Through Wind and Rain

Chapters

Chapter 1: "What does it mean?"
Chapter 2: "It's not wrong, Twilight."
Chapter 3: Two Hearts Beating as One
Chapter 4: All For Nothing

Chapter 1: "What does it mean?"

*CRACK*

A flash of lightning enveloped the sky in a web of electricity and illuminated the darkened town below for a mere second. A storm was brewing; one like nopony had ever seen. The storm produced winds that ravaged buildings and howled as it rushed into the Everfree forest. Trees bent at sharp angles; threatening to snap, and sticks and small branches whizzed through the air; taking out garden decorations and ponies alike. Rain hammered the village violently with malicious intent as if to bore into the earth, the buildings, and the ponies themselves.

The storm was very powerful and fierce, the clouds blackened the day and seemed to blanket the night. It had been going on for a couple days now; producing these destructive conditions. There was neither a day nor a night so far that a pony wasn't harmed trying to obtain food from the local market or try to save another. Eventually, ponies resided in the safety of their homes; intent on waiting the storm out.

Twilight was no exception.

She nervously sat in her library of a house, right in front of her fireplace. The constant pattering of rain on glass kept her nerves on edge, and she shakily brought a mug of hot chocolate to her lips. It burned, but it burned good. The warm liquid streaming down her throat seemed to send a surge of comfort through her body, despite the danger that lingered nearby. As she sat, she gazed dreamily into the fire, pondering about something.

Perplexity had hazed her mind. She had no way of figuring out what...that feeling...was, and it distressed her. She took a quick hopeful glance at the immense amount of books that covered the walls, but she flinched and turned away; hurt. Her most trusted source of knowledge seemed to betray her this time. She couldn't find anything in the entire library that gave her a concrete, satisfactory answer. For once, she had to rely on a different source for this knowledge.

After the storm of course.

She wouldn't dare to leave now; it was much too dangerous. With her luck, she'd get creamed by a rock or a branch. The storm was horrible; the worst she'd ever seen. She couldn't tell if it was ever day or night, and not only did that naturally bother her, but she was worried that her sleeping schedule would end up irregular and erratic. Her entire daily schedule had been, and would be, ruined for a while until the storm subsided. She narrowed her eyes at the thought of this and sipped her hot chocolate.

She started to get a bit hot from the fire and she scooted back to a more comfortable position. She continued to stare into the fire and didn't notice Spike walk into the room. He watched her and sighed. He knew that she was probably thinking about...that feeling...again. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. He exposed the bottoms of his feet to the warmth that the fire projected and remained silent for a while. He scratched at the hardwood floor when a thought hit him.

"Hey, Twilight?"

She remained silent and sipped her hot chocolate, obviously in deep thought.

Spike sighed deeply and tried again. "Twilight."

The only sign of recognition was an ear that perked up and turned to listen.

"Um...why doesn't the tree and the hardwood floor catch on fire? You know, because of the...fire...that you made..." he tapered off.

She shook her head. "Wait, what? Were you talking, Spike?"

He frowned. "No, Twilight. Nevermind..."

A small frown appeared on her face as well. "I'm sorry, Spike. I was deep in thought...please do talk," she said as friendly as she could.

"Um...alright. Why aren't the tree and the floor catching from the fire?"

She nodded. "That's simple, Spike," She smiled. "The fire is magical, and doesn't follow the same exact properties that a normal fire would. I made the fire with magic so it continuously burns, but it never catches anything."

"Huh..." He looked at the fire with new perspective. "If it's magical, it still burns you, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, it will definitely burn you if you touch it, so I wouldn't if I were you."

"...Does it burn as bad?"

She chuckled. "Why do you ask? You don't want to touch it, do you?"

He chuckled too. "Nah, I'm just never sure how these things work, that's why I ask you. You're the smartest mare I know, and your talent IS magic."

She smiled and nuzzled him. "You're so nice, Spike."

Spike blushed and looked away. "Thanks Twi."

Twilight, now in a bit better of a mood thanks to a dash of conversation, got up and stretched. Her joints were all stiff from sitting in one place for too long. Normally, she'd tidy up, organize, or make lists, but she already did so three times over. She had nothing to clean, nothing to organize, and she had already made a list of nearly anything and everything she could think of. She even had a list of words she knew. That was probably one of the most time-consuming, yet relaxing things Twilight has ever done. Doing these things calmed her, but now she was left with nothing to do but wait -- the most tedious of tasks.

She chugged the rest of her hot chocolate, walking past Spike and into the kitchen. She put the mug into the sink and ran the water to rinse it out. Once finished, she turned to go back into the library-cum-living room, when there was a hard, loud knock on the door. Her ears perked and she rose a brow. 'Who in their right mind would be outside during a time like this?!' Twilight quickly trotted to the door, telling Spike she'd get it. When she opened the door, a pony stood there, shivering. There was a black cloak covering them; enshrouding their face. Almost as if in a hurry, they rushed in and Twilight managed to catch a glimpse at the tail. It was rainbow colored and Twilight immediately knew who the stranger really was.

"Rainbow? What are you doing here?"

The pony stopped and snapped around. "How did you know it was me?!"

Twilight vaguely gestured to her exposed tail.

"OH! Uh..." She let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, cat's out of the bag now, huh?"

Twilight's ears lowered and she trotted over to her friend, now seeing the cyan coat underneath, but still not able to make out the face. "Why did you come here Rainbow? You know it's dangerous out there. You could've been badly injured!"

Rainbow sighed. "Twilight, seriously? You're not my mom."

She scoffed. "No, but I am your friend, and still means I have a right to be concerned about your safety!"

She was silent for a bit before finally speaking up, a hint of repentance in her voice. "I'm sorry Twi... I didn't mean to seem mean."

She smiled. "It's alright Rainbow, no worries. Now, what are you doing?"

"I..uh...I need to make sure you were safe."

"Safe? What, from the storm?"

"Y-Yeah from the storm! What else?"

Twilight scowled.

"Er, sorry Twilight... Gee, you're not very thankful today..."

She sighed. "Rainbow..." she didn't even know what to say. "I thank you for your concern, but I am concerned for you. You seriously could've been hurt!"

Rainbow Dash scoffed and put a hoof to her chest. "Puhlease. As if the Rainbow Dash would get hurt from a storm."

Twilight groaned. "You're starting to sound like Trixie, Rainbow Dash."

"W-WHAT?! No way! No way am I anything like that no good, egotistical, wanna-be unicorn!"

"Rainbow Dash! That's not very nice!"

"Yeah, well neither is she..."

Twilight frowned. She couldn't argue with that logic. "Anyways, Rainbow, will you just please tell me what you're doing here by yourself when that storm is outside?"

"Like I said, I'm here to keep you safe."

"You said that last time..."

"Yeah, that's because it's the reason I'm here. To keep you safe."

She facehoofed. She wasn't going to get anywhere with her. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate it, but what about the other ponies? Why aren't you helping them?"

She remained silent.

"Rainbow Dash?"

"Um...Y'see, Twilight, that's the funny part...um...I need your help first."

She rose a brow. "You need...my help. Well...alright then, but what do you need help with?" She smiled.

"This..." she pulled back the cloak's hood and Twilight gasped.

"R-Rainbow!"

Rainbow had blood trickling down her face. It matted her mane and fell across her right eye. Rainbow dash gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah...you know when you said I might get hurt? Well...turns out the whole time I-"

"RAINBOW YOU IDIOT!"

Rainbow's eyes widened. Twilight trotted over and picked her up with her magic, carrying her over to the fireplace. "Spike, get me some rags and anti-biodics. Now." Spike got up from the fire and ran off to get what she requested.

"Rainbow, I cannot believe you would do this...actually...I can. You're so stubborn you got yourself hurt!" She floated a blanket over and put it on the floor before laying Rainbow on it. "Stay there, don't move."

Rainbow looked down. "Alright, Twilight..."

Spike came back with the items Twilight requested and she immediately Twilight began to work. She rose Rainbow's mane and examined the wound herself. It was cut, for sure, but it wasn't anything too serious. Twilight took a damp rag and dabbed around the wound; cleaning it up. She then took some peroxide and poured it on there, holding down Rainbow with a strong, violet aura. Rainbow's eyes were strained; trying not to show any sign of pain.

Twilight repeated this process until the wound was completely clean. She then wrapped Rainbow's head in bandages, clipping the end of the bandage with a safety pin. Once finished addressing the wound, she turned her attention to Rainbow's mane and ordered Spike to grab a bucket of water and a sponge. Spike ran off.

"Twilight...I'm not a child, I can wash my own mane."

Twilight nodded. "Yes, but I feel obligated to do it. I know I yelled earlier, and...well I didn't mean it, Rainbow..." She lowered her ears and frowned.

Rainbow looked down. "No, you're right, Twilight. I AM an idiot. I shouldn't have thought to come out here during the storm."

Twilight looked at her friend. "Rainbow, it's only natural you would. I shouldn't have snapped. I just... I couldn't take the thought of you getting seriously hurt... luckily this is all that happened, but it's a matter as to what COULD have happened..."

She looked at her friend, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Gosh, Twi, I knew you worried about a lot of stuff, but you seem particularly upset about this one..."

Twilight gave a small smile back, unsure whether or not to take that as a compliment. When she was about to speak, a thought happened upon her. 'Why AM I so worried? That wound barely constituted as a scratch...'

Spike appeared with both the bucket and the sponge. "Here you go Twilight... but are you seriously going to-"

She snapped her head around and scowled.

Spike threw his hands up and backed away. "Alright, alright!"

She turned and smiled, taking Rainbow's mane and wetting the sponge simultaneously. She started to slowly brush her mane with the sponge and smiled. The blood came off easily enough and after a few minutes work, she cleaned it completely. "There you go, Rainbow." She said happily. Being in Rainbow's company brought a certain warmth to her heart. It made her feel so...safe and content. She didn't know what she'd do if she lost her.

Twilight winced. 'That feeling... she thought. 'It's back... She put a hoof to her chest and frowned.

Rainbow shot up. "Twilight, are you ok?! Are you having a heart attack?! Twilight!" She grabbed her shoulders. "TWILIGHT DON'T DIE!! I'LL GET-"

"RAINBOW CALM DOWN! I'm not dying. I'm going to have a heart attack if you yell like that again, though!"

Rainbow's ears perked and she let go of her shoulders, chuckling nervously. "I..uh..maybe I got a bit carried away?" She rose a hoof and looked away.

Twilight chuckled. "It's alright. I freaked out earlier, too." The feeling was still there, more than ever now.

Rainbow scratched the back of her mane and gave a small smile. "I, uh, guess I should be on my way... I've sort of made things awkward, haven't I?"

Twilight's heart fell. "No! Nonono, you haven't! I've just been distracted and not myself lately, is all. Besides, you're not going back out into that storm."

The cyan pegasus smirked. "I didn't think you'd let me anyways."

Twilight giggled. "You were right. Sit down. I have a surprise for you anyways."

"Oh, cool!" She sat down and smiled wide.

She fittled around the library, trying to find it. She frowned as she realized it wasn't here. "It must be up in my room...hold on, Rainbow."

"That's what I'm doing." She said, smirking.

Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes, teleporting upstairs and looking around. "Where is it?" She asked herself. She looked in her bedside table and sighed in relief. She pulled the book out with her teeth happily. 'Cant believe I found it my first try!' she thought. She teleported right in front of Rainbow, making her jump. Happily, Twilight dropped the book in front of her, smiling wide.

"Um...Twilight?" She said, grinning as she flipped through the book.

"Yeah? What's the matter?"

"This is your diary..."

Her eyes widened. "What?!"

"Oh...juicy..."

"H-Hey! Give it back!" She reached for it, but Rainbow put a hoof to her chest and held her back. Twilight reached for it frantically.

"Oh, the "Dream Section". Wow, even in your diary you've got it sorted out."

"Rainbow!" she cried, reaching harder.

Rainbow closed it and chuckled. "I didn't read anything, honest. I just moved the pages. Here." She handed it, smiling wide.

Twilight took it, frowning. "You swear you didn't read it?"

"Of course I didn't, I was too focused on seeing your reaction," she chuckled.

Twilight scowled and teleported back to her room. She put the book back in the table and looked around for the other one. She cantered around her room, searching thoroughly. As she rounded her bed to look on the other side and noticed something in her peripheral vision. She turned to see Rainbow standing at her door. She shrieked and fell to the floor, hiding her face with her hooves. Rainbow barely managed to fly over to ask if she was okay because she was laughing too hard.

"Tw-Twilight!" She spoke between laughs. "You...are you...are you ok?" She was having trouble breathing.

Twilight looked up, pouting. "I'm fine, thank you very much." She stood up and floated the book to Rainbow Dash. She attempted to change the subject. "This is what I meant to bring you."

Rainbow Dash wiped tears from her eyes and took it. She sighed as she looked at it, but her expression began to fade from happy, to astonished. "Twilight...this...this is..."

"The very last book in the Daring Do series; one month early."

Rainbow's mouth was agape. "T-Twilight..."

"I got it for you. I figured you'd get a kick out of it."

Rainbow Dash was near drooling.

"Um...Rainbow?" She waved a hoof in front of her friend's face.

The pegasus snapped out of her fix and hugged Twilight, dropping the book. "Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!" She hugged tightly, but Twilight didn't mind. She hugged Rainbow back, not so tight, and smiled. "You're welcome, Rainbow."

"Oh how can I ever repay you?"

'You could never let go...' said a piece of her subconscious she never recognized before. Her eyes widened. She had nearly said that, but why? Why would she want this? In the midst of her thinking, the feeling came back, even stronger than it was previously. This time, she couldn't control it. She acted on impulse. She hugged Rainbow back tightly, unknowingly burying her muzzle into Rainbow's neck.

"Um...T-Twi?" she asked; a bit nervous, but not exactly uncomfortable.

Twilight snapped back into reality and pulled away, chuckling nervously. "I...um...well...it was nothing, I didn't mean to," She gave a sheepish grin. 'Liar.' her mind told her.

"Oh, um, alright then... do you know what I can crash tonight? I'm feeling a bit tired."

"I don't even know if it's night, but I guess it doesn't matter. You can sleep in here or in the library."

Rainbow thought for a moment. "I'll sleep in the library, I don't want to take your bed."

Twilight shook her head. "I insist."

She wasn't sure. "I really don't want to do that to you."

Giggling, Twilight shook her head. "It's alright. You're my guest. Please, make yourself at home."

She frowned. "I don't know..."

"Come on, if it makes you feel better, I'll have the fire so I won't be so bad off."

She thought about this for a second or two. "Hmm...alright. Fine."

Twilight nodded and gestured towards the bed. "Go ahead."

The cyan pegasus fell down on the bed, face first in Twilight's pillow. Almost immediately, snores resonated from her muzzle.

Twilight watched her sleep for a second, then shook her head when she realized how creepy that was. She exited to room, taking careful measure not to make a noise, and shut the door. She trotted down the stairs and by the time she reached the bottom, she was exhausted; emotionally mainly.

The bucket, blanket, sponge, and medical supplies were left in front of the fire. Twilight sighed and yelled for Spike to come clean it up, but noticed he was napping in his bed. She sighed and floated the items up and began the cleaning process. She dumped the bucket out on the sink; watching its soapy contents swirl down the drain. She then turned and threw the bloody sponge in the trash. Now she had to put up the medical supplies which were always kept in the bathroom, because that's where they've always been. Once she'd tidied the place up, she yawned and floated the blanket up and over herself. She lay in front of the fire and closed her eyes. Rainbow's scent was all over the blanket, and for some reason, it made her smile. She fell asleep then; warm and content. She had no idea what the next day would bring, and for more reasons than not, it was a good thing.

Chapter 2: "It's not wrong, Twilight."

'You know it's true...'
'What-What's true?!'
'The feeling... you know what it means.'
'The-the feeling...I...I don't know what you're talking about.'
'Sure you do. You just don't want to accept it.'
'I'm sure I'd accept it if I knew what it was!'
'Are you really going to lie to yourself about that?'
'L-Lie?...'
'You know all too well, Twilight. That was more than just a hug, wasn't it?'
'H-How do you know my name? Who are you?!'
'That doesn't matter, does it? What matters, is that you're ignoring your heart, Twilight. That is all that matters.'
'Ignoring my heart? What are you talking about?'
'If you still choose to be obtuse about it, feel free, but know this: You will not find happiness if you continue to ignore what your heart is telling you.'
'...Who are you?...'
'I'm the mare you ought to let yourself be. It's not wrong, Twilight. It's-'

Twilight awoke with a start, sweat dripping off the sides of her face. She was breathing rather hard and she put a hoof to her chest. Quickly, she attempted to gather herself and breath in and out, extending her hoof when exhaling, and bringing back it when she inhaled. Slowly, her mind began to clear of the cacophony of voiceless thoughts that flitted through her mind. Once having a clarified mind, she turned to notice that the storm outside was still raging, but it was a bit brighter than it was yesterday. She sighed, disappointed but not surprised, and cantered to her bathroom located upstairs.

She reached the top of the stairs and turned towards her room. The bathroom was right next to it, so after she was done making herself look presentable, she'd check on Rainbow. She groaned as the feeling returned, but this time it wasn't as evident. It was still annoying since it showed up randomly again, but it wasn't as bad as it could be.

She walked to the bathroom and upon entering, she looked into the mirror. Her hair was in a complete mess. Knots and tangles uglified her mane and tail while bags under her eyes caused her to look much older. A spot of dried drool clung to the left side of her mouth and cheek and fuzz dotted her face with dirty little dust bunnies. Immediately, Twilight ran the bath and decided to check on Rainbow while the tub filled up.

Rainbow was sleeping loudly in Twilight's bed. The covers were ruffled and a pillow was thrown across the room. The window to her room was open, which Twilight promptly closed, and Rainbow was shivering. Twilight frowned and she gently picked up her friend, pillow, and blanket, and carried them downstairs in front of the fireplace. She lit it with a spark of magic and lay the pillow on the ground. She then gently placed Rainbow's head onto the pillow, followed by the body, and then finally set the blanket over her. She smiled as her friend snuggled into the pillow and she turned, heading back up to the bathroom.

Twilight entered the bathroom and shut the water off. She went to put a hoof in, but noticed that the water level wasn't at its normal height from the bottom of the tub and she frowned. She twisted the hot water knob and waited for the water to reach that certain point, which was marked by an incidental scratch, and turned it off. Smiling, she entered slowly, taking time to get used to the scalding hot water. Once completely in the water, she reclined until the water reached her neck and she sighed happily. The water soothed her and she finally felt relaxed; despite the storm that raged merely a few feet to her left.

Her shampoo bottled floated over to her and she briefly submerged herself in the water, and when surfacing, she let out a small burst of air. Her mane now wetted, she popped open the top of it and squeezed the contents onto the main part of her mane. She closed the bottle and set it back to its assigned location and began mixing the shampoo with her hair. Eventually, she had a mass of bubbles where her mane would've been. She held her breath and submerged herself again, making sure her entire mane was underwater and shaking her head so no soap was left trapped within. She surfaced on the other side of the tub so her mane didn't catch any soap on the way up and she stood up, now planning to attend to her tail.

She went through the same process as with her mane and again with her coat. She cleaned thoroughly and, once done, she pulled the drain plug and floated two towels over; one for the floor and one for herself. Once dried, she looked into the mirror again and huffed; the mirror was fogged up so she couldn't see herself. She floated the floor tower over, more or less to give it more purpose, and wiped the mirror again. She groaned as she realized that, yes, she got the fog off, but now it was warped and distorted; her image was barely recognizable. "Pfft..." She brushed her mane anyways. She guessed it; sure it wouldn't look any worse than it usually did.

She brushed her tail, not needing the mirror now, and once done she put the brush back in its proper place. She exited the bathroom and walked into her room. The room was really cold since the window had been open, but it was twice as worse since she was wet. She shivered once and noticed that part of her bed was wet. She assumed it was from the window and she made sure the latch on it was secured before exiting and heading downstairs to make come coffee.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she noticed Rainbow stirring in her sleep. Worried that she may have woken her up, Twilight softened her hoof steps into the kitchen. She floated a pan to the sink and began filling it with water. While it was filling, Twiilght softly cantered over to the cupboard and pulled out a large packet of ground-up coffee beans. She floated the packet alongside her and picked up the pan with more magic. She brought both to the fire and set the pan up on a metal stand especially designed for placing such things on to cook. Once the pan was secured on the stand, Twilight put the packet in the water and simply waited. She had nothing better to do, so she sat down in front of the fire and thought about things. The first thing that came to her mind was her dream.

From what she could remember, she couldn't see anything; her entire vision had been blackened. She couldn't feel anything aside from that bothersome feeling, but she could easily hear and smell. What she smelled was quite a familiar scent; one she could swear she smelled only moments before slipping into unconsciousness, and what she heard was a very ominous voice. It had seemed to know a lot about her, and asked very peculiar questions. It had almost spoke in riddles, except there weren't any catches, she just simply didn't understand them.

The voice, unrecognizable and dark, told her she was to listen to her heart, to stop being "obtuse", but to her knowledge, she was sure she wasn't being as such. However, if she WAS being obtuse, she wouldn't know, would she? She frowned at the thought. Regardless, she found the voice to be irritating. She believed it was insignificant, that it was merely a manifestation of her recently discorded mind, but something seemed to tug at the back of her head. Something about that dream, something the voice said, made her theory of the dream being insignificant collapse. She closed her eyes softly, reflecting back to her dream, back to the conversation between her and the ostensibly omniscient voice.

'...matters is that you're ignoring yo-'

She shook her head, it was beforehand. She discarded the thought so as not to get stuck on it and pressed further back into her subconsciousness.

'...going to lie to yourself about-'

She hit the floor with her hoof. Now she was going too far back. She gritted her teeth and attempted once more.

'You will not find happiness if you continue to ignore what your heart is telling you.'

She growled and hit the floor. 'What WAS it?!' She thought. 'It's somewhere in my head, I know it is! I can't stop now! I have to figure this out!' She took a deep breath and composed herself. She repeated her calming process. She put her hoof on her chest when inhaling, and extended it when exhaling. She did this a couple times before she smiled and relaxed her body. She thought once more, but decided that forcing it wasn't the answer. Instead, she'd simply rethink the entire thing until she found what she wanted.

Twilight gasped. 'That's it... After saying that I'm lying to myself...'

'You know all too well, Twilight. That was more than just a hug, wasn't it?

Her heart sank. That last sentence demolished her theory. This dream meant something, it had to.

It mentioned the hug too.

Twilight started feeling anxious. The hug was related to that feeling, and Twiilght knew deep down that it was true. She didn't know what it meant, exactly, but she knew that hug had more definition behind it, at least for her. All of a sudden, the word "sensual" appeared in Twilight's head and she quickly shook it away. A dark realization had begun to loom over Twilight.

"Twilight? Are you ok?"

Twilight jumped and let out a small shriek. She rolled to the side and, in the same motion, covered her face with her hooves.

"Wow, Twilight. You such a scaredy-cat!"

She peeked out of the cover of her hooves to see the amused, but tired face of Rainbow Dash.

"You need to buck up, Twilight. Seriously, you'll never get through life with that kind of behavior," She yawned. "You got to be brave and afraid of nothing, like me." She gave a smile.

"Right, Rainbow. Thanks for the advice," Twilight said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rainbow chuckled tiredly. Her eyes were half way closed and she gave a half-hearted nod. "You're welcome..."

Twilight got to her hooves. "Did I wake you up?" She frowned.

"Nah, I'm a heavy sleeper. Nothing can wake me up."

Twilight rose a brow. "That's not exactly a good thing..."

"But is it a bad thing?" She rose a brow.

Twilight thought about this for a minute and shook her head, giggling. "I guess not entirely, no."

Rainbow smiled again, only a bit wider and with more energy behind it.

Twilight sniffed the air, smelling coffee. She looked over to the pan and noticed it was boiling. Quickly, she lifted the pan up with her magic and cantered into the kitchen with it levitating at her side. She placed a cloth on the table and then promptly set the pan on top of it so as not to burn the wood.

"Twilight, you should grab me a cup of coffee too."

"I have to let it cool down first, otherwise we'd sear our tongues,"

"Sear?"

"Burn. We'd pretty much burn our tongues."

"Oh, well why didn't you just say so? I'm not an egghead so I wouldn't know those words."

Twilight glared at Rainbow.

She let out a nervous chuckle. "Not that you're an egghead, Twilight." She gave a sheepish smile.

"Right... anyways, did you sleep well?"

Rainbow stood up and stretched, straining her front hooves and lifting her rump in the air. Twilight watched and unconsciously began scanning Rainbow's body. She looked at her beautiful face so full of charm. Rainbow's red-violet eyes seemed to pierce right into her heart and her smile sent a wave of heat from her cheeks and through her body. Her eyes continued down Rainbow's form and took in the slender, athletic body. Her physique caused Twilight's mouth to open slightly, allowing a trickle of drool to seep through. Then, slowly, her eyes went to her flank. Almost immediately, her heart sank. She couldn't stop staring, at the more she looked, the more her cheeks burned, until eventually, Rainbow spoke up.

"Er, Twilight? What are you doing?"

She shook her head vigorously, her mane flailing around. When Twilight stopped, her mane was fuzzy and fell in her face. She gave a sheepish grin. "Um, nothing. Nothing at all!"

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Didn't I tell you not to think too hard and that you'd end up hurting yourself one of these days?"

Twilight chuckled nervously. "R-Right. Hehe, silly me." She looked around the room, holding a rather cheesy grin.

Rainbow raised her brow. "What are you doing?"

"What are you talking about?" She said, still holding the exaggerated, cheesy grin.

She stared at Twilight for a moment before shaking her head. "Nevermind, I don't think I want to know, anyways." She chuckled.

'No, no you do not...'

"So," Rainbow began. "What now? Are we seriously trapped in here?"

Twilight frowned. "I wouldn't say "trapped", but we certainly don't want to go outside now...the storm still seems active."

Rainbow pouted and sat down. "This is boring, Twilight. There's nothing to do here."

Then it was Twilight's turn to pout. "I know, but there has to be something...hmm...."

Rainbow thought too, but looked like she was straining herself too hard what with clenched teeth and a scrunched face.

Twilight gasped as a thought popped in her head. She looked at Rainbow and an evil grin appeared on her face.

Rainbow Dash didn't notice it, still in full concentration, but she did notice a pillow hitting the side of her face which snapped her out of her fix. She looked at Twilight, who was still wearing that same evil grin, and picked up the pillow. "You want to play this game, egghead? I'm the master of-" another pillow hit her face, messing up her mane. "Oh, you're gonna get it now!"

She took the two pillows that were thrown at her and flew up into the air. She then darted over Twilight and threw one at her, which Twilight easily caught with her magic and sent right back. Rainbow easily avoided it and swooped down and around, now flying straight at her. Twilight teleported away and Rainbow hit a bookcase, causing it to fall. She was quick and avoided it, but didn't notice as Twilight sent another pillow her way, hitting her face again. Her rainbow mane fell into her eyes and she blew it away, seemingly unamused. She turned to face Twilight, a serious look on her face. "That's it, I'm going all out no-" Another pillow hit her face and slowly slid off of it. "Ok, Twiilght, this is-" Three more pillows hit her face and Twilight let out a small giggle.

Rainbow sighed, a small smile on her face. "Ok, it's kind of funny, but you're not hitting me again! I was being easy." She darted down, narrowly dodging another, and started to fly quickly around the room. Twilight couldn't keep track and quickly started to become dizzy. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash had picked up all the pillows around the room and held them in her hooves. One by one she threw them at the dazed Twilight. They hit her, each messing up her mane and making her head turn with the hit.

Once she ran out of ammo, Rainbow landed beside Twilight who lay on the floor, defeated. "I told you I was the-" A pillow hit her from the side and she heard Twilight giggle.

"Loser." Twilight finished for her. She got up and smiled. "I'm no where done yet." All the pillows appeared behind her, aimed at the cyan pegasus.

Rainbow gulped. "Uh oh."

The pillows flew at her with malicious intent. They hit her hard and Rainbow tried to fly, but they nicked her side and unbalanced her. She tried to avoid them, but every time she'd sidestep to avoid a pillow, she was moving right in the path of another. It was hopeless; she couldn't fight back.

Unless.

Rainbow locked her eyes shut and dashed forward. She met the bombardment of fluffy missiles head-on, hitting them aside and working her way to her target. Eventually, she hit it, and she knew it was her target when she heard a small squeak as she tackled it.

She had tackled Twilight, knocking her sense of concentration off balance. The pillows fell and she pinned Twilight to the ground, grinning. "I told you, I am the-" She tensed, anticipating a pillow, but it never came. She smiled and continued. "I told you, I am the champion at this game, Twilight...wait...Twilight?"

Twilight's face was beet red. Her eyes were widened and her jaw was locked. Her body was tense while under Rainbow and she could do nothing but look into her eyes. She was speechless.

Her friend poked her nose. "Twilight, are you alright?"

She slowly nodded yes.

"Then what's up with the red on your cheeks?" She thought a moment. "Are...are you blushing? Is that a blush?!" Rainbow raised a brow. "Why would you be blushing?"

Twilight gulped. "I-I don't know!" She said quickly. She floated Rainbow off and got up, brushing the dust from her coat and immediately straightening up.

Rainbow Dash watched her, still a bit perplexed. "Twi?"

She froze at the sound of her name. "Y-yes?"

"Do you...nevermind," She casted it aside with a wave of a hoof. "It's nothing."

Twilight nodded her head slowly. "Um...alright... Help me straighten up, will you?"

Rainbow Dash pouted. "You started it all!"

"Rainbow...please?..."

The cyan pegasus kicked at the floor and sighed. "Fine. I'll help..."

"Thank you, Dash."

Her ears perked. "Dash? When did you start calling me that?"

Twilight gulped again. 'I have no idea...' She thought. "I don't know," She said. "I guess it just slipped."

Rainbow shrugged and went to cleaning. She began by putting up the bookcase while Twilight was putting the pillows in their proper locations. Once she got the bookcase back up, which took longer than she expected, Twilight cantered over and began sorting them all out. "Why don't you go fix yourself something to eat? Make yourself at home, Rainbow."

"Um, ok, Twi. Whatever you say." She walked into the kitchen and almost immediately Twilight heard something break. Her ears lowered and she let out a deep sigh.

"SORRY!"

"It's fine, Rainbow Dash." Twilight flinched as she heard another dish break, followed by another apology from Rainbow Dash. 'This is going to be a long day...' She thought, and was she ever so right. At that moment, the window in the library shattered.

Chapter 3: Two Hearts Beating as One

Glass littered the floor as Twilight jumped back. Rainbow trotted in with a mouthful of hay fries, her eyes scanning the room for the source of the sound. They located the scattered shards of glass strewn across the floor and looked at the window. Rain and ice fell into the house while strong winds carried debris inside. Sticks, twigs, and even small rocks were being thrown into the library. Twilight had to jump to her left to avoid being beamed in the head by a stray branch.

Twilight hastily moved a bookshelf in front of the broken window and let out a sigh of relief when it was fully covered. The faint battering of rain against the back of the bookshelf made Twilight uneasy, and it showed. Rainbow swallowed the hay fries and trotted over to her friend, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Are you alright, Twi? You don't look so good."

She looked at Rainbow and was met with soft, concerned eyes. "I'm alright, Rainbow. Thank you." She smiled gratefully at her. "I just don't like this storm, it seems...rather unnatural, don't you think?"

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, it does seem a bit off. You'd think it have ran out of energy by now. I mean, where is it getting all this water anyways?"

Twilight was about to ask the same thing. It seemed like this storm was producing its own water; it never seemed to stop. "Wait a minute. If it's been producing all this water, why isn't the town flooded yet?"

Rainbow put a hoof to her chin and shrugged. "I have no idea, Twilight. Maybe the water isn't water? Maybe its magical water?"

Twilight giggled. "Rainbow, clouds can't make magical water, it's impossible."

She scratched her mane. "That's not what I meant though, Twilight."

She rose a brow. "Hmm?"

"What if, the storm was magical too? That would make sense to why the Weather Patrol wouldn't be able to fix it."

Twilight's eyes widened. "I...Rainbow...That's very possible! That would explain a lot, but who, or what, would be causing it?"

"Hey, don't make me think too much, now." Rainbow shrugged.

"Hmm..." Twilight began to pace around the library, delved deep into thought.

Rainbow watched her impatiently. She hated when Twilight thought really hard about stuff, especially around her. It was boring, and it sometimes made her feel stupid. She thought about going back into the kitchen to snag some more hay fries, but she really wasn't that hungry in the first place. She only went into the kitchen so Twilight didn't notice her blushing as well. She had nearly done it earlier. She had nearly broken down a wall she dared never to break when it came to Twilight: admitting her affection.

She liked Twilight, sure. She would never tell her to her face, but she did. She didn't really know why it was that way, but she didn't argue it. Her parents always told her to follow her heart, and she believed them. That's how they found each other, and that's how she would find her own. Granted, both of their hearts led them to each other, she believed that if she really tried, she could get Twilight to fall in love with her, but she couldn't make it obvious. Otherwise, she'd scare her away. Last night was the beginning of her plan. She hadn't lied when she told Twilight she wanted to make sure she was safe, but she also didn't tell the complete truth either.

She had also arrived to win Twilight's heart.

She knew deep inside that Twilight liked her. She had to. That hug, the behavior, the blush, it's not like she was completely oblivious. She knew that the mare had to have some attraction towards her, the problem being as to how to bring that attraction out. When Rainbow thought about it, a realization came to her: there were multiple ways. She could force it out, she could tease it out, or she could wait it out. All three of these options appealed to her, but for very different reasons.

If she chose to force it out of Twilight, that would cause her to be very unsure of their relationship. She was obviously in a fragile state, and bringing it out like that wouldn't be healthy for her emotional case. All it would take would be a touch or a kiss and Twilight would be hers, but in there relied another problem which would be that Twilight would be too easy to manipulate. By doing that, forcing the attraction out that is, she would immediately assert dominance over the relationship and she didn't want that.

If she teased it out, which looked most promising at first, it would take a bit longer than forcing it, but it would be quicker than waiting for weeks on end for Twilight to come to terms with herself. All she'd have to do is remain as close as possible. Maybe make an innuendo here or there, and generally tease her like she did the boys at the Wonderbolt Academy for their money or food (She wasn't proud of it, but if she needed some bits for lunch, she could always rely on the gullible boys to just hoof them over.). It would be fun, but the problem would become apparent almost immediately. She would possibly end up being counterproductive by intimidating Twilight out of it and completely sealing herself off from emotion. That, and she could tear herself on the inside if she did feel the same about her, but was unsure about it. She probably thought that it was wrong in the first place.

The final option was to wait it out, but she didn't appeal to this idea well at all. It would mean waiting forever, or it would mean waiting three seconds, but she wasn't comfortable in taking the gamble. Admittedly, it would be much easier on Twilight to come to the decision herself, but it would be hell on Rainbow's psyche. She'd been waiting for a while now, and she thought it was about time she got what she wanted, but at the same time, her heart contradicted her mind and said that waiting for Twilight to come to her senses would be much better for her, and for the relationship that she wanted so badly, but refused to show for it.

Rainbow was snapped out of her fix as a loud THUMP followed by a high-pitched shriek from Twilight made her ears ring. She looked over and saw Twilight, wide-eyed, scooting closer to her. Rainbow put on a confident smile and put a hoof around Twilight. "Don't worry, Twilight! With me at your side, you'll always be safe!"

All of a sudden the floor and walls vibrated and a deep groan resonated through the library as if the tree was trying to warn them of danger. The groan had started to cease when a flash of lightning illuminated the sky and icy rain blew in, hitting the two mares and sending shivers down both of their spines. Twilight's eyes were wide and she moved closer to Rainbow Dash, unsure of how to deal with the situation. Rainbow shielded them both with her wings, blocking the rain from getting to them.

"We need to barricade it better!" Twilight exclaimed.

"With what?! The bookshelf idea obviously didn't work!"

Twilight thought rapidly, hoping to come across some idea of what to do next, when the deep groan returned, except this time, the volume was multiplied by a factor of ten, deafening them. Twilight dared to look out the window, past Rainbow's wing, and saw something that wrenched her guts.

The clouds were beginning to rotate.

"Rainbow, we need to find cover, now!" The wind and rain whipped her mane like crazy, pulling it back and forth. Her tail fared no better.

"What?! I can't hear you!"

Twilight gritted her teeth against the wind. "WE NEED TO GET SOMEWHERE SAFE! THERE IS A TORNADO!"

Rainbow's eyes widened. "TORNADO?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?! HOW IS THERE A TORNADO?!"

"I MIGHT KNOW, BUT RIGHT NOW, WE NEED T-" The sound of her voice was lost as the immense winds ripped it out of the air.

"TWILIGHT, STAY NEAR ME!"

Spike ran into the room, "TWILIGHT, RAINBOW! TO THE CELLAR, HURRY!" He ran into the kitchen.

Rainbow expanded both her wings, now having to block debris as well, to shield Twilight and began to lead her into the kitchen. Once Twilight managed to enter the kitchen, she looked back at Rainbow, who continued to urge her into the cellar, who face twisted in agony. Spike was waiting at the door of the cellar, which was the same color as the rest of the walls, and hurriedly gestured them inwards. Rainbow pushed Twilight in then ushered Spike in as well.

"DOES THIS DOOR HAVE A LOCK?!" She asked.

"YES!" Spike yelled back. "COME ON!"

Rainbow jumped in and Twilight shut the door, latching it shut. The cellar was small, only barely fitting the three. Old books, dust, cobwebs, and old gardening supplies like hoes and trowels adorned the walls. Gray moss was sporadically scattered along the ancient cement walls and a single light-bulb in the center of the room was the only source of light. They could hear the moaning protest of the giant oak tree, refusing to give way to the powerful winds that battered its strong, thick trunk. Twilight hugged herself and started to cry.

Rainbow Dash's ears lowered and she felt like crying too; for multiple reasons. She was crying, which was the main reason, but the town she came to know and love was about to be completely destroyed and ravaged by some out of control tornado, and she was here in a cellar with Spike and...her. She turned to Twilight, frowning. She watched Twilight cry, unsure of what to do: Stay here with her friend, or go out there and attempt to calm the storm, risking her life. Rainbow Dash was completely cut in half. She knew she should be here with her friend, but she knew she was supposed to go out there and save the town; it was her obligation. She had no idea who to be loyal to, and soon, tears begun to well up in her eyes as well. She knew that no matter what she did, she was picking sides, and she wished she could do both...she wished she could comfort her friend and save every pony else as well...

"Rainbow..." Twilight said meekly.

Rainbow quickly wiped the tears in her eyes and regain her composure. "Yeah, what is it?"

Twilight looked away at first, unsure if this was the time. She had finally looked into herself and found the answer she'd been looking for for so long.. She knew what it all meant. The feeling, the hug, the voice, the blush, she knew what it all meant. She loved Rainbow Dash. It was the only logical conclusion. The feeling...She hadn't recognized it then, because she never felt it before. Looking for answers in books was foolish of her, and only just earlier did it really hit her. The voice in her head...it was her. She could recall the voice now, and she was one-hundred percent sure it was her. The "mare she ought to be" was happy. She ought to be happy, a happy mare, one who followed her heart. Now, as she looked into her heart, all she saw was Rainbow.

She didn't know when she started to feel this way, but a part of her wanted to say that she felt like this the entire time, and only recently did something truly compel her heart to strive to bigger lengths to get her to realize it. That feeling...she knew it was love. She knew it because she felt it, and she felt it because Rainbow Dash was the one. She would've liked to believe that was the reason she never fell for any pony else, because it was waiting for just the right one, just the right pony to fill in everything she wasn't. That pony was Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash. That's all that was on her mind. Even the storm wasn't in the front now. All she could see was her beautiful eyes and her charming smile. She could only imagine her alluring disposition and her admirable stature. Twilight realized that she had been eyeing Rainbow closer than she had thought in all this time. She never wanted to be closer to any pony else, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bring herself to be any closer to Rainbow Dash, in fear that she might scare her away. She couldn't let her know of how she felt, she would be made fun of, ridiculed and shunned. A mare and a mare are not supposed to be together, that was what society deemed as "wrong", and Twilight couldn't take being shunned by every pony like that. She couldn't take it, but then, a thought had struck her. It was something that the voice had said moments before she awoke.

'It's not wrong, Twilight. It's-'

She couldn't remember what the last words were, but she didn't need to. She knew what the voice was saying, what she was saying. It wasn't wrong to love another mare, it was only natural. Love is an unstoppable force, one that shines brighter than Celestia's day, one that rivals the beauty of Luna's night, and the only thing that friendship is powerless against. Right then, she knew, that it was foolish to hide her feelings. She knew, that right then, she needed to open her heart, and take a chance. She turned to Rainbow and swallowed thickly. She scooted over to her, wiping the tears from her eyes, and looking into her eyes. Her wonderful, beautiful eyes.

"T-Twilight?" Rainbow held back a blush.

"Yes, Rainbow?" She said, smiling dreamily.

"Are-are you alright?" Rainbow gulped. 'Is-Is this it? Is it going to happen?' She thought hopefully.

"I'm-I'm just fine..." Twilight's heart was skipping beats like a broken metronome.

"You are? But, you were just-" She was interrupted by the feeling of lips against hers. At first, she didn't believe it, but when she looked down, she saw Twilight kissing her, passionately. Her heart began to flutter as she kissed her back, her eyes closed as she lost herself in the kiss.

Twilight continued, unable to stop herself. The kiss was sensual and romantic, the aching feeling that haunted her for so long seemed to now send surges of ecstacy throughout her body. She couldn't help but smile when Rainbow kissed back, and with more force than she anticipated. She was about to break the kiss when she felt a hoof trace the side of her face and wings surround them both. For that moment, Twilight forgot all about the storm, she forgot all about her problems, and she definitely forgot about Spike, who sat there gawking at the two. Right then, she didn't care if anything happened, so long as she was here with her, in her wings, embraced in an unbreakable kiss.

The two separated, a thin string of saliva the only thing connecting the two's lips now. They looked into each other's eyes and smiled warmly, both of them giddy and numb inside, and at the same time, safe and content. Both wanted to be locked in that moment forever, never breaking eye-contact, and never leaving each other's company. Together, their hearts beat as one, and their souls were forever linked, fastened by immense emotion, and powerful loyalty.

Chapter 4: All For Nothing

'Twilight...'
'W-Wait, here, again?'
'I see you've heeded my advice.'
'I have, and I've finally figured out who you are.'
'Is that what you think?'
'It's what i know.'
'Alright then, Twilight. Who am I?'
'You're me. My subconscious, my heart, my mind; the part of me I've neglected my whole life.'
'Hmph. It seems you really have looked into your heart.'
'I did, and I found her...I found my...my true love.'
'Yes, you did, however, be prepared.'
'Prepared for...what exactly?'
'Catastrophe.'

Twilight's eyes shot open and she found herself in the embrace of Rainbow Dash. The rhythmic, steady beating of her heart calmed her nerves and she gently nuzzled further into her fur, closing her eyes. She smiled as the mare shifted to allow Twilight more room to cuddle, and happily obliged. She breathed with her, matching in rhythm and pace. Her body seemed to be on the cusp of unconsciousness when Spike let out a weak cough. The sound was intensified by the immense quiet and small space. It made her jump, scaring not only her, but indirectly scaring Rainbow Dash as well, who only jumped because Twilight did.

Twilight and Rainbow both glanced at the weary-eyed Spike, silently scolding him. He sighed and gave a half-hearted nod of understanding and an apologetic frown. He lay himself on the cold ground, shivering. Twilight frowned and lifted him up with her magic, bringing him closer to Rainbow and herself. Rainbow opened a wing to create space for him, and Twilight gently set him in between them both. Spike then snuggled between the two, sniffling and giving a small smile of satisfaction. The two mares shared a look of contentment and kissed briefly before falling into peaceful unconsciousness.

[/hr]

The library tree was not faring well, however, out in the storm. The winds were much more ferocious than they ever had been; trees, larger than before, were being pulled from their roots and flown into the air, houses had their hay roofs torn to shreds, windows were shattered into a thousand pieces, and large debris flew through the town, polluting the air with millions of deadly projectiles.

The sky was dark, shadowing the town below, but seemingly infinite amounts of lightning strikes lit it and the foreboding clouds up. The rain turned to hail and it pummeled the town below. Ponies hid in their homes, some in others since theirs was destroyed, and hoped for the best. They prayed to both Celestia and Luna, begging for some reprieve from this onslaught of wind and rain.

As the storm's ferocity grew in both power and size, the tree's bent angle increased as well. Branches began to break off and join the rest in the cyclone of detritus while the trunk of the tree began to splinter and snap. Its groaning continued, denying the wind's demand for ruination. Its perseverance endured the abuse, but it was thinning quickly.

[/hr]

The three slept in harmony while the storm raged outside. They had grown accustomed to the tree's constant groaning, so it bothered them no more. For a few hours, they lay there in a heap of warmth and satisfaction. The three souls were happy in that moment, content. They each dreamed of their own paradise: Spike, in a world of gems; Rainbow, alone in the clouds with Twilight; and Twilight, in the situation she was now, slept comfortably.

Twilight stirred, disrupting Rainbow and Spike's dream, and opened her eyes. She noted that they were still in the cellar and, by hearing alone, she realized the storm was still going on. She sighed and went to raise her head up, but Rainbow put a hoof on it, pushing her back against her body. Twilight chortled and kissed her hoof. She then moved it away and carefully placed it on Rainbow's chest. She got up, stretched, and grumbled. Her back popped and she smiled.

She looked up at the cellar door and thought about opening it to check on the storm. She wanted to know if it had subsided, or if it was still raging. With curiosity proving triumphant over her better judgement, she unlatched it and reluctanly opened it. Almost immediately, the sound of bending and warping wood deafened her. She could see her entire begin to bend with the wind. Bookcases, dishes, glass, books, papers, and other miscellaneous objects covered the floor. The hardwood floor was only barely visible.

A tear came to her eye. Everything had been destroyed, and her home was only barely clinging onto the soil that allowed her home to exist. It was hanging on the cusp of life, and Twilight felt that the same applied to her as well. She thought that if she lost this library...If she lost her work...If she lost her home...She'd lose a part of herself as well. She put everything in here: Heart, mind, body, soul, all of it. She may not have planted the tree or made it into a house, but she did make it into what it was today, and that was everything that defined her.

As the groaning vibrated her ears, she couldn't help but cry. She couldn't do anything but watch it all be torn away, literally. Loud snaps seemed to confirm her worst fears, and out of a pinch of curiosity, she peered out the window. It was hard to see, given the thick wall of hail, but she thought she could see movement in the clouds.

Then lightning struck.

Twilight's heart fell and she gasped. She slowly backed away back into the cellar, her eyes burning the horrifying image into her mind. It was a solid black vortex of dirt and debris. It almost seemed to take up the entire horizon, which scared her even more.

"That...That tornado is going to destroy this town...It's...It's going to completely and utterly annihilate us...It's...It's over...It's all been for nothing..."

She shut the cellar door and balled on the rotten wood steps that led there. She weeped for all the lives that would be lost, she wept for all the lives ruined, she wept for her friends, and she wept for herself. She choked on her tears constantly, and eventually her throat began to throb, but she didn't care. She sobbed profusely; her face was soaked. Her eyes were irritated and at some points she thought she had ran out of tears to cry, but as soon as she thought of her friends, even one, she started up again.

Rainbow's ears flicked at the increasing foreign noise until eventually Rainbow opened her eyes, still in a daze and not entirely sure what the source of the sound came from. She rose from her spot on the floor, accidentally moving Spike, and looked around. Her eyes landed on Twilight and in a flash she was next to her, attempting to soothe her. She brought her close and ran a hoof through Twilight's mane.

Twilight let it all out. Burying her muzzle into Rainbow's chest, she allowed everything to come out. She needed to and Rainbow was obviously comfortable allowing her to do so. Twilight brought Rainbow as close as possible and sniffled. It had hurt to cry, but again, she didn't care. Her throat felt like she'd swallowed a few hot coals and her eyes felt like sand was thrown into them, but she kept crying. She didn't know what else to do, she thought of herself as a baby, a wimp, a weakling, but the tragedy that was inevitably going to befall the town was more than she could bear.

"Shh, Twi, it's alright, it's alright, what's bothering you? Did you have a bad dream or something?" She soothed.

"The-The storm, Rainbow. It's...The tornado is going to destroy the entire village...I saw it...I...I don't want anypony to die..."

Rainbow Dash wanted to gasp, freak out, and fly away, but she didn't even tense. She remained calm and collective. For her. "Twilight," she began. "How large is this tornado?"

"It's huge, Rainbow. Large enough to swallow Canterlot whole!"

"Sshh..." she petted her mane. "Don't worry about it, alright? I'll protect you. I'll protect you, ok?"

"Yes! Yes, please, Dashie...please..."

Rainbow shut her eyes tightly, trying not to cry and to put a brave face on for her. "Why don't you lay down Twilight? We're safe in here. Ok? Don't worry." She pulled her chin up and smiled into her eyes, kissing her passionately.

Twilight kissed back, her eyes closed and her heart beating again. They held the kiss for a while before reluctantly breaking apart. "Alright," Twilight said weakly. "I'll lay down...but what about you?"

Rainbow's heart shattered. She knew, but she couldn't tell Twilight. "I need to use the restroom." She lied. "I won't be but a second, alright?"

"Um..but, the storm..."

Rainbow Dash wore a confident, but plastic smile. Her heart had fallen into an abyss of depression and regret, but she did it anyways. "You think a simple storm is going to stop me? HA! Come on, Twilight, have a bit of faith!"

Twilight smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. "Alright, I trust you. I...I love you, Rainbow Dash, and be careful...please."

Rainbow kissed her and smiled. "I love you too, and don't you forget it, alright?"

Twilight nodded, nuzzling her. "Please, come back...please..."

Rainbow nuzzled her back, smiling, but utterly destroyed on the inside. "I promise you, alright? Just stay in here. No matter what. I won't forgive you if you don't."

Twilight giggled through choked tears. She sniffed and nodded, breathing on Rainbow's neck. "I'll stay here, I promise."

Rainbow nodded and headed up the stairs. Before she left she turned and winked at Twilight who smiled back. She turned, unlatched the door, and walked through. Twilight then hurriedly shut it behind her, sitting near it in case Rainbow needed back in quick.

[/hr]

As the door shut, and Rainbow was on the other side, she shed a tear. She had lied to Twilight. Horribly. She wasn't going to be back. She had to save everypony, her included. She looked around and found a paper and pen on the floor. She took the pen in her teeth and began writing. She wiped her eyes of tears as she wrote and tried to make it illegible. She grabbed a piece of glass in her teeth and stuck the paper into the wall next to the cellar door.

Once finished, she darted out the window, her face twisted into a vengeful scowl. The rain and wind didn't slow her down as tears streamed from her eyes. She headed straight for the tornado, a mixture of determination, sadness, and rage burning in her eyes.

Before she reached the tornado, she flew straight up and through the clouds. Her wings were already battered by the hail, but she pressed upward. The sky above the clouds was clear and she could see the funnel. She knew what she was doing was going to cost her her life, but she didn't care.

It was one life for hundreds.

She flew higher and higher, her wings pumping as hard as she could make them. She flew until the funnel was barely visible, and then she plummeted downwards. She narrowed her body and pumped her wings harder and harder, harder than she had ever before, and it had hurt. Badly. She continued nonetheless, feeling herself gaining more and more speed. She could feel herself breaking through the sound barrier as the funnel increased in size exponentially.

The pressure on her body was immense, the speed was incredible, and she smiled as a familiar rush of adrenaline coursed through her body. She knew this would work, she knew it in her heart, and like her parents always said:

Listen to your heart.

When she reached the top of the funnel, she broke through and produced the most powerful, forceful sonic-rainboom in all of Equestria's history. It was so powerful, that all the energy, magical included, in the storm seeped into the epicenter of the rainboom, and, in a wonderful show of the spectral plane, exploded. The force of the explosion reached the town, blowing a few buildings away and knocking a few trees over, but it was brief, and soon, the town fell into an eerie silence.

The explosion was heard from Twiilght's cellar and she opened it quick and looked outside. Her heart disintegrated as she saw all the colors of the spectra fill the sky and the clouds dissipate. Her knees wobbled and all of a sudden she couldn't seem to hold herself up. Her eyes filled with tears, and her vision fell into a warped, distorted state. She cried again, but not as much as before. Deep down, she expected this. She knew Rainbow Dash wasn't the type to just sit back and watch things happen this way. After all, that's one of the things that attracted Twilight to Rainbow; her loyalty to not just her friends, but to everypony.

She wiped her eyes, sobbing still, but unable to produce any more tears, and caught a glimpse of a paper stuck into the wall. As she turned to see it, she realized that a piece of glass was keeping it there, however the paper almost ripped free. She stood up and looked at it. Her heart rose as she recognized the writing. It was Rainbow Dash's. She read it quickly.

Dear Twilight,

I know you might be angry with me, and I understand that. I lied to you when I said I would come back. I know it was mean of me, but I had to, otherwise you woudn't have let me go. You and I both know that. I'm also sure you knew good and well I couldn't just sit back and watch all of Ponyville get destroyed. I wasn't going to let some lame storm come and take everything I came to know and love away from me. Twilight, you won't see me again. I had to do some REALLY awesome stuff to stop the storm, but know that I will always be with you, right there, in your heart. And remember, that no matter what, through wind or rain, through fire and brimstone, through Tartarus and back, I will always be at your side. Twilight I loved you for so long. I've wanted to tell you for weeks now, but only last night did I decide to make my move. Please, Twilight, forgive me. I know I'm breaking your heart right now, but I'd also like to think you're proud of me too. Remember Twi, my love, to always follow your heart.

Love Always, Even in Death,

Rainbow Dash

Twilight read the letter to herself. She didn't realize she was crying until she saw a blue feather fall from the back of the letter. She swallowed thickly and looked at the sky. She strained to get her lips to form a smile. She was proud of Rainbow, and even though she knew she would miss her immensely, she also knew that Rainbow was right, that she'd be by her side for the rest of her life. She knew now, that Rainbow had followed her heart, and it had saved everypony. The thought made her choke on her tears once more, but she remained smiling as a single tear snaked down the side of her face. She took the feather and went down to wake up Spike. It was time to begin rebuilding their home, and starting a new life with a new outlook. She didn't know what life was going to throw at her, but so long as she had that feather, she knew that she'd never be alone.