Find Your Heartby Spirit ChaserChaptersChapter Two: The LibraryChapter Three: The CottageChapter Four: Sweet Apple AcresChapter Five: Sugarcube CornerEpilogue Chapter One: Carousel BoutiqueChapter Two: The Library"Stupid Rarity!" Rainbow Dash shouted to the wind as she ascended into the sky. "Just who does she think she is?! Lecturing me about all this stupid lovey-dovey blah!" In a burst of anger, Rainbow rose straight into the air to escape the residue of Rarity's nonsense in her head. All Rainbow asked was if Rarity needed help and in exchange she got lectured on her love life? What kind of deal was that? Rainbow continued to fly straight into the air. At this point she could fly straight into Celestia's sun, but she didn't care, anything to get rid of the words in her head. Perhaps she may like Pinkie Pie more than her other friends but that seemed like more of a sister-like relationship if anything. Why had Rarity misinterpreted that and forced into her head? Rainbow's speed was rising fast, really fast. The wind around her threatened to steal away her sight and hearing but she ignored the threats, she was going to go as far as possible. Rainbow's speed seemed to be rising impossibly fast at this point, she may be able to pull off a completely vertical sonic rainboom at this point. The wind was threatened her wings now. Her speed was beginning to decrease. No! She was so close to breaking her limit! The wind was serious at this point, it wasn't going to let her get away with this. The hard wing seemed to form a shell around her, effectively shutting off her oxygen and forcing her wings to... retract. "No!" Rainbow forced the word out of her previously locked off throat. The wind now seemed to form a giant palm to push her towards the ground. How could she be so stupid? She attempted to unroll her wings and save her life but it was no use, something was forcing her to free fall smack into Ponyville. A hundred thoughts were floating around her head at this moment. Why did she doom herself like that? Why hadn't she realized that no pegasus could fly that high? Why was she so stupid? Even the question that had forced her into this situation had brought itself to the surface of her brain: what did she really think about her relationship with Pinkie Pie? Suddenly it felt like she stopped falling, leaped out of her body, and started falling again. The question was just that painful. She couldn't bring herself to answer that so suddenly so she brought her mind back to the present. Now, how was she going to get out of this situation? She could begin to see Ponyville below her and that. Wasn't. Good. Rainbow focused on the most important part: her wings seemed to be malfunctioning. It seemed to be at the point where she couldn't even feel her wings. Weird. "Oh it's hopeless, I'm doomed," Rainbow sadly thought out loud. Rainbow closed her eyes and prepared for the inevitable to happen when suddenly she was enveloped in a bright magenta glow. "Huh?" Rainbow opened her eyes and looked down at her soon to be crash site. The Library. Figures. The glow attempted to stop her fall, but apparently failed as not even a second later, she crashed into the giant tree that belonged to her friend. The crash was incredibly painful, splintered wood went everywhere as she fell through it. About ten explosive crashes later she finally fell onto solid flooring. "Ahhh! Oh, hello Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" asked Twilight Sparkle who was luckily away from the final crash site. Rainbow forced her eyes open long enough to see her purple colored friend. "Hay Twiliiiiil-" Was all Rainbow managed before she became unconscious. "Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow Dash! Oh you're finally awake. Twilight, she's awake!" Spike the baby dragon yelled upstairs. "Oh thank goodness! I'll be right there!" Twilight responded from above. "Spike? What happened?" Rainbow asked slowly as she sat up on the bed she awoke on. "You tell us Rainbow, you're the one that crashed into our house," Spike said as he swept up the debris from the crash. "How long was I out?" "All day Rainbow, longest day of our lives. Well, relatively speaking," Twilight announced as she trotted downstairs. "All day?! How hard did I- did you say 'our' lives?" Rainbow questioned. "Yes, everyone in Ponyville saw that crash and all the girls came over to see if you were ok. Heck, Pinkie practically teleported over," Twilight answered. Rainbow let out a very audible gasp. Pinkie Pie had seen her like this? "What's wrong Rainbow, are your injuries acting up?" "No, no, it's... nothing," Rainbow replied as she reached up to touch her forehead only to find bandages. "Are you sure it's nothing because I was talking to Rarity aaand-" "What did she tell you?" Rainbow asked suspiciously. "To save time, everything," Twilight answered with a stern look on her face. "Listen Twilight, I don't really want to talk about it right now." "Yeah? Well you're going to talk, or at least you're going to tell why you crash-landed into my house," Twilight demanded. "Geez Twi, when did you become so assertive?" asked a slightly impressed Rainbow Dash. "Thanks for noticing, hehe, but to honest, it's more Applejack asking," replied Twilight as she blushed. "Aw buck! Applejack knows too? What about Fluttershy?" "She didn't stay that long, had injured animals to take care, the usual. I don't think she knows, but you can tell her yourself tomorrow." "What?" "Well, everyone else knows and who better to tell her? Plus, maybe she can help you sort out your feelings." "Hold on, who said I even have feelings to figure out?" "The hole in the roof," Spike mumbled from across the room. "Spike! Well actually, you never did explain that one," Twilight wondered aloud. "Fine! I flew a little too high, okay?!" Rainbow practically shouted. "Ohhh, that explains...well everything," Twilight concluded. "Even if I do have some mushy stuff locked up, I can figure it out on my own!" Rainbow huffed. "I think that crash messed up your brain because last time you tried to handle something by yourself, we all fell out of Cloudsdale before we even landed," Twilight chuckled. "Hey! That's not fair, it was all Lightning...Dust's...fault." Rainbow slowed her speech as she uttered the last few words. "What?" "Remember when PInkie hugged me like the world was ending? That must be when these stupid thoughts started emerging and Rarity just brought them to the surface! Yes! I knew I could figure this out on my own," she shouted triumphantly as she flew into the open air and immediately landed in Spike's dust pile. "Aww c'mon!" Spike coughed. "Hehe, sorry Spike." "First off Rainbow, I was the one who mentioned that incident in the first place so you still needed help. Second, you still can't fly for a while so lie back down before you prove your nickname of 'Rainbow Crash' to be correct. Third, you may know when the feelings started but you still don't know what to do with them," Twilight said. Rainbow opened her mouth to reply, but once again, she was proven to be beaten at her own game. "Why don't you spend the night here and please talk with Fluttershy tomorrow," Twilight suggested. "Ugh! Fine! By the way, how'd you slow down my little fall if you didn't I was falling in the first place?" Rainbow asked as she trotted back to bed. "Magic barrier. It slows fast objects in case of attack." "Why not just a solid force field?" "Hey, if it was solid, you'd be Rainbow Soup." For the third time, Rainbow Dash had no response. Author's Note How messed up is Rainbow's head? Hard strong are these formerly secret feelings? Why didn't Rainbow's wings work? (Hint, it wasn't the wind.) When shall these questions be answered? Stay tuned! Chapter Three: The Cottage"Morning Twilight!" Rainbow Dash practically screeched into her friend's ear. "Ahhh! Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle screamed in surprise as she sat straight up in her bed. "You're still here?!" "Yup I'm here to make your morning about 20-" "Please don't start, Rainbow." "Hehe, sorry. Anyway, I'm going to help you fix up the hole in your roof-" "The hole you put in my roof?" "Sure, that one." "That's alright, Rainbow. Spike and I can handle it, you should head over to Fluttershy's before it gets too late," said Twilight as she rose from her bed. "Uh, Twilight? It's morning. Plus you know I could zoom over there at the last second," announced Rainbow as she spread her wings proudly. "Actually you may have forgotten that you still can't fly and galloping over there could reopen your wounds," Twilight reasoned as she fixed her bed sheet. "What? I have to able to fly by now!" Rainbow shouted as she attempted to flap her wings and fly. "Ugh, uggh, ugggh! Why won't this work?!" "Rainbow, it's not because of your injuries, I realized that you're preventing yourself from doing what you love." "In english?" "Seriously? Look, your confused feelings about what you want are preventing your body from using your wings effectively." Rainbow continued to a have confused look on her face. Twilight shoved her hoof into her face. "You love Pinkie? You can fly. You don't love Pinkie? You can fly. No in-between." "Ohhh. Oh," Rainbow repeated sadly. She couldn't fly until she realized her true feelings? Even thinking that sentence made her want to throw up. She's doomed. "Huh, well I guess I should get going then, see ya later Twilight," Rainbow said halfheartedly as she calmly walked out the door. "Bye Rainbow Dash, I hope you find what you're looking for," Twilight said as Rainbow closed the door. Rainbow started walking in the direction she hoped Fluttershy's Cottage was in. but she was too confused by herself to check to see if she was going the right way. She had to at least get the basics of her situation down so she can better explain to Fluttershy. She... Pinkie... lovey... mushy. She didn't even know where to start, it was all too confusing. How was she this confused over something so trivial? Does she or doesn't she love Pinkie Pie? Somehow it was a lot more complicated than that. She tried to think back to that moment when it all started when- "DASHIE!" screamed a familiar voice from behind. Oh no, please not now. Rainbow slowly turned around only to be tackled by a big glob of pink. "Ow! Get off Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow struggled to get out as she was pulled into a crushing bear-hug from Pinkie. "Oh Dashie! I was looking up at the sky when I saw a long and I mean LONG rainbow falling from the sky, but then I thought 'silly Pinkie. Rainbows don't fall from the sky!' But this one did! And it landed inside of Twilight's Library! I galloped over to see if I could help fight off this nasty Rainbow when I saw you asleep on the ground! Twilight told me that you just fell out of nowhere so I helped put you into bed and put bandages on you and before I knew it, everypony else was there and Twilight explained what happened again and then Rarity whispered something into Twilight's ear and asked me to leave but I didn't wanna leave you so Rarity levitated me into Sugarcube Corner allll the way from the Library and I thought that was funny so I just went to bed, the end!" Pinkie said in one breath. "That's cool and all Pinkie, but can you let me go now?" Rainbow begged as she began losing consciousness. "Oh, sorry Dashie," Pinkie said happily as she released Rainbow. As Rainbow straightened herself out she noticed that she was blushing. She turned away quickly to prevent Pinkie from noticing. "Where are you going anyway? At least I think you're going somewhere, are you going somewhere? Ooo, can I come with?" Pinkie inquired. "No!" Rainbow shouted as she turned around. Pinkie's happy expression shifted into that of her sad one. Rainbow felt like she'd just been hit in the stomach. Way to go, Rainbow. "I mean, I'm going on a secret mission, one that no one but me can do, because you know, I'm the most awesome pony in all of Equestria. So you get it?" Rainbow explained. "Hmm, got it!" Pinkie replied happily. "Good, I'll just be on my way, see you later Pinkie," Rainbow had the sudden urge to end that sentence with I love you. She panicked and placed a hoof over her muzzle to prevent those words from escaping. "Bye Dashie!" Pinkie said as he went trotting in the opposite direction. Rainbow turned and returned to trotting to Fluttershy's Cottage with new thoughts beating heavily on the inside of her head. At least now she knew she wouldn't be able to simply decide that she didn't love Pinkie at all anymore, but was that such a good thing? More importantly, why was she just now beginning to act weird around Pinkie? That had never happened before. What did her brain or wherever she was getting this feelings see in Pinkie anyway? Why couldn't it have been any other mare? She decided to shelve these thoughts so she could better discuss them with Fluttershy, whose Cottage was now in sight. She realized she had a weird feeling in her wings so she craned her head to get a better look at them and immediately regretted looking. Oh no. She thought once again. Rainbow groaned and shoved her head into the ground, unable to accept the fact that her wings were standing perfectly upright on her back. Seriously?! A-a-a wingboner?! Rainbow couldn't believe that a siimple hug from Pinkie Pie had done this to her. In fact, now that she knew what this feeling was, she could remember feeling something similar to this when...she...was...falling. Rainbow Dash could just explode from a rush of emotions. Was this the reason she fell? Because thinking about Pinkie too much had-had-had, she couldn't even complete that thought. She collapsed on the ground in front of her from the shock of this new revelation when suddenly she heard a soft and familiar voice. "Oh, that is you Rainbow Dash, but what are you doing laying here on the ground with your wings spread out like that?" Fluttershy asked innocently as she trotted over to where Rainbow was laying. "Hey Fluttershy, I was just coming to see you actually, and don't worry about my wings...seriously though, don't even mention them right now," Rainbow insisted as she trotted into Fluttershy's Cottage. "Oh, well come right in Rainbow, but be careful, I was tending to my new bird friends and they're not quite housebroken yet." "Trust me, that's the least of my worries right now," Rainbow said as she looked around. Rainbow looked around for any sign of the "leaky" birds but saw none so she attempted to take a seat on the couch only to be violently thrown onto the ground. "Ow! What's the big idea?! Huh?" looking back at the red couch she saw Fluttershy's pet Angel Bunny shaking his fist at her. "Oh, um, I'm sorry Rainbow, but Angel likes having the couch to himself most of the time, I hope you understand," Fluttershy announced as she flew inside and hovered over the couch. "Most of the time? More like 24/7!" Rainbow shouted more at Angel that at Fluttershy. Angel said something in bunny language that Rainbow couldn't understand but Fluttershy understood just fine. "Angel! Rainbow didn't mean it so please just be nice okay?" Fluttershy begged. Angel began to say what Rainbow assumed to be more mean things, but simply closed his mouth and turned around. "Thank you Angel, now um, what did you need Rainbow? Oh, if you don't mind me asking," Fluttershy half asked, half apologized. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, steeled herself and told her equally feathered friend all about her current predicament, including the conversation she just had with Pinkie before she came to the Cottage. At the end of Rainbow's long tale, Fluttershy wore a worried expression on her face. (Well, more worried than usual.) "Oh goodness, this is quite a doozy, hmm," Fluttershy said as she started thinking. "And now I'm more confused than ever with the fact that I actually do have some feelings for Pinkie. Ugh!" Rainbow groaned. "It sounds like you're awfully confused with all of this-" "Clearly!" Rainbow interrupted. "So I suggest you start by actually listening to what your feelings have to say, in other words, listen to your heart." "My heart? Doesn't emotion come from the brain?" "Well, yes, but it's traditional to say that you can sense how you feel about someone by listening to what your heart has to say about them." "Oh, that, I just use my instinct to find out how I feel about someone, it's pretty much always correct." "Excuse for saying so Rainbow, but your instinct hasn't always been the best guide in the past, I wouldn't suggest using it for something like this." "Hey, it makes more sense than using my heart, right?" "Um, I suppose, but-" "Then it's settled! I'll go with my gut and totally wing it with Pinkie, I'm sure everything will be fine." "Well, I can see you're determined, so I won't stop you, but please just remember what I told you, okay?" Fluttershy asked. "Sure, sure, now if you'll excuse me, I got a particular pink pony to find, later Fluttershy!" Rainbow called out as she galloped out the door. "That's not all you have to find, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy mumbled to herself. As soon as she left The Cottage, Rainbow made a beeline to Sugarcube Corner, hoping to find Pinkie there, practically waiting for her answer. Finally, she would be able to settle all this nonsense going through her head, finally, she would have an answer to her problems, finally, things could go back to the ways they used to be. Rainbow finally reached Sugarcube Corner and began to slowdown to a trot. "Pinkie? Are you here?" Rainbow asked as she trotted inside the baked goods filled store. She didn't need to call out though, because Pinkie Pie was standing in the kitchen eating a pink cupcake with rainbow sprinkles. As soon as she heard/saw Rainbow Dash, she smiled immensely and swallowed the entire cupcake whole. "Hi Dashie! Are you back from your mission? Well, obviously, you because you're standing right here, but what I mean is: did your mission go well? Oh, that answer is also obvious, did you-" "Let me stop you right there Pinkie," Rainbow announced as she plugged Pinkie's muzzle with her hoof. "I kinda have something to say." Pinkie Pie's eyes blinked with anticipation. Alright gut, do your thing. Rainbow mentally explored her gut for something to say, she left no stone unturned, ready to release everything in one statement that explained how she felt. Except... she didn't find anything. How could this be? Her gut always told her something about the pony in question, or dragon, or zebra, or changeling, the list went on but the point was that it seemed like her gut couldn't tell her anything out of the ordinary about Pinkie. Rainbow's entire body relaxed as she released her plug on Pinkie's stream of words, but instead, all that came out of Pinkie's mouth was a sincere question: "Um, wasn't there something you wanted to ask me Dashie?" Hearing her famous nickname in a moment like this seemed to finalize Rainbow's thoughts. "I-I-I don't know!" Rainbow cried out as she galloped full speed out of Sugarcube Corner, going wherever her legs wanted to take her broken soul. Author's Note Hope you guys liked this chapter! I also hope you didn't notice how little of the chapter actually takes place at Fluttershy's Cottage, hehe. Chapter Four: Sweet Apple AcresRainbow Dash had never realized how much she took her wings for granted in that moment, as she galloped endlessly in a straight line headed for who knows where. Her head pointed at the ground, she galloped and galloped without any care for anything. She was just trying to escape the horror she'd been through, and what better way than by running away from it? How could I have been that stupid? She thought to herself. How could I honesty believe that if I just went with the flow, everything would be fine? Thinking back on her plan, she realized there had been some big and obvious flaws in it. Then again, no plan is perfect right? Well, you would have to have an actual plan for it to be flawed anyway. Clearly, her "plan" was no plan at all, just a failed attempt at solving her problem. She couldn't see how she could face Pinkie Pie again after that catastrophe of a confession. She still didn't even know what she was trying to confess in the first place! It frustrated her to no end that she was still confused! She listened to all her to all of the advice her friends had given her, well, mostly listened, and still had no clue what to do. Rainbow looked up every once and a while to make sure she wasn't completely lost, not that she cared much at the moment. Still, it felt as if she was missing something, a very important something that could help her solve this, all of this. Rainbow searched her mind for any clue of this mysterious something, even closing her eyes to concentrate... which seemed like a bad idea three seconds later when she ran headfirst into something. "Ow! For the love of Celestia, why can't I go a day without crashing into som- Oh no," Rainbow grumbled as she looked up to see what she had hit this time. An apple tree, in front of another apple tree, next to another apple tree. Oh, c'mon!" Rainbow thought as she turned around slowly in a circle. She knew this place well, too well in fact. It was a a place that wasn't filled with bad memories, actually really good ones, but she didn't want to be here right now, not in- Sweet Apple Acres. Home to her friend who was the (second) loyalest of friends and most dependable of ponies. She didn't want to see this friend right now, she didn't want to see any of her friends right now! However, as soon as she turned around to gallop out of there in a hurry, she heard the oh so familiar southern drawl speaking to her. "Rainbow Dash, how nice of y'all ta drop on by," Applejack addressed her friend as she trotted over to her, balancing two empty buckets on her back. Rainbow dropped to the ground below her and wrapped her wings around herself; she didn't feel like talking right now. "Why are y'all here anyway? Shouldn't you be unconscious or off being mad at Rarity and yourself for somthin'?" Applejack asked as she bucked the trees around her to get the apples into the buckets. Rainbow unwrapped herself, Applejack wasn't updated to the recent events. Ugh, I might as well. "Yea well, a lot happened between now and then," Rainbow explained as she drew something in the ground with her hoof. "Yea? Well I'm all ears," Applejack retorted as she moved to the next tree. From there, Rainbow explained everything that had happened between now and then much in the same way she had told Fluttershy. Applejack continued to work but she was definitely listening carefully. When she was done explaining her long tale, Applejack finally looked up from her work. "Well?" "Well what?" Rainbow asked confused. "What are you gonna do about this?" Applejack answered. "I don't know! First I have to find out what I did wrong and then I'll figure out the rest." Applejack was suddenly in front of Rainbow. Rainbow jumped backwards in surprise. "No Rainbow! That kind Ah plan is what got you in this here situation in tha first place. Look, you have to figure things out before you try somethin' stupid again," Applejack frowned. "You don't think I tried that already?!" Rainbow responsed. "I just can't! It's too hard!" "If you want to be with Pinkie or if you don't want to be with Pinkie then-" "Stop!" Rainbow commanded as she closed her eyes and covered her ears. Applejack stopped and stared at Rainbow with a dumbfounded expression. Rainbow made sure she wouldn't start again before opening one eye, then both eyes and uncovered her ears. "Just stop, I've heard it all before and it feels like the more I hear it, the more confused I become," Rainbow uttered, feeling defeated. Applejack considered this for a second, then she smiled. "Well then sugarcube, you should try explainin' what's so darn confusing for you," Applejack requested. Rainbow looked down at her hoofs, had she ever really explained what she was worried about? Rainbow took a deep breath and looked at Applejack. "Okay, first off, I don't know if I love her in the first place but I'm sure I at least like her a little, which is scary. Second, what if I like her and she doesn't like me back? I don't do rejection! Lastly, what if being in love means I have to give up being a Wonderbolt?" Rainbow explained, feeling even more defeated. Applejack's eyes widened. "Well, clearly you have feelings for her, now you gotta accept those feelings, as for The Wonderbolts, why do you think you gotta give up on that?" "How am I going to pursue my dream if I'm settled down?" Rainbow reasoned. "Look RD, Ah think you already know that Pinkie Pie would follow you anywhere, literally, so I don't think you have to worry about settling down." "But what if I do? Pinkie can't even walk on a cloud without a spell, and she lives at Sugarcube Corner! If we get together, I can't allow us to break apart." Applejack set down the buckets practically overflowing with red apples near the side of the barn and trotted back over to where Rainbow was and promptly slapped Rainbow with her hoof. "What was that for?!" Rainbow demanded to know as she leaped up. "Rainbow Dash, you've taken on Nightmare Moon, Discord, Changelings, helped an entire empire and performed the sonic rainboom twice." "Yea, I'm really awesome, what's your point?" Rainbow interrupted. Applejack snorted. "You've done all these amazing things and you're still not a Wonderbolt, heck you should be runnin' those jerks by now. Plus when you did those things, Pinkie was right there, by your side." "What's your point?" "Mah point is that you've already been through the worse, and when you did it, Pinkie was right there with you. Meanwhile, The Wonderbolts just watched you endure it all and still haven't accepted you. Maybe The Wonderbolts aren't worth it, but Pinkie is." Rainbow Dash considered this for a second. It was true that The Wonderbolts didn't seem to care all that much, but Pinkie clearly did. "Ugh, but I already tried listening to the truth, and it didn't tell me anything!" Rainbow protested. "What you listened to was your gut, and it obviously doesn't do romantic advice. What you really need to listen to is your heart, I'm sure Fluttershy told you that," Applejack insisted. "Yea, I already heard all of that nonsense before, I still don't understand it." "Rainbow, you heard your gut and it didn't tell you anything so now you have to at least listen to what your heart has to say." "Even if I wanted to act on what my heart has to say...I don't even think I know where to start." "So your saying you don't know where your heart is?" "I guess." "Then find it." Rainbow's eyes flew open. Of course! That was the reason she couldn't fly: her heart wasn't letting her to. Okay that was totally unrelated to what Applejack just said, but the point was that now she knew, she truly knew what to do. "AJ?" "Yeah RD?" "Gather everypony at Dead Pony's Cliff in an hour." "D-D-Dead Pony's Cliff? Rainbow what in the hay are you planning?" "If I told you you wouldn't let me go through with it, and this is something I need to do so please do what I say. Oh, and everypony doesn't mean Pinkie," Rainbow clarified. "Uh, alright Ah guess, but this better not be somethin' stupid and dangerous," Applejack insisted as she trotted over to the barn. "Hey, I'm all about stupid and dangerous," Rainbow shouted back as she trotted into the distance. Here it is, Dead Pony's Cliff. Rainbow thought to herself as she trotted over to the edge of the appropriately named cliff and looked down. Just as she thought: it was a looong way down, she couldn't even see the bottom... if it existed. No one was allowed to come out to the cliff on account of the fact that the cliff was known as one of the most dangerous spots in all of Equestria. The princesses were attempting to make the cliff less dangerous in case any foal accidentally stumbled across it. Of course it was as useless as purging the Everfree forest of evil. Since then it was simply littered with warning signs. As she finished her thought, she heard a stampede of hoofs behind her, she smiled and turned around to come face-to-face with Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. "Hey guys, what took you so long?" Rainbow teased. "Rainbow we want to know what you're up to and why you gathered us at the most dangerous spot in Equestria!" Twilight shouted. "Oh, I guess I should explain that huh? Basically, in order to find my heart, I'm gonna dive in this cliff, and if I fly out, I found it, if I don't, it was fun knowing you guys," Rainbow explained. As soon as she was done explaining, all of their mouths were hanging open. "Ever hear the expression 'catching flies in your mouth' guys?" Rainbow joked again. "Rainbow Dash, that's crazy and dangerous!" Rarity shouted. "Funny, Applejack said it was stupid and dangerous," Rainbow said. "Ah did and Ah'm sticking by it, this is insane!" Applejack insisted. "I have to do it, this is the only way I'll know for sure," Rainbow countered. "Oh my goodness, please don't do this Rainbow," Fluttershy begged. "Sorry Fluttershy, I'm just following your advice in my own way is all," Rainbow persisted. "Are you sure about this?" Twilight asked. "...yes" Rainbow answered. "Then we're with you all the way, right girls?" Twilight gathered. "...yeah!" Applejack started. "Yes!" Rarity continued. "Oh, yes," Fluttershy squeaked. "Thanks everypony, well I'm not one for sappy endings so I better-" Rainbow started to say before she was pulled into a group hug by the others. It actually felt pretty nice as usual, however there was something missing. It wasn't long before she realized it was Pinkie Pie. "Oh and do me a favor," Rainbow said as she broke out of the hug. "If I don't make it and you see Pinkie Pie, tell her... tell her I'm sorry." "It doesn't matter, you're going to make it," Twilight assured her. Having nothing to say to her friend's trust in her, Rainbow smiled and turned to face the milestone in her life, or rather milecliff in her life. She knew this was what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. This was the only way to truly find her heart, it was the best way. She really hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake, there was a chance she wouldn't discover what she wanted and she would plummet into the abyss, but that was a chance she had to take, for her and Pinkie's future. Closing her eyes, she ran to the very edge of the cliff and leaped off. It felt like she was frozen in time, doomed to never fall into the endless pit that she so desperately wanted to explore. Her wings clung to her as if glued there, frozen in time along with the rest of her. Then she started falling. She opened one eye to confirm her suspicions that she was finally falling and she was correct. All she saw was the eternal darkness as she obeyed gravity's command. She tried to scream but it was lost in the rushing winds. Okay, time to find this heart of mine. She thought as she attempted to steady herself in midair. She focused on herself, thinking on all of her traits, all of her various experiences, trying to find a link to her heart in there somewhere. Nothing at first so she decided to focus on the few sappy memories she had, starting with when she first got Tank. That day she had focused on what was cool instead of what really mattered, but that all changed when she abandoned by every pet except for Tank. When they arrived at the finish line, she had been shocked to find that she wanted Tank instead of the much cooler falcon. That must of been the first time I used my heart instead of my brain! She thought as she realized she was making progress. She opened her eyes again to see if she could see the ground yet... and immediately regretted it. As soon as her eyes were open, she realized that she couldn't see the ground but she also couldn't see the sky. Her heart (ironically) was beating extremely fast as she continued searching her memory banks. Once again, she found something she could use. The time she saved Scootaloo from falling (again ironic) to her doom. She chose to comfort the little filly by telling her that she used to share her fears before she got over it. That time she did what her heart told her to do instead of remaining cool and she gained a little sister in the process. Yes! I'm almost there, just one more memory. She thought as she searched furiously for one last memory, one last thing to show her the way. She dug deep in her memory banks for something to hold on too and take off with but it seemed to be useless... until. She found it, the memory she needed in that moment, the memory she should have chosen in the first place. Back at Wonderbolt Academy, she was at the top of her game, she was winning, she was proving that she had what it took to be a Wonderbolt. But then... she saw them. Her friends falling to their possible doom, it was too much to handle so without another thought, she gave up everything and flew as fast as she could to save the day and more importantly her friends. All she could think of in that moment was the safety of those important to her instead of the safety of her eternal dream. After making sure her friends would be launched back to safety, she flew back up there to make sure they were absolutely okay and was thrilled to find that there, especially Pinkie Pie who she checked out personally. Pinkie Pie, who hugged her with all her might, Pinkie Pie, who in that moment looked like the most beautiful creation in all of Equestria. She was brought back to reality with a fluff sound that she barely heard, or rather felt over the wind. She looked at her wings to see that once again, they were standing straight all on their own. Ugh, this again. Rainbow thought. Suddenly she noticed her mind was trying to demand her wings to allow her to fly again. Stupid brain, haven't you done... enough? Rainbow attempted to think but stopped when she noticed it was actually working this time. She was beginning to slow her descent to the ground as she took over for her brain, she was doing it, she was flying! This may have been the happiest moment in Rainbow's life, not only because she was finally doing what she loved again, but because she finally discovered the path to her heart. Finally after all this confusion she really understood her feelings and what she really wanted in life... now it was time to act on those feelings. "Can you see her yet?" Applejack asked, nervously looking over the edge of the cliff. "Patience Applejack, she'll be along," Rarity assured her even though she was freaking out inside. "Oh my goodness, maybe I should fly down there and see if I can see her," Fluttershy offered as she shook uncontrollably. "No, you would never catch her in time at the speed she was falling," Twilight replied as she trotted in a circle. The small group began to openly bicker at that point, so wrapped up in their arguments that they didn't notice the rainbow streak shoot straight into the air, do a triple loop de loop and land right in front of them. "Ta da!" Rainbow announced as she spread her wings proudly, but was instantly disappointed when she noticed that her friends weren't even paying attention to her. "Hello? Guys! Guys! GUYS!" Rainbow shouted with all her might. At that they all simultaneously turned to face their friend and immediately brought her into another group hug. "Rainbow! Does this mean that you found your heart?" Twilight asked they all released each other. "Way to ask an obvious question, egghead, of course I did! Was there ever really doubt?" Rainbow bragged as she spread her wings again. Twilight rolled her eyes, but was secretly happy that her friend was back to her old self "Now what?" Twilight asked. Rainbow suddenly put a determined look on her face "Now... we march to Sugarcube Corner." Author's Note Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter it all comes to a conclusion, Rainbow's feelings versus Pinkie's... Pie. Chapter Five: Sugarcube Corner"Wait up Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted as she and the rest of their friends attempted to keep up with Rainbow as she flew ahead of them making a beeline to Ponyville and more importantly, Sugarcube Corner. "I can't! I'm worried Pinkie still hasn't forgiven me for rushing out of there like that," Rainbow shouted back as she continued flying forward. "Don't worry sugarcube, before I gathered everypony, Ah told her to stay inside until we got back," Applejack assured her feathered friend. "Well that explains why she didn't somehow find us at the cliff but how does that reassure me that she isn't mad at me?" Rainbow asked, sounding worried. "Oh that, she's Pinkie Pie, she's not gonna stay mad once we charge in there," Applejack reasoned. "I guess you're right but what if-" "Just stop thinking about it until we get there Rainbow Dash," Rarity flashed a smile. Rainbow decided to partly take her advice and stop talking about it out loud but she was still very much thinking about it in her head. What if instead of angry, Pinkie was sad? Not just sad, but flat mane sad? She wouldn't be able to take that! She attempted to shake that thought out of her head but it was if it made of rubber because it bounced right back into her thoughts. Okay, now this is getting annoying. Rainbow thought as she continued to try to get the horrible thoughts out of her head, but the more she tried the stronger they became. What if she's mad? What if she's sad? What if she doesn't want to talk? Or even the one thought that Rainbow hadn't even considered until now, for she had finally figured out her feelings, but what if Pinkie didn't know what her feelings were? If she told Pinkie she liked her and Pinkie didn't feel the same, that would lead to horrifying results. The same if she told Pinkie she didn't like and Pinkie did feel that way. She was beginning to feel confused all over again. No! That's no way to think after all she just went through! She was going to say what was on her heart, and Pinkie was going to listen...hopefully. "Please Rainbow, slow down!" Twilight practically screamed. "Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just...lost in thought, you know?" Said Rainbow as she finally slowed down. "You honesty have nothing to worry about, Rainbow Dash, I assure you everything will be fine," Rarity glowed. "I sure hope so, because you're the one who got me in this situation in the first place," Rainbow reminded her as she flew in closer to the group. "Don't worry, Rainbow, everything will work out for the best," Fluttershy reassured her. "I just hope I really know what to say," Rainbow said more to herself than her friends. "Ah hope so too, look!" Applejack gestured with her nose straight ahead of them where their home Ponyville was now visible. "Here goes nothing," Rainbow sighed as she landed on the ground and promptly trotted in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Her trot soon turned into a gallop and once again, she was leaving her friends in the dirt. "Rainb- oh forget it!" Twilight said after attempting to keep up with Rainbow for the fifth time. "Let's just go at our own pace, we'll catch up," Applejack assured Twilight as she trotted up next to her. "Okay," Twilight responded "She could use the extra time anyway. I really hope she has it right this time." "Us too sugarcube, us too." I can see it! Rainbow thought happily as Sugarcube Corner finally came into view. Strange, usually getting to any of her friend's houses had taken seconds, but getting here today felt like it took hours... oh well! She was finally going to make things right, with herself and Pinkie. She galloped into the bakery and looked around quickly for any sight of the lovable pink mare. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were standing in the kitchen, both frozen mid-frosting a couple of cupcakes. "Um, hi Mr. and Mrs. Cake, is Pinkie Pie here?" Rainbow asked, suddenly feeling very silly. "Hello Rainbow Dash," said Mr. Cake. "Yes, Pinkie is up in her room right now, I'll call her down, PINKIE PIE!" "Coming!" Pinkie called in her usual sing-song voice. Rainbow mentally sighed in relief. At least she's not upset. A sound of hoofsteps were heard, then the sound of things moving around, then a trumpet... then a elephant. Rainbow brought her hoof to her face in a mixture of emotions. "Dashie!" Shouted a familiar voice. Rainbow removed her hoof just in time to see Pinkie rush to give her another famous crushing hug, only this time, Rainbow did her best to return it. "Hey Pinkie," Rainbow said calmly to maintain her cool factor. Over Pinkie's head, Rainbow saw Mrs. Cake nudged Mr. Cake with her head with a look on her face that clearly said "That's our que to leave." Mr. Cake seemed to understand as he nodded and called over to them "We'll be upstairs tending to the foals if you need us, oh and don't forget about the customers!" That earned him an extra hard nudge as they trotted upstairs and she heard him say in a strained voice. "What did I say?!" Rainbow chuckled to herself and closed her eyes, wishing that this moment could last forever, until Pinkie suddenly withdrew from the hug, letting Rainbow fall to the ground in a crumpled heap. So much for maintaining cool factor. "Oh my gosh Rainbow, are you okay? Are your injuries still acting up from that nasty crash you had? Do you need Aunt Pinkie to kiss them and make them all better?" Pinkie rushed out of her mouth. At the last sentence, Rainbow jumped into the air in shock. "No I'm good, I was just surprised is all." "Oh, should we have a code word for when our hug's about to end? Something liiike, oh I got it! Kumquat! I love that word, it's so fun to say, say it with me! Ku-" "Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow interrupted as she didn't have her earplugs on her "Maybe some other time, right now I wanted to tell you something." "Oh, that sounds fun, let me try!" Pinkie said as she leaned in. This caught Rainbow off guard, did Pinkie truly have something to say? Thinking back on that moment, Rainbow should have expected it when Pinkie suddenly shouted "something!" Then fell on her back laughing. Rainbow was beginning to loose it. Pinkie was always hyperactive, but today it felt like she was actually trying, like she was trying to distract her somehow. Rainbow shook the thought from her mind and walked back up to Pinkie who was still laughing hysterically. "Did you see what I did there Dashie?" Pinkie asked in-between laughing fits. "Yes Pinkie, but seriously we need to talk." Pinkie immediately stopped laughing but retained the smile on her face as she flew into the air and landed on her hooves. "I'm all ears!" Rainbow took a deep breath. "Pinkie, for a while I- no that's no good. A long time ago I started- ugh! I- can't believe I can't put this into words!" "Dashie, please don't run out again," Pinkie begged with an extremely sad look on her face. Rainbow's heart dropped a thousand feet as she turned away from her sad friend. Great! Why do I always do these things to my friends?! Now what could she do? She messed up her confession, and now she couldn't run out again unless she wanted to truly ruin her friendship with Pinkie forever. Where were the others anyway? Rainbow felt like the world was ripping itself apart and she was at the center of it all. No! She had gone through too much to give up now! Besides, when had she ever given up on anything? It was time to knock on her heart's door to see what advice it had for her this time. She closed her eyes and searched for anything that could help her in this moment, until she found it again, the answer to end all answers! But it was risky... then again, when was the last time she had done something safe? "Rainbow Dash, you know you can share anything with me, I promise I won't- mmphf!" the rest was cut off by a set of lips firmly planted on her own. Pinkie tensed but gave in anyway. Whether it was the wrong decision or not, Rainbow's heart had never been more right in suggesting this. Pinkie unsurprisingly tasted like cupcake frosting, the sweetest frosting she'd ever tasted. Never had Rainbow ever felt better, this was worth everything she had gone through in the past few days and she didn't even care that this could have consequences, all that mattered was that their mouths were touching. "Thanks for leaving us in the dust Rainbow Daaaaa-" Twilight began but stopped as soon as she saw the scene playing out before her. Great! Now they showed up! Pinkie removed her lips from Rainbow's and took a deep breath. "Hey girls! What're you doing... here?" Pinkie slowed down as Rainbow tilted her head back towards her. "Pinkie Pie," Rainbow began "Ever since the incident at Wonderbolt Academy, I've been in love with you, and now you know so without saying some long sappy speech, Pinkie, will you be my... marefriend?" "D'awwww!" Cooed the rest of the gang altogether. Pinkie's face was relatively cheerful before, but after Rainbow finally confessed, Pinkie's face morphed into a smile and when Rainbow asked out, Pinkie's face broke out into one of the largest smiles Rainbow had ever seen. "Oh my gosh Dashie, that's when I started loving you! All this time, I was building up my courage to confess to you too! Of course I'll be your marefriend! A thousand time ye- mmmm!" Rainbow interrupted her again by a kiss, only this time, Pinkie returned the favor. "I KNEW IT!" Rarity shouted as loud as she could. Everypony stared at her with shocked looks on their faces, even Pinkie Pie. "Oh," Rarity muttered with a nervous expression. "Um, sorry." Author's Note Yay! Another happy ending! Well kind of, now I have to write the Epilogue so stay tuned for just a little longer, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Epilogue Epilogue The city of Cloudsdale was beautiful in the morning, because that was when the water shone especially bright, creating a masterpiece of colorful rays that shone everywhere for all to see. The cloud buildings looked nice too, as the morning sunlight brought out the brilliant white glow that hung over them. The city seemed to be busy this morning as the Pegasi were flying everywhere, each having somewhere to go. However, there were two Pegasi who were simply sitting in the middle of the city, calmly having a conversation. "Are you sure about this, Rainbow Dash?" Asked Cloudchaser. "Pretty sure," Rainbow repeated for the fifth time, when would this conversation end? "Because this seems kinda risky." "It'll be fine Cloudchaser." "You don't know that! What if it's a bad idea? What if it's a reaally bad idea? What if it's sooo bad that-" "CLOUDCHASER!" Rainbow interrupted. Cloudchaser's pale blue face turned crimson red. "Sorry." "Please just help me out and I promise that everything will be fine," Rainbow assured her. "Uhhh, if you say so, I'll go get it," said Cloudchaser as she rose into the air and flew deep into Cloudsdale. Rainbow swished her tail around while she waited for Cloudchaser. This was a good idea, and it was the right thing to do. Rainbow knew this from the bottom of her heart, and she knew by now to trust her heart no matter what. The only thing was, how would she take the news? No, Rainbow was doing this for her, surely she would be fine with it... hopefully. "I'm back," Cloudchaser said nervously as she flew back over to Rainbow Dash. "Took you long enough, where is it?" Rainbow asked anxiously. "Hold on, I got it right here," Cloudchaser took a box out of the saddlebags she had on and handed it over to Rainbow. Rainbow took the box with a confused expression. "What's this?" "I put it in a box to make sure it was safe." "What? I'm not that reckless! Okay, maybe I am, but I know this is important." "It's just a precaution Rainbow Dash, this is too important to risk!" "I guess, well, thanks anyway Cloudchaser, I'll see you around." Said Rainbow as she flew into the air without another word. "Bye!" Cloudchaser shouted "They make such a cute couple." Soaring through the sky again was amazing. It felt like forever since Rainbow had last been zipping carefree through the air, but now she felt as though she could do anything. Time to practice some tricks. Immediately after thinking it, Rainbow dive bombed towards the ground in a hurry to see if she could still perform her favorite trick. The clouds seemed to form around her as she tore through them, by now she could feel the sound barrier being pulled along with her. She finally burst through all the clouds, nothing but clear skies now as she soared straight to the ground. The shield of sound around her was being stretched as her speed increased. Her face was being pulled by the hands of wind. Almost there... BOOM!! In one colorful explosion, Rainbow Dash was propelled back into the air. Looking behind her, she saw that she still left behind a rainbow trail as she flew straight into the air. This truly was the best feeling in the world, after dealing with all the stress and confusion over the past few days, performing a sonic rainboom felt like becoming a princess. At that moment of ultimate speed, Rainbow felt like she could ascend forever... on second thought, she should just fly horizontally now, she didn't want a repeat of the other day. Still, it felt like she was forgetting something, something important. Oh no. She had forgotten all about stopping by Sugarcube Corner! If she could stop in midair right now she would, but it's kinda hard to stop when you're breaking the sound barrier. She had to slow down as she descended towards Sugarcube Corner. If it was one thing Rainbow hated, it was slowing down, but it seemed to be working as she could feel the sound barrier begin to realign with her. She could see Ponyville, and more importantly, her favorite bakery. The rainbow trail was beginning to fade, it looked like she was going to enter without busting through the door this time, however, she didn't factor in landing safely. Hayfeathers. She crashed headfirst into the ground, but somehow maintained consciousness this time. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing though as the pain was pretty bad. Looking up from her crash site, she could see that she landed directly in front Sugarcube Corner. Now if she could just shake off the pain, she would be good to go. Trotting forward slowly, she could tell that the pain wasn't nearly as bad as the butterflies in her stomach from what she was about to do. She opened the door gently, determined to enter politely for once. She had a feeling that at least the Cakes heard her landing, but when she opened the door, there was nopony in sight. "Um, hello?" Rainbow asked out loud. "Coming!" Responded a cheerful voice from upstairs. Rainbow's heart dropped from happiness as she took in the familiar voice she so loved. Once again, she heard a large collection of noises before her favorite pink pony finally trotted downstairs with her eyes closed, humming a little tune with a smile on her face. "Welcome to Sugarcu- Dashie!" Pinkie Pie shouted happily as soon as she opened her eyes. "Hey Pinkie," Rainbow said quickly as she launched herself forward and kissed Pinkie who was slightly taken aback but returned it with passion. Rainbow decided it was her turn to throw herself at Pinkie for a change, but it didn't hurt that she just really had an urge to kiss her. For the second time that day, Rainbow felt like she could stay there forever, but her need for air was interfering. "Happy one week anniversary Pinkie!" Rainbow said happily as she came up for air. "Oh! That's why I put cupcakes in the oven! Let me go see if they're done real quick," Said Pinkie as she trotted for the oven. Rainbow could tell from the burnt scent that immediately filled the air as soon as Pinkie opened the oven that the cupcakes were definitely done, a little too done. "They're a little burnt but they look better than the ones I baked this morning!" Pinkie shouted enthusiastically as she showed Rainbow two extremely burnt cupcakes in a pan. Upon further inspection, Rainbow could see that one cupcake was blue, and the other was pink. "I love them, thanks Pinkie," Rainbow assured her marefriend with a smile on her face. "You do? But you can't even eat them." "But you made them for me, us, so I love them." Pinkie considered this for a second. "Okie dokie lokie!" Rainbow's smile grew. "I actually have something for you too, but mine is... special." "Oooo, I love special things!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. Rainbow opened up her saddlebags and took out the box. At the sight of the box, Pinkie's eyes and smile grew to impossible sizes. "YES, YES, YES, a thousand times yes!" Pinkie screamed as loud as she could as soon as she saw the box. "Huh?" Rainbow questioned as she looked down, but soon realized her error. "What?! NO,nononono, I'm not proposing! I'M NOT PROPOSING PINKIE!" Pinkie stopped hopping in midair. "Oh, you're not?" "No, not yet at least." Rainbow whispered the last part to herself. "What was that?" "Nothing!" Rainbow denied immediately "Anyway, I wanted to give you something that would impact our future together, are you ready?" "Yups!" Rainbow opened the box and took out the small clear vial that resting safely under a lot of packing peanuts, she made a mental note to thank Cloudchaser later, the vial would never have survived the crash landing without the peanuts. Pinkie eyed the vial from every angle, even the air until she finally asked. "What is it?" "It's a potion that enables anypony to walk on clouds for as long they live, you drink it and then your system soaks it up and some other science stuff happens. If you drink this, we'll be able to go anywhere together, we could even live on Cloudsdale together!" Rainbow explained while giving Pinkie the vial. Pinkie took one look at the vial and immediately drank all of it's contents. Rainbow's mouth fell open, she didn't expect Pinkie to drink it so suddenly. Pinkie handed the empty vial back to her and released a loud burp. "Thanks Dashie! It kinda tasted funny though and not the good funny either." "Uh, that's cool Pinkie, but do you realize that you can walk on clouds now?" "Oh yeah! I heard that part! Now we can buy a house in Cloudsdale and live there forever and ever and ever and ever and-" "Whoa Pinkie!" Rainbow interrupted. "We're going to take things slow remember?" "Oh we are? Because I was going to invite you to spend the night tonight," Pinkie said cheerfully. Rainbow's wings flared open with a pomf. "Well, we don't have to go that slow you know." "Ooo goodie! I'll get the popcorn!" "I'll get the drinks," Rainbow replied with a warm smile. In that moment, Rainbow didn't care what happened next. It didn't matter if she still had a headache, it didn't matter that there was still a crater in front of the bakery and it didn't matter if her relationship meant that she may never be a Wonderbolt. Tonight, she was going to have a sleepover with the mare of her dreams and that was all that truly mattered. Fin. Author's Note Thanks for reading guys! I really appreciate your likes and comments and I hope you guys enjoyed this story! P.S. Sorry for trolling anyone who actually thought she was going to propose. :D Chapter One: Carousel Boutique"You want me to do what?" "Clear all the clouds in the sky." "Why do you want me to do that?" "Because cloudy mornings put frowns on the foal's faces." "But they're inside!" "Maybe they can just sense it, like my pinkie sense but for foals...foal sense." "Ugh, fine." With a final huff, Rainbow Dash flew straight up into the air, heading straight for the clouds above her. She was wondering how she was stuck actually doing her job when she had simply come over to Sugarcube Corner to hang with her friend Pinkie Pie. She had barely made it to the door when Pinkie had tackled her onto the doorstep, the usual greeting. Which brings to the present: kicking clouds. After Rainbow was done she flew done and landed softly in front of Pinkie. "There you go, Pinkie," Rainbow said triumphantly. "Done in about nine seconds flat, a new record!" " Thanks so much Dashie! I gotta go take care of the foals now so I'll just see you later, bye!" Without another word Pinkie Pie rushed back into the building. Rainbow just shrugged and flew off into the sky. "Hmm, I guess I'm free for the day now." With that thought fresh in her head she flew downwards towards the Carousel Boutique. Might as well see if Rarity needs anything. She landed softly (what's up with soft landings today?) in front of the Boutique and casually strolled inside. Right there in plain sight was Rarity working on another one of her dresses. This one was extra girly, Rainbow hoped she wouldn't need a model or else she might have Sonic Rainboom her way out of this mess. "Welcome to the Carousel Bout- oh it's just you Rainbow Dash, well make yourself comfortable darling, I'll be at this for a while." "Hey Rarity, I was just wondering if you needed somebody awesome to do something awesome," Rainbow said while doing what she thought to be an awesome pose but in reality looked like she ate too many hayfries. "Hmm, no I don't so if that's all you may be on your way." "Aww c'mon, I already helped out Pinkie today surely you need something too!" Rarity stopped working as soon as she heard the mention of Pinkie Pie's name. "Oh, you were hanging out with Pinkie today huh?" Rarity asked while rubbing her chin with her hoof. "As a matter of fact, I do require something, I want you to tell in detail what you were doing with Pinkie Pie." "Huh? All I did was clear the sky for the foals then I flew over to see what you were doing." "Is that it?" "Yup." "Are you sure?" "Pretty sure, why do you care anyway?" Rainbow asked suspiciously. "Oh nothing just curious is all." "But why are you curious?" "Ugh! I assure you Rainbow Dash I was just curious to what my two friends were doing, that's it." "It's a good thing you're not the Element of Honesty isn't it?" "Oh now you're calling me a liar are you?" "Yea I guess I am Rarity! I want to know what you thought we were up to right now." Rarity looked as if she were considering her options, though it was useless, she knew there was no escaping Rainbow Dash. "Alright!" Rarity announced over-dramatically as usual."I'll tell you but I don't want any negative reception to it." "Okay, I guess, I just wanna know." "Here it goes...I assumed you and Pinkie Pie were seeing each other, there I said it!" Rarity rushed out of her mouth. Rainbow's jaw hung open to impossible proportions. "Me and Pinkie Pie? Are you crazy?!" Rainbow blabbed out as she closed her jaw. "Well you two spend the most time together and you two have the most fun together and you two make the cutest couple, don't you agree?" Rarity realized her mistake as soon as she saw Rainbow's version of The Stare aimed at her. "Oh I guess you don't, hehe." "Rarity there is nothing going on between me and Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you that much, in fact I don't have a special somepony at all." "Oh Rainbow, I know you don't believe in mushy feelings but everypony feels The One sooner or later." Rarity said as she went back to work. Rainbow opened her mouth to reply but she closed it to think for a second. She had never thought that hard about the concept of romance before. She always thought that mushy stuff like that was weak and a waste of time, why spend the afternoon doing sappy stuff if you could be doing something actually productive right? "Look Rarity, I know all this mushy stuff is important to you but I don't see the point in it." "I wouldn't expect any less from you Rainbow Dash but surely you must understand the concept." "Yea, yea I get it, you meet somepony who means more to you than anypony else, lots of stupid cliche stuff happens and you end up married or something." "Oh Rainbow, it seems like you're a bit confused on the subject, you see, love is when somepony means more to you than anything, you're correct there, but it also means that you would do anything for that pony even if it means sacrificing your own happiness, do you understand now?" Rarity beamed. "Oh I understand." "Good, I hope now you-" "I understand that being with somepony means that you're forced to give up your dream, count me out!" Rainbow concluded as she rose into the air. "No, Rainbow, you still misunderstand!" "See you later, Rarity!" Without another word, Rainbow soared out of the Boutique; the wind from her exit ruffling Rarity's dress. "That Rainbow Dash doesn't have the slightest clue," Rarity mumbled to herself as she continued working. The door to the Boutique opened for the third time and in walked Applejack with a state of shock on her face. No doubt because of Rainbow's dramatic exit. "Welcome to- hello Applejack," Rarity said as she stitched up the still unfinished dress. "Hey Rarity, any reason why Ah just saw Rainbow Dash up and fly out of ya house?" Applejack asked as she sat down. "Yes there is actually, we were discussing something and she became heated so she left." "Left? More like sonic rainboomed her way out." "Yes well you know how she is when she's angry." "Is she angry at you?" "No, I think she's angry at herself actually, and one way or another she's going to realize it," Rarity concluded as she finished the final stitch.
Chapter Two: The Library"Stupid Rarity!" Rainbow Dash shouted to the wind as she ascended into the sky. "Just who does she think she is?! Lecturing me about all this stupid lovey-dovey blah!" In a burst of anger, Rainbow rose straight into the air to escape the residue of Rarity's nonsense in her head. All Rainbow asked was if Rarity needed help and in exchange she got lectured on her love life? What kind of deal was that? Rainbow continued to fly straight into the air. At this point she could fly straight into Celestia's sun, but she didn't care, anything to get rid of the words in her head. Perhaps she may like Pinkie Pie more than her other friends but that seemed like more of a sister-like relationship if anything. Why had Rarity misinterpreted that and forced into her head? Rainbow's speed was rising fast, really fast. The wind around her threatened to steal away her sight and hearing but she ignored the threats, she was going to go as far as possible. Rainbow's speed seemed to be rising impossibly fast at this point, she may be able to pull off a completely vertical sonic rainboom at this point. The wind was threatened her wings now. Her speed was beginning to decrease. No! She was so close to breaking her limit! The wind was serious at this point, it wasn't going to let her get away with this. The hard wing seemed to form a shell around her, effectively shutting off her oxygen and forcing her wings to... retract. "No!" Rainbow forced the word out of her previously locked off throat. The wind now seemed to form a giant palm to push her towards the ground. How could she be so stupid? She attempted to unroll her wings and save her life but it was no use, something was forcing her to free fall smack into Ponyville. A hundred thoughts were floating around her head at this moment. Why did she doom herself like that? Why hadn't she realized that no pegasus could fly that high? Why was she so stupid? Even the question that had forced her into this situation had brought itself to the surface of her brain: what did she really think about her relationship with Pinkie Pie? Suddenly it felt like she stopped falling, leaped out of her body, and started falling again. The question was just that painful. She couldn't bring herself to answer that so suddenly so she brought her mind back to the present. Now, how was she going to get out of this situation? She could begin to see Ponyville below her and that. Wasn't. Good. Rainbow focused on the most important part: her wings seemed to be malfunctioning. It seemed to be at the point where she couldn't even feel her wings. Weird. "Oh it's hopeless, I'm doomed," Rainbow sadly thought out loud. Rainbow closed her eyes and prepared for the inevitable to happen when suddenly she was enveloped in a bright magenta glow. "Huh?" Rainbow opened her eyes and looked down at her soon to be crash site. The Library. Figures. The glow attempted to stop her fall, but apparently failed as not even a second later, she crashed into the giant tree that belonged to her friend. The crash was incredibly painful, splintered wood went everywhere as she fell through it. About ten explosive crashes later she finally fell onto solid flooring. "Ahhh! Oh, hello Rainbow Dash, are you okay?" asked Twilight Sparkle who was luckily away from the final crash site. Rainbow forced her eyes open long enough to see her purple colored friend. "Hay Twiliiiiil-" Was all Rainbow managed before she became unconscious. "Rainbow! Rainbow! Rainbow Dash! Oh you're finally awake. Twilight, she's awake!" Spike the baby dragon yelled upstairs. "Oh thank goodness! I'll be right there!" Twilight responded from above. "Spike? What happened?" Rainbow asked slowly as she sat up on the bed she awoke on. "You tell us Rainbow, you're the one that crashed into our house," Spike said as he swept up the debris from the crash. "How long was I out?" "All day Rainbow, longest day of our lives. Well, relatively speaking," Twilight announced as she trotted downstairs. "All day?! How hard did I- did you say 'our' lives?" Rainbow questioned. "Yes, everyone in Ponyville saw that crash and all the girls came over to see if you were ok. Heck, Pinkie practically teleported over," Twilight answered. Rainbow let out a very audible gasp. Pinkie Pie had seen her like this? "What's wrong Rainbow, are your injuries acting up?" "No, no, it's... nothing," Rainbow replied as she reached up to touch her forehead only to find bandages. "Are you sure it's nothing because I was talking to Rarity aaand-" "What did she tell you?" Rainbow asked suspiciously. "To save time, everything," Twilight answered with a stern look on her face. "Listen Twilight, I don't really want to talk about it right now." "Yeah? Well you're going to talk, or at least you're going to tell why you crash-landed into my house," Twilight demanded. "Geez Twi, when did you become so assertive?" asked a slightly impressed Rainbow Dash. "Thanks for noticing, hehe, but to honest, it's more Applejack asking," replied Twilight as she blushed. "Aw buck! Applejack knows too? What about Fluttershy?" "She didn't stay that long, had injured animals to take care, the usual. I don't think she knows, but you can tell her yourself tomorrow." "What?" "Well, everyone else knows and who better to tell her? Plus, maybe she can help you sort out your feelings." "Hold on, who said I even have feelings to figure out?" "The hole in the roof," Spike mumbled from across the room. "Spike! Well actually, you never did explain that one," Twilight wondered aloud. "Fine! I flew a little too high, okay?!" Rainbow practically shouted. "Ohhh, that explains...well everything," Twilight concluded. "Even if I do have some mushy stuff locked up, I can figure it out on my own!" Rainbow huffed. "I think that crash messed up your brain because last time you tried to handle something by yourself, we all fell out of Cloudsdale before we even landed," Twilight chuckled. "Hey! That's not fair, it was all Lightning...Dust's...fault." Rainbow slowed her speech as she uttered the last few words. "What?" "Remember when PInkie hugged me like the world was ending? That must be when these stupid thoughts started emerging and Rarity just brought them to the surface! Yes! I knew I could figure this out on my own," she shouted triumphantly as she flew into the open air and immediately landed in Spike's dust pile. "Aww c'mon!" Spike coughed. "Hehe, sorry Spike." "First off Rainbow, I was the one who mentioned that incident in the first place so you still needed help. Second, you still can't fly for a while so lie back down before you prove your nickname of 'Rainbow Crash' to be correct. Third, you may know when the feelings started but you still don't know what to do with them," Twilight said. Rainbow opened her mouth to reply, but once again, she was proven to be beaten at her own game. "Why don't you spend the night here and please talk with Fluttershy tomorrow," Twilight suggested. "Ugh! Fine! By the way, how'd you slow down my little fall if you didn't I was falling in the first place?" Rainbow asked as she trotted back to bed. "Magic barrier. It slows fast objects in case of attack." "Why not just a solid force field?" "Hey, if it was solid, you'd be Rainbow Soup." For the third time, Rainbow Dash had no response. Author's Note How messed up is Rainbow's head? Hard strong are these formerly secret feelings? Why didn't Rainbow's wings work? (Hint, it wasn't the wind.) When shall these questions be answered? Stay tuned!
Chapter Three: The Cottage"Morning Twilight!" Rainbow Dash practically screeched into her friend's ear. "Ahhh! Rainbow Dash!" Twilight Sparkle screamed in surprise as she sat straight up in her bed. "You're still here?!" "Yup I'm here to make your morning about 20-" "Please don't start, Rainbow." "Hehe, sorry. Anyway, I'm going to help you fix up the hole in your roof-" "The hole you put in my roof?" "Sure, that one." "That's alright, Rainbow. Spike and I can handle it, you should head over to Fluttershy's before it gets too late," said Twilight as she rose from her bed. "Uh, Twilight? It's morning. Plus you know I could zoom over there at the last second," announced Rainbow as she spread her wings proudly. "Actually you may have forgotten that you still can't fly and galloping over there could reopen your wounds," Twilight reasoned as she fixed her bed sheet. "What? I have to able to fly by now!" Rainbow shouted as she attempted to flap her wings and fly. "Ugh, uggh, ugggh! Why won't this work?!" "Rainbow, it's not because of your injuries, I realized that you're preventing yourself from doing what you love." "In english?" "Seriously? Look, your confused feelings about what you want are preventing your body from using your wings effectively." Rainbow continued to a have confused look on her face. Twilight shoved her hoof into her face. "You love Pinkie? You can fly. You don't love Pinkie? You can fly. No in-between." "Ohhh. Oh," Rainbow repeated sadly. She couldn't fly until she realized her true feelings? Even thinking that sentence made her want to throw up. She's doomed. "Huh, well I guess I should get going then, see ya later Twilight," Rainbow said halfheartedly as she calmly walked out the door. "Bye Rainbow Dash, I hope you find what you're looking for," Twilight said as Rainbow closed the door. Rainbow started walking in the direction she hoped Fluttershy's Cottage was in. but she was too confused by herself to check to see if she was going the right way. She had to at least get the basics of her situation down so she can better explain to Fluttershy. She... Pinkie... lovey... mushy. She didn't even know where to start, it was all too confusing. How was she this confused over something so trivial? Does she or doesn't she love Pinkie Pie? Somehow it was a lot more complicated than that. She tried to think back to that moment when it all started when- "DASHIE!" screamed a familiar voice from behind. Oh no, please not now. Rainbow slowly turned around only to be tackled by a big glob of pink. "Ow! Get off Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow struggled to get out as she was pulled into a crushing bear-hug from Pinkie. "Oh Dashie! I was looking up at the sky when I saw a long and I mean LONG rainbow falling from the sky, but then I thought 'silly Pinkie. Rainbows don't fall from the sky!' But this one did! And it landed inside of Twilight's Library! I galloped over to see if I could help fight off this nasty Rainbow when I saw you asleep on the ground! Twilight told me that you just fell out of nowhere so I helped put you into bed and put bandages on you and before I knew it, everypony else was there and Twilight explained what happened again and then Rarity whispered something into Twilight's ear and asked me to leave but I didn't wanna leave you so Rarity levitated me into Sugarcube Corner allll the way from the Library and I thought that was funny so I just went to bed, the end!" Pinkie said in one breath. "That's cool and all Pinkie, but can you let me go now?" Rainbow begged as she began losing consciousness. "Oh, sorry Dashie," Pinkie said happily as she released Rainbow. As Rainbow straightened herself out she noticed that she was blushing. She turned away quickly to prevent Pinkie from noticing. "Where are you going anyway? At least I think you're going somewhere, are you going somewhere? Ooo, can I come with?" Pinkie inquired. "No!" Rainbow shouted as she turned around. Pinkie's happy expression shifted into that of her sad one. Rainbow felt like she'd just been hit in the stomach. Way to go, Rainbow. "I mean, I'm going on a secret mission, one that no one but me can do, because you know, I'm the most awesome pony in all of Equestria. So you get it?" Rainbow explained. "Hmm, got it!" Pinkie replied happily. "Good, I'll just be on my way, see you later Pinkie," Rainbow had the sudden urge to end that sentence with I love you. She panicked and placed a hoof over her muzzle to prevent those words from escaping. "Bye Dashie!" Pinkie said as he went trotting in the opposite direction. Rainbow turned and returned to trotting to Fluttershy's Cottage with new thoughts beating heavily on the inside of her head. At least now she knew she wouldn't be able to simply decide that she didn't love Pinkie at all anymore, but was that such a good thing? More importantly, why was she just now beginning to act weird around Pinkie? That had never happened before. What did her brain or wherever she was getting this feelings see in Pinkie anyway? Why couldn't it have been any other mare? She decided to shelve these thoughts so she could better discuss them with Fluttershy, whose Cottage was now in sight. She realized she had a weird feeling in her wings so she craned her head to get a better look at them and immediately regretted looking. Oh no. She thought once again. Rainbow groaned and shoved her head into the ground, unable to accept the fact that her wings were standing perfectly upright on her back. Seriously?! A-a-a wingboner?! Rainbow couldn't believe that a siimple hug from Pinkie Pie had done this to her. In fact, now that she knew what this feeling was, she could remember feeling something similar to this when...she...was...falling. Rainbow Dash could just explode from a rush of emotions. Was this the reason she fell? Because thinking about Pinkie too much had-had-had, she couldn't even complete that thought. She collapsed on the ground in front of her from the shock of this new revelation when suddenly she heard a soft and familiar voice. "Oh, that is you Rainbow Dash, but what are you doing laying here on the ground with your wings spread out like that?" Fluttershy asked innocently as she trotted over to where Rainbow was laying. "Hey Fluttershy, I was just coming to see you actually, and don't worry about my wings...seriously though, don't even mention them right now," Rainbow insisted as she trotted into Fluttershy's Cottage. "Oh, well come right in Rainbow, but be careful, I was tending to my new bird friends and they're not quite housebroken yet." "Trust me, that's the least of my worries right now," Rainbow said as she looked around. Rainbow looked around for any sign of the "leaky" birds but saw none so she attempted to take a seat on the couch only to be violently thrown onto the ground. "Ow! What's the big idea?! Huh?" looking back at the red couch she saw Fluttershy's pet Angel Bunny shaking his fist at her. "Oh, um, I'm sorry Rainbow, but Angel likes having the couch to himself most of the time, I hope you understand," Fluttershy announced as she flew inside and hovered over the couch. "Most of the time? More like 24/7!" Rainbow shouted more at Angel that at Fluttershy. Angel said something in bunny language that Rainbow couldn't understand but Fluttershy understood just fine. "Angel! Rainbow didn't mean it so please just be nice okay?" Fluttershy begged. Angel began to say what Rainbow assumed to be more mean things, but simply closed his mouth and turned around. "Thank you Angel, now um, what did you need Rainbow? Oh, if you don't mind me asking," Fluttershy half asked, half apologized. Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, steeled herself and told her equally feathered friend all about her current predicament, including the conversation she just had with Pinkie before she came to the Cottage. At the end of Rainbow's long tale, Fluttershy wore a worried expression on her face. (Well, more worried than usual.) "Oh goodness, this is quite a doozy, hmm," Fluttershy said as she started thinking. "And now I'm more confused than ever with the fact that I actually do have some feelings for Pinkie. Ugh!" Rainbow groaned. "It sounds like you're awfully confused with all of this-" "Clearly!" Rainbow interrupted. "So I suggest you start by actually listening to what your feelings have to say, in other words, listen to your heart." "My heart? Doesn't emotion come from the brain?" "Well, yes, but it's traditional to say that you can sense how you feel about someone by listening to what your heart has to say about them." "Oh, that, I just use my instinct to find out how I feel about someone, it's pretty much always correct." "Excuse for saying so Rainbow, but your instinct hasn't always been the best guide in the past, I wouldn't suggest using it for something like this." "Hey, it makes more sense than using my heart, right?" "Um, I suppose, but-" "Then it's settled! I'll go with my gut and totally wing it with Pinkie, I'm sure everything will be fine." "Well, I can see you're determined, so I won't stop you, but please just remember what I told you, okay?" Fluttershy asked. "Sure, sure, now if you'll excuse me, I got a particular pink pony to find, later Fluttershy!" Rainbow called out as she galloped out the door. "That's not all you have to find, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy mumbled to herself. As soon as she left The Cottage, Rainbow made a beeline to Sugarcube Corner, hoping to find Pinkie there, practically waiting for her answer. Finally, she would be able to settle all this nonsense going through her head, finally, she would have an answer to her problems, finally, things could go back to the ways they used to be. Rainbow finally reached Sugarcube Corner and began to slowdown to a trot. "Pinkie? Are you here?" Rainbow asked as she trotted inside the baked goods filled store. She didn't need to call out though, because Pinkie Pie was standing in the kitchen eating a pink cupcake with rainbow sprinkles. As soon as she heard/saw Rainbow Dash, she smiled immensely and swallowed the entire cupcake whole. "Hi Dashie! Are you back from your mission? Well, obviously, you because you're standing right here, but what I mean is: did your mission go well? Oh, that answer is also obvious, did you-" "Let me stop you right there Pinkie," Rainbow announced as she plugged Pinkie's muzzle with her hoof. "I kinda have something to say." Pinkie Pie's eyes blinked with anticipation. Alright gut, do your thing. Rainbow mentally explored her gut for something to say, she left no stone unturned, ready to release everything in one statement that explained how she felt. Except... she didn't find anything. How could this be? Her gut always told her something about the pony in question, or dragon, or zebra, or changeling, the list went on but the point was that it seemed like her gut couldn't tell her anything out of the ordinary about Pinkie. Rainbow's entire body relaxed as she released her plug on Pinkie's stream of words, but instead, all that came out of Pinkie's mouth was a sincere question: "Um, wasn't there something you wanted to ask me Dashie?" Hearing her famous nickname in a moment like this seemed to finalize Rainbow's thoughts. "I-I-I don't know!" Rainbow cried out as she galloped full speed out of Sugarcube Corner, going wherever her legs wanted to take her broken soul. Author's Note Hope you guys liked this chapter! I also hope you didn't notice how little of the chapter actually takes place at Fluttershy's Cottage, hehe.
Chapter Four: Sweet Apple AcresRainbow Dash had never realized how much she took her wings for granted in that moment, as she galloped endlessly in a straight line headed for who knows where. Her head pointed at the ground, she galloped and galloped without any care for anything. She was just trying to escape the horror she'd been through, and what better way than by running away from it? How could I have been that stupid? She thought to herself. How could I honesty believe that if I just went with the flow, everything would be fine? Thinking back on her plan, she realized there had been some big and obvious flaws in it. Then again, no plan is perfect right? Well, you would have to have an actual plan for it to be flawed anyway. Clearly, her "plan" was no plan at all, just a failed attempt at solving her problem. She couldn't see how she could face Pinkie Pie again after that catastrophe of a confession. She still didn't even know what she was trying to confess in the first place! It frustrated her to no end that she was still confused! She listened to all her to all of the advice her friends had given her, well, mostly listened, and still had no clue what to do. Rainbow looked up every once and a while to make sure she wasn't completely lost, not that she cared much at the moment. Still, it felt as if she was missing something, a very important something that could help her solve this, all of this. Rainbow searched her mind for any clue of this mysterious something, even closing her eyes to concentrate... which seemed like a bad idea three seconds later when she ran headfirst into something. "Ow! For the love of Celestia, why can't I go a day without crashing into som- Oh no," Rainbow grumbled as she looked up to see what she had hit this time. An apple tree, in front of another apple tree, next to another apple tree. Oh, c'mon!" Rainbow thought as she turned around slowly in a circle. She knew this place well, too well in fact. It was a a place that wasn't filled with bad memories, actually really good ones, but she didn't want to be here right now, not in- Sweet Apple Acres. Home to her friend who was the (second) loyalest of friends and most dependable of ponies. She didn't want to see this friend right now, she didn't want to see any of her friends right now! However, as soon as she turned around to gallop out of there in a hurry, she heard the oh so familiar southern drawl speaking to her. "Rainbow Dash, how nice of y'all ta drop on by," Applejack addressed her friend as she trotted over to her, balancing two empty buckets on her back. Rainbow dropped to the ground below her and wrapped her wings around herself; she didn't feel like talking right now. "Why are y'all here anyway? Shouldn't you be unconscious or off being mad at Rarity and yourself for somthin'?" Applejack asked as she bucked the trees around her to get the apples into the buckets. Rainbow unwrapped herself, Applejack wasn't updated to the recent events. Ugh, I might as well. "Yea well, a lot happened between now and then," Rainbow explained as she drew something in the ground with her hoof. "Yea? Well I'm all ears," Applejack retorted as she moved to the next tree. From there, Rainbow explained everything that had happened between now and then much in the same way she had told Fluttershy. Applejack continued to work but she was definitely listening carefully. When she was done explaining her long tale, Applejack finally looked up from her work. "Well?" "Well what?" Rainbow asked confused. "What are you gonna do about this?" Applejack answered. "I don't know! First I have to find out what I did wrong and then I'll figure out the rest." Applejack was suddenly in front of Rainbow. Rainbow jumped backwards in surprise. "No Rainbow! That kind Ah plan is what got you in this here situation in tha first place. Look, you have to figure things out before you try somethin' stupid again," Applejack frowned. "You don't think I tried that already?!" Rainbow responsed. "I just can't! It's too hard!" "If you want to be with Pinkie or if you don't want to be with Pinkie then-" "Stop!" Rainbow commanded as she closed her eyes and covered her ears. Applejack stopped and stared at Rainbow with a dumbfounded expression. Rainbow made sure she wouldn't start again before opening one eye, then both eyes and uncovered her ears. "Just stop, I've heard it all before and it feels like the more I hear it, the more confused I become," Rainbow uttered, feeling defeated. Applejack considered this for a second, then she smiled. "Well then sugarcube, you should try explainin' what's so darn confusing for you," Applejack requested. Rainbow looked down at her hoofs, had she ever really explained what she was worried about? Rainbow took a deep breath and looked at Applejack. "Okay, first off, I don't know if I love her in the first place but I'm sure I at least like her a little, which is scary. Second, what if I like her and she doesn't like me back? I don't do rejection! Lastly, what if being in love means I have to give up being a Wonderbolt?" Rainbow explained, feeling even more defeated. Applejack's eyes widened. "Well, clearly you have feelings for her, now you gotta accept those feelings, as for The Wonderbolts, why do you think you gotta give up on that?" "How am I going to pursue my dream if I'm settled down?" Rainbow reasoned. "Look RD, Ah think you already know that Pinkie Pie would follow you anywhere, literally, so I don't think you have to worry about settling down." "But what if I do? Pinkie can't even walk on a cloud without a spell, and she lives at Sugarcube Corner! If we get together, I can't allow us to break apart." Applejack set down the buckets practically overflowing with red apples near the side of the barn and trotted back over to where Rainbow was and promptly slapped Rainbow with her hoof. "What was that for?!" Rainbow demanded to know as she leaped up. "Rainbow Dash, you've taken on Nightmare Moon, Discord, Changelings, helped an entire empire and performed the sonic rainboom twice." "Yea, I'm really awesome, what's your point?" Rainbow interrupted. Applejack snorted. "You've done all these amazing things and you're still not a Wonderbolt, heck you should be runnin' those jerks by now. Plus when you did those things, Pinkie was right there, by your side." "What's your point?" "Mah point is that you've already been through the worse, and when you did it, Pinkie was right there with you. Meanwhile, The Wonderbolts just watched you endure it all and still haven't accepted you. Maybe The Wonderbolts aren't worth it, but Pinkie is." Rainbow Dash considered this for a second. It was true that The Wonderbolts didn't seem to care all that much, but Pinkie clearly did. "Ugh, but I already tried listening to the truth, and it didn't tell me anything!" Rainbow protested. "What you listened to was your gut, and it obviously doesn't do romantic advice. What you really need to listen to is your heart, I'm sure Fluttershy told you that," Applejack insisted. "Yea, I already heard all of that nonsense before, I still don't understand it." "Rainbow, you heard your gut and it didn't tell you anything so now you have to at least listen to what your heart has to say." "Even if I wanted to act on what my heart has to say...I don't even think I know where to start." "So your saying you don't know where your heart is?" "I guess." "Then find it." Rainbow's eyes flew open. Of course! That was the reason she couldn't fly: her heart wasn't letting her to. Okay that was totally unrelated to what Applejack just said, but the point was that now she knew, she truly knew what to do. "AJ?" "Yeah RD?" "Gather everypony at Dead Pony's Cliff in an hour." "D-D-Dead Pony's Cliff? Rainbow what in the hay are you planning?" "If I told you you wouldn't let me go through with it, and this is something I need to do so please do what I say. Oh, and everypony doesn't mean Pinkie," Rainbow clarified. "Uh, alright Ah guess, but this better not be somethin' stupid and dangerous," Applejack insisted as she trotted over to the barn. "Hey, I'm all about stupid and dangerous," Rainbow shouted back as she trotted into the distance. Here it is, Dead Pony's Cliff. Rainbow thought to herself as she trotted over to the edge of the appropriately named cliff and looked down. Just as she thought: it was a looong way down, she couldn't even see the bottom... if it existed. No one was allowed to come out to the cliff on account of the fact that the cliff was known as one of the most dangerous spots in all of Equestria. The princesses were attempting to make the cliff less dangerous in case any foal accidentally stumbled across it. Of course it was as useless as purging the Everfree forest of evil. Since then it was simply littered with warning signs. As she finished her thought, she heard a stampede of hoofs behind her, she smiled and turned around to come face-to-face with Twilight, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. "Hey guys, what took you so long?" Rainbow teased. "Rainbow we want to know what you're up to and why you gathered us at the most dangerous spot in Equestria!" Twilight shouted. "Oh, I guess I should explain that huh? Basically, in order to find my heart, I'm gonna dive in this cliff, and if I fly out, I found it, if I don't, it was fun knowing you guys," Rainbow explained. As soon as she was done explaining, all of their mouths were hanging open. "Ever hear the expression 'catching flies in your mouth' guys?" Rainbow joked again. "Rainbow Dash, that's crazy and dangerous!" Rarity shouted. "Funny, Applejack said it was stupid and dangerous," Rainbow said. "Ah did and Ah'm sticking by it, this is insane!" Applejack insisted. "I have to do it, this is the only way I'll know for sure," Rainbow countered. "Oh my goodness, please don't do this Rainbow," Fluttershy begged. "Sorry Fluttershy, I'm just following your advice in my own way is all," Rainbow persisted. "Are you sure about this?" Twilight asked. "...yes" Rainbow answered. "Then we're with you all the way, right girls?" Twilight gathered. "...yeah!" Applejack started. "Yes!" Rarity continued. "Oh, yes," Fluttershy squeaked. "Thanks everypony, well I'm not one for sappy endings so I better-" Rainbow started to say before she was pulled into a group hug by the others. It actually felt pretty nice as usual, however there was something missing. It wasn't long before she realized it was Pinkie Pie. "Oh and do me a favor," Rainbow said as she broke out of the hug. "If I don't make it and you see Pinkie Pie, tell her... tell her I'm sorry." "It doesn't matter, you're going to make it," Twilight assured her. Having nothing to say to her friend's trust in her, Rainbow smiled and turned to face the milestone in her life, or rather milecliff in her life. She knew this was what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. This was the only way to truly find her heart, it was the best way. She really hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake, there was a chance she wouldn't discover what she wanted and she would plummet into the abyss, but that was a chance she had to take, for her and Pinkie's future. Closing her eyes, she ran to the very edge of the cliff and leaped off. It felt like she was frozen in time, doomed to never fall into the endless pit that she so desperately wanted to explore. Her wings clung to her as if glued there, frozen in time along with the rest of her. Then she started falling. She opened one eye to confirm her suspicions that she was finally falling and she was correct. All she saw was the eternal darkness as she obeyed gravity's command. She tried to scream but it was lost in the rushing winds. Okay, time to find this heart of mine. She thought as she attempted to steady herself in midair. She focused on herself, thinking on all of her traits, all of her various experiences, trying to find a link to her heart in there somewhere. Nothing at first so she decided to focus on the few sappy memories she had, starting with when she first got Tank. That day she had focused on what was cool instead of what really mattered, but that all changed when she abandoned by every pet except for Tank. When they arrived at the finish line, she had been shocked to find that she wanted Tank instead of the much cooler falcon. That must of been the first time I used my heart instead of my brain! She thought as she realized she was making progress. She opened her eyes again to see if she could see the ground yet... and immediately regretted it. As soon as her eyes were open, she realized that she couldn't see the ground but she also couldn't see the sky. Her heart (ironically) was beating extremely fast as she continued searching her memory banks. Once again, she found something she could use. The time she saved Scootaloo from falling (again ironic) to her doom. She chose to comfort the little filly by telling her that she used to share her fears before she got over it. That time she did what her heart told her to do instead of remaining cool and she gained a little sister in the process. Yes! I'm almost there, just one more memory. She thought as she searched furiously for one last memory, one last thing to show her the way. She dug deep in her memory banks for something to hold on too and take off with but it seemed to be useless... until. She found it, the memory she needed in that moment, the memory she should have chosen in the first place. Back at Wonderbolt Academy, she was at the top of her game, she was winning, she was proving that she had what it took to be a Wonderbolt. But then... she saw them. Her friends falling to their possible doom, it was too much to handle so without another thought, she gave up everything and flew as fast as she could to save the day and more importantly her friends. All she could think of in that moment was the safety of those important to her instead of the safety of her eternal dream. After making sure her friends would be launched back to safety, she flew back up there to make sure they were absolutely okay and was thrilled to find that there, especially Pinkie Pie who she checked out personally. Pinkie Pie, who hugged her with all her might, Pinkie Pie, who in that moment looked like the most beautiful creation in all of Equestria. She was brought back to reality with a fluff sound that she barely heard, or rather felt over the wind. She looked at her wings to see that once again, they were standing straight all on their own. Ugh, this again. Rainbow thought. Suddenly she noticed her mind was trying to demand her wings to allow her to fly again. Stupid brain, haven't you done... enough? Rainbow attempted to think but stopped when she noticed it was actually working this time. She was beginning to slow her descent to the ground as she took over for her brain, she was doing it, she was flying! This may have been the happiest moment in Rainbow's life, not only because she was finally doing what she loved again, but because she finally discovered the path to her heart. Finally after all this confusion she really understood her feelings and what she really wanted in life... now it was time to act on those feelings. "Can you see her yet?" Applejack asked, nervously looking over the edge of the cliff. "Patience Applejack, she'll be along," Rarity assured her even though she was freaking out inside. "Oh my goodness, maybe I should fly down there and see if I can see her," Fluttershy offered as she shook uncontrollably. "No, you would never catch her in time at the speed she was falling," Twilight replied as she trotted in a circle. The small group began to openly bicker at that point, so wrapped up in their arguments that they didn't notice the rainbow streak shoot straight into the air, do a triple loop de loop and land right in front of them. "Ta da!" Rainbow announced as she spread her wings proudly, but was instantly disappointed when she noticed that her friends weren't even paying attention to her. "Hello? Guys! Guys! GUYS!" Rainbow shouted with all her might. At that they all simultaneously turned to face their friend and immediately brought her into another group hug. "Rainbow! Does this mean that you found your heart?" Twilight asked they all released each other. "Way to ask an obvious question, egghead, of course I did! Was there ever really doubt?" Rainbow bragged as she spread her wings again. Twilight rolled her eyes, but was secretly happy that her friend was back to her old self "Now what?" Twilight asked. Rainbow suddenly put a determined look on her face "Now... we march to Sugarcube Corner." Author's Note Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter it all comes to a conclusion, Rainbow's feelings versus Pinkie's... Pie.
Chapter Five: Sugarcube Corner"Wait up Rainbow Dash!" Twilight shouted as she and the rest of their friends attempted to keep up with Rainbow as she flew ahead of them making a beeline to Ponyville and more importantly, Sugarcube Corner. "I can't! I'm worried Pinkie still hasn't forgiven me for rushing out of there like that," Rainbow shouted back as she continued flying forward. "Don't worry sugarcube, before I gathered everypony, Ah told her to stay inside until we got back," Applejack assured her feathered friend. "Well that explains why she didn't somehow find us at the cliff but how does that reassure me that she isn't mad at me?" Rainbow asked, sounding worried. "Oh that, she's Pinkie Pie, she's not gonna stay mad once we charge in there," Applejack reasoned. "I guess you're right but what if-" "Just stop thinking about it until we get there Rainbow Dash," Rarity flashed a smile. Rainbow decided to partly take her advice and stop talking about it out loud but she was still very much thinking about it in her head. What if instead of angry, Pinkie was sad? Not just sad, but flat mane sad? She wouldn't be able to take that! She attempted to shake that thought out of her head but it was if it made of rubber because it bounced right back into her thoughts. Okay, now this is getting annoying. Rainbow thought as she continued to try to get the horrible thoughts out of her head, but the more she tried the stronger they became. What if she's mad? What if she's sad? What if she doesn't want to talk? Or even the one thought that Rainbow hadn't even considered until now, for she had finally figured out her feelings, but what if Pinkie didn't know what her feelings were? If she told Pinkie she liked her and Pinkie didn't feel the same, that would lead to horrifying results. The same if she told Pinkie she didn't like and Pinkie did feel that way. She was beginning to feel confused all over again. No! That's no way to think after all she just went through! She was going to say what was on her heart, and Pinkie was going to listen...hopefully. "Please Rainbow, slow down!" Twilight practically screamed. "Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just...lost in thought, you know?" Said Rainbow as she finally slowed down. "You honesty have nothing to worry about, Rainbow Dash, I assure you everything will be fine," Rarity glowed. "I sure hope so, because you're the one who got me in this situation in the first place," Rainbow reminded her as she flew in closer to the group. "Don't worry, Rainbow, everything will work out for the best," Fluttershy reassured her. "I just hope I really know what to say," Rainbow said more to herself than her friends. "Ah hope so too, look!" Applejack gestured with her nose straight ahead of them where their home Ponyville was now visible. "Here goes nothing," Rainbow sighed as she landed on the ground and promptly trotted in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. Her trot soon turned into a gallop and once again, she was leaving her friends in the dirt. "Rainb- oh forget it!" Twilight said after attempting to keep up with Rainbow for the fifth time. "Let's just go at our own pace, we'll catch up," Applejack assured Twilight as she trotted up next to her. "Okay," Twilight responded "She could use the extra time anyway. I really hope she has it right this time." "Us too sugarcube, us too." I can see it! Rainbow thought happily as Sugarcube Corner finally came into view. Strange, usually getting to any of her friend's houses had taken seconds, but getting here today felt like it took hours... oh well! She was finally going to make things right, with herself and Pinkie. She galloped into the bakery and looked around quickly for any sight of the lovable pink mare. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were standing in the kitchen, both frozen mid-frosting a couple of cupcakes. "Um, hi Mr. and Mrs. Cake, is Pinkie Pie here?" Rainbow asked, suddenly feeling very silly. "Hello Rainbow Dash," said Mr. Cake. "Yes, Pinkie is up in her room right now, I'll call her down, PINKIE PIE!" "Coming!" Pinkie called in her usual sing-song voice. Rainbow mentally sighed in relief. At least she's not upset. A sound of hoofsteps were heard, then the sound of things moving around, then a trumpet... then a elephant. Rainbow brought her hoof to her face in a mixture of emotions. "Dashie!" Shouted a familiar voice. Rainbow removed her hoof just in time to see Pinkie rush to give her another famous crushing hug, only this time, Rainbow did her best to return it. "Hey Pinkie," Rainbow said calmly to maintain her cool factor. Over Pinkie's head, Rainbow saw Mrs. Cake nudged Mr. Cake with her head with a look on her face that clearly said "That's our que to leave." Mr. Cake seemed to understand as he nodded and called over to them "We'll be upstairs tending to the foals if you need us, oh and don't forget about the customers!" That earned him an extra hard nudge as they trotted upstairs and she heard him say in a strained voice. "What did I say?!" Rainbow chuckled to herself and closed her eyes, wishing that this moment could last forever, until Pinkie suddenly withdrew from the hug, letting Rainbow fall to the ground in a crumpled heap. So much for maintaining cool factor. "Oh my gosh Rainbow, are you okay? Are your injuries still acting up from that nasty crash you had? Do you need Aunt Pinkie to kiss them and make them all better?" Pinkie rushed out of her mouth. At the last sentence, Rainbow jumped into the air in shock. "No I'm good, I was just surprised is all." "Oh, should we have a code word for when our hug's about to end? Something liiike, oh I got it! Kumquat! I love that word, it's so fun to say, say it with me! Ku-" "Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow interrupted as she didn't have her earplugs on her "Maybe some other time, right now I wanted to tell you something." "Oh, that sounds fun, let me try!" Pinkie said as she leaned in. This caught Rainbow off guard, did Pinkie truly have something to say? Thinking back on that moment, Rainbow should have expected it when Pinkie suddenly shouted "something!" Then fell on her back laughing. Rainbow was beginning to loose it. Pinkie was always hyperactive, but today it felt like she was actually trying, like she was trying to distract her somehow. Rainbow shook the thought from her mind and walked back up to Pinkie who was still laughing hysterically. "Did you see what I did there Dashie?" Pinkie asked in-between laughing fits. "Yes Pinkie, but seriously we need to talk." Pinkie immediately stopped laughing but retained the smile on her face as she flew into the air and landed on her hooves. "I'm all ears!" Rainbow took a deep breath. "Pinkie, for a while I- no that's no good. A long time ago I started- ugh! I- can't believe I can't put this into words!" "Dashie, please don't run out again," Pinkie begged with an extremely sad look on her face. Rainbow's heart dropped a thousand feet as she turned away from her sad friend. Great! Why do I always do these things to my friends?! Now what could she do? She messed up her confession, and now she couldn't run out again unless she wanted to truly ruin her friendship with Pinkie forever. Where were the others anyway? Rainbow felt like the world was ripping itself apart and she was at the center of it all. No! She had gone through too much to give up now! Besides, when had she ever given up on anything? It was time to knock on her heart's door to see what advice it had for her this time. She closed her eyes and searched for anything that could help her in this moment, until she found it again, the answer to end all answers! But it was risky... then again, when was the last time she had done something safe? "Rainbow Dash, you know you can share anything with me, I promise I won't- mmphf!" the rest was cut off by a set of lips firmly planted on her own. Pinkie tensed but gave in anyway. Whether it was the wrong decision or not, Rainbow's heart had never been more right in suggesting this. Pinkie unsurprisingly tasted like cupcake frosting, the sweetest frosting she'd ever tasted. Never had Rainbow ever felt better, this was worth everything she had gone through in the past few days and she didn't even care that this could have consequences, all that mattered was that their mouths were touching. "Thanks for leaving us in the dust Rainbow Daaaaa-" Twilight began but stopped as soon as she saw the scene playing out before her. Great! Now they showed up! Pinkie removed her lips from Rainbow's and took a deep breath. "Hey girls! What're you doing... here?" Pinkie slowed down as Rainbow tilted her head back towards her. "Pinkie Pie," Rainbow began "Ever since the incident at Wonderbolt Academy, I've been in love with you, and now you know so without saying some long sappy speech, Pinkie, will you be my... marefriend?" "D'awwww!" Cooed the rest of the gang altogether. Pinkie's face was relatively cheerful before, but after Rainbow finally confessed, Pinkie's face morphed into a smile and when Rainbow asked out, Pinkie's face broke out into one of the largest smiles Rainbow had ever seen. "Oh my gosh Dashie, that's when I started loving you! All this time, I was building up my courage to confess to you too! Of course I'll be your marefriend! A thousand time ye- mmmm!" Rainbow interrupted her again by a kiss, only this time, Pinkie returned the favor. "I KNEW IT!" Rarity shouted as loud as she could. Everypony stared at her with shocked looks on their faces, even Pinkie Pie. "Oh," Rarity muttered with a nervous expression. "Um, sorry." Author's Note Yay! Another happy ending! Well kind of, now I have to write the Epilogue so stay tuned for just a little longer, hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Epilogue Epilogue The city of Cloudsdale was beautiful in the morning, because that was when the water shone especially bright, creating a masterpiece of colorful rays that shone everywhere for all to see. The cloud buildings looked nice too, as the morning sunlight brought out the brilliant white glow that hung over them. The city seemed to be busy this morning as the Pegasi were flying everywhere, each having somewhere to go. However, there were two Pegasi who were simply sitting in the middle of the city, calmly having a conversation. "Are you sure about this, Rainbow Dash?" Asked Cloudchaser. "Pretty sure," Rainbow repeated for the fifth time, when would this conversation end? "Because this seems kinda risky." "It'll be fine Cloudchaser." "You don't know that! What if it's a bad idea? What if it's a reaally bad idea? What if it's sooo bad that-" "CLOUDCHASER!" Rainbow interrupted. Cloudchaser's pale blue face turned crimson red. "Sorry." "Please just help me out and I promise that everything will be fine," Rainbow assured her. "Uhhh, if you say so, I'll go get it," said Cloudchaser as she rose into the air and flew deep into Cloudsdale. Rainbow swished her tail around while she waited for Cloudchaser. This was a good idea, and it was the right thing to do. Rainbow knew this from the bottom of her heart, and she knew by now to trust her heart no matter what. The only thing was, how would she take the news? No, Rainbow was doing this for her, surely she would be fine with it... hopefully. "I'm back," Cloudchaser said nervously as she flew back over to Rainbow Dash. "Took you long enough, where is it?" Rainbow asked anxiously. "Hold on, I got it right here," Cloudchaser took a box out of the saddlebags she had on and handed it over to Rainbow. Rainbow took the box with a confused expression. "What's this?" "I put it in a box to make sure it was safe." "What? I'm not that reckless! Okay, maybe I am, but I know this is important." "It's just a precaution Rainbow Dash, this is too important to risk!" "I guess, well, thanks anyway Cloudchaser, I'll see you around." Said Rainbow as she flew into the air without another word. "Bye!" Cloudchaser shouted "They make such a cute couple." Soaring through the sky again was amazing. It felt like forever since Rainbow had last been zipping carefree through the air, but now she felt as though she could do anything. Time to practice some tricks. Immediately after thinking it, Rainbow dive bombed towards the ground in a hurry to see if she could still perform her favorite trick. The clouds seemed to form around her as she tore through them, by now she could feel the sound barrier being pulled along with her. She finally burst through all the clouds, nothing but clear skies now as she soared straight to the ground. The shield of sound around her was being stretched as her speed increased. Her face was being pulled by the hands of wind. Almost there... BOOM!! In one colorful explosion, Rainbow Dash was propelled back into the air. Looking behind her, she saw that she still left behind a rainbow trail as she flew straight into the air. This truly was the best feeling in the world, after dealing with all the stress and confusion over the past few days, performing a sonic rainboom felt like becoming a princess. At that moment of ultimate speed, Rainbow felt like she could ascend forever... on second thought, she should just fly horizontally now, she didn't want a repeat of the other day. Still, it felt like she was forgetting something, something important. Oh no. She had forgotten all about stopping by Sugarcube Corner! If she could stop in midair right now she would, but it's kinda hard to stop when you're breaking the sound barrier. She had to slow down as she descended towards Sugarcube Corner. If it was one thing Rainbow hated, it was slowing down, but it seemed to be working as she could feel the sound barrier begin to realign with her. She could see Ponyville, and more importantly, her favorite bakery. The rainbow trail was beginning to fade, it looked like she was going to enter without busting through the door this time, however, she didn't factor in landing safely. Hayfeathers. She crashed headfirst into the ground, but somehow maintained consciousness this time. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing though as the pain was pretty bad. Looking up from her crash site, she could see that she landed directly in front Sugarcube Corner. Now if she could just shake off the pain, she would be good to go. Trotting forward slowly, she could tell that the pain wasn't nearly as bad as the butterflies in her stomach from what she was about to do. She opened the door gently, determined to enter politely for once. She had a feeling that at least the Cakes heard her landing, but when she opened the door, there was nopony in sight. "Um, hello?" Rainbow asked out loud. "Coming!" Responded a cheerful voice from upstairs. Rainbow's heart dropped from happiness as she took in the familiar voice she so loved. Once again, she heard a large collection of noises before her favorite pink pony finally trotted downstairs with her eyes closed, humming a little tune with a smile on her face. "Welcome to Sugarcu- Dashie!" Pinkie Pie shouted happily as soon as she opened her eyes. "Hey Pinkie," Rainbow said quickly as she launched herself forward and kissed Pinkie who was slightly taken aback but returned it with passion. Rainbow decided it was her turn to throw herself at Pinkie for a change, but it didn't hurt that she just really had an urge to kiss her. For the second time that day, Rainbow felt like she could stay there forever, but her need for air was interfering. "Happy one week anniversary Pinkie!" Rainbow said happily as she came up for air. "Oh! That's why I put cupcakes in the oven! Let me go see if they're done real quick," Said Pinkie as she trotted for the oven. Rainbow could tell from the burnt scent that immediately filled the air as soon as Pinkie opened the oven that the cupcakes were definitely done, a little too done. "They're a little burnt but they look better than the ones I baked this morning!" Pinkie shouted enthusiastically as she showed Rainbow two extremely burnt cupcakes in a pan. Upon further inspection, Rainbow could see that one cupcake was blue, and the other was pink. "I love them, thanks Pinkie," Rainbow assured her marefriend with a smile on her face. "You do? But you can't even eat them." "But you made them for me, us, so I love them." Pinkie considered this for a second. "Okie dokie lokie!" Rainbow's smile grew. "I actually have something for you too, but mine is... special." "Oooo, I love special things!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. Rainbow opened up her saddlebags and took out the box. At the sight of the box, Pinkie's eyes and smile grew to impossible sizes. "YES, YES, YES, a thousand times yes!" Pinkie screamed as loud as she could as soon as she saw the box. "Huh?" Rainbow questioned as she looked down, but soon realized her error. "What?! NO,nononono, I'm not proposing! I'M NOT PROPOSING PINKIE!" Pinkie stopped hopping in midair. "Oh, you're not?" "No, not yet at least." Rainbow whispered the last part to herself. "What was that?" "Nothing!" Rainbow denied immediately "Anyway, I wanted to give you something that would impact our future together, are you ready?" "Yups!" Rainbow opened the box and took out the small clear vial that resting safely under a lot of packing peanuts, she made a mental note to thank Cloudchaser later, the vial would never have survived the crash landing without the peanuts. Pinkie eyed the vial from every angle, even the air until she finally asked. "What is it?" "It's a potion that enables anypony to walk on clouds for as long they live, you drink it and then your system soaks it up and some other science stuff happens. If you drink this, we'll be able to go anywhere together, we could even live on Cloudsdale together!" Rainbow explained while giving Pinkie the vial. Pinkie took one look at the vial and immediately drank all of it's contents. Rainbow's mouth fell open, she didn't expect Pinkie to drink it so suddenly. Pinkie handed the empty vial back to her and released a loud burp. "Thanks Dashie! It kinda tasted funny though and not the good funny either." "Uh, that's cool Pinkie, but do you realize that you can walk on clouds now?" "Oh yeah! I heard that part! Now we can buy a house in Cloudsdale and live there forever and ever and ever and ever and-" "Whoa Pinkie!" Rainbow interrupted. "We're going to take things slow remember?" "Oh we are? Because I was going to invite you to spend the night tonight," Pinkie said cheerfully. Rainbow's wings flared open with a pomf. "Well, we don't have to go that slow you know." "Ooo goodie! I'll get the popcorn!" "I'll get the drinks," Rainbow replied with a warm smile. In that moment, Rainbow didn't care what happened next. It didn't matter if she still had a headache, it didn't matter that there was still a crater in front of the bakery and it didn't matter if her relationship meant that she may never be a Wonderbolt. Tonight, she was going to have a sleepover with the mare of her dreams and that was all that truly mattered. Fin. Author's Note Thanks for reading guys! I really appreciate your likes and comments and I hope you guys enjoyed this story! P.S. Sorry for trolling anyone who actually thought she was going to propose. :D
Chapter One: Carousel Boutique"You want me to do what?" "Clear all the clouds in the sky." "Why do you want me to do that?" "Because cloudy mornings put frowns on the foal's faces." "But they're inside!" "Maybe they can just sense it, like my pinkie sense but for foals...foal sense." "Ugh, fine." With a final huff, Rainbow Dash flew straight up into the air, heading straight for the clouds above her. She was wondering how she was stuck actually doing her job when she had simply come over to Sugarcube Corner to hang with her friend Pinkie Pie. She had barely made it to the door when Pinkie had tackled her onto the doorstep, the usual greeting. Which brings to the present: kicking clouds. After Rainbow was done she flew done and landed softly in front of Pinkie. "There you go, Pinkie," Rainbow said triumphantly. "Done in about nine seconds flat, a new record!" " Thanks so much Dashie! I gotta go take care of the foals now so I'll just see you later, bye!" Without another word Pinkie Pie rushed back into the building. Rainbow just shrugged and flew off into the sky. "Hmm, I guess I'm free for the day now." With that thought fresh in her head she flew downwards towards the Carousel Boutique. Might as well see if Rarity needs anything. She landed softly (what's up with soft landings today?) in front of the Boutique and casually strolled inside. Right there in plain sight was Rarity working on another one of her dresses. This one was extra girly, Rainbow hoped she wouldn't need a model or else she might have Sonic Rainboom her way out of this mess. "Welcome to the Carousel Bout- oh it's just you Rainbow Dash, well make yourself comfortable darling, I'll be at this for a while." "Hey Rarity, I was just wondering if you needed somebody awesome to do something awesome," Rainbow said while doing what she thought to be an awesome pose but in reality looked like she ate too many hayfries. "Hmm, no I don't so if that's all you may be on your way." "Aww c'mon, I already helped out Pinkie today surely you need something too!" Rarity stopped working as soon as she heard the mention of Pinkie Pie's name. "Oh, you were hanging out with Pinkie today huh?" Rarity asked while rubbing her chin with her hoof. "As a matter of fact, I do require something, I want you to tell in detail what you were doing with Pinkie Pie." "Huh? All I did was clear the sky for the foals then I flew over to see what you were doing." "Is that it?" "Yup." "Are you sure?" "Pretty sure, why do you care anyway?" Rainbow asked suspiciously. "Oh nothing just curious is all." "But why are you curious?" "Ugh! I assure you Rainbow Dash I was just curious to what my two friends were doing, that's it." "It's a good thing you're not the Element of Honesty isn't it?" "Oh now you're calling me a liar are you?" "Yea I guess I am Rarity! I want to know what you thought we were up to right now." Rarity looked as if she were considering her options, though it was useless, she knew there was no escaping Rainbow Dash. "Alright!" Rarity announced over-dramatically as usual."I'll tell you but I don't want any negative reception to it." "Okay, I guess, I just wanna know." "Here it goes...I assumed you and Pinkie Pie were seeing each other, there I said it!" Rarity rushed out of her mouth. Rainbow's jaw hung open to impossible proportions. "Me and Pinkie Pie? Are you crazy?!" Rainbow blabbed out as she closed her jaw. "Well you two spend the most time together and you two have the most fun together and you two make the cutest couple, don't you agree?" Rarity realized her mistake as soon as she saw Rainbow's version of The Stare aimed at her. "Oh I guess you don't, hehe." "Rarity there is nothing going on between me and Pinkie Pie, I'll tell you that much, in fact I don't have a special somepony at all." "Oh Rainbow, I know you don't believe in mushy feelings but everypony feels The One sooner or later." Rarity said as she went back to work. Rainbow opened her mouth to reply but she closed it to think for a second. She had never thought that hard about the concept of romance before. She always thought that mushy stuff like that was weak and a waste of time, why spend the afternoon doing sappy stuff if you could be doing something actually productive right? "Look Rarity, I know all this mushy stuff is important to you but I don't see the point in it." "I wouldn't expect any less from you Rainbow Dash but surely you must understand the concept." "Yea, yea I get it, you meet somepony who means more to you than anypony else, lots of stupid cliche stuff happens and you end up married or something." "Oh Rainbow, it seems like you're a bit confused on the subject, you see, love is when somepony means more to you than anything, you're correct there, but it also means that you would do anything for that pony even if it means sacrificing your own happiness, do you understand now?" Rarity beamed. "Oh I understand." "Good, I hope now you-" "I understand that being with somepony means that you're forced to give up your dream, count me out!" Rainbow concluded as she rose into the air. "No, Rainbow, you still misunderstand!" "See you later, Rarity!" Without another word, Rainbow soared out of the Boutique; the wind from her exit ruffling Rarity's dress. "That Rainbow Dash doesn't have the slightest clue," Rarity mumbled to herself as she continued working. The door to the Boutique opened for the third time and in walked Applejack with a state of shock on her face. No doubt because of Rainbow's dramatic exit. "Welcome to- hello Applejack," Rarity said as she stitched up the still unfinished dress. "Hey Rarity, any reason why Ah just saw Rainbow Dash up and fly out of ya house?" Applejack asked as she sat down. "Yes there is actually, we were discussing something and she became heated so she left." "Left? More like sonic rainboomed her way out." "Yes well you know how she is when she's angry." "Is she angry at you?" "No, I think she's angry at herself actually, and one way or another she's going to realize it," Rarity concluded as she finished the final stitch.
