If there was one thing Twilight and Spike’s new crystalline home had over the Golden Oaks Library it was that the immaculate floors were more durable. The Golden Oaks Library had received several floor replacements due to Twilight’s habit of wearing literal trenches into the wood when she nervously paced around.
At this moment, the castle floors were enduring another one of Twilight’s panic attacks as she trotted circles around the room, suffering no more than a few scuff marks that could easily be polished away.
If only Twilight was faring as well as her floor. While the studious alicorn was getting better, she was still prone on overthinking things and working herself into a nervous frenzy. She had lost track of time as she stewed in her thoughts over upcoming events.
Suddenly, the obnoxious blaring of an alarm clock rang through the room, interrupting her thoughts and halting her in her tracks.
“Aaand time’s up, Twilight. Panic time is over.”
“What? Already?”
“Yep,” Spike confirmed. “Your fifteen minutes to panic over your next date with Rainbow is up.” The dragon shook his head. “Still can’t believe you actually allotted time for that. That’s just weird.”
“What’s wrong with that? Everypony, including you, told me I should try to figure out ways to manage my stress better.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “I don’t think putting panicking on a schedule is what any of us had in mind. Anyway, are you done or not? You don’t want to be late, do you?”
“Oh my gosh, you’re right!” Twilight exclaimed, swiftly closing her eyes. She took in a deep breath, raising a hoof to her chest, and then slowly let the air out, extending her hoof back out in front of her. She repeated the motion several times, pushing away her anxiety, until she felt the bulk of her nervousness died down.
“Better?” Spike asked when her breathing had calmed down.
“Yeah, much,” Twilight announced, opening her eyes back up.
“Why don’t you just do that instead of getting all worked up in the first place?”
“Because studies have shown that is vital for ponies in a relationship to know and understand their partners, so by analyzing and anticipating as many possible outcomes that may happen and factoring in behavioral patterns, I can—”
“Yeah… I think you’re just making stuff up to worry about.”
Twilight shot her assistant a frown. “Just get back to the checklist.”
Spike stifled a snicker before pulling out a quill in one claw and a scroll that unraveled to the floor in another. “Let’s see… panic time… check,” he said, marking it off on the scroll at the same time. “Well, looks like all that’s left is to finish the triple check of what you’re taking to the picnic and then you’re done.”
“Great!” Twilight cheered as she used her magic, spilling out various items from a picnic basket on the nearby table. “Ready?”
“Ready!” Spike confirmed, raising the quill.
“Blanket?”
“Check!”
“Cider from Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Check!”
“Sandwiches?”
“Check!”
“Triple-decker nut crazy vanilla creme cookies?”
“Check!”
“And last but certainly not the least…” Twilight said in a quieter voice, opening up a small rectangular box. A long purple feather floated up, gently gripped in her magic, as she slowly spun it around and throughly examined it. Not a single blemish nor an out of place barb marred the pristine plume. It was a perfect feather. Her perfect feather.
“You think she’ll accept it?” Twilight asked, feeling twinges of worry starting to surface again.
“I’d be surprised if she didn’t,” Spike replied. “After all, you two have been dating for a long time.”
“But what if she does say no? What if this is too much for her? What if I’m not good enough for her?” Twilight continued asking, her anxiety bubbling up once again. She tried to repeat the breathing technique Cadance taught her, but this time, it was doing very little to alleviate her fears.
Spike sighed. “Twilight, you’re a princess. I don’t think Rainbow’s ego is that big to think she’s better than a princess. Besides, do you really think she would hang around you so much if she didn’t like you?”
“I guess… Still, I sometimes wonder how the two of us could be so different and yet be so close.”
“I know, right? You prefer shutting yourself in your books, reading and researching stuff, while Rainbow likes to be outside doing more cool and actiony stuff. You two are like exact opposites!”
“Thanks, Spike,” Twilight said in a dry tone. “That helps soooo much.”
“Hey, I do what I can. But seriously, none of that matters. The important thing is that you guys make each other happy and care for each other.”
“Thanks, Spike,” Twilight said with a smile, feeling her doubts wash away. Leave it to Spike to always be ready to help reign in her worries. She could not imagine a better number one assistant.
“Although,” Spike added with a smirk, “you could stand to get out and exercise a bit more like Rainbow. You do seem to be packing a few more pounds.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. Then again, she would not mind an assistant with a bit less snark. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I could say the same thing with you. I know you have been sneaking snacks up to your room.”
“W-what makes you say that?” Spike asked, a blush appearing on his cheeks.
“I can hear you chomping away at stuff in the middle of the night through the walls. The castle’s solid. Crystal. Walls.”
“Oh…”
Twilight flashed a smirk of her own at the increasingly reddening dragon before turning her attention back to the object still hovering in her magic. “Anyway, back to the checklist. Feather?”
“Um, right. Check. Well, that’s everything. You’re all set for your date.”
“You sure you don’t want to come?” Twilight asked as she carefully tucked the feather back into the box and packing it, along with all the other items, into the basket. “While I’m going to be busy with Rainbow, I’m sure there’s something fun you can do at the Harvest Festival. I also heard this year’s fireworks is going to be the biggest yet.”
“Meh,” Spike replied with a wave of a dismissal claw. “I don’t want to be around you two when things get mushy. Besides, I got a bunch of Power Ponies comics I’ve been dying to read.”
Twilight chuckled as she made her way outside, picnic basket in tow. “Alright then, just don’t stay up too late. Bye, Spike.”
“See you, Twilight! Good luck!”
Right before Twilight closed the castle door, she yelled back, “And don’t pig out on snacks again!” A grin sprouted on her face when she was rewarded by a loud groan.
Taking a deep breath, Twilight started making her way to the outskirts of Ponyville where the celebration was being held. Other ponies were heading in the same direction as her, but other than a simple greeting, they left the purple princess alone. Alone with her thoughts, it did not take long for Twilight’s mind to wander back to her feather.
Having spent most of her life as an introverted unicorn, Twilight never paid too much attention to other ponies, let alone the customs of pegasi. Even when she later opened up to others because of the magic of friendship, she took on a more hooves on approach, learning friendship lessons by interacting with her friends while also developing her social skills.
However, when she and Rainbow started dating, things evolved to a whole new level, sending Twilight into distress. She was still learning about friendship and now that she had to also add love, it became a bit overwhelming. Juggling her relationship with her new marefriend along with everything else caused her to fall back to her beloved books for guidance.
Obsessing over doing everything by the book led to many confusing and embarrassing moments for the two of them. Despite all that, Rainbow still stuck by her, and so Twilight eventually learned that she had to follow her heart, along with a bit of advice from her friends, instead of relying on printed words. Since then, she had never consulted her books on dating. That is, except for one subject she did read that never left her mind.
She had found out that pegasi had a longtime tradition of gifting their primary feathers. All pegasi had only a few primaries at any given time, and they were very precious. They were a big influence on how the wings interacted with the air, and on top of that, they took a long time to regrow them. Giving them away was a gesture of deep respect, trust, and most of all, love. To many pegasi, such a gesture was a big step in any serious relationship.
After her ascension to an alicorn, Twilight was both thrilled and terrified that she was able to participate in the ritual. Of course, Twilight being Twilight, she wanted everything to be perfect. After months of changing her diet, extensive wing cleaning, and painstaking measurements, she finally selected the perfect gift for Rainbow.
The sounds of many other ponies started to fill the air, letting Twilight know that she was getting close. The trip did not take too long, even accounting the numerous times she stopped to check that her precious cargo was still inside the basket. When she made it to the clearing, she could see that at least half the town had already congregated in the grass, setting up their own picnics and games.
Wanting a bit of privacy for their date night, Twilight picked out a spot on top of a small hill. It was distant enough so that they would not be disturbed by a lot of noise, while also providing a better view of the upcoming fireworks.
It only took a moment of Twilight’s magic for a blanket to be spread upon the grass and then lined with all the food and beverages she packed. After taking a moment to carefully tuck her present into the corner of the basket, she sat down and looked up, scanning the skies for her marefriend.
Twilight patiently waited, even when the time they agreed to meet up had ticked away. While she knew Rainbow well enough to know that the brash pegasus was a bit notorious for being late, she remained calm. Rainbow would come. She always would.
“Boo!”
“YAAAH!” Twilight screamed, rocketing high up into the air. She quickly spun around, glaring down at the blue pegasus rolling in laughter on the ground. “Rainbow! Why do you keep doing that?!”
“Because… it’s… fun!” Rainbow replied amidst her chortles.
Twilight rolled her eyes, channeling her magic through her horn.
“H-hey, s-stop that!” Rainbow cried out as patches of glowing magenta covered her body and her laughter intensified.
“But I thought you wanted to have fun. I thought you liked to have a good laugh,” Twilight replied with a devious grin, looming above her ticklish victim.
“N-no… fair!”
“You know what you have to say, Dashie.”
“N-never!”
“Oh look, it seems I forgot about your hooves.”
“Okay! Okay! I’ll say it!”
Twilight’s horn finally stopped glowing as Rainbow stopped writhing on the floor and gasped for breath.
“So?” Twilight asked.
“You’re… my… pretty… pony… princess…”
Twilight giggled and helped pull Rainbow back up on her hooves.
“You and your magic,” Rainbow grumbled.
Twilight’s horn started shimmering again.
“You and your magic that’s so awesome and would never ever be abused on your marefriend,” Rainbow quickly amended.
Twilight giggled again and was promptly met by Rainbow sticking out her tongue. A moment later, she let out a hum of satisfaction when Rainbow leaned in and nuzzled her.
“Sorry for being late,” Rainbow apologized. “Had to spend a bit of extra time making sure things would be clear for tonight.”
“Don’t worry about it. I bet you’re hungry though,” Twilight replied, pointing to the spread she brought.
“Aw yeah! You’re the best, Twi!” Rainbow cheered before diving into the food.
Twilight smiled and joined her marefriend, albeit at a more sedate pace. When Rainbow finished her initial binge and started to slow down from keeping her mouth full, they begun talking. They went over many topics, ranging from Rainbow’s best tricks, Twilight’s newest research, any noteworthy events, and even Pinkie’s latest party-based weaponry. It did not matter what they were discussing. They were just happy to be together and listening to each other.
Their conversation was interrupted by a flash in the sky, and they both looked up to see that the fireworks had started. Silence fell between them, letting the booms of the colorful explosions above them and the faint cheering of the other ponies below fill the air. Twilight leaned into Rainbow’s shoulder and happily sighed when she felt a wing drape over her.
They continued to watch the dancing of lights go on, each moment of the show growing more and more fantastic, but Twilight’s attention eventually started drifting back to what still laid in the basket.
Presenting her gift would prompt Rainbow to either accept it and bring them even closer together, or refuse it and possibly bring a halt to their relationship. Although Twilight knew that the former was more likely to happen, the fear that the latter outcome weighed far heavier on her mind. Before Rainbow arrived, she had prepared herself to follow through with the task, but now that she was safely enveloped in her lover’s wing, she did not want to risk losing out on that nor the other amazing moments they share together. The temptation to simply wait for another night crept up. She would just do the deed when she was more ready, and there was a better, safer moment.
But what if that moment never came? What if she never worked up the courage?
It was possible their relationship could remain in its current state for an indefinite amount of time, but Rainbow was too special to allow their bond to stagnate. Twilight wanted their love to keep on growing, even though she did not know where it would lead. Each step further strengthened their bond and brought happiness to them both.
Twilight took a deep breath. She had planned to make this their moment, and she was going to seize it.
“H-hey, Rainbow?”
“Hmm?”
“I… I have something to give to you.”
Rainbow looked away from the fireworks, giving her full attention to Twilight. “Oh cool, you got me a gift?”
“Um yeah, you could say that,” Twilight replied, using her magic to bring the box into her hoof. “It’s actually something I’ve been preparing for months.”
“Knowing you, it’s probably because you went all crazy making sure it was absolutely perfect,” Rainbow teased.
Twilight giggled nervously, a blush appearing on her face. “Y-yeah, you could say that.”
Rainbow wrapped her hooves around her, bringing her in for a hug. “Aww, you know I’m kidding, egghead. It’s awesome that you went through so much trouble to get me something. So, what did you get me?”
“I… I hope you like it,” Twilight replied. Please like it. Please like it. Please like it. Oh my gosh, I don’t know if I’m ready for this.
Rainbow grabbed the box but frowned when she could not pull it away. “Um, Twi? You can let go now.”
“R-right! Sorry!” Twilight squeaked, relinquishing her prize.
Rainbow opened the box, and her eyes widened when she saw what was inside. “Whoa… is this… is this what I think it is?”
“It’s… It’s one of my feathers,” Twilight answered, taking a deep breath before continuing. “A primary to be exact. I know that pegasi give them to ponies who are really close to them, and now that I’m part pegasus now, I wanted to give one to you.
“Rainbow, I’ve never been happier since we started dating. You make me feel special, and not just because I’m a princess or a savior of Equestria. You like me for being me. I want you to have this feather because you mean so much to me, and I want us to be together for the rest of our life.”
Twilight let out a huge sigh of relief after her confession, but the tightness in her chest returned when she saw the pegasus was still silent and had her eyes glued to her gift. She gulped, anxiously awaited a response from Rainbow. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity of fear and doubt.
“R-Rainbow?” Twilight quietly asked when she could not bear the wait anymore.
“You… you actually gave me your feather,” Rainbow whispered.
“Y-yes.”
To Twilight’s horror, Rainbow bursted out laughing. What was usually a joyful sound to hear never felt so cold.
She’s laughing… She’s actually laughing… All because what I did was so ridiculous. Tears started to flood Twilight’s eyes as Rainbow’s laughter continued to ring through the air, each guffaw feeling like a blow to her heart. I should have never done this. I’m… I’m so stupid…
No longer able to look at her now likely ex-marefriend, Twilight averted her gaze to the ground, letting her tears freely drip onto the grass below. She quietly sobbed, feeling herself grow hollow and weak.
She barely noticed the noise die down, but she definitely felt the hoof that rested on her shoulder. She tried to get up to move away, but the hoof gently pushed her back down.
“H-hey, why are you crying?”
“Y-you… you think I’m stupid.”
“What? No! Why would you think that?”
Twilight looked up into Rainbow’s face. Instead of seeing anger or scorn, she found only worry and concern. “B-but you laughed at my feather.”
“Oh horsefeathers, I…” Rainbow sighed and bowed her head in shame. “I’m sorry, Twi. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just couldn’t help it. What you gave me was the most awesomest thing ever.”
“I-it is?” Twilight replied, wiping away her tears. “Then why did you laugh?”
Rainbow sighed again. “I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at myself.”
“Yourself? What do you mean?”
“Because you’re a lot braver than me.”
Twilight cocked her head. “I still don’t understand.”
“Here, maybe this will explain things.” Rainbow pulled out a small box from under one of her wings and presented it to Twilight.
Twilight took the container in her magic and opened it. What she saw made her gasp and almost drop it.
Inside was a perfect, blue feather that unmistakably belonged to the pegasus sitting right in front of her.
“Guess we had the same idea for tonight,” Twilight heard Rainbow say as she gawked at the unexpected turn of events. “I was actually all nervous about it and almost backed down, but then you went ahead and beat me to the punch. Should’ve figured though, since you’re the only pony more awesome than me. So how about it, I’ll accept your feather if you’ll take mine?”
Twilight was finally able to rip her attention away from her present to look at her marefriend. Tears once again started to flood out of her eyes, but this time for a much different reason. Before any of them knew it, Twilight had tackled Rainbow to the ground in a hug, chanting, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”.
They rolled around in the grass, laughing and hugging. They eventually stopped with Twilight on top, lovingly staring at each other.
Twilight leaned down for a kiss, and Rainbow met it in full force. Fireworks went off in both the literal and metaphorical sense as they locked lips at the same time as the grand finale of the pyrotechnics in the sky going off. But the show above them went unnoticed. When they broke their kiss, all they had eyes for was for each other.
“I love you, Rainbow.”
“I love you too, Twilight.”
And so, with an exchange of words, of kisses, and feathers, two hearts were bound together.
