Knowing your friends

by haywire

Rating: teen
Tags: Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Romance, Adventure, Sad, Main 6
Length: 4461

Twilight decides to further her knowledge on the magic of friendship.

Twilight is shocked to realize her studies have kept her from being closer to her friends. In realizing this she decides to combine studies with spending more time with each of her friends. She will encounter some social situations and adventures no amount of studying or organization could prepare her for.

This is my first ever fan fiction and I love it already, there will be more to come :D!

Published 2012-04-26 18:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-07 07:01:44 UTC

Realization

“Hi Twilight!”
After recovering from the initial shock Twilight got to her hooves. Seeing Pinkie Pie she shrugged off reminding the pink pony that it startles most ponies when you randomly appear in their house.

“Hi Pinkie what are you doing here?” Pinkie practically exploded into a flurry of confetti.

“I’m giving EVERYONE an invitation to a party that I’m throwing for Rainbow Dash!”

Twilight looked distracted, she had always had this weird feeling when she saw Rainbow but dismissed it for now and snapped her attention back to the energetic earth pony.

“What for exactly?” Pinkie exploded for a second time, Twilight wondered to herself where the confetti continued to come from.

“You won’t believe it Twi! “Dash has been working on a breaking her old speed record!”
“Well she broke it!” Pinkie made several flying motions with her hooves. “She was all like ZoOOm right over us!” “You should have seen it!”

Twilight thought for a moment. “How long has she been trying to break her record?”

Pinkie looked shocked “Didn’t she tell you? It was her short distance flight speed record; she has been working on it for a long time now.”

Twilight was now deep in thought. “Hmm I’ve been studying on improving my teleportation distances…I just… I don’t know maybe I’ve just been hitting the books to much. ”

Always the optimist Pinkie had a huge grin. “Well Twi you’re not supposed to hit books! Anyway, I’ll for sure see you at the party!”

Twilight tried to respond but it was to late. Then the pink pony formally occupying her study space was gone, and had somehow not managed to rip the door off the hinges at the speed she had exited.

Twilight talked to herself as she thought. Pinkie is a strange pony at times... Then Her mind suddenly jumped to a more worrying subject. How did I know nothing about Rainbow trying to break a record? Realization struck her, she had slowly pushed aside her study of the magic of friendship. “Looks like I have a new study for the magic of friendship.”

“ I’ll be sure to write the princess tomorrow with my idea” Twilight thought for a moment then decided how she would execute her plan. She levitated a few things around and some random books and scrolls went flying across the floor then she found what she was looking for. She decided on lists, they’ve always been there for her when she has needed organization. That night she made a list containing all five of her friends so she could check each one off after she had finished her stay with them. And a second area on the list for notes and findings; She smiled to herself as she conquered another obstacle with organization.

Rainbow Dash was flying on her way to Twilights library, she wondered why Pinkie had asked her to go there and who knew with Pinkie. "What fun is a library? Well maybe besides pick up the new Daring book… Oh well maybe they'd get to prank Twilight” In her thought she almost collided with the library its self..She turned and smiled sheepishly to the ponies staring in horror just seeing a Pegasus nearly crash into a building at high speeds.

After holding in a slight limp she opened the door to the library and was blasted with a party cannon, followed by a unanimous cry of “SURPRISE!!!” from a crowd of ponies and there hung a banner saying ‘congrats Dashie!’.
Before Dash could respond Pinkie had pulled her into the crowd of ponies.

Twilight was still in shock. “This is why Pinkie must have said she would see me at the party…” Twilight made her way to Pinkie through the crowd “Pinkie!!” Pinkie spun around beaming at Twilight.

“yes?!” Twilight looked like Pinkie should already know what she was going to say.

“you didn’t tell me the party was going to be HERE,this is a library,libraries are supposed to be quiet.”

Pinkie thought for several seconds.“Well yeah, of course it’s a library I knew that! Its not a bakery or boutique or spa or barn or factory or restaurant or... ”

Twilight's right eye started to twitch, the purple as the Pinkie continued naming things the library was not. Finally the purple unicorn stuffed a hoof into the pink party ponies mouth, incredulously she continued trying to talk. “Pinkie..I mean it’s a library so it should be quiet. OK? Pinkie responded with a muffled response and a rapid nodding of her head. Twilight removed her hoof. Okey dokey lokey! It will be as quiet as can be after the party! Then pinkie was lost in the crowd of ponies.Pinkie fired a second round from the party cannon. -BOOM- After the streamers and confetti had cleared Twilight spotted Rainbow. “Hey rainbow! I want to ask you something.”

Dash leaned in closer to hear over the crowded party. “Of course Twi whats up?”

Twilight pondered her question. “Well it may come as a surprise but I wanted to see if I could spend some time with you.”

Rainbows mind raced. “Uh sure who wouldn’t right? How bout we meet tomorrow.”

Twilight smiled. “Okay! I’ll see you tomorrow Dash!”

Dash pulled her mind back together after Twilight had walked away.“She wants to spend time with me?! Did somepony tell her?”

Before the party- Dear, princess Celestia
I’ve decided to further my study in the magic of friendship. I plan to spend about a week with each of my friends furthering my knowledge of them and the magic of friendship. Hopefully this will lead to becoming closer to my friends!

Your faithful student – Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight walked out along the field her and Dash had agreed to meet at.She looked around for the cyan Pegasus. She spotted her in a cloud near by.“Rainbow!”

Rainbow Dash got up from her comfy cloud. “Hey egg head you made it! Whats up?”

Twilight smiled slyly. “Who was it that picked up that copy of daring doo two weeks ago?”

Rainbows mind raced for a comeback but Twilight continued on.

“Well the reason I asked you to come out here is...”

Rainbows heart raced faster.

“I feel I need to get to know my friends better.”

Rainbow crashed hard emotionally but it also came with a bit of relief knowing it wasn’t about ‘THAT’
.
“Oh..Quickly getting back to her confident attitude Rainbow responded“So you want to like study me or some thing?”

Twilight noticed the slight tension but shrugged it off as nothing. “Well you could put it that way… but it’s so maybe I could get closer with you...not just some 'study'”

Rainbow took Twilight by surprise taking off into the air at insane speeds and landed right next to her. “Ok twilight first thing I think we should cover is my awesomeness.”

Twilight jokingly face hoofed and laughed playfully.“Okay Dash first thing we will cover is your ‘awesomeness’.”

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MLP and all things related (c) Hasbro and Lauren Faust

Crash with me

Ch.2
"Rainbow, wait!"
"No!" Twilights pleas were too late too stall Dash in her mad dash towards her. Dash scooped Twilight up and blasted into the air!

The purple unicorn was frozen with fear, eyes shut tight.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. "It's more fun if you open your eyes Twi cmon you wanted to get to know me!"
"Flying is a big part of knowing me!"

Twilight cracked one eye open to peak at her surroundings…just air the clouds and Rainbow Dash. She mustered up the courage to fully open her eyes, they went wide as she realized there altitude.

"WE ARE REALLY HIGH UP"
Dash shook her head and gave her a comical smile. "Just notice that?"
"OK get ready!! Where going for a dive!

Twilight tensed and held tighter to dash. They fell straight for the ground, seeing the imminent impact approaching Twilight closed her eyes bracing herself. No pain came…"Did I die?" Then she heard Dash laugh.

"Nope your still alive, but if you don't loosen the death grip on me that might change for both of us. Rainbow shot her a quick smirk.
Twilight let her grip ease only slightly. "Better?"

"Yeah, I want to show you something!" Dash without waiting for a response from Twilight took off towards a mountain with a peak that pierced the clouds.
The flight there took Dash a bit longer than usual for her considering the extra weight she had with her.

___________________________________________________________________

Breaking through the top of the clouds they had made it to a Cliff side that jutted out of the side of the mountain.
Dash set Twilight down gently and then stared out at the setting sun.

Twilight attempted to regain her walking abilities after her flight but failed and fell on her back end. They both laughed. "You know Dash the time we've been spending together has been great."

Dash looked out to the view their journey her had provided them. Dash smiled. "Yeah it's kicked flank!"

Twilight got up and looked out where Dash was looking. "Wow…"

"I come here pretty often just to look at this view…you know Twi even the fastest flier in Equestria can doubt herself."

Dash smiled knowing twilight rolled her eyes at that first comment but then took on a bit more sincere demeanor.
"This view right here, shows me even when I doubt my abilities, I can be on top of the world." Dash gazes out at the sunset, a serene smile on her face.

"That no matter how hard the journey…its worth pushing on; because the reward of conquering those doubts makes me who I am and proves that nothing is out of our reach."

Twilight stared at the cyan Pegasus in amazement; she had never known Rainbow Dash to open up like that.

Dash spun around and looked at twilight. "Sorry if I got a bit too personal there…"

Twilight put a hoof on Rainbows shoulder and here purple eyes met Rainbows beautiful magenta eyes.
"Dash this is a beautiful view…and I know what you mean and I know it's hard to put those feelings in words."

___________________________________________________________________

They both just sat on the Cliff side together for a long while and watched as Celestia lowered the sun and Luna began to raise the moon.

Twilight had fallen asleep against Rainbow Dash. Dash looked over and her cheeks went bright red when while still sleeping Twilight naturally pulled her closer for warmth. Dash fought her wings from shooting up and kept them folded tightly to her body. She wasn't about to ruin it and wake her up then was to perfect.

Rainbows mind wandered in the time sitting there. She thought maybe she should tell twilight how she felt; it'd be better than finding out over a certain some pony know as Rarity slipping up. Her mind wondered about how great it might be if she told Twilight….or how bad it could end. She just needed the right time...her thoughts where interrupted by a slight wet feeling on her shoulder. Twilight had drooled in her deep sleep and it was now running down her foreleg. Dash grimaced
but couldn't help a small grin after.

"Okay…maybe it's time to wake her up."
Dash hoisted her up and started their flight to Twilights library.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight tried to leave her bed but quickly noticed she was tucked in tightly. As organized as she was she had always been a messy sleeper. Usually passing out reading or studying, something was different from her usual mornings.
She quickly retraced her steps.
"I was with Dash and she had shown me a favorite spot of hers… then I…FELL ASLEEP!
She got up hurriedly trotting down her stairs were she found Dash sprawled out on a mound of books…snoring.

She froze and processed her thoughts.
"Dash must've carried her home last night, had she tucked her in to??!"
She cautiously trotted up to the sound asleep Pegasus and softly pushed her with a hoof. "Rainbow…Rainbow…." She waited then decided to clop her hooves together loudly next to dash. –CLOP- "RAINBOW!!!"

Dash flew into the ceiling hard, then quickly came smashing down into the pile of books sending pages flying. Dash recovered from her daze holding her head with a hoof and one eye closed then responded with a why-in-Equestria-did-you-do-that-for kind of look.

Twilight rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and looked at the floor with an embarrassed look. "You wouldn't wake up…"

Rainbow Dash eyes went wide. "So you thought scaring the hay outta me was a better idea?"

Twilight couldn't hold back a huge grin that would have made Pinkie Pie proud. "It seems to have worked!"

It was silent while the two ponies stared at each other for a short period…Then both burst into laughter rolling on the floor.

After successfully keeping their sides from splitting and wiping the tears from their eyes; twilight asked what she was trying to before rainbow put a self-imprint of herself in the library ceiling. Twilight sent a flurry of questions at Dash.

"Did you fly me all the way home?? Did you sleep here last night and was I tucked in this morning?!"

Dash went to speak but just sat there with an open mouth. "Let me think for a second…Uhh yes I did um yeah I crashed here and yeah…I tucked you in...Should I not have?

Twilight suddenly felt bad for making it seem like she didn't want Dash here. "No no no no. I just had fallen asleep then woke up here to tucked in and my friend snoring on a pile of books. At the thought Twilight gave a small chuckle.

Rainbow Dash playfully exaggerated her story "OH you think THAT'S bad! You should have seen yourself last night! My foreleg was soaked with drool!"

Twilight lit bright red as Rainbow resumed her position on the floor laughing seeing twilight's expression. "Don't worry Twi it wasn't thaaat bad."

Twilight mentally face hoofed. "I can't believe I drooled on her…"

Quickly trying to change the subject she presented Rainbow Dash with her next idea. "Hey Dash this 'sleepover' gave me an idea…why don't you sleep at my house for a while? Can't get any closer if were living in the same building right?"

Rainbow Dash didn't give it a second thought. "Sure Twi! I'll crash here for a while!"

Twilight was happy Dash was so agreeable to the idea of being roommates for a while.

"Maybe she could tuck me in again? WHAT?! Did I just think that…?" Twilight got into a mental argument with herself. "No, I just want her staying here so I can get to know her at a closer level."

"Suuuure keep telling yourself that lover pony."

"Lover pony?? I'm not a 'lover pony' there are signs when a pony likes some pony else! I've studied books on romance, ponies get embarrassed easily around the other pony and have feelings they can't explain when around them. If I had a crush on Dash I'd..." Twilight recalled recent past experiences with Rainbow Dash. "Oh my Celestia…I have a crush on Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Lit Twilight

Rainbow Lit Twilight

“Twilight... Twilight!”

Rainbow Dash was trying to snap the purple unicorn out of her thought-induced daze.

Twilight’s attention was brought back to Rainbow Dash, her thoughts quickly being organized.

“Yes? Sorry I was… thinking deeply.”

“You were just sort of staring into nothing there for a while. You ok?” Dash chuckled.

Twilight quickly tried to respond, “Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking, is all.”

Rainbow Dash gave her a questioning look but decided to leave it alone.

“Well, what do you want to do today? I was thinking maybe we can go over some flight techniques, or…”

Twilight interrupted Rainbow to suggest a different idea. “How about we grab lunch instead? Then maybe we can spend some time around your house for the day.”

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her chin to resemble a thinking position. “Yeah, let’s do that! I can show you around my place. You still know that cloud-walking spell, right?”

Twilight cocked an eyebrow, a smirk setting on her face. “I’m not the type of pony that’d forget a spell, Dash.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and threw a hoof towards the ceiling. “Sorry, I forgot how much of an egghead you are.”

The cyan Pegasus brushed her hoof through her mane, smoothing it out, completely missing the roll of Twilight Sparkle’s violet orbs.

“Okay Dash, Sugar Cube Corner, then your place after?”

Twilight made for the library stairs to grab her saddlebag.

“Sure Twi! I’ll be there in ten seconds flat!”

Twilight smiled as she recalled the first time Rainbow Dash used that phrase, the day she met her. “I better hurry. Rainbow Dash is probably almost already there.”

Rainbow Dash arrived at Sugar Cube Corner as Pinkie Pie was bouncing excitedly with a tray of cupcakes. Each one was topped with a mound of neatly-sculpted frosting.

Rainbow Dash popped one into her mouth and almost passed out from the amount of sheer sweetness introduced to her taste buds.

“Pinkie, your cupcakes are awesome, as always! Do you have any real food though? Y’know, hay fries or wheat dogs?”

Pinkie’s jaw nearly dropped to the floor. For a normal pony this would have been physically impossible… but this was Pinkie Pie. “Dashie, you silly filly, I only use real sugar in my food, none of that fake stuff!”

Rainbow Dash shook her head and smiled. Good times from the past rushed through her mind, specifically all the pranks they’ve pulled. “Pinkie Pie, you truly are the most random pony I know!”

Then Pinkie disappeared from Rainbow Dash’s view leaving behind only a pink trail leading to the entrance.

Dash watched as the pink earth pony bounced next to Twilight informing her of how she and Gummy had defended an attack on the bakery by an evil cake she had accidentally baked earlier that day.

Twilight made her way to Rainbow Dash after Pinkie had decided she would throw a party for her victory against the cake and taken off to prepare the decorations and festivities.

Twilight laughed meekly. “You know Dash, there are around five-hundred and eighty calories in a cupcake… being Pinkie Pie-made I’d raise that number by a few hundred.”

The studious bookworm pressed further, drowning the last part of her sentence in sarcasm. “Not the diet I’d imagine for the best flier in Equestria.”

Rainbow popped another super sweet cupcake into her mouth and carried on talking through a mouthful of deliciousness. “Don’t… worry… so much... about it. I’ll burn all this off in just one flight to my house.”

Twilight ate one of the cupcakes herself. Her eyes opened wide as she was overcome by sugary sweetness.

“Oh yeah, speaking of your house, I forgot to get the balloon ready.”

“Pssshh! Balloon? Who needs that when you got these?” Rainbow Dash proudly flared her wings and gave a nod for Twilight to hop on.

Twilight hopped onto her back and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow.

They exited Sugar Cube Corner and headed for Rainbow Dash’s cloud home.

Rainbow and Twilight arrived at the cloud home after a short flight.

Twilight, even having seen it before, had always admired the Pegasus’ home. It was really well built and truly something to behold.

Before jumping off Dash onto the cloud below she performed the cloud walking spell. She landed on the white fluffiness below her; it was much different than any other surface she had stepped on before. It was fluffier and softer than anything she could think of. It almost looked bouncy but when she poked it with her hoof hesitantly she found it very similar to cotton yet somehow even softer.

“Dash, your home is amazing.”

Showing no sign of modesty Rainbow Dash wagged her head in agreement. “Yeah, it is pretty radical.” Then with a mischievous grin Dash formed a ball of fluffiness, taking aim at Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight was intently admiring the architecture of Rainbow Dash’s home when a sudden ball of soft cloud hit her between the eyes and evaporated.

Rainbow Dash fell to the cloud below in a hysterical mess.

“What the…” Dash doubled over as a hail of cloud puffs made contact before she could finish her sentence. Dash recovered and looked towards the direction of her assailant. The previously stunned Twilight Sparkle was standing there with fifty cloud puffs floating in her telekinetic grip. A big smirk devoured her face.

Dash shot into the air with a foreleg full of cloud. Attacking from the air, Twilight was hit with a few puffs but responded with an anti-air rapid fire approach. Dash gracefully dodged the barrage of projectiles. She performed a steep dive towards the cloud floor leveling herself with Twilight.

She sped towards the lavender unicorn, Twilight’s eyes went wide as Dash approached quickly letting go of her grip on the cloud puffs which floated harmlessly into the air. A split second later Dash crashed into her sending the two tumbling across the soft cloud in a jumble of cyan and lavender limbs. After the roll had come to a stop Rainbow Dash ended up on top of Twilight, pinning her down with her powerful athlete's physique.

“Hah! Gotcha! What now?”

The two stared into each other’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity to the two but was not actually longer than three seconds. Dash saw the raw emotion in Twilight’s eyes that expressed everything, all the feelings no amount of words could show. It was as if she was gazing into the very heart--the very being--of Twilight Sparkle.

Rainbow Dash was locked in a passionate staring contest with those bright, violet eyes from which a pure,white-hot burning desire shone through. Twilight closed her eyes and brought her head forward, forcing her lips against Dash’s.

The world around the couple melted into a pudding of feelings that had been bottled up for far too long. Rainbow’s eyes went wide and her wings flared. Twilight broke the kiss almost immediately after, both immediately looking away with flushed faces.

Each mare stood up awkwardly, still avoiding the other's gaze.

Twilight’s thoughts raced of what Dash would do. Would she hate her? Would she pretend like it never happened? The latter, she thought, was probably the most likely outcome.

“Rainbow Dash, I’m sorry, I didn’t…” She decided there was nothing that she could say that would make what happened any better.

“I’ll just go, Rainbow…” Twilight reluctantly turned. She started to walk the other direction, trying in vain to hide the tears starting to slide off her face. “I messed it up! With one stupid, egghead move I messed it all up! I didn’t think about kissing her it just happened. It felt so right though...”

Twilight felt a hoof on her back. It wasn’t one of anger, but of gentleness. Of love. She stopped. “Twi, wait!”

Twilight couldn’t believe that Rainbow Dash even wanted to touch her right now, let alone speak words to her.

“Maybe she wants to slap me before I go…”

Twilight turned to face Dash expecting a hoof across her face. She was pleasantly surprised to find two wet Pegasus lips pressed against hers instead. Twilight was utterly awestruck. Had Rainbow Dash really just kissed her, after everything that happened?

Rainbow Dash smiled at the lavender pony with her mouth hanging open and chuckled. “There go my plans of waiting for the right moment to tell you how I feel... ”

Twilight regained her senses after hearing Rainbow Dash. Still a bit shaken, she looked into Dash’s eyes, her own full of hope.

“You mean… ” Twilight didn’t finish her sentence. Not that she had to. Rainbow Dash knew exactly what she was going to say.

Equestria’s top flier scratched the back of her head with a hoof. “Yeah… for a while now. Judging by that kiss I’m going to say you’ve secretly liked me too?”

Twilight nodded and smiled. “Mhm!”

Rainbow Dash grinned and looked around. “It’s getting dark. I think you’ll like this. C’mon!”

Dash guided Twilight through her home. The organization freak was drowning in bliss. She found herself admiring the cyan Pegasus in front of her more than the interior of the magnificent cloud home.

Dash led her to the stairs, beckoning with a hoof for her to follow.

The stairs led all the way up to the top of the house. Dash pushed on a spot on the ceiling and an opening appeared in the cloud. The two love birds made their way through it and onto the roof. There was a breeze that made Rainbow Dash’s mane and tail whip across the sky, much to Twilight’s further swooning.

To the love-struck unicorn, Rainbow Dash seemed to radiate a light that illuminated the darkness surrounding them. Dash flopped down onto her back, sending a small swirl of cloud floating off. She looked up at her friend. “The view up here is awesome, am I right? Look at those stars!”
Any cold present when the wind hit Twilight simply vanished with the look Rainbow gave her. She fell on her back, right next to the object of her desires. The stars really were beautiful from up there; like professionally cut diamonds, crafted by Rarity herself, they shone against the pitch black sky.

The two ponies laid there next to each other admiring the beauty of the night sky Luna had brought. Twilight wondered if she should hold Dash’s hoof or move closer. It was as if Rainbow Dash had read her mind.

She put a wing under Twilight and pulled her close. Twilight heated up both from Rainbow Dash’s warm embrace and the emotions of pure happiness surging through her.

The moment was absolutely, positively, unequivocally... perfect.

Authors notes.

I wanted to leave some notes for any interested. First I want to thank any readers that have been following this story (its not over yet either :p). I appreciate it more then you can imagine. I want to thank some others to. First the amazing Whatsup818 a.k.a Specialtypizza for supporting me this whole way( and is continuing to do so :p), shooting me extremely helpfull tips, putting up with my horrible quotation habit, editing parts of my stories and being awesome in general. I'd like to thank OneLonelypony for going through and editing this story. I appreciate it, you do a fantastic job of editing. Lastly I'd like to thank the pony community, every one here is awesome!

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MLP and all things related (c) Hasbro and Lauren Faust