Disclaimer: I do not own the ponies or the original theme of Prompt #207. I only own the story body and my writing "skills".
“….Still deciding, huh?”
The timid yellow mare tensed up in surprise, dropping a small woven basket filled with various foods for her animal friends. Her favorite rabbit companion stopped as well from assisting, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he poked his head from behind one of his mistress’s hooves, recognizing that familiar voice anywhere.
“There’s not much time, you know….how long do you plan to keep pretending that nothing’s happening?”
“……..” She had a feeling that ‘she’ would come by eventually, after everything that had happened. A cyan hoof stepped an inch towards her.
“What, basilisk caught your tongue? I’m asking again: Are you still deciding or not?” the voice became irritated, impatient and wanting an answer, here and now.
“…Is…there a problem…?” Fluttershy softly whispered, however not in her usual shy tone. It was sad, longing…nearly broken.
A question for a question…Rainbow Dash’s rose colored orbs mimicked Angel’s, though its direction was at her childhood friend.
“Typical, you never give me a straight answer at times like this…” she growled, and stepped closer. Not to her surprise, Fluttershy took a step back, her gaze unable to meet her own.
“Look at me,” Dash muttered, almost becoming a demand.
“…..” The cream colored Pegasus did not respond, causing that ‘almost’ to become obsolete.
“LOOK.AT.ME!” A gasp of fright echoed through the quiet afternoon, the sound racing through the outskirts of her home and the Everfree Forst, causing all of her animals to stop what they were doing, glancing at where the voice had come from.
Fluttershy opened her eyes to see two sky blue hooves pressed up against the corner of her cottage, caging her in from each side. Inches from her face…were those two blazing eyes that the mare had always found hypnotizing, enchanting….though now they burned with something other then that passionate drive.
They burned with anger and hurt.
“Do you even UNDERSTAND what is going on right now!? For once in your life, get your thickheaded skull out of the freaking clouds!” The rainbow haired Pegasus began to yell, slamming one hoof against the side of her house, centimeters from her friend’s head and causing her to squeak. Good…a reaction…she WANTED her to react, to get her attention.
“You heard the proclamation, from BOTH Celestia and Luna. There’s going to be a war, Fluttershy, a revolution between both sisters.”
“….I….I know that….” Fluttershy shakily spoke out of defiance, and Dash’s eyes once again narrowed in annoyance.
“Oh, you DO? Well that’s just peachy for you, isn’t it? I guess that means you also know that sides are going to be picked. You are either with Princess Celestia, or you are with Princess Luna. Even Twilight admitted that, and you know how much that had hurt her to say it! If she can admit to it, then why can’t YOU!?”
“…I…” But Rainbow Dash wouldn’t let her speak this time. The hoof slammed against the wall beside Fluttershy’s head again, causing her to yelp.
“No, I’m not done yet so keep your mouth shut! Do you know how bad everybody is feeling!? AJ is torn between wanting to be with her family or stick with what she believes in, and family is EVERYTHING to her! Rarity and Sweetie Belle are able to stay with each other, but they both agreed that this is wrong, just like the rest of us! Pinkie Pie…well, she’s Pinkie Pie…but I know she’s probably hurting too. And Twilight, do you even know how Twilight Sparkle is reacting right now!? She may have chose because of her duties to her mentor, Cadence and her brother…but Luna is and has always been a dear friend to her! This is tearing everybody apart and you’re just moseying on along, feeding your animals that are probably planning to escape into the forest and leave you all by yourself! Is that what you want!!!???”
“…..” Fluttershy’s eyes held a soft, yet firm expression, and they slowly made their way towards Dash’s enraged, almost desperate pools of magenta. The cyan Pegasus only snarled again.
“What!? What have you got to say now!? That we should remain pacifists and just sit around on our tails and watch Ponyville go up in flames!? That we should just all have a quiet tea party as everyone we know and love dies!? Well!? Speak up already!!” tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, both from desperation and the rage continuing to spew from her mouth. The yellow Pegasus did not blink.
“…..What side…are you on…..?” The question was simple, yet expressionless.
Fluttershy’s features were calm, yet held an essence of curiosity. Rainbow Dash’s anger slowly faded, her eyes widening ever so slightly. For this one moment….the Wonderbolt trainee could not look at her oldest friend in the eye.
“…..Luna’s….”
“….And Scootaloo? She would follow you into this, you know….”
“….I made her go with Twilight, Rarity and Sweetie Belle. She yelled a lot and told me that she wanted to be beside me and the Wonderbolts; the rest of the Pegasi… but she’s too young. She’ll be safer where her friends are…”
“…..” Both were silent for a moment, realizing what had just happened between them. Fluttershy glanced back down, her mane slowly covering her features as she slipped her eyes closed.
“…..I just wanted to know that, that was all…I’m sorry….” She shakily whispered, pressing her cream colored hoof against Dash’s own blue one, still pinned into the corner. Immediately, her brasher counterpart pushed back and released the yellow mare from her makeshift prison. “….I…I wondered…how long the tension would last….how long….Princess Luna would stay under her sister’s shadow once again….” The voice softly continued, causing Rainbow Dash to slowly rub the back of her head.
It seemed…that Fluttershy had been thinking about this for a long while.
“…Yeah…I think that, deep down, all of us had been wondering how long this was going to last.” Rainbow Dash felt those sad, aquamarine eyes pour over her once again, and the urge to burst into tears increased little by little. The cyan Pegasus slowly walked towards the basket that her friend had previously dropped, picking up some items that had fallen from the contents…and one item that did not. She brought the handmade container towards the cream colored pony and pushed it towards her, seeing a forlorn smile stretch across that delicate muzzle. She knew that the one most precious to her had made a decision, and it didn’t need to be said.
“….I…I just wanted…to make sure all the animals had been fed…before I left….”
Rainbow Dash couldn’t hold back any longer. She swiftly turned away and began to lift her wings up, lidding her eyes as she tried her best to keep herself composed. No…not in front of Fluttershy….not in front of her, of all ponies….it would make her look so uncool. But before she could ascend into the slowly darkening skies, a soft voice called out:
“W-Wait!”
The Pegasus stopped, but did not turn around…she couldn’t look at her again. But she could listen….and feel that sad smile on Fluttershy’s mouth only increase.
“Tell…Tell Applejack…that I promise to take care of Apple Bloom until they can all be with each other again…that she will be safe, as long as she has Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo by her side.”
“……Yeah…”
Pathetic: that was what Rainbow Dash had felt. She couldn’t even really answer her, let alone look at her. Without another word, one of the fastest young Pegasi flew off into the sky.
Fluttershy watched Rainbow Dash’s form soon disappear, before turning back around and walking towards the basket of remaining food. Angel Bunny watched her sadly, silently asking if she needed to be consoled, but the kind mare only smiled reassuringly.…she would not cry…she needed to be strong, to be brave…just like Rainbow Dash would want her to be.
The Pegasus leaned her head down, about to pick up the basket with her teeth when she realized there was something shining in the center of the container. Blinking in a quizzical fashion, Fluttershy reached her hoof into the basket and slowly lifted the item up….before a mixed smile of hope and sadness covered her muzzle, and her eyes slipped close once again.
There, now clutched against her cream-colored chest…was Rainbow Dash’s prized Wonderbolt Academy pin.
-end-