Hearts and Hooves Day Experiment

by snobbleweb

First published

Twilight and Rainbow find themselves spending Hearts and Hooves day together, but unbeknownst to Twilight, Rainbow had a bit more planned for that day.

Rainbow Dash plans to confess her attraction to Twilight Sparkle, but is caught up in events and eventually bails. Will Twilight ever find out how Rainbow feels?

Part 1

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The violet alicorn paused, adjusted a beaker, and then circled the library once more. She needed two more ingredients for her experiment that it seemed she lacked. I really thought I had that. She thought. And that. She added, looking under more books.

“Spiike!!” She called out, only to turn around and see the little dragon standing behind her. Before he could say anything, she gave more orders.

“Oh good, Spike, can you please help me find those pegasus feathers I’ve been saving, I need them for an experiment,”

“Experiment?” He said wearily.

“Twilight, it’s Hearts and Hooves day!”

“I know it is, and in the spirit of today, I’m doing an experiment!” She gave a hearty gesture, almost sarcastic.

“Oh and can you cook something please? I’m absolutely dying of hunger,” Twilight said, walking past him.

“Uh, but what about the feath-“ He said, but was interrupted. “Ah yes, I’ll just go out for more now,” Obediently, Spike headed out of the room, wondering how she was going to get pegasus feathers. Wondering if she was actually going to ask or just pluck them from some poor ponies back.

Twilight in a flurry of excitement, flung open the door to see a familiar blue pegasus standing there, bewildered.

“Rainbow Dash, Just who I need!” She yanked the mare inside by the shoulder, who tried to resist.

“Uh, Twilight..” Rainbow said, fluttering her wings nervously and backing up from Twilight. “What are you doing?” Before Twilight answered, she took hold of some of Rainbows blue feathers with her magic, and plucked them off.

“Ah!”

“An experiment,” She said a bit softer, seeing her friend’s pain.

“Uh, yeah, of course,” Rainbow said sarcastically. Twilight paused from her excited state, and stood face to face with Rainbow Dash.

“Right. Why did you come here anyway?” Rainbow started sweating nervously as Twilights wide purple eyes stared straight at her. She fiddled with the small piece of paper on her back and tucked safely under her wings.

“Uh,” She fumbled simply.

“Right,” Twilight said, smiling. “Mind helping me with an experiment?” Rainbow quickly removed the note from her back as Twilight turned away and slipped it somewhere safe.

“Sure,” Rainbow followed Twilight across the library.

“Really? You want to do… this? With me?” Twilight sounded honestly surprised.

“Of course!” Rainbow dash said, of course, lying. She wasn’t really interested in doing an experiment, but she did actually want to spend some time with Twilight.

Rainbow had been thinking to herself a lot about what she would do on Hearts and Hooves day. She didn’t feel it was even time to express her feelings for the precious nerdy alicorn, but a certain yellow pegasus had pushed her to do so.

“Since you’re not going to ask…” Twilight gathered Rainbow’s attention again. “My experiment is to see the change in effect after the change of magical ingredients added in a mixture of correct ingredients in certain magical potions!” Twilight didn’t have much time to prepare that and shamed herself for making the explanation so unscientific. But even so, Rainbow had trouble understanding what she meant.

“How about a translation from egghead speak,” Rainbow mumbled. Spike, done with his task, suddenly entered the room to help her.

“She’s trying to brew a potion different times with different ingredients each time,” Rainbow took a moment to understand Spike’s words, but nodded.

“I think I get it,” Rainbow thought about it further. “What potion are you testing?” Twilight smiled to see Rainbow actually asking more about it.

“Well, in the spirit of Hearts and Hooves, I’m using a love potion,” Eyes growing wide, Rainbow stepped a little closer.

“How are going to test the effects?” Rainbow secretly scoffed at herself for talking like such an egghead, but she wanted to know more.

“Well,” She pondered for a moment. “I haven’t figured that out yet, for right now, I’m working on simpler differences like the appearance of the potion,” Twilight chimed happily.

“Okay… So why did you pluck me?” Rainbow asked.

“That’s one of the ingredients, a pegasus feather”

“I see,” There was silence for a moment as it seemed Twilight was trying to remember something.

“RIGHT, now, I have to get the final ingredient for my test, would you like to… Come with me?” Twilight tilted her head back, looking at Rainbow.

“Sure,” She said cooly.

Out on the street, Rainbow watched as Twilight stealthily slid along the sides of the streets, scouting out her ingredient.

“Uh, Twilight, what is it you need?”

“A pegasus feather,” Twilight whispered. Rainbow looked at her blankly.

“I thought you already got that from me..”

“No! It has to be from a filly,” Twilight ditched her hushed tone and stood up; a few ponies looked over at them.

“And why are you sneaking around?” Rainbow said, holding back a small burst of laughter.

“Well. I need to get a feather, so…” She said, realizing her actions were a bit silly.

“Here, let me,” Rainbow pushed out her wing in front of Twilight in gesture to stop her from doing anything more. With a small flutter of her wings, she flew over to three certain little fillies. Twilight watched as Rainbow got her the feathers she needed and returned with them in less than a minute. Her eyes sparkled in gratitude.

“Heh, thanks…”

“Yeah, I don’t think that was that hard,” She laughed. For a moment they just stared at each other before Twilight flew off towards her library. Rainbow hesitated a moment, locked in a haze. She felt a calmness rush over her as she thought about how this day had been going. She looked up to see Twilight was waiting for her in the sky, and she shook out of her daze to join her. They realized they had gone farther than they expected as they flew across town towards Twilight’s library. Twilight paused a moment in the sky, putting a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, stopping her as well.

“Twilight?” Rainbow said, confused.

“Rainbow, really, why did you come by today? And today of all days, shouldn’t you be out with, you know, you’re special somepony? You told us you had one,” Rainbow gulped nervously, wondering what to say as a response. Not wanting to say nothing, she pulled up an excuse.

“Well, we’re not together, and I heard you’d be alone to so I thought we could hang out,”

“But Rainbow, I’m not the only one alone today, what about Fluttershy? Or pinkie pie?”

“I already went to see Fluttershy today, and I didn’t get much from hanging out with her, and I’m pretty sure Pinkie Pie is busy,” Rainbow Dash was lying both times, but she knew Twilight probably wouldn’t know. As she guessed, Twilight believed it, and they kept flying. Only for a short while though since they had reached their destination. They entered through the window and landed softly on the wooden floor. Twilight sighed.

There was a silence in the room that Rainbow had not expected; Twilight bowed her head.

“You know, doing all this experimenting on Hearts and Hooves day isn’t really what I wanted to do,” Twilight suddenly stated in a lower tone. Rainbow wanted so much to ask what she did want to do, but she stayed quiet, hoping Twilight would say so for herself.

“You know? I just thought I’d have a special somepony by now,” Twilight said, sitting down on the lowest step. Please don’t start talking about love. Rainbow thought to herself.

“I’ve thought about how Flash-“ Twilight began, but as soon as the orange pegasus’ name came up, Rainbow Dash flew up in a flurry of angst and anger. Twilight looked up, utterly confused and bewildered.

“I just remembered. I have a thing.” She said, enraged, as she flew out of the library right over Twilights head.

Part 2

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“Rainbow, wait!” Twilight exclaimed, ready to chase her out, but she stopped, bowing her head.

Rainbow had calmed down by the time she had reached her cloud home, but she still felt a horrid pit in her stomach.

Well today could have gone better. She thought, settling down inside her house. She took a moment to look at the entrance to see a tuft of pink hair peeking through her door.

“Flutters, come on out now,” Rainbow sighed, falling back into the soft clouds.

“Oh! Um...” Fluttershy flew in quickly then slowed down near Rainbow. “So… How did it go?” She asked shyly. Rainbow Dash gave out a large groan, covering her face with her foreleg.

“Did you… Uh, talk to her?” Fluttershy asked gently.

“YEAH.” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, making Fluttershy flinch, she seemed very upset over this whole thing and Fluttershy was confused. Rainbow looked up at her and quickly apologized.

“Sorry… It just didn’t really go as I planned,” Rainbow got up and sat on the cloud bed next to her yellow friend. Fluttershy smiled tenderly, wrapping a comforting wing around Rainbow.

“Love is complicated sometimes, you just have to keep trying,”

“Why should I keep trying if she’s in love with someone else?!” Rainbow said, crestfallen. Fluttershy frowned, and nudged Rainbow in the shoulder.

“Tell me what happened,”

Giving a heaving sigh, Rainbow explained everything.

“So… She isn’t necessarily still into him?” Fluttershy questioned once the story was over. Rainbow paused, mulling it over.

“Well, no.”

“Then it’s still possible to give her the letter,” Fluttershy said in an encouraging tone.

“Not after my… Exit.”

“Maybe I should talk to her?” Fluttershy offered, trying to comfort her close-to-tears friend.

“No!” Rainbow said, horrified. “She can never know now,” Fluttershy scrunched up her nose at Rainbow’s discouraging behaviour. Determined to help these two ponies get together, she flew out the window and headed straight for the library. Rainbow heard Fluttershy leave and watched her descent out of the corner of her eye. In just a moment, she realized where she was headed and raced after her. She caught up in seconds and tackled her in midair.

“This is why I told you and not Pinkie! Don’t tell her!”

Fluttershy blushed at her behavior, then nodded.

“Sorry.. I just want you to tell her,” She said, smiling. Rainbow blushed too, thinking about it.

“Thanks Flutters,” She hugged Fluttershy. “I promise I will… Eventually..” Rainbow’s eyes darted to the ground and saw Twilight staring up at them. Rainbow panicked and little bit and pretended not to have seen her and bolted the other direction.

Meanwhile…

Twilight sat in her library, blinking in shock at Rainbow’s sudden burst of anger and depart quickly out the door. She quietly blamed herself and stomped a hoof on the wooden floor.

“Get it together, Sparkle!” she walked over to her experimenting desk, and stared blankly and angrily down at her bottles. She was no longer in the mood to finish her experiment, so she started cleaning up.

“I finished!” Spike burst into the library from the kitchen, holding a plate of hayburgers. Twilight perked up a bit and trotted over to him.

“Thank you Spike, they look delicious,” She levitated one off the plate. Spike blushed and beamed. Twilight bit into the burger and turned back to her work of putting away her experiment. Taking a hefty bite, she shuffled through a stack of books. She stopped mid chew, and watched as a white envelope floated to the ground. She lifted it to her face and opens it, taking another bite of her food.

-Dear- Hi Twilight,

-You’re so cute.- Remember when I said I was into mares? -Yeah.- Well there’s a certain mare that I like. -Wow I wonder who!- So I just wanted to see if you shared the feeling. It’s you who I like. I hope this doesnt ruin our friendship! -You’re so important to me.- I don't want that. I just can’t bottle it up anymore… And fluttershy says I should tell you. I have no reason to think you’re into mares, but I… Can’t help myself from liking you. I honestly have no idea what to write here I feel like I’m rambling, but there it is. I love like you.

-Love From Sincerely- Rainbow Dash

Twilight blinked, her mouth open, pieces of hayburger falling out. She read the last line and saw the signature little drawing of her cutie mark, but this time it had a little star next to it. She set down the letter and turned away from it, blushing intensely.

Spike, who was sweeping until he saw Twilight’s face. He scuttled over.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-” Twilight stared at him for a moment before composing herself. “Nothing.” She said, picking up the letter and galloping out the door of the library.

Everything seemed to come into focus. That’s why she ran away when I mentioned Flash! I need to explain…

She ran across ponyville towards Dash’s house, before spotting a certain blue pegasus flying above. She slowed and stopped below her and Fluttershy. They were talking but she couldn’t hear what about. She would never admit it, but she assumed it was about her. She set the letter in her wings, and waited for them to notice her. Finally she saw Rainbow look down. But only for a moment, she quickly looked away then flew off. Twilight sprung into action.

Twilight flew as fast as she could, but she could barely keep up with the fleeing Rainbow Dash.

“Dash!” She called out. Rainbow Dash halted immediately. This wasn’t enough warning for Twilight and they collided mid air. They both yelped as they fell downward a few feet before catching themselves.

Twilight panted, not able to speak for a bit. Dash waited patiently, wanting to speak but showing self control. Twilight, still out of breath, showed the letter she had been holding onto with her magic. The two locked eyes. Twilight with an expression of sympathy and Rainbow with one of utter horror.

“I read your letter…”