A/N: For once, I have nothing to say. Enjoy!

"THE GAMES WE PLAY"

ALTERNATE ENDING #8

Guest Submission from Dashie222

"We'll be okay," Rainbow Dash said, her voice firmer this time. "I promise. No matter what happens. I'm not going to give up on you."

And without waiting for a reply, she enfolded the mare in one final embrace before quietly lowering her to the ground.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"No," Mare Do Well answered, still breathless and panting.

A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth, and Rainbow Dash ducked her head in, so that her mouth was moving against the shape of Mare Do Well's ear.

"Too bad." she whispered. She could feel the mare shiver beneath her.

It was time. She took one final deep breath.

Mare Do Well was perfectly still, as if preparing herself for what was coming. For whatever Rainbow did next.

And Rainbow Dash opened her eyes.

Under her...before her...there lay a pony clothed in shades of midnight, a cape fanned out beneath her. Atop her head there was perched a matching wide-brimmed hat.

But now, there was no mask to protect Mare Do Well’s face. No facade to hide behind.

There was only…HIM?!

There beneath her was…a stallion! He was white with a dark blue mane.

Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. Her eyes were wide, her voice disappearing somewhere on its way to her mouth. Utterly lost for words.

"No," was all Rainbow could think to say; and a flicker of pain flashed in those eyes, those big and beautiful eyes. "No. No. That doesn't make sense."

And still he had nothing to say for himself, only watching as Rainbow Dash shook her head, wings fluttering anxiously.

"That doesn't make sense," Rainbow Dash repeated. Her hooves had found their way to the stallion's shoulders, gripping him as tightly as she could without even meaning to. The stallion winced, then gave Rainbow a weak smile.

“Surprised?” Soarin’ said.

“But this doesn’t make any sense! You don’t have wings…and you’re a stallion! And you’re not even one of my friends! I barely even know you!”

“I made up a lot of the stuff to throw you off. And as for the wings, I just kept them inside the costume,” Soarin’ replied, “I got you the ticket as an excuse to see you, because I was too nervous to actually face you. I thought you would come and see me but then,” he became a little angry, “You sold the ticket and went with Pinkie Pie.”

Rainbow Dash heard the voice of one of her friends approaching.

“Hi Dashie,” Pinkie Pie said excitedly and then saw Soarin’ dressed as Mare Do Well, “So that’s where my costume went! I was going to use it to finally get you to like me, Dashie.”

“Wait, so YOU’RE Mare Do Well!” Rainbow Dash shouted at the strange twist.

“Uh-hu,” Pinkie Pie replied, “Now let’s go put all of the other alternate endings to shame by finishing this story the way it was supposed to be.”

“The way AbsoluteAnonymous intended it to be,” Rainbow Dash replied, “But what about the costume?” she then asked.

“I have a spare.”

“Great!”

And so Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie went on to finish the story leaving Soarin’ to ponder what he did wrong.

End Next Chapter: Omake: In Character Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 34 Minutes