Good Girl Rainbow

Sitting back on her chair in the map room, Twilight sighed loudly as the pair awaited the rest of their friends. Their visit with Cadance had been great, better than great in Rainbow’s opinion. Between the two of them they took back quite a haul of things to try, including a few items that Rainbow had protested about, but her hesitance simply made them that much more irresistible to Twilight.

But those items were for another day. Today... today was for something completely different, something decidedly less fun, but which both knew had to happen.

Today was the day they had to face the rest of their friends. Today was the day they’d face the music for their actions during Rainbow’s ‘bet’. And for everything that occurred after, including all the changes to both their persons, and to their relationship status.

Neither of them expected today to go well.

“You sure we can’t reschedule?” Rainbow asked as she fidgeted in her chair.

“Until when?” Twilight asked as she eyed the pegasus.

“Never? Never works.”

“The only way that would work is if we never saw them again, is that something you want?” Twilight asked rhetorically.

Rainbow shook her head. “Of course not. I just don’t want… you know; this.”

“I agree on that front. But sadly if A then B.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Rainbow sighed as she lay down on her chair. Her eyes stared through her idly fidgeting hooves, while her mind lost itself in her memories of the last few days. Well, at least Twi said I could go without the leash for this. But we still have collars on, tattoos, piercings, and new mane cuts. Ugh, we’re bucked, aren’t we? She fidgeted more in her chair. Why couldn’t we stay at the Crystal Empire for at least another day, or week, or month? Ugh, I just answered my own question, didn’t I? Her eyes glanced over to the other mare in the room. I wonder what Twilight's going to do?

Twilight’s gaze lingered on each of her friend’s chairs one at a time, her thoughts conflicted about how this would go, what she would say, and how she could possibly justify everything that had happened without risking the status quo.

When they’d encountered Scootaloo she’d had a plan, she’d had a plan for her encounter with Cadance, and Shining Armor too. The plans had been flexible, they relied on a set of responses she’d been able to anticipate. And they’d all gone either just as good as she’d expected or even better. Every plan she came up with for here, for now, they were all far too flawed. There were too many variables, situations, instances, counter arguments, and angry faces.

Twilight cursed herself for seeing them all at once. One at a time would have been far more manageable. But it was too late for that.

“Hey Twilight?”

Rainbow’s words snapped Twilight out of her thoughts. “Yeah?”

“Whatever it is, don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“C’mon, I’ve been watching you. I know you’re thinking of something, of some tactic to play, but not this time. Not with our friends. It’s fine with me; I got myself into this and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it. But not with them.”

How did she know? Twilight thought, and then chuckled. “To tell you the truth, Rainbow; I can’t think of one.”

“Maybe that’s for the best. Let’s just throw ourselves at the mercy of the court.”

Taken aback, Twilight said, “That’s really big of you, Rainbow.”

“I have you to blame,” Rainbow replied.

Twilight smiled lovingly at Rainbow as a random thought came to her. In a way, I think we both won the bet. I definitely understand you better, and have no doubt adopted some of your tendencies, and you have started accepting responsibility for your actions.

Twilight made a decision shortly after.“Okay Rainbow, but I’m going to take responsibility for this, not you. This was my choice, my actions. I should own it.”

“I played my part too,” Rainbow protested.

“You did, but I agreed to it. I went along with it, and I even encouraged it in the end. This is on me.”

“Yeah bu—”

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked as Rainbow cut herself off mid speech.

“They’re here,” Rainbow replied as her ears twitched noticeably.

Both mares sat up on their chairs as the doors to the throne room opened.

They watched as four ponies and one baby dragon walked into the room with determination and drive. Twilight’s eyes fell on Rarity first. The mare had a look on her face more fitting on one of the nobles of Canterlot than one of her friends. She moved like a pony possesed, one that was determined to prove that a nasty rumor she’d heard was a lie.

Applejack was directly behind Rarity and to her right. The orange farm pony had the look of a mare that didn’t believe what her eyes and ears were showing her. She marched forward, her motivation easy to read. Applejack wanted answers to impossible questions, and she was determined to get them.

Behind and to the left of Rarity came Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus looked like she wanted to be anywhere else. Amazingly, she didn’t look scared; rather, she simply looked embarrassed by everything. And yet Twilight couldn’t help but notice that despite her demeanor, there was a confidence in her steps. She walked at the same pace as the other two.

To the rear was the pony that made Twilight feel the worst. Directly behind the other three came Pinkie Pie. Whereas the pony normally would have been the first one in, bounding across the room with a million questions and invading everypony’s personal space, this Pinkie didn’t do any of that. Her hooves slogged beneath her, her speed was not even half of the others, and her hair was flat on her back. Twilight had no doubt that Spike’s presence on her side was the only reason that Pinkie Pie had made it this far at all.

Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy sat down first, each side by side facing Twilight and Rainbow. No pony said a word while they waited for Pinkie and Spike to catch up. Seconds ticked by in silence, the only sound in the chamber was Pinkie’s dragging hooves, until, finally, she all but collapsed on the floor next to Fluttershy, still refusing to look up at anypony.

Several more seconds ticked by as everypony took in everypony else. Eyes fell on tattoos, piercings, collars, hurt feelings, disbelieving faces, painful glances, and anger incarnate. Rainbow found herself, for the first time in her life, wishing that Discord would simply appear in front of them. Anything was better than this.

Twilight was the first to speak. She got down from her chair, unwilling to hold such a position in fear that she’d come off as somehow better than her friends. Rainbow followed suit as Twilight said, “Girls, I’m sorry.”

“Oh? Why would that be dear?” Rarity asked. “Because you terrorized the town? Played hurtful pranks on all of us? Psychologically damaged one of your friends? Or because you all but disappeared for a week, leaving us with only a letter confessing what the two of you did and saying you needed time alone?”

“Umm… all of that?” Twilight replied. Rarity’s words were like daggers plunged into her heart.

“Hold up a darn tootin minute, are we just s‘posed to ignore that what they look like?” Applejack said, gesturing to each of them in turn.

“Oh yes, how could I forget the uncouth appearance. A Princess of Equestria and Wonderbolt running around getting tattoos. Disgraceful! You both set examples for other ponies to follow. I might have expected something like this from Rainbow, but you Twilight? Seriously?”

At the mention of their appearance, Fluttershy’s eyes locked with Rainbow’s before the mare let out a loud ‘Eeep’ and hid behind her hair.

“Plenty of Wonderbolts have tattoos, Rarity. We wear wing-suits; it’s not an issue,” Rainbow said, unable to keep quiet.

“And do Princesses of Equestria wear wing-suits, Rainbow?” Rarity replied, not even looking at her.

“Umm… no.”

“Then my point still stands. Ponies look up to you two, and the things you’ve done…” Rarity shook her head for emphasis as she trailed off.

“Girls, I called you here to explain in person what I already did in the letters.” Twilight did her best to try and steer the conversation in a different direction and to figuratively jump out in front of the firing squad. “I cannot say I’m sorry enough. It was a bet, a bet we took too far, one that targeted everypony that I consider my dearest friends.”

She continued, “I don’t have any right to ask for your forgiveness. But I wanted to say I’m sorry, to each of you. Applejack. It was my spell that gave you superpony strength. I have no idea how many of your trees I ruined, but I swear I’ll make it up to you.”

“Seventeen trees, Twilight,” Applejack said as she stared down the princess. “That gosh-darn stunt cost me seventeen trees and a full day’s worth of work. I won’t even get to the damage to my home when I tried to open the front door.”

“Oh… yeah,” Rainbow gulped. “I guess opening and shutting doors with super strength would be kinda hard, huh?”

“I’ll replace them all, and we’ll both assist you however you want to make up for your lost time,” Twilight said.

Applejack considered her response for longer than Twilight thought she would have to, and then said, “You two make it right, and I’ll call us square for that event.”

Twilight suspected she knew why Applejack put so much emphasis on the word that, but moved on, expecting to have to deal with it soon enough anyway. “Rarity, I was the one that put the itching powder in those dresses. I don’t know how much that cost you in terms of bits or reputation, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”

“Do you honestly think I still care about that?” Rarity said with a look of absolute disbelief on her face. “You need to make it right with Pinkie Pie. I can forgive and forget a lot, Twilight, but how Rainbow and you hurt one of our friends isn’t one of those things.”

Twilight nodded and temporarily moved past Fluttershy to Pinkie Pie. The pink pony didn’t look up. Twilight laid down in front of her, trying to catch her eye. It didn’t work; Pinkie’s gaze stayed away, her eyes glued to the floor. The princess waited for a few moments, hoping that Pinkie might look up at her, but in the end she had no choice but to give up.

“Pinkie,” Twilight begin. “I owe you the biggest apology of all. The things I said were hurtful, they were spiteful and cruel and vicious. They were said for the sole purpose of hurting your feelings, to be mean, and they were completely untrue.”

That did cause Pinkie to look up. “No, Twilight. They were true. You did mean them.” The tears in her eyes made Twilight feel even worse, something she didn’t think was possible. “I am annoying, and I do talk to much, and ponies do go out of their way to avoid me. I should just go away, everypony would be so much happier without me.” Pools of tears started to form under her muzzle.

Oh sweet Celestia, what did I do? Twilight thought. In the peripherals of her vision Twilight saw Rarity and Applejack glaring at her. She gulped, loudly.

Rainbow attempted to inject some humor, “C’mon Pinkie, that’s not true... Mostly not true.”

Rarity and Applejack both stared her down, causing Rainbow to flinch back.

Twilight sighed as she looked up at the group. It didn’t surprise her to see what was tantamount to hate from her friends. She realized then and there that this was her greatest sin in their eyes.

And they were right.

“Girls,” Twilight begin. “Let me ask, what’s been the general mood of ponyville over the last week?”

“Whatcha mean?” Applejack asked.

“Would either of you describe the mood of Ponyville as happy?”

“Well…” Applejack thought, rubbing her hoof to her muzzle.

“No, not really dear,” Rarity said, already knowing where this was going. “Ponies haven’t exactly been sad, but nopony’s been happy. Not like they normally are anyway”

“I reckon there’s been a cloud hanging over Ponyville this last week.”

Twilight nodded at that then turned back to Pinkie. “Y-you didn’t deserve what I said, Pinkie. I was wrong to say it, to hurt you like that. And… and if you never want to see me again it’d be what I deserve. But please don’t punish Ponyville for my mistake. Don’t leave, Pinkie, not for me, but for Ponyville. They need you.”

“B-but I don’t want to not see you anymore,” Pinkie said with a sniff as she looked up at the princess, her friend, Twilight Sparkle.

“I don’t want to not see you either,” Twilight replied as she ignored the use of the double negative. “And I promise I’ll never say something that mean or hurtful to any of you girls ever again.”

“Pinkie Promise?”

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Twilight replied without a moment’s hesitation as she went through the motions with her hoof.

For the first time since she came into the room, Pinkie sat up and looked around. To Twilight’s dismay her hair was still flat, a surefire sign of that she wasn’t back to her old self yet, but she was at least making eye contact again.

The best I can hope for, Twilight thought as she moved on to the last pony there. “Fluttershy, I—”

“No.”

Everypony gasped at Fluttershy as she turned her head up and to the left in disdain. “No, you will not be apologizing to me, Twilight. You, and Rainbow, owe someone else an apology.”

Rainbow walked up to stand by Twilight and asked, “Who?”

“Angelbunny,” Fluttershy said as she reached behind her and pulled a very pissed, furless bunny out from the back of her mane. “You did wrong by him and you must make it right.”

The little nude bunny stomped his feet and made obscene gestures at the two ponies that had caused his current predicament.

Rainbow found herself fighting back a laugh as Twilight leaned down and talked to the bunny at his level. “Angel, I’m so sorry for what I did. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

Angel spent about thirty seconds stomping on the floor, making those same rude gestures at Twilight, and grabbing her fur.

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand,” Twilight said.

The bunny let out a long sigh before jumping up and smacking Twilight’s horn.

“Oww.”

“He wants you to regrow his fur,” Fluttershy said. Angel nodded in agreement.

“Oh, of course,” Twilight said as she empowered her horn and shot purple energy at the bunny. In a flash of light and a loud poof the bunny was just as fluffy as Twilight remembered him being. “Are we good now?”

Angel took a few seconds to celebrate the return of his fur before turning to Twilight and making several squeeks that—Twilight correctly suspected—were not suitable for polite company.

Fluttershy blushed heavily and grabbed Angel, lifting him from the ground as he tried to jump up and attack Twilight. “He’ll need some time to forgive you. But you owe him an apology too, Rainbow.”

“Seriously?” Rainbow asked, only to get a very sly squeeze of her collar from Twilight’s magic in response, causing her breathing to become slightly more labored. The action had the dual effect of being a threat and a promise of both pleasure and pain.

“Okay, fine,” Rainbow said as the pressure released. Oddly, she found herself wishing it hadn’t. “I’m sorry, Angel.”

Angel started kicking in her direction as well, only for Fluttershy to stick him back in her mane. “It’ll take him some time,” she repeated, blushing at the squeeks he was still making. “Oh my.”

“What did he say‽” Rainbow demanded.

“Drop it, Rainbow,” Twilight whispered back.

Rainbow grumbled, but then relented as Rarity spoke up, “So are we all agreed that that ugliness is behind us?”

Nods of agreement came from everypony in the room. Twilight smiled and then frowned as she looked at everypony. Yes they were forgiving her, but judging by the look of Pinkie Pie it wasn’t going to be that simple.

“Good,” Rarity continued. “That just leaves one more issue that we need to discuss.”

“What’s that?” Rainbow asked as she cocked her head slightly in confusion.

Twilight felt like doing a facehoof, but held back.

“Why, you two, dears,” Rarity said as she glared at the pegasus.

“What did you hear about us?” Rainbow asked, the nervousness in her voice unmistakable.

“Spikey here, the dear boy has been spending a lot of time with me lately, and he’s told me quite a tale, a tale I didn’t believe. Not until I saw you two anyway. One of some rather uncouth behaviour once you read the subtext,” Rarity said as she waved Spike out of the room. When she was sure he was gone and the door was shut behind him Rarity started to walk around the two, inspecting the changes. “I see the evidence with my own eyes, but I want to hear it from you. Is it true?”

Twilight shut her eyes and took a deep breath right before saying, “Yes, it’s true.”

When she opened her eyes the sight in front of her surprise her. She saw four smiles beming at her. “So you really are dating? That’s great! I hope it works out for you!” Fluttershy uncharacteristically shouted.

“I reckon this means we need to throw you two a party!” Applejack exclaimed as she winked at Pinkie.

“A party? Oh yes, a party for the new couple, we’ll need cakes, and balloons, and streamers, and a welcome to the dog-house, Rainbow, streamers, and—” Pinkie started, her tail inflating to its usual puffiness. Although her mane was still flat.

“Y-you’re not upset?” Twilight asked.

“Upset? No, not at all, dear. I admit I was taken aback when Spike told me, but when I thought about it you two are kind of perfect for each other. Rainbow is your exact opposite in so many ways, and yet you have so much in common. If you make each other happy, who are we to get in the way?”

“You girls truly are the best,” Twilight said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

“It’s hard enough finding your special somepony, believe me, I’ve tried, a lot. We’d be pretty bad friends if we stood in your way just because your relationship is a bit unconventional.”

“Unconventional?” Twilight and Rainbow asked.

“We heard about the leash,” Applejack admitted.

Fluttershy let out another ‘eep’ as she hid behind her bangs.

Rainbow and Twilight both blushed at that.

“I see that part’s true too,” Rarity said with a sigh. “I have to admit I never quite saw you as the submissive type, Rainbow. Although I guess it does make some sense. With your bombastic attitude and all, you’d naturally want to roleplay the exact opposite.”

“I don’t want to hear this,” Fluttershy practically whispered.

“I reckon we’ve discussed enough for today,” Applejack cut in as she saw the discomfort on Fluttershy’s face. “Let’s let the two love birds be for a while. They need some space. We can talk more later.” At that she lead Fluttershy out the room.

“I agree, I got a party to plan,” Pinkie replied as she followed suit.

Rarity watched them leave before turning to Twilight and Rainbow. “You two simply must come by the store. I have some wonderful ideas to dress up your new pet, Twilight.”

Rainbow’s eyes grew as wide as dinner plates.

“Oh we will, don’t worry,” Twilight said as she gave Rainbow a wicked smile.

“Great! Rarity replied with a chipper tone. “I have so many ideas. Come by after hours. Oh and bring some of the toys I have no doubt you got from Princess Cadance, I have ideas for how to modify those as well.”

“Sure thing,” Twilight said as she watched Rarity leave with a spring in her step. As soon as the doors shut she turned and smiled at Rainbow.

“I’m bucked, aren’t I?” Rainbow asked, and for the first time in almost a week she didn’t mean it in a good way.

“Oh yes,” Twilight replied, still grinning.

She meant it both ways.