Can one be loyal without reason? How did Fluttershy earn the loyalty of Rainbow Dash? And how did she become such good friends with her?
It the days of the Flight Academy for Rainbow Dash; she's the most unsuccessful prodigy the school has known. She has many friends, has one close friend, and hasn't met her closest friend. A certain series of events more or less changes Rainbow Dash's life.
The sun had gone through more than three quarters of it’s cycle, combined with the cloudless skies and enviable temperature, it created the perfect feeling of enjoyment. Every once and awhile, a small cloud would be kicked up, and while it floats through the air, it would change to all colors of the spectrum, as if it could not make up what mood it was in.
It was on this day the gentle gusts of wind were swirling around the figure of a certain cyan mare with rainbow colored mane. Normally the ever active and energetic filly, she caught herself, much to her surprise, enjoying coolness of the crisp, fall day. Rainbow Dash smiled happily as she slowly floated on the delicate gusts, the wind just strong enough to massage her mane and feathers as it passed over them. She let out a deep breath of the fall air, relieving the tension from a full day of school. Although, it was mostly spent asleep on her desk or doodling in her notebook.
Rainbow Dash still had her school saddle pack. It was standard issue for all Flight Academy students: shiny black leather, with gold buckles and the multi colored, "F.A." logo sewn onto every pack. The pack was brimming with supplies used for studying and learning, but many of the pencils were still intact and, when not filled with random figures or comics, most of her notebooks empty. Out of one of the pockets, a small, the corner of a rectangular piece of paper fluttered. This piece of paper was blown out by one of the gentle gusts of wind swirling around Rainbow Dash. A gentle gust of wind which may have lead - or in this case crashed - Rainbow into her closest friend.
She giggles, the paper tickling her tail as it starts its journey towards the ground. Turning around, short glimpses of red pen upon the paper catch her sight, her smiling mouth drops and her glad eyes widen in realization. She chases give chase, it's movement changing after every gust of wind, leaving in her hooves only air. Rainbow Dash crashes into the side cloud while trying to catch the paper, painfully landing near a report card, with a big, red, circled “E” on it. The ponies near Rainbow laugh as they see the young filly sprawled out next to her - for all accounts - failing grade.
Rainbow, ears tucked back and head hung low, scoops up the card and places it in her bag, a slight limp and an uneven wing now plagued the filly. A group of sniveling older colts approach her, glancing at each other before smirking;
“Hey Rainbow Crash, you up to a race against us?”
Although injured and embarrassed, Dash's ears perk up at the sound of competition. She turns her head towards the taunting colts, while still walking, and gives them a rather smug reply,
“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t want to embarrassed you, but if you insist. Let me just put my things dow--"
Not watching where her hooves took her, combined with her imperfect step due to injury, she trips, once again adding to her already numerous small aches. The sprawling filly winces, and although able to stand, she does so somewhat shakily. Rainbow Dash... has a reputation for crashing, known among all of the colts present. The leader of the insensitive colts leans into, Dash, trying pull her into a scheme proven to embarrass her and simultaneously give them a good laugh.
“If you’re so good, you wouldn’t need to.”
It succeeds, and Rainbow Dash is caught: hook, line, and sinker. She glares at the colts, completly unaware of their plans, though they have done it many times before
“And I don’t need to. Bring it on!”
“Okay then... 1-2-3-GO!”
They shoot off, attempting to leave Dash in the wake of their cheep trick. She, however, recovers before they can get a comfortable lead. As Rainbow reaches the front, the lead pony clicks his tongue, deciding to move into plan B.
“First to three around the school wins!”
As they round the first corner of the lap, LeBrony James, pulls ahead and grins. Thinking he has the lead, he looks over his wing to see a prismatic pegasus bolt past him, causing him to nearly crash into a particularly thunder-y thunder cloud.
The cyan filly leaves a trail of color as she turns the second corner of the Flight School: her final lap. She could see the finish line, her heart pumping adrenaline. The wind in her mane was a feeling that she thought she couldn’t live without. The freedom one experiences when flying at high speeds is enough to spoil even the most disciplined of ponies. Her feathers, coat and mane all in sync with the wind as the high speed pony sets her jaw and focuses her eyes; an expression that would ruffle the feathers of any pegasus.
Half hiding behind her mane, trying to make herself as small as possible, as if it could make her invisible, a certain butter-yellow pony shyly watches the racers just outside the school, Excitedly hopping to and fro as the contagious energy infected her. Though it was difficult to see her face between the strands of flowing pink mane, it wasn’t hard to tell she was completely enthralled in the competition. A small, “Yay!”, or, “Go!”, slipping past her lips as she watched the athletic ponies dart past her. Though it was a task nearly impossible for anypony, the losing colts try to catch up to the impossibly fast Rainbow Dash.
But something was not right. The leading filly had started to waver, and her wings were not beating in tandem.
As the final seconds of the race ticked away inexorably, Fluttershy’s eyes widen in horror as she sees Rainbow Dash start to spiral out of control. Dash’s wing has stopped working completely, cramping and twisting into an unnatural angle. The impact from earlier did a job on the delicate feathered structure that comprise a pegasus wing. Trying to recover, the colorful filly tumbled into a steady downward spiral, her wing frantically flapping at the air as she tries to gain purchase before crashing violently, digging a deep furrow in the into the cloud surface. The impact vibrates the floor Fluttershy was standing on.
The yellow filly stands frozen, as the race ended with a flurry of paper and school supplies, showering the area around Rainbow Dash.
“Haha, Rainbow Crash, nice race. Maybe next time, yeah?” Laughed her competitors as they flew away from the school.
The impact was hard, shuddering every bone in the cyan filly’s body. Through the severely disorienting blurry vision and heavy ringing in her head; she sees a smudge of yellow and pink running towards her.
“O-oh-oh m-my... go-goodness, are you... o-okay?” Fluttershy nervously stutters, but Dash just stares directly through her.
“Did I win…?” Rainbow slurs: her mane in in complete disarray, spots of cyan coat missing from the side that collided with the roughly paved surface, revealing bare skin. Her wing is the more notable injury; The feathers that are still attached are twisted and tangled in all directions. The actual wing, however, looks...
Bent...
Broken...
Snapped…
Ripped…
All adjectives that a wing, of all things, should never be.
Fluttershy’s eyes were darting back and forth, looking for some pony to help, but she and Rainbow Dash were the only ones in the whole school area. Fluttershy was always the last to leave the school, usually staying in the classroom to avoid the after school rush. But now, she was the only pony who could provide care to the filly flattened on the cloud before her.
“Heeeey… Thatsss miiine!” Rainbow Dash objects to the frantic figure before her, observing as the panicking filly darts back and forth, trying to gather any salvageable supplies.
The black space seemed to close about Rainbow Dash, as though it wanted to trap her. She felt as though she were slowly blacking out.
Though this blackness, an arrow of light shoots through. An intense pain erupted from her wing, caused by a shaking, curious hoof. But as is the case when shining a bright light in a dark room; once gone, the darkness seems ever more present.
Time felt as though it was trodding through a marsh, every second being dragged down in the confines of space. Every muscle and tendon in Rainbow was inactive, and couldn’t resist the excruciatingly slow and painful force that lifted her body. Eventually, she thought she was on the back of somepony. The somepony didn’t really matter as much as the somepony’s mane though. When the conscious part of the mind refuses to process information, the subconscious takes over. And the subconscious was right now processing how soft the mane and coat of the somepony was.
Fluttershy shook under the weight of the cyan filly. She surprised herself by even being able to lift Rainbow Dash onto her back, but now with Dash being sprawled awkwardly on her back, she took a shaky step forward.
Unathletic Fluttershy took step after unsteady step with a pained Rainbow Dash on her back. All of the focus and concentration the yellow filly put into balancing herself showed in the steady, forceful gaze, tongue pressed between the contours of her lips. Contrasting this, the bulk on Fluttershy’s back nuzzled in the softness of her coat and mane, a face of content buried into the expression of Rainbow Dash.
"Where should I take her... my home is too far away, but I don't know if I should go to Rainbows house without her permission. When not focused on simply walking, these thought permeated through her frantic mind. She trudged along, eventually reaching Rainbow Dash's living quarters. Upon seeing it, her mind blanks, so she walks to the front door and pushes it open.
Fluttershy gently throws the filly on her back onto the the first place that came to sight: a couch. Exhausted, the yellow pony sprawls out on the floor of the unfamiliar house; now that her first responibilty was complete, she realized being in somepony’s home without their permission troubled her.
Fluttershy’s eyes began to investigate their surroundings, mind drifting as remembrance of the past half hour began to provoke thoughts, questioning her actions. Why did she help Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy hadn’t ever met Rainbow Dash, but she knew who she was. Rainbow was possibly the most famous pony in the school, but not for her incredible flying talent. The most well known pony in the school was known because of accidental crashing and self inflicted injuries.
There were many first year students who only knew of the crashing and class failings of Rainbow Dash. Not only this, but she had trouble staying in the clear, constantly being told not to “dash” through the halls, being sent to detention for misbehaving during class; all around being reckless and ignorant of the rules.
Fluttershy didn’t feel as though she pitied the filly, if anything, she envied her; Rainbow Dash was one of the coolest ponies in the school, despite the negative gossip. She could do tricks no one had ever seen before and was unafraid of trying new things. She inspired others to be more outgoing through her being fearless at failure, and she didn’t seem to have any trouble making friends. These thoughts weighed heavy on her eye lids, and they began to close without her realizing.
Fluttershy came back to an orange hued sunset. Glancing at the wall clock, she took a shocked gasp of air with a tiny, as she began to tumble about the house, trying to make up for lost time sleeping. Uncoordinatedly, she began to search for any healing ointments and bandages that may be laying around or hiding in the cupboards.
Seeing Rainbow Dash still softly snoring on the soft surface of the cloud couch, she begins to calm down. Juggling the assorted medicines and bandages with an unusual amount of skill, she starts tending to the injured filly. Singing a gentle tune as she carefully, ever so gently, washed and wrapped the side and wing of the pony in her unofficial care.
Water can be frozen, Slowing and stopping it’s flow But know, my little filly, That kindness can’t be imposed. It’s flow cannot be closed, When a willing heart shares kindness unopposed
Assisted by a furious gale, the front door rockets open, sending shock waves through the house. With a paw still raised from kicking the door open, a Gryphon strides in, calling out into the house.
“Hey Dash! I brought ha--”
Fluttershy squeaked, throwing the bandaging tape into the air. Landing, it rolls, leaving behind a twisted trail of linen as it unraveled around her. Dumbfounded, the two stare awkwardly at each other, the gryphon glancing between the injured filly and fluttershy.
Fluttershy looks down and away from the stuttering intruder, catching quick looks at the confused gryphon.
“You did this?” Finally, the first words exchanged. Looking at the white linen wrapping around Rainbow’s broken wing, the gryphon’s jaw moves a little closer to the ground.
“Y-yes.” A small proud smile could be barely seen through her hidden face. Fluttershy felt good. She had just helped somepony who needed it, and had done it well.
More confused at the reaction, the gryphon lowers, her face stretching from awe, to grim. She begins to glare at the shy filly, growling with a voice filled with shards of glass.
“You did this to Dash?”
“I --- I…” Fluttershy cowers, being pushed further against the wall by the overwhelming presence of the gryphon. The used to be mentally stumbling, now mentally oppressive, gryphon flooding Fluttershy’s mind with fear. Stumbling backwards and tangling herself in the bandages falling from her hooves.
She begins closing the gap between her and Fluttershy as a snake might; slowly slithering, gliding in the small space, circling the quivering filly. Observing the melting butter yellow pony with soul chilling eyes, determined on discovering how this happened, then dealing justice to this very unlikely attacker.
“Why did you hurt Dash, eh? A poor flyer like you, I bet you were jealous.” Poison seeping through her teeth, the twilight starting to gloom the room, adding to the dark thoughts passing through the gryphon.
Jealous, could that be why she helped Rainbow Dash? No, why would she help if she envied her. But the idea stuck, burned into her thinking. Could it be? No, it couldn’t, but maybe?
Though she was somewhat deep in thought, her terrified look didn’t leave her. Her breathing steadily getting closer to hyperventilation, her eyes grew as if they got bigger through soaking in all the details of her oppressor. But that was not the case; in reality, she could could barely see…
Or hear…
Or do anything that involved her senses. She could almost be considered paralyzed.
Her mind was numb as well; the only thought comprehensible currently was this: she needed to get out. The thought kickstarted her brain a bit, but only to finish hearing more sharp poison escape from the lips on the gryphon;
“-eh? You think this little act is fooling me? You may look scared bu-”
Closing her eyes, the tears that had collected drained in streaks of silver as the pressure brought from that action allowed them to flow. Fluttershy lowered her head down and to the side, she looks as though she were about to something she very much didn’t want to do.
The bundle of softness charges into the still speaking gryphon. Though caught off guard, the bird of prey manages to expertly spin out of the way, extending her claws as she does. Her sharp talons inject themselves into the side of Fluttershy’s unprotected face as she rushes by.
A soft moan from the attack as Fluttershy’s wing gets caught in the mess of linen surrounding the trio. The walls and ceiling moved from their correct position in slow motion as her body was jerked backwards by the weight connected to the bandages, a scream ejecting from the throat of the injured filly, and a snap echoing with it.
Slowly, not wanting to, turning to see Rainbow's wing, Fluttershy cringed at what she saw. The carefully wrapped flying device was was now exposed again, and this time, Fluttershy may have torn a tendon, leaving the wing limp at the side of the painfully sleeping filly. The crack that ensued the clumsy fall was terrible, leaving both pony and gryphon incredibly nervous that Rainbow Dash should ever fly again.
“I shouldn’t have been here, I shouldn’t have helped her!” Fluttershy screamed at herself. Her kindness and thoughtlessness may have cost a pegasus her flight. With that, she evacuated the building, her eyes now freely exposing the tears they were hiding, the only sound escaping her lips were that of weeping and pitiful sorrow.
The picture perfect day was lost on Fluttershy as she wept. She ran from Rainbow’s house crying. Crying through the wind as her hooves galloped her to her home. Tears streaming off her face into the gentle gusts of wind swirling around her.
Vision blurred as the combination of moisture and salt stung her eyes, fumbling with the door handle to her home, emotions coursing through her as freely as water flows through a river. Golden beams sparkling in the droplets leaving the safety of her eyes, her whole body shaking with the pure emotion that her sobs brought.
Getting across the chasm that seemed to engulf the distance between her room and herself, seemed impossible, but she didn’t care. Not even giving a look for her painfully plain dwelling, she left a scattered trail of liquid sadness as she carelessly, quickly, navigated through her memoryless home. If you could call it home. It almost felt as though no pony lived here.
Though not a single pony had visited her, any that had would have thought they were at a very well kept, unused house. There was not a single piece of decor, nor sliver of memory to be found in the confines of the blank living quarters. But to Fluttershy, it fit. To all who had spoken to Fluttershy, and those that have were few and none of them could be considered friends, would have said so to.
She welcomed the feel of her bed underneath her with an emotionally spent body still shaking from fear and sorrow. And so she wept, soaking her tail as she attempted to stay the flow with it. Silently whispering to herself, regrets from helping that cyan filly Rainbow Dash soak into her thoughts. She was still unsure of why she had helped that mare.
"Qu...et... Ow n Ash!" She couldn't understand the sounds, but she didn't care. The ringing in her ears was disorienting enough, but combined with the pain in her wing, she could hear nothing but her own wails.
Gilda, after Fluttershy rushed out, couldn't help herself! The loose wing of Rainbow Dash lay by her side. The gryphon reached out with a claw, almost to see if the injured filly was still alive. Closer the claw came, shaking as it inched near the unusable wing, fear written on Gilda's face as plain as the feathers on her wing.
Searing pain, eyes shot open, the restless sleep coming to a terrifying stop. A scream reaches Rainbow's lips as she bolts wide awake, instant tears streaming down her muzzle. She tries to find her limbs, tries to move herself, tries to fly, everything was halted by the pain. Her thoughts spiraled into a dizzy staircase of colors and sounds as her mind screamed, "DANGER!" at her, something was...
Rainbow broke into a fit of shrieks as another nauseating spear of pain punctures her wing, a misplaced claw landing on it. The pain becomes too much, and she hurls, stomach spasming. She curls around her injured wing: flying was her life, how could it be hurting her! Slowly, the pain broke her conscience, shock enveloped her mind as the lifeless wing felt as though it were being ripped off.
~~~~~~~
"Mind telling us again what happened, miss Proudfeather?" The doctor said, glancing at a clip board through the glasses balanced on his nose.
"Ugh, fine..." Gilda groaned, she had been discussing this same subject for like, an hour now!
"Dash was flying when she crashed into our house."
"And you didn't bother to find any medical personnel?"
"Medical personnel, like..."
"Doctors." The Pegasus rolls his eyes at the illiterate gryphon. "Honestly, What do they teach these kids in schools these days?"
"Because, I didn't know anything was wrong with her!" Her voice indicating the reason was obvious.
"And how did you find out that, Miss Rainbow Dash, indeed had her wing severely hurt?"
"Uh, because when she woke up, she was screaming her wing hurt then just passed out again?"
Looking over the gryphon with an untrusting eye, he gives the last words on the subject;
"Hmm, I'll take your word for it, Miss Proudfeather."
"Now, it seems as though Miss Dash's main tendon, that allows her to fold and control her wing in general, in her left wing has snapped right here," Pointing to a spot in a scratchy black and blue x-Ray, the doctor explains;
"Since you got her here before she had a chance to move her wing too much, we were able to reattach the tendon without any noticeable future complications."
Gilda wriggles uncomfortably as the thoughts of screaming Rainbow Dash return.
"As long as she gets enough time to heal that is. Even the slightest of flying sessions, or any kind of activity with that wing, could re-injure her. Such a re-surgery could leave Miss Dash severely handicapped for the rest of her life. But I believe, a friend such as yourself could refrain her from such activities while she heals."
The gryphon stares at the medical Pegasus for a moment, taking in the really, really bad information that the doctor just gave her;
"So if Dash tries to fly, she might break her wing where you can't fix it?"
"In general terms: yes. She must have proper healing time before she should even attempt to fly again.”
Gilda, continuing her awe inspired stare, replies;
“Whaa… So you… You want me to keep Dash from flying? That’s… That’s like keeping an addict from his addiction! Actually, that’s exactly what it is!”
“You misunderstand. See, we won’t force anything on you, but if you want your friend to fly again, then it is ,in fact, up to you to keep Miss Rainbow Dash safe.”
~~~~~~~
Rainbow, humming a gentle tune, had visited the school nurse whenever she was discovered to have the cast wing. A quick call to the hospital cleared her.
Everything looked the same: same slouchy homeroom teacher, same desks, same accessories on the walls and all the same students. But it didn’t feel the same. Something felt off. Her head started to ring as she explored the room with blurring vision, searching for the missing feeling.
Her eyes landed on the desk that is usually occupied by Fluttershy. She couldn’t understand why that desk bothered her. It wasn’t too uncommon for Fluttershy not to show for class. Even when she was in class, she hardly participated in the group activities, or discussion, but she was never asked to join either. Always trying to attract as little attention as possible.
She was cute though, and the timidity and humbleness added to it. She would turn heads, “Who’s that?” could be heard when she entered a room. But due to her shyness and fear of talking to strange ponies, nobody really knew her name.
Rainbow Dash had little training when it comes to analyzing her thoughts. Even when her unconscious part of her mind is more or less screaming at her, she doesn’t understand, as she doesn’t now. All that was going on in her brain was, “Why does that desk bother me, why is my head killing me? That song, where did it come from, why is my head ringing?” Thoughts as these and infinitely more were flooding into her brain as the passive part of her mind tries to get the locked memories to the active part.
“Miss Dash, is something the matter?” The teacher asks, a look of conspiracy on his face, glasses in hoof.
“I’m confused, what?”
“Miss Dash, I will have none of your shenanigans to get out of class.”
“But I already did. Doc said I was fine as long as I stay off my wing.”
Through this small talk in class, the teacher began to suspect something was genuinely wrong. Though Dash frequently tried to get out of class, she never seemed so… Off.
“Rainbow Dash, is something wrong? Do you need to see the nurse?”
“Nooooooo, I’m fine. Just dizzy, and head hurts ‘s all.”
At that, Rainbow waves her hoof in front of her face to show she’s fine, but instead seeing her hoof, she sees a blur. Squinting to see what it is in front of her face, the teacher watching this spectacle, Dash stares at her hoof in confusion.
~~~~~~~
“How you feeling Dash? You look much better than you did this morning. Doc said you had a pretty bad concussion after your fall, a relapse thing. Basically a mess.”
Sitting on a couch, looking as cool as an ice cube, was the gryphon. Dash was smiling, humming a gentle tune.
“Earlier is such a blur, but I feel okay now. Thanks G.” Only wincing slightly as she extends her wings. Causing Gilda to jump off her seat, sending a startled warning.
“Prolly don’t wanna do that Dash! Doc said absolutely no flying until your wing is completely healed.”
Strangely, she didn’t really feel like flying. She was still a bit fuzzy, in mind, coat, mane and brain, from just waking up. So, she hadn't noticed her wing until just now.
The grey morning light filled the plain room, teardrops still visible on the old bedding the filly slept on. Fluttershy usually woke to the gentle songbirds praising the prismatic dawn, but this morning it was the lack thereof. Light rain patted the roof of the campus house, A thin fog coating the road outside.
Her house was plain. She had no memorabilia, no art, no decor. Her home was, by all accounts, no ponies home. This was obvious to all that had seen the insides of her home. This was also the prevailing thought of herself. She didn’t think she was special, and everypony else said so.
The way she moved about that morning was more akin to a husk rather than a real pony. She got up to wash her face from the sleep and tears, the soft sound of rain hitting the roof of her house. Every action devoid of thought, every moment trying to delay. Tears welled in her eyes as thoughts from last night filled her mind.
"No! They were mean ponies and gryphons." Said Fluttershy, trying to muster the courage to deny her tears that ached to be released. But the small dam that held them at bay overflowed easily.
A simple sob came out, as she reached for the teapot in her modest kitchen. The eggshell white walls and similarly colored counters, the cheap china and all cloud furniture, as well as being spotlessly clean, really spoke of a distinct lack of ownership. The only visible item that could be considered non generic, was the delicate teapot. It too, was an eggshell white, but it was also decorated. Cute little flowering vines of soft green and pink littered the exterior of the pot, giving off a serene sense of grace as steams of swirling hot water was poured from it.
The relaxing sensation the tea provided was wonderful to Fluttershy. The tears slowly dissipated as the therapeutic drink did its work.
Fluttershy had decided not to go to school that day. She tried not to abuse that power often, but she didn't find the courage to go to school that day. Rainbow Dash was in the same main classroom as her, she couldn’t imagine meeting, or talking, to her today.
"W... Why do I help those p... ponies. I... I... Oh why do I feel so bad after helping anypony! It... It only makes you c-cry and hurt, Fluttershy!
She approached the soda shop, carefully looking inside before stepping in and headed towards the counter as quietly as she could muster.
“Hello?” Fluttershy asks patiently. The patron working the counter didn’t hear her.
“Uhm, p-pardon?” A little louder this time.
“Excuse me.” A very small, yet immense, amount of frustration and anticipation lurched in her voice, forcing her words to carry themselves to the patron.”
"Oh, Fluttershy! How are ya today?"
Fluttershy was a common customer. It was a small, old fashioned shop. The wooden furnishing giving off a pleasant oak-y aroma, dark greens used to decorate the soft, yellow wall paint. It used to be an antique shop and tea house, but went out of business when the school moved in. Though renovated with some newer equipment and furniture, the cafe held its old charm with its big windows over looking the landscape below, the classic wooden floors and panels, and non cloud cushions.
“G... Good. Thank... You.” Replies Fluttershy,
The patrons had gotten used to seeing Fluttershy, though most interactions tended to be a bit lop sided.
"Wonderful! So what can I get you today? The usual perhaps?"
Fluttershy, nodded... Then sweetly smiled. For such a simple emotion to express, it was rare for Fluttershy to actually be happy with other ponies around. This shop was one of those places she felt almost comfortable.
“Th... Thank you...”
Dave gathered the supplies required for Fluttershy’s order, as she went to go sit, giving a hoof pump to himself in his personal victory for getting her to smile.
Her normal booth was a corner near the back of the shop. The ice cream parlor sat a bit on a hill, overlooking the Academy, and a bit further, actual green hills. She could watch the birds, the sun and the weather ponies, from the safety of the shop as they all worked, or sang, or rose.
She had sat there a while when her desert magically appeared on her table. Dave smiled as she waved thanks to him, starting on the massive desert. She didn’t always order something, sometimes escaping into a book, just enjoying the peace the old shop gave.
~~~~~~~
“Haha Dash, you’re never gonna beat my high score!”
“Wanna bet G? I’m on a roll now, it’s cake walk from here!”
“5 bits says you can’t beat my highscore!"
Rainbow Dash was staring intensely, as if she could control the little metal ball with her eyes. Jabbing at the control buttons with all her might, all of her concentration focused on the speeding object. Her eyes were on fire, jaw set, and tongue was pressed between her lips.
*Dinglangbingdishswooshding*
The iron sphere ricocheted off the score pegs, racking in the points. Gilda watched, sweat starting to collect on her brow. Higher and higher the score rose, the display started to collect a group at the pinball machine.
The arcade at that time in the day was always packed, and pinball was one of the more popular machines. A line had formed a while Rainbow was playing, her goal set to destroy Gilda’s score. Gilda had crushed the previous high, and had set a nearly unbeatable score.
The crowd started to cheer for her as Rainbow’s score inched towards the record the gryphon had set.
Rainbow Dash was in her own world. All that mattered at this point was the game, the pressure was in a state of elevation, connected directly with the score as the record drew near. Tap tap tap, the little ball flew across the board as Dash hit the control sticks.
The crowd watched in horror as the ball dropped straight down the center of the board. Time slowed as the Dash jabbed as fast as she could, to prevent the ball from going down on the course it was destined to follow.
A collective groan rose from the crowd as the ball fell. “Game over.” The machine told the gathered group of ponies. Rainbow’s heart sank as she stared at the machine.
“Tough luck Dash, but I think other ponies are in line to try at my amazing record.” Gilda pronounced smugly.
“Hey, miss, I think you set a new record!” Somepony who had just initiated the game said.
Pushing him aside, Dash stared as the screen: “New High Score! How Would You Like To Be Remembered? _ _ _.”
“Yes!” Yelled Rainbow Dash, typing in RBD, as the the crowd cheered for her. It was rare for a high score to be beaten, and was an occasion when it happened.
The Rainbow maned Pony and gryphon step out of the arcade both smiling, laughing and shoving each other as they made their sober way towards nothing.
“Oh, Gilda, time to pay up!”
In the chaos that ensued after Dash beat her high score, both had completely forgotten about the bet. Gilda grumbles as she pulls out five bit and gives them to Rainbow Dash.
“Watcha wanna do now eh Dash? We could go get beignets.”
Dash sighs audibly.
“Not again G. We always get those greasy, delicious, sugary treats! We need to change it up.”
“Okay, how about ice cream. I hear Dave’s Donuts makes killer sundeas.”
“I could live with a sundae.”
“Cool, your treat right?” This provokes a response that leads Gilda to a mouth filled with cloud, and a laughing Rainbow Dash.
~~~~~~~
Making it to the shop was a objective neither thought could be so hard. After a hard lost wrestling match, Dash plucked a feather from Gilda, causing a high speed chase, ending with a ticket for Rainbow.
It was starting to be late when they reached the prized place of frozen cream and fried circles, both were so tired they just went and sat down. Seeing how tired they were, Dave himself walked over and took their order.
“And when he finally got to the third envelope, it said, ‘“Make three envelopes.”’ Both laughed till their sides ached. In their exhaustion and joyful banter, they didn’t notice the gentle tune being sung by peacefully sleeping Fluttershy.
Sliding two trays as she slowly traversed the wall of hungry beasts, Gilda made her way to the poorly cooked, over salted, meals. The ominous sound of delivered food on trays becoming closer.
"Next!" Another slosh of oddly colored mush. The strange aroma causing most a double take, wondering if the food is actually, “food”. At times, you can see little chunks in it. Some say that it's raisins, others a say it's a nut. I stick to my theory of much sneezing into the regurgitated looking food.
"Oof! Watch where you're going!" Gilda screeches at a first year pegasus who collided with her, nearly spilling her hard earned prize. Though it was her fault for being absent at that moment, she wouldn’t let anyone know that she drifts easily.
She makes her careful way to a quieter corner of the eat grounds, where her zoned out cyan blue friend sat, sipping a juice box. This was the cafeteria. Only the cheapest of materials could be even considered for furnishing: the benches starting to grey and fade from dirt collecting in the scratches. The tables were in a similar condition, with the exception of various colors staining the once white tables.
Skidding her tray over to her, Rainbow Dash resumes her real life with a very, very, appealing looking meal now in front of her.
"Uh, G. I kinda brought my own lunch today." Dash laughs. Commencing to eat her, until now unseen, sandwich. Gilda growls.
"Don't expect me to bring you lunch again." Sitting down to trudge through the mountain of bad tasting, and looking, food.
"Aw dont be that way, I brought you one too. You don’t always have too- wait, do you hear that?" Rainbow's eyes light up, her ears spring to attention as they become assaulted by a foreign, yet familiar sound.
"You say brought me one too? Where is it?" Pushing aside her tray, Gilda start to reach for Dashes brown bag, which becomes more difficult as Rainbow, without though, swipes away gilda’s greedy paw. Finally grabbing, after much recon and planning, the lunch bag, she shakes it over her face, hoping some real food appears. It does, landing on her face.
"Do you hear it G?"
"What?" Her mouth filled with the slightly better made food.
"That song! The one I can't get out of my head!"
"Hm? Wait, huh?" Gilda swallows suddenly, wanting to hear the infamous singsong curse. Straining her ears, trying to pick out the soft hummed tune that keeps haunting her friend. Her pupils dilate as she realizes who is singing. Though a soft voice, it is a very unique, very pretty voice belonging to none other than the pony fearing Fluttershy.
She couldn't have... Oh this wasn't good. If Dash ever found out...
"There's nothing there silly bird." Jokes Gilda, nervously taking a bite of her steadily less appealing sandwich, her appetite nearly completely gone.
But her lie became truth as the singing disappeared.
"It's driving me nuts G. I hear it for a second, then it's gone. I'm gonna go crazy soon!"
"Hah! I doubt it. I'm sure it's just something your... Your brain made up by its... Self?" Gilda nervously stutters. Begging Celestia that her friend doesn't connect the trail of blinding neon dots together.
"Sure, sure it is." Audibly rolling her eyes as the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch time.
~~~~~~~
Singing as softly, and as beautifully, as the birds, Fluttershy takes her perch at the back end of the school. The wafting of fresh greenery is by far one of the better aromas Equestria has the offer, and it never goes unnoticed by the filly now nibbling on her meager lunch. Overlooking the lush, rolling, hills beneath her second home in the sky, Fluttershy envelops herself in the lovely aura of the area.
Delving into her never heard by anypony hobby, she lets the music flow. It is strange, when one enjoys music, the energy seeps into the listener, causing the strangest reactions in ponies. It is also true when in creation of such art, giving composers the freedom of essentially creating anything they want. When not under compulsion, nearly everything you could possibly do becomes that much more enjoyable. Music is a conduit for that. Not many ponies realize this, but when under the influence of music, their mind is much clearer than normal, giving them less argument for not doing items that they would otherwise not do. In essence, helping them do things without compulsion.
It was this freedom Fluttershy feels when singing and listening to music. Giving the much needed relief from the world she so feared. Or more the ponies that inhabit it. Escaping into the wonders of harmonic sound its melodies called music, hoping that it would wisk her away to this perfect world that she imagines. But the real world always seems to peal away the layers of pure creative thought and wishes, leaving only the evils and darkness, doesn't it? Giving the those who wish of a lovely world of happiness and love, just the harshness of the evil that occupies ponykind.
Sighing as a somewhat similar thought train rides through her mind, she stops her forced singing. Talking to herself quietly. Now the only pony she knows, though just barely.
A bunny drifts across magenta, longing, eyes as their owner shakily lets out a puff of frosty breath. The unmoving clouds and beautiful ocean sky pleading to be swum in. Every blink longer than the last, and further in between. Soft drops of white stars peacefully floating down, landing on her muzzle, melting on touch. Staring at the sky has become nearly unbearable, just remembering send splinters of pain through her. The air constantly grasped at Rainbow Dash’s wings, begging her to set them free; to be free to fly. The cold penetrating her clothes and coat as she lets it slowly suck the life out of her. All that could be sifted from her thoughts were the events leading to this lonely, frozen, moment:
~~~~~~~
Shielding their eyes, the bright sunset beat down on the two friends in the pristine September evening.
“Ah! I’m so glad we’re out from school for the next few days, G! So what we gonna do with our free time now?”
“Oh, I have a few idea’s…” Gilda smirks, glancing at the, still in school uniform, ignorantly happy Rainbow Dash.
“Wow, that sounds like fun. Any chance that we can do stuff while playing things too...?” Her large eyes doing a full circle as the sarcasm of her words try to convince the mysterious gryphon to say more. They continue in silence their trek, Gilda leading the way.
Fall was a wonderful time of year: The trees shared their rainbows with the world of equines to see, the temperature dropping in such perfection that cannot be mimicked. You could see the world of little beasts and critters emerge in a panic, hoping to collect enough food for the coming winter. Better still, the motivation to live, to be free and be alive, was, to the opinion of many, to be higher in fall than other times.
For the first time in her life, this was not lost on Rainbow Dash. Her injury had slowed her down ten fold. At first, it was terrible, all the habits of years of going nonstop dragging her down, but now she was used almost to a flightless life. Acclimation to not flying seems impossible to most pegasi. However, many underestimate the power of hope and anticipation, and what it can do to a recovering pony. Though only a very short time had passed since her injury, two weeks to be precise, she was almost used to not flying. Fueled by the knowledge of recovery, she bore the shackles of gravity.
Softly creacking, the door to their home opened quickly, and the two entered. Almost completely hidden now, the sun extinguished its light, leaving equestria in the hands of a twilight sky. Charging in with such little elegance that it could barely be considered walking, Gilda tries to make her way to a light source in the dark. After a brief moment of white from the entering of light, the gryphon made her way to the nearest adequate sleeping arrangement. But Dash looks on with bated breath as she observes the state of her home.
Papers strewn across the entire floor, drawers turned over, their contents dumped on the floor, decor thrown carelessly about. Shards of glass from broken pictures and windows crunched under Rainbow Dash. Picking up a piece of a trophy, its shiny coat cracked, broken beyond recovery, she tries to put the pieces together. Slowly glazing over the damage, Rainbow Dash tries to keep a sad sob from leaving. Streaks of tears interrupted as a cyan hoof quickly swipes at them, damming it for a moment.
“Gil-Gilda?” Calling to the sleeping roommate, wiping tears from her eyes, distraught Dash tries to find some comfort in this moment. Walking over to her friend, she tries to wake her:
“G… Please wake up.” Gently shaking the feathered beast, she desperately hopes she doesn’t end up alone right now. Nearly silent, teary sadness escaped her throat as Rainbow Dash sat on the mess of two years of her life dumped in a heap on the floor.
In the quiet of the shock, a light clinking can be heard further inside the house. Sad ears perk up, alert to the new sound. Trying to be stealthy, walking past the piles of broken glass the still emotional pegasus stumbles in a nearly straight path towards a dark hallway. The little light that Gilda hard turned on didn’t reach this far, and Rainbow Dash slid into the darkness as she breathlessly, carefully, pursued the foreign sound.
Stopping a little before an open doorway, she scrunched her face too catch a sliver of movement. In a flurry of chaos, Rainbow Dash screams.
“Eeeekaaah!” Almost jumping out of her skin as a blasting hip-hop jazz track turns on inside the room.
“Turn it off! Turn it o--”
“Shhhh, someone may be home-”
“WHAT! I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER THE-”
“Quiet! I think I heard- Turn that blasted music off!”
“I Can’t hear you! I can’t find how to turn it off! It’s too loud! How can anypony enjoy music at this level!”
“Just turn it off! MAKE IT STOP!” With a clicking sound, the insanity drops off.
“Oh thank Celestia you found the switch!” Said the second
“I didn’t turn it off.” Suddenly, a light chased all the darkness away.
Standing inside the room, a rainbow maned pony stood, or rather shook with rage. Her hoof just reaching the ground from increasing the lantern light. Glaring from intruder, to intruder, she held her pose, ready to pounce on them the second either moved.
“Erm, I think someone is home…”
“Really? You sure? I thought the blue pegasus looking to murder us was on our team.”
“Oh phew… I’m glad. That would have been bad. Wait a second… We don’t have a blue pegasus! You’re a spy!” The first tackles the second in a vengance, screaming to Rainbow Dash;
“Run! I have him pinned, I’ll get rid of the body like the chief taught me!”
Despite her predicament, the injured pony breaks down in a furious laughter so powerful it has been unknown to this day. Rolling on the floor, gasping for air as the thieves do the same. There could hardly have been a more perfect ending to her sorrow then a duo of thieves turning on each other.
Where could that little box be? That container which held the delectable vanilla tea that Fluttershy was craving. Though today was a very happy day so far, it could not possibly be ruined by a tea-less afternoon! This much was to be sure. The school day was unusually entertaining today, and the whole trip back was filled with glad, bright rays of sunshine. With the inclusion of singing into the waves of light glowing ahead. She hardly had such a wonderful day dreadfully long, long time. But today, she did! She even felt up to traveling outside her normal schedule, taking a surprise trip to her favorite tea shop to resupply her stash, perhaps grab a quick sip of tea before going back.
Fluttershy happily pranced out her door. She almost seemed off: her still shy appearance contrasting her beaming smile which shone ahead. Rarely she payed little attention to other ponies, but then again, today was such an exemplary day. There was really no reason as to why the delighted Fluttershy was enjoying herself to this extent. Passing no other pegasi, Fluttershy made her way towards the small town outside the school.
Thinking that their students did not need the extra attention, the Flight Academy secluded their students a decent distance from any major Pegasi city. This was largely due to the students they accept. Though the Academy was a prestigious place to graduate, it also gave opportunities to fillies and colts who otherwise would not have such a chance.
The streets were nearly empty, except for the few pegasi trying to avoid the scattered rain storms planned for this afternoon. This bothered Fluttershy very little, a little rain hasn’t been too much trouble to ponies before.
Flying up the last stretch of cloud-scape, and as Fluttershy entered, a bell atop the door chimed. Smells of freshly prepared pastries greets her, the interior warmed Fluttershy from the cool wind outside. She shook off the few drops of rain that had fell on her during her walk, stepping to the counter.
“Hey Fluttershy! Didn’t expect you today, how can I help?”
“You don’t, by chance, have any vanilla tea, its okay if you dont...” Fluttershy questioned,
“But of course! Do you want, a cup or a mug or something to go?” Dave asks, grabbing a few tools used for tea making and reaching for a box high on a counter.
“Uhm, maybe a box?”
“Oh! You want some for home? Sure, do you still want a cup here, or no?” He motions to the items he had already pulled out.
“Yes… yes please.”
“Alrighty, give it a moment to brew, I’ll bring it over when it’s done.”
Fluttershy smiles and nods, hoofing Dave a couple bits as she does. Walking to her normal booth, she looks out the window.
The sky was speckled with clouds and she could see where the rain landed and left little puddles of water on the sidewalks. The streaks of rumbling lightning rolling across the little town. Some rays of silver-gold sunlight stretched through the clouds coloring within the lines that the clouds gave it. The mix of light and rain left behind a strange, but enjoyable, rainy day.
A few minutes had passed, the tea held in Fluttershy’s hooves let off smooth wisps of steam as the hot mug warmed her. A little paper bag, which no doubt contained the box of tea, lay on the table. Her unmoving eyes looked out the window as she sipped. Tea was remarkably calming, and it showed on the relaxed figure of Fluttershy. The booths in the shop allowed one to lay comfortably on the seat, while still allowing them to eat without hindrance. Thus she gladly enjoys the quiet of the coffee house, peacefully and without interruption so far.
The rain was beginning to fall faster, and the outside grew darker as the clouds were slowly moved to cover more and more area. Only two pegasi were out in the weather, their coats drenched and manes dripping. They looked frantically for someplace to hide from the upset sky. One points in the direction of the little shop Fluttershy was presently in. The other nods, his mane whipping his eyes with wet hair as they start their short travel.
The door opens and in rushes hard gusts of rain swept wind. They close the door quickly, but already the floor is covered with water. Inside, as Dave spots the two, they are greeted with some towels and a welcoming host. Taking them to a table, Dave asks whether they would like something or other, to which they both reply, “anything hot.”
Looking around, noting that nopony was present, they begin to talk to one another in loud, excited tones.
“Did you see her face when I told her I thought you were a spy, oh boy that was too easy!” Ones laughs,
“You said it! It’s a shame we only found some bits, we need to stake people out better next time.”
Dave present the two with some bubbly hot cocoa, whipped cream lavishing the tops of both drinks. They thank him and continue their banter as Dave proceeds to cleaning up the water that was carried in when they arrived.
“Hey, she’s Rainbow Dash! You know, the failing prodigy of The Flight Academy? I thought it would be a decent target, I didn’t realize they were almost broke.”
“Almost broke? They had three hundred bits just laying around! I would call that broke.”
“Wait, you actually found something there?”
“Uhm. No?”
“Let me see it.” The underlying rolls his eyes and pulls a bag from under the table. Inside were roughly three hundred coins.
Fluttershy was not normally one to poke into someones business, but her attention was caught at the name of the pony she hurt. Hoping to hear a bit more of the conversation, she poked her head, ever so slightly, out from her hidden spot.
The two were not at their table now, and Dave had stopped his mopping. Far in the back of the shop, Fluttershy could barely see the owner of the coffee house trying to sneak to a phone. Behind, just as stealthily, the two strangers followed him. Once he reached the phones and dialed, the two appeared. Coyly, one seemed to make a motion with his hooves. Dave says something to the phone and hangs up. The other, the one who was holding the bag, opened it and gave dave a large handful of bits.
The terrified filly hid away in her corner, watching the two pegasi silently exited the building. Their previously cheerful demeanor replaced by expressionless faces and chilling swagger in their step while they pulled open the door to the coffee house. They only waited till the weather had begun to slow. The remaining drips of rain fell down unto the sidewalk from the eaves as the moon starts to poke its way through the motionless clouds.
Peeking around the corner and noting the absence of any patrons, Fluttershy jumps off her seat and crouched behind a set of tables and chairs. Shadows sept across the shop from the low lights. She scanned the room for other ponies as she tip-hooved between the seating arrangement. Stopping behind a particularly grimy booth, she places a butter yellow hoof on the previously white surface, carefully looking around it. Dave was still wiping up the spilled water from the supposed thieves, his back turned to Fluttershy’s quick, panicked eyes.
She ducks behind the counter, walking just under the view of those who looked that way. Her eyes were set on the dark alley just beyond the door that adorned the other side. Stepping with carefully, precisely placed hooves, she makes her way to the exit. She passed next to supplies used for baking while she inched closer to the edge of the counter, her cover. Her wing brushes past a stack of measuring cups as she made her way in the nearly dead silent shop.
Half, quarter, third and full cups scatter across the floor, and Fluttershy nearly hits the ceiling as her heart rockets towards the sky. Dave looks up from his mopping, and looks from one end of his empty shop to the other. He blinks, and resumes his mopping. Fluttershy glances from the end of her cover. Seeing Dave ignore the disrupted silence, she quickened her pace to reach the door before Dave became curious again.
In a final expression that meant, "goodbye", she looks over her shoulder at the shopkeeper. Fluttershy places a hoof the door and gives it a push, almost hitting it with her face as she does. Panicked, she turns around. Her breaths came out in struggling, hastened gasps. Eyes as large they could be shoot around the empty shop. She lets herself ease down from the nearly standing position she was in from backing against the door, still unsure as to why Dave was not there.
Head hanging low, she quickly trots to the main door. Her pace was tenfold what is was when she tried to sneak to the backdoor. As she reaches for the glass entrance, a strong hoof pulls her back, spinning her around so that both of his hooves were placed on her shaking shoulders.
“Fluttershy! Look around, please don’t do this. I don’t have enough money to keep this place up, do you want it shut down?! ‘Cause it’s almost there!”
Dave roughly shook limp Fluttershy, but his words passed through her like a whisper in the wind. She tried to wiggle away from the aggressive shop owner but his muscular legs held her in place as he continues to lecture her.
“Those two gave me enough to keep my Donut shop open for atleast another year!”
Her head was spinning from the constant shaking, and in a flurry of self preservation, her hoof reaches Daves face and he lets go to grasp his bleeding muzzle. She throws the door open, landing another hard blow to the dazed shop keeper. Dashing out, the panicked, panting filly runs from the place as she can.
Fluttershy’s legs burned from the long distance run, jumping from decent heights to make to the next cloud platform on her way home. Her wings stayed sewn to her sides, putting a terrible pressure against her lungs, making every painful breath feel as though pepper plagued the air.
Stumbling past curious spectators, she takes step after step to reach her destination. Street Lamps illuminated her path, the cursed orbs letting others see the distressed filly. Panicked glances from red rimmed eyes cause those who stare at her to quickly look away.
Fewer and fewer pegasi walked in the late hour the closer she got to her school home. Soon, each step took every ounce of energy she managed to save from her aimless stumbling. Her house loomed through the dark night. Most of the stars were still hidden away behind soft clouds, afraid to be seen.
Finally, she reached her door. It pushed away from a very tired hoof as a nearly zombified Fluttershy oozes in. In a single, stretched out blink, her bed appears in front of her. Now she lay under her blankets.
Cumulative sweat dripped down Fluttershys brow. It ran freely down her face, collecting in a small point. Every deep, unequal breath loosened the gathering point, ending in a drop of water staining her sheets. She wriggled in the blankets that engulfed her, tangling herself in them. Larger than life dreams of ponies that look strikingly like Dave hurt her over and over as she tries to leave her favorite place.
Blood shot eyes open in a starling scream to a dark, familiar bedroom. De-tangling herself from the warm sheets, a spare hoof tries to wipe away the sweat on her muzzle. She makes her way to the kitchen, the dark hallways do little to deter her from reaching it. Turning on the stove, she places a kettle full of water unto the flame. Fluttershy reaches for where she keeps her tea, in a cupboard above where her tea set stood. Standing on her hind legs, she tries to find that little box that contained the tea. Her hoof searches, but only come in contact with five walls.
Her thoughts stray to needing tea, guess she need to go to Daves to pick up some--
The evenings happenings collect in a single memory as she recalls Dave throwing her around as she tried to leave. Tearless sobs start to emerge from the memory. How could she ever go back there? Where will get her tea from? Maybe Ranbow Dash will have some?
Fluttershy tilts her head as the thought, why would Rainbow Dash have tea? Why would she think that Dash had tea? She wouldn't now, not after she was just robbed. Fluttershy gasps at the memory of the two thieves talking about stealing three hundred bits from Rainbow.
She should check on her to make sure was okay!
Fluttershy retracts, taking a step back from the idea. Remember what happened last time she tried to help Rainbow? But what if she really needs help? Let somepony else deal with it!
Fluttershy holds an internal argument with herself, trying to determine the whether she should help or not. She would begin a quick trot to the door, worry holding her expression, then jumps back, panicking from past experiences.
What if she has tea? The thought pushes her kindness to win. Shoving the door open, a brick night air slaps her wet face. Chills course through her, and she almost changes her mind. In a last struggle, she steps into the cold wind.
Fluttershy blew into her freezing hooves, she stood before Dash's home. Shivering for a moment, she readies herself to knock on the door. She places her hoof above the door, taking a breath before slowly moving it closer. Right before it makes contact, she retracts it. An annoyed sigh reaches her muzzle. One more try. Closing her eyes and shaking her head, her hoof sounds of the wood door three times.
