"Come on Pinkie," Twilight said softly, "You've been looking out the window for 10 minutes straight. What's on your mind?"
"Uh, well..." Pinkie trailed off. It was going to be more difficult then she thought. She had a few drops of sweat right on her hairline. It was completely obvious that Pinkie was nervous about something. Twilight just didn't know what. It was getting in the the late evening and The sun was halfway to being fully set. Soon, Luna's moon and stars would be appearing in the night sky.
Pinkie Pie was on her back haunches looking out Twilight's window. She could just see the edge of the Everfree Forest and where Fluttershy lived with all her animal friends. Once again, Pinkie felt the butterfly feeling return to her gut and her heart started to pound faster and faster.
"Alright," Pinkie finally said, "I'll tell you what's going on, but you have to Pinkie Promise to not tell anypony! Not even our closest friends."
"Ok Pinkie. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Twilight said as she motioned the most sacred promise in Ponyville. While she was doing so, she defiantly noticed Pinkie starting to bite her lip in nervousness. "You can tell me anything, Pinkie."
Pinkie took a deep breath.
"IthinkIHaveACruchOnFluttershy!" Pinkie blurted out immediately covering her mouth with her front hooves in embarrassment and surprise.
"You what?" Twilight said with wide eyes and open mouth. "Wow. I don't know what to say Pinkie. This is just-"
"Terrible! I know! I'm so sorry Twilight, please don't hate me!" Pinkie interrupted falling to Twilight's hooves, crying.
Twilight didn't really know what to do. She had never heard of such a thing. One mare, liking another. It was certainly a surprise but she knew that Pinkie was worried about it so she simply couldn't think about how odd or unusual it was. She had to support her friend. No matter what. Pinkie was still on the floor in front of Twilight crying. Her pink puffy mane had drooped down and she was shaking. The violet librarian sat down next to her friend just hugging her. Pinkie returned the embrace with all the strength she had left.
"It's alright, Pinkie. Hush now. No need to cry." Twilight said softly. "Listen, I've never heard of such a thing as this, but you have my support. If you ever decide to tell Fluttershy then you will have my support."
"But...y-you're not m-m-mad...at me? O-or disgusted...?" Pinkie asked between her light sobs.
"Of course not. I'm your friend, Pinkie. Let's calm down. Do you want to stay here tonight? Maybe we could do some research about the situation." Twilight offered.
Pinkie sniffed and looked up at her friend. She realized that Twilight would always be nice and supporting to her. "Yes please. I think that's a good idea." She said.
"Good. Hey, how about we go get something to eat," Twilight said. "I think the fresh air and some food will be good for you right now."
"That would be nice," Pinkie said starting to get up off the floor as Twilight did the same. "Let's go." Pinkie said with a small smile.
With that, the pink party pony and her bookworm friend made there way down to the main floor of the library where Spike was still cleaning up some books and dusting the shelves. Both the ponies waved a goodbye to the dragon as they left out the door into the fresh air on the town. Pinkie felt a bit better knowing that Twilight would help her with her problem. The air also helped her greatly. As the two walked down to the cafe where they had planned on having a small meal, Twilight chatted about what they could do tonight regarding the studying. She had said that she a few books on romance that they could look into when they were finished eating. She also mentioned some of her old Canterlot friends might know some useful information about mare on mare relationships. It made Pinkie feel grateful that she had came to Twilight first. Who knows what some of her other friends would say.
Finally after about 5 minutes of walking towards the cafe and talking about that nights plans, they arrived. The cafe was actually quite small compared to some of the other places to eat ion Ponyville. Twilight liked it though. The smaller the place, the more peaceful it was...usually.
The two friends took a seat outside of the eatery. It was a lovely evening out. Pinkie ordered a sarsaparilla like usual and Twilight an iced tea. They didn't really talk at the cafe much. They just enjoyed the sunshine and the breeze. The waiter came back and took their food orders and they both just asked for a hay sandwich. A few minutes later their food was in front of them and they began to eat peacefully.
Out of nowhere, they saw a rainbow over the sky and knew it was Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus zoomed around a few times before landing right next to Pinkie Pie and Twilight. They were so focused on the rainbow that neither of them noticed that Applejack had also made her way to where the two were sitting. Twilight didn't notice anything wrong with it, but Pinkie was getting nervous. She knew she had caused a small scene with the both of them. Rainbow Dash was the first to speak.
"Alright Pinkie Pie. What's going on? Both me and Applejack have talked to you and you were all nervous and acting odd. Kind of like you are now!" She said.
"Easy there, Rainbow," Applejack warned. "Pinkie, hun, we are just worried about y'all. There is something you're not telling us."
"Spill the beans Pinkie." Rainbow had calmed down but there was still authority in her voice.
Pinkie was almost curled up into a ball by that point. She didn't want to keep secrets from her friends but she didn't want to tell them either. At least, not yet.
"Applejack! Rainbow Dash! Get over here!" Twilight shouted as she got up and lead then away from Pinkie. Just a few feet. "Listen you two, I know you're worried about Pinkie. So am I. She told me what's going on but she doesn't want to tell anypony else yet. She only came to be because I can help her research the...issue. Trust me guys, ok? You need to support Pinkie. Not question her."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other for a minute and then turned back to Twilight and each gave a nod in agreement. They had decided to just leave Pinkie alone for now. Whatever was happening with her, she didn't want anypony to know. So they would just have to wait. They three turned and went back to where Pinkie was cowering.
"Ok, Pinkie. We're both sorry for questioning you like that. You don't have to answer anything or tell us anything if you don't want to." Applejack said.
"Yeah, sorry Pinks." Rainbow tried to act tough.
Pinkie started to get more relaxed with every word that came out of their mouths. Maybe they did deserve to know.
"Guys, I'll tell you what's going on-" Pinkie said quietly.
"Are you sure Pinkie?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah. They deserve to know. They are just as much my friends as you are Twi," Pinkie built up the courage inside of her. "Rainbow Dash, Applejack..." Pinkie bit her lip. "I have a crush on Fluttershy."
The two ponies looked just like Twilight when Pinkie told her. Wide eyed and mouths open. Pinkie was just waiting for them to laugh of make fun of her. But it never happened.
"Awe! Sugarcube, that is so sweet!" Applejack said with a goofy look on her face. Pinkie was surprised.
"So, you're ok with it?" Her mouth started to smile a bit.
"I surely am hun! I'm mighty happy for you!" Applejack was smiling.
"Wow, thanks Applejack!" Pinkie was filled with glee now. "What about you, Rainbow Dash-"
But the rainbow Pegasus was nowhere to be seen. Everypony there had a confused look on their face. Where was Rainbow Dash? It wasn't really like her to just leave in the middle of something that was important. She was the Element of Loyalty. About 30 seconds went by of the three friends looking around the sky to see if they could spot their friend. Nothing.
"Was it something I said?" Applejack asked.
"No, it couldn't be. Maybe there was an emergency or something." Twilight suggested.
"We could of heard something. Plus she would of told us, don't ya think?" Applejack said.
"Maybe she doesn't approve of me liking Fluttershy..." Pinkie looked sad again.
"Now just hold your horses, Pinkie. I'll go look for her. Don't you worry. She is your friend." Applejack said as she started to run off.
Pinkie and Twilight sat there. They were concerned about Rainbow. Why had she flew away? They hoped that those questions would be answered soon. With nothing left to do, they pain for there sandwiches and made there way back to the library. They had a lot of research to do.
RAINBOW DASH'S CLOUD HOME
7:30pm
A light blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane lay on her cloud bed, crying into it. The cloud itself had turned a light grey due to all the tears it had absorbed. It was getting darker and the sun was beginning to disappear on the horizon. She had been in her bed, crying for the past 2 hours. Rainbow knew why she was sad but she didn't dare tell anypony. All she wanted was to be alone.
In her hoof, beside her head, was a picture of a pony. A pony that was a light shade a pink, had a puffy dark pink mane and three balloons as her cutie mark. Pinkie Pie. There was another pony in the picture. It was Rainbow Dash herself. Her and Pinkie were hugging. It was taken after Pinkie had her surprise birthday party. The two looked so happy. That's why Dash liked the picture.
"Rainbow Dash! Are you home?" A familiar southern voice shouted out. Rainbow just ignored it. She was to sad to even think about anything. All she wanted was to be left alone. Rainbow got two clumps of clouds and stuck them in her ears to block out any sound that could disturb her.
"Why couldn't we be together...my love." Rainbow said as she help the picture close. Once the words escaped her mouth she cried even more. The tears rolled down her cheek and onto the portrait of the two ponies.
That night, Rainbow Dash, the best flier and toughest pony to ever some out of Cloudsdale, cried herself to sleep. Thinking of what could be, and hoping she would never wake up.