Twilight's Escort

***Intro 1***

Twilight Sparkle, every pony's favorite royal librarian, stares up at the ceiling. She was mesmerized by what she saw. It comforted her in times of stress. Spike, who had just recently woken up from his nap, trudges by lazily. He is stopped by Twilight's rear legs.

"Oh... Hey, Twilight. What are you looking at?" He asks sleepily.

Tears swell up in her eyes. Her heart felt heavy as memories of fire and destruction consumed her.

"It's the tree..." Twilight says at last. "The girls put it up there to make me feel more at home, but sometimes... I don't know, Spike. Sometimes, it just reminds me of its destruction. All of those books, all of those memories... He destroyed them all."

Spike places his clawed hand on her side. Twilight looks at him and smiles.

"Thank you, Spike. I guess I just need to let it out sometimes." She says with a sad smile on her face. "I think I'll just go to bed, now..."

"Go to bed?" Spike asks. "It's, like, three in the afternoon."

"Says the baby dragon who just woke up from his nap." Twilight counters. "I... I've had a long day. I'll see you later, Spike..."

With that being said, Twilight takes off down the crystal corridor. Spike watches until he sees her dissapeared behind her door.

"Eh... I'll be in the kitchen, if she needs me." He says.

***Intro 2***

Twilight groans as she throws herself onto her bed. The royal-sized mattresses caught her with ease. A few pillows flew off of the bed. Twilight looks out the window, at the sun high above the clouds. Tears begin to leak out of her eyes.

*What have I done?* Twilight thinks to herself. *The princesses hate me... They must hate me...*

Twilight remembers the golden ring around her horn. She quickly removes it and places it on her night stand.

*It's all YOUR fault...*

She scowls at the ring.

*YOU made me do what I did...*

Twilight looks around for the black amulate Luna have her. Then, she remembers she didn't have it. She had left it in a bag inside her room at Canterlot.

*Good...* Twilight snorts. *That's one less cursed 'gift' I have to return. I'm sure Luna can find it on her own...*

Twilight lays her head down on a large pillow. This way, she is able to watch out of the window across from her. Eventually, her eyes close, and Twilight drifts off to sleep.

***Intro 3***

Twilight's ears flutter as she hears a knock on her door. Her eyes open lazily as she sits up in her bed. The knocking continues. Twilight sighs before responding to the noise.

"Spike, what do you need?" She asks.

There is a pause. Then, Spike answers.

"Actually, I brought you some tea..." The dragon says through the door. "You... looked upset, so I thought I'd bring you some..."

A smile creeps onto Twilight's face. Using the magic from her horn, she opens the door. Sure enough, Spike is standing at the door holding a steaming mug.

"What kind of tea?" Twilight asks playfully as he walks the mug over to her.

Spike shrugs.

"The name was too long and complicated to remember. It is a special brew Zecora made for you."

Twilight chuckles as she takes the tea.

"What, did she teach you to rhyme, too?" Twilight asks.

After a moment of silence, Twilight breaks into laughter again at the realization of her own continuation of the rhyme. Finaly, she takes a long sip from the steaming mug and moans as the warm tea soothes her throat.

"Ahhhh... Thank you, Spike. I really needed that. What time is it?"

Spike ponders this.

"Uh... It's almost eight o'clock. Did you have a nice nap?"

"I sure did." Twilight lies with a cherry grin. "I can see why baby dragons love them so much."

Spike shifts his feet nervously. Twilight, even in her sleepy state, is sharp to notice.

"What is it, Spike?" She asks cautiously.

Spike hesitates to answer.

"Spike..." Twilight says in a low voice.

"There... is some pony here to see you..." Spike says at last.

Then, it dawned on Twilight. There is only two ponies it could be.

*It's them...*

***Present Day***

Twilight prepares herself mentally and physically to face the princesses.

*If they are here to see me grovel, they will be sorely disappointed...* She thinks to herself as she makes her way towards the main hall.

Spike told her the arrival was already inside, waiting for her. Twilight wipes her hoof against her eyes, rubbing away what was left of her sleepy state.

*I really don't want to do this... I don't want to see them... I want to see my friends, but they're all busy...*

As Twilight marches down the corridor, she can make out a single pony standing by the door.

*W-What? That's not Celestia or Luna...*

Then, they dawned on her. Those legs, those flanks, that shiny silver mane, and that bright smile were all to familiar.

"Storm Rider?" Twilight asks, her voice filled with disbelief.

The guard's smile grows as Twilight nears her.

"I'll bet you didn't expect to see me again so soon, miss priss." Storm says with a chuckle.

Twilight looks the mare over. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or not.

"W-What are you doing here?" Twilight asks.

Storm Rider's gaze lowers. Twilight could tell she wanted a conversation in private. The purple mare turns around to face Spike who was standing behind her.

"Spike, may we be alone for a few minutes?" Twilight asks politely.

"Sure thing, Twi." Spike says. "I'll be upstairs.

With that being said, Spike quickly collects himself and takes off down the corridor. Twilight and Storm Rider both watch him until he is out of sight. As soon as she is certain the dragon is gone, Twiligjt turns back around to face Storm.

"Alright... Now, what are you doing here? What did you need to tell me?"

Storm's facial expression resembles hesitation.

"When... you left the Maiden Tavern, yesterday, you seemed down, like, really down. I... I thought I'd come by to... see if you were alright..."

*This mare came all the bucking way from Canterlot just to check up on me? I... I don't know what to say...*

Twilight really was speachless. Storm stood there in the awkward silence. Then, the guard reaches into her own saddle bags and pulls out two aluminum cans.

"I... I brought beer. Want one?"

At last, Twilight found her voice.

"Uh... No thank you, Storm. I don't drink..."

The guard looks at her with disbelief.

"Why do I find that hard to beileve, your worship?" She asks with a chuckle. "Is it because somepony downed two whole Red Barons within a minute? Not even I can do that!"

Twilight thinks this over. The alcoholic guard did have a valid point. Plus, Twilight was bored, and she needed some friendly company.

"Give me that." She says, taking one of the cans from Storm Rider.

The guard lets out a high pitched laugh that Twilight found adorable.

"What? You convinced me." Twilight admits as a smile cracks on her face. "Wanna sit outside?"

Storm Rider puts on her best 'completly shocked' face.

"What, do I want to drink beer with a hot princess in the cool, late afternoon?"

Then, Storm gives Twilight that same sexy look she did at the bar.

"Absolutely..." She says seductivly.

Twilight uses her horn to open the door, and she motions for Storm to go through. The guard obeys and happily trots outside. Twilight follows her closely. Just outside of the palace, Storm was already laying down in the grass. Twilight lands on her flank next to her. Storm sighs contently.

"I love this place..." Twilight says as she pops open the can. "To tell you the truth, I was born and raised in Canterlot. I only moved here a little over a year ago."

"I was born in Mamehatten..." The guard says from the ground below. "My parents wanted me to take up acting and be a pro, like them."

Twilight looks down at her.

"Acting... Really?"

"Yeah... They made me take these awful classes. Sure, I was good, but I hated it. A Royal Guard's life is the life for me."

Twilight lets out a light-hearted chuckle.

"Well... I'm glad you chose to be a guard. Otherwise, I might not have you here with me, now would I?"

Storm Rider looks up at Twilight, her face beeming.

Twilight was looking up at the sky as it burned red and orange, signaling the beginning of the setting of the sun.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Storm asks, following her gaze.

"It sure is beautiful..." Twilight agrees, but she wasn't watching this sunset. "Hey, Storm..."

The guard sits up right and looks over at her.

"Yeah, princess?"

*Am I really going to do this?*

"I... I think I forgot something back at the tavern..." Twilight says carefully.

Storm Rider bats her eyes and cocks her head.

"Really? What?"

*Oh, yes... I'm going to do this...*

Twilight looks into Storm's eyes. The guard had asked her a simple question, so Twilight would give her a simple answer in return.

"This..."

Twilight leans forward and presses her lips against Storm Rider's. The guard lets out a surprised moan, but she doesn't protest. Twilight cringes slightly, as Storm's lips tasted of beer, but she doesn't pull away. The guard falls on her back with Twilight falling forward on top of her, not breaking the kiss. Over time, Storm's eyes began to close as the wet kiss grew more passionate. After several minutes, Twilight is forced to break the kiss. She needed to breath. When she pulls away, a single, thick strand of saliva connected their lips.

"Wow, miss priss... A good drinker and a good kisser... You're a real winning combo..." Storm Rider moans. "Does this mean what I hope it means?"

*This mare is so hot...*

Twilight bites her bottom lip and attempts her best 'sexy' look.

"What do you think it means?" The purple mare asks.

Storm Rider wraps both of her hooves around Twilight's neck and pulls her head down until their lips are just a breath apart.

"Kiss me again, and I'll tell ya'."

*Oh, buck yes!*

Twilight leans forward and mashes her lips against the guard's again. This time, the kiss was much shorter, but it was enjoyable all the same.

"Mmmm..." Storm moans as she licks her lips.

"There, Storm, you got your kiss..." Twilight says softly. "Now, tell me what you think this means..."

Storm gives her a sweet smile, and her cheeks flush bright red.

"I... I hope it means you'll be needing some more security at your palace..."

***To Be Continued***