//------------------------------//
// The Apology 
// Story: The Stolen Date 
// by Titanium Dragon 
//------------------------------//

For the second time today, Rainbow Dash found herself pounding at a door, this time much more urgently than before. "Rarity! Open up!" Not waiting for a response, the pegasus pounded on the door again, rattling it in its frame. "I need help!"

A few seconds later the pegasus tumbled inside, falling in across the entryway as the door was pulled open by magic. "Rainbow Dash, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be on your date!"

"That's just it! Fluttershy—wait, what?"

Rarity trotted forward to fuss over her friend. "I thought I was being obvious enough. Rose even said you bought every acacia she had in the shop. How romantic!" The unicorn batted her eyes, before a serious expression stole over her face once more, seizing the pegasus with her magic to stand her back up on her feet. "You're late now, but if you fly over to Applejack's farm quickly, I'm sure the food will be waiting for you. I'll trot over to Fluttershy's cottage and—"

Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves into the floor of the shop, cutting Rarity off, the prim unicorn's words ending in a yelp as the desperate pegasus glared at her. "What do you mean, waiting for me? I totally just ruined her date! What happened to the mare who was supposed to go out with her?"

Rarity grimaced. "I thought I was obvious. I do hope you didn't do anything with those flowers; I'm not sure what else would do. Perhaps some honeysuckle and some br—"

"You're worried about flowers?"

"Why yes, darling, you're supposed to be... whatever is the matter, darling?" Rarity blinked, truly taking in her friend's disheveled appearance for the first time. "Have you been crying?"

"No!" Rainbow Dash's denial was automatic. A troubled look crossed Rarity's face as she trotted over to her friend, reaching up with a hoof to touch her damp cheek.

"What's wrong, dear?"

Rainbow Dash growled. "Alright, fine. Yes, I've been crying, because I took Fluttershy out on a fake date!"

Rarity looked at her in surprise. "But you have barely been gone an hour. A dinner date is supposed to be more than dinner you know."

"I know that! I don't need your advice on dating! Now, where is that mare that Fluttershy was supposed to go on the date with? Did she come back here? I've still got most of the food, we didn't eat it all." The pegasus was looking around in a panic now, her sides heaving with emotion.

"Darling, there was no other mare." Rarity's voice was worried now. "What happened?"

"What do you mean there's no other mare?" Rainbow Dash took a threatening step forward, the unicorn retreating from her aggressive advance.

"I knew that you would never go on a date willingly, but I thought that if you thought there might be another mare after Fluttershy, you—" Rarity's words were cut off as Rainbow Dash trembled with anger, tensing up before slamming her hind leg back against the wall behind her. "Rainbow Dash! I can't have you destroying my boutique!"

"What the hay were you thinking?"

"Well, I know how much you enjoy playing the hero. I knew that when you heard that your amour was being set up on a date with somepony else, that you would swoop in for the rescue. Of course, I knew you knew nothing about such things, so I arranged for Rose to have some flowers cut for the occasion." Rarity pouted at her friend. "It was going to be so romantic."

"Yeah, well, you were wrong."

Rarity's voice was low and threatening. "What did you do?"

"Fluttershy told me she likes me!"

The unicorn's concerns were immediately washed away, replaced with glee as she squealed in delight, clapping her hooves together. "And?"

Rainbow Dash panted raggedly. "I told her that I didn't."

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity said sternly. "Now why would you say a hurtful thing like that?"

"Because it's true!"

Rarity's voice rose in surprise. "What?"

"I don't like her, Rarity! I don't have a crush on her! I never did! If I wanted to ask out Fluttershy, I would have done it myself!"

"But the kiss! Darling, you practically—"

Rainbow Dash exploded. "Yeah, I kissed her, alright? I didn't mean it like that! I was just letting her know it was me. She was scared, and it just kind of happened. You've kissed Spike I don't even know how many times, and I know you aren't planning on dating him!"

Rarity sputtered. "But that's different!"

Rainbow Dash snarled. "No, it isn't. Fluttershy is my best friend, and yeah, sometimes we're a little bit mushy. But that's none of your business!" She fell back on her haunches, looking tired. "Well, she was my best friend. She probably hates me now."

Rarity shook her head, taking a step forward. "You know that isn't true."

"I know." Her voice caught. "But that doesn't make it right. She trusted me because you told her I had a crush on her."

"Don't you?"

"No!" Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of her, gritting her teeth in frustration. "That's what I've been trying to say."

Rarity sounded skeptical. "Surely you must have some feelings for her if you're willing to buy up every flower in Rose's shop and pretend to be her date."

The blue mare's head dropped. "I did it because I was worried about her, okay? I was worried you'd set her up with some creep." Tears began to flow down her cheeks, soon to be dabbed at by a lacy handkerchief wrapped in blue magic.

"I would never subject one of my friends to someone like that." Rarity walked over to take a seat next to the pegasus, reaching over to put a white hoof on her shoulder.

"Oh yeah? Well you did."

Sympathy entered Rarity's eyes as she leaned over to nuzzle at her friend. "Don't talk like that. You're a good friend."

Rainbow Dash's ears pressed tight against the back of her head. "No I'm not. I'm a jerk who decided that her best friend shouldn't go on a date and sabotaged it on purpose, after she called me out on it."

"It isn't your fault, darling. I was the one who made you jealous."

"I wasn't jealous. I was just mad."

Rarity squeezed her friend around the shoulders. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure! Rarity, no matter what you think, I don't have a secret crush on Fluttershy. If I did, I wouldn't have told her that I didn't like her. I don't like lying, you know that."

The unicorn bit her lip. "Well, then, it seems I have two apologies to make."

"Two?" Rainbow Dash looked over at her friend, reaching a hoof up to rub at her cheeks quickly.

"Yes. I should never have gone behind your back like that. I am sorry."

Rainbow Dash sniffed. "Yeah, but it's still my fault."

Rarity pursed her lips. "No doubt. Now, I shall go speak to Fluttershy." The unicorn lifted her head, looking out the door before looking back to the pegasus. "Where is she?"

"I dunno. She kind of ran away after I told her that the whole date was fake."

Rarity sighed. "I will just have to go find her then." Rarity straightened up resolutely.

"I'll help."

"No," the unicorn said firmly.

"No?" Rainbow Dash was nonplussed.

"I don't think she wants to see you right now. I'll let her know that you're sorry, and that you'll see her in the morning."

Rainbow Dash frowned, then shook her head as she slumped back down.

"And Rainbow?"

"Yeah?"

Rarity looked away. "If you are speaking the truth, if you truly don't like her, you should tell her. But if there's even a chance you do... well, after this, I don't think you'll ever have another opportunity after tomorrow."

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I don't."

Rarity turned back to face her friend. "I think you do." She raised a hoof as her friend opened her mouth to object. "I don't mean you're lying. But if you wished to ruin her date, you could have simply taken the flowers and the food and not shown up." She put her hoof on her friend's chest.

"I just didn't want to leave her hanging." The words, true as they were, sounded hollow even to her own ears.

Rarity sighed, her own ears lowering. "Just think about it, for me?" Rainbow Dash looked away, only to glance back when her friend patted her wordlessly on the shoulder before stepping towards the door. "For what it is worth, I am sorry."

"Me too."


***


Rainbow Dash couldn't sleep, though Luna had pulled the moon into the sky hours ago. The events of the day continued to plague her thoughts, making her roll over in her fluffy bed to stare out the window at the starry sky.

"This is dumb," she said out loud to the empty room, before huffing. Stupid Rarity. I'm not jealous. Am I?

She rolled over again to face away from the window with an unhappy sigh. Gah, what was I thinking? The pegasus grabbed her cloud pillow in her hooves, mashing it up around her head as if the cloudstuff could block out her thoughts. Fluttershy is right, I don't believe in her. Some friend I am.

Rainbow Dash growled at herself. But worse than that, I lied about it. She wasn't even being oversensitive for once; I was a jerk. She punched her pillow, smoothing it back down as she set her head down on the middle of it. Rarity was a jerk too, but that's Rarity. She didn't do it on purpose. No, she just thought that I had a crush on Fluttershy and that I totally would want to go out with her without even asking. Not that she would have believed me anyway.

Rainbow Dash's lips curved angrily as she dwelled in her bitter thoughts. She tricked me. And I did exactly what she thought I'd do. Am I really that predictable? She rolled over again, flopping on her bed, making her fluffy mattress oscillate for several seconds as she grumbled to herself.

If she hadn't done that, then Fluttershy wouldn't be crying right now. She bit her lip. And I wouldn't know she liked me. Crossing her hooves across her chest, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes.

What am I even supposed to do about that? What am I supposed to say? 'Sorry I went on a fake date with you and tricked you into liking me?' Rainbow Dash grimaced. It doesn't matter what I say, it's going to be weird either way. This would all be a lot easier if I actually liked her.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, rolling over further to bury her face in against her pillow, her tail swishing against her blanket as her mind drifted to her yellow friend, contemplating Rarity’s words. Do I like her? What's the best thing about Fluttershy?

Her mind flashed through her memories of the shy pegasus. Finding Fluttershy on the ground after the race, the pair celebrating their newly acquired cutie marks. Her grateful face after Rainbow Dash drove off yet another group of bullies picking on the shy pegasus. Watching the injured robin her friend had nursed back to health flying south before their first winter in Ponyville. Fluttershy's exuberant cheering at the Best Young Flier competition. Her glee when Rainbow Dash had finally asked her to help choose a pet. The ordinarily reclusive pegasus's jubilation when everypony acknowledged her contribution in raising the water to Cloudsdale.

Each of them had one thing in common - Fluttershy's smile, and the warmth it gave, even in memory. Really? Her smile? Is that the best I can do? The pegasus rolled over again, shifting her wings against her back.  No, it's not that.

She's just... nice. The pegasus snorted, the surface of her pillow swirling. Well, I guess we all were chosen for a reason. Some loyalty I've turned out to be. I guess there's no element of being a bad friend, though. Rainbow Dash squeezed at her pillow with her hooves, adjusting herself on the bed.

Fine, so she's sweet. What else? She's tougher than she looks. She's loyal. She tries. Rainbow Dash frowned further. Is that really all I can think of?

The pegasus opened her eyes, gazing out the window once more. I guess she likes to take care of animals. Her eyes focused on the stars glittering in the dark fabric of the night sky. Ponies, too.

She wanted to help me. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes at the thought. That's why she said she liked me; because she thought I was too scared to, that she was doing me a favor. Her legs tightened across her chest. That just makes it worse. Though she didn't ask me either. At least she listened.

That thought brought their last moments together back to her - the sobbing embrace, the tears on her chest. Rainbow Dash could feel her eyes watering, and shut them tight. Yeah, and then I ripped her heart out. Great job, Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash grunted, flipping herself over and pounding her bed a few times with her hooves in frustration before huffing loudly. This sucks. Why does she have to like me? Rolling over again, she could feel her blanket drawing in tighter around herself and flailed at it violently before tossing it across the room with one of her hind legs. Muttering to herself, the pegasus rolled out of bed to pace back and forth by her bed.

"I can't even really complain about that. I mean, I am pretty awesome. But I'm not really her type." Rainbow Dash sighed again, sitting back on her haunches and ruffling her mane with her hoof. "I guess that's the point." Shaking her head, she walked over to grab her blanket with her mouth and toss it back onto her bed before crawling underneath it once more, hiding her head beneath her pillow.

Is there even any reason I would want to do something with her? The pegasus closed her eyes and thought, relaxing against her mattress. Slowly, her thoughts flowed over the date, remembering the pegasus's soft touch, her lips on her cheek... Underneath the mattress, Rainbow Dash's cheeks flushed. Okay, so there’s that. But if all I wanted was that, I could have anypony. Why her?

Tucking her legs in close to her body, no answer came to her as the stress of the day finally began to catch up to her, darkness closing in around the edge of thought.

Tomorrow is going to suck.


***


Rainbow Dash had to get up early to move the clouds into place for a morning shower, the skies growing gray as more and more sunlight was blocked out, a slow drizzle starting to fall down over Ponyville and the surrounding area. "What great weather for today," the pegasus muttered to herself as she looked down from the cloud tops at Fluttershy's cottage.

Now or never, I guess. Spreading her wings, she slowly glided down towards her friend's house, letting the wind catch her feathers and slow her descent. It took her over a minute to coast down in front of her friend's house, landing on a small patch of dry earth outside the front door which she had deliberately avoided hitting with rain. Lifting a hoof, she hesitated for a moment before knocking. "Fluttershy?"

There was a quiet shuffling sound inside the house, followed by the sound of slow footsteps before the door swung open almost a minute later. "Oh, hello, Rainbow Dash," the downcast pegasus said, eyes not meeting those of her friend, her bed robe wrapped loosely around her.

"Hey Fluttershy. You doing alright?"

Fluttershy smiled listlessly. "Not really."

"Mind if I come in?"

The pegasus hesitated for a moment before nodding her head slowly, backing out of the way. "Can I get you some tea?"

"Nah, that's alright," Rainbow Dash said, looking around the inside of the living room awkwardly before glancing back to Fluttershy.

"I'm sorry," Fluttershy said, lowering her head, making Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her forehead.

"You don't have anything to apologize for."

"Oh, but I do. Rarity told me how she tricked you into taking me out on a date. It wasn't your fault."

"Oh yeah, because two of your friends setting you up on a fake date is way better than only one of them being a jerk." Rainbow Dash began to pace. "I already yelled at Rarity anyway."

Fluttershy took a step back, her ears falling as she cautiously watched Rainbow Dash pace from behind the wall of her mane.

"Ugh." Rainbow Dash swept her hoof through the air. "Look, I was a jerk, alright? I shouldn't have done what I did."

"Yes, you were."

Rainbow Dash flinched.

Fluttershy's expression took on a hint of worry, her voice quieting. "Oh, I didn't mean you're always a jerk. You just sometimes don't think about other ponies' feelings."

"You're right, I don't." Rainbow Dash pawed at the floor with her hoof, before lifting it to put it on her friend's shoulder. "But I promise I won't do it again."

Fluttershy shook her head a little. "Oh Rainbow, I'm sure you won't."

Silence hung in the air between the two ponies.

"You don't sound convinced."

Fluttershy sighed, her head falling forward, pink mane obscuring her eyes. "You said you were sorry yesterday too. Before..." Her words trailed off into inaudibility.

Rainbow Dash felt her stomach sink. "Yeah, I did," she said as she sat back on her rump. "So what do you want me to do? Pinkie promise?" She started making the gestures, only for a yellow hoof to interrupt her.

"No. I don't want you to promise something that you won't do." Fluttershy looked her in the eye, and Rainbow Dash could see the tears welling in them.

"So that's it. You don't trust me." Rainbow Dash turned her head away. "I don't blame you."

"I do trust you! I just..." Fluttershy swallowed. "You like saving ponies."

Rainbow Dash glanced back to her friend, then reached over to put one of her hoofs on Fluttershy's shoulder, the yellow mare cowering slightly at the touch before her friend noticed and removed the offending appendage. "You're right. I do like saving ponies. But I kind of get carried away sometimes."

Fluttershy smiled uncomfortably. "You do."

"So what am I supposed to do then? Stop saving ponies?"

"Uhm... you could ask."

"Yeah, I'm sure that will work out great when they're falling off a cliff." Rainbow Dash couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Fluttershy said firmly, only to recoil slightly when Rainbow Dash looked at her, before her ears fell back.

"Yeah, I know. But what if the pony doesn't want to be saved? Or doesn't know they need to be saved?"

"What if they don't need to be saved?" Fluttershy tried to meet her friend's gaze, but Rainbow Dash was looking away now.

"I get it." The pegasus huffed, before shaking her head. "Not much of an apology, huh?"

Fluttershy smiled hesitantly, "Oh no. It's alright."

"No it isn't! We're supposed to be cool, and we're not." Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof on the floor, immediately regretting it as her friend jumped slightly.

"Uhm, well, I'm not sure that you can just say something and make everything better."

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I know." she said morosely. "I just kind of hoped, you know?" She looked around absently. "What happened to the flowers, anyway?"

Fluttershy blushed. "Well, I was feeling pretty sad after I ran home, so I uhm... ate them."

"All of them?"

Fluttershy giggled quietly, turning her head away from her friend. "Yes."

"Hah!" Rainbow Dash prodded her friend playfully in the side, making her squeak and take a step back. "Did they taste good at least?"

"Oh yes, they were very good."

"Well, at least they didn't go to waste." Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "Oh ponyfeathers!" she swore.

"What?" Fluttershy fanned her wings slightly at her friend's curse.

"I forgot to clean up after the picnic! I just left all the food up there. And the saddlebags. And the blanket. It's all going to be totally soaked!"

"Oh no! I'll go get it; it's my fault for leaving."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Don't bother. It's been raining for half an hour already over there; it's all going to be ruined anyway." She laughed to herself.

"What's funny?"

"Oh, just me worrying about a wet blanket." She laughed again, making Fluttershy look at her curiously, only to be waved off before her laughter ended in a sigh. Silence filled the cottage, broken only by the light sound of rain falling outside.

"So what now?"

"I don't know."

Silence stretched out once more, both pegasi shifting uncomfortably. Fluttershy's hooves fidgeted with each other while Rainbow Dash looked everywhere but at her friend.

"This is dumb," Rainbow Dash said, finally meeting Fluttershy's eyes. "Look. I won't screw things up for you again without asking you first, alright?"

Fluttershy smiled softly. "Alright."

"Cool." The pegasus rubbed her mane, before stepping over next to her friend  and tossing her leg around her friend's yellow shoulders. "Mind if I ask you something?"

"A-alright," Fluttershy replied uncertainly.

"Do you really like me, or were you just saying that to try and make me feel better?" Rainbow Dash's voice was softer than usual, almost plaintive.

Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact. "Why?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Well, if my best friend has a crush on me, I kinda wanna know so I don't hurt her feelings."

Fluttershy sighed. "Yes." She murmured.

"Why?"

It was Fluttershy's turn to blink. "Why?"

"Yeah. I mean, I know I'm awesome, but why do you like me? You kind of told me yesterday, but it didn't really make sense."

Fluttershy looked at her friend shyly. "Do you really want to know?"

"Of course! I always like hearing why I'm great." She grinned cockily, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

Fluttershy took a deep breath, only to let it out as she lowered her head, her cheeks flushed. "It's... complicated."

Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow. "Complicated?"

Fluttershy nodded her head. "Complicated."

"Thanks." Rainbow Dash's voice was flat, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"It's true." Fluttershy sighed. "You're strong. Like, really strong. And you're always trying to be strong for everypony. I like that."

Rainbow Dash blinked. "Didn't you just say you didn't want me to do that?"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I don't mean like that. That was you trying to be strong instead of me."

"What do you mean then?"

Fluttershy leaned into her friend a bit more, making Rainbow Dash's cheeks color slightly as she shifted uncomfortably. "When you encourage me to be the best I can be."

"Oh." Rainbow Dash shifted in place. "Uh... is that it?"

The yellow pegasus blinked as the weight supporting her head moved, before squeaking and shifting away from her friend. "I'm sorry!"

Rainbow Dash laughed awkwardly. "No problem."

"Uhm... well, there's lots of other things." Fluttershy spoke softly, her friend smiling uncertainly at her words. "You're funny, you're honest..."

"Not that honest," Rainbow Dash admitted, making Fluttershy laugh quietly.

"Oh Rainbow, you're a terrible liar. And you did the right thing in the end."

"Yeah, but only because I had to!"

Fluttershy shook her head. "You tried to tell me nicely. You just aren't very good at it." Her words earned another uncomfortable chuckle from her companion. "And I don't mind that. You might hurt ponies sometimes, but your heart is in the right place, and you never do it on purpose."

Rainbow Dash tilted her head slightly, her cheeks rosy. "Alright."

"And you are very cute."

"Cute?"

"Mmhmm." Fluttershy nodded her head. "You are very pretty. And your mane is lovely. It's too bad you won't brush it, but it still looks wonderful."

Rainbow Dash's cheeks brightened. "Alright, alright, that's enough." She laughed quietly, making Fluttershy giggle as well.

"So you like me, huh?"

"Yes," Fluttershy declared, before her eyes slid away from her friend. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, don't be sorry. You like me. It's no big deal." The smile vanished from Fluttershy's face, her eyes falling as Rainbow Dash realized her mistake. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that! I mean, I don't mind. I'm not going to stop being your friend or anything." Fluttershy pulled her wings in closer to her back, making Rainbow Dash put her hoof on her face before stepping over and draping a wing over her friend's back, eliciting a squeak of surprise.

"Fluttershy, I don't really know how to be... you know, mushy. But I really don't mind that you like me. It's actually kinda nice."

Fluttershy looked up at her friend from under her mane, smiling weakly. "Thanks," she said, in a weak, insincere tone of voice, making Rainbow Dash lift her hoof and ruffle her mane again.

"Hey, Fluttershy. I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

"I know that you're probably burned out on blind dates right now, but there's this mare I know that was thinking that it might be nice to take you out. Now, I'm not going to lie like Rarity did; she doesn't think she's in love with you or anything. She doesn't really know how she's feeling. But she kinda wants to give it a shot."

Fluttershy's eyes welled with tears. "Oh, that's very sweet of you, but I don't need a pity date."

Rainbow Dash reached down to lift her friend's chin with her hoof, looking her in the eye. "It's not a pity date. I don't know if I like you, and last night, I kinda decided that I didn't. But... well, I got to thinking." Fluttershy tilted her head curiously, sniffing quietly as her friend spoke. "I realized when I woke up this morning that I was thinking about it all wrong. You're my best friend. You've been my best friend for years. And I realized this morning when I was thinking about you, I was being dumb. It wasn't your smile, or that you were nice. Or I guess it was, but, it was what it meant."

"I don't understand," Fluttershy murmured quietly, making Rainbow Dash reach up with a hoof to brush back her own mane.

"Argh. Look, I'm not very good at explaining this stuff. I just mean... thinking about you, we help each other out a lot. And you know, I always like to think of myself as the hero, but you know, you've done a lot for me too. You're pretty awesome when you think about it. I mean, you chased me down when Discord messed me up. And when that dragon was pummeling us you made him go away just by looking at him! Sure, we had to drag you up the mountain, but you saved all our tails."

Fluttershy giggled quietly, a smile slowly forming on her face.

"So yeah, you're pretty cool. I mean, you're not cool like me, but not everyone can be me, ya know?" Rainbow Dash ruffled her friend's mane fondly.

"Plus, I mean, I kinda realized I was being an idiot." Rainbow Dash smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I've got a hot mare who is really nice and pretty awesome who likes me, and I was going to say no because she's my friend. I mean, if you were some mare I didn't know, would I really have said no?"

Fluttershy looked away at the rhetorical question, making Rainbow Dash chuckle nervously.

"Actually, I probably would have said no anyway. But look, that's not the point. The point is that I never even gave you a chance."

"Oh, Rainbow, you don't have to do anything."

"But I want to. I gotta admit, if things hadn't been super awkward yesterday, it might have been kinda nice. Maybe we can try again, except, you know, without the whole me being a jerk thing."

Fluttershy giggled quietly, looking back up into her friend's eyes before leaning forward to gently touch noses.

"I think I would like that."