Harmony slept as the band rolled into Ponyville. Usually they skipped such small towns, but all the recent attention Ponyville got from the press and the castle more or less forced it onto the band’s (and everypony else’s) radar. Besides, it was a perfect stop between Cloudsdale and Canterlot.

Harmony didn’t mind. She liked small shows. More personal, more energetic. Plus she wouldn’t have to deal with those awful opening bands.

But there was something else that attracted her to the town. She couldn’t quite decide what it was, but it was nice. Calming.

Calm was something she hadn’t felt for a long time.

---

A week earlier...

“C’mon, let’s go home.”

The two friends trudged slowly to the Pinkiemobile. Dash was half asleep, warn physically and emotionally from the day’s events. What had started as a bland, almost depressing, day turned into one of the most exciting, and worst, of her life. As the pair approached the balloon and friends, Dash grew anxious. She wasn’t sure if she could face her friends after what she put them through... after what they saw.

Pinkie bounced up to the two.

“Hey Dash! I can’t believe what that Meany McStupidface alm-” She cut herself off, a rare feat, due to AJ’s withering glare. Dash didn’t even bother to look up. She could feel the others watching her, their eyes boring into her skull, but she couldn’t meet their gaze. They pile into the basket in silence.

---

It hit Harmony like a train. One of the new self-moving trains, that is. Nine months of guilt and repeatedly asking herself “why?” and an appropriate amount of self-pity, and she finally figured it out. It was stupid. Honestly, it wasn’t an excuse in any way, but it was true. It explained why she hungered for more after that first short kiss. Why she always felt a need to show off around her, ahem, ex friend. Why she would look at the picture that destroyed them for hours, wondering what could have been. The answer was stupidly simple, and it really shouldn’t have surprised her. But it did. Harmony was in love with Dash.

“Fuck!”

---

The trip home was mostly silent. Dash wasn’t in the mood to talk to anypony, and all other attempts, even Pinkie’s, just fell into an awkward silence. Eventually the six made it back to Ponyville.

“Ya OK to fly home?” Applejack asked Dash.

“Of course! You don’t need to coddle me.” The pegasus snapped back. AJ’s expression of concern melted into a little hurt and anger. She was about to snark in reply, but decide against it. In any case, Dash quickly changed from anger to guilt, “Sorry, “ she muttered, “it’s just been a really long weekend.”

“I understand,” AJ said to the air. Dash had already taken off. “I wish she’d stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?” Twilight trotted up.

“Takin’ off ‘fore I can finish my sentences. I hope she’s alright.”

“Well, she did seem a little rude.”

“Yea, but it ain’t nothing to worry about. I mean, she just needs her sleep. And ‘sides, she just had an, erm, tough experience.”

“Uh-huh. AJ, not to be nosy,” Twilight shuffled her feet, “Ok, well to be a little nosy, what did she tell you back in L.A?”

“Sorry, Twi. I can’t tell ya that. Dash will when she’s ready.”

They stared off at Rainbow’s floating palace for a beat.

“Not to, um, interrupt,” Fluttershy interrupted the silence, “but do you think she’ll notice that she’s still missing this?”

The pegasus produced the photo of Dash and Harmony. The trio just exchanged a glance of mutual ‘Well, shit.’

--

Rainbow didn’t even make it to her room to notice how it had been disturbed. The blue filly managed to walk three steps into her living room and collapsed on the floor.

--

Harmony was a good performer. The sudden rainbow streak at the start of her song only through her off a little. It could be any rainbow producing pegasus, it didn’t have to be Dash. It meant nothing.

The white pegasus managed to remain undistracted for the rest of the show. But almost as soon as the last chord was struck, thoughts about the mare, quite literally of her dreams, returned.

Was she really that close? Harmony spent years in regret of her cruelity. If she had just been honest, with herself, with Dash, with everyone else, maybe things would’ve turned out differently.

Maybe she wouldn’t feel so empty.

--

Dash had trouble sleeping that week. She’d come home, lay in bed, and just stare at the wall for hours. Sometimes, she’d fall asleep. As soon as dawn arrived she’d go about her work. The weather team didn’t seem to take any notice of her sudden return. They had grown used to Dash running off without notice by this point.

Dash had to admit, the pink earth-pony really could throw a kick-flank party. Music was awesome, food delicious.

Unfortunately, it was still awkward. The only ponies she even sorta knew were Fluttershy, who was cowering in a corner, and Pinkie Pie, who was busy giving a monologue on cupcake woes. Still, the pegasus mingled as best she could.

About an hour into the part, Rainbow saw her. Pinkie and Fluttershy were talking to Dash, or in Pinke’s case, at Dash, about the political consequences of allowing bunnies to vote when the blue pegasus saw Applejack dancing (quite clumsily) with some bay colt. Instantly her wings flared out.

“Whoa,” Dash said. Fluttershy blushed deeply for her fellow pegasus. “Who is she?”

“Oh! That’s Applejack,” Pinkie followed her gaze, not bothered by the sudden topic change, “She runs Sweet Apple Acres with her brother. Applejack. Hey! Appljack!” Pinkie motioned for the work horse to come ove. AJ complied.

“Hi AJ! This is Rainbow Dash. She just moved here from Cloudsdale. She’s staying at Lightning’s place.”

The mention of her father brought Dash out of her slightly inappropriate daydream. She forced her wings back to her sides and noticed that AJ was holding out a hoof expectantly. Rainbow bumped it.

“Hey! Dash! I need ya to bring a rain cloud over to the farm,” Applejack said seductively.

“Huh? What?” Dash returned to reality.

“I. Need. Ya. To. Bring. A. Raincloud. Over. To.The. Farm.” AJ repeated, stressing every word.

“Well, geez. You don’t hafta be so rude about it.”

“I asked ya three times,” AJ pointed out. “Look, Dash, I know you’ve been through a tough but,” she looked up to see she was talking to no-one. Again. “Ya just gotta run off and not let your friends finish their sentences.” The orange pony cantered off to catch up with her winged friend.

--

Harmony paced around the hotel room. For the past week, Dash refused to leave her mind. The white pegasus went on a huge guilt trip and pulled no stops. She stretched her wings and felt a dull throb, a permanent reminder of her betrayal. But surely Rainbow couldn’t still be upset about that. If anything, the other pegasus had probably forgotten. It had been five years since they last saw each other. That is, if the mysterious rainbow streak at LA’s concert wasn’t her. Of course, Harm hadn’t forgiven herself, no reason Dash should’ve.

Harmony kicked the wall. An old stress relief habit.

She kicked it again, harder. A small thump responded. She felt like a true foal. Father was not a pony you simply walk away from. Especially when he was angry. Her mother and first step-mom had learned that lesson well.

Harmony just left behind a fortune, guaranteed contracts in the music industry, and most importantly, as her last kick reminded her, decent health insurance. She limped around in circles for a minute, waiting for the pain to die down. Then she saw the flier.

All her worries just drained away. She tore the address off the bottom of the sheet and attempted to race off.

Failing that, she limped very quickly off.

--

“Thank ya kindly, Dash. For all that hard work, I think ya earned yaself a glass of my special Apple Cider.”

“Really?” Dash’s ears perked up. “That’s so cool, I-”

Applejack cut her friend off, “Not the kind made with Buck Daniels. Ya still go a year to go ‘fore I can give ya that.”

“Oh,” Dash resumed indifference, “Well I guess I can spare a few minutes.”

“That’s the spirit!” AJ led her into the small kitchen and poured three glasses. “Now Rainbow, I wanted to have a serious chat with ya. I know you’ve been under a lot of stress lately, but it’s really starting to affect your friends.”

“Yeah? How?” Dash asked, a little too defensively.

“Snappy comments whenever somepony asks for a favor, random rainclouds migrating into the library, amongst other places. But above all else, just plain rudeness. Ya made Fluttershy cry yesterday.” AJ put extra emphasis on the last part.

Rainbow’s features drooped. “Oh,” she said quietly.

“Look, sugarcube, I ain’t tryin’ to be mean. Just honest. And to be frank, I think ya need to face your past a bit.”

Rainbow wasn’t really paying attention to this last bit. Her attention was focused solely on the new arrival.

“Uh, hey, R-D,” Harmony uttered meekly.

--

Fame.

Money.

Everything she wanted. The band loved her, the crowds loved her, producers loved her. It took almost three years, but they made it. Their concerts went from crowds less than ten to leaving hundred of ponies stranded outside, whining for tickets.

Her father never tried to contact her, which was fine. Dash, however, did. Not in reality, of course, but the blue pegasus would invade the other’s dreams. The former encouraged the latter to write songs about their shared experiences. Eventually, Harmony detailed her entire betrayal, and all of her feelings for Dash in musical form. The band liked the songs well enough and thus made the Yellow Flower album.

But Dash didn’t leave her head. Almost every night the pony appeared in Harmony’s sleep. When she saw the rainbow streak, Harmony officially decided. She needed closure.

Yet, now that she was here, Harmony couldn’t rid of herself of the stomach twisting fear. Fear confirmed by Dash’s reaction.

“You!” Rainbow spat. The blue pegasus jumped from her seat, knocking over the stool she’d been awkwardly sitting on. Somehow the cider remained unspilled. Dash turned to Applejack, “What is she doing here?”

“She an’ the band are for a concert. She stopped by the cart for a bite to eat. Anyways, we talked and whatnot an’ I think ya two got some stuff to sort out.” AJ took her cup and shuffled over to the door frame, more or less locking the group in the kitchen.

There was a small awkward silence before Harmony spoke. “Dash, I’m... I’m sorry.”

There was a very brief silence. Rainbow’s glare intensified.

“I’m sorry? Really, Harm? That’s the best you can do? After five years, you just waltz in here and expect everything to be better just because you say you’re sorry? No. It doesn’t work that way. Do you realize how much your betrayal hurt? School was hell. I lost all my friends. Not because I was gay, only you and a few others cared about that. I lost my friends because of you. You turned me into a pervert, wanting to corrupt innocent little mares. I spent two months in therapy, trying to assess why I felt a compulsive need watch other mares shower, which, by the way,” Dash cast a glance at AJ, “I don’t. Look, Harm, ‘I’m sorry,’ just doesn’t cut it.”

The white pegasus was crying softly, guilt hitting her harder than it ever had. “What... what do you want me to say?”

“I want you to tell me why. And you better answer in more than two words.”

“Because, I loved you, Dash, and-”

“Dumbest excuse ever,” Rainbow muttered.

“I was afraid. I was afraid of what everypony else would think. Especially my father. You don’t understand how homophobic he is. He-”

“Ha! I don’t understand? Harmony, when I was five, my father left to be with another stallion. To make it worse, it was a unicorn-”

“How does that make it wor-oh!” AJ interrupted with sudden realization.

Dash continued, “My mother was wrecked. And then she turned vicious about it. Almost every day she’d tell me about the, er, wrongness of same gender relationships. So when I discovered I liked mares, I kept my mouth shut about it. I spent years telling myself I liked colts. But when I met you, I decided to face the truth. And then you, you..” Dash’s anger returned. She slapped the table, spilling the remains of her cider. Then she collapsed into sobs. At first the other two just stared, unsure what to do. Then they flanked her, forming an awkward three-way hug.

“No, I’m fine, really.” Dash pushed them off, and shook the tears from her face. “Harmony, I know it probably took a lot of courage to come here and apologize, face to face. But it isn’t enough. I don’t think I can ever really forgive you.” Harmony wasn’t exactly shocked by this, but it did bring a new bout of tears. “But I can thank you. Not for being a bucking fitch, of course, but for being honest. And for letting me get that off my chest. At least I know that not everypony is a jerk. And, AJ, thanks for making me do this.”

AJ and Harmony exchanged a glance, a little surprised by the mood swing. Dash didn’t even sound upset. She was almost too cheerful about this. Harmony opened her to speak but was intercepted by the town’s clock-tower.

“Oh shit! I need to go help the band set up. Here,” Harmony produced a pair of tickets out of, seemingly, nowhere, “I don’t care if you forgive me or not, I want you at the concert tonight. It would mean a lot.”

And with that Harmony flew off.

--

“Well, sugarcube, I don’t got any plans tonight.” AJ picked up one of the tickets, “Ya should come along.”

Dash grabbed the other ticket. “Course I will.”

AJ had to admit, O.H.W. was a pretty good. Not her type of music, but good nonetheless. And Dash was certainly enjoying herself, headbanging and dancing like a foal. The orange pony couldn’t help but giggle at the pegasus’ outlandish style.

“Well she seems to have finally let go,”  a voice chuckled from behind her.

AJ whirled around, “Princess Cel-” She recieved a hoof to her mouth.

“Shhh, don’t make a big deal of it. I’m here incognito. Well, as much as I can be.”

“What’re you doing here, er, ma’am?”

“Oh, well, Out of Harm’s Way happens to be one of my favorite bands. And,” the princess giggled at AJ’s expression, “I’m here to get Twilight’s, well, really Rainbow Dash’s, friendship report.”

The song ended with perfect timing. Dash trotted over to the pair, sweating like a pig.

“This is awesome, AJ. I,” her eyes grew wide, “Princ-” Dash received a hoof to the mouth.

“Yes, yes. I’m here. Me! What is with you ponies and making a big deal out of everything? Now, Dash, I understand you’ve had an interesting experience this past week. Did you learn anything from this?”

“Well,” Dash glanced at Applejack, who nodded, “yes. I learned that you can’t just run away from your past and your problems. You’ll have to face them eventually. Basically, don’t let your past own you, own your past.” Rainbow paused and threw a forelimb around AJ’s neck. “Also, you gotta trust your friends. If they’re really your friends, they’ll understand.”

Princess Celestia nodded at this. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash, that was very well done. Now if you’ll excuse me, they’re about to play my favorite song. Oh but before I forget, you’ll be happy to know that a certain L.A. weather pony is enjoying himself in one of my darkest dungeons.” Princess Celestia winked at the pair and then left them to enjoy the rest of the concert.