//------------------------------//
// Two Fillies' Secrets [SoL,Com] 
// Story: Thirty Minute Ponies 
// by kits 
//------------------------------//

"Is the coast clear?" the bush hissed at her.

With a strangled "eep" Fluttershy dove across the path and into the hedge on the other side. Her tail was pulled fully into the bush and a pair of teal eyes, wide with fright looked through the hole she had made. "Who's there!" she nearly choked on the whispered words.

The bush across from her shook and trembled as whatever was inside of it stood. A tuft of red hair, followed by a cascading pool of orange, trimmed by a yellow lock thrust through the green leaves as Rainbow Dash glared at her. She gave another small "eep" and pulled further back into the bush, hiding her eyes under her hooves.

Rainbow Dash glanced both ways before silently extracting herself from her hiding spot, taking great care that her saddlebags didn't catch on any of the branches. Slinking across the path, she glanced into the hole Fluttershy had made. "Come on, Fluttershy," she hissed. "It's clear. We've got to go now."

When she didn't immediately pop out, Dash reached into the bush with her forelegs, wrapped them under her own, and hauled her out of her cozy hiding place. She trembled and looked away from Rainbow.

"Look, Fluttershy," Dash said, running a hoof under her chin and forcing her to make eye contact. Dash's expression had softened from annoyance into sympathy. "I'm nervous too. If the others found out..." Rainbow Dash let the thought hang in air. Fluttershy knew all too well what Dash was worried about.

Fluttershy didn't like keeping things from their friends, but Rainbow Dash had her reasons. When they had been fillies at flight camp, neither had felt the need to hide what they did together. That had changed when the trio of class bullies had discovered them together late one night. While they had plenty of fodder to use against her, it was the first thing those three had ever had on Rainbow Dash. They had taunted her with it ceaselessly.

Her muzzle formed into a thin frown. It had been her fault they'd been discovered. Her cries had certainly been what betrayed them. "Rainbow Dash," she whispered. "If you don't want to do this—" She was cut off as Dash gently placed a hoof against her mouth.

"Of course I want to do this," Dash insisted, her voice breaking slightly. Doubt played across her face as she asked, "do you? I mean, you're still ok with this, right? I don't want to make to do—"

Now it was her turn to silence the other mare with a gentle hoof and the shake of a head. "I've wanted to do this ever since you moved to Ponyville."

"I'm sorry, Fluttershy. I thought that after the– After we got caught– I thought you were done with this."

Fluttershy bumped their noses together. "Never, Rainbow."

Dash stayed frozen for a second before glancing about, looking for any ponies who might be watching. "Okay, the coast still looks clear."

"Are you worried somepony from town will catch us?" Fluttershy wished she could do something to calm Dash's fear. At the same time, the nervous excitement the her oldest friend was displaying was beginning to echo within her. It had been so very long since the two of them had done this. "I never see anypony out this far."

"I'm not worried about just anypony." Dash pressed her muzzle into hers, her eyes glinting eith steel resolve. "I'm worried about Pinkie."

Fluttershy blinked in confusion. Worrying about Pinkie? "But Rainbow Dash, surely you don;t think– I mean– out friends wouldn't–"

"I don't want to risk it." Dash shrugged off the saddle bags, becoming airborne and making a quick circuit as Fluttershy regained her composure. Twilight, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack: none of them would mind, much.

She blushed, thinking about what Rainbow and her were about to do. Okay, maybe it was for the best they weren't here. They might not understand. Well, Pinkie probably would, but the others would be offended, if only a little.

 "All clear," Dash said, plopping herself down next to the saddlebags, her head disappearing inside. Her muffled voice called out, "are you ready?"

Fluttershy took a deep breath, giddy anticipation spreading her wings as she nodded then added a breathless, "yes".

"Okay, Fluttershy. Get ready for..." Rainbow let the word hang, heightening her excitement. "Princess Dash!" Rainbow sprang towards her, a cardboard horn centered on her head. "And I dub thee, Dame Fluttershy." She cried, tapping her on the shoulders with the horn as she slide a wreath of poseys over her neck. "Come! Let us rid the land of the dreaded pine-tree menace!"

Standing tall, Fluttershy's eyes narrowed and she saluted. It had been so very long since they'd played this game, but it was the one time as a filly she had felt brave. "Yes, Princess Dash!" And with that, the two were away to battle an unstoppable foe.