"Man that sure was fun, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash exclaims as she trots upstairs and into my room. "Thanks for letting me stay the night, too." She sets her overnight bag down on the floor and begins to unpack. The room is uncomfortably silent after that.

"Do you wanna, like, talk or something?" Rainbow asks. Then she grins. "Let's play Truth or Dare."

"Ok," my voice comes out as a squeak. "You go first."

"You don't even have to ask," Rainbow Dash says. "I pick dare."

"I dare you to go one day without flying unless you're flying home," I dare Rainbow. Her grin falters, only to return. "Done!" she agrees. "Truth or dare?"

"Can you tell me what each one is?" I ask.

"Technically, that's cheating," Rainbow replies. "But since it's your birthday, I'd be willing to let it slide. So, either you don't throw any parties for six months or you tell me your biggest secret." Rainbow knows she's got me on that one. Something else I have in common with Pinkie is my love of parties. Truth be told, I'm glad Rainbow has me cornered like this. This secret has been my burden for nine years now. It will be nice to finally tell somepony. I sigh.

"Do you want to know my biggest secret?" I ask. Rainbow nods.

"I-I'm not Pinkie."

Rainbow Dash blinks. "Um….what..?"

"You know, Pinkie Pie? That smiling, happy airhead who always bakes everypony cupcakes? Well, that's not me. That's not who I am." I can't meet Rainbow's eyes. She probably thinks I'm crazy.

"Ooookay, Pinkie, I think you've had too much to drink," Rainbow backs towards the door. "So I'm just gonna take my stuff and… uh… go do some sane things."

I put my hoof on Rainbow's arm and look her in the eyes. "Aside from my sisters, you're the only other pony I've ever told this. I only told you because you're my closest friend. So please hear my out for a second." Rainbow Dash gulps and sits on her sleeping bag.

"So," she starts uneasily. "If you're not Pinkie, who are you?"

"My name is still pinkie and everything, if that's what you mean." I'm so stupid. Of course that's not what she meant.

"I guess that's good to know." Rainbow rolls her eyes. "I meant what are you really like?"

"I like to read and sew and draw," I admit.

"How come you never told Rarity or Twilight?" Rainbow asks.

"At this point, I'm not sure if they'd see that as something to bond over or flip out that I never told them before." We sit in silence for a while.

Eventually I look up at Rainbow. "Do you think the others will like me?" Rainbow puts her hoof on mine. "Of course they will," she assures me. "We just have to ease them into it, that's all. I'll tell you what, tomorrow we'll both go see Rarity and you can both sew or something. It'll be fun." Rainbow smiles and hugs me.

Rainbow yawns. "I don't know about you, but I'm beat." She crawls into her sleeping bag and puts in her earplugs. "Good night, Pinkie. Or whoever you are."

"Good night," I reply.

I fall asleep the second I close my eyes.