Leading The Blind
A Bluebird’s Song
~~~
Listening to the pouring rain
Waiting for the world to change
Beginning to wonder if we wait in vain
For one fine day
~~~
Leading The Blind
“Twi’, please come an’ sit down.” Dash walked across to Twilight in concern, interrupting the latter’s pacing. She had sent her acknowledgment to Celestia almost half an hour ago, but still there was no sign of her mentor’s arrival. “She’ll be here soon, and whatever it is she’s gonna say, ya won’t make things any easier for yourself by stressing out over it now.”
“I’ve fixed up the holes in the balloon, and replaced the ropes on the basket,” Twilight reeled off in a vague attempt at self-distraction, her voice unusually high-pitched. Her left eye was twitching slightly. Both Spike and Dash recognized the danger signs.
“She didn’t say it was bad news, Twilight,” Spike pointed out, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. “All she said was that it was a development.”
“A serious development,” corrected Twilight. “The group’s supposed to be finished, so how could things get seriously better? Oh no, what if Dusk’s escaped? What if the others have?” Her voice took on a slightly panicked edge.
“We won’t know until the Princess gets here,” Dash repeated, firmly. “All you’re doing is getting in a state.”
“I know, I know,” sighed Twilight. “It’s just… The record attempt’s the day after tomorrow. If something got overlooked with Sunset, then we might not be able to react in time.” Her eyes were wide and fearful, and Dash knew with a surge of affection that the unicorn’s concern was on her behalf.
“Everything’s gonna be fine,” she said, reassuringly. She smiled at Twilight. “Besides, I’ve got the most powerful unicorn in Equestria watching my back. They couldn’t get near me if they tried.”
Twilight smiled weakly back at her, gratefully nuzzling her cheek, her heartbeat beginning to return a little to normal. Even with her tendency for stress, she found the presence of the pegasus to be soothing. It was almost impossible for her to remain anxious when Dash was around. “Even so,” she murmured. “I’d rather they didn’t try.”
Suddenly, the library was illuminated by a shimmering corona of light, which expanded to fill the room with a dazzling glare. Twilight whipped around, and raised a hoof to shield her eyes. A few moments later, the glow faded, and the hiss of magic that accompanied it died away too. She lowered her foreleg, and saw Princess Celestia standing on the hearthrug, a little stooped from the exertion of casting the teleportation spell.
She looked around at the two ponies and the dragon. “Princess!” exclaimed Twilight, taking a tentative step forwards.
“Twilight, I’m sorry to arrive at such short notice once again, but I’m afraid that, once again, I have to be the bearer of bad news.”
Twilight winced reflexively at the confirmation that something had gone wrong. “What’s happened? Has somepony from Sunset escaped?”
“In a sense, yes,” Celestia sighed. “Dusk Tempest is dead.”
“Huh?” Dash was shocked by this news, and she too moved forwards, hovering a few inches above the wooden floor. “That creep who broke into Fluttershy’s place?”
Celestia nodded. “The very same, it happened three days ago now. As best we can tell, Sunset’s leaders realized that he was the cause of their capture. One of the guards must have been either paid off, or already in their pocket. His food was poisoned, and I discovered his body.”
Twilight shook her head, a little disturbed by this sudden development, but at the same time strangely relieved. “Princess, I don’t mean to sound cynical, but surely the world is better off without him. Even jailed, he might still have been a threat.”
Spike nodded in agreement, unable to feel sympathy for Dusk after the treatment he had received at his hooves.
Twilight looked up at her mentor, and was surprised to see a shadow of pain, almost of grief, flash across Celestia’s face for a moment. Then, she seemed to control herself, and her expression became impassive. “Yes,” she muttered. “Yes, I suppose the world is better without him.” There was a strange, introspective quality to her voice, as if she were trying to convince herself.
“Then what’s the problem?” asked Dash, a little confusedly.
“The problem?” Celestia’s voice grew a little stronger as she returned to her intended train of thought. “The problem is the reason that I did not visit you immediately. On a hunch, I told the coroner to take another blood sample, and the results have only this morning been returned to me. Whilst I would have preferred genuine justice to be done, Dusk’s death is not the main issue. The blood tests revealed that, sometime before his arrest, he took a dose of Root Blacksap’s Potion of Forgetfulness.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully. “So… Sometime before he was arrested, he did something, and then deliberately forgot it?”
“Exactly.” Celestia nodded. “He knew he was going to be arrested, and he knew there was a good chance that he would be interrogated. That potion is the ultimate way to resist interrogation. If you don’t know you’ve done something, you can’t admit to it.”
“And you think it was something to do with the record attempt?”
The Princess sighed, in frustration. “I just don’t know. But it would make sense, after all, he was trying to cause me pain. What better way to do that than force me to break my own moral code to get the information I needed, and then show me that it had all been for nothing?” She shook her head. “On the other hand, Sunset had many different interests, it may have been related to another of their… projects that he was involved with. We can’t know. It’s too late to try and extract the memories.”
“But you said that he never cared about Sunset,” interjected Twilight. “I know that potion, and it’s a risky thing to take. I’ve heard of ponies who’ve wiped their entire memories by slightly overdosing. I doubt that he’d take such a risk for the sake of a cause he never believed in.”
“So it must have been something to do with you,” Dash added.
“And, by extension, probably us,” finished Twilight, gesturing to herself and the pegasus by her side.
“I agree, that does seem likely,” Celestia said, sadly. “The point is this, though. I’m willing for the record attempt to go ahead, but I’ll be honest with you. I cannot guarantee that it will be safe. If you choose to go ahead, I will personally attend, and guards will be stationed in and around the Cloudiseium. But please understand that I can make no guarantees.”
For a few moments, there was silence. Twilight looked fearfully at Dash, her heart thumping uncomfortably in her chest. “What do you want to do, Rainbow?” she asked, tentatively. “This is your record, and it’s you who’d be in harm’s way. It’s got to be your decision. Do we go ahead?” Half of her was hoping that Dash would say no, that she would decide to call off the attempt. Inside, though, she knew what the answer was going to be.
Dash thought for a few moments, then nodded. “We go ahead,” she said, quietly. She looked from Twilight to Celestia. “I trust you both to keep me safe. A few weeks ago I told myself I was gonna change. For years I’ve done awesome things to show other ponies up. It was eating me away, and I never realized it. I want to do this to prove to myself that I don’t need revenge to drive me on.”
“I understand,” said Celestia, gently.
But Dash’s eyes sought Twilight’s. The unicorn looked fearful, and yet resigned. “I wouldn’t have expected you to do anything else,” she admitted, smiling weakly despite the concern that showed in her eyes.
“Twi’,” Dash murmured, “I’m sorry, I know how worried you’re gonna be. If you said you didn’t want me to go through with this, I’d call it off in a second.”
Twilight shook her head. “I appreciate that, Rainbow, but I’m not going to hold you back. It’d be selfish of me. Besides, I’ll be watching while you’re up there. Nopony’s going to get anywhere near you.”
Dash held eye contact for a few moments longer, bathing for a moment in the sense of trust and understanding between them. Twilight’s eyes shone a little with moisture, but her smile laid no blame on Dash for her choice.
“It’s settled, then,” Celestia said, quietly. She gestured to the flat canvas envelope that filled the room, in an apparent attempt to change the subject. “I take it you have your transport prepared.”
Twilight nodded. “Yes. The six of us are heading to Cloudsdale tomorrow, that way we can have a day in the city before the attempt.”
“Very well,” replied the Princess. “Shall I organize some suites for you at the Hotel Zephyr?”
Twilight’s eyes widened a little. She had heard of the Zephyr, but had never actually stopped there. Her librarian’s allowance, whilst generous, could not perform miracles. “That’s very kind of you, Princess, but isn’t that place expensive? Really expensive?”
Celestia chuckled. “Being a princess does have its advantages, Twilight.”
Twilight grinned sheepishly, realizing that her words had probably sounded a little silly. “Well, thankyou, Princess.”
“No problem at all, Twilight. I presume you’ll want five rooms overall?”
“Fine with me,” Dash chipped in, smiling at the unicorn. Twilight blushed slightly, despite Celestia’s delicacy in broaching the topic of sleeping arrangements, but also nodded in agreement.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” added Celestia, looking across the room at Spike, who had fallen to inspecting his gem project, and no longer seemed to be listening. “Will Spike be accompanying you?”
Spike turned at the sound of his name, and shook his head. “Nah,” he gestured to the balloon. “I’m not one for flying, it makes me feel ill just imagining it.” He shrugged. “Besides, Twilight’ll probably be happier if I’m here to hold the fort while she’s gone.”
“Alright then.” The Princess nodded, turning back to Twilight and Dash, her expression almost guilty. She dropped her voice. “I’m sorry that I can’t give you more of an assurance about Saturday. If it were anypony else but you two, I’d suggest to call it off. But I’ve seen you and your friends, I’ve seen the way you deal with difficult times. If the worst comes to the worst, I know I can trust you to keep your wits about you and keep each other safe.”
“We’ll all do our best if needbe,” Twilight affirmed, nervous but determined. “If something goes wrong, we’ll be ready.”
“Oh, Princess?” Dash’s eyes widened momentarily as a thought occurred to her. “Twilight told me about Cloudshine, my… my sister.” She said the last word in a low, almost disbelieving voice.
“I expected that she would,” replied Celestia. “Are you alright about it? I realize it must have been quite a shock.”
“Yeah, it kinda was,” admitted Dash. “I just wanted to ask, though. Canterlot’s within easy flying distance of Cloudsdale.” She paused, a little nervously, hoping the question she was about to pose did not seem presumptuous or overly difficult. “I know Sunset’s leaders are gonna be locked up in pretty high security, but I was wondering if I could visit her, Cloudshine, I mean. We’re flying up to Cloudsdale early tomorrow morning, so I’d have all day to get there and back again.”
Celestia was silent for a few moments, her eyes thoughtful. “Well, I don’t see why not,” she said, at length, a little warily. “You’re family, so the guards will let you visit. My only worry is the effect it might have on you. You have to understand that she’s not… like you. She hates pegasi, and I don’t know if she knows you even exist. If you’re hoping to reconcile with her, I’ll warn you that it will probably be futile.”
Dash shook her head. “It’s not about her. It’s just… my mom left when I was a foal, I hardly remember her. Cloudshine’s the only one I know of who might know where she is, and what happened to her. I realize she might not wanna tell me, out of spite or whatever, but I’d just like to try. I don’t care about reconciling with her, she doesn’t mean anything to me. I’d just like to have… closure.” She shook her head wistfully as she spoke the last word.
“I see,” replied Celestia, kindly. “If it might help you find some solace, then I’d be glad for you to visit. My warning still stands though, she’s likely to be hostile towards you.”
“I can live with that,” Dash said, calmly. She looked sideways to see Twilight smiling at her, something close to pride in her expression. The moment brought home to Dash, almost shockingly, the truth of how much she had changed over the last few weeks. She knew it was for the better, and was glad to be able to hear that quiet, confident ring to her voice, no longer obscured by her customary brashness. For the first time in her memory, she genuinely understood herself, and she truly knew what she wanted. She looked up at Celestia, her expression one of certainty. “I just want to know that I tried.”
*
“Have you heard that Lightning Flare’s going to be watching on Saturday?”
Fluttershy and Rarity had been relocated to yet another room in the seemingly infinite salon. The pegasus had opted for a massage, and was relaxing under the capable hooves of Lotus. Her friend had decided to have her horn filed a little, after remarking that it had recently lost its shine.
“Who?” Rarity looked across quizzically at Fluttershy, as best she could without moving her head. unicorns were, as a rule, very protective of their horns, and Rarity was no exception.
“Lightning Flare. Rainbow told me about him a little while ago, he’s the current airspeed record holder for the pegasi.”
“Oh yes, I think you might have mentioned him before. He doesn’t sound very… subtle, does he?”
Fluttershy giggled. “Not particularly.”
Life gets easier without those stupid inhibitions, doesn’t it? The small voice spoke up, unbidden, in her head.
I don’t know what you mean, she told herself, a little sternly. In a way, however, she knew that she was not being entirely truthful.
Certainly, she looked at Rarity in a different light now. Fluttershy knew that she had spent her life being kind to other ponies and creatures, but in all that time she had hardly noticed the scant kindness directed towards her. Rarity was always there for her, always there to offer a kind word or a helping hoof. Like Fluttershy, she gave without thought of receiving in return. Generosity and Kindness. In a sense, they were kindred spirits. If only Rarity had not realized it so long before Fluttershy. If only the canary pegasus had not been held back by the walls her mind had built to protect herself from hope and the disappointment it always brought. Over the years, her safehouse had become her prison, the walls entrapping her long after they were no longer needed for protection.
She was still wary, as was her way. She was experiencing emotions that she had not felt since her school days, and she was frightened that they might run away with her. She knew that she felt attraction towards Rarity, but she could not say if these feelings were new, or simply a dormant spark, suddenly rekindled. Her urge of self-protection still had not entirely dissipated, and she could not call these feelings ‘love’, for fear of her own inexperience. She had opened the floodgates to a strange mix of emotion, that surged whenever she looked at the unicorn. She had scarcely been open to this frightening, exciting part of herself for half an hour. Despite this, however, already each sensation felt familiar and friendly, if somewhat rusty, like the first inexpert movements of a broken limb beginning to heal.
“Darling, are you alright?” Aloe had finished with Rarity’s horn, and the unicorn could once again turn her head to look at Fluttershy. Her concerned voice broke into Fluttershy’s introspection. “You look almost comatose.”
Fluttershy realized that she was staring blankly into space, almost entirely unaware of the gentle kneading sensation of Lotus’s hooves on her spine. She shook her head. “Sorry, Rarity.” She blushed a little. “I was just thinking, and I got a little lost. I get like that sometimes… I’ve spent too much time with only myself to talk to, I can kind of zone out sometimes.”
“Is that why you keep the animals around?” Rarity asked, sympathetically.
“Kind of,” admitted Fluttershy. “Mostly it’s because I know I like to help creatures, and they let me indulge in my habit.” She smiled, nervously. “They help me too, though. I can talk to them, even if they don’t talk back. I know I’ve got you guys as my friends now, but when none of you are around…” She shrugged. “I don’t know. They stop the walls from closing in on me, I guess.”
Rarity sighed, and Fluttershy could see sadness in her eyes. “It sounds like you’ve led a lonely life, Fluttershy,” she said, her voice low.
“I suppose. I’ve never really thought about it.” She thought back for a few moments. “I knew Rainbow Dash at flight school, but she was really the only one. When I came to Ponyville, you were the first friend I’d made in so many years. Of course, Pinkie and Applejack introduced themselves, but they didn’t even know I was here for a while. Too quiet for my own good, I think.”
Rarity smiled fondly at this memory. “Oh yes, you came to my boutique looking for curtains for your new house, didn’t you? I think it took you about ten minutes to get the question out.”
Fluttershy let out a giggle. “You think that was bad? I must have hung around outside the door for fifteen minutes, eyeing the doorbell. I never was a pony who’d do well in an unfamiliar town.”
Aloe had shifted her attention to Rarity’s hooves, and a wide selection of pots full of creams and ointments were standing on a side table beside them. Fluttershy felt Lotus’s hooves shift up to her shoulders, and sighed. She did not know if it was Rarity’s presence or simply the massage, but she had not felt this relaxed in quite some time. Perhaps it was a combination of both.
“Well, you were braver than me,” remarked Rarity, suddenly.
“What do you mean?”
“After you came back to buy a few new outfits, I always meant to ask you if you’d ever considered a career in modeling. I kept putting it off, I thought it might seem rude or presumptuous of me, until I forgot all about it.” She laughed, softly. “You saw how many years it took me to ask you about that.”
Fluttershy felt a gentle sting of blood in her cheeks, but smiled nonetheless, shyly breaking eye contact. “You really thought that?”
Rarity opened her mouth to utter a confirmation, but at that moment, Fluttershy felt the pressure on her back cease.
“And I believe zat is everything,” remarked Aloe, looking across at Lotus for confirmation. Her sister had just put the final lid back on a jar of hoof balm, and she nodded in agreement. Stretching contentedly, Fluttershy got to her hooves, her muscles feeling pleasantly loose and free of tension. Rarity did the same, evidently deciding that she could finish their conversation later. She trotted across to the mirror, inspecting the finish on her horn, and nodding in approval.
“A first-rate job, as always.” She smiled warmly at the twins as she and Fluttershy began to make their way towards the exit. “Thankyou, I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
*
The streets of Ponyville were warm to the touch under the sinking afternoon sun. The ground was occasionally flecked by the shadows of passing flocks of birds, that sang through the skies above them, restlessly twisting and flowing.
Fluttershy always walked back to the boutique with Rarity, as it was practically halfway between the spa and her cottage. Today, however, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere between them. It felt to Fluttershy almost as if she was walking the other mare home, rather than simply walking to her home with her.
Suddenly, Rarity gave a small sigh. Fluttershy would not have heard it were it not for the light impact of breath on her face. She turned to see the unicorn looking at her.
“Thankyou for this,” Rarity said, her voice quiet and almost guiltily.
“For what?” Fluttershy was a little taken aback.
“For still being my friend despite my appalling lack of self-restraint.”
Fluttershy stopped walking, and turned to face Rarity, who had also halted. “Look,” she said, a little forcefully. “I don’t want you hurting yourself over this anymore.”
There’s a way you can stop her from hurting herself over this.
She ignored the thought, but not before her cheeks could colour traitorously. “I’m your friend, Rarity. Goodness knows you’ve forgiven me enough times for my mistakes. You didn’t even make a mistake, you were just honest. I’d say I forgive you, but you’ve done nothing that needs forgiving. Please stop beating yourself up about this.”
She was more honest than you’re being. Things have changed, and you know it. If you’d only tell her…
Rarity nodded, smiling, still a little sadly, at the pegasus. “I’ll do my best, Fluttershy. You really are the best friend a pony could ask for.”
And you want to be more. You know that now. She could be your future, Fluttershy. She wants to be! Why throw that away?
“Rarity, I…” Her voice died away, and she looked away from the unicorn. Her eyes suddenly felt to her like blinding lights.
You can do this.
Her head was full of static, her cheeks scarlet.
“I...” Her ears drooped suddenly, and she shook her head minutely. She admitted defeat. “I’m sorry I hurt you like this.”
You coward.
Rarity rested a comforting hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “You didn’t hurt me,” she said, softly. “I hurt myself. It was only ever a dream.” She sighed, remembering Spike’s words, the echo almost painfully ironic now. “I know that now. It was a good dream, though.”
They walked on, back towards the boutique, their eyes never quite meeting. Fluttershy was grateful for this. Rarity did not see the tracks of tears sparkling on her cheeks. She did not see the introspective anger that burned in her eyes.
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Once again, sorry for the late chapter. I'll try to get my schedule back on track again soon, it's just that this week was A-Level results week, which was naturally kind of distracting, plus a few rewrites to the final scene which needed doing. Hope you like it nonetheless!
This actually doesn't feel late. Another great chapter. Take your time.
Spike is staying behind? Hmm.
My prediction: The record attempt will go off without a hitch, confusing and worrying everypony involved
(perhaps except Dash, who will be too ecstatic about taking back the air-speed record to notice much else
), and everypony will return home safe and sound. 
Only when Twidash gets back to the Library, Spike will be gone!
ONOES.
No worries though; Spike shows up an hour later, totally unharmed, having successfully set up a barrage of sexy-time spy cameras in Rarity's bedroom.
Twilight's worry turns into rage
, and Dash becomes doubly irate with Spike for making her Twilight all GRRR and stuff.
Dash eventually calms Twilight down enough for some congratulatory sexy-time fun
, figuring that traumatizing Spike with excessively loud groans and bed-frame creaks is sufficient punishment for his misdeeds. 
Spike then spends what little he makes as a librarian's assistant on frequent sessions with the local shrink.
The only problem being that each successive meeting with Dr. Pinks seems to exacerbate his condition even further. Eventually Spike grows up and kidnaps Rarity to be his somewhat-willing draconic bride, having invested what little money he managed to save in several pairs of earplugs. 
The End.
Great chapter once again!
Don't worry about it being late, we can wait, but don't rush it for a release date.
I care for quality so long as it is out within a reasonable amount of time.
Stay tuned because...
ojm.org/images/thats_all_folks_cover.jpg
318889 Best. Prediction. Ever. You know, I'm seriously considering doing an alternate ending with that plotline... Pinkie Pie is best psychiatrist!
God I must be a slow reader, this took me 4 days to finish every chapter so far... Great story, I like how this is going. I was kind of mad when I realized Chapter 26 was NOT in Cloudsdale yet, but I assume that will be right up next. Just don't rush it, I'd rather you take 6 months to make the rest of the story and have it brilliantly good, rather than you take 6 days to finish the story and it be down right terrible with spelling and grammar mistakes ever where...
And to think I kept putting this chapter off for days. I must be crazy.
Awesome chapter and much suspense. Can't wait for the next one.
331952 Don't worry, the next chapter is in Cloudsdale. To be honest, these last few chapters have been a balancing act between tying up loose ends and not letting the plot progression stagnate too badly. Things are getting a move on now, though!
Sometimes it's so hard to fight your own instincts. I feel bad for Fluttershy. She wants to say something, but it never comes out. I have truly felt like that before.
Good call, Shy. Telling Rare after all this that you love her would fel out of place and like you only did it for pity. She could never really know if you love her for her or cause you wanted to avoid hurting her.
There´s nothing wrong with being best friends either. It doesn´t always have to be about romance and kisses and stuff. Being there for each other and listen to each other means just as much if not more.
that ending....
weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/freddie-mercury-so-close-pose1.jpg
Damn, so close Fluttershy, so close...
318889
DAMN IT! MY SIDES HAHAHA- OW! YOU BROKE MY SIDES!!! FUNNIEST DAMN COMMENT THE EARTH HAS EVER SEEN!
14000 Internets to you!
Funniest moment in this chapter:
“No problem at all, Twilight. I presume you’ll want five rooms overall?”(nudge* nudge* wink* wink*)
I believe that this will be the last chapter I read tonight, but I myself can't help but feel so empowered and almost involved directly with wanting to help fluttershy overcome her natural shyness trait to really speak her mind. I somewhat feel like im there actively being a third person involved. Wonderful!
I was in the midle of a chapture atnan important part and then... my tablet died.
how cloud the fates be so crul.
SO close Fluttershy! Come on! You can do it, admit your love for the fashionista! I suppose that I shall continue with the story in the morning. My brain needs to re-charge.
473034 I know that feel bro.
You're killing me, Eepysqueak.
Missing a space (need be).
And with that, the side dish of rarishy grows cold, only to hopefully be reheated. To bad it is never as good reheated as it is fresh...
What will flutters do to finally overcome her fear?
Will Rarity lose interest in flutters before she can spit out the truth?
And will they need 4 rooms at the Zephyr instead of 5?