//------------------------------// // Little By Little // Story: This Used to Be a Quiet Place... // by UnweptSchlipps //------------------------------// …Utter disaster... Those two words haunted Rainbow Dash the entire morning. They had followed her ever since she had inexplicably taken that photo home and stuffed it in her drawer, where she’d occasionally glance at it for no particular reason. One of those moments happened to be last night, which probably would explain why she was swerving around in the air, lost in her thoughts. Luckily, she snapped out of it just before her face could come into contact with a floating steel girder. As the hunk of metal whizzed by her head, a hardhat-wearing pegasus shouted, “Hey! Watch where you’re flying! This hotel probably costs more than you!” “Hotel?” she scoffed, raising her eyebrows. “Why would ponies want to stay in Ponyville?” “I think a better question would be why wouldn’t they? Now get out of the way, missy!” Missy? Don’t you know who I am? Dash thought of saying. But she merely rolled her baggy eyes and took off, lacking the energy to get into another fight. As she did her usual rounds through Ponyville, she couldn’t help but notice a few more sites here and there. A cloud of dust always surrounded them, and the loud noises seemed to irritate the surrounding denizens. But for now, the pegasus didn’t really think much of it, except for the fact that they tended to block her usual flight path. Finally, she came upon the Carousel Boutique in all its pink, girly, and totally-not-cool glory. For some reason, something had urged her to visit Rarity, and since these unexplained feelings were really common these days, Dash decided to heed it. The thought of crashing through the ceiling like old times just for the heck of it passed through her head, but it was soon replaced by curiosity when she saw a large carriage carrying boxes parked outside. Dash knocked on the door, surprised to see a CLOSED sign on the front, and even more surprised that it was still propped open. She stepped inside, saying, “Hey Rares! It’s me, Rainbow. I just wanted to…whoa.” What she found inside nearly made her jump back in shock. The boutique was barely a boutique anymore, with boxes stacked high around the store. Only a few empty mannequins and a single sewing machine remained outside. The walls seemed so barren and empty…and eerily familiar. Suddenly, a head poked from out of a corridor, her flowing purple mane covered by a beret. When she saw the rainbow-maned figure in her doorway, she let out a gasp. “Oh, Rainbow! I, erm, I certainly wasn’t expecting you to drop by,” she said, a fake smile appearing on her lips. Rarity stepped into the room, but not before casting a wary glance at the boxes surrounding her. Rainbow wore a wry smirk on her face. “What’s with all these boxes? You gettin’ some new shipments or something? Doing some remodeling?” “Err, about that, Rainbow. I…I actually got a…business proposition.” “Whoa! Well that’s great, Rarity! So you’re gonna get tons more customers now, right?” “Yes, I suppose you could say that.” Rarity bit her lip and peered at Dash sadly, who now looked incredibly confused. Finally, the fashionista added, “But the proposition, well, it’s in Manehattan…I’m moving away.” It was as if everything inside Rainbow Dash just sank. Her smile, her wings, her head, her heart. Everything felt like it wanted to drop straight to the ground, sink deeper into the earth and just disappear. “What?” was all she could muster. She didn’t flinch when Rarity placed a gentle hoof on her cheek and began to explain. “You probably wouldn’t believe this, but nowadays, the title ‘Element of Harmony’ carries quite a bit of meaning in Equestria. Just a few days ago, one Count Silver Dime contacted me and said he was impressed with my dresses. He offered me a job as head of his Manehattan branch, and to put it simply, I would be a fool not to take such a prestigious position!” “So what? You’re, like, selling out?” Dash asked. She had intended to make it sound bitter, but instead it came out as a sad whimper. “What? No, of course not! This is what I’ve always wanted to do, Rainbow! Making dresses for the finest ponies in all of Equestria! You know that!” “Well, how long ago was this?” “Only a few days ago,” Rarity answered a bit too quickly. “I wanted to tell all of you at once, but with the flurry of the press and everything…I just couldn’t find the time. I’m so sorry this is so sudden.” She patted her hooves on Dash’s shoulder, batting her eyelashes and giving a good pout. Rainbow Dash had known Rarity for so long, she had learned to tell whether or not she was being overly-dramatic. But as Rarity tried to wrap her friend in an embrace, Dash realized she wasn’t quite sure anymore. So she shrugged off her friend’s hoof and muttered, “No, Rarity, it’s fine. I’m…I’m happy for you. Congrats.” “Oh…I promise I’ll visit from time to time,” the unicorn assured. “And I’ll be sure to send some of my money back to you girls.” “No, you don’t need to-.” “But I do!” Rarity exclaimed with a theatrical wave of her hoof. “You’re still my best friends, right? And after all, I never would have gotten this publicity without any of you!” “Publicity?” The word was like acid in Rainbow’s mouth, and she found herself slowly backing towards the doorway. She kept staring at Rarity’s piercing eyes, which were now an odd shade of dull purple. “I’m leaving in a day, Dash. Will you tell the others, in case I don’t see them by then?” “Yeah…sure,” she replied hollowly. Somehow, the pegasus was standing outside, the sunlight shining into the dark Carousel Boutique. Rarity gave an apologetic smile, and as Rainbow turned to fly away, the door closed shut. The sound of a lock clicked behind her. And so, Rainbow Dash quickly took off from that blasted carousel, her eyes narrowed into slits. She flew past Sugarcube Corner, past Sweet Apple Acres, and past Fluttershy’s cottage, making a beeline straight for her home. Once she got there, she locked herself in her room for the rest of the day. Applejack was closing up shop for the afternoon, a lot earlier than she usually did. The market was awash with ponies wearing Haywaiian shirts and sunglasses, carrying tote bags around their torso. Each stand seemed to have its own little crowd, the owners having to compete with merchandise-grabbing hooves and endless shouts of haggling. This sudden influx of customers had caused Applejack to sell out her products a lot faster than she expected. And this normally would be a good thing, if it wasn’t for the disgruntled ponies who waited in line only for the cowpony to shout, “Sorry y’all! We’re all out!” As she shut down the stand, Applejack noticed those very same angry customers shuffling over to another stand across the way. It was a new food stand that opened up just a few weeks ago, which used some newfangled contraption that could make fried apple fritters in no time at all. She scrunched up her nose at the thought of it, muttering, “Buncha darn mechanical hooie if ya ask me.” When she passed by the stand, a young mare wearing an apple hat asked, “Free samples?” Rolling her eyes, Applejack plucked the fried piece off the platter and popped it into her mouth. She continued on without a word, savoring the sweet, scrumptious, absolutely delectable treat with a frown. On the way home, she walked by the Carousel Boutique, the CLOSED sign now covered with cobwebs. Rarity had been gone for almost three months now, so the boutique was simply an empty shell amongst a rapidly expanding city. Applejack gave a weak smile, and passed right along. She never really got the chance to say goodbye, so she took it upon herself to mutter a farewell under her breath every time she passed. While she stood there, a deep, horn-like sound caught her attention. Behind her was a large cart much like the one Trixie used to wheel around, stocked full with random objects from accordions to key-lime pies. A pony carried a large brass instrument, teetering towards the cart. It probably would have looked extremely out of the ordinary, if it wasn’t for the frazzled pink mane poking from behind the instrument. “Pinkie?” Applejack said, stifling a giggle. “Huh? Oh hi AJ!” Pinkie cried, her head poking out of the instrument’s opening. “Don’t mind me, I’m just packing my sousaphone.” “Pardon?” “My soooooo-suh-phone!” she answered, a playful grin on her face. She blew into it, making a deep, resonating sound which ended with a gurgle. Flinching, Applejack rubbed her ear and asked, “You know how to play it?” “Of course not! I just like saying sousaphone!” Pinkie Pie tossed the brass horn into the cart, and it let out a measly whimper. “Sousaphone, sousaphone, sousaphone! Ha, see? Say it, it’s fun!” Patting the side of the cart, Applejack replied with a chuckle, “I think I’ll pass. But, uh, why do ya have this here circus cart?” “To carry all my stuff,” Pinkie quickly said, poking out of the pile of junk. “For what?” “For my trip.” “To…” “Las Pegasus!” “Las Pegasus!” Applejack scrunched her face in disgust, the words bringing back not-so-fond memories of the first and only time she’d go to that place. She could still feel that drunk’s snout as her hindlegs smashed against it with a crack. “Why in tarnation are you going to that…ahem…place?” “Well it’s only the party capital of the world, silly! It’s where all the ponies go to get a good laugh! And there’s nopony who loves to make ponies smile more than me!” Shoving her face into Applejack’s, Pinkie whispered sinisterly, “Nopony…” The party pony sauntered away, pushing the objects that were sticking out of the cart. Applejack went to assist her, but she still persisted, “Now who told you that? ‘Cause I went there, and I didn’t come out laughin’.” “All the latest visitors to Sugarcube Corner! They come from all over the place. Las Pegasus, Manehattan, Detrot, and they’re all super rich and stuff. Anyway, they said I had a great sense of humor, kinda like the performers there! So I talked to Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and they said I should try it out!” With Rarity’s departure still fresh in her mind, Applejack inquired, “Doncha think this is a little, I don't know, hasty?” “Oh peeshaw, AJ!” Pinkie Pie answered, rolling her eyes. “I’ve already made up my mind. Besides, I’ll be able to bring smiles to everypony, not just Ponyville! That's what I've always wanted to do! Isn’t that great?” Although he cowpony couldn’t get rid of the knot in the pit of her stomach, she forced a smile. “Well if ya put it that way, that…that sounds pretty nice, heh.” Pinkie Pie giggled, nodded, and hopped on the front of the cart. “Listen Pinkie, I ain’t gonna lie,” Applejack started, looking up. “This caught me a lil’ off guard, especially since Rarity left not too long ago. Heck, I know I’ll miss the way you bounce around the town and cheer everypony up. But if this is what you really want to do, then I can’t stop ya. It sounds like it’s fer a good cause, anyhow.” “Aw, thanks AJ!” Pinkie reached down to give her friend a hug. Applejack simply returned the gesture, no matter how empty it felt. “I’ll be back soon, I promise!” “I'll hold ya to it. Go on then. Bring a smile to those uptight Las Pegasus folks,” she replied solemnly. “Yeah I will! Tell the others I said bye, 'kay?” The two ponies let go of each other, and Applejack took a few steps back. Pinkie Pie grabbed some reins out of thin air and let out a mighty, “HEEYAH!” Then the cart whizzed off down the road, despite the fact that there was nothing to pull it forward. For a moment, Applejack stood there as the vehicle sped off down the road. Her eyes were starting to tear up, and she convinced herself it was from all the dust the cart kicked up. Then shaking her head, she whispered, “Shoot. I’m gonna have to tell Dash about this.” Applejack continued her trip home, suddenly feeling extremely exhausted. On her way, she passed the new City Hall, the old one having been demolished almost a month ago. This one was at least three times as big, sturdier, and had a more ‘administrative feel’ to it. Or at least, that’s what the mayor said when she announced its construction. Applejack fondly remembered the old days, when she had to join that rodeo competition just to keep that rickety building from falling over. This one didn’t need all that maintenance, but that didn’t stop the cowpony from glaring at it with contempt. Finally, the hills of Sweet Apple Acres poked over the road. Soon, she would race inside, collapse on her bed, and take a nice long… “Git off mah farm, you…you shark!” Granny’s shrill voice rang over the hill, and with a gasp, Applejack galloped up the road. She found the elder shoving her walker towards a bearded pony wearing a suit and a construction helmet. Applebloom stood behind Granny's hindlegs with her lips drawn into a pout. The stallion jerked his head uncomfortably, and every time he’d make a peep, the old mare would start off once again. Applejack ran up to the gate, shouting, “Hey! What’s goin’ on over here?” The stallion gave a relieved sigh when he saw her galloping over. Pointing an accusing hoof, Granny Smith shouted, “Ah can’t nap fer one minute without these darn ponies making a racket! And all this dust…it’s bad fer mah lungs! Tell ‘em to git!” “Listen, ma’am, I’m trying to-.” “I said GIT!” “Granny, get inside!” Applejack commanded, herding the old mare into the gate. “Applebloom, you too!” “But Applejack!” “Inside! Now!” Applebloom and Granny Smith made their way to the farmhouse, while Applejack watched them intently. When they were inside, Applejack turned her attention to the pony before her. She rubbed her temple, and said in a hushed tone, “You told me y’all weren’t going to start building as long as we lived here! What is this?” She swept a forehoof down the road to indicate a couple of parked bulldozers. Small mounds of dirt where already piled next to them. The stallion extended a sorry hoof. “Look, I’m really sorry AJ…” “Don’t call me that.” He jerked his hoof back, instinctively tugging at his collar. Gulping, he said meekly, “The Board of Commission said we need to start building now. Ponyville’s hosting the next Equestria Games soon, and they want it done before then!” “Well that’s all fine and dandy, Mr. Carver, but why here? This is mah farm. You can’t build a coliseum right down the road! The dust is bad fer the trees, and us!” “I-I’m sorry Applejack, but this coliseum is getting built whether you like it or not.” Suddenly, Applejack’s hoof shot out, grabbing the stallion’s collar. Pulling his face close to hers, the cowpony stated, “Look at me straight in the eyes an’ say that again. Look at me, you varmint!” Carver felt her warm breath slither down his neck. Sweat was pooling on his brow. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her face, opting to stare at a bright red apple in the distance. “L-listen…” “No. You listen ta me!” Applejack released him, giving him a slight shove for good measure. Stomping the dirt, she uttered, “You gave your word! You promised.” “I’ll try to postpone it as much as I can, alright?” Carver stammered. He finally looked into Applejack’s eyes, which burned with a ferocity that made him shrivel. He started to walk backwards, attempting to distance himself from her. “B-but I’ll be honest with you, Applejack. The Board made it clear that the decision is final. In the meantime, I’ll tell the guys to keep things down, okay?” Carver whirled around, briskly trotting towards the construction site. Applejack took her hat and threw it in the dirt, letting out a frustrated grunt. “What is this world coming to, when a pony can’t even keep a dang promise?” she said, shouting the last two words so the stallion could hear. Taking a deep breath, she scooped up her hat and dusted it off. When she stepped inside her home, she caught Applebloom sitting by the window with the blinds pulled up. The two exchanged a solemn glare, and Applejack climbed upstairs without saying a word. Her head hit the pillow, her mind racing at a million miles per hour. As sleep started to ensnare her, Applejack realized she forgot to tell Rainbow Dash something. The death of Granny Smith soon after sent a jolt through the Ponyville community, or at least, the ones who had lived there long enough to know her. While it was sudden, the Apple family certainly couldn’t say it was unexpected. Sure, for a while it seemed the old mare would live forever. She was the oldest member of Ponyville, a centennial who seemed healthy enough for a few more years of farming. Then one day, Applejack found her in her rocking chair, unable to wake her up. The funeral was a solemn yet positive gathering, attended by all of the Apple family, plus Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Pinkie and Rarity had been sent an invitation, but both never gave a reply. Granny Smith was buried at the top of a hill in the orchard, overlooking the farm she had helped to create. The sound of the sobs of hundreds of family members echoed over the hills, accompanied by another, more piercing sound. Just down the road, some ponies were bulldozing the land for a sports coliseum. Rainbow Dash sat outside at a small café, a half-eaten dandelion sandwich on her plate. A pair of shades and a cap adorned her head, covering up her striking rainbow mane. She had a tabloid magazine plopped lazily in front of her, which were apparently all the rage now in Ponyville. Ponyville: The Next Manehattan?, Ponyville: A New Canterlot, Ponyville: The HQ of Hip, and all that drivel. “Jeez, why can’t we be just ‘Ponyville’?” Dash muttered, flipping through the pages without even reading them. However, something ended up catching her eye, so she flipped back to find it. It was a certain headline printed in neon pink, right above the head of a familiar face. Elements of Laughter With the Element of Laughter Dash found herself giving a quiet chuckle when she saw the photo of Pinkie with a tuba (or was it a sousaphone?) wrapped around her torso. That’s Pinkie. Always so random. But as she read on and on about Pinkie’s newfound life and her ‘heroic past’, that grin on Dash’s face slowly began to fade away. Soon, she turned the page, unable to take any more of the sugary gossip. Heaving a sigh, she ran her hooves through the pages one more time, this time stopping at a much larger article. Her eyes automatically began to skim down the paper. Princess Twilight Ushers in New Dawn Princess Twilight Sparkle, the newest member of Equestria’s Royal Family, held a ceremony last week to formally introduce herself to her new subjects. The princess, who had been learning how to rule a kingdom under Princess Celestia for the past two years, officially took the reins as ruler of… That was all Dash could read before she crumpled up the magazine and tossed it aside. Throwing her head back in a snarl, she stormed out of the café, just as a confused maître-d’ was going to ask if she was satisfied. Once she was clear, Rainbow immediately shot off into the air, blowing her hat, glasses, and a crowd of tourists away. She tried to fly high above the city, but the handful of new skyscrapers made that task extremely difficult. So instead she stayed relatively close to the ground, forced to take a closer look at the crowded streets. Frankly, Dash couldn’t even believe how much Ponyville had grown in the past year. An entirely new section of the city was being built, that café being part of that new strip. There had been so much expansion that the old part of the town was starting to be referred to as ‘Downtown Ponyville’. Before, she could practically name every pony who walked down the street. But now, scanning the group below, she barely recognized any of them. Lost in thought, Dash found herself snaking through the construction area. Sound seemed to emanate from everywhere. Saws snapping boards, bulldozers scraping up dirt, drills pounding into concrete. It was just noise, noise, noise, and no break in between. Noise seeping through her ears and bouncing around in her head until it was just one big blur. Finally, Rainbow Dash let out a growl of frustration. Gritting her teeth, she yelled at the top of her lungs, “Would you all just shut up!” She didn’t get any response other than more drills and cranes. Then again, it wasn’t like she actually expected one. Instead, she rocketed out of there as fast as she could, headed towards ‘Downtown Ponyville’. Here she could spot a few familiar buildings, which brought a relieved grin to Dash’s face. The Carousel Boutique was still there, although it had been purchased and converted into a dainty thrift shop. The Cakes still ran Sugarcube Corner, which lacked the customers it used to have. The old library was still standing, although word was going around that it was to be made a national landmark called ‘The Twilight Tree’. The name made Dash feel nauseous, and she still wanted to refer to it by its original name. Normally she’d steer clear of the old tree, but today she felt compelled to get closer. A smile crept onto her face as she remembered all those times when she’d burst through the roof, bits of ceiling raining around her, literally dropping in on Twilight. But then a retreating carriage and a pair of purple eyes crept in, robbing her of that smile. She came to a slow stop, her head pounding, her eyes closed in thought. Anxiety coursed through her veins, so Dash decided to fly in the other direction. However, she caught the attention of a line of tourists waiting to enter the national landmark. “Hey, isn’t that Rainbow Dash?” one whispered. “Yeah, it’s gotta be. No other pony has that kind of mane. Hey! You!” Rainbow halted, rolled her eyes, and turned towards the voice. “What is it?” she grumbled tiredly. “Hey, you’re Rainbow Dash, right? The Element of Loyalty? You were friends with Princess Twilight!” Oh boy, not again, the pegasus thought, preparing for a hasty getaway. “Do you mind if I get a photo of you?” “No thanks. I’ve kinda got somewhere else to be,” Rainbow lied. Suddenly, a volley of voices came at her. “Come on, please? Only a second!” “Hey, what about me?” “I need a pic with the Element of Loyalty!” “I can’t believe she’s right there!” “She looks a lot bigger in person…” Giving an extremely irritated groan, Rainbow Dash beat her wings and zoomed away, leaving the small group of ponies coughing from the dust. “Can’t even go one minute…,” she griped. Intrigued by her own statement, she closed her eyes and mentally started counting down from sixty. At twenty-seven, a quiet voice said, “Rainbow Dash?” When she opened her eyes, she found another pegasus flying next to her. It was Fluttershy, whose eyes looked slightly red. “’Shy! How’s it goin’?” Rainbow said, pleased to see a familiar face. “When was the last time we talked? Like, six days ago?” “Actually…it was seven,” Fluttershy answered. “Well what’s up? You look kinda down.” “I…I needed to find you, Dash. I needed to talk to somepony,” she said softly, her eyes possessing a look of urgency. Rainbow put her hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder. “No prob, Flutters. What’s up?” “Can we go back to my cottage first?” Dash nodded, so the two flew slowly towards the outskirts of Ponyville. Rainbow always loved visiting Fluttershy’s cottage, especially now that everywhere else in Ponyville was riddled with publicity. With its close proximity to the Everfree Forest, the vacationers and the builders usually kept their distance. Other than her own home, the cottage was one of the few sanctuaries where Rainbow could find some peace. Rainbow looked over at her longtime friend, giving a friendly smirk. However, after noticing her friend’s shaky hooves and red eyes, Dash began to worry that this wasn’t just some social visit. When the two ventured inside, Fluttershy mumbled an empty, “Make yourself at home.” Rainbow curled up on a couch, while her friend shuffled into the kitchen for some drinks. She came out with two cups of tea, handing one to Rainbow. They sat next to each other, sipping from their cups, neither saying anything. And for a while, they stayed like that, savoring the peace and quiet like they savored their tea. For a minute, the duo sat behind a curtain of calmness and serenity, shielded from the harsh reality outside. Everything was the way things should have been, and neither wanted to pull that veil back. “I’m leaving…” The statement almost made Dash spit out her tea. She choked down the rest of the drink, beginning to cough hysterically. Once the fit subsided, Rainbow looked at her friend with wide eyes and replied, “You-you can’t be serious!” The timid mare shakily put down her cup, whimpering, “I can’t do this anymore, Rainbow. Not the cameras, not the pictures…” “No, no, no. You can’t! Not you.” Rainbow grasped her friend’s hoof, looking at her with imploring eyes. “Dash…I can’t stay here any longer.” “Fluttershy, this doesn’t make any sense!” She stood up and began to pace furiously around the room. Almost knocking over the tea, Dash placed her forehooves on the table and asserted, “We’ve been putting up with this for more than a year, and we’ve been able to manage! Why are you doing this now?” To her surprise, Fluttershy quickly stood up, staring straight into her friend’s maroon eyes. With a frown, she ambled out of the living room, beckoning for Dash to follow. With one eyebrow raised, the colorful pegasus obeyed. Fluttershy led her to the wooden door that opened out to the backyard. Without a word, she swung the door open, and told Rainbow to step outside. When she did, part of her wished she’d stayed inside. The first thing she noticed was the cages, each one containing one or two of each type of animal. They were stacked in a way that reminded Dash of the bitter exchange between her and Rarity; it seemed so long ago. But once she fought past that dreadful memory, another sight caught her eye. And this one was much more horrific. Amidst a field of green grass, one spot was soaked red. Dash had seen more than enough flying accidents to know what it was. And to make things worse, the grass looked like it had been pressed down by something the size and shape of… “A pony. That’s a…what happened here?” Rainbow didn’t want to get any closer, but nothing could erase the image of dried blood caking each tiny blade of grass. There were a few patches of dirt where they had been ripped out in an attempt to clean it up. In a somber, almost-eerie voice, Fluttershy whispered, “Yesterday, I found a paparazzo in my yard. I had let the animals out to play. I think he startled them…When I came out, he was…it was terrible.” “Did he…y’know?” “No...no, I got him to the hospital. He had lost a lot of blood.” Shaking her head, Fluttershy turned back into her cottage, unable to bear the sight any longer. Dash shared the same sentiment, shutting the door behind her. Rainbow started, “I’m so sorry this happened, ‘Shy. I-I can’t believe it.” “I took his camera.” “What?” “I took his camera,” Fluttershy repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. Her legs were wobbly, her breath was shaky, and her mane had been brushed to cover her face. Drawing in a gulp of air, she uttered, “And he had pictures…of me…in my h-house. Pictures…from last w-week.” After hearing this statement, something inside Rainbow just snapped. She clenched her jaw and ground her teeth, her hooves aching to know how it felt to be wrapped around that paparazzo’s neck. She ached to see all those nosy tourists just disappear off the face of the earth, so that maybe, just maybe, her friends’ lives wouldn’t be as messy as they were. She ached for this newfound fame to rot alongside the tabloids, the hotels, and a pair of alicorn wings. It almost scared her, knowing she had never felt so furious in all her life. And to make matters worse, standing before her was her longest friend, driven to tears and threatening to leave. “I think…I think he was going to sell them. He was going to sell them, Dash. Ponies could have seen…” Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around her friend, wishing she could make things okay in one embrace. Tears were forming in her eyes, but her body shook with anger, not sadness. “How dare he...Listen to me, Flutters. I’m going to make sure that mule regrets ever coming to this town. Heck, I'll make him wish he never bucking existed.” “No, Dash, you can’t. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.” The timid pegasus wriggled out of Rainbow’s hug. Tears stained her fur, and when she tried to exhale deeply, it only came out as shaky sobs. “I got this cottage for some peace and quiet, so I could raise my animals without anything like this happening. We’ve had ponies watching us ever since Twilight became a princess, and I’ve put up with it like you. You know that. But after this…I can’t do it anymore. It’s time I moved away. Before anypony else gets hurt. Before I get hurt.” Upon hearing this ultimatum, Dash’s scowl was replaced with a desolate frown. Sitting on her haunches and bringing her hooves together in a pleading motion, she begged, “B-but Fluttershy, you can’t go!” “Rarity and Pinkie have gone.” “But, that’s why!” she said, not realizing that she was yelling. “You can’t go too…not you. Where…where will you go?” “Somewhere far from whatever Ponyville's become,” Fluttershy responded, her voice resolute. Dash could see it in her eyes. Fluttershy’s decision was final, and nothing her longtime friend did changed a thing. Dash started to breathe heavily, as though a two-ton object had stuck her right in the gut. She locked eyes with Fluttershy for a moment, but she was unable to think of anything to say. So with a sigh, Rainbow Dash sluggishly stood herself up, brushed by Fluttershy’s shoulder, and walked straight for the door. As she walked away, Fluttershy asked, “Why don’t you come with me?” “I can’t,” Rainbow whispered, without even looking back. “Why not?” “I…I just can’t.” Dash swung open the door, ready to leave everything between her and Fluttershy behind forever. Before she could fly away, a timid voice called out, “I promise I’ll see you every now and then.” Rainbow Dash stood in the doorway, leaning against it with her forehoof. She deliberately turned her head, meeting Fluttershy’s gaze one last time. Tears were welling in the corner of Dash's eyes, and Fluttershy could sadly tell. With a quiet, somber voice, the cyan pegasus replied, “That’s what they all said.” Rainbow took a short trot before launching into the air. She flew into the countryside, leaving behind a trail of tears which fell like rain.