The Hidden Truth...
It was just a normal day in Ponyville; nothing seemed out of place, strange, or just abnormal.
At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was bucking some apples; working up a sweat in the process.
All was going well, everything seemed right. At least that's what she thought.
She heard a quiet, saddened voice behind her; looking back, she saw somepony she thought she'd never see upset.
It was Rainbow Dash.
"A- Applejack, I need to speak to you about something... It's... Really personal..." Rainbow sighed loudly, then held in her breath as she desperately awaited her reply.
"Something on yer mind, Dashie? What's the matter?" Applejack strolled slowly, but still carefully up to her rainbow themed friend.
"It's... It's..." She hesitated, then paused quietly. "It's nothing! Forget I said anything!"
"Rainbow, something's obviously botherin' you... Ah won't laugh... Ah promise." AJ spoke softly, strangely making Rainbow feel more comfortable talking.
"O- okay, AJ... But can we go somewhere a little more... Private please? I don't want anypony to hear this..."
"Ah see... Let's go ta mah room... Nopony will disturb us there." Rainbow sighed lightly, looking down to the floor in a saddened tone.
"Okay... Make sure nopony is able to hear us... For reasons..."
"Gosh, Rainbow... What'd ya do that was so bad?"
"Talk later... Once we're alone..." AJ looked at Rainbow, worried on what her problem might be.
"Of course, Rainbow..."
In Applejack's room, they were both sitting on the bed quietly. AJ then spoke up.
"What's this all about, Sugarcube?" Rainbow was silently staring at AJ, like she was lost; unable to concentrate.
She then came back to reality. She breathed in deeply, holding in as much air as possible.
"It's just..." She took another deep breath. "The thing is..." Rainbow tried finishing the sentence, but started to stammer her breathing. It became harder and harder for her to hold her emotions in; her eyes began to water, her muscles shook vigerously; it was obvious on what was going to happen next. AJ was in utter shock at Rainbow's state.
Rainbow brought her hooves to her eyes, curled partially into a ball, and cried out loudly, as if she had been holding something in for a very long time.
Tears fell down Rainbow's face like a waterfall on a rainy day, her voice began cracking from the heavy breathing. AJ was absolutely astonished at Rainbow; never before had she seen her so upset.
"Aww, com'er, Rainbow... Whatever it might be... Ah won't judge ya. Remember that." AJ smiled reassuringly towards the rainbow pegasus. She carefully placed her hoof around Rainbow so it layed softly on her shoulder.
The touch of her hoof made her stop crying almost instantly. Staring at the orange Earth pony, Rainbow stopped crying; AJ's smile always helped her stay calm.
"I... I can't bring myself to tell you, AJ..." Rainbow sadly told her. "I'm sorry for wasting your time..."
"What can't ya bring yerself ta say? Ah won't get mad, ah promise!" Rainbow clenched her every muscle, resisting the urge to tell her the truth behind her sadness.
"Please... Just forget I ever said anything... Before I do something I might regret..." Rainbow turned around in shame; she saw a hoof in the corner of her eye, placed on her shoulder.
"Rainbow... Ah hate ta see ya like this... Please, just tell me..." Rainbow winced her eyes tight, clenching all her muscles again, trying to not say or do anything stupid. But her touch, her soft, caring, loving touch. It's what truly made her come out of her shell.
She relaxed all her muscles and looked at AJ slowly; first thing she saw was her gleaming smile glowing at her with such radiency that she lost all control.
"I can't do this!" Rainbow yelled out, and flew off the bed instantaneously. "I'm sorry, AJ... I... I just can't tell you..." She flew out her window and Applejack stared at her; worry filled her intire body for her rainbow friend.
"Rainbow, wait!" It was too late; Rainbow's speed made it impossible for Applejack to yell Loud enough for her to hear. She sighed loudly before she whispered something at Rainbow's direction. "Please, just tell me..."
Rainbow Dash was in her room, pacing back and forth, regretting flying off like that.
"Why am I such a coward? Why can't I just tell her the truth? Why am I so pathetic?" Rainbow then picked up a picture frame on her shelf, and looked at the photo; it was her and her friends all together. "What's the point in life if I can't just say three simple words?" A tear fell onto the glass of the frame, and Rainbow wiped her eyes dry. "I wish I could just end my pain... End all these lies..." She sat up in her bed and completely broke down in tears.
Applejack sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor. She was silent until there was a knock at her door.
"Applejack, it's Big Mac... Y'all right? Ah saw Rainbow Dash fly out yer window..." Big Mac opened her door to see AJ staring at her floor.
"There's somthin' the matter with Rainbow... But she can't tell me fer some strange reason..." Big Mac came and sat on her bed, and put a hoof around her.
"Applejack, ah'm not the best with words... But ah'm sure whatever she's trying' ta tell ya, she knows that yer trustworthy enough ta let you know she's upset..." Big Mac took his hoof from behind Applejack, and got up. "Ah saw Rainbow talkin' with Fluttershy; try askin' her." Applejack smiled, and stood up on all fours.
"Thanks, Big Mac!" AJ yelled cheerfully, and ran past her brother in determination.
"He he, no problem, li'l sis."
Fluttershy was outside, humming a familiar song whilst watering some flowers when she heard a loud voice suddenly pop up. This startled her, and she dropped her watering can from her mouth which spilt everywhere.
"Oh my... Applejack, you startled me!" The yellow pony sighed in relief that it was no danger.
"Sorry fer intrudin', Fluttershy, but... Ah need ta ask ya somethin' 'bout Rainbow..." Fluttershy went even more quieter than usual.
"I... Um... What do you want to ask?" Fluttershy asked, hoping it wasn't what she thought it would be about.
"It's just... Rainbow came round today an' she was tryin' ta tell me somethin' but she couldn't say it. Big Mac said that he saw you two talkin' 'bout somethin' and ah was hoping y'all could at least tell what's up..."
"I... Umm... It's... I promised not to say anything!" Fluttershy yelled, slamming the door shut, but opened it again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to slam the door..." Applejack rolled her eyes in sorrow for the over-polite mare.
"Ah understand the importance of trust... But ah NEED ta know." Fluttershy sighed in defeat.
"Come on in then... You win..." Applejack then proceeded to follow Fluttershy into her cottage.
Back at Rainbow's house, Rainbow Dash was still staring at the photo on her bed. She hasn't even blinked.
"Why is it so hard to tell her? Why am I so useless?" Rainbow then stared out of her window and looked down at Ponyville. "Maybe I'm not supposed to be with anypony... To be lonely forever?"
"So, what's up with Rainbow? She ain't actin' like her usual self." Fluttershy was staying quiet for now, not wanting to say anything.
"You know I become submissive easily... I Pinkie Promised to not tell ANYONE! Especially you, Applejack." She became surprised by Fluttershy's words.
"Why me specifically? What's it that makes so special?" Fluttershy winced at Applejack lightly, as she said something she wasn't meant to.
"I've said too much! N- now... C- could you please leave please?" Fluttershy hurried Applejack along, pushing her across the floor, and onto her front yard. "G- good day, Applejack..." Fluttershy very lightly slammed the door, opening again to just say sorry and closed it again.
"Gosh darnit, Fluttershy! Ah guess ah'm gonna have ta do everythin' ma'hself!" Applejack then headed towards the crystal castle that had been added recently to Ponyville.
Applejack approached the two large, wooden doors which stood at the front of The Princess' castle.
She knocked slowly at the doors, waiting for her to answer.
Rainow Dash stepped off her bed and stared out her window.
"Why does my life have to be so hard? I mean, Applejack is one of my best friends! But, why her? What's this all meant to mean...?"
She was staring for ten full minutes; not a single blink was made until there was a knock at her door.
Rainbow shook her head, trying to forget her troubles. As she slowly made her way downstairs, she looked at the figure in the blurred glass of her door, trying to recognise the familiar shape.
Once she opened her door, she was surprised at whom the pony was.
"Applejack? How in Equestria did you get up here!?" Rainbow was completely puzzled at what AJ was doing.
"Twilight used that cloud standing spell thing... Ah just want ta know what's botherin' you..." Rainbow turned around quickly, closing her eyes away from Applejack. She sighed deeply.
"Applejack, come inside..." Rainbow gulped quickly. "I need to tell you something..." She stepped aside, letting AJ into her house.
As they made their way into the living room, Rainbow was silent the whole time. This worried AJ greatly.
The two ponies proceeded to sit down onto the sofa; Rainbow moving slightly farther away from AJ.
"Rainbow Dash, ah seriously won't judge you. Ah'm yer friend, an' friends stick together no matter what!" Rainbow tucked her head in between her forelegs, covering her face. "You can tell me..." She heard a sniff come from Rainbow. "Y'all right?"
"I-it's... It's nothing..." Applejack had heard enough of this, and wanted to know the truth. She pulled Rainbow face to face, and was ready to yell.
"Listen here, Missy, but where ah come from, we tell each other our problems an' we sort them out! You'd better tell me what's the matter, or ah'll-" AJ was cut off by one of Rainbow's actions. It took her a few seconds to realise what had happened, but when she realised, she got the shock of a lifetime.
Rainbow Dash; one of her best friends, and competition, had brought her head in, and kissed her on the lips. Applejack pulled away quickly.
"Ah'm sorry, Rainbow..." AJ stood up and turned away from her rainbow friend. "Ah need time ta process all this!" She ran outside, slamming the door behind her.
Rainbow got up and followed her outside. AJ was staring at how high she was.
"Argh! Ah should've gotten those wings ta get down..." Aj then looked behind her, and saw a sad Rainbow. She spoke in a cracky tone.
"Want me to fly you down? It's the least I could do from betraying your trust like that..." Rainbow was red in the face, and trying not to look imbarassed. "I understand if you hate me because of what I did..."
"Ah'm sorry fer stormin' off like that..." Aj walked up closer to Rainbow. "It was just a moment thing, right?" Rainbow sighed loudly and ran inside, and up to her room. "Rainbow...?" She ran after her.
As Aj was opening Rainbow's bedroom door, she was on her bed, crying her eyes out.
Applejack walked up slowly to Rainbow, and sat on the edge of her bed. She placed a hoof on the back of Rainbow's neck, slowly pulling her into a hug.
"Rainbow, are you serious 'bout this? 'Cause ah'm not gonna tell anypony..." Rainbow pulled her out of the hug, beginning to speak, every word harder to say as she thought of them.
"Applejack, just look under my bed! It's best if you just see for yourself!" Aj was confused; looking under the bed, she saw a bunch of rainbow themed merchandise. She wasn't shocked that much, but what was written on them all surprised her the most.
"Pride? You mean... The rainbows... They're for... For... Oh my..." Aj thought for a minute. "So... Is your mane... Natural?"
"Yes, but that's just irony... Buck, the gay one gets the rainbow mane! How typical! Of course, it's family genes... But still, it's still not fair!" Rainbow sat up. "I disguist you, don't I? Anything not straight is wrong! Go on, start the names! Call me queer! I don't bucking care anymore!"
"Rainbow... Ah don't think those things... Yer not the only one who's been hidin' somethin'..." Rainbow huffed.
"What could POSSIBLY be worse?" Applejack breathed in heavily, and came closer to Rainbow. She quickly placed her lips over Rainbow's, surprising her.
Rainbow decided to hold Aj in place, not wanting to stop. They both fell together on the bed, not letting the other go. It was so intense, so exhillerating, so... Magical, that neither one of them wanted to ruin the moment.
Rainbow was on the bottom, and Aj had almost pinned her down. Rainbow then opened her eyes in shock, realising something.
"Tank is watching!" Rainbow's pet turtle, whom had a magical propeller was floating in the air, staring at them with a grin.
"Ah guess this is what you'd call... Coming out yer shell!" Aj then put on sunglasses, pulled out a giant foam hand, grew giant eagle wings, and flew out the window screaming insanely. Rainbow face-hoofed herself.
"Really?" Rainbow sighed.
YEAHHHH! BEST. ENDING. EVARRRRR!