//------------------------------//
// My Face is NOT Red! 
// Story: The Blush of a Rainbow 
// by Just A Random Pegasus 
//------------------------------//

Rainbow Dash rested on a nice, fluffy cloud. The day was particularly nice; the summer sun casting warm rays onto the small town of Ponyville. An occasional breeze would flow by once in a while, which felt nice. Rainbow Dash didn't want anything to disturb her tranquility at the moment. There were only a few days of the year where there was perfect weather to cloud-nap all day, and today was one of them.

She felt a small poke on her shoulder. It was very soft, but felt like somepony was trying to get her attention.

"W-what...?" Rainbow groggily remarked as she rolled over. As she rubbed her eyes, she saw Fluttershy hovering next to her.

"Oh, sorry if I disturbed you, Rainbow Dash..."

Rainbow stretched her forelegs out. "It's alright. Now, what do you need?"

Fluttershy smiled as she remembered why she flew up to Rainbow Dash in the first place. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to my picnic in... well... right now. Everypony else is already there. I wanted to wait until you woke up... but, you didn't."

Rainbow stood up and flashed her friend a smile. "It's alright. I'll come. Thanks for not disturbing me earlier, though." 

Fluttershy nodded her head as Rainbow hovered into the air. "I didn't want to disturb you from your nap. Now, let's go! Everypony's waiting!" 







When Rainbow Dash arrived at Fluttershy's cottage, she saw a big, checkered picnic mat laid out. She then saw her other best friends: Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Rarity seated around it. They were engaged in some funny conversation, well, from what Rainbow saw. She descended to the ground with Fluttershy as everypony looked over at her.  

"We're glad you're here, Rainbow!" Twilight remarked, smiling over.

"Same! Now... what are you girls talking about?"

Applejack giggled. "Oh, we just dared Rarity to lick the grass. I'm sad ya'll missed out!" Applejack said as Rarity shot a glare.

"Excuse you! That was the most unladylike thing I've ever done!" Rarity then stuck her head in the air as Pinkie laughed.

"It was really funny, though!" Pinkie responded, laughing some more. An idea then flashed in her head and made her smile larger. 

"Hey! Speaking of dares; ya know what we should play?"

Rainbow came to realization to what Pinkie was talking about. "Oh yeah! Truth or dare!" Rainbow responded as Pinkie nodded.

"Of course! Now, Dashie! You wanna go first?"

Pinkie looked over to see a small blush starting to form on Rainbow's face; along with the Pegasus nervously looking down.

"Rainbow?!"

"Wha-" She then snapped back into reality. "Oh, yeah! Sure, I'll go first!" She responded nervously, glancing around. Her eyes then set on Applejack. 

"Applejack! Truth or dare?"

Applejack didn't waste any time thinking. "Ah choose dare!" 

Rainbow looked around and saw the tree at the corner of Fluttershy's garden. A smirk then appeared on her face.

"I dare you to pretend like that tree is your special somepony."

Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Ya can't be serious."

Pinkie nudged Applejack in the side. "Of course she's serious, silly!" Pinkie then gasped and grabbed ahold of Applejack's head. "Don't tell me you're... chickening out!"

Applejack squirmed away from Pinkie's hold and looked at Rainbow. "Fine!"

She then walked over to the tree and hugged it. She ran back and sat down.

Rainbow face-hoofed. "That was pathetic, Applejack!"  

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Whatever. It's mah turn." She then looked over at Twilight.

"Twilight! Truth or dare?"

Twilight thought for a moment, obviously considering the possibilities of what could happen.

"I choose truth."

Applejack giggled as she thought of a question. "If ya had to kiss either Princess Celestia or Princess Luna, who would ya choose?"

Twilight's ears folded back as she looked a little offended. "Hey! I wouldn't kiss either one of them!"

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Ah know, Ah know. You're not a filly-fooler. Ah get it. But this is just a joke, and Ah would never make you do it. Now answer the question, or chicken."  

Twilight sighed. "Fine. I guess I would rather kiss... Princess Luna. I mean, Princess Celestia is like a mother to me. And it would be weird to kiss my own mom." 

Applejack nodded as she gestured to Twilight to make her move. The alicorn looked at her friends. She then raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow! Truth or dare!" 

"Uh... dare!" Rainbow responded.

Twilight got a mischievous grin. "I dare you to tell me the truth."

Pinkie gasped. "Twilight! That's such a cheap move!"

Twilight looked over at Pinkie. "I understand that. But this is something we all need to know."

Rainbow flushed harder than she had a few minutes ago. "Well... go for it!"

Twilight stepped closer to Rainbow Dash. "Why have you been more nervous lately?"

Rainbow's face became redder. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well... you have been avoiding eye contact a lot lately, have spent so much more time to yourself than normal, and your face has been becoming as red as Big Mac every day!"

Rarity thought. "Now that you mention it... she has been acting a little... strange lately." 

Fluttershy nodded. "You have, Rainbow. Is there something wrong?"

Rainbow felt like she could snap under all the pressure. She then buried her face in her hooves.

"I-I..."

"Yes?" Her five friends asked, their eyes widening. 

"I'm... in love."

"WHAT?!" The five shouted. Rarity pretended to faint from the news. 

"You're... in love? With who?" Twilight asked. 

Rainbow looked up at Twilight. "Guess."

"Uh... Applejack?"

"What?!" Applejack and Rainbow chorused as Twilight shrugged.

"You never know."

Rainbow face-hoofed. "Twi, I'm straight. And that should answer your question: No." 

Rarity thought. "Is it... Soarin? As in... the Wonderbolt?"

As Rarity said her statement, Rainbow felt the temperature outside rise.

"Uh... maybe?" 

The five gasped again.

"Rainbow... I had no idea..." Twilight remarked, putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder.

"Really? I've had this for quite a few months now." 

Twilight gave her friend a comforting smile. "I understand. Don't worry; we will be by your side, helping you with this."

Rarity smiled. "Rainbow, darling, you must know that we respect your privacy about this. I have had many crushes before, so I know what it's like."

Rainbow looked over at Rarity. "Thanks. I'm happy you're all here to comfort me, but... I don't know. I feel like now that I love somepony, I'm girly."

Twilight shook her head. "Of course you're not girly. Falling in love is completely natural. You don't need to be ashamed of that." 

Rainbow smiled. "Thanks..."

Pinkie then got a smile. "How about we have a 'Rainbow's First Love' party?!"

Rainbow Dash threw some food in Pinkie's face.

"How about no?" 

Pinkie then laughed and threw the food back at Rainbow.

"FOOD FIGHT!" She yelled. Everypony giggled and started their food fight.