After a hard day’s procrastinating and eventual sky-clearing, Rainbow landed with a light “thud” in Fluttershy’s garden. She was spared the need to knock on her front door because there Fluttershy stood, looking out on the sunset while small creatures scurried, unafraid, around her ankles or fluttered from branch to branch quietly singing. It was perfect really; the orange sun seemed to frame her, its soft glow highlighting her pink mane like a halo. Everything was flooded in glowing maroon warmth. Even Dash who isn’t usually poetic noticed how well the atmosphere suited her purpose. This must be destiny.
I’m sure you can guess how Rainbow Dash’s “confession” went. It was a combination of boastful and apprehensive. It was complementary to Fluttershy. It was cute, maybe even romantic. She stuttered her way through it, not helped along by ‘Shy’s stoic demeanour and blank expression.
“I… I guess what I’m trying to say… I like you a lot ‘Shy, I… go out with me?”
please say something, please say something.
Fluttershy’s face turned toward the ground. She hoofed at the dirt for a moment much like a pony trying to gain composure. She took a breath, and determined blue eyes met apprehensive magenta:
“You don’t like me, Rainbow Dash.”
“um, excuse me?” Her answer had taken the Pegasus completely off guard.
“You… you don’t care for me Rainbow Dash… or… or at least not in the way you say you do.”
“What? But I do! Honest. I like you a whole lot ‘Shy I…” Dash fell silent. She hadn’t been expecting this at all.
“No you don’t!” Fluttershy’s temper began to rise. “Maybe you liked me a little a long time ago or maybe it just felt safe to lay your affections onto someone like me.”
“What’re you on about ‘Shy?” Dash asked incredulously “What do you want from me? Is this like a test? Is there something I’m supposed to do to prove…”
“NO!”
“I DON’T GET IT, WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY?”
“BECAUSE, RAINBOW DASH, BECAUSE YOU’RE ALWAYS PUSHING ME!”
“I… what?”
“You don’t like me! You know I’m a coward and you get mad because you don’t understand why. And then you just pull me along for some terrifying task and leave the others to watch!”
“Are you talking about the time spike grew into that huge dragon? Because you were the only one with wings so…”
“And the worst thing… the worst thing is that you actually think you’re helping me.” Fluttershy interrupted her, struggling to say the last two words aloud, they tasted like indignation and sharp metal.
“AND IT’S ALWAYS ME! It’s never anypony else. Why Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy was picking up steam now, the satisfaction of opening up gave way to floods of internalised anguish.
“AND THE RACE!” She yelled.
Rainbow was momentarily confused, she had raced lots of times before, but couldn’t remember doing so with Fluttershy, the mare was just too slow for her.
“For my honour, was it? Or to show off?” Her face was beetroot red by then.
“But you believe that yourself, DON’T YOU? You were so busy using my grief as an excuse; you started to think of yourself as this great hero. WHAT DID YOU… HOW WAS… HOW ON EARTH WERE YOU HELPING ME?! It doesn’t even make sense, why would they stop calling me names because you won a race with them?” There were tears in her eyes. Shouting gave way to sobbing as she began to tremble. “It was… it was patronising Rainbow Dash. And… and…” ‘Shy’s voice was faltering. At the word ‘patronising’ an image had nudged its way into her mind’s eye: Rainbow Dash affectionately twanging her nose during the tour for the inspector of the Equestria games. Her skin crawled. She forced herself to focus again on Dash’s stunned face; Rainbow’s shocked expression only caused her more pain.
“You've got to learn to be assertive, Fluttershy. Don't be afraid to speak up.” She spat in a cruel interpretation of the crack in Dash’s voice.
“Great advice Rainbow Dash, I would never have thought of that before.” Her voice was drenched with sarcasm.
“I was just trying to he…”
“I KNOW YOU WERE… I know you were just trying to help, Rainbow Dash” Fluttershy took a deep breath.
“But… but you don’t like me. You’re exasperated with me, and you should be. I’m shy, I’m cowardly and…” She screwed her eyes shut.
“And despite all of that… I think I might one day find somepony who accepts all of those things about me… maybe he’ll even like my humbleness, and help me through my fears instead of making me feel…”
She was silent for a moment.
“But that pony isn’t you, Rainbow Dash.” She opened her eyes again, there was no longer any conviction in her expression.
In the downpour of internalised torment, one word stuck out in particular to Rainbow Dash: He.
And that was it, wasn’t it? So she liked stallions. Why hadn’t she just SAID?
“I think you should go, Rainbow Dash.” Fluttershy had exhausted her anger. She felt lighter than she had done in years, she only wished she had confessed less angrily, and under different circumstances. Guilt was beginning to settle in her stomach, facing a rejection like that (and she supposed it had been a rejection) must have been awful… oh no.
“That is… if you don’t mind.” She squeaked.
****
Sunsets are stupid. They are deceptive: it looks as if it should be really warm when in reality it’s cold as heck. It’s too early for bed and too late for a nap. Rainbow had only ever known one pony by the name of “Sunset” and that pony had stolen Twilight’s crown and taken off with it so she could dictate another realm or something. Rainbow forgot the details, Twilights description had been a little long winded and a lot egg-headed. There are no more meals to look forward to after sunset. It’s really just the time you have to wait before it gets all scary and dark and cool. So it was settled, sunset is the worst time of day.
Maybe I’ll go to bed anyway. Let the sun know who’s in charge here.