//------------------------------//
// One for the Party 
// Story: 1-2 Many 
// by NABronyStudios 
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Chapter 1- One for the party
 
What went wrong?  was the only question Rainbow Dash had in mind. She tried everything to impress the Wonderbolts, but the only thing she was able to get was a “Thank you” for catching Soarin’s pie. She needed to practice her tricks more, so she could forget the shame. I’m the best; why can’t they notice me? I impressed them before at the Best Flyer’s Competition. Maybe it’s my fault… I should have asked them to join, not wait being asked.
As Dash flew at top speed making a spiral and grouping the clouds in a tunnel, she quickly turned around going through it. The tunnel exploded in many ring shaped clouds in the morning sky. Who am I kidding; this isn’t good enough for the Wonderbolts... In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough.
I still have my job, and the best friends anypony could ask for. But still, why do I feel so empty inside?
Dash needed to clear her head. She quickly found a comfy cloud near the town hall so she could rest and find a solution to her problems. Looking around, there was almost no one to be seen. She saw two ponies, hugging each other, and then walking away, one next to the other, both looking very happy. Rainbow looked away, trying to hold back tears.
I wish she would love me too... but she never notices. Always busy having fun, always so random… A warm tear fell down from her cheek as if announcing the beginning of a great storm. "Pinkie Pie."
Sitting on the cloud and closing her eyes, Dash tried to get some sleep. But before she could stop crying she heard someone shouting from below “Rainbow Dash!” It can’t be! How did she get here so fast? How did she find me? Rainbow wiped her tears right before Pinkie’s head popped out right in front of her.
“Hey Dashie!”
*bounce*
“What’s up?”
*bounce*
“Actually”
*bounce*
“It’s us!” she said giggling.
“Huh? What do you mean? I… have no idea… what you’re talking about!”
“You silly, we’re in the sky!” Pinkie was using the trampoline to bounce up to Rainbow’s cloud, giving her voice a very strange volume effect.
“Oh, I’m… aware of that.” she said trying to hide her true thoughts. “What are you doing here?”
"Well, you see, I had this great idea for a prank and I can’t possibly pull it off without your help, Dash. Please say yes, please say yes!"
“Uh, sure Pinkie! I’d love to help.”
“There’s one…  More thing… A party… Tomorrow… You’ll be there… Won’t you?”
“Ugh, Pinkie, of course I will. I’m always at your parties.”
“Oh, I knew you would, but if I didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t have known about the party and then you wouldn’t be there and a party without one of my best friends isn’t as fun as it should be, so I had to tell you.”
“Uh, yeah.” she said with an awkward look. “So, what’s this prank about?”
“Cupcakes!”  Pinkie was now holding one in midair.
"Cupcakes? The prank's about cupcakes?"
"No you silly, the cupcakes are for eating.  We can’t have fun on an empty stomach, now can we?”
“Well, I guess not.” She said as she quickly flew down next to the trampoline. Pinkie Pie grabbed the tray with the freshly baked cupcakes and served Rainbow Dash with an enthusiastic smile.
“Mmm… you sure make some killer cupcakes, Pinkie.” gulping the delicious cupcake while complimenting the pony.
“Let’s go! We don’t want to be late. I’ll tell you about the prank on the way there.”
They were heading for Twilight’s library when Pinkie started explaining.
“When I got up and decided to look for you, I ran into Twilight on the way. She was reading a book on weather. Then I had this crazy idea to help her learn more about rain. That’s where you come in, Dash!” she detailed while giggling at the thought of the prank.
“Hmm, I bet she’ll be angry. Twilight hates being disturbed when she’s reading.” To her it didn’t seem like such a good idea, mainly because it was Pinkie's. She was afraid anything in the plan could go wrong. With Pinkie Pie, you could never know…
“Oh, it’s all in good fun. She’ll just laugh it off.” said Pinkie, sure of herself.
“I sure hope so.”
The two ponies approached Twilight’s favorite reading place, a bench under a tree close to the library. In case she needed other books, she could just call Spike from inside. Stopping at a distance, so they wouldn’t be noticed, Pinkie pointed towards an average sized cloud and told Dash “This one looks perfect!”
Rainbow Dash looked at it, and couldn’t help smiling at the thought of Twilight’s face “Alright, let’s do it!” she said while flying silently towards the storm cloud.
“There goes Dashie!” Pinkie said to herself while barely holding her laugh.
Two minutes later, you could see a dark stormy cloud approaching Twilight’s reading spot, slowly and steadily closing in. As she noticed the darkening sky, Twilight knew her moment was approaching. "Boy is this going to be fun…" she thought to herself while doing her best not to burst into laughter.
Here goes nothing! thought Rainbow, bucking the cloud as hard as she could. Lightning struck the tree, warning Twilight that the bad part was about to start. Shortly, the tree’s leaves were soaked to the core, as were both Twilight and her book. Rainbow was already laughing as hard as her stomach could bear at the sight of her friend, soaking wet and… apparently clueless.
“You look so funny!” Rainbow almost fell off her cloud.
 “Oh yeah?” Twilight's horn flickered with a faint purple light, a sign that she was about to cast a spell.
Rainbow Dash was still laughing, when the cloud under her started glowing. It flipped in an instant catching her by surprise. She immediately hit the ground.
“What the…?” but before she could finish speaking, a tiny lightning bolt struck her cutie mark. It was a small storm cloud just above her flank. “Ouch!” The cloud struck the same spot again. “Cut it out!” Dash got up to her feet and tried to walk away from the little cloud, but it kept chasing her cutie mark, striking it every now and then..
As if that wasn’t enough, the bigger cloud started following her too. A drop, then another, then another… until Rainbow Dash found herself being chased by a living waterfall!
Although wet, Twilight was now laughing as hard as she could and Pinkie seemed just fine doing the same.
“Guys! This…” *Zap* “Isn’t …” *Zap* “FUNNY!”
Pinkie had approached Twilight, Rainbow still being chased by the storm clouds.
 “Boy, we sure caught her by surprise this time!”
But Twilight was having the time of her life, and she couldn't answer as she was obviously busy laughing.
"I think we should stop the clouds now, she's had enough fun."
“Please, just two more minutes, Rainbow crashed three times into that tree! Three times I tell you!” She replied bursting into laughter again.
Moments later, after slowly calming down, Twilight decided to stop the clouds as Rainbow Dash was now more soaked and tired than she’d ever been.
“Oh… that… was… the best laugh ever.” The unicorn said while taking in air and dispelling the curse.
“Yeah! I hope Rainbow Dash enjoyed it just as much as we did… I’m so excited… Here she comes!”
The blue pegasus was barely dragging her feet, water dripping from her multicolored mane. When she finally reached the two other ponies, she addressed Twilight. "Ha...ha... Gotcha...”
Pinkie started bouncing around in circles as soon as Rainbow got there.
“Wasn’t it just awesome? At first you thought you got Twilight, and right after you bucked the cloud, very nice kick by the way, it started raining so hard on her that I thought I was going to burst into laughter. But Twilight knew better, because we planned it together, so she flipped you off the cloud and made the storm chase you and it was SO funny! I didn’t laugh so hard in ages!”
After facing a miniature storm, an electrocution every two seconds and Pinkie Pie’s confusing words, Dash’s first reaction was the only one available; she fainted. Twilight’s amused face quickly changed to a serious one.
“What’s wrong, Dashie? Dash? Hello? Are you okay?”
“Uh, I guess she didn’t enjoy it as much as we did…” Twilight sighed, ashamed of what she had done to her friend. “Come on Pinkie, let’s get her inside.”
“She’s not hurt, is she?”
 

***

 “Over to the right! No, no. A little to the left! Wait. Back to the right!” Does she ever stop? “Now a little leftish while staying rightly. Stop!” Will she ever make up her mind? “Hmm, maybe a few inches to the south. And now a couple of centimeters north. Okkkkkk… One more smidgemeter to the…” That’s it; I can’t take it any longer.
“PINKIE PIE!”
“Uh, I mean… perfect.” Finally! “Now, wait for my signal!”
She seems to be looking through the window of the town hall, who’s she expecting? Oh, it’s Spike.
Pinkie gave the signal and Rainbow Dash reacted accordingly, bucking the cloud with full force. It gave out small lightning bolts accompanied by loud thunder. Spike was scared stiff by the noise, dropping the scrolls he was carrying.
Spike? We gave Spike… the hiccups? He, it’s kind of funny.
Starting to laugh, Pinkie stated the obvious.
“Oh Rainbow Dash, we startled Spike into getting the hiccups.”
Rainbow Dash responded by laughing too; Spike answered as well, catching on to the prank.
“Good one Pinkie *hic* Pie *hic*. You always pull in a fast one*hic* on me.” he said, while grabbing a scroll. As he took it, another hiccup made him breathe fire, sending the scroll to Celestia.
Great… Now we did it. “Oh no! You’re not hurt, are you?” Pinkie asked, worried for her friend. “Ne… *hic* eh *hic* don’t be *hic* silly, dragons are *hic* fireproof.” said Spike in a reassuring tone.
“Oh, okay, good.” She seemed convinced by his words, bursting into laughter right after finishing; Rainbow Dash couldn’t resist and started laughing as well.
Spike picked up several scrolls, but before he could get going… *HIC* …another hiccup sent them on their way to Celestia. “I wish the same thing *hic* were true with scrolls.” As Spike tried to pick up the remaining scrolls, burning them with each hiccup, Rainbow and Pinkie started laughing even more intensely.
This is much funnier than I thought. I wish every day were as funny as this one.
“Have you ever seen anything more hilarious?” Pinkie said as if in response to her thoughts.
Oh, that just gave me a neat idea.
“I can think of one thing.” answered Rainbow Dash, hitting the cloud again. “Aah!” The loud noise took Pinkie by surprise… but regardless, she was amused by Dash’s sense of humor and just started laughing between the hiccups.
She actually liked it… and I kind of… find her cute when she’s happy. I… didn’t think she liked pranks.
“I didn’t take you for a prankster, Pinkie Pie.”
Pinkie responded, enthusiastic as always “Are you *hic* kidding *hic*? I love to pull pranks! It’s all i-*hic*-in good fun and Pinkie Pie lo-*hic*-ooves to have fun!
I… I misjudged her… Maybe I should ask… she thought, her heart starting to beat faster.
“You know, Pinkie Pie? You’re not as annoying as I thought. You wanna hang out?”
Pinkie started to jump around, while hiccupping “That’d be… I’d really… When do… I mean… When would you…”
She’s so annoying sometimes... I should help her.
“A simple nod will do.” said Dash, while silencing Pinkie with her hoof.
“Mhm.”
Their eyes met, Rainbow Dash’s heart racing at full speed. She felt warm inside after hearing the answer and could only give a shy smile. I think I love her.
 

***

Rainbow Dash woke up with a headache. Where am I? She was lying in a warm, cozy bed, though it wasn’t hers. The wooden interior and many shelves filled with books pointed out the obvious. This seems to be Twilight’s library.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, you’re awake! Twilight left me here to take care of you while she is out to buy some of the medicine you need.”
“Huh?” What happened? How did I get here… and medicine, for what? Dash sneezed and tried to get up, but Pinkie pinned Dash down in bed, saying in a very rare serious tone “You need to get some rest. Our prank gave you a pretty bad cold.”
Wait… I remember… Twilight, the prank… Those stupid magic clouds… And then I guess…
“Heh, yeah… You pulled a nice one on me Pin… A-a-ACHOO!! …kie.” Dash answered in a hoarse tone, feeling rather humiliated, not only by the prank she had fallen victim to, but also by the state she was currently in. She needed some time to herself; it was too much for one day.
“Pinkie… You’re right, I should sleep more. Please, leave me alone.”
“But I have to stay here, to make sure you get well before the party! Are you sure you don’t need anything else before Twilight comes back?” Rainbow didn’t answer, pretending she was already asleep. “Hmm… I guess you really are tired… Oh well, I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” Pinkie bounced around her bed several more seconds, before leaving the room, slowly closing the door behind.
Dash was upset. Why would Pinkie do this to her? If only she knew… Rainbow thought of the time when they both went pulling pranks together. All of them were more or less harmless, but this time, Pinkie had crossed the line. If it were anypony else she would have been angry… but the fact that it was Pinkie… could only make her sad.
I wish she knew… Dash felt like she needed a hug, a hug she would never get… Small tears had formed around her eyes; she couldn’t hold them back any longer and started crying in silence… I’m all alone. She covered her face with Twilight’s blanket, the only refuge she could get. I wish I could be happy… just once.
As Dash was crying, someone could be heard climbing the stairs. Oh no… Not Pinkie again! She can’t see me like this… Please… Dash remained under the blanket, wiping her tears, as the door creaked open. “Rainbow Dash, are you awake?” It was Twilight’s reassuring voice. The pegasus raised her head, seeing Twilight with two heavy saddlebags. “Oh! Good. Just so you know, I sent Pinkie home, since nobody can rest with her around. I also brought you your medicine. I couldn’t find it anywhere in town so I went all the way to Zecora’s; she gave me this special tribal remedy for you …and some other stuff.” she said while magically taking out several bottles, some weird herbs, and a few jars with a gooey liquid from the bags.
Rainbow looked at the numerous containers Twilight had brought “Don’t tell me I have to take all of those… things.” The unicorn didn’t answer, but was already opening a jar containing a purplish jelly. Oh no, there’s no way she’s feeding me that muck! She tried to get up, but another sneeze threw her back on her pillow.
“Ugh… I’m doomed…” The pegasus mumbled through the sneezes, Twilight couldn’t quite understand Rainbow’s lack of optimism, knowing her to be always so energetic and confident.
“Why? I’m sure you’ll get better in no time. Besides, the medicine doesn’t look all that bad.” she said while combining the mossy herbs with the green liquid. After mixing it thoroughly, she sniffed the strange concoction, quickly turning her head away. “You…Eh… might want to hold your breath while drinking this.” But before Twilight could hand her the medicine…
“Fine.” The blue pony replied grabbing the concoction and swallowing it in one go… Twilight could see that she was very upset, but she was absolutely sure it wasn’t just the prank. Dash had been annoyed by things in the past, but even then she had never reached such a state of resignation. After all, it normally would have taken at least four ponies and her magic to get her to swallow such a repulsive cure.
 “Ughhhhhh… This is just horrible… You call THIS medicine? It tastes like poison!”
Twilight approached Rainbow and looked her in the eyes “Dash, is there something bothering you?”
“The prank, the cold, the poison… You name it.”
But Twilight didn’t give up that easily, seeing as the pegasus was avoiding her gaze. “No, I mean something besides those… Is there anything else wrong?”
Dash’s angry thoughts started to slip away as if they were never there. I can’t tell her… She’s always been a good friend and I really… really wish I could tell her, but I… just… can’t… Not this. “Dash, we’re friends. If there’s anything I can help with, you know I’d do my best. Just tell me what’s happening with you.”
Dash had started to let her guard down, tearing down one wall after another. She needed help, just this once. All she wanted was a bit of consolation from a friend. “Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Twilight gave her a confused look. Rainbow’s voice became a helpless squeak “P... Pinkie Pie swear?”
The unicorn smiled, making the respective gestures. She had no hesitation, knowing that her friends would always mean everything to her. Dash avoided looking Twilight in the eyes; she took a deep breath, wordlessly asking her to come closer.
The pegasus whispered faintly to her friend…
Twilight felt confused… “Huh, you like eating pie?” Rainbow could only answer by shaking her head, gently whispering again… “You’re feeling pretty shy?” Once more, Dash shook her head, annoyed. She pulled closer to Twilight and attempted for the third time… “You want to make Pinkie fly?”
Is she deaf? I want to make Pinkie fly? She felt her cheeks getting warmer. I can’t stand it anymore. I simply have to make her understand. This time, Rainbow shouted it out loud in her friend’s ear “I love Pinkie Pie!”
Twilight backed away slowly “Jeez… You don’t have to yell it!” she answered while rubbing her ear. Rainbow quickly pulled the blanket over her head; she was afraid of what Twilight might say next...
As soon as her ear pain faded, the purple pony grasped her thoughts; she never expected Rainbow to have this kind of feelings, yet the pegasus seemed very convinced of her words.  Twilight had no idea how to react…
“Well… I never heard of love between two mares before.” She stopped to think for a moment. “Is that what’s troubling you?” Dash raised her head slightly from under the blanket, shaking it in response “Then what is it?”
The blue pony was glad to have her friend’s concern, but the sudden question sparked off tears in her eyes. Gently wiping them, Rainbow answered “It’s just… She doesn’t love me back and… I don’t know what to do…”
The unicorn was already searching around the library “Hmm… So you want her to love you? There should be a spell book…”
“NO!” The pegasus burst, revolted by the idea. “I… want Pinkie… to love me for who I am, not just because of some weird magic spell!” She jolted out of bed flying around nervously.
Twilight gave Rainbow an annoyed look “Dash, you’re sick… Get back in bed.”
“Ugh… Fine.” Rainbow agreed to lie back in bed reluctantly. It was doubtful that any amount of sleep would solve her problems. Twilight doesn’t understand… She had almost relinquished all of her newly formed hopes, feeling rather disarmed by the unicorn’s answer.
Twilight sat down, her eyes closed, as if meditating on the subject. Apparently she had reached a dead end. But just when she felt ready to give up, the idea struck her “I know exactly what you need; I have a book on psychology and relationships. It might just have a solution for your problem.”
Twilight was gone in a flash… literarily teleporting downstairs. A few minutes later she was climbing back with a dusty old tome of remarkable proportions. She placed it on the table, flipping the pages hastily, trying to find the required chapter. Rainbow observed her quietly the whole time; she wasn’t ready to place her trust in any of those old books. That old pile of sawdust is supposed to help me? Yep, I’m doomed... “Twilight, I appreciate you helping and all, but I’m not sure about…”
"I won't take no for an answer! As your friend, it is my duty to help you.” she interrupted Dash, taking great pride in her words. Rainbow refrained from intervening again; having learnt that it’s not wise to interrupt Twilight while she is reading a book.
“Now, let’s begin… The first chapter is on…Oh goody! Friendship!” said the unicorn while magically pulling the chair underneath her. Oh, dear Celestia, tell me she’s joking…
After several chapters on friendship, healthy relationships and obscure love theories, Dash found herself at wit’s end. “Twilight, you’ve been reading for four hours straight. I’m sick, tired and haven’t learnt anything useful about love. I fell asleep more than three times now, only to be woken up by some theory on how to successfully engage a conversation with a friend! I’ll do anything, just please, please get to the point!”
The purple unicorn sighed and closed the book with a loud thud, spreading dust all over the place. “Well… if you had paid any attention to what I just read, maybe you would’ve known that the best way to make Pinkie love you is by spending more time with her. Make her notice your feelings towards her. Maybe she will have exactly the same feelings for you in return. Now that I think of it…”
Rainbow blinked, she couldn’t believe Twilight’s words “That’s it? You had to read an ancient scripture to come up with the most obvious of solutions? Four hours of lecturing just to tell me this?”
But before Dash could release all her anger, the unicorn replied with a bittersweet tone in her voice “You could at least say thank you, Miss I-Love-My-Best-Friend.” Twilight watched calmly as Rainbow blushed. The pegasus felt like a traitor towards her own feelings. She was in love, one of the most beautiful aspects of life a pony could ever experience. Also, she had a friend doing her best to help, yet all she wanted to do is scream at her.
Closing her eyes in resignation, warm tears at the edges; all her anger had dissipated into a fragile, broken voice “You win.”
Twilight’s mistake was now obvious to her too. She felt sorry about it, having not realized the intensity of Dash’s feelings towards somepony.  “I’m sorry Dash; I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sure you’ll get Pinkie to love you. It’s just that I never actually had any love related experience before, apart from Spike’s crush on Rarity that is. So, whether you like it or not, this is the only advice I can offer: spend more time with her.”
Dash felt a little better after receiving her friend’s apologies, but she still wasn’t ready to accept any advice: neither from Twilight, nor the book. Her mistrust was expressed with a simple “Hmph…” immediately followed by dry coughing.
“Oh, I almost forgot! Time for a second dose of that tonic.” Dash groaned, as she recalled the painfully bitter mix that the unicorn had served her before.  I’ll be lucky if I ever see Pinkie again… After swallowing the repulsive brew and giving out a characteristic “Yuck”, Dash could feel her eyelids heavy. All that crying and lecturing was starting to catch up with her.
“Alright, it’s late and both of us need to get some sleep. I’ll go tuck in Spike… You go ahead and rest. It’s the least you deserve after so much hassle. Nighty night.” And with that Twilight turned off the lights, leaving Rainbow to her own thoughts and dreams, all alone.

***

Dash’s eyelids gently opened. For the first time since her friends’ prank, she felt genuinely rested. “Mornin’, egghead. I feel great!” It was the third day spent at Twilight’s and by the looks of it, she wasn’t going to need any more treatment.
The unicorn was quietly reading a book; she had been waiting for Rainbow Dash to wake up. “Good morning, sleepy head. It seems you had a good night’s sleep for once.”
“Yep. So… Uh, what’s for breakfast?” she asked with an enthusiastic smile while also making the bed.
“Well. I guess today’s your lucky day. You don’t have to eat any more of those sour herbs. So I had Spike bring you a bunch of Applejack’s best treats.” she answered, happy to offer Rainbow the best meal she could hope for. Spike entered the room, carrying a whole carriage full of apple pies, toffee apples, apple cake and a huge pyramid made out of… apples. “Enjoy!”
“Twilight? Aren’t you forgetting something?” Spike asked as he tapped his foot, glaring at the unicorn with his arms folded.
“Fine… There you go.” Twilight replied, magically handing the baby dragon an oversized ruby, which looked like more than just a satisfying snack for him.
“Oh boy! Rarity’s gonna love me for this!” he said, disappearing in an instant. Yeah, sure she will… was Rainbow’s last thought before she started digging into the juicy delicacies.
Twilight observed the pegasus in silence. Looking at Rainbow, she noticed a content smile on her face. Curiosity got the best of her, as she couldn’t resist asking with a confident smile “So, I take it you’ve decided what you’re going to do about Pinkie Pie.”
Dash stopped eating for a moment; she never did like talking about the issue. “I don’t really know. I’m just too afraid to tell her, for the time being. What if she finds it awkward for us to be together? What if she doesn’t love me back? What if…” Rainbow hesitated for a moment, swallowing air. “What if she doesn’t want us to be friends anymore? I don’t think there’s anything certain about what could happen.”
Twilight slowly closed the book and gave Rainbow an amiable look while laying out a gentle smile “Rainbow… You don’t have to worry about anything. Pinkie would never give up a friend like you.  Just… be yourself. Be brave and determined, like you always are…”
The purple mare didn’t even complete her last sentence as Dash was already next to her, offering a tight hug. “You’re the best friend anypony could have, Twi.” The unicorn returned the gesture, closing her eyes. “I can’t go tell Pinkie right away, I still have something to do...” Rainbow gently broke the embrace and took flight. But as she was nearing the door, her wings came to a halt. Without looking back, she raised her head and said “Twilight… I never got to thank you for your help. So…um… Thanks…”
The wind in Dash’s mane was more than anything she could ask for. The fresh morning dew was invigorating and the ability to fly after three days’ time made her feel reborn. However, a shallow thought was disturbing her. “No matter how awesome this feels Pinkie can never experience it by my side…” Dash thought out loud. “How can I ever expect her to love me, when I am so selfish?"
She became aware of yet another problem they would face… I’m not gonna let this get in our way. Dash landed on the spot and folded her wings. From now on I’ll walk more often. It’s an essential change I will have to deal with… for Pinkie, not for myself… As Rainbow paced herself around Ponyville, she recalled some meaningful events of her past. At first her dream as a filly… All she wanted back then was to join the Wonderbolts, the greatest fliers in all of Equestria…
And then the day she arrived in Ponyville. After dropping out of flight school, she had no choice but to come here and find a job. She felt so lost back then… And finally the circumstances that led to her now best friends… Twilight… Applejack… Fluttershy… Rarity… and of course… Pinkie Pie.  Even now she could laugh while reminiscing… All of these memories were something special for her…
However, despite all these beautiful thoughts, her one true concern was that of love.  Nothing compared to the way she bounced around, doing whatever it was she was doing. The way she battered her eyelashes, responding totally unrelated to the subject whenever someone was trying to be serious. Her cute and innocent light blue eyes, usually glimmering with hope and joy…  It was all she could ever ask for… to be together with the happiest pony she had ever met.
As she wandered around the outskirts of Ponyville, Dash came across several ponies. Some of them were having fun with their pets, while others were just sitting about, discussing day to day affairs. The fillies were running all over the place, enjoying a nice game of tag. Mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, marefriends, coltfriends, old friends… When I come to think of it love is everywhere. It really is something worth fighting for…
Rainbow longed to tell Pinkie what was on her mind. With each step, she was getting closer to Sugarcube Corner; however her ambition was growing thinner with every pace. In a sudden move, Dash ceased advancing. Her feelings were now those of embarrassment and fear. I have to think about what to tell her… Maybe… Maybe I should wait until nightfall. Yeah, that’s a good idea. She’s probably busy with other stuff anyway.
As time went by, all Rainbow could think of were things to say and ways to react. She examined plenty of the possible outcomes, including the necessity to explain Pinkie that this was no joke. Hours passed and she continued roaming aimlessly, fearing the inevitable moment, which was getting closer by the minute. The moon was slowly making its appearance from the west when Dash realized her situation had not changed. She was still scared and still clueless of how to approach the pink mare.
I could try speaking with her later. I mean… there’s no hurry… Countless doubts lurking in her mind nearly got the best of Dash, yet her bravery managed to prevent such an outcome. No… If I don’t tell her today, I’ll never have the courage to try this ever again. Her wings came loose as she took to the skies, heading for Sugarcube corner. Her decision was made, nothing could change it. However, she was still hoping that no matter the outcome, their friendship would remain the same.
Dash reached the colored house, stopping in midair. She felt her heart pounding even harder. It’s pretty late… Mr. and Mrs. Cake are sure to be asleep by now and I don’t want any unnecessary trouble. Besides, I’m only interested in… her… so I guess I’ll use the balcony entrance instead. She took another deep breath, before hesitantly knocking on Pinkie Pie’s door. The engraved shape on it was very symbolic for such an occasion… a heart. It brought out many feelings for Dash, yet she had to remain cool.
Nobody answered. The pegasus felt more and more embarrassed every second. Despite feeling so tense about the whole situation, she still forced herself to knock once again, this time with a little more attitude. No one was home. Could she be somewhere else? No, she has to be here… Dash couldn’t resist any longer and entered the quiet room. Her slow, careful steps echoing in the silence as she searched desperately for her pink fellow. The only one there to greet her was a big, plushy teddy bear, sitting calmly on Pinkie’s bed. “What are you looking at?” Dash asked frustrated, but the toy could only stare back at her, smiling. “Ok… fine… I’m leaving… Sheesh.”
This isn’t right, I have to tell her. I really want her to know what I feel for her… But… Everything is against us… The pegasus frowned.   There’s no use…  I’ll just come back tomorrow… If I ever get the courage… Dash struggled to look confident, proud even, yet all she could do was walk away, miserably. All her hopes, everything she had expected from that moment, crushed in a matter of seconds.
As Dash was slowly advancing on her road home, she couldn’t help catching a sight of the star-filled sky. It brought back memories. The Leo… Twilight had once told her about this constellation, yet this was the first time she actually noticed it. “It represents a mythical creature, which is thought to have lived long ago.” The unicorn was reading an astrology book, and Rainbow wasn’t really paying much attention to her. However, she found herself quite knowledgeable when it came to her own sign “Ponies born under this sign are considered to be outgoing, proud and loyal. Their true wish is to excel at everything they do. It already sounds like you, doesn’t it?” Twilight’s words trailed off in her mind.
A deep sigh…  I guess… I guess this is where I take off. Dash thought as she approached a pretty familiar lake, only a small distance away from her house in the now darkened skies. She instinctively unfolded her wings, preparing to take flight. Motionless, it all felt motionless… even the sudden ascension left her devoid of any reaction. She was used to it, something she had been practicing all her life. If only my wings could make any difference now… Yet another deep sigh.  To take one last glimpse at the lake; it was all Dash wanted before finally leaving home, to get some rest, to forget… Yet while doing so, something caught her attention…
Somepony was sitting by the lake, in the middle of the night, an unexpected sight. Could it be Pinkie Pie? Dash couldn’t help but wonder. But the shadows had already settled in, making it impossible for her to determine the stranger’s identity. Nah, it can’t be. Why would she be here at this hour?  But one thing was certain: regret would follow the blue pony all her life if she didn’t find out the truth. Well… Maybe just a quick, stealthy flyby, so I can rest assured… The pegasus thought and without any hesitation, she started gliding noiselessly towards her target… And as the distance between them swiftly narrowed… Dash’s eyes eagerly turned wide. The pony before her was beyond any doubt… Pinkie Pie!
I can’t believe it. This… This is my chance! Dash felt very happy, yet fear was still present. Despite all that, she landed only a few steps away from her loved one, approaching the pink mare with small, delaying steps. Her heart was beating powerfully. Her cheeks had turned red, burning with shyness. But nonetheless, she felt brave enough to act. “Umm… hi Pinkie.” Pinkie was surprised and looked a little embarrassed when she saw the pegasus approaching, yet Rainbow was her best friend and she was more than happy to see her.
“Oh… Hi there Dashie…” she responded. “What are you doing here at this time?” Pinkie seemed lost for words. It was the first time Dash had actually seen her like this, yet this was not her concern… As soon as she attempted to speak, her cheeks lit up with an even brighter red and her eyes met the ground. She was desperately trying to form a coherent sentence.
 “I um… wanted to talk to you… I hope this isn’t a bad moment and all…”
The earth pony smiled “Of course not, Dashie! You can tell me anything, anytime! There is no bad moment when it comes to a friend.”
Rainbow sensed her pulse accelerating; it felt so good, to be there alone with Pinkie, under the moonlight. “I never thought up of a good way to tell you this. I… I don’t even know where to start…”
Her buddy instantly replied with a happy voice, trying to help out “Don’t worry…You can start from the beginning. What is it, Dash?” She never thought of Pinkie this way; so understanding, taking her time; it almost felt as if they were already together.
“Well…I just wanted to tell you, you’re my best friend… and…” Rainbow’s sentence was suddenly cut short… Her breaths were more frequent now… She noticed the scattered petals that lay all around Pinkie, on the soft grass, on the water’s shimmering surface. It was only then that she realized… That small, fragile lily with only a few of its petals remaining which Pinkie had tried to hide when she first landed. Looking back at her friend, Dash saw her face light up with a familiar bright red; she knew the feeling… No… please… not this! Not… I… I… The pegasus couldn’t think clearly anymore… A warm tear gently brushed her cheek, almost as if caressing her, as if trying to cheer her up… I loved her…
The pink pony came closer to Rainbow “Dashie, you don’t understand…” She dropped the flower and gave Rainbow a tight hug. I… I do understand… I only wish for you to be happy… Pinkie. Her last thoughts remained untold as she broke free from her friend’s embrace, and flew off into the night. Dash didn’t know where she was headed, but she would never stop until the pain was gone.
Pinkie watched as her friend disappeared, the fastest and most stubborn mare she had ever met. No matter how much she wanted to shout at her, to ask her to come back so she could explain, so she could hug her once again, so she could comfort her… In the end, Pinkie just waited… knowing there was no use.  After a while she even sat down and stared at the flower, her tears slipping on the cold grass. The pink mare strived to remember where she had stopped counting, looking desperately at the small number of remaining petals. When she finally realized it wouldn’t matter anyway, she gave out a quiet sob and whispered to herself “I only wish she loved me.”

***

“Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash jumped out of bed, flying straight for the window.  However it was a brief trip, having been brought to a halt by some kind of force, which was now apparently holding the pegasus suspended by her tail. “A… Aa… Aatchoo!” The loud sneeze instantly freed Dash, making her fall flat on her tummy “Ouch… What… What happened?”
“And where do you think you’re going? You know you have to take another dose of medicine in just half an hour.” Twilight’s voice came from the far side of the room while Dash heard the sound of a book closing “Come on, back to bed now.  Oh and… What was that anyway?”
The pegasus did as asked while also trying to remember some of the details in her dream. Yet all she could make out was… I only wish she loved me. The thought trailed off as she finally answered “I… don’t really know. I guess I just had a bad dream or something. So, umm, sorry for interrupting…” Rainbow wasn’t really the apologetic type. The unicorn knew that for a fact and immediately sensed something was wrong. Her look swiftly changed from that of disturbed to a concerned one. She was not sure how to approach the matter but she was clearly interested in her friend’s dilemma.
“Well, since you already got up and we still have a few more minutes left until you have to take your medicine. How about we talk about that dream?” Twilight asked, curious of what her nightmare was.
Yet Dash didn’t really feel like telling her “It was… just a nightmare. Besides, I don’t even remember most of it.” The memories would fade away, yet she was always trying to grasp the most important details before they would be lost into oblivion.
Twilight, however, was convinced Rainbow recalled at least part of the dream, if not completely… “Dreams can sometimes have hidden messages, Rainbow. Particularly nightmares…  I remember some quite interesting facts on this subject from a book I read not very long ago. Maybe there is something I can help you clear up. I mean we would both benefit if you shared it with me.”
Dash knew the unicorn would never quit so she started explaining. “Well. It all started in the morning, when I decided to look for Pinkie. I spent the whole day searching for her, but it was useless, I couldn’t find her anywhere. At the end of the day I was ready to give up, to go home and get some rest. But something unexpected happened. On my way I saw somepony by the lake, a small distance from home. It turned out to be Pinkie Pie and she was holding a flower… A lily, I think. It was rather torn, most of its petals laid scattered around.” Dash remembered some of her thoughts, but she couldn’t recall why or how she reached that certain conclusion… I only wish she loved me. Upon meditating a bit, she decided to keep the last part to herself. “We talked for a while… I don’t know exactly about what, but then I just left… Erm… crying.” She blushed for a moment. “So there you have it. That’s the dream.”
Twilight was happy to hear her story out, but there was one thing that didn’t add up. If it was just a normal day that ended up with a fight, then why would she blush like that? Not to mention only yesterday she had admitted towards having a crush on Pinkie or the fact that she woke up shouting her name… No... There was something more, a reason… “Dash, are you telling me everything? We both know you’re hiding something… something about love?” Twilight gave off a smile, as Rainbow blushed again.  She was, in the end, happy for her friend.
“I… I really don’t want to talk about it…” The pegasus looked all around the room, but when her eyes met Twilight’s, she knew there was no turning back. “She didn’t love me, not even in my own dream…” Dash whimpered. “Pinkie wouldn’t love me in my dreams… Why would she even care in the real world?”
Twilight had a perfect example for Dash, as Pinkie had only just announced her this morning “But of course she does! Not long before you got up, she told me she’d have an awesome party ready to celebrate when you got better.”
Dash’s eyes suddenly widened, as if suddenly remembering something important… “The party! I have to get to the party today. Twi… I promised Pinkie I’ll be there.” She wanted to jolt outside the window, but realized it was pointless, ending up pulled back by the unicorn’s magic. ”But… But…” Dash wanted to plead…
 “No buts… Speaking of which I just remembered… it’s time for your medicine!”
As Twilight handed Dash the abhorrent mix of weeds… The pegasus couldn’t help but ask. “If I can’t go to the party, then can you at least explain what that whole nightmare was all about? I mean, you told me dreams usually have a message…” As the blue pony swallowed the medicine in disgust, Twilight smiled. She felt glad whenever someone would request her knowledge on such a matter, even more so when it was one of her friends.
“Well of course I can! It’s not that complicated, actually. Taking in consideration all the information you gave me, which by the way isn’t as detailed as most dreams examples in the book… Umm… It shows your fear to lose Pinkie, but it also portrays how intense your love actually is. I for one didn’t think you loved her that much, but… Oh well, the message is quite simple; you have to try and show her your feelings.”
“But… I'm…” Every single bit of Dash was against admitting it, but she had no choice… Twilight was the only pony she could talk to about this. “I'm afraid. Pinkie is my… everything. I couldn’t stand losing her… Either as a friend or something more…” The pegasus frowned “I wish there was a way I could show her how much she means to me…”
The unicorn expressed the first thing she could think of “Hmm… She did mention needing some ideas for the party, but since you’re the main guest… Maybe you could try something else…”
Dash was so excited to hear that Pinkie needed help, she didn’t even let Twilight finish. “That’s great! I can help her with the party! There’s so much to do, where do you think I should start?” The purple pony realized there was no way stopping her now so she abstained from commenting by simply giving out an annoyed smile.
In that moment, Rainbow remembered one of the more important lessons in her dream. She remembered thanking Twilight, but never feeling that her gratitude was expressed properly. This time, she had the chance to do it right. Dash looked at the unicorn, blushing a little before saying “Twi, I know how hard it is to spend time with me sometimes and it’s a miracle you got me to take that poison of yours. You were there for me when I needed you most. So… Thank you, for taking care of me, for listening to that entire Pinkie problem… Thank you for everything.”
Twilight knew that Rainbow meant every word; her vulnerability making her feelings look pretty obvious. The unicorn gave her a reassuring smile “Don’t worry. You’d do the same for me. After all, what are friends for?” Now that she solved her friend’s problem she was ready to proceed with more important matters… Bringing the book she was reading and opening it somewhere at the beginning “Now, I’m pretty sure you will find this book on pony history quite interesting.”
Dash returned the smile “Don’t push it egghead. Before I get rid of this cold I’ll probably end up allergic to your a… Atchoo! …books.” They both started laughing as their discussion went on… They were only hoping for the best outcome after all.

***

This is hilarious. Re-lighting candles are such a neat idea. Gilda looks pretty upset though. I should go talk to her… “Hey G, you’re not upset about some silly candles, are you?” In fact, it was not just the candles. The griffon had sprung every prank Dash and Pinkie had set up for her party. The pegasus was worried she would soon lose her cool.
“No way, Dash! Like I said, I’m down with a good prank.” I guess she’s having just as much fun as we are and that cake looks absolutely awesome!
“Come on, then. Let’s have some cake!” Dash watched as the rest of the ponies were enjoying themselves. She was very happy to have helped Pinkie organize such a great party for her old friend. Pinkie and Gilda sure spend a lot of time together. Maybe she could give me some advice on how to impress Pinkie afterwards.
“Hey y’all. It’s pin the tail on the pony! Let’s play!” Applejack gathered everypony round the poster. I might as well give it a go. Although Rarity likes this game more than I do. I’ll just wait for my turn…
“Oh, my favourite game. Can I go first? Can I have the purple tail?” Rarity asked enthusiastically, but Gilda kicked in, brutally grabbing the tail before Rarity could pick it up.
“Well, I am the guest of honor, I'll have the purple tail.”
Pinkie gave Spike a nudge “Yeah, Gilda should definitely go first. Let's get you blindfolded.” The dragon listened to the pink pony, swiftly covering Gilda’s eyes.
“Hey what-- ugh-- what are you doing? Rrrah.”
Pinkie gave the griffon a quick spin around and walked her up to the poster. “We're spinning you around and around and then you pin the tail on the pony. Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail.” This is going to be fun…
“Now just walk straight ahead and pin the tail. Heh, yeah, right. This is another prank, isn't it? I'm going this way.” The griffon said, turning around and advancing in the opposite direction.
“Wait. The poster is this—“ The pink pony didn’t even manage to finish as Gilda had already slipped on some of the cake on the floor “Whoa whaa waah waah waaaaah!” She crashed straight through the kitchen doors, shortly returning covered in cake and with the purple tail suspended on her beak. “Uh, Gilda? You pinned the tail on the wrong end.” Pinkie said, making all the ponies laugh at the scene.
Gilda snapped. She roared in rage, flying above the other’s heads in superiority “This is your idea of a good time? I've never met a lamer bunch of dweebs in all my life. ...and Pinkie Pie, you, you are queen lame-o with your weak little party pranks.” Oh, no. She did not just pick on Pinkie Pie. “Did you really think you can make me lose my cool? Well, Dash and I have ten times as much cool as the rest of you put together. Come on Dash, we're bailing on this pathetic scene.” Dash was shocked, yet she knew exactly how to react. Her former friend had crossed the line. “Come on Rainbow Dash. I said, we're leaving.”
“You know, Gilda, I was the one who set up all those weak pranks at this party.” Taking all the blame for the pranks was the proper action as Rainbow wanted to keep Pinkie out of this discussion. I brought Gilda here so I’m the one who has to deal with her.
Everybody gasped. The griffon couldn’t believe her ears at first. Even Pinkie was a bit surprised of Dash’s actions. “So I guess I’m queen lame-o.” the pegasus added, her fury building up with each word she spoke. This is for Pinkie.
Gilda chuckled weakly, trying to back off from the harsh words “Come on, Dash, you’re joshing me!”  She looked in her friend’s eyes, but all she found was disappointment and regret. “They weren't all meant for you specifically; it was just dumb luck that you set them all off.”
Pinkie Pie joined the discussion with a random remark, somehow supporting Rainbow’s decision “I shoulda known; that dribble cup had Rainbow Dash written all over it.”
The griffon attempted to blame the pink mare one last time. “No way! It was Pinkie Pie; she set up this party to trip me up, to make a fool of me.”
Pinkie was surprised to hear Gilda’s accusations. “Me? I threw this party to improve your attitude. I thought a good party might turn that frown upside down.” Her usual innocent smile had vanished.
Dash couldn’t take it anymore. She hated seeing Pinkie hurt like that, and Gilda was taking it too far. “And you sure didn't need any help making a fool of yourself.” she almost shouted towards the griffon, advancing slowly, with a dominant attitude “You know, this is not how I thought my old friend would treat my new friends. If being cool is all you care about, maybe you should go find some new cool friends someplace else.”
Backing off slowly towards the door, Gilda knew she eventually had to leave. However, her pride got the best of her once again. She simply had to have the last word. “Yeah? Well you… you… you’re such a flip-flop: cool one minute and lame the next. When you decide not to be lame anymore, gimme a call.”
The griffon slammed the door behind her, leaving the party. “Not cool.”
Spike was a bit confused as to why all this happened “Wow, talk about a party pooper.” Everypony at the party started to commentate what had just started. Dash could hear them gossiping “What was that about?” on one side. “Awkwaaard…” on the other. At least I’m glad that’s over.
“I'm sorry everypony, for bringing Gilda here. I didn't know how rude she was…” Rainbow turned towards Pinkie. She had to suffer most from my so called “friend”… “And Pinkie Pie, I'm really sorry she ruined that awesome party you put on for her.”
Pinkie smiled back to her and said “Hey, if you want to hang out with party poopers, that's your business.”
I’d rather be with you Pinkie. Hmm…  This hoof buzzer… Maybe I should, just for the laughs. “I'd rather hang out with you. No hard feelings?” She offered Pinkie a hoofshake.
“No hard feelings.” When the two hooves met, electricity coursed through their bodies. As the shock came to an end, the two ponies let out a common gasp before bursting into laughter. They had both attempted to pull the same prank. She’s so random… I love her.

***

Dash spent the next three days at Twilight’s; she did miss Pinkie’s first party, but that didn’t really matter as she would have the chance to prove her love at the very next occasion. To her surprise, the time spent with the unicorn wasn’t as bad as she had expected; Twilight had even read her a book on rainbows, knowing how much she enjoyed the subject. Their friendship had become even stronger. But Dash had to soon leave Twilight’s in order to join Pinkie and the preparations, yet not before giving Twi one last hug along with her thanks.
Rainbow was now on her way to Pinkie and had decided to keep her promise, the one she made in the dream. From now on I’ll walk more often. However it didn’t take long for the pegasus to find herself bouncing out of joy. Small jumps accompanied by the gentle flap of her wings would take her all across Ponyville. I wonder if she feels like this when she’s happy.
As she reached Sugarcube Corner, Dash saw Pinkie waiting for her at the front door. She wanted to think a bit more of how to react in such a situation. But it didn’t last enough as the pink mare quickly noticed her. The next moment Dash found herself surrounded by a joyful, skipping Pinkie Pie… “Dashie! You’re here! I was worried you’d be late. I’m so happy now. We’re gonna have so much fun even before the party starts. Aren’t you excited?” Dash blushed lightly while walking past Pinkie. The pink pony asked, a bit concerned “Oh, you don’t have a fever do you?”
“Um…” Dash avoided Pinkie’s sight, almost embarrassed “No, Pinkie. It’s just… Come on; let’s go see what we need for the party.” She followed the pink pony inside, in the kitchen, where the ingredients, decorations, juices and presents all stood.
Pinkie was now in her universe “Oh goodie… What should we start with?”
The pegasus looked around, there were many preparations awaiting. At first she thought of the easiest way to get everything done, to save up some time, time she could spend with Pinkie. But Dash knew better; there was nothing she could do by herself “I don’t know. You’re the expert in parties...”
“Well, we have party games which are really fun… Party pranks which I love doing, especially with you. Then there are party drinks and party hats and party presents... Oh and THE PARTY CAKE! Oh and I forgot balloons… Silly me, how could I forget the party balloons?”
“Maybe we should start with the decorations. I’m not that good a baker and I might mes...”
“Baking? Baking is fun!”
“But…”
“I shall make it my personal task to teach you how to bake the sweetest, most delicious, most appetizing cake in all of Equestria! And Gummy will be here to make sure I get all the ingredients right! Won’t you Gummy?” The crocodile opened his toothless mouth absently, as if nodding in agreement.
Before Dash could say anything, Pinkie had already started bouncing around the kitchen.
*Cake song-WIP*
 
As the cake lay in the oven, Dash turned to Pinkie enthusiastically “Wow, it’s much easier than I thought.”
“I know! But I’m afraid we have to split up since we need at least a dozen of these cakes. And a dozen more trays of muffins, cupcakes and brownies. And we still have to take care of the decorations.”
“All those pastries? What do we need that many for?” Dash was a bit confused at first but soon realized the magnitude of Pinkie’s party. “Wait… Who’s coming to the party?”
“Our friends! All the ponies you know, all your friends’ friends, all your fans at the Rainbow Dash fan club and some special guests I called all the way from Canterlot.”
“Hmm…” Dash knew the faster she would finish, the more time she would spend with Pinkie. “Okay… Let’s not waste any more time.” She answered having already started working on the batter, quietly humming Pinkie’s Cake song while mixing the ingredients all together.
“Okey Dokey Lokey.” Pinkie said in her usual cute tone. Dash admired how lightly her friend took everything. Nothing seemed to bother her; preparing such a big party, so much work for only two ponies, yet she had not a care in the world.
Time went by as the two of them baked goodies, made the decorations and even established some of their usual pranks. They would often just look at each other and smile while doing all the hard work. It felt comforting, two good friends spending time together. They didn’t talk much, Dash only felt the need to be there with her and remarkably enough even Pinkie kept the silence, something really unusual.
It was now getting dark and the preparations for the party were nearing completion. There was only one thing left, to put up the banner with the name Rainbow Dash written on it. “Okay Pinkie. Come on… This is the last part.” The pink mare bounced near the pegasus to grab the other end “I’m so excited! Everyone is gonna be here soon!”
“Yeah, me too!” Dash answered while flying to put her end up. Pinkie climbed on the small step ladder she had brought in order to help. However, the pink pony wasn’t tall enough and as she attempted to reach the nail, jumping, she nearly fell to the ground. But Rainbow was there, catching her. “I was a bit clumsy.” The earth pony said, not finding any other words to express thanks “It’s okay.” she answered lightly, blushing while laying her down.
They both looked shyly in each other’s eyes before Dash finally stared at the floor; she didn’t really know what to do next. Pinkie however approached the mare and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Dashie.”
The pegasus could never believe it. A shy, gentle kiss from her one true love… She was looking at her, clueless of what to say. A kiss from Pinkie Pie; her skin so warm and fuzzy touching hers for just a second, it was all she ever wished for. And now they were here, all alone. There was not a word to be spoken as Pinkie’s shy smile and red cheeks clearly spelled out her feelings.
Dash wanted to get closer, to say something… But then… Someone knocked at the door. The guests... Rainbow Dash thought. How could I forget about the guests? Pinkie wanted to say something too, seeing as the pegasus wanted to answer the door. To tell her that the party didn’t matter anymore, that the guests didn’t matter anymore… All that mattered now was them… Hopes and dreams were shattered in a matter of seconds.
“Hi there Twilight. You arrived pretty early.” Just as usual I presume…
Minute by minute, Sugarcube corner filled itself with more and more invitees. Dash had no choice but to start mingling with them as this was her party and it was her duty to make sure everypony was having fun. Some of them congratulated Dash for such a successful establishment, while others were just enjoying themselves. However, between all of them there was one pony that looked really unhappy. Dash occasionally stared back at her loved one to see if she was alright, yet the pink mare would just sit there with her eyes pointed at the ground and her beautiful mane hanging heavily.
The party had been going pretty much as planned until suddenly Carrot Top shouted across the room “Ugh… but this cake is absolutely horrible!” At least she had the decency to leave the room before puking the whole mouthful.
From the other side of the room, another voice intervened “Mhm… I reckon this cake is the best I’ve ever tasted. The apples in it are great.” It was Big Mac, gulping on the green side of another one of the cakes.
“Darn right, big brother.” Applejack approved of his words. “Only that mah side tastes like oranges.”
“I must disagree.” Rarity stated. “I do not know exactly what you put in this cake darling, but it’s quite... erm... How should I put this? …Gross.” After this, all the other ponies started arguing on the subject. Half of them agreed that the pastries were delicious, as was expected from such a good baker as Pinkie, while the other half sustained that the food wasn’t just bad, but frankly was quite far from edible.
“Now, now, everypony! Ah’m getting a mite tired of y’all fighting over this here cake. Ah’m pretty sure somepony here has her tastes a bit too sophisticated for us common folk and it’s more than likely influencing the others as well. Don’tcha think, Rarity?”
“I most certainly do not. See for yourself.” She pushed a piece of the cake towards Applejack for her to try it out.
“Fine. Ah’ll prove to you the cake is as good as any of Pinkie’s baking and then we can go on with the party. Deal?” Applejack ate the whole piece at once. However after chewing on it for a couple of seconds, she could barely gulp any more “Oh mah... That is quite some cake...”
“I do think you owe me an apology, Applejack. I may be a lady, but I am not picky. Don’t worry, Pinkie Pie. You’ll get it right the next time.”
Applejack finally managed to swallow the piece she had just eaten. “Yah... Sorry Rarity, but the one ah had was plain better. You can try some of it if you want to.”
However, something was clear. Only some of the pastries were actually edible. After all the voices subsided, a brown colt popped his head out of the crowd and said “I don't know what you guys are all arguing about, but this is the best cake I've eaten in the last three hundred and seventy two years. And besides, it has bananas. I like bananas. Bananas are good.”
Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe her eyes. She knew the bad ones were the ones baked by her, but everyone was accusing Pinkie. She should have told everypony it was her fault. She should have defended Pinkie, as she did in the past, but now it was too late to do anything.
The cakes Dash had baked caused quite a stir at the party. Yet she was still convinced it would be merely a setback. She decided to just greet every newcomer, even have a small chat with them so the party would end faster, as she really need to speak with Pinkie afterwards. But then something unexpected happened: the weirdest bunch of ponies approached Sugarcube Corner. Each of them was unique in his own way as Dash couldn’t help but inspect each and every one of the mysterious group. There were three of them: a pegasus, an unicorn and an earth pony.
The unicorn wasn’t very big in stature; she seemed to be the shortest of the three. Her legs were pretty thin, and her sleek body was covered by a light orange coat, much alike the leaves of an autumn tree. Her straight but uneven scarlet mane covered most of her face, only revealing one of her glimmering opal black eyes and part of a happy smile. She would try to brush her mane behind her ears, yet no matter how much she did this, it would always take its initial position.
The one who seemed to lead the group was a slim pony with a frizzy black mane. His pale yellow coat looked a bit washed out, making it obvious that it had seen better days. His eyes looked very tired, almost absent, seeming like he didn’t have a set direction when walking. His smile also had something strange about it, something unnatural. He had more than one piercing in his left ear and also a goatee. He was somewhat taller, with an old acoustic guitar hanging lazily at his back.
The last one was a fat pegasus... In fact, he seemed to be the fattest pegasus Dash had ever seen. His dark blue coat was barely distinguishable in the nightly scene. However, his azure mane and his body mass made him more than noticeable, the sound of his hoofsteps echoing like boulders hitting the ground. Yet regardless of his condition, he was still munching away at one of the delicious hayburgers from the local diner. Oh, his flying days are so finished...
“Yo dude, how’s it goin’? We’re here for the party, y’know... bringing the swag and all. Pinkie Pie said you dudes know how to have fun.” the thin one addressed Rainbow Dash. “When do we start, mah man?”
“You guys? For the party? Good one, I actually believed you guys for a second. It was funny... Now go away.”
The unicorn approached slowly, brushing her mane backwards “You know... Pinkie invited us here for a musical number. It’s a little something we wrote together a while back, and she wanted us to interpret it at the party. We came here all the way from...”
Dash was losing her temper “Look, I don’t care about excuses. Pinkie said she only invited known people, and you seem like complete strangers to me. Now come on, you can’t stay here all day.”
“But...”
“Leave it be, Ember. It’s obvious that they don’t want us here. Let’s just go find a place to spend the night. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we can find Pinkie and we’ll clear this up.”The pegasus turned around, walking lazily away.
Ember’s mane fell back, covering her face again as she turned away sadly, following her friends. The yellow one remarked to the others in an indifferent tone “Looks like that Rainbow Dash dude won’t be getting any vibe at his party. Right, Big Fly?”
The blue colt responded, making the others laugh, but they were too far away for Dash to hear what he said. Dash was happy to have handled with them after what happened with Gilda a while back. She headed back inside; maybe she could find a way to open a conversation with Pinkie. However, Fluttershy approached her before Rainbow could do anything. “Rainbow… Erm… Hi.” She said, quite nervous.
Rainbow wasn’t quite interested in talking at the point, so she didn’t notice that her friend actually needed some support. “Yeah… Hi, Fluttershy.” She ignored the yellow pegasus, still looking for Pinkie.
Fluttershy proceeded, putting one of her hooves on Dash’s wing “Erm, I wanted to talk to you. That is… If you’re not too busy.” She patiently waited for her friend to respond.
“Not now, Fluttershy.” She shook off her friend’s hoof, desperately looking for Pinkie.
"But... I..." Fluttershy gulped "I don't think I'll ever have the courage to tell you this again. For some time…” Dash didn’t even hear her words. There she is. Wait… Who’s that colt talking to her? He was pretty well-built with a dark purple coat and a cutie mark representing a flipped champagne glass. His black, long and messy mane twisting in disorganized curls inspired a very attractive look. His eyes were of a very dark blue, leading towards a clear sky in the late of night. All this time he just sat next to Pinkie Pie, talking to her. The pink mare would smile and respond to him occasionally.
Dash swooped across the room, completely ignoring the yellow pony. She arrived near the two in almost an instant, tagging the colt twice on the back before addressing him “What do you think you’re doing? Can’t you see she wants to be left alone?” Rainbow asked furiously. Several ponies had stopped their discussions for a brief moment in order to see what was now happening.
The colt replied with a calm voice. “Relax; I am just trying to cheer her up. In fact I am preparing her a drink.” He twisted one of the bottles on the bar, elegantly playing with it then pouring three glasses in one agile move. “Here, have one too. Everypony needs a good drink, right? The name’s Noir.”
 “Hmph.” It’s time he learnt who has the right to cheer Pinkie up and who doesn’t. Dash grabbed the same bottle, throwing it in the air, landing it on her wing, pouring one other glass with a gentle move. “I think your skills are a bit overrated, pal.”
“That could be true.” he answered, grabbing two bottles of expensive liqueur, winking playfully at Dash before throwing one of them in midair. He started to gently pour a glass of the other brew, then letting it embrace flight as well, while giving it a controlled spin around its axis. He had just enough time to elegantly catch the first bottle with the other hoof and pour in the same glass, stirring it carefully afterwards before finally offering it to Dash.  
 “You forgot something…” Dash remarked lazily.
The colt simply smiled. “Oh right...” Catching the bottle in one hoof and spinning it a few times before aligning it perfectly next to the other. “Ice? Miss… What was it again?” he said, tossing two ice cubes in the air, raising the glass and catching them both in a flash, without spilling a single drop. “There you go.” Noir smiled, handing the cocktail to Dash.
I can’t lose to this… bartender. Not with Pinkie around. “Dash…” She answered, grabbing one full bottle and two glasses, flipping them a few times before landing each on a wing. “Rainbow Dash.” Her reply was completed as she started switching the positions of the two glasses by simply flapping her wings, swiftly throwing each in one of her hooves for a quick fill. Afterwards starting to add more glasses, two by two, accelerating the speed of her game. In the end she managed to fill ten of them, empty one bottle and also give it a quick spin on the table, pointing it in Noir’s direction. With a smile on her lips, the pegasus called Noir’s initial hand “Raise.” Ten percent cooler, in twenty seconds flat… “Was that up to standards? Let the crowd decide!”
Dash offered a drink to each of the ponies who cheered for her, until her wings only held two more. With agile moves, she landed one in front of the purple pony and drank the other in one swig “Your turn, Blackie.”
“Well, I’m not sure I can top that. But trying never hurt anypony, so I guess… Let the show begin!” The purple one stood in two hooves revealing his magic horn. That cheater was using magic all along…  “Fillies and gentlecolts… My name is Noir and tonight, I will provide the entertainment!” He said as he glided two bottles in each of his hooves and gently arranged no less than ten glasses and ten cherries on the bar. “Wish me luck.”
This was all he said as he started juggling with a single hoof the two bottles. Then he would simply throw each glass at himself with magic, catch it with the other hoof and then pour from a bottle while the other was still in the air. After each amazing feat of agility he would levitate it back in its place. Each fill made his hooves tremble more and more as he finally filled the last and tossed the bottles one more time in a manner only he could. They each spun in a unique way, truly fitting of such an artist, before both landed back in his hooves, this time upside down. He then threw them back on the table, landing them in a perfect straight position. His performance did not cease yet as he slammed the table once in order to catapult all of the ten cherries previously arranged in the air. Amazingly enough, all of them landed in their respective position, each bordering one beautiful cocktail. Then did the pony levitate a small torch from under the counter and started blowing in the bar’s direction. The bright flames were like a dragon’s breath, lighting the tip of the drinks instantly, like a dry forest in midsummer heat.
He then used his magic to take out several napkins from his stash, placing them into hooves. There was a small moment of silence before the purple pony suddenly released them, breathing the last of the scarlet flames in the process.  The napkins flew directly towards the table, moving like a small swarm of butterflies, each aligning itself perfectly in front of a drink, even avoiding the singe of the flames. They looked almost as if they were alive. Although the napkins were scarred by the intense heat, this just gave them a certain vintage look. Noir felt very proud as he commenced his last feat, raising the ten glasses as one and landing them right on top of the mildly browned napkins. The unicorn then faced his audience and addressed them…“You may now… serve!”
The little... Dash looked in dismay as everybody cheered the dark colored unicorn. She wanted to scream, yet she knew that a calm accusation would benefit her more “Impressive. But using those magic tricks of yours is more or less cheating. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Noir didn’t really know what to say “I just used a bit of magic.”
“So you did cheat?” The pegasus accused him, even louder this time.
Twilight popped out of the crowd, addressing both of the ponies and hoping to end the argument “Actually Rainbow, I studied his magic during the show pretty carefully, being quite knowledgeable on the subject. I noticed the only spells he did use were those of levitation, in order to prepare his act and maintain it. The actual tricks were all pretty much demonstrations of skill, talent and determination.”
Dash felt really frustrated at hearing her words and tried to get out of the situation without being humiliated “But… That’s still cheating!”
Twilight couldn’t help but gasp “No Rainbow Dash, as much as I hate disagreeing with… one of my best friends, it really wasn’t. And besides, didn’t you use your wings for the same purpose?”
“But...” It was too late to say anything else. The crowd started booing the rainbow-clad pony with ever increasing intensity. Dash wanted to cry. Yet she wanted to maintain a resolute attitude “Fine! Cheer the expert. Give the others no credit. Thank you, everypony...”
The pegasus left the scene, with her mane hanging low. Twilight felt bad for what she had done; it was never her intention to make Rainbow Dash leave. The unicorn simply wanted to help out, like she always did, but now all she managed to do was make a lonely pony feel sad, rejected by the rest.
Just like that, out of nowhere, the bartender addressed Twilight in a low voice, giving one of the bottles a spin on the table. “Hey there!” She didn’t get it at first, but soon realized his intentions. Yes, he did have talent and yes he did look good it was just that…
“I’m not impressed” Twilight turned away from the bar and left the other unicorn continue his chat with Pinkie.
Dash wanted the party to end faster. The cake was a failure, she made a fool out of herself and ruined most of the atmosphere at the party. She could hear more and more ponies express their dissatisfaction with the party. And it was all her fault. The pegasus roamed around the place, just looking. She wasn’t in the mood for talks; in fact she wasn’t in the mood for anything. Why does it have to be like this? Then something caught her attention, Derpy Hooves had targeted a specific plate, now containing one muffin with a red outline.
Could it be? The rainbow pegasus thought as she quickly realized. Oh no, not that. It was slightly bigger than most muffins and with a seemingly different color on the edges; it could only be one of the prank muffins. In a normal situation, it would have been funny to see it explode in a rain of flour, but after all the past events, adding to this the fact Derpy was emotionally connected to these sweets, the whole story couldn’t end well.
The gray pegasus took the pastry into her hooves and looked at it with a smile. However, with a swift move Dash managed to grab it before Derpy could start munching on it “You should definitely try another. This one doesn’t look too tasty. I think... I think it might be one of the bad batches.”
But the mailmare wasn’t ready to give up on her muffin. It was the last one and she had been looking for it everywhere “My muffin!” She longed for the baked treat, yet Dash was careful to keep it out of her reach “I want my muffin!” Derpy jumped on Rainbow, knocking her down and taking a bite out of the snack directly from Dash’s hooves.
Dash closed her eyes, expecting the worst, yet five seconds had past and she heard nothing. She opened one of her eyes to see what happened only to find Derpy happily chewing on the pastry. “Phew…” Seems like I managed to mess up the pranks too.  But then… *Boom!*
The pegasus opened her eyes to witness a complete mess of flour, scattered throughout the whole room. Well... At least Derpy is fine. “My… My muffin…” Oh dear. Please don’t make a scene. Anything but that! The grey pegasus started crying, instantly attracting the attention of everypony.
Derpy looked devastated as she sobbed away out of sorrow and grief. Her muffin was now gone; that mushy, sweet, beautiful taste was all she had left at this party. The others were desperately trying to calm her down; telling her it would all be alright, that Pinkie would make her a new muffin tomorrow. The mailmare insisted that it was the only muffin she liked, that there would be none other to make her happy.
Bon Bon stepped up to Dash and told her with a look of reproach in a cold tone “Dash, this is no prank for a party. Didn’t you realize something like this could happen? Look at what you did to poor Derpy. Nobody can say or do anything to make her stop. That was really insensitive of you.”
Dash felt ashamed. This party was never going to end. As if that bartender thing wasn’t enough... Now even Derpy hated her. And Derpy never hated anyone. What was going to be next? Some random pony making fun of her? Or even worse someone calling her a bully?
She knew the answer. It was so obvious. Rainbow decided that the best course of action was not getting involved in the party anymore. Dash’s hooves took her with small, unwilling steps towards a corner of the main room. A desolate place for her desolate heart, where she could do no harm.
It almost felt as time itself had forgotten the pegasus there, in her dark alcove. It could’ve been minutes, it could’ve been hours; she was unable to feel its passing. Sounds and sights, they all went and gone until time freed its sinister grip for just one blissful moment. The most beautiful pony she had ever known was roaming around the room, seeming as she was searching for something.
What could she be searching for? This matter escaped Dash’s mind. Her friend asked everypony, with no exception. One by one, she had closed towards the azure pegasus. Before Rainbow could move out of her way, Pinkie asked her in a calm, yet unsettled voice “Hey... Um, Dashie… have you seen the ponies from Upbeat? They’re friends of mine… They promised to sing for tonight.”
The rainbow colored pegasus widened her rosy eyes, realizing only now who the weird looking ponies actually were.  She had made her one true love’s friends walk away from the party. In response, Dash could only lower her eyebrows in sorrow and say with a trembling voice “I… haven’t seen them.” doing her best to hold back tears. But the smallest of them made it across her cheek, dripping on the floor.
“Oooo…okay… I guess this is it then, no more music.” the pink mare stated, leaving a small gap before addressing Dash once again. “Dashie, it may sound silly, but… please, could you wish me luck?” She asked with a shy smile and a faint blush.
Dash closed her eyes tightly. Her wish was to tell Pinkie everything right then. To end her torment, regardless of the outcome, she would finally have peace. “Wait! I...” Love… You… Pinkie…  Dash wanted to look her in the eyes, those bright blue eyes that always managed to calm her. It was now too late. “Good luck.”
Pinkie climbed on the stage, with a shyer pace than usual. She really wanted to tap the microphone and say her usual ‘One two one two’ before proceeding with her announcement, it always made her so happy. But this time she really didn’t need the extra attention. It was a better idea to settle for a more subtle approach. “Hello everypony!” As expected, her greeting didn’t get many of the ponies watching. “I hope you’re all having fun tonight because I don’t really know how to tell you guys this… My friends from Canterlot, the ones who were supposed to sing for our party won’t be coming anymore. So I guess I’ll have to fill in with my famous show of stand-up comedy!”
The audience wasn’t really the enthusiastic type of crowd, but nevertheless Pinkie started her show in a cheerful way “So not very long ago, there was this colt who kept telling me a story about this friend of his whose uncle’s cousin had a nephew that had a dad whose brother had a cousin that knew somepony with a sister. Her best friend’s mother used to date this guy who had a godfather with a pretty odd son who apparently sold stories to random people. I always told him… ‘I don’t buy it’.”
The ponies watching her didn’t quite react, only a few of them laughing in response to her joke. Pinkie was already starting to feel rather uncomfortable. However, she tried to continue in the same manner. “I’m sorry. I seem to have run out of inspiration for jokes. Let me fetch some.” Pinkie took a deep breath, making sure everypony would notice it “Ah, much better. I don’t see how some live without inspiration. They must be seaponies or something. I’m sure they have a nice life in Seaquestria!”
Only this time nopony laughed, and several more started whispering to one another, obviously unimpressed by the pink pony’s attempt at humor. But Pinkie knew better than to give up. “Okay, okay. Here’s a good one. How much pony do you need when making a cake? Well, you need exactly the right amount which is… One. Me!”
If the last joke didn’t stir any laughter, then this one did even worse. By the time Pinkie finished it, everypony was left with a mortified expression, not sure whether this was the worst joke they had ever heard or the most sinister. One by one they started shouting at her, telling her to get off the stage. “It was a joke guys. Come on, be serious. You’re supposed to laugh!” However, her voice was covered by the intense torrent of boos, forcing her to leave the stage at once.
This... this is all my fault. All this would’ve never happened if it weren’t for me. I’m sorry for putting you through this, Pinkie. Dash watched as her friend stepped down quietly from the stage. So unlike her... All I did was ruin her party. I shouldn’t be here...
The pegasus turned around quietly and pushed through the arguing crowd, heading for the exit. She wanted to disappear, to be alone and to forget all the harm she had caused. Looking back, she saw a sad pink mare sitting in the corner she had previously used as her refuge, with tears in her eyes. She deserves someone better, someone that won’t break her heart. With this, she closed the door behind her, diving towards the sky.
Raindrops were eagerly descending from above, making it seem like a never-ending downpour. Her mane and coat were quickly drenched in the cold water as she flew faster and faster, as if trying to calm, soothe her warm tears. Crying in the rain was all she could do now; hopeless of ever being accepted by her true love ever again. She felt so lonely… so abandoned.
Rainbow Dash landed beside a certain lake, the one also present in her dream. No matter how cold and no matter how wet she felt like simply sitting there, looking at the deep waters constantly stirred up by the unrelenting rain, waves echoing across their surface. It had finally arrived. The moment of peace Dash had been expecting for so long. She was finally alone… to her tears, to her feelings, just a small filly abandoned in the cold, shimmering rain….
She stood there, on the wet grass. Her tears were undistinguishable in the downpour, yet they were there. Her thoughts ranged to every place of the world, wanting to find peace somewhere. Was it in flight? Was it in rest? She thought, yet every single time, her thoughts took her back to the one true answer. It was in love. She liked flying, she liked resting. However, she loved Pinkie. Each small drop of water was like a frozen needle piercing her coat, making her shiver. Each wave on the crystal-like lake was one regret, one heartbeat and yet another tear shed for the best pony in the world. A pony she would never get to kiss, not once. A pony she could never hug. It was a dream… A lost dream.
One by one the seconds passed, each within a heartbeat, each together with thousands and thousands of tiny, painful drops. Rainbow had completely lost track of time. She could have been there the whole night, thinking and crying. The weather, friend and foe alike, was her only companion and the lake… The lake drew all her attention, keeping her distracted from feelings, feelings of pain. Some of the floating lily pads had taken cover from the torrent on the edge of the water, carried there by the merciless waves. Just one small lily, sweet and delicate, like a flower should be, lay in front. So gentle did it feel at touch, Dash couldn’t help but feel compassion towards it, she too was fragile, enduring everything, much like the lily endured the heavy drops of water, yet no one would ever know or appreciate them for carrying such a burden.
Her thoughts felt hopeless, fragile. She had never felt like this before. Dash didn’t understand why, but it felt simply irresistible, to pick that one lily, to… To whisper to herself while picking each and every petal “She loves me, she loves me not…” I, I have to. She grabbed it, letting a small tear fall as she picked it from its root. “I’m sorry.” I wish, I wish I could, but… What if she doesn’t love me? What if, even now, all I get is loneliness? Why? She wanted to say it out loud, yet she whispered to herself quietly. “Why me?” Putting one hoof next to the flower, she wanted to throw it away, let it embrace the lake once more, but then…
“Don’t.” A fragile voice came from behind. “Please. Don’t.” The cute words left her mouth, this time a bit clearer than before. She couldn’t believe it. Dash turned around, catching a sight of the pony she never expected to see here. All she could see in the night were those crystalline eyes, glowing in the dark like two sapphires. “Don’t be afraid. Please.”
“Pinkie?” Dash asked confused, unable to believe her own eyes.
The pink pony smiled faintly, approaching Dash with slow, steady steps. “Please Dashie. Let’s…” she blushed “Let’s finish this flower together.” The blue mare couldn’t control herself, her cheeks turning red at the words, yet her heart dictated her answer.
“I… I can’t… Pinkie.” She shrugged at the thought, it scared her more than anything, knowing that the last petal would mean the end of… Dash couldn’t.
The pink pony came closer and closer to the pegasus and sat down near her. Hugging her tightly, she was closer to Dash than ever before. Feeling her warm tears, her slow, powerful heartbeat, her trembling breath in her curly mane. Pinkie placed each hoof next to Rainbow’s, and looked her in the eyes, smiling innocently. “We can... Together.”
Dash felt safe in Pinkie’s hug. It was as if their hooves moved together, the only thing that scared her now was watching as the petals left their flower one by one. Together, Pinkie and Dash picked them, both chiming in with a content, fragile, voice “She loves me, she loves me not.”
As the last of the petals remained, its time coming close, the pegasus realized. This was it, no matter what that petal said, no matter how cold, no matter how afraid she was. Pinkie was there for her, offering comfort and safety in a warm hug. She couldn’t keep it inside anymore. The feeling she was experiencing was more intense than anything she had ever felt before. Her face turned red as a shy word left her mouth “Pinkie…” she placed her hoof gently over hers “I… love… you…” A small tear brushed her red cheeks.
Pinkie slowly moved her lips and kissed Dash on the cheek, right on her warm tear. Then, her lips pressed lightly onto Rainbow’s for only a moment, closing her eyes. The azure pegasus, at first dumbstruck by Pinkie’s action, only now realized what this meant. She instantly hugged her back with a tight, loving embrace; she never wanted to let go of her ever again. “Please Pinkie, don’t leave me.”
The pink pony kissed her on the cheek again and whispered softly in her ear, tightening the hug “I’ll never leave you, Dashie. I love you too.”
Their embrace lasted a while, their tight, loving hug offering protection from the harmful rain. It didn’t matter; nothing did anymore, their hearts beating for each other, their eyes meeting and their lips touching. It was all the two ever wished for.

***

“Dashie, come on in bed. It’s cold outside… and I’m pretty cold too, I need you to keep me cozy and comfy and warm.” Pinkie asked Dash, not really aware of what her marefriend was doing.
“Just a second!” Dash answered, swiftly returning with two cups of hot milk from the kitchen. “I think you’ve had enough fresh air, just let me close the window. And I know you like hot chocolate more, but I figured you need your sleep.” she replied, feeling a bit sorry she couldn’t make Pinkie happy with something sweeter.
“No problem, Dashie! Anything I drink with you will make me feel be—achoo! ...etter.” She took the cup of milk with both her hooves, sipping  slowly from it.
“Aww, that air must’ve been too cold. Come on, let me snuggle in with you.” Dash tucked herself into bed, sneaking under the covers until their bodies were more than just close. “Feel any better?”
“Yes!” Pinkie answered smiling.
Dash couldn’t resist but give her a quick kiss on her nose. “Hey, you’re blushing! You’re so cute when you do that.” 
The pink pony didn’t try to hide her emotions “Hehe, I know. I never felt shy before. Not until…” Her cheeks lit up even brighter as Dash silenced her with a loving kiss. “That was... sweet.”
“Hehe, we really should get to bed, it’s pretty late.”
“But I can’t sleep. I’m not tired…”
“You sure? I mean, a cold usually gets me worn out."
"Mhm." Pinkie cuddled closer to Dash, embracing her tightly “Hey, do you remember that first party we had after we fell in love?”
“Yeah, how could I ever forget it? I mean… It felt so different from other parties.”
“It did, didn’t it?” Pinkie smiled very happy, recalling the beautiful moments she spent with Dash.
~ “Hehe, Dashie, you’re covered in chocolate!”
“Yeah, hehe, I was never really good at baking, I’m lucky to have you here with me.” Dash smiled, turning towards her friend.
“Oh, you silly, now I have to get you cleaned up.” Pinkie stated, jumping on the pegasus and starting to eat the chocolate off her, with cute strokes of her tongue.
Rainbow fell to the floor, bursting in laughing “Stop it. That tickles!” she cried out, before starting to search for Pinkie’s ticklish spots as well. Soon enough they were both rolling over one another. “Oh, you’re the best, Pinkie.” Their eyes met in an instant and so did their lips. ~
“Yeah, I loved the way you took care of that chocolate.” Dash admitted. Pinkie couldn’t help giggling faintly when reminiscing the special moment. “Oh, or when our friends finally arrived. They seemed so happy for us! Twilight even brought us a gift.”
~”Okay guys, this is going to be a bit awkward. I didn’t tell you about this sooner because I wanted it to be a surprise. And I Pinkie-promised Dash I wouldn’t tell anyone. Just... act natural.” The four ponies had arrived all at once, ready to greet and congratulate the couple.
“But, Twilight...” Rarity was still confused, having no idea what to expect.
“Hey there Pinkie, Dash!” Twilight greeted them as soon as she opened the door.
The two of them were happy to see their friends, although still blushing from the kiss earlier.
“Hey guys!” Dash answered. “You’re here just in time.”
“I’m so incredibly, fantastically, infinitely happy you’re all here! I can’t wait to tell you what happened! I don’t know where to start!” Pinkie responded as well.
“I’m ever so happy to see you two. But what exactly do you need to tell us?”
 “Yeah, I’m a mite curious too.”
In that moment Dash looked at Pinkie with a rather confused expression. The pink mare simply smiled back and kissed her on the lips, as the pegasus blushed even more. “Well...um... You get it, I think...”
“I guess... that explains everything.”Twilight wasn’t too surprised by this; however Applejack and Rarity were exchanging at least awkward looks while staring at the two happy mares who were anxiously awaiting their approval.
“Hehe... That’s quite unusual.” Rarity responded, lost for words.
“Yup... That’s mite unexpected.” Applejack agreed as well, without adding anything else.
Twilight sensed a twist in the conversation.  The proper action was to intervene in order to defend her two friends. Seeing the escape, she cleared her throat and expressed her thought “Well, at least Fluttershy thinks it’s a great idea. Right, Fluttershy?”
The quiet, yellow pegasus was sitting at the back of the group. She was looking downwards, as she usually did but once Twilight asked her the question, Fluttershy raised her head, smiling shyly towards Dash, with a tear sparking in her eye. “Oh... Yes, I’m very happy for you, girls.” She brushed the tear lightly and gave the two a friendly look. “I’m sure you’ll be happy together.”
“Exactly, this is why I brought a gift. A very special present with its own story.” The unicorn announced in a proud stance, pretty much unlike her.
“A present? Oh, what is it? What is it? What is it? Please tell us Twilight, we would love to hear about it so much!” The pink mare burst into joy, hugging Dash and pulling her towards Twilight as well.
“Yeah, good question Pinkie, what is it?” Rainbow Dash agreed, looking at Twilight curiously as well.
Twilight was very happy to share the story, trying to hide her excited smile “Hmm, well then, I guess I have to tell you all about it… So… Not long ago I read about a certain specimen of flower imbued with an ancient magic. Princess Celestia was said to have the only remaining samples in all of Equestria. I simply knew I had to obtain one of them. I ended up asking her more than ten times before finally receiving her approval. But in the end I obtained it. A flower that can sense the most powerful magic known to ponydom…”
“Would you mind if you got to the point, Twilight Sparkle? This is getting boring...” Rarity interrupted with a yawn.
“Let me finish. The magic that you two have experienced yourselves… There aren’t words to describe it, but I’m sure you understand much better than me what I’m talking about.”
She nearly messed up her levitation spell while opening her saddlebag, taking a fragile white flower out of it. Her joy made her almost clumsy in actions. Joy… At least that’s what she thought it was. Yet it felt just a bit sad to give it away, such a symbol of love. She wasn’t sure she would ever get one of her own, or if she would ever get to share it with somepony. “Here, it’s called The Lonely Lily.” Lonely...~
“That was the sweetest gift we ever received from anypony. Twilight really knows how to surprise a couple.” Pinkie and Dash both looked at the flower on the counter near their bed. Its petals were widely open, and were colored bright red “Aww, look. She knows we’re here!”
As Pinkie hugged her friend tightly, the flower lit up with an even brighter color, as if blushing. “Twilight has really outdone herself with this! I should ask her more often to help me with picking presents!” The Lonely Lily… Such a misfit of a name for such a remarkable trait. Its white petals would often conceal it as an ordinary flower with its petals closed. However, whenever it would feel love, its petals would turn bright red and the flower would open, releasing a sweet scent in the air.
“Yeah. I guess so. Now, Pinkie, it’s time we went to bed. You really need you rest to get better faster.” Dash kissed Pinkie one more time and cuddled her tightly. “Good night. I love you.”
“But I’m still not tired! Hey, remember what happened after the party?” Pinkie smiled to herself, reminiscing the scene.
Rainbow blushed lightly as she too recalled the moments “Hehe, is that an invitation?”
"Maybe..." Pinkie answered in a very faint, cute voice. Her cheeks were now red with shyness, as she looked in Rainbow’s pink eyes “Wanna find out?” She gave Rainbow a long kiss, the warmth of her blush reaching Dash’s feelings in a way she could never have expected. A shiver ran down her spine as the feeling got more and more intense…
~The party was now coming at an end. Sure, everyone was still having fun. Rarity was discussing the punch with Pinkie and Dash, who were apparently only half interested as the other half of their thoughts ran to… pretty much other stuff. Applejack and Twilight were trying to finish maybe two or more games of pin the tail on the pony, none of them managing to successfully reach the target. There was a small amount of activity, yet it was still there.
But where was Fluttershy? Her friends did not notice her; she had fled towards another room, a small room with supplies for different types of pastry. None was there to witness her quiet sobs of loneliness in the darkness. Why am I all alone? she wondered. She wanted to tell Dash, she wanted to have someone to share her love with. But then… life had other plans for her. I love my friends. I wish I could do something… I wish I could tell her. This is terrible. I don’t want to ruin everything they’ve got going. It’s just… I want to be loved too. I feel so selfish and so… Mean… and… I feel… lonely. Her tears started anew as her thoughts renewed themselves with even more sorrow. A broken heart, forgotten by her friends, crying alone… I wish I told you then, Dash… I love you. ~