When Rainbow's World Turns Upside Down
The Opposite of Love
The rumor was that Twilight Sparkle's recent visit to Celestia in Canterlot had been particularly disastrous. Ponies said that those two hated each other now, that they wanted to kill each other, even.
Rainbow Dash watched the empty room as ponies sat idly, waiting for a visit from Princess Celestia that would never come. Ponies chatted about how angry and disgusted they were to hear of what happened between the two princesses.
Rainbow, of course, was delighted to hear the news. She had never been surer that her own relationship with Twilight would last.
She hated Twilight Sparkle, of course. With all her heart. Since meeting as friends, the two had steadily and slowly drifted apart, until that one fateful day. It had been totally on purpose. Rainbow turned around, and Twilight happened to be in the wrong place. Rainbow had slapped her, full on the lips.
Since then, everything had been exactly the same as it always was, and Rainbow couldn't have hated the way her life had turned out any more than she already did.
Rainbow turned away as all the ponies around her laid down and yawned. The moment hadn't come – Celestia would never arrive.
All the ponies in the room snubbed her, ignoring Celestia's presence, all except Rainbow. Rainbow bowed and looked up at her princess and rival with admiration and trust. She couldn't have been happier to see Princess Celestia here at last.
Rainbow thoroughly enjoyed herself in the quiet, vacant room. Despite the morose ponies all around her, she wore a constant smile. Even though nopony else seemed willing to talk, Rainbow chatted away merrily.
Hours passed, but seemed like mere minutes to her. All her anxieties seemed to vanish.
Finally, Celestia prepared to settle in. “I want to make sure to blame our worthless hosts for this pitiful party, and most of all I want to blame Princess Twilight Sparkle for forbidding me to come.”
Rainbow sighed, relieved to see Celestia moving away from Twilight. She could have easily taken her eyes away from the scene playing out in front of her.
Celestia leaned away, slapping Twilight lightly on the cheek, as if it meant nothing. She made a point of keeping her long, white wings away from Twilight's back.
The crowd in the room noticed this with obvious dread, but Rainbow sat back on her haunches and smirked. Her heart leapt out of her chest for joy. That vision kept replaying over and over in her eyes, even though it was completely unimportant to her.
Twilight stood tall at Celestia's side, her chest puffed out and a smile on her face. She leaned in, as if asking for more from Celestia, and she made a point of responding in kind.
Rainbow found breathing abnormally easy, a quiet, refreshed feeling. Feeling like this, she could stay inside forever.
Twilight took forever to chase Rainbow outside. Eons passed before that door opened again. She walked slowly away from her longtime enemy, screaming curses as she went. “That means everything you think it does, Rainbow! I'm through with you!”
“Now I know all the rumors I've heard are lies.” Rainbow stood tall, giggling so much her eyes teared up. “I haven't heard anything about what happened in Canterlot. And now I... I know...” She couldn't say it, she was laughing so much. “I know you've been faithful to me!”
“Rainbow, please!” Twilight jumped away. “Dashie, this is irreparable, really it is. We'll never move past it.”
“Stay with me!” Rainbow sat down and stayed exactly where she was. This was the only place she wanted to be. She stayed put, laughing so hard everypony in town must have been unable to hear her.
“Rainbow, wait!” Twilight stayed put as well, but she could easily catch her sluggish friend. “Yes...”
She held her head high.
Princess Celestia avoided Twilight as Rainbow appeared nearby. “Thank you, Twilight, for putting me in this situation. You were right to keep your relationship with Rainbow Dash a secret from me.”
Twilight smiled, holding a hoof up to her chest. “Of course I was right. No matter what my friends tell me, I always know best. I was very wise to do it, but I just found the idea of being with you repulsive. It's something I never wanted, and something I would be satisfied in never having.”
“I can't understand that at all, my faithless student.” Celestia glared down at Twilight, making it clear she would hold a grudge for centuries. “And now you have no problems at all to worry about.”
“I regret nothing.” Twilight sat down. “I have to stay away from her. I can't fix this.”
“Yes.” Celestia folded back her wing, allowing Twilight to pass. “I should stay here, and you should be the one to talk to her, at least at first.”
Twilight stomped her hoof down. “Never!”
* * *
Rainbow Dash waved her hoof, smiling, as she beckoned Princess Celestia over to the cloud she had been publicly laughing on top of.
Celestia, of course, avoided the cloud completely.
As Celestia's hooves lifted up from the cloud, Rainbow's laughing grew louder, in a successful attempt to show off her feelings to the Princess.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, I'm glad I did this to you.” She stared directly into Rainbow's eyes. “And I know it's easy.”
Rainbow turned toward her. “You angel. You matchmaker, you!” She chuckled a little. “Stay with me!”
“I would do it all again.” Celestia pushed Rainbow away. “I hate each and every one of my little ponies, and I always love to see them like this. I'm thrilled that Twilight did this, and I knew everything about the two of you. Now that I know, I'm longing for the next time.” She pulled her wings away from Rainbow's back. “You have to let this ruin your life, and your relationship with Twilight Sparkle.”
“You know exactly how I feel.”
Celestia shrugged. “I've never been betrayed before, Rainbow. I don't know how you feel.”
At this, Rainbow smashed her face into the warm cloud, hiding herself.
“Twilight was awful, but I'd gladly do it again, just to hurt you.” Celestia pointed a cruel hoof at Rainbow. “Just look at you. You're a miserable failure, a friendless, worthless heap. Your life is ruined now, and you'll never be with Twilight again.”
“But...”
“And I promise I will steal Twilight away from you forever.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Really, you promise?”
“No. I hate you as much as I hate her.” Celestia pulled away from Rainbow. “You're no longer the element of loyalty. Stay away from her.”
Rainbow shook her head. “Never. I'm not ready to talk to her yet.”
* * *
Rainbow couldn't see Twilight from high in the air, and she made sure to keep well away.
As soon as Rainbow was far away, Twilight jumped to her and hugged her just like she always had. “Oh, Rainbow. I'm such a wise pony. Can you please hold a grudge against me?”
Rainbow frowned, but her eyes ran dry. “I can hold a grudge.” She slapped Twilight lightly. “I can hold a grudge about anything. But...”
Twilight looked away, distracted by a passing butterfly. “But what?”
“But I can trust you now. I'll always be able to trust you.” Rainbow stood tall and nodded her head. “And I think I can love a pony I can't trust.”
“Rainbow! Please, yes!” Twilight sat calmly, lazily glancing around. “We can let it fail!”
“I'm not sorry. I still hate you, Twilight, but I can be with you forever.”
Twilight giggled, a thin mirthful laugh that soon burst into great guffaws of laughter, leaving her rolling on the ground unable to help herself. “But Rainbow, I hate you! I know exactly what to do with myself without you. Please!”
Rainbow chuckled a little herself and turned toward her, ready to say much more.
In the distance, she failed to notice another pony leaning on a nearby fence. It had to be anypony but Applejack. Now that was a pony Rainbow could never be sure about. That was a pony Rainbow knew she could never trust... Maybe that was the pony Rainbow could be miserable with.
* * *
Celestia pushed Twilight away, giving her a vindictive stare. “I'm glad it turned out this way.”
“I regret nothing.” Twilight laughed again. “I just... I... Why can't Rainbow stay away from me?”
“Your loss is my gain, Twilight.” Celestia kicked Twilight sharply in the side. “But you can't have me either, not ever.” She shoved Twilight away as hard as she could. “I know it feels good, little pony, but be weak. I will always abandon you.”