It was quiet in Dash's cloud house. Although that's how it always was, it was getting very unsettling. She rolled over in bed thinking deeply about past events and such. Over the past few months, Rainbow began to notice something. Applejack had a big family reunion every year, Rarity's little sister always tried her hardest to help and impress her, and Fluttershy had a happy life caring for the animals. All of these ponies had someone, or something, that cared for them. Rainbow Dash had no one. It hit her at last years Hearts and Hooves day.
That morning, Pinkie bolted, at her insanely fast rate, to every pony in Ponyville to give them an invitation to the Hearts and Hooves day celebration. When Dash got the invite, she thought the party was going to be awesome and crazy. When she got there, about half an hour late, she immediately saw everypony slow dancing to a beautiful song played by a symphonic band.
"Pinkie," Dash whispered in Pinkies ear, "what's going on?"
"It's the Hearts and Hooves day party, silly. I got this wonderful band to play and I have a bunch of royal goody bags for the end!"
"No no no, why isn't it awesome, or crazy?" Dash asked.
"Well that's how it starts, and normally you leave when the slow songs start playing, but I have to slow down the songs for the loving couples to dance together. To make things feel," Pinkie said sniffling, rubbing a tear away with a cupcake, " loving. Oh who am I kidding. I can't be lovey. I'M PINKIE PIE!! Did I tell you about................"
Dash zoned out, not listening to Pinkie's story, thinking about how she had no pony to dance with. No special pony she could nuzzle and be nuzzled back. Drooping her head at the thought, she turned around and slowly made her way to the exit. She heard a familiar voice call her name, but ignored it and flew home, crying on the way.
Dash was fed up with thinking of these things and decided it was time to get out of bed. She slowly got out of her large bed and stretched. She proceeded downstairs to her kitchen for some breakfast. All she could find were rotten apples and old oatmeal.
"This isn't going to cut it if I want to stay in shape. I really want a good home cooked breakfast, though." Dash though aloud as she glanced out of her window. She saw Twilight through her kitchen window. "I bet Twilight's got some fresh oatmeal I could have 'til I get more."
On that, Dash flew out her window to the ground and proceeded to Twilight's front door. She knocked on it, waiting a moment for a response. For a second, Dash heard nothing but the rattling of papers. She was about to knock again when Twilight's voiced emerged from the upstairs, "SPIKE! Please get the door, I'm in the shower." Twilight yelled.
"Yes you highness!" Spike yelled in a dumb voice. Minutes passed and nothing, so Dash decided to knock again. This time Twilight came running down the stairs, with a towel wrapped around her.
"Sorry, Rainbow, spike got wrapped up in his comics again. What's up?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, um, I needed some oats, if that's okay. Mine went stale." Dash said with a rather depressing tone and Twilight noticed this.
"Ya know what. Why don't you come inside and have breakfast with me and Spike. I was planning to make a good breakfast today anyway, and it would only make it better if one of my best friends came in and joined me."
This caught Rainbow by surprise. She wasn't expecting to be invited into somepony's home at that point, but felt the need to comply on how lonely she felt at the moment. "Oh. I don't look very good, but.....okay. I'd rather eat with someone today. I've been feeling lonely for a while."
Twilight put her hoof on Dash's shoulder, "It'll be okay. Tell me about it at breakfast. You can help me make it, too, if you want."
When Dash walked in Twilight's house, she felt a spark of affection for her. She blushed at the thought, but couldn't figure out why she felt the spark. Was it the invite to breakfast? She couldn't put her hoof on it and pushed the feeling away as she walked into Twilight's kitchen and sat down at the table.
"Okay, you want oatmeal, we have oatmeal. Lets get cooking!" Twilight said to Dash, trying to bring her up.
"Not so fast. I will take care of your cooking. I heard you two have some talking to do, so when I finish cooking, I am out to roam the town." Spike said.
"Okay then Spike. Have it your way." Twilight said.
About half an hour later, Spike put the food on the table and took off out the door. Twilight and Dash sat at the table and began to eat. Twilight began to talk after the awkward silence. "So, why have you been feeling lonely? You've been competing with Applejack for the past few days at the farm in her silly games. What's making you lonely? And open up, I'm all ears." Twi said, reassuring Dash that she cared.
"Well...I...I think I should leave-"Dash said
"Dash, no." Twilight said pulling her back into the seat. "Tell me what's been bothering you. I'm here for you like you're there for all of us."
That comment put a small smile on Dash's face. Dash looked up and met eyes with Twilight's. They sat there for a minute gazing, until Dash's head fell to her hooves. "Twilight, at the last Hearts and Hooves day celebration, I looked around at all the coupled ponies and realized how alone I am. I have nopony to call 'mate' and I've tried, but I'm not the best with stallions. I can't find anyone who will truly sit down and listen to me, like you're doing. Like you are doing, right now." Dash began to cry, but Twilight sat in the chair next to her and put her wing around Dash.
"It's okay. I know how you feel. I'm the one who called out to you at the party. I don't know if you heard me, but as soon as I saw your face, I called for you. I wanted to ask if you would dance, to see if I could cheer you up. That's when you flew out the door." Twilight said, "I'm always here for you, please remember that."
Those words felt so comforting as she heard them. They stayed in her head for the rest of the day. Dash finished her breakfast and made her way to the door. "I have to get kickin' at the clouds. Thanks for your help, Twilight." Dash said.
"Any time. If you need to talk again, I'm always here with my muzzle in a book." Twilight said, pulling Dash into a hug.
"Thanks, again, Twilight. You're a good friend." Dash said as she let go of Twilight and took to the skies.
Rainbow felt good the rest of the day at work. After the comforting breakfast with Twilight, she felt a lot less depressed and got her work done in a much faster succession than usual. She decided to go to Sweet Apple Acres and see what Applejack was up to. Upon arrival, she was greeted by a splash of water in her face.
"Ha ha ha. That was for scaring me with the lightning!" Applejack said, falling to the ground while she laughed.
"Ha ha ha. You don't want to start a war with me, Applejack." Dash said, as she bolted in the direction of a dark rain cloud. She positioned the cloud over Applejack and kicked the cloud, causing it to pour down on her. "Ha. Remember who controls the water in this town? Me, that's who." Dash said.
After the two got their laughs out, they decided to chill at the pond with Twilight, who was apparently out there reading. The walk over there was long and Rainbow didn't want to ditch AJ, so she walked along side her.
"Say, Ah saw you go to Twi's for breakfast this mornin'. Did somethin' happen, or did you just drop by and she invited you in?" Applejack questioned.
"I went to her house for some oats, and she invited me in. She....also just got out of the shower. I felt something odd this morning, AJ." Dash said.
"Odd how?"
"Well, I-I-I felt extra supported? I still can't think of the word for it. I was feeling depressed and she cheered me up. It was a good feeling."
Applejack thought about if for a moment. "Do you think you have feelings for her, maybe?"
Dash was taken back on the idea. Did she? "You think so? I do like her a lot. Heh, look Rainbow Dash has a crush on Twilight. I don't know, Applejack. I'll have to think about it."
"Aw, it's okay. Stuff like that takes time. If you truly do have feelings for her, you'll know soon enough. Now about getting to the pond. Race ya!" Applejack said as she began to run.
"Oh no you don't!" Dash said as she ran ahead.
Later, as Rainbow flew way ahead of Applejack, she saw Twilight sitting on a bench by the pond reading a book. Dash reached in her saddlebags, she brought from home before meeting with AJ, and pulled out her folding chair, reflection pan, and sunglasses and planted next to Twilight. She put on her sunglasses and unfolded her reflection pan. "Hey Twilight, what's crackin' with you today? Reading anything good?"
"Oh, hey Rainbow. No, I'm just reading a book on dark magic." Twilight said.
"Whoa, dark magic? You aren't turning evil are you? Heh heh." Dash joked.
"No, Celestia told me to read it and to learn why not to use it. I never had the thought, but it's best to know why to stay away from it. I'm going for a dip in the pond. Wanna join?"
"In a bit. I just raced Applejack here and I need to take a rest."
At that moment, Applejack finally got there. "Cheater, you used your wings!"
"Hey, I'm a Pegasus, it's in my blood." Dash said laughing. "You two go ahead swimming, I'll be in in a bit."
Applejack immediately jumped into the pond, getting Twilight and Rainbow wet. Twilight just shook off the water, as did Rainbow Dash, and proceeded into the pond. Dash laid back down in her chair and began to put the reflection pan up, when she saw Twilight in the pond. She just sat and stared at her for a moment. Wow. Stunning. Never realized it 'til now. Dash thought. Then her trance was broken by Twilight's voice. "Equestria to Rainbow Dash. You okay there?" Twilight asked. "Is there something on my face?"
"Oh, no. Just thinking. Hey, watch this." Dash said as she flew into the sky. She flew a great height above the pond, and flew into the water. Everything twenty feet from the dive point was soaked. "Ha, now that is a splash!"
"You got that right." Applejack said. For about an hour the three swam and talked. "Hey, my break time is over. I'll see you two's later. Applejack said as she got out and proceeded to the farm.
As Applejack left, Dash remembered what she had told her. If you truly do have feelings for her, you will know soon enough. Dash thought about the words for a moment. Twilight usually understood most of anypony's problems, and usually had a great solution. She was so kind to invite Dash in for breakfast. Maybe Dash did have a crush on Twilight. After all, she did cure her loneliness that morning rather well. She decided to be brave and ask.
"Hey Twilight. Can I ask you something?"
"Ask away." Twilight said.
"I've been thinking about this for a while and....well I was debating on asking this. Oh never mind, I'm just going to creep you out." Dash said. She began to feel heavy and got out of the water.
"Dash, please open up. When I said I'd listen. I meant it. Now please, tell me what's on your mind."
"Um...Twilight I think....I think I have a crush on you." Dash said. She thought please don't be creeped out.
This surprised Twilight. She wasn't expecting something like this. Not yet. Secretly she had a crush on Dash, and was going to tell her, and now Dash was telling her? Twilight's face lit up with joy.
"Twi? You okay?" Dash asked.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to tell you those very words. Y-you wanna go out? I-if not, that's fine."
Dash was excited about the whole evening. And when those words came out of Twilight's mouth, she decided to give it a chance, despite the obvious mare on mare relationship. "I'd like that. A chance to be with somepony would make things feel more complete."
Then, Dash pulled Twilight into a hug. They both bore red faces, seeing mare-on-mare would be something new for both of them. Dash then got a thought I wonder if I could stay the night at her house. That's what couples do, anyway. "Hey, could I stay at your place tonight?"
"That would be nice. I haven't had company since that disastrous slumber party with Applejack and Rarity." Twilight said, causing the two mares to laugh. They then began to pack their belongings from the shore and began to walk toward town.
