//------------------------------// // Chapter I // Story: Role Reversal // by FoxeyHound //------------------------------// It was sweltering, the air suffocatingly damp and muggy. Ipso facto, virtually everypony in the small village of Ponyville was inside their houses trying to avoid the awful heat outside. Though there was one Pegasus pony, named Rainbow Dash, who flew above the town at a slow and steady pace, a major change from what she was used to doing, which was soaring through the sky at high-speed. It was simply too hot and humid for that, though; the pony had left her cloud house only five minutes prior and she could already feel a film of sweat on her body. Rainbow Dash would have just stayed in her cloud home, but she was feeling the need to socialize. So she scanned the town that she was gliding over in hopes that she would find some ponies out and about. Nopony was outside, though, much to her disappointment. "Ugh!" she exclaimed. "Of all the days that I'm restless and wanting to do stuff, it HAD to be THIS day." Rainbow Dash was in great condition and health, but the weather begun to make her feel exhausted and overheated. "Why does it have to be this hot?!" She stopped her search for ponies outside and instead thought which one of her friend's places she could go to and cool off. "Let's see," she mused out loud to herself. "Twilight's library is nice and comfy, but she probably has her nose in a book. Carousel Boutique is like an icebox; that would feel amazing!" As she started to change her course, she stopped herself. "Rarity and I don't really have much in common. And she'll probably want to dress me up in her sissy clothes." She resumed aimlessly flying in the direction had been. "Applejack is always working like a dog and probably will make me pitch in, so forget that. Pinkie Pie...Not in the mood. All that's left is—" Her voice trailed off as she shifted her vision towards Fluttershy's cottage. She groaned. A part of her didn't want to go because of how shy and fragile her oldest friend was; sometimes she didn't understand how she was even friends with somepony so different. Yet, ever since the day they met, she always loved her company. She couldn't place her hoof on why, but something about the reserved infatuated. Not only that, but she felt like her guardian or protector, making sure she wasn't afraid or nervous. She smiled to herself and glided down toward her friend's cottage, arriving at the front door in no time. Before knocking on the door, she made sure she looked alright. She checked her mane and tail, and sniffed her coat and hoofpit to make sure she didn't stink. She abruptly interrupted this process, however, and began thinking to herself. Wait, why am I so worried about my appearance; I normally don't care about that sort of thing. With a simple shrug, the thought was put aside and she rapped on the door. "Just a moment," Rainbow heard Fluttershy say in her sweet, melodious voice. Soon her yellow friend answered the door. "Oh," Fluttershy said softly. "Hello, Rainbow. Is everything alright?" "Yeah, everything is fine." Rainbow Dash replied as she trotted across the threshold into the cozy house. "...Is there anything that you need?" Fluttershy inquired. Her tone confused the rainbow-maned Pegasus. "No, I don't need anything." she answered, reclining down on the comfy the couch in the living room. The demure pony awkwardly moved her forehoof across the wooden floor and lowered her head, her bubblegum pink mane shrouding half her face. The uncomfortable silence became too much for Rainbow. "I came over to beat the heat, and to just hang out with you, ya know?" "Oh...?" voiced the yellow mare, sounding a bit surprised as well as unconvinced with her friend's claims. "Really?" Rainbow Dash looked up at her friend with one eyebrow cocked up in curiosity. "Yeah, really. Why would you think that I was lying?" "I don't know," Fluttershy bashfully responded,. "It's just that...You're usually out playing and flying around; I would think that you'd want to see somepony like Applejack instead of, you know...somepony like me." Rainbow was taken aback slightly. "We may be different, Fluttershy, but that doesn't mean I don't like you any less. You're my oldest friend—you're my best friend." "Really?!" Fluttershy exclaimed in elation, a huge, beaming grin plastered on her face and her eyes sparkling with joy. She immediately frowned, though. After hastily composing herself, she nonchalantly spoke, "I mean—...really?" Rainbow's eyes widened, shocked and puzzled at the sudden outburst that her friend just had. It was extremely rare whenever Fluttershy would ever raise her voice like she did just then. And the look on her face; it was happy, for sure, but Dash swore she was able to see a little glimpse of hope, as if Fluttershy was finally receiving a valuable prize. The cyan Pegasus cleared her throat and tried brushing it off to make her friend feel at ease. "Yeah, you totally are. And it's not just because you're my oldest friend, but you're fun to be around and really kind and stuff like that, ya know...?" And incredibly beautiful... Dash swallowed and looked off to her side to avoid making eye contact with the other mare. Whoa...What was that all about? I shouldn't be thinking that way about another mare, let alone my closest friend... "...nbow...Rainbow, you okay?" "Huh?" Dash replied as she was pulled out of her daze. "Oh, I was just wondering what you would like to do..." the yellow pony asked. "Well, first of all, your place isn't much cooler than it is outside," Rainbow commented in annoyance. Then an idea popped into her head. "Let's go way up high in the sky and just lie on a cloud or something; it'll cool us off." Rainbow Dash saw Fluttershy's face contort into one of discomfort and nervousness. "Oh, well...Umm...How high would we go?" The rainbow-maned Pegasus grunted in annoyance; she didn't mean to hurt or pick on Fluttershy, but her reactions are something she struggles controlling. "C'mon, Fluttershy. We won't go far up, I promise," she assured her shy friend. She mockingly added: "I'll hold your hoof along the way, okay?" "You will?" Fluttershy replied in glee. Rainbow noticed that glimmer of hope in Fluttershy's eyes again. Just as before, Fluttershy quickly got herself together and pretended like nothing happened. She wanted to ask what was going on, but she didn't want to pry. Instead, she just played along with her and acted oblivious to the reaction. "Nah, I was just messin' with ya." "Oh, I see," Fluttershy replied, an extremely subtle hint of dejectedness in her soft tone. Once again, Rainbow felt tempted to ask her if there was anything wrong, but—not wanting to seem pushy—she just dropped it. "Well, let's go then!" Rainbow shouted. In a flash, she was out the door and speeding off towards the sky. "Oh, goodness! Wait for me!" Fluttershy called, galloping as fast as she could while flapping her wings. Soon she took off after her friend.