The rhythmic sound of glass being tapped on cursed perpetual silence, a seldom backtrack that filled the few perked ears of a sparsely occupied Sugarcube Corner.

"Rainbow Dash, would you please stop doing that?"

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, her hoof rising in tandem as it once again clinked with its empty, make-shift instrument. Her cyan chin still lazily pressed against round tabletop, not moving an inch.

"Must you annoy others as a way to cure your own boredom?" Rarity questioned, already knowing the answer. She lit her horn, grabbing the empty glass in her magic only to slide it just out of reach from the overgrown foal sitting across from her.

Rainbow let out a groan, it's translation being a half-baked attempt at an apology. She begrudgingly lifted her head up, wiping her mouth with the back of her foreleg while stealing yet another glance at the clock that's been silently taunting her for the past 2 hours.

Of course, she didn't have to stare at it anymore, all it did was jam that metaphorical spoon of her own medicine further down her throat via purple magic, but every audible tick that emanated from the damn thing made her want to throw her instrument at it.

She had made a promise. A promise that she intended to keep.

"Any pony order a cupcake pick-me-up!?" Blared Pinkie, emerging from the kitchen door with a tray full of cupcakes; balancing without the help of physics or thermodynamics on her back.

Rarity secretly eyed the tray of cupcakes in her peripheral. "Do remind me again dear, why is it you've been here since quarter past 10 in the morning?"

Rainbow felt her chin fall yet again toward the most uncomfortable napping spot she's had all week, connecting to the tabletop with a solid thump. "I.. I promised Twilight I'd be here.."

"Um— w-why..? I-If you don't mind me asking.." Fluttershy quietly piped up, her wings wrapping around a sleeved, hot cup of freshly made tea.

"Yeah, Dashie! I never get to feed you cupcakes this early!" Pinkie half complained, half rejoiced, sliding the tray of cupcakes onto the only occupied table.

"Pinkie, darling.. Wouldn't you agree that it's a bit early for cupcakes?" Rarity once again lit her horn, completely ignoring her own vague advice grabbing a lightly sprinkled, heavily frosted cupcake off the tray.

"Of course not, silly! These are breakfast cupcakes!"

Rarity opened her mouth to counter what she just heard, but her mind was officially drawing blanks.

Rainbow, completely ignoring the conversation flowing into one ear and out the other, eyed the door that had yet to reveal the purple Alicorn behind it. It was funny, how afraid you could get over an inanimate object, said door scaring her just as much as the mare who had yet to walk though was and it was driving her mad.

If it was torture Twilight was after, she was managing to pull it off without even trying.

Rarity took a careful bite of her 'breakfast' cupcake, her eyes darting between both the door Rainbow was staring at and an equally confused Fluttershy sitting beside her.

"Rainbow, would you being here happen to have anything to do with my little Opal last night?"

Rainbow ripped her eyes from the unmoving door, tentatively moving her chin to rest straight ahead at an eerily smiling Rarity. "What gave you that idea..?"

"Perhaps it's the fact that you're here, regardless if Twilight asked you to come or not, both you and Applejack almost always refuse to show up to our morning get togethers." Rarity took a proud, audible sip of her own tea. "Though I will say I've managed to sway Applejack into showing up every now and then, but you..?"

Rarity eyed over the cyan mare now sitting rather uncomfortably before her. "One can easily see why I would connect such a parallel.."

Rainbow grumbled, sitting up straight, her back cracking from the sudden posture change. She eyed the 3 mares across from her, the sudden logic bomb shooting shrapnel at her from across the table becoming annoyingly accurate. "Look, I appreciate you girls trying to help, but believe me.. Nothing is ever that simple when it comes to Twilight.."

She let her head fall backward this time, her patented ceiling stare becoming a staple move as she grabbed a cupcake within her wing. She lazily took a bite, her cupcake pick-me-up not exactly helping her current situation.

"Quite the hoof-full to handle, is she?" Rarity murmured across the table.

"Who's quite the hoof-full?"

Rainbow immediately began choking on her cupcake, flinging her head forward like a faulty pendulum, her hoof instinctively reaching out to catch the half chewed ball of sugary goodness flying out of her mouth like a rocket. She felt her ears swiveling toward the voice that resonated beside Rarity, her eyes staring at the ghost that had suddenly appeared past its due-date.

"Aha! Twilight, darling, so wonderful of you to finally join us!"

Twilight flashed an apologetic smile around the table, bemusingly locking her eyes onto the prismatic mare currently coughing up a hairball. "What's wrong with her?"

Rarity gave a sly smirk at that. "If only we knew.."

Twilight shook her head, walking around the table to sit next to the still spluttering prismatic Pegasus. "Well.. I'm sorry I'm late, I got a bit distracted before leaving this morning, I definitely lost track of time.."

"Oh, n-no need to apologize, Twilight." Fluttershy reassured.

"Yes, darling, it's quite alright. Our dear Rainbow here has been perfectly behaved the whole time."

Twilight felt her eyes narrowing, darting between all parties around the table. "The whole time?"

She heard Rainbow violently clear her throat, her vision locking on a cyan face of what could only be described as both fear and relief. "Rainbow? How long have you been he—"

"Twilight! Is it true that you missed out on a date with Dashie last night?!" Pinkie all but stated as factual for all to hear, popping up behind Twilight while grabbing a cupcake in her hoof, eating it with one big bite.

Twilight manually blinked, Pinkie's words reverberating around her head like a broken record. "I-I.. What..?"

Rarity smirked, eyeing Rainbow though her peripheral who was staring directly at Twilight's side profile, clearly deep in thought. She leaned in towards Fluttershy, a devious smile adorning white. "I think I know what's going on here.."

Fluttershy leaned in to meet Rarity, earning a confused stare from the Alicorn now sat at the table with them. "Are you s-sure you want to get in the middle of this..?"

Rarity winked at the nervous Pegasus, leaning back and adjusting her posture to be proper. "I think what Pinkie is trying to say is; Rainbow was just telling us about how badly she messed up last night.. Isn't that right, Rainbow, dear?"

Twilight waved a hoof in front of the cyan face still staring directly at her. "Dash..? What's gotten into you this morning?"

Rainbow didn't budge at being addressed. She was too busy remembering, thinking about the promise she made to be here, and how Twilight was late even though she made her promise to be on time.. It was all too perfect, and she knew Twilight asking her to be here last night was fishy, almost as if this was one of Twilight's tests.

Of course, by now she was intimately familiar with said tests, this test being a runoff from what she flew into last night. All she had to do was once again beat Twilight to the inevitable punchline.

"Rainbow. Are you alri—"

"Twilight, I know I messed up last night!" Rainbow suddenly blurted out, earning a surprised look from not only the mare next to her, but from all the mares around the nearly empty room. "I should have— I could have easily told you what I got roped into, that flight would have taken me less than 10 seconds flat, but I didn't and I ruined a perfect night..!" Rainbow launched herself from her chair, the sound of wood skidding against wood echoing into many perked ears. "Twilight, I promise I'm going to make it up to you. Starting right now!"

Within seconds Twilight watched Rainbow take off toward the front door, leaving her dumbfounded and frozen utter confusion. She sat back in her chair, eyeing the oddly specific faces her friends were making.

"Rarity...?"

Rarity raised her forelegs above her head in defense for as long as Twilight stared at her. "Oh shush now, I did nothing!" She chirped, taking a sip of her now luke-warm tea.

Twilight shook her head, a small grin replacing the confused stare that felt so normal this morning. She hovered a cupcake off the tray before her, taking a bite into it with a soft moan of approval.

"I do apologize, Twilight, for last night..?" Rarity quickly chimed in. "My little Opal doesn't usually go missing for that long, but if I had have known stopping Rainbow would have ruined such a night between you two.."

Twilight dismissed Rarity's apology. "You didn't know, there's no need to apologize, Rarity." Twilight flashed a genuine smile. "Besides, I was planning on giving Rainbow another chance today, though it seems that Rainbow has taken it upon herself without me saying anything.."

Rarity gave a knowing smile toward both Fluttershy and Twilight. "The poor mare had her eyes locked onto that front door almost all morning, I was certain she was going to hoof the clock off the wall at one point.."

Twilight chuckled slightly at that.

"Um.. W-where do you think she went in such a hurry?" Fluttershy curiously questioned.

Twilight shrugged, genuine curiosity lighting a small fire in her eyes as she eyed the front door, much like Rainbow apparently did for her. "I'm.. Honestly not sure. Rainbow can be very unpredictable at times." Twilight grabbed another cupcake in her magic, the sudden need to stress eat overtaking refined judgement. "Nothing is ever straightforward when it comes to that mare.."

Rarity audibly chuckled at that, they really were rubbing off on each other more than they cared to admit.

"Any particular reason as to why you were so late today..?" Rarity edged on.

Twilight flashed an innocent smile. "I was.. Studying..?"

"I-I'm sorry— could you repeat that darling?"

She kept her innocence going. "It was for a good reason! There was something that I wanted to try with Rainbow today, but now I'm not sure if that's even possible.." Twilight admitted, a hint of worry echoing within her voice.

Rarity raised a slightly concerned, curious eyebrow at the mares before her. "Twilight, darling, what exactly were you planning on doing today?"

Twilight went to open her mouth, her answer to the loaded question Rarity just asked being ready to fire. But before a word could escape her throat her attention was ripped towards the front door of Sugarcube Corner having been slammed open, revealing a cyan Pegasus breathing slightly heavy with a rushed look on her face.

"Twilight! I need you to come with me!" Rainbow shouted, immediately taking notice to the 4 sets of eyes staring directly at her. "Eheh! Quickly..!"

Twilight felt her cheeks turning red as her friend's suddenly landed their curious vision on her. She felt herself slowly sinking down into her chair in growing embarrassment, her own lip biting stare directed apologetically at her friend's.

Her 3 friend's who were seemingly loving every second of this.

"Twilight! I'm not kidding, we kinda need to get going..!" Rainbow stated, rushing in to get Twilight on her hooves.

"A-alright!" Twilight let out a surprise yelp, looking back at her friends as she was practically stolen out of the bakery, an apparent kidnapping happening before every pony's very eyes.

"Iguessilltellyouafte—!"

Rainbow swiftly landed onto uncut grass, being careful of the mare currently clutching her chest, flapping her wings a couple more times for good measure. The flight into open field was fast, familiar barns and orchards whizzing past eagled vision as the mare she stole clung to her for dear life.

Of course, there was no way in Equestria she was ever going to drop Twilight.

Rainbow peered down, feeling Twilight gingerly let go of her to flush purple into green. Her eyes eagerly connect with widened, dilated pupils—a blush of equal pigment staining both their cheeks.

"You alright down there, Twi?"

"R-Rainbow! That was—"

"—totally embarrassing?" Rainbow quickly finished.

Twilight suddenly burst out laughing, her eyes shutting as she rested her forelegs onto her stomach. She felt a wingtip not her own wipe the rogue tear falling out of her eye, reopening them to watch her kidnapper gingerly step over her.

"C'mon, Twi! We better go or we're gunna be late.."

Twilight upside-down eyed the familiar architecture of Ponyville's train station, her eyes narrowing as she gingerly flipped herself onto her stomach. "So that's where you flew off too in such a hurry?"

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a wing. "Heh, Yeah. It's, uh, kinda why I had to kidnap you back there.. Our train leaves in probably less than 10 minutes now."

Twilight felt her exposed belly rub against the grass, raising herself up with a questioning glance directed at Rainbow. "But why land us all the way out here?"

Rainbow took flight, hovering circles above Twilight with a questioning eyebrow raised. "Did you really want me to drop you belly up in front of every pony in Ponyville?" Rainbow genuinely, curiously, asked. "Now get those beautiful wings up here!"

Rainbow swiftly flew directly into Twilight's face, flashing her a grin that she knew Twilight saw all too often. "Unless you want me to carry you again..?"

Twilight bit her cheek, the temptation to take Rainbow up on that offer being higher than the prismatic mare probably thought. She spread her 'beautiful' wings, giving them a quick stretch before taking flight herself, matching Rainbow's hovering state.

"Where exactly are you planning on taking me at almost 1 in the afternoon?" Twilight asked, picking up speed as Rainbow shot ahead.

Rainbow flipped herself over, moving to fly upside down directly over Twilight, their eyes connecting. "I'm gonna let you figure that one out yourself, Twi." She teased, shooting Twilight a raspberry before propelling forward once more, all but disappearing behind an elongated rainbow trail.

Twilight shook her head, not even sure why she bothered asking the mare in the first place. She quickly sped up, not quite matching Rainbow's increased speed, but still managing to just about keep up, uneven cobblestone quickly becoming clear for searching eyes.

Upon landing next to her kidnapper, Twilight felt a confident wing drape itself around her back, a shiver shooting up her spine as sensitive cyan feathers intertwined with hers. "Well, Twi. You ready for the date you never got?"

Twilight stared at the mare currently trapping her in a wing hug. She still had no idea as to where Rainbow could possibly be taking her, and honestly she didn't exactly mind that fact. Said little factor making this whole thing all the better, a surprise to back a clearly heartfelt promise.

"Yes, Rainbow. I am ready." Twilight stated truthfully, leaning into the Pegasus without a care for who watched.

Rainbow blushed as Twilight pressed into her side, the familiar screech of the last call whistle echoing around the platform. She generously bowed, gesturing with her other wing for Twilight to step first onto their awaiting train, causing a familiar blush to stain what was once purple.

"After you, m'lady.."

Twilight jolted suddenly, her eyes snapping awake as the train briefly hammered on its brakes. Her glazed over eyes peered out the window, the sun's rays still beaming throughout the train car as arguably similar rolling hills and sprawling fields flew past recurring vision.

They were slowing down, but seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

With a drawn-out yawn, Twilight tried her best to shift her currently awkward half sitting half lying position, having a certain some pony basically use her as a make-shift mattress for nearly the entire ride. Though that didn't really surprise her, seeing as how Rainbow did wake up way earlier than usual..

"Dash..?" Twilight tried to nudge Rainbow awake, receiving nothing but a snort emanating from open maw.

"Rainbow." She tried again, putting a little more force in her nudge this time. But still, the mare causing blood circulation issues in her foreleg stayed as motionless as ever.

It seemed Sleeping Beauty wasn't waking up without true love's kiss.

Twilight smirked, extending a wingtip to lightly tickle the lifeless mare on her nose. She flashed an evil smirk, said mare suddenly sneezing herself awake while her eyes went cutely cross-eyed for but a moment.

Rainbow lightly groaned, groggily sitting up in the other direction while holding a foreleg over her eyes, peering over towards the moving head of her mattress.

"Have a good nap?" Twilight mused, taking in the messy mane that looked arguably no different from her normal style. She tried moving her lifeless limb, letting it dangle for magenta eyes to stare at, glaring at the Pegasus as if to silently say; 'look what you did to me'.

"Eh-heh.. Sorry, Twi.." Rainbow sheepishly rubbed the back of her head with a wing. "I.. You're pretty comfortable.."

Twilight giggled. "I am, am I? Well next time I get to see how comfy you are, deal?"

Rainbow accidently snorted, her still waking body already working against her, earning another giggle from the mare before her. "Yeah-yeah.."

Twilight visibly peered out the window, causing Rainbow to curiously do the same. "I was watching for about an hour before I started to doze off.. But I think I finally have an idea as to where we might be going."

Rainbow manually blinked. "An hour? How long was I asleep for?"

"Almost 2 and a half hours.." Twilight non-creepily confirmed.

Rainbow felt her eyes grow wide at that. She knew it was going to take time to bring Twilight anywhere other than Ponyville, train being the faster option when traveling this far, but she honestly forgot how long it took to go anywhere..

"So where do you think we are, Twi?" Rainbow asked, curious if Twilight actually had it right or not.

Twilight bit her lip, turning herself so she was facing Rainbow. "Well, based on the somewhat linear direction we've been traveling and for how long, combined with the recent controlled timing of the brakes, I'd make an educated guess that you're taking me to Cloudsdale?"

Rainbow groaned, the secret she was trying to keep being outed just like that. Though in the back of her mind she knew Twilight would figure it out somehow, if not just seeing it outright, dating the smartest egghead around and all..

"I knew I should have blindfolded you.." Rainbow admitted.

Twilight blushed at that, finding herself jolting forward once more as the brakes below locked, their grinding sound echoing throughout as the train slowly came to a complete stop.

"Let me ask you this then.." Rainbow started, finally leaping onto all four with an elongated stretch. "When was the last time you set hoof in Cloudsdale?" Rainbow curiously questioned.

Twilight had to stop and think about that. She had thought about it briefly while Rainbow was asleep—conversating with herself being her only real way to pass the time—seeing as how she didn't have any light reading with her.. She knew it had to have been a while, a memory of how Cloudsdale looked from an outside perspective being the only thing that stood out in a jumpstarting mind, but exactly how long was still something she couldn't quite recall.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, Twilight's cute thinking face she always pulled gracing the purple face before her. "That long, huh?"

Twilight shook her head. "I.. I really can't remember much, Rainbow."

"Y'know what? Good." Rainbow promisingly grinned, extending a wing out to graciously help Twilight to her hooves. "Since the cat's out of the bag on where we are, the least you can do is not remember the place!"

Twilight let out yet another giggle, feeling her blush deepen as purple began to once again mix with cyan. She felt her feathers grip onto Rainbow's, a familiar feeling that never got old, being gently tugged forward onto all four.

"I think I can manage that.."

Author's Note

Boom. Chapter 2 done. Done-zo... I— I got nothin this time.

Actually, wait..

Remember Rainbow's picnic basket she forgot about on that lone hill back in Ponyville? Well, it's still there. Juuuust sittin' there...

I'm ~~NOT~~ sorry for reminding you.

Chapter 3 is actively being worked on and is on the way, should be out sometime in the near future. ~~(How vague is that?)~~