I'll Do Anything for You

by The Abyss

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Scootaloo, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Drama
Length: 80056

Twilight and Rainbow have just started a new life with their newly-adopted daughter, Scootaloo, but the filly’s old parents have returned with a vengeance.

A budding love, a new family.

Rescued from her horrible parents by Twilight and Rainbow, Scootaloo begins a long journey of recovery from the years of mental and physical abuse. Now Rainbow’s and Twilight’s adopted daughter, she looks forward to what the future has in store for her. However, Scootaloo's happiness and her life are at risk now that her parents have escaped from prison, fully intent on revenge.

Meanwhile, Rainbow and Twilight try to make their relationship work as they face the difficulties of raising a filly together. To accomplish their dream of a happy family, they all must face numerous challenges that will test the strength of their love and friendship.

Published 2015-08-29 00:10:03 UTC
Last updated 2023-03-31 14:31:17 UTC

Unbridled Love

“Goodnight, Scootaloo.” Rainbow smiled down at her and laid a small kiss on the filly’s forehead. She had just tucked Scootaloo into bed after an exhausting day of flying lessons. It was already well past her bedtime, but the last chapter of the newest Daring Do book had kept them all up late. Spike had passed out against Twilight’s side as she had read the last chapter out loud for everyone down in the library, a fact that had made Rainbow giggle. He had looked so cute all snuggled up under Twilight’s wing. “That sure was a good book, wasn’t it?”

“Mhm...” Scootaloo smiled and closed her eyes. She stretched out under the covers and yawned, then curled up. “Oh, and thanks for the flying lessons today; I had a blast!”

“Yeah, me too. You’ll get up in the air with me one day, I promise,” Rainbow said, her voice soft and full of love. She brushed a few stray strands of hair out of Scootaloo’s face then gently nuzzled her cheek. “And then we’ll soar through the clouds for as long as you want to.”

“And maybe take naps on them as well?”

“Pfft, totally! That’s like the best part of being a pegasus. Well, aside from flying fast of course.” Rainbow slid off of Scootaloo’s bed. “Now get some rest, okay? I’m pretty busy tomorrow, so do you want to train the next one after that?” Scootaloo nodded happily. “Hehe, and when we’re done, I’ll show you how awesome it is to nap up there! Doesn’t that sound great?”

“Yeah, it sounds awesome, Rainbow! I can’t wait! And, um... can you maybe hold me with your wing?” she asked hopefully. “You know how much I like that...”

“Definitely.” Rainbow smiled and kissed Scootaloo’s forehead. “Now don’t stay up too late, okay?”

“Okay.” Scootaloo rolled over and made herself comfortable. “See you tomorrow,” she said with a small yawn.

“See ya, squirt...” Using her wing, she flicked off the magical lights and turned on the fan, just how Scootaloo liked it. Rainbow cast one last look over her shoulder as she stood in the doorway, and right as she was about to go find Twilight, she heard Scootaloo mumble something. “Say somethin’?”

Scootaloo sleepily cracked an eye open and smiled at her. “Um, I said I love you, Rainbow.”

Rainbow was momentarily taken aback. She blinked a few times as she straightened out her thoughts. Woah... she’s never said that before. Happiness flooded into her, sending tears of joy into her eyes. She cleared her throat and wiped her eyes, then winked at her and smiled. “Oh, I love you, too, Scootaloo.” Rainbow turned and closed the bedroom door, the latch making a soft click.

Rainbow giggled and shook her head. She began to turn but stopped short as she found herself muzzle to muzzle with Twilight. “Oh, hey Twilight. Ready for bed?” she asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. A soft blush tinted her cheeks a rosy pink as she looked up into Twilight’s eyes. This was the part of the day that she looked forward to the most, for it meant that she got to snuggle with her favorite pony in all of Equestria.

“Sure am.” Twilight nuzzled her, then yawned softly. She draped a wing over Rainbow’s back and pulled her up against her side. “Come on, let’s get to bed.”

“Well, I’m not gonna say no to that.” Rainbow chuckled as she let Twilight guide her into their bedroom. She used to call it her bedroom, but Twilight slept in it so often that they just started calling it their bedroom. Twilight used her magic to pull the sheets back and they slid in on opposite sides, meeting in the middle of the bed.

“So... do you want to be the big spoon tonight, or do you want to be the little spoon again?” Twilight asked with a soft smile, running her hoof through Rainbow’s mane. She made herself comfortable and stuck her hind legs under the covers.

Rainbow brought a hoof up to her chin as she thought. “Um... can you be the big spoon again? I really love it when you, er...” She glanced away, only to have Twilight gently guide her to look back at her.

“You love it when I what, Dashie?” Twilight asked with a sly grin.

Rainbow bit her lip, then looked back into Twilight’s eyes. “I... I just love it when you hold me,” she said softly, her blush deepening.

Twilight nuzzled her cheek. “Good, because I love it too.”

“Awesome... So anyways, you know what Scootaloo said to me after I tucked her in?”

“What? She call you an egghead for liking books like you used to call me?”

“Nah...” Rainbow chuckled again. “She told me that she loved me. She’s never said that before, and...” She trailed off as she tried to come up with a way to finish her sentence that wouldn’t make her sound all mushy.

“Hm?” Twilight prompted after several seconds of silence.

Rainbow awkwardly cleared her throat. Well, I might as well go ahead and say it... “Aaaaaand it meant a lot to me.” She thought that Twilight would poke fun at her, but instead she felt her grab her hoof. “There, I said it. Now you got me saying all this sappy stuff.”

“So?” Twilight asked as she rubbed Rainbow’s hoof. “I think that’s wonderful. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the sappy you.” She laid a kiss on her cheek. “Oh! And Scootaloo hasn’t had a nightmare for... how many weeks now? I’ve been meaning to ask for a while, but I’ve just been so busy.”

“It’s been about a couple weeks, maybe a day or two more.” Rainbow slid closer to Twilight and settled down on her side. “I’m glad she’s stopped having them, you know? I was afraid we’d have to bug Princess Luna to get involved.”

“Yeah... I’d be fine with asking her to watch over Scootaloo for a few nights, but for a couple weeks? Maybe a year? I don’t think it would be proper to ask that of her.”

“But what if it came to that? What if she starts having nightmares every night? I don’t want Scootaloo to be afraid of going to sleep.”

“Well, I guess we’d figure it if we ever got to that bridge,” Twilight said. “I just hope that it doesn’t come to that.”

“Yeah, same.” Rainbow laid her head down on the pillow and waited until Twilight did the same. “So get this! Rarity said that she could have the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike over for a sleepover tomorrow night. You know what that means, right?”

Twilight’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened. “Do we finally get to go on our first real date?”

“You know it!” Rainbow giggled and slid closer, a mere inch separating her muzzle from Twilight’s. “And you know where we’re going? The best place in town, that’s where! I already got us a reservation at that cute little place that you like at seven.”

“Oh, this is going to be awesome!” Twilight lifted her head from the pillow and rolled onto her belly. She grabbed Rainbow’s hooves in her own, holding onto them tightly. “To be honest, I never thought that we’d get around to this with all of our responsibilities, and on top of that, I’m gonna have to clear my schedule for tomorrow night, which means I’m gonna have to move what I was going to do to the next night, and I—Mmpf!”

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she felt Rainbow’s lips brush against hers. Her ears fell flat against her head and she blushed furiously, her eyes drifting shut. Those gloriously soft lips made all of the tension melt from her body. She smiled and pushed back a little, only to have Rainbow take the lead. Twilight melted into the kiss as Rainbow gently pushed her back down onto her pillow, small shivers of excitement running through her body. She rolled onto her back, her tail swishing back and forth under the sheets while her wings fluttered beneath her.

With a grin, Rainbow slid on top of her, placing her hooves on either side of her head. Just as Rainbow’s tongue finally breached her lips to meet with her own, Rainbow broke the kiss, a loving smile plastered on her face. Twilight panted softly as she stared up into Rainbow’s eyes, her heart beating frantically. She smiled and bit her lower lip as Rainbow lowered her head to nuzzle her cheek.

“Woah...” Twilight whispered, smiling as she felt Rainbow’s soft fur caress her belly. “Where’d you learn to kiss like that?” She squirmed underneath Rainbow, staring straight into those beautiful eyes of hers.

“Heh, believe it or not, but... I practiced on a pillow,” Rainbow admitted with a sheepish smile. “And now I get to practice with you.” She pulled Twilight into another kiss, making Twilight moan softly. Twilight parted her lips just wide enough for her, their tongues dancing a quick tango of love a moment later. Rainbow twirled her tongue around Twilight’s then forced it down, only to have Twilight fight back. Mildly surprised, Rainbow pulled back for a moment and then accepted Twilight’s silent challenge. With a confident grin, she dove back in and wrestled with Twilight’s tongue until she felt the need to breathe. “Heh, you know, you’re not that bad of a kisser. I had always pegged you as an inexperienced bookworm.”

“Beginner’s luck. You know, I wouldn’t mind getting in some ‘practice’ every night,” Twilight cooed happily as Rainbow slid off of her barrel. She snuggled up against her pegasus, Rainbow’s soft wings caressing her belly. “Wow...” she murmured. “How do you get your wings so soft?” Twilight snuggled closer to her, relishing every moment that passed on by.

“Oh, that’s easy.” Rainbow fluffed her pillow and snuggled back in. “I preen them a lot.”

“Preening, huh? You’re supposed to do that only when your feathers start getting out of place, right?”

“What? Nah, you’re supposed to do it... I don’t know, maybe once a week?” Rainbow let off a soft chuckle. “When was the last time you preened yourself?” She felt Twilight fidget a little.

“Um... nearly a month ago?” Twilight asked. “Why, is that bad?”

“Yeah, kinda.” Rainbow lifted her head and looked at her. “You know... if you want, we can preen each other from now on.” She blushed and glanced away for a couple moments. “Do you trust me enough to let me do that? I mean, I’m fine with it if you are, and—”

Twilight cut her off with a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Of course I trust you, Dashie. And I suppose letting someone else preen me would help with those hard to reach feathers.” She loved how all the coldness slipped away from her the moment they touched. Rainbow was especially warm right now, most likely from cuddling down by the fireplace earlier that night. “You’d have to teach me how to do it right, though. There’s only so much one can learn from a book, you know?”

“Yeah. I’d have no problem with that.” Rainbow yawned, then grinned as she heard Twilight yawn behind her. “It just means I get to spend more time with you.”

Twilight unfurled a wing and laid it around Rainbow’s barrel, then tugged her close. She laid her hind leg over Rainbow’s and snuggled closer to her. Rainbow took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her breath teasing the tips of Twilight’s wing.

“You know, I think tomorrow is going to be awesome,” Twilight whispered. She smiled and laid a small kiss on Rainbow’s head.

“Why’s that?” Rainbow murmured, already on the verge of falling asleep.

Twilight lit her horn and tucked the sheets around them with a spell. “Because I get to wake up beside you,” she whispered into Rainbow’s ear. “And that’s the thing that I want most.”

“Mmm... good morning, Dashie,” Twilight whispered into her marefriend’s ear, her voice soft and full of love. It was rather late in the morning, but since today was the start of the weekend, they could sleep in for as long as they wanted.

And that’s exactly what Rainbow was doing. She snoozed away, contentedly lying in Twilight’s embrace with a soft smile. Her back was still firmly pressed up against Twilight’s belly and her forelegs were curled up and pinned to her chest by one of Twilight’s soft wings.

Twilight rubbed her eyes with a hoof, nuzzled her marefriend, then kissed the back of her head right in between her two twitching ears. Rainbow just smiled a bit and shifted in her sleep, gently pushing herself further into her embrace. She mumbled something in her sleep, making Twilight pause. She flicked her ears forward, but after a few moments of silence, Rainbow just squeezed her hoof, still fast asleep.

Twilight couldn’t help but giggle, barely being able to stifle herself with a hoof in time. She absolutely loved it when Rainbow did that, or anything cute in her sleep for that matter. Ever since Rainbow had asked her out that wondrous night a month ago, Twilight had made it a point to snuggle with her every night that they were able to. Rainbow never said no anytime that Twilight wanted to snuggle with her, and even though she would never admit it to anyone but Twilight, she had started being the little spoon more and more. It helped that Twilight was slightly bigger than her, and to make things even better, Rainbow had suggested that they go to bed earlier so that they’d have more time for each other.

The sun’s morning rays shined through the window, lighting up the opposite cloud wall in a soft yellow light. Worried that the light would wake Rainbow up and stop them from cuddling, Twilight lit her horn and yanked the curtains shut. She froze as she felt Rainbow start to stir, so she loosened her grasp on her, but instead of waking up, Rainbow simply rolled over and snuggled back in.

Rainbow tucked her forelegs back up to her chest and laid her head under Twilight’s, giving her an unintentional nuzzle in the process. Much to her surprise, she opened a wing and slowly laid it over her, all while staying asleep. She really does like to snuggle... With a soft and content chuckle, Twilight laid her wing back over Rainbow and tugged her a little closer, then used her magic to tuck the sheets back in. Her marefriend’s warmth threatened to pull her back to sleep but Twilight didn’t mind one bit. They had the morning to themselves, after all.

Waking up next to you is the thing I want most... Twilight repeated Rainbow’s words over and over in her mind, butterflies flitting about in her stomach. She squeezed her and held her close, and even though Rainbow was still fast asleep, Twilight still felt loved and that’s all that mattered to her.

In the past month, the word ‘love’ had bounced around on the tip of her tongue, but something had always held her back from saying it. Their responsibilities with their jobs and taking care of Scootaloo had kept them from going out on the town for their official first date, but that was going to change tonight and she couldn’t be more excited.

Twilight felt Rainbow’s heart beat against her chest, making her wonder if she could feel hers too. The warmth from her body and the blankets threatened to pull her back into the world of dreams, so Twilight gave in. She closed her eyes, fluffed her pillow, and fell asleep a couple minutes later.

Rainbow stirred awake hours later, feeling relaxed and, above all else, safe. Being able to sleep soundly next to someone meant that you trusted them without any reservations, and she was happy that she was able to trust someone on such an intimate level. The snuggling was just the icing on the cake, for what she really craved was to be loved by somepony special.

She had woken up a few times, but Twilight looked so cute and adorable sleeping beside her that she didn’t want to disturb her. Part of her had thought it was a competition to see who could last the longest, and she had been pretty determined to not lose. Although, as time went on, she came to realize that Twilight was simply enjoying the moment like she was.

After a few minutes, Rainbow felt that it was finally time to get up. She folded her wing back to her side, nuzzled Twilight, and laid her head on her neck. “Morning, sleepyhead,” she mumbled. “Or is it the afternoon?” She shrugged, smiling when she felt Twilight stretch.

“Uhhh...” Twilight glanced at the clock. “Yeah, it’s definitely the afternoon.”

“What makes you say that?” Rainbow mumbled back.

“Because it’s two o’clock.” Twilight chuckled. “We sure slept in, didn’t we?”

Rainbow giggled. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. C’mere, you!” Before Twilight could respond, Rainbow rolled onto her back and pulled Twilight on top of her in one fell swoop. Belly to belly, Twilight looked down at her with her eyes wide open. “You know, you look beautiful even with the worst bedhead.” She pushed a few strands of hair out of Twilight’s face, then used the same hoof to pull her head down. They locked lips for a brief kiss, though it was nothing passionate like the one last night. Still, it was the thought that counted, and Rainbow was going to make sure that Twilight knew she cared for her. Rainbow rolled onto her side and let Twilight slide off of her with a soft ‘oomph.’

“Wanna make some breakfast?” Twilight stretched again and laid a wing over Rainbow’s back. “Well, technically it’d be a late lunch, but I could whip us up some pancakes.”

“Yeah, that can work.” Rainbow stretched and let loose a yawn. “You mind making them? I want to fit in a quick flight around town.” She slid out of bed and stretched out her wings.

“Of course, Rainbow. How many do you want?”

“As many as you want to make me! I’m pretty hungry, and I’m sure I’ll be starved by the time I get back. I shouldn’t be too long, maybe ten minutes?”

“Well, if we’re going out pretty soon, why don’t I just make us something small? Maybe one or two pancakes each instead of a whole stack?”

“Oh... yeah.” Rainbow giggled. “That’s probably a good idea. I’ll see you soon, alright?”

“Sure. I’ll be down in the kitchen in the library,” she said as she turned to walk out of their bedroom. “And when we finish our ‘lunch’, we can pick out our dresses for our date!”

“Sounds great, Twi!” Rainbow walked out onto the balcony. She took off a moment later, leaving Twilight standing alone in the bedroom.

Twilight heard her stomach grumble, so she trotted from the room. She didn’t see Spike or Scootaloo anywhere as she walked through Rainbow’s house, nor did she hear them as she made her way into her kitchen. Movement outside caught her eye, so she glanced up to see Spike and Scootaloo in a snowball fight just outside the kitchen window.

Twilight smiled, then went and searched around for the cooking supplies. After she got the stove heated up, she found a large pan, made a small batch of batter for the pancakes, then poured it all into the pan. As the pancakes cooked, Twilight looked outside to find Rainbow dropping snowballs on Spike and Scootaloo. She couldn’t help but giggle as she watched Scootaloo hit Rainbow with one as she flew past her.

After a few more minutes, Rainbow trotted through the front door of the library, brushing snow from her coat. She was panting slightly, and as soon as she spotted Twilight, she made a beeline for the kitchen. They ate their pancakes in relative silence, the two of them sneaking looks at each other. Every time their eyes met, they’d look away, butterflies flitting about in their stomach.

“So...” Rainbow stood up and put their dirty dishes in the sink. “Think we should get ready for this date of ours?”

Twilight nodded, an excited smile on her face. “Sure! I’m gonna go jump in the shower in a few minutes. You should probably do the same.”

“Yeah, not a bad idea. I’ll be back down in about twenty minutes or so. I love letting the hot water soak into my coat,” Rainbow said.

“Okay, see you soon.” Twilight stood up and used her magic to wash the dishes. She put them back up where she had grabbed them from and then made her way outside to find Scootaloo and Spike still in an intense snowball fight. “Hey, you two! It’s time to come in so we can get you all packed up for your sleepover tonight!”

“Aw, already?” Scootaloo lowered her hoof, a freshly-made snowball ready to be thrown. “But we’re having so much fun!”

Twilight giggled. “I’m sure you guys can resume your snowball fight at Rarity’s. Who knows, she might even join in!”

“Hey, yeah! And then maybe we could get more ponies to join in, too!” Spike exclaimed. He dropped the snowball he held in his hand, but only after he saw Scootaloo do the same. Spike looked at Scootaloo and yelled, “Truce?”

“Truce!” Scootaloo called back. “Wanna be on the same team over at Rarity’s? You’re a pretty good shot!”

“Sure!” Spike stood up from behind his makeshift fort and brushed the snow from his knees. “Might as well get this over with so we can get over there sooner, right?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, I guess. Last one inside’s a rotten egg!” She bolted off, running around the corner with Spike hot on her hooves.

Twilight merely chuckled and followed them inside. After closing the door behind her, a small shiver ran down her spine as the library’s warmth abolished the winter cold from her coat. “Alright, you two, settle down!” she said with a small smile. “Spike, have you packed your stuff for tonight?”

“Nah, not yet. Want me to go and get that done now?” Twilight nodded. “Alright. I’ll be back in a little bit,” Spike said, making his way towards the stairs.

“Scootaloo, I left some bits in a bag for you and Spike to share if you two wanted to get some snacks at the bakery, okay? It’s in the desk on the far side of the room, so go ahead and grab that before you head upstairs to pack.” Twilight pointed to her desk that lay against the wall. “I’m going to go upstairs and jump in the shower for my date with Rainbow tonight!” She pranced in place for a few moments, then trotted upstairs. “I’ll be back downstairs to see you and Spike off in a little bit!” she called out as she turned the corner at the top of the stairs.

“Okay!” Scootaloo called out after her. She trotted across the room and walked up to the desk that Twilight had just pointed out. I wonder which drawer she put it in... Might as well start on the bottom and work our way up from there... She pulled the bottom drawer on the right open and looked inside. The bag of money was nowhere to be seen, so she pushed it shut then pulled open the next one. The drawer held a bunch of desk supplies, so she rummaged through it, hoping to find the small bag of bits.

Just as she was about to give up and move onto the next drawer, a manila folder with her name on it caught her attention. It had the words ‘Ponyville General Hospital’ on the front just below her name, piquing her interest.

Huh... never saw this before... Scootaloo pulled out the folder and laid it on the ground. She used a hoof to flip open the cover and saw a bunch of official-looking documents that she didn’t care much for. She realized that the dates on the papers were from when her parents had attacked her. Scootaloo flipped through the papers, and just as she was about to put it all back, she discovered that the last page was titled ‘Summary.’

Scootaloo figured that it was just a bunch of boring stuff, but a certain word caught her eye.

Flightless.

Her heart beating faster, she laid that piece of paper down and started to read, skimming through the boring technical parts until she found the word again.

The patient, Scootaloo, has a very unique wing condition that renders her flightless, one that I have not encountered outside of an academic setting. This young filly has a wingspan smaller than any other pegasus her age would have, and I have been made aware that she has much difficulty flying at this point in time. Records show that fillies and colts a full year younger than her have been able to attain most of their flying abilities, and that leads me to believe that this filly will never be able to fly.

Tears welled up in Scootaloo’s eyes. Her eyes glazed over as the document slipped from her hoof to rest on top of the folder. “Never be able to f-f-fly?” she whispered to herself, her mind struggling to comprehend what she had just said. She reread the last part of the document and pushed it away from her. Why would Rainbow give me flight lessons if she knows I’ll never fly?

Spike was stuffing a few comics into his backpack for the sleepover when he heard the library’s front door slam shut. His curiosity piqued, he scampered over to the window and looked outside just in time to see Scootaloo jump on her scooter. He watched, confused, as Scootaloo pushed herself forward a few feet, fell down, and then repeated that a few more times until she got her balance. Much to his disbelief, she looked like she was very upset. Tears streamed down Scootaloo’s face and he heard her sobbing through the window. He knocked on the window, trying to get her attention, but Scootaloo never looked up.

Spike turned around and ran out of his room, running as fast as he could go. He bolted down the stairs, and just as he yanked open the front door, he saw that Scootaloo was already halfway down the street. His shoulders slumped in defeat, for he knew he had no chance of catching up to her.

Spike shook his head and closed the library door. “What happened in the few minutes that I was gone? She seemed like she was alright when I was playing with her...” He saw a bunch of scattered documents on the other side of the room, marring the appearance of the otherwise clean room. Slightly annoyed at the mess, he rolled his eyes and walked over there. He found the empty manila folder under the desk and saw that it was from Ponyville’s hospital. What was Scootaloo doing looking at some hospital folder? He glanced down and saw Scootaloo’s name written on the front.

Wondering if this was what had caused her to leave in such a hurry, he looked through the papers but didn’t see anything remotely interesting. “Eh, whatever it was, it sure messed her up...” he muttered to himself. Spike stood up when a crumpled up piece of paper hidden behind the cushion caught his eye. Fearing that it was what had caused Scootaloo to become so upset, he placed the folder on top of the desk and reached for the paper.

His eyebrows furrowing, Spike flattened the paper out and read it. His breath caught in his throat as he read the last line, and all he could mutter was a soft, “Oh...” Spike glanced about the library as the full ramifications of what the paper said sunk into him. “Twilight! Twilight, I need you!” he yelled. When he heard no response, he ran towards the stairs, the document held tightly in his claw. He was halfway up the stairs when he felt that familiar sensation in his throat: an incoming letter.

Spike paused as he burped the letter out. He snatched it out of the air and recognized Princess Celestia’s royal seal on it. “Probably just another letter of them catching up...” Spike took another few steps up the stairs before he glanced at the scroll again. While the typical scroll from Celestia bore no markings other than her royal seal on it, this one was different. The words “Important: Read Now!” were written on both sides of the seal, so without further ado, Spike ripped open the letter.

Princess Twilight,

I regret that I had to send this letter to you so late, but I will get straight to the point. Scootaloo’s parents escaped from prison a few days ago, and I have only just learned of this now. The guards stationed at the prison tried everything they could to recapture the parents, but they were not able to do so.

I fear that they might already be in Ponyville. Because of that, I have dispatched a squad of my guards to your location. My sister has been made aware of this situation, and she has sent her personal guards as well.

I pray that this letter finds you all well. My stallions should be there within the hour.

“Twilight!” Spike screamed at the top of his lungs. He scrambled up the rest of the stairs and raced to Twilight’s room. He slammed into the door at top speed and started hitting it with his fists. “Twilight, open up! It’s important!”

The door opened several moments later. “Spike, what’s wrong?” Twilight asked. Her ears flicked forward and her face bore a look of concern.

“Look!” Spike panted as he thrust the papers up at Twilight. “Did you or Rainbow ever tell Scootaloo what you guys learned about her at the hospital?” he asked as Twilight read through it all. “If not, then I think she just found out that she’ll never fly. I found those sheets scattered on the floor by your desk. She ran out the front door, and before I could stop her, she was already gone!”

All of the color drained from Twilight’s face. “She ran away?!” she shrieked. “And Scootaloo’s parents escaped days ago?!” Twilight felt her heart rate rocket sky-high. Sweat grew on her brow as she stared at the papers and she felt a shiver run down her back. “Oh no, oh no oh no oh no! This couldn’t have happened at a worse time, Spike!” She felt all of her strength leave her. Her legs nearly gave out from under her, so she sat down, her mind a whirlwind of mixed thoughts. “Rainbow...” she mumbled. I have to get her... She has to know! Tears formed in her eyes but she wiped those away with a hoof.

Twilight stood up on shaky legs, then lit her horn and teleported into Rainbow’s bedroom. She heard Rainbow singing some tune in the shower, so she rapped on the wood door with a hoof. “Rainbow! We have to talk!” she called out. “It’s about Scootaloo; she ran away!” She heard the water shut off a second later, then heard the shower curtain being ripped aside.

“What?!” Rainbow yanked the bathroom door open. “Why?” she demanded.

“I think she found the doctor’s note saying that she’ll never fly...” Twilight mumbled, the note falling from her grasp. “Spike found it lying on the floor next to the desk where I had left some bits for them for their sleepover, but...”

“But what, Twi?! Spit it out!” Rainbow grabbed a nearby towel and dried herself off as quickly as she could.

“That’s not the worst part...” Twilight sat down, her tail flicking from side to side. Her ears lay flat on her head, and she couldn’t bear to look up at Rainbow. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought of what could potentially happen.

“Then what is??” Rainbow flexed her wings, ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

“Her parents es...” Twilight choked up as tears streamed down her face. She took a few deep breaths and looked back at Rainbow. “Her parents escaped. Princess Celestia thinks that they’re here in Ponyville, so she sent a bunch of guards down to keep us all safe...”

“They... Scootaloo’s parents are here? In Ponyville?!” Rainbow poked Twilight’s chest, shocking her. “If they hurt her, I swear...” She shook her head angrily. “I can’t be held accountable for what I’m going to do to them.” She paced back and forth, her breath coming in short, angry pants. “Okay, okay...”

“What?” Twilight asked weakly.

“Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna go out and look for her, and when the guards get here, I want you to organize search parties. Got it?” she asked, her voice demanding and harsh. “Get everypony in town involved if you have to.”

Twilight nodded and sniffled, tears running freely down her cheeks.

Rainbow looked up at Twilight and saw that she was an absolute wreck. She was trembling and she was staring at the floor with an empty gaze. “Hey...” she said as she calmed herself down. She stepped up to Twilight and pulled her into a hug, then wrapped her wings around her. “Everything’s gonna work out fine, Twilight. Don’t worry, we’re gonna find her,” she said with a comforting nuzzle.

“Y—You promise?” Twilight asked. She felt Rainbow pull away only to feel her kiss her on the cheek.

“Yeah, Twi... I promise.”

Scootaloo was lost in a bleary tear-filled haze. She lost all track of time as she rode out of Ponyville. Luckily for her, the roads were relatively clear of snow, only giving her minor problems as she sped off. Tears streamed down her face, and she had never felt more hurt and betrayed in her life. Her limbs shook with exhaustion, screaming at her to stop and rest for a minute. She blocked those feelings out, for the amount of pain she felt in her heart was more than enough, more than she could bear.

Somehow, she ended up at her old parent’s house. Scootaloo let her scooter fall to the ground as she stared at the place that she had once called home. It looked as bad as it always had, but a yellow sign hung from the front door. Slightly curious, and more than freezing cold, Scootaloo numbly walked up the steps and lifted her head.

Condemned... she read. Just like I am... Scootaloo pushed the door open and slammed it shut behind her. I’m worthless... What good is a freakin’ pegasus that can’t even fly? She walked upstairs, heading to the only place where she ever felt safe: her old bedroom. The tears flowed as freely as they ever did as she stepped into her bedroom. Everything was just like how she’d left it. Her Wonderbolts posters were still on the walls and her room was still rather messy.

Scootaloo hopped up on her bed and sobbed into her only pillow. Why didn’t they tell me? Why would they lie to me?? She slammed a hoof down onto her mattress, then rolled over onto her other side. Maybe... maybe it was because they knew I wouldn’t be able to take it...

Scootaloo cried into her pillow for the next several minutes, torn over what she had done. She remembered all the awesome times that she had spent with Rainbow and Twilight, especially the time when she had flown with Rainbow on the way to Canterlot for the trial. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as she slowly came to realize that she had thrown away her only chance at a better life.

Another hour passed in a haze of tears but to her it felt like a lifetime. She heard the door slam shut downstairs, jerking her fully alert. It’s probably Rainbow and Twilight... Gosh, they must be worried sick. She felt a dagger of guilt pierce her heart; she never meant to hurt them like this.

“R—Rainbow?” she called out weakly. The sounds from downstairs ceased completely, so she slid off of her bed and opened her bedroom door. Her legs trembled as she walked down the hallway. “Twilight? Guys, I’m so sorr—” She turned and looked down the stairs, and instead of seeing Twilight and Rainbow, she saw the terrifying sight of her real parents. Scootaloo locked eyes with her father for several seconds, her heart racing a million miles a second.

“You!” Brick Lump roared, his voice full of anger and hate. “You’re going to pay for what you did to us!”

Scootaloo gulped.

Absolute Terror

Scootaloo froze, her heart racing in her chest. “N-no...” she stuttered, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. Her wings drooped down, her ears flicked back, and her eyes widened as large as dinner plates. “No!” She was so terrified that she felt her bones turn to jelly.

She turned and ran back to her bedroom. Slamming the door behind her, she fumbled with the lock for a few seconds before she got it to turn. Looking for avenues of escape, Scootaloo looked at the window before throwing the idea out of her mind. The window’s latch had been permanently stuck in the locked position, and she wasn’t anywhere near strong enough to break the glass. On top of that, she didn’t see anything she could use to break it. Scootaloo knew that the locked door wouldn’t hold her father back for long, so she frantically darted around her room, looking for anything to barricade the door with.

Her eyes fell on her nightstand; it was the only thing that was light enough for her to move. She swiped everything off of its surface, not caring about her favorite comic that she’d left behind. Scootaloo had left behind quite a bit of her old personal life. Part of her wished that she had come back to grab some of her personal belongings, but that opportunity was long gone now.

As she heard her parents run upstairs, she got behind her nightstand and put all of her weight against it as she pushed. It barely budged. She strained against it, her hooves uselessly scraping against the wood floor. “Come on! Move!” she yelled, hearing her parents make it just outside of her door.

Scootaloo gave up on trying to push the nightstand. Instead of trying to push it in front of the door, she grabbed the bottom of it and tried to tip it on its side. She pulled upwards as hard as she could, making her hind legs tremble from the sudden stress. Her back started to hurt, but she forced herself to forget about the pain, especially when she saw that it started to tilt. A sudden and jarringly loud hit on the door shocked her, making her drop it on her back left hoof.

“Ow!” she cried out. Another bang on the door made her look up in terror. The doorknob jiggled wildly, only making her freak out even more. She heard her parents hit the door again, and much to her disbelief, she saw it start to splinter in the middle. Her breaths came in short pants and her heart was beating so fast she thought it was going to break through her skin and escape. Scootaloo watched, utterly terrified, as the splinter suddenly became a small hole with another hit.

Her terror giving her the strength she needed, she put her front hooves back under the nightstand’s edge and pulled upwards with all of her strength. It didn’t budge much at first, but she was able to make it fall on its side, half of it laying in front of the door.

Now that she had bought herself more time, she took a couple of deep breaths and looked around. She was trapped in her room, and the only way to safety was through her window. Scootaloo knew the door wouldn’t hold forever. Her head whipped about. She didn’t see anything sitting around her room, so she dashed over to her closet. She whipped the door open and rummaged through the mess until she found her old scooter. Her breath catching in her throat, she stared at it, wondering if she’d be able to use it to break the window. Another bang on the door, followed by sounds of the door splintering even more, made her make up her mind rather quickly. She heard her father breathing heavily and her mother egging him on, although she couldn’t make out what she was saying.

Scootaloo grabbed the scooter and pulled it out of her closet. She shot a glance over her shoulder as the door broke nearly in half. Her father was peering through the door with one eye.

“Be a good little filly for once and unlock this door, hm? I promise I’ll make it quick...”

Hearing that scared Scootaloo to heights previously unknown. Scootaloo lifted her prized possession as high as she could and threw it at her window. The glass cracked, but it didn’t shatter like she had hoped. She lifted her scooter again and threw it at the same place.

“Aw, come on, now! Don’t be like that!”

With one last throw, the glass finally shattered. Her scooter fell through the window to the snow just outside of her window, disappearing in the thick snow. The sight of the glass shattering brought hope to her. She swiped at some of the jagged glass, trying to widen the hole. It was just big enough to fit her forelegs through but not the rest of her body. The sound of the door splintering apart scared the living daylights out of her, and as she swiped at the glass again, she cut her hoof on a particularly sharp piece. The pain from that was just enough to make her falter, giving her father the time her needed to break down the door.

Scootaloo’s head snapped around just in time to see her father rush over to her, a maniacal grin on his face. She tried to push herself through the small hole she made, uncaring as to how bad the glass would cut her, but her father grabbed her hind legs and yanked, nearly ripping her away from the window. The sharp glass cut into her legs, but she wouldn’t let go. She couldn’t.

“Help! Rainbow, anypony, please help me!” Scootaloo screamed at the top of her lungs a moment before her father tossed her all the way across the room. She hit the floor hard, knocking most of the breath from her lungs. Her head slammed into the wall, making her vision become blurry. Scootaloo tried to get up and used a wing to help her do so, but before she could stand up all the way, her father stomped on it. Pain exploded from her wing, making her scream out in agony. It was the same wing that had been broken before and it sure felt like it was broken in the same place.

Scootaloo looked around for any other possible avenues of escape. She thought to make a run for the hallway, but her mother stood in the doorway. Her wings were flared and held low, blocking any avenue of escape that Scootaloo once might have had.

Scootaloo’s chest heaved up and down as she looked up at her father in fear. Knowing exactly what Rainbow Dash would do, Scootaloo tried to put on a defiant look, but the pain was simply too much to bear. He simply stared right back at her, his unsettling grin never faltering. She whimpered as she slumped down against the wall. “Wha... what are you going to do to me?!” she asked, her voice trembling. She couldn’t stop shaking. The bones in her legs felt like jelly again, and the pain from her broken wing robbed her of her strength.

“What do ya think, ya runt?” he asked with a chuckle. As her father raised his hoof to hit her, Scootaloo came to one simple conclusion: she was going to die.

Rainbow... save me, please!

Strains

Twilight paced back and forth in front of the assembled guards that stood outside of her home. Snow fell from the sky, coating the ground in a thick layer of the fluff that rose a few inches above her hooves. Twenty-four royal guards stood in front of her in formation, their gaze locked on some indeterminate point off in the distance. Twilight idly wondered how many of these guards had been under Shining’s command before his wedding. Shaking her head to rid herself of the random thoughts, Twilight cleared her throat and centered herself in front of the guards.

“I’m sure some of you have been made aware of the situation,” she said, her voice strong and with purpose. Twilight was grateful that her fear of Scootaloo being in danger wasn’t making her sound weak, for this certainly wasn’t the time for that. “But I will go over it so that we all may be on the same page.”

Rainbow had left minutes before the guards had shown up, saying that she was going to fly a grid pattern over Ponyville and the surrounding area. She had promised that she would return every fifteen minutes with a status update once she had gotten the rest of their friends involved in the search.

“From what I know, Scootaloo’s biological parents escaped from prison a few days ago. Their location is unknown, and nopony has reported seeing them in the time that they have escaped. I have a pretty good feeling that they have returned to Ponyville, and that is why the Princesses have sent you here. You shall stay under my command until Scootaloo’s parents are apprehended and thrown back into prison.” She looked at the guards standing stock still before her. Oh, right! “Is… is that understood?” Twilight asked tentatively.

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” twenty-four guards shouted in unison.

Twilight smiled. “Perfect.” She resumed pacing back and forth, muttering to herself as she assembled her thoughts. Come on, Rainbow... Where are you? She cast her gaze to the cloudy sky, looking all over the place as she searched for that familiar rainbow trail that she had come to love so dearly. She felt the guards’ eyes on her, but she didn’t care.

“Now, I don’t believe that Scootaloo’s old parents would go back to their old house. If I was on the run, that’d be the first place that guards would look for me, so it stands to reason that they wouldn’t be so careless.” Even the dumbest of ponies can’t be so stupid... Twilight felt a rather annoying tingle on the back of her head. She instinctively flicked her mane trying to throw the feeling off, but it persisted.

With an irritated roll of her eyes, she rubbed the back of her head and thankfully, it went away. Clearing her throat once more, Twilight looked back at the guards and sat in front of them, wincing as the snow quickly sapped the warmth from her rear. A shiver ran down her back, but she steeled herself, knowing that she would get to go back inside to grab something to warm herself up with soon. “I want you to break up into search teams of four members each. Once Rainbow Dash comes back, we will determine the best area for you to search based on what she hasn’t covered yet.”

“Ma’am?” one of the guards spoke up.

“Yes?” Twilight recognized him as the lieutenant based on his fancier armor. This guard outranked the rest of the guards, and was one step below her in command of the present troops.

“Do you have any photographs of Scootaloo? I think our mission would go much more smoothly if we knew who we were looking for.”

Twilight blinked. Wow... how did I forget about that? “...Right. One moment.” She teleported into Rainbow’s bedroom and glanced about, smiling as the warmth abolished the cold from her coat. A few pictures of Rainbow and Scootaloo hung on the wall, so with a quick spell, she snatched a random one and teleported back outside. A small part of her felt hurt that Rainbow didn’t have any pictures of her, but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind for another time. Still holding the picture in her magic, she levitated it to the lieutenant. “Here. Pass it around.”

The sound of wings flapping behind her caught her attention. Silently praying that Rainbow had found Scootaloo, she looked over her shoulder to find her marefriend alone. Her shoulders slumping down in disappointment, she offered a weak smile at Rainbow. “Any luck, Dash?”

Rainbow frowned and swiped at the snow beneath her. “No,” she groaned. “I flew over the eastern parts of Ponyville plus Sweet Apple Acres and I didn’t see a trace of her. This stupid snow covered up her tracks before I could pick up her trail.”

Twilight felt hurt that Rainbow didn’t return her smile. “I’m sure we’ll find her,” she said softly. Twilight waited several seconds for Rainbow to respond, but she never did. Looking back at the guards, she said, “Since an aerial survey failed to turn up any results, I want you all to commence the ground search. Both Rainbow Dash and I will stay here and work on managing this—”

Rainbow scoffed and looked at Twilight incredulously. “You kidding?” She poked Twilight in the chest, pushing her back a couple steps. “There’s no way that I’m gonna stay here while Scootaloo’s in danger!” she yelled.

Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She stepped back, her eyes scrutinizing Rainbow’s face, searching for why she was acting so rudely to her. Twilight understood this was a rather stressful situation, but shoving her in front of all the guards was definitely uncalled for. She opened her mouth, but Rainbow flew away before she could utter a single word.

Worry gnawed at her heart. She desperately wanted to talk to Rainbow, but a small part of her mind reminded her that finding Scootaloo should be her top priority now. There’d be time for talking later.

With a sigh, Twilight looked at the guards and barked, “Dismissed! I want reports on your progress every half hour!” And with that, she turned and walked back inside the library. As soon as the door shut behind her, she collapsed to the floor, crying. It was all too much for her to bear. With Scootaloo running away without giving them a chance to explain, and with Rainbow being so standoffish... it felt like she was losing control.

Twilight couldn’t imagine what was going through Rainbow’s mind to make her act so cold towards her. It was the first time she had ever gotten angry at her, and just like Scootaloo, Rainbow had left before Twilight could try to figure things out. She hated feeling so helpless, but more so, she felt even worse for betraying Scootaloo’s trust. Tears streamed down her face as she curled up into a ball on the floor of the library. With everything going on, she needed Rainbow’s support now more than ever.

“Tw-Twilight?” She looked up to find Spike standing before her, biting his lower lip. “Is Scootaloo alright?”

“I don’t know, Spike...” Twilight lifted her head up off of the floor only to have Spike rush forward and wrap his arms around her neck. She wiped the tears from her face and wrapped her wings around him, letting a shaky smile form on her face.

“Well... no news is better than bad news.” Spike let go of her and nuzzled her neck, making Twilight smile a little bit. “Come on, let’s figure this thing out, alright? We got this!”

Twilight smiled at her number one assistant. She loved how he could always reassure her and talk some sense into her whenever she lost it. “Okay,” she said with a shaky smile. “Let’s do this.” As she stood up, she felt that annoying tingling sensation on the back of her head again. This time, it was much stronger than before. Her hoof snapped up to the back of her head to try to rub it away, but as much as she tried to make it disappear, it would not go away.

Twilight gasped. Her gaze became unfocused and her ears fell flat on her head. “How could I not have known...” she muttered. Twilight blinked a few times, then turned her head slowly to look at Spike.

“Uh... Twilight?” Spike asked with a cocked eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”

“Everything, Spike, but that’s not the problem...” Twilight shook her head. She turned around and darted back outside, hoping some of the guards were still within sight. Her head whipped around as she peered through the falling snow for a few seconds before she saw a group of guards walking towards the center of town. “Guards! Come back!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. Much to her relief, the guards heard her and dashed back to her in mere moments.

“What is it, your highness?” one of them asked.

“I know where Scootaloo is! She’s at—”

“How could you possibly know where she is?” one of the guards asked before another one nudged him with a hoof. “M-my apologies, Princess Twilight. I did not mean for my question to sound so rude, and—”

“It’s fine,” Twilight snapped at him. She looked at each one of them in turn before speaking up again. “Back when I had taken Scootaloo out of her parents’ custody with Rainbow Dash, I had placed a tripwire spell around the property to alert me if anyone tried to leave, or...” She cast her gaze to the ground, ashamed that she didn’t come to this conclusion fast enough. “If anyone walked onto the property. I felt the tickling sensation twice, the first one being weaker than the second. If I remember correctly, the weaker one was for one pony, which I believe to be Scootaloo, and the stronger one to be her parents.”

“So that means that...”

“Yes, that they’re back at their old house. Hang on, I’m going to teleport us there.” Twilight lit her horn and took a deep breath. She concentrated on focusing her magic on each of the stallions in front of her, then teleported the five of them away in a flash of purple light.

Rainbow flew as fast as she could through the falling snow. It impaired her vision, and though while it was not as bad as when she had found Scootaloo below her house those few months ago, it still limited her sight to less than one hundred feet.

It was absolutely freezing and the tips of her hooves were so cold that they had started to hurt a while ago, but Rainbow would not rest until Scootaloo was safe and unharmed in her grasp. She meant the world and more to her. Rainbow silently swore to herself that she’d beat Scootaloo’s parents to Tartarus and back if they so much as laid a hoof on her.

Through the haze, Rainbow spotted two figures trotting away from town on the road leading towards Scootaloo’s old house. Her parents! Her eyes going wide and her heart rate increasing, she prepared herself for a fight. She put on another burst of speed and dove down, speeding inches just above the road. Though just as she was about to hit them and knock them off their hooves, she recognized the two ponies as Bon Bon and Lyra.

Panic surged through her. She was going much too fast to slow down in time, and in the split-second she had before she hit them, she folded her right wing to her side and twisted away, barely missing the two ponies. She heard them cry out in alarm before she slammed into the ground, the impact knocking all the breath from her lungs. Pain burst from the wing that Rainbow landed on as she slid along the ground, and while the snow lessened the impact, it still was enough to cause her a good deal of harm.

Rainbow struggled to pull in air as she lay in the snow. It sapped the warmth from her fur, sending a shiver down her back. Bon Bon and Lyra rushed to her side moments later, looks of concern and shock strewn across their faces.

“Rainbow! Are you okay?” Lyra asked as she knelt down beside her.

Rainbow nodded back and gingerly rolled onto her belly, tears forming in her eyes. She looked away and wiped her eyes with a hoof to try and keep up her tough facade. Her left wing was fine, but her right wing was missing a few feathers. She groaned as she flexed her wing. Even though it wasn’t broken, and even though it hurt a great deal, it felt like she’d still be able to use it to fly.

Finally able to breathe, Rainbow took a few deep breaths to fill her lungs. Her heart rate slowed down and the pain in her wing died down a bit. She knew her shoulder was going to bruise up, and as she tensed her muscles, she felt a few cuts along her shoulder. Thankfully, they were small enough that they didn’t show through her coat.

“What the heck were you thinking, flying so close to us like that?” Bon Bon demanded. “You could have hurt us!”

“Yeah, sorry about that, guys.” Rainbow flicked her mane out of her face and glanced up at them. “Long story short, you remember that filly that Twilight and I adopted? She ran away and her parents somehow escaped from prison a few days ago.”

Lyra’s mouth formed a small circle in surprise. “And you thought that we were them?” Lyra asked.

Rainbow nodded. “I’m sorry I scared you like that, but I really need to keep looking for Scootaloo.” She lifted herself off the ground and flapped her damaged wing tentatively. “Listen, if you find her, bring her back to Twilight’s house immediately. Okay?” She lifted herself off the ground and hovered in front of the two.

“Yeah, you got it, Rainbow,” Lyra said.

“Yeah, good luck!” Bon Bon chipped in, her tone lighter and friendlier than the demanding one she had previously used.

Rainbow flew away, shaking her head. How could I have been so stupid? she thought as she flew away from town. Rainbow looked straight ahead just in time to see a soft purple flash way off in the distance. She felt her heart sink into her stomach as she realized that that was where Scootaloo’s old house was. As a pit of worry grew within her, she flapped her wings as hard as she could, propelling her through the wintery cold.

She landed to see the first of the royal guards trot kick the door in. Rainbow barely noticed the sign condemning the building as she ran inside. The guards all whipped around to face what they assumed was a threat but they calmed down as they recognized her. Before she could ask them why they were here, Rainbow heard Twilight gasp in shock from upstairs.

Her mind focused in on one thing: Scootaloo. She galloped upstairs and ran to Scootaloo’s old bedroom, dreading what she might find inside. The first thing she saw was the splintered door then the shattered window. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw bloodstains on the broken glass.

Rainbow turned and looked down to where Twilight stood. She saw a familiar tuft of purple tail, blocked by Twilight’s body. Rainbow walked up to Twilight and saw Scootaloo’s limp figure lying near the foot of her old bed. She bit her lip and although she didn’t want her worst fears confirmed, she had to know.

She gingerly walked up to Scootaloo and nudged her still body with her snout. She touched her chin to Scootaloo’s neck to try and feel her pulse and to see if she was still breathing. Rainbow didn’t feel any sort of pulse, but she did feel Scootaloo’s neck rise and fall by just a very small amount.

Before she knew what was happening, Scootaloo’s room disappeared and was replaced by the lobby of the Ponyville Hospital. Scootaloo floated in Twilight’s magical grasp, still unconscious.

“I need help! This is an emergency!” Twilight yelled, getting the nurse’s attention behind the desk. She saw her hit a button next to her, then she stood up and grabbed a nearby gurney.

“Oh no, not this sweet little filly again,” she murmured. The nurse motioned for Twilight to lay Scootaloo on the gurney just as a doctor galloped towards them from down the hallway.

“What do we have, nurse?” the doctor asked as he pulled on his white coat.

“It’s the same filly from a while back, doctor.” The nurse trotted behind the desk and went through a file cabinet until she pulled out a manila folder, similar to the one that Twilight had back home. “It looks to be similar to the same injuries as before, but we won’t be able to see the extent of the damage done until we can move her into the emergency room!” She gave the folder to the doctor and pushed the gurney down the hallway.

“Alright. Move her into room two,” the doctor ordered. He followed the nurse down the hallway, using his magic to push the gurney. They disappeared around the corner a few moments later, the sound of a door slamming shut, momentarily shocking Twilight.

“Oh, Scootaloo...” Rainbow moaned as she sat down. She felt numb all over. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes and her stomach twisted itself into knots. She nearly threw up, but she swallowed what came up. Her wings drooped down to the floor and her ears flicked back as she tried to hold back her tears. Alas, she was not strong enough.

As the tears began to stream down her face, she felt Twilight move closer to her. She heard a feathery rustle, then felt Twilight pull her into a hug with her wing. Rainbow let loose and cried into Twilight’s shoulder, not caring about what the ponies around them thought about her.

“I hope that we weren’t too late…” Rainbow heard Twilight murmur. She pushed Twilight’s wing off of her and threw on her tough front. “What do you mean, you hope that we aren’t too late?!” Rainbow demanded. “What do you know, Twilight?!” Rainbow’s query wasn’t a question but a demand.

“I… it’s pretty bad, Dash. I’d really rather not say…”

“I don’t care! Just tell me!”

"Please don’t make me...” she murmured. I really don’t want to think about what happened to Scootaloo right now... Tears formed in the corners of Twilight’s eyes. She looked aside, but Rainbow roughly pulled her head back up with a hoof. Rainbow’s gaze was unforgiving and cold, making Twilight wilt before her.

“Tell me, Twilight!”

Twilight stayed silent, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared into Rainbow’s eyes, silently pleading with her. She shook her head and saw Dash’s expression worsen. “Rainbow, let’s… can we just see how she’s doing?”

Rainbow didn’t respond, but she did start walking down the hall. Twilight didn’t want to push the issue, choosing to stay silent as she followed her down the hallway. After wiping the tears from her eyes, Twilight made her way to stand beside Rainbow just outside of the emergency room doors.

They peered through the circular windows each door had and watched as those inside did their job. A few minutes passed in silence as the doctors and nurses hooked Scootaloo up to the machines inside. A steady beeping noise showed that her heart was still beating, but it wasn’t sounding off as fast as it should be.

“She’s lost a lot of blood, Rainbow…” Twilight finally said, her voice soft yet full of pain. She saw Rainbow look at her out of the corner of her eye. “Both of her wings are broken, feathers are missing, and... and she has numerous cuts on her forelegs.”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah, I saw blood on the shards of her broken win—”

“Please let me finish, Dash. This is taking a lot for me to say this.” Twilight took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly. “I saw a lot of bruises on her neck and face. She’s got one heck of a black eye, and—”

“We’re losing her!” Twilight heard one of the nurses yell from inside. No! Her ears flicked back as she watched on in horror, everything feeling like it was going in slow motion. The sound of the heart rate machine stopped beeping and changed to a loud and dull monotone sound.

“Her heart’s stopped! Somepony get the crash cart!” the doctor yelled. A nearby nurse rushed it over and the doctor lit his horn to grab the defibrillator paddles. “Clear!” he yelled. Once everypony stepped back, he placed the paddles on Scootaloo’s chest and zapped her once.

Nothing changed. The heart rate monitor kept giving off that dull monotone.

“Alright, let’s try again!” The doctor rubbed the paddles together and yelled, “Clear!” once more. He zapped Scootaloo’s limp form again, but nothing changed.

“No…” Twilight heard Rainbow mutter beside her. She turned to look at Rainbow, reassuring words on the tip of her tongue, only to have Rainbow scream, “No!” at the top of her lungs. Rainbow’s breaths came in long, shaky bursts and Twilight could have sworn she heard her grinding her teeth. She lifted her hoof to try and break Rainbow out of her fit of rage, but Rainbow kicked the wall, creating a hole large enough for her to crawl through. Rainbow turned and ran down the hall, leaving Twilight alone.

Twilight cast a glance back into the emergency room, catching the doctor lay the paddles on Scootaloo’s chest one more time. She watched him zap her yet again, but this time, the heart rate monitor stopped that horrible tone and started beeping normally again. Tears of joy sprang to her eyes, and she turned around to yell down the hallway. “R-Rainbow! Come ba-hack!” she choked out. All she got was an annoyed flick from Rainbow’s tail as she galloped down the hallway.

After ensuring that Scootaloo’s heart was still beating, Twilight teleported outside and saw Rainbow spreading her wings as she ran down the sidewalk. The sudden change in temperature made her falter slightly, but she still made herself run at Rainbow. She knew there’d be no way she could ever catch her if she got into the air, so she did the first thing that popped into her mind, which also happened to be the thing that Rainbow hated most.

Twilight bit down hard on Rainbow’s tail right as she jumped into the air.

Rainbow flapped her wings, but instead of speeding away, pain erupted from the base of her tail. She shot a glance over her shoulder to see the end of her tail caught in Twilight’s mouth. She felt her eyes tear up from the unexpected pain, but she flapped harder and harder, trying to free herself.

“Let go, Twilight!” she yelled at her. Rainbow felt Twilight shake her head and mumble something, but she didn’t care what she had to say right now. She had to find Scootaloo’s parents and do to them what they did to her sweet little filly.

Her daughter.

In her fit of blind rage, Rainbow flailed about, trying desperately to rip her tail from Twilight’s mouth. One of her rear hooves connected with the side of Twilight’s face, making her let go of her tail with a pained yelp.

Twilight collapsed to the snowy ground in a heap, pain erupting from the side of her face. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and her ears lay flat on her head. She curled up into a ball as she sobbed, crying her heart out for all to hear.

Everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong. Scootaloo was fighting for her life in the hospital, her once-perfect relationship with Rainbow Dash was on the rocks, and Scootaloo’s parents were still on the loose. Twilight cried, not only because her head hurt from where her marefriend had struck her, but from all of the emotional stress that Rainbow had put her through.

Twilight had never felt more alone and helpless in her life.

She covered her face with her hooves as sobs wracked her body. The snow sapped what little warmth she had left, leaving her feeling like an ice cube.

Rainbow immediately regretted what she had done. Her blinding rage subsided as soon as she heard Twilight cry out in pain. She landed beside Twilight and sat down, an uncertain hoof raised. Rainbow bit her lip, trying to figure out what to do. She whimpered softly, then gently ran a hoof through Twilight’s mane.

“I’m so sorry, Twilight...” she murmured. “I never meant to hurt you.” Tears sprang to her eyes as she spoke. “It’s just... you know how it is! I wanted to go and get those lousy excuses for ponies and, and you tried to stop me! I couldn’t let that happen, and...” she trailed off, realizing exactly how selfish that made her sound. “No. What I did was wrong, Twilight. I honestly and truly never meant to hit you, and knowing that I hurt you makes me sick to my stomach.” She waited for Twilight to respond, but she just kept on crying. Even though it pained her immensely, Rainbow whispered, “With Scootaloo g-gone, and after all of this, I understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore...”

Twilight’s sobs died down. “N-no...” Twilight muttered. She lifted her head to look at Rainbow, her tears feeling like they were freezing on her face. “Rainbow, you pushed me away when I needed you the most!” she said angrily as she climbed to her hooves. “Why?! How could you do that to me?! I was as hurt as you were, and how could you not have seen how much I was hurting inside?!” Tears streamed down her face as she stared into Rainbow’s eyes. “And why would you think kicking me in the face was a good idea?” Several seconds passed in silence before she spoke up again. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

This time, Rainbow wilted before Twilight. She looked down at the ground and flicked her tail around her flank, ignoring the cold snow sapping her body’s warmth. Rainbow looked back up at Twilight and bit her cheek. She hesitantly looked up into Twilight’s eyes and saw nothing but a fiery rage. Glancing off to the side, her ears flicked back as she felt her heart beat faster. Rainbow wiped the tears from her eyes, swallowed, then cleared her throat before looking back up.

“Uh... I’m sorry?” she asked weakly.

Twilight’s face scrunched up. “Really? All you have to say is you’re sorry? Gah!” She rolled her eyes and sat down, angrily staring at Rainbow. Twilight took a deep breath. “I can’t believe you right now...”

“Twilight, listen—”

“No, you listen!” Twilight huffed. “The doctors brought Scootaloo back after you left. If you had waited to see what happened like a normal pony, you would have seen that she’s alright, but instead, you thought it was better to lose your mind and kick a hole in the wall!”

“Twilight, stop!” Rainbow waved her forelegs in front of her. “She’s alive?!”

“Yes, I literally just said that! Weren’t you listening?” Twilight snapped at Rainbow. “You should go check up on her and see how she’s doing.” She stood up and flicked her tail to get rid of the snow on it, then started trotting away from the hospital.

“W-what about you?” Rainbow asked, her voice soft and full of pain. “Don’t you want to be there when Scootaloo wakes up?”

Twilight stopped, but didn’t look back. “Yes, I do, but I don’t know when that’ll be. Besides, I have to make sure Spike is doing okay.” She began her trek back into town with a heavy heart, leaving Rainbow standing alone in the snow.

Motherly Instincts

Rainbow watched Twilight trot away into the darkness, quickly disappearing behind the falling snow. She yearned to go after her to try and make things right, but a small part of her mind told her that she needed her space right now. Biting her lower lip, Rainbow turned around and shot one last glance over her shoulder, then sullenly walked back inside the hospital, her head hung low.

She pushed the door open and allowed herself a smile as she felt the heat from inside purge the cold from her coat. Rainbow felt a shiver run down her back as she closed the door behind her. She stood in the empty lobby as her stomach twisted itself into knots. Rainbow swallowed, trying to keep the contents of her stomach down. She was starving, but her concern for Scootaloo outweighed everything else. Even though she trusted Twilight without reserve, she still had to see Scootaloo alive with her own eyes.

Rainbow knew she had to find out where Scootaloo was. She figured that setting a couple of broken wings and bandaging some cuts wouldn’t take that long, so Scootaloo must already be in one of the recovery rooms.

Everypony here knew that Rainbow Dash was strong, that nothing could ever faze her. She had to be strong. Showing that she was hurting would make her look weak in everypony’s eyes, and she could not have that at all. Rainbow took a deep breath to calm her racing heart, puffed out her chest, and fluffed her wings.

She didn’t feel tough at all.

Stepping up to the nurse’s desk, Rainbow lifted her head to meet her gaze. The nurse offered a comforting smile as she stood up. “Come with me, Miss Dash. I’ll take you to her.”

“T-thank you,” Rainbow choked out. She was grateful that the nurse knew what she needed because she doubted she had the strength to ask. The nurse led her down the hall and up the flight of stairs at the end. They walked past a few empty rooms, then the nurse opened a door on the left side and held it open for her.

Rainbow nodded at the nurse, silently expressing her thanks. Though just as she was about to turn and step inside, her stomach grumbled loudly, making the two of them pause.

“Would you like me to fetch you something to eat, dear?” the nurse asked softly.

Rainbow’s stomach grumbled again. “Yeah, that’d be... nice. I’ll be inside, if that’s alright.”

“Of course it is!” She glanced inside the room. “We had to give her some pretty strong pain medication, Miss Dash. Having both her wings broken, I... can’t imagine how much that would hurt. But never fear, for she’s going to get the best care around! I’ll be back with some food for ya.” The nurse turned and trotted down the hallway, leaving Rainbow alone.

Rainbow turned to look inside the room, and as soon as she saw Scootaloo, her breath caught in her throat and tears formed in the corners of her eyes. Scootaloo was fast asleep, laying on her stomach. Her wings were fully encased in a cast that ran over her back. Her feathers were completely encased in thick bandages and her cuts were covered by gauze. Scootaloo’s mane was an absolute wreck. She was missing a little bit of her mane and tail, and her face and neck were covered in large, black bruises.

Rainbow’s eyes glazed over as she began to feel light-headed. Rainbow stumbled over to Scootaloo’s bed, tripping over her hooves. She sat down on the cold floor and heard what sounded like a group of stallions trotting down the hallway. Rainbow looked and saw four of Luna’s personal guards stop outside of the room. She knew, deep down inside of her, that Twilight had sent them for her. Rainbow cracked a small smile and looked back at Scootaloo.

A few seconds later, the guards outside slammed their spears on the ground, shocking Rainbow. Her head whipped around as she glared at their backs. Feeling anger build up inside of her, she trotted up to the door and yanked it open to find the nurse blocked off from the room by four very sharp spears. The poor mare was quivering in terror as she looked up at the four bat ponies blocking her way. The tray of food she was holding looked like it was about to slip from her grasp. “Can’t you guys keep it quiet out here? Scootaloo is trying to sleep!” Rainbow snapped, her voice hoarse.

“Sorry ma’am, but we have strict orders from Princess Twilight to keep this room locked down.”

“Even from the doctors and nurses that are doing their job to help our daughter?” Rainbow asked incredulously.

“We were just about to ask for her credentials, ma’am,” the same stallion answered. “Once we are able to determine that she works here, we’ll—”

“Don’t bother, this nurse was just bringing me food. I vouch for her.” Rainbow pushed her way past the guards and held out her hoof. The nurse hesitantly took a step forward and placed the tray in Rainbow’s outstretched hoof then darted away.

Rainbow walked back inside Scootaloo’s room and closed the door as softly as she could. She walked back towards the bed and placed the tray of food on the edge of Scootaloo’s bed, eyeing the applesauce hungrily. She ripped the lid off of it and emptied the entire thing into her mouth in one go. Rainbow swallowed it, and did the same to the other one. Tossing the empty plastic cartons back on the tray, she slid it under Scootaloo’s bed.

Rainbow’s shoulders slumped as she looked back at Scootaloo. The poor filly slept away soundly, her chest rising and falling with each breath. She looked so peaceful laying there. It occurred to Rainbow that the last thing Scootaloo must have seen before she was knocked unconscious was her parents beating her. Rainbow knew from personal experience that waking up in a strange place after an accident was pretty disorienting, so she wanted Scootaloo to see her first. She hoped that Scootaloo didn’t hate her for not being there for her in her time of need, just like she had promised.

Rainbow hopped onto the bed, doing her best to not disturb Scootaloo. She lay down on her side and laid a wing over Scootaloo’s back, taking care to not touch the cast. Even though she knew that Scootaloo was out from the medicine, it didn’t stop her from doing what she wanted to do. She nuzzled her daughter right between her ears, a loving smile forming on her face as Scootaloo’s left ear flicked back and forth.

“Momma’s here, Scootaloo...” Rainbow laid the lightest of kisses on the back of Scootaloo’s head and brushed the filly’s mane out of her face as gently as she could. “And Momma loves you very much...” She lay her head down on a pillow and settled down for the night. Rainbow thought about turning off all of the lights, but decided against it. If Scootaloo did happen to wake up in the middle of the night, Rainbow figured that, after such a horrific experience, she would like to see where she was: safe in Rainbow’s embrace.

As sleep tugged at her weary mind and body, Rainbow laid one last kiss on Scootaloo’s muzzle, then fell asleep a few minutes later.

Rainbow woke up in the middle of the night, feeling something stir under her sensitive feathers. Knowing that it was Scootaloo waking up, she sat up and lifted her wing to find Scootaloo wiping her eyes with her hooves. Rainbow cleared her throat as softly as she could, making Scootaloo’s head whip up.

Their eyes met. Rainbow simply smiled as Scootaloo stared up at her. Scootaloo’s whole body trembled, her eyes were filled with confusion and terror, and her ears lay flat on her head.

“M-Mom? Is that r-really... you?” Scootaloo croaked out. Tears filled her eyes as she slowly recognized Rainbow looking down at her with a warm and comforting smile on her face. She coughed a moment later as her tears began to fall down her cheeks.

“Yeah, Scootaloo, I’m here... Momma’s here...” Rainbow choked on her words, her breath catching in her throat. Rainbow covered Scootaloo’s forehead in kisses. She leaned down and nuzzled Scootaloo’s cheek, closing her eyes as tears flowed down her face. “I'm so s-sorry, squirt... I’m so glad you’re alive.”

Scootaloo buried her face into Rainbow’s side, right behind her shoulder as the tears started to flow freely. “Everything hurts... M-my wings... will I ever get to fly with you?”

That drove a spike into Rainbow’s heart. “Of course you are!” Rainbow gently pulled Scootaloo closer with her wing and held her tightly, letting her daughter cry as much as she needed to. “There, there... I’m not going anywhere, Scootaloo...” She felt Scootaloo latch onto her leg, her tears wetting her fur.

Scootaloo sobbed into Rainbow’s leg for the next couple of minutes. Her cries softened after several seconds, then she fell silent. Rainbow lowered her head and found that she was fast asleep. A soft giggle escaped past Rainbow’s lips when she saw that Scootaloo’s head was propped up against her leg like it was a makeshift pillow. Rainbow knew her leg wasn’t the softest thing around, but she figured that if it worked for Scootaloo, then it’d be alright.

Laying her head back on the pillow, Rainbow silently prayed that Princess Luna was watching over Scootaloo’s dreams.

Making Up

Twilight groaned as she woke up. She had a bit of a headache and her neck felt stiff as a board. Her hooves wrapped around her marefriend, Twilight tugged her closer to her, then planted a small kiss on the back of her head. But, instead of finding a messy mane, Twilight found something even softer. She cracked open an eye and found, not Rainbow in her grasp, but one of the many pillows they had on their bed.

It took only a few moments for last night’s events to come rushing back to her. With Rainbow watching over Scootaloo in the hospital, Celestia’s and Luna’s guards patrolling the streets of Ponyville, and with Scootaloo’s old parents still on the run, Twilight felt that everything was much too overwhelming. Silently wishing that she actually had woken up with Rainbow softly nestled in her grasp, Twilight set the pillow aside and rolled over, idly staring out of the window with bleary eyes.

The sun was already high in the sky, its light barely penetrating through the thick cloud cover. The wind howled around Rainbow’s cloudhouse, though it wasn’t nearly strong enough to break the bonds that tied her house to the library. Snow fell from the sky, covering everything in a nice, thick coat.

As Twilight sat up, she felt her head throb. She reached up with a hoof and rubbed the side of her head, right where Rainbow had kicked her. She whimpered as her hoof brushed against it, and it had formed into a nice little bump on the left side of her face, right above and to the side of her eye.

After rolling out of bed and making herself look presentable, Twilight trotted downstairs to Spike’s bedroom. She cracked open his door and stuck her head in far enough to see that he was still fast asleep. She watched him for a few more moments, then gently closed the door.

She went all the way down to the kitchen and pulled out a piece of spare parchment and a quill, then wrote, 'Spike, if you wake up before I get back, I’m at the hospital with Rainbow and Scootaloo.'

Twilight placed it the parchment at the bottom of the stairs, grabbed her favorite scarf, then left the library, taking care to not let the door slam shut. After nodding at the two bat ponies standing guard in front of the door, Twilight opened her wings and flew off in the direction of the hospital. The cold, wintery air bit at her muzzle as she flew along. She contemplated slowing down, but she didn’t want to waste any more time than necessary.

A part of her told her that she shouldn’t have left Rainbow standing alone in the dark last night. She bit her lip as she remembered the look of hurt on Rainbow’s face. Twilight sighed and closed her eyes for just a few moments, the image of Rainbow’s face burned into her memory. Twilight wanted to forgive Rainbow, but... her actions were way out of line. Throwing a tantrum in the hospital, damaging hospital property, making a scene in front of everypony... Twilight understood why Rainbow did all those things, but she definitely should not have jumped to conclusions, and she definitely did not have to kick her.

Twilight wondered how different things would be if she had stayed with Rainbow to talk things through.

She landed in front of the hospital and brushed what little snow had accumulated on her back. Stepping into the warm lobby, she felt a shiver run through her as the winter coldness left her coat. Twilight made her way up the stairs and walked up to the guards standing on either side of Scootaloo’s room.

With a wave of her hoof, they stepped aside for her, the one on the right opening the door for her. She whispered her thanks to him and walked inside, then closed the door behind her. Twilight looked up and stared in shock. Rainbow, still fast asleep, was laying next to Scootaloo, but that wasn’t the part that shocked her.

Scootaloo was only a couple of inches away from the edge of the bed.

Twilight’s eyes narrowed as she lit her horn. The memory and the pain of what Rainbow did to her last night still vivid in her mind, Twilight lifted Rainbow away from Scootaloo with her magic while she held Scootaloo in place. She let Rainbow fall onto the only other bed in the room as she gently moved Scootaloo back to the center of the bed.

Rainbow woke up a couple of inches before she landed on the other bed. “Oof!” she exclaimed. Most of the air was knocked from her lungs, and she struggled to pull in air. She had no idea what was going on, but there was one thing that she knew: someone had just thrown her away from Scootaloo. With that thought in mind, she knew she had to take action to protect her daughter.

After pulling in as much air as she could, Rainbow opened her eyes and tried to sit up, only to find Twilight stalking towards her. She paused as her eyebrows furrowed. Twilight did that? Why would sh—

“Are you out of your freaking mind?” Twilight hissed. She pushed Rainbow back down onto the bed so she could look down upon her. “You’re sooo lucky I got here when I did. Scootaloo was an inch or two from falling off of the bed, and all it would have taken was for you to kick her, or heck, even shift in your sleep to hurt her even worse than she already is!” Part of her begged, no, screamed at her not to say what she had on her mind next, but she was already on a roll. “I knew I should have stayed here last night to make sure something like that didn’t happen.”

Rainbow looked up at Twilight in shock. She tried to sit up, but a glare from Twilight told her that wasn’t a good idea. “What, are you saying you don’t trust me with her?” Rainbow stared at Twilight incredulously, waiting for her to respond. She never did. Twilight didn’t have to say anything, for the look on her face told her everything she needed to know. “Listen, Twilight, I—”

“No, Rainbow, you listen!” Twilight took a moment to gather her thoughts. “Your lack of responsibility could have hurt Scootaloo even more than she is right now. Do you want to hurt her? Hm?”

Rainbow rolled over onto her stomach and sat up on the bed, and this time Twilight didn’t push her back down. Her heart raced, and she wanted nothing more than to take this situation down a few notches. She took a couple of deep breaths, then hopped down off of the bed and sat down next to Twilight. Her ears flicking back to lay flat on her head, she glanced over at Scootaloo and hung her head.

She glanced back up to look into Twilight’s eyes, rubbing her foreleg nervously. “I... I didn’t think about that...”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Rainbow winced at that. “All I wanted was to make her happy, to make her feel safe. I realized that the last thing she saw before blacking out was her father beating her, and... she probably thought she was going to die.” A sole tear formed in the corner of her eye as she looked back at Scootaloo. “And when she woke up, I wanted to be the first thing she saw, just so that she would know from the very first moment that she was safe... safe with me. The only way I knew I could do that was if I held her.”

Rainbow brushed a few stray hairs out of her face, then flicked her mane around the other side of her neck. “She woke up last night, Twilight. She was absolutely terrified, and she had no idea where she was until she saw me. And when she saw me, she knew that she was going to be alright. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry for upsetting you like that, but... I’m not sorry for what I did. I didn’t want Scootaloo to be scared, and me being right there for her... I’m sure it meant the world and more to her, and even if I could, I wouldn’t change what I did.”

Twilight pursed her lips, then relaxed. “I... I see.” Her ears flicked back just like Rainbow’s. “I’m sorry for snapping at you like that. I... I should have heard you out before I jumped to conclusions like that.”

“Yeah, you should have.” Rainbow stood up and roughly pushed Twilight aside with her shoulder, eliciting a small gasp of shock from the alicorn. She walked up to Scootaloo’s bed and brushed her mane out of her face, then laid the lightest of kisses on her forehead.

Twilight opened her mouth to put Rainbow in her place, but as the words danced on the tip of her tongue, simply begging to be released, she relented. Now was not the time nor was it the place for starting an argument. She stepped up to Rainbow and placed a hoof on her shoulder. Much to her disbelief, Rainbow shrugged it off without looking at her.

Twilight bit her lip and sighed. I don’t want it all to end... not like this... “Rainbow, I’m... I’m concerned about you, about... about us.”

“Twilight, just... just stop, okay?” Rainbow ran a hoof over her muzzle and groaned. “I have too much on my plate right now.”

Twilight felt her stomach twist into knots. “I’m sorry, Dashie,” she murmured, hoping her affectionate nickname for her marefriend would somehow make her open up.

Rainbow stayed silent.

Twilight let her head droop. She blinked back the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes as she took a step back. “C-can we talk? Pl-please?” I need you to comfort me, to tell me that everything’s going to be okay...

Rainbow turned around when she heard Twilight’s voice change. Her expression softened when she saw Twilight on the verge of tears. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then moved to sit in front of Twilight. Her marefriend simply sat there, staring into her eyes as she waited for her to say something, anything. Rainbow bit her lip and rubbed the back of her head, then hesitantly leaned in for a nuzzle. As her cheek met Twilight’s, she felt Twilight tense up, then relax. She nuzzled her gently for a couple of seconds, then as she started to pull back, Twilight wrapped her forelegs around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

She felt Twilight sob into her shoulder more than she heard her. “Hey... it’s alright, Twi...” She wrapped her forelegs around the back of Twilight’s neck and rubbed the back of her head, then wrapped her wings around her.

“I... I d-don’t want you t-to leave me!” Twilight choked out. She buried her face into Rainbow’s shoulder, taking care not to poke her with her horn. “I can’t do th-this a-alone...” She felt Rainbow gently push her back. She thought that she was finally fed up with her, but instead of seeing a look of scorn on Rainbow’s face, she saw nothing but a loving and comforting smile.

Rainbow wiped Twilight’s tears from her eyes with a feather, then kissed her right on the lips. “Did you really think I was going to break up with you? After all we’ve done?” she asked softly, a hint of worry in her tone. Twilight nodded. “Come on now, stop crying...” She rubbed Twilight’s shoulder, then grabbed her hoof. Holding onto it tightly, she looked Twilight dead in the eyes. “I’m not breaking up with you, Twilight. I...” She bit her lip as she blushed madly, then glanced away.

“You what?”

Rainbow lowered her voice until it was nothing more than a whisper. “I... I like you too much to let something like this come between us.” She laughed nervously, then cleared her throat. “I know that there’s a lot for us to talk about, and I know we have some issues, but... we can work them out.”

Twilight smiled and took her hoof back. She nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek, then kissed the side of her neck. “Thank you...” she whispered as she laid her head on Rainbow’s shoulder. “That’s all I wanted to hear from you...” She felt Rainbow rub her back with a hoof.

“Yeah... how’s your head feel? I’m still super sorry about kicking you.”

“It’s... alright. It hurts a little bit, but only when I touch it.” Twilight pulled back and looked at Scootaloo. The poor little filly was still fast asleep. “And you’re right, we do have some... issues to work through, and I... I just want, you know... us to be alright.”

“We are, Twi... Now, come on, I want us both to be there when Scootaloo wakes up. I bet she’d love that...” She moved to stand next to Twilight, then laid a wing over her back. The two of them walked the short distance back to the bed and sat side by side.

A few minutes passed in silence before Twilight spoke up. “I... I missed you last night.” She laid her head against Rainbow’s and laid a wing over her back, tugging her as close as she could.

“Same here, Twi... same here.”

Decisions

“So... I was thinking that we go on a vacation, just the three of us. You, me, and Scootaloo.” Twilight paced around the island in Rainbow’s kitchen, a hoof rubbing her chin as she thought. Rainbow was sitting down on the border of the kitchen and the living room, watching her walk in circles with a small smile on her face.

Four days had passed since Scootaloo had been admitted into the hospital, and they had just been able to bring her back home about an hour ago. Scootaloo was taking a nap on the couch, letting the pain medications wear off. Her wings were healed, but the doctor had told both Twilight and Rainbow, in no uncertain terms, that she was not to use them for the next week or so just to be safe.

“Wait, the three of us?” Rainbow asked softly, trying to keep her voice down for their daughter. “What about Spike?” She turned to look out the window. Another snowstorm raged outside, tugging her house this way and that. Might be a good idea to reinforce the bonds connecting our houses... It was pitch-black outside. The clouds were so thick and heavy with snow that it blocked out the moonlight.

“Well... I need someone to watch over and run the library. Shutting it down for a week, or however long we plan to go on vacation for, is something I do not want to do.” Twilight paused and shook her head. “What if someone wanted a book? Or what if someone wanted to return a book? Nobody would be there to help them!” She resumed pacing. “Besides, living in constant fear is something that I will not do. Scootaloo’s old parents have shown that they do not want Scootaloo alive, so I think taking Scootaloo out of harm’s way is a good idea.”

“But what if Scootaloo’s old parents try to get in the library? What if they get to Spike?”

Twilight shook her head. “I seriously doubt that would ever happen. The town is crawling with guards, and we have at least two always in front of the library. I'll talk to him about this tomorrow when we all get up, too.”

Rainbow took a sip of coffee from her mug. It warmed her hooves just enough to keep her content. “Huh... okay. So where should we go?”

Twilight sat down in front of her and grinned. “I was thinking that we could go introduce Scootaloo to our families!”

“Hey, yeah! That sounds like fun! Hehe, I wonder what my parents are gonna think when I show up with you at my side! They haven’t met Scootaloo yet, but they know I’ve adopted her.” Rainbow blushed madly as she remembered her visit with her parents. “And they, um... I kinda told them that I had a thing for you the last time I saw them.”

Twilight cocked her head to the side and grinned. “What, you tell them that you had a massive crush on me?”

“Well, kinda. I told them I had a small crush on you, and that—”

“Come on, a small crush?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and giggled at that. “Okay, a big crush. I did tell them that I couldn’t tell if you were into me or not, and...” Dash scratched the back of her head. “I wonder what they’re gonna think when I tell them that I actually mared up and asked you out.”

“Hehe...” Twilight cracked a smile and nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek. “You know... We still haven’t gone on that date yet.”

Rainbow blushed a little and bit her cheek as she glanced away. “Oh yeah, about that.... What if... hm.” She heard Scootaloo yawn softly, making her turn around to look. Lowering her voice, she said, “Tell you what... Why don’t we go somewhere nice up in Canterlot? You pick the place, and I’ll pay for the whole thing!”

Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, that sounds great! I know just the place, too! It’s right on the edge of the city, looking over the valley. It is really expensive, but—”

“You’re worth it.” Rainbow scootched closer and laid a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Every last bit...” She leaned in, closed her eyes, and laid a gentle, tender kiss on Twilight’s lips. “We’re gonna have fun, you and me.” She let her hoof fall back to the floor as she blushed. “But first, I think we should check up on Scootaloo... It sounds like she’s waking up.”

Twilight nodded. The two of them walked around the side of the couch and sat down on either side of Scootaloo. Rainbow lay down on her stomach and brushed Scootaloo’s mane with a hoof. “Hey there, sleepyhead...” Rainbow scratched her daughter behind her left ear. Scootaloo groaned and pushed up into Rainbow’s hoof, the beginnings of a smile pulling the sides of her lips up. “How’re you feeling?” she asked softly.

“Mmm... sleepy still...” Scootaloo murmured. She cracked open an eye and saw Rainbow Dash laying beside her. As a shiver ran down her back, she pushed herself up against Rainbow’s side and laid her head on Rainbow’s hoof. She nuzzled Rainbow and smiled when she felt Rainbow lay a wing over her. “Love you guys...”

Twilight slid closer to them and nuzzled Scootaloo’s head, right in between her ears. “And we love you too, little one.” Scootaloo hummed in content. Twilight laid a tiny kiss where she had just nuzzled her, then she sat back. “If you’re awake enough, Rainbow and I have some good news to tell you!”

“Hm?” Scootaloo opened one eye and looked up at Twilight. “Whatcha mean?” she mumbled.

Twilight glanced at Rainbow. “You wanna tell her?”

“Sure.” Rainbow rubbed Scootaloo’s side with the tip of her wing. “We’re gonna go on a vacation!”

Scootaloo perked up at that. Her ears flicked up and she lifted her head from Rainbow’s leg. “Really? Where are we going?” Her gaze switched from Twilight to Rainbow a few times.

Rainbow ruffled Scootaloo’s mane. “First, we’re gonna go see Twilight’s parents in Canterlot, then we’re gonna go see mine in Cloudsdale, and then we’re gonna go to the Crystal Empire!”

“Oh my gosh, that sounds awesome!” Scootaloo stood up and hopped in place, a wide grin on her face. Her head swayed back and forth, making her slump back down against Rainbow’s side. “Oh gosh, I feel kind of dizzy...”

“I think the pain meds are still wearing off, squirt. If you want, I can bring you upstairs and we can snuggle up in my bedroom.” Rainbow tickled Scootaloo’s side with the tip of a feather again. “And I’m sure Twi would have no problem joining us, right?”

“You know I’d never say no to that, Dash! But instead of wasting time walking up there...” Twilight lit her horn, concentrated on the three of them, and teleported them up to their bedroom. “We can get right to the best part!”

“Oh, so you’re admitting that you skip ahead to see what happens at the end of your books now, hm?” Rainbow quipped, nudging Twilight’s neck with her muzzle.

“W-what? I would n-never do such a thi— Oh.” Twilight grinned and nudged Rainbow back. She lay down on her side and used her magic to pull Scootaloo up against her side, then let a warm smile slip on her face when Rainbow snuggled up to them. She laid a wing over Rainbow’s back, making sure to cover all but Scootaloo’s head.

“So Canterlot first, huh?” Rainbow laid her head down on a pillow and scootched closer so that her head was only a few inches away from Twilight’s. She saw Twilight’s horn light up, then felt the sheets cover them. As warmth seeped into her, she yawned, and right as she was closing her mouth, she felt Twilight’s lips upon her own. Dash returned the kiss with a subdued vigor, then broke away after a few seconds. “I love it when you kiss me when I’m least expecting it,” she admitted.

“I thought you might like that... So yeah, Canterlot first. I can’t wait to tell my parents about us.” Twilight tucked her head under Rainbow’s chin, taking care to lay her horn on the side of her neck. The last thing she wanted to do was to poke her throat with the tip of her horn. She nuzzled her and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “You have no idea how much I love snuggling with you, Dashie...”

“Heh, well, if you like it as much as I do, I think I have a pretty good idea.” Rainbow unfolded the wing that she wasn’t laying on and wrapped it around Twilight’s back, then she flicked her tail around her flank. “You know, I really can’t wait to take you out.” She felt Twilight squirm for just a moment.

“Me too, Dash...”

“Gosh, do you two have to be so sappy when I’m around?” Scootaloo asked as she rolled over onto her back. She wriggled in between the two of them, trying to find the perfect snuggle spot.

“Only when we’re all snuggling together, little one,” Twilight murmured. “Anyways... we’ll leave tomorrow evening. I want to talk to Rarity about something, plus I want to give my parents enough of a heads up that we’re coming for a few days.”

“What do you need to talk to Rarity about, Twi?”

“You’ll see.”

Are You My Grandparents?

As the train came to a stop in Canterlot’s station, Rainbow woke up from her nap with a small snort. She blearily opened her eyes to look out of the window only to get a faceful of bright light from the setting sun, making her wince. They had taken the early afternoon train out of Ponyville, and after talking with Twilight for a little over an hour, Rainbow had decided to sleep the rest of the trip up, and naturally, Scootaloo had fallen asleep nestled safely in her grasp.

She felt Scootaloo stir between her forelegs, then heard her mumble something inaudible. “What was that?” Rainbow croaked out, her voice hoarse. She spread her forelegs to give Scootaloo a little bit more room, then brushed her daughter’s mane with a hoof. Rainbow glanced down at the cast that pinned her wings to her side before Scootaloo spoke up.

“I said, are we there already?” Scootaloo rubbed her eyes and sat up to peer out the window. “Wow... I must have slept through the entire train ride, huh?”

“Sure looks like it!” Spike said from the seat across from them as he stowed his latest addition to his comic book collection in his backpack. “I just spent the whole train ride re-reading the entire Power Ponies series!”

“Yes, Spike, I know,” Twilight said with a light giggle. “You and I talked about it all the way up here, remember?”

“Heh, yeah...” Spike sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, then he slid from the seat. “So we going or what? You told your parents that we’d be up here by eight, but it’s already half an hour past that! See?” He gestured at the train station’s clock with a claw, pointing out the window.

“Well then, we’d better hurry up! I don’t like being late, you know.” Twilight nudged Rainbow’s flank with her muzzle, nearly pushing her from the seat. “Come on, sleepyhead. There’ll be time for us to snuggle later. My parents said that they were making a big dinner for us, and I am getting pretty hungry.” She felt Spike hop up onto her back.

“Yeah, same here.” Rainbow hopped off of the seat and nuzzled Scootaloo again. “So whatcha say, squirt? Wanna get some grub?”

“Sure! Can I ride on your back?” Scootaloo asked rather sheepishly, eyeing Spike on Twilight’s back. A small yawn parted her lips moments before Rainbow held out her wing for her to climb onto. “T-thanks, uh... Mom.”

“No problem, Scoots.” Rainbow waited until Scootaloo settled down between her wings, then she tightened the strap on her saddlebag. She felt Scootaloo lay down and wrap her small forelegs as far around her neck as she could, so she made a mental note to not whip her head around for fear of throwing her daughter off. Shooting a smile at Twilight, she asked, “So what are we waiting for? Let’s go!”

They made the trip to Twilight’s street in record time, the promise of food making their steps light and quick. The thought to fly was ever prevalent on Twilight’s mind, but a part of her preferred to simply trot down the roads that used to be so familiar to her as a filly. Most of the shops that she remembered had been long since replaced by other businesses, but the walk back home still held an aura of familiarity that she held close to her heart.

Walking up the road that led up to her old house, Twilight paused a few houses down. She was so used to just walking in and out of the place that she once called home, but now that she had her own place, it felt rather improper to just walk inside. So, after taking a breath to steady her nerves, she looked at Rainbow and asked, “You ready? I’m pretty sure my parents aren’t aware of the fact that we’re a couple, so just be prepared for that. I don’t think it’s gonna be a problem, but...”

“Everything’s gonna be fine, Twilight!” Spike spoke up. “They’re your parents, and they’ve always loved you no matter what. Why would you being with Rainbow make them think otherwise?”

“Exactly, Spike!” Rainbow said with a confident grin. “If anything, they should feel glad that you’ve found somepony to love.”

“Yeah, I guess. I just, well... they were always talking about grandfoals and all that. I know that Cadence and Shining will eventually have foals of their own, but...”

“What, I don’t count?” Scootaloo lifted her head from the back of Rainbow’s neck and giggled.

“Of course you do, squirt!” Rainbow started walking again. “She was just saying that she thought that her parents assumed that she’d get with a stallion, and not an awesome pony like me. Isn’t that right, Twi?”

“Yeah, it is.” Twilight caught up to her and nuzzled Rainbow just below her left ear. “You really are a catch, Dashie... One in a million.” Their conversation lapsed into silence as they walked up the path leading to Twilight’s old house. Twilight felt Spike rub the side of her neck. As she lifted her hoof again to knock on the door, she looked over her shoulder and whispered, “Thanks, Spike.” Then, after taking yet another deep breath, she fluffed her wings and knocked on the door three times. Twilight heard hoofsteps come from inside, then a few seconds later, the door flew open to reveal her mother.

“Twilight! Rainbow!” Twilight Velvet pulled the both of them into a fierce hug, one that only a mother could pull off. “It’s so good to see you all!” She let go of them and looked at Spike. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, mister!” Velvet stepped in between her daughter and Rainbow and laid the wettest of kisses on Spike’s cheek.

“Heh, yeah, it’s good to see you too!” Spike wiped his cheek off with a claw.

“H-hello,” Scootaloo said, rubbing her left leg with a hoof. “You’re Twilight’s mom, right? So... are you my grandma?” she asked hesitantly. Sliding off of Rainbow, she stepped up to Twilight Velvet and cocked her head to the side, her breath catching in her throat.

“I suppose I am, little one!” Twilight Velvet leaned down and nuzzled Scootaloo’s head. “It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Scootaloo. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you!”

“Honey, is that them? Night Light’s voice echoed from deep inside the house.

“Yep!” Twilight Velvet yelled over her shoulder. Looking back at her guests, she stepped aside and waved them in.

Spike jumped off of Twilight’s back and scampered up to Velvet. “So whatcha cookin? Anything particularly tasty?”

“You bet! We made Twilight’s favorite salad, iceberg lettuce with baby carrots soaked in ranch dressing! But for you? We made so many hay fries and nachos that you’ll be eating leftovers for days!” She paused as she closed the door behind everybody. “Hey Twilight, why don’t you go show Rainbow and Scootaloo their guest room? I made sure both your old bedroom and the guest room was squeaky clean!”

“Guest bedroom? When did we get one of those?” Twilight asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Oh, I redid your older brother’s room last year. I also found his stash of some rather... inappropriate magazines, too,” she added with a blush. “I figured that since he and Cadence have their own castle now that he wouldn’t mind me redoing his room.”

Separate rooms? Twilight licked her dry lips and glanced at Rainbow, knowing that she was thinking the same thing. She saw her open her mouth to say something, but with a nudge from her flank, she shut her up. “Sure, I’ll get everybody’s stuff upstairs, and then we’ll come right back down!” She nodded towards the stairs, and thankfully, Rainbow took the hint.

“You wanna come help Mommy put your stuff up, Scootaloo?” Rainbow asked.

“Sure!” Scootaloo scampered upstairs, beating Twilight and Rainbow to the top. “So where are the bedrooms? This place is huge!”

“My bedroom is this way, little one,” Twilight said, nodding to the left. She stepped forward, Rainbow and Scootaloo close behind. With a quick spell, she pushed her door open. Her bed was neatly made, complete with two light purple pillowcases. Her floor to ceiling bookshelves looked like they had just been freshly dusted, and her usually dirty desk was bare of any books, quills, and parchment.

“So, uh... Twilight?” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck as Scootaloo took her saddlebag off. As her daughter hopped on Twilight’s bed, she asked, “I know your mom just said that she made a separate room for me and Scootaloo to sleep in, but... do you have any idea how she’s gonna react when we tell her that we were planning on sleeping together?”

Twilight giggled. Hehe, phrasing... “Well... she might be a little shocked that we’re already snuggling, but I don’t think that she’d be opposed to it. Just... let me do the talking, okay?”

“Yeah, alright. So what about Scootaloo and Spike?” Rainbow used the tip of a feather to unfasten her saddlebag, which she stowed in the corner.

“They can sleep in the guest bedroom, I suppose.” Twilight lit her horn and lifted Scootaloo from her bed, then placed her on her back. “Wanna go see where you and Spike are sleeping?”

“Totally!” Scootaloo let her legs fall on either side of Twilight’s back, then she yawned. “Even after that nap on the train ride, I’m still feeling pretty sleepy.”

“Yeah, me too,” Rainbow said as she left Twilight’s room, looking left and right. “So where’s Shining’s old room?”

“Just to the left of mine,” Twilight said as she trotted past Rainbow. “Riiiiight here!” With another flash from her horn, she opened up the door to Shining’s old bedroom. “Woah...” All of Shining’s old posters had been replaced by a few pictures of the scenery around Canterlot. The Royal Gardens, Waterfall Park, and the Overlook? The dark blue walls had been painted a light brown color, the window had a pair of white curtains, and the stench was all gone. The bed was noticeably bigger and was clad in a pure white comforter.

“Wait, only one bed? What about Spike?” Scootaloo cocked her head to the side as she jumped off of Twilight’s back. She hopped up onto the bed and curled up into a ball, sinking down into the bed. “Dang, this is comfy!” With a light giggle, she glanced at Rainbow. “But not as comfy as your bed, Dash!”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow grinned as she flew to the bed. “Well, this bed is pretty nice, and super big, too. Would you mind sharing it with Spike while we’re here?”

Scootaloo thought about it for a couple of seconds. “Nah.”

“Awesome. Now come on, you two lazy bugs! Mom’s made dinner, and I’d hate to keep my parents waiting.” Twilight stepped to the side, letting Rainbow and Scootaloo walk past her. They trotted downstairs and made their way into the dining room where Night Light, Twilight Velvet, and Spike were.

“Twilight!” Night Light stood up and embraced his daughter. “It’s been much too long!”

Twilight wrapped her hooves around his neck and nuzzled him. “I know, and I’m sorry we didn’t stop by after the trial. We were just so caught up in things that I didn’t even think to come home for a while.”

“Oh, that’s okay. You’re here now, and that’s all that matters!” Night Light stepped back and looked at Rainbow Dash. “Ah, Miss Dash, I presume?” he asked with a warm smile.

“Yep! It’s nice to finally meet you, sir.” Rainbow glanced around the table. “So, uh... where do you want us all to sit?”

“Oh, just sit wherever you want to, dear!” Twilight Velvet said with a dismissive wave of her hoof.

“Sweet...” Rainbow watched as Scootaloo walked around the table to sit next to Spike. Twilight sat down across from her mother as Night Light sat down at the head of the table. Eyeing the cushion next to Twilight, she shook her mane out of her face and sat down next to her marefriend. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Velvet eyeing her, so she forced herself to not look in her direction.

Once everybody had plenty of food on their plates, Night Light cleared his throat. “So, Twilight? How’ve things been? I’m sure you and Rainbow Dash have had a lot on your plate since you got legal custody of Scootaloo.”

“Yeah, things have been a little rough, but we’ve gotten through them just fine,” Twilight said, sneaking a glance over at Rainbow. She smiled at her and flicked her tail around Rainbow’s flank, then looked back over at her father, knowing all too well that he couldn’t see her small sign of affection towards her marefriend. “Scootaloo is recovering pretty well, and since her abusive parents are still on the loose, we thought it’d be nice to get away for a while.”

“Hey, you guys aren’t abusive!” Scootaloo said indignantly. She tried to hold a neutral expression, but she couldn’t hold her smile back.

“Yeah, you bet your flank we aren’t!” Rainbow said with a giggle. She looked over at Twilight’s parents. “We’ve already given her a bedroom in my house.”

“Don’t you live in a cloudhouse, Rainbow?” Twilight Velvet spoke up.

“I sure do!” Rainbow shoved a forkful of salad into her mouth.

“So do you two have a schedule or something for who watches over Scootaloo? Or does she stay at your house all the time?” Velvet asked, toying with the food on her plate.

“Oh, we don’t have any sort of schedule. Since our houses are connected, we don’t have to worry about dropping Scootaloo off at all. Since our daughter can’t fly yet, she needed a way to get up to my house.”

“Mo~om!” Scootaloo glared at Rainbow as she crossed her forelegs. “You didn’t have to tell them that...” she mumbled.

“Oh...” Woops... Me and my big mouth! Rainbow’s shoulders slumped as her smile left her face. “Sorry, Scootaloo, I—”

“Gotcha! Hehe, you sure are gullible.” Scootaloo grinned and looked over at Twilight’s parents. “My wings are smaller than usual,” she explained. “Even though some doctor said that I’d never be able to fly, I don’t believe him. You know why? Because Rainbow promised me that she’d help me get up there, no matter what!” She didn’t notice Rainbow grimace.

“Aww, how sweet...” Velvet cooed. “So... why are your houses connected?” she asked Twilight.

“Well... in order for us to get custody of Scootaloo, we had to make certain arrangements. We were told that we couldn’t use the library as Scootaloo’s primary residence because it was public property, and Rainbow’s home floats in the air, so... Rainbow tied her front porch to my bedroom’s balcony.”

“So... let me get this straight.” Night Light propped his head up on his hooves. “In order for Scootaloo to get to Rainbow’s house, she has to go through your bedroom? Wouldn’t that get a little annoying if you were trying to sleep, having ponies walk in and out of your bedroom?”

“It’s not like that, Dad,” Twilight said, feeling her cheeks warm up as she blushed. “Rainbow and I, we’ve... grown really close since we’ve started taking care of Scootaloo, and...” She looked at Rainbow as she paused, her heart racing in her chest.

“Let’s just say that we share the same bed,” Rainbow said, finishing Twilight’s sentence for her. She pushed her cushion up against Twilight’s and laid a wing across her back, tugging her close. Feeling just how tense she was, she massaged her back for a few moments, then said, “We’re together now.” Twilight kept shivering under her wing, even though the room wasn’t all that cold. “And I love Twilight, too,” she added with a smile.

“...I see,” Night Light said, his voice low. “Is this right, Twilight?”

“Yes, it is.” Twilight flicked her gaze up to meet her father’s, expecting his face to wear a look of disapproval. “We, um... we’re in love, Dad.” She felt Rainbow grab her hoof, which she held onto with all of her strength.

Night Light chuckled, then grinned. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” Looking at Rainbow, he said, “You’ve got yourself a very special mare, Rainbow. Don’t ever forget that.”

Rainbow pulled Twilight up against her side, then said, “I never will...” As Twilight turned to look at her, Rainbow nuzzled her cheek. “I love you, Twi...” she whispered, her voice so soft only Twilight could hear her.

“I know... I love you too, Dashie...” Twilight whispered back, her eyes closed. Her ears laying flat on her head, she looked up see her mother wink at her.

“Anyways...” Rainbow loosened her grasp on Twilight as she started eating again. “I was thinking that Scootaloo and Spike could share Shining Armor’s old room so that Twilight and I can sleep together.”

Night Light dropped his fork, his mouth open wide as he stared at Rainbow. “Wait, what?”

The Love of a Mother

Twilight trotted inside the doctor’s office in Celestia’s castle, folding her aching wings. She had arranged for Scootaloo to get examined by the best doctor in the land, knowing that a second opinion could bolster Scootaloo’s confidence if they were given the answer that they were all hoping for. Earlier this morning, she had sent a letter to Celestia asking if they could have Scootaloo checked up, and thankfully, Celestia said yes, also saying that they could come in around noon.

“Hey, what kept ya?” Rainbow asked, opening a wing for Twilight to sit under. “I was starting to think that you weren’t gonna make it.” Scootaloo was sitting on the edge of the doctor’s bench, letting her hind legs sway back and forth.

Twilight sat down next to her, laying her head against Rainbow’s neck. “I was, uh... getting some things set up for our date tonight.” She sighed and smiled when Rainbow draped her wing over her back, purging the wintery cold from her feathers.

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow lightly nuzzled Twilight’s cheek. “What sort of things?”

“It’ll be a surprise, Dashie. But don’t get your feathers all rustled; tonight’s gonna be awesome.”

Scootaloo giggled. “What about Spike and me? What’re we gonna do while you’re gone smooching all night?”

Twilight closed her eyes and blushed at the thought of her and Rainbow making out. She and Rainbow usually only shared quick pecks on the cheek, and had only kissed a couple of times on the lips. The idea of spending a night with her marefriend, alone, made her legs quiver in nervous excitement. “That’s Spike and I, Scootaloo,” Twilight corrected her with a grin. “And Mom and Dad were gonna take you guys to a nice restaurant first, then you’re going to get ice cream and see a movie.”

“A movie? Awesome! I haven’t seen one since Rainbow and I binge-watched Daring Do last summer!” Scootaloo stood up and gleefully hopped around the bench, using her wings to give her an extra bit of air with each hop.

“Yep! Aside from Cloudsdale, I heard that Canterlot has the biggest screen in all of Equestria! Kinda makes me jealous that I won’t be able to go, though...” She glanced at Twilight and shot a sly wink at her, making Twilight chuckle.

“Don’t you worry, you and I...” She glanced at Scootaloo and grinned. “Are gonna have even more fun... just the two of us.” Twilight fought back a squee as she thought, Tonight cannot come soon enough!

“Can’t wait, my little bookworm,” Dashie murmured, nipping the tip of Twilight’s ear.

“Glad to hear it,” Twilight replied, her voice equally as soft. “I’ve waited so long for us to go on a date, but...”

“We’ve just been so busy with adult things.”

“Yeah. So to make up for all the times we could have gone out, I’ve planned this evening to be the best date ever!” Twilight said, her voice bubbling with excitement. “I got us some nice new dresses, a reservation at the best-rated restaurant in town, and...” Her lips formed a small ‘O’, then she grinned at Rainbow as she clammed up. “Hehe, you almost made me spill the beans! I guess the rest is just gonna have to be a surprise, Dash. Don’t wanna spoil the fun, right?”

At that moment, the doctor walked back inside. He looked up from his notes and spotted Twilight. “Ah, Miss Sparkle! How wonderful it is to see you again! It’s been much too long!”

Twilight recognized the aging unicorn instantly. “Doctor Heart!” She let Rainbow’s wing slip from her back as she stood up to greet him. “I haven’t seen you since I was a filly! How’ve you been?”

“Fairly well, thank you!” Doctor Heart looked her up and down with a gentle smile. “My my, you’ve grown so much! If my memory is correct, I think the last time I saw you was when you were just seven years old. Time sure flies, doesn’t it?” he asked with a chuckle. “I still can’t believe you’re an alicorn now. When I heard the news, I could not believe my ears.”

“Yeah, I’m still getting used to having, well... wings.” She looked over her shoulder at Rainbow. “But my marefriend, Rainbow Dash, has been teaching me a lot.”

“Is that so?” Doctor Heart chuckled as he adjusted his white coat. He glanced at the notes in his folder. “So now young Scootaloo has not one, but two esteemed ponies teaching her how to fly, hm?”

“Yes, well... we’ve run into a bit of a snag,” Rainbow said, moving to sit beside Twilight. “The reason we’re here is to get Scootaloo’s wings tested. She’s still having trouble getting in the air, and it’s starting to worry me... well, us,” she said, motioning between her and Twilight with a hoof. “A doctor back in Ponyville said that she’d never be able to fly, but after hearing Twilight talk about you this morning, we figured that we’d get a second, and better, opinion from you.”

“Hopefully she didn’t talk bad about me!” the doctor said with a laugh before looking at Twilight. “I know how much you hated getting shots.” He looked over at Scootaloo. “She cried for hours after one tiny shot!” he said in an exaggerated whisper. “We’ll just have to see how tough you are when I give you your shots today.”

“Hey, I did not!” Twilight said in mock indignance, taking a step back. Everyone in the room stared at her, making her clear her throat nervously. She sat down and chuckled, then said, “Okay, fine... it was more like twenty minutes, but it was a big shot and it hurt!” She stomped a hoof on the ground, then heard Rainbow muffle a snicker. She shot a dirty look at her. “Oh please, I’m sure you cried even longer than I did!”

Rainbow snorted and shook her head, looking at her in disbelief “Oh yeah? You don’t have any proof of that!” she said, a grin nearly splitting her face in two.

“We will soon! Remember how we’re going to introduce Scootaloo to your parents in a few days? I’m sure they’ll have all sorts of stories of you at the doctor!”

Rainbow’s grin faded and her ears drooped. “Heh, you better not ask them!”

“Yeah? Or what?”

“Or... or... I’ll withhold snuggles for a week!”

Twilight gasped. “You... you wouldn’t dare! ...would you?” she asked, her voice coming out more meekly than she intended.

Rainbow giggled. “Nah, of course not. I’d be missing out just as much, if not more, than you!”

“Ladies, ladies...” The doctor used his magic to lay a tray full of needles on Scootaloo’s bench. “Can we get back to the task at hoof? Scootaloo here has never had any sort of shots before, at least that’s what her records show here. It’s a wonder that she hasn’t gotten sick all of these years.”

“Oh, um... wow, really?” Twilight glanced at Scootaloo to find her quivering in a ball. “Is this true? You’ve never gotten a shot?” Scootaloo slowly shook her head, her eyes never leaving the three large needles on the tray. Twilight closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her temple with a hoof before she looked back up. “What about a dentist? Have you seen one lately?”

“N-never,” Scootaloo croaked out.

“Never ever?” Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed. “What about the spa? You ever go there to get your wings done?”

“Uh... nope.”

“Huh... guess that’s gonna be on the list of things to do when all of this blows over.” Twilight nodded at the doctor. “Go ahead and give her her shots, please.”

“W-wait, what about Spike? How come he d-doesn’t have to get shots?” Scootaloo asked, her ears laying flat on her head. “And I thought we were here to just get my wings tested!”

“We are, Scootaloo, but it’s better to get the shots out of the way. As for Spike, that’s because he’s already gotten all of his shots.” Twilight rubbed Scootaloo’s leg, making her look up at her with a tiny smile. “He’s out getting lunch with my parents right now.”

Scootaloo shied away from the doctor as he stepped up to the tray. Her eyes flicked to Twilight’s. “It isn’t gonna hurt that bad, r-right?”

“You’ll just feel a little pinch is all. Besides, you’re a tough filly like me, right?” Rainbow asked, nuzzling Scootaloo’s cheek. She paused. “Well, I’m not a filly, but you’re still tough like me! You know what I was trying to say, right?” Rainbow asked with a slightly nervous chuckle.

“Y-yeah,” Scootaloo said, relaxing a bit as she laughed with Rainbow.

The doctor lifted the first needle with his magic, and after wiping a patch of fur on Scootaloo’s leg, he asked, “Are you ready? I promise it won’t hurt that much. Trust me, I’m a doctor. I know what I’m doing.” When Scootaloo hesitantly nodded her approval, he lowered the needle and gave her the injection. “See? Not bad at all!”

“Hey, yeah... It wasn’t bad at all!” Scootaloo snickered and looked at Twilight. “I can’t believe you cried from that! I’ve had worse falling out of bed!” she said as the doctor gave her the second shot.

“Come on, I was three years old when I got my shots! You have a decade of time on me. It’s not fair to compare us like that.”

Rainbow nudged Twilight. “Yeah, she’s got a point, Scoots. It’s like you telling yourself six years ago that it’s easy to pull off a ten foot jump while spinning your scooter beneath you. You had just started riding back then, and there’s no way that you could have landed a trick like that back then.”

“Oh.” Scootaloo humphed. “I guess so. You guys just made me think that getting a shot would hurt a ton, and... it’s really not that ba—ouch!” She winced as the doctor injected her with the last shot.

“I was gonna say that it hurts when you don’t expect it,” Twilight said as Scootaloo rubbed her leg, eyeing the doctor with a wary gaze. “And now we can get your wings looked at, right doctor?”

“Mhm! Just follow me to the next room!”

Twilight followed the doctor across the hall as Rainbow let Scootaloo hop onto her back. “See? I knew you were a tough filly,” Rainbow said as Scootaloo plopped down between her wings. “And now we get to the good part. I can’t wait for the doctor to tell you that you can fly!”

The doctor stood before them back in his office where he’d given Scootaloo the shots, a folder tucked under his leg. Twilight noticed he wasn’t smiling, and all of his mirth from before had vanished like an ounce of snow in a flaming hot pan. She snuck a glance at Rainbow and saw a big smile on her face much like the one that Scootaloo was wearing. Oh no... they’re gonna be so let down when he says that she can’t fly. My very first date with Rainbow could be ruined! She bit her lip and looked up at the doctor when he cleared his throat.

Doctor Heart sighed as he sat down before them. “Listen, there’s really no easy way for me to say this, but... after running every test in the book, I... have to agree with the previous doctor’s assessment.”

Rainbow’s ears flopped down. She felt as if a boa constrictor had wrapped itself around her, tightening down around her chest and making it hard to breath. “What exactly are you saying, Doctor Heart?” She pulled Scootaloo in between her forelegs and rubbed her leg with a hoof.

The doctor looked down at his hooves, then set the folder onto his desk. “My results pretty much show what the first doctor told you three. The reason that Scootaloo can’t fly is because of her unusually small wings. I’ve never seen a case as extreme as hers, and if she isn’t already flying at this point, I’m not sure if she’ll ever fly.”

Twilight felt a tear well up in her left eye as her stomach twisted itself into a knot. “I see... Thank you for your time, doctor. It was nice to see you again.” The doctor nodded in reply. Standing up, Twilight walked out of the room and out into the hallway, leaving Rainbow and Scootaloo with the doctor.

“Come on, little one,” Rainbow murmured, sluggishly placing Scootaloo on her back. She stood up, nodded at the doctor, then joined Twilight out in the hallway. “Are you... okay, Twilight?” Rainbow asked softly, the door clicking shut behind them. She placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight wiped her eyes and threw on a fake smile. “I think so. But what about Scootaloo?”

Several moments passed in silence. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said a word since the doctor... well, you know what he said.” She pursed her lips and glanced over her shoulder. “Uh... you alright?” she asked, expecting a flood of tears.

Scootaloo smiled wistfully at her. “Yeah,” she said after a moment. “I’m fine.”

“R-really?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head to the side. “I sorta thought you’d be crying your eyes out by now.”

“Nah. Like you said, Rainbow, I’m a tough filly.” Scootaloo slid from Rainbow’s back. She looked up at Twilight and opened her eyes wide for a second, making sure that Rainbow couldn’t see.

“Yeah... you were very brave getting those shots today,” Twilight said as she rubbed Scootaloo’s back. “Say... Rainbow? You mind if I take Scootaloo up in the clouds for a few minutes? We can meet you back at my parents’ house.” She felt Scootaloo climb up her hind leg and onto her back. “Please? There’s something I’d like to talk to her about, one on one.”

“Well, so long as you tell me about it later, I don’t really see a problem with that. I’m gonna grab some donuts for us so we can all snack out when you guys get back. Sound good?”

Twilight nodded. “Sure does! Ready, Scootaloo?”

“Mhm,” Scootaloo murmured, wrapping her legs around Twilight’s neck.

Twilight cantered down the hall with Rainbow at her side. As they made their way outside, Twilight nuzzled Rainbow on the cheek and whispered, “When you get back home, keep your eyes on the sky, Dashie.” And with that, she took to the sky, leaving Dash alone on the ground. She flew upwards in a casual loop, letting an updraft carry them up high above the city. Spotting some fluffy clouds nearby, Twilight leveled out and flew to the closest one. Folding her legs under her, she settled down on the cloud and relaxed, laying down on her side.

Scootaloo walked around until she was standing in front of Twilight. “So...” she said, her head hung low. She sat down and rubbed her foreleg where the doctor gave her the shots.

“Yeah...” Twilight glanced away, the wind ruffling her mane as their conversation lapsed into silence. After a minute, she saw Scootaloo stand up, her head still hanging low, then settle down between her forelegs, her side pressed up against her breast. Twilight hummed in content as Scootaloo laid her head on her right foreleg. After a few more moments of silence, Twilight sighed. “I’m sorry that you didn’t get the answer we wanted, Scootaloo. I know how much flying means to you,” she said, her voice light and soft, barely audible above the wind.

Scootaloo nuzzled Twilight’s breast in silent thanks. “It’s okay, I guess. I kinda already knew what the doctor was gonna say before going in to see him, but hearing him say that I’ll never fly hurt.” She felt a tear slip from her right eye, leaving a tiny trail down her cheek. “It hurt a lot.” Scootaloo felt her cheek grow cold from the wind, but she didn’t raise a hoof to wipe her tears away. “After seeing that folder back home, I thought my life was over, that all of the things that Rainbow told me were never going to come true.”

Twilight’s mouth grew dry. She licked her lips, at a loss for words. “I... Listen. Rainbow believes in you, and you should too. This morning, I thought of a way that could potentially allow you to fly, albeit for a short duration.”

Scootaloo’s ears perked up at that. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sat up so she could look at Twilight. “Huh? W-what do you mean?” she asked tentatively, her voice trembling with hopefulness.

“Well... we know that you can hover above the ground by flapping your wings really fast, which results in you burning up all of your energy, which in turn makes you fall back to the ground. I can’t make your wings bigger, nor can I give you those butterfly wings that I gave Rarity all of those years ago. But, what I can do is give you most of the energy I have through a rather easy spell, which in theory, would allow you to stay aloft for a much longer period of time. If you want to give it a shot, we can. It’ll feel rather strange though, like you’ve just been force-fed a ton of coffee. It’ll wear off pretty fast when you fly, even if you’re standing still, so if I perform this spell, you would have to fly seconds later if you want to take full advantage of it.”

Scootaloo’s eyes lit up. “That sounds great! But... what about you? How would it affect you?”

“I’d just feel really, really tired. To be honest, I’d have to eat a lot and take a long nap to regain the energy that I would give you. But if this would allow you to fly, even for a very short time, I think it would be worth it. After all, I—” Scootaloo rushed forward and wrapped her forelegs around Twilight’s neck, nuzzling her all the while. Twilight was taken aback by the sudden sign of affection, but that didn’t stop her from wrapping a leg around her.

Scootaloo stepped back. “So... if it isn’t going to hurt you, I think... I think I’d like to give this a shot. I want to prove those doctors wrong!”

“That’s the spirit!” Twilight stood up and lit her horn. “Stay perfectly still, okay?” She lowered her head until her horn was resting on top of Scootaloo’s head, then clenched her eyes shut. A deep thrumming sound came from her horn, its light growing in intensity.

Scootaloo closed her eyes as the light became too much to bear. It felt as if ants were crawling all over her body, her wings tingling all the while. She opened them slowly as the sensation of pure energy coursing through her veins turned into a fierce confidence, and then moments later, the light faded away.

Twilight opened her eyes just as she collapsed, her legs unable to support her weight. She panted heavily, her chest heaving up and down. Her vision was blurry at best, and the tips of her hooves were numb.

Scootaloo rushed to her side. “Twilight! Are you okay?” She nuzzled Twilight’s chin with the tip of her nose, hoping for a response.

“Yeah...” Twilight groaned in between pants. “I think I... overdid it, though. I feel like I... could sleep for... a week... Mmm... that sure sounds... nice.”

“Take some back! Please! I don’t like seeing you like this!” Scootaloo begged, her eyes wide. She pushed Twilight’s shoulder with a hoof, rocking her back and forth, wishing that she’d get up and tell her everything was okay.

After a few seconds of silence, Twilight mustered what little energy she had left and sat up, much slower than normal. “I’m fine, little one. See? I just need... a minute.”

Scootaloo humphed. “Fine. I’ll wait right here until you tell me you feel better!” She plopped down against Twilight’s side and crossed her hooves. “And there’s nothing you can do to make me go, either!”

Twilight chuckled. “I’m fine, Scootaloo, really! I bet Rainbow’s already gotten us those donuts, so why don’t we go surprise her? I’m sure it’d mean a lot for her to see you flying, especially after what that doctor said.”

“Uh-uh!” Scootaloo shook her head. “I’m not leaving this cloud until you do!”

If I just glide most of the way, I think I can make it. Twilight stood up and spread her wings. “Oh, is that so?” she asked with a sly grin. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she stepped up to the edge of the cloud. “First one to the house gets the first pick of the box!”

Scootaloo walked up to Twilight, then looked over the edge of the cloud. She took a few steps back and glanced up at Twilight. “Can you, um... fly below me in case I fall?”

“Of course! I wouldn’t have it any other way, Scoots,” Twilight said, using Rainbow’s affectionate nickname for their daughter. Scootaloo giggled in relief, then climbed up Twilight’s hind leg to sit down upon her back, just in front of her wings.

“Ready when you are!” Scootaloo said, patting the side of Twilight’s neck with a hoof.

Twilight readied her wings, then looked over her shoulder. “Listen, if you just feel comfortable gliding down to the house, you can do that too.”

Scootaloo vigorously shook her head. “Nuh-uh! You said that it would let me fly, so I’m gonna fly!”

“Okay then!” And with that, Twilight threw herself off the cloud, finding a breeze in the general direction of her parents’ house. She felt Scootaloo’s weight disappear from her back, so she looked up, adjusting her flight path to match Scootaloo’s.

Scootaloo flapped her wings as hard as she could, and as soon as her hooves left Twilight’s back, instead of finding herself hovering, she found herself soaring higher and higher than even before. “Woah!” she exclaimed, momentarily freezing in midair. Twilight’s airspeed had already given her a bit of a speed boost She dipped down, flapping her wings a little slower, and found that she was able to overtake Twilight’s glide path with ease. She banked to the left, then right, then left again to burn off some speed so that Twilight could catch up beneath her.

Spotting the house several blocks down the road, Scootaloo banked slightly to the right, always keeping an eye on Twilight. She saw Rainbow trot through the gate, cantering up to the front door. “Hey, Rainbow! Look at me!” she called out, her voice all but lost in the strong headwind. Noticing that she was losing altitude rather quickly, Scootaloo flapped her wings as hard as she could, barely regaining her previous altitude.

Twilight heard Scootaloo call out for Rainbow and knew that she wouldn’t be able to hear her at this distance. Leveling out on a smooth glide path that would put her roughly in the front yard, Twilight mustered up the last little bit of energy she had, then lit her horn. She performed a simple, yet taxing, amplifying spell and whistled as loud as she could.

Rainbow’s ears perked up when she heard somepony whistle from behind and above. Turning around, she saw a small orange blob rocketing towards her. There’s no way that’s... Oh my gosh, it’s Scootaloo! Dropping the box of donuts on the path leading up to the door, she jumped into the sky and hovered fifty or so feet above the ground, her forelegs outstretched.

With a wide smile, Scootaloo figured out what Rainbow wanted. She flared her wings to bleed speed, but found herself falling instead of slowing down. She tried to flap her wings again, but couldn’t sync them up. She looked for Twilight, but as she spun towards the ground, all she saw was a blend of colors from her surroundings.

“Don’t worry, I gotcha!” Rainbow said, swooping in to catch Scootaloo in her forelegs. She flew them to the ground moments before Twilight landed nearby, her horn lit. “Scootaloo, how... What were... You were so awesome!” she exclaimed, nuzzling Scootaloo on the cheek so hard that the filly lost her balance, collapsing onto the ground in a heap. Rainbow tickled her stomach with a hoof, unrelenting as Scootaloo writhed beneath her, giggling uncontrollably.

Twilight walked up to them on shaky legs, folding her trembling wings back to her side. Rainbow looked up, then wrapped her in a ferocious hug. “Thank you,” she whispered, tears of joy dripping from her eyes. “I don’t know what you did or how you did it, but thank you.” Twilight gingerly laid a hoof around Rainbow’s back, her grasp weak. Her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, Rainbow pulled back. “T-Twilight?” Her eyes ran up and down Twilight’s worn-out form. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice holding no small amount of worry.

Twilight panted softly. “I’m fine, I... I just need to go rest. If we’re gonna go out later, I need to go take a nap.”

Spike and Twilight’s parents walked outside, wide smiles on all of their faces. “How were you flying, Scootaloo?” Spike asked, helping Scootaloo back up to her hooves. “I can’t believe that the doctor was able to get you flying in just a couple of hours!”

Scootaloo bit her lip, then wistfully smiled at Spike. “He... didn’t. It was all Twilight.”

“Wait, huh?” Spike scratched his head, looking back to find Twilight and Rainbow munching away on some donuts..

“Yeah, what did Twilight do?” Night Light asked. “Whatever she did, it left her not looking so good...”

“Well, she sorta gave me most of her energy just so that I could fly for a minute,” Scootaloo admitted, watching Rainbow and Twilight walk inside the house, their wings draped over the other’s back. Looking up, she saw Night Light purse his lips, a grim look on his face.

“I still can’t believe that Scootaloo can fly now!” Rainbow said, helping Twilight walk up the stairs.

“I... know,” Twilight panted. “You’ve said that like, fourteen times now.”

“Yeah, but still! How’d you do it? Especially after the doctor said she’d never fly?” Rainbow shouldered open the door to their room.

“Bed... first. Questions... later.” Twilight’s legs felt like they were jelly. If it wasn’t for Rainbow helping her up the stairs, she probably would have collapsed upon the first soft thing she found. Rainbow guided her to the bed, then pushed her on top of it. Twilight flopped down onto her stomach, then pulled a pillow over to lay her head upon. She groaned as she relaxed, most of her muscles feeling like she’d just finished working out for an entire day. Letting her wings unfold, she spread them wide, covering the width of the bed. “I feel... cold,” she murmured.

“Hey, don’t worry, Twi... I’m here.” Rainbow hopped onto the bed and settled down on Twilight’s back, covering her with her body. She loosely wrapped her wings around Twilight’s belly, then started massaging her wing joints with her hooves. She heard Twilight sigh happily, her wings twitching from her ministrations.

“Gods above, that feels wonderful...” Twilight whispered, a small smile tugging at her lips. She pulled the pillow closer to her, laying her head down on the far end of it.

Many minutes passed in silence as Rainbow worked relentlessly. After she finished with Twilight’s wings, she moved up to her shoulders and spent a good few minutes working on those. Placing her hooves on either side of Twilight’s head, Rainbow leaned down and planted the softest of kisses on the side of Twilight’s neck, wishing that she had access to Twilight’s lips. After a few more kisses, Twilight folded her wings, giving her enough space to lay down next to her.

Rainbow slid off of Twilight’s back and laid a wing across her folded wings. “So... you wanna be the big spoon or the little spoon?” she asked, a blush tinting her cheeks a light pink that contrasted nicely with her fur.

“Big spoon, please,” Twilight whispered. “I wanna hold you close, Dashie.” She gingerly rolled onto her side and tugged the covers up. Rainbow rolled onto her side and pressed her back into her belly. “Hehe, I can see why you like being the big spoon so often... you’re so warm, soft even...”

“Yeah, it sure is great, especially when you have the cutest mare in all of Equestria,” Rainbow said, her blush deepening. She felt Twilight’s wing wrap around her belly, then felt a hoof weave its way in between her forelegs. Rainbow grasped it without a second thought, wincing when she felt that it was cooler than usual. After several moments of silence, she murmured, “What did you do? For the cutest mare, you don’t look so good right now...”

Twilight chuckled. “I know why Scootaloo can’t fly, and what I did confirms it.”

“Yeah, her wings aren’t big enough, right?” She felt Twilight nod.

“Mhm, but there’s another aspect to it, too. She burns through all of her energy before she can really fly, so I’m thinking that her body can’t store the energy she needs that allows us, and all other pegasi, to fly normally. The reason why I’m so exhausted is because I gave her most of my energy, allowing her to fly for a very short time.”

“Wow... so whenever she wants to fly, she could just go to you?” Rainbow asked hopefully, already knowing the answer.

“Um... yes and no.” Twilight smiled as Rainbow tucked her head in beneath her chin. “As you can see, to let Scootaloo fly for even a minute leaves me completely drained,” she said with a yawn. “So yes, she can fly with my energy, but it would leave me vulnerable. I feel as if performing even a simple levitation spell would leave me panting right now. This is... just a short term solution until I can find a way to let her fly like us.”

Rainbow frowned, hearing the disappointment clearly in Twilight’s tone. “We’ll find a way, Twilight. With me by your side, and with Spike as your faithful research assistant, nothing is impossible.”

“R... right.” Twilight yawned again. “Mind if we take a nap for a while? I don’t want to be a zombie for our date tonight...”

“Of course... Anything for you, Twilight.”

Wanting to check up on his daughter, Night Light crept up to the door and peeked through the crack. Instead of finding Twilight alone in bed, he found Rainbow nestled safely in Twilight’s grasp, snuggling in the most intimate of ways. Both Twilight and Rainbow had small smiles on their faces as they slept away. Night Light huffed, unsure of what to do. His hoof rested on the door knob, half of his mind telling him that what they were doing was inappropriate since they were still in the formation stages of their relationship. Back in his day, snuggling like that was typically done between married couples.

Licking his lips, he started to push open the door, but felt a sharp tug on his tail. His head whipping around, he found his wife with a mouth full of his tail. He cocked an eyebrow at her, then shut the door and followed her down the hallway, away from Twilight and Rainbow. “What is it? he asked.

“Were you about to go wake them up?” Twilight Velvet asked, getting right to the point.

“Yes! I don’t feel comfortable with them sleeping together like that, in such an intimate way, too!” Night Light snapped. “I won’t have it in my house.”

“Really?” Twilight Velvet deadpanned, then chuckled.

“And that’s not all! Scootaloo said that Twilight gave her most of her energy! And judging by how she looked when she came home, it looked as if she was near death!”

“Honey, I know you worry about her... I do too!” Twilight Velvet placed a hoof on her husband’s shoulder. “But she’s a princess now; I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.”

“But what if she went too far? What if she gave up all of her energy? She could have died!” Night Light stomped a hoof on the old wood floor.

“Yes, well—”

“Died, Velvet!” Night Light glared at her, his nostrils flared. “I’ve told her a thousand times to never use spells like that. She knows better! Just because Princess Celestia has given her access to those forbidden spells doesn’t mean that she has the right to use them!”

“Dear, I’m sure she knew the risks when she used the spell, but—”

“Listen to me!” Night Light snapped. “It’s a forbidden spell for a reason. Lots of unicorns have died while performing that spell, and I won’t have our daughter become another statistic.”

Twilight Velvet nodded slowly, then sighed. “I understand. Why don’t we talk to her tomorrow, after the date? I’m sure this was just a one-time thing to bolster Scootaloo’s feelings.”

Night Light humphed, then relented. “Oh... alright then. I just want to impress upon her that that spell should not be performed under any situation, but... I guess it can wait until tomorrow. Don’t want to ruin their first date night, eh?”

“Exactly. I’m glad you think so. As for the issue of them snuggling like that... don’t you remember how things were back when we were dating? You couldn’t keep your hooves off of me.” Twilight Velvet grinned slyly and stepped up to her husband, a hoof tracing small circles on his chest.

Night Light took a step back and rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof, glancing away from his wife. “Yes, well, be that as it may, it doesn’t change the fact that I think they’re taking things too fast. They’ve only been together for a couple of months, and they’re even going on their first date tonight.”

“Come on... you know they’ve been friends for years,” Twilight Velvet said, stepping up to him once more. “And them not being able to go on a proper, romantic date is excusable due to events out of their control. With all that has happened, I think things turned out pretty good for those two.” She sat down and grabbed one of Night Light’s hooves in her own. “Can you let them have this? I checked up on them earlier, and they looked so happy with each other, just like how you and I were back when we were their age. Knowing how we were back then, it’s easy to tell that they’ve fallen hard for each other.”

Night Light chuckled. “Yeah, I noticed that they’ve become really close, too.” He looked back down the hallway, then sighed. Turning back to face his wife, he smiled at her, then said, “I suppose we can let them be.”

Twilight Velvet scooted up, then kissed her husband. “Glad you think so, dear. Come, let us go see how Spike and Scootaloo are doing. If our little lovebird isn’t awake in a few hours, I’ll just have to go wake them up.”

“With a cold bucket of water, I hope!” Night Light said with a deep chuckle, ignoring the playful glare from his wife as he trotted down the stairs.

Our First Real Date

“Ya know, I can’t remember a time when I saw Scootaloo as happy as she was today, Twilight,” Rainbow said as she placed her fork back down on the table. They were in Canterlot’s finest restaurant, and somehow, they had gotten a table even though the waiting list was months long, but Rainbow had figured that it was because of Twilight’s position as a princess. The walls were a scarlet red, complimented by white crown molding all-throughout the establishment. White tablecloths that felt like they were made of silk covered each small table, only big enough for two. Faint light from several flickering candles, one on each table, lit the room with just enough light to set a very romantic mood. Thankfully, the sky was clear, and it seemed as if there wouldn’t be any snow that night.

As a waiter trotted past them, levitating a tray of food for another table, Rainbow eyed the silky white gloves that ran just past her knees, keeping her warm on this most chilliest of nights. They had been a gift from Twilight, along with the rest of her outfit. In stark contrast to her dress that she had worn to her first Grand Galloping Gala, this one was pure white, just like her gloves. It hugged her body as if it was a leotard, and ended in a skirt that stopped a few inches above the ground. It wasn’t really her thing, but it felt wonderful, and if it made Twilight happy, then she would gladly wear it. Thankfully, Twilight was in a similar dress, but instead of white, it was a midnight blue, a color she envied. She was wearing gloves like hers, and to top it all off, she was wearing a cute bow that matched the color of her dress. Rainbow scratched her right ear, feeling her own bow brush against her hoof. She’d almost said no to wearing it, but when she saw how adorable it made Twilight look, she had changed her mind.

“Yeah, same here,” Twilight said, pushing away her empty plate. “I knew that it’d make her really happy, especially after the doctor said… well, you know what he said.” She sat back, biting her bottom lip.

“Sure, but for you to figure out why she can’t fly is a step in the right direction, uh… right?” Rainbow pushed her plate away too as their waiter brought the check. She reached out and grabbed the check before Twilight could. “Uh… Twilight?”

“Yes, Dash?”

“Why is our bill over a hundred bits?” Rainbow let her hoof drift down as she stared at Twilight.

“Well, this is the best restaurant in Canterlot, after all. I told you that we had to dress up really fancy for this, so I had Rarity make us these fantastic dresses.” She took a sip of wine and licked her lips.

Rainbow placed the bill back down on the table, then rubbed her foreleg. “So you had Rarity make us these dresses in what, a day? I know it can take her weeks for her to make a nice dress, but for her to make these overnight had to have been really expensive. And on top of getting us the dresses, you want to pay the bill? You’ve already paid too much, Twilight. Let me pay, please; it’s the least I can do.”

“Nope!” Twilight chirped with a smile on her face. She lit her horn and grabbed the bill, then placed a significantly-sized bag of bits on top of it. There, that should easily cover the bill and the tip… “Each dress was more expensive than this bill, but…” She stood up and nodded towards the door on the other side of the room.

Rainbow stood up and followed Twilight outside, leaving the candle-lit room behind them. “What?” She saw Twilight trot down the sidewalk a little bit, stopping in front of an alleyway. Rainbow walked up next to her and opened her mouth, but instead of words coming out, she felt Twilight’s tongue coming in instead. Her eyes going wide, she felt Twilight push her up against the restaurant’s wall, just inside the alley, pinning her as she moaned softly into her mouth. Rainbow’s eyes drifted shut as she let Twilight take the lead, their tongues dancing a furious, needy tango of love.

Twilight broke their kiss, panting softly as she stared into Rainbow’s eyes. Her heart yearned to feel Rainbow’s lips upon her own once more, but she knew that there would be much more time for that later.

Rainbow’s chest rose and fell in quick intervals as her heart raced, beating so fast it was like she had just finished a race with the Wonderbolts. “You know, you didn’t answer my question back there…” she whispered as she felt Twilight’s hoof drift to the back of her head.

Twilight’s eyes drifted almost all the way shut, her lips mere centimeters from Dash’s as she whispered, “Because you’re worth it…” She pulled Dash back in, biting her marefriend’s upper lip. Twilight heard Rainbow whimper as her head slipped down a few inches, so with a sly grin, she kept their lips locked together as she took the more dominant stance.

Rainbow felt her heart flutter at Twilight’s words, making her legs feel as if they were made out of jelly. Using what little reserves of strength she had left, Rainbow pushed up, accidentally breaking their kiss before their tongues could meet once more. Her eyes wide, Rainbow blinked a few times as her ears flicked to lay flat on her head. “Gosh… where’d you learn to kiss like that?” she asked, blushing furiously.

“A book, and I know you’re probably gonna laugh at this, but…” Twilight blushed equally as hard, and as she glanced away, she murmured, “I practiced on my favorite pillow when you weren’t around.” Instead of hearing a snicker, she felt Rainbow’s hoof on her cheek. She flicked her eyes back up and saw Rainbow smiling gently.

“Yeah? You get that idea from me?” Rainbow asked with a snicker.

“…Maybe,” Twilight said, drawing out the word as a grin formed on her face.

“You know, since we’ve been together for a while, you could have just asked me for practice,” Rainbow said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I know, but I wanted to get a little practice in. You know I’d never go to an exam without studying, so I figured that practicing by myself a little would help when the moment came.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck, then checked to make sure that her bow was still in place.

“But what about getting a tutor, to… ya know, practice with?” Dash grabbed Twilight’s hoof in her own. “Because I’d love to be that tutor; I know a thing or two about kissing, after all.”

“That’d… that’d be nice,” Twilight said with a widening smile. “But when could we practice? I think it’d be a little awkward if Scootaloo or Spike saw us making out,” she finished with a giggle.

“Yeah, I bet…” Rainbow rubbed her chin, then smiled. “Hey, I know! Why don’t we spend five minutes, or however long we want to, practicing every night in bed before we snuggle, starting tonight?”

“That sounds wonderful, Dashie.” Twilight stood up and nuzzled Rainbow’s neck. “Come, let’s go to the overlook. I hear it’s really nice this time of year, and since it’s a clear sky tonight, we can see for miles…”

“Sure!” Rainbow stood up and followed Twilight down the street. “Should we fly?” she asked, eyeing their dresses as she wondered if it’d be alright for them to fly while wearing them.

“Actually, I kinda wanted to walk there if that’s okay with you.”

“Yeah, that’s cool.” Their conversation lapsed into silence for a minute before Rainbow asked, “Say… any chance of you letting Scootaloo fly again sometime soon? You know I’d love to fly with her.”

“Of course I’ll let her fly sometime soon, but we really cannot do it often,” Twilight said. She lowered her voice, leaned in, then whispered, “To be honest, the spell I used on myself is kind of… illegal.”

“Wait, why?” Rainbow stopped in her tracks as her eyes went wide. Illegal? What’s she talking about, black magic? The doc back in Ponyville said nothing short of black magic would let Scootaloo fly, so… Her heart dropped into her stomach, and as she saw Twilight stop a few steps in front of her, she flapped her wings once to catch up to her. Rainbow sat down in front of her, blocking her path as she stared into Twilight’s eyes, searching for any sliver of an answer.

“Well… the reason why I was late to Scootaloo’s check-up this morning was two-fold. I had gone to prepare the last bit of our date night, and once that was taken care of, I had accessed Celestia’s personal library in her bedroom, with her permission, of course. I searched for spells that could help Scootaloo, but I guess a part of me knew I had to access the restricted section. Celestia unlocked it for me, and I found the spell I used on Scootaloo after only a few minutes…” Twilight sat down, flicking her tail up to keep part of her dress from getting dirty on the ground. “You see, Celestia, over time, has eradicated as many of the books that held such spells that she deemed illegal or unsafe to use by the general population, only keeping one copy of each spell for herself while making sure that every other book that held the knowledge on how to perform such spells no longer existed, aside from her own personal library. Lots of unicorns have died from using the spell I used on Scootaloo due to giving away too much of their energy. You saw how exhausted I was when I got home earlier, after all.” Twilight saw something out of the corner of her eye, and as she looked to her left, she saw a couple of ponies walking on the other side of the road. Not a moment later, she felt Rainbow’s hoof hit her breast. With her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, she looked back at Rainbow and found her glaring at her.

After she set her hoof back on the ground, Rainbow glanced both ways down the sidewalk to make sure that nopony could eavesdrop on them. “I know you’re really experienced in using magic and all that, Twi, but if there’s even the smallest chance of you dying from helping Scootaloo, I don’t want you using that magic, ever,” she snarled.

“Rainbow, you saw how happy Scootaloo was… And you had just asked me if I could use the spell more often. I know my boundaries, so I really think it’s safe enough to use,” Twilight said as calmly as she could, keeping her voice soft. “I’m not going to die, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“No!” Rainbow said, her voice cold and firm. “There has to be another way!” Her wings bristled in anger as she stomped on the ground, making Twilight jump slightly. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as her voice caught in her throat. “Y-You were so c-cold back when I helped you into bed. You were so weak, and… pale.” Her voice lost its nervousness. “You looked like you were on the verge of death, and to hear you say that you were literally hanging onto life by a thread?” She turned away from Twilight as tears leaked out of her eyes. Rainbow didn’t bother to wipe them away as she tried to keep the idea of her best friend dying out of her mind.

It didn’t work.

Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck, then wrapped her wings around her as she nuzzled the side of her neck. “I… I didn’t know you would feel so strongly about that, Rainbow…” Twilight whispered as she swayed back and forth, much like she was rocking a baby to sleep. Rainbow wiped her eyes with a hoof, then laid it on top of Twilight’s legs. “I promise I’ll never use that spell again. In hindsight, I should have talked to you first before using such a risky spell, but… I just wanted to see Scootaloo happy after this new doctor told us she’d never fly…” She planted a light kiss on the side of Rainbow’s neck, humming softly in content when she felt Rainbow lay her head against hers. “You know I didn’t do this to hurt you, Dash… I’d never do something like that…”

“Th-Thank you,” Rainbow choked out, feeling Twilight’s ear flick back and forth against hers. “Just the thought of losing you over something so small makes me feel like I’m going to be sick. I know we haven’t been together for that long, but I really, really care for you… I hope you know that.”

“I do, Rainbow… I do,” Twilight whispered into Rainbow’s ear. She closed her eyes as Rainbow’s grip on her legs tightened. “I promise I’ll never leave you; Scootaloo’s too cute to leave behind, after all,” she added with a soft giggle. She planted a few kisses on Rainbow’s cheek, feeling Rainbow’s wings tickle her belly through the bottom of her dress.

“Yeah, she is,” Rainbow stood up, making Twilight lose her grip as she turned to face her. “I’m sorry I got a little emotional, but…” She bit her lip and glanced away as she scratched her cutie mark.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Dash,” Twilight said as she stood up. “It was wrong of me to risk my life to give Scootaloo a minute of happiness… I didn’t even think about how you would feel about me using that spell, so… I’m sorry,” she whispered, pressing her head against Dash’s forehead. Several moments passed in silence as she listened to Rainbow’s breaths slow, the sounds of the city’s night life buzzing all around them. A pair of ponies walked past them, but she paid them no mind. “Want to call it quits for the night?” she asked, her tone making it sound like she’d be let down if Dash wanted to go back home. The rest of her plans would be ruined if Rainbow wanted to call it a night.

Rainbow’s head whipped up. “What? Of course not! We’ve already had so much fun together, so why cut it so short?” Her tail flicked once as she fluffed her wings. “Didn’t you have more planned for us to do?” She wiped the tears from her eyes with a hoof, the soft silk of the glove gliding wonderfully across her fur.

“Well, yes,” Twilight said carefully. “If you feel like you’re up for it, I’d love to take you to the overlook. I hear it’s really pretty at night.”

“Of course I feel up for it!” Dash nuzzled Twilight’s neck, then opened her wing. She placed it on Twilight’s rump and pushed, then nodded down the sidewalk. “Also, Twi?” She felt Twilight lay a wing over her back, so she did the same. “Please don’t tell anypony that I cried a little back there, especially on our first date.”

“Heh, I might tell Scootaloo,” Twilight teased.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Rainbow said in a playful tone. “She’d stop seeing me as the super strong and awesome pony that you have as a marefriend!”

“Yes, that might be a problem… I might just have to tell Pinkie Pie, then!”

Rainbow gasped. “You… no. You know how she is with secrets; she’d tell everypony in town before I could say I love you.”

“Hehe, yeah, you’re probably right.” Twilight grinned as they walked onto the path that ran along the length of the overlook. “You know, last night was the first time I heard you say you loved me…” she admitted with a blush.

“Really?” Rainbow stopped and sat down in front of the low wall that kept them from falling over the edge of the cliff, taking care to not get her dress dirty. She glanced away as she thought for a few moments, then said, “Yeah, I guess it was…” She felt Twilight’s lips surround the tip of her left ear a moment before she felt her tongue brush against her super-sensitive hairs on her ear. “Hey, that tickles!” she said as she pulled away with a giggle. She rubbed her ear with a hoof as Twilight sat down next to her, keeping her wing wrapped around her back. Dash let out a content sigh as she laid her head against Twilight’s neck. She closed her eyes as she flicked her ears to lay flat on her head, nuzzling aside Twilight’s mane so that she could get a good view of the stars.

“Can you say it again?” Twilight asked, her voice so soft that she barely heard herself speak. “…Please?”

“Huh? Say what, it tickles?” Rainbow asked with a light giggle, which abruptly stopped as her eyes widened. “Oh… oh! Of course...” She licked her lips as she lifted her head from Twilight’s neck. Rainbow planted a tiny kiss just underneath Twilight’s ear, nuzzled it in as she smiled, then whispered, “I love you, Twilight.” She felt her heart blossom into a million beautiful roses as she spoke those words. Rainbow shifted closer to her and wrapped her foreleg around Twilight’s as a cold breeze sent a shiver down her back. Her wings bristled in nervous excitement as she heard Twilight hum happily, and as Twilight tightened her grip on her hoof, she felt her lips make a trail down from the side of her forehead, to her cheek, then finally to her lips.

Twilight couldn’t help but smile as she flicked her tongue against Rainbow’s lips, letting off a soft moan as she bit her marefriend’s bottom lip. Her ears flicked up as she heard voices come from further up the path, and as a small part of her rational mind screamed at her to break the kiss to preserve what little decency they had left, a much bigger part of her screamed equally as loud for her to not care. She felt her heart race in her chest as a small group of ponies walked past them, whispers of “Is that Princess Twilight?” echoing from them. She let go of Rainbow’s hoof, letting it slide up her back until it rested on the back of her head, keeping Rainbow exactly where she wanted her.

Twilight’s smile widened as Dash bit her bottom lip, holding it in place as her tongue teased it. As Dash let go of her lip, Twilight spotted her opportunity, and with the help of her hoof tactically placed on the back of Rainbow’s head, she pushed her tongue inside of Rainbow’s mouth, fighting with her tongue until it grew too sore. She let off a surprised ‘eep’ as Rainbow took the lead, pushing her tongue back into her mouth as she stood up. As she felt her breath start to run low, Twilight broke the kiss and panted softly as she stared up into Rainbow’s eyes, a small bridge of saliva connecting their lips. She licked her lips, breaking that bridge as her wings bristled. The words of ‘I love you’ that had rested on the tip of her tongue for so long simply begged for her to utter them once more, but she knew they could wait a few seconds more. Twilight’s eyes slowly drifted shut as she leaned back in for a quick peck on Rainbow’s lips, and as she nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek, she whispered, “And I love you, Rainbow…”

Rainbow blushed as she saw Twilight sit back, so she scooted over so that they were sitting side by side again. After laying her wing across Twilight’s back, she smiled when Twilight laid her head against hers. “So… I know we’ve been together for only a couple of months, but… well, it just makes me really happy to hear you say you love me. Some ponies might think we’re taking things too fast, but who cares, right? So long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“Yeah…” Twilight murmured as she thought back to last night. “I think my father was a little put-off when you told him you were in love with me, by the way.”

“He didn’t say anything bad about us being together back at dinner last night, so what makes you say that?”

“Trust me, I know my dad. Just because he didn’t say anything about it now doesn’t mean he won’t say something about it later. I saw the way his face changed when you said you loved me. I’m just glad you said it in front of everybody because I’m sure I would have gotten an earful about it.”

“About what?”

“Well… let’s just say my dad is a little old fashioned. He was always talking about getting grand foals from both Shining Armor and I, and since neither of us is a stallion, well… you know,” Twilight finished her sentence in a whisper.

“We have Scootaloo, though. Technically, since we’re both her legal guardians now, she has your parents as grandparents; same with mine. She’s our daughter, so that means your dad is her grandfather.”

“Yeah, I know that, but… I think my father was expecting me to give him foals, and since I’m his only daughter...” Twilight sighed. “I don’t regret that we can’t have a foal together at all, just in case you’re wondering, Rainbow. I couldn’t be happier with you at my side…”

Rainbow took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yeah, who needs a stallion when you have a wonderful, loving, and adorable mare like you?” she asked, blushing a teensy bit. After a few moments of silence, she asked, “So what about Spike? How does he fit into all of this? You raised him, right? So wouldn’t that make him your son? Just because you didn’t give birth to him doesn’t mean he's not your son.”

Twilight shrugged. “I suppose, but our relationship has always felt more like a brother and a sister. I don’t know what he thinks about it, but that’s just how I feel. But with Scootaloo in the picture now, I think it’d be best to consider him my son just like how I consider Scootaloo our daughter. And if we ever get married…” Twilight glanced over at Rainbow to gauge her reaction, worrying that she’d feel uncomfortable at the mere mention of marriage, but found her smiling back at her, giving her the courage to finish, “By law, he’d be your son.”

“Yeah… so should we make it official?” Rainbow felt Twilight lift her head from her neck as she peered down at her with wide eyes. Oops! Gotta learn how to phrase that stuff better… “Uh… you know, like… should we tell Scootaloo that they’re brother and sister now?”

“Oh!” I could have sworn she was going to propose to me, and on our first date! “Isn’t it a little early to tell?” Twilight asked, her heart racing in her chest. “I mean, what if we break up, kinda like how we almost did back at Ponyville’s hospital?”

“We didn’t even come close to breaking up, Twilight,” Rainbow’s tone was firm, yet her voice was as gentle as ever. “We just had a stupid fight, is all.”

“I wouldn’t really call it stupid, but… yeah.” Twilight took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I want you to know that I’m in this relationship for the long haul. We’ve been friends for so long, and I’m ashamed that it’s taken me so long to uncover this awesome, sensitive side that you have, so… I guess what I’m trying to say is that I would love nothing more than to be with you, Dashie…”

“Yeah, same,” Rainbow whispered. “I know Scootaloo would hate to lose you as a mom, and I’m not saying I want you to stick around just because of her, either. You mean more to me than you can ever know, and…” She licked her dry lips and swallowed. “I know we’re gonna have some fights now and then, but that’s normal with every relationship, right? I know that we can get through them, just like that night.”

“After all we’ve gone through as friends, if we can’t get through an argument as marefriends, then we really shouldn’t be together,” Twilight said with a giggle. “Because relationships, as awesome as they can be, will always have issues. But with us? I can’t see us not being able to find a solution to whatever problem that may arise in the future.”

“Yeah, but… what about Scootaloo’s old parents? What are we gonna do about them?” Dash asked, her voice filled with no small amount of worry. “I mean, ever since they escaped and put our daughter in the hospital, I’ve been getting startled by the littlest of things. I’ve done my best to not let it show, but… yeah.”

“I know what you mean, Dash,” Twilight said.

“I… Have you ever wondered what you would do if we catch them ourselves?” Rainbow asked before Twilight could continue speaking, her voice hard. “After all they’ve done to Scootaloo, I… I don’t know what I would do.”

Twilight took a few moments to collect her thoughts, wondering what Rainbow was thinking about. “I… That’s a good question. I haven’t really given it much thought, but I would prefer for the guards to catch them. If they’re anywhere near Scootaloo, you know I would do everything in my power to protect her, and you if need be. I don’t want you to end up in prison because you wanted a little revenge, after all. And since we don’t know where they are, we can’t really go and catch them. If they aren’t in Ponyville, who knows where they could be?”

“Cloudsdale, maybe? If I was a pegasus and on the run, I’d go there.” Rainbow ran a hoof over her muzzle as she groaned. “Aaaand we’re going there next to see my parents tomorrow evening. Great… Should we just cancel on them and go straight to the Crystal Empire instead, or just stay here for another couple of days?”

“Well, there’s no reason to believe that they’re actually in Cloudsdale, so I don’t think we should cancel on your parents just because of the possibility of Scootaloo’s old parents being there. For all we know, they could be halfway across the country by now. If they had even an ounce of smarts, they won’t go anywhere near Canterlot or Ponyville, especially if they think that Scootaloo is dead.”

“I guess… I wonder how excited my parents are gonna be when we swing by their place. They already know about Scootaloo being our daughter, but not that we’re in love. I think the last time I saw them, I told them that I had this huge crush on you, so for me to bring you home to them as my marefriend is gonna make them really happy for me… for us. In the letter I sent before we left on this trip, I left out the fact that we’re together because I wanted to keep it a surprise for them. The last time I was home, I know that they hoped you would feel the same way about me that I felt about you.” Dash felt herself shiver again. “So… have anything else on your list for tonight, you know… like a bedroom? It is getting pretty chilly, after all.”

Twilight threw on a sly grin, then nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek. “I have just the place, Dashie,” she whispered, nipping at her lips. She lit her horn, and as she concentrated on where exactly she wanted to go, she enveloped Dash with her magic, then cast the teleportation spell. They reappeared exactly where she wanted them to: her old bedroom back in Canterlot’s castle. Rose petals marked a path to the bed, where more petals lay scattered all over the sheets. The bed was surrounded by many candles, their flickering luminescence giving them just enough light to see in the dark.

Rainbow looked around the room in awe as she felt the night’s cold slip from her feathers. When she heard Twilight light her horn again, she glanced back at Twilight and saw her slowly unzipping the back of her dress. With her eyes going wide and her breath catching in her throat, Rainbow stared as the dress slipped from Twilight’s body.

“I told my mother not to wait up for us tonight, Dashie,” Twilight said as she stalked forward, making Rainbow step back until her hind legs hit the bed. “Because you and I are going to spend all night to ourselves, without…” She leaned in until their lips were less than an inch apart, then breathed, “Any… interruptions…”

In the moment before Twilight’s lips met her own, Rainbow’s wings made a soft ‘pomf’ sound as they unfurled from her body, the very tips of her feathers tingling with excitement.

Author's Note

Remember how I had asked a while ago if I should write a clop chapter, as a separate story, naturally? Yeah, well, I'm totally going to do it because I've set it up so perfectly!

The clopfic is up! It's called "I'll Do Anything To You"

The Morning After

Twilight trotted down the street alongside her lover, Rainbow, nearing her parents’ house. “So... about last night,” Twilight said, flicking her eyes up to meet Rainbow’s as she licked her lips. “I hope it was good enough to live up to your expectations.” She leaned in and planted a light kiss on Rainbow’s cheek, then tugged her up against her side with her right wing. As she felt her cheeks warm up, she felt Rainbow lay her head against the side of her neck as they slowed down to a walk.

“Heh, yeah. I don’t think it could have gone better, if you ask me,” Rainbow murmured. “We didn’t get much sleep last night, though... How come we couldn’t have slept in a little bit?”

“I told my mom that we’d be back for breakfast. I love it when she makes pancakes on Sundays, so whenever I’m home, I make it a point to stick around long enough to get a nice home-cooked meal. And trust me, you won’t want to miss my mom’s pancakes!” She used her magic to push open the front gate of her parents’ house, then stopped in front of the door. “It probably would have been a good idea to take a shower back at the castle.”

“Why, do we smell?” Rainbow lifted a wing and sniffed her side. “Nah, I think we’re good.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and giggled. “No, from what happened after our date last night, silly!” She made sure that their dresses and leggings were still neatly folded on her back, then opened the door as quietly as she could. “Do you think we can make it upstairs and to the bathroom before my parents realize that we’re back?”

“Only one way to find out!” Rainbow trotted forward, only to walk right into Night Light’s chest. “Oof!” She glanced up rather sheepishly, a nervous smile on her face. Her tail clamped down between her hind legs as she took a couple of steps back. “H-Hey, Night Light! Sleep well?” she asked. Of all the things to say, you said that?! Idiot, idiot, idiot!

Night Light lifted an eyebrow as his gaze flicked between the two disheveled mares. “Your mother is almost done cooking breakfast, Twilight. I think it’d be a good idea if you and Rainbow freshened up upstairs,” he said with a blank expression.

“Y-Yeah, sounds good to me!” Rainbow bolted up the stairs and around the corner before he could utter another word.

“Hey Dad...” Twilight stepped inside and closed the door behind her, a shy smile on her face as she blushed furiously, avoiding her father’s gaze. She looked up, expecting for him to give her a lecture, but all she saw was a gentle smile.

“You have a nice night out?” he asked, using his magic to pick up the dresses from Twilight’s back.

Twilight’s ears flicked back as she bit the inside of her cheek. “Y-Yeah, it was great, Dad. Better than anything I could have hoped for.”

“Glad to hear it, really,” Night Light said as he set the dresses down on a nearby chair. “Do these dresses need to be washed, or...”

Twilight blushed furiously. “N-N-No! Uh-uh; they’re fine! We only wore them for a couple of hours, so they shouldn’t be—” She glanced up and saw her father smirking at her. “D-Dad!” She huffed as she ground a hoof into the wood floor. “That’s not what I meant, I—”

“Hehe... it’s okay, Twilight. I know you’re not my little filly anymore,” Night Light said with a soft chuckle. “Now go on, go upstairs and get cleaned up before breakfast. Be quick about it, though! You know how your mother can get if her little filly isn’t at the table on time.”

“Okay!” Twilight took a few steps up the stairs then paused. “And Dad? Thanks for, well... you know...” She shot him a nervous smile as her forelegs started trembling from relief.

“It’s not a problem, really. Oh, and you might want to clean Rainbow’s lipstick from your neck before your mother sees.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she stared at her father in shock. “...Good idea, thanks,” Twilight muttered as she let her mane hide her face. Since when does Rainbow use lipstick? she thought, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. With a flick of her tail, she trotted upstairs and slipped into the bathroom, using her magic to shut the door as quietly as she could. “Hey, Rainbow?” she asked, gazing at the closed shower curtain.

Rainbow poked her head out from the side with a lifted eyebrow. “Y-Yeah?”

“Do you, um... mind if we take a shower together?” Twilight stuttered, licking her dry lips as she rubbed her left foreleg. “It’d take too long if we took showers one at a time, and Mom has already finished making those pancakes that I love so much, and since you’re already in there, I—”

“Geez, Twi... you don’t have to come up with a laundry list of excuses if you want to shower with me.” Rainbow beckoned her in with a hoof. “Come on, there’s easily enough room for both of us in here!”

“Y-You sure?” Twilight asked rather tentatively. Her heart yearned to feel Rainbow’s touch once again, but after last night, she didn’t know if she should give Rainbow her space, or to stay by her side even more.

“Of course!” Rainbow wrapped a wing around Twilight’s neck and pulled her in, letting her stand underneath the showerhead.

“So I was thinking we could go see your parents after breakfast today. That sound okay?”

“Totally. We’re gonna have to carry Scootaloo and Spike on our backs though. I don’t know if I told you or not, but they live up in Cloudsdale.”

“Yeah, I think I remember you saying something about that.” As warm water cascaded down Twilight’s back, she opened her wings a little bit, letting the water soak into her feathers. She lit her horn and grabbed the bottle of shampoo, but Rainbow snatched it out of the air before she could squirt any on herself. Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but instead saw Rainbow squirting some shampoo onto her front hooves. Once her lover had set aside the bottle, Rainbow rubbed her hooves together, then ran them through Twilight’s mane. With her mane all shampooed up, Rainbow squirted a line of shampoo down her back, then her wings. “You know I can clean us both in a minute, right?” Twilight asked softly, her ears flicking back as she felt Rainbow tend to each and every one of her feathers.

Rainbow paused, then resumed washing Twilight’s feathers. “Yeah, I know, but after last night, I feel like I have to show you, even if it’s a small way, that I do appreciate what you did for me last night. I had a lot of fun on our first real date and, uh... I’d like to do what we did afterwards again,” she said, moving down to clean Twilight’s tail.

Twilight felt butterflies appear in her stomach as her thoughts drifted back to last night’s events. “Y-Yeah, same... Oh, and since when do you wear lipstick?” She shot a smirk over her shoulder as Rainbow massaged her flanks, her tail swishing about in the sudsy water. “My dad said that I have lipstick on my neck. If I’d known that you had left some on my neck, I probably would have at least washed it off.”

“What, you don’t want ponies to know that we’re lovers now?” Dash shot back with a sly grin. “It’s not that big of a deal, right?”

Twilight shrugged. “Not really, although I’d like for us to have a little bit more discretion, especially around Spike and Scootaloo.”

“Well, duh! It’s not like we’re gonna go flaunting it around the house, so... yeah.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” Twilight said after several moments of silence. “You know, about the lipstick? I couldn’t even tell that you had any on.”

“Oh, right, about that...” Rainbow blushed as she flicked her wet mane over her shoulder. “Well, since we were going out on our first real date, and since you got us those nice dresses, I figured that I’d, I dunno, try to look pretty for you? I kinda wanted it to be a night for us to remember.”

“Twilight!” came Night Light’s voice from downstairs. “Your mother just finished cooking your favorite pancakes! You coming down?’

“In a minute!” Twilight yelled back. She stood up and let the water rinse the suds away. Grabbing the bottle of shampoo, she squirted a big dollop onto Dash’s mane. “Your turn, cutie,” she said with a soft smile.

“What, you’re not gonna use your magic?” Rainbow asked, cocking her head to the side as soapy suds slid down her mane.

“Nah. I wanna do this right.”

Interlude

“Well, that was a wonderful day, Twilight,” Twilight Velvet said as she wrapped her forelegs around her daughter’s neck. “It is a pity that you guys can’t stay longer... Are you sure that you don’t want to stay another night? The sun’s already well past the horizon.”

“Yeah. We want to make it to Cloudsdale and surprise Rainbow’s parents before they head to bed or something like that. It was Rainbow’s idea, and you know how headstrong she can be when she has her mind set on something,” she said, teasing Rainbow.

Rainbow rolled her eyes with a grin, then looked up at Twilight’s mom. “Ya know you could always stop by our place whenever you want, right?” Rainbow asked, using her muzzle to guide Scootaloo towards the chariot that Spike stood in. The sun was starting its slow descent towards the horizon, giving them at least a few hours of daylight left. “After we get back from our little vacation, of course. Just be sure to give us a day’s notice or two before you come down.” She trotted back up to Twilight’s side and bumped her flank with her own. “Ya ready to go, cutie?” she asked, nuzzling her behind the ear.

“Y-Yeah, in a minute.” Twilight blushed furiously at Rainbow’s display of affection, especially since they were standing in front of her parents. Her ears flicked back as she glanced away for a moment, and after she cleared her throat, she looked back up to see her mother wearing a wide, happy smile.

Night Light bumped his wife’s shoulder with his own. “Might be a good idea to head on down to Ponyville for a week or two, provided that Twilight has enough room in their new house,” he said, nuzzling Velvet behind her ear.

“Oh, we’ve got tons of space back home! Don’t we, Twilight?” Rainbow asked.

“Yup, we sure do! You wanna make sure that Spike and Scootaloo didn’t forget anything?”

“Yeah, okay... Don’t take too long, alright? It’s getting a little chilly out, and I need someone to keep me warm during the flight to my parent’s place,” Rainbow said, her wings ruffling at her sides.

“Okay, I’ll be quick.” Twilight watched Rainbow return to the chariot, then glanced back up at her parents. “So...”

“Hehe, you don’t need to explain yourself, Twilight...” Night Light said with a wink. “I know what true love looks like.” He stepped forward, pulling her into a tight hug. “Thanks for stopping by. It pains me greatly that we don’t see each other more often, and if things go well between you and Rainbow, I think it would be pretty awesome to be Scootaloo’s grandfather one day.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide at that. Marriage? But we haven’t been together for that long... Does he really think that Rainbow and I could get married? Images of a wedding ceremony ran through her mind. Rainbow was staring deep into her eyes, wearing a wonderful white veil that only served to make her even more beautiful. A tear of joy formed in the corner of Twilight’s eye as she imagined hearing Rainbow profess her love for her in front of the massive crowd, though that tear was quickly wiped away by a quick nuzzle into her father’s neck. She stepped back with a light smile. “Heh, we’d have to get married first!” she said. “And it really hasn’t been that long, too.”

“Well... you know your father proposed to me after only four months of dating, right?” Twilight Velvet laid her head on her husband’s neck and nuzzled it with an insistent need.

“When you know, you know, cutie,” Night Light murmured, nuzzling the top of Velvet’s head. “I just couldn’t waste a perfect opportunity, and I think we turned out alright.”

“Hey Twilight, ya coming?” Rainbow yelled from the chariot.

“In a second!” Twilight called back. “So... it’d be great if you two could come down to Ponyville. Like we said, we have a lot of space.”

“Fantastic. I think you should get going now, sweetie. Don’t want to keep your family waiting, after all!” Twilight Velvet used her magic to tighten Twilight’s scarf a little bit, then sat down.

My... family. I like the sound of that... “Yeah, okay...” Twilight turned to walk back to the chariot, then paused. She bit her bottom lip, rolled her eyes with a grin, and turned back around to pull both of them into a hug. “I love you guys...”

“We love you too,” Night Light murmured, letting go of her. “Now go on, really. I’m starting to get a little chilly!”

“Oh, I know a good way to warm you up...” Twilight Velvet purred, wrapping a foreleg around her husband’s. “Why don’t we go back inside and you can... you know...” She twirled a hoof on his chest, making his cheeks flush red.

Twilight giggled. “Heh, I think now would be a good time to leave.” She trotted to the chariot and looked back over her shoulder as her parents walked back inside, then hopped inside. “You guys ready to go to Cloudsdale?” she asked, laying a wing over Rainbow’s back.

“Sure am!” Spike said, sitting down between Twilight’s forelegs and pressing his back up against her stomach for warmth.

Scootaloo spotted what he was doing and did the same thing with Rainbow. “It’s okay if I sit like this, right?” she asked, looking up at Rainbow with hopeful eyes. “It is pretty cold out after all, and like you taught me, the air gets pretty chilly the higher you go!”

“Heh, yeah, that’s right...” Rainbow said, tousling Scootaloo’s mane. She draped a wing over Twilight’s back, then nodded at the two pegasi standing at the ready in front of their chariot. “We’re ready to go now, sirs.”

“Yes, ma’am!” they both barked out.

As the chariot took to the skies, Twilight snuck a glance at Rainbow. Since a stallion usually pops the question, and since we’re both mares... how do we figure out who pops the question? Laying her head on Rainbow’s neck, butterflies appeared in her stomach as she thought, I’ll just have to think about this later...

Rainbow had noticed Twilight glance at her out of the corner of her eye, but had chosen to not bug her about it, but now, feeling Twilight quiver on her neck, she licked her lips and tilted her head to the side, letting her head rest on top of Twilight’s. As they rose above the clouds, she gazed up at the moon that rose off to the right. “Hey, Twilight? Everything okay?” she murmured, feeling Twilight tense up for the smallest of moments, so fast that she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her.

“Yeah,” Twilight whispered back. “Just thinking about our future...” She closed her eyes as her breathing slowed, though she felt the butterflies in her stomach return with reinforcements.

“Our future?” Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed as she tried to figure out what she meant by that. “What, uh... what do you mean?” She felt Twilight tense up again, and this time she was sure that she felt it, then she barely heard her let out a soft sigh. Several moments passed in an awkward silence. She bit her lip, then sighed. “This something we should talk about in private?” She felt Twilight nod against her chin.

“...Yeah.”

“Got it.”

“Dash?”

"Yeah?"

“...I love you.”

Rainbow paused, her ears flicking back. Why did that sound like a question? She blinked a few times, tightened her wing’s grasp around Twilight, then grabbed her right hoof with her own. “I love you too...”

A Familial Encounter, Part II

Everything moved in slow motion for Twilight. Her heart raced in her chest as she watched Rainbow’s wings flap down, propelling her from their table. Her eyes went wide as she saw Scootaloo’s mother leap from her seat, a shiny object that reflected the nearby candlelight with a sickly glow held tightly in her right hoof. No! she thought. Without a moment of hesitation, Twilight lit her horn, focused her magic on Rainbow then on everybody sitting at their table, and teleported them all into the first place that she could think of that was relatively close by: their hotel room.

Their table and the booths they sat upon reappeared in mid air, falling upon the edge of the bed with a terrific clash. Everybody slipped off of their seats, collapsing to the carpeted floor in a heap. Due to her momentum, Rainbow flew straight into the wall on the other side of their small room, leaving a dent where her head struck it.

Twilight lay still on the floor, panting heavily. Her vision was swimming so badly that she felt a bit nauseous, even though there was nothing in her stomach. Her head ached terribly, and her mouth was as dry as sandpaper. All of her energy was gone, and her muscles burned as if she had just finished a five mile race at full gallop. She closed her eyes and licked her dry lips as she pushed away the urge to throw up. “S-Spike!” she croaked out, her voice barely louder than a whisper. “Send a letter to Celestia... for help...” Twilight coughed out as she tried to push herself up.

“On it!” Spike yelled, looking around the room for anything to write on. Fortunately, he spotted a small notepad, a quill, and a small ink pot on the desk next to Rainbow. He scampered over there, dipped the quill in the ink pot, hastily wrote a small message to Celestia, then sent it off. “Done!” he yelled. Rainbow groaned and pushed herself up, shaking her head with an annoyed flick of her tail. “Yo Dash, you okay?” he asked, kneeling down next to her with an outstretched claw.

“No, I am not okay!” Rainbow growled, pushing him away with a wing. She stood up, rubbing her forehead with a hoof as she glared at Twilight. “How could you?!” she asked, barely-restrained anger in her voice as she stalked up to her.

“Wh... What?” Twilight asked in a daze, struggling to lift her head as she forced her vision to focus on her special somepony. Rainbow snorted once and stormed away, breathing heavily through her nose as her legs and wings shook in a furious rage. Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed, but she pushed her feelings aside for the moment and remembered that they were still in danger. She swallowed once, the stark reality of their situation sinking deep into her mind. Wincing at the fact that she was going to have to cast another spell, especially after casting such a complicated and energy-consuming spell, she knew that there would be no small amount of pain. Nevertheless, she lit her horn once more, a bright purple aura coating the door and the window as she sealed them inside. Her headache doubled in intensity, making her groan and clench her eyes shut. It was just a little bit too warm in their room, and she desperately wished that they could crack a window to cool things off, but she simply wouldn’t dare risk their safety for her own personal comfort. “Rainbow...” she muttered. “I... I couldn’t...”

“Couldn’t what?!” Rainbow shot back, stomping up to her again. “Couldn’t let me capture one of Scootaloo’s parents? Sure, I would have let her have it and then some, but still! Why didn’t you let me?”

“Because I... I...” Twilight weakly flapped her wings as she finally got back on her hooves, a few of her feathers falling to the floor. On trembling legs, she cautiously walked over to the bed and flopped down upon it. She felt so tired that she knew if she closed her eyes, she would be asleep in seconds. “I didn’t think... Ugh...!” She buried her muzzle under her front hooves as tears welled up in her eyes; the pain in her head was simply too much to bear, and Rainbow’s yelling wasn’t helping her headache in the slightest.

“And once again, the all-powerful princess doesn’t think before she acts!” Rainbow yelled, her voice becoming hoarse from all the yelling. “If you ever loved me, you wouldn’t have stopped me, and—”

“Rainbow, stop!” Scootaloo screamed at the top of her lungs. She trotted up to her and slapped her leg with a hoof, then glared up at her. “Did you really just say that?! Look at her!” she said, standing up on her hind legs as she placed her two front hooves on Rainbow’s chest. When Rainbow’s gaze didn’t budge from her own, she jabbed her left hoof into Rainbow’s chest and used her right hoof to gesture at Twilight, who still had her muzzle buried under her forelegs. “I said look at her!” she hissed out as her eyes narrowed. “She kept all of us safe. You, me, and Spike. I admire that you want to hurt my mother, but not if there’s a small chance that you could get hurt.”

“One on one with a drunk? Pfft, I could have totally won that!” Rainbow said with a snort.

“She was eating dinner with her friends, Rainbow! Do you really think you could take on all four of them by yourself?” Scootaloo asked moments before Twilight coughed and lifted her head from the sheets.

“She had a knife, Rainbow,” Twilight said, staring daggers at Rainbow. “I have no doubt that you would be able to subdue Scootaloo’s mother, but she was ready to kill you!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as the thought of living without her best friend grazed against her mind. She wearily lifted a hoof towards her as her throat grew tight. “I love you too much to let that happen to you...” Her muscles screamed in protest as she fought to keep her hoof aloft, and as the seconds passed, her vision started to become blurry.

Rainbow’s eyes locked on Twilight’s hoof before they flicked up to meet Twilight’s tired gaze. “She had a... a knife?” she whispered, her ears flopping down as her heart sunk into her stomach. Everything clicked into place in her mind. She was going to kill me? she thought, her stomach twisting itself into a tight knot. “I... I, uh...” Rainbow walked up next to the bed and sat down, grabbing Twilight’s hoof in between her own. She held it close to her chest as she laid her forehead against Twilight’s, feeling heat radiate from her horn through her disheveled mane. “I’m sorry, Twi,” she choked out, holding onto Twilight’s hoof with all of her strength. “I’m sorry for yelling at you, and...” Rainbow gently nuzzled her cheek, then whispered, “I love you, too,” so quietly that only Twilight could hear her. “Forgive me?” she asked with a sheepish smile as she sat back.

Twilight cracked a small smile. “Only on two conditions, and I think you already know one of them.”

“Snuggles after Celestia comes with her army to lock down the city?” Rainbow asked with a smirk.

“Yes,” Twilight said with a nod. “You want to know the other?”

“Mhm!” Rainbow nodded furiously.

Twilight yanked on Rainbow’s hoof, pulling her back up against the side of the bed. Twilight placed her forehead on Rainbow’s like Rainbow had done seconds earlier and stared deep into her eyes. “Don’t ever scream at me like that again. Got it?”

Rainbow’s eyes drifted shut as her head tilted to the side, letting her lips find Twilight’s. “Anything for you,” she whispered into Twilight’s flicking ear. Suddenly, somepony banged on their door, making her head whip up. “Scootaloo, Spike? Get behind me.” She flicked her wings open wide, preparing herself for the worst. The door glowed in a pale yellow light, then their door swung open wide. Rainbow’s lips parted as she snarled, grinding a hoof into the carpeted floor as she lowered herself, ready to tackle whoever was about to walk inside.

“Twilight? Rainbow?” Princess Celestia strode inside their room and paused as two of her royal guard trotted past her, deadly-looking spears held under their right wings. They took up position in the back of the room while two others took up position in front of the window. “Thank goodness you all are okay. I came as quickly as I could,” she said, eyeing the table and the two booths with a curious gaze.

Rainbow’s shoulders drooped in relief as she bowed before Celestia, folding her wings back in. “Thank you, Princess Celestia,” she said as she stood back up. “How many guards did you bring with you?”

“On such a short notice, I only managed to bring sixteen.” Celestia shut the door with a quick spell, then sat down in front of Rainbow and Twilight. “More are on the way, for my sister is rousing the guards in the barracks. We are going to do a full sweep of Cloudsdale, and I give you my word that we will find the escapees.”

“Princess...” Twilight croaked. She pushed herself up on the bed, feeling nothing but an overwhelming hunger in her gut coupled with a horrendous headache. “Thank you for coming in the middle of the night. We didn’t wake you, did we?” she asked, noticing the lack of regalia.

“...Yes, but I had only just retired for the evening. With a fellow princess in need of assistance, I would go many nights without sleep if need be.”

“Good to know.” Twilight slipped from the bed and sat down, closing her eyes for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. “All I know is that Scootaloo saw her mother. She knows more than I do in this situation, so...” She looked over at Scootaloo and opened a wing for her to sit under.

Scootaloo’s gaze flicked between Twilight and Princess Celestia, biting her tongue as she trotted in place. They need to know I only saw my mother! she thought, a small groan slipping from between her lips. Celestia looked at her with a lifted eyebrow, making her wilt in place.

“What is it, little one?” Celestia asked, laying down on the floor. She crossed her forelegs and beckoned her forward with a hoof. “You are among friends; there is nothing to fear.”

“Um... Okay.” Scootaloo took a few steps towards Celestia and sat down beside Twilight, rubbing her left foreleg with a hoof as she stared at the floor. “I don’t think my dad is here,” she squeaked out as Twilight’s wing wrapped around her. “I heard my mom saying that he was gonna come back soon.”

“Hm...” Celestia’s eyebrows furrowed as she let out a deep breath.

“And it sounded like she has friends here in Cloudsdale, too. My dad used to work up here in the factory, so maybe ask around there?” Scootaloo glanced up at Twilight and shrugged. “His friends might not want to give him up if they know anything, though...” Scootaloo sighed as her tail swished back and forth behind her. “Why can’t they just leave us alone?”

“My guards will surely find them, little one, I promise you that.” Celestia stood up and fluffed her wings. “When reinforcements arrive, you all will be on the very first chariot back to Canterlot.” She saw Twilight open her mouth to speak, but she waved her off with a hoof. “Including you, Twilight. You are a target to these ponies, and you must be kept safe above all else.” A knock on the door kept her from speaking, so she shot a glance over her shoulder just in time to see the door open. “Oh, Lieutenant! Have our reinforcements arrived?” she asked, turning around to face him.

“Yes, Princess!” he barked out. “As per your commands, a chariot and an escort of pegasi are waiting just outside to escort the V.I.P.’s back to Canterlot!”

“Excellent.” Celestia looked back at everypony in the room. “If you would all follow him, we shall get you back to safety in no time at all!”

Rainbow huffed. “So what are you going to do to find Scootaloo’s mother?” she asked, looking up at Celestia with a defiant gaze. “Are you going to search each and every house and building here until you find them? Scootaloo made it sound like her mother was crashing with some friends, and I don’t think they have a house up here.”

“Well, no, we are not going to do that, Rainbow,” Celestia said, her voice light but firm. “That would not be appropriate.”

“For a situation like this? I think it’s totally appropriate!” Rainbow said. “We need to catch her as soon as possible!”

“For all we know, she could have flown away into the night,” Celestia said, her voice becoming firmer. “We do not know if she is still in the city.”

“Exactly! She might still be here!” Rainbow stomped on the floor with her front hooves. “I’ll do it myself if I have to!”

Celestia’s lieutenant strode up to Rainbow and looked down upon her with a steely gaze. “With all due respect, if you try to do anything of the sort, you will be arrested, ma’am.” Rainbow flicked her tail once, her gaze never leaving his until Twilight nudged her with a wing.

“Rainbow... they’ll get her,” Twilight said, letting Scootaloo go. She looked down at her and said, “Follow the nice guard down to the chariot, okay? Rainbow will follow you to make sure everything is safe.”

“Okay...” Scootaloo nuzzled Twilight’s leg, then trotted away after Rainbow.

Twilight stood up, her head hung low. “Spike, can you send word to my parents that we’ll be coming home late tonight?” she asked.

“Uh...” Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know how to do that.”

Celestia lit her horn for several seconds, then said, “It is done. A guard has been dispatched to their home.”

“H-How?” Twilight asked, blearily looking up at Celestia.

“I will teach you later, my faithful student, but now is not the time for such things,” Celestia said with a gentle smile. “You should not keep the nice pegasi at the chariot waiting, though.”

“Good point.” Twilight wrapped her forelegs around her former mentor’s neck. “I wish we wouldn’t have to keep meeting under such stressful circumstances...”

“As do I, Twilight...” Celestia gently nuzzled Twilight’s neck, then let her go. “Perhaps I shall invite you all for tea once this is all taken care of.”

“That would be awesome,” Twilight said with a grin. “Thank you for coming...” she murmured as she walked past her.

Spike walked up to Celestia, then chuckled nervously. “Hey, so... I just wanna say that I’m sorry for waking you up, Princess. I don’t like it when Twilight makes me get out of bed, so I’m pretty sure that you don’t like being woken up, either.”

“It is quite alright, Spike,” Celestia said with a light chuckle. She lit her horn, then levitated Spike up onto her back. “So... why does it look like Twilight teleported a table and chairs in here?”

Spike laughed. “Long story.”

Middle of the Night

Twilight woke up with a start. The room was dark, save for a little bit of moonlight that slipped past the tightly-drawn curtains. A warm weight pressing up against her side provided a small modicum of comfort. She felt that weight move, then felt the familiar touch of Rainbow’s feathers graze against her belly. She coughed a few times, the pain in her head doubling. “Ugh... R-Rainbow? That you?” she softly asked, looking to the right as she rubbed her eyes with her hooves.

“Yeah, it’s me, Twilight...” Rainbow whispered. She folded her wing back to her side then lifted her head. She nuzzled Twilight’s cheek with a tender, loving touch. “How’re you feeling, cutie?” she asked, planting a light kiss on her lips.

“Horrible... Like I’m gonna throw up.”

Rainbow sat back, wondering if she was actually going to throw up. “You want some water? Your mom left us a couple glasses on my nightstand,” Rainbow said, grabbing one of the glasses with her other hoof. “Here, sit up a little more so you can drink this.”

Twilight gingerly pushed herself up, then rolled onto her belly. Her vision was swimming so badly she felt her stomach try to push something up. “We’re back at my parents’ place?” she asked, struggling to keep the contents of her stomach where they should remain.

“Yeah. You passed out when we were like, ten minutes from Canterlot. You literally collapsed on me, so I had the pegasi flying us race as fast as they could. A guard checked you out when we landed and said that you just needed rest. You were going in and out once we landed... You remember any of that?” Rainbow held the glass up to Twilight’s lips and let her take a few sips.

Twilight tried to remember arriving at her foalhood home. “Not at all.”

“Probably for the best,” Rainbow said with a wry chuckle. She lifted the glass up again. “Your parents were freaking out a ton; they thought something horrible had happened to you.”

“Sweet Celestia...” Twilight groaned as she closed her eyes, her ears flopping down to lay flat on her head. “I’m sure they’re worried sick...” She lifted a hoof, tilting the glass of water back towards her lips.

“Oh yeah, they totally are. It took me ten minutes trying to calm them down before they would even listen to me. Your dad is, uh... pretty upset with me. He blames me for what happened to you, and... I think he’s right. You wouldn’t have had to teleport us all, our table, and our seats back to the hotel room; I bet we could have just snuck out and found some guards, and then Scootaloo’s mom would be behind bars instead of... wherever she is now.” Rainbow placed the empty glass of water back on the nightstand and scooted back over until their sides were touching. She wrapped a hoof around Twilight’s, then nuzzled her cheek. “I’m so sorry for putting you in that situation, and I’m sorry for yelling at you. I feel sick to my stomach seeing you like this, and... I know I already apologized, but... I still feel horrible for making all of this, well... happen the way it did.”

“Thanks.” Twilight licked her lips and laid her head against Rainbow’s. “How long was I out for?” she asked, praying that her headache would go away sometime soon.

“After we got back here? Dunno, between three and six hours? There’s no clock in here.” Rainbow tightened her grasp on Twilight’s hoof and laid a wing over her back.

“Geez...that long?” Twilight asked. She felt Rainbow nod. “How are Spike and Scootaloo?”

“They’re worried sick, of course. It took your mother half an hour to get them to go to bed.” A particularly loud snore came from the other side of the door. “Oh yeah, and did I mention that your dad is sleeping in front of our door?” she asked with a chuckle. “With the guards out front, your dad in front of our door, and me in here, I don’t think anything bad can happen.”

“Don’t think you mentioned anything of the sort, no,” Twilight said. She lifted her head and looked into Rainbow’s eyes, shooting her a soft smile. “I’m still feeling a little queasy, so... can we snuggle some more and talk about this tomorrow?” Rainbow opened her mouth, but Twilight simply placed a hoof on her lips. “And yes, I want to be the little spoon.”

“Heh, how’d you know I was gonna ask that?” Rainbow asked, letting go of Twilight’s hoof.

“Because, believe it or not, I know you very well,” Twilight said, letting a little bit of mirth tint her tone. She rolled over onto her side, then fluffed up the pillow. “It’s not nice to keep a mare waiting, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know...” Rainbow murmured. She snuggled up against Twilight’s back, tucking her marefriend’s head into the crook of her neck as she took care not to poke an eye out on her horn. Rainbow closed her eyes as she leaned forward a little bit, planting her lips at the base of Twilight’s horn. Her head shot back as she felt a bit of heat radiate from it. “Uh... Twi? Your horn is pretty warm.”

“So that’s why I still have a headache... great.” Twilight sighed. Her tail swished about on the sheets until Rainbow’s came to rest on top of it. Rainbow draped a hind leg over her flank and tugged her close, her wing coming to rest across her forelegs, just how she liked it.

“Why is it like that?” Rainbow murmured. “And are you warm enough?”

“Thanks to you, yeah.” Twilight nuzzled the bottom of Rainbow’s chin. “And as for my horn? It’s like that because I had to teleport everything around us. I didn’t have time to focus my magic on everybody, so I just teleported everything in a sphere around us, and... now I have to suffer the consequences.”

Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed at her words. “What do you mean?”

“Well... If I want my headache to go away, then I’m gonna have to keep myself from using magic. My headache will only get worse if I try to use magic.”

“Oh. I guess that makes sense.” Twilight nodded. “So it’s that bad, huh? When do you think you’ll be able to use magic again?” Rainbow asked.

“Probably sometime in the afternoon, though it’s never been this bad before.” Twilight snuggled deeper into Rainbow’s embrace. “You don’t have to worry; things like this can happen if you’re not too careful.”

Rainbow pushed a hoof in between Twilight’s forelegs and held her as close to her body as she could. “I can’t help but worry about you, Twilight. I hate seeing you like this.”

“Yeah... hopefully we’ll get some good news tomorrow from Celestia.”

“Ya know, if she tells us Scootaloo’s parents were caught while we were sleeping, I’d probably have Celestia marry us on the spot,” Rainbow said with a giggle.

Twilight’s eyes shot open wide. “Heh, that would definitely make tomorrow pretty awesome.”

“Totally! And you know I’m all about being awesome...” Rainbow hummed softly in content.

Twilight lifted a single eyebrow as she replayed Rainbow’s words in her head over and over. “Um, so... that wasn’t your way of asking me to marry you, was it?” she asked, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. She felt Rainbow tense up, her mind overflowing with worry.

“What? N-No, of course not! When I—” She nervously cleared her throat. “I’d never ask you to marry me like that.”

With her racing heart starting to slow down in her chest, Twilight thought back to when they were flying to Cloudsdale, remembering how she had told Rainbow that she was thinking about their future together. Is she on the same page as I am? We’ve only been together for what, a month or two? We’ve been best friends for years, though, so... would that make up for it? Is it even proper to ask for somepony’s hoof in matrimony after a couple of months? A rather insistent nuzzle from Rainbow jerked her from her thoughts.

“I love you, Twilight,” Rainbow whispered. “I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.”

“You and me both...” Twilight relaxed, letting her body go limp in Rainbow’s grasp. Feeling the need to plant her lips on Rainbow’s, Twilight rolled over and grinned as she felt no small amount of butterflies flitting about in her stomach.

“What’re you—” Rainbow’s words were cut off by a loving smooch from Twilight. “Oh, hehe... Should have seen that coming.”

Morning Smooches

Rainbow woke up from the sun streaming in past the curtains. She laid the gentlest of kisses upon Twilight’s snout and lay still, staring at her with a soft smile on her face. Wanting to wake her up in the best way she could think of, Rainbow folded her wing back to her side and rolled over onto her belly. With a cheeky grin, she pushed herself on top of Twilight and nuzzled her cheek. “Hey there, cutie,” she whispered, her lips finding Twilight’s before she could open her eyes. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she gently pushed her tongue into Twilight’s mouth, wrestling with her half-awake marefriend for control.

A soft moan of pure content slipped from Twilight’s lips as she wrapped her left foreleg around the back of Rainbow’s head, deepening their kiss. The thought of being unable to do anything but kiss Rainbow back made Twilight’s wings flutter at her sides, and she wouldn’t have changed anything about it. Minutes passed in silence, save for the sounds of their kiss, before Rainbow pulled away, a thin bridge of saliva connecting their lips. Twilight panted softly as she stared deeply into her lover’s eyes, her heart yearning for more. With a smirk, she wrapped her wings around Rainbow and rolled over so that she was on top of her.

“Feeling better, Twi?” Rainbow asked, brushing a bit of Twilight’s mane out of her face.

“A little bit, yeah, thanks to that awesome kiss!” Twilight said with a giggle. “But I still have a headache, and I know of only one thing that can make me feel better.”

“Hehe, what’s that?” Rainbow asked, her tail swishing about underneath Twilight’s.

“More of this,” Twilight whispered, pressing her lips against Rainbow’s once again. She wrapped a hoof behind Rainbow’s neck as she held her close, feeling her squirm about beneath her. “Why don’t we—eep!” she said, her eyes going wide as they rolled over again.

Rainbow planted her hind legs in the sheets and used her weight to keep Twilight pinned down to the sheets, exactly where she wanted her. “Why don’t we what?” she breathlessly asked.

“Why don’t we do this every morning?” Twilight asked, biting her bottom lip as her heart soared in the clouds.

“Do what, exactly?” Rainbow smirked, her lips mere centimeters from Twilight’s lips.

“Oh, you know...” Twilight said as she blushed. Rainbow’s chest floof tickled her belly, so she leaned in and stole a quick kiss from her. “That.”

“Heh, that was nothing! Lemme show ya how it’s done...”

Twilight Velvet heard somepony rap on the front door. She set her cup of coffee down on the kitchen table and trotted through the tight hall leading towards the front of the house, wondering who it could be. Peeking through the window, her eyes went wide as she recognized the familiar shimmering mane of none other than the prettiest princess in all the land.

Second only to her daughter, Twilight, of course.

With her heart racing in her chest, Twilight Velvet began hyperventilating. “I haven’t showered, I haven’t brushed my mane, and I look like a mess!” Her head whipped around, looking for a brush, or anything that would improve her appearance, but it was all for naught. She bit her lip as she groaned, then used her magic to open the front door with a wide smile.

“Princess Celestia? How wonderful it is to see you!” Twilight Velvet said as she pulled the front door open the rest of the way. She bowed low before standing up a few seconds later. “It is quite an honor for you to visit us! I take it that you’ve brought news?” she asked, shooting a hopeful look up at her.

“Why yes, yes I have,” Celestia said with a warm smile. A yawn forced itself past her lips. “I am sorry for coming so early... I did not wake you, did I?”

“No, I’ve been up for a while. Would you like a cup of coffee?” Twilight Velvet stood aside and gestured for her to come in.

“If you have some tea, that would be lovely.” Celestia’s wings bristled in excitement as she trotted inside with a gleeful pep in her step. “How is Twilight? One of the guards outside told me that there was an incident on the flight back,” she said, no small amount of worry in her tone.

Twilight Velvet’s ears flicked back. “Yeah... She fainted, or... something minutes before she got here. She’s still in bed with Rainbow; those two are inseparable!” She nodded towards the kitchen. “If you would come with me, my princess, I can whip us up some of my favorite tea!”

“Please, just call me Celestia. There is no need to be so formal around me, especially when we’re in your home.”

Twilight Velvet paused. “Um... okay. If I may be so bold, why?”

“Well, with Twilight being a princess, that makes you royalty by default.”

“Oh! I see. So... where’s my castle?” she asked with a mirthful giggle.

Celestia chuckled. “That is a very good question, though I am afraid you will have to speak to Twilight about that.”

“Hehe, I figured as much. Or maybe I should talk to Shining and Cadence... If you would like to find a comfy seat, I’ll get the tea going and go wake Twilight up. I’m sure that she’ll be most pleased to hear that you are here!” She lit her horn, using her magic to fill the teapot with water.

She turned the stove on with her right hoof, then placed the teapot on the burner. “I’ll be right back, Celestia!” she said as she trotted away, a gleeful pep in her step. She made her way up the stairs and rounded the corner, finding her husband fast asleep on his side. “Get up, you big oof!" she said with a light giggle. She nuzzled him awake, then sat down as he wiped his eyes.

“Hey, you...” Night Light said with a grin. “Is it morning already?”

“Yes, and you need to move! Princess Celestia is in our kitchen!” Twilight Velvet hissed out, unable to keep her tail from flicking about.

“What? Why?”

“She brought news for Twilight, and you and I both know it’s not nice to keep a princess waiting!”

“But... our daughter is a princess. Wouldn’t it be considered a crime to wake up a sleeping beauty?” Night Light asked with a smirk as he pushed himself up.

Twilight Velvet simply rolled her eyes, knocked on Twilight’s door, then pushed it open. “Twili— Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!” She glanced away and shielded her eyes with a hoof, but she’d already seen Rainbow laying on top of her daughter with their lips locked.

Twilight’s eyes went wide as she heard her mother’s voice. Her ears flicked back as she broke away from Rainbow’s soft lips, her heart yearning for more. “M-Mom!” Twilight indignantly said, lifting a wing to hide her crimson cheeks. “Haven’t you heard of knocking first?”

Rainbow flopped down on her side, Twilight’s saliva still wet on her lips. She bit her bottom lip as her eyes danced across the room, rather ticked off that they had been interrupted.

“I, uh... I did knock first!” Twilight Velvet stammered out.

“Well, we didn’t hear you!”

“Obviously! You two were too busy smooching,” Twilight Velvet said. She peeked over her hoof. “Are you two, er... decent?”

Twilight’s blush deepened twofold. “Mom! Of course we’re decent! We were only, uh...”

“Making out for the last twenty minutes,” Rainbow said with a smirk, earning a playful shove from Twilight. “I think that might be a new world record!”

Twilight Velvet scoffed. “Only twenty minutes? Heh, try an hour,” she said with a smirk.

Rainbow shot her a grin. “We’d have kissed for a lot longer if you hadn’t interrupted us,” she said. She and Night Light kissed for an hour? Geez... that’s gonna be hard to beat, but I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t mind breaking her mother’s record with me!

Twilight rolled her eyes as she folded her wing back to her side, wiping Rainbow’s saliva from her lips with a hoof. She sighed, then momentarily glanced at Rainbow. “What’s so important that you had to storm in here?” she asked, setting her gaze on her mother as Rainbow laid her head on her belly.

“Princess Celestia is here to see you!” Twilight Velvet said. “She said she has news!”

Rainbow’s ears perked up. “Okay, that’s a pretty good reason to run in here.” She pushed herself up, then hopped over Twilight. “You coming?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

“You what?!” Twilight shrieked, her eyes wide. She ignored her throbbing headache. The cup of tea held aloft with her magic fell to the floor, the fine china shattering upon impact. She shot a quick glance at Rainbow and saw that she shared a similar expression of disbelief.

Celestia’s smile widened. “We caught Tranquil Breeze.”

“How?” Rainbow demanded, placing her forelegs on the table.

“She was hiding on top of a cloud, just outside the city.” Celestia smirked. “A few of my guards found her and subdued her with little effort. They told me she tried to hide herself in the cloud, but it was not big enough. I personally threw her in the prison chariot, and she is now residing in the dungeons beneath my castle. I would love to see her try to escape from those.”

Rainbow burst out laughing. “What an idiot! I can’t believe she actually tried to do that!”

With tears in her eyes, and with her legs feeling like they were about to collapse, Twilight walked around the table and wrapped her legs around her old mentor’s neck. As tears streamed down her cheeks, Twilight nuzzled Celestia’s neck over and over again. “Th-Thank you...” she murmured.

“You are most welcome, little one,” Celestia said, returning Twilight’s nuzzle. She pulled her into a hug as Twilight cried her cute little heart out, her tears wetting her fur. Celestia wrapped her wings around Twilight’s back, concealing her from everypony’s view in a vain effort to preserve her dignity.

“But what about Scootaloo’s father?” Rainbow asked.

“He is still... unaccounted for,” Celestia said. She felt Twilight tense up in her grasp.

“He’s... missing?” Twilight asked as she sat back, looking up into Celestia’s eyes.

“Yes, he is. We have no idea where he could be, but he is definitely not in Cloudsdale. Tranquil Breeze, in her flurry of threats aimed at me, let slip that he was due back in town sometime today or tomorrow, so I have stationed guards all over Cloudsdale. I truly hope that his capture will be swift and uneventful.”

“Yeah, hopefully.” Rainbow grinned as her eyes lit up. “I gotta go tell Scootaloo!” she said before flying at breakneck speeds down the hallway and up the stairs. She landed at the top of the stairs and galloped down the hallway, then burst into Scootaloo’s and Spike’s room. “Guys, wake up!” She flew onto Scootaloo’s bed and shook her awake before lifting her up and pulling her into the tightest of hugs.

“Oof! What’s going on?” Scootaloo asked, wiping her eyes with her front hooves. “Why are you so excited, Dash?”

“Your mother was caught last night!” Rainbow exclaimed, jumping up and down on the bed.

“R-Really? How?!” Scootaloo asked, her wings fluttering at her sides as her eyes went wide.

“Celestia’s guards found her cowering on top of a cloud!” Rainbow giggled as she nuzzled Scootaloo’s head. “They didn’t catch your dad, though, but I’ll take what I can get!”

Crystal Empire

Twilight stared out of the train car’s window as they passed through the darkened scenery. It was snowing so hard that she could barely make out the forest just feet away from the train. The tips of her wings trembled, not from the many loud thunderclaps that made her ears flick back with each startling sound, but from the aftereffects of casting that unrestrained teleportation spell. With her head still feeling like someone had kicked it repeatedly without mercy, she thought to try a simple spell but quickly shoved that thought away for fear of worsening her headache.

Celestia had been most gracious in allowing them to use her personal train car, giving them the privacy that they needed; both Celestia and Twilight did not want the public to see her in such a weakened state.

Twilight sighed as she blinked a few times. Rainbow was fast asleep on the bed that she had snuck out of an hour ago, for she couldn’t sleep. The only light in the train car came from a single magical orb that floated near the ceiling in the middle of the train car, casting just enough light to illuminate the outlines of the furniture. Twilight closed her eyes as she tugged the blanket up a little further with a hoof, tucking it in around her barrel in a vain effort to try to warm her wings up.

Minutes passed in silence before she felt someone poke her flank, making her eyes snap open wide. “Oh, it’s you,” she softly said, letting a smile grace her lips.

“Yeah, it’s just me,” Rainbow said as she climbed up on the couch. She pulled the blanket out from under Twilight’s side and wiggled underneath it. “Here, I brought us another blanket,” she said as she draped another thick blanket over them. Rainbow snuggled up against Twilight’s side and laid a wing across her back. Twilight’s feathers felt cold to the touch. “You feeling any better, Twilight?” Rainbow hesitantly asked, fearing the answer.

“...No. Not really,” Twilight said as another shiver ran down her spine. She coughed a couple of times, then laid her head against Rainbow’s warm neck. After nearly a minute of silence, she asked, “What are you doing up? It’s the middle of the night; you should get some rest.”

“I could say the same about you,” Rainbow murmured. “What are you doing up?”

“...Couldn’t sleep.” Twilight coughed again.

Rainbow chuckled. “Even with an expert snuggler?”

Twilight laughed, but it turned into a cough part of the way through.

Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed as she nuzzled the top of Twilight’s head. “You need some water, Twi?” she asked, wrapping a hoof around Twilight’s.

Twilight shook her head. “No. I... I just need you...” she said so quietly she barely heard herself speak. She cleared her throat, then asked, “So... what are you doing up?”

“Well... I woke up and realized that you weren’t there, so... yeah,” Rainbow lamely said. “Something the matter?” she asked, feeling her marefriend tense up under her wing. When Twilight didn’t respond, she huffed and flicked her tail. “Come on, Twi, what’s up?”

“...Nothing.”

“Doesn’t seem like nothing,” Rainbow said. She glanced back at the bed, then nuzzled Twilight between her ears. “Scoots and Spike are still so asleep, so you don’t have to worry about them hearing us.”

Twilight sighed, then looked up at Rainbow. “I’m afraid to use my magic,” she finally squeaked out, her ears flicking back as her shoulders slumped. “There, I said it.”

I never would have thought to attack Scootaloo’s mom if I knew it would hurt her like this... Rainbow winced. “Well... uh...” She shut her mouth to avoid sounding like an idiot, then stayed silent for several seconds. “Why are you afraid? Does your head still hurt?” Twilight nodded. “Hm... do you still feel like throwing up?” Twilight shook her head. “Is your headache getting better or worse?”

“Better, but it still hurts. Like around here,” Twilight said, pointing around her forehead.

“Like at the base of your horn?” Rainbow brushed aside Twilight’s mane and took a better look. “Nothing looks different; at least your horn hasn’t fallen off,” she said with a giggle.

“Hehe, yeah, at least that hasn’t happened. It’s just... I’ve heard stories where unicorns have either lost nearly all of their magic or have permanently lost their magic by trying a spell far past their abilities. There was one instance where a mare even tried to bring a loved one back from the dead, but it ended up costing her her life. While my spell wasn’t as complicated as the ones in those stories, I cast it on an empty stomach, and it drained what little energy I had left. I’ve never felt this way before, and... I’m scared.”

“Well... you said it yourself; you’re starting to feel better. Just give it some time.” Rainbow stood up and trotted over towards the front of the train car and grabbed a couple of apples, then slipped back under the blankets. “Here, eat this; you need to keep your strength up.”

“I’m not that hungry,” Twilight said, laying her head on the windowsill.

“Twilight, I insist. You barely ate anything at dinner, and I know if I had ate so little, I’d be starving right now. To be honest, I’m a little hungry right now!” She lifted one of the apples to her lips and took a humongous bite. “Mmm... this might even be one from Applejack’s farm; here, try the other one!” She placed the other apple on the windowsill a few inches away from Twilight’s snout. “I think I’m right, but I’m not sure. Can you try it and see?” she asked with a grin. She nudged Twilight’s flank with her own as she took another bite.

Twilight grabbed the apple with her right hoof, glanced at Rainbow, then took a small bite. After a few chews, a small grin broke out on her face. “You know, you just might be right. Applejack’s have always had their own special taste, or... maybe we’ve just grown used to eating her apples for all these years,” she said. She took another few small bites, then swallowed. “You think that Princess Celestia buys Applejack’s apples and has them shipped to the castle?”

“They’re the best in Equestria, and they’re definitely fit for royalty, so probably, yeah,” Rainbow said. She finished off her apple and tossed the core aside, then patiently waited for Twilight to finish hers. “Doesn’t Applejack ship some of the farm’s cider to Celestia’s castle?”

“Maybe. I don’t remember.”

“I’m pretty sure she does. We can just ask her when we get back to Ponyville.” Rainbow kissed Twilight’s cheek and nuzzled it in for good measure. “So... feel better now?”

“A little bit, yeah.” Twilight laid her head down in between Rainbow’s forelegs as she closed her eyes, then felt Rainbow lay her head on top of hers. “Thanks, Dash.” A soft smile graced her lips as she felt Rainbow kiss the base of her horn, and as she felt Rainbow’s warmth seep into the back of her neck, she finally slipped into the blissful world of dreams.

As the train came to a jarring stop, Twilight cracked her eyes open and noticed that Rainbow had placed her head beside hers; she knew from experience that sleeping like that would end up with a sore neck. The orb was significantly brighter, as if it knew that they had reached their destination. As she lifted her head, the blankets that she and Rainbow shared slipped down to the small of her back, revealing just how cold the air was. She shrugged the blankets back up as far as she could, then nuzzled Rainbow awake; somehow she hadn’t woken up. “Rainbow, it’s time to go,” she said, laying a light smooch on her cheek.

“Ugh... five more minutes,” Rainbow groaned. “Oh, right; we’re on a train. Are Scootaloo and Spike up?” she asked as she looked up.

Twilight glanced back at the big bed, then nodded. “Yeah, they are. Come on, we gotta get our stuff.”

“Good thing we traveled light, huh?” Rainbow asked as she stretched.

“Mhm... Say, do you mind fetching our scarves from our bags?” Twilight asked as she pushed herself up. She yawned as she trotted over towards the bed. “Alright sleepyheads, time to go find Shining and Cadence,” she said.

Scootaloo slid out of bed and stretched like a cat, letting loose a ferocious yawn. “Okay, but only if one of you carries me. I’m super tired,” she said, rubbing her right eye with a hoof.

“I can do that,” Rainbow said as she came back with everyone’s scarves. She looked at the base of each scarf and handed them to their rightful owners, then helped Twilight put hers on. “All good, everyone?” she asked as she looked at each of them in turn. She tightened the strap of her saddlebag, then slipped on Twilight’s saddlebag as well, even though she knew she’d look goofy.

“Rainbow, I can get that. You don’t have—”

“Nah, don’t worry about it; I got this,” Rainbow said. She nodded towards the exit. “You think Shining and Cadence are waiting for us on the platform?” she asked, peering out through the window. “The snow’s still coming down pretty hard.”

“If they are, we shouldn’t keep them waiting,” Twilight said, casting a forlorn glance at the blankets that had just moments ago kept them as snug as a bug. “I’m certain that it’s freezing outside, and I’m not sure how long they’ve been waiting, either.” She leaned down and let Spike climb up to sit near the base of her neck.

“Yeah, no kidding...” Rainbow took a deep breath as she stopped in front of the door leading outside. As Twilight walked up beside her, she stopped her with a hoof, then draped a wing over her back to help keep her warm. Twilight smiled at her, making a few butterflies flit about in her stomach. Scootaloo scampered up her hind leg and settled down in between the saddlebags. “Ready, Scoots?” she asked.

“As ready as I’ll ever be!” she said, wrapping her front hooves in her scarf to help keep them warm.

“Good.” Rainbow opened the train car door and walked out onto the platform, her hooves sinking several inches into the snow. “Kinda wish that we packed some mittens,” she muttered.

“Would have been a good idea, yeah,” Twilight said, glancing around. “Shining? Cadence?” she called out, her words getting lost in the howling wind.

“Over here, Twilight!” came a familiar voice.

“Shining? Is that you?” Twilight called back.

“Yeah!” Shining said, his voice sounding a bit louder.

He came into view from the other end of the platform, weaving his way in and out of the passengers. “You guys just had to take the last train here, didn’t ya?” he asked with a smile.

“Heh, you know it!” Dash shot back.

Twilight nudged Rainbow’s shoulder with her own and shot her a smirk. “Where’s Cadence?” Twilight asked, peering around her big brother.

“She’s already in bed,” Shining said. “I told her that I’d pick you guys up so that she could get some sleep. I’m sure you guys are pretty tired, so we had the servants set up a couple of rooms for you guys when we got the letter saying you were coming.” He lit his horn and gently lifted the saddlebags from Rainbow’s back. “Here, allow me,” he said as he fastened them around himself.

“Thanks,” Rainbow said as a shiver ran down her back. “Uh... can we get a move on? If we stand around out here any longer, my hooves are gonna freeze off!”

Complications

Why do I still feel so cold? Twilight thought, flipping over onto her other side as a rough cough forced itself past her lips. Even though she had loads of blankets on top of her, her wings and the tips of her hooves felt as if she’d stuck them in snow for an hour. She blearily cracked her eyes open and felt her head throb as light streamed in through the windows, reminding her of that dull pain that had been with her for the last day; at least it didn’t feel like somepony was driving a nail into her horn anymore. “R-Rainbow?” she croaked out.

Twilight tensed up as she felt Rainbow twitch against her side. But... she’s snuggling with me. Why don’t I feel her against my wing? She threw the sheets off of her and rolled out of bed, wobbling on her hooves before she collapsed, the side of her head smacking against the nightstand. Tears erupted in her eyes as she cried out in pain. Her vision filled with stars as she curled up into a ball, her left wing pinned in an awkward position between her and the hard, crystal floor. “Why, why, why?!” she groaned, hitting the bed frame with her right front hoof. Twilight expected pain but felt a light tingly numbness instead. Her eyebrows furrowed as she held her hoof in front of her, staring at it as if it had changed in some way. Hearing Rainbow move around on the bed above her, she glanced up to see a concerned look on her marefriend’s face.

“What’re you doin’ down there, Twi?” Rainbow asked with a sleepy-sounding giggle, cocking her head to the side. “If my snuggling skills needed some work, you coulda just...” She blinked a few times as her vision came into focus, noticing that tears were streaming down Twilight’s face. Rainbow felt her heart drop into her stomach. She flapped her wings once and lay down around her marefriend, wrapping her in her forelegs. Rainbow rocked back and forth, feeling Twilight go limp in her grasp. “Everything okay?” she asked softly, feeling Twilight bury her muzzle into her neck. Yeah... that’d be a no. “Let’s get you back up on the bed and then I’ll go find Cadence, okay? I’m sure that she can help.” She felt Twilight nod, so she tightened her grasp on her and lifted them back up onto the bed. She placed a few pillows around Twilight’s back, and as she stood up and turned around to go fetch Cadence, she felt Twilight weakly wrap a hoof around her hind leg.

“W-Wait.”

“...Ok.” Rainbow flopped back down on the bed, then dragged the blankets back over them with her teeth. “Uh... what’s up?” she tentatively asked. “Were my snuggles pretty bad?” she asked with a nervous laugh, hoping to dissolve the tension hanging in the air. “I hope I didn’t kick you out of bed in my sleep.” She felt something tickle her stomach, so she rolled over and reached down with a hoof, pulling out a couple of large, purple feathers. Hold on a minute...

Twilight slowly shook her head. “No, Rainbow, it’s... something else.” She licked her dry lips, and as her ears flicked back, she locked eyes with Rainbow and wrapped a hoof around hers, praying for any semblance of feeling. She hoped that the mere touch would restore the sensation of Rainbow’s soft fur gracing hers, but all she felt was a cold numbness. She spread her wings wide, hoping to feel the cool touch of the air tickling her feathers, but felt nothing.

“Twilight, your wing!” Rainbow exclaimed, her eyes going wide.

“What about it?” Twilight looked to the left and gasped. Her wing was missing more than a few feathers, and the rest were tattered or out of place. She struggled to find her voice again, and when she did, she pushed herself towards Rainbow and awkwardly wrapped her forelegs around her neck, her wings limply laying out at her sides. “I... I can’t feel my hooves or wings, Dash,” Twilight croaked out in between sobs. “I’m so scared; I don’t know what to do!”

As much as she wanted to stay by Twilight’s side and comfort her as much as possible, Rainbow knew she had to get her help, and fast. “Twilight, I promise I’ll be right back, okay? I’ll be gone a minute tops!” she said, nuzzling Twilight’s cheek. “Okay?” she asked again, a little more forcefully this time. Twilight nodded, then wrapped her forelegs around a pillow and laid her head on top of it. Rainbow galloped out of the room, their bedroom door slamming against the wall. Where the heck is Cadence’s bedroom?! she thought, her head whipping every which way. She slowed down to a trot, every fiber of her being screaming at her to go faster. Oh, there it is! she thought as she recognized a large wood door. She darted past the two guards keeping watch outside the royal bedchambers, ignoring their cries of protest as she burst inside a short hallway with a single door at the other end, making her take pause; she expected to find Cadence’s bed, not some empty hallway.

“Are you mad?” one of the guards asked as they grabbed Rainbow’s right foreleg. “The princess and her husband are not to be disturbed!”

Rainbow fought to rip her leg from the guard’s grasp, but it only tightened. “You don’t understand! Twilight’s in trouble, and we need Cadence right now!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Cadence!” The door at the end of the hallway creaked open, revealing none other than the pony she so desperately needed. “Cadence, it’s Twilight! Something’s wrong!” she said as the princess trotted up to them.

Cadence’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean?” she asked as she nodded at the guard to release Rainbow.

As the guard’s grasp loosened, Rainbow pulled her leg free and huffed at him. “I don’t know what’s wrong. She’s been feeling a little off, and I think she’s getting worse!” Rainbow turned and galloped down the hallway, ignoring Cadence’s next question. She heard Cadence and the guards follow close behind. Rainbow slowed down to a trot, then walked inside her bedroom, her tail flicking from side to side as her heart raced in her chest. “She told me she can’t feel her hooves or her wings,” she said as Cadence trotted inside the room. “And she’s lost some feathers, too!”

Cadence’s throat tightened as she took in Twilight’s pale appearance. “Oh dear...” she quickly whispered, lifting a trembling hoof to her lips. Time seemed to slow down before she heard hoofsteps behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Shining pause inside the doorway, his mane a complete mess. “Shining, go fetch the doctor. Twilight needs him!”

“Wait, what’s wrong? She was fine when I brought her here last night!” Shining said, puzzled as he rubbed his eyes with a hoof.

“There’s no time, dear!” Cadence snapped, pushing him out of the room with a wing. “Go, run!”

“Fine, I’m going, I’m going!” Shining said before lighting his horn, disappearing in a bright flash of magic.

“Guards! Notify the nurses that we need the infirmary wing prepped at once!” Cadence looked back towards Twilight and trotted up to the bed, brushing some of Twilight’s mane back behind her ear as she lay down next to her. “Good morning, little one...” she said with a soft smile, hoping to project an overwhelming feeling of calmness, something that she felt little of herself. “You have nothing to worry about; we have the best doctors around.” She rubbed Twilight’s back with a hoof, right in between her wings. “Can you feel this?” she asked softly.

“Y-Yes,” Twilight whispered, lifting her head from the pillow as she heard a magical pop, like somepony had just teleported around them. Her vision immediately grew blurry and her headache doubled in intensity. She flicked her ears up, hoping to hear the comforting voice of her marefriend again, but she had no such luck. “Rainbow? I-I’m... so cold,” she murmured, fairly certain that she’d heard her speak a few moments ago. She closed her eyes as she fought to stay awake, but it was all for naught as every sensation slipped away.

Rainbow's eyes went wide as she watched Twilight collapse. She ran over to the bed and placed her forelegs on the edge of the bed, fearing the worst. “Is... Is she—” Her eyes darted between Twilight and Cadence, the tips of her wings bristling in dread.

“No, she just passed out,” Cadence said, holding a hoof against the side of Twilight’s neck. Her ears perked up as she heard somepony arguing with her husband. As the sounds of squeaky wheels came ever closer, her head whipped up just in time to see Shining push a gurney inside the room at breakneck speed, a startled stallion still in his pajamas gripping the sheets for dear life.

“I got the doctor!” Shining said as they screeched to a halt beside Twilight’s bed. “So can anypony fill me in with what’s happening?” he asked, sitting down beside the bed.

The doctor rolled off of the gurney with a groan, but after a couple of moments, he straightened up and gave a quick bow to Cadence. “Princess, I came as soon as I heard I was needed,” he said, staring daggers at Shining for a couple seconds. “While I don’t appreciate being dragged out of bed and teleported to the other side of town, I give you my word that I will do everything I can to ensure Princess Twilight’s health.” He lit his horn and lifted Twilight onto the gurney and promptly pushed it out of the room with a couple of guards following him.

Cadence let out a deep sigh as she rubbed her temple with a hoof. “Did you really drag him out of bed?” she asked, lifting a sole eyebrow as she eyed her husband.

“Well... yeah.” Shining rubbed the back of his head with a hoof. “You said to get the doctor and pushed me out of the room! I thought it was a life and death situation!” he said, gesturing about in the air with his front hooves. “And this is my little sister we’re talking about here; there was no way I was going to gallop all the way across town and back with a half-awake pony. That would have taken way too long!”

“I see your point, but I would appreciate it if you would use a little more tact next time,” Cadence said, her shoulders slumping. “Did you at least explain to him what’s going on?”

“Uh... no? How could I? I still have no idea what’s going on; all I know is that Twilight is sick, and you told me to get the doctor.” Shining stood up and held his head high. “I’m sorry that I acted without thinking, dear...” he spoke softly, leaning forward to nuzzle Cadence’s cheek. “My military training just took over; I promise I’ll do better next time.”

“Let’s hope there’s not going to be a next time,” Cadence said with a light smile, giving into Shining’s insistent nuzzles.

“Yeah, definitely.”

Rainbow cleared her throat. “So... what now?”

Cadence slipped off of the bed and nodded towards the door. “Now we wait. Come on, the infirmary is this way.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Rainbow fell into step behind Cadence and Shining, following them out into the hallway.

“Only time will tell.”

“You know I’m not going to leave her side, right?” Rainbow asked.

Cadence grinned and pulled Rainbow close with a wing. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

Where am I? Twilight thought, trying to remember the last thing she saw before everything went dark. Her headache wasn’t as bad as before; in fact, she barely felt any sort of pain whatsoever, save for her horribly dry throat. A blissful warmth surrounded her entire being in contrast to the numbness that she’d past felt. She tensed her neck muscles, pushing her head back only to realize that it was tucked in the nook of Rainbow’s neck. Is she... Twilight moved her right foreleg outwards, but felt a warm leg kept her forelegs tucked gently against her chest. Heh, she is, just like when we were back in Scootaloo’s hospital room...

Twilight let loose a soft huff as she shifted about, rolling over so that she and Rainbow were muzzle to muzzle. Feeling Rainbow’s wing tighten its grasp on her back, she nuzzled the tip of Rainbow’s nose, mostly certain that her marefriend was already awake. “Hey, you...” she murmured with a soft smile.

Rainbow’s eyes snapped open wide, then she relaxed. “Hey...” Rainbow said, letting her hoof come to rest on the side of Twilight’s face. She tilted her head and swooped in, stealing a quick, tender kiss from Twilight’s lips. “I’m glad that you’re finally up,” she said as she folded her wing back against her side.

“How long have I been asleep?” Twilight asked, feeling Rainbow rub her side with a hoof. “And what time is it?”

“Almost three days, and it’s ten in the morning. You’ve had everyone worried sick, me most of all.”

Twilight’s breath caught in her throat. “I’ve been asleep for almost three days? Seriously?” Rainbow nodded. “Sweet Celestia... Was it really that bad?” she asked, noticing the look of concern that sat plainly on Rainbow’s face. Rainbow nodded again.

“...Yeah, kinda.”

“Do they know what’s wrong with me?” Twilight breathlessly asked.

“I think. The doctor said some mumbo-jumbo that I didn’t really understand, but Cadence broke it down for me. Since you used that spell teleporting us out of danger, your immune system was pretty weak, and you caught some sort of infection or disease... somehow.”

“O-Oh. Am I infectious? You just kissed me, and you could catch what I—”

“No, it’s not infectious, that’s why I kissed you just now,” Rainbow said with a quick laugh. “Have you ever been sick like this before?”

“No, I haven’t, and I don’t remember reading about anything like this.”

Rainbow glanced off to the side. “Do you think it’s due to you not being able to use magic right now?”

Twilight wilted. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to think about that.”

Rainbow wrapped her front hooves around Twilight’s and held them tightly. “Hey, don’t worry; it’ll come back! In the meantime, your wing is still a little messed up, but I can fix that in a jiffy.” She pushed the sheets off of them and slid down the bed a little bit until she sat near Twilight’s rump. “Wing please,” she said with a soft smile, holding out her hooves.

Twilight carefully extended her left wing for Rainbow, her eyes lighting up as she felt Rainbow’s soft touch grace her feathers. “Hey, I felt that!” she said, perking up a bit. Her ears flicked up as a nervous, though excited, grin broke out on her face.

“Yeah? That’s great!” Rainbow ran her hoof along the leading edge of Twilight’s wing, feeling her heart throb with joy. “What about that?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

“Mhm! It still feels a little tingly, but it’s not numb like it used to be.” Twilight fell silent as Rainbow went to work, placing her feathers back in order and licking them clean. She wrapped her hooves around a pillow and pulled it close, laying her head upon it and letting her eyes drift shut.

After a couple minutes, Rainbow paused. “Can I pluck broken feathers out if I need to?” she hesitantly asked, eyeing a feather broken halfway down its length.

“Is it absolutely necessary?” Twilight asked, cracking her eyes open.

“...Yeah. They have to come out so new ones can grow back.” Rainbow’s tail swished around, knowing that she was about to make her hurt.

“They? As in more than one?” Twilight took a deep breath, then nodded. “I know they have to come out, but... please do so as gently as you can. Plucking feathers hurts...” She ran her hooves over her face as she groaned. “Ugh... Why didn’t you do this when I was passed out?” she asked with a terse laugh.

“Because the doctor said it wasn’t a good idea.” Rainbow rubbed Twilight’s back with a hoof, then leaned in close to the base of the broken feather. “You ready? This is a large flight feather, so it’ll hurt a little.”

Twilight nodded once and gripped the pillow tightly. “You know you’re an awesome marefriend for doing this, right?” she asked, hoping to delay the inevitable.

“Mhm...” Rainbow took great care in biting down near the base of the feather, then plucked it out with a quick jerk of her head. She winced at Twilight’s soft gasp, spat the feather out, then held her hoof over the small hole until it stopped bleeding. “We’ve still got a couple more to go, Twi... I know it hurts, but I’ll be as gentle as I can.”

“I know you will... Anyways, I was wondering why I was so warm when I woke up,” Twilight whispered as she blushed a little, feeling Rainbow wrap her lips around another broken feather. “You were snuggling with me like when we first brought Scootaloo to the—”

“Hospital,” Rainbow said, finishing Twilight’s sentence as she spat out the feather. “I thought you’d appreciate it.” Huh, no blood this time...

Twilight bit down on her bottom lip she felt Rainbow latch onto the base of the last feather that had to come out. “You sure this is the last one?”

Rainbow sat back. “As far as I can tell, yeah. I don’t see any other broken feathers. Your other wing looked fine, so I preened that one while you were out.” Rainbow felt Twilight’s wing trembling in her hooves. “This is just a small one, so it shouldn’t hurt that bad. You ready?”

“Yeah, do it.” A second passed before she felt Rainbow’s hot breath grace her wing, her eyes clenching shut as the feather was yanked out.

“There we go...” Rainbow rubbed Twilight’s back again, then gently folded Twilight’s wing back against her side. “It’ll take some time for the feathers to grow back, so just be careful if you have to fly; your balance might be a little off.” She flopped back down next to Twilight and shot her a comforting grin. “So... you hung—” She let loose a surprised squeak as Twilight darted forward, planting her lips against hers. As Twilight’s tongue teased her lips, silently begging entrance, Rainbow’s eyes drifted shut as she felt Twilight’s hoof drift around to the back of her head. She melted into the kiss, feeling her heart pulse with pure, unbridled love as Twilight’s warm breath tickled her muzzle. Parting her lips, their tongues danced to a silent tango, one that sent a furious blush to Rainbow’s cheeks and made her mind go all fuzzy.

Their lips eventually parted, a small bridge of saliva connecting them for the briefest of moments. Twilight panted softly, her cheeks matching Rainbow’s deep blush. She wrapped her freshly-preened wing around Rainbow, tugged her close, then tucked her head underneath Rainbow’s chin. “I love you, Rainbow. I have no idea what I’d do without you...” she whispered.

Rainbow’s blush doubled as her heart pulsed even harder, almost to the point where, if she looked down, she’d be able to see it throbbing against her chest. “I love you too, Twilight,” she said, her voice filled with as much adoration, love, and affection as she could put into it.

Recovery

Twilight awoke to the most horrendous of sounds. Wet smacks followed by a slurp or two, combined with the sound of a squeaky chair, echoed in her ears, making them flick back as she groaned. She stretched under the sheets, rubbed her eyes with her front hooves, then let her head fall back down onto the pillow. “Rainbow? Is that you?” she mumbled, awkwardly fumbling to flatten her ears with her hooves. Her throat was so dry that it felt like she’d swallowed buckets of sand.

“Yeah? I’m here. Behind you,” she said, poking her in the back.

Twilight rolled over, taking great care to be gentle with her wings. Her eyes fell upon her lover and found her spinning in circles on a swiveling chair, propelling herself along with her right wing. “What are you doing?” she asked with a weak grin, eyeing the half-empty cup of jello in Rainbow’s hooves.

“Eating jello and spinning. Not much else to do with you sleeping all the time,” she said with a short chuckle. “You want some?” Rainbow plunged her spoon into the jello, then flared her wings and flapped until she stopped spinning.

It pained her to hear Rainbow’s forced tone. Her bad attempt at a joke only made it obvious how unnerved she felt, though Twilight knew she had to set her mind at ease somehow. She licked her lips as she felt her stomach grumble, then shook her head. “You know, as much as I’d like to, I think it’d be better if I had some water first. And I’m pretty sure you said that the doctors said that my immune system was weak, so wouldn’t sharing food be risky? I don’t wanna get sick again as soon as I’m starting to feel better...” she said with a small cough.

Rainbow’s spoon dropped a few inches, then rose back up again as she snickered. “Twi, we kissed like, super hard before you fell asleep again this morning. If you think sharing food might be bad, then swapping spit would be like, super bad, right?” She wiggled the spoon in front of Twilight’s lips again.

“Well...” Twilight rolled over onto her belly and let her front hooves drape over the edge of the bed. She glanced away, her eyes settling on the bright moon as it slowly but surely rose in the night sky. She thought back to earlier that morning when they had kissed, unable to stop herself from blushing as she remembered the soft touch of Rainbow’s lips against hers. However, that thought was rudely interrupted by a cold, hard spoon as Rainbow pressed it against her lips. “T-Thanks,” she said in between bites. As soon as she swallowed, she eyed the pitcher of water sitting on one of the tables.

Without thinking, she started to pump magic into her horn then stopped a split-second later, feeling herself grow dizzy and her headache worsening three-fold. She winced as she saw Rainbow’s eyes go wide, seeing a faint flicker from her horn in her eye’s reflection. “This is gonna take some getting used to,” she muttered, grabbing the spoon with her hoof. With her stomach grumbling loud enough for all of the Crystal Empire to hear, she slurped the jello right off of the spoon and held it out, silently asking for another scoop with a grateful smile.

“Heh, here ya go,” Rainbow said, holding out the little plastic cup for her to grab.

“Are there any more of them? I’m starving,” Twilight said in between bites.

“Uh...” Rainbow tensed up as she looked back at the table where five other cups of jello had sat just minutes before Twilight had woken up, then quickly glanced down at the floor where she’d tossed the empty ones. Rainbow covered her mouth with a hoof, then coughed loudly as she used her tail to sweep them under Twilight’s bed. “I don’t think we have any more here, but I can go get some, okay?” She stood up off the chair, took the empty plastic cup from Twilight’s hooves, and threw it in the trash can next to the bed. She grabbed the pitcher of water on the table, filled a glass, then held it out for Twilight. “You gonna be good for a few minutes while I go get you some?”

“Of course,” Twilight said, taking the glass of water from Rainbow’s hooves, her ears perking up at the mention of more food.

“Okay, good.” Rainbow let her hoof come to rest against Twilight’s chin, then stole a quick kiss from her lips, her tail quivering in restrained, hopeful excitement as she nuzzled her cheek much like a cat would. “You, uh...” She rubbed the back of her neck as she glanced over her shoulder, a sly grin appearing on her lips as she made sure nopony else was within earshot. “You want some more jello or something with a bit more substance? Like... some hayburgers?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

Twilight’s eyes lit up as she grinned at the idea of wolfing down a burger, then paused. “Oh! Uh... I’m sure the doctors won’t like me eating anything that’s not on the approved hospital food list.” Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Rainbow’s smile start to fade. “But...” she continued with a wide grin that quickly turned into a smirk. “If you get us some burgers with extra fries, I’ll let you be the little spoon for as long as you want tonight.”

Rainbow squeed. “Deal!” she said, bumping her hoof against Twilight’s. “I’ll be right back, I promise!” Flaring her wings wide, she pushed one of the windows open with her front hooves, then flung herself out into the sky, the sounds of the bustling city flowing in through the window.

Twilight closed her eyes, easily falling back into a dreamless sleep. It felt like only a few minutes had passed when she heard somepony’s wings beating, making her crack her eyes open just in time to see Rainbow fly back through the window, a pair of brown paper bags held firmly between her teeth.

“Hey Twi, I’m back!” Dash said as she screeched to a halt back inside the room, stopping mere inches away from the wall on the other side of the room. She hopped up onto the bed, gently pushed Twilight’s wing up with her snout, then snuggled in, digging deep inside the paper bags for their treats. “Look what I got us!” she said in a hushed tone, tossing a wrapped burger between Twilight’s forelegs. “They didn’t have any fries, though.”

“A triple-stacked hayburger? I think I’d rather have one of these than some fries.” Twilight held it up in her hooves, barely able to hold onto it all. “Are you trying to make me fat?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Well, you didn’t eat for like, three straight days, so you gotta make up for lost time. Besides, I got one for me, too, so if we’re gonna get fat, we’ll get fat together. Then we’ll have blubber for the winter!”

“Yeah, I guess we would,” she said with a short laugh. Twilight bit down into the burger and hummed in content, bumping her butt against Rainbow’s as she nuzzled her cheek, smearing a bit of ketchup across Rainbow’s fur. “Actually, yeah, this is worth it, blubber butt.”

“Yeah, but you know what? I got a couple more burgers we can split just in case we’re still hungry.”

“What about Scootaloo and Spike?” Twilight asked with a short chuckle. “You think they’ve eaten yet? Maybe we should save the other burgers for them.”

“Oh, uh... yeah, we can share with them if Cadence and Shining didn’t get them anything yet.” Rainbow glanced at the clock, her head bobbing from side to side as she thought. “Mmm... ya know, it’s already well past dinner time, so I’m like, ninety-nine percent sure they’ve already eaten.” Rainbow scarfed down her burger in no time at all, then grabbed another burger from the bag. “Oh hey, I saw that doctor making his rounds further down the hall when I was flying back in, so you better eat fast; I bet he wouldn’t be too happy with me if he found out I smuggled in some unapproved food,” she said with a giggle.

“Ahem...!”

Twilight sighed, knowing that that specific tone of voice could only belong to one pony: a doctor about to lay down the law and ruin their lawless fun. She slowly stopped chewing her food, swallowed, then placed her half-eaten burger back down onto the wrapper as the sounds of Rainbow tearing into her second burger filled the room. She glanced over her shoulder to find a doctor shaking his head from side to side, making her ears flick down in shame.

“My princess, I’m sorry, but I must insist that you relinquish that hayburger at once,” he said, grabbing an empty food tray and using his magic to hold it in front of her. “Place it here, please.”

Twilight eyed him up and down for a few seconds, hoping for a reprieve, though when none came, she stifled a snarl then complied without a word. A tiny part of her mind egged her on to use her authority as a princess.

“Thank you. Now, if you are still hungry, I shall fetch you some hospital-approved food,” he said, using his magic to carry the tray out of the room with him.

“I think I’ll take that,” Shining said with a grin, using his own magic to take the burger from the doctor’s grasp as he walked into the room.

“My Prince, you cannot give that back to her,” the doctor said, half-turning around to face Shining, eyeing him with a knowing look. “She needs to start off on easier foods, especially considering the ordeal she has just endured.”

“Oh, I know. It’s been a while since I’ve had a hayburger, so I’m gonna finish it,” he said, feeling partly guilty as he heard a barely audible whine. “Why let good food go to waste?” Shining hopped up onto the bed next to Twilight’s and set the tray at his front hooves, silently waiting for the doctor to leave. “That is all, doctor,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. As the doctor’s hoofsteps faded away down the hall, Shining used his magic to shut the door then he tossed the hayburger back to his sister with a wink.

Twilight shot a grateful smile at him. “Thanks,” she said. “Had me fooled for a minute there, though.” She glanced over Shining’s shoulder to make sure the doctor was nowhere in sight, then promptly devoured the burger, leaving no chance for it to be taken away again.

Shining glanced away for a moment, his smile faltering as he looked back up. “You’re welcome, little sis. You two have any extras? We took Scootaloo and Spike to that once fancy restaurant that I can never remember the name of just down the street.”

“Was it that one with all the fancy-looking letters in the name?” Twilight asked. “The one that gives you just enough food to barely take the edge off that never does anything to fill you up?”

Shining laughed. “Yeah, that’s the one.” His shoulders slumped in relief as Rainbow tossed one of the hayburgers in between his forelegs. “Sweet Celestia, you’re the best.”

“And don’t you ever forget it,” Rainbow quipped back, returning Shining’s grateful smile. “These are triple stacked, by the way,” she said.

“What? No way!” Shining whipped off the wrapping. “Cadence would murder me if she found out I was eating one of these behind her back.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow fought back a snicker as she noticed Cadence walking towards them, their eyes locking for a few moments as she neared the door. “And what would she do if she found out? she asked, shooting a sly wink Cadence’s way as she used her magic to let herself in.

“I dunno, she’d probably say that she doesn’t want me getting fat,” he said, munching down on his burger.

“That’s right,” Cadence said, hopping up onto the bed beside him. She grinned at him, her gaze flicking between his burger and his eyes until he used his magic to divide it in half.

“Thanks, Shiny.” Cadence took hold of it with her magic and wolfed it down. She let loose a content sigh, then placed her right hoof over her left. “Did you tell them yet?” she asked, her tone holding a small hint of concern.

Shining shook his head. “No, I haven’t. I only just got here a few minutes before you did.”

Cadence cleared her throat, then shut the door with a quick flick of her horn. “I have some news that you both need to know,” she said, glancing between Twilight and Rainbow. “And... it’s not good.”

Rainbow’s eyebrows furrowed at her tone. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“You want to tell them or should I?” Cadence asked.

“I can.” Shining cleared his throat, his tail flicking back and forth behind him. “A guard thought they recognized a certain brown pegasus from one of the wanted posters spread around town, but when they got close, he disappeared into the crowd in the marketplace before they could get a good look at his face. He wasn't too sure if that pony was the one in the wanted poster, though, but he still thought it prudent to bring it to our attention just to be safe.”

Rainbow went rigid. “So you're saying that Scootaloo’s dad might be here?” she demanded, her once joyful tone long gone.

“We don’t know that for sure.” Twilight felt Rainbow’s body become as stiff as a board, and fearing that she would leap from the bed to go hunting for Scootaloo’s father out in the cold, she placed a single hoof over Rainbow’s and tugged her close with her wing, feeling every single little tremor that ran through her body. "Brown is a pretty common coat color, and why would he be all the way up here? Surely he'd want to be on the opposite end of Equestria from us."

“I guess that makes sense...” Rainbow paused for a split-second, then asked, “What about Scootaloo and Spike? Where are they?”

“They’re in their chambers. We posted guards on the doors and the balcony once we determined there was even the smallest of threats. Better safe than sorry, after all.” He paused as Rainbow pushed herself out from under Twilight’s wing. “They are perfectly safe here in the castle,” he said, raising his voice momentarily as he watched Twilight struggle to keep Rainbow from running off. “I can bring you to them now if you wish. I stopped by their room with some snacks to keep them from raiding our pantries; Spike had mentioned something about doing that earlier.”

“Okay, yeah, let’s do that,” Rainbow said, feeling Twilight fold her wing back to her side. She looked back and watched her fold it, hating how gingerly and slowly she did so. The tattered feathers still looked bad, but only time would heal those wounds. I should preen her wings again tonight before bed... she thought. She glanced at Twilight as she slipped off the bed. “Are you strong enough to walk?” she asked.

“Um...” She tried to push herself up with her forelegs, but she stopped once they started to wobble. Her ears flopped down. “I don’t think so,” she said, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

Shining slipped off of the bed. “Don’t worry, I gotcha,” he said with a warm smile. Lighting his horn, he lifted Twilight up off of the bed and placed her on his back. “Oof, you’re a little heavier than I remember!” he said with a laugh. “Just like old times, though, right?”

“Well, I’m not a little filly anymore,” Twilight said, letting her forelegs come to rest over his right side. A light breeze pushed its way past the open window, sending a small shudder down her neck. As Shining started to make his way out of the room, she asked, “Hey Rainbow, can you close that window, please? I don’t want it to be freezing cold in here once we come back.”

“Yeah, I got it.” Rainbow pushed herself off of the bed, pulled the window shut, then threw the latch. In her rush to follow everyone else to go see their little ones, though, she failed to hear the latch slip from its lock, pushed by a large gust from her wings as she chased the group down the hallway.

Prison

One Day Ago...

With snow falling all around him, Brick Lump lay flat upon his cloud, his back partially covered by a growing fluff of snow. The tips of his extremities started to feel numb about an hour ago, especially the tips of his wings, though he patiently waited for his chance to see his wife. His eyes locked on the pair of guards flying their rounds around the dungeons outside on the cliff face. When he’d gotten back to Cloudsdale, their friends had told him how his wife had been the target of a ponyhunt and that she’d been captured by Celestia’s forces and brought to Canterlot for imprisonment.

He’d figured that the only place he’d find his wife would be in Canterlot’s most secure prison, and his assumption had been correct for he had noticed his wife’s mane color through a set of bars set into the side of the mountain. Once he was fairly certain that he’d have roughly four and a half minutes in between patrols, he waited until the two guards flew out of the sight then whipped the snow off his back, shaking himself like a wet dog ridding itself of water.

With a powerful flap of his wings, he darted forward, using the snow and the last few clouds around him for cover. Staying as quiet as he could, he slowed to a hover as he approached his wife’s prison bars, then gently wrapped his hooves around them. He folded his wings and let his forelegs take his weight then cleared his throat. “Hey honey,” he said with a smirk. “Enjoying the five-star accommodations?” he asked, looking around her rather dismal room. It was mostly bare, save for a thin mattress on top of a cot with a blanket. A large wooden door clad with metal with a small barred window stood at the other end of the cell.

“Honey?” he whispered. When she didn’t move, he rolled his eyes, let go of the bars, used his wings to hold himself up, then tapped on the cold steel bar as hard as he dared. Though while he was afraid that the noise would alert other guards to his presence, it was a risk that he had to take.

Tranquil woke up with a start. She looked around the dark cell until she found the source of the noise that had woken her. “O-Oh!” She whipped the blanket off of her and scrambled out of bed, nearly tripping on the blanket as she made it to the window. “I knew you’d come to rescue me!”

“That’s the plan!” he said with a confident grin. A small part of him had a feeling that it wouldn’t be so easy, but he surely wasn’t going to not give it a go. Planting his back hooves against the side of the mountain, he wrapped his forelegs around two of the three bars, steadied himself, then flapped as hard as he could while pulling on the bars with all his might. After several seconds, he stopped, panting heavily. He locked eyes with his wife and noticed a mixture of anger and sadness building up inside of her. “Maybe this would work better if you helped,” he cautiously ventured, hoping it wouldn’t set her off.

Tranquil relaxed a little bit. “Oh, right. Good idea. You grab them up top and I’ll grab them on the bottom. Let’s do one at a time instead of two; we’ll be able to put more pressure on them.”

“You always were the smart one.”

“And don’t you ever forget it, my love,” she shot back. “Ready? On three! One... two... three!”

The bars didn’t budge.

“Gimme a minute; I need to rest,” Brick said, once again hanging off of the prison bars. Sweat grew on his brow and neck and his wings felt sore from the exertion of trying to move an immovable object.

“We don’t have time to rest!” Tranquil hissed. “You need to get me out of here; I can’t stand being locked away like some criminal!”

“Well, we wouldn’t be in this situation if you didn’t get caught!” Brick snarled back. “How did you even get caught again? You were hiding on top of a cloud? Why didn’t you just fly away and hide somewhere on the ground?”

“I was scared, okay? I thought I’d get caught if I made a run for it because they had ponies patrolling the skies looking for any pony looking like me within a five mile radius of Cloudsdale. They stopped two other ponies flying around because we shared the same coat color before they found me. I thought my only option was to hide in a cloud.”

“Heard they found your shivering tail sticking out the back of the cloud,” Brick said with a snicker. “You really couldn’t find a bigger cloud to hide in?”

“I couldn’t! I didn’t want to look suspicious! There weren’t that many good clouds out and it was the best one I could find. Not like you could do any better,” she said with a huff.

“At least I’d be able to hold my tail in!”

Tranquil simply stared at him. “Whatever. So what are we gonna do about my little situation? These dang bars ain’t budging.”

“I... I don’t know. I think you’re stuck in there for good.”

Tranquil cursed under her breath then started pacing around her cell. “You know whose fault this is, right?” Brick nodded. “She’s the reason why all this bad stuff is happening to us. She doesn’t deserve to live such a great life with a freaking princess while I rot away in this hole and while you’re always looking over your shoulder out there.”

Brick’s eyes widened momentarily. “Oh, you’re talking about... Nevermind. What exactly are you saying?”

“You know exactly what I’m saying. I don’t care how you do it or who does it, but I want her gone. She ruined us. We had a home, a family. Sure, we weren’t the best but we definitely don’t deserve all of this!” Tranquil gestured around her cell. “You agree with me, right?” she tentatively asked, flicking her eyes up to meet his.

“Yeah, I guess...” he said, looking anywhere but at her.

Tranquil climbed back up and placed her hooves on his. “Look at me,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion. With a blank stare, she waited until his eyes locked with hers. “Promise me you’ll do it,” she said. “And don’t play dumb; you know exactly what I want you to do. Do you really think it’s fair that she lives a life of luxury while I languish away in prison? While you suffer out there without me?”

“No, of course not.” Brick grit his teeth and let his wife’s words steel his heart. He nodded once, his lips firm. “I’ll get it done, my love.” His ears flicked down to lie flat on his head, for while he once held a sliver of affection for his daughter, it no longer existed, replaced by an ever-increasing burning hatred for the loss of his wife’s freedom and their happiness together. Feeling the wind blowing with more strength, he latched onto a small passing cloud and shoved it through the bars. “At least this’ll be more comfortable than that poor excuse for a bed...” he said softly.

“Thank you, my love,” Tranquil said. She pushed her snout through the bars and gently pecked him on the lips, yearning for more than just that simple touch. An overwhelming sense of loneliness crept over her as she knew the time for him to leave had come. “Please come and see me again soon. I hope that you’ll bring back good news.”

“I promise I will, my sweet,” Brick said, letting his hoof rest against his wife’s. He locked eyes with her for a few moments, then flung himself off of the side of the cliff, disappearing into the wintery storm as he flew north.

Like a Snake

Rainbow nuzzled Twilight’s cheek a little harder than she meant to, though it mattered not for it still drew a smile on her lips. After fetching Spike and Scootaloo, they’d all met up in Cadence’s bedroom and had settled down upon a huge collection of pillows in the middle of the room.

She glanced out of Cadence’s bedroom window upon hearing the wind pick up, buffeting the castle with all its might. She still hadn’t let go of the idea that Scootaloo’s father might still be somewhere in the city, making her heart yearn to be out in the cold searching every nook and cranny until she was certain that they were safe. Part of her wanted to sneak out once everypony had gone to sleep, but the more rational part of her mind didn’t want to upset Twilight in her weakened state. She had a feeling that she’d find out no matter how careful she would be in trying to sneak out. With their previous fights back in Ponyville and Cloudsdale nestled within her mind, she fought her feelings down and smiled, simply happy to be by Twilight’s side.

An insistent nuzzle from Scootaloo broke Rainbow from her thoughts. She had been curled up in a ball in between Rainbow’s forelegs, using her tail to keep the tips of her hooves warm, but now she lay flat on her back, her forelegs curled up against her chest as she gazed up at her. Spike sat in between Twilight’s forelegs, using her breast as if it was the back of a chair. A fleece blanket lay over their legs while a separate blanket lay draped over Twilight’s and Rainbow’s back. Rainbow had kept her wing securely held across Twilight’s back, holding her close and using her body’s warmth to keep her comfortable and cozy. “You feeling better?” Rainbow hopefully asked.

“A little bit, yeah,” Twilight said, letting her head rest against Rainbow’s below her left ear. Her eyes drifted shut as Rainbow’s warmth seeped into her neck. “Mostly because of you. I think those hayburgers really did help out.”

“Yeah, cuz you got some real food in you instead of that yucky hospital jello,” Spike ventured. “I hated how they tasted; I didn’t even finish one.” Looking up at Rainbow, he said, “I dunno how you snarfed down... how many again? Six? Eight?”

Rainbow giggled nervously. “Uh... around that, yeah,” she said, furtively glancing down at Twilight’s eyes. “I uh... I lost count.” Twilight stayed silent, making her feel more nervous. “And, uh...”

“That’s why you snuck in some hayburgers? Because you ate all my hospital food?” Twilight smirked.

“...Yeah, that’s one way of looking at it, I guess,” Rainbow said with a nervous laugh.

Twilight giggled. “It’s okay, I forgive you,” she said, placing a single peck on Rainbow’s cheek. “I think I would have preferred the burgers over the jello anyways.”

“Okay, good. Was getting a little worried with Spike’s big mouth and all.” The grand door opened behind them with a soft squeak and a creak, making Rainbow look left and behind her to see Shining walk back inside with Cadence, two large trays held up with their magic.

“Hey everyone!” Cadence said with a warm smile. “We brought hot cocoa and all the stuff needed to make s’mores!”

“Wait, really?” Twilight glanced over her shoulder and watched as her brother and sister in law sat across from them. She gratefully accepted a mug and set it beside her, unable to keep herself from smiling as Rainbow dug into the graham crackers.

“Love these!” Rainbow said with a sheepish grin. “My mom never let me eat these by themselves when I was younger because she wanted to save them for making s’mores.” She took a few more bites, then paused. “Won’t we need fire to cook the s’mores?”

Spike coughed obnoxiously into his claw. “Yeah?” he asked, drawing out his word. “I have no idea who could breathe fire,” he said.

Rainbow’s ears flicked back. “Oh, yeah, forgot you can do that. Sorry, little dude.”

“All good.” Spike smirked and took a sip of hot cocoa. “Just let me know when you need me to cook our treats!”

Twilight glanced at the fireplace across the room, full of fresh logs and waiting to be lit. “Will do, Spike. Thank you,” Twilight said. Feeling little tremors coming from Dash’s wing, she nudged her with her shoulder. “Listen, thanks for sticking around. It means a lot to me and the little ones—”

“You got that right!” Scootaloo piped up.

Twilight shot a quick smile down at their little orange filly. “Why don’t you and Spike help Cadence put together some s’mores? I wanna talk to Dashie in private real quick if that’s okay.”

“Sure!” Scootaloo scrambled up and awkwardly walked around to Cadence’s side, the pillows making for very uneven ground. She sat down next to Cadence, though she was pulled in by her large pink wing.

Twilight mouthed the words, “Thank you,” to Cadence as they started putting together their s’mores. Once she was certain that Scootaloo was out of listening range, Twilight cleared her throat and lowered her voice nonetheless. “It means a lot to me that you aren’t out there flying around in the cold searching for what might just be a lost cause,” she murmured. “I can feel how tense you are,” she said when Rainbow shot her a funny look.

“O-Oh... right.” Rainbow stayed silent for several seconds, her eyes looking at anywhere but her. “Can’t really sneak anything past you, huh?”

Twilight shook her head. “I think it’s safe to say that we both know each other pretty well.” She pushed her hoof on top of Rainbow’s and tightly held onto it, gently coaxing her to look back up at her. She saw an opportunity to lean for a quick smooch, so with a sly grin, she leaned and pecked her on the cheek again. “It’s okay, really. We’re safe. I’m safe, you’re safe, and Scootaloo and Spike are safe. Her mom is in jail and her dad is on the run. Remember how much of a lazy thug he was?” Rainbow nodded silently. “Do you really think he’d come all the way up here? To do what, hurt us? I think he’s more selfish than that; I’m willing to bet that he’s getting as far away as possible from us right now.”

“Y-Yea, but I... I don’t know.”

Twilight could tell she still wanted to go out and search. “Okay. Think about this: did you see any brown pegasi when you snuck out to get us those burgers?” she asked. “What about earth ponies? Unicorns?”

Rainbow groaned. “I know where you’re going with this. Y-Yeah, I saw more than a few, but—”

Twilight cut her off. “Exactly. And none of them were Scootaloo’s dad, right?” Rainbow shook her head. “What if the guard was mistaken? Remember how we see more of something if we’re actively looking for it? So if the guard is on the watch for someone with a brown coat, surely he’d see more ponies with a brown coat. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, it does, but what if it was actually him?” Rainbow looked back up into Twilight’s eyes, her grip tightening on her hoof.

“And what if it was? We have nothing to worry about. Do you know how many guards are here in the castle? Patrols were doubled outside and the reserve was activated, too,” Twilight said, keeping her voice calm and level, trying to be the voice of reason and to help Rainbow feel at ease. “Fact is, there are so many ponies with that same coat color and it was dark out. We can’t live by ‘what ifs’, Dash,” Twilight murmured. “For the moment, we’re safe and we’re happy. Right?” She nuzzled her cheek, coaxing her to answer.

“Right.”

Brick Lump flicked his newly-stolen coat up, wishing he’d picked something warmer. He’d swiped it off the back of somepony’s chair from the restaurant he’d finished eating in and had dashed away into the night, galloping for a couple of blocks before he took to the skies, flying in a jagged pattern before landing in some random street. Oddly enough, even though he’d gotten a few odd stares, nobody had said anything to him while he had had a late dinner.

With a belly full of food and the one-hoof discounted knife from the dinner table, he glanced from side to side and spotted a guard patrol walking towards him from further up the road. He locked eyes with a gruff-looking guard for a split-second, then dashed down an alleyway. Brick snapped open his wings and flew into the darkness, his eyes frantically searching for a cloud to hide upon. Once he found one large enough for him, he landed upon it and lay down, then buried inside the cloud. He triple-checked to make sure that his tail, or any part of his body for that matter, wasn’t sticking outside.

A minute passed in silence, then another, and then another after that.

“Phew...” he murmured as his heartbeat began to slow. “Thought they were gonna chase me for a second there.” As fresh snow started falling from the sky above him, he unfolded his wings and pushed himself up just enough to get them above the top of his cloud, then flapped his wings slowly enough to make it look like natural cloud movement. He wanted to get a better view of the castle, for if Scootaloo and her princess friends were going to be anywhere, it’d be a safe bet to say they were in there.

In fact, he was willing to bet his life on it.

With a strong flap of his wings, he propelled himself upward and forward, hoping to gain altitude so that he could get a decent view inside. Once he was at his desired altitude, he folded his wings back inside the cloud and burrowed deeper in, only allowing the tip of his snout and eyes to protrude from the face of the cloud.

A few hours passed as he watched patrol after patrol fly around the castle, their flight path varying every time but eventually he discovered a pattern, giving him the opening he needed. He’d spotted a single window just barely ajar on one up of the upper floors of the castle, but it was near one of the spots where a lot of the patrols flew. However, once he was sure that he’d figured out their routine, he let them complete the pattern one more time then flung himself off the cloud, counting the seconds down in his head.

Brick slowed down to a hover right below the open window, using his ears to listen for any movement or sounds from within, and once he heard not a peep, he slithered inside like a snake and closed the window behind him.

Twilight's Nightmare

Shining cleared his throat. “Dear, uh...” he whispered into Cadence’s ear. “Don’t you think it’s getting a bit late? I think it’s time for the little ones to get to bed,” he said as he bit back a yawn.

“Yes, I suppose it is…” She lit her horn for a few seconds and let her gaze come to rest on Twilight and Rainbow, her eyebrows narrowing almost imperceptibly before her magic faded away.

“Already?” Spike asked. “And let us not forget that I’m not a ‘little one’,” he said, lifting his claws to make the air quotes gesture.

“Oh, of course not. I was talking about Twilight,” Shining said with a chuckle. “She’s always a little one to me,” he finished, earning a playful glare from his sister.

“Hey, so…” Spike glanced up at Twilight and poked her leg. “Can we make one more? Please?”

“Yeah, please?” Scootaloo piped up, making Rainbow giggle. Before either Twilight or Rainbow could respond, she tossed a marshmallow on her stick and held it up for him. “You wanna fire this one for me, please? I’ll split it with you!”

Spike’s eyes lit up as a smile slid across his face. “Sure!” he said before anypony could say otherwise. He took a deep breath and blew fire across the marshmallow on Scootaloo’s stick. The high heat of his flames seared the outside of the delectable treat, and before it started melting, she pulled it out of the fire and placed it between two pieces of chocolate then in between some graham crackers. She yanked her little rod out of the marshmallow and set it down, then bent the treat in half and tossed one to him.

“Thanks!” Spike said. He wolfed it down like he hadn’t had anything to eat all day and then curled up in between Twilight’s legs. “These pillows sure are soft… I wouldn’t mind sleeping here tonight.”

“I think we’ll be going back to our rooms soon, Spike,” Twilight gently said. He hasn’t snuggled with me like this since he was just a baby… she thought with a warm smile.

“That’s fine. Just wake me before we go,” he murmured, his eyes already shut.

A yawn forced itself past Scootaloo’s lips as she moved to lay against Rainbow’s side. “I don’t think I can eat any more of those; I feel a little bloated,” she muttered. She nudged Rainbow’s wing open with her snout and crawled underneath, her head the only part of her body sticking out from under her wing.

“Be that as it may, I think it’s time we put little Shiny here to bed,” Cadence said with a playful flick of her tail. “He can get a little cranky if he doesn’t get his beauty sleep.”

“You got that right,” he said with a chuckle. “Mom always used to say that.” He looked up at Twilight. “Remember?”

Twilight glanced off to the side as she heard her mother’s voice chastising her big brother in her head, usually from staying up so late. “Yeah, I sure do. She always tried to make me go to bed before I was done reading, too.”

“Bet you didn’t like that!” Rainbow laughed, doing her best to keep herself in check. “My mom always said the same thing about beauty sleep back when I was younger. I think it’s just something mothers say.”

“Yeah, sure is...” Twilight trailed off. “Hey, hold on a second.” Her gaze snapped up to flick between Cadence and her brother. “Are you two…” she trailed off, her right hoof switching between pointing at the two of them. “Uh…”

“Yes? What is it, dear?” Cadence looked up at her.

As the seriousness of the question drew down upon her, she nervously cleared her throat to stall for time to think how to ask if they were trying for their first foal, especially with Spike and Scootaloo sitting with them. “Um… are you two… expecting?” she cautiously squeaked out. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed Cadence’s breath catch in her throat as she shot a quick glance up at her husband. Shining nodded once then wrapped his right hoof around Cadence’s left before they both looked back at her.

That was all the confirmation that Twilight needed. A large smile broke out on her face as her eyes lit up with joy. “That’s awesome! Have you thought of any names yet?”

“A… few,” Cadence replied. “We’re still working on it, though. We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. I think we want it to be a surprise, right?” she asked, looking back up at Shining.

“Yeah, that’s right.” He cleared his throat. “Anyways… like I said, I think it’s time we get ready for bed. Expecting mothers need as much sleep as they can get before the baby comes,” he said with a snicker, turning the joke back on his wife. Before she could reply, he pecked her on the cheek and whispered something inaudible into her ear, making her blush.

“Of course, I’ll only be a little while,” Cadence said as she stood up, folding her wing back against her side. “Twilight, Rainbow? If you’ll come with me, I’ll bring you back to your room. Shining will escort Spike and Scootaloo back to theirs. I wanted to speak to you two in private real quick.”

Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed as she wondered if she’d pushed too far about Cadence’s pregnancy. She nudged Rainbow as she pulled her wing back to her side. “Did I say anything wrong?” she whispered.

“No, I don’t think so,” Rainbow whispered back. “I thought you were fine.” Looking back down, she placed a hoof on Scootaloo’s back and wiggled her around as gently as she could. “Hey little one, time for bed. Shining is gonna give you and Spike a ride back to your room,” she said as Scootaloo woke from her light slumber.

“He is? Oh, okay…” she blearily said as Shining’s magic lifted her and Spike up onto his back. “Good night, Dash,” she mumbled out.

“Good night, Scoots,” Rainbow called out. “You too, Spike. Don’t stay up too late tonight; we’re gonna find something fun to do tomorrow.” She stood up and stretched, only noticing Twilight stumble as she finished standing back up. “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah, my leg was just numb,” she fibbed.

“Are you feeling cold again or something?” Rainbow asked as she reached out to feel Twilight’s fur with the side of her hoof.

“No, not with you keeping me warm,” Twilight shot back with a grin. She looked up at Cadence and noticed a look of concern upon her face as well. “Truly, I’m okay. See?” She stood up straight and tall, doing her best to exude a strength that she didn’t feel. Her front left leg trembled ever so slightly, making Cadence’s eyes narrow.

“You were just in the hospital ward not too long ago,” Cadence said slowly as she walked up to Twilight. She held out a hoof for her to take. “Would you like to go back to your bed in the hospital ward or would you prefer to sleep in your room?” she asked.

Twilight thought for a few seconds. “You know, I think I just need some rest and I’ve always slept better with Rainbow, so I’d like to sleep with her tonight. Our bed was a lot softer than the one in the hospital ward and I feel like I can sleep for a whole day,” she said right before she yawned. The mere thought of getting a good night’s rest with Rainbow keeping her warm in bed made her heart pump a little bit faster.

Cadence looked her up and down then lowered her hoof. “Very well.” She nodded towards the bedroom door. “I’ll walk you back to your room, then. There is still that matter I wish to discuss with you two.”

“That wasn’t it?” Rainbow piped up.

Cadence shook her head. “I’m afraid not,” she said, using her magic to push open their bedroom door once more. She stopped in between the two guards that flanked the doorway. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“Yes, your highness!” the two guards barked out.

“Thank you.” Cadence used her right wing to gesture down the hallway, prompting Twilight and Rainbow to follow.

“Uh… what’s on your mind?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s… something I want to discuss privately. I’ll bring it up once we’re back in your room. It’s not something I’d want the guards or the staff to hear.”

“So it’s something serious, then?” Twilight asked. “At least tell us what it’s about. Please?”

“Yeah, seriously. Is it something bad?”

“It’s about you two,” Cadence said after a few seconds of silence. “I… noticed something earlier.”

Rainbow nudged Twilight’s side with her shoulder, then leaned in to whisper, “What do you think she wants to say? I’m feeling a little worried.”

“Me too,” Twilight whispered back. She cleared her throat and ruffled her feathers. “At least our room is closer than the hospital part of the castle is,” she said, her voice returning to its normal volume. “I don’t think I could walk all the way back there.”

“Need me to carry you?”

“If we were going all the way back to the hospital, yeah, I’d need someone to carry me. I think I’m okay, though. So long as we take it slow, that is,” Twilight said, letting her pace slow down a little.

“Yeah, of course…” Rainbow watched Twilight walk for a few seconds and noticed her front legs trembling. She had a feeling that Twilight didn’t want to burden her, so instead of asking her again if she wanted help, she dipped her head down and nuzzled her marefriend near the base of her wing, prompting Twilight to slow down even further. When she stopped, Rainbow saw her chance. She pushed her head under Twilight’s barrel and between her forelegs, then used all of her strength to stand back up with Twilight on her back. She grunted as she shifted her into a better place, then started walking forward again with a smug smile.

“D-Dash, um…” Twilight trailed off as she wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow’s neck.

“Don’t ask me to let you down,” Rainbow firmly said. “Cuz I won’t. Not till we get back to our room.” She felt Twilight’s grasp around her neck tighten before she felt Twilight’s lips grace the back of her head.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Twilight murmured. She lay her head on top of Rainbow’s and nuzzled her kiss in ever so gently. “Thank you,” she whispered. “My forelegs were getting a little sore.”

“Yeah… I noticed,” Rainbow simply said. Their room came into view after another minute, a fact she was grateful for. While she would never admit it to anyone, Twilight was just a smidgen heavier than she thought she’d be. Now I’m gonna be the one with shaky legs… she thought with a smirk. Better me than her, though…

Once Cadence opened their door, she trudged over to the bed and helped Twilight settle down onto the bed. She flapped her wings and fetched a couple of big blankets from a chair near the balcony, then promptly piled them on top of her. “Warm enough?” she asked.

“Yeah, sure am. Thanks again.” Twilight pushed herself up under the blankets until she was sitting upright, then opened up her left wing and patted the empty space next to her. “You gonna help keep me warm?” she asked.

“Yeah, for sure, but I think Cadence wanted to talk to us about something… right?” she asked as she looked up at Cadence. She noticed the door seal shut with her familiar blue magical light, the color sweeping across the walls, ceiling, and the floor.

“That was a noise-blocking spell,” Cadence said as she hopped up onto the bed with them. “It’ll block any sounds from outside and nobody will be able to hear us until I cast the counterspell.”

“Yeah, that’s one of Starswirl’s, right? I remember reading it when I was younger,” Twilight said with a grin as she turned around to face her old foalsitter. Rainbow sat down beside her and lay down, then wiggled herself backwards until she was in her rightful place by Twilight’s side.

Cadence nodded as she settled down on the bed. “So… about that thing I wanted to talk to you about…” She placed her right hoof over her left and glanced outside for a few moments.

“Yes? What is it?” Twilight asked. “You said it was about us, right?”

“Mhm. So… you remember the changeling attack on my wedding with your brother? I found it very interesting to learn that their species lives off of love, so in my spare time, I learned as much as I could about them. I even combined some spells together, and if you combine that with my abilities as the princess of love, I’m able to see just how strong someone’s love and relationship is.”

“Whoa… Really? What’s it look like?” Twilight asked. Her ears perked up.

“It’s fairly similar to the northern lights you see in the sky up here,” she said, a smile growing on her face. “It’s something rather… special, because no two relationships show the same aura.”

“What’s ours look like?” Rainbow blurted out.

“Imagine the northern lights but with a few shades of Twilight’s magic’s color mixed with a few shades of cyan. It’s always swirling around you both, even when you’re away from each other. Sometimes it flares in brightness; I think that happens when they’re thinking of their partner. It’s also strongest when the couple is together, too.”

“That’s incredible!” Twilight exclaimed. “Have you thought about submitting your findings to the Canterlot Journal for Magic?”

Cadence chuckled. “Yes, however, I think I’m the only one who can use the spell. I sent clear instructions to Celestia a while ago and she said that she isn't able to cast it. I believe it’s due to my unique abilities surrounding love and romance, much like how Celestia moves the sun and how Luna moves the moon.”

“Oh…” Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “That makes sense.”

Cadence nodded. “So with that being said, I noticed that your auras aren’t as… energetic, almost as if there’s something going on between you. Being the princess of love, and as your friend, I’d very much like to help you through whatever it is you two are going through.”

Twilight and Rainbow shared a quick glance. “You want to go first?” Rainbow asked with a smile.

Twilight smiled back at her. “No, you go first.” She felt Rainbow tense up. “Really, it’s okay. I trust you.”

“O-Okay.” Rainbow took a deep breath. “I feel… conflicted, I guess? When we heard that Scootaloo’s dad might be out here looking for us, I wanted nothing more than to find him and… give him a piece of my mind before throwing him in front of some guards to be arrested. I know he’s dangerous but I really think I can find him, but…” She trailed off as she once again looked at Twilight. “Twilight doesn’t want me anywhere near him. I know she’d never forgive herself if… you know.”

“That was very well articulated, Rainbow,” Cadence said.

“Heh, thanks. Twilight’s been helping me get over acting tough and all. It’s still hard talking about my feelings, but she’s shown me how important it is to get some things off your chest,” she said, earning a smooch on the cheek from Twilight. “It’s brought us closer, too.”

“That’s quite apparent.”

“But yeah… while I really want to go out looking for that scumbag, I also know my place is here right by Twilight’s side. With her not being one hundred percent, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if she got hurt while I was gone. All I want to do is make sure that Twilight, Scootaloo, and Spike are all safe. We’ve seen Scootaloo’s parents get really desperate in the past so I just know that I have to put up a strong offense to keep us all safe. Waiting for us to get attacked just doesn’t sit right with me… if that makes sense.”

“It does,” Cadence said. “Shining is the same way. He’s always been one to take charge of a situation and see things through. I see the same desire in you. Let’s see if your aura has changed at all,” she said with a bit of excitement in her voice. Cadence lit her horn and glanced between the two of them for a few seconds. Twilight’s and Rainbow’s auras thrummed together, its brightness ebbing and flowing like a single heartbeat. It was a little bit brighter than before, but it still lacked the clarity that she’d seen compared to her aura with her husband. “I… It looks better, but…” she said slowly. “Is there something else?”

Twilight glanced between Rainbow and Cadence for a couple seconds before she spoke up. “Y-Yeah. But if it’s okay with you, it’s really personal. Is it okay if I speak with Rainbow alone?” she asked.

“Of course,” Cadence said with a warm smile. “But before I go, do you two need anything?”

“I think we’re okay,” Twilight said. “Thanks for your help tonight. The treats back in your room were lovely.”

“It was my pleasure,” Cadence said as she slipped off of the bed. “We can all meet back in my quarters for breakfast with everyone in the morning. I’ll have Shining come fetch you two when it’s all ready. Sound good?”

“It sure does!” Twilight said with glee.

“Yup! Can’t wait!” Rainbow piped up as well.

“Great! See you then!” Cadence said as she left them to themselves.

Rainbow cleared her throat. “So… you had something else on your mind?”

“...Yeah, I do. I didn’t want to alarm Cadence because if I told her, then she’d tell her husband, and since her husband is my brother… it wouldn’t put you in a good light.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked, feeling her throat go dry.

“Remember that night when you thought Scootaloo had… died?”

Rainbow’s throat felt dryer than the desert. “Oh… that,” she croaked out. “I remember. I know we haven’t really worked that out, but I still feel really, really bad about treating you that way. And me… hitting you?” She felt bile form in her throat, then made an awkward sound as she struggled to swallow it back down.

Twilight let her head come to rest against Rainbow’s neck. “I forgave you back then because I knew you were acting without knowing all the details. I know you didn’t want to hurt me. It just… happened,” she murmured.

“Yeah, but it should have never happened. I know I can get hot-headed sometimes, and when it concerns Scoots, I…” She paused and took a deep breath. “No. There’s no excuse for hitting you like that. I was totally in the wrong. Same goes for that incident in Cloudsdale when I yelled at you for keeping us safe. I just… he was right there and I got so focused on what I wanted that I didn’t see what you needed until it was too late. I’m still super duper sorry for yelling at you like that.”

“Thank you. I know your heart is in the right place. That’s all that really matters,” Twilight said softly.

“Yeah… I need to learn to be more like you where I try to take in all the information before acting instead of just… acting. I promise I’ll do better and be better in the future for us.”

“That’s really nice to hear, Dashie,” Twilight said. After Rainbow didn’t respond, she licked her dry lips then nuzzled the side of Rainbow’s neck. “So… are you feeling tired yet? I sure feel like I could go to bed.”

“Yeah, but… wait. You’re done talking about this already? Don’t we need to spend at least a little more time talking this through?”

“Well, I already forgave you. The fact that you want to keep talking about it is enough for me. In the future, I think it’d be nice if we could have more of these little heart-to-hearts.”

“Yeah, I’d like that, too,” Rainbow said. “We’d be able to squash anything small before it gets really big and blows up in our faces.” The moon broke out from behind some clouds, its light shining brightly through the windows. “Looks like a full moon tonight,” she said.

Twilight’s ears flicked up. “Yeah? Let’s see.” She pushed herself off the bed and gingerly walked over to the balcony door, then peered up. The moon and all the stars stared down at her, twinkling amongst each other in the sea of space. She pushed the door open to get a better view and sat down, the cold wind making her shiver as she looked every which way.

Rainbow dragged the heavy blanket out onto the balcony and sat down next to Twilight, and with a quick hoof, tightly tucked the blanket in around them then held her close with her left wing. “Kinda cold out here,” she said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, no kidding…” she murmured back. “I was wondering… once this all blows over and Scootaloo’s dad is behind bars again, what do you think the future has in store for us?”

Rainbow looked up at the stars, her mind racing for an answer. “I’m… Well, I always had this dream of being a Wonderbolt. I think I’d try to become one of them. Wouldn’t that be so cool?” she asked with a laugh. “Plus we’d get to travel all over Equestria for shows; it’d be like going on a vacation for every show!”

Twilight smiled as she felt Rainbow shiver against her, though she figured it was most likely from her envisioning her fantasy becoming reality than the cold. “You know, I think you could really do it. With Scootaloo being your number one fan and with me being your second biggest fan, I… I think–”

“You’ll always be my number one, Twi, no matter what,” Rainbow softly said.

“T-Thanks. That was a little cheesy, though.”

Rainbow laughed, then pulled Twilight tighter against her side for a few seconds. “Yeah, it kinda was.” She noticed a lot of dark clouds creeping ever closer out of the corner of her eye, making her look in that direction. A large, scary-looking storm came from over the mountains that rose up far, far away, their peaks standing taller than the castle in which they sat. She saw lightning strike the mountains several times. “Looks like we’re gonna have a little storm tonight,” she said. “I’m just glad we’re here and not in there.”

“Yeah, good thing I have a huge bed and a warm pegasus,” Twilight said. She glanced over her shoulder and looked back at the bed. “Mind if we go get some shut-eye? While I’d love to just sit out here watching the stars, I am feeling pretty tired.”

“Yeah, for sure. Need me to carry you?” Rainbow asked as Twilight stood up. “It’s no trouble, really.”

“Thanks, but I think I’m okay.” Twilight carefully made her way back to the bed then slid under the sheets as Rainbow closed the door to the balcony. She double-checked to make sure that it was locked then flew over to the bed, her eyes full of excitement for what was to come. She wiggled her way under the sheets and lay down, staring into Twilight’s eyes. “Hey,” she lamely said.

“Hey there yourself,” Twilight said with a giggle.

Rainbow’s eyes flicked upwards for a couple of seconds as she looked at Twilight’s horn. “So… how’s the ‘ol horn feeling? You think you could use magic?”

Twilight’s smile faded. “I… I don’t know. It doesn’t hurt that much anymore. It’s been hurting less and less, too. Being with you helps me keep my mind off of it.”

“Okay… does it still feel warm or hot?” Twilight felt her horn with a hoof then shook her head with a grin. “What about your wings? Your feathers feeling better?”

“Loads better, yeah. Something about it still feels… off, though. I’m sure I’ll feel better in a few days…” A yawn forced itself past her lips as Rainbow sat up and motioned for her to do the same. “What is it?”

“I just wanna make sure,” Rainbow said as she walked around to sit behind her, her hooves sinking into the bed with each step.

“You worry too much.” She opened up her right wing and held it open until she felt Rainbow’s gentle touch on it. “But t-thank you,” she said as her lover started preening her wing. “You know, they’ll just be a mess when we wake up.”

“Yeah but then it’d just give me another chance to show you how much I love you,” Rainbow murmured, her attention still focused on straightening the feathers in Twilight’s wing.

“Do you… Do you need me to take care of yours?” Twilight offered.

“...Sure, but we can do that in the morning. It’s you that needs to be taken care of, not me.” She finished up with Twilight’s wing then moved to the other, though as she slid over, she planted a light kiss in between her wings.

Twilight blushed at the intimate gesture. “Didn’t need to pluck any feathers this time?”

“Nah, we got all the bad ones last time. I’m just making sure all of these ones are still healthy,” Rainbow said as she gently moved a couple feathers back into their rightful spot. “Alright, I think we’re done. Can you open both of them up?” she asked, observing her work as Twilight spread both her wings wide. “Great, looks good to me. Now it’s time for you know what, so…”

“Little spoon, please,” Twilight said as she settled back down on her side.

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” Rainbow settled back down beside her then pulled Twilight deep into her embrace. She made her pillow more comfortable then tugged the sheets up to their necks with a hoof. “You comfy enough?” she asked as she planted a soft kiss on her lover’s head.

“Oh yeah… And Rainbow?”

Rainbow licked her lips. “Yeah?”

“I lov–” Their door smashed open against the wall, shocking them both. Twilight lifted her head to find a single pony standing in their doorway, illuminated by faint candlelight spilling in from the hallway. Time slowed down almost to a standstill. “E-Excuse me, who do you…” she trailed off as she recognized Scootaloo’s father. A sinking feeling appeared in her gut as her grip tightened on Rainbow as her eyes shifted down to something shiny in his mouth. She recognized it as a knife a split-second later. “Guards!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Twilight scrambled out of bed away from him with Rainbow right behind her. A faint blue aura shimmered against the walls, catching her attention for a couple of seconds. Cadence didn’t drop her soundproofing spell! she thought in a panic. Her heart rate tripled as a million different possibilities sped through her mind. “Stay back!” she ordered, trying to think of a way to alert the guards to help them.

“Yeah? Or what, my precious little alicorn?” Brick smirked at her. “You haven’t used your magic against me yet; why is that?” He took a step forward, forcing Twilight and Rainbow back a step closer to the wall. “Do I frighten you? Too scared to use your power against me?”

Worried about Rainbow and what she might do, Twilight glanced back over her shoulder and saw her standing with her wings in a low-ready position, ready to take flight at a moment’s notice. With the balcony behind them, and with Brick blocking their way back out into the hall, it seemed like they only had one way to go and she didn’t know if she had the strength to fly. She locked eyes with her for a split second before she shook her head.

Brick spat the knife into a hoof as he took another step forward towards them with his wings spread wide. He snarled in disgust as he noticed how scared they looked. “Oh, stop worrying, I’m not here for you,” he said, his tone ice cold. He held up the knife and observed how the candlelight danced upon the blade. “Actually… You being here gives me an opportunity, so… tell you what. I’m a reasonable pony. All I want is for my wife to be released from prison. We’ll be on our merry way and you’ll never have to see us again.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “And what about Scootaloo?”

“At this point… I couldn’t care less about her. The love of my life wants her… out of the picture, but I’d rather not let things get messy. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her, after all,” he said, his tone still devoid of emotion. He held up the blade and pointed it at them, then shrugged. “So what do you say? Will you order my wife’s release for us to disappear into the sunset forever?” he asked.

“After all you two have done?! Fat chance of that!” Rainbow barked out.

Twilight shot a quick glare back at her in the hopes of silently letting her know that she was going to handle it. “No. You know I can’t order her release,” Twilight said as she looked back at him. She held her head high, wondering if she would be able to cast any sort of spells without hurting herself or damaging her horn. “Even if I did, Celestia would never let her go. Her will supersedes mine.”

Brick’s eyes narrowed as he dropped the fake friendly act. “Then I’m sorry it had to come to this. If I cannot have the one thing that makes life worth living, then tell me where she is so I can at least make my wife happy.” He took a step forward, then another, then another until he stood on the other side of the bed. “I’ll find out the easy way, or… the hard way,” he snarled as he placed a hoof on the bed. “Which would you prefer, my lovely ladies?” he asked with a smirk.

Twilight glanced over her shoulder. “Rainbow, the spell Cadence used; remember?” Rainbow grimaced for a second then nodded. Twilight flicked her eyes at the balcony then murmured, “Go.”

“Bu– Okay.”

Twilight looked back at Brick and steadied herself. The sounds of glass shattering filled the room a second later as a faint rainbow trailed out the broken window from her lover’s quick exit. “Before you do anything rash, think about what you’re about to do. I can tell you don’t want to do this. In fact, I think this is the last place you want to be, right?” Twilight calmly asked, trying to exude a strength she wished she felt.

Brick paused. “Quite perceptive, my princess,” he spat out. “That doesn’t matter. Tell me where Scootaloo is, or…” He held up the knife once more in a suggestive manner.

She knew Rainbow wouldn’t waste any time in getting reinforcements so she only had to stall for a little while. “You know, attacking a princess never ends well,” she said, letting her voice turn as cold as Brick’s. She locked eyes with him and glared at him.

Brick snickered. “Usually it doesn’t, but you? You’re different. Every other princess would have used their magic on me the moment I came through that door, but yet here we are.” He leapt up onto the bed and looked down upon her.

Twilight walked backwards into the middle of the room, her gaze locked on Brick. She tried her hardest to keep her legs steady, even if it meant being a little closer to him than she was comfortable with, but her hind legs trembled on her last step. She winced as she watched his eyes crawl over her body.

“Not feeling so well, my princess?” Brick hopped off the bed and stood in front of the doorway. He took a quick peek outside the door. “We’re still all alone, just you and me, so… this is your last chance. Tell me where she is or bad things will happen.”

A clever idea popped into Twilight’s head. “I, uh…” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then stared at the floor and let her ears flop down in mock defeat. “She’s down in the kitchen near the base of the castle. She… wanted my permission to have a late-night snack.”

Brick’s eyes lit up like he’d just won the lottery. “Ah, acting like a starved rat like always. I should have looked there first!” He looked her up and down with a newfound modicum of respect. “I knew you’d make the right move.” He bowed to her as a mockery then shouldered open the door to the balcony. “She better be there,” he snarled out as he leapt into the air, disappearing into the night. A single bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere, briefly illuminating him before the falling snow concealed him in the darkness.

“Oh, we’ll be there, alright!” Twilight snarled.

Celestia's Nightmare

Celestia walked down a long hallway carved from stone far below Canterlot with two guards trailing along behind her. Sounds of water dripping echoed behind them as the scent of mildew teased their noses. They walked in silence as they neared Tranquil’s cell near the end of the prison cave system, their hoofsteps and the sound of dripping water being the only sounds that echoed through the tunnel.

As they neared Tranquil’s cell, Celestia slowed to a halt. “Wait here, please. I want to speak to the prisoner in private,” she said.

“Yes, Princess,” both guards replied before stepping aside to stand on either side of the hallway.

Celestia resumed walking, her head hung low as she thought about what she was going to say to one of the ponies who plagued her friends’ lives with such malice. Part of her felt like she’d let Tranquil’s family down, making her wonder how many other families were suffering or in otherwise similar states from her not being able to oversee everyone’s lives. She fought down the side of her that reasoned against her, telling her that Tranquil’s actions were of her own free will.

She saw the only occupied cell out of the corner of her eye up ahead and tread softly until she stood before Tranquil’s cell. She peered in through the small barred window near the top of the door to find her sister’s moonlight shining in through the window from the other side of the room. Her prisoner was fast asleep on a bed of clouds, a light smile on her face as the tips of her wings trembled, almost as if she was dreaming of flying.

Celestia’s eyes narrowed momentarily as she wondered how she was able to get something comfortable, so with a quick flash of light from her horn, she evaporated the cloud in an instant, letting Tranquil drop down a few inches onto the cell’s poor excuse for a mattress.

Tranquil groaned as she woke up. She pushed herself up with her right foreleg, then yawned and looked out the little window. Celestia watched her rub her eyes with a hoof, stretch her legs, then her wings. Celestia softly cleared her throat to announce her presence. “Quite odd taking a nap in the evening,” she said.

Tranquil’s head whipped around to look up at her, her expression turning quite sour a moment later as she glared at her. “Not much else to do in here,” she muttered. “Coulda woke me up before you poofed away my comfy bed, by the way.”

“Yes, I could have.”

Tranquil stared at her in silence, expecting her to continue talking. Once she realized that Celestia wasn’t going to say anything more, she rolled her eyes. “So… did you need something or can I go back to sleep?” she asked, her tone filled with disdain.

“I wanted to ask you some questions.” Celestia plainly stated. Much to Tranquil’s surprise, she lit her horn once more, opened the cell door, and walked inside. The door shut behind her with a loud clang. She lit her horn again and teleported a tray of food onto her prisoner’s bed. In stark contrast to the usual bread and water that prisoners ate, a salad, a large bowl of soup, and two cups of steaming tea sat before them. “Ah, wonderful. Still piping hot.” She used her magic to levitate one of the cups up to her lips. She blew across the top of the tea, then took a small sip. “That hits the spot,” she said with a content sigh. She took another sip, then noticed Tranquil hadn’t budged. “Oh, silly me. I brought you something nicer to eat. Our prison food can be rather… lacking.”

Tranquil’s wings trembled at the sight of the food but she didn’t make a move to grab it. “...Why? I don’t understand.”

“Why what?”

Tranquil rolled her eyes again. “Why are you being… nice to me? Wait, are you trying to poison me?” She glanced down at the tray of food with a longing momentary stare, then looked back up at Celestia. “You’re trying to poison me, aren’t you? That’s so below you! Or…” Her eyes narrowed. “Or is it?”

“Of course I’m not trying to poison you. I would never stoop down that low,” Celestia simply said. “See?” She took another sip from her cup to prove that it was indeed not poisoned.

“That’s the one without the poison, obviously,” Tranquil scoffed. “I’m not stupid, ya know.”

“I never said you were.” Celestia pointed at the food with the tip of her wing. “I promise the food is not tainted in any way. I was hoping I could entice you to open up a little. My guards said that you weren’t as cooperative as they had hoped.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Celestia sighed. “Oh, very well. Pick something for me to eat and I’ll prove it’s not poisoned by eating it myself.”

Tranquil warily eyed her up and down. “Uh… ok. Try some of the salad.” She watched Celestia select a single leaf from the bowl, her eyes never leaving Celestia’s face as the princess munched away on the leafy green.

“Believe me now?”

Tranquil observed Celestia’s expression for a few seconds, taking in her relaxed posture, calm demeanor, and her normal tone of voice. Part of her still thought it was a trick, but her stomach grumbled at the nice food sitting before her. Compared to the thin soup and bread she’d been eating lately, this was a treat that she was certain she wouldn’t get to enjoy for a very long time. “I guess…” she mumbled.

Celestia pushed the tray of food closer to her with her magic and sat down near the end of the bed. As Tranquil started to eat the salad, she cleared her throat. “I apologize for taking a while to come see you. I’ve been rather… busy, as you can imagine.”

Tranquil scoffed. “Well, you are a princess. I’m surprised you made time for little ‘ol me.”

“Yes, well, you are in a lot of trouble,” Celestia replied. She stood up and walked past Tranquil to look out the window, watching as Luna’s moon glistened amongst the stars. How could we have let them slip through the cracks? she thought to herself. “Tell me… when did things get so bad? Did you ask for help?” she softly asked.

“Huh?” Tranquil glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, uh…” She swallowed the food in her mouth, then shrugged. “I dunno, it just… happened? We got some help but nothing changed. Then the help disappeared and things just kept getting worse.”

Celestia turned back around and sat down to look at her little pony. She softly cleared her throat, coaxing Tranquil to look up at her. Her prisoner’s eyes were filled with a genuine sadness, replacing the cold, icy stare of hate that was once there moments ago. “Had I known how bad things were… perhaps I could have helped. Between my sister and I, to not have seen it happening… I am sorr–” She paused as that same icy look of hate filled Tranquil’s eyes once more.

“Can it,” Tranquil snarled. Her shoulders drooped as her head lowered. “It’s not like you can take care of every single pony in all of Equestria at the same time.”

Celestia’s ears flicked back. “While that may be true, every pony still is my responsibility. It is my duty to ensure that everyone lives a life of peace and happiness. I regret that you and your family had to suffer.” She placed a hoof on Tranquil’s shoulder.

Tranquil took a deep breath and slowly let it out before she looked back up at Celestia. “Look, I know I messed up, but, well…” She bit down on the tip of her tongue hard enough to force tears into her eyes. “Will you let me go?” Tranquil asked hopefully. “I promise I’ll be better and do better for my family.”

Celestia brought her hoof back. “I’m afraid that I can’t do that.”

“Ugh. Figures.” Tranquil rolled her eyes again and went back to eating. “Can’t blame a girl for trying,” she said in between mouthfuls.

“While you’re enjoying your meal, I do have some questions I’d like to ask you. Your husband was here, was he not?”

Tranquil paused in between bites. She glanced up at Celestia, shrugged, then went back to eating. “Look, if you want information, you gotta give me something in return.”

“I already gave you better food, and lots of it.”

“Nah, I mean like time off my sentence or better conditions. This cell is pretty cramped.”

“It’s supposed to be like that.”

“Yeah? Doesn’t it feel bad to throw one of your precious little ponies away down in such a dark and dismal place?”

“Your actions brought you here, not I. You have no place to demand such niceties, though while we haven’t had to use these cells in quite some time, they are suitable for the time being. I have yet to work out a suitable punishment and the duration of your stay is still to be decided.” Silence filled the cell as Tranquil quickened her pace with her dinner.

A minute passed in silence, then another before Tranquil set her spoon down to ask, “So what more do you want to know of me?”

Celestia thought for a moment. “What else did your husband give you? Did he say where he was going?”

“He gave me nothing more than that cloud, and why would I ever tell you where he was going or what he’s doing? I would never betray my family like that.”

“Not even young Scootaloo?” Celestia shot back.

Tranquil glared at her. “After what she did, she’s no part of my family,” she spat out.

“I’m sorry to hear that. She’s a wonderful filly with a bright life ahead of her. You, on the other hoof…” Celestia stood up, used her magic to open the cell door, then let it clang shut behind her as her magic faded away. Another spell made the tray of food vanish. “You’ll have at least a decade or so to think about where your loyalties lie.” She started to walk away from the cell, walking as slowly as she could as she prayed that Tranquil would take the bait.

“Wait, a decade?” Tranquil screeched as she raced to the cell door. “Come back! Yes, I know something that can help!” She banged on the wooden door with a hoof until Celestia came back into view.

Excellent… Most excellent… Celestia thought as she paused. She turned around and walked back to the cell. “Yes? What is it?” she cautiously asked.

Tranquil’s frantic breathing slowed a little bit. “First, you have to swear to me that my sentence will be reduced. I won’t tell you what I know any other way. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in this hole in the wall, after all.”

“If the information that you provide pans out, perhaps we can come to an arrangement. That’s all I’m willing to promise,” Celestia said, hoping her noncommittal answer would convince Tranquil to spill her secrets.

Tranquil glared at her for a few moments before her shoulders slumped. “You drive a hard bargain. To answer your question from earlier, yes, I know where my husband went and I know what he’s doing. He was here a day ago, and I kinda sorta told him to– uh… Would I get in more trouble if I sent him to do something… bad?”

Celestia’s heart sunk in her chest as she watched Tranquil struggle to talk her way out of the hole she worked herself into. She stared deeply into Tranquil’s eyes. “Speak,” she ordered, cutting her blabbering off.

Tranquil gulped, cowering from Celestia’s menacing demeanor. “I… I… He went to go, ya know…” She drew a line across her throat. “To my poor excuse for a daughter.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Celestia lit her horn and kept the spell from activating as she watched her prisoner squirm, probably fearing the worst, before she let the spell finish, teleporting her away to her study.

Rainbow's Nightmare

As Rainbow tore through the air, she spotted a familiar set of windows through the falling snow. There it is! she thought. She flapped once, shooting through the air as she made a beeline towards Cadence’s bedroom windows. She flew as fast as she could to Cadence’s balcony and nearly fell onto her side as she slid to a halt. The snow had created a slick surface, already starting to harden and freeze in the wintery air.

Rainbow banged on the window with the flat surface of her hoof, making it shatter into pieces on the fourth hit. “Hey, wake up! We need help!” she yelled through the broken window. She wanted to push her way through the hole, but the window wasn’t wide enough for her to fit through. She saw a light come to life, a single candle flickering from further in the room. She frantically looked around for a handle or door knob to use to open their balcony door, but found nothing. “Hey! Yo, hurry up already!” she called out right before the balcony door opened, letting her inside from the cold.

“Rainbow!” Shining set his light down on a table, then placed a hoof on her shoulder. “What’s going on? Why were you outside? And why’d you break our window?”

“Scootaloo’s dad is here!” Rainbow exclaimed. Her head whipped around in the darkness, trying to find Cadence.

“Here?! In the castle?” he demanded.

“Yeah! He’s with Twilight right now. Cadence had put up some kind of privacy spell that kept us from alerting the guards, and–” The sound of a door further inside their chambers made her pause. “Cadence? Is that you?”

“Yes. What’s going on?” Cadence trotted into view.

“Twilight is in danger. The castle has been breached,” Shining said.

“Yeah, and she’s all alone with Scootaloo’s dad in our room!” Rainbow blurted out. “And since she can’t use magic, she’s basically defenseless!”

Cadence’s face hardened as her tone grew stone cold. “Shining, raise the guards. I’ll go aid Twilight. Rainbow, will you go to Scootaloo’s and Spike’s bedroom to ensure their safety? I give you my word that Twilight will be kept safe.”

“Wait, won’t we need guards?” Rainbow asked. “He’s got a knife; how will I defend our little ones?”

Cadence glanced away as she thought. “Shining, give her the guards watching our chambers. We won’t need them here. Good luck, you two.” Cadence locked eyes with both of them for a brief moment before she winked out of existence.

“Alright, come on!” Shining said as he gestured towards the bedroom doors. He pushed them open with his magic, walked through, then turned around to face the two guards. “Listen up and listen well. The castle has been breached by that same threat we discussed earlier in this morning’s briefing. I need you both to go with Rainbow and lock down our guests’ room.”

“Sir, yes sir!” both said in unison.

Rainbow nodded. Shining teleported away, leaving Rainbow alone in their room. “Follow me!” she yelled over her shoulder.

“Yes ma’am!”

The sounds of beating hooves echoed through the hallways as Rainbow ran as hard as she could, trying her hardest to remember where Scootaloo and Spike were staying. She counted the doors in her head, idly wondering why there were so many bedrooms. As she rounded another corner, she noticed two guards standing in front of a single door in the middle of the hallway. She screeched to a halt in front of Scootaloo’s and Spikes bedroom door, making the two guards already there look down at her with worry. “When did you get here?” she demanded.

“Uh… we just got here, ma’am. Why?”

“Are they safe?” Rainbow pushed open their door and found the room empty. Her heart fell into her stomach as she noticed the unmade beds. “Scootaloo! Spike!” she called out, praying that they were hiding just out of sight.

Silence met her calls.

She darted back outside into the hallway then jumped into the air, flying at breakneck speeds back towards Twilight’s bedroom. She flew back upstairs then back down the hallway, around a corner, then screeched to a halt in front of the open door, the sounds of the four guards trying to keep up with her getting louder and louder from behind.

With her heart racing in her chest, Rainbow tentatively took a step forward and poked her head inside, praying that she’d see Twilight, but alas, only Cadence met her view. As she walked inside, she felt a shiver run down her back. Snow had poured in from the broken window, her quick exit robbing the room of its warmth. “Where is she?” she asked as she walked up beside Cadence.

Cadence held up a piece of parchment with sloppy writing on it. “I don’t know, but I think she left this note. Is this her style of writing?” she asked as she held up the note for Rainbow to read.

“Uh... I think it is, yeah.” Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as she read the note aloud. “Sent S. Dad to kitchens as trick. Send guards there to capture. I’m going for S and S.” She looked up at Cadence. “I was just at Scootaloo’s and Spike’s bedroom. Nobody is there.”

“I don’t think that Twilight would leave the little ones alone with such a threat. If she wasn’t in Scootaloo’s and Spike’s room, where could they have gone?

Five minutes earlier…

Spike rolled over for what felt like the umpteenth time. While he was glad that Twilight seemed to be doing better, he still felt that something was off. Perhaps it was the inner turmoil he felt. Half of him yearned to be at Twilight’s side while the other half wanted to give her and Rainbow space. His eyes came to rest on the door for a few moments right before Scootaloo let loose a horrendously loud snore, making him wonder how she was able to sleep making so much noise. He rolled onto his back and spread his arms wide, staring up at the ceiling.

He yanked his pillow over his head and pulled it tight, hoping that it’d muffle the sounds of Scootaloo’s snores. He felt a familiar tingle grow within him, making him sit up. “A scroll? Now?” He pushed himself just in time for him to burp the scroll out, the rolled-up parchment falling neatly between his legs on top of the blanket. “Why would Celestia write so late?” he grumbled. “This better be important.” He pushed the covers off of him, pushing the scroll to the floor. Spike jumped out of bed, the sound of his feet hitting the stone floor waking Scootaloo up.

“Morning already?” Scootaloo asked as she rubbed her eyes. She rolled over and lifted her head from the pillow, a yawn forcing itself past her lips. Scootaloo blinked a few times, then looked around. “Dude, it’s still the middle of the night. Why are you out of bed?” she asked.

“I got a scroll. Celestia never writes this late,” Spike said as he picked it up off of the ground.

“You think it’s bad news?”

“I hope not.” Spike unrolled the scroll and read it aloud, “Scootaloo’s mother sent her husband up to attack. Lock down the castle. Write back once safe. See you soon. – Celestia.”

“Seriously?” Scootaloo sat up the rest of the way and flung the sheets off of her. “What are we going to do?”

“Well, we have to tell someone!”

Scootaloo pushed herself out of bed. “Well, duh, of course we do! But who do we tell first?” A bright flash of lightning and a loud clap of thunder made her jump.

“Uh… I don’t know. If we go tell Twilight first, we’re all still gonna have to go to Cadence’s room to wake them up and have them lock down the castle. If your dad is here, Twilight might get upset with us if we left our room without any adults. Plus it doesn’t help that Cadence’s room is pretty far away.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Okay. You go tell Twilight and Rainbow and I’ll go tell Cadence.”

“But Cadence’s room is almost twice as far as Twilight’s room!”

“Exactly! I’m the fastest filly around! That means I’m perfect for the job. I just wish I had my scooter here. I’d be there in a flash!” she said with an excited grin. “Come on, let’s go save the day!” She trotted towards the door and stopped right before it. With her hoof resting on the doorknob, she was about to turn it when she heard someone galloping towards them from further down the hall. Her eyes went wide as she fumbled with the lock, thinking it was her father coming for her. She locked it just as the mystery pony slowed to a halt in front of their door. Heavy breathing came from the other side of the door for a few seconds before the doorknob twisted to either side.

“Guys, it’s me!” came Twilight’s hushed voice from the other side of the door. “Let me in!”

“Twilight?” Scootaloo unlocked the door and pulled it open a few inches just enough for her to see who it was. She pulled it open the rest of the way, let her in, then locked the door behind her.

“Oh, thank Celestia both of you are okay!” Twilight said, her voice filled with much relief as she pulled them into a fierce winghug. “We have a bit of a situation on our hooves. Scootaloo’s father somehow made it inside—”

“He’s already here?” Spike blurted out. “But Celestia said– here!” He held up the scroll for her to read, holding it up for her with both claws.

“Celestia is coming?” Twilight’s shoulders slumped in relief for a couple of moments before she tensed up again. “She didn’t say how long she was going to take?”

Spike shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He whipped the scroll around and read it again. “What do we do, Twilight?”

The Sealing of Fate

Brick poked his head into yet another dark room and looked around, listening for anything that would give Scootaloo away. He felt drool drip down the knife as he stalked forward, the blade held firmly between his teeth. The tips of his wings bristled, ready for a moment’s action in case he got caught. Where is this kitchen that she spoke of? Did she lie to me? he thought, pushing down yet another snarl. This wasn’t the first time he’d wondered such a thing, for it felt like he’d spent too long down here as he pushed open yet another door, never revealing his quarry.

He spit the knife into his left hoof as he snuck inside the last door in the hallway, pushing the door shut with his right wing. He sat down with a grunt and looked around him, finding himself in a windowless closet. Shelves of various jars lined the walls of the small room, barely big enough for a few ponies to stand in. The sounds of many, many hoofsteps all trotting to a silent beat echoed from above him, making him worry. “Getting too hot down here…” he muttered to himself.

He poked his head out of the door, looked both ways, then slunk back out into the cold the way he came in. He took to the skies once more, trying to gain as much altitude as he could. Brick finally found another cloud big enough for him to hide in, and as he dug into the cloud, he kept his eyes locked on the windows of the castle. A minute passed, then two as more and more lights sprung to life inside the castle. “Heh, guess that wench told someone I made it inside.”

Movement near the top of the castle caught his gaze. He was barely able to recognize Twilight’s purple coat color through the snow and the foggy windows, and as he watched on, he could have sworn he saw others with her. “Figured she’d lie to me. She probably went right for that starving rat of a pony and told me to go to the other end of the castle.” He pushed himself up, preparing to do what he promised his wife when a lightning bolt flashed mere inches in front of him, the following thunder making him tremble like a little girl. He nearly dropped the knife out of sheer fright, for if he had taken flight one moment earlier, he would have been struck down and turned into a burnt chicken.

He lay back down to gather his wits amongst him once more. As his heart started to slow down, he spat the knife onto his forelegs and licked his dry lips. “Do I really want to do this? Does she really need to die?” he asked himself. “Can’t I just tell the love of my life I did it and help her escape? We’d leave this horrid place far behind and live the rest of our lives without a worry!” He rolled his eyes as he sighed. “I could never lie to her, though… she’d find out that Scootaloo is still alive in an instant. Then we’d be right back here doing this all over again… And I have her right in my sights. I could finish this right here, right now, and fly back to Canterlot to break my wife free.”

With a deep sigh, his resolve grew strong as he took flight, gliding towards the balcony of the room where Twilight stood.

Spike’s words echoed in Twilight’s head as she struggled to think of what to do. What do we do? I don’t know! she thought. With no guards around to ask for help, it was up to her to ensure everyone’s safety, and without her magic, she felt much too vulnerable. “We’re too exposed here,” she finally said. “We need to… we need to…”

“What? We need to what?” Scootaloo asked, puzzled. “Are you okay?”

Twilight’s head wouldn’t stop throbbing. She figured it was from her frantic run in her already weakened condition. “Yes,” she lied, fighting through her headache. The pain radiated from the base of her horn, making it hard to think straight. She tried to hide her wince from the little ones, but Spike saw through her obvious lie and lightly swatted her side with the scroll to try to bring her back to reality.

“Snap out of it, Twilight,” he said. “We need you!”

“I, I just… I’m not sure what to do!”

“We should split up!” Scootaloo suggested. “That way we could find someone to ask for help twice as fast and tell them that my father is here!”

Twilight shook her head, trying to remain focused and in the present. “No, we aren’t splitting up. You two are safe with me and I’m not letting you out of my sight until he’s locked away for good.”

“But if we split up and agree to meet somewhere, we can double or even triple our chances of–”

“I said no!” Twilight snapped. The sound of somepony flying outside made her freeze, fearing that it was Scootaloo’s father returning to find them. She opened her wings as she crouched down, pulling them up against her side, staying as quiet as she could until the sound of beating wings disappeared. “We need to go,” she murmured as she stood back up.

“Go where? Cadence’s bedroom?” Scootaloo asked. “Shouldn’t that be the safest most guarded place in the whole castle?”

I suppose that could work… Twilight thought. “I left a note in my bedroom saying that I was coming to get you guys here, though. What if they send more ponies down here to help us and we’re not here?”

“But won’t there be guards at Cadence’s bedroom? They can protect us!” Spike said. He scurried to the door and peered out into the hallway. “Looks good for now.” He waved at them to follow as he left the room. “I’ll scout ahead and make sure the coast is clear,” he said as he ran down the hallway, the sounds of his feet hitting the ground fading away.

“Spike, wait! You went the wrong way!” Twilight called after him. Only silence met her calls. “You ready to go?” she asked Scootaloo as she knelt down to let her climb on her back. “We need to catch up with him.”

“Guys, come on!” came Spike’s voice from further down the hall.

“Keep your voice down!” Twilight hissed back as she caught up to him at the corner. “The grand staircase is that way!” she hurriedly whispered, nodding back towards the way they came from.

“Yeah, but this way is better. Scootaloo’s dad would expect us to take the grand staircase; it’s totally exposed.”

Twilight’s eyes narrowed momentarily. “Okay… but it’s also the quickest.” She looked over him and noticed a much smaller staircase further down the carpeted hallway.

“But I–”

“Shhh…”

“B-But–”

“Shh!” Twilight glared at him, trying to impose upon him the seriousness of the situation. “We don’t know where Brick is! He could be around the corner waiting for us!” she said, her tone fraught with worry.

“Fine, fine! I get it.” Spike looked both ways down the hallway, then gestured behind him. “Shall we?” he asked. “You think they still have snacks up there?”

Scootaloo groaned. “How can you think of snacks at a time like this?”

“Hey, we might be up there for a while. We don’t know how long it’ll take to catch this guy.” A quick look from Twilight made him mouth the word, “Sorry,” at her before she nodded at the stairs. He took the lead and led them back upstairs. As they neared the last corner to Cadence’s room, he started to feel a sense of relief, knowing that their perilous journey was going to be over.

“Guards!” he called out in a strong voice without looking up. “We, uh…” He looked up to find Cadence’s bedroom doors wide open without any guards in sight. “Uh-oh… this can’t be good!” he said under his breath.

“Yeah, no kidding.” Twilight trotted past him, her ears perked up as she listened for anything out of the ordinary. She trotted into the empty room and looked around, her gaze finally coming to rest on the shattered glass near the balcony. “Odd…” she muttered. A shiver ran down her back, coaxing Scootaloo to slide off of her.

Spike pushed the bedroom doors shut and locked them, barely able to reach the key. “Why is it so darn cold in he– oh, that’s why. Do you think Scootaloo’s dad broke in?”

“I sure hope not.” Twilight walked up to it and saw that there was still glass on the floor, indicating that someone had broken it from the outside. “It was probably Rainbow,” she said with a chuckle. Oh, I hope you’re okay… she thought. “I’m surprised she didn’t take out the whole window like she did back in our room.”

“She what?” Spike asked in disbelief. “She took out a whole window? What happened?”

The bedroom doors suddenly lurched forward, held only by the lock. Her heart skipped a beat as she opened her wings wide. “Get behind me,” she ordered. Figuring that she probably had mere seconds before the door broke down, she prepared herself for a fight. If I have to use magic to save them, I will…

“If they’re not here, where could they be?” Rainbow asked Cadence. She walked around the room and felt both beds. “They couldn’t have gotten that far; we probably just missed them. Their beds are still warm. She walked in circles as she thought. “If I was Twilight, where would I take them? Where’s the safest place in the whole castle?”

“The throne room?” Cadence offered.

“Maybe, maybe… is it guarded all the time?”

“Shining likes to post guards there at night, but…” She giggled for a brief moment. “I think it’s silly guarding an empty room all night so I usually let them off.”

“Speaking of Shining, do you think he’ll be back soon?”

“Oh, I’m certain of it. “He’ll have this whole place searched from top to bottom in short order.”

“Good, good.” Rainbow stopped pacing, her eyes going wide. “Hey, what about your bedroom? Do you think she’d go back there with the little ones?”

“That seems like the most logical choice. C’mere, I’ll get us close.”

Cadence trotted up to her with her horn lit, and with a quick flash of light, they reappeared just outside the royal bedroom. “Gotta warn me when you do that, Cadence,” Rainbow said as she groaned. “Say…” She pushed against the bedroom doors and found that they didn’t budge. “Weren’t these open a few minutes ago?” She pushed against them as hard as she could but paused as she heard hushed voices come from inside.

Rainbow’s ears perked up. “Twilight?” She banged against the door with her hoof as hard as she could. Ignoring her now-throbbing hoof, she pressed her ear up against the door, listening as someone’s hoofsteps grew closer from the other side. She took a step back as she heard the key turn, breathlessly waiting as the door opened just enough to reveal a familiar purple face. She shouldered the door open the rest of the way and pulled her lover into a ferocious hug. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she whispered. “I was so scared leaving you behind like that, and– and–”

“It’s okay, we’re okay,” Twilight whispered back as she wrapped her right foreleg around Rainbow’s neck. “Everyone’s safe, Rainbow.”

“Good, good.” She nuzzled the side of Twilight’s neck, her eyes shut tight as relief soared through her. She relaxed as she sat back, letting go of her as she looked around for Spike and Scootaloo. “You two okay?” she asked as she held her forelegs open wide, silently asking them to come in for a hug. Scootaloo darted forward into her embrace, nearly knocking her over.

“We sure are!” Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow, her eyes full of fear and uncertainty. “What are we going to do?”

“I–” The sound of the balcony door slamming against the wall shocked Rainbow into silence. There stood Brick, panting, his back covered in snow. Rainbow noticed the glint of his blade held in his right hoof, her eyes going wide. Before she could speak, Brick’s cold gaze turned to one of sinister joy as the knife left his grasp.

As the knife twirled through the air towards them, Rainbow pushed Twilight out of the way and grabbed Scootaloo between her forelegs then turned, using her right wing to shield them. She closed her eyes and braced herself, praying that she’d get lucky and get hit by the blade’s hilt. She heard Twilight scream, “No!” at the top of her lungs before she felt someone’s magic crawl all over her fur. Her eyes whipped open just in time to see Twilight’s horn bursting with light before all went dark a split-second later.

The air turned as cold as ice in stark contrast to the warmth of Cadence’s bedroom as Rainbow felt herself falling. She whipped her wings open wide to try and stop her fall only for it to crumple underneath her as she impacted the ground. The impact knocked all the air out of her lungs. She wheezed as she struggled to breathe, but she still pushed herself up anyways on unsteady hooves as pain radiated from her wing. Unable to see a thing in the darkness, Rainbow felt a pit of dread form in her stomach as she immediately recognized the pain: she’d broken a bone.

Where am I? she thought. She gingerly folded her wing against her side as best she could, trying to ignore the pain. The freezing cold air helped a little. “Scootaloo? Twilight?” Rainbow called out into the darkness. She blinked a few times as she tried to see a flicker of anything that would provide her a modicum of hope, only now realizing how cold it was. She turned around in a circle slowly, letting her eyes adjust so she could hopefully see something. “Anyone?”

A Perfect Storm

Cadence felt her heart drop into her stomach as her head whipped up to see her balcony door whip open. There stood Brick, a knife held in his hoof. Her mouth went dry as a cold shiver ran down her back. Cold air flooded the room. Before she could turn to face their attacker, Brick reared back and hurled the knife at Scootaloo with all his might. Cadence looked at Twilight for a split-second only to hear her scream, “No!” She hoped that she wouldn’t use her magic in her weakened state, for if she did, it would surely mean the loss of her magic. Hoping to protect them with her own magic, Cadence released her spell a millisecond after Twilight and Rainbow winked out of existence with a bright flash of white light.

A light-blue shimmering wall erupted from the ground, separating Brick from everypony else and stopping the knife in its path. The sounds of yelling and hoofsteps filled the room behind her as guards rushed into the room. Brick’s stance lowered as he snarled, poised to attack again. His gaze flicked between her and the knife a couple of times before he threw himself out the open balcony door.

The shield wall popped like a bubble as Cadence stepped forward, her horn still lit. “Oh, no you don’t,” she softly uttered. Before Brick disappeared into the clouds, Cadence’s magic appeared on his tail and held him in place. A satisfied smirk appeared on her lips as she pulled him back towards them. Brick struggled to free himself and flapped as hard as he could. He pulled so hard against her spell that she felt the tension on some of his tail hairs disappear as they pulled free of his rear end. Shining and several guards rushed past her and stood next to the open door, ready to arrest him.

Brick finally gave up as he neared the balcony. He hung upside down from his tail, a horrific scowl on his face. He tried to bite one of the guards as he passed overhead. With a nod from her husband, Cadence let her magic fade and unceremoniously dropped Brick on his head in between all of the guards. They pounced on him like a tiger on its prey, giving him no quarter and no chance to escape. She stood aside and used her right wing to keep Scootaloo and Spike from seeing the guards drag Brick out of the room.

Cadence took a deep breath and let it out to slow her racing heart. While she was glad that Brick was no longer a threat, her night was anything but over. She looked down at where Twilight and Rainbow had stood just moments ago, the sound of them teleporting away still echoing in her mind. Once she made sure that Scootaloo and Spike were okay, she had a pair of guards escort them back to their bedroom. The sounds of Scootaloo’s sobs echoed down the hall, each cry a separate dagger plunging into her heart.

Cadence darted after them. “Guards!” she called out as she caught up to them. Feeling guilty that she didn’t first think to bring them back herself, she knelt down to let Scootaloo and Spike climb up on her back. The guards nodded then fell into step behind her as she trotted away from her bedroom.

“W-Where are they?” Scootaloo finally asked in between sobs. “Are they d-d-d–”

“No, they aren’t,” Cadence said. “They’re just… missing. We’re going to find them, I promise.” As they neared the little one’s bedroom, she felt Spike push himself off of her back. He ran out in front of her and stopped, a fierce look on his face.

“Do you really think we’re going to go to bed after all that?” Spike asked. “I’m not going to go to sleep! Twilight and Rainbow are in danger and they need our help!”

“Y-Yeah!” Scootaloo piped up from her back.

“So what are we going to do? Let me remind you that you named me the great and honorable Spike, brave and glorious! Surely I, uh…” He shot a look up at Scootaloo. “We can be of help, right? Plus the danger is gone; all we have to worry about is finding them!”

“I suppose you’re right,” Cadence said after a few seconds of thought. “But you will stay with a guard escort at all times.” The sound of hoofsteps beating against the floor made her ears cock towards the sound. She turned her head just in time to see one of her guards galloping towards them.

He stopped in front of them, saluted, then stated, “My Princess, Princess Celestia has arrived with reinforcements. She waits for you in the throne room.”

“That is good news, thank you,” Cadence replied. “Please inform her I have one matter to attend to before I’m able to welcome her into my home. I won’t keep her waiting long.” With a curt nod, the soldier turned and trotted back from where he came. Looking back at the little ones, Cadence said, “Your help would be most welcome in the search. I don’t think Twilight would have teleported the two of them too far so they should be pretty easy to find.”

“Knowing Twilight…” Spike grumbled, the rest of his words lost. “She could be anywhere in this huge place.”

“Good thing you have the fastest filly around!” Scootaloo said as she slid off of Cadence’s back.

“Exactly,” Cadence said with a warm smile. “Now why don’t you go greet Princess Celestia? I’m sure she would be happy to have your help searching the castle.”

Scootaloo’s eyes lit up at that. “Sure!” she exclaimed. “Come on, Spike!”

With the guards trailing the little ones to the throne room, Cadence stood alone. As the sound of their hoofsteps faded away into nothingness, she steeled her heart for what was surely to be a nightmarish experience. She let her smile fade away as she made her way downstairs, passing a mixture of her guards and Celestia’s as she neared the entrance to what used to be King Sombra’s dungeons.

A solid oak door stood in front of her. Heavy chains that had locked the door shut from prying eyes lay on either side of the doorway. She felt a tingle as she stepped close, almost as if the air was electrified. “Open it,” she ordered. Two of the six guards nodded and obeyed, pulling the door open for her to reveal a swirling black portal. A rancid stench filled the room, making most of her guards wince and cover their noses.

She steeled her nerves as she extended her right hoof forward. As soon as she touched the black nothingness, all warmth was drained from her body as she was teleported from the room, reappearing in a tunnel carved from rock deep below the castle. She couldn’t help but shudder. Dark magic ran deep through the uneven walls, magic that still hung in the air like a bitter aftertaste. Even the air smelled of things nopony should have to smell. The hallway was lit by dim torches that burned without producing any heat.

A fitting place for Brick… Cadence thought. She blinked a few times as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness. “Shining?” she called out.

“Right here, Cady,” he said, a few feet behind her. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m doing well, thanks,” she said as she nuzzled his cheek. “And you?”

“About the same. Just worried.”

“Me too. Has our prisoner said anything?”

Shining shook his head. “I’m afraid not. So they haven’t been found?”

Cadence shook her head. “No. I do bear some good news, though. Princess Celestia has arrived with more guards.”

“Good. They’ll be a huge help in the search. What about Spike and Scootaloo? How are they holding up?”

“As well as anyone, I suppose. They were adamant in helping search for Twilight and Rainbow. I don’t think they would have been able to sleep even if we locked them in their room.”

“So… will you try your hoof at interrogating Brick?”

“Yes, I think I shall.”

“Okay. I'll welcome Celestia and help coordinate search parties with her.”

“Very well. I shouldn’t be too long. I only wish to impress upon him the seriousness of his situation,” she said. Once Shining had winked away in the same way that she’d just entered the dungeon, she walked down the tunnel until she found Brick’s cell. She turned the key with a hoof and pulled the heavy wooden door open wide. “You’re not that smart, aren’t you?” Cadence’s question sounded more like a statement as she stood in the doorway, the single torch in the hallway behind her casting her shadow over him. Brick sat on the floor, his wings bound in heavy rusting chains. He sullenly looked through her as if she wasn’t even there, seemingly uncaring to the world.

“You could have gone anywhere in the world; you were free,” Cadence slowly said as she tried to understand Brick’s motives. “Why would you come here?” She eyed the poor excuse of a pony in front of her and felt dark thoughts leech into her mind, poisoning it with things she would never think of. Her gaze softened as she pushed those dark thoughts away. She sighed with disapproval and stared at him until he looked up at her with a curious yet cautious gaze. “Do you not speak?”

Brick laughed at that. “You think I’m going to talk to you?”

“Oh, I think you’ll talk. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but we’ll see how long you last.”

“How long I’ll last?” he finally asked as she walked out of the cell. As the door clanged shut behind her, he asked once more, “What do you mean? Hey, wait!”

Cadence pulled the door back open just enough for him to see her. “Do you not realize where you are? You’re in King Sombra’s dungeon. Surely you’ve heard the tales of his prisoners who went mad during their stay here. Don’t you feel his influence pressing in on your mind? That isn’t us. It’s him.” She closed the door to his cell then locked it. “You can try to resist, though most don’t last more than a week. All succumb eventually,” she softly said.

Ignoring her prisoner’s protests, she made her way out of the dungeon and found her husband organizing search parties in cold weather gear. “Hey dear, how goes the search?” she cautiously asked.

“There you are!” Shining said. “Where have you been?”

“What do you mean? I was down there for five or six minutes.”

“Cady, you were gone for over an hour. I was about to go back down there to find you; are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. An hour? That’s preposterous,” she said, taken aback.

“Is it? What if time moves differently down there? I doubt we’ll ever know the full extent of what King Sombra did. We’re most likely going to have to move Brick to a different holding cell soon if we want him to be able to talk. I think I overheard Celestia say that she wants to move him to Canterlot.”

She sighed. “Very well. You may inform Celestia that Brick can be placed into her custody if she wishes. The magic down there… it’s different. Almost makes me sick to my stomach.” Cadence took a deep, shuddering breath. “So… still no sign of Twilight or Rainbow?”

Shining shook his head. “We swept the whole castle three times already. They aren’t anywhere inside.”

“You think they teleported outside?”

Shining nodded. “There isn’t any other answer. The temperature is well below freezing and it keeps dropping. With this snowstorm, I don’t know if anypony can last out there.”

The Only Easy Day was Yesterday

Rainbow woke up sometime in the middle of the night with a groan, jerking awake for what felt like the umpteenth time. The storm outside raged just as hard as it had when they went to sleep. She lifted her head, little bits of snow falling off of her. To say that she was cold was an understatement. The tips of her hooves felt numb. She hadn’t gotten that much rest; the storm and the worries plaguing her mind had made sure of that. Rainbow blinked a few times before her gaze settled on their little wall. It had worked well enough to block the worst of the wind though it did little to provide any warmth.

She lifted her head. “You awake?” she mumbled. It felt hard to think and was even harder to utter those words.

“Yeah,” Twilight croaked.

“How’s your horn? Any chance you can use magic?” Rainbow hated to ask such a sensitive question but she felt that Twilight’s magic was the only way out of their predicament. The cold had dulled the pain in her broken wing. She winced as she felt her stomach grumble, partly from the feeling of it being empty and from the fear of having no food. With no food, no water, no heat source, and no way to get off the mountain, they wouldn’t last long if they didn’t find something to help them survive.

Twilight shook her head. “I feel it a little bit but I don’t think I can use it yet.”

“That’s a relief. I thought that… you know.”

“...Yeah, me too.”

“We shoulda brought Spike with us; he could have kept us warm with his fire,” Rainbow dryly joked. “I’m glad you haven’t lost your magic.”

Twilight whimpered.

“He woulda been a huge help out here.” When Twilight didn’t respond to her joke, Rainbow lay back down next to her and pulled her close.

“He would have just been stuck out here like us,” came Twilight’s soft reply. “I don’t think he would have lasted this long in the cold.”

“I don’t think we’re going to last that long. What are we gonna do, Twi? We gotta try something!”

“I don’t know,” came her weak response. She avoided Rainbow’s gaze.

“You hungry? Thirsty?”

Twilight nodded.

“Yeah, me too,” she said with a sigh. She scooped out a chunk of snow in the crook of her hoof and held it up to Twilight’s lips. At her curious gaze, she shrugged and said, “All we got.” Twilight coughed again, then took a bite of the snow.

“How’s your wing?”

“Still busted… I’m going to go look outside real quick; maybe I can see something that can help.” Rainbow stood up and walked outside the cave. She peered over the edge once more, looking for something, anything that could help them. Given their situation, she’d risk it all to find help, but even if she managed to get down the mountain safely, she still had nothing to guide her. The stars were hidden, the moon was nowhere to be found, and none of the mountain peaks looked familiar. As the wind ripped what little warmth she had left in her coat, she took one last look down and tried to find any path down, but with her busted wing, any path was far too dangerous. If she slipped and tried to fly, it would surely mean a swift end.

Feeling a bit of desperation grow within her chest, she stomped on the ground in frustration and nearly lost her balance. She uttered some choice words and with a groan, she turned and walked back inside the cave. Rainbow slumped against Twilight’s side, surprised at how quickly her limbs gave way.

“Anything?”

“Nothing has changed, no.” She took her fill of the snow, praying that it would quell her hunger. She winced as she felt it slide down her throat, making her feel colder than she already felt. She held her right front hoof up in there and tried to hold it still. “I can’t stop shivering, Twi…” she murmured as she tried her hardest to still her hoof. She pushed her right wing out and tried the same thing.

“Me… me neither.”

Rainbow lay down against her side and shuffled as close to her as she could. She blinked a couple times then held the same hoof up in front of her. “I-I can’t stop shivering, Twi…” she murmured. She focused really hard on her hoof and concentrated on keeping it still, though after several seconds she gave up. Small shivers ran down through her back and into her extremities.

Twilight looked up at her with a concerned look. “You said that already,” she cautiously said. Her ears perked up as she came to a conclusion. “I didn’t think it’d set in so soon!” She pushed herself up and placed herself between the tunnel’s entrance and Rainbow, then tried to cover as much of her body with hers as she could.

“Wha… What are you doing?” Rainbow asked, the words a struggle to speak coherently.

“I think you have the first or second stage of hypothermia. If you have it, then I…” A shiver ran down her back. “Then I may have it, too. Can you feel your hooves? Your feathers?”

“N-Not really. Hooves numb. Can’t feel feathers.” She felt Twilight rub her side as she tried to warm her core up. “Sure could use another nap,” Rainbow mumbled.

“We’re not going to make it if you take a nap. We need solutions, not sleep,” Twilight mused.

The rhythmic motions of Twilight’s rubbing to warm her up lulled her ever closer to sleep. Rainbow felt her head droop back down onto her forelegs. She licked her dry lips, feeling herself grow more and more tired with each passing second. With a start, she jerked back awake, making Twilight look her way. “I’m fine, I’m fine,” she lied. Death lay in wait just around the corner if she allowed herself to sleep. She heard Twilight murmur something, almost like she was reciting lines. “What?” she asked, forcing herself to stay in the present for fear of letting her mind wander off.

Twilight stopped talking, then said, “I’m just trying to remember what I read about hypothermia. I’m afraid I’m missing something and what if it’s the thing that saves us?” She stayed silent for several seconds as she continued to think. “Maybe I can fly somewhere and find help; we can’t be that far away from the castle…”

“And leave me all alone without my snuggle buddy?” Rainbow joked.

“You said it yourself; we have to do something. I won’t let us perish due to my inaction.”

Before she could react, Twilight pushed herself up on unsteady legs and walked out of the cave. Rainbow rolled onto her side and tried to make her eyes come into focus as she watched Twilight walk away from her. The ferocious sound of the wind made Twilight’s ears flick back, and as the seconds crawled on, Twilight’s wings spread out halfway before she clamped them back to her side almost immediately. A particularly strong gust of wind nearly pushed her over. With her head hanging low, Twilight trudged back inside and carefully lay back down next to her.

Several seconds passed by as they shivered together. “It’s okay,” Rainbow finally said.

“No, it’s not! Maybe if I had your experience in flying in poor conditions, I could…”

Rainbow observed a line of tears slip down Twilight’s cheeks. “Still too dangerous,” she said, trying to console her. “I could never ask you to take a risk that big.”

“Perhaps…” Twilight stiffened, then sat up. She gazed out of the cave, her eyes locked on something far off in the distance.

Rainbow noticed a change in Twilight’s demeanor. “What’s wrong?”

“I see no other way,” Twilight said in a near-whisper, her words nearly lost in the sounds of the wind gusting just mere feet away.

“What do you mean? You’re…” Rainbow’s vision blurred; even blinking didn’t make it better. She felt Twilight’s hooves rub her back once more. They felt cold to the touch, though she did provide a little warmth to her otherwise freezing fur.

“I’ll be right back, my love,” Twilight murmured.

“Don’t talk like that!” Rainbow wrapped her hooves around one of Twilight’s legs though she wasn’t sure which one it was. She held it close to her as if her weak grip would be able to keep her from doing something rash. Rainbow took a few deep breaths, though it only served to make her feel colder. Thankfully, she regained most of her vision. “You’re scaring me.”

“I’ll… We’ll be fine. There’s something I have to do. I’ll be back.”

Rainbow noticed a single tear slip down Twilight’s cheek through her blurred vision, though she tried to hide it from her by turning away.

“No life is worth living if it’s without you. If my magic is the price to pay so that you may live, so be it.” Twilight pulled her leg out of Rainbow’s grasp with relative ease, then turned and started walking back outside.

With her heart sinking into her chest, Rainbow finally realized what she was going to do. No! There must be another way! She reached out and tried to stop her, her hoof scraping against the ground. Rainbow lost her balance and fell against her broken wing, forcing a whimper from her scratchy throat. “W-Wait!” she called out, managing to catch a glimpse of Twilight’s tail before she disappeared outside. She feared that the wind kept Twilight from hearing her pleas. “Twilight! Don’t leave me!” Rainbow used what little strength she had left to try and push herself back upright. Before she could stand up, she heard an explosion far overhead. A shockwave shook the mountain, making her lose her balance for a few moments.

With a great heave, she pushed herself up on wobbly hooves and managed only a few steps before she saw Twilight lying prone just outside the cave’s entrance. An odd light danced upon her motionless body. With desperation clawing at her heart, Rainbow summoned what little strength she had left to crawl out of the cave and out into the cold.

Seeing that odd light dance upon the snowy ground, Rainbow looked up and saw a wonderfully bright magenta and cyan aura shimmering above them, its thin tendrils dancing with each other. It was at least a hundred feet across and shined with a radiance that lit up the whole mountain range. Rainbow’s eyes went wide at the sight, unable to tear her gaze away from the spectacle. Confusion, tinged with fear and uncertainty all tugged at her mind, though she managed to shove those feelings down to focus on the task at hoof.

The light winked out of existence as soon as she looked away, plunging the area back into darkness. “Twilight?” She pulled herself to Twilight’s side, then nudged her with her muzzle. Rainbow heard Twilight groan. Though while she felt relieved that she still breathed, she feared that she did not have the strength to bring them back inside and out of the cold. Her hooves screamed in protest as she stood up. Her breaths came in ragged pants, the cold air doing nothing for her overly-dry throat. Rainbow pulled Twilight onto her back, even though it pained her greatly. She locked her knees as she steadied herself, then gingerly took a step forward. “Why did you do that?” she grunted as she took another step. Twilight felt like nothing more than dead weight on her back. Even though she was warm just a couple minutes ago, she felt cold to the touch.

Rainbow slumped against the wall of the cave as soon as she made it past their little wall. With all feeling gone from the tips of her hooves, Rainbow rubbed Twilight’s back. “Come on, wake up…” she muttered. She leaned in and nuzzled her cheek, coaxing a cough out of Twilight. “There we are…”

“Di-Did I do it?” Twilight mumbled.

“You mean the most awesome, insane, biggest aura ever? Yeah.”

“Aura? I…” Twilight coughed. “I thought I shot a flare.” She winced as she buried her head in her front hooves. “Ugh… Okay, this is the worst headache I’ve ever felt.”

“Help has to be on the way. That darn lightshow of yours lit up the night sky for what seemed like forever.” Only then did Rainbow notice Twilight’s horn. The crack had doubled in size, sending a pang of guilt piercing through her heart. “I’m not worth the magic of an alicorn, Twi. You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, you are, and yes, I did,” finally came her reply, this time a little louder and more firm. “You’re worth more to me than you’ll ever know. Plus I did it for Spike and Scootaloo, too. What would they do without us?”

“Well…” Rainbow snickered. “Scootaloo would scoot around town all day doing all sorts of daredevil stunts and Spike would clear out the pantry. I think they’d be okay without us, at least for the first day or two.”

Twilight’s laughter turned into a fit of coughs. “May that day not come for a long time.”

“You know, with all that sappy romance stuff you just said… it almost sounded like you were going to propose to me,” Rainbow said with a nervous laugh.

“Did it?” Twilight chuckled with the same nervous energy. “I suppose it did. I’m sure Shining and Cadence rounded everyone in the Crystal Empire up to search for us out here. With my aura shining bright, I’m sure help is already on the way.”

“Y-Yeah, me too, but… it only shined for like, seconds. It faded out once I reached you.”

“...Oh.” Twilight grimaced. “I had hoped that it would last far longer so that somepony could find us. Only seconds, you say?” Rainbow nodded solemnly. “I sure hope someone was looking in this direction…”

“Yeah, no kidding.” Rainbow glanced away, feeling rather sheepish in that moment. Her heart thumped away in her chest. While she couldn’t feel her wings, she felt the warmth of embarrassment flow through her like she’d chugged a mug of Applejack’s hard cider. She nuzzled Twilight’s cheek, prompting her lover to lift her head to look into her eyes. “I feel like I don’t tell you this enough, but… I love you.”

“And I love you as well,” Twilight replied with a warm smile. “Just in case we don’t make it out…” She nuzzled the side of Rainbow’s cheek. “I know in my heart that I already know the answer, but I still want to hear it. If we survive, will you marry me? I know I don’t have a ring or some extravagant proposal but I’m worried that if I don’t ask now that I never w–”

She’s such an egghead… Rainbow thought with a grin as she leaned in for a quick kiss, knowing that Twilight would understand her silent answer.

A Star Shining Bright

Scootaloo sat between two guards on one of the tallest towers of the palace, helping keep watch for anything out of the ordinary. Spike was still running around the streets with some of Cadence’s guards as they searched every alley, road, and corner. With all the running around she’d done with him, Scootaloo was grateful for a reprieve, even if it was still out in the cold. Part of her wanted to get back out there with him but her legs were so sore from running non-stop throughout the night. A warm blanket sat upon her back, just thick enough to shield her from the bite of the wind. With the two most important ponies in her life missing, there was no way that she would ever let her head grace the soft embrace of a pillow until they were brought back safely.

While the storm from last night still poured a hefty amount of snow all around them, the wind had started to abate about an hour ago, taking most of the chill with it. Scootaloo was thankful for that, for even with her thick blanket, she was still cold from head to tail.

She noticed the morning light start to creep out from behind the mountains. The faint glimmer of light illuminating the clouds far away gave her hope that the harshest conditions were soon to be behind them. If Twilight and Rainbow were still alive, a bit of warmth would surely help them.

The guard to her right bore Princess Cadence’s insignia while the one on her left bore Princess Celestia’s. While Celestia’s guard was rather imposing and fearsome, Cadence’s guard seemed younger than even Rainbow, as if he was nothing more than a fresh recruit. However, it was the Celestial guard that drew Scootaloo’s attention. He stood taller than the other and was the older of the two by many years. He wore a seasoned look, his eyes locked on the mountains far off in the distance. There was very little to do other than stare into the darkness, she figured. Scootaloo kept glancing over her left shoulder up at him, hoping that he would notice her and drum up a conversation to break the silence. They’d been out here for over two hours without uttering a single word, other than greeting her when she showed up.

She wondered what he was thinking about, though she was more concerned about the stump where his right wing should have been. She dared not speak of it for fear of seeming rude or insensitive but yet, she still was curious about it. To see someone serving the Princess in a coveted role with such a detriment gave her a glimmer of hope that she too could attain such a high stature in life, even with her own disability. To have small wings was one thing, but to lose one entirely was something that Scootaloo simply couldn’t fathom. To go on after losing part of oneself, to be a pegasus who couldn’t fly, must take real strength, she reasoned. She looked up at him with a newfound respect, though this time he noticed her gaze.

“What is it, kid?” he asked. His voice was rough like sandpaper though it still bore some semblance of gentleness.

“N-Nothing, sir,” she stammered out. A shiver ran down her back as she looked back up into his vibrant blue eyes.

“Are you getting cold? You don’t have to be out here with us,” Cadence’s guard stated.

“I’m colder than an icicle, and yes, I do have to be out here.” Scootaloo rubbed her front hooves together to generate some warmth. “I’m sure you two are freezing, though. How are you guys not frozen solid?”

“It’s not that bad,” Celestia’s guard replied. “And call me Phalanx. I’m not an officer; I work for a living.”

“Okay, Phalanx it is,” Scootaloo said with a smile. “I’m Scootaloo.”

Cadence’s guard cleared his throat. “And my name is–”

“Nobody asked,” Phalanx quipped.

“No need to be rude,” Cadence’s guard retorted. “Like I was saying, I’m–”

“Prissy pink princess guard? Where’s your tutu and pink lipstick?” Phalanx interrupted him again, this time making Scootaloo giggle.

“Whatever,” Cadence’s guard laughed.

Their conversation lapsed into silence as a strong gust of wind stole the words from their lips. Phalanx shook the fresh layer of snow off his snout, then groaned. “How are we supposed to see farther than twenty feet in this snow?” he finally asked.

“You’re not. You’re here to guard this entrance to the castle and to ensure the safety of those inside.”

“But we’re so high up.”

“We sure are. It’s still an entrance.”

“We can’t stand guard inside? Where it’s warm? This has to be the worst post.”

“No. Our commander said to keep watch outside the door.”

“Still the worst post we could have been assigned,” Phalanx grumbled.

“Why did you two get assigned here?” Scootaloo asked.

Phalanx snorted. “I suggested that Shining Armor chill out and allow me tostart aerial patrols. I was trying to be funny.”

“I don’t think he liked that joke.” Cadence’s guard snickered. “And that’s why you’re here.”

“Hey, you laughed too!”

“That’s why I’m here.”

“Was it worth it?” Scootaloo asked.

“Always is,” Phalanx said. “Never much cared for Shining anyways. I was glad when he and your precious pink princess moved up here. We got a better captain after Shining left.”

A brilliant explosion lit up the mountaintops far away from where they sat, illuminating not just the mountains themselves but the surrounding clouds in a cyan-magenta light. The force of the detonation pushed the clouds away. Scootaloo’s eyes went wide at the sight. “That doesn’t normally happen, does it?” she asked Cadence’s guard.

He shook his head. “Sure doesn’t! We must alert the princesses at once!” He flung open the door behind them and darted down the stairs at breakneck speed. The light in the mountains began to fade away then winked out of existence a few moments later.

“You think it’s them?” Scootaloo asked Phalanx. “It kinda looked like Twilight’s magic, but I’ve never seen it colored like that. Or that big.”

“It has to be them. What else could it be?” He held out a hoof to help Scootaloo onto his back. “Hang on, kid.” Phalanx waited until Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around his neck before he ran down the stairs after Cadence’s guard. Once they reached the bottom of the steps, they quickly caught up to the galloping guard, keeping pace with him all the way to the throne room. He slowed to a fast trot and nodded at the guards posted at the entrance to the throne room. Princesses Celestia and Cadence were deep in conversation with Shining in the far corner of the room facing away from the windows.

As Cadence’s guard wheezed trying to catch his breath beside him, Phalanx slowed to a halt, then saluted the group of royals and stood stock-still. Scootaloo slipped off of his back and looked up at him as she waited for him to tell the princesses what they’d just seen. Several seconds passed by before she nudged Phalanx’s right leg with her shoulder. “What are you waiting for?” she whispered.

“You never interrupt the Princess,” he whispered back. “Shining included. He’s the biggest princess of them all.”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle at that, but she still felt like they couldn’t wait. “Good thing I’m not in the military; I don’t have to obey those silly rules.” She cleared her throat and took a deep breath. “Hey!” Scootaloo trotted up between Princess Cadence and Princess Celestia and looked up at them, only then feeling just how small and inconsequential she felt standing under them. “We know where they are!” she exclaimed, interrupting their conversation.

Cadence cocked her head to the side. “How?” she cautiously asked.

“You didn’t see?” Scootaloo pointed out the window facing the mountains. “There was some kind of big explosion out there just a minute ago. The three of us saw it. It was…” She trotted up to the window and peered through it, trying to remember exactly where the light came from. The falling snow made it rather difficult for her to see, but she was still able to remember. “I don’t know exactly where they are, but we saw a big purple and bluish light shine behind the first or second row of mountains to the left of that really high peak,” she said, pointing with her right hoof. “You see where all the clouds got pushed away?” She squinted and thought that the opening in the clouds had moved. “They’ve moved a little bit to the left… I think.”

Celestia looked back at Phalanx and Cadence’s guard. “You two saw this?” she asked.

“Yes, my princess,” Phalanx replied. “I am certain we’ll find them there.”

“Well done,” Celestia told Scootaloo. She looked back at Shining and Cadence. “If Twilight’s condition is as you say, I…” Celestia’s gaze fell on Scootaloo as she fell silent.

Scootaloo’s ears flopped down as she searched Celestia’s eyes for a hint at what she might say next, praying that she wouldn’t say what they all feared. “They’re still alive out there, I know it!” she adamantly said.

“Of course they are, little one,” Celestia said. She made her way to stand next to Scootaloo, then knelt down to get on her level. “Show me exactly where you saw this burst of light.”

Scootaloo nodded and pointed out the window again. “The light came from behind the first or second row of mountains, Princess. It looked like it came from around the second or third highest peak. That one right… there,” she said.

“The one really far away?”

Scootaloo nodded. “That’s the one.”

“Wonderful…” Celestia stood back up then turned to face Shining and Cadence. “Cadence, you and I will teleport out there at once. Shining? Prepare the infirmary for our return. Make sure everyone is ready. We will return there with Twilight and Rainbow as soon as we are able.” Once Cadence reached her side, Celestia’s horn grew bright, and with a flash of light, the two disappeared from the room.

Phalanx cleared his throat, attracting Scootaloo’s attention. “Come on, kid, let’s go see if the doctors need any help getting set up.”

“We need to go find Spike first. He’d hate me forever if we got Twilight and Rainbow back and we didn’t tell him.”

“Sure thing. You know where he is?”

Scootaloo groaned. “Yeah, he’s outside on the streets… somewhere.”

“Great… back out into the cold?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Let’s do it.”

Right By Your Side

“They’re safe,” Scootaloo said. She and Spike had been sitting on a pair of hard chairs for the last several hours as they kept watch over Rainbow and Twilight. Her rump had been sore for the last few hours but she dared not leave the room, much like she had spent last night keeping watch with Phalanx and Cadence’s guard. Her stomach grumbled yet again, reminding her that it had been far too long since she’d last eaten.

“You’ve said that at least a hundred times now,” Spike said with a groan. He buried his face in his claws.

“Yeah, but… they look really bad. I’m worried.”

“The doctors and the princesses are doing everything they can,” he said with a tired, exasperated tone. “You should go get some shut-eye. I’ll stay here and keep them safe.”

“Not a bad idea, but the both of us need to get some sleep. We’ve been up all night. We did good, you know.” She held out a hoof for him to bump.

“Yeah, I guess they’re not going anywhere.” A yawn forced itself past his lips as he bumped her hoof with his closed fist. “You think the doctors would mind if we slept in here?”

“I doubt they’d say anything, but… we should let Twi and Dash rest. I’m afraid my snoring would wake them up.”

Spike laughed at that. “Probably, yeah.”

Scootaloo pushed herself off the chair and stretched. She walked up to Rainbow’s bed, stood up on her hind legs, then placed her forelegs on the edge. “We’ll be back as soon as we can,” she whispered, hoping to not wake them up. She dropped back down onto all fours and started trudging towards the doors, a yawn forcing itself past her lips.

Spike held the door open for her. The squad of guards keeping watch over the entrance to the hospital wing stood apart, allowing them through without a word. Scootaloo looked up at each of them in turn, wondering if Phalanx was still around, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Two Days Later…

Twilight woke up with a start. The room was mostly dark, yet filled with a comforting warmth. She lay on her right side. Through blurry vision, she saw something move in the dimly-lit room. She blinked to clear her vision and saw Celestia staring out of the window. The moon sat before them, its light just barely gracing Twilight’s bed. “Full moon tonight?” she croaked out.

Celestia’s ears perked up as she turned around with a look of relief. “Why, yes. Yes it is.” She walked over to her bed and sat down beside it. “I am so glad you are awake.”

“What happened?” Twilight pushed herself up the mountain of pillows behind her and propped herself up. Celestia used her magic to levitate a glass of water into her hooves, which she accepted with a grateful smile. After a few small sips of water, she said, “The last thing I remember was trying to keep Rainbow warm in the cave.” Her eyes went wide. “Rainbow!” Her head whipped to the left to find her sleeping in the bed beside her own. “Ugh… Almost had a heart attack…” She let her head collapse against the pillows as she took slow, deep breaths to slow her racing heart. “Is she–”

“The doctors tell me that Rainbow will recover. The two of you have a long road to recovery in front of you, though all that matters now is that you two are alive.”

She’s avoiding the question, Twilight thought. “How’d you find us? What happened?”

“Your firework. I thought it was a most excellent idea on your part. It was actually young Scootaloo who spotted it.”

“How are they?”

“They are better now. They were rather… distraught, to put it gently, when they saw how you two looked after I brought you two back. They’ll be happy to hear that you’re awake.”

Twilight’s gaze snapped towards Celestia. “After you brought us back? We didn’t… you know, did we?”

“What? No, no. I only meant that I brought you back to the castle. But you two were close. Very, very close,” she said, her voice tight. She wiped away a fresh stream of tears with a white cloth. “Cadence and I spent nearly an hour searching the mountains for you. Once I found you in that cave, I called out for you, hoping you would rise, but… you did not even so much as stir. You and Rainbow looked so pale that I… I feared the worst,” she finally choked out. Celestia took a few moments to collect herself.

“Thank you,” Twilight lamely said. She felt like she should say more given all that Celestia had done for them, but she found herself at a loss for words. “What happened to Brick? Was he–”

“Captured. It is over. From what I heard from Cadence, Shining took him prisoner moments after you and Rainbow teleported away.”

“Good,” Twilight said with a sigh of relief. “And Scootaloo? Spike? Everyone is okay?”

“Of course, little one.” A hint of worry slipped into Celestia’s tone. “I hate to ask this of you but I must know. What of your magic?” she asked. “I tried to repair the damage done to your horn, but…”

A sense of dread consumed Twilight. She closed her eyes and felt around her mind. That familiar channel of energy that always served to comfort her was gone. She clenched her eyes shut and tried again, this time wracking her mind for any familiar sense of her magic only to yield the same result. A single tear slipped down her cheek as she stared into the sheets, unable to look her former mentor in the eyes. She feared that vocalizing her failure would only cement the fact that she was bereft of her magic. She felt Celestia’s hoof come to rest upon her own.

“I am so sorry,” Celestia murmured. “I swear to you that I will not stop searching for a solution.”

Celestia’s words comforted Twilight only slightly. “Thank you, again. At the end… I proposed to her.” Her gaze settled on her fiancé. “Once we make it through this, we’re to be married.”

Celestia’s eyes brightened at that. “At least something beautiful came out of this horrible mess,” she said with an excited grin.

“I need a ring to do it properly, though. Can you…?”

Celestia nodded. “Of course. I have just the one in mind. And have you thought of who will be the wedding officiant?”

Twilight chuckled. “I was going to ask you. I can’t think of anyone better to tie the knot between the two of us.”

“It would be my honor,” Celestia said. “Now that you are feeling better, I think I shall return to my quarters and rest. I have been awake for nearly three days, after all. Will you be okay if I leave? The doctors check in every hour.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just one thing, though?” She couldn’t help but let a sheepish smile slip onto her face. She nodded towards Rainbow. “Could you…” Celestia smiled back as she understood, then used her magic to gently move her onto Rainbow’s bed. “Thanks. See you in the morning?”

“Of course. Sleep well, little one.”

“You too.” Once Celestia left them all alone, Twilight couldn’t but feel like a giddy filly again as she snuggled up against Rainbow’s side. “Dashie…” she whispered. Rainbow snored in response. She nuzzled her cheek, hoping to gently wake her, but Rainbow snored even louder than before. “Oh well… no matter what, I’ll always be here for you, right by your side.” She wiggled her way underneath Rainbow’s sheets, draped a wing across her back, and got as cozy as she could on the small bed before she allowed sleep to take her once more.

That morning, she was surprised to find that Rainbow had woken before her. “Hey, cutie,” she heard Rainbow say. Her eyes sprang open.

“H-Hey, you…” she murmured as she nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek.

“You know, your snoring woke me up like, five times last night,” Rainbow said. “I wanted to wake you up but you looked like you needed the rest, so– wait a sec. How’d you get in my bed?”

“I had a little help from Celestia,” Twilight admitted with a sheepish grin. “How’s your wing feel?”

Rainbow’s smile faltered. “Still hurts, but I’ve suffered worse.” She pushed her hair out of her face with a hoof. “Have I ever told you how soft your wings are?” She looked over her shoulder to find Twilight’s wing in disarray. “You know I’m gonna have to preen the heck out of your feathers later, right?”

“Looking forward to it.” Twilight wrapped the tips of her feathers around Rainbow’s side and tugged her right up against her side. “Oh!” Twilight giggled as she remembered what she needed to say, knowing that it would really brighten Rainbow’s mood. “There’s something important I need to tell you, Dashie,” she said with excitement.

“Yeah? What?”

Twilight felt an urge to jump around the room at the thought that stood on the edge of her tongue. “I asked if Celestia could marry us and she said yes! Isn’t that wonderful?”

“To be married to a princess by a princess… Would that make me royalty, then? Would I be Princess Dash? I like the sound of that!” Rainbow sat up a little bit and let Twilight fold her wing back to her side. “Do I get a horn and become an alicorn just like you?”

Twilight laughed. “I don’t think it works like that, but I could get used to calling you Princess Dash so long as you call me the Princess of Snuggles,” she said with a sly grin.

“The Princess of Snuggles and the Princess of Friendship? Are you trying to collect titles now?” Rainbow snickered. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Snuggles and Princess of Friendship. Heir to the Celestial throne. Lover of all things plushy and cozy. Addicted to coffee, books, and her marefriend’s bod–”

“Fiancé,” Twilight gently corrected her. “Soon to be wife,” she said with a smirk.

“Heh, yeah. Twilight Sparkle’s wife… sure has a nice ring to it.”

“It sure does.”

Rainbow scratched her bandaged wing. “Why do they make these bandages so itchy? Ugh…” She paused, then glanced back at Twilight’s horn. “How, uh… how do you feel?”

“Better… much better,” Twilight said. “Especially with you by my side. It’s just…” She glanced away as she felt the warmth of the morning sun pour in through the windows. “I’m scared that my magic may never return. Terrified, actually.” She looked back into Rainbow’s eyes for any bit of reassurance she could give.

“We still have each other. And Scootaloo. And Spike.”

“One big happy family?” Twilight hopefully asked as she held out a hoof.

Rainbow placed her hoof on Twilight’s and grasped it firmly. “Our big happy family.”

This is all my fault, Celestia thought as she stared down at Brick. The moment his eyes had fallen upon her, he’d bowed, begging for her to take him away from this dreadful, horrid place. He moaned and groaned about the dark creatures that skittered back and forth in the darkness, always staying out of view yet always within earshot. He told her of the nightmares he suffered throughout the nights, only to be woken up by those same creatures from his restless slumber.

Tears streamed down his face, and for once, Celestia felt a small bit of pity for the distraught pony in front of her. If only she had not grown slack in her duties to keep everypony safe and happy, surely such a situation could have been avoided. Due to her distinct failure, she nearly lost some of her closest friends, something she swore would never happen again.

“Why?” she finally asked. Her heart yearned for answers, though she was afraid of what Brick had to say.

“Why what?” Brick retorted, his tone telling just how annoyed he was. He wiped his eyes with a dirty hoof and stood up, looking up at her with unease, caution, and a bit of anger. “Why do I want to leave this terrifying place? I just told you! Do you have wax stuck in those big ears of yours?”

Celestia’s eyes narrowed. He knew exactly what she wanted to know and had chosen to be disrespectful instead. “Why would you throw your life away?”

Brick rolled his eyes. “Do you really have to ask? I know you know who put me up to this. I already talked to the pink princess; you should go find out what I said from her. Just let me out of here! I’ll do anything, I promise!”

“I need to hear it from you,” Celestia said in an emotionless tone of voice.

Brick stared at her for several moments, then finally broke. “I did it for my wife. Do I need to say more?” Celestia simply stared back, unmoving. “Fine, fine… Since I couldn’t break the love of my life free, I needed to redeem myself. Figured I could finally have my wife’s respect if I… you know.”

“Love or respect is never gained from doing such a heinous crime. Surely you knew that,” Celestia said with distaste.

“Doesn’t matter now, does it?”

“I suppose not.”

“Since I’m apparently going to be in prison for the rest of my life, can I at least be transferred out of here? I’ll do anything, I swear! Please?”

Celestia scoffed. A princess like her should never scoff at her subjects, even those who had tried to commit murder, but what Brick had just asked for was simply absurd and out of the question. To move him back to Canterlot to be near his wife was a luxury he would never get to feel. Her gaze hardened.

“So… is that a no?”

Celestia’s expression soured further at his audacity. Her pity for the one in front of her faded away, replaced by an anger that she rarely ever felt. She glanced both ways down the corridor. Knowing that she was all alone for the moment, she gave in and allowed herself to play with those dark thoughts that grew on the edge of her mind, letting them mull and twist within. A small part of her knew that she was being influenced by King Sombra’s magic from all those years ago, and yet, she still allowed it in. If he ceased to exist, nopony would ever have to worry about him ever again. No, I could not do that… What if I cast a spell to remove him from everyone’s memory? All their trauma and worries would be gone and all would be able to live a life back in harmony… She toyed with the logistics of how she would alter everyone’s minds and memories, but deep down, she knew that what she was considering was very, very wrong.

Brick’s incessant begging broke her from her thoughts, his whines and pleas for forgiveness and mercy annoying her to no end. As she regained control of herself and her mind, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. If such a place could affect her so easily and manage to get past her wards, she could only imagine the toll it took on Brick.

Celestia sighed, locked eyes with Brick for what she knew was the last time, then turned and walked away. She heard some sort of large, menacing creature skitter in the darkness behind her. Its fetid scent plagued her nose and quickened her step. As she neared the exit, she cast one forlorn look over her shoulder. While she had managed to fight off the remnants of Sombra’s influence on her mind, she did allow a small piece to remain, if even just for a few moments.

She let herself smile as she thought of the many sleepless nights Brick had in front of him. It felt good to let him rot in here; he’d made her friends suffer long enough. She only hoped that she could come to forgive herself in the coming years for choosing to abandon one of her little ponies, even if it was for good reason.

Celestia stopped in front of the exit and cast one long, forlorn look over her shoulder. “Goodbye, Brick.” Before she touched the portal to return to the surface, her mind turned to that of Twilight and the long road to recovery she faced. While hopeful that she would be able to figure out a way for Twilight to use magic again, a small part of her worried that it was gone forever.

May Our Love Last Forevermore

Several years later…

Twilight lay on the familiar thick red quilt next to the same tree where Rainbow had asked her out on a date all those years ago. A single candle sat to her left, its small flame flickering in the wind. Though while a thick blanket of snow covered the ground this time of year, it never stopped her from faithfully recreating their spot. A thick white blanket sat upon her back, keeping her warm from the light wind and the cold. Another blanket sat across from her, neatly folded for Rainbow.

They had spent each anniversary of their wedding at this very spot, though this was the first time that she would spend it alone. While she sorely missed her wife, she was happy that she had achieved her dreams of joining and flying with the Wonderbolts. They were off on a tour around the country, and as fate would have it, today’s date put them pretty far away from Ponyville. Rainbow had tried to convince Spitfire to change the schedule but it was already set in stone. Twilight had accepted that she’d be alone on their next anniversary, knowing that Rainbow would have done everything possible to be at her side.

Spike had gone off on a journey to find himself and his purpose in life. It had been quite the surprise when he sprouted wings, but of course it was only natural for one of his age. While she sorely missed him, he was steadfast in his resolve to find out who he was. She knew he’d be back eventually. Scootaloo was in her last year of school, and while she still struggled to fly, that never stopped her from chasing her dreams of being in the Wonderbolts, especially since Rainbow was their newest recruit. Rainbow had promised that she would help her get a job working for the Wonderbolts once she was old enough, a job that would keep the two of them close.

It had been just over two months since she’d last seen Rainbow. She had wanted to follow her and the Wonderbolts on tour, but her duties as a princess and as a mother kept her from following her heart and her wife across the countryside. She tilted her head back and looked up into the sky, praying for any sign of her lover in the twilight sky, but alas, she didn’t see anything. Her ears flopped down in disappointment, though she knew she shouldn’t feel this way. Still, it was hard not to when your heart yearned for your better half. Rainbow was due back in just under three weeks, though she felt like that was three weeks too many.

Twilight thought back to their wedding day. She’d give anything to experience that wonderful day once more. All her friends, family, and all the princesses had gathered in Princess Celestia’s throne room for the ceremony. To profess her love for her best friend in front of so many was daunting to be sure, but Rainbow’s wondrous smile gave her the strength she needed to stand before such a large crowd. Twilight’s dress was considerably more complex and intricate, complete with lace and pure-white crystals while Rainbow had worn something a little simpler, yet just as elegant.

She stared off into the distance and watched as the sun disappeared. The moon rose into the sky shortly after, its arrival silently reminding her that she was just as alone as the moon was in the night sky. Twilight sighed once more, unable to keep herself from feeling lonely.

“Hey there, egghead,” came a familiar voice from behind.

Twilight’s head whipped around, unable to believe her ears. Rainbow leaned against the tree, still clad in her Wonderbolts uniform. “Rainbow? What are you doing here?” She pushed herself up in an instant and wrapped her forelegs around her wife in a hug that spoke volumes of her love.

“What, you think I’d miss our anniversary?” she asked, panting as she hugged her back. Her chest heaved up and down as she worked to catch her breath.

Twilight let her go. “B-But your show? How did you manage to get away?” she asked, astonished that she had been able to fly such a far distance without stopping.

“I gave one of our backups a chance to fly with the team. You should have seen how excited they were when I told them they were flying tonight in my place.” Rainbow slipped out of her uniform and hung it and her goggles on a low branch.

“How long did it take you to fly here?” Twilight asked as she led Rainbow to their quilt and blankets.

“Too long, but hey, you’re worth it. I couldn’t stand being away from you on our anniversary. Thing is, though, I have to leave super early tomorrow morning to make it back in time for our next show.” Rainbow sat down across from her, only then noticing the neatly-folded note that lay next to Twilight. “Hey, is that…” She chuckled, picked up the note, then unfolded it. Her nostrils flared as a smile broke out on her face. “Meet me under the tree with the single candle,” she slowly read aloud. “You kept it all this time?”

“Of course. I would never throw away something that signifies our love, even if it is a worn and tattered note.”

“I was terrified that you would say no, you know.” Rainbow lay down and pulled the spare blanket over her shoulders. “I didn’t want to ruin what we had, but I saw an opportunity that I just couldn’t miss.” She tucked her hooves and tail underneath the blanket.

“And do you think it paid off?” Twilight smugly asked.

“Eh, kinda. At least it got me a half-decent snuggle buddy,” Rainbow said with a smirk.

“Half-decent!” Twilight feigned shock. “I’ll have you know I studied the art of snuggling for months because of you! I consider myself the leading expert on all things to do with snuggling, by the way,” she said as she shot a smirk back at Rainbow. “Speaking of which…” She fished a book out from under her blanket and placed it between them for her to look at.

“The Art of the Snuggle? Who wrote this?” she asked, her tone filled with curiosity. “Sounds like something we would have read.”

“Believe it or not, but I wrote it. I wanted to surprise you with it when you got back as our anniversary present. I used what I learned with you to write it. Go on, see for yourself!” she said with pride and excitement.

Rainbow opened the book up to the first page and read aloud, “Dedicated to the love of my life and best friend, Rainbow Dash. May our love last forevermore.” She glanced up at her. “Simple, yet elegant.” She looked back down at the book and flipped to the table of contents. “Wow, you really put some thought into this. How long did this take you to make?”

“Many, many months. I had to go back and change a few things as we explored–”

“Each other’s bodies?” Rainbow asked as she cut her off.

Twilight felt her cheeks warm. “In one regard, yes,” she finally admitted.

“Heh, knew it.” Rainbow shut the book and pushed it back towards Twilight. “We’ll definitely have to read it together soon, but there’s something else I want to do first.” Twilight couldn’t help but blush again from Rainbow’s gaze. She knew what she wanted. She wanted it too. Rainbow leaned in to steal a quick kiss from her lips like she’d always done, but Twilight desired more. When her wife tried to pull away after a mere two-second kiss, she grinned and pulled her back in with a hoof.

While she and Rainbow had made out many times, the soft touch of Rainbow’s lips upon hers never failed to make her muscles loosen and lose all strength, almost as if her subconscious mind wanted to keep her there for as long as possible. It was the gentle yet earnest energy that Rainbow put into their expression of love for one another that made her yearn for it to never end. If only she could find a spell to suspend their need to breathe would she be able to truly show Rainbow just how much she cared for her.

If only she could cast any spell.

She faltered, a pit growing in her stomach as she was reminded of her inability to use magic. The crack on the side of her horn had never healed, forcing her to learn how to live as an earth pony. While Rainbow had helped her learn to live like a pegasus, she struggled to do even the most menial tasks with her hooves and wings.

The princesses had tried everything they could, but even after many tireless nights, none could figure out a way to restore Twilight’s magic. Each time she tried to perform even the most rudimentary of spells resulted in a headache that made her bedridden for days. How could she be a princess without magic? How could one deserve to call themselves an alicorn, much less a unicorn, without the ability to use magic? Those questions had plagued Twilight’s mind for all this time, but at the end of the day, she knew that losing such an intimate part of herself was well worth it if she could spend just one more day with the love of her life. Every day past that was simply a blessing.

Rainbow pulled away with a look of concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “I know I’m a bit out of practice, but–”

“It’s not that; you were great! It’s just…”Twilight gulped, her mouth feeling dry. “I was just thinking about my magic. I’m sorry that I ruined such a nice moment, but–” She stopped talking and looked back up into her eyes as Rainbow’s hoof found hers under the blankets, only then noticing that Rainbow was looking up at her horn.

Rainbow’s eyes narrowed as she leaned back in to take another look. “You know… the crack looks a little smaller.”

“It does?” Even if Rainbow was fibbing, she still felt a glimmer of hope where it hadn’t existed before. She appreciated her kind words for it showed her that Rainbow didn’t mind her ruining their moment.

“Have you… tried to use it lately?” Rainbow gently asked.

Twilight shook her head. “No. I haven’t felt it since that… night on the mountain. Every time I reach out to try to use my magic, it hurts. Imagine the kind of headache one would get from drinking too much hard cider. Double that, then imagine being bucked on the side of the head.” Her throat tightened, making her stumble and choke on her words. “That’s how it feels when I try to cast even the simplest of spells. The pain lasts for days.”

Rainbow’s shoulders drooped for a few moments before her eyes lit up. “Hey, what if you just have to push through that pain? What if you’re stopping right before the spell releases?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Isn’t learning how to use magic just like working out at a gym? Like, don’t you have to start at the lowest weight and work yourself up to heavier stuff?” Twilight nodded slowly as she tried to figure out where Rainbow was going. “And just like when I do a sonic rainboom, you remember how I have to get past that barrier to make it happen?” Twilight nodded once more, still perplexed. “Okay, hear me out!” Rainbow stood up and started pacing back and forth. “What if you just overexerted yourself to the point where it took you so long to recover that you have to start back at square one? What if you just need to push through that barrier?”

Twilight wilted at the thought. The idea of suffering such terrible pain for days, especially on their anniversary, made her stomach twist and turn. Part of her told her to accept her lot in life and to not try to stay comfortable, but the more she thought about it, the more Rainbow’s theory had merit. That idea sent a spark of hope that made her heart beat fast.

“Could you try one more time? For me?” Rainbow asked with a comforting smile.

Twilight stood up and steadied herself, her eyes locked on the space between them. Her knees shook with nervous anticipation. The mere thought of being able to use magic again sent little nervous tingles down her legs and spine. She noticed Rainbow’s tail swishing back and forth in excited anticipation, pushing a smile to her lips.

With a single deep breath, she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, pushing harder than ever before, even harder than when she was a filly at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Seconds passed as a headache grew at the base of her horn, spreading throughout her head. The pain grew worse with each passing second until a stabbing pain drove her to stop. The tip of her horn felt off and radiated heat like never before.

“Why’d you stop? I saw something!” Rainbow blurted out. “You were so close!”

“W-What? But I–” Twilight blinked a couple of times, confused.

“I saw a spark! Tiny, but still a spark!” She stood up and nudged her on the shoulder like a teammate in hoofball would. “Come on, you can do it!”

“You really saw something? No fibbing?” she cautiously asked.

“I swear on my love for you that I did.”

Hope surged within Twilight’s heart. After a few deep breaths, she spread her forelegs shoulder-width apart and closed her eyes. Right before she started to search for the magic within her mind, she felt Rainbow’s lips upon her own, then heard her whisper into her ear, “I love you, my little bookworm. Show me your magic.”

Twilight pushed as hard as she could, this time ignoring the stabbing pain. It felt as if someone was driving a spike through her head. Her horn grew warm, then hot, but still she pushed on. Her knees began to tremble and yet she kept going. As the feeling of nausea built within her core, an invisible wall began to crack within her mind. She focused all her energy on that wall, and right as she was about to give up, the wall shattered into a thousand pieces. Her breath quickened as she bathed in the wondrous warmth of her magic, finally feeling that comforting sensation and thrumming of power coursing through her mind. She bit back the rising bile and doubled down, so close to victory that she could almost taste it. Focusing on her love for her wife, she thought of only Rainbow as she finally felt the spell finish and release. The mental strain lifted immediately, and through blurry vision she watched in awe as a single pink heart a few inches across slowly drifted down in between them. I… I did it!

Rainbow caught the floating heart between her front hooves and held it as gently as if she were holding a baby bird. It slowly spun around on its axis, hovering mere inches above her hooves. It popped a few moments later, winking out of existence. “I knew you could do it, Twi!” she exclaimed. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”

“Awful and amazing.”

“I know how that feels,” Rainbow laughed. She looked back up at her, her eyes going wide a second later. “Twilight! The crack; it’s smaller!”

A cold shiver ran down Twilight’s back. “Really?” She looked up at her horn, but couldn’t see it because the crack was just out of her vision. She lifted a hoof to feel it. It was warm to the touch, but Rainbow was right; she could barely feel the crack anymore. “I wonder if it’ll heal the more I practice…” she murmured, already deep in thought about the possibilities.

“I’m sure it will.” Rainbow stepped forward and pulled her into a ferocious hug. Tears of joy stained Twilight’s back, but she cared not for she was whole once more.

“So, my Princess of Snuggles, what’s your first order?” Rainbow asked with a cheeky grin as she bowed.

“Well, for starters…” Twilight lay down, fluffed her feathers, and held her left wing open. “My first order will be that you come snuggle and spend all night with me.”

“It would be my honor and my pleasure.” Rainbow lay down next to her and snuggled up against her side, eliciting a hum of content from her wife. “Anything else, my princess?” she asked in a joking tone.

“Oh, but of course!” Twilight draped her wing across Rainbow’s back, pulled as close as she possibly could, then nuzzled her cheek before laying her head against hers. “My second decree is that we practice the advanced levels of snuggles and cuddles from my book. I need more, uh… practice with another expert snuggler for my second book on snuggles.”

“Uh huh…” Rainbow saw past her fib with ease. “You just wanna snuggle with me as much as you can, don’t you? You know you don’t need a reason to show me some lovin’.” She unfurled her right wing and draped it across Twilight’s back.

“Oh, that gives me an idea! My third decree is that we must snuggle at least for a half hour on every day ending in Y,” she said with a smirk.

“But every day ends in–” Rainbow chuckled. “I see what you did there. Consider it done.”

A cold breeze ran through the clearing, almost extinguishing the little candle. Twilight felt Rainbow shiver. While she wasn’t particularly cold, she didn’t want the wintery weather to ruin their night. “Say… do you remember what you asked me all those years ago in this same spot?”

“Of course, I remember it like it was yesterday.” Rainbow grinned. “Wanna snuggle at my place?”

“Always.”

A Familial Encounter, Part I

The trip to Cloudsdale didn’t take that long thanks to the two strong pegasi that pulled them along. With the moon at their back, they landed in the middle of an empty street a couple of blocks away from Rainbow’s parents’ house. A few ponies on the street peered at them for a few moments, but otherwise paid no attention to them.

While Rainbow used her muzzle to help Scootaloo get on her back, Spike glanced up at Twilight. “Uh... wanna cast that spell on me? It’d be pretty bad if I fell through the cloud,” he said with a chuckle.

“Even if she forgot, Rainbow would catch you because she’s the fastest flyer ever!” Scootaloo said, hopping up and down on Rainbow’s back.

“You got that right, squirt!” Rainbow looked over her shoulder, bit down on Scootaloo’s scarf, then yanked on it. “That tight enough? Don’t want you catching a cold out here.”

“Yeah, it’s fine, thanks! So where’s your house?”

“Just a little ways down the road and around that corner,” Rainbow said, pointing down the road. “Hey Twi, you know what time it is?”

The light from Twilight’s horn faded away, and as Spike hopped onto the cloud, she lit her horn again and fished a little timepiece from her saddlebag. “It’s eight thirty-four. You think your parents would still be up?” she asked, a little hint of worry plain in her tone.

“Of course! They’re night owls! Every time I snuck out of my bedroom after they put me to bed to get a snack, their light was always on, and I doubt that anything has changed since then. Come on, I’ll lead the way!”

“Alright, but first things first...” Twilight dug into her saddlebag and pulled out a small bag of bits. “Thank you for your services, kind sirs. Your service will not be needed anymore,” she said, levitating the bag of bits into the hoof of one of the guards. They nodded at her, then promptly took off into the night sky. “So, about your parents’ house?” she asked, looking at Rainbow.

“Like I said, it’s just down the street!” Rainbow said as she started to trot down the road, a gleeful pep in her step. “The house isn’t as big as mine, Scootaloo, but it still was a great place to grow up in. I’m hoping that I can give you as good a life as they did for me when I was growing up.” They rounded the corner, and Rainbow quickened her speed as the house she grew up in came into view. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that the entire house was dark. “Hm...” She walked up the short path to the door and knocked. “Mom? Dad?” she called out, rapping on the door yet again. “You guys home?”

“Is everything okay, Rainbow?” Twilight asked, feeling the tips of her feathers start to grow cold. A shiver ran down her back as a breeze ran by.

“I... I don’t know. They should be home!” Rainbow flicked her tail in annoyance, then hit the door a lot harder. “Come on, stop playing games! I know you’re in there!”

“Don’t you have a key or something?” Scootaloo asked, cocking her head to the side. “My old parents never gave me a key to the house because they didn’t really trust me, but they each had one, so... where’s yours?”

“I didn’t really ask for one when I left because... I dunno.” Rainbow shrugged, then hit the door again.

“Hey, would ya keep it down?!” a neighbor yelled from their right. “Do you even know what time... Wait, Rainbow, is that you?” he asked, his voice changing from one of anger to one less angry.

“Stormy?” Rainbow asked as she turned to get a better look at him. “Is that you?”

“Sure is!” Stormy flew over the small fence separating the two properties, then landed in front of them. He glanced at Twilight, then his eyes went wide as he recognized her. “Princess Sparkle!” Stormy bowed low before her. “Please forgive me for not recognizing you earlier. It is rather dark out, and my eyes haven’t fully adjusted to the darkness yet.”

“It is quite all right, Mr. Stormy,” Twilight said, using a hoof to guide him back up. “So... any idea why Rainbow’s parents’ house is all dark? She said that they usually stay up pretty late, and we kinda didn’t tell them we were coming.”

“Oh, uh... they left for Manehatten a few days ago...” Stormy said with unease. He glanced to the left, then the right, fluffed his wings, then finally sighed. “They’re not coming back for another week and a half, too. I just know this because they asked me to get their mail while they were gone.”

Rainbow groaned into her hoof. “Ugh... how could I forget about their vacation? They do this every year around this time!”

“You know, you could stay at the Cloudy Inn on the other side of town. I know it’s nothing fancy like a five-star hotel or anything like that, but it’ll hold you over until tomorrow if you want to go somewhere else!” Stormy said.

Twilight sighed, letting her shoulders droop. “'Tis a pity; I was looking forward to meeting your parents, Rainbow,” she said, sitting down next to her.

“Yeah... oh well. Thanks for the tip, Stormy,” she said, bumping her outstretched hoof against his. “Your folks doing okay?”

“Yeah, they’re good. They gave me their house, and decided to go live in a nursing home. They’re getting pretty old, and they don’t want to hold me down. I still visit them every day, though, so it’s not like I’ve pushed them out of my life.” Glancing back at his house, he said, “Well... it’s getting pretty chilly out, and I told my folks I’d meet them for breakfast tomorrow morning, so I’m gonna head back inside. It was nice running into you!” He opened his wings and after a small wave, he flew back to his warm house and shut the door.

“So... the hotel?” Spike asked, rubbing his arms with his claws to generate warmth.

“Before we go...” Scootaloo slid from Rainbow’s back and sat in front of Spike. “Could you do that fire breathing thingy that dragons do?” she asked, looking at him with a hopeful grin. “I’m pretty cold.”

“Sure, but only if Twilight’s fine with it.” He looked up at Twilight with a raised eyebrow, silently asking for permission. When she nodded, he blew a stream of fire in front of Scootaloo, holding out for as long as he could as he clenched his eyes shut.

Scootaloo slid closer to the flames and held out her two front hooves, rubbing them together in the few seconds that she had. “Ahh... much better, thanks!” She wrapped her forelegs around Spike’s neck for a moment, then stepped back.

“Any idea where the hotel is, Rainbow? I don’t know much about Cloudsdale aside from that time we all came to watch you in that flying competition,” Twilight said, rubbing her forelegs together.

“Yeah, I remember. Come on, I’ll lead the way.” She shot a forlorn glance at her parents’ house, then solemnly walked away.

After checking into one of the last rooms available, they locked their hotel room door behind them after deciding to go to one of Rainbow’s favorite restaurants from when she was a filly. Since it was only a few blocks away and a couple of streets over, they made quick time.

Feeling pretty worn out, Twilight walked inside and stopped, noticing two small walls separating the restaurant in half with a small bar in the middle. She noticed Rainbow walk towards the right, so she trudged after her, grateful to get out of the cold. They picked a random booth near the back, and she chose to take the bench on the right, finally letting her weary head rest on the table. Scootaloo climbed up on the seat beside her while Rainbow and Spike took the other booth. Hearing hoofsteps approach their table, Twilight lifted her head and threw on a smile for their waiter as he walked up to them.

“Hello everyone, welcome to the– Princess Twilight! It is an honor to have you dine at our fine establishment. If you had let us know that you were coming, we would have reserved our finest seat in the house for you and your party. I shall inform the chef of your arrival, but first, what drinks will you be having tonight?” He levitated a quill and a small notebook in front of him. “If it pleases you, I would be happy to serve you and Miss Dash our finest wine on the house, of course!”

“That’d be great!” Dash said with a wide grin. “Sure could go for something to help me relax! As for the rest of us, water would be great.”

“Four waters and a bottle of our best wine, got it!” the waiter said as he tucked his notepad away. “I’ll be right back!”

Scootaloo’s ears flopped down as she looked up at Twilight, letting her shoulders slump in disappointment. After a couple of seconds, she glanced away with a huff.

Twilight’s ears perked up at that. “Everything okay, sweetie?” she asked, wrapping a wing around Scootaloo.

Scootaloo sighed. “It’s just... alcohol ruined my old parents’ lives, so why are you guys drinking?” she asked. “I don’t want you to turn into them...”

Oh... Twilight winced. How to handle this... “Well... what your old parents did was wrong. Drinking consumed their lives, and it twisted them into the monsters they are. If they drank a lot, and if they drank pretty often, they could have been alcoholics, which means that they would feel a strong craving to keep drinking, or they would have to drink a lot more than normal just to feel buzzed or drunk. Now, what proper mares do is drink in moderation. Never enough to get drunk, only a little buzzed, just enough to help you relax. Fine wine also doesn’t have as much alcohol as liquor, which is what your parents drank, and we’re only going to have a small glass.”

“On second thought...” Rainbow fluffed her wings as she chewed on her bottom lip. “Maybe we should hold off on the wine tonight. Might be a little too soon for that.”

Twilight’s smile faltered. “Very well.” She caught Rainbow’s eye, then mouthed, “Good idea.”

“Thanks, guys.” Scootaloo nuzzled Twilight’s side with a smile, then said, “I”ll be back in a minute, okay? I’m going to go use the mares room.” She pushed herself off of the seat and stood, waiting for Twilight’s answer.

“You want Rainbow or me to go with you?” Twilight asked, starting to slide out of her seat.

“Nah, I’m pretty sure I can handle going to the bathroom by myself,” Scootaloo said with a giggle. “I’m not a foal anymore, after all!”

“What do you want if the waiter comes back before you do?” Rainbow asked.

“Just a salad with a lot of croutons and cheese! Oh, and ranch, too! Can’t forget the best part of the salad!” With that being said, she trotted away from the table and found her way towards the back of the restaurant, trotting past many occupied tables. “Huh, sure is busy around here...” she muttered to herself. Pushing open the door to the bathroom, she walked into the first stall and shouldered the door closed, though right before she was about to do her business, the door to the bathroom opened again.

“Are you sure she wasn’t there?” Scootaloo heard a familiar voice say, a voice that made her heart stop and her eyes go wide. My mom! What’s she doing here?! she thought, trying to make herself as small as possible. All worries of how clean the bathroom floor was disappeared, for the fear for her life reigned supreme in her mind.

“Yeah, the house was dark. I knocked for like, five minutes, but nopony came to the door. Maybe they’re out looking for you two? And let’s be real here, you shouldn’t be out in public, either,” an unknown voice said.

“Ugh, fine!” Scootaloo heard her mother stomp the floor once. “And nopony’s gonna look for us here. We appreciate that you’re letting us crash at your place until we figure out our next move.”

“About that... What’s your husband been up to? I haven’t seen him in a few days.”

“He’s been out talking to some of our old friends around Equestria, trying to figure out if they know anything about the Princess’s whereabouts. He should be back sometime tonight; at least, that’s what he said before he left.”

“Very well. Shall we return to dinner? Our food should be coming out any minute now, and my friends don’t like to be kept waiting.”

Scootaloo heard the bathroom door open then shut. With her entire body trembling, she crept forward and pushed her head underneath the small space of the stall’s door, and once she saw that the coast was clear, she cautiously opened the stall’s door, wincing at the loud, obnoxious squeak that it made. She bolted to the bathroom’s door, then as slowly as she dared, she pushed it open just enough to check that the area just outside of it was clear, then bolted back to her table and scurried underneath it.

“Scootaloo, what are you doing?” Twilight asked with a giggle as she used her magic to pull her out from under the table. She placed her back in her seat, and barely a moment passed before Scootaloo tried to hide herself in her wing. “This is a nice restaurant, we can’t be play...” Her eyes narrowed when she felt Scootaloo’s body trembling against hers. “What’s wrong?” she firmly asked.

“She’s here!!” Scootaloo whispered as loud as she dared, her eyes as wide as they could go as she gazed up at Twilight.

“Who’s here?” Rainbow asked, placing her front hooves on the table as she stood up.

“My mom!” Scootaloo said, looking at the rest of the tables on the other side of the restaurant. Her eyes scanned the tables, going from left to right. “There!” she said, pointing at the table in the farthest corner, where four ponies sat. “There she is, right there!”

Rainbow jumped up onto the table, staring directly at Scootaloo’s mother. “Hey, you!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. Tranquil’s head whipped up, her eyes locking with hers. “I’ve been waiting too long for this...” Rainbow muttered as a smirk grew on her face.

The Right Decisions Are Always the Hardest to Make

Rainbow froze in place as she heard someone groan from further down in the darkness. Her ears flicked up as she looked in the direction of the sound. “Twilight, is that you?” she asked, recognizing something familiar about the tone of voice. She trudged forward, her hooves slipping on patches of ice, making her heart skip a beat each time.

“D-Dash?” came Twilight’s feeble voice from much, much further inside the cave.

“Twilight?! Hang on, I’m coming!” Rainbow darted forward, barreling recklessly through the darkness. She paid little attention to the pain from each impact that her shoulders took as she slammed into unseeable objects. Each touch was cold and rough. “Where are you?” she called out. “I can’t see you!”

“Over… Over here!” The sounds of retching echoed off the cavern walls.

Rainbow followed the unpleasant sounds until she felt that she was only a few steps away. “Twi?” she softly asked.

“Y-Yeah?” Twilight coughed out to her right.

Rainbow crept over to her, testing each step she took so she wouldn’t step on her. Once the tip of her hoof brushed Twilight’s shaking body, she sat down next to her and draped her right wing over her lover’s body. “Are you okay? What hurts? What happened?” she blurted out. She lay down against her side, relying on her sensitive feathers to paint an image of Twilight in her mind in the utter blackness. Her lover was slumped down on her side, her legs splayed out away from her. Fearing the worst, Rainbow pulled her up against her right side as best she could and held her tight with her good wing, hoping that she could provide a little comfort where she only felt fear.

“I… I saved us,” came Twilight’s weak response. She groaned a moment later, then muttered something that didn’t make sense.

“Where are we? Where did you teleport us?” Rainbow asked, growing more desperate for answers the longer that Twilight didn’t reply. So many questions ran through her mind, each dancing on the tip of her tongue to be let free. Twilight could only cough as she struggled to reply. She sobbed against Rainbow’s breast as she tried to push herself up, her right hoof slipping against the ice.

“What about Scoots?!” Rainbow’s ears perked up at the thought of their daughter. “Scootaloo!” she called out. “Spike!” Her head whipped every which way as her voice echoed over and over without a response. “Did you teleport them as well?” Once she uttered those words, only then did she realize the price Twilight paid to save their lives. “Your horn! Is it–”

“I don’t– wan– thi…” Twilight’s words faded off as she grew limp, her weight falling back against Rainbow’s side.

“Twilight? Twilight! Wake up!” Rainbow couldn’t help but let her fear affect her tone. Her desperate pleas earned no response even after she nudged Twilight’s head with her own, rubbing her cheek against hers. “Twilight!” Remembering what Twilight said about unicorns losing their magic if they pushed themselves too far, she froze as she feared the worst for she had never seen Twilight in such a state. She held her hoof in front of Twilight’s nose and sighed in relief as she felt short, warm breaths of air grace it.

An hour passed as she lay next to Twilight, staying alert for anything. The sound of water dripping behind her kept her from finding rest as it came infrequently. For someone who always knew what to do, in this situation she had no clue on how to proceed. Another hour passed, the time spent in the absolute darkness making her feel uneasy. She had no idea what threats there were in the cave. The mere thought of spiders crawling around in the dark, unable to be seen, made her choose to find a safer place.

With a groan, she pushed her head under Twilight’s barrel. Rainbow threaded her head through Twilight’s forelegs and stood up all the way, lifting her lover up onto her back. “C’mere, girl,” she said through gritted teeth. With her legs nearly buckling, Rainbow took a deep breath to steady herself and balanced Twilight on her back. Her lover’s breaths came in short and steady, almost as if she was fast asleep. Her warm breath teased the sensitive hairs in her ears, providing the slimmest amount of warmth in such a frigid place. She took a step forward, then another. Ugh… did she gain weight lately? She’s a lot heavier than I remember… Probably shouldn’t have snuck in those hayburgers earlier.

She froze, thinking that she might have heard the faintest whisper of a sound. Rainbow held her breath, praying to hear something, anything again. Moments later, she heard the sound of wind come from her right. She turned to face that direction and took a few steps forward, testing each patch of ground in front of her in fear of slipping and falling. After a couple minutes passed in this manner, the windy noise grew louder, making her feel a sliver of hope. Her knees trembled, though while she was unsure if it was excitement or nervousness, she was sure of one thing: she was going to save them.

With each step, she grew more confident. As the sound of wind grew a little louder, she walked straight into hard stone, surprising her. She felt around with the tip of her hoof in the complete darkness, looking everywhere as she kept Twilight’s head perched upon her own. She closed her eyes and listened for the wind again. The echoes made it hard to place where the sound was coming from, so she chose to go left, holding her right wing out in front of her so she wouldn’t walk right into another dead-end.

Much to her delight, she saw the faintest glimmer of light up ahead. Her pace quickened, each step pushing her further towards the answer that her mind so dearly needed to know. With each step, the light exposed more and more of the tunnel she trudged through. “Twilight?” she hopefully asked. She nodded upwards, hoping to wake her up. “Hey, come on… wake up.” When Twilight failed to respond, she felt her throat tighten as worry plagued her heart. “Please?” she begged.

She finally turned the last corner and found the cave’s snowy entrance further ahead, just big enough for one pony to slip through. The cold, wintery air bit into her coat, and as the path out turned into a slight incline, she paused as she thought of what to do. Seeing a spot just around the corner behind her and out of the bite of the wind, she backtracked and lay down at that spot, using her good wing to help Twilight slide off of her back. “I’ll be back soon, Twi.” As she stood up, she got a good look at Twilight’s horn. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the tiniest of hairline fractures maybe an inch or so long coming from the tip of her horn. She shook her head and blinked, praying that her eyes were deceiving her.

Knowing that their chances of survival just got worse, she leaned in and kissed Twilight’s cheek, then turned to face the cave opening. Rainbow walked out into the open and groaned: she was standing on the side of a sheer cliff that dropped down at least one hundred feet before disappearing into the clouds below. The storm still raged around them, harder than it had been back at the castle. She braced herself and peered over the edge for just a few moments, seeing nothing but sharp, jagged rocks along the face of the wall beneath her. Rainbow squinted and looked everywhere she could, trying to discern some kind of path, some way out, but alas, there was none. Perhaps she would find some way out once the night broke and turned to day.

“Ponyfeathers,” she spat out. With one last wistful glance at her surroundings, she trotted back inside the cave. She found Twilight stirring awake, making her rush back to her side. “Hey, how are you feeling?” she asked. She lay down with her back to the cave entrance, using her good wing to block the wind and shield Twilight from its icy bite. Rainbow smiled down at her as she placed her front hooves on Twilight’s.

Twilight shivered as she blearily looked up into her eyes. “Not well,” she murmured. She blinked several times, then tried to look past Rainbow’s wing. “Where are we?”

Rainbow’s smile faltered. “I don’t know. All I know is that we’re up on some mountain really high up. I just took a look and it’s… not good.” Her breath came to a halt as she thought of Scootaloo. Praying that Twilight would stay conscious long enough to answer her question. “I have to know… why here?”

Twilight winced then looked up at her as if she bore horrible news. “When I teleported us, I didn’t think of any destination when I cast the spell; I didn’t have time. I just… thought anywhere but here. With my horn already damaged, with my magic unfocused, and in the short time I had to make a decision… I… I just cast it because anywhere was better than t-there.” Her head lurched forward as if she was going to retch again, though she was able to reign it in. “I think I saw these mountains all the way off in the distance behind Brick, so I’d say there’s a fair chance we’re there.”

Rainbow glanced around the cave. Yeah, that’d be a good guess, she wryly thought. Her ears fell flat as she saw tears stream down Twilight’s face. “Shhh… you made the right choice.” She pushed herself up against her lover’s body and grimaced as she felt just how cold Twilight’s coat was. Her feathers were frigid, but that didn’t stop her from wrapping her good wing over Twilight’s back. She lay her head against Twilight’s, praying to quell her sobs. “What about Scoots and Spike? Are they safe?” she softly asked, fearing the worst.

“I th-think so. I think I saw Cadence’s horn light up right before we disappeared.” Twilight coughed. “Brick is very likely in custody.”

“I’ve got a few choice words for him,” Rainbow grumbled. “And maybe a hoof or two.”

“As do I,” Twilight laughed before it turned into a cough.

“So… any chance you’ll be able to teleport us out of here?”

Twilight shook her head, then stiffened.

“What’s wrong?” Rainbow glanced over at her, noticing that Twilight’s eyes were shut tight.

“My… my magic! I can’t feel it!” Twilight started hyperventilating. “Oh no, no, no! This can’t be happening!” She tried to stand up, but slipped against the icy ground and fell back down, her right side pressed up against the cave wall. A desperate sob slipped through her lips as she tried again, only to fail yet again. After a few brief moments, she gently touched her horn, wincing at her first touch.

“It’s all still there,” Rainbow murmured. “But it has a crack in it.” When Twilight’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates, she cleared her throat and corrected herself, “B-But it’s not that big; I can barely see it.” She put on a reassuring smile even though she didn’t feel it herself. “I’m sure your magic will come back. It came back enough for you to teleport us who knows how many miles away.” She grabbed her hoof tightly. “And I’m sure those stories about unicorns losing their magic didn’t think about all-powerful alicorns, too.”

Twilight sniffled, though she seemed to calm down a little bit. “Y-You think?”

“Sure, why not? Celestia or Luna must have cast some pretty powerful spells in their time and they’re still able to use magic. You know alicorns are much stronger than the rest of us.” She couldn’t keep herself from shivering as a particularly ferocious gust of wind penetrated her coat. “Right?” she prompted.

Twilight nodded. “Y-Yeah, right,” she said, her voice sounding a little more confident. She cast her gaze out towards the cave’s opening. “Help me up. I want to see where we are. Maybe we can signal someone for help.”

Rainbow looked her up and down in what little light they had. “I already looked. It’s bad.” Twilight looked at her with fresh concern in her eyes. “Yeah, it’s that bad. And with my busted wing, I–” She gingerly held it up, making Twilight gasp. Remembering how Scootaloo’s wing was healed, a glimmer of hope slipped into her mind before it got crushed with the memory of Twilight exclaiming that she can’t feel her magic anymore.

“You should have said something earlier,” Twilight sternly said, her tone grim. Though while her strength eluded her, she still pushed herself near Rainbow's broken wing to get a better look. She held out a shaky yet gentle hoof and helped Rainbow hold it up as best she could for a few moments, then helped her fold it back against her side.

“Why?” Rainbow felt a knot form in her throat. “You can’t fix this, can you?” she defensively asked, unable to keep herself from snapping at her. Twilight wordlessly shook her head. The sheer helplessness she felt pushed her to say, “So then there was nothing to be gained from me telling you I was hurt. I didn’t want you to worry about me.” She looked away from her as tears sprang to her eyes. The wind picked up outside, sending more snow into the cave. Wanting to dispel the awkward situation, Rainbow wiped the tears from her eyes and put on a fake facade of strength. “Look, it’s late,” she said. “We’re not going anywhere any time soon; that storm is too dangerous for anyone to fly in. We should get some rest.”

“Look at me,” came Twilight’s words.

Rainbow fought down her pride then looked back into Twilight’s eyes.

“We need to rely on each other if we’re going to get through this,” Twilight said. “And with it being so cold, we may not last that long by ourselves…”

Rainbow caught on to what she was saying. “So we should snuggle to share our body’s warmth,” she said. Twilight’s smile warmed her heart. “Best time as any,” she said as she wiggled her way against Twilight’s side again, positioning her between the wall and the cold air that blew down the tunnel. She settled down on her stomach and wrapped her good wing over Twilight’s back as she did the same to her.

“We’ll make it out of here,” Twilight whispered. “Everyone will be out looking for us, after all…” She flicked her tail to cover Rainbow’s rump as Rainbow did the same.

“I know…” Rainbow lay her head between her forelegs then felt Twilight’s head lean against hers. “Say, you didn’t teleport any blankets with us, did you?” she asked after several minutes. “It’s too cold for me to fall asleep.”

“Yeah, that wind doesn’t help, either.” Twilight pushed herself up and grimaced before her expression brightened. “Oh, I know! Let’s use the snow to build a wall to block the wind!”

Rainbow grinned. “Smart as always, Twi. If you’ll stay here, I’ll push the snow inside and you build the wall. Deal?”

“Deal!”

It only took a couple minutes of work before the tips of her hooves grew numb. The wall was only a few feet tall, but it was good enough to block most of the wind. Rainbow lay down next to Twilight once more and rubbed her hooves together. “Can’t feel these darn things…” she muttered.

“You too?” came Twilight’s worried tone. She breathed on her own hooves which gave Rainbow the idea to do the same.

“How long do you think we’ll last?”

“I don’t know. Not long in these conditions.”

“What if we go back into the cave? If there’s a natural opening here, there might be an opening somewhere else. Maybe there’s a way out somewhere back in there.”

“Maybe, but there’s no way to be sure. We could get lost in there. If someone comes looking for us, we’d have a better chance of staying here.”

“Is that what your books said?” Rainbow asked in a playfully yet snarky tone.

“Actually, yeah. I read a while ago that it’s much easier for rescuers to find those that are lost if they stay put compared to if they’re moving around.”

“Do we have a choice?”

“We always have a choice.”