The Thunderstorm

Twilight Sparkle was sitting in her bed, reading up on the history of Ponyville for the sixteenth time. There was nothing to be done in her house; no cleaning, no rearranging, no cooking even. AppleJack visited earlier and dropped off some sweets, then went back to work on her farm. Pinkie Pie was working as well, and Fluttershy was tending to a sick deer. Having nothing better to do, Twilight gave Spike the day off; most likely, he was going to Rarity's house. There was no point in going outside either because grey, plump storm clouds were close on the horizon. The only pony that was available was Rainbow Dash, and Twilight was sure that she was either locked in her room reading the Daring-Do series, or tempting bolts of lightning by zipping through heavy clouds. Twilight put down her book and sighed. She looked out the window as tiny raindrops began to blot the glass. Thunder belched in the distance. Twilight tossed the book aside.

"Well," she said, "I'm bored. I never thought that reading could be so dull... Then again, I've read this book like, twenty times or something. Oh, who am I kidding? I've read ALL of the books in this library at least twenty times! And it's raining! Why does it have to be raining when there's nothing to do inside? Uuuuhhhh! Somepony please, save me before I -"

Somepony must have heard Twilight's cry for help because several rushed knocks at the door were heard throughout the house. Twilight, without any hesitation, leapt from her bed and to the door, shouting, "I'm coming! I'm coming!" as she did so. Opening the door as quickly as her arms allowed, Twilight stood in her doorway to the sight of a soaked and shivering Rainbow Dash. Rainbow managed to squeak out a small smile before her friend rushed her into the house.

"Rainbow, you're soaking wet!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle. "Hold on, let me get a towel from the bathroom."

"Thanks Twilight," replied Rainbow. "Hey, is it alright if I crashed here for a while? This storm's lookin' like it's not gonna let up, I'll tell ya." She chuckled nervously.

"RD, you already know the answer to that. And you didn't have to knock, you know? You could've just barged in and yelled, 'I'm home!' and it would've been great. I love having you around." Twilight Sparkle threw Rainbow a towel and it landed on her face.

Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and dabbed her eyes with the towel. "You" - she swallowed - "you mean that, Twilight?"

Twilight Sparkle was in the kitchen. She brought out a large bottle and set in on the table in the library room, along with two glass cups. "Well of course I do, Rainbow; you're one of my best friends! Elements of Harmony, remember?" She giggled.

Rainbow Dash dabbed her eyes again, making sure that Twilight didn't see her. Taking the towel in her hooves, Rainbow Dash dried her head, then back, then wings. After she was done, Rainbow put the wet towel on the back of a chair and sat down. Twilight opened the bottle and poured a dark liquid into the glass cups. She gave one to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash put her head on the table and looked through the glass. "What is it?"

"AppleJack stopped over and gave me some tasty apple treats," said a giddy Twilight Sparkle, "and one of them happens to be her own brew of 'Zap Apple Cider'. She said it was aged in a giant rum barrel."

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know," exclaimed Twilight, "but it sounds good!"

"Umm, Twilight?"

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash?"

"This sounds like 'hard' cider. Ya know, like, uummm... alcohol?"

Twilight still had a wide smile on her face, staring at her cup. "Oh, c'mon Rainbow! Athletes can drink once in a while." She lifted her head and looked at her friend from across the table. "I thought I was the stick-in-the-mud. Lighten up, RD." She chuckled. "Betcha didn't know I had shot glasses lying around, did ya?"

"It's more than that," admitted Rainbow, "it's that I -" She rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof, eyeing the glass. "I'm just... I'm just not myself when I -"

"When you...?" encouraged Twilight.

"When I, uh, 'partake' in drinking such - such - uh, drinks." Rainbow Dash put her head down and blushed. "It's not something I like to talk about. That's why you don't see me drink that much. Fluttershy's party was an exception, but… I just can't, I'm sorry."

Twilight Sparkle's smile dropped from off her face. She put her elbow on the table, resting her head in her hoof. Tapping the table with her free hoof, Twilight gazed at her reluctant friend sitting across the table. Rainbow Dash was avoiding eye contact. Finally, after a few moments of tapping the table with her hoof, the young unicorn spoke up.

"Rainbow Dash, I don't want to force you to drink. All I was doing was suggesting that we have a good time together while we're here and there's a bad storm outside. To me, this was a special moment; a moment where we could just have a great time together. A moment where we could tell stories, laugh, even cause a little chaos. I'm very sorry for pressuring you, Rainbow. That wasn't my intention at all. I should be a good friend and realize that -"

Glass clinked against the wooden table. Twilight looked up and a large smile shot across her face again.

"Whoa! That's good cider," said Rainbow Dash quickly, as a zap! made her jump in her chair. She looked at Twilight and grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Are you gonna drink your cider, or should I have the bottle to myself?"

Twilight reeled her head back and guzzled down the cider. She exhaled loudly after finishing the glass, a small zap! making her jump. Recuperating, Twilight glared at the pegasus and said: "Challenge accepted."

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash finished the first bottle of cider and were nearly a third done with the second bottle. Both ponies decided that it was no use using glasses, so they took turns drinking from the bottle. Twilight was rolling on the floor, laughing hysterically, while Rainbow hovered above the first few steps of the stairs, clinging to the wall, also laughing hysterically. They were remembering the time when Rainbow Dash had to "babysit" a drunken, crying, puking Rarity at the party at Fluttershy's cottage. Big Mac had passed out in the chicken coop, while Miss CherriLee was singing "My Endless Love" at karaoke.

Twilight wiped away a tear, her laughter dying down. "That was a great time. I think that Whooves and Derpy got together because of that party." She slowly stopped laughing and her smile dissolved. "It must be hard to be a single parent trying to find a new love."

"I know," said Rainbow, "poor Derpy. She and Dinky deserve so much better." Rainbow Dash took a sip of the bottle and then flew down next to Twilight. She passed the bottle to her unicorn friend, who took a large gulp.

"You know," started Twilight, a little annoyed, "all it was was genetics. I mean, Derpy had a few unicorns in the family, like Mr. Cake did, ya know?!"

"Yeah, and Derpy," replied Rainbow Dash obnoxiously, "and Derpy is more loyal than I am! I mean, I think she should have the Element of Loyalty. She would never do that to, to -"

Rainbow started to drift off. She began to settle down and then, randomly, Rainbow covered her mouth and began to sob quietly. It took a moment before Twilight noticed that her friend was crying, but as soon as she did notice, she put down the cider and started to console the crying pegasus. Completely giving in to her friend's embrace, Rainbow Dash began to sob even heavier.

"RD," Twilight whispered, "what's wrong? Did that story bring up some bad memories?"

Rainbow Dash wiped the snot out of her nose. "No," she replied, "no, it's nothing like that. It's just -"

"Just what?"

"No, I can't. It's so dumb; it's nothing to even cry about!"

"If it's bothering you this much, then it's a problem. Now, tell me what it is. Please."

"Alright," Rainbow Dash said, "I'm..." She locked her mouth, but Twilight nudged her, encouraging her friend to continue.

Finally, Rainbow Dash blurted out her problem and began sobbing again. "I'm in love, Twilight! Okay? It's been bothering me for the entire day for some reason and, and us talking about 'Whooves and Derpy getting togther' and CheeriLee singing 'Endless Love' - Well, I'm drunk right now and I'm not making much sense, but I have a love, ya know? I have somepony I really, really, REALLY, adore and I'm afraid of being rejected, and not finding the right words -"

Twilight Sparkle put a hoof to her friend's mouth. She smiled. "It's alright, Rainbow Dash," she said. "I know what you're talking about and there's nothing wrong with being in love. Everypony falls in love and you're no different; it's a natural phenomenon! So, take a few deep breaths - in your nose, out your mouth - and I'll help you out, okay? Does that sound good?"

Rainbow wiped her tears away and did her breathing exercises through a runny nose. She began to smile. "Thanks Twilight. You always know what to do."

"Well, not always," Twilight said. "I can be pretty scatter-brained sometimes. But, I always figure out what to do when my friends are in trouble, right?"

"Yeah," replied Rainbow, "yeah, you always" – she cleared her throat - "always know what to do when your, uh, friends are in trouble."

The two ponies sat down at the table, the bottle of cider in the center. Both had sobered up a little bit, but they were still warm from the alcohol. It was nearly midnight and the thunderstorm still raged outside, branches hitting the windows, raindrops splashing the house. Rainbow Dash fiddled around with her glass, clinking it in between her hooves and the wooden surface of the table. Twilight straightened herself in her chair and began to speak.

"Okay, so you're in love with somepony, right?"

"Y-yeah," replied Rainbow nervously.

"Pegasus, unicorn, or earth pony?"

"Unicorn."

"Ooohh, Rainbow Dash," teased Twilight, "you like things a little 'magical', do you?"

Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously. "A little."

"Alright, back to business. What is he like? Strong? Smart? Shy?"

"He's -" Rainbow started to giggle. "He's an egghead, but that's why I'm in love with him. He's pretty athletic, but he isn't an athlete, ya know?" With these words, Rainbow Dash started to open up more. "Wow, I don't even know how to describe the feelings I get when I'm around him. It really is magical. I've known him for a long time and we're great friends, but he doesn't even suspect how I feel."

"You really are in love with him, aren't you?"

"Of course. I wouldn't know what to do if he said 'no'. Honestly, I'd be devastated."

Getting out of her chair, Twilight Sparkle went over to the record player and put on a song... A very familiar song. Then she dimmed the lights and sat back down in her chair.

"Twilight, what are you doing?"

"We're going to do a little role-playing."

"Why did you dim the lights and put on 'My Endless Love'?"

Twilight giggled. "What? Friends can listen to 'Endless Love' in the dark."

Rainbow Dash's breathing slowly started to quicken. "Why are you doing this?"

"It's to help you relax. When I want to relax, I put on a song that I love and dim the lights; it decreases stimulation for a soothing environment."

The young pegasus' eyes darted from ceiling to table, then to her friend. "I'm not relaxing."

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully. "Well, you're not trying! Just pretend that I'm the pony that you're in love with, alright? Now, you're going to admit your love to me, and I'll react as naturally as I can. Sound good?"

"I don't wanna do this."

Rainbow put her head in her hooves, making sure that Twilight couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. Twilight's was still trying to keep her smile on her face, but it ultimately disappeared. The unicorn filly got out of her chair and walked over to her friend.

"Is this too much?" asked Twilight timidly. "I'm sorry. I only wanted to make a calming atmosphere so I could help you say what you wanted to say to. Honestly, I didn't mean to embarrass you Rainbow Dash."

The pegasus lifted her head up and gave a weak smile. "I know, and you're so sweet for doing this." Both ponies went in slowly for a hug, but before the hug could be completed, Rainbow Dash muttered, "I love you, egghead," causing Twilight to move her head back a little bit.

"RD, what did -" but Twilight was cut off by Rainbow Dash's lips planting themselves firmly on her own. Rainbow embraced her friend firmly in her arms and began to ascend. The two ponies were slowly spinning in the air, lips together.

Rainbow pulled her face away from Twilight's. "There's no way that you can be this oblivious," she whispered. "I came here today to tell you how I feel. Everything -"

"Can you let me down, please?" replied the unicorn. "Please, I-I need to be let down."

Rainbow Dash complied, and both the unicorn and the pegasus pony were on the floor. Head down, eyes filled with tears, Rainbow Dash readied herself for what she was sure was to come. Twilight, salty tears pouring down her cheeks, started to prepare her verdict. Inhaling through her nose, then out her mouth, the unicorn filly addressed her friend. 'My Endless Love' - the song that Twilight put on - started to wrap up.

"Rainbow Dash," she began, "you are one of my best friends and I love you. But, in no way do I love you like you love me. I'm not - I'm not like that. You need to understand that - while I'm a little flattered that you care so much for me - you crossed the line. This pains me to let you down like I am, but you need to know. I'm very sorry, Rainbow, and I hope that you'll forgive me for -"

"You lead me on," whispered Rainbow Dash angrily.

Twilight raised her eyebrow. "What? No, I didn't lead you on. I -"

"Yes you did," retorted Rainbow, "dimming the lights, the music, the role-playing: you knew what I was like and you planned this -"

"Stop it! I didn't plan anything, Rainbow! I told you that I wanted to make a soothing environment for you so you could open up! I wanted to help you!"

"You wanted to EMBARASS ME! You - you wanted to make me look stupid. I opened up to you so you could humiliate me, and now, now you're gonna tell everypony about it, aren't you?! Right? You're gonna -" Rainbow threw her glass across the room and began to sob. Sinking into her chair and onto the floor, the winged filly began to sob uncontrollably.

Putting a hoof to her mouth, eyes drenched, Twilight Sparkle rushed over to her friend and hugged her. Angry at what she saw as betrayal, Rainbow Dash pushed her friend away and clutched her sides. Still, Twilight hugged her again, and this time Rainbow accepted. Putting her cheek on top of Rainbow's head, Twilight Sparkle squeezed her friend, hoping to ease the pain.

"I'm so sorry, Rainbow Dash," said Twilight, "I'm so sorry. I was trying to help. In no way did I mean to set you up and in no way am I going to embarrass you. Where in Equestria would you get such an awful idea? I'm your friend!"

"I know," replied Rainbow, wiping snot away with her arm. "I know, but I'm so -"

"Devastated?"

"Yeah! It - it hurts. I really love you, Twilight. I've never felt this way about anypony except you. It's not fair!"

"I know, I know; life isn't fair sometimes, but I'll have you know that you will always be my friend and I will never judge you. Never."

The thunderstorm still raged outside while Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle sat on the floor; Rainbow was crying the hardest she had that night, while Twilight hugged Rainbow, stroking her back. Occasionally, the pegasus filly would mutter "It's not fair", and her friend gently hushed her and held her closer.

"Twilight," said Rainbow, her eyes glossy, "I love you."

"I love you too, RD," replied Twilight, looking down at her friend.

"No, I really love you."

The unicorn struggled to keep her smile afloat. "You already know how I feel about that."

"I know, but I was hoping that you'd - that you'd, y'know, change your mind."

"You can't force ponies to fall in love, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash's lip quivered. "L-love potions work."

Twilight closed her eyes to hold back more tears. "Please, don't do this."

"I'm sorry, egghead," RD said, forcing a smile. She went in for a kiss, but Twilight gently rebuked her.

"It's not fair. It's not fair at all."

"I know Rainbow, but there's nothing I can do."

Dear Princess Celestia,

Today I learned that love can be very cruel. It plays tricks on you and can cause strains in friendships, no matter how great that friendship is. And even though you can use love potions, true love - love that is brewed in the heart rather than a pot - can never be forced. It hurts, yes, but it is best to let natural love take the place of artificial love. I wish that my friend Rainbow Dash understood this as well; I hurt her, but if I wasn't honest with her, she would have been hurt worse. She is my friend and I love her.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle