//------------------------------//
// Pt.1 - Chapter 14 
// Story: The Starlight Broadcast 
// by ponyfhtagn 
//------------------------------//

“Excuse me?” said a voice.
The pink mare looked around for a bit until she noticed the two little fillies.
“You’re Cherry Berry, right? Do you give balloon rides?” Rarity asked.
“Oh yeah, sure,” Cherry Berry nodded to the big pink hot air balloon. “Cost you a few bits, though, but I can take you up.”
She adjusted her flight cap and goggles. Then she saw the second filly, an orange pegasus, was staring at her rather oddly.
“Something I can help you with?” Cherry Berry asked.
“You look really young,” The pegasus said. “And you’ve been doing this a lot longer than I realised.”
“Ahhh. I don’t think so,” Cherry Berry laughed. “Just a few moons now. And who are you calling young? I finished school last year and everything.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Spike said.
“Nah. It’s cool. And I’m really starting to like this job. If I make enough money giving balloon rides I think I’ll buy one of those new helicopter thingies. Looks like a promising invention if you ask me.”
Rarity was digging in her saddlebag. She brought out a scarf and wrapped herself in it. Then finally she brought out a few small shiny gems. “Here you go.”
Cherry Berry gawked. “Well, for that much I’ll take you out all day.”
“That’s what we were hoping, actually,” the unicorn said. “My name is Rarity, and this is Spike.”
“Odd name for a filly,” Cherry Berry said to Spike. “But I can see you’ve got this whole tomcolt thing going, so… That’s cool.”
Spike deadpanned. “Yep. That’s me.”
“Digging the voice, too. Well, climb on in, then,” Cherry Berry said, helping them into the basket. “Where d’you wanna go?”
“Cloudsdale,” Rarity said.
Cherry Berry mused on that for a bit. “You mean like… just a fly-by?”
“No,” Rarity said. “We’re going to visit some ponies.”
“Well that might work for your pegasus friend here, but last time I checked us other ponies can’t walk on clouds without falling right through.”
“That’s okay,” Spike said. “We got a magic potion from Zecora that’ll let us—er, I mean, let Rarity—walk on clouds for a few days.”
Cherry Berry went to untie the balloon from it’s anchor. “Zecora, you say? Yeah, I heard she makes those potion things. But I don’t know… I’ve never been brave enough to try any of it. She just seems so… strange.”
Spike folded his forelegs and frowned. “Maybe you’re not giving her a chance.”
“What kind of chance should I be giving her?” Cherry Berry asked. “I’ve seen her. She’s strange. What more is there?”
“Talk to her,” Spike said. “Hang out with her for a bit. Get to know her.” Spike looked up at the balloon over head. “I’ll bet lots of ponies thought you were strange for trying to fly.”
“Oh yeah,” Cherry Berry agreed, climbing in the basket. “Like every pony. But I kept on trying new things and them bam! I got my cutiemark.” Cherry Berry showed them the two red cherries. “See? The cherries symbolise the cycle of rebirth. Because every time I tried to fly I would pretty much fail spectacularly. And I’d go home all sad. But the next day I’ve have a new idea and I’d go out and do it again, and keep on trying. And ponies would call me crazy for not giving up but I realised it was the not giving up part that made me special. So. Cutiemark.” She shrugged.
“Well I’m not giving up, either,” Spike said. “And you shouldn’t give up on Zecora. Ponies may call it crazy to be friends with her but how do you know if you don’t try and try again?”
Cherry Berry thought about that. “I guess you make a pretty good point. Okay, kid. You’re on. Next time she’s in town I’ll go have a chat with her. See what she’s all about.”
“Yes. What a splendid idea,” Rarity said. Then she passed over the gems. “Now. To Cloudsdale, if you don’t mind.”
“Aye-aye,” Cherry Berry winked, and fired up the burner.

It was going to take about an hour to reach Cloudsdale by balloon. Cherry Berry entertained everypony with stories from her foalhood and her many attempts to fly. This included, inevitably, the time she stuck feathers to her forelegs and jumped out of a tree.
“I was lucky I didn’t break anything!” Cherry Berry laughed. “Of course I understand aerodynamics a lot better now. But I suppose you don’t know sticking feathers to yourself isn’t gonna work. Not when you’re that age, anyway.” She laughed again. “I mean, it works for the pegasi. Their little wings shouldn’t be able to give them enough lift but they do it anyway.” Cherry Berry glanced at Spike. “Oh, no offense or anything. I actually think it’s really cool.”
“Uh… Oh right. Thanks,” Spike said, remembering his current disguise. “Yeah… I don’t know how we do it. Haha.”
“Ah, sure you do,” Cherry Berry said. “It’s your natural pegasus magic. Same thing that lets you walk on clouds. Same thing that we’ve all got, whether it’s unicorn spells or earth pony strength.” Cherry Berry flexed her forelegs and grunted. “Rrrr.” She laughed. “Same magic that gives us our cutiemarks when we’re ready.”
“Wow,” Rarity said. “You sure know a lot.”
Cherry Berry shrugged. “Well, I travel. I meet a lot of folks. Not much to do up here except talk. Oh hey! There’s one other thing, though. Check that out!” Cherry Berry suddenly pointed over the basket edge.
Rarity and Spike stood up and peered out at the world passing below.
“Is that… Ponyville?” Rarity asked, squinting at the settlement in the distance.
“Yup!” Cherry Berry said. “Pretty small from up here, right? But I was talking about the view over in this direction,” she corrected them.
They turned to see, and Rarity let out a gasp as her eyes filled with sparkles.
“Canterlot!!” Rarity squealed, leaning against the basket. “Oh it’s so beautiful! So big! So shiny!”
The city of Canterlot was clearly visible as a collection of gold-trimmed ivory spires jutting out from the side of its mountain residence. It glinted in the sunlight and seemed to radiate with a powerful magical energy all its own. Or maybe Rarity’s overactive imagination was just exaggerating that last past.
“Oldest and fanciest city in Equestria,” Cherry Berry nodded. “Yessir.”
“Spike! You must come look at this!” Rarity exclaimed
Spike just sank down in one corner of the basket and shook his head. “It’s okay. I’ve seen it before. I mean, I did grow up there.”
“But have you ever seen it from the sky like this?” Rarity went on. “Oh Spike, it’s Canterlot, come and see.”
“It’s fine,” Spike said.
Rarity managed to pull her eyes away and give him a confused look. “Spike? What’s wrong…”
“Ahhhh,” Cherry Berry cut in. “I think I see what’s going on. Being so high up can be a bit unnerving, can’t it? Sometimes even for a pegasus.”
“R-right,” Spike said from his corner. “It’s the height. That’s all.”
“Tsh,” Cherry Berry said with a shrug. “Flying isn’t for everypony. We’ll be getting to Cloudsdale soon. That’ll be a bit lower down, but stay away from the edges and you’ll be right. Oh, and stay away from the construction zones. Some of the east side of the city was damaged by the blast. But that’s mostly industrial stuff, so you’ll be right.”
“Mm. Thanks,” Spike said.
Rarity eyed him suspiciously for another moment, but gradually the shining city of Canterlot stole her gaze back and she was cooing over the glorious gardens and then even the palace itself.
“Just wow,” Rarity sighed.
“That’s why I love it up here,” Cherry Berry ginned.

Finally they reached Cloudsdale. The balloon hovered near the main cloudlayer and Cherry Berry helped the two little ones to disembark safely. Spike went first, as a ‘pegasus’ (and an avid believer in Zecora’s potions skill) to show that it was safe to walk on the clouds and not fall through them.
“Come on,” Spike said.
Rarity clung to the basket and nervously set hoof on the clouds. Then a second hoof. Then a third. She shifted her weight and at last stood fully unassisted.
“Ooooo, it’s so fluffy,” Rarity said. “But sort of crunchy. Like snow. And a bit damp.”
“Well now I’ve seen everything,” Cherry Berry said from the basket. “That Zecora really knows her stuff. I certainly will be talking to her when I get back. This is clearly the next step in my mission to visit the skies.”
“Thanks for the lift,” Spike said.
“Thanks for the gems,” Cherry Berry said. “Just be back here in time for me to pick you up and get us all home before curfew starts.”
“You got it,” Spike said, checking his watch.
“Alright. You take care.” Cherry Berry waved goodbye as her balloon pulled away into open skies.
“Well,” Rarity said, looking all around. “I never thought I’d visit anywhere that was built from clouds. Spike, these adventures are taking me to the most interesting places. And we’re only an hour’s flight from home. Who knew all of this was right in my own backyard?” Rarity thought about that. “Or… backyard… sky.”
Spike chuckled. “One time… the other Rarity… she grew beautiful butterfly wings just so she could visit Cloudsdale and cheer on her friend Rainbow Dash.”
“Now you’re just messing with me,” Rarity teased. “Are you sure you’re from the future? Because it sounds like you just crawled out of a fairytale somewhere.”
“All true. Swear to Celestia.”
“Well then, I look forward to meeting this Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said.
“That’s why we’re hear,” Spike agreed. “But we should check out Fluttershy’s house first. I, uh… don’t actually know where Rainbow Dash lives. But I remember where Fluttershy lives and I’m sure she can point the way to Rainbow’s house.”
“Gosh, I hope we make a good impression on Fluttershy,” Rarity said as they started walking. “I feel like we need a win right now.”
“We don’t have to convince her to do anything,” Spike said. “We’re just going to meet her and say hi. The power of friendship will do the rest.”
“If you say so…”

Walking through Cloudsdale was at first a beautiful experience… which gradually became very awkward and disconcerting. Ponies kept staring at Rarity, giving her odd looks, muttering as she went past.
“I think I understand what Zecora’s been going through,” Rarity whispered. “This is most unpleasant. I can see why you went with the pegasus disguise today, Spike.”
He looked guiltily down at his left foreleg. “Yeah… Well. Couldn’t really get much work done if I was distracting everypony with my amazing dragon-ness. That must be why they’re staring at you so much,” Spike tried. “’Cause you’re so amazing.”
“Your flattery needs work,” Rarity said. She lifted her head proudly. “But I appreciate the effort.”
Suddenly a pegasus jumped out in front of them. He was holding a newspaper and waving it while he spoke.
“You there,” he said, looking at Rarity. “Are you from Canterlot?”
“Uhhhh—”
“Tell me, then! Why hasn’t Celestia done anything about the Starburst Event?”
“…like what?” Rarity said.
“Like what!?” the paper-pony repeated. “Ha! Typical unicorn. What are you even doing here, hm?”
“She’s with me,” Spike growled.
The paper-pony looked between the two of them and seemed to calm a bit. “Strange company you keep there, little orange one.”
“Well it’s none of your business,” Spike said.
“No,” he said. “But this is your business.” He waved the newspaper again. “This is everypony’s business! Especially us pegasi! It was our Flight Camp that was attacked! And still Celestia doesn’t have any answers! Where is the guilty party, I say? Who is responsible? We must bring them to justice!”
The paper’s headline read ‘IDLE PRINCESS IN IVORY TOWER!’
“That’s not fair!” Spike complained, shoving the paper away. “It’s only been a few weeks. Hey—Celestia is a strong leader! Don’t go telling ponies she’s not.”
“Oh?” the paper-pony said. “Was she a strong leader when our little fillies and colts were blasted from the sky? Was she a strong leader when she declined all further press conferences and elected to stay in Canterlot?”
Spike urged Rarity to just keep walking.
“Come on,” he said, keeping his head low.
The paper-pony continued ranting in the background. “Wouldn’t a strong leader have answers? Wouldn’t a strong leader bring us justice?”
Spike and Rarity just hurried on down the cloudy street.
“Wouldn’t a strong leader already have found a cure for…” but he was too far out of earshot now.

Eventually they reached Fluttershy’s house and Spike knocked on the door. It was opened by a kindly yet timid yellow-ish pegasus with green glasses and a cherry-red mane.
“Hello there,” she said sweetly, but also softly. Then she noticed Rarity. “Oh my. You sure are a long way from home.”
“Mrs. Shy?” Spike tried. “We’re here to see Fluttershy.”
“Oh dear. Fluttershy’s not home yet,”  Mrs. Shy said.
Spike face-hoofed. “Right. School. I completely forgot.”
“Well, actually—” Mrs. Shy tried to say.
“And Rainbow will be, too,” Spike groaned.
“Rainbow?” Mrs. Shy said. “Rainbow… Dash?”
“Yes, that’s her,” Rarity said.
Mrs. Shy looked nervously between the two of them. “You’re from out of town, aren’t you? I mean… both of you.”
“We’re just trying to catch up with Fluttershy,” Spike said. “And a few other friends, maybe. I guess we’ll have to come back later, though.”
“Oh. Fluttershy should be home soon,” Mrs. Shy said. “Why don’t you come in for some cookies. It’s just me and the baby right now.”
“Ah,” Rarity said as they entered the house. “My parents just had a baby. Quite the hoof-ful, aren’t they?”
“Oh he’s no trouble,” Mrs. Shy said, unconvincingly. “He’s a bit older than a baby now, anyway. They’re much more manageable when they…” she winced. “Start to crawl… and fly.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Spike said.
Rarity nudged him in the ribs. “I’m sure he’s lovely, Mrs. Shy.” She grinned.

The baby, as it turned out, was a little greenish-blue pegasus named Zephyr Breeze. Adorable, yes, but it soon became clear that Mrs. Shy had no control over the little foal whatsoever. He flew wild about the living room, knocking into whatever he pleased and crashlanding on the couches. As a result of this the entire house had been baby-proofed with the fluffiest of fluffy clouds, stuck everywhere like cottonwool.
Spike and Rarity were seated on the couch while Mrs. Shy sat across from them in an armchair. A plate of cookies rested on the baby-proofed coffee table in the middle, and the rest of the room was covered in cottonwool clouds and little foal-sized hoofprints.
“He’ll tire himself out soon enough,” Mrs. Shy was saying. “Then he’ll fall asleep wherever he happens to be and that’ll be that for a few hours.”
“How charming,” Rarity said, levitating a cooking from the plate.
Zephyr suddenly rushed past and snatched the cookie mid-air.
Rarity blinked.
“Oh my.” Mrs. Shy tried for a nervous laugh. “Not to worry. I made plenty of cookies for everypony. Although I do wonder about him having that much sugar…”
Zephyr’s little wings buzzed like those of a hummingbird while he bounced against a fluffy wall and nibbled at his stolen prize.
“Sooo…” Spike began. “What’s Fluttershy been up to? Since… well… you know.”
“Oh…” Mrs. Shy seemed distant for a moment. She promptly returned with a smile, however. “Of course, you must know her from Flight Camp. Such an unthinkable thing to happen…” Mrs. Shy held herself with her forelegs. “It was both fortunate and unfortunate that little Fluttershy was on the ground at the time. Oh, my poor baby…”
Spike swallowed a bite of cookie. It seemed bitter somehow, considering, so he put it down.
“Is she doing alright?” Spike asked.
“Who? Fluttershy? Oh yes, quite alright,” Mrs. Shy assured them. “It’s strange but I don’t think she’s been happier. And I’m so pleased that you came to visit.” She put a hoof to her cheek. “Oh my, where are my manners? I don’t even know your names.”
“Oh, well,” Rarity spoke up. “I am Rarity and this is my dear friend Spike. We’ve come from Ponyville, and I must say, Cloudsdale is simply breathtaking. Wouldn’t you agree, Spike?”
Spike nodded. “Absolutely. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Really?” Mrs. Shy said, a little surprised. “You were raised in Ponyville then?”
Spike suddenly remembered that he was a pegasus right now. “Ahhh…” But then he remember which pegasus he was. “Oh. Yeah, I was raised in Ponyville. I live on the ground and everything. I don’t fly very well right now. Or… at all. But that’s okay, because I have my scooter and I’m pretty good at that.”
Rarity winked at him. He was getting the hang of this.
“You can’t fly?” Mrs. Shy asked. “It’s not… Starburst Sickness, is it?”
Spike and Rarity both blinked.
“What is Starburst Sickness?” Rarity asked.
Mrs. Shy seemed caught off guard. “Oh. No, I don’t suppose you would know. Ohhh, how to explain this to fillies…” She fidgeted and fretted while she thought about it. “You see…” she began at last. “When the Event happened—” She cut herself off. “Oh, maybe if you asked your parents instea—”
The front door clicked as it was unlocked.
“Oh good,” Mrs. Shy breathed. “That must be Fluttershy with her father.”
Mrs. Shy got up and walked politely to greet them at the door.
Meanwhile Rarity reached for another cookie and zoom! Zephyr stole it out of the air again and flew off giggling and nibbling.
“Oooo,” Rarity fumed. “I’m so glad Sweetie Belle won’t be able to fly.”
“Like that’s ever stopped anypony from stealing cookies,” Spike said.
“We’re home from Stapes,” the father said from the entranceway. “Hello dear. How’s Zephyr?”
“Oh, you know our little Zephyr,” the mother said.
The parents both made little cheek-kissing noises.
Rarity stuck her tongue out and Spike suppressed a laugh.
“How was work today?” Mrs. Shy asked.
“Getting better. More repairs. Oh, and we’ve scheduled a bit of rain for later this evening.”
“That’s lovely, dear. And hello Fluttershy,” the mother said. “Oh. I mean…” And then she didn’t speak again.
Rarity and Spike both found that curious.
Zephyr just found another cookie.
“Dear, we have some guests today,” the mother said.
“Oh?”
“Yes. Rarity and Spike from Ponyville. They say they’re here to visit Fluttershy. Isn’t that lovely?”
“Aw. How nice,” he agreed. “But do they, um… know how to…?”
“Oh. I didn’t think of that. Maybe we should…”
“Well let’s not stand here,” the father concluded. “Come on.”
Rarity and Spike straightened up as hoofsteps approached. Mrs. Shy came in first, follow by her husband—a green pegasus with short pink mane and the beginnings of a fatherly moustache. Spike recognised Fluttershy as the lanky yellow pegasus filly hiding behind her father’s legs.
“Say ‘hello’ Fluttershy,” the mother said. “Oh. I mean…”
And then the mother did a curious thing. She made a combination on gestures with her wings, coupled a few facial expressions. The process seemed slow and unpractised.
Then, when Mrs. Shy was done, the lanky yellow pegasus stepped partway out from hiding and waved nervously at Spike and Rarity.
“There she goes,” Mrs. Shy said, quite proudly. “Aww, look how brave she is now. Just a few months ago she wouldn’t even come downstairs if the post-pony was outside at the mailbox. That new school is working wonders for her.”
Rarity and Spike decided that Mrs. Shy was either speaking to her husband or to herself at this point.
“Are you Fluttershy’s friends?” the father asked. “It’s so nice to have visitors. She’s been missing Rainbow Dash terribly since… the Event. But she’s been making friends at Stapes very well.”
“Wait, wait,” Spike interrupted. “Where’s Rainbow Dash?”
Mrs. and Mr. Shy exchanged fretful looks.
“Well,” the father said suddenly. “I have to go wash up. It’s been a long day at the weather factory.”
“Oh you,” Mrs. Shy grumbled as he quickly excused himself upstairs.
When Fluttershy’s father moved away Spike had to cover a gasp, because now he could see Fluttershy properly, including her new cutiemark. It was similar to the traditional one, but also very different. Instead of three butterflies now there was only one big one, turned profile, with large red wings in the shape of a heart. Printed on the butterfly wing was a white pattern that started as a small dot near the butterfly’s body, from which three other lines radiated. Like a ripple effect from throwing a pebble in a pond.
“Oh!” Rarity exclaimed. “Congratulations on your cutiemark, dear.”
Fluttershy tilted her head curiously at Rarity. Then she looked to her mother.
Mrs. Shy made a few more gestures with her wings—stumbled a bit—then just resorted to pointing at Fluttershy’s flank.
Fluttershy seemed to get it and she nodded at Rarity. She then made a practiced gesture with her wings this time and her face was one big smile.
“Oh. She says thankyou,” Mrs. Shy translated.
Spike and Rarity exchanged worried glances.
“Is she…” Spike began. “Can she hear us?”
“Oh,” said Mrs. Shy. “No. She’s been completely deaf since the Event.”
Rarity and Spike exchanged looks again.
“You don’t seem… upset,” Rarity broached.
“Well I suppose I was at first,” Mrs. Shy confessed. Her expression turned sour. “Oh, and that weasely health insurance company… All the other foals were covered because they were at Flight Camp at the time, but the company tried to claim that since Fluttershy was on the ground—” Mrs. Shy cut herself off. “It doesn’t matter. She wasn’t otherwise hurt, thank goodness. And in the end we were able to get insurance to agree to giving Fluttershy the magical healing to restore her hearing.”
Spike and Rarity waited.
Zephyr got into a fight with a piece of cloud.
“But…” Spike began. “But… she’s still deaf?”
Mrs. Shy sat down in her armchair again, and Fluttershy scampered off to deal with her troublesome little brother.
“Well that’s the thing,” Mrs. Shy said. “While we were still dealing with the insurance company we had to enrol Fluttershy in Stapes. It’s a school for young fillies and colts who have lost their hearing, or even partially lost it. Fluttershy seemed to… I don’t know… come out of her shell, I suppose. She’s picking up sign language so fast, she’s already much better than us.
“And she’s been making so many friends, and the teachers say she’s been helping the other children, it’s just… amazing.” Mrs. Shy beamed. “And then we got the news that she could get the healing she needed, and we went to tell her, only to discover she had already gotten her cutiemark. We think it’s something to do with her helping the other children.”
Spike forced himself to be rational. The Elements weren’t the plan anymore, he reminded himself. Fluttershy could have whatever cutiemark she wanted. He had to respect that.
“Well,” Spike said. “Fluttershy’s always been really kind and helpful. Especially to those who have trouble communicating with ponies. Er. With other ponies, I mean.”
“Oh yes,” Mrs. Shy agreed. “Fluttershy’s been so good at communicating lately. Before the Event she was so shy and quiet and—Oh, well you probably knew that already. But now… Well, she’s still quiet, I’ll admit. But she’s strong. She’s brave. She’s so talkative at school. When it comes to signing, that is.
“So we talked it over as a family and,” Mrs. Shy shrugged. “Fluttershy says she doesn’t want the treatment. She’d rather stay the way she is. And I support her. Sure, she’ll have trouble interacting with the world, but she’s found a new confidence and a new voice. In a manner of speaking. Or… signing.”
Rarity levitated another cookie before she remembered the dire consequences.
Zephyr’s ears pricked up, his wings blurred and he shot through the air.
…and then Fluttershy caught him and wrestled him gently to the floor.
“Awwahahauughahah,” Zephyr whined and garbled.
“Zephyr…” Fluttershy frowned sternly at him. Then she made a few gestures with her wings.
Zephyr stopped struggling and replied with a few wing twitches of his own.
Fluttershy replied. Zephyr replied back. Soon they were happily talking.
“And of course she’s done wonders with Zephyr,” Mrs. Shy went on, watching her two children. “She’s always had a handle on him, but her new condition has persuaded him to calm down and actually pay attention if he wants to have a proper conversation with her. He does love his big sister.”
Mrs. Shy beamed again. Then winced.
“I’m sorry you won’t be able to speak to her. And I don’t think I’m up to translating just yet. And she’s not very good at reading lips. They’re still working on that with her at Stapes. She can still speak, of course, but she prefers not to. I suppose you could write to each other, if you like. We use writing to talk sometimes, for long conversations or complicated topics.”
Rarity took a bite of her cookie at last.
“Speaking of complicated topics…” Spike broached. “Where is Rainbow Dash? And what’s Starburst Sickness? What’s going on?”
Mrs. Shy began to fidget with the arm of her chair. “I really think you should be having this conversation with your parents.”
“I’d like to know now, please,” Spike said, hoping that Mrs. Shy would be as easy to fold as Fluttershy normally was.
Mrs. Shy fidgeted a little more before she caved. “Well I suppose you do have a right to know. You see… the Event—” She winced. “The Event, um, hurt some ponies. Some very badly. And while unicorn healing was able to mend wings and bones and restore health, so far nopony has been able to cure…” She stumbled. “What I mean is, some pegasus ponies were left… How do I put this?”
Spike pushed the issue. “What happened to Rainbow Dash?”
Mrs. Shy relented at last. “Rainbow Dash was quite badly hurt. She’s all healed up now, but her… pegasus magic, I suppose you’d call it… seems to have become… broken.”
“Broken?” Rarity and Spike repeated.
Mrs. Shy nodded slowly. “As it was for many pegasi caught in the blast. Rainbow Dash was left unable to fly or even to walk on clouds. It isn’t the same for every pegasus affected, but… Rainbow is one of the worse cases.”
“If she can’t walk on clouds then where is she?” Spike asked.
“They called it Starburst Sickness,” Mrs. Shy said. “And they were all taken to a special care facility at Canterlot Royal Hospital while they’re looking for a way to restore broken pegasus magic. Rainbow and Fluttershy have been writing letters to each other and we’ve been to see her at least once. Oh, that paperwork,” she lamented. “But we’re certainly missing her visits up here. She and Fluttershy were good friends at Flight Camp but I’m starting to wonder if whatever foundation their relationship had has been lost now.
“They don’t seem to have much in common now that it’s all just words on paper.” Mrs. Shy was gazing wistfully at the wall. She shook her head suddenly. “Oh dear. That got very deep for a moment there. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t burden you with my concerns. Would you like to talk to Fluttershy now? There’s paper on the table. I’ll go make more cookies.” She got up and hurried out of the room.
“Thanks, but there’s—” Spike tried. “…plenty of cookies still here,” he finished with a sigh.
“Poor Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said. “Just think. How awful for her. We must go and visit her as soon as possible, Spike.”
“In… Canterlot?” Spike said.
“Of course, dear. And we can see Twilight while we’re there,” Rarity said.
“Right…” Spike said. “Of course…”
Rarity got up and grasped the notepad and pen with the blue glow of her magic. She cautiously approached Fluttershy and began writing a note.
“My… name… is… Rarity. And this… is… Spike. Hello.” Rarity turned the paper towards Fluttershy.
The pegasus scanned the page and nodded. She smiled and waved again.
Rarity wrote another message. “Would… you… like to… be… our… friend?”
Fluttershy read the note. She thought about it. She nodded.
“We… live in… Ponyville. Would you… like to… visit us?”
Fluttershy nodded.
Rarity wrote down her address and tore off the page, leaving it on the coffee table. “What now?” she asked Spike.
“Well…” Spike said. “We’ve still got a few hours before Cherry Berry comes back to get us. I guess we… eat cookies and make friends.”
Rarity nodded. “Sounds like a good way to save the world to me.”

Spike felt almost ashamed to admit he had never conversed with Fluttershy so much in his life. She had always been there if he had ever wanted to try, but he never really did. He’d made an effort to hang out with Pinkie Pie, ‘cause she was fun, or to follow Rarity around and hope she might have some kind of task for him. And Rainbow and Applejack weren’t afraid to talk openly about themselves, so he’d gotten to know them quite well. But he couldn’t recall a single time that he had gone out of his way to be alone with Fluttershy. And the times they had been alone they hadn’t really… talked.
But Mrs. Shy had been right. This new Fluttershy was very bold and chatty, even if she never said a world the whole time. They passed the notepad back and forth, even drawing funny little pictures. Sometimes they communicated by making silly faces at each other. This always devolved into fits of laughter. Fluttershy’s laugh was the sweetest sound. Spike felt momentarily sad that she would never be able to hear her own gentle laughter again.
And Zephyr ate most of the cookies. Which lead to hyperactivity, followed by a heavy sugar crash straight to sleep. In turn, Spike was glad Fluttershy didn’t ever have to hear her brother’s terrible snoring. They laughed about this, too.
At the end of the day Mrs. Shy rolled Zephyr up in a blanket and Fluttershy saw her new friends out the front door.
“Thankyou for having us,” Rarity said. “Oh, I mean…” Then she made a simple hoof gesture that meant thankyou.
“Mm,” Spike agreed, and recalled the more complicated wing-gesture that Fluttershy had tried to teach him. But of course his wings weren’t rea—
Spike stared down at his orange wings. They had unfurled and twitched the little gesture of thanks that he had just been thinking about.
Fluttershy nodded, smiled, waved ‘goodbye’ and then closed the door.
“Spike,” Rarity hissed at him. “How did you do that with your wings?”
“I don’t know,” Spike stammered.
The wings were folded now. They didn’t move. He tired again but they didn’t move.
“It must be the armband,” Spike said, slightly panicked.
“Gracious me,” Rarity exclaimed. “I haven’t recharged it this whole time. I completely forgot.”
“No, it’s okay,” Spike said. “It feels like it’s still got a few hours of charge left.”
“But that’s…” Rarity said. “Well, that’s certainly impressive.”
“Maybe,” Spike winced. “Doesn’t it bother you? It bothers me. It’s been doing weird things. I’m worried I can’t control it anymore.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
Spike took a few breaths and shook his head. “It’s nothing. It’s fine. Zecora’s already working on it. Nothing to worry about.” He started walking away.
Rarity sighed and followed him. “Well. You know… If you say so, Spike.”
Spike started walking back to the rendezvous. “Hey, Rarity…”
“Yes?” She trotted along behind him.
Spike hesitated before broaching the subject. “So… you get hot chocolate at sleepovers, huh?”
Rarity beamed. “And pancakes for breakfast.”
Spike relaxed. “That… That sounds really good right now.”
“Mm-hmm,” she heartily agreed.
And for the first time in their adventure so far, Rarity and Spike returned home in a really good mood. After all, Cloudsdale was stunningly beautiful in the pink pre-sunset light.