The couch was not really designed for two sleeping ponies, Rarity decided.

She was already awake and had been for some time. The first hint of sunlight spilling through the Carousel’s windows had always been enough to rouse her in the morning, and years later the habit was still impossible for her to escape. Even sleeping on the couch, something she had never done when she lived here, the urge to wake and rise with the sun felt so deeply ingrained that it might have dwelled within her very bones.

The couch in question was crowded with her and Rainbow Dash. The pegasus was like a cat, Rarity decided – she expanded to fill the space available to her. Managing to squeeze onto it herself had been an adventure.

But worth it. Dash’s wing was like the world’s softest blanket, its hollow bones humming in time with her pulse and as warm as a breath against Rarity’s coat. A soft, living blanket that cupped her close against Dash’s not-at-all soft side.

Dash’s face seemed almost childlike. The pride, the cockiness, the aggression, the pain, it all fled while she slept. Wisps of her garish mane fell in all directions, occasionally lifting away as Dash’s breath caught and tossed them. The strands were longer than Rarity remembered – either Dash had stopped caring, or she was experimenting with new styles.

A creak from the stairs caught her attention, and Rarity’s ears and eyes flicked toward them. Sweetie Belle was frozen in descent, her eyes wide as she stared at them. They held eye contact for a few long moments before Sweetie gave her a tiny nod and ascended the stairs again. Rarity faintly made out the sound of a bedroom door closing.

Nice of her. Should probably get up anyway, though.

True. Rarity let out a quiet breath and froze as Dash stirred against her side. The wing flexed, and for a moment Dash’s magenta eyes cracked open. She mumbled something, seemed to smile, and then settled back to sleep.

Rarity took the chance to slip out from beneath the wing. The air had a bit more chill than she expected, and she stepped quickly into the kitchen to start work on breakfast.

“So, did you sleep well?”

Rarity glanced across the countertop at her sister. They were the first words out of her mouth since arriving in the kitchen a quarter of an hour before. Sweetie gave her an innocent smile and went back to slicing a batch of strawberries into sections for their breakfast.

“Just fine, dear,” she said. She spoke softly out of deference to the sleeping Rainbow Dash in the next room, though her consideration was likely wasted. If the sizzle of waffles baking in the iron or the rush of water in the sink wasn’t enough to wake her, a quiet conversation was unlikely to either.

“Was the bed broken or something?” Sweetie slid the sliced strawberries onto a tray and floated a bunch of bananas onto the countertop. Her knife flicked expertly through the fruit, leaving it in coin-sized slices that she placed next to the strawberries. The tock-tock-tock of her knife hitting the cutting board filled the kitchen.

“I’m sure the bed is fine.” Rarity gave her sister an arch look, then flipped the waffle iron over and lifted the lid, releasing the sinful scent of toasted batter into the kitchen.

If this doesn’t wake Dash up, nothing will.

“Dash just happened to come back a little later than us, and got it in her silly head to sleep down there instead,” she continued. “Obviously I had to join her.”

“Ah, obviously,” Sweetie said. “Very cold down here at night, after all.”

“Yes. I’m glad you understand.” Rarity forked the waffle onto her tray and poured another batch of batter onto the still-sizzling iron. A curl of steam tickled her snout before she could snap the device closed again.

“By the way, do you make waffles every morning?” Rarity gave Sweetie’s hips a not-so-subtle glance. “These are not the healthiest things, you know.”

“Only for special occasions,” Sweetie said, pretending not to notice Rarity’s look. She popped a slice of banana with the peel still attached into her mouth and chewed it down before continuing. “And technically, you’re the one making waffles. I’m making fruit.”

“Ah, touché.” Rarity forked the second waffle onto her tray. Dash could eat them, she decided. “How many more do you think I should make?”

Sweetie glanced out into the living room at the still-dozing Dash. “Two more should do it. There’s whipped cream in the icebox behind you.”

The next few minutes were filled with the sundry minutia of breakfast: silverware, napkins, plates, cups of water and a pitcher of juice. Rarity flipped the last waffle onto her tray and levitated it over to the table, where Sweetie laid out the last of the fruit.

“Shall we wake your marefriend, then?” Sweetie asked. A small smile touched her lips.

Rarity let the bait pass. “Why don’t you grab her while I put some plates together, hm?”

Sweetie gave her a little pout, but when nothing further came she trotted into the living room to gather Dash up. Rarity heard a few faint words from her sister, followed by what sounded like a groaning whine from Rainbow Dash.

Eesh, pegasi. They’d sleep ‘til noon if we let them. Sometimes, Rarity wondered how cities like Cloudsdale functioned at all. But then there were pegasi like Fluttershy, who seemed more like earth ponies in their habits. Perhaps the stereotypes weren’t as accurate as she thought.

Rarity shook her head and turned her attention to the plates. She sliced one of the smaller waffles in half and set each half on a plate for her and Sweetie. The three remaining waffles she piled atop each other, loaded with berries, slathered with cream, and drizzled with melted chocolate. After a moment of consideration, she topped the small mountain of food with a single cherry and pushed the whole thing over to Dash’s seat. Perfect.

And just in time. Dash meandered her way into the kitchen a few steps behind Sweetie, rubbing at her eyes with the crook of her wing. She perked up immediately when she saw the waffles and barely managed a coherent “Good morning!” before diving into them with her bare hooves. Rarity winced at the mess.

At least she’s eating.

Right. She took her seat and daintily cut into her own waffle. Across from her, Sweetie stared at Dash with some mixture of awe and horror on her face. The pegasus was nearly half done, pausing only occasionally to chug down a mouthful of juice.

“So, Sweetie, any plans for today?” Rarity asked. “Meeting anypony?”

“Huh?” Sweetie had to tear her gaze away from the devastation in front of Dash. “Oh, just lessons for most of the day. And I’m sure I’ll be meeting lots of ponies.”

“Mm, anypony special?” Rarity took another bite. Please don’t say Snails. Please don’t say Snails.

“I consider all my friends special.” Sweetie plopped another banana slice into her mouth.

“She wants to know who your coltfriend is,” Dash blurted. After receiving a withering stare from Rarity, she blushed and tucked back into the waffles.

“Oh Dash, don’t be silly.” Sweetie’s grin was a mile wide. “Rarity knows she can always just ask me questions like that. We’re sisters after all.”

Ha! I will not lose that easily. Rarity ignored them both, instead giving her waffle all the attention it deserved. Their breakfast continued in contented silence; Dash somehow finished her plate well before either of the unicorns and had started to lick the whipped cream out of its dish before Rarity could wrest it away with a bit of magic and an exasperated glare.

“What?” Dash said. “It’s on the table!”

“It’s a condiment, you oaf.” Rarity set the now-licked-clean dish back on the table with a sigh. Sweetie seemed to find this unbearable funny for some reason.

“Be nice, you two.” She grinned at them both. “Anyway, what are your plans for today?”

That was an excellent question. Rarity gave Dash a quick glance; the pegasus looked back at her expectantly, her snout smeared with cream and berries and even a bit of fudge. It was enough to provoke another sigh, at least her third of the day.

But it also gave her an idea. She rubbed her chin with a hoof.

“Well, first we’re going to wash you up...”

“Really? Weren’t we like, just at one of these?”

“That was a spa, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity corrected. “This is a salon. You’ve been to salons before.”

Dash blew her hair out of her eyes. “Yeah, but not this one.” She paused at the door to take in the sign above them, a stylized mane with flowing script announcing the store’s name: Fancy Cuts.

“Seems kinda fancy,” Dash said.

“Nothing wrong with that. It opened while we were gone, but Aloe said it’s the best place in town, ever since Silver Shears left for Manehattan.” Rarity gave a little sigh. Silver Shears had been her stylist for years when she lived in Ponyville; hearing that she had left for bigger and better things was yet another reminder of what she had missed.

“I’m not getting my mane styled, Rarity.”

“And you don’t need to get it styled if you don’t want.” Rarity pushed the door open and stepped inside. The decor was about what she expected from an upscale salon, with a well-furnished waiting area, numerous potted plants, quiet music and bright light. A surprisingly young-looking olive mare with a simple, almost plain dark mane smiled as they entered and stepped toward them.

“Hello! Welcome to Fancy Cuts.” As she approached, Rarity saw that her mane had actually been carefully feathered with a razor and seemed to flow weightlessly around her ears. “Do you have an appointment?”

“I’m sorry, darling, we just arrived from Fillydelphia the other night.” Rarity’s socialite mask fell into place effortlessly. She gave the mare a sly, knowing smile. “I’m afraid my friend here hasn’t seen a stylist in far too many months, and I could use a bit of a touch-up myself. Any chance of fitting us in this morning?”

The mare made a show of turning to inspect the empty salon. “Hm, I think we can squeeze you in. Just manes, or coat and tail too?”

They both turned to Rainbow Dash, who fidgeted under their combined gaze. Aside from the unkempt mane, her tail had grown long and shapeless, and her coat wasn’t much better. Pegasi pelts were generally thicker than earth pony or unicorn coats, on account of the bitter cold high in the air, but Dash was well on her way to looking shaggy around the hooves and the tips of her ears. They tsked in unison.

“Let’s go with everything,” Rarity said.

The olive mare, whose name turned out to be Olive, wielded her scissors with dexterity that bordered on magical. She was one of those rare earth ponies, Rarity decided, whose skill left even the best of unicorns gaping in the dust. The stylized, curved, and wickedly pointed scissors on her flank were a testament to the wisdom of her chosen career.

“You have such a beautiful mane,” Olive said as Rarity was seated. She ran her hoof along its curve. “You do it yourself?”

“Just in the mornings, I’m afraid. I can usually fix it if something goes wrong during the day, but of course I need it trimmed from time to time.”

“Mm.” Olive spent another few moments inspecting Rarity’s mane. She lowered her voice before continuing. “Be honest with me, ma’am...”

“Oh, just Rarity, please.”

“Rarity, you had this trimmed only a few days ago.” She stopped to inspect the tip of one of Rarity’s curls. “I assume you’re only here for your friend, then?”

Ouch. Caught in one of her schemes, and less than an hour after breakfast. Rarity scowled in annoyance, entirely at herself. “Yes, as you can see, she’s not the type to visit a salon by herself. Do you think you could just give me a shampoo, then?”

Olive chuckled. It was a deeper, far more sultry sound than Rarity expected from such a young mare. “I think I can do that. No charge, either – bringing in a new customer and all.”

“Mm, you’re such a dear. How did you ever come to Ponyville?”

Across the room, while Olive and Rarity engaged in the typical chit-chat that filled salons the world over, Dash had taken a seat at a sandy unicorn mare’s station. Rarity couldn’t quite make out what they were saying to each other, but it apparently required some wild gesticulations on Dash’s part, complete with pointing to her mane and tail. The sandy mare seemed unimpressed.

“So, what’s your friend there do?” Olive breathed in Rarity’s ear.

“She’s a Wonder Bolt, actually,” Rarity said. She could no longer see Dash anymore, having been tipped back in her seat for the shampooing. “Rainbow Dash. She used to be one of the more prominent citizens of Ponyville, until she moved out a few years ago.”

“Mm.” They were quiet again for a while as Olive worked the shampoo into a lather. Her hooves were soft and gentle as they tugged at Rarity’s mane or kneaded her scalp. It was almost as good as a massage from the Lotus twins, with the added benefit of getting her make sparkling clean. Rarity felt herself drift off into a state of happy semi-consciousness, interrupted abruptly when Olive whispered to her again.

“Is she seeing anypony?”

That. That was a terrible question, and nearly sent Rarity bolting upright. Only years of practiced indifference kept her in her seat. Even so, Olive must have felt the sudden jolt her question provoked.

“Ah, of course, I’m sorry. I should have realized.”

“No, it’s quite alright,” Rarity said. She took a deep breath, as much to stall for time as for the air it provided. “It’s just, well...”

It’s just what? You know the answer. She’s single.

“It’s a bit complicated,” she finished. “You’d have to ask her.”

Wow, what a cowardly way out of answering that question. Even a lie would’ve been better – at least then you’d be honest to yourself about your own desires.

Rarity snorted quietly. Sometimes the craziest ideas got in her head. What possible reason could she have for lying about Rainbow Dash? Why, seeing Rainbow Dash with somepony would be marvelous. It would be her greatest accomplishment in months. Just the thought of Rainbow Dash...

Rainbow Dash and Olive giggled as they ducked through the dim shadows on the edge of the Everfree Forest. It was a lonely place where few ponies trod, fearful of what the woods might contain, and in time they had come to see it as their special hideaway. The ferns beneath them were soft as they rolled in the underbrush, their hooves dancing over each other’s bodies, their tongues licking the salty sweat from each other’s pelts.

Eventually their play came to an end, and another sort of play began. Olive pushed the smaller mare down and nipped at her neck, drawing a quiet moan from Rainbow Dash. Lower and lower her lips went, preceded by her hooves, until Dash was a writhing mass of wings and legs. Olive smiled wickedly, and extended her tongue to lick—

“I’m sorry, I meant to say, she’s seeing somepony,” Rarity said. Her face felt flushed, and she hoped Olive assumed it was from the hot water.

Olive’s hooves paused for a moment. “I see. Ah well, can’t win them all, can we?”

No, one certainly could not. Rarity let out a quiet breath and tried to relax into the shampooing.

Good work. It’s probably for the best that no one else tries to be friendly with her. Wouldn’t want to see her break out of that shell she’s in, after all. Remember, as long as she’s depressed, she’s all yours. Fuck that whole generosity thing.

“Actually, I believe I misspoke. She is single, now that I think about it.”

The pause in the massage was longer this time. When it resumed, Olive had nothing to say. But Rarity did catch her sneaking glances across the room, where Rainbow Dash sat fidgeting under the unicorn’s attention. A carpet of rich, brilliant strands of hair had already begun to form on the chair around her, and slowly grew as Rarity watched.

“Well, somepony’s looking a little better,” Rarity said.

For once, Rainbow Dash didn’t seem annoyed by the attention. Her mane was cut back to what Rarity remembered from years ago, perhaps even a bit shorter down her neck, almost martial in style. Her tail was a good hoof’s length shorter now, and tapered to a fine point that just barely missed the ground as she swished it back and forth. Her fetlocks and ears were trimmed to a sober buzz, and it seemed the stylist had gone over most of the rest of her body with a set of shears, leaving a thinner coat that sparkled in the light.

Dash scratched at her chest with a hoof. “Feels weird, being this short,” she said. “Lighter.”

“Yes, well.” Rarity glanced back at Dash’s chair. The unicorn stylist was sweeping up what looked like a bucket’s worth of mane and coat clippings. “It looks much better, darling. More like I remember. Try not to mess it up, hm?”

“No promises.” Dash gave her a grin. She shook herself again, this time dislodging a small cloud of blue clippings.

“And promise not to do that back at the Boutique, hm?” Rarity gave her a little bump with her shoulder, then moved to the register. Olive followed them and rang up their sale; the shampooing, Rarity saw, was free after all. She mentally added a few more bits to the mare’s tip.

Dash sidled up beside her while Rarity counted out the requisite bits. “Whoa, that much for a haircut?”

“It’s a styling, dear. Not the same thing.”

“Huh.” Dash scratched at her chest again. “Well, at least let me pay for lunch.”

Hm. It went against her instincts to let a friend pay for anything, but Rarity knew from experience that some ponies hated having everything handed to them. Sometimes, generosity was about more than bits. She gave Dash a little nod.

“If you like. Anyplace in mind?”

In retrospect, letting Dash choose their lunch was probably a mistake. Rarity reflected on this as Dash ordered three fried melon-ball shish-kebabs, two apple fritters, a pitcher of lemonade, a daisy and wheatgrass sandwich, banana custard, and a single orange from the street vendor set up outside the new Ponyville park. The gangly, acne-plagued colt behind the counter dutifully took her order and dropped most of Dash’s food in the fryer to cook.

“And for you, ma’am?” The colt gave her an awkward but sincere smile. Braces too.

“I’ll have, uh...” She scanned the menu for something with fewer than an entire day’s worth of calories. “You know, just give me an orange and some water.”

“C’mon Rares, I said I was paying.” Dash gave her a light chuck on the shoulder. “I’m not poor, you know.”

“Right, it’s just...” She gave the menu another look. It hadn’t changed – still street food. “Uh, make it two oranges, I suppose.”

“There you go. Ooh, thanks!” Dash grabbed her apple fritters from the counter and downed them in a grand total of four bites. The cook gawked at her.

“So, is this what you normally eat?” Rarity asked. She did her best to ignore the smudge of apple filling on Dash’s cheek as she peeled her orange and pulled it into dainty wedges. It was surprisingly juicy and rich, far better than the fruit she normally ate in Fillydelphia. She gave the rind a quick look for a sticker that might show where it was grown but found nothing. Local produce, perhaps?

“Yeah, well, when you’re on the road for a show you eat whatever you can.” Dash had already finished two of the melon shish-kebabs while Rarity was peeling her orange. “Sometimes the team gets invited to a fancy dinner or something the night before a show, but we usually just shake hooves and talk at those.”

“Not much for cooking?”

“Heh, no. Soarin tried sometimes, but he wasn’t as good as he thought.”

“Mm, I think that’s just how stallions are, darling.”

Dash opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of the rest of her lunch. She turned to collect it, paid the colt, and seemed to have forgotten what she was going to say when she returned with her food. The little smear of apple filling was still on her cheek.

“So, where to?” Dash asked.

Rarity turned to the park, then spun in a slow, full circle to inspect the entire town around them. So much was new. Even the skyline had changed.

“Let’s just walk.”

“You know, they say you can never go home again,” Rarity said.

She and Rainbow Dash had spent most of the past hour wandering Ponyville's streets, taking turns pointing out the houses, buildings, fountains, streetlights, parks and shops that had appeared in their absence. Just a year had passed since her last visit, and barely five years since she had called this town home, but it had changed almost beyond recognition. They stopped in front of a playground filled with rambunctious foals, all running and shouting and playing with the unrestrained energy of youth. Off to the side, mares and stallions engaged in quiet conversations, occasionally casting a glance at their children.

“Yet here we are,” Dash said.

“But is this really home, anymore?” Rarity looked over at Dash. She wasn't smiling, per se, but the walk through Ponyville seemed to have lifted her spirits.

Dash looked up at the cloudless sky. “Home changed while we were gone, I guess. Still nice to visit, though.”

That it was. Rarity had only been in Ponyville three days, but she was already planning to write her staff in Fillydelphia and tell them not to expect her for at least another week. Sweetie Belle surely wouldn't mind the company, she told herself, and it wasn't like she was moving back in. Just visiting for a little longer than expected. She glanced at Dash and wondered if she might consider the same thing.

They resumed their walk and eventually came to the edge of the town. The Whitetail Woods stretched to the west, its pleasant, sunny confines broken with innumerable meadows and glades. To their left, a wide pasture, empty in the autumn morning, beckoned to Rarity. She stepped off the path into the long grasses, not caring if any stuck to her coat or if her hooves got dirty. That would just be another excuse to visit the spa again, she reasoned.

“We don't have spaces like this in Fillydelphia,” she said when Dash caught up. “We have parks, but they're filled with short stubble and a few trees, and they're always so crowded.” She looked around the pasture; the waving grass extended for hundreds of yards in every direction, dotted here and there with late wildflowers. Insects buzzed around them, and in the distance birds filled the air with their cries.

“You miss this?” Dash asked, after some time had passed.

“A little,” she admitted. “Not as much as Applejack or Fluttershy would... but yes, I do miss this.” She lowered her head to consider a wild daisy. It smelled earthy and fresh, and she took it from its stem with a single bite.

“I miss napping outside, on a cloud,” Dash said. She looked up at the clear blue sky. “There's not much time for naps anymore.”

Rarity took her time chewing the daisy while she thought. “I've been meaning to ask you, actually. I don't think I've seen you fly since we got back to Ponyville.”

To her surprise, Dash actually smiled. “Yeah, I don't fly as much anymore.”

Rarity stared at her in shock. She would sooner have expected Twilight to swear off books. “Why?”

“The joy is gone, Rares.” Dash pawed at the earth, exposing the fresh black earth. “I spent years and years trying to be the world's best flyer, and look where it got me.”

Oh Celestia, what do I say? She was finally starting to chip away at Dash's shell, and she had no idea how to continue. Her tongue felt dead in her mouth. Finally, she said the first thing on her mind.

“It got you here. I'm here too.”

Dash looked up at her. Those scarlet eyes had never seemed so deep. A tiny smile tugged up the sides of her mouth.

“Heh, good point. Maybe here's not so bad.”

Rarity dared take a breath. She had no idea where those words had come from. She wasn't even sure what they meant.

“I just needed a break. From the Bolts, from performing, even from flying. It was too much after Soarin died.” Dash sat back on her haunches. “We did everything together, but most of all, we flew together.”

Rarity stepped toward her friend and sat beside her. The amber grasses tickled her rump. “I don't think he'd have liked that.”

To her surprise, Dash nodded. “I know. You're not the first pony to ask. But just because something's right doesn't make it easy.”

Ain't that the truth.

Rarity chose her next words carefully. “Be that as it may, Dash, it's still the right thing. We've all been a bit worried about you, and... well... It would make me very happy to see you fly again, someday.”

Dash didn't answer for a while, and Rarity didn't press her. The noon sun rose high above them, chasing away the autumn chill lurking on the breeze. Insects buzzed around them, curious at the two intruders in the pasture, but nothing disturbed their introspection.

Well, at least she knows we care. A small victory, but better than nothing. Rarity suppressed a sigh and got back on her hooves.

“You know,” Dash said, surprising her. “Maybe it has been too long.” She stood and flexed her wings, her eyes up on the sky.

Rarity blinked. “It's up to you, dear. I think you're ready, though.”

“Right.” Dash glanced around the sky, and Rarity realized she was looking for other pegasi. “Hey, stand back a bit?”

Rarity did as she was told without really knowing why. Dash took off next to them all the time when they lived in Ponyville. Perhaps she was nervous about her style, or being clumsy in the air? Rarity was about to tell her not to worry when Dash's wings rose with blinding speed.

Most pegasi, when they wanted to fly, gave a little hop. More athletic ones might leap into the air off their hind legs. Some just started flapping until they had enough lift to glide along.

Rainbow Dash left the ground like she was shot from a cannon.

There was no intermediate stage between resting and flying. Her wings came down with more force than Rarity could have dreamed was possible, and then there was only a cloud of dust where she had stood. The backwash from her sudden flight flattened the grass for a dozen yards around and nearly knocked Rarity off her feet.

And there goes my mane. The irreverent thought flashed through Rarity's head as she waved away the dust and fragments of grass drifting around her. She squinted up at the unblemished sky to see the dark speck that was Rainbow Dash soaring through the air. Her wings were held against her side as she tumbled at the top of her arc, and as she fell, only one extended, tipping her into a corkscrew spiral that gracefully augured toward the earth. A hundred feet from the ground, her other wing rose to stabilize her, and she soared above Rarity's head with blistering speed. Her wingtips cut twin vapor trails in the air that slowly dissipated in the breeze.

And then The Rainbow Dash, Wonder Bolts Lead Solo, really began to fly.

At the edge of the pasture she turned into a sweeping bank. A dark contrail appeared behind her, and within seconds she had traced a giant circle in the sky, nearly half a mile across, with Rarity at its center. Dash's wings beat faster as she began another lap, and a strong breeze churned through the grasses, pushing them flat against the ground. Loose leaves lifted into the air all around Rarity, and a rumble like distant thunder, unceasing, sounded from all around her.

Rarity risked a glance away from the pegasus. The overlapping contrails were drawing tighter with each lap, and the whipping winds pushed violently at her. Above her, the loose bits of grass and dirt and branches and anything else not securely held down spiraled up, up, up. A thin, rope-like cloud was starting to appear high above her.

This doesn't seem safe. The funnel cloud above her grew darker as Dash's orbit drew tighter and tighter. The contrails she had traced through the air flowed toward the funnel, turning it angry and black even as its pinnacle soared thousands of feet into the air. The trees lining the pasture began to bow with the wind.

Dash's form vanished in the dark clouds, replaced by a series of prismatic sparks that left pinpoint afterimages in Rarity's eyes. Red, yellow, blue, the flashes grew stronger as she flew ever faster, until they were a solid line of ever-shifting light that lit the clouds from within. A terrible roar, like a train racing by only feet away, filled the pasture. The ground beneath her hooves quaked.

The funnel cloud—no, she mentally amended, the tornado began to dip toward the earth. The wind shrieked around her like something alive. The bright noon sun was gone, eclipsed by clouds as thick and dark as coal. If you're going to do something, Dash, do it now!

Dash couldn't have heard her thoughts, of course, but at that moment she changed her course. The bright rainbow spark dove into the side of the tornado, and an instant later the entire storm exploded in a blinding flash of color. When Rarity opened her eyes several moments later, the sun was back, and not one but a dozen rainbow rings slowly expanded their way across the sky. The highest appeared to be miles above the ground.

There was a loud thud beside her. She turned to see Rainbow Dash, her mane wildly askew, grinning up at the sky.

“Not bad, huh?” she said. “Can you believe the Bolts won't let me do that in shows? I'll probably get in trouble for doing it here, if any of them find out.”

“That was... simply amazing... darling.” Rarity's ears still rang from the storm, and she had to force herself not to yell. The shock of standing directly beneath such a violent storm slowly faded into memory, replaced by a sense of accomplishment. She's smiling. She's smiling!

“Yeah. I call it the Rainbow Torna— whoa, uh...” Dash trailed off, her eyes wide as she looked at Rarity for the first time since landing. “Hey, um, you're mane's a bit... uh...” She made a vague gesture with her hoof in Rarity's direction.

Rarity felt at her mane with a hoof, and what she felt was grim. Her coat, she noticed, was plastered with bits of wet grass and leaves. Her legs were splattered with mud nearly to her belly.

“Yes, so I see,” she said. “As exhilarating as that was to watch, Dash, I think the Bolts may have been onto something about it.”

“Heh... maybe?”

“Anyway, why don't we head back to town,” Rarity said. “I think I could use another bath after that.”

The Lotus Luxury Spa would, of course, never accept a customer as filthy as Rarity felt at that moment. Friends were friends, but the spa still had standards to uphold. Rarity knew better than to even try knocking at their door or visiting Olive’s salon again.

Fortunately, her other friends had somewhat lower standards.

“Hey girls!” Twilight Sparkle said, greeting them in the castle foyer. “Did you see that incredible storm up north? What an amazing low pressure system! And then the way it dispersed... er... are you alright, Rarity?”

“Just fine, dear,” Rarity said. She wiped her hooves off as best as possible before stepping onto the crystal floor of the main hall. “I'm afraid I got caught out in that very storm. Would you mind if I used your washroom for a minute?” Or ten?

“Oh, never. Go right on up.” Twilight smiled at Dash and gave her a little nuzzle, then turned and trotted after Rarity. “If you don't mind my asking, though, why do you need my washroom? Don't you have one at the boutique?”

Rarity did, in fact, have an enormous bathroom back at the boutique. For years it had held the largest bathtub in the entire town, aside from the ones in the spa. Twilight's castle held several larger tubs, of course, but that was hardly a fair comparison to a private home. “Oh, well, it's such a long walk back there,” she said before lowering her voice to a whisper. “Dash just had a bit of a breakthrough. I'd rather have somepony she can talk with, rather than sit around waiting for me.”

Twilight nodded. “Got it. Take your time, then.” She turned back to Dash with a chipper smile on her face. “Hey Dash, want me to brew some tea? We'll probably be waiting a while.”

Ha! Et tu, Twilight? Rarity flicked a bit of dirt in Twilight's direction, then trotted up the stairs before she could retaliate. Twilight's spacious private bathroom was just as Rarity had remembered it from her previous visits – even the towels appeared to be the same. Rarity gave the whole room a sigh and pledged to help Twilight redecorate at some point. Anyway, let's see how bad the damage is. She trotted to the mirror and scowled at her reflection.

It could have been worse, she supposed. Her mane would have to be completely restyled, but at least there wasn't honey in it, as had happened before during one of Sweetie Belle's adventure's with the Crusaders. Her coat and hooves would be fine once she got them washed off. Her tail was a bit crooked, but it could probably be fixed with a brush. She stuck her tongue out at the mirror, then trotted to the bathtub and began running the tap. Once the water flowing from the faucet was steaming, she held each of her hooves beneath it until the dirt had washed off and down the drain.

While the tub filled, Rarity nosed about the bathroom. She was wrong about it, she realized – there were a few changes. The hyper-organized Twilight had carefully arranged the sink, and now there were two of most items: two toothbrushes, two curry combs, two sets of hoof clippers. Rarity recognized the signs instantly – somepony was sleeping over here fairly often. Well, good for her.

The tub was about halfway full. Rarity twisted the faucet shut and slowly climbed in, hissing and wincing as she lowered herself into the steaming water. Maybe a bit too hot.

How nice that Twilight found somepony. So introverted, but she still found love. Unlike you.

Rarity frowned. Twilight apparently only had generic shampoos and conditioners, rather than the herbal mixtures and combination washes Rarity preferred. She popped the cap on one bottle and gave it a careful sniff. It wasn't even scented!

You know what your problem is? You think you're too good for love. So you make up some ideal mate that doesn't exist and never will, and refuse to settle for less.You'll never find anypony.

Rarity stifled a laugh at her own thought. Her, never find a special somepony? She had the busiest love life of any mare she knew. She could – and did – date the most desirable unicorns in Fillydelphia. She was not alone.

That's not a love life. That's having casual sex with stallions whose names you can barely remember. Is that what you thought you'd be doing in Fillydelphia? Sorry to say, but if all you wanted was cock, you could have gotten that any—

Rarity ducked her head under the water. It wouldn't help her mane any, but frankly her mane was beyond the level of help that could be had in a bathtub. She shook her head vigorously, blew out a rush of bubbles, and surfaced with a gasp.

There was a knock at the bathroom door. Rarity started in surprise, nearly dropping the bottle. “It's open!” she called.

The door opened a crack, and Rainbow Dash stuck her head in. She glanced around the room quickly before her gaze ended on Rarity. “Hey, uh, Twilight wants to know if we can stay for dinner.” A pause. “Oh, and Spike's cooking, not her. She said to mention that.”

Well, as long as it was Spike. “I think that's a wonderful plan. I will if you will.” She realized she was hiding beneath the water and straightened back up. There wasn't much reason to be shy around Dash, especially after their spa trip the other day.

“Okay, I'll let her know,” Dash said. She stood silent for a moment, her eyes still on Rarity's face, then suddenly added, “Your mane looks really nice like that.”

Rarity had no answer. Dash gave her a weak grin and vanished out the door, which closed behind her.

Some time later, after the water had begun to cool, Rarity made her way back down the stairs. The light outside had taken the warm glow of early evening, the blue sky beginning to grey and the sun a fat orange orb above the horizon. Rainbow Dash and Twilight were chatting quietly in the library on a pair of pillows. Some blissful smell, earthy and rich and autumnal, filled the room. Her mouth started to water immediately.

“Hey, Rarity,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed and another pillow zipped across the floor toward them. “You're looking better.”

“Thank you, darling.” Rarity lay on the offered pillow, tucking her hooves under her. She elected not to even try styling her mane, and simply let it hang across her face and neck. Her coat, at least, was scrubbed as clean and white as ever. “Remind me sometime to get you some real shampoo, though. That scentless, generic stuff you have simply isn't fit for a real mare.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight tilted her head. “There should be a full bottle of lavender and sweet pea shampoo up... oh, you must've used his.”

And suddenly Rarity felt dirty again. She tried to keep the scowl off her face.

“Huh? His who?” Dash asked. She looked between them with puzzlement on her face.

“Uh, nothing!” Twilight clamored to her hooves. “Hang on, I need to, uh, check on the food! Spike!” Twilight trotted past them into the kitchen with more speed than was strictly necessary.

Dinner turned out to be pumpkin soup, served in bowls of hollowed-out pumpkins, garnished with sprigs of sorrel and generously flavored with nutmeg. Rarity tried to estimate how many calories it had, but gave up after the first spoonful. Some things were too sumptuous to worry about.

“Spike, this is really quite delicious,” she said, looking up at the dragon. Even sitting on the floor, he was still a head taller than all of the mares. His light purple scales had begun to slowly fade into a darker amethyst, and the spines on his head were now truly worthy of his name.

“Thanks, Rarity,” Spike said. His voice, disconcertingly, was still as high and juvenile as she remembered. “I get a lot of practice. We'd starve if Twilight cooked.”

“Ha ha, mister.” Twilight shot him a scowl, but Rarity could see the amusement in her eyes. “I do well enough when you're not around.”

“That's because you order out every night,” he said.

Dash snickered. Twilight opened her mouth to answer, apparently couldn't come up with anything, and tucked back into her soup instead.

The rest of the meal passed quietly. Dash finished her soup and ate the bowl before either of the unicorns were even half done, and filled the time chatting with Spike. Rarity gave the bowl a few bites before abandoning it as a bridge too far. Her stomach was already pleasantly stuffed.

“Hey, are you going to finish that?” Dash asked, her eyes on Rarity's pumpkin. Rarity chuckled and passed it over.

The pumpkin soup was followed by after-dinner ciders, fresh from Sweet Apple Acres. Spike served a glass to each of the mares, then whispered something in Twilight's ear. She gave him a nod and a sisterly nuzzle on the cheek, and he walked out the door. He nearly had to duck, Rarity noticed.

“Where's Spikey going?” Rarity asked.

“Hm?” Twilight looked up from her cider. “Oh, he doesn't really live here anymore. He's still my number one assistant, but he wanted a place of his own. Some kind of dragon thing.”

For some reason, that struck a tiny pang in Rarity's chest. Obviously it wasn't any of her business where Spike lived, but he and Twilight had always been an inseparable pair. Twilight and Spike, librarian and assistant. Another sign that the world she had left in Ponyville was gone.

How maudlin. Seriously, try to be happy for once?

Rainbow Dash caught her eye and smiled. “Can't go home again, huh?”

Rarity sighed quietly, covering her mouth with her cup. Alas, Dash was right. Home changed while they were gone.

The after dinner-ciders were followed by after-dinner wines, which did much more to raise Rarity's spirits. When the crystal castle sprung from the ground after Tirek's defeat, it came with a well-stocked wine cellar in the basement, and in all their years in Ponyville the girls had barely managed to dent it. Even by the standards of Fillydelphia, the Riesling they were enjoying was delightful – dry and spicy with just a bit of bite. They huddled together on their pillows, voices low in conversation broken by occasional giggles. Outside, the sun had fallen beneath the horizon, giving way to a crescent moon that dimly lit the night.

“So, Twilight.” Rarity paused to take a sip from her glass, letting the wine sit on her tongue for a moment before swallowing. “I couldn't help but notice all the extra things in your bathroom. Two toothbrushes, two combs, and of course far more shampoo than a single mare could ever need.”

Twilight blushed as fiercely as Fluttershy used to and tried to hide her snout behind her hooves. When that did nothing to stop Dash and Rarity from laughing, she blushed all the more, and took a long drink from her wine glass.

“Yes, it's a bit, ah, more convenient that way,” she finally said. “He has his own drawer, too. I guess that's not uncommon?”

“Oh no, dear, it's a sign of a serious and healthy relationship,” Rarity said. Beside her, Dash nodded. “Are you thinking of moving things a bit further?”

“I think so,” Twilight admitted. She fiddled with her hooves as she spoke, and then took another sip from her glass. “He's just so smart and kind, and he's interested in what I do... He makes me feel so special.”

And there was that pang again. The uncomplicated happiness in Twilight's voice was beautiful for Rarity to hear, but painful as well. It should have been her finding love first, her finding a prince, her living out the fairytale ending. Instead, of all ponies, it was Twilight who found a special somepony. She grimaced, and downed the rest of her wine to hide it.

“That's awesome,” Dash said. She had a small smile on her face, and her eyes were watery in the dim light from the fireplace.

“He sounds like a winner, dear, even if he does go by that odd name.” Seriously, Time Turner? Rarity shook her head absently. “But, enough stalling! Give us details!”

“Uh...” Twilight fidgeted. “Details of what?”

Dash snorted. “C'mon, of him! What's he like?”

“Oh, well, he has a brown coat, and a darker mane, but I think you already knew—”

“No, darling,” Rarity interrupted. “The juicy details.” She and Dash leaned in closer.

“Oh. Oh!” Twilight's blush was back. She tried to take another drink, only to discover her glass was empty. She refilled it hastily and took a healthy swig. “Well, um, he's very gentle, you know? He likes kissing. His ears are sensitive, so its fun to nibble on them until he starts laughing and pushes me off.”

Rarity grinned. This was getting interesting. She finished off her glass and poured herself another before leaning in more. All three of their muzzles were just inches away. “Go on.”

“More?” Twilight's eyes grew wider, and she took a deep breath. “Okay, uh, there's this place on his neck where, if you bite him, he just stops moving until you let go. Sometimes he has to wear a scarf when we're done.”

“Whoa, nice.” Dash nudged Twilight's side with a wing. “You go, girl! What else?”

Twilight tittered, growing more comfortable as she warmed to the topic at hoof. “Well, he really likes it when I...” She glanced around the room, as if searching for eavesdroppers, and then leaned forward to whisper. “When I kiss him. You know, down... down there.”

Rarity gasped in faux shock and hid her mouth behind a hoof, while beside her Dash burst into laughter and pounded her hoof on the floor.

Twilight shrank back from their reactions. “That's...that's not wrong, is it?”

“Oh, not at all, darling,” Rarity said. She gave Twilight a reassuring smile. “It's a perfectly normal act of love. I think Dash and I were just surprised – happily! – to hear you have such a fulfilling sex life. Why, it's hard to imagine...”

Twilight crouched between her lover's legs, slowly running the edge of her hoof up and down the inside of his thigh. Her coat glistened with a light sheen of sweat. He panted beneath her, already exhausted from their previous exertions, and his cock slowly grew harder under the gentle encouragement of her lips and tongue. When he was finally ready, she ran her tongue up the length of his shaft and wrapped her lips around—

Rarity snapped back to the present, blinking. That had actually been very easy to imagine. She coughed into her hoof to disguise the momentary lapse.

“So, is it true what they say about earth ponies?” Dash asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, dear,” Rarity said. “They're very well endowed?”

There was a long silence. Twilight blinked at her.

“They have big cocks!” Dash blurted.

“Dash!” Rarity scowled at her. “There's no need to be vulgar.”

“What? That's what they're called! Jeez.” Dash rolled her eyes.

“Ahem!” Twilight was blushing again, but plowed ahead gamely. “I'm afraid I couldn't answer. My sample size is too limited, and anyway it would just be anecdotal. A proper scientific study would require hundreds of measurements and take into account other factors like body size and age.”

“Huh.” Dash got a far-off look in her eyes. “When you say 'hundreds of measurements,' what exactly—”

“Ahem!” Rarity jabbed the pegasus with her hoof. “About how big are we talking here, Twilight?”

“Hm.” Twilight's eyes took on a similarly far-off look, as though she were trying to recall something. Finally, she held her hooves out in front of her, with a wide gap between them. “About this big?”

There was another long silence. Dash and Rarity stared at the space and all it implied.

It implied a lot.

“Whoa,” Dash said. Her voice was nearly a whisper.

“Are you... are you sure about that, darling?” Rarity's imagination threatened to run away with her again.

Twilight tilted her head, moved her hooves a bit, then settled them back where they had started. “Yup, positive. I can check tomorrow if you want.”

“No, that won't be necessary.” Rarity let out a quiet breath and tossed her mane to the other side of her neck. It was starting to get a bit warm in the library. Or perhaps the wine was getting to her. She took another sip to make sure. “Anyway, Rainbow Dash, I have a question for you.”

“Oh yeah?” Dash's wings flared out, and she gave Rarity a wide grin. “Gimme your best shot.”

“Is it true pegasi mate on the wing?”

“I've heard that!” Twilight said. She took a long drink, giggled at something, and then leaned forward with an eager expression on her face. Her wings fluttered at her side.

“Oh, that old thing.” Dash sighed and looked, if anything, disappointed. “Every pegasus tries it at least once, but it's not as great as it sounds.”

“What's that?” Rarity asked. “It sounds exhilarating!” Twilight nodded her enthusiastic agreement.

“Yeah, it sounds fun, but think about it. First off, you're in public, and despite what you may have heard about pegasi, we don't just have sex anywhere.”

“Really? You've never done it on a cloud?” Twilight asked.

“Well... uh, anyway. Second, you have to start pretty high, right? At least ten thousand feet, and it's cold up there. Now, it's not so much a problem for mares, but imagine what that's like for a stallion.”

Rarity did think about it. She might have thought about it for a while longer, but Dash was waiting for an answer. “Yes, that is a bit nippy I suppose. What else?”

“Okay, assuming your stallion can even get it up, you can't fly while you're doing it. You just fall. Do you know how long it takes to fall ten thousand feet?”

“About eighty seconds,” Twilight said almost immediately.

“Er, yeah.” Dash blinked at her, then continued. “Now, that's not much time, right? Unless I'm really wound up, there's no way I'm going to get off before we hit the ground. Oh, and by the way, you're falling, so while you're having sex you keep worrying that you're going to get stuck together and die, which doesn't really help the mood.

“And if that wasn't enough,” she continued, “chances are he's so worried about splattering that he can't get off either, so at around five hundred feet you break apart, and now you're both flying just above the ground, dangling in the breeze, for all the world to see. Then you have to fly back up and try again!”

Wow. That was a lot to process. And imagine. Rarity took another drink from her glass while she did both. It was almost empty, and she debated filling it again. They had all long since passed the state of merely being buzzed into the pleasant stage of drunkeness where thoughts and feelings flowed freely, but intelligent discourse was not yet drowned.

“That was a very detailed account, Dash,” Twilight said. She had a sly grin on her face. “How many tries did it take, exactly?”

Dash actually blushed. “Oh, um... four, I think? We almost gave up, but he kept insisting. And hey, he was right! We both agreed it was too much trouble to try again, though.”

“Hah!” Rarity shook her head in amusement. “I'd have liked to have seen that!”

“Heh, yeah.” Dash gave a sheepish little smile, then suddenly blinked. “Wait, what?”

Oops. They were staring at her. Rarity coughed into her hoof. “Er, just a figure of speech, dear. You know, a colloquialism.”

“Oh, right.” Dash gave a weak little chuckle. “Heh, for a moment there...” she trailed off and took another drink from her glass, finishing off the last of her wine.

“Anyway,” Dash continued. “My turn now. Either of you can answer, I guess. Is it true? About the horns?”

There was a moment of silence while Twilight and Rarity processed that. Their mouths opened simultaneously to answer.

“Yes, of course.” “No, not really.”

Rarity blinked at Twilight. Twilight blinked back. Dash glanced between them in confusion.

“Really, dear?” Rarity asked. “Nothing at all?”

Twilight peered up at her horn, crosseyed. “How could it? It’s not a sexual organ. It’s just like any other part of the body.”

“Yes, but it’s sensual.” Rarity frowned and tried looking up at her own horn. It was barely visible through her bangs. “It’s a very intimate part of us, even if it’s not, to use such a vulgar term, a sexual organ. I imagine it’s how pegasi feel about their wings.”

Twilight glanced at Dash, who shrugged. “Really? That’s... huh.” A pause. “Huh.”

Silence followed. Rather than try filling it, Rarity tossed back the last of her own glass. Such a wonderful vintage should have been sipped, savored slowly, but right at that moment she wanted something to do other than talk, and so the wine suffered.

It was still pretty good wine, though.

Twilight spoke first. “Well, I hate to be a spoilsport, girls, but I've got to get to bed. Can you two make it back to the Studio, or do you want to stay here?”

The Boutique, Rarity mentally corrected. It would always be her boutique. She was mulling over that point when Dash answered for them both.

“Eh, we're fine,” she said. “It's just a short walk.”

It was a short walk, but they made the most of it. Little bumps as they walked, perhaps accidental, perhaps not. Giggles as they recounted some of the juicier confessions. A long discourse on whether Twilight was telling the truth about her coltfriend.

“I think she must be exaggerating a bit,” Rarity said. She kept her voice low, though the streets were nearly deserted so late at night. Few ponies would have heard her, even if she yelled.

“What, Twilight? Naw. It's gotta be true.”

“Well, we don't know what she was measuring from.”

“You wanna go back and ask?”

Kind of, yes. Rarity chuckled. “Maybe some other time.”

In short order they reached the boutique and snuck upstairs as before. Rarity felt a pang of guilt as she realized Sweetie Belle might have expected them back for dinner, but the thought was rapidly lost as they reached the bedroom. She waited until Dash was nestled on the bed, then tentatively placed a hoof on the covers.

“C'mon,” Dash said. “Who cares what Sweetie thinks? It's just a bed.”

Right. Rarity hopped the rest of the way onto the bed and settled down a few inches away. Dash lifted her wing and draped it over Rarity's body like a blanket, practically inviting her to snuggle a bit closer.

“I didn't say it earlier, but that flight was simply amazing,” Rarity said. She kept her voice to a murmur, practically breathing in Dash's ear. “I was... well, we were all a bit worried that you weren't flying any more.”

There was no answer for some time. Dash's throat bobbed as she swallowed, and she turned her face away. “Yeah, that was something, wasn't it?”

“It was,” Rarity said softly. That old feeling, of treading on thin ice, had returned. “I haven't seen you that happy in some time. It made me happy just to watch.”

Silence again. Dash's ears began to wilt.

No! This was going so well! Rarity bit her lip, looking quickly around the dark room for anything that could salvage the mood. “Didn't it feel good?”

Dash sighed quietly and set her head on the blankets. “It felt really good, Rares. I haven't done more than glide from cloud to cloud since he died. But it also feels like I'm breaking a promise. Like I'm... like I'm trying to forget him.” She gave a little shiver. The haunted look Rarity had first seen in her, back in Fillydelphia, edged into her eyes.

Oh Celestia, what do I say? Rarity had no experience helping ponies through grief. She licked her lips, and lacking any better ideas, said the first thing that came to her mind.

“I think he would want you to be happy,” she whispered. Her mane, still straight and unstyled, draped over Dash's shoulder as she spoke into her ear. “You're allowed to be happy. I don't think he would want you to remember him only in sorrow.”

“No, he wouldn't.” Dash's voice came out as a sob. “He would tell me to move on, and be happy, and find somepony else, because he was a good pony. But I just can't, Rarity. I can't. He loved me, and I can't betray that.”

Loyalty. Such a cruel virtue. Generosity was easy, especially for a pony as wealthy and successful as Rarity. She could give and give and give, without ever feeling the pain that Dash was going through right now. It was easy; she was easy.

You put on such a good show. Ponies think you're being generous, but you're only giving away money, only giving away things. When have you ever given away something that mattered?

“Shh, shh...” She licked at Dash's mane, the way her parents did for her whenever she had cried in their arms. She had nothing of value to say, so she lied. “It's okay. It's all okay.”

Dash shook her head weakly. Her eyes closed, and tears began leaking from them as she shook. All the happiness Rarity had collected during the day spilled through her hooves like sand.

You hide your heart in a box and say it's for a prince. But you know the prince doesn't exist, and so you keep the box forever. And in that dark airless box your heart will grow impenetrable, unconquerable, invincible. It will never break. It will become like stone.

Oh Celestia, what do I do?

“Dash... Dash, listen to me.” Rarity paused to lick her lips. “Love is not a coin that you spend once and lose forever. We all love you. We all care for you. Be loyal to... be loyal to his wishes, not just his memory.”

If Rainbow Dash heard her, she gave no reply. Rarity wrapped her arms around the shivering mare and held her close.

Sleep was long in coming for them both.