Love Letters

Chapter six:

Warmth. Twilight awoke to the unusual sight of both a window and darkness, not to argue with when her body wants to rise; the purple mare rubbed her eyes and turned around to the source of warmth. Fluttershy took back her leg which had so tightly gripped the unicorn and lost her heavenly smile when her bed mate rolled to see her. She must think I'm leaving, I'm sorry Fluttershy, Uh, I guess. I wonder what she is dreaming, and if I just ruined her dream. Twilight brushed the few thin hairs that lay upon the yellow mare face, the wispy locks made the peaceful pegasus sneeze in a very unsettled manner. Ohhh, sorry Fluttershy, I keep ruining your sleep by moving everything. I guess it's still a little early to wake you, it's a little early for me too, hay; the princesses aren't even up yet if the sun hasn't risen yet. I guess I could go back to sleep... don't think I have ever said that before... The unicorn, feeling the haze of the bitterly cold night, snuggled up to the pink maned pony's chest, who responsively latched onto Twilight for protection. I'm glad I didn't drink that much last night, I hate hangovers. Oh Luna, the morning after Rainbow's twenty fifth, Mrs Mccool still throws me daggers for the stain I left on the floor of her bar... To Twilight's disappointment, the pegasus began to stir. She drew in a large breath and let it out slowly, before pulling the unicorn's head closer to her own.

''Good morning, Twilight.'' The pegasus groggily began,

''Good morning, beautiful.''

''Beautiful?'' The mare squeaked, ''What did we do last night?''
The unicorn laughed a muffled laugh, ''Do you really not remember?'' A kiss to the heart.

''Oh well um, I remember pouring myself a second glass of wine, which is a lot more than I normally drink, and then, um... I can't remember what happened after th- ow!'' The yellow mare held her head in pain. ''Oh, did I do something weird? Did I hurt myself and that's why I'm in your bed? I mean, I'm usually the designated flyer for a reason; I always do something weird when I drink. Oh my gosh I didn't hurt you did I? Oh Celestia I'm sorry Twilight!'' The pegasus hazily continued.

''You really aren't getting these hints aren't you?''

''Hints? Well I just thought you were hugging me because I was cold and you complimented me in case I felt bad.''

''Well you said some weird stuff, I can tell you that.''

''Did I say something bad to you? I'm really, really sorry!''

''No no no, nothing like that.'' The unicorn leaned up and whispered the gist of the previous night's attire to the pegasus. Fluttershy squealed a few times at the dirtier details, Twilight felt a little lonely being the only one who remembered one of the most wonderful nights in hundred life times.

''Do you not even remember what I said to you before we fell asleep?''

''N- no? What? What did you say?''

''Before we fell asleep you said that you loved me,'' The unicorn kissed the mare on the lips and looked away, ''And I said that I loved you too...''

''I remember that...'' Fluttershy came to an epiphany, ''I remember that! You did! You said it, you said it, you said it!'' The saltating pony grabbed Twilight and hugged the lungs from her body, rhyming off 'you love me' and 'oh my gosh' without a brake. Note to self: never, ever get Fluttershy drunk, she won't remember a thing. The pegasus broke the hug, the two ponies were holding themselves up by their fore legs. ''Wait, what weird things did I say? I doubt they could have been too not-like-me.'' Reluctantly, Twilight recalled the yellow pony's characteristically antonymic performance. The pegasus pulled the covers up to her nose, ''And then I?-''

''Yep.''

''And it was on your face?''
Twilight begun to snicker, ''All over my face.'' And the pegasus threw the covers over her head, the purple pony fell from her supporting hooves onto her pillow, bursting out with laughter.

''That's not funny!'' The yellow mare called from under the blanket. The unicorn quickly recovered,

''Sweet Celestia, I've laughed more over these two days than I have my entire time in Ponyville, I don't think I could laugh another second.''

''Twilight! That's embarrassing! How can you laugh at that?''

‘’Fluttershy, it’s okay, I did it to you too, it was weird, I know, but we can do these things now and share them together, can we not?’’

‘’Yes, we can! At least I hope so!’’

‘’Exactly, and last night was something special, I don’t know about you but it was definitely special for me. If you don't want to laugh at that one bit can you forget it and enjoy the rest of the memory of last night?.’’

‘’Oh yes! I enjoyed every part of last night! Last night was everything to me, and more! It's just a little embarrassing, that's all... I don’t think I would have been able to go on if it hadn't worked out… was it really special for you?’’ The pegasus questioned, Twilight gave the thought about three seconds, dove under the covers and found the yellow mare’s mouth. The unicorn gave the most unsuspected kiss and the pegasus squealed at the shock of it. Twilight broke the kiss and leaned her head against Fluttershy’s,

‘’Last night was the greatest night of my life, better than anything that has ever happened to me.’’ The pegasus began to tear up, Twilight seen that Fluttershy only realised that their relationship was genuine then, they were tears of joy and emotional hemorrhage.

‘’Thank you Twilight, thank you, you are the most amazing-‘’ Fluttershy let out a light sob, ‘’Pony in the whole of Equestria. I love y- I- I-‘’ The purple pony grabbed the elated mare by the cheeks, pulling her even closer.

‘’You don’t need to say anything.’’ The purple mare kissed the yellow pony once more, and then embraced her. ‘’I love you, Fluttershy.’’

The two lay together under the fluffy analogue of the night sky while Fluttershy wept. The sun rose, eventually she stopped and proclaimed, ‘’I really should be getting home, I’m quite hungry and the animals are probably wondering where I Am.’’ Getting up from the bed to stretch and crack some ligaments.

‘’You can have something here.’’ Twilight insisted, tucking in, and fixing her bed, one hundred and twenty-first, and levitating the slightly smelly dress onto a chair, to be washed later.

‘’Oh no, I wouldn’t want to put you to the trouble.’’

‘’Do you really think I would have you over, have dinner with you, end up having sex with you and have you leave in the morning without having you for breakfast?’’ The purple pony put, as bluntly as possible.

‘’Oh, gosh, well um. You didn’t have to say the word, and um, okay, I guess.’’

‘’Sex, Fluttershy. We had it, and I loved it. And anyway, I’m not the one who makes breakfast in this library anyway, Spi-‘’ The purple pony stopped in complete horror of realisation. ‘’Fluttershy? Did you see Spike at all last night?’’

''W- what do you mean?

‘’Did you see Spike. Last night. At all?’’

‘’No, now that I think about it. Why is-‘’ The pegasus caught fly, both mares looked to the dragons empty bed basket, which was, to the utter dread of everypony that was in the room, empty.

‘’Oh sweet Celestia.’’ The two ponies said; a real life nightmare, looming.

Twilight burst through her bedroom doors and galloped down the stairs. With the curtains drawn and the morning light dim as ever, it was a bit of a fumble, although not hard to find the dragon curled up with his blanket in the center of the main room of the library. ''Spike!'' The purple pony shouted at the slumbering baby. She tried again several more times and yet Spike would not stir, she nudged him and the dragon jumped right out of his blanket, screaming, and into one of the window ledges above the rows of shelves.

''Twilight I didn't see anything I swear. I was at, uhhhh, Pinkie Pie's the whole night! Nope I didn't see anything! Not this dragon!'' Spike shouted, dragging his claws into the wood to prevent his dislodgement. The librarian pulled with her horn all she could; the entire east wall would come down before the dragon would.

''Spike! Come down here! I'm not going to punish you, just tell me what you saw!''

''Promise you won't skin me?''

''That's incredibly morbid and disgusting, of course I won't!''

''I don't trust you!'' The dragon feared for his life, Fluttershy stopped Twilight before she made the ragged reptile more frightened.

''Now Spike, Twilight is your friend and would never do something like that. We just want to talk about it, that's all.'' the yellow mare reassured, a solid minute of clacking teeth and ill-predictions and the baby dragon eventually gave in. Twilight commanded the library ladder over to the ledge and Spike cautiously climbed down. Why do I always forget who I'm standing beside when I'm with other people?

The number one assistant stood as if he was caught stealing cookies. Twilight spoke with as much care as she could, considering the tenderness of the whole situation. ''Spike, it is really important that you tell me what you did after I left to go to Rarity's yesterday, and please no fibs, this is extremely important.''

''Well... after you left I went up to the bed room and got a box of rubies I was saving for a time like that, and I started eating them.''

''You didn't do your chores?''

''Twilight!'' The yellow pony nudged the unicorn, reminding her why the dragon was being interrogated.

''Oh, um, sorry, please go on Spike.''

''I ate a ton of rubies, way too many, like, six more than I usually get through. I got a tummy ache so I went down stairs and got myself some water, I brought it back up to my bed and I fell asleep. Then...'' Spike paused, tapping his fingers together, ''Then I woke up because I heard you and Fluttershy laughing, I went to check it out and I saw that you guys were having dinner and I thought that was normal. I went back to sleep and I was woken up when you walked in and lit some candles.'' Oh no... ''I was going to ask you what you were doing but you climbed up on the bed and uuhhhhh, yeah.'' Oh please everypony in all of Equestria... ''Then Fluttershy came in and you guys started- started talking...'' Oh sweet Luna, Celestia and all who hold power... ''And then, and then, and then...''

''And th-''

''AND THEN YOU GUYS STARTED DOING IT! I only heard, I didn't see anything like I said, because remember I moved my bed off the rise? I left when you guys started sixty-nine! I MEAN I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING, DON'T BEHEAD ME TWILIGHT PLEASE.'' The dragon was cowering underneath the table, holding his hands up for protection.

''What did you do after that?''

''I cleaned up the table, I carried the dishes into to the kitchen, cleaned the dishes, put the wine in the fridge and then I went to bed fearing for my back side. I would have left earlier I just- I was just too scared! I went when I did because you both looked- um I- I MEAN SOUNDED DISTRACTED.'' Spike screamed, still cowering.

Twilight was prepared to poof the dragon to the high court, because being afraid to move was a banishable offence, but once again the yellow pony took the helm. ''Thank you Spike, Twilight will you walk me home? If that's not too much trouble of course.'' The purple pony, against her better and less rational judgement, left the problem where it was.

''Okay, Spike? We can talk about this latter, I promise to be more reasonable. And I'm sorry for being angry with you, there was nothing you could have done.''

''Goodbye Spike.'' Fluttershy farewelled.

''Bye Fluttershy, g- goodbye T- twilight.''

Both ponies left the library and left Spike to recover, Twilight took a small satchel and two pears, for safe messure. The unicorn was used to untouched air from her normally early mornings but the pegasus was revelling in the sunrise air tightening in her lungs. Twilight had only seen the streets of Ponyville as empty as the were on the morning of her first Winter Wrap Up, and like that morning, there was nopony outside apart from the being she had left the library with.

''This is lovely; I've never seen Ponyville so peaceful.''

''Yeah, I'd usually see one or two ponies when I get up, but the only ponies I know who are up at this time would be Applejack and the Princesses. Listen, Fluttershy, why did you undermine me when I was giving out to Spike?'' Twilight was terrified that she might have offended the yellow pegasus and immediately started cursing herself. Fluttershy took a confident approach on her area of expertise,

''Well he done exactly what you asked him to do, he was afraid and that's no time to be angry at him, and besides, now you'll have a lot more time to think about what you want to say.''

''But he watched us! Why didn't he move?''

''He is only a baby dragon, he probably doesn't understand what, um, a close relationship is, and he was probably too scared to move because of this.''

''But he knows what sixty-nine is! Sorry, I'm being short with everypony, this is all just so new to me, it's nothing any book could have prepared me for.''

''Now Twilight, you live in a library with Spike, he was going to find some of the... um...''

''Adult education?''

''Yes, that, and I think it's best he learns about it now, and you're his sister, almost, so you're the best to tell him about these kind of things. Also, I don't think he would get the right impression about mare-mare relationships if you get angry at him for the first time he sees one. And this is new to both of us-'' The pegasus took an innermost tone, ''I'm really afraid of saying the wrong thing and I don't think I'm good enough for you, like I said last night, so that's why I've been talking a bit differently.'' Returning to her reserved, slightly chirpy disposition, ''And I know how understanding you are and I'm sorry for when I doubt you but I hope you can understand that too.'' Nuzzling into the purple pony's shoulder.

''I guess Spike does have to learn eventually... Oooo, that isn't a talk I should give unplanned, do you say I could get the right point across?''

''If anypony could, you can.'' She said she doesn't think she's good enough for me? I can't have you thinking such nonsense, Fluttershy.

''I guess so. Fluttershy, you were incredibly drunk last night, so was I, and I'm going to say this now and with all the emotion I can.'' Twilight stopped and turned the pegasus towards her, ''You are amazing, it's only been five or six hours and I already know that, let alone the five years I've known you, try to be as much of yourself as possible, and if you can't, I understand.'' This is gonna be a tough one... ''But when I said this is all new to me-''

''Twilight!'' Shouted an anonymous pony; the two mares froze and turned to stone from the sound of the approaching voice. I don't hear any hoofsteps, must be a pegasus, but who? Oh god my life is over. ''Twilight! Turn around!'' The last time she ever would, the purple pony turned around and meet a very cheery set of yellow eyes lined with shiny grey fur. ''Hey Twilight, what has you apprehensive? And for that matter, why are you two out and about? I won't be at the library for up and around an hour.'' Derpy said, checking her watch, which lead her to take it off and tap the bezel. The purple pony felt relieved and blessed, to an extent. If that had been any other pony I would have had to use my memory erasing spell, can't remember if it's illegal or not... I guess Fluttershy would be affected by it also.... I don't think I should use it. Despite the unicorn's negative thinking, the conversation immediately took a positive turn.

''Good morning Derpy, Fluttershy stayed over at the library because she had called up for a little talk and it was too cold for her to head home at the time.'' Excuse: six out of ten, execution: ten out of ten.

''Awww that's really nice of you Twilight, you know my little Dinky had a friend over a few days ago.''

''Sweet Luna! I always forget to ask, how has Dinky been?''

''Oh well, the pony she had over was a colt, his name is Snails? No offence to Tea leaf and Ladybird but that colt seems a little bit on the dim side, and I am not letting my little baby be the special somepony to an underachiever. Oh, I sound horrid right now, I'm sorry, you do know she's been acting weird ever since she got her cutie mark. She's been acting especially strange around me, shouting and just being angry. I understand it's because of her hormones, it's a shame I skipped the section on endocrinology in the book I returned yesterday. Her moods are a little bit infectious, and you know how I feel about my little Dinky, she's really all I have, so when I see her with a colt like Snails I just get a little edgy, I want her to excel in an area of her choice and not be dragged down by anypony, provided it's not urology.'' The mail mare mused. ''And although I can't stop her I do want the best for her. I personally have nothing against the boy but given the circumstances you can understand my being high-strung. Oh, what am I doing, I've got to get back to work, here, I can give you two your mail now, it will shave me four minutes and twenty seconds.'' The silvery pony pulled two letters from her saddle bags.'' That is a huge load compared to when I usually see her, and she could have had even more earlier in the morning, have to give her credit for carrying those things around with her ''Two letters for Miss Sunrose.'' What? ''One from the Canterlot aviary, one sealed and signed letter.'' Fluttershy gave a nod, taking the two letters and putting them into the satchel. ''And one unsigned letter for Miss Sparkle.''

''Thank you very much Derpy, goodbye.'' But the pegasus was gone,

''Goodbye, I might see you around!'' Screaming her farewell to no leeway of the nigh slumbering households.

The slightly startled span began walking again; Twilight knew that the early risers wouldn't be out for another forty to fifty minutes, although some shop owners and elderly would be waking up then, no doubt. ''That was a very strange conversation.''

''What do you mean?'' Fluttershy questioned,

''You didn't say a word to Derpy.''

''It's a pegasi thing, I think. At least that's what Rainbow said when we first noticed that we all just seem to get along without saying anything.''

''That's quite interesting, I should do some research into it.''

''I'm sure you will find out why.''

''Oh yeah, and since when is your second name Sunrose?''
The pegasus shied, taking a step from the purple pony, ''Um... that's always been my second name.''

''I'm not trying to pry or anything, I was just curious because you've never told anyone.'' The two reached the bridge that separated Ponyville from the fields of Ponyville, the fog of the low light had begun to lift and curtains in houses and hovels had begun to silhouette with the early risers morning activities.

''Well nopony has ever asked.''

''Yeah I guess but it's still pretty weird though''

''I don't know Pinkie's, or Applejack's. I didn't even know yours was Sparkle''

''Pinkies is Pie, Applejacks is Apple, the first thing I told you when we first meet was my name.''

''Oh, yeah... ummm... I forgot.'' The pegasus flicked her mane in front of her face, Twilight was quick brush it away, nearly tripping on only three legs.

''You're a terrible liar, is there something you want to talk about? Will I not say you're second name, do you not like it? I think it's lovely, it has a lot of character.'' The purple mare tried to comfort but the pegasus only threw her hair back to her face.

''Oh Twilight I'm sorry, I just can't tell you.'' Wait, tell me what? No, don't say that, she's more than likely under a lot of stress, don't make it any worse.

''It's okay, I don't mind.'' The unicorn sung as best she could, brushing up against the yellow mare. The housing had gone from nucleated to dispersed

''Okay, sorry, and thank you, Twilight.''

''You're welcome, oh yeah! I'm going to read your letter that you sent me.''

''No!'' The pegasus squealed like a school filly who'd just had her Hearts and Hooves day card taken off her by bullies, Twilight giggled her words,

''Awww, but why? I love them, I think they're really sweet!''

''No, that one especially!''
The purple pony pouted and put on her best puppy dog eyes, ''Awww, I really, really, really wanna read it!'' Which at the time happened to be pretty bad.

''Twilight, you really need to work on your begging eyes.'' The pegasus chortled.

''You are a very different pony, Miss Fluttershy.''

''Oh my gosh, sorry, sorry, sorry!'' Shoot.

''No, no! I was just saying, some parts of the new you are nice!''

''Um, okay, you can look at the letter, don't read it aloud though, it's um... it's um...''

Twilight stopped the mare with a warm smile, ceased walking and pulled the pink letter from the satchel. The letter looked like it had been soaked and dried of tears, the unicorn turned to the mare to ask her if she had cried over it but the pegasus was examining a blue butterfly, which she presumably knew the name of, and was, to both ponies' interests, using to distract from the pink piece of paper. The librarian decided it was best to just read to herself. Using a small spark of magic, the letter was free and free to read,

Dear Twilight,

You are really nice and smart, I like you.

Your secret admirer.

The feeling that Twilight had finishing the letter was nothing less than gay, she ran over to her wondering rhopalocentric pegasus and embraced her, scaring her just short of death.

''Fluttershy, I love it.''

''W- what? You do? But why?''

''It's so simple! And so aims-to-please. Fluttershy. I. Love. It.'' The unicorn quietened down, still holding the baffled Fluttershy. Twilight had gotten so perked up that she had an idea, ''Open the letter you got!''

The yellow mare, still coming to terms with Twilight's reaction, gave a minute's thought about, ''I don't see the harm in doing so.''

''Yes, yes, yes!'' The purple pony shouted hushedly, not to wake the sleeping families, and pulled the letter from the satchel, hoofing it to the pegasus. Letter opened, Fluttershy begun reading aloud,

''Hello Fluttershy!-''

The pink maned pony drew an exited breath, ''This is wonderful news!''

''You haven't even started reading, what is it?''

''Oh this is wonderful, Rhyme wrote this letter.''

''Rhyme? Who in Celestia's name is Rhyme?''

''Rhyme is the pony who convinced me to start writing letters to you. She's a poet, her poems are beautiful. If it's okay with you, Twilight, can we walk while I read?'' The unicorn began to do something, but seized herself, did you just get jealous of that reaction? No, no of course not...

''Of course, she sounds nice, go on, read more.'' Twilight said, continuing the certainly short last leg to Fluttershy's cottage.
'' I loved your last letter, reading about the spa trips you take with your friend Rarity always makes me feel warm and fuzzy, I don't know why! I watched the same sunrise you did during the drizzle, a quote by a pony whose name I can't place comes to mind, it reads: 'Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed.' I can't help but feel a slight of pity thinking about this quote and the quoted wishing to be unaccompanied. I can think—being a slight quodophile—of many more fitting quotes for sunrises, but I guess what comes to mind first shows what mind and body most thirst.

On my end of the quill-''

The yellow mare announced, as Fluttershy would announce, every line on the letter perfectly. Telling of the ambiguous pony's daily routines followed, work tried and tested with varying levels of success, friends met and conversed with, culinary and horticultural advancements, and general news/ banter. The letter was generic pen-pal material for the first nine-tenths but took a slightly sadder tone at the bottom of the second page.
'' I have two more bits of news, most important for last eh? Two days ago I had to release Stripes, he was just too big for his cage and I don't have enough funds to sustain him. I always thought he was the one who liked me the least, I done what you told me and made good friends with him on his last day, he didn't want to leave in the end. I cried a bit, not more than ten minutes, not more than gentle mourning but I'm still sad. I'm going to write a poem for him, I've got the first verse, it's a work in progress because I've only had two days but I did want you to read the first verse

My picnic lamp is all but dim,

I stop to camp, water will come.

Mine love - azure - and once blind light,

A friendship pure, but was it love?

It feels rough, nothing I can't smooth out though, I just hope Stripes is okay.

I'm sick, not dying in my bed sick but still a little sick. I don't see much of a point in going to the doctor for cold symptoms mixed with a head ache, but I have an acidy feeling in the bottom of my gut that this will either blow over night, or get a lot worse, nothing to worry about though.

I'm ecstatic for your next letter, hope I didn't ramble on too much,

Your friend,

Rhyme.''

The two had reached the door of the cottage; Rhyme had done quite an admirable job rambling on. ''That was lovely, although I do hope she gets better.'' Fluttershy said, opening the door to a bushel of sleeping animals.

''That was really nice, and her poem isn't half bad either.''

''I never had a problem with Stripes; he was one of the more well behaved birds when I had him. Twilight? I'm asking if you've forgotten, if you're okay with that, what were you going to say before Derpy came up to us?''

''Oh, uhhh, nothing, unimportant.'' Oh why can't you just say it? ''Good bye Fluttershy, I really enjoyed last night, thank you.'' The purple pony leaned in for a kiss, the pegasus retreated, matching every inch.

''Twilight what are you doing?!''

''Oh, sorry, I just wanted to- um... sorry.'' The unicorn felt like a dunce, How could she not want a farewell kiss?

''No, not like that Twilight, I mean, we're in public, do you know how dangerous it is for us to kiss in public?''

''People can't react that badly, and besides, who, at this time, is both awake and walking around near the Everfree forest?'' The unicorn reasoned, Fluttershy was visibly edgy.

Ruby Scoop was, by no stretch of the imagination, a morning pony. Still, the ice-cream pony had more than a week's worth of paperwork to get through, if only Oscar would give me the time of the day, for a foal he sure is troublesome. Maybe I can take five of ten minutes to find a foal sitter; would anypony be up to it though? Ruby had soon found out after her encounter with, what was her name? Twilight?, that the yellow pegasus was an animal carer and veterinarian. She was taking her pet lizard, Sir Robense L. Claws, to see about a badly lacerated tail. Sir Robense L. Claws, as it was, was much like her owner, and croaked for more rest, ''Roh! Stop that! You are an embarrassment, whining over some lost sleep and a little boo-boo, just be glad I am having you tended to initially.''

The strawberry pony had an impeccable sense of direction and efficiency, and broke through an area of trees to full view of the strange pegasus' home and place of work. Ironically, both the strange ponies that Ruby had met that day were outside the door of the vet. Ruby was going to call out for greeting from the two if the two hadn't started kissing. Oh sisters of the sky, rulers of Equestria. The pegasus and the unicorn smooched for a good three seconds, albeit closed jaw smooching, but smooching none the less.

Ruby was confused, scared and a little loss of thought, but most of all, she was disgusted. Nothing else to do, the ice-cream pony took to her heals.

''Thank you Fluttershy, for the evening, will I see you tomorrow? Maybe even sometime today?'' Twilight farewelled, for the second time that day. Fluttershy was still blushing markedly,

''Oh um, yes, maybe today, if not- um, tomorrow. Thank you too, Twilight.'' And the two parted way. The purple pony's mind raced through a field of exuberance and glee, I can't believe how these last few hours have played out, how could I have guessed myself and Fluttershy? I'm glad it's with somepony I trust, I couldn't imagine being with somepony who I don't know, or somepony who I don't know is serious about the relationship. I wish Fluttershy knew how serious I am about this, I'm pretty sure she is serious, if five years isn't longing I don't know what is. Maybe I could... hmmm...how do you prove to somepony that you love them? I'll figure it out later, first things first, I gotta explain to Spike this whole thing, well, maybe not the whole thing. The unicorn giggled and began the decent walk back to the library.