Radiant

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Chapter 1

Rainbow Dash idly looked out of one of the windows, her mind wandering. Fields filled with tall, wild grasses and dotted with bright flowers, broken only by the occasional tree, drifted by without a care as the train chugged towards its destination. In the distance, she watched the snow-capped mountains stand still as the train rocked along, heading further and further away from Ponyville. The steady rhythm of the train steaming along and jostling the car was dampened by the magic enchantments, almost transforming what would have otherwise been a minor nuisance into a lullaby capable of lulling her to sleep.

The track and scenery were familiar, even if she'd only taken the ride a couple of times before and hadn't paid much attention to the view. Those trips had been filled with the joyous laughter and happy conversations between her group of friends and herself, but this time, it was quiet. It made the trip feel longer and surprisingly, much calmer. Without the laughter and conversation, there wasn't much to do, nor was there anything to really focus on since there wasn't a dangerous threat they were headed to confront. Because of the calm, Rainbow felt almost secluded and isolated, despite the bright sun shining down on the world and the clear skies accompanying it.

She looked away from the mountains and looked around across the sky. Occasional patches of fluffy white clouds had no disruptive effect on the sunny day as it marched on, guided by Princess Celestia's magic. She could see a couple of small dots in the sky, perhaps birds or pegasi, but she couldn’t make them out for the distance. Her mind drifted to thoughts of flying. Her lips lifted into a smile, then fell as the thoughts twisted inside her mind, turning into a sharp dagger which cut at her heart.

Rainbow's heart throbbed with regret. The pain made her gaze slip from the window, then glide over the body of the lavender alicorn resting on her side. Twilight was sleeping peacefully as the train trekked along, her chest slowing rising and falling every few seconds with her relaxed breaths. The alicorn's head was nestled against Rainbow's side, right below where her wing met her body. Her muzzle was tucked in against her neck as if she was trying to curl herself into a ball to make herself as small as possible. Rainbow's right wing laid over Twilight's shoulder, like a blanket, covering and protecting her, sheltering and securing her. She smiled as the sight erased the pain in her heart and left her feeling almost giddy in its place. She calmly stroked Twilight's back with a feather, sliding it along her back just beside her backbone. She watched Twilight’s coat part as her feather calmly slid along her back, leaving a subtle indent in its wake.

Twilight's lips twitched up at the feeling, drawing Rainbow's attention. Her attention was so stolen that her feather stopped tracing down Twilight's back. The smile on Twilight’s lips dimmed as Rainbow’s feather stopped, but the warmth lingered, leaving Twilight with an expression confirming that her dreams were both peaceful and worry-free. It was a stark contrast with the empty, almost haunted look normally in its place.

Her mane, an inky blue in color, accented with a pink and a purple highlight running down its length, was disarrayed, yet still mostly straight. Her highlights mixed in with the darker blues of her mane, and some of her hairs stuck out of place, but it still flowed gracefully from the back of her head, unbroken in its majestic beauty. Her tail was draped over the side of the couch and hung there unmovingly as she napped.

Rainbow couldn't help but look down at Twilight's side. Her smile vanished as she stared. Twilight's side looked so foreign, even with the months that had past. She’d never get used to seeing it; she knew it in the very core of her being. It was wrong. The gash may have healed, but the memory lingered in the back of her mind, like a scar that tormented both of them.

She blinked several times in rapid succession to fight back the images bubbling forth in her mind. A shiver ran down her spine. She fluffed her wings to banish the memory from her mind.

While Twilight's side had healed, her wing was still gone. Her coat had regrown and covered her skin, but it was distinctly different from what it had been. The fur was shorter, softer, and lighter in color, but the only way somepony would notice the color difference was if they looked closely. In the center, there was still a little bit of a light pink spot where her coat hadn't fully come back in, leaving her pale skin visible. Her coat having regrown made it look so much more permanent, only further reinforcing the wrongness.

Years ago, she wouldn't have batted an eye at Twilight's barren side; she had been a unicorn, after all. But instead of bringing back warm, fond memories from years past, the sight of Twilight's baren side made her feel apprehensive and on edge, like something inside of her own body was off. It made the atmosphere feel tense and brittle. It left her feeling like breathing could cause something bad to happen without warning.

Her eyes glanced back up at Twilight's bare forehead. With neither her horn, nor her right wing, and with her laying on her left side, she could have been mistaken for an earth pony, rather than seen as the alicorn that she was. Her missing horn only further added to the twisted wrongness that she felt. Twilight’s body had been violated, and it left Rainbow wanting to cry.

Instead, Rainbow swallowed and wrapped her wing around Twilight’s shoulder. She sheltered the alicorn under her wing, protecting her while carefully avoiding her side. She held Twilight close in her feathery embrace, hoping that somehow, it would make everything better, but knowing it wouldn’t. Her wing couldn’t magically heal Twilight, but it gave them both some semblance of comfort; Rainbow knew Twilight was safe under her wing, and Twilight knew Rainbow was there, right beside her, never going to leave her.

Twilight rubbed her head against Rainbow’s side, unconsciously nuzzling her in response to feeling the pegasus’s comforting, feathery embrace.

Rainbow slowly looked away from Twilight, blinking as she looked back out the window. Despite her unease, she was content to hold Twilight with her wing while she laid on top of her. She could relax and let the tension melt away as she simply held Twilight. The alicorn’s weight resting on her body comforted her. The alicorn’s warmth radiating into her body reassured her. It was a reminder that Twilight was there with her, and that was enough to make her happy. The alternative was unthinkable.

Twilight’s shoulders shifted in her sleep, drawing Rainbow’s attention down to her. She wiggled into a new, more comfortable position, sliding further up onto her Pegasus pillow. Rainbow smiled and leaned down to tenderly nuzzle into Twilight’s mane, touching the tip of her nose to Twilight’s head, then gently rubbing her muzzle up and down, just barely touching her. Her smile brightened as Twilight’s soft, silken mane slid back and forth against her nose.

After a few seconds of loving nuzzles, Rainbow lifted her head away from Twilight and went back to watching the landscape as it flew by. Eventually, the view started to bend as the train turned to the left. The mountains disappeared, but their destination was still out of sight. The trip would last a few more days before they arrived at the Crystal Empire.

"She's still sleeping?" Starlight Glimmer asked at length.

Rainbow looked towards the light purple unicorn and nodded. Starlight's brow was creased and she halfway squinted at Twilight. Her mane hung casually down her neck in a style reminiscent of Rarity's, with her bangs curling over itself before partially hiding one of her blue eyes from sight. After a few seconds, she leaned to the right, then continued into the main room from the passageway. Spike walked out behind her, already looking in Twilight's direction. There was a slight hesitation in his step before he followed on after Starlight.

Starlight walked to the couch across from Twilight and Rainbow. She levitated an apple from a basket set on the counter to the right of the couch, then jumped up onto the couch. She took a bite from the apple and chewed it as she watched Twilight with a worried expression. Spike climbed up onto the couch and sat down beside her.

Rainbow glanced back at Twilight, then looked at Starlight. “Hey uh, do you have any idea why she’s been so tired lately?” she asked. Her wings fluttered in apprehension and unease, rubbing against Twilight’s coat and causing the alicorn to nuzzle into her side. Rainbow glanced at Twilight from the corner of her eye and smile, then she looked back at Starlight. The smile faded and she swallowed. “I mean… I know she’s been tired since… you know, but…” she trailed off with a frown. She pulled her gaze away from Starlight and looked at the alicorn blanketed beneath her wing. The sight helped ease her discomfort, and her frown faded, but a hint of it still lingered on her lips. “It just seems like it’s getting… worse.”

Starlight grimaced. "I 'm not sure..." she trailed off, tilting her head to the side. "Is she any more active than she was before?" she asked curiously.

Rainbow looked back at Starlight and shook her head. "No. If anything, she's less active now, but she's taking naps like all the time..."

"Have the doctors said anything about it?" Starlight inquired.

"Not really," Rainbow answered. "They have commented on it, and Twilight's talked to them, but they're not really sure. Doctor Manner seems to think it's because she lost her wing, so she doesn't want to do anything now..." She swallowed, though it didn't help with the tightness growing in her throat, forming a painful knot. "And she's recovering from... that..." she reluctantly breathed out. "That... that was hard on her..." she whispered to herself. She forced down the knot and closed her eyes, then took a deep breath before exhaling.

"I'm sorry, Rainbow," Starlight said in a soft, sympathetic voice. "It's not your fault. None of us could have stopped it..." She sighed, then shook her head. "I don't know why she's so tired. There's a whole host of things that could be causing it. Sleep deprivation, sleeping poorly, eating poorly, not getting proper exercise, doing nothing, doing too much..."

Rainbow spaced out as Starlight continued on, listing possible reasons why Twilight was so tired.

Twilight shifted again. Rainbow's eyes darted over to her. Twilight's muzzle scrunched up before she let out a soft groan. After a couple of seconds, she instinctively nuzzled Rainbow's side, then groggily cracked open her eyes. Her eyes looked perfectly normal and well rested, yet she acted like her eyelids weighed as much as a grown pony. She struggled to keep her eyes opened, and it looked like her eyelids lagged behind her eyes in their movements. She looked even more exhausted than when she had fallen asleep hours ago.

Rainbow leaned over to Twilight and nuzzled her again. She pulled back and smiled as she looked at her alicorn. "Hey, Twi," she greeted softly.

Twilight closed her eyes and her lips pulled into a bright, loopy grin that showed both her joy at Rainbow’s affection and her exhaustion. After a few seconds, she took an abrupt deep breath, then let out a long, tired yet content sigh. Her eyelids parted about halfway. Her eyes looked around lazily, glazing over and ignoring all of the details except for the blue coat beneath her muzzle.

"'s good..." Twilight mumbled, her eyelids drooping again. She yawned and a bit of moisture gathered in the edges of her eyes. She let out a weak, quiet groan, then rubbed her head into Rainbow’s coat and brought her right foreleg up to rub her eyes with the back of her forehoof. Eventually, she pulled her forehoof away, then slid her left foreleg back and placed her hoof flat on the couch and pushed herself up slowly.

Her left wing instinctively flared out, brushing against Rainbow's side, as she sat up. She wobbled unsurely, almost violently, as she struggled to correct for her lack of balance. She tipped to the right and jerked to the left to correct, forcing her to twitch back to the right instinctively, sending her toppling over.

Rainbow reacted immediately, shooting up and grabbing Twilight with her right wing to pull her against her side. She pressed Twilight against her body, forcing her to lean against her for support. Twilight’s muzzle drooped towards the floor. “Easy, Twi,” she cautioned in a soft voice.

Twilight reluctantly glanced at Rainbow, then scooted to her left, pressing her body up against Rainbow’s. She looked away from Rainbow in shame. She stared at the floor for several seconds, then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, then finally opened her eyes all the way. She lifted her head up. She slouched tiredly as she let her eyes roam the room, refusing to move her head. Eventually, her gaze settled on Starlight and Spike across from her and Rainbow.

"You have been eating meat, right?" Starlight asked seriously.

Twilight reluctantly nodded. “Yes.”

“I know we’ve asked this before, but uh… any ideas why you’re always so tired?” Rainbow asked. “It’s… it worried me.”

Twilight looked over at Rainbow, then let her head limply fall onto Rainbow's shoulder. She closed her eyes and relaxed. "I'm just... tired," she said at length. "There's... a half a dozen reasons as to why I could be tired," she stated, "but it's probably just a combination of what I've been through and the fact that I'm still recovering."

Rainbow leaned her head against Twilight’s head. She closed her eyes and tenderly nuzzled her, then she lifted her head back up and watched the now-smiling alicorn. “Twi, it’s been like four months since you… got sick.” Twilight’s smile faded at the reminder. Rainbow swallowed and licked her lips. “Shouldn’t you be better by now?”

Twilight stayed silent.

Rainbow tilted her head and watched Twilight. For a few seconds, she was convinced her alicorn had drifted back to sleep, but then Twilight’s eyes cracked open. “Maybe I should be eating more meat,” she mused. “I know it would help, but… I just… I really don’t feel like it,” she muttered. “Besides, I’m not having problems with feeling sick, I’m just… tired.”

Starlight grimaced. "Are you sure you feel up to this trip? It's a little late now, but, the Crystal Faire is going to be pretty active... And with you being as tired as you are," she hesitantly drawled.

Twilight's eyes drifted to the ceiling, then back down to the floor. Several seconds passed in silence. "If I take it easy," she said, "then it should be fine. I don't want to miss this..." she trailed off softly. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes again. “Besides, I’m sure that the Crystal Ponies will understand, they’re very sympathetic. I want to be here for this… I probably just won’t be out very much.”

“I’ll be with you the whole time, Twi,” Rainbow said. “I wish the girls were coming with us, though. It kinda sucks that they can’t make it,” she commented. “It’s just not the same.”

Twilight’s lips twisted into a grimace and she nodded in agreement, nuzzling Rainbow’s shoulder and neck in the process. Rainbow smiled from the feeling of Twilight’s nuzzle making their coats rub together. “Every other time we’ve been to the Crystal Empire, it’s been all of us…” Twilight whispered. “It… won’t be the same without them,” her voice came out strained and disappointed.

Rainbow shifted her weight and took a deep breath as her brow twitched down. She looked at Twilight and gently stroked the length of Twilight’s upper body with her wing, tenderly brushing her feathers across Twilight’s soft fur. “Hey, we’re not drifting apart. It just didn’t work out this time, that’s all,” she replied.

Twilight opened her eyes and glanced at Rainbow. For a short moment, the two simply looked in each other’s eyes. Twilight was the one to break eye contact and look away. “Yeah, maybe.” She didn’t sound convinced. She closed her eyes again, then lifted her head back up. She wobbled, leaning away from Rainbow and nearly falling over again, but Rainbow’s wing was there to hold her in place.

Twilight eyed the floor apprehensively, her heart racing in anxiety and fear. She scooted closer to Rainbow, pressing their flanks and sides together. She jerked in surprise, her eyes shooting over to Rainbow, as the pegasus’s tail flicked around her back and fell down her right flank before coming to rest on top of her tail. After a few seconds to recover, she smiled at the gesture and nuzzled her. Rainbow returned the nuzzle, and the pair rubbed their muzzles together in slow, long strokes. After several seconds, Twilight broke the nuzzle and looked over at Starlight and Spike.

Starlight vigorously munched on her apple and idly looked out of the window above Twilight and Rainbow. Spike held an open comic in his claws and his eyes eagerly darted across the pages. The cover of the comic had a stylized pegasus wearing a fake horn on her head, surrounded by an icy blue glow. Her wings were spread out and angled downward, and her gaze was determined. Behind her were five other ponies. The caption read 'Power Ponies!'

Twilight's right side itched. She glanced away from the other couch and looked down at her baren side. She shifted uncomfortably as the itch seemed to rhythmically pulse and grow, then fade before pulsing and growing again. She frowned at the tingle accompanying the itching and shifted her body, trying to make the feeling go away.

"Twi, you okay?" Rainbow asked.

“Yes, it’s just itching again,” Twilight answered. She glanced at Rainbow, then looked down at her left forehoof. She reluctantly leaned to her right, testingly putting her weight on Rainbow’s wing. The pegasus’s wing held firm, keeping her from falling over. The way Rainbow’s wing held her and kept her propped up reassured her. She slowly lifted her foreleg up, then hesitantly looked over at her side and brought her hoof around. She held her forehoof a few inches away from her side, right where her missing wing would have met her body. She took a deep breath and tensed up, then slowly touched her side.

Her body jerked slightly at the unfamiliar, unwelcome contact, even with knowing it was coming. She exhaled, then slowly massaged her side. She carefully scratched at the itch, doing her best to avoid injuring herself or making it hurt any worse than it already was. The tingling and itching slowly subsided. Once they faded, she put her forehoof back down on the couch and fidgeted in place.

Twilight looked around and blew air out of her mouth before she settled on looking out the window and watching the scenery.

Twilight watched out of the window as shimmering crystal spires passed by at an ever-slowing rate. The train’s braking gently pushed her body into Rainbow’s side as they neared their destination, and they both welcomed the feeling of closeness it brought. Rainbow embraced and held Twilight protectively with her ring wing, letting Twilight know she was safe and secure.

Eventually, the spires slowed to a stop and the force pushing Twilight into Rainbow's side faded. A few seconds passed where nopony did anything, but then Starlight inhaled and hopped off the couch. She turned to her left and started towards the hallway- "I'll get our things if you can take care of Twilight," she said casually.

"Yeah," Rainbow answered. She looked over at Twilight and took a deep breath. "So... you ready for this?" she asked.

Twilight bobbed her head slowly, her movements subdued and drowsy. She reluctantly opened her mouth and stopped bobbing her head. “I guess…”

Spike jumped out of his spot on the couch across from them and then headed down the hallway. "I'll get the...-" he tapped his claws together and his step hesitated "-uh... you know," he commented. He cast a nervous glance aside at Twilight and Rainbow, then scurried off down the short hallway.

Once Spike was out of sight, Twilight glanced at the empty space where he had stood, then looked down at the floor in front of her. Her eyes drifted closed and her head limply tilted forward until she barely held it up. Her muzzle nearly pointed straight down. Rainbow rubbed her wing up and down Twilight’s shoulder, stroking down her side about halfway, careful to never brush lower than where Twilight’s wing had been. Twilight’s lips turned into a smile, though her head remained in place and her eyes stayed closed.

As the sound of Spike’s claws scraping on the floor informed of his return, Twilight lifted her head back up and opened her eyes halfway. She closed her eyes a second later and steeled herself. She blinked her eyes several times in rapid succession, attempting to wake herself up and keep her eyelids from closing.

Spike walked over to Twilight with measured steps, each one neither too fast, nor too slow. He carried a lavender pack in his claws as he approached. The pack had a black strap bundled up on top of it and a sleeve where the excess could be tucked into. The color of the pack was nearly the same as Twilight’s coat, but the strap stood in sharp contrast.

Twilight cautiously shuffled her weight and leaned away from Rainbow. Her left wing instinctively lifted an inch from her body, and her jaw tightened, visibly strained beneath her coat. She held herself rigidly, trying to keep herself as still as possible as she forced her wing back against her side.

Rainbow hesitantly slid her wing across Twilight’s back, then lifted it from her and folded it to her side. She stood from the couch and then stepped over to Twilight and turned to face her. She watched her closely as she sat there precariously, her body threatening to topple over without her support. Twilight simple stared down at the floor, trying to stay as still as possible while trying to avoid everypony’s gaze. “You doing okay?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight's eyes glanced up at her, then immediately darted back to the floor. The alicorn stayed silent. It was an apprehensive, almost haunted silence.

Rainbow's lips drew into an even line. Her eyes shot down to her hooves for a brief second before returning to Twilight. "Right..." she whispered to herself. She looked over the pack Spike held. He stepped slightly to the side, then hopped up on the couch beside Twilight. Rainbow reached out with a foreleg and her free wing to unwrap the bundled strap. Spike then carefully lifted the pack up to Twilight’s side. Seconds passed as he carefully touched the pack to Twilight’s side, trying to make the contact as gentle as possible. Twilight still jerked at the contact.

Rainbow immediately caught Twilight with her right wing, preventing her from falling. “Easy there,” she cautioned. She gently pressed her left wing against the pack on Twilight’s side, then embraced her with her wings, gently pulling her close and holding her in place so she wouldn’t fall. Twilight smiled faintly, and Rainbow smiled back. “I’ve got you,” she promised. Twilight nodded, then let her forehead rest against Rainbow’s chest.

Spike threw the strap around Twilight’s back. Twilight slid her wing forward, then folded her wing back into place over the strap to hold it in place. She leaned into Rainbow’s embrace and pushed herself up just enough to give Spike room to reach under her body and grab the strap. Once he had the strap, he pulled it under her stomach and then threaded the belt through a metal clasp to secure the pack to her side. He pulled the strap tight and then slid a claw under it to make sure it wasn’t hurting Twilight. He easily slipped his claw between the strap and the alicorn’s body, and a quick tug on the pack reaffirmed that it wasn’t going anywhere. Once he finished with that, he tucked the slack into the sleeve.

Twilight glanced aside at Spike as he hopped down, then she looked back at Rainbow and slowly lifted her head back up.

Rainbow scrutinized Twilight’s expression. She regarded the pack warily, faintly scowling at it, but recognizing that she needed it. She shifted her weight and sat up straighter, almost rigidly, so that her weight wasn’t on Rainbow’s wings. Rainbow reluctantly lifted her wings from Twilight’s sides in small increments, not wanting to risk Twilight falling over even if the pack was in place. Twilight sat patiently on the couch, no longer wobbling unsurely nor threatening to fall over at the slightest unbalanced twitch.

She hesitantly folded her wings, then stood up and turned so that her body was parallel to Twilight. She offered Twilight a forehoof and smiled. Twilight glanced at her forehoof and smiled a strained smile. She reached out and took the forehoof offered to her, then stepped down onto the floor.

Twilight’s hooves made dull thuds as she landed. She perked up slightly, some of her exhaustion fading, as she looked around more eagerly. It was like simply moving was enough to wake her up, but her motions were still sluggish and tired. Her eyes focused back on Rainbow, then she glanced down at her left forehoof. A second passed before she leaned to her right, then ever so slowly lifted her hoof up. She didn’t immediately lose her balance, but her caution remained, even with the pack secured to her side. She took a hesitant step forward. Rainbow matched her stride, staying right beside her.

A few steps later, Twilight ruffled her left wing and reluctantly glanced back at the pack. Her eyes wandered over the bag. Despite how much it helped her, she still scowled at it. The pack wasn’t heavy; it had just enough weight to help her balance so she wouldn’t fall over. Without it, she couldn’t walk on her own. Several bruises had taught her that lesson the hard way.

But even though the pack balanced her so she could walk, it still wasn’t comfortable. Her side cried out in agony. The fabric was unbearably harsh, constantly rubbing against her side with each step she took. As long as the pack was there, she could feel it. Every single second, she knew it was there. There was no way she could get used to its presence, even after having it for over a month. It was impossible for her not to notice. Her injured nerves knew it was there, constantly irritating her injured side. Her body knew it was wrong. Her body knew what it was missing. Rather than a welcoming, comforting feather appendage to protect her, the fabric overstimulated her sensitive side. Rather than feeling secure, the pack made her feel so incredibly vulnerable and exposed. Instead of feeling natural, it was artificial. It was foreign. The phantom sensation of her wing still being at her side only further distressed her when she wore the pack.

She swallowed and looked away from the bag, unable to shake its unrelenting presence. A heavy, distressed breath escaped her lips. She pulled away from Rainbow and crossed the car as quickly as she could. Rainbow’s expression wavered as she watched Twilight limp across the room. Twilight didn’t notice it, but it was there. She favored her left foreleg; her left gait was longer than her right, so her body would lurch with each step. A long left step, then lurching to catch up, like she was falling forward and trying to catch herself. She carried herself as if she was afraid to put any weight on her right foreleg, like she was afraid it would give out beneath her and cause her to fall, or perhaps that putting weight on her right leg would cause pain. Rainbow swallowed as she continued to watch her. The alicorn came to a stop at the other couch and she looked out the window. Her eyes traced over the sharp crystalline outlines of the train station.

A few seconds passed in mutual silence, only to be broken by the sound of Starlight’s hoofsteps. All three of the room’s occupants looked over at her as she approached. Twilight and Rainbow, in particular, looked over the three pair of saddlebags and the five suitcases levitating in Starlight’s magic. “Well, I think that’s everything,” Starlight commented idly.

Twilight nodded in affirmation, then turned towards the door. “If it’s not, then we can come back,” she said. She took a long left step forward and tilted her head to the right. She looked back at Starlight and Rainbow, then headed to the door.

In the blink of an eye, Rainbow was right there beside her, opening the door for her. Twilight glanced at Rainbow and received a warm, reassuring smile from the pegasus. Twilight's lips instinctively twitched upwards at the edges. She broke her gaze away from Rainbow and scrutinized the gap between her Royal Caboose and the next car.

As with every train car, the two cars were connected by a heavy-duty metal cusp. The metal connector was about five hooves wide, but that really wasn't a lot of space to walk across, especially at speed when the train would have been jostling from its motion. To make up for the limited walking space, there was railing extending from both cars which surrounded the connector, nearly meeting in the middle. The railing gave added security to help prevent any accidents from occurring, and the vertical rails were close enough together that even a foal couldn’t slip through. The gap between the railing could be crossed in a single step since it was such a short distance, but she still regarded it with disdain. One could simply step across the gap since it was such a short distance, but she still regarded it with disdain.

If it wasn’t for the railing, there would have been no way Twilight would have attempted to cross the gap, even if the train wasn’t moving and she had the pack on. The idea of crossing the gap still made her uncomfortable despite the railing and pack on her side. Fortunately, she didn’t have to cross through the rest of the train to disembark. There were stairs on each side of the gangway that she could walk down and then hop off onto the train station’s platform.

She walked out onto the gangway and then stepped to the right and turned. Rainbow was right there beside her, and the pair walked down the stairs and onto the platform in unison. They waited for a few seconds while Starlight and Spike walked out onto the gangway, then they took a few steps forward, their heads swiveling around as they scanned the station.

Ponies meandered about after disembarking from the train. They walked every which way and tended to their own business. Crystal ponies were the most common, followed by unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies, who had just arrived. The crystal ponies stood out, their coats gleaming as a result of their magic and the sunlight. Their shimmering coats displayed their eagerness and joy for the whole world to see.

Twilight frowned. Notably absent from the crowd was anypony she recognized. Neither guards adorned with the gray steel armor of the Crystal Empire, nor guards clad in the shining gold-plated armor of the Royal Guard were present. Try as she did, she couldn’t see her brother or sister-in-law anywhere. Nopony was there to greet them. Twilight’s frown faded and her expression blanked before a subdued, disappointed look replaced it. Her ears folded back and her body almost visibly slumped. The eagerness perking her up faded, and her exhaustion crept back in to her features. Her head fell a few inches and she stared at the crystal beneath them. Rainbow stroked Twilight’s back with her wing and offered her a gentle smile.

"Wasn't your brother supposed to meet us..?" Starlight asked curiously as she stepped up beside Twilight.

Twilight glanced at Starlight, who came to a stop at her left. The unicorn looked around aimlessly, completely missing Twilight’s downcast expression. Twilight silently sighed. “Yes,” she answered, “but the train arrived early…”

Starlight and Spike looked over at Twilight. Starlight winced when she saw the disappointment written on her features. She nibbled on her lip, unsure about what to do or say. Spike looked away and tapped his claws together.

Rainbow's wing brushed against Twilight's side. The alicorn fidgeted on her hooves and looked over at Rainbow. Rainbow studied Twilight with a serious look and took a step over towards her, closing the gap between them. "Hey... are you doing alright?" she asked quietly.

Twilight's head leaned forward and then limply hung toward the ground. She closed her eyes and sighed silently, then lifted her head back up. "Let's just go..." she coaxed.

Rainbow slowly nodded, pulling her head away from Twilight but continuing to watch her. “Okay,” she relented. She glanced at Twilight’s body, then wrapped her wing around her and pulled her close. Months ago, such a display would have made her nervous and jittery, months ago, her heart would have been pounding in her chest. Months ago, she wouldn’t have done that in public, but months had passed.

Twilight’s softhearted smile made it worth it. “Come on,” Rainbow encouraged. She looked ahead, then walked forward. Twilight fell in sync with her and stayed close beside her, careful to avoid separating from her. With Rainbow there beside her, her gait wasn’t as uneven. She didn’t limp; her steps were sure. It was caused by a combination of knowing that Rainbow would prevent her from falling and having Rainbow to lean on. Starlight and Spike casually trailed behind them, giving them space, but still staying close enough that they were a group.

As they made their way through the crowd occupying the train station, ponies parted before them. The Crystal Ponies looked at Twilight and Spike with a sort of reverence that the pair had earned by saving them from King Sombra. The gazes of the other ponies lingered on Twilight a little longer; they were still respectful, but they still looked worried about their princess. even if it was for a brief moment.

More than a few glances were directed at the pegasus sheltering Twilight with her wing. They watched her escort the princess along curiously, but their expression warmed to see that there was somepony there for her. Twilight could almost see the gears in their minds turning, as if they wondered if there wasn’t something more between the pair. It was daunting, but their smiles were reassuring.

Twilight shifted her weight and walked closer to Rainbow. She forced herself to keep her head straight, but her eyes darted around nervously, observing the crowd of ponies watching them. Even if they did continue about their own business, all of the looks at Rainbow and her made her heart beat faster, reassuring smiles or not.

Eventually, they made their way through the train station and out onto the wide-open crystal streets. Beautiful houses made of blue, white, and pink crystals lined the sides of the streets, shining brilliantly in the cheerful sunlight. In contrast to the busy train station and platform, the street was nearly deserted. The exception was the first few blocks, where ponies who had just disembarked dispersed from the station. A few crystal ponies calmly strolled across the streets as they went about their day. The main road which stretched out before them lead right to the center of the Crystal Empire., and at the heart of the Empire was a massive Crystal Spire reaching out for the sky- the Crystal Palace.

The crystal structure was simply massive; it could be seen for miles around, standing proudly as a beacon of love and of hope, and of peace and prosperity. The structure put Twilight’s castle to shame; it dwarfed the small crystalline tree is size and appearance. The crystals were colored so much more brightly and welcomingly than the crystals composing Twilight’s castle; instead of darker blues and greens, the Palace’s crystals were light blues, soft pinks, and whites.

If somepony had not seen the Crystal Palace before, it would have taken their breath away. It was a stunning sight. Even with having seen the Crystal Palace before, all four of them stopped to take in the sight. As Twilight watched the gleaming pillar of hope, she felt a sense of ease and calmness wash over her; the sight of the structure helped calm her nerves. That, and she was looking forward to seeing her brother, sister-in-law, and her niece, but mostly her niece.

After a few seconds, Twilight glanced at Rainbow and waited for her to take the lead. Rainbow grinned as she took the lead. Twilight fell in sync with her, never once breaking stride, nor falling behind, lest she leave Rainbow's side.

"I can't wait to see Sunburst again," Starlight commented casually.

"Yeah, I wonder how he's doing," Spike replied. He looked over at Starlight as he walked. "Hey, don't you two stay in touch through letters?"

Starlight nodded. "Yes," she answered. "He said he was doing well the last time I heard from him. He mentioned that he had ordered some books on genetics recently," she explained. "He said he was going to look into alicorns a bit more. Specifically, he wanted to learn more about Flurry Heart being an alicorn," she stated.

Twilight glanced over at Starlight. "He could just ask," she stated flatly.

Starlight blinked and looked over at Twilight. The alicorn was already watching the sides of the street again as they walked along. She stared at Twilight for a few seconds, absent curiosity filling her features as she waited for Twilight to continue. Eventually, she shifted her weight when she realized Twilight wasn't going to offer any further elaboration, at least not without coaxing. "What do you mean?"

Twilight looked over at her,"I'm assuming he's wanting to know why Flurry Heart is an alicorn, rather than a unicorn or a pegasus," she answered calmly.

Starlight nodded. "Yes, that's what I took from his letter."

Twilight looked back ahead. "Alicorn genetics take precedence over other pony species," she replied. "Since Cadance is an alicorn, any of her foals will be alicorns, so long as the father was a pony," she lectured. "I don't know how that would work if the father was... say a griffon. In theory, the foal should still be an alicorn. Or at least a hybrid alicorn hippogriff."

Starlight blinked. "Okay... why?" she drawled.

Twilight frowned. "It's... just an alicorn thing..." she said at length. "Any alicorn having foals would have alicorn foals, it's genetics," she stated. "On the other hoof, it is possible for two unicorns to have a foal who isn't a unicorn. It's unlikely, but it can happen if they both have... say... a pegasus in their lineage, then they could have a pegasus foal if the conditions are right. With alicorns, that can't happen..."

"How do you know that?" Starlight asked.

Twilight inhaled. "I did some research after Flurry's birth..." she trailed off. "And I talked to Celestia about it. It's kind of a hard theory to test, since..." she trailed off rather pointedly. Her left wing fluffed apprehensively. She inhaled and her eyebrows lifted up. "But, it lines up with what we know about alicorns and alicorn physiology."

"Huh, okay..." Starlight replied. "I guess he'll probably want to talk to you about that, then."

"That's fine," Twilight replied. "I'd probably enjoy talking to him. He's intelligent and well-read."

Starlight nodded. "You two would probably get along quite well, actually," she admitted. "It's a shame you two didn't get to spend as much time together the last time we were here."

"Well, we're going to be here for several weeks, so maybe this time I'll get a chance to talk to him a little more," Twilight mused.

Rainbow fidgeted beside Twilight and glanced at her. "So uh, does that mean that uh, any... foals... you'd have would be... alicorns?"

Twilight froze. Rainbow's wing slid up to her shoulder before Rainbow came to a stop and looked back at her. "Uh... Twilight?"

Twilight clenched her jaw. Her lone left wing fluffed at her side nervously. She shifted her weight from right to left, back to right again and glanced around, avoiding looking directly at Rainbow. She slowly turned her head left, then back right, gradually looking down at the street.

"S-sorry... I uh, didn't mean to..." Rainbow trailed off, wincing and shifting her weight. "I-I didn't mean that I..." she trailed off. "I was just curious!" she defended.

Twilight took a deep breath and rigidly lifted her head back up. "Yes," she stated. She hesitantly looked at Rainbow and met her eyes. "If... I were to... have foals... they would be... alicorns..." she acknowledged quietly. She broke eye contact and looked away, her jaw relaxing, but a grimace twisting her expression. A glimpse of pain sparked through her eyes. She swallowed and licked her lips.

Starlight and Spike shared an uneasy look before looking back at Twilight. The alicorn was visibly tense and uncomfortable, despite her jaw relaxing.

"But... it's... we..." Twilight started, only to go quiet again.

Rainbow's cheeks warmed up. A little bit of a flush was visible beneath the short light-blue hairs of her coat. "I-I..." she shuttered, then closed her eyes. "I didn't mean that," she insisted. "I just... I know that bothers you... I remember how you felt about that when your parents..." she trailed off. "I'm sorry, I was just... curious..." she groaned.

Twilight closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's not important," she stated hastily. "We've.... not been together that long and... I'd rather not talk about... that..." she said at length.

"Y-yeah..." Rainbow stuttered in agreement. "I-I just... If... you uh... want to talk about it..." she trailed off as Twilight glanced at her.

Starlight took a quick deep breath and looked at Spike. "Well. This conversation got awkward," she acknowledged.

"Yeah," Spike deadpanned in agreement. "Can we go now? Really. I don't want to be here for this conversation. If you two are going to have foals together, that's fine, but I don't need to know about this conversation."

Twilight tensed even more and pointedly looked away from Rainbow, Spike, and Starlight. She tilted her head downward and stared down at the clean, crystalline road. She did her best to ignore everypony and focus entirely on the road. Despite her best attempts, her eyes betrayed her and drifted towards Rainbow's forehooves, then up her legs.

"That's... not what I meant, I just wanted to know if..." she trailed off with a sigh. "Come on, let's just go..." Rainbow groaned, shaking her head. She coaxed Twilight back against her side, then took the lead once more.

Twilight hesitated for barely a second, then lurched forward in a desperate attempt to stay beside her pegasus as Rainbow's wing moved out of place. Rainbow slowed and glanced back at her. Twilight nibbled on her lip and nervously glanced at Rainbow before looking away from her.

"Come on, Twilight, relax..." Rainbow coaxed in a soft voice. She brought her head over and gave Twilight a short, tender nuzzle.

Twilight took a deep breath, then nodded hastily. Despite her agreement, she didn't relax. Instead, she walked on as rigidly as before, pressing herself as close as physically possible to Rainbow.

Starlight and Spike eyed Twilight warily but soon enough resumed walking after her and Rainbow.

Every single door in the Crystal Palace was composed of a single, solid crystal. The intricate details of the crystals and their ability to serve so many roles was a result of the exceptional crystal craftsmanship and the magic woven together into the creation of the palace.

The entire structure of the Palace was one single crystal too; it was the largest crystal known to exist anywhere. Were it not for the crystal's natural strength and the powerful enchantments in place, the Crystal Palace would have likely collapsed due to its design where there were four supports on which the palace was suspended, leaving a massive open plaza protected beneath it.

Twilight smiled at the familiarity of the Palace's hallways. The gentle colors were easy on her eyes, welcoming, and inviting. Sure, every time prior she had been to the Crystal Palace something had gone wrong, but that didn't stop the flood of fond memories trickling through her mind. Her brother, sister-in-law, and niece lived in the Palace, after all. The atmosphere was relaxed and calming, aided in part by the scent of lilacs and spring filling the halls, despite it being the wrong season.

Their hooves quietly clicked on the crystal floor, producing a serene peace as they walked along, undisturbed. While Twilight missed the rest of her friends, she had to admit that it was nice to get away from the rest of them. Just walking the hallways with Rainbow and Rainbow alone was lulling. Twilight's eyes drifted closed, then pulled back open, though her eyelids remained halfway down. She leaned a little more on Rainbow, pressing up against her, as they walked on.

Rainbow gently caressed Twilight's wing and side with her feathers. "Hey, you doing alright? You're looking kinda tired," she said softly.

Twilight groaned quietly and nodded. "Yeah... it's just..." she trailed off, taking in a deep breath. She yawned and her eyes watered. She blinked several times, trying to wake herself up, but to no avail.

"You better not fall asleep before we get to the dining room, Twi," Rainbow cautioned. "Seriously, we're like one turn away from it," she added flatly.

Twilight snorted and smiled. "Sorry. I'm just... tired. I should be fine once we get there," she replied. She leaned away from Rainbow slightly and stood up straighter as they rounded the corner. Two guards stood beside the doors to the dining room. One stood on each side of the large crystal double door. Both guards were crystal ponies, wearing the same heavy steel armor as always. Despite the weight of the dull gray armor, both of them stood there proudly.

At Twilight's approach, a warm smile replaced their stoic expressions. "Princess," the one closer to them acknowledged. Both guards fell into a calm, practiced bow. Even if Twilight wasn't technically a princess of the Crystal Empire, they would treat her just the same. Twilight was royalty; she was a member of the Royal Family. She was one of only five alicorns. They held a deep respect for her friends and herself, spurred on by their accomplishments, saving them from King Sombra, and the bonds they shared with their Prince and Princess.

Twilight brightened up. "Gentlecolts," she greeted kindly. She gave a slight, courteous nod to them.

A few seconds passed before they reached the door. The two guards moved and pushed the doors open, making them part in the middle and silently glide inward to grant them entrance. They both stayed in place to hold the doors open while Twilight and Rainbow walked inside. As soon as they were within, the doors closed behind them.

Four ponies occupied the room, sitting at the far end of the dining table. The chairs were pulled out so that they were all sitting where they could easily look at each other, while still close enough to the table to actually use it. Princess Celestia sat at the right corner, facing the doorway. Her sister, Princess Luna, sat to her left, also facing the doorway. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor both sat beside each other, watching Celestia.

"Twilight, Rainbow," Celestia greeted calmly. A pleasant, welcoming smile laid across her lips as she looked at the pair with a thoughtful, caring look. Her soft, vibrant pink eyes were filled with warmth, yet it was subdued and calm. She was sitting down on her haunches, yet still taller than everypony else in the room. Her multicolored mane was made up of three light colors: pink, green, and blue, all gently billowing in a nonexistent ethereal breeze, spurred on by her magic. She held one foreleg to her chest, cradling a small, fluffy pink ball that stood out against her pristine white coat.

Twilight's eyes abandoned Celestia's visage and took in Flurry Heart. The young alicorn filly slept peacefully in Celestia's motherly embrace. Twilight's smile grew warmer.

Shining Armor looked away from Celestia and beamed as his sister walked into the room beside Rainbow. The tall stallion had a white coat, similar to Celestia's, yet nowhere near as pure. While Celestia's coat seemed to sparkle, Shining's coat looked dull in comparison. His mane and tail made up for it, however. Both were a beautiful shade of blue, accented with a sharp teal highlight and a darker blue streak running through their length. "Twilight!" he called out. He hopped out of his chair and trotted towards his sister.

Rainbow glanced aside at Twilight, then hesitantly lifted her wing off of Twilight and stopped where she stood. Twilight took a few steps forward, then paused and glanced back at Rainbow. Uncertainty was etched into Twilight's features, but after a second, she swallowed and turned back ahead. She hesitantly leaned to her right, then took another step forward.

Rainbow watched Twilight's uneven gait for a few seconds. Her jaw tightened as the sight brought back bitter memories. Shining met Twilight halfway across the room. Both of them sat down and Shining pulled her into a hug. Rainbow's muscles relaxed. She fluffed her wings and took a deep breath, then walked towards Twilight.

"How are you doing, Twily?" Shining asked.

Twilight hesitated, then slowly nodded. Her eyes darted across the floor beside her brother. "Fine..." she answered hesitantly. She looked back up at him. "Just... tired."

Shining frowned but nodded. "Well... I'm glad you were able to make it. It wouldn't have been the same without you!"

Twilight smiled softly again. "Yeah..." she agreed. Her smile wavered as her thoughts drifted back to the four missing ponies who normally accompanied her to the Crystal Empire.

Seeing her distant, disappointed look, Shining reached out with his forelegs and embraced her again. He squeezed her tight, giving her a big, brotherly hug. Twilight leaned into the hug and closed her eyes, content to let her brother love on her. "Hey, it'll be alright. You'll get through this! Nopony's tougher than you, little sis!" he whispered.

Twilight's lips instinctively flared up into a smile at her brother's praise, but it eventually faded. Whether Shining could tell or not, she didn't know, but he did tighten his grip. After a few seconds, he let up, then slowly pulled back. "Thanks," she replied softly.

Cadance hopped out of her chair and approached Twilight. Shining glanced back at her, then stood up and stepped aside. Twilight slowly stood up and smiled at her sister-in-law. "Cadance," she greeted.

Cadance's eyes, like Celestia's, were filled with a warmth that could make anypony feel right at home. Her coat was a soft pink, and her mane and tail were composed of a sharper pink, a purple, and a light yellow color. The colors in her mane combined to give her an extravagant, yet simplistic beauty. She stood taller than both Twilight and Shining Armor, but neither as tall as Luna nor Celestia. She wrapped her forelegs around Twilight and gave her a warm hug. Twilight returned the hug and embraced her. The two nuzzled each other for a few seconds, then parted.

Twilight's smile fell and turned wry. "I'd do our dance since it's tradition, but I'm pretty tired and I don't want to fall over," she apologized. Her smile teetered on the edge of collapse for all of one second before fading. Her expression emptied as she looked at Cadance. She swallowed and took a deep breath.

Cadance slowly shook her head and grimaced. "That's alright, Twilight. We didn't do it the last time we saw each other, either..." she said softly. She hesitantly glanced away from Twilight and looked at Rainbow. She pondered the pegasus for a few seconds, making Rainbow shift her weight under her scrutiny. When she looked back at Twilight, she could see Rainbow relax out of the corner of her eye. She felt a bit disappointed by Rainbow's reaction; She'd love to give them advice and help them out in any way she could. "Where are Starlight and Spike?" she asked.

"They're taking care of luggage. And Starlight wanted to see Sunburst," Twilight replied casually. "Spike will probably find a spot to sit down and read his comics," she added.

Cadance hummed thoughtfully to herself. "Well, we weren't expecting you until tonight, but you're welcome to stay and join us for lunch."

A little of Twilight's smile returned and she nodded. "I'd like that," she answered. She looked back at Rainbow.

"Fine by me," the pegasus answered. A moment later, she shifted on her hooves. "Uh, you going to eat..." A slight grimace pulled at her lips and she bobbed her head. "...You know..?"

Twilight fidgeted and gradually looked back at Cadance.

"We have salmon," she answered. "If you wanted any meat," she added.

"Maybe tonight," Twilight replied hastily, casting a nervous glance back at Rainbow.

Cadance nodded in response. She turned and then walked back to her chair, followed by her husband. "So... how are you and Rainbow getting along?" she asked casually.

Twilight's left wing fluttered at her side. "We're doing... fine..." she answered cautiously. Cadance hummed a little again, almost teasingly. A few seconds passed; Rainbow closed the distance and stood beside Twilight. The alicorn gave her a little smile, then walked around to the other side of the table. Rainbow followed her, then she pulled out the chair immediately to Celestia's right. Twilight smiled happily and gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle. She climbed up into the chair and sat down on her haunches. Almost immediately, her attention turned to Celestia and Flurry.

Rainbow pulled out the empty chair beside her, then pushed it up against Twilight's chair so that they touched. She climbed up into her chair, then sat down beside her alicorn. She looked at Twilight and unfolded her left wing. She lightly slid her feather's across Twilight's side, below her rib cage, drawing Twilight's attention away from Celestia and the young alicorn cradled in her forelegs. Twilight looked at Rainbow from the corner of her eyes, her eyes holding a curious glint to them. Rainbow flashed her a smile and dragged her feathers across Twilight's back, then gently caressed her body and wrapped her wing around Twilight's side, pinning her wing to her side.

Twilight sighed softly and closed her eyes, relaxing in Rainbow's warm embrace. She opened her eyes and turned her head towards Rainbow, smiling, then leaned into her, pressing their coats together. She laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder and closed her eyes once more. She gently rubbed her muzzle into Rainbow's neck. After a few seconds, she blinked and yawned, the feeling of warmth and safety putting her at ease. Her eyes watered a little as her eyelids drooped. She nuzzled Rainbow tenderly as the weight of her drowsiness caught up with her. In a few short seconds, she fell asleep in Rainbow's embrace.

A few hours had past, and now only three ponies beside Twilight occupied the dining room. With the Crystal Faire coming up, Cadance and Shining Armor were in high demand to see that things were being handled properly. Ponies also wanted their royals' approval of what they were doing, and as such, they, along with their daughter, left to tend to the needs of their ponies. With the exception of the occasional pony who would check in on them to make sure they were doing okay, that left Rainbow, Luna, Celestia, and Twilight alone in the dining room.

The four of them sat in relative silence, relaxing and enjoying their peace and company. For Celestia and Luna, it was nice to be able to get away from the bustle of Canterlot and ensuring that Equestria would continue to run smoothly. Luna sat calmly with her eyes closed and a wearing pensive expression. She seemed to be meditating, although her horn was glowing with her comforting blue aura. Her breathing was relaxed, with her chest gently rising and falling every few seconds.

Celestia's horn was also aglow, but unlike her sister, she was holding a small crystal teacup in her magic. The lightly colored crystal shimmered as it levitated in Celestia's golden magic. She precisely raised the teacup to her lips and gently tipped it up, taking a small drink in silence, then levitating the cup away to refill it.

Rainbow, for her part, sat silently beside Twilight, content to serve as the alicorn's pillow. Twilight sat beside her with her body pressed into Rainbow's body. She was leaning her weight on the pegasus, and Rainbow in return had blanketed Twilight with her left wing. Despite the comforting embrace and peaceful atmosphere, she felt anxious. Each passing moment, her anxiety grew. She nibbled on her lip and looked over at Celestia.

Celestia saw Twilight's look and anxiety. A warm, reassuring smile grew on Celestia's lips. It was the sort of bright, welcoming smile that she used to let ponies know it was okay and that they were safe. It helped Twilight relax ever so slightly. "Yes, Twilight?" Celestia asked.

Twilight slowly looked back at the table. A second passed. She opened her mouth and inhaled in preparation to speak, but then she closed her mouth and exhaled in defeat. Rainbow nuzzled her head. She smiled, though it faded even before Rainbow stopped nuzzling her. She hesitantly lifted her head off of Rainbow's shoulder and leaned away from her. Rainbow's wing continued to hold her in place, but she let her sit up. "Can we...-" she looked at Celestia who regarded her with a gentle, caring expression "-talk?" she asked hesitantly. "Alone..." she drawled.

Celestia inclined her head. "Of course, Twilight," she replied. She set the teacup down silently on the table before rising from her chair in one graceful, unassuming motion. Her gentle, calming smile never faded.

Twilight glanced aside at Rainbow, still keeping her muzzle pointed at Celestia.

Rainbow gradually lifted her wing from Twilight's side, yet her wing still lingered above Twilight instinctively; she couldn't let Twilight lose her balance and fall over, so she didn't fold her wing. "Do you want me to come with you?" she asked at length.

Twilight was visibly conflicted. She grimaced and clenched her jaw. Her left wing fluffed. For several seconds, she stared at the table, her head almost unnoticeably bobbing from side to side. "No..." she eventually said, her voice just barely above a whisper.

Rainbow still hesitated, but she slowly nodded. Ever so slowly, she gradually folded her wing to her side. "You going to be okay? I know you don't... like being away from me..." she trailed off, looking at Celestia. Celestia's expression had softened, but there was a distinct, happy and grateful smile directed at Rainbow. Rainbow managed to smile back at Celestia. Rainbow may not have shared the same bond with Celestia that Twilight did, but they were still friends.

Twilight closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I... should be fine. I'll be with Celestia, and it... shouldn't... take very long." Although she said it aloud, it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself, rather than Rainbow or anypony else. A few more seconds passed before Twilight stepped down from the chair. She held herself rigidly and seemed to wobble on her hooves, despite the pack still being in place. With nopony standing beside her, the alicorn trembled. She seemed to shrink back, and she looked so vulnerable. Anything could have gone wrong, and nopony was right there beside her to protect her.

"Twilight, if it's too stressful for you to be away from her, I can teleport us back here as soon as you say so," Celestia said softly.

Twilight nodded apprehensively. Though it went unsaid, she knew the context. Ever since that night where she lost her wing and Rainbow rescued her, she had never been away from Rainbow's side for more than a few minutes at a time. Those minutes were hard on her; they were impossible for her to relax or stay calm. Even knowing that Princess Celestia, arguably one of the most powerful beings in existence, was right there with her to protect her, she didn't feel safe. While she trusted Celestia completely, it wasn't the same. She felt vulnerable without Rainbow being there beside her. She wasn't secure.

It was something she knew she needed to work on and overcome, but it was insurmountable. It made her feel like a little filly, afraid to leave her mother's side. She stared down at the floor and nodded hastily, then swallowed. "L-let's go," she said in a high-pitched voice.

Celestia nodded calmly and stepped beside Twilight, then unfurled her wing and draped it over Twilight's back, attempting to provide the same comforting protection that Rainbow did. Twilight relaxed under Celestia's wing, but not as much as she would have if it had been Rainbow's wing. Celestia could still feel Twilight's tense muscles as she pressed up against her, but her trembling had nearly faded.

Twilight hesitantly took a few steps forward, still pressing herself up against Celestia as best she could, despite their height difference. Celestia matched her steps, keeping Twilight at her side and refusing to let her wing leave Twilight's back. As Rainbow watched the two of them, she couldn't help but feel like Celestia was trying to protect Twilight like she was her own foal. The sight was endearing, and it helped put Rainbow's mind at ease. She could smile, trusting that Celestia would take care of Twilight.

Twilight lifted her right foreleg again but hesitated. She stopped and held her hoof in midair. Her head slowly turned around, and her gaze rested on Rainbow. She looked at her with a longing expression. Rainbow's smile faded as she saw all of the nervousness written on Twilight's features. Her trembling came again, but then Celestia slowly slid her wing over her side. The touch helped calm her. Twilight's eyes dropped to the floor in shame. Her ears pinned back, but her head turned back and she reluctantly resumed her pace.

Rainbow watched as Twilight weakly limped towards the door. Each step only further reinforced just how vulnerable Twilight was. Celestia opened the door with her magic, then the pair left the room. Rainbow continued to stare at the door even after it shut.

For a few minutes, silence dominated the room. Eventually, Rainbow looked away from the door and stared down at the table. "You are afraid of not being with her, aren't you?" Luna asked softly.

Rainbow licked her lips, then hesitantly broke her gaze away from the doors. She looked over at Luna. The alicorn regarded her casually. "I... kind of, I guess," she answered quietly. "I don't like not being there with her, and I know that she..." she trailed off in a whisper.

Luna nodded. "She may be like this for a while, Rainbow," she cautioned. "She's been through a lot... I have seen her nightmares before I have stopped them... She will not recover from this overnight, however, it is good that she is at least taking this small step." She shifted her weight. "Rainbow, you... have my thanks for taking care of her. You may not realize this, but I truly appreciate that you are there for her," she said.

Rainbow looked at her and nodded. "Well... yeah, she needs me..." she trailed off.

Luna nodded in agreement.

Rainbow sighed, then slouched and laid her head down on the table. "Any idea why Twilight's wanting to talk to her alone?"

Luna pursed her lips, then inclined her head. "Yes..." she drawled. "However... it is not my place to say what..." she added cautiously.

Rainbow frowned at that but nodded. "Right..." she muttered. She took a deep breath. "So... how have you been?"

Luna bobbed her head casually. "Well enough, I suppose. Twilight should be sleeping fine, correct?" she asked.

Rainbow nodded slowly. "She's not having any nightmares," she affirmed. "Thank you for that..." she added softly.

Luna smiled gently and nodded once. After a few seconds, the smile twisted into a grimace. "If I was not protecting her dreams, I am certain she would be in far worse shape than she is. I..." she trailed off and pursed her lips. She studied Rainbow's expression curiously. She let out a soft sigh. "I have tried my best to console her, but... As much as I would like it, I cannot constantly be there for her, Rainbow. I can use my magic to banish her nightmares and ensure her dreams are pleasant, but I cannot always talk with her during her dreams. There are other ponies who need help..." she stated.

Rainbow nodded and looked down at the table. "Yeah, I know..."

"Have you two...-" Luna hesitated and turned her head aside ever so slightly, regarding the topic she was approaching cautiously "-talked about what happened?" she asked.

Rainbow winced, looked up at Luna, shifted her weight, and sat up. Her wings bristled at her sides. "No," she replied slowly. "She's... not ready for that. I can see it... I brought it up before and she just... I don't know... shut down?" she asked. "She just sort of sat down on her haunches and her eyes just like... spaced out or something..." she said quietly.

Luna nodded hesitantly. "She has... not discussed what happened with me, either..." she added. "I may know some of what she has gone through, but," she trailed off and shook her head, "that is based entirely on what I have seen in her nightmares..." She hesitated a moment before adding, "I truly wish I could do more, Rainbow... but there is only so much I can do. If I could have taken her place, I would have. She, along with you and the rest of your friends, saved me."

Rainbow smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah..."

Celestia quietly shut the door to her bedchambers behind her using her magic. Twilight was right beside her, still pressed against her body. She could feel Twilight's heart pulsing, and her legs were shaking again. Her chest ached from knowing there was no easy way for her to erase Twilight's anxiety or fear. She closed her eyes and for a brief moment, and she let her head fall a few inches lower.

She took a deep breath, then steeled her resolve. She crossed the room, coaxing Twilight to follow her. Eventually, she reached the bed. Twilight hesitated for a moment, then slid out from under Celestia's wing and climbed up onto the bed. As soon as she was on the bed, she laid down and stared at the blue bedsheets, avoiding looking anywhere else.

A moment later, Celestia climbed up onto the bed and laid down beside her. She extended her wing again and laid it over her friend's back. Twilight relaxed but she still stared at the blankets. "Are you doing okay?" she asked softly.

Twilight shook her head. "No, not really," she answered. "But, what else is new..." she muttered bitterly. Celestia's lips twitched downward and her ears folded back. Twilight closed her eyes, then took a deep breath. A few seconds passed, then she exhaled.

"What do you want to talk about, Twilight?" Celestia asked softly. She looked over Twilight and stroked her side with her majestic wing. The feeling of Celestia's silken feathers brushing over her side and wing helped put Twilight at ease, and she managed to get her shaking under control.

"Several things, I suppose," Twilight answered. She swallowed and licked her lips. Her eyes darting all around across the bedsheets but ignored every detail adorning them. She knew that Celestia could feel her muscles tighten. After a moment, her body relaxed, and a wave of exhaustion rolled over her body. She slumped forward and laid her head down on the bed. Her eyelids fell to the point of her eyes nearly closing, but she forced them to stay open.

Seeing Twilight's tired state, Celestia pulled her closer with her wing. "Twilight, I can teleport us back if you need," she reminded.

A few seconds passed before Twilight slowly turned her head to the left, then to the right and then finally back. "No," she said quietly. "We... need to talk."

Celestia laid beside her silently, patiently waiting for her to continue.

"I... don't even know where to begin," Twilight said hesitantly. "This should be simple. It should be easy, but I guess it's easy to say that..." she trailed off.

Celestia lowered her head, bringing it down closer to Twilight. "What's bothering you, Twilight..?" she asked softly. "This is something other than... what you've been through, isn't it?"

Twilight's eyelids drifted down and closed. After several seconds, she opened her eyelids and blearily lifted her head up. She nodded, then scowled. "Really it's...-" she started to shake her head and grimace "-it's just stupid..." she hissed.

"Twilight, you can talk to me about anything," Celestia coaxed. She gently touched her muzzle to Twilight's, then she gave her a tender nuzzle, slowly brushing her muzzle back and forth across Twilight's muzzle. Twilight's grimace and scowl faded as she relaxed into the nuzzle. Eventually, Celestia stopped but kept her head down close to Twilight. "You're... practically like a daughter to me," she whispered.

Twilight paused. She lifted her head up and stared straight ahead at the wall. Several seconds passed as she mulled over what Celestia said before her eyes fell back down to the bedsheets. "I just... I can't thank Rainbow for... everything. I... would not be here if it wasn't for her..." she said at length. "If... it wasn't for her..." she trailed off and leaned away from Celestia, her muscles tensing up.

Twilight nodded slowly, then shook her head dismissively. "The reason I wanted to talk to you in private was that..." she trailed off and bobbed her head. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "If... Rainbow and I..." she started, opening her eyes. "...she would be... coronated... correct..?" she asked hesitantly. After a few silent moments, she looked at Celestia.

Celestia nodded and picked her head back up. "I... did not believe you two were discussing marriage," she acknowledged.

Twilight bobbed her head and grimaced. "We... haven't," she stated. "I just... I'd... like... to..." she closed her eyes, slumped forward and groaned. "I want her to be coronated anyway," she relented. "I know it's out of the blue, and I know that it's a bit..." she bobbed her head and lifted it back up off of the bed. "Untraditional, but... still."

Celestia was silent. After a couple of seconds, she looked away from Twilight and scrutinized the bed. "Have you discussed this with her?" she asked.

"No," Twilight stated. "I... wanted it to be a surprise."

Celestia nodded in understanding, but there was a reluctance in her nod. She looked back at Twilight. "Perhaps you should discuss this with her. I may not know her as well as you do, Twilight, but... that doesn't seem like something she would be okay with," Celestia replied.

Twilight grimaced and nodded. "I know... I just..." she trailed off with a sigh. "See?" she asked, "I told you it's stupid..." she muttered.

"Twilight," Celestia sighed. She leaned over and comfortingly nuzzled Twilight's cheek again. "I am not against this... as my sister has said before, all six of you are worthy of being princesses of Equestria... I am simply concerned about how Rainbow would react. I think she would rather earn it than have it just given to her."

Twilight nodded slowly and looked down at the bedsheets in between her forehooves. "I... know. Really, I just... I want to thank her somehow, and... I can't. I just cannot thank her. There's nothing I can do, no way I can truly thank her for all of this..." she trailed off.

Celestia stroked Twilight's side with her wing. Though Twilight tried to hide it, Celestia could see it. If she wasn't so exhausted, she would have been crying. "Twilight, I think you're worrying too much. You love Rainbow, and Rainbow loves you. You two share that. I don't think she needs any thanks."

Twilight looked at Celestia. "I-" she leaned in and lifted her eyebrows up "-want-" she pulled back and relaxed her expression, "-to do something to thank her," she specified. Eventually, her expression fell again and she turned away from her to stare down at the blankets again. "And... I can't."

Celestia pursed her lips and nodded hesitantly. "Perhaps... you should talk with her... and Cadance," she offered.

For a few seconds, Twilight was silent, then she nodded reluctantly. "Okay..."

Celestia looked back at Twilight with a tender expression. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" she asked softly.

Twilight bobbed her head and grimaced. "I don't suppose you know why I'm always tired and... how to deal with... what I've been through, do you?" she asked evenly.

Celestia shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't..." she replied. Her lips pulled into an even line. "However... I can... maybe... offer you advice... I... did lose Luna for... for a very long time," she said quietly.

Twilight looked over at Celestia and watched her. Celestia tilted her head to the side and looked up at the ceiling. A sort of calm, subdued sorrow dulled her features, making her eyes look longing, and her coat seemed to lose its shine.

"It's... not like what you've been through, but... that? That was hard for me," Celestia added. She swallowed and licked her lips, then looked at Twilight. "I had to banish my own sister for a thousand years. That is a very, very long time, Twilight. We had both been around for... a while... before that, but..." she shook her head, a weak smile pulling at her lips. "One thousand years is a long time, no matter how long you've been around."

"You've never really... talked about this before," Twilight commented carefully. "Well, you have, but... not a lot. I think the only time I really remember you talking about it was the first Summer Sun Celebration after I had ascended..." she trailed off.

Celestia nodded and smiled. "I almost didn't banish her. Even knowing what would have happened if I didn't... I almost didn't use the Elements on her..."

"How did you deal with it?" Twilight asked. "Losing your sister for... so long?"

Celestia shook her head. "At first, I didn't. It took a while for me to actually comprehend what I did. Knowing and realizing are two different things," she stated. "And of course I didn't talk about it much. It hurt too much. Eventually, I did talk to my closest friend about it. That... helped so much more than I would have thought. It... was like a burden being lifted from my back. I felt so much lighter for it... It's a bit silly, I suppose..." She looked down at the bed and studied the blankets. "Just saying it, telling somepony... having somepony to talk to..." she trailed off. "And then I worked through it. I took it one day at a time..." she said softly. "There were good days, and there were bad days, but I kept going because I knew she would return," she stated. She smiled softly and looked at Twilight. "You will get better, Twilight. If you do not believe that, then you will be correct and you will not get better," she stressed.

Twilight looked away from Celestia and stared down at her forehooves. "Even if my wing grows back, even if my horn grows back, it doesn't change what I've been through," she stated.

"No... but that is why you have friends who are there for you. You can talk to us, Twilight," Celestia coaxed. "Nopony just recovers from something like that. It will take time, you'll have good days and bad days... but you will recover."

Twilight sighed. "I... guess I can... talk to Rainbow tonight..." she trailed off, tensing up. "I-I'm not sure I'm ready to, though..." she whispered. Try as she did, she couldn't stop her legs from trembling again.

"Twilight, I know you're scared, and I know that you're scarred because of what Chrysalis did. You do want to get better, don't you?" Celestia asked in a non-accusatory manner. Twilight nodded slowly. "Then take small steps. Talk to Rainbow... Out of all of us, she is there for you the most."

Twilight nodded. "O-okay..." she replied. She closed her eyes, then leaned back against Celestia. "Thanks... I guess."

"Of course, Twilight..." Celestia said softly. "If... you ever need anything else, just let me know, alright?" she added.

Twilight nodded, then looked at her. "Can you... teleport us back, now?"

Celestia smiled and nodded. "Of course, Twilight." She lit her horn, and a moment later, a quick flash of golden light signaled their departure.

A similar flash of golden light and a popping sound signaled their return to the dining room. Both of them appeared standing, with Twilight at Celestia's left side, sheltered under her wing. They were facing the table. Luna and Rainbow turned to face them.

As soon as Twilight caught sight of Rainbow, her entire body lurched forward. She bolted over to Rainbow, and in a blur, she sat down in her chair again and desperately pressed up against Rainbow. The pegasus grunted and nearly fell over from the force at which Twilight pressed them together, but she managed to keep her balance.

Rainbow smiled nervously. "H-hey, Twi..." she greeted. She fidgeted her wing from out between them and then wrapped it around Twilight protectively, hugging her close. "A-are you alright?"

Twilight hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah... I just... missed you, I guess... sorry..." she apologized. After a few seconds, her tense body relaxed in Rainbow's embrace. She laid her head on Rainbow's shoulders, and her eyelids drooped once more. She nuzzled into Rainbow and smiled a soft, innocent smile.

Rainbow smiled at her, then leaned over. She gave her a tender nuzzle, then kissed her forehead.

Rainbow opened the door to the room they were staying in. She cautiously peered into the darkened room, looking around and searching the darkness for anything that shouldn't be there. As she expected, there was nopony occupying the room, although she was still cautious about it. Just because the room was guarded didn't mean that there couldn't be any danger inside, after all, there was still a balcony that was unguarded. She shook her head and tried to banish the concern. It had been long enough now that she really shouldn't have to worry about anything attacking Twilight, but she was still nervous at times.

The room beyond the doorway was large and open, befitting a princess's home, rather than just a room for guests. The wall on the right side of the room was broken by a doorway which led to the bedchambers, while the opposite wall was empty and unadorned. The wall across from the door they stood in had two equally spaced windows. The only light illuminating the room came from the soft moonlight that the transparent crystals let inside. Looking out of the windows, she could see that the moon rested lower in the sky than it did in Equestria, showing just how far north they were.

She looked back at Twilight. The exhausted alicorn could barely stand, even though she was leaning on Rainbow for support. Her head was limp against Rainbow's neck, and she wore a faint, content smile. She leaned over and brushed her muzzle against Twilight's, eliciting a giddy, tired smile from Twilight. After a few seconds, she stepped into the room, bringing Twilight in with her.

Twilight limped into the room beside Rainbow, and the pair took a few steps into the room before stopping. Rainbow leaned over and nuzzled Twilight again, then closed the door with a hind hoof. She looked back at the door and scrutinized it for a moment, then flicked her wing to lock the door.

With the door locked, Rainbow looked back at Twilight. Now that they were alone, she could see Twilight relaxing her guard, keeping herself held together all day hadn't been easy for her. Her eyelids lingered about three-fourths of the way open, but she could barely keep her head upright. Her eyelids drooped more, and her left wing limply fell from her side. Her muzzle slowly fell to point down at the floor as more exhaustion set in.

Rainbow watched silently as Twilight limped forward a few steps, then sat down on her haunches. Twilight looked like she would pass out as soon as she laid down in bed. Her eyes were unfocused, and her head kept leaning forward, then jerking back a few inches. Rainbow cautiously walked around and studied Twilight's expression. Her eyes looked absent and empty, dull and lackluster, unfocused. Her eyelids drooped, her forehooves slid forward a little, and she slouched. Rainbow swallowed. "T-Twilight?" she asked.

The alicorn didn't react or respond. She was silent.

A tightness gripped Rainbow's throat, gradually building up and forming a knot that she couldn't swallow down. She licked her lips, then walked around in front of her alicorn. Without saying a word, she sat down on her haunches in front of her. She studied Twilight's empty expression for a moment, then she wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck. The alicorn relaxed and fell into her embrace. Rainbow smiled a little as she held Twilight's noodle-like body. She gave her a tender, loving nuzzle. For several seconds, she just held her tired alicorn close.

Twilight closed her eyes and pressed her forehead into Rainbow's chest. Ever so slowly, she lifted her forelegs up off of the floor and reached up to wrap them around Rainbow's withers.

"Are you okay?" Rainbow asked solemnly.

Twilight shook her head.

Rainbow sighed internally. She laid her head down in Twilight's mane and stared at the door. She brought her forehoof up, then started to brush the edge of her hoof through Twilight's mane in tender strokes. Her strokes were long and slow, drawn out so as to comfort Twilight as much as possible. With each stroke, she could feel Twilight grow ever closer to drifting off to sleep in her embrace. It brought a smile to her lips, knowing that Twilight felt safe there with her. "Do you need me to get you anything?" she asked softly.

Twilight's grip on her tightened, and she shook her head even quicker than before. "D-don't leave me... p-please..." she pleaded.

Rainbow gently squeezed Twilight back to reassure her. "Hey, it's alright, Twilight, I'm here," she whispered. She wrapped her foreleg around Twilight's neck, then nuzzled into her mane. She unfolded her wings, then wrapped them around Twilight's body. She could feel Twilight shiver slightly at her touch, but almost immediately, her body relaxed more. While her wings weren't nearly large enough to completely cover Twilight's body, it was enough to reassure and protect her.

Despite the security Rainbow's embrace offered, Twilight whimpered softly.

Rainbow griped Twilight tighter and held her close. "Hey, it's okay, Twilight. I'm not going anywhere." She waited a few seconds, then lifted her head off of Twilight's head. She cautiously slid a hoof down, then brushed her hoof along Twilight's jaw.

Twilight hesitantly looked up at her, though kept her muzzle pointed down. Her eyelids were fully opened and her eyes were wide. Her exhaustion was gone, but her eyes were glossy, fully displaying her emotionally vulnerable state. Her body trembled slightly.

Rainbow continued to slide her hoof along Twilight's jaw until she reached the end, then she gently coaxed Twilight's muzzle up. She offered Twilight a soft, warm smile, then slowly leaned in towards Twilight. Twilight glanced down at her lips, then her eyelids drifted closed. Rainbow lightly touched her lips to Twilight's, giving her a soft, tender kiss. The warmth of their lips mixed and radiated into each other, making a serene calmness seep into their bodies. As the kiss lengthened, Twilight's trembling slowed to a stop. After a few seconds, she pulled back. Twilight slowly opened her eyes and shyly stared down at Rainbow's chest.

Rainbow used her other forehoof to brush through her mane once again, then she gently touched it to the back of her head, and softly pulled her head to coax her back into place against her chest. She laid her head on top of Twilight's head and waited silently for Twilight.

Several seconds passed before Twilight swallowed, then opened her eyes. "I... thought this would be easier," she stated, her voice even yet strained. "I thought that I wouldn't be so tired since..." she trailed off.

"It's okay," Rainbow replied calmly. "It was a long day. I know how they can... make it hard for you."

Twilight licked her lips. Her tongue slowed as it ran over the phantom sensation of Rainbow's soft, warm lips on her own. The feeling of her lips and their warmth lingered, making her lips almost tingle. Eventually, she finished licking her lips and swallowed. She timidly looked up at Rainbow and pulled her head out from under hers. Rainbow looked at her with a gentle, reassuring smile. "Can we just... go to bed?" she asked quietly.

Rainbow nodded. "If you're ready," she answered.

Twilight nodded tentatively. She looked towards the bedroom door and waited. Rainbow stood up, then walked around to Twilight's right side and laid a wing over her back. Twilight took a deep breath, then slowly stood up and leaned against Rainbow.

Rainbow hugged Twilight with her wing, then headed into the bedroom with her. The bedroom was a slightly smaller than the first room, but it was still large. The right wall was broken by a door to the bathroom, and the left wall was broken by a door which led to the room's balcony. The balcony was positioned so anypony on it would be facing Equestria. There were two windows, one on each side of the balcony. As with the study, the only source of light came from the moonlight which the windows let in.

But the most attention-demanding part of the room was the bed. It was large enough that it put Twilight's bed in her castle to shame. It was roughly the same size, but it was far more extravagant in design. The backboard was a rich, imported wood she couldn't put a name to, and it had an engraving of a heart in the center. The bed's frame stretched up and covered the top of the bed, giving it a canopy from which silken, light-blue curtains hung. The curtains were bundled up, but could be pulled around the bed to offer more privacy, although they were thin enough that they were see-through, which negated any privacy they would have offered. The bedsheets were a rich, vibrant red in color, and the material had a sheen to it that was revealed where the moonlight struck it.

The bed was nice, but Rainbow found herself intimidated by the extravagance. She pushed it aside and continued forward, bringing Twilight along with her. If anything, as they walked into the new room, Twilight pressed up against her side even more. A certain jitteriness filled Twilight, making her eyes dart around nervously. Her legs trembled slightly as she limped ever closer to the bed. Rainbow frowned at Twilight's nervousness but didn't bring it up.

Eventually, they came to a stop. Twilight hesitantly placed a forehoof on the bed and slowly swiveled her head to the left and then to the right, unsure about the bed. Eventually, she managed to make up her mind and pull herself up onto the bedsheets. She sighed tiredly and sat down on her haunches. Her body slumped forward, but she caught herself before she fell. Her eyelids fell until her eyes were closed.

A few seconds passed before Twilight opened her eyes. Her head drifted to the right, then her eyes fell on the lavender pack attached to her side. For several long moments, Twilight's empty eyes lingered on it, then they darted to Rainbow in an instant. Twilight's expression was empty and unreadable, but Rainbow understood.

Both of them stayed silent as Rainbow sat down and skillfully used her forehooves and wings to loosen the pack before slipping the strap off from Twilight's body. As soon as the pack wasn't touching Twilight's side, Twilight closed her eyes again and limply fell forward, collapsing onto the bed in a controlled, exhausted manner.

Rainbow set the pack down near the nightstand, then she placed a forehoof on the bed and pushed herself up. In a few short seconds, she climbed up into bed with Twilight.

Twilight rolled over onto her left side, then weakly pushed herself to the aside, offering Rainbow a spot to lay down beside her.

The soft bedsheets welcomed Rainbow's body. To her surprise, the sheets actually felt better than Twilight's coat. She rolled over onto her right side and looked over Twilight, her eyes tracing over the alicorn's outline. In the soft moonlight, Twilight's beauty was unrivaled. It perfectly complemented Twilight's soft lavender coat, and the shadows only further added to her appeal. In contrast with the moonlight and surrounding darkness, her eyes regained a vibrancy replacing the dull emptiness present over the past few months. They were stunning, despite the lingering pain, but there was still a certain nervousness present that normally wasn't there.

Rainbow smiled and laid a forehoof on Twilight's neck, then gently brushed her hoof up and down through Twilight's mane. Twilight smiled at her as her nervousness faded, then she yawned and nuzzled the pillow. Rainbow giggled softly. Twilight tiredly opened her eyes to watched Rainbow. As she continued to watch Rainbow, a soft, innocent smile slowly grew on her lips. Rainbow leaned in and nuzzled Twilight tenderly, slowly rubbing her nose up and down Twilight's nose. When she pulled back, Twilight cheeks held a hint of crimson to them, and her smile was even fuller. Rainbow grinned at Twilight and relaxed. She let her eyes wander over Twilight's body. Eventually, her eyes settled Twilight's side. Her smile wavered, slowly fading. Twilight shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Sorry..." Rainbow replied, tearing her gaze away from her barren side.

Twilight simply stared at her blankly. After a few seconds, she blinked, then looked away from Rainbow's face and stared at her chest. "It's fine," she replied quietly.

"No... it's not. I'm sorry... I know how much you hate that since it reminds you and..." Rainbow trailed off, sighing as her ears folded back.

Twilight continued looking away from her. After a couple of seconds, her eyelids slowly pulled down.

Rainbow scooted closer to Twilight, causing Twilight to open her eyes again. "Hey," she said softly.

"Yes?" Twilight drawled.

Rainbow leaned in and pecked Twilight on the nose, giving her a quick kiss. Twilight smiled and nuzzled the pillow. "You want me to shut the curtains?"

Worry flashed through Twilight's eyes, immediately vanquishing the prior exhaustion. "N-no!" she answered. She swallowed and closed her eyes. "N-no. I... it's fine... I... don't want you to go..." she said softly.

Rainbow waited a few seconds, then nodded. "Alright," she replied. She pulled Twilight close against her so that their bodies were pressed together. Twilight closed her eyes, smiling as she snuggled up against Rainbow's body. Rainbow slid her right wing under Twilight's body and draped her left wing over her, covering her barren side. It still felt foreign, but Twilight's warm body helped put her at ease. She pulled Twilight close so that they were chest to chest and belly to belly and she wrapped her legs around Twilight, making sure she was wrapped in a protective, loving embrace.

Twilight sighed softly and tucked her head in against Rainbow's neck, then nuzzled her.

Author's Note

I think I had planned to start writing this in January... Well, here I am, February 13th, just now starting on it.

And here I am, March 13th thinking that maybe this chapter is completed.

And here I am, July 4th, just starting to work on sentence-level editing.

And here I am, August 4th, finally publishing it.

Well, better late than never. I hope the wait was worth it.

It's been a while, hasn't it? Do I still have my touch when it comes to writing this series?

I feel like I went overboard on writing the descriptions for the characters when I introduced them. I kind of did that cause I wanted this story to be more accessible, so to say that it describes them so you have some idea of what they're like if you've not seen the show or just like them being described.

This chapter was extremely difficult to write. I'm not exaggerating. I'm not sure I'm happy with how it's turned out. It's become obvious to me that I can't exactly make this story not have the sad tag. It would be forced to make it happy. That's a disappointment.

Originally, this chapter contained an additional scene, but I scrapped it. It basically went nowhere, so it felt like it needed to get removed.

I also very much dislike the new formatting for paragraphs. I very much prefer what I did before.

Special thanks to Eroraf86, AC97, and Nox Selune for prereading!

Chapter 2

Rainbow casually stroked Twilight's mane, slowly brushing her hoof along the back side of Twilight's neck. Her eyes trailed along the alicorn's features, tracing along her slender, sleek body. The dawn light peeking through the windows just barely vanquished the darkness of the room and gave enough light for her to make out the alicorn she held close. Her side was still darkened, but the distinct lack of the outline of Twilight's wing protected beneath her own wing sent a pang throughout her being. If it weren't for her missing wing, Rainbow wouldn't be able to find a single fault with how she looked. Twilight shifted subtly, pushing herself closer to Rainbow and burying her muzzle deeper into Rainbow's neck and chest as she continued to stroke her mane.

Rainbow smiled, then lifted her head up and slowly brushed her nose up and down against Twilight's forehead. Seconds passed, and her nuzzle continued, though her strokes slowed down with each passing second, lengthening and drawing out the feeling of Twilight's soft, silken coat against her sensitive nose. A feeling of calmness emanated from the contact, making a little well of giddiness swell up inside of her chest. SImply getting to hold, touch, and nuzzle Twilight always left her happy, and it was a great way to start any day.

She closed her eyes, then started brushing her nose side to side against Twilight's forehead. After a few seconds, her strokes once more slowed. She sighed softly, then leaned in, brushing the length of her muzzle against Twilight's forehead and mane. She pulled back, then laid her head back down on the pillow and gently pressed her chin against the back of Twilight's head, securing the sleeping alicorn in place. She smiled and idly looked down Twilight's back as she continued to brush her forehoof through her mane.

The way in which the strands of Twilight's mane parted around her hoof was simply beautiful. While her mane was slightly disarrayed, with the normally pristine pink and lavender highlights melded in with the blue strands composing the rest of her mane, and a few strands sticking or curling out from their normal positions, she was still unquestionably beautiful. No amount of chaos could ever change Rainbow's opinion on that.

She slowly angled her forehoof slightly, then brushed the edge of her hoof through Twilight's mane, running her hoof down the back of Twilight's neck. Twilight's soft mane tickled her hoof, and even as she lifted her hoof up to stroke her again, she could feel the lingering sensation left on her hoof from Twilight's mane. She gently rubbed her muzzle into Twilight's soft mane, then she squeezed Twilight with her left foreleg. Her repeated strokes left a slight indentation in Twilight's mane where her hoof ran through, leaving a mark to display her affection. Brushing her mane would be easier once she woke up since she had already started on it.

Every few seconds, Twilight's side grew, then slowly shrank back with her steady breathing. It was rhythmic and calm, the mare was at peace, and it showed. There was no stress, nor any conscious involvement in her breathing, and so the gentle rhythm continued unimpeded, and that gave Rainbow a deep sense of peace. Her heartbeat, like her breathing, was calm and controlled, not frantic nor panicked. Rainbow found the gentle pulse from Twilight's steady heartbeat even more calming and relaxing than her breathing. She wasn't nervous, and her muscles were relaxed, rather than tensed up. It felt right.

Rainbow gradually let her eyes wander back over to Twilight's side. She shifted a bit, then reluctantly lifted her wing up, revealing Twilight's barren side.

Twilight shifted her weight and pressed herself further into Rainbow's embrace. Rainbow glanced away from Twilight's side and looked over her muzzle.

The edges of her lips were pulled down. Her legs and hind legs shifted and fidgeted uncomfortable, as if she saught Rainbow's protection even more, or as if she was cold and wanted more of Rainbow's comforting warmth. A soft, piercing whimper broke the stillness of the room.

Rainbow laid her wing back down on Twilight's side, embracing and protecting her, covering her side from sight. Twilight's muscles tensed up for a brief instant, then the tension faded. Over the next few seconds, her fidgeting slowed, and she relaxed again.

Rainbow looked away from Twilight and watched the blankets. She took a deep breath, then slid her forehoof up to the back of Twilight's head. She hugged Twilight close, pressing Twilight's limp body into her own and refusing to let her go. Eventually, she let up, but she continued to keep her hooves and wings wrapped around her mare to hold her.

Twilight twitched, then rubbed her muzzle against Rainbow's neck. Rainbow's lips pulled up from the feeling. She hesitantly slid her head back, freeing Twilight's head. At first, nothing happened, but after a few seconds, Twilight's head twitched, jerking back slightly. A few more seconds passed, then Twilight slowly slid her head back.

Rainbow lifted her head up and watched Twilight with a smile. Twilight squinted, clenching her eyes closed, then she begrudgingly parted an eye. As soon as she opened her eye, she closed it again and clenched her eyes shut before she opened both of her eyes. As she opened her eyes, her lazy eyelids drooped about halfway closed, partially covering her eyes. Twilight glanced up at Rainbow, then her eyes darted to the smile on Rainbow's lip.

Twilight closed her eyes and smiled giddily. Rainbow chuckled a little, then leaned down and tenderly nuzzled Twilight, brushing her muzzle along Twilight's muzzle in long, slow strokes. "Hey..." she greeted softly.

Twilight cooed softly and leaned her muzzle in against Rainbow's muzzle, wanting to lengthen the contact. Eventually, she opened her eyes and looked up at Rainbow. A look of curiosity and joy breathed life into the formerly lifeless, dull orbs. Her irises were so vibrant and stunning, so filled with life, that they almost seemed to sparkle or glisten with the happiness radiating through her being from the simple action of Rainbow's nuzzle.

Rainbow's nuzzle slowed to a stop, then she slowly lifted her head up. Twilight's lips twitched downward but quickly lifted back up into a smile as she watched her. "Morning, Twi... sleep okay?"

Twilight sheepishly looked away from Rainbow's face and nodded. She stared at Rainbow's neck and chest, and her smile lingered. "Yeah..." she trailed off, then closed her eyes as her mouth opened all the way and she yawned. She exhaled calmly and her eyes fluttered closed.

Twilight nestled into the pillow, only for Rainbow's forehoof to slide from her mane, along her neck, to her jawline. Her body shivered in pleasure at the feeling. The sensation of Rainbow's hoof lingered, even as her hoof slid up to her chin. Ever so slowly, Rainbow coaxed Twilight's muzzle up. Twilight offered no resistance, and she watched Rainbow, almost shyly.

Rainbow smiled comfortingly down at Twilight. After a few seconds, she slowly leaned down, then brushed her nose against Twilight's nose. Twilight's warm breath tickled Rainbow's nose, and her breathing slowed, becoming more controlled and rigid. Rainbow grinned, then slowly brushed her lips against Twilight's lips. Twilight slowly closed her eyes, and her jaw relaxed ever so slightly as their lips met. Rainbow gently kissed Twilight, pressing her soft, warm lips against Twilight.

After a few seconds, Rainbow pulled back, then slowly slid her hoof up along Twilight's cheek. Twilight slowly opened her eyes. For a couple of seconds, she watched Rainbow, then her eyes darted down and focused on her neck and chest. Her smile lingered on her lips, just like the tingle left in the kiss's wake.

After a few seconds, Rainbow shifted, then held Twilight tight and rolled over onto her back, pulling Twilight up on top of her body. She let her hind legs fall aside, but she kept her forelegs wrapped around Twilight's withers. Twilight took a deep breath, then sighed softly and scooted down a little bit so she could lay her head on Rainbow's chest. She stared at the crystal wall across from the window, idly looking over the details, but not bothering to give it any thought.

Rainbow pulled her wings off of Twilight, then brought them up and wrapped them around Twilight's withers. Twilight's lips pulled up more and she closed her eyes. Rainbow slowly slid her wings back along Twilight's body, gently caressing her with her wings, sliding her feathers through her coat. Twilight tensed up a bit and Rainbow slowed as her wings met Twilight's wing and barren side. The next few seconds passed painfully slow as Rainbow continued to brush her wings over Twilight's body at a snail's pace. And yet, as Rainbow's feathers enveloped Twilight's side, the tension in her muscles slowly receded as she relaxed. Rainbow held her wings in place over her sides, protecting her from any further injury.

Rainbow studied Twilight's expression, searching for any discomfort, displeasure, or pain. She had to tilt her head to the left to see, but Twilight just stared at the wall absently, looking as if her mind was wandering pointlessly. "Are you okay?" Rainbow asked quietly.

Twilight blinked once at Rainbow's question. After a moment, her eyes lazily darted back and forth across the wall. Eventually, she slowly lifted her head up and turned to face Rainbow. Her smile was gone. In its place, a blank, empty line. Twilight shifted her weight a bit, then looked back at her side. After a few seconds, she looked back at Rainbow, though she didn't meet her gaze. Instead, she looked down and to the left, staring down at the bed beneath them. "You know... I still can't decide whether I like that or not..." she mused.

Rainbow unwrapped her wings from around Twilight, then folded them to her sides. Twilight's brow creased and a frown crossed her lips. After a few seconds, her frown twisted into a grimace and she bobbed her head from side to side. "I like it but at the same time, it's... I don't know," she answered. "It..." she trailed off and nibbled on her lip. "You're... the only pony I'm okay with... touching there..." she trailed off and tilted her head to the right. "It... sort of feels nice, I guess, but..." she trailed off, her grimace returning.

Her grimace turned pensive as she thought about it more, and the crease in her brow deepened. "It's... okay," she finally answered. She looked up at Rainbow and met her gaze for a slight moment. "It... feels okay when your wing touches it..." she whispered. A second later, her eyes jumped back down to look at Rainbow's chest. "It just... I know that..." she trailed off.

Rainbow nodded slowly, then gently laid her wing back on Twilight's side. Her muscles tensed, then relaxed as Rainbow's soft feathers brushed against her side and came to rest there.

Twilight sighed softly and her ears folded back. Her eyelids lazily drooped, and she slowly laid her head down on Rainbow's chest. Rainbow slowly brought a forehoof up, then gently stroke Twilight's mane, running her hoof from the top, down the back of her neck through her mane, parting it into two sections. Twilight closed her eyes and smiled. Her ears slowly relaxed and stood back up normally.

"Hey... you want to stay like this for a while, or go ahead and get up?" Rainbow asked softly.

Twilight was silent. For several seconds, she just laid there, her eyes half closed. Eventually, she looked up at Rainbow and lazily met her gaze. Rainbow smiled down at her reassuringly. Twilight's eyes slowly trailed over the mare's expression, though it was hard to see for the dim light coming from the early morning sun. After a few seconds, she glanced down at Rainbow's chest, then she slowly brushed her muzzle forward and to the right over Rainbow's chest. She closed her eyes and laid the side of her head down on Rainbow's chest so that her muzzle pointed at the wall.

Rainbow leaned down and slowly brushed her muzzle against Twilight's muzzle. She felt Twilight's muscles react accordingly, and her smile grew warmer. Eventually, she stopped and pulled her head back up to look down at Twilight.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, then took a deep breath. "Can we... stay like this for a while?" she asked softly.

Rainbow nodded. "Of course, Twi..." she answered softly.

"Thank you..." Twilight whispered back. She watched Rainbow for a few seconds, then rubbed her cheek against Rainbow's chest. Her eyelids slowly drooped, then closed. Her nuzzle slowed and the strokes grew longer and more drawn out until they eventually ceased, and her breathing calmed back to the gentle, steady rhythm of sleep.

Rainbow watched Twilight, then slowly leaned in and laid her lips on Twilight's forehead, exactly where her horn would have been. She didn't see it, but the corners of Twilight's lips pulled up. Rainbow closed her eyes, and a few tears spilled out of the edges of her eyes.

Rainbow eventually broke the kiss and laid her head back down. She stared up at the ceiling and draped her wings over Twilights back, then waited, holding Twilight close and protecting her while she slept.

Rainbow casually pushed open the bathroom door, then walked on inside. She paused to glance back at the door before kicking it shut with her hind leg. With the door shut, she turned around and quickly locked it with a skillful flick of her feathers. For a moment, she double checked to make sure the door was locked, then she looked up at Twilight's sleepy, but awake form draped over her back. Twilight laid on her lengthwise, with her legs wrapped around her body. Her forelegs wrapped around her barrel, holding tight to her just below her forelegs, but it didn't impede her mobility. Twilight's hind legs were angled so that she gripped Rainbow's body and her hooves crossed underneath her stomach. Despite her strong grip, she avoided Rainbow's gaze and stared down at the floor.

Rainbow waited a few seconds, then turned and walked over to the bathtub. She turned on the faucet with a forehoof, then stepped back and sat down on her haunches. Twilight hesitated a moment, then slowly let up on her grip and then slowly slid down to the floor and sat on her haunches. Her left wing fluttered out a little, but she corrected with a hoof and managed to mostly stabilize herself. Rainbow scooted forward and stood up, then turned around and looked at Twilight.

Even as she sat there, staring at the floor, she wobbled in short, quick jerks from left to right, constantly threatening to fall over.

Rainbow walked around, then sat down beside Twilight at her left. She slid her wing out, then draped it around Twilight's body. With barely any effort, she coaxed Twilight into leaning against her for stability. For a few minutes, they sat there quietly, the only sound coming from the water filling the bathtub.

Eventually, the sound changed from that of water splattering on the hard crystal to water falling into a shallow pool of water, and then finally to that of water filling a deeper pool.

Twilight took a deep breath, then lifted her head up and leaned away from Rainbow so that her body wasn't propped up against her. She looked over at the bathtub and scrutinized it. Rainbow hesitated as she watched Twilight look over the bath, then she unwrapped her wing from Twilight and slowly stood up. She made sure Twilight wasn't about to fall over, then she walked over and turned the water off.

Rainbow dipped her right forehoof into the water. The heat from the warm water seeped into her hoof, and the pleasant feeling brought a smile to her lips. She closed her eyes for a moment and moaned softly, then withdrew her forehoof from the crystal clear water. She walked back over to Twilight, then sat down in front of her so that her back was to her. Twilight hesitantly gripped Rainbow's shoulders with her forelegs, then scooted up closer and gripped her with her hind legs. "You ready?" Rainbow asked. Twilight nodded timidly.

Rainbow slowly stood up, then carefully walked over to the bathtub. She slowly lifted each of her legs in turn, then stepped into the bathtub. She turned around so that she faced away from the faucet, then slowly sat down on her haunches. The warm water quickly enveloped her body up to about halfway up her wings as she sat down.

Twilight relaxed her grip on Rainbow, then released her and scooted back. She sat there patiently, her muzzle pointed down, staring at the water while Rainbow turned around to face her.

Rainbow smiled and scooted up against Twilight, then slowly extended her wings out under the water. The water flowed in between her feathers like air would have if she was flying. She swept her wings through the water, bringing them over to Twilight's sides. Rainbow relaxed and closed her eyes as the warmth soaked into her wings, and her mouth parted slightly in pleasure. Ever so slowly, she slid her waterlogged wings up Twilight's side, enveloping the mare in her embrace and letting her share in the warmth of the water.

Twilight leaned into Rainbow's embrace and nuzzled her almost instinctively. Rainbow returned the nuzzle, making her heart flutter slightly from the giddy joy it brought her, then helped Twilight turn around so that she was facing away from her. Twilight inhaled deeply, then lifted her muzzle up. She slowly leaned forward, sliding out of Rainbow's feathery embrace, then dunked herself under the water. After a couple of seconds, she surfaced and shook her head a little, then she lifted her forehooves up and wiped excess water off of her face and away from her eyes. Her body threatened to topple over, but Rainbow's wings were right there to steady her, so she had nothing to worry about.

Twilight leaned into Rainbow's left wing, letting Rainbow use her right wing to grab a bottle of shampoo. As soon as she had the bottle, she opened the cap with a flick of her hoof and then squirted the soap into Twilight's mane and down her back. Once she was sure there was enough soap on Twilight, she set the bottle aside.

Twilight leaned forward and spread her forelegs out to brace herself, then Rainbow folded her wing back to her side. Twilight stood still as Rainbow's hooves went to work gently rubbing the shampoo into her mane and coat. Rainbow's slick hooves easily ran through the length of Twilight's mane, lathering the shampoo up and working out any knots and kinks left by her slumber.

Once she had worked the shampoo into Twilight's mane, Rainbow moved down to Twilight's back, carefully rubbing the soap into Twilight's coat to lather her up. She slowed down as she reached Twilight's sides. She hesitated and watched Twilight carefully, then hesitantly slid a hoof down over Twilight's wingless, unprotected side.

Twilight winced and jerked at the contact. Her whole body tensed up under Rainbow's hoof, and her breathing turned rigid and forced. Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably but continued to rub the soap into Twilight's side. She tried to hurry, but she stayed as gentle as she could, attempting to balance between not hurting her and moving on as soon as she could. After a few seconds, Twilight's body relaxed and she slumped forward further.

As soon as Twilight's side was lathered in the soap, Rainbow wetted her wing, then used it to meticulously and carefully brush the soap off of her sensitive side.

Twilight glanced back at her before looking straight ahead again. After Rainbow finished washing Twilight's side, she resumed working the soap into her back until her hooves were warmed by the water against Twilight's body.

"Stand up..." Rainbow said.

Twilight swallowed, then took a deep breath. Ever so slowly, her hooves shuffled beneath her until she slowly stood up. Water rolled off of her body and cascaded back into the bath. Twilight hesitantly spread her hind hooves and stabilized herself as best she could.

Rainbow quickly applied more soap, then rubbed it into Twilight's lower back and sides, then rubbed it into her flanks and haunches. She grabbed the shampoo, then poured the liquid soap into Twilight's tail. She cautiously brought her hooves through Twilight's tail in long, slow brushes, working the soap into her hair and carefully avoiding tugging on her tail too hard or knotting the long strands. As she worked the soap into Twilight's tail, she did her best to avoid looking at her, but it was still embarrassing for Twilight and awkward for both of them, despite having helped her bathe countless times before.

As soon as she finished with her tail, Rainbow cleaned Twilight's legs. Once she finished with that, Twilight sat back down and stared blankly at the water, her head gradually leaning forward. She took a deep breath, then exhaled.

Twilight slowly shifted, then leaned back into Rainbow. Rainbow caught her with a wing and helped her lean back. Her mane and tail melded in with the warm water and gracefully splayed out, mixing in with the water and flowing with the little ripples of the current, almost akin to Celestia or Luna's mane and tail, but neither shimmering nor sparkling. Twilight closed her eyes as Rainbow went to work washing her chest, then stomach, and then abdomen, finishing with her inner thighs.

After a painfully long awkward silence, Rainbow finished and helped Twilight sit back up on her haunches. Her jaw muscles were tense, and her mouth was clenched shut.

"Twilight, you doing okay?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight stayed silent, then slowly turned to her right and simply leaned into Rainbow's embrace, catching the pegasus off-guard. Twilight closed her eyes, then took a deep breath. Her body shook as she inhaled.

Rainbow frowned and enveloped Twilight with her wings. "Right... sorry." She swallowed, then laid her muzzle on Twilight's head. Twilight welcomed it and buried her head in Rainbow's neck, hoping that Rainbow's soft coat and warmth would help wash away her worries. Rainbow nuzzled Twilight, then slowly brought her hooves up to hold her. She slowly stroked her right forehoof through her alicorn's mane, trying to comfort her and brush her mane at the same time. She stared blankly at the wall, her expression teetering on the edge as Twilight sniffled and shook in her embrace. She squeezed Twilight reassuringly with her forehoof, hoping it would help.

Twilight whimpered quietly. The sound pierced Rainbow's heart, instantly making her ears fold back.

"It's okay, Twilight..." Rainbow whispered in a soft, delicate voice. She hesitantly lifted her head up, then leaned down and tenderly stroked Twilight's mane with her muzzle, slowly brushing her muzzle forward and back. After a few gentle brushes, she nestled her muzzle against Twilight's forehead and gently placed her lips against her coat. Twilight's whimpers softened as Rainbow kissed her.

After several seconds, Rainbow brushed her muzzle up and tucked Twilight's head in against her neck and chest. She gently stroked Twilight's body with her wings, then held her tight again. Twilight's shaking gradually calmed with each passing second as Rainbow's warm, reassuring embrace protected her.

Although her pain lingered, ever so slowly, it faded as Rainbow comforted her. Every stroke of her wings brought Twilight a renewed sense of calm that fought back the anxiety, fear, and pain, and every gentle brush of Rainbow's hoof through her mane reminded her that she wasn't alone in her struggles; there was somepony there with her, somepony there cheering her on.

Eventually, Twilight shifted and laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder. She took in a ragged breath, her body shaking as she breathed in, but no more pained whimpers escaped her lips. Rainbow lifted her head up and softly smiled down at her. She continued to hold the wet alicorn's body to her own, keeping her safe and secure. As she continued gently brushing her right forehoof through Twilight's wet mane, Twilight started nuzzling her neck.

Rainbow opened the bathroom door, then stepped out into the bedroom. She lingered near the door and looked over at the bed. For a few seconds, she stood there, watching Twilight.

Twilight laid on her stomach facing the end of the bed, with her muzzle angled down towards the covers. She held her right forehoof like she wanted to stand up, but her left forehoof was laying on the bed casually. Her expression was neutral, but present, rather than absent. Her lips were flat and blank, displaying no emotion. She glanced over at Rainbow, then turned to look over at her. Her eyes were dull, lackluster, and glossy. Her irises looked almost like voids.

Rainbow fluffed her wings and forced a smile to try to reassure her, then calmly walked over to the bed. As she approached, Twilight watched her with an absent look. As soon as she reached the bed, she jumped up onto it and laid down beside Twilight, draping a wing over her. Twilight's lips lifted up at the gesture. She blinked a few times, and a little life flowed back into her eyes, as if the simple act of laying her wing over her back was enough to reenergize her for the day. Despite the life and energy flowing back into her, she still looked drained. "So... what's the plan for today?" Rainbow asked.

Spurred on by the question, Twilight took a deep breath and lifted her head back up. "Well, I was wanting to talk to Celestia and Cadance today, but other than that there's nothing too pressing," she answered. "So, we can do something you'd like... if you wanted," she offered.

Rainbow shrugged. "Eh, it's fine. I figured we'd just hang out around here with the princesses since the Crystal Faire hasn't started yet."

Twilight shifted her weight a bit. "There isn't anything you'd like to do?" she asked.

Rainbow shook her head. "I'm happy just to be here with you," she answered, giving Twilight a bright, encouraging smile.

Twilight smiled back, then looked away from her and the smile faded. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I mean... I-I could... um... stay with..." She hesitantly looked back at Rainbow and studied her expression. Her smile lingered, but it wasn't quite as enthusiastic. "Celestia or... Luna... o-or um... something... while you... did something," she offered quietly. She looked down at the bed, "W-without me," she hesitantly added.

Rainbow frowned. "Twi... it's fine, really. I know you," she replied.

Twilight sighed, then shook her head. "Sorry, I just... I..." She sighed again in defeat, then laid her head down on the bed. "You never have any time to yourself now, and it's just... it's all my fault. And I can't even do anything to make it up for you..." she whispered softly.

"Hey. Come on, Twilight. It's alright, you know that... I don't need you to make it up to me. It's okay, really," Rainbow comforted. She gently stroked her wing over Twilight's back, making the alicorn smile and close her eyes, though it wavered a little as Rainbow's silken feathers traced over her side. After her feathers slid further up, Twilight opened her eyes. Rainbow leaned her head in close and bowed it so that she touched her muzzle to Twilight's cheek, then she gave her a little nuzzle. "I love you," Rainbow said softly.

Twilight leaned into Rainbow's nuzzle and smiled at her hopefully. After a moment, as Rainbow's nuzzle came to a close, the smile faded, and she looked back down at the bed. "I love you too..." she replied, her voice as soft as silk.

Rainbow lifted her head slight and started slowly rubbing her nose against Twilight's cheek in slow, tender strokes. "Come on... let's go get breakfast," she suggested. She pulled her head back away from Twilight and gave her an optimistic, encouraging smile, "Maybe that'll help you feel better?"

Twilight hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Okay," she replied.

Twilight sat on her haunches quietly, spacing out as she stared blankly down at the bed below her. Beside her, Celestia sat patiently, her wing wrapped around Twilight, sheltering her and trying to comfort her. Despite the protection and reassurance she offered, Twilight's heart still raced. She shook a little as she inhaled, betraying the otherwise calm, empty expression she wore.

"Twilight?" Celestia spoke softly. She hesitantly lifted her wing a few inches from the young alicorn's back, then laid it on her again, a few inches above where her wing had rested. She slowly stroked her soft wing down Twilight's back.

Twilight closed her eyes at the feeling. "I... I tried to talk to her..." she drawled. Celestia's lips lightened, and a little of the air's weight lifted as Twilight broke her silence. She slowly started to shake her head. "I just... I couldn't. And... so I didn't." She sounded defeated.

A few seconds passed in silence. Twilight lifted her head up. She stared at the crystal wall, then blinked. She slowly turned her head to face Celestia. "How am I... supposed to be able to do this, if I can't..." she trailed off, growing quiet. Her eyes darted down from Celestia's face, falling onto her neck. A moment later, they jumped to her shoulder, and after another short pause, they darted back to the bed. Her head slowly turned back and she stared down at the blankets.

"You don't have to tell her everything all at once, Twilight..." Celestia replied. "But... Twilight, please keep in mind that you tried. Don't look at it as a failure, please... you didn't fail, Twilight. You tried to talk to her, and that's what matters," she comforted.

Twilight sighed and slumped down into the blankets. "It doesn't feel like it..." she replied, her voice empty.

"One small step at a time, Twilight," Celestia reminded. "When I took you under my wing as my most Faithful Student,-" her lips lifted up into a smile as her eyes sparkled at her fond memories of that time in their lives, "- you could only cast so many spells, and they weren't as complex as the ones you can cast now." She chuckled softly and slowly slid her feathers along Twilight's back. "And you certainly didn't learn all you know overnight, Twilight."

The corners of Twilight's lips pulled up. "I... suppose," she cautiously admitted. Her lips fell back into a flat, emotionless line. "But that's different, and it doesn't change anything..." she countered.

"Oh?" Celestia asked softly. She gently draped her wing back over Twilight's withers. "How many years did you study under me? And during those years, did you ever once foresee the day of your ascension?"

Twilight's brow creased into a frown. "No..." she answered. "But... I didn't-"

"You weren't looking for it, Twilight," Celestia replied softly. "And... I don't think you're actually looking for the little, incremental signs that you're getting better now, either..." she said hesitantly, her voice still gentle, but an edge of concern had seeped into it.

Twilight's brow and lips twitched down slightly, and a bit of energy seemed to fade from her expression. She slowly turned her head and looked up at Celestia. For several seconds, she just watched her, and Celestia looked back down at her with a gentle, caring expression, though concern plagued her features. A moment later, Twilight turned her head away from Celestia. "I... want to get better... I really do, but... I just..." she trailed off quietly.

"Twilight, it has only been a few months. Give it time... worrying will do nothing for you... If there is one thing which I failed you the most in, it was teaching you not to worry so much, and I regret that Twilight," Celestia said softly.

Twilight's lips twitched downward, although her brow relaxed. "Celestia, it's not like... I'm this way because of you," she replied.

Celestia grimaced and sighed softly. "Except it is, Twilight... I failed you there, and for that, I am sorry."

Twilight looked over the blankets for a few seconds. "It's not your fault," she stated.

Celestia pulled Twilight close with her wing and held her there for a few seconds before releasing her. "Twilight?" she asked.

Twilight hesitantly looked back up at her.

Celestia smiled down at her in an almost motherly manner. "You trust me, don't you?" she asked. Twilight's ears pinned back against her head as watched Celestia with an expression of betrayal and shock that Celestia would doubt that she trusted her, but nodded emphatically to reinforce the point that she did trust her. "I know for a fact that you're getting better, Twilight," she said. "And I wouldn't lie to you about that," she added.

Twilight's frown returned, but her ears slowly drifted back up. After a moment, her eyes darted down to Celestia's shoulder, then she turned away and stared at the blankets. Her expression slowly blanked again.

Celestia watched Twilight for a moment, then slowly brushed her wing across Twilight's back once more. "I know for a fact you're getting better because you're here right now. You're talking to me about this... and you're trying. Small steps, Twilight."

Twilight looked back at Celestia, then sighed. She closed her eyes and laid her head down on the bed. "It doesn't feel like it..."

"It didn't feel like any passing day brought Luna any closer to coming back to me, Twilight, but it didn't change the fact that they did," Celestia replied softly.

Twilight weakly opened her eyes. "Celestia, I... this is different. I..." she trailed off and clenched her eyes shut. "Even if... even if my wing grows back, even if my horn grows back... I..." she trailed off, exhaling defeat.

"Twilight, it will be okay," Celestia comforted. "We're all here for you when you need us. If you do not want to talk to Rainbow, then... talk to Luna or myself, Twilight. We will listen," she coaxed.

Twilight's lips wobbled slightly. "I-I just... I-I can't talk... a-about that... it-it..." She clenched her eyes shut, and as she inhaled, her whole body shook. "Chrysalis-sh-she..." she trailed off, letting out a high-pitched, broken whimper.

Celestia's wing came to rest over her body, blanketing and sheltering her, then pulling her closer to Celestia's warmth. Twilight's body continued to shake as she inhaled, but she remained silent.

"C-can y-you..." Twilight eventually whimpered.

Celestia lit her horn. "Of course, Twilight," she comforted. Before she cast her spell, she leaned down and tenderly nuzzled Twilight, trying to reasure her.

Luna stood casually on her room's balcony, looking towards Equestria. The fading light of the sun cast a brilliant display of colors across the sky, which gradually transitioned to the darker colors of the night. The evening was calm, there was no breeze, and no clouds dotted the skies. The air had a slight chill to it, but it went unnoticed by Luna as she stood there, while the warmth of the sun on her coat gradually cooled as the sun sank towards the horizon.

"So uh... why did you want me here?" Rainbow asked, breaking the silent peace that had fallen between the two of them.

Luna inhaled, then looked at the pegasus sitting at her right. She studied the mare's calm, yet bored expression. For several seconds, she stayed silent. Rainbow fidgeted a bit. While Twilight had done a lot to further Rainbow's patience and calm her down, there was still a certain energy present, accompanied by a familiar anxiety. Eventually, she turned her attention back towards the horizon.

"Not that this isn't nice or anything," Rainbow added hesitantly. "I just...-" she fluttered her wings apprehensively "-don't know why you wanted me here," she added.

"I thought you might wish to talk," Luna replied casually. "And since Twilight is with my sister, I figured this would be a most excellent opportunity for the both of us. And the company is nice."

"Uh... okay," Rainbow replied. She shifted her weight a little, then stood up and watched Luna.

Luna watched the horizon with ever increasing intent as the vibrant colors of the sunset darkened and disappeared to be replaced by the thick, almost inky purple, blue, and black darkness of night. Eventually, the last of the fiery star sank below the horizon, letting the twinkling stars overhead shine down on them. She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes. Her unique, dark blue aura glowed to life around her horn, shimmering and sparkling as she reached out to the moon.

Rainbow watched silently as Luna coaxed the moon above the horizon and set it on its course for the night. Even thoigh she knew next to nothing about magic, Luna radiated power, grace, and majesty as she raised the moon. It was special, and she recognized just how special it was. After a few seconds, the glow of Luna's magic faded, and her eyes opened.

"I... have not often had company when I perform my duty," Luna said, a hint of remorse dimming her voice. She looked over the crystal half-wall railing, then looked over at Rainbow. "It... can be lonely, I suppose. I am glad that you accepted my invitation to be with me while Twilight was with my sister, Rainbow Dash."

"Yeah... I mean it's not like there was much else for me to do or anything." Rainbow nodded slowly, then cringed when she realized that it could have been taken as an insult. Luna, for her part, just smiled. "Well... uh... it's cool to see you do that, I guess," she offered. A frown pulled at her lips, and her brow creased in thought. "I don't think I've seen you do that before."

"I do not believe you have either," Luna answered simply. She slowly looked back out towards Equestria and sighed softly, almost longingly. A distant look pvertook her expression as her mind wandered back through her memories to days long since gone. "Do you know which Elements my sister and I bore before you did?" she asked casually.

Rainbow frowned, then shook her head. "Uh... I don't think so..." she trailed off, then squinted. "Uh, didn't you mention that Loyalty was one of your Elements?" she asked hesitantly.

Luna nodded once. "Indeed it was," she affirmed. A smile pulled at the corner of her lips. "Would you believe me if I told you that I also bore Laughter and Honesty?"

Rainbow's brow twitched up in surprise. "Really?"

Luna smirked and nodded. "Indeed," she answered. "My sister bore Magic, Kindness, and Generosity. Such traits suit her,-" she turned to face Rainbow and raised an eyebrow, "-do they not?" she asked.

Rainbow nodded. "Well, yeah... they really do, but... I mean..."

"I do not show those traits," Luna noted. "At least... not very much anymore..." she trailed off and looked towards the sky. For several seconds, silence lingered. "It-" her muzzle slowly tilted downward and her eyes ran back and forth over the crystal floor "-was a long time ago," she finished quietly.

Rainbow frowned and nodded. She opened her mouth and inhaled only to close her mouth and exhale.

"You wish to ask a question," Luna noted.

"Well... yeah... but... I don't want to uh..." she trailed off, looking away from Luna.

"It is quite alright, Rainbow Dash," Luna comforted. She smiled reassuringly. "We are friends, are we not?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, but..." Rainbow trailed off and then swallowed. "I mean there's a lot of questions I could ask you, Princess."

Luna batted a hoof through the air dismissively, then smiled at her companion. "You do not need formalities here, Rainbow Dash," Luna reminded, her voice in mimicry of Celestia's motherly tone, but not quite as gentle. "Simply 'Luna' will suffice," she said with a soft chuckle.

Rainbow waited a few seconds, then nodded in affirmation. "Right... sorry, Luna... I just... I don't know," she said. "I'm not really used to this yet," she admitted with a wry smile.

Luna inclined her head. "That's quite alright, Rainbow Dash," she stated.

"Could you... just call me Rainbow instead of using my full name?" Rainbow asked. "It's uh... kinda... well, I mean it makes it...-" she squinted "-...seem so much more formal. And... it sort of... worries me?"

Luna looked over at Rainbow and nodded. "I am sorry, Rainbow... I did not realize it made you uncomfortable."

"It's okay..."

For a few seconds, they just looked at each other, then Luna inhaled and looked back out across the sky. She slowly sat down on her haunches beside Rainbow. "But yes... I bore the Element of Loyalty," she reaffirmed.

"Like I did," Rainbow said.

Luna bobbed her head thoughtfully. "In truth, I would argue you continue to bear it, even if the Elements have been returned to the tree. You have a much stronger connection to them than my sister or myself had. You six were more representative of the Elements than we were, and you were able to accomplish more with them than us." She smiled. "After all, you saved me from Nightmare Moon," she said.

Rainbow shivered a little. "Well... it's mostly been Twilight that's... done all that. I mean we've all helped! But... you know, we wouldn't have been able to do anything without her."

Luna nodded slowly. "Regardless, just as you all needed her, she needed all of you, perhaps even more than you needed her," she said. "I did not know Twilight that well before my sister ascended her, and in truth, I regret that... It was a missed opportunity on my part. I should have reached out to her sooner and more often." She laughed softly. "It would have saved me a lot of trouble adjusting..."

Rainbow looked at Luna incredulously. "Really? Twilight. Back before she ascended?" she asked dryly.

Luna frowned and looked at Rainbow. "Yes?" she asked.

"The same Twilight who relied on books for basically everything until we got her out of her shell," she deadpanned.

Luna's frown lifted and she nodded. "Yes," she stated. Her frown returned. "I do not understand your confusion..."

Rainbow shook her head. "I'm just... surprised. I mean... it's Twilight. I mean she's okay now, but... back then? I'm not sure she would have been able to help you that much..." she trailed off, grimacing. "At all."

Luna bobbed her head and fluffed her wings. "It would have helped... I have never had many friends, Rainbow," she replied. "I would count Twilight, my sister, and yourself among my closest, however."

"You... count me as one of your closest friends?" Rainbow asked dumbfounded. "But... I mean, we really don't know each other that well and..."

Luna smiled a little. "Perhaps it is silly, but it is true. I have friends among the guard, but... it is simply not the same as with Twilight or you. Although perhaps I am a bit..." she trailed off and shook her head. "You and Twilight, along with the rest of your friends, were responsible for saving me, after all, so perhaps, in a way, I may put you each on a pedestal..."

Luna inclined her head to herself. "In a way, I admire you, Rainbow. I bore Loyalty, and so have you, and I can see that in you, and I respect that a great deal. I can see that loyalty in you in regards to Twilight, too... and I respect that a lot. You want to protect her, help her, and keep her safe. And not the least of these was putting your life on the line to rescue her."

Rainbow nodded unsurely. "Well... yeah."

Luna nodded, then lifted her forehooves and draped them over the crystal railing. She leaned forward a bit and then looked over at Rainbow. "And perhaps the best part is that you choose to do this. Perhaps you do not recognize it, but... in a way you are being merciful to Twilight..." she trailed off.

Rainbow's lips slowly drew into a flat line. "I...-" her face scrunched up "-...guess?" she asked. She shook the confusion away. "I mean... I wouldn't leave her, it's just... it wouldn't be right," she said quietly.

Luna nodded sympathetically. "And you do that despite the cost to yourself... you have sacrificed for Twilight's well-being, and I respect that in you."

Rainbow watched Luna curiously as her eyes slowly drifted between a few of the faint, sparkling stars in the night sky. "Twilight... she clings to you like a newborn filly clings to her mother," Luna said hesitantly. "And you're there for her. You don't push her away, despite the hardship it puts on you... That, Rainbow, is beautiful."

Rainbow looked away from Luna and studied the crystal as she thought about her words. Silence passed between the two before Rainbow looked back over at her. Luna calmly gazed out at the night sky. Her expression looked serene, peaceful, and unassuming as she looked at the tranquil sky above.

A short popping sound and a flash of golden light broke the silence of the night. Luna blinked, then turned her head back towards the source. A smile pulled at her lips, then her eyes darted down slightly. Rainbow turned and looked.

"Luna," Celestia greeted casually, a soft, yet concerned smile on her lips.

Twilight looked between Luna and Rainbow, then her right foreleg jerked up. For a moment, she hesitated, then she darted out from under Celestia's wing and pressed herself up against Rainbow's left side.

Rainbow grunted as Twilight almost tackled her, then chuckled softly. "Hey, Twi..." she greeted in a soft voice. Twilight nuzzled her and shifted, trying to press herself up closer to Rainbow, almost threatening to knock her over. She avoided looking at Luna and simply stared at the crystal railing, with her muzzle against Rainbow's neck and under the pegasus's muzzle. Rainbow quickly unfolded her wing and wrapped it around Twilight's body. "You alright..?" she asked.

For several seconds, Twilight didn't react, then she blinked several times and nodded. She exhaled and her muscles relaxed, then she laid her head on Rainbow's shoulder. A yawn escaped her muzzle, then her eyes drifted closed. She fought against it, but every few seconds after she opened her eyes again, her eyelids drooped low, until eventually, they didn't open again.

Rainbow's brow gradually pulled down into a frown as Twilight drifted off to sleep, her breathing calming down and her body limply laying against her. Eventually, she looked over at Luna, who once again regarded the night sky. Celestia stood to the left of Luna, simply watching the sky with her. It was peaceful, and for some reason, being there with Celestia and Luna, while Twilight slept on her, felt both calming and comforting. She was neither nervous nor anxious.

After a few moments, Celestia leaned away from Luna and walked around behind her. She paused and looked at Rainbow, then at Twilight. For a few seconds, she just watched the young alicorn sleep peacefully, then she looked at Luna and took a deep breath. "I suppose I shall leave you..." she trailed off. Luna turned back to look at her, then nodded and turned around. She gave Celestia a quick nuzzle, which Celestia met and returned. The two of them rubbed their necks together for a few seconds, smiling, before parting. "Goodnight, Luna... Rainbow," Celestia said.

"Goodnight, sister," Luna replied.

"Night," Rainbow said.

Celestia nodded and smiled, then a quick flash of golden light signaled her departure.

Luna looked down towards the floor, then glanced back up and slowly turned around. "I suppose it is late, and... since Twilight has returned, perhaps you too should take your leave," she suggested. There was a hint of disappointment in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by Rainbow.

Rainbow frowned a bit but nodded. "Yeah... I mean, I don't mind staying here, but... I should probably take her to bed. She'd be fine here, but..." she trailed off.

Luna simply nodded. "Perhaps we can talk again soon," she said.

"Sure," Rainbow replied. She licked her lips, then turned her attention to Twilight. She smiled, then stroked her wing down Twilight's side. The mare breathed calmly and refused to stir, though her lips held a small upturn to them, displaying a soft, delicate smile that was more beautiful than any flower could ever hope to come close to. She leaned in and nosed Twilight's muzzle a few times. Twilight's head limply moved, rubbing against Rainbow's neck in the process, but otherwise remained still. "Hey... Twi?" she whispered.

A few seconds passed in silence, with no reaction from Twilight.

Luna looked over at her. "She's already dreaming..." Luna trailed off with a slight frown. "If you would like, I can teleport the two of you back to your room."

Rainbow thought about it for a minute, then nodded. "Alright... uh... can you not wake her up?"

"I believe so," Luna answered. "If you would like, I can put her in bed with my magic for you. It would be less likely to disturb her."

"Okay," Rainbow said. She gave Twilight a quick nuzzle, then gently placed her lips on the mare's forehead. Despite the cool air that had started to chill Twilight's coat, she could feel her warm body below, and the warmth made her lips tingle. She smiled as the kiss lingered, then, after a few seconds, she broke contact and nuzzled the same spot. The warmth from Twilight lingered in her lips, just like both of their smiles.

"Shall we go?" Luna asked.

Rainbow looked away from Twilight and looked up at Luna. Luna wore a gentle, approving smile on her lips. "Yeah," she answered. Luna inclined her head, then lit her horn. A short flash and popping sound.

They reappeared in their bedroom. Twilight continued to sleep peacefully on Rainbow's side. Rainbow looked away from Luna and looked over Twilight's expression, which displayed no signs of even the slightest disturbance from their movement. She slowly brushed her wing down Twilight's side, then reluctantly lifted her wing up and looked at Luna.

Luna walked over to her, then enveloped Twilight's body in her magic. She carefully leaned Twilight away from Rainbow, then levitated her up into the air. She carefully brought Twilight's sleeping form over to the bed and laid her down. As Rainbow watched Twilight in Luna's magic, she could see her friend's lips twitching down a little. As soon as Twilight was laying down, Luna released her and Twilight shifted in her place uncomfortably as if something was missing.

Rainbow walked over to the bed, then climbed up onto it. A soft, high-pitched whimper left Twilight's lips. Rainbow's lips instinctively fell downward and her ears pinned back. She leaned down and brushed her muzzle against Twilight's slightly shaking body. "Hey... it's okay, Twilight... I'm here..." she whispered.

The sound of her voice eased Twilight's shivering, but she still looked out of sorts, despite being asleep. Rainbow scooted up with Twilight, then brought her hooves over to the straps holding the pack in place. Luna's hooves clicked on the crystal floor, then her blue aura enveloped the straps and swiftly undid them. Rainbow looked back at Luna as the older alicorn levitated the pack away from Twilight's side. "Thanks..." she whispered.

"Think nothing of it," Luna replied. "She is my friend as well, and I do not like seeing her in pain any more than you do."

Rainbow licked her lips and nodded, then looked back at Twilight. The alicorn shifted a bit, then rolled over onto her left side so that she laid on her wing and faced Rainbow. Her barren, unprotected side was put on display for both Luna and Rainbow, and a small frown detracted from her innocent beauty. Rainbow sighed, then leaned down and nuzzled Twilight's neck. Twilight's lips pulled upward as she felt Rainbow's coat brush against hers, but the smile was so small, it looked like it would shatter if a slight breeze were to touch her.

Twilight pulled herself closer to Rainbow, seeking out her warmth and protection. Rainbow responded by lying down and draping her wing over Twilight's exposed side. She could almost feel a lingering chill in her side from being outside, despite Twilight having taken shelter under her wing as they sat on the balcony. She rolled over to face Twilight, then scooped Twilight up with her forelegs. She pulled her close and hugged her there, holding their chests together. She used a forehoof and her muzzle to gently nudge Twilight's head in under her muzzle to give her more protection, then she pulled the rest of her body close with her hind legs.

Rainbow stared at the crystal wall, eyeing it absently as she slowly ran her forehoof through Twilight's mane. Her alicorn's heart pulsed quickly, but with each stroke and every passing second, it slowed. Her chest gently rose and fell with her breathing, and the gentle pressure it put on Rainbow comforted her.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Luna asked quietly. "If not, I can leave," she offered.

Without releasing Twilight's head, she glanced over at Luna and smiled a little. "Just... uh... can you take care of the blankets for us?"

Luna nodded in silence, then pulled the blankets out from under them and laid them on top of the mares.

"Thanks..." Rainbow replied.

"Goodnight, Rainbow," Luna said.

"Night, Luna," Rainbow replied. She looked back towards the crystal wall, and another soft popping sound accompanied by a flash of blue light signaled Luna's departure.

Twilight nestled up with Rainbow, and Rainbow closed her eyes as the cool blankets started to warm up from the warmth of their bodies.

Twilight's entire body tensed, then she jerked awake, jolting up into a sitting position and immediately leaving Rainbow's embrace. The blankets protecting her body slid down almost like a fluid and rested on her abdomen. Rainbow groaned and stirred awake beside her as Twilight suddenly jolted out of her grasp. Twilight stared ahead at the wall, her body ever so slightly shaking, and her left wing extended an inch from her side.

"Twi?" Rainbow half-groaned, half-yawned. She clenched her eyes shut, then blearily opened them. "Twilight?" she asked.

Twilight's eyes glanced over at her, then they shot back over and focused on the bed. Almost immediately, Twilight shifted her weight, then sat up on her haunches, sliding out of the warm blankets. Her body slumped slightly and she wobbled in place as she struggled to sit up.

And in an instant, Rainbow sat up beside her and used a wing to pull her close. Twilight closed her eyes as Rainbow's warm side pressed up against hers. "Twi?" she asked again.

"I..." Twilight trailed off, opening her eyes again. Her jaw widened as a yawn surged through her body. Her eyelids drooped, and her head slowly tilted to the left until her head came to limply rest on Rainbow's shoulder.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Rainbow questioned, her eyes darting over her alicorn's features and body, searching for any of the telltale signs of her nightmares, except none of them were present- no whimpering, no uncontrollable shaking, no crying, no desperate begging for her. It brought her relief to know that what woke her wasn't a nightmare, but it didn't change the fact that something had awoken her, and in the pit of her stomach, she worried.

"No..." Twilight finally answered, shaking her head and rubbing her muzzle and head against Rainbow's neck. A smile pulled at both of their lips, and Rainbow's unease subsided. "I just... I had a dream, and... then... I talked to Luna," she said quietly.

Rainbow watched Twilight for a few seconds, not sure of what to say in response. She waited for Twilight to continue, but she didn't. "Twi?" she asked.

"Mmm?"

"It's... why don't we go back to bed?" Rainbow suggested.

Twilight took a deep breath, then a faint sigh escaped her lips. Ever so slowly, Twilight lifted her head off of Rainbow's shoulders, and her weary eyelids slowly opened. She barely managed to hold them open. "We... should talk..." she said softly.

Rainbow slowly brushed her wing up and down Twilight's side, doing her best to avoid Twilight's injury. "No, Twilight... it's okay. It's late, you're tired... we can talk tomorrow," she suggested.

Twilight grimaced and shook her head. She swallowed. "Rainbow... please..." she whispered.

Rainbow's wing stopped. She studied Twilight for a moment as her head gradually drifted downward. "Okay... if... if you're sure," she relented.

Twilight just barely lifted her head to nod.

Several seconds passed in silence, and Twilight's eyelids drifted closed again.

"Whenever you're ready," Rainbow coaxed.

Twilight nudged her head up and down. "Balcony..?" she asked.

Rainbow frowned but nodded. "Okay... let me get your pack," she said.

Twilight opened her eyes more energetically, and they looked more awake than she had seen in days. "No..." Twilight replied at length. "I just... not that..." she said quietly.

"Okay..." Rainbow replied. She slowly brushed her wing down, slowing until her feathers rested where Twilight's wing had been. Twilight didn't respond to the touch, but she stared at the bed. "Do you want me to carry you?" she asked.

Twilight shook her head. "No... can you... help me walk there?" she asked. A moment later, she looked over at Rainbow. Twilight's eyes started to glisten almost immediately, and she turned away from Rainbow as if she wasn't worthy to look at her.

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "Come on..." she coaxed. She gradually lifted her wing up from Twilight's side, and Twilight laid down on her stomach. Rainbow jumped off of the bed, then waited and watched as Twilight slowly turned, then slid across the bed until her forelegs touched the floor. She slowly pulled herself forward and wobbled, nearly toppling over. But as soon as her hind legs were on the floor, Rainbow's left wing pulled her close.

Twilight swallowed and leaned her weight against Rainbow. Despite her support, she struggled to stand. Eventually, she lifted her shaking right forehoof and took a step. Rainbow was right there with her, and Twilight slowly limped to the balcony door.

Without letting go of Twilight, Rainbow opened the door. A chilly breeze blasted the two of them, and Twilight shuddered. "Are you sure about this?" Rainbow asked quietly.

Twilight nodded and pressed herself into Rainbow more. "I... need to," she drawled.

Rainbow nodded, then helped Twilight out onto the balcony. As they approached the railing, Twilight stopped, then sat down on her haunches. Rainbow could feel Twilight's muscles slowly tense up as she sat down beside her. "Whenever you're ready, Twi," Rainbow whispered.

Twilight nodded and swallowed as her throat tightened up. "I... I just... well... I had a dream and... then... I talked to Luna..." she trailed off, her eyes dashing back and forth across the surface of the crystal in front of her. "I... don't know where to start..."

"Wherever you want, Twilight... I'll listen, even if it takes all night, alright?" Rainbow comforted. She slowly stroked Twilight's wing with hers.

A soft smile pulled at Twilight's lips, but a few tears fell down from her eyes. "There's... a lot I need to say..." she stated. "And... I just..." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "If I don't say it now then I don't think I'm ever going to..." she muttered.

Rainbow leaned her head against Twilight's and slowly rubbed her muzzle up and down across Twilight's After several seconds of tenderly brushing their coats together, Rainbow drew her head back and watched Twilight.

The alicorn's expression wavered and shifted, fear, unease, anxiety, and then almost a coldness as if she was preparing to give a lecture. Twilight slowly opened her eyes, and instead of looking at the balcony, she looked up at the sky. "Chrysalis... almost killed me twice," she started. Her head fell a little, and her eyes fell back to the balcony. "The reactor, and then..." she trailed off. Her mouth closed, and her jaw clenched. Her muscles were visibly strained, and her body remained tensed up. After a few seconds, the tension faded, and she fell forward a few inches.

"When I went into that room, Rainbow, I expected to die," Twilight stated, "And... honestly I didn't care if I did..." she trailed off and pressed her eyes closed. Rainbow's wing slowly caressed her side, sliding down in a gentle, reassuring stroke, then sliding back up. "But... then..." she stopped suddenly and exhaled. "Chrysalis tortured me, Rainbow," she stated bluntly.

Twilight tried to breathe in, but her whole body shuddered from her attempt. Despite her best attempts to muster her strength, her entire body trembled as the memories replayed through her mind. "I-I t-thought that I w-was going t-to die... a-and th-that I w-wouldn't s-see... again..." Her body convulsed in a sob.

Rainbow's wing gripped Twilight, forcing her close against her side. She swallowed. "H-hey, Twilight... it's okay, alright? You're safe now."

"I-I was... s-scared. I w-was t-t-terrif-f-fied. A-and I w-was scared sh-she'd... h-hurt you..." Twilight whimpered. She turned to face Rainbow, then pressed her head into Rainbow's neck. "I-I can't..." she whimpered.

Rainbow leaned over to Twilight. She tried to smile reassuringly, but her lips refused, twitching to remain in a strained grimace. She leaned down and pressed her lips against Twilight's forehead, then simply stayed like that, keeping her lips held firmly in place against Twilight's forehead.

"...L-lose y-you," Twilight whimpered.

Rainbow closed her eyes and broke the kiss. She slowly used her wing and her forehoof to reposition Twilight and she slowly turned so that she faced Twilight, and Twilight faced her. She pulled Twilight into her chest and enveloped her with her wings, holding her close and refusing to let anything come between them. Twilight pressed her forehead against Rainbow's chest as her body shuddered with each sob. Sharp, broken whimpers pierced the air, and Rainbow's ears pinned back. Twilight's tears soaked into her coat, and Rainbow's tears fell into Twilight's mane. "H-hey, it-it's okay..." she comforted, her voice cracking.

Twilight didn't reply as she continued to whimper and shake in Rainbow's embrace. Rainbow laid her head don on Twilight and held her close as minutes passed. Twilight's cries and shaking seemed to refuse to let up, but eventually, it calmed.

"I-I can't l-lose you, Rainbow," Twilight stated. "I... I can't."

Rainbow slowly lifted her head back up and smiled softly. Twilight reluctantly pulled away from Rainbow's chest and looked up at her. Twilight's eyes were reddened and glossy from her tears, and her coat was matted. She looked so fragile and delicate as if a single feather falling on her would be all it took to break her. Rainbow swallowed and slowly swept her wings down Twilight's side. "Hey... you won't, okay? I already promised that..." Rainbow replied.

Twilight closed her eyes. More tears rolled down from them, and her head fell so that her muzzle pointed at the balcony beneath their hooves.

Rainbow slowly lifted her right forehoof up and brought it to Twilight's muzzle. She gently lifted her head back up. Twilight opened her eyes, but looked to the side, refusing to meet Rainbow's gaze as she continued to cry. "I love you..." Rainbow whispered. "You know that, don't you?" she asked softly.

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded wholeheartedly.

"Then why don't you believe that...?" Rainbow asked. A slight frown pulled her lips downward. "W-why can't y-you accept that?" she asked.

Twilight's muzzle slid away from Rainbow's hoof. For a moment, her hoof stayed in place, then it slowly fell back to the floor. "I-I just... I-I can't. I k-know that, b-but... th-there's so much th... you want to do that y-you c-can't because of me..." she croaked.

Rainbow lifted her left forehoof and gently coaxed Twilight's muzzle back towards her. "Twi... you know I love you... I love you more than that other stuff... I don't care if I can't be a Wonderbolt... if I have to choose between being a Wonderbolt or being with you, then I'll choose you without any hesitation!" she retorted. A moment passed in silence. "Please, Twilight... I hate seeing you like this... I love you and I can't stand you being so sad..."

"I-I love you t-too, Rainbow," Twilight replied. She slowly opened her eyes and gradually looked up to meet Rainbow's crestfallen gaze.

"You're not standing in my way, Twi..." Rainbow stated. "I wouldn't have promised to help you if I didn't mean it."

Twilight took another shuddering breath. Her eyes dropped down to Rainbow's chest, but she nodded slowly. "I-I still feel like... I am..." she trailed off.

Rainbow used her forehoof and pushed Twilight's muzzle back up. She smiled down at her, then leaned in, slowly brushing her nose against Twilight's nose. Twilight's eyelids fluttered closed and her jaw slacked, parting. Rainbow slowly placed her lips on Twilight's lips, kissing her. She could feel Twilight's heart stammering, and the alicorn's tense muscles relaxed. A feeling of calmness welled up inside of her, and she felt at peace from feeling Twilight's soft, warm lips on hers. It was a comforting feeling. As their kiss continued, she could feel Twilight's heartbeat stabalize.

Eventually, she broke the kiss. Twilight opened her eyes and stared up at her. After a few seconds, Twilight's eyes focused on her lips. Twilight looked down at Rainbow's chest. "C... can... I..?" she asked, hesitantly lifting her right forehoof up. She wobbled as she did so, but Rainbow nodded and held her still.

Twilight swallowed, then cautiously lifted her forehoof up. She wrapped it around Rainbow's neck and slid her hoof into Rainbow's mane, then brushed her hoof down. She closed her eyes and smiled as she felt Rainbow's mane pass by her hoof. She swallowed and opened her eyes, then lifted her left forehoof up and wrapped it around the back of Rainbow's neck. She slowly lifted her head back up, then leaned in and met Rainbow's lips with her own.

Rainbow accepted the kiss and slowly wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's body. She spread her hind legs a bit and pulled Twilight close so that their bodies were touching and their coats were pressed together as they shared in each others warmth. Eventually, Twilight pulled back. Instead of shying back, Twilight stayed at eye level with Rainbow.

Twilight waited for a moment, then leaned in and tenderly nuzzled Rainbow. Her body shuddered just barely noticeably as she inhaled. She brushed her cheek against Rainbow, then laid her head down on Rainbow's shoulder.

Rainbow brought her forehoof up and started to slowly brush Twilight's mane in long, comforting strokes. The repetitive brushes caused Twilight's heartbeat and breathing to slow further as she relaxed. "Feeling any better..?" she asked softly.

Twilight leaned her muzzle against Rainbow's neck and nodded, purposefully nuzzling her. "Thank you... I... I can't... thank you enough..." she said softly.

Rainbow chuckled softly. "Twi... I don't need you to thank me. Just being with you is enough... I'm grateful that you love me and that you're here." She nuzzled into Twilight's mane, then inhaled deeply, letting Twilight's scent fill her nostrils and lungs. She sighed contently as she exhaled.

"I..." Twilight started, only for her voice to stop. "I love you, Rainbow... I... love you more than anything," she stated. She swallowed and licked her lips. She sucked in another deep breath; her body's shudder was more noticeable. "But... I... I still need to... say more..." she spoke at length.

"I'm not going anywhere," Rainbow gently affirmed.

Twilight's lips lifted up into a small smile, then they fell again. "I... didn't think... I would get to see you again, and... I was terrified. I... I thought... that... if I did, then... it... would just be... right before she... she... would..." she trailed off, unable to say it.

Rainbot sat there patiently, continuing to hold Twilight and stroke her mane.

Twilight closed her eyes and did her best to steel her resolve. "D-do... you remember... what happeneed? In... the forest? When..." she trailed off.

Rainbow silently nodded.

Twilight opened her eyes and licked her lips. "I... couldn't... I just... I couldn't bear the thought of... her... hurting you..." she trailed off. "I... I would have... died before... I let that happen..." she said quietly. "But... I... I couldn't do anything. I didn't have my magic, and... I... was in shock and... without both of my wings and just..." she trailed off again.

"I knew I was going to die, and that there wasn't anything I could do about that, Rainbow-" with every passing word, her grip on the pegasus tightened, "-and... I knew she was going to kill you too..." she whispered. "A-and... I c-couldn't do anything... I-I felt... helpless... I... I just..."

Rainbow squeezed Twilight, silencing her as she made sure the distraught alicorn knew she was right there with her. "But it-it's okay, Twi... we're safe... Luna took care of it."

"W-what if she hadn't?" Twilight whimpered. Rainbow gave Twilight a quick nuzzle. Twilight shuddered as she took another breath. "D-do... you remember... when... she... caught us?" she asked. Rainbow was silent but nodded. Twilight swallowed. "D-do you... remember what... I did?"

The memory replayed itself in Rainbow's mind, Twilight crouched down in front of her with her wing flared as Chrysalis stood over them. Pain raced throughout her body, and the cold air and rain chilled her to the bone. She blinked the memory away as the unease cut at her entire being. "Y-yeah..."

"I... I don't really... remember it..." Twilight replied quietly. "I... was in shock and... I just... acted... on instinct..." she whispered. "I... it's... like I wasn't there... I... just barely remember that... I... was prepared to..." she trailed off and clenched her eyes shut. "T-to... protect you."

Rainbow shivered. The knot in her throat surged to life, aching, pulsating, throbbing, demanding acknowledgment. She swallowed and closed her eyes. Try as she did, she still cried, moistening Twilight's mane.

Twilight shivered, despite Rainbow's sheltering wings and warm body. Between her and Rainbow, seconds passed in silence, gradually fading into minutes as they both silently comforted each other. The silence that lingered between them was heavy and thick, palpable, sapping any desire either of them had to talk, and as time wore on, it seemed to feed itself, as if its entire goal was simply to prevent either of them from saying anything, and neither of them did say anything for a while.

"I love you," Rainbow's voice broke the silence, followed by a nuzzle and a peck on Twilight's cheek.

Twilight stayed silent but slowly lifted her head up off of Rainbow's shoulder, avoiding her gaze. She found her mouth dry, the moisture seeming to have been replaced by unease. She closed her eyes and slowly laid her head back on Rainbow's chest. "She... when... I was... when she had captured me," she started, her voice unsure and vulnerable. Rainbow stayed still and silent, refusing to push Twilight into anything she wasn't going to talk of on her own. "I... she... I didn't have anything to eat, and... I barely had anything to drink. She... tortured me..."

The memory of what she endured- the darkness, the gritty water, the hunger pangs, the mockery of the guards, Chrysalis's visits and her mocking, it all left a bitter taste in her mouth. While she knew it could have been far worse, it still terrified her. She clenched her jaw as her thoughts twisted inside her mind, threatening to poison her with anger directed at the Queen who tortured her.

Rainbow nuzzled her. The bitterness and anger lingered deep inside of her, but it wasn't so poisoning. "Are you doing okay?" Rainbow asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Twilight was silent. Despite the turmoil raging inside of her, she could feel something else, something foreign, yet familiar. It was like the feeling Rainbow gave her, but different. It was comforting, almost reassuring- the feeling made her feel lighter like she wasn't carrying around as much emotional weight as she had been. The numbness was still there, but there was another feeling alongside it. She slowly nodded. "Yeah..." she relented. "I... guess..." she said. "I... I really... I'm surprised... that... I could do this..." She paused. "Talk about this..."

"Twi, you shouldn't be... you've been through a lot, but you're strong," Rainbow replied.

Twilight smiled a little. "It... doesn't feel like it," she admitted.

"Maybe..." Rainbow replied downcast. "But you still... you talked to me about this. You... hadn't before. You are getting better, Twi... That first night when we got you back... You just..." she trailed off and squeezed Twilight again.

Twilight slowly nodded. Her eyelids drooped and she yawned as her adrenaline faded.

Rainbow snickered a little and shook her head. "Seriously? After all that..?" she asked.

Twilight looked up at her with a sheepish expression, at least until her eyelids drooped further, leaving her with a goofy expression Rainbow couldn't take seriously. Twilight's head limply rolled around a bit until she laid her head back on Rainbow's shoulder, threatening to fall asleep again.

Rainbow's lips slowly tensed into a grimace as concern replaced the hope holding her together. "Twi?" she asked.

Twilight groaned softly in exhaustion. "Bed..." she muttered.

Rainbow nodded. "Want me to carry you?" she asked.

"...'re gonna have to..." Twilight mumbled.

"Right..." Rainbow slowly pulled back from Twilight and shifted her around, then laid her down on the floor. She stepped over her and wrapped her legs around her, then beat her wings. She grunted as she lifted Twilight up off of the floor. Twilight weakly wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow and held onto her. Rainbow carried her exhausted alicorn into their room and over to the bed. After she laid Twilight down on the bed, Twilight let go of her and rolled over onto her left side. Rainbow smiled at her, then zoomed over to the door and shut it.

She returned to Twilight and pulled the covers back over her. The alicorn shifted a bit, but she had already fallen asleep. Without Rainbow being in bed beside her.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight and slid into the blankets beside her, then pulled her close and cuddled up with her so their warmth would banish the night's chill. She placed a quick kiss on Twilight's forehead before she closed her eyes. After a few seconds, her eyes slowly drifted back open. Her smile wavered and she licked her lips. She held Twilight close, giving her a gentle squeeze as what Twilight said replayed in her mind. Her throat dully ached, and the throbbing grew with each passing second. She pulled Twilight against her, then pressed her muzzle into her mane and clenched her eyes shut, hoping Twilight's scent would keep her from crying.

Rainbow smiled as she looked ahead at Twilight. Her mare, her perfect alicorn princess, sat calmly on her haunches, looking back at her with an almost goofy grin on her face; her smile was lopsided, displaying her giddy excitement with how the right side of her mouth was parted to show her teeth while the left side was still pressed together and pulled up into a smile.

"I love you, Rainbow," Twilight said in a quiet, soft voice that reminded her of Fluttershy. Despite Twilight's outward eagerness, she still held a certain shyness about her feelings towards Rainbow, and it was evident in her voice. After a few seconds, it drifted into her expression, and her lips slowly closed into a gentle smile as she tilted her muzzle off to the right to avoided looking at Rainbow. A slight blush crept onto her cheeks and she looked back at Rainbow with a shy, innocent look, one more befitting a young filly than the alicorn princess sitting there.

Rainbow leaned forward and gave Twilight a quick kiss on her cheek before pulling back and grinning. Twilight's lips lifted up further, but her head lowered slightly in embarrassment. "I love you too, Twilight... Never forget that, cause that's something that'll never change!"

Twilight lifted her muzzle up and looked at Rainbow in such a way that made her look like a starstruck filly, perhaps like one who had just seen something incredible or impossible, it reminded Rainbow ever so slightly of Scootaloo back in Ponyville. Her eyes seemed to sparkle and glisten in awe and wonder.

Rainbow leaned back over to Twilight and laid her head on Twilight's shoulder, then brushed her cheek up and down the length of Twilight's neck. The alicorn cooed softly and leaned into Rainbow's affection, wholeheartedly accepting the tender display of her love. Rainbow eventually broke the action, then stood up and turned around. "Come on, let's go for a flight!" She took a few steps away, then blinked several times. A frown crossed her lips.

It was dark. She could barely see to make out the rough stone walls surrounding her. She slowly looked around in confusion, searching for the way out. Eventually, she found a passageway through the stone with a slight incline. After only a few feet, however, the entire passage way was pitch black, almost to the point of being solid darkness.

"R-Rainbow?"

The soft whimper pierced her ears, and her chest tightened, constricting as the atmosphere started to press down on her, slowly constricting her and making it impossible for her to breathe. A shiver raced down her spine as she stood there, facing the dark passageway, frozen in place. Another sharp whimper came from behind her.

Her legs shook as she lifted them to turn around. When she turned around, rather than seeing a peaceful meadow, there was a stone wall, broken only by a small section that had been cut out and walled off with metal bars that formed a dungeon cell's door. The entire room was dark and poorly lit. The air was cold and stagnant. A soft echo seemed to permeate the air, as if the slightest sound echoed on forever, turning into a low, distant rumble that signified being deep underground.

Rainbow trembled as her chest tightened up. Her heart thumped in her chest, and she could feel her entire body standing on edge. Her legs trembled in fear. She bit her lip, then chewed on her tender skin until it hurt. Her eyes glanced left, then right, then back left, making sure that there wasn't anything else present.

She bolted towards the metal bars in a panic. In an instant, her forehooves slammed into the cell doors. "T-Twilight?!" she called out. She frantically beat her hooves against the metal, causing it to rattle and clang about with each hectic impact. Her eyes went into overdrive, darting back and forth across the cold, empty rock cell.

"R-Rainbow? H... h-help..." Twilight choked out.

Rainbow's ears pinned back and her chest siezed up, forcing her to exhale and preventing her from inhaling. She stood up and searched the door for some way to force it open. She battered the bars with her hooves, then tried pulling on it. When that didn't work, she turned around, then crouched forward and jumped back into the door, kicking her hind legs out as hard as she could.

The sound of snapping metal filled the air, followed by the high-pitched ringing of a metal bit bounding off of something. The door groaned as it opened. Rainbow wasted no time in turning around and stepping into the stone prison.

In an instant, the room seemed a little less dark. She could make out the rough, worn features of the walls, and the harsh, uneven floor. Lying in the center of the room was a lavender mass that writhed slightly in pain. Her mane was a mess and strewn about, and she shook uncontrollably as she cried.

Rainbow jumped towards the sobbing alicorn and grabbed her in her forelegs, then lifted her up and clutched her to her chest. Twilight whimpered weakly, trembling in her embrace. Her forelegs gradually twitched into place to hold onto Rainbow.

Rainbow nuzzled Twilight as quickly as she could in an attempt to comfort her, then looked her over to make sure she was okay. She completely froze as her eyes came to an abrupt stop, focusing on her right side. A few steps away, she could see Twilight's torn off wing discarded like it were a piece of trash. A few of her beautiful lavender feathers littered the floor.

Rainbow's vision blurred from her tears. She held Twilight tighter. "It-it's gonna b-be alright, T-Twi," she stuttered.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a faint green glow burst to life, followed by a deep, reverberating, sadistic laugh that chilled her veins to ice. A deep-seated, relentless coldness took over her entire body. Twilight froze and went completely silent.

A bolt of magenta magic shot past them and smacked right into the center of Queen Chrysalis's chest. The changeling jolted back and let out a primal, seething growl. "Get Twilight out of here now!" Shining Armor ordered as he strode in, horn aglow as he faced down Chrysalis.

"Twi, you're gonna be okay, alright? I'm here and I'll keep you safe, I promise. Okay?" Rainbow whispered as she tried to pull away from Twilight to lift her up. Twilight clung to her relentlessly, refusing to let go.

A moment later, a light blue aura enveloped Twilight and pried her off. Twilight whimpered and shook in fear as she was levitated in the impersonal magic field. Rainbow glanced back behind her as Princess Luna calmly strode in through the cell door. Her face was one of implacable determination. Behind the determination, righteous anger.

Rainbow swallowed, then blinked as she felt Twilight's weight come to rest on her back. The defenseless alicorn's legs wrapped around her and clung to her like a newborn clung to her mother. Twilight buried her head in Rainbow's mane. Rainbow glanced back at Twilight, then gallopped off towards the exit. Her hooves clacked against the rough, hard stone as she raced up the dark incline.

Seconds seemed to fade into eternity as the omnipresent darkness held to her almost as tight as Twilight did, until finally, in the distance, she could see something more than just the thick, inky darkness. It grew with each passing step until she could make out the dark grays of heavy thunderclouds in the sky. Rain hammered the ground beyond the cave, and if anything, the temperature was even colder.

She came to a stop and stared out into the rain, her hooves aching and her heart still pounding. After a few seconds, she darted forward and flared her wings out. As she stepped out into the icy rain, she almost staggered, but her need to protect her invaluable cargo drove her on. As she beat her wings and lifted off the ground, she spared a glance back at Twilight. She bit her lip as she took in Twilight's trembling form.

She reluctantly forced herself to look away from Twilight so she could see where she was going. Queen Chrysalis, wearing a visage of unrivaled glee filled her vision, followed by a sickening green. A tsunami of anxiety and adrenaline overtook her body.

"Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash blinked several times. She felt her body shaking, and her vision was blurry. Her cheeks felt drenched and icy, despite the warm air. Her head twitched to the right slowly, and her eyes slithered around, taking in the wide open, grassy meadow before her. She looked down at her blurry forehooves, then lifted her right foreleg up. Her brow creased as her foreleg shivered as she held it up, trying to hold it still. After a few seconds, she relented, then brought her forehoof up to her eyes and wiped away her tears before setting her hoof back down in the grass. She gradually lifted her head up and took in the vast, starry night sky above her. The moon hovered in the air off to the right and behind her, leaving the stars to twinkle unphased.

"Rainbow Dash," the calm, soft voice called again.

Rainbow blinked a few times. "L-Luna?" she asked. She turned her head to the left, then looked back behind herself. The Princess of the Night stood a few steps away from her. Her expression was soft and concerned as she looked at Rainbow, almost with an expression of sorrow. "W-what... what happened?" Rainbow asked.

Luna calmly approached her, then sat down beside Rainbow. She lifted her left wing, then testingly laid it over Rainbow. The pegasus didn't object, so Luna relaxed ever so slightly. "You... had a nightmare about what Chrysalis did to Twilight... I was able to stop it, but... it got further than I would have allowed... I am sorry, but... I was preoccupied, or I would have stopped it sooner."

Rainbow turned her head away from Luna and stared down at the grass, nodding. "It's... alright," she replied.

Luna pulled Rainbow close against her for a few seconds, then relaxed her wing. "I... Twilight said that she talked to you," she stated.

Rainbow nodded again. "She did," she admitted calmly. "And..." she trailed off, closing her eyes as her head fell so that her muzzle pointed straight down. She sniffled, and her body shook as she inhaled. "I-I'm glad s-she did."

Luna stayed silent for a few seconds, nodding slowly as she waited for Rainbow to recover. Eventually, the chromatic-maned pegasus lifted her head back up, then lifted her right forehoof up. She tilted her head to the left and rubbed her eye dry with the back of her forehoof, then she tilted her head to the right and dried her other eye. "I..." Rainbow started. "How do..." she trailed off. "I... don't know w-what to say to her..." she relented. Her ears pinned back against her head. Fear and uncertainty plagued her eyes.

"Just being there for her is enough to help her, Rainbow," Luna comforted. "I know it may not sound like much, but that is important."

Rainbow nodded, almost absently; she barely put any effort into the nod, her mind too consumed by her best friend and everything she had been through. Her own fears fed into what Twilight had been through, and they twisted together in her mind, ending up with Twilight being in worse and worse situations as the viscuous cycle fed on itself.

"Rainbow, it was hard for me when I returned from... being Nightmare Moon," Luna said softly, breaking Rainbow from her thoughts. Rainbow licked her lips, then glanced at her. Over the course of a few seconds, Rainbow nudged her head around so that she faced Luna. "And... I would not have recovered were it not for my sister... I owe her a great deal, although I still feel like I owe Twilight and the rest of you far more for saving me..." she trailed off and glanced down at the grass. "I... did horrible things." A few seconds passed in silence before Luna looked back up. She took a deep breath. "But... it... I did not recover overnight. The Elements purified me, but I was still..." she trailed off, then tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "I hadn't truly recovered. And... you remember the Tantabus. I had not forgiven myself..." she trailed off, a grimace twisting her lips.

After a few seconds, Luna took a deep breath, then tilted her head and turned to face Rainbow. "I... Twilight will not recover overnight," she stated. "But... we all know that."

Rainbow's head drifted back away from Luna. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. "It-it's been months, Luna..." she whimpered.

Luna nodded solemnly. "It took me years to completely recover, Rainbow. It may take her years too."

"I... h-hate seeing her so... broken..." Rainbow's voice crackled with each word.

Luna nodded in agreement. "She is getting better... I am honestly surprised she... told you so much. I did not think she was ready, but..." she trailed off, smiling a little. "There is still hope, Rainbow. She is getting better. The fact that she talked to you so much is a prime example of it. Weeks ago, she would not have left your side to speak to my sister..." she trailed off.

Rainbow smiled a little. "Yeah... she is getting better, but... I don't think she believes she is."

Luna sighed. "Indeed, I believe Twilight has a few more problems which she does not talk about, even with me I am afraid. But I am unsure of what they are," she stated.

"Yeah..." Rainbow agreed. "I... wish she'd open up more, but... if she's not ready, then..." she trailed off. "I-I don't want to make it worse."

"I... feel like it would do you two well to sit down and talk further. Perhaps even include Cadance..." Luna mused. "One thing that... Twilight has told me is that she feels like she's holding you back from achieving your dreams."

Rainbow's head whipped around to stare at Luna. "She told me that too... I tried to tell her that..." she trailed off, her eyes jumping down to look at Luna's barrel. "It was fine, but..." She sighed and slumped forward. "Why can't she see that?" she asked.

"It may still be because of her horn and wing," Luna answered. "In which case the only thing that will help is time," she stated.

Rainbow begrudgingly nodded. "She..." she trailed off.

"I never did tell anypony what I encountered when I talked to Twilight after her surgery," Luna stated slowly. "I... gave her my word that I would not, and... I will not break that, but... she was lost because of knowing that she lost her horn." A slight smile edged onto her lips. "A part of me cannot help but think that all of her problems would just disappear if her horn would grow back, but I know there is more to it than that. She could physically recover tomorrow, but I know there are still other issues present which are bothering her. Problems that won't simply be cured by her physical recovery... even if they may get masked by it, they would still be there."

"Do... you have any idea when her horn and wing will grow back..?" Rainbow asked quietly.

Luna's smile fell. "I... do not know. However, I have kept an eye on her and from what I have seen, and according to her medical examinations, her magic is pooling in her side and forehead. Additionally, I have a suspicion that when her horn grows back, she will have stronger magic than before, given the stress she has endured," she answered. "I suspect that her magic will aid in her healing, but I do not know what role it will play, nor the extent," she stated. She tilted her head slightly and frowned. "The... fact that she is constantly exhausted also has me wondering if it won't be soon," she stated. "Her body could be attempting to conserve energy and prepare for... healing itself. Perhaps all at once," she stated.

Rainbow held onto every word that Luna said. "You think it could be soon?" she asked. A certain familiar eagerness had seeped into her voice.

Luna bit her lip. "I can't say, Rainbow. She has been exhausted nearly every day since we brought her home, but it has been worse lately, according to what I have seen and you have said."

"She could, though?" Rainbow asked, still clinging to the hope that Luna gave her.

Luna nodded. "Yes, although it may still be weeks, months, or perhaps even years for her horn to regrow. I would suspect her wing will regrow first. However, I have no way of knowing how long it could take for her horn to regrow, considering no unicorn has ever regrown their horn..." she stated. "With the exception of King Sombra..." she said under her breath.

A shiver went down Rainbow's spine. She looked away from Luna and looked up at the sky. "Any ideas on how I can help Twilight feel better?" she asked.

Luna shook her head. "I am afraid not, Rainbow. As I have said... I am not one to ask when it comes to matters of the heart. Perhaps you could talk to Cadance," she suggested.

Rainbow looked over at her. "Yeah... maybe."

Author's Note

This chapter took forever to write. I'm not sure I feel completely happy with it either.

I'm not sure but Twilight and Rainbow's conversation may have ended a bit too abruptly...

On a related note, I would be surprised if you didn't tear up during that. I teared up when rereading it during edits. Hopefully, that doesn't make me sound full of myself, or arrogant, or whatever it's called...

In hindsight, I feel like this chapter doesn't flow as well as it could have, and I have to say that this story as a whole probably doesn't flow that well. I need to work on my transitions so that they're not so jarring.

Special thanks to Nox Selune for prereading!

Chapter 3

Rainbow smiled warmly.

Twilight sat in a separate chair beside her, and there was enough distance between them that their coats didn't touch for the first time in months when they had sat down to eat. Even though not feeling Twilight against her side nor feeling her warm body protected under her wing felt unfamiliar and left her longing for Twilight's presence, Rainbow could smile about it. Even just days ago, she wouldn't have sat so far away from her, and Twilight was smiling as she held her niece against her left side with her wing.

Talking a week ago had really made a difference.

Sure, the warmth of her smile flickered whenever Celestia used her magic to levitate a precisely cut piece of fish to her mouth for her to eat, but her smile would recover and she would snicker softly because Flurry would try to steal the fork away for herself. Fortunately for Twilight, this time Celestia managed to keep it away from Flurry.

Rainbow shifted her weight a little in her seat as she watched Twilight greedily eat the meat given to her. If Celestia hadn't been feeding her, Rainbow was certain Twilight would have been scarfing it down like a wolf: ravenously. She took a deep breath, then exhaled calmly. It still bothered her that Twilight had to eat meat, but it didn't bother her as much as it used to. What she found more disturbing was that Flurry Heart seemed really interested in getting more for herself.

She licked her lips and smiled as the taste of the broccoli and pasta reminded her of her own meal. She glanced down at her empty plate, then stretched her wings out and arched her back slightly. She let out a content sigh, then looked over at Cadance. The mother was watching Twilight and Flurry, giggling mirthfully each time Celestia lost her grip on the fork and Flurry sent the fork towards her own mouth rather than Twilight's. Even Luna held an almost mischievous or playful smirk as she watched her sister being bested by an alicorn filly. Even she had to admit it was funny watching Princess Celestia, the mare who moved the sun, lose control of a fork to a foal that couldn't even speak yet. Celestia, for her part, didn't mind all that much but continued to do her best to help Twilight.

"So uh... Flurry likes meat too?" Rainbow asked, drawing Cadance's attention away from her daughter and sister-in-law. "Well... uh... needs it?" Rainbow corrected, fluttering her wings.

Cadance gave a simple nod. "Yes. She has ever since I stopped nursing her, although she doesn't need all that much. She does adore eating it, though," she answered in a calm, thoughtful voice.

Twilight gave an indignant huff and squinted at Cadance. "You don't say," she muttered as Flurry stole the fork away from her right before she took a bite yet again. She went to scowl at Flurry, but the adorable, happy and loving expression Flurry of far too much, and her scowl faded before it could even form. She couldn't help but give the sweet thing a nuzzle and coo in delight. Flurry all too happily returned her aunt's loving nuzzle.

Celestia chuckled softly. "Perhaps you should give Flurry back to Cadance, then? That way you can eat."

Twilight closed her mouth and nibbled on her lips. She glanced around a bit apprehensively, then slowly leaned her head down and tilted it to her left so she could look at her niece. The young filly looked up at her so sweetly and innocently as she opened her mouth and stole another bite of Twilight's salmon. She vigorously chewed it and then swallowed it and beamed up at her aunt. Twilight smiled, then leaned down and nuzzled her again, rubbing her chin back and forth across Flurry's mane. "I just don't want to let her go..." Twilight sighed. After a few more seconds, she lifted her head up. She squeezed Flurry gently with her wing, then slowly turned her head to face Cadance. Her eyes lingered on Flurry until her head was pointed at Cadance.

Cadance lifted Flurry up with her magic, then levitated her over the table and reached out with an arm to take Flurry, then pulled her into a hug before cradling her against her chest. The filly giggled sweetly, then wrapped her forelegs around her mom and hugged her before nuzzling into her chest.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rainbow saw Twilight's ears twitch back and stay there. The change was almost unnoticeable, but it lingered. Twilight's head gradually drifted away from Cadance and Flurry and looked down at her plate. Her eyes glanced over at Celestia, and she used her magic to cut another bite for Twilight. Celestia lifted the fork up to Twilight's mouth, and Twilight lurched forward to catch the chunk of meat, then pulled back and started eagerly chewing the succulent salmon. She licked her lips after she finished and swallowed.

"It seems like it will be another beautiful night tonight," Luna commented idly. A pleased smile crossed her lips. "I must say, I am looking forward to tonight."

Cadance nodded with a smile of her own. "With the Crystal Faire starting tonight, I'd hope it would be a beautiful night," she replied.

Luna nodded. "But I suppose most of the thanks goes to the pegasi and the Crystal Ponies for that, rather than myself."

"Mostly the Crystal Ponies," Twilight answered. "The Crystal Heart is responsible for keeping the frigid elements away from the Crystal City and making it as nice as it is, and with all of the hope, love, and joy they feel, it empowers the Crystal Heart even more, so that is not only further ensuring good weather, but it should also help everypony in Equestria," she lectured.

Luna ignored the accidental insult.

Rainbow tilted her head and looked at Twilight to study her features. Celestia lifted another bite up to her mouth, and Twilight opened her mouth. "I wonder if that will help you any," she mused.

Twilight blinked and closed her mouth, then turned to face Rainbow. For a few seconds, her expression was absent, then her brow creased in thought. Her eyes drifted down from Rainbow and rolled across the surface of the table and drifted across Rainbow's side. "I suppose it could," she relented. "I... suppose I do feel a little better, but... I thought that was probably because of-" her eyes jumped up to meet Rainbow's eyes, "-talking."

For a moment, Rainbow's expression went blank as she thought back to what she had said and what she remembered of her nightmares following that. She swallowed, then smiled again. "See! I knew talking would help make you feel better!"

Twilight smiled, then leaned over to her. She slowly nosed her muzzle up against Rainbow's neck, then nuzzled her and cooed softly. Rainbow smiled and laid her head on Twilight's muzzle to return her nuzzle with a tender one of her own. Their shared nuzzle sent little tingles of pleasure through them as their coats intertwined. Eventually, they parted and looked back at their company. Twilight blushed but Rainbow just smiled a bold, almost smug smile.

"You two are cute together," Cadance complimented.

"T-thanks," Twilight replied in a small, soft voice.

"You two should join us for a walk tonight," Cadance offered with a sincere, hopeful smile. "The first and last nights of the Crystal Faire are always the best nights of the whole fair. You can just see how happy everypony is, especially the foals. They absolutely adore the festival! What do you think?"

Twilight glanced at Rainbow. "Up to you," Rainbow said nonchalantly. "I don't mind."

Twilight nodded slowly, then looked back at Cadance. "Alright... I think a walk would be nice tonight," she answered. A slight smile pulled at her lips, then her brow furrowed and her lips pulled down into a quick frown. "Provided I don't pass out," she stated flatly.

Rainbow snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, don't worry, Twi. I'll carry you if you fall asleep. But come on, you'd be insulting us if you did! How could you possibly fall asleep when you're walking around somepony as awesome as me!?"

Twilight's smile returned in full force as she rolled her eyes.

Luna smiled slyly. "I concur with Rainbow, Twilight. She doesn't exactly have the most calming presence," she noted.

Rainbow looked at Luna. "I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult."

Luna scoffed and batted a hoof in the air towards her. "'Tis but an observation, Rainbow. Although such an observation is outdated now that Twilight has rubbed off on you so much."

Rainbow frowned. "What's that supposed to mean, Luna?" she asked.

Luna tilted her head. "You're not as..." she trailed off, searching for the right thing to say. "Back when I first encountered you as Nightmare Moon, you were quite brash compared to what you are now. Perhaps I would go so far as to say arrogant-"

"Hey, I'm not arrogant!" Rainbow defended, her lips pulled down. "I can back up what I say!"

"She does have a point there, Luna," Celestia said with an amused smile.

Luna practically rolled her head around to face Celestia, and for several seconds, she looked at her with an indifferent, flat look. Once she was sure she got her message across, she turned back to face Rainbow. "What I mean is what happened to Twilight, or perhaps how much time you have spent with her, seems to have calmed you down some."

"That's confusing," Rainbow replied.

"I think what Aunt Luna is trying to say," Cadance started with an all-too-pleasant smile directed entirely at Rainbow. Rainbow looked over at her and squinted. "Is that you love Twilight so much that you've become a different pony compared to what you were back then. I may not know you all that well, but last year I doubt you would have nuzzled Twilight- or anypony- like that," she said in a sweet, delicate voice.

Shining Armor seemed conflicted about how to feel regarding his wife's observations.

Rainbow thought about it for a few seconds, bobbing her head, then nodding. "Yeah... I guess. I mean, other than Twilight, I'm really not okay with that. But it's awesome to be able to do that with Twilight. A year ago I wouldn't have been okay with any of this," she answered.

"A year ago you would have been too busy flying around to slow down and enjoy this," Luna commented.

Rainbow shifted her weight uncomfortably. Luna was right about that. Even just a few months ago, before Twilight lost her horn, she wouldn't have enjoyed this like she did now. She wouldn't have taken the time to enjoy it- or even try it. And she hadn't. After all, when Twilight first made her offer, she had declined. The idea had been off-putting.

She was glad she rethought that answer.

Twilight scooted to her right on her chair, then leaned over on Rainbow's side, smiling contently. Her mouth opened wide as she yawned. Rainbow grinned at Twilight and pulled her wing out from between them. She slowly slid a feather along Twilight's backbone, drawing a shiver from Twilight, then enveloped Twilight's body and held her close. When the yawn finally left, Twilight slowly nuzzled Rainbow in long, gentle strokes- almost instinctively- as her eyelids fluttered shut. Twilight's body relaxed and both her breathing and pulse slowed down.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight, but it was strained, and the strain grew more visible with each passing second. Eventually, she looked away from Twilight to face Luna.

Luna nodded in affirmation. "I assure you, she is sleeping peacefully, and it will remain that way. You have my word, Rainbow."

"Thanks..." Rainbow said softly.

The cool evening air was broken by loud jubilant giggles of foals, pops from fireworks exploding overhead and momentarily outshining the stars, and a cacophony of assorted shouts and musics playing as the Crystal Faire's first night played out. Foals ran along the road as fast as they could, laughing without a care in the world as their friends chased them around. Adults calmly strolled along the streets, smiling happily and watching the sky as the bright, colorful fireworks burst to life, sparkling and then disappearing.

Twilight tilted her head thoughtfully as she looked out at the scene taking place across the streets of the Crystal Empire. Rainbow sat on her haunches beside her, her wing sheltering Twilight and holding her close. From their balcony in the Crystal Palace, they had a perfect view of all of the excitement. Parks were filled with assorted carnival rides the likes of which the Crystal Ponies were just getting acquainted with, along with colorful tents housing an innumerable quantity of wonderful treats and toys.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight and watched her for a few seconds. Twilight's eyes reflected the light of a few fireworks, and the light gave them a little twinkle that warmed Rainbow's heart. Rainbow waited a few more seconds as the twinkle dimmed, then left her eyes, before turning her head to face Twilight and speaking. "Uh... Twilight?" she asked.

Twilight turned to face her, bringing their muzzles to within an inch from each other. In an instant, Twilight's eyes shot down to Rainbow's muzzle and she shifted her weight a bit.

Rainbow smiled, then leaned in and gave Twilight a quick kiss on the lips. Twilight blushed and shied back bashfully, quickly turning her head away from Rainbow. Rainbow's smile grew into a grin. "Hey," she started.

After a few seconds, Twilight's eyes turned back to face her, then she slowly turned her head back. This time, Twilight leaned forward and gave Rainbow a quick peck on the lips. "Yes, Rainbow?" she asked softly.

Rainbow leaned over to Twilight, rubbing her muzzle along Twilight's muzzle. She leaned down, then lifted her muzzle back up, brushing her coat against Twilight's cheek. She slid her muzzle back and gave Twilight a quick kiss under her eye. For a few seconds, they just smiled at each other. Rainbow's smile eventually faded. "Are you sure you want to get out in that?" she asked seriously.

Twilight's smile lingered for a few seconds, but the edges of her lips gradually dropped until a neutral, expressionless line rested on her lips. Twilight turned away from Rainbow and looked out across the Crystal Empire again. Rainbow continued to watch Twilight as her eyes jumped around. "Yeah..." she finally said.

"You don't sound convinced..." Rainbow spoke, her voice raspy with worry.

Twilight nodded her head and took a deep breath. "Well..." she trailed off and sighed. She hung her head and then laid her head on the railing. Her eyes gazed down towards the base of the massive crystal spire. "I want to. I want to at least go for a walk with my brother and Cadance," she said.

"But you don't want to do anything else?" Rainbow surmised.

Twilight pursed her lips. "I'm... not sure. I would like to do something, maybe... I'm just not sure what, nor how I'll feel..." she trailed off.

"We don't have to do anything other than just... take a walk if you want, Twi," Rainbow said seriously.

Twilight lifted her head up and looked at Rainbow with a halfhearted, disappointed smile. "I know, but..." she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "This would be good for us. I... could use something like this, and I know that you'd love to do something like this with me." She opened her eyes.

Rainbow looked at her seriously and unsurely. "I would but... I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with."

"Okay..." Twilight said quietly. She looked back out across the Crystal Empire. "We'll... just see how it goes, then?" she asked.

Rainbow snorted and smiled. "You're not actually planning it?" she asked.

Twilight stayed silent. Her eyes once more jumped down to look at the street. Rainbow's smile withered. "I want to do something nice for you..." she whispered.

Rainbow turned her body to face Twilight. "Hey... Twi, it's okay. Really. I know that it's bothering you that..." she trailed off and exhaled sharply. "Twilight?"

The alicorn reluctantly looked back at her. "Yes, Rainbow?"

"I know that... it bothers you that I'm not in the Wonderbolts right now." Once again, Twilight immediately looked away from her. "Or doing something like that," Rainbow stated. "But it's okay. Really. I know that you think you're just in my way... And that because you're... hurting, you're making things hard on me and you're preventing me from doing things I want to do, but..." she trailed off and smiled, snorting softly. "Twilight, come on. I love you. I'd give up my wings for you," she said.

Twilight looked back at her but stayed silent.

Rainbow briefly wondered if that had been a poor choice of words. She winced internally, but needed to continue, "You know that we came and rescued you from Chrysalis," she stated. She frowned; as soon as she spoke the name, Twilight's entire body tensed up beneath her wing. She lifted a forehoof and gently rested it on Twilight's shoulder. She slowly tilted her forehoof, then brushed it up Twilight's neck. Twilight's eyes drifted closed and her muscles slowly relaxed. "We did that for you, Twilight." Rainbow smiled brashly and put her hoof back down. "I did that for you. You're not worthless. You mean the world to me, Twilight. You mean so much more than that, and... you don't realize that do you?" she asked quietly.

Twilight opened her eyes, let her muzzle hang towards the balcony, and looked at Rainbow's chest.

"Did Celestia and Luna ever tell you how worried they were?" Rainbow asked. "I don't know how Celestia would have handled it if..." she trailed off and licked her lips. "And Luna?" she asked. "Twilight, you're so much more valuable than you know. So please, stop thinking you're not. You mean so much to all of us..." she trailed off. "You matter. You're a princess! You matter to Equestria. But forget that for a minute. You matter to every one of our friends- to everypony who knows you. You matter to me. So... please... don't think that you're worthless or that you're not valuable, because you are."

Twilight nudged her head up and down in a small, timid nod.

Rainbow tried to reassure Twilight with her smile. "I mean, I faced down Queen Chrysalis by myself to keep her away from you," she said with a soft laugh.

Twilight closed her eyes. "I w-would have died to protect you, Rainbow..." she whispered.

Rainbow's smile faltered. For a few seconds, she stared at Twilight. Hearing her say that nearly brought her to tears. She was strong, and it took all of that strength to keep herself together. She extended her right wing, then coaxed Twilight into facing her. She pulled Twilight close with her wings and held her there. She reached up and wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's withers and placed a forehoof on the back of her head to coax her down onto her neck. "Yeah... I... know..." she replied at length, not sure what to say. "But... it's okay now, Twilight," she whispered. "You believe that don't you?" she asked softly.

Twilight nodded from where her head laid. "Y-yes, but... it-it's hard..." she cried.

Rainbow quickly nuzzled into Twilight's mane. "But it's okay... I'm here for you, Twilight, and I'm not going anywhere," she promised.

Her resolute voice made Twilight's lips twitch up into a smile. "Th-thank you, Rainbow..." Twilight whispered.

Rainbow squeezed Twilight, then held her there for several minutes until Twilight lifted her head up. For the first time in a very long time, Rainbow found herself looking up ever so slightly; Twilight actually sat up as tall as she could, and her head was just barely higher than her own. Rainbow grinned.

Twilight took a deep breath, then slowly turned in Rainbow's grip to look out across the Crystal Empire again. "I... I'm sorry that I get in your way of... what you want to do."

Rainbow slumped down and hugged, groaning in exasperation. "Twilight, I swear to Celestia, we just talked about that. Stop... please..." she groaned in desperation.

Twilight slowly nodded, then tilted her head. "I just... I feel like you could be doing so much more if you weren't with me. You're probably the fastest pegasus alive and-"

Rainbow lifted her head up, her prior annoyance replaced with a sharp squint directed at Twilight. "Probably the fastest pegasus alive?" she scoffed.

It had the desired effect. Twilight snorted and smiled. "Sorry... you're the fastest pegasus alive," she corrected.

"Thank you," Rainbow replied.

For a few seconds, silence passed between them. More cheerful giggles of foals and the cracks of fireworks filled the silence. "I just... Rainbow, you could accomplish so much if you weren't with me," Twilight stated. She turned her head to face Rainbow. "You know that, don't you?" she implored.

Rainbow looked at her seriously. "Twi... I'd be giving you up for that. Do you really think I, Rainbow Dash, the bearer Element of Loyalty, would willingly give up my best friend, my favorite pony in the whole world, my princess, my love, for fame from being a good flyer?" she asked.

Twilight frowned a bit. "When... did you get so..." she trailed off. Rainbow blinked and thought back on what she said.

A faint blush crossed Rainbow's cheeks. "D-don't tell anypony I said that," she said hastily.

Twilight smiled and giggled. She leaned over and rubbed her head against Rainbow's. "I would never," she promised. She pulled back and looked over Rainbow's stunning visage. An almost longing look filled Twilight's features. "But... why? You could have so much more, but... you don't because you spend your time with me..." she said softly.

Rainbow nodded. "Because you're worth it. Twi, you won't always be... hurting. I know you won't," she stated firmly. "But I still want to be there for you when you are hurting, so I can make you feel better, and when you aren't hurting, so we can be together."

Twilight slowly tilted her head and her lips twitched up in the corners. A soft, vulnerable smile grew on her lips. The light from fireworks twinkled in her eyes. "Thank you, Rainbow..." she whispered.

Rainbow just smiled. For a few seconds, they looked at each other, then Twilight went back to watching the sky. In the distance, she could make out faint smoke trails from four fireworks. The first one exploded into a brilliant visage of Celestia's solar cutie mark, completely with the rays and warm golden glow. The second one exploded into a silvery crescent moon that glistened as it fluttered back towards the ground.

A beautiful six-pointed magenta starburst erupted from the fourth, followed by a secondary detonation which sent six silvery points out from in between the magenta arms, and then a series of five silvery-white starbursts surrounding her cutie mark. The sparkles twinkled and gradually faded.

"Heh, they certainly have good tastes," Rainbow commented. Twilight giggled.

And last, a firework of Cadance's cutie mark erupted in the sky high above the rest, as if to signal her place at the head of the Crystal Empire. The firework's display looked so much more intricate and detailed than the last three, but even so, it flickered and eventually faded. Twilight continued to stare up at the sky. "...I hope Cadance saw that," she whispered.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah... somepony put a lot of work into those," she said. "But I think my favorite was the one of your cutie mark."

Twilight snorted a little, then her mouth widened in a yawn. Her eyelids drooped and her body wobbled slightly. A soft groan escaped her lips.

Rainbow frowned and pulled Twilight back against her. "Twi, you doing okay?"

Twilight closed her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm just... you know." After a few seconds, she wearily opened her eyes.

"Well... we can just stay here since you're tired if you want," Rainbow replied.

Twilight shook her head. "No... I want to go out," she replied.

"Okay," Rainbow replied. "Uh... you want to head out now or wait a little while longer?"

"Well, everypony is probably already out," Twilight noted. "So I suppose we should probably join them before everypony packs up for the night."

Rainbow snickered softly. "Yeah, after all, they have to be up all day tomorrow and then stay up late tomorrow night."

Twilight lazily bobbed her head to the side. "It is a big celebration," she noted casually. "A full week, and on the last day..." she trailed off and sighed.

"I still wonder if the Crystal Heart will help you any, Twi," Rainbow mused.

Twilight was silent for a moment. "I don't know. Theoretically, yes, it should. It radiates hope and joy, and I suppose I am feeling a little better..." she trailed off, grimacing. "Although I don't know if I think this will last," she muttered under her breath. "But there's no reason to think it would have any effect other than normal," she noted. She turned back to Rainbow and nibbled on her lip. "Rainbow? Thank you for... helping me, and staying with me, and... choosing to be with me," she said in a soft voice.

Rainbow smiled at Twilight. "If anything, I should be thanking you. I had no idea what I was missing out on," she stated. "Until, you know..." she trailed off.

Twilight mulled it over and went back to watching the sky. For a few seconds, she was silent, then she hesitantly looked over at Rainbow. "What would you... think of being a princess?" she asked at length.

Rainbow frowned for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Just..." Twilight trailed off, then laid her head down on the crystal railing. "I... talked to Celestia... I wanted to thank you for all you've done for me somehow, and... I just had the idea of seeing if I could convince her to coronate you," she explained. She sighed tiredly.

"You... wanted to have me coronated as a princess?" Rainbow asked, squinting at Twilight a bit. "I uh..." she trailed off.

Twilight inhaled and looked around a few of the nearby buildings below. "But, I guess it is a bad idea." She grimaced and slowly bobbed her head side to side, "You... wouldn't want that, would you?" she asked hesitantly. "Since you... didn't do anything to earn it..." she muttered.

Rainbow lamely scratched her mane with a hoof. "Well uh... yeah..." she answered. "I mean... I'm not-" she squinted "-that opposed to being a princess... but uh..." she trailed off, fluffing her wing at her side and rubbing her wing against Twilight's body.

Twilight nodded very slowly. "If... we got married, you know that would make you a princess, right?" she asked without looking back at her.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, I know that," she answered. "I haven't really thought about... that."

"I wasn't asking or anything, I just... wanted to know if you realized that," Twilight replied.

"R-right," Rainbow stuttered. She shifted her weight awkwardly. "I'd... be okay with that, I guess. I mean I'm not really into the whole fru-fru thing like Rarity is..."

Twilight snorted and her lips lifted up into a smile. "Yeah," she said. Her smile faded. "So... I guess you wouldn't be okay with me having Celestia just coronate you as a princess, then?" A second passed before Twilight lifted her head and turned back to face Rainbow.

"I'd rather you not," Rainbow said quietly. "I know you want to thank me, but really, you don't have to. If I wanted something, Twi, I'd ask. And all I want is to be with you, for you to be happy, and you to love me back."

Twilight's soft, vulnerable smile returned as she looked at Rainbow fondly. Through the combination of Twilight's misty eyes and the moonlight, her eyes glistened and almost sparkled.

Rainbow leaned over and pulled Twilight into a hug. She lifted her forehoof up and gently coaxed Twilight's head down onto her shoulder. Twilight closed her eyes and nuzzled into Rainbow once her muzzle rested on Rainbow's warm shoulder. Rainbow smiled and nuzzled Twilight, then slowly ran her forehoof down through Twilight's mane. "I mean it, Twi."

"I know..." Twilight replied meekly. A few seconds passed before Twilight lifted her head up. Rainbow's forehoof gently pressed against the back of her head and kept her from lifting it. Twilight relented and leaned her had on Rainbow's neck, letting Rainbow simply hug and hold her there.

"You know I'd give up anything to be with you, right?" Rainbow asked softly. "I mean that. You mean more to me than a trophy or being a Wonderbolt," she stated. Her firm, yet gentle voice comforted Twilight, and the alicorn slowly rubbed her chin back and forth against Rainbow's shoulder. "If you need anything... just ask, okay?"

"You really sacrifice too much for me, Rainbow," Twilight whispered.

Rainbow frowned. For a moment, her hoof ceased running through Twilight's mane. "That's because I want to see you happy," she replied. She slowly traced her hoof down Twilight's neck, then lifted it back up and resumed slowly stroking Twilight's mane.

"I want to see you happy, too, and... I just... I feel like I'm the reason you're not happy. I'm... you know... and... I know it hurts you, but..." Twilight trailed off as Rainbow squeezed her.

"Hey, I am happy," Rainbow said. Despite her attempted reassurance, both of them knew it wasn't really true. It wasn't a lie, and they both knew it, but both of them could remember how different things had been before Twilight had been hurt.

"You're hurting because I'm hurting," Twilight surmised quietly. She nudged Rainbow's neck a bit and looked over at her.

Rainbow reluctantly nodded. "Yeah..." she relented. "I am... I still wouldn't trade being with you to feel better. If anything, that would hurt more," she stated.

"I still want to make it up to you..." Twilight sighed, turning her gaze back out across the Crystal City.

For a few seconds, Rainbow stayed silent, then she swallowed and licked her lips. "Okay... maybe. You don't have to, but... if you really want to, I'll... try to think of something." She leaned over, sliding her forehoof down to Twilight's withers, and nuzzled Twilight's mane. A faint smile pulled on Twilight's lips. After a few seconds, she lifted her head back up. "Well... you ready to head down there? I'm sure Cadance and your brother are waiting on us by now."

Twilight's smile twisted into a grimace as she lifted her head up off of Rainbow's shoulder. "Yeah," she half-groaned. She slowly withdrew from Rainbow's embrace, but her eyes lingered on her pegasus.

Rainbow gave Twilight a reassuring smile and turned around so her back was to Twilight. "Hop on. I'll fly us down to save us some time."

Twilight slid forward and looked over Rainbow's back to figure out how to get on. She pressed her belly up against Rainbow's back and wrapped her forelegs around Rainbow's neck, then pushed herself up a bit and wrapped her hind legs around Rainbow's stomach, gripping her firmly, but not enough to injur her.

Rainbow leaned forward to stand up and grunted. She rested for a moment, then took a deep breath and stood up. She looked back at Twilight and smiled, then gave her wings a testing flap. "Hey, you ready?" she asked. Twilight nodded silently.

Rainbow turned her head back around and looked down at the Crystal City. She beat her wings against the air and slowly lifted off of the balcony. She carefully ascended over the railing, then started gliding down towards the ground. She was cautious as she glided- after all, her cargo was precious. She carefully paid attention to how the cold air wrapped around her body and slid between her feathers. In the back of her mind, she knew that the slightest mistake could spiral out of control if she was reckless. And with Twilight on her back, missing a wing, she knew she couldn't take any risks. Even though she would catch Twilight if something happened, she couldn't let Twilight endure that feeling of helplessness and panic.

Eventually, she neared the ground, and her hooves clicked as they met the crystal road below. She took a few steps forward as she landed to help bleed her speed, then she stopped. After a cursory glance around, she gave Cadance and Shining Armor a smile; the two were sitting on their haunches near the Crystal Heart, simply watching the stars and the occasional firework. Both of them looked back to acknowledge her. Rainbow looked back at Twilight and sat down on her haunches.

Twilight shifted on Rainbow's back, then unwrapped her hind legs to touch the ground before letting go of Rainbow's neck. She took a few steps back, then walked around to Rainbow's left side. Rainbow stood up and immediately wrapped her wing around Twilight. Rainbow leaned over and gave Twilight a quick, affectionate nuzzle, trying to bring a smile to the mare's lips. She succeeded, and that made her smile.

Rainbow took the lead and started walking over to Cadance and Shining Armor. Twilight walked right beside her, leaning against her slightly despite the pack helping to stabilize her. With every step, Rainbow could feel Twilight's body lurch as she limped. It wasn't long before her smile was strained.

"Enjoying your evening?" Cadance asked. Her happy tone was a stark contrast with what Rainbow felt, but she appreciated the change, hoping it would lighten their moods.

"Yeah," Rainbow answered casually.

Twilight nodded almost timidly. "Yes... We were talking and enjoying the fireworks..." she trailed off and looked away from Cadance. "I'm sorry we took so long..." she said as her ears pinned back.

Cadance's smile fell immediately, but her gentle, reassuring smile refused to leave completely. She walked over to Twilight and used a wing to coax her muzzle back up. "It's okay, Twilight. Really. The fireworks were very nice, and if we had been walking, we might not have seen them. Although I must say, I'm a little jealous of you and Rainbow. You two had a better view than us," she said mirthfully.

It seemed to help, since Twilight's ears slowly lifted back up. She took a deep breath, then nodded. "Yeah... they did a really good job with our cutie marks."

A soft, musical giggle escaped Cadance's lips. "I think Shiny is a bit jealous and suspicious of whoever made the firework of my cutie mark."

Shining gave an indignant huff at that. "I don't trust anypony who can make something that looks exactly like your cutie mark."

The corners of Twilight's lips lifted up. "And trust me,-" Cadance's lips pulled into a devious smirk, "-he spends a lot of time looking at it..." she said sweetly.

Shining shifted his weight uncomfortably and blushed.

Ignoring that as best she could, Twilight looked over both Cadance and her brother, then she looked back at Cadance. "Sooo... where's Flurry?" she asked.

"She's with Sunburst and Starlight," Cadance answered. "We're supposed to take her back after we finish our walk, and then we'll enjoy some of rides and games with her."

"Oh... okay," Twilight replied.

"Miss her?" Shining asked.

Twilight smiled warily. "A little," she admitted with a grimace.

"I thought it might be best for them to take her," Cadance replied in an unassuming voice. She turned around and walked back towards Shining. "That way we could talk."

Twilight shifted her weight a bit, then took the lead and walked forward. Rainbow stayed there right beside her to help, shelter, and shield her as they walked.

Cadance lifted her right wing, then draped it over Shining's back.

"I never realized your wings were so big," Rainbow commented casually.

Cadance looked back at her and lifted her wing up, then extended the other, showing off her majestic pink wings. She smiled gently. Rainbow nodded to herself as she looked over Cadance's wingspan. It wasn't that much bigger than Twilight's, but it was still definitely bigger than Twilight's. Although Celestia and Luna's wings still put hers to shame. After Rainbow finished, Cadance tucked her left wing back against her side and laid her right wing over Shining's back like a blanket.

"So uh, do you think Twilight will get bigger or something?" Rainbow asked.

Cadance hummed softly, then gave a nod. She looked at Twilight and looked her over. "I would be surprised if she didn't outgrow me, to be honest," she said thoughtfully. "I'm fairly certain that Twilight is..." she trailed off, her smile fading completely. After a moment, she recovered and shook her head. "I'm convinced Twilight will end up outgrowing Luna," she said, her smile returning. "And I can't wait to see that day. Can you imagine the look on Luna's face?" She giggled a little at the thought.

"Uh... no?" Rainbow asked.

"Yeah, I have to agree with Rainbow. I don't think Luna would mind," Twilight said casually.

Cadance frowned poutingly as the pair ruined her fun, but her cheerful, innocent smile returned soon enough. "I guess you're probably right," she relented.

"Well, we're supposed to be taking a walk, aren't we?" Shining asked.

"Oh yes, of course," Cadance said as she started down the street. "I guess I got a little caught up in the moment," she said sweetly.

Shining took off after her while Twilight and Rainbow sped up to catch up and then walk beside them. The chorus of foalish laughter was more prominent now that they were actually amidst the streets. Foals- pegasi, earth ponies, unicorns, and crystal ponies- all darted about, giggling joyously, although when they saw Cadance and Twilight, they'd suddenly stop and look at them with a sense of wonder, awe, and amazement. A few foals even dropped recently earned toys onto the street or ran into their friends who had stopped to gawk at them.

And then when Cadance smiled at them, the foals all lit up in excitement. Some of them squeaked, some of them jumped up and down as if they had just finished eating all of the cotton candy from a concession stand, and others blushed at the attention. Both Cadance and Shining could smile genuinely at the foals reactions. Rainbow found it a little amusing, and even she'd admit she smiled from their reactions.

And the foals on the left of the group, rather than looking at Cadance in awe, had their gazes directed at the lavender alicorn sheltered under Rainbow's sky-blue wing. Their gazes were just as awe-struck as those who looked at Cadance, maybe even more so. They looked up at her like they couldn't believe their luck; Not only did they get to see Princess Cadance, but Princess Twilight Sparkle was there too! Twilight glanced aside at them and watched them. She smiled at them, and they all had the same reaction that the foals Cadance had smiled at had. They were jubilant and excited; It was like a princess smiling at them was the best thing to happen to them. They acted like Twilight's smile made the Crystal Faire pale in comparison.

And that made her smile more. Even if the foals ranged in age from too young to really understand what had happened to her to old enough that for a brief moment, they recognized her missing horn and it showed, they still loved her as their princess; She mattered to them, horn or no horn. A few colts even blushed and hastily retreated as she smiled at them, making Twilight giggle a little at their shy reactions.

They walked, eventually leaving the busier sections closer to the palace. The giggles and laughter grew distant, and the stillness served as a sharp contrast to the excitement deeper in the city. The peacefulness made Twilight yawn and weakly lay her head against Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow brushed her wing up and down Twilight's wing, earning a soft coo from the alicorn, along with making her smile and nuzzle her neck. "You doing alright?" she asked.

Twilight yawned again but nodded, intentionally nuzzling Rainbow's neck more. "Yeah... I'm just a little tired."

"We can head back if you'd like," Cadance offered.

"No, it's okay. I think I'll be fine. Besides, I'm enjoying this," Twilight answered. After a few seconds, she pulled her head away from Rainbow. While her eyelids felt heavy, she managed to hold them up as she walked along.

"We should probably head back anyway. Expensive Faire food sounds pretty good about right now," Shining commented almost begrudgingly.

Cadance giggled. "Yes, the food is a bit overpriced..." she agreed. She leaned over and nuzzled Shining, who returned it just as eagerly. "But I suppose I have a valiant prince to pay for me, don't I?"

Shining gave a little laugh. "Anything for you, my Princess," he said, bowing his head as if to show fealty.

Cadance smirked and then looked over at Twilight and Rainbow. The pair looked inseparable. "What about you two?" she asked.

"I always liked cheap carnival food," Rainbow commented. "It kinda hits a spot that normal food just can't."

"Yeah, in the bank," Shining muttered.

Twilight smiled and hummed. "I don't know if I really should, given my... condition. But I suppose something cheap-"

"Expensive," Shining corrected.

"-would hit the spot," Twilight finished. "And I imagine Rainbow probably wants to ride some rides," she commented casually.

Rainbow fluffed her wings. "W-well, I mean I wouldn't say no to that..." she admitted. "But... really, we don't have to if you're feeling tired."

Twilight's jaw muscles tensed up. For a few seconds, they walked in silence. "Please... at least let me do this for you," she said softly.

Rainbow watched Twilight, then reluctantly nodded. "Okay..." she agreed.

Twilight's jaw relaxed and she smiled. She looked at Rainbow. "Thank you," she said gratefully.

"If you don't mind me asking, is something wrong?" Cadance asked softly.

Both Rainbow and Twilight turned to look at Cadance. "Uh... sort of I guess," Rainbow said. She hesitantly looked back at Twilight as if asking for permission to proceed. Twilight's eyes looked down at the ground. Rainbow frowned, then looked back at Cadance. The group slowed to a stop. "Twilight's..." Rainbow trailed off, bobbing her head as she struggled to figure out how to start.

Twilight took a deep breath, then lifted her head up and looked at Cadance. "I just... I feel like I'm standing in Rainbow's way. I... she's sacrificed so much for me and she doesn't let me do anything to repay her... and... it hurts her that I'm hurting," she said quietly.

Cadance listened calmly, then nodded slowly. "Twilight... I can tell you two love each other very much. She wouldn't lie to you about that, and I wouldn't either. But... I can see that you're struggling with that." Twilight watched her silently. "I don't know whether you just don't realize it or can't accept it, but... Rainbow loves you, Twilight. Very much," she added.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something but ended up closing it and looking away from both of them. "I... know," she said at length in a strained voice. "I just... I feel like-"

"You're not preventing her from doing what she wants, Twilight. If she wanted to, Rainbow could just choose to go and do something else. But she hasn't, has she?" Cadance asked with a sweet smile. Twilight glanced at her, clenching her jaw, and nodded. "That should show you how much she loves you, Twilight."

"Yeah," Rainbow agreed. "I don't want to be a Wonderbolt if you're hurting and it's my fault. I don't want to be a Wonderbolt if it hurts you and means I can't be with you," she said firmly.

"But-"

"No buts, Twi," Rainbow countered. "We've talked about this a hundred times," she said softly.

Twilight nodded slowly, her ears falling back to her head.

"Twilight," Cadance said softly. She stepped forward and turned, then sat down on her haunches in front of Twilight. "You don't have to be so hard on yourself. Nopony expects you to be perfect. We all have our own faults," she said. She glanced over at Shining Armor, who smiled back at her. Sure, Shining Armor was a bit of a nerd, but he was her nerd. She looked back at Twilight with a reassuring smile. "You've been through a lot, and we all know that. Twilight, what you went through hurt all of us. Maybe not as much as it hurt you, but it hurts us too. We're your friends and family, so of course, seeing you hurting is going to hurt us."

Twilight closed her eyes and hung her head limply.

"Twilight," Cadance whispered. She used a wing to coax her muzzle back up. Despite being a grown mare, Twilight was still so much like the young innocent filly she had foalsat. The memory made her smile even brighter. Twilight reluctantly opened her eyes and watched Cadance. "I do things for Shining all the time, and he does things for me all the time too. He's done some of the paperwork that I was supposed to do, and I've actually helped him with finding comics he's missing... We never ask each other for anything in return- we don't hold things over each other. We love each other," she said. She looked over at Shining. "What would you do if something happened to me like what happened to Twilight?" she asked.

Shining frowned. "I'd buck whoever did that to you in the face," he stated.

Cadance giggled softly and rolled her eyes. "How knightly," she quipped.

Shining walked over to her. "I'd make sure you were safe first, then I'd buck them in the face. After that, I'd be there to help you get better. Even if it was hard," he stated.

Cadance reached over to him and kissed him on the lips, then nuzzled him. She looked back at Twilight thoughtfully. "And isn't that what Rainbow's doing?" she asked. Twilight reluctantly nodded. "From what Shiny told me, she carried you to safety."

"I did," Rainbow said proudly.

"Rainbow, I could be like this for the rest of my life," Twilight cut in quietly. "I lost my horn, I lost my wing... I'm supposed to be the Bearer of the Element of Magic, and I can't even use my magic. And it feels s-so, so strong now... I-I miss it..." she whimpered.

Rainbow turned and embraced Twilight.

"Twilight, you remember the way those foals looked at you, don't you?" Cadance asked. "They look up to you. They want to be just like you when they grow up. And they've only seen you like this."

Twilight swallowed and looked over at Cadance.

"You're an inspiration for them to look up to, Twilight. You and your friends have sacrificed so much to protect ponies. You remind me so much of Celestia in that way, Twilight." Cadance took a deep breath. "Celestia had to banish her sister to protect everypony and to save Luna. And she had to wait a thousand years to save Luna, but she didn't give up..."

Twilight nodded reluctantly. "I just..." she trailed off and closed her eyes. "Rainbow, is it... is this really what you want? Is it really okay that... you're doing so much for me and I can't give anything back to you?"

Rainbow lifted her head up, then used a forehoof to bring Twilight's muzzle up to face her. Rainbow smiled brashly at Twilight, then pressed her lips against Twilight's. Twilight's heart sped up and her cheeks felt warm as Rainbow's slick, wet lips met hers. A jittery energy welled up inside of her chest. She closed her eyes and shivered in delight. Rainbow's forehooves gently touched her sides, then slowly slid up her body. Her coat tingled as Rainbow's hooves parter her fur. She mewled into the kiss.

Yet, all too soon, Rainbow broke it off. She looked at Twilight with the same eager smile as before. "Does that answer your question?" she asked brashly.

Twilight shyly looked down at Rainbow's chest. She nudged her head up and down to nod.

"Good," Rainbow stated. "Cause you know we're in public right now," she stated.

A faint blush crossed Twilight's cheeks as she looked around nervously. While they were in public, it seemed that the only ponies watching were her sister-in-law and brother. The street was practically deserted, in fact. She closed her eyes, then leaned her head down and pressed the spot where her horn would have been right against Rainbow's chest. She smiled as she felt Rainbow's pulse throb against her head.

"Besides, you do things for me all the time," Rainbow said. "We get to sleep together and cuddle and all that!" Rainbow offered hopefully.

"That doesn't count," Twilight groaned.

"Yeah, Twi, it does because I said it does," Rainbow retorted.

Twilight just sighed. "Fine..."

"We'll head back and give you two some time alone," Cadance offered as she stood back up. She coaxed Shining over to her and then headed back the way they came.

"Take care of her," Shining said to Rainbow as he walked passed her.

"I will," Rainbow promised.

For a few seconds, Twilight and Rainbow sat there facing each other as they listened to Cadance and Shining's hoofsteps click against the crystal, slowly growing softer and softer until it completely faded. Twilight yawned and her eyes watered. She rubbed her muzzle into Rainbow's body. "You want to head back?" Rainbow asked softly.

"Kinda..." Twilight admitted. "I'm sorry, I wanted to do something with you but-"

"It's fine," Rainbow replied. "We can do something tomorrow."

"Okay..." Twilight said weakly.

Rainbow stood back up and help Twilight up onto her shaky hooves. "Do you want me to carry you back? I can fly if you want."

"No... I'm tired, but I still want to walk..." Twilight replied softly. "It's a nice night, after all."

Rainbow nodded, then stepped up beside her. She pulled Twilight against her side with her wing, then started walking back towards the Crystal Palace. It was impossible to miss. "Can we take a different route?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow paused, then nodded and resumed walking. "Sure..." she agreed. She looked around, then turned left and headed down another street. The crystal walls of houses lined the streets, glimmering slightly as fireworks popped in the sky far above them. The laughter of foals sounded so far away and seemed to grow quieter as they continued. The stillness had a lulling effect on Twilight, making her head droop and her eyelids flutter, forcing her to lean against Rainbow for support once more. Her limping gradually turned into a stumble. "Twi?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight groaned softly. "Really... tired..." she muttered.

"Okay, hop on and-"

"No... I want to keep walking... maybe... maybe find somewhere I can take a break and..." she trailed off, yawning.

"Okay," Rainbow said quietly. She looked around as they continued to shuffle down the street. Eventually, they passed another house and found a small plaza with a fountain in the middle. There were four benches surrounding the base of the fountain, and the mostly-still water in the basin shimmered from the moonlight

Twilight lifted her head up and smiled. "This... looks nice," she commented.

"Yeah..." Rainbow agreed. She turned and brought Twilight over to a bench, then helped her up in it before sitting down beside Twilight. Twilight limply rested her head on Rainbow, and the pair sat there in silence as they listened to the trickling of the water fountain. Rainbow looked up at the sky and watched the brightly colored flashes of fireworks. "I wonder how much longer the fireworks will last..." she mused.

Twilight twitched her head as if to bob it. "I would... imagine that there will be some every night. The first and...-" a yawn broke her sentence; she nuzzled into Rainbow's neck, "-last nights are probably the best, though."

Rainbow nodded idly. Her stomach churned a bit, then growled. Twilight snickered slightly, and Rainbow smiled sheepishly. "Hehe... I guess I'm kinda hungry," she apologized.

"That's... okay," Twilight replied. "I'm a bit hungry too... I wouldn't mind some of that cheap food you and Shining talked about, but I really don't want to move from here..."

Rainbow frowned a bit. "Well... um... I... I suppose I could go and get some for us. Uh... if... you don't mind being left alone here..." she trailed off, wincing immediately. "N-no, nevermind... sorry, that's a stupid idea... I shouldn't just leave you like this."

For a few seconds, Twilight was silent, then she lifted her head up. She looked at Rainbow with a tired expression, then she slowly swiveled her head around, taking in the plaza. She scooted a bit closer to Rainbow and pressed up against her. "I... I don't know..." she trailed off, closed her eyes and bit her lip. "Rainbow... you... can do it quickly, right?" she asked quietly.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah... I can get there and come back inside of two minutes," she replied. "Probably."

Twilight nodded. Her heart started to beat a little harder in her chest, and her muscles tensed up. "I... can you please help me?" she asked. She opened her eyes and looked at Rainbow.

"What do you mean?"

Twilight looked down at the ground. A little of her exhaustion seemed to fade. "I... think I need this to happen. I think I need you to go and leave me here while you get that... it... it should be good for me," she said. "But... I-I'm scared," she admitted.

Rainbow hugged Twilight with her wing. "Hey, it's okay... I don't have to. I can stay here with you," she offered.

Twilight shook her head, slowly at first, but then hastily. "N-no... I... I want to try..."

"Twi, it's... quite a ways away. I wouldn't be able to get back to you if you needed me for at least a minute..." Rainbow cautioned quietly. Twilight nodded. "And... if... something happened..." she said at length. Twilight tensed up.

Twilight looked around again and sighed. "No... just... go. Please hurry," she replied. "I'll... just wait here. I mean... I have to face my fears sooner or later, don't I?" she asked with a wry grimace.

Rainbow stayed silent. "Are you sure? I know that you've been able to be with Celestia and Luna when I'm not there, but you've not been alone for more than a few seconds for the last few months..."

Twilight slowly nodded.

Rainbow waited, then slid out of the bench and stood up. She turned around to face Twilight. "Okay... what do you want?"

Twilight watched Rainbow as she thought about it. Her tense muscles started to relax as she came to terms with her idea. "I... don't know. Just... you decide for me, please," she said.

Rainbow nodded. "Okay," she said. She slowly extended her wings. "I'll uh... I'll be back as soon as I can," she said. Twilight watched her quietly and nodded. She shifted on her hooves, then leaned over to Twilight and kissed her cheek. When she pulled back, Twilight smiled at her. She slowly beat her wings, then ascended into the sky and flew away.

Twilight watched her leave, and her heart once more started hammering in her chest. She nibbled on her lip and tensed up as she started sweeping her eyes left and right to make sure nothing snuck up on her, and it seemed to vanquish her earlier exhaustion, probably because of adrenaline caused by fear. She shrank back into the bench as she waited. Seconds passed. A young filly, probably not even as old as she had been when Celestia took her on as her student, walked by the street. She watched the filly for a few seconds, then looked away when she realized the filly didn't notice or pay her any mind.

As she continued to sweep the plaza with her eyes, her ears swiveled about constantly, listening in for any faint sounds, especially the rapid chittering that would make her heart rate soar and send her into a frenzied panic. Instead, the only sounds came from the clipping of the filly's hooves against the crystal, along with a stallion walking in the same general direction. She glanced at the stallion. A sound akin to a pebble striking the side of one of the houses came from her left, which drew her immediate, complete focus towards the house. She stared in the general direction and her eyes darted about as she searched for the disturbance. Her ears flicked, hearing what sounded like a high-pitched, yet soft squeak that was cut short.

She frowned and listened intently, eventually pulling her eyes away from her left to look back across the street. Nothing looked out of place. The filly and stallion had both passed. Except she could hear the hushed, almost frantic voice of a stallion, along with a scuffle of hooves against crystal.

She bit her lip and slowly leaned forward. She put a forehoof on the ground, then stood up from the bench. She shook a little as she stood there, alone in the moon-lit plaza. Curiosity got the best of her. Her ears pinned back as she nervously limped towards the source of the sound. Her ears continued to swivel about.

"...ra will say when he finds about this?"

"N-no! I-"

"Quiet! If somepony hears you-"

Twilight felt her blood turn cold as she listened. The threatening voice of the stallion, the scared voice of the filly. Her heart twisted and she felt her abdomen tense up with a knot of distress. She just barely managed to take a few steps towards the alleyway. As the corner gave way to let her see, the stallion, a unicorn, stood there with his back to Twilight, facing the scared filly who was backed up against a wall. The stallion had a burlap sack which she hadn't noticed before, and on top of that, with him was another stallion- a pegasus.

The pegasus looked right at her and tapped the unicorn on the shoulder, then jerked a hoof towards her. The unicorn looked back at her. Twilight stood as still as possible.

"Witnesses?" the pegasus asked.

"Doesn't matter," the unicorn retorted. "She's just a pegasus anyway," he muttered. "Nothing she can do."

"Looks like she's missing a wing, too," the pegasus said, wincing uncomfortably. His wings ruffled at his sides.

Twilight took a step back and fluffed her left wing.

Both stallions went back to watching the filly.

Twilight clenched her eyes shut, then bit her lip. Her jaw quivered, and she could taste her blood. It was enough to make her let up on her lip. She reluctantly opened her eyes, then took a deep breath. She lifted a forehoof, which shook violently, then stepped forward. "T-that's enough. Leave her alone," she said.

Both stallions looked back at her dismissively. "Get lost, mare," the unicorn quipped. His horn glowed brighter for a moment. "This doesn't concern you."

"I can't help but notice that you seem to be threatening a filly," Twilight retorted. A little bit of calmness replaced her fear. She took another step towards them. "Leave. Now," she ordered.

"H-help me!" The filly pleaded.

The unicorn shot her a look. "Be silent! Or I'll tell him myself."

"N-no!" she whimpered.

"That's enough," Twilight said as she took another step towards the alley. A mere six steps lingered between her and the alleyway. "Leave now and we won't have any problems."

The unicorn looked back at her and laughed. "Are you threatening us?" he mocked. "You're a pegasus whose missing a wing. Get lost before I decide that you are worth our time."

Twilight's lip quivered. She could just barely see the filly. She was backed up against a wall, crying, and looking at her for help. Nopony else was around to help her, or Twilight. Twilight grit her teeth, then slowly extended her left wing outward.

The pegasus stallion raised an eyebrow in surprise, then pushed himself away from the wall. "If you want trouble, you've come to the right place," he said casually. He looked back at the unicorn. "Just grab her with your magic and go," he growled.

He huffed in response. "Not quite as fun that way," he muttered. His blue aura grabbed the filly and lifted her up.

"Let me go! Please let me go!" the filly pleaded.

"I said stop," Twilight threatened.

The unicorn actually paused and looked back at her. For a moment, he smirked.

"Wait a second... isn't that... Princess Twilight Sparkle?" the pegasus muttered.

Twilight shot him a glare.

The unicorn grinned and laughed. "You're right! It is! Oh, this is priceless!" he bellowed. "And what are you going to do?" he asked, still grinning. He turned around and walked towards her. "You can't stop us." He levitated the filly up and stuffed her into the sack.

"Perhaps not, but I believe I can," said a new voice.

Instantly recognizing the voice, Twilight felt a calm reassurance overtake her. The unicorn looked up to the sky. She had never seen somepony go from smiling to looking horrified in such a short time. Twilight let out a sigh of relief as Celestia landed beside her.

"They're trying to ponynap a filly," Twilight said in a hushed voice.

"Uh... n-no!" the unicorn back peddled. "W-we uh..." he trailed off as Celestia raised an eyebrow at him.

Celestia hummed and lit her horn. At the sight of her golden aura, the unicorn took off galloping away. The pegasus bolted into the air. Celestia waited for just a second, then teleported both of them in front of her. Both stallions grunted as Celestia held them there in her magic. She levitated the sack down and opened it. The opening was barely large enough for a cat to crawl out of before the filly bolted from it, trembling in fear as she looked around. The moment she saw Twilight, she all but tackled her.

Twilight recoiled ever so slightly from the filly's sudden approach. The filly was terrified, and Twilight didn't blame her one bit. She curled up against Twilight's forehooves and kept pressing against Twilight's hooves more and more. Twilight hesitantly lifted her foreleg up, and the filly ducked under her and curled up against her stomach for protection and comfort- like how a foal would go to their mother. Twilight blinked a bit and nibbled on her lip. "It's okay..." she comforted. She slowly put her forehoof back down. While she had the filly protected behind her forelegs, it seemed to reassure her.

"Th-thank you, P-Princess..." the filly stuttered out.

Twilight gave her a smile, then looked at Celestia. The white alicorn, for her part, looked at the two stallions evenly. "Celestia?" she asked quietly.

Celestia took a deep breath, then teleported the two stallions away. Whether to a dungeon, or to banishment, or to a dungeon in the place where she had banished them to, Twilight wasn't sure. But she was sure that the filly would never see them again.

Twilight closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. For a few seconds, she just sat there quietly, replaying what had happened in her mind. She turned her head and looked over at Celestia. "How did you..?"

Celestia smiled softly as if immediately forgetting about the incident. "Rainbow found me and asked me to come keep you company. She said that the line was longer than she expected," she answered.

Twilight nodded slowly, then went back to staring at the alley.

"Are you okay, Twilight?" Celestia asked.

Twilight nodded slowly. "Yeah... I-I think so..."

Celestia leaned down and then looked in between Twilight's forehooves at the shivering filly curled up against Twilight. "Hello, my little pony," she said in the softest, sweetest voice Twilight had ever heard. It was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes, and it brought back untold memories from when she was a foal spending time with Celestia. It made her want to cry and curl up with Celestia, but she resisted the urge. The filly's trembling calmed at the sound of Celestia's voice and she peeked out from in between Twilight's hooves. "Are you alright?" Celestia asked.

The filly timidly nodded. "Y-yes, Princess... T-thank you f-for sa-saving me," she stuttered.

Celestia gave a good-natured giggle. "It's quite alright, my little pony. It's my job to make sure all of my little ponies are safe," she said sweetly. The filly nodded in understanding. "What is your name?" she asked.

"A-Azure Gem," the filly answered.

"Azure Gem?" Celestia repeated. "That's a very pretty name," she said.

The filly smiled. "T-thank you, Princess." For a few seconds, she fidgeted under Twilight. "T-they s-said that... K-King S-Sombra w-was going t-to..." she trailed off.

"Did they now?" Celestia asked softly. She laid down on her stomach and laid her muzzle on the street close to Twilight's hooves. The filly watched her and nodded timidly. "It's okay, I promise you that King Sombra won't hurt you," she said softly. "And a princess always keeps her promises," she added with a smile as warm as the sun.

The filly nodded, then tentatively nosed Twilight's forehooves. Twilight shifted her weight a bit, then lifted her right forehoof and held it limply by her chest. The filly slowly crawled out from under her and sat down in between her and Celestia.

"Now... why don't we take you home, Azure?" Celestia asked. "Can you show us?" she asked.

The filly nodded obediently, then stood up and turned to her right. "Um... it's... not too far," she said.

"We'll be right there with you," Celestia promised. She slowly pushed herself up and stood up, then followed behind the filly.

For a moment, Twilight lingered, then stood up and caught up with Celestia. They walked in silence for a few minutes before hastily catching up with Celestia.

A quick flash of golden light broke the otherwise still night. True to her word, Azure's home hadn't been but a few blocks away. Even still, Celestia wasted no time in teleporting Twilight and herself back once they had talked to her parents. Needless to say, the parents had been shocked that two princesses had shown up at their door to bring their filly home. After they had talked, they were grateful and thanked them profusely, even offering them refreshments, which both alicorns declined as politely as possible, not wanting to impose, even if they seemed capable of hosting them. Eventually, Celestia had suggested that they spend some time with their daughter to make sure she was alright. Before they finally parted and the door closed, Azure had looked right at Twilight and given her a thankful smile.

The smile still lingered in her mind as she idly looked around the plaza, searching for Rainbow. Unfortunately, the pegasus was nowhere to be seen. A soft sigh escaped her lips from the disappointment that realization brought. She turned around, then climbed back up onto the bench she had been sitting on before.

After a moment, Celestia hopped up onto the bench and sat down beside Twilight. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Twilight was silent for a few seconds. Celestia unfolded her wing, then slowly brushed her long feathers across Twilight's back, making Twilight shiver from the feeling, before enveloping her whole body with her majestic wing. Twilight hesitantly leaned against Celestia's side. In the back of her mind, despite knowing Celestia was akin to family, and her friend, her mentor, and her confidant, she still knew that Celestia was a princess, the pony responsible for moving the sun, and the sole ruler of Equestria for one thousand years. And yet despite all of that, Celestia still took time to comfort her and be there for her.

Twilight closed her eyes and let herself relax under Celestia's sheltering wing. "Yeah... I think so," she answered.

For a few seconds, Celestia quietly watched Twilight. The alicorn's muzzle pointed down towards the crystal street, hiding her lips from sight, while her eyes jumped back and forth across the plaza. "Twilight?" Celestia coaxed. Twilight's eyes came to rest on her, and she lifted her head up to look up at her. "If you're worried about what happened, don't," Celestia comforted.

Twilight stayed silent as her head slowly drifted away from Celestia. She tilted her head to the side and took a quick breath. For a few seconds, she hesitated with her mouth open. "Do you think I could have stopped them on my own?" she asked.

Celestia reached out with her right wing and used her feathers to coax Twilight into looking back at her. "I know you would have tried," she answered.

Twilight avoided her gaze. "Yes, and... I did, but... it didn't stop them."

"Twilight, that doesn't matter. You delayed them. You had no way of knowing that I would come to keep you company and help you, but you still went out of your way to help Azure," Celestia replied. "You took a risk in order to protect her. But... yes, I think you could have stopped them," she said.

Twilight's ears folded back and her brow creased. "I... don't," she answered quietly.

"You still tried," Celestia replied.

Twilight looked back down at the street, nodding slowly.

"Twilight, I think the fact that you did that was very brave," Celestia stated.

Twilight's lips twitched up and she snorted. "You sound like you're still talking to Azure..." she said under her breath.

"It's the truth, Twilight. You stood up to them at your own risk to protect a filly you didn't know," Celestia comforted. "Even in the state you're in, you made an effort to help her. Twilight, that's something that is very noble."

Twilight sighed softly. "I couldn't do nothing," she said. "I was the only pony who could have helped her, so... I had to try."

Celestia nodded slowly. After a few seconds of watching Twilight, she looked up at the sky. The occasional firework still cracked high above, but they were dwindling, becoming less common and less brilliant.

Eventually, Twilight lifted her head up and swept her gaze around the plaza. "You know, I would have thought Rainbow would be back by now..." she muttered.

Celestia giggled. "She was not joking when she said there was a long line, Twilight," she said mirthfully.

Twilight looked aside at her, half grinning, half grimacing. Celestia watched the stars overhead, but her gaze eventually fell onto the moon. Twilight could almost see it in her eyes; Celestia could still see the Mare in The Moon. How could she not? She was responsible for its creation, and she had moved the moon for one thousand years- the same thousand years during which time the Mare in The Moon existed. Twilight licked her lips. "Um... Celestia?" she asked softly.

Celestia blinked, then broke her gaze away from the moon. She looked at Twilight and smiled at her, until she realized that Twilight looked at her almost afraid, she looked so insecure and vulnerable. Celestia pulled Twilight closer with her wing. "Yes, Twilight?"

Twilight looked down at her shoulder to avoid her gaze. She visibly bit and chewed on her lip. While Celestia didn't know what conflict raged on in her mind, she could see it written on her features. Even her muscles were tense.

"Twilight, you can ask me anything," Celestia said softly. "Remember what I told you last week?"

Twilight seemed to tense up further, then relax. Ever so slowly, she lifted her gaze back up to meet Celestia's. "Actually... yes. It's about that... Something you said," she said tentatively. Celestia inclined her head and waited patiently for her to continue. Twilight grimaced and bobbed her head left, then right, then back to the left again. "Did... you really mean what you said? About... you thinking of me as your... daughter?"

Celestia smiled and nodded her head. "Of course, Twilight..." she answered.

Twilight just stared at her, almost blankly as she tried to come to terms with that. "But... how? Why?" she asked.

"I could simply answer that because I ascended you, you are my daughter as an alicorn, which would be true, but you also know that I ascended Cadance, and she is more of a niece to me than a daughter," Celestia answered. Twilight nodded. "Twilight, you're very close to me," she said. "I may not have given birth to you or raised you from when you were a newborn, but those years I spent as your mentor and helping you learn and grow up were wonderful. I was afraid to let you go. I knew that I had to send you away so you could meet other ponies and make some friends, but... that hurt, Twilight. And I'm still afraid to lose you," she said. "Seeing you... waste away in the hospital after you were poisoned... that was one of the hardest things I have had to deal with in my life, Twilight."

Twilight took a deep breath. Her body shook slightly as she inhaled. "D-do you... r-really mean that?" she asked. Celestia just smiled and calmly nodded. Twilight licked her trembling lips. "I-I don't... know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything," Celestia answered. "And... I do not want to take the spot of your biological mother or make you think any less of her. Velvet is a good mare," she answered. She looked away from Twilight and chuckled softly. "I'm probably being silly, aren't I? But it's true, I do... think of you as my own..." she trailed off.

"Y-you're... not being silly..." Twilight chewed on her lip again, despite the fact that it was starting to hurt. "I... can... can I call you... mom?" she asked.

For a moment, Celestia was silent. Twilight's body started tensing up again as the seconds passed away, but then she nodded. "If you want to, yes," she answered cautiously. Her smile softened and she tilted her head, looking at Twilight fondly. "I... am honored that you would think of me that way, Twilight..." she said softly. "I... would like that," she added

Twilight nodded, then looked away, her mind still processing Celestia's answer "I... I'm sorry for..." she trailed off. Her eyes shot about the plaza as she tried to think of something, anything to apologize for doing.

"I don't think there's anything you need to apologize for, Twilight," Celestia countered.

Twilight's lips wobbled slightly as she smiled. After a few seconds, she shifted and turned to face Celestia, then wrapped her forelegs around her and hugged her.

Celestia unfolded her right wing and wrapped it around Twilight's back as she leaned down and rested her head against Twilight's neck. She lifted a foreleg and wrapped it around Twilight's withers and held her there. Twilight pressed her forehead into Celestia's coat and sniffled softly. Celestia stayed silent and continued to hug her back, even as Twilight's tears rolled into her pristine fur; She wouldn't have had it any other way.

For a few minutes, the two of them hugged. Not as student and teacher, nor as friends, but as mother and daughter, sharing a much-needed expression of their bond. Eventually, Twilight's sniffles quieted, and her shaky body calmed down. Her mother's warmth and protection gave her a sense of security that nearly rivaled that which Rainbow brought her, and her eyelids fluttered with the onset of exhaustion. She yawned and rubbed her head into Celestia's damp coat, drawing a soft, amused giggle from Celestia.

Twilight slowly lifted her head up and smiled at Celestia. She swallowed and licked her lips, then lifted her forelegs away from her and set them back down on the bench. She turned and went back to leaning on her side.

Celestia reluctantly folded her right wing back to her side. "I am very proud of you, Twilight," she said. Twilight looked up at her and watched for a few seconds, just taking in her bright, sunny smile. "You've accomplished so much," she added.

Twilight took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah... I guess. I owe my friends a lot for that, don't I?" she asked.

Celestia nodded and hummed. "Yes... as hard as it was for me to send you to Ponyville, I knew that it would help you accomplish so much more..." she trailed off. "Twilight?" Twilight looked back at her. "I've... not really talked to you about this, but... You remember when Luna and I were captured by the Plundervines?" she asked. Twilight nodded in response. "Well... you had to lead Equestria during that time. It wasn't long, and you didn't do much, but... I had always intended for you to lead Equestria if anything happened to Luna and myself. Well, after I had ascended you," she said. "And... if anything happens to me, you're to succeed me," she stated.

Twilight's jaw tightened. "Celestia... I... I can't do that, I'm not-"

"You are more than capable of filling my place, Twilight," Celestia replied softly. "And if something happens to me, you won't be alone. You'll have Luna... provided nothing happens to her, and Cadance, and most importantly, your friends. And I'm fairly certain Rainbow will be there for you too."

Twilight smiled, but it wavered and fell. "Without my horn, I can't... take care of the sun," she said hesitantly.

Celestia's lips pressed together. "I... know," she answered. "But, Luna should be able to take care of that if your horn hasn't grown back by then."

Twilight pursed her lips and scanned the sky and plaza again for her missing marefriend. "But what if something happens to both of you? I don't think Cadance would be able to move the sun and the moon!"

Celestia hummed faintly in thought. "Perhaps you could ask Discord to help you, then."

Twilight squinted and stared at Celestia with an almost horrified expression. "T-that's- I... what? You can't be serious."

"I know that you two don't get along very well and that he can get under your skin, but I think if you asked him, he would help you," Celestia replied. "Besides, I don't expect any problems to arise before your horn regrows," she added. "And I'm sure that by the time you would need to rule Equestria, you could handle both the sun and the moon on your own."

Twilight closed her eyes. "My horn might not-"

"Hey, Twilight!" Rainbow called.

Twilight opened her eyes, then turned and looked up towards the source of the sound. Rainbow quickly swooped down and hovered in front of her. She wore a sheepish smile; she probably would have rubbed the back of her mane were her hooves not occupied carrying two caramel covered apples and apple tarts. "Uh... sorry it took so long. The lines were huge!"

Twilight smiled. "It's okay," she replied softly.

Rainbow landed on the bench beside Twilight. Celestia folded her left wing back to her side. "I suppose I shall leave you two, then. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Twilight, Rainbow," she said as she stood up and spread her wings wide.

"Thanks for keeping Twilight company!" Rainbow said. Celestia smiled at Rainbow, then flew off. Twilight watched her for a few seconds, but an outstretched hoof holding a caramel apple blocked Celestia from her sight. Twilight smiled at Rainbow and took it in her hoof. "So uh... really, I'm sorry I took so long. I didn't think that..."

"It's fine, really," Twilight replied. She sniffed the apple and looked over it. Her mouth started watering as she looked over the glossy coating of caramel. She leaned forward and sank her teeth into it. It was just as good as it smelt, and she moaned and closed her eyes as she chewed it up. "Doctor Manner is going to hate me for this."

Rainbow snorted. "Yeah, right. It's just one night," she countered.

"The Faire lasts a whole week," Twilight replied.

"Then you should enjoy it while it lasts," Rainbow offered.

Twilight mulled it over. "Yeah, I guess you're right..." she agreed.

Rainbow scooted closer to Twilight and pressed their sides together. She slid her wing out from in between their bodies and draped it over Twilight's back. Twilight sighed and leaned against her. "So... uh, anything interesting happen while I was gone?" she asked quietly.

Twilight thought back to the filly and her conversation with Celestia and debated talking to Rainbow about it. "Well... yeah, sort of." She took another big bite of the apple and crunched it up before swallowing and continuing. "Celestia and I sort of stopped a couple of stallions from foalnapping a filly, and then we took her home. After that, we came back here and just... talked."

Rainbow just watched her. "I... I shouldn't have left you, should I?" she asked quietly.

Twilight's lips pulled down. "Rainbow, really... it's fine. I asked you to get this- and it's really good, by the way- so really, it's fine."

"If you're sure..." Rainbow said quietly.

"Yeah, I am," Twilight replied. She leaned over and nuzzled Rainbow's cheek, then lifted her head back up. She fought off a yawn but still slouched forward.

"Maybe we should head back and go to bed," Rainbow suggested.

"Probably," Twilight agreed. "But why don't we finish this first?" she suggested. To punctuate her sentence, she took another bite of her caramel apple.

They ate in silence, enjoying the company and their shared body warmth in the chilly night. By the time they finished eating their meal, the sky had fallen silent as the stockpile of that night's fireworks had been exhausted. They discarded their scraps in a wastebasket beside the bench, then Rainbow hopped off the bench and sat down in front of Twilight. Twilight casually slid onto her back and held onto her as she stood up and flew up into the sky.

Author's Note

The second scene in this chapter was amazing to write. I loved writing it.

Special thanks to Nox Selunefor prereading!

Chapter 4

Rainbow could hear the cheering and excitement from the balcony. Down below, the Crystal Ponies, along with everypony else who had visited the Crystal Empire for the Crystal Faire, were gathering at the base of the Palace. She could practically feel the magic in the air, it was so strong and almost corporeal that her wings bristled in anticipation. It wouldn't be long before the Crystal Ponies channeled their radiant hope, love, joy, and happiness into the Crystal Heart and set off the last day of celebration.

She smiled to herself, then turned around and slowly trotted back inside her room. No sooner had she passed the doorway than she looked over at the bed and the alicorn sleeping peacefully. She stopped and lingered in the doorway, just watching her. It was a precious sight, the way she looked so calm and unworried. Her mane was a frayed mess, with individual strands of hair sticking up at awkward angles, and her highlights mixed in with the rest of her indigo mane to the point that if her mane was ethereal, she might have been able to pass for Luna. Almost. The pink and purple highlights probably would have been a significant difference between the two, and her coat color would be a sure sign that it wasn't Luna.

Rainbow just smiled at the way Twilight looked. It was a sight she treasured, and even if she did get to see it almost every morning, depending on how they slept, she'd never get tired of seeing it. Especially the sheepish, almost annoyed look Twilight would have when she saw the state of her mane and tail in a mirror. It was somehow worse than her own mane and tail, but that may have just been because Twilight put so much more effort into keeping her mane the way she liked it- organized, clean, and straight. Rainbow, on the other hoof, always had a bit of a messy mane.

Even with her messy mane, Twilight slept peacefully, and even better than that was the fact that she slept peacefully while Rainbow wasn't there to hold her. Rainbow wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. She knew it was a good thing- Twilight was getting better: she wasn't clinging onto her quite as much as she had been. But, at the same time, she missed the closeness she felt from Twilight wanting and needing her to be there every second.

She pushed the thought aside and walked on into the room. She slowly approached the bed, then climbed up onto it and laid down beside Twilight. The mare slept with her back to her from where she laid, not that she minded. She leaned down and gently pressed her muzzle against Twilight's cheek, then slowly brushed her head back and forth. A smile formed on Twilight's lips as her friend's gentle nuzzle stirred her. She shifted a bit, then cooed and lifted her head slightly, pressing herself up into Rainbow's nuzzle. After several seconds, Rainbow lifted her head a few inches away from Twilight. "Hey, Twi," she whispered.

Twilight begrudgingly cracked open her eyes and looked at her. She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes and rolled over onto her back. "Mmm... hey Rainbow..." she greeted.

Rainbow leaned down and gave Twilight a quick kiss on the lips. Twilight just looked up at her, nearly glowing from the pleasant feeling lingering on her lips. "We should have time to get ready for the... uh... the Crystal Ponies to... whatever it is they do to power up the Crystal Heart," she said.

"For the Crystal Ponies to channel their magic to power up the Crystal Heart," Twilight corrected.

"Uh, right," Rainbow replied lamely.

Twilight took another deep breath, then slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position. She wobbled back and forth as she sat up. Rainbow once again used her wing to keep her from tumbling off the bed. Once she was sitting up, she laid down on her stomach passively, then crawled forward enough to free herself from the bedsheets.

Rainbow let herself fall forward onto Twilight. Twilight grunted a bit and looked at Rainbow, who just smiled smugly at her. Rainbow kissed her cheek and then nuzzled her. She wrapped her forelegs around Twilight's neck and hugged her. Twilight sighed as she rolled her eyes and leaned her head against Rainbow's. "How are you feeling today?"

"A little better now that I've slept longer... but still tired," Twilight answered. "Thanks for not making me get up earlier..." she whispered.

"Hey, it's okay... I'm just glad that you were able to sleep without me being there," Rainbow replied.

Twilight nodded idly. "I still missed you," she countered.

Rainbow snorted and smiled. "Well, I'm sort of glad to hear that. 'Cause I'm not going anywhere," she said.

Twilight's lips lifted further up and leaned against Rainbow's body. She studied the wall idly as she felt Rainbow's warm, silken coat against her barren side. It still felt so foreign and unfamiliar, but her warmth and softness were comforting; it didn't hurt her side like the pack she wore to walk.

"So uh, you want to take a bath before we head out... uh, you do still want to head out, right?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded. "Yeah... I'm not missing this," she answered.

"So... bath, then?" Rainbow asked.

"Well, considering that I'm a princess I probably should," Twilight noted.

"Alright," Rainbow said, "I'll get one started and I'll get the brush and start on your mane so that it'll be easier to finish after your bath." She pulled away from Twilight and jumped over her and then glided to the bathroom.

Twilight watched her as she disappeared. She fluffed her wing apprehensively as she heard the water start. Before even a minute had passed, Rainbow flew back out of the bathroom, carrying the brush in her forehooves. She landed on the bed beside Twilight. She laid her head down on the bed straight out so that it'd be easier on Rainbow. "I... do you... could you," Twilight started, glancing at Rainbow as the pegasus started to slowly slide the brush through her mane. She closed her eyes and smiled. She let out a soft sigh as the brush's bristles rubbed her head and neck and straightened her mane. It was relaxing, and her eyelids drifted halfway closed, threatening to fall and force her back to sleep.

"Twi?" Rainbow asked softly.

Twilight inhaled and opened her eyes. She licked her lips. "Right... sorry," she said. "Um... I... was wondering if you think you could help me walk today without the pack..."

The brush came to a stop as Rainbow frowned. "Uh... Twi, I didn't think you could walk without the pack."

Twilight looked down at the bedsheets. "I can't," she answered. "But... you'll be there beside me to make sure I don't fall... if... you would..."

Rainbow leaned down close to Twilight and smiled softly. "Hey, of course I'll help you. I just didn't think you'd want to take your chances, and I know that you struggle to even move your legs without that... I don't want you to feel put on the spot or anything."

Twilight nodded slowly. "I just... I kind of want to feel your coat against my side instead of the pack. You feel... so much better than that..." she whispered.

"Well, I'd hope so!" Rainbow said mirthfully.

Twilight giggled and smiled at that. After a few seconds, her smile faded. "Well... I mean it, Rainbow... I want to try..." she trailed off.

Rainbow nibbled on her lip and looked at Twilight's features, searching for the uncertainty she knew was present. It was there. She knew it was a good thing that Twilight wanted to try, but it felt like such a massive step for her to take. She'd be out in public, without the pack to keep her balanced. A hundred horrible thoughts about what could happen ran through her mind. She couldn't just let Twilight go through any of that, she was supposed to protect her! But at the same time, Twilight needed to make an effort to improve. Twilight looked at her pleadingly. Her unease gradually faded and she gave Twilight a serious nod. "Okay... if you're sure," she relented. "But... I'll bring it with me just in case, alright?"

Twilight shook her head. "We can come back after the ceremony and I'll put it on," she countered.

She didn't like that, but nonetheless, she nodded. She wouldn't really have anywhere to put it anyway, but it still meant it was far out of reach if something did happen. "Okay..." For a few seconds after that, Rainbow just watched Twilight, who eventually went back to watching the bedsheets. She started to slowly brush Twilight's mane again, and Twilight's eyes fluttered closed in delight.

Rainbow was right. Twilight could hardly stand, let alone walk without the pack. Even with her left wing draped over Twilight's back, pinning her to her side, Twilight's body constantly leaned to the left, threatening to pull them both over, forcing Rainbow to have to keep her weight to the right to counteract it. Twilight, however, looked and felt more relaxed since she wasn't wearing the pack, even with the threat of falling over. The threat didn't really seem to bother her; Rainbow couldn't feel her tense up when she wobbled. Twilight trusted her pegasus to protect her, and Rainbow wasn't going to let her fall. That was enough to make Rainbow feel more confident about the idea, but barely, and at the same time, it further reinforced her need to protect Twilight from falling.

"Maybe you should try leaning your weight against me?" Rainbow suggested in a hushed voice. As she looked around, she felt very, very out of place. She stood beside Twilight, Cadance, Shining Armor, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, Spike, Starlight, and Sunburst, who held Flurry Heart against his chest. All nine of them were standing off to the side, watching the Crystal Heart. Droves of Crystal Ponies had gathered, and the crowd watched them and the Crystal Heart. The excitement and anticipation were palpable, even ignoring the smiles every single Crystal Pony wore- the smiles reminded her of Starlight's old village, but they weren't twisted and wrong- since it was simply a display of how excited they were. She felt like her sonic rainboom would have to cut through excitement and anticipation rather than air.

And mixed in with the Crystal Ponies were earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi. While most of the crowd were adults, there were foals all throughout the sea of ponies, both fillies, and colts of every kind, coat color, and mane style. Most of the movement coming from the crowd was a result of the excited foals- some participating in their first Crystal Faire, while others were just excited because it came around once a year, or perhaps because all five Equestrian Princesses were gathered together for the occasion.

"Maybe..." Twilight replied in a whisper.

Rainbow glanced at Twilight as she felt her muscles tense up. She could feel her shuffle, painfully slowly away from her, but not enough to break contact or put any strain on her wing, then Twilight shifted her weight to lean on her side, pressing up against her. Rainbow smiled happily at Twilight. Feeling Twilight's weight laying on her side was comforting. Twilight looked at her and returned the smile, then went back to watching the crowd. Her smile lingered, a little smaller, but it stayed. Her attention drifted between the foals and the Crystal Heart that slowly spun in between the two Crystals that served to hold it in place and direct its magic. Rainbow glanced at the clock.

The second hand slowly jerked clockwise, gradually rotating around as the seconds counted down. With each passing second, the anticipation seemed to build up to even greater levels than before.

"I wish the girls were here," Twilight whispered.

Rainbow glanced aside at Twilight. Her smile had faded. "Yeah... me too. But I'm here, and so are Celestia and Luna and Cadance and your brother," she comforted.

Twilight's eyes dropped to the crystal street beneath their hooves. "But the girls aren't... my parents didn't make it either," she mused. She took a deep breath, then lifted her gaze back up and watched the Crystal Heart. "At least... you're here and I have you," she said.

Rainbow flashed her a smile. "See? It's not all bad," she comforted.

Twilight slowly nodded. "I guess you're right," she agreed. Her eyes drifted closed and a yawn overwhelmed her mouth. She groaned softly, then opened her eyes lazily. Were she any closer to Rainbow, she would have nuzzled her instinctively. As it was, her head idly drifted to the right and laid on Rainbow's shoulder and neck. Twilight smiled happily as soon as her head came to rest on Rainbow's warm, soft coat; it was the best pillow she could ever have.

And the crowd most certainly noticed. More than a few gazes shifted from the Crystal Heart and lingered on the two. If anything, the sight only made the Faire that much more wonderful for everypony present, regardless of whether they thought something more of the act than just friendship or not. The Crystal Heart pulsed faintly with power, whether from the crowd or from Twilight and Rainbow, nopony knew.

Cadance and Shining joined in with Twilight and Rainbow in leaning their heads together, almost as if the pair had spontaneously made a new tradition. Starlight tilted her head and rested on Sunburst, drawing a nervous glance from the stallion while Flurry simply cooed at the sparkly, shining Crystal Heart she had destroyed once before.

The two sisters stood there for a moment before Celestia smiled and grabbed Luna with her wing, pulling her into a side hug. After Luna's momentary confusion wore off, she smiled back and they shared a quick, sisterly nuzzle. After they parted, Luna stepped closer to her big sister, who held her wing protectively in place over her back.

Rainbow couldn't help but smile. Now, not only were the excitement and anticipation palpable, but she could also feel another emotion present in the air- love. And she wasn't the only one, either. Princess Cadance, the Princess of Love, could feel it just as much, if not more, than her. It didn't take the Princess of Love to know it either, as couples and friends in the crowd stood closer together.

The second hand struck true. The wave of ponies bowing before the Crystal Heart was almost mesmerizing to watch- each and everyone joyously bowed down low, before the Crystal Heart. The Crystal Ponies channeled their inner magic through the city's crystal streets, and the magic lit the crystal below them, giving it a soft, warm white glow. The magic flowed throughout the Crystal Empire and Crystal City, flowing into the Crystal Heart. While the ponies who weren't Crystal Ponies couldn't channel their magic for the same purpose as the Crystal Ponies, they still bowed, partaking in the tradition.

In pairs, Cadance and Shining Armor, Celestia and Luna, Twilight and Rainbow, and Starlight, Sunburst, and Spike all fell into the same bow. Twilight wobbled as she bowed, almost toppling over, only for Rainbow's wing to secure her in place. Despite her insecurity, Twilight managed to return Rainbow's smile.

They shared a quick nuzzle from their bow as they watched the Crystal Heart absorb the magic. The Heart spun faster and faster until it was a brightly glowing blur, and an audible hum of magic filled the air. The excitement and anticipation ballooned with each passing second as more and more magic filled the Heart and the Heart spun even faster.

As quickly as the streets started glowing white, the glow all drained from the outside in as the Heart took in all of the magic.

There was a brilliant flash of polychromatic light emanating from the Heart and the Palace. A beam of magic jumped to the Crystal Palace, then raced towards the sky and exploded outward, creating an aurora that would last for days if not weeks. A wave of magic raced outward from the Crystal Heart, washing over everypony in the Crystal City, giving them a slight tingling feeling before it passed over them, leaving them literally sparkling and glowing from the radiant release of magic.

The ponies all stood up and cheered loudly. Rainbow looked at Twilight, and Twilight looked at her. For a few seconds, they just watched each other, smiling brightly. Twilight's eyes ran over Rainbow's shimmering body, then went to her lips. Rainbow likewise looked over Twilight's pristine, regal form, then looked at Twilight's lips. Their eyes slowly met. Without saying anything, both of them started to lean towards each other.

Twilight stopped. A faint groan escaped her lips, and then she let out an exhausted yawn. Her legs suddenly wobbled weakly. Rainbow could feel Twilight's heart rate suddenly slow down. "Twi?" Rainbow asked, frowning as her stomach twisted into a knot. Twilight didn't say anything. She continued to wobble and her head drooped. She groaned softly; it was the sort of groan somepony would let out if they were awakened too early in the morning, followed by her saying something she couldn't understand. Her legs trembled. Her eyelids fluttered shut as her head and neck went limp. Her wing quivered, then her legs gave out. "Twilight!" Rainbow shouted. She just barely managed to use her forehooves to stop Twilight's head from hitting the crystal beneath them as her alicorn's body went limp and collapsed.

In hardly a second, Cadance, Celestia, and Luna had all gathered around Twilight, their horns aglow. The jubilant cries of the crowd turned to hushed, worried whispered.

Twilight was out cold. Even Rainbow's prodding with her forehooves and shaking her didn't do anything except make her limp body rock back and forth. A magenta glow emanated from her side and forehead. The light coalesced and grew brighter and brighter, turning white. Rainbow squeezed her. "W-what's happening!?"

"I don't know," Celestia answered quietly. She glanced at Cadance and Luna, then looked back at Twilight. "Get her to a hospital," she said calmly.

"Sister, is that..." Luna trailed off.

The glow grew brighter and enveloped Twilight's entire body. Twilight was silent, but there was a gentle chime of magic in the air. Tendrils of magic flowed out of her chest and coalesced at her side and forehead. Ever so slowly, the magenta magic took shape, turning white as more magic was added to the mass in the shape of a horn and alicorn wing. Rainbow stayed silent as she watched.

"It's like her ascension..?" Luna mused.

Celestia bit her lip, then glanced at the Crystal Heart before looking back at Twilight. "Similar, yes, but... her ascension... The magic is gathering where her horn and wing would be."

"S-so sh-she's h-healing?" Rainbow stuttered.

"It seems that way, yes," Luna stated. "Perhaps the Crystal Heart had something to do with triggering this," she mused.

"We shouldn't move her until this finishes. I don't know what would happen," Celestia said.

Rainbow bit her lip. Slowly the white magic turned corporeal. Out of Twilight's head, her horn slowly regrew, as if it was being rebuilt by her magic, and yet it still split her skin, making her bleed for a moment before her magic healed her while continuing to regrow her horn. And the same thing was happening with her wing, although it grew back faster. It wasn't long before her velvety, rich lavender feathers sprang out of her spread wing.

The glow from her wing died down, but the glow on her horn remained. While Twilight's horn had grown when she ascended, it wasn't much larger than it had been when she was a unicorn. Her new horn looked even bigger than her horn had been, but it was hard to tell. Eventually, the glow stopped as Twilight's horn fully grew in. Rainbow hesitantly unwrapped her forelegs from Twilight's neck. She carefully touched Twilight's wing. Her wing was just as soft as always, and it was most certainly, undeniably, her wing. She slowly slid her forehoof through her feathers, just enjoying the feeling and making sure everything was okay. Twilight still didn't react, but she looked calm and peaceful as she slept.

She touched the base of Twilight's wing and felt it, making sure everything was right, and it was. Celestia examined Twilight's horn, then her entire body with her magic and smiled. "I believe she will be quite happy when she wakes up," she commented. "But we should still take her to the hospital," she noted. Celestia's golden aura enveloped Twilight, but for a few seconds, Rainbow didn't let her go. Eventually, however, Rainbow looked up at Celestia and stepped back.

A flash of golden magic signaled the trio's departure.

Twilight jerked awake and grunted. Her eyes shot open and she stared up at the light blue crystal ceiling. The room was quiet and barely lit. It was cool, but not too cool, and she felt comfortable beneath the silken blankets. She smelled the air and relaxed a bit as she inhaled Rainbow's comforting scent. She let her head lay back down on the pillow and she blinked. She tilted her head to the left and looked around. It was definitely the same room that Rainbow and her had been staying in, but she didn't remember coming back after the ceremony. In fact, prior to waking up, the last thing she could remember was the feeling of the magic of the Crystal Heart washing over her.

She rolled her head over to the right. The balcony door was open, and it was night. Soft moonlight streamed in through the door. 'Did... I miss... the ceremony..?' Her lip curled down at that thought. She looked down at the bed for a moment, letting out an unhappy sigh. For a few seconds, she debated calling out or getting up. Eventually, she settled on waiting for a little bit longer since she couldn't feel anything except exhaustion.

It almost felt like her body didn't exist. She stretched her hind legs out and groaned softly. She knew her body was moving, but she couldn't feel anything. She let her eyes drift closed and fidgeted a bit, making sure her legs still worked. From what she could tell, they did. There wasn't any pain associated with it, although she couldn't really feel much of anything. Eventually, the exhaustion started to fade, and as it faded, her ability to feel her body returned, starting with her core and working outward.

Her eyes shot open as enough of her feeling returned to feel the soft, feathery limb keeping her right side warm. Her breathing quickened to shallow breaths. She shot up in bed and threw the blanket off of herself, nearly ripping them in her haste. The room was chilly without the blankets to protect her body, but her attention was immediately drawn elsewhere. Her mind raced as she stared down at her right side in awe, her mouth parted ever so slightly. The lavender wing tucked against her side looked so pristine and perfect, as if it had never left her. As if Chrysalis had never stolen it. Her wing was completely identical to how she remembered it. The fur covering the front of her wing, the long, delicate feathers extending from her wing, the shape, and the weight. Everything felt right.

She clenched her eyes shut and fidgeted her muscles, half expecting pain to race through her body. Instead, she shivered and relaxed as she felt her silken feathers brush across her side. She cracked open her eyes and slowly extended her wing, then gave it an experimental flap. Relaxing further as no pain shot out through her body, she found that her wing felt as strong as it had been before she had been poisoned. She looked at her left wing and gave her left wing an experimental flap. It felt just as strong as her right wing. A smile slowly grew on her face. She could fly with Rainbow again!

And she could walk again. She let out a soft sigh of relief. For a few seconds, she sat there, letting her mind and body calm down. Although it wasn't easy- a bubbly giddiness welled up inside her. She wanted to laugh, to giggle happily. Her wing was back! 'But how?' she wondered. As she thought about it, no answers immediately dawned on her, and the bubbly giddiness faded.

Eventually, she licked her lips, then slid out of bed and stood on the floor. She took a few steps towards the door. Her hooves softly clicked on the crystal as she walked, perfectly balanced now that her wing had regrown. She felt like she melted in relief. She would never have to see that accursed pack again! She could walk, she could fly! She could run again without tripping over herself!

She sat down on her haunches and closed her eyes, smiling. She bowed her head for a moment, then took a deep breath and stood up. She slowly took a few steps away from the bed and peeked out onto the balcony.

A single pony stood propped up against the railing, looking out across the night sky. The crystalizing magic of the Crystal Heart had long since faded, which left Twilight feeling a deep sense of disappointment, but even without the magic of the Crystal Heart, her inherent beauty remained. Her rainbow mane was on the left side of her neck; an occasional breeze lifted several strands off her body, suspending it in the air and making it ripple for a brief moment. For several seconds, she just watched the pegasus.

Then, she took a step forward, followed by another. She slowly, quietly walked towards the balcony, doing her absolute best to keep her approach a surprise. While the air inside of the room was chilly, outside, the air was almost cold. After all, it was night and they were much farther north than Canterlot. But the chill went mostly unnoticed. Her wings protected her sides, after all. The cool breeze ran through her mane and tail, and the sensation made her want to spread her wings out and fly. Something she hadn't done in far, far too long for her liking- and she was certain Rainbow felt the same way. They could fly together again.

She fought off the urge to spread her wings as she approached Rainbow. Somehow, she avoided alerting Rainbow to her presence until she was right behind her. All Rainbow would have to do was flick her tail, and she'd know Twilight was there. But instead, she was still, silently watching the sky. Not so long ago, Rainbow would have been unable to sit still like she was, but it was lost on both of them. Twilight propped herself up on her hind legs, grinning, then extended her wings and fell forward onto Rainbow's back.

Rainbow tensed up and grunted. Her head whipped around to see Twilight. In an instant, Twilight's wings wrapped around her body, and she could feel Twilight's feathers intertwining over her stomach. Twilight smiled. She smiled. Twilight leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She moaned softly and returned the kiss. After a few seconds, they parted from the kiss, but they instinctively laid their heads against one another. "Hey, Twi..." she said softly.

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow, then laid her head down on her shoulder. She slowly slid her wings up, then back down over Rainbow's body. Oh, how she missed being able to feel Rainbow's coat with her right wing and feathers. It sent little shivers of delight throughout her body. She nuzzled Rainbow even more, tenderly and affectionately rubbing her muzzle and cheek into Rainbow's neck.

Rainbow chuckled softly. "I take if you're happy?" she asked.

"Yeah," Twilight answered, her voice genuinely warm. After a few minutes of silently nuzzling her, she stopped. She lifted her head up and watched Rainbow seriously, but continued to embrace her with her wings. "I... what happened? I don't remember anything after the Crystal Heart's magic..." she trailed off.

"You uh... passed out, I guess. You almost hit your head on the street," Rainbow answered quietly. "Then your magic just sort of... made your side and forehead glow and... I was really worried, but... yeah. Now you're back to normal. I guess."

Twilight blinked. "My forehead?" she asked. Her eyes jumped up, then widened. Right atop her head was her horn. She gawked at it, having no idea how she had managed to miss seeing it or not feel it.

Rainbow chuckled a little. "You just now noticing?"

Twilight continued to stare at her horn as she nodded.

Rainbow smiled, then nudged her jaw with her nose. Twilight blinked a few times, then looked at Rainbow. After a moment, she looked back up at her horn. With barely any effort, her magenta aura glowed around her horn.

Twilight's face lit up in excitement, and Rainbow could feel the sudden spike in Twilight's heartbeat. The alicorn squeed in delight.

She held Rainbow tighter as adrenaline flooded her body from excitement. Her lips pulled up into a big, bright smile. She turned her head to the side, then with hardly any effort, teleported a book to the balcony from her library- it didn't matter what one, all that mattered was that she could use her magic again! She held the book in her magic, levitating it over the floor. Twilight squeed again and released Rainbow to all but pounce on the book. She caught the book in her forehooves and pulled it close to her chest, smothering it with nuzzles. Rainbow laughed and walked over to her.

Twilight swiveled around to face her, grabbed Rainbow in her magic and pulled her close. She lifted her forehoof up and placed it behind her head, then forced Rainbow into a kiss with her. Rainbow moaned again as they kissed for several seconds. Eventually, Twilight slid her forehoof down and pulled back from the kiss. She stepped forward and embraced Rainbow in a hug.

"Really good mood," Rainbow noted. She returned the hug and nuzzled Twilight.

Twilight pulled away from Rainbow, blushing in embarrassment. She shyly looked at the floor and avoided looking at Rainbow.

Rainbow just chuckled mirthfully and used a forehoof to coax Twilight's muzzle back up to face her. She smiled at Twilight enthusiastically.

Twilight hesitantly embraced Rainbow again and laid her horn on Rainbow's mane as she pressed herself into Rainbow's neck. After a few seconds, she just sat down on her haunches and cried. Rainbow sat down with her and held her as her tears flowed out.

"I-I never... I... I-I didn't..." she stuttered.

Rainbow squeezed her and nuzzled her, silently reassuring and comforting her alicorn princess. She unfolded her wings and laid them on Twilight's back, holding her in place. She nudged Twilight's mane with her muzzle and inhaled deeply, then exhaled in a soft, happy sigh.

"H-How..?" Twilight asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Rainbow replied. "Celestia said she thought that the Crystal Heart... uh... cata... cata... uh..." she trailed off.

"Catalyzed..?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah! That," Rainbow agreed. "Celestia said that she thought the Crystal Heart catalyzed your magic or something and triggered... that. Luna said it looked like your ascension. It was weird..." she trailed off, her voice growing quiet. "I-I was scared."

Twilight slid her foreleg up and wrapped it around Rainbow's neck, squeezing her. Rainbow squeaked from the force behind it. "T-Too t-tight!"

Twilight quickly let up. "S-sorry!" she apologized frantically. "I-I..."

"It's okay," Rainbow preempted, letting out a nervous laugh. "Uh... Celestia said that you seem to have uh... recovered. Physically, anyway. She said she couldn't find anything wrong with your wing or horn or magic when she checked. So... you uh... you're strong. I... don't think I realized you were that strong."

Twilight nuzzled Rainbow. "Sorry, it's... well... yes." After a few seconds, she lifted her head back up. Rainbow reluctantly brought her head up and looked at Twilight. They watched each other, smiling. Twilight looked so happy. Her eyes were filled with joy and life; they sparkled from tears in the moonlight. Rainbow lifted her right wing from Twilight's side, then carefully used a feather to wipe away tears just below Twilight's eyes. Twilight let out a soft giggle and looked down at Rainbow's chest.

"How do you feel?" Rainbow asked softly.

Twilight looked back up at her. For a few seconds, her eyes wandered over the mare's beautiful face. "I... feel... giddy," she answered. "It's... I feel warm inside and... happy. I feel complete..." she trailed off, then cast her gaze to the left. "I feel like... a weight is just... gone." Twilight's horn glowed again and there was a quick pop and a raspberry colored flash of magic. Rainbow looked over and watched as Twilight teleported book after book from her library in Ponyville all the way to the balcony.

Rainbow smiled and rolled her eyes at how excited Twilight was. Despite her reaction, she treasured seeing Twilight so happy again. But, after the tenth book, she sighed. "Twi..."

Twilight stopped and looked back at her. "Oh, sorry..." she apologized. Her attention was split; as much as she wanted to look at Rainbow, she still wanted to watch the books and use her magic. Her eyes lingered on Rainbow, ber her muzzle gradually turned to point towards the books. As soon as her muzzle pointed at the books, her eyes jumped away from Rainbow to observe them as the hovered in her telekinetic grip.

Twilight smiled fondly. She took a deep breath, turned to face Rainbow, and teleported all of the books abck to where they belonged.

"So..." Rainbow ventured.

After a few seconds, the corners of Twilight's lips fell as her smile faded. "I..." she trailed off, sighing as she looked away from Rainbow. Her ears pinned back. "I guess... I'm fine now, and... that..."

"Twilight, I swear, if you're about to suggest that since you're better, I'm going to leave you, I will go tell Celestia to use the Elements of Harmony to turn us into stone while we're cuddling," Rainbow quipped.

Twilight winced. "S-sorry," she stuttered. She hesitantly looked back at Rainbow, still visibly distressed from Rainbow's half threat. Rainbow sighed, then leaned forward and nuzzled Twilight, forcing her worry away. Twilight cooed and leaned into the affection. Before pulling back, Rainbow gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Sorry, I just..."

"I'm not going to leave you. We've been over this like a bajillion times," Rainbow groaned.

Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. She opened her eyes and studied Rainbow's wary expression. "I... can... can you forgive me for... d-doubting you?"

Rainbow smiled sweetly and nodded. "Yeah," she answered. "You're forgiven. Now stop thinking I'm going to leave you," she chuckled.

Twilight leaned forward and gave Rainbow a quick nuzzle. After pulling back, she saw that Rainbow was smirking at her.

"I'm really glad to see you like this," Rainbow said. "I've... missed you being so... I dunno, lively?"

Twilight's eyes shot down to stare at Rainbow's hooves. "I... suppose that I wasn't very..." she trailed off. After a few seconds, she hesitantly leaned away, then slowly rose to her hooves. Rainbow's wings slid off of her, then folded at the pegasus's side. She stood up, then stepped towards the door. "I... we should probably tell everypony that I'm awake, shouldn't we?" she asked. She took another step towards the door.

Rainbow was silent as she sat there. Twilight still limped. The way her body lurched slightly like she was afraid to put any weight on her right foreleg made her heart ache, yet Twilight didn't seem to notice the change. She didn't look in pain; she was still practically beaming. Twilight took another step forward, limping towards the door. Rainbow wanted to cry. After another second passed, Twilight realized that Rainbow wasn't following her. She paused and turned around. "Rainbow?"

Rainbow blinked and licked her lips. "Uh, y-yeah... right," she said.

Twilight frowned and turned around as Rainbow stood up. "What's wrong?" she asked as Rainbow approached her.

Rainbow put on a smile and shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just... it-it's good to see you happy," she said. Her eyes teared up a bit. Twilight's smile returned as she limped to close the gap, then hugged her. Rainbow laid her head on Twilight's shoulder and returned the hug. "I-I love you, Twi."

"I love you too, Rainbow," Twilight whispered back. She nuzzled her cheek, then pulled back. Rainbow's grip on her slowly weakened until she pulled away. "Do... would you mind... going for a flight with me, after we tell everypony I'm awake?" she asked softly.

Rainbow smiled. "Yeah, of course, I will!" she agreed without hesitation. "But uh... don't you want to use your magic more or something? Haven't you missed that."

Twilight nodded solemnly. "Yeah... I really have, but... I want to go flying with you. I've missed it a lot..." she admitted. A smirk pulled at her lips. "Plus I can do magic while flying, since, you know, I'm an alicorn."

Rainbow snickered through her misty eyes. "Yeah."

Twilight turned around and walked on into the Palace. Rainbow lingered behind, her smile fading as she watched the alicorn limp inside. After Twilight had passed through the door, she broke herself from her stupor, then put on a smile and walked inside behind her.

Twilight couldn't help but sigh. It was a content sigh, but it was also a disappointed sigh. 'What had I expected?' she wondered. Looking up at the starry night sky, she found herself focusing on the dark void between stars, rather than the stars themselves. There were so many stars speckling the sky, but they didn't truly fill the sky. The sky was still so vast and empty. The stars themselves were all so far away from each other. They looked lonely, and she felt she could relate to that.

She shifted her weight on the cloud. Rainbow pulled her a little closer. She smiled, if only for a moment. Looking over at Rainbow, she studied the mare's features. Her disarrayed rainbow-mane, her gentle smile, her soft eyes. Rainbow's love for her. But behind it, she could still see the concern and hurt she had caused. She tilted her head back and gazed up at the sky.

Between the peaceful calm of night and the feeling of Rainbow's warmth, her mind wandered, replaying how telling everypony that she was awake went. Nothing wrong had happened, nor anything bad. It was a happy moment.

Celestia- her mother- had beamed at her, so happily. Her smile had been so warm and welcoming, serving as an attempt to banish her doubts, fears, and insecurities. It was a comforting, motherly smile, but yet it still meant so much more to her than the average pony. She was proud of her, and she shared in the joy from her healing. The smile left her feeling okay. Happy, even. Joyful.

Luna wasn't quite as joyful as Celestia had been. It just wasn't in her nature, but even still, she smiled, sharing in the general feeling of accomplishment. She had offered several words of encouragement. She even went so far as to comment on her magic and offer to spar with her sometime. Though she didn't admit it, that was a prospect that intrigued her. She said she'd consider it, and she would have sworn that made Luna smirk.

Spike had been overjoyed, of course. The way his eyes lit up in excitement, the way he looked so much more lively than she had seen in months. It warmed her heart. He had given her such a big hug, too. Although it might have been an attempt to strangle her to death for putting them through everything. She wasn't sure. But still, she welcomed his embrace, returning it and giving him a nuzzle. He had said he was more than looking forward to things going back to normal, now.

Next, there was Starlight. She still wasn't quite the most sociable pony, and she still struggled with her emotions at times. This seemed to be one of those times. She was certainly happy, but it came out awkwardly. She really didn't know how to act, what to do, or what to say. In the end, she simply hugged Twilight and reaffirmed that she was proud, honored, and thankful to be her student. Twilight had smiled at that, and she smiled again as she thought about it.

Sunburst was just sort of there. He smiled and noted that it was a good thing, but they weren't that close; they were just acquaintances, after all. He was awkward like Starlight, too, but not quite as bad as she was. He fumbled with his glasses while he started in on discussing all of the possible research opportunities this opened up. At the time, the prospect had excited her. Research. Oh, it had been so, so long- far too long- since she had been able to enjoy that. Plus, it would give her an excuse and an opportunity to learn more about her alicorn nature, and of course, the Crystal Heart. But right now, that prospect didn't hold any sway over her.

Cadance and Shining Armor both gave her big, warm hugs. She was half afraid her brother was never going to let her go, and she wondered if he was trying to finish what Spike had started. In the end, he pulled away, trying to hide his tears and failing. Him rubbing his eyes was a big giveaway. Nevertheless, she felt so happy again, so excited. There were so many opportunities now! She had her wing back. She had her horn back. And her own preliminary tests with her magic suggested that she hadn't been imagining it: her magic not only felt stronger but seemed to actually be more potent than before. She wasn't sure to what extent, but it left a pleasant, giddy feeling in her chest. That feeling wasn't there, now.

Flurry just giggled and hugged her, rubbing her muzzle into her neck. She happily returned both the hug and the nuzzle.

But that feeling, the warmth, the happiness? As she left the room, it had stayed there in the room, refusing to come with her. In a way, she felt betrayed. She was healed! She was better! Excluding a few things she needed to check on, she was physically fine.

But not mentally, nor emotionally.

She had tried to hold her smile as she trotted back to their room, but she just couldn't. She couldn't even keep trotting, and she eventually slowed. Sure, she was physically fine. Her magic was back. She felt better physically. She was happy that her magic was back. But she still felt a numb emptiness. A hollowness in her core. It just felt empty.

She wasn't okay. She could take care of herself now, but she wasn't okay. And she realized that. Her mind wandered over her experiences in the past few months. How could she feel okay, given what she had put her friends through? How could she feel okay, given what she had gone through? Sure, her magic was back, but what did that really matter? She had let everypony down. She had been a burden on her friends. She was supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, but it felt meaningless.

She didn't feel like she had overcome anything. She didn't feel like she had accomplished anything. Her recovery? It felt so hollow. One minute, she was a broken pegasus, the next, she was an alicorn again. She was joyful. It was joyful. It was worthy of celebration, although maybe not to the extent of her ascension. But what did that matter? She hadn't done anything to deserve that. The Crystal Heart and or her own magic had healed her. She was happy and grateful for that, but it still felt meaningless. Even knowing that she shouldn't have had to deserve being healed didn't make her feel any better. Even if her healing was, theoretically, natural, only catalyzed by the magic of the Crystal Heart, she still felt like it didn't matter. She wouldn't give up being better, but it still felt like something was missing. It felt incomplete.

Her left forehoof drifted down to her stomach. Though her stomach wasn't queasy, holding her hoof there felt comforting. A few thoughts crossed her mind, but they were like a vapor in the light of day, fading away just as quickly as they came.

Her mind wandered without aim, jumping between barely related events. One thing in common that each memory had was just how much she owed Rainbow. She licked her lips, feeling her eyes starting to burn around the edges.

How could she ever thank her? She owed Rainbow her life, literally. Had it not been for her, she very well could have died at Chrysalis's hooves. And thinking about Chrysalis brought so many emotions to bear: fear and hopelessness. Anger and bitterness. Resentment.

Chrysalis got what she deserved at Luna's hooves. Knowing that helped, but it only helped with her fear. Chrysalis wouldn't return to hurt her or threaten anypony ever again, but the anger was still there.

A memory of pain raced through her mind. For a brief moment, she fell into a panic, but then she remembered Rainbow was laying right there beside her. Her muscles relaxed, but she pressed herself closer to her guardian.

Her bitterness and resent morphed into fear once again. It made her want to cry. Here she was, physically better. She could defend herself and protect Rainbow. Even if Chrysalis was still around, she knew she could have fought her off, but instead, she still felt fear.

"Twi, are you okay?" Rainbow's voice asked softly. It was so quiet, not wanting to disrupt the peacefulness the two of them shared, but the question needed to be asked.

Twilight glanced at her and swallowed. She opened her mouth to reply, "Ye..." but the words of her reply died on her lips. She closed her mouth. She wanted to say yes. Physically she was fine, after all. She had healed. She was okay. But she wasn't okay. She would have been lying to Rainbow if she answered as she had planned but telling her the truth would only hurt her more. And how could she do that? How could she just complain? She had no reason to complain, but it felt so meaningless.

She rolled her head to the side, looking away from her. The pain in her eyes grew, and an all too familiar warmth flooded them. She pressed her eyes closed, but that only made the warmth run down her face.

When they returned to Ponyville, her friends would undoubtedly celebrate her recovery. She could already imagine Pinkie Pie throwing two parties- one for the entire town, and then one with just their close-knit group of friends. She had probably already planned both. But it was so meaningless. They wouldn't get anything out of it, and it would just waste their time.

Their precious, limited time. Sure, she could make things up to them- she could help Applejack around the farm, help Fluttershy with her animals, help Pinkie with her baking, help Rarity with her business, but it wouldn't really change anything.

She felt Rainbow shift, then she felt Rainbow's chest, stomach, and abdomen press up against her side. Rainbow's right hind leg came to rest on her abdomen, and Rainbow's right foreleg slid over her chest. Her right wing blanketed her, but even as Rainbow pulled her close, she refused to look back at her.

And her thoughts twisted further and further, turning into a vicious cycle. She was hurting, her hurting was hurting Rainbow, hurting Rainbow hurt her. Over and over again.

Rainbow's muzzle nudged her neck, then she felt Rainbow's soft, delicate lips come to rest on her jaw. She could feel Rainbow's warm lips against her fur, and the warmth slowly warmed her skin beneath her fur. It was pleasant, but it only made her cry more.

But, maybe that was exactly what she needed to do. Just cry. She had been through a lot. She was healed but scarred. 'Crying would be good for me,' she decided. Rather than fight it, she let the tears come in full force. She needed this. Even if she had cried earlier, she knew she needed this. She rolled her head over, then pressed her forehead into Rainbow's neck.

And that only made her cry more. It was so confusing. She had gotten used to being able to so easily press her forehead against Rainbow's soft coat, she was used to being able to feel Rainbow's rich, soft fur caressing her forehead where her missing horn had been. But now, her horn was back. That feeling was gone, likely forever. And she had cherished that feeling. Feeling so vulnerable, but knowing Rainbow was there to protect her. Rainbow was still there to protect her, but it just wasn't the same.

She laid her horn on Rainbow's neck, then rolled over and hugged Rainbow back, crying into her coat. Rainbow's hoof slid over her back, then ran up to her mane. Tenderly, Rainbow brushed her forehoof through Twilight's mane. The rhythmic motions were soothing and comforting, and each stroke left her wanting to shiver, but instead, she only cried.

She wasn't sure how long it took before her tears stopped, but she knew for certain she felt better, if only slightly. The numbness was still there, but she didn't feel quite so hollow as before. Still, Rainbow continued to stroke her mane. Each stroke was soothing, helping her to feel a sense of peace and calm. Each stroke was so tender and merciful, never ceasing, never slowing, never speeding up. It was a constant. It was a promise. Rainbow's hoof brushing her mane didn't chastize her, it didn't presume of her, it didn't ask anything in return, save that she accept the offer. She nestled into Rainbow's embrace and nuzzled her, not caring about how cold Rainbow's wet fur was as a result of her tears.

"Are you going to be okay?" was Rainbow's soft, unassuming question.

It was a hard question to answer, and so she found herself thinking about it, along with everything she had been through. She had survived, at the very least. She still had Rainbow, and Rainbow still had her. She had her friends, even if they were drifting. She had no reason to fear Chrysalis. Celestia was her mother. But it all still left her wanting something else that she couldn't place. It still felt meaningless. The crying had helped.

She knew she would be crying more in the near future. She'd probably still be crying over this in the distant future. She swallowed and licked her lips. Her body shook as she inhaled, then relaxed as she exhaled. Hesitantly, she nodded her head. "Yeah... maybe..." she replied unsurely. Rainbow squeezed her back, then kissed her forehead. Even if she didn't feel okay, that didn't mean there wouldn't come a time when she would. After all, she still had years ahead of her. Centuries, really. That was a long, long time. It was enough time for so much to change. Enough time for plans to be made and come to fruition, enough time for generations to come and pass. Enough time for countries to rise and fall.

Celestia had been right. Maybe she would be right again.

"Eventually..."

Author's Note

The End~

Alright, so this chapter may feel disappointing. It's a relatively happy chapter, but you, like me, may feel cheated about Twilight's "recovery." But, there's a very particular reason why I relented and did it like this. The other alternative was for it to happen slowly, and I would have preferred that. I'd still prefer that, to be honest. However, that means we'd have to endure reading about Twilight's wing and horn growing back. Slowly. As in, there's a bump on her forehead that eventually pierces her skin and makes her bleed as her horn comes back in. And the same with her side. I don't particularly want to write that, and I doubt you want to read that. Because, at least to me, that's kinda disgusting. So instead, I did this.

Alright, so finally, nine (almost ten) months after when I intended to start on this story, it's finished. That feels pretty good, albeit atrocious because of how behind schedule this is.

Right, penultimate paragraph. The very last scene in this chapter might feel really different from the rest of this story/chapter. I'm not sure. If it does, that's because this was written much more recently (9/28/18) than the rest of the chapter... which I, unfortunately, don't have a date for without looking more than I want to. Hopefully, this is an improvement.

This brings us to the conclusion of Radiant. I'm nervous to ask how I did. Twilight has "recovered," but she's still suffering from depression. I really do hope that this chapter has the right feeling for the ending. I don't want it to be an unhappy ending, but I don't want it to be rushed either and feel like it makes everything else pointless... But I must say, I'm ~~rather~~ extremely pleased with this ending. The original ending stopped before the last scene, and I was also pleased with that ending, but I felt like it didn't give the story the right feel. The new ending feels... I don't want to say "almost perfect" but rather it just feels right.

Sometime over the next week, or perhaps even sooner than that, expect two important blog posts with this story tagged.