> To The Discerning Eye > by Webdog177 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Part 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 - 0 - 0 As far as the random inns went in the smaller, less-populated earth pony towns, the one and Twilight Sparkle and Rarity found themselves stumbling up to could have been a lot worse. The walls of the 'establishment' looked less than solid, the light from inside peeking through the gaps between the boards against peeling orange and yellow paint of the façade, and a single, faded sign above the door swaying slightly in the breeze. There was nothing about the building, aside from its ghastly appearance alone, that was inviting, but the fact that it was shelter and they were exhausted from travelling all day kept Twilight and Rarity from turning away in search of better lodgings. At this point, Twilight would have been fine with camping out in a cave. So the inn, no matter how foreboding and creepy it looked, may as well have been the best hotel in Equestria. With a gentle push of magic, the front door creaked open to a surprisingly crowded dining area, full of tables of all shapes and sizes – likely gathered from all manner of places – and stacked end to end in long rows to allow for maximum occupancy. Such a set up was practical, Twilight knew, but also provided pretty much zero privacy for diners and, after spending the last few days moving from place to place all the way from the shelter of Old Fillydelphia, all she wanted to do was have some peace and quiet with her friend away from the never-ending stress of travelling. The din of idle conversation grew quiet the moment Twilight and Rarity stepped inside, and every eye swiveled over to inspect the new arrivals. Idle curiosity quickly grew to surprise, and then shock, and then, in turn, each set of eyes lowered, turning attention away from the pair. Whether it was due to respect or pity, Twilight didn’t know. Every pony in Equestria knew who she and Rarity were -- more so Twilight, being the last alicorn left as well as the Element of Magic left little doubt to her identity -- and ponies knew better than to draw attention to them when they appeared in the public eye. Most ponies, anyway. In an attempt to get even a sliver of privacy, Twilight and Rarity huddled together at the far end of the table nearest the stairs, where their only neighbor was a rickety old mare, a lethargic smile on her muzzle as she sipped at some amber-colored, obscure drink in her nearly fossilized hooves. They swallowed their dinner – a pair of small, mealy apples and cabbage stew – in silence, and as soon as the last bites of their meager supper were finished they pushed away from the table and began to tiredly collect their few belongings they'd set at their hooves. The stairs to the second floor were narrow and creaked when stepped on, and the hall at the top of the steps was equally narrow and dimly lit by old, rusty lamps that were mounted every ten feet or so along the length or the corridor. They flickered weakly as though their wicks had run dry years ago. Twilight levitated the worn, metal key she had gotten from the stallion running the inn and nodded to herself as she began scanning the doors on either side of the hall for their room number. The even numbered rooms were on the right with the odd on the left, and it didn't take much effort for them to determine that their room – room number eight, it seemed – was the last door at the end of the hall. Twilight angled her horn forward and, with a brush of magic, slid the key into the equally old and rusted lock, sighing in relief when the door opened with little more than a light shove. Twilight tilted her head and smiled tiredly at her companion, giving a small wave of her hoof for her to enter first. Rarity rolled her eyes and cantered inside with Twilight swooping in after her. They stopped just far enough inside the room for Twilight to close the door behind them and stood there, shoulder to shoulder, matching expressions of dismay on their faces as they took in their lodgings for the night. Twilight knew that Rarity, with her preference for opulence, niceties and general frivolity in daily life – such habits weren't easily broken even after her years as a fashionista – was clearly stuck aghast at the sparse furnishings. The old blanket on the bed was threadbare at best, and looked like it would be nearly useless in its task of keeping anypony warm. The floor was bare, the boards dirty and uneven, and more than a few looked as though they would break if stepped on. The lone window cut into the wooden wall opposite the door was empty, with no curtains they could use to close it off for privacy. Not that it was likely that somepony other than the few pegasii left would be able to see up into a second floor window, but Twilight was sure Rarity found the lack of any sort of curtains to be one injustice too many. Surely even third-class ponies deserve a simple curtain! She could hear the unicorn’s scathing reprimand, even now. Sure enough, only moments later, Rarity didn't disappoint. "This is horrid," she muttered, huffing indignantly as she dropped her saddlebags on the floor beside a small, wobbly looking chest of drawers neither of them dared to open for fear of what they may find inside. She then pulled her cloak from her withers and folded it gently atop her bags, so that it didn't touch anything else. "I mean, really." Twilight was certain that Rarity was not seeing the same issue with the room as she was, but she indulged her friend anyway. "Well, I see one problem with this place. You wanna tell me what is bugging you about our current situation, Rarity?" Rarity let out an inelegant snort and shot her companion an exasperated look. "You don't need to make fun of me, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Look around you. Honestly, this – this – prison cell masquerading as a room makes even the most decrepit of hovels look downright regal." Twilight smiled; a real, honest smile. It had been a while since she had one of those. It was a relief, in a way. In the years following the fall Canterlot and the rise of the Queen Chrysalis and her army of Changelings, such things like smiling and laughing were few and far between; even with the Element of Laughter working overtime. And to see a glimpse of the materialistic, prim and proper pony that Rarity had once been and, against Twilight's better judgment, fallen for, was a rare occurrence. "Aww, I liked that old shack," she jibed lightly. She didn’t know exactly what instance Rarity was referring to, but the two of them had been together long enough for Twilight to make a few educated guesses. "At least there weren’t any rats." Rarity sneered, rolling her eyes again as she turned to glare at her friend. "That… shack as you so eloquently put it, was as deplorable as it was dangerous. We were lucky to not die from hypothermia." "But we didn't," Twilight pointed out, stretching her wings out as much as the small room would allow as she set her own things down on the floor. "Come on, Rarity, admit it -- it wasn’t so bad. And neither is this place. At least, not as much as you're making it." "You're making fun of me," Rarity said flatly at Twilight’s nonchalant attitude. She made to take a step, but paused, visibly wincing as though she didn’t want to step anywhere unsafe or dirty. "Well then, if you're so smart, tell me… what is it that you find so distressing about our situation?" "Well," Twilight drawled as she waved a wingtip around the room, "for one, the fact that there’s only one bed and there are two of us. But I'll give you the lack of decorations a close second." Rarity blinked, turning to reassess the room around them. The fact that there was only one bed – and a very small looking one, at that – should have been more than a cause for the other pony’s concern. In the long years spent since they first met in Ponyville, Rarity had always been something of an enigma to Twilight; whether it was the unicorn's typical flippant attitude and surprisingly -- or perhaps unsurprisingly -- generous behavior, or the fact that she always seemed to get annoyed by the smallest, most inconsequential things. They had gotten better at communicating over the years, first as unlikely fellow Elements of Harmony and then later as best friends, but there was still the occasional instance where Twilight was deathly afraid Rarity would say 'Enough!' and leave Twilight, along with everypony else, to their fate. It was at those times where even Pinky Pie's limitless optimism wouldn’t be enough to keep Twilight’s tears from falling. Surprisingly, the words that Rarity finally spoke weren't the ones that Twilight thought she would say. "I hardly think that's something we need to worry about. We should both fit easily enough, though it might be a little cramped…" She tapped her bottom lip with the tip of her hoof thoughtfully, and then shrugged, even making such a simple gesture seem elegant in Twilight’s eyes. "Now, let's get ready for bed. I suppose it would be too much to ask for a shower, but I'll be damned if I sleep without brushing my mane for three days in a row!" Twilight let out a quiet sigh and nodded as she stooped down to their discarded bags, taking note of their belongings. What had become a necessity for survival while moving from place to place for so long had eventually become a habit; a method to sooth frayed nerves. She herself never left anything out of place -- her few possessions aside -- but Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and surprisingly Fluttershy always seemed to leave something at one place or another. Taking stock of their things while on the road just seemed to come naturally to Twilight, and so it quickly became one of the many jobs the others delegated to her. "Do you, um, have a preferred side of the bed?" she asked Rarity as she checked off her mental list -- spare quills and ink, a couple essential books, pouches of water, medicine, Rarity’s sewing kit -- and silently wishing the other mare would just answer the question without attempting any kind of full-blown conversation. "The furthest from the door, now that you mention it," Rarity said simply as she levitated her brush to run it through her dark purple mane, working diligently to untangle three days worth of snags. With her back to Twilight, the purple alicorn chanced a safe glance at her friend, wishing yet again that she had the opportunity, or at least the courage, to say something to Rarity about how she felt. But by sweet Celestia… the sight of so much perfect, pale fur made Twilight heart skip a beat as she watched the other mare turn her head slightly to the side, exposing her neck, her eyelashes fluttering as she hummed a soft tune to herself. Rarity had always been a beauty, at least in Twilight’s opinion, even with the scar across her flank -- gotten from a group of Changelings that ambushed them in the early days of the invasion -- and the noticeable signs of wear around her face that took the form of barely-visible wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and mouth, but the mere sight of her body coupled with her long, elegant limbs pushed the mare far past simply being 'beautiful' into the territory of ravishing. Twilight swallowed thickly and dipped her head. "A-alright." She was relieved that her voice was only slightly huskier than normal. That was a win, in her mind. "You first," she murmured, gesturing towards the bed. She looked away as Rarity climbed atop the bed and slid between the sheets – such as they were – and only again looked at her friend when she heard the sound of a throat being cleared. "Is there a reason you are trying to win a staring contest with the wall?" Rarity said lightly, teasing, as she propped herself up on her forearm to look at Twilight. Licking her lips in an effort to stall for time, Twilight felt the battle waging inside her for her heart daring her mind to answer honestly, to tell Rarity how she felt – how she had felt for years – to just have it over and done with. On any other night, Twilight would simply grin and feign ignorance, shrugging away any probing questions her friend deemed necessary to ask, but tonight, for some reason she couldn't fathom, she didn't have the energy to lie. "Because it keeps me from staring at you like an idiot." "Oh, really?" Rarity tilted her head to the side, amusement coloring her tone. "Am I really that hideous to look at?" Shaking her head resolutely, Twilight managed to get out the words she always thought, but never had the guts to say. "No… you're the most beautiful pony I have ever met." She exhaled and swiveled her amethyst eyes to lock with the other mare's cerulean ones, and then grinned weakly. "But, that does not give you permission to steal all the blankets." Rarity's lips curled up at the corners, clearly pleased with the compliment. "Well, I can't promise anything, but I shall do my best to share." She lifted up the blankets that were draped over her flank. "Now come on. It's late and I'm tired. We have a long way to go if we’re to reach New Canterlot by the end of the week." Thankful that her sudden compliment was taken in stride and Rarity didn't push on how awkward Twilight was acting, she slipped beneath the rough, scratchy sheets and lay down stiffly beside her friend. It was small and uncomfortable, but it was better than sleeping on cold, wet dirt. In fact, she wasn't even fully on the bed, with half of her rump hanging off the mattress, but she refused to move any closer. "Do you, um, do you have enough room?" she asked quietly. With a tremendous roll of her eyes, Rarity reached out and tugged at Twilight's foreleg, gently pulling her closer. "I don't bite, Twilight," she huffed, and then sighed as she playfully nudged her shoulder. Twilight smiled and nodded as she let Rarity get comfortable as she pleased. Which meant, when all the shuffling and shifting was done, the unicorn’s head was resting on Twilight’s shoulder, carefully to avoid poking the other with her horn. Her soft, freshly brushed mane tickling the side of Twilight’s face, and her foreleg wrapped awkwardly around her barrel. "Good night, Twilight," Rarity murmured as she burrowed closer, gently squeezing Twilight between her forelegs. Twilight had never really been a physical mare, essentially having grown up in the bowels of the Old Canterlot library, and that had never really changed as she grew older. But as she grew to know -- and love -- her friends, and the other ponies she considered her family, Twilight had learned to understand and cherish the need for physical affection, often combining simple touches and embraces with other, more emotional gestures; her interactions with Rarity being the basis for all of her relationships. For as long as she had known the Element of Generosity, the mare had been nothing but a friend to her. Her oddities aside, she had opened up to Twilight over the years, of course, as anypony did when in the process of becoming friends, but she was always somewhat emotionally, if not physically distant. Only in the past few years, however, did Twilight notice subtle changes in Rarity's personality. At least, around Twilight. Where she had once been pleasant, friendly, and exceedingly generous to all, those traits were now much more affectionate, almost blindingly so, to those she considered closest to her. She was still sarcastic and snooty at times, but Twilight had long realized that was part of the Rarity’s charm, and why Twilight loved her. Still though, Twilight didn't quite know how to react when Rarity acted this way; so close and affectionate, almost as if they were sisters instead of simply friends and fellow Elements of Harmony. At times Twilight would be afraid to do anything, or else risk ruining what friendship they had, and in turn causing an unbridgeable gap in their lives that would cause everything they have managed to help -- to save -- to come crashing down around them. Not that it would matter in the end… Biting her lip to steer her thoughts away from the past and back to the present, Twilight relaxed into the bed and hoped her words and actions that night would be interpreted as an affectionate gesture instead of something else entirely. "Goodnight, Rarity," she finally whispered, her voice soft and loving. The other mare hummed and snuggled closer, and Twilight let out a slight sigh of relief that she had behaved as Rarity wanted. Twilight concentrated minutely for a moment, reaching out with her magic to douse the small lamp on the broken table beside the bed, and felt a wave of peace wash over her as darkness surrounded them. Seconds bled into minutes, which turned into hours in which Twilight refused to sleep. Too many things plagued her mind; their their mission to travel to New Canterlot to meet with the  council, how the others were doing in their tasks -- Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash meeting with what remained of the Pegasus race, and Pinkie Pie and Applejack moving from settlement to settlement, delivering supplies and joy where they could -- to the years it had been since she fall of Old Canterlot and the loss of so many of their friends and loved ones… Her and Rarity. Twilight licked her lips, her eyes flicking around the moonlit room, checking for the slightest movement. When there was nothing save for the occasional creak of the walls and muted murmur of voices from the first floor, Twilight instead focused her attention on the rise and fall of Rarity's body as she breathed. The white-furred pony had always been a fitful sleeper, as opposed to somepony like Rainbow Dash, who could, as Rarity had put it, 'sleep through a rampaging horde of Ursa Minor if given half the chance', and would occasionally fuss of flail in her sleep. Whether she was having a difficult dream or simply because her body was instinctively aware that she wasn't in the safest of locations to sleep in, Twilight was jolted from her thoughts to hurry and mutter hushed words like 'It's okay, Rarity' and 'I've got you', squeezing the other mare’s foreleg reassuringly. At some point during the night, in an attempt to calm Rarity's subconscious movements as she slept, Twilight found herself drawing random patterns on the her withers and back with gentle brushes of her magic. She was surprised to find that this worked better than her whispered reassurances did, and spent the remainder of the night scribbling different patterns and pictures on downy fur. Oddly enough, Twilight found it as comforting as Rarity seemed to, and with every picture she drew she felt herself feeling lighter and lighter. Random swirls and shapes became small pictures, her friends’ cutie marks -- a trio of apples, balloons and butterflies, a cloud and lightning-shaped rainbow – and eventually she found herself writing words, simple words that when laid out beside each other spelled out 'I love you, Rarity' in soft, raspberry light along the unicorn’s back. Okay, maybe it wasn't the best, or the most romantic of confessions in Equestrian history, but it was the only kind that Twilight had to courage to make at this point, and even in doing that much in sharing her feelings with her friend made her feel better that she had felt in a long time. Even if they were only spoken in silence, to the mare fast asleep in her embrace. 0 - 0 - 0 > Part 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0 – 0 – 0 A whole week on the trail to the gates of New Canterlot eventually began to leave its mark on Rarity and Twilight, and they each conveyed their tired acceptance of their circumstances to each other with tired smiles as they once again found themselves standing in front of another nameless, homely looking inn in yet another sparsely populated earth pony town. Rarity distinctly recalled remembering the name of the first inn they stayed on that first night of their journey, but after that, what with the same thing day after day, and each inn worse than the last, it was all Rarity could do to even swallow her pride and silently accept the lodgings. Even though she would almost rather sleep on the hard ground, possibly surrounded by roaming Changelings out for their blood. At least those Rarity was prepared for. But dirty, thin, cheap sheets? That was bordering on destitute, and it was only at Twilight's insistence that Rarity deemed it necessary to stay at such hovels. The things she did for that mare… The dining room was just as loud and crowded as every other inn they had stayed at, and they took what had become 'their spot' at the end of the table nearest the stairs. Twilight smiled gratefully at their aged, harried-looking server and the two steaming bowls of soup that were placed in front of them, and they waited until the old mare left to deal with her other customers before tucking in. Rarity floated over the small loaf of bread that came with their soup to Twilight, which the alicorn bashfully took. She had eaten less than Rarity the previous evening, and in return she was determined to make Twilight make up for lost calories. "Thanks," Twilight murmured, breaking into the loaf with a satisfying crunch. Let it not be said that these fringe towns didn't have fresh baked goods. When the Changelings rose and the larger cities in Equestria fell, it had been left to the smaller, more out of the way villages and towns to pick up the slack for food and raw materials. Though, many of them were still lacking for basic necessities. As Twilight used her magic to reach across the table and snatch a small bowl of butter from another guest – whom Rarity sent off with a warning glare as he rose to call out her friend for taking his butter – she sent a speculative look to the white unicorn. "Would you like some?" Rarity smiled and shrugged. "You need it more than me, darling," she quipped. "You barely had anything last night. I'll make do with this and we can get something else in the morning as we leave." Twilight blinked and looked down at the tiny loaf of bread in front of her. Her face was pinched, clearly hating the idea of Rarity going hungry. "I don't need it all. There's enough for us to share." "Nonsense," Rarity sniffed, reaching out to daintily push Twilight's offering away. She smiled to take out any sting in the action. "That's barely enough for one, let alone you – who eats more than I do on any day of the week. The soup looks passable. If I am still hungry then I will simply eat some of yours." Then she felt her expression soften to match her tone. "Would you like me to see if they have anything more? Any flowers or something? They sometimes do, hidden away in the back." Twilight ducked her head, her cheeks darkening a bit underneath her fur, likely at Rarity's thoughtfulness. "I'm... I'm fine with the bread," she said softly, and then split the loaf into two and smeared some butter onto each piece. She flicked her eyes up and blinked, clearly surprised by Rarity's disbelieving stare, and then took a big bite of the bread, chewing loudly. "See? I'm fine!" Rarity felt her upper lip curl at her friend's uncouth display. "At least chew your food before you talk; you’re a princess, not some kind of ragamuffin." Twilight grinned around the bread at the other mare's jab. Rarity held her glare for another moment, but then relented, a smile creeping across her face. Sometimes, Twilight's enthusiasm for even the simplest things – such as eating a piece of bread – was infectious. She enveloped her own spoon with her magic, scooping up a large piece of carrot and broth in the process, and popped it into her mouth. As had become a habit, the two mares didn't spend much time talking while eating. When on the road, even the smallest wasted moment could mean life and death, and so they learned to not waste those lives and simply eat as quickly as efficiently as possible. Before long their meal had finished and they were once again climbing another set of creaky, old stairs to their rented room for the next few hours. Rarity followed Twilight down the narrow hallway that ran across the back of the inn and took a deep breath as she readied herself for what she was sure to be another supreme disappointment of a room. She wasn't surprised by what she found; as she'd come to expect from their previous lodgings since starting their hunt, the room was plain and rather unimpressive. But instead of grumping and whining about it – as Twilight pointed out she had a tendency to do – she simply nodded tiredly. After readying themselves for bed, Rarity by brushing her made and Twilight accounting for their belongings, they eased into the single bed and slipped between thin, cold sheets, Twilight making sure to roll away from the door so she could watch the window. This time, surprisingly, it had an old, tattered cloth acting as a barrier from the cold. A small shiver of anticipation swept through Rarity when the room's only light was extinguished and licked her lips as she felt the bed dip behind her. She sighed softly, comfortably, as she felt Twilight's strong foreleg wrap protectively around her flank from behind and she sank back into the embrace, enjoying the now familiar curves that molded to her own body. "Goodnight, Rarity," Twilight murmured against her mane, shifting slightly to welcome the unicorn’s weight. A lot had apparently changed in the past few nights between them during their trip on the road, and the initial hesitancy Twilight had displayed with sleeping in the same bed as Rarity had slowly, but surely, disappeared. That is, if the way she wrapped a leg around the unicorn’s body to hold her close was anything for Rarity to go on. She didn't really have a clue as to what such a shift in her body language meant – though, she had her suspicions – but she gratefully accepted the opportunity to be held by her friend in the way she had wanted for a long time. "Goodnight, Twilight, dear," she whispered, a gentle smile curling around the edges of her lips. They lay there, together in silence, for a long time, listening as the quiet din from the first floor and drifting in the window from outside carried in different noises. Neither of them moved a muscle as the minutes turned into hours, and eventually the sounds started to die down, the doors just outside of their own opening and closing as fellow travelers turned in for the night. Rarity let her eyes drift around the room with a careful eye, making note of the way the moonlight drifted in from the window and cut into the depressingly small room. Any other time, or at least earlier in the week, she would have complained about such squalid lodgings. But now, she couldn't really find it in herself to care all that much about the conditions of their rented room. That was surely because, of course, of the mare who lay beside her, her legs wrapped securely around her body. If someone had asked Rarity how she had come to love the friendly, charismatic, beautiful former unicorn, she wouldn't have been able to give a definite answer. The process certainly hadn't been anything she had ever imagined falling in love would be like. They had been no fireworks, no lightning strike, and no sudden, profound understanding of the universe. It just was where there hadn’t been before. But just because there had been none of those things didn't make the eventual realization nay less important, and she couldn't deny that she did indeed love Twilight. These days on the road had given Rarity plenty of time for introspection as they moved from village to village, providing what aid they could while still going unnoticed by the larger population -- and the Changelings. Luckily, the Changelings had long since given up the need to subterfuge; instead relying on sheer brute force and overwhelming numbers as opposed to taking the forms of friends and loved ones, only to stab said loved ones in the back once their guard was down. Spotting them while on the road and avoiding them was a simple task, leaving Rarity with the time required to contemplate how, exactly, she had come to love the mare who was currently cuddling up behind her. The more the she thought about it, the more Rarity realized that loving Twilight had been a gradual process. She was honest to admit to herself that she had been initially put off by the unicorn’s fastidiousness, and how mercurial she was on any given day. Not to say Rarity herself could be when she was in a ‘mood’, but on a mare such as Twilight, it was unbecoming. But as time went on and Twilight matured along with Rarity, it only seemed natural that the former fashionista fall in love with her best friend and fellow Element of Harmony. Somehow, she had learned to love without even being conscious of it. Acceptance had turned to simple appreciation, which in turn had melted into friendship, and before she even knew it, that had become adoration, even love. It was like Rarity had been learning to canter before learning to gallop; a slow, gradual process down the road of awareness, each step unsure, bringing her ever closer to being a complete pony worthy of being Twilight’s friend. She smiled as the foreleg around her flank tightened, pulling her back into the alicorn’s slightly larger frame, and she sank further into the embrace. The hoof that slowly found its way to Rarity’s belly began to rub small, comforting circles on her abdomen, and she sighed contently as she rolled onto her back to look into those wide, purple eyes. As she finished turning she felt the hoof freeze, and Rarity fought to keep her frown from showing. "Don't stop," she whispered, placing her hoof over Twilight's and holding it in place before the alicorn could pull it away. Twilight gave Rarity a small, embarrassed smile, but obliged the unicorn by keeping her hoof pressed against her stomach, though it remained motionless. "Sorry. I didn't know you were awake." Rarity arched an eyebrow high into her bangs, curiosity leaking into her tone. "Do tell, why did you wait until I would be asleep to touch me?" Twilight blinked twice, her tongue darting out to lick her lips in a nervous gesture as she tried to come up with a rejoinder. "Um, why were you faking being asleep?" "Because you only touch me when I'm asleep, darling. And I like it when you touch me." Rarity’s tone was velvety soft, yet chastising. She had long ago matured from the simplistic, superficial mare she was in Ponyville to keep from admitting that aloud – at least, to Twilight herself – and sure, she was afraid of being rejected and her affections wouldn't be returned, but at least she no longer hid them. "Rarity," Twilight sighed tiredly. "It's late. Don't tease me, okay?" "I'm not teasing you," Rarity replied, her tone turning petulant. Twilight snorted lightly through her nose, her eyes sliding away from Rarity's towards the wall. "Right, okay. Well, if you're not teasing me, then what are you doing?" Rarity narrowed her eyes and reached up with her foreleg gently placing the soft underside of her hoof to the side of Twilight’s face. She took a moment to appreciate the mare’s soft, purple fur, and her wide, round eyes as they shot back to her own at her sudden touch, before she finally whispered, "I believe Pinkie calls it… 'A Super Awkward Confession.'" Despite herself, Twilight smiled, her lips tweaking up slightly before she could smother it. "Oh really? With capital letters and everything?" Rarity huffed, her lips pursing. "You are so dense sometimes. Here I am, telling you I like it when you touch me, and you're joking around." "Well, what else am I going to do?" Twilight argued gently. "There's no reason that you –" "That I what, exactly?" Rarity interrupted. Twilight blinked again, taken aback at the sudden emotion in Rarity's tone. "That you would actually want me to touch you," she whispered, her voice turning brittle. "Why, why wouldn't I?" Rarity asked. "You're—" "A fugitive?" Twilight retorted, her grin rueful. "A fallen princess? The last living alicorn? The reason for all this death and destruction? I can go on." Rarity rolled her eyes, letting out a quiet huff in exasperation. "I was going to say beautiful, smart, cunning, the best mare I have ever known, and I couldn't ask for someone better for a friend." She frowned as Twilight shook her head. "Why don't you believe me?" she asked, her voice so quiet she could barely hear it herself. "Because…" Twilight replied, trailing off with a slight shrug. The word itself held a thousand other reasons in it; because no one has ever called me beautiful except my own mother. Because no one has ever liked me except my own family and my friends and now they're gone, or on the run just like me, and because out of everything left in this cold, cruel world, I only have you five left and if anything happened to you and you left me… Rarity smiled sadly at the bleak look in Twilight's eyes, brushing her hoof over the delicate features of her cheek. She could see the doubt – the fear – in the mare's eyes, but could also see the smallest ember of hope in them. She knew her friend well enough to know that Twilight was more than capable of arguing with her all night long if it came to it, and had no desire to spend the night debating this subject with her. So, instead of saying anything that could possibly start another verbal diatribe, she simply said, "I would like to kiss you." Twilight blinked slowly, her eyes widening and her face slacking. "You…" Her voice trailed off into a disbelieving silence. "Want to kiss you," Rarity repeated slowly, deliberately. She tightened her hold on Twilight’s face slightly, holding the stunned mare in place. "May I, please?" Twilight licked her lips and swallowed heavily as she stared into Rarity's eyes. Her usually glittering, gem-like eyes growing steadily darker, and her cheeks flushed a deep purple, the air around them crackling with electricity as they looked at each other until, when she finally dipped her head in assent, the silent storm that had been building between them broke free. Soft moans marked the moment when their lips came together, the quiet sounds reverberating through them like thunder across a cloudy sky. Walls that had long ago been erected – to protect Rarity's heart from disappointment – came crashing down in a torrent of whimpers and quiet groans, leaving her open and exposed in the face of her sudden desire. Her hoof moved up and brushed through Twilight's long, dark mane as her felt a stray foreleg cradle her curved hip, each grasping and tugging in unconscious effort to bring each other closer. Rarity gasped as she felt Twilight’s tongue swipe hesitantly across her lips, and she was helpless to contain the soft purr that rumbled in her throat when the mare's tongue stroked lazily against her own. She felt as though she had been playing with new spells and had them erupt in her face, every nerve ending in her body tingling with energy. With want. With need. And oh, how she desperately wanted. She tugged at the soft, dark strands of hair still wrapped around her hoof as she met Twilight's kiss more forcefully, and groaned when she felt the alicorn’s body press into hers. Yes. This was better. This was definitely better than keeping her feelings bottled up inside, where they would fester and wither away, never once having an opportunity to bet set free and acted upon. She groaned again, her body tingling as she felt their bellies rub together as they clung to each other on the bed. Why hadn't they done this years ago? Their mutual need for air finally pulled them apart moments later, gasping for breath, and they smiled shyly at one another, both obviously shocked by the sudden and powerful feeling of their connection. Well, Rarity had been at least. But from the blush crawling across Twilight's cheeks it was obvious she was surprised as well. Rarity was hesitant to break the fragile spell that had settled around them like a shroud, and was more than willing to silently lay there looking at the other mare, basking in the moment. Twilight sighed softly as she dipped her head down to nuzzle Rarity, a small smile curling the corners of her mouth as Rarity felt the tingle of Twilight’s magic work at righting the mess her mane had become and massage her scalp. "Twilight," Rarity murmured, simply because she could. Her friend brushed the side of her face against her own, rubbing her muzzle against her cheek as Rarity felt Twilight’s breath, hot and warbling, puff against her ear. Minutes passed as they lay there, but Rarity still felt her heart racing, trying to pound its way out of her chest. It was, without a doubt, the single most incredible feeling she had ever experienced in her life. "Yes?" Twilight finally whispered, brushing her lips against Rarity's neck in the barest of touches, simply breathing in her scent. Rarity reached across Twilight shoulder and tugged at the back of her head, trying to pull the mare's mouth back to hers. "Kiss me again." Twilight’s eyes flashed, her breath hitching in her throat with a slight gasp. Rarity watched as she swallowed heavily, her eyes flicking from Rarity’s, to her lips, and then back up to her eyes, as if silently asking if she had really heard her correctly. Rarity nodded slowly, and Twilight’s sudden smile was as wide as she had ever seen it. "For as long as you'll let me," she breathed as she ghosted her lips forward to press against the corner of Rarity' mouth, and then took a deep breath before recapturing her friend's expectant lips in a slow, deep, sensual kiss. Hooves -- unskilled at their current task but still eager – began to roam with a deliberate urgency as their kisses grew deeper and more demanding, slow trailing over curves, lightly grasping and massaging until a groan or a moan encouraged further, more direct touch. Rarity breathed into Twilight's mouth as she felt the alicorn’s forelegs slowly snake around to her belly, strong hooves pressing into her fur and leaving a burning heat in their wake as they moved; a slow, purposeful journey around her body. It was incredible, and Rarity found herself breathing shakily as she bit her lip, allowing the other mare’s hooves to dance their way back down to slide over the indentations of her rib cage, and her nipples tightened in anticipation lower on her torso as she waited for her partner's teasing ministrations to finish their journey south. And finally, after what had seemed like ages, they did. A long, plaintive mewl spilled from her throat as she felt the undersides Twilight’s hooves brush against the very top of her breasts, nearly touching her nipples and setting her entire body aflame. Her touch almost immediately caused a flood of desire to settle wetly between her thighs. Twilight stilled, her eyes wide, clearly unsure if the sound Rarity had made was a positive one or not. "R-Rarity? What is it? Am I going to fast?" "Oh, no," Rarity cooed, reaching down with her foreleg to capture Twilight’s and push her directly onto her nipples. She arched her back into the touch, groaning at the uniquely rough and oh-so gentle feeling of Twilight’s touch against her, and murmured, "you're too slow. Touch me, Twilight. Please." Had she been any less aroused, Rarity would have been likely embarrassed by the shameless need that laced her voice but, as it was, she could care less that she sounded desperate. Purple eyes hardened, darkening to the color of the twilight sky as the alicorn licked her lips, and she nodded in understanding. "Rarity," she muttered softly, her breath puffing across the unicorn’s lips. Her eyes dropped down to her hoof tracing slow circles around Rarity’s nipples, and she pressed gently, grinning at the soft whimper that spilled from her friend's mouth. "D-don't say my name like that!" Rarity stammered, a sliver of her embarrassment coming through in the form of a commanding tone. She was rewarded with another touch, and she hissed as she felt her painfully erect nipples tingle with each touch of Twilight’s hoof. "Like what?” Twilight asked. "Like, like you –" Rarity was interrupted when Twilight learned forward and captured her lips in another kiss that was instantly hot and hungry, and she whimpered as an emboldened hoof brushed over her nipple, making her body shiver and her hips buck in search or something – anything – to keep her body from crawling out of her skin. Twilight hummed quietly as she pulled back from Rarity to gaze at her. She used her magic to brush a few strands of purple hair from her face, a healthy blush still coloring in her cheeks. "You're so beautiful, Rarity," she whispered as she rubbed her hoof over the nipple she'd been toying with again, drawing a quiet hiss from the the other mare’s lips. She watched as Rarity fidgeted under her gaze, and small movements of her hoof, licking her lips in anticipation. Moaning softly, Twilight leaned forward and trailed a line of kisses down Rarity's jaw, sucking lightly at the small hollow beneath her ear and pinching her teeth over the thin, rubbery flesh as she giggled at the throaty whines that spilled from the unicorn’s lips. She braced herself up on her foreleg as she dipped her face down to pepper the spot with small, fluttering kisses, nips, and licks, her reward being the sounds that Rarity muttered and hissed out. As Twilight kissed and nibbled, Rarity's hips began to roll more and more steadily beneath her friend and she sighed as the alicorn pressed one last lingering kiss on her throat before moving onward. She laid a lazy, meandering trail of wet, open-mouthed kissed down the delicate column of Rarity's throat until she reached the small 'V' at the base of it, choosing instead to flick her tongue out and dip it slightly into the small space. She fluttered her tongue over the soft, sensitive fur there and grinned widely at the breathy sigh that tumbled from Rarity's lips at the almost feather-like touch. She could tell that Twilight wanted to spend more time on her neck, but at the same time was torn to continue. Eventually she did, gliding her lips over the arc of Rarity's barrel until her muzzle brushed against the lighter fur of her underbelly. Rarity craned her neck to watch as Twilight’s eyes dropped of her own volition to the mare’s lower belly, where the sight of the her nipples stood erect, begging for attention had Twilight unconsciously licking her lips with the clear need to kiss – to taste. "Can I…?" Twilight breathed, her eyes rising back up to Rarity. The way the alicorn’s eyes slid back down to Rarity's belly as her tongue continued to sweep over her lips left little doubt as to what she wanted to do, and Rarity nodded vigorously, wanting nothing more than to feel Twilight’s mouth on her. "Yes." Amethyst eyes fluttered closed as the mare drew a deep, shuddering breath to calm her clearly racing heart. After a moment, she opened her eyes again and smiled up at Rarity. She then dipped her head down to brush a kiss over one of the unicorn’s erect nipples. Spurred on by the whimper that spilled from Rarity’s throat at the touch, she grinned, painting a slow, broad lick over the nub and Rarity simply couldn't smother the sinfully erotic groan that followed. It was absolutely perfect, but she wanted more. As Twilight closed her eyes and wrapped her lips around Rarity’s nipple, tugging at it gently before she gave it the lightest of sucks, the mare moaned, arching her back up to to allow better access to Twilight's mouth. Twilight reached up with both forelegs and placed her hooves on her friend’ barrel, effectively pinning her down in place as she played with her new toy. "Twilight, please," Rarity whimpered, her head rolling back onto the back and her legs folded neatly against herself. "Don't tease me." Twilight pulled away from Rarity's nipple with an audible 'pop' and blinked up at her. "Are you sure?" Rarity nodded, her coquettish smile betraying her anxiousness. "Yes. Go ahead, darling." Twilight took another deep breath and smiled shyly at Rarity, and then sat back, reaching down to gently nudge Rarity’s hind legs apart, settling low on the bed so she could nestle comfortably between the unicorns thighs. "Oh… my," Twilight breathed, her voice unabashedly awed as her eyes locked onto Rarity. She clamped her eyes shut in embarrassment as Twilight examined her with gently brushes of hoof and magic sliding over her flanks and back towards her thighs. Her head fell back against the bed as she felt Twilight run the tip of her hoof up her throbbing center. The touch was almost hesitant at first, but even such a light touch was almost heavenly, and the groaned loudly in protest when Twilight’s hoof continued its path by glided up to slowly trace the line between her protruding hip bones, to where the the thicker fur of her stifle met the thinner fur of her belly, and back again. She could feel Twilight’s eyes raking over her exposed body and she fought the urge to cover herself with all four legs. But, honestly, if their positions were reversed, Rarity knew she'd be savoring the moment as Twilight was. "You're perfect," Twilight breathed quietly, leaning down to deposit a soft kiss to the soft fuzz of Rarity’s underside. She whimpered aloud at the touch, and Twilight giggled, dipping her tongue into the slight hollow between her legs just below her nipples. She kissed, licked and moved her teeth along the Rarity’s fur, and each time she would fidget, a new sound escaping from her lips to hang in the air around them. Eventually, Twilight dropped one last kiss to Rarity’s belly before moving higher, brushing her lips up and over unicorn’s barrel. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heartbeat a frantic staccato in her chest as her friend made her way back up, amethyst eyes twinkling with unabashed awe and affection with what she saw. "So perfect," Twilight repeated, even as Rarity impatiently wiggled her hips underneath the alicorn, subtly encouraging her to move things along. Twilight rolled her eyes, dipping her head down to press another lingering kiss onto Rarity -- a promise that she would return -- and then moved on, nuzzing the side of her face with lazy movements of her cheek. "But still so impatient." Any other time, Rarity would have scolded Twilight for being such a wanton tease. But as it was – Rarity so horribly and desperately aroused – she could really care less. With a huff, she reached up curled a foreleg around the back of Twilight’s neck, tugging her close and all but mashing their mouths together in a passionate kiss. Twilight moaned heavily, shifting so that she was lying between Rarity’s hind legs, her hips nestling snugly between the unicorn’s thighs as their mouths battled with a ferocity Rarity had rarely seen or displayed. Their tongues stroked together in a sensuous, erotic dance as their hooves roamed, touching and groping everywhere they could reach and their hips began to instinctively rock together. Rarity was the first to push them past their newly established baseline and she did so boldly and aggressively, hooking her left hind leg up over Twilight’s flank as she placed the other behind the alicorn's rump and pulled. Twilight’s hips ground deliciously into her and Rarity couldn't help the hitched moan that tumbled from her lips as she eagerly canted her hips up into her friend for more direct contact. Twilight groaned as she forced herself down onto the unicorn, her eyes the color of dirty amethyst as she lifted herself on her forelegs to steady herself. Her wings trembled above her, straining with the effort of keeping themselves from extending outwards with her barely contained excitement. "R-Rarity," she muttered, her voice low and husky. Rarity dropped her eyes from Twilight's to the space between then, her cerulean eyes focusing on the space they they were connected. Twilight's nipples her just as erect as her own were, and she could catch the smallest glimpse of Twilight’s lower lips, gently rubbing up against her own. Feeling brave – or perhaps a bit cheeky – she looked up into her friend's eyes as she reached down, slowly brushing the very tip of her hoof against one of Twilight’s nipples, the rouge outer ridge rubbing against the hardened bud. A fresh wave of desire and arousal settled wetly between her legs as the smoldering, almost dangerous look that flashed through Twilight's eyes, and Rarity smiled, her lips quirking up impishly. "Good?" Twilight nodded, her lip darting out to lick her lips. "Amazing. But, I am not nearly done with you yet." She dropped her head down to nuzzle Rarity's cheek, but carefully as such to dislodge her friend's hoof from its caress. Rarity hissed aloud as Twilight rolled her hips forcefully into her, and felt her heart drop straight to her groin when she felt Twilight's voice puff against her ear, "I want you so bad, Rarity. Can I have you?" Rarity let out a strained whine at the alicorn's words, wanting nothing more than to be touched, tasted, and explored by her. She nodded her acceptance, not trusting her voice to properly convey her willingness to completely surrender herself to her friend. "Thank you," Twilight whispered, dropping a wet, lingering kiss to the base of Rarity's ear and neck. "Oh… Twilight," Rarity sighed as she felt the mare's mouth move south, trailing a blazing line of kisses down her throat, over her barrel and down to her nipples. She moved her hooves atop Twilight’s head, nudging her gently as her swirled her tongue around each of her nipples, fulfilling her early promise to return her them. "Please…" she begged when it felt as though Twilight might never finish her journey towards her eventual goal. "Patience," Twilight murmured, her voice a sing-song as her lips twitching up, taking a moment to plant one last kiss to each of Rarity’s nipples. The unicorn’s blood pounded in her ears as Twilight shifted slightly, moving her head lower and lower, dipping her lips to press kisses at random parts of her belly. After what seemed like ages Twilight finally reached Rarity's hips, and she lurched slightly as Twilight shifted further back to place her hooves on the inside of her thighs. "Twilight…" Rarity whined and lifted her hips, silently but clearly begging the other mare to hurry up and get on with things. Though she knew she wanted this, she still couldn't help the feeling of brief panic as she felt Twilight’s hooves slide further inward. She had never been laid bare to another pony before, and was half-afraid that Twilight wouldn't like that she saw. But the soft, 'Oh, Rarity…' that she heard Twilight breath as her hind legs spread effectively debunked that worry. She lay there, her face burning with what she knew was a heavy blush as she felt Twilight's eyes raking over her most private area, drinking up the sight as she knew she would if she were in her friend's position. She felt the mare's hooves run up her hind legs, tickling her gaskins. She could feel the heavy weight of Twilight's hungry gaze on her, but couldn't tear her embarrassed gaze away from the ceiling, shabby though it was, even as hooves slipped higher up her thighs until she felt the slightly rough, though still gentle touch against her sensetive, lightly-furred skin. Rarity's eyes snapped shut and she threw her head back into the thin pillow as she felt the frog of Twilight’s hoof gently rub against her folds for the first time. She moaned quietly, her entire body thrumming with electricity at her lover's slow, hesitant touch, and she forced her own hooves into the sheets to ground herself as Twilight's touch grew more confident. "Yes. Twilight, yes," she murmured encouragingly, her hips rolling forward hungrily, beseechingly, as Twilight's hoof slid higher to press firm circles against her aching flesh. The motion and pressure was similar, Rarity noticed, to how she would occasionally touch herself, and even as she moaned and writhed under her partner's hoof, and couldn't help but wonder at how compatible the two were; at how Twilight instinctively knew just where to touch her. Her hips fells into a steady, languid rhythm against Twilight’ hoof as she rubbed small, firm circles against her, each graze and swipe through her folds ratcheting her arousal up several levels, until her blood pounded deafeningly in her ears and her body screamed for release. It was perfect, the most exquisite kind of torture, and the absolute combination of pressure, tempo and patterns to drive Rarity right to the brink of insanity. And then, as simply as it had started, Twilight's touch against her changed. It was still deliciously pleasurable; but it was softer, lighter, and more eager. Rarity groaned loudly, lifting her head up off the bed to find the beautiful, perfectly wonderful face she loved so much nestled between her legs. The touch was different, more eager, because it was clearly Twilight's tongue that was now driving her closer to the edge of ecstasy. "Oh, Twilight," she whimpered, rolling her hips eagerly into the alicorn’s mouth. Purple eyes held Rarity captive as her cries filled the room and grew louder and more desperate. She whined and mewled, her hips pushing aggressively up, but she refused to look away from the mare between her legs. When the indecent, shameful sounds grew so loud that Rarity was certain they could carry through the thin walls that surrounded them, Twilight withdrew her tongue, her horn shimmering with raspberry light and moved swiftly to capture Rarity's mouth in a deep, probing kiss so that she could swallow her cries. Before she could even wonder what Twilight was doing, she felt the not-so-gentle touch of magic at the place where her tongue had just been, picking up where it had just left off. Rarity shuddered at the way Twilight's tongue slid boldly between her lips so she could taste herself on her tongue, and couldn't contain the hungry growl that rumbled from the core of her body as their tongues pushed roughly together. The cries spilling from Rarity's lips into Twilight's grew louder and more desperate as her magic rub against her flesh, and she bucked her hips frantically as she felt herself teeter on the edge of climax. She was almost there, Rarity knew, and could feel that Twilight herself knew, as when her breath came as heady snorts against her face and through her mane, Twilight changed her approach. She grunted with effort as her magic stretched to keep her pressure against Rarity’s folds, as well as putting just enough pressure against her opening, enough to ease its way through the ring of muscle, working in a new and steady series of thrusts with her magic that matched the desperate rocking of Rarity's hips. Rarity's body hummed in reaction to the rumble of Twilight’s groan that leaked into her mouth, as her hind legs reached up to hook around her friends's waist, and it was all Rarity could do to keep her cries for Twilight alone. Finally, after what seemed like long, blissful hours, Rarity felt her body – which had been wound so tightly she was afraid she would snap like a violin string – shudder with her climax. Her hooves scrabbled across the sheets as each of Twilight's magical thrusts stroked a fire in her center, each plunge and retreat of the mare's tingling magic drawing out the feeling of completion and release. Her inner walls clenched tightly as Twilight softened her strokes, easing the unicorn through her orgasm. Rarity's eyes, unfocused at first, slowly rolled around and found Twilight’s, her lips twitching up into a shaky smile. Twilight returned it, leaning forward to press a lingering against the side of Rarity's mouth. She slowly backed off with her magic, taking a moment to brush a final time through Rarity’s moistened lips, and kissed her gently. "I love you." The confession was soft, the words floating around them like the gentlest of ideas, but Rarity had heard them as if the mare had shouted them from the tallest tower. She smiled wider, reaching up to cradle the alicorn’s face in her hooves as she replied, "and I love you, too." She smirked as Twilight's cheeks darkened in embarrassment, but she nodded all the same. "You're amazing," she said, her tone soft, sincere. A slow, wicked smile crept across Rarity’s face as she rolled her hips, flipping them over so that she now lay in between the hind legs of a very surprised Twilight Sparkle. "I am well aware of how amazing I am," she drawled, reaching down with her hoof to draw random shapes along the barrel of her new lover. "But as of yet, I do believe I have yet to prove to you how amazing I can be." She narrowed her eyes at the suddenly wide-eyed stare coming from her lover. "And I have every intention of doing so now." Twilight swallowed heavily, her wings finally extending out beneath her until they reached their full span -- spilling out over both sides of the bed. "You were always amazing, Rarity. The most generous pony I’ve even known." "Yes, well… be that as it may," Rarity shot back, shifting her position so she could slip her hooves down Twilight’s body to carefully spread her hind legs apart. She offered no resistance whatsoever, her eyes never leaving Rarity’s. "I still intend to show you how amazing and generous I can be. Don't you want proof?" "Yeah,” Twilight breathed, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. She shifted underneath Rarity, moving her hips around. "I need proof. Um, now." Nodding and placing a chaste, almost feather light kiss against her lips, Rarity moved down to set her eyes on her prize, folding her hind legs beneath her comfortably. She mewled softly at the way her friend's arousal glistened in the dim light filtering in through the curtains, and she forced herself to take a deep, calming breath once she was settle herself between Twilight’s thighs. She always thought Twilight Sparkle was beautiful, in her own way, and whispered as such as she reached down to gently nudge her nose against warm, wet flesh. "Incredible," she murmured, breathing in Twilight's heady musk. Her eyes raked hungrily over rich purple fur and impossibly pale , lavender lips that glistened with clear arousal. Incredible wasn't even a suitable word for what she saw, but Rarity wasn't even in the best state of mind to care about proper vocabulary. Twilight moaned in unabashed appreciation, her body fidgeting as Rarity raked over her sex, clearly feeling as self-conscious as Rarity herself had felt, but also unwilling to hide her body. She bit her lip, watching with glittering amethyst eyes as Rarity drank in the sight of her, her darker coat contrasting Rarity's own almost perfectly. They seemed to lay there for hours, days even, waiting for Rarity to make her move, and when she finally did by sliding frog of her hoof against her silken folds, Twilight's entire body tensed as a loud whine spilled from her throat. Rarity groaned softly at the sound, and again as her hoof eased against soft, malleable flesh. Swollen folds met the soft underside, caressing it as much as she was caressing Twilight herself. It was at the same time similar and entirely different than the way she felt when she touched herself, and she found herself instantly addicted to the sensation of Twilight’s skin gliding against her. "You feel so good," Rarity murmured softly, rubbing small circles against the mare as she had done moments ago to her. "That's –" Twilight whimpered, writhing on the bed. "That's my line." "Darling," Rarity chastised quietly she lowered herself onto her belly between her friend’s legs. She licked her lips as she dipped her head down to press her mouth against Twilight's center, letting her tongue peek through her lips to dip into the moist flesh that awaited her. A low, powerful moan rumbled in her throat as she tasted Twilight, and she eagerly laid a slow, broad lick through the mare's folds. "Oh, Rarity!" Twilight jerked under her, bleating her name as her hooves reached down to cradle Rarity’s head between them. Rarity had little doubt that Twilight was nearly finished herself, what with how wet she was and how eager she had been in pleasing the unicorn moments before, but she was still determined to make this moment all Twilight’s. She deserved it, after all. Every swipe of Rarity’s tongue caused Twilight to buck her hips more and more aggressively, her hooves both pushing and tugging at her mane as she subtly directed Rarity’s muzzle to where she felt the most pleasure. The unicorn was all too happy to oblige, and she repeated the touches again and again, delighting in the pleased moans and whimpers that tumbled from her lover's mouth. She traced figures with her tongue, random shapes against Twilight’s skin as she had felt the mare do to her when she thought Rarity had been sleeping during their travels – apples, butterflies, a cloud – their friend’s and families’ cutie marks, anything at all that could make the alicorn keen in pleasure and writhe underneath her. Eventually, as she knew it would happen, Twilight’s cries grew loud enough to be heard outside their small sanctuary, and as quickly as she could Rarity concentrated on the magic in her horn, copying the spell Twilight had done minutes before to continue the pressure between her sodden folds as she slid up the length of her body to swallow her cries and groans with her mouth, just as Twilight had had done. "It's okay," Rarity murmured encouragingly as she peppered Twilight's mouth with kisses. "Let go, Darling. I've got you." Twilight peeked her eyes open just long enough to catch Rarity's stare, and then her body tightened, her hooves digging into the thin sheets on the bed as she came, crying out into Rarity's mouth as loudly as she dared as the unicorn felt Twilight’s orgasm rip through her body with a tremendous shudder. Rarity continued to smother Twilight’s mouth, face and neck with kisses, her hoof gently easing the girl from climax, until Twilight finally wrapped her forelegs tightly around her withers. Rarity accepted the simple, yet sweet embrace, shifting her position so that she lay beside Twilight. "I love you," she whispered, just because she could, and no longer felt ashamed to admit it aloud. Twilight smiled tiredly in return, lifting up Rarity's foreleg to adjust their position; her wings tucked in after a moment and the unicorn snuggled in close. "I love you more." "Doubtful, darling." The last princess raised a dark eyebrow in a way Rarity knew was full of amused skepticism. "Oh my gosh, are we really going to be one of those couples?" Rarity shrugged, turning around to settle herself into Twilight’s embrace, yawning tiredly. "Only until you agree that I love you more." Twilight snorted. "Right. Okay. Whatever you say, Rarity." "Of course," Rarity agreed primly. "It's about time you start agreeing with me, after all." Twilight let out a heavy sigh, and shook her head. It seemed as though no matter the circumstance, Rarity would always be Rarity. And to the discerning eye, she would be just same as always; a lovely, generous mare that Twilight Sparkle fell in love with. 0 – 0 – 0