A Lesson in Romance

“Thank you so very much, Twilight.” Rarity said as she entered the giant-tree-turned-library. Twilight, who was holding the door open for both her and Spike, gave her an apprehensive look.

“This is the seventh time you’ve thanked me, Rarity, and, for the seventh time, it’s alright.”

“Just ignore her.” Spike said with her baggage in each of his hands. He barely reached her shoulders, and Rarity wasn’t a particularly tall woman, yet Spike was carrying some rather heavy baggage. With a smug smile, he continued, “You can thank me as many times as you want.” Then, he went upstairs.

“That boy.” Twilight sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want any help with that?”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t ask any more of you. You’re letting me stay the night here and giving me a ride in your balloon to Canterlot and letting me stay with it—you should at least let me pay for your train ticket-“

Twilight suddenly placed her hands on her shoulders. “Rarity.” She said so firmly. Rarity was stunned, staring into her eyes. “It’s alright.”

She widened her smile reassuringly, just for her. Twilight’s eyes were so wide and full of sincerity; they couldn’t lie, no matter how hard they tried. Rarity released the breath she was holding and hugged her, wrapping her arms around her middle. Twilight later placed her arms around her back.

Twilight Sparkle was a young, good-looking woman, but the way she dressed made it seem as if Twilight herself were trying to hide this. Those baggy shirts she wore did not do any favors to her curves and the colors of her clothing didn’t complement that wonderfully exotic olive skin of hers.

Even now, with her arms around her waist, she could feel her nicely-shaped body. There, in their friendly embrace, she lamented the awfulness of this girl’s fashion sense and vowed for the nth time since she first measured Twilight for her Gala dress that she would do her figure the justice it deserved.

Rarity felt the weight of the bags hanging from her shoulders and broke the hug. “Thank you.” She couldn’t help saying.

Twilight sighed in defeat and gave her a small smile. “It’s alright, Rarity. Make yourself at home.”

Rarity started walking upstairs before she could let slip yet another ‘thank you’. “Wait!” She turned around; Twilight stood at the bottom of the stairs. “Do you want a snack? Something to drink?”

“I’ll take care of that!” Rarity yelped as a flurry of green and purple bolted past her and into the kitchen just as she was about to reply negatively.

Twilight and Rarity shared a look. “I’ll… have whatever he brings.”

-

Rarity put her things by the wall, right next to the big suitcases Spike brought. The placement didn’t matter since she was only staying a single night here. The next morning, they would be departing for Canterlot in Twilight’s hot air balloon. She would have taken the train like everyone else, but her baggage was far too delicate for Rarity to feel comfortable with it.

She unrolled her sleeping mat next to Twilight’s bed. She wasn’t fond of sleeping on the floor, where all the bugs crawled, but the many things Twilight had already done for her kept her mouth shut. Rarity remembered the impromptu sleepover she’d had with Applejack and the bed they used that night, but that had been Spike’s bed, and he had been off to who knows where.

She lay on the mat just to try it. The sun was just barely setting, so she had no intentions of sleeping just yet. She found it in her closet and remembered how she had made sure to buy an extra comfy one years ago. She shifted on the mat, feeling its fluffiness, almost forgetting it was a mat at all. A contented sigh left her lips as she stared at the wooden ceiling.

There was going to be a lot of work ahead of her. The Grand Galloping Gala was three months away, and even in Ponyville she was getting requests from Canterlot for outfits (and very juicy offers, on top of that). She decided that moving to the empty building that used to belong to her parents, which was located in the very heart of Canterlot, would be worthwhile for her business as it would improve her accessibility to her most frequenting (and valuable) customers.

She could already feel the bits in her hand, and the feeling of not having to worry about money for an entire year and the breeze of the resort, and the muscular men dancing in their-

The door was thrown open with a loud bang. “I have a better idea!”

Rarity squeaked and jumped to her feet. Spike was at the door, looking very oblivious to her distress. Quite proudly, he announced, “We could go to Sugarcube Corner!” A blush consumed his scaly cheeks. “Like… a date.”

Oh, Spikey. Rarity approached him with small, gracious steps. With pouty lips, she leaned closer to him and asked, “What was that? I couldn’t quite hear you, my dear, but I swear you said something about a…”

“A date!” The blush reached the very tip of his pointy ears. “You know, just the two of us.” He grinned widely at her, with his chest puffed up in an attempt to accentuate his masculinity.

Rarity stood straight with her chin high. “Hmmm… I’m not sure….” She scratched her chin thoughtfully.

Spike cleared his throat. “Oh, well, you see, I am quite a busy dragon. I could barely get time in my super tight schedule for this…”

“Ah! Then I shall be honored to accompany you on a date.” She smiled sweetly at Spike, batting her eyelashes. Her expression fell when she remembered a rather important detail. “Wait… did you say Sugarcube Corner?”

“Yup!” Spike nodded with his hands on his hips.

Rarity laughed nervously, adjusting her shirt around her waist. “Couldn’t we go somewhere a little less sugary, like… Roots?”

“Roots? You mean that place just across the street that sells only salads?” Spike groaned, though he looked like he was really trying to hide his displeasure and disappointment. “Uh… I guess…”

Rarity sighed. Spike was only twelve and really trying to impress her, even though in the end it was futile. She liked to tease him and give him some fun, but she was well aware that it wouldn’t do him any good in the long run.

The least she could do was let Spike indulge himself in his sugar rather than make him endure the sometimes bland diet foods that were sure to help Rarity preserve the weight she’d been fighting to maintain.

This was for Spike and she would have nothing more than a single donut. Hopefully, Pinkie wouldn’t be around to persuade her into getting anything obscene, and if she was… well, these things were sent to try her.

“Sugarcube Corner it is, then!” Rarity proclaimed with her index finger in the air.

Spike attempted to hide the joy in his face. “A-are you sure?”

“Yes, I am very sure. Now let’s go before it gets too late.”

He opened the door for her. “Ladies first.”

They went down the stairs. The library was gorgeous in the golden sunlight. Rarity spotted Twilight with her nose buried in a book, surrounded by more books, while her hands scribbled something away.

“But that means Starswirl…” She barely heard her mutter under her breath. Starswirl… Rarity herself once had to study about him during high school. All she remembered now was that he was important in unicorn magic.

She had never put any of the things she studied about him or any other historical figures into use. She was a fashionista, not a historian or a researcher, and she had other things to worry about.

Yet Twilight Sparkle was the kind of girl who could recite those high school books from memory. These things were her priority. She cared about subjects no one else found relevant.

She thought all of these things in the few seconds her eyes laid on Twilight as she followed Spike outside.

As they walked the few blocks it took to get to Sugarcube Corner, Rarity admitted that Twilight was not the only one who cared about ancient people. There were brilliant men and women all over Equestria and the rest of the world tackling these subjects. She remembered meeting several in some school trips in Canterlot Castle’s research towers. Out of hundreds, only a handful were married, and two or three had children.

How she learned this was classified information, but it made her wonder…

As soon as they got close to the establishment, the smell of baked dough and chocolate and a thousand other scents that confused her nose and caressed her brain hit her in the face. It all got worse when they went inside.

Pinkie welcomed them (or rather, pulled them in) and Spike led her to the displays. One thing led to another and she was moaning at the feeling of her teeth digging in to the chocolatey, creamy goodness of her monstrous donut, all while Spike watched with a blush on his cheeks.

Rarity once read something about chocolate being an aphrodisiac. Perhaps this was only true of dark chocolate, but this donut was messing with her head.

Ten years down the road, Spike was going to be a handsome young man, a charmer, a Don Juan, and Rarity would be proud to be the trigger for his sexual discovery somewhere in the deepest, darkest corners of her heart.

But what about Twilight Sparkle? Sure, ever since she arrived in Ponyville her social life had improved for the better, but studying was her passion. The image of Twilight going back to those towers and returning to her old ways of locking herself up wasn’t so far-fetched.

Had Twilight ever felt romance? Had her eyes ever lingered on someone? Had she ever fancied a boy?

Or a girl?

“Rarity!” Spike slammed his hand on the table, making her come into focus. His eyes were wide with worry. “Did you hear anything I said?”

“Um, yes, of course I did.” Rarity nodded. Spike was expectant for an answer. Her eyes fell on the remaining donut on her plate. She quickly grabbed it and shoved it in her mouth, even though she knew it was terribly uncouth. With her mouth full, she made several noises that sounded like muffled words accompanied by exaggerated hand motions.

“Um… okay!” Spike smiled widely at her and sipped on his milkshake.

“Phew!” Rarity fanned herself. “It’s suddenly so much warmer in here, and I feel so light headed…”

He cleared his throat and puffed his chest. “Yeah, well… I’ve been trying to contain my charms…”

She didn’t notice when, but Pinkie was suddenly so close to her, mouth right next to her ear. “Um, I probably, probably should’ve told you, but these donuts have a teeny tiny bit of rum.”

“Wha?!”

“Or maybe a lot, I’m not sure because there was a batch where my hand slipped. I dunno if it was this one or the other one.”

“Oh my.” Rarity’s surroundings were spinning faster and faster. “I think it was this one.” She felt like her chair was a part of an amusement park game, and it was rotating and flying around. “I’d be angrier at you, but these were heavenly- why are you selling these?! Don’t children come here to eat?!”

Pinkie straightened up, shaking her head from side to side. “This is the night menu! Good kids are home at this hour!”

“Uh, what’s going on here?” Spike asked, giving Rarity one of those helpless looks that reminded her that he was only twelve and rather sheltered.

“Nothing, Spikey. It’s time to go home. Thank you for everything, Pinkie.” She spoke with underlying tones of accusation, to which Pinkie responded with an innocent smile.

“But you haven’t finished your donut!” Spike interjected

“Oh, I’m so full, Spike. I can’t have anymore.” Or rather, she couldn’t have more alcohol in her system; otherwise she’d be doing things she should only do in the privacy of her bedroom.

“Okay, I’ll eat it.” Spike reached out to grab the donut.

“No!” Rarity snatched it away. He looked startled. “I- I think I can handle it, actually.” To prove her point, she took a generous bite from the creamy goodness. Spike shrugged.

She glared at Pinkie as hard as she could, who was trying to contain her giggles with both her hands over her mouth. This was all her fault for giving her more than she asked for.

Rarity managed to get to Twilight’s home without falling on her face. As soon as they arrived, Spike went upstairs without another word. He looked upset, which left Rarity wondering what she could’ve done to turn this date sour. She had daydreamed throughout the whole thing, barely listening to anything Spike had to say.

Oh, well. All she could do was hope this disappointment was enough to make the boy forget about her romantically, though this was very unlikely.

And then there was Twilight, sitting at the same spot as earlier, doing the same things: reading and writing something down as if these notes had been commissioned by incredibly rich nobles who were paying her more than what she had earned during her entire career, and then some.

Only two things were new in her work area: a flash of light floating just above her to allow her to see in the darkness of the night and an empty glass.

Twilight hadn’t heard them come in, hadn’t heard Spike storm off, and hadn’t noticed Rarity staring at her with her mouth agape.

Had she even had a first kiss?

Rarity shook her head from side to side, waking herself up from her stupor. She had to go upstairs and sleep before her curiosity grew to the point of no return. If there was something she was certain of about herself, it was that she was a very curious woman.

Perhaps she wasn’t so different from Twilight after all. They were both curious, albeit about different things, and alcohol wouldn’t do either of them any good.

Rarity, with wobbly steps, started making her way up the staircase. Her heel slipped and she fell forwards with a yelp. She caught herself with her hands, barely keeping her nose from being shattered by the edge of the stair.

She heard things tumbling to the floor and glass breaking. “What happened?!” Twilight yelled, coming into view. She gasped and ran to her side, grabbing her hands to help her up to her feet. “Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?”

“I’m fine, dear, I’m just fine.” Rarity answered, pulling herself up with Twilight’s support. She met her eyes again, and strange thoughts wormed their way into her head once more.

Her purple irises were so crystal clear, so free from malice. Her hands were so soft, yet they were wrapped around hers firmly.

“Are you sure?” Twilight pressed with a raised eyebrow.

“I… well-“ Rarity would definitely lie in situations like these, but those eyes were so… pure. “Now that I think about it, my arm hurts a little.”

“Ah, from catching the fall. It’s probably just a bruise. I have something that can help you upstairs.” She quickly started making her way upstairs. “How did you fall? Did you just slip?”

“Um, yes, but, Twilight, dearest, wait!” Rarity called out for her, supporting herself against the wall. The ground spun as if they were in a ship in the middle of the ocean. Twilight stopped in her tracks. “I don’t think I can… go up.”

“Um, why?”

“I might be… a little intoxicated.” Rarity’s face was flushed both from the inebriation and the embarrassment.

Twilight’s eyes widened. A fire started burning behind them. “Intoxicated?! Where did you and Spike go?!”

“Sugarcube Corner! But Pinkie put rum in her… donuts…” Rarity placed a hand against her head. “Spike had none of it, Twilight. Just, please, help me up. I need to lie down.”

Twilight held her by the waist and kept her straight as they went up the stairs. Rarity joyously launched herself into the softness of her mat and closed her eyes. Just barely she heard Twilight talking about something she left on her nightstand before she turned off the light and left.

Such a reliable girl, Twilight was. Except she wasn’t a girl; she was a woman. A naturally well-shaped, kind and smart woman whose romantic life made Rarity sick with intrigue.

Rarity lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. Things stopped spinning for mysterious reasons. Perhaps she should just go to sleep, but her eyes were wide open. What did Pinkie put in those cursed donuts?

Had Twilight ever drank? Rarity chuckled at her question, which seemed so silly now. She most certainly had; even the nerdiest of people have had a try, even just out of courtesy.

But she doubted she had the adventures Rarity had during high school. Her last few years were especially loud and filled with… “experiments.” She wondered if Twilight had ever had an admirer, if she had ever been turned down, or turned down someone else.

Or just a crush, just a girl crush. Anything. Rarity turned to lie on her side, facing the darkness below Twilight’s bed. It seemed infinite, as if there was a whole new world waiting right there and she could reach it if she only stretched her arm… A rather infantile thought, that was.

There was enough moonlight for her to distinguish a shape in the darkness. It was barely visible. It looked rectangular, like a box. Rarity willed her hand to stretch forwards, little by little. She thought of all the creepy crawlies there could be in there, or a potentially dangerous creature that deserved respect for more than its disgusting quality.

But the alcohol enhanced both her curiosity and bravery. She reached forwards until she felt the object. It felt leathery to her fingertips. Then she reached out with her other arm and pulled it out of the darkness. It was, indeed, a box.

A box. Under Twilight’s bed. Rarity glanced behind her. Spike slept soundly in his bed. There was a night table just behind her head, one she could potentially hit her head on if she wasn’t careful. She sat up and turned on the little lamp on it.

The box was definitely made out of leather. It looked old since the corners were fairly worn out. Rarity cracked her fingers, pondering this over; this could possibly be something very personal of hers, but then why would she hide it someplace so obvious?

Then again, Twilight wasn’t someone who suspected everyone, and maybe she trusted Spike just enough, or knew him well enough to know he didn’t care about these things.

Or maybe he already knew about the contents. Rarity’s head was going to burst with questions and the rum made her skull feel rather fragile. She undid the clasps of the box with her dexterous fingers and the box opened with ease.

This being Twilight’s, she had expected a magical seal that was impossible to break through for anyone except for her. Was she this naïve? Or, perhaps, Twilight just didn’t care. Although this killed some of Rarity’s excitement, she was certainly relieved.

Rarity looked into the contents. There was a stack of thin, old notebooks and some trinkets filling the space they left to the side, quills, strange stones and crystals, and a sparkling brooch that caught her eye. She picked it up between her pale, thin fingers and admired its shine against the lamp’s light, then set it back down.

Nobody should be ashamed but rather afraid of others looking at these things. Not everyone was decent enough to put these shiny trinkets back to where they belonged. But would a thief come to a library to steal anything?

Rarity stared at the notebooks. These could be diaries… and they could be a source of shame.

And information on someone’s romantic life. Rarity bit her lip, her eyebrows furrowed. Should she? This box was unguarded after all. She cracked her fingers once again, bouncing up and down in anticipation, then grabbed the first one of the stack.

It started normally. The first page had Twilight’s name written in an admirable calligraphy. The next page did not start with “Dear diary” or anything of the sort. It had notes taken with not so admirable handwriting, lots of equations, notes on various topics, and, three pages later, at the very end of the page, it said: “Princess’ office, 6 a.m. Don’t forget, don’t be late.”

And the next page had a tragic ending: “Forgot, was late. Find something to wake me up.”

Rarity chuckled quietly. The next pages had similar notes and reminders, and then she found check lists every five or so pages. However, her eyes spotted nothing personal or romantic. Twilight was completely focused on her studies… at least during this time of her life. She could be nothing more than a little girl at this time, completely oblivious and innocent.

Rarity closed the book, skipped the following one, and grabbed the one below. This one was thicker and looked like it had suffered a rougher time. She hoped to have skipped Twilight’s childhood and arrived at, at the very least, her pre-teens.

It started much like the first one: name and year. Her calligraphy was more consistent and smaller in size. Instead of wildly taken notes she found tables of well-organized information. A few pages in, she found complicated diagrams. Twilight had to have some serious skills with the geometry set.

Some of these subjects looked like they were more advanced than anything she studied herself during high school. Rarity skimmed as she passed pages. Theory of evolution of… Anatomy of the… I have no one to talk to… Arcane- Wait, what was that?

There was a thumping sound getting closer and closer. Rarity knew this was Twilight coming upstairs. She dropped the notebook in the box and shoved it under the bed, then tightly wrapped herself in her blanket to feign sleep.

The door opened. “Spike.” Rarity heard Twilight whisper. “Spike!”

“Wha…?”

“Where did you put the broom? I can’t find it anywhere.”

Spike mumbled something.

“Guess I should’ve looked there before, thanks.” Twilight answered and she got more mumbling in response. Her footsteps got closer to Rarity, then the light from the night lamp went off. The sound of the door closing reached Rarity’s ears, then the thumping faded until there was complete silence.

Rarity sat up slowly, keeping an eye on Spike. He appeared to be fast asleep. She reached over to the lamp and turned it back on, then pulled the box from under Twilight’s bed.

She passed the pages, trying to find that particular bit of text that stuck out to her. She had to resist giggling in excitement when she found the right page. The truth was so close to being found. Intently, Rarity read:

“I have no one to talk to. Nobody would understand something like this. I can’t. I don’t know what’s going on. Why is this happening to me? I guess it’s happening to everyone. Even Aura, with her compulsive cleaning, has a boyfriend. Everyone has a crush, but I don’t have time for that. I have to study, I have work to do. I can’t get involved in things like these. So I don’t get it. Why is this happening to me?”

“Twilight, you’re killing me!” Rarity said under her breath, every part of her body clenching in anticipation. It went on and on, with more and more paragraphs of confused rambling, yet she never got to the point!

“It’s not okay. It shouldn’t be like this. It’s not okay. She’s my mentor-“

Rarity dropped the notebook. It fell on her lap. Her jaw hung limp, her fingers wouldn’t respond. But then she started giggling until she was forced to cover her mouth because she was cackling loudly and didn’t want to explain to Spike why she was going through Twilight’s things.

Twilight Sparkle’s young years were busy, far too busy to find romance with her fellow companions.

So she developed a crush on the one woman she spent most of her time with: her mentor, Princess Celestia.

That poor thing. Rarity dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her blanket to dry her tears, then picked up the diary once more. She wanted to find out when she got over it. Most did after a while. Except it only got worse and worse. Rarity wasn’t sure how long it took for her to go through the stack, but as she skimmed through diary after diary, she found more and more entries about her crush. It got to the point Twilight discussed a possibility, a percentage so minuscule, that, if she confessed her “undying feelings” to Celestia, she would say yes.

And they would live happily ever after until Twilight inevitably had to die.

Rarity carefully placed things back into their rightful place. She couldn’t remember the order of the diaries, but hopefully neither did Twilight. The things were oozing sadness and heartbreak which were seeping into Rarity’s very core.

It was reassuring for her to assert, even if no one was listening, that it just couldn’t happen; Princess Celestia was Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle was just that, Twilight Sparkle, and they lived in two separate worlds that would never ever mix.

Rarity frowned – that didn’t make much sense, did it? Then how could she adore the tales of farmers and princesses finding love within each other?

But more importantly… did Twilight still hold this crush?

For the last time, Rarity returned the box to its place under Twilight’s bed. She turned off the lamp, then laid her head on her extra comfy mat.

A minute passed, then two, and it had felt like two entire hours. Thoughts raced back and forth in her head and her frown deepened as she realized that she was not going to be able to go to sleep just yet. Rarity huffed and forced her eyes to close.

She practiced some exercises she read in magazines to clear her mind. She counted forwards and backwards and recited the colors and whatever silly song from her childhood…

Twilight was a grown woman, now. She had to have gotten over this crush… right?

What if it was the entire reason she didn’t have a romantic life right now?

Rarity’s eyes were wide in horror. She immediately got up from her mat and left the room. It was so dark she was already regretting this, yet she went down the stairs, one foot in front of the other, both hands on the wall until she safely got to the very bottom.

The faint light streamed from the main room. Twilight sat there, not scribbling anymore, but still reading, relaxed against the back of her chair. The desk was mostly clear, with the books and notes shoved aside in neat stacks. A broom leaned casually against the wall with a limp trash bag next to it.

Surprisingly enough, Twilight looked up from her book at Rarity. “Hi.” She said with a smile that brought out her high cheeks.

Rarity smiled at her, chuckled a little at how cute she looked. “Hello.” She answered.

“Are you feeling less… intoxicated?” Twilight giggled, covering half her face with her book.

She gave her an indignant look and an exaggerated huff. “It wasn’t my fault! I had no idea what I was consuming!” She walked into the room, tossing her hair with a flick of her head. “I suppose I shouldn’t have trusted Pinkie so blindly.”

“I doubt she meant any harm, though.” Twilight said, setting her book down on her lap. “Are you sure she didn’t say anything about alcohol?”

“Absolutely certain. I would remember something like that.” She scanned Twilight’s face as she sat down on her desk. She didn’t seem to mind. Glancing at the book on her lap, she asked: “What are you reading?”

She closed the book to look at the cover. “Just a traveling book. I’ve always wanted to travel, but the places I want to go to aren’t… really fun for everyone.” Her eyes, so crystal clear, looked up at her. “What kind of books do you read?”

“You’re going to say I’m predictable. Romance novels, though sometimes I get a cooking book. I don’t know what gets over me but I feel this rush to cook something… special.”

Twilight put down her book on the desk, turning her body towards Rarity. “That’s… surprising. I never thought you’d be so eager about cooking at all.”

“Well, no, the fire and the knife don’t always excite me, but I live alone, dear, and I don’t have enough money to pay a maid.”

“Spike is the one who cooks around here, so I wouldn’t know…” In the light, Rarity could see Twilight blush as she looked away.

She leaned closer, using her arm for support. There was an excited look in her eyes, as if she had found a shiny crystal that was sure to lead to more if only she dug a little deeper. “Have you ever read romance books?”

Twilight had a troubled expression. “I’ve… tried to read several, but I always stop halfway.”

Rarity cocked an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

“Because…” Twilight scratched the back of her neck, her eyes darting back and forth as she groped for words. “They’re all the same.”

Rarity gasped with a hand flying to her chest. “No they’re not!”

Twilight rose from her chair abruptly. “I’ll show you.” She flicked her wrist and the light grew until it was illuminating every corner of the library.

Rarity had a frown on her face. She appeared so serious and determined as she walked towards the particular shelf which held the romance books. This discussion was not going in the direction she intended for it to go, but perhaps it would only take a few more moments.

Twilight came back with a stack of books which she placed on the desk with a heavy thud. On their own, they didn’t look like they should weight much. Rarity’s eyes sparkled when she recognized the cover of the first book.

“The Dawn Spark in Your Eyes!” She sighed dreamily. “It still makes my heart flutter just by looking at it.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. She undid the stack, placing each book right next to the other. These were all classics; gems of literature as a whole! And they were all together on the same desk! She picked up the book with both her hands and showed the cover to Rarity.

“Could you tell me a summary of this one?”

Rarity straightened her posture, raised her nose in the air and cleared her throat. “Lance, a Royal soldier working in Manehattan is stuck in the daily droll of his job and his life, when he meets Dawn Charm, a spoiled rich girl with a kind heart, who brings the light into his life with the… Dawn Spark in her Eyes!” Rarity finished with a dramatic pose, and as a reward for her passionate and poetic summary she got… giggling.

Twilight’s shoulders shook as she covered her face with the book. Rarity crossed her arms and glared at her, hoping to burn a hole through the book from cover to cover. “Twiliiiiiight!” She whined, which only made Twilight’s giggle grow into a laugh.

She set the book down. “I’m sorry!” She attempted to say through her laugh. “I couldn’t help it.” A breath at a time, she managed to calm herself down. “Anyway, Lance and Dawn Charm meet, right?” She met Rarity’s eyes for confirmation. She nodded. “They get to know each other. I think there was an issue with Dawn’s father, right?”

“Yes. He was desperately trying to get Dawn a husband. He wanted an heir for his fortune, not an heiress.”

“Right, so then-“

“And he also had pancreatic cancer.”

“…Right. So then there’s some conflict with the father and an arranged marriage, Lance and Dawn argue and stay mad at each other for a few chapters, but then they get back together, everything is resolved, they kiss at the end and the author implies a happily ever after.”

Rarity blinked. “W-well… that’s a very general way of describing things.”

“The details aren’t very relevant to my point.” Twilight smiled, then picked up the next book.

“Your Heart For a Bit!” Rarity named the book before Twilight could. “This one is pretty dark and dirty.”

“Actually, what called my attention was that it was set in the time before Princess Luna’s banishment. I thought I’d see some interesting history intertwined with the romantic plot, but… obviously this wasn’t the book for that.”

Rarity tossed her hair with her hand and spoke with a slightly condescending smile. “Dearest Twilight, if you wanted history you should’ve just picked a history book.”

“Maybe, but it couldn’t have hurt to be a little accurate. Anyway…” Rarity took a deep breath, ready for her next summary. “Um, Rarity?” Twilight interrupted. “I’ll do this one.”

“But you said you stopped half-way!”

“Yes, I stopped reading halfway, then I started skimming.” Twilight gripped the book tighter and took a deep breath, readying herself for the lengthy paragraph before her. “Your Heart For a Bit is set in the year 863 n. E.” Which stands for ‘New Equestria.’ “Opal Blossom is a Duchess who decides to cheat on her husband with one of the servants. His name is Lucky, he came from a poor family and he is the only one maintaining them. In exchange for extra pay, he agrees to do some… weird… sexy things with Opal.”

Rarity placed one leg over the other, admiring Twilight’s uncomfortable demeanor with a smirk. Twilight shook her head.

“There’s some drama, they get to know each other personally, they fall in love, more drama, they stay mad at each other for a few chapters, they make up, everything is resolved and they live happily ever after with Lucky as the new Duke.”

“You call the murder of the original Duke ‘drama’?” Rarity asked, indignant.

“It falls under the category.” She set the book down and picked the next one. “And the title of Duke or Duchess didn’t exist in Equestria – they did in the Kingdom of Prance, and in Ancient Equestria, but in New Equestria governors were already implemented.”

“But do they say this happens in Equestria specifically?”

Twilight gave Rarity a slightly irritated look, almost asking ‘did you really read this?’ “The whole thing happens in Canterlot, which is also wrong because Canterlot didn’t even exist at the time.”

Before this devolved into a tedious history lesson, Rarity took a deep breath. “Accurate or not, I fail to see your point.”

Twilight sighed and set the book down. “My point is that, no matter the time or place they’re set in, or the character’s circumstances, they all follow a formula: lead characters meet, lead characters fall in love, lead characters fight, everyone fights, everything is resolved and happily ever after.”

“But you skipped the details!”

“The details are the wrapping paper, but the gift is the same. The very essence of the story, their heart is the same. I know what the plot is going to be like, so I have no need to continue reading.” Twilight stacked the books once more. “But it sells.” She walked away, back to the shelf where she took the books from in the first place.

Rarity stood up. “But not all of them have a happy ending!”

“But a lot of them do.” She glanced at her as her magic did the work of putting the books back in place. “And a lot of them shouldn’t.”

Rarity froze. That sad look in her eye, that regretful smile; she realized that they weren’t talking about books anymore. She was so close to getting to that crystalline mine she has been so dutifully digging towards, yet now she wasn’t sure she wanted to get there anymore.

Not with the threat of the whole cave collapsing above her head.

She licked her lips. She could try, at least, lightly tapping the rock. “I have a slight feeling that you… might be talking about a… personal experience.” She paused to study Twilight’s reaction. Her back was facing her, her attention seemingly fixed on the books she was levitating in and out of the shelf. Even from this angle, it was obvious from the way her feet shifted in place that she was fidgeting madly.

The last book slid into place. Twilight sighed and said in a tiny voice. “Yes.”

She sat down on the floor, back resting against the shelf, and hugged her knees close to her chest. As if to reflect her mood, the light shrunk again, only letting Rarity see a faint outline of Twilight’s form.

Rarity sat next to her, her legs stretched before her and her hands clasped together in her lap. “It’s troubling you, isn’t it? Did somebody break your heart?”

Twilight shook her head firmly. “N-no, it’s not like that.” In a lower voice, she muttered. “It’s not really her fault…”

Rarity resisted a giggle. Perhaps this was it, the reason her private box and her diaries were completely unguarded: Twilight was terrible at keeping her own secrets. She was so absorbed in her academic world that she never considered anyone would care enough to pry into her private life, and Rarity had just exploited all her delightful innocence in a single night.

There was a pang in her chest, one she knew very well. Guilt was haunting her. Rarity ran a hand across Twilight’s hair.

“I’m here to listen, Twilight.” She said. Twilight stared at her with such hope in her eyes, which she snuffed out herself when she looked away.

“It’s just… It’s silly.”

“If it’s affecting you this much, it can’t be silly, dear.” Yet Twilight refused to open up, choosing to stare into the distance instead. “You know, this isn’t a novel; you deserve your resolution, and talking can help you achieve that.”

“It’s more than that! If this gets out, it could destroy my reputation! Princess Celestia would be so disappointed!”

“Oh, my. That does sound big- but why would she?”

“Because-“ Twilight’s hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes darted back and forth nervously. She deeply exhaled and her entire body deflated. Her hands slid down to her chin, then she gave Rarity a meek expression. “Do you promise not to tell?”

Rarity drew a cross on her chest and touched her eye with her palm. “I promise.”

Twilight stared at her intertwined fingers. “I…” She let go of one long breath, throwing her head back until it hit the bookshelf. “I have feelings for Princess Celestia.”

Thankfully, Rarity had been ready for this. “Oh, my darling, you shouldn’t be so embarrassed.”

“I definitely should.” She hid her face in her hands.

Rarity placed a hand on her shoulder. “Everyone has had a crush on Princess Celestia!”

Twilight slowly lifted her head to meet Rarity’s eyes with shock. “What.”

She rolled her eyes at her. So absorbed in her academic world, she wouldn’t realize… “Gorgeous? Mysterious? Rich? She’s the woman of everyone’s dreams!”

Twilight glared at her. “Those are hardly her most noble qualities- she’s intelligent, wise, talented…” She spoke with a distant, smiling gaze, as if she could see the shining deity right where she was looking.

“But you do get what I’m trying to tell you. She’s perfect, even a little child knows that, and they’re the most susceptible to her shine.”

“You’re almost making it sound like an obligatory crush, an indispensable part of a person’s development.”

Rarity’s expression fell. “Uh, no… I just wanted to say everyone went through that and you have nothing to be ashamed of. It’s more of an… obvious crush than an obligatory one, but it’s not the most intelligent choice.”

“I know that part, Rarity. I’ve had lots of time to reflect upon this.” She placed a hand on her heart. “Our essence, our very hearts, they’re so different, they just… wouldn’t work together.”

Rarity shifted in such a way that she was sitting on her side. “Why is that?” She asked.

Twilight looked at her as if the answer were painfully obvious. “Think about it. We can already say for sure that Princess Celestia is over a thousand years old. Add to that the knowledge that she and her sister founded New Equestria, which puts them at over eighteen hundred years. Who knows how much older they are, or where they came from, or how they were raised, but they must have a completely different set of ideas and prejudices. Princess Celestia might not see life the way we do – her conception of reality could be completely different!”

“Um…” Rarity scratched her chin. “I think you might be overestimating the importance of her age a bit much.”

Twilight deflated. “Huh?”

“There is age, yes, but there’s also that her position as Princess puts her in a different world than ours. I think… neither side can consider the other equals.”

“Do you mean we’re lesser?” She asked with a sad chuckle.

“N-no, and please don’t take my word as complete truth, I’m just a fashionista.” Rarity searched the darkness for the right words and ideas. “I just mean that… what separates us from her, and what could possibly keep a romance between you from working is something… that is a part of us people too, something that cannot be overcome.” She met Twilight’s eyes. “Something that perhaps shouldn’t be overcome.”

Seconds ticked by in which neither of them said anything. Twilight was staring at her, not past her, at her, searching her face, her eyes… contemplating her.

“That was… impressive.” She said.

Rarity felt her cheeks getting warmer. She tried to seem nonchalant as she played with her hair. “Oh, no. I just say what I feel, is all.”

Twilight smirked teasingly. “Did you have a crush on Princess Celestia?”

“No.” Rarity answered without thinking much, still running her hand through her purple hair. “I didn’t.”

“Really.” She said, disbelieving.

“Really.”

Rarity remembered being just a little girl giving her first fashion show at school. It was a big, important event for her. She got her cutie mark just a few days prior and was feeling this surge of creativity run through her that had her sewing things like a machine.

Her nose was high in pride as her models – classmates of hers – entered the runway, showing off her creations, and all the children watched and clapped. Most of the boys were at the back of course; they were far too savage to appreciate her art.

Suddenly, someone opened the door and said something Rarity couldn’t quite hear, but it got all the children into a frenzy, running out the door like a stampede of buffalo, knocking things off and shoving each other. Even her models ran off! (At least they were careful with their clothes.)

She was confused, although fear was starting to grow in her chest as well, making her heart beat faster. Was there another big storm scheduled for today that the pegasi forgot to report?

The teacher approached her. She had a big smile on her face. “Don’t you want to come see Princess Celestia?” She asked her and her eyes widened; Princess Celestia was here? She followed the teacher outside and there she was.

All the children were gathered around her, talking to her, asking her things, touching her dress – that pretty white sparkly dress – and her hair, so long and pink and beautiful. Most impressive of it all, she didn’t seem to mind in the slightest.

Her models approached her. Rarity was about to have a panic attack.

“My, my, those are some gorgeous outfits you’re wearing.”

“Rarity made them!”

They were all staring at her; Princess Celestia was staring at her with that smile of hers.

“Maybe one day she could make a dress for me.”

For her?

For Princess Celestia?

For the person who stole her crowd and ruined her fashion show?

Rarity huffed and stormed off.

“Rarity!” Twilight was leaning into her with a fire in her eyes. “Do you have any idea of the opportunity you missed back then?!”

She crossed her arms and tossed her nose in the air. “I am doing perfectly fine- more than perfectly fine – I’m doing great without any sort of patronage or tutelage.”

Twilight leaned back and gave her a knowing look. “You were, or still are, jealous.”

“I have nothing to be jealous of.” She rose to her feet and walked towards the desk with a sway in her hips. “I just wonder how she does it.”

Twilight giggled somewhere behind her. “We should go to sleep, it’s pretty late-“

“Na-ah!” Rarity spun around, wiggling her index finger from side to side. “I am not done with you yet.” She sat on the desk and pushed the chair back with her foot. “Have a seat.”

“Um… okay?” Twilight hesitantly did as was told and sat down.

Rarity let the silence get comfortable in the room as she thought about her next words. Ding, dong, ding, dong! A clock sang, signaling that it was already midnight. She smirked; the night was young. Nevermind that they had to wake up first thing in the morning; when they got there, they’d surely have enough time for a nap.

“So you haven’t had any other… romantic interests?”

Twilight had a deadpan look. “I’m a librarian.”

“So what?”

“I- I just… haven’t met anyone.”

“Really? Even though you were supposed to be here to socialize a little more?”

“The fact that I don’t have a… partner doesn’t mean I don’t socialize. I have made quite a few friends… like you!” Before Rarity could speak, Twilight leaned back in her chair and pouted. “Why does this even matter so much?”

Rarity breathed in and out. “Twilight, you want to get over your princess crush, don’t you?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t have to involve me getting another crush… right?” Twilight looked fearful at the prospect.

Rarity shook her head. “But you have to realize that there are more options out there. You have to try; how do you know you don’t like something if you don’t try it?”

Twilight leaned forward. “Try? How?”

“Well… talking to people, going on dates-“

“But do I have to?”

She looked like a child being told to brush her teeth. Like a mother, Rarity sighed and patted her head.

“No, you don’t, but you might be missing out on something beautiful.” She directed her gaze upwards, as if she could see through the wooden roof at the stars above. “Romance, with its highs and lows, is a wonderful experience.”

Twilight exhaled through her nose, looking skeptical.

“Besides, everyone has gone through it at your age.” She added in a mocking tone.

“You’re telling me Fluttershy has gone out on dates with strangers?” Twilight said defiantly, arching an eyebrow.

Rarity grimaced. “Fluttershy is… special.”

“What about Applejack?”

“Oh, Twilight.” She rolled her eyes. “Farmers are the rowdiest.”

Twilight’s eyes widened and her cheeks turned bright red. Rarity could imagine the things going through that brilliant mind of hers. The poor girl – no, woman – shook her head wildly, her bangs shaking from side to side, then grabbed her head with both her hands.

She let go and let out a deep breath. “Please, let’s never talk about Applejack in that way.”

Rarity studied her nails. “You asked, I answered.”

“This is silly, Rarity.” Twilight said, standing up from her chair with full intent of walking out of the room. “I-I’m fine as I am.”

All the work she had done this night was just about to be ruined. Rarity, in a panic, placed her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “Want to know something sillier?”

She turned around to face her. Exasperation was written all over her features, but also an undeniable curiosity. It was her blessing and her curse, as well as Rarity’s.

“My first kiss…” She stared deep into her eyes. “Was with my high school best friend.”

Twilight tensed under her fingers and the blood returned to her cheeks with full force. “B-but you were friends! Friends don’t… do that.”

“Friends decide what they do or don’t do.” With every word, she inched closer and closer to her. “I found boys my age to be a little gross, and there we were, in the dark, alone, and her lips weren’t covered in hamburger grease half the time.”

Rarity had taken two steps forward, Twilight took one backwards, never letting their eye contact break. “W-what happened the next day?”

“Nothing happened.” She answered with a nonchalant shrug. “Nothing had to happen. We were best friends, after all.”

With a hand, she brushed a strand of hair behind Twilight’s ear, the very tip of her fingers lightly brushing against the burning skin of her cheeks. No, she was not going to take advantage of Twilight’s vulnerability by leaning in. There were mere inches separating them, but Rarity kept her neck straight, showing no intention of bridging the gap.

Yet she kept her eyes locked with Twilight’s own purple crystals, as if holding out an invitation, and from the way she stared back, despite her shaking, despite her gulping and her shifting, she was clearly interested.

Something was holding her back. Was it a moral value set by her parents from her childhood? Was it a silly rule of etiquette that didn’t need to be kept between friends?

Whatever it was, her eyes didn’t lie; Twilight wanted this.

“I-I…” She shook her head, closed her eyes tightly and leaned forward.

Rarity barely had time to smile at the rookie mistake before she had to adjust her head to receive Twilight’s kiss on her lips rather than on her chin, and it was as awkward as she imagined. She had been kissed by people who didn’t kiss often before and they had always been too eager and overwhelming, yet Twilight was the complete opposite.

She was so tense she couldn’t move. Her lips weren’t even pursed! Rarity grabbed her by the shoulders and gently pushed her back. Her hands immediately flew to her face.

“I’m sorry!”

“Twilight, if you could just relax.” Rarity placed her hands on her arms and rubbed circles with her thumbs. Twilight let her hands fall from her face, but her eyes shifted around, trying to decide where to place them.

Rarity pulled her in, closing the distance between their bodies. She took her unspoken suggestion and left her hands resting on Rarity’s shoulders.

She smiled at her, fluttering her eyelashes, trying to seem as relaxed as possible just so Twilight would relax as well.

Twilight closed her eyes and leaned in. “Wait…” Rarity whispered, making her freeze and snap her eyes open. “Lean in first, then close your eyes.” She nodded in understanding.

Rarity tilted her head, welcoming Twilight’s lips once more, and much to her delightful surprise, she exhaled and sank into her. She moved one of her arms to wrap it around her and bring this bundle of sweetness even closer.

She couldn’t help but smile through the kiss, or keep her heart from fluttering just a bit, or want to take her upstairs to cuddle up and kiss some more.

Her eyes opened mid-kiss as she realized it wasn’t like this with her best friend. There was a rush of excitement from doing something that someone would scold them for, but that was it.

She closed them, thinking to herself that the times had changed, and this set of lips felt particularly nice – so soft and moist- even though she was sure Twilight wasn’t the same kind of girl who cared enough to put lip balm on every night before going to bed.

Things merely felt different, but they weren’t different.

And in the morning, it would all be forgotten.

The kiss came to its natural end, with a sound so soft only they could hear as their lips came apart.

For the longest time, Twilight stared. The thoughts running back and forth in her head, they were almost physically visible through her eyes.

Something dark and distant settled in and Twilight stepped away from her embrace, one foot behind the other, and her figure faded as the light she had created became dimmer and dimmer until it was gone.

In the darkness, Twilight said: “…Good night.” Her only clue for Twilight’s departure was the thumping of her feet against the wood sounding farther and farther away.

Rarity was stunned, locked in the same position Twilight left her in. Her eyes took some time to adjust to the darkness and she could now see the faint outline of the shelves with the moonlight.

Maybe she had pushed her too far, or been too weird in her remaining drunkenness. She started pacing around the room, nibbling on her nails. Perhaps she was just nervous or embarrassed, or realized she really needed to sleep.

Rarity needed to sleep as well, but there was no way she was going up there anytime soon. It’s not like she could go back to her Boutique, it was locked tight, which was the whole reason she was in Twilight’s house now. It took a long time to lock everything up and she didn’t trust herself to remember everything early in the morning.

So she decided to pour herself a glass of milk and drink with small sips before she went upstairs. Spike was snoring, Twilight was wrapped up in her blanket, completely immobile. Rarity crept into her extra comfy mat and tried with all her might to get some sleep.

She slept in, of course, and had to shower in a hurry. Spike had been the one to drag her out of bed and offer her breakfast.

She saw Twilight again when it was time to get her baggage in the basket. She was polite and met her eyes, although for short periods of time, though it was probably just in her head.

Indeed, everything had been forgotten.

The sun was barely rising when they left the library. The balloon was already set, and it made Rarity’s jaw drop to see the size of it – almost as big as the treehouse itself!

Twilight walked ahead, levitating Rarity’s things in her purple magic. Normally, she would panic seeing her delicate belongings floating in mid-air, where they were most vulnerable to gravity, but she trusted her friend, her studious, magically talented friend.

“Um… Rarity?”

She snapped out of her thoughts to realize she was staring at her, and she along with Spike were already in the basket.

“Are you coming?” Twilight asked, holding the door out for her.

“Yes!” She hopped on in a hurry, clinging onto her handbag. “I was just making sure I wasn’t forgetting anything.”

“Take a seat!” Offered Spike with a grin. “It’s not as bad as it looks, it’s actually pretty smooth!”

“I’d like to find out.” Rarity answered as she sat down. Just as she expected, Spike did the same right next to her.

He started talking to her about something, probably some tales about the air balloon. She was half-listening though; Twilight’s focus as she operated the complicated machinery was entrancing, although the balloon itself was interesting as well.

She didn’t even notice them taking off, hypnotized by the flame going up and down.

“Look!” Spike said, kneeling on his seat to peek over the basket’s wall.

“Spike! Don’t kneel!” Twilight scolded him.

“Sorry.” He sat down properly, but he still tried looking down, craning his neck as much as he could.

Rarity was taller, so all she had to do was turn around. Ponyville was tiny, even Twilight’s tree looked like a small bush. Her head was starting to spin, and something was going to come out from her stomach… She turned around and placed a hand on her mouth before someone was surprised by a splat of digested egg salad.

“Vertigo is normal.” Twilight commented, still operating the thing. “You’ll get over it… or maybe not.” She giggled a little.

Maybe she really forgot. Rarity removed the hand from her mouth and said with a polite smile. “I’d rather not speak. For now.”

Time passed. Between the clouds, Rarity wasn’t sure whether it had been an hour or two and she was not brave enough to check her watch, but it was enough time for Spike to fall asleep, lying down across the seats. Twilight still stood, touching this and that, making the flame go up and down and up again, then glancing at Canterlot in the distance with her palm shielding her from the sunlight.

Perhaps Rarity couldn’t move, or lean back and enjoy a good drink, but at least she was close to her baggage and could ensure its safety and proper treatment.

Finally, Twilight sat down.

“How did you get this balloon?” Rarity asked.

“It’s a long story.” She answered, searching in one of her own bags.

“Well, we seem to have a long enough journey ahead of us…”

“Yes, but…” Twilight pulled out a book. “I was hoping to finish reading something I didn’t get to last night.”

Rarity recognized the cover: it was last night’s traveling book. Twilight hid her face behind it and read on.

“Alright.” She muttered, feeling out of place. If she could, she’d get occupied as well, but she didn’t want to leave a mess in here. Rarity leaned her head back. She wondered if she could get to sleep so she could get those two hours she was missing.

However, Twilight’s presence was… loud.

She heard the rustling of pages and a deep sigh which prompted her to lift her head. Twilight had a blush on her cheeks, yet her gaze, which was fixed on the floor of the basket, was troubled. The book was on her lap, its pages shifting slightly due to the wind.

Rarity stared, expecting a word out of her.

“Everything you did last night…” Twilight said. “Everything you said- was it to get me to kiss you?”

At first, she couldn’t register the meaning of her words, but when she did, she laughed. This earned her a glare. “Oh, Twilight.” Rarity tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “If all I wanted was a kiss I would’ve found someone who knew how to do it in the first place.”

“Oh.” Twilight brought up the book again, as if it were a barrier to keep Rarity away.

She had to make an effort to hold back an obscenity. “W-what I meant to say is… No. I wasn’t even thinking about that. I was just… curious at first, but then I was genuinely worried about you.”

Twilight didn’t answer. Seconds ticked by, with the clouds slowly going past them, with such peace and tranquility around them.

Yet Rarity stared intently at her, hoping for a response, praying to anyone who listened that she would drop her book to reveal a small, shy smile.

And she did drop it, but the look of anguish wasn’t gone. “You should just… reject him, you know.” It took a few seconds for Rarity to realize her eyes were now fixed on the sleeping Spike.

“You don’t want to deal with that.” She said, though even she knew it was supposed to be phrased differently. Rarity herself didn’t want to deal with it. “He’ll get over it.” She added, which was something she usually told herself.

“Are you waiting for someone to kiss him so he forgets his crush?” Twilight’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. No smiles, no raised eyebrows; it was pure, bitter sarcasm. She lifted the book back up.

A look of shock overtook Rarity’s features and a hand flew to her chest. She couldn’t get her voice to work, let alone form coherent words – she was hurt, and it was paralyzing her.

Finally, she managed to articulate something. “Fine.” She took a deep breath. “It’s fine for you to keep your crush, it’s fine that you dedicate your life to your studies. It’s perfectly fine, and I am not being sarcastic about it.” She paused, expecting a reaction out of Twilight, but none came. “Last night didn’t happen. Not the kiss, not the stupid things I told you to try and comfort you. I got home with Spike, you helped me up, I went to bed and I fell asleep.”

Rarity couldn’t bear to look at her anymore. Her indifference hit her chest over and over and over again. She looked away, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. “None of it happened.” She muttered, not intending to speak to Twilight anymore, but to herself.

It didn’t happen. Nothing had to happen.

She kept her nose high and her posture straight, pretending to peacefully contemplate the clouds.

“Then it must’ve been a dream.” Rarity was forced to glance at Twilight. She held the closed book between her hands, her sad gaze fixed on the cover.

“A really nice dream.”

Rarity’s eyes softened. She hoped Twilight didn’t notice and looked away once more, fully set on giving her the same silent treatment she gave her moments ago.

But she was weaker, or a little less upset and confused than she was, because she had to glance at her again. It was like falling for a trap, a bear trap, catching her gaze like it would catch her leg.

Her crystal eyes clung to hers tightly, they reached into her unprotected core and squeezed it, and it hurt.

It felt right to scoot forwards just a little bit, though when she realized what she did, Rarity attempted to play it off as getting comfortable in her seat.

But then she saw Twilight scoot forwards as well, gazing deeply into her eyes. She set her book aside. Rarity stared at her expectantly, but then noticed her eyes were shifting downwards, towards her lap. She noticed Twilight’s palm was facing upwards, then realized she was holding it out to her. Rarity hesitantly reached out and intertwined their fingers.

Once their hands were joined, it came naturally to join their lips.

Rarity reveled in the sensation of her heart thumping and her blood rushing to her face. Her lips were as soft and sweet as she remembered. Their knees brushed together, their fingers caressed the back of each other’s hands.

They kissed like two lovers at the top of the world.

But they weren’t lovers, and this was doomed to be forgotten once they got down.

Their lips came apart slowly, but once they opened their eyes they let go of each other’s hands and went back to their respective seats.

Rarity fidgeted with her hand bag, trying to get rid of the sweat. There was an alarm in her head and she was starting to feel that annoying sensation of trying very hard to remember something… Spike. He was here, with them. It was then that Twilight came to the same realization. They simultaneously looked to the side, where he still slept soundly, and at the same time they sighed.

They shared a few more glances, but no words were spoken. Twilight went back to her book, though she was truly reading now, and Rarity tried cloud gazing.

It was too late when Rarity realized they were going to land in the castle grounds. She was a nervous wreck – she wasn’t ready to face the soldiers and the nobles, much less Princess Celestia.

Thankfully for her, the princess was too occupied with Twilight and Spike, who immediately ran to her without another word. They were really warm with each other and informal. Twilight hugged her freely and they held each other’s hands, and they smiled so brightly at each other.

She was better here, with the people who gave her everything. Rarity carried all of her bags in any way she could, never mind that she was risking getting a hernia, and got on the carriage that would take her to where she actually wanted to go, Canterlot.

She glanced back one last time and noticed Princess Celestia staring at her.

Maybe she remembered what happened all those years ago.

She got in the carriage, wanting to get as far away from this as she could. Twilight clearly did her part of the forgetting. She could keep her crush; it was better this way.

Rarity hoped she was busy enough these months to forget as well.