"THE GAMES WE PLAY"

ALTERNATE ENDING #15 (cont'd)

Guest Submission from BubbleBerry Pop

Rainbow hovered anxiously outside the window as she knocked again, fully determined to reach the mare inside. “Hello? It’s kind of cold out, can you let me in? We need to talk…”

Suddenly the window opened but the mare blocked Rainbow’s entry as she glared at the pegasus, “What? Were things not made clear enough earlier? Just leave me alone…” Tears were already forming in her eyes as she shut the window again leaving the pegasus hovering outside.

With that Rainbow could see everything slipping away; she couldn’t let things end like this, not now. Determination was the only thing keeping her going as she took off into the cool air of the night in search of the one thing that could help her now. The temperature was quickly dropping as it got later and later into the night but still she persisted until finally the store she was looking for came into view, a simple flower shop tucked away in some part of Canterlot she probably wouldn’t remember. The purchase didn’t take long and soon enough Rainbow was back in the air flying straight to her room, silently thanking Celestia that her castle stuck out from all the other buildings.

As she landed in her room, the pegasus quickly went to work. Everything had to be perfect, in a rush she pulled out a quill and paper to write out a quick note before folding it up and placing it in the box with her gift. “Please let this work….” With a deep breath to calm herself Rainbow took to the hallway looking around to make sure the coast was clear before creeping as silently as possible to the door she was looking for. This was it, she needed this to work as she placed the gift at the door and knocked before taking off back to her room before she could be spotted.

“I told you to leave me alone Rainbow…” Slowly the door opened as the mare looked into the hall surprised to see nopony around until she noticed the box on the floor.

Dash poked her head out from her doorway as she watched the mare take the box into her room, now all she could do was hope for the best.

Inside her room the mare just sat and looked the box over, obviously it was from Rainbow so the question now was should she open it or not? She had already been through quite a bit that night, and her eyes were still stained with tears as she just watched the box. After thinking it over for a few minutes, but still against her better judgment she finally decided it open it. Slowly she lifted the lid preparing for the worst, but to her surprise she wasn’t prepared for what she found inside. A single red carnation sat in the box with a small note tucked underneath it. Tears began to form again as she lifted the small note out of the box, the writing itself was rushed and messy typical for Rainbow Dash, but she still managed to read through it.

You know I’m not really good at these things… but I’m sorry. I screwed up big time and I know that… I just really need to talk to you. I need to make things right, just stop by my room please. I’ll be waiting all night if I have to.

-Rainbow Dash

Putting the note down Rarity just sat in disbelief as she inspected the flower, half expecting it to change into something else, something less meaningful. Rainbow wasn’t a romantic, that much was certain but still… it was the same flower she sent her when under the disguise of Mare Do Well, it couldn’t be a coincidence. Taking the flower with her Rarity headed out into the hall, straight for Rainbow’s room. Unsurprisingly the door was opened just seconds after she knocked, but the unicorn wasn’t about to let the pegasus get a word in as she floated the flower in front of her. “Do you mean it?” The unicorn was cautiously optimistic; her eyes showing a mixture of hope and fear. “You know what this means to me, if you don’t mean it tell me now.”

Rainbow had to take a step back as the flower was shoved in her face, the meaning ringing clear in her head. My heart aches for you…. This was it; she had to make a choice, “Rarity I… I… you… you know I really care for Pinkie…”

In an instant the hope faded from Rarity’s eyes, “I…. I understand,” Slowly the unicorn turned to head back to her room, “Good night Rainbow.”

“Rarity wait!” Rainbow had a slight smirk on her face as she turned back around, “Gou didn’t let me finish…” In one quick motion the pegasus swooped in for a kiss, completely catching the unicorn off guard. Rainbow had a deep blush as she pulled away to look Rarity in the eye, “I care about Pinkie… but… I… well… I…”

Rarity only smiled as she put a hoof to Rainbow’s lips, “I understand darling…” Now it was her turn to blush as she leaned in for another kiss, “And I love you too.”

The pair stayed together through the rest of the night, sleeping soundly wrapped up in the hooves of the other. Neither of them prepared for what the next day was going to bring, but ready to face whatever came as long as the other was by their side.

Morning came too quickly and Rarity found herself awoken by several knocks on the door, with Rainbow still asleep she reluctantly had to roll out of bed to get to the door. Standing outside AppleJack waited for the door to open, she originally wanted to talk to Rarity but she never answered the door. Finally after another series of knocking the door opened, “Rainbow I need to ta…. Rarity?” The farmer had to do a double take to make sure she was at the right room. “Wh…what are ya’ll doing in Rainbow’s room?”

“Good morning to you too darling,” Rarity couldn’t keep a blush from her face as she looked back to the pegasus still asleep on the bed, “As for your question, that’s something we’d like to explain later.”

“So it’s true then? You and Rainbow?”

The hurt expression on AppleJack’s face went unnoticed as Rarity was caught off guard and was now trying to figure how to respond, “Wh... whatever do you mean darling?”

The earth pony just glared as she got into the unicorn’s face, “I’m not dumb Rarity, and it doesn’t take no fancy mathematics to put two and two together. How could you be so selfish? I thought you were supposed to be the element of generosity. Don’t you know how this makes everypony feel? How much it hurts m…” Applejack had to catch herself, she almost made it a personal matter when she was there for Pinkie, “H…how much it hurts Pinkie?”

“Leave my marefriend alone AppleJack,” Rainbow was quick to swoop in between Rarity and AJ as she glared at the farm pony, irritated from being woken up but more so at hearing what AppleJack was saying to Rarity. “what’s it to you anyhow?”

Unknown to the three somepony else was near enough to overhear everything, somepony who’s voice made Rainbow’s spine cringe, “Marefriend huh? So did you and Rarity spend the night making kissy face smoochies?” AppleJack made sure to take a few steps back as Pinkie took her spot in the door.

Now it was Rarity’s turn to step in as she moved herself in between the pink pony and Rainbow, “Pinkie… it’s not her fault, please don’t be upset with Rainbow. It’s me you should hate…”

“She picked you Rarity, how else am I supposed to feel?” The sudden outburst caused the fashionista to back up a bit, but Pinkie wasn’t done, “She kissed me last night, ME! And you want me to be okay with it? To just accept that I have to see you two together now, no matter how much it hurts?”

“Pinkie… I can’t even tell you how sorry I am… it’s j-“

“Everypony is always sorry, but do you really mean it? You knew how much this would hurt me, but you did it anyways!”

“Pinkie that’s enough!” Rarity’s eyes were already starting to water as Rainbow took charge again, “You’re not being fair.” The pegasus turned her attention back to her marefriend as she lovingly nuzzled into her neck. “Hey babe, you okay?”

The two only managed to share a quick kiss before Pinkie interrupted again, the show of intimacy just fueling her further. “I’m not being fair?” Tears were forming in the party pony’s eyes as her voice got louder, “I love you first Dashie! You kissed ME first! But you still picked her! Why? What does she have that I don’t?”

Suddenly Rainbow found all eyes on her, the sudden pressure on her making her rather uncomfortable as she shifted her weight from one hoof to the other. “Pinkie… it’s not about what she has…”

“Then why! Why couldn’t you pick me? Is it because she did all the fancy jumps? I can do that too!”

“No Pinkie, that’s not it…”

“Is it because she is more serious than I am? I can be serious Dashie, you know that!”

“It’s not because she is serious…”

“Is it because she can get you the Wonderbolts ticket? I can find a way”

“NO, Pinkie!”

“Then why did you pick her? Why not me?”

“Because I don’t love you!” The words were out before Rainbow could stop them, leaving nothing but an eerie silence as the other’s eyes went from Pinkie to Rainbow and back again.

“Okay…” That was it that was all Pinkie said as she turned to head back to her room, her voice and body seemingly devoid of emotion.

It wasn’t until Pinkie was back in her room that AppleJack finally spoke up again, “Now why’d you have to go and do that Rainbow? You should be a mighty proud of yourself.”

Rainbow was already feeling low with what just happened with Pinkie, but she was in no mood to deal with anypony else. “I was just being honest AppleJack; I figured you of all ponies would appreciate that.” Both were getting into the other’s face as they continued, the shouting only getting louder and louder.

“What’s going on out here?” Twilight trotted out from her own room as she joined the three in the hall, “why is everypony shouting?”

Before the tension could explode further Rarity took charge to at least try and defuse the situation. With as much enthusiasm as she could muster the fashionista put on her best smile to hopefully come off as natural as possible, “Twilight darling, good morning! We were just simply discussing about last night. AppleJack here seems to have had a few questions she wanted explained from what you all saw last night so we were just answering them.”

Twilight’s eyes almost immediately sparkled, “Oh? I would love to hear the whole story! Would you girls mind coming to my room and starting over? I’d like to take notes while you explain.”

“Sorry Twi but I still have packing to do before we head home to Ponyville tonight, I’ll see you girls later.” Before even waiting for a reply the farmer was already off for her own room, leaving Twilight left rather confused at the hasty exit.

Rarity and Rainbow exchanged glances as they thought over what to do next. On one hoof Twilight was the smartest of the group so she would more than likely know what to do, but on the other hoof not only was it a topic she might not be familiar with but she may also get upset like everypony else had. Rarity was the first to come to a decision, in the end Twilight was going to find out sooner or later so maybe they were just better off with the sooner rather than later. “So you still want to hear the whole story, then, darling?”

“Oh yes!” Twilight eagerly nodded her head.

“Then I suppose we should get started then.” With a simple nod the three of them headed off to Twilight’s room.

As the door to the unicorn’s room closed, another door down the hall opened as a canary yellow pegasus poked her head out of her room. She had heard all the arguing before but was too afraid to come out at the time. Now that the coast was clear Fluttershy quickly made her way to a certain earth pony’s room and knocked.

“Who is it?” AppleJack opened the door slightly relieved to see who it was standing there. “Oh hey Fluttershy, did you need something?”

“AppleJack, we need to talk….” Next Chapter: Alternate Ending: Chasing Rainbows (Guest submission from Professor Piggy) Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 50 Minutes