*sighs* I let out a nervous breath. My heart still pounded.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna do this.” I said to myself. I clutched the pink flower I held in my right hand. I could only imagine what Rainbow Dash’s reaction would be.
Memories suddenly flooded back in: Seems like not long ago was I in summer camp. How I suddenly found myself in this strange world of Equestria. How quickly I made friends with these ponies: Twilight Sparkle, the leader and unicorn of the group, Pinkie Pie, the happy-go-lucky pony of the group, Applejack, the truthful pony of the group, Rainbow Dash, the reliable Pegasus of the group, Rarity, the prodigal unicorn of the group and Fluttershy, the benevolent Pegasus of the group. These six friends make up the Elements of Harmony, the most powerful source of magic that keep this planet in check. I remember how it took a while for me to adapt to them, but over time, it felt like I was part of their group. Of course, I don’t have an Element, but I’m still grateful for them.
But… One of them… I’ve grown attached to. She’s brave. She’s adventurous. She’s amazing. She’s Rainbow Dash.
I remember the time I laid in the hospital after a giant boulder crushed me. Rainbow Dash had learned of my desire to fly. I’m sure she knew that it would have to be a miracle for me to fly, but she insisted that flying did not come without toughening me up. Each morning, Rainbow Dash forced me to wake up real early in the morning for intense sets of pushups, crunches, jogs, sprints, weight-lighting with some heavy rocks and endurance. That day, Rainbow Dash was trying to teach me agility. Her definition of agility meant for me to dodge any oncoming rocks she threw at me. I managed to dodge a couple of them, but the particular rock Rainbow Dash threw at me, she hurled it with such great force that as soon as it hit the boulder behind me that bounced off the thrown rocks Rainbow Dash would pick up later to save herself time from looking for new ones, the boulder cracked and a large chunk from its upper level of it fell off. Towards me. I didn’t have any time to react. I felt to crushing power of the boulder on me. Next thing I knew, I woke up in Ponyville Hospital. My friends, excluding Dash, were there, relieved to see I was okay. I asked where rainbow Dash was. Applejack said she was in hysterics and kept blaming herself for my injury. That night, Rainbow Dash visited me.
“I’m really sorry I hurt you…” Rainbow Dash looked forlorn
“Rainbow, it’s not your fault. I just wasn’t agile enough.” I replied.
“But, if I hadn’t pushed you hard enough… Oh Celestia. That’s what I’ve been doing all this time: I’ve been unfair and forced you to perform at 199% overlimit…” The blue Pegasus sat in a chair and put her face to her hindlegs.
“Rainbow, it’s ok. The nurse said I should make a speedy recovery in no time.”
“…”
“I bet it’s thanks to that endurance training” Rainbow’s head suddenly went up. I could see the tears on her eyes.
“R-Really?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Sure! That session of me to endure those rocks you kept throwing to me really helped. If not, I’d really be between a rock and a hard place!” I knew that was stupid joke, but I heard a small giggle from Rainbow Dash.
“Stupid joke!” Rainbow slapped me on the shoulder.
“Owch!” My whole back was aching from the boulder.
“Oops. Sorry.” Rainbow Dash gave off a nervous grin. One of the nurse ponies came into my hospital room.
“Miss, you’ll have to leave. Visiting hours are over.”
“Alright.” Rainbow Dash turned her attention to me. “Hang in there, tiger.”
“I’m not a tiger! I’m a human!” Another stupid joke that rewarded myself with Rainbow Dash’s giggle.
“Well see ya!” I watched Rainbow Dash walk out of my room. That night as I drifted, I had a strange feeling inside me, one that aroused when I saw Rainbow Dash happy.
I had fallen in love with Rainbow Dash.
The realization of it scared me. I was in love with one of my friends. A tomboy. I’ve always been attracted to tomboys and shy girls. You’d think I’d like Fluttershy, but I don’t, because she has that mother-like quality, but I can relate to Rainbow Dash: We like the sense of speed, we like running together and we both have a short attention span.
Of course, upon realization, I’d realize I wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret. Especially from a certain pink pony. A few months later after I recovered, it’d had been Rainbow Dash’s birthday. Now what could a good friend like me get her? An autograph from the Wonderbolts, of course! After 3 hours of waiting and a brawl for a place in line with a stallion with an hourglass for a cutie mark, I managed to acquire an autograph from Soarin and Spitfire, two of the Wonderbolts Rainbow Dash wants to impress. I had to keep it hidden from everypony else. The good it did me…
“Hiya!” I heard Pinkie Pie’s hop and cheery voice.
“Gotta hide it!” I muttered to myself. “Hey Pinkie Pie.” I smiled nervously.
“Ooh! Watcha got there?!” Pinkie asked excitedly.
“Nothing…” I replied gravely. Pinkie looked around me to see what it was I was holding, but I kept moving my body away from her. Suddenly Pinkie’s tail started shaking.
“Uh-oh! Something’s gonna fall.” Pinkie warned me.
“What? Ahh!” I felt an object fall onto my head. A flowerpot? Where did that come from?
“Oops! Sorry!” A gray Pegasus with weird eyes apologized above.
“Just be careful, Derpy!” I said to the Pegasus, who then flew, clumsily away. Hey, where’s the autograph?
“Wow! I can’t believe Rainbow Dash got an autograph from the Wonderbolts!” Pinkie grabbed my gift to Rainbow Dash.
“Give that back.” I snatched it away from her.
“Wait… Why would Dashie give you something of hers?” Pinkie inquired.
“Um… she didn’t… I waited 3 hours in a line and asked the Wonderbolts to make it out to Rainbow Dash…” Please don’t figure it out… Please don’t figure it out… Pinkie still looked confused.
“Hm… !” Pinkie’s eyes widened. A goofy smile spread across her face. No!
“Oh. My. Gosh! You like-!” Before she could reveal my secret, I clasped her mouth shut.
“Shh!” I shushed her.
“You like Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie whispered. God, no… I can feel my face getting red-hot.
“Aw, you’re turning redder than strawberry frosting!” Pinkie said happily.
“Please keep it a secret…?” I asked with a worried.
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Pinkie pushed her hoof into her eye, but not forcefully.
“….So… is that a yes…?” I asked. Pinkie moved her head up and down in agreement. Then she hopped away. Well… I kinda wanted to tell someone… That day, after everypony gave Rainbow their gifts, I gave her mine. After she opened it and read it:
“’To Rainbow Dash. We have great expectations from you.’” Rainbow read what the Wonderbolts wrote on the autograph. “No way! How did you get this?!” Rainbow asked happily.
“I had to wait in line for-“ Before I could finish, Rainbow trapped me in a tight hug.
“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” Rainbow excitedly repeated as she hugged me. I took immense delight with the fact the pony- no- girl I like was hugging me! I wanted to smile, but my friends watching us. I’d never it would this hard to keep myself from smiling a lot. So the most I could do was return the hug back and say “No problem.” Since then, remembering Rainbow hugging me always puts me in a good mood.
Flash back to now. The night is crisp and cool, and my heart’s pounding like I’ve run a marathon.
“I’m going to tell Rainbow Dash my true feelings to her.” I repeated silently to myself. I can’t believe. The first time in my life, I’m going to tell a girl how much I like her. I chuckled. Rainbow isn’t my first crush, but she’ll be the first one whom I’ll tell my true feelings to. I thought of how back on Earth, if a guy tells a girl how much he likes her, or vice-versa, sure, there is a good chance the reaction will not be satisfactory, but people talk, plus my parents would somehow find out what I’ve done and never let me hear the end of it and I’d feel awkward every time I’d be near that human girl. Problem is in the planet I used to live in, the tasks everyday forced me and anyone else to have little interaction, meaning if I saw someone I liked, the hustle and bustle of my life would only allow me to like her from a distance, and only that. Here in Equestria, I’m not always having to be anywhere at anytime (though I help daily at Sugarcube Corner). Since I’m in a more relaxed setting, I’ve been able to make the friends I have now.
As well as truly fall in love with one of them.
“Dear Celestia, please no surprises tonight…” I muttered. Nopony however would be able to hear me. I wonder if Rainbow Dash figured it out: about how I asked her to meet me near the lake at 10:00 p.m. I know I should be inside the library so Twilight won’t freak out, but she’ll have to endure it just once.
I looked up at the night sky. Purple, starry skies. Starry, starry night.
“Paint your palette blue and grey…” I muttered a song to soothe my nerves.
In the distance, I made out a Pegasus outline flying towards me.
Rainbow Dash flew towards me. My heartbeat went into overdrive.
She landed about 2 feet away from me. She looked absolutely amazing. Her light-blue skin. Her cute, round face. Her flowing, colorful mane and tail. Her pink, enticing eyes. It took my willpower not to hug her suddenly and say those three words I’ve yearned to say to her. Could I say it tonight?
“You said you wanted to meet me here?” Rainbow Dash asked. I remembered the flower I still held behind my back. Now that I thought about it, Rainbow did not seem the type to like flowers. With a quick throw, I chucked the flower away behind me without her seeing it.
“Yes.” I replied.
“What’s up?” Rainbow asked me. Celestia, how do I put this…?
“Um… uh… well…” The words were in my head, but my mouth could not process them. Speak, man!
“You ok? You look a little flushed” Rainbow said. How dense is she?
“R-Rainbow, have you been noticing how much I… I… I…” Say it! “Act a bit different around you?”
“Sure, I’ve noticed. So has Fluttershy.” Fluttershy knew too?!
My eyes darted around. God, I’ve prepared for this day since I’ve realize how much I love her. I’ve even outlined what I would say. So… why can’t I?
“Is something wrong?” Rainbow asked.
“I LOVE YOU!” I shouted suddenly.
Holy. Shit. What. Did. I. Just. Say? I had been trying not to look at Rainbow, but now I did. She looked at me with her mouth open in an upside down ‘U’ shape. Her eyes seemed to convey: “No way…”
“W-what…?” She uttered. I can’t go back now.
“*gulps* I…love you.” I repeated.
“What do you mean…?” Damn, what do I say now?
“Rainbow…” I started to say. “I’ve been in love with you for 2 months now and I was wondering if we could go out together?!”
Now, let me just step right in for a moment. What you just witness me do, do not ever repeat. See, the tone of my voice was too rushed, nervous and lacked confidence. And what happens next? Definitely not a satisfactory ending.
“Um…” Rainbow uttered with a tint of ‘what-the-heck-should-I-do-now?’ “Hey, I like you, but not in that way. I’m just not looking for a coltfriend, well, boyfriend in your case. “ OK. That hurts... Rainbow started to ascend into the air. “Maybe we’re best staying friends.” The Pegasus flew off.
Good thing I’m not on Earth. If I was on Earth, I’d be forced to cover my heartbreak. Now that I’m on another planet…
“GODDAMN!” I silently yelled to myself. For the rest of the night, it was just me, myself, my broken heart and I. The Lonely Four.