First MLP: FiM fanfic! Don't hate on me!

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I have a problem. A really big problem.

You see, a little while ago, maybe two or three weeks after Winter Wrap-up, a really cool pony moved into Cloudsdale. She was about 35% cooler than anypony else I knew, and that's saying something.

Before she moved in, I didn't have a best friend. When I was a filly, I had one - Gilda - but that ship has sailed. I had a pretty decent group of friends - Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twilight, Ditzy, Rarity, Lyra - but none of them was that close to me. If I had to pick, I'd go with Applejack or maybe Pinkie, but they each have their own catches. Overexposure to Pinkie Pie can be hazardous to your health, and Applejack and I sometimes get on each other's it comest to pegasi, I have the same luck. I think Ditzy's scared of me, even though she flew the right way last Winter Wrap-up, and Fluttershy is, well, Fluttershy.

That's why my life became so much better when Sunset moved into Cloudsdale.

I had just finished clearing the sky. It had been raining for a week, in order to give the crops a head start, and we were finally able to clear the clouds away and enjoy the sunshine. The sky looked a little boring with no clouds in it, so I spread a rainbow across it as a finishing touch.

I was admiring my handiwork when Ditzy Doo crashed into me. She paused to look at the rainbow, and said, "Nice work, Rainbow Dash. I think that's your best yet!"

"Thanks, Ditzy," I replied. "What do you want?"

"Oh, there's a new pony moving into Cloudsdale. That's why everypony else ditched the cloud-clearing and you had to do it on your own. Sorry about that."

"No problem! I can clear the sky on my own in ten seconds flat, you know. So it's no prob. I just took my time today. So, who's the new pony in town?"

"See for yourself."

Sure enough, I could see a pegasus flying in. A good flyer. Not as fast as me, but more graceful.

"Well, that's it, Rainbow. I've gotta go - the mail and all. See you around!"

Seconds after Ditzy Doo left, the new pony showed up. She was about the same color as Fluttershy, except her coat was shinier. Her eyes were golden, and her mane was amazing. It was deep orange, except it wasn't uniform. It was redder on her head, and it got yellower at her tail. Her cutie mark looked sort of like an orange cloud.

"Hey," I said. "You must be the new pony."

"That's right. I just moved in from Sun River. My name is Sunset. What's yours?"

"Rainbow Dash. So, what do you do? I thought Celestia set the sun."

"Oh, she does. I just color the sky orange. Then my brother Dusky colors it light blue. After that, some other ponies make it really dark for the moon and stars."

"Wow, that's a pretty cool job. All I do is organize the weather. And that's just in Ponyville."

"Well, Rainbow - hey, aren't you the one who won the Best Young Flyer competition? And saved the Wonderbolts? And did a Sonic - "

"Yeah, but, you know…" I felt kind of embarrassed. Usually, I enjoyed being the center of attention, but I got more than enough from Scootaloo alone.

"That's pretty cool. Hey, do you mind if we're friends?"

"No. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. I don't have that many friends. Even back in Sun River. You see, where I'm from, you have to ask to be friends. Ponies there are a lot touchier."

"Hey, it's no problem. Speaking of friends, do you want to meet mine?"

I introduced her to my friends, and they all enjoyed her company. But after some time, I started to realize that we were closer than most other ponies. For a time, Pinkie Pie got jealous of her, but once she realized that Sunset wasn't another Gilda, she was cool.

But lately, I've been picking up on something. One day, Twilight asked me why I thought Sunset was such a great flyer.

"I mean, yeah, she's pretty good. But you make it sound like she could give you a run for your bits at a flying competition."

That was when I realized she showed off for only me. Around anypony else, she was only above average. But around me, she was spectacular.

I put it together slowly. She showed off for me. She knew nearly everything about me. She looked for excuses to spend time with me. Whenever we were spending time together and I looked over at her, she was always looking at me.

Sunset had a crush on me.

Suddenly, I felt guilty that I didn't feel the same way. I couldn't if I tried. Your feelings aren't something you can flip a switch and change. If you like somepony who doesn't like you back, you can't change your mind. And if somepony you don't like back likes you, you can't fake yourself into liking them.

Every time I see her now, I want to say, "Sunset, you're my best friend. And I know you have a crush on me. But I don't feel the same way. I'm sorry. I hope we can still be friends." But I always stop. I don't want to see the look on her face when I break her heart.

Well, I've had it. I can't keep lying. Tomorrow, I'm telling her.

I just hope she can forgive me.