The Prince

Rainbow Dash seemed ruffled and embarrassed for a second, before composing herself. Much to Twilight's chagrin, she responded: "Yeah, yeah, I'll get cloud busting in a snap. I still have a few hours, you know?" She stretched either of her wings. "For NOW though... I'm practicing to meet the Shadowbolts!"

Twilight was about to reply snappily, but stopped to laugh at what he registered this rainbow pony just said. "The Shadowbolts? The best aerial team in all of equestria. You expect to impress the one and only after a day of practice?" He flashed a smug grin at this idea. "Riiight. Okay. Well why would they recruit a pony who can't even clear the sky in an area for one measly morning?"

The flying braggart paused, and landed in front of him, bumping his nose with her own, with an amusingly angry scrunch of the face. "ExCUSE me! I can totally clear the skies for the morning! I told you I'd do it, didn't I?"

Twilight laughed again. "Then DO it!" He gave a half lidded grin, as she landed, hook, line, and sinker into his trap. "Fine, then, I will! I'll even do it in 10 seconds. Exactly!"

Rainbow huffed, before zipping around, busting clouds left and right. Twilight got out a stopwatch, and started fiddling with it, trying to calculate the exact time to put, excluding the time it took to pull it out. It took him about 6 seconds to get the exact time set. By the time he looked up, his jaw dropped at the sight of a clear sky, and a rainbow pegasus, flying upside down, grinning at him.

"Alright, Rainbow Dash. I know when I'm beaten. You were right. How much for the bet?" He got out a little pocket purse, and started counting coins. This was a pointless endeavor as she gave them back. "It wasn't a bet, I was just showing ya how awesome I am. Why would you even pay me for that? Makes no sense."

Twilight wouldn't admit it was how Canterlotians knew to act, so he harrumphed, and walked closer to the apple farm with a hidden smile. This apple farm happened to be next on his to-do list, thankfully! So he could stay on schedule.

He trotted forward, with a bounce in his step, only to stop at the loud, and startling whinny of a nearby pony. Yet another time, he was rammed into. Thank Luna, it wasn't into mud this time. Before he could let out a loud groan, he noticed the pony was offering a hoof to help him up.

"Oh. Uhhh, hey. Are you Applejack? I'm here to talk about the food preparations for the Winter Moon Celebration. I'm Twilight Sparkle."

The orange mare took off her hat, put it to her chest, and gave a fast, but clumsy bow. "Well howdy do, Prince Twilight! Yes, I'm Applejack. The food preparations are goin' juuust fine, I swear that to ya! If ya want, I can get you some samples, and you can rest for a spell, while ya try our country cookin'." She offered.

Twilight was slightly annoyed at the idea, but he forced his face into a grimace, in an attempt at smiling. "Nooo thank you! I have a lot to do, today! Very busy!"

Applejack sighed, seeming very disappointed. She looked at Twilight, almost... Was she actually giving him a puppydog face? He couldn't tell, so he sighed. "... I might be able to try an orderve or two... Only for a minute or two." Better to give in and do some uhh.. Quality control! Right?

She was immediately pleased by this, and suddenly the most crushed look in the world turned into a triumphant "yee-haw".

Twilight was almost filled to the brim. This was the last time somepony would trick him or pressure him into staying around, with those damned puppy eyes! He poutily stomped into the town hall, noticing a beautiful white unicorn studying gems, inches from her face.

"... Are you Rarity?"

"Why, yes, I am. And--" as soon as she looked up, Rarity gasped, and zoomed up to him, her regal demeanor nearly disappearing for a second. "PRINCE Twilight!" She entered a stunned silence, only interrupted by her own need to bow, practically grovelling at his hooves.

That's when she let in the most horrified gasp. Ah, yes, now Twilight remembered, he still had mud encrusting his normally shining coat. Before he could explain the amusing mishap to who seemed a sophisticated pony, she grabbed his foreleg and pulled him as hard as she could toward an unknown boutique, abandoning the town hall, entirely, for the sake of cleaning his dirty hooves.

Twilight finally arrived at his temporary living quarters. The near unused "Golden Oaks" library, now the place where he was to sleep and cook and all that. He let out a sigh of heavy relief, and flopped onto the floor. Finally! A nice, secluded place! A fortress of knowledge where few would tread, where he could have a quiet moment to himself!

Then the lights went out.

As soon as he got up to check the switch, the lights flashed back on, the confetti of a party popper poured down onto his head, and an entire town of ponies screeched "SURPRIIIISE!" Some bowing immediately after, realizing who they started at that moment, apparently. "Who. IS. RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!?" Twilight snapped at everypony. "Do you realize how irritating and unneeded this is!? I came here for peace and quiet! This is a Luna damned LIBRARY! Not some partyhouse!" He snapped at the pink pony who had popped the party popper.

A yellow pegasus stepped in the pink ponies defense. "Um... Excuse me.. Sir prince..? Pinkie didn't do anything wrong.... You're yelling at her for, uhm... For... Being nice..... Which is..... Rude....." Despite her assertive words, she was shaking like a leaf, looking like she was ready to take it back once she said it.

Twilight looked back and forth between them, then at the rest of the stunned Ponyvillians. Then he let out a deep sigh. "I apologize, everypony, and uhh, Pinkie. I've had a very busy day, and I'm a bit frazzled. That was unprincely." He didn't quite understand the exact issue, for he believed his reaction made sense, but... Well, he didn't want to have a lastingly awful impression ANYWHERE.

Pinkie slowly blinked. "Soooo, is that a yes or a no to the surprise party?"