//------------------------------// // Confession // Story: Then We'll Run // by maxxxxxx //------------------------------// Daring Do trudged through the wind swept dunes, hot sand lashed at her face and the fierce wind whipped through her mane. She had been wandering the badlands of Saddle Arabia for nearly a week, besieged day and night by the harsh, unforgiving conditions. She knew she was close, she didn't know how, but she could feel it. The turbulent winds and think veil of sand made flight impossible, a situation she found herself in... “Um Twi, whats this word?” Dash held the book up in front of her, pointing with her hoof to the particular place on the page. The pair sat on the floor of the library, leaned up against a wall with pillows at their backs and a light blanket covering their laps. Spike had left shortly after he and Twilight had finished sorting the books to help Rarity with something. “Well I can't exactly see through your hoof.” Placing her own hoof on top of Dash's she gently moved it down the page so she could view the word in question. “Ah, That would be Begrudgingly, It means to give or state reluctantly or hesitantly” She said as if reading from a mental dictionary, smiling proudly before levitating her tea to her mouth and gingerly taking a sip of the still steaming drink. “Oh ya! I knew that. Thanks for reminding me Twi.” She gave a light blush that went unnoticed by Twilight as she scooted closer to Dash, staring at the page Dash had left off on. “Anyway.” She found herself in begrudgingly often. Suddenly the sand gave way beneath her hooves, pulling Daring Do into the quickly forming whirlpool of sand. She flapped her wings but it was too late as the quicksand drew her down. She relaxed, letting the sand pull her under. She could feel a void at her hooves. She fell through, plummeting down the pitch black shaft quickly followed by a torrent of sand. A single ray of light streamed in from the surface, Illuminating the shaft just second before Daring would be crushed under the weight of the sand. Daring gave a powerful thrust of her wings, her hooves clicking against the smooth stone that made up the shaft's interior. Then, with all her strength she lunged forward. Retracting her wings and squeezing her self as compact as she could she rocketed through a narrow passage way that had been illuminated by the light. Her wings grazed the sides of the corridor as the deluge of dessert brushed her tail before it slammed onto the floor that was just out of a ponies reach of the passage she found herself in. The sand sealed the entrance, there was no turning back now. The pitch blackness of the cave only strengthened her resolve, it reminded her that somepony was waiting for her back home. Once she conquered these catacombs, once she returned home she could finally tell him how she fel... Dash stopped mid-word. She felt a wave of emotion sweep over her. It was incomplete but, fragments of her dream last night exploded into her fore-mind. “Dash? Are you okay?” Twilight looked at her with concern. Dash simply stared blankly at the page as though she were having an epiphany as images and feeling raced though her mind. “Rainbow Dash?” She spoke softly as though pulling Dash out of her trance to abruptly would hurt her. She blinked away the thoughts, suppressing them as best she could. “I just need a breather that's all.” Putting the book face down to keep the page she stood up, dislodging the blanket off herself and Twilight. She stretched her wings dramatically. “My wings were starting to fall asleep, that's all. Hey Twi, do you have anything to eat? I kind of missed breakfast.” Twilight was less than convinced, Dash was many things but a good liar was not one of them however she simply gave a tepid smile. “Sure, I got some cupcakes from Sugar Cube Corner yesterday. I still have two left.” She stood up, magically levitating her cup of tea. “Follow me to the kitchen.” Dash followed, still fighting the overwhelming feelings from her dream. What was that! It felt so real! She stood at the kitchen table looking nervously around the room while Twilight got the cupcakes out. “Here you go, sorry it's not much. You really shouldn’t be skipping breakfast you know. The way you train, you need to eat to keep your strength up.” Twilight slid the cupcake over to Dash as she took her place opposite of her at the table. Dash gave a sarcastic huff. “It's not like I make a habit of it! I'm an athlete after all, I have to keep to a strict diet if I want to be at my best.” She ate half the cupcake in one big bite, eliciting a giggle from Twilight. “What's so funny?” As soon as she spoke Twilight bust out laughing. “Y-you have icing all over your face!” She stuttered through her gasps of laughter. Dash quickly wiped her muzzle with her hoof, holding back a blush. Dash finished her cupcake in another bite, being careful not to embarrass herself again. Twilight on the other hoof ate hers in a more lady like manner, or at least taking reasonable sized bites. Dash watch quietly as she ate, the room becoming a little too quiet for her. “So that telescope. It was a gift right?” Twilight looked up from her cupcake, taken somewhat aback by the question. Twilight wondered if Dash was still worried that she was upset. “Yeah, my mom gave it to me right before I moved to Ponyville for the first time. You know I don't blame you right Dash? I'm thankful to you for saving me that time.” She said earnestly, looking into her eyes as she spoke. Dash felt her body heat up under her gaze. What is this? Why am I feeling this way? “I know Twi, sorry for making you worry.” “No need to apologize.” She smiled before finishing her snack. “So how about we finish that book?” Twilight made her way for the door. “Hey Twi?” Twilight turned to her friend, she hadn't moved from the table and seem to be talking to the floor she was looking at rather than Twilight who was perplexed at her unusual bashfulness. “Yes?” “I-is there any pony you like. I mean, as more than a friend?” She stammered, avoiding her friends eyes as though she were a cockatrice. Twilight was stunned silent for a moment by the out of no where question. “N-not really. I mean I don't think so.” She could feel her cheeks heating up as she nervously responded. “Oh, I just thought. You know, I thought you would have stallions lining up to be with you.” Dash blushed furiously. This must be how Fluttershy feels all the time. Why am I even bringing this up? “Why would you think that?” Twilight was by nature a modest pony, she never thought of herself as being very romantically desirable. “Well, your really pretty, and like your awesome with magic and really smart and stuff.” She nervously prodded the floor with her hoof as she spoke. Twilight was now blushing as blatantly as Dash. Nopony had really called her pretty before. She felt her hear racing and butterflies forming. “Well, I never spent much time with other ponies before I came to Ponyville, and after that I spent all my time with you girls. I had so much fun I never really thought about a special-somepony before.” Twilight couldn’t put a hoof on what she was feeling or why, as thoughts raced through her mind. “Oh. yeah. That makes sense. Um, Twi..” What are you doing Dash! She is going to think you're crazy, just say never mind, tell her it was a joke. Why cant I stop myself? Thoughts and emotions raged through her mind, more than a years worth of suppressed feelings, words left unsaid and regret compelled her to speak. All the while, images flashed into her mind. Twilight disappearing, the dull cold loneliness as well as feelings of fear, fear of she was about to say and of its repercussions. “Twi, have you ever heard of two mares being together in the same way as a mare and a stallion?” To her, such a thing was completely unheard of. She didn't know if it was even possible for a mare to love a mare, but she felt something. Something that was compelling her now. “Dash, of course not. That doesn't make any sense. Two mares cant have children or get married. It just doesn't work Dash.” Only after she spoke did she actually give the notion any thought, it's true that she has never heard of it but that doesn't mean it couldn’t happen. She began thinking of why such an idea would be inherently bad but she was cut off. “Yeah, well. Um... The thing is..” No, don't say it! She will never look at you the same again. She wont be my friend, who would want to be friends with a freak! She took a deep breath, then exhaled. No! Not Twilight! If anypony would still accept me, it would be her!. She felt a rush of courage, but it didn't make saying those next words much easier. “Twi. I- I like you! I like you allot, as more than a friend!” She shut her eyes tight through her declaration, too afraid to face Twilight until she answered. The room became dead silent. Twilight was stunned. A minute passed, Dash opened her eyes, about to repeat herself, she at least needed an answer. However the moment she opened her eyes Twilight responded. “Leave.”