A/N If you've been reading for a while at this point you might wanna take a break because I'm warning you this is a long chapter...

Friday was a breeze of relief to many students. Sunset, Applejack and Rainbow Dash spent the whole day together at tryouts, and had a blast. But by the end of the day they were all tired. Sunset was still picking up tension between AJ and Dash, but didn't mention it.

        Rainbow Dash and Sunset had agreed the day before that the pair would go to Rainbow's house afterwards, so they said goodbye to AJ and walked to her place.

"Oh... just warning you, my mom is very overprotective, talkative and nosy, so if she starts to creep you out then—" Rainbow explained, cut off by Sunset laughing.

"She sounds like a pretty amazing mom, so I'm excited to meet her." Sunset grinned.
      Rainbow knocked on the door, embarrassed to have forgotten her keys.

A tall, slender woman greeted them, "Hiya girls! You must be Sunset! Come in you two!" She had a raspy voice, like Rainbow Dash's voice, but not as harsh. Sunset grinned, she took a liking to her almost immediately.

"I'm Windy Whistles! You can call me Windy... or Mrs Whistles... or mom... or whatever..." Windy smiled, causing Rainbow Dash to vigorously roll her eyes and Sunset to laugh. The lady continued, "Now, I've heard many things about you Sunset! Tell us a little about yourself!"
      She gestured to the living room, where a grinning man, of about forty, was lounging on the sofa. He waved.

Sunset walked over and greeted him, before turning back to Windy, "You've heard good things I hope!" Sunset averted her eyes to Rainbow Dash who seemed to be dying of pure embarrassment in the corner of the room.
"Of course dear! Our Rainbow Dash very much admires—" Windy was cut off by her daughter.

"Thanks mom, but we really gotta go do... work now. Love you bye!" Dash ran up stares, beckoning for Sunset to follow. The girl meekly smiled and followed her friend up to her room.
      Sunset took it all in. There were several trophies and posters pretty much everywhere you turned, and Rainbow a Dash was slouched on a bean bag in the middle of the room.

"Come sit!" Rainbow gestured to a seat next to her, and Sunset happily sat down.

"Your parents seem very nice," Sunset grinned.

"Was that meant to be sarcastic?" Rainbow rolled her eyes, and Sunset laughed and shook her head. For about an hour the two decided on and played a video game, which they both sincerely enjoyed, and afterwards, Sunset agreed to show Dash a sample of her song which she had recorded on her phone.

She pressed play, and the two listened for a minute in silence. There were no lyrics yet, just the calming music.

As the song went on, the more they enjoyed it, and on one specific part, they met eyes. Only for a few seconds, and for no reason in particular.

The song finished, and they broke their gaze.

"Uh... wow! That was amazing. You have skill." Rainbow Dash smiled warmly, returned by Sunset.
"You should sing though," Dash added.

"Well, I was thinking maybe you should sing for me," Sunset smiled sincerely. Rainbow laughed and shook her head, paused for a moment, and then looked up.

"You know what? Maybe I'll get to writing some lyrics. The song is so good," Dash smiled.

"Thank you..." she beamed. They both got caught up in the moment, until Rainbow's mom called the girls from downstairs for dinner.
Sunset was surprised as she really didn't expect Rainbow's family to have provided dinner for her as well. She was sincerely grateful.

They made their way into the kitchen. Rainbow Dash sneakily glared at her parents before she sat, giving them the message that they needed. It was a  'don't say or do anything embarrassing' kind of look.

          Everyone sat at the table as Windy brought the food and placed it down on their plates. Sunset beamed with delight as she saw the meal; homemade tortillas. Fillings were spread across the table so everyone could choose what they wanted. Once they were all settled and happily eating, Dash's father Bow decided he wanted to start a conversation.

"So... Sunset, tell us a little about yourself!" Bow smiled at the girl sitting diagonal to her.

"Well, I'm not really an interesting person. Of course I go to Canterlot High and me and Rainbow are in some of the same classes..." Sunset started, not really knowing what to say when it came to talking about herself.

      "Well there must be something interesting about you, otherwise Rainbow Dash wouldn't talk so much of you! She says you're a musician, no?" Windy smiled. Rainbow kicked her mom's leg from under the table.

       Sunset laughed again, "I wouldn't say musician... I just like playing and making songs, and singing. But I also enjoy art, and gaming in my free time..." she grinned.

       Bow nodded at Sunset, "See! You should play one of your songs of us! Or you could try and beat me and Rainbow at Mario Kart later... but watch out, Dash here is the world champion."

       "Dad, Sunset doesn't care," Rainbow rolled her eyes, beyond embarrassed at this point.

       "Rainbow Dash? Champion at Mario Kart? Oh really?" Sunset giggled, forcing a laugh out of Rainbow. The family, plus one, enjoyed their meal, and once they were finished, Sunset helped clear the plates.

      "Oh you didn't have to do that sweetie! Thank you!" Windy smiled gratefully at Sunset.

      "Thank you for the meal! It was delicious! This is the second time I've had a member of your family provide food for me this week! I mean, when me and Dash were out in the park that night—" Sunset said without a second thought, but panicked when she saw Rainbow Dash give her a look from the other side of the room.

      "Whatever do you mean dear?" Windy averted her eyes from Sunset to Rainbow, and back again.

        Sunset tried to cover up what she had said. "Oh...well you see... me and Rainbow... and our other friends... we went to the park one time after school, and I had run out of money to buy a snack from a stand.... so Dash bought it for me... But of course I have been meaning to pay her back!" Sunset said, stuttering.
They didn't notice any suspicious acts though, which was a relief to the younger girls. Sunset still couldn't really understand why Dash hadn't told her parents that evening she was out, but intended to ask her afterwards.

         "Well that's nice of our Rainbow Dash isn't it! You don't need to pay her back, it was probably my money anyway!" Bow laughed, Sunset and Rainbow nervously joining in.

         "Ok we're gonna go now! Thanks for dinner mom!" Rainbow called as the two made their way upstairs.

        "Ok sweetie! Love you!" Windy replied. Rainbow Dash mumbled a 'love you too' under her breath.

        Back in Rainbow's room, Sunset was lounging across the floor, propping her feet up on the side of the bed.

       "Make yourself at home why don't you!" Rainbow Dash sniggered.

      "Thanks!" Sunset laughed, then instantly became more serious, "Why didn't your parents know about the other night?"

        Rainbow looked at Sunset directly in the eye, "It wasn't their place to know...." she sighed, positioning herself directly next to Sunset, leaning her back against the wall and staring ahead of her.

        Sunset nodded, "Ok...."

       Rainbow sighed again, "Ok I know you probably wanna know why I was 'not myself' the other day..."

      "Yeah but if you're not ready to tell me..."

     "No no, I am," Dash laughed. "It's stupid really."

     Sunset smiled, so that Rainbow Dash wouldn't feel presssured to tell her.

      "It's just, something I need to tell everyone.... and I've been meaning to get if off my chest... and...." she sighed again. "It's about Applejack."

     Sunset narrowed her eyebrows. Maybe this was about why Dash and AJ acted as if they hated eachother.

    "I noticed you guys have tension.... Is it to do with that?" Sunset asked, leaning back and getting herself comfortable enough to listen.

    "Yeah.... You see, Applejack's been... covering for me. And she's also been threatening me..." Dash spoke softly, but Sunset's reaction was so elaborate it made her yelp.

    "Threatening?! Are you sure you're using the right word?" Sunset widened her eyes.

     "Ok...well... maybe not threatening.... She's just....ugh...." Rainbow paused for a moment, looked dead into Sunset's eyes, and sighed, "Ok here's the truth... I guess you could say, I used to bully AJ. We went to kindergarten through to middle school together, and every moment I had, I would.... make her life awful, a living nightmare. It started really in fourth grade, when she told me she liked me, more than a friend, and I didn't know how to react, so I teased her."

        Both girls sat in silence, Sunset thinking of a way to react, and Rainbow feeling utterly ashamed.

      "Well, why did you tease her?" Sunset asked sincerely, with a serious look.

      Dash shrugged, "I dunno what ten-year-old me was going through. But.... you know how I asked you to hang out with me the other day? It was cause AJ had been constantly texting me. She's never let it go, and she keeps reminding me of who I was. She says that if I dare hurt her or anyone else again, she would make up awful things about me."

     Sunset was stunned at all the information. What Dash was describing didn't sound at all like Applejack's personality, but people could change.

     "And also, she doesn't want me hanging out with you either. She thinks... I dunno.. she thinks that you like me, in a... different kind of way, and that you'll go through the same terror that she did..." Rainbow groaned, then looked up into Sunset's confused eyes. She continued, "You know I've changed right? I would never do that to you... if you did like me.... or anyone for that matter."

     Sunset sighed, at glanced at the girl beside her, who was slightly shaking. She hesitantly put her arm around her shoulder, "Dash.... I know how hard it was to say all that, trust me I do. I mean, have you apologised to—"

    "About a gazillion times! She won't let it go!!" Rainbow yelled, a bit too loud apparently.

   Windy, Rainbow's mom, began shouting up the stairs. "Girls! I don't mean to nag, but could you please keep the volume down a tad!"

    "Yeah mom sorry!" Rainbow yelled back. She then turned to Sunset in a quiet whisper, "Look, just...please don't tell my parents, or anyone. And don't talk to AJ..."

     Sunset smiled, "Yeah, yeah, sure." In her mind though, she planned to confront Applejack. Not in a mean way... She just needed to know the facts.
       "Did you tease her because you... liked her back?"

      Rainbow aDash shrugged again, "Maybe. Not now though."

     "Good," Sunset blurted out. She meant to say it in her head, because what she was thinking was that it was good that Dash had officially come out as... well... not straight, to her. Which meant she had a little more of a chance of a relationship.... but that's not what it was about....

     Dash laughed at Sunset's embarrassing slip. Dash smirked, "Yes Sunset, it's good that I am one hundred percent gay. May I ask why that is good?" Rainbow was in heaps of laughter and she couldn't stop herself. Soon enough Sunset joined in. The giggles died down when Dash's face went serious.

    "Are you gay? No, are you... homosexual? Sorry I don't have many words in my vocabulary," Rainbow chuckled.

    Sunset cleared her throat and sat up against the wall, "Well.... How must I know?" She shrugged.

   "Well i mean, somebody told me you dated that blue-haired jerk who's in our history class.... something... 'Sentry'?Flash? So that's a possibility you could be straight.... I mean, I can't judge that for you..." Rainbow laughed, caring about Sunset's concern, but amused at her vagueness,

     
     Sunset suddenly leapt up. "No! Flash Sentry didn't count!"

    For some reason, this kicked off the laughter again.

    "What do you mean he didn't count?!" Rainbow hurt from laughing so much, and soon Sunset joined in. The pair were pretty much rolling around the floor in heaps of laughter, for no apparent reason. It was probably just the awkwardness of the situation getting to their heads.

      
"Ok... so Flash didn't count you say?" Rainbow started, forcing a small snigger out of the two of them. "But have you ever liked... or do you like a girl?" Rainbow widened her eyes, somewhat hopefully, and watched Sunset's response.

Sunset sighed. She was a little surprised that aDash had been so oblivious to Sunset's feelings, but hey.
      "I— Yeah... I have.. I do... I am..." she stuttered.
      Why was it so easy for Rainbow Dash to talk about her feelings, but Sunset found it so difficult. She found this a slightly weird way of coming out. Dash was different.

"Well that proves it then... Do you mind me asking who?" Rainbow wiggles her eyebrows, still hopeful but trying to lighten the mood.

      Sunset shook her head, "Nah, I'll keep that between me and my thoughts for now."

"Heh, ok." Rainbow shrugged, hearing her mom come up the stairs and beginning to approach her room.

"Hiya girls! I just came in to check on you! Um, Sunset, I don't want you to feel as if you have to leave, I just thought I'd let you know it's getting dark and I want you to be safe getting home. But feel free to stay longer!" Windy smiled. Sunset smiled so warmly. She was in awe of how nice Dash's parents were. Sunset wished her parents were like that...

        Sunset cleared her throat and gathered her things, "No its ok, I should get going anyway. Thank you so much for letting me stay!" the girl thanked her friend and mother, before following them down the stairs to say farewell to Bow, Dash's father.

      She thanked them again, and then Rainbow led her outside.
    "Thanks for talking this out with me... I was... worried I guess," Rainbow scoffed. Sunset stared at her. She could see someone who used to be mean. Rainbow was so sincere, and yet she had such a bad past.

    "Uhh... No, you shouldn't be. I'm glad you told me," Sunset smiled reassuringly, and Rainbow Dash returned it. They said final goodbyes before Sunset started her journey home, helplessly grinning to herself the entire way.

A/N I can't help writing long chapters I'm sorry!! Yeah that was tiresome... but I hope you liked it :)