//------------------------------// // Wibbly-Wobbly Planny-Wanny Stuff // Story: Even Rainbows Falter // by Pracca //------------------------------// A still legion of a thousand slumbering trees, lightly powdered in the snow of oncoming winter stretched out for what seemed like miles to the tiny little pony looking on from the road. Sweet Apple Acres was just a short jog away now, and Fluttershy was already feeling the nervous jitters that on any other day would send her skittering home. She’d had those all of her life, and they’d never really stopped. But there had come a time in her life where it had simply been infeasible to keep listening to those urges. She still got a little tingle of pride thinking it about it, though she’d never admit it; that when her friends and family were on the line, she could function as well as any other pony. She’d stood there long enough, and a chilling wind bit her flank to remind her of her mission. She trotted down through the gates, and up to the door. The lights were on inside, and the chimney was lazily throwing out puffs of smoke from a crackling fire. She took a moment to admire the farmhouse. So much had been added, and so much lost in the fire those years back. She and the others had asked Applejack at least a dozen times what had caused the flames, but the closest that they had ever gotten to an explanation involved a blue box and a talking trash can. Personally, Fluttershy had chalked that rant up to too much cider, and assumed somepony had left the stove on. But whatever the cause, her friend’s home looked so different than she always remembered it when she thought of the old days. She wondered if her own home had changed that much, or Twilight and Rainbow’s, or Rarity’s boutique. She wasn’t sure what possessed her to think of it at the moment, but she made a mental note to get a look for herself and see. But not right now. She approached the door, and raised a hoof to knock—likely as quietly as possible—only for it to be yanked away as she reached for it, replaced by the face of a grinning brown stallion. “Earlier than I thought! Evening, Fluttershy!” Fluttershy was too busy shrieking in surprise, her wings splayed out in sheer terror at the unexpected face shooting up within a foot of hers. Whooves leaned back, making shushing noises and patting her head with his hoof. “All right, all right, steady there girl. Not a murderer, I swear, not this time.” Fluttershy tried to ignore that last part. Whooves was prone to some very odd mutterings, and to be honest they’d disturbed her for a long time. But between his disarming personality, and the assurance from Applejack that they were just “Memories best left in the past, where they belong” she’d gotten accustomed to it. He stepped aside to let her in, but she lingered for a moment. The Doctor, as she’d heard his wife call him, picked up on this hesitation. “Something the matter?” “Um… y-you were expecting me?” “Yes, about thirty minutes from now though.” Whooves said, giving her a little nudge to bring her inside. He led her to the kitchen, where the brightest light was coming from. “Couldn’t really start any of the planning yet, had to wait ‘til we got part two of the story. So, it’s actually really great you’re here early.” She looked at the odd stallion with confusion. “Planning? So, you already knew? B-but who could have told…” “Howdy, Fluttershy.” “Hey, Fluttershy.” Two voices spoke in unison, one with a country twang she knew very well, and one that, while deeper than usual still carried the tone of a dear old friend. Both Applejack and Spike were sitting at the table, looking at her expectantly. After a moment’s hesitation, the orange pony gestured towards the table, which she sat down at quickly. Whooves took his place as well, allowing them to get down to business. “So Ah’m just gonna jump right in.” Applejack began. “Spike already told us the grim’n’gritty of the fight, and Ah figure Rainbow came straight to you, Fluttershy?” “Um, yes, she did.” the timid pony replied. As quickly as she could, she explained everything that had happened from the moment the pegasus arrived at her doorstep. She looked around, to try and see what the others were thinking. Whooves was, as usual, completely unreadable; Spike looked like a lost foal more than anything; and Applejack was lost deep in thought, mulling over their options. “Celestia, Ah hate when those two get like this…” she muttered. “Get so caught up in the moment they don’t even pay attention to their own stupidity.” “It’s all just a big misunderstanding, right?” Spike said, throwing his claws out in a wild gesture. “We’ve just gotta make them understand that Rainbow had a good reason for what happened, and they’ll make up, right?” “Mm, I don’t really think so…” Fluttershy whispered, almost regretting the words. “She’s got a point.” AJ conceded. “It’s more’n just a misunderstanding. Twilight’s a bit… how do I put this…” “Crazy?” asked Spike and Fluttershy, in unison. “Exactly.” The farmer droned in a disappointed tone. “She might forgive Rainbow this time. But we’re not changing the situation at all, so the tension’s just gonna build up and explode all over again. Ah doubt she’ll ever accept Rainbow putting her job on equal footing with her family.” “But, she shouldn’t do that, right?” Spike asked. “You’re right, she shouldn’t,” Applejack agreed, taking a sip of some coffee from a nearby mug. Whooves stood to retrieve some more as his wife kept talking. “but Rainbow’s in a real tough position. If Ah know Rainbow—and Ah do, mind ya—she’s in a bind trying to live up to both of her responsibilities. On the one hoof, she’s got you, Twilight, and Opal to think about. Her family, her love, and all. A’course that’s important. But then you’ve got Spitfire putting her on the spot, making her take the Captain’s position on the Wonderbolts. If she gives up that’s spot, she’s letting down her idol, when she’d promised that she could handle the job. Admitting defeat just ain’t something Rainbow does.” “So… what? We just force Rainbow to give up her job, maybe?” Spike suggested. “I mean, it seems like this whole Wonderbolt thing is the cause of this mess. So she should just… stop.” Fluttershy shook her head, before graciously accepting some coffee from Whooves and taking a small sip. “I’m sorry, Spike, but I don’t think that would work.” She strained herself, trying to find the right words. “Rainbow has been dreaming of being a Wonderbolt since she we were in flight camp together. Making her stop that would be… awful. I think she’d probably just resent us, maybe even Twilight. I’m sorry, I’m probably assuming the worst of her.” “Naw, don’t worry yourself Fluttershy,” Applejack consoled. “You’re probably right. If we’re solving this issue, it’s by showing Rainbow something’s gotta change. And by showing Twilight she’s gotta get a little less nutty about this whole work vs. family idea. Give Rainbow a little more credit. Only problem is, Ah don’t have the slightest clue how…” The quartet sat in silence, Spike and Applejack listening to the ticking of the clock on the wall as they wracked their brains for an answer. But Fluttershy’s attention was focused intently on the brown stallion sitting silently at the table, whistling a simple tune to himself. Something occurred to her. “Whooves?” she asked quietly. “Is everything ok? You haven’t spoken very much.” “Hm, who, me?” he asked, seemingly startled by the question. “No, no trouble, not much of that. Just waiting.” “F-for what?” “To see if you come up with a better idea.” “Come again?” Applejack questioned, snapping out of her trance to glare at Whooves. “Are you telling me you haven’t been trying to come up with a plan, at all?” “Oh, planning?” he asked nonchalantly. “Finished planning fifteen minutes ago. Bit of a doozy if I'm going to brag, I just wanted to see if you came up with something better—you didn’t by the way, very disappointing.” The farmer pony’s face went blank as she stared at him for a moment. The others joined in quickly. “…A plan. You’ve had a plan this whole time?” “Foolproof, really.” He clarified. A hoof clopped in in the ear, and he recoiled in pain. “C’mon, you psychopath! Out with it!” “All right all right, just stop with the violence! Really, I mean I finally find a world with no guns and I’m still getting beaten daily…” He stood up and began pacing, listing off everything that would be needed. “All right, Spike, I’ll need you to go down and place a new order at Sugarcube Corner. Make sure they follow the order to the letter. Fluttershy, you’ll be delivering a message to the Wonderbolts tomorrow morning, probably want to get some sleep beforehand. Oh, Spike, also, message to deliver! Say, do you think Twilight’s magical talent runs in the family?..” The night began to drag on, the winter weather undisturbed beyond the farmhouse’s walls as Sweet Apple Acres roared to life, four friends frantically making arrangements. They only had a few days to pull everything together, and some of these stunts would require some very long-distance favors to be called in…