This is Awesome. For The Most Part

The athlete and the caretaker relaxed together on the cold grass of Canterlot High's soccer field, lightly embraced in each other's arms. Such was a perfect way to kill time on a cold, hiemal Friday. Christmas was once again up and coming, much to the joy and excitement of the general population of Canterlot. Work was rightly shunned while people enjoyed festivities and jolly tidings, and another semester at Canterlot High had met its end, ushering in many students' favorite time of year. With the stress of finals behind them, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were only beginning to have fun.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Rainbow Dash inquired, with a compelling lure.

"Thinking about you?" Fluttershy playfully responded.

"Well, that's a given, Shy. I mean, I am awesome."

"Oh, really? I'm so sorry, I hadn't noticed."

To this Rainbow surrendered half of a chuckle. "Oh? Then maybe I should show you..."

Rainbow lifted her girlfriend's chin, so that their eyes were level. After taking a moment to stare into her lover's eyes, she leaned in. Without hesitation, Fluttershy reciprocated. With all of the peace and attraction between them, 5 seconds could have gone by, or five minutes, or five hours, for all they cared. It hardly mattered. One kiss easily led to another. And another. And several more. Only when the two finally succumbed to the need for a breather did the kissing session be brought to a pause. Try as they might to resist, the need for breath frequently subverted longer shows of passion.

"Did that ring a bell?"

Fluttershy took a moment to take a deep breath. To her delight, kissing was always found to be good exercise for her lung capacity. "I think... I think I might remember something like that. But it's all just so hazy." Still in a playful spirit, she let out a fraudulent sigh of frustration.

"Well, alright then. I guess you leave me no choice. I didn't want to have to do this, you know. Especially not here, out in the cold air. But there's only one thing for it".

Rainbow Dash slowly, gently slid her hand along the length of her girlfriend's thigh, resting it on her upper leg, and eliciting an anticipatory gasp. She squeezed lightly.

"Rainbow..." Fluttershy pouted, shuffling at the contact.

"Shh, Shy. It's all good. Just gonna show you a bit of fun".

Rainbow Dash moved to make substance on her promise, with excitement. In return, Fluttershy was all too willing to take part in the little romantic game. With so little opposition, after-all, what was there to stop them? Chilly temperatures be damned.

They came so close. The athlete had been so intently poised for a show of passion in the open air that she received quite the shock, when a miscellaneous voice happened to intrude from only feet away.

"Oh, OH Celestia!", Twilight Sparkle abruptly shouted.

The Princess of Friendship backed away quickly with primal haste, trying desperately to hide the intense eruption of a blush across her face. She never did learn how to appropriately deal with awkward moments such as these. Yet she did not avert her gaze. Such a thought was lost in the embarrassment of the moment.

At this trespass against their slaughtered privacy, the lovebirds scrambled like animals to regain their composure. It hardly helped that Fluttershy hardily bore a blush that put Twilight's to shame.

"T-Twilight?!"

Fluttershy questioned the intrusion with a tone of sheepish surprise. If one could die of embarrassment, then Fluttershy was surely a goner.

"Y-yes... I, uh, um.... I think I'm just going to give you girls a moment."

Twilight quickly vacated the immediate vicinity of the love-nest by moving off to the edge of the field, but a bit too late to be spared the extreme discomfort.

Rainbow stood, and took Fluttershy's hand, helping her to stand with a half-casual facade. All three of the girls regained their bearings and tried to look normal, and stood in a loose circle at the western edge of the green field, not another soul in sight. By this time of day, the students of Canterlot High would reliably found huddled in the city's popular hangout spots: Sugar Cube Corner, the mall, the various buildings of the town square, even the cinematic theater, all to take refuge from Canterlot's winter sting.

"So, Princess Twi. What's up?" Rainbow asked, after standing, in an attempt to act nonchalant. The blush on Fluttershy's face however, would not allow her the same opportunity.

"Well, I suppose I was looking to spend time with friends, is all. I've been spending most of my time studying certain magical artifacts, but some ponies insisted that I take a break, somewhere somehow. The ponies back in Ponyville mostly seem preoccupied with their lives, so I thought I'd try some of you girls." She spoke with a slight saltiness, having been ejected from her research and thoroughly embarrassed.

Indeed, the ponies of Ponyville happened to be keeping themselves busy. On the Princess' side of the mirror, ponies went about to and fro in and around the town, from regulating the snow clouds from Cloudsdale, to rolling out winter's fashion lines and decorations, to lively labors. Although this left Twilight Sparkle few immediately available pony friends, she did consider herself fortunate to have a few more just around the dimensional corner, even if she didn't see them often enough.

Rainbow Dash raised a question. "Aren't you still a Princess, though? I'm kind of surprised they don't have you doing princess-y ceremonies, or hosting parties, or something."

Twilight rubbed the back of her head with an awkward chuckle. "Yeah, you'd think that. But I believe my role in Equestria is more on the side of advocacy and education."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad you have people to tell when you need to take a break. We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." Ever caring, Fluttershy, however flustered, always found it pleasant to have a visit from princess Twilight.

"Someone should tell that to Scitwi. She's gotten a lot better about it, but every now and then I still get the feeling she'd never leave her house, if she could get her hands on a magic phone-book." With a bantering grin, Rainbow Dash knew that somewhere deep inside, she'd once held such a thing as a legitimate concern.

Twilight rolled her eyes, remembering all too well the overly dorky days behind her. "Just what I'd expect of me. Go easy on her; She's just dedicated."

Expressing no doubt that her counterpart did appreciate the good company, Twilight turned her attention to the dark, frigid atmosphere associated with winter. Only now did she remember that they were all standing out in the cold.

"Why were you two out here in the cold, anyway?" Twilight asked with puzzlement.

Rainbow Dash shrugged at the question

"Eh. I like the cold"

As her face returned to its normal shade of pale gold, Fluttershy, in her winter jacket, looked increasingly cozy. So long as she was prepared, she also did not mind the cold.

"Really?" With a smirk, Twilight could not help but be reminded of a distraught Rainbow Dash, desperate to keep winter from coming.

"Yeah. Why? Somethin' wrong?"

"No, no not at all"

"Hmm." Rainbow Dash eyed Twilight with suspicious curiosity.

"It's nothing, Rainbow. I was remembering a funny story. But just out of curiosity, and on a completely unrelated note, how are your pets? Angel? Tank?" With a passing thought, Twilight made a mental note to study the discrepancies in the lives of the two worlds' pets at some time in the future.

Fluttershy, always glad for a conversation to fall straight into her element, would never hesitate to talk about the animals under her watch. Rainbow shuffled uncomfortably.

"OOh! Angel is doing well! After months of trying, I think he's finally making progress with the doe he's been chasing. If everything goes well, maybe he won't have to spend the upcoming February alone!"

"Ugh. Flutters, please spare me the thought of the rabbit procreating." This thought made Rainbow Dash even more uncomfortable, and certainly in some way terrified.

"And Tank?"

"Tank? He's good. He's chillin' like a villain. Hibernating, and what-not. I even made sure to read him the story and everything."

Twilight could tell that she was trying to pass something off, but decided not to press further. She would allow Rainbow Dash to keep the disappointment hidden.

"Alright then, aside from hibernation and sexual reproduction, what else is new? Did you two have any fascinating plans?"

Assaulted by a mix of amorous and disturbing thoughts, rainbow Dash coughed violently, to an unexpected, constricting choking sensation. Fluttershy offered a gentle pat on the back.

“The next semester will be starting before long, but I doubt there will be anything major before then. Sometimes it’s just nice to spend time together,” Fluttershy said with a happy freedom.

“What she said. We’ll probably just chill until it’s time to start the spring semester,” Rainbow Dash mustered, while clearing her throat. "That and the Christmas party next week."

Twilight suspected there would be a party. She remembered last year's party well. It took place not long after she'd met her own counterpart. Looking back, those days, spent with her friends for her first Christmas party, were now treasured memories, even if she'd been so worried about an existential crisis at the time. They'd all had a wonderful time. The gift exchange, the meal, and the good tidings had everyone in the best of moods, despite Twilight's exaggerated struggle.

"Another year, another amazing party to plan, I'm sure. Is Pinkie going to do anything different this year?"

"Nah, I don't think so. Don't let her antics fool you, Pinkie's pretty big on the traditional parts of a good Christmas. She just adds her own crazy-hyper touch to the intensity of it all." While some may call the classic Pinkie enthusiasm over the top, Rainbow Dash never failed to have fun at the Christmas party.

"Her favorite part is when she gets to break out the gingerbread replicas of all of us," Fluttershy added. "I'm not quite sure how she gets them so realistic, though."

"Tell me about it. Last year I had a Pinkie Pie cookie, and I swear to all that is sacred, I heard that cookie whispering to me." Rainbow Dash wouldn't admit it, but of the few things that scared her in life, Pinkie Pie's enigma of a psyche was probably one of them.

"Was the cookie whispering sweet nothings?" Twilight teased.

"Come again?" Rainbow Dash turned her eyes back to Twilight, caught off guard by the question. At first, she wasn't sure how to respond.

"Oh, nothing."

"Twilight, please. Even if that cookie had been infused with Pinkie's very soul, it wouldn't have been able to handle this kind of awesome."

"Somehow I get the feeling you wouldn't be able to handle Pinkie, not the other way around."

Fluttershy giggled at the exchange, not bothered in the slightest, while Rainbow Dash scoffed at the doubt.

Twilight decided to bring up a new topic she'd been pondering recently.

“Anyway, what about the others? How have the girls been doing with their magic?” After the lighthearted teasing, Twilight hesitated to bring up their most recent friendship crisis, but curiosity was to a genius as power was to a magical demon. “I had faith in Sunset, but I’d be lying if I hadn’t thought for a split second that you’d all lose your memories, forever.”

“In our defense,” – Speaking from experience, Rainbow Dash raised her hands in defense of her moral character – “it’s always the quiet ones who’ll screw you over when you least expect it.”

Twilight turned her gaze to the quiet one in their vicinity, expecting some type of reaction to the accusation. When no such reaction was given, Twilight posed a question. “Is that true?”

“Well,” – Fluttershy bobbed her head, as if to give the idea some thought – “She’s not wrong per se”

The three girls gave simultaneous chuckles at the banter.

“But seriously,” – Rainbow brought her chuckle to heel for a moment – “the girls are good. Same old holiday prep as every year. Flutters and I just wanted to finish early. Applejack is helping manage the family business, Rarity’s putting together some designs for a holiday play or something, and Pinkie’s being Pinkie.”

“Sunset said she’d helping our Twilight today. They were hoping to help finish the wiring for Crystal Prep’s light show. When all is said and done, it’s supposed to be very nice” Fluttershy recalled her earlier conversation with the pair, seeing them off to the inner city.

“That’s wonderful. I’m glad you girls have endured so many friendship challenges. It shows that you can all learn from one another and teach others what it means to be true friends.” Twilight spoke with a degree of pride, internally giving herself a pat on the back, as well. She had to have been a pretty decent teacher. When she met them, their friendships were anything but harmony. And now, through their abilities to come together, their friendships, old and new, were more harmonious than ever.

“We couldn’t have done it without you, Twilight.” Fluttershy did appreciate what Princess Twilight had done for them all.

“You’ve all come a long way from the feuding group of girls I stumbled upon all that time ago.”

“And you’ve definitely come a long way from that lost princess, all confused about what to do, where to go, or how to fit in to this crazy world we’ve got here.” As much as she regarded herself, Rainbow was glad to pay credit where credit was due.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both stepped forward, and each placed a hand on the Princess’s shoulders, reiterating their confidence in their friend’s contributions to a personal series of friendships.

“Who knows what we’d being doing now, if you hadn’t dropped by? I guess Sunset would still be terrorizing the place with an iron fist.”

“Or an iron claw.” Although Sunset’s dissent into the abyss was brief, Fluttershy had memories of a morphed body, more beast-like than human, or than pony.

Twilight had sympathized with Sunset, and with her mistakes. Those mistakes hadn’t deterred the magic of friendship, but it wasn’t Twilight’s intervention that had led to a better future. Not directly, at least. “I helped, sure. Maybe I pushed everyone in the right direction. But you girls got yourselves here by opening your hearts to learning. Without your willingness to come together, and to allow your individual flaws to bring you together, we’d never have gotten anywhere.”

The Princess reciprocated the kind hand gestures.

“And from the bottom of my heart, thank you. My friends in Equestria each taught me valuable lessons. They made me a better pony. But you girls reminded me that those Friendships don’t just exist in Equestria. They’re here, too. We just needed to break them free.”

The three engaged in a sentimental group hug, happy to share in this moment, instigated by flaws, and maintained by bonds. The emotional activity inspired such a warm atmosphere about them that the fresh Canterlot frost had slipped their minds entirely

After several short moments of reveling in their friendships, the group hug dissolved. Morale was high, and all was right with the world for the moment. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and hung a single arm over Fluttershy’s shoulders.

“Yep. Life is good. We’re all best buds and Flutters here makes it all even better,” she said, pecking her girlfriend on the cheek.

“Still going as strong as ever.” Twilight commented on the relationship with a contentedness borne of the emotional high they’d just shared. With the passing thought, her head turned, and her eyes wandered, and casually centered upon Canterlot High’s signature statue.

Rainbow Dash nuzzled Fluttershy as if to illustrate a point and was content with the brief silence. The two of them sat down in the cold grass, allowing a small emotional load to begin to be lifted from their shoulders. With a wave of her hand and a pat on the ground, Rainbow invited Twilight to do the same. The three relaxed together in the open air for the better part of the next half-hour, enjoying the environment and the complete lack of an impending doom scenario.

In the time they’d spent out on the field, the surroundings had barely changed. The area was still mostly devoid of people, aside from the occasional passerby in a car. With no distractions and a world of possibilities, the girls were free to wreak havoc or bestow harmony as they felt inclined. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy fully intended to spend this vacant time in peace, and to spend the time chilling together in some of the city's premier locales. But with not one world of possibilities, but with two, Twilight was feeling rather adventurous, especially when holiday preparations were going smoothly, and she could return the favor as a guide.

"You know," - Twilight stood from their lazily formed circle, and nodded towards the wondercolt statue - "I never did get to show you two much of Equestria." She'd wanted to show them more of Equestria's cultural holiday preparation and Winter Wrap-up, but last year's Christmas party and subsequent emotional meet-and-greet had forced those plans into the back seat. "How would you feel about a Part Two?"

Rainbow and Fluttershy took quick glance at one another, and then back at Twilight, pondering the notion. "Is that an invite?" Rainbow asked.

"That depends. Have you ever seen a waterfall made completely out of Rainbow? Or a team of pegasi assemble a snow cloud?

Interested, Rainbow Dash took a brief moment to weigh her options. Nodding, she gave Fluttershy a gentle rub on the back, and stood. "I'm in," she said simply.

They both turned to look at Flutter shy expectantly, silently after an answer to the open invitation. Fluttershy quickly glanced at each of them, and joined them. "Yes, please. It sounds like it could be a lot of fun," she said enthusiastically.

"Alright then, it's settled. Let's not waste any time."

With the semblance of a plan forming in their minds, the girls walked to the wondercolt statue, stepped through the portal, and experienced a familiar feeling of falling.