Fire of the Heart

by Dracoliat

Chapter 4

Arriving back at the house after only five minutes, Fluttershy landed next to Rainbow Dash.

Smiling as they walked to the training field Dash said to Fluttershy, "thanks for the race, it was fun." A awkward silence persisted before Dash broke it a few seconds later saying, "don't worry Fluttershy, I won't make you do the sonic rain-boom."

"Rainbow Dash..." Fluttershy said blushing about what she was going to say.

"Ya Fluttershy?" Dash asked her voice full of curiosity and questioning. Her eyes focusing on the blush.

"I will do whatever you want me to do," Fluttershy said, hiding her face with her long pink mane.

"Thanks Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash responded blushing slightly before saying, "but don't worry, we'll have a good time. We'll win the competition, even without the sonic rain-boom." Her small pep talk finished Rainbow Dash lowered her head and looked at the cloud she was standing on.

Fluttershy smiled and walked up to Rainbow Dash silently. She leaned and whispered in Dash's ear, "Thanks you for believing in me Dash." she kissed Dash lightly on the cheek. She drew back and stayed silent as Dash's cheeks became blood red with blush and Fluttershy's mimicked them. They finally looked each other in the eyes and smiled before getting back to work.
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The rest of the day was spent practicing their competition routine. Not much happened except the occasional addition of a new trick to their routine by Rainbow Dash. Their simple routine was now one so complicated they both struggled to remember it. After one particularly bad memory issue; that ended with them both blushing, having landed on top of each other; they decided to cut it down dramatically.
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After a hard day practicing, their legs and wings sore. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash followed their familiar route that led back to the house and silently slipped into the bath together. They sat across from each other, smiling as the warm water seemed to suck away the troubles of life. Laying her head back lightly, Fluttershy's eyes drifted closed. They didn't stay that way as some warm water splashed her face. Opening her eyes she looked at Rainbow Dash who suspiciously was avoiding all contact and whistling lightly. After a moment Rainbow Dash stopped whistling and looked at Fluttershy before starting to laugh. Fluttershy's sweet and tender laugh soon joined in, together their laughter sounded almost like music.

A minute later Dash decided she had enough of the bath. Her coat shined as the water reflected the light of it. The rainbow pegasus' rainbow mane seemed to flow in the wind as Rainbow Dash walked out of the room announcing she was going to bed.

'She really is something isn't she?' the voice in her mind said absently.

'Ya, she is more gorgeous then any other mare I ever met, both inside and out, if only.' Fluttershy thought to herself.
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Fluttershy crept out of the bath as it started to drain. She put the cork she had pulled on the floor, and grabbed a small towel from the nearby shelf. Running the smooth surface against her skin she couldn't help but imagine it was Rainbow Dash, she stood there for a full minute rubbing the towel against her cheek before she finally put the towel back.

Once she walked up the now all to familiar stairs, she crawled onto her cloud bed and smiled as the warmth surrounded her. Her eyelids drooped and her mind fell into the dream world.
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The next day, Fluttershy's eyes opened ever so slowly. She awoke to the perfectly white cloud and thought about her dream, it was more graphic then she cared to think about. Fluttershy's mouth formed a big 'O' as she let out a loud yawn. She sat up and thought about what would happen that day. Her eyes popped wide open as she remembered there was only one day until the competition. She flung herself of the bed and flew down the stairs. Panting Fluttershy found Dash already waiting, excitement in her eyes.

"Today's the last day of practice, are you ready?," Rainbow Dash said a nervous town began to develop in her voice.

"Dash, please, don't worry, you'll do fine," Fluttershy reassured her with her soothing, quiet voice.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash soon left the house after a quick breakfast of fruit. They crossed eagerly to their training grounds. On Dash's signal they both took of and began their routine. Amazingly, only in a few short weeks, with Fluttershy's hard work, they had perfected it. The day quickly came to a close as Celestia's sun went down, and Luna's moon and stars started to shine brightly.
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After their nightly bath, Fluttershy lay awake in her cloud bed. She heard the door creak open and Rainbow Dash walked in. "Hey, are you awake Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly as Fluttershy sat up silently. The pink maned pegasus nodded her head slightly and Dash continued, "I was thinking, I want to thank you. You are seriously the best flying partner I have ever had, including Gilda. Don't worry, we will tomorrow, I know it, even without the sonic rain-boom. So, ya thanks, for everything." She obviously was having trouble putting her emotions to words. At her stream of compliments, Fluttershy quickly found herself blushing. Rainbow Dash turned around and began to walk away slowly.

Fluttershy smiled brightly and said softly, "Rainbow Dash, I need to tell you something." She waited until Dash had turned back around. Fluttershy saw hope in Dash's eyes and knew this wasn't the time. The look in Dash's eyes made Fluttershy know exactly what to say to make her happy, "If I need to, I will do the sonic rain-boom." Rainbow Dash simply nodded and as she walked down the hall, almost inaudibly Rainbow Dash said, "I can't believe that worked."

Fluttershy laid back down comfortably and thought about how happy her and Rainbow Dash would be after the competition.

She smiled at a fantasy, before she heard the voice in her head, that was to familiar for her comfort say, 'you do realize that this could turn out differently then you imagine? She could think your a weirdo and never talk to you again, what then?'

'Are you always going to use that argument?' Fluttershy asked her own mind, 'I know what could happen.But if I don't try, I can't succeed, I've learned that now.'

Before her mind could say anything she her own body to relax. Her mind had peace, she knew her plan. Fluttershy smiled to herself as she imagined how tomorrows competition would go, especially afterwards. They would go in as partners, and leave as partners.
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The sun was just being raised above the horizon as Fluttershy walked calmly downstairs. Her resolution only stronger, she would tell Rainbow Dash, no matter the consequences. "Are you ready?" she asked the rainbow maned pegasus waiting at the door who nodded apprehensively.

"Don't worry, you will do fine Rainbow Dash, nopony can out fly you, you should really be worried about me," Fluttershy whispered.

"Now wait just a second Fluttershy, nopony, and I mean nopony, besides you, would I want flying next to me today. You will do an amazing job, I know this because you have never let me down before," Rainbow Dash said in her most kind voice.

Both of the pegasus ponies now blushing, walked out the door before kicking of one last time from their house as they rose into the air smoothly and easily. Starting the short flight towards the large stadium.
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Inside the stadium there were about twenty teams including Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. As they entered the preparation area they were quickly both handed a sticker to put on their flanks labeling them as pair number 14. As they looked together out of the preparation area Rainbow Dash gasped as she saw the judges, she remembered that the flier had never mentioned who was judging. There, high up was sitting two random old looking ponies. The third judge, was Spitfire, the Wonderbolt.

Looking back to Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash shouted to her, "do you see? Spitfire's here!"

Gasps went out across the room as everypony rushed towards the door to look. Chatter came from all over as the different teams started to talk about abandoning their routines in an attempt to impress Spitfire. Soon they were so complex they made Fluttershy's and Dash's heads spin in confusion.

Beckoning to Fluttershy, Dash quickly walked her out of the crowd and to a secluded corner. Leaning in she asked Fluttershy nearly silently, "I know you said you could do the sonic rain-boom, but were you serious? Please this might be one of the few chances in my entire life to impress a Wonderbolt, at least while they are conscious."

Thinking about it for a second, a warning emerged from her memories. the doctors warning of imminent damage. But if she didn't, and it ruined Dash's chance to impress her idle, Dash might never forgive her. It was a risk, but she knew she could never turn down Rainbow Dash. Her answer came in a hushed voice into Dash's ear, "fine, I will do it, for you."

Rainbow Dash smiled and nodded before she thought about what she had just heard. She quickly seemed to dismiss it as she shook her head, talking to herself barely loud enough for Fluttershy to hear she said, "I must be hearing things." Her hoof came up and slowly started to scratch her chin as she thought about something

Before Dash could ask anything about it. Fluttershy asked Rainbow Dash, her face hidden behind her flowing pink mane, "Dash, after the competition. Can I please talk to you, if you have time?"

"Sure, but now let's get ready shall we?" Rainbow Dash said. Dash's voice said that she need to tell Fluttershy something also, her face furrowed slightly as she thought about it.

Dash's wings reaching straight up and then down in a classic stretching excersise. Fluttershy soon joined her and they both went completely silent.

Fluttershy looked up from the floor and looked at Rainbow Dash, only to find her doing the same. Her face turning a slight red. Dash tilted her head to the right slightly, a question forming on her face.

The mare who was calling out the teams announced that they were the next ones in line. They gave each other one final looking before walking together towards the entrance to the stadium.
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They looked out of the entrance and saw the pair in front of them finishing up their trick. They each were doing barrel rolls straight up, and then in the opposite direction of their barrel rolls they span around each other. An impressive routine however one of the Pegasus ponies lost her balance. Her wing span to far out causing her to flail and knock into her other partner. Their entire routine soon fell apart.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked to her side, standing there calmly was Fluttershy. Fluttershy looked Rainbow Dash in her eyes, but there was something different. Rainbow Dash observed the exact same phenomena about Fluttershy's blue eyes.
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"Introducing, pair number 14, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy!" The announcer's voice echoed as roars of applause came up from all around the crowd. The announcer continued loudly, "flyers, on your mark, get set, go!"

They kicked of and Rainbow Dash flew into her barrel roll followed directly by Fluttershy. They had practiced the routine so many times they were in perfect harmony. The two pegasi tucked their wings and started to dive. They spun around each other quickly before pulling out of the dive and looping around each other twice. Their wings got so close they could feel the air from each other. Their wings worked hard as they began the final climb. The entire time Rainbow Dash was thinking about how Fluttershy had gotten so good, and thinking about the last month in general. She thought about the pink pegasus' willingness to take any complaints and would still not give up.

She finally realized the truth. It had been there all that time and she had been denying it. Rainbow Dash slapped herself mentally at her ignorance. She had been so busy with the contest and the weather, she didn't think at all about Fluttershy.
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They reached the altitude for the double sonic rain-boom far above the stadium where you would have to squint to make out the two pegasi. Rainbow Dash looked over to Fluttershy one final time who smiled and said, "for you Dash." With that she went into her perfect dive, her wings behind her back, her pink mane flowing wildly in the wind.

Dash's eyes opened as she seemed to remember something terrible, she muttered to herself as she stopped flying, "the doctor said, 'permanent damage,' but then why would Fluttershy..." Rainbow Dash started flying again, even faster now then before. She had to catch Fluttershy and stop her before it was to late.
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Dash's wings worked faster then before, so fast that they became blurs. The crowd stood on their hooves in anticipation as the two ponies rushed past. All the while at the top of ehr lungs, Rainbod Dash was yelling, "Fluttershy stop!" Fluttershy couldn't hear anything as the whistling became nearly unbearable.

Dash had to go even faster if she had any chance of catching Fluttershy. Her wings beat so fast they felt as if they were on fire, yet she somehow found the will to keep going. A loud boom and shockwave came from Fluttershy as she broke the sound barrier releasing a rainbow immediately followed by Rainbow Dash.

'My wings feel like their gone...' Fluttershy thought as she looked at her wings, the skin was literally peeling of and her wings started to rattle, she tried to pull up but had lost almost all control of her wings, except for the most basic flapping motions. She started to scream loudly which carried all the way up to cloudsdale. Spitfire and another pegasus pony flew into action. But there was no way they could catch Fluttershy in time.

Fluttershy's body began to twist and turn as she flapped wildly. At one point she faced Rainbow Dash. The scariest expression was on her face, however even so Fluttershy knew she wouldn't live through this. Smiling Fluttershy said quietly, "I love you Rainbow Dash." A single tear flew of her cheek upwards before she closed her eyes.

Somehow, Rainbow Dash heard Fluttershy. She saw the tear rush past her. "I'm going to fail her," Dash said almost silent before her eyes became almost aglow. Her eyebrows furrowed as she flapped her wings even harder, all the while saying to herself, "I won't fail her, not when she's tried so hard.

After only two more seconds, Dash caught Fluttershy around her waist; but it was to late, they were so close to the ground now. There was no way she could pull up while holding Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash looked desperately around for help but the pegasus, Spitfire, was still more then a minute away from them.

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash and mouthed at her as she met Dash's eyes, "please, let go."

Dash understood but mouthed back to her over the deafening wind, 'I will never let go, not when I feel the way I do about you.' Her wings stretched out to the sides completely straight as they started to shake uncontrollably.

Dash's words flashed through Fluttershy's mind, 'never straighten your wings out... some say even rip your wings off...'

The pair lurched to a much slower speed before a sickening crack was heard, looking back at Rainbow Dash; Fluttershy saw Dash's wings bent backwards completely as if they had snapped. She knew that they would die unless she did something. She straightened her wings and flapped furiously beating the air, ignoring the heavy dead weight on her back as Dash fell unconscious. She was approaching to fast, and they were only five seconds from the ground now.

A burst of energy seemed to come, almost out of nowhere as she realized what her death would do to her friends. But worse then that, she couldn't let Dash die like this. Her wings beat a few final times.
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The landing was rough and fast, Fluttershy's wings struggled to slow them down as she crashed hard into the ground at an almost perfect diagonal. He legs crumpled temporarily as she fell into the ground almost crushed by Dash. Dash fell of her back as Fluttershy's hooves dug into the soft grass. Losing her balance during her landing did not help and Fluttershy soon found her face scraping heavily along the dirt, leaving the grass below a bright crimson. Her entire body lost balance and she did a single full front flip before her body lay still. She heard screaming as Spitfire and a few other Pegasi swooped towards them.

Yells came from above, "Don't move we're almost there. Just stay down!"

'I've stayed down for too long,' she told herself. Fluttershy's legs wobbled as she stood on her hooves, she slowly walked over to Rainbow dash. As she put her back right hoof down, she felt it give way and a small crack was heard. Her mouth opened in agony as she struggled to continue going. Eventually Fluttershy collapsed by Dash who was awake at the moment and looking at Fluttershy.

"I love you Rainbow Dash, I really do," Fluttershy said.

"I'm sorry Fluttershy. I should have paid less attention to the contest and the weather and more attention to you. My friend, my partner, and hopefully, my mare," She whispered in between coughs.

Comments

[Camden09]

So sweet but getting sad

[kjaslwod]

Rainbow Dash said a nervous town began to develop in her voice. wut?

[CyberCommand]

59110you know what he means