It was beautiful. The streams of dying sunlight filtered through the clouds into Celestial Rays that stained those clouds a luminous warm pink, continuing on to bath the quieting rustic town in warm golden orange light. Rolling hills topped with the outlying buildings belonging to various farms made for a stunning backdrop to the drowsy town that began to set itself off to sleep with the last few ponies returning home from work or closing up shop for the night. On the opposite horizon below the indigo sky the barest hint of blackened night showed with brightest of stars twinkling through to herald the coming moon.
The view was made all the more sweet after being restored from the warped and wretch inducing chequered mess with an ugly smattering of mismatched foreign features that it had been but days ago. Perhaps there could have been some form of exotic beauty wrought by Discord’s powers, there were certainly few details at least that were in her eye worthy, however the lack of even the vaguest forms of cohesion and inclusion of the most repulsive colour combinations labelled that a far gone conclusion. Now though, it was thankfully free of his unnaturally contorted imagination.
Right here however? Right now? It called to her, it taunted her and it made a small distinctly accented voice cry out in despair for the lack of her camera. It was a magnificent moment in time, a unique sight that would be seen only once and lost forever without her immortalising lens and film to capture it. There may be many sunsets like it but each were one of a kind in their own right. It was sadly one of a great many small tragedies like it in her life, such sights to only be seen in single fleeting moment then all too quickly gone forever.
“Soooo… how are you Rainbow Dash? Something up?” a nervous voice intruded into her thoughts. “You certainly seem to be deep in thought. Have been for a while now…”
It was Twilight Sparkle. Again. She hardly needed to glance back to know it was her friend. Still, she looked back anyway to the lavender mare and her strikingly clean cut mane style, which took on a fascinating beauty in the gilded fading light she was named after, creating yet another small tragedy in that part of Rainbow’s mind, only marred by the worry oozing from Twilight’s gentle if fake reassuring smile.
She knew Twilight was likely worried about why Rainbow Dash had been perched on her balcony for the past few hours, uncharacteristically maintaining a stoic silence in the face of her questions. In truth Rainbow had to admit Twilight had some reason to be worried, as did she herself so Rainbow continued to hold her tongue, in spite of the tiny voice in the back of her head crying ‘coward’.
Twilight sighed in response to her continued silence; an awkward ruffling of wings the only indication Rainbow gave to show she heard her comment.
“Look, Dash, something is clearly bothering you. Something you’re having a lot of trouble talking about no doubt. I certainly won’t force it out of you but I’m guessing you do want to talk about it or you wouldn’t be here,” she acknowledged, head dropping low in exasperation but quickly levelled to look Rainbow in the eye. “Spike’s in Canterlot fetching some important scrolls so it’s just you and me. I have dinner ready with enough for two so you’re welcome to join me for that, just… don’t neglect yourself out here all evening. I’ll be down stairs when you want to talk.”
Rainbow Dash could only fidget as her friend trudged off back inside. The cat needed to come out of the bag and it would do so anyway if somepony close enough to her managed to finally notice the obvious. She needed to tell her friends, or at least one of them and make sure it happened on her own terms away from any drama. A co-conspirator willing to cover for her would be fun to, someone who could lighten the load of things have a good laugh about it all from time to time.
She felt like she had been doing this performance alone for too long anyway and it was wearing her out, Rainbow knew it and she would need the support eventually to keep it up. If she had learned anything from their crazy adventures over past year and a bit it was to trust in her friends and to let herself lean on them when in need. The question was which of them could she trust right now?
Pinkie Pie was out as she was simply that; Pinkie Pie. She could be disturbingly unpredictable not to mention near uncontrollable for multiple ponies working together let alone just one mare. There wouldn’t be much Rainbow could do if the pink party pony cottoned onto the wrong idea and pursued something rash.
Fluttershy and Rarity were both out of the picture for the same reason. Even though Flutters probably remembered Rainbow’s old hobbies as filly which might make explaining how they grew into this hidden double life of hers easier, Rainbow doubted she would so easily forgive sweeping her up into the spotlight of cosmopolitan Equestria, no matter how good she looked there. Similarly even though Rainbow would love nothing more than to finally talk shop with Rarity their last encounter would no doubt bring up hard questions and even harder feelings.
Applejack was all about honesty. There was no way she would be able to stomach the secrecy Rainbow would have to ask of her if she came to her first. Maybe she could handle it with others she could speak frankly to available but not alone and that was if she even forgave Rainbow for covering this all up in the first place. Then even when she did the teasing would never end. The respect might though, and that thought scared Rainbow more than anything else when it came to AJ.
That left Twilight and maybe Spike. Rainbow knew she could depend on her at least to take the news relatively calmly and objectively if with a pinch of salt and without any complications beyond what simply busting out a secret this big would have. She was also perhaps the best option to keep this secret after she told her, even if she would push Rainbow to tell the others.
Spike would defiantly find out sooner or later if Twilight did but he should be cool with it if she was straight with him. He would crack a few jokes at her expense no doubt but the little guy always acclimatised to the weird pretty fast.
So with a resolute deep breath and her thoughts straightened out Rainbow turned her back on the darkening sky and trotted into the library intent on resolving this.
“Hay, Twi? Wait up! I’m coming!”
.
Down the stairs a rich thick smell wafted through from the kitchen and Rainbow peered through the door way to find Twilight doling out a simple but tasty treat of vegetable risotto. As per the norm Rainbow couldn’t help but grin a little at the smell of a good meal incoming.
“Free food? Damn Twi, I should hang out here more often if this is what I get for it,” Rainbow Dash commented with a cheeky smile, breathing in the thick scent.
Twilight chuckled in response turning away from her stove with a pair of full plates. Twilight was no master chef but as a student living with only a young dragon she also needed to feed, she had picked up some decent cooking skills which did much to endear her to Rainbow Dash’s stomach at present.
“Well I don’t know about free,” she said returning the smile before swinging the plate in her levitation below Rainbow’s nose, wafting the smell up before whipping it away tauntingly. “If you want to get fed you better be ready to come clean and tell me what’s got you sitting alone on my balcony all afternoon,” she stated clearly as a matter of fact though the smile remained in the mare’s eye’s.
With snort the Pegasus mare rolled her eyes playfully. “Aw rats, not talking about feelings! Anything but that… mushy stuff.”
“That mushy stuff has saved our skins enough times that I won’t even dignify that with a proper response,” she replied with a humpf and a snout pointed skywards.
Never the less she deposited the plate and a fork in front of her friend who eagerly took them and the pair of ponies soon dug into their first bites of the greasy plump rice and assorted vegetables.
After a few eager mouthfuls, enough to sate any immediate hunger, Twilight decided to probe Rainbow once more for answers, “So, what is it that’s bothering you Rainbow? I don’t often hear you so quiet. This isn’t something left over from dealing with Discord is it? I’m… I’m pretty sure he’s left us all with some uncomfortable memories. Or, um, it isn’t anything to do with, well, my little… friendship letter problem I hope?”
With but a glance Rainbow’s concern for her now worried friend did far more to motivate her to explain herself then any logical reason. The idea her little freak out had more lasting consequences was clearly tearing Twilight up; it was only a couple of days ago after all.
“No! Well, not exactly. What I mean is it isn’t your fault. The whole thing with Discord and that doll just helped me realise I got to get this off my chest,” she reassured, rewarded with a little tension draining from Twilight’s face. “It’s just I got a sort of problem and I feel like I need to tell you but I also need you to take it seriously, to believe me… just like I didn’t with you.”
The resulting empathetic smile quickly wafted away any remaining doubts or guilt the pegasus had long before Twilight spoke, “That’s all right Rainbow Dash. I promise I’ll help regardless of how silly it sounds… just um, don’t try too hard to make me laugh. I make no promises there,” she reassured in turn, letting her jest lighten the mood.
It worked, getting a small laugh out of Rainbow. “Yeah well I can’t promise that either, just that I won’t take it too hard when you do. But the thing is it’s not so much silly as just, out there. Something that’s just kind of unbelievable.”
Twilight nodded, keeping up the warm demeanour. “That’s all right too. You can tell me.”
Nodding back at her Rainbow took a second to get her words straight.
“Twilight, you know you’re about more than just books and friendship magic stuff right? There’s other stuff you do you know?” she asked hesitantly, food having become more of a play thing as she stated chewing on her thoughts rather than the meal.
“Well yes, more or less. I mean, I end up doing all sort with you and the girls! Honestly, I’ve gotten a lot of interesting and practical experiences out of all our little adventures,” she exclaimed with a particularly pleased smile.
Rainbow bit her lip as she shook her head in response. “Not really, I mean like… stuff you do without us that we don’t know much about like, uh, your science research stuff right? I mean none of us really get that so it’s like your thing and just your thigh right? And we don’t really know about it.”
Twilight nodded but looked on with a bemused expression. “Uh, yes. I guess that’s right? I would have thought that was still pretty close to books and magic though. Rainbow, I’m sorry but where is this going?”
She gave a heavy sigh as she hung her head searching for the right words to say. “I guess what I’m saying is there’s a lot more to me than just flying fast and looking good doing it… and I sort of want to get that out there.”
Rainbow nearly jumped out of her chair as a hoof came down across her hunches. It took a couple of seconds for Rainbow to work out she had been more absorbed in her thoughts then she realised. So rather embarrassingly she missed Twilight coming all the way around the table to try and comfort her with a hoof and sympathetic smile.
“Oh Rainbow… you’ve always been more to us than just a fast pony. You’re our friend! I thought you would know how much you mean to us by now,” she said, pouring out her empathy as best as possible as she wrapped Rainbow Dash in a warm hug.
This actually drew a laugh out of Rainbow Dash once she managed to understand how she had been misinterpreted, though Rainbow reciprocated the hug anyway.
“Appreciate the thought Twi but that wasn’t exactly what I was getting at,” she explained sheepishly.
Twilight Sparkle dropped her hooves and adopted a more puzzled look. “Well what exactly are you getting at then?” she asked with both growing curiosity and a touch of impatience.
Rainbow began to rub the back of her neck, her chuckle turning a bit more nervous. “I guess I’m sorta beating around the bush aren’t I?”
“Try beating around the forest and you might be closer,” Twilight suggested in a deadpan tone while retaking her seat and getting back to her dinner.
Rainbow took a deep breath. “Okay so I’ve been hiding something, a rather big something and for a long time too and I’m sorta scared you and the girls might think less of me for keeping it secret. But after Discord and everything else that’s happened I guess it’s kind of overdue that at least one of you knew. So… I like photography,” she admitted with a bit of wince at the limited truth to her clumsy statement.
Twilight just sat there, looking on with continued bemusement.
“Uh, is that all? Because I’m surprised! Really, but it doesn’t seem like all that bigger news. Though I guess it does explain why you’re always grabbing the camera to get ‘the magic, just right’ whenever we do a group photo,” she mentioned in realisation while putting a thoughtful hoof to her chin.
Rainbow groaned and rocked agitatedly upon her chair. “Ugh, I’m really bad at this and yeah, ‘like’ is a severe understatement, it’s… it is literally a whole other life for me. That and well, fashion.”
Meanwhile Twilight could only blink at the awkward words coming from Rainbow that didn’t seem to string together quite right in her head. Naturally she ended up laughing out of disbelief.
“I’m sorry what? Fashion!? Wh-who are you and what have you done with Rainbow Dash?” she stammered out in between half suppressed chuckles.
Rainbow groaned again letting her head fall into her hooves, though this time it came out as more of a growl. “Yes. Fashion. Every so often I fly up to Canterlot or someplace else to do photo shoots and plan out my magazines. I enjoy it and I’ve gotten good at it, enough that I can afford a second home up in Canterlot, a nice one to,” she replied bluntly to Twilight’s disbelief, voice straight and face serious.
The steady look was in fact enough to give Twilight pause. Still, it took a few moments for her to feel certain about the audacious statement.
“You’re serious… but if that’s all true how come I’ve never hear of you doing anything like this before? How come Rarity has never heard of you doing it before!? I would think she of all ponies would notice if one of her best friends made even a little headway in the fashion world,” she summed up in disbelief.
This actually brought a smirk to Rainbow Dash’s face, feeling rather chuffed there was so little clear suspicion cast on her. “Of course jou have all heard of me before! Ve have even met before vhen jou announced to me vith greate panic vone Sir Shpike’s secret affections. Und Rarity I dare say ees intimately familiar vith my vork,” she replied allowing herself to naturally slip into the all too familiar and comforting Germwhinny accent.
Again Twilight’s response was silence though this time it was laced with a great deal more shock and confusion. It was hard to hold back her laughter at the display of pure surprise but Rainbow Dash, or rather her alter ego had held back from far worse before, usually sometime shortly after a well-deserved critically roasting review when meeting whichever pretentious snob had wasted her time demanding her attention.
She pushed back her alternate persona as she made to explain, “I use a different identity for all that work Twi. I’m actually, well I am Rainbow Dash but I’m also… Photo Finish,” she stated firmly if hesitantly.
Twilight’s head cocked to one side in an almost comical expression of conflicting disbelief and curiosity.
She quickly composed herself however and levelled a suspicious look towards Rainbow Dash, “What? Photo Finish…? Okay. So let’s say I believe you and this isn’t some sort of contrived prank you’re setting me up for; you’re really Photo Finish in your spare time-”
Rainbow snorted at that, interrupting Twilight. “Believe me, with the work load it’s more like I’m Rainbow Dash in my free time. Though I guess I do get a lot of free time, thank Celestia for that.”
Twilights grunted out of irritation for the interruption but stayed on course, “Alright, yes that. Somehow hiding this all from us girls, the press, commuting to and from Canterlot by wing regularly and- and hiding your wings and hair colour and cutie mark! Doing all that… just, why?”
Rainbow, Photo, stiffened in her seat levelling a steady serious look towards Twilight. With a deep breath, she got ready to make her case.
“Because… I love it. Well not the hassle I have to put up with obviously but what I go through all that for. I am not some simple pony. True there are only a few things I truly enjoy besides you and the girls; going fast, making things look good and my fans but it all goes so much deeper than that. On one side, the one you know is me going fast and looking good doing it. The other, is making other ponies or things look good or finding ponies that do it themselves, capturing that and sharing it with the world,” she exclaimed with strong dose of passion. “And both of those have gotten me fans, one a lot more than the other for now but both let me dazzle, dumbfound an inspire ponies with the fantastic, the awesome, the eccentric, the beautiful, the thought provoking complexity! I just… I love it. It is me. Rainbow Dash, Photo Finish… they’re the same filly, me just expressing my cutie mark in different ways.”
The explanation had quickly gotten animated half way through and had left Twilight with a rather exuberant starry eyed mess of a pony. Still, the conclusion it led her to was crystal clear.
Twilight nodded thoughtfully, trying to suppress her thankfully fading incredulity.
“Okay Rainbow Dash, I believe you. I still want some kind of solid evidence under my hooves but this sort of thing, those words,” she said gesturing at Rainbows now tense posture, “will it doesn’t just come from nowhere.”
The statement held Rainbow Photo Finish Dash wrapped in stunned silence for a moment before she sighed in relief, at least some of her nerves smoothing out.
“That said you’ve still dumped an issue on me that has left me with a ton of questions! Questions you owe me answers to,” she continued in firm statement of fact.
Rainbow held her composure under Twilight’s scrutinising gaze, nodding in response.
“Yeah, that’s fair and kind of expected. Where do you want to start?” she asked while returning to take another hearty bite of her Risotto.
Twilight relaxed and took another mouth full from her own plate to stew on, now reminded it was there, while she thought about it. A part of her noted somehow Rainbow had managed three more before she had finished that single fork full.
“Well I guess the question is still why. Not why you do it but, well why you do it that way! Just living a double life like that? Juggling two careers, two sets of friends, two completely different appearances and life styles in two different towns no less it’s just… well it can’t be easy that’s for sure! In fact it’s what still has me doubting you. So why not just do both things and not bother with that?” she practically ranted out at the unsettlingly mind bending situation.
“Ugh, big questions first, I should have known. Sure you don’t want to ask about the mane or the wings first?” she grumbled out.
Twilight’s eyes held steady, wordlessly demanding the answer to her question with a gaze long since perfected as filly.
With an exasperated sigh Rainbow resigned to answering.
“Fine. It’s because I can’t do both, or because some ponies are so stuck up they don’t think I can do both,” she explained with almost venomously.
“I still don’t get it,” Twilight insisted with a questioning look.
Again Dash grunted in irritation of the touchy subject Twilight continued to prod.
“You know I want to join the Wonderbolts right? As Photo Finish I can’t do that, just trying would make me the laughing stock of the tabloids for months! They don’t want some fancy pony with hooves deep in the fashion industry. Just the same fashion world wouldn’t take a wana-be racer seriously and would be downright offended at what I like to do for fun out here in Ponyville. I had to make up the whole Photo Finish thing and hide my wings just to get in on it at all! For some reason they got some stigma against Pegusi photographers, think we’re all paparazzi or freelance tabloid sell-outs. So yes. I got to be two different ponies to do the two different things I love,” she finished with a tiered sigh.
Twilight looked down to her plate feeling a little conflicted. “I still don’t understand why you can’t just do both as Rainbow Dash, surely it doesn’t matter that much but if you feel it’s really necessary… then I guess that’s okay, I can keep a secret, Miss Finish,” she replied giving Rainbow Dash a warm assuring smile, that turned amused at mention of her other name.
Rainbow Dash eagerly returned the smile. “Cool, that’s… I appreciate it Twi.”
“But I still have a lot of questions!” she burst out, this time with a far more eager and excited curiosity. “Like, what’s so bad about paparazzi? I mean they’re just photographers right?”
And with that Photo Finish’s eyes narrowed and a sneer quickly grew.
“Ach! Jou vould not say zhat eef jou had been chased by vone or as ees more often a plague of zhem! Zhey are each monshters zhat each have zheir own shpecial place een Tar-Tar-us,” she muttered to herself before seeing the odd look that Twilight was giving her and clearing her through.
All of a sudden the room began to feel a bit warm to Rainbow dash and the back of her neck a little itchy as she made to explain herself better, “Heh, uh yeah. Seriously Twilight, there is no skill in those blood sucking parasites. They’re mostly just a bunch of drop outs that tried to do photography in collage, somehow lost any sense of self-respect and are now looking for some quick money getting pervy with celebrities. Thay. Are. Not. Real photographers.”
The blunt and remorseless statement left Twilight looking taken aback. “That’s um… some strong feelings you have. I guess your standards would be high.”
“Noh. Zhey’re-”
Gentle laughter interrupted her. A blush grew across Rainbow’s face again with Twilight’s giggle and plexed expiration at her slipping into accent.
She quickly got over it and prepared to explain herself better, “Sorry, I mean no, they’re not. It’s an art and like anything, hard to get good at. Anypony can try, I’ll never begrudge that, but they have to actually try and those losers don’t even do that. Can’t tell you how glad I am they haven’t come after us and the girls for the whole saving the world thing yet. Got to thank Celestia some time for keeping them off us,” she explained with genuine relief before turning to bitter amusement, “Heh, guess that’s one perk of the whole double life thing, I don’t have to deal with them twenty four seven like some celebrities.”
Twilight nodded and suppressed her amusement. “Okay then… Paparazzi: bad. I’ll make a formal note of it.”
“Noh, not bad, Evil! Zhey are zhe purest of Evils, Twilight!” Photo reinforced with deliberate exaggerated disgust, sour faced, snout in air and eyes shut.
This time her amusement wasn’t so easily held back and she simply had to laugh at the sight of Rainbow with such a haughty expression.
Still, once it subsided it gave way to a more serious if still warm tone. “You know you’re stating to convince my more logical side in spite of a continuing lack of evidence or solid argument. You seriously care about this don’t you?”
“Of course,” Rainbow affirmed with a smile and a nod. “As much as the Wonderbolts anyhow. You and the gang come first though, ain’t the element of loyalty for nothing! But I also got to stay loyal to me fans come to think of it… both sets of them. So yeah, obligations and stuff. Fun,” she worked out with a touch of sarcasm.
Twilight nodded with a thankful smile but quickly turned back to quizzical after noting something, “You know, you’re pretty good with that accent. Why do you use it though? Is it another appearance thing like hiding your wings? And that’s another thing come to think about it, you’ve always been sensitive about your wings. Isn’t it physically uncomfortable hiding them under a dress all day? I mean why not let ponies know you’re a pegasus since you’ve made it big? Oh, and your hair! I mean not many ponies have multi chromatic hair and you don’t want ponies to know but you always seemed proud of it so why not do it the other way around? And just white? Why white? Oh, and what about-”
“Whoa!” Rainbow interrupted sharply, eyes wide and hooves in the air in surrender from the sudden barrage of questions. “Easy there egg head, one question at a time, please?”
In return Twilight giggled embarrassedly at being caught out. “Yeah, sorry… just, this is a lot.”
“I know, just pace yourself,” she said with an understanding tone. “So what was it first? My accent?”
“Um, yes,” she said with a nod. “It doesn’t seem very, well you. Why use it? I mean it probably gives you an edge. It certainly sets you out above the rest, at least here in central Equestria.”
Oddly enough that surprised Rainbow and it showed in both her expression and words.
“Huh, weird. I never actually thought about it that way. Now I think about it, it probably does make me more noticeable. But nah. It’s my accent; I just used it on a whim when I first started out under my new name because I wanted to,” she explained dismissively leaving Twilight confused once again.
“Yours? What? But you’re from Cloudsdale! Not… uh, the Germwhinny province? I think that’s the accent,” she asked, visibly trying to resist the urge to go check through her books. However a distasteful idea quickly came to Twilight’s mind, “Unless… Cloudsdale is just some cover story of yours.”
“I am from Cloudsdale, grew up there with Fluttershy remember?” Rainbow replied simply towards her suspicion. “But my Mom wasn’t, she grew up in Stuttcart. I picked it up from her and stuck with it for a while, probably because all the adults thought it was cute so it got me a lot of attention. Ditched it later on though, at least in public because all it did in school was get me bullied,” she finished remorsefully. “Still use it around Mom most of the time though. Felt good to start using it again as Photo.”
Twilight nodded thoughtfully. “You know, credit where it’s due, I never pegged you for such hidden cultural ties. Always liked Germwhinny, they do everything there so efficiently.”
Rainbow smirked back at Twilight, shaking her head. “Of course. Typical, the egg head appreciates that… just remember we got our crazier side if you ever visit. Oktoberfest is always a blast.”
“Hay! I can appreciate more… um, liberal things,” she pleaded in her defence.
Rainbow’s smirk quickly grew into a grin. “Oh? Maybe I should bring you along then next time? If you think you could survive it.”
“I certainly could and maybe I will,” she declared resolutely with a small hoof stomp before her expression turn a touch uncertain. “Just as soon as I look up what Oktoberfest is.”
And then Rainbow’s grin grew into a laugh. “Twi, promise me you’ll never change!”
Twilight rolled her eyes in response. “Sure, I promise not to change… just, you know, hold back on the tiny detail that I’m the mysterious sole unicorn member of the Wonderbolts.”
The deadpan response only served to drive Rainbow into a giggling fit after on disbelieving look at the unicorn, much to Twilight's growing disgruntlement.
“Oh! Or, or secretly Celestia’s daughter and an alicorn Princess in disguise!” Rainbow proposed boisterously, sniggering at her own idea.
“Fine! Whatever! Next Question,” she announced abruptly, frown now weighing down her features.
Rainbow quickly quieted her amusement. “Aw, don’t be like that Twi! I’m you know I’m only teasing. Besides, I meant it. You want to come along I’d be happy to take you!”
With the reassurance Twilight’s expression softened once again, back to normal. “I… appreciate the offer, Dash. Though I’ll certainly be doing my research beforehoof. Oh! Maybe we could even make a group outing of it! Once you tell the rest of the girls, of course.”
A suggestion that no doubt meant well but only served to send Rainbow Dash into a near panic.
“Uh, Twi? How about we don’t do that…” she feebly suggested, wings once again deciding to fidget.
The odd statement caught Twilight’s attention immediately along with an inkling of suspicion.
“Do what? You don’t think it would be appropriate to bring the whole group?” she asked cautiously, seeking clarification. “What kind of celebration is this anyway?”
“I, uh, that’s not what I meant. I… I don’t want to tell the rest of the girls. Not yet,” she explained apprehensively, head hung low.
“Oh,” was all Twilight could manage to say for a moment. After that awkward moment however, and Rainbow’s lack of voluntary explanation, came the inevitable question, “Uh, why not?”
“I… don’t wanna,” Rainbow replied awkwardly, looking away in a poor attempt to look disinterested and imply the topic was settled.
Twilight was less than satisfied with the answer and she could tell her friend knew it.
“Rainbow…” she insisted with an undertone of warning.
“Ugh, alright! I don’t want to do it because it’ll change things,” she said, conceding her feelings. “AJ would just use the whole thing to tease me and never take me seriously as an athlete again! Not to mention she’s going to be mad at me forever for keeping this under wraps. Rarity is going to go nuts! I don’t know if she’ll be angry or not but she isn’t going to let this go and will be dragging me off to the spar, constantly bothering me for every little thing. Pinkie Pie… well Pinkie will probably be okay in the long run but I really got to be careful about how I tell her or she’ll blow my secret to the world trying to throw me a second birthday or something. Fluttershy…” Rainbow tensed and clammed up at the thought mid rant. “It’ll probably scare her.”
Twilight mulled on the thoughts for a moment before daring to ask the question this presented.
“Then what about me? Why come to me? Didn’t you think this is going to affect me as much as any of the others?” she asked with enough of a touch of accusation to make her friend wince.
Still Rainbow kept a straight face, solemnly nodding in response preparing to pour her heart out for the Nth time that night.
“Yeah, I knew it was going to. This is probably going to drive you crazy for a while and you’re not going to let up on the questions for a long time. But I finally figured I need a friend in on this , I’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s wearing me down, making me tired and sloppy. I’m not an idiot, I know I can’t keep this from you guys forever with how close we are, you’ll all find out eventually one way or another so I decided to do it on my own terms. Doing it all at once felt like too much of a risk so I had to pick someone to go first and I chose you,” she explained to the best of her ability, feeling a lot meeker then she hopefully looked or sounded.
For a moment Rainbow decided to risk a look at Twilight to gage her so far. She was keeping up a surprisingly good poker face leaving Rainbow little room but to keep going.
“Twi, your questions I think I can handle, more than what the others will do. I can’t stop you from telling the others if you really want but please, keep this between you and me? Not forever, until we’ve gotten used to this at least just… just help me Twi, I’m kind of at your mercy here,” Rainbow pleaded with barely controlled desperation before letting silence reign once again.
“I see,” Twilight eventually murmured while beginning to contemplate the situation more fully. With Rainbow’s speech at an apparent end Twilight relaxed a little into her chair to think.
Rainbow Dash however was left with the resulting awkward silence as Twilight continued to sit there, hoof resting on her chin and eyes staring blankly down at the table.
“Uhm, Twilight? Are you okay?” she eventually piped up, getting a little worried about how her eyes were darting around in thought.
Abruptly Twilight’s head shot up at the call of her name. “Huh? Wha- oh sorry.”
“You kind of spaced out there for a second Twi. You doing all right there? This isn’t too much for you is it?” she dared to ask, her worries of wrecked friendships cropping up once more as she began to chew her lip. “I’m sorry, I know I’m asking a lot here.”
“Uh yes. I mean no! I… sort of?” she blurted out before grounding in frustration and recomposing herself. “Look, it’s a lot to take in. This really is big and I’m still catching up. I’m not sure how much this changes things and… well it leaves me looking at you in a new light.”
That statement left Rainbow’s mood sinking fast. “But it’s still me Twi, I’m still good old Rainbow Dash, Loyalist of ponies, most dependable of friends!” she explained pleadingly. “I might have been hiding some stuff but I wasn’t lying! I’m an athlete, the fastest pony in Equestria, I want to join the Wonderbolts more than anything! You know me! Just, not all of me… yet.”
Twilight locked her eyes with the pegasus, examining her friend and her desperate pleading sincerity.
Gently she smiled reassuringly and nodded. “Alright Rainbow, I can accept that. I can get used to this. It might take me time to adjust but I’m… glad, yes. This clearly took a lot of thought and consideration so I’m glad you’ve decided to open up and let me into this part of your life. I’ll keep your secret, for now, and well who knows, it might even be fun!”
Rainbow grinned back in relief but quickly found that insufficient. Almost before she knew what she was doing she darted forward and hugged Twilight tightly. Twilight was surprised for a moment but returned the embrace with just as much gusto.
“Thanks Twi… it mean a lot to me,” she murmured before parting with her. “And yeah, it has its moments. Sometimes even remind myself of all those comics where the hero is keeping up a secret identity. Hay, wait a minute, do you think the Elements make us super heroes!? Ha! I’m a real life Bat-Colt! Or, uh, Super Mare!”
The slightly loopy suggestion was amusing for Twilight who quickly began sharpening pins to pop Rainbow’s metaphorical balloon. “Well you’re right there are certainly parallels… but I don’t think it really counts. First of all every pony already knows who you are. You don’t use Photo Finish to hide you’re the Element of Loyalty Rainbow Dash, you use Rainbow to hide that you’re the distinctly not saviour of the world celebrity, Photo Finish. Secondly the Elements of Harmony are magical not supernatural so where are your super powers? Third-”
“Yeah yeah, whatever Twi. Saved the world and got a secret identity. I’m so fast it might as well be a super power anyway. That’s good enough for me!” she dismissed, brushing off Twilight’s logic like so much dust, taking to the air and striking a heroic pose. “Rainbow Dash! Real life super hero of Equestria! Heck yeah!”
“I don’t know why I bother,” Twilight grumbled to herself, realising Rainbow’s ‘balloon’ had already flown out of reach.
“Along with my trusty sidekick Purple Smart! The most super book sorter in history,” Rainbow added, swooping in to hold Twilight to her side.
“Sidekick? Okay, now I know you’re teasing me miss saviour of Cloudsdale, area one square meter, population one,” she said pointedly.
Rainbow dropped her and shrugged. “Eh, fine. If you don’t want to fight crime with me that’s your bee’s wax.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and took back her usual friendly smile as they settled down. Rainbow however broke out into a yawn.
“Oh, man, I forgot how late it was getting,” she said with a worried look towards the nearest clock. “Sorry Twi, I know you got more questions but I got to bail. I’m working tomorrow afternoon and the day after with a flight up to Canterlot first thing.”
The mention of travel plans baffled Twilight for a moment. “Canterlot? Why would you… oh. Of course. The Photo Finish thing.”
“Gee Twi, sure you’re not reading too many books? Must not have much room left up there if you’re forgetting things that fast,” she joked with a light punch to her shoulder.
“Blasphemy,” Twilight shot back accusingly. “There can never be too many books, in any context. But yes, it is getting rather late.”
They shared a laugh as they began to make their way to the door.
“Well, sorry I’m going to leave you high and dry. I know you’re going to be itching for answers until I get back but I got to take care of thing,” she apologised redundantly. “Should be back more than in time for Nightmare Night.”
Twilight just shook her head as she opened the door. “No, you don’t have to apologise. I think I need some time to get my questions in order anyway.”
Rainbow made a fake look of shock and horror in Twilight’s direction. “Oh no! Giving her time to organize? This is going to end in an hours long interview with a written questionnaires isn’t it!”
Twilight’s response was a sharp shove out the door with her magic. “Good night Rainbow Dash,” she said a little too sweetly.
“Good night Twi, take care of yourself,” she replied sincerely.
Twilight softened her expression for her final farewell, “You too Dash. Have fun in Canterlot!”
“Oh you know I will, now…” Rainbow shot back one of her cocky grins before turning her snout skywards. “I go!”
And then, with one last chuckle, she was gone.
Meanwhile Twilight yawned herself as she turned and closed the door, feeling her own mussels begin to ach.
“Oh goodness, it really is late. Or maybe this was all just that exhausting… Rainbow Dash, Photo Finish,” she repeated to herself in astonishment as she made her way towards the stairs.
Then she caught herself, halting mid step.
“Wait, Rainbow Dash is Photo Finish,” she said to herself in realisation. “What in Celestia’s name was that stunt she pulled with Rarity and Fluttershy then!?”
In a surge of frenzied motion she snapped back around and tore the door back open, searching the sky for any sign of her friend but it was already far too late to catch her.
With a tired grimace and one last wary look at the sky she reluctantly shut the door and resigned herself to preparing to get some sleep.
“Rainbow Dash… you have a lot of explaining to do when you get back.”
Author's Note
Well here we go. Another sort of crazy idea, one I found and decided to have a crack at putting my own spin on. Some of you might recognise the idea from SS Nomad's story Photo Dash (which if you like the idea and haven't heard of I recommend you go read) but I have some very different ideas about what I want to do with the concept and where to take it, a lack of romance for one thing and a focus on how it affects cannon show episodes. Also debating whether or not it deserves the Alternate Universe tag. On one had it is technically accurate but on the other AU is usually used to describe far larger and more significant changes to the world then a few differences with a character or two. After all, pretty much every story written or started before a season is aired is technically AU yet isn't marked as such. For now I'm leaving it off but I'm open to arguments for it.
I'm not sure how far I'm going to take this story, I'm mostly doing it for practice right now and seeing if I can keep to my goal of updates every other week or so. I'm also planing to handle it in an episodic fashion so no cliffhangers followed by a lack of updates. Also, given I'm doing this for practice I've decided to make available the GDoc version of it if anyone wants to point out my mistakes or comment on anything specifically. Chapter one can be found here: Chromatic Confessions
Also considered making the few of thousand words of cut content available but decided not. Some of the ideas I might recycle later so it has the potential to be spoilery.
Well, that's all for now folks, hope you enjoyed and have a nice day! 
