Fluttershy stayed close to Rainbow Dash throughout their... short speech, for lack of a better word. It was difficult to really make an impact, or to be understood, with all the music and voices around them, so Dash decided finally to guidethem all into a nearby alleyway. It was much quieter here, albeit much cooler... and damper.

   Dash sighed, and Fluttershy reamined on her left side as Dash began to speak. "Fluttershy and I have something we need to tell you all," she began, trying with difficulty to keep her emotions straight. "We're... urrgh. Fluttershy, help me out here."

   Fluttershy shook her head.

   "C'mon, Fluttershy, I thought we agreed on this."

   Hearing the tone in her voice, Fluttershy leaned against the baby blue pegasus a bit more and drew herself to full height. Her confidence may not have been restored, but it had definitely increased. "Rainbow D-" she stopped. It was much less embarrassing when it was in her head. But... why should love be embarrassing?

   Then she realized - it wasn't embarrassment. It was a fear of failure. In her head, she had gone over the possible outcomes multiple times, but just assumed she could muster up the courage in real life as she could in her imagination.

   She was able to speak, just this one line, without her voice wavering. "We're in love."

   The other four looked positively shocked. Except Applejack. "Um... could y'all repeat that, please?" she asked.

   Rainbow Dash nodded, and put her wing around Fluttershy's back. "She wasn't lying. We... figured it out two weeks ago." She smiled at Fluttershy. "We really are in love."

   Silence.

   Then Pinkie burst out laughing. "That's - that's so ironic! You two - have been best friends for - for what, forever?" She continued laughing. Just cause she was the Elelment of Laughter doesn't make that any less rude.

   Rarity interrupted Pinkie. "Well, I think it's sweet." The other two (minus Pinkie) looked at her in surprise. She looked back. "What? I'm just saying. It's nice that a love could blossom between two best friends."

   Twilight looked at the two and blushed. "So you guys are - " she edged herself into the word slowly - "llllllesbians?"

   Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. "You know what, I never thought of it that way. Yeah, I guess so." She looked back at Twilight. "Why?"

   Twilight shook her head. "N-no reason."

   Pinkie Pie continued laughing. Rarity nudged her with her hoof. "Stop that, Pinkie! That's really rude!" Pinkie looked at Rarity and forced her mouth shut. Applejack had remained silent the entire time.

   "Well, uh... haven'tcha ever had, maybe, a crush on a stallion before?" Applejack asked quietly.

   "Actually," Fluttershy replied, "it's both of our first romances." Applejack looked at them and shook her head.

   "Never seen anything like it before," she said. "But, ya know what, you two are some o' mah best friends. If it's alright with you, it's alright with me."

   "I don't get it," Twilight said.

   Rainbow Dash suddenly got defensive. "What's there to get?" Her voice began to raise. "It's just love! It's not really right or wrong!" Twilight shrunk back.

   Applejack returned her anger. "Well, ah never said there was anything wrong with it!"

   "I wasn't talking to you!"

   "Girls!" Twilight almost shouted. "This is a fun celebration, not an angry one. I don't even know why you had to tell us now, at the First Summer Moon festival. I mean-"

   "It was my fault," Rainbow Dash said. "I wanted to get it out of the way, to make sure you guys accepted us." She looked down. "I just wanted to make sure we would still be friends. I'm - I'm sorry."

   Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash and leaned in. They kissed for a solid ten seconds, and Fluttershy broke off. That left Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Applejack standing in front of them, mouths open. Pinkie Pie's eye twitched, and a smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. Twilight and Applejack blushed, looked at each other, then back at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

   Rarity looked down and wiped her eyes with the back of her hoof. Twilight looked at Rarity. "What?" she replied. "Love is beautiful." Twilight continued to stare at Rarity in silence. "I just think it's nice."

   Twilight closed her mouth, pursed her lips, and turned back towards the two pegusi. They were looking at Applejack, who had turned a deep shade of red. "So, uh... Is everypony alright with it?" Rainbow Dash asked.

   Rarity was the first one to react. "Well, yes, of course! Who would I be to break up such a beautiful thing?"

   Pinkie was next. "Sure, I mean, if you guys like it, than whatever!" She grinned and bounced in place.

   Rainbow Dash looked over at Twilight and Applejack, who were still ruddy and slightly surprised-looking. Applejack spoke first. "Like ah said. You two are some o' mah best friends, and if it's alright with you, then it's alright with me."

   Twilight replied last. "Um... okay... I guess. It just confuses me, is all. I don't like things that confuse me." Dash and Fluttershy looked and each other and at the group.

   "Thank you guys so much! I didn't think it would go so well!" Fluttershy said. "I'm glad I can feel comfortable again."

   "Yeah," Dash added. "It was terrible, not knowing whether you would fit in. But I'm just glad none of you really disliked us."

   Applejack smiled. "Well, what kinda ponies would we be if we just isolated our own friends for their... uh... preferences?" Rainbow smiled back at Applejack. "Let's git back to the party, shall we?"