"8:30" read the clock on Twilight's nightstand. She moaned, then slumped out of her bed. Normally she would sleep in later, but today she had made plans with Rainbow Dash.
She came downstairs to the smell of hay pancakes. She inhaled deeply.
"Spike sure is a good cook. Not good enough to make up for the sleep I'm losing, but still pretty good."
She followed the wonderful aroma into the kitchen. Sure enough, Spike was there, slaving over some pancakes.
"Hiya Twilight! Made you some breakfast so you wouldn't be late for Rainbow Dash!"
"Thank you Spike. That was very considerate, but how early did you wake up to make those?" She gave him an inquisitive look to match her question.
"Um..." DING went the timer. "Gotta flip the pancakes!" He said and hurriedly started doing so.
"Spike, I've told you, no waking up early. You are a baby dragon and need your sleep."
"I know Twilight, but I'm just trying to be helpful."
"I know. And I appreciate that. But you simply must get more sleep."
"OK, no more waking up so early. You excited about your day with Rainbow Dash?"
"As excited as I can be this early in the morning," she said as she sat down and helped herself to some pancakes.
"What's the occasion?"
"She wouldn't tell me. She kept saying she just wanted to hang out, but taking a walk through the park in the morning? That's not normal," she explained as she finished her meal. "She has something planned."
"Well, whatever it is, I hope you enjoy it. You two don't spend too much time together alone."
"No we don't, and I wish we did. Well, I've got to fix my mane. See you when I get back." And with that she got up from the table and made herself presentable. After she felt less monstrous, she grabbed her crown and left for the park.
Something was bothering Rainbow Dash. If there had been any question of it before, now it was all gone. She had arrived early and was sitting on a bench instead of flying. Twilight was worried.
"Hay Rainbow Dash, I'm over here."
"Oh, heya Twilight. I've been waiting for you. Not that its your fault, I was early," she explained hurriedly.
"I saw. Is there something bothering you?"
"Um... Let's walk and talk. There's a really nice path this way," she said pointing at the nearby forest that would hold the Running of the Leaves in two weeks. It was a beautiful combination of reds and oranges.
"Sure," responded Twilight as they began to trot down the path.
Once they had left the earshot of the other ponies, Twilight asked once more, "So what's bothering you Rainbow?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to go for a walk. Exercise and all that," she said unconvincingly.
"I don't believe that for a second. You woke up early, got to the park early, and whatever you're upset about has got you too worried to fly around. What's on your mind?"
"Um..." She swallowed heavily. "I got a letter today in the mail. It said that... It said that I was getting drafted."
"Oh." Twilight knew that the war with the changelings was bad, but nopony had told her that they'd instituted the draft. "I can see why your nervous about that."
"I'm terrified! Even if I don't get killed, I'm not going to see any of my friends for 6 months at least."
"How do you know it's only you?"
"I asked everyone except you. I figured that they wouldn't draft a princess."
"I see. So, why did you choose me of all ponies to talk about this to?"
"Because you're researching friendship, so I figured you would know a lot about emotions. I'm worried about fighting, I'm already feeling lonely, and I'm nervous about telling my parents."
"I know it's hard. You're going to be in the Badlands for half a year, not seeing anypony from home, not getting to see your home. It's tough, and unfortunately there's not much I can say. I've never had something like this happen before."
Rainbow Dash trotted silently for a bit. "There's something else too. Something related to the letter."
"What?"
"Um... I've kinda been wanting to ask Big Mac out, but I don't know what to say. I've never actually asked someone out before," she confessed, blushing.
"I am your dear friend, and want to help you in anyway I can. But I cannot let you ask him now."
"What?! Why not!?!"
"Because you're overemotional because you're being drafted, it's putting way too much pressure on him to say yes, and you wouldn't see him for half a year. Now is not the time to ask, no matter how much you want to."
Rainbow stopped suddenly. "Twilight, I'm about to spend six months fighting changelings in the bad lands, and I may never come home. This might be my last chance, and I want to ask him."
"I understand. You want to ask him. But you're forgetting that afterwards he has to respond with something. And I don't think you're going to enjoy that part. It's not worth it, and it's not fair to him."
"IT'S NOT FAIR TO ME THAT I'M GETTING SUCKED INTO THIS STUPID WAR! I'm sorry I yelled. I'm just so upset at this entire thing. I'm gonna get killed, gonna be stuck away from my friends, not gonna ever get to ask him, and I just really hate it."
"I know it's hard. I can't say that I know what you're feeling, because I don't. I've never had something like this happen before. But I can over you a shoulder to lean on."
Rainbow Dash hugged Twilight. "Thanks Twi. It means a lot," she said as she let a single tear streak down her face.
They stood there for the longest time, silently as the leaves fell around them. Then, Rainbow Dash pulled her head up. "I'm going to miss you Twi. I'm going to miss all of you guys. Promise me you'll write."
"I will. Everyday. I'll tell you about everything, all your friends will we'll support you through all of this. We'll be her waiting for you when you get back."
"I might not co--"
"STOP!" Twilight allowed herself to cry now "Don't talk like that! You will get home, and we will be waiting for you! You are Rainbow Dash, best flier in all of Equestria! You can handle a few changelings."
"Thank you Twilight. I needed this. I have to go get packed. I ship out tomorrow."
"We're going to miss you Rainbow. We all will."
"I'm going to miss you all too." And with that, she flew off to keep Twilight from seeing her second tear.
"I'm going to miss her. We never had any real one on one time, but nevertheless I won't go a day without wanting her back." Twilight said aloud.
She took her time returning. She wasn't in the mood to talk yet. The whole thing had drained her. It certainly was An Interesting Walk in the Park.
