It's one thing to reenact a cheesy dramatic love scene with your significant other. It's another thing entirely having to rescue them from being a permanent character inside of a romance novel. Literally.
When Twilight Sparkle acquired the Power Pony comic-book spell, she thought all her bookworm dreams had come true. Sadly, her plans to live through every Daring Do novel are cut short when Rarity asks they try a romance novel.
It's one thing to reenact a cheesy dramatic love scene with your significant other. It's another thing entirely having to rescue them from being the permanent main character of a book. Literally.
Special thanks to the wonderful Maxi for the coverart! // Based off a ficlet I wrote a few years ago.
Standing in front of a rather shady comic-book store inside an even shadier Canterlot City alley, Twilight couldn't help but feel somewhat unsettled. Her many concerns ranged from where had Spike even found out about the store, to why was a stallion (presumably the shopkeeper) silently staring at them through the window. She briefly wondered how she could even see his disconcerting toothy grin through his apparently quite tangled beard.
"Oh!" Spike exclaimed, having seen the old stallion. "Mister Geezerbook! I’m back!”
Mister Geezerbook waved excitedly from the other side of the window, going towards the door and standing under its frame. “Come in, come in!” he said, trotting out and ushering in the princess and dragon.
The inside of the shop was covered with shelves storing a plethora of comic-books of all genres, ages, and types. The walls, the tables, there were even bookcases floating around the ceiling. Twilight suddenly understood why Spike enjoyed the shop so much, considering it was a veritable comic-book heaven.
“Prrrrrrincess Twilight!” Geezerbook exclaimed, startling the alicorn prodding at the comic books based on Starswirl the Bearded. As he spoke, several comics floated out of the bookshelves, circling Twilight. “What can I interest you in?! What story would you like to be transported to and live the life you cannot live?! ‘The True Story of Starswirl the Bearded vs The Oogly-Boogly-Moogly’?! ‘The Fall of the Bearded’?! Or… perhaps…” Another comic floated out. “‘Starswirl’s Romance: The Despair of the Great Unicorn’? Granted, the author took some liberties, but…”
Twilight blinked, admittedly finding none of those an interesting read. Besides, what in Equestria was an… Oogly-Boogly-Moogly? She’d read every single book on Starswirl, and she was pretty sure she’d remember if he’d met a creature with such a name.
“Er, no, thank you,” Twilight said, smiling amiably, her eyes following the books still floating around her, and trying not to focus on the crude drawing of Starswirl kissing—what looked alarmingly like Princess Celestia. Those were very big liberties the author had taken, hadn’t they…? There was no way she wanted to see that… extremely historically inaccurate ‘romance’ in the flesh.
She cleared her throat and continued: “Actually, I was interested in knowing if you have any novels or other mediums besides comic-books that work with the transportation spell. Maybe Daring Do books? Or the full Starswirl Encyclopedias?”
Geezerbook frowned and shook his head. “Sorry, Princess! I only have magic comic-books! Are you sure you don’t want ‘Starwirl’s Roma—”
“Very sure.”
Twilight sighed. Well, so much for that.
Unless…
“And… the spell?” she asked tentatively. “You are the only shop in Equestria that sells these type of magic books, so I would assume you’re the creator of the spell, aren’t you?”
“That I am!” the stallion declared. He narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“Well, I’m very interested in it! I was hoping you could teach me, please,” she said, eagerly shaking her head. She just needed that spell, and soon she’d be living all her favorite books.
Geezerbook stroked his beard, still eyeing Twilight carefully. “You want my spell, Princess? You have the largest library in Equestria, and you want to learn my spell, unique to all of Equestria?” He gasped and stepped away, a cane appearing next to him which he used to bonk her on the head. “Trying to put an old man out of business, are you, young lady?! Shame! (“Ow!”) Shame!”
“Ow! W-Wait, no!” Twilight exclaimed, stopping the cane with her own magic after the first two bonks. Once the bonking-device was neutralized, she rubbed her hoof against her head and explained, “I’m only interested in it for personal uses! I don’t want to start a business!”
Geezerbook tapped his cane against the floor. “Hmmmm. And what makes you think you can reproduce my spell? It’s not for silly little unicorns! And this is a new version of it! Improved, but highly volatile and unpredictable! This new spell isn't for inexperienced users!”
Twilight nearly snorted. “Well, heh, I am the Princess of Magic, you know?”
“No, you’re not,” Spike said, having been lingering around reading comics. “You’re the Princess of Friendship.”
“Spike!” Twilight said, feeling herself blush. She turned back to Geezerbook and clarified, “But I am great at magic. You really don’t have to worry about that.”
“Well… If you’re not planning on putting me out of business… I suppose I could teach you, but…” He took a step towards her, poking the tip of his cane against her chest. “My spell is a feisty one, Princess Twilight. If you do not follow the story in the way it wants, it will not like you. And if it doesn’t...” he warned, voice lowering to a whisper, “your book won't have a happy ending.”
“Well, I’m sure nothing will go wrong,” Twilight insisted, waving him off with a hoof, eager to get to the spell learning already. It wasn’t as if she was intending on tampering with stories, and it wasn’t as if the spell could even know.
It was just a spell, after all.
"Daring Do! This is the last time you will defeat me!" screamed El Chupacabra, the hideous goat creature of legend, climbing up the ladder leading out of the ancient Aztec Temple.
Below him, Daring Do (otherwise known as Twilight Sparkle) used her magic to try and block the exit. Honestly, though she admired Daring Do tremendously, having read her books over dozens of times had allowed Twilight to conclude that blocking the entrance of the temple was much more efficient than the original ending. Luckily, unlike Daring, she had magic powers — and her marefriend, which had run off a dozen minutes before screaming something about an "ideaaaaa~!".
Less thankfully, Twilight's magic powers didn't work quite well when an enraged goat demon threw rocks at her horn.
"H-Hey! Wait!" she painfully called out, the magic beam she'd been preparing fizzling out when a rock landed right on target. She lifted her hoof so as to delicately rub her appendage, just in time to see El Chupacabra dangerously close to reaching the exit.
Knowing how the story ended, Twilight was well aware that if he reached the top, he'd pull up the ladder and Twili—err, Daring Do would be trapped in the ruins forever until she found the secret exit and confronted El Chupacabra again. Though technically speaking Twilight wasn't in danger, she had been so close to outwitting both El Chupacabraand Daring Do.
"Haha! Muy tarde, pony!" he called out, letting out a shrill laugh before climbing up the last few steps, turning up and finding an absolutely irate unicorn standing at the top of the entrance.
"Pardon me, but did you just hurl a rock at my marefriend?" Rarity asked, looking down at the confused beast and smiling politely. “You did, didn’t you? Oh, that really won’t do.”
The beast stared at her, apparently confused over how she’d even managed to reach the exit before him—especially considering the fact that the ladder was supposed to be the only exit out of the volcanic-shaped ruins. “How did you—”
Rarity did not reply. After all, even if she’d been fashionably (and heroically, too) late to the confrontation, a lady never revealed her secrets to ugly monsters. She sighed, flipping her mane and then placing a hoof against a cheek. “You know, I must say I’ve always firmly believed everypony has a natural beauty,” she said, “though I’d be lying if I said your visage couldn’t benefit from some rearranging.”
Letting out her best attempt at a fighting cry, Rarity kicked El Chupacabra right in the face, afterwards watching with satisfaction as he went toppling down. He landed face-down at the bottom of the ruins, down and out for the count, and Twilight could actually see Rarity’s hoofmark right in the middle of his face.
Despite the fact that they’d defeated him somewhat earlier than in canon, the book magic seemed to accept his defeat as an acceptable ending to the tale. Before they knew it, the two mares were transported back to Twilight’s room, landing atop Twilight's bed.
Twilight jumped off the bed and rushed to her desk, taking a timer she'd left on and clicking it to a stop.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "We finished the book in record time!"
Rarity took the book in her hooves, leafing it through. "We still had half of it left," she remarked. "Darling, where's the fun in this if you don't follow what the book says?"
Twilight ignored the question and took the next Daring Do book from her shelf. The villain of that particular book was the dreaded Chupanibre, the mutant lizard cousin of el Chupacabra, risen from the sewers in search of revenge.
"Come on, we still have time for another book before Fluttershy and Dash come," she said, climbing onto the bed and flipping the book open. After a moment, she looked back up to find her marefriend throwing her a very displeased look. “...What?”
“Twilight, it’s my turn to pick a book.”
Twilight’s ears flicked down. “But… But…”
She drifted off, unsure of how to proceed. It wasn’t that she couldn’t enjoy the occasional romance novel, but Rarity’s picks were always so… well... so cliché and sappy and dramatic! Twilight could read just the first chapter and already know who’s going to be the love-triangle, how the main couple would break-up and how they’d dramatically get back together.
They’d been dating for almost a year and half already, and Twilight could swear she’d never seen Rarity read something that was from a different genre. Would it hurt her to have some variety?
“Twilight, I’m sorry, but it is my turn, and you know that!” Rarity continued. “I only agreed to participate in this because you promised we’d get to do my novels as well!”
Twilight sighed, dropping her book on the bed. “Fine.”
Hopefully Fluttershy and Dash wouldn’t take long.
Rarity, however, was delighted by this, jumping off the bed and rushing to her saddlebag. “Where is it? Please tell me I brought it…” she murmured, ruffling inside it. Eventually, alongside a victorious ‘ah-hah!’, she extracted a book and floated it over to Twilight.
Twilight carefully took it in her hooves, and suppressed a groan at the title. ‘Undying Love’ by Honey Fizzles, also known as a novelist famed for her rather predictable plots. The cover was decorated with the drawing of the protagonist, Heart Haven, being wrapped in the forelegs of her lover. She looked absolutely deliriously in love with the stallion, who smiled back at her with the same lovestruck stare.
“Come along, then,” Rarity exclaimed, jumping onto the bed and excitedly gesturing towards Twilight. “Cast the spell.”
If it wasn’t because Rarity’s excited smile sent flutters to her heart, she might have sighed. Her horn lit up and she smiled.
“One romance novel it is.”
“I have to follow my destiny, and you're not in it!”
Inside a non-descript bedroom, Rarity trotted out the open door, into the hallway and towards the main hall, several suitcases floating behind her. Her sole companions during her search for destiny considering Twilight wasn’t really keen on following after her.
Twilight, still inside the bedroom, rolled her eyes and sighed deeply before ambling after Rarity. “Oh no,” she said with a passion that would put Maud Pie to shame. “Please. You can’t leave me. Whatever will I do?”
Honestly, at this point, the only thing driving her was the desire to make Rarity happy. She couldn’t be blamed! The book had taken away her wings to match the love interest, and she’d already figured out the entire plot.
“Don’t try and stop me!” Rarity continued, reaching the main hall and dramatically turning towards Twilight. “Because you can’t stop me, Sparkle! I gave you everything I had, and you threw it away! You’ll never change!” A single tear rolled down her cheek, and Twilight had to admit she was impressed by how seriously Rarity was taking the entire ordeal. “Maybe… Maybe I should get back together with Gallant Grin…”
Twilight frowned, racking her brain for the names of the novel’s characters. Gallant Grin? Who was that again? Oh, right. The ex. She half-heartedly lifted her foreleg. “Wait, don’t go,” she intoned. “I promise I’ve changed.”
“It’s too late!” Rarity rushed to the front door and swung it open, putting a hoof on her forehead and nearly swooning. “I’m leaving this instant to Manehattan!”
A silence followed in which Twilight stared at Rarity with an utterly bored expression. Maybe Rarity would actually leave and things would be a little bit more fun for once. Twilight needed some unpredictability, please.
Rarity clicked her tongue in annoyance. “I said…” She gasped dramatically again. “I’m leaving!”
Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. “Rarity, do I really have to do this?” she asked, whining slightly. “Really?”
Rarity closed the door and stomped her hoof against the floor. “Twilight, honestly, can’t you just humor me for once?” She pointed her hoof accusingly at the alicorn. “Need I remind you again that you agreed to this? Do I?!”
“But these things are always the same!” Twilight complained, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Last time was 'The Sketchbook’, this time it’s 'Gone with the Windigos’ and next time is gonna be what, 'Poneo and Filliette’? I mean, don’t you get bored?”
Rarity gasped. “Last time?! Have you forgotten that the last six books you made me go through were the extended editions of six Daring Do books?! And you know very well I’m not fond of them, and did I complain? No!” she accused, whipping her tail against the floor much like Daring Do would with her whip. “You owe me, Twilight Sparkle!”
“But…” Twilight frowned, tilting her head to the side. “You’re not fond of Daring Do?” A little mischievious smile made its on her lips and she exclaimed, “But that’s impossible! You love Daring Do! You’ve lived through the extended editions of all six books! Literally!”
To her delight (and Rarity’s displeasure), a teensy smile appeared on Rarity’s lips. “Oh, very funny,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes playfully, the begrudging smile only widening at the sound of Twilight’s giggling. Nevertheless, Rarity whined and stamped her hoof against the floor again, “Twiiiiilight. It’s not fair. If you’re going to be acting this way, even I don’t want to keep this up anymore…”
That said, she unceremoniously plopped herself down on her hindquarters, hoofing at the floor and staring down with a practiced look of rejection and misery. It was exactly the kind of look she knew perfectly well Twilight couldn’t say no to, and she was doing a pretty good job at it. The only thing missing was for her to sniffle and—
Oh wait, there it was.
“Rarity…” Twilight whined, uncharacteristically sounding like her marefriend. She took a deep breath and smiled. “Okay, fine, I’ll take it seriously this time,” she relented, biting down a smile at Rarity’s excited squee and getting ready for the show to go on…
Or… unless…
It wouldn’t really hurt to magically add something exciting to the novel, would it? Sure, Geezerbook had warned her against it, but the spell was so simple and rudimentary, Twilight could use her own magic to effortlessly overpower it should the need arise. It was just a silly spell, after all.
Now, wouldn’t it be interesting if Daring Do were to come galloping into the room?
“Wait, I want to try something.”
With the spell in mind, Twilight lit up her horn, barely cognisant of Rarity questioning her actions. She visualized Daring Do in her mind, and let out a flash of her horn. After a moment, she looked at the door expectantly, but… nothing happened.
And, more than that, she realized Rarity was completely frozen in place, as if she and the rest of the book had been paralyzed.
Without warning, a bright flash nearly blinded the unicorn, and wisps of yellow magic started to appear on the wall.
“What…” She drifted off, taking a step back.
Suddenly, to the sound of a loud crack, she was expulsed from the book’s world and unceremoniously landed on the floor of her room back at Golden Oaks Library. She shook her head, gathered her bearings, and looked down at the open book on the bed.
Geezerbook wasn’t joking when he said the spell didn’t take kindly to somepony tampering with it…
“Well, fine,” she muttered grumpily, finding she’d never been rejected by a book before and she didn’t like the feeling at all. She was eager to say that Rarity probably didn’t want to even continue without Twilight, but rules dictated the book’s story had to be finished for Rarity to come out. Guess I’ll have to wait and make it up to her later… Maybe I’ll read a book the normal and safe way…
Before she could do that, however, she decided she’d prefer her marefriend landed somewhere much more comfortable than the ground. She picked up the book and delicately placed it on the bed, not indignantly throwing it if only because it A) belonged to Rarity and B) had Rarity still in it.
She trotted over to her desk and grabbed the Daring Do book, plopping herself down on her side of the bed and starting her lecture.
An hour went by, and she’d already reached chapter ten before her mind drifted off towards Rarity and the book still lying on the bed. Twilight put her own book down and pursed her lips. What was taking her so long? She was inside a romance book, and a romance book without the love of your life couldn’t be entertaining at all, could it?
She put her book down on her desk and levitated Rarity’s book, intending on figuring out if there was a way of knowing how much longer her marefriend would be. Except, rather than finding that, she found something else entirely.
The cover of the book had changed.
The title now read “Permanent Love” and what truly horrified Twilight was the fact that Heart Haven was long gone, and instead, Twilight was looking at an extremely detailed drawing of Rarity nestled in the forelegs of some random stallion, their lips brushing and—
And Twilight had never in her entire life been stricken with such absurd amount of intense jealousy in less than a second.
She flipped the book open, and her horror grew as the index table had changed as well, chapter title after chapter title. It was with dread that she opened the book to a random page and read a paragraph that made her sick the more she read.
The time had come, and she could not back down. Charming Smile had risked everything for her. His estate, his business, his life and all he asked for in return was Rarity’s complete and utter devotion. She knew she was his, fully and entirely, and nothing and nopony could ever change such a fact of life — especially not her.
She lifted her hoof and lovingly brushed his cheek. “Oh, my darling, I lov—”
Twilight never read the rest of the sentence, having slammed the book shut, her aching heart thundering in her chest. She knew, at some rational degree, that that wasn’t Rarity, but this did little to ease her horror. It seemed that, for all intents and purposes, Rarity was now a permanent addition to the book.
Twilight jumped to her hooves, her horn lighting up as fiercely as her eyes did.
If the spell wasn’t going to let Rarity come out, Twilight would gladly go fetch her herself.
She casted the spell, and moments later felt the familiar sensation of being transported inside the book. Finally, after a moment of travel, she landed with a painful thud in the middle of a bustling street, ponies too occupied by their role in the story to mind the new arrival.
She got up on her hooves, rubbing her aching head and trying to be grateful for the fact the spell had given her entry once more. She realized her wings had again been taken away from her. Did… Did that mean she was still expected to play the role of the love interest?
She looked around, trying to determine what part of the book she was in, but it was rather hard when it looked like an ordinary day in the city of Manehattan. Ponies, too, ignored her when she spoke to them, and with frustration she remembered worldbuilding elements only reacted to events leading the plot along.
A bus suddenly came to a stop in front of her, ponies going up and down to continue with their daily commute. Twilight would have paid it no mind, but her gaze landed on a very familiar unicorn looking out the window from inside the bus.
“Rarity!”
Immensely relieved, Twilight rushed towards the bus and got in, sneaking past the driver. She didn’t like not paying the fee, but she didn’t have any money, after all.
She trotted towards the end of the bus where Rarity was sitting all alone, intent on putting a stop to the fiasco right then and there. The mare hadn't noticed her, still looking out the window while idly playing with her blue dress.
“Here you are!” she exclaimed when she reached her marefriend, the sudden movement of the bus almost making her lose her balance. She steadied herself and sat down next to Rarity, sighing with relief. “I’m so glad I found you.”
Rarity turned away from the window, contemplated Twilight for a moment before raising her eyebrow and saying, “...Pardon my rudeness, but you must have me confused with somepony else. I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”
Rarity seemed a bit uncomfortable, but she turned to face Twilight and repeated, “you must have me confused. I don’t believe we’ve ever met.”
Twilight couldn’t quite tell if she was joking or not, but judging by how serious the unicorn looked, she feared the latter might be the reality of the situation. Even more so, taking a closer look at Rarity, Twilight noticed her eyes were glazed over, as if under a… spell.
“But… But it’s me! Twilight!” Twilight insisted, nevertheless. “This isn’t real! We’re inside your book, remember?!”
Rarity blinked at her, coughing awkwardly. “I sincerely doubt that, Miss, but I certainly won’t deny you’re quite the character.”
Twilight scooted away, getting off the seat and standing in the aisle. “You… You really don’t know who I am?”
Rarity shook her head. “I truly do not.” She then sighed and brushed a hoof through her mane. “Though, frankly, I wouldn’t mind living inside a book! They can be quite entertaining! Alas, I only have my frightfully boring job at the diner, and I’m already late to my date with my soon-to-be coltfriend. He’s quite the hunk!”
The word coltfriend shot through Twilight like an arrow, and she had to work hard to suppress the instinct to protest that she already was Rarity’s marefriend. However, if Rarity truly and honestly wasn’t joking around, then claiming such a thing would only put Rarity off and make things harder for Twilight herself.
“Oh…” she said instead, and she wondered how her day had gone from mildly predictable to awful in such a short time. “Uhm, sorry. I don’t… know what got over me. Sorry to bother. Don't mind me.”
Without another word, Twilight moved away and sat on the seat behind Rarity, her heart thumping in her chest. She didn’t exactly know how to feel, if only because it had all gone by so quickly. Sure, in those late nights, Twilight’s fears would whisper in her ear that Rarity was bound to get tired and leave her one day, but this situation was entirely worse than anything Twilight could have ever imagined.
And she had no idea how to fix it.
She buried her face in her hooves. Why had she gone into the book? What a stupid decision! She should have gone to the comic book store immediately and have the shopkeeper sort this out rather than try and do so herself! Now she was stuck in the book until they reached the ending, which seemed to be Rarity running off into the sunset in Charming Smile’s forelegs.
“My name is Rarity, by the way.”
Twilight looked up, attention drawn by her favorite voice, and found Rarity had turned around to look at her.
“Huh?”
“My name is Rarity,” she repeated, smiling kindly. “After such an introduction, I concluded the only polite thing to do was introduce myself properly, Miss Twilight…?”
"Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle. And I already knew your name,” Twilight replied near automatically, and despite it all, her heart still jumped when Rarity giggled.
“Did you now? Ah yes! Because we’re inside a book, correct?” she teased, and yet she did not seem to mean ill-will. “And what is your role in this book, if I may ask?"
"I don't know," Twilight replied carefully but honestly. She couldn't very well say 'the love interest' even though she definitely was. As such, she went for the next best thing in the situation. "The protagonist?"
"But you said yourself this is my book, so that role falls unto my shoulders!" Rarity said, turning around so as to fully face Twilight, apparently enraptured by her. She hummed and narrowed her eyes. "You strike me more as… the mentor!"
Twilight's first instinct was to correct her and say that wasn't a role so much as it was an archetype, but Rarity continued before she could do so.
"Though, that's more of an archetype, isn't it?" Rarity continued, looking up thoughtfully and completely missing Twilight's pleased expression. "But it does fit! The out-of-breath unknown stranger spouting impossible claims which may or may not be true! You do look the part quite perfectly, Miss Sparkle."
"I guess I do," Twilight replied, feeling much more at ease. The conversation they were having was much more like their usual discussions, and familiarity comforted the ali— er, unicorn. If she was lucky, she'd move from the mentor archetype to the lover and then back to none when they returned to the real world.
Before she could say another word, the bus came to a halt and Rarity looked around.
"Oh, dear! This is my stop!" she exclaimed, taking her things. She turned to Twilight and bowed her head. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Sparkle! I do hope you find whoever you were really looking for!"
"W-Wait, Rarity!" Twilight called out, but her plea fell to deaf ears seeing as Rarity had already rushed to leave the bus.
Twilight got up, trying to follow, but the bus doors closed in front of her just as she reached them.
"Wait, please!" she called to the driver, desperately banging her hoof against the door's plastic window. "Please! You need to open the doors!"
But the driver did not budge, and neither did the rest of the commuters. She watched with dismay as Rarity trotted off into the distance, the bus starting retaking its path.
Except, again, the scenery froze just like before, and yellow magic flooded the bus. Oh no! Was she going to get sent back to the real world?! Which wasn't actually a bad idea, but even so, Twilight backed away out of instinct.
"Why are you doing this?!" she yelled to the magic. "I get it! I tampered with you, and I shouldn't have done so, but was this really necessary?!"
The magic did not reply — not that it even could — and familiar crackling sounds filled the bus. Twilight closed her eyes, awaiting expulsion from the book, but after nearly a minute of silence and no landing somewhere else, she opened her eyes and found herself… at a park?
Foals laughed in the distance, chasing after one another; couples trotted through the warm grass, tails intertwined; and Twilight gawked at them all, realizing she was still very much in the book. What… What was the spell even doing?
Twilight cautiously trotted off, recognizing the area as the setting of… the date! Relieved, she doubled her pace and left the park, heading towards the row of little restaurants adorning the adjacent streets. In the distance she saw Manehattan's Science Museum, which she distinctly remembered being called a 'boring place' by the novel's original love interest. Admittedly, that may have done a good job at souring her enthusiasm on continuing the book's plot.
Twilight crossed the street, her eyes fixed on a restaurant in the distance. It was interesting, actually, how all the other restaurants somehow paled in comparison to that one. Even from afar she could see the restaurant filled with life and colors, beautiful details and architecture, while the other restaurants looked simple and uninteresting. Was this because the author had only focused on describing the plot relevant restaurant, and the spell reflected the author's vision accordingly? She'd never really noticed it before, too busy following the Daring Do plots, but now she had and though she wanted to point it out to her marefriend, she couldn't.
Finally, she reached the restaurant, the name 'The Gourmet Fairytale' emblazoned on the doors. It was an upscale posh place where the wildly rich Charming Smile was supposed to finish claiming Rari— Heart Haven's heart.
There were several tables outside where couples got lost in their meals and their eyes. Twilight scanned them for a moment, and finally found her target. There was Rarity, looking stunning with the sun shining over her like a spotlight, her mane having been tied up into a half ponytail sometime after leaving the bus and her smile as perfect as the building's architecture.
And there, too, was Charming Smile, and Twilight found his relaxed smile to be anything but charming. If her memory of the book served, that was only their third date, and he looked so relaxed, it was almost insulting. Twilight remembered the pre-steady phase of dating Rarity, and she hadn't been able to act as something other than a nervous smitten wreck until at least the sixth date!
Gathering up her courage, Twilight trotted over to them, determined with interrupting the silly charade. But the closer she got, the more she noticed just how smitten Rarity's smile was, and the less confident she felt. If the spell's intention had been to riddle Twilight with relationship insecurities, it was doing a great job at it.
It's the spell doing that to her, Twilight thought to herself, trying to keep her nerve steady. Rarity loves you, not some fictional stallion.
Twilight approached the table, already ready to recite… She stopped. She didn't have anything to recite! But she was already halfway there! Groaning, she rubbed her head and quickly came up with a speech. She already knew Charming Smile would leave Rar— Heart Haven! Heart Haven out of fear of disappointing his stuck-up family, and Twilight could easily use that against him.
She took a deep breath, quickly going over her mental notes, and trotted up to the coupl— not romantically involved ponies.
"Ah! Waitress, here you are! I was starting to fear the service was dreadful," Charming said the second he laid eyes on Twilight. He turned to Rarity and smiled. "It's your turn to be served by others, isn't it, gorgeous?"
Death flashed through Twilight's eyes. Gorgeous?! Well, strictly speaking, he was absolutely right, because Rarity was the definition of beauty-incarnate, but who did this Blueblood-impersonator think he was, calling her that?! Only Twilight could do that!
Well, she could do that, but actually managing to say that so bluntly to Rarity without becoming a flustered disaster was an entirely different matter unto itself.
"Twilight!" Rarity exclaimed, though she scarcely looked angry at having her date interrupted. "You're a waitress?"
Twilight stared at her, completely thrown off her plans. "Uhhhh… yes? Yes! Yes, I am," she said, but after remembering she was in a book, and could do as she pleased, quickly added in her foalhood dream, "I also work at the Science Museum! I'm head researcher there."
"Really? How fascinating!" Rarity said, her date all but forgotten. "Researcher is quite the difficult profession, isn't it? But it must be terribly rewarding."
Twilight couldn't help but smile at this. She never really admitted it, but she was always very pleased when Rarity took an active interest in her studies.
"Well, clearly the museum's financing must be doing badly if their head researcher works as a waitress. Then again, it is a science museum," Charming said, once more proving to be less than charming. "Miss, would you please bring us our menus? I have to get back to my business soon."
An indignant Twilight was about to defend her fictional position at the Museum, but a surprisingly irate Rarity spoke up first.
"Pardon me, Charming," Rarity said, turning to the stallion and raising her eyebrow, "but have you forgotten that I work at a diner myself? I'd rather appreciate you keep your distasteful remarks to yourself, and furthermore—" She took her fork and pointed it straight at him. "—I think Twilight is to be admired for her dedication to the scientific community. Sharp wit and brains can be just as attractive, or more, than a perfect smile."
It was a shame Rarity's attention was directed towards Charming, seeing as she completely missed Twilight's glowing expression. If circumstances were different, she'd be nuzzling her marefriend the second she'd finished speaking. Despite the spell, it seemed that Rarity was still Rarity, which calmed Twilight immensely. Maybe the spell had simply implanted false memories?
Charming's face twisted into one of horror. "Rarity! I didn't—"
He froze mid-sentence, and to Twilight's returning horror, so did everything else, including Rarity. Was she going to get kicked out again?! Twilight hadn't even done anything that time! Was her marefriend defending her fictional job such a crime?!
But, rather than Twilight being teleported out, it was Charming that changed. Smart-looking glasses appeared on the bridge of his nose, his ruffled mane was magically combed to perfection, and the business suit he'd been wearing turned into a labcoat.
As soon as the transformation ended, so did time begin anew.
"Rarity!" Charming repeated, looking aghast and pushing up his glasses. "Rarity, you know very well I didn't mean it that way! I only said that because I more than anypony else know how unforgiving a love for science can be! You do remember I was Prince Solaris's personal student, don't you?" He leaned in and added with a smile, "And what is his task for me to study relationships but the most intricate science of all?"
What.
What?
WHAT?!
Rarity looked confused for a second, but her eyes flashed and immediately her concern washed away. She giggled and leaned in towards Charming, coyly playing with her fork. "You know, I do believe I can assist with your research..."
Twilight was going to be sick.
Really? That was the spell's plan? To use Rarity's attraction to Twilight as a weapon against Twilight herself?! Again, strictly speaking, it was an incredibly efficient and smart plan, but really?!
Her mood very much soured — an incredible feat considering she was already incredibly sour — Twilight gritted her teeth and marched away towards the entrance, intent on getting the menus so she could at least throw one at Charming's face.
When she came back, she was confronted with yet another horrible scene. Charming was trying to speak French.
"Rarity, j'ai perdu ma plume dans le jardin de ma tante," he said, smiling 'charmingly' at her.
Now, Twilight considered herself to be well-versed in foreign languages, and she was extremely sure this guy had just told Rarity he'd lost his pen in his aunt's garden. Either he was repeating what he'd heard somewhere, or Twilight really didn't want to know the context of the conversation that led to that statement.
Her only reprieve was that Rarity could speak perfect French, and she couldn't wait for her to put this guy back in his place.
"Oh, Charming," Rarity said, her swooning voice sounding anything but bothered. "How romantic!"
Twilight's jaw nearly fell to the floor.
Right. This spell is affecting Rarity's intelligence.
Before Twilight could pick up the lower half of her mouth, a mare in uniform trotted over, smiling at Rarity and Charming.
"Hello!" she said, brightly. "Welcome to 'The Gourmet Fairytale'! My name is Lilac Water, and I'll be your server this afternoon!"
"Finally!" Charming said, taking one of the menus Lilac offered.
Rarity shot Twilight a confused look before accepting the other menu being offered. "Ah… Thank you." She waited until Lilac left before smiling to Twilight. "Er, good luck with the customers, darling."
"Thanks," Twilight said half-heartedly, watching as Rarity immersed herself in the menu, and realizing her chances for that scene were done for.
She trotted away from the couple, because that's what they would be by the end of the meal, and trotted into the restaurant. She needed a new plan, and fast, but her attempts to formulate one were cut short when again the entire world came to a stop.
She was too unmotivated to even care.
Now what? she thought, rubbing her eyes. When she opened them, time was flowing again, and nighttime had fallen.
Now that was strange. She didn't remember any night scene at the restaurant. In fact, she knew that Rarity and Charming were supposed to go to his best friend's house after the date, which was on the east side of the city. So far, the spell always took Twilight near Rarity's vicinity… unless it was playing a prank, which wouldn't surprise Twilight by that point.
Twilight left the restaurant, her curiosity piqued. She could see the park lit up in the horizon, which made for quite the beautiful sight. Her heart fell moments later, for she found herself wishing Rarity were there. She was sure the unicorn would love to take a walk in the park, and Twilight was starting to sorely miss her marefriend.
"Oh, Twilight!"
Twilight looked around, and her heart sped up considerably at the lovely mare sitting by a table.
"Rarity!" Twilight exclaimed, going to her. "What are you doing here?"
Rarity smiled, and even under the night sky Twilight noticed a light blush on her cheeks. "Oh, well, Lilac Water was nice enough to tell me at what time your shift ended. I would have asked you myself, obviously, but you simply never came out of the restaurant once you went in! Busy day?"
"...Busy day, yes," Twilight carefully replied.
That… None of that made sense. So far the book had ignored Twilight's presence, but now it was integrating her? Why?
"I thought you'd have left with your, uh, friend," Twilight continued, unsure of how to proceed.
Rarity shook her head. "He did invite me to his friend's house, but I must confess I wasn't all that keen on going," she said, looking embarrassed. She then smiled cheekily and asked, "Why? Did the plot of my book dictate I do so, O Mentor?"
"Actually, yes," Twilight said, not being able to join in Rarity's laughter.
Rarity had gone against the plot. Everything going on at that very moment was against the plot, and yet the spell was allowing it. In fact, it seemed to be encouraging it considering it had teleported Twilight there to… be a part of it.
"In any case," Rarity continued, "I must confess I…" Her light blushed returned. "I was more keen on talking to you again. I realize what I'm about to say will sound utterly ridiculous, but I have the uncanny impression I can trust you completely." She laughed and winked. "I suppose that's why I ran my mouth so much earlier in the bus! I hope you don't think of me as too indiscreet."
"Oh, n-not at all!" Twilight quickly said.
Rarity stood up. "Fabulous!" She looked around and gestured towards the park. "Fancy a walk? It's a beautiful night out, and I need to stretch my legs a bit! I've been sitting around all day!"
Twilight nodded, eager to spend more time with Rarity and potentially find a way out of the book. She stepped back, allowing Rarity to pass her by, and then followed her towards the park. Luckily for them, the park seemed to be mostly quiet save for the couples strolling around under the moon's light.
"So, O Mentor, I'm surprised you work at a restaurant! It's quite the time-consuming affair, and I imagine your research must be the same?" Rarity asked, her eyes fixed on Twilight. "You don't strike me as somepony interested in customer service."
Twilight hummed. Technically speaking, her duties as Princess were all for the ponies, so customer service was essentially her job description, wasn't it?
"You don't either," she said instead. That was a good opportunity to try and jog Rarity's true memories. "You look more like somepony who'd work in the fashion industry."
Rarity laughed. "Goodness, I wish! It would certainly be a more glamorous livelihood than jotting down orders and carrying plates!" she said. She stopped and picked up a flower, observing it carefully. "If I may be sincere, I sometimes do flirt with the idea of it. Quitting my job at Sugar Spice Diner and trying my luck at my own boutique! Can you even imagine it?"
Twilight giggled. "I think I can."
Rarity sighed wistfully. "Stallions and mares everywhere using my designs! And I, of course, would be invited to every single Gala, my partner and I wearing the most stunning outfits of them all!" She winked to Twilight. "Can't be seen with anypony less than perfect, don't you agree?"
Twilight couldn't help but smile, rolling her eyes. "That would be terrible," she said, remembering all the times Rarity fussed over Twilight dressing up accordingly for upcoming balls and dinners.
"Absolutely tragic, even!"
Rarity furrowed her brow. "Of course, first I'd have to come up with the perfect name for my boutique. Something that screams chic, fun, and… timeless."
"Carousel Boutique, maybe?" Twilight suggested, and Rarity's sparkling eyes sent her heart on a frenzy.
"Carousel Boutique!" Rarity exclaimed, clapping her hooves together. "It's perfect! It's like I came up with it myself, it's so perfect!" She turned to Twilight and raised an eyebrow. "I wonder if I should be concerned you seem to know me so well."
"...But I do know you well," Twilight immediately said, only belatedly realizing how, well, stalkerish that must have sounded. "Well, I mean, you know, I'm uh… good at analyzing...ponies? Being a researcher does that to you…?"
"Perhaps you are. Or maybe…" Rarity fluttered her eyelashes. "Maybe you know so much because we're inside my book, are we not?" She laughed and delicately interweaved the flower's stem inside of Twilight's mane, making it so the flower itself rested atop Twilight's ear. "You really are an odd pony, aren't you?"
Twilight let out a frustrated noise. "I'm not..." She drifted off, unsure of how to continue. She had no way of proving it without sounding absolutely crazy.
Her only reprieve was the fact that Rarity seemed to be keeping on with the plot. Heart Haven had also been toying with the idea of leaving the city to become a novelist, so Rarity leaving to open up a boutique was getting them closer to the book's conclusion.
Rarity giggled, trotting further into the park. Twilight followed after her, until Rarity approached a bench and sat down, patting the spot next to her. Something about it reminded Twilight of their first date, and she felt her cheeks heat up. In some odd way, the whole event counted as a first date, didn't it?
Silence fell at first, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. It was quite nice, actually, and Twilight felt oddly at ease despite everything going on. Having Rarity there with her made her feel secure and confident, and she felt much more confident in her ability to get them out of there.
"Do you know how you'll get us out of here, then?" Rarity asked.
She was smiling softly, an amused glint in her eyes, and Twilight knew this meant she still didn't believe her. Thankfully, that didn't stop her.
"I'm trying to," Twilight said, looking up at the sky and then at Rarity. "But I haven't really had time to… figure out how to do it. The best solution is to finish the plot."
Rarity tilted her head slightly. "And what's the ending of the book, if I may ask?"
Twilight flushed, unable to tell Rarity that the ending involved her dramatically kissing Charming. Princesses, if Twilight hadn't tried to mess with the spell, then SHE would have gotten that kiss.
Curiously, Rarity seemed to interpret Twilight's silence in an entirely different way. She laughed and looked up at the sky.
"You know, I've been trying to figure out what your motives are all day," she said. "I must admit, I never would have thought that claiming somepony's inside a book to be an effective pickup line, but I was proven quite wrong."
Twilight flushed even more. "W-Wait! I'm not trying to pick you up!" she blurted out, mortified.
Honestly, even the idea of it was terrifying. She'd already gone through the entire process of wooing and courting Rarity! She didn't want to have to go through it again — even if she was apparently doing a really good job at it?
Rarity smiled. "And I have a soon-to-be coltfriend! So, I guess we're both lucky that you're not interested and I'm already nearly spoken for, because if things were different, I wager we'd have quite the dilemma to solve."
Twilight's heart sped up, but before she could attempt to stammer a reply, Rarity jumped off the bench.
"It's getting late," she noted, and sounded sad by the fact.
"Oh, but, wait!" Twilight exclaimed. "We didn't figure out how to go back home!"
Rarity playfully raised an eyebrow. "My, how forward! Well, I know how to get to my own home, of course, but I daresay I don't know how to get to yours yet."
Twilight's cheeks flushed again. "That's not what I meant..."
"Of course it isn't," Rarity said innocently. "However, if it is of any interest, I'm planning on going to Sunrise Mall on Saturday, and I will be getting a chai latte at Ponybucks Coffee at, say, four o'clock? I do think that would be a more acceptable time for us to be getting crushes on stunningly interesting mares, no?"
That said, she trotted off into the park while Twilight could only watch, her heart thumping in her chest and butterflies rushing through her stomach. Rarity liked her. She let out a childish giggle at the thought. Rarity truly and honestly really liked her. Rarity, who had always seemed so impossible to get, who was too perfect for such an awkward bookworm, who was…
Who is already my marefriend, dummy! Of COURSE she likes me!
Twilight shook her head and groaned.
This stupid spell is getting to me…
Unless…
Unless the fact that Rarity seemed to be falling for Twilight NOW, meant that maybe she'd actually never been in love with Twilight before, which meant that the entire past year and a half had all been a terrible lie, and—! And—!
"And I really need to get a grip," Twilight muttered, burying her face in her hooves.
She looked up, her eyes scanning the park's horizon, and in the distance she notices wisps of yellow magic.
If memory served, Heart Haven went to the mall in chapter twelve, after which she met up with Charming who then proceeded to break her heart by choosing his upscale life over her. Classic star-crossed lover story, where the rich and handsome stallion buckles under his snobby parents's wishes.
Despite the… slight turn of events, considering Rarity didn't go to see Charming, it seemed like the plot of the book was still in motion, and Rarity's heart would have to be broken for them to continue.
The idea of this was not a pleasing one for the former alicorn. It was one thing entirely to go through a breakup knowing it was staged, and it was another thing entirely to go through it while actually… being mind-washed into being in love.
Guilt seeped through Twilight. All she'd managed to accomplish that day was hurting Rarity in various degrees. Maybe… If the spell had allowed her to completely change the endings of Daring Do books, then surely it would let her spare her marefriend of any pain, wouldn't it?
She stood up and trotted towards the magic, and again the familiar time-freeze took place. She closed her eyes, counted to five, and when she opened them, cracked a smile at the sight of the bustling Sunrise mall in the distance.
The sun was shining overtop, and when stopping a nearby pony, she was relieved to see him actually reacting to her and informing her that it was a quarter to four.
Great, she thought, trotting towards the mall. Just in time.
Dozens of ponies littered the mall, each one of them lost in their part of the story. Foals ran along the hallways, their laughter filling the air while their parents idled by stores, carrying several bags of purchases. Twilight's memory of the mall was hazy at best, but to her fortune, the coffee shops were prominently displayed on the signs scattered around.
When she reached the shop, she was dismayed to see Rarity was nowhere in the vicinity. She'd gotten the time right, but had the book maybe taken her to the wrong day?
She trotted inside the shop, and a glance at the calendar on the wall calmed her fears. It seems the spell had taken her to the right time and day, but where was Rarity?
Then again, this was Rarity she was dealing with, and the expression 'fashionably late' was one the unicorn loved using. With that in mind, Twilight looked around and spotted an empty table in the distance. Another sign that she was in a fictional universe, for getting an empty table at Ponybucks during lunchtime was practically impossible in real life.
She sat down and waited, going back to trying to devise a plan to prevent the plot from advancing while still being able to leave the book.
A whole fifteen minutes of thinking later, her planning was interrupted when a cup of coffee was placed before her. She looked up and found the heavenly sight of her amnesiac marefriend smiling down at her, looking adorable sipping from her coffee.
"Rarity!" Twilight exclaimed, relieved to see her there.
"I'm sorry, darling. Were you waiting long?" She pointed to the cup on the table. "I took the liberty of buying you a mint almond cappuccino! Just what you always order."
Twilight smiled gratefully. "Than— Wait."
Rarity blinked. "Something wrong?"
"No, actually," Twilight replied, smiling rather smugly. "I'm just curious about something. How did you know that's my favorite drink?"
Rarity blinked once, twice, thrice. "I..." She looked absolutely puzzled. "I… Well, I-I don't know obviously! I just assumed. It came to me! Destiny and the like, and it's not because we're 'inside a book' so wipe that smile away, Twilight!" she reprimanded. "It's been a long day, and I'm not at my best."
She sighed theatrically and gestured towards the door. "Shall we?"
Twilight nodded and followed her out, concerned about Rarity's statement. Was something wrong? Did she maybe remember that was when Charming dumped Heart Haven?
"So, Twilight," Rarity said, glancing at the shops as they trotted by them, "you've barely told me anything about yourself! What area exactly are you head researcher of?"
"Friendship," Twilight said, the word leaving her mouth before she could stop it.
Rarity laughed. "Friendship? Goodness, that's an interesting subject!" She took a sip of her drink and smiled deviously at the mare. "I take it I'm part of your research, then? Are the results encouraging so far?"
Twilight giggled. "Very."
Rarity looked pleased by the reply. "Excellent! Something is going right today, finally."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked. "Is something wrong?"
Rarity, again, sighed theatrically. "I don't know," she said, approaching a nearby window display and brushing her hoof against it. "Charming asked to meet with me later today but…" She turned to Twilight. "I can tell something is wrong. He sounded off when he visited me at work yesterday, and I worry his dreadful parents have swayed him away. They're a bit… Well, they don't approve of my livelihood, so to speak."
Well, of course something is wrong, Twilight thought, you're not supposed to be dating him, for starters.
"Why not?" she asked, though she knew the answer already.
"Well… I'm not like 'them', I suppose," she said, and that statement felt so wrong coming from Rarity.
Rarity, who could so effortlessly blend into any high-ranking event, worrying about what others thought of her? Of who she was? It was actually a bit jarring.
"Then you shouldn't go," Twilight immediately said. "I really, really think you shouldn't go. He's a jerk, and—"
Rarity's smile disappeared. "Because you would know that about somepony who you haven't even spoken with, wouldn't you? Because you'd know all about the life of two ponies you've only spoken to three times in your life, wouldn't you?" she asked dryly, and Twilight's ears fell. Her hurt expression must have done something for Rarity, because immediately her attitude softened.
"I'm sorry, Twilight, I didn't—"
Twilight shook her head. "No, you're right," she said, and now all her desire to fight had died.
She wanted all of it to be over with, and the more she tried to fight it, the more she prolonged it. She wasn't going to be able to convince Rarity that she was in a book, she wasn't going to be able to convince her to not go on her date, and all she could do was just sit back and hope things would go along fast.
Besides, it wasn't even a bad ending for Rarity. Charming would come back in the end, just as dramatically as Rarity dreamed of, and they would ride off into the sunset.
"If I go with him," Rarity asked, "will my book have a bad ending?"
"No," Twilight replied.
A small silence.
"Will it have a bad ending for you?"
"Yes," Twilight replied, bowing her head down.
Rarity hummed one last time. "I think I ought to go, then," she said, and Twilight wished she could turn around and walk away, but before she could do so, Rarity lifted her chin and said, "I will see you later, won't I?"
"I don't think I have a choice."
Rarity smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
And with those words, time once again came to a stop. The familiar yellow magic enveloped the room, and Twilight watched with a sinking heart as her surroundings changed. Moments later, time restarted and with it came the sensation of water against her skin.
She found herself in the middle of the street, right in front of a large plaza, rain crashing down on the pavement and her quickly dampening coat. The shock was enough to spur her into action and she ran to a nearby restaurant for cover. Once inside, she sneezed once, twice, thrice before looking around for Rarity.
She assumed this was the hours following the breakup, so Rarity should… should be…
Twilight sighed. Right. The main character just had their heart broken, and it was raining. Where else would she be but sitting in the middle of the plaza, mascara running down her face?
Effectively, when Twilight pressed her face against the window, she could see somepony sitting on the lone bench in the distance, obviously having no care for getting pneumonia or worse.
Twilight looked around and stamped her hoof on the floor. "Come on! Be nice for once!"
Just as her sentence finished, a wisp of yellow magic teleported an umbrella in front of her, which she quickly took before rushing out of the restaurant. She ran across the park, slowing her pace when she realized that was indeed Rarity.
Rarity didn't notice her presence until the rain stopped pouring over, and she looked up to find an umbrella covering her while Twilight stood several meters away, her horn alight and drops of rain splashing all over her body.
"You were right," she said.
"I know," Twilight said, and she couldn't help but smile when Rarity let out a hearty laugh.
"Twilight Sparkle, your ego is truly inspiring," she said, and patted the spot next to her on the bench. When Twilight sat down next to her, Rarity scooched over to her, their coats pressing together as they huddled under the umbrella.
Twilight didn't know what to say exactly. On closer inspection, Rarity wasn't nearly in the state Twilight had imagined her to be in. There was no mascara running down her cheeks, and though her mane was pressed to her face, she didn't look absolutely miserable.
"He told me the path that had been chosen for him didn't include me," Rarity said, simply.
Twilight rolled her eyes. What a line! She could almost hear a regretful Charming running back to Rarity, claiming that "if the path chosen for him (by his parents, of course) didn't include her, then he wouldn't go on it".
"Well, you have your own much better path," Twilight firmly said. "And you'll find somepony much better than him, I promise."
Rarity smiled, leaning in ever so slightly and pressing her hoof against Twilight's chest. "But, darling, I already have."
Without warning, she leaning in more and Twilight's face flushed when her lips pressed against Rarity's. She felt like it was their first kiss all over again, which, technically… it was?
When Rarity leaned back, she let out a dreamy sigh and brushed back Twilight's wet bangs with her hoof. "Have I told you that kissing you simply never gets old?"
Twilight giggled. "Every time we kiss," she said, absolutely smitte— Wait. She leaned back suddenly, her goofy expression vanishing as she scanned Rarity's eyes and found them to be clear of any trace of the spell. "You're… You're back?"
Rarity fluttered her eyelashes in reply, laughing when Twilight all but threw herself at her.
"You're back!" she exclaimed, relieved beyond words, practically kissing Rarity out of the bench. Suddenly, she pulled back again when an admittedly cheesy thought made her way into her mind. It made sense! They were in a romance novel, after all… Her heart thumping in her chest, and a smile threatening to show on her lips, she carefully asked, "Did… Did my kiss bring you back?"
Rarity's expression softened, and she leaned in, brushing her hoof against Twilight's cheek.
"... No," she said, giggling childishly afterwards and leaning back. "Though we can pretend it did, if you'd like."
Twilight decided then and there she'd never try to be romantic again.
"Actually, the spell wore off while I was at Charming's apartment," she said. "He was about to make his terrible confession, but asked to kiss me beforehoof, and, well… it would seem my love for you snapped me out of it and prevented such a terrible thing. Then again, I never did anything I didn't want to do! I was planning to drop him for you even before the spell wore off."
"Wait, but… what happened when I was gone?" Twilight asked, her thirst for knowledge taking over now that Rarity was back. "Didn't it freak you out that you were switching scenes?"
Rarity shrugged. "We're in a book, Twilight. If every book explained in detail what happens between every scene, you'd have a never-ending novel. The spell simply filled in my memory gaps, so I always just knew what had happened before."
Twilight frowned. "Hmm… I suppose that makes sense. Though… I'm kind of worried by how easily you warmed up to me despite how crazy I must have sounded."
Rarity nearly snorted. "Twilight. We're in a romance novel. What did you expect of a place where falling in love at first sight is commonplace?"
Twilight furrowed her brow. "...Are you sure you're back, because that sounded like you just criticized your own favorite genre?"
"I blame it entirely on my incessantly nitpicky marefriend, thank you very much," Rarity cheekily replied. "I'll have you know, by the way, that I took the opportunity to tell Charming everything I thought about how poorly he treated poor Haven, especially after how terribly in love she was with him. I'll admit that I could've picked a better novel with a more interesting love-interest."
"Maybe one who actually knows French," Twilight added.
Rarity hummed. "Yes, the poor dear didn't know a single thing, did he? I very much doubt he even knew what he was saying."
Twilight snorted. "Well, you didn't either since you said it was romantic."
"I had to!" Rarity exclaimed, smiling childishly. "Honestly, I wasn't about to be rude and embarrass him by correcting him when he was at least making the effort! Do you even realize how utterly unromantic that is?" She lifted her hoof and booped Twilight on the nose. "I am not you, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight's face flushed, mortified. "I only do that because I want you to be better! And, when I made a mistake with French once, you corrected me almost immediately! How come you didn't do that with him?!"
Rarity brushed a hoof through her mane. "That's easy. First of all, it's because the mistake you made was absolutely appalling. When I told Fluttershy, even she couldn't believe it! And, second of all, It's because I want you to be bett— Shoot!" She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Touché, Princess."
Twilight leaned in to nuzzle Rarity, sighing with content. When she pulled back, a single question remained.
"... Now what?"
Rarity sighed theatrically. "Alas! I have to finish the novel, still, I believe. Admittedly, this all feels like a drag now that I won't end up swooning in your forehooves, but I don't see any other way out of here. Don't want to upset the spell again, do we?"
Twilight looked down, regretful. "I'm sorry, Rarity. You're not too mad, are you?"
Rarity waved her off. "No. I think you've already had enough of a punishm—"
"RARITY!"
Rarity and Twilight turned around to find Charming Smile standing under the rain, having come back to claim Rarity's heart. Despite the heavy rain, there was enough breeze for his mane to blow into the wind, and all that was needed to complete the scene was a emotional background soundtrack.
"See!" Rarity said, gesturing to Charming. "That could have been you! Coming here and fighting for my heart!"
Twilight giggled. "Should I go and tell him you're taken?"
"I wouldn't mind," Rarity replied, jumping off the bench and going towards Charming. "Watch and learn, darling, watch and learn."
Twilight did as told, leaning back and wondering how odd it must have looked for her to be sporting such a grin while watching such a scene."
"Charming Smile!" Rarity shrieked, before letting out a pained sob and looking off into the distance. "It's over between us! I'd ask what else you could possibly want from me, but we certainly wouldn't want your pristine legacy sullied by anything I've touched, do we?!"
"Rarity, please!" he pleaded. "I know what I said is unforgivable, but, please, understand! The path my parents chose for me didn't include you, but if—"
"But if that's the path they want you to follow, then you won't go on it?" Rarity asked, voice softening and turning away slightly, enough for Twilight to see her hoof pressing against her chest.
"Yes, Rarity," Charming said, taking a step towards Rarity. "I choose you."
"Oh, my darling Charming… Who do you take me for?!" Rarity shrieked, turning back to him. "Sweet Princesses, what are you?! A character from a sappy romance novel?! You really think you can sweet-talk me into taking you back?! I didn't think you could offend me more, but you never cease to amaze!"
Letting out one final sniff, she rushed off into the plaza, once again leaving Twilight to her own devices. She wondered if she ought to run after her, but before she could do so, Charming distracted her by falling to his hindlegs and very dramatically screaming out Rarity's name into the night.
Twilight watched one, two, three seconds before the scream was cut off by time once again coming to a stop. They'd just finished with the park scene, which meant that the next scene… She gulped down, remembering the last scene she did before being kicked out from the book was the park scene, which meant…
The space around her began to change, and before she knew it, she was back at the familiar apartment from where she'd been kicked out. However, rather than appear at the beginning of the scene, she was transported into the middle of it. Standing inside the kitchen, she could hear Rarity and Charming arguing in the distance.
Well, now all that was left was to wait for Rarity to say she was leaving, for Charming to stop her, for them to… kiss, and then for the story to hopefully end.
Except...
Except, if Rarity was back to normal, then… why couldn't Twilight get a second chance at ending the book properly? After all, as the Daring Do books had proved, the spell should accept any ending as long as it was true to the novel's purpose, no?
And what was the purpose of a romance novel but wooing the beautiful protagonist? And what would Rarity love more than two ponies fighting over her?
Twilight walked towards the kitchen door, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. She turned to her side and noticed the yellow magic on the walls.
"Truce?" she whispered, and smiled when the magic crackled once. Satisfied, she turned her attention back to the outside room.
"I have to follow my destiny, and my destiny does not include you, Charming!" Rarity yelled from inside the other room.
"No! Please! You can't leave me!" Charming begged. "What will I do without you?!"
"Don't try to stop me! You can't!" Rarity continued, and Twilight could hear the front door opening. “I gave you everything, and you threw it away! You’ll never change!”
“No!” Charming exclaimed, slamming the door shut. “You can’t leave me, Rarity! I won’t let it end like this!”
"But I will!" Twilight exclaimed, slamming the door open and stepping into the room. If Rarity wanted the show of her life, Twilight would make sure she got it.
"What?!" Charming gasped, looking appalled. "She—! She's the 'other' you mentioned?! The waitress?!"
Twilight teleported in front of Rarity and smiled. "No. Not the waitress." She slammed her hoof against the floor, and her smile widened when she felt her wings return to her body. "The Princess."
"Oh my..." Rarity whispered behind her, and Twilight wished she could have turned to look at her marefriend's expression.
Charming stepped back. "You… You… I will fight you for her!"
Twilight smiled. "You're not the one I have to win over," she informed before turning around to face Rarity, her grin turning into a sly smile. "You are."
Rarity blinked, her cheeks flushing. It was clear she had not been expecting that from Twilight, and somehow that invigorated Twilight all the more.
"Win me over, you say?" Rarity asked, clearing her throat. She fluttered her eyelashes and whispered, "What makes you think you can accomplish such a task, Princess?"
Twilight smiled. “This.”
Her horn began to glow and suddenly, the scenery around them changed. They went from inside a Manehattan apartment to the highest balcony of Canterlot Castle, the moon and stars shining in the sky and a breeze strong enough to make both their manes flow with the wind. Emotional music could be heard coming from afar, setting the scene to perfection.
“Twilight!” Rarity gasped, breaking character and looking around the balcony, eyes growing wide. She trotted over to the railing and looked down at the glittering capital. “How did you— But, we’re still inside the book! You’re not supposed to be able to—” She turned back to Twilight. “But the spell—! Isn’t this against the rules?”
“Rules?” Twilight laughed softly, shaking her head. “Rarity, this spell affected you, but don't forget who I am.” She took a step towards the mare, offering a sly smile. “I’ve read more books on magic than probably anypony in Equestria save for Princess Celestia.” Another step. “I’m the bearer of the Element of Magic.” Another step, and she was right in front of Rarity, secretly delighting in the heavy blushing Rarity was doing. “I was ascended into alicornhood for creating a brand new form of magic, something even Starswirl the Bearded hadn’t been able to do.”
Gulping down whatever embarrassment still plagued her, she leaned in so that her muzzle was inches apart from Rarity’s. “Rules? I make the rules.”
She took a moment to admire the effect her words had on the unicorn. It wasn’t often that Twilight said something that rendered Rarity into a totally flustered state, her eyes wide and mouth hanging half-open in shock. That expression alone was worth almost everything she'd gone through.
Before Rarity could even try to come up with a way to react properly, Twilight leaned in to finish the novel just like the spell wanted and hopefully get them out of there via the single most passionately dramatic kiss she could muster.
The moment she broke away, the scenery around them changed once more and Twilight came crashing down onto her bed, Rarity landing next to her. The book followed moments after, and relief washed over her upon inspecting it and seeing the normal cover.
She fell back onto her back, letting out a very long sigh of relief and turning around to nuzzle her marefriend. Rarity hadn't said a thing yet, but her eyes were glued to Twilight.
When she looked to Rarity, the mare had already sat up, staring at Twilight with wide-eyes. She looked all right, and just as Twilight was about to confirm that was a correct belief, the distant chimes of the front door interrupted her.
"Girls! We're here!"
"Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are here!" she exclaimed, having completely forgotten they were supposed to stop by.
She jumped down from the bed, left her room and came down to find Rainbow and Fluttershy waiting by the entrance.
"Hi, girls!" Twilight said, rushing over to greet them. "Sorry, we got caught up reading a book!"
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "You were both reading the same book?" she asked, and then snickered. "Pff, eggheads. Bet you have a book club, too." She trotted past Twilight, straight towards her bedroom. "Rarity! Come on, we gotta go! Drop your book!"
Once she was gone, Fluttershy turned to Twilight. "Are you ready to go, Twilight? We wouldn't want to miss our lunch with Mister Bearington. I already told him you have a lot of questions for him."
"Yes, I'm all set!" Twilight replied, and a spark of magic teleported her research papers to her. "I also brought some notes on bear language, so I can make some progress on my study of your animal communication skills."
"I'm glad I can help you, Twilight. I know how important your studies are for you, and I'm sure the animals will be very happy to hel—"
"Uh, Twi?" Rainbow's voice called out. "Can you come here for a sec', please?"
Twilight made her way back to her room, and stepped inside to find Rainbow Dash sitting on her bed, waving her hoof in front of Rarity, still petrified in the same position as Twilight had left her.
"What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked, a tiny bit alarmed. "Rarity?"
"Geez, that must have been some book," Rainbow said, jumping off the bed and grabbing the novel in question, flipping through its pages.
Twilight cleared her throat and trotted towards her bed, climbing up and sitting right in front of Rarity.
"Rares? Are you okay?" she ventured, and finally Rarity reacted, slowly blinking her eyes before her entire face dissolved into an absolutely smitten expression.
"Rainbow Dash, be a darling and come back another day, won't you?" she said, leaning in and pressing her nose against Twilight's. "I need to melt into Twilight's forelegs right now, and I don't think I'll recover for another week."
"What?! Rarity!" Rainbow protested. "Twilight! What did you do to her?!"
Twilight only giggled, lifting her mouth and kissing Rarity on the nose. "We can hang out later, all right?" she offered, and her reply came in the form of Rainbow dragging Rarity off the bed.
"Come on, Rarity! You promised me you'd be my cheerleading squad during practice, and you ain't getting out of it!"
"Twilight!" Rarity exclaimed, being dragged off into the hallway. "I'll miss you, my darling! I'll try to survive without you, even though—"
"Rarity, stop it before I gag!"
After a moment of silence, Twilight cleared her throat. "Um… Fluttershy?"
"Yes, Twilight?"
Twilight jumped off the bed, hoping her cheeks weren't too red. "I'm sure Rarity's going to tell you all about it tomorrow during your spa session, but… can you not ask what that was about?"
Fluttershy giggled. "Oh my. Ask about what, Twilight?"
