The Lost Piece Of The Puzzle
A bright, sunny day in Ponyville as Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer of all Equestria, soared around the skies at top speed, illuminating a bright rainbow that followed her tracks. While mid-flight, she pondered what she was going to do today. She could do another lap around Ponyville and beat her record time, which was 10 seconds, but where was the fun in that?
Life for Rainbow Dash recently had been boring for the most part. If she wasn’t hanging around with friends or zooming across the magical blue skies, nine times out of ten she would be asleep in one of the many puffy white clouds that graced Equestria's skies. Or, at least attempting to sleep - if it weren't for her mind constantly zipping around, forming new ideas.
Rainbow Dash shook her head, realizing that her mind was once again being overtaken by her thoughts. Shifting her attention from flying around the skies, she slowed down and scanned her surroundings, her eyes quickly spotting Twilight's house from a distance.
“Maybe Twilight can help me out with my dilemma,” Rainbow mused. “But if not, then at least I can hang around with one of my friends for a bit.”
Rainbow gracefully flew downwards and gently landed on the ground, not wanting to cause a ruckus for her magically gifted friend. She tip-toed towards her door, not making a sound.
Now at her doorstep, Rainbow Dash knocked on her friend's door. She crossed her hooves, knowing Twilight all too well. She expected her to take at least around 30 seconds to respond because of her reading habits. Of course, Rainbow knew why - she had herself experienced the magic of how reading could suck her into another world. But Twilight always seemed on a level beyond her - while Dash needed specific, exciting books to live through, Twilight always seemed to melt into whatever world she was immersed in effortlessly, no matter how mundane, magical, or magnificent. She'd watch her friend's eyes following every word on the page at such a blistering rate, totally concentrated, living and breathing that world. Rainbow would be lying to herself if she didn't admit she was a little jealous of her friend's behaviour to concentrate on any and all stories.
She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard the front door open. Twilight greeted Rainbow with a warm welcoming smile.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash, what’s brought you to my doorstep today?”
Rainbow Dash returned Twilight's smile with a grin of her own. “Hey, Twilight! I was just flying around Equestria and realized that my life has been dull recently. I feel like something is missing, like a lost piece of a puzzle, and I need your help to figure out where the last piece is.”
Twilight raised a brow, trying to formulate a reasonable response. “Uhm, I'm not sure that I'm the best pony to help you out, Rainbow. Have you tried asking anypony else?”
“No, I haven’t, Twilight. I came to you first since I happened to stumble across your house.”
Twilight playfully rolled her eyes. “Typical Rainbow Dash, always seeking out the most convenient solutions,” she teased with a hint of amusement in her voice. “But I suppose I'll give it a try. Let’s see… have you considered trying something new? Maybe like a new hobby. Oh wait! I’ve got the perfect idea to spice things up for you. Here, follow me.”
Twilight led Rainbow Dash into the cozy library, a place that was filled with endless shelves of books that held various topics. Rainbow trotted behind, excitement building up in her body, wondering what Twilight had in mind.
“Alright, Rainbow Dash, hear me out. You know that you're always down for a challenge, right?”
“Heck yeah, Twilight!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Rainbow Dash is down to do anything her heart desires. What have you got planned?”
“Since you want to experience something new, how about we try something different for a change? How about we head upstairs and read together?” Twilight said confidently with her eyes closed, hoping that her friend would be ecstatic by the idea. But she opened her eyes to see Rainbow with an unimpressed look.
Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise, her expression shifting from being surprised to utter disappointment. “Reading, seriously? That’s your way of spicing things up? What’s next, writing messages to Princess Celestia?”
Twilight chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her head. “Now, now, Rainbow Dash, I know it doesn't sound interesting at first, but hear me out. Reading is a beautiful thing. It allows ponies of all ages to simply relax and take a breather from life, allowing them to focus on a story they love. Be honest with me, Rainbow, we both know that you have read the Daring Do series from start to finish at least three times by now.”
Twilight's words struck a chord in Rainbow's heart. She knew Twilight had a point, especially considering her experience with the Daring Do series. She could barely count the number of times she had binge-read the entire series from start to finish - and yet every time it was over, she always felt a sense of emptiness wash over her.
Rainbow sighed. "Yeah, Twilight, you got me there. I do love a good Daring Do story, but I wish there were more books like Daring Do out there."
“Have you ever considered writing your own Daring Do adventures?” Twilight asked, a spark of excitement flashing in her eyes as she sorted out a couple of books on the shelves.
Rainbow's ears perked at the idea. "Me writing my own stories? Uhm, I'm not sure, Twilight. I swear, I can’t focus on anything when I'm on my own. My mind just keeps drifting from one thing to another. It’s like I’m cursed or something.”
“You’re not cursed, Rainbow Dash; that’s silly,” Twilight said. “Your mind is just filled to the brim with energy and creativity, and sometimes you need to let loose with those crazy ideas of yours and put them into something productive.”
“Like reading or writing?” Rainbow asked.
“Exactly!”
“Uhm, I’m not sure, Twilight. What if I'm not good enough? What if I can't put pen to paper? What if I can’t focus on creating my own story and my mind gets the better of me, then what?” Rainbow asked, a rare sense of vulnerability on full display.
Twilight immediately stopped what she was doing and walked over to her friend; the books she was sorting out had to wait. Her friend's happiness was her top priority.
Twilight placed her hoof on Rainbow's back. “Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. You’re more than capable of writing your own stories. Creativity comes in many forms, and there's no right or wrong way of expressing it. Just remember, let your imagination run wild. If you want to write a story where Daring Do magically joins the Wonderbolts, then you can!”
Rainbow Dash smiled at Twilight's reassurance but hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should reveal to Twilight what she was going through, with the whole feeling a bit jealous over her ability to read anything at a whim.
She tilted her head upward and stared into her friend's eyes. She hated to admit it, but there was just something about Twilight that allowed her to be vulnerable around her. Maybe it was her kindness, maybe it was her great sense of understanding; she simply just didn’t know.
Twilight’s gentle gaze encouraged Rainbow Dash to open up. “Thanks, Twilight. I appreciate the support, but... I wish I could delve into any book I want without worrying about what genre it is like you do. I wish my brain could focus on words on the same level as you do. Like Twilight, I've seen you read many books while we've been together, and trust me, if I didn’t know you, I would assume that you’re the fastest reader in the world.”
“Wow, Rainbow Dash, I didn’t know you felt that way… I’m sorry, I should have seen the signs sooner, I’m—”
“Don’t blame yourself, Twilight. There's no way you could have known how I felt. To be honest, I didn’t feel this way until recently. But talking to you about it, it feels like a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”
“I'm glad that you felt comfortable enough to open up to me about this. All ponies, no matter how strong, have their own personal struggles they must overcome, and that’s one of the many lovely things about friendship: to support and love each other, no matter what.”
“Thanks, Twilight.”
“Don’t mention it, Rainbow. If you ever feel overwhelmed with writing or reading, then feel free to come to me, even if I'm in the middle of reading. I will gladly put the book down and help you. In friendship, friends always come first, no matter what comes in between us.”
Rainbow Dash felt a glimmer of hope ignite within her. The thought of heading on a new adventure not in the skies, but on the pages of her own creation intrigued her. Maybe this was the last piece of the puzzle she needed to solve her dilemma.
“You know what, Twilight? I’ll give it a shot!” Rainbow Dash declared, fluttering her wings and quickly zipping around the library. The sudden influx of wind caused many books and even some of the shelves to shake in place.
Twilight used her magic to keep everything in check while Rainbow continued to zoom around the library at top speed. However, after a while, the wind slowed down, and Twilight was greeted by the sight of Rainbow holding pen and paper.
“Now let's get this story started!”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “You could have been a bit more careful while you were flying around the place. I almost got trampled by the books I carefully organized.”
“Oops, sorry. I went a bit overboard, didn’t I?” Rainbow replied with a sheepish grin.
“Uh-huh,” Twilight said, “But don’t worry about it. To be honest, I found your excitement really cute.”
Rainbow Dash felt a faint blush appear on her cheek from Twilight's words, though she masked it with a grin. “Ha, well you know me, Twilight. I’m always going full speed ahead!”
Twilight chuckled, but couldn't help notice the faint blush that appeared on her face “Indeed, but let’s head upstairs. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned for your story!”
Twilight gestured for Rainbow Dash to follow. Rainbow nodded at Twilight, spread her wings, and followed her up the stairs. The two entered Twilight’s room, and the first thing Rainbow noticed was the weather outside. She didn’t know how long she had been in the Golden Oaks Library, but the sun that cast a warm glow over Ponyville and would have illuminated a bright, warm light into Twilight’s room was gone, replaced by a gray, murky sky.
As Rainbow got closer to the desk Twilight had directed her to, she heard a faint sound of thunder. The sudden change of weather surprised her.
“Whoa, when did it get so gloomy outside?” Rainbow asked aloud, turning to Twilight.
Twilight looked out the window, her brow furrowing slightly. “Hmm, that’s strange. The weather wasn’t scheduled to change today. That’s odd.” She shook her head, turning her full attention back to Rainbow. “However, let’s not worry about that for now. Let’s focus on you writing your own story.”
Rainbow nodded, sitting down at Twilight's desk. Even though the sudden change of weather caught her off guard, she pushed those thoughts aside. With paper in front of her and a pen in hoove, she let out a sigh.
“Well, here goes nothing,” Rainbow Dash said to herself. She stared at her page, waiting for the ideas to flow into her mind. Seconds turned into minutes, but her page was still blank.
Twilight, noticing that Rainbow was struggling, walked over and placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Dashy. The start of the story is always the hardest part. How about, instead of writing now, you give me some ideas? Trust me, Rainbow Dash, I know how it feels to have so many ideas but not be able to put them on paper.” Twilight used the magic from her horn to pull out a chair and place it next to the desk, then gathered some pieces of paper and placed them on the desk, with a pen following shortly afterward. Finally, to make herself feel more like a teacher teaching one of her students, she pulled out some glasses and wore them. “Now, let's start with the basics. What kind of story do you want to write about?”
Rainbow blushed. The sight of her friend wearing glasses, she found incredibly hot for some reason. “Um-um, what about an action story, similar to Daring Do?”
Twilight nodded, readjusting her glasses, she couldn't help but notice the sudden blush that smothered her friends face, was it something that she did? Why did the blush only appear when put on the glasses? Does rainbow think she's attractive? Maybe Twilight remembered how her friend blushed over the compliment about looking cute earlier. Her mind was going crazy, unsure if she had been overthinking things, or that she might've been onto something.
She took a deep breath before answering “That’s great, Rainbow Dash! What kind of adventure do you want your protagonist to go on?
Rainbow pondered for a moment, her tail waggling in excitement. “How about a race against time where the main character has to gather a stone that controls the weather? That would be awesome! The stone could be hidden inside a temple filled with deadly traps.”
“Sounds good. So, are you planning on using Daring Do for this story, or are you using an original character?”
“Original character for sure! She could be a female Pegasus, just like me. Her backstory will be different from mine. She will be a former Wonderbolts member turned adventurer after her original team disbanded.”
Twilight nodded. “Interesting. So, what’s the former Wonderbolt's name going to be?”
“How about… Sky Striker?”
“Sky Striker it is, then.” Twilight wrote her name down on the piece of paper. “Okay, so far we have decided that the story will be like Daring Do, the plot of the story, and the main character's name. So, Rainbow, how will the story begin?”
“Uhm,” was all that Rainbow could muster, but just like a bulb being turned on, her mind was graced with the perfect idea. “Oh! I know, I know! How about Sky Striker’s story starts at Cloudsdale, as she is flying around the place, admiring the scenery below her. But in the middle of her flight, she happens to find a mysterious letter, telling her to go to the Temple of the Eternal Dawn, where a mysterious artifact needs to be uncovered.”
“Wow Rainbow Dash, your story sounds intriguing, but can I add one thing to it?”
“Sure, what have you got planned twi?”
Twilight readjusted her glasses and smiled warmly” How about we add a twist at the beginning? How about instead of Sky Striker randomly stumbling across the letter, a peculiar mysterious figure hands her the letter, describing to her the possible danger that Clouds Dale could face if the artifact is not retrieved, adding a sense of mystery at the start of the story, which will help you and the readers be interested in sky striker’s journey.”
“Ooh, I like that, and maybe the clocked figure could be an ancient pony in the past, wait! Even better! How about the cloaked figure turns out to be one of the former Wonder Bolts members!”
"Rainbow, that's an amazing idea!" Twilight exclaimed, patting her friend on the shoulder. She placed the piece of paper with all their notes on the table and stood up from her seat. "Now with all the ideas for the story in check, feel free to go to town," Twilight said as she began her journey to her bedroom door, but she was interrupted when Rainbow Dash suddenly flew over to her, standing front of her.
Rainbow coughed into her hoof, looking like she was about to give a speech. "Twilight, I just want to say, thank you, for helping me out."
Twilight felt a sudden burning sensation on her cheeks. "Oh-oh, Rainbow Dash, i-it's nothing, don’t w-worry about it," Twilight stuttered. She didn't know why she was blushing so much, or why her mind was telling her to kiss Rainbow Dash. Everything was moving too fast. She had already noticed the faint blushes that appeared on her friend's face earlier, but now she was blushing over the simplest compliments just like her. It simply made no sense. One minute she was teaching Rainbow Dash how to write her own story, being a good friend, but then the next minute she suddenly began to feel nervous over a simple compliment. What was going on with her?
Rainbow couldn't help but grin at Twilight's flustered state. "Twilight, you’re as red as one of Applejack's apples," Rainbow joked. "But seriously, thank you for helping me out, you’re a great f—"
But as she was about to finish her sentence, she felt a soft touch on her lips. Rainbow was stunned at first; her eyes closed at the sudden contact, but she reopened them to see that Twilight Sparkle, the number one egghead in Equestria, was kissing her on the lips. Her heart raced, her wings fluttered instantly, and the kiss was warm and soft, but certainly not unwelcome. Rainbow knew deep down that there was something different about Twilight compared to any other pony. She was calm, collected, and simply outright beautiful. Rainbow couldn't believe she hadn’t realized this any sooner.
Maybe, just maybe, when she flew to Twilight’s house earlier in the day, her mind had subconsciously pushed her into this situation, pushing her to hang out with her, and maybe be something more than friends.
But now, as she stared at her friend's closed eyes, she realized that the future her mind had hidden from her was now a reality, and she loved every second of it.
Twilight took a step back, their lips parting ways. Rainbow noticed the embarrassment that was plastered all over her face. Rainbow found it cute and couldn't help but tease her.
“You okay there, Twi? I didn’t expect you surprise attack me like that.”
Twilight blushed even harder. “I’m s-sorry, Rainbow Dash, I-I didn’t mean to—”
“Relax, Twi, it's fine. Actually, it's more than fine.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” Rainbow said, her voice softening. “I’ve always admired you, Twilight. Your brains, your kindness, everything about you is perfect. I've liked you for a while, even if I didn’t realize the true extent of my feelings until today.”
Twilight felt butterflies in her stomach, surprised by Rainbow's words. “I like you too, Rainbow Dash. You’re so brave and confident. You go out of your way to protect our friends and the rest of Equestria, no matter what dire situation we're in, and that’s one of the many reasons why I love you.”
Rainbow Dash’s heart soared from Twilight's words, and she stepped forward, her wings brushing against Twilight's back. “I love you too, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, gazing into Twilight's eyes. “So, what do you say we give this a shot? You and me together?”
Twilight's hooves trembled, unsure about if she was about to make the right decision. "Rainbow, I'd love to, really, but aren't we taking this a bit too fast?"
Rainbow bit her lip, unsure how to respond. She would be lying to herself if she said she was not utterly surprised that Twilight was the one who kissed her, the one who crossed the line between friendship and lovers, not the other way around.
"Umm, maybe we are, maybe we're not, I'm not sure, Twilight. You know me very well that I don't make the smartest decisions, but you need to trust me, okay?"
Twilight nodded. Rainbow continued, "Follow your gut, Twilight, follow your heart, because if you do, you will realize if you're making the right decision or not."
Twilight looked down at the ground. This was it. A simple yes or no would change everything between the two of them. Her heart felt like it was beating a hundred miles per hour, and she simply couldn't take it anymore. She had to make a decision.
She took a step forward, placing her hooves on Rainbow's face. "Rainbow Dash," she said, "my heart for the rest of today, and hopefully for the rest of our lives, will be with you."
Rainbow didn't know what to say. She was blown away. She tried to muster up the courage to say something, but her words refused to leave her mouth. To her surprise, Twilight placed a hoof on her mouth and looked at her with a smug grin of all things.
"And you thought you were so sneaky trying to hide those blatant blushes that were on your face when I complimented you about being cute or when you blushed over the sight of me wearing glasses. Ha! It's not every day where I can make the great Rainbow Dash speechless, am I right?"
Rainbow nodded, dying from embarrassment. Twilight continued, "Because of those awful attempts to hide those feelings, I took the risk. I followed my gut, my heart, and look where that's led us both. I won't lie. One of the reasons why I love you so much is because I enjoy supporting you, helping you with reading, writing, or simply just being around you. I don't think I've ever had such a close connection to any pony like you before, Rainbow Dash."
Twilight removed her hoof from Rainbow's mouth, allowing her to speak. Rainbow tried to reply confidently but failed horribly.
"J-Jesus Christ! Was I-I that o-obvious?"
"Yep!"
Rainbow facepalmed. "Wow, I thought I was sneaky. I thought you didn't notice."
"Of course, I noticed. I'm good at noticing the little things about ponies. That's one of the many skills that I learned from reading. Noticing the little things, no matter how small, can have a huge impact and can widely impact a pony's thoughts about a certain situation."
"Okay then," Rainbow responded, impressed by Twilight's keen eye for detail. "Since we know that we both were into each other, how about I try this again? What do you say, Twilight? You and me together? Girlfriend and girlfriend?"
The smugness vanished from Twilight's face, quickly replaced with a smile that could brighten the darkest days. A single tear graced her cheek from the overwhelming happiness she was feeling. “Of course, dummy, I will gladly go out with you!"
Rainbow grinned. “Awesome! But, just for the sake of keeping things interesting, we should keep this a secret for a while. Don’t want the rest of Ponyville losing their minds over us dating now, do we?”
Twilight nodded in agreement. “Of course not. Besides, keeping it low will allow us to get a better understanding of each other without being constantly bombarded by questions.”
“Exactly!” Rainbow exclaimed. “We sure don’t want Rarity planning on making us wedding dresses already.”
Twilight giggled. “Yeah, that’s true. Knowing Rarity, if she found out we were dating, she would force us to do our vows tomorrow if she had her way.”
“Yeah, and don’t get me started on the ridiculous dresses she would make us wear. My reputation would be ruined if somepony saw me wearing a wedding dress,” Rainbow remarked sarcastically. She tilted her head to the side, noticing the small drops of rain pattering against Twilight's window. “Besides, I feel like a certain pegasus needs to get to her desk and start writing down her story. It's time for Sky Striker's story to take flight!”
Twilight laughed warmly at Rainbow's playful sarcasm. “Alright, Rainbow, go ahead and start writing. While you’re at it, I'm going to go downstairs and relax for a bit. With the events that transpired today, I need a breather.”
“Fair enough,” Rainbow replied, crossing her hooves, feeling a sense of disappointment flowing through her body, which she didn’t realize was evident all over her face.
Twilight noticed her lover's dejected face and gave Rainbow Dash a quick peck on the cheek before walking away from her. Rainbow was caught off guard by the kiss but she certainly didn’t mind it. She heard the sound of the bedroom door being opened, causing her to turn around.
“Twilight.”
“Yes, Dashy?”
“There’s just one more thing I need to say before you go.”
“And what’s that, Rainbow Dash?”
“You look hot in glasses.”
Rainbow couldn’t help but chuckle as Twilight blushed deeply, her face turning a bright shade of crimson. The lavender unicorn rolled her eyes and shook her head, her cheeks still rosy from the compliment.
“Trust me dashy, i know, and that's why I'm going to wear them whenever I'm around you” Twilight replied smugly, winking shortly afterwards “But enough teasing. Get started on your story. I will check up on you later.”
Rainbow Dash playfully saluted. “Aye aye, Captain Sparkle! Operation Sky Striker is a go!”
Twilight smiled brightly at Rainbow Dash’s over-the-top enthusiasm before leaving the room, gently closing the door as she left. The room, once enveloped in laughter and chatter, was now filled with silence, the only sound being the rain pouring against the window and Rainbow’s occasional breathing.
For what felt like minutes, Rainbow stared blankly at the door, questioning what had just transpired between the two ponies. But she was zapped out of her thoughts as the sound of thunder could be heard outside, a reminder of what she was supposed to be doing. She reluctantly turned around, flew over to the desk, and got herself comfy. She picked up her pen and wrote down everything she discussed with Twilight. The page, once blank, was now filled with ideas and the start of Sky Striker's story. Rainbow’s heart pounded with excitement. All the words that refused to appear in her mind earlier came in a breeze. Sky Striker's adventure wasn’t just an adventure for her but a new adventure for Rainbow Dash herself. The fastest flyer in all Equestria was now delving into a new adventure, which, for the first time in a while, didn’t involve the skies.
Hours went by. Rainbow was writing at the speed of a jackhammer. The hours of working finally caught up to her, and she felt a sudden sensation of pain in her hoof, signaling it was a good time to stop and relax for a bit. Letting out a sigh, she placed her pen on the table and picked up her multiple pages of work, staring proudly at them like a mother watching her foal take there first steps.
She continued to stare at her work with a proud smile, reasling that after todays events, with starting sky strikers adventure and becoming twilights sparkles girlfriend, that she had found the final piece of puzzle, she felt complete, she felt happy again.
Author's Note
I've never written ship fic, especially a ship fic involving the two characters of the same gender before, so feel free to comment on what you liked and what i can improve upon below.
i worked really hard on this, I'm going to taking a break from creating stories since I've got college stuff to focus on, so whenever i get back on the grind, i probably make a blog about it, but until that time comes, see ya later!
