//------------------------------// // The Stupidest Pony In Equestria // Story: Dumb Luck // by Wild_Heart //------------------------------// I think I might be the stupidest foal in Equestria. See, I made a huge mistake four days ago. That was the day I was helping Applejack demolish the old barn at Sweet Apple Acres to make way for the new one that was finally being built. It'd gone pretty awesome at first. Getting paid to break things and practice at the same time? Totally worth it. But then, the pony of my dreams showed up. Okay, so maybe not my perfect match. Personally, I thought I'd wind up with somepony like Spitfire. If I could ever be in the same league. But Twilight is hot as hay, and so... So... Adorkable. Yea, that's a great word for it. Getting so excited over the most boring things. It's so annoying when she goes off on one of her rants about something I couldn't give two shakes about, but I can bear it. After all, that's when she's at her most adorable. ... And maybe a little hot. Whoa, where are my thoughts going? Hold on there, I'm getting off the point (and starting to drool a little). So just to make it clear, I didn't mind her showing up, even if she was acting weird-er than normal. --- "Rainbow Dash! STOP!" I felt myself screeching to a stop because something was holding my tail back. That was bad enough. I try to keep it a secret, especially because of how much AJ seems to like messing with me, but my tail is sensitive. And tugging it is kinda a huge turn on for me. So, Yea. Bad start there. Dangling from a magically suspended tail didn't help. At all. I looked at Twilight out of the corner of my eyes, praying to Celestia that she couldn't see my expression. "Listen Rainbow, I know you're upset with Applejack," Wait what? "But don't worry, whatever it is that has come between you two," WE'RE JUST FRIENDS GEEZ WHY DOES EVERYBODY ASSUME oh wait she doesn't mean it like that. "I'm sure that I, as a good friend, can solve your problems!" Sure, how about solving the problem of putting me do-Ow. Okay, problem solved. "Uh, what are you talking about?" I sat up, rubbing the back of my head with a hoof, thoroughly confused. That was good though, I almost forgot about how awesome that tail tugging felt. Almost. And that's what caused me to act stupid. That, and the next statement. "Oh Rainbow Dash!" She giggled as she pulled me in closer with a leg around my neck. She then gave me the most caring look I think she ever has given me. My heart stopped for a sec there. "You don't have to hide your feelings from me!" Her hooves moved to my chin, holding it up to look her in the eyes. My heart was back to its thing again, but if this was a race, it would have given me a run for my money. I was confused as hay, horny as a colt after looking through of Velvet's catalogs (No I never read those!... Much...), and now totally unsure if I was supposed to say or do something. So that's probably why I did something so dumb. "Well, if you say so..." Then I kissed her. Yea. I know. I'm an idiot. She must have thought I was crazy. I kissed her. I had my eyes closed, so I didn't see what her expression was like at first. I didn't slip her tongue! I Swear! ... Well, maybe a little, but it was just touching her lips, not going in! When I pulled back from this kiss, I opened my eyes, blushing fiercely. I noticed the expression on her face then. Surprised, confused... "What? Why are you looking at me like that?!" ... Disturbed. That's what that expression was. "I-I thought you said..." Her brain obviously wasn't working for a few minutes. I felt terrified all of a sudden. "What the buck, Dash!" My mind screamed. "What's WRONG WITH YOU?!" "Hey, uh...I was... Uh... Oh geez I'm sorry Twi I didn't-" --- Some lame excuse about needing to write a letter later, she was gone. I stared after her, horrified. How was I gonna come back from that? I blew my chance! Totally blown! If this was a TORNADO it wouldn't have blown that much! And why was I so scared? Sure, I was attracted to her, and this was completely humiliating, but we were still friends! Nothing changed! Why did I feel like my world was over? I felt a hoof on my shoulder, but I didn't turn around. "Sugarcube? Ah saw wha' happened. Ya wanna talk 'bout it? Ah know ya really loved Twi'..." I whipped around, giving her an incredulous look, with a brow raised. "Wh-What?! AJ, are you crazy? I just... I..." My mouth went totally dry. That was it. That was why. I loved her. Rainbow Dash loved Twilight Sparkle, and I would never have a chance now. I lost my cool and I lost her. "... I... I gotta go!" "Dash, don'tcha go an' do somethin' yer gonna-" I didn't hear the rest of it. I took off for my house. I flew inside without looking. I slammed the door. Leaned on it. Eyes closed. Alone. --- That was four days ago. I haven't touched ground in Ponyville since. I spent all my time working the weather, then just sitting on the edge of my cloud, staring out at the horizon. Just sitting there, telling myself how STUPID I am. And right now, I'm doing the same thing. Replaying that scene in my mind, over and over. It's the only thing I can think about. I want to cry, but I don't have anymore tears. Rubbing my eyes, I roll over, onto my back, all four legs splayed out. My eyes closed. "Such an idiot..." "Awww! Don't say that, Dashie! You're just a little slow on the uptake sometimes! You're not an idiot!" Oh great. Just what I need. I open my eyes, and see Pinkie floating there via a metric buckton of balloons. They block out the light from the sun, and what light they don't block is turned into a sea of colors. Rolling over to my stomach, I just grunt. "Don't be a Grumpy McGrumperson! I came up to tell you something!" "Go away, Pinkie. I don't wanna talk to anypony right now." "Nope! I'm not going away until I deliver the message that I forgot and trying to remember so I can deliver it!" She puts a hoof to her chin, thinking with such a serious expression on her face that I would laugh, if I ever felt like laughing again. "Seriously, Pinkie, just-" "Oh! That's right!" She clops her forehooves together. "Twilight wanted me to tell you to go see her at the library!" Something inside me just freezes. Okay, EVERYTHING inside me freezes. I don't think I'm breathing, I don't think my heart is beating. My blood runs cold. I don't even think I'm thinking right now, honestly. I look up at Pinkie slowly, my eyes wide, pupils contracted, and legs so weak I can't stand. "Twi... Twilight wants to see me? Why?" Possibilities surge through my head. She wants to see me? Oh buck, she's probably just gonna cancel our friendship. She probably told everypony what I did! Pinkie doesn't look mad, and Applejack saw the whole thing and she wasn't... But Twilight is. She has to be. "She... She hates me, doesn't she?" "Whaaaat? Why would she hate you! I can't tell you why she wants to see you though cuz she wouldn't tell me even though I really really wanna know but she made me promise not to ask anymore after I asked the 43rd time in a row so I can't tell you cuz I don't know either!" My mind processes what she says with surprising speed. I've known Pinkie for a long time, so it's not like I'm not used to how she talks. But when my brain is done with it, I just shake my head, closing my eyes. "I can't. I just... I can't go to the library. I can't face her. I don't even think I can FLY right now..." "Then it's a good thing we're already there, right Dashie?" Why does the cloud feel so warm and firm right-Oh horseapples. My eyes shoot open, and yup, there we are. In front of Twilight's library. "Wha-How-I don't-" My brain gives up halfway through that. Even as slow as I feel right now, I know better than to question this. I really, really know better. I wouldn't like the answer. "I can't do this. I can't, Pinkie." "Sure ya can! The door's right there! Just stand up, go knock, and go in! Or better yet, don't knock! It'll be a surprise! Even though she's expecting you to be here you can still surprise her by not knocking!" Pinkie logic. Despite myself, I have to smile. That smile gives my legs the strength they need for me to stand up. I take a deep breath, I steel myself. I can't possibly pretend to be my normal confident self right now, but I CAN open that door. I CAN step inside. Even if I can't say anything to Twi, even if I lose my nerve, she'll do the talking anyway. I step up to the door, hoping this isn't what I think it is. That by the end of today, we'll still be friends. That we'll talk it out, and I'll feel better, and everything is back to normal. That's all I hope for. All I want. I don't even care if I love you anymore, Twilight, just don't tell me you hate me. --- I open the door. The library smells of dust. It smells of old books. It smells of wood. It smells of that lavender shampoo she always uses that I tease her about. It looks messy, books all over. It looks old. It looks familiar. The sun streams through the large windows freely. One of those rays lights up on a unicorn. I've never been this poetic. Why now? Maybe it's because I feel so emotional right now. Maybe it's because this is the most beautiful pony I've ever seen. She looks at me. She smiles. That smile is nothing like anything she's ever given me before. It seems almost motherly. Like she understands my problems, like she knows me. I feel my worry fly away. My regret melt. I feel like I'm ready for anything. I'm especially ready for her. "Rainbow, I'm glad you came. We've all been worried about you moping around. Come over here, I need to talk to you, okay?" I'm on automatic right now. I walk over. I sit beside her. Just on the floor, where she is. The wood is warm from the sunlight. Patterns run over Twilight's coat and mane, waves of light made by the leaves blowing in the wind. I'm in awe. I can't think of anything else. I can't talk. Not because I'm scared anymore, but because... No matter how many times before that I've seen this... It means something so different now. It's not the same. But that's a good thing. She's so beautiful, and I think I'm finally realizing how beautiful she is, right here, right now. She continues talking when she realizes I'm speechless. I must look so stupid right now; staring at her the way I am, but she doesn't seem to mind. "Dash, I wrote a letter to the Princess, asking for advice." She clears her throat a bit. Now she seems nervous. I find my voice. "Twi, it's okay. I know you don't feel the same way. I just... I'm just happy enough knowing you don't want me to leave forever or something." She smiles again. A bit of a sad smile. I preferred the nervous one, myself. I think I was hoping she would say differently, that she'd reassure me. Kiss me, maybe. Tell me she loves me too, that she always loved me. I'm so stupid. "Dash, please let me finish, okay? This is really important." I lower my head, and look to the side, to the floor. "Sorry, Twilight." "It's okay. Now, she told me that she couldn't tell me what to do, offer any advice. This is something I had to do on my own. So... For the past few days, I've been thinking as hard as I can. Thinking about how I feel, what to say. How to say it." She never stops looking right at my face. I blush a little. I can feel her looking at me even though my eyes are studying the grain and rings of the floor. "I wanted to comfort you, tell you everything would be alright. All of us did. But... I had to figure this out first. I had to know how I feel. Where I stand." I gulp. I promised myself I wouldn't care about whether or not she loved me like that. I promised. But I break that promise right now, with every question running through my head. I want to stop, I want to leave, I don't want to hear this. But I can't move. I can't stop listening. "Tw-Twilight..." I know what comes next. Why does she have to say it out loud? Can't she just leave that last piece of finality out? Can't she give me the hope? "Dash, I don't. I don't feel the same way about you, no." She speaks in careful, measured tones. She's trying very hard not to upset me. She's failing. "But. And this is the important part. But I... I'm willing to give it a chance." If my heart stops beating again today, I don't think it'll ever restart. My eyes snap back up, my expression one of shock. I dare to cling to that hope. To let it grow in me. My mind screams at me, telling me how stupid I am, that I'm not good enough for Twilight. I won't listen to that voice, though. Not now. Not anymore. "Rarity told me that no matter what she likes to believe, love almost never happens at first sight. It's a gradual thing. It happens slowly, over time. And I think... I really do think you have a chance of earning my love." I dare to smile. Tears come to my eyes, but they're not there because I'm sad. They're there because I'm the luckiest mare to ever live. "We don't have a lot in common, I admit. We're very different. But the books said that opposites usually attract. And they don't steer me wrong often." I open my mouth to speak. I shudder, and close my eyes. Those tears are flowing now. Free, Fierce, For her. Words don't come. She holds out a hoof to me. "What do you say, Rainbow Dash? Will you let me try?" I'm so stupid. I'm so weak. I feel like I'm dreaming. I'm Rainbow Dash, and I am the stupidest, luckiest pony in Equestria.