The sensation of flight was something commonly desired, though the reality could be very different. Rarity was currently experiencing this reality as she briefly flew across Twilight's compact reading chamber. Her flight though was interrupted by her back hitting the wall with an audible smack!

“Rarity?!”

“Argh!” Rarity groaned, both from being nearly asphyxiated and from the pain of hitting the wall.

“Oh, sweet Celestia, Rarity! Oh no… I-I am so sorry,” Twilight jumped up from where she was sitting and rushed over to where her friend was laying, nearly tipping over her blanket in the process. “Rarity… Rarity?!”

Rolling onto her side, Rarity held a hoof to her head while wheezing to get air back into her lungs.

“Oh no, I am so sorry, really, you must believe me, I didn’t mean to… well... I…” Shaking her head to clear her mind and to focus on what was actually important right now, Twilight had to concentrate for a second before she cast a simple scanning spell on her gasping friend.

The spell, to her relief, did come up with nothing though. Having lived with a baby dragon for years, accidents involving her surrogate son were nothing unusual for her, so she learned various healing and scanning spells quite early. With the help of Princess Celestia she even learned to perform extremely precise diagnostic spells which she could now perform without a second thought.

After another series of spells to confirm Rarity’s wellbeing, even triple checking them just to be sure, she proceeded to help up the confused mare. “Rarity, Are you all right?”

“Ow, darling, that was totally unnecessary.” The fashionista declared.

Ignoring Rarity’s remark for the moment, Twilight ran her magic along her body, providing relief from any potential pain.

Shaking her head again, the fashionista righted herself and glanced at Twilight, “Dear, might you be so kind and explain to me why you just did that?” Rarity asked, still dazed and holding a hoof to her forehead.

“Uhh… well, you startled me?”

“You outright grabbed me as if I was one of Sweetie’s stuffed animals.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, her ears drooping in the process. “I-I’m sorry, you know I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Come now, of course you didn’t, but nevertheless, my mane is at risk and I will not risk that” - Rarity gestured at the wall - “happening again. Just imagine the horror of my mane in such a state, augh!”

Twilight gave the fashionista a pointed look, causing her to drop the act and to move on.

Having assured herself that Rarity was ok, Twilight let go of the still wobbling mare.

“What was that about anyway? It seemed like you had a nightmare there, darling.”

Unable to tell Rarity the truth, Twilight just went with the idea of a nightmare, even knowing full well that this was the very opposite of one. “Yeah... maybe, though I can barely remember a thing, what with it being a dream and all.”

“Uh huh,” Rarity raised an eyebrow in suspicion, “I didn’t know we could even get nightmares anymore. You know, since Princess Luna's return, I thought she would have gotten rid of such horrid things by now.”

Realizing just how close Rarity could come to the truth, Twilight quickly averted her gaze. “Well, it could be the time of day? They called it ‘night’-mare for a reason.”

“I doubt very much so, I didn’t have to suffer under such a horrid thing for quite some time now and I am more than grateful for that. After all, they would disturb my beauty sleep.”

Chuckling a bit uneasy, Twilight nodded.

“But darling, we’ve got bigger problems now,” Rarity exclaimed, instantly grabbing Twilights attention. “I mean, just look at yourself, you look like you’ve just been attacked by a wild mouse or something like that!”

Looking down her own chest, Twilight just now realized what falling asleep always meant for her. Before her mouth could form the “uh-oh” screaming in her head, she had already been pulled down from the fashionista by an abrupt yank at her tail.

Now fuming over her friend, Rarity tsked. “Darling, you look like an absolute wreck.”

“Well… uh… as you have seen, I just woke up and I, OW!”

“Sweet Celestia, look at your mane, it’s all frazzled.” - Rarity grabbed the alicorn to examine her closer - “Oh, oh my, look at that coat of yours, it looks horrible…”

"Seriously? Rarity, can you stop? Ow! No, don't touch that..!"

Rubbing between Twilights wings with a tissue, Rarity looked up. “But darling, it looks like you have some dirt…”

“That's not dirt, that’s my wing bone, ow, and it’s quite sensitive, ow, ow, ow.”

Shying away and covering her back by ruffling her wings, Twilight tried to shuffle away from the fashionista.

Letting Twilight get away to get a better vantage point, Rarity looked her over further. “Good graces, darling, are those bags under your eyes? How have you been sleeping lately? Do you need something? I think I still have some herbs from Zecora at home.”

Trying to extricate herself out of Rarity’s magic, Twilight gently pushed with her own magic against that of her friend, “Rarity, … I am fine. I really am. Ouch!”

Having found an untangled feather, Rarity had expediently plugged it out as Twilight tried to crawl away. “Oh, I am sorry dear, but honestly, when was the last time you had a hooficure?”

“Uh, I don’t know… why?”

"Twilight. Darling. A mare like you should strive to look her best. A mares appearance matches her state of mind after all, and you simply look dreadful, my dear."

“Well, I haven't had time…”

“Ah time, yes, yes, that excuse again. First Applejack, and now you apparently, it isn’t becoming of you, my dear-"

"Rarity..." Twilight tried to interrupt.

"Honestly, the state some mares let their bodies turn to-"

"Rares..." Twilight tried again.

"Do ponies think such a magnifique appearance like I have materializes from thin air?”

"RARITY!" finally stopping the fashionista mid-rant, Twilight continued once she was sure her friend was properly listening to her, “I am fine, truly,” she tried to reassure.

“Of course you are, darling, but you have to understand, a lady has to look her best, especially you, my dear.”

“I look just fine, I just need a brush and then everything will be fine.”

“A brush? No no no, a simple brush won’t do, no... this calls for a trip to the spa. Aloe and Lotus can do wonders for your current, state. Oh, we could finish with one of their new massages, I've heard from Fluttershy that they're divine. I haven't had the pleasure yet but it's been the talk of the town. There must be something about that oil too... I haven't been this outshined since that visit to the Crystal Empire last summer."

At the mention of oil, Twilight was reminded just how much she actually hated that stuff. Sure, it sounded nice and she was even tempted for a moment, but she knew later she would feel that stuff clinging to her fur relentlessly. She shuddered at the mere thought of it. Not to mention what would happen if it got into her wings. Preening was difficult enough without tasting the hint of lingering oil.

“Uh, okay... thank you Rarity, but I doubt I need a massage right now, I-” Rarity cut her off.

“Oh, but you do. But first, we definitely need at least an hourlong soak in the hot tub to loosen up these muscles of yours. We won’t have a massage when your muscles are all cramped up like that, that would only make it worse. Yes, a relaxing time in the hot tub, maybe a hooficure later, that has never hurt anyone.”

“Well, I don’t know.”

Ignoring Twilights complaint, Rarity continued. “Splendid, then it's settled. The all in one package, oh, wait, please say that you have time.”

Giving Twilight a near puppy dog eyed stare, Twilight relented. “Well, I have nothing on my schedule today, so I guess I have time for that.”

“Wonderful, come now, let’s pay Fluttershy a visit, I am sure she’d be delighted to join us.”

“But you said nothing about right now, I thought-”

“Nonsense, as your friend I invite you to join me at the spa, I won't take no for an answer...”

“In that case... alright, but how about some tea first?"

"And leave you like this? Good gracious no, if I'm to continue being a mare of fashion I cannot let this stand any second longer."

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Twilight muttered under her breath.

"Fine, let’s go now then," Twilight said rolling her eyes and resigning herself to her fate. She knew full well what she was getting herself into when she had sent Starlight to Rarity, but she didn’t expect the fashionista to drag her to the spa so quickly.

“Splendid!”

Clapping her hoofs together, Rarity stood up and made her way to the door.

Standing back up, and ruffling her wings, Twilight slowly made her way back to her blanket on the window frame. Closing her book and tucking it under her wing, she packed up everything she had brought into the room with her before extinguishing the flames of the fireplace.

Now leading the way, Twilight made her way to the kitchens, with Rarity in tow.

“How is Fluttershy doing anyway?” she asked, breaking the now lingering silence.

“Good, good, the dear has a hoof-full of work at the moment though.”

“Oh, how so?”

“Well, on our last Spa meeting she told me that a cat family stood on her doorstep one day, one of them apparently bearing kittens. She mentioned that they asked her if they could stay over the coming winter. They asked because the poor little kittens wouldn’t survive the harsh winter, and so she took them in.”

“Fluttershy accommodates cats at the moment?”

“Yes, and a couple of young kittens too, they are more than delightful, my dear.”

“Hmm, if we’re going to Fluttershy’s anyway maybe we could take a quick look at them before going to the spa? I’ve never have seen kittens before.”

“You have never? Darling, kittens are one of the most adorable things in the world.”

Twilight shrugged, “Well, I never had the time before, you know, with Princess Celestia's studies and now with my current responsibilitys I am quite busy.”

“But dear, she did talk about them at our last friendship meeting. She even invited everyone if they would want to see them.”

Rubbing her neck with her hoof a bit awkward, Twilight cleared her voice. “Well, did she? I… uh… I think I might have forgotten it then. The last few weeks were kind of stressful for me.”

“Well, darling then there is all the more reason you have to see them, they are the most adorable things in the world after all.”

“I’d love to, if they are anything like grown cats then I am sure they are lovely. I do like cats very much, after all.”

“Where does that revelation come from all of the sudden?”

“Uh… well, I don’t know, I kind of always thought of cats as cute, I just never had time to have one, I guess.”

“Oh, darling, you never said anything before, I could have brought Opalescence to you instead of to dear Applejack or Fluttershy when I am on a business trip.”

“Well, yeah, I’d love to watch over her, if you want. I mean, as far as I know, Owlowisious and Opal seem to get along quite nicely.”

“Hmmm, yeah, they do.”

Having packed away the blanket and the empty cup already, Twilight and Rarity stepped into the Library.

“Do you think mama cat will let me see her kittens though? I mean, as far as I know, felines can be quite protective.”

“Well, my dear, you would have to talk to Fluttershy, she's seems to have formed quite the connection to her. I'm sure you will be able to see them though. If she could be convinced to let Rainbow see them then you'll be just fine.”

“I hope so. Hey, do you know if they have been named yet?”

“I don’t know my dear, maybe you can come up with a suggestion?”

“What do they look like?

“It’ll be better if you would look yourself, my dear,” Rarity said, amused at Twilights sudden interest in cats.

Storing the book from under her wing in its proper place, Twilight and Rarity greeted the cloaked Stallion still sitting at one of her reading tables before making their way towards the castle entrance. After the two were out of earshot from the strange Stallion, Rarity leaned over to Twilight.

“I still cannot believe you let strangers walk around in your home, guards exist for a reason, you know?”

“I usually have Spike and Starlight for that, thank you very much.”

“A baby dragon and a potentially mentally unstable mage would work wonders, yeah. You are entirely too trusting my dear.”

“I have to be, well… sometimes anyway. And you know very well that I have 179 unique magical wards around my personal chambers and effects.” Twilight waved dismissively, proud of her magical prowess.

“And I am unable to place more than 3 enchantments on my dresses, I still don’t know how you are doing that.” Rarity said, rolling her eyes.

“I offered you to teach you.”

Rolling her eyes again, Rarity looked at Twilight. “And how exactly would that work out? I already struggle with my gem finding spell. I am simply not made for such magic my dear.”

“Only because you are not trying,” Twilight mumbled under her breath.

“Well dear, not everyone is so well versed or talented in magic as you are, or would you like to try and sew a dress?”

“You know full well I did and how that turned out.”

“Maybe that’s because you weren’t ‘trying’, my dear Twilight,” Rarity sang.

Stepping forward to open the castle’s entrance, Twilight rolled her eyes. As much as Rarity’s never-ending antics could be exhausting, she wouldn’t trade her for the world. The doors closed behind them though their discussion could be heard faintly through the crystal gates.

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