... sleep on the couch."

"Alright." Rainbow glanced back at the clock and found herself grimacing. "I'll go tell Spitfire what's going on and I'll... take a week off-"

Twilight gaped at her. "What? You said you're taking a personal day, not that you're taking a week off and-"

Rainbow facehoofed. "Twilight."

"No. You have important things to do," Twilight argued. "You're a Wonderbolt, you can't just take a week off at such short notice, even if it's-"

"To help my friend, who just happens to be a princess, get better?" Rainbow asked with a blank expression. "Spitfire will understand, Twilight. Just relax and stop worrying so much."

Twilight closed her mouth and she stared at Rainbow for several seconds. "Is that something you really want to do?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked curiously.

"You're offering to take a full week off from your dream just to help me. Is that something you really want to do?" Twilight asked. Rainbow looked at her blankly. Twilight sighed and looked away from her. "If... If you're doing this because you feel an obligation to me, please-"

Rainbow tentatively put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Twilight, I'm doing this because I care. Maybe I don't... feel the same way about you that you feel about me," she said gently. Twilight closed her eyes and swallowed. "But I'm your friend. I care about you and I don't like seeing you in pain. It hurts me. It makes all of us hurt to see you in pain, Twilight." Rainbow smiled and pulled Twilight into a hug. The alicorn resisted at first, then relented and returned it, along with an affectionate nuzzle, rubbing her cheek against the side of Rainbow's neck. Rainbow hesitated when she felt Twilight's cheek rub along her neck, then she grimaced and briefly returned it, nuzzling the alicorn's neck in return.

Twilight stopped when Rainbow returned the nuzzle, enjoying the sensation. She sat down on her haunches and leaned sideways against Rainbow. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash," she whispered.

"Don't worry about it, and don't mention it," Rainbow replied. Twilight pulled away from her and smiled lightly. "Really. Don't mention it. I don't want anypony thinking I'm weak," she said with a lighthearted smile.

Twilight giggled. "I won't," she said. "Except maybe Luna... she... probably already knows what happened last night. She knows I have feelings for you, and-"

"Did you tell her or... am I in your dreams?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight looked away from her and took interest in the floor. She ruffled her wings. "Well. You... yes, you're... in my dreams," she answered sheepishly.

"Eh, I suppose I can't blame you, I dream about me too. I'm just that awesome," Rainbow chuckled to fight off the unease she felt. For a few seconds, both of them just sat there, smiling and thinking about their conversation. "I should probably get going... but I'll be back soon! Just... make yourself at home and relax," she said. Twilight let go of her, and then Rainbow pulled away and flapped her wings. She quickly stopped at the window and turned back to Twilight. She met her eyes and just looked into them for a few seconds, then Twilight blinked and lowered her gaze away from Rainbow's eyes. Rainbow wanted to say something else but didn't know what to say. She jumped out the window and spread her wings wide.

Twilight smiled as she watched Rainbow fly away. It felt bittersweet, Rainbow was leaving her so that she could come back and spend more time with her, but she was still leaving. She sighed, then picked herself up and looked at Rainbow's bed. She cautiously put a hoof on it and felt it sink into the bed, then she put her other hoof onto the bed and pulled herself up.

She tentatively laid down and rested her head on Rainbow's pillow, then closed her eyes. She nestled against the soft pillow as the cloud bed shifted to accommodate her form. She sighed contently, though she missed having Rainbow beside her.

Rainbow carefully scanned the academy's grounds for the third time from high up in the sky. From what she could see, Spitfire was nowhere in sight. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but she breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the pegasus wasn't going to immediately hammer her. She quickly looked over the grounds again as she began her descent.

All too soon she landed, and she winced as her hooves touched the cool pavement. She was half expecting Spitfire to pounce on her, despite not being present. "Hey, Crash!" Soarin called. Rainbow puffed up her chest and turned around. Soarin, a light bluish green pegasus with a dark blue mane, and Misty, a pale yellow pegasus who had a light blue mane with white highlights, calmly walked over to her. "You're late. Spitfire's been looking for you, she didn't seem very happy either."

Rainbow winced. "Right... Did you by any chance see where she was?"

Misty smiled and elbowed Soarin. "See? Even she knows to go and acknowledge the problem, rather than avoiding the issue and waiting for the problem to find you," she chuckled.

Soarin smiled nervously. "R-right... Uh, I think Spitfire's in her office, at least she was when I last saw her." He glanced at Misty, who smiled maliciously at him. He chuckled nervously and looked back at Rainbow. "Uh... gotta go, sorry!" he said before flapping his wings and taking flight.

"Good luck, Crash," Misty said with a wave of her hoof as she flew off after Soarin.

Rainbow blinked as the pair flew away, then turned and looked at the building across the runway. She took a deep breath then exhaled through her mouth and started walking towards it. She slowed and checked both ways at the runway, then quickly darted across it and slowed back to a leisurely pace once she reached the other side. She continued to walk to the structure, and a few Wonderbolts or trainees gave her sideways looks, but nopony said anything.

She calmly strode into the building, then turned to her left and quickly walked through the hallways, navigating them with skill and precision. She slowed as she approached the door to Spitfire's office. The two guards standing outside remained stoic as she stepped up to the door and knocked.

"Enter," Spitfire commanded from behind the door.

Rainbow tentatively worked the doorknob, then opened the door and slid inside the office. Spitfire didn't look up from her paper, but her brow furrowed as Rainbow closed the door behind her. "Crash," she acknowledged dryly.

"Captain," Rainbow responded calmly.

Several seconds passed in silence while Spitfire read over the paper she held in her hooves. Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably. Waiting there always made her uncomfortable, even in better circumstances. Spitfire dropped the paper from her hooves and looked up at Rainbow Dash. "You're late." She stamped the paper, then slid it across her desk and pulled another form in front of her. "What happened?" she asked empathetically.

Rainbow grimaced and stepped away from the door. "I was with Twilight," she said.

Spitfire sat up straighter. "Is she doing okay?"

Rainbow bobbed her head and took a deep breath. "I don't know, she's..." she trailed off and shook her head. "She's still sick, I think, but she's recovering. It's just... slow."

Spitfire grimaced. "So you were with her because she still has problems?" she asked.

Rainbow hesitated to think about it, then nodded. It wasn't entirely accurate, but it was close. "She's my friend and... well, yeah. I'm sorry that I'm late, but I want to help her get better. She is a princess, after all."

Spitfire nodded. "Do you want some time off?"

Rainbow grinned wryly. "A week," she said.

Spitfire frowned and nodded. Her brow creased and she looked back at her desk as she thought about it. After several seconds, she looked back up at Rainbow. "Take as much time as you need, but keep me posted, alright?"

Rainbow blinked. "Uh, what?"

Spitfire took off her sunglasses and folded them, then set them down on the desk. "Twilight's a princess, so she outranks me. On top of that, you're the bearer of the Element of Loyalty. Take as much time off as you need to help her get better."

"That's-"

"But," Spitfire looked at her sternly. "When you get back, I expect you to be in peak physical condition." Spitfire smiled, knowing that wouldn't be a problem for her. "Understood, Dash?"

Rainbow went rigid and saluted her. "Yes, maam!"

Spitfire chuckled. "The princesses don't think that the sabotage was a prelude to an invasion, but keep your eyes open." Rainbow nodded. "I'll see you around, Dash."

Rainbow saluted. "I'll stop by next week and give you an update," she said.

Spitfire smiled. "Thanks."

Rainbow quickly turned around and stepped out of Spitfire's office, then closed the door. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief, then opened her eyes and quickly made her way back outside of the building. No sooner had she stepped outside than she had spread her wings and taken flight back to Ponyville.

Rainbow Dash flew in through her still-open bedroom window, then silently landed on the floor. She hadn't missed seeing the alicorn sleeping on her bed, but she was surprised she was uncovered, considering she hadn't shut the window. In hindsight, she knew she should have shut the window, but she hadn't thought about it.

She glanced around her room, then walked over to the bed and looked at Twilight. She was lying on her side and had a soft smile plastered on her muzzle. 'What's she dreaming about?' She considered the question for a few seconds, then shook her head and smiled. She sighed, then slowly placed a hoof on Twilight's side, gauging her temperature. She felt cool to the touch. Rainbow winced, then glanced around her room. Her eyes settled on the blanket on the bed. She tentatively bit down on it and threw it over Twilight. The blanket laid over Twilight awkwardly because its end was still tucked in, but it was better than nothing.

Rainbow turned away from Twilight and walked out of the room, then paused at the doorway. She grunted and turned around, then flew to the window and then shut and locked it. She flew over to the bathroom then silently shut the door and took off her flight suit and goggles, then set them aside and stepped back out of the bathroom. She grimaced and flew across and then out of the room. She leisurely flew down the stairwell, then flew to her front door. She barely paused as she opened her door and then shut it behind her before rocketing off towards Twilight's castle. The trip flew by in a blur for Rainbow, and before she knew it, she was walking into Twilight's castle through the front door.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, dear!" Rarity happily greeted the pegasus. Rainbow turned towards the source of the voice to see Rarity and Starlight walking side by side, both smiling.

"Hey, Rarity," Rainbow greeted the fashionista. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

Rarity's expression shifted from happy to worried. "Well, I had come to visit Twilight, but she wasn't here. Starlight told me that she was probably with you, but uh..." Rarity trailed off, bobbing her head at Twilight's lack of appearance with Rainbow. "Do you by any chance know where she is?"

Rainbow grinned. "Yeah, she's at my place. Taking a nap. We went for a quick flight and she wore herself out," she explained.

"Oh, dear... She's feeling alright, though, right? I'd hate for her to get sick from pushing herself too much..." Rarity stared off at the wall and frowned. "That would be absolutely dreadful," she added in a low voice.

"Yeah," Rainbow nodded in agreement. "That wouldn't be good." She paused and thought back to how Twilight acted. "I think she's feeling alright. At least other than being tired."

Rarity hummed, then spoke, "Well, that's good." She paused and squinted at the pegasus. "Shouldn't you be... at the Wonderbolt Academy?"

Rainbow waved a hoof dismissingly. "Eh, I talked to Spitfire." She smiled. "I actually..." she trailed off and her smile fell slightly, "stayed in the castle last night. I... was late because I was helping Twilight... with something," she said dryly. "So I went and talked to Spitfire, and she's giving me time off to help Twilight."

Rarity smiled thoughtfully at Rainbow. "Oh, that's very thoughtful of you, Rainbow Dash." She frowned in thought, "Though, I have to admit that surprises me a little. I would have thought that..."

Rainbow looked at her questioningly. "That what?" she asked sharply.

Rarity curtly shook her head. "Nothing, darling, it's just that... I am surprised you'd take time off to help her, considering that she's through the worst of it."

Starlight grimaced at that. "I'm not sure she's through the worst of it, actually," she said glumly, drawing the attention of both other mares to her. "She has her magic but can't use it. Her special talent is magic. That has to be... torturous for her..." she trailed off with her lips halfway between a grimace and a frown. "She used her magic for everything, and I know she's having problems adjusting."

"Oh, dear... I hadn't even considered that..." Rarity sighed.

"It's only been a few days, though, so I'm sure she'll get better," Starlight quickly added. "It's just going to take time."

"Yeah, time," Rainbow mumbled.

Starlight inhaled deeply and turned to face Rainbow Dash, "So what brings you back here anyway?"

"Oh, right. I just wanted to let you know where Twilight was. I didn't really want to wake her up, I figured she could use the rest, so I just let her sleep," Rainbow answered.

"Rainbow, dear, please make sure Twilight knows that I stopped by," Rarity chirped.

"You're leaving so soon after I get here? What gives, Rarity?" Rainbow asked suspiciously.

Rarity batted a hoof in the air at her dismissively and leaned away from her. "Now, Rainbow, you know that I'm quite busy. And since Twilight isn't here, there's no sense in me staying around and getting in the way of..." Rarity grimaced and hummed, "whatever it is you're doing, dear."

"Twilight will be happy to know that you stopped by," Starlight commented.

Rarity waved after she left, then closed the door. Rainbow let out a sigh of relief as soon as the door closed, glad that the unicorn was gone.

"Did you need something else or did you just want to let me know where Twilight is?" Starlight asked.

Rainbow shifted her weight. "Not really, I just wanted to make sure you knew where she is so that you didn't get worried." She paused, then added, "Spitfire told me to take as much time as I needed. So... I guess I don't really need to move much of anything over to the castle."

"Oh, that was... nice of her?" Starlight asked.

Rainbow nodded her head absently. "Yeah. I think it was because Twilight's a princess." She chuckled. "She told me to keep an eye on her... I kinda get the feeling it's supposed to be an assignment, just... you know, not specified as such."

Starlight nodded. "Maybe Princess Luna had something to do with it? According to Twilight, she's been visiting her dreams every night and they've talked."

"Why would Princess Luna have something to do with... that?" Rainbow asked uneasily.

Starlight shifted her weight. "Well... has Twilight told you about..." she trailed off, bobbing her head. A few seconds later, she grimaced and sighed. "She... feels like she's drifting apart from all of you. She's felt that way for a few months... Everypony's so busy anymore," she shook her head

Rainbow winced. "She... never talked to me about that."

Starlight sighed and shook her head. "It's a touchy subject for her. It took me a while to get her to tell me that she feels like she's drifting apart from all of you," she admitted.

Rainbow looked at the floor sadly. She knew that they had been busy and that they had been getting busier all the time. They still made time to spend with each other, but it was less common. "She's felt that way for months?" She looked up at Starlight, who nodded somberly. "Why hasn't she talked to any of us about this?"

"She doesn't want to make a big deal out of it," Starlight answered.

Rainbow frowned. "If it's bothering her that much, then she should talk about it."

Starlight groaned and shook her head. "That's what I tried telling her. At least she's talking to Princess Luna about it now."

"Ugh. She should be talking to her friends. I mean, not that talking to Princess Luna about it is bad or anything, but, it's not the same." Rainbow shook her head. "Maybe I should talk to her about it?"

"That might be a good idea," Starlight replied. She looked at the floor in thought, then shook her head.

"I'll do that." Rainbow nodded to herself. 'What if she brings up... the date?' She wanted to groan at that, but she held it in. "I should probably get going..." she said slowly. Starlight looked at her curiously. "Twilight," she answered. Starlight nodded in understanding. Rainbow watched Starlight for a few seconds, then turned around and flew out of the castle.

Rainbow looked around the doorway into her bedroom. Twilight was lying on her stomach, facing the wall. Her head was lying on her hooves, and her ears were lying back against her head. She had pushed the blanket off of herself and had her wings spread out across the bed. Her eyes were half opened and they looked dull. "Hey, finally wake up?" Rainbow asked gently.

Twilight quickly lifted her head from her hooves then turned towards the doorway. Rainbow casually walked into the room, smiling at her. Twilight glanced at the clock on the wall and grimaced. "I'm never going to get back on a decent sleep schedule..." she groaned. She buried her head in the blanket and exhaled. She listened intently to Rainbow's hoofsteps as she approached, then felt the bed shift beneath her as Rainbow crawled up onto the bed. She folded her wings back to her body, making room for the pegasus to lay beside her. She tensed up, then relaxed as Rainbow's coat met her own. She closed her eyes as Rainbow's soft feathers pressed against her own. She inhaled, then lifted her head away from the bed and looked at Rainbow. "I'm probably not going to sleep very well tonight now, either..." she said in depressed exasperation.

"You've not been out of the hospital that long. You're worrying too much, just give it time," Rainbow suggested, smiling a gentle, reassuring smile. Twilight smiled back at her, then looked back at the wall. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then ran her eyes over her disarrayed mane. She shifted her weight away from Twilight, then laid an arm around Twilight's neck. Twilight glanced at her from the corner of her eye but didn't turn to face her. 'Starlight said you felt like we've all been drifting apart.' She wanted to ask her about that, but it didn't feel like it was the right time to ask. "Besides, I can..." she trailed off uneasily, unsure of whether to say stay with her all night, or offer to stay with her until she fell asleep, "stay with you until you fall asleep tonight." She felt torn by saying that, she wouldn't mind spending another night with Twilight, but it felt too soon, and she didn't feel the same way about Twilight as the alicorn did her. 'If I spent tonight with her would she get the wrong idea?' Rainbow sighed internally at the thought, but didn't voice it, she had already said she would stay with Twilight until the alicorn fell asleep.

Twilight licked her lips. "I take it Spitfire understood and let you take the week off?" She turned to see Rainbow boldly grinning.

"I talked to her and told her that you were having problems. She actually told me to take as much time off as I needed..." she trailed off, then deadpanned, "And to keep an eye on you."

Twilight smiled and giggled at that. "Did she actually say that?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, she did. So it's kind of like an assignment, I guess, because she wants me to stay in top physical condition and report in every week and all that."

Twilight nodded, then looked away from her. "Thank you, but... you know you don't have to do this, right?"

Rainbow looked at her seriously. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then Twilight glanced at her and turned to face her. "I want to," she said seriously. Twilight smiled sweetly, then glanced at her chest. She bit her lip, then slowly leaned her head against Rainbow. Rainbow pulled her wing out then laid it across Twilight's back.

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed at the contact, feeling warmth well up inside of her chest. "Why do you do this?" she asked.

Rainbow frowned. 'Why do I do this?' she wondered. "It's kind of nice, and you enjoy it, don't you?" Twilight smiled and sighed contently. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's presence, then the silence was broken by Rainbow's stomach. Twilight pulled away from her and looked at Rainbow blankly. Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane sheepishly. "Dinner?" she asked.

Twilight bobbed her head as she thought about it. Her stomach felt queasy from flying so much, but it did feel empty. "Something light, maybe," she answered.

"I could go get something, or we could go back to the castle and get something..." Rainbow trailed off, considering the third unspoken option, going out to get dinner somewhere. She wouldn't have minded it, but she knew that Twilight wouldn't like the suggestion. Knowing that Twilight didn't like the suggestion because of her actions left a bitter taste in her mouth. 'A date... might be okay?' she wondered, considering the option.

"I... don't know if I should fly that far, Rainbow..." Twilight muttered dejectedly.

Rainbow pulled Twilight tight with her arm, then released her. "Then I'll carry you," she said. Twilight looked at her and smiled, but it wasn't as bright as normal, then she nodded. Rainbow pulled away from her and slid out of bed, then Twilight made her way off the bed. Rainbow sat down on her haunches and motioned Twilight onto her back. Twilight hesitated, but said nothing and tentatively stepped over to her and wrapped her arms around her neck, and legs around her barrel.

Twilight leaned over the table, massaging her temples with her hooves and partially supporting her weight with her elbows on the table. She had her eyes closed, and for the most part enjoyed the relative silence. According to Spike, Starlight was out doing some errand. He hadn't been specific, and he had dismissed her concerns, but he seemed genuine enough that she didn't press the issue. "Are you doing alright, Twilight?" Rainbow's raspy feminine voice asked.

Twilight brought her hooves down to the table and she nodded as she turned towards the source of the voice. "Yes, just a bit of a headache is all," she replied dismissively.

Rainbow sat up straighter in her chair, then blew air out of her mouth and stared off at the crystal wall. She tapped her hooves impatiently on the crystal table and went through all the thoughts in her mind. She shifted her weight as the seconds droned on and the silent stillness got to her. "Spike sure is taking a while, isn't he..." she commented, unsure what else to say.

Twilight slowly nodded, then froze. She slowly looked up from the table and looked at Rainbow with wide eyes. "I... um... he might be preparing... something... nice... for us..." she said at length. She shifted her weight and clenched her wings to her sides at Rainbow's blank look. She ran the edge of her hoof in circles on the crystal table. "H-he may think that... well..." she trailed off and looked at the table and her hoof.

After a few seconds, it hit Rainbow. She immediately shrugged it off and dismissed the notion. "Oh, he may think that this is a date? Is that what you're worried about?" she asked. Twilight nodded quickly and kept her gaze focused on the table, not trusting herself to look anywhere else.

"I-I mean, since... Starlight's not here, and it's just the t-two of us," Twilight added.

"Eh, don't worry about it," Rainbow replied. "You're probably just overthinking it. Starlight's probably just helping Rarity or Fluttershy. And as for Spike taking a while, maybe he is making something nice. So what? It'll be a nice change of pace, right? It's gotta be better than hospital food, sandwiches, and soup," she chuckled lightly.

Twilight looked up at her and smiled happily at the pegasus. "It would be nice," she admitted.

The next few minutes passed in silence, broken only by the sound of Rainbow tapping on the crystal table while they waited. Eventually, the doors to the kitchen were thrown open, and out walked one dragon with two silver platters precariously balanced on his claws. Both Twilight and Rainbow watched him intently as he wobbled over to him, the former in fear, and the latter waiting to pounce to save the dishes from the floor.

How Spike managed to serve them without spilling or revealing the contents of either dish remained a mystery to both of them, but neither of them said anything about it. "Thanks, Spike," Twilight said sweetly as the young dragon lifted the lid from her platter. She leaned over the plate and inhaled the steamy aroma of the cooked broccoli, pasta, and salad. She smiled and looked to her right, then giggled as she watched Rainbow practically plant her face into the bowl of broccoli.

"No problem, Twilight," Spike said gently, then glanced at the floor and tapped his index claws together. "Do you um-" he looked up at Twilight, "-need any help?" he asked.

Twilight glanced at her food, then mulled it over. "No, I... think I can manage," she replied.

"O-okay," Spike said in an unsure tone. "If you need any help, just let me know... I'll be in the kitchen." He stood there for a few seconds, watching Twilight tentatively fiddle a fork in between two of her feathers. Eventually, Twilight managed to pick up some pasta with the fork and then carefully brought it to her mouth. Her first attempt failed, then she tried again, but this time she leaned in closer with her muzzle and succeeded. Spike smiled at her success, then made his way back into the kitchen.

Twilight meticulously chewed her food, knowing it was both better for her body and less likely to cause her stomach problems. She occasionally cast a sideways glance at Rainbow, only to quickly look back to her own food. The bright lighting didn't have the romantic atmosphere that she had wanted, but she could almost consider it a date with the pegasus. She knew that it wasn't a date, though, but she didn't let that get her down. She took the time to savor every bite and enjoy the company of her friend.

Rainbow, for the most part, ignored Twilight, only occasionally slowing down to glance at Twilight while she ate before quickly returning to her own food. She found herself bored when she finished the last of her broccoli. She looked wryly at the salad, then shook her head and pushed the platter away from her. The meal was good, but she wasn't a fan of the salad. For a few minutes, she was content to look around the dining room, every once in a while, she caught sight of Twilight glancing at her. After one glance that lasted a moment longer than the others, she turned her body to face Twilight and watched her thoughtfully. Twilight purposefully avoided looking at her, but after a few seconds, she couldn't help but glance at her.

Although Rainbow said nothing, Twilight shifted her weight and refocused on eating. A minute later, she swallowed and pushed the platter away, having only eaten half of her meal. She licked her lips, then sat up straighter and put the fork down on the platter. The metal fork clanked as it hit the silver, breaking the silence. "It was good," Twilight said absently.

Rainbow hopped out of her chair and nodded. "Yeah, it was."

Twilight slid off her chair and sighed. "I can't believe I slept the day away... literally," she groaned and hung her head.

Rainbow frowned, then walked over to her and slid up beside her. Twilight sighed and shied away from the contact. Rainbow looked at her quizzically, "What is it?" she asked.

"It's nothing," Twilight answered. "I just... I get the feeling I probably shouldn't be flying at all in my condition, considering how much it wears me out..." she grimaced and bobbed her head, "Although today my wings don't hurt as bad... That's probably a good thing."

"It'll get better, trust me," Rainbow chuckled. Twilight looked at her questioningly. "The whole not flying for a month really does a number on you," she elaborated, "though, in your case, it probably has more to do with getting exposed to the radiation..." she trailed off grimacing. "I'm sure you'll get better, though... You have to," she finished grimly.

Twilight shook her head and started walking towards the hallway. "Right now, Sweetie Belle could probably beat me in a hoof-wrestling match." She chuckled after she finished, attempting to mask the sting that she felt from saying that.

Rainbow beat her wings and landed beside her, then fell in step behind her. "So what are we doing now?" she asked.

"I'm going to bed," Twilight answered dryly.

Rainbow paused. "What? Don't you have something you need to do? I mean, it's not that late and you've only been up for an hour or so..."

Twilight stopped and turned around. "I don't. I really... don't. I had a full schedule five weeks ago, then... you know what happened," she said in a slightly bitter voice. "And now here I am. Everything scheduled is either delayed until I'm better or, most likely, taken care of. I d-don't have my h-horn, so I can't just..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have taken over my royal duties for the time being. I slept too long, so now I don't have light to read unless I want to ask Spike or Starlight and I don't want to bother them and..." she trailed off shaking her head, then opened her eyes. "So no, there's not really anything I need to do. The day after tomorrow I have an appointment to see Doctor Manner. Tomorrow, well, I doubt I'll feel like leaving the castle. I could be wrong I guess, but if I feel like I did yesterday, I won't even want to leave my bed."

Rainbow grimaced, then she slowly stepped forward, wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck, and pulled Twilight into a bear hug. Twilight shook her head and sighed. For several seconds, Twilight resisted the embrace. She eventually relented and briefly returned the hug, then pulled back. Rainbow slowly pulled her hooves away from Twilight and looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you actually tired right now?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight groaned and shook her head. "No."

"Then why don't we do something?" Rainbow suggested in a light, optimistic voice.

"Like what?" Twilight asked.

"I don't know, something you like? There's gotta be a million things you'd like to do, I mean, you're... you." Rainbow paused to think, then looked at Twilight questioningly, "Isn't... the library still going to have lights on or something?" Twilight blinked. "We could go read there then if you wanted." Rainbow shrugged.

"That's..." Twilight shook her head then smiled. "Thanks, I guess I kind of overreacted a little, huh?"

"Just a little?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight blushed in embarrassment. "Well, lead the way, Princess!" Twilight shook her head and groaned at Rainbow's teasing, but said nothing as she turned back down the hallway.

The pair quickly made their way through the hallways and found the library. Sure enough, and unsurprisingly, the lights were still on. "I should have known the lights would be on." Twilight huffed.

Rainbow walked passed her and looked at the familiar stacks of books. The castle's library was massive. It was at least as big as the Golden Oaks Library, just in terms of the number of books it held, to say nothing of how voluminous it was. She walked over to a row of books and looked over the titles. She mostly blocked out the titles she saw, they weren't books that caught her interest. They were egghead books, the kind of books Twilight would have read. "So what do you want to read?" she asked. "Daring Do?" she suggested.

Twilight walked up beside her and glanced over the titles of the books, then sighed. "That would be nice, I guess. I started reading the Quest for the Sapphire Stone again, but I left that on my nightstand..." she trailed off sadly, unhappy at the prospect of not finishing the book tonight.

Rainbow turned to her. "I can go and get that if you'd like."

Twilight smiled fondly at her and nodded. "Thanks, but you don't have to. I can. find another book."

Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'll go get it. You just get comfortable. I'll be back soon." She beat her wings and hovered in the air, then flew to the door and paused. She turned around and flew back to Twilight at a slower pace. "But... on the condition that we start over from the beginning. I really don't like skipping ahead."

Twilight giggled and nodded. "That's fine."

Rainbow flashed her a smile, then zoomed away and out of the library, leaving a faint and rapidly fading rainbow trail behind her. Twilight stood there for a few seconds, calculating how long it would take Rainbow to return, and fretting over her absence. She shook her head, then turned and walked over to the couch in the middle of the library. She tentatively flapped her wings, then landed on the couch and laid down. She laid on her side and watched the crystal wall, waiting for her friend to return.

Seconds passed away. She shifted her weight and rolled over onto her back, then let her body go limp. Her right wing fell off the side of the couch, while her left one was blocked by the back of the couch. She laid her arms on her chest and let her hind legs fall apart, then she looked up at the ceiling and blinked. Her position wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't uncomfortable either. She shook her head and dragged one of her hooves down to her stomach and gently massaged it, rubbing her hoof around in small circles, attempting to placate the pain she felt.

She laid on her back for half a minute before shifting back over to her side and looking at the wall. She continued to rub her stomach for a few seconds, then pulled her hoof away and placed it under her head so that her cheek was lying atop it. A couple minutes later, Twilight pushed herself up into a sitting position. Right on schedule, Rainbow Dash flew inside half a minute later.

Rainbow Dash landed in front of the couch and Twilight smiled at her. "I'm back," she said. Twilight motioned for her to sit down beside her. She took the invitation and jumped up onto the couch, then frowned. She held the book in her hooves and opened it to the first page with her wing, then held it over for Twilight to take it.

Twilight shook her head. "Could you read it for me?" she asked quickly to mask her nervousness. 'I just want to listen to your voice...'

Rainbow looked at her hesitantly for a few seconds, then nodded and pulled the book back to herself. She watched Twilight while she flipped to the start of the first chapter. Twilight normally read the preface, but Rainbow never really found it that interesting. She blinked and looked at the page, then swallowed. "Chapter one," she read aloud. "As Daring Do trekked through the tropical jungle..." She read on for several minutes, then felt Twilight lean against her. She slowed to a crawl when Twilight laid her head against her shoulder, but continued and said nothing. A quick glance at the alicorn told her that she was happy, and that was enough to make her endure it.

Rainbow carefully balanced Twilight on her back, using her wings to keep the sleeping alicorn from falling off, lest the mare wake up. She wasn't sure when Twilight fell asleep, she had been reading to her for nearly three hours and was about halfway through the Daring Do book. Normally the roles were reversed, and Twilight was the one reading, but she was happy to read it for her. She had the suspicion that Twilight just wanted to relax, despite having chosen an adventure novel.

Rainbow shook her head as she turned a corner. 'Twilight, you really like being close to me, don't you?' She didn't need to ask the question to know the answer, how Twilight behaved around her was evidence enough that her friend enjoyed it. Twilight might have enjoyed it too much. Despite that, she found herself smiling as she thought about it. 'Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad to say yes after all,' she thought. The thought still didn't provoke any emotion, save for curiosity, a feeling of awkwardness, and slight fear. She glanced back at the alicorn lying on her back and looked over her features.

Twilight's mane really needed to be brushed. The mare hadn't combed her mane, despite an entire day having passed. 'Can you even brush your mane?' She grimaced at the thought, remembering that Starlight had said Twilight used her magic for everything. She could remember seeing Twilight brushing her mane once before, and she had been using her magic. Rainbow felt numb and slowed her pace, not knowing how to react to the realization.

'How are you going to get better?' The question was distracting. 'Are you going to be stuck like this forever?' Rainbow clenched her jaw at that thought. It was unthinkable, Twilight never being able to use her magic again. 'Your magic is a part of you, and you can't use it...' Rainbow felt cold. 'How are you handling this so well?' She had seen Twilight's problems, but how Twilight managed not to break down eluded her. 'You're brave, you know that? I don't think I could handle losing my wings...'

She turned her head away from Twilight then picked up her pace, trying to run from the thoughts. After several minutes, she finally arrived at Twilight's room and opened the door with her mouth, then slid inside and shut the door with a swift kick from her hind leg. The door clicked shut, and she surveyed the room for a few seconds before gazing at Twilight's bed. Carrying Twilight from the dining room to her bedroom hadn't been too much of a challenge, but although Twilight didn't weigh as much as she expected, the alicorn still weighed somewhere around as much as Rainbow did. She still could have carried her further, though.

She walked over to the bed, then lifted the covers with her hoof. She shifted her weight and lowered her left wing, slowly sliding Twilight off her back and onto the plush bed. Twilight groaned from the motion but didn't wake. Rainbow carefully pushed Twilight over to the center of the bed. Twilight rolled over onto her side so that she faced Rainbow. The alicorn tilted her muzzle down against her neck and smiled softly. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then pulled the blanket over her. 'You're already asleep... joining you would be just... weird.' She shook her head and turned around, then folded her wings and walked over to the door and stepped out of Twilight's room.

Rainbow tentatively made her way down the hall and then into the guest room she had stayed in while Twilight was in the hospital. She closed the door behind her and pressed her weight against it and sighed. 'If I had said yes instead of no, would all this have happened?' she wondered. She had no answer for it. She groaned and walked over to the bed sulking and having grown weary from thinking so much, then she slid beneath the covers and winced at the cold. She laid her head down on the pillow and pressed her eyes closed, irritated by her lack of answers.

Author's Notes:

I apologize for the short chapter and the delay. I also do not think I will have a chapter next week, but I shall attempt to recertify my bi-weekly update schedule.

Alright, things should... speed up some, now.

I attempted to make the chapter less confusing by changing things from complex sentences with "she her she she her her she" to having descriptions of the characters such as "the pegasus and the alicorn." Feedback? Did the opening scene(s) (they're connected with a transitional paragraph, I don't know whether to count that as one or two scenes) drag on too long?

I don't normally read my own work outside of writing it and editing and such. I find myself considering reading this once I finish it... or perhaps before I finish it, so I get a better feel for where I have this going.

I don't really have a lot else to say here. I'll let the chapter speak for me I guess. I hope you've all enjoyed it and are looking forwards to more!

Chapter 6

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Twilight grunted as she submerged her head underwater, the soapy water hitting her forehead made her grit her teeth, but it was more tolerable than it had been before. She clenched her eyes shut, then exhaled into the water and pulled her head back above the surface. She inhaled, then shook her head, sending her mane flopping to the right side of her head. She ran her hooves through her mane, straightening it, then she grabbed the bottle of soap and poured a large glob out over her head and neck.

She leaned backward against the crystal wall, then started massaging the soap into her mane, head, and neck. After she finished, she took a deep breath, then dunked her head under the water again, then she ran her hooves through her mane, straightening it out and washing the soap suds out. She rubbed the soap out of her coat, then surfaced and blew air out through her lips, sending little droplets of water flying as it rolled down her muzzle. She leaned back again and pulled her tail above the water, then poured soap on it and lathered it up, then she pushed it beneath the water and ran her hooves through it.

A few minutes later, she stood up and stepped out of the bathtub, not even bothering to let the water fall off of her before she stepped out. She manipulated the stopper with her hooves, then watched the water drain away. She sighed and held her head even with her body, then let her wings fall from her sides. Both waterlogged wings touched the floor, and she felt the rapidly cooling water run down them and drip off onto the crystal floor, where it would be absorbed.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, but eventually the chill made her shiver. She pulled her head back up, then walked over to the towel rack. She bit down on the towel, then stepped away from it, pulling the towel off. She caught the towel with a wing before the long cloth touched the floor and soaked up any of the water. She fumbled with the troublesome towel, then eventually managed to drape it over her back. She pinned it to one side of her with her wing, then bit down on the damp cloth and pulled it around the other side of her. She stopped, then pinned the towel against that side and pulled on the opposite side. After a minute of repeating the process, she had dried her back and body. Drying the rest of her coat only took a couple more minutes.

She sulked over to the mirror and glared at the mare who looked back at her. Her mane was still heavy and darkened from residual water that hadn't dried, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion. She pushed the thoughts aside and the glare left her lips. She lifted a hoof to her head, then pushed her bangs aside and looked at her missing horn. It hadn't healed as much as she had hoped over the past week. Doctor Manner was surprised as much as she was, though, he didn't even have any commentary on it or suggestions. She suspected she knew the reason it hadn't fully healed, but she didn't want to voice it. Not with Rainbow Dash around, at least. She didn't want to bring up that aspect of her physiology.

She pressed her eyes closed and dropped her hoof to the floor. She inhaled deeply, then sighed. She opened her eyes and extended both of her wings out, then sat down on her haunches as she looked at them. She had barely managed to explain away their bad condition to Doctor Manner, as it was, she doubted he actually bought her explanation. She had no idea how Rainbow hadn't called her out on it at the time, but she suspected it was because the mare wasn't paying much attention out of courtesy.

Twilight had insisted Rainbow go to the checkup with her, and the pegasus obliged her. She was clearly uncomfortable with the whole ordeal, but she didn't complain much. For the most part, Rainbow sat in the corner and said nothing while Doctor Manner examined her, nor while they discussed a few things. Twilight noticed Rainbow's ears perk up a few times when she talked to Doctor Manner about a few things, namely her exhaustion.

Twilight shook her head, then laid down on the floor and rolled over onto her back. She pulled her wing over her stomach, then ran her hooves through it, attempting to straighten each feather out. She had improved since her first attempt, but only just. After a few minutes, most of her feathers were properly realigned, but they were still in poor condition, and more than a few feathers needed to be plucked due to damage. She laid her head back on the floor as the memory of attempting to remove a damaged feather replayed itself in her mind. She ended up removing a good feather, despite using the edges of her hooves to pull at it.

She laid in silence for a few minutes while she straightened the rest of her feathers in her other wing, then she let them fall onto the floor. She looked up at the ceiling unblinkingly, knowing that it was supposed to be a good day. Everypony was in the castle, down in the dining room, waiting for her. Pinkie Pie had spent all night decorating, according to what Rainbow said Starlight told her. The thought should have provoked a smile from her, she knew it should have, but all it managed to do was bring a tear to her eye. It wasn't even a tear of happiness.

Twilight folded her wings, then rolled over onto her stomach and stood up. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt shame. Her mane, despite having been washed and straightened was still a mess. She instinctually wanted to grab the brush with her magic. She had to force herself to grab the handle with her mouth. She turned her head and leaned away from her body, then awkwardly planted the brush in her mane, which was running down her neck. She spent a few minutes running the brush through her mane, and more than a few times she winced in pain as she struggled to brush the rest of her mane. Eventually, she spat out the brush and used the mirror and her hooves to brush her mane and tail. When she finished, it had taken her exponentially longer to brush her mane than it would have it she had her horn.

The alicorn pushed herself up then leaned against the sink. 'Pinkie Pie's throwing this party, and that means there's definitely going to be sugary sweets...' She closed her eyes as her stomach shifted at the thought. She needed something more solid than that, her body all but demanded it of her. The thought of eating nothing but Pinkie's sugary confections made her queasy. She rubbed her stomach with one of her hooves, then opened the cabinet with her wing. She pulled out a cup and her toothbrush, along with toothpaste. All three items fell out of the cabinet. The cup rolled off onto the floor and the tube of toothpaste slid into the sink.

She stared at the tube of toothpaste emotionlessly, then she pulled it out of the sink and placed it on the counter. She bent down and picked the cup up with her mouth, then tentatively sat it on the counter. She reached out with her wings and sat the cup up straight, then she flipped the faucet on and let the water run so that it would heat up. She listened to the stream of water flowing from the faucet and hitting the crystal for several seconds, then she put the cup under the stream. Once the cup was filled, she turned off the faucet and sat the cup down on the counter.

After a couple of minutes fidgeting with the tube of toothpaste and managing to waste at least three days of its contents, she shoved her toothbrush into her mouth and brushed her teeth vigorously. 'It's the perfect excuse to avoid all that sugar,' she mused in disgust. She brushed her teeth, then spat out the toothpaste and washed her mouth out with water from the cup, then she dumped the remaining water into the sink.

She closed her eyes and let herself relax at how refreshing the minty toothpaste was, then she opened her eyes and put the items back where they belonged. She looked at herself in the mirror. She still felt tired, the result of waking up several times during the night and then not falling back asleep quickly. 'They're waiting on me...' she reminded herself. She swallowed and tore herself away from the mirror, then walked over to the bathroom door.

She looked at the handle with dread. Her friends were all expecting her to leave the bathroom, leave her bedroom, make her way down to the dining room, and celebrate with them. They were all expecting her to be happy and to have a good time. She didn't want any of that. She didn't feel like celebrating, she didn't feel like leaving her bedroom, she didn't even feel like leaving the bathroom. 'I'll just... ruin it for them.' She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cool crystalline door. 'Not leaving is an option, nopony... except Starlight... can reach me right now.'

She mulled over the idea of not leaving for a few seconds, then decided that it was the worst option at her disposal. Leaving was the better choice, they all expected to see her, even if she wasn't in a good mood, they would want to see her. She sighed and pulled away from the door, then slowly opened it and stepped out into her bedroom. She left the door open, then walked halfway to the bedroom door before stopping. 'It's so quiet and peaceful... Pinkie, please... please don't...' She sighed, not wanting the silence to end, but not wanting Pinkie to not be herself just for her.

She walked over to the door, then opened it and walked out of her room. "What took you so long?" A raspy feminine voice chuckled while she shut the door.

The sound of Rainbow's voice brought a smile to her mouth and banished her prior feelings of dread. She sighed and shook her head. "Hey, you okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight licked her lips and looked at her hooves. "I... don't know," she answered.

A second later she felt Rainbow wrap an arm around her neck and felt the air rippling from Rainbow's wing beats as she hovered beside her. "Still not sleeping well?" she asked with worry.

Twilight hesitated, then quickly nodded. "Yes..." she said under her breath, halfway hoping Rainbow had heard it, and at the same time, hoping that the pegasus hadn't heard it.

Rainbow grimaced and landed. "I thought that..." she shifted her weight on her hooves. "That... staying with you until you fell asleep was helping?"

Twilight bobbed her head and pressed her lips together. "It... helps me fall asleep," she answered evenly. "I'm still waking up and... my stomach is still acting up," she admitted.

Rainbow's brow creased as she thought about it. She looked up at Twilight, "Maybe Zecora has something that can help you? I mean, she did give you that medicine when you were sick..." she trailed off.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. "Maybe," she agreed.

"Well... maybe we can go and talk to her about it sometime today," Rainbow offered.

Twilight turned to her and smiled wryly at her. "Do you really think I should be going into the Everfree in my... condition?"

Rainbow smirked and chuckled. "Hey, you know I'll keep you safe. You wouldn't have to worry about anything, no hydra or dragon's gonna take me down!" she bragged.

Twilight smiled genuinely and shook her head. "Maybe you could go without me?" she asked. "I'm not supposed to... strain myself. You heard what Doctor Manner said." Her smile faded.

Rainbow looked at her solemnly, then nodded. "Alright..."

Twilight looked away from her and stared at the end of the hallway. She waited a few seconds, then started walking.

Five ponies and one baby dragon were all sitting around a large crystal table. Most of them were relaxing, despite the large quantity of pink and purple confetti and streamers covering the whole room, table, chairs, and all, even the floor was covered in the delightful paper. It all but looked like it had snowed party materials inside the room, all thanks to one bubbly, pink earth pony. Nopony minded it, though, although they found it strange that she was attempting lying in the confetti and rolling around in it. The silence was broken by light conversation and giggles from the mares and dragon.

"I've not seen a hair of Twilight this week! She's just cooped up here all the time?" Applejack drawled in her southern accent.

"It is to be expected, darling," Rarity quipped as she closed her eyes and sipped her tea. A smile graced her lips after she swallowed the warm liquid.

Fluttershy bit her lower lip, then turned away from Applejack and looked at Starlight Glimmer, who sat patiently while waiting for Twilight's arrival. "Um... Starlight?" she asked.

Starlight blinked and turned to face the timid mare. "Yes, Fluttershy?"

"Is..." Fluttershy looked away from Starlight and at the floor. She twirled her pink mane between her hooves. "Is Twilight... doing okay?" she asked. Starlight looked at Fluttershy blankly. Fluttershy glanced at Starlight, then looked back at the floor. "I-I mean, you're around her more often than most of us..."

Starlight shook her head, "No it's just... It's... hard to say. I mean, she's okay, but... she's not that great." Fluttershy sighed and sank down into her chair.

"Twilight!" Pinkie exclaimed and jumped into the air. Everypony turned to the doorway and smiled at Twilight, who was frozen in the doorway. For a few seconds, fear gripped her, then Rainbow elbowed her. Twilight blinked, then smiled at everypony. No sooner had Twilight stepped into the room than Pinkie Pie pulled her into a hug that undoubtedly would have brought a dead pony back to life. Rainbow whistled inconspicuously and flew away from Twilight and the pink pony while the other ponies present stood from their chairs and made their way over to the pair. "Oh! I'm sooo happy to see you again Twilight! It's really been terrible not seeing you every day and it was just awful not being able to throw you a party because you were in the hospital and sick and you almost died and we were all so worried!" She paused to inhaled.

"P-Pinkie..." Twilight grunted.

"But then you got better but you had to have that surgery and they removed your horn and then you were in a coma for a week and then you were awake but I still couldn't throw you a party because you were in the hospital but then you got better and they released you! But I still couldn't throw you a party because you weren't feeling well, but now you're feeling better so I threw you this party! It would have been better but I knew that you probably wanted something small and private, otherwise I would have invited all of Equestria!" Pinkie rambled off, then released Twilight.

Twilight collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. For a few seconds, she sat on her haunches, attempting to process the wobbly world, then the floor rose up to meet her head. Everypony sharply glared at Pinkie. Pinkie squeed and shrunk back. "Oops..." She smiled nervously.

Twilight groaned. "It's fine..." she mumbled. "I'm happy to see you too, Pinkie..." She pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed her temples with her hooves. Rainbow landed beside her and extended a hoof to her. Twilight flashed her a smile, then pulled herself up with Rainbow's help. She swallowed and smiled at everypony. "Girls..." she said softly. One by one, each of the six other ponies there wrapped their arms around Twilight and hugged her, then Spike jumped onto her back and wrapped his arms around her neck.

"We missed you, Twilight," Applejack said.

"And we're glad you're doing better," Rarity added. "Although this place is a mess now," she added with a hint of disgust.

"It's for a good cause," Fluttershy mused as she nuzzled Twilight.

"It's your 'congratulations for getting released from the hospital after saving Ponyville from that reactor meltdown' party!" Pinkie exclaimed. Everypony hummed at that. A few seconds later, the group hug broke up. Twilight smiled fondly, happy that her friends were there for her. "Let'sssssssssss party!" Pinkie Pie jumped back and pulled a party cannon from hammerspace, then it erupted and more streamers and confetti joined the ones already present.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at her antics. 'I'm going to sleep well tonight,' she thought with a smile.

Twilight suppressed a yawn as she walked through the castle's hallways. Despite being tired, she felt better. A lot better than she had in several weeks. 'That was actually comparable to waking up next to Rainbow...' She glanced at the pegasus walking beside her. She was grinning and relaxed. Twilight smiled and looked back forward. 'I wish I could wake up next to you every day... but... I'm deluding myself. It wouldn't be good for me...' She sighed, the thought stealing more than a little of her joy. 'I want that... but... I know that in my state of mind, it's not good for me...' She smiled once more, remembering that morning. 'If she actually returned my feelings, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing...' She shook her head. 'Or maybe-'

"That was fun," Rainbow commented. Twilight stopped and looked at her. Rainbow paused.

Twilight hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded enthusiastically. "It was. I needed that," she answered with a happy smile.

"You feeling better then?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight pursed her lips in thought, then nodded to herself. "Right now, yes. I'm still tired, but that's not a surprise..."

"So I guess you still want to stay here while I go talk to Zecora?" Rainbow asked.

'I would rather you stay here...' Twilight thought. After a few seconds, she reluctantly nodded. "Yes, I don't think it would be a good idea for me to be in the Everfree Forest right now, even with you there."

"I guess I can understand why you'd think that," Rainbow responded. They both watched each other for a few seconds, then Rainbow turned away and hovered in the air. Twilight took that as her cue to resume walking.

They walked in silence for several minutes while they navigated the castle's hallways, then eventually they arrived at their destination. Rainbow landed and walked up to the door, then opened it and motioned Twilight into her room with a hoof. Twilight rolled her eyes at Rainbow as she walked passed the slightly bowing pegasus. Twilight immediately walked over to her bed, then fell down on it and sighed into the covers. She listened to the sound of Rainbow's hooves clopping against the crystal floor as the mare drew close, then she felt the bed shift from her weight. She pulled her head up and laid on her cheek so that she could look at her. Rainbow was lying beside her, just out of reach. If Twilight rolled over onto her side, she would find herself lying against her.

Twilight slid her muzzle away from Rainbow and stared at the wall. Twilight felt Rainbow run her hoof along her back. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"You doing okay?" Rainbow asked as she continued running her hoof along Twilight's back.

Twilight laughed. "You know, I'm really starting to hate that question..." Rainbow pulled her hoof away from Twilight and looked at her carefully. Twilight opened her eyes and lifted her head from the bed. She turned towards Rainbow Dash and looked at her expectantly. Despite her best efforts, her eyes wandered to Rainbow's prismatic mane, then to her deep magenta eyes. Twilight blinked and laid her head back down on the bed.

"I thought you were doing better, Twilight..." Rainbow trailed off softly, concern edging into her normally brash voice.

Twilight took a deep breath. She needed to let it out, to get it out of her system. She knew she needed to, but no words came, even when she opened her mouth. Even when she looked at Rainbow, she couldn't find her voice. She lowered her gaze to the bed and tilted her muzzle back towards the wall, then looked up at the crystal. "I-I'm fine," she lied.

Rainbow groaned, then scooted closer and pushed Twilight over onto her side. The alicorn looked at her in confusion. Rainbow ignored it and shifted her weight onto her side, then wrapped her arms and legs around Twilight and pulled her close. "No, you're not." She ran a hoof through Twilight's mane. Twilight closed her eyes, then cautiously laid her head on Rainbow's neck. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

Twilight sighed. "I guess you're right, but I don't want to bother you..." she trailed off sadly.

Rainbow huffed. "You're bothering me by not talking to me."

Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," she apologized. She folded her hooves between their chests, then pulled her legs between their bodies. "I just... You know I like... this," she said softly. She closed her eyes and softly nuzzled Rainbow's neck, eliciting a smile from the pegasus as her coat rubbed against the pegasus's coat. 'Should I tell her or should I just...' She took a deep breath. "I wish you would... sleep with me every night," she said gently.

Rainbow stopped stroking her mane for a second, then she resumed running her hoof through the alicorn's mane. "Is that all that's bothering you?" she asked, still mulling over what Twilight had said. 'If that's all that's bothering you, it's an easy... fix...' She was still uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping with Twilight again, let alone every night, despite enjoying it.

Twilight opened her eyes and looked at Rainbow's prismatic mane. "You're not... mad at me?" she asked.

Rainbow held her tighter to reassure her. "No, of course not," she replied. "I... can do that..." she said reluctantly.

"But... you don't want to," Twilight said dejectedly.

Rainbow pulled back from Twilight, forcing the alicorn to remove her head from her neck. Twilight looked at her sadly. "I didn't say that," she replied evenly. "I'll... sleep with you," she said. "If it really matters that much to you." 'What am I getting myself into... Twilight...'

Twilight tilted her head and smiled at her fondly. "I... I'd really appreciate that, Rainbow Dash..." she whispered. "But... don't do that just because you feel obligated to-"

Rainbow laid her head on the bed and looked at the wall that the bed was against. "I'm doing this because I care about you and I want you to be happy," she answered. Twilight slid her head up against Rainbow's chest and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, Rainbow felt Twilight yawn. "You want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?" she asked.

Twilight went out of her way to nuzzle Rainbow's chest as she looked up at her. "You're still going to talk to Zecora?" she asked with a hint of sadness.

"She might have something to make you feel better," Rainbow replied.

Twilight sighed sadly then nodded. "Okay," she said calmly, then smiled.

Rainbow flashed her a smile, then pulled Twilight up on her and repositioned their bodies so that their heads were lying on the pillow. The whole time, Twilight kept her head against Rainbow's neck. When she finished repositioning them, Rainbow tentatively laid her head against Twilight's head. The alicorn nestled under Rainbow's jaw and slid her muzzle against Dash's neck so that her head was firmly pressed between both of their necks. Rainbow fidgeted her wing under Twilight until she freed it from under the alicorn, then wrapped both of her wings around Twilight's back. Twilight all but cooed in delight as Rainbow's feathers trailed through her fur.

In a few minutes, Twilight's heartbeat and breathing slowed down considerably, and the mare felt completely relaxed. Rainbow watched the clock and let herself relax for ten minutes, then she carefully pulled away from Twilight. She eventually pulled her arm and wing out from under Twilight, then used them to help pry her hind leg out from under the alicorn. Once all of her limbs were free, she slid away from Twilight and made her way over to the balcony. 'I should stop by my place and grab my saddlebags first...' Rainbow spared a glance at the alicorn and smirked, then stepped outside and spread her wings.

"Zecora!?" Rainbow called out before realizing that it was probably a bad idea. She winced at the thought of attracting monsters to Zecora's home. She knew she could handle anything the Everfree threw at her, but she was worried about the zebra. She glanced around, looking at the tall trees and underbrush that made the Everfree Forest a treacherous place to explore, to say nothing of the foul monsters within that were capable of devouring a lesser pony whole.

The forest canopy was thick, which made flying above difficult, which trapped her beneath the canopy so long as she was searching for Zecora's hut, and the darkness that deterred most ponies from entering the forest made slowed her search considerably. "I should have just brought Fluttershy along..." she groaned at the realization and grimaced.

She pressed on down the path that she knew led to Zecora's hut, pausing only briefly to listen for any signs of danger, or the zebra herself. No signs of danger nor signs of Zecora presented themselves. She shook her head and pressed on. Eventually, she fought her way into a clearing and smiled, finally finding the target of her search. Zecora's hut was a hollowed out tree, that somehow was still alive. She wasn't surprised by the fact that the three was still alive, the Golden Oaks Library was built inside a tree very similar to it. "Yes!" she exclaimed as she jumped into the air a little. She beat her wings and zoomed across the clearing before stopping at the door to the hut.

She landed and knocked on the door with her hoof. "Hey, Zecora? Are you in there?" she called.

"Rainbow Dash? Is that you I hear?" Zecora called. A few seconds later, the door was opened and the small, youthful Zebra smiled at her happily from the doorway. "Rainbow Dash my friend! It is a difficult journey to travel alone, please, come in and make yourself at home." The zebra stepped aside and ushered her inside with a hoof.

Rainbow smiled at her as she stepped inside. "Thanks, Zecora."

Zecora chuckled as she shut the door. "Why, it is no problem dear. But I must ask, what brings you here?" she asked as she walked over to the cauldron in the center of the room.

Rainbow looked at the zebra wryly and shifted her weight on her hooves. After a few seconds of silence, Zecora turned to her to investigate. "It's... Twilight," Rainbow said. "She's having trouble sleeping, and her stomach is still bothering her..." she trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. "She gets tired really easily, and she seems... I don't know... weaker than normal?"

Zecora frowned and hummed in thought. After a few seconds, she rubbed her chin with her hoof, then paused and looked intently at Rainbow Dash. "I have cures for insomnia and herbs to calm her stomach, but as for her other problems, I cannot help her." Rainbow grimaced at that. Zecora walked over to a shelf and withdrew a large ceramic bowl, then walked over to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow looked at the bowl and its contents curiously. Zecora picked up one of the leaves and held it out to Rainbow. "Use these leaves to make her a tea. Make sure she drinks it before she goes to bed. It will help her stomach and calm her mind so that sleep will come to her." She put the leaf back in the bowl and extended it to the pegasus.

Rainbow smiled and lifted the bowl from Zecora's muzzle. "Thank you, Zecora." She lifted the flap on her saddlebag, then she carefully placed the bowl down in it and closed her saddlebag.

Zecora bowed slightly. "It is no trouble, Rainbow Dash. Tell Twilight I hope she gets well soon, and that she should fulfill her specific alicorn needs, lest it should spell her doom."

Rainbow frowned at her. "What do you mean?"

Zecora momentarily grimaced. "If you do not know, then she has not said, and it is not my place to tell. Ask her, but whether she will say or not, I do not know."

"Uh... okay..." Rainbow replied lamely. For a few seconds she hovered, then she flew to the door, opened it and flew out. Zecora walked to the door and watched her fly away, then she turned around and shut the door behind her.

Rainbow gracefully landed on Twilight's balcony without making a sound, then she folded her wings and walked over to the door. She opened it and immediately closed it as soon as she stepped into Twilight's room. She spared a glance at Twilight to see if she was still asleep, then she flew over to the nightstand and lowered her saddlebags to the floor. She bent down and opened the flap, then lifted the bowl of leaves and set it on the nightstand. 'It's as good a spot as any,' she reasoned.

She leaned back down and bit down on her saddlebags, then she walked across the room and stepped out into the hallway. She quickly and quietly walked across to her guest room, then slid inside and closed the door behind her. She flapped her wings and flew over to the other wall and set her saddlebags down. 'It's probably a good idea to keep them here since I'm going to be here for... a while.' She nodded to herself then landed on her bed and sat down on her haunches.

'What did Zecora mean about Twilight having specific alicorn needs?' The question had bothered her the entire trip back from the Everfree. Twilight had never mentioned anything specific about being an alicorn. She never really talked about it at all. Rainbow frowned. 'I guess it makes sense that you wouldn't want to talk about how long you're going to live... But you never mentioned any specific needs from being an alicorn either...' She groaned and fell back onto the bed. She let her wings fall out across the bed and stared at the ceiling. She blinked. "Twilight, you've been an alicorn for over three years, and you really haven't shared many details of what its like with us," she realized.

She frowned and rolled over, then beat her wings and flew out the door, she barely paused to close it. She slid back into Twilight's room and locked the door behind her, then landed and walked over to Twilight. She sat down on her haunches beside the bed. Twilight was facing the other direction. She glanced at the balcony, then stood up and walked over to the door. A few seconds later, she locked the door and walked back over to Twilight's bed. She carefully put her hooves on the bed, then pulled herself up onto the bed, then she laid down on her stomach beside Twilight.

She slid her hooves under the pillow and laid her head down on it. 'I guess I'm just going to wait for you to wake up, then...' A few minutes passed. She tilted her head towards the sleeping alicorn. "Twilight?" she whispered. The alicorn mumbled something inaudible. Rainbow pulled her hooves out from under the pillow, then put one on Twilight's shoulder and lightly shook her.

Twilight groaned and nuzzled the pillow. "What is it Spike?" she asked.

"How do you mistake a hoof for a claw?" Rainbow asked. Twilight pressed her eyes together and groaned, then opened her eyes and tilted her head over to look at whoever wake her. She blinked and frowned, then stretched out her hind legs and rubbed her eyes with her hooves. Twilight rolled over so that her body faced Rainbow. "Seriously, how did you think I was Spike?" the pegasus asked.

Twilight shook her head. "I'm used to him waking me up when I'm sleeping, not... you."

Rainbow winced. "Sorry, I should have just let you sleep..." she trailed off, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Twilight shook her head. "No, I'm glad you woke me up. I don't want to sleep the day away. Again." She pushed herself up into a sitting position, mimicking Rainbow. "Did you talk to Zecora?" she asked. She yawned and licked her lips.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, she gave me some leaves or something and said to make a tea for you with them before you go to bed."

Twilight smiled thoughtfully. 'I do enjoy those teas Zecora gives me...' She frowned. 'Some of them aren't actually that good, though...' She shook her head. "That will be simple enough," she mused.

"That's good because I really have no idea how to do that," Rainbow said with a nod of her head.

"I'll have to show you then," Twilight giggled.

Rainbow bobbed her head. "She said to tell you hi." 'How am I supposed to ask you this?' "Um... she also said something about you having alicorn needs that you need to take care of?" Twilight's expression fell until it became unreadable. "What... does that mean?" Rainbow tentatively asked.

Twilight slowly looked away from her. "It's... not important," she answered.

"She said something about if you don't, it would spell doom," Rainbow retorted.

Twilight groaned then brought her hooves to her temples and massaged them. "It's not something I want to talk about, Rainbow."

Rainbow scooted closer to Twilight and laid an arm around her neck. "Is it something I can help you with?" she asked gently. Twilight shook her head then leaned against Rainbow's shoulder. "What is it?"

Twilight glanced at the bed. 'She said she won't hate me... She'll still be my friend, and... she deserves to know.' She swallowed. "What do you know about... me? About alicorns, I mean."

Rainbow tilted her head away from Twilight. "You're..." she trailed off, going over what she knew about the princesses. "You're a princess. You all have wicked strong magic, you're really strong, and you all have wings like a pegasus... You have really long lifespans, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are like... what, eight thousand years old or something?" she asked lightly.

Twilight giggled. "I've never actually asked them," she admitted.

Rainbow snorted. "And... Princess Celestia raises the sun, Princess Luna raises the moon, Princess Cadance... is the Princess of Love, you're the Princess of Friendship..." she trailed off in thought. "Oh! And you all have a super cool ability to heal your bodies!"

Twilight smiled forlornly. "That's... mostly true," she replied. "We are really resilient and can heal very quickly... We have very long lives, I'll... probably outlive everypony I know, save for the other princesses..." she trailed off sadly. "I really don't look forward to that," she said. Rainbow squeezed her. Twilight leaned away from Rainbow and shook her head. "Our magic, ability to heal and longevity are all tied together, along with out metabolisms," she explained. "It's mostly based on our magic, but... it's complicated." She shook her head.

"Okay?" Rainbow asked.

"How do I explain this?" Twilight asked. She frowned in thought. "There are four types of ponies, earth ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and alicorns. Each race has magic, unicorns have what is generally referred to as active magic, while pegasi and earth ponies have more passive magic. Alicorns have the magic of each race, along with their own special magic. The reason Princess Luna's and Princess Celestia's manes and tails flow is because of their alicorn magic. Princess Cadance, Flurry Heart, and I don't yet have enough alicorn magic for that to happen..." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm getting off topic..."

"It's fine..." Rainbow replied.

"Are you even listening?" Twilight asked.

"Yes," Rainbow answered. "I may not understand all of it, but what you've said isn't that complicated..."

Twilight smiled. "Well, as I get older my alicorn magic will mature. Eventually, I... should be as tall as Princess Celestia, and my mane and tail should behave like hers." It would be a very long time into the future, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever actually get to see it. "If I live that long. I may not because of the radiation poisoning," she commented dryly.

Rainbow rubbed Twilight's side. "Don't say that," she said forcefully.

"As you said, we-I- am incredibly resilient. I honestly didn't expect to survive being exposed to that much radiation. Regardless, it's taken a toll on me, and on top of that... well..." she trailed off with a high pitch. "It doesn't help that... those requirements Zecora spoke of... I haven't fulfilled in... nearly two months, when I should be... fulfilling once every two weeks. So, I'm not as healthy as I should be anyway..."

"What... you say it's something that you need? Like... what kind of need?" Rainbow asked at length.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "It's a specific dietary requirement of alicorns that... well... It's... meat..." she trailed off softly and tensed up.

Rainbow blinked and turned to look at Twilight. "Meat?" she repeated cautiously. "As in... meat meat? Like... what gryphons eat kind of meat?"

Twilight hesitated at Rainbow's unease, then nodded. "Yes..." she said in a low voice. "I... don't like it either, but..."

Rainbow turned her body to face Twilight, then pulled the princess against her body. "That's the big secret?" she asked. "You need to eat meat?" she asked in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told you-"

Rainbow shook her head. "It's... it's fine." She shifted her weight. 'She... eats meat... that's...' She didn't know what to think of it. On one hoof, it was disgusting, on the other hoof, it was something she needed according to her. "Why didn't you ever tell us before?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "You... you know. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie... Both of them... And none of you really would look at me the same way as before..."

Rainbow grimaced. "This... doesn't change anything, Twilight." She leaned over to Twilight and nuzzled the alicorn's neck, eliciting a giggle from her. "Do Starlight and Spike know?" she asked as she pulled back.

Twilight nodded. "Yes... Spike... is the one who fixes it for me, and Starlight... well, she figured it out on her own. Pretty easily, actually..." She paused and pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest. 'I guess it's not entirely bad that I lost my horn,' she mused. "I... didn't expect you to react... so... indifferently."

Rainbow shifted her weight. "Well, I mean, I did grow up being friends with Gilda, so... And on top of that, you said it's something you need. And... that's making you sick?"

Twilight grimaced. "Technically it's not making me sick, it's just... slowing down my recovery."

"Why haven't you kept up with it?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight groaned. "I was... busy, and then the reactor incident and then I was in the hospital for several weeks... I was released but I didn't feel well enough to try to eat something that solid, then... you've been with me for the past week and I don't... want to... bother you with it."

Rainbow pulled back from Twilight and looked down at her with a gentle smile. "Well... it's a little late for lunch, but... you need to eat, so..."

Twilight pulled away from her and grimaced. "Rainbow-"

"Nope!" Rainbow replied. "I'm not having you get sick on my watch, okay? We're going to go down to the dining room, and Spike's going to fix you that meal, then you're going to eat it."

"Rainbow-" Twilight huffed. "Fine... I... am kind of hungry..." She smiled sheepishly and looked at the bed.

Spike silently pulled the lid off of the platter and scampered back into the kitchen without saying anything. Both Twilight and Rainbow eyes the slab of flaky golden-brown apprehensively. Twilight tentatively picked up the knife in one wing and the fork in the other, then closed her eyes as she slid the fork into the salmon. She tentatively extended a wing, then presses the knife into the fish and peeled a chunk of the meat away from the rest of it, then lifted the fork and brought it to her mouth.

Rainbow shifted her weight as she watched Twilight slide the meat into her mouth and pull the fork out. She looked away from Twilight while the alicorn chewed, and she turned her attention to her plate of pasta. She quickly picked up the fork and stuck it into the heap of long, thick and hollow pasta noodles, then pulled the fork back to her mouth and chewed on the food. She glanced at Twilight to see the alicorn peeling off another chunk of meat. She turned her attention back to her pasta and forked more of it into her mouth.

They ate in silence for a good ten minutes, then they eventually finished and sat in silence, both of the mares staring at their empty platters. "How... was it?" Rainbow tentatively asked.

Twilight shifted her weight. "It was..." She shook her head. "Good..." She turned to Rainbow. "And your pasta?"

Rainbow nodded. "It was good... Spike is a great cook."

Twilight nodded. "He is," she said simply.

"Are you feeling better?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight bobbed her head. "A little," she said as she turned back to the empty platter. 'That was... satisfying at the very least,' she thought.

"Well, if that's all you need, Twilight, I'm going to bed," Spike said with a wave of his claw. He hopped out of his chair and walked over to Twilight.

"Thank you, Spike," Twilight said to the young dragon.

"No problem," Spike replied nonchalantly. He hopped up beside Twilight and hugged her. Twilight returned the hug with a nuzzle. After a few seconds, the pair parted and Spike hopped down and headed off to bed. "Goodnight Twilight! Goodnight Rainbow!"

"'Night Spike!" Rainbow replied.

"Goodnight, Spike," Twilight cooed. Both Twilight and Rainbow watched as the dragon disappeared down the dark corridor. Rainbow went back to tapping her hooves on the table while waiting for Twilight to finish her tea.

Twilight turned back to the table and cupped the steaming cup of tea in her hooves. It barely had any smell to it, let alone taste. The tea didn't really remind her of anything, but it did make her mouth and throat tingle. Her stomach also felt content from drinking about a fourth of the cup's contents. She took a quick drink, then set the cup back down on the table and leaned against the crystal chair. She looked up at the darkened ceiling and tried to suppress a yawn.

"You ready for bed?" Rainbow asked from the chair beside her.

Twilight pulled away from the backrest and nodded. "Yeah..." She pulled the cup back to her mouth and drank more of the steaming herbal tea. She swallowed it and mulled over the nearly nonexistent aftertaste, attempting to figure out what herb it was.

Rainbow hopped out of her chair and walked over to Twilight. She glanced at the cup of tea and frowned. "Zecora didn't say anything about how much of that you should drink, but it's probably better if you drink it all," she coaxed.

Twilight pulled the cup of tea back to her lips then downed the rest of the cup's contents. When she finished, she placed the cup back on the table and wiped her mouth off with the back of her hoof. "Happy?" Twilight asked. Rainbow shrugged. Twilight carefully stepped off the chair. Rainbow walked up beside her. Twilight slid her body up beside the pegasus and cooed.

"You really like me, don't you?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight felt heat rising to her cheeks. "Well... um..." She shuffled her wings and pulled away from Rainbow. "I-I do," she said softly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rainbow inquired.

Twilight quickly shook her head. "No..." she whispered. "I don't want to make things worse between us," she replied.

Rainbow groaned and shook her head in exasperation. "Twilight, you... we need to talk about that," she said. Twilight turned her head away from the pegasus. Rainbow glanced at her wing and spread it out, then she loosely put it over Twilight's back.

Twilight glanced at her, and her eyes twinkled from the soft lighting. "Please don't," she pleaded.

Rainbow's expression softened. "Twilight, relax, I'm not going to stop being your friend, no matter what you say."

Twilight swallowed. "I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Then sometime?" Rainbow prodded.

"O-okay," Twilight squeaked. "S-sometime, but... Can it wait for a week or so?"

Rainbow scrutinized Twilight's crestfallen expression and tentatively nodded. "Okay," she reluctantly agreed, not wanting to hurt Twilight.

Twilight sighed and slowly scooted herself closer to Rainbow Dash. She closed her eyes when their coats met. Rainbow tightened her wing around Twilight's barrel, then stepped forwards. Twilight sluggishly stepped forward with her, and after a few steps, they fell into sync as they walked through the castle's hallways, making their way to Twilight's bedroom. Twilight stumbled a few times, especially with the stairs, but they eventually made it to their destination.

Rainbow opened the door and waited for Twilight to walk inside. After Twilight entered, Rainbow followed her and closed the door behind her, then looked over the familiar room. Twilight walked over to the bed, then laid down on top of the covers. Rainbow took a few steps towards the bed, then paused. She frowned, then turned around and locked the door, then flew over to the balcony and locked it. She turned back to see Twilight looking at her curiously.

Rainbow grinned at her. 'Now or never...' She casually flew over to the bed, then pulled back the covers and slid beneath them. Twilight blinked a few times, then spread her wings and hovered in the air. She pulled back the covers, then slid beneath them and momentarily winced at the cold. She quickly forgot the pain as soon as she pressed her back up against Rainbow's body. Rainbow slid her hind leg under Twilight's body, then slid an arm under her neck. She pulled Twilight closer, then pulled the covers over them and then wrapped her wing, arm, and leg around Twilight.

Twilight melted into Rainbow's embrace and closed her eyes. She pressed up against Rainbow's body as much as she could and pressed her head against Rainbow's neck, then pointed her muzzle down at her body. 'Please put your head over mine, Rainbow...' Twilight opened her eyes and bit her lip. After a few seconds, Rainbow laid her head atop Twilight's so that the alicorn's forehead was against her chin. Twilight sighed contently and closed her eyes again, feeling safe and protected by Rainbow's embrace. She could feel Rainbow's heartbeat and the rise and fall of Rainbow's chest against her back, and she took comfort in it.

Rainbow snaked a hoof over to Twilight's hooves, then pulled up and folded them back. She pinned Twilight's forehooves against her chest, then pressed Twilight's hind legs against her body with her hind leg. Rainbow pulled her head back from Twilight then put her mouth beside Twilight's ear, "Goodnight, Twilight," she whispered softly, then she slid her head back into its prior position.

"Goodnight, Rainbow Dash," Twilight cooed.

Princess Luna struggled to catch herself, so taken by surprise was she by the lack of ground in the dreamscape. After a few seconds to react, she spread her wings and caught an invisible and nonexistent breeze. She peered downwards into the unending abyss, she could see no ground beneath her, but the evening sky stretched on to infinity, filled only with fluffy white clouds. She blinked and turned around, scanning the dreamscape for the dream's owner. She frowned and flew up higher, then finally spotted the subject of her search.

She gracefully flew through the air and slowed to a hover beside the cloud. She regarded the site with curiosity, Rainbow Dash laid on the cloud, looking up at the never-ending sky. A short distance away from her, and lower down into the cloud than the pegasus, Twilight slept. She wasn't sure what to make of the development. She lit her horn with magic, then manipulated the dreamscape. A cloud formed beneath her, and she landed on it, then she used her magic and walked across the air over to Rainbow's cloud. After a few seconds, the pegasus took note of her. "P-Princess Luna?" she asked as she quickly stood up and bowed.

"There is no need for that, fair Rainbow Dash," Luna said with a smile. Rainbow quickly rose from the bow and rubbed her mane. "Being the bearer for the Element of Loyalty, you are practically royalty yourself, even if only in heart."

Rainbow looked at her in confusion. "Thanks... I think?"

Luna laughed softly, then turned to look at Twilight's sleeping form. After a few seconds, Rainbow followed her gaze and looked at Twilight. "I have yet to visit her dreams tonight, but they have felt more peaceful than normal," she commented.

"That's good," Rainbow said with a nod.

"Indeed it is," Luna agreed with a nod of her own.

Rainbow shifted her weight and stared at the cloud. "So um... why are you here?" she asked. She looked back up at Luna, expecting a simple answer.

"Your mind seemed troubled and I thought you might wish to talk," Princess Luna answered gently.

Rainbow snorted, then fell backward onto the cloud. She spread out her wings across the cloud and sighed. "Right."

Luna walked closer to her, then laid down beside her. "Something troubles you," she noted.

Rainbow turned to her and nodded. "Yeah, I guess... well... yeah..." she turned away from Luna and sat up. "I mean... there's a lot that's bothering me right now."

"I will not tell a soul of anything you confide to me, Rainbow Dash," Luna said warmly.

Rainbow bit her lip, then sighed. "You... Twilight said that alicorns eat... meat," she said, uncertain of what outcome to expect from the Princess of the Night.

Luna pulled her head back and looked at her solemnly. After a few seconds, she nodded. "Alicorns do indeed eat meat... Though not often, but it is a necessary part of our diets."

Rainbow grimaced, but at the same time found it comforting to know that it wasn't just Twilight and that they didn't eat meat very often. "Twilight said it had been two months since she ate any meat, is that bad?"

Luna looked at her gravely. "Very," she said seriously. "It would explain many of her current ailments, though not all of them. I shall have to speak to her about this when I talk to her."

Rainbow shook her head. "No, it's fine. She... ate some today."

Luna tilted her head and studied Rainbow's mixed expression. The pegasus looked curious and disgusted at the same time. "Is that how you fond out?"

"No... I talked to Zecora. Twilight had been having problems sleeping, and her stomach was bothering her. She gave me some leaves to make a tea for Twilight to help, then mentioned something about alicorn dietary requirements." Rainbow snorted at Zecora's vagueness. "When I got back I asked Twilight about it."

"And she told you?" Luna asked.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight and nodded. "Yeah..." She turned to Luna and clenched her jaw. "She's... not going to be in trouble for that, right? I-I mean, we're not in trouble for-"

Luna shook her head. "No, it is fine. It is her prerogative to share that trait with you if she so chose... It is not exactly public knowledge, however. There are many ponies who know, but... it is not something that we talk about..." she trailed off grimacing.

Rainbow chuckled nervously. "R-right..."

"It is not a threat, Rainbow Dash." Luna shook her head, appalled by the idea of Rainbow taking her words as a threat.

Rainbow flashed her a smile, then turned back to Twilight. "That's not actually Twilight, right? This is just a dream, right?"

Luna nodded her head once, then stood beside Rainbow. "Yes, this is your dream, and that Twilight Sparkle is just part of it. I could connect your dreams if you wish."

"N-no... I... No, thank you," Rainbow replied. She quickly inhaled, then turned to face Luna. She wanted to ask the alicorn a question, but it was a silly question. 'Of course she knows how Twilight feels about me...' She grimaced, then turned back to the smaller lavender alicorn. 'I... might as well bring it up,' she decided. "Do you... know..." She trailed off groaning, drawing Princess Luna's gaze to her. "Has Twilight talked to you about me?" she asked.

Luna pursed her lips, then slowly looked back at the sleeping mare. "She... has," she said vaguely, not wanting to betray Twilight's trust.

"What did she say?" Rainbow asked with curiosity.

Luna looked at her sternly. "Rainbow Dash, I will not betray Twilight's trust in me to keep things between us, and I would hope that you would not abuse our friendship in such a way."

Rainbow slumped down at that, then sat on her haunches. "That's... not helpful," she said with annoyance.

Luna thought about it for a few seconds, then sat down beside Rainbow. "Love is not my area of expertise, but she has... asked me a few questions," she admitted. "If you would like, I can try to help you." She glanced at Rainbow, who hesitantly nodded. "How do you feel about her?" she asked.

"I... don't know." Rainbow shook her head slowly. "She's my friend, and I care about her. I don't like seeing her sad, in pain, hurting, or unhappy. It... makes me feel sad or hurt. I want her to be happy, but... who doesn't want their friend to be happy?" She looked at Luna questioningly. Luna's expression was unreadable. "I'm taking time off from the Wonderbolts to help her get better, but what if she doesn't get better?"

Luna grimaced. "If she never gets better, will that change anything?"

Rainbow thought about it for a few seconds, then sighed. "I don't know. Will it?"

"If she does not get better, would you abandon her?" Luna asked evenly.

Rainbow blinked and looked at her incredulously. "No! I wouldn't... leave her like this. I... might not have a choice, though. I'm still a Wonderbolt, and-"

"She is a princess, Rainbow Dash. I could very easily order Spitfire to allow you to stay with her indefinitely," Luna said in a conversational tone.

Rainbow opened her mouth but found she didn't know how to reply to that. "I... know?" she said lamely. She blinked and shook her head. "I know she's a princess, and I know she's important... but I wouldn't... well... I'm helping her because she's my friend! Not because of some obligation!"

"I never said you were," Luna said evenly. After a few seconds, she turned away from Rainbow and looked at the sky. She frowned, then lit her horn. Over the next few seconds, the light blue sky faded to violet, then the moon rose, and stars joined the skyscape. Rainbow said nothing. "I have always found the night more relaxing than the day," she commented.

"Flying at night is pretty cool," Rainbow replied.

Luna nodded in agreement. "Indeed it is."

Rainbow tightened her jaw, then relaxed. "You promise that anything I tell you here will be a secret?" Luna looked at her and nodded seriously. Rainbow's lips pressed together and she bobbed her head. "I'm... sleeping with Twilight right now."

Luna raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I... that is unexpected," she said, still processing it.

Rainbow looked at Luna sideways and grinned wryly. "She says it helps her sleep better..."

Luna slowly nodded. "I... see. And... what about... you?" she asked at length.

Rainbow smiled. "It's nice," she admitted. "Twilight... likes to cuddle," a wave of disgust rolled over her as the word rolled off her tongue, then the disgust was replaced with neutrality."I... kind of enjoy that too."

"Does it bother you?" Luna asked gently.

Rainbow shrugged, then tilted her head to the side. "Did you know that she asked me on a date?" Luna remained silent but nodded. "You probably know what I said, right?" Luna slowly nodded. Rainbow sighed and shook her head. "I regret saying no, but I don't... feel anything more than just... friendship for her. Starlight told me how much it hurt her, and that hurt me. I didn't mean to hurt her," she said glumly. "I'm trying to make it up to her because I care about her. Romance and love aren't my things. They're not... cool. They're weird and mushy." She shook her head in exasperation. "But I am curious about what a date would have been like... Where would we have gone? What would we have done? What would she have... said?"

"You could ask her, you know," Luna commented as she watched the moon.

"On... a date?" Rainbow asked hesitantly. Luna shrugged. "Yeah... no." Rainbow quickly responded. "I don't want her to think I feel the same way about her when I don't. That would... hurt her, and I don't want to do that."

"As I have said, I have no experience with matters of love," Luna replied. "But I do know that she appreciates you being there for her."

Rainbow smiled at that, then frowned. "She's... an alicorn," she said sadly. "She's going to outlive all of her friends, isn't she?"

Luna grimaced and nodded. "That is a likely outcome, yes, although there is a chance that because you five bore the Elements of Harmony with her, you could all have extended lives. There is also a chance that the radiation's effects will kill her before you all pass."

"What?" Rainbow asked seriously. "You... She's getting better, though! She can't just... die!"

"It is a very slim chance," Luna hastily corrected. "It is likely Twilight's lifespan will still extend centuries beyond your own."

Rainbow swallowed and found her mouth dry. "How is she going to cope with that?" She asked pleadingly.

"She is a strong mare... The fact she is enduring so well is evidence of that," Luna answered.

'What if her horn never grows back?' Rainbow almost asked. She didn't ask the question because she knew that asking it wouldn't help anything. Instead, she sighed. "Thanks for the talk, Princess Luna."

Luna smiled at her. "If you ever need to talk, know that I will listen and help you as much as I can."

The first thing Twilight noticed when she started coming to was that she was enveloped in a warm, comforting embrace. She felt safe and protected. She scooted back against the source of warmth and comfort. She hummed contently and enjoyed the feeling of softness against her back. She fidgeted a hoof testingly, only to find it was firmly pinned against her chest. She shifted a leg and then a wing, eliciting a soft groan from the pegasus holding her.

She smiled gently when she realized she wasn't alone. She knew that voice, even if it was just a groan. It could only belong to Rainbow Dash. She slowly peeled open an eye. The dark blue blanket was tucked up against her neck, and her muzzle was angled down so that she would have seen her body if it wasn't for the cover. She blinked and nudged her head forward, only to succeed in causing Rainbow's grip on her to tighten. The gentle increase in the firmness of the embrace made her heart stutter, and her breathing quickened. She closed her eyes and nestled back into Rainbow's neck, enjoying feeling Rainbow's muzzle holding her in place.

As minutes passed, more of her senses returned to her, and her smile only grew. Her stomach felt normal for the first time in weeks, and she hadn't woken up once during the night. She had slept the entire night. She felt well-rested and ready to take on the day, but she was content to lay there, rather than end the moment. It was peaceful and serene. It almost felt like a dream, but she knew it was real, and that only caused her smile to grow. She inhaled deeply, the only thing that would have made the embrace more enjoyable would have been if she was facing Rainbow. She sighed, knowing there was always next time.

More minutes passed. Their combined body heat trapped beneath the blankets and beneath Rainbow's wings threatened to lull her back to sleep, but the warmth only succeeded in making Twilight feel more content and safe because of Rainbow shifting her weight and nuzzling into Twilight's mane. The feeling nearly made Twilight giggle, but she suppressed it so she wouldn't wake up Rainbow Dash.

Over the course of the next half hour, Rainbow's shifting became more pronounced. Eventually, she nuzzled Twilight again, then yawned. "Finally wake up?" Twilight giggled.

Rainbow blinked a couple of times to process everything. She let go of Twilight's limbs and stretched out her own arms and legs, then she folded her wings to her sides and hummed. She pulled her head back from Twilight's, and the alicorn tilted her head up to look at her. "Morning, Twilight," Rainbow greeted with a slight smile. Twilight beamed back at her, then rolled over so she didn't have to strain her neck to look at the pegasus. Now that Twilight was facing her, their muzzles were uncomfortably close. Rainbow slowly pulled her head back away from Twilight, hoping that the alicorn hadn't noticed.

Twilight for her part just gazed off into Rainbow's eyes. She was entranced by the beautiful magenta rings. She was no artist, nor a connoisseur of art, but she didn't think anything could ever rival their beauty. She blinked a few times and forced herself to look away from their brilliance. She found herself looking at Rainbow's chest. She absently ran a hoof up to where she was looking. The way Rainbow's fur moved from her hoof was beautiful, just like the pegasus herself. She looked back up at Rainbow. Rainbow was looking down at her and watching her questioningly. She slid her hoof back around Rainbow's neck, then pressed her snout into Rainbow's chest and nuzzled her. She smiled at how the pegasus's silky coat tickled her nose.

Rainbow faked a cough. "Uh..." Twilight pulled back, then laid her head over Rainbow's neck. "Somepony's in a good mood today..." the pegasus commented absently, pondering how warm Twilight's neck was.

Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I just... I feel good this morning."

"Well..." Rainbow rubbed her mane with a hoof. "That's... not a bad thing," she said cautiously.

Twilight rubbed her neck along Rainbow's neck. "Sorry that I made you uncomfortable," she apologized. She stopped nuzzling her, 'This probably isn't helping any,' she thought dryly.

Rainbow stared at the wall. "It's..." she trailed off, deciding not to say anything one way or another. She shook her head, then wrapped her limbs around Twilight and rolled over onto her back, catching the alicorn by surprise. Twilight pulled her head away from Rainbow and looked down at her quizzically. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

Twilight bit her lip and looked out the crystal window. "You know you don't have to be with me all the time, right?" she said quickly.

Rainbow nodded. "I know, but..." She shook her head. "I don't really have a lot to do. I've taken care of most of it since I had the week off and all that."

Twilight looked back at Rainbow. "Is that why you spent most of yesterday with me?"

Rainbow nodded. "I guess I could go hang out with Applejack," she said. "It might do you good to come along too, you know."

Twilight bobbed her head. "Maybe..." She hummed as she thought about it, then she smiled and nodded. "I think it would be good for me to do that. And if I start feeling sick, she'd understand if I had to leave suddenly..."

Rainbow grinned, then brought a hoof up and rustled Twilight's mane. The alicorn closed her eyes and pouted, shying away from her touch and earning a chuckle from Rainbow Dash. After she finished, Rainbow ran her hoof through Twilight's mane, then let it fall on top of the covers. Twilight looked at her sharply, but Rainbow had trouble taking her seriously with her mane in such disarray. She flashed the alicorn a smile, then pulled her other hoof out from beneath the sheets and pushed herself up into a sitting position, causing Twilight to slide off of her. Twilight unwrapped herself from around Rainbow, then rolled off of her. Rainbow quickly got out of the bed, then walked around to Twilight's side. "So, breakfast?" she asked.

Twilight looked at her and smiled. "Sugarcube Corner?"

Rainbow grinned. "That sounds good to me. Maybe Pinkie will be free for a few minutes, that might be nice."

Twilight pushed herself up into a sitting position and nodded. "Maybe," she agreed as she pushed the covers away from herself and hopped out of bed.

Rainbow spread her wings, then hovered in the air. "Well, I'm going to go take a shower, then I'll... come back here and wait for you to finish, I guess."

"Alright then," Twilight agreed. Rainbow turned and flew over to the door, then landed to unlock and open the door, and finally flew out and shut the door behind her. Twilight spread her wings and glanced at both of them in turn. She bit her lip and folded her wings, then clenched her jaw. 'I'll get around to that tomorrow,' she thought. She started walking towards the bathroom, then glanced at the door Rainbow left from. 'As long as you're not around,' she added. She pushed open the bathroom door with a hoof, then stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She turned around, then locked the door.

Twilight and Rainbow made their way through Ponyville, the former walking slowly, and the latter flying a short distance behind her. Everypony that saw them smiled and waved at Twilight and Twilight happily waved back. The entire town was happy to see her out and about, it had been a sorely missed sight.

Twilight couldn't help but smile. She had missed the fresh air filling her lungs and gentle warmth of the sun against her coat. 'I forgot how nice this was,' she realized. 'I guess you really don't know what you have until you lose it...' She couldn't help but think back to her accident. She glanced up to look at her head. Her bangs hid the injury, and even if she didn't feel it throbbing with pain, she knew it was there because of her lack of horn. She shook her head and quickened her pace.

Rainbow saw Twilight moving away from her, then sped up her flight to catch up with her. In a few seconds, she leisurely flew beside the alicorn. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Twilight glanced at her and slowed her pace. Rainbow matched Twilight's change in speed. "Nothing," she said calmly. "Just testing out my legs," she added with a smile.

Rainbow shrugged. "Eh, walking is overrated. Everypony knows flying is the best way to travel!" To prove her point, she soared up into the air. Twilight paused when Rainbow's shadow fell over her, then she looked up at the pegasus as she descended with the grace of a leaf falling from a tree. Rainbow once more hovered beside her. "You should try it sometime," she chuckled.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Maybe for you, it is," she commented.

"You're not a bad flyer yourself, you know," Rainbow said reassuringly.

Twilight smiled and started walking again. "I'm not as strong as I used to be."

"Eh, a few weeks of flying and you'll be strong enough to fly between Ponyville and Canterlot again," Rainbow said nonchalantly.

Twilight smiled at the thought. "I wouldn't mind visiting Canterlot for a while... It would be a nice change of scenery."

Rainbow slowed her flight and frowned. "Like... a vacation?" she asked.

Twilight paused and looked back at her. 'A vacation... that would be nice. That... might actually be something I need? I mean, I'm technically on vacation right now. Sort of? I'm not really doing anything... Although, I'm still at home, so maybe I should go to another city. It might be nice to go back to Canterlot for a couple of days...' She smiled and nodded.

Rainbow leaned away from Twilight. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Princess Celestia would be more than happy to have me in Canterlot, and I could stay at the castle... I've haven't had that many chances to use my bedchambers there since I became a princess," Twilight said in a conversational tone.

Rainbow looked at Twilight quizzically. "Bedchambers?" she asked in a testing and unsure voice.

Twilight nodded, then stopped and looked at Rainbow blankly. "Technically it's my own tower... I'll have to show it to you sometime. Maybe I could show you my old tower too." She smiled fondly at the thought.

"Oh." Rainbow landed and walked beside Twilight. "Are you sure you really want to go, though?"

Twilight came to a stop and looked back at Rainbow. "You seem... concerned?"

"Well..." Rainbow stopped and fluffed her wings. "Do you really think you're doing good enough for that?" she asked with uncertainty.

Twilight turned around to face Rainbow Dash. She studied the pegasus's unsure expression. She nodded absently. 'It would only be for a couple of days... But everypony had made an effort to stop by last week... It would be a two-day travel to Canterlot and back...' She grimaced and looked up at Rainbow. "I'll have to think about it," she said glumly. "I don't really want to leave Ponyville, but it would be nice to see Canterlot again." Rainbow's stomach growled, and the pegasus rubbed her mane and looked at Twilight sheepishly. "Well, breakfast first," she chirped.

The door to Sugarcube Corner opened, and the bell above the entranceway dinged, alerting everypony in the store to the new arrivals. Twilight felt apprehensive as she walked inside. 'It's not like last time...' she told herself. She pressed her wings against her side and closed the door after Rainbow walked inside. Twilight calmly exhaled and turned around. She came face to face with a happily smiling Pinkie Pie.

"Hi, Twilight! Hi, Rainbow!" Pinkie greeted. The bubbly, pink earth pony held a pencil in her twisted mane, which Twilight purposefully ignored. "Yesterday was really fun. Did you come by for another party Twilight? I could always throw you another one and invite everypony again!"

"Pinkie..." Rainbow groaned.

Pinkie twisted her head to look at Rainbow. "What do you need, Dashie?" she asked simply.

"Breakfast," Rainbow said dryly. "I'll take a muffin."

Pinkie's face lit up. "Ooooh! What kind of muffin would you like-"

"Blueberry," Rainbow quickly answered before the pink mare could start rambling.

Pinkie turned back to Twilight with the same oblivious smile she had before Rainbow cut her off. "And what would you like, Twilight?"

"I'll have a blueberry muffin too," Twilight answered under her breath. She squinted. "Actually, make that two blueberry muffins for me," she said louder.

"Okay! Three blueberry muffins coming right up!" Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced back into the kitchen.

Twilight glanced around and looked along the exterior wall for a place to sit down. The place was mostly deserted, though there were a few customers hanging around the counter, waiting for their orders to be completed so that they could take them to go. Twilight walked over to the farthest table, then set on the chair against the adjacent wall. Rainbow sat down across from her and looked out the window. Twilight shifted her weight and put her hooves on the table. After a few seconds, she looked away from the counter and stared at her hooves. 'This is just like when I asked her out on a date... Maybe this wasn't the best place to go,' she mused.

A minute later, Pinkie bounced out of the kitchen, carrying a tray on top of her head. The earth pony's unnatural ability to balance the tray while jumping would have perplexed Twilight if it had been any other pony, but since it was Pinkie Pie, she wrote it off as just another of Pinkie's normal traits. "Here you go!" Pinkie said cheerfully as she bounced the tray off of her head, then bit down on it before it could crash to the floor. She quickly slid the tray onto the table, then pushed the two plates off and over to Twilight and Rainbow. She threw the tray back into the air. The tray flipped once, then landed on top of Pinkie's mane, and the earth pony cheerfully bounced away.

Twilight shook her head, then pulled the plate closer to herself. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash had picked up her muffin and was happily chewing away at it. Twilight glanced at her and smiled. Rainbow's cheeks were puffed out like a chipmunk that had an acorn in its mouth, and she was smiling. Fortunately, Rainbow had her mouth closed. Twilight shook her head, then grabbed one of her two muffins with her hooves and took a bite of it. She smiled and closed her eyes as she chewed.

Rainbow finished her muffin in under a minute, leaving Twilight with a muffin and a half to finish. She watched Twilight for a bit, but the alicorn kept glancing at her nervously. She decided it was better to look out the window, realizing she probably made Twilight uncomfortable by watching her eat. Eventually, Twilight finished her muffins, and almost immediately, Pinkie Pie appeared back at the table. "How was it?" she asked.

"It was good," Rainbow answered for both of them, nodding happily.

Twilight stood up and looked around briefly. Pinkie walked over to her and wrapped her arms around the alicorn. "It's good to see you out again, Twilight. It just wasn't the same while you were in the hospital or cooped up in your castle," Pinkie said gently.

Twilight smiled happily and returned the hug. "Thanks, Pinkie." She nuzzled her neck, eliciting a giggle from the pink mare. After she finished, she pulled back from Pinkie. "Thanks again for the party yesterday, I really needed that."

Pinkie smiled brightly at her. "Well of course you did! It had been for-ever since you had a party!" she giggled.

Twilight smiled and shook her head. Rainbow slid out from her chair. "Well, I think we decided we were going to go visit Applejack today... So, take care of yourself, Pinkie."

"Okay. Just be sure to keep Twilight out of trouble, you hear? I don't want to find out she was hospitalized again!"

Rainbow smirked. "Don't worry," she assured. Pinkie looked at Rainbow happily, then bounced back to the kitchen. After Pinkie disappeared, Rainbow looked over at Twilight. "Applejack's?" she asked. Twilight nodded.

Twilight hummed contently as both Rainbow and herself walked down the road to Sweet Apple Acres. She enjoyed not feeling exhausted from all the walking she had done so far, although she did feel a slight sense of tiredness creeping over the back of her mind. She pushed it off as being relaxed. "You don't think she'll mind us stopping by, do you?" she asked.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "It's Applejack. She won't mind, I mean, it's not like we're going to cause her any problems. We're not going to get in her way, although she may be busy apple bucking."

Twilight grimaced and tilted her head side to side as she thought about it. "Probably..." she grumbled.

"You don't sound very happy about that," Rainbow noted.

Twilight sighed and shook her head. "She's always so busy with the farm, I mean... I know she's a farmer, but..." She paused. "She's not... doing ridiculous things again, right?"

"I'm sure she's just busy with all the trees," Rainbow replied.

"If I had my horn, I could help her with that..." Twilight trailed off softly.

Rainbow looked at Twilight sadly. She steeled herself, then landed beside Twilight and put a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight stopped and smiled at her sadly, then looked down at the ground. Rainbow bit her lip, then walked around and stood beside Twilight. 'What am I supposed to say to her now?' "Uh... I doubt Applejack would accept your help anyway," she commented with a forced laugh.

Twilight snorted and shook her head. "She can be stubborn," she agreed. A few seconds passed, then she started walking again. Rainbow made it a point to stay beside her while they made their way to Sweet Apple Acres. Eventually, they arrived, and as expected, nopony greeted them at the gate. They both looked around in an attempt to spot somepony but neither of them saw anypony. After a few seconds of hesitation, they made their way over to the farmhouse and walked up the steps. Twilight walked over to the door and knocked. A few seconds passed in silence, then they both heard hoofsteps from behind the door. The hoofsteps were light, not like Applejack's hoofsetsp, but like a small filly's hoofsteps. A few seconds later, and the door opened.

"Well hi there, Twilight!" Applebloom greeted, looking up at the princess with a chipper smile. "What brings you two out here? You looking for my sis?"

Twilight nodded politely. "Yes, we were hoping to spend some time with Applejack today," she explained.

"Oh! Well," Applebloom looked away from Twilight and frowned in thought. "Well, I think she's still out in the east orchard."

Twilight smiled her thanks at the small filly. "Thanks, Applebloom." She turned away from the door.

"Uh... Twilight?" Applebloom said tentatively.

Twilight paused, then turned back to face Applebloom. The light yellow filly with wavy red hair and a light pink bow was looking at the floor and running her hoof in circles. Twilight looked at her curiously. "Yes, Applebloom?"

Applebloom glanced up at her. "I... uh... wanted to thank you. For saving Ponyville," she said evenly. "I know you were in the hospital for a while... I wanted to visit you, but Applejack wouldn't let me..."

Twilight tilted her head and smiled at the filly. "Oh, Applebloom..." She leaned down and hugged her.

Applebloom returned the hug with an even stronger one, wrapping her arms around Twilight's neck and squeezing. "We were all real worried about you, Twilight. All the school foals wanted to throw you a parade or something in your honor, but Cheerilee wanted to wait until you got better," she said. She smiled. "Diamond Tiara actually wanted to have a statue of you put up... Come to think of it, I think that everypony's still planning on doing that."

Twilight blushed and pulled back. "That's not necessary, Applebloom, just knowing that you appreciate it is enough..." She smiled fondly at the filly.

Applebloom pouted at her. "But we all really wanted to do something nice for you! I mean, you... you saved Ponyville, and... lost your horn..."

Twilight shook her head and sighed. "I guess I can't really stop you if you want to do that," she replied gently. 'Actually, I could, but that would be rude.'

Applebloom beamed at her. "I'll have to talk to Cheerilee about it again then!"

Twilight shook her head. "Well, it was nice seeing you again, Applebloom."

"Take care, Twilight!" Applebloom said joyfully. "And... I hope your horn grows back," she added somberly.

Twilight grimaced and nodded, then turned away from the door. She sighed and looked at the floorboards, her ears drooping.

Rainbow rubbed Twilight's shoulder reassuringly. "That was nice of them, wanting to throw a parade in your honor. And a statue? Heh, I'd love to have a statue of myself!"

Twilight looked at Rainbow and couldn't help but chuckle. "Well... let's go find Applejack."

Rainbow pulled away and spread her wings. "I can look for her from the air if you want to search on the ground. It would be quicker that way," she said.

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds. 'It would be quicker, but you'd have to leave me and...' She grimaced and sighed. "That's fine," she said evenly.

Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then beat her wings and flew off. After a few seconds, Twilight spread her wings out and glanced at them, then she shook her head and started walking. After a few minutes of aimless wandering, she heard a familiar sound. She listened intently for it to repeat, then smiled. She took off in the direction the sound came from in a leisurely pace, and a few minutes later, she came across Applejack as she bucked a tree. The tree shook from the impact, then several apples fell from the tree and landed in buckets that had been placed around the tree. 'It's fascinating how she can tell the tree which apples to drop...' She shook her head and smiled. "Hi, Applejack!" she greeted.

Applejack wiped sweat from her brow with a hoof, then looked up from one of the wooden buckets and smiled at Twilight. "Well hi there, Twilight!" she greeted in her friendly rural accent. "What brings you all the way out here?" she asked as Twilight walked over towards her.

"Oh, I'm just out getting some fresh air today." She nodded and looked around at the trees. "That and I just wanted to spend some time with you," she added.

"Oh. Well, I'm a little busy, but if you don't mind walking and talking while I work, I don't mind it at all," Applejack replied.

Twilight nodded. "I would... offer to help, but..." she trailed off, smiling sadly.

"None of that now, Twilight!" Applejack retorted with a firm look at the alicorn. "Don't you worry about that, I can handle this myself!"

Twilight laughed happily and shook her head. "Rainbow should be around here somewhere... I'm kind of surprised she didn't find you before I did."

Applejack walked over to another tree and bucked it. "It's awfully nice of her to take some time off to help you and all that." She grunted as her hooves connected with the tree, causing the tree to shake and a vast quantity of apples to rain down into the wooden buckets.

"Yeah..." Twilight agreed in a soft voice, earning a raised eyebrow from Applejack. "She's really helped me. I really appreciate her... effort," she added.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been able to help you more than I have, but I've just been so busy on the farm lately," Applejack apologized with a weak smile.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm doing..." Twilight grunted and bobbed her head. "Better," she finished.

"I'm really glad to hear that," Applejack said. She walked over to a bucket of apples and bit down on the rope, then lifted it up and walked over to a nearby cart. She carefully sat the bucket down, then scooted it all the way into it. Twilight tentatively walked over to a bucket of apples and eyed it carefully. She leaned down and bit down on the rope, then grunted as she lifted it. Applejack looked at her firmly. "Now don't you go hurting yourself, Twilight," she warned. Twilight smiled awkwardly, then cautiously and slowly made her way over to the cart. She sat the bucket down in it and breathed a sigh of relief as she pushed it back. "I think that's enough for now, thanks," Applejack said as she spat out a rope handle and scooted another bucket into the cart.

"That... was harder than I'd like to admit," Twilight replied with a worrying smile. "The radiation really took a lot out of me," she added gravely.

"I'll say!" Applejack agreed. "And after that surgery, you were unconscious for a week!"

"Oh, hey Applejack!" Rainbow yelled from overhead.

Both Twilight and Applejack looked up at her. "What took you so long?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow flew down to the ground and landed. "Eh, all these trees look the same..."

"You got lost, didn't you," Applejack accused dryly.

Rainbow laughed nervously. "A-anyway..." She turned to Twilight. "Looks like I don't have to go find you now, so that's nice."

Twilight nodded, then turned back to Applejack. "Applebloom said she wanted to visit me while in the hospital."

Applejack grimaced and nodded reluctantly. "She did. I said no to her because I didn't think it would be good for you." Twilight smiled wryly at Applejack. The earth pony shook her head, sending her tied up blond mane flying. She walked over to another nearby tree and scrutinized the branches. "Hey, Rainbow. Think you can give me a hoof with the bucking?" she asked.

Rainbow groaned, "Yeah, yeah... Fine."

Applejack ignored her and pointed to another tree, "If you can get that one, I can get these two, then we should be good to take a couple carts back to the barn."

Rainbow quickly flew over to the tree and turned around, then looked back at the tree and bucked it. The tree barely shook, and a single apple fell from the tree. Applejack watched her and chuckled. "I'm a pegasus, not an earth pony," Rainbow Dash grumbled.

Applejack shook her head and bucked her tree, causing all of the ripe apples to fall out of it into the buckets she had set up. Rainbow huffed and bucked the tree behind her even harder, causing a few more apples to fall.

Twilight giggled as she watched them and sat down. In a few minutes, Applejack had put her two trees' buckets in a second cart and walked over to Rainbow's trees. The tree still had several apples on it. Applejack smirked at Rainbow, who backed away. Applejack kicked the tree with a single hoof, and all the remaining ripe apples fell out of the tree. Rainbow snorted, then bit down on a rope and carried the bucket of apples over to the cart. After a few trips, all the buckets were in it. Applejack hooked herself up to one cart, and Rainbow hooked herself up to the other cart, then Twilight stood up and walked over in between them as they made their way back to the barn.

Author's Notes:

I did it! I actually managed to write a 15k word long chapter in a week! Actually, it was four days, not to brag. It would have been three, but I got distracted on Wednesday. I am surprised I succeeded, I had expected to end up putting out a blog post titled "Reaction Chapter 6 Delayed." I am glad I was wrong.

This was fun to write. I enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit... all over the place, though.

My rhyming skills aren't great if you couldn't tell. I have no plans to ever write a story with Zecora as a major character...

Yes, I had planned for that aspect of alicorns from the start of this story! Muwahahaha! Also, no, that's not my headcanon. It's just something I thought would spice up the story a bit. An unexpected addition that could become a Chekov's somethingrather later.

Also, I didn't throw in the awkward "It's not pony, right?" because that felt wrong. Very, very wrong. And in the show, one of the episodes, it showed Fluttershy feeding animals fish and worms, so I figured that was the best route to go. That scene was short, and I didn't describe it from Twilight's PoV for a reason.

More cuddles.

I originally had planned in the first few chapters to touch on the CMC wanting to have a parade or something in honor of Twilight. I wasn't sure how to write it, or the scene with them talking about it, so I scrapped that.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with this story, how it is coming along, and where it stands. I don't know how many more chapters will be in the story. I really can't even guess. It'll be as many as it needs. I'm also giving a lot of thought to a sequel to this story. The sequel will probably happen unless something unforeseen happens. I look forward to that sequel... But for now, I'll keep writing away at this until it's finished.

Also, there's one more Chekov's gun in this story... It's not really a Chekov's gun. It's in the first chapter, possibly again in the second chapter. I will likely leave it to be addressed in the sequel. No, I'm not giving any hints.

Something I just have to put here: "Twilight returned the hug with a nuzzle." My grammar software wants to change that to "Twilight returned the hug with a nozzle." And that's not the first time it wanted to do that. I hope some of you get as big of a laugh out of that as I did.

Chapter 7

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Twilight let out a content sigh and smiled. She opened an eye and nuzzled the sky-blue chest she laid against. Rainbow shifted her weight and Twilight slid her head down closer to Rainbow's chest. She enjoyed the warmth trapped beneath the covers, but it didn't compare to the heat radiating off of her pegasus friend. She dipped her muzzle under the blanket and inhaled, letting the warm air fill her lungs. She briefly pondered their combined scents, then slid her head back against Rainbow's neck.

Twilight rubbed her nose against the still-sleeping pegasus' chest, eliciting a groan from her friend. She smiled as Rainbow tightened her grip around her, pulling her closer. She welcomed the feeling of Rainbow's warm chest being tightly pressed against her chest, and all too quickly the feeling of closeness went away when Rainbow's grip loosened. She sighed and slid her head up and down Rainbow's neck. She relished feeling Rainbow's coat rubbing against her own coat.

Rainbow's chin pressed against Twilight's head as she yawned. She stretched out, causing Twilight to fall away from her a little. Twilight immediately reached her hooves around Rainbow's neck and wrapped her arms around her, then pulled herself closer to the pegasus. Rainbow blinked a few times, then pulled her arms and legs back around Twilight. She gently ran a hoof along Twilight's back in a reassuring manner. "You're being a little clingy again, Twilight..." she muttered.

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and smiled nervously. "Sorry," she hastily apologized. She tucked her arms between them and folded both her hooves against her chest. She smiled sheepishly at Rainbow.

Rainbow unwrapped herself from around Twilight. She still wasn't used to the idea of waking up next to Twilight, let alone waking up with Twilight's muzzle buried in her chest or neck. Twilight preferred to sleep facing her, though. She didn't mind it too much, but it made mornings weirder for her, waking up beside Twilight with the mare nestled in her embrace. It was nice but it was strange. Something about it was comforting, although she couldn't quite place it, but she knew she enjoyed it, regardless of how strange it was. "Sleep okay?" she asked.

Twilight nodded. "Yes. My stomach... feels okay, and I don't think I woke up once."

Rainbow smiled. "That's good." She looked at Twilight's forehead and squinted. She reached out with a hoof, then gently brushed Twilight's bangs away so she could glimpse Twilight's injury. Twilight immediately looked away from Rainbow's eyes and focused on her chest. Rainbow could still tell that the area was wrong. The fur was discolored, shorter, and she could still see patches of Twilight's pale pink skin. Rainbow ran her hoof along its course and then brought it back to her side.

"It's still healing," Twilight stated evenly.

Rainbow frowned. "Is it still sensitive?"

"It's a little sensitive," Twilight affirmed, then pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest. "This still feels nice, though."

Rainbow forced a smile, despite knowing Twilight wouldn't look to see it. After a few seconds, Twilight pulled away and rolled over, then slid out of bed. Rainbow glanced at the clock, then pulled herself out of the covers and stood up. She fluttered her wings and glided over to Twilight, then sat down beside the alicorn. Rainbow smiled at her. Twilight returned the smile, then sat down and leaned against her. "You sure you'll be alright with Fluttershy today?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded, rubbing her cheek against Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow was glad they were alone. "Yes," she answered happily. Her expression fell and she pulled away from Rainbow. "You shouldn't spend all of your time with me... I... would be fine staying in the castle alone..." 'Where I wouldn't be a burden to anypony except myself... no... My friends care about me... Fluttershy offered to keep me company today when I mentioned that Rainbow should take some time for herself... She offered! I didn't ask...' She felt herself smile at the realization, despite still feeling useless since she couldn't use her magic.

"Twilight... just stop," Rainbow groaned while shaking her head.

Twilight looked at Rainbow curiously. "Stop what?"

Rainbow tilted her head backward and looked at the ceiling. "Seriously?" she groaned. She looked at Twilight empathetically. "Stop acting like you're okay with being left alone, I know you don't like being alone. And stop putting yourself down, you're a princess for crying out loud!"

Twilight shifted her weight and turned away from Rainbow. "I-I know you all care about me, and that I'm... not... a burden on you all, but... I don't want to make things any more difficult for any of you than they are!"

"Twilight," Rainbow sighed. "We choose to stand with you, we want to help you." She swallowed and wrapped a wing around Twilight, then pulled the small alicorn against her body. "When are you going to realize that?" she asked softly.

Twilight leaned into Rainbow's hold. "I... I know that you want to, but I still feel... useless." She lowered her head and looked at the floor.

Rainbow scooted around and sat in front of Twilight. She wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck, then laid her head over the alicorn's head. "You're not useless," she said in a gentle but firm voice.

Twilight snorted and shook her head. "I'm pathetic. I can barely take care of myself-"

"Twilight." Rainbow wrapped her other wing around Twilight's back and held her more firmly. Twilight slid her head against Rainbow's neck. "It hurts to hear you say that you think you're useless or pathetic. You're not useless or pathetic. You saved Ponyville, and everypony living in Ponyville. Please, stop saying you're pathetic or useless, because you're not. It doesn't just hurt me, either. It hurts all of us."

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Twilight pulled her head away from Rainbow. Her eyes twinkled and a few tears had fallen down her cheeks. She smiled softly at Rainbow. "I-I'm sorry," she whispered softly, not trusting her voice to be any louder.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight and ran her hoof up the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight closed her eyes, then Rainbow gently pulled the princess's head back against her chest. "Stop apologizing," she chuckled. Twilight's smile widened for an instant, then shrank back.

Twilight pressed her head against Rainbow's chest, then she slid her hooves up on Rainbow's sides, stopping just below the pegasus' arms. Rainbow tightened her grip on Twilight, hoping to reassure her. Twilight pulled her head back and then laid the side of her head against Rainbow's chest. For a few seconds, she just listened to Rainbow's heartbeat. "This is-is hard," she admitted. "W-what if..." Twilight pressed her eyes closed tighter, tears still spilled out. "M-my horn never grow-grows ba-ack?"

Rainbow pulled up a hoof and then slowly ran it through Twilight's mane. "Maybe it won't grow back..." she said glumly. Twilight opened her eyes and looked at her. The alicorn's eyes twinkled, and Rainbow could see a hint of a feeling of betrayal in them. Rainbow smiled gently. "But I'll make you a promise, I'll stay with you and help you, no matter what." Twilight's lips turned upwards at that, then the alicorn buried her head in Rainbow's chest.

"You-you can't just drop everything to help m-me get bet-better!" she sobbed. "You... you know that," she said softly.

Rainbow rubbed her chin against the top of Twilight's head. "Twilight, do you really think I could enjoy performing as a Wonderbolt, or that I could focus on training, or... if I was in a fight, that I could focus if I knew that you were in pain because you were alone or something?" Rainbow pulled her head away as Twilight pulled her head back and looked up at her. The fur around Twilight's eyes was matted from tears, and Rainbow suspected her coat was also matted and wet from the alicorn's tears, but she didn't care, Twilight needed somepony to cry on, and even if it was uncool, it was more uncool and unfriendly to leave her like that. "I wouldn't enjoy that," she continued.

"Y-you promise?" Twilight asked hopefully.

Rainbow smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I..." She bobbed her head. "...may not feel the same way about you that you feel about me," Twilight's expression wavered, "but I promise I'll stay with you, okay? I enjoy sleeping with you, although you can be a little..." she trailed off looking for the right word. The smile left her face. 'A little... too affectionate... maybe...' "Clingy..." She smiled again. "But it's nice."

Twilight smiled, then wrapped her arms around Rainbow and pressed her head against the pegasus' neck and slid her muzzle against her chest. She clung to the pegasus with as much strength as she could, and Rainbow returned the gesture, holding her tightly and bringing a smile to the princess's face.

After a few minutes, tears stopped falling from Twilight's eyes, and her sobs had died down. She pulled back and Rainbow released her. Twilight kept her head low and she looked around at the floor. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof. "Thank you," she said softly. Twilight looked up at Rainbow, unsure of what she'd see, though knowing Rainbow wouldn't look at her condemningly.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight. "Like I said, I want to help you," she said as she stood up. "I'm going to take a shower and then I'll wait for you in the dining room."

"Okay," Twilight said simply as she watched Rainbow fly over to the door and then land. The pegasus glanced back at her, then unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway.

'Should I really leave her just like that? That doesn't seem like a good idea to leave her here like this...' Rainbow pursed her lips, then walked back into the room and closed the door. "Do you want me to stay?" she asked. "I can wait here for you to finish if you want. And then when you're done you can... wait on me or go to the dining room while I shower."

"You don't have to," Twilight replied.

Rainbow bit her lip. "I don't feel like I should leave you alone right now," she admitted.

Twilight tilted her head to the side and looked at the pegasus fondly. "Rainbow, you promised that you wouldn't..." she paused, searching for the right way to put it, "leave me," she said tentatively. She took Rainbow's lack of reaction as a good sign. "I'll be fine, really... but, thank you for offering."

"Alright," Rainbow relented. For a few seconds, she just stood there, then she walked over to Twilight and hugged her again. Twilight laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder for a few seconds, then lifted her head and nuzzled Rainbow's neck. Rainbow smiled and pulled back, then she slowly flew over to the door and landed. She looked back at Twilight and grimaced. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Twilight smiled fondly and giggled. "If you're really that worried, you can stay I guess... But you don't-" Rainbow landed beside her before she could finish, "have to..." she trailed off. She poked Rainbow's chest playfully, then grimaced, the pegasus' coat was still wet from her tears. 'I'll have to make it up to her somehow...' she told herself. Rainbow looked at her indignantly. "I'll try to hurry, that way you won't have to wait as long on me..." she trailed off as she turned towards the bathroom.

Rainbow Dash happily flew out of the castle's door and looked over Ponyville. She couldn't remember the last time she had an opportunity to spend a whole day with Applejack and Pinkie Pie. She was looking forward to the opportunity. It wouldn't be the same as it had been last week when Twilight and herself had spent some time with Applejack, she had planned to challenge Applejack to a few dares, and Pinkie Pie would keep score. She smiled brashly and rubbed her hooves together.

Twilight calmly walked out of the castle. She raised a hoof over her eyes to block out the sunlight, spending most of the past two months indoors left her eyes sensitive to the late morning sun. After a few seconds, her eyes adjusted and she lowered her hoof to the ground, then proceeded down the steps. Rainbow turned around and flew over to her, then hovered beside her. "So..." Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane. "You sure you'll be okay?" she asked.

Twilight nodded and smiled. "I'm going to enjoy the picnic with Fluttershy," she answered. "I wonder where she has picked out..."

Rainbow shrugged. "If you need me, I'll be somewhere around Sweet Apple Acres, unless we go someplace else. I'll try to make sure Starlight knows where we're going if we go anywhere else, okay?"

"Just go and enjoy yourself," Twilight replied warmly. "Just because you're helping me doesn't mean I expect you to be... with me every single second of the day..." she trailed off sheepishly. 'Although that would be nice...'

Rainbow didn't look convinced. "Right..." she mumbled under her breath, Twilight didn't hear it. She inhaled deeply then spoke louder, "Anyway..." She looked up at the cloudless sky and smiled. 'It's good to know they can keep the weather nice without me,' she thought. She looked back at Twilight. 'She hasn't been out alone since before the accident... Should I really make her go on her own?" "It's a bit of a walk to Fluttershy's... You sure you'll be okay on your own?"

Twilight nodded. "Of course! I'm feeling much better than I was last week, so I don't think I'm going to get sick or anything... but if I do, I'll..." she trailed off in thought. 'What would be the best course of action if I did get sick?' she wondered. She pursed her lips and frowned at the dirt. 'I'll be with Fluttershy for several hours... I shouldn't have to worry about anything while I'm with her unless the sun gets too hot and I'm outside too long... ' "I'll probably just stay at Fluttershy's cottage until I'm feeling better, then." she finished.

Rainbow nodded cautiously. "Alright... So, if you're not back by... Five? I'll come check on you?"

Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head. "I... should be fine... Although that would probably be a good idea," she admitted.

"Okay," Rainbow replied. "And you're sure you don't want me to keep you company until you get there?" she asked skeptically.

Twilight lowered her head and smiled. "Yes, Rainbow. I'm sure. You haven't spent nearly as much time with the rest of the girls as you should have-"

Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight. "Says the pony who tried to lock herself in her room and avoid everypony."

Twilight stood up straighter and fluffed her wings. "That's... different," she argued. It sounded weak, even to her.

Rainbow landed and looked at Twilight seriously. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

Twilight shook her head and smiled. "It's okay, I forgive you..." For a few seconds, both of them stood there in silence. Twilight found her gaze drawn to Rainbow's magenta irises. Looking into them made her feel anxious. Twilight blinked and shook her head. "We... should get going. I don't want to be late," she said softly.

"Alright..." Rainbow shifted her weight, then glanced around. Nopony was around, then quickly pulled Twilight into a hug, then pulled back. Twilight smiled at her. 'I feel like I should say something else...' She pondered the thought for a few seconds but found nothing. She shook her head, then beat her wings and took off towards Sweet Apple Acres. She glanced back at Twilight. The alicorn was sitting there, watching her fly away. She looked back forward. She smiled at the prospect of spending time with Applejack and Pinkie, but she frowned at the idea of Twilight not being there. 'This will be the longest period of time I've spent away from her in two weeks...' The thought was distracting.

Twilight watched until Rainbow Dash was just a speck, then she blinked and picked herself up. She thought back to the morning when she woke up and smiled. Waking up with Rainbow every day was certainly a highlight of each day. With that thought in mind, she took off heading towards Ponyville at a leisurely trot, smiling.

She enjoyed feeling the warm sun against her coat, it reminded her of Princess Celestia. It also reminded her of Rainbow's warm embrace, though it wasn't half as comforting as her embrace was. A pleasant light summer breeze followed her on her journey, almost caressing her in a gentle and reassuring manner.

She passed several ponies as she made her way through the outskirts of Ponyville, and almost every single pony smiled and waved at her. Each time, she stopped and waved back at the pony. 'It's good to be back...' She thought after waving to a smiling filly that had waved to her. As she made her way further into Ponyville, the number of ponies she saw steadily increased, and the percentage of ponies waving to her increased as well. Ponyville citizens knew her, and she knew them. She had a good relationship with nearly everypony in Ponyville, although she couldn't claim to know half of the town's inhabitants.

A couple of ponies passed her by without acknowledging her, but she brushed it off with ease. It wasn't like everypony had to acknowledge her presence, the fact that she was a princess or the fact that she saved Ponyville. She didn't need the recognition, and she didn't want ponies to treat her differently because of her status as a princess. A few ponies smiled at her, but their smiles weren't as happy as she thought they should have been, a closer inspection revealed that they couldn't help but stare at her lack of horn.

She shook off the pain and continued on. The number of concerned and empathetic looks she received increased as she continued through Ponyville, but so did the number of smiles and waves. Whenever a pony stared, it bothered her, but she didn't let it show. After a few minutes, she found herself leaving Ponyville and heading towards Fluttershy's cottage.

The number of ponies she saw continually decreased until she left the town, then on the road to Fluttershy's cottage, she saw no ponies around. As she continued to trot at a brisk pace, she couldn't help but think back to all the ponies who stared at her. It hurt, but she knew they didn't mean to hurt her. The longer she progressed, the more she found herself frowning.

As she neared Fluttershy's cottage, she saw the quaint stone bridge over the stream that flowed by the charming cottage. The sight brought back many fond memories from years past, along with memories of what herself and her friends had accomplished. She found herself smiling once more as she trotted over the bridge. She slowed once she passed the bridge, then leisurely walked up to Fluttershy's door and knocked.

She fought off a yawn while she waited. A few seconds passed, then the door creaked open, revealing a timid yellow pegasus with a light pink mane. Twilight brightly smiled at Fluttershy. Fluttershy returned the smile, but it was more reserved and calm than Twilight's. "Oh, hello Twilight!" she said softly.

"Good morning, Fluttershy!" Twilight chirped. "I hope I'm not late..."

Fluttershy shook her head gently, "Oh, not at all. I'm actually still getting ready..." She glanced back into her cottage, then stepped to the side. "You can come in if you'd like," she offered.

"Thanks," Twilight said as she walked passed the pegasus. "I was kind of getting tired..."

Fluttershy shut the door behind the alicorn and frowned. "Oh, goodness! You're not getting sick again, are you? I-"

Twilight shook her head. "No, it was just a long walk..." she trailed off, not wanting to discuss the details of the walk. She knew Fluttershy wouldn't push the subject, and she was grateful for it.

Fluttershy bit her lip, then flew into her kitchen. "You're by yourself?" she asked.

"Yes," Twilight replied as she looked over Fluttershy's couch, pondering how many animals had laid on it before. The only answer her mind could come up with was 'A lot.' There were too many variables to do the math on it. She shook the thought aside and hopped up on it, then laid down on her stomach. She tucked her front hooves under her chest and folded them.

There was a loud clang from the kitchen. Twilight swiveled her ears and head towards the source. "I was expecting Rainbow Dash to walk you here at least..." Fluttershy mused.

"I told her she needed to spend some time with the other girls," Twilight dismissed her concern. "She spends enough time with me as it is..."

After a few seconds, Fluttershy walked out of the kitchen. Her tan saddlebags were thrown over her back, and both bags looked full. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," she apologized.

Twilight shook her head. "No, it's fine. Really." She smiled reassuringly at Fluttershy, sometimes the mare could be too sensitive.

Fluttershy walked over to the couch. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" she asked in a timid voice. "We can stay here if you want."

Twilight shook her head and slid off the couch. "I'd rather have a picnic outside than inside," she giggled. "Lead the way."

"Oh... Okay," Fluttershy relented.

As the pair walked over to the door, a small white rabbit hopped out from wherever he had been hiding, then he pulled himself up Fluttershy's tail, drawing Twilight's gaze. The rabbit looked at her like he was trying to decide whether to be mad at her or forgive her. Fluttershy stopped at the door and opened it, then motioned Twilight through with her hoof. Twilight made her way outside, then Fluttershy followed her and closed the door behind her. Fluttershy took the lead, and Twilight stayed close beside her. They walked away from the cottage, then over the bridge.

Rainbow circled around Sweet Apple Acres, she flew low as she searched from Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Both of the mares were supposed to meet her at the farm, but she had yet to see either of them. She frowned as she carefully scanned the ground beneath her. Countless apple trees blocked her vision of the ground below their leafy branches, but it didn't deter her, despite slowing down her search.

Searching for the two ponies and flying at the same time was a piece of cake for her, she didn't need to give it a second thought, and she was beginning to regret being such a talented flier. She kept worrying about Twilight. She kept telling herself that Twilight was okay, but she still felt that she should have stayed with the mare until they reached Fluttershy's house. She frowned. 'Why is this bothering me so much?' Her mind chose that moment to stop thinking, and no response came to her that made sense. Twilight had argued that she could take care of herself, or at the very least make the walk on her own, despite having said that she couldn't take care of herself multiple times before. She groaned at that, not knowing what to think. 'Is that what's bothering me? Not actually knowing if she's okay?' She blinked and her frown deepened at the thought. She pursed her lips as another question pierced the veil of her mind, 'Do I think of her as more than a friend?'

Once again, her mind didn't immediately respond to her question. She groaned, but before she could put the effort into thinking about it, she saw a flash of pink dart by on the ground beneath her. She immediately recognized the pink as the same shade as Pinkie Pie's coat, and she smiled brashly. She beat her wings faster, then looped up into the air and zoomed back to the ground. She closed her wings as she approached the ground, then she flared them open at the last second, bleeding her speed. She landed firmly on the ground, smiling at her entrance. Pinkie smiled brightly at Rainbow, and Applejack smirked. "Hey, Applejack! Hey, Pinkie!"

Applejack shook her head. "Rainbow," she acknowledged.

"Hiya, Dashie!" Pinkie greeted as she bounced over to the rainbow-maned pegasus.

Applejack walked over to Rainbow. "So, you been looking forward to today, Rainbow?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah," she said nonchalantly. "It's been a while since we've just hung out."

Applejack grimaced and nodded sadly. "I reckon the farm has been taking a mite more effort to manage now than it has been in the past," she admitted. Rainbow looked at her blankly. "Okay, a lot longer," she relented.

"You think?" Rainbow said matter-of-factly. She beat her wings and hovered just off the ground in the air.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "It aint my fault that the farm's taking up so much of my time," she retorted.

Rainbow groaned and put her hoof against her forehead. "You do know you could hire help, right? I mean, seriously. Or you could just ask."

Applejack looked sternly at the pegasus. "Now Rainbow, you know-"

Rainbow cut her off with a loud groan, "Ugh!" She shook her head sharply.

"Besides, you're one to talk. You're always busy with the Wonderbolts and all that," Applejack replied evenly.

Rainbow blinked, then slowed her wingbeats and landed. "Yeah... I guess I am, aren't I?"

Applejack blinked in surprise. She had expected Rainbow to deny it, or respond defensively, but she had not expected Rainbow to agree with her. "Are you okay, Rainbow?" she asked, now concerned for her friend.

Rainbow frowned at her. "Yeah, of course!" she replied. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked quickly.

Applejack tilted her head away from Rainbow. "You just... agreed with me about being so busy with the Wonderbolts."

Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "It's true, though. I have been... really, really busy with them... And not just following Twilight's... accident... but before that, too." She smiled wryly and rubbed the back of her neck, rustling her mane. "I... guess I've kinda been neglecting you all, haven't I?"

"Well, now that you mention it," Pinkie said obliviously. She plopped down on her haunches and tilted her head, looking deep in thought at Rainbow. "And even now, you really haven't been around all of us that much. You're like always with Twilight, but that's nice of you. I mean, she does need your help, although she probably really needs all of our help and we really haven't been there for her as much as we should be..." she trailed off sadly, looking at the dirt.

"Pinkie..." Applejack said softly as she walked over to the pink earth pony. She wrapped a hoof around her neck and hugged her. "Twilight says she's doing fine, and I for one trust her." Pinkie looked up at her and smiled.

Rainbow grimaced. "She's..." Both Pinkie and Applejack turned to her. "...Not really doing okay... I mean, don't get me wrong! She's getting better, and she says that she's recovering, but... She still has... issues..." she sighed.

"What kind of issues?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow shook her head and her ears drooped against her head. "She... Not being able to use magic has really taken a toll on her. She feels like she can't do anything and that we all think of her as a burden."

Applejack pulled back and looked at Rainbow like the mare had slapped her. "Well, that's just silly! We'd never think of her as anything less than our friend!"

Rainbow looked at Applejack wryly. "That's what I keep telling her! She says that she knows that, but I don't think she believes it..." she trailed off dejectedly. 'Is that my fault?' she wondered. The thought struck deep, and it hurt.

Pinkie looked at Rainbow thoughtfully. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then she nodded her head and smiled. "We'll just have to show her that we all care, then!" Both Applejack and Rainbow smiled in agreement.

After a few seconds, Rainbow grimaced. "Actually... that might backfire. She might feel worse than she already does if you all take more time away from everything that you need to do to spend with her..." she trailed off with a grimace. 'Maybe she really does need a vacation,' she thought. A smile slowly formed on her lips. 'I'll just have to make it a good vacation for her, then.' Her smile wavered as she thought about how exactly to make the vacation worthwhile.

Twilight leisurely sipped the tea she held in her hooves. The tea was cooler than she was used to. The coolness of the tea was a reminder of her lack of horn. If she had access to her magic she could have easily warmed the tea back up. She did her best to ignore the thought, but every sip was a reminder of what she lost. She opened her eyes and carefully set the cup back down on the plate in front of her. Fluttershy had chosen a beautiful meadow for the picnic, and the blanket beneath them was a shade of yellow even paler than the mare's own coat. The gentle summer breeze rolling through the meadow carried scents from a multitude of flowers, too many for her to identify individual kinds, but not enough to be overwhelming.

"This is nice," she commented with a sigh. 'Maybe not as nice as it could be... but it's nice.' She suppressed a yawn and slowly scooted her plate and teacup away, then folded her hooves and laid her head down. She flashed a smile at the tree which shaded the blanket, she had enjoyed the sun on the walk through Ponyville and to the meadow, but she wasn't sure she wanted to eat with hot sun against her back.

Fluttershy sat her cup of tea back down on her plate. "I'm glad you're enjoying it," she replied lightly. "I was worried that you wouldn't because..." she trailed off sheepishly and shifted her weight. Twilight looked at her. "I-I'm sorry, I-"

Twilight halfway smiled and shook her head. "It's fine, Fluttershy..." she trailed off. "I'm..." she bobbed her head and stopped smiling, "kind of used to it by now... It... still hurts, but..." she trailed off glumly. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and lifted her head off of her hooves.

Fluttershy stared at her cup of tea and ran her hoof through the end of her mane. "I... I can't imagine what it's like for you, Twilight... I'm so sorry that that happened to you, and... I-I wish that it hadn't..."

"So do I, Fluttershy," Twilight sighed, "but if I had to do it again, I would." She looked over Fluttershy's crestfallen expression, and a thought came to mind, 'She's this upset because of me, not because she's mad at me, but because of what happened to me. She cares.' It hurt knowing she was hurting Fluttershy, but she smiled, knowing her friend cared about her.

Rainbow wryly looked over the bale of hay. 'This used to be a lot more exciting,' she thought. She really hadn't been having a whole lot of fun, her mind kept wandering back to Twilight. 'I hope she's doing okay... Should I go check on her?' She mulled over the idea before deciding against it, despite feeling unsure about her choice.

Applejack ran forward, then jerked her head forwards and let go of the rope tied to the bale of hay. The hay launched into the air and flew a short distance, then landed right behind a white line in the dirt. She smirked, then looked back at the pegasus. She frowned at her uneasy expression. "Rainbow? You okay?" she asked.

Rainbow blinked and looked up. "Y-yeah, just... thinking..."

Applejack put on an expression of mock shock. "Rainbow Dash, thinking?" she chuckled. "Now there's something I never thought I'd hear."

Rainbow rolled her eyes, then flew over to her. "This really isn't that fun," she admitted.

Applejack was worried now. "Is everything alright?"

Rainbow landed and shifted her weight. "I'm just... worried about Twilight." Applejack's expression turned sober. "I feel like I should be with her," she admitted. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be away from her... She's..." she squinted and thought about the right word to say, a word that accurately told the tale, and didn't give anything away. She doubted Applejack would ever let her live down accidently admitted she was sleeping with Twilight. A look of revulsion passed through her expression briefly, then disappeared. "She's clingy," she said testingly.

Applejack frowned and rubbed her chin with a hoof. "She didn't seem clingy yesterday or at the party last week... What do you mean clingy, anyway?"

Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "She..." 'Doesn't like the idea of me having personal space? She doesn't want to be left alone, and she doesn't even like the idea of me leaving her for any period of time, let alone a couple hours?' She groaned, "Ugh, nevermind..." Applejack raised an eyebrow. "It's not important," Rainbow added.

"Uh huh," Applejack said skeptically.

Rainbow looked at Applejack blankly, then sighed. "Why does this bother me so much?" she asked, knowing she wouldn't get an answer.

Applejack grimaced and shrugged. "I'm sure Twilight's fine, but if you think you need to go check on her, go ahead and go. I've still got some work to catch up on, and maybe we can hang out again when Twilight's better, or when I'm not as busy."

Rainbow winced. "I'm sure she's fine too, but..." She groaned and shook her head. "Tell Pinkie what I'm doing when she gets back, and that I'm sorry."

Applejack smiled. "Will do, sugar cube."

Rainbow smiled, then beat her wings and took off into the sky. Applejack watched the pegasus soar into the sky while the faint rainbow trail left in her wake faded. She wasn't sure what to think about Rainbow being so concerned for Twilight, although she knew she shared that concern herself, but she had more faith in the alicorn than Rainbow did, apparently. She shook her head then turned around.

"Where'd Dashie go?" Pinkie asked, her head tilted at an angle and looking curiously at Applejack.

Applejack was startled by Pinkie's appearance but quickly recovered. "She went to go check on Twilight," she explained.

Pinkie fell down on her haunches. "Aww..." She quickly bounced back up. "Oh well more cake for us!" She pulled a cake out from her mane, then smiled at it. A second passed, and then she frowned at it. "Hmm... Maybe we should go check on Twilight too, I'm sure she'd like cake!"

Applejack chuckled warmly. "Alright, Pinkie," she agreed.

Rainbow quickly flew the distance between Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cottage, then she landed as gracefully as she had earlier. Almost immediately, she walked up to the door and knocked. She wasn't sure if Twilight and Fluttershy would be there, but she figured it was probably the best place to start. She waited patiently for a few seconds, then shifted her weight and knocked again. On the third knock, the door opened and revealed Fluttershy. "Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. I didn't expect you to stop by..." she said as she stepped aside and motioned the pegasus inside.

"Thanks, Fluttershy," Rainbow said as she walked passed the pegasus. "Is Twilight here?" she asked as she looked around the room. Almost immediately after asking the question, her eyes landed on the purple alicorn lying on the couch, looking at her with a mixture of surprise, joy, and curiosity. "Uh... nevermind." She quickly flew over to Twilight, and the alicorn sat up to make room for her.

"Rainbow?" Twilight acknowledged. She glanced at the clock and frowned, barely an hour and a half had passed. She frowned, then looked back at the pegasus.

Rainbow smiled sheepishly at Twilight. "I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright."

"I'm doing fine," Twilight replied. A few seconds passed, then she bit her lip. "Um... How were Applejack and Pinkie doing?"

"They were doing good," Rainbow answered.

"And..." Twilight trailed off, tilted her head, and took a deep breath. "I thought you were planning on staying with them until... four?"

Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "I was, but it really wasn't that fun." She smiled nervously, worried that Twilight would take what she was about to say the wrong way, "I kept worrying about you."

Twilight flashed a smile at Rainbow, then it faded. "I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy it..." 'She couldn't enjoy it because she kept worrying about me... maybe... Maybe I should just... pretend I'm okay, that way...' She glanced at Fluttershy and felt strained. 'That way nopony will be upset or worried about me...'

"Eh, it's no big deal," Rainbow dismissed, "Applejack still had a lot of work to catch up on anyway."

Twilight frowned. "Oh..." She shifted her weight and scooted over. "Do... you have other plans, or would you... maybe... like to stay?" she asked.

Rainbow forced herself to not grimace. Over a few seconds, it got easier as she thought about it. 'I don't have other plans, and it's been a while since I've hung out with Fluttershy...' She paused and pursed her lips. 'I flew all the way from Sweet Apple Acres to check on you, and here I am, finding myself wanting to leave... I wanted to come check on you, and... Ugh.' She stomped the dissent out, then jumped up on the couch beside Twilight. "I don't really have other plans, so sure."

The alicorn princess smiled at her, though she kept the smile in check so that it wouldn't make things awkward for them. She was a little disappointed that Rainbow wasn't right beside her, but she understood why the pegasus wasn't sitting any closer to her. She pushed the worry aside, 'She chose to stay, and she chose to sit beside me...' It warmed her heart.

Fluttershy smiled at the two, Twilight's smile looked genuinely happy, like her worries were the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. It also hurt, knowing that Twilight wasn't as happy around her or the rest of her friends as Rainbow Dash. 'Is it because we didn't make enough of an effort to spend time with you?' The thought stung, but she pushed it aside. She didn't want Twilight to be sad again, not so soon after cheering up. "Are-" Fluttershy blushed as a knock at the door cut her off. "Excuse me..." she said sheepishly as she slid out of the chair and gracefully flew over to the door.

Rainbow looked at Twilight. "Are you really doing okay?" she asked.

Twilight turned to her. She hesitated, then nodded. "I... am. I missed you, but-"

Fluttershy opened the door and smiled brightly at the sight of her friend. "Fluttershy, darling!" Both Twilight and Rainbow turned to the door, the beautiful voice of Rarity drawing their attention.

"Hello, Rarity," Fluttershy greeted. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, well, I had some free time, and I remembered that Twilight was going to be with you today, so I thought I would just stop by," she chirped. "I hope you don't mind," she said softer and with an apologetic smile.

Fluttershy shook her head and stepped out of the doorway. "Of course not, Rarity..." she trailed off as the pristine white unicorn walked in passed her. She closed the door, then flew back and sat down beside Twilight.

"Twilight, darling! I'm sorry I haven't had more time to stop by, but... Oh, you would not believe how busy I've been!" Rarity draped a hoof over her forehead in distress. Twilight giggled. Rainbow groaned. Rarity turned her attention to Rainbow. "I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you said you were going to be spending the day with Applejack and Pinkie Pie?"

Rainbow shrugged. "I was going to, but I was worried about Twi."

Rarity winced. "Oh..." She looked back at Twilight and scrutinized her. "You are... doing alright darling, correct?" she asked more seriously.

Twilight quickly nodded. "Yes," she answered. "I'm doing much better."

Rarity's smile brightened. "That's wonderful news." She turned and surveyed the room, then walked over to the chair Fluttershy had been sitting in and leisurely sat down on it.

Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Are you looking forward to your trip to Canterlot?" she asked.

Twilight turned to her. Her lips wavered, unable to form a smile, nor form a frown. "I... am," she said. She turned away and looked at the floorboards. "I'm just..." she shook her head. 'They're all so busy anyway, it'll give them a reason to not worry about me. Besides, they didn't have time available... I could have... offered to help them, but... No, I would have been in the way...' "I'm looking forward to being in Canterlot, even if it's only going to be for a week..." 'I'll be gone for nine days, though... It'll be good for me, I think.'

"Well, at least Rainbow Dash offered to go with you to keep you company. I would have," Rarity sighed sadly, "but I really do have a lot to catch up on, and orders to fill. I'm sorry, Twilight. You know I would have loved to come with you." she smiled apologetically.

"That's alright, Rarity," Twilight replied. "How's the Manehatton branch doing, anyway?"

Rarity swooned at the question. "You would not believe how many orders I've gotten. It's..." she paused and tilted her head. "Actually a bit overwhelming," she said quickly. "I've had to hire additional help, I'm no longer the sole seamstress," she said with a slight smile. "They're both talented young mares, and I'm quite pleased with them."

Twilight smiled. "That's good to hear. And what about Canterlot Boutique?"

"Sassy Saddles is doing a splendid job of running it and keeping it in business. I probably have enough bits to expand to anywhere in Equestria by now, but... with as much work as it is to run just three stores, I think I'll hold off on that for now," Rarity said.

Twilight frowned. "That's probably wise..."

Rainbow shifted her weight and looked at Rarity. "How much do you make from those stores anyway?"

Rarity turned away from Rainbow and tilted her muzzle up in the air. "It's not very polite to ask a lady how many bits they make, Rainbow Dash." She smiled, then turned back to Rainbow, "But if you must know, about one thousand bits a week. Averaged."

Rainbow did a double take. "That's..." She squinted at the unicorn's smug look. "Decent... More than I expected."

Rarity smiled. "It's not a competition, Rainbow." She lowered her voice, "If it was, Twilight would have all of us beat."

A few minutes passed by, filled mostly with idle conversation. Eventually, it was broken by another knock on the door. As before, Fluttershy quickly flew to the door, opened it, and welcomed the visitors. "Oh, hello Applejack, Pinkie Pie." she greeted.

"Hiya, Fluttershy!" Pinkie greeted. "Can we come in? Okay, thanks!" Fluttershy barely had time to step out of the way before Pinkie Pie ran in passed her.

"Sorry about that," Applejack apologized. "I hope you don't mind that we stopped by. Pinkie brought cake."

Fluttershy shook her head and motioned the orange earth pony inside with a hoof. "Not at all, Applejack." Applejack walked inside, and Fluttershy shut the door behind her. She looked around the living room and blinked several times. There was no way Pinkie Pie had the time to redecorate the whole room and put up a party table in the middle of the room, along with a cake that was large enough to feed all of them, but yet somehow the pink pony had done it all. Everypony knew it was better not to ask how. Instead, they all giggled at Pinkie's antics as she cut the cake and passed out plates.

Twilight smiled warmly, the impromptu get together turned party made her day much better than it had been. She eagerly accepted the large piece of cake Pinkie gave her, despite having eaten lunch with Fluttershy. "Thanks, Pinkie," she said softly. Pinkie smiled gently at her, then bounced back to work at distributing the cake.

They ate and talked for a few hours, but eventually, the festivities relaxed, and the topics turned more somber. "You really think you should be visiting Canterlot right now?" Applejack asked.

Twilight blinked and looked up from the floor. Pinkie and Applejack were sitting on a small couch to the right of the chair Rarity sat in. She regarded Applejack silently for a few seconds while she thought about her question. She licked her lips, then answered, "I'm well enough that I shouldn't have to worry about getting sick, and if I do get sick, there shouldn't be any problems since Rainbow Dash will be going with me and the hospitals in Canterlot are very well equipped. Doctor Manner also said that I'm doing well enough to travel, so long as I don't try to fly that far or... push myself too hard." She paused and pursed her lips. "I think it'll be good for me to take a vacation... Not that I... don't love Ponyville, but... I'd like to see Celestia and Luna... in person, and... it'd be nice to go home for a few days." While she considered Ponyville her true home, Canterlot was still the city she was born and raised in, and she missed it at times.

"To get your mind off of things?" Rarity asked.

Twilight smiled sadly and nodded. "Yes..."

Applejack took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that we haven't been here for you like we should be, Twilight..." she trailed off, choosing not to say the reason, because even if the reason was understandable, she knew it wasn't an excuse. "But we'll always be here for you when you need us," she added.

Twilight smiled and nodded. 'She meant that... She wouldn't lie about that.' She sighed. "I think I ate too much," she said lightly. "I don't look forward to walking back to the castle."

Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "You can stay here tonight if you want to."

Twilight shook her head. "No. Thank you, but I wouldn't want to impose... Besides, I'd need to go back to the castle to get the tea anyway." 'Although Rainbow could go get that for me... And,' she glanced at Rainbow, who was mostly ignoring her, 'I don't think she would be okay with sleeping with me if I stayed here...'

"Oh... okay then," Fluttershy replied.

Rainbow closed her eyes and silently sighed in relief. 'Would I have stayed with her tonight if she stayed here?' She parted her lips at the thought. 'Would Fluttershy have been comfortable with that?' She doubted the pegasus would mind, and she was sure that Fluttershy wouldn't say a peep about it to anypony else. She smiled. 'I... might have.' she said to herself. She wasn't sure what to think about that, but she was okay with the idea.

Over the next half hour, the idle conversation was replaced with musings and memories of times they had all spent together, provoked by stories they shared. Not once did anypony frown, although a few times somepony was embarrassed by a story. The only thing missing from the party was a unicorn mare and a young dragon, both of whom were still at Twilight's castle. Twilight regretted them not being present. 'I'll make sure they're here next time,' she told herself.

Rarity grimaced. "It's getting kind of late, isn't it?" she asked. Everypony turned their attention to the clock and found themselves asking where the day went. The answer was obvious, it was spent hanging out with friends and having a good time.

Applejack grimaced. "I reckon I'm gonna regret this in the morning when I have a lot more work to do, but I think it was worth it," she said happily as she stood from the couch and made her way to the door. "Goodnight, y'all."

Pinkie bounced out after Applejack. "Goodnight Fluttershy! Goodnight Rarity! Goodnight Twilight! Goodnight Dashie! I hope you all have sweet dreams filled with candy and cakes and parties!"

Twilight slid off of the couch, followed by Rainbow. "Well... we should probably get going. Sorry that I took up so much of your time," she said gently.

Fluttershy shook her head and smiled. "Oh, not at all. I really enjoyed today. It was nice."

"Well..." Twilight glanced at the clock and grimaced. "You probably still have a lot to do, and there's only a couple hours of light left, so I guess we should be on our way..." She started walking over to the door, followed by Rainbow. "Goodnight, Fluttershy, Rarity."

"Goodnight Twilight. Goodnight Rainbow. I hope you two enjoy the rest of the evening." Fluttershy's kind parting words brought smiled to both mares' faces.

"Well, goodnight, Fluttershy. We will have to visit the spa together sometime," Rarity paused and looked away from Fluttershy, "it's been... far too long," she said with a shudder,

Fluttershy laughed quietly. "That's okay, Rarity. I'm sure we can find the time sometime." Rarity walked over to Fluttershy and then hugged her.

"I'm really not looking forward to walking back to the castle," Twilight admitted in a mutter, breaking the silence that had followed Rainbow Dash and herself for the past minute after leaving Fluttershy's cottage.

Rainbow immediately came to a stop and turned to face her. "Eat too much?" she asked.

Twilight stopped and looked at her. She smiled and shook her head. "There is that... it doesn't help that it was so... so sugary..." She shuddered, knowing she'd pay for the sugar she ate that night, and possibly the next morning. Time would tell if it was worth it. She grimaced and walked back to Rainbow. Her ears fell with each step. "It's just..." she came to a stop and looked at the ground. "A few ponies... stared, and..." she trailed off.

Rainbow's lips pressed into a straight line. She wanted to be mad at the ponies who stared at Twilight. She wanted to make them apologize, but she knew Twilight wouldn't want that, and that it was unlikely she'd successfully find the ponies anyway. Instead, she shared Twilight's pain, despite not knowing what to say to console her. After a few seconds, Twilight shook her head and the princess sighed, then she looked back up. "So you don't want to go back through Ponyville, then?" she asked.

Twilight smiled wryly and nodded. "I know it's silly, and I know that nopony meant to be rude, but... it hurt. This... this is my home, and I lost my horn saving it..." She closed her eyes and her lips quivered. "What if... what if Canterlot is like this? What if it's worse?"

"You're overthinking it, Twilight," Rainbow said calmly. "So what if they stare, it's-"

"It's a reminder of what I lost, Rainbow," Twilight said glumly.

Rainbow sighed, she hated seeing Twilight like that. It made her heart feel heavy and sluggish, and she hated it, she felt uncomfortable and unhappy because Twilight wasn't happy. 'You're afraid, and you feel so vulnerable and weak, don't you?' She clenched her jaw. She didn't know what to say to make it all better, and she knew there was nothing she could say that would magically regrow Twilight's horn, if there was, she would say it without hesitation, but such a word didn't exist. She settled on the only thing she knew how to do. "Twi... it'll be okay, alright? You have all of us."

Twilight lowered her head at Rainbow's words. 'I... I know, Rainbow. I do, I really do know that I have all of you, but...'

'You were so happy when we were all at Fluttershy's, and now that we're alone, you feel... alone, don't you?' Rainbow thought. "How about... we fly back to my place instead of going back to the castle. It's closer and we shouldn't run into anypony then."

Twilight mulled it over for a second, then nodded. "O-okay," she reluctantly agreed. "But the tea is-"

"I can go and grab it after we get to my place," Rainbow answered.

Twilight bobbed her head and smiled slightly. "Starlight and Spike-"

"I can tell them that you'll be staying at my place, too," Rainbow replied. Twilight smiled and looked up. Rainbow smiled brashly back at her. "You ready?"

Twilight hesitated, then nodded. 'I've... never slept with her at her house... What will that be like?' she wondered. She bit her lip and unfurled her wings.

Rainbow slowly beat her wings and rose into the air. Twilight mimicked her, for a couple seconds, they just hovered there, then Rainbow took the lead, flying at a casual pace that Twilight could easily keep up. Ten minutes later, they both landed on the doorstep of Rainbow's cloudhouse. Rainbow immediately opened the door and motioned Twilight inside with a wing, bowing a little and smirking as the princess walked inside before her. Twilight couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes at Rainbow's antics.

Rainbow walked in after Twilight and shut the door, then locked it. 'How... does somepony lock a cloud door...' Twilight wondered, perplexion filled her face as she considered the question. After a few seconds, she decided not to ask, instead, she made a mental note to look it up in a book sometime.

Rainbow walked over to her. "I don't really have a lot to do at my place," she admitted in an uneasy voice. "But I'm sure we can figure out something to do for a couple hours," she said in an uncertain voice. She thought about it for a second. "Want me to grab a book while I'm gone?"

Twilight pursed her lips, shifted her weight and slowly turned to face Rainbow. "A-actually... um... I... was wondering... If... maybe you'd... lay with me?" she asked in a small, scared voice.

'I... ugh, what am I supposed to say to that? I... wouldn't mind it, but it's only six thirty... there's still like two hours left until it gets dark outside!' Rainbow looked at Twilight, the mare's expression was wavering. "I... guess," she said at length. Twilight fluffed her wings. "I mean, it's... kinda early to go to bed, isn't it?"

Twilight looked flabbergasted at Rainbow's response. "I... uh... er... meant that..." She shifted her weight and looked away from Rainbow. She closed her eyes, lifted a hoof to her chest, took a deep breath, and then exhaled and extended her hoof out. "I... would you cuddle with me?" she asked, feeling her cheeks heat up more with each word that left her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at the fluffy cloud walls, but she didn't dare turn around to look at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow squinted at Twilight. 'You're being clingy...' she thought. 'But it's an opportunity too,' her mind replied. 'I enjoy sleeping with you,' she admitted. 'But... cuddling? Ugh! I hate that word, it's... it's so uncool!' The thought disgusted her. 'But... that's... what we've been doing, isn't it?' She bobbed her head. 'It's... I enjoy it... Ugh, I'm Rainbow Dash! This... I actually enjoy it, though...' She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, then opened her eyes. "Okay," she said. "I'll... cuddle... with you..." she trailed off, looking away from Twilight.

Twilight wanted to be happy at hearing that, but she felt condemned. The way Rainbow said the word 'cuddle' was more than enough to tell her how she really felt about it. She sighed and lowered her head. "No, it's... it's fine, you don't have to if you don't want to." She turned around. "I'm being... clingy..." she said evenly.

Rainbow shook her head. "No, I'll cuddle with you if you want to," she said with a bit more strength, though internally wincing at the word. She looked back to Twilight. "I... I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoy it, it's just... that word..." she shook her entire body in disgust. Twilight smirked and giggled. Rainbow groaned. "I like cuddling with you, okay? I enjoy it, and I'll admit that along with enjoying sleeping with you. I didn't think I would, but I do. Just..." she trailed off shaking her head. "I'll be back soon, make yourself comfortable..." she grumbled as she flapped her wings and flew upstairs, into her bedroom, and out the window.

Twilight smiled as the pegasus flew off. Rainbow had admitted to enjoying sleeping with her multiple times before, but the pegasus had never admitted to enjoying cuddling with her. It wasn't the 'yes' that she had wanted, but it was so much more than she had hoped for. With that thought in mind, she made her way upstairs and into Rainbow's bedroom, putting a little bit of a jump into her step.

She made her way into Rainbow's bedroom, then laid down on the cloud bed. She immediately sank into it and relished the feeling, even if it couldn't compare to laying on Rainbow. She rolled over and watched the window while pressing herself further into the bed, eagerly waiting for Rainbow to return.

Within fifteen minutes, the sky-blue pegasus returned. She gracefully flew in through the window, then landed beside the bed, looking at Twilight. Twilight smiled at her and pushed herself up. "Alright, I got your tea and told Starlight that you're staying here tonight," Rainbow said. She walked over to the wall and put her saddlebags down on the floor. She turned around, then flapped her wings and glided over to the bed and landed beside Twilight. Her hooves immediately sank into the bed, then she plopped down on her haunches. "So you just want to lay with me the rest of the day?" she asked.

Twilight nodded sheepishly. The question excited her but worried her. As if knowing that Twilight was in distress and wanting to fix it, Rainbow wrapped her wings, arms, and legs around Twilight. "Relax," she said, confirming Twilight's guess that Rainbow could tell she was uncomfortable. Twilight smiled and relaxed into Rainbow's embrace. The pegasus shifted her weight, and both of them fell onto their sides on the bed, Twilight didn't try to fight it like the first time.

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow's chest and folded her hooves between them. The only thing she didn't like about doing that was that her hooves separated them more than she wanted, but she still enjoyed being pressed against Rainbow. The bed aided Rainbow's embrace and lightly pressed up against their backs. Twilight cooed and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's neck. She pulled her hind legs up between them and felt Rainbow wrap her legs around her flanks. Rainbow shifted her wings and covered as much of Twilight's body as she could with them, then she wrapped her arms around Twilight's neck and pulled her closer. The alicorn nestled into Rainbow's chest and inhaled, then sighed. "I love this," she said sweetly.

"I can tell," Rainbow replied with a chuckle as she put her head over Twilight's head, then pressed her muzzle against the back of Twilight's neck.

Twilight slid her head up into the crook of Rainbow's neck and slid her muzzle between their necks. She closed her eyes and sighed contently. She wiggled her hooves free from between their chests, then loosely wrapped them under Rainbow's arms. She immediately welcomed Rainbow's chest brushing against hers, and she shifted herself as close to the warmth as she could. Rainbow lowered her arms around Twilight's withers and pulled her closer, pressing their chests together. Twilight smiled as heat radiated between them, and their coats pressed against each other. She tentatively slid her legs out from between them and laid her right leg over Rainbow's body, above her flank, and wrapped it around her back as best she could, then she slid her other leg beneath Rainbow and wrapped it around Rainbow's back and pulled herself as close to Rainbow as she could. She wiggled her muzzle against Rainbow's neck and giggled as the pegasus' fur tickled her nose.

Rainbow smiled as she held Twilight and the mare repositioned her limbs. She had never been so close to another pony before, and she hadn't known that it felt so nice. She was a little leery when Twilight repositioned her legs and then pulled their stomachs together, but she quickly found herself enjoying it. She enjoyed feeling Twilight's warmth against her chest and body, but her back was a little cold. 'I didn't close the window...' She wanted to groan at the realization, but she didn't. She wanted to close the window, but she didn't want to disturb Twilight. She held Twilight tighter, then rolled onto her back and pulled her head away from Twilight. Twilight slid her muzzle across her neck and looked up at her. "Hold on," she said. Twilight flashed her a smiled and laid her head back where it had been.

Rainbow unwrapped her legs from around Twilight, then pushed herself up from the bed and scooted the blankets away. As soon as the blanket was out from under her, she laid back down and grabbed it with a wing and pulled it over them. She quickly wrapped herself back around Twilight, then rolled over and tucked the blanket against her back and laid her head down back on the pillow. Twilight scooted further down and nearly disappeared beneath the blankets, then she repositioned herself and laid her muzzle on Rainbow's neck, while the rest of her head was mostly covered by the blanket.

Twilight awoke first, which didn't surprise her. She felt warm and loved as she nestled into Rainbow's embrace, despite knowing Rainbow didn't feel the same way about her. Her neck was a little stiff from the position it was in, but Rainbow's scent easily made up for it. She cracked open an eye and marveled at the beauty of Rainbow's coat. For several seconds, she just looked over her fur.

She tentatively wiggled her head, only to find her head held in place by Rainbow's muzzle. She smiled at that. She trailed her gaze over the pegasus and looked down. The blanket blocked out the early morning light, but she could feel that their bodies were wrapped around each other's body. 'When did we fall asleep?' she wondered. She thought about it for a couple seconds, then pushed it aside.

After a few more seconds, she realized she wasn't in the same position that she had been when she was cuddling with Rainbow the night before. She was further up than she had been, and her neck was curled more. 'That explains the stiffness...' She mulled her position over for a few seconds, then slowly and carefully slid her head up and out from under Rainbow's head, then she laid her head back down on the pillow and smiled at the still-sleeping pegasus.

Their muzzles were so close. She ran her eyes over Rainbow's lips, and her heart beat faster. For a few seconds, she pondered what they felt and tasted like. She wanted to feel Rainbow's lips against her own, but Rainbow would hate her if she did, and knowing that the pegasus would likely abandon her if she did something like that made her decide against kissing her. She looked away from Rainbow's lips and looked at the mare's rainbow mane. The colors were mixed together where they combined, but she could still make out the separate streaks. She smiled fondly, then extended her head out and tucked Rainbow's head into her neck.

Feeling Rainbow's mane against her chin and neck was nice, she decided after only a few seconds. She turned her attention to her legs and pulled Rainbow closer to her, they had drifted apart far too much for her liking in their sleep. Despite still being able to feel the warmth radiating off of her body, she couldn't feel the mare's fur. She nuzzled into Rainbow's mane and looked out the still open window. After a few seconds, it made sense to her why Rainbow's mane and muzzle felt chilly.

Twilight snaked her arm under Rainbow all the way, then held her close to her chest. She lifted her head and looked longingly at Rainbow, wishing that Rainbow felt the same about her as she did the pegasus. 'It was a fool's hope.' She had known it was a longshot the first time, but she did take solace in knowing that Rainbow at least knew how she felt. 'I... didn't actually tell her, and I... still haven't.' She grimaced. 'Maybe I should just... tell her that... No...'

'I'm deluding myself, even now... If she was awake, she wouldn't want this...' She clenched her eyes and pulled back from Rainbow. The mare shifted in her sleep and nuzzled her neck. Twilight smiled at the sensation, then sighed as Rainbow pulled her head back up on the pillow. She lifted her head, then looked over Rainbow. She leaned in and tenderly nuzzled the pegasus on the cheek, then she pulled her arms back and folded them against Rainbow's chest and laid her head down on Rainbow's neck. She unwrapped her legs from around Rainbow and tucked them in between their bodies, then she closed her eyes as tears threatened to leak out.

'At least I'll be able to talk to Celestia and Luna tomorrow... Maybe they'll have caught whoever was responsible for... the sabotage by now...' It hurt her to think that they wouldn't have told her if they had captured whoever did it, and she didn't want to believe they wouldn't have told her, but she hadn't heard anything from them in regards to the investigation, and she hoped that they had caught whoever was responsible.

Despite that pain, it was far outweighed by the pain that the pegasus she was cuddling had caused her. 'Maybe I shouldn't have asked her on a date... Things would be... so much different now, if I hadn't... Or would they? Would she still be sleeping with me if I hadn't asked her?' She felt a twinge of hope at that thought.

For a few seconds, she considered the thought. 'She's sleeping with me despite the fact I asked her on a date and she said no. She cuddled with me last night, and she... holds me...' She licked her lips and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's neck. 'Even if you don't feel anything for me other than friendship...'

Rainbow giggled as Twilight rubbed against her neck. She instinctually pulled back and cracked open an eye. She yawned and blinked several times to adust to the low lighting. She licked her lips and pulled her head back. It took her a few seconds to find Twilight, she hadn't expected the mare's head to be on her neck. Twilight smiled sheepishly at Rainbow. "You're always so happy whenever you wake up," she commented.

Twilight looked back out the window. "Sorry," she apologized.

If Twilight had been looking at Rainbow, she would have seen a look of hurt flow across her features. As soon as she recovered, she squeezed Twilight, then released her. Twilight looked back at her sadly. "It's a good thing that you're happy, though." 'It's pretty much the entire reason that I'm helping you...' she added in her mind. "It means you're getting better."

Twilight flashed her a smile, then slid her head back under Rainbow's neck and sighed into her chest. She laid there for a few seconds, relaxing, enjoying the warmth, enjoying Rainbow's scent, enjoying Rainbow's steady pulse, and enjoying Rainbow's breath tickling her mane. The pegasus didn't seem like she was going to get up very soon. Twilight considered what to do, 'I could go try to fix breakfast... no that's probably a bad idea. I could get up anyway...' She snorted at the absurdity of the idea and pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's chest. Rainbow forced herself not to pull away from Twilight, knowing it would upset her. 'I don't have anything better to do...' She frowned. 'I'm not sure I'd even leave if I had something important to do, this is just... too nice.'

Despite how pleasant it was, Twilight found herself disappointed. 'Maybe I am getting better...' The thought should have made her happy. Getting better meant she was healthier, which generally makes ponies happier. Of course she would still have problems, most notable her lack of horn and the permanent damage caused from the radiation, but she could learn to deal with it, even if the prospect scared her more than facing down Nightmare Moon did. No, the thought was bittersweet, and more bitter than sweet at that. "If I get better-"

"When," Rainbow corrected seriously. Despite being tired from just having woken up, she put a lot of effort into that single word. She had corrected Twilight on that problem before, and she'd keep correcting her as long as it took to make her believe it.

Twilight's lips curled up into a smile, then fell back down. "When..." she hesitently corrected, "I get better..." she trailed off and pressed her forehead against Rainbow's neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you going to... leave me?" she asked.

Rainbow clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth. Twilight sounded so weak, vulnerable, and scared. She pulled her head back so that she could look at Twilight, then she brought a hoof up to Twilight's head and ran it through her mane. 'How am I supposed to...' She sighed in defeat. "Twilight..." 'I don't feel anything for you... do I?' "Look," she paused as she felt Twilight tense up, "you're one of my best friends, and probably the closest friend I've ever had, with the exception of Fluttershy. I've never done... this... with anypony before, but I... you..." She bit her lip and pressed her eyes shut. For a few seconds, she searched for the right thing to say, the right way to put it, meanwhile, Twilight prepared her mental defenses for the oncoming onslaught. Twilight once more found herself asking a question that was going to get an answer that tore her apart. "Look, Twilight, if it helps you, once you're better, I'll still spend... some nights with you, okay? It's nice and all that, but... I'm still a Wonderbolt and I..." Twilight quivvered in Rainbow's embrace. Rainbow looked at her sadly and sighed. She tightened her grip on Twilight and held her firmly, attempting to reassure her. 'I'm hurting you again...' That realization made her grimace and her heart feel heavy.

Twilight took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. She repeated the process several times during the next few minutes, and eventually her breathing steadied, and her body stopped shivering. "I'm sorry... I should just... go." She pulled her hooves between them and pushed against Rainbow's chest, only for the pegasus to hold onto her tighter.

"Twilight. I care about you. Don't forget that, please," Rainbow replied gently.

Twilight clenched her eyes and stopped struggling against Rainbow. It was futile, the pegasus was still stronger than her, despite her recovery's smooth progress. Her strength, another aspect stolen from her by the radiation. 'I should be able to push you away...' Thinking that thought hurt, not because she wasn't physically stronger than Rainbow, but because of even considering pushing her friend away.

"Twilight?" Rainbow said her name softly, but the alicorn didn't react. She tightened her grip on Twilight and then rolled over onto her back, forcing the alicorn to shift her weight and reposition her head, although she made sure that she couldn't see Rainbow's gaze. "Look at me, please..." Rainbow trailed off. The princess made no attempts to remove her gaze from the blanket she intently stared at. Rainbow sighed and loosened her grip, then drew her hoof to Twilight's head. Twilight shied away from the hoof as Rainbow tried to pull her head forwards.

Twilight was loosing the fight, and she panicked. Her first instinct was to teleport away from the source of her oncoming defeat, but not having a horn made that impossible, so she resorted to the only thing she could do. She pushed away from Rainbow and bolted out of the bed. Rainbow grunted and blinked in surprise, still too tired to process what just happened. Twilight fell to the floor, tangled in the blankets, fortunately the cloud broke her fall and lessened the pain, but she still struggled against the blankets. As soon as she was free, she bolted from the room.

'What just...' "Twilight!" Rainbow shouted as her mind caught up. She rolled over onto her stomach and beat her wings, then flew out of her room chasing the alicorn.

Twilight did her best to ignore Rainbow and focus on escaping, but it wasn't easy. Her heart pounded, and fear kept making her want to look behind her. She knew if she looked back, she'd fail though. She slid to a stop at the front door, then fiddled with the lock until she could open the door. As she jumped out the door, she could hear Rainbow quickly gaining on her. She did the only thing that seemed sensible to her, she shut the door, then beat her wings as hard as she could and flew into the sky, hoping that the pegasus wouldn't follow her, although knowing that Rainbow would find her easily if she went back to the castle. 'M-maybe she'll just not look for me!' She knew better than that, though.

Rainbow braced herself for the impact with the door. The door held but buckled. She groaned in frustration, then opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. She quickly scanned the sky and locked onto Twilight, then took off like a bolt of lightning towards her. "Twilight! I can outfly you, you know!" she shouted.

Twilight beat her wings faster and looked back at her in fear. Rainbow quickly closed the distance and hovered in front of Twilight. "Twilight-"

Twilight shot downwards towards the ground, gravity aided her wings and she fell out of the sky at a worrying rate. Rainbow gritted her teeth and mimicked her. Despite Twilight's advantage of having bigger wings, Rainbow easily caught up and flew in front of her. Twilight fortunately started slowing down. 'I really hope you can slow down... I don't want you to land on me...' She grimaced at the thought, wondering how painful that would be, or even if they'd survive. "Twilight, seriously-" She paused when she saw tears in the princess's eyes.

The alicorn flew away angled downwards. Rainbow waited a few seconds, still processing Twilight's tears, then she took off after her. Twilight landed on the grass below and stumbled, but quickly righted herself. 'It's just a matter of time until Rainbow catches up with me...' The thought made her happy, but it also terrified her. She couldn't hear those words from her again. She glanced back at the rapidly approaching pegasus. 'Maybe I should just stop... what's the point, she'll catch me anyway...' She sighed at the thought and hung her head low. She clenched her eyes tight as she came to a complete stop.

A few seconds later, Rainbow tackled her to the ground, then rolled her onto her back and pinned her against the grass. Twilight's lips quivered and the fur around her eyes was matted from tears. Rainbow took a deep breath to calm herself down, then looked intently at Twilight. It was clear she had no intention of opening her eyes. Over the next few seconds, Rainbow's expression softened. "Twilight, listen to me. Look at me, please..." she pleaded. Rainbow sighed and dropped her gaze to Twilight's chest as she tried to figure out what to do. She swallowed. "Twilight, I represent the Element of Loyalty. Do you really think that I'm just going to abandon you?" she asked.

Twilight opened her eyes and wished she hadn't. Rainbow looked hurt. "N-no!" she croaked out. "B-but-"

Rainbow sighed, then sat down on her haunches on Twilight's abdomen. Using her weight to hold Twilight down, she pulled a hoof away from Twilight's arm and rubbed her forehead. "Twilight... Okay, fine," she sighed. "How about this, I'll give dating you a try, okay?" Twilight immediately struggled to pull herself away from Rainbow but failed when Rainbow pressed her hoof back against her arm.

"N-no! You... You're just trying to-"

Rainbow groaned. "Seriously?" She huffed. "I'm offering to try dating you. It'll make you happy, won't it?"

"It-it's not some-something you wa-ant to do!" Twilight refuted and pressed her eyes closed as fresh tears fell out.

Rainbow looked up at the sky. "You know, I've been curious about what it would have been like to go on a date with you. I told you I regretted saying no." She looked back down at Twilight. The alicorn didn't believe her, much to her distress. "Twilight, please... I don't like seeing you like this, it hurts..." She stood back up and stepped back, then sat down on her haunches and pulled Twilight up and into her chest.

Twilight brought her hooves against her chest, and for a few seconds, Rainbow thought she was going to try to escape again. Instead, Twilight started sobbing into her chest. "I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't ha-ave asked you-ou!"

Rainbow wrapped her wings around Twilight's back and pulled her arms up around the princess's neck and held her close. She wrapped her legs around Twilight's flanks and ran a hoof through her mane. "No, you wanted to. I was stupid and didn't think it through. I should have said yes," Rainbow said calmly. "I'll... stay with you once you're better, if you want," she added. "I... didn't... I don't want to hurt you, you're my friend!"

Twilight pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest, hoping that it would hurt and distract her from the emotional pain. It didn't work, it still felt as pleasant as normal, but it did nothing to cheer her up. "You-ou're just do-oing this out of-of pi-ity! Rai-ainbow..." She clenched her eyes tighter as Rainbow squeezed her tightly.

"No, I'm not," Rainbow said gently.

Twilight pulled back and looked up at Rainbow with a sense of betrayal. "Why should I believe you?" she mouthed out.

That hurt Rainbow more than she would have admitted. 'I keep hurting you when I don't want to,' she thought in disappointment. She took a few seconds to recompose herself, then smiled a soft, reassuring smile at Twilight. "Do you really think that I would lie about this?" she asked. "I'm not just going to leave you alone, okay? I made that mistake when you were in the hospital, when I should have stayed with you," she said firmly. After a few seconds, the firmness left her, "You love me, don't you?" she asked. Twilight looked away from Rainbow's gaze, instead choosing to focus on her coat. She clenched her jaw and tentatively nodded. Rainbow laid her head on Twilight's head and sighed. "I don't feel the same way about you... I mean, you're my friend and all that but..." She nuzzled Twilight's neck. "I'm willing to give dating you a chance. Please don't say no just because I screwed up and said no," she said softly.

Twilight took a few minutes to recompose herself. By the time she felt stable, the sun was drifting into the sky. "O-okay," she squeaked out. "I... I'll go on... a date with you..." she agreed. "In Canterlot, though," she hastily added. "I... Think it would be better..."

"You have a place in mind?" Rainbow asked curiously.

"I-I was thinking the castle..." Twilight trailed off.

"That'll be unique. How many ponies have actually had a date in a castle?" Rainbow chuckled.

Rainbow's question and laugh brought a smile to Twilight's face. "Well... My sister in law and brother had a date in the Canterlot Castle once... other than that, I really don't know... I doubt a lot of ponies have had a date in a castle."

Rainbow lifted her head away from Twilight and ruffled her mane with a hoof. Twilight looked at her poutingly. "Hey, you're mane was already a mess, Twi! We both just got up. And went flying," she said with a smirk.

Twilight smiled weakly and pulled back, then looked at the grass to their side. Rainbow missed her warmth, if only because her tears sapped the head from her body because of the chilly morning air. "I'm... sorry that I..." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry that I've caused so many problems for you," she said softly.

Rainbow pulled Twilight back into her and smiled. "Hey, it's okay, alright? Nopony's perfect, and I know I've caused you more than my fair share a trouble," she chuckled.

"All those times that you crashed into the library," Twilight said dryly.

Rainbow snorted. "Yeah, that."

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Rainbow's chest. She frowned. "I'm sorry that I cried all over you..." she apologized.

Rainbow grimaced. Normally, if somepony needed a shoulder to cry on, she wouldn't be that shoulder, although if it really mattered, she would make the sacrifice. It wasn't as bad with Twilight as it was with other ponies. She pulled back from Twilight and smiled down at her. "Come on, you ready to go home?"

Twilight opened her mouth and ran her tongue over her teeth. "Yours or... mine?" she asked.

Rainbow rolled her eyes at Twilight's uncertainty. "Mine, duh," she replied. She turned around and glanced back at Twilight. "Come on, hop on," she said. Twilight looked at her hesitantly, then scooted closer to Rainbow and wrapped her arms and legs around her. Rainbow testingly spread her wings out and flapped them experimentally to make sure that Twilight wouldn't impede her motion. Once she was satisfied, she stood up and felt Twilight's grip tighten slightly, then she extended her wings all the way out and flapped them as hard as she could. After a few seconds she hovered in the air, then she flew up into the sky headed back to her cloudhouse.

Author's Notes:

Phew. This chapter originally felt incoherent. I had two scenes in it that I decided would be better off saved for the next chapter. I think it feels better with those two scenes moved. No, I'm not going to spoil it, if there's anything worth spoiling...

If you can't tell by now, I guess I should go ahead and come clean. I really, really like cute Twidash (cuddles) It's a weakness of mine. I enjoy writing it, and I find myself smiling when writing it. It's been really, really fun writing fluff, and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon (at least in this story). If anyone has suggestions on how to improve writing cuddle scenes, feel free to suggest, because despite how cute it looks to me, writing it and finding the right words can be... challenging.

Twilight's being clingy towards Rainbow, Rainbow (and the rest of the ponies) are worried for and about her. Rainbow's attempting to balance being there for Twilight with not making her think that she feels more than friendship for her. Sidenote, if this story had a dark tag, it could be taken as Twilight being a manipulative mastermind, but she's not. She's innocent and vulnerable, and she doesn't want to manipulate Rainbow. I think I've shown this with her attempts to keep herself distanced from her, but still being... upset... This entire parapgraph may be pointless now with that last scene, not sure.

Lots of ups and downs this chapter too. Ending on a happy note. Unless someone ends up having fridge logic and or fridge horror. If you do, please say so, because I have no idea what would have caused that...

Where will it go next? Where will I take you all next? Will there be highs? Will there be lows? The climax is soon... Will it be cliched? ...probably.

Phew, last minute addition of... I'm not really sure how many words, but the whole scene with Twilight panicking was just added. Unfortunately, due to... time constraints... I was unable to have this chapter read in full by my prereaders. But with that scene, I finally made progress! And I'm happy with how it turned out.

Chapter 8

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Twilight missed having her horn. It always made preparing to leave on a trip so much easier, being able to levitate everything into place. Her only solace was that Rainbow Dash was going with her, but it did help that neither of them really needed to pack anything, both of them were planning on bringing their saddle bags and only what they actually needed, which ended up being very little for Twilight, the tea Zecora gave her, her tiara, and her regalia. Twilight sighed as she held her regalia, it brought back painful memories, although the pain was lessened by Rainbow's offer to give dating her a chance. Despite the pain, she refused to leave for Canterlot without it, reasoning it would make it easier for her.

She shook her head and pressed the regalia against her neck, then sat down on her haunches and fastened it into place. The weight was familiar, like an old friend. Her tiara wasn't as welcoming, and she ended up putting it in her saddlebag instead of wearing it to the train station. She sat in silence for several minutes, going over her logic behind the trip while she waited for Rainbow to return from her cloudhouse. She found it silly, the castle felt empty and less lively when Rainbow wasn't there, despite Starlight and Spike both being there. She knew it was her own perception fighting her, and it left her questioning whether or not she should actually go to Canterlot.

'It'll be good to get away from Ponyville for a while, but I will be leaving everypony behind... Rainbow's coming with me, but we'll be gone for over a week!' She didn't want to leave her friends, but they didn't have a lot of free time over the next week anyway, so it was the best time to take the trip, or at least that was how she reasoned it. 'It'll be good for me to get out of the castle... even if I'll just be going to another castle,' she thought dryly. 'Besides... I'll get a chance to go on a date with Rainbow and...' She stood up and walked over to the balcony door, then closed it behind her and sat down. The gentle evening breeze was calming, and it soothed her troubled mind. She would be lying if she said that the prospect of going to Canterlot without Spike didn't scare her, but it was for the best. Nopony knew that Rainbow offered to date Twilight, but it didn't matter anyway, nopony had time to spare to go with her, aside from Rainbow Dash. She was very glad that the pegasus was going to accompany her, not just because of her offering to go on a date with her. She dreaded the prospect of being alone.

In the back of her mind, she felt anxiety growing. They had plenty of time before the train departed, mostly because they would wait for Twilight. Being royalty had its perks, even if she normally didn't use them. 'I wonder if everypony's there waiting to see us off...' The thought made her anxiety worse, 'If everypony's waiting on us, then that's less time they could be using for-' Her thought came to an end as a sky-blue pegasus with a rainbow mane landed beside her. She immediately turned to her friend and smiled.

"Sorry I took so long, just wanted to make sure everything was locked up and whatnot," Rainbow apologized.

"That's alright," Twilight replied. She swallowed and looked away from Rainbow. "Thank's for..."

Rainbow scooted closer to Twilight and laid a wing over her back. Twilight smiled and leaned into her. "You don't have to thank me, you know."

Twilight looked at her wryly. "I'm just barely capable of taking care of myself," she corrected. "I..." She looked at her hooves, "I can't even... sleep alone, and... and you do so much for me..."

Rainbow smiled at Twilight. "I'm just glad you're happy.

Twilight nestled against the pegasus. Rainbow shifted her weight, still uncomfortable with the idea, but allowing Twilight to relax in her embrace. Twilight smiled and watched the sun lazily fall out of the sky, guided by Princess Celestia's magic. After a few minutes, she shook her head and sighed dejectedly. "We should probably get going. There's no sense in forcing them to wait on us any longer than necessary." Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and stood up and extended her wings out from her sides, although she didn't extend them fully, as much as she wanted to brush them against Rainbow's coat, she knew from experience Rainbow didn't like it.

"Uh... okay," Rainbow said as she stood up. "You have everything you need?"

Twilight bobbed her head. "Probably. I'm just taking the tea, my tiara, and regalia. I don't really need to bring anything else..."

Rainbow eyed Twilight cautiously. "You don't sound very sure about this trip."

"I'm not," Twilight said flatly. She turned to face Rainbow. "I don't want to leave everypony, but I don't want to stay here. I think it'll be good for me to take a break, but... I... I'm worried."

"Oh come on! It'll be fine, Twilight," Rainbow reassured. "Seriously, you're overthinking it. The week will fly by, and you know it, and then we'll be back in Ponyville!" She paused, then tilted her head. "Are you worried about... uh... you know...?"

Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably. "A-a little," she admitted with a stutter. "I..."

Rainbow stood up and slid over to Twilight, then sat down in front of her and wrapped her wings around her. "The whole point of the trip is to relax, Twilight. If... that is making you nervous, we can... do something else, then..."

Twilight winced. "I... it's just, I've never... done this before..." she trailed off sheepishly.

Rainbow blinked and pulled back. "Yeah, I kinda figured that." She paused and looked away. "I've not done this before either, so you really don't need to worry about everything being perfect... I know you pretty well already, Twilight. We've been friends for years."

"You're still uncomfortable with... with that idea and being around me, though..." Twilight mumbled. "Plus..." she trailed off, biting her lip, not wanting to bring up something that would hurt both of them.

Rainbow winced. "I... Look, I'm not good with the whole... affection... thing, okay? You should know that."

"I do," Twilight replied defensively. "It's..." she trailed off shaking her head. Twilight sighed and relented. For a few second, she hung her head low, then she lifted it back up and smiled at Rainbow. "The girls are probably waiting on us at the train station..."

"Then let's not keep them waiting!" Rainbow beat her wings and jumped into the air. She hovered in the air for a few seconds while Twilight spread her wings and took flight, then the pair flew into Ponyville, then to the train station.

As Twilight expected, the train was there, along with four other mares, all waiting on them. Rainbow looked at Twilight and saw that her expression was strained. 'It wouldn't take much to convince you to stay in Ponyville, would it?' She sighed at the thought, not knowing whether Twilight would be swayed to stay, or would follow through and go. Regardless of Twilight's choice, she'd go or stay with her, the alicorn needed somepony to help her, and that pony would be her. She still didn't really think of Twilight as her marefriend, or fillyfriend, or special somepony. To her, Twilight was just her friend, but Twilight needed her, and she wouldn't let her down.

The four mares finally noticed them as they flew towards the ground and landed. "Girls," Twilight acknowledged. The four of them said nothing, instead, they pulled Twilight into a group hug. Rainbow could see Twilight's pained expression, and she quickly joined the hug, trying to distract Twilight from her fears and worries. Eventually, the hug broke apart. "I'm going to miss you all," Twilight added solemnly.

Applejack smiled and shook her head. "Shoot, Twilight, you're just gonna be gone for a week. Aint that long, you've got nothing to worry about! Just relax and enjoy your trip, Celestia knows you deserve it!" Twilight smiled a little at Applejack's reassurance.

"I may be making a trip to Canterlot later this week," Rarity said. "I have a delivery for a special client, and I may deliver it in person. If I do, I'll be sure to stop by, Twilight."

"Stay safe, Twilight," Fluttershy said softly. The pegasus turned to Rainbow, "Take good care of her, Rainbow."

Rainbow smirked. "Of course I will!" she affirmed.

Over the course of the next few minutes, they all said their goodbyes and parting words. The four mares stuck with them until they boarded. As soon as Twilight stepped inside of the train car, her ears fell back against her head, but she didn't slow down until they were in the next car. Rainbow placed a hoof on her shoulder. Twilight looked at Rainbow, the pegasus was brashly smiling. Twilight weakly returned the smile. She averted her gaze from Rainbow and scanned the car they were in, the car was far from packed, but she still found herself uncomfortable. She didn't want to be around anypony, with the exception of Rainbow Dash. For the most part, everybody on the car ignored both of them, aside from the occasional look and shock at realizing who she was, but Twilight was thankful nopony tried to stop her or talk to her.

Twilight worked up her courage, then continued further back. They crossed multiple cars until they eventually reached their destination, a private royal cabin that Twilight had rarely used before. She had only decided to use it since she wanted to be alone. Rainbow casually strode into the car, and Twilight locked the door behind her, then she sat down on her haunches.

Rainbow took the time to admire the gilded decor and edges to everything. "This is pretty cool," she commented as she walked further in and found a kitchen and dining room. "And this is all yours?" she asked. After a few seconds of silence, she turned around and stopped smiling. "Twilight?"

Twilight stood up and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry... Yes, Celestia gave me this."

Rainbow turned around and walked over to the wall, then ran her hoof over the golden edge. "Why don't you use it more often?" she asked.

Twilight walked over to her. "Normally I don't see the point in it," she admitted. "It's more trouble than it's worth most of the time."

Rainbow looked back at Twilight. "It's more trouble than it's worth? Really?" She shook her head and groaned. "So why are we using it now?"

Twilight smiled wryly and bobbed her head. "I wanted the privacy," she admitted.

Rainbow pulled away from the wall and walked further back through the car. "I guess I can understand that..." she said in a low voice. She counted four rooms with beds and two rooms that were bathrooms, then turned around and walked back to Twilight. She paused as the train whistle blew. It sounded quieter than it should have been. She opened her mouth, only for Twilight to cut her off.

"The car's enchanted," Twilight explained. She walked over to the couch against the wall on the right and laid down on her stomach. "Sound dampening, resistance to damage, et cetera."

Rainbow walked over to the couch and laid down on the opposite side, facing Twilight. There was maybe a head of distance between their muzzles, even with Twilight's neck fully extended. "It's going to be a long ride without Pinkie Pie," Rainbow commented wryly.

Twilight grimaced. "Yeah..." She lifted her head up and looked out the window. "But at least it's an overnight trip..."

Both of them laid there in silence as the train lurched forwards and began to accelerate. Twilight felt her heartbeat accelerate steadily with the train's increase in pace, and she fluffed her wings. She looked up and out the window, watching as the train station passed by, worrying that she was making the wrong choice. Rainbow frowned, then reached out and wrapped her arms around Twilight and pull her closer. Twilight looked away from the window and at Rainbow with a curious expression. Rainbow lifted her up and pulled her onto herself so that Twilight's arms were just behind her head. After a few seconds, Rainbow blinked. "This isn't really the best spot to do this, is it?"

"Not... really," Twilight agreed, stifling a giggle. She cautiously stepped off of Rainbow and turned back, seeing Rainbow sit up. The car shook as the train lurched again. Rainbow slid off the couch and walked up beside Twilight. "I... know it's still early, but..."

Rainbow looked at Twilight with apprehension. "You... want to cuddle again, don't you?" Twilight blushed lightly and nodded vigorously, not trusting her voice. "That's... fine..." Rainbow agreed. Twilight looked at her and swallowed, bobbing her head. Rainbow groaned in annoyance. "Look, Twi, we're supposed to be dating. Yes, I'm uncomfortable with cuddling with you, even though I enjoy it, just because of how uncool it is. I enjoy it, but it's uncool."

Twilight shifted her weight. "Does... that make you and me uncool?" she hesitantly asked.

Rainbow opened her mouth to respond, then closed it and shook her head. "No," she answered. "Look, I'm giving this a go, but-"

"But you still don't have feelings for me," Twilight surmised.

Rainbow let out an annoyed groan, then lowered her head and slid under Twilight and lifted the alicorn onto her back. She immediately walked towards one of the bedchambers, then lowered Twilight to the ground and nudged her inside with her muzzle. Twilight rubbed her wings against her sides nervously as Rainbow shut the door and the lock clicked. Rainbow turned around and looked at Twilight solemnly. "Look, Twilight, maybe I feel nothing more than friendship for you, but I'm still doing this for you, it makes you happy and it's nice."

Twilight smiled, then looked at the floor and ran her hoof in a circle over the plush carpet. She pursed her lips, then lowered her head further. "I... feel like I'm taking advantage of you," she admitted.

Rainbow walked over to her, then lifted her head back up with a hoof. "Don't," she said firmly. "I want you to be happy," she added with a smile.

Twilight looked away from Rainbow and walked over to the Window and peered outside. "But... if you don't feel anything for me, isn't this just a lie?" she asked emptily, turning around.

Rainbow hesitated a second, then walked over to Twilight. She knew from the past few days how much she meant to Twilight. She felt like she had the conversation she was having with her now every single day since she asked Twilight to go on a date with her, and it annoyed her. "You're overthinking it, Twilight." She wrapped her wings around Twilight, then pulled her away from the window and walked them over to the bed, then she fell backwards on it and looked at Twilight expectantly.

Twilight bit her lip, then put a hoof on the bed and pulled herself up. Rainbow wrapped her limbs around Twilight, then pulled her up on top of herself and smiled at Twilight. "Am I going to have to publish a book to make you realize that you need to stop worrying and just relax?" she asked with a chuckle. At Twilight's thoughtful look, she stopped laughing and looked at her seriously. "That was a joke," she said dryly.

Twilight smiled awkwardly at her. "I... don't think that would help anyway..."

Rainbow shook her head. "Am I going to have to just... cuddle with you this entire week to make you feel better?"

Twilight giggled and smiled. "I... would like that," she admitted softly. She laid her head down on Rainbow's chest and looked up at her. "But... We'd still have to do other things," she said sadly.

Rainbow blinked, still thinking about her suggestion. She shrugged as best she could from her position, then wrapped her wings around Twilight and rolled over onto her side. She pulled Twilight up so that she was lying on the pillow with her head right beside hers. Twilight slid her head off the pillow and laid it on Rainbow's arm, snuggling into her chest. Rainbow smiled and laid her head over the top of Twilight's head. "I really need to make this up to you somehow," Twilight said softly. "You've sacrificed so much for me, and I haven't given you anything you want in return..."

"Twiiiiliiiight..." Rainbow groaned. "I've already told you that you don't have to do anything for me. I want to... I want to do this..." she trailed off, staring at the wall. 'I do, don't I?' she asked herself. She smiled a little and nuzzled Twilight's mane, eliciting a giggle from her.

"Are... are you... sure?" Twilight asked, pulling back from Rainbow. She shifted her weight in Rainbow's embrace. "I-I mean... I... would do anything for you..." she said at length, trailing off and looking away from Rainbow while blushing lightly.

"Twilight, I don't want you to give me something just because you can do that," Rainbow replied with a smile. "I'd rather earn something than just have you... make a royal decree or whatever."

Twilight smiled sheepishly. "I know what you mean..." she giggled. "You'd rather work for something and earn it than have it given to you..." she trailed off, nuzzling into Rainbow's chest and smiling happily. She rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's chest, then laid her head on Rainbow's warm neck.

The morning rays of light assaulted Twilight's closed eyes, and despite the alicorn's attempts to block them out, they persisted. She pressed her eyelids together, then blinked open one eye, smiling at the sky-blue body at the bottom of her vision. Even if the sun was out to get her, she wouldn't let it steal the joy that her friend brought her. She gently nuzzled Rainbow's neck, then smiled contently as she watched the pine trees pass by out the window.

A good night's rest had done wonders for her. Gone was the stress and worry about leaving her friends behind yesterday, instead, it had been replaced with eagerness, excitement, and contentment. She averted her gaze from the window and looked over Rainbow's back, scrutinizing every inch. After she finished, she shifted her head and looked down her side. Her attention was drawn to Rainbow's wing, which was unfurled over her back. The sight made her smile widen. Each feather was gently laid on her side, and Rainbow's wing was loosely wrapped around her back. Feeling Rainbow's soft feathers shifting ever so slightly each time either of them breathed made her want to snuggle closer to the pegasus.

She did just that, wrapping her arms and legs around Rainbow's body. If her wings hadn't been pinned beneath Rainbow's wings, she would have wrapped them around the pegasus. After a few seconds of thinking and silently pouting over that, she slowly and carefully pried her wing out from under Rainbow's wing. The pegasus mumbled something inaudible in her sleep and tightened her grip while nuzzling the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight stifled a giggle and laid her wing on Rainbow.

After a few minutes, Rainbow started to stir, nuzzling into Twilight's mane and sighing contently, drawing a happy smile from Twilight. Rainbow flexed her muscles, pulling Twilight closer, then released and rubbed her cheek against the pillow. Twilight slid her head up to face Rainbow. The pegasus smiled, but her eyes were still closed. Twilight rolled her head off of her favorite pillow and laid it on the other pillow. She smiled at Rainbow, waiting for her to open an eye.

After a few seconds, Rainbow cracked open and eye. It took her a few seconds to regain her senses. She blinked several times and let out a content sigh. "Morning, Twi..."

"Spitfire's going to be mad when you go back to the Wonderbolts and sleep in and end up being late," Twilight giggled.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and pressed her limbs against Twilight, then rolled over onto her back, pulling the alicorn onto her stomach. "I won't be late," Rainbow responded firmly.

Twilight giggled and shifted her weight to roll off of Rainbow. Twilight immediately stared into Rainbow's eyes, looking at the pegasus fondly. After a few seconds, Rainbow turned away from Twilight and stood up, feeling uncomfortable. "What time is it?" she asked as she glanced out the window.

Twilight fluttered her wings and jumped off the bed. She slid up beside Rainbow and leaned her head against the mare. "We should arrive in Canterlot within two hours, I think..."

"Breakfast?" Rainbow asked. She glanced at Twilight. "Or would you rather wait until we're in Canterlot."

Twilight leaned away fromRainbow and sat down on her haunches. "Well, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will have already ate by the time we get there, and I'm not sure I really want to go someplace for breakfast, and I don't really want to bother the kitchen staff for something..." She shook her head. "The kitchen should be well stocked," she commented as she stood up and walked to the door. She was so happy with how the morning was going that she instinctively reached out with her magic to open the door. She pursed her lips and frowned. She glanced back at Rainbow as the pegasus walked up to her, then she quickly fumbled with the lock and slid the door open.

The doorway was large enough for both of them to walk out side by side, but Rainbow let Twilight go out first, then followed her. Twilight turned to the right and walked into the open area that served as the kitchen and dining room. Rainbow couldn't help but smirk at Twilight's obliviousness at the state her mane was in. "You should probably brush your mane before we get to Canterlot," she said teasingly.

Twilight paused and turned around, then hastily made her way to the bathroom. "It's not that bad is it?" she asked as she walked passed Rainbow.

"It's as bad as normal," Rainbow said as she turned to follow Twilight. "Maybe a little worse..."

"I'm not the only one with bed mane," Twilight commented as she turned into the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door.

Rainbow sauntered up to the doorway and peered inside. She snickered at Twilight's face in the mirror, looking at herself with a mixture of confusion and horror. "Can you actually tell a difference in my mane?" Rainbow asked, drawing Twilight's attention away from her mane.

Twilight's eyes shifted position and stared back at Rainbow. "Your mane may not normally be as well-kempt as mine, but I can tell a difference." She looked back at her mane and sighed. "This is going to take forever..."

Rainbow bobbed her head and walked into the bathroom. "Well... at least at least your mane's almost back to normal length, right?" Twilight smiled, then lifted her hoof to the cabinet and pulled out a brush. She sat down on her haunches and set the brush on the sink, then she unfastened her regalia and set it aside. She pulled her mane to the right side of her neck, then tilted her head to the left and picked up the brush again. Rainbow sat down beside Twilight and watched her struggle to run the brush through her mane. "Here, give me the brush."

Twilight paused, then turned to her. After a second, she pulled the brush away from her mane. Rainbow took it in her mouth, then stood up and walked around behind Twilight and straddled her. She pulled Twilight up against her, then ran the brush through her mane. She gently tugged through knots, occasionally drawing a wince from Twilight. "Shawwy," Rainbow hastily apologized.

"That's-" Twilight grunted as Rainbow tugged again- "okay." She watched Rainbow in the mirror. Despite the occasionally sharp pain from Rainbow's actions, she enjoyed it, and she was both surprised and heartened by Rainbow brushing her mane. After a few minutes, Rainbow worked most of the knots out, and she changed tactics from short tugs to long strokes. She gently ran the brush through Twilight's mane, straightening it and fighting off its desire to stray from Twilight's normal well-kempt mane. Twilight closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the feeling.

Eventually, Rainbow finished with the back of Twilight's mane and stepped back from Twilight. "Turn around," she said. Twilight stood up and turned around in place, then sat down on her haunches and lowered her head to give Rainbow better access to her bangs. Rainbow pulled the brush out of her mouth and held it in her hooves. She looked at Twilight, then sat the brush down and brought a hoof to her forehead. Twilight shied away from her touch as Rainbow lifted her mane away and looked at her forehead.

"It doesn't normally hurt when I brush my mane," Twilight commented, staring at Rainbow's body.

"Okay," Rainbow replied. "It wouldn't be in such bad shape if you weren't so intent on cuddling," she commented, then picked the brush up with her hooves then scooted closer to Twilight. Twilight pouted at her, putting on an exaggerated expression of hurt. Rainbow looked at Twilight's expression and winced. "Not that I don't enjoy it!" she hastily added. Twilight smiled and giggled. Rainbow rolled her eyes and started running the brush through her bangs. The strokes were long and slow, even with her bangs being shorter than the back of her mane.

Twilight sighed, while having Rainbow brush her bangs was nice, it still wasn't as nice as having her brush the rest of her mane. Rainbow smiled and continued brushing her mane with gentle strokes. Twilight's mane fought back, not wanting to surrender to Rainbow's actions, but while Twilight's mane was a mess from having just woken up, her bangs weren't long enough to put up a fight for too long. Within a minute, she finished and set the brush back down on the sink.

Twilight smiled up at her, not quite meeting her gaze or matching her height. "Thank you," she said timidly. "That... meant a lot to me."

Rainbow smiled. "Well, it was quicker, wasn't it?"

Twilight giggled and turned around. She scrutinized her mane in the mirror. It wasn't perfect, but her mane hadn't been perfect in nearly three months. "Do you want me to... brush your mane?" Twilight offered.

Rainbow smiled but shook her head. "No, thanks. I can take care of it."

Twilight bit her lip. "A-are you sure? I... I would like to return the favor..." she trailed off with a light blush.

Rainbow watched Twilight for a few seconds, then she put her hooves on Twilight's shoulders. "You..." she trailed off, considering it. It was weird, she could brush her own mane. Twilight could brush her mane too, but it would have taken her a while. Twilight wasn't used to using her hooves or her mouth for things like that, while Rainbow was. "Twilight," she said softly. 'I can't just tell her why she shouldn't... That would hurt her...' "My mane's fine," she said. "Maybe tomorrow?" she offered.

Twilight smiled at her. "O-okay, then." After a few seconds, she looked away from Rainbow and scrutinized her tail. It didn't look as bad as her mane did, but it was still bad enough. She grimaced then took the brush in her hooves and scooted around to face the mirror, then pulled her tail up along her chest and started pulling the brush through it with long strokes. The brush never caught on any snags, which she was thankful for.

Rainbow watched her the whole time, considering offering to help her with her tail, an offer that made her uncomfortable. 'I'm supposed to be helping her...' she finally told herself. Even with that, her unease remained. She shifted her weight, then looked at Twilight's eyes in the mirror, which were directed to her abdomen. "You want me to brush your tail?" Rainbow asked quickly.

Twilight paused and looked back up at Rainbow. "I don't have a problem brushing my tail, it's just my mane that I have problems with," she said.

"Oh, okay," Rainbow replied in relief.

Twilight hesitated for a few seconds before resuming brushing her tail. Rainbow continued to watch her in the mirror, and more than once Twilight glanced back at her. Eventually, she finished and put the brush down on the sink.

Rainbow flashed Twilight a smile, then pulled back from her and stood up. Twilight mimicked her and stood up, then followed Rainbow out of the bathroom and into the main room. She broke off from Rainbow and jumped up onto the couch. She hesitated and glanced at Rainbow. Rainbow picked up two apples and sniffed them, then she flew over to Twilight and sat down beside her, handing her the apple she held in her left hoof.

Twilight smiled and happily accepted the apple.

Twilight and Rainbow casually strode out of the train and onto the platform, mixing in with the bustling crowd of ponies being exchanged and darting about. Since Twilight was nearly indistinguishable from a normal pony and was wearing neither her crown nor regalia, nopony paid much attention to her, she was just another face in a crowd of ponies. If somepony had bothered to look more closely, they would have realized who she was, but everypony was preoccupied.

Twilight wasn't sure what she had expected, but she was grateful for the anonymity. Nopony stared at her, or more specifically, nopony stared at her missing horn. It made her feel more at ease, although she was not relaxed. She felt tense and stayed closer to Rainbow than normal as they looked around. "Uh, Twilight, is it normally this busy?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight turned to her and shook her head. A pony passed by to her left and she scooted closer to Rainbow, almost pressing their coats together. Twilight followed the stallion with her eyes, then looked back at Rainbow. "No, not normally," she said. She looked around then shook her head. "Well, no sense in just waiting around..."

"Lead the way, Twilight," Rainbow said, smiling lightly.

Twilight shifted her weight, then started off, skillfully navigating her way through the crowd and making her way off the platform, and out of the train station. Rainbow followed closely behind her, careful not to lose sight of the alicorn. Outside the train station was nowhere near as crowded and busy as inside, nor the platform. It was like a completely different world, going from overcrowded and barely having enough room to squeeze between ponies, to only a handful of ponies in sight. Twilight was perplexed by seeing two guards on patrol but pushed it aside. She set off down the street at a leisurely trot, heading towards the castle.

Every so often, she passed a couple of ponies, and they would glance at her. Each time it felt like their gazes lingered a little longer. Without the busy crowd, more ponies took the time to notice her and realize who she was. She ignored them for the most part, with the exception of the occasional wave from somepony being friendly. Rainbow for her part watched the ponies watching Twilight with skepticism. "You didn't use to draw so much attention to yourself," she commented.

Twilight smiled wryly. "You would think that we would have drawn more attention to ourselves by saving Equestria multiple times, than by my saving a single town..." she mumbled.

"Well..." Rainbow said hesitantly. "Maybe... it's because most of those times we didn't lose anything?" she asked.

Twilight came to a stop, then turned around and looked at her. She opened her mouth, then looked at the cobblestone street. Over the next few seconds, she lowered her head. "Probably," she sighed. A second later, she pulled her head back up and fluffed her wings. "But you'd think an alicorn would stand out more than a pegasus..."

Rainbow frowned. "Twilight, you're not a pegasus, you're-"

Twilight smiled sadly. "I look like one now, don't I? Besides, my physical strength hasn't recovered either, and since I don't have my horn, I can't use my unicorn or alicorn magic, so for all purposes, I'm a pegasus."

Rainbow groaned and shook her head. "Look, you'll always be an alicorn to me. So what if ponies think you're just a pegasus? I'm pretty sure they know who you are, Twilight," she said with a wave of her hoof, motioning at the ponies glancing at her. "And even if they don't, what does that matter?"

"You think they actually know who I am?" Twilight asked with a tilt of her head.

Rainbow's face twisted and she grunted. "Ugh, Twilight..." She shook her head and rubbed her temple with a hoof. She looked at Twilight seriously, "I don't think I've seen a pony with a coat similar to yours before, and you're taller than most ponies. And your cutie mark is pretty unique, too."

Twilight smiled lightly and shook her head. "I guess it doesn't matter..." she trailed off, looking at the ground. After a few seconds, she looked back up at Rainbow. "Just because we're not going to be eating breakfast with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, that doesn't mean that I don't want to get to the castle in a timely manner."

Rainbow stretched out her wings. "We could fly, you know."

Twilight winced and looked away from Rainbow. "I'd... rather not..." she said at length. She turned around. "Let's just go..." she said quickly.

Rainbow watched her walk for a couple seconds, then ran up beside her and matched her pace. "What was that about?" she asked.

Twilight glanced at the street. "It's not important," she said.

Rainbow frowned. "Well... obviously it is if it's bothering you..." she trailed off, trying to figure out what could be bothering Twilight. "You're not feeling sick, are you? Tired?"

Twilight picked her head back up and shook her head. "No..." she said. She cast a sideways glance at Rainbow. "I just... I don't feel like flying," she lied. Rainbow's eyelids twitched. Twilight held her wings against her body a little tighter. "It would... wear me out," she added.

Rainbow watched her for a few more seconds, then looked away from Twilight. She knew that it would wear her out, but she wondered if there was something more to it than that. "If you say so..." she trailed off.

Half an hour later, they arrived at their destination. Twilight immediately started up the stairway, and Rainbow followed her, flying beside her. Less than half a minute later, they reached the top, and Twilight pushed open the doors. She smiled. "Never having to lock anything because of the castle being guarded is nice," she said. She stepped inside, then Rainbow entered behind her, eyes trailing over the large room. Twilight shut the door behind her, then locked it. "It's also nice that Celestia and Luna maintain it for me since I'm never here."

Rainbow nodded absently. "I can imagine..." She was impressed. Twilight's castle in Ponyville was larger, especially considering that her castle was an actual castle, rather than just a tower, but it didn't have the same feel as the tower. Where the crystal castle would have been fit to rule a nation from, this one felt more like someone's home. The walls, instead of being impersonal, sharply-angled and smooth crystals, appeared to be smooth and solid, painted a light purple-brown color. There was a large queen-sized bed against the wall to the right and towards the center of the room, with a desk sitting to the right of that bed. The covers were plain, light blue, not quite the same shade as her coat, and the pillow cases were pale lavender.

There was a large, arched double window positioned so that you could look out of it from the bed, and opposite of the double window there was a large doorway to a balcony. The room itself was curved into a circle, but large enough that the curve didn't make anything look out of place. Rainbow glanced to her left and was unsurprised to see a bookshelf, although she was surprised that it wasn't any larger than what it was. Just beyond the bookshelf, there were two more doors.

The room had a tall ceiling, and Rainbow imagined that she could do a couple stunts inside, but she brushed the idea off, not wanting to make a mess. "This place is nice," she said. "I'm surprised that you'd rather live in Ponyville if this is what you have in Canterlot..." she trailed off, looking at Twilight.

Twilight turned around and looked at her. "Well... it's... closer to you girls," she explained. "I'll... probably end up moving back to Canterlot in..." she trailed off. "In a century or two..." she paused and swallowed. "Although I do have my own castle, so maybe I really wouldn't need to move back to Canterlot. I would be closer to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but-"

"So!" Rainbow said loudly. Twilight smiled sheepishly at her. Rainbow flew over to the bed, then pulled her saddlebags off her back and held them in her hooves. "Where do you want these?"

"Just anywhere is fine for now," Twilight replied.

"Okay." Rainbow flew over to the left side of the bed and set the saddlebags against the wall, then she flew over to the balcony door and landed. She pushed open the door with a gentle touch of her hoof, then stepped outside. She smiled. "This view is awesome! You can see Ponyville from here!"

Twilight giggled and set her saddlebags down, then walked out onto the balcony. "It is a nice view," she said with a smile, enjoying the gentle breeze blowing through her mane and tail. The cool mountain air was refreshing, she had missed it dearly. As much as she enjoyed Ponyville and the warmth of the sun, there was just something about Canterlot's atmosphere that made her feel at home. It wasn't the same as Ponyville, and it wasn't as peaceful or comforting, but it was where she grew up. She giggled and sat down on her haunches, leaning against Rainbow.

Rainbow blinked, then glanced sideways at Twilight. She smiled, then sat down on beside Twilight. "I don't think you've ever told us what it was like growing up in Canterlot."

Twilight frowned. "It... never really came up," she said sadly. She tilted her head and looked off at Ponyville. "It was... Well, I'm not really going to be able to give you the best idea... I mean, I didn't really have the most normal foalhood. I was introverted even then and mostly kept to myself, outside of my family. The first time I saw Princess Celestia raise the sun, it inspired me, but it didn't really help me make friends..." she trailed off, blushing.

Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah, and for a while when you first came to Ponyville, you just..." she shook her head. "You consulted a book for everything..."

"L-like I said, I... wasn't very social, and..." Twilight quickly shook her head. "Nevermind..." she said quickly. "Anyway, I hatched Spike in the entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns... Which, I mean, I had actually already been accepted by that time, it was a test to see how I handled failure... They didn't expect a filly to be able to hatch a dragon egg..." she trailed off. "Princess Celestia took me in as her student... And I lived with my parents for a few years, then I moved into the castle when I was old enough for more rigorous studies." Twilight smiled at the memory, then turned to Rainbow. "What was it like growing up in Cloudsdale?"

Rainbow grimaced and bobbed her head. "It was okay, I guess... I mean, I never knew my mom, but my dad was there for me. He was always busy, but he did a good job of balancing everything, even though I gave him a hard time..." she trailed off rubbing the back of her mane. Twilight giggled. "Flight school wasn't the best time of my life... bullies, rules... But, I did meet Gilda and Fluttershy there, so it wasn't a complete loss. The ponies in Cloudsdale are... not as friendly as in Ponyville. They keep to themselves more, but they're not as hostile as some ponies. I guess I'd say I had a pretty good foalhood, all things considered."

Twilight bit her lip and met Rainbow's gaze. "What... happened to your mother?"

Rainbow grimaced. "She died from complications giving birth to me..."

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and looked at the floor, ears pinned back against her head. "I... never knew that. I'm sorry I asked..."

Rainbow looked at Twilight and wrapped a wing around her, then pulled her back against her. "Don't be... it doesn't bother me. And if anything, I think my dad took his love for her and put it all on me. And after I was friends with Fluttershy, her parents and my dad got along well so they were like a second family to me." Silence filled the air for a good quarter of a minute before she spoke again. "What about your family?"

Twilight licked her lips. "Well... minor nobility, fairly wealthy... My parents were good parents. I rarely saw them after I moved to the castle, but before that we did lots of things together. I kind of drifted away from them..." She blushed. "I never even told you that I had a brother until he was getting married..." Rainbow laughed lightly at the memory. "I don't think I've met your dad before, but you met my mom and dad the last time we were in the Crystal Empire..."

"They seemed nice," Rainbow commented, then she frowned. "Uh... I don't remember seeing them visit you when you were... you know, in the hospital..."

Twilight grimaced. "Yeah... They were... still are... on a trip to Saddle Arabia. They probably don't even know that something happened..." She shook her head and smiled. "If they did, they would have been there before Shining Armor and Cadance," she said with a light laugh. A few seconds later, her stomach growled. Rainbow looked at her and pulled her wing back. Twilight leaned away and looked at her hooves, blushing. "An apple really wasn't that much to eat for breakfast for me..." she said quickly.

"Oh... uh... Alicorn meta-whatever?" Rainbow asked uncertainly.

Twilight nodded quickly, looking away from her. "Metabolism," she corrected.

Rainbow grimaced. "You want to go get an early lunch then, or-"

Twilight shook her head. "No... I should be able to find something in the kitchen. Despite having the castle staff willing to cook for me, Celestia makes sure that my personal kitchen is well-stocked... although I'm not really a good cook... Spike does most of the cooking..." Rainbow grimaced and shifted her weight uncomfortably. Twilight saw Rainbow out of the corner of her eye. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, then stopped. "I... I don't mean meat if that's what you think..."

Rainbow looked at Twilight. "Oh."

Twilight pursed her lips. "Although, I'll probably have some for dinner tonight..."

"Oh..." Rainbow trailed off.

"Um..." Twilight turned to Rainbow. "I don't think Celestia or Luna plan to have meat, but... Y-you... don't have to have dinner with us tonight, if it will make you uncomfortable..."

Rainbow shifted her weight. "No... I'll... go with you... I mean, I've seen you eat meat before..."

"It always makes you uncomfortable," Twilight countered.

Rainbow grimaced. "It does a little..." she admitted. "But, I mean, if we're dating, then I should get used to it, right?" She looked at Twilight seriously.

Twilight shifted her weight and looked at the floor. She hated making Rainbow uncomfortable. "I... guess..." she said hesitantly. "I still don't want to make you uncomfortable. You already do so much for me anyway, I-"

Rainbow held Twilight tightly to her side with her wing in a reassuring manner, then let up on her hold. Twilight smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it, okay? It makes me a little uncomfortable, but it's not like it's a big deal..."

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow's neck. "Thanks..." She leaned away from Rainbow and stood up. She had mixed feelings about Rainbow's wing leaving her back. On one hoof, she loved feeling her feathers slide over her coat, on the other hoof, she missed her wing. She shook the thought aside as Rainbow stood up and walked back inside. She spared a glance at Ponyville again. It looked different from years ago, it had changed a lot. She shook her head and walked back inside, shutting the door behind her.

Rainbow was looking around, focused between two doors on the side of the room opposite of the bed. "Where is the kitchen anyway?"

"Oh, right..." She trailed off and pointed at the door on the left. "The rest of the tower is accessible through that door, and then the door on the right is to the bathroom."

"Okay," Rainbow replied. She flew over to the door, then opened it. "And the kitchen is where?" she asked, looking back at Twilight.

Twilight shook her head and smiled. "I'll show you around."

"So I take it since we had lunch here, you don't really feel like going out around Canterlot today?" Rainbow asked as she closed the door to the stairway behind her. Twilight looked back at her apologetically and nodded, then she turned back around and continued walking towards her bed. Rainbow waited by the door while Twilight climbed up in bed and laid down on her back.

Twilight stared up at the ceiling and sprawled out across the bed, relaxing. Rainbow stared at her for a few seconds, then blinked and casually flew over to the bed and landed. Twilight looked away from the ceiling and at her. "I've missed Canterlot," she said. "But I don't really feel like doing much of anything today..."

"Are you feeling alright?" Rainbow asked as she climbed up onto the bed.

Twilight smiled. "Yes, I'm okay. Just..." she trailed off and her expression fell. "I'm nervous," she admitted. "I haven't been out much since..." She pulled her wings back to her sides and rolled over so that she faced Rainbow. "And... I'm nervous about tonight."

Rainbow chuckled and shook her head. "Don't you like... have dinner with the princesses all the time?"

Twilight smiled wryly. "I... did..." she said at length. "But... this will be the first time with... well..." she trailed off, looking at the bed.

"Me?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight hesitantly nodded. "And without the rest of the girls," she hastily added.

"Hey, I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you!" Rainbow jabbed Twilight in the shoulder with a hoof, eliciting a small smile from the alicorn. She sat down on her haunches and smiled at Twilight.

Twilight sighed. "It's... not you I'm worried about..." she trailed off, biting her lip.

Rainbow frowned. "What then?"

Twilight shifted her weight and grimaced. "It's... Celestia and Luna..." she trailed off.

Rainbow's frown deepened. "Why are you nervous about them?" Twilight said nothing. Rainbow shifted her weight and laid down beside Twilight, draping a wing over her stomach. Twilight smiled softly at Rainbow as the pegasus pulled her closer.

"I'm... probably just worried about nothing," Twilight replied.

Rainbow smiled. "Of course you are! Just relax Twi, nothing bad is gonna happen." She paused and glanced away from Twilight, then looked back at her and smiled wider. "I won't let anything bad happen. I promise."

Twilight snorted and smiled. She nuzzled Rainbow and slid her forehead up against the pegasus' shoulder. "Thank you." She pulled back from Rainbow and looked at her fondly. "I don't have anything scheduled for today other than dinner with Celestia and Luna tonight," she said. "Do you want to..?" she trailed off.

"Tonight," Rainbow said with a smile. "I kinda need to stretch my wings..."

"Oh, I could-"

Rainbow winced. "Sorry, Twilight... I kinda need a good workout. It's been a while since I've pushed myself and... Spitfire would be mad if she found out I wasn't staying active."

"Oh..." Twilight replied, looking at her own chest. "I..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say. "I'll just... stay here."

"Sorry, Twilight... I know how much being close to me means to you..." Rainbow said softly. She pulled the alicorn close and wrapped her arms and legs around her, then rolled over onto her back and smiled up at her.

"It's fine..." Twilight relented in a soft voice. She looked up and met Rainbow's gaze, smiling tenderly. She pulled away as Rainbow loosened her grip and made a mental note to ask Princess Celestia why Rainbow Dash was still physically stronger than her. Despite her recovery progressing smoothly, her strength was recovering slowly, or at least it felt slow to her. "I'll probably take a bath while you're gone then since I didn't have one this morning and I want to look my best for tonight..." she trailed off. Despite knowing that their dinner with the princesses wasn't the date she had planned, she still wanted to look presentable, which meant she needed to take care of something that she wanted to pretend wasn't a problem. She mentally prepared herself for the task and smiled down at the pegasus. "Don't forget about dinner tonight... Don't... spend the whole day exercising, or if you do at least come back to take a shower first..."

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to spend the whole day flying, Twilight. I just need to get a good workout in." Rainbow rolled over onto her side and released Twilight. "I'll be back in a bit," she said as she pulled away from Twilight, then flew over to the door, barely stopping to open the door before leaving and closing the door behind her.

Twilight smiled and looked out the window, watching the faint rainbow streak fly off into the sky and fade, leaving her to her thoughts which caused the smile to fade.

Rainbow sighed as she landed back outside the door to Twilight's tower. Her wings burned and ached, and she breathed heavily. She felt out of shape. She was still in better shape than most pegasi, but she was a Wonderbolt. She was going to have to dedicate more time to exercising if she was going to stay in shape and not get yelled at by Spitfire. She winced at that thought and she pushed the door open. "Twilight, I'm back!" she called out.

"Ow!"

Rainbow closed the door behind her and looked at the door to the bathroom. She tentatively walked over to the door. "Twilight?" she called again.

"R-Rainbow!?" Twilight stuttered. "I... Uh... I didn't expect you to be back so soon..."

Rainbow frowned, there was something off about Twilight's voice. It was higher pitched than normal. It was like she was in distress. "Are you okay?" Rainbow asked as she put her ear up against the door, listening for anything that was off.

"Y-yeah!" Twilight stuttered again. "I-I'll be out... in a few minutes..."

Rainbow hesitated, then pulled away from the door, only to stop when Twilight stifled a yelp of pain. Rainbow grit her teeth and leaned back against the door. She thought she heard Twilight stifle a cry. She reached for the door handle and pushed the door open. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she didn't like what she heard.

"R-Rainbow, d-don't-" Twilight argued, but it was too late.

"Twilight... what are you doing?" Rainbow asked softly, still taking in the sight. Twilight was sprawled out on the floor, and lavender feathers were strewn about the room. The alicorn looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown, and she could see tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She glistened in the light, her coat, mane, and tail still wet from water, which had pooled on the floor beneath her. Rainbow's brows furrowed, and she clenched her jaw.

Twilight bit her lip and looked away from Rainbow while she folded her wings back to her sides. "Rainbow, I-" she croaked, words trailing off into silence, unable to speak.

Rainbow tilted her head about in uncertainty while flexing her jaw muscles. She sighed and closed her eyes. "Twilight..." she said softly. She looked behind her and silently shut the door, then walked over to the alicorn, who flinched as she approached. She leaned over the alicorn and wrapped her arms around her, then pulled Twilight into a sitting position and held her. She was briefly shocked by how cold the alicorn was, but it only made her hold her tighter. "You don't know how to preen yourself without magic, do you?" Rainbow said soberly. She didn't need Twilight to answer to know that she was right.

"N-No..." Twilight croaked, then her body shook as she silently sobbed on Rainbow's shoulder.

Rainbow nudged Twilight's head against her chest and wrapped herself around her, not caring about getting wet. She wrapped her arms around Twilight's withers and laid her head on Twilight's mane, then wrapped her wings around Twilight's back, pinning the alicorn's wings against herself. Twilight tried to shy away from the contact, but Rainbow held firm. 'I should have realized that...'

"Rai-ainbow-"

"Just relax, Twilight..." Rainbow said softly, holding firmly to the sobbing alicorn. Twilight tentatively wrapped her hooves around Rainbow and pressed against her chest. Twilight's tears mixed with water and fell into Rainbow's coat, and Rainbow found herself hurting right alongside Twilight. Her heart ached to see Twilight in such pain. She nuzzled Twilight's cold and wet mane, then sat there in silence, holding onto her while Twilight sobbed out in pain, feeling like she couldn't do anything more.

Eventually, Twilight's sobs softened, but the alicorn still shivered. When she felt strong enough, she pulled back, and Rainbow released her head. Twilight looked up at Rainbow with big, twinkling eyes. "Rainbow-"

"You should have told me, Twilight..." Rainbow said softly.

Twilight immediately averted her gaze and looked at Rainbow's now matted chest. Her ears folded back. "I-I didn't want you to... to know..." she said at length. "Y-you think I'm pa-pathetic, don-don't yo-ou?"

Rainbow pulled Twilight's head back under her head. "No, I don't, Twi..." she trailed off silently. "You're my friend."

Twilight clenched her eyes shut. "I-I can't even preen myself without my horn!"

Rainbow ran a hoof along Twilight's back in long strokes, attempting to comfort her. "But you're not a pegasus, Twi, you're an alicorn." She lifted her head off Twilight and smiled down at her. Twilight refused to look up at her, so Rainbow nudged her head up with a hoof. Twilight didn't quite meet her gaze. "Let me help you," she said gently.

Twilight's heart beat a little faster. "B-but it's personal, a-and I don't want to be a burden!"

Rainbow briefly grimaced. She sighed. "Twilight... Look, I promised I'd help you, and you can't preen... You should have told me, I would have helped you..."

Twilight shifted her weight and leaned against Rainbow. "I... I didn't want you to think that... that I was pathetic," she said in a small voice. "That... that I..." she trailed off, clenching her eyes shut.

Rainbow shook her head. "Come on..." she prodded gently. "Let me dry you off, then we can go take care of your wings, alright?"

Twilight shifted her weight uneasily as Rainbow pulled away, but she didn't voice any objections. Rainbow glanced around the room, then found a towel. She walked over to it, then picked it up in her mouth and returned to Twilight. She unfolded the towel with her wings and wrapped it around Twilight's back. "You know you're supposed to dry yourself off before you preen, right? Otherwise, you'll just mess up your feathers again.."

"I..." Twilight trailed off, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I-I'm sorry that I got water on you," she apologized, staring emptily at the floor.

Rainbow sighed and sat down behind Twilight. "Don't worry about it, okay? Just let me help you."

"O-okay," Twilight squeaked as Rainbow started running the towel over her back, drying her coat. She closed her eyes and hung her head as the pegasus continued drying off her coat, then working her way up to her mane. Rainbow ran a hoof under her mane and lifted it, then dried her mane and neck.

"Stand up," Rainbow said. Twilight stood up and shifted her weight as Rainbow ran the towel over her tail, then down her flanks and legs. Rainbow dropped the towel on the floor, then grabbed another one. "Sit down," she said. Twilight sat down on her haunches and gave Rainbow access to dry off her chest and stomach. Rainbow quickly ran the towel over Twilight's arms, drying them, and then rubbed the towel along her chest, gradually bringing it down to her abdomen and slowing.

Once Rainbow finished, Twilight felt lighter than normal. The feeling was still overwhelmed by unease and insecurity. She tentatively stood up as Rainbow threw the second towel in a hamper, then Rainbow grabbed the first towel from the floor and threw it into the hamper. "Alright, let's take care of your wings," Rainbow said as she slid up beside Twilight and laid a wing over her back, attempting to reassure her. Twilight walked forward rigidly. Rainbow opened the door and motioned Twilight out with a hoof.

Twilight looked at Rainbow with uncertainty. After a few seconds, she relented and walked into the bedroom, then laid down on her stomach on the bed. Twilight looked around the room nervously as she waited for Rainbow to land and start her work. Every second felt like a lifetime, but all too soon she felt the bed shift from Rainbow's added weight, then she felt the pegasus' hoof against her side, just behind her wing. She immediately tensed up at the contact.

"Twilight, I know you trust me, and you know I'm not going to hurt you on purpose. Relax," Rainbow said in a gentle, non-threatening manner. Twilight tentatively laid her head on the pillow and attempted to relax. She cautiously unfolded her wings and laid them out on the bed. Rainbow scooted up beside her, close enough that their coats were against each other, then she leaned down and slid her muzzle against the base of Twilight's wing. She took the first feather in her muzzle, causing Twilight to shift her weight uncomfortably, then she ran her tongue along the shaft and nudged the feather around until it was properly aligned. "I can tell you haven't done this in a while, Twi..." Rainbow commented, then leaned in and grabbed another feather, nuzzling Twilight's side in the process.

She found the task slightly daunting. Twilight's wings were larger and fuller than her own, and she was sure it was going to take longer than preening her own wings. The only benefit was that it was easier to access Twilight's wings than her own. After a few minutes, Twilight had a slight smile on her face, it was slightly pleasant, and she found it easier to relax as Rainbow continued straightening her feathers out. Occasionally, however, Rainbow would pluck a feather from her wing, which wasn't very pleasant, but it was necessary.

"This is kind of nice," Twilight commented softly while Rainbow ran her tongue over one of her feathers. "It's... not as efficient as with magic, but it's... more pleasant."

"I'll show you how to do this yourself some time once your wings aren't in such bad shape," Rainbow replied. She leaned back in and scrutinized the next feather. It looked damaged.

"Thank-" Twilight winced as Rainbow plucked the damaged feather from her wing, "-you..." She glanced back at Rainbow, who smiled apologetically. Twilight sighed and pressed her forehead against the pillow.

Every time Rainbow took one of Twilight's feather's in her mouth, she briefly pondered the taste. Like her own feathers, there wasn't much to it. There was a hint of something pleasant, though, and it was fuzzy. Fuzzier than her own feathers. All in all, all she could really say about them were that they were Twilight's feathers. She twitched her head to the left quickly, realigning one feather, then moved onto the next one. She ran her tongue down the shaft and vane, then wetted her lips again and pulled her head back away from Twilight's feather. She repeated the process until the feather was realigned, then she continued on. After looking over the next feather, she frowned, then pressed her lips together around it and gave it a swift tug, pulling the damaged feather from Twilight's wing. "This is why you've been having so much trouble with flying, isn't it?"

Twilight pursed her lips and rolled her head over on the pillow. "Most likely..." she said unsurely.

"I don't think my wings have ever been in this bad of shape... You really should have told somepony," Rainbow replied nonchalantly.

"It's... embarrassing..." Twilight said in a quiet voice.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, then leaned back in and nudged the next feather back into place with her muzzle. "Even before the whole... reactor incident... I would have shown you how to do this, Twilight."

Twilight grimaced. "Celestia showed me how to do it with my magic... It was one of the first things she went over with me after my ascension. I never... considered that I would have to do it without magic..."

Rainbow bobbed her head and smiled wryly at Twilight. "I can understand why you'd rather use magic... Your wings are..." she trailed off squinting, not sure the best way to word it. "Well, they're bigger and fuller than mine. I can't imagine how long it would take for you to preen without magic... Although, if you preened regularly it wouldn't take as long."

"I did preen regularly..." Twilight mumbled. A few seconds passed in silence as Rainbow skillfully worked her way along Twilight's wing. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to brush my mane again after you finish, would you?" She turned back and looked at Rainbow hopefully. "Please?"

Rainbow chuckled. "So long as you don't turn into Rarity..." she trailed off.

Twilight smiled, then laid her head back on the pillow, lying on her cheek and looking out the window. A few more minutes passed, and then Rainbow finished with Twilight's right wing. Rainbow smiled at her work. Twilight was half afraid to look over her wing, worried that she'd be missing half her feathers. She trusted Rainbow, though, and knew that the pegasus wouldn't do that, as long as it wasn't necessary. She flared her wing out and looked at it, smiling. "I think the only other time when it looked that good is right after I ascended and before I flew any..."

"I do a good job at preening. I know," Rainbow replied, puffing out her chest and smirking. Twilight giggled, then folded her wing back to her side. Rainbow slid onto Twilight's back, then leaned down to the base of her other wing and began the process again.

Twilight knew there was no reason to be nervous. She had had dinner with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna many times before, and she had had dinner with them and her friends before. She was a princess with the same authority as both Celestia and Luna, and she had grown up as Celestia's student. None of that stopped her from being nervous. Rainbow watched her as Twilight paced back in forth, ruffling her wings every once in a while as they waited.

"Okay, Twilight, seriously, we've only been waiting for like... five minutes... Even I'm not that impatient!" Rainbow groaned.

Twilight pursed her lips and slowed her pacing, though she didn't stop completely. She glanced towards the large double doors, both of which remained closed ever since they had entered the room. The two elder alicorns weren't late, Twilight and Rainbow were early. The kitchen staff would have gladly brought them something, but Twilight didn't want to do that until Celestia and Luna were there.

She looked away from the double doors and then looked around the room again. The dining room was cavernous, yet felt warm and inviting. The first time she had been in the room, it felt imposing, but she had grown to find it comforting. The marble walls were inlaid with gold, which curved into intricate designs, and the marble floor remained as spotless as ever. The lone table could seat eight ponies, and under most conditions, only two or three ponies had dined at it at one time. Twilight and her friends had dined in the room on multiple occasions, and she had dined in the room with Celestia and Luna before, along with each of them without the other if circumstances prevented one of them from being there.

It had never been the four of them before, though. She was worried, she was sure Celestia and Luna would ask a few questions, but she still hoped that they would refrain from asking too many questions. She also hoped they didn't ask Rainbow too many questions. She wasn't sure how Rainbow would handle it, let alone answering them. Her mind kept replaying the scenarios, each time the outcome grew worse than the last, and her heart rate and pacing gradually increased.

And Twilight knew none of that took into account that Rainbow might be uncomfortable with the whole dinner. She glanced at the pegasus, who looked at her blankly. She flashed her friend a smile, then looked back forwards, allowing the smile to be replaced by a look of horror as she considered the possible outcomes. 'If this doesn't go well, then I'll probably have screwed things up even worse... Oh, why did I agree to this...' She bit her lip and turned around to continue pacing. 'It might... ruin my chances with her...' Her pacing slowed to a crawl at that thought, and she clenched her jaw. 'No... it... won't...' she told herself. 'She wouldn't just... abandon me...' She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt a little better, but not perfect. She took another deep breath, then brought her hoof to her chest. She exhaled and extended her hoof straight out at the same time. She frowned when her her hoof hit something soft. She blinked open her eyes and looked at Rainbow with perplexion.

Rainbow looked at her with a smirk. "You do realize the whole purpose of this vacation was to relax, right?"

Twilight smiled weakly at her, then she looked at the floor. "Are you sure that... that you want to give this a chance?" she asked, looking up and meeting Rainbow's gaze. "I... I'm a bit of a mess, you know..."

Rainbow shook her head dismissively. "Look, Twilight, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm getting myself into. Besides, it makes you feel better, doesn't it?"

Twilight clenched her jaw and looked at her hooves. "Is that the only reason you agreed?"

Rainbow frowned. "No! I..." she trailed off, pausing to think about what to say. Twilight's question had caught her off guard. 'I'm doing this because it makes you happy and I don't like seeing you unhappy...' She grimaced, then steeled herself. "Come on, Twilight! Stop overthinking everything... I enjoy it, it makes you happy, and I don't like seeing you unhappy!" Twilight looked up and met Rainbow's gaze, the pegasus smiled at her. "It's going to be fine, alright?"

Twilight hesitantly nodded. "O-okay," she said with uncertainty.

The large double doors opened without a sound, and the only sign that they had opened was the clopping of hooves on the ground as the two taller alicorns walked into the room, smiling at Twilight and Rainbow. Both Twilight and Rainbow turned towards the alicorns. Rainbow fluffed her wings and glanced at Twilight, then went to bow.

"That isn't necessary," Princess Celestia said warmly, waving her hoof as Rainbow barely started to lower her head. Rainbow shifted her weight and stood back up.

"It is good to see both of you in person once more," Luna greeted.

"Likewise," Twilight replied. "Talking in dreams isn't quite the same..."

Luna bobbed her head. "It may not be quite the same as in person, but it is much easier."

"I do apologize for not being able to see you earlier, but things have been rather... hectic," Celestia said with a shake of her head. "How was the train ride?" she asked as she broke off and walked over to the table. The rest of the ponies took that as their cue and all made their way over to the table, Luna sitting down to the left of Celestia.

"Well, it was an overnight trip so we were asleep for most of it," Twilight said. She pulled out a chair, then motioned for Rainbow to sit in it. The chair was mahogany, and while it didn't look too comfortable, it did look old and somehow managed to look regal. The pegasus brushed the concern aside and hopped into the chair, then followed Twilight with her eyes as the alicorn pulled out the chair to her right, then took a seat. "It was a little boring without Pinkie Pie or Spike," she added.

Celestia nodded. "Understandable..." she trailed off as the door opened once more as four ponies came in, each one wearing a white shirt and black tuxedo. Each of the four ponies quickly strode about and took the orders from the four ponies, then hastily left to fill them. Once the last pony left and the door closed, Celestia turned her attention to Twilight. "How is your recovery progressing?"

Twilight bobbed her head and bit her lip lightly. "It... It feels slow. Eating meat has helped, but... I still have some issues..." she trailed off frowning. She looked up at Celestia quizzically. "My strength still hasn't returned yet..."

Celestia and Luna both frowned. "And you're regularly eating meat?"

Twilight shifted her weight and looked at the table. "Not... regularly..."

Luna sighed and shook her head. "Twilight, you cannot skip out on that. I know it makes you uncomfortable, but it is necessary, especially if you are to recover," she gently chided.

Twilight grimaced. "I know, but..." she trailed off, not able to find a valid reason to argue.

"Is everything else going well?" Celestia asked, changing the subject to something more comfortable.

"I'm sleeping better thanks to a tea Zecora gave me, and... Rainbow..." Both Twilight and Rainbow shifted their weight uncomfortable, the former feeling like she had fallen into a trap. "The nausea is gone too," she added, hoping to distract Celestia and Luna.

"That is good to hear," Luna said.

"And... how is the investigation going?" Twilight asked.

Celestia and Luna shared a glance, both of their expressions shifted from warm to cold. "We... can discuss that after dinner," Celestia said. Twilight and Rainbow frowned. A second later, both of their expressions lifted once more. Celestia turned to Rainbow Dash. "I do believe this is the first time the four of us have sat down and had dinner together, Rainbow. How have things been going for you?"

Rainbow shifted her weight, uncomfortable with Celestia' informal approach. "Things have been... okay," she nodded quickly.

"Luna told me that you've taken a break from the Wonderbolts to help Twilight get better," Celestia commented.

Rainbow rubbed the back of her mane with her hoof. "Well..." she trailed off as the door opened again, and two ponies dashed in, bringing a platter of glasses and three bottles of wine in with them. The ponies walked over to the table, then set a glass in front of each pony, then filled them halfway from one of the bottles, starting with Celestia, then Luna, and finally Twilight and Rainbow. They set the bottles aside, then quickly bowed and left the room. Celestia lit her horn and picked up her wine glass, then took a quick sip and sat it back down. Rainbow scrutinized the glass in front of her. "Yeah," she said absently.

"I can't really do much without my horn, so she's been helping me..." Twilight said, lifting the glass to her mouth with her hooves and taking a quick sip, then setting it back down.

"I am glad to know that your friends are helping you recover, Twilight. I was a little worried that we had made the wrong choice in letting you remain in Ponyville," Celestia said. "And I'm a little surprised that you brought Rainbow Dash with you instead of Spike."

Twilight shifted her weight. "Rainbow offered... Spike did too, but..." She closed her eyes. "She's..." she trailed off shaking her head.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight. "Twilight felt like she needed a vacation, and she didn't want Spike to have to come with her..."

'This is so much easier in dreams,' Twilight thought. She took a deep breath. "There's a reason I asked for the dining room for myself tomorrow night," she said, heart beating quicker. "I-"

Celestia smiled gently. "Luna told me," she said. "Congratulations, by the way," she added in an even warmer tone.

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed. She was a little upset that Luna told Celestia, but she was grateful she didn't have to have that conversation, although she wasn't sure how Luna had found out that they were dating. As it was, she wasn't looking forward to having it with the rest of her friends. If it went that far. She knew they would be happy for them, but she was worried about Rarity and Pinkie Pie. She pushed the worry aside, then opened her eyes and smiled softly. "Thanks..."

"It's supposed to be a secret..." Rainbow said with uncertainty, staring at Luna.

Twilight glanced at Rainbow. 'Did you tell her?' she wondered. She smiled a little more at that thought.

"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash, we won't tell anypony," Celestia said. "I look forward to getting to know you better, and I hope it works out for you two."

"Thanks..." Rainbow said tentatively, turning her attention to the glass, then picking it up with a wing and taking a big gulp of its contents. She turned to Twilight. 'You've never said it, but you did admit that you love me... But I don't feel the same way about you,' she thought. 'Or do I? You're still my friend, no matter what happens...' She turned back and looked at the glass in front of her. 'I don't know...' She clenched her jaw at the thought. She glanced at Twilight, 'But I'm not going to abandon you. Not while you need me...'

"Of course," Celestia continued with a smirk, "Luna didn't tell me all of the details." She smiled brightly at Twilight.

Twilight sighed and shifted her weight. "Can we please not talk about this?" she groaned. "I want to relax and... and talking about this isn't relaxing."

"Yeah," Rainbow agreed. "I'd rather not talk about it either..." Twilight looked at her and smiled gently.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," Celestia apologized. "I just thought that you'd like to talk about it," she added.

"You know I've never done anything like this before... I'm just..." Twilight trailed off, eyeing the glass in front of her greedily.

"You are nervous and worried," Luna surmised.

Twilight looked at her and nodded cautiously.

Rainbow grimaced. 'I should help her...' She turned to Twilight, pondering how she could help the princess. 'How am I supposed to help you relax here?' After a few seconds of thought, she winced and groaned internally. 'No, stop. I want to help her, and she's uncomfortable...' She slowly turned toward Twilight, then leaned over to her and wrapped her arms around her, drawing a perplexed look from the alicorn. She smiled reassuringly and pulled on the alicorn. Twilight pursed her lips and tentatively slid over beside Rainbow. Both of them were glad that the chairs were as large as they were, as it was it could barely fit both of them. Twilight smiled at Rainbow, and Rainbow leaned away, then pulled her wing out from between them and laid it over Twilight's back. "Feel better?" she asked.

"A little." Twilight laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder, touched by her tender actions, even more so because they weren't alone. "Thank you," she whispered. Rainbow rubbed her wing up and down her side, then held Twilight a little tighter before relaxing her wing and letting it hang loosely over Twilight's back.

Both Celestia and Luna smiled warmly. Twilight did her best to ignore it, but she still blushed lightly. Rainbow managed not to blush. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Twilight," Celestia said in her warm, motherly voice.

Twilight smiled and pressed herself closer to Rainbow. The dining room wasn't overly warm, nor was it chilly, despite this, Twilight relished the heat radiating into her coat from Rainbow's body, and she snuggled closer to it, nuzzling Rainbow's neck in the process.

"How are the rest of your friends doing?" Celestia asked.

Twilight briefly grimaced, then her smile returned. "They're... well, as busy as ever, but I think they're doing okay. I haven't really spent as much time with all of them as I should, but given the circumstances..." Twilight trailed off. Both Celestia and Luna grimaced and nodded in understanding.

They continued to idly talk for a few minutes, then the large double doors opened once more, and the four ponies returned, each one holding a silver platter in their magic. They quickly walked around and deposited each platter in front of the pony the platter was intended for, the exception being Twilight, who had her platter placed where she had been sitting when they first entered. The silver lids came off in unison, then the four ponies left after wishing the princesses and Rainbow Dash a good meal.

Following the closing of the door, Twilight looked at Rainbow sheepishly, then slid back over into her chair. Rainbow held her wing open for a few seconds after Twilight left her side, contemplating the loss of Twilight's warmth. Eventually, she slowly folded her wing back to her side and looked down at her plate. She smiled at the mass of cheesy pasta and broccoli, then glanced at Twilight's plate and shifted her weight. She quickly averted her gaze back to her plate, then picked up the fork with her wing and quickly stabbed some pasta onto it and brought it to her mouth.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were much more relaxed, both of them lifting their forks with their magic, then gracefully sliding them into their broccoli. Twilight cautiously picked her fork up with her wing, and her knife in her other wing. She missed her magic as she glanced at her wings and her platter of food. She took a deep breath, then slid the fork into the golden brown fish, then slowly cut off a chunk and lifted it to her muzzle, then slid the meat into her mouth. She chewed it up, then swallowed and took a quick drink.

Over the next half hour, they ate in relative silence, broken only by the occasional comment or question. There were a couple of good laughs had, and they enjoyed the dinner. Twilight finally found herself relaxing, and more than once her gaze had drifted over to Rainbow, who occasionally glanced back at her, though Rainbow's looks were always more nervous than her own. She always immediately looked away, but each time, it felt like her gaze lingered a little longer than the last time.

Twilight licked her lips, then looked away from her platter and looked at Celestia. "You said you'd tell me how the investigation was going after dinner?" she asked.

Celestia pulled a napkin up to her mouth and gently wiped away any remnants of food and liquid on her lips, then nodded and laid the napkin back down. "We are making significant progress, and we believe we know who the culprit is..." Twilight waited several seconds, looking at Celestia expectantly. Celestia glanced at Luna and clenched her jaw.

Luna nodded and turned to Twilight. "We found the body of one of the workers at the reactor near the Everfree forest. There were signs of changeling magic in his wounds."

Rainbow and Twilight both felt cold chills run down their backs. Twilight shifted her weight and took a second to gather her thoughts. "That doesn't make sense, why would-"

Luna shook her head. "We believe Queen Chrysalis herself is responsible for it," she said solemnly.

An oppressive silence filled the room for a few seconds while Rainbow and Twilight processed what Luna had said. "What?" Twilight asked in disbelief.

"It makes sense, in a way," Princess Ceelstia said in a disgusted voice, grimacing. "She wanted to take revenge out on Starlight Glimmer... What better way than to cause the Ponyville Reactor to meltdown and kill everypony she knows..."

"That's..." Twilight whispered. She clenched her eyes shut. 'I stopped that... Chrysalis failed because I stopped it, her revenge failed... It's fine...' She wasn't convinced, and she had a sinking feeling in her chest. She wanted to ask why Chrysalis would do that, but Celestia was right. Revenge. She opened her eyes and stared at the empty platter in front of her. She also understood why Celestia didn't want to tell her that, especially before they ate. She was sure she wouldn't have been in any mood to eat if she had said that before, and the evening wouldn't have been as pleasant with that knowledge hanging over their heads.

Rainbow sat up straighter and glanced at Twilight with a concerned look. "If that was part of Chrysalis's plan to get revenge on Starlight Glimmer, and Twilight stopped it..." Celestia clenched her jaw, knowing full well the implications of what Rainbow meant, although she wasn't worried. Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably.

"Do not worry, no harm will come to you Twilight," Luna said calmly. "Besides, there is no evidence that Chrysalis is going after you specifically."

"You really think she would just ignore Twilight if she was the one responsible for foiling her plan for revenge?" Rainbow asked in a low voice.

"Chrysalis is in no position to go after Twilight. We have reason to believe she expended most of her remaining resources on her plan for revenge, and as of right now, the guard is on high alert and looking for her," Luna said.

"You should have told me," Twilight said. She swallowed and looked up at Celestia. "If there's even the slightest change that Chrysalis might come after me, you should have told me. I can't defend myself if she comes after me."

"Twilight, we have the situation under control. King Thorax and his hive are helping us track her down, and it is only a matter of time before we find her," Celestia said.

Rainbow turned to face Twilight and looked at her wryly, "Maybe Spitfire was right when she told me to keep an eye on you..."

Twilight smiled back at her, but everypony could see the unease and discomfort in the smile. "If I had my horn I could help with finding her..."

"Twilight, you do not need to worry about it. The reason we did not tell you sooner is because there was no reason to concern you any more than you already were. We can handle this, and you need to focus on your recovery," Luna said, then took a drink from her glass. She swirled the glass around briefly, then levitated the open bottle over and refilled the glass before placing both the bottle and glass back down.

Celestia glanced at the clock and grimaced. She sighed and stepped down from the chair. "I'm afraid I have other business to attend to," she apologized. She turned to Luna, "Don't keep them too long," she said with a teasing smile.

Luna rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I would never dream of it, sister." Her tone drew a sideways glance from both Twilight and Rainbow, the former eyeing her suspiciously.

Celestia turned her attention to Twilight and Rainbow. "I look forward to seeing you both again in the morning, and I hope you two have a pleasant evening."

Twilight smiled lightly. "Thanks."

Luna watched Celestia leave, then turned back to Twilight and Rainbow. "You really do have nothing to worry about, Twilight," she said warmly, smiling. "I may not be visiting you or all of your friends every night, but I am keeping a close eye on all of them. If Chrysalis tries anything, I will know, and she will not succeed."

Twilight smiled a little brighter at that, feeling relief. "Thanks... I know you already have a lot to deal with since... since I can't help you... but it means a lot to me that you'd do that."

"You are family, Twilight," Luna said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "But I am afraid I must take my leave as well. We have been rather busy, after all."

Twilight smiled apologetically. "Sorry..."

Luna shook her head as she stood from her chair. "Do not worry about it, Twilight. My sister and I are used to it." She turned towards the door and started walking at a leisurely pace. "I wish you both a pleasant evening and good dreams tonight."

As soon as the door closed behind Luna, Rainbow turned to Twilight. "Is it just me, or did they leave kind of abruptly?"

Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head. "They've been busier than normal recently because of... well... you know."

"Oh..." Rainbow said loosely. "Any plans for the rest of the night, or are we just going back to your tower?"

Twilight shook her head and slid out of her chair. Rainbow hopped off her chair and stood beside Twilight. "I don't have plans for the rest of the evening..." she admitted. She looked at Rainbow fondly. "I know it's a little early..." She leaned against Rainbow and nuzzled her neck. "But I was hoping you would lay with me..."

"If that's what you want to do, then I guess that's fine," Rainbow replied.

Twilight smiled, then took off walking. Rainbow thought Twilight's steps were a little more energetic than normal, and she smiled at Twilight. After a few seconds, Rainbow flapped her wings and hovered in the air, then caught up to Twilight and leisurely flew beside her. Rainbow was more attentive to her surroundings than normal as they made their way back to Twilight's tower. She cautiously watched anypony who so much as glanced at Twilight, but it was unnecessary, as nothing happened on the way back to the tower.

Rainbow walked into the tower first, slowly scanning the room for any sign of danger. Twilight slid in behind her and immediately made her way over to the bed, then collapsed onto it. Rainbow let herself relax, then locked the door.

Twilight rolled over onto her back and watched Rainbow fly over to the balcony door and lock it, then she flew over to the bed and smiled at her. Twilight smiled back halfway.

Rainbow pulled herself up onto the bed and slid under the covers. Twilight mimicked her and pulled herself under the blanket, then scooted closer to Rainbow. Rainbow wrapped Twilight in her embrace, and Twilight pressed her forehead against the pegasus' neck. Rainbow nuzzled her mane and pulled the covers tight around them with her wing, then she slid it over Twilight's back.

Author's Notes:

Ahh, yet another chapter, and that means another 15k... Or in this case, 16k. Bringing the story up to 120k or so... Yes, I'm keeping count. Why? Because not everybody writes stories that pass 100,000 words long... Multiply chapters by 2 to get the number of weeks I've worked on this. Then subtract 2 weeks and add a month. Because the actual first chapter I worked on for a month and then got to 12k and didn't use it. It was much more depressing. And more repetitive. Perhaps in the future I'll turn it into a one-shot tragedy or something... 120k words in the span of... 3 months or so? This story is about 1/4 the total words I've written on this website... Which has been mostly in the past year.

...I might be getting burnt out on writing this. I'm not entirely sure...

Ooooh, this chapter was a challenge. Several scenes felt wrong, and I ended up changing a single part of them to make it feel right. I find it interesting how changing one thing can so drastically alter the feel of a scene... Once again, this chapter was kinda all over the place, but it was a good chapter in my opinion. Although I might be biased...

I liked the grooming scene, along with the preening scene. They were both planned, at least having the scenes in the story somewhere. I think having them both in this chapter was a good idea. However, at the last minute I added onto that scene the part with Twilight's tail, and I'm not entirely sure I like it...

I'm sure there's a joke or game to be made about every time Rainbow plucked or pulled out one of Twilight's feathers.

I was going to end this chapter with them returning to the tower and what that would entail, but I decided not to since it'd overlap with the next chapter. I look forward to the next chapter.

1-3 more chapters left to go. Definitely 1 more. Possible 2 more. Then there's a chance for the third chapter.

Feedback or suggestions? I still seem to have trouble with making scenes too long... Also I don't plan on writing more stories where every chapter is 15k words long. It's somewhat of a logistical nightmare for me... Last minute edits + lack of prereading, if you see any issues, please tell me so that I can fix them!

Chapter 9

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Twilight and Rainbow walked side by side down the streets of Canterlot. Looking up, Twilight smiled at the vast expanse of the nighttime sky, dominated by the moon and sparkling with countless hundreds of visible stars. The cool air was refreshing but it also made Twilight shiver. Twilight leaned more against Rainbow. She gave the pegasus a quick nuzzle on the neck and was rewarded with the pegasus laying her wing over her back. Twilight used it as an excuse and pressed herself closer to her friend, her warmth fighting off the chill of the night.

The streets were completely quiet, save for the sound of their hoofsteps. The only pony in sight of Twilight was Rainbow, and she was more than happy that was the case. She loved spending time with the pegasus, even more so when they were alone. Twilight glanced up along Rainbow's neck, scrutinizing her soft fur, then settling her gaze on Rainbow's beautiful prismatic mane. Leaning against Rainbow like she was made walking a little more difficult for both of them, but Rainbow said nothing, and Twilight enjoyed it. Twilight wouldn't trade it for all of Equestria.

Twilight shifted her gaze away from the pegasus's mane. "Rainbow?" she asked softly.

The pegasus turned her head back to look at her, smiling softly. "Yeah, Twilight?"

Twilight met Rainbow's gaze. Staring into her big, magnificent eyes, Twilight lost herself. The vast expanse above them paled in comparison to the beauty she found in Rainbow's eyes, which twinkled ever so slightly in the soft moonlight. After a few seconds, she realized they had stopped moving. Twilight lowered her gaze and looked over Rainbow's lips, then blushed and looked at the stone street, drawing her hoof across the street in small circles. Instead of saying anything, she brushed her cheek against Rainbow's neck in long, loving strokes.

Rainbow's wing tightened around her back, and Twilight closed her eyes. Twilight didn't want the moment to end, it was too peaceful, too beautiful. She drew her muzzle back and placed it over Rainbow's withers, then pressed into the back of her mane. She sighed into Rainbow's mane contently, then sat down on her haunches. Rainbow mimicked her action and sat down beside her. Twilight pulled her head away from Rainbow's mane, then laid it on her shoulder. She lifted her gaze to the moon and scrutinized it. Even the beauty of the moon couldn't hope to match the beauty of the pegasus sitting beside her.

Twilight glanced down at her chest, then removed the regalia from her neck. She held the familiar weight in her hoof, then looked back at Rainbow. She leaned away from her pegasus, causing Rainbow to look at her. Twilight smiled softly and pressed the regalia against Rainbow's chest, then she reached around her neck and fastened it into place. Twilight smiled, it was right. The gold accented Rainbow's body perfectly. In her mind, Rainbow wearing her regalia had more than one meaning. The regalia was a part of Twilight, it was a gift from Celestia upon being coronated as the fourth princess of Equestria. It was a part of her she would gladly give to Rainbow, there wasn't any part of herself she wouldn't give to her in a heartbeat. It was symbolic, too. Her regalia was also a symbol of strength and power, something that princesses were supposed to wear. She would gladly give up being a princess for Rainbow, just to be with her. She would even give her power to Rainbow if she wanted it. Her regalia meant a lot to her too, and she wanted Rainbow to have it. If anything ever happened to her, the regalia was Rainbow's as far as she was concerned.

It also looked better on Rainbow than on herself.

She looked up from Rainbow's chest and met Rainbow's gaze, smiling contently. Rainbow smiled back with a warmth that rivaled the sun, and a brightness that put the sun to shame. She tilted her head forward, then rubbed her ear and mane along Rainbow's neck. Rainbow giggled and returned the nuzzle, an action that made Twilight glow and left her with a pleasant warmth in her heart that she knew would never leave her, not even in ten thousand years.

The silent stillness was broken by a faint and distant sound, one that was familiar. Light hoofsteps falling on the stone. She ignored it, whoever it was could wait, the pegasus she loved held more importance to her in that moment. The hoofsteps grew in volume as they neared, and she continued to ignore them, then they came to a stop. For several seconds, the only sound came from Rainbow's heartbeat, one of the sweetest sounds she could imagine, one which put the songs of birds to shame. Whoever had stopped was watching them, she could feel it in the back of her mind. It made her uncomfortable, and even Rainbow seemed to notice. The pegasus looked away from her and turned back.

Something unfamiliar crossed Rainbow's expression. It was wrong, and Twilight knew that. She couldn't place it, and she didn't know what it was. It was alien to her, and anathema to Rainbow. Another sound filled the air, it was familiar. It started slow and soft, then grew, reverberating around the street and filling her being with dread. The sound brought fear to her mind, along with two words.

"My my, what do we have here? Two little ponies, alone in the dark..." Queen Chrysalis laughed.

Twilight shivered and closed her eyes, trying to force it away.

"And what's this? Ahhh yes, I could barely recognize you, Princess, without your horn and all that," Chrysalis mocked.

"Leave her alone," Rainbow said in a firm and low voice.

Twilight's heart fluttered, but her anxiety increased tenfold. Chrysalis wanted her, not Rainbow.

Chrysalis laughed once more. Twilight sensed the magic and her eyes shot open. She pushed Rainbow to the side, narrowly avoiding the beam of sickly green magic, and landed atop her pegasus. Rainbow quickly rolled over and switched positions with Twilight, then leaped up and landed between the two of them. Twilight scurried to her hooves and took a step back in fear.

The black chitinous carapace of Queen Chrysalis was more intimidating than she remembered, and Twilight felt her hooves shaking. She couldn't do anything. She didn't have her magic. Chrysalis had magic. The changeling laughed mockingly. Twilight mustered her courage and jumped in front of Rainbow. "Twilight..." the pegasus said softly. Twilight glanced back at her and looked at her pleadingly.

Chrysalis laughed, the heavy weight of her voice pressed down against Twilight's mind. "Oh... I see... I don't know how I could have missed that... You love her..." Twilight looked back at Chrysalis as the changeling charged her horn. "Well, I was content with killing you since you ruined my plans..." the changeling trailed off as she charged forward. Twilight braced herself for an impact that never came, Chrysalis jumped over her. Twilight looked up and followed her with her eyes, turning her head and watching in horror as the bug landed between her and Rainbow. "But this will hurt more," she said as she released the charge of magic into Rainbow.

The pegasus yelped and flew through the air, then impacted a solid marble wall. Twilight's legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed to the street. Her only solace brought more pain to her broken heart, Rainbow groaned as she tried to pick herself up off the ground. Chrysalis looked back at her, and Twilight felt the changeling's magic take hold of her, then she lurched forward. Chrysalis threw her to the ground, then twisted her head and held it in place so she had no choice but to look at Rainbow. She fought against Chrysalis's magic, but it was useless, she was held in place. Rainbow was just out of reach, but with the magic holding her down, her pegasus might as well have been across the world.

Twilight jumped awake. She hit her head on something and she winced in pain. Whatever she hit her head on grunted and pulled back from her. Twilight paid that no mind. She looked around the room she was in, it was dark, and the only light came from the moon. She threw her head about every which way and searched for Chrysalis, but to no avail. It was only after she stared out at the moon that she stopped looking around. She listened intently and tensed up as something moved beside her. She was afraid to look at it.

"Twilight?" Rainbow grumbled softly.

Twilight's head shot over to the pegasus. Shock, fear, worry, and happiness filled the alicorn's eyes in the span of a single second. "Rai-ainbow..." she croaked, burying her head into the pegasus's chest.

Rainbow forgot about nursing her jaw and wrapped her arm back around Twilight's back. "Twilight, what's wrong?" she asked, now wide awake from the pain in Twilight's voice. The alicorn sobbed into her chest. Rainbow pulled herself up onto the pillow more, then pulled Twilight further up. Twilight made no move to answer her. Rainbow flexed her grip on Twilight, hoping to reassure her. "Hey, it's alright..." she said. She brought her hoof up to Twilight's head, then drew it through her mane in long, gentle strokes. With each sob, Twilight shook, but what was worse was that she was shaking even when not crying out in pain. Rainbow considered pulling the blanket up more, but she didn't want to let Twilight go, afraid that would be worse for the alicorn than possibly being cold. Twilight didn't feel cold to her anyway, something else was affecting her.

Twilight gradually pulled her hooves up around Rainbow's shoulders, then she squeezed tightly, clinging to the pegasus, the nightmare still fresh in her mind. Eventually, she pried open her eyes and stared at Rainbow's chest. Barely enough moonlight made it in, but it was enough to see her coat. It was matted and wet, but it was Rainbow's coat. She pressed her eyes together, then slid her muzzle between their bodies and pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest as much as she could. Rainbow's grip on her tightened, holding her close, and her hoof moved through her mane. 'It was... just a nightmare...' she told herself after several minutes, during which time Rainbow's grip had not faltered, neither had she slowed nor ceased running her hoof through Twilight's mane.

As Twilight's sobs softened, and her breathing stabilized, so too did her shaking slow. Rainbow took that as a good sign. She leaned in over her ear. "Twilight?" she whispered. It took Twilight a few seconds to muster her strength. When she did, she pulled her head out from between them and laid on Rainbow's neck. Rainbow nuzzled her mane lightly, causing her to smile a little. "Are you okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight held on to Rainbow tighter. "It..." She closed her eyes and felt a cold chill run down her spine. "Chrysalis... she.... She tried to-to..."

"Twilight, it was just a nightmare..." Rainbow said softly, staring out at the moon. She would have been lying if she said she wasn't worried about the former changeling queen, but she trusted Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "You're safe... I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you, okay?"

"S-she had you," Twilight said. "An-and I couldn't stop her..."

Rainbow squeezed her, then relaxed her grip. "Hey, Twilight... Don't worry so much, I can take her on any day," she said in a soft voice, one filled with determination and courage.

Twilight's lips curled upwards, then fell back into a rigid line. "I-"

"Relax, okay? Just... try to go back to sleep. I'm not going anywhere," Rainbow said. She pulled her hoof away from Twilight's mane and pulled on the bedsheet. It didn't budge as much as she wanted. She sighed, then tightened her grip on Twilight. She rolled over, then scooted them both back under the blankets. She had planned to roll back over and lay Twilight down beside herself, but she hesitated. The way Twilight looked at her, eyes glistening in the moonlight from the tears she had shed, made her pause. She could still see moisture at the corners of Twilight's eyes, and her cheeks were wet from the tears she had shed. 'You love me...' she remembered. 'You dreamed that Chrysalis had me... and you love me...' With that thought in mind, Rainbow had a new perspective on the pain that Twilight was in and why she was so devastated by the nightmare.

Over the next few seconds, Twilight slowly laid her head down on Rainbow's chest, and she stared up at Rainbow. Rainbow followed her and looked down at her. Twilight eventually broke eye contact and shifted her weight so that she was laying on her side on top of Rainbow. She closed her eyes and tilted her head over onto her cheek, then gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle, moving her cheek in circles over Rainbow's chest. She didn't care that Rainbow's chest was wet from her tears, she just wanted Rainbow to know how much she meant to her. Three very simple words came to mind. She had never said them to Rainbow, but the pegasus knew. She had admitted to it, but she'd never spoken the words. She was terrified of saying those words. Her fear won over her, and instead of speaking, she tightened her grip on Rainbow again, clinging to her as if her life depended on it. She held onto Rainbow for a few seconds before letting go, although she kept her hooves wrapped around her.

"It's okay, Twilight... I'm not going to leave you..." Rainbow said softly. She slowly trailed her hoof across Twilight's back, then laid it on her neck. Twilight's weight was familiar, and she welcomed it like an old friend. It had been a while since Twilight had lain on top of Rainbow, and she couldn't help but think about it, along with the alicorn herself. Despite Twilight being an alicorn, she was barely any bigger than herself. She didn't know if Twilight would stay that small forever, or if she would outgrow her, although it felt like Twilight weighed more than she remembered. 'If... you outgrow me, how will that... work?' she wondered, trying to picture herself holding Twilight if she was as large as Princess Cadance or Princess Luna. The thought brought a smile to her lips. She had trouble picturing Twilight being that tall. It would make holding her difficult.

After a few seconds, she glanced over Twilight's moonlit mane then looked out the window and at the moon. 'Princess Luna... why didn't you stop her nightmare?' she wondered. She knew Princess Luna was busy, but the alicorn had said that she kept a close eye on Twilight, and although she would never admit it, she was worried there was a reason that Princess Luna didn't intervene in Twilight's nightmare.

She pushed the thought aside and looked back at Twilight. She couldn't tell if the princess was asleep or not, but her breathing was steady and her pulse had calmed since she had awoken. Rainbow gently shifted her weight, then laid Twilight on the bed. Twilight shifted her weight and looked at her with the same glistening eyes that she had earlier. Rainbow pulled her closer, then tucked Twilight's head in against her neck and pulled her head over Twilight's. Twilight shifted her muzzle and laid it over Rainbow's neck. Rainbow smiled at Twilight's warmth on her neck, and over a few minutes, tiredness crept back into her mind and body. She was still worried about Twilight, but the alicorn remained silent, and she had not moved at all for those few minutes. Just when she was sure that Twilight had fallen asleep, she felt warm tears against her neck. She blinked open her eyes and looked over Twilight. "Twilight?"

"Y-yes?" Twilight replied weakly.

"Are you okay?" Rainbow asked.

"I... I don't know," Twilight answered softly.

Rainbow wanted to ask if it was the dream, but she was sure it was. She also wanted to ask what happened, but if Twilight wanted to share, she figured she already would have. "Is there anything I can get you or do to make you feel better?" she asked.

Twilight bit her lip. "I... I don't know. I... wouldn't mind staying up for a little bit," she said. "I... don't want to go back to sleep right now."

"Okay," Rainbow replied. "We don't have to..."

Twilight tentatively lifted her head from Rainbow, and the pegasus slowly sat up, pulling Twilight up with her. After several seconds of gentle coaxing, Twilight let go of Rainbow, and they both slid out of bed. As soon as their hooves hit the floor, Twilight pressed her side against Rainbow's coat, almost with enough strength to push Rainbow over. Rainbow could see the fear and uncertainty in Twilight's eyes, and as much as she wanted to sleep, Twilight needed her. She pulled her wing from out between them, then laid it over Twilight's back and held her close. "What do you want to do?" Rainbow asked gently.

Twilight bit her lip and glanced around the room. "C-can we go... sit on the couch?

"Sure..." Rainbow replied, turning towards the door to the stairway. She stepped forward, and Twilight stepped forward right beside her. Never once did either of them miss a step, and soon they were walking down the stairs side by side. Rainbow couldn't help but question the design of the tower, with the bedroom being at the top, and with the door to the outside, and also having an internal stairwell to access the rest of the tower. She shook it off as they stepped down the last few steps. She immediately flipped a switch as soon as she stepped into the living room, activating the magical lights which glowed in a warm and welcoming yellow light. Twilight broke off from Rainbow and hurried over to the couch, then sat down. Rainbow shut the door behind them, then made her way over to Twilight and sat down beside her.

Twilight leaned against Rainbow and looked at the deep purple carpet. Rainbow laid a wing over Twilight's back, then she scooted back and slid her leg around Twilight. "Come here," Rainbow said. Twilight slid over in front of Rainbow as the pegasus wrapped her in her embrace. Twilight relaxed in Rainbow's embrace and closed her eyes. Rainbow laid her head on Twilight's and stared across the room at the wall.

Twilight begrudgingly cracked open an eye. She blinked once, then twice in surprise. She had expected to wake up facing a sky-blue coat, like normal. Instead, she was greeted with a dimly lit room. It took her a few seconds to remember where they were and why she wasn't facing Rainbow Dash. Unfortunately, it reminded her of the nightmare. She shifted her weight, only to find herself firmly lodged in Rainbow's grip and unable to move. She tilted her head and glanced down at her chest and she smiled, finding Rainbow's limbs pinning her own limbs to her body.

She sighed contently and scooted back. Another glance around confirmed that they were still on the couch, and surprisingly, she couldn't complain about sleeping poorly because of it. She couldn't see how Rainbow was positioned, but she suspected it couldn't be very comfortable. For a few seconds, she laid there, letting her mind wander, but preventing it from wandering back to her nightmare. Eventually, a thought came to the forefront of her mind. 'This is nice...'

As if taunting her, Rainbow inhaled deeply and stretched out her limbs before nuzzling Twilight's mane. Twilight stifled a giggle, but despite her best efforts, it still escaped her muzzle. "Good morning, Rainbow..." she greeted.

"Morning..." Rainbow muttered, still not awake. After a few seconds and some prodding from Twilight, Rainbow pulled her head away from the alicorn, and Twilight turned around to look at her, smiling at the pegasus with a bright smile that almost glowed. "Sleep okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight's ears drooped down, causing Rainbow's mind to start waking up. "I..." For a few seconds, she said nothing. "Yes... After we fell asleep again I don't... I don't think I had any nightmares."

Rainbow grimaced. "That's... good."

Twilight tilted her head away from Rainbow and looked at their hooves. "Thanks for... coming down here with me. You didn't have to, but you... you did."

"You needed me," Rainbow replied dismissively.

Twilight sighed sadly.

Rainbow unwrapped herself from around Twilight and scooted herself up. "What's wrong?" she asked. Before she could pull Twilight back up on her, the alicorn slid off of the couch and fluttered her wings. Rainbow watched Twilight stretch out and flick her tail through the air, then turn around.

"Nothing," Twilight replied, turning around and smiling.

After a few seconds, Rainbow got up from the couch and stretched out, earning a series of soft pops throughout her body. She sighed in relief. "That... was nice, but can we not sleep like that on the couch? Like... ever again?"

Twilight giggled and nodded. "Yeah, that probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had..." She turned back around and bit her lip. "And now you're... paying for it," she said softer.

"Hey, it's okay..." Rainbow replied, stepping forward and standing beside Twilight. For a few seconds, she couldn't help but look over Twilight's body, scrutinizing her coat, wings, and feathers. Twilight's wings looked much better than they had yesterday morning, and she couldn't help but smile a little at her work. When she looked back forward, she found Twilight smiling softly at her. "Want me to show you how to preen later? Your wings aren't in as bad a shape as they were yesterday, so it shouldn't take as long."

Twilight turned her gaze to her wing, then unfurled it and examined it. "I think my wings are probably fine for today," she replied after several seconds.

Rainbow frowned at her. "Just remember that the longer you wait, the longer it'll take to do."

Twilight pursed her lips. "I wonder what kind of relation there is between how often one preens and how long it takes to preen versus waiting extended periods of time and preening..." she trailed off, then shook her head, filing the thought aside for another time. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Other than being cramped?" Rainbow asked. Twilight nodded guiltily and lowered her gaze to the floor. "Yeah." Rainbow nudged Twilight with an elbow. "Hey, don't worry about it..."

Twilight looked up at Rainbow and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I just..." 'You do so much for me and I can't seem to make it up to you...' She looked at the carpet. 'Can this really even work out? You don't... feel anything for me, and I love you, and...'

"Hey, it's okay, alright?" Rainbow replied. Twilight sighed and turned away from Rainbow. She held her head evenly with her back and stared at the floor. Rainbow glanced around the room, still lit with darkened lights from before they fell asleep. Twilight hadn't wanted them turned completely off, and at the time she suspected it was because she was afraid. "Hey, why don't we go get something to eat, then we can go fly around Canterlot for a bit?" she said as she walked over to the dimmer, then turned the lights up. After a second's delay, the magic responded and cast a brighter glow throughout the room. Both Rainbow and Twilight blinked several times from the brightness, then Rainbow turned around and walked towards Twilight. "Or we can-"

"We... can go flying..." Twilight said weakly. She timidly turned back to face Rainbow. "Don't you need to... exercise, though?"

Rainbow slowed her pace. "I... do, but-"

"Then you should exercise instead," Twilight replied quickly, looking away from Rainbow.

"Maybe I want to spend time with you?" Rainbow countered with a smile as she stepped up beside Twilight.

Twilight smiled slightly, then the smile evaporated. "Do you really want to do that?" she asked softly.

The smile left Rainbow's muzzle. "What's wrong, Twilight?"

Twilight bobbed her head. "You worked so hard to get into the Wonderbolts, and in the past few weeks you haven't been able to... actually do anything with them. And... it's your dream, and because of me you haven't been able to enjoy it..."

Rainbow sat down on her haunches and looked at Twilight seriously. "Twilight, that may be my dream, but you're my friend."

Twilight tensed up. "You said that you'd help me until I get better, then that you'd never... abandon me. But... what about the Wonderbolts? I... Can you really do both?"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Hey, just let me worry about that."

Twilight bit her lip and cautiously turned to look at Rainbow. She ruffled her wings, then met her gaze. "Rainbow, I don't want to... hurt your dream," she said. She swallowed. "The more time you're with me, the less time that you're flying with the Wonderbolts..."

Rainbow walked around in front of Twilight, the alicorn followed her with her eyes. Once Rainbow was in front of Twilight, she sat down on her haunches, then she wrapped her arms around Twilight and pulled her into a hug. "I... appreciate your concern, Twilight, but I can handle this, okay?" For a few seconds, Twilight made no move to return the hug, but eventually she caved and wrapped her arms around Rainbow, then laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder. Rainbow smiled at the feeling of Twilight's warm neck against her neck, then frowned. "That's..." she trailed off, squinting. "What's really bothering you..?" she trailed off, feeling her lips draw into a straight line. "Was it... the nightmare?" she asked. Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably. "What happened?"

Twilight let her gaze fall down Rainbow's back, then land on her prismatic tail. "It... didn't start as a nightmare. It was actually a... a really good dream," she said softly, swallowing and smiling at the memory of the start of the dream.

For a few seconds, Twilight didn't continue. "What was it about?" Rainbow asked.

"We were... sitting together, in the street, watching the stars," Twilight answered. For a few seconds, she said nothing, then she nuzzled Rainbow affectionately before continuing. "And then... Chrysalis showed up and... attacked you. She tried to kill you..."

Rainbow tightened her grip on Twilight. Questions plagued her mind. "Why didn't Princess Luna stop it?"

"I don't know... Maybe it was because the dream started out so... beautiful," Twilight said.

Rainbow pulled back from Twilight, and the alicorn lifted her head from the pegasus' shoulder. "Why did Chrysalis attack me?"

Twilight lowered her gaze to her hooves. "She... found out how much I cared for you and... wanted to hurt me," she answered, then looked up at Rainbow.

The pegasus was frowning deeply. She remembered how distraught Twilight was when waking up, how she shook and cried. The dream had really shaken her up. 'You... care about me that much?' she asked in her mind, afraid to ask the question out loud. She knew Twilight loved her, and Twilight cared for her a lot if how shaken up the mare had been was any indicator. She gradually pulled Twilight back to her, then held her comfortingly. She wasn't as good as Fluttershy was at it, but she had gained a lot of experience in the past few weeks. "It was just a nightmare, it wasn't real."

"I... know, but it still hurt," Twilight replied, laying her head down on Rainbow's shoulder and enjoying feeling the pegasus hold her. She closed her eyes and nuzzled into Rainbow's mane.

"Well... Why don't we go do something fun then?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight took a deep breath, then pulled away from Rainbow's mane and looked at the smiling pegasus. "What do you have in mind?"

"Breakfast and then flying?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight smiled. "Sure... but..." she trailed off, looking down at her body. "I... should probably take a bath first..."

Rainbow pulled back from Twilight and stood up. "I'll start on breakfast then, how's that sound?" She ruffled Twilight's mane with her hoof, causing the alicorn to pull away from her and lightly pout. Sure, she knew it would make it harder for Twilight to brush her mane, but she could do it for her. "Oh relax, I can brush your mane again if you want!"

A smile slowly crept back onto Twilight's muzzle. "Okay..." she said weakly. "But um... you might want to wait before starting breakfast since it takes me a while to take a bath without my horn."

Rainbow frowned. "Even without brushing your mane and tail and trying to preen yourself?" she asked.

Twilight shifted her weight and looked at the carpet. "Well... yes. I... used my magic for everything, Rainbow."

Rainbow stood up a little straighter. "Oh... uh..." she trailed off. "Do you... want me to help you, then?" she asked seriously. Twilight looked up at her. She chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her mane with her hoof. She wasn't sure she liked the idea, but she had made a promise to help Twilight, and she wasn't going to break that promise.

Twilight pursed her lips. "I..." she trailed off. On one hoof, it would be quicker if Rainbow helped her. On the other hoof, it was embarrassing, probably for both of them, and it would be awkward. "I don't know..." Twilight said at length.

"Well... you always take a really long time, Twilight. And I promised I'd help you get better..." Rainbow said. She waited a second before continuing. "And I uh... Kinda feel bad about not knowing that you needed help preening..." She smiled sheepishly.

Twilight swallowed. "O-okay... I trust you." Rainbow smiled nervously, then turned around and walked over to the door. Twilight waited for her to open the door, then she walked over to her, and then they both made their way up the stairs. Twilight hesitated when they reached the top and Rainbow shut the door to the stairway behind them. She glanced at Rainbow, and the pegasus looked at her reassuringly. Even then, it took her a few seconds before she walked into the bathroom.

Rainbow walked in behind her, then closed the door and locked it. She turned around, then walked over to the bathtub and briefly scrutinized it. She hadn't used it yet, although Twilight had. Twilight walked in front of her, then turned on the water with a hoof before sitting down. After a few seconds, she stuck her hoof under the water, then pushed a knob. A few seconds later, the tub started filling with water. Twilight shifted her weight while the tub filled, and Rainbow sat down.

"It... I probably could do this on my own more quickly, but... I try to take good care of my coat and my mane and tail..." Twilight commented idly.

Rainbow glanced sideways and looked at Twilight's body. "You look nice," Rainbow replied. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were still using your magic to take care of your coat."

"It's not as easy and it takes a lot longer now..." Twilight groaned.

"Well... I'm here to help with that," Rainbow replied.

Twilight turned to Rainbow. "Since... we're doing this, do you want to join me and I can help you?"

"Um..." Rainbow shifted her weight. "Sure..."

"I'll be careful, I promise..."

Rainbow smiled. "I know you will. Just uh... never tell anypony about this."

"I won't." Twilight smiled, then turned back around and watched the water fill the golden edged white bathtub. A couple of minutes passed in silence, the only sound coming from the water splashing into the tub. Eventually, the tub was filled enough and Twilight turned off the water, then stood up. She took a deep breath, then dipped a hoof into the water. She closed her eyes and reached in until her hoof hit the bottom, then she pulled her other hoof into the water. After that, she glanced back at Rainbow, then pulled her hind legs over the rim and sat down on her haunches. She closed her eyes as the warmth of the water seeped into her coat, then she dunked her head beneath the water.

A few seconds later Twilight returned to the surface and scooted forward. Rainbow stuck a hoof into the water, then stepped over the rim and sat down. Rainbow turned to the right and grabbed the bottle of shampoo with her wings. Twilight tentatively scooted back and leaned forward, giving Rainbow better access to her back. Rainbow squirted a glob of soap out onto her hooves and set the bottle down as she rubbed her hooves together. When the soap was lathered up, she gently put her hooves on Twilight's back, then vigorously worked the soap into her coat, focusing on her withers and shoulder, slowly working her way down. "This might be cold," she warned before squirting out more soap, this time directly onto Twilight's head. Twilight winced as the cold soap hit her, then relaxed again as Rainbow's hooves started gently working it in.

Rainbow slowed as she went forward. "It won't hurt if-"

"No, it hasn't hurt for a while," Twilight answered.

"Okay, good," Rainbow replied, then went back to work massaging the soap into Twilight's mane. The more soap she used, the stronger the scent of lavender became. It was a pleasant smell, soft and gentle, and it wasn't overwhelming like some soaps. She found the smell relaxing, and she found herself not feeling as awkward as she had expected. She scooted closer to Twilight, then straddled her and poured soap onto the back of Twilight's mane. She worked the soap into her mane in long strokes, careful not to knot her mane but still making sure to thoroughly work the soap into her mane and coat. Twilight found herself smiling. A minute later, she scooted back and finished lathering up Twilight's back. Twilight spread out her wings to grant Rainbow access to her sides, and Rainbow quickly lathered up her sides and moved on, allowing Twilight to fold her wings back into place.

Rainbow continued lathering up Twilight's back and made her way down until she reached the water line. "Stand up," she said, scooting back.

Twilight scooted forward and stood up, her tail sagging from the water. Rainbow ignored it and quickly massaged the soap into her flanks, then worked it into her legs. She pulled Twilight's tail out, then poured soap out onto it and carefully worked it in, making sure not to hurt Twilight or tangle her tail, but also making sure that her tail was well cleaned. She ran her hooves through her tail lengthwise several times, straightening it out. Twilight's tail sagged back into the water when Rainbow released it, and the blushing alicorn quickly sat back down without saying anything.

Rainbow scooted back around Twilight and put her hooves around the alicorn's shoulders, then pulled her back into herself, and leaned backward. Both of them toppled back in the tub, causing the water to splash around and out onto the floor. "Ahh!" Twilight groaned.

"Sorry," Rainbow quickly apologized.

"Warn me next time, please..." Twilight sighed.

Rainbow smiled at her. She scooted back and leaned against the wall. She extended her wings and pulled the soap bottle to her, then she poured out a generous amount on Twilight's chest and stomach before putting the bottle of shampoo back onto the rim of the tub. She wrapped her arms under Twilight's arms, then pulled the alicorn onto her and then she slid her hooves up to the soap and then started massaging it into her coat. Over the next few minutes, Twilight was content to lay on her while she rubbed the soap into her chest, neck, and stomach.

Rainbow slowed as she went lower, but Twilight continued to say nothing as she lathered the soap into her abdomen, then she ran her hooves in circular motions before moving on to her thighs and hesitantly rubbing the soap into her coat. Since she had already rubbed soap into the rest of Twilight's legs, going over them again was easier. When she finished with that, she took Twilight's left arm and worked soap into it, then over her hoof and switched over to her right arm and hoof. After that, she poured out a glob of soap onto Twilight's upper chest and worked it into her neck.

After she pulled her hooves back, Twilight slid off of her and slid her wings against her body. She quickly closed her eyes and lowered her head and body beneath the water, then felt Rainbow's hooves going over her back again, this time washing the soap out of her coat. After finishing, she pulled her head back above the water and wiped her mane to the side, then turned around and looked over Rainbow's body. "Quicker, right?" the pegasus asked.

Twilight nodded but blushed. "Yes," she said quickly. "S-so you want me to-"

Rainbow winced. "Actually, Twilight, I-"

"This was... It made you uncomfortable, didn't it?" Twilight asked quizzically.

Rainbow bobbed her head. "Yeeaahhh... a little," she admitted.

"You... want me to leave you alone then?" Twilight asked, shifting her weight in the water.

"Do you want to leave?" Rainbow asked.

"Not really..." Twilight said with an awkward smile.

"You really don't want to leave my side, do you?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight looked at her reflection in the water, blushing lightly. "Maybe it would be a good idea for you to stay. That way I can show you how to shower on your own?" she suggested.

Twilight tentatively looked up and nodded. "Okay then, I guess..." For a few seconds both of them sat there, then Twilight stood up, water ran off of her body and splashed into the water below her, then she turned and stepped out of the bathtub, her waterlogged tail dragged across the rim, then fell back down, sagging from the water and gravity.

Rainbow stood up, then stepped forward and pushed the tab which opened the drain, causing the water to start rushing out of the tub. It drained slowly, and Rainbow wasn't about to wait around for it to drain. She stepped out of the tub, then grabbed a towel from the towel rack, then walked over to Twilight and dropped it over her back. Twilight smiled at Rainbow as the pegasus started drying her off.

Twilight took a bite out of her doughnut and smiled, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor. She happily chewed on the delicious treat before swallowing. She licked her lips and opened her eyes to see Rainbow smirking at her. "Thanks for convincing me to do this," she said sweetly.

"Well, it's better than a sandwich, right?" Rainbow asked back, picking up her doughnut and taking a bite. She quickly chewed it and then swallowed.

Twilight nodded in agreement, watching her own doughnut. The sugary treat wasn't very filling, although it was delicious. She turned her attention away from the treat and looked around. She was surprised to find Doughnut Joe's so empty with it being morning, but she pushed the thought aside. She enjoyed the quiet and decided that they probably missed the morning rush. She was glad that there were only a few other ponies in the building, although she was far more glad none of them recognized her. She still didn't want to have to deal with that, and the anonymity was welcomed.

She sighed and took another bite out of her doughnut. The only thing she didn't like about eating doughnuts without her magic was that it made her hooves sticky from the sugary coating. Still, she would rather eat doughnuts with her hooves than her wings, and the thought of holding the doughnut in her feathers made her shiver. Rarity would have thrown a fit if she did that, too.

She quickly ate the rest of the doughnut, then turned back towards Rainbow. The pegasus was only about halfway done with her doughnut, so Twilight looked out the window. The fluffy clouds lazily drifted about in the wind, and the bright sun shone brightly on Equestria. Ponies walked about the street, some with their heads held high, and others without a care in the world.

"Anything else I can get for you, Princess?" A kind voice asked.

Twilight turned towards the stallion- the one who the bakery was named after- intending to decline his offer, but she thought better of it. "I'll take a muffin, please."

He smiled at her, "I'll bring you out two muffins, how about that?"

"Sure!" Rainbow answered.

"Alright, two muffins coming up!" he said as he turned to leave.

"I'm really going to have to learn how to cook without my horn," Twilight said casually.

Rainbow swallowed another bite of her doughnut, one which Twilight wasn't sure was properly chewed up. "You can always have someone else cook, you know."

Twilight winced. "I don't have a problem with that at my castle, but I don't like doing that here unless Princess Celestia is around..."

Rainbow frowned and sat up straighter. "Why?"

Twilight bobbed her head and ran her hoof in a circle on the table. She lowered her gaze and stared at her empty plate. "Well... it just... doesn't feel right," she answered. She looked back up at Rainbow, not sure what to expect.

Rainbow smiled and slowly shook her head, chuckling. "Only you, Twilight..."

Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably and looked back out the window. "So where are we going to fly?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Eh, around," Rainbow replied. "Nowhere in particular. I figured we could just stretch our wings." She paused. "You do feel up to that, right?"

Twilight turned back to Rainbow and nodded. "Yes, that should be fine."

"Here's your two muffins! Enjoy!" the stallion said, placing a platter with two steaming muffins onto the table.

Twilight smiled her thanks, then slid a muffin onto her plate. Rainbow took the other muffin and stared at it like a predator sizing up her prey. Twilight took a quick bite, then paused to enjoy the warmth. As she chewed, she found the subtle taste of blueberries calming, and all too soon she finished the muffin. Once again, she went back to watching Rainbow eat. Eventually, the pegasus finished, then promptly slid out of the bench and walked over to Twilight. Twilight casually slid off the bench and slid up beside Rainbow. Rainbow glanced around nervously, causing Twilight to wince and step away from her. "Sorry," she apologized.

Rainbow shifted her weight. "Let's go..." she said quickly. She immediately started walking forward, then the pair stepped outside, the bell above the door ringing a little as they left. Rainbow flared her wings and hovered in the air, waiting for Twilight to join her. Twilight hesitated for a brief moment, then flapped her wings and joined the pegasus above the street.

As soon as Twilight was beside her, Rainbow took off at a leisurely pace, flying higher up into the sky. Twilight followed her with curiosity, careful to keep up and stay close with her and watching her carefully to make sure that she wasn't going to suddenly surprise her and take off. Her worries proved unnecessary as the pegasus picked up speed then did a little loop in the air, eliciting a smile from Twilight. Her loop turned into a spin, then Rainbow flew backward on her back, looking back at Twilight and smirking. Twilight rolled her eyes and flew a little faster to catch up with her. "That seems a little tame for a Wonderbolt," Twilight called.

Rainbow slowed, then in the blink of an eye, she shot straight up into the sky at a speed Twilight couldn't ever hope to reach, leaving a faint rainbow trail in her wake. Twilight slowed down and followed the pegasus with her eyes, not even bothering to try to catch up to her. Rainbow gracefully twisted in the air, then arced back downwards and flew straight for Twilight. The alicorn watched her with fascination as Rainbow slowed, then looped around her and disappeared from her vision. Twilight tilted her head to the other side and came face to face with Rainbow. "That better?" Rainbow asked with a smile.

Twilight smiled back. "You're a better flier than I'll ever be," she said softly.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I have practice, Twilight. I've been a pegasus all my life." She started flying away from Twilight at a casual speed that the alicorn could easily keep up with. Rainbow looked at Twilight, flying beside her. "You? You've only been an alicorn for a few years, so you just don't have as much experience as I do."

Twilight bobbed her head. "Still... there are pegasi who are older than you and have more experience who aren't half as good a flier as you."

Rainbow smiled proudly. "Yeah..." she said contently before turning back forward. She glanced throughout the sky and was surprised that there weren't any pegasi around. Canterlot was predominantly a unicorn city, but there were still pegasi living there. She shook the thought aside. "I'll have to teach you to be a better flier so that you can keep up with me then, I guess."

Twilight laughed nervously.

Rainbow looked at her and rolled her eyes. "Oh relax! It won't be that bad, I promise! Besides, you enjoyed me teaching you how to fly when you first got those wings of yours."

"W-well, that was different. You were teaching me how to fly, not... how to..." Twilight trailed off, frowning because she wasn't sure how to word it. "How to be a Wonderbolt," she said.

"I guess that's true," Rainbow admitted. She closed her eyes and did another little loop before falling back in sync with Twilight. She loved flying, and she always found it relaxing. Flying was easily the best feeling she knew, with the wind blowing through her coat, the air ruffling her mane and tail, and the unmatched feeling of freedom, to say nothing of how the air currents flowed through and around her feathers. She sighed contently, then opened her eyes. "Don't you just love flying?" she asked.

"It's nice," Twilight agreed. "I never thought I'd get a chance to fly on my own. There were spells I could have used to fly, but flying like a pegasus is so much different."

"And you're an alicorn," Rainbow added.

"It doesn't feel like it, at times..." Twilight trailed off, then tilted her head to the right. "Which... I suppose can be a good thing, since a lot of times when I do feel like an alicorn, I don't like it."

Rainbow looked at her curiously. "Huh?"

Twilight smiled at her. "Don't get me wrong... being an alicorn is... great... I guess, but it's..." Her ears folded back against her head. "It's so different, and..." She slowed down her flight, and Rainbow matched her speed, both of them pausing to hover in the air.

Rainbow looked around quickly, then spotted a nearby cloud large enough for both of them. She grabbed Twilight's hoof, then tugged her over to the cloud and landed. Twilight cautiously landed beside her and pressed her coat up against Rainbow's. Both of them sunk into the cloud a little as they landed, and they cloud seemed to pull them closer together. "You okay?"

Twilight nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's just... It's kind of hard being an alicorn," she said at length. She glanced at Rainbow, sitting to her right, then leaned against her shoulder. The pegasus wrapped her wing around her back and Twilight cooed as her feather's slid across her fur. For a few seconds, she said nothing, just letting herself relax. She lowered her gaze and looked at her hooves. "Everypony looks at you differently and treats you differently. They all look up to me..."

"Twilight, I think everypony looked up to you before you ascended and whatnot," Rainbow replied lightly.

Twilight snorted. "Yeah, but it wasn't as bad as it is now." She leaned away from Rainbow and looked at her. "You all looked at me differently after I ascended, and it took weeks before you finally got used to it." Rainbow smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her mane. Twilight looked away from Rainbow and laid her head on her shoulder. "And... Well, I am different now, but... I'm no better than anypony else, it's not like I'm above everypony, and yet... a lot of ponies look at me that way. It's hard to live up to that standard..."

Rainbow rubbed her wing against Twilight's side. "Well, I think you're doing a good job at it."

Twilight smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"Well, it's true," Rainbow replied. Twilight sighed. "Twilight, you may be an alicorn and a princess, but don't forget that you're still a pony."

Twilight grimaced and looked at her hooves. "It doesn't feel like that a lot of the time..." she said softly.

"And this is why you need to relax," Rainbow chuckled.

"Maybe," Twilight said as she leaned away from Rainbow. "And then other times, the times when I don't feel like an alicorn... I guess I just don't feel very important." She tilted her head away from Rainbow. "It's been worse in general lately, and I'm sure losing my horn hasn't helped with that..." She turned to Rainbow and smiled, although Rainbow looked at her wryly. "But... you've helped me with that, I think..."

Rainbow smiled, but Twilight could tell her heart wasn't in it, it didn't fill her expression as much as it should have. Twilight slowly drew her gaze away from Rainbow and looked down at the cloud beneath them before leaning against her again and giving her a quick nuzzle. "Well... I'm glad that I can make you feel better," Rainbow said gently.

"It means a lot to me that you're willing to do this..." Twilight said. "Although... you already know that," she said as she leaned away from Rainbow. She was happy that Rainbow didn't try to stop her from pulling away, but at the same time she was disappointed. She smiled at Rainbow wryly and stood up, then stepped out from under her friend's wing. She paused at the edge of the cloud, then spread her wings and fell into the air before hovering a short distance away from the cloud. A second later, Rainbow beat her wings and joined her.

The more Twilight thought about it, the more she thought for sure that she had never been more nervous in her entire life. Statistically speaking, she knew it was unlikely, but she was more nervous than the day of her coronation. Her anxiety had steadily risen over the past hour, and as much as she had tried to hide and manage it, it still showed. She glanced at Rainbow and smiled brightly before ruffling her wings. Rainbow looked back at her with a suspicious look. 'Tone down the smile...' she told herself.

The closer they drew to their destination, the faster her heart beat, and the more unsure she grew. The distance between the entrance and the dining room was so great at first, but as time passed, they made progress, and the once long hallways weren't so long anymore. She looked back forward. 'Take a deep breath,' she told herself. She methodically and slowly inhaled deeply, then she slowly exhaled. It helped. She glanced sideways at Rainbow. The pegasus was so calm and relaxed compared to her. 'Just relax...' she told herself for the hundredth time.

It was easier said than done. Three months ago she had asked Rainbow on a date. Three months ago she had said no. A couple weeks ago she said yes. Rainbow had been helping her for around two months. She felt like she shouldn't have been nervous at all, considering how much she had been around the mare over the past few weeks. Even with that thought in mind, she was nervous. 'What if this doesn't work out? What if I ruin everything? What if I say something wrong?' Each question brought on a scenario, and each one felt worse than the last, although she knew that objectively, not every outcome she thought of was worse than the last.

She almost jumped into the air when Rainbow's wing brushed against her own wing. Both of them came to a stop. While Twilight had been worrying, she had unconsciously slid closer to Rainbow. "S-sorry," she hastily apologized and stepped away.

"Twilight," Rainbow groaned, shaking her head. "If I have to tell you to relax one more time, I'm going to drop you into a river." Rainbow started walking forward again, then paused when she realized Twilight wasn't following her. She turned around and looked blankly at Twilight. The alicorn looked terrified.

"Y-you... wouldn't actually do that, would you?" Twilight asked.

"No..." Rainbow sighed and walked back to her. "Look, Twilight, seriously. Stop overthinking this and relax... I'm not going to hurt you." 'At least not on purpose.' "We've known each other for years, and we've been around each other a lot lately." She paused and switched tactics when she saw that it wasn't helping calm the alicorn down any. "You remember that Princess Luna said that you didn't have anything to worry about, right?" Twilight looked away from her and nodded. "You trust her, don't you?" Twilight hesitated, then nodded and looked up at her. "You trust me, don't you?" Twilight nodded without hesitation. "Then please, just relax..."

Twilight slowly bobbed her head and looked away from Rainbow. "I... can't."

Rainbow slid up beside Twilight and laid a wing across her back, not caring if anypony saw her. "Why not?"

Twilight clenched her jaw. A few seconds passed, then she cautiously pressed her side against Rainbow. It helped ease her nerves, feeling her friend's coat against her own coat, and feeling her fur against her feathers. She turned her head and met Rainbow's gaze. "What if something goes wrong?" she asked. She pulled her gaze away from Rainbow. "I can't lose you..." she trailed off, trying not to think about that. "Your friendship," she swiftly corrected, glancing at her friend.

"You won't," Rainbow said in a firm voice backed with a warm, determined smile. "Now come on, let's go, I'm hungry." She pulled Twilight closer with her wing, then coaxed her forward. The alicorn resisted at first but quickly gave in as Rainbow started walking forward, not wanting to lose her protection.

As they made their way ever closer to the dining room, Twilight's anxiety returned and intensified, although it was lessened by their coat's being pressed together and Rainbow's wing being around her back. Eventually, they reached the dining room. The guards pulled open the doors for them, paying no mind to their close proximity nor Rainbow's wing being wrapped around Twilight. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Rainbow withdrew her wing from Twilight and broke away, glancing over the table and chairs for a good place to sit. Twilight stayed near to Rainbow until she started walking to the other side of the table.

Twilight clenched her jaw and pressed her wings firmly against her side, then she calmly walked over to the table and sat down across from where Rainbow was sitting. The pegasus paid her no mind, staring at the door and tapping her hooves on the table to pass the time. After a few seconds, she turned to Twilight. "So-"

She was cut off by the door opening and two ponies dressed in formal attire walking in, smiling warmly and carrying platters covered by lids in their magic. The two unicorns stepped to the side, allowing two more ponies walked in after them, both carrying platters without lids. One of the uncovered platters had two glasses, and the other had two bottles. Twilight couldn't make out the label, but she was sure it was going to be good, they would only serve the best at the castle, after all. They were followed by another pair of unicorns carrying a white tablecloth. They stepped into the room and strode over to the table, unfolding the pristine linen as the walked, then they draped the tablecloth over the table in one majestic motion, covering the wood with a beautiful sheet of white that almost looked like it sparkled with stars mixed into the cloth.

After the tablecloth was set, the four other unicorns skillfully navigated the room, then set up the table before removing the lids from the platters set in front of Twilight and Rainbow and pouring liquid into the two glasses. Twilight smiled her thanks and nodded, to which the six stallions smiled back and promptly left, closing the door behind them and leaving the two mares alone in silence.

Rainbow eyed the cheesy pasta and broccoli hungrily. "When did you-"

Twilight smiled and looked up a little. "I actually made these arrangements when getting the room for tonight," she said, then frowned. "That's... okay, right? I can always-"

"Yeah," Rainbow replied quickly, stopping Twilight's worry before it could take hold. "This looks delicious." Twilight smiled pleasantly, happy that Rainbow approved so far, then Rainbow looked at her and smirked. "No candles?" she asked.

Twilight shifted her weight and the smile faded from her face. "W-well... um... Did you want candles?" she asked, heart pounding. 'I-I knew I should have put up candles... Rainbow, I-I'm sorry, please...'

Rainbow shook her head. "I'm joking, Twi... Relax." She picked up her fork in her wing and scrutinized it.

Twilight closed her eyes and slumped down, relieved. After a few seconds, she sat up and opened her eyes. "I just... I figured that you weren't really into the whole... candlelit dinner thing..." Twilight said under her breath.

"Well, I'm not, but that would have been fine, I think..." Rainbow replied, twirling her fork in her pasta. She picked up the bite then bit down and slid the fork out of her mouth. As she chewed, she watched Twilight. For a few seconds, Twilight did nothing, then she looked down at her plate and picked up her fork, then went to work on her own pasta. 'So this is what a date with you is like?' Rainbow wondered, glancing around the extravagant room. It wasn't what she had expected, but she appreciated the privacy when it came to the fact that it was a date. She didn't want anypony to know she had agreed to a date, let alone the fact that it was a date with Twilight. Rainbow glanced up from her food and watched Twilight chew, then swallow. 'Thanks for not eating meat, Twilight.' The thought gave her pause. 'This is my first date, and it's with Twilight. Am I supposed to... are we supposed to kiss after this is over?' She quickly forked another bite of food into her mouth, helping her feel less stress from the thought. 'That... is that why you're not eating meat?' The idea of kissing somepony who ate meat disgusted her, although in the back of her mind, she wondered what it would be like to kiss Twilight.

She pushed the thought aside. 'No, you just... you don't want to make me uncomfortable,' Rainbow told herself. She swallowed, then took a sip from her glass and glanced over Twilight's lips for a fraction of a second. They were mostly obscured from her wing because she was taking a bite of her food, but she still saw the mare's light lavender skin. The thought lingered in her mind for several seconds, each one making her more uncomfortable than the last. 'Stop thinking about it... She's not going to kiss me,' she told herself. The thought brought relief. 'Although, that's because she's too afraid to,' another part of her said. Rainbow grimaced at that and looked at her plate, feeling guilty. A few seconds passed, then she started eating again.

They ate in silence, enjoying their meals and occasionally sipping their wine. Every so often, Twilight would stare at Rainbow for a few seconds, then return to looking at her plate. Rainbow caught Twilight looking at her more than once. Each time, Rainbow expected Twilight to say something, but the alicorn never did. Eventually, Rainbow lost count of how many times Twilight had glanced up at her and decided to watch her back. Twilight glanced up at her again, only to find Rainbow watching her. She immediately looked back down to her plate then took another bite. She glanced back up and watched Rainbow for a second, then swallowed and looked up at her. "Yes?"

"You look like there's something on your mind," Rainbow replied.

"Oh," Twilight replied, shifting her weight and looking away from her.

After a few seconds, Rainbow frowned. "Well?"

Twilight glanced back at her. "I... was wondering if maybe you could sit beside me instead of across from me?" she asked at length. Rainbow hesitated, thinking about it. Twilight looked at her almost pleadingly.

A few seconds passed, then Rainbow pushed her plate and glass across the table. "Okay," she said. She flapped her wings and flew around to the other side, then sat down in the chair to Twilight's left, pulling her plate and glass closer. Twilight smiled at her before returning her attention to her food.

"Thanks for giving this a chance," Twilight said.

"Well, I was curious about what this would be like," Rainbow replied. She turned to face Twilight and smiled at her wryly. "It's not that great, but it's not terrible." Twilight's smile wavered. "Hey, I'm not really into the whole romance thing, alright? So relax, this is the best date I've ever been on." She smiled reassuringly at Twilight, who wasn't convinced.

"It's also the only date you've ever been on," Twilight mumbled.

"See? You don't have anything to worry about!" Rainbow chuckled.

Twilight sighed and leaned away from Rainbow, her ears pinned against her head. "I wanted it to be perfect..."

Rainbow watched Twilight for several seconds. Each second felt almost like a lifetime, and each second left her feeling worse than the last. "Twilight, I didn't mean it like that." Twilight shook her head and grimaced. 'Oh come on, Twilight! I hate seeing you sad... it hurts...' Rainbow wasn't sure what to say. She looked away from Twilight and shifted her weight, staring blankly at her platter of food. 'Maybe this wasn't a good idea,' she thought.

She sighed and shifted her weight, then extended a wing and wrapped it around Twilight. The alicorn, as she expected, shied away. Rainbow was persistent, however, and she pulled harder. Twilight eventually relented and scooted herself over onto Rainbow's chair and leaned her head on the pegasus' shoulder as she pressed their bodies together. Rainbow didn't stop there, she scooted back away from Twilight, then she straddled her and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into her chest. "I keep hurting you when I don't mean to," Rainbow said softly. "And I'm sorry for that." She laid her head down on Twilight's head, her muzzle resting where Twilight's horn would have been. Twilight welcomed her muzzle and tilted her head up slightly, rubbing her forehead against Rainbow's muzzle. Rainbow gently wrapped her wings around Twilight and ran a hoof through her mane. Twilight closed her eyes and scooted back against Rainbow until her back was against the pegasus' stomach as close as it could be. "Feel any better?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight opened her eyes and smiled at the blue holding her body. "A little..." she said at length. "Neither of us can really eat like this, though..." she mumbled.

"Well... I'm pretty full," Rainbow didn't exactly lie, she knew she could have finished the rest of her food, and she would have liked to, but Twilight was uncomfortable. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make, and she knew she could always fix herself a snack later or before bed. "What about you?" she asked.

"I'd like to finish it," Twilight replied lightly. "But-"

Rainbow cut her off by pushing her plate away and pulling Twilight's plate over in front of her, followed by her glass and silverware. Twilight sighed and wiggled free from Rainbow's embrace, then extended a wing and picked up her utensils to resume eating. After she took her first bite, Rainbow pulled away from her and loosened her grip, but she stayed close to her until she finished several minutes later. After she finished, Twilight pushed her empty plate away and pulled Rainbow's plate in front of them. She tried to pull away from Rainbow, only for the mare to fold her arms around her. "Let me go so that you can finish your food too."

"I don't want to let you go," Rainbow countered. Twilight smiled a little. "I'll just end up hurting you if I do."

"I'll sit beside you..." Twilight replied. After a few seconds, Rainbow's grip loosened. Twilight used the opportunity and wiggled free, then slid around to Rainbow's side and leaned against her. "The sooner you finish the sooner we can... leave."

Rainbow turned to face the alicorn leaning against her. "Twilight..." she sighed. "I'm sorry I ruined this for you. You were supposed to enjoy this and I just kinda... ruined it by not thinking."

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and shook her head. "You didn't ruin this, Rainbow. If anything, it's my fault. I thought that this might... actually work. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

Rainbow groaned and shook her head. "Twilight, you didn't waste my time. We'd still be together eating even if this wasn't a date, you know that and I know that."

"Maybe," Twilight tentatively agreed. She cautiously leaned against Rainbow and closed her eyes. "This was still a mistake, though." The words stung her heart to say, but it was a simple truth. A few seconds passed, then she felt Rainbow's feathers caressing her fur. At the feeling of the mare's wing gently running along her side, she nuzzled Rainbow's neck and pressed her eyes closed even tighter, afraid that she was going to cry.

"This wasn't a mistake, Twi," Rainbow countered firmly. She wrapped her arm around Twilight's neck and nuzzled her mane, then let her go and placed her hoof back on the chair. "So what if our first date kinda sucked? I'm not just going to leave you because of that! Besides, there's always next time, you know."

"Is there going to be a next time?" Twilight asked softly.

The question gave Rainbow pause. She had expected Twilight to ask it, but it still made her pause. A few seconds passed before she started stroking Twilight's side with her wing again. "It's completely up to you. If you want to try it again, I don't have a problem with that."

Twilight shook her head. "I shouldn't be doing this." Rainbow grimaced and squeezed her. "I'm... I'm not okay to do this. I shouldn't have asked you that, I shouldn't have agreed to this, and... and I'm still recovering from the accident. I should have waited until after I had recovered, but... I'm never going to recover..."

"Do you regret asking me?" Rainbow asked.

"No..." Twilight answered softly.

"Do you regret agreeing to go out on a date with me?"

Twilight had to think about that question for several seconds before she could answer it. "No. I don't, even with it turning out so badly," she said with more strength.

"So stop worrying, please. I want you to relax and have a good time..." Rainbow trailed off, glancing at her plate of food. "We can always just forget about the whole... date if it's making you that uncomfortable. We can go back to your tower and... do something else."

"I... want to date you, though..." Twilight replied with hesitation, still not looking up from the chair.

"And I don't want you to be uncomfortable," Rainbow replied with a smile. Twilight still didn't look up. Rainbow waited a few seconds, then unfurled her other wing and brought it around to Twilight's head, then she gradually pulled Twilight's muzzle until the alicorn was looking at her. "I want you to be relaxed and happy, and this date doesn't seem to be doing either."

Twilight sighed and looked back at her hooves. "I said this was a mistake..."

Rainbow groaned and leaned forward until her muzzle hit the table. The thud made Twilight jerk, and Rainbow grunted from the impact. "Rainbow, are you okay?" Twilight asked quickly.

Rainbow pulled back and nodded her head. "Twilight, you..." She lifted a hoof to her temple and started rubbing it vigorously. "Okay, maybe the date was a mistake. But ONLY because it's making you uncomfortable, not because it's not turning out like you wanted. Maybe we shouldn't date because they make you uncomfortable, not because I'm not... interested... in you or anything like that, okay?"

Twilight slowly lifted her head and turned to Rainbow. She spent several seconds scrutinizing the pegasus' expression for any signs of doubt or betrayal. Finding none, she spoke, "You... you're actually willing to give being with me a... a chance?"

Rainbow nodded enthusiastically, but both of them knew she was nervous. "I have been giving it a chance already, haven't I?" she asked, frowning at Twilight.

Twilight shifted her weight. "Yes, you have, but... are you sure about this?"

Rainbow looked at Twilight seriously. "Yes," she said firmly. 'Even if I don't think of you as anything more than a friend, I'm not going to hurt you by saying no. I promise.'

Twilight smiled, then sighed and looked away from her friend. "But... if we're not going to date, what are we supposed to do?"

Several seconds passed before Rainbow spoke. "I don't know," Rainbow replied lightly. "Like what we have been doing?" she asked.

Twilight pursed her lips and looked away from Rainbow. "Just... spending time together and sleeping together?"

"Well... yeah?" Rainbow shifted her weight.

Twilight bobbed her head in thought. "That... makes sense, in a way," she admitted. A few seconds passed, then she looked back up at Rainbow and nuzzled her. "What happens now?"

Rainbow looked down at her hooves in thought while rubbing her wing over Twilight's side. 'It's kind of nice when she nuzzles me and does those kinds of things... You can be a little clingy... but it's nice...' She looked back up and glanced at Twilight, the mare smiled a soft, fond smile directed entirely at her. She smiled back, then looked away from Twilight and shrugged. "I have no idea," she said lightly. Twilight giggled at Rainbow's inept response. A few seconds passed, then she glanced over at Twilight and felt around her side with her wing. Once she found Twilight's wing, she took it with her own wing and meshed their feather's together. Twilight hadn't been expecting it, and the warm glow it left on her features made Rainbow's smile even brighter.

Twilight closed her eyes and leaned into Rainbow. Feeling her soft wings and feathers brushing against her own and intertwining made her heart flutter. She ran her cheek and neck all over Rainbow in long, loving strokes, giving the pegasus some small idea of how much she liked the feeling. Twilight knew that no matter how hard she tried, she'd never be able to repay Rainbow for holding her wing, but she was willing to try.

"You really like that, don't you?" Rainbow chuckled. Twilight's reply was to continue nuzzling her, eliciting a giggle from her friend. Eventually, Twilight slowed and then stopped, leaving both of them with warm smiles. Both of them were glad they were alone. Twilight didn't want to be around anypony else right then, she wanted Rainbow all to herself and anypony who wanted to get between them would have to wait. Rainbow didn't want anypony to see what Twilight did and even more than that, she didn't want anypony to know that she enjoyed it.

"Are you sure you're full?" Twilight asked several seconds later.

"Yeah, I'm good," Rainbow replied. "You ready to head back to the tower?"

Twilight bit her lip and shifted her weight. "If you're ready, then I guess I'm ready."

"Alright," Rainbow replied. She scooted the chair back from the table, then pulled her wing away from Twilight and jumped down. No sooner had Rainbow touched the floor than Twilight was already at her side again. Rainbow didn't even hesitate before laying her wing back over Twilight, and the alicorn pressed herself close to her friend. The made their way over to the door, Rainbow pushed it open, and they walked out side by side. Almost immediately, six well-dressed unicorns smiled at them and walked passed them into the room, none of them saying a word.

Rainbow opened the door to Twilight's tower and motioned the alicorn inside. Twilight ruffled her wings apprehensively and stepped through the doorway. Rainbow followed close behind her, and as soon as both of them were in, Rainbow shut the door behind them and locked it out of habit. Twilight's first thoughts were drawn to the pegasus standing beside her, then to their bed. She glanced sideways at her friend, then she made her way across the room. To Rainbow's surprise, the bed wasn't Twilight's destination, rather, the balcony door was. Rainbow walked over to her as she opened the door and stepped outside. Rainbow made sure that the door was unlocked before closing it behind them, she didn't want to accidently lock Twilight and herself outside.

Twilight sat down on her haunches and stared up at the dark blue sky. The sun was setting in the distance and it would be night soon. The longer rays of sunlight carried less energy than they would have during the day, and they both felt it in the air. Rainbow sat down beside Twilight, and the alicorn princess immediately pressed herself into Rainbow's warm and soft coat. The pegasus returned the gesture, ever so slightly leaning on Twilight.

Their trip back from the dining room had been a quiet one. Neither of them had much to say, but Rainbow could tell that something was bothering Twilight. Throughout the duration of their trip, Rainbow kept thinking about what was bothering Twilight. She decided that the alicorn was nervous and disappointed by how their date turned out. Twilight believed it to have been a failure, despite Rainbow's attempts to convince her otherwise. Rainbow didn't view it that way. She wouldn't have called it a success by a long shot, but she wouldn't have said it was a failure.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight, her eyes briefly trailing over her beautiful indigo mane and her warm, soft fur. 'Do I love her?' she asked herself. For several seconds, she searched all of her thoughts and memories. She found herself smiling at the thoughts of Twilight flooding her mind, but feeling growing dread. Several seconds passed before she stopped smiling. She sighed, knowing that the answer would hurt Twilight more than she was willing to. 'I don't do I?' Whatever way she looked at it, she couldn't see herself loving Twilight as anything more than a friend, and if she was being honest, she didn't like that. It felt almost wrong, and it caused her a tinge of pain, knowing it would hurt Twilight.

'Even if I don't love you, Twi, I'll be here for you. I'm not going to hurt you by leaving you,' Rainbow promised herself. 'I hurt you so much before... I'm not doing that again.' She turned away from Twilight and looked up. The sky said more than a few seconds had passed. It looked almost like several minutes had passed. The brilliant shades of orange and pink had nearly faded from the sky, and she could see more stars than she could count in the darkness high above.

"Do you really think we shouldn't date?" Twilight asked in a soft, gentle voice that took Rainbow several seconds to realize Twilight had actually asked a question.

Rainbow turned her attention from the sky and looked at Twilight. Twilight's eyes were focused on the stars, but the alicorn tore her gaze away from the sky. No small amount of pain was visible in her glossy eyes, and Rainbow felt a stab of guilt strike her with the precision of an assassin's blade. "Twilight," Rainbow started in an equally soft voice. "I don't mean that I don't... want to give us a shot. I really do want to give us a shot... I mean that... It just makes you uncomfortable to be on a date with me. You just... you can't relax. So maybe we shouldn't date. We can do something else besides that. I mean, we already do things that only really close ponies do," she said with a gentle smile.

Twilight smiled back and looked back at the sky. "I guess you're right... It just... it doesn't feel right, though. It doesn't feel like..." she trailed off, shaking her head and looking at her hooves.

"Like what?" Rainbow prompted.

"I don't know," Twilight answered before sighing. "It doesn't feel like I imagined."

Rainbow frowned glumly. She could hear the sadness in Twilight's voice, and it carried over into her being. Suddenly, the night sky didn't look as wonderful as it had nor was it as awesome as normal. Rainbow shifted her weight and leaned back, then pulled Twilight's head into her lap. The alicorn looked up at her with the soft and curious look that belonged to her alone. Rainbow smiled fondly down at her, running her hoof through her mane. Twilight cooed and closed her eyes as Rainbow's hoof trailed through her mane in long, loving strokes. "Better?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded happily. "Yes."

"I think we need to talk," Rainbow said.

Twilight frowned and opened her eyes to see Rainbow looking down at her with a sweet expression. Weeks ago, hearing her say that would have given her a heart attack. "We do?" she asked innocently.

"Well... yeah. We just went on a date. We're dating. It obviously made you uncomfortable, and I didn't think it was that great," Rainbow explained.

"Oh..." Twilight said softly, averting her gaze from Rainbow and cursing herself for resting her head in the mare's lap.

Twilight found her muzzle pulled back to face Rainbow by the pegasus' hoof. "I don't mean it like that. Seriously... I feel like I'm walking on a tightrope whenever talking about this... You really need to relax, I'm not going to hurt you..." she trailed off, pulling her hoof through the alicorn's long, beautiful indigo mane. She met her eyes and smiled. "I just mean like uh..." She shifted her weight and tried to come up with a better way of wording it. No better way came to mind, so she took the straightforward way of saying it, hoping not to hurt Twilight. "So uh... We're dating but we're not going on dates is what I mean..." she said. "Like... we're marefriends-" 'I never thought I'd hear myself say that word, let alone using it to refer to you and me...' "-but we're not going to go do super boring romantic stuff like going out on dates. I mean, if you want to go out and eat we can, but let's not make such a big deal out of it, alright?"

Twilight smiled lightly, understanding and relief flowing through her features. "O-okay," she agreed. "S-so kind of... more relaxed?" she asked.

Rainbow smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, exactly like that. That way you won't be so stressed and worried and I won't feel so..." she trailed off and eyed Twilight cautiously. She wasn't afraid, nor was she nervous. "Awkward," she said testingly. Twilight giggled at her. "But yeah, I don't like seeing you so stressed out either."

"Maybe... maybe I am worrying about this too much," Twilight admitted. "I... have issues with worrying about things and I may have a slight habit of blowing them out of proportion..."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow at her. "Slight habit?" she asked. Twilight smiled sheepishly at her. "Seriously? I'm pretty sure you blow things out of proportion more than anypony I know. Remember that one time when you brainwashed the whole town? I mean, come on!"

Twilight shifted her weight and looked away from her friend. She held her wings to her sides tighter. "W-well, I..." she trailed off, having nothing to say to defend herself. "Maybe we shouldn't try to do this. There's a lot of me that you probably don't want to put up with..."

Rainbow snorted. "Twilight, I've seen you at your best and your worst. Trust me, I can handle you." Twilight shifted her weight and rubbed her wings against her sides, uncomfortable with Rainbow saying she could handle her. Rainbow watched her for a few seconds, then pulled her hoof away from Twilight's mane. "What exactly are you wanting out of me anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked slowly and cautiously like she was afraid to approach the question.

"Why do you want to... to be with me? To be in a relationship with me?" Rainbow frowned as she thought about the questions.

Twilight slowly pushed herself up out of Rainbow's lap, then she laid down on her stomach beside Rainbow. Rainbow leaned back all the way so that she could look at Twilight without straining her head. Twilight folded her hooves beneath her head and glanced over Rainbow's chest. "You're my best friend, Rainbow... I still want to be closer to you, though. You're beautiful and free-spirited. You're a strong mare, stronger than I am by a long shot, even physically right now." Twilight flashed her a small smile and laid a wing over Rainbow's chest, drawing the pegasus's attention to the lavender wing caressing her body. "You're loyal to your friends, and even though you can be... challenging... you're one of the best ponies I know. You make me feel safe, I know that when you're around, you're not going to let anypony get hurt without a fight. You may not always be the most dependable pony, but if it comes down to it, we can count on you for anything."

"Did you practice that?" Rainbow asked with a smirk.

Twilight shook her head. "No. If I had practiced it, I would have written it down on paper and read it to you."

Rainbow laughed and looked up into the sky. "Yeah, that sounds like you."

Twilight rolled her eyes and pulled herself up on top of Rainbow. "Plus it would have been more... poetic." She folded her arms and legs between them and smiled down at the pegasus before lying her head down on her chest. Rainbow wrapped her wings around Twilight's barrel and folded her legs around Twilight's back. "Are you comfortable?" Twilight asked with a furrowed brow, "The floor can't be that comfortable..."

Rainbow shrugged. "It's not that comfortable, but it's not bad either."

"It probably doesn't help that I'm lying on you," Twilight commented with a wry expression. She unfolded her arms and put them on either side of Rainbow, intending to stand up.

Rainbow pulled her back down, smirking the whole time. "Maybe I like you lying on me?" Twilight smiled affectionately at her and laid her head back down on her chest. She put her ear against Rainbow's chest and listened to her steady breathing and gentle heartbeat.

A few seconds passed, then Rainbow rolled over onto her side, still holding Twilight off the floor with a wing. She slid one of her arms under Twilight's head as the alicorn pulled away from her. Twilight glanced at Rainbow's arm, then tentatively laid her head down on it and smiled at the mare. 'This is better than some romantic dopey date or something,' she thought. "This is nice," she said aloud. "Just being with you," she added.

Twilight slid her muzzle up to Rainbow's body and sighed into her coat. Rainbow smiled as the alicorn exhaled into her chest and then inhaled. "I don't want this to ever end," Twilight said softly.

Over the next several seconds, Rainbow's thoughts turned against her, and her smile faded to a frown. She didn't want to say anything about it, knowing that it would cause Twilight unnecessary pain. She still felt like she needed to address it. "You're an alicorn... you know you're going to outlive me..." She felt Twilight's body tense up in her grip. "We should talk about that?"

Twilight pressed her muzzle deeper into Rainbow's coat, hoping that it would make the discomfort go away. While it made her feel better, her discomfort didn't leave. "I don't want to talk about that, Rainbow..."

"Okay, we don't have to..." Rainbow replied, bending her hoof up and caressing Twilight's mane. Twilight closed her eyes and rubbed her nose against Rainbow's soft coat, smiling as their fur mixed and intertwined. "It's getting kind of late... maybe we should go to bed?"

Twilight pulled back and pouted at her, unhappy with the prospect of losing the feeling of closeness with her pegasus. She eventually relented and pulled away from her, letting the mare stand up. As soon as the mare was on her hooves, Twilight was right beside her, sliding up against her coat. Rainbow quickly opened the door and motioned her in, then closed the door behind both of them. Twilight sighed and beat her wings, flying over to the bed and then landing. As soon as she reached the bed, she slid her hoof over the soft silken covers. She closed her eyes and smiled at the feeling, though, it still didn't compare to Rainbow's soft coat. She objectively knew that the bed was softer than Rainbow, but Rainbow just felt so much better to her.

Rainbow flew over to her and landed silently beside her, barely disturbing her. Rainbow immediately pulled Twilight into her body as she fell to the bed, then they both slid beneath the blankets in one graceful move. Twilight shifted her weight so that her back was against Rainbow's stomach. Rainbow was a little surprised Twilight wasn't going to sleep facing her, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she slid one of her hooves under Twilight's head while pinning the mare's arms to her chest with the other, then she pinned Twilight's legs to her body and wrapped her wings around her. Twilight snuggled back against her and sighed contently as she closed her eyes. "Goodnight, Twilight," Rainbow said sweetly.

Twilight turned her head and looked back at Rainbow. "Goodnight, Rainbow." For several seconds, she watched the pegasus holding her, content to stare at the mare's chin. Eventually, she turned back around and scooted herself up so she could lay her head down on the pillow. Rainbow adjusted her body to accommodate her, and she found her muzzle pressed up against the back of Twilight's mane. A soft, gentle and light lavender scent worked its way into Rainbow's nose. Rainbow cracked open an eye, curious about the source of the pleasant scent she smelt. Finding it coming from Twilight's mane, she said nothing and smiled, then she pulled Twilight further into her embrace and slid her muzzle against Twilight before taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling.

Author's Notes:

I don't really have a lot to say here. I apologize for being late. I got sick and then the medicine I'm on made it hard to write. I actually finished on time to release it last Saturday, but what I wrote didn't feel right, so I had to go over it and edit it. Still doesn't feel perfect...

1-2 more chapters left before this ends.

Normally I go through and offer some insights or commentary, but I didn't do it this time. Good news, though, I have started on Chapter 10, and I tentatively plan to have it out next Saturday. Unfortunately college has started back up again, which may interfere with my plans.

I really hope you enjoy this chapter. I know I enjoyed it- up until I got sick... Yes, the date scene was kind of bad. It's a combination of being meant to be that way and I have absolutely no experience with this.

Chapter 10

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Twilight moaned contently as she opened her eyes and regained her senses. Waking up with the warmth of Rainbow to her back and the heat trapped beneath the blankets threatened to pull her back to sleep, but she fought off the urge. Waking up next to Rainbow was always a highlight of her day. She had slept with Rainbow for a couple weeks, and in her mind, no amount of time would ever be enough. Every time she awoke in Rainbow's embrace was a memory she knew she would cherish for the entirety of her life, but at the moment, she chose to relax and enjoy the simple sensations of waking up with Rainbow holding her.

Even if her muzzle wasn't pressed against Rainbow's coat, it was worth the sacrifice. The pegasus was holding her in a firm, secure embrace. Rainbow's right arm was wrapped around Twilight's two hooves and pinned them against her chest. She couldn't move them more than a few inches before Rainbow would tighten her grip and immobilize her again, and she loved it beyond all reason. Her pegasus also pinned her hind legs to her abdomen. One of Rainbow's legs was laid around her legs at an angle and pressed her legs against her body. Rainbow's legs were much stronger than her own legs, although she could move her hind legs more than her arms before Rainbow responded and held her tighter.

Every time she inhaled, Rainbow would flex her muscles and her grip would tighten, and Twilight found herself more relaxed than she could ever remember being. Spending a weekend sorting and rearranging books in her castle's library didn't compare in the slightest to feeling Rainbow holding her. She made a mental note of every sensation, and even the slightest movement either of them made. It was a memory she made sure she would never forget.

She closed her eyes and nestled back into Rainbow's embrace. The pegasus's fur was so soft against her coat. She was content to lay there for hours on end if Rainbow would let her. Unfortunately, she knew that since she had woken up, the time she had to enjoy what she was feeling was limited. She knew that in a matter of minutes, Rainbow would stir awake. She rubbed her head against Rainbow's jaw and shifted her weight. As expected, Rainbow refused to let her budge. Twilight smiled, even if Rainbow's actions were unconscious, it melted her heart knowing that the pegasus was so protective of her.

'I wish I was always this relaxed...' She sighed unhappily at the thought. Waking up was the least stressful part of her day. She always felt so refreshed after sleeping in Rainbow's hooves. After they both woke up, she always found her stress rising throughout the day, sometimes subtly, and sometimes in noticeable leaps and bounds. Rainbow would help her during those times just by being close to her. At other times, Rainbow's presence was a source of her stress. She loved the pegasus to no end, but she was scared to death at the prospect of losing her. Despite Rainbow's assurances that she'd never leave Twilight, Twilight feared that she would mess up and ruin everything to no end.

Twilight sighed and scooted her muzzle up from under the covers. She blinked her eyes and stared out the window. It was still dark outside, although there was the subtlest hue of light starting to push back the darkness. The sight brought a slight smile to her lips, knowing that the day would bring new opportunities. Unfortunately, she also knew that the day would bring new challenges. Challenges that she dreaded. Losing her horn had made her life hard. Rainbow had made her life easier, but there was only so much she could do to make Twilight feel better.

For a while, she counted the stars she could see, but every time Rainbow's chest moved against hers, she lost track of which stars she had counted. The slightest movement of the pegasus that caused their coats to brush together brought her more happiness and joy than eating a cookie had given her as a filly. In the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if she just had a schoolfilly's crush on Rainbow. She feared the day when it started to fade, although she also knew that it would never fade, but it didn't lessen the fear at all. Rainbow was the only pony she had ever felt so drawn to. She had crushes in the past, but they didn't draw her like as Rainbow did. As much as she wanted Rainbow to be hers, she wanted to be Rainbow's even more. She felt selfish, and she wanted to make it up to the pegasus any way she could.

Unfortunately, Rainbow didn't give her many opportunities to make it up to her. The mare always told her to relax, calm down, or stop apologizing. She tried to relax and calm down for her. It wasn't easy and it almost never worked. The only thing that seemed to help was feeling Rainbow against her. That always seemed to help, and she was sure that if she wasn't laying wrapped in Rainbow's embrace, the thought would have calmed her down more.

Rainbow shifted her weight in her sleep. Twilight smiled as the pegasus's leg supporting her flank shifted. A few second later, Twilight found herself laying on top of Rainbow after the mare shifted again. During the next few seconds, Twilight managed to free herself from Rainbow's grasp and rolled over onto her stomach. She smiled fondly at the pegasus below her. She let her eyes roll over the mare's polychromatic mane, beautiful face, welcoming neck, and soft chest, scrutinizing each feature and every line in her body or coat, down to the shortest hair. Eventually, she slid her muzzle under Rainbow's muzzle. She welcomed the pegasus' warmth against her muzzle and sighed into her neck.

The pegasus giggled as Twilight's nose tickled her neck. Twilight closed her eyes and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow, then pulled her legs up and slid them under her body. Twilight's only regret was that she was bigger than Rainbow. It was only a slight, barely noticeable difference in size between them, and it was most prominent in height, but it still bothered her. After several seconds, Twilight wondered if Rainbow would be uncomfortable waking up in the position she was in.

She sighed then pulled away from Rainbow and laid on her back beside the pegasus. Several seconds passed, then she grew bored and rolled over onto her side and wrapped her limbs around Rainbow and pulled her into her body. Rainbow, in her sleep, rolled over and faced away from Twilight. Twilight smiled at the opportunity and slid her hooves over Rainbow's hooves and held them tightly to her chest, mimicking how Rainbow had been holding her. The way Rainbow's back curved and conformed to her body made her fit perfectly against her, much like if their positions were reversed. Rainbow sighed contently, widening Twilight's smile. 'Is this what it feels like to you?' she wondered, pondering what it felt like to hold Rainbow.

'This is amazing,' was the only answer she received. She didn't like it as much as being held by Rainbow, but she did like it. It was a unique opportunity, she knew it was unlikely that Rainbow would let her hold her if she were awake. The pegasus had a side that she rarely showed, but she still had her limits. Their date last night had been a testimony to that.

Twilight winced at the memory. She felt horrible about it. She felt like she had ruined her chances with Rainbow, but yet the pegasus had blown off her concern and worry. They were dating, but it was going to be relaxed. 'You... care about me, don't you?' she asked. As expected, she received no answer, although she could take a guess. She smiled. Rainbow didn't want her to be stressed out. Time and time again, the pegasus had told her to relax. The thought was comforting, even if she couldn't relax most of the time.

Twilight closed her eyes and pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's mane. She inhaled deeply and paused. 'Lavender...' She exhaled then inhaled again, confirming that Rainbow smelt like lavender. She wasn't sure what to think of it. On one hoof, she liked it. Rainbow smelt like her. On the other hoof, Rainbow didn't smell like she normally did. She missed it. She sighed into Rainbow's mane and pushed the thought aside, deciding to be happy rather than spend too much time thinking about it.

She opened her eyes and her gaze fell on Rainbow's ear. She watched it for several seconds, then she slowly leaned in and sniffed it. Rainbow's ear twitched slightly from her action. She mulled over the familiar scent of lavender for a few seconds, then opened her mouth and ran her tongue over her ear. Rainbow shifted her weight and her ear twitched again. She closed her mouth and mulled over the taste for several seconds. Eventually, she ran her tongue over Rainbow's ear again, once more causing the pegasus' ear to twitch. Twilight watched Rainbow with baited breath, making sure she wasn't about to wake up, then she ran her tongue over her ear again. It twitched again, but not as much as it had both times before. Rainbow shifted her weight again and mumbled something as Twilight continued licking her ear.

Every stroke made Rainbow shift her weight a little more as Twilight's tongue tickled her ear. Twilight eventually took Rainbow's ear into her mouth, then pressed her lips against her friend's ear and pulled her muzzle back. She enjoyed the feeling of Rainbow's ear sliding passed her lips. She smiled and pulled away, then stared at Rainbow's ear. Her fur was slicked back by her actions, and she smiled happily, knowing that she left her mark on Rainbow. As seconds passed, her smile faded to dread when she thought about Rainbow finding out what she did.

Her heart beat a little faster, and she slowly pulled herself away from Rainbow. She carefully slid out of bed and walked away from the bed, staring at Rainbow's still sleeping form with a mixture of dread, sadness, and happiness. She paused once she reached the other side of the room, then she watched Rainbow for several seconds. A sense of calm overtook her as the pegasus slept peacefully, blissfully unaware of her actions.

Twilight closed her eyes and sighed in relief. She sat down on her haunches and rested her head against the wall. She missed being in bed beside Rainbow, she missed holding Rainbow, and she missed Rainbow holding her. She wanted to get back in bed with her, but she was afraid she would wake her up, and her ear was still wet from her actions. She gritted her teeth and opened her eyes. For a few seconds, she stared at the ceiling, then she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. 'You.... you would forgive me,' she told herself. It didn't help her feel any better. She didn't want to have that conversation with the pegasus, and her finding out would only serve to make things more awkward between them.

Twilight ruffled her wings and glanced at both of them in turn, attempting to distract herself. She smiled, knowing that it was Rainbow's actions that made her wings look as good as they did. The pegasus had preened her wings, she had taken her feathers into her mouth and realigned and cleaned them. Thinking of that made her feel a little less worried about Rainbow finding out what she did, since the pegasus had done something similar to her. Still smiling, she stood up and looked at Rainbow. She had no idea how long Rainbow would be asleep for, and she regretted her decision to leave her.

She silently sighed and turned her attention to the bathroom door. Several seconds passed before she determined to take a bath before Rainbow woke up. She silently strode over to the bathroom door, then opened it and stepped inside. She pulled the door shut and faced it for several seconds, unable to decide whether to lock the door or leave it unlocked. Eventually, she pulled away from the door, having decided to leave the door unlocked, that way, if something happened, Rainbow wouldn't have to hurt herself to get to her.

Twilight glanced around the room before her eyes settled on the bathtub.

Rainbow frowned in her sleep. Not only was her chest cold, but her back was too. She missed the warmth that she had grown accustomed to. She rolled over and searched for the warmth, only to find nothing. Her friend was missing. She didn't like it. Not only was Twilight's warmth gone, but her comfortable body was missing too.

Rainbow groaned and begrudgingly opened an eye, not sure what woke her up. Almost immediately, she was aware that Twilight wasn't with her. She was surprised by how disappointed she was from waking up alone. She missed Twilight, she had grown used to waking up next to the alicorn. She sighed and rolled over onto her back, then opened her other eye and glanced around the bed. Twilight wasn't on the bed. She pulled her hooves up beside her body, then pushed against the bed and sat up. She glanced around the room. It was hard to see in the early light of morning, but Twilight clearly wasn't in the room.

She frowned and pulled herself out from under the blankets. She shivered as the cold morning air hit her coat. Once more, she missed waking up holding a warm body close to her own body. She flapped her wings and glided off the bed. The floor was cold to her hooves, but she was expecting that. She walked over to the balcony door, still glancing around the room, expecting to see Twilight sitting somewhere reading a book. She lifted her hoof to the doorknob and pressed against it. It was still locked. Her brow furrowed in thought.

She turned around and scrutinized the room again. She beat her wings and glided over to the door to the exterior stairway and checked it. It was still locked too. Rainbow landed and took a few aimless steps forward, then she heard noise coming from the bathroom. She closed her eyes and sighed, realizing that Twilight wasn't missing.

She opened her eyes and calmly walked over to the bathroom. Before she could put her ear up to the door, the door opened and a lavender alicorn stood in the doorway, mane and tail still sagging, damp with water. Twilight held a towel secure over her back with her wings, but the towel was starting to be waterlogged from soaking up so much water. "I see you're up early," Rainbow commented.

Twilight blinked and swallowed, momentarily sparing a glance at Rainbow's left ear. She averted her gaze from her ear before Rainbow even saw that she had looked at her ear. She ruffled her wings, not sure what to say. "Good morning?" she eventually said.

Rainbow frowned at her. "Are you okay? You seem a little... off."

Twilight shifted her weight. "I'm fine. I just..." she trailed off, glancing at the floor and moving her hoof in little circles.

Rainbow's brow furrowed, and she carefully looked over Twilight. "You didn't have another nightmare, did you?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No. I just woke up early. I... I figured that you would still be asleep for a while, so I decided to go ahead and get a headstart on the day by taking a bath."

"Instead... of staying with me?" Rainbow asked, a slight look of hurt flashing across her features.

Twilight tilted her head and looked at Rainbow despondently. She wasn't sure what to say to Rainbow, she looked genuinely hurt that she hadn't stayed with her. Twilight's head fell towards the floor. Several seconds passed in silence between the two, then Twilight smiled. 'She missed waking up beside me?' She looked up at Rainbow happily. "You wanted to wake up next to me?" she asked.

Rainbow's look of hurt faded and she looked at Twilight blankly. She blinked, and several seconds passed. "Uh... yeah?" she said with an uncertain voice. "I did," she added. "I... I like waking up next to you. It's nice," she said with more conviction.

Twilight sat down on her haunches, smiling fondly at Rainbow. "I never thought I would hear you say that... You don't know how much that means to me, Rainbow," she said in a soft, sweet voice.

Rainbow shifted her weight, then stepped forward and sat down beside Twilight. The alicorn immediately leaned on her and sighed happily. Rainbow winced as the cold towel pressed against her coat, and she instinctually leaned away from it before looking at the damp towel. Twilight pulled back and smiled sheepishly as she pulled the towel off of her with her wings. Once the towel was on the floor, she leaned back on Rainbow, and Rainbow wrapped a wing around her. "You feel a little cold," Rainbow said.

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and bobbed her head. "I did just get out of the bath," she replied dismissively.

"And it's kinda cold in here," Rainbow added.

Twilight pursed her lips. "It is a little chilly," she replied.

Rainbow stood up and coaxed Twilight up. Twilight looked at her curiously as Rainbow guided her over to the bed, then jumped up onto it and pulled the covers back with her wing and slid under the blankets, facing Twilight. Twilight smiled and said nothing as she slid up onto the bed. Rainbow dropped the blankets around her, then pulled the damp alicorn into her body and wrapped her limbs around her.

"Thanks," Twilight said.

Several seconds passed, both of them relaxing and staring out the window. "When do Princess Celestia and Princess Luna eat breakfast?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight frowned and pulled away from Rainbow, glancing at the clock. "In about an hour," she said. "Why?"

"Do you want to try to meet them for breakfast?" Rainbow asked.

"It might be nice," Twilight said, smiling at the prospect of spending more time with Celestia and Luna. "Although, this is pretty nice too..."

"Well..." Rainbow trailed off, deep in thought. Twilight rolled over and faced her. For a few seconds, Twilight met Rainbow's gaze, then she glanced down at the pegasus' chest and slowly brought her hooves up against it. "We can stay here until you get warmed up, then I can go take a shower. After that, I can brush your mane and then we could go to breakfast with the princesses? How does that sound?"

Twilight smiled and looked up at Rainbow. "That sounds nice."

"Then it's settled," Rainbow said with a smile. She folded her arms around Twilight's withers and intertwined her wings around Twilight's back.

Twilight nestled up against Rainbow and nuzzled her neck before sliding her head into the crook of Rainbow's neck.

"Good morning, Luna," Celestia warmly greeted her sister as the dark alicorn strode through the tall double doors.

Luna came to a stop and nodded at Celestia. "Good morning, sister," she acknowledged. "It seems like it will be a fine day today," she commented as she started walking again, making her way around to the table and taking a seat beside her sister. Normally, if there were dignitaries from another country there, or important ponies there for a formal meeting, they had specific places where they sat. Neither of them liked that very much. However, both of them tolerated it. Celestia tolerated it better than her sister, but the Princess of the Night was no stranger to politics, although she was often more direct.

As if cued by Luna sitting down, two ponies clad in white dress shirts quickly rushed in and set a platter and glass down in front of her. The pony who brought the platter levitated the lid off and presented her with a plate that had a stack of four pancakes, topped with syrup running down the sides and a slab of butter. She smiled and nodded in approval. While the first pony presented her with breakfast, the other poured her a glass of apple cider. As soon as he finished, Luna levitated the glass in her magic and took a small sip of it. She mulled the taste over and decided it was acceptable, as she had what felt like every morning. She did not always eat the same thing, but she had a habit of telling them what she wanted in the morning before retiring to her bedchambers, which, unfortunately, occasionally meant she changed her mind during the night. On those days, she felt sorry for the ponies serving them.

She pushed the thought aside as the two ponies left and the doors silently closed behind them. "Pancakes again, Luna?" Celestia asked.

Luna rolled her eyes at her sister. "Says the pony who eats a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries every morning on weekdays," she said dryly.

"I do not always have oatmeal. You know that, Luna. I simply enjoy the taste," Celestia replied before closing her eyes and levitating her teacup to her lips. She let the tea roll around in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. "Did they sleep alright?" she asked.

Without asking, Luna immediately knew who Celestia was talking about. She finished chewing up her bite of pancake, then swallowed and set her fork and knife back on the platter. "They did," she answered. Her brow furrowed as she pondered Twilight's state of mind during the night. "Although, Twilight's mind wasn't as peaceful as I had hoped. I am worried that... things might not have gone according to her plan."

"The date?" Celestia inquired.

Luna grimaced and bobbed her head. "I do not know how it went, you would have to ask one of them..." She trailed off, silence filled the air for a few seconds before she spoke again. "I am still worried about her. I believe she still doubts herself."

Celestia hated hearing that. She didn't like hearing that Twilight wasn't doing well. She didn't like hearing that Twilight doubted herself. She had tried many times to build the mare's self-confidence, and it had always been a challenge. Celestia knew how much magic meant to Twilight. She knew that Twilight was still hurting, and it hurt her knowing that there was nothing she could do about it. She had hoped that her friends would have taken her mind off of it and helped her, but that only seemed to help so much. She had hoped Rainbow would be good for Twilight and improve her mood. She knew Twilight cared for Rainbow deeply, and she had seen how Rainbow made her feel better when they were close. As to whether it would last or not, she wasn't sure, it only seemed to help Twilight so much. "I don't like how we're stuck on the sidelines, unable to help her."

Luna turned to Celestia and nodded slowly. "Indeed. It is... troubling, but leaving her in Ponyville was for the best. I fear that she would be doing worse now if we had taken her to Canterlot against her will."

Celestia grimaced. "Regardless, she's here now of her own free will..."

"For the purpose of taking a break and dating Rainbow," Luna said.

"Perhaps she needs a vacation away from Equestria?" Celestia mused aloud. She thought about it for a few seconds and found herself smiling. "I'm sure Princess Cadance would be more than happy to have them stay in the Crystal Empire..."

Luna looked at Celestia wearily. "I... do not believe that would be wise, sister..." she said at length, concern permeating her voice.

Celestia turned to her and frowned. "What do you mean?"

Luna bobbed her head. "Cadance is the Princess of Love... I do not believe Twilight would be comfortable being around Cadance and Rainbow in private... if Cadance found out that they're together... I imagine Twilight would be very stressed out by it."

Celestia looked away from Luna and stared into her half empty bowl of oatmeal. "I suppose you make a valid point, she would be uncomfortable in that situation. I just wish she could relax." She looked back up and shook her head. "I almost think all of her problems would go away if she would stop worrying, but knowing Twilight, that's impossible."

Luna grimaced. The atmosphere felt oppressive rather than uplifting like it had earlier, their conversation weighed heavily on their minds. Both of them eventually returned to their food and ate in silence, several minutes passing with the only sounds coming from their magic and their utensils scraping against their plate and bowl. Shortly before Celestia finished off her bowl of oatmeal, another sound filled the air, drawing both her and Luna's attention to the door. Twilight and Rainbow cautiously walked inside. "Twilight, Rainbow," Celestia greeted warmly, helping defuse the tension that had filled the room before the two of them entered. "How nice of you to join us. I didn't expect to see you until later."

"W-well... We both woke up early," Twilight said. "And we decided that we'd come join you." She glanced at Rainbow then tentatively stepped forward. Rainbow stayed close beside her, just out of reach. Both of them pulled out chairs across from Celestia and Luna and sat down. "I hope we're not interrupting anything... I know it's short notice-"

Celestia shook her head vigorously. "Nonsense, I'm happy that you could join us."

"Yes indeed. We do not see you enough, Twilight. It will be good to have breakfast with you, even if it is only a few minutes," Luna said.

Twilight smiled, then grimaced. "We... really don't see each other that much, do we?"

"Unfortunately, it comes with the job. We are all very busy, but perhaps we should make more time to see each other, family is important, after all," Luna commented.

Twilight looked down at the table. "I really wish that I could help you with that..."

"Do not worry about it, Twilight. We are both capable of handling things in your absence. I did rule Equestria on my own for a thousand years, after all," Celestia said with a smile. Luna glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye but remained silent.

Rainbow turned to Twilight and smiled. "Yeah, Twi! Come on, take it easy, you're still recovering!"

Both Celestia and Luna smiled at Rainbow, seeing her attempt to comfort Twilight made both of them feel relieved that Twilight had somepony to be there for her, somepony who she cared about, and somepony who cared about her. Luna, in particular, was quite happy with knowing that Rainbow was there for her.

Twilight bobbed her head uneasily. "I... I'm never going to completely recover, though..." she said softly.

"Then we will bear your responsibilities for you, Twilight," Luna said, smiling at the young alicorn. Twilight tentatively looked at her, a slight perplexion filling her gaze. "Both of us owe you a lot Twilight, doing this is the least we can do for you, to say nothing of the fact that you are a member of the Royal Family."

Twilight smiled weakly. "Thanks..."

Rainbow leaned over to Twilight then wrapped a wing around her body and pulled her over to her. Twilight slid across the gap between their chairs and sat beside Rainbow. She looked down at the table, then closed her eyes and laid her head against her friend. Rainbow ran her wing up and down her side several times before tightening her grip. Twilight ignored Celestia and Luna and lightly rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's neck. Rainbow clenched her jaw, distressed by the fact that both Celestia and Luna were watching her while Twilight nuzzled her, but she eventually overcame the unease and returned the nuzzle.

"I take it the date went well?" Celestia asked.

Twilight opened her eyes and bit her lip, immediately leaning away from Rainbow, only for the mare to pull her back against her side. "It... I kinda screwed it up," Rainbow admitted. Celestia's smile faltered for a brief second. "But... I mean, we're... together..." she said testingly. "We're just not going to do... things like... well, things that are stressful. Things that stress Twilight out. Like... go out on dates."

"I see..." Celestia said in a more reserved voice. "If you don't mind my asking, how is that going to work?"

Rainbow shifted her weight and glanced at Twilight. The alicorn still didn't look up. She didn't like that. She turned back to Celestia. "Well, I mean... Twilight just wasn't happy last night, but she's happy when we're just... together. So I figured that we'd just keep doing like we have been doing..." she trailed off, not wanting to go into details.

"Do you really think that will work?" Twilight asked quietly.

Rainbow turned her attention back to the princess. For several seconds, she just stared at her. She knew Twilight had said it, but the alicorn didn't look like she had said it. Finally, Twilight shifted her weight and turned back to face her. "You know I care about you..." Rainbow said. "I just... I don't want you to be stressed out. I don't like seeing you like that, I know it's hard for you. I... don't know how much you stressed over that date, but you shouldn't have. I want you to be relaxed and I want you to stop worrying so much. I hate having to keep saying that."

"Then why do you keep saying that?" Twilight asked, missing the point.

Rainbow groaned. "I'll keep saying it as long as I have to until you stop stressing out so much."

Twilight bit her lip and turned away from Rainbow. "I'm sorry that I make this so hard on you..." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Don't forget that I want to help you," Rainbow said.

Twilight blinked and mulled over Rainbow's response. The more she thought about it, the better she felt. Rainbow had offered to help her. Rainbow wanted to help her. She knew that, but she still felt bad about it. She didn't like needing help. She liked Rainbow helping her, but she hated being a burden. Even though she was a burden, Rainbow was there for her. Rainbow helped her, she stayed with her, she offered her support and reassured her. She always tried to make her feel better. Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head, then she took a deep breath and looked back up, smiling faintly. She turned to Rainbow, then pressed her head against her neck and closed her eyes.

For several seconds, Rainbow just sat there, arguing with herself about returning the gesture. She didn't like the fact that Twilight was doing that while they weren't alone. She also knew that Twilight needed to do that. She needed her support. Still, a part of her fought against letting her return the action, knowing that she could hurt Twilight by doing it. She knew that she would hurt Twilight if she didn't return it. She knew it was only a matter of time before she hurt Twilight, and she was running out of time to return the gesture. Every second that passed made her heart beat a little harder. She knew that if she returned the gesture, Twilight could take it the wrong way and think that it meant something it didn't. That thought caused her more distress than she wanted to admit, only because of knowing that she would hurt Twilight worse if she had to tell Twilight something she didn't want to hear, and something she didn't want to say.

A few more seconds passed. She groaned internally and fought the dissent away. She ran her wing along Twilight's side and leaned over towards Twilight, pressing the side of her muzzle against Twilight's muzzle ever so slightly. For several seconds, they both stayed like that, both of their minds wandering. Twilight immediately enjoyed the feeling, and Rainbow found herself growing to enjoy it, even if Celestia and Luna were in the room with them. Both of them were, for the most part, ignoring them and focusing on eating, but Celestia had finished her oatmeal, and Luna was nearly done with her pancakes.

Eventually, Twilight shifted her muzzle away from Rainbow's muzzle. The pegasus found herself frowning, she missed the contact, and she smiled when Twilight slid her muzzle back against hers. A few more seconds passed before Twilight pulled away and laid her head against Rainbow's neck. Twilight sighed contently and relaxed, letting more of her weight fall onto Rainbow, who easily and contently supported it for her. Rainbow glanced at the alicorn beside her, she had a small, happy smile on her face, and her closed eyes told her that she felt safe. Twilight trusted her. That meant a lot to her. Rainbow blinked and looked away from her, a familiar question coming back to the forefront of her mind. 'Do I love her?'

She found the answer last night. That answer was no. Rainbow didn't like that answer. She wanted to make Twilight happy, and she knew that when the time came, she wouldn't be able to say that she loved her. She knew that would devastate Twilight. She would stay with her no matter what, though. She would be there for her, even if she didn't love her. She had promised as much, and she would never forgive herself for breaking that promise. Hurting Twilight like that wasn't an option. She hated seeing Twilight in pain. She still knew how much it would hurt Twilight when she had to tell her that she didn't love her. She wasn't sure if Twilight would be able to recover from that.

She squeezed Twilight with her wing, then loosened her grip. Rainbow's wing was over Twilight's wing. She thought about it for a few seconds, then she shifted her wing around and held Twilight's wing in hers. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Twilight glance at her. The alicorn's gaze lingered. Rainbow smiled reassuringly. Twilight's lips curled upward, then she turned her gaze back to the table.

Shortly after that, several ponies came in. Twilight and Rainbow ordered their food and drinks, then the ponies left.

For whatever reason, more ponies noticed Twilight and Rainbow today than when they first arrived. Twilight kept looking around, noticing ponies glancing at her, their gazes lingering for a few seconds before looking away. It made her uncomfortable, she could see it in their eyes, they knew that she was a princess, and they saw what she lost. "Maybe going for a morning walk around Canterlot wasn't such a good idea," she said under her breath.

She paused and waited a couple of seconds, expecting Rainbow to say something or walk up beside her. That moment never came. She bit her lip and turned away from the crowd and glanced towards where Rainbow had been. She clenched her jaw and ruffled her wings when she realized Rainbow hadn't noticed her plight nor that she had stopped. The pegasus was far away from her, and every second she hesitated, the distance between them grew. She looked back around then quickly made her was back towards Rainbow, scanning the crowd as she did. She made sure not to walk too quickly, it would draw too much attention to herself, or at least that's what she feared.

Eventually, she caught back up to the pegasus and stayed close beside her, although not close enough to draw more unwanted attention. She kept glancing around at the ponies, but fortunately, they seemed to be thinning out. She glanced at Rainbow and was surprised to see that the pegasus looked deep in thought. "Hey, Rainbow?" she asked.

Rainbow blinked and came to a stop, then looked at Twilight. "Yeah?" she asked.

"You um... You were kind of spacing out there. Are you alright?" Twilight asked.

"Uh, yeah," Rainbow answered quickly, nodding vigorously. "Just... thinking is all," she added. Not missing a beat, she faced forwards and started walking again. Twilight watched her for a second, then caught up to her and fell in sync with her. "So... anywhere, in particular, you actually wanted to go, or did you really just want to walk around Canterlot?"

"Well, it's been a while since I've been in Canterlot for anything other than... business... so it's kind of nice to just take a break and enjoy the city," Twilight answered happily, forgetting her earlier plight and smiling as her eyes trailed over the architecture. The city would always hold a special place in her heart because it was where she grew up, although she still considered Ponyville her true home.

They continued walking down the street at a casual pace for a couple of minutes, and Rainbow fell back into thought with little to distract her. The city didn't interest her like it did Twilight, she thought the buildings were cool, but at the same time, she felt that they were a bit much. Twilight did her best to ignore ponies that looked at her. 'They're not looking at me... They're just looking around,' she told herself multiple times. Eventually, she started to believe it and she let herself relax. She looked around the street, glancing over the buildings, trying to figure out where they were. They had been walking for nearly an hour with no particular destination in mind. She didn't recognize the buildings surrounding them, but she wasn't worried about getting lost, if they did, they could simply fly to the castle, it would be easy and simple.

They turned down a street to the right. The street was flanked by moderately sized houses on both sides. Despite the houses only being moderately sized, the architecture told a tale of wealth, having the same Canterlot style design as most structures that dominated the city's skyline. The marble walls were inlaid with gold and set with pristine, clear crystal windows. Twilight was sure that some ponies could have been overwhelmed by Canterlot architecture if they had never been there before. Looking down the street, they could see it ended with a large, open plaza in the shape of a circle, surrounded by buildings that curved with the plaza. In the middle of the plaza, there was a short stone wall surrounding a bed of dirt with a large oak tree growing up from it. Large was a relative term since the tree looked to be somewhere between fifteen and thirty years old, and her former home in Ponyville had been a tree that put that one to shame a dozen times over.

As Twilight pondered the tree, they both made their way into the plaza. A gentle breeze blew through the air, rustling the leaves and blowing Twilight and Rainbow's manes and tails to the other side of their heads, bringing both of them to a stop. Rainbow blinked and turned to Twilight when she found the mare's mane tickling her neck. Twilight turned to her and giggled. Rainbow smiled and looked down at the cobblestone street, shaking her head.

Twilight glanced around the plaza, she was surprised that they were alone, but she welcomed it. It was peaceful, quiet, and calm. The surrounding buildings blocked a lot of the noise from outside the secluded area, leaving the most prominent sound being the rustling of leaves. She looked back up at the top of the tree and watched it sway in the gentle breeze for a few seconds, then she looked toward the base.

She saw a small bench in the shade of the tree, one perfect for two ponies to sit on. She smiled and started walking over to it. Rainbow followed her a few seconds later. Twilight sat down on the bench and motioned Rainbow to join her. The pegasus happily accepted the invitation and jumped up on the bench. Twilight leaned away from her, giving her room to turn around and sit down. When Rainbow was seated to Twilight's right, the alicorn leaned against her, but she kept her head a little ways away, there wasn't enough room for her to be able to lay her head on Rainbow's shoulder comfortably. That disappointed her, but she put the thought aside.

Twilight glanced up at the branches which were blocking out the sun. The tree's soft leaves shifted and fluttered in the wind, occasionally letting a beam of sunlight through, though never quite letting the sun make its presence known. Rainbow's wing shifted between their bodies. Twilight pulled away just enough for Rainbow to pull her wing out from between them and slid it across her back before wrapping it around her side and holding her wing, then pulling her closer. Twilight glanced at Rainbow, then she looked across the plaza and into the street they had come from. A few ponies casually strolled by, but not once did anypony pause or hesitate to look at her.

She took a deep breath, letting the invigorating mountain air fill her lungs. She closed her eyes and held the breath in for several seconds before exhaling. 'This is nice,' she thought. She opened her eyes and glanced at Rainbow. 'And the fact that she will do this with me...' She wasn't sure what to think about that. Rainbow Dash was usually brash and a little egotistical, she didn't think things through and she did not slow down. The fact that Rainbow wasn't complaining about being bored, or asking her if they could go do something else perplexed her.

The more Twilight thought about it, the more she remembered little things. Ever since Twilight had walked out from the reactor, Rainbow had acted differently. No, since before that. Before she walked into the reactor, back when her friends showed up. She remembered seeing it in her eyes, the worry for her. After she walked out, the pegasus was the first one to reach her. That night when she was in the hospital, dying from radiation poisoning, Rainbow stayed with her. They hadn't intended to sleep together, but they were both exhausted. Twilight could look back on that memory and smile, even knowing the pain that it had since caused her.

She knew she was never going to forget that morning for as long as she lived, the first time she woke up with Rainbow, and then how Rainbow acted. Of course, eventually, she got worse. She grimaced when she realized she still hadn't thanked Zecora for saving her life, she was sure that the potion the zebra gave her was what kept her alive long enough for the surgeon to remove her horn.

While she was in the hospital, she had felt so alone. She couldn't remember another time in her life when she had felt so alone, except maybe when she accidently triggered Sombra's trap in the Crystal Empire. Her friends by no means skimped out on visiting her, but she had still been alone for the vast majority of her time in the hospital. She wondered if the medicine she was taking and the sickness she was still suffering at the time made it worse. She figured it did. 'Time flies when you're having fun, and when you feel terrible, it can never go by fast enough...' she thought dejectedly.

Rainbow had stopped by a few times during the duration of her stay. Every time she did, looking back, she couldn't help but feel that asking her on a date was an elephant in the room that they hadn't properly addressed. Rainbow had been so uncomfortable and distressed back then. Twilight glanced at her friend, she could still see some of the pain and distress if she looked closely, and more visible was that she was preoccupied with her thoughts again. Although she wondered what Rainbow was thinking about, she didn't ask, even though she could tell it was bothering her. Not asking felt wrong, but if Rainbow wanted to tell Twilight, she would have said what she was thinking about when the princess asked her earlier.

Twilight tore her gaze away from Rainbow and turned back to her own thoughts. The time after she had just been released from the hospital was even harder than when she was in the hospital. She was faced with the challenge of living her life without her horn, she couldn't use magic. It was hard, and she knew it would never stop being hard. She had the support of her friends, and Spike and Starlight had been invaluable in helping her, but there was only so much they could do.

Eventually, Rainbow showed up. She smiled at the memory, the pegasus waking her up on the balcony, then taking her inside and staying with her until she fell asleep. And then the next day when Rainbow stayed with her all night long. Twilight had enjoyed waking up with her, but thinking about it worried her. She remembered just how worried and nervous she had been. She didn't want to think about that. She forced the thought and memory aside.

It was replaced by Rainbow's voice echoing in her mind, 'It was nice... I enjoyed it, I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime." Twilight smiled at that memory. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath, hoping it would calm her nerves and help vanquish the painful memories. She lifted her hoof to her chest, then extended it straight out as she exhaled. It helped, but only a little. That thought made her open her eyes and look at the cobblestone street.

'How long am I going to be this way?' Twilight wondered. 'Until my horn grows back?' she asked herself, to which no answer came. 'I will never completely recover... will I stay like this for the rest of my life?' That thought hurt. Despite Rainbow sitting right beside her, despite her leaning against Dash, despite the pegasus' wing being wrapped around her back, once more she found herself feeling useless.

She was an alicorn without a horn, a pony with a special talent for magic who couldn't use magic. Sure, she had learned to take care of herself with her hooves and wings, but there was only so much she could do without magic. Her friends supported her, they helped her, but it wasn't fair to them. She should be able to take care of herself, but she couldn't. She was a princess who couldn't take care of herself, couldn't protect herself, couldn't protect anypony, couldn't help the other princesses, and couldn't fill the role she was meant to. A stray thought crossed her mind, one which caused her to swallow. The stray thought was met by an immediate response, however. 'You're not a burden.' Rainbow's words echoed in her mind.

It helped, but what helped more was that Rainbow took that moment to rub her side with her wing, then squeeze her. Twilight blinked. The thoughts, worries, and fears all fading, being replaced with fond thoughts of the pegasus beside her. She turned to Rainbow. The mare smiled a gentle, reassuring smile at her. "Are you doing okay?" Rainbow asked. "You just kinda... well, you looked like you were in pain."

Twilight hesitated before answering. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. I'm fine, I was just thinking... about..." she trailed off pursing her lips, then she turned away from her.

Rainbow frowned. "About what?"

Twilight shook her head and leaned away from Rainbow, sitting up straighter. "It's not important," she replied.

Rainbow's frown deepened and her brow creased. "Twilight, if it's hurting you, then it is important. Talk to me, please."

Twilight glanced at Rainbow, surprised by her tone. She was concerned, more than normal. She bobbed her head as she thought about it. She didn't really know how to tell Rainbow what she was thinking about, her first thought was 'I was thinking about us.' She was not going to say that to Rainbow, she didn't want to keep having that conversation, it never went the way it was supposed to, or at least it seemed that way to her. "I was just thinking about when I was sick."

"You don't feel sick right now, do you?" Rainbow asked, scrutinizing Twilight for anything that seemed off about her.

Twilight shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

Rainbow examined her for a few more seconds, then decided that nothing looked wrong with her, aside from her missing horn. She turned away from the princess then glanced over the buildings surrounding the plaza. "I think Fluttershy might like it here," she commented idly.

Twilight furrowed her brow. She wasn't sure that she would agree with Rainbow, Canterlot was a busy city, although the plaza seemed to prove an exception. She blinked a couple times then looked around, trying to figure out where they were. At first glance, the area looked no different from any other section of Canterlot, but upon further scrutiny, she realized that the area seemed to be at least partially abandoned. The area was clearly still being maintained, but it looked like the buildings were unoccupied. "Maybe," she replied.

A few seconds passed, then Rainbow took a deep breath and rubbed her wing up and down Twilight's side. "You ready to get going?"

Twilight sighed. She wasn't sure that she was ready to leave, but Rainbow was being patient. 'I'll have to remember where this is,' she told herself. "Yeah..."

Rainbow hopped off of the bench, then turned around to face Twilight while she slid off and onto her hooves. Rainbow walked around to Twilight's left side, then the pair set off again.

Rainbow blinked as Twilight opened the door. As far as she could see, the walls were lined with bookshelves filled to the brim with books. She sighed and slowly shook her head. "You lived here before moving to Ponyville?"

Twilight turned around to face her. She tilted her head to the side quizzically. "Yes?"

Rainbow groaned. "Of course you lived here. In a library. Before moving to another library." She snorted and smiled. "That's so you."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with having easy access to any knowledge you might need to reference!" Twilight shot back indignantly.

"You can't learn everything from books, Twilight," Rainbow said.

Twilight shifted her weight and looked down at the floor. "I... I know. I mean," she looked back up at Rainbow, "there's not a book for handling every single friendship problem I've come across..." as she spoke, her brow creased. "As much as I wished there was..." she added under her breath.

"Hey, you learned from first-hoof experience how to have friends! That's gotta be better than reading it in a book, right? Just think about all the things we've done together," Rainbow replied with a smirk.

"We have done some pretty amazing things, haven't we?" Twilight said thoughtfully, smiling back at her friend.

Rainbow nodded and walked on passed Twilight, entering the tower. "Yeah, we have." As she walked inside, she tilted her head upwards and glanced over the top bookshelves, then she turned her head to the left, and then the right. The room seemed like something Twilight would like, especially Twilight from back when she had first moved to Ponyville. She smiled at the memories and turned her gaze to the large hourglass that dominated the center of the room. "We really have..." she said absently.

No sand was falling through the hourglass, all of it was piled in the bottom. She frowned at the sight. It made her think. She tried to distract herself by looking around the room again, but nothing held her interest. The room itself was sparsely decorated, save for the books, and it didn't have a shred of a feel of being somepony's home. There wasn't anything there that offered a shred of comfort to her, anything that she could call familiar. The only thing she could say that did comfort her was the alicorn standing just inside the door, the same princess that lived in the tower before moving to Ponyville. How Twilight could have lived there eluded her, it also bothered her.

Twilight walked up to Rainbow then slid up against her, breaking the pegasus' trance. Rainbow glanced at her and pulled her wing out from between them and laid it over Twilight's back. Twilight smiled her thanks, then glanced around at the bookshelves, each one holding memories from a lifetime ago. Rainbow looked back at the hourglass. "This place doesn't feel very much like home," she said.

"Well... I haven't lived here for a few years," Twilight answered. She cast her gaze downward. "Although, even then it really wasn't much different from what it is now..." she trailed off with a sigh. She twitched an eyebrow upwards and bobbed her head to the right. "My castle is my home, but it doesn't feel like home at times..."

Rainbow turned back to Twilight and frowned. "You know you don't have to live there, right?"

Twilight furrowed her brow and looked over at Rainbow. "I'm a princess," she said.

"So?" Rainbow asked. "I'm pretty sure you lived in a library before you got that castle, Twi. Back when you were a princess without a castle. I don't think anypony would hold it against you if you didn't live in the castle."

Twilight pursed her lips. "Maybe... but I'd feel like I was rejecting the gift from the Tree of Harmony... It's not like I don't appreciate the castle, it's just-"

"Yeah..." Rainbow said sympathetically. "It doesn't feel like home, even after we put the roots of the library in it, does it?"

Twilight bobbed her head and looked at the floor. "It feels more like home now, but it's still so empty... not that I don't appreciate the privacy."

"What about with me staying there with you?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight smiled absently, remembering every time they woke up together. "That helps."

Hearing Twilight say that brought a smile to Rainbow's lips. "Well, you know, when we get back to Ponyville you can stay with me if you want."

Twilight pressed her lips together. She thought about it for a few seconds before shaking her head. "No." She turned back to Rainbow and smiled weakly. "Thanks for the offer, but... I wouldn't want to impose. I should stay at the castle so I don't cause you any more trouble than I already am..." she trailed off looking away from Rainbow.

"I don't mind," Rainbow replied. "Besides, I thought you liked my bed more than your own?"

Twilight shifted her weight and held her wings tighter against her sides. "W-well, I do... Your bed is nicer... but it's your bed."

"Hey, I've been sleeping with you in your bed," Rainbow countered. "You could stay with me if you want to be somewhere that feels like home." Rainbow paused and frowned. "Isn't there some saying about home and where your heart is or something?" she asked.

'Cadance would certainly agree with that...' "Yes. It's home is where the heart is," Twilight answered.

Rainbow smiled at her. "See!" she said enthusiastically. "You should stay with me..." Her excitement slowly faded, but it didn't completely disappear, "...since you love me."

Twilight clenched her jaw and leaned away from Rainbow, then she turned to Rainbow and looked at her with an empty expression. "Do you really want that?" she asked sadly.

Rainbow's smile disappeared. She swallowed. For a few seconds, she just stared at Twilight. Rainbow slowly pulled away from Twilight, sliding her wing across her back before folding it to her side. Twilight closed her eyes, immediately missing her friend's warmth and the comfort and protection she felt from being under her wing. Rainbow walked around in front of Twilight and looked at her seriously. "You know I'm not good at these sort of things, Twi..."

Twilight opened her eyes and stood up at her full height. She looked down at Rainbow and swallowed. No matter how hard she tried, she found her gaze drawn to the two beautiful magenta orbs that were Rainbow's eyes. "What... what sort of things," she asked.

Rainbow groaned and threw her head about in annoyance. "Twilight, you're the smartest pony I know, but..." she trailed off, sighing. She shook her head and met Twilight's gaze. "This. Dating... romance.... love. I don't... I'm not used to this sort of stuff. That's all Rarity's stuff, not me stuff. I don't do mushy stuff like that, but..." she trailed off under her breath, looking down at the floor. What she had been thinking about all day briefly fluttered through her mind. She looked back up at Twilight and met her gaze. As beautiful as Twilight's eyes were, she found them intimidating. Every passing moment drained more of her resolve and determination. Every passing second made her more uncomfortable and nervous than the last. She felt her strength start to falter. She clenched her jaw. She wasn't sure how to say it, but she knew that she had to, and yet she couldn't. She tore her gaze away from Twilight's eyes and trailed over her features. She bobbed her head from side to side.

Twilight waited patiently for her to say something, anything, however, as time passed, she could see Twilight grow physically weaker, and more emotion bled through into her features. Rainbow hated it. She hated seeing Twilight like that, she hated seeing Twilight hurting, even more so when she was the cause. She wasn't going to hurt her like that again. She drew on her courage and reaffirmed her determination and resolve. "But I am for you," she said in a firm, determined voice, putting as much effort into making Twilight understand what she said as she could. Whether it was what she said, or how she said, she didn't know, but she could see the slightest hints of relief passing over Twilight. It still wasn't enough for her liking. "I've not done anything like this with anypony before, Twi. I've never dated anypony and I've never slept with anypony before, other than you. Those aren't the kind of things I'd do with just anypony, Twi. If... Rarity found out..." she shuddered at the thought. "Look, you're my best friend, okay? You're the only pony I've ever actually given any thought to spending my life with. I made you a promise, and I'm going to keep it, no matter what. Even if things don't work out for us, I won't leave you."

Twilight swallowed then smiled softly. "Rainbow, I believe that... I do... But..." She stopped smiling. "I don't want that if you don't... want to be with me."

"Twilight..." Rainbow groaned. "I do want to be with you... I... I think I love you," she said quickly. Twilight's expression became unreadable. Rainbow grimaced and shifted her weight. "I've been thinking about it all day. I just... I can't tell. I don't know if I do or not..."

Twilight licked her lips, her heart rate slowly picking up. "Y-You can't tell?" she asked at length.

"I don't know..." Rainbow sighed and looked down at the floor. "It's not like I've done this before..." She looked back up at Twilight. The princess could see the uncertainty and worry in her eyes, although she didn't notice the slightest hint of a quiver in her lip. "And I don't want to say that I do and it end up being a lie. I... I can't do that to you, I know how much that would hurt you... And that would hurt me. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did that. But I do want to be with you. You're my best friend, Twilight. I don't want anything to change that."

Twilight tentatively stepped forward and leaned against Rainbow. She slid her head forward and pressed her neck against the pegasus' neck, then wrapped her left arm around her back. Rainbow tensed up. She felt unsure about the contact. Twilight could feel Rainbow's muscles tense up, and her first instinct was to pull away in fear. She fought past it and took a chance, she swallowed and affectionately ran her neck up and down Rainbow's neck. Twilight smiled when she felt the mare's tense muscles relaxed. Rainbow sighed and wrapped her arm around Twilight, then leaned into her and nuzzled the back of her neck.

A few seconds passed before Rainbow pulled back. She looked sheepishly at the floor, shifting her weight and ruffling her wings, feeling awkward and embarrassed. She glanced up at Twilight. The princess was smiling a soft, gentle smile, one directed entirely at her. Twilight's smile vanquished her embarrassment and brought a warm smile to her lips. For a few seconds, neither of them said anything, both of them simply looking at each other. Rainbow eventually blinked and turned away from Twilight. She walked a few steps towards the door, then turned around. "What do you say we go somewhere else or do something, then we can come back here another time and you can show me around?" she asked.

Twilight bobbed her head and walked over beside Rainbow. "I suppose we could," she said. "Do you have anything particular in mind?" she asked.

Rainbow smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her mane. "Ah, sorry, no. I'm not that familiar with Canterlot."

Twilight frowned and pursed her lips. Rainbow watched the alicorn's eyes flash about, darting left and right as she thought about something. A few seconds passed before she looked up and smiled softly. "We could go cuddle?" she suggested.

Rainbow nodded, slowly at first and building up in eagerness. "Yeah, let's do that. That always seems to help you relax."

Twilight puffed out her lower lip and looked at Rainbow with big eyes. "I don't want to do it just for me, I want you-"

Rainbow lifted her hoof to her forehead and groaned softly. "Twilight." She shook her head and set her hoof back on the floor. "I enjoy it too."

Twilight smiled nervously at her.

"Okay, listen," Rainbow said. She lifted her hoof and lightly pressed it against Twilight's chest, drawing the princess' gaze downwards. "Just close your eyes and take a deep breath."

Twilight looked back up at Rainbow. After a slight hesitation, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled and opened her eyes.

"Feel better?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight bobbed her head as she analyzed how she felt and compared it to before. She nodded and smiled. "Yes, I do," she said simply.

Rainbow smiled at her. "Good. Now, are you ready to go and cuddle?" Twilight nodded eagerly. She turned away from Twilight and started off towards the door "Alright, let's go-" 'Cuddle...' She paused midstride, grimacing at the thought. It was a foreign thought to her, something she would never have imagined herself saying of her own free will, let alone saying it eagerly or enjoying cuddling. Twilight walked up beside her and looked at her quizzically. Rainbow flashed her a smile and eagerly draped a wing over her back and pulled the alicorn against her.

Twilight's eyebrows shot up and her mouth fell open for the briefest of moments before she closed it and smiled even more warmly than before. She slid her neck up against Rainbow's neck and leaned against her.

Rainbow chuckled nervously and rubbed her wing against Twilight, reaffirming her grip. "This is kind of weird with you being taller than me," she said.

Twilight pursed her lips and leaned away from Rainbow. She glanced over the smaller pegasus and frowned. "And I'm likely going to get taller," she said with an apologetic smile.

"How tall?" Rainbow asked.

"I don't know, I could end up as tall as Celestia," Twilight answered.

Rainbow squinted at Twilight. "That... that will be interesting..." she trailed off. "Not sure how easily I'll be able to hold you if you get as big as Celestia."

Twilight smiled mischievously. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked in a playful voice.

"Uh... no..." Rainbow said with a nervous smile.

Twilight leaned against Rainbow and pulled her wing out from between them and wrapped it around Rainbow. She slid her head up against Rainbow's neck. "I'll hold you," she whispered teasingly into Rainbow's ear. She nuzzled Rainbow and giggled. She leaned slightly away from Rainbow and frowned. "It would be a long time before I grew that much if I was going to grow that much," she said more seriously. She swallowed and looked down at the floor. "You might not be around by then."

"Twilight..." Rainbow said softly. She hated seeing Twilight like that. She brought her hoof up to Twilight's head and nudged it towards her. She smiled reassuringly at her. "You don't need to worry about that. That's decades from now! You don't have to plan ahead that far or even think about that far into the future, you have enough problems to deal with today without worrying about tomorrow." Twilight smiled weakly. "Come on, let's go."

Twilight swallowed and nodded. "Y-you're right," she said. "I do have enough to worry about right now without fretting about the future..." She looked at Rainbow's back and withdrew her wing, folding it against her side, then she slid out from under Rainbow's wing and hung her head low while walking over to the door. "But I don't know how to stop..." she said softly.

Rainbow hesitated for a second before flapping her wings and catching up to her. "Just... stop thinking about it and enjoy today. Enjoy being with me," she said in a lighthearted voice. Twilight paused and looked up at her. Rainbow casually landed beside her. "Just relax and take a break from everything. That was the whole purpose of this trip after all."

"Rainbow, I'm a thinker... I can't just stop thinking," Twilight replied softly.

"Then think about me!" Rainbow said energetically.

Twilight slowly looked down at the floor. "If I do that I worry about losing you... I can't take that, Rainbow. I... I can't."

Rainbow walked around in front of Twilight and she wrapped her arms around the alicorn's neck. "Twilight, I will never stop being your friend. You're not going to lose me."

Twilight swallowed and pressed her head into Rainbow's shoulder. "I-it's inevitable," she stuttered. "You'll die," she added. "An-and everypony tha-that I know will d-die too," she croaked. With the last word spoken, hot tears burst through her eyelids and rolled down her muzzle until they found their way into Rainbow's coat. She wrapped her left arm around Rainbow's neck and held onto her as if her life depended on it. "A-all of m-my fri-friends w-will." Twilight fell to her haunches, the only reason she didn't fall flat on the floor was because Rainbow was there to catch her and support her.

Rainbow sat down on her haunches and squeezed Twilight, hoping to banish her fears. She pressed her head against Twilight's neck, hoping to comfort her. She ran her hoof through Twilight's mane, hoping to ease her pain. "Twilight..." Rainbow said gently.

"I-I guess th-that I mi-ight n-not ou-outli-live you-ou all n-now, b-but..." Twilight sobbed. "E-even if I d-die before-ore yo-ou, I'll still lo-lose you..."

"Shh..." Rainbow cooed, still running her hoof through Twilight's mane. "It'll be okay..." She unfurled her wings and wrapped them around Twilight.

Twilight clenched her eyes shut tighter and slid her muzzle down, then pressed her forehead against Rainbow. Twilight's only solace against the onslaught of thoughts betraying her was Rainbow, every thought stung and she was powerless to stop them, but she wasn't alone, Rainbow was there with her. She wasn't judging her for her weakness. She didn't think the sobbing alicorn was pathetic or weak. Twilight took comfort in that knowledge and clung to her friend. "Rai-ainbow," she whimpered weakly.

Rainbow squeezed her. "Just let it out," she answered softly.

Twilight felt guilty about putting Rainbow in the position she did. 'I'm truly pathetic, aren't I? I'm an alicorn and I cant even... deal with what that entails,' she condemned herself. She clenched her eyes shut and pressed her head into Rainbow's shoulder. She had no idea how long she had cried and sobbed, but her throat hurt and her eyes were puffy and dry. Along her muzzle where her tears fell, she felt cold. But worst of all, Rainbow had been there the whole time. She had been so weak and Rainbow had seen it, how the pegasus had managed to stay with her eluded her. "I-I'm sorry..." she whispered in a hoarse voice.

Rainbow looked up from Twilight's back. Her hoof, which had been sliding through Twilight's mane in long, gentle strokes, came to a stop. It was the first thing Twilight had said since her breakdown, and much to her disappointment, she had apologized. It hurt her more than she wanted to admit, and that surprised her. She knew Twilight was going through a lot and needed her friends to be there for her, but she didn't know that Twilight had so many other problems she was dealing with. While Twilight had been sobbing, Rainbow had been holding her, trying to comfort her, and thinking once again. As she looked back on it before the accident, she could see subtle signs of the stress Twilight felt, sometimes more visible than others, but she had never really noticed her worrying about them all dying or outliving them.

She squeezed Twilight with her arms and held her tight. It was something that she had found comforting when she was a filly, her dad would hold her, but it was different. Once or twice, Fluttershy had done it for her too, although in those times it hadn't had as much meaning since she hadn't thought about it as much. On many occasions, she had joined in on their group hugs, but those weren't the same since most of the time they were happy moments. "Don't apologize. You needed to let that out," Rainbow replied.

Twilight tensed up at that. "B-but I'm so weak and pathetic! I'm a princess and I can't even handle my own emotions, how am I supposed to help rule a nation if I'm such a mess? How am I supposed to help anypony when I can't even take care of myself!?"

Rainbow pulled her head back from Twilight, causing the alicorn to shy away from her and look down at the floor. Rainbow waited to see if Twilight would look up at her, but when it became apparent she wasn't going to, she brought her left hoof around to Twilight's muzzle and proded it up. Even as Twilight's head rose, her eyes remained fixed looking as far down as she could. Looking into Twilight's eyes almost overwhelmed her with pain, she could see how damaged, hurt, and broken the princess was. She hated it, the pain only detracted from her beauty. She determined to fix that. "You are not pathetic, Twilight. You are strong, one of the strongest ponies I know." Twilight's eyes moved ever so slightly. "You're dealing with a lot. A lot more than most ponies ever have to. You're in pain, you lost your horn, and on top of that, you are such a kind, caring pony! You don't want us to see you in pain because you don't want to hurt us, don't you?" Twilight shied further away from her. Rainbow sighed. "Seeing you hurting does hurt, but knowing that you're bottling it up hurts worse. Sure, you're a princess, but you're still a normal pony like anypony else. Stressing about Equestria right now isn't something that you need to do, though."

Twilight looked up at her and met her gaze. "But-"

Rainbow silenced her by pressing her hoof against her mouth. The alicorn shifted her weight. Rainbow wrapped her arm back around Twilight once it was clear she wasn't going to continue. "I'm not good with words. I'm trying. You need to... stop planning, stop thinking so much, stop worrying... You need to relax and enjoy the moment. I'm trying to help you with that, but I can't unless you let me."

"I don't know if I can... but I'll try," Twilight said, looking back down at the floor "Thank you for... everything," she said softly. She swallowed and took a deep breath, then looked back up. "I... I think I'm ready to go back to the tower," she said cautiously. Rainbow flashed her a smile. Even with as drained and empty as she felt, Rainbow's smile brought a smile to her lips.

"Good..." Rainbow trailed off, bringing her arms back down to the floor and standing up. She kept her wings around Twilight's back and offered her a hoof to help her stand back up.

Twilight bit her lip and tentatively accepted Rainbow's help, then stood up to her full height. She took a deep breath, then turned around. Rainbow stepped beside her and folded her wings back to her side. Twilight bit her lip and took another deep breath. 'Am I really ready to go back outside?' she asked herself. The thought of having another breakdown like the one she had already went through, but in public, was insurmountable. She tried to recompose herself, she filed away her broken state of mind to deal with later, unfortunately, the filing cabinet was bursting at the seems and wouldn't be able to hold much more. She glanced at Rainbow, the pegasus offered a soft, fond, and reassuring smile. 'She... cares about me.' The thought helped, but the realization helped more, knowing and understanding that Rainbow cared about her enough to promise to stay with her gave her a deep feeling of peace. Even if Rainbow didn't love her, she would stay with her. She took comfort in the knowledge, but at the same time, in the back of her mind, she felt condemned by it. 'I'm asking too much of her...'

'She offered. She promised,' another voice retorted. 'And she said she thought she loved me...' Twilight took a deep breath and turned back around. She licked her dry lips and fluffed her wings at her side, then she quickly wiped her eyes with the backs of her front hooves. "Thank you again. For coming with me and helping me. I couldn't do this without you and... I will never be able to repay you."

Rainbow elbowed her in the side, drawing a hurt and indignant glance from Twilight. "You don't owe me anything," Rainbow replied. "Now come on, I'm getting bored!"

Twilight's eyebrow slowly lifted up over the course of a few seconds, during the same time, Rainbow found herself blushing and looking away from Twilight. "You're really looking forward to cuddling with me, aren't you?" she said playfully.

Rainbow shot her a firm glare. "You're really soft and it feels nice!" she replied. "Don't you dare tell anypony I said that..."

Twilight closed her eyes and smiled, then giggled. "You're not the only one who is looking forward to it," she replied. She opened her eyes, but retained the warm smile. "You're..." she trailed off, looking away and feeling heat growing in her cheeks. "You're really soft too..."

"So! You ready to go?" Rainbow asked loudly, changing the subject. Twilight smiled and nodded, then started walking toward the door. Rainbow beat her wings and landed ahead of her, then pushed open the door for Twilight.

Twilight paused and gawked. "I... I... wasted..." she turned to Rainbow. "H-how long was I..."

Rainbow frowned and glanced out the door. She was equally surprised. The sun was substantually further down in the sky than it had been when they arrived. As if to reinforce that reality, Twilight's stomach growled. Rainbow looked over at her and found the mare grimacing and looking down at the floor.

"I... I can't believe that I wasted so long crying... I..." She pressed her eyes closed and took in a deep breath, her body shook as she inhaled.

"No," Rainbow said firmly. She jumped over to Twilight and pressed her body against hers, then wraped her wing around her back and pulled her close, preventing Twilight from having another breakdown. Twilight looked up and over at her. "Come on, let's go." She started forward, and Twilight joined her after some coaxing.

When the door closed behind her, Twilight found herself very self-conscious because Rainbow's wing was still around her. Rainbow paused at the stairs, and Twilight took the opportunity to shift her weight. Rainbow looked over at her questioningly. Twilight glanced back at her wing and bit her lip. It wasn't that she didn't like it, she loved feeling Rainbow's wing around her back, as far as she was concerned, it was one of the best feelings anypony could experience, but it was something she knew Rainbow would rather not be seen doing. Rainbow blinked, then shifted her weight and folded her wing back to her side. Twilight took a small step away from Rainbow. "I know that you'd rather not be seen doing that..." Twilight said in a low voice.

Rainbow looked back at Twilight, then slowly away from her. Once again, she felt divided. She was cool and she was awesome. She wasn't somepony who did mushy romantic things, those things were uncool. She did enjoy some of those things though. She bit her lip and groaned. 'I'm also brave...' At the thought, she quickly unfurled her wing and wrapped it back around Twilight, drawing a surprised look from the alicorn and making her heart pound inside her chest. "I'm brave enough to admit I enjoy this," she said firmly. She fought off the urge to add 'At least to you,' since saying that would be admitting that romance scared her. She still wasn't anywhere near ready to even say that she might have feelings for Twilight to anypony except the mare herself. In her mind, however, that only served to make her braver, telling the pony she might've had feelings for. She dismissed the voice that said it wasn't that brave because Twilight had all but said she loved her.

Twilight closed her eyes again and smiled. A few seconds passed, then she opened her eyes and started down the stairs.

Rainbow quickly fell in sync with her. "So... a late dinner, or would you rather still just go cuddle?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight slowed down as she considered it. Both options were tempting, and for most of the walk down the stairs, cuddling was winning. Her stomach wasn't very happy about that, and she was getting queasy. "Dinner," she eventually answered. "I'm feeling a bit queasy, though," she admitted. "But I am hungry... I could go for something light?"

"So you want to eat at the castle? Your tower? Or maybe you want to go somewhere else?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight came to a stop. For a brief moment, Rainbow didn't realize Twilight had paused. Only when she felt her body and wing sliding across the mare more than it should have did she realize that Twilight had stopped. She turned back to her. Twilight was wearing a perplexed expression of curiosity and fear. "Twi?"

Twilight blinked and shook her head. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry... Um... I never really ate out that much in Canterlot. I didn't really like it," she admitted. "Sanwich?"

Rainbow blinked and shook her head. "You know, I thought princesses were supposed to like fancy fro-fro food and upper class stuff like that."

Twilight frowned. "None of us really do..." she mused. "Are sanwiches fine, though? If not, we could... walk around and look for a place to eat or something."

Rainbow thought about it for a second, then nodded. "I could fix a couple hayburgers for us," she offered.

Twilight smile and her eyes widened. "It's been... ages... since I've had one of those..." she said longfully. She turned back to Rainbow. "That sounds amazing," she said.

Rainbow chuckled. "Yeah, I could go for one, but... I'll regret it later when I have to work it off to stay in shape."

Twilight frowned and started walking forward again. "Speaking of staying in shape... you really haven't been keeping up with your... training regeime since you started helping me."

Rainbow grimanced. "Yeah... I'm really going to have to start doing something about that, but I just... I don't feel like I should leave you."

Twilight smiled fondly and glanced over at the mare. "I'll be fine," she said. "Besides, I wouldn't want you to get kicked out of the Wonderbolts for my sake..." she trailed off grimacing.

"Couldn't you just make them reinstate me or something?" Rainbow asked casually.

Twilight pursed her lips and tilted her head to the left. 'I... could do that, couldn't I? It would be an abuse of my power, but according to Celestia, I'm... within my rights to do something like that.' "I could, yes," she answered. "But that's not the point... You wouldn't want that, you would want to earn it back on your own..." 'And of coruse, getting kicked out would... well...' She grimaced at the thought.

"Well... yeah," Rainbow replied somewhat lamely. "I just mean that..." She glanced at Twilight, then looked back forward. "Nevermind."

As they walked on, they eventually left the sparsely populated section and found themselves gradually encountering more ponies, of which, Rainbow was sure a lot of them recognized Twilight, and she was sure a few of them recognized her. Some ponies' gazes lingered too long for her liking, it unnerved her, and she wasn't used to feeling unnerved, especially by attention. She normally loved attention directed at her, but now, it made her feel cautious and concerned for the princess walking beside her. She glanced at Twilight. The alicorn seemed mostly oblivious to it, but it was apparent she wasn't completely oblivious. "Hey," Rainbow said.

Twilight looked over at her. "Yes?"

"You want to fly back instead of walking?" Rainbow asked. "Cause... walking kind of sucks. And it's slower."

Twilight giggled. "I'm enjoying the walk," she said, then glanced around. "But... I could make an exception."

Rainbow pulled away from Twilight. As she pulled away, she looked away from her to hide a smirk and made a point to drag her wing over Twilight's back. When she looked back, Twilight had stopped and had her eyes closed. There was a small, fond and content smile on her lips. After her wing left Twilight's back, the alicorn opened her eyes, then unfurled her wings. Rainbow mimicked her, then beat her wings casually and hovered in the air. Twilight flapped her wings and joined her, then the two flew up above the buildings and set off towards the castle.

No sooner had Rainbow landed than she had opened the door and motioned Twilight inside. No sooner had Twilight landed than she shifted her weight uncomfortably, half expecting Rainbow to bow to her and refer to her status as a princess. As she walked inside, she sighed in relief. No comment about being a princess was forthcoming from the pegasus, and Rainbow didn't bow to her. For the briefest time after she became a princess, her friends bowed to her. She didn't like it, it felt wrong, especially considering that the only reason she became a princess was because of them. If it wasn't for them, she wouldn't even have any friends. She owed them a lot. She smiled fondly.

Rainbow shut the door behind her, then locked it and immediately flew over to the stairs which led to the kitchen. She landed to open the door, then turned and looked over at Twilight. "You just going to stand there or are you going to come with me to the kitchen?"

Twilight blinked, Rainbow's voice breaking her from her memories. She turned to Rainbow and nodded, still smiling happily. She trotted over to the pegasus and started down the stairs. A second later, Rainbow was hovering beside her. "You do have everything to make hayburgers, right?" Rainbow asked, glancing at Twilight.

Twilight nodded. "I should, yes."

"Good," Rainbow said. They continued on in silence, gradually making their way down the spiral staircase until they came to the kitchen door, then Rainbow landed and walked inside. She turned on the magical light with a flick of her wing and looked around. She flew over to the cabinets and countertops, then turned back to Twilight. The alicorn was casually walking over toward her. "Buns?" she asked as she turned around and walked over to the nearest cabinet.

"Farthest cabinet on the left, top shelf," Twilight answered. She watched Rainbow beat her wings and land in front of the cabinet, then pull open the doors and grab a bag of buns. The pegasus set the bag down, then turned back to Twilight. "Plates are in the corner cabinet," she said preemptively. Rainbow flew over to the corner to withdraw the plates. Twilight walked over to the counter, then bent down and pulled open a door to withdraw a sack of hay.

"I wanted to ask you the other day, but I kinda forgot. These plates have your cutie mark on them. Is that because you're a princess?" Rainbow asked. She idly ran her hoof over the emblem of Twilight's cutie mark.

Twilight glanced at Rainbow and nodded. "Yes. I have some plates identical to those back at my castle, too." She turned her attention back to the sack of hay and unfastened the string around the sack, then stuck her muzzle into it and sniffed. She was quite pleased with the fresh, fragrant smell of hay. If she had to guess, they had restocked the kitchen the day before they arrived. She smiled and put the sack on the table, then closed the door and turned around.

Rainbow flew passed Twilight leisurely, then set down two plates on the counter. She pulled out two buns and tossed them into the air. Twilight watched them with trepidation. To her surprise and relief, both buns landed safely, one on each plate. Rainbow picked the plates up with her wings, then balanced them as she walked over to Twilight. Twilight stepped out of her way, then Rainbow deposited the plates on the counter beside the bag of hay. "How much hay do you want?" she asked.

"Just a little," Twilight answered.

Rainbow pulled out two tufts of hay, one about half as large as the other, which was about the size of a filly's hoof, then she slid the hay between each bun. She glanced around the countertop until her eyes settled on a plump, reddish spherical vegetable with a green stem. She pulled it over with her wing and glanced back at Twilight. "Want tomato?" she asked as she grabbed a knife in her spare wing and held it threateningly over the unsuspecting tomato.

"Yes," Twilight answered. "Make sure you put it under the hay," she added. "I like the hay when it's crisp."

"Yeah, it's a lot better that way," Rainbow agreed. She slid the knife through the soft vegetable skin, then cut it's flesh and pressed the knife all the way through its body, cleaving it in twine. Red liquid spilled out onto the counter, followed by yellowish seeds as the hapless vegetable found itself brutally assaulted. She quickly repeated the action twice more, cutting off two decent sized slices of tomato, then she flipped the hayburgers over and took off the bottoms. She dropped the tomato slices into place, then replaced the bottoms and flipped them back over before any tomato juice could dampen the hay.

Rainbow picked up the two plates and balanced them on her hooves, then she flew over to the table and set the plates down. "Did you want ketchup?" Twilight asked as she made her way back over to the table.

"Uh, sure," Rainbow replied.

Twilight paused, then turned around and walked over to the refrigerator. She opened the door with her wing, then grasped the cold bottle of ketchup between both of her wings. She winced a little as she grasped the bottle, not used to the undersides of her wings being cold, since they were normally folded against her sides. She pulled the bottle of ketchup out and shut the door, then walked over to the table and set it down. She pulled out her chair, then sat down and scooted the bottle of ketchup over to Rainbow with her wing.

Rainbow took the bottle of ketchup, then slid the top bun off her hayburger and shook the bottle vigorously for a few seconds. After she was sure the ketchup was mixed well, she squirted out some over her hay, then closed the lid and set it aside. She put the bun back on her hayburger and pressed it down firmly. She picked it up with her hooves, then brought it to her muzzle and took a big bite out of it, then she started chewing it vigorously.

Twilight, on the other hoof, took a much smaller bite and chewed more slowly and methodically, and while Rainbow's gaze was on the alicorn, Twilight's eyes slowly trailed around the room, looking everywhere except Rainbow. As Rainbow scrutinized Twilight, she saw more signs that the princess was uneasy rather than relaxed. The alicorn would shift her weight every few seconds like she couldn't quite find a comfortable position, but the subtle shifts were barely noticeable. Her wings looked tense and were pressed firmly against her sides.

Rainbow finished chewing up her bite and then swallowed. "Do you want me to sit by you?" she asked, thinking back to breakfast. She smiled a little at the memory, knowing that it helped Twilight feel better.

Twilight looked over at her and bit her lip. For several seconds, she was on edge about the offer. She wanted to accept, but Rainbow was hungry and she didn't want to inconvenience her. Rainbow took Twilight's worried expression and lack of a reply as an answer. She hopped out of her chair, then picked up her plate and flew around to the other side of the table. She pulled out a chair next to Twilight, then sat down in it and casually brushed her wing against Twilight's side. Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow saw Twilight's concern melt away at her touch.

Author's Notes:

Ahh, now that I'm feeling much better, I can provide proper commentary and author's notes. Unfortunately, as I'm writing this sentence, it's 2:46, so this may be somewhat brief. I'll first note that this chapter hasn't been preread. One of my prereaders is... otherwise occupied, and my other one is... well, I didn't plan properly and such. Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that, if you're looking/reading this, you've read the whole chapter. Beware of spoilers if you haven't.

Ah, that opening scene... Beautiful! Then... awkward but cute. I've wanted to have Twilight doing... that... for a while now. I guess I'll just have to see how you all reacted to it, but I personally like it. Only way it would have been better is if Twilight was less nervous and woried.

I don't really have anything to say about the part of the morning that's predominantly from Rainbow's PoV. The only thing I'll say about it is "progress!"

the Princess of the Night was no stranger to politics, although she was often more direct.

Semi-sisterly(?) interaction between Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, something sorely needed. It adds to the story by throwing in information about the characters and helps set a scene, paint pictures, and can help with background for future interactions and or mentions. And how do all of you think Twilight would react to being around Cadance and Rainbow in private?

One of the major points in this chapter is Rainbow being more... I'm not sure what word to use. The example that comes to my mind is actually showing Twilight some affection in front of others. Or maybe it's actually her showing affection. I ~~may~~ have to reread this story after I finish it.

Writing their walk. I enjoyed that. It was calming for the most part. I struggled figuring out how to describe the plaza, but I think I pulled it off. I couldn't find the right words to describe the center area with the stone wall, bed of dirt, and the tree. I tried to make that scene feel relaxed and laid back, calming. I also may come back to this spot eventually... But alas, Twilight's mind betrays her. I'm going to take a moment her and bring out something I feel like I need to say: There is no simple on/off fix for depression, worrying, etc. Twilight may not suffer from depression in this, but she is vulnerable, and she knows that. This is a recurring theme, which I may have overdone more than once, but it's to get the point through that, although Rainbow is helping her, it is still a struggle, and it will not simple go away.

As the chapter continues, Rainbow having feelings for Twilight becomes more apparent. Nowhere is it more obvious than when Rainbow says that she thinks she loves Twilight. Originally, that part was much, much sadder. I had Twilight getting upset, thinking Rainbow was just saying that to try to make her feel better. That also had Twilight asking if Rainbow wanted to love her, to which Rainbow replied that she did. Needless to say, I removed that take. It didn't feel right.

The inevitable discussion of Twilight's longevity. I have a few headcanons about that. Stick around long enough (and give me enough time) and maybe we'll see where this leads to. It starts off innocent and cute, then it gets heavy. This chapter is yet another rollercoaster. That makes me wonder if this story is emotionally draining to read. I'll find that out if when I get around to reading this myself in one go. Unfortunately, I may not enjoy it as much, since I am the author, this is my work, and I know how it goes...

It was late at night, and I was halfway through the scene with Rainbow making food, then I paused. "Am I really narrating her making food?" I asked aloud, voice filled with annoyance at the realization. Well, I guess this is probably slice of life now.

And this author's note feels more like analysis/commentary than an author's note. One more chapter to go guys! I hope you're ready for it, I know I'm excited thinking about it. I'm not sure how long or short it will be, it depends on how it flows and goes. After that, I'm taking a break for a bit, then I'll be back with a sequel...

Chapter 11

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Twilight idly gazed out the window at the moon, watching it slowly make its ascent into the sky. Rainbow slowly ran her hoof lightly along Twilight's side. The princess had long since lost count of how many times Rainbow's hoof had brushed across her, but each time was just as calming and relaxing as the last. She nestled back into Rainbow's body and sighed happily, Rainbow's warmth emanated into her back and relaxed her to her core, and the pegasus's soft fur never ceased to caress her own body. Rainbow's left arm was wrapped under her neck and pinning Twilight's arms to her chest, and the pegasus' legs were crossed over Twilight's legs, holding them against her body. Rainbow's right wing lay draped across Twilight's body, holding her and wrapping her in warmth. Twilight welcome it all, even if they had been asleep under the blankets in the hottest desert in the middle of the day with the scorching sun overhead, she wouldn't have it any other way.

The room was starting to grow cold, unfortunately. The thin mountain air didn't trap and hold the heat of the day as well as the thicker air did at Ponyville, which she had grown accustomed to. The chill only served to make her enjoy Rainbow's presence and warmth all that much more. Twilight tentatively nudged her muzzle up and glanced at Rainbow. She had noticed that her friend's breathing had calmed down since they had started laying there, but she couldn't tell if the mare was asleep; her heartbeat was slower, but it didn't feel as slow as when she was sleeping.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight and nudged her ear. Twilight pushed her head back and rubbed it against Rainbow's neck. "Why do you like it when I hold you like this so much?" Rainbow asked in a soft voice, one which didn't betray the stillness of the night.

"I just... it feels right," Twilight answered. "You're so warm and soft and comfortable..." she trailed off, smiling. "I feel safe and protected when you hold me," she added.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You feel safe and protected because I'm holding you and preventing you from moving?" she asked, tightening her grip on Twilight.

"W-well..." Twilight stuttered and looked away, blushing. "Y-yes..." she admitted. "I like it... it just feels right."

Rainbow took a deep breath and pulled her right arm around Twilight and folded it over her other hoof. "Well, I like this too," she said.

Twilight smiled again and nestled back against Rainbow. Rainbow pulled Twilight up equal to her and then reaffirmed her grip. Twilight lifted her head up and looked at Rainbow, her lip quivering as she pouted from being moved. Rainbow promptly nuzzled her neck, banishing the quivering lip and replacing it with a gentle smile. Rainbow shifted her weight and rolled over halfway onto her back, then repositioned Twilight so she was lying facing her.

Rainbow found herself looking over Twilight's chest and body, the soft moonlight complimented her perfectly. She wasn't one who understood romance, but she was starting to understand why ponies thought of the moon as romantic. Twilight pushed herself back down, then wrapped her arms around Rainbow's body and laid her muzzle against her side and over her chest. Rainbow wrapped her left arm around Twilight and supported the princess's head with it. Twilight smiled softly and closed her eyes. "This really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight opened her eyes and glanced up at Rainbow, then she slid her muzzle across Rainbow's chest to look up at her. "It... does," she said. She slid her muzzle back down Rainbow's chest and looked down her body. "And I haven't even tried to repay you for this..." She sighed heavily.

Rainbow took a deep breath, then pulled Twilight up onto her body. "Hey," she said, drawing the alicorn's perplexed gaze back up to her. "Friends do things for friends without expecting things in return," she said.

Twilight closed her eyes, smiled and snorted, then buried her muzzle in Rainbow's chest. She stayed with her nose pressed against Rainbow's chest for several seconds, then she took a deep breath and lifted her head back up. She looked at Rainbow fondly and nodded to herself. "Thank you for reminding me of that," she said.

Rainbow smiled. "You're welcome."

"I still feel like I need to make it up to you somehow, though..." Twilight added with an apologetic smile.

Rainbow groaned and pressed her head back into the pillow as far as she could. She took a deep breath and laid her arms around Twilight's withers and stared up at the ceiling. 'Why do you keep doing this?' she asked herself. She thought about it for several seconds, then she looked out the window at the moon. "Alright," she said. She pulled her head up, then pushed herself up into a sitting position. Twilight tentatively scooted back and sat up facing her. "You want to make it up to me?" she asked with a smirk. Twilight nodded, slowly and cautiously. "Let's go for a flight."

Twilight frowned. "But it's night and-"

"Trust me, you'll enjoy it," Rainbow replied as she hopped off the bed and glided over to the door.

Twilight watched Rainbow, then unfurled her wings and glided over to her. "Okay," she said softly.

Rainbow fidgeted with the lock, then opened the door and turned to Twilight. She fell into a little bow and lowered her head to hide a smirk, then motioned Twilight outside with a wave from her hoof.

Twilight shifted her weight and ruffled her wings. She stepped forward, then paused and glanced back at the nightstand. She bit her lip and bobbed her head, then turned and rushed over to it. She retrieved her regalia and quickly fastened it around her neck with her wings. By the time she made it back to the door, Rainbow was waiting for her with her expression directed at her regalia. "It looks good on you," she said.

Twilight smiled as she walked on outside passed Rainbow. "It looks better on you..." she said quietly.

Rainbow didn't seem to notice and pulled the door shut, then she spread her wings out and hovered a short jump off the ground. There was a gentle breeze, but it didn't affect her flight any. The only downside of the breeze was that it held an uncomfortable chill to it, although she didn't mind it too much, but it did briefly remind her of the hospital when her gaze passed over Twilight's forehead. She grimaced at the memory. As much as she tried to shake it off, it lingered.

Twilight unfurled her wings and looked at each one in turn. It still surprised her that they were in such good condition, although not using them to fly a whole lot definitely helped that. However, she knew she would need to take care of them again sometime, preferably before it would take a considerable amount of time. She looked up at Rainbow and wondered if Rainbow would be willing to take care of her wings again. She knew Rainbow was going to teach her how to preen without magic, but she also suspected Rainbow would be willing to preen her again.

By the time Twilight was hovering in the air beside Rainbow, the pegasus could see a subtle difference in her demeanor. It wasn't quite as calm, although it was still relaxed. Twilight didn't look stressed out, she just seemed a little more eager. Rainbow turned around in the air, then started ascending as a leisurely pace, one which Twilight was able to easily keep up with. As they flew up higher, the skyline gradually opened up, letting them see all around Equestria, and the vast, open night sky.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight. Even though the night sky was filled with thousands of subtly twinkling stars, the alicorn princess was looking at Rainbow. Rainbow turned back and scanned the sky for any clouds. Once again, she was disgruntled by the lack of pegasi attention in Canterlot, but after some searching, she found a cloud that looked big enough for the both of them, although she would have settled for a cloud that was smaller if there wasn't a larger cloud. She didn't think Twilight would mind either.

Rainbow beat her wings a little harder and propelled herself into a short verticle loop, leaving a faint polychromatic trail in her wake. Her mane and tail billowed about in the gentle breeze as the air currents rushed passed her. Twilight watched her closely. It was hard to tell from the distance and limited light, but Rainbow knew Twilight was smiling. She flew back beside Twilight. "You should let go and try something like that," she said.

Twilight's smile faded. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Oh come on! You won't know until you try it," Rainbow coaxed.

Twilight bit her lip. "I'm not as good of a flier as you are," she replied.

"Yeah, and I said I was going to fix that," Rainbow countered dryly. She flew around in front of Twilight and skillfully propelled herself backward to prevent herself from colliding with the princess. "Come on, you'll enjoy it. I promise I'll catch you if anything bad happens."

"It might be pushing myself too hard," Twilight countered. "I'd rather not be hospitalized again," she added guardedly.

Rainbow's expression wavered at that. She hadn't considered that, but she was determined to get Twilight to let loose and have a little fun. "You've not been having any problems since we got here, and you really haven't had a whole lot of problems for a while anyway. If you do get sick again, I'll stay with you the whole time, I promise."

"I wouldn't ask you to do that," Twilight said softly, though her brow was creased downward in strain.

"I'm not going to leave you alone like that again," Rainbow replied soberly. "I shouldn't have done that in the first place, and I'm sorry."

Twilight wished that they were on the ground so she could hug Rainbow right then, but unfortunately, it would have to wait. She took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. Each second that passed made her heart grow heavier and beat harder until her heart was pounding. The prospect of trying to do a loop like Rainbow terrified her. "Well... I'll give it a shot," she said. Rainbow's wide smile boldly displayed her joy at hearing that, and it made up for Twilight's fear, at leat a little.

"You can do it, Twi!" Rainbow cheered as she flew out of Twilight's way.

Twilight watched Rainbow out of the corner of her eye. If asked, she would have sworn Rainbow flew further away than necessary and that she was faking her faith in her. She grimaced and took another deep breath to try and calm her nerves, only to meet limited success. She swallowed and licked her lips.

Twilight pictured in her mind what Rainbow did, a simple loop. Slow and graceful. 'Okay... just... fly forward, then up and back, then let gravity take over...' She pictured herself doing it in her mind, causing her heart to beat faster. Unease welled up inside her at the simple thought of herself doing a loop. 'We're far enough up that I'll have plenty of time to correct if I mess up... If I mess up... but... if I mess up too much, I might not be able to correct... at this height, I'll reach terminal velocity before I hit the ground, and without my horn or magic...' She shivered.

"I can't do this!" Twilight shouted.

Rainbow quickly flew back over to her. "Okay, you don't have to..." she backtracked, a little disappointed. She looked around for the cloud she had spotted earlier. It was in about the same place as before. She glanced back at Twilight, then broke off and headed over to the cloud. Twilight watched her and followed close behind her, still terrified. Rainbow landed and sat down, folding her wings against her side. As she expected, Twilight landed beside her, then stepped close enough for their coats to touch and sat down beside her. Rainbow promptly extended her wing and wrapped it around Twilight. "Sorry," she apologized. "I... should have realized you wouldn't be ready to try something like that. I just wanted you to let loose and have a little fun."

Twilight leaned against Rainbow. "It's okay," she said. She closed her eyes and nuzzled Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow held Twilight tighter in her wing, then slowly shifted her weight to her right. Rainbow started to fall over, and because she was holding Twilight, the alicorn toppled over onto her. Before Twilight could say anything, Rainbow wrapped her limbs around Twilight and pulled her into her chest. She was willing to forgive Canterlot for not having many pegasi since she could do this without having to worry about being seen.

Twilight looked up at Rainbow, then folded her ears back and closed her eyes. She pressed her head up against Rainbow's muzzled, then laid her muzzle on Rainbow's neck.

"I just about think you like this too much," Rainbow chuckled.

Twilight rubbed her nose against Rainbow's jaw. "You said you enjoyed it too," Twilight said softly.

"I do," Rainbow answered. "It just seems like... I don't know, you're just really affectionate."

Twilight sighed and pulled back. "If it bothers you-"

"No!" Rainbow almost shouted. Twilight looked at her quizzically. "I mean uh... No. It's fine, I like it," she corrected. She ignored the subtle warmth rising in her cheeks and ran her hooves up Twilight's back, then pulled her back against her.

Twilight giggled and sighed happily into Rainbow's coat. Twilight unfurled her free wing and laid it over Rainbow, then she fidgeted her wing out from beneath her and slid it under Rainbow. Rainbow pushed her wing down against the cloud and caught Twilight's wing, then pinned it to her side with her wing. Twilight pulled away from Rainbow and looked up at her. Rainbow smiled down at Twilight's surprised look. Rainbow unfolded her wing and slid it under Twilight's wing, then wrapped it around her back.

Twilight smiled and pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest again. She closed her eyes and cuddled against Rainbow, slowly sliding her muzzle beside Rainbow's neck, looking down at their bodies. She glanced down at her neck and chest and frowned. She pulled her hooves back from Rainbow, then lifted her head up and reached behind her neck and unfastened her regalia, then she laid back down and looked up at Rainbow. Rainbow looked at her seemingly hesitant. Twilight looked at Rainbow's chest, then leaned away from her and laid her regalia on her, then fastened it around her neck. She closed her eyes and slid back against Rainbow, wrapping her arms around her barrel.

Rainbow shifted her weight onto her back and let Twilight lay on the cloud while keeping Twilight's head resting on her chest. For a few seconds, she watched Twilight's head rise and fall as she breathed. "Why do you do that?" she eventually asked.

"It feels right," Twilight answered without looking up at her, gaze still lingering on the regalia.

"But it's yours," Rainbow replied with a frown.

"And I'm giving it to you," Twilight said simply. "Besides, it looks better on you than me."

Rainbow laid her head back and looked up at the sky. She gently ran her hoof over Twilight's side, then laid it over her chest. "It's still yours," she said.

Twilight sighed and rubbed her cheek against Rainbow in long, slow strokes, making sure that both of them felt every motion of the affectionate action. Both of them smiled, and when she finished, Twilight joined Rainbow in looking up at the night sky. Thousands of stars adorned the night sky like jewels, yet to Twilight, the night sky's beauty still didn't compare to the pegasus laying beside her. "Thanks for making me do this," she said.

Rainbow bobbed her head about. "I had actually planned to fly for a lot longer since flying at night is nice, but this is nice too."

"I guess I owe you a flight sometime, then, don't I?" Twilight asked.

"Don't worry about it," Rainbow replied. She looked down from the sky and watched Twilight. In an action that surprised both of them, Rainbow leaned down and touched her lips to the side of Twilight's head, kissing her.

Rainbow's mind went blank when she realized what she was doing, then fear battered her. She hadn't thought about it, instead, like normal, she had just acted. She was afraid she would regret kissing Twilight, she was afraid that it was the wrong thing to do, that she didn't love her. She knew she could have just crushed Twilight's heart, and she knew that damage would have been permanent. Still, Twilight's soft coat felt nice against her lips. The more of her attention she devoted to the kiss and Twilight, the more her fear dwindled. She knew it was a light kiss, barely touching Twilight, but she could already feel Twilight slipping into a panic attack, and she knew that if she screwed up this time, there wasn't going to be a next time. 'It's now or never...' she realized. She wasn't quite as afraid as Twilight was, but she was still very much afraid. Romance and love weren't her things, but she would make an exception for Twilight. She had made an exception for her. She tightened her grip on Twilight, trying to reassure her, then pulled back.

Twilight froze as Rainbow's lips touched her fur, and as soon as she pulled back, she looked up at Rainbow with wide eyes. Rainbow smiled softly down at her. Twilight had never felt so afraid before in her life. Facing down Nightmare Moon was easier than this. Asking Rainbow on a date had even been easier. She felt so very cold, and Rainbow felt so warm beside her. Rainbow's smile slowly alleviated her fear, and banished the icy grip of cold, although some still remained, brought on by the chilly air. Rainbow held onto Twilight and pushed herself into a sitting position. "D-does th-that mean-"

"Yes," Rainbow said. "I love you."

Twilight smiled contently and closed her eyes, her fear, concern, and anxiety all melting away. She leaned forward and pressed her head against Rainbow. Rainbow laid her head down on top of Twilight's head and wrapped her wings around Twilight's back. Rainbow felt content with what she had said, and holding Twilight felt different, it felt new and it held so much more meaning to her now. To Twilight, Rainbow felt stronger and more comforting than she thought possible. Her coat seemed to welcome her, and she wrapped her arms around Rainbow and squeezed her as hard as she could. Needless to say, it was a good thing she was left physically weak from being exposed to radiation, as it was, Twilight's strength surprised Rainbow and made it harder for her to breathe.

"You know..." Rainbow trailed off. "You still haven't said that-"

Twilight pulled back and lifted her head up to her full height and looked down at Rainbow. "I love you," she said eagerly. Her lips curled up into a smile, which ended up being lopsided and reminded Rainbow of the old days back before Twilight was an alicorn.

Rainbow smiled, then flared out her wings as Twilight leaned forward and pushed her over, causing both of them to fall down again. Twilight giggled and Rainbow snorted. Rainbow shook her head and let her body relax, leaving her limbs spread out over the cloud. "I kissed you, are you going to kiss me now?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight's smile widened. She leaned down and quickly pecked Rainbow on the neck, then pulled back up and looked down at Rainbow fondly.

Rainbow rolled over and pulled Twilight over with her, then she rolled over onto Twilight. She quickly unfastened the regalia around her neck and put it on Twilight, then stuck her tongue out at her. Twilight looked at her with feigned indignance then shifted her weight and rolled over and both of them fell off the cloud.

Both of them reacted quickly, flaring out their wings and catching themselves. Twilight smiled nervously at Rainbow. Rainbow snickered and shook her head. "Maybe a cloud isn't the best place for aggressive cuddling."

Twilight giggled. "Aggressive cuddling?"

"You have a better idea?" Rainbow asked with a frown.

"Well... I'm kind of getting cold," Twilight said.

Rainbow frowned. "Really? I mean, yeah it's kind of chilly, but I don't think it's that bad, and you're an alicorn. I thought you were supposed to be like... immune to the cold or something."

Twilight nodded slowly. "That's not entirely accurate, but close enough..." she shook her head. "It's probably because I haven't completely recovered yet, and I kinda... well, I wasn't eating like I should have been..." she trailed off with a wry look.

"Meat?" Rainbow said in a low voice. Twilight grimaced and nodded. Rainbow frowned. "Does that... does it really bother you that much?"

"It's... it does," Twilight admitted. "I don't like the fact that I have to do that, but it is something that I have to do." She paused and winced while she debated adding something else. She wasn't sure she should, but she trusted Rainbow. "I mean... it's not that it doesn't... taste good... but it's the thought that I'm eating something that was alive and..." she trailed off shaking her head.

"Well... it's just fish," Rainbow replied. "I'm pretty sure I've seen Fluttershy feed fish to... beavers or something," she said coolly.

"Yeah..." Twilight said somewhat dejectedly.

"Well... you ready to head back?" Rainbow asked, hearing her discomfort. Twilight looked over at her and nodded.

"Why do you always get the door for me?" Twilight asked as she walked in passed Rainbow. "And..." she trailed off.

Rainbow stepped inside, then shut the door. "Uh... I don't know, I just do it," she answered. She squinted at the door as she fidgeted with it and locked the door, then she turned around and looked at Twilight. "Why do you ask?"

"I just..." Twilight trailed off and looked away from Rainbow. "Nevermind," she said. She made her way across the room, heading toward the bed, then she hopped up on the bed and sat down.

Rainbow flew over beside her and landed beside Twilight. She folded her right wing and pulled on Twilight with her left wing. Twilight laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder and leaned against her. "So... we're definitely together now," Rainbow said.

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Rainbow's neck affectionately. She wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure what to say. Nothing sounded right, even simply telling Rainbow that she loved her didn't sound right, it didn't sound like enough.

Rainbow returned Twilight's nuzzle with a short one of her own. She wasn't sure if it was because of how things had changed, or if it was because she gave it more thought now, but she enjoyed the action a lot more than she had in the past. It was more comforting, Twilight felt a little warmer and softer than before. "That was the first time you actually said that you love me," she continued. "I knew for a while, but... that was the first time you actually said so."

Twilight paused her nuzzle. "I love you," she repeated softly, then she resumed nuzzling her friend's warm, soft neck.

Rainbow smiled. She pulled away from Twilight, much to the mare's displeasure, then faced her and laid down, pulling her down with her. Twilight wrapped her arms around Rainbow, then pulled her against her with her arms and legs. Rainbow mimicked Twilight's action and returned her embrace and wrapping her wings around the alicorn.

Twilight subtly shifted her weight, then pulled her regalia off. She missed having her magic since she wanted her regalia to be out of the way. She grimaced and tossed it across the bed, then wrapped her arm back around Rainbow. She scooted her hooves up to Rainbow's neck and ran the edges slowly through Rainbow's mane. She pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's chest and inhaled.

Rainbow rolled over onto her back with Twilight, then she glanced at the covers of the bed. She unwrapped herself from Twilight, then struggled with the covers until she kicked then out from under her, something made even harder by Twilight's weight. She temporarily unwrapped her wings from Twilight, much to the chilly mare's displeasure, and pulled the covers over them, then she wrapped herself back around Twilight.

Twilight sighed and snuggled against Rainbow. With the covers and Rainbow's wings trapping in their body heart, it wasn't long before Twilight started warming up. She was content with their current arrangement, she had slept on Rainbow's chest before, and since Rainbow was so comfortable, she didn't mind doing it again. Plus Rainbow's body was warm, and she was still cold.

Rainbow watched Twilight lay on her chest. She looked so calm, and so content. She was peaceful. Seconds faded into minutes and her gaze still lingered on her. She reluctantly pulled one of her hooves away from Twilight's back, then brushed her mane out of her face. Twilight moved her muzzle and looked up at her, her eyes were dulled from exhaustion and her eyelids were sagging. "Goodnight, Twi," she whispered, then leaned in and pecked Twilight's forehead where her horn used to be, the same spot that the alicorn said was sensitive. When she pulled back, Twilight's eyes were closed and there was a small, gentle smile on her lips. She laid her head back down on the pillow and looked up at the ceiling.

In truth, she wasn't tired, but there was no way she was going to just leave Twilight there in bed by herself. Eventually, she closed her eyes.

Rainbow wasn't entirely sure what had happened. One minute, she had been asleep, and the next, she was awake, and felt wide awake, completely refreshed and reenergized, ready to take the day head on. Sunlight streamed in through the large window and the rays gently fell on Twilight. The alicorn was still asleep on her, cuddled against her and resting her head on Rainbow's chest. Although Rainbow couldn't see much more of Twilight than her head, she could feel her body laying on top of her. She could feel Twilight's legs laid on her abdomen, and her arms were laid on her chest. Twilight's weight was comforting.

Rainbow smiled and looked up at the ceiling, methodically going over the past few weeks. Eventually, her thoughts caught up to last night. Kissing Twilight had been an accident, it wasn't something she had thought about, it just happened. She was glad she did it. She was glad she said that she loved Twilight. Before saying it, she didn't know if she had loved her or not, and she had been afraid that she didn't. She had wanted to love her, but she didn't think she did. Saying that she loved her made it real.

She took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, sighing. She looked back down at Twilight. While her mane was messy, it wasn't as messy as it would have been if she had slept with her head on a pillow. Rainbow contemplated Twilight's slightly frazzled mane for several seconds, then she brushed the princess' mane to the side and glanced at her forehead. Even though she knew Twilight was asleep and wouldn't know about it, she leaned down and lightly touched her lips against Twilight's forehead. She held her lips against Twilight's soft coat for several seconds, then pulled back and laid down. Unbeknownst to her, Twilight smiled at the contact.

Rainbow ran her wings down Twilight's sides, feeling her soft body, made even softer from having been asleep for the past several hours. She took pleasure feeling Twilight's soft coat against her wings as she ran them down Twilight's sides, then back up to Twilight's wings. She held Twilight closer with her wings and wrapped her arms around her withers. She cautiously rolled over onto her side, then pulled Twilight up equal with herself and laid her head on her neck.

'This is awesome,' Rainbow thought to herself with a smile. She lightly nuzzled Twilight's neck, then watched the blankets rise and fall with Twilight's breathing.

Twilight sighed contently, the air blew across Rainbow's mane. After a few seconds, she started twitching as her breathing caused Rainbow's mane to tickle her nose. She tried to correct the issue with one of her hooves, only to find it trapped. A few seconds later, she leaned forward and pressed her muzzle against Rainbow's mane, fixing the issue of her hairs tickling her nose. She took a deep breath and a smile pulled at her lips, then she nuzzled into Rainbow's warm softness before cracking an eye open. Rainbow's disarrayed multicolored mane greeted her. She closed her eye, then pressed into Rainbow's mane and inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled and pulled back from her.

"Finally wake up?" Rainbow asked as she picked her head up from Twilight's neck, then laid it on the pillow, facing her, muzzle to muzzle. Twilight's breathing slowed as she looked at Rainbow. She lost herself in Rainbow's eyes, but eventually, Rainbow's muzzle drew her attention away from her eyes.

Twilight lifted her head up from the pillow, then laid her head down on Rainbow's neck and yawned. "How long have you been awake?" she asked idly.

"A couple minutes, maybe," Rainbow answered. "Sorry if I woke you up," she said.

"It's fine," Twilight said as she closed her eyes and rubbed her neck against Rainbow's neck. "I always enjoy waking up next to you... waking up with you."

"I do too," Rainbow replied. She looked out the window, then at the clock. She grimaced. 'That's not good...' And what was worse was that she had no way of preventing Twilight from seeing it without raising suspicion. Once Twilight looked at the clock, there was no doubt in her mind that Twilight would be unhappy. "You want to uh... just lay here for a while?" she asked, hoping it would distract Twilight.

Twilight lifted her head from Rainbow and smiled. "I'd like that," she said. She shifted her weight, prompting Rainbow to relax her grip on her, then rolled over, facing away from Rainbow. She scooted her back against Rainbow's chest and stomach as the pegasus pinned her arms and legs to her body. Twilight murmured softly and nestled back against Rainbow. For several seconds, she laid there, content to stay like that for as long as she could.

"So what happens now?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight frowned. She had given a lot of thought to asking Rainbow out on a date, and how that would go. She also knew it wouldn't happen. As much as she wanted and hoped it would happen, she knew it wouldn't happen. She knew Rainbow would say no, which she did, and it hurt, but then, weeks later, Rainbow offered to go out on a date with her. Her mind drew a blank. "I... I don't know," she replied.

"You don't know?" Rainbow asked, surprised. "I thought that-"

"I... don't know," Twilight admitted. "I'm not experienced with this sort of thing either... All I know is that I want to be with you... I want to be close to you," she said.

Her answer brought a smile to Rainbow's lips. "I think I can live with that," she said. Twilight giggled. She held Twilight a little firmer. "Does this mean you'll finally relax and stop worrying?" she asked.

"I doubt it..." Twilight trailed off sadly. Seeing her princess' discomfort, Rainbow nuzzled her neck. Twilight's smile quickly returned. "But it does help," she quickly added.

"Good," Rainbow said.

"I'm still sick and recovering, though," Twilight quickly replied. She sighed unhappily.

"Well, I promised I'd help you, didn't I?" Rainbow asked, nudging Twilight's shoulder with her muzzle.

Twilight giggled and nodded. After a few seconds, her giggle faded, but her smile lingered. "Thank you for helping me and staying with me, Rainbow. It... it means a lot to me, more than I could ever tell you... I... I still feel like I need to make it up to you for how... hard... I've made things for you..." she trailed off.

"Hey, Twilight, you're my best friend. You don't have to make up for anything. I love you," Rainbow replied.

Twilight smiled and blushed. She shifted her head and turned back to Rainbow. "I-" she glanced at the clock. Her eyes widened and her head shot over towards the clock. "Rainbow!" she groaned. "It's nine in the morning, why didn't you tell me?"

"Even though you still can't relax..." Rainbow mumbled under her breath. "I didn't want you to worry about it," she said.

"But we should have been up an hour ago!" Twilight complained.

Rainbow sighed and closed her eyes, then she pressed her head into her alicorn's mane. "Twilight, I think you can sleep in and cuddle with me for once. I mean, it's not like there's anything either of us actually have to do. We're on vacation, and it won't stay that way forever."

Twilight opened her mouth to argue further but stopped herself. She sighed, then leaned back into Rainbow's embrace. "You're right. I'm supposed to be relaxing... this trip was to get away from things." She closed her eyes and tried to relax. She subtly shifted her weight so that she could feel more of Rainbow against her back, allowing more of the mare's heat to soak up into her body. "I love you," Twilight said happily.

"I love you too, Princess," Rainbow replied with a smirk.

Twilight exhaled heavily and opened her eyes. "Rainbow, please, don't... I'm just a pony like you-"

Rainbow lightly kissed her cheek again, silencing her. Twilight looked up at her, though kept her muzzle pointed at the wall. "I know that," Rainbow said. "But... I mean, it's pretty awesome if you think about it. You're a princess, you're an alicorn. You worked hard for that, Twilight. I don't know anypony more deserving of it than you."

Twilight smiled, Rainbow's words warming her heart. "Thank you, Rainbow... that means a lot coming from you."

"Well it's true," Rainbow replied.

Several minutes passed between them in silence. During the lull, both of them enjoyed each others' company, their warmth, their soft bodies, their steady heartbeat, and their gentle breathing. Both of them enjoyed every second of it. Eventually, Twilight broke the silence, "I had wanted to meet Celestia and Luna for breakfast. But... I guess that's not going to happen now."

"Lunch? Dinner?" Rainbow asked in quick succession.

"I don't know about you, but if we have breakfast, I think I'll skip lunch... or have something light. Having dinner with them would be nice, though," Twilight said thoughtfully.

Rainbow thought for a few seconds before replying. "Maybe you should uh... have some more meat." Twilight grimaced and shifted her weight. Rainbow tentatively loosened her grip and lifted her right arm and leg up, letting Twilight go. Twilight rolled over to face her. "You said you're still recovering," Rainbow replied preemptively. "Maybe it would help you recover faster or get feeling better?"

"I feel fine... mostly," Twilight replied. "But... that's probably because I haven't been pushing myself too hard." She looked up and met Rainbow's gaze for a few seconds, then she slid her head closer to Rainbow's neck. "It would help me to recover but... I can't completely recover," she sighed.

Rainbow laid her leg back over Twilight, then stroked her mane with her hoof, parting the strands of her hair with the edge. "Why not? Princess Celestia said your horn might grow back!"

"Which means it might not," Twilight mumbled into Rainbow's body. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then pressed her forehead into her friend. "Besides, that's not even..." she trailed off, not wanting to continue. "What I meant," she concluded, hoping Rainbow wouldn't press it.

"What then? What's wrong?" Rainbow asked, worried for Twilight. She didn't know a lot about radiation, but she did see what it had done to Twilight, leaving her hospitalized, and she hated that.

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow's neck, taking a deep breath in the process, then looked up at her. "I... I really don't want to talk about it."

Rainbow paused stroking Twilight's mane. "You'll feel better if you get it out, Twi," she replied with a gentle smile.

"I..." Twilight shook her head, then laid it on top Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow hesitated for a few seconds, then started running her hoof through Twilight's mane again in long, slow strokes. Twilight closed her eyes as the calm, gentle sensation returned. "Alright... Just... if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you, okay?"

Twilight nodded, then nuzzled Rainbow. She opened her eyes and stared down at Rainbow's sky-blue coat. She glanced up at Rainbow, who was staring out the window. She watched her for a few seconds, then cast her gaze back down on Rainbow's neck. She subtly shifted her muzzle, then tentatively stuck her tongue out and lightly touched Rainbow's coat with it. Rainbow didn't notice it. She licked her again, this time, running the tip of her tongue over her neck with a little more pressure. She paused and glanced at Rainbow, who was lost in thought.

Twilight turned her attention back to Rainbow's neck, then extended her tongue out further and ran it over Rainbow's neck, then pulled her tongue back into her mouth. After a few seconds, she started running her tongue over Rainbow's neck again, with each lick growing in length and firmness. Eventually, Rainbow's coat was slicked back by her actions.

Rainbow blinked a couple of times at the unfamiliar feeling emanating from her neck. She stopped stroking Twilight's mane and frowned, then glanced down at the princess. Twilight continued running her tongue across Rainbow's neck, blissfully unaware that Rainbow was watching her. Rainbow frowned, but the frown quickly faded. Twilight shifted her weight and pulled herself up a little, getting into a better position. "What... are you doing?" Rainbow asked cautiously.

Twilight froze, her tongue still out against Rainbow's coat, paused midlick. She tentatively looked up at Rainbow and tensed up, then brought her tongue back into her mouth and swallowed. "S-sorry!" she said quickly. "I-I just..."

"It's okay," Rainbow said calmly, scrutinizing Twilight's expression. She didn't like seeing the fear in her eyes, it looked wrong, it was anathema to the normal curiousness which her beautiful purple eyes held. As of late, however, those eyes hadn't had the same gleam. And Twilight's tensed body felt wrong, it wasn't as pleasant as when she was relaxed. She sighed. Twilight looked away from her, laying her head facing away from Rainbow. Rainbow averted her gaze from Twilight and glanced down at her neck. While it was hard to see, it was clearly evident that her fur was slicked back from Twilight's tongue. It wasn't a large patch, but it wasn't a small patch either. She wasn't sure what to think of it. She grimaced and ran her hoof up and down Twilight's back several times.

"We should probably get up and going," Twilight said quickly. She moved to pull away, only for Rainbow to stop her. She sighed. "Tomorrow?"

"Huh?" Rainbow responded, frowning.

"Can we do this tomorrow instead of today," Twilight clarified.

"You really don't want to stay here?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight bit her lip. "I... I just... I do, but I probably made you uncomfortable..."

"I didn't say you had to stop," Rainbow replied calmly.

Twilight slowly slid her forehead up against the crook of Rainbow's neck and laid her muzzle over Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow wasn't sure whether Twilight would start licking her neck again, but after a few seconds, it was apparent Twilight had no intention of licking her anymore. "Are you doing okay?" she asked, changing the subject.

Twilight thought about it for a few seconds before answering. "Yes... I think so. I slept well. What about you?"

Rainbow smirked. "First time we've slept together after saying we love each other..." She trailed off taking a deep breath, then rolled over onto her back, pulling Twilight back up on her. Twilight smiled and pulled her head up, then looked down at Rainbow softly. "It was pretty nice," Rainbow added. "Obviously we both enjoyed it since we slept so long," she chuckled.

"I... guess waking up so late isn't such a bad thing..." Twilight said tentatively. "But we really should get up and going..." she added.

Rainbow shook her head and brushed Twilight's mane away from her face. "Hey, why don't we just spend the whole morning here in bed. How's that sound? Because I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy that."

"I would... like that," Twilight said. She turned her head and glanced at the clock. "But it's already so late in the day," she said as she looked back down at Rainbow with a mournful expression.

"So what?" Rainbow asked. "Just take the morning to relax and enjoy yourself, you deserve it."

Twilight bit her lip. Rainbow wrapped her hoof around the back of Twilight's head and tentatively pulled her down, bringing their muzzles close. Twilight's heart beat a little faster as she stared into Rainbow's vibrant magenta eyes. Rainbow's eyes quickly darted back and forth across Twilight. Twilight looked down at Rainbow's muzzle, so near to her own, and swallowed, then looked back at Rainbow. "Just relax," the pegasus said in a laidback manner.

Twilight took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Okay," she said. She closed her eyes, then laid her head down on Rainbow. She shifted her weight and laid on Rainbow's side, freeing her hooves from in between them. She folded her hooves over Rainbow's chest, then sighed and snuggled up to Rainbow.

Rainbow quickly leaned over and briefly kissed Twilight on the cheek. Twilight cracked open an eye, then nuzzled Rainbow and kissed her neck.

A knocking sound came from the door. Rainbow sighed into Twilight's neck, then unwrapped herself from around the alicorn and groaned. Twilight looked over at her apologetically, disappointed by the knock on the door at least as much as Rainbow was, if not more, after all, she had just agreed to stay there with Rainbow for a little while longer, and she had just made herself comfortable. "We could just ignore it," Rainbow suggested with a hopeful smile.

Twilight frowned at her. "What if it's-"

"Alright, alright..." Rainbow shook her head and rolled away from Twilight, leaving the mare to fall onto the bed. Twilight quickly recovered but grimaced as Rainbow slid out of the bed. Rainbow stretched out once she was out of bed, her back popped multiple times, and the simple act of stretching out was so relaxing made her want to lay back down in bed and go back to sleep. The impatient knocking, however, was enough to ruin any enjoyment she would have found from returning to bed with Twilight.

She stood back up and shook herself a little, then jerked her head to the left, flipping her mane and hoping to mask some of the morning's disarray. She groaned as the impatient knocking came again, then she flapped her wings and flew over to the door. Whoever it was, she was simply going to ask them to go away and come back later. It would be simple if a little rude. Twilight was on vacation, however. Although, in the back of her mind, she entertained the idea that it could be Princess Celestia or Princess Luna, in which case Twilight would, undoubtedly, rush over to the door and apologize profusely for being a mess.

Rainbow nudged the lock, then opened the door. "You know that-"

"Rainbow Dash!" a prissy, white unicorn with a styled purple mane greeted. The unicorn's horn was surrounded in a light blue aura, and she held two bags beside her, one on each side of her body, in her magic. The unicorn's face distorted in disgust at the sight of Rainbow's unkempt mane. "And you just woke up, didn't you? I hope that's the case... if you really aren't going to take care of your mane better..." Rarity trailed off grimly.

"Uh... h-hi Rarity," Rainbow greeted with unmasked surprise. She glanced back at Twilight and grimaced. Twilight looked at her expectantly, as if waiting for her to invite Rarity in. She forced a smile and looked back at Rarity.

"Well, is Twilight busy? I was hoping I could talk to her, maybe cheer her up or something," Rarity said.

"W-well... uh... she kinda just woke up," Rainbow replied. "We uh... neither of us have been up very long."

"Oh. Well... In all honesty, that surprises me. I would have expected Twilight to be up at the brink of dawn, already dragging you across Canterlot." Rarity smiled, then took a deep breath and sighed happily. "Such a beautiful city..."

"Yeah, well... she's on vacation. You know, trying to relax and such," Rainbow answered. She shifted her weight.

Rarity grimaced and shifted her weight. "Yes, well... she deserves that." She paused, then looked behind Rainbow. "May I come in? It's impolite to keep a lady waiting, after all."

Rainbow shifted her weight then tentatively stepped to the side, granting Rarity entrance. Rarity smiled her thanks, then happily trotted inside, her eyes trailing across the tower's interior. Rainbow squinted and scanned the outside before shutting the door and locking it. Rarity's ears perked up at the sound of the door locking, but she said nothing. Upon further examination of the room, she smiled at Twilight, who was sitting up in bed. "Twilight, darling! I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time, but I just couldn't wait to see you."

Twilight smiled at Rarity, although it wasn't quite as warm or as wide as with Rainbow. "It's fine..." she trailed off, somewhat dissatisfied.

Rarity frowned as she made her way over to the bed, slowing as she neared it. "What's wrong, darling? You're not feeling sick again, are you?" she asked in a concerned voice, worried for her friend's well-being.

Twilight shook her head. "No," she answered. She glanced at Rainbow, prompting the pegasus to fly back over and land near the bed, though she kept her distance. It didn't surprise her that Rainbow kept her distance. It didn't surprise her that she didn't even land on the bed. As much as she wished Rainbow would have landed beside her and wrapped her wing around her back, holding her close and letting her lean against her, she knew Rainbow would have been uncomfortable with that around other ponies, especially when that other pony was Rarity. Rarity would never let Rainbow live that down. Twilight wasn't sure she wanted to endure that either, and she knew she wasn't ready to talk to her friends about being with Rainbow.

It still hurt her, and it showed, even with her attempt to mask it. Rarity frowned and followed Twilight gaze back to Rainbow, then she looked back at Twilight. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head but bit her lip. She pursed her lips, then looked at the lone pegasus in the room. "I'm... a little upset that... I woke up so... late," she said at length, watching Rainbow.

Rarity frowned. "Yes... you are normally somepony who is up rather early," she agreed. She tilted her head to the side and smiled apologetically at Twilight. "But... with your... shall we say, accident... it's... understandable," she said grimly.

"Yeah," Twilight said shortly, looking down at the bed.

Rarity bit her lip and glanced at Rainbow, then she looked back at the alicorn. "Uh... darling, perhaps we should move the conversation along to a... less uncomfortable... subject?"

Twilight glanced at Rarity and took a deep breath. "Yeah," she agreed. She glanced at the two bags Rarity was holding. Knowing the mare, it undoubtedly would be something expensive. "What's in the bags?"

Rarity's face lit up at the question, and the atmosphere in the room lightened. "Oh yes, yes, I'm so glad you asked!" she said quickly. She set the bags down and then turned to the one on her right and reached into it with her magic. Rainbow tilted her head to get a better look, then walked closer over to the bed so she could see in the bag. Rarity gracefully levitated a dress out from the bag, then levitated it over to Twilight and smiled warmly. "I thought you might appreciate it. I wasn't entirely convinced on the color, but it looked like it would compliment you well. What do you think?"

Twilight eyed the dress closely, studying it and taking it in. It was elegant, yet not over the top. The dress was a deep, bright blue. It was similar to the gala dress Rarity had made for her early in their friendship, yet it somehow managed to look regal, like something Princess Celestia could be seen wearing- if it was in a different color and bigger. The hem was a deep purple shade, and the dress flowed gracefully down the back and would cover her flanks and hind legs, yet it wouldn't drag on the floor. "It's beautiful, Rarity..." Twilight replied, eyes still trailing over each simple yet intricate curve in the dress.

Rarity's smile widened. "I'm glad you like it. I was hoping it would cheer you up."

Twilight smiled and nodded, then looked at Rarity. "Thank you," she said happily.

"Oh, but I'm not done yet, darling," Rarity chirped. She used her magic to straighten out the bedsheets, then carefully laid the dress down and pulled the other bag around. She levitated out another dress, one almost identical to the first, except it was a light, crystal blue color. The second dress seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, upon further inspection, Twilight could see small gems embedded in the fabric.

"That... they must have cost a lot to make," Twilight shifted her weight on the bed. She had to force herself not to grimace.

Rarity stuck her muzzle up in the air and turned away from Twilight. "Think nothing of it, dear. I simply wanted to show you my appreciation and do something nice for you," she said with a hint of chastising. She shook it off, then looked back at Twilight warmly. "I had intended to ask if you two would like to accompany me to brunch, but I suppose since you both just woke up I should be on my way."

"Thanks again, Rarity," Twilight replied.

Rarity carefully laid the second dress down on the bed beside the first, careful not to wrinkle it. "I'll be in Canterlot for the rest of the week. If you'd like to stop by, we could have some tea, or maybe go out and have dinner sometime."

"I might take you up on that offer, but I think we're going to try to meet with Celestia and Luna for dinner for the duration of our stay," Twilight replied with a sheepish smile.

"Oh, how insensitive of me. Of course, of course, darling. You should enjoy dinner with the princesses," Rarity chirped.

"Thanks for understanding," Twilight replied.

Rarity smiled, then looked around again and turned away from the bed, then walked over to Rainbow. "You're taking good care of her, I hope," she said.

"Uh, yeah," Rainbow answered lamely.

"She's helped me a lot," Twilight said fondly. Rarity glanced back at her and squinted. Twilight grimaced and looked down at her hooves. "I... I don't know what I'd do without her," she said gravely. She cautiously looked up to see Rainbow Dash watching her closely. She could see something in her eyes, but she couldn't tell what it was. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line, and she looked anxious, with her wings held tightly at her sides.

Rarity's expression fell. "Ah... yes, well..." she trailed off uncomfortably. "I... we've all just been so busy, Twilight..."

Twilight looked at Rarity. She smiled, though it was strained, and nodded. "I... know." 'I miss the old days...' she sighed at the thought.

Rarity bit her lip. "I'm... sure that things will lighten up and that we'll be able to spend more time together... eh... soon," she said, trying to cheer up the princess. Twilight nodded absently, clearly not believing it. Rarity sighed and walked back over to her, then pulled her into a hug. She stifled a grimace, knowing that Twilight hadn't had a shower yet. Twilight needed it though. The young alicorn slowly wrapped her hooves around Rarity's back, prompting Rarity to squeeze her. Rainbow hovered over to the pair, then landed and joined the hug. After a short while, Twilight pulled back, prompting to hug to fall apart. Twilight looked a little happier, which more than made up for any discomfort Rarity endured. Rarity tilted her head to the side and smiled gently at Twilight. "Better?" she asked.

Twilight hesitated, then glanced at Rainbow and nodded, then she looked back at Rarity and answered, "Yes. I think so."

"If you ever need anything, Twilight... just ask. I'll... try... to be there," Rarity said tentatively. Twilight nodded reluctantly. Rarity glanced at Rainbow, then turned and headed towards the door. She glanced back at Twilight and Rainbow, "Well... I really must be going, have a good day and take care you two!" she called.

"Thanks," Twilight replied.

Rarity continued along to the door, then paused midstride, a smile tugging at her lips. She turned back around and scrutinized Twilight. The mare was disarrayed, she had been laying in bed before her arrival. She looked at Rainbow. The pegasus had the same unkempt look as always, although it was significantly worse than normal. Rainbow had answered the door, and Twilight had been looking at Rainbow, almost as if she was in pain. Now that the two were side by side, the look of pain gone, and barely any traces of it remained, although those could be explained away by having woken up recently, or what she had been through. Twilight also looked much, much more relaxed beside Rainbow than when she wasn't beside her, her breathing wasn't as rigid, and her body wasn't as tense. Rainbow for her part looked more anxious, almost as if she couldn't wait for Rarity to leave.

Rarity tilted her head to the side and squinted at Twilight, then turned back around to face them. She looked between them, then glanced at the bed. The depression in the bedsheets, along with the area that was messy from being used, looked a little too large for Twilight, even if she was an alicorn. On top of that, Twilight's regalia was laying on the bed as if it had been discarded there. She looked back at Twilight. The princess shifted her weight under the mare's scrutiny. It was a subtle, barely noticeable movement, one which was toward Rainbow. She scrutinized Rainbow closer, looking her over. One area on her neck was a little darker and more matted than the rest of her coat, almost like it had been slicked back.

Rarity gracefully tilted her head to the side, then casually sauntered over to them in a calm, unassuming manner, humming to herself lightly, as if trying to seem innocent, while smiling overly warmly. "Are you two, by any chance... mmm... together?"

Rainbow stuttered out something undecipherable, her cheeks taking on a slightly rosy tone. Twilight's relaxed breathing went rigid again, and her eyes darted between Rarity and Rainbow. She shifted her weight and pulled her wings tightly against her sides. It was a much more straightforward answer than Rarity had hoped for. "You are, aren't you?" she accused, her smile widening. "Oh! This is simply marvelous! You must tell-"

"R-Rarity..." Twilight stuttered, looking down at the floor, avoiding her gaze, her body tensing up further.

Rainbow grimaced as she looked between Twilight and Rarity. She shifted her weight and leaned away from Twilight. Leaning away from her made it feel like she betrayed her. She gritted her teeth and glared at Rarity as she laid her wing over Twilight's back. Twilight tensed up at the contact, then relaxed, immediately recognizing Rainbow's feathers. Twilight quickly glanced at Rainbow and bit her lip, then stepped closer to the pegasus, pressing her side against Rainbow's side.

Rarity cooed at the sight.

Rainbow closed her eyes. "Don't say anything to anypony..." she groaned. "Please..."

Rarity took a deep breath and then sighed. "Alright," she said.

"Thank you," Twilight replied, closing her eyes in relief.

"On one condition," Rarity added with a sly smile. Both Twilight and Rainbow opened their eyes, the former uncomfortable, and the latter fearful. "Tell me everything." Twilight and Rainbow winced. "When you're ready, that is," she said lightly. Twilight and Rainbow sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so happy for you two," Rarity said. She completely disregarded etiquette and rushed over to them and pulled both of them into a big, warm hug, completely ignoring her early distress caused by their disorganized state. "I hope it works out for you."

"Uh... thanks?" Rainbow asked, confused about why Rarity wasn't hounding them about every single detail.

Rarity pulled back and smiled at Rainbow. "If you ever need some advice..." she trailed off, smirking and glancing at Twilight. "I'd be happy to help," she said, looking back at Rainbow.

"Wait... you mean you're not going to try dressing me up in froufrou dresses and stuff like that?" Rainbow asked cautiously. "Or make a big deal about me being with Twilight?"

Rarity smiled menacingly. "Oh, I never said I wouldn't, darling..." Rainbow visibly winced. "So, miss awesome finally gave romance a shot? Why, Rainbow, I thought that it was too uncool and," Rarity's face distorted in disgust, "mushy," her face returned to normal, "for you."

Rainbow pulled Twilight closer then, despite her heart beating a mile a minute, nuzzled Twilight's neck, eliciting a giggle from the alicorn. She wanted to say something, it was something simple, but as much as she wanted to say it, she was afraid to. The outcome of it could mean more heat from Rarity. She mustered her courage and took a deep breath. "I'm not afraid to say that I like it..." she said tentatively. "At least with Twilight," she said with a sideways glance at the princess. Twilight smiled warmly at her, then closed her eyes and leaned her head against her. "I love her," Rainbow said.

Twilight sighed happily and nuzzled Rainbow's neck. "I love you, Rainbow."

Rarity cooed again, her eyes lighting up in excitement.

Twilight sighed as she leaned against Rainbow. Sunlight flickered through the leaves of the oak tree casting a shadow over them. Rainbow gently ran her wing over Twilight's back and side in long, slow strokes. Twilight opened her eyes and nuzzled Rainbow. "I like it here," she said.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, it's nice. I still think Fluttershy would like it here. It's... peaceful."

Twilight smiled and nodded in agreement, nuzzling Rainbow with her nod, bringing a smile to Rainbow's face. "Yeah... but... it's ours," she said.

Rainbow bobbed her head. "Eh, it could be better."

Twilight leaned away from Rainbow and looked at her quizzically. "What? Don't you like it here?"

Rainbow looked over at Twilight and smiled. "Well, I do, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here with you."

Twilight lifted and eyebrow. "But..?" she asked.

Rainbow flashed her an apologetic smile. "But it's just so boring..." she sighed. "I'm not used to just... sitting here, doing nothing. I mean, I enjoy it, but only because you're here... but there's like... nothing to do here."

Twilight giggled and leaned back on Rainbow. "I thought you liked cuddling?"

"I do!" Rainbow retorted. "But... I just think I'm starting to get stir crazy." She tilted her head away from Twilight. "You know, I'm looking forward to getting back to Ponyville and getting back into my Wonderbolt routine. It's not that I don't enjoy this, but it's so slow."

"Oh," Twilight said idly. She swallowed. "Well..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

Rainbow looked over at Twilight and smiled. She pulled her arm out from between them and laid it around Twilight. "Hey, relax, alright? I'm not going to leave you, I'll still be around, I just... I don't think Spitfire would approve if she found out that we're together."

Twilight grimaced. "You... may be right," she agreed. "It shouldn't matter, but... I guess she might think that you're just trying to get out of your Wonderbolt duties."

"I could try to convince her to let me stay with you or something," Rainbow suggested.

Twilight shook her head. "No... You wanted to be a Wonderbolt. You wanted to fly, it's your dream. I'm not going to ask you to give that up. It's part of who you are."

Rainbow looked on edge about it. She hesitated for several seconds before looking away from Twilight. "It is, but I still want to be with you."

Twilight smiled. "Besides, I don't... I can take care of myself enough that I don't need somepony watching me all the time."

Rainbow looked at her and smiled enthusiastically. "See! You're getting better, and you can do this!"

Twilight bobbed her head. "I guess..." she agreed, though her heart wasn't in it. "I still will never fully recover," she said, casting her gaze downward. She sighed unhappily.

Rainbow held Twilight against her a little closer. "So what? You're still an alicorn. You're still a princess. You just can't use magic. You can still fly, it's not like you lost your wings. Besides, you have ponies who love you and care about you."

Twilight smiled up at Rainbow softly, but the smile quickly faded. "My special talent is magic, though... I... Not being able to use magic again... it's... it's insurmountable. I don't... I don't know if I can handle it."

"Hey, I'll be there with you. We all will," Rainbow assured.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then sighed. Her mind rebelled against her, reminding her of a simple fact that struck home and hurt her more than she could handle. Seeing Twilight's growing pain and weakness, Rainbow shifted her weight and faced her, then held her against her chest and nuzzled her. "It'll be alright..."

Twilight clung to Rainbow's assurance, holding firm to it despite the storm raging in her mind. It helped.

Author's Notes:

I swear, this chapter is just fluff. That's not really a bad thing, though. This was slow to write, which... maybe it's not surprising. You don't just sit down and write 4,000 words of fluff in a single hour. You (or at least I) have to pause after writing a section, reread and examine it, picture it in my mind, then modify/edit it and move on, then reread it again to make sure it seems right. I'm not complaining... but I am looking forward to taking a break from working on this. Please don't hate me, writing 15,000 word long chapters is not at all a good idea, plus, for a while at least, I was getting them out biweekly.

It was at the scene with Rarity showing Twilight a dress when I realized, "I have no clue how to write fashion..."

I didn't really get a chance to go over this chapter before publishing it, nor did I get it preread. If you catch any mistakes or anything, please tell me. I may go back through this and heavily edit it. If I do, I'll post a blog about it so you know I've substantially edited it.

Since this is the final chapter, I guess I'll say "Until next time." Keep the story tracked or whatever, cause I do have plans for a sequel, it just might be a couple months down the road. I'll post a blog post with information about the sequel sometime in the next few months, too, but for now, I'll leave you with this:

I have two main ideas for the sequel, and one is much, much heavier than the other idea, but unfortunately, I don't know how to turn the other idea into a story unless I weave it into another story at the same time. I'm heavily leaning toward the heavier story, which will be dark, but I could change my mind. Regardless of which idea I choose for the sequel, I will not end it on a sad note. It may be bittersweet, but it will not be tragic.