“And make sure to send us letters, Cheerilee,” reminded Rarity to her friend for like the twentieth time with tears in her eyes.
“You know I will, as long as you all send letters to me,” said Cheerilee and tried smiling to lift the low spirits of her friends here, on the rail station. She wasn’t very convincing, though. It was no wonder as she didn’t feel exactly happy either.
That is, the moment she talked to her friends so much about had come at last. The moment none of them had been looking forward to. The moment Cheerilee and her family were moving away.
She felt so sorry, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She’d much rather stay, but it wasn’t so easy, especially as the whole moving away was being done for her. So to speak, not even her parents felt like leaving the good old Ponyville, but they were ready to do anything for their daughter.
Ever since she finally earned her Cutie Mark, she knew she was meant to be a teacher. Who would have thought that the jokes they made on this topic with Applejack as little fillies would become true in the end. Anyway, becoming a teacher wasn’t that easy. First she had to study, and because the nearest suitable school was located all the way in Manehattan, the family ultimately decided to move in together.
And so, after several months of preparations and arrangements, she was standing here among her best friends, who came to say goodbye.
A sudden whistle of the engine and call of the conductor let them know the train to Manehattan was ready to depart. For the last time the five fillies hugged with tears in their eyes. Neither uttered a word this time.
“Have a nice time,” sighed Cheerilee sadly at last and with slow and weighing pace she followed her parents, who waited for her in the train.
Soon after there was a loud whistle, a cloud of steam raised from the engine and the train was set in motion. Cheerilee was standing with her muzzle glued to the window and waved with all might at the four fillies, who ran along the train until they couldn’t keep up anymore.
They were soon completely out of sight. “Farewell,” Cheerilee whispered with tears in her eyes. She knew that nothing would stay the way it had been until then. Yet she knew she’d gladly come back to Ponyville once she’d have finished the school.
Several years later
“Applejack! Can you tell me what for Celestia’s sake are you doing right now?” exclaimed Rarity in horror, changed beyond recognition. Her make-up was gone, and so was her beautiful dress she loved to wear so much. Instead she was wearing something that resembled a work attire, even though just very distantly, because Rarity decided to spiff it up as much as she could anyway. Besides that she was also terribly dirty.
“Wawity,” slurred her orange friend, who was even dirtier than she was. In her muzzle she held a hammer that she rather spit out on the ground to be able to speak properly. “I build more things than you could ever imagine with these hooves, so I know better than you, where to put a beam.”
“But here wasn’t supposed to be any. You were supposed to put it over there,” Rarity tried to complain and she pointed her hoof a little sideways.
“That’s all very nice, sugarcube,” smiled Applejack at her understandingly. “However, if we place it here, this whole house…”
“Boutique,” corrected her Rarity in a flash.
“This whole boutique more stable,” finished Applejack with a sigh. “I don’t want it to fall down on your head one day.”
“Alright then,” frowned Rarity and she knew she’d lost. Before long her face was beaming with smile again. “I will manage somehow. And thanks for warning me,” she said to her friend. “I wouldn’t notice it without you.”
“It’s alright,” smiled Applejack. “And enough of this chattering. This thing won’t build itself and there’s a whole lotta work to do,” she claimed after a while and got ready to get back to work.
However, suddenly there was a blinding flash outside and from the upper unfinished floor of Rarity’s future boutique echoed a terrifying blow, followed by several dull thuds.
“What was that for Celestia’s sake?” exclaimed Rarity, horrified, and she was about to run towards the yet unfinished, but already usable stairs.
“Wait!” stopped her Applejack with her shout. “I’d better go first. We don’t know what happened over there.”
Rarity surprisingly didn’t object. She knew very well, that Applejack was the kind of mare to always keep a cool head in any situation. So she let her lead by a couple of steps.
Applejack slowly stepped up the stairs and carefully opened the recently installed door. Sunbeams coming in through the unfinished roof slipped inside.
Just when their eyes finally adjusted to the light, both our mares noticed the surprise waiting for them over there. Nearly half of the already fixed beams were smashed and scattered on the floor as tiny splinters.
In the very center of this mess there lied a sky blue pegasus mare. Her mane and tail had a strange color Applejack had never seen before on anypony. They were rainbow-colored.
“What the pony happened here?!” cursed Applejack and ran towards the blue mare that was all bruised, battered and moreover she seemed to be unconscious.
“Are you okay, girl?” she nudged her softly with her muzzle and watched if the mare would come to senses. Fortunately it worked.
The blue mare first blinked her eyes lazily, but then she shot them open in shock and jumped on all fours. She seemed to have taken no serious injuries, what was, according to Applejack, a sort of a miracle.
“Um… Hi,” she grinned at them. “I see it didn’t work so well, eh?” she said plainly and looked around at the damage she’d caused.
Applejack was the first to break the ice and get a few words out. “What for Celestia’s sake were you doing? You could have gotten yourself killed. And just look at the mess you caused.”
“Look, I’m really sorry. I didn’t do that on purpose,” the blue mare guiltily hung her head. She didn’t keep that attitude for long, though. “Did you see me?” she hurdled out. “I almost did it. Another trick I’m going to show the Wonderbolts one day. I call it the Corsair’s flash, but I think I should work a bit on the braking part, right?” she smiled at them innocently.
Applejack felt she should feel angry at her, but she somehow couldn’t. Even Rarity was surprisingly calm considering the fact that the mare had just destroyed a piece of their work. Instead she was glad nothing serious happened to her.
“Unfortunately no, we were just down on the ground floor,” Rarity shook her head.
“Damn it,” cursed the blue mare.
Rarity gave her a freezing stare, just as if she wanted to reprimand her without words. She didn’t like it, when ponies used harsh language, even though she gave up on that with Applejack long ago. “And what’s your name, sweetie?” she asked her at last. “And what are you doing here?”
“I am Rainbow Dash,” answered the mare proudly and puffed up her chest. “And I’m looking for someone here in Ponyville.”
“Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash,” mumbled Applejack for herself. “I’ve got the feeling that I’ve heard that name before.”
“Really?” Rainbow Dash looked at her in surprise. It seemed that it really lifted her spirits. Then, however, she just made a smug smile and added: “There’s really no wonder, though. One day I will be the most famous pony in all Equestria, right after Princess Celestia.”
Rarity gave her another of her reprimanding looks, which silenced her for a short while. “You should really start thinking about your manners, young lady,” she scolded her. “You fly in here like a storm and destroy half of my house. And then you boast uncouthly like that. No well-mannered mare should behave that way.”
“Well yeah,” Rainbow Dash drooped her ears with guilt. “But I’ve told you I’m sorry.” Then her expression brightened up with a smile again. “Look, what if I helped you two then? I wanted to stay anyway. But first I need to find one of my friends.”
Rarity smiled at her, satisfied with the fact that despite her apparent stubbornness, she managed to teach the blue mare at least a bit of good manners. “And what’s the name of that friend of yours?” she asked her. “We can tell you where to look for her. And by the way I am Rarity and this is my friend Applejack.”
“It’s a pleasure,” smiled Rainbow Dash. “Well, I don’t know if you know her. She’s always been very timid and she doesn’t like meeting other ponies. She’s called Fluttershy.”
“Of course, Rainbow Dash!” yelled suddenly Applejack, who was still wondering about that name. “Now I know where I’ve heard about you from. It was Fluttershy who told me about you.”
“Do you know her?” wondered Rainbow Da.sh.
“Of course,” smiled Rarity. “She is one of our best friends and your description fits perfectly on her.”
“That’s just awesome,” cheered up Rainbow Dash. “Can you show me where she lives? I haven’t seen her for like ages.”
“Hmm,” Rarity thought about it. “Maybe it would be better if we went with you. We still have to come up with something to do about this mess before we continue the construction works.
“Yup, that’s a good idea,” agreed Applejack. “I should go check up on the farm anyway and see if everything is alright. This way I’ll at least have some company on the way.”
“Amazing,” beamed Rainbow Dash. “I won’t ever forget this to you two,” she added with a smile.
“I’m glad to hear that,” smiled Rarity and soon all the three mares walked towards the farm and Fluttershy’s cottage, hiding just a tiny bit behind it.
• • •
Before long, Applejack’s farm appeared in front of their eyes from behind a small hill. Smoke was coming lightly out of its chimney and the surrounding trees were swaying in the wind. The only one from her family that Applejack spotted was Apple Bloom, who was playing at the entrance road. As soon as she spotted her big sister, she started running towards them. Applejack didn’t hesitate a second and accelerated towards her.
They met somewhere halfway. Apple Bloom happily jumped up to embrace her by the neck and Applejack nuzzled her softly.
“Hi Applejack,” greeted her little Apple Bloom.
“Hello, sugarcube,” welcomed her Applejack with a smile. “So how did you do the whole day?”
“It’s okay,” said little Apple Bloom. “I played with Big Mac, but then he had to go to the animals.”
“What’s up? Something happened?” asked her Applejack, concerned.
“Big Mac told me to tell you to go see him right after you come by,” passed Apple Bloom her instructions.
“Hmm,” growled Applejack. It was clear that something wasn’t completely alright. “I’m sorry, girls,” she turned at the two remaining mares, who caught up in the meanwhile, “but I’ll have to stay here.”
“It’s alright, Applejack,” smiled Rarity understandingly. “I will lead Rainbow Dash to Fluttershy.”
“Thanks and send her my regards,” Applejack returned her smile. Then she turned to Rainbow Dash. “Take care, Rainbow, and I hope to meet again sometimes,” she grinned at her.
“Sure thing,” ensured her Rainbow Dash. “You take care, too, Applejack.”
Applejack gave her the last smile and ran off towards the farm. Apple Bloom stayed a while, though, and curiously inspected both of the mares. She sort of reminded Rarity of her own little sister.
“You are colored like rainbow!” cried out Apple Bloom suddenly with her head turned to Rainbow Dash.
“I sure am, kid,” smiled Rainbow.
“Cool,” grinned Apple Bloom and ran off after Applejack towards the farm. The two stayed watching her amusedly for a while and then they set off towards Fluttershy’s small cottage, which was close by.
• • •
“Fluttershy?” called Rarity and knocked on the door of the tiny cottage she’d helped building just a few years ago. “I brought you somepony.”
Nothing happened for a while, but then the door opened a little bit and through the tiny gap the blue-green eye of her friend was looking at her. Rainbow Dash was standing aside, so Fluttershy couldn’t see her.
“Umm, hi Rarity,” whispered Fluttershy shyly. “W-ho is it?” she asked, when she noticed no one besides Rarity.
“I think it’s somepony you know very well,” smiled Rarity and encouraged Rainbow Dash to step a little closer.
“R-rainbow?” a surprised gasp sounded, when Fluttershy spotted her old friend. Then the door busted open and a canary-yellow smear jumped from inside, landing around Rainbow Dash’s neck.
“I missed you so much, Rainbow,” began Fluttershy.
“I missed you too, Fluttershy. So much,” her rainbow friend smiled at her and had great difficulties suppressing the tears of happiness.
“And where have you been all the time? And how did you do?” continued Fluttershy, who was suddenly so talkative in her friend’s company.
“In Cloudsdale, of course,” said Rainbow Dash, but smile quickly disappeared from her face. “But it started to be pretty boring already. Still the same pegasi and just clouds and clouds. You know it after all. So I thought it would be better to have a look somewhere else and I remembered you and the letters you sent me. You’ve always talked about Ponyville so nicely, so I decided to move in after you.”
Fluttershy didn’t take notice of the mood change, she was too excited about the encounter, but Rarity did. She was certain that Rainbow Dash was hiding something. And she also felt that it wasn’t meant for her ears.
“Well, I’ve got to run,” she smiled at them. “Have fun together.” Then she turned to Rainbow Dash. “If you’ll feel like helping us with the construction tomorrow, meet me in the morning.”
“I’ll be there,” nodded Rainbow Dash and Rarity suddenly had the feeling the mare would be there no matter what would happen.
Rarity said goodbye to the two once again and set off towards the town. Fluttershy waved goodbye after her for a while and then invited Rainbow Dash inside, where she made drinks for both of them and together with her old friend they started talking about their experiences in the last few years.
• • •
The last few hours till evening went past like the wind. In the meantime they managed to tell each other so much and yet so much still remained untold. Yet even Fluttershy got the feeling that her friend was avoiding something, but she wasn’t mad at her for that. She knew that when the time would be right, Rainbow Dash would tell her by herself.
“Well, look at how dark it is outside,” started Rainbow Dash, when she looked out of the window. “I think I should fly now, hopefully they will still have a free room in the hotel.”
“What?” Fluttershy was horrified, not even counting with anything like that. “What’s gotten into you? You can sleep here, after all, with me. I’ll be really glad to have you here and at least I won’t be afraid alone. It can get really scary here at the edge of Everfree forest.”
“Really?” Rainbow Dash looked her, surprised by that offer. She didn’t even expect Fluttershy to give her such a warm welcome, so she didn’t really consider this option. Especially not after all those years they’d just been writing each other letters.
“Really,” smiled Fluttershy.
“Well, thank you then,” mumbled Rainbow Dash nervously.
“You can sleep in my bed. I will lie down here on the sofa. I just need to prepare it here for a bit,” started Fluttershy.
“Whoa, easy, girl!” stopped her Rainbow Dash. “Be so kind and keep your bed for yourself. This sofa is more than enough for me.”
“But,” Fluttershy tried protesting, she would do anything for her friend.
“No, as I said,” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “But you’re very nice,” she added kindly to calm down her friend a bit.
“Okay then,” sighed Fluttershy. “But I’ll bring you some sheets, pillows and duvets,” she tried something else.
“I can’t say no to that,” grinned Rainbow Dash and despite Fluttershy’s protests she joined her on the way upstairs to help her prepare all that.
• • •
Fluttershy suddenly sharply sat up in her bed and listened in the silence that filled the house. It was pitch dark outside. Just the moon sent a weak glow. In spite of that she thought she could hear something. It sounded almost like some kind of sobbing.
“Rainbow Dash,” the thought flashed across her mind. Immediately she jumped off her bed and aimed to the door leading down. She opened them and perked her ears. Yes, it was just as she feared. A quiet, yet persistent sobbing was coming from downstairs.
Quietly and slowly she made it down the stairs, so as to not disturb her friend. She had a hunch in the evening that she was bothered by something, and she’d love to know more and try to help her if she could. But this was Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy knew that she’d try to hide her weaknesses no matter the cost.
Carefully she made it all the way to the sofa, where her friend was sleeping, covered in duvets, and from where the sobbing was coming. It seemed that she hadn’t noticed Fluttershy.
“Rainbow Dash?” she called her name softly. “What’s the matter?”
The mare hidden under the duvets suddenly froze amidst a sob and then, in a somewhat unsure and slightly husky voice, she said: “Fluttershy? What are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping?”
“I thought I heard something,” tried to dodge it Fluttershy and climbed at the sofa next to her old friend. “Are you okay?”
A long silence ensued, interrupted just by the breathing of both mares. In the end Rainbow Dash’s face emerged from the duvets, framed by drops of tears, reflecting the moonlight.
“I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” began Rainbow Dash humbly. She knew she had to tell the truth. Fluttershy didn’t know this side of her yet. “I should have told you right away.”
“What is it?” smiled Fluttershy and scooted up closer to her friend.
Rainbow Dash sighed deeply, what Fluttershy used as an opportunity and soothingly hugged her friend. Surprisingly Rainbow Dash didn’t mind at all.
“It began a quarter a year ago, when my dad died,” Rainbow Dash started telling her story.
“I’m so sorry about that,” sympathized Fluttershy with her and slightly and soothingly swayed with her friend from side to side in embrace. Now she finally realized why Rainbow Dash stopped sending her letters all of a sudden.
“It’s true that I still miss him, but it doesn’t hurt like that anymore,” admitted Rainbow Dash and thus calmed her compassionate friend down a bit. “The reason for leaving Cloudsdale came after that,” she continued her story. “I felt really down at the funeral, so I sought support among my friends. But suddenly all those, who claimed to be my best friends, turned their backs on me. Suddenly I was no longer the ‘cool’ pony like before and nopony cared about that hurt and sad mare that I’d become. It took me a few months to realize I shouldn’t expect any help from such friends. So I ditched them all at once and went looking for you. For the only friend, who stayed with me through thick and thin.”
Fluttershy hugged her friend even tighter and felt the otherwise almost too self-confident mare bursting into tears again. It no longer mattered to Rainbow Dashed that Fluttershy could see her crying. The only thing she needed was to get it all out.
Fluttershy, on the other hoof, knew that she wouldn’t ever tell anyone what happened here that night and kept softly comforting her friend. She stayed with her until Rainbow Dash felt asleep with exhaustion. Then she laid her back to the duvets and she lied right next, ready to watch her till the morning cockcrow.
“Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to my friends,” she whispered in her ears. “I’m sure you’ll like them.”
Rainbow Dash, lost somewhere in her dreams, suddenly smiled and that look warmed Fluttershy at the heart. She felt that this friend wouldn’t ever leave her, no matter what.
• • •
“Good morning, Rainbow Dash. Good morning, Fluttershy,” greeted them Rarity, when the two mares reached the boutique under construction. “So how did you sleep?”
Rainbow Dash blushed for a moment, but she didn’t comment on that and rather changed the topic. “I came to help you, like I promised.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” smiled Rarity. “That’s very nice of you. Unfortunately, Applejack won’t be here today. One of her sheep had a difficult birth tonight, so she spent the whole night with her. Fortunately it ended well, but when I heard about that, I better sent Applejack back to get some sleep. You don’t need to be afraid we’d be alone, though. Pinkie Pie should help us today. She is also one of my friends.”
Before she could finish that, wind whizzed by and a hopping pink mare seemingly materialized out of nowhere right in front of the eyes of Rainbow Dash. She was kind of shocked by that, but the other present mares didn’t even take notice, so she better kept comments to herself.
“Hi Rarity, hi Fluttershy,” started Pinkie Pie. “Hi…” she froze in the middle of the sentence, when she realized she hadn’t yet met that next mare. A short pause followed, when the pink mare was evidently processing what that fact meant. A moment later her face suddenly made a huge smile and she started talking again. “Hi. I am Pinkie and if you want I will be your friend. Where are you from? How did you get here? Do you prefer muffins or cupcakes?” Pinkie Pie flooded the new mare with tons of questions.
“Pinkie!” scolded her Rarity. You can’t attack everypony like that from the very beginning. Can’t you see they are all nervous afterwards?”
“Really?” wondered Pinkie and smiled innocently.
“Really!” frowned Rarity. “By the way this is Rainbow Dash. She’ll be helping us out today.”
Pinkie grinned and started hopping around happily. “I’m so looking forward to that already,” she started again. “And then I have to throw Rainbow Dash a bash, if she’s new around here. That’s going to be awesome. What are you doing this evening? I hope nothing, because I have no idea how would you make it if you’ll be at my party…”
Rarity just sighed and ignored her pink friend. “So what, Rainbow Dash? Are we getting to it?”
“Sure thing,” smiled Rainbow Dash confidently.
“Hope you’re finished soon,” parted Fluttershy. “I still have to go buy some food for my animals.”
“Look, Fluttershy,” stopped her Rainbow Dash before she could leave. “I’d like to ask if you could help me, once I’m done here, gather some clouds. I’d like to build a home somewhere around here.”
“I’ll gladly help you, Rainbow,” smiled Fluttershy, happily said goodbye to everypony and set off to town.
“Come on, so what we’re gonna do?” Rainbow Dash nudged Rarity, who was staring at her with gaping mouth. Even Pinkie went surprisingly silent. “Can’t a pony even choose where she wants to live?” she added with a smile.
• • •
The party that followed that evening in Sugarcube Corner was a small one, but all the same it was the best thing Rainbow Dash had experienced in the last years. She hadn’t had such a blast for a very long time. What’s more, she found out that instead of one friend, she now suddenly had three more.
And so they were five again. Although not for long, as a few months later, on the Summer Sun Celebration day, Pinkie stumbled upon a certain purple unicorn mare, who arrived on that day all the way from Canterlot itself. But that’s a little different story.