Rainbow Rambles

by bats

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 27641

Rainbow's not thought about Twilight romantically before, but why not give it a shot?

Rainbow is confident and cool when faced with the prospect of dating, especially if it's just to test the waters. So why is she acting like this?

Cover Image by me. Ink and watercolor on paper, roughly 8x7.

Editing by Doctor Strangelove starting at Chapter 2, and Formerly Committed as well starting at Chapter 3.

Published 2012-10-15 08:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-11-16 07:49:20 UTC

Chapter 1

Rainbow Dash frowned. Twilight’s blush deepened and her eyes widened. She started to stammer a little before Rainbow cut her off.

“I can’t say I’ve ever thought of you that way.” Twilight’s ears drooped and she looked at the rug on the floor, her eyes feeling hot and over-bright. Before she could speak again, the cyan Pegasus continued, “I’m not saying no, so don’t get all mushy, Twi’. Let me explain.” Twilight glanced back up, her expression slightly more composed, although a small current of confusion was now running through her features. Her breathing relaxed a little.

“I say I never thought of you that way because apparently my gaydar’s a little off and I didn’t think you were into mares.” Rainbow’s smile turned into a smirk. “Sorry for making an assumption like that Twi’.” The lavender unicorn’s blush deepened a little, causing Rainbow’s smirk to grow. She continued, “I just always thought of you as a really good friend or a sister.” Twilight started to droop again before Rainbow interjected, “Hey I still haven’t said no. I’m just layin’ down my thoughts right now.”

“I thought of you like a friend who wasn’t into mares, so I didn’t really think about the possibility. I’ve been ‘round the block when it comes to straight mares, and I know from experience how uncomfortable it can be to get feelings for somepony whose brain is hardwired against the idea. It’s pretty uncomfortable, for both sides. Totally uncool. It’s been my policy since flight school to avoid making things awkward with straight mares.” Rainbow dash grinned and ran a hoof through her mane.

Twilight nodded gently and slowly, a little surprised at Rainbow’s effortless confidence talking about these sorts of things. She knew the Pegasus was more outgoing than herself, but this whole situation left her stammering and blushing like a school filly. She mentally cursed her own introverted nature. She had no idea where Dash was going yet, but the assurances had calmed her nerves enough for her to just sit and listen.

Rainbow stood up and paced a little, her grin fading as she became somewhat lost in contemplation. After a little while, she turned to face her friend and continued, “Even though I haven’t thought about it, here’s what I know. I know you’re smart. I know you’re funny. I know that we can talk about lots of different stuff and don’t get bored around each other. I know you’re awesome at magic and you’re not a big show-off about it like me.” Rainbow’s smile took on a sense of self-deprecation. Invisible strands tugged at the corners of Twilight’s mouth, pulling her into a ghost of a smile. “I also know that you’re pretty smokin’ hot.”

Twilight’s cheeks darkened considerably. She stammered out, “B-but, I thought you said you hadn’t-“

Rainbow cut her off again, smirking at Twilight’s tomato-red face. “I meant I hadn’t thought of you romantically. I’m not made of stone, Twi’. It’s not like I only check out mares I know are interested. I knew within five minutes of meeting you that I was physically attracted to you.” Twilight’s head reeled at the revelation. The room felt too warm all of a sudden. As her mind raced, Rainbow burst out laughing and collapsed on the floor, clutching her chest and waving her hind hooves in the air. “I’m sorry!” she wheezed, “It’s just-your FACE!” She got herself under control wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes, sitting up. She caught the look the unicorn was giving her and grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, I know you’re not exactly comfortable talkin’ about all this, Twi’. I’m not trying to make you feel bad.”

Twilight’s withering glare softened, changing to a look of thought before a soft blush kissed her cheeks once more. She asked Rainbow softly, “You really think I’m pretty?”

“Course I do, Twi’. There isn’t a pony in Ponyville who’d think you weren’t pretty.” Twilight’s blush deepened again and she smiled abashedly at the compliment. Rainbow smiled and stood back up, slowly trotting closer to the lavender mare. “My point is, all those things I know would be the same sorta stuff I’d be trying to find out on a first date anyway. I might not have thought about it before but I know we’re compatible. I’d have to be stupid to not say yes to a date.”

Twilight’s eyes widened and a quivering smile graced her lips. “I-I…I’m glad, Rainbow,” she stammered out, shaking a little from the rush of relief. She got herself a little more under control and cleared her throat. “So, uh…”

Rainbow smiled broadly. “How about we go for a coffee? Things go well maybe we can do dinner, too.”

Twilight blinked. “Now?”

“Sure,” Rainbow said over her shoulder, cantering towards the door. She shot Twilight a sly look, “don’t know where you’d get the idea that I’d want to go slowly.” Twilight’s face went crimson, and Rainbow barked laughter. “That’s not what I meant! Get your mind out of the gutter, Twi’!”

Twilight coughed and started giggling. Her nervousness was melting away and being replaced by elation. Her horn glowed purple as she levitated a saddle bag around her neck and she headed towards the door. “Okay, Rainbow. I’d love a coffee.”

Rainbow smiled and said, “Oh good, you can string more than four words together. Here I thought I was gonna hafta do all the talking.” Twilight giggled and shoulder-checked Rainbow playfully. The two headed down the street towards downtown Ponyville and a coffee shop.

“I must say, I’m rather impressed by you. I’ve been trying to sort out how I felt for weeks now, and you were so articulate without even trying.”

Rainbow grinned at Twilight’s words. The two sat at a small table outside a café, Twilight nursing a small cappuccino while Rainbow practically guzzled a large, sugary affair loaded with flavored syrups. The two had chatted idly about a range of topics, including Twilight’s latest studies which Rainbow only understood half of, Rainbow’s latest moves she was perfecting which Twilight barely followed at all, the newest Daring Do which they both had devoured in a day, and the latest goings on in and around Ponyville. There were some early jitters, but their conversation quickly transformed into easy-going and any lapses were comfortable and devoid of awkward embarrassment. It was a while before the conversation had shifted back to the fact that they were indeed on a date.

“Hey, I know you’re way smarter than me about a lot of stuff, but lemme guess,” Rainbow raised an eyebrow, “this is your first date huh?” Appraising Twilight’s reaction, Rainbow nodded and answered her own question. “Thought so. Hey, don’t be embarrassed, when I first met you, you weren’t really interested in regular friends, let alone romance. You’re just outta your comfort zone. Plus, you’re so quiet and…uh….Twilighty.” She finished lamely. Twilight giggled.

“The word you’re looking for is ‘introverted,’ and I guess you’re right. I was always so busy studying back in Canterlot that I didn’t really have time for friends. I didn’t really think about dating at all. I guess I thought it was something other ponies did.”

Rainbow gulped down some more of her hot, coffee-flavored milkshake. “So how come you never told anypony here you were into mares? You couldn’tve thought any of the gang would disapprove. I mean, I was already out to them before you moved in and I came out to you less than a month after we became friends.”

Twilight paused and frowned a little, not out of annoyance but from self-reflection. “I, uh, didn’t really know I was into mares until I realized I’d developed feelings for you. I guess I just hadn’t thought about it.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow quizzically. “So are you into stallions normally? That would explain my gaydar mess-up.”

Twilight chuckled. “I guess so, but to be honest I didn’t really think about stallions either. I haven’t really had feelings for anypony before.” She smiled at Dash, sipping at the dregs of her espresso cup. Her cyan date nodded a little in thought. She was happy that Twilight had loosened up and was talking more freely as their date had gone on, but was surprised that someone so prone to Twilightyness, err, introversion, had such a vague understanding of her own feelings. She felt a little out of her sorts thinking about it. Or maybe it was the way Twilight’s mane caught glints of the sun, shining deep blue flecks to dazzle her eyes that was making her feel lightheaded.

She blushed a little. To her pleasant surprise, the date was going better than she had expected. She had been honest with Twilight at the start; she had not contemplated the two of them as a couple. But as they sat and talked she was taken off-guard by how natural everything felt. She listened as Twilight related a story about a fillyhood crush she had on a colt a year ahead of her, all the while paying slightly more attention to the way the lavender mare’s eyes danced through the recollection. ‘Gosh, she’s pretty,’ Rainbow thought.

At the conclusion of her story, Twilight glanced at Rainbow. She rested her cheek on one hoof, idly running her other around the edge of her coffee cup. Her eyelids drooped down in a look of absolute contentment and a large, wobbly smile was plastered on her face. She was looking back at Twilight, but she seemed glazed over, like she wasn’t really taking anything in. Rainbow breathed deeply and let out a soft sigh. Twilight giggled. “Rainbow, you okay?”

Rainbow snapped out of her reverie. She sat up straight, her eyes flying all the way open. The sudden jerk of the motion knocked her mostly empty coffee cup over. Twilight giggled again as a red stain spread across the cyan mare’s face, dyeing her cheeks a soft purple.

“What? Oh!” Her blush deepened and she coughed nervously. “I’m fine! Just zoned out for a minute.” Twilight continued to giggle a little. ‘Smooth, Dash…’

They finished their coffees and walked back to the library. The afternoon sun was starting to swing low, casting a haze of orange across the sky. Rainbow had lapsed into silence, a small smile across her face. She kept glancing at the lavender angel walking next to her and quickly looking away. Not paying attention, her hoof caught on a rock and she pin wheeled to keep from face planting in the dirt. Twilight was gracious enough not to laugh, but had a hard time stifling her giggles as Rainbow blushed yet again and laughed nervously. Twilight turned to her as they reached the door, her expression growing a little shy once again. “So, do you want to come back inside?” Rainbow seemed to come out of the haze that had settled around her head the previous half hour and she looked up into the sky distractedly.

“Actually, I need to go think for a little while.”

Twilight’s face fell. “Oh… So no dinner then?” She ran her hoof through her hair and looked away. Rainbow flinched guiltily then quickly grinned.

“Hey, I don’t mean it like that. That went well. Honestly, it went better than I was expecting.” Twilight’s face brightened, but was marked with some confusion. Rainbow continued, “I’ve just gotta clear my head some. I’ll be back in a little while and we can go to dinner, kay?”

Twilight smiled, still looking a little confused. “Okay, Rainbow.” Her face went a little red and she looked nervous again, before quickly stepping forward and pecking Rainbow on the cheek. Losing her nerve she turned around and went inside quickly, quipping “See you in a bit,” over her shoulder. Rainbow’s eyes widened a little and she absent-mindedly raised a hoof to her cheek, feeling the raised heat of her blush. Despite herself, a dopey grin bloomed across her face.
“See you in a bit, Twilight,” she quietly stated to no one in particular, her voice cracking more than she expected. Her blush deepened and she quickly took off, spreading her wings and turning through the air in lazy circles. She spotted a nicely sized cloud to plop down on and think.

‘Okay, Rainbow. What was that all about?’ She replayed the date in her head. Despite her modestly sizable experience in the world of dating, she was kind of at a loss. ‘Why’d I keep stumbling all over myself? I feel like a school filly again!’ She sighed, remembering the way Twilight looked across the little café table from her. She felt her face grow hot, which made her jump back to her train of thought. ‘Why am I blushing so much? I never blush!’ She flopped over from lying in the cloud on her belly onto her back. “Arrgh! Why am I being so uncool right now?!” She cried out loud.

Snorting in frustration, her mind shifted to past relationships. While it was true she had done a fair share of dating, both in Ponyville and back in flight school it all seemed so incidental. She’d held a couple of marefriends here and there for a while, but they had hardly gone beyond the early dating phase. Most of them seemed to end in apathy rather than heart-break, now that she thought about it. ‘Is it just that I’ve never dated anyone that meant anything to me?’ She tried to wrap her head around that thought. ‘Does Twilight mean that much to me? I mean she’s my friend, but..’ She played through the last two years since Twilight had come to Ponyville. A rapid-fire of images played through her head. Twilight looking wind-blown after their first muddy, rainy, windy meeting. The deep connection she felt to Twilight and all of her friends when the elements of harmony were activated. Her look of exasperation whenever Rainbow careened into the library from a failed stunt. Conversation after conversation, sleep overs and picnics, laughter and hardship. Image after image played through her head as she tried to make sense of it all.

‘Okay, so I’ve grown close to Twilight. She’s one of my best friends in the world. Of course she means something to me.’ Rainbow sat up, frowning slightly. More images played through. A soft glance, a gentle smile, the slight sway of a flank. Heat rose in her cheeks. ‘Am I lying to myself?’ Frustration rose and Rainbow kicked off the cloud, spinning lazy circles through the sky. The late afternoon air cooled her face and tousled her mane. She thought about her recent dating experience, or rather her lack thereof. Since Twilight arrived, she hadn't gone out with anyone. As she thought about it, she remembered turning a couple of mares down. She remembered telling herself at the time that it was because she was so busy training, but she started to question the validity of that excuse.

All this thinking was getting to her. She was a pony of action! So, what action did she want to take? She turned through the air, flipping into some gentle barrel rolls. She quickly sped up, putting slightly more effort into her flying, zigging and zagging through the air at breakneck speeds. She closed her eyes and tried to lose herself in flying for a little while.

“SoIwaswonderingifyouwantedtogotothedancewithme?” Rainbow squeaked, glancing around the room rapidly, her eyes alighting on the object of her affection for scant seconds before leaping anywhere else, as if worried looking would cause her eyes to catch fire. The light peach filly’s face grew pink and she started looking around rapidly, too.

“I-I’m sorry Dash,” Cloudy Moon said slowly, “but I’m not into mares.” She paused awkwardly. Rainbow’s face fell. Cloudy gained control of her eyes and looked at Rainbow. She was clearly embarrassed, but Rainbow could see sadness in her expression, too. “I really am sorry, Rainbow. You’re a really nice pony.” Her nerve broke and she hurried away at a canter. Rainbow looked down at the cloudy floor, her face burning and her eyes misted with tears she willed herself to not release.

Rainbow slowed down her flight to a soft glide. The memory lead to others from that year at flight school. Cloudy Moon was one of her few friends at Flight School aside from Gilda and Fluttershy. After the embarrassing failure, the two of them avoided each other. As time marched on, they became strangers. That was a catalyst moment, Dash thought. After that, she scolded herself if she thought about straight ponies she knew and rarely initiated anything, preferring to be asked so she’d be absolutely sure the pony in question was interested in her. ‘But that’s not all, is it?’ Rainbow thought, 'Friends became taboo. I didn’t want to drift apart from anypony like I did with Cloudy.’

She re-alighted on the cloud she had taken off from, still deep in thought. Her attention turned back to Twilight. She felt like she was coming out of a fog as new memories paraded through her head. Dozens of glances quickly halted, fleeting thoughts pushed away subconsciously, fluttering butterflies ignored. Everything snapped into place. She smiled sheepishly to herself before flying back towards the library through the slowly setting sunlight, her whole body lighter than she ever remembered it being.

Twilight turned towards the door after three tentative knocks. She levitated a bookmark into place before standing from her desk and heading over to answer. She was greeted by a subdued but smiling Rainbow Dash.

“Hey, Twi’. Mind if I come in before we go to dinner? I think I have some stuff to say before we go.” Twilight’s brows knotted together anxiously, but she stood aside to let the Pegasus through. Rainbow floated over to the couch and sat on all fours. She smiled in a kind of tired way and motioned Twilight over to join her.

The lavender unicorn headed over with some uncertainty, sitting next to Rainbow. She smiled uncertainly. “Everything okay, Rainbow?”

The cyan mare inhaled deeply. “I kinda realized something about myself at the coffee place today,” she began, slowly picking up speed as she got her thoughts in order, “when I was a filly in flight school, I asked out a friend of mine out who was straight, and the two of us drifted apart from the embarrassment. Since then, I’ve had kinda a hang-up about friends. I think I may’ve had a hang-up with everypony who was interested in me, too, in case things didn’t work out and I’d lose another friend like that. I act all cool and confident about dating, but I think the longest relationship I’ve had was for a month or two.” She shuffled nervously in her seat, pulling at her mane with a hoof. “I’ve been lying to myself, so I lied to you too, Twi’, I just didn’t realize it.” She bit her lip, mulling things over.

Twilight was very still, not sure where the conversation was going. She opened her mouth to say something in the conversation pause before thinking better of it. After a moment, Rainbow continued, “when I agreed to the date I thought we’d have a good time and maybe go out a few more times, but then it’d fizzle like the others and we’d just go back to bein’ friends like most’ve my other relationships have done.” She looked up from the ground and straight at Twilight, conviction burning in her eyes. “But at the coffee place some of the stuff I’ve been hiding from myself sorta bubbled over. I do have feelings for you, Twilight. You’re this awesome, wonderful pony that’s been there for me all the time. I didn’t let myself think about it, because you’re a friend I don’t ever wanna lose, even after you said you had feelings for me.” Rainbow paused again. Twilight’s heart was soaring. “What I guess I’m getting at is I’m scared, Twi’. I don’t ever wanna lose our friendship ‘cause it means too much to me. But I don’t wanna just be friends either. I don’t know what to do, I just keep thin-”

Rainbow’s speech was interrupted by Twilight's lips. Her magenta eyes went wide before fluttering closed and she leaned into the kiss. The two pony’s lips parted and their tongues danced together, little jolts of electricity running up and down Rainbow’s spine. She reached out to the lavender mare and wrapped her hooves around her waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Fireworks went off in Rainbow’s head, obliterating her doubts. After what seemed to be ages, the two parted, breathing heavily. Rainbow’s eyes fluttered open to stare into the purple depths of Twilight’s eyes which twinkled with warmth and reflected her own longing. Clearing her throat, Rainbow managed to only pant out “Wow…”

Twilight smiled affectionately at the cyan mare. Mirth on her voice, she said, “you think too much, Rainbow.”

The two mares stood and walked towards the door. The first of many dinners together awaited.

Author’s notes: This is my first fanfiction piece in over a decade. I just got the urge to write it randomly, and I liked the idea of a bold, suave RD discovering she’s not quite as on top of this whole romance thing as she thought.

I left this as incomplete because in all honesty this was quite a bit of fun to write and I might get the urge to keep going later. If anyone has any critiques, please share; I’ve got some dragon-thick skin so feel free to shred. After all, this IS a fluff piece, can’t get too worked up about it.

Chapter 2

“SURPRISE!”

Pinkie fired the party cannon with a tug. In a bang and a wheeze, streamers and confetti settled over the library’s main hall and liberally coated both Twilight and Rainbow. Their faces shared twin reactions of confusion and surprise. In tandem they both opened their mouths to speak and were both immediately cut off by the party hats strapped onto their heads by a pink, bouncing blur.

Twilight and Rainbow were seated at the former’s desk, a forgotten book laying in front of them. They watched the rest of their friends file into the library behind the bouncing pink mare. Turning to one another, they looked pleadingly, attempting to find an answer to this situation. Finding no apparent answers, they turned back to the gathered group.

“Uhh…What’s going on?” Twilight studied the scene before her. Her friends all beamed at her, each carrying snacks or party favors as they approached the desk. Pinkie Pie disappeared in a blur, quickly hanging up a banner over the door that wasn’t quite finished unfurling before she was directly in front of the two again.

Pinkie swept the two into a bone crushing hug as she screamed, “happy one month anniversary, Twilight and Rainbow!”

Released from the pink pony’s suffocating hold, their looks of confusion deepened. “How’d you know we were dating, Pinkie?” Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane absent-mindedly.

“Oh that’s easy!” Pinkie flitted through the room, setting trays of snacks down, hanging up banners, and taking carefully aimed shots of the party cannon as she chattered. Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack sat on their haunches on the other side of Twilight’s desk, knowing it would be impossible to interrupt the flow of the rant. “A month ago, my nose twitched, then my hoof itched, then my tummy rumbled, and I sneezed, and that meant that somepony I knew was going on a date! It took me a little while to find out who, because the tummy rumble and sneeze were awfully close together, and if it happened the other way around it meant somepony was getting a colonoscopy.” Rainbow and Twilight both blinked. Applejack thought that if she didn’t know any better, the two were mirroring each other on purpose. “So I did some snooping and found out it was you two! And that meant I had to throw you a SURPRISE PARTY!”

The library had been completely transformed in a seeming matter of seconds. Banners stating “Rainbow Dash + Twilight Sparkle” hung suspended from light fixtures and bookcases. A large mural was tacked up over a window, depicting the two mares snuggling with a large red heart hanging over them, the likeness haphazard and somewhat questionable. Nonetheless it was endearing. At the end of Pinkie’s tirade the three others took their cue.

“Ah, shucks. You two are so darn cute together, couldn’ta happened to a better set ah ponies,” Applejack beamed, shaking both of their hooves vigorously. While they each had a hoof occupied, Rarity leaned over the desk and hugged them both, managing to entangle Applejack’s forehooves in the embrace.

“Oh girls, this is simply splendid! You must share all the juicy details of how you got together!”

Fluttershy smiled sweetly, hiding behind her mane. “I’m uhm... so happy for both of you... if you don’t mind me saying, that is...” She lowered her head further, obscuring all of her features behind waves of pink.

Neither Rainbow nor Twilight were quite sure how to react. One minute they had been enjoying reading together alone while Spike was off on a sleepover in the Cutie Mark Crusader’s treehouse and suddenly they were the guests of honor for a party celebrating an anniversary they hadn’t even noticed. Her brain fast as ever, Twilight managed to regain a shred of composure first.

“Uhh…Thanks you guys. I’m glad everypony is happy for us.” She tried to put on a grin, but the awkwardness of the situation was a bit too stifling for it to appear as anything other than strained.

“Yeah,” Rainbow confirmed. She didn’t bother trying to smile, still all too confused as to how Pinkie managed to figure it out, leaving her quizzical look in place.

“Ah shucks, we done made the two uncomfortable,” Applejack stated, not looking sorry about it at all. “Maybe if you two ponies had told us the news beforehoof, ya’ll wouldn’ta been surprised.”

The two shared a quick glance before looking away, both running a hoof through their manes guiltily. Twilight cleared her throat. “We, uh, weren’t keeping it a secret. We just started seeing each other.”

Rainbow, having been thoroughly thrown off her game by the transpired events struggled to find and reassert her brash confidence. “Yeah,” she started, “it’s not like we’re getting married or anything.” As the words left her sky blue lips, she knew it was quite possibly the exact wrong thing to say. She and Twilight both slouched down and turned red. Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy all had the grace to not say anything, but Pinkie Pie was soon rolling on the ground howling.

“You. Two. Are. So. CUTE.” She wheezed between gales of laughter, forehooves clutching her sides. The laughter proved contagious, and soon all six ponies were giggling uncontrollably.

The atmosphere considerably brightened, Rainbow grinned slyly at Twilight, standing up and flaring her wings. “Alright, let’s get this party started!”

The fireplace hissed and spat, throwing a soft glare on the otherwise un-illuminated room. Six ponies were bundled up in sleeping bags around the fire, all tired from partying but not quite ready for sleep. Twilight and Rainbow were huddled up next to each other in a double-sized bag, while the other four were more evenly spread out in individual ones. Every face had a contented smile.

After a long while of enjoying the warmth and color of the fire, Applejack’s smile faltered a little. She broke the silence that had settled over the room. “So, why didn’t ya’ll tell us you were an item?” Hearing the question, Fluttershy and Rarity turned towards the two expectantly, while Pinkie seemed to be trying to make shadow puppets against the wall with her sleeping bag. There was a pause as the two got their bearings.

“Well…” Rainbow’s face scrunched in contemplation. She looked up, as if expecting a prompt to be written out on the ceiling. “It wasn’t ‘cause we thought you wouldn’t approve or anything.” She looked back at her friends, having found her train of thought. “I mean, I’ve been out to you guys for years. I don’t think either me or Twilight thought anypony was prejudiced.”

“Twilight or I,” Twilight corrected, whispering quietly so it would only reach Rainbow’s ear. Rainbow grinned and managed with great effort to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

“Really, it’s just that we haven’t been seeing each other for all that long. I mean, we just started dating. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad everypony approves, it’s just still so new. Help me out here, Twi’.” She turned to her lavender partner, a small look of pleading on her face.

“I think that’s a pretty apt summation, Rainbow,” Twilight stated matter-of-factly. She addressed the others. “I told Rainbow I had feelings for her, and after thinking about it Rainbow said she had feelings for me. Since then we’ve gone on a few dates and spent time together. It just didn’t seem like a big thing that needed sharing. At least, not yet.”

Applejack and Rarity seemed perfectly happy with the answer, Rarity’s mind going into a flight of fancy as she daydreamed about the romantic moment when the two had confessed their feelings, which she was certain took place on a snow-capped mountain top, or perhaps during a rainstorm. Pinkie, who knew more than she was letting on about the inner workings of ponies hearts, already knew why and continued amusing herself with the bag. Fluttershy on the otherhoof looked at rainbow with her brow knotted in confusion.

“Um..” the buttery yellow Pegasus interjected, “that’s a rather different attitude than you’ve had before, Rainbow.” She flinched a little. “I mean, if you don’t mind me saying so.”

“What do you mean, Fluttershy?” Twilight leaned forward a little, a slightly puzzled expression evident in her eyes. To Rainbow’s credit, she looked puzzled as well rather than guilty.

“Um, what I mean to say is that..” She looked around the room, but didn’t find any methods of escape that would be less embarrassing than this conversation, so she pressed on, “In flight school Rainbow was always rather…boastful about her love life.” Fluttershy’s gaze dropped.

Twilight glanced at Rainbow with an eyebrow cocked and a wry grin. “Boastful, you say? Did she put notches in her bed post or something?” Rainbow flushed and chuckled nervously.

Fluttershy looked terrified. “Oh, no! I meant, she was—eep—” Fluttershy’s nerve seemed to break and she lowered her head to the floor. “I’m sorry, Rainbow! Forget I said anything,” she pleaded.

Rainbow smiled at Fluttershy, “don’t worry, ‘Shy, I’m fine! Truth is I don’t really remember being boastful about anything, so it would be nice to know what you mean.”

Regaining her composure some, although still looking rather terrified, Fluttershy continued. “It’s just, I remember every time you got a date with somepony you’d always brag about it.”

Rainbow put a hoof to her chin, frowning in recollection. “…I guess I did.”

“Well, what changed, darling?” Rarity asked.

Rainbow’s frown deepened. “I guess it’s because Twilight’s more important to me.” Twilight smiled and wrapped a hoof around Rainbow. The cyan Pegasus leaned into Twilight. Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity looked between each other, finding a lack of understanding.

“I don’ get it.” Applejack stated flatly.

Before Rainbow could say anything, Pinkie rolled over in her bag to join the conversation and interrupted, “It’s simple, silly! Dashie was only dating ponies she wasn’t really interested in because she didn’t wanna lose any friends if things didn’t work out!”

Applejack seemed more confused. “Dat true, Rainbow?”

Rainbow’s jaw was slack. “Pinkie, how did--?”

“MARSHMALLOWS!” Pinkie cried out over Rainbow’s question. “We’re all warm and toasty by the fire already, we should be toasting MARSHMALLOWS!” Before anyone could blink, Pinkie bounced out of the room to scrounge up a bag of marshmallows and six sticks, although no one had brought any, Twilight was sure there weren’t any in the library beforehoof, and they were absolutely certain that no one heard the door open. When she returned, the conversation had shifted.

“Go on, sugarcube. Rainbow told us why she didn’t, but how come you didn’t? Heck, Rainbow came out to you years ago, why’d you keep it a secret from us?” Pinkie half listened in as she set to work prepping the marshmallows, already knowing Twilight’s answer as well.

A blush crept up on Twilight’s face as Applejack was speaking and she turned to Rainbow for help. Rainbow, who was quite done being on the spot simply looked back expectantly. Twilight cleared her throat and looked back at the gathered mares. “Well, to be honest I hadn’t really thought about my own sexuality very much. Before I came out to Ponyville I was such a recluse. I knew I was physically attracted to stallions, but I hadn’t really thought about mares, so as far as I knew I was straight until I started fantasizing about Rainb—” Her jaw snapped shut as she realized what she’d just said. Rainbow barked laughter and fell over on her back, the shared sleeping bag undulating like a caterpillar as she frantically waved her hooves. The blooming color on Twilight’s face was so gradual a casual observer might have mistaken it for asphyxiation.

Mostly regaining control of herself Rainbow sat up and leered mischievously at Twilight, their noses almost touching, “Fantasized about me? You are so gonna haveta spill that later.” Twilight flushed darker and seemed to have a small coughing fit.

“Anyway,” she said after a moment, a look on her face that clearly threatened horrible violence on the first pony to make mention of that slip again, “after we started dating Rainbow encouraged me to be a bit more introspective concerning my sexuality.”

Applejack snickered. “Certainly she didn’t use that same phrasin,’ did she Twi’?”

Rainbow puffed out her chest. “Hey, I know what introspective means, it means ‘Twilighty.’” Applejack stared at Rainbow, somewhat mystified, but could not actually find anything incorrect about her comment.

“So as I was saying,” Twilight continued a little too vehemently. She was mollified that the Freudian Slip had been abandoned, but was growing impatient being ignored. “I read a few books on the subject and figured out I was a four on the Kinsey scale of pony sexuality.” She closed her eyes and gave a quick nod as she finished her statement, convinced that she had cleared up everything on the matter. When she opened her eyes again, she found three sets of identical, confused expressions glancing back at her. She also noticed a growing mountain of marshmallows waiting to be toasted as Pinkie worked. “Pinkie, aren’t you going a little overboard?”

Pinkie Pie grinned triumphantly. “I’m gonna stick three dozen together and make a SUPER marshmallow!”

Rarity arched a stylish eyebrow. “Pardon me darling, but what exactly is the Kinney scale, and what on Equestria does a four mean?”

Twilight turned her attention back to Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity. Rainbow Dash looked rather bored, having asked the same question weeks ago, and been less than enthralled by the answer. Twilight had the air about her as if she were answering an oral exam. “The Kinsey scale is a tool for measuring a pony’s sexuality. It goes from zero to six, where zero is completely straight, and six is completely gay. Most ponies are somewhere between ones and fives. So being a four means I’d identify as either bisexual, with a slight preference for mares, or homosexual with a significant attraction to stallions. I believe the former is true for me.” Clearly there was something about this that the three found unfathomable, but they seemed satisfied with the answer. Pinkie Pie stuffed a stick or three containing a marshmallow on the end into each of their hooves.

“Marshmallows now!” She shouted.

The six gathered closer to the fire, toasting their marshmallows. All conversation lulled to a stop, the group simply enjoying each other’s company. Soon, they all settled down to drift off to sleep. Everypony was content, except Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t put a hoof on it exactly, but she knew something was bothering her.

Twilight was settled on a blanket, books, quills, and parchment in front of her, while Rainbow flew overhead practicing maneuvers. It had swiftly fallen into tradition for her to meet up with Rainbow after her weather duties to watch her practice while Twilight studied. Both mares referred to this activity as shared homework time, although neither one really thought of their tasks as homework. Twilight was only half watching as poured over a text on magical theory, but she could tell Rainbow’s heart wasn’t really in her moves.

After half an hour of half attempted corkscrews and barrel rolls, and several dives far too slow to be considered challenging, Rainbow alighted gently next to Twilight and sighed in frustration.

Twilight levitated a bookmark into her tome and snapped it shut. “What’s bothering you Rainbow?”

Rainbow sighed again, looking cross. “Beats me. Something about last night’s buggin’ me. I can’t figure out what, though.” She sat on her haunches in a huff, blowing her bangs out her eyes with a strong snort. Twilight stood up and put a hoof on her marefriend’s shoulder.

“They did kind of put us on the spot. Were you not ready for our relationship to go so public?”

“No, that’s not it,” Rainbow answered without hesitation. “I knew they’d be happy for us and it’s not like I wanted to keep it a secret or something. Heck, that party was a blast.” A bit of Rainbow’s frustration evaporated under the reflected memories of the sleep over, but was soon replaced by confusion. Her voice had a hint of defeat. “I haven’t a clue what it is.”

Twilight’s brows knit together in concern. She ran her hoof through rainbow’s colorful mane. Rainbow leaned into the administration, closing her eyes and releasing some of her tension with a sigh. Twilight smiled and repositioned herself beyond Rainbow, gently digging both forehooves into the Pegasus’ shoulders and working them in circles. Rainbow sighed again and slumped forward from the massage. “If it wasn’t them surprising us, was it something someone said? Fluttershy did sort of put you on the spot asking about bragging when you were a filly.”

“Maybe,” Rainbow started slowly. She took her time considering, partially distracted by the knots in her neck releasing. “But Pinkie was right about why.” She chuckled low. “Pinkie Pie. How on Equestria does she know these things?”

“Just Pinkie being Pinkie,” Twilight answered matter-of-factly. “But just because you know why, doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t bothering you. Are you worried about how you’ve changed and what it could mean for our relationship?”

Rainbow sat up some. Twilight’s hooves moved further up her neck, temporarily banishing her thoughts to some deep recess. Her eyes fluttered closed and she breathed a contented moan. Twilight giggled a little. Regaining her senses bit by bit Rainbow eventually answered. “I don’t think I’m all that worried about you and me—” Rainbow paused, gathering her thoughts, “—at least not from being more serious about it than I used to be. I think that’s a good thing, really. Y’know, once upon a time this’d be right around the point where I’d start losing interest in a mare and we’d start thinking about going our separate ways. I don’t feel like that at all, now. I just wanna keep going forward with you.”

Twilight smiled and laid a soft kiss on the top of Rainbow’s head. “I’d like to take that journey with you..”

“I think I’m more worried about what else my past was hiding from me, and how it might mess with us. Ugh, I wish I was more introspective.” Twilight grinned and tousled Rainbow’s mane, taking a seat next to her and wrapping a hoof around her middle. Rainbow returned the gesture and pulled Twilight close. She gave Twilight a wide grin that slowly faded and she turned her head towards the sky. She spoke slowly to Twilight, but Twilight got the sense she was also addressing herself. “…are we moving too fast? Too slow? I don’t know how to gauge this.”

“I don’t know, either,” Twilight answered, a rueful smile pulling at her lips. “I don’t know how to set a pace here, or what that pace should even be. I do know that this last month has been…”

“Awesome?” Rainbow supplied with a smirk.

“Yeah,” Twilight agreed, returning Rainbow’s smile. “It’s been awesome. And if you need time to figure out what’s going on in that pretty head of yours, I’d love to be there to help you through it.”

Rainbow leaned her head onto Twilight’s shoulder, a large portion of her stress melting away. “Thanks, Twi’. You’re totally the best a mare could ask for.” She turned her head and caught Twilight’s muzzle in a kiss. Twilight leaned into Rainbow and returned the affection, the kiss growing deeper as their lips both parted. Hooves wrapped around each other’s necks they both laid back on the blanket, lost in their partner for a while. After a while they parted, their faces flushed and panting slightly. They had both shared and stolen many kisses over the last month, but this one edged the closest into make-out territory. After a while, Rainbow said, “maybe we’ve been going to slow.”

Twilight giggled and playfully hit Rainbow in the shoulder with a hoof. “Come on, let’s head back to the library.” The two stood and trotted slowly back towards the large tree, side by side. Twilight was smiling softly, but Rainbow seemed lost in thought.

After a short distance, she spoke. “Thanks for putting up with me.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Twilight gave the Pegasus a warm smile.

“I think there’s something wrong with me, Twilight.” The rainbow maned pegasus paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing. “You make me really happy, and I feel like that should be enough, but I don’t know half of what I’m thinking or feeling most the time, it sorta makes me feel like I’m making you wait on me...”

Twilight stopped and gently pulled the cyan mare around to look her in the eye, hooves on both sides of her partner’s face. “That’s not true, Rainbow! You’re one of the most wonderful, sweet, and loyal ponies in all of Equestria, and I’ve never felt like I was waiting for you...” Her face was stern and her eyes held only the barest of scolding qualities. She dropped her forehooves and stood up more straightly to further address her marefriend. “When I said I’d be there to help you through it I meant it. I’ll help you. We can work on whatever’s bothering you together.”

Rainbow looked down sheepishly, straining with concentrated effort to keep her threatening tears from falling. “Thank you, Twilight. You really are the best marefriend somepony could ask for.” She stood on her hindhooves and pulled Twilight into a hug. Twilight returned it gently, running a consoling hoof through the Pegasus’ wind-swept mane. After a while they returned to walking back to the library, their steps imperceptibly closer together than when they first started back. As they approached the tree, they shouted a greeting to Spike, freshly returned from his sleepover.

The evening progressed comfortably. The two shared a delicious dinner prepared by Spike and stayed up late reading. When Rainbow stifled a yawn and started to head out, Twilight asked if she wanted to stay the night. When the two were settling down, Twilight timidly made Rainbow the offer to sleep next to her. Rainbow held the lavender mare close to her chest, smelling her intoxicating hair as they both started to drift off. The warmth and closeness of spooning her best friend felt undeniably right, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off and that something was her. Twilight’s words played back through her head and a sense of warmth and comfort drifted over her. Rainbow felt transcendent, as if everything in her life had been leading up to this point. She drowsily thought that perhaps Twilight was right and she did think too much.

Author’s Note: So I’ve decided to go ahead with this. Not sure where exactly it will end up, but for right now we’re just gonna explore the baggage that these two ponies bring to the table. I’ve already said this in a comment, but I’d like to say it again here: Thanks for the very kind words; this is truly the nicest fandom I've ever encountered and it's rather nice to be a part of it. My life's been kinda terrible for a while now and it was so good to find something that could make me smile again. And if I can make others smile with silly little fanfics about ponies, I know I can keep my own smile going.

Author: He was very helpful! An exchange:

Bats: did I really repeat that phrasing twice in a row?
Doc: yes you did.
Bats: Man, I thought I was just smoking cigarettes at the time. O_o.
There, better? PS we should leave this in for the readers.

Chapter 3

Rainbow sat at Twilight’s desk in the library while Twilight lounged on the couch reading. The quill, gripped sideways in the pegasus’ mouth, worked its way across the pages of the book in slow, careful movements. The sensation of writing like this was difficult to overcome at first, but Rainbow had gradually gotten used to it. She wrote diligently, stopping only to dip the feather into its pot of ink or for the mare to straighten out any developing kinks in her neck.

On one of these neck stretches, she glanced over at her marefriend. Twilight’s position had shifted from the dignified ball she’d been in when she started reading; four legs tucked underneath with her tail wrapped around. She was now half off the couch, her head and shoulders on the floor with her flank on the edge of the cushions and her hindlegs akimbo in the air. Her book floated with magic half a foot in front of her eyes. Rainbow barely suppressed a laugh. Speaking carefully around the quill, Rainbow said, “That’s a good look for you, Twi’.”

Twilight spasmed at the sudden comment, her flank slipping off the couch and thumping to the floor. She stood up quickly, and hastily straightened her mane and coat. She cleared her throat a few times, in an attempt to dismiss her embarrassment. She regained her composure quickly, smiling as the faint haze of red faded from her cheeks. “How’s the writing going, Rainbow?”

Rainbow set the quill down in the ink pot and licked her dry lips before responding, “It’s okay, I guess.”

Twilight walked around the couch to the other side of the desk. “Is it helping at all?”

Rainbow sighed, giving the page she was working on a sour look. “…I don’t know. At first I didn’t think keeping a journal would help me figure any of this out. But after I started, it got easier’n easier so I thought it might.” Her brow furrowed in contemplation, as she rifled through the couple dozen filled pages at the front, more to confirm their existence than to garner any content. Letting the pages settle back to the most recent entry, she rested both forehooves on the desk, stooping down. “But now that I’ve gotten down some of my thoughts and stories, it feels like I haven’t answered any questions.”

Twilight smiled and took one of Rainbow’s hooves in her own. “Well, you did say you were having trouble making sense of your own thoughts, so at least you had the chance to straighten some of those thoughts out.”

“You’re right,” Rainbow replied, her brows still together and her voice reluctant. “But I’m not even sure what this jumble has to do with anything.” She used her free hoof to prod the book before resting her chin on it. “All I’ve learned is my head’s about as messy as my house is.”

Twilight chuckled and patted Rainbow’s hoof. “It’s okay. The point of doing this is to get you thinking about these things more critically. It should make it easier for you to really get to the heart of the matter.”

Rainbow sighed deeply. “I’m ready to get to the heart of the matter now. I just don’t know where to start.” She glared at the book. It was at the start a nuisance, then a friend, and had recently morphed into an enigma. She snapped it shut. She shook her head slowly and looked up at the lavender mare who was patiently holding her hoof and smiling warmly. Her brow unknit itself and she smiled back. To Twilight she looked happy, but also a little lost. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I’m sure you’re just about sick to death of me running around in circles.” Twilight began to tell her mare that it was okay, but Rainbow cut her off. “Let’s get out of here for a little while. I’ve got an idea of something to do.”

Twilight nodded, happy to see Rainbow’s eyes brighten as she spoke. “Alright,” she said and levitated her book back onto a shelf. Rainbow stood and cantered over to the door, looking over her shoulder back at the unicorn. Twilight caught a look of amusement in Rainbow’s face and raised an eyebrow.

Rainbow’s grin widened. “You’ll see,” she quipped cryptically. They exited the tree and Twilight turned her back on the sky blue mare so she could lock up. As soon as the key had finished turning in the lock, Rainbow grabbed her in her forehooves and took off into the sky. Twilight’s cry quickly resolved itself into joyful laughter.

Twilight cast the cloud-walking spell on herself and indicated she was ready to be put down. Rainbow lowered her onto the puffy, white platform hovering over Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow alighted next to her and pulled a picnic basket out of a lump in the cloud with her teeth.

“So you planned this, did you?” Twilight laughed, still flushed with exhilaration from the flight. Rainbow set the basket back down, sat on her haunches, and gave a single nod with a self-satisfied grunt. Twilight opened the basket and floated a couple of cucumber sandwiches out before sitting down next to the sky blue mare. From their vantage point they had a clear view all the way to the Everfree Forest which sparkled dazzlingly in the midday sun. They ate in silence, letting the view speak for itself.

The two washed down their sandwiches with some Sweet Apple Acres’ cider that Rainbow had managed to save through extreme acts of willpower. The cloud had kept the cider chilled to the touch, condensation sticking to each glass in fat droplets. Twilight exhaled appreciatively after a long draught and smacked her lips. Rainbow giggled and bumped her mare in the shoulder. The unicorn rolled her eyes and bumped back. Her horn faintly glowing, Twilight levitated another pair of sandwiches from the basket and Rainbow deftly caught hers and wolfed it down in much the same way as the first. Twilight chewed slowly, savoring both the taste and the growing anticipation on the pegasus’ face.

Eventually, Twilight was done and Rainbow pulled a few choice books of Twilight’s from the basket and they read together. They settled on the latest in a fantasy series Twilight had gushed over and eventually got Rainbow to try out. They laid back against the cloud and Twilight floated the book in front of them. They took turns reading sections aloud, Rainbow always changing her voice for different speaking parts and making Twilight giggle so much she’d miss whole paragraphs and pester her marefriend into repeating them.

After reading a few chapters and getting to a good stopping point, Rainbow coaxed the unicorn onto her back and flew around their cloud, performing some of her slower maneuvers and eliciting shrieks of amused terror to rival any amusement park. The laughter never left Twilight’s voice as they somersaulted, cartwheeled, and looped through the air. The afternoon waned towards early evening, giving the sky a haze of orange, and they settled back on the cloud and sat close. Twilight leaned into Rainbow and rested her head on her marefriend’s shoulder. Rainbow rested her head on Twilight’s and wrapped a gossamer wing around the unicorn’s middle. They sat together and listened to the breeze.

After a long, comfortable moment, Twilight broke the silence. “This is beautiful, Rainbow.” Twilight nuzzled Rainbow’s neck. Rainbow chuckled and hugged Twilight closer with her wing. The studious mare gave a giggle before speaking once more “Thanks for bringing me up here. What was the occasion, or were you just being spontaneous?”

“That hurts, Twi’. Assuming I can’t do something nice for my marefriend without a reason.” Her warm voice and the soft nuzzle delivered to Twilight’s head betraying her statement. “Actually, it was something from the journaling.”

“Oh, really? You didn’t make it sound like it was helping at all before.”

Rainbow shook her head a little, willing herself to not dwell on her frustrations at the moment. “Not anything like that. What happened is I started digging up dates and names to try and make some sense of my past marefriends.” She shifted her position, standing up straight and looking at the lavender mare directly. She cleared her throat and did a passable impression of Twilight when she was delivering a lecture. “As of today, the two of us have been dating for three months and four days, making this the longest relationship I’ve ever been in.” She slouched back down and grinned at Twilight.

Twilight blinked slowly, her face a little slack with surprise. “Really? It doesn’t feel like we’ve really been together that long.…” She stopped herself and winced, checking Rainbow’s face for signs that she’d hurt the mare’s feelings. She was surprised again to find Rainbow smiling wider.

“Exactly what I was thinkin’.” Twilight’s confusion grew as the pegasus hugged her. Rainbow continued, speaking softly, “The time’s flown by and I’ve been so happy being with you. I’ve never gotten bored. I wake up every day wanting to know you better, see your face, make you smile.” She pulled back from the hug, holding Twilight’s shoulders with her hooves and gave her an appraising look. “It’s never stopped feeling like we just started on a big adventure.”

Twilight’s smile was almost as bright as the setting sun. “…You’re right, Rainbow. It feels just like we’re on an adventure. I’m happy we can share that adventure together, and I’m happy to help you every step of it.” Her eyes dropped to her hooves, and she began idly kneading a lump of cloud. “I wish I could help you more, though. You know I haven’t really dated anypony else before, Rainbow. If I had more experience, maybe I’d know how to help you get through this.”

Rainbow crouched down and nuzzled Twilight’s chin, bringing her gaze up so their eyes locked. “It’s okay, Twilight. I know you’re trying to work through stuff, too. I can see you stressin’ about a lot of things, even when you try to hide it.”

Twilight stared back, searching Rainbow’s eyes for frustration or annoyance and being surprised to find none. “Really? I thought that maybe you’d be upset. That you’d think I didn’t want this.” She dropped her gaze again. Her marefriend’s understanding look gave her the courage to voice doubts that had been plaguing her mind. “I really want us, Rainbow, but I’m confused about a lot of things. I know I like mares, but I also know I like stallions, too. And I don’t know how those desires work, or how they might manifest themselves later. And I’m scared of moving too fast, or too slow, or ruining things.” She sighed, partially in relief from giving her demons voice. “I love the way things are right now and part of me doesn’t want anything to change, but I know things always do and I don’t know how to control it, and—” A soft blue hoof cut her off.

“It really is okay. Those are fears everypony has, and I’ve got a share of ‘em, too. You said we’d work on what’s bothering me together, and there’s no reason we can’t work on what’s bothering the both of us together.” They shared a smile. “This big adventure’s gotta take teamwork.”

Twilight stood and hugged her mare earnestly. “You’re the best marefriend a pony could ask for, Rainbow Dash.” The Pegasus returned the hug.

“That’s my line.”

They settled back down to watch Celestia’s sun finish its journey over the horizon. Twilight smirked. “So how on Equestria did you know the exact length, to the day, of past relationships?” Rainbow grinned sheepishly.

“I, uh, kinda found an old little black book of mine.” A light blush colored her cheeks and Twilight laughed.

“Just how many marefriends have you had to keep one of those?” Rainbow coughed and pretended not to hear the question.

The sun finished its descent, casting brilliant bands of gold and burgundy across the sky. Twilight wished wistfully that Rainbow had also packed a dinner. Rainbow tugged a second hidden basket from the cloud and Twilight nearly fell down to the apple orchard laughing. After a dinner of Spike’s famous roasted eggplant, Rainbow flew them back to the tree, taking several detours through the moonlight.

Back on the ground, slightly punch-drunk from the flight, flushed, and glowing from the day with her marefriend, Twilight invited Rainbow to stay the night. Although still early evening, she led Rainbow directly to her bedroom. When Twilight invited the mare to sleep in her bed, something that had become the usual tradition whenever she stayed the night, Rainbow could see in her eyes she wasn’t talking about sleeping. Glad that Spike had moved into one of the spare rooms a few weeks previously, the two crept under the sheets together and into each other’s burning embrace.

As the morning sun streamed through the window in Twilight’s bedroom, the two lovers woke entangled.

“Hey,” Rainbow said, her voice rough and cracking more than usual from sleep. She pulled Twilight closer to her chest, placing a series of kisses on the unicorn’s head. Twilight blinked the sand from her eyes and smiled. She snuggled into the embrace, her forehooves scrunched together against the mare’s cyan chest. She ran a hoof in slow circles through Rainbow’s coat.

“Hey, yourself.” She stretched out her back, freeing her hooves to snake around Rainbow’s neck. In a swift motion she rolled onto her marefriend, pinning the pegasus to the bed. Rainbow chuckled and pulled Twilight’s head closer. The two shared a slow, invigorating kiss. “Last night was wonderful, Rainbow.”

Rainbow flashed a cocky smirk. “I am the most awesome pony in Ponyville, Twi’.” Twilight giggled and nibbled on Rainbow’s ear.

“I suppose so,” she whispered. Rainbow shuddered at the touch and ran her hooves through Twilight’s tangled mane. A soft groan escaped through her muzzle as a lavender hoof ran under a wing. The two remained in bed through breakfast time and after a couple showers they found themselves sprawled on the couch, wrapped in each other’s limbs. Rainbow grumbled.

“I don’t wanna move, but I have to huh?” She looked to her marefriend, hoping she’d have a good excuse for staying in.

Twilight smiled at Rainbow while playing with her multi-colored mane. “Probably. Anything on your plate today?” The pegasus sighed, knowing no reprieve was in sight.

“Not much. Got some clouds to clear out comin’ in from the Everfree, and I told Pinkie Pie I’d taste test a new recipe or two.” She stretched, not wanting to get up but knowing she’d need to.

“Sounds fun. I’ve got some organizing to do in the library, and Princess Celestia asked me to look over a piece of magical research that’s about to be published in Canterlot.” Rainbow finally roused herself and stood. “So I’ll see you for homework time?”

Rainbow gave Twilight a lingering goodbye kiss. “Wouldn’t miss it.” She gave her mare a smile and headed out the door, taking off for the edge of the forest. With Rainbow gone, Twilight lounged on the couch, her thoughts blissful and scattered. After a few minutes of reveling in her emotional euphoria she managed to drag herself to her hooves and get to work.

Rainbow found her sky-clearing duties went faster than normal. She wasn’t sure if it was simply the distraction of her memories or if she actually was physically lighter to match her spirit. Cloud Kicker would have been more pleased with her expediency if not for the constant bragging.

“Oh, yeah! Who’s the fastest pony in Equestria? Rainbow Dash, that’s who!” Rainbow bucked the final cloud apart and puffed out her chest. She crossed her hooves behind her head and hovered in the air, flipping her mane out of her face and smirking. Cloud Kicker rolled her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash, everypony knows you can work quickly if you want to,” Cloud snapped, putting extra emphasis on the last two words. Rainbow’s eyes snapped open and she smiled sheepishly at the pastel purple pegasus.

“I guess I was layin’ it on a little thick huh?” she chuckled.

“Ya think?” Rainbow scratched her head with a hoof and smiled bashfully.

“I’ll tone it down, Cloud. I’m just in a good mood.” She somersaulted once and hovered closer to Cloud Kicker, offering a hoof. “Forgive me? It’s hard to be this awesome and not talk about it.” An eye-roll and a headshake later, Cloud Kicker took the offered hoof.

“It’s alright, we’re done for the day anyway. Honestly, Dash, you need to get that swollen head looked at.” Rainbow chuckled as the two turned to fly back toward’s downtown Ponyville. “Off to spend more time with that mare of yours?”

Rainbow grinned. “I gotta go over to Sugarcube Corner first, but after that yep.” She puffed out her chest and puffed a hot breath on her hoof, polishing it in her coat. Cloud rolled her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash, Don Juan extraordinaire.”

“That’s me! Catch ya later, Cloud.” She turned towards the bakery and took off in a blur. Cloud Kicker huffed and continued on her way at a sedated pace.

As she flew towards Sugarcube Corner, something was nagging Rainbow. ‘Hrm,’ she thought, ‘I was kinda being a jerk to Cloud back there, wasn’t I? I wonder wh—’ Rainbow’s rumination was interrupted as she entered the shop only to have a bucket of water fall on her head. She glared wetly at the pink pony collapsed on the ground howling with laughter.

“Really, Pinkie? The water bucket? You need some newer pranks.” Still giggling the earth pony bounded to her hooves and over to Rainbow.

“Ooh, got any ideas? Fluttershy’s on the way to taste test, too!” Rainbow’s glare vanished and an evil grin spread across her face.

“Got any catapults?”

“Do I?!?!”

A few minutes later, Fluttershy opened the shop’s door. The tinkling of the welcome bell was muffled by the sound of a piece of twine pulling taught and snapping. A large blob of cream cheese frosting flew through the air and splattered across the yellow mare’s face and mane. Pinkie and Rainbow collapsed in hysterics. Fluttershy’s bewilderment cracked and she joined in, giggling softly. After getting cleaned up, the two pegasi sampled a handful of experimental treats. The pumpkin treacle needed some work, but the chimicherrywhatevers were finally edible. Pinkie’s take on a dessert Reuben left the two puzzled and slightly sick. After several glasses of water and some vigorous tooth brushing, they tried the final treat and both mares agreed her sour cream cupcakes were sure to be best sellers. After saying goodbye to Pinkie, Rainbow wanted to stretch her wings so she floated just above and to the right of Fluttershy as they traveled together to the latter’s cottage.

“So how are things going with you and Twilight? If uh... If it’s okay that I ask…” Fluttershy smiled nervously.

“Things are awesome, ‘Shy.” Rainbow’s expression shifted from cocky to pensive. Fluttershy was one of her oldest friends and she was used to sharing her problems with the yellow mare. After a brief consideration, she decided to be honest. She flipped over to fly upside-down, “Well, things between the two of us are awesome, anyway. I’m havin’ my own problems.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy gave her a look full of concern. Rainbow smiled inwardly at her friend’s immediate and heartfelt compassion.

“Before Twi’ and I started dating, I never really had a relationship that didn’t fizzle out really soon. It kinda goes back to when you reminded me about how much I bragged about dating back in Flight School, and what Pinkie said about not wanting to lose friends. I’ve gotten over a little of it. I’m takin’ this relationship seriously. But I’m worried I’m gonna start pushing her away without meaning to. Or that there’re other hang-ups I don’t know about. I’m afraid I’m gonna mess this up ‘cause I can’t figure myself out.”

Fluttershy listened to her friend intently. Rainbow’s speech unsettled her. “Y—you’ve changed, Rainbow. If uh, you don’t mind me saying so…” She lowered her head, skittish.

Rainbow’s expression grew puzzled, but there was no anger in her expression. When she spoke, her voice carried a hint of hopefulness. “Whaddya mean?”

Fluttershy cleared her throat, pushing her nerves as far back as they would go so she could say what she needed to. “It’s not all the time, but when you aren’t around a bunch of ponies you act more like when I first met you.” She paused, steeling herself to go on. “I remember when we were fillies in Flight School. You were always athletic and competitive, but you were really soft-spoken and modest, too. Then one day you started, uh…bragging a lot. It was really sudden.” She flushed and looked like she was worried Rainbow would strike her.

Rainbow put a hoof to her chin as she flew, her eyes far away. “I don’t remember any of that. Do you remember what was goin’ on at the time?”

Fluttershy swallowed and got her emotions back in check. “It was a long time ago, Rainbow. I…I think it was around the time you had a falling out with that peach-colored mare. Gosh, I can’t remember her name. She had a red mane, and you two used to be close friends…” Fluttershy frowned, trying to remember the name when Rainbow beat her to it.

“Cloudy Moon?” Rainbow had stopped dead in the air, drifting a few paces behind the light yellow pegasus. Shock and recognition were clear in her eyes. Fluttershy paused and turned around, trotting back to meet the sky blue mare.

“That’s right,” she said softly, “Is everything okay, Rainbow?”

Rainbow shook her head and set a determined expression on her face, her eyes searching. “Do you know if I changed before or after Cloudy and I fell out?”

Fluttershy paused to consider, intimidated by Rainbow’s piercing look. “I’m, uh, I’m not sure. I think it happened right around the same time, though.”

Rainbow’s head reeled. She shook her head forcefully before turning to face the library. She quickly spouted, “Thanks, ‘Shy,” before disappearing in a rainbow-colored blur. Fluttershy looked on, mystified.

Rainbow flew into the library through an open window, landing at a gallop and rushing through the rooms. She found Twilight pouring over some scrolls at her desk, taking notes.

“Twilight!” she half shouted, her face a mix of shock and understanding.

“Rainbow! Is everything alright?!” She hurried around her desk and grasped Rainbow’s shoulders in her hooves, searching her face for signs of catastrophe. Feeling a bit guilty from causing such a fearful reaction, Rainbow took a deep breath to calm down.

“Everything’s fine. I was just having a conversation with Fluttershy and I realized something.” She smiled and angled her head towards the floor, looking up at Twilight with contrition. Twilight released her marefriend and took a few breaths as well, letting the sudden rush of adrenaline and fear work its way out of her system.

“Oh…Okay…” She breathed in again and out slowly, finding her center. “What did you realize?”

Rainbow took another breath. “I told you about Cloudy Moon, right? Well Fluttershy told me that before I asked her out and we drifted apart I used to not be so arrogant.”

Twilight chuckled. “Fluttershy called you arrogant?”

“Not directly, no.” Rainbow grinned briefly, before looking at a wall, not really seeing it. “But that’s what she meant. And that’s what I am…” She paused. Twilight’s eyes had widened a little. She hadn’t expected such a flat acceptance. Rainbow turned her head back to address Twilight directly. “But, she said that I used to not be. And she said that since we’ve started dating it goes away sometimes.”

Twilight blinked. Her mind worked quickly as always and pieced together a tapestry of events from the previous months. She was close, too close to have seen it without guidance, but it was clear as day. Rainbow’s bravado and boasting vanished when the two were alone, or with small groups of their friends, but rebounded sharply around others. It was like she was two different ponies. Twilight’s head spun from the revelation, less from the content than the fact that she had been unaware. “…I can’t believe I didn’t notice.”

“So it’s true, isn’t it?” Rainbow looked into Twilight’s eyes, pleading for confirmation.

Twilight regathered her thoughts. “…Yes. I don’t know if it’s because of Cloudy, but your bragging—”

“My arrogance.” Rainbow cut across Twilight’s statement with finality. Twilight sighed and nodded.

“Your arrogance, then, does go away when you’re with just me, or just a few friends. You still boast a little, but it’s self-deprecating. With others, you’re serious.” Rainbow was lost in thought. She nodded somberly.

After a long pause, she began again. “Well, this doesn’t change a lot, but I know a little bit more about myself now. I got a new angle to look at my past from. And it gives me something to work for.” She turned from Twilight and shuffled to the window, looking out. “I got a good look at myself today, and I don’t think I wanna be this pony anymore.” Twilight frowned and her brow knotted with concern. She moved next to her lover and put a hoof on her shoulder.

“I don’t want you to change. I like who you are, Rainbow.” Rainbow looked back at the lavender unicorn and gave her a tired smile.

“I like who I am when I’m around you, too, Twilight. I wanna be this pony all the time.” Twilight smiled and pulled her mare into a warm embrace. The two stood at the window hugging for a long while.

“I’ll help you do that, every step of the way.” Twilight whispered. Rainbow’s smile and grasp both deepened.

“Thanks, Twi’.” Eventually the two separated. After a moment of just looking upon her marefriend with affection, Rainbow asked, “So how’s this thing for the Princess goin’?”

Twilight looked away and her brows once again knit together with worry. “Well…I think I might have to go back to Canterlot for a few months.” Rainbow blinked.

Author’s note: And that’s a wrap for chapter three. Now with added feature: a plot! A big thanks for the warm reception this has received so far, and I hope everyone continues to enjoy it. A shout out to my editors, Doctor Strangelove and Echriedz even though Doc threatened me with bodily harm if I thanked him again. He does MMA; I should probably take those threats seriously.
Also, there’s an open invitation for any writers out there to expand Rainbow and Twilight’s first time into a clopfic with my full permission. DO IT. <<He gets this from me - The Doc

EDIT: We have a clopfic expansion by Stryker12324! Check it out here: Rainbow Rambles Supplementary Reading Material

Chapter 4

The two royal guard unicorns straddling the door to the throne room nodded almost imperceptibly at their approach and swung the heavy doors silently open with a soft glow of magic. Princess Celestia offered them a regal smile and stood to greet them. Twilight’s face broke out in a wide grin. She flung the still snow-spotted scarf off herself with a flick of her horn, and it settled down across Rainbow’s back. The unusually mild autumn had broken to winter with a vengeance. Rainbow smirked and offered the monarch a quick bow.

“Hello, my little ponies,” Princess Celestia stepped deliberately and gracefully down the steps toward the mares. Twilight sped ahead of Rainbow to meet her at the bottom. “I am very appreciative of you coming on such short notice, my faithful student. I trust your journey was pleasant?”

Twilight looked back at her marefriend. “Well, Rainbow was going to fly me here, but the snow kinda forced us to take the train instead.” Rainbow offered Twilight a smile. In that smile, Twilight could clearly perceive the pegasus saying, “It’s alright, I don’t mind.” The level of nonverbal communication that went on between the two of them seemed to be expanding exponentially, a fact that made Twilight giddy with joy, curiosity, and more than a little fear.

“It is good to see you, Rainbow Dash. I was not expecting your arrival, but you are most welcome. Will you be staying in Canterlot while Twilight assists the research team?” Princess Celestia’s slow, practiced steps closed the distance between herself and the sky blue mare, who was busy attempting to fold Twilight’s scarf with her hooves and teeth. At the princess’ approach, she dropped the scarf from her mouth.

“Nah,” she waved a hoof dismissively. “I just came to see Twilight off. I’ve got weather-duty in Ponyville that’s gonna keep me busy. Start of winter’s a busy time for me.”

“Well, you and all of Twilight’s friends have my invitation to visit Twilight during her stay. I know she will appreciate the company of her companions.” She glanced at the lavender mare and caught sight of the look she and the pegasus exchanged. Centuries of experience and politics left little hidden from her perception. Her regal smile faltered; a true smile broke through and her eyes danced with warmth. “Or perhaps I should say the company of more than friends?”

Twilight and Rainbow blinked at each other and stared unbelieving at the monarch. Princess Celestia barely stifled a chuckle. “I’m surprised at you, Twilight! I would have expected to hear about this in a friendship report.” Still smiling, she turned around and headed back towards the center of the room. “How long have you two been seeing each other?”

“Er… About four months,” Twilight answered, following the princess with Rainbow a short distance behind them. “I, uh, was a little hesitant to tell you.”

“My, whatever for my student?” The princess looked over her shoulder, true happiness still evident in her eyes.

“I wasn’t sure how you’d take it.” Twilight confessed, bowing her head slightly.

“This is nothing but good news, Twilight Sparkle. I had been hopeful you would find your path to emotional happiness in Ponyville and I am delighted to have been proven right.” She turned to address her student’s marefriend. “I hope you will stay for the evening, Rainbow Dash. I will be sure to not have a second room prepared for you.” Both mares flushed and looked away from each other quickly. The princess failed to stifle her laugh.

Rainbow and Twilight entered the latter’s suite. Both were full and feeling lazy after the large affair dinner had been. Twilight’s baggage had already been unpacked by servants, so the two sat next to each other on the plush bed. “The digs here are amazing.” Rainbow marveled at the room. Velvet curtains, mahogany with inlaid gold, polished stone-work, all of it hoof-made.

“I think I’d rather be back in the library,” Twilight sighed. Rainbow’s gaze shifted and settled on Twilight. ’Now here’s the most beautiful thing in the room,’ she thought briefly before dismissing it to focus on what Twilight had said.

“Hey, it’s okay. You told me weeks ago you needed to be here to help research this, uh, magic field thingie whosawhatsits…” A giggle was forced from the lavender mare.

“Leyline magical field mapping and utilization.” She offered.

“Yeah, that thing.” Rainbow grinned. “You said you were the only pony for the job, and it’s not like it’s gonna take forever. You’ll be back in your library before you know it.” Twilight sighed again.

“I’m gonna miss you, Rainbow.” The pegasus wrapped a wing around her mare. The soft, silken feathers were more comfortable than the bedding and Twilight could feel the strong, dense muscles underneath grip and hold her close. To her, it was the most soothing place in all of Equestria.

“I’ll miss you too, Twi’.” She placed a delicate kiss on Twilight’s forehead just next to her horn. “I scheduled with Cloud Kicker to have weekends off for a while. I’ll come see you every week like I promised.” Twilight leaned into Rainbow and wrapped her hooves around the pegasus’ middle.

“I know you will. I wish you could stay with me. Or I could have stayed in Ponyville.” Rainbow smiled sadly.

“Duty calls.”

“Yeah.” The two sat silently in each other’s embrace as the sun finished setting and Luna’s moon took its place in the sky. Their silence turned from bittersweet to comfortable. The comfort turned to something more urgent when Rainbow began trailing kisses down Twilight’s neck and the two retired to under the blankets.

Rainbow awoke to find herself hopelessly enmeshed with Twilight. Hooves crossed and grasped around each other and the pegasus could feel strands of long, straight mane weaving through her feathers. Eyes half closed, she puffed a breath of hair to dislodge a lock of indigo hair from her face and smiled. ’Oh, if only I could wake up like this every day,’ she thought. The notion occurred to her that after Twilight’s business in Canterlot was concluded that may become a possibility. Her smile deepened. She nuzzled in closer to her lover and nibbled the tip of a purple ear.

Twilight stirred and pulled her mare in close, a half asleep moan rumbling in her throat. She yawned and stretched, opening a bleary eye. “Wh-time izzit?”

Rainbow glanced out the window. The snow had stopped the previous evening and the sky was the harsh, steel-gray-tinted blue that always meant it was bitterly cold. “Eight or so by the sun.” Twilight giggled sleepily.

“There’s a clock, silly.”

Rainbow glanced around and caught sight of the intricately carved clock on the wall. She chuckled at herself. “Eight fifteen.” Twilight stretched again, using the motion to snake her forehooves around a sky blue neck and into a sleep-tossed chromatic mane. She pulled Rainbow’s muzzle in close for a kiss.

“We should get up; you need to head back to Ponyville soon, huh?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow breathed the word out as a sigh. The two disentangled and stood. Twilight went to the vanity and began brushing out her mane while Rainbow took first turn in the bathroom. The two switched, although Rainbow didn’t approach the vanity. Instead, she opened the closet door and looked inside for a few moments in contemplation.

“Everything alright, Rainbow?” The cyan mare glanced up briefly as Twilight stepped out of the bathroom and then returned her gaze to the closet.

“Yeah…” Twilight was surprised to find unease in her marefriend’s voice. “I, uh, have something I wanna give you.” She leaned into the closet and removed a velvet box with her teeth. She stood and Twilight was again surprised to see the uncertainty in her hoofsteps. Twilight’s face was blank as she levitated the box over. She paused before removing the lid.

Inside was a midnight blue dress. Twilight could clearly tell it was Rarity’s work. The style was elegant, but not flashy and could be worn to either formal or casual events with ease. Her eyes traced along the sides, finding flashes of barely visible stars embroidered on with silver thread. They were placed sparingly and from a distance would simply add a shimmer to the dress. All of them were six-pointed to match her cutie mark. Marveling at the dress, she rotated it in the air to see it from all angles and let the stars shimmer. She caught sight of the collar, which was clasped by a brooch. The brooch was a cloud with a lightning bolt extending out in yellow, red, and blue.

“Oh, Rainbow…” Twilight’s eyes traced along the contours of the present. “This is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen…” Rainbow chuckled.

“You’ll need it, I think. There’s bound to be a ton of stuffy royal dinners and whatnot that you’ll have to go to. And plus, you’ll need it to match mine when we go out on Fridays.” Twilight blinked and looked at her marefriend.

“Yours?” Rainbow’s nervousness seemed to worsen, but she returned to the closet and pulled out a second box. Twilight levitated the lid and removed the dress. The style and cut were identical, but the subtle, shifting silver thread took the form of lightning bolts, small and spaced apart to match her own dress. The brooch around the neck was emblazoned with Twilight’s cutie mark. Twilight’s eyes danced across the second dress as well, and she began turning both in the air together to admire them. “You hate dresses,” she stated flatly, regretting she had said it the moment it left her lips. Rainbow’s nerves seemed to be taking their toll on her.

“I, uh, don’t actually.” Rainbow shifted her weight back and forth between her hooves. She was looking at a single spot on the floor. “I stayed away from a lotta girly things, because I was worried about what somepony might think of me, that it would hurt my image, y’know? But it’s nice to be fancy-lookin’ sometimes.” She glanced up from the floor to look directly at Twilight. Her nerves had receded as she spoke. “Fancy dinners aren’t really my thing, and it’s not like I wanna start hosting tea-parties or something.” Twilight giggled. Rainbow ran a hoof through her mane. “But I do wanna go out on the town with my beautiful marefriend.”

Twilight smiled warmly and wrapped her hooves tightly around Rainbow’s neck. “I love it, Rainbow,” she whispered, “I love the gift and the idea. It’s something I can look forward to every Friday. Thank you. Thank you so much.” Rainbow relaxed, letting the tension her nerves had caused melt off her shoulders. She returned the embrace.

“I just don’t want you to think I’m gonna drift from you,” Rainbow’s voice was small and wavered. She hugged Twilight to herself tightly. “We’re gonna be far away from each other, and I don’t have the best history for holdin’ onto mares. But that’s not gonna happen. I won’t let it. You’re too important to me.” The lavender unicorn hugged tighter. Her eyes were swimming with threatening tears.

“I’ll finish as soon as I can, so I can come back to you.” She whispered urgently. “You’re too important to me for just weekends.”

With a few hours to go before Rainbow needed to head out, they called on a servant to have breakfast delivered to Twilight’s suite. The two talked and laughed as they ate. The impending separation had lost some of its hold over the two and they simply enjoyed each other’s company like it was any other day. The morning was an oasis filled with small gestures; a lingering eye, the soft touch of a hoof. When they had finished their plates, both felt as if they were back in the library. The feeling stayed with them the rest of the morning. The lavender mare showed Rainbow around her favorite haunts in the castle and the pegasus flew Twilight up to the clouds to reveal the most spectacular view of Canterlot she’d ever seen. Bundled up against the cold breeze, Twilight snuggled into her lover for warmth and they whiled away their remaining time. When Rainbow needed to head back to Ponyville, neither of them got very emotional. They already had.

After Rainbow set off through the cold, still air Twilight sighed and headed back into the castle. A stallion was waiting for her. “Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight turned and regarded the unicorn. He had a tall, muscularly built frame and chiseled features. His white coat shone almost as brightly as the princess’ and his dark, ash grey mane was swept back in curls that appeared at the same time to be deliberate and effortless. At his size and bearing, Twilight’s initial impression was that he was a member of the royal guard. A quick analysis revealed the cut of his suit suggested a level of wealth usually above that of a guard but lower than royalty. A handkerchief jutting from his sport coat’s pocket was embroidered with the coat of arms for Canterlot University, and a quick glance displayed a quill and parchment cutie mark on his muscular flank.

“You must be Scriber Vim. I mean, Doctor Vim.” She smiled at the stallion. She discovered he had a very kind smile when hers was returned.

“Please, call me Scribe.” He offered a hoof. “It’s very nice to meet you, Doctor Sparkle.” Twilight giggled and raised her own hoof.

“Twilight, please. It is nice to meet you as well, Scribe. Your paper on leylines has many potential applications and I’m excited to be part of the research team.” Scribe’s smile was contagious. Twilight found herself grinning as they walked through the castle towards the research wing. “I’m sure you’re aware, but I wrote a dissertation on leylines a few years ago. It was theoretical since at the time there was no method for observing them.” Scribe nodded enthusiastically. “To think a pony can actually see leylines now!” She grinned and looked at Scribe. She was once again struck by his frame and face. It was no wonder she first took him as a guard; there was a certain quality to his appearance that reminded her of Shining Armor. “I must say, you’re not the type of stallion I was expecting you to be…”

Scribe chuckled. “Not too bookish, am I? My dad was expecting a hoofball cutie mark through the first half of my colthood.” Twilight giggled. The mental picture of the white stallion decked out in a hoofball uniform fit very well. She was surprised to discover a feeling of warmth creep into her cheeks. “You’re not quite what I was expecting, either.”

“Oh? What sort of mare were you expecting?”

Scribe’s smile widened. “The protégé of Princess Celestia herself? I don’t know what type of mare I was expecting. Somepony intimidating? You’re certainly intimidating by reputation.” He waved a hoof through the air as he spoke, a small flourish that might appear over-the-top but seemed to suit him just fine. They neared a staircase leading down to the research halls and Scribe led the way. The stonework grew less polished as they descended and the illumination dimmed as the source shifted from windows and orbs of suspended magic to torches. Twilight always liked this part of the castle, where the ostentation gave way to practicality. The lavender mare found herself humming. The excitement of research and discovery was taking over.

Entering one of the many rooms in this part of the castle was always underwhelming. One wall was lined with bookshelves that stood largely empty. A stray few books brought down by the researchers themselves as reference were propped up on a single shelf, and a few stacks of blank parchment and quills were left haphazardly on others. A few other research assistants were milling about the room and looked up as they entered. Scribe introduced Twilight around the room. Once settled in, the time quickly passed. Twilight was flattered to discover her dissertation was a primary reference for the research assistants and academic discourse came quickly and easily. At the end of the day when she retired to her suite her head was brimming with ideas.

“Booyah!” Rainbow bucked the final cloud to mist and strutted, a look she couldn’t quite pull off while suspended so high in the air. Not that anyone would have the nerve to call her on it. “Who’s the fastest? Who’s the greatest pegasus in Equestria?” Cloud Kicker rolled her eyes and prepared to be subjected to another bout of Rainbow Dash’s usual boasting but was surprised to find the blue pegasus stop and give her a sheepish look. “Er, sorry Cloud.” Rainbow scrunched up her face and stared down towards Ponyville crossly. “I’m getting worse, aren’t I?”

Cloud Kicker was taken aback. She raised an eyebrow and scratched her mane with a hoof. “What’re you talking about, Dash?” Rainbow started and looked back up at the purple pegasus. Cloud Kicker guessed that Rainbow had forgotten she was even there. “You feelin’ okay?”

Rainbow gave the mare a half-hearted smile. “I’m fine, Cloud. You did some great work today.” Cloud Kicker’s face shifted from puzzlement to worry.

“Now I know something’s wrong.” She expected to get a chuckle out of Rainbow and was further baffled and worried when the cyan mare grimaced. “Rainbow, seriously, are you okay?”

Rainbow sighed. She weighed the options and decided to open up to Cloud Kicker. “Listen Cloud, I know I’m usually a jerk to you.” The purple mare blinked. This day was just getting stranger and stranger. “You know I’ve been seeing Twilight Sparkle, the librarian, right? Well, it’s pretty serious and I’ve not been in any serious relationships before.” Cloud Kicker nodded, deciding to simply wait and hope she could make sense of things eventually. “I’ve got a bunch of hang-ups and issues from when I was a filly, and one of ‘em is my arrogance. When I’m around Twi’, I’m not like that an’ I wanna be that pony all the time…” She glanced back towards Ponyville and towards a certain tree. “But Twi’s in Canterlot on business an’ I’m getting worse an’ worse without her here.” Rainbow hung her head. “I’m sure I’ve been impossible all this week, and I’m sorry, Cloud. You get the worst’a me.”

Cloud Kicker shook her head slowly, eyes wide. “C’mon, let’s head back to town.” Rainbow fell in line next to the purple mare, still hanging her head. “I’m not gonna lie and say you’re not full of yourself, at least around me, but you’re not getting worse. If anything, you’ve been less of a pain this month.” Rainbow lifted her head, listening closely.

“You’ve still been raring to boast, but you’ve been on time, considerate, and you’ve been delegating. Remember Tuesday, when you had Blossomforth head the team for repositioning the remaining clouds while we took care of breaking up the extras? Two months ago you would’ve tried to do it all yourself and the rest of us would be cleaning up after you. I thought maybe Twilight’s knack for organization was rubbing off on you.” Rainbow looked forward at nothing, lost in thought. “And even your boasts haven’t been that bad. A coupla weeks ago you actually apologized when I got fed up with your ranting, and since that time you’ve cut yourself off before you ever really got going. And we’ve never had a conversation like this before.” She turned to face Rainbow as they slowly flew. “So what d’you mean you’re getting worse?”

Rainbow sighed and avoided Cloud Kicker’s gaze. “I guess I’m still not any good at introspection.” Cloud was unsure whether Rainbow was actually addressing her. Rainbow turned and faced her before continuing. “Maybe I am gettin’ better. I’m trying to, anyway. I guess I just miss Twi’ an’ I’m feeling down.” She tapped her chin with a hoof. “I miss her, and it’s easier to keep my ego in check around her.” The two’s slow flight had brought them directly over town hall. The cyan mare waved a hoof in the air, as if to physically dispel a cloud of thoughts. “Anyway, thanks for listening Cloud. If I start givin’ you or anypony else a hard time gimme a smack to snap me outta it.” She smiled and offered Cloud Kicker a hoof, surprising her again in a day full of surprises. The purple mare tentatively took the sky blue hoof in her own and shook it.

“Don’t tempt me, Da—err, Rainbow.” Cloud stumbled over herself. For some reason she didn’t feel like calling her boss ‘Dash.’ “You keep that mare’a yours happy. She’s been good for you.” Rainbow grinned and nodded. The two parted ways and Rainbow glided over to the lake. It was homework time, even if her study partner was in Canterlot and she’d have to practice alone. The pegasus started her practice routine smiling widely. She was happy. Happy to be in the air, happy to be getting better, happy that it was Thursday night and she would be leaving for Canterlot the following day.

“I’m bushed.”

Twilight yawned and rubbed her eyes with a hoof. Before she had joined the research team, they had been spinning their wheels attempting to devise an experiment to prove the newly developed leyline mapping technique was actually revealing leylines and not picking up magic interference, veins of mineral deposits, or any other number of potential red herrings. The following days since her arrival had been a flurry of work. Scribe’s developed research had wide reaching implications, but Twilight was somewhat surprised to discover that she was considered Equestria’s leading expert on leyline theory. With her presence, the team’s ability to develop a controlled experiment had greatly risen and every day they made strides.

Scribe glanced up from his roll of parchment and offered Twilight a smile. The lavender mare smiled back. His smiles were very contagious. “We’ve been burning the candle at both ends, haven’t we?” He glanced at the two assistants, both graduate students whose eagerness generally offset their lack of experience. Both looked about as peaked as Twilight. Twilight had been a little embarrassed to learn that one of them was the same age as her. Being personally taught by the Princess had its advantages towards advancing in academia. “How about we cut out early? It’s Friday; I’m sure an early weekend will help us keep the momentum going through next week.” The two assistant’s perked up and relief was evident on their faces.

Twilight smiled; she was worried she wouldn’t have a chance to shower before Rainbow was due to arrive. “That sounds like a good idea, Scribe.” The assistants were already sorting their papers and putting them away as she stood and stretched out her back. Scribe stood and stretched as well. He did not appear nearly as done-in as the other three. Quick murmurs of goodbye and the assistants hurried out, leaving Twilight and Scribe alone.

“Well, Twilight, any plans for the night?” He levitated his papers over to a shelf as Twilight did the same.

“Er, yes actually.” Twilight found herself flustered.

“Oh? That’s too bad; I wanted to pick your brain some more over dinner. Next time, I suppose?”

“Sure, next time.” Twilight finished sorting her papers and caught sight of the happy smile on Scribe’s face. She found herself once again returning it. “I’ll catch you Monday, Scribe.” The white stallion waved a hoof and she hurried out of the room.

She returned to her suite quickly and stepped into the shower, letting the steaming water pour over her face. Her mind trailed over the last week. Working with Scribe had proven to be an unexpected pleasure. He was charming which was a quality she did not always expect to see within the bubble of academia. And there was no questioning his intelligence. She had been plagued since receiving Princess Celestia’s letter that she’d be miserable for months, but things seemed to be going smoothly and quickly.

She shook her mane out of her eyes and dipped the back of her head under the stream. ’Piece of cake. Just a few months of research and experimentation with a handsome stallion.’ She jerked her head out of the stream. ’Handsome stallion? Where’d that come from?’ She mulled it over. No doubt about it; Scribe was a very handsome stallion. She sighed in frustration. He was good looking, kind, and a great listener for certain. And she had found they had many shared interests and a similar foalhood. The sexual tension made sense intellectually. She sighed again and magically squeezed some shampoo from the bottle onto a hoof and worked a thick lather into her mane.

She shifted her thoughts with some effort to the evening ahead. She may have a small amount of attraction towards Scribe, but the thought of seeing Rainbow again sent her emotions soaring. The week had gone by quickly in a lot of ways, but it had been painfully slow waiting to see her marefriend. Her shower finished, she brushed out her mane and retrieved the velvet box from the closet. The sight of the dress banished the lingering gloom from her mind. She snapped the brooch into place as there was a knock on her door. Cantering over, she opened it wide with magic and was greeted by the sight of the cyan pegasus. Her mane had been delicately braided; twists of different colors looping together in flowing swirls. The lightning bolt dress hugged her in all the right places, aided by the pair of sky blue wings folded gently along her back. Twilight’s breath was taken away.

“Hey, Twi’.” Rainbow smiled. The smile was far more infectious than Scribes. Twilight approached the pegasus and pulled her into a burning kiss.

“Celestia, I’ve missed you,” she breathed after the kiss broke. Rainbow chuckled low, panting slightly.

“I missed you too, Twi’. C’mon, let’s go and make up some time.” She turned towards the door and unfurled a wing. Twilight stepped under it and felt it close around her and draw her close. A quick flick of magic and the door closed behind them. They walked out the castle and into the brisk weather, drawing heat from each other’s presence. The quiet worries plaguing her mind about Scribe were silenced. ‘Twilight, you definitely think too much.’ She giggled to herself and rested her head on Rainbow’s shoulder.

Author’s Note: Chapter four! Here it is! I know there was a bit of a delay compared to the first three, so I’m sorry for the wait. Some school work picked up, I’m in the process of starting my own business, this time of year is especially hard for me, and if you didn’t catch the blog post one of my cats was chased under my car by a neighborhood cat and had her pelvis broken. She’s recovering after surgery and all indications point to a full recovery; she might not ever be as fast or nimble again but she’ll live to a normal kitty life. I’m not sure how quickly chapter five will be forthcoming, but I’ll try to keep the ball rolling. Here’s a little Nightmare Night present to make up for it:

Doctors note: Sorry this wasn’t out when he planned, I didn’t get to it until late in the night, and it wasn’t all stuff I could just go through and change myself without feeling like I was taking over his story, hopefully it’s up to snuff with what you guys expect from us.

Chapter 5

“No, no, no! That would never work; we’d just pick up the spell’s ambient effects again.” Twilight massaged the bridge of her muzzle with both forehooves. The once barren research room was a chaotic mass of half-written sheets of parchment, abandoned books, broken equipment, and shattered chalk-boards. The bookshelves overflowed with the refuse and it spilled out on the floor. The only parts of the room untouched by the mess were the work-table that stayed organized out of necessity and the curiously still-smoking crater in the back corner. Twilight eyed the corner balefully. The first experimental test performed three and a half weeks into her consultation had not turned out as planned and no one had the nerve to tell any of the servants about the destruction since. ’I should probably be worried that’s still smoking after three days.’ Twilight averted her eyes and went back to ignoring it.

Scribe thumped his head against the table, angling just enough to avoid embedding his horn in the wood. “We don’t know that it’ll be a problem, Twilight! Isn’t it enough that it won’t explode next time?” His mane’s usual curls had become snarled from the long hours and his eyes were webbed with red veins. Twilight knew she wasn’t looking much better and the two research assistants made Scribe look as handsome as ever. Vimbert, the elder of the two had suitcases under his eyes and Unimpressive seemed to be trying to lose all the hair from his mane as quickly as possible.

Twilight’s eye twitched. ‘Stop thinking of him as handsome!’ she admonished herself. “The preliminary readings we got before the explosion were clear. The magic in the room completely overwhelmed any trace of possible leyline readings. We have to work in countermeasures to keep the mapping apparatus from just getting bogged down again.”

Scribe snorted and shook his head. He glared at the pile of shattered chalkboards. The ‘mapping apparatus’ seemed to have a habit of vibrating into tiny shards whenever they attempted to block out local interference. “Ugh! When I cast the spell I can just look past the cloud around me and see the leylines!” Vimbert and Unimpressive looked back and forth between the white and lavender unicorns. Their bosses had been getting along famously since the start, but the tension had been mounting since the first attempt at replicating the spell in a controlled setting.

“That doesn’t matter!” Twilight snapped, her teeth grating together. “If we can’t replicate the spell with recording instruments, nopony in academia is gonna give two bits about it!” Twilight’s forehooves were on the table. Scribe’s hooves matched hers and soon their faces were inches from each other. The assistants both gulped audibly, swearing they could see actual daggers flying back and forth between the two unicorns’ eyes. For ten heated seconds the two cowered. A strange, choking sound escaped Scribe’s throat and broke the silence. His face contorted, eyes bulging as his chest heaved and he desperately attempted to keep from smiling. Twilight’s glare broke and she watched the stallion in confusion. She was about to ask if he was feeling okay when he fell onto the table howling with laughter. The assistants blinked.

“I’m sorry!” Scribe choked. Peals of mirth kept him from stringing any other words together. Twilight was bewildered, turning to the two assistants who backed away slowly. Unimpressive slipped on an upended stack of papers and sent Vimbert sprawling across the floor. Unimpressive started giggling helplessly and Vimbert joined in soon after. After staring at the three stallions rolling on the table and floor, Twilight couldn’t help but join in.

Tears streaming from her eyes, Twilight recovered first and steadied herself to take deep breaths. Her sides burned and she felt light-headed. Eventually the spasms subsided and she sat up. Scribe’s panting was interrupted in random intervals by small giggles. He caught sight of Twilight and barely managed to not go off again.

“Alright, I think we’re done for the week.” Scribe rubbed the tears from his eyes with a hoof. The assistants collected themselves and made their way from the room, still chuckling. Twilight hopped down from the table and surveyed the destruction.

“We should probably clear some of this mess…” Her horn glowed as she levitated the broken equipment off the floor and shelves. Scribe joined in and levitated the papers and books into a somewhat organized pattern in the now clear space. “Sorry for snapping, Scribe.”

The white stallion chuckled weakly. His sides were burning and a small hint of pain crossed his face as he did so. “I’m sorry, too. Still a little jumpy after that bang, I guess. You’re right though; no reason to do this at all if we don’t do it right.” Twilight grinned. Scribe’s face hurt, but he grinned back; that mare’s smiles were impossible to not reciprocate. “So, free for dinner?” He attempted to straighten his unkempt mane.

Twilight’s smile faltered. She had been accidentally dodging Scribe since she had agreed to a ‘next time’ the first week. ‘Why would he still want to pick my brain after the day we had today?’ a sliver of confusion ran through her mind. She dismissed the thought; she was too done in to be doing much analyzing. One of the problems was he kept asking on Friday. He should really be asking earlier in the week, when they were still in a state to talk shop. “Sorry, Scribe.”

Scribe hid his wince. He didn’t need to; the lavender mare’s attention had turned to the floating debris. She had begun balling up the free-floating pile into a blob. “Are your Fridays always busy?”

Twilight’s eyes widened. She put a hoof to her face. “Yeah, I’ve got company that comes in from Ponyville on the weekends. I probably should have told you that already, huh?” She regained her focus on the roughly sphere-shaped mound of garbage. Scribe’s spirits brightened and he let out a laugh that should have hurt his face and sides more than it did.

“Hey, that’s alright. How about Monday? Rain-check?” He smiled at Twilight, pleased to see her return one.

“Sure, I’ll probably be more refreshed after the weekend, anyway. I’ll see you Monday, Scribe.” The floating ball had been compressed down to the size of a watermelon and she cantered out of the room and up the stairs towards the castle proper with it floating behind her.

“Yeah, see you then, Twilight…” Scribe said quietly to the empty room, a contented grin playing on his face.

Twilight headed out through the servant’s exit at the back of the castle. The wind and snow had started up again and it immediately set her teeth to chattering. Hurrying over to the large bins she carefully lowered the compressed ball inside. When it was about a foot from the bottom, a cold breeze ran up the mare’s spine and shattered her concentration. The ball crashed down and exploded outwards, quickly overflowing the receptacle. Sighing crossly, Twilight levitated the parts that had fallen on the ground and tried to fit everything back in for a few minutes before giving up and shoving the remainder into a second bin. She galloped back inside and slammed the door. Teeth chattering and shivering, she hurried back to her suite and a thawing shower.

Warmed up and toweled off, Twilight sunk onto her bed. She glanced at the clock and got right back out of bed, letting a small sigh of disappointment escape through her nostrils. She swung open the closet door and blinked tiredly at the dress. ‘I wonder if Rainbow would mind a quieter sort of night…’ As she was musing, a knock sounded at the door. She turned from the closet and her horn glowed briefly. She was greeted by the sight of her cyan Pegasus, dressed to the nines with her hair up and…was that make-up? Twilight felt her legs turn to jelly. Rainbow smiled. “Hey, Twi’.”

The lavender mare eyed her lover, a glint of hunger in her eyes. The fatigue in her body retreated in a blind panic. “Hey, yourself. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if we had a less formal night out than the usual Friday?” She slowly approached the door, her body tensing into a crouch. The pegasus didn’t seem to notice her change in stance.

Rainbow pouted. “But Twilight, I got all dressed up!” She flared her wings and turned to the side, as if Twilight hadn’t noticed her outfit. Rainbow’s flank, silhouetted by the dress, sent shivers up the unicorn’s spine.

“Mmm, that’s okay.” The unicorn’s eyes were half-lidded and she spoke in a purr. “I know just how we can get you out of that dress.” Suddenly, she pounced on her marefriend and in a flash and a crack they were teleported onto the bed. Rainbow only had time to gasp out ‘Twilight!’ before the door was magically slammed shut.

Rainbow set the coffee cup down, revealing a cocoa-dusted dollop of whipped cream on the tip of her muzzle. Twilight giggled and sipped her cappuccino demurely. The Pegasus’ ability to lick the cream from her face nearly caused Twilight to choke on her drink. Rainbow grinned wickedly at the redness that flared out on her marefriend’s face. “Don’t act like you’re surprised I could do that with my tongue, Twi’.” The unicorn coughed and sputtered, the blush deepening.

Twilight glanced around and was glad to find the late night coffee shop was empty, save the two freshly-showered and tousled-looking mares. Glad that the threat of being overheard was nonexistent, she grew bold. “I’m not surprised you can, Rainbow. I’m surprised you still have the strength to move your tongue at all.”

Rainbow’s smile deepened, a small amount of color reaching her cheeks. She chuckled lightly and shook her head. “I still can’t believe you can make me blush so easily, Twi’. I feel like a school filly with you sometimes. It’s a pretty freaky superpower.”

Twilight giggled. “Face it, Dash. You’re a hopeless romantic.” The pegasus rolled her eyes and took another gulp of her coffee.

“And you’re just hopeless, egghead.” She scooped a dollop of cream from her cup with a hoof and quickly deposited it on the lavender mare’s muzzle. Twilight squeaked and fell into another fit of giggles. The door to the shop chimed as a gust of frigid air made its way to the two and a muscular white unicorn entered. Rainbow gave him a quick once-over and turned back to her marefriend. Twilight glanced at the new arrival and her eyes lit up. Rainbow frowned and glanced back at the alabaster stallion, a distrusting look in her eyes.

“Scribe! Fancy seeing you here!” Scribe turned at the sound of his name and noticed the two mares sitting off to the right of the entrance. His face brightened and he hurried over to them.

“Twilight! What a nice surprise running into you.” Twilight beamed at him and turned towards the sky blue mare.

“Rainbow, this is Scriber Vim, I’m working with him on leyline research.” Rainbow’s scowl lessened and she offered the new arrival a small smile. “Scribe, this is Rainbow Dash. She’s my—”

The stallion barreled over the end of Twilight’s sentence . “Oh, so this is your standing Friday engagement!” He offered Rainbow a hoof which she took with some trepidation. “A pleasure to meet you. You are quite a lovely sight, Miss Rainbow Dash; I can see why Twilight always blows me off.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Uh, thanks, I guess…” Twilight grinned and sipped her coffee.

“Would you like to join us, Scribe?” He turned to Twilight and offered a small smile, but waved her off with a hoof.

“Afraid I can’t; just grabbing a quick drink to go. I will see you Monday, Twilight. And it was very nice meeting you Miss Dash.”

“Likewise.” Rainbow gave him another small smile, surprised that she felt relieved he had turned down her marefriend’s offer. After ordering a cappuccino, Scribe made his exit back out into the crisp night. The cyan mare raised her eyebrow again. “That, was Scribe?”

Twilight blinked. “Uh, yeah. What’s up, Rainbow?” The pegasus shook her head, a bewildered look plastered on her face.

“Nothing, just surprised is all. You didn’t tell me he was a beefcake.”

A rip of laughter was surprised out of the unicorn’s lips. “A beefcake?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth. “Yeah, Twi’, a beefcake. Don’t tell me you can’t see it; I’m gay and I’d probably let him rut me.” Twilight’s giggle-fit worsened and she nearly slipped from her chair.

“I’ll have you know Scribe is a perfect gentlecolt,” Twilight stated between little bursts of giggles. “I very much doubt he’d try to rut you on a first date.” Rainbow chuckled softly, a small voice of worry plaguing the back of her head. The conversation drifted away towards other topics as they finished their drinks and the voice left with the caffeinated dregs.

Rainbow grumbled half-heartedly as she flew through the icy morning air. She had some time to make up getting back to Ponyville and the faster speed caused her to take a bit more temperature punishment than she would have like. She was annoyed, but remembering why exactly she and Twilight had lingered so long as to make her late kept those feelings in check. She smirked despite her discomfort and sped up, streaking across the sky towards her destination.

“Hi Rainbow!” Cloud Kicker waved at the approaching blur of colors as it slowed and alighted next to her on the puffy cumulus.

“Heya, Cloud. Not late am I?” The two mares tapped hooves in their usual greeting. Over the past month, Cloud Kicker had kept an eye on her boss’ behavior like she’d been asked and was astounded to find that she rather liked this new Rainbow Dash.

“Nah, just on time. All we’ve got today is some cloud-cover movement. There’s a big ol’ cluster of ‘em fresh from Cloudsdale that need to be shifted around town.” Cloud Kicker pointed towards the large mound of fluffy white gathered up opposite Ponyville from the Everfree Forest. Rainbow gave a sharp nod.

“Piece a’ cake. Everypony already split into teams?” She lifted back off the cloud and hovered a few feet above it, the purple pegasus joining her.

“Yep, we got the central and north Ponyville.” The two took off towards their gathered material, Rainbow biting her lip and exhaling a piercing whistle, signaling work to start. The four teams of two got to work bucking, dragging, and shoving the marshmallowy blankets over their assigned spots. It was hard work, but Cloud was much happier to be working with Rainbow, rather than fixing her mistakes. “Hey Cloud?”

“Yeah, Rainbow?” The two heaved their current cloud out over town hall and smoothed it into place so it wouldn’t drift.

“I got a favor to ask. Mind if we leave a bit of open sky over the library?” They headed back to grab the next piece.

“I don’t see why not, but why d’you wanna leave it open?” Cloud Kicker raised an eyebrow. Rainbow’s eyes darted around and she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof.

“Well…” She chuckled sheepishly. “I kinda have somethin’ I’m working on at the library for Hearth’s Warming Eve, and cloud cover’d get in the way.” Her sky blue cheeks took on a purple cast from a soft blush.

Cloud Kicker smirked. “Y’know, when you blush like that, your cheeks turn the same color as Twilight’s coat.” Rainbow choked and went a few shades redder. “That’s better, now you’re closer to Cheerilee’s coat.” Rainbow mock scowled at the purple pegasus’ laugh before joining in. The four teams cleared out the waiting pile in a few short hours and Ponyville was completely blanketed, save for a round hole over library. Rainbow bid farewell to her team and took off through the hole, a contented smile on her lips. A quick stop at her house to grab a saddlebag full of carefully saved bits, and she set off again. The work had warmed up her muscles, but was not strenuous enough to get her anywhere close to fatigue. Her flight to Cloudsdale was fast and stunt-laden despite the cold.

Touching down in the business district, the cyan pegasus couldn’t help but gaze around her hometown with fondness. Images flickered through her mind of her most recent visit winning the Best Young Flyers competition, which had served to color her older recollections. Cloudsdale had not been the most pleasant place for her to grow up, but the negative experiences were dulled to a soft gray while the happy memories were brightened. The colorful tapestry of nostalgia enveloped Rainbow and she set off at a bouncy trot with a contented smile on her face.

Finding a shop selling the right sort of goods, Rainbow went about her shopping while humming to herself. Her good cheer bled all over her thoughts and she found herself fantasizing about a certain unicorn’s reaction to her plans. The few other pegasus customers in the store noticed the sky blue mare with the goofy grin on her face seemed to be doing a bit more dancing than shopping and gave her a wide berth. After a much longer time than would be strictly necessary to have selected her purchases, Rainbow entered the queue. Rocking back and forth on her hooves, she daydreamed through the wait. Her concentration breaking when the shop runner said “R-Rainbow Dash? Is that you?”

The cyan mare snapped back to reality and took stock of the mare behind the counter. She had a soft peach coat and a flowing, strawberry red mane that framed her lovely face perfectly. Rainbow had no connection between the mare in front of her and any pony she knew, until her eyes settled on the mare’s cutie mark. A soft puff of white, very much like the one on her own flank, sailing in front of a yellow crescent. Rainbow’s eyes widened and she nearly sat down from the tremors in her legs. “C-Cloudy Moon?”

“So then Gamma threw the bucket of grapes into the cafeteria and it just had to land directly on my head. My coat and mane were stained for two weeks. And it was picture day, too.” Twilight’s raucous laughter interrupted the fork levitating towards her mouth. Scribe joined in with her. The two were sitting opposite each other in a small bistro and their volume attracted a few looks from other clientele until they both regained their composure.

“This was a good idea, Scribe.” Twilight smiled at the stallion and relieved the anticipating fork of its cargo. “It’s nice to spend time with you outside of work.” Scribe returned the smile. The lavender mare had been expecting a bit more shop-talk, but some relaxed socializing had been welcome. The two kept each other laughing with stories from their past. Scribe eventually compelled Twilight to relate some of her more adventurous tales involving dragons, Discord, and Nightmare Moon. The stallion’s awe made her feel a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t push anything enough to actually embarrass her. The meal was delicious and they lingered over every bite. An after-dinner coffee followed, and the two wandered back towards the castle still deep in conversation.

Twilight was thrilled. Her friends in Ponyville had become the most important mares in her life, but they were hard won through her social awkwardness. It had been much easier with Scribe. He was easy to talk to and the two had connected with little trouble. She saw a friendship report to the princess was in short order. The two unicorns arrived in front of Twilight’s suite.

“Thanks for Dinner, Scribe. I had a great time.” Scribe beamed, but an edge of nervousness had entered his face. Twilight’s brow knit together a little. “Did you have a good time?”

Scribe’s smile faltered and his nervousness grew. “Oh? Yes, of course I did! This was a very nice evening, Twilight. I’d like to do it again, if you would.” He glanced around, not looking directly at the mare. Twilight frowned in puzzlement. Before she could open her mouth to ask what was wrong, Scribe’s resolve firmed and he darted his head close until their lips met.

Twilight’s eyes widened in shock. ’Oh Celestia, this was a date! But, he met Rainbow! Did you tell him you were seeing Rainbow? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL HIM YOU WERE SEEING RAINBOW?!’ She stood frozen for what felt like eternity while their lips were pressed. To her dismay, her body betrayed her; electricity ran through her and she felt a growing desire. Self-loathing coursed through her in response. Her mind and body were at war and she feared she might give in to the physical want. Tears threatened to escape, but a small, solid part of her being deep in her mind calmed her and the lust receded. As their lips parted, the sense of calm remained, growing in strength. Scribe met her eyes and his heart sunk.

“I’m sorry, that was too forward of me. I hope you forgive me, Twilight. I shouldn’t have rushed things.” He turned to leave, feeling angry at himself when a purple hoof caught his shoulder.

“No Scribe, I’m sorry.” He met her gaze again, seeing the same surprise and confusion, but it was also tinged with regret. Underneath the swirl of emotion he caught a glimpse of something else. A solid resolution that seemed to both calm him and break him at once. “I should have told you earlier, I thought you knew already.” She bit her lip and looked down. Scribe could see the guilt in her face, the guilt he’d put there. The stallion’s heart quaked. “I’m in a relationship with somepony else. You remember meeting Rainbow Dash?” She continued after receiving a slow nod. “She’s my marefriend.” She expelled a breath of air in anger and looked away again, rubbing the bridge of her muzzle with a hoof. “I’m sorry, really I am. I should have been clearer with you.” Scribe smiled weakly.

“Boy don’t I feel like a flank now. Can’t blame a pony for trying, I suppose.” He shook his head to clear it. “Let’s pretend this never happened. Friends?” He offered a hoof. Twilight took it in her own and shook it. After an awkward goodbye, Twilight entered her suite and slid to the ground against the door. The calming force seemed to give up all at once and she began shaking.

“Rainbow…” She cried into her hooves, addressing nothing in particular. “What do I tell her? What if she get’s mad at me for it? I can’t lose her over this, I… It wasn’t even my fault... H-He ki-kisse-” Her voice caught in her throat. The calm feeling eventually returning, this time however, the lavender mare recognized what it was. She took a deep breath, wiping her face with a hoof. Slowly, she picked herself up, going to lay down on her bed. Panic threatened to overtake her as she laid down, only the soothing calm of realization kept her together. “Thursday I’ll be back in Ponyville for the holidays,” she whispered into her pillow, doing her best to reassure herself. “Thursday I’ll see Rainbow again. Thursday, everything will be okay.” She closed her eyes and hoped with all her might that she wasn’t mistaken.

Author’s Note: Chapter five, with a bit less of a wait than between 3 and 4 as promised. Hope y’all enjoy!

Doctors Note: There is a reference to another fic in here, if you get the right fic there may be a prize for you.

The Ech Note: Why do you always get to have editor comments!? Screw you I actually have followers (no idea why either). See ya in the showers.

Doc: Yea, but mine has to do with the story, and we already decided on prize.

Ech: Your nude photos hardly count as a prize.

bats: Man, I miss out on all the fun editing... Stupid phone.

The Doctor: It’s all set for you Bats, whenever you are ready.

Ech: When stuff goes wrong, I get my ability to edit taken away - Doctor

Chapter 6

The two mares boarded the train headed for Ponyville, a barrier of silence between them that caused both of them to ache. Their steps were stiff, a slow canter down the cars to a private room. Rainbow took a seat at the window and, after the briefest hesitation, Twilight sat down next to her, a chasm between them in every way except physically. The train embarked and they sat in silence as the snow-caked landscape drifted by outside. Ten minutes of silent contemplation passed before the cyan mare absent-mindedly slung a hoof around her marefriend’s shoulders and pulled her close. A barely audible gasp passed Twilight’s lips as she leaned against Rainbow, her head resting on a sky blue shoulder. The pegasus’ mind raced as she tried to think of something to say, a way to begin the conversation she was reluctant to have, when she realized the unicorn was trembling against her.

“…Twi’?” Twilight’s forehooves wrapped around her and grasped with a crushing tightness. Her whole body quaked as she sobbed into Rainbow’s shoulder. Her magenta eyes widened in shock. “Twilight, what’s wrong?” The unicorn sobbed silently and desperately into her. She ran a hoof through the despondent mare’s mane and rubbed her back in slow circles. She was crushed to see Twilight like this. Laying a series of light kisses on top of her violet mane, she whispered, “It’s okay, Twi’. Please don’t cry. I hate to see you cry.”

In shuddering hitches and gasps, Twilight slowly regained her composure. Her desperate grip never lessened. A quaking whisper barely escaped Rainbow’s shoulder to make its way to her ears. “Something happened.” The unicorn shuddered. “Something happened on Monday, and you’re gonna hate me…”

Rainbow’s heart was breaking to see her mare so crushed. She hugged her close. “I’ll never hate you, Twilight Sparkle,” she hissed, her voice filled with conviction. “Tell me what happened, Twi’. It’ll be okay, I promise.”

Twilight sniffled loudly. Her death-grip lessened to merely painful. “S-Scribe invited me to dinner...” Her voice hitched and faulted as she spoke. “I thought it was just to talk about work, but it was a date!” Rainbow was silent, impassive while her mare talked. “He kissed me, Rainbow!”

The pegasus’ eyes hardened and her jaw clenched, her comforting strokes stopping. “That jerk,” she muttered. Twilight stiffened in her arms. She returned to rubbing the mare’s back. “What happened after that?”

The unicorn sniffed again, some strength returning to her voice. “W-well, I realized I hadn’t told him we were a couple. I told him I was seeing you and that I was sorry for not telling him. I-it was a little awkward on Tuesday researching, but it seems okay now…” Twilight reluctantly withdrew from the comforting embrace, rubbing her face with a hoof. She looked ruefully at the wet and messy splotch on Rainbow’s shoulder. “S-so, you’re not mad at me?” She looked into her marefriend’s eyes, her ears down and back with guilt.

A sky blue hoof rested gently on her cheek. “Why would I be mad at you, Twi’? I was a little mad at him, until you said he didn’t know about us.” Twilight flinched.

“Oh, why didn’t I tell him?” She looked away to the floor, her head lowered in defeat. “I should have told him!” She glanced back at the pegasus. “Why aren’t you angry at me for not telling him?”

Rainbow snorted. “Twilight, when I asked you what his deal was, you started reading me his resume. You’re good at keepin’ things professional.” Twilight blinked. She took a shuddering breath and threw her forehooves around the cyan mare.

“Oh, Rainbow!” Tears came to her eyes again, tears of relief. “I’m so stupid. I don’t know how I could have-“ she sniffed and locked her lips with those of her mare, “How I could think you’d be different.” She kissed again, her breath hot and full of yearning. “You’re the best, Rainbow. I don’t know why I forget that.” Rainbow smiled. Her face felt hot and her eyes over bright.

“W-while we’re on the subject of stuff that happened to us…” Rainbow nervously ran a hoof through her mane, looking away. “I ran into Cloudy Moon in Cloudsdale…”

“Rainbow, it is you! I haven’t seen you in ages!” The peach mare brightened with pleasure. She had a winning smile. The sky blue mare was too shocked to return it.

“Cloudy! Gosh…” Rainbow shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I haven’t seen you since flight school!” A furtive smile graced her face. Cloudy beamed, totaling the mare’s purchases.

“We should catch up, Dash-Flash.” Heat rose to Rainbow’s cheeks, hearing her old nickname again. “You live in Cloudsdale?”

Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. “Nah, I live in Ponyville now, but that’s a quick flight.” She smirked. “I am still the fastest, ya know.”

The peach mare giggled as she rung up the last item. “Well, we should get together over dinner! I’m off my shift in an hour, if you’re free.”

Rainbow felt a sweat coming on. She cleared her throat. “Yeah, okay. Izzat awesome diner in the weather district still open?” Cloudy nodded. Rainbow cleared her throat again. “Okay, I’ve gotta take this stuff home, I’ll meet you there in an hour and a half, kay?” Rainbow paid her bits owed and hooked her heavy bags onto either side of her flank with a saddle harness. She left quickly, taking to the air immediately outside of the store. She soared through the air and let some of the nervous energy be blown away. She sighed in frustration.

“Had to run into Cloudy Moon, didn’t I?” She muttered crossly to herself. “I don’t wanna see Cloudy; she’s why I’m so messed up!” She loped from side to side in the air, her brow knit and her jaw flexed. “Why’d I go along with dinner plans?” The wind felt good on her face, and the frustration and anger flowed away with it. Halfway through her flight back to her cloud home, she was calm and could think straight. She started a conversation with herself, something Twilight had recommended to help her puzzle out her feelings. ’Okay, Rainbow Dash. Think about this. You aren’t really angry at Cloudy Moon, are you?’

She shook her head reluctantly. ’No, I’m not angry at her.’

Rainbow knew it was true. She wanted to be angry with Cloudy Moon, to blame her for all of the trouble she’d had in the past with relationships and arrogance. But it wasn’t Cloudy’s fault. The pegasus knew the blame laid entirely on her own shoulders. She sighed, and accepted the fact that she held no ill will towards the stranger she once knew so well. ’This is a good thing, Rainbow. You can clear the air and make some peace with your past.’

She barrel-rolled lazily through the air, dragging out the flight. She stuck out a lip in a pout. ’But I don’t want to.’

’Do it for Twilight.’ Rainbow’s face set in determination. That was all the reason she needed. Beating her wings faster, she blazed off towards her house. When she got home, she checked the time. ‘Good,’ she thought with a smirk. ’I can get some of this setup before meeting Cloudy.’ She opened her shopping bags, her smirk widening into a grin.

“This is gonna be awesome!” She squealed, racing around her house to begin the work she needed to get done. Forty minutes later, the prep work was done and she took off back towards Cloudsdale. Her good mood stayed throughout the flight and she made short work of her return trip.

Landing near the rainbow factory, she made her way over to the diner. It had been there since long before she was born and by the looks of it, it would be there long after she was gone. She smiled at its plain, unpretentious, hoof-painted sign that simply read ‘Diner,’ rekindling the fond nostalgia from earlier in the day. She walked into the dining room, the sense that it could have been yesterday instead of a decade previously that she had been subjected to its cozy charm. She scanned the room and spotted a red mane.

“Hi Cloudy.” She sat opposite the mare and smiled. Cloudy Moon looked up from the menu and smiled back.

“There you are Rainbow. Glad you could make it.” She glanced around the diner with a grin. “I remember coming to this place as a filly with you and your dad…” Rainbow grinned, remembering the same trips. “I haven’t been here in a long time.” There was a long pause where both mares took stock in each other. They were strangers now, attempting to rekindle something that had long since gone dormant. A server came up and they both ordered their meals. The silence dissolved into conversation, at first light and small, but eventually they began to share stories of the past ten years. As the meal went on they both grew more relaxed, falling back into roles they had long since forgotten about. Cloudy gasped and giggled at Rainbow’s stories just like she did when they were fillies, and Rainbow growled and chuckled the same way Cloudy half-remembered she did.

“So Rainbow…” The cyan mare looked up from her sundae, whipped cream and chocolate sauce smeared on her face. Cloudy stifled a giggle. “How’s your life right now? Any special someponies?” She had a look of polite interest on her face, but even after all the years separated Rainbow could see past it. There was nervousness there. This was what Cloudy had wanted to talk about to begin with but had just steeled her courage enough to do it. Rainbow swallowed messily.

“Actually, yeah.” She studied the peach mare carefully. Her nervousness seemed to recede and was replaced by relief. Rainbow hid her puzzled frown; this was not the time to be pushing things. “I’ve got a marefriend. Her name’s Twilight…” She looked away lost in thought, a small smile on her lips. “We’re pretty serious.” She regained her focus when Cloudy let out a small sigh of relief.

“That’s great! I’m so happy for you, Rainbow.” The sky blue pegasus frowned in thought, watching her old friend carefully.

“What aren’t you tellin’ me, Cloudy?” The peach mare jumped in her seat and looked at Rainbow, ears drooping and a grimacing smile of guilt on her face.

“Can’t put a thing past you, can I Dash-Flash?” She sighed and straightened up. “I was, uh…Kinda worried you agreed to come because you still had feelings for me.” Rainbow’s jaw clenched and she could feel her pulse thumping in her ears. She took steadying breaths to not explode at the mare. Cloudy’s face went a little pale. “B-but you don’t! That’s all ancient history! We can just be friends again!”

She withered under Rainbow’s glare. There was no passion in the anger; there was only disappointment and resentment. “…Really, Cloudy?” The mare gulped. She was more confused than anything, but she was not used to being treated with such disdain. “That’s what you think of me? Is that why you stopped talking to me in Flight School? Thought that I’d just be some sorta lovesick filly forever?” She snorted and shook her head.

Cloudy stared. She was at a complete loss concerning what to do, what to say. Her jaw hung open as she attempted to respond. The cyan mare continued before she could puzzle anything out.

“Do you know how much it messed me up when you stopped talkin’ to me? I couldn’t hold a marefriend to save my flank for years, worried I’d drive everypony away from me…” As she spoke, the anger drained away, replaced by sadness. “I got cocky and bragged to keep ponies from getting too close, too. All ‘cuz I didn’t wanna lose any friends…”

Silence hung between them. The peach mare didn’t think she’d ever felt quite as awkward, including the painful memory she harbored of turning down her blue filly friend. Rainbow was looking out the window. Slowly the morose look broke, a genuine smile gracing her lips. “But none of that matters anymore, I guess.” She looked Cloudy in the eye. “I have Twilight now. I’ve gotten over it.” Hearing the words escape her lips, she knew it was true. “I’m not perfect. I still act like a jerk sometimes. But I’m happy.” She looked down at the remnants of her ice cream, feeling light and free. “I’m happier’n I’ve ever been in my life.”

Rainbow looked back up from her dish. The look of guilt on Cloudy’s face struck the cyan mare harshly. She opened her mouth to apologize when the peach mare started talking. “I’m sorry for what you’ve been through, Rainbow.” She looked her old friend in the eye. Rainbow could feel the regret pouring off of the mare’s body. “I never meant to hurt you. I was just so scared. I missed you so much through all the rest of Flight School. I was so angry at myself; you were the only real friend I had there. And I gave that up because I was scared.” Cloudy’s eyes were swimming. The cyan pegasus looked down at the table. “I hope you can forgive me, Rainbow.”

The sky blue mare’s eyes softened. “I forgave you a long time ago, Cloudy-girl.” The old nickname flowed from her lips with ease, despite Rainbow not remembering until it came out of her mouth,. The mare sniffled and gave her old friend a smile. “I don’t have a reason to be angry anymore.” She looked at her hooves. The feeling of freedom that had been quelled by seeing the peach mare so upset had returned. The cyan pegasus felt lighter than air and warmer than a summer day. “I’ve got everything in Equestria that I need.”

Cloudy had recomposed herself. She chuckled lightly. “Didn’t know you’d made the Wonderbolts, Dash-Flash.”

Rainbow grinned. “I said everything I need, not everything I want.” The two laughed away the remaining gloom. They left the diner, promising to meet again. Rainbow insisted that her newly rekindled friend meet Twilight and the rest of her circle, and Cloudy promised to write and come out to Ponyville when she could. The two parted after a warm hug that seemed to stitch together a decade of lost time. Not completely, but enough that both mares felt a gaping wound they were only half-aware of begin to close.

Rainbow flew through the moonlight back towards her home over Ponyville. She had a smirk tugging at her mouth; there was still a long night of satisfying work ahead of her.

Twilight listened to her marefriend’s story, resting her head on Rainbow’s still soggy shoulder. She remained silent for a few minutes after Rainbow had finished. She took a cyan hoof in her own, whispering softly, “Did you really mean it?”

“Hmn?” The pegasus had drifted off in thought. Twilight’s voice did not rise above its whisper.

“Are you really that happy?” Twilight’s eyes were watering again. She lifted her head to look her marefriend in the eyes. The rose-colored pools held all the answer she needed, but Rainbow spoke up anyway.

“Yeah, Twi,’ I meant it. I’ve never been so happy.” Twilight sniffled and rubbed her eyes with the back of a hoof. She grasped her lover’s neck and pulled her close, forehead to forehead. Rainbow returned her watery smile.

“…I’m happy, too, Rainbow,” she whispered. “I was so afraid after what happened with Scribe, but I realized something, and it kept me from falling apart.” She sat up straight, bringing her eyes level with her marefriend’s. She took in a deep breath before continuing, her courage at its peak. “I was worried what would happen if I found a stallion I was attracted to, how I’d react. And when it happened, all I could think about was you. All I wanted was to be with you and see your face, hear your laugh, feel your hooves on my coat.” The moisture left her eyes, and her voice grew stronger with conviction as she spoke. “I don’t want anypony else, mare or stallion. Rainbow Dash, I-” she sucked in a breath and pulled her head back to regard all of her mare’s face, “I love you. With all my heart.”

Rainbow stared. Her eyes started to water and a smile struggled its way across her quivering lips. She sniffled roughly and pulled the lavender unicorn against her chest. It was her turn to quake against her lover. She buried her face in indigo hair. “I knew,” she whispered, “I knew it on Monday, too.” Her body heaved in halting spasms. “When I was talking to Cloudy. I figured it out at almost the same time you did.” She pulled back and Twilight could see the twin tracks of moisture running down her cyan chin. “I love you too, Twilight. I don’t need anything else in Equestria, ‘cuz I’m in love with you.”

The two mares sat in each other’s embrace for the rest of the train ride. They left hoof in hoof, a soft, strong wing wrapped around the lavender mare. Rainbow’s smile grew wider as they exited the train. “I’ve got a surprise for you, Twi’.”

The unicorn nuzzled her lover’s face. “I’ve got everything I need already.”

“You’ll like this, trust me.” They cantered through the snow-drifted downtown of Ponyville, rounding past Sugarcube Corner and bringing the library into view.

Rainbow’s cloud home was floating directly over the tree. Thick chains of hardened cloud tethered the second home to branches, keeping the whole structure stably in place regardless of the weather. A newly sculpted stairway of cloud spiraled down the side of the tree, ending at the ground off to the side of the library’s doorway; a second column of cloud containing a staircase went into the top of the tree. The rivers of rainbow that cascaded off the side of the cloud home’s yard fell into two freshly dug ponds, each glittering in the winter sun with swirls of colors. What could have been an ungainly addition looked planned from the start, a magical mansion.

“We’ve been talkin’ about moving in together, so I figured I’d get a head start.” Rainbow chuckled. “I reinforced the floors since it doesn’t need to fly anymore. You can walk on it without a spell. Probably need one to do anything but walk around, though.”

Twilight’s jaw hung open limply. “Rainbow…It’s beautiful!” She squealed and galloped ahead, testing her hoof on the stairs. “Oh, it still feels like cloud!” She pounded her way up the spiral staircase. The pegasus lazily drifted up to meet her, beaming. “Oh, and it’s connected inside, too?”

Rainbow landed next to her, unlocking the door while giving her marefriend a second key. “Yep, had to open up a new hole in the tree. It connects the lower floor of your room with the stairway in my, er, our living room.” Twilight rushed past and down the new stairs, not even noticing the thorough cleaning Rainbow had undertaken in her cloud home. Rainbow followed behind, a bounce in each step. “This must have cost a fortune!” The unicorn marveled at the new stairway seamlessly molded into a formerly blank stretch of wall from her room.

Rainbow chuckled, following Twilight back up the stairs as she took off again. “Nah, I did all the work myself. I built my house without any help when I first moved here, ya know.” The lavender mare rushed around the newly remodeled home, delighted at Rainbow’s workmanship. As the day waned and Hearth’s Warming Eve really started, their four friends arrived and toured the revamped house with excitement. No one there came close to matching Twilight’s joy.

Twilight awoke, wrapped in spongy cloud and her lover’s limbs. She smiled and snuggled close. Her mind replayed the weekend. If there was any question whether she really was the happiest she’d ever been, those doubts had been laid to rest. Being back in Ponyville with her friends and Rainbow had been a whirlwind of activity that left her breathless. She kissed her mare awake with fluttering pecks to her eyes, muzzle, and cheeks. Rainbow moaned and her eyes slid open slowly.

“Mmm, morning, Twi’.” She yawned widely and stretched, using the motion as an excuse to pull the unicorn closer. “Your wake-ups are the most awesome thing ever, you know that?” Twilight giggled. The pegasus casually rolled on top of her marefriend, making her squeak. “We’ve got all morning before your train leaves, whaddya wanna do?” She nibbled a lavender ear, eliciting a gasp.

“Mmm, how come we never did this on clouds before this weekend?” Twilight’s hooves snaked around her lover, finding the base of each wing. Rainbow growled in her ear.

After finding a variety of ways to pass the morning, the two set off for the train station. Twilight’s spirits were high, even if she was being whisked away from her lover once again. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be in Canterlot,” the mare mentioned, “We had a breakthrough on Wednesday. If the tests go well, I might be back in a month.”

Rainbow’s hoofbeats carried a bounce that had been there all weekend. “I’m not worried. We’ve got all the time in the world.” Twilight grinned at her marefriend.

“Well, however long it takes, no more big romantic gifts. One more surprise like that and I might just have a heart attack.”

“No promises, Sparkle.” The unicorn laughed as they arrived at the train. Rainbow had work that couldn’t wait for her to escort Twilight to Canterlot and fly back, so they made their goodbyes there. “See ya in a week, Twi’. I love you.”

“I love you too, Rainbow.” After a final embrace and fiery kiss, Twilight boarded the train. Rainbow waved a hoof as it disappeared along the track. Twilight sat in the train compartment and rifled through her bags. She floated the small box out of one and opened it in mid-air. The golden locket, shaped like a lightning bolt, opened to reveal its contents; a picture of the two of them from one of their first dates eating cotton candy at a Sweet Apple Acres summer fair. ’Best Hearth’s Warming Eve ever,’ she thought as she floated the locket around her neck.

Rainbow Dash trotted back to the library, a bounce still in her step and a shining, star-shaped locket swinging merrily from her neck.

Author’s Note: Y’all have diabetes now. I’m not sorry.

Ech: “After finding a variety of ways to pass the morning” bats' version of clop....I fapped.

Doctors Note: He told me this would be D’awwww inducing stuff of the highest caliber, I am disappoint.

Chapter 7

Twilight yawned and stretched out in her bed, rolling over onto her back. Her forehooves settled to either side of her, finding the bed empty. She reluctantly opened her eyes and confirmed she was alone. Her bottom lip puckered in disappointment; Rainbow’s early mornings as of late were getting in the way of precious snuggle-time.

The lavender mare glanced at the clock and caught sight of the framed letter. She smiled despite herself; the peer-review acceptance letter for the Vim-Sparkle Leyline Mapping Method had arrived six months after their work had concluded and it had been her cyan mare that insisted on getting it framed. Twilight smiled and pulled herself out of the cloud bed, adjusting her locket that had long since been enchanted with a permanent cloud-walking spell.

After showering, she cantered down the stairs to what used to be her living quarters, but was now an entertainment space and personal library. She was surprised to find a certain pegasus sitting on her haunches at their shared desk staring at a book. The unicorn approached carefully; Rainbow’s expression was lined with deep thought. Wordlessly, she sidled up to her marefriend and regarded the book laid out on the desk. A sky blue wing extended and wrapped around her middle. “Hey there, beautiful.”

Twilight smiled and nuzzled Rainbow’s neck. “Hey yourself.” She rejoined her marefriend’s silent vigil over the tome. After a few minutes, she whispered into a blue ear, “…Why are we staring at a book?”

Rainbow chuckled. She lifted a hoof and opened the cover, revealing the hoof-written words. “Not just any book, Twi’. It’s my old journal.”

The unicorn nodded gravely. Leaning in she whispered again, “…Why are we staring at your old journal?” Rainbow only smiled. Still mouth to ear, Twilight shrugged and began to nibble gently. The tightening grasp of Rainbow’s wing and a throaty moan propelled her from base to tip. Rainbow’s slow moan resolved into husky chuckles and with a quick twist of her neck she caught lavender lips in her own. Their kiss slowly deepened and Twilight found herself being dipped backwards. She lost her balance and pin wheeled, hooves searching for purchase. Desperately, she grabbed her mare and the two toppled to the floor in helpless giggles. Rainbow’s journal thumped next to them. Twilight stared up at the cyan mare looming over her. She traced circles on Rainbow’s chest with her hooves. “So seriously, babe, what’s with the journal?”

Rainbow paused, caught in the middle of preparing to assault lavender neck. She glanced at the book and shrugged. “It caught my eye is all.” Her gaze returned to the much more welcome sight of her lover. “I got to thinkin’ about what I was like when we got together.” She leaned down and regarded purple eyes from inches away, her marefriend stealing a quick peck on her approach. “You’ve changed me, Twi’. I’m a better pony because of you.”

Twilight encircled the mare’s neck, hooves running through chromatic mane. She pulled her lover’s head to rest against her chest and fondly regarded the room around her. Her old bedroom, once so barren and utilitarian, was filled with personal touches. Posters adorned the walls and knickknacks lined all available surfaces. Chairs and pillows were set up everywhere, creating dozens of welcoming spaces for talking. The library, once the choice sleepover spot for all her friends simply due to size was now the favorite hangout spot for everyone. The room, the whole building, was lived-in and cozy. Twilight had spent her life living in suites, boarding rooms, and libraries. She now had a home. “…You’ve changed me too, Rainbow.” She stroked her lover’s mane. “So are you all squared away with your past now?”

“Nah.” Rainbow leaned up to catch the unicorn’s eyes and smirked. “Never gonna get over all of it. I’ll probably always be arrogant sometimes, an’ nothin’s gonna change my past. But ya know what?” She leaned up and in, muzzle to muzzle with her marefriend. “Doesn’t matter.”

Twilight turned her head slightly and kissed her lover. The book lay forgotten under the desk. Some weeks later while picking up, Twilight found it again and set it next to Rainbow’s dresser. The pegasus stuffed it in a drawer.

Twilight stared into her mirror, brushing out her mane. The early summer sun streamed through her window, dust motes dancing in its beams. She watched them from the mirror, trying to still her thundering chest. She checked the vanity drawer for the tenth time that morning and sighed deeply. She left the bathroom and began to pace her old bedroom. Her nervous wandering paused when the sound of rustling drifted down from the upper living room. The gentle press of hooves on cloud stairs brought her over to the spiral stairway. She greeted the sky blue pegasus’ smile with one of her own.

“Hey Twi’.” The mare stepped off the staircase and pulled Twilight into a gentle kiss. “Happy anniversary.”

Twilight smiled warmly. She wrapped her hooves around the mare of her dreams and pulled her close. “I can hardly believe it’s been two years already, Rainbow.” Rainbow chuckled and returned the embrace, hooves lingering on her lavender back. “So what have you planned today, Miss I-Can-Plan-An-Anniversary-Just-As-Well-As-You?”

Rainbow gasped dramatically, raising a hoof to her mouth and leaning back. “Hey, I plan stuff all the time. Aside from being the fastest, I’m the most romantic pony in Equestria, too.” She puffed out her chest and waggled her eyebrows.

Twilight giggled and lightly struck her mare’s shoulder with a hoof. “Fair enough, Miss-Most-Romantic. So what’re we doing?”

The pegasus turned and bounced toward the stairs down into the library’s common room, her flank swinging playfully back and forth as she called in sing-song over her shoulder. “It’s a surpriiii~se!” Twilight sighed in mock-frustration and began to follow, pausing just before the stairs.

“Err, just a minute, gotta grab something.” She hurried back to her vanity and encircled a saddlebag in violet energy. The vanity’s drawer slid open and the unicorn hurriedly stuffed something inside her floating bag, eyes darting over her shoulder. Rainbow was still downstairs. Taking calming breaths, the mare set her bag over her middle and bounced in place to work off some of her fidgety energy. She watched herself in the mirror. ’That eye twitch isn’t good.’ An annoyed grunt from downstairs brought her hurrying down to meet the hoof-tapping pegasus.

“Geez, your saddlebag?” Twilight shrugged noncommittally. Her marefriend rolled her eyes and smirked, leading them out of the library. Twilight locked up behind them and took several more steadying breaths. She thought she’d finally gotten a handle on herself as she turned back to face her marefriend. Rainbow took the lead. The unicorn stayed half a step behind and to the left of the cantering pegasus as they walked through a surprisingly empty town. They passed by their usual hang-out and date spots and when they reached the edge of downtown Twilight realized Rainbow had led her in a weaving pattern to keep their destination hidden.

Twilight watched the town fall away to their sides. They wound through the hoof-beaten path into the trees. There weren’t many other options of destination left. “So we’re going to Applejack’s?”

“Maybe.” Rainbow waggled her eyebrows again. Twilight smirked and shook her head.

“Of course we’re going to Applejack’s. There’s nothing else in this direction.” Her mare pulled a hoof across her mouth, indicating her lips were zipped. The unicorn shoulder-checked her marefriend, giggling. Rainbow leapt into the air and hovered upside down. She stuck her tongue out. Twilight blew a raspberry. The pegasus performed a half barrel-roll shoulder-check that knocked Twilight off the path. Giggling madly, she chased her flying attacker along the path, half-hearted tackle attempts making the flying mare dart back and forth through the air.

The two inevitably found their way to Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow flew straight for the barn. “Gee, babe, I wonder who or what could be in the barn?” Twilight’s face was stuck in a grin that wouldn’t abate no matter how hard she tried to look astonished. The barn door swung open.

“SURPRISE!” The entirety of Ponyville was crammed into the barn. No less than five party cannons erupted, covering the picnic tables outside with tablecloths and place-settings. A banner unfurled over the barn doors proclaiming “Happy Anniversary to Ponyville’s Bestest Couple.” Twilight’s gasp fooled no one.

Rainbow swooped back down to the ground, ending in a flip that set her next to the lavender unicorn. Twilight grinned and poked Rainbow’s nose with an accusatory hoof. “I thought you said you planned today?”

“I did!” the mare scoffed, “I planned it by telling Pinkie to plan a surprise party.” Twilight giggled helplessly and turned to face the oncoming rush of well-wishers. After her neck was sore from nodding and her hoof was numb from shaking, she joined her partner at the head of a table filled with her best friends.

“Okie dokie everypony, let’s get this party started!” Pinkie Pie signaled DJ-Pon3 with a flourish and music pumped out of the barn. The pink mare zipped from table to table laying out large platters of sweets, cakes, and pies before taking her seat with her friends. The food was delicious. Pinkie regaled the table with a story about babysitting for the Cakes that left everyone gasping for breath, clutching their sides. Rarity and Applejack reminisced about one of the more raucous trips to Canterlot the group had been on while Twilight was working there. When the Guests of Honor fell into a conversation about an exciting adventure series that had just started, Applejack teased her sport rival about how much time she spent cooped up in the library. The two athletes fell into a spirited contest of hoof-wrestling, that drew spectators and challengers from other tables.

While Rainbow winced and rubbed her aching shoulder, Fluttershy asked about Cloudy Moon, sending the pegasus into an excited tale about her good friend’s recent pregnancy. The afternoon whiled away with Twilight basking in the warmth of their company. It was not an intimate anniversary party, but there was nowhere she’d rather be. When seconds were finished and thirds refused, the bouncing earth pony grabbed the couple by their necks and led them to an erected podium.

“SPEECH!” The crowd chanted. Rainbow chuckled and raised her forehooves for silence.

“Well, thanks for coming everypony. It means a lot to have so many friends be here for us.” Rainbow’s smile glowed. “This town is the most awesome place in Equestria and I wouldn’t wanna be anywhere else.” A smattering of hoof-stomping broke out. The sky blue mare wrapped a hoof around Twilight and pulled her close. “This pony here is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It, uh, it really means so much to see all of you so happy for us…” She trailed off, a bit too much emotion bubbling to the surface for her taste. She swallowed thickly and blinked to clear her eyes. “I mean that. I’ve not always been the easiest pony to be around, but you all have stuck by me…It’s, uh, it’s really great to have a home and a family like all of you.” Her throat starting to hitch, she turned to her unicorn. “You have anything you’d like to say, Twi’?”

“Erm, yes.” The lavender mare bit her lip, fidgeting from hoof to hoof. Her eyes darted around the crowd. She cleared her throat. “It means a lot to me, too. Ever since I came to Ponyville, I’ve met so many wonderful ponies and made so many friends.” She paused fiddling with the podium. Her eyes continued to dart around, not settling on anything. “Before I came here, I didn’t have any friends, but here I’ve found so many ponies who I can treasure.”

The unicorn took a deep breath and she turned towards Rainbow. Her nerves receded. “I found you to treasure, Rainbow. Every day with you has been a gift.” She stepped forward and gave her mare a soft kiss. A few catcalls from the audience were quickly shushed. “Every kiss feels like a first kiss…” The two shared a long gaze. “Every day is the start to a grand adventure. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I want you there with me. Every step of the way.” Twilight’s nerves re-descended on her like a blanket. She glanced away, her gaze refusing to stop darting around. She took several deep breaths and a step back from the pegasus. A quick, terrified glimpse at the audience crossed her face before she turned back to her confused mare. The lavender unicorn sat on her haunches as a velvet box floated from her saddlebag. Hovering in midair between the two, it opened to reveal a golden band the bore of a hoof, inset with a sparkling diamond. Rainbow’s eyes darted between the glint of the stone and the glint of hope in her marefriend’s eyes.

Princess Celestia sat on her throne, working through the large stack of decrees her advisor hovered in front of her. She stifled a yawn. A flash of green fire pulled her out of the administrative daze she had settled into. The princess grasped the scroll in her magical grip. She unfurled it to read the contents, joy lighting her regal features.

Princess Celestia,

She said yes!

Twilight Sparkle

The lavender mare lounged on her cloud couch, idly reading a piece of correspondence. The jargon was starting to give her a headache. She was saved by the gentle sound of hooves on cloud; she set the letter down and opened the puffy white door in a violet glow.

The sky blue pegasus cantered in and sat heavily next to Twilight on the couch, pulling the cowl of her Wonderbolt uniform off of her face. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Gosh this thing’s hot. How ya doin’ babe?”

Twilight wrinkled her muzzle in distaste at the letter. “Got another consult offer. This time for a company that wants to tap leylines to power long-distance teleportation hubs.”

Rainbow shook her head vigorously, her mane sticking out in sworls and spikes. “That sounds like fun, I guess.”

“It’s not.” She prodded the letter with a hoof. “It’s just like the floating bumper cars. The leyline tapping will take five minutes, they’re gonna spend six or seven months arguing about interface coupling and decoding; it’ll work the same way it always works which will be exactly what I say at the start of it.” She rubbed her eyes and turned to her wife. Rainbow’s head was twisted around her back. The zipper to her uniform grasped tightly in her teeth, she struggled to pull it down, one or both wings insisting on getting in the way. As she worked her forelegs waved impotently in the air in front of her. The unicorn failed to stifle a snort. “I’m sorry, let me get that.” The zipper glowed dark purple and flew down the pegasus’ back. The extremely tight uniform violently sprung off her frame, flying into the air and catching on the ceiling fan.

“Oh, thank Celestia.” Rainbow sighed in relief and stretched out her back. Her coat was covered in cowlicks and matted patches. Twilight levitated a towel over from the closet to her mare. After drying off, she slumped back onto the couch. The unicorn smiled and scooted over next to her wife. She put a hoof on each sky blue shoulder and began to work the taut muscles in circles. The mare moaned and sunk face-first into the couch. Twilight climbed up and put her weight into the massage, going down her wife’s shapely back and focusing on the stiff, powerful wing muscles. Rainbow groaned, her wings jutting out at obtuse angles. “You are so amazing at that, babe.” The lavender mare grinned. “So that teleport thing, ya gonna do it?”

“Yeah, I suppose I will. The money’s always nice from those.”

Rainbow snorted. “Hey, we’ve got plenty in savings from your other work, and it’s not like this Wonderbolts gig is for charity. If you don’t wanna, you don’t haveta.” Twilight finished up on her wife’s wings and the pegasus sat up. She slung a hoof around the unicorn’s neck, but looked away, her face shadowed with thought. She mumbled indistinctly.

Twilight leaned her head on a blue shoulder. “What was that?”

Rainbow shook her head. “Just thinkin’ aloud.” The pegasus’ gaze had settled on the mantelpiece. A photo adorned the spot; Rainbow Dash giving a ponyback ride to a four year old Shimmer Shine, Cloudy Moon’s daughter and the cyan mare’s godfoal. A soft smile graced Rainbow’s lips. She turned to her wife, a sharp, measured look in her eyes. “You ever thought about us…havin’ a foal?”

Twilight blinked slowly. A grin spread across her lavender face. “As a matter of fact, I kinda have.” Rainbow’s eyes danced. “I’ve been doing some research and—” the pegasus sighed and flopped back on the couch, eyes piercing. “Don’t give me that look! Listen, we can either adopt, or we can have our own.” A blue eyebrow went up. “See, there’s a spell for mares like us…”

“Hey, babe?” Twilight whispered, standing over the basinet. Orion Bolt slept peacefully, a dusky blue hoof in his mouth.

“Yeah, Twi’?” Rainbow stroked her hoof along the infant’s back, careful not to disturb his tiny wings.

“…Do you ever have regrets? Wish things happened differently?”

“Never.” She leaned down and kissed the baby’s cheek. The two mares stepped carefully out of the room, a sky blue wing wrapping around a lavender middle, two tails entwined as one.

“Me neither.”

Author’s Note: And that’s a wrap. Thank you everyone who has read, favorited, thumbs upped, and commented. Everyone has been great and very supportive of this silly little fluff piece. Your kind words and well-wishes have spurred me on to a new project. My next fic will be quite a bit more ambitious than this one. It will still be Twidash (because I’m obsessed), but will be a story of much grander scope. I hope everyone here will keep an eye out for it; the journey through this fic would not have been half as pleasant without all of you. I told you this story to get the courage to tell you the next one. :D

Doctors Note: He thinks that’s deep.

I tried to change that comment and got my editing privileges taken.- Ech.

Bats: As deep as a puddle.