CHAPTER TWO: AN APPOINTMENT

October 5

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. More precisely, she sent the signal through her brain to her eyelid muscles ordering them to open. This signal bounced around in her mind for at least five minutes, ricocheting off the hazy memories of last night's dream which involved a waterfall and- spiders. Lots of spiders.

In the dream, she was in a river somewhere beneath Canterlot, or perhaps Cloudsdale because rainbows glittered in the distance. It was so peaceful, with puffy clouds overhead and sunlight reflecting from the water's eddies; all of her friends had been frolicking in the shallows with the exception of Rarity, who lounged on the grassy bank above and wore a wide-brimmed hat over her violet curls. As Rainbow Dash flew lazy figure-eights in the air, Twilight splashed in the currents with Spike and Applejack.

Then the sky turned dark, or was it the water itself that became blacker and murkier? Spike gripped her foreleg like a vice and turned to her, green eyes staring lifelessly ahead, and said, "You're wrong, Twilight. You can't stop it. Nopony can stop it."

And then, falling from the azure spray of water behind her like a glittering rainstorm, were small spiders. She remembered the blackness of them, the shiny surfaces of their legs as they splashed around her by the hundreds. Fluttershy had been standing there on the riverbank calling to her, only Fluttershy sounded oddly like she had when the Everfree Forest's famous poison joke altered her voice to a deep growl. Fluttershy looked the same; she had the same butterscotch coat and cute pink mane, the same deep bashful eyes. She even talked in the same fashion (disregarding that hilarious voice, of course) and yet, something about her was off.

The dream-Fluttershy felt different than the real one.

And it was that feeling that Twilight remembered most vividly, even though she could not remember what Fluttershy had shouted as she swam frantically downstream from the spiders. Their tiny legs making circular motions against her fur, crawling, probing, sensing. All around her they swarmed. Swimming downstream from them didn't seem to produce any effect because the water was spiders.

Limbs, but no bones.

Spike remained stock-still in the water and made no effort to escape, even as the spiders burrowed through his scales and exited in grotesque bloody rivulets from holes where his eyes and mouth used to be. Applejack screamed and sank to the bottom of the river under the relentless weight of gnawing gore-drenched fangs. Their chewing and chittering sounded like the laughter of children. While she cast spells and fought for her life against the rising tide of legs and pincers, she realized that the spiders weren't exactly the thing she was afraid of. They were only a precursor, an exploratory tendril, their tiny eyes prying orbs without light but at the same time, orbs looking into a part of her that she usually kept private.

"AAAARGH!" she yelled as her eyelids finally parted stickily. Two seconds was enough to convince the unicorn that she was better off keeping them closed, because the bright sunlight blinded her and she scrunched her eyes shut against the pain. She stilled her legs which had been flailing like a madpony's.

"Oh buck," she cursed. And Twilight was not a pony known for cursing.

When the throbbing in her head was more manageable, she opened her eyes again and immediately noticed that she was not in her own bed. Instead of library books and rustic wooden walls, there were pillars with intricate floral carvings and gold accents. The windows reached to the ceiling, letting Celestia's sun flood the room with light, and around her bed were golden metal poles that supported white lace curtains.

Wait… this isn't my bed at all. This is- Celestia's bed?

What in the hay happened last night?

She sat bolt upright in bed and soon regretted that decision. Her head was pounding as if there was a stampede of Applejack's cattle trapped inside. Fighting off a wave of nausea, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the vanity mirror across the room. "My mane!" she shrieked. After staggering across the room to it she groaned, "My face…"

The pony staring back at her had a ruffled mane and bloodshot, baggy eyes. She would not have recognized it as herself without the violet bangs. She groaned and looked around for a manebrush, instead finding a letter on the table that bore a familiar hoofwriting and was stamped with a royal "C". When Twilight sat down to read it, she soon forgot all about the murky and sinister dream.

Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

My apologies for not being able to wish you good morning. You were fast asleep when I rose to attend to my royal duties and unfortunately, the dignitaries from the griffon kingdom arrived much earlier than I had anticipated. Today's royal business will no doubt drag on as it always does.

No doubt you are feeling slightly worse for wear this morning, which is partly my fault for allowing you to drink in such large amounts. Nevertheless (and I say this sincerely and from the bottom of my heart) last night was the most pleasurable night I have known in many decades and thank you for giving me the privilege of your company and affection. If you will permit me to say so, I have not known a kiss like that in over four hundred years. We must do it again soon, although there are many things I would discuss with you if you and I so choose to follow last night's path through to conclusion. I say this in the interest of honesty because love without honesty is not love at all. No more secrets between us, Twilight, of any kind.

I have instructed my guards to prepare my chariot for you in case you need transportation to Ponyville. I will not be free until this evening after royal court, but if you leave Canterlot be sure to send your reply via Spike.

With love and eternal friendship,

Celestia

The paper fell from a set of lavender hooves and landed on the table. A dumbstruck unicorn now let her head fall into her hooves as the realizations of last night came rushing back. I kissed Celestia. I remember that much… I wonder exactly what happened last night. And by Luna, what on earth was in that drink she gave me? Remind me never to touch 'Marelot' again…

Twilight picked up Celestia's golden-handled manebrush and did her best quick effort to wrangle it into a more presentable state. Rarity would no doubt be appalled, but Twilight had far more important things on her mind.

Rarity…

"Rarity! The appointment! And I left Spike downstairs in the palace all this time!" By the position of the sun in the sky, Twilight guessed it was late morning and somewhere in the palace foyer would be an extremely annoyed dragon. If she was quick enough with getting her flank in motion, she could still make her spa appointment with Rarity. She put the manebrush back where she had found it, trusting that the Princess wouldn't mind her- student? Lover?- borrowing it.

And yet she couldn't resist snatching up the brush again and bringing it to her muzzle. Celestia's flowery scent was like heaven in her nostrils; Twilight's heart skipped a beat with the memories of last night. If another pony had walked through the door at that instant, they would have seen a very silly Twilight Sparkle, eyes closed and grinning like a filly on Hearth's Warming Eve. And it was this thought that snapped Twilight out of her daze. "Right," she told herself. "Perspective."

Once her appearance was halfway decent, she clutched Celestia's letter in her teeth and headed toward the grand stairwell. A gray earth pony in silver armor with blue plumes greeted her at the bottom. "Twilight Sparkle? Her Majesty's chariot awaits you in the courtyard."

"Well- yes, thank you. I need to find my assistant first. Have you seen him? A baby dragon, purple scales and green tail?"

"My apologies, madam. I have not seen a dragon of that description here in the palace-"

"TWILIGHT!"

Spike came running across the ballroom as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. Before Twilight could get an "I'm sorry" out, he was ranting on and on at a tongue-twisting pace. "Twilight, where were you? I looked all over for you this morning and nopony could tell me where you were or even if they had seen you! I had to sleep in the reception hall because the guards were conducting training exercises or something, but I didn't want to sleep in case you came back and I missed you, so I didn't sleep a wink and I tried asking Celestia but the guards wouldn't allow me access to the royal courtroom without your clearance and then-"

Twilight finally stuffed a hoof into the dragon's mouth to stop his verbal torrent. "I'm okay, Spike. It was just a simple misunderstanding."

"I was so worried! And what if something had happened to you?" Spike exclaimed. "Or what if you had left without me?"

"Spike, I would never leave Canterlot without you. Besides, I was with the Princess so there's no other pony better at keeping me safe than her. And I'm really really sorry for leaving you down here without explaining better. Do you want to head home now? I'm sure everypony in Ponyville is missing us."

"And what were you doing all this time with the Princess?" asked Spike (a tad accusingly, Twilight thought). "Why did it take so long?"

Oh sweet Celestia, don't blush. Twilight Sparkle, you brainless unicorn, don't you dare blush. "The Princess had some things on her mind that she wanted to share with me. That's all." What her assistant didn't know would never hurt him. She silently fought the rising heat in her cheeks.

"Whatever... Just tell me the next time you're having a sleepover with the Princess. Can we go home now?"

At the words 'sleepover with the Princess' Twilight audibly gulped. There was no way- no way in all Equestria- that he knew. Those butterflies in her stomach returned in full force and she prayed that Spike did not stand too close to her and catch a whiff of unfamiliar perfume on her coat. Thankfully he just shook his head and turned away. Spike's mention of home made Twilight remember that she had not told anypony about her Canterlot trip; she braced herself for awkward questions when she arrived.

Celestia, true to her word, had readied her personal chariot outside the palace gates and it was harnessed to four taciturn pegasi. She wrote a mental note to herself to write Celestia a letter when she was safely home- no, Twilight, you're not going to think about that right now. You're going to think about your schedule. Spike nodded and the two headed into the courtyard where the gilded vehicle awaited them.

"Hang on back there," the lead Pegasus growled once they were aboard. The takeoff was more intense than Twilight remembered, or perhaps these pegasi were used to carrying Celestia around on a tight schedule, because at once they threw themselves into the harnesses like wild beasts. She could hear their steel shoes thundering on the stones and with an enormous lurch they were airborne. Wings attacked the air and Canterlot was hundreds of feet below them in less than a minute. Twilight had to wrap both hooves around the railing to avoid falling against the rear panel, and Spike had latched painfully onto Twilight's hind legs due to the railing being too short for his reach. The dragon's eyes were screwed tightly closed. "Ten minutes to Ponyville, madam."

Twilight released her grip once the chariot leveled out. It was built for Celestia's larger stature and the railing was at her eye level, but by looking back she could see that they were quite high indeed. The distant rainbow sheen of Cloudsdale was nearly level with them. She wanted to tell Spike about her findings on combat (namely, that there were none). Conversation was impossible in the howling turbulence.

As the chariot began to drop below the level of the clouds, she wondered if this was how it felt to be a Pegasus; to have bitingly cold wind in your ears and your hair and not be confined to the earth as unicorns and earth ponies were. Then again, she would never give up her magic for anything. Not even wings.

"Ponyville in two minutes," called the nearest Pegasus. Twilight could feel the air getting warmer as they descended. Ponyville and its suburbs stretched out in front like a multicolored patchwork quilt and beyond was the Everfree Forest. Its shapeless mass of green revealed nothing below the treetops. It had been a long time since she had seen Ponyville from the air before; actually, she remembered, it had been the visit to Cloudsdale for Rainbow Dash's flying competition. She had forgotten how beautiful it looked in the morning light.

The chariot lurched and began its final descent. Soon Twilight could see Ponyville's roofs fly by and she clutched the railing again in preparation. The Pegasi flared their wings. Suddenly the chariot met ground with a tooth-rattling bump and came to a stop in the street outside her library home. She was very happy to see it again.

With only a deep bow and toss of their manes, the Pegasi turned the chariot and took to the sky again, blowing Twilight's mane akimbo with their wings' turbulence. Only then did she notice the strange looks she and Spike were receiving from passing ponies. It was exceedingly rare for a royal chariot- Celestia's own, no less- to be seen in Ponyville and even more so for one to be seen without any royalty. She grinned nervously and headed for her front door.

"Twilight! Ah've been looking all over for ya!"

Her friend Applejack came trotting up the lane to her, her Stetson hat bobbing with her motion. "Where in all tarnation have ya been? Ya missed Pinkie Pie's- well, party. Ya know, her party to end all parties. Again."

"Well… Applejack… I was in Canterlot for the day. I had some, er, business to attend to, and sorry I made it back so late."

The orange earth pony adjusted her hat, believing Twilight's white lie in stride. "Aw shucks, Twilight, don't fret yourself. We worried about ya for a little while but figured what ya was doing was more important than a party. Don't- tell Pinkie Pie ah said that." Under her breath she muttered, "That confounded pony throws more gosh-darn parties than Ah thought possible. And it's gettin' worse."

"Of course, Applejack," said Twilight nervously. "Hey, have you seen Rarity lately? We still have our spa appointment for this afternoon."

"Well wouldn't she be at Carousel Boutique, as usual? Say Twi, are ya sure everything's hunky-dory? Ya seem a mite put off."

It took more mental energy than she had expected for Twilight to look into Applejack's deep green eyes and say, "Trust me, I'm okay. Just a little tired. A trip to the spa will do me well." I'm perfectly fine. Why wouldn't I be? I'm stressed out and having crazy nightmares and just discovering I'm a fillyfooler and still haven't learned anything about combat. I'm doing splendidly.

"All right sugarcube, Ah've got plenty to attend to on the farm but Ah'll catch up with ya later. Bye, Spike!" Twilight watched Applejack gallop away and felt a warm feeling inside; no matter what the circumstances, that pony would never give in to despair. Applejack would be good to have at her side if her worst nightmares about Ponyville came true.

"Ponyfeathers." Twilight shook her head to clear the confusing thoughts and opened her front door. She set her saddlebags down and collapsed onto a chair, thinking about what apology she would give Pinkie Pie when they next met. Spike was already busying himself in the kitchen and in no time brought out a sandwich with hay and daisy salad on a platter for her. "Thanks Spike, that's really sweet of you." It was indeed delicious and sat well in her belly.

Spike replied, "You know who your number one assistant is, right?"

"Yes, yes, now finish in the kitchen and then you can have some free time." The dragon grinned.

---

Later that day Twilight walked the short distance to Carousel Boutique to find Rarity. The fashionista was predictably at her sewing machine, and jumped up when Twilight rang the doorbell. "Twilight, darling! It's so wonderful to see you! We all wondered where you'd gotten off to yesterday."

"I'm sorry, Rarity-"

"Sit down, sit down and have some tea, dear. We'll leave as soon as I finish this row." Rarity's horn glowed, slowly pushing a dress through the machine and attaching a shimmering pattern of stars to it. "This dress is for a very important client in Manehattan, she requested a suitable outfit for her daughter's cuteceanera and I was quite happy to oblige. The amethysts still need to be applied, of course, as do the feathers… it's progressing quite nicely!" She gave a satisfied giggle. "Of course there are four other dresses for her friends to be done. A seamstress's work is never done, of course! But Twilight Sparkle, what on earth happened to your mane? So un-fabulous."

"I just arrived from Canterlot," said Twilight. "Celestia's chariot brought me back and those pegasi know how to get somewhere fast."

Rarity's eyes widened and she gasped, "Celestia's own chariot? As in the chariot she personally uses? Why, whatever for, Twilight? Couldn't you teleport yourself home?"

"She let me borrow it," answered Twilight. Rarity gave her a searching look over the rim of her spectacles but said nothing. "I didn't want to miss our appointment for today, and I really need some relaxation time."

"Tell you what. Those spa ponies can do an absolutely divine full-body massage. It's not something I have done all that often. Today it'll be my treat. I promise you'll adore it," she trilled.

The two set out across town for the spa, passing none of their friends on the way. Rarity waved to a decidedly dazed Derpy Hooves who ricocheted off the wall of Sugarcube Corner in mid-flight. "Celestia knows she'll bring down the town one of these days," remarked the unicorn. "The poor dear's overworked. That old mailpony Silver Treasure retired recently- eighty-two years old, bless her- and Derpy's handling all the deliveries on her own." Twilight stayed silent for the most part during the walk and enjoyed the breeze, which was fresh and invigorating but a hair cooler than Canterlot's weather had been.

At the spa, they were greeted by a pale blue unicorn with a wild silver-streaked cerulean mane and hourglass cutie mark. "Welcome," she said in a low and smooth voice. "My name is Minuette and it is a pleasure to serve you today. Ah, and welcome back, Miss Rarity."

"Why thank you!" gushed Rarity. "I believe I had an appointment for two-thirty? And this is Twilight Sparkle. She will be joining me today."

Minuette nodded. "Right this way." She led them through the lobby and into a room in the rear of the building where there were several low beds. Twilight inhaled; her practiced herbalist's nose picked up the scents of jasmine, eucalyptus and lavender. It was a beautiful room that felt at peace and the sounds of dripping water were already beginning to set her at ease even before she lay face down on the bed opposite Rarity.

"This is my assistant, Strawberry Sapphires," said Minuette, gesturing to a magenta Pegasus whose cutie mark was a heart of alternating fruits and gems. "Aloe and Lotus are still absent at the moment and we are filling in until they return. Make yourselves comfortable, now what do you wish us to start with today? A hot oil massage, a facial or perhaps a hooficure?"

Minuette glanced at Rarity as she said this; Twilight snickered softly. No doubt Rarity requested them often.

"We would like a full-body massage today," Rarity replied. "Perhaps a facial afterward."

With an "As you wish" Minuette and Strawberry helped them stretch out on the beds and began their work. Minuette's hooves began with the tense muscles just above Twilight's withers and moved them in gentle kneading motions. The soft friction of her hooves was magic to Twilight's knotted physique.

"So Twilight darling, why the sudden need to visit Canterlot?" asked Rarity. "It was quite the scandal with Pinkie Pie when you weren't at the party, I assure you. Flugelhorn, accordion, the whole nine yards."

Twilight didn't want to go into too much detail around the two spa ponies; for all she knew they could be Canterlot spies, but she couldn't snub Rarity, especially after the white unicorn was treating her to this unbelievably massage for free. So she tentatively said, "Just- a hunch I've been having lately."

"Do go on, dear."

"I haven't been sleeping well." She remembered the most recent nightmare and shuddered. "I went looking in the Canterlot library for any answers, and when I couldn't find any, I met up with the Princess and we talked for a while."

"A personal audience with the Princess?" Rarity exclaimed, her face alight. "I'm so jealous!"

Twilight thought there was a slight pause in Minuette's movements at the mention of the Princess. "I wanted to speak with her actually. Seems like I never get the chance to have teacher and student moments, you know like I used to before all of the 'saving Equestria' stuff. It was quite a nice evening." Another blush raced up Twilight's cheeks from the memory and she suddenly wanted to deflect the conversation away from Celestia.

Bit by bit, those magic hooves worked out tension in the unicorn's lower back and loins. By the time Minuette had reached her cutie marks and caressed them in slow circular motions, Twilight was in heaven and kept her mouth shut in case she accidentally blurted out a secret. When the spa ponies finished and applied the facial mud, another customer walked in and the Pegasus went to greet the newcomer. Twilight seized the opportunity. "So how have you been lately, Rarity? With all those dresses to make, you probably needed this more than me."

Rarity looked quickly from side to side to confirm they were alone. "Truthfully, Twilight, the past week has been awkward. I simply don't know what to do anymore."

"What's wrong?"

"Well- where to begin. I have been kept so busy lately with orders and suppliers and such that I've barely had time to myself, let alone to my friends. My silk suppler in Baltimare suddenly decides to raise prices because of 'high demand'. What's a pony to do except pass the costs on to her customers, who complain that their dress isn't fancy enough. I'd like to see THEM make a matching wedding ensemble with pale chiffon embroidery and silver accents-" Her voice sank into a huffy tirade of fashion terminology and insults.

Rarity took an exaggerated deep breath, fluttered her eyelashes and continued. "And I'm overworked and lonely. I wish love were not so complicated sometimes."

Am I the best one for love advice? Probably not. "What's bothering you, Rarity? Maybe I can help."

"I'm not sure how to say this, Twilight. What does one do when a friend, a mare you know well, offers to make the friendship romantic and you aren't attracted to mares?" Rarity looked quickly around herself again and whispered, "Four days ago Applejack… confessed that she had feelings for me. I was positively speechless…"

Twilight squirmed uncomfortably on the bed, not liking where this conversation was going. "Applejack is a wonderful friend, but she's just that. A friend. Ugh, I don't understand this trend of mares attracted to mares. So unnatural. I don't know what to tell her," sighed Rarity. "Was it always this way, Twilight? Mares loving mares. Next you'll tell me that stallions are dating other stallions."

"Ummm…" Twilight internally kicked herself. She had been on the brink of confessing her feelings about the Princess to Rarity, and now Rarity was expressing a dislike of fillyfoolers. "I could speak with Applejack about it. I bet she's just lonely on that farm of hers." She suddenly remembered something Celestia had mentioned at the wedding. "The Princess said this might happen after a big wedding. Ponies start thinking about love and a special somepony, and friendship can turn into something greater. You can't blame someone for following their heart."

"Well, yes- I still imagine that special stallion of my dreams though. Strong, handsome, fashionable, coming to Ponyville like a prince to sweep me away." Rarity sighed. "So handsome." Hearts appeared in her eyes.

Twilight respected Rarity's opinion but thought of Celestia, her satiny coat and the smell of wildflowers in her mane, those dreamy eyes of hers looking into Twilight's very soul, her soft lips brushing against Twilight's neck. I love you, Celestia, Twilight thought. I'm not afraid to say it. Rarity and any other neighsayers in Ponyville can go buck themselves.

---

The spa session with Rarity had left Twilight physically relaxed but mentally uneasy. On the walk home she had thought of nothing else save the previous conversation. Since she had become best friends with the five Ponyville ponies she loved so much, she always thought that Rainbow Dash would be the one most likely to swing towards other mares. Perhaps it was her physicality and death-defying nature.

She then thought about Applejack, the hard-working farm pony that she was, and it didn't surprise her whatsoever to hear such news. I'm a fillyfooler, Twilight thought. But Celestia isn't a filly and neither am I. If Applejack feels that way too, I'm sure there's a mare out there for her somewhere.

She had parted ways with Rarity only a few minutes earlier and was now on her way home. Dusk had come rather prematurely to Ponyville and the trees and lamp posts cast long shadows along the cobblestones. The air was quite still and slightly clammy, as if the earth were exhaling the moisture from a chilly rainstorm. It was quite different from the sunny morning in Canterlot. Perhaps the Ponyville weather team was readying a downpour, but it seemed more sudden than the usual pre-storm weather. Days like this made Twilight want to be snug near her fireplace drinking hot chocolate, with a blanket around her flanks and a good book in her hooves.

Her hooves were loud on the stones. Very few ponies were out on the streets; maybe they were similarly inside or finishing their business for the day. So it was that she met nopony on her way home and in the silence, her brain began to needle her.

Is it wrong for a mare to love another mare or a stallion to love another stallion? I love Princess Celestia and yet I'm already afraid of being ostracized. If Rarity feels that way, who knows how others will? Everything I've learned about friendship these past two years tells me that friendship is worth fighting for and your friends are those who care about you and know you best, no matter who they are. Wouldn't the same things hold true about love? Love is love and nopony has the right to judge another pony based on their preferences in love. I love all of my friends no matter what.

An owl hooted somewhere nearby and the trees to her right rustled. An odd sensation went through Twilight's stomach that crawled its way across her skin and terminated at the base of her spine. She couldn't put her finger on its source. The chill now slithering down her back felt unnatural and eerie, as if someone had stroked her coat with a wet feather. She looked over her shoulder and was certain that something had slunk out of sight behind one of the houses. Perhaps it had been a trick of her vision, yet she stared at the shadows just in case. Is that a tree root, or…

As she turned her head, she swore that the house's shadow flickered. Her tail twitched nervously. Was somepony watching her? She stopped and spun quickly in a circle.

Not even a mouse shared the streets with her. The long shadows of the lampposts looked like accusatory fingers and the trees cast silhouettes resembling hooked talons. Why was she feeling uneasy in the middle of a Ponyville street? This was no different than dozens of other times she had walked home at sundown, from Pinkie's parties more often than not, and on her own as well.

Nevertheless Twilight began to trot faster for home. She couldn't shake the feeling that an unfamiliar pair of eyes was somewhere in the distance, watching her movements. Her trot became a slow gallop; only a quarter-mile and she would be safe and warm. The trees of the Everfree Forest in the distance swayed ominously.

The sun dropped below the northern mountains just as Twilight reached her door and wrenched it open. Nothing felt more welcoming than a fire merrily crackling, the candles in the windows flickering and Spike approaching her with a "Hey, Twilight!" and a cup of steaming tea in his claws. "How'd it go with Rarity?" he asked.

Twilight exhaled and realized she'd been holding her breath for almost a minute. She went to each ground-level window and drew the curtains before facing her assistant, noticing that her hooves still shook in fear. "Spike! I- it went great. Thank you so much for making the tea and the fire."

"Naw, it was nothing. At least nothing that your number-one assistant couldn't handle." Spike puffed out his scaly chest.

As the irrational dread began to ebb away, Twilight managed a giggle. "You're not trying to wheedle something out of me, are you? Wouldn't be the first time." She winked at him. When Spike spluttered and tried to say he was only being helpful, she pulled the little dragon into a hug. "Just kidding. I wouldn't be able to live without you around, Spike."

He handed her the tea. "Spike, could you bring me a scroll and my quill?" She had a letter to the Princess to write, one she had neglected since the morning. Before she settled down at her table beside the fire, she drew the bolt on her front door and a moment later could not explain why. Never before had she felt a reason to lock her door at night. With the door safely bolted, she felt at ease enough to control her quill with magic and write a reply to Celestia.

Dear Princess Celestia,

Thank you so much for letting me borrow your chariot for the trip home to Ponyville. With the mental state I was in, I probably couldn't manage the teleportation spell anyway. What I meant to say to you is this: I also think that last night was the best thing ever to happen to me. Nothing I had ever studied about friendship or love prepared me for that kiss and I'm not doubtful at all when I say that I'm in love with you. I can't wait to spend another night together. I know that you're a Princess and I'm just a regular old unicorn, but if we try hard enough, we can make it work. I learned something about friendship, too: it can turn into love before you know it. It did for me.

xoxo

Twilight Sparkle

Twilight had Spike send the letter on its way. She sipped her tea, the peppermint and chamomile calming her nerves. Just another night in Ponyville, right? Nothing to worry about.