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// 4 - Assertiveness (Sonic Rainboom), Part One 
// Story: A Slice of Flutterdash 
// by UnlicensedBrony 
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Fluttershy watched Rainbow Dash tumble backwards onto the ground. She frowned. “Too loud?” It was just as well that there was no-one else in the park with them – she would hate for anypony to have heard her shout so loud that it knocked her partner down.

“No,” Rainbow groaned. She wiped her hooves down her face in exasperation, then dragged herself up off the ground and walked over to a nearby bench. “Let's just take a break, okay?”

“Oh. Alright.” Fluttershy found a smile as she fell into step beside Rainbow. “This is kind of hard work.”

“Tell me about it,” said Rainbow, slumping on the bench. “How can you not know how to cheer?”

Fluttershy joined her, though she sat up rather than slouching. “I'm sorry,” she said. And she was – she wanted so badly to be able to cheer Rainbow on and help her perform a Sonic Rainboom. “I'll try harder, I promise.”

Rainbow sighed. “No, don't be sorry. You're just not used to this, I get it.”

Fluttershy smiled across at her. “Thank you for understanding. I'm not very good at being loud, or assertive, or passionate.”

“You're not so bad at passionate,” said Rainbow, smirking at her. Fluttershy blushed and looked away, though she was still smiling. “Seriously though,” Rainbow went on. “Doesn't it bother you, being quiet all the time?”

“Why would it?”

“Well, there must be stuff you want to say, right?”

“Not really,” said Fluttershy. “I usually prefer to just listen.”

Rainbow rolled her neck. “Okay... but what if there's, like, something you want, and ponies don't know because you stay quiet?”

“Oh, I don't really want anything,” said Fluttershy. That wasn't entirely true. In fact, since she and Rainbow had gotten... close, there was something she'd been thinking about more and more lately. The thought threatened to bring a blush to her cheeks, so she tried not to think about it. She smiled, and meant it when she said, “I'm quite happy.”

Rainbow raised a brow at her. “You wanted to go out with me, didn't you?”

So much for hiding the blush, Fluttershy thought. “W-well, yes, I suppose I did. But I was too afraid to say so, and--” She smiled. “--and you asked me anyway.”

“Exactly!” said Rainbow, sitting up straight. “But that was just because I wanted to – I didn't know you wanted it too.”

Fluttershy cocked her head. “But, what if – not that I would – but what if I'd said 'no'?”

“I figure it would've been better than not knowing,” said Rainbow, with a shrug. “But what if I hadn't said anything? Would you have?”

“Goodness, no!” said Fluttershy. “I'd be too afraid.” There was a brief silence, whilst Fluttershy watched Rainbow, who just stared at her, prompting her to keep going. “So... I suppose we never would have gone on our date,” Fluttershy continued, her face falling as she did. “Oh. I see what you mean.”

Rainbow touched Fluttershy's shoulder with a wing and spoke in a gentle voice. “You've gotta learn to be more assertive, Fluttershy. Otherwise, how're ponies gonna know what you want?”

Fluttershy gave it a brief moment of thought, then returned Rainbow's smile. “You're right, of course. I'll give it a try.”

“Good!” said Rainbow. “And another thing – you don't have to agree with everything everyone says, just to keep them happy.”

Fluttershy's smile widened at that. “That's good advice too, I agree.”

Rainbow put her face in her hooves and shook her head. “You'll get there,” she said. With that, Rainbow rose from the bench and stretched out her wings. “Come on, let's get back to practise. And could you try to be just a little louder, for me?”

Fluttershy rose to join Rainbow and nodded. “Okay.”

Rainbow flapped her wings a couple of times and kicked off into the air, preparing to make her ascent. Fluttershy's eyes darted to the ground, then back up. “Wait, Rainbow...”

Rainbow turned around. “Yeah?”

“If, in theory, there was something I wanted from, um, you,” said Fluttershy, carefully. “Would you want me to ask you?”

“Of course! Why, is there something?”

Fluttershy looked to one side. “Um. I'll tell you later?”

Rainbow grinned. “Sure. Whenever you're ready.”


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