Author's Note

So my second story is a clopfic. Why? I had a good idea is why. Anyways, I'm super happy with this first chapter and I hope you guys and gals are as well.

As always. Feel free to tell me ways I can improve or things that are spelled incorrectly, all that jazz. (Be nice down there!)

the promise

Setting her quill and ink down on her desk Twilight gave a weary smile and sighed as she looked over her parchment. This one piece of paper took her over 3 hours to write. She wanted to make sure it was perfect, as for it was going to the princess after all. Touching on a rather important subject no less. A subject that she has kept secret from everypony, even her friends. She just couldn't risk the publicity of such a secret. She could just about see all the newspaper headlines now.. "Twilight Sparkle, the princesses personal protégé, dating a.. Mare?" Twilight said a loud to herself in a mock radio pony tone. She quickly got up laughing and started to amuse herself some more. "Who could this mystery mare be? One of the many noble mares from Canterlot?" She said while making her way down the stairs and into her living room. "Or perhaps it's a superstar from Manehatten? Maybe its a-

"Pony by the name of Rainbow Dash?" Came a familiar and scratchy voice over from Twilights living room couch.

"GAHH!" Twilight screamed before tripping over her own front hoof and into one of her many bookshelves. Letting almost all the books fall onto the ground around her, burying her in a mountain of knowledge. "Rainbow Dash!!" Twilight screamed in annoyance over the loud howling of laughter coming from her mare friend.

"Bahahahaha! T-twilight! A-are you okay?" Rainbow asked, quickly flying over to her mare friend who was currently surrounded by old books she got from the Ponyville hospital.

"Do I look okay to you?" Twilight asked with a deadpanned expression while looking into Dash's wide open and rather beautiful magenta eyes. Gliding over and hovering just in above Twilight, Rainbow read the title of the book that was gracefully resting on Twilights head.

"Teaching your foal to walk 101.." Rainbow read while beginning to, once again, giggle uncontrollably at the name. Following Rainbow's vision she took noticed the thin, weightless book that was quietly resting on her head. Using her magic to bring the book up to her eyes, she read the title and couldn't help but giggle hopelessly along with her mare friend. Rainbow quickly had to land and fell to the ground in front of Twilight, being to tired to fly or even stand anymore. Soon all you could hear was laughter coming from the two ponies for what seemed like hours, but eventually there laughter died down and all that was left was the panting breaths of two mares. "W-wow.. Feels like we just did it for about 2 hours straight!" Rainbow said snickering while spreading her cyan wings and letting them rest outstretched beside her.

Hearing Rainbow's last sentence Twilight picked up the same book in her magic and chucked it at Rainbow hitting her flank, receiving a grunt in response. "Shut it you. This is your fault in the first place." Twilight scowled while getting out of her knowledge prison and inspecting the seemingly now bigger pile of books in front of her. "Now I have to put all these back where I had them. I don't even remember where I had them!" She said in her best angry, but sad tone while sighing loud enough in the hopes of her mare friend hearing it. It was time for her expert acting skills to go to the test.

Rainbow's ears perked up at the tone of Twilights voice. If there was one thing she hated more in this world, it was the sound of Twilight's sadness. Moving her neck so she was facing her mare friend Rainbow took note of how many books were actually on the ground. "The least I can do is help the pretty mare." She thought with a blush. "hey Twi?"

"Y-yes Rainbow?" Twilight said turning around and walking towards Rainbow. Rainbow's face instantly flattened as she saw tears streaming down Twilights face, falling onto one of the many books. She did this.. To her mare friend of all ponies!

"Hey uh.. How about you go have a nice bath and ill um, ill clean this up for you. alright?" Rainbow said while stretching her wings back into her sides and smiling up at Twilight.

"Y-you will? T-thanks so much Dashie. This means a lot to me." Twilight said, bending down and giving Rainbow a little peck on the cheek in appreciation before leaving to head up the stairs slowly as to not give anything away. Soon Rainbow was left alone in Twilights living room with a mountain of books for her to put away.

"Worth it.." Rainbow said while standing on all four of her hooves and picking up the first book in her mouth. "Anything to make that smile come out.. I hate seeing her cry."

Walking up the stairs Twilight closed the door and sat down, back pressed against the door while she looked up at her ceiling. Her brain was currently working overdrive to make herself believe that what she did was what she should have done. It was pretty mean and very manipulative. "Don't worry dashie. Ill make it up to you later.." Twilight said with a grin while turning the tap on, letting the hot water fill her tub. Thinking back, her and Rainbow have been mare friends for quite a while now. It wasn't until there third date that things got.. rather intimate. Rainbow had asked Twilight to put on a cloud walking spell so she could carry her up to her cloud home. "What a night that was.." She thought while giving an involuntary shiver at the memory. Turning the tap off with her magic she stepped into the steaming bathtub, quickly falling into a state of pure relaxation.

Putting the last book on the shelf Rainbow tiredly wiped her forehead with her hoof and landed on the ground. She didn't know what time she started this, but she did know she got here around 6:30 and it was now 7:15. ".. Forty five minutes.. N-not bad at all.. Twilight will be impressed t-that's for sure.." Rainbow smiled dizzily to herself while carefully walking over to grab her glass of water she poured about halfway through, but when she got to it and tipped it up to her mouth only a few drops fell onto her tongue. "Empty. Why is it always e-empty.." Her grieving for water was shortly interrupted however by a loud gasp from the upstairs balcony.

"Rainbow? You really cleaned it all up that fast? You're absolutely insane!" Twilight stated while she quickly trotted downstairs and over to her overheating mare friend. "Here, sit down. Ill go get you a glass of cold water." She said before quickly trotting over to the kitchen sink with Rainbows empty glass. Returning to Rainbow who was quietly sitting on the couch, she gave her the water and watched as it disappeared instantly down her throat. "Dashie you could have hurt yourself!" Twilight said while sitting down next to her and slowly nuzzling against her cheek. "Why did you rush so fast?"

Nuzzling Twilight back, Rainbow set the glass down on the coffee table. "I guess I just wanted to impress you for what happened earlier." She said with a weak smile while resting her head atop of Twilights, minding the horn.

"Oh dash. I.. I didn't actually cry. I wasn't even upset at all! I'm.. I'm so sorry Dash please forgive me." Twilight admitted while nuzzling up to her mare friend harder. She couldn't keep this a secret any longer.

"What do you mean? It was all an act to get me to clean it up? Rainbow asked a little confused.

"y-yes it was.." Twilight said as she started to tear up. "I'm so so sorry rainbow!"

Rainbow smiled and chuckled a bit. "Well.. Did I at least impress you?" She asked as she held the definitely crying mare in her arms. She could never be mad at Twilight for trying to prank her. Even if it was a fairly devious one. To make things worse, she had a now crying Twilight in her embrace and it was making her heart ache way too much.

"Shhhh.. Its alright Twi, I forgive you. I could never be mad at you. You're way to cute to be mad at." Rainbow said while tapping her mare friend on the nose with her hoof. "But if you really want to make it up to me.. You could come with me to see the new Daring Do film in about 2 weeks." Rainbow asked looking down and giving Twilight the puppy dog eyes.

Moving to look at her mare friend's face, Twilights heart melted at the look Dash was giving her. How could she ever refuse a look like that? Especially after what she did. "Mmm.. Alright Dash. Ill go on a date with you.. " She said with a yawn while closing her eyes and sticking her head into the crook of Rainbow's neck, quickly falling into the world of dreams. As if it didn't feel like a dream already, snuggling up against the pony she knew she loved.

"Good to hear Twi. Good to hear.." Dash whispered as she too fell victim to Luna's dark and starry night.