//------------------------------//
// CH 1-When life started to change 
// Story: Maybe I'm Dreaming 
// by Night Flight 
//------------------------------//

The young mare looked at the picture again. Suddenly she burst into tears. She’d been like this for a month. For her, this wasn’t anything new. These tears were only tears of love.

Door of the room opened and another mare with a worried face stepped in. She rushed to crying mare and hugged her.

”Calm down my dear. I’m here. Don’t worry,” The mare softly said.

”It was all your fault.” The crying mare whispered angrily. “It was all you and dad’s fault!” The voice of her shouting echoed through the cloud house.

The older mare couldn’t handle herself anymore. Both of the mares hugged each other while they were crying…

*       *       *

FLASHBACK

The young filly was flying free in the sky. The sound of her happy laughter could be heard from miles away. She was a happy eighteen filly with tons of energy and happiness.

“Rainbow Dash, we want to talk to you. It’s important. Could you please come in?” Her mother’s voice made her stop.

“Comin’ mom,” The rainbow maned filly shouted.

After few minutes the filly was jumping in the cloud house. 

“I guess some pony has extra energy today,” Her father said with chuckle. Rainbow stopped bouncing.

“Well yeah, I don’t know why but I’m super happy today. SUPER HAPPY!” Rainbow said with happiness. Her mother came in the room while she was laughing. 

“I wish you could be like this all the time.” 

Rainbow’s laughter stopped but it turned to a warm smile. “Hey it’s not like you’re not going to see me anymore.”

Her father smiled sadly and her mother stared at cloud floor with the same sad smile. “Is everything alright?” Rainbow asked worriedly. Her mother looked at her with her sad smile. She trotted up to her daughter and hugged her. She hugged her back.

“Rainbow I know you understand how much do your father and I love you.” Rainbow’s mother began. “There’s something important that we wanted to tell you. Do you remember your big brother? Your big brother is away from us but he has a very happy life now. Before it, he didn’t have any work except from being a Wonderbolt. Whenever he was free he was just hanging out without any aim. He was 18. Just like you. I remember that even he was tired of this. But one day, just like today we told him what we’re going to tell you. At first he got very angry but we told him million times and after a lot of denying, he accepted. And now look at him. He has a perfect life with her wife and he loves her wife more than the world.” Rainbow’s mother stopped talking for a minute.

Rainbow’s mind drifted to her sister-in-law. The girl which was like the sister she never had. She thought about Speedy wind, her dear sister-in-law. Her mother was right. She had a very happy life with her brother, Hurricane dash.

But why did her mother was telling her these things?

“Uh…mom, what do you want to say?” said Rainbow

Rainbow’s mother took a deep breath.

“What I want to say is…you have to get married,” said Rainbow’s mother

“WHAT?” yelled Rainbow. “Are you crazy? ME? GET MARRIED? I hate boys!” said Rainbow angrily.

“But Rainbow it’s an old tradition in our family. All of the children get married at age of 18. I got married when I was 18 too.” said Rainbow’s mother quickly.

“I don’t care about traditions. I don’t want to get married. Even if I want to, I want to get married to the boy I love.” yelled Rainbow.

“And who’s the boy you love?” asked Rainbow’s mother suspiciously and with a raised eyebrow. Rainbow sighed.

“I don’t love anypony but…but…”

“No buts. You can’t break the traditions,” said Rainbow’s mother.

“NO I WON’T GET MARRIED AND YOU CAN’T FORCE ME TO IT!” shouted Rainbow. Then she opened the door and quickly flew out.

(THE END OF THE FLASHBACK)

*       *       *

“It wasn’t anyone’s fault. You should forget it. OK?” whispered Ms. Firefly to rainbow maned mare. “Do you remember those beautiful days? When you were with your friends and you had a happy life with them?”

Rainbow just shook her head.

“Just think of those beautiful days. Don’t think of dark days. Don’t be sad. Just remind those days…”

*       *       *

FLASHBACK
Rainbow dash flew toward hill where all of her friends were gathering for a picnic. She stopped right in front of her friends.
“I hate all boys. I hate them more than anything in the world!” She mumbled.

“Why? Some of them are very cute!” Whined Rarity.

Twilight sighed. “Did another boy asked you out?” she asked 

“Huh! Asked me out! I wish it was just that. You have no idea what happened to me. Do you guys know what did my mother said?” exclaimed Rainbow.

Five girls looked at each other than at their friend.

“What did she say?” asked Twilight.

“She said I should get married! Do you understand? I! GET MARRIED! This is ridiculous!” shouted Rainbow angrily.

“A…forced marriage? If…if you don’t mind me asking…”said Fluttershy in her typical low voice.

“Yeah, a forced marriage.” said Rainbow sadly “But it’s okay. It’s not that bad.”

“What do you mean darling?” asked Rarity

Rainbow sighed sadly. “I’ve been waiting for this since I was born. I always know that I should get married when I get 18. I’ve been getting myself ready all this time. That’s why that I didn’t love any boy. I could easily love a boy but I’ve been looking at them as my future husband. That’s why I didn’t accept any of them. There was few of them which were good but they were hard to get. My whole life was for a second to say: ‘I wanna get married.’ But not with the love of my life. With a stranger which was good at my parents’ eyes. That’s why I always trust them. And now all I have to say is that I’m ready.” Rainbow sighed sadly again. “But I afraid. I afraid of boys. What if I won’t find the love that everypony is talking about?”

This things were new for girls especially Rainbow dash. The most awesome Rainbow dash was talking about love. That was very strange to them but in the other hand, it was their friend.

“Rainbow darling, don’t forget your friends. You have us. We’re ready to help you anytime. Right girls?” said Rarity

“Right!” said girls in union.

“Beside these, it’s not like there’s no way. Just tell your parents that you’re ready and let that stallion ask you for marriage. Then you can hang out with him as much as you can so you can know him better.” Twilight smiled warmly at Rainbow.

“Also you can make a deal with him,” said Fluttershy. “You can ask him if he could set the wedding date for a few more months so you can hang out with him and you’ll know him better.”

“Fluttershy that’s it! It’s the best way!” said Twilight happily.

“Hey! Can I plan your wedding? Pleeeeeease!” screamed Pinkie

Rainbow smiled. “Sure Pinkie. Well if it’s OK with you.”

“Of course it’s OK. I’ll do anything for my friend.” Pinkie hugged Rainbow tight.

“Uh Pinkie…I can’t breathe!” said Rainbow.

Pinkie released Rainbow. Girls glanced at each other. Suddenly they burst in laughter.

Life was very good for those happy friends. Very good because they had each other. In easy or hard. In happiness and sadness. Anytime and anywhere. They knew that they always support each other. And Rainbow dash knew that whatever happen, her friends will help her. She trusted them. Just like her parents…