//------------------------------// // Fluttershy's Cottage // Story: Calm Before The Storm // by Ribe_FireRain //------------------------------// When Fluttershy brought Rainbow back to her house, she had taken Dash upstairs and placed her on her bed, careful not to hurt her already badly damaged limbs and body. She knew that Rainbow didn't like other ponies touching her hooves but Fluttershy wanted to take a look at it. Before they left, Fluttershy had been told by the doctor that Rainbow's bandages shouldn't be removed for a week or so and that the rest of her injuries would take a while to heal. A month or so to be precise. Rainbow thought that the feeling of Fluttershy's bed was itchy and way too flat for her liking but from living in a cloud house and having a clouds as her main structure material, she just wasn't used to it. She had spent pretty much all her life in the clouds. She was a pegasus, after all. She saw Fluttershy approach her bandaged foreleg and was about to protest right before she saw Fluttershy smile reassuringly at her, somehow putting her at ease as the butter pegasus undid the bandages and looked at her friend's hoof, shocked at the condition. Rainbow's hoof was very badly bruised and swollen, indicating that her landing from the house as it broke apart in the storm was quite forceful. Fluttershy hated seeing her friends hurt, especially Rainbow Dash. The two of them have been friends since they were around two-years old. As gentle and as careful as she could, Fluttershy felt the wound, feeling Dash tense up after she nudged the broken bone within. ''Sorry, Dash! I didn't mean to-'' ''Its okay, Fluttershy. Just ached a bit is all.'' Rainbow tried to smile reassuringly at her but Fluttershy knew it was fake. She knew how sensitive Dash could be sometimes. Fluttershy looked at Dash's bandaged up wings, knowing how badly damaged they must of been. She couldn't help but feel a tear run down her cheek as she looked at her injuries, thinking about that night when she found her lying on the floor not far from where her house used to be. ''Hey, what's wrong?'' Rainbow asked Fluttershy, noticing the tear that went down her cheek and impacting with the wooden floor of her bedroom. She tried to look away from Rainbow but when she did, she felt Rainbow's hoof touch her shoulder, causing her to look back to her, meeting her magenta eyes. ''Its nothing, Rainbow. I just...I...when I found you in the storm...lying on the ground, I thought of the worst! I actually thought that I'd lost you, Rainbow!'' Fluttershy weeped as Rainbow stared in silence, a mixture of shock and pity for her pegasus friend. Even though she knew Fluttershy was like that sometimes, she could tell that this one had scared her all too much. Granted, seeing your best friend hurt and laying motionless in a deafening storm must of been terrifying. Rainbow didn't say anything but hugged her instead, holding her close. Fluttershy gladly returned the embrace, a small blush appearing on her cheeks that didn't go unnoticed by Rainbow but she let it slide. It wasn't that long until Fluttershy had come upstairs in the short while she had been in the kitchen, a tray holding a nice-smelling bowl of soup in her mouth. Fluttershy placed it on her bedside table, Rainbow taking in a huff of the inviting aroma it was giving off. It smelled like alfalfa and daffodil. ''Well, here it is, alfalfa and daffodil soup - a family favourite of mine.'' She smiled at Dash, noticing that she seemed to be enjoying the scent of it but was more curious weather if she like the taste or not. Dash eagerly took a sip of the thick, sweet-tasting brew, her face lighting up in approval, Fluttershy smiling beside her. Wow, what a guess! ''W-Wow,'' Dash said softly, the taste still lingering on her tongue. ''I've never had soup that tasted so good before!'' She turned to Fluttershy, smiling at her, ''I didn't know you could cook, Shy.'' She giggled when she saw Fluttershy blush a soft pink at the compliment. ''Why, thank you, Dashie. It's nothing, really.'' The shy pegasus replied, hiding behind her curtain of pink mane. ''You kiddin'? This is something alright!'' ''Well, Rainbow, I should probably be getting some sleep and so should you. Eat that and get yourself to sleep, you're very tired.'' Fluttershy said, turning for the door and before she went out, Rainbow called out to her, grabbing her attention and making her turn back to face her, looking her in the eyes. ''Fluttershy...I just wanna say...thanks. Not just for this but for everything you've done for me. I just hope I aren't much of a burden while I'm here.'' Dash said to Fluttershy, both their cheeks burning a soft crimson. ''You're not a burden to me, Dash. Before I took you in, I barely even had many things to do around here. I don't think I've spent more time caring for somepony or an animal as much as I do for you.'' As those words left Fluttershy's mouth, her cheeks as well as Dash's were burning a bright crimson. Still hiding her deep blush behind her mane, Fluttershy walked out of the room, flicking off the light, looking back to Rainbow before closing the door. ''Now, get some rest. I'll see you in the morning, Dashie.'' ''Thanks again, Fluttershy.'' Rainbow said softly moments after Fluttershy had left the room, closing the door silently behind her. After finishing her soup, Rainbow found it hard to sleep in Fluttershy's bed but her relaxed state seemed to overtake that. She was laying on her side, covers tucked up to her chin as she stared out of the window and up at the night sky. It was a starry night, purple-blue light from the moon illuminating a small portion of the bedroom from the window. It was simply beautiful to look at. Rainbow couldn't help but feel like a stranded bird; seeing all of that free, open sky and not being able to fly due to injured wings. Up there, she was as free as she could ever imagine to be but down on the ground, she was restrained by her own injuries for a while. As much as she hated the thought of not flying for what seemed like a millennium to her, the one thing that scared her most was dying. Being dead meant that she would no longer be able to fly. She would just be buried in the ground, unmoving. She shivered violently as the thought settled deeper into her mind, knowing that it could of happened very easily when she was plunged into the ground by the winds. She thought about how scared Fluttershy was when she saw her again after she was out of hospital, remembering those eyes she had, those emotions behind them. Rainbow knew how much she meant to Fluttershy. She was a very important part of her life, much like she was in hers. They had been friends for a long, long time, since they were very young fillies, even, and the thought of losing one another was just painful to think of. And for some strange reason, Rainbow actually wished that Fluttershy was not downstairs but rather up here with her, laying next to her in bed and watching the stars twinkle in the sky. You like her, don't you? Wait, what?! Me like Fluttershy? Isn't it obvious? She saved your life and took you in when you had no home to go to. What does that have to do with me liking her? We're only friends... The voice didn't answer and for a moment she mentally smacked herself from acting delusional. That last thing the voice said, though, got her thinking. True, she did do both them things but what does it have to do with her having feelings for Fluttershy? She was too tired to think. Rainbow just stared at the night sky again, watching the stars twinkle like small fireworks, soon drifting off into a deep sleep. *** *** *** Sunlight poured into the room from the window, landing on Rainbow's face and causing her to wake up to the inviting warmth. Strangely, she could feel something on her hoof, almost feeling as if it was being massaged. Cracking an eye open, Rainbow could see that Fluttershy was looking at her broken hoof while stroking it up and down gently. Rainbow could feel her cheeks burning at the soft touch of Fluttershy's hooves. They felt just as soft as a cloud. While Fluttershy was tending her injured hoof, she looked up to Rainbow's face, unaware that she was actually awake. She even giggled when she saw that blush igniting her cheeks. Rainbow couldn't help but feel disappointed when she felt the caring hooves of Fluttershy let go of her hoof. She lightly cracked an eye open, watching Fluttershy, whom seemed to be staring back at her, noticing she was awake. What gave that away was the blush on her own cheeks and Rainbow knew she only blushed like that when she didn't realize somepony was watching her while she was doing something such as what she was doing with Rainbow's hoof. ''Morning, Dashie.'' Fluttershy said softly in her usual, sweet voice. ''Morning, Fluttershy.'' Rainbow replied, a soft smile on her lips. ''Didn't think you'd be up this early.'' ''Oh, I'm always up early. I enjoy watching the sun rise in the morning. By the way, Dash, you should be able to walk now.'' Her ears perking a little, Rainbow moved her hoof back and forth off of the edge of the bed, surprisingly feeling no pain. Her eyes widened in joy of having the control of her hoof back. Climbing out of bed, she stood up, testing all her hooves as she walked and she couldn't help but squee at the joy she was feeling. ''My Celestia! H-How...just...wow! How did you do that?'' Rainbow asked as she turned to hug Fluttershy, her eyes glistening like the stars in the night sky. Fluttershy hugged back before responding, her blush intensifying to the point were she was practically sharing the properties of a light-bulb. ''It was nothing, really, Rainbow. I bought some medicine to go on your hoof to see if it would work. I know you don't like being stuck in a bed all day, so I decided to try it.'' Fluttershy explained, the joy on Rainbow's face faltering a little. For some reason, Rainbow couldn't help but think something of the medicinal kind that Fluttershy used on her hoof didn't come cheap. Now Rainbow really was starting to feel uncomfortable. ''Fluttershy,'' Rainbow began slowly, looking into Fluttershy's eyes, the look in them almost looking as if that she knew what she was about to say. ''Please tell me that you didn't go and blow a whole lot of bits on whatever it was you used...'' Fluttershy only pawed at the ground awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Rainbow's upset eyes. She knew what her answer would be from how she reacted to the question. For a while, she didn't look up, unable to find her voice as her ears flopped down on her head. ''Rainbow...I...I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable about anything...but-'' ''Fluttershy, just...please...stop. I appreciate all you've done for me, but I can't live with myself knowing you are spending Celestia knows how many bits on me just so I can recover. I just don't know how I could possibly repay you for anything and everything you've done for me!'' Fluttershy only hugged Rainbow, holding her shoulder with a hoof as she broke away, looking into her eyes. ''Rainbow, I know that you feel uncomfortable and I'm sorry about that, but I don't expect anything back from you. Please understand, Rainbow. I'm sorry for making you feel that way.'' Fluttershy pleaded, Rainbow gently removing her hoof from her shoulder before placing it back down to the floor, still making eye contact. ''It isn't right, Fluttershy. It just isn't. I think this is getting a little out of hoof.'' Rainbow said softly, ''I couldn't ever pay you back for all you've done for me already.'' ''It's alright, Rainbow Dash. Really. I already told you I don't expect anything back. I'm your friend and I'd do anything for you, Rainbow.'' Rainbow sighed, ''Friends or not, Fluttershy, it just isn't right.'' And then she left, leaving a now saddened Fluttershy behind. Quietly, Fluttershy curled in a ball and cried silently, knowing that she had just emotionally hurt one of her closest friends. *** *** *** Rainbow Dash walked along the dirt path, drawing herself further away from Fluttershy's cottage with each step. Right now, Rainbow just wanted some alone time to clear her mind. Whenever Rainbow felt down, she would always take a walk or go flying to take her mind off of things, but the situation she was in was going to take her some time to get over, even though she knew she would probably remember it for as long as she lived. All she felt was guilt. While she walked further along her aimless routes, she admired the scenery or more or less tried to find something else to focus her mind on. Anything. She didn't even know she had come to a place all too familiar to her. Wide open spaces, trees in the surrounding areas. She now knew what this place was. This is where her house used to be. If it wasn't the scenery that told her that, it was the remnants of her belongings scattering the floor. Though most of them were in pieces, she knew they were hers. She couldn't help but feel a tear stroke her cheek and land on the floor. Rainbow gently trotted around the remnants of her belongings, taking anything that wasn't completely destroyed or beyond repair. She had managed to only get a hoof full of her things by time she had gotten tired. She had managed to recover her photo album, filled with memories of the past, including her and Fluttershy as well as her other friends. Rainbow had even managed to find her signed picture of Spitfire, thankfully untouched. It was just a good thing that she had laminated it. The only thing she knew was missing was her Element of Loyalty necklace. And Tank. She hadn't seen him since the destruction of her house during the storm around a few days ago. Her insides felt like they were in a knot and her eyes burned with fresh tears upon thinking what could of happened to her hard-shelled, flying companion. Then she saw a twinkle in her eye, towards the tree line. Looking in the direction it was coming from, Rainbow approached it. When she neared it enough to see, she noticed it was something golden and shiny, stuck in a tree. Only a part of it was hanging off of the edge of the tree, out of Rainbow's reach from the ground. If only she could fly, she could get it. She wrapped her hooves on the tree trunk, attempting to climb it, thankful that her once broken hoof was restored enough to function. She fell a couple of times but on the third climb, she managed to jump up, grabbing the end with her teeth and yanking it free of whatever was restraining it. She landed flat on her rump, the shiny, golden object landing on her lap. When she looked down at it, her eyes widened. It was her Element of Loyalty necklace. It was a little battered up and scratched in various places. The red, gemstone-thunderbolt in the middle had a crack down the middle, running a majority of its length, but at least it was intact. She smiled as she fastened it around her neck, feeling somewhat relived. The only thing that she'd missing besides her necklace and house was her pet and she still had to find him. But she really didn't need to. The thing that held her necklace in place on the tree was the flying mechanism used to help Tank fly, as she found when she looked at the bottom of the tree. The propellers were bent at insane angles and the turning mechanism was cracked and badly damaged, beyond repair. She took it in her hooves and held it to her chest, clinging tightly onto it, tears pouring from her eyes and down her cheeks. She had cried until it had started to get dark, the moon just coming over the peak of the mountains in the distance. She got up and walked back towards Fluttershy's cottage, Tank's flying mechanism on her back. *** *** *** Rainbow trudged back into the home of Fluttershy, falling down on the floor moments later, her energy drained from all the crying. Fluttershy must of heard the bang because in a matter of seconds she was beside her, noticing her drained state and red, puffy eyes. ''Oh my gosh, Rainbow Dash! Are you okay?!'' Fluttershy shrieked in a panic, helping Rainbow to sit on her haunches. How weak she looked ate at Fluttershy's heart. She held onto Rainbow's hooves and let Rainbow cry on her shoulder. ''F-F-F-Fluttershy...he-he-he's gone! Tank is gone!'' Rainbow sniffled, her crying becoming heavier as she hugged with Fluttershy's mane, trying to find comfort but it didn't help. Neither did Fluttershy's gasp of horror. ''Tank? What do you mean 'he's gone'?'' Fluttershy said, her voice lowering itself to a sad tone, like she was on the verge of tears herself. ''I-I-I couldn't find him! All I have is this...'' Rainbow took the flying mechanism off of her back, placing it between the two, horror and shock plastered on Fluttershy's face. She picked up the object, checking it over to make sure it was indeed the one that belonged to Tank. She shrank back as the answer was confirmed. Rainbow held onto her, not wanting to let go as she continued to weep. ''I'm sorry, Fluttershy, I'm so sorry for yelling at you earlier! I just felt so guilty about everything!'' Fluttershy was at a loss for words. She had never seen Rainbow cry so much before. It made her heart ache even more. One of the many things she hated seeing was one of her friends in a state such as Rainbow. All she could do was hug her. She held her tight and close, stroking her back with a hoof, attempting to calm her down. Around half an hour passed in the time they sat there cuddling. Rainbow had stayed awake, unable to sleep from the days events. The night had gotten into its latest hour and Rainbow could only snuggle with Fluttershy, trying to find comfort that her troubled mind wouldn't allow. Fluttershy had her tail wrapped around Rainbow's flank and just around her lower body while she rested her cheek into Rainbow's, sleeping soundly. Rainbow lay there in Fluttershy's embrace, partly playing with her long, silky-pink mane. She even seemed to smile in her sleep as she ran a hoof through it. Rainbow closed her eyes and snuggled deeply into Fluttershy's mane, soon finding warmth and comfort, eventually falling into a deep sleep.