Chapters Rainbow's mind was racing as she watched the newest Alicorn princess, Twilight Sparkle walking up the aisle to receive her crown. She was one of her best friends, but lately she had been feeling something more about the now Alicorn. Every time she had tried to act on those feelings however, she would chicken out.
She winked as Twilight looked her way, encouraging her friend. As Twilight began to deliver her speech, Rainbow just stared with stars in her eyes, unaware that she herself was being watched.
Dash felt a nudge from her right from Applejack as Twilight ended her speech.
"I reckon that's enough gawkin, unless'n yer gonna do somethin bout it," Aj whispered as Dash's face went crimson red.
"What are you talking about?" Rainbow asked, trying to act oblivious as Aj chuckled.
"Oh, just you still thinkin you still got a chance with her.."
"And you do!?" Rainbow answered in a barely audible tone.
Their conversation had caught the ear of Rarity, who had had enough.
"Really girls!" She growled through her teeth, "This is Twilight's day, at least let her have it in peace!"
"Sorry Rarity.." Rainbow whispered.
Their conversation had also caught the ear of Princess Celestia, who gave a curious smile to the arguing ponies before returning her attention back to the crowd, who cheered for her former student.
After the ceremony, Rainbow caught herself staring again. This time was at the reception, where Twilight was greeting the noble and elite of Canterlot. Twilight's eyes met rainbow's for a quick second before Dash averted her gaze to the ground.
Twilight gave a soft smile to the Pegasus before returning her attention to the noble in front of her.
"Come on Rainbow, don't chicken out now!" Rainbow thought as she built up her confidence. "Hey Twilight, could I say something.... No, that won't work," she said as she took a step across the floor towards the alicorn. "Maybe something cool, no that won't work either.. maybe if I could.."
"Ahem," came Rarity's voice as the marshmallow white unicorn stopped her. "Really Rainbow, I'm going to tell you this politely because your my friend, but step off and walk away, today isn't the day..." she said sternly.
"I-I... uh... oh you're right Rarity, who am I kidding here, I could never get her to like me.." Rainbow said as she turned away from her crush and walked out to one of the many balconies of the castle, followed by Rarity.
As Rainbow reach the railing, she plopped down and looked up to the night sky, looking for an answer.
"What am I supposed to do Rarity?" She asked as she seen a star shoot across the sky, silently making a wish upon it. "My mom... she always told me to follow my heart, but I never thought it would lead me to Twilight.."
Rarity sighed as she set down gently beside the sad Pegasus. "Well darling, our hearts can lead us astray sometimes, believe you me," she said as she herself gazed at a small constellation. "But, in your case dear, I believe you should go for it, only not today Rainbow, let Twilight enjoy herself today... what you're going to do is going to rock her world, and here is not the proper time nor place darling.." Rarity said as she got back up to her hooves and turned to renter the party.
"Are you coming?" She asked as stopped in front of the door.
"I-I'll be in in a few minutes," Rainbow answered as she looked to Rarity before returning her eyes to the moonlit sky.
Rainbow awoke a few hours later in a bed. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around at her new surroundings. A firm pillow lay beneath her head, making her uncomfortable. She was wrapped up in an old quilt that smelled badly like must and dirt. The bed itself was hard, but had a softness that could only be matched by wood.
She brought a hoof slowly to her forehead to feel the extent of her injury, but found it dressed and wrapped.
"Yer a lucky one Dash, if yer head wadn't so thick, you'd done cracked it in half," Applejack said as she opened the door and seen the Pegasus awake.
"AJ..." Rainbow began, looking to the pony now beside her, holding an ice pack in her teeth, "thank, thank you.."
"Aww shucks, it wadn't nothin Rainbow, just what friends do," AJ said as she placed the ice pack on Dash's head and then picked up a first aid kit she had brought in with her.
She opened the small box and brought out a pair of scissors to cut the bandages off of Rainbow's head.
"Now hold still Dash, this'll only take a second," AJ said through her teeth as she cut through the gauze.
After the gauze was cut, she raised Dash's head up and finished removing the gauze. Rainbow's wound had healed great, as only a small cut remained where a nasty gash had been on her hairline. AJ redressed the wound as quickly as she had removed it.
"There we are sugar cube, another day or so and you should be able to take that bandage off," AJ said as she threw away the old bandage and closed the first aid kit.
"Hey AJ, could we talk for a bit?" Rainbow asked as AJ returned from the other room where she had taken the first aid.
"I guess, what's on yer mind?"
"Well, it's about Twilight..."
"Ya think this would be better with Rarity?" AJ asked.
"I dunno, I think Rarity would just try to dress me up for it or something and you, well.. we kinda get each other ya know.."
"Well I guess, what's up then?"
"I-I don't know how to say it, but, I always freeze in front of her when I want to tell her ya know."
"Well I kinda know where yer coming from there partner, but I moved on.." AJ said quietly, and her eyes darted across the room, as if searching to see if they were alone.
"What do ya mean?" Rainbow said, sitting up slowly to keep the massive headache at bay.
"Well alright Dash.." AJ said before leaning in close, "but you gotta promise not to tell any pony...any pony..." she whispered.
"Sure AJ, now what is it?" Dash asked as she perked her ears up and gave the orange earth pony her full attention.
"Well.." she started as if telling a grand story, "years ago, I kinda had a thing goin on... well, fer Rarity.." AJ said, waiting for Rainbow to bust up laughing, but the Pegasus only sat still and listened intently.
"I know, it sounds stupid, a big ole farm pony like me and a prissy city mare like her, but I dunno, it just felt.. right."
"What happened?" Dash asked.
"The day I was gonna tell her, I just got this feeling, like I was scared or something... so instead of talking to her about it, I just pushed it to the back of ma mind. I can't say I didn't regret it, but I got past it.." she finished as her orange cheeks began to turn the faintest shade of pink.
"That's kinda how I've been feelin about Twi, but I can't even get the guts to talk to her, I just chicken out and run..." Rainbow said, embarrassed.
"Well, Granny always tells me that when the time's right, you'll know just what to say."
"If you could tell Rarity now, would you?" Dash asked, changing the subject slightly.
"Well.." AJ said as she thought about it for a second, "yea, yea I guess I would."
"Thanks AJ, I really needed this.." Rainbow said as she laid back down into the bed and covered up for the night.
"Anytime Dash, anytime.." AJ said before getting up to leave room. "You get a good nights sleep and I'll see you tomorrow.." she said before walking out of the bedroom, quietly closing the door behind her.
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes as she let sleep take her and she began to dream of the day she would tell Twilight about her feelings.
A few days after her head had healed, Rainbow decided that it was time.
After she finished her work for the day on the western edge of the Everfree Forest, keeping the first of the large summer storms at bay, she flew towards the Golden Oak Library.
"Alright Rainbow, you can do this, You can do this!!" Rainbow said to herself as the library came into view. "Don't chicken out! Don't chicken out!!!"
She landed lightly in front of the door and looked into the small window on the door. Inside, the Library was neat and tidy, and in the center was Twilight, who was reading a book titled Powerful Spells and You, A Reference Guide.
Rainbow took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Knock
Knock
Knock!
The door opened a few seconds later to reveal the purple alicorn, happy to greet her new guest.
"Hello, oh hi Rainbow Dash... you know the door's always open to you right?" Twilight said happily as she held the door open with her magic.
"H-hi Twi... I was just p-passing through and I thought I would drop by.." Rainbow began nervously.
"Oh.. ok.. anything else then?" She asked as she turned back to her book, her hunger for knowledge overriding her pony skills for the moment.
"This is it..." Rainbow thought as she shuddered.
"Actually Twi, there was something else.."
Twilight turned back from her book to the Pegasus in front of her, who was beginning to look more nervous.
"Rainbow? Are you alright?"
"Yeah Twi... I-I'm alright.." Dash said as she tried to regain her focus.
"Twilight... I, I l-like you.."
"Well thanks Rainbow Dash, I like you too!" Twilight said as she smiled.
"Really!!!" Rainbow beamed.
"Yeah, we're best friends, why wouldn't I?" Twilight answered, A little confused.
"No Twi, I mean I like like you, like more than best friends..."
This time Twilight didn't respond, but her facial expression said it all, she was shocked.
"I-I don't know what to say... could you e-excuse me for a second..." Twilight she as she closed the door.
Rainbow's emotions began to go haywire as she tried to think of what Twilight was doing.
"Maybe she doesn't want me to see her cry... but I've seen her cry before... Maybe she's just embarrassed and hiding behind the door.. or maybe she hates me now and is just waiting for me to leave," she thought as she waited alone at the doorstep.
In truth, twilight was inside... panicking.
"Oh Twilight, what did do do now?" Spike said as he entered the library after hearing a large crash come from the room.
"Spike!!!" Twilight nearly yelled as she ran to the baby dragon.
"Yeah??" Spike answered, a little scared of what he walked into.
"I really need your help... Please.." she said with a little too big of a smile.
"Sure Twilight, what's wrong?"
"Well.. you see, Rainbow Dash just came over and confessed her feelings for me..."
"She actually did it!" Spike said as he unknowingly spilled the beans to Twilight, who had still been oblivious to the fact.
"What!!! You knew about it!!" Twilight screamed, "who else, who else Spike?! Who else knows!?!" The alicorn yelled as she teleported right next to the dragon.
Spike's eyes darted around, trying to find an exit that wouldn't involve him or Twilight being hurt in any way... seeing none, he sighed and told Twilight the truth.
"Twilight... me and the others all know, mostly because she couldn't tell you.."
The look in Twilight's eyes scared Spike, she looked as heartless as she did when Spike had looked the dark doorway in King Sombra's castle.
"T-Twilight," Spike squeaked out as Twilight turned her attention to the front door, "d-don't do something you'll regret..."
When Rainbow heard the door open, she put on her best smile and waited for Twilight's sweet voice.
"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight snarled. At this, Rainbow's ears pinned back against her head and her face began to cringe... she hated her.
"Y-Y-yes..." she squeaked out to the now fuming alicorn.
"I'm afraid your affections are not shared, and in fact, I think you should leave!!!" Twilight said with such an anger that Dash could feel every word piercing her already breaking heart. Twilight then slammed the door on Rainbow's nose and her heart broke.
Rainbow stood there for a second, trying to find the words to fix the problem, but if there were any... they were hiding pretty good. Rainbow then turned to leave, opened her wings and took off... but after a few wing beats, her wings clamped up tight against her sides and she fell hard on her nose a few meters away. Now starting to tear up, Rainbow tried to get on her hooves and run as fast as she could away, but her legs wouldn't listen and she just laid there.
Rainbow decided to do the only thing she could do... and she cried. The first of many hot tears trickled down her cheeks as she let more and more tears go, the liquid sadness not doing any good other than washing away pieces of her shattered heart.
On the other side of the door, Twilight stood motionless... staring out her window to the broken Pegasus outside. The anger that had enraged her washed away away as quickly as it had come over her as she began to realize what she had just done.
"Rainbow..." she whispered to the door.
"What... did I.... just.." she started, before she turned around to see Spike, still giving her a look of fear.
"Spike..." she whispered softly, "I am so sorry..." she whispered again as she shrunk down against the door, and let the situation pull her into a depressed state.
A few moments passed outside as Rainbow cried before she heard another pony's voice.
"Sugar cube, are you... Rainbow Dash!" AJ yelled as she ran over to the down Pegasus.
"Rainbow??"
"I.... I..... I..." Rainbow tried to speak, but no other words would form.
"Come on Rainbow..." AJ said as she lifted Rainbow onto her back and ran to the only pony she knew who could help.... Rarity.
As Applejack knocked on the door, she heard Rarity's elegant voice ring out as she answered.
Knock
Knock!
Knock!!!
"Coming..." Rarity sang as she opened her front door to greet a potential customer. She instead saw Applejack, carrying a hurt Rainbow Dash on her back.
"Rarity... ah need your help..." AJ said as she tried to fight back emotions in her eyes.
"What.. what happened?" She asked as she looked to the broken Pegasus on AJ's back.
"Ah don't quite know, I found her like this in front of the library.."
"Say no more darling, bring her in..." Rarity said as she moved away from the door to let AJ pass into the boutique.
Rarity led AJ through the boutique into her living quarters, where she used her magic to levitate Rainbow off AJ's back, and onto a red couch by her far wall.
"Rainbow Dash?.." she asked gently as she brought a thin blanket over the Pegasus.
Rainbow raised her head as a small hiccup shook her.
"Rainbow darling, do you remember what happened?" She asked politely as she sat down beside the cyan Pegasus.
"I... I went to the... library and... and I told Twi... b-but she g-got mad a-and... and..." Rainbow said as the pain from the experience began to start all over again.
"Ok darling, it's okay... take a rest... and know that you can stay here as long as you need..." Rarity said sweetly before turning to Applejack.
"Applejack, I require your assistance to speak to a certain alicorn friend of ours..." she said with a determined but feminine look that began to rekindle something in AJ.
"Sure Rarity... I'm coming!" AJ said as she trotted out the door and kept in stride with the white unicorn as she marched to the library.
At the library, Twilight had been crying and trying to think of a solution to her current predicament.
"Oh Spike, what am I gonna do?" Twilight asked the dragon, who had began to clean the library.
"Well, you could go talk to her, I'm sure she would at least be grateful that you're not insanely mad at her.." spike said as he picked up a few books that Twilight had strewn out while she had been on her temper tantrum.
"Yes Spike, but that doesn't help me on the other side of it... Rainbow Dash is in love with me.." she said as her eyes glanced over a book, When in Prance.
"Well... H-how do you feel about her Twilight?" Spike asked, stopping his chores to talk to the alicorn.
"What do you mean Spike? She's my best friend..." Twilight asked, confused.
"Yes, but is that how you truly feel about her Twi?" Spike asked again.
"Well.. I-I don't know Spike... m-maybe I kinda felt something, but... Ohhh! Why does this stuff always have to be so hard!!" She yelled as she collapsed to the floor.
"Twilight.." Spike said as he lent a claw to help her up, "can I tell you something..."
"What is it Spike?" Twilight said as she took Spike's claw and got back on her hooves.
"A wise pony once told me that if the important choices in life were easy, we would never learn anything... do you remember who said that Twi?"
"I... n-no Spike, who?"
"You did Twilight, remember... you told me that when I made the decision to let my crush for Rarity go... it was one of the hardest things I had to do, but I learned a great lesson.."
"Spike..." Twilight started, but Spike put a claw to Twilight's lips.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that these things aren't easy, but in the end, the result will be worth it.."
Twilight smiled and pulled the baby dragon into a tight hug, in which he gave the alicorn a tight squeeze.
"Thanks Spike..." she whispered as she pulled away and looked to the door.
"See ya in a while Twi!" Spike said as he returned to his chores of cleaning up the library.
As Twilight reached the door she heard a familiar voice... Rarity.
"Twilight Sparkle!!!" Rarity screamed as her hooves crashed upon the door, cracking the hardened oak.
"I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!!!!!"
Instead of opening the door and trying to explain the situation, Twilight used her magic and Teleported to the back side of the Library, where she bolted away.
"Applejack..." Rarity said as she backed away from the door, "would you be a dear and break this door down??"
"Well.. alright..." AJ said as she trotted up to the door and turned around. She tensed as she flexed her muscles, letting her form slip a little, showing off for the white unicorn, who stared at the door with evil intentions. She let out a grunt as she used her back hooves to buck open the door. Not only did the door come off the hinges, but it flew apart and fell in pieces around spike, who gave the two mares a scared look.
AJ and Rarity marched in and began to look for the alicorn.
"W-What you guys looking for?" Spike asked as he looked around at the door shreds around him that he now had to clean up.
"Where's Twilight Spike!?!" Rarity fumed at the young dragon.
"S-she left to find Rainbow... t-to apologize.." he said as he flinched at the mare's anger.
Rarity's mood and face began to soften as she heard Spike's explanation.
"S-She what?"
"Twilight left to find Rainbow so she could apologize and talk things out with her.." Spike said as he began to clean up the door splinters, but Rarity used her magic to levitate and fix the door before replacing it on it's hinges.
Twilight ran through the streets looking for Rainbow, but she wasn't having any luck.
"Wait a minute..." Twilight said to herself as she came to a realization, "If Rarity came back with Applejack, then maybe Rainbow is at the boutique!" She squealed as she used her magic and envisioned the boutique in her mind and teleported.
She appeared in front of the boutique and slowly walked in. She quietly opened the front door and sure enough, she could hear the sniffles of a crying pony. Twilight darted through boutique side, making as little noise as possible. She slowly entered the unicorn's living quarters and seen the cyan Pegasus lying on a large red couch, sleeping to an end.
Twilight took a deep breath and let out a sigh of relief... Rainbow hadn't done something stupid.. yet. She sat down and watched the sleeping Pegasus.
For the first time, Twilight looked at the Pegasus differently.. she saw beauty in something besides her books. Even though Rainbow was curled up in a fetal position on the couch, and her body was shaking from her tears and her eyes red and puffy, she was still beautiful. Her mane had fallen onto her face in just such a way that it hid her eyes from the world, but brought out the beauty of the mare's face.
Twilight slowly began to rake Rainbow's mane away from her eyes.
Twilight became so lost in thought and other things that she didn't notice Rainbow's eyes open, revealing their magenta beauty.
"T-Twi..." Rainbow whispered, making Twilight jump a little.
"H-Hi Rainbow..." Twilight said softly as she brought hoof back from Dash's mane.
"W-What are you doing here... I thought you hated me?" Dash asked as she slowly rose up and looked the alicorn in the eye.
"Rainbow, your my best friend! I could never hate you!" Twilight said as Rainbow began to wince at the word friend.
"But... I think that I might feel something more than that..." Twilight said as she took a deep breath and decided to take a chance.
Rainbow began to think about what Twilight said when she was interrupted.
Soft lips met hers... and in Dash's mind, fireworks went off and exploded into every known color. Her mind danced and skipped as she began to return the kiss.
Rainbow could feel the broken pieces of her heart coming together and with the heat of the fire of her and Twilight's new love, began to melt together.
The two finally broke away after a few moments and gasped for air.
Rainbow brought out a somewhat confident smile, before bringing a wing to her muzzle and with a wince, pulled out a Primary feather and held it out for Twilight.
"T-Twi.. W-would you please b-be my m-mare friend?" She asked through her teeth.
"I.. I... yes Rainbow.. I will be your mare friend.." Twilight said as she took the feather gently from Rainbow with her magic and placed it in her mane, just behind her ear.
"Rainbow, I'm so so sorry for earlier.. I.. I.." Twilight began before Rainbow placed a hoof to her lips.
"I forgive you Twilight.."
A few days after Twilight's coronation, Rainbow went for it again. She landed lightly on the doorstep of the Golden Oak library and prepared her nerves for what she was about to do.
"Ok Rainbow, just like I planned... When she opens the door, tell her you want to plan a date to explain things," Rainbow thought as she brought her hoof the the front door and knocked.
Knock Knock Knock!!
Rainbow waited for a second before she seen the door handle begin to illuminate a light purple.
As the door unlatched from the frame, Dash got nervous quivers everywhere and her stomach felt as if it was going to come out her nose. She did the only she could think of at the moment and bolted from the library at sonic speeds as the door cracked open to reveal the purple Alicorn.
"Hello?" Twilight said as she looked at her empty doorstep. She then looked to the branches above to make sure no pony had placed something up there to fall on her.
"Hello!?" She asked again, beginning to get frustrated.
"Pinkie! If this is another one of your jokes! I swear I'll, I'll turn you into a toad!!!" She yelled as she slammed the door.
Rainbow wasn't watching where she was going as she flew faster and faster away from the library, she was only focused on what she had left behind.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!!" She said to herself as she narrowly missed a building.
"What was I thinking, I could never..." Rainbow said before looking up where she was flying. All she could see was the fast approaching trunk of an apple tree. Rainbow tried to stop, but it was too late.
THUD!!!
Rainbow sat glued to the tree for a second before slowly falling to the ground. She rubbed her head with her hoof where a large goose egg was starting to form.
"Oww.." she let out as she passed out.
She could hear the distant voice of Applejack calling to her and then nothing but silence.
Back at the library, Rarity and Applejack were beginning to worry, as it had been over an hour and they hadn't heard from neither Twilight or Rainbow.
Applejack trotted over to the front door and looked out the window, seeing neither coming, decided to pursue something of her own.
"Hey Rarity.. could ah talk to you for a minute?" She asked, a bit timid.
"Why of course Darling, what's on your mind dear?" Rarity asked as she turned away from assisting Spike change the curtains in the library.
AJ gulped down a knot in her throat and spoke from her rough heart.
"With all this stuff goin on with Rainbow, ah thought ah might as well come clean about something.."
"Yes darling.." Rarity asked, fluttering her eyes at the orange farm pony.
"Ah... ah k-kinda h-had a.... well a.. a c-crush on ya..." she said, shuttering.
"Finally dear! I was beginning to think that I was going to have to take the first step.." she said without any surprise in her voice.
"Ya... know? But.. how? How long?" AJ asked, flabbergasted.
"Oh my, I've known for a while now, you were just so adorable with you always bringing me fabric every week.. and all the looks you gave me and my flank..." Rarity said as she smiled.
Just then, the front door of the library door opened to reveal the Purple Alicorn.
"Twilight!?" Rarity half said, half yelled as she turned to face the new princess, "and where is Rainbow Dash!?!"
"Right here!!" Dash said as she landed beside Twilight and placed a wing around her, in which Twilight leaned into Rainbow's side.
"We talked things out Rarity, everything is definitely 20% cooler!" Rainbow said as she trotted into the library, followed by Twilight.
"So... what did we walk in on?" She asked as she eyed AJ suspiciously.
"Ah... ah was just... oh consarnit!!!" Applejack said as she took Rarity in her hooves and kissed the mare quickly.
Though it was no kiss for the ages, the unicorn still felt her heart skip a beat.
"Oh... uhh.. come on Twi... let's get outta here," Rainbow said gingerly as she took Twilight's hoof and left the library to spread the word to the rest of her friends that she had finally got the guts to ask Twilight.... and she said yes!
The end...