//------------------------------// // The Other Letter // Story: The Card // by Dasponi //------------------------------// The screams lasted for a few minutes before stopping. Not long after they had stopped Rainbow Dash quickly bolted back inside the house and let the orange filly slide off of her on to the bed. When she saw them come in Fluttershy rushed over to the bed, worried what might have happened to the pair. She relaxed when she saw that Scootaloo was still breathing, and seemed to be sleeping. “What happened?” Fluttershy asked, still slightly concerned. “It’s nothing really.” Rainbow Dash reassured her, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “She just got a little TOO excited. I think she may have passed out.” She looked down at the little form resting on her bed. “I brought her in quickly before she fell off or something. At least she had a good laugh, right?” “Right.” Fluttershy said with a smile. She kept looking down at Scootaloo and up at Rainbow Dash’s hoof on her shoulder. Dash didn’t notice her though and was mostly watching Scootaloo sleep softly. “I think she could do with the sleep anyway.” Fluttershy said after a few seconds of silence. “She was up pretty early, she really wanted to come here and see you.” “What were you doing up that early anyway ‘Shy?” Rainbow asked her. “Don’t tell me the Squirt woke you up?” “Not at all.” Fluttershy replied, lowering her gaze to not look Rainbow Dash in the face. “I had some trouble sleeping. I had something on my mind. Though I get up pretty early anyway.” She added. “I would have been up anyway when she turned up.” “Hey ‘Shy?” Rainbow Dash asked. Fluttershy slowly lifted her head back up, and tried to keep her expression neutral. “What’s bothering you?” “It’s…it’s nothing.” Fluttershy managed to say at last. She moved along the bed to get a close look at Scootaloo. “She looks so peaceful doesn’t she? You really made her happy today Dash.” “Yeah, guess I did, didn’t I?” Rainbow responded, moving to get a close look herself. Scootaloo still had a massive smile on her face from what she had done with Rainbow Dash and the pleasant dreams she was experiencing, caused in part by how happy she was when she fainted. “You think maybe I can do the same for you?” she asked Fluttershy, who continued to focus on her hooves and play with the cloud floor casually. Rainbow Dash was starting to get impatient when she noticed something in the corner of her eye. It was another envelope, this one different from the one that Scootaloo had given her. She briefly remembered Fluttershy bringing an envelope of her own in. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with it, would it?” she asked Fluttershy as she grabbed the envelope in her hooves. Fluttershy saw the envelope, made a sound that sounded like ‘eep!’ and nodded slowly. Rainbow was about to ask who it was for when she turned it over and noticed her own name on the back. Curious, she opened the envelope. A simple card fell out and on to the bed. It was also hoofmade but better quality than the one Scootaloo had given her. On the front was a photo of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy together (she couldn’t remember somepony ever taking their picture though) in a heart design. Looking closer at the picture she saw that the two of them were wearing the dresses they had worn for the Royal Wedding and assumed it must have been taken back then. When she opened the card a piece of parchment fell out. Rainbow left it for now and looked instead at what was written on the card. To Rainbow Dash it said. Everything is in the letter Love, Fluttershy Rainbow placed the card down slowly and unfurled the letter. She looked briefly at Fluttershy, who was trying to do anything BUT look at Rainbow Dash, before reading. To Rainbow Dash It’s Hearts and Hooves Day so I guess this is the best to do this kind of thing, right? I would wonder where to start but I guess I already have started haven’t I? Oh dear, I mustn’t ramble and lay out all my thoughts in to this. Isn’t that what I was going to do though? Yes, yes it is. But my thoughts about you Rainbow, not just the random thoughts in my head. I suppose it all started back when you first raced those guys in Flight School. It was the nicest thing anypony has ever done for me. If it wasn’t for you I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d be doing. I didn’t really know you back then, but you were still so willing to help me out and be there for me. I admired you from afar, which I guess is kind of easy given how you fly so much faster than me. You never really left me behind though, and I hope you never do. Keep flying high Rainbow, but please never fly so high I can’t keep up with you. I want to stay with you, even if it’s just to cheer you on from behind. I’ll always be there Rainbow, whether you can see me or not, whether you can hear me or not. Just look harder, listen harder, and you’ll find me right where I’ve always been; admiring you from afar, but not too far. I love you Rainbow Dash. I just thought you should know. Fluttershy “Hey Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said when she had finished reading and put the letter back down. Fluttershy looked up but was quickly tackled to the ground by Rainbow Dash who had jumped straight over the bed. She quickly pecked Fluttershy on the cheek before Fluttershy could react. “Think fast.” Fluttershy was certainly thinking fast. Her mind was a myriad of thoughts, most of them dedicated to the last few seconds. About what Rainbow had said, about what she had done. She tried to put it all together but her mind was just all over the place and she couldn’t quite think straight. “Wha?” she managed to say at last, proving she also couldn’t articulate her thoughts just right either. She was beyond confused but a blush was still forming on her cheeks. “I’ve always seen you there ‘Shy.” Rainbow said, softly nuzzling Fluttershy. “If it wasn’t for you being there, I might not be so awesome. Hay, if it wasn’t for that race in Flight School I might not have ever done a Sonic Rainboom.” She thought aloud. “Even if you are quiet, I could always hear you.” Rainbow added, nuzzling Fluttershy again. Fluttershy was content to just enjoy the moment but a thought struck her. “Now you know what’s been bothering me” she said, looking at Rainbow sternly. “What was up with you earlier when we came in? I know you Rainbow; I know when you’re hiding something.” Rainbow Dash faltered under the look and she frowned as she hid her face in Fluttershy’s coat. She mumbled something indistinct. “What did you say?” Fluttershy asked. “I said I was a bit lonely, s’all.” Rainbow repeated, separating her face from Fluttershy’s coat. Fluttershy patted the top of her head, which slightly annoyed the blue Pegasus, and pulled her head back on to her coat. “I thought that was it.” She said with a smile. “Is that why you started crying when you saw her card?” Fluttershy asked. “I don’t remember crying.” Rainbow Dash said, clearly reluctant to discuss the matter. Fluttershy tapped her playfully on the ear. “That’s funny.” Fluttershy said, “I remember wiping away a certain somepony’s tears before Scootaloo could see them.” Rainbow Dash sighed and Fluttershy smiled in victory. “Come on, you can tell me. You know I won’t let anypony else know. Scootaloo’s asleep too, so it’s not like she’ll know.” “Fiiiiineeeee” Rainbow Dash said, sitting up and looking exasperated. “I was feeling pretty sad lately, and I always get kinda lonely around Hearts and Hooves Day as it is.” She said, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly. “I’ve never really gotten anything on it. It shouldn’t bother me, but sometimes it does, you know? When I saw what she had done for me, well, it opened up the gates I guess.” “I know how you feel Dash.” Fluttershy said, looking up at Rainbow’s eyes. “I never really get anything either, but I never would have expected you to get nothing. It’s why I waited so long to finally give you something.” She admitted. Rainbow Dash leaned down and nuzzled her again. “Silly ‘Shy” she said, pecking her softly on the muzzle. “Even if all of Cloudsdale had given me something I’d have still loved what you got me more.” Fluttershy blushed at the contact and at what Dash said. “There is something though.” Rainbow Dash said, causing Fluttershy’s ears to pick up. “Why did YOU start crying?” she asked, poking Fluttershy in the chest with a hoof. “Oh, well, it was just such a sweet gesture. I didn’t know what was on there. It was so touching is all. I think anypony would cry seeing something like that.” Fluttershy said, smiling. “That it?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yep, that’s it.” Fluttershy said, nuzzling Rainbow Dash. “She’s such a sweet little girl, even if she doesn’t quite show it. Like a certain Pegasus who also happens to be her idol.” Fluttershy said as she tapped Rainbow Dash on the nose. Rainbow Dash giggled but didn’t disagree with what Fluttershy said. “Hey Dash?” This time it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to pick her ears up. “I guess me and Scootaloo there got you just what you wanted, huh?” “Yeah, just what I wanted. What I needed actually, I guess.” Rainbow said. She suddenly stood up, which annoyed the yellow Pegasus just a little. “Best. Day. Ever!” Rainbow said as she pumped her right foreleg a little with each word. “For more than one Pegasus it seems.” Fluttershy added, smiling as she looked down at Scootaloo, who was still sleeping despite Rainbow’s recent antics. Rainbow gave a short, but quiet, laugh. “Looks that way, huh? Say ‘Shy?” she asked, snapping Fluttershy out of her stupor. “Aren’t you tired? You said you’d been up most of the night.” “Just a little bit now you mention it.” Fluttershy replied, failing to stifle a yawn. Rainbow Dash walked over to her and pushed her on to the bed next to Scootaloo. “You need to get some sleep too.” Rainbow said. She kissed Fluttershy on the cheek again and started to walk out of the bedroom. “Hey Rainbow?” Fluttershy called softly. Rainbow turned around and looked at her. “Happy Hearts and Hooves day.” She said, smiling and closing her eyes to drift off to sleep. All her worries had melted away, and sleep took her quickly to give her pleasant dreams of her future with Rainbow Dash. “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day Fluttershy.” Rainbow replied, thinking about that future together herself. “You too Squirt.” She added, taking note of Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash could swear she saw Scootaloo’s smile get bigger when she said it. "Must be dreaming about something nice, like her family…” Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she left the bedroom and the two sleeping Pegasi.