//------------------------------// // Fresh Fish // Story: To Serve Bronies // by Fuzzy Necromancer //------------------------------// Jamal had fallen asleep before Fluttershy got much information out of him. He didn't even have time to eat his clover, poor thing. She really wanted to find out more about human diet and behavior. The flat and grinding teeth suggested an ordinary herbivore, but then why did it have those four dog-like teeth? Fluttershy glided down alongside the Catbalm Creek. Her flight control was better after the practice sessions with Rainbow Dash, but she still preferred to stay low. It was too early for the spawn in the pond to hatch, but maybe she could see the larvae stirring in their eggs. She flitted above the trees and waved her hoof at former companions in a flock of sparrows. She could see the tributaries weaving in and out of the creek, glints between the dark brown of the forest floor. Squirrels ran between the trees. Flying snakes glided sunned themselves on the highest branches. Fluttershy skimmed low and breathed the moist forest air. How could the big empty possibly compare to the rich and living ground? She took a few breathes in through her nose and out through her mouth. She wasn't stuck in Cloudsdale anymore. Right on the edge of Gosling Bridge, Fluttershy caught a glimpse of vivid color. She reared up spun around, turning her straight flight into a slow descending circle. Rainbow had tried to teach her quicker ways of landing. Given that her Dash's landings usually ended in Twilight Sparkle's upper floor, Fluttershy was alright with taking the slow way down. The beeches were thick in this part of the wood. Every now and then, the ponies had to cut down some beeches they didn't need for fuel or building because of their tendency to force out other plants by dripping poison onto the ground. Nature was so fascinating. A plop and a flash of silver caught Fluttershy's attention. This was one spot she liked to toss shredded cheese into the water, just to watch the cautious fish gather and feed. Maybe Rainbow Dash liked to feed the fish too? It looked Rainbow was wearing a cap. She didn't like to cover up her mane much, and it stuck out. Some kind of jewelry was glinting on it. She leaned back into a collapseable chair on the side of the bridge, waving a shiny black pole. Fluttershy tilted her wings and swung in on a wider angle. She heard more splashing but she could only catch brief glimpses of her friend. There was a big red bucket next to her chair, and a little grill. She could smell the smoke now, as the wind eased up. Silver glinted again, flecked with red. Fluttershy slowly pulled down on the opposite bank. She heard a thick, wet wack. “Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy said, noticing the quaver in her voice. Rainbow Dash lifted up a bloody trout by the tail. A scale was hanging by a thread from the front of its face. It gasped and flapped its drying gills. Rainbow Dash brought it down one more time on the wooden slats, splashing skin mucus and sticky fish blood. The fish jerked once and lay still. Its eyes were already starting to cloud over. Rainbow Dash brought up the fish for one more skull-crunching smack. Then she turned to Fluttershy. Her face didn't look angry, or cruel, or even very hungry. She just had a calm, determined face, like somepony scrubbing the burnt bits from an iron skillet. That calm evaporated when the strange blue pegasus met Fluttershy's gaze. A gutless smile replaced it. “Oh, um, hi Fluttershy. Care for a-I mean, have a seat?” Her guilty eyes fled to the grill, to some fresh-picked lemons, a jug of cider, a plate painted with starlings in flight, and a very sharp knife. The plate had some bones on it. Fluttershy drew a breath to speak. She didn't realize how long she'd been going without air. She expected to burst into tears or collapse, but her legs were firm and her ees were dry. When she breathed out again, she realized that she didn't have anything she wanted to say to this rainbow-haired pegasus in front of her. The blue pegasus set the fish down, carefully. She tried to wipe the thick blood from her hooves. It smeared on her fur and the moist boards, but the glutinous clots didn't come off. The pegasus crossed her forlegs behind her back. “Uh, I know this kind of looks bad, and I can tell your upset, but--” Rainbow Dash started. Fluttershy walked up towards the pegasus. The pegasus flinched back. Fluttershy walked past her and looked into the bucket. The fish inside it were alive. She picked up the bucket. “Hey, what are you-” the blue pegasus said. Fluttershy dumped the fish into the creek. Then she turned around. She looked over her shoulder, took careful aim, and kicked the grill hard. The coals sizzled in the shallows as the grill tumbled down with a pleasant metallic percussion. “Look, I'm sorry, alright?” Rainbow Dash said, in the tone of somepony who is more angry than sorry, and still not as angry as they are scared. Fluttershy climbed the railing of the bridge, angled her wings, and took off. Her heart was racing and her mouth was dry but she felt calm. Fluttershy had really been looking forward to the school trip to Stormcloud Lake, back when she lived in cloudsdale. She'd liked seeing the fish, and she'd been really proud when she actually caught one until she found out what they were supposed to DO with the fish. She'd then been shocked when she told the other fillies and they didn't care. They'd made fun of her for that, but it was barely enough for Rainbow Dash to notice in between defending her honor and all that “Fluttercry” stuff. Fluttershy really did not miss Cloudsdale.