//------------------------------// // A Friend's Request ~ Chapter 2 // Story: The Chaos That Killed Kindness (MBFD) // by ChillyKitty //------------------------------// She was beautiful. As beautiful as the day Rainbow first met her. Prettier even. When they first met they were fillies. A few girls were picking on the poor pony when Rainbow spotted her out of the corner of her eye. Her first thoughts were on how pretty the yellow filly was and her second thoughts were on how she'd beat up the bullies. She did that of course and got into immediate trouble. She didn't care though, because when Fluttershy sheepishly trotted up to her, smiled and said, "Thank you." It was all worth it. And it was at that moment that she fell in love. Which she got over of course. Fluttershy was into stallions. She saw the appeal, Rainbow happened to like both. Nothing had changed throughout the years and just about now Rainbow decided it didn't matter whether her childhood friend liked mares or not. It didn't matter because the dead mare in question stood in front of her, still in her herbalist uniform. She was pale and was.. See through? Rainbow could see the small table that was in the center of the room through Fluttershy's chest. "Oh my! Where are my manors? How terrible of me." She ostracized herself, "I'm blocking the doorway to your own home.. Well I suppose you could just walk through me." Rainbow was certain that her face showed pure and utter shock. She somehow proceeded to step inside and close the door once Fluttershy had stepped out of the way. After minutes of staring at her peaceful, smiley face Rainbow finally spoke, "But you..you're dead." "Mm-hm," she hummed, "dead as can be." "And... Wh-why are you here?" Rainbow had heard the common tales of restless souls staying in this realm to take revenge rather than move on. "Isn't there.. I don't know, someplace like elysium? Why aren't you there...? Do you have unfinished business?" Rainbow's heart suddenly soared, what if the unfinished business was with her? What if she couldn't move on without telling the pony she loved about her feelings? Was this her long awaited confession? No. No it was not. "Oh it surprised me too. There is no realm for the dead, we just wander around here with the living! It's quite lovely, being able to trot around with no living pony trying to talk or stare at me. Though I do wish they'd stop mourning me, not that I'm ungrateful, it's so kind of them to miss me so much but I wish I hadn't had to cause them any sadness." At some point she seemed to stop talking to Rainbow and started talking to herself. “In any case,” she shook her head to focus back on Rainbow, “I’ve been speaking to the other ghosts here and they say that I could allow one creature to see ghost so that I can ask for one final wish, so long as the wish was strong enough.” She smiled softly, her voice almost sounding numb to emotions. Rainbow felt her tense muscles loosen, her mouth that was once open was now closed, and her whole being slowly yet surely melted away from shock. “You mean to tell me..” She spoke, “That I.. Am going to fulfill your last wish?” “Oh yes, if you wouldn’t mind.” She said sweetly, the same soft voice as always, the same voice that Rainbow loved. Platonically. “Oh. my. Gosh.” Rainbow practically whispered, every emotion swirling around her, the sorrow of losing Fluttershy seemed to evaporate while she was starting to fill with energy and.. Hope? “This is going to be awesome!” She jumped as she spread her wings in excitement, “I’m going to help a ghost! It’s so cool!” she looked back towards Fluttershy, “What’s your wish? What can I do? I’ll do anything!” She explained, a wide grin growing on her face. “Rainbow,” she smiled a little, “I’m so glad that you’re happy. I was kind of worried that you may be scared, some of the other ghosts said you would be but I just knew you’d be fine.” “Yes yes yes! Of course I’m fine! My best friend just came back from the dead to ask me for a favor! Now what is it? How do I help?” She was giddy with happiness that she was the one chosen to help. Fluttershy chose her, not her coltfriend. Because she was more important, she was better. “Oh I won’t ask for much,” she said, “Could you kill Spirit Wind for me please?” ...What? Rainbow blinked, did she hear that right? She couldn’t have. “I’m sorry but what?” “Could you kill Spirit Wind for me please?” Fluttershy didn’t falter, Rainbow did. “Huh? Bu-but wha- wait. No okay so...” Rainbow stuttered, “So you. You came back from the dead, yes?” “Not really, I just allowed you to see us spirits.” She corrected softly. “Yes, so you um.. Did that. And you did that so you could tell me to kill sompony.” She looked back to Fluttershy who responded in a smile and nod, “And that somepony you want me to kill is your special somepony.” she nodded again, the same sweet smile plastered to her face, “...Why? Did he kill you?” “Oh, I can’t tell you.” The ghostly mare replied. “Why not?” Fluttershy used to tell her everything. “I don’t know.” She said simply, like it didn’t bother her at all, “All I know is the other ghosts said I can’t, but I could try if you’d like.” Rainbow stared at her unusual, deadly calmness, “Yes. Do that.” “Okay well~.....” Fluttershy’s lips continued to move but no sound came out. Like she was pretending to speak, rather than actually making a noise. every once and awhile a few words escaped the silent curse like, “But,” “Although,” and “Still,” just to name a few. It lasted a solid few minutes before Fluttershy seemed to finish her explanation, “... And that’s it, did you hear any of that?” Rainbow shook her head as she plopped down onto her rump. What was going on? Fluttershy came back as a ghost, which was awesome, but now she wants Rainbow to kill Spirit Wind. Which in all honesty, she’d take pleasure in doing but what was bothering her was purely the fact she didn’t know why and apparently Fluttershy couldn’t explain. “I don’t need an answer immediately.” Fluttershy’s soft statement halted Rainbow’s thoughts, but only for a moment. Could she even kill Spirit Wind? He was a trained guard, and an assassin at that. Didn’t that mean he was extra levels of sneaky? “How am I supposed to kill him?” She looked to Fluttershy. “Oh, I can’t tell you anything with the intent of helping you.” She explained, “You could easily kill…. Or if you…. Or you could…. But of course you’d only know that stuff if you asked a herbalist.” She smiled, “I wish I could be of more help.” It actually didn’t sound like it bothered her much at all. “It’s fine, Fluttershy.” Rainbow responded, not entirely sure if it was fine. She sighed, it would be hard, really hard. She hadn’t gotten in a fight with anypony since she graduated school, she had slowed her exercising, many of her muscles getting smaller due to the fact that she only worked out on weekends. Could she even do it? Could she kill for Fluttershy? She’d do anything for Fluttershy. Besides, she’s wanted to give Spirit Wind a hoof sandwich ever since the day she met him. “I’ll do it.” she finally said, “I’ll kill him and it’ll be awesome!”