HPPMRD Part 6

The small town of Ponyville was yet again asleep. Its residents safely nestled in their beds, waiting for the light of day; to wake up and return to their super-duper friends and super neat jobs. Storm clouds had gathered around the village, covering it with the rain the fields of Ponyville desperately needed for their harvest. The storm clouds were quiet however; only making rumbling noises over the residents of the sleepy city, except over the rainbow-maned Pegasus' cloud home.

"Pinkie? Pinkie… where are you?" Rainbow looked around, with worry in her eyes, at the darkness that now clouded her vision. She couldn't see the pink pony anymore; one minute they were pulling a prank on somepony and the next it was pitch black all around her.

Suddenly the space in front of Rainbow lit up and she was crouching next to Pinkie; she seemed to be snickering about something. She noticed a rather round, fluffy looking bush was in front of her on what looked like the outskirts of Ponyville; she didn't really know where they were, but for some reason part of her wanted to, to truly be happy along with Pinkie.

Her curiosity won out over the current situation and the cyan mare decided to take a peek as to what she was so excited about. Poking her head around the plant, Rainbow saw what was so funny; Applejack's barn door was shut tight with something that looked like glue and the orange farm pony was trying as hard as she could to wrench it open, with little success.

The pink pony's sudden giggling broke her out of her confusion and she turned to face the mare, "Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?" Came Pinkie's cheerful as ever voice to her now perked ears. Her voice always had a way of making her smile, and listen, just to hear her talking… about anything really.

But seeing how upset the cowgirl pony was, Dash couldn't help but burst out laughing with her partner in crime and collapse to the ground in fits of chuckles and giggles, "That was hilarious Pinkie! Did you see the look on her face?"

Silence was her answer.

"P-Pinkie?" She opened her eyes and looked up into darkness again. A wave of guilt she didn't understand came over her suddenly as she stood back on all fours, "Pinkie… What's going on?"

This had been going on for quite a while, and the cyan mare was starting to wonder what this place was. It always happened right when she was happy with Pinkie. Sitting and talking, cloud watching, before they could get close enough–

"Hey Dashie!" A voice called from behind her, making Rainbow jump in shock. She circled around and her vision was over taken by bright cyan eyes and an almost blinding smile, "Wanna help me make some cupcakes?"

Angrily, Dash groaned and stared at the Earth pony, trying to figure out how it was so easy for Pinkie to upset her and to make her so happy all at once.

She stood there in front of her friend; her mouth dry and hung open, her words getting jumbled up in her mouth unable to make a cognitive reply. She had this sudden need to scream out at nothing, at anything, so she could get her mind off of the unwanted heat in the pit of her stomach when the pink mare was so close, "Pinkie, why do you keep…?" She exhaled roughly, sitting on her haunches and looking at her hooves, her anger petering out.

The room was silent; almost eerily so, especially when the pink pony was with her.

She felt another warmth spread through her, being pulled into an unexpected hug; unable to react… to pull away, or look up. But to her surprise… it wasn't an energetic, joyful hug like those Pinkie had presented to her countless times before. Knocking her to the ground or leaving her winded afterwards, due to the force she launched herself at her with; it was soft and welcoming, fore-hooves wrapping carefully around her back, pulling her tighter, and for some reason or other, she felt inclined to return the gesture.

"I know Dashie… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to have planned for so much, but this time we'll have soo much fun making cupcakes together you'll forget aall about being jealous." Pinkie broke the hug before the cyan pony could respond and continued to bounce beside the distraught mare.

"I, uh… J… Jealous?" Was all Rainbow's limited vocabulary could manage as she stood up, looking into Pinkie's bright blue eyes with confusion and slight embarrassment… just a little.

"Come on Dashie, I'll help you." The pink mare chimed in as she settled up next to her, brushing her tail against Dash's accidentally.

Rainbow froze. What is Pinkie doing? She blushed as she felt Pinkie's tail brush against her cutie-mark and stifled a gasp at the pony's closeness. What am I doing?

Pinkie didn't seem to notice Dash's nervousness and continued to ramble on about the cupcakes, "Oooh you've already made the mix, darn I love to stir it." She swung her hoof in the air in front of her, frustrated for missing out, before shrugging it off easily, "Oh well, they are yours after all. Now all that's left to do iiiis…" Through her troubled thoughts, Rainbow managed to hear Pinkie gasp at her realisation and she regained some of her composure. She was Rainbow Dash after all, "Putting 'em in the oven."

This caught Rainbow a little off guard. She wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the way she had said it, or maybe just that she thought she would mess up and Pinkie would yell at her… or… maybe it was how the pink pony looked at her.

"Ooh I love this bit…" Pinkie stopped her speech to place a hoof on her chin in thought, "Actually I love every bit of making cupcakes, but this is a super special part of it. Hey Dashie, do you know why it's sooo important?"

"W-Well… uh…n-no. Why?" Dash mumbled weakly as she stared down at Pinkie's hooves; they were almost touching her own. Strangely enough to her, she actually wanted to know why this step was so vital to baking. She also wanted to reach out and touch those hooves with her own.

Pinkie smiled brightly at the cyan mare, "'Cause it's when they go from being all sad and mopey to being super fluffy and tasty… they just need a bit of love and warmth for them to know they can be happy sometimes."

Pinkie's words struck a chord with Rainbow; her eyes went wide, wings spreading out widely and uncontrollably and she gazed into her eyes for her answer. She wanted to know.

"So, Dashie… let's get these cupcakes nice and fluffy." Pinkie slowly wrapped her hooves around Dash and placed them on the bowl carefully, waiting for her to do the same.

Heat spread through Rainbow from the tender hooves around her back to her cheeks and she just stared into Pinkie's cyan eyes. Her wings stiffened, they were almost in pain with how close the pink mare was to her, and she tried to make sense of this. She had been held by the mare tons before, but she began to realise that she hadn't held her quite like this before; she couldn't think of anything else but staying like this forever, finally with her Pinkie… all alone… in a bakery, but still.

As she gazed deeply into her eyes the pink mare's face seemed to heat up too, glancing away slightly from Dash's magenta-colored eyes. They still pleaded for an answer, wanting to know how Pinkie felt for her.

"Uh, Dashie…? You know we should kinda… get these cupcakes in the oven… so… we can…" Pinkie trailed off and managed to look back into Rainbow's eyes, her face flushed with joy at having the cyan mare in such an embrace.

Wordlessly, Dash leaned over and sealed her lips against Pinkie's. Her heart raced. She shut her eyes blissfully with the sweet taste that met her lips… cotton candy and chocolate. A strange combination she thought, but it tasted like nothing else she'd ever tried before. It was indescribable how yummy her lips were, locked against hers.

Pinkie's eyes drifted shut and the warmth she felt from the embrace spread all through her body, consuming her with a happiness she had never ever felt before this moment. She wrapped her hooves tighter against Dash's back and deepened the kiss, pulling her tighter, savoring every taste the cyan mare held in her lips. She was in pony heaven.

They relaxed into the warmth they shared and held onto one another desperately, like if they ever let go of each other, they would disappear. Rainbow began massaging Pinkie's back softly, fore-hooves venturing across her backbone helplessly as she continued into the kiss she tried to deny she had been waiting for, for so long.

The Earth pony moaned pleasantly in response, with her back quickly relaxing into the cyan mare's touch. She moved her own hooves up to Dash's wings and started to caress them, trying to return the bliss she was feeling to the Pegasus wrapped so tenderly in her hooves.

When this earned a surprised gasp from the cyan mare to continue, Pinkie massaged the wings more rapidly, loosening up the strong tensed muscles she had from so much flying around, receiving a soft sigh of approval from Rainbow Dash.

Dash lowered her hooves to Pinkie's cutie-marks and pulled her closer, so their bodies were touching. Pinkie slowly and gently broke from the kiss and brought her forehead down carefully to rest on Rainbow's; eyes shut lightly and happily.

Dash kept her eyes closed too, still lost in the moment of Pinkie's loving embrace.

Realisation suddenly washed over her and she slowly brought her head away from the pink mare's so she could explain what she was doing, her face flushed with embarrassment and pleasure. "Pinkie… I…" She opened her eyes to see the pink pony on her haunches, away from her on the cold floor outside the town hall.

She took a hesitant step towards her, feeling uncertain whether to approach or not for a reason she didn't have, "P-Pinkie…?"

Worried with what she might have done to her, she shook off her anxiety and trotted over to the pink mare, standing silently against her. Reaching out a comforting hoof, Rainbow hesitated. A pool of tears surrounded Pinkie; fresh and heart-wrenching sobs filled her cyan eyes as Dash sat down and wrapped her fore-legs around the trembling form in front of her. It seemed to register with the pink mare and she leaned her head against Rainbow's chest, smiling graciously.

"Th-Thanks… Dashie… For… For being such a good friend to me…" Dash looked up and saw the pink pony a few hooves away, smiling weakly back in her direction.

Her eyes were faded, no longer holding the cheer and hyper-activity they usually always possessed; her mouth still somehow managed to keep a smile on her face, but it wasn't the bouncy joyful grin from any other moment. It was sad and broken, and the cyan mare felt a pang in her heart at seeing her so unhappy. She felt cold, as if all the warmth had drained out and flowed out into the quickly consuming darkness around her.

Pinkie shook her head, knowing she couldn't bring herself to hide her feelings any longer.

Tears soaked her face, fading the bright pink fur into a soft, dull coloration, "Now I can be a good friend to you…" Her smile brightened and her voice perked up with its full bounciness, finally having the energy needed to make her characteristic grin, but the cyan mare already knew she felt no joy in her heart for what she was saying.

The Pegasus' heart sank, knowing full well how the pink mare felt and what she was going to do. She couldn't tell why… why she was so sad, but that only made her feel worse, "By leaving forever…" Those words shook them both. She looked down to the ground with closed eyes and started walking away from the seated Pegasus, unable to look at anything anymore. Not deserving of such company anymore.

Deserving nothing… in return.

Emotions rushed through Rainbow's body and shuddered at Pinkie's last words, "No… No Pinkie… You can't leave… I don't want you to go, I–!"

"PINKIE!" Dash sat up in bed gasping for breath, with sweat and tears pouring down her face. Her magenta eyes darted around her room and settled on the bag Pinkie had given her to carry her stuff to their new homes in Ponyville. Flying over to the bag, she remembered how awkward they had been with one another that day in Manehattan, and on the outskirts of Ponyville.

She sat down in front of it and looked inside. It was empty; she must've pulled everything out of it a while back. Looking out of the window she saw the bright morning sun entering the bedroom. Determination set on her face, she slung the saddle bag over her back and walked over to the door, opening it and stepping out.

She squinted down at the now bustling town of ponies and flew off towards Sugarcube Corner.

In Ponyville, all of the ponies knew each other and talked to each other and spent lots of time together in between their own busy schedules. Unlike lazy old Manehattan, Ponyville lived on a huuuge to-do list of things to get done within a day and it needed aall of the ponies to get it done on time. It was especially needed when it came to the sweets shop; many ponies every day required loads of candies and cupcakes and drinks and goodies of all kinds… but today was extremely special. The day the Wonderbolts visited Ponyville.

Dash reached Sugarcube Corner in record time… even though she had never actually gone to Sugarcube Corner before, so there really couldn't be much of a record set yet. But of course being Rainbow, she did it anyway.

She quickly pushed the door open with a steady fore-hoof and was met by a noisy bell set-up over the door. She suddenly wondered why a sweets shop would actually have a bed to sleep in, let all alone be able to hold such an excitable pony as Pinkie Pie.

She chuckled inwardly, imagining what trouble the pink mare must have been getting herself into around here this whole time.

An older pony poked her head out from inside the back of the shop and trotted happily over to the front desk to greet the cyan mare, "Well hello there, dearie. You're sure up early, we've just barely opened for the day."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that… I just… needed to do something. " She shrugged and looked around the store; tons of sweets and goodies that would make anypony with a well-developed sweet tooth salivate instantly. She saw why Pinkie liked this place so much, with all its bright colors and party decorations scattered neatly everywhere across the shop; she thought she could get used to coming here too.

The older mare tilted her head quizzically at Dash, "Oh? What would that be… um?"

She turned her head to the side slightly to show her the saddle bag, "Oh, my name's Rainbow Dash. I'm just here to–"

"Rainbow Dash!" She replied, cutting off Rainbow's speech. "Oh, that's you? Well I'm Mrs. Cake, the partial owner of Sugarcube Corner along with my husband. Oh my, Pinkie Pie has been talking non-stop about you ever since she started working here. Every other word she speaks is about how nice, fun, and pretty you are. She tells me you're a great prankster."

Dash's ears perked and her heart beat faster, "R-Really?" Pinkie talks about me? She turned away and fought off the heat she felt in her chest, hanging on the word pretty.

Mrs. Cake nodded pleasantly, "Oh yes. She's upstairs asleep right now in the guest room, but we do need her up quite soon. She was up all night picking flowers with Daisy; it seemed quite important to her when I asked, but she told me it was a secret and she couldn't say anymore. How about you go wake her up Rainbow Dash; I'm sure she'd be happy to see you bright and early. I hear you're a heavy sleeper." She gave Dash a wink with a small chuckle as she turned and trotted to the back of the store.

Rainbow's blush spread across her face as she looked towards the stairs to the upper floor. She… still thinks I'm pretty… after what I…? Shaking those thoughts out of her mind Rainbow saluted Mrs. Cake, "I'm on it Mrs. Cake, you can count on me."

As the older mare exited the room Dash lowered her hoof to the ground and felt the warmth spread through her at how much Pinkie talked about her… just her. About being herself and enjoying spending time with her…

With her.

She smiled and lifted her head up to the stairs once more, beginning to trot lightly over to them. She brought her head up to look at the upper floor; she felt a sudden strain in her muscles as she lifted a cyan hoof to the first step. She hesitated and groaned in frustration. You can do this Dash, She told herself.

Gulping thickly, Rainbow ascended the stairs with a sudden ache in the pit of her stomach. She didn't know why she had this feeling of dread holding her back, but she couldn't turn away now; she couldn't. She had to see Pinkie before anypony else could.

She hesitated again at the door; her dream running back in her head, watching the Earth pony walk away, and worried about entering while she slept. It didn't feel right to her to enter Pinkie's room so early in the morning. I should really knock first.

She told herself that it was because she had never been there before and she wanted to be a nice guest, but she knew the reason why she felt this way was because she was afraid.

No, not afraid.

She didn't get scared; she's never been afraid of anything. But she thought that Pinkie would do the same thing in her position and she didn't want to be rude. That's what she tried to make herself believe anyway.

She brought a hoof up and knocked gently on the bright pink door. She couldn't hear any answer from within the room, so she tried knocking again, "Pinkie? Are… Are you awake?" She carefully nudged the door open with her snout and quietly walked in, her throat feeling dry at remembering what the mare had said to her in her dream.

Looking around at the room she noticed all of the little things she had kept from her home in Manehattan and she felt strangely relieved. She had kept everything from before in that city, and when they left; she also noted that there was additional furniture and other pink stuff all around her.

Her magenta eyes scanned the room of pink and saw the four-poster bed she was very familiar with. She smiled in remembrance that the pink pony had actually managed to fit a whole bed in a saddle bag and carry it all the way here. She wondered if she ever worked out.

She crept silently over to the mirror against the back wall, avoiding the creaky floor boards and settling herself down in front of it when shuffling and snoring noises bounced through her ears. They were soft, almost unnoticeable sounds of calmness, but she knew where they were coming from and a knowing smile graced her cyan face.

She turned and saw the pink mare wiggling and giggling away in her sleep, tumbling around in her fluffy pink blanket; to Rainbow she seemed quite happy to be back in her own bed by herself. She walked over to the side of Pinkie's bed and sat down on her haunches.

At seeing the pony so peaceful in her sleep, Rainbow's heart beat faster and she nuzzled the pink mare, "Wake up, Pinks. It's time to get up."

Pinkie snuggled deeper into bed and returned Dash's embrace dreamily, "Five more minutes, Dashie…"

She seemed a little surprised that the Earth pony knew who was talking to her in her sleep, but shook it off with a blissful smile and drew away. She could let the mare sleep a little more while she took in the memories of their time together.

She looked to the dresser on the side she was on and saw a picture frame of what looked like Pinkie and four very grey ponies. All of them, including Pinkie, had party hats on their heads and huge grins on their faces.

Rainbow smiled and took the picture in her hooves carefully, looking into the cyan eyes of a frazzle-maned widely grinning pink pony. She raised an eyebrow.

"That was just after my first party." Came a voice from beside Dash, making her jump to the side slightly.

She spun around and was met with gorgeous cyan eyes and a sleepy smile, "Is this your family Pinkie?"

With a nod, the pink mare wiggled out from under the covers cutely and jumped up from her bed, swishing her tail back and forth as she trotted happily over to her mirror, "Yep, they're tons of fun."

Rainbow lowered the picture of a frizzle-maned filly Pinkie to look at the grown-up Pinkie before her, trying unsuccessfully to hide the forming grin on her face at seeing how bouncy Pinkie was even in the morning, "But they're so… grey."

Pinkie turned around as she tilted her head to the side in an 'everypony should know that' kinda way, with her mane following swiftly, "Well DUH! They're Rock Farmers, what'd you expect?"

Dash raised a confused eyebrow at this, "Rock Farmers?" She sat down and looked across at Pinkie, with the very good question of 'how exactly do you farm rocks?' on her mind.

Pinkie nodded cleverly and bounced her way back over to stand beside the cyan mare, so they could look at the picture together, "Yeah, it wasn't a very rewarding job… even back then. I never really liked it. Oh, and when my mane was straight all the time instead of–"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Rainbow waved an unbelieving fore-hoof in front of her face, looking into her bestest best friend's eyes, "Your mane was actually like that before? If I had known that, I would've stopped by and cheered you up myself." She looked so different, even in the picture she was happy as ever.

Hearing this, Pinkie leaned slowly against the rainbow-maned Pegasus with a smile spread across her pink face, "Thanks Dashie. I know you would have." Pinkie brought her head up to nuzzle Dash's neck and chin and sighed at the contact. Dash, on the other hoof, was blushing with what the pink mare was doing, and even with every fiber of her being telling her to move away, she stayed put, "I made my first party for them, after I saw a super huuuge rainbow shooting through the sky. I just wanted to smile every day after I saw that."

Rainbow rested her head on Pinkie's fluffy pink mane, with warmth spreading through her body at the sweet smells and calmness it held. She shifted her magenta-colored eyes back to the picture and stared at it blissfully. A rainbow? Hmm… "So, is that why you and your family look so happy?"

Pinkie turned her head to the picture while softly resting her cheek against the Pegasus' neck, "Yep. The rainbow made me happy and I made my family happy, so the rainbow did most of the work, but it was tons of fun decorating the silo with all those party balloons and streamers."

The two stood in silence, comfortably nestled against each other. Dash was in deep thought about the rainbow until she heard a few sniffs coming from the pink pony. Before she could question her, the pony replied, still trying to sound happy. "They… said I had a gift… and that I sh-shouldn't waste it there."

She wiped a hoof over her snout and managed to slow her breathing down before continuing, "My Mom... said I should… share my gift with all Equestria… that way… I could bring some more h-happiness to everypony that really needs it..." With tears streaking down her face Pinkie buried her muzzle into Rainbow's chest, soaking it with hot tears of bottled up sadness and doubt.

Dash stifled a groan and cradled the pony loosely in her arms, wondering what to do or say. Her story sounded quite like what she would do, and it seemed to her like something she could easily accomplish with her over-exuberance and love of parties, but with Pinkie's tears soaking her cyan fur, she began to think differently.

She remembered back to that first day in Manehattan. A boring day with a blazing sun in the air and busy pompous Manehattanite ponies walking, or carriaging, around the grey city streets and the dull houses in between them.

The day they met.

She felt that same dryness in her throat from seeing her sulking that day returning and realised what the pony must have been crying about.

Pulling the pink mare tightly in her hooves, Rainbow felt a heat overwhelming her as she lowered her head down to rest on Pinkie's mane and closed her glistening eyes. She had no idea Pinkie could even have such a difficult past; a past she was sharing only with her. She didn't quite know what the problem was, but she didn't care. Pinkie was crying; her Pinkie.

They stayed there a while in that heart-felt embrace, never thinking of anything except each other in that moment; seeking comfort from the other before Pinkie could speak again. And when she did, a sad smile had formed on her face, "… I guess I don't have a good enough talent for that." She sniffled and pulled away reluctantly, rubbing her reddened eyes with a shaky hoof.

Dash looked down at the Earth pony and smiled softly, wrapping her wings around the pink pony's body, "That's not true Pinkie. You've… made somepony the happiest pony a pony can get."

Pinkie wiped away her tears and gazed up into the cyan mare's beautiful magenta-colored eyes, "Really? W-Who?"

Rainbow hesitated at this. She wasn't sure how she would say it; she wasn't sure what Pinkie would do if she did say it. She almost chickened out. Almost.

"Me Pinks…" She held the pony tighter in her hooves, finding her courage to tell her more, "I've never been this happy before in my life… and it's all because of you." And that was true; true enough at least for her to understand what that meant. Not even when she had flown faster than anypony else ever had or heard about the Wonderbolts coming to towns to perform their amazing flying stunts had she been happier than this.

Her wings stiffened around Pinkie and warmth spread through the cyan mare's cheeks as she forced herself to keep looking at the mare in her hooves.

Pinkie's eyes lit up, hope shining in them at what the Pegasus had said. Her throat clenched and she whispered softly, "Do… Do you mean that?" A light blush formed in her cheeks as she continued to gaze up at the cyan-colored Pegasus.

Dash's smile brightened at the look on Pinkie's face and she nodded slowly, sure of her feelings for the pony in her arms, "Of course I do Pinkie."

As if just noticing the wings wrapped closely around her, Pinkie lowered her head down as her heart beat faster in her chest; heat spread through her face and she smiled up softly at the Pegasus in front of her. "W… Well, I feel the same way Dashie."

Startled by the expression on Pinkie's face and her reaction to what she had said to her, Rainbow recalled the dream she had in the kitchen with Pinkie and subconsciously stepped closer to her.

Her face flushed and her heart fluttered at the soft embrace. She suddenly felt scared; her Pinkie mind telling her to back away, but for whatever reason she didn't move. Pinkie slowly leaned in, thinking of what the Pegasus' lips must taste like; her gaze never left Rainbow's magenta-colored eyes, trying to detect any apprehension on Dash's face.

The cyan mare hesitated, suddenly feeling like she shouldn't be doing this now until her eyes met with Pinkie's. Locked in each other's beautiful eyes and flushed with happiness at the other's closeness, they leaned in closer.

They were inches from touching; from reliving the dream in the kitchen that morning, when Rainbow remembered the sadness and fear she had seen in Pinkie's eyes from her nightmare. She pulled away, afraid to see it for real and shut her eyes tight.

Pinkie noticed the pained expression on Dash's face as her eyes darted away and she glanced down at the floor miserably. She sat her rump down, feeling a pain shoot through her heart at the Pegasus' actions and her own. Why am I doing this again? I knew she didn't…

She gulped thickly and tried to calm her nerves as she watched the Pegasus cringe for a reason she couldn't quite place; she didn't really want to think about it. She quickly pushed her feelings away with a smile and leaned closer, placing a comforting fore-hoof over Rainbow's, "Dash… Dash are you okay?"

Looking down at the Earth mare's hoof and up at her kind pink face, Dash managed to smile back. Seeing the pink pony's bright, concerned face warmed her from her head to her hooves, and she nodded truthfully. "Yeah Pinkie…" But she heard what she called her. She saw the sadness at what she had done, shining through her smile and it made her heart ache. She wrapped her fore-hooves around Pinkie's back and pulled her flush against her chest, "… I'm fine."

Pinkie stared a bit shocked at feeling Rainbow's body against her own, but quickly settled into the loving embrace and returned it, "I'm glad." She rested her head on the cyan mare's shoulder and closed her eyes gently.

"Pinkie!" Came an older voice from downstairs. They turned both their heads to the door, and then back at each other, grinning, "Are you up yet? Today's too nice to be spent sleeping."

Still holding the cyan mare in her hooves, Pinkie called back with a slight blush forming in her cheeks, "Coming Mrs. Cake!" She felt the wings wrapped around her loosen and she lifted her head up slowly to gaze once more into those gorgeous eyes, "Come on Dashie, we've got stuff to do." Not waiting for a reply Pinkie took Dash by the hoof and pulled her out of the bedroom and down the steps, bouncing as she went.

"P-Pinkie…" Came Rainbow's shaky voice from behind her, "… Be… careful."

Pinkie giggled lightly and turned herself to face Dash as she kept bouncing down the steps, "You're silly Dashie. I'm always careful." Bouncing up and landing awkwardly on her hooves, the pink mare fell suddenly forward.

Dash gasped and her wings flew open.

She launched herself into the air and grabbed Pinkie tightly in her hooves, afraid to let go. "Wow, nice catch. I guess maybe I was a little too careful." Pinkie giggled into the embrace.

"Not careful enough I'd say, Pinks." Dash held her tightly, not wanting to let go as she lowered her gently to the ground. Relief spread through her as she came to rest on the floor again and she hovered in the air above the Earth pony.

Once again on all four hooves, Pinkie smiled and looked up at Rainbow with a sparkle in her cyan-colored eyes, "Thanks Dashie, you're always saving me from bad stuff."

Dash landed gracefully next to her pink friend and fluttered her wings shut, smiling over at Pinkie and blushing. You're worth saving Pinkie. She wanted to say it; to say it and not caring who heard it, but the cyan pony couldn't bring herself to speak them. Instead she found herself saying, "Of course Pinkie… You're a great friend."

Pinkie's ears drooped sadly against her face as the Pegasus' reply reverberated painfully around in her head. Friend? No matter how much she already knew she didn't feel that way about her, she couldn't help but feel sad.

"Pinkie?" Mrs. Cake appeared at the door to the kitchen, breaking the mare out of her troubled thoughts, with an exasperated look across her older face, "Oh, dearie, we could really use your help in the kitchen."

Lifting her head up and looking worried at Mrs. Cake, Pinkie slowly stepped away from Rainbow, but the trouble in the kitchen wasn't what had her so apprehensive to move, "Coming… Mrs. Cake."

The cyan mare's ears twitched at hearing the sadness from Pinkie's response to the older mare's request, but she didn't look up… and only stared at the floor boards she stood shakily on.

Dash immediately started to berate herself at being the cause of these feelings in the pony's heart. But why did she have to feel this way? It wasn't her fault she was so upset; she didn't need to feel bad. Idiot. You're a great friend? Stupid, stupid, stupid. Show some backbone and tell her!

She forced herself to look up, and shouted, "Pinkie, w-wait up!" She cantered over to Pinkie and stopped when she glanced back at her.

"Yeah… Dash?" She replied, turning around to face the cyan Pegasus and noticing the worried expression on her face.

"Well… I…" Rainbow gulped thickly. As she locked eyes with Pinkie she bit her lip, unsure of what she should say. She hadn't thought this through very well, "Can I… see how you bake?" She almost squeaked out.

Pinkie raised a curious eyebrow and tilted her head to the side, "You… wanna watch me bake?"

"… Yeah…" Dash struggled out, nodding; her face flushed with heat at the hopeful look the Earth pony gave her.

Hearing the sincerity in Rainbow's voice, and even though her mind told her to be wary and her heart told her to jump at her filled with joy and heart ache, Pinkie just blushed and lowered her head. She felt a little lighter on her hooves, to have the cyan mare with her, "O-Okay. Come on, maybe… I can teach you how to bake?" She ended in a question directed at Dash as her hopes rose once more.

Her magenta eyes shifted to the floor as warmth spread through the rainbow-maned Pegasus; she still didn't like how easily the pink mare could affect her. She recalled her dream and stuttered out weakly, "Uh, w-well… if you think I won't ruin anything."

Pinkie shook her head lightly, "Don't be silly Dashie; we can just start off with cupcakes. Those are easy-peasy."

Seeing the sudden enthusiasm covering the pink pony's face, Dash smiled brightly, "Yeah… sounds good to me Pinks. But… just remember: I warned you ahead of time." She trotted over to Pinkie and walked in beside her. Pinkie was oddly solemn still, but the cyan pony beside her managed to smile.

At least she called her 'Dashie' again. And how Pinkie managed to get away with calling her that was beyond Dash; she must have called her that so much, saying her actually name just didn't seem right anymore. She could never be sure of that though, maybe she was getting soft.

No way! She quickly pushed that thought away and decided to think about the upcoming Wonderbolts visit in Ponyville instead.

They rapidly started baking, Pinkie scrambling around for the supplies while Rainbow sat and watched. She was a little surprised to see that the pink pony was a good teacher; telling her the directions in a comical yet demonstrative way to keep her smiling, laughing, and interested.

And she was.

When Dash felt she had messed up on a batch the pink mare would assure her that she did a wonderifical job and would happily gobble one, slightly chard cupcake down with a wide grin.

This always brought a smile to her face, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

When the mix was poured in and the oven had reached the appropriate temperature, 'perfect for making cupcakes', the pink pony had whispered secretively to her, the Earth pony hoofed over the tray for Rainbow to do the honors.

Her magenta eyes lit up and she stared uncertainly into the cyan-colored eyes of the party pony, only to receive a firm, cheerful nod in response. Smiling brightly, Dash took the cupcakes and placed them gently in the oven to cook. She turned the dial to the time the pink mare had said and sat her rump down, sweat pouring down her face.

She wiped a hoof over her forehead, "Whoa, I didn't know baking could be so much work… or this much fun." Rainbow smiled at Pinkie, "You're an awesome teacher Pinks."

She smiled back and sat down on her haunches in front of her, "Thanks Dashie, you're an awesome student." They stayed there, sitting beside each other in silence. They were happy to just sit there after doing so much work, until they heard the doorbell sound. Both rose from the varnished wood floor and trotted up to the counter to greet the first customer of the day.

"Good morning! What'll it be?" Called Pinkie as she bounded up first, still having the energy to be bouncy from already baking so much in the past, "Oh, hi Lyra. You're up early." She smiled brightly at the Unicorn and sat her rump down, ready to hear her order.

"Lyra?" Dash asked, trotting up and placing her hooves on the counter beside the Earth mare.

Pinkie gasped softly and turned her gaze to the confused Pegasus, eager to introduce the new pony to her friend, "Oh, Dashie, this is Lyra. Lyra, this is my bestest best pony friend Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow flashed the light-green Unicorn a small smile, "Hi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rainbow." Lyra replied. She turned to Pinkie and smiled, "Pinkie, do you remember what we talked about yesterday?"

Pinkie stared in confusion for a moment before her face lit up with realisation, "Oh right, I forgot. Hey Dashie, I kinda promised Lyra I'd help her make some sweets for her friend Bon-Bon's birthday. You don't mind… do you?" Her eyes filled with worry as she looked at the cyan mare, scared to see how Dash would react. She didn't want to upset her more after all. Oh, I hope she's not mad at me.

Rainbow shook her head and only smiled back, "Go on Pinks. I've got cupcakes to watch. I'll catch up with ya later."

Pinkie turned and hugged her around her middle suddenly; but it surprised the cyan mare with how gentle it was. Almost disappointing, "Thanks Dashie. I'll be back as soon as I can to try your masterpieces, okay?"

She hugged her back and smirked slightly, "You bet… and you'd better." Rainbow smiled and blushed a bit with how that sounded, "I-I mean… I can't eat all of these cupcakes by myself." She forced a chuckle and rubbed the back of her head uncomfortably. Why does she need my approval to let her go anyway? She asked herself, trying to ignore the heat she felt that was making her heart beat faster against her rib cage.

Pinkie looked at the cyan mare with sudden concern in her eyes; she pulled Dash tightly against her, resting her head on Rainbow's shoulder and closed her eyes, "I'll miss you Dashie." She whispered with a heat forming in her cheeks.

Dash sat there, stunned for a moment. She could feel the pink mare's heart beat against her chest, "I… I'll miss you too."

Stepping away from the cyan mare, Pinkie sighed. Regret filled her body and tore her away from her Dashie, "I'll be back okay Dashie?" She assured her as she walked to the door with Lyra.

Rainbow chuckled lightly at the worried pink Earth pony, "Don't worry, I'll be here."

The door shut and Dash was left alone, with only the noises of the shop owners baking keeping her company. She walked back to the oven and gazed inside at what she and Pinkie had baked together.

Together...

Her feathers fluttered and the Pegasus smiled softly. Standing up straight, she remembered that Pinkie hadn't shown her how to decorate the cupcakes yet and looked worried. How… How am I…? Dash closed her eyes, hearing a voice almost as a whisper against her ears.

If you truly have feelings for this pony…

She opened her cyan eyes and saw the icing resting on the table beside the oven. "This… isn't gonna be easy…"

Meanwhile at Lyra's house, Pinkie was helping her to bake some sweets for the cream-colored pony's birthday. She tried to help her, but the thought of Rainbow being left behind and all alone was eating at her.

Lyra noticed and walked over to the mare-sick pony, "Pinkie? Is everything alright?"

"What? Oh yes, Lyra. Everything's fine." Pinkie replied, lifting her head up quickly and shuffling her hooves around on the hardwood floor.

The concern in the cream colored pony's eyes didn't fade and she stepped forward a little more, "Are you sure Pinkie Pie? If you have any problems, you can tell me."

Pinkie turned her head to the floor before locking her eyes with Lyra's again, "But… But what if I…?" She stopped and closed her eyes tightly.

Just tell her Pinkie… She begged herself. You've told so many other ponies… all except for Dashie, but… if you're never comfortable with telling other ponies how you feel you'll never be able to tell Rainbow. Pinkie opened her eyes to tell the light-green Unicorn, but was interrupted by a raised hoof.

"I'm sorry; I won't pry anymore. If it's this important to you Pinkie… I'll just let you finish up." She started walking into the other room and stopped at the door to turn back and face the pink mare, "Thanks for all your help; I wouldn't have been able to make all these snacks by myself. III'm not much of a sweets-loving pony, but Bon-Bon loves candied birthday cakes. It's nice to have such a skilled baker here now, it was a lot of work to make her birthday so special before you came here… even with the Cake's help."

She disappeared through the door and Pinkie was left stunned and annoyed with herself. Urgh, why couldn't I tell her? She lowered her head down, releasing her frustration and sighing softly. I wanted to, but… Her ears perked as a new sound entered them.

Being drawn by the music coming from the other room, Pinkie crept up to the door and opened it slightly to gaze inside. She saw Lyra sitting strangely on a chair and playing a lyre quite carefully to the window and outside. The way she played reminded her of herself, and how open she was when being with other ponies she knew so well.

Seeing how calm she played the instrument to the world settled Pinkie's strained thoughts and she slipped back into the kitchen, smiling brightly. Dashie, I'm gonna tell you how I feel… today. She nodded with her new confidence and cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, decorating the candies and the cake with brightly colored icing before saying good-bye to Lyra.

She bounded happily down the streets of Ponyville, courage flowing though her as she approached Sugarcube Corner.

It was late afternoon and Dash had just finished up with icing the cupcakes. She had to say they were quite impressive. She stepped out of the store and wiped a hoof across her fore-head before looking around for Pinkie.

"She's been gone for quite a while. I wonder if she's finished yet…" Rainbow looked back into the store and sighed, "I hope she likes my cupcakes." She began to walk aimlessly away from Sugarcube Corner until she was promptly tackled to the ground by something very pink and very very fluffy.

She looked up quickly, slightly irritated until she saw who had tackled her; magenta eyes met cyan ones and her eyes shot open, "Pinkie, you're back!" She hugged the pink mare tightly against herself before she let her step off her.

"Yep," Pinkie replied, nuzzling Dash as she stepped off to the side, allowing the cyan mare to stand. "How's my favorite feathered flier doing with those cupcakes?"

Rainbow chuckled at Pinkie's rhyme and kicked off of the ground to hover just above the pink mare, "Fine Pinks. Just finished icing them actually. You wanna–?"

Pinkie gasped hugely, interrupting Dash's question and getting her attention, "Oh no, the icing! I forgot to show you how to ice them! Bad Pinkie."

Rainbow stepped forward easily, locking her eyes with Pinkie's once more; there was something about those eyes that made her want to stare at them all day, if the pony would stand still that is, "It's alright Pinkie, I took care of it."

"You did?" Pinkie asked tilting her head to the side quizzically, forgetting the dilemma of forgetting to show her how to properly ice cupcakes.

The cyan mare looked up proudly and placed a hoof on her chest; she felt suddenly confident in her icing skills.

She remembered how difficult it was to hold the package in her hooves, but being here with Pinkie set her mind at ease; she would love her cupcakes no matter what she messed up on. "Yep, wait here." She replied with a smirk and swooped into the store while Pinkie sat her rump down patiently.

Oh, I wonder what they'll look like. She thought giddily, shifting her hooves around on the floor. I bet they'll look super cute, just like Dashie. She chuckled to herself a moment and saw Dash flying back out with the tray of sweets.

"Well? Whaddya think?" She questioned with just a hint of nervousness in her voice; she still wasn't abslo-tively sure the Earth pony would like her icing skills, but she had to know for sure. Her opinion mattered to her a lot, even if it was on something she had just learned.

She presented the pink mare with a tray full of delicious looking cupcakes. They were each decorated differently; some with balloons and streamers on top of pink and blue icing, and some with lightning bolts and rainbooms across a pink icing sky.

Pinkie's eyes lit up and she squirmed over to sit next to the Pegasus, "They're… They're beautiful Dashie. They all look so pretty… just like you..."

Blushing at the way Pinkie looked at her when she said she was pretty, with a shy smile and half-closed eyes that made her throat dry, Rainbow tried to ignore the question, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She hated not having anything to say; she felt so vulnerable when she couldn't speak or defend herself, especially in front of the pink mare.

"Eeeven though you overdid it with the icing." She looked suddenly playful at the cyan mare, smirking slyly at Dash as she shuffled her hooves around.

The Pegasus' ears perked, locking onto the joking tone of the mare's voice; she felt a tingling sensation in her wings and flushed a little, even if it was about an over-abundance of sweetening. "H-Hey, I overdid it with the icing? What about you? Those cupcakes from that party in Manehattan were coated in the sweet stuff… and what about–!" She stopped again, unable to say anything; unable to move. She felt soft pink lips pressed against her cheek and a warmth quickly enveloped her entire face. Suddenly, Dash felt relief course through her and everything was alright for a moment.

Pinkie pulled away. She felt if she kissed her for any longer her secret would be out and Dash wouldn't feel the same way about her, and she didn't want that to happen. She didn't want to lose her as a friend because of her silly feelings.

"Silly Dashie, IIIIt's fine. There's never too much icing on a cupcake." Her grin threatened to split her face apart as she stared down at the tray Rainbow was holding, her heart fluttering as she thought of something, "So what are we gonna do with them? Are they for anypony?" She tilted her head to the side and smiled up at Dash.

The mare gulped and looked off to the side slightly; she felt uncomfortable again, with Pinkie's deep cyan eyes waiting patiently for an answer, and she hated that she couldn't bring herself to look at her, "They're for you Pinkie. I made them for you… well; you did most of the real work… I just followed your awesome directions and iced them."

"Ooh, best decorating I've ever seen too!" Pinkie exclaimed, throwing her hooves in the air and giggling at the nervous smile the Pegasus gave her in response; a soft blush staining her face.

She locked her bright magenta eyes with the Earth mare and choked out, "I want you to have them." She replied, placing the tray into the stunned hooves of Pinkie Pie and looking away slowly; she wasn't too good with all this emotional stuff. She was a pony of action at all times, not sappy stuff.

Pinkie opened her mouth to say something, but instead only let her jaw hang open in disbelief at being given such a gift. Dash's first iced cupcakes and... she gave them to her… just as a present.

A surprise.

She wrapped her hooves around the cyan mare's neck and hugged her close, "Thank you Dashie… but, I, uh… I want you to have some too. They're too yummy to be eaten by one pink party pony."

"Heh, you're the only pink party pony Pinkie." She chuckled with a smirk, returning the embrace and smiling down at Pinkie. She used to try and keep a cool expression at all times when around her, so she wouldn't have to think about that heat in her stomach she felt whenever she saw the pink mare smile, but now she seemed to be happy despite all that. What was happening to her?

Pinkie drew away from the hug and placed a hoof to her chin, humming a little in concentration; the pony looked up and seemed to be thinking hard. The Pegasus stifled a giggle with a fore-hoof over her snout when suddenly the pink pony brightened up, "Oh yeah." She replied, looking back over at the cyan mare with a grin.

Rainbow beamed at the Earth pony and brought her hooves down to the floor calmly, "Sure Pinks. I haven't had any cupcakes in four days and I exercise a lot anyway, so I'll have a few."

"Ooh, I exercise too!" Pinkie cried out joyfully, bouncing from her right hooves to her left as the tray rested on her fluffy magenta mane.

Amused by what she had claimed and the fact that the tray seemed to be fine perched on top of her mane, Dash raised an eyebrow at the pink mare; surprising herself with how curious she was to hear her answer, "Really?"

Pinkie's ears perked and she nodded truthfully, sitting back down on her rump beside Rainbow, "Yeah, from eating all those sweets my jaw is super strong." She started stretching her jaw muscles and making silly faces at the unprepared cyan mare.

Rainbow Dash nearly fell over from laughing so hard, raising a hoof to steady herself and managed to settle her heart down after a few moments. When she had calmed her nerves, she shuffled closer to Pinkie, "Pinkie… you are hilarious."

Pinkie chuckled and lowered the tray down to the floor for Rainbow to select the first cupcake, pushing it closer to the mare with her snout before smiling softly at her.

Her wings tingled slightly, and she felt strangely relaxed. It was a small gesture, the cyan mare thought, something she would do for anypony else; but the soft smile and the lidded eyes were just for her… and Dash could only blush brightly and pick one.

Planting themselves in front of Sugarcube Corner they relaxed into each other's company, and they started gobbling down the delicious tasting sweets hungrily. Pinkie even thought Dash was faster at eating them now and she stopped chewing.

She looked over at the Pegasus and smirked silently. I might have some competition at the next 'Cupcake Eating Contest' party.

Rainbow noticed the pink pony had stopped and looked over at Pinkie. She was smiling at her. Just smiling. And all Dash do was stare down at her chest, trying to avoid her eyes. She wanted to tell her to stop making her feel weak and strangely happy at the same time, but couldn't bring herself to speak the words.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash! There you are." Came a timid sounding voice from behind the cyan mare. She turned and faced the voice and her smile relaxed.

"Hey Fluttershy, what's up?" Dash asked, still with a cupcake in her hoof.

"I'm so glad I found you. I have… w-well, that is… something to… ask you..." The yellow mare sank into her light pink mane and looked to the side to see the confused and a little hurt looking Earth pony, "And Pinkie too." She added as an afterthought to cheer her friend up.

This seemed to brighten her mood and she nodded for her to continue.

Rainbow groaned in annoyance and shook her head, "Come on Fluttershy, you've gotta talk louder."

Pinkie gobbled down a cupcake, covered in balloon shaped icing, and giggled at the cyan mare, "Ooh, yeah, and just talk like you're the only pony that can hear you talk and then you'll just have soo much fun talking and making other ponies smile a whole bunch and, hmm mm hm mm…"

Dash muffled the pink mare's babbling with a cyan hoof to her mouth, "I think she gets it Pinks."

Pinkie looked with confusion from Rainbow Dash to Fluttershy. Her eyes lit up in realisation and she nodded, the hoof following her movements, "Mm hmm."

She smiled despite herself, despite what she wanted to feel and what she did feel, and for whatever reason, Rainbow chuckled at her expression of understanding and removed her hoof from Pinkie's muzzle, turning to the timid Pegasus, "So… 'Shy, what did you wanna tell us?"

"Oh, well… since you both arrived so quietly… I thought… well, we could throw you a party… to welcome you to Ponyville properly." Fluttershy explained, shuffling her hooves around; a light blush showing on her cheeks.

A high-pitched gasp erupted through the air and the two Pegasi turned to face the pink mare. Fluttershy looked startled, but Dash only let her smile widen.

"Like a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party? Oh my gosh, I can't believe I never thought of that! Ooh, I have to get everything ready! I…" Pinkie paused suddenly, and stared at Rainbow with her mouth still open, trying to say something.

The cyan mare's grin faltered and she began to worry. She really didn't know what to feel right then, and her heart beat unwanted against her ribcage. "Uh, Pinkie…?"

She stared back in silence, at Dash, before Pinkie was smiling her soft smile at her again. She turned away from her and looked at Fluttershy, "But I can't… Me and Dashie have stuff to do today."

A wave of relief flowed through Rainbow's body; her eyes widened in confusion and surprise, and she let her blush show for a moment until she swallowed thickly. She allowed her thoughts to fly freely in her mind, but she didn't listen to any of them; she was too busy thinking about what the pink pony had said, and denied for her.

Fluttershy looked over at the seated mare and beamed, "Oh, that's no trouble at all… it wasn't… really my idea anyway. Applejack said she would help with the food, and Rarity was working on the preparations when I left looking for you."

"Ooh, yeah," Pinkie started off again, sitting down comfortably beside the cyan mare, "and we can have it after the biiig Wonderbolts party. Whaddya say Dashie?" She turned cheerfully to Dash, feeling joy spread through her at what she said. It's okay, She thought. This is better than any party.

Rainbow put a fore-hoof under her chin. She had to admit it was a good idea on Fluttershy's part, "Well, I've never been one to pass up an opportunity to celebrate something; and the ponies here do seem to respect me a lot. Why wouldn't they though? I'm awesome."

Fluttershy giggled at the Pegasus, being reminded of her attitude towards almost everypony, "Sure Rainbow… well, um, I gotta get back and help out with the party. I… I'll see you two at the party."

"See ya 'Shy." Dash waved a hoof as the timid mare took off towards the center of town, but Pinkie stayed put.

But, Dashie… you're awesome all the time… whether you're trying to be or not. She swallowed, feeling a lump forming in her throat. How long have they known each other for? They… seem real close… Pinkie's cyan eyes began to tear up, but she managed to blink them away. She tried to reassure herself that if Rainbow gave her and Fluttershy nicknames so easily than maybe she did that for all her friends…

… It didn't help much…

As if just remembering that she had a cupcake in her hoof, Dash gobbled down the last of her cupcakes and stretched her wings out, "So Pinkie, wanna pull some pranks on these ponies? I'm sure they're a laugh once ya get to 'em."

Pinkie leaned back out of her daze and felt something soft and feathery brush against her fur. She gasped, feeling a ripple of heat across her back. She noticed the strong muscles in Rainbow's wing tense up, but couldn't pull away. She could only look down at Dash's hooves, trying to conceal her blush from the Pegasus.

"Oh, uh, sure," She spoke thickly, stifling the excitement in her voice with a few nervous giggles, "I have a lot of new pranks we can pull and..." She tried to keep herself talking, so she wouldn't feel awkward around Rainbow. She didn't want to feel awkward… not with her. But she couldn't bring herself to say anymore.

The two sat there in silence. Neither one of them made a move, except for their hearts beating against their chests.

Dash was the first to snap out of her stupor. She delicately removed her wing from supporting the pink pony's back and shuffled them both back into place beside her. She stood up and looked down at Pinkie, "Great, uh…"

Another long silence overtook the conversation. Pinkie didn't look up to see the cyan mare's expression; she didn't really want to see.

Say it. "Hey Pinkie," She forced herself. Great, now just… "do you… want a lift?" She finished uncertainly.

Pinkie shook visibly, feeling a ripple of anguish shoot down her spine. She heard the soft sadness tainting the Pegasus' lips, and wanted to look up… to know what she was thinking, but she stayed put.

"Since you know all these ponies so well already," Rainbow began again weakly, feeling a lump in her throat, "you could just point out the perfect pony for our pranks."

Pinkie looked up, and she saw a sad smile on Dash's face. Her heart sank. She swallowed carefully, and her lips felt dry, "Sure, I'd love to fly with you," The sudden realisation of what that meant came to her and she brightened a bit, "But maybe you should fold your wings up before I jump on. I wouldn't want to hurt your wings again like the first time."

"It's alright Pinks. Climb on." She lied down on her stomach to let the pink mare settle comfortably on her back.

Pinkie nodded silently and hopped up from the floor to clamber onto Rainbow, still trying to avoid her wings. She didn't want to injure her again after all.

Feeling Pinkie settle on her muscular back, Dash stood up again and tested her wings for lift. They felt lighter now, almost weightless to her, and a smirk spread across her face.

She took off, rapidly soaring up into the clouds. She tore through them, increasing the strain on her wings and soaring forward. She smiled at finally being up there again. She heard Pinkie gasp and wrap her hooves more tightly around her neck as she looped around. A wave of adrenaline shot through her. She grinned and picked up speed, zigzagging through clouds sharply until she released the tension in her wings and slowed down.

Exhilaration flowed into the pink mare at being in the air with Rainbow again. As Dash slowed down Pinkie smiled brightly and shouted out, "Wooo!" She relaxed her grip on the Pegasus a smidge and glanced below at the ponies.

The rainbow-maned pony looked down at Pinkie's hooves and smiled softly. She felt strangely calm now, and she couldn't tell why, but she just watched the clouds as they rolled past her instead.

"Hey Dashie, I can see your house from here!" Pinkie suddenly called from her back.

Rainbow's ears perked and her smile widened. She chuckled at the pink pony's excitement; it would always cheer her up. She turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder, "So Pinkie, see any good prank opportunities?"

Pinkie went suddenly quiet, and Dash started to wonder what she said. She turned her body to the side, trying to see the pink mare better, "Pinkie?" Her fear turned to confusion… and then to stifled chuckles, and a fit of giggles at the look of strict concentration on Pinkie's face.

She sat stock still on Rainbow's back and gazed out over the town. Her cyan eyes lit up and she looked back over at Dash, "Oh Roseluck's going to set up all those flowers I helped her pick for the Wonderbolts' arrival. We left 'em all at her store… and I… kind of… forgot to return the spare set of keys she gave me?" She smiled wryly and lowered her gaze away from the steadily smirking Pegasus pony.

"You Sneaky Pie…" Rainbow said before she could stop herself, "no wonder I like hanging out with you so much, you're my kinda mare." She turned away immediately, blushing furiously at what she thought that would mean to her.

"I am?" Pinkie replied instantly; her hearing focused in curiosity, outweighing the slight warmth in her cheeks.

The Pegasus didn't answer. She couldn't… not while the mare lay on her back, when she couldn't see the reaction on her face. But she had to say something, "Well, y… yeah you… kinda make me think of stuff I never thought before…"

She turned her face to the skies once more; not wanting to look back at her anymore and see the same curious, intent look on her pink face. All she could do was blush; she had no idea why she said those things. They just… slipped out and now she berated herself for letting such an obvious statement slide without her allowance. Her wings tensed a bit, waiting for Pinkie to keep talking in that calm but quick voice she envied so much.

She expected Pinkie to keep asking in her absentminded way of asking anything anypony else would normally be difficult to get across, but she heard nothing. No answer. No reply.

She started to worry again- No, not worry. But… she's just so… quiet… "Pinks?" She turned to one side slightly, but still not looking directly at the pink mare.

"Hmm?" Came a sweet-sounding voice from behind her. It was soft and soothing, but it also held a certain sadness she couldn't place, "What is it Dashie?"

"N-… Nothing." She managed to smile despite herself, feeling safe enough to leave it at that and lower her guard when with Pinkie. She soared gently down to the bushes just outside the flower shop on the corner.

She eased herself into the bush and kneeled down; letting the Earth mare get off before she sat up on her haunches, "Alright Pinks, what's the plan?"

Pinkie smirked and talked Dash through her idea; when she had finished the cyan mare couldn't help but snicker at another brilliant Pinkie Pie scheme. Rainbow Dash wondered a lot on how Pinkie could think up such pranks. Pranks that were deviously simple, in order to satisfy the prankster, yet be light-hearted enough to make the prankie laugh a little as well… or was it pranket?

Either way, it was kind of unfair how she managed to get away with it; and utterly fascinating to think of how her mind actually came up with such plans at the same time.

Her thoughts now focused on the task at hoof though. Pranking Roseluck.

The pink pony told her that Roseluck loved tending to her flowers. Most of all the flowers at the front of her shop. She had told Pinkie of her wonderful collection of prized daisies, azaleas, and pink carnations countless times during their day in the field, and she had been happy to hear it. Now, being the magenta-maned Earth pony obviously had its advantages, but Dash wondered whether or not the pink mare actually thought things through. Did she think knowing that her flowers were so regarded by her would come in hoofy later on, or was she just being a nice pony? It was hard to say for sure.

There were so many confusing things about Pinkie that Rainbow couldn't yet understand. Mostly how hyper-active and cheerful she could be all the time; but there was also the sad, lonesome side of her that she had first seen. A side she'd rather like to forget, but kept popping up whenever she got to close. Close enough to feel her side tickling her fur, making her shiver. The way Pinkie looked at her sometimes with those same wide cyan eyes of hers. Eyes that made Dash want to wrap her hooves around her; holding on until she stopped staring.

She couldn't think of that stuff now though; she had to focus. Pinkie was counting on her.

She lay crouched inside a bush; eyes sharp and trained on their targets. A windowsill full of flowers and the pink mare standing off behind the corner.

I heard from some ponies that Roseluck leaves for a snack break every day at 10 and comes back a-quarter-of-an hour later, Pinkie had explained matter-of-factly. That leaves us plenty of time.

Time for what? She had asked.

Whenever Roseluck leaves and comes back from something, she doesn't pay any attention to anything but until she sees her flowers. Dash unknowingly raised an eyebrow at remembering the smirk… quickly, but sneakily forming on the pink mare's face as she spoke.

How could she possibly know that? The cyan mare remembered asking herself; but despite her disbelief that she might have been right about that, kept her eyes on Pinkie.

So, She continued cryptically. It gives us plenty of time to rearrange all her flowers, and she won't know what happened.

Rainbow rolled her eyes again. She had lost count how many times she'd done so this week with the pink pony and just went with it. Not complaining. Now that she thought about it, it had been a good prank. Not too complex and easy to do, and all the work – and utter confusion, in this case – was done by the victim as they tried to figure out what was missing.

If Dash had a watch right now, she'd be staring at it, waiting for time to move its lazy flank so she could get to messing with Roseluck's garden.

Pinkie suddenly appeared from around the corner, bouncing happily along in her usual mood. Nothing was off about her at this moment, just Pinkie being her springy self. She licked her lips in anticipation, and her heart started pumping with excitement; this was what she loved to do, to feel like. She would have to thank Pinkie for showing her that one day. Maybe.

A hoof wave, and she was off; carefully, but quickly pulling the flowers out and replacing them haphazardly around the hangers on the windowsill. She saw Pinkie helping too; keeping a steady watch on the road in case Roseluck arrived back early.

As she stole glances at the pink mare, to see how she was going with her planter, she began to feel panicked. Not because she wanted to look at her or anything, but she felt worried. Like something wrong was going to happen soon, and she couldn't prevent it. She shook that thought off before she could answer herself and dove back into the bush with Pinkie close behind.

Surprising Rainbow, and making her want to ask if Pinkie was psychic or something, Roseluck came back at 10:15 to continue with her day. She didn't know where she went or why she had to go somewhere to eat anything, but tried not to think about it. She also tried not to think about how she didn't seem to be focused on anything until she caught sight of her flowers on the sill, like Pinkie had told her.

In Dash's eyes, the Earth pony's plan worked. She totally flipped, not understanding what had happened, but knowing that something was out of place. She seemed so shocked by the situation in fact that she couldn't even bring herself to touch the flowers, only 'umms' and 'uhhs' escaping through her lips.

Rainbow's snickers rapidly turned to a fit of giggles and a flash of color as she fell out of the bush and on to the ground; she held her sides together and squirmed on the floor until her breathing slowed.

"Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?" She managed to squeak out between chuckles. She heard no response, "Pinkie?" She sat up on her haunches.

The bush she had lay in with the mare was empty; looking cold now, and unwelcoming. She felt that same feeling of dread again; in the pit of her stomach, and found it more difficult to shake off this time.

A soft cough of acknowledgement drew her attention back to the Roseluck's flower shop. Ears perked, she turned; for some reason expecting Pinkie to be behind her with another prank on her, but instead found herself nose to nose with an upset-looking green-eyed pony.

She smiled nervously, "Uhh… heh…" Was all Dash could say.

Rainbow was exhausted. She had just gotten away from an annoyed Roseluck, who made her replant all the flowers in the correct order and made her do a few chores around the shop to make up for the joke. She collapsed on her haunches and groaned thickly.

"Rainbow Daaaash!" Came a high-pitched voice from behind her. She thought for a moment if she should have just ignored its owner; if it sounded like it usually did, all cheerful and peppy, she probably would have. But it wasn't her usual tone or excitement; it was a kind of shaken voice that tried to sound happy, like she had lost her pet animal and was trying not to let anypony know that she missed them.

Dash knew Pinkie didn't have anything of the sort, but it still struck at her hoof-tips and made her wings twitch anxiously. She wheeled around, expecting to get tackled by the mare as soon as she did so. One had grown to expect such things from the Earth pony by now, but it never happened. Instead, Rarity stood upright and annoyed in front of her; Pinkie trailing behind at a slow trot. Not bouncing, just a normal pony stride.

For some reason it wasn't the pace at which Pinkie was going that struck Rainbow as odd, or out of place. It hadn't troubled her as much as her eyes were; reddened and puffy, like the day they met. Except today was different. She wasn't crying because she wasn't welcome at a mane salon, or because everypony thought she was annoying; that wasn't why. And Dash didn't know what to say.

"Rainbow Dash," Rarity started strictly, "we have been looking everywhere for you. Pinkie was worried you had disappeared."

"Oh really?" Rainbow countered before thinking, "And where was she this whole time?" Her chest twisted at speaking those words; feeling a sharp pain through her as she saw the pink mare flinch.

"That's none of your business," The elegant mare stated flatly, turning sideways to stare worriedly at Pinkie. She didn't look back, only down at the ground where she had been scooped up so suddenly before.

Rainbow's brow furrowed a bit, and was about to shout out; but her eyes shifted to Pinkie, and Pinkie looked back at her with her wide apologetic cyan eyes. Suddenly, everything seemed okay again, and her anger washed away. Everything was okay, but the sad look on the pink mare's face; meant for her, and she felt guilty for yelling at her.

Rarity sighed and backed up to stand next to Pinkie, "She was with me." And Dash looked back at the Unicorn, confusion etched on her face, "I needed to know what size dress she was, so I had her try it on. Then she… wanted candies and brighter colors for her dress. And… being the noble pony I am, gave her the benefit of the doubt. I had no idea it would take this long though."

Rainbow had stopped listening when she heard Pinkie had tried on her dress; without her being there to see her. Her mind switched to imagining the pink pony in such high-class attire, yet still able to hold onto her happy-go-lucky attitude and appear out of nowhere and know everything that happened. She envied her a lot, and kind of wished that she could be like her in some ways; but then remembered that other side of her. The side in front of her now, and her fantasies shifted.

A comforting fore-hoof on her shoulder snapped her out of it. She glanced back up in a daze, "Anyway, I apologize for taking up so much of your time, Rainbow Dash." She looked solemnly at Dash, waiting for her to respond.

Rainbow Dash shook her head. It wasn't to convince the two ponies that she was sorry for yelling at them, as much as it was to try and tell herself that she didn't actually do anything wrong just then. "Oh, no problem, it's fine." Then why did she feel so numb all of a sudden? So hurt by something she couldn't see or picture in her mind.

Rarity nodded slightly and tossed her mane behind her neck, "Well, I look forward to seeing you two at the Wonderbolt's party tonight. I do hope you'll take some time at the party to speak with me about what you've been through together." She smiled and departed, leaving a gap between the two other ponies that was difficult to fill at this moment.

Dash turned to the pink mare, looking to say something; but instead, let her mouth hang open slightly in mild shock. Why did she look so sad? Why were her eyes so red? Why won't she look at me anymore? "Pinkie?" She had struggled out.

"Yes Rainbow Dash?" Came the uncharacteristically quiet answer to continue from Pinkie, as if she had expected it to be bad for some reason.

She swallowed again at hearing her full name come from the Earth pony's lips. Is she sad because… "Do you wanna keep pulling pranks?" She wanted it to sound sincere. Like she really meant what she said; but whatever it was, whether it was actually there or not, Rainbow felt a shake in her voice. An uncertainty so minor she would have overlooked if not for the pink pony lifting her head up to look at her finally. Finally, but not the way she wanted.

"Really? You still want to?" Her voice was quiet and uncertain, and maybe a little fearful, but Dash couldn't pick up on what that meant.

"Um, sure." Came her dry response; dry in the sense that she didn't put much tone into saying it and dry in the sense that her throat was sore. She regretted saying it at first; but seeing the pink mare's eyes lit up again made her feel a little better.

Pinkie nodded suddenly, a smile that was softer than usual crossed her face, "Okay, come on. I've got a lot of prank ideas for everypony here already." She never approached Dash for a hug, to reunite after being away a few short hours like always; instead she almost seemed to avoid contact with her, and Rainbow regretted that she did.

Normally Pinkie would have rushed off bouncing, looking back only to scold Rainbow jokingly for being so slow; but this time, she glanced back at Dash after four soft steps and smiled an extremely sad smile that the cyan mare couldn't bear to look at.

What was wrong with her?

With me? And Rainbow Dash trotted up next to her.

The day drew on, and every prank they attempted to pull on the unsuspecting inhabitants of Ponyville either ended too soon, as Pinkie was scooped away quicker and more distantly from the Pegasus, or was interrupted by somepony needing her help with their own matters or matters involving the Wonderbolts before the two ponies could have a good laugh.

It hurt each other to feel divided; incomplete for some reason, and helpless for it. On once such prank Dash had brought a cake. And whether or not it was made by her, it still left the Earth mare winded and unable to respond. But before Rainbow could explain further what the cake was for, only managing to say that it was for her, a Pegasus pony flew in and urged Pinkie to see the mayor of Ponyville. She didn't have much time to react and could only look back over her shoulder.

Dash left with the cake on her back; Pinkie watching her go.

She needed to get away from all these ponies. They were cutting into her time to spend with Rainbow Dash, and she needed to be with her now. Needed to. She managed to pull away early from Mayor Mare as she spoke of how pleasant it was to have her in Ponyville, by saying she was needed elsewhere and cantered off to find the cyan mare sitting at a restaurant table; a large hay sandwich sitting untouched on a plate in front of her.

She went to speak, but her jaw just hung open slightly; unable to penetrate the wall of silence encasing her mouth and the world around her and Rainbow. Her heart pounded heavily against her ribcage and her chest clenched, and Dash looked up.

She looked up and saw her face; the exhausted, exasperated expression on her face only lasted a second. But it was enough for Rainbow Dash to notice.

She didn't say anything; neither of them did. Then Pinkie felt something, something she hadn't felt those other times. Panic. She couldn't take the pained look in those magenta eyes anymore, "Dashie, I–"

"Pinkie!" Came a gruff, southern accent from behind her, "They're y'all are. Didja forget that you was supposed ta help me with mah apple buckin' tonight?"

"No of course not, but…" Pinkie stammered and gestured slightly to Rainbow Dash.

"Just go…" She spoke with wings flared suddenly, interrupting her excuse as to why she couldn't go. "I'll catch up with ya… later." She added it as an afterthought and slumped in her seat, wings drooping. A searing heat washed over her; but it wasn't a pleasant feeling or an angry one. It made her feel weak somehow, and that was the last thing she wanted to feel right now.

The words she spoke felt ice cold; stinging just enough to make Pinkie feel strangely warm, but she knew it wasn't the kind of warm she'd felt all the other times. It was a dull knife that cut deep, and all she could do was walk away and look back… only once.

It was in the evening by then, that Rainbow got up… and left her sandwich uneaten. She wasn't hungry anymore.

As the two were bucking apples, Applejack saw that Pinkie was troubled. She had a way with honesty that she could tell when a pony was feeling down; either that or the pink mare just wasn't so good at hiding her feelings anymore, or didn't even want to.

So she walked over and told her lightly that she was kicking the apples out of an already bucked apple tree. "You okay, sugarcube?" She prodded gently, concern present in her southern accent.

Pinkie lifted her head up to look at the tree and heaved a big sad sigh; it made her tremble with how much pain seemed to come with it. It hurt her throat, and she took a glance towards the orange mare. She turned, but stayed put; choosing to sit down on her rump and shaking her head some more, "No, I… I'm not Applejack. I need to talk to you about something."

Pinkie's cyan eyes seemed to be holding back tears, and the cowgirl pony gave a soft smile in return, "Alraght, whatcha wanna talk about?"

Pinkie's gaze shifted from Applejack's green eyes to her own hooves, "Well… let's say there's this pony… and I like her, them a lot…" She began to sweat and her cheeks turned beet red.

"Okay," Applejack nodded in understanding; she was smirking slightly now, "Uh, would this here pony happen ta be a mare, Pinkie?"

"Yes," Had come her reply; she had chuckled it out, and that time almost felt happy again.

"Well Pinkie, ah… ah wish ah could help ya, but ah'm not sure how ta help with that sorta thing." She scratched her neck a bit, and turned a bit red in her cheeks.

Pinkie shuffled her hooves around calmly; surprising herself with how peaceful she felt now, "Dashie came by earlier when we were pranking and brought a cake for me… I didn't know what to do. She still has the cake and I… had to leave." She looked up and saw the orange pony tilt her head to the side; like she was asking her to continue, so she could understand. And Pinkie did, swallowing thickly, "She asked me out a few days ago, and I said yes. But she– She dropped by with a cake; to ask me out properly… I don't know what to do Applejack."

"Wait a minute… Dashie?" The orange mare put her hoof to her chin and seemed to be in thought as to what the pink pony had said.

Pinkie gasped instantly upon hearing that she had let her nickname for Rainbow Dash slip out. Telling somepony else about her name for Dash seemed wrong to her, making her flush suddenly for some reason; her heart pounded against her chest and felt it knot and twist, "I didn't say–"

"It's alraght Pinkie. Ah won't tell anypony. Ah don't even know a Dashie." She smiled sincerely, and Pinkie felt inclined to believe she wouldn't tell.

She nodded lightly at Applejack as her cheeks still burned, "Oh. Thanks Applejack."

"No problem Pinkie… but, uh… do you know what goin' out means?" She asked with concern, her expression changing to one of disbelief; Pinkie vaguely thought of asking her about it, but didn't want to make her upset.

Instead, Pinkie placed a hoof under her chin and the flush in her cheeks faded into mild concentration; something she was good at, to make herself feel better, "Hmm. Well I know what eating out is and take out is basically the same except the food comes to you…"

"Pinkie…" Applejack spoke softly, trying to break her out of whatever she was doing; but Pinkie kept going.

"…and I know what making out is, although I've never done that before, but…"

"Pinkie Pie." She tried again, a blush at what the mare said forming on her already flustered face.

"…and I also know a recipe for cupcakes, but I would never, ever, ever use it on Dashie and–"

"PINKIE!" She screamed at the top of her lungs; which, Pinkie imagined afterwards, was pretty high.

But now she just heard a slight ringing in her now folded ears, "Oh. Yeah?" She raised them after to hear her response.

Calming her nerves, Applejack finally spoke; glad that the pink mare had at last stopped, "Pinkie Pie, being asked out means that pony likes ya."

Pinkie's ears stood straight up and she felt suddenly giddy, wanting to hear what Applejack say it again; she considered again how the cyan mare acted around her. Nervous and tense, but strong and secure at times too.

"Yea," Came Applejack's swift reply, and she stepped closer, "an awful lot ah reckon, considerin' she gotcha a cake an' all. Did she tell ya if she made it herself or not?"

"No," She had replied a little more sadly; but then she remembered today, and how Rainbow Dash had yelled at her. And looked at her. And didn't look at her. "Dashie… I gotta go. I gotta see her and share that delicious looking cake with her."

"Go on sugarcube. Ah got it under control; thanks for your help all the same."

"Thanks Applejack. You're the best friend a pony could ask for." Pinkie gave her a big huge and a happy smile, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Go on, girl. Go get 'er already." Mock annoyance showed through in her words, and Pinkie nodded gently, but sincerely before departing. She had a pony to see.

Rainbow Dash felt horrible. Pinkie had ditched her all day and didn't seem to care; she even went off with Cloudkicker to watch her practice or something, and with Applesmack to apple buck.

No, no your other left. Oh, I told you there was a swarm of bees coming here.

She couldn't hear, but it looked like they were having fun in the field. Why does she even have these feelings? They make her scared and vulnerable; something she absolutely hated to be. She remembered how the two used to be. They could talk to each other so easily before; now it felt like a wall was between them.

She looked up to the skies suddenly, no longer wanting to look at the ground under her hooves and instead looking up at the stars. Her heart shook quickly, and she felt nauseous.

"Please… give me the strength… to hate Pinkie," She had said. "I can't take these feelings anymore." Her chest twisted in knots, anxiously. She took off into the evening, trying to forget what had happened and what she had said immediately.

Rainbow Dash didn't know why she was doing this; walking with Pinkie to the Wonderbolts. She didn't feel comfortable, and she still wanted Pinkie to walk closer to her; until she was touching, but she never did. She actually looked solemn; choosing from a list of expressions Dash had never seen or known about before, and it made her worry. But why did she need to worry? She didn't do anything wrong.

She had picked her up from Sugarcube Corner, much to the delight of the Cakes and were now at the entrance of the town hall. Immediately upon entering the hall, music and loudly chatting ponies filled their ears; Rainbow looked around trying to spot her heroes. They had arrived quite late; the Cakes fussing over Pinkie's dress while both Pinkie and Dash said that she looked fine, blushing quickly afterwards and bringing warm smiles to the store owners. Now though, everypony was here and she couldn't see anything over the pony's heads. She was just about to take flight; checking her wings for safety, before she was pulled back and into a room by the entrance.

She fell on the floor of the room and heard the door lock; she looked up, supporting herself from her back on her hooves.

"Pinkie? What are you doing?"

"Oh, Dashie, you need to stay in here. 'Cause if you go out there something really bad will happen to you."

Her wings tingled, feeling rigid against her body and leaving her with an unwanted heat. "Pinkie, what the hay is going on? Get outa my way!"

"No Dashie, you won't like what's out there; you don't know what you're–"

"That's enough, Pinkie; I need to see the Wonderbolts so I can show them my stuff!"

Pinkie stepped away from the door suddenly and her ears drooped; mane deflating visibly. She trotted ahead of the pink mare and tried the doorknob. Somehow it was locked from the opposite side, and she instead chose to hit the door with a heavy hoof. She yelled for help, but nopony answered; the crowd was shouting loudly at what Dash imagined was the mane attraction. The Wonderbolts.

"You… want to go with them?" Came the soft, shallow voice from behind; and Rainbow had turned back, wings flared aggressively. She didn't think of what she said next.

"Of course I do! Why do you think I have tons of posters and pictures of them?"

"But… But Dash–"

"Stop it Pinkie! I–I need to find a vent to find them through. Aha!" She had flown up and taken the cap off, flying into it eagerly; Pinkie stared wide-eyed and startled at the vent that had so recently been used by the cyan mare.

"… Dashie."

Dash crawled through the vents and ducts and could make out glimpses of her heroes through the rafters, but couldn't get to them or call them; much to her irascibility. Her ears perk at hearing that the mane reason for the Wonderbolts coming to Ponyville was to see the pony that had performed the first Sonic Rainboom ever, and was about to start calling out; but suddenly heard careful hoof steps behind her. Cheerful, bouncy hoof steps becoming increasingly clear. Part of her really missed hearing those joyful bounding hooves, and she whipped around quickly to see Pinkie approaching rapidly.

A bright smile graced Pinkie's face for once, and Dash felt her heart melt a little; almost regretting what she had said to her. I can't trust you to be this happy anymore.

"Rainbow Dash! I finally found you!" She called, landing softly against the floor of the vent every time until she reached the Pegasus.

"Pinkie? What are you doing here?" Was all she managed to say, without surely breaking into an unwanted grin of her own.

"I came to help you meet your heroes so you can be truly happy again." She answered truthfully; but her heart still ached for what had occurred before. What she had done.

Dash's smile threatened to consume her face; she started to think of what had happened over this time, to make her so unwilling to open up to the pink mare. But she was interrupted by a clank from below her; and a creek, and soon she knew what was wrong. "Pinks, no! It's not strong enough to hold us both!"

Unfortunately, that realization had been reached too late as the vent collapsed on them; pushing them into one another awkwardly and bursting through and onto the floor below them. Before she hit the ground, Rainbow vaguely heard the end of the retelling of Cloudkicker's description of the Dash and how great and awesome she had made her out to be. The embarrassment not only of falling out of a vent onto her heroes' stage, but also having Pinkie settled uncomfortably on top of her and her legs inter-twined together, was enough to make the cyan mare turn as red as red could be. But it only lasted a minute as everypony discussed who the two ponies were and why they were so tangled in each other's hooves, and the Wonderbolts, taking this time to ask themselves why they had fallen from a ventilation shaft, for Dash's odd want to stay like this passed by to be replaced by blind fury.

"Look at what you've done! You've ruined my chance to impress the Wonderbolts! You stupid pony! You wanna help? Then stay the buck outa my life!" She had taken to the air in a huff, suddenly not wanting to see the look of pure shock and horror on the Earth pony's face and left the teary eyed pink mare behind.

The stage was silent; so were all the ponies around it, and after a while Pinkie got to her hooves warily to look at where she had watched the cyan pony leave through. Her heart ached and ached to go back and never do this again; her heart and spirit breaking at the seam, "I… I'm sorry… Dashie. I'll never… be around to bother you again." She had said between sniffles and tears, and through her straightened mane that now lay in front of her face.

Back at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie had begun to pack; she still had her bag from their trip together from Manehattan, but she couldn't handle holding it in her hooves anymore. She let it fall to the ground and turned away from it; but she heard a faint cry from above her bedroom. She crept over to the window and could hear a pony calling her name.

"Pinkie Pie! I'm sorry; I didn't mean what I said. Please come back! Please…" She spoke the last word so softly, Pinkie almost didn't pick it up; but she had, and she felt her chest twist and tangle.

"I'm sorry too Dash, but this is the way it has to be. I'll just leave so you won't have to bother with a stupid pony like me. Then… then you can see your heroes and live your dream. You really deserve it." She heard the flapping of passing wings as the cyan mare flew away, and she felt a strong regret for not answering her. Her eyes drifted along the floor of her rented room, gathering tears and letting them flow down her pink face again, until she spotted a picture lying on the ground. She recognized it and slowly stepped over to the bag once more, taking it in her hooves and looking at it with a sad smile plastered on her face.

She brought it onto her bed and lay down with it, feeling a sudden relief wash over her at having such a special reminder of Dash's dedication. She fell asleep, clutching it to her chest.