A loud crash suddenly startled Rainbow awake. Rainbow Dash sat up with a start her hooves suddenly becoming entangled with her quilted blanket before she shucked it to the side, her eyes widening with a sudden shock or realization.

“I love Twilight!” she shouted to the empty room.

Tank, her pet turtle who normally slept beside her, simply let out a slow long yawn before retracting his head further into his shell to go back to sleep.

Regaining her bearings, Rainbow looked wildly about before her eyes came to rest on Tank., Wiping her forehoof against her mane, she let out a relieved breath. Thank Celestia no one had heard her. She had just been having a dream. Yeah...absolutely nothing to worry about.

She reached over her head and let out a long yawn, smacking her lips a few times before slowly crawling out of bed. Turning to nuzzle Tank for a moment, she turned towards her bedroom window, which was far more convenient than making her way down to her front door. Lifting the sash, she took a deep breath of the crisp morning air before she leapt out, pointing her nose towards Ponyville below.

She could see several of the weather pegasi already at work pushing clouds together for the scheduled late morning rain-shower, and was glad that today was a scheduled day off. In mere moments, she had landed in the front entryway of the castle before the large crystalline doors.

Rainbow looked around to see if anypony was about. She couldn't help but feel some nervous jitters. It was worst in her hooves, but it also felt like there was a cement block on her back weighing her down. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

C’mon, Rainbow. Focus! You got this.

“Good morning, Rainbow!” Starlight Glimmer’s voice popped up without preamble. “Are you planning on knocking any time soon?”

Rainbow Dash jumped into the air, her wings flaring in shock before she did a one-eighty, spinning to hover while glaring at Starlight.

“What’s it to you?! Maybe I just appreciate crystal doors!”

Starlight only raised an eyebrow, her mouth drawing sideways into a smirk.

“Aw, nevermind, Starlight!” Rainbow dropped back down to the ground and looked to the side muttering. “You wouldn’t understand anyway…” Starlight Glimmer just chuckled, lifting a forehoof to cover her mouth. Leaning closer to whisper in Dash’s ear, she whispered. “I think some pony protests too much…”

Rainbow gulped in surprise. How could Glimmer have gotten a clue about any of this? Maybe that wasn’t what she was talking about.

“You know, it’s not like I’m going to go out and tell any pony. Your secret’s safe with me.”

Frozen for a moment, Rainbow took a step back and turned her head, staring at Starlight for a second. Her smile was just so… lucid! She had known Starlight for years now, but after all that time, there was still a lot she didn’t know about the pony.

“I uh… don’t know what you’re talking about.” Rainbow gave her best, most innocent grin. Starlight only cocked her head in amusement.

Grumbling under her breath. Dash turned and knocked on the castle door. She wasn’t sure, but she could’ve sworn she heard Starlight let out a little giggle behind her.

The resonating sound reverberated from inside the castle’s crystalline walls. Rainbow waited, trying to keep her nervousness down. Starlight piped up once again.

“Twilight doesn’t have much going on today, you know? Just rereading some of her reference materials…” Starlight gave another grin, making Rainbow raise an eyebrow at her.

The awkward moment was broken up by Twilight’s voice calling out from further inside the castle. “Spike! Would you mind getting the door for me?”

A murmured reply was heard before the tapping of Spike’s clawed feet drew near and the door opened. Without further comment, he simply raised and arm and directed Rainbow inside.

“It’s you. Here to see Twilight I suppose?”

Rainbow paused, trying to come up with an ulterior motive. “I could be here for another book!” Then what she said caught up with her. “Or… Ugh. I don’t need an excuse to visit my best friend!” Did that come out a little defensively? Shaking her head, Rainbow crossed the foyer and pushed the main door open to Twilight’s throne room.

Twilight Sparkle was relaxing on her throne, reading through a pile of scrolls. By the comparative stacks, Rainbow could tell she had a rather long way to go to wade through that much material.

Without looking up, Twilight addressed the room. “So, who was at the door, Spike?”

Rainbow Dash stopped walking and sat down with a hammy grin. “Hey, there Twilight, how's it going?”

Twilight sat up with a start, her hind-end swinging into one of the stacks of scrolls, causing them to scatter across the floor. “Rainbow Dash! Uh, I didn’t know you were coming over—I would have made some tea or something!”

Rainbow tried to cover her snicker, but if Twilight's crinkled expression was any indication, she hadn’t covered up well enough. “It’s fine, Twi. Of course, if you had any cider around… Well, what are you up to today?”

Twilight looked around, her eyes going from the neat stack of scrolls on one side of her to the chaotic mess all over the map-table on the other.

“Oh! Uh…” Twilight looked sheepish for a moment. “It's just that I was trying to find something. I thought I would find it under the letters “C” or “L” but for the life of me I can't find it!” She clopped a hoof cutely against one of her throne’s armrests. “And I thought I had everything perfectly organized.”

Twilight’s gaze fell upon Rainbow, and as she looked, she began to appear more concerned. “You… aren’t already done reading that Daring Do book I gave you yesterday, are you?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. What should she say? What would work to explain why she was back in less than half a day? She didn’t want to return the book, as she was only on chapter four, and she hadn’t brought it with her anyway.

“Well, no, it wasn’t that…”

Twilight looked more concerned. “Oh, was there a problem with the book? Is a page torn?”

“No! I mean, no, the book is fine. Great even.”

Oh, Celestia, why was this so weird? The pause just felt all sorts of awkward, and Rainbow did not like feeling awkward. She was too radical for that.

“Oh, okay then.” replied Twilight. She took a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh before she looked out the window. For some reason she looked a little morose.

On a whim, Rainbow just acted. It was what she would good for anyway—instantaneous acceleration and all that.

“Oh, the books are amazing Twi, but that's not what I came here for.” Wasting no more time, Rainbow swept up and took Twilight by her hoof, pulling her right off of her seat so that she had to flap her wings to maintain pace.”

“Wh-What are you doing? Where are we going, Rainbow?”

Rainbow gave her a cocksure grin. “I came here for you, Twilight. You’ve been cooped up in your castle plenty. It’s not like we have to have a natural disaster or new villain of the week in order to get out and do something together!”

Twilight’s cheeks reddened a little “Together?”

“Sure!” Rainbow crowed, now feeling like she was on a roll. She was all about inertia, and now that she had this thing moving, she wasn’t going to stop now! “I mean, your castle is nice and all, and Spike is great for company for a while, but…” Rainbow’s voice began to lower into a slightly less cool level. “I just thought you might want to get out and check out something new. Something even better to be shared between the two of us...”

Rainbow let go of Twilight’s hoof, now that her crush had followed her out the side window of the throne room. Twilight seemed willing to entertain the idea, and that made Rainbow’s heart sing with excitement. Rainbow couldn’t believe herself what she was doing, but barreling straight ahead seemed to be working, so she couldn’t stop now. She wanted Twilight to enjoy something with her and her alone, and maybe in the experience find out that she could care for Rainbow as something even more than a friend. There was no doubt now, and perhaps her inner thoughts were starting to cloud her judgment a little bit. Oh well— there was no turning back now. It was now, or never. Sink or swim.

Twilight Sparkle barely had time to blink as Rainbow Dash suddenly pulled her out of her chair, and out of the castle. She wanted to protest, but it actually was nice to get out, without some kind of threat invading or trying to destroy their homes. It wasn't like Rainbow Dash to just suddenly show up and just take her without telling her anything though. There was definitely something quite puzzling about her behavior, Twilight hummed under her breath. Something was certainly going on with her best friend, but what was it?

“Where are we going?” questioned Twilight Sparkle, blinking. “I should at least inform Spike of how long I'll be gone.”

Rainbow Dash seemed to pause. She raised her forehoof against her chin, almost as if she was deep in thought as to where. Twilight Sparkle might like Daring Do, but she wasn't as much a thrill seeker. Maybe something calmer to strike the mood. Suddenly she had an idea. A museum! There wouldn't be a lot of danger, and the two could enjoy a quiet tour together, and it wasn't nearly as boring or dull as a library might be. Only problem is Rainbow Dash had never been to a museum before. She was going to need to ask someone that knew more about this kind of stuff then she did, without letting on to her true motions. It wouldn't be easy, but the perfect one to ask, was the very mare she wanted to confess too. She took a deep gulp, before finally speaking up.

“I want to take you somewhere unique, with lots of stuff. It'll be up to you to figure out where though. Kind of make it like a puzzle.” smirked Rainbow Dash, having come up with a hap hazard plan. Twilight Sparkle wouldn't have a clue to what she was actually doing, which is exactly how she wanted it to be. At least for now. She had to time things just right, if she let her words slip out the wrong way, it might not get across to the mare of her dreams. She felt her heart flutter, it would be clear to tell for most ponies she was starring.

“Hmm....a place with lots of stuff huh? Well that isn't a very good clue. It could be my own castle for Celestia's sake! I mean, you got to give me more to go on Rainbow.” replied Twilight, a slight groan escaping her lips. She tilted her head down slightly, letting out a soft sigh. Knowing Rainbow, she was certainly being vague for a reason, but why?

“Come on Twilight! You're supposed to be smart and all that boring stuff. You should totally know what I'm talking about.” replied Rainbow Dash.

Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes, and tried to run through her mind, of all the possible places with lots of stuff, that might somehow be related to Daring Do. And then, she opened her eyes with a big gleam.

“A museum! You're taking me to a museum. Oh, this is quite the surprise. I wouldn't expect a pony like you to even like those kinds of places!” spoke Twilight Sparkle, eagerly giving her friend a hug.

Rainbow Dash froze, feeling Twilight's body so close to her had her panting for breath, she took a deep breath, feeling a beat of sweat running down her cheeks. Damn, this felt so nice. She wrapped her own hooves around Twilight Sparkle after a brief pause of not letting her thoughts of how close she wanted to be consume her.

Twilight Sparkle couldn't help being excited. This was totally unexpected, but not unwelcomed. She simply held her friend for a few more seconds before letting go.

“I bet your taking me to the famous Starswirl's museum of ancient magic and artifacts! Oh I've always wanted to go there. How did you know about it?” questioned Twilight Sparkle, curiously. After all, it wasn't like Rainbow Dash cared about Starswirl, she was typically obsessed with two things, the Wonderbolts, and Daring Do.

“Um...I asked Spike. He told me ALL about it. Boy, when you ask that dragon for details, he's currently no slacker. No doubt at all, you raised him.” chuckled Rainbow Dash, giving Twilight Sparkle a bit of a hard time, but it was meant with endearment. It was one of the things she adored about her, just how wise she was. She herself could never be that smart, not like she tried to be, but still!

“Hey!” replied Twilight her nose scrunching up a bit, glaring at Rainbow Dash, tapping her forehoof into the dirt beneath her, lowering her head just a tad. “I'm not that bad....”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!” replied Rainbow Dash, taking Twilight Sparkle by the hoof, and soaring into the air. Twilight barely had time to blink, before having to unflap her wings, just to keep pace beside Dash, and that was no easy task to accomplish. Once she gained her composure, she let go of Rainbow's hoof so she could fly next to her. The beauty of the sky was always wonderful to gaze at during a flight. She could see the weather ponies hard at work with the clouds. She could even seen mountains in the distance. She wasn't sure how far away it was, but she certainly didn't mind the travel. It was nice to simply enjoy herself, and not be loomed over with some threat against Equestria. Just a quiet trip to a museum with her best friend, nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?

Rainbow Dash landed first in front of the tall building. The building itself had a banner on the top, saying about a grand tour today. It was perfect. The perfect way to confess her feelings, but she'd have to make sure it was just her and Twilight when she did. She didn't need any other pony barging in on her business.

“Oh wow....it's simply amazing. I can't wait to see inside.” exclaimed Twilight in pure delight. She practically bounced on her hooves, Rainbow barely had time to blink as she was being dragged along into the museum. Right at the very front of the building on the inside was a statue of none other than Starswirl the Bearded. Rainbow Dash couldn't really care less about some old guy wearing a cape, but seeing the joy on Twilight's face, was certainly worth it in her mind.

Twilight Sparkle gawked in awe and sheer joy at the statue. It was so life like! If it wasn't for the fact she knew it wasn't a statue, she might have thought it to be the real deal. After all, Starswirl had disappeared over one thousand moons ago, and no pony ever knew what had become of him. Twilight had looked up to him ever since she was a filly, wanting to be just like him someday herself. Her hooves shifted against the ground, like an excited filly, bouncing around in place. She finally stopped when she heard Rainbow Dash asking if she was going to fan gasm all day long.

“Eh, what's so special about a guy with a beard anyways? I mean, sure he saved Equestria, but so have we. If anything I think we deserve a statue in our honor. What do you think?” questioned Rainbow Dash, but Twilight Sparkle was already walking off without her.

“Hey, wait up!”

“Oh, come on Rainbow Dash. Let's enjoy the tour together.” replied Twilight, noticing the other bunch of mares and stallions lined up to sign up for the tour of the museum. Great a line...just what she needed. She felt her stomach rumble, realizing rather quickly, she hadn't thought to eat breakfast before leaving her home.

The tour itself wasn't very interesting, Rainbow Dash was barely listening to the head stallion whom was giving the tour. At least she had something to look at during this whole thing. Boy, was this every bit as boring as she imagined it to be. She wanted an adventure, but Twilight seemed to really be enjoying herself, eyeing up all the many strange artifacts, and asking a bunch of questions. Rainbow Dash was surprised that the head pony wasn't overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of how many questions one mare asked about some old guy.

“Here we have the Guardian's Stone, it's said this stone has the power to change the very fabric of time and space. However, no one knows how. Starswirl the beard cast a spell on it, so that no pony could use it for evil. It has been safely guarded here in this museum for over a thousand moons. There is a strict glass wall that protects it on the outside. Even if some pony got past the glass, there is trip wires all over the ground around the display case. And cameras on every corner, assuring it's safety.” spoke the head stallion.

“Hmm...a stone that can change time? Oh boy, that does sound dangerous. Let's not tell Starlight about this.”

“Yeah...right.” replied Dash with a heavy sigh. This was so boring! Listening to the old pony go on and on about item after item. She could see Twilight's gleaming smile, and it was the only thing that kept her going, and just when she thought she'd fall asleep, the stallion announced they had arrived at the end of the tour. Finally! She thought, She had just about enough of this place. She pulled Twilight Sparkle aside, away from the crowd, her violet hues staring into her own. She couldn't help but take a nervous gulp of a breath before finally attempting to speak.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the hallways, just as Rainbow Dash was about to blurt out her confession. She blinked, brows furrowing, as both she and Twilight went to investigate the source of the crash, finding what seemed to be like a pile of rubble from the ceiling, but clear sounds of groaning from underneath. Slowly, they saw a shadow rising against the wall, and Rainbow Dash couldn't believe her eyes.

Author's Note

I apologize for the wait, but I'm trying to improve my work, so you can enjoy better stories. Let me know what you guys think. Now, I must go work on the next chapter of A Derpy Princess. I just love crushing Dash, she's just too adorable. <3