Rainbow Dash glided on the wind as she flew back towards Ponyville. She hardly felt like flapping her wings. In fact, she hardly felt like flying at all.

Better luck next time.

Just wait. One more year.

You’ve not improved enough.

She snarled and bucked the clouds that dared to get in her way. She slung herself through the air in self-abandonment, forsaking the grace that usually characterized her flight patterns. She cursed and shouted and screamed, thrashing and bucking every cloud that she came across.

You’re never going to get there! Your dream is so far away, you will never make it! She felt the energy seeping away from her. Slowly, she floated to the ground. Hot, angry tears flowed down her cheeks.

It will never happen! Just give up! The voice in her mind screamed at her. Just give up! You’re a fraud! A stupid, fucking fraud! She realized she was crying into the grass. The grass smelt sweet against her muzzle. It was soothing. Maybe, she decided, she should just lie here. She was tired, so tired.

Maybe she should lie here and not get back up.

No. No, I can’t do that.

Why not? What’s the point? Why do you keep going? What’s the point, Dash? You’re the only pony that can do the Sonic Rainboom and the Wonderbolts still want accept you!

Her stomach growled. She nibbled at the grass. She had never been big on grazing though her grandfather did it as a hobby, but this grass tasted sweet. The sweetness reminded her of the sugary treats at Sugarcube Corner which reminded her of Pinkie Pie. Anything sweet automatically reminded her of Pinkie Pie. The thought of her brought a sense of lightness to her chest, some pleasant feeling she could not entirely place. If anyone would know how to get her out of this funk it would be her. She flared her wings and forced herself back into the air. It was sunset, night fast approaching. By the time she got to the upstairs door of Sugarcube Corner the moon had risen and the stars were twinkling in the velvet of Luna’s night. She landed on the Pegasus landing pad and looked through the heart shaped opening. Absently, she wondered why Pinkie had a landing pad specifically designed for pegasii. She didn’t know Fluttershy and Pinkie were that close.

Huh. And the heart shaped opening. Could they have a thing going on?

Pinkie was sitting on the bed reading Party Planner Weekly. Dash knocked on the door. Pinkie bounced off the bed and ran to open the door.

“Hi, Dashie! I’m soo glad you’re here! I was thinking of this prank involving clouds and cupcakes…” She trailed off and stared at the pegasus. She then embraced Dash in a rib-crushing hug.

“Hey, hey Pinkie!” She hugged Pinkie back. “Ease up a bit.”

The force of the embrace loosened, but Pinkie kept her hooves wrapped around Dash. She nuzzled her neck.

“Dash, what’s wrong?”

“How do you know something’s wrong?”

“Cause I always know when my friends are sad, Silly. And you’re definitely sad. So, tell Auntie Pinkie Pie what’s wrong.”

“We’re the same age.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be your aunt.”

“…Right.” She chalked this up to ‘Pinkie being Pinkie.’ “I didn’t make it at tryouts.”

“Oh, Dashie!” Pinkie nuzzled her again. She felt warm and soft, like a blanket.

The question, childish, couldn’t help but pass Dash’s lips.

“Can I stay here tonight? I just don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Sure!” Pinkie responded. She bounced around. “We can eat marshmallow and tell ghost stories and play truth-or-dare!”

Dash smiled at the bouncing pink pony, the first time she’d smiled since the try-outs. She’s like a little ball of joy.

Pinkie ran downstairs and came back up a few minutes later with a bowl of marshmallows. If she were a pegasus, Dash would have some serious competition.

“So, whaddaya wanna do first?” Pinkie asked. Dash sat down across from her. Pinkie popped a marshmallow into her mouth. Dash dug in and got a marshmallow for herself.

“I was thinking truth-or-dare?” She said after swallowing the marshmallow.

“Ooh, that’s a fun game! I’ll go first!”

“So, truth-or-dare?”

“Truth!”

Dash thought a few seconds. She was expecting Pinkie to say dare. “Um, so is there anypony you like?”

Pinkie went strangely quiet. Actually, anytime Pinkie was quiet was strange.

“Pinkie?”

“There is somepony.” Pinkie said. “She’s a pegasus.”

Aha! So, she does have a thing for Fluttershy! Funny, I never knew Fluttershy was a fillyfooler.

“She’s a beautiful pegasus with strong, graceful wings. I want to wrap myself up in them.”

Dash felt heat creep up her cheeks at the mental image.

Pinkie looked away. “She’s brave and strong and confident.”

That doesn’t really sound like Fluttershy. Dash thought. “Is it somepony I know?”

“Yes. You know her very well.”

Well, it’s not Fluttershy. Who could it be? Cloudkicker? Blossomforth?

“Her confidence inspires me to be the best I can. Once, I kind of went a little loopy. I was even talking to turnips and rocks. She dragged me to my birthday party. She helped me remember what joy is. Ever since then I’ve had feelings for her.”

Oh.

Silence fell between them. Dash ate some more marshmallows.

“So, truth-or-dare?” Pinkie asked, a weak smile on her face.

Dash ate more marshmallows.

“If you don’t feel the same way, I’d understand.” Pinkie told her.

“No. I don’t know what I feel.”

Pinkie stood up and sat beside her, then held her hoof. Dash clutched her hoof and leaned her head on Pinkie’s shoulder.

“Pinkie, I don’t know what to do. My head’s all confused.”

Pinkie stroked her mane. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Pinkie, I’m…not in a good place right now okay? I can’t deal with a confession of love on top of everything else.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s cool you’re so free with your feelings. I like that about you. I just don’t know if I like that about you in that way.”

“I’ll wait, Dashie. For as long as you need to.”

“Pinkie, do you think I’ll ever make it? To the Wonderbolts I mean?”

“I know you will! You’re the best flier ever!” She proclaimed, bouncing up and down.

Dash smiled at her antics. “So, why don’t I believe it? Why does it all seem so far away?”

Pinkie frowned. “Let me guess. Right now, bad thoughts are swirling around in that rainbow head of yours. You don’t know what to do. Everything seems hopeless. You don’t know if you’ll ever smile again.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel.”

Pinkie gave a smile that wasn’t a smile at all. “I’ve been there.”

“How’d you get out?”

“I had help. You.”

For a while they sat next to each other in a companionable silence, holding hooves.

“Pinkie, let’s just take it slow for now okay?”

At some point Dash fell asleep against her. Her memories were blurred by fatigue, but she could recall Pinkie carrying her to bed like she was a filly then getting in bed with her. They had slept in bed before on many sleepovers.

“Hey, Pinkie?”

“Hm?”

“Ya wanna go pranking tomorrow?”

“Sure!”

“Cool. I’m thinking of Twilight and a pop-up book. Think you can do something with springs and pudding?”

“Oh, I’m on it.”

…

It became their little tradition. Every evening Dash would come by her bedroom. They’d plan pranks and eat marshmallows and all kinds of other sweets. They’d go outside and Dash would work out (and amuse Pinkie) by doing all kinds of tricks. She’d blaze across the sky, a sonic rainboom blazing behind her. Pinkie would cheer for her. Then Dash would head home. Pinkie’s confession stood between them. They danced around it, but never spoke of it. One evening, like so many others, they were eating cupcakes together.

“Say, Pinkie?”

“Yeah, Dashie?”

“Well…I was, um thinking of stuff and, welll…y-you’re my best friend ya know that? Like my best, best forever friend?”

Pinkie blushed. “You’re my best forever friend too.”

“And, I’d like to be…more than that. More than friends I mean-”

Pinkie leapt over and wrapped Dash in an embrace, planting a kiss on her. Dash wrapped her wings over her and pulled her into a deep kiss. She tasted like sugar and strawberries, like fresh bread and the rich scent of the earth. Dash pressed her lips to Pinkies, pushed her to the ground and straddled her. The rest of the night was spent in love. Dash kissed every part of her, memorized her scent and her taste. Pinkie ran her hooves through her wings, through her fur, tasted every part of her. They lay entwined afterwards, feeding one another marshmallows.

“I love you, Pinkie.”

“I love you too, Dash.”

“I love your laugh. It makes me happy. No matter how crappy my day has been your laugh always makes it better.” Dash told her, running a hoof down her back.

“I love your confidence. I love how strong you are. Every time I see you flying I just have to stop and watch.”

“I love your hooves.” Dash said, taking one and kissing it.

“I love your wings.” Pinkie said, kissing the wing that was wrapped around her. “I love how much life you have in you. I love how you can be silly and playful and are one of the few ponies that can actually keep up with me.”

Dash nuzzled her. “I love everything about you.”

“I love everything about you too.”

They fell asleep on each other’s shoulder.

…

The sun shone through Pinkie’s window. She yawned and stretched and realized she was sleeping on her floor.

What are you doing on the floor you silly filly? She thought to herself. Then memories of last night came back to her. She looked around the room. Dash was nowhere to be found. Pinkie sighed.

Was it all just a dream? She walked over to the little door that she had designed with one particular pegasus in mind and opened it. Dash was sitting outside, floating in the air.

“DASHIE!” She shouted. Dash turned around just in time to get glomped by the excited Pinkie Pie. Unfortunately, Dash was hovering in midair and Pinkie didn’t have wings. Pinkie, luckily, didn’t let go of Dash’s side. Dash picked her up, cradling her in her hooves.

“Dash, that wasn’t a dream was it? We’re really marefriends now?”

Dash kissed her in response. Pinkie smiled and wrapped her hooves around Dash’s neck.

“So, what were you doing out here?”

“Thinking about stuff. Meditating.”

“You feeling better now?”

Dash nodded. “Yeah. I just needed the air. Do you wanna go get breakfast?”

“Yeah! I know this place that serves incredible waffles!”

“Point the way and I’ll fly you there.”

Pinkie pointed and Dash soared upon wind. Pinkie kept her hooves around Dash’s neck as they flew. The wind whipped her mane around her head making her giggle uncontrollably.

“Oh my gosh, I’m going to throw a zillion parties this week to celebrate us getting together!”

“Sounds good to me.” Dash said as they landed by the waffle shop.