Night had set around Ponyville and most ponies were fast asleep and deeply lost into the realm of dreams.
The cottage that served as the home of Ponyville's local veterinarian and Element of Kindness, Fluttershy, was only illuminated by a small lantern hanging from the ceiling of the living room, cloaking the room in a dim but pleasant orange-yellow essence. The animals were all long lost to sleep and they were all snuggled back into their respectful housing inside the cottage.
The birds snoozed away in their birdhouses, the badgers tucked themselves away under some cosy bedding covers as they lay in their baskets, and the wild animals on the outside of the home all nestled themselves into the thicket nearby to the cottage for the night.
Despite woodland creatures being attracted to the timid but friendly mare's residence during the day for a visit and promise of polite company from other critters and wild animals, they would normally return to their respective homes as night falls over the land of Equestria.
The homeowner pegasus with a butter-yellow coat and long, pink curtain of mane was sat on her sofa with her tail draped around her flank as she had her nose deep into a book.
The book she was reading, with a title of Letters, wasn't something she normally found a personal taste for, but she found herself in a trance as she was reading. Of course, it was a story recommended by her dear friend, Rarity. The pearl-white mare was always insistent on Fluttershy giving her cheesy romance novels a chance, sometimes even mentioning that a lovely girl like herself should find a nice stallion to settle down with.
She would only just blush with embarrassment and insist that she was fine on her own. After all, she wasn't exactly alone. She lived with various animal friends every day, so she hardly ever felt lonely. She even had her pet rabbit, Angel Bunny. True, he was quite a trouble maker and seen by most ponies as a demon, but Fluttershy knew he had his reasons. He was a sweetheart when you get to know him, even if it only makes ponies scoff and turn their heads.
It wasn't as if the mare hasn't thought about sharing her life with a stallion and growing old together, but she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to tie herself down to such commitment. At least, not at the moment.
As she was just about done with reading a chapter and about to turn the page, she paused as she heard a sound from outside. Her head turned to face the door and she blinked, wondering if she truly did hear something or if it was just her imagination.
The night was colder now that the time of year was in late November, so why would anypony be out at this time?
With a shake of her head and dismissing it as a part of her imagination, Fluttershy turned back towards her book, turning the page to resume reading.
However, before she could get the chance to start the next sentence, another noise interrupted her. This time, it was much louder and sounded like it came from just on the other side of her front door. Naturally, timid mare felt slightly confused and even a little fearful as to what was causing the noise.
Her cottage was located on the brink of the Everfree Forest, so that only heightened the possibility of it being a wild and dangerous creature. It could have been a timberwolf, a cockatrice or even a manticore.
Quietly, the mare sealed her book with a feather bookmark - a gift from Princess Celestia's pet phoenix, Filomena - and picked herself from the couch.
Her curtains were drawn over the windows, so the advantage of visibility wasn't on her side. As silently as she could, the mare lightly placed her hoofsteps against the wooden flooring towards the front door. It was bolted, so the likelihood that a dangerous creature could break in and cause harm or damage was disabled.
As soon as her hoof touched the floor about a metre or so from the door, yet another noise echoed through the house. However, this time, a sounded as if it had just collided with the exterior wall on the second floor, followed by a very distinct series of moans and groans.
Ow! Ah! Gah!
A series of pain-filled utterances could be heard, leading Fluttershy to believe that somepony was injured and in need of assistance. She listened in intently and concentrated her hearing, waiting for another noise.
From behind the curtain covering the window, a black shadow in the form of a silhouette of a pony dropped from the sky with a scream before making contact with the hard ground below, causing the floor that Fluttershy was standing on to vibrate slightly.
''Aaah! Oof!''
Fluttershy reached a hoof up to release the bolt on the door and then proceeded to open it, but before she could, a series of knocks echoed through the thick wood of the door.
The pegasus blinked and slowly raised the latch, pulling the door open to reveal the one responsible for the noise. Fluttershy gasped in both shock and surprise upon seeing the culprit.
Rainbow Dash stood on her porch, her rainbow mane and cyan coat a dishevelled mess and covered in small bruises and scrapes. Behind her eyes, there was an expression of sadness and something else that Fluttershy couldn't quite place.
''Rainbow Dash? What're you doing out this late?'' She asked, taking in her features. ''What happened to you?'' She asked concernedly. She turned her head left to face a small flowerbed and rose bush, gasping upon noticing that there was a pony-sized imprint in the middle of them, most of the colourful and beautiful flowers crushed and flattened.
She gasped and turned back to face Rainbow. ''What have you been doing, Dash?'' She asked, her tone concerned.
''F-Fluttershy, I - '' The polychromatic mare began, only to be silenced by Fluttershy's hoof being wrapped around her hoof.
''Oh, you can explain later. Come on inside, it's cold out here,'' She said, gently pulling her inside so that she could close the door and maintain some of the heat in the room. ''Take a seat on the couch, Rainbow,'' She said with a motion of her hoof.
Rebolting the door, Fluttershy came to join her lifelong friend on the couch, taking a seat beside her. There was an aroma that lingered in the air around the cyan pegasus, one that could only be described as the smell of alcohol. Specifically, cider.
Fluttershy eyed her friend closely, inspecting her. ''Rainbow? Have you been drinking?'' She asked delicately. The other mare moved her lips about as if she were about to speak, but was seemingly at a loss for words. She avoided eye contact with the butter pegasus, unable to bring herself to look at her.
There was an atmosphere of unease surrounding the cyan mare, and it didn't go unnoticed by Fluttershy. The two friends have known each other since Junior Flight Camp and have remained close ever since. It didn't take more than a simple glance to know when something was making Rainbow Dash feel uncomfortable.
The butter mare offered a hoof to her, lightly placing it upon one of her friend's hooves and causing her to turn back to face her. Offering a gentle and warm smile, Fluttershy asked, ''What's wrong?''
''I-Uh,'' The cyan daredevil stumbled with her words, her voice slightly slurred. ''Nothing,'' She claimed, her tone unconvincing and betraying her. It was rare for a pony such as Dash to talk about her feelings, but when it came to Fluttershy, she knew that she would always listen.
''Rainbow,'' Fluttershy said softly. ''We've known each other since we were fillies. You know you can talk to me when you're upset about something.''
''You'll just laugh at me...'' Rainbow muttered sadly, averting her gaze.
''No, I won't, Dashie. Now, come on, if you want me to, I'll listen. There's no need to be afraid to talk about your feelings.''
Rainbow Dash glanced from Fluttershy's hoof on her own and to her face of comfort. She met her eyes and looked deep within them.
Sometimes, she thinks that Fluttershy is a bit too kind to her element, but she knew she meant well. She was understanding, friendly, considerate, sincere, selfless and hospitable.
Dash's hooves lightly shivered against Fluttershy's as she slowly leaned forward. Her nerves tensed and her eyes, rosy and sleepy, glanced between her friend's eyes and lips as she continued to lean forward.
However, before Rainbow Dash could bring herself close enough to Fluttershy's muzzle, she instead began to hic and sputter, shaking softly in place before she fell sideways off of the couch, thankfully missing the coffee table a short distance in front.
She landed with a loud, dull thud and Fluttershy gasped in shock as she picked herself off of the couch to check on her and make sure she didn't injure herself in the fall.
''Oh, my, Rainbow Dash! Are you hurt?'' She asked worriedly, coming beside the fallen pegasus.
Rainbow Dash was sprawled with her back to the floor with one front hoof over her chest and the other outstretched to the side. Both of her forelegs were bent at the knee and her eyes were closed.
Her lips were parted and she mumbled an incomprehensible response.
''Rainbow?'' She asked again, her voice a little louder. However, she still got no response from the pegasus, clarifying that she was unconscious. ''Oh, Dashie,'' Fluttershy murmured. ''What am I going to do with you?''
She glanced to the side, facing the set of wooden stairs leading to her bedroom. No, that wouldn't work. I couldn't possibly carry her to the top. Next, she glanced to the couch. Oh! That might work!
Fluttershy's eyes brightened as an idea developed in her brain. Carefully stepping over Rainbow Dash's insensible body, the butter mare removed the book from the couch and placed it onto a nearby table.
Next, she hovered into another room to collect a plush, rounded pillow. She placed it down onto one end of the couch before retreating back into the other room to retrieve a clean blanket. It was light blue in colour and it had hoof-stitched black doggy paws covering its surface. It was the same blanket she reserves for Winona when Applejack brings her over for a check-up, but she figured its thick material will serve just as exceptionally well for Rainbow Dash.
Lowering herself down to carefully wrap her hooves around the underside of the polychromatic pegasus, Fluttershy gave an effortless heave and raised the drunken cyan pegasus from the floor, slowly turning and gently placing her body onto the couch, keeping her head supported with a hoof as she did so.
Once she had positioned Dash's body onto the couch's cushions, she lightly placed her head onto the cylindrical cushion. As she did so, she could smell the heavy and juicy, appley scent of cider on her breath.
Finally, she picked up the blanket and placed it on top of the rainbow mare, tucking it in all around to ensure comfort and warmth whilst leaving her head exposed. She even noticed a small but visible smile form on Dash's lips at the new-found warmth.
Fluttershy gave a small sigh as she watched Rainbow for a moment.
Reflecting back on the conversation that took place only minutes ago, the yellow mare couldn't make heads or tails of Dash's surprise appearance. The only other time that she has appeared at her cottage like this was when Cider Season was about to start and she was in a hurried tizzy to make it to Sweet Apple Acres before Pinkie Pie.
Although, rather than being anxious when she arrived, she didn't act like she normally does on the average daily basis. True, it's plainly obvious that she was under the influence of alcohol, but there was something lingering behind the eyes of Rainbow Dash that has never made itself known before, like she was eager to say something, or perhaps even tell something.
Fluttershy's brain itched with curiosity as she pondered on why Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, would decide to drink, come crashing into her house this late at night and then pass out.
It was a strange sight to witness. Not only the fact that Rainbow was drunk, but she also seemed...sad. Like something was deeply troubling her and causing her to feel miserable.
Fluttershy, in her entire time of being best friends with the sister-like pegasus, has never once witnessed her in this state of mind. To say the least, she was worried about her. However, she knew that she wouldn't get an answer due to her unresponsive and intoxicated state, so she allowed her to sleep it off.
Hovering slowly and gently towards the lantern hanging from the ceiling, Fluttershy opened the small glass door and lightly blew out the candle before closing it again, landing herself gingerly back onto the floor afterwards.
Making a mental note to ask her when the morning sun breaks over the horizon, Fluttershy whispered, ''Goodnight, Rainbow'' and decided it would be best to turn in for the night to give her guest some peace and quiet.
She hovered up the stairs as to not cause them to creak and disturb both Rainbow's or her animal's slumbering and she proceeded to enter her bedroom, leaving her door open slightly ajar.
She climbed her way into her medium-sized bed with thick, red and pink plaid covers and pulled them midway up her neck. With her head nestled comfortably into her plush pillow, she gave a content, relaxed sigh and closed her eyes.
However, they only stayed closed for a couple seconds before they shot open again, her face contorted into one of shock and realisation.
When Rainbow was about to tell her what was on her mind, she recalled that she kept looking at her lips as she was leaning towards her. The thought sent her cheeks ablaze with a puddle of pink, rosy fire.
She whispered to the silent atmosphere, ''Oh, my. Was she about to...kiss me?''
The Following Morning
''Ow, my head,'' Rainbow Dash wheezed as she cupped her hooves to her temples in pain. ''How much did I drink last night?''
It was almost the afternoon and Fluttershy's cottage was once again bustling with critter activity. The butter mare herself had decided to allow Dash some extra time to sleep off her intoxication, feeling that she deserved at least that much.
She was currently working at her stove and preparing a pot to heat some soup to calm and distract Rainbow's hangover. The rainbow mare was seated at the kitchen table, positioned on the very end with her elbows resting on the tabletop and her head in her hooves. Since she awoke, she hasn't paid much attention to Fluttershy.
As Fluttershy was lighting the hob with a match to boil the pot of cold water, her brain was playing a game of trivia about the previous night. She worked silently as her thoughts drifted both left and right. The only sound that separated the gap of silence from the atmosphere was the rummaging of the butter-yellow, timid mare as she was looking through a cupboard, moments later pulling out something in her teeth.
Fluttershy had pulled out a small basket and placed it onto the countertop, stocked with freshly harvested vegetables, ranging from tomatoes, potatoes and carrots.
Opening a drawer, she pulled out a large, sharpened knife. Taking a tomato and carrot, she placed them down onto a small wooden cutting board that was already present on the counter.
As she was cutting them, she would occasionally glance over her shoulder at Rainbow Dash. However, every time she'd take a peek, she would still find her with her head in her hooves.
She was unsure why, but despite the level of alcohol that was flowing through her friend's system, she still had a distinct feeling that Dash knew what she did last night.
Once the pot of water had a decent amount of time to boil as Fluttershy was chopping and dicing the vegetables, she added them into the pot and gave them a gentle stir with a wooden spoon. For added measure, and to assist with de-escalating the brain-ache echoing in Dash's skull, Fluttershy added in some home-grown herbs. They may not be as effective as Zecora's remedies, but they certainly did their job.
Why won't she look at me? Fluttershy asked herself, silently glancing back over to her shoulder to face Rainbow as she continued to cut some carrots. I wonder why she came here in the middle of the night? I've never seen her so upset before. It's not like her to get drunk and-
''Ouch!'' Fluttershy whimpered as a stab of pain shot up the length of her hoof, causing her to drop the knife and sending it falling to the floor with a loud, metallic clang.
She turned her head back around and looked down to her hoof, seeing that the blade of the knife had left a rather deep and large cut down the side of it. A small streak of blood oozed from the open wound and partially stained the surrounding fur, colouring it an off-pink. She whimpered in pain and made use of a nearby tea towel by scrunching it up and placing it down over the wound, applying pressure.
Rainbow Dash, from over at her seat at the table, cringed in pain at the noise generated by the falling knife and looked up to face her friend with a semi-annoyed, tired glare. ''Hey, easy, Fluttershy. My head isn't going to be feeling any better with all of this noise,'' She said, rubbing her temples.
However, when Rainbow Dash caught glimpse of the towel around Fluttershy's hoof, she blinked the tiredness out of her eyes and her expression switched to one of concern. ''Fluttershy?'' She asked, slowly picking herself out of her seat, as to not stumble over in her fragile state. She came up in front of the whimpering pegasus and glanced between her eyes and the towel.
Behind the timid mare's turquoise eyes, there was a frosty glimmer of tears beginning to well up. She may have been able to wrestle bears, face giant manticores, cockatrices and even stare giant dragons in the eye, but beneath that shell of courage, Fluttershy was a hyper-sensitive and easy-going mare.
''Let me see,'' Dash said, lightly and gently raising the tea towel off of her hoof to reveal the wound underneath. Rainbow knew it must have hurt pretty bad from the amount of trembling from her hoof. It was undeniably deep, but she wasn't bleeding too badly. Looking back up to face Fluttershy's eyes, she asked, ''Do you have a medical kit?''
Fluttershy nodded. ''Upstairs in the bathroom. In the cupboard under the sink.''
With that, Rainbow gave a nod and made her way towards the stairs, opting for the use of her hooves rather than her wings. Once she had left the kitchen, Fluttershy took a seat at the table, pulling out a chair beside the one where Rainbow Dash was sitting earlier.
It didn't take all too long for Dash to return with a white, plastic medical box, a large red cross on the top of the lid. She came up to the table with it in her mouth and gently placed it down. Taking a seat herself, Rainbow Dash undid the clasps on either side of the lid and opened the box, revealing an assortment of various supplies.
There were generous amounts of bandages and gauze, some alcohol-free cleansing wipes, medical tape, safety pins and even some antiseptic cream in a small, blue tube. It was more than what she needed, but she saw it as no surprise due to the fact that Fluttershy was a self-trained veterinarian and she housed a constant supply of medical supplies in her home.
Taking out a packet of cleansing wipes, Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy to remove the tea towel. Once she did, Rainbow removed the packaging from the wipes and used her hoof to gently rub the wound.
Fluttershy's nerves tensed the instant the wipe made contact with her skin and she bit down on her lip. She forced herself to sit as still as possible while Dash worked the wound over and ensured that it was clean before she placed the used wipe aside and she proceeded to pull out a strip of gauze from the box.
As carefully as she could, Rainbow wound the gauze around Fluttershy's hoof. To Fluttershy, she was both surprised and impressed that somepony like Rainbow knew how to use medical supplies. She found herself silently watching with some interest in the cyan pegasus's work.
''Alright, there,'' Rainbow said as she finished winding the gauze tightly around the butter mare's hoof, although not enough to cause any discomfort. She secured it in place with a few strips of medical tape and looked up to her friend with a soft smile. ''That should keep it clean for a while.''
''Wow, I don't know what to say, Dashie,'' Fluttershy said softly, eyeing over the gauze. ''When did you learn how to use gauze and bandages?'' She asked with amazement. Rainbow Dash gave a bashful expression.
''When you're flying and you get hurt when a stunt goes wrong, you pick up a thing or two,'' She said embarrassingly, turning her head away. However, after a moment of averting her eyes from Fluttershy, she gave a short, heavy sigh before turning back to face her. ''Y'know, I'm sorry, Shy. For last night, I mean.''
''Oh, it's okay, Dashie. I'm just glad you didn't hurt yourself before you came to my doorstep,'' Fluttershy responded, offering a small smile. ''But what were you doing out that late, anyway? Why were you drinking?'' She asked delicately.
Rainbow Dash's embarrassment deepened as the words left the yellow pegasus's mouth. She was never good with displaying her emotions for all to see or admitting to feeling upset or defeated. However, staring into the kind and gentle eyes of Fluttershy, she found a sincerity that was melting her heart.
She loved those eyes and she loved their essence. More over, she loved to listen to Fluttershy's calm and gentle voice. Whenever she spoke, it was like a soothing melody to Rainbow's ears. She hasn't told a single living pony how she feels about her, but despite others being absent to the knowledge that she had feelings towards the mare in front of her, she wasn't too sure if she understood them herself.
The two pegasi have been friends for as long as Rainbow Dash could remember. There were times when, as a filly, she would find herself intently watching Fluttershy with an unexplainable feeling bubbling in her gut that was foreign to her. Now, as a fully grown and developed mare, the feeling was still foreign.
''Fluttershy, if I tell you, will promise to still be my friend?'' Rainbow asked slowly. Fluttershy seemed unsure as to why or how she could ask such a thing, but if there was something troubling the cyan mare, she was all ears to listen to her vent.
''Oh, Dashie, how could you say that? You know that I won't be upset with you over anything. You're one of my closest friends.'' She said confidently, smiling. Rainbow Dash took a moment to process her words before she gave a sigh and spoke.
''Fluttershy, the reason I was drinking was because of...y-you.''
Fluttershy's ear twitched. ''You...what?'' She asked surprisedly. ''You were drinking because of me?'' Rainbow nodded slowly. ''Why?''
Releasing yet another sigh, Dash extended her hoof out and placed it on top of Fluttershy's uninjured hoof, gripping it loosely. ''Because I feel stupid. You were my first true friend, Fluttershy, and when we started to hang out with each other during Junior Flight Camp, I kept feeling something towards you that I couldn't understand, and I still can't!'' Dash said, feeling herself tremble nervously.
Fluttershy didn't intervene. She just sat on her chair and listened silently. When Rainbow met her eyes, she looked deeply within them as she continued to explain herself.
''When I came here last night, I wanted to tell you how I feel, but I guess we both know how that went, huh?'' Dash said sadly, diverting her eyes towards the surface of the table.
''So, what was it that you wanted to tell me?'' Fluttershy's voice softly caressed Rainbow's ears as she spoke. On her hoof, Dash tightened her grip, although not enough to cause pain, and she leaned over the table, barely giving Fluttershy time to react before Dash's lips were found upon her own.
It was only a simple, short-lived peck before Dash lowered herself back into her seat and she waited for Fluttershy to respond.
Fluttershy sat still, her expression neutral. She didn't breathe, nor did she speak. Inside her mind, her brain was trying to comprehend what had just happened. She didn't know how to react or what to say.
Instead, she touched a hoof to her lips, the sensation of Rainbow's against them still present. Eventually, she lowered her hoof and brought her eyes up to meet Rainbow Dash's.
''I-Rainbow Dash, I, um,'' Fluttershy began hesitantly, trying to conjure up a response. ''Listen, I'm flattered, but I...I can't. You're like a sister to me. I'm afraid that's all I can love you as.''
Rejected, Rainbow's gut twisted in a knot and she felt queasy. She found herself unable to make eye contact with Fluttershy and her head hung low as she began to shiver, her eyes beginning to drip with tears.
''No, no, Dashie, come here,'' Fluttershy said soothingly, pulling herself out of her seat and moving around the table so that she could pull the pegasus into a warm, consoling hug. ''It's alright.''
They remained interlocked in a hug for minutes before Rainbow was calm enough to bring herself to speak.
''A-Are we still f-friends?'' She asked hopefully, gazing up into the turquoise eyes of Fluttershy, who's eyes had become moist during the comforting embrace.
''Of course we are, Dashie. You know I wouldn't think any less of you for being honest. I'm surprised, but I appreciate the gesture. Thank you.'' Fluttershy said gratefully as she leaned back down and enveloped Rainbow into a short hug, nuzzling her cheek warmly and affectionately before pulling away again. ''If you'd like, I'd be more than happy to have you around for some soup and tea,'' Fluttershy said with a motion of her eyes to the pot on the stove. ''It won't take long, and I'd appreciate the company.''
A warmth began to heat up Rainbow Dash's heart at the promise of some of Fluttershy's homemade soup and tea. She may not have been a massive fan of both things, but if it meant she could hang out with her best friend and sister, there was no way in Equestria that she would decline the offer. Besides, her hangover won't cure itself, and tea and soup sounded pretty good at this point in time.
Cracking a grateful, happy smile, Dash said, ''Sure, I'd like that.''