//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: The City Upon a Hill // by GaPJaxie //------------------------------// Fluttershy’s birthday party was big, it was exciting, it was filled with ponies who adored her, and everypony was having a great time. In short, it was precisely the sort of event Fluttershy hated. But that was alright. She was alright. She’d mentally prepared for it. A pony’s sixteenth birthday party wasn’t really their party. The rest of their life was their party. The sixteenth was for their parents, and anypony else who wanted to say goodbye. Rainbow didn’t really know anypony there, other than Fluttershy and her family. She’d transferred schools a lot since they met. She’d started the evening hanging out with Fluttershy, but then other ponies had come over, and she knew  Fluttershy hated being crowded. That was the rule. Don’t ever make Fluttershy talk to more than three ponies at once. The fourth pony was a jerk. So, when she had to receive gifts from each pony in turn, and her parents wanted to be there as well, that made three. So Rainbow went off to stand in the corner and watch. Fluttershy’s house was really nice. Rainbow’s house was pretty much the default series of boxes, but Fluttershy’s parents had taken the time to make their space their own. They’d smoothed out all the rough corners, knocked out walls to make everything open, and added a lot of clouds in the traditional style. Rainbow even had a cloud to sit on in the corner. It felt gentle and friendly. Like Fluttershy’s family themselves. She also knew Moon Dust. He’d been in the same class as her and Fluttershy. They hadn’t spoken in a few years, but she remembered him being nice in class. He’d gotten really tall. And actually kind of hot. Her commlink buzzed. The sound cut through the air, and the babble of conversation in the party seemed to skip a beat. Rainbow jumped, her skin crawled, and she readjusted her pose on the cloud. She ignored the sound, and kept watching Moon Dust from across the room. So it buzzed again. She drew a tight breath and ignored it. Then it buzzed again. She pressed a hoof to her temples. Then it buzzed a fourth time. She violently yanked her leg out from under her. Her off-hoof smacked the touch screen. It sprang to life. “Don’t forget, it’s almost 5! You’ll need to take your meds soon,” the screen said. Then, “I had them delivered to Puddlejumper so you can just step off to the side.” Then there was a picture of Fluttershy’s house, with an arrow pointing to a side room where she could step off to be alone for a moment. Rainbow flicked a hoof to scroll down: “Rainbow, check your messages.” Finally, “I really don’t want Puddlejumper to have to interrupt you when you’re having fun. :(” She smashed her hoof against the touchscreen so hard it bent under her touch. Characters and icons flashed and moved. She sent a reply: “LITTLE BUSY NOW MOM!!!” The reply wasn’t long in coming. “Rainbow... just walk up and say hello to him. He seems nice!” Her hoof flicked: “I DON’T FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT HIM.” The machine beeped. “Yes you do, dear. :p Besides, he likes you too.” And then there was a picture, taken earlier that evening through the window. Rainbow was just walking in. Moon Dust was already there, and he saw her enter from across the room. A smile tugged at his face. “See? You’re awesome. Any colt would be lucky!” Rainbow dragged her hoof down over her face. Her wings fluttered against her side. Her hoof went back to her commlink. “Fine.” “Take your pills first.” So she did. She got off her nice cloud and went into the side room. A simulacra pony was there, made out of steel and plastic. His name was Puddlejumper, and he belonged to Fluttershy’s father. He gave Rainbow her pills and inspected the back of her mouth to make sure she actually took them. Then he gave her another slice of cake. For her stomach. Rainbow wolfed it down without tasting it, and went back into the main room. About half of the pile of gifts was gone. Ponies were presenting theirs once a time, so Fluttershy could open it, and coo over it, and pretend it wasn’t going to be recycled before the sun rose tomorrow. Rainbow had gone first. She’d gotten Fluttershy a box of nothing, and one voucher excusing her from all expectations of gratitude, feelings of obligation, or other gift-giving-related niceties. It was just what Fluttershy wanted, and she’d hugged Dash after. The pony whose turn it was got her a poster. Which she also seemed to like. Moon Dust was across the room. Rainbow Dash took a half step forward towards him, then paused. She reached down to her commlink, and flicked through her old messages. She looked at the picture of him admiring her entrance. Then she steeled herself with a breath, and marched the rest of the way to his side. “Hey.” The conversation he was in the middle of stopped. Dash realized she’d spoken a little louder than she’d meant to. Moon Dust had been talking with two other mares Dash didn’t know. “So uh… you know. Been awhile.” She flicked his side with her tail. “How’ve you been?” He cleared his throat. The two mares he was talking too looked at each other. “We’ll uh,” one said, “see you around, Dust. Catch up later.” He mumbled something, and they excused themselves. “Sorry,” Dash shrugged. “I didn’t mean to… you know.” “No no. It’s cool.” He cleared his throat. He also wore a commlink on his ankle. Briefly, he checked it. Only he could see if there was anything there—to Dash’s eyes, the screen was dark. “So, um.” He put his leg back down. “Yeah. Been awhile. You feeling better?” “Uh… sure?” She licked her lips. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “I heard some mare hit on you and uh… you went crazy and the police had to drag you out of class.” “Oh, uh. No. Heh.” Dash shook her head. “That’s just a stupid rumor. I had a little spat with a marefriend and, you know. Things get exaggerated the more ponies talk about it.” “There was a video, actually.” He rubbed one leg with the other. “It went viral.” “Oh. Well.” For a time, she didn’t have anything to say. “Yes. I’m feeling much better. You know. Saner. Uh… listen!” She lifted her head. “I know this is really like, you know. Wow! And stuff. But… I don’t know anypony here other than you and Fluttershy. And it’s kind of making me a little anxious.” She rubbed her hoof over his leg. “Would you mind sticking with me for the evening? Maybe we could hang out?” “Oh, uh…” He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Sure. Maybe. Uh… if that would—” Fluttershy shrieked. Both of them looked her way. She was holding up one of her gifts. It was a simple wooden box, sharply different from the brightly-wrapped party favors that made up most of the pile. She was reading the note stuck to the top, her voice so high it cracked and her breath coming so fast she nearly hyperventilated. “—name is Angel Bunny. I am your familiar, and I was given life to serve your every wish!” She wrenched the top of the box open in a manner most unlike her. Out of the box spilled a strange creature. It was a simulacra of a rabbit, not quite lifelike, but with artificial fur and friendly glass eyes, and two big ears that served as heat radiators. It wore a pocketwatch across its back like a saddle or knapsack, and when it spilled out of the box, it neatly landed on its feet with the grace of a cat. Then it stood up. It gestured at itself, then at Fluttershy. It wiggled its nose. Then it bowed its head low to her. Fluttershy screamed again. “It talks like the animals do! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” She swept it off the ground and into a tight hug, so happy she might cry. “Oh, oh. I’ve got to get to know you.” She held it at foreleg’s length, looking at it in her hooves. “How do we…?” Angel Bunny held up a paw. It gestured between itself and Fluttershy. It pulled out the stopwatch, and pointed at the time. “You’re right. Oh, gosh. Of course. You’re right.” A few ponies in the crowd looked at each other, uncertain what exchange had just occurred. Dash was among them. She and they could only watch as Fluttershy put her new familiar on a shelf. Then tearfully, she hugged her parents, and told them she would always love them. Then she hugged Puddlejumper and Leyden Jar, her parents' familiars. She thanked them for helping take care of her all these years. Then she thanked everypony for coming for her party, and for being such good friends. A few ponies offered to leave and give her her privacy, but she declined. There was no rush. Angel would wait for her forever. She could be polite to her guests first. Dash turned back to Moon Dust. “So, that was…” He was gone. “Ah.” She hung her head. “Right.” Her commlink buzzed. Her tail tucked in tight under her legs. “Oooh, rejected.” Zephyr’s affected tones rolled over her as he slid up beside her. He’d also gotten tall, though not in the same charming way Moon Dust had. “Too bad. He doesn’t know what he’s missing. You know, if you want a real stallion, you can just call.” Rainbow’s commlink buzzed again. Her chest was tight. It ached when she took a breath. So she turned to face Zephyr. “Yeah, okay.” He blinked. “Uh… what?” “I said yeah. Okay. You’ve been hitting on me as long as we’ve been teenagers. Let’s see what you got.” She shook out her mane. “Kiss me.” “Uh…” Zephyr froze. “Woah, uh… comin’ on a little strong there, ain’t you? You know, I don’t really go for easy mares. It—” That was when she slapped him. Her hoof was right on target. It made a stinging clap when it smacked across his cheek. “I’m sorry, I thought you said you were a stallion and not a little colt.” He stared, and she stared him down. She got up in his face. “What, did your voice not change yet? Put up or shut up.” He didn’t say anything. She didn’t say anything. Her commlink buzzed, and she flinched. She didn’t move though, and gradually, they both became aware of the dead silence around them. Everypony was staring. Fluttershy was the one who broke it. She drifted over and floated between Rainbow and her brother. “Hey, Rainbow. Why don’t you come with me?” “I was…” Rainbow squeaked. “I didn’t mean to—” “Shhh. I know you didn’t. It’s okay.” Her hoof brushed Rainbow’s cheek. “Come on. Let’s go outside.” So they flew out to the balcony together, and shut the door behind them. Puddlejumper drew the curtain, so no light spilled out from the party. Night was falling in Canterlot. It was just starting to get cool. “I’m sorry,” Rainbow spoke first. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t…” “Shhhh.” Fluttershy stroked her mane. “It’s okay. I know. Zephyr was being an ass. I won’t say he didn’t deserve that. I’m just worried about you. That’s all.” “Things have been a little rough lately.” Rainbow folded her forelegs over the balcony railing, resting her head on the metal. Her wings hung slack from her sides. “Fluttershy, am I easy?” “Does it matter?” Fluttershy asked, coming to rest beside Rainbow. “No,” Rainbow said at once. “Just… the machines seems to think I, you know. Eye ponies up a lot.” “That’s because you do eye ponies up a lot.” She shrugged. “Does it bother you?” “No.” Rainbow lowered her tone. “Maybe. I don’t know.” “Well it never bothered me.” Fluttershy smiled. “I don’t need gaze tracking to know who I like. And I like you, okay?” Rainbow turned to look at Fluttershy. Fluttershy was still staring out into the night, and didn’t notice right away. Rainbow’s eyes went over the side of her head, her wings, her flanks. Fluttershy looked down, and checked her commlink. “Oh, oh no. No!” Dash backed away like she’d been burned. “I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I didn’t mean to make this weird! I just… I’m sorry!” Her breath came faster. “I just totally spaced out and—” “Woah, woah! Dash!” Fluttershy reached out with both hooves to take Dash’s shoulders. “It’s just my parents checking in on me. That’s all. That’s all. Okay?” “I…” Dash slowly nodded. Her eyes were on the floor. “Okay.” “Okay. Good.” Fluttershy brushed her shoulder. “Why don’t we stay out here until you feel better, okay? You don’t have to talk. It’s nice just to hang out with you. Like when we were foals.” “Alright.” Dash returned to her sitting position, and Fluttershy did as well. A long silence passed between them. Fluttershy nudged Dash’s shoulder. At some point, the door to the party cracked, and Puddlejumper brought them each a drink: half coconuts full of some kind of juice. They took them in silence, and he left without a word. The juice was good. It tasted like coconut, but it wasn’t coconut. Dash reflected that Fluttershy could actually drink now, but she was pretty sure both cups were just juice. “I think you should give Angel Bunny back.” Fluttershy turned sharply, a befuddled expression on her face. It took her a moment to find the word: “Why?” “Because you’re free. You’re finally free.” Rainbow sniffled. “From school, and stupid gifting traditions, and parties you don’t enjoy, and ponies you don’t want to hang out with. You can do anything. Anything at all. And nopony can ever tell you you’re wrong. You’re free from your parents, and Puddlejumper, and Leyden Jar, and the little machines in the desks that tell you if you’re being sociable enough.” “Yeah.” Fluttershy nodded. “I am. That’s why I was so happy. I love my parents and I loved it here, but I’m not going to stay in Canterlot. I want to go see the world and have my own life.” “So you can share that life with another machine that watches you all the time? That tells you what to do?” “Um…” Fluttershy frowned. “Familiars follow orders, Dash. I’m Angel Bunny’s master. Not his slave.” “If you think all familiars do is follow orders, you’re blind or an idiot.” Dash snapped the word bitterly. “You’ve seen the way they make suggestions. The way they tweak the wording of things. How they get rid of all the machines that might contradict them. Have you ever seen an adult with a commlink? I haven’t! They have a robot to summarize their messages for them. And summarize away the ones they don’t like. The machines think they know what’s best for you.” “That’s because…” Fluttershy drew a slow breath. “For the most part. They do know what’s best for me. Yes, Puddlejumper can be a bit pushy. But every time he’s pushed my dad out of something, it’s been something he was obviously going to regret later. And that’s why dad keeps him around. And if dad ever really wants to stand his ground, he gives Puddlejumper an order, and he respects that. I’m sure Angel Bunny will be the same way for me.” “So you can spend your whole life picking from the options a machine gives you.” “Hey…” Fluttershy caught Dash’s eyes. “Are you afraid for me? Or are you afraid we’re going to stop being friends?” Dash didn’t say anything, which Fluttershy took as her answer. She wrapped a wing around her friend, and squeezed them tight together. “I need you to listen to me, okay? I know, I’m sixteen now. So I’m going to do some traveling, and maybe get some new hobbies, and it’ll be new. But none of that means I’m leaving you.” “And if the machine that knows what’s best for you decides you’re better off without a crazy pony in your life?” She sniffled. Fluttershy rubbed Dash’s hoof with her own, and gradually, Dash’s head rose. “The world will change, and our places in it will change, but I’m still going to be the same pony. I’m not abandoning you. Okay?” They looked each other straight in the eyes, and Fluttershy gave a soft smile: “I promise.”