//------------------------------//
// The Treehouse 
// Story: The Extra Color of the Rainbow 
// by Church 
//------------------------------//

	Rainbow Dash gently set the quill down on the scroll she had been writing on, a couple of teardrops dripping from her cheeks as an addition to the paper. She hung her head low as she sat in silence before the scroll, breathing in sharp breaths of the air in Twilight Sparkle’s treehouse. She didn’t want to move. She lacked the drive or the motivation to do anything, Twilight’s room was looking to be her home for a little while. 

Twilight Sparkle saw Dash put the quill down. She was standing in the archway to her room, listening to Dash’s burdened breaths as they unevenly filled the air. Twilight had hoped that her advice had helped Dash a little bit, as it had certainly helped Twilight herself when her grandfather had passed. Then again, Twilight had never lost someone so close as a father before.

Twilight tried to silently make her way over to the weeping pegasus. She took a couple of steps into the room before Dash spoke up.

“It’s not like he was ever there for me growing up... but I still love him.”

Twilight stopped. She was treading in hazardous waters now, she needed to keep her tone soft and assuring. There was an awkward pause as she didn’t know what to say. What could she say? What more was there to say?

“Did it... um,” Twilight sighed, “did it help any?”

Dash shrugged. “Maybe a little bit.”

Twilight braved her fear and fully crossed over to her friend. The element of loyalty needed someone right now... and even though she may not have been the best pony for the job, that someone was Twilight.

“I know it’s hard, Dash, but as time passes, your pain will fade.” Twilight put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “That may be hard to hear... but it’s true.”

Surprisingly, Dash didn’t shrug off Twilight’s gesture or try to shoo her away. If anything, she embraced it... in Rainbow Dash’s sort of way. 

“Yeah, I know...” Dash trailed off. She didn’t say anything more. 

Twilight hesitated. “So, you, uh... you take all the time you need here. If you need anything else, you can call for help. Okay?”

Dash sullenly nodded her head and wiped away a tear. She hated letting her friend (especially Twilight) see her like this. She couldn’t do anything about it. Everything was so fresh in her mind that she felt as though she couldn’t do anything about it. 

There was another pause as neither pony knew what would come next. Twilight decided that Dash must have needed more time alone. 

“Sooooo... really. Call if you need anything, okay?”

As Twilight turned to walk away, Dash stopped her with a hoof. Twilight turned around to find Dashie’s fuchsia iris’ staring right back at her, her eyes watery and pink from overuse. 

“Twilight, I never tell you guys this ‘cuz I’m not all mushy gushy, and if you tell anypony about this I will kill you.” Dash said. Twilight couldn’t help but let a thin smile form on her lips. “But I love you guys. I really do.”

Twilight didn’t know what to say. This was the most sentimental moment that Dashie had most likely shared with anypony, and Twilight was just doing her best not to screw it up. 

“I know, Dash. And you don’t have to tell us that you do.” Twilight gave her friend a little hug. “Just remember that we love you too, and we will always be here for you.”


o----o






















For my grandfather, just to let you know that we haven’t forgotten about you, and we never will.