A Twilightful Dash of Caprice

Chapters

Study Break
Dance Lesson
Stand by Me
Beneath the Starry Sky

Study Break

A Twilightful Dash of Caprice ~ Study Break

“...given the sub-magical realm’s internal flux derived from a singular point of...”

This was a losing battle. Twilight knew this. This book was more than dry. Her brain struggled against what was undoubtedly one of the worst word-based droughts among the numerous books peppering her studies. Undeterred, she continued.

“...focus - allowing the user to channel the internal magical...”

Twilight wasn’t going to deal with this any more. She had better things to do than muck through some complex magical compendium written solely for taxing overambitious unicorn minds. She needed out, but she couldn’t stop reading. Her pride wouldn’t allow it. If only--

*CRASH*

“Oh, thank Celestia,” Twilight muttered to herself. Casually focusing her mind, a light purple glow enveloped her horn, the magical energies opening a single window against the library’s wall -- which, admittedly, acted more like a door these days. Without glancing up, she waited for the inevitable, allowing herself a small inward smile. “Dash is so reliable when it comes to these things,” she chuckled bemusedly.

Right on cue, her back tensed with the warmth of a pegasus resting upon it. Shifting her legs curled beneath on the pillow, she gets comfortable and prepares for the onslaught. A silent count begins in her mind: “One...two...three....”

There it was: the slightest nibbling sensation. The pegasus went after her right ear; the most pleasant of shivering sensations coursing down her spine right to the tip of her tail. The assault continued -- pegasi were hardly known for tameness, a fact Twilight secretly relished. The nibbles progressed lower along her well-brushed mane, which was more than likely shifting from brushed to anything but brushed. She could feel the warmth of the pony on top her, the breath coming in short, punctuated gasps as it progressed to her neck.

Shaking her mane loose, she pressed her head back against the pony on top of her. “What do you think you’re doing, Dashie? Can’t you see I’m studying here?” She did her best attempt at feigned annoyance. Well, as annoyed as anyone can be when someone is adoringly nipping at your neck. Her attempt at an aggravated look was completely betrayed by the smile plastered across her face.

The pegasus stopped, drew back, eliciting a small sigh from Twilight. A hint of the smallest pang of regret. Perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything. That book was incredibly boring after all. However, her regret melted as Rainbow, as reliable as ever, brought her muzzle down to Twilight’s ear, tickling it with her breath.

“Saving you,” she whispered, kissing the tip of Twilight’s ear ever so slightly.

Lost for a moment in the sensation of the kiss, Twilight nearly forgot the flirtatious “game” played between both ponies. If Dash got an inch, she’d take it and press for more until Twilight’s resolve turned to pudding in her hooves.

Steeling herself again, Twilight cleared her throat. “Saving me from what? I assure you what I’m studying is absolutely fascinating. This book covers the theory of micro-fissu--” She abruptly halted as Dash licked her ear again. Rainbow’s victory seemed certain today, and Twilight knew it was only a matter of time.

“Oh, sure,” Dash chuckled convincingly. “But I know what time it is. I can see it in your eyes. You always nap this time of day.” She nudged behind Twilight’s ear, running her muzzle through Twilight’s now tousled mane.

Twilight gave in, convincing herself this was for the best. Dash’s competitiveness blazed as strongly as ever in these matters, and this was one game she didn’t mind losing.

Sensing Twilight’s lowering resistance, Dash closed in for the kill. Opening her muzzle, she nipped Twilight’s neck. Twilight trembled, tensed, and subsequently melted into fits of pleasured gasps and slow, rhythmic breaths.

Taking a moment for recovery, Twilight rubs her neck against Dash’s muzzle. “So, what’s the score? Seventeen to four in your favor?”

Dash nips Twilight’s neck one more time. “More like twenty one to zero. Those four times you won were technicalities.” A mischievous grin played across her sky-blue muzzle.

Twilight giggled. Dash’s expectedly lightning-quick retorts always made her smile. “So, I suppose you want a victory prize of some sort?” Twilight’s query only toyed with what she already knew Dash’s suggestion would be, but she loved hearing it nonetheless.

Dash presses her muzzle into Twilight’s neck, breathing in deeply that sweet smell she loved so dearly. “You know exactly what I want, Twilight.”

Twilight felt herself blush. Even if the the incident rate for that was only five percent, it was enough to bring a rush of heat to her cheeks. “Dash...you know how I feel about that. It’s two in--”

Twilight never got to finish. Dash knew her too well. Before the sentence completed, Dash had slipped a foreleg under Twilight’s head, pulling it up, meeting her lips forcefully against Twilight’s own.

Oh, Celestia... Twilight’s thoughts buzzed as the the warmth of Dash’s lips mingled with her own, the slightest taste of sweetness trickling along her tongue as their tongues met. She had made a habit of counting the seconds Dash held kisses...but at this moment, that was the farthest thing from her mind.

An inscrutable amount of time passed before Dash pulled away, leaving Twilight gazing into those loving pools of magenta, her body aflutter with warmth. Dash smiled at her. “The consolation prize is just as good,” she said.

Twilight does her best to smile back, her cheeks ablaze. Forget studying, she thought.

“So, how about a snack?” Dash’s perky question interrupts Twilight’s euphoric daze quite handily. Dumbfounded at how Dash could transition so quickly from flirting to food, Twilight gapes wordlessly for a few seconds. As the pieces in her head click together, she feels Dash crawl off her back.

“Oh. Um....” Twilight stammers, her head still in a slight daze. “I think the fridge has some flowers and bread. You’re welcome to them if you like.” Mere seconds later, a frenetic clattering of plates, slamming fridge doors, and other miscellaneous noises heralds Dash’s return with a sandwich.

Twilight watches as Dash unceremoniously stuffs an entire sandwich half into her snout. After swallowing, Dash pushes the other half of the sandwich on the plate toward Twilight, grinning. “Thanks for the snack, Twi. I have to go practice my tricks now! I’ll see you later.”

In a smooth, fluid motion, Dash takes to the air, kissing the tip of Twilight’s horn on the way and zooming off through the same window she entered. The horn kiss momentarily dazed Twilight, and by the time she came to, all that remained was half a sandwich and her book.

Fully revitalized from her little study break, Twilight made a mental note to thank Rainbow later. The pegasus always showed up right when Twilight needed her somehow. Still, her studies beckoned. The book’s pea-soup of words grates against her brain like sandpaper. Groaning in disgust, Twilight face-plants into the tome spread before her.

At this point, Twilight wonders if it would have been so bad to raise that incident rate to 9.5 percent....

Dance Lesson

A Twilightful Dash of Caprice ~ Dance Lesson

Knock. Knock.

Twilight looked up from her book at the library door. It was Saturday; rarely did she get eager readers on the weekend. It was probably just some pranksters trying to disrupt a perfectly good evening of studying.

Knock. Knock.

Persistent, Twilight thought to herself. Sighing, she pulled herself up off the delightfully soft cushions she rested upon. “Coming! Just a moment! The library is open, you know.” Her voice barely masked her exasperation. Trotting over to the door, she magically swung it open to come face-to-face with the prankster.

“Hey, Twilight....” Rainbow began.

How strange, Twilight thought. Rainbow’s entrances were usually a tad more dramatic and involved the crashing-into-objects variety. Using the door didn’t make sense. Furthermore, Rainbow’s actions begged suspicion: Why knock when she could just barge in? Obviously, something odd lingered in this situation.

“Oh, hello Rainbow Dash,” Twilight began. “What can I do for you? Here for the latest Daring Do? It’s not out for a few more months.” She studied Rainbow’s face determinedly for any sign of explanation.

Rainbow Dash blinked for a moment before shaking her head. “Oh, no, I’m not here about that, though I’m really looking forward to the next one. Thanks for the reminder.” She paused, as if deciding how she should proceed. “Actually, maybe you could help me with something.”

The purple mare stared at Rainbow for a few seconds, processing Rainbow’s request before breaking into a wide smile. “I’d love to help, Rainbow,” she said. “I might even learn something about the magic of friendship so I can write to the princess!” She looked down, a slight blush tinting her cheeks as she mentally recalled the whole “Smarty-Pants” incident. “I’d love to help even if I wasn’t going to write a letter to the princess, since I don’t have to write to her every week anymore.”

Returning the smile, Rainbow nodded to Twilight. “Thanks Twilight. I knew I could count on you. Y’know, being friends with an egghead really has it’s perks. No offense.” Rainbow waited a few awkward moments for Twilight to let her into the library. “So...um, can I come in?”

Twilight blinked, shaking her head to gather her thoughts. “Oh, right. Sorry about that, Rainbow.” She took a step back away from the door so Rainbow could enter the library. “Please, come in. What can I help you with?”

The cyan mare gingerly stepped into the library, but not before glancing quickly behind her to make sure no one was watching. Assured no one was out there, she quickly closed the door and turned to Twilight.

“So, at the Gala...” She paused. Some odd discomfort about that evening made speaking difficult. “... there was all this dancing. And I felt a little out of place. While I find slow dancing totally uncool, it’s just as uncool feeling so out of place! You have to teach me how to dance like them, Twilight! You’re from Canterlot, you must know how to dance like that...right?”

Rainbow’s sudden confession started slowly. By the end, her words tumbled out rapidly -- almost as if she desperately sought to get it off her chest before the weight of it crushed her entirely.

Taken aback, Twilight realized although she was from Canterlot, she had about as much experience dancing as Dash did. However, she had agreed to help Dash, and while she didn’t have any idea on how to do Canterlot dances, she did have excellent resources. “Honestly, Dash, I really don’t know the ballroom dances. In Canterlot, I spent most of my time studying. However, I’m sure we can find a book on the subject.”

Finding a book in Twilight’s sizable library was easier said than done. However, after 20 minutes of searching, Dash finally stumbled upon a book detailing classical dancing. “Hey Twilight, how does this look?” she asked. Twilight poked her head out from under a massive pile of books and glanced at the title: Classical and Elegant Dances for Gentle Ponies.

The look of frustration melted from Twilight’s face as she read the title. “That’s perfect! I knew I should have moved reshelving day to yesterday, but I got completely overwhelmed on my latest studies on dragon migrations.” Flicking her head casually, she picked up the book from Dash, floating it over to her and opening it up, skimming the contents rapidly.

“Ok, so we need some music for starters. Easy enough.” Twilight concentrated, and after a flash of light, one phonograph appeared in front of her. Setting it down on the table, she started the music. Soft piano tones filled the room. “Next step, we need to...oh...no, this won’t work at all,” Twilight sighed. She dropped the book on the table.

Dash cocked her head and looked at Twilight oddly. “Why won’t it work?” she asked.

“Well, this book is written for a stallion and a mare,” Twilight exclaimed dejectedly. “We don’t meet expectations!”

Dash’s laughter broke the somber mood. “Wow, Twilight, you don’t have to follow the book exactly. One of us plays the stallion, and we’ll switch back and forth until we get the hang of it!” The solution was so simple. Dash felt surprised Twilight hadn’t thought of it before she did. “And since you’re helping me, I’ll play the role of the stallion first.”

“Well...” Twilight began, “I guess that works. I don’t know if we should deviate from the book, but it’s the best we can do for now. It looks like the first step is to get up on our hind legs and have the stallion place his forelegs around his partner to lead them in the dance.”

“No problem!” Dash said, her voice brimming with confidence. She hopped up on her hind legs, her wings flaring just slightly for slightly better balance. She reached forward and grabbed Twilight around the middle, drawing the purple mare right up against her chest. Her eyes focused on Twilight’s own.

“Woah!” Twilight exclaimed, surprised by Dash’s eagerness. It was then she noticed those intent magenta eyes gazing into her own. A flush of heat soared through her body, culminating at her cheeks. This was something she was not expecting as her blush deepened. “Um....“ Twilight was lost for words.

Dash gazed intently at Twilight, waiting for the next step. She felt Twilight warm up. If she had looked a little lower, she’d spot the undeniable red tinges on the librarian’s cheeks. “Twilight?” Dash queried, “...what do we do next?”

“Oh... oh...“ Twilight couldn’t think. She wasn’t ready for this. Shaking her head, she tried gathering her thoughts. When she finally managed to tear her eyes from Dash’s, her composure recovered enough for the next step. “Well... now that we’re in position, the stallion steps in time with the music, using his forelegs to guide the mare in unison.”

“Alright, here goes.” Dash tentatively took a step forward, pressing her chest firmly against Twilight’s own. Twilight felt her pulse quicken as she took a step back, letting Dash guide her. If Twilight could think straight, she’d notice Dash’s surprisingly graceful movements -- a stark contrast to how many face-to-ground incidents Dash had in the past. No matter; Twilight found herself swaying in time with Rainbow Dash as they danced across the library floor.

Unfortunately for Twilight, Dash’s grace didn’t extend to her movements. One misstep later, she bumped right into the table the phonograph was resting upon, causing the record screeching into silence. The sudden interruption of Twilight’s reverie from her clumsiness sent gravitational theorems and other distracting thoughts whirling throughout her mind as she concentrated.

Falling in Dash’s arms doesn’t feel so bad... Twilight thought as she landed heavily upon the hard wooden floor of the library, wincing at the contact. Dash was equally surprised by the sudden shift in weight. Flaring her wings in a desperate attempt to catch her fall did little as their hooves were too intertwined in the dance position. Twilight literally pulled Dash down upon her.

A second later the cyan mare was staring down at the purple one, their eyes locked, their muzzles about a foot apart. Twilight could feel Dash’s panting breath upon her muzzle tip, the warmth of the pegasus’s breath adding considerably to her own warming complexion.

Oh, Celestia... Twilight thought, her mind a haze of emotions. Dash is... so... She could feel that familiar heat rising again to her cheeks.

Twilight unconsciously tightened her hooves around Dash’s side, afraid the rainbow-maned pony would pull away. She just wanted to gaze into those beautiful cerise pools a while longer.

What’s going on? Dash wondered as she felt the increased pressure at her sides. The arm under Twilight was starting to lose blood, but all she could feel was a burning sensation across her cheeks. Is...is Twilight blushing? Dash looked at Twilight in surprise. It was unmistakable, the red stood out on the purple clearly. This was coupled by the significant rise in pulse Dash felt from the lavender pony beneath her.

“So... Twilight...” Dash began slowly, trying to figure out exactly what was going on at this point now they weren’t so much dancing but laying on top of each other, their hooves awkwardly wrapped around one another.

“Um...” Twilight tried to gather her mental facilities, helpless over the fact she drowned in sensations she wasn’t even aware were present half an hour ago. “...the book said in some cases, the stallion might use the closeness of the dance to be extra romantic.” Twilight paused, her ears heating up. That sounded awful. Twilight was certain Dash was going to pull away at any moment now.

Surprisingly for Twilight, Dash didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned a little closer, their mouths inches apart. “Twilight, are you suggesting we practice this step as well for ballroom dancing?” The rainbow-maned pegasus spoke slowly and deliberately. She was desperately trying to get a read on Twilight. What was the unicorn thinking?

This was getting difficult for the Twilight. She knew this was taking it too far, but deep down inside, she wanted it so badly. Being questioned by Dash only made it harder, but at least Dash hadn’t pulled away yet -- in fact, she was closer than ever. Twilight mentally chalked a point up for herself and steeled her resolve. “Well, if we’re going to be prepared, we should definitely...”

Softness. There were no more words from the unicorn as Rainbow Dash leaned in the last couple inches and made contact. Twilight flushed from her tail-tip to her ear-tips. The chalk disintegrated in her mind as she scratched point after point up on the board for herself. This was more than she ever could have expected when she opened the door this afternoon. Her eyes fluttered and closed, this was so beautiful, an extra dose of romance indeed.

As the warmth of Dash’s lips left her own Twilight opened her eyes, entranced by those gleaming, moderate-cerise orbs. Dash grinned at Twilight. “I think it’s your turn to lead now.”

~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks for reading everyone, as this is my first foray into My Little Pony fanfiction any comments and suggestions are appreciated. I’ll do my utmost to respond to them in turn. I’d like to thank my pre-reader/editor whom I love dearly for his work. A special thanks also goes out to Jykinturah for sketching the Twilight/Rainbow Dash ballroom dance pose which inspired this story.

Stand by Me

A Twilightful Dash of Caprice ~ Stand by Me

The first rays of beautiful morning sunlight crept into the bedroom through the window situated above the bed. The sun’s gentle warmth caressed the silky back-fur of the lightly dozing violet mare and nudged her awake from a deep slumber. Twilight fluttered her eyes open, her awareness slightly groggy thanks to the previous night’s activities. Her vision deepened with the brilliant hues of red, orange, and yellow -- all the vibrant colors of her Rainbow dozing by her side. My Rainbow. Twilight toyed with the thought happily. She never could have guessed this happening over but a few weeks.

The air in the room was cool and still. Winter’s chill permeated through the walls and sent frosty fingers along the freshly roused pony’s exposed body. Twilight tucked herself tighter against the heavy comforter covering her, but it was hardly sufficient on an icy morning such as this. She shifted her hooves and gently pressed against the side of the cyan mare who lay sleeping rather soundly next to her. “Rainbow...” she whispered out into the ear of the dozing pegasus, the last syllable extended in a pleading fashion.

Rainbow didn’t budge from her heavy slumber, but a soft moan escaped her lips. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat in a rush of certainty from hearing a sound beginning with “T” and ending with an “I.” She smiled inwardly and nestled her body closer to the sleeping pony. After last night’s experience, a little extra rest for the symbol of her affections made perfect sense.

The feel of her fur pressed up intimately with another warmed her core in the most delightful fashion. Unfortunately, the nippy air still tickled her ears and horn, a reminder evoking the season’s windswept banks of rain clouds and the sun’s battle against winter’s rime. Twilight wasn’t worried. Her solution lay beside her: a warm and soft heat source right there in her bed.

She shifted her body a little lower allowing more of the blanket to cover her body. Her head moved from the pillow to the space between the forehooves and chest of the peacefully resting pegasus. After a few moments of careful, measured breaths, she decided Rainbow’s foreleg wouldn’t lose blood from pinched circulation and contentedly closed her eyes.

Twilight stretched out the foreleg which wasn’t pressed between their bodies and tenderly brushed it across the fur of her sleeping companion. The foreleg lingered for a moment before resting gently against Rainbow’s chest. She savored the warmth, the steady rise and fall of her love’s breathing, and the undeniable heartbeats she knew beat for her. The reverie furthered with the gentle caress of another hoof upon her own. Even while Rainbow slept, she was there for her.

Pressed up against Rainbow beneath the blanket, Twilight could relax, let her fears melt away, and forget about the annoyingly cold air. She felt safer here than anywhere else in the world. Inevitably, she drifted off, surrounded by lethargic warmth.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before the first strands of Rainbow’s tail hair crept along the flank of her dozing partner. The sensations trailed downward before finally brushing against the pink and white stars of her cutie mark. The touch triggered an involuntary shiver from the point of contact, up Twilight’s spine, and ended at her ears. Rainbow’s tail seemed in a playful mood as its continued motions drew a soft gasp from the rapidly awakening Twilight.

For the second time that morning Twilight was awoken before Rainbow. She gripped the cyan mare firmly as the tail assaulted her cutie mark, her entire body atremble. “Rainbow...” she whispered again, the last syllable extended even further to accentuate the pleading nature of her call. The target of the call stirred but didn’t respond audibly as last time. Instead, the rainbow-maned pegasus turned her head lower to make up for Twilight’s lower position in bed.

Twilight gasped again at the tail’s unrelenting assault, and each tender pass sent shivers up her spine. “Rainbow...” she gasped a third time right as the tail grazed across her cutie mark. This time the plea received a response, as even in her sleep Rainbow was there for Twilight.

Rainbow responded deftly to Twilight’s pleas and lowered her head further, her lips creeping toward where Twilight’s own would be. But Twilight wasn’t where Rainbow expected her to be, and as the pegasus’ lips made contact, Twilight’s horn flared with magical energy.

Twilight felt her body melt away to the gentleness and softness of those tender, loving lips against her horn. The sensations crashed upon her overwhelmingly. While Twilight could still feel each brush of Rainbow’s tail against her cutie mark, they didn’t compare to the overpowering warmth spreading from the tip of her horn directly into her mind. In the truest fashion, this was was a passionate kiss, as Rainbow’s tongue danced gingerly across the illuminated horn.

The purple mare could do nothing at this point but squirm within the grasp of her love. The kiss upon her horn evolved to the lightest nibbles punctuated by the occasional lick. “R...Rain...bow...” Twilight panted loudly, unable to push herself from her attacker. She loved this, and she wanted more.

A particularly loud moan finally broke sleep’s hold on her assaulter. Twilight released a final, dreamy sigh as Rainbow’s lips finally parted from her horn, and the cyan mare slowly stirred herself to wakefulness. Twilight pulled herself up from Rainbow’s delightfully warm body and settled her hooves on either side of the groggy pegasus. She smiled downwards and watched as the cyan mare slowly opened her eyes. Rainbow’s first sight of the morning was a heavily blushing Twilight, her horn moist and her body quivering.

“I love you, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight panted out, her face leaned close to Rainbow’s own.

“I love you, Twilight...” Rainbow managed to mumble, barely coherent and still quite hazy.

The unicorn couldn’t resist her feelings any longer. She pressed her head downwards and sealed her lips against Rainbow’s own, her mane draping over Rainbow’s in a pool of colors -- the first good morning kiss to her love for the day. Many more would surely follow.

~v~v~v~v~

A hairbrush floated through the air, wielded expertly by an absolutely glowing unicorn. As Twilight straightened her mane, she glanced at the clock in her bedroom. It was awfully late -- too late for breakfast, she concluded. Instead, she mused over the reasons for their tardiness from bed. In many cases, a late start would’ve bothered her...however, in this case, it only caused the purple mare to blush heavily.

“How about some brunch, Rainbow?” Twilight asked casually, her attention deftly switching from her mane to the groggy pegasus still in her bed. “If you’re quick about it, you can probably even get a plate of pancakes before lunchtime.” Twilight giggled as Rainbow immediately leapt out of the bed in a dramatic pose.

“I’m always quick enough for pancakes!” Rainbow exclaimed to the giggling mare. Twilight noted the slightly raised eyebrow which Rainbow eyed her with. Obviously, this was a hand-off to Twilight to comment about Rainbow’s quickness -- or lack thereof in certain situations. She rarely obliged her more energetic partner in these comments, but Rainbow never seemed to mind. Twilight was certain the smile that lit up her face from the very thought sufficed for her love.

“Come on then, let’s get you some pancakes,” Twilight said with a bright grin. The grin quickly shifted to surprise as Rainbow dashed by her down the stairs into the library proper. After the initial surprise wore off, Twilight cantered down the stairs noting a very eager-looking Rainbow poised to begin their pancake expedition into the cold winter expanse. A single glance outside confirmed Twilight’s concerns: It looked very cold outside.

Undeterred, the prodigious unicorn acquired her striped pink-and-white scarf from the closet. Her boots proved harder to find. Her search halted suddenly by a freezing draft against her flank. Twilight turned from the closet quickly to see Dash had already opened the door. “Hang on, Dash,” she started, “I need to find my boots. It’s far too cold to go out unprepared.”

Dash simply raised that eyebrow again and grinned at her. “Why would you need boots when you have the fastest and strongest pegasus in all of Equestria?” Dash accentuated her point by flaring her wings dramatically for Twilight before dropping down into a crouch. “Your carriage awaits, Ms. Sparkle,” Dash said in a mockingly facetious approximation of a highborn Canterlot dialect.

Twilight weighed her options. Flying was the faster option, though she wasn’t exactly comfortable with the thought of perching upon Dash’s back for all to see. However, further delay certainly reduced opportunities for pancakes considering the lateness of the hour. It looked like flying was the best option. She playfully bowed to Rainbow and quipped with a touch of Canterlot flair, “Ms.Sparkle would be delighted to embark upon you for pancakes.”

Embarking, it seemed, was a little more difficult than Twilight initially anticipated. After some slight jostling, she eventually settled into a comfortable and workable position upon Dash’s back. Her forelegs gripped Dash’s shoulders, and her hock pressed firmly against Dash’s flank. She rested her face against the prismatic mane below her with a wordless expression of readiness. Magically, she reached out to her scarf and wrapped it loosely around both of them -- a wordless expression of something more.

Twilight peeked out through Dash’s mane as they approached the door. A few experimental flaps of the pegasus’ wings scattered the snow on her doorstep. The rider took a deep breath before the pegasus launched into the air with a whoop. Twilight barely had time to close the door with her magic before the library faded. Dash was fast, so much so the unicorn had to close her eyes against the buffeting wind. Twilight opened her eyes once she felt Dash leveling off to what was probably a comfortable cruising altitude. The sight greeting her eyes drew a sharp gasp.

“It’s beautiful...” Twilight breathed out quietly into Dash’s ear, eliciting a laugh from her bearer. With her gaze fixated upon Equestria’s postcard scenery passing below her, Twilight jolted in surprise as her vision shifted suddenly from the snow-covered buildings to a crisp, blue sky. A half second later, and the sky shifted back to smoky chimneys and snowy drifts below. Twilight coughed and nipped at Dash’s ear. She didn’t appreciate the sudden barrel roll.

“Doth mine lady not applaud her carriage’s agility?” Dash snickered, her head leaned back for a little more contact with Twilight.

“No!” Twilight exclaimed, flustered by both the sudden aerial acrobatics and the confusion over Dash’s recent bout of such flowery language. She mentally noted to question Dash about it later.

Thankfully, the pancake house wasn’t far from the library, and Dash refrained from any more tricks for the remainder of the flight, though not without a few chuckles at Twilight’s expense. Luckily, by the time they arrived at the pancake house, Twilight caught up to the moment’s hilarity and chuckled a few times herself.

After getting seated in a booth with Twilight, Dash promptly ordered her usual -- a mega-stack of ten pancakes. Once they arrived, Twilight ate slowly while she watched Dash adoringly. She loved how Dash always did everything -- even demolishing pancakes -- with so much gusto and spirit. As she gazed into those magnificent cerise eyes filled with determination (at pancakes), she released a wistful sigh and blushed slightly. In it’s own way, this moment was just perfect.

After a spell, Twilight allowed the waitress to clear her plate. Rainbow would need a while longer, but that didn’t bother her in the slightest. She smiled and rested her head on her forelegs as she gazed around the establishment. Her eyes met the eyes of a lone pony enjoying some french toast in the booth behind Dash. She smiled her brightest but was surprised to see the pony return a frown before quickly turning away. This struck Twilight as particularly odd, but she brushed it off as curt politeness.

However, after a few more of her bright smiles met nothing but awkward frowns, Twilight wasn’t so sure anymore. She reached across the table to Dash and nudged the eating pegasus gently with a hoof. “Dash, is there something weird on my face?” she asked tentatively, slightly embarrassed at the prospect of having smiled at so many ponies with a dab of syrup or equally awkward foodstuffs on her face.

Dash smiled at her, the kind of smile which could melt her heart. Well, almost -- the flecks of syrup on Dash’s face plus the crumbs were a little less endearing. “Of course not Twi, you look beautiful as always.”

Twilight pursed her lips and glanced around furtively again, not entirely convinced. “Dash, ponies are frowning at me. My horn isn’t floppy from Poison Joke right?”

Dash looked positively concerned. She pushed away her last remaining pancake and stood up. Twilight watched as Dash slipped by the table gracefully and settled on her side of the booth. The pegasus very deliberately flared her wing and wrapped it around the purple mare in a tight embrace. “Twi, you look fine, don’t worry,” Dash consoled Twilight in a low voice.

A quick glance across the room at the deepening frowns confirmed Twilight’s concern. Twilight suddenly felt the wing quiver. She looked up at Dash and was shocked to see a barely contained expression of rage across her face. Apparently, Dash had finally noticed. Twilight reached out with a hoof and gently pressed it against Dash’s chest. “Dash, please don’t...” she pleaded quietly. “I just want to go home.”

Dash pulled Twilight out of the booth, a firm foreleg wrapped tightly around her side. A fair number of bits clinked against the table to cover the bill. Everything was so mechanical now. The euphoric sheen from earlier on slipped from Twilight’s world. “Let’s go, Twi,” Dash stated. Her voice had a certain coldness. Twilight followed Dash’s lead, her vision of the patrons obscured by Dash’s protective wing covering her body.

The trip back to the library was a sordid affair. Twilight couldn’t speak. All she could see was the frowns of the ponies in the restaurant. She supposed Dash’s silence suggested a smoldering anger and a tight restraint against lashing out in frustration. Things didn’t improve back in the library. Even at home, the cold sensations of rejection haunted Twilight. She stumbled upstairs to her bed and buried herself under the covers.

She felt a gentle hoof upon her shoulder. It wasn’t hard to guess it was Dash doing her best to console her. “Twi...” Dash began, but Twilight wasn’t ready for this. She was so happy with what she had, but apparently the rest of the world didn’t care about her happiness. Instead, they felt she shouldn’t have it.

“Go away, Dash...” she cried into the blanket. “It’s obvious the whole world thinks nothing of our happiness.” Twilight’s heart tinged with pain as she felt the hoof withdraw.

“Twi...” Dash began again, unwilling to part from the bedside of her beloved mare.

“I said...” Twilight paused to choke out a sob, “...go away, and find your happiness without me. I’ll bring you nothing but pain because I’m a mare.” Twilight listened carefully, ready to reject Dash again if she persisted, but all she heard were Dash’s fading steps down the stairs away from her.

Twilight clutched at the blanket between her hooves, crying her frustration and pain away. The sudden release of emotions sapped her of her strength and left her body feeling heavy and lifeless. Twilight contemplated a life without Dash, unsure if she made the right decision. The rampant stream of thoughts tore through her mind, leaving her exhausted and mentally drained as she slipped into fitful sleep.

~v~v~v~v~

Twilight plodded through a dull grey world, her head hung low to the ground. The colorless feeling seemed familiar, an echo of her previous encounter with Discord some time back. The overcast sky left little to the imagination. Twilight looked up, wistfully remembering the vibrant blue which was never there.

The gray unicorn dragged herself into the library and settled by the fireplace’s flickering illumination. The flames carried no lively oranges, reds, or yellows before her. The static, fiery tongues held no warmth. Even her books provided no solace here. The spines were blank, the pages barren, and the paper chilly to the touch.

She scanned the bookcases furtively, desperate for some relief in her bleak gray prison. As if borne of her desperation, a simple picture book, much like the ones for foals, caught her eye. Twilight would have balked at having to read such simple material, but at this point anything was better than empty titles and blank pages.

Twilight reached out with her magic to grip the book which rested on the top shelf, but to her dismay it seemed this world dispensed with magic as well. Despondent, Twilight sighed and smashed her body against the bookcase. The small tome shifted a few inches from the edge. After repeated attempts, the book finally relinquished its position atop the shelf and landed painfully on Twilight’s head.

Slightly bruised, but beyond caring, the unicorn flipped the book open in vain. This wasn’t a book at all. Just picture after picture. Wordless. Barren of knowledge.. As Twilight reviewed each picture, she realized something wasn’t right. Instead of flat dullness, each picture only brought pain, a stinging sensation in her heart which she couldn’t explain.

A laughing mare rolling in the grass with another.

A sleepy mare snuggling up close to another, a contented look upon her features.

A jubilant mare looking up at the sky next to another, a smile clear upon her face.

Page after page, all these pictures harbored some sense of familiarity. Twilight realized that these were of her. But what about the other mare? She focused on the grainy face, those determined looking eyes, that proud smile. A sense of safety permeated from her features.

Suddenly, Twilight felt warmth trickling down her cheeks onto the picture book. Each warm droplet splashing down muddied the pictures and blurred her vision. Even through her compromised vision, she realized she could see one thing: a magnificent pair of cerise eyes -- so determined and dedicated -- just for her. She turned rapidly away from the picture book and rushed outside underneath the dreary, empty sky.

She threw her head back and screamed at the world for its cruelty. She screamed of her loneliness. She screamed for her mistake. She screamed for Rainbow. But as the tears streamed down her face, she could make out the tiniest speck of light on the horizon. She followed it with her eyes: a beautiful streak of color cut across the sky and through the clouds right to her.

As it approached, it exploded into a concentric circle of color blasting the gray away from the world around her. The sky turned a magnificent shade of blue, the grass glimmered with green, the sun shone brightly, and the land swelled with autumn hues of orange and gold. She pulled herself onto her hind legs and cried out toward the streak of rainbow across the sky, “Rainbow Dash! I love you!”

“I know you do, Twi,” came the response. Twilight’s tear-streaked eyes snapped open. She shoved away the blankets around her...and her gaze met that same pair of beautiful cerise orbs from her dream.

Twilight gasped in a mixture of elation and shock as she threw her forelegs around the owner of those beautiful eyes. She pressed her face into that prismatic mane of color, beauty, and life. “Oh, Dash...I’m so sorry,” she cried. “I can’t be happy without you. Life is colorless without you. Please don’t go away!” As she cried, she squeezed her forelegs tightly around the cyan mare in a moment of relief lasting for a lifetime.

“Don’t be sorry, Twi,” Dash choked out. The sudden outpouring of emotion threatened to overwhelm the usually indomitable and brash pegasus. “I couldn’t be happy without you either. That’s why I never left. When I heard you cry for me, I came back upstairs for you.”

Twilight nodded against Dash’s shoulder, still unable to control her sobs. “Why...why didn’t you leave when I asked you to?” She had to know if this was real and if Dash reciprocated her undying care.

“That’s simple, Twi. It’s because you have my heart, my soul, and...” Dash paused. She swallowed past a lump in her throat and flared her wings dramatically before they wrapped comfortably around her crying mare. “... because you’re my Twi.”

The purple unicorn choked back her tears and pulled away so she could gaze into those beautiful cerise orbs she had fallen in love with. In them she could see the loyalty and the love she yearned for. More importantly, she saw the truth: everything she would ever want, and everything she would ever need to be happy. Satisfied, she allowed herself to close her eyes and pressed forward for a kiss which was tenderly returned. As the pegasus showered her with affection, a single, soothing thought floated through her mind: Buck the world. I have all the happiness I would ever want. And she’s right here in my arms.

~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks for reading everyone. I hope I can be excused for the touch of Twilight paranoia, I had an idea of Rainbow always being there for Twilight, so I had to introduce some form of conflict. My previous scenes have had no conflict at all, so I hope it wasn’t too awful.

Also, more scenes! I’m trying to develop my abilities to carry a chapter a little further beyond a single scene. Any critique is appreciated. And as always, I would like to thank my beloved editor who makes these stories possible.

Beneath the Starry Sky

A Twilightful Dash of Caprice ~ Beneath the Starry Sky

A prismatic streak of color raced across the sky on the outskirts of Ponyville. Rainbow Dash was in her element as she soared through the springtime air. Each powerful wingstroke from the pegasus filled her mind with boundless joy and elation. This was what Rainbow lived for. Even if nothing else exciting happened for the rest of the day, she would have her flight. But today was special: far below her, a certain unicorn rested comfortably in the grass.

Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow played the name through her head as she casually shaped a particularly fluffy cloud to resemble her likeness. The unicorn was a bit of an enigma to the pegasus—for all of her abilities and intelligence, Twilight never seemed to be willing to show them off. Instead, the purple mare opted to quietly study in her library all day, and it was only when there was some established social get-together did she pull herself from her books and reports to partake in the festivities.

Today was no exception for Twilight. Rainbow arrived mid-morning after her customary nap from an intense half-hour of actual weather patrol work. Her natural talents made work fast and boring which in turn allowed even more time for pranking, napping, and all things flying. Normally, Rainbow would seek out Fluttershy’s company for her daily practice sessions, but her usual audience was busy dealing with an outbreak of bunny-flu. Rainbow’s other friends were equally occupied: Applejack with springtime crop tending, Pinkie with a large baking order, and Rarity with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. This left the bookish unicorn as Rainbow’s only possible chance at an audience.

“Absolutely not,” Twilight had stated firmly, adding, “I have a lot of studying to do, and if I don’t complete this book I won’t be suitably prepared when night comes around.” Even after explaining her reasons, Twilight still seemed uncomfortable with denying her friend’s request. The look of disappointment on Rainbow’s face didn’t make the refusal any easier.

As much as she prepared for such an outcome, Rainbow still couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea that a book could be more awesome than her flying. Twilight was going to come and watch her practice today even if she had to forcibly shove the unicorn from the library to the grassy fields west of Ponyville. “Twilight. You’ve been in this library for two weeks, you need fresh air, you need sunshine, and most of all, you need to some social interaction!”

Twilight checked off each of the reasons Rainbow had listed. It was true that she hadn’t really been out in over two weeks beyond acquiring food and a party nine days ago. She was comfortable surrounded by her books, but fresh air did have it’s appeal. Besides, the sunshine outside seemed rather appealing.

She sighed with resignation. Rainbow was right. She should get out more, and today was a good opportunity to do so. “Fine,” she stated plainly and gathered up her book, notepad, quill and inkpot.

“What’s all that for?” Rainbow looked at the items floating into a saddlebag as it was unceremoniously placed over Twilight’s back.

“I said I needed to finish this book, but I can do it outside.” Twilight stepped out of the library and prodded Rainbow with a hoof. “I’m not letting fresh air and sunshine get in the way of my schedule. This just happens to be a convenient way to handle a few things at once.”

But how are you going to watch me if you’re reading? Rainbow shrugged off the brief flicker of concern. At least Twilight was going to come and keep her company. She decided it was enough for now.

The trip to her usual practice field took an eternity for Rainbow. It didn’t help that the unicorn tagging along, forcibly, spent most of the time with her face buried in a book levitated in front of her. Rainbow’s best attempts to make conversation met with little success. Every time her eyes met Twilight’s, the unicorn would quickly look away leaving Rainbow completely befuddled.

“Twilight, mind if I do a few tricks while you walk?” The question was accompanied by a prod to the shoulder.

“Mm...no...” Twilight mumbled incoherently while she hid her face from Rainbow in the mysterious tome of knowledge.

Rainbow needed no further bidding. She launched herself into the sky doing twists and loop-de-loops as she pleased. She realized the thought of having a singular audience was almost as good as having an actual audience, perhaps even better. It turned into a game where the objective was to fly as close as possible to Twilight in an attempt to catch her attention. It worked: Twilight was watching, as much as she tried to focus on reading.

By the time the two of them finally reached the practice field, Rainbow was ready for a nap. Normally a half-hour practice session would barely phase her, but today was different. She tried every single trick she knew, and tried to pull them off under tighter restraints in an attempt to catch Twilight’s attention. As Twilight settled into the grassy field with her book before her, Rainbow landed next to her, panting slightly.

“Phew, I haven’t flown so many tricks in a row in ages. I need a nap.” She fell over onto her back with her wings splayed looking up at the cloudy skies.

“Go right ahead Rainbow. Just try not to snore,” Twilight responded calmly while turning the page of her book.

“You got it, Twilight.” Rainbow wasn’t actually sure how she would keep herself from snoring, but she figured she’d get prodded awake if she did actually snore.

Sure enough, the gentle prodding of a hoof against her chest woke her from her slumber. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked around trying to get her bearings. “What...what’s going on? Where am I?”

“You’re laying in a field. You were flying around like a maniac earlier and ended up taking a nap.” Twilight sighed and looked up at the sky as if seeking patience from the heavens. “A nap which turned into a full blown snooze. It’s almost dark out now!”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to sleep that long.”

Twilight shook her head and smiled, “Don’t worry about it, Rainbow. I had my book with me. so my day was perfectly productive.” She flourished several pages of notes in front of the pegasus’s face. “See? I have pages of notes on a very interesting topic.” She grinned and winked.

“But... I was going to show...wait, very interesting?” Rainbow leaned closer trying to read the contents of the notes floating inches from her face. “What kind of interesting?” The notes de-materialized suddenly with a bright purple flash. “Woah! What could be so interesting yet so secret you’re going to hide it?”

“That...” Twilight smiled coyly, “is a secret.”

“Oh, that’s not going to fly, girl! Not with Rainbow Danger Dash!” The element of surprise was on her side as she tackled the unicorn, her hooves searching over Twilight’s body for points of weakness. “Gotcha! Are you going to spill the beans?”

“Never! Bring it on, featherbrain!” Twilight retaliated with precision, her hooves seeking out the pegasus’s sides. “A researcher will always defend her research! You won’t be able to break me!”

“We’ll see about that, egghead! It’s time to bring out the big guns.” Rainbow flared her wings and used their full span to stroke along Twilight’s sides. “You better tap out fast!”

“N...never!” Twilight’s horn flared surrounding Rainbow in a purple glow. “I have big guns, too!” She levitated Rainbow Dash in front of her and flipped her around. “I’ve heard pegasus wings are very sensitive at the base. What do you think? Should I conduct a personal investigation?”

“You keep your hooves off me!” Rainbow struggled against the magical bonds, her body tensing and heaving with exertion as she tried to break free. “You may have me in your grasp, but you’ll regret the day you touch my wings!”

“I’m afraid it’s too late for you, Ms. Rainbow Danger Dash. You see, I’ve already won!” Twilight did her best impression of an evil cackle as her hooves sunk into Rainbow’s back rubbing along the base of her wings furiously. The pegasus squirmed insolently within her grasp.

“Ah...Twilight, s-stop it! I...that feels funny...don’t do that!”

The jovial nature of the ponyplay crumbled around them. Twilight abruptly released Rainbow, who fell to the ground with a thump. “Rainbow...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to...” Twilight sighed and turned away, burying her head in her hooves.

“Hey...don’t do that.” A hoof gently rested upon Twilight’s shoulder stroking along her back. Wow...her fur is so soft, why didn’t I notice it before? What a weird thing to think. Rainbow cleared her thoughts and refocused on the distraught unicorn. “You were just playing around, we both were. I’m fine.”

Rainbow trotted over in front of Twilight and gently nudged her hooves away with her own so she could look Twilight in the eyes. She wasn’t prepared to see such deep pools of purple tinged with guilt. “Twilight...look, I’m fine, see?” She brought a hoof up to Twilight’s face slowly and gently wiped away the lingering tears at the corner of each eye. “You didn’t do anything wrong, we were just having fun together. I love fun things.”

“But I...”

A hoof interrupted her. “Twilight, stop worrying about it. You’re gonna stress me out.” Rainbow sighed. This is my fault. I shouldn’t have jumped her like that. What came over me? “C’mere...” Rainbow tugged Twilight into a hug and squeezed her tightly within her hooves. “I’m fine, okay? It’s been an awesome day with you today, let’s not get all sad.”

Twilight sniffed in response.

Maybe if I say something nice, she’ll snap out of it. Think Rainbow think... “You look nice in the moonlight.” Wait, what? What was that?

“Thanks, Rainbow...though, I know what you’re trying to do.”

“It’s working, right?” Rainbow smiled as widely as she could at Twilight.

“Well...” Twilight realized that Rainbow had the goofiest looking smile on her face. It was borderline creepy, actually. “Yes, but only from you, Rainbow.”

“Yes!” Rainbow leapt into the air doing a flip. “I never let my friends down!”

“Even if you’re a little brash and forceful at times.”

“Hey! That’s my endearing side.” Rainbow looked away from Twilight and pawed at the ground with her hoof. “I just can’t help the way I express my affection.”

“I didn’t say it was bad.” Twilight sided up to Rainbow and nuzzled her cheek gently. “It certainly is effective given the circumstances.”

“Yeah, but only after I upset you.” Rainbow stomped the ground and looked up at the sky. “Stay here, Twilight. I’ll be right back.” Her wings flared wide and a powerful beat of her wings launched her into the night sky.

Well. There she goes. Twilight sat quietly in the grass and waited for Rainbow’s return. If she could figure out what Rainbow was thinking, it would make everything so much easier. Instead Rainbow kept throwing her off by alternating her behavior between brash and sensitive.

A breeze overhead pulled her from her thoughts as she involuntarily glanced upward to see Rainbow hovering just above with a basket clutched firmly within her mouth. She landed and spread the contents of the basket out before Twilight. “I grabbed a few things quickly from Pinkie. Everything we need for a picnic.”

Twilight blinked and smiled at Rainbow. “You do know it’s a little past the normal picnic time, right?” The question was actually rhetorical at this point, she just wanted to buy herself some time to figure out why Rainbow was suddenly being...less brash than usual. Well, there goes that theory. That’s two sensitive things at in a row. Though she’s pretty much forcing a picnic on me. What does that qualify as?

As Twilight mused over whatever ulterior motives her friend might have, she watched Rainbow try to lay out a blanket. But for whatever reason, the blanket always ended up rumpled from too much force one direction or the other. Smiling ever so slightly to herself, she channeled a little concentration to her horn and straightened out the cloth so it laid neatly on the grass.

“Thanks...” Rainbow muttered quietly and looked away toward the picnic basket.

Twilight giggled a little and crawled onto the blanket. “You’re welcome, Rainbow. Thanks for getting all of this. The blanket will be nice when the cool breeze at night rolls in.”

“Mm-hmm,” came the muffled reply as Rainbow lifted the picnic basket onto the blanket. Removing the handles of the basket from her mouth, she flipped open the wicker container and pulled out half-a-dozen sandwiches, juice, and a couple of cookies.

“Wow, those sandwiches look delicious. I’m not sure if we can finish all of them between ourselves, though.”

“Heh, when you do as much flying as I do, six sandwiches is nothing!” Rainbow nosed a sandwich over to Twilight before grabbing one herself.

“As much as sandwiches by the moonlight is nice, I can barely see anything. Let me get a fire going.” Twilight lit her horn, and a few minutes later they were in possession of a crackling fire surrounded by a ring of rocks. Positioning her back to the warm flames, Twilight turned and smiled at Rainbow.

Sandwich forgotten, Rainbow found herself unable to tear her vision away from the pony in front of her. Somehow, this moment with Twilight filled her with a sense of ease and serenity she thought was only possible during her solitary flights late at night. Perhaps it was the soft orange glow of the fire reflecting off Twilight’s lightly groomed coat. It might’ve been the sparkling golden embers rising into the night contrasted by the glimmering stars in the background. Whatever it was, Rainbow found herself captivated like a moth to a flame.

“How’s the fire, Rainbow?” Twilight asked quietly.

“Beautiful,” Rainbow mumbled out quietly.

Twilight giggled again and levitated a sandwich to her lips. “When you say it like that, it makes it sound like you’ve never seen fire before.”

“What? Of course I’ve seen fire before!” Rainbow took a bite of her sandwich hastily and tried not to blush. Swallowing, she shrugged casually and looked up at the sky. “It’s pretty cool that you can put together a campfire like that.”

“Thanks, Rainbow. It’s the least I could do after you flew all these picnic items out here for us.”

“No problem. How’s your sandwich?”

“Great! How did you know I liked daisy and daffodil sandwiches?”

“Well...” Rainbow finished off her first sandwich and grabbed another one. “Do you remember when you got those tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala? I might’ve overheard your order.”

“Rainbow...” Twilight shook her head in amazement. “That was a long time ago. I’m surprised you remembered.”

“Huh... you’re right. I’m surprised I remembered too. Still, daisy and daffodil is delicious.”

“Mmmph,” Twilight agreed with her mouth full, nodding her head.

By the time they were done eating, Rainbow was completely stuffed. She rolled over onto her back and stared up at the night sky. “So, Twilight. What was that book about? I know it’s a secret, but it’s not like you Pinkie-promised not to tell.”

“What’s got you so interested all of a sudden, Rainbow? I never took you for the inquisitive type.” Twilight scooted over and laid down next to the pegasus, her eyes cast skyward toward the multitude of stars dotted above them.

“And I’m not! I’m just curious about what’s so interesting in a book that you barely watch my tricks.”

“Oh...afraid that something is going to outshine you?”

“What? Of course not! No way a book could outshine me.” Rainbow tapped herself on the chest with her forehoof.

Twilight giggled and turned her head to look at Rainbow at her side. “That’s probably true, though the contents of the book just might. Would you like to see?”

Through narrowed eyes, Rainbow seized Twilight up. “I don’t know, Twilight. It’s not boring, is it?”

“I don’t find it boring. Plus, it’s up in the sky if it makes you feel any better.”

Rainbow sighed and stretched out her limbs. “Mm, fine. I don’t really feel like moving anyways after all that food. But if it’s boring, you owe me.”

Twilight nodded. “Deal.”

“So...what exactly are we waiting for then?”

“Huh? Oh, we’re waiting for our eyes. I just put the fire so it might take a bit for our eyes to adjust.”

“Adjust to what?”

“The night sky. Just look up and try not to focus too hard.”

“Okay.”

Rainbow relaxed her body and cast her eyes upward. The canvas of the night rolled forth before her and delicate bright brushes of light dotted the endless sheet with countless stars. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, the stars gave way to soft white glow of billions of stars illuminating the darkness in one cohesive effort. As stunning as all this was, what was the most amazing was the fact she never noticed. She flew at night all the time, but she never took the time to look.

“Wow...” Twilight softly gasped out.

Rainbow looked to her side, expecting to see Twilight equally bedazzled by the night-time show. Instead, she found Twilight staring intently at her. Blushing, she looked away and returned her vision to the stars above her.

“Rainbow, I didn’t take you for a star-gazer,” Twilight teased.

“I’m not! I was just caught by surprise by all the stars.”

“Mmhmm...” Twilight agreed with just a touch of smugness in her voice.

“Arg, fine. If you hadn’t asked me to stay and look, I never would have noticed. So...thanks. It’s cool, I guess.”

“Wow, I’d never expected to hear that from you, Rainbow. Would you like me to point out some constellations unique to the spring season?”

“Sure.” Rainbow rolled her eyes as Twilight squealed in delight. Relaxing back into the blanket, she let her eyes wander the skies as Twilight guided them through the cosmos, pointing from one brilliant pattern of stars to another.

“...and this star here is a very unique one. Because of where it’s at, the light it gives off often gets discolored and changed by those around it. So early stargazers called it the all-color star. But, once a year, the angle is just right and we can see it for exactly what it is.”

The star glittered brightly with a pure soft blue hue.

Rainbow admired the star she was directed to by Twilight’s outstretched hoof, but something didn’t seem quite right. Suddenly, it clicked. “That’s it? You spent all day reading about stars and wouldn’t tell me?”

Twilight blushed and rubbed her hooves together nervously. “Well, I thought you might find it boring. Remember when I told you I read a book about running and you fell over laughing?”

“Yeah, but this is different! The stars are nice, but I dragged you out here because I wanted to hang out with you and show off my tricks. It doesn’t matter if you like reading about stars.”

“Oh...Oh!” Twilight brightened significantly and reached her hoof out over to Rainbow’s. “So, does that mean you’d like to go stargazing with me next week?”

Rainbow grasped the hoof and squeezed it with a smile. “I’d love to, Twi. Though, you’re responsible for the picnic next time.”

“You got it, Dashie. I’ll be more than happy to.”

Twily by AeronJVL (used with permission)

Author's Note

This was an incredible journey and I never expected to make it. When I first started these to practice writing and explore TwiDash back in September I thought I would end up with a lot of these. Instead, I got caught up in other projects and this chapter was left unfinished for ten months. I’ve done the best I can to clean up my older style to match my newer style so hopefully the read wasn’t too jarring.

For all of you who stuck around and waited for another chapter. Thank you so very much, you’re part of the reason why I started writing in the first place. Twilightful's reception was quiet, but it was also very warm and encouraging. Without it, I’m not sure I could have moved forward at all.

It’s a little sad, but I’ll be wrapping up Twilightful with this chapter. I’ve explored just about everything I’ve wanted to with these chapters. If I do any more writing experiments they’ll be found in Breaches of Peace.

Once again, thank you all and I wish you all the very best.