A Secret That Was Meant To Be Hidden

"Are you ready, Iris?"

"I don't know."

Twilight stood by the Grand Hall doors, with Rainbow Dash, or now, Princess Iris Unquam Offendas.

Iris was shaking from nerves. She was Celestia's daughter. Long lost daughter.

"Are you still there?" Twilight shook a hoof in-front of her friend's face, unsure what she was thinking.

"I don't know?"

"Iris, is there anything you want to tell me?"

The white alicorn sighed as she gave up hiding her feelings.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for this."

"I'm listening."

"I mean, it's happening so fast. First, I'm a wannabe Wonderbolt, now I'm a princess. But of what?"

"Ummm...."

"Celestia is princess of the sun, Luna is princess of the moon, Cadence is princess of love, and you are the princess of magic. But what am I?" Iris stressed.

"You'll find out soon." Twilight placed a hoof on Iris's shoulder as she reassured her.

"Psst. Are two ready?"

They both nodded to the the unicorn mare dressed in golden armour.

"Good."

"Now, to you, all ponies of Equestria, I welcome you somepony special." Celestia announced. "As you all know, we had a recent coronation welcoming my faithful student as the new princess of magic. But today, we are welcoming the return of my daughter. Princess Iris Unquam Offendas!"

The hall erupted as the sound of hooves filled the room.

The doors opened, and a purple alicorn walked down the isle. And behind her, a very nervous white alicorn, wearing silver diamond shoes, followed her friend.

All ponies gazed at the new alicorn.

Squinting at the highly recognisable rainbow hair and lightning cutiemark.

Iris stopped in-front of her mother as Twilight skipped to the side, next to the girls.

"Iris, or Rainbow Dash, my daughter, I regretted leaving you but now, you are with me once more." The sun goddesshovered over a silver tiara with diamonds and pearls encrusted on the loops. Rubies were placed on the tips of the loops, matching Iris's eyes.

"I glad to let you in my life again."

Iris's breathing became jagged. She felt her heart struggling to beat. Beads of sweat trickled down her fore-head.

"I now crown you, Princess Iris Unquam Offendas."

Celestia gently placed the small tiara on her daughter's head.

But as soon as it was on her head, the young alicorn jumped up.

"Iris?"

"I-I-I-I can't do this." She croaked.

"But, you now part of the Equestrian royal family. You are now a princess."

"I-I-I don't know if I want to be a Princess." She looked over to the her friends, who were giving concerned looks to Iris.

She then looked up to Celestia, who's now rose coloured eyes began to fill with tears.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered before turning around and running out of the hall. Leaving a distraught mother and a confused crowd behind.

Princess Luna saw that Celestia was stuck for what to do, so she stepped in-front of her sister.

"Calm down everypony!" She boomed towards the murmuring crowd. "All will be sorted...soon. But, while you are here, help yourselves to the refreshments, and the gardens." She sheepishly smiled in hope that the crowd will listen.

The ponies reluctanty nodded and dispersed to different points of the hall and gardens.

Twilight slowly trotted over to her mentor.

"Celestia?"

"What did I do wrong?" She muttered.

"Don't worry, we'll see to her." Rarity said as she skipped past.

"Yeah! Dashie needs some cheering up!" Pinkie bounced behind Rarity.

"Please, girls, I don't want to lose my little girl again."

They all nodded as they left the hall.

"Don't worry, Tia. Have faith in them." Luna led her sister to the delicious treats on the tables. "Please Tia. Be strong for Iris. I'm shocked about all this but I guess she is...just...."

"...So scared. She must be. That's why she ran off."

"Tha doesn' sound like Rainbow."

"Of course not, Applejack. But she is now a princess. A royal. She's different."

"No!" Twilight yelled as she halted the girls. "She is not different."

"But-"

"No buts! She is not any different from before!" Twilight yelled. "She maybe physically different but she is the same Rainbow Dash that is determined, hard-working and loyal. The same Rainbow Dash that loves to fly." The purple alicorn looked over to her friends. "The same Rainbow Dash that loves all of us."

The sun shined through the coloured window, lighting up the smiles of the mares.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Iris!"

Silence.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

"Iris? Are you okay?"

Silence burnt the ears of the mares in front of the door, as they waited for a reply.

"What do we do, Twilight?"

Twilight rolled her eyes as she lit up her horn.

CLICK.

The door creaked open.

"Oh, yea. Magic." Pinkie giggled.

"Iris? Iris, are you in here?"

"Dashie? Ooo! She's good at playing hide and seek."

"But Pinkie, she-"

"Just be quiet, Applejack, dear. It's Pinkie remember." Rarity hushed.

Fluttershy raised her ears, and was brought to a stop.

"She's probably not in here. Come on girls."

"Wait!" The butterscotch pegasus yelled out to her friends, before they left the bedroom.

"What is it Fluttershy?"

"Listen."

They quietened, and let silence over rule them.

"Did you hear that?"

"Ah sure did!"

"But where did it come from?"

"Up there!" A pink hoof shot up into the air.

"Don't be silly, darling. She's not on the ceiling." Rarity scoffed.

"No, Pinkie is right."

"What?"

"She may not be on the ceiling, but she might be on the roof."

"But how do we get up there?" Fluttershy whispered.

"Seriously. Sometimes, you really are dependant on my magic." Twilight smirked before lighting up the room with her aura.

"Iris?"

"Sshhh! There she is." Rarity pointed to the white figure.

Iris sat on the tiles of the roof, of Canterlot Castle. Her hair was ratty and knotted, with the ruby red clips tangled within her snarled rainbow hair.

Tears stained her prismatic pearl white cheeks. And her deep rose eyes were glowing red as they ached from the amount of tears that they produced.

"Iris."

Celestia's daughter sniffed. "Please. I'm not Iris."

"Well then. Rainbow, are you okay?"

"And I'm not Rainbow either."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know anymore!" Rivers of tears poured from her gem like eyes.

The girls carefully sat next to the distressed princess.

"Tell us what's wrong."

Iris just looked over to her friends, who in return, gave comforting smiles.

Her blue tinted horn gave a rose glow.

She hovered the small crown off of her head.

"This, is what's wrong."

"That doesn't make sense, dear. A cro-."

"Hang on." Twilight interupted her unicorn friend. "You don't want to be a princess, do you?"

Iris shook her head.

"Never did. But now this has happened, I don't know what to think anymore."

"I know somepony who helped me when I was worried about being a princess. She told me to take each day slowly."

"I-I-I....I try. But the more I think about it, it makes more upset and confused than before."

"Wha do ya mean?" Applejack asked as she held on to the tiles for dear life. She hates being up so high.

"I mean, why couldn't she find me sooner? Why just leave me?"

"I'm sure she had a good answer."

"Yea, she was so busy, she forgot about me."

"Aww, Dashie. Don't be sad."

"Don't call me Dashie. Or Rainbow Dash. I'm not her anymore."

Twilight understood straight away what she meant.

"Of course you are. You are no different from before."

"But I am! Can't you see! I'm not the Rainbow Dash that flies around Sweet Apple Arces hoping to get attention. I'm not the same Rainbow Dash that save Rarity and the Wonderbolts from near death!" Iris yelled as tears flowed freely from her eyes.

"Yes, but," Twilight used her hoof to wipe her friend's tears. "You are the same Rainbow Dash that performed the legendary Sonic Rainboom. The same Rainbow Dash that loves adrenaline and freedom. The same Rainbow Dash that is loyal to all the ponies she loves."

Iris smiled.

"When I became a princess, I was scared and worried. But then I realised that I had friends. Friends that would be there for at every corner."

"No matter what, darling, we're here for you." Rarity soothed.

"But first, I'm sure Celestia would want to see you. She was pretty upset when you ran off."

Iris smiled.

"Thank you girls. Thank you for being my friends."

She stood up and shook her aching wings. She then carefully walked up to th edge, smiling to her frinds. She then fell forwards.

The girls watched as half way down, she opened her wings and glided gracefully to Celestia's balcony.

"Twi! Can we go now? Ah'm gettin' dizzy from standin' ere." Applejack wailed.

Twilight giggled before teleporting back inside the castle.