“Where’s Gullywash?”
Orion blinks at me in surprise. “Um, I think I saw him out there...” He points feebly out the window.
I look outside and see Gullywash trotting across the airfield. It looks like the idiot hasn’t shaved in a week. His tan coat and spiky mane clash horribly with his Counselor hat and jacket. To top it all off, he’s wearing a smug grin, like he knows what he’s done and doesn’t care.
I growl and charge out the door. As close in on him, Gullywash turns around and smiles. "Hey, April, how's it—"
"What did you do to Fluttershy?" I demand.
Gullywash blinks. "I...I don't know what you mean," he says, looking away.
"You're lying,” I growl. "What did you do to Fluttershy?"
"Woah, April, calm down." Orion has finally caught up.”What's going on?"
"This a-hole won't tell me what he did to my sister," I hiss. Orion takes a step back, eyes wide.
He looks back and forth between us for a moment. Finally, he looks at me and asks, “Well, what did he do?”
I shoot Orion a glare. "Monday and Tuesday, Fluttershy wouldn’t stop talking about camp. Yesterday, she didn’t say a word,” I growl. “Not. A word. And she was in your class yesterday,” I say, jabbing Gullywash in the chest. “Something happened, and you’re going to tell me what. It. Was.”
Gullywash looks away again and mutters something.
"What was that?" I demand.
He turns and looks me in the eye. "Your sister can't fly," he says.
I suck in a breath. ”What?"
"Your sister can't fly," he repeats. "Yesterday, we were up on the high glide. The foals are just supposed to get a little running start, jump off, and glide to the ground. Helps build their confidence, no big deal.” He takes a breath. “Your sister couldn't do it. She jumped, dropped like a rock, and the other foals started making fun of her. That's it."
I sat down, hard.
“...You’re not answering her question,” Orion says, after a pause. “Did you do something to Fluttershy?”
Gullywash looks away. “I...I might have pushed her.”"You pushed her?" I shriek. I lunge at him, but Orion grabs me.
He looks over his shoulder. “Gullywash, get out of here,” he orders. Wide-eyed, Gullywash takes off running.
I flail my hooves at him as he dashes away. "You lay a hoof on her again, and I will end you. Do you hear me? End yo—"
Orion clamps a hoof over my mouth. “April, calm down! You’re gonna scare the foals.” He wrestles with me for another minute before hissing in my ear. “Listen,” he says, “Maybe Gullywash didn’t mean anything. Sometimes the foals need that little push—otherwise, they might never realize they can fly. That’s half the point of the High Glide.” He turns and sees the pain and anger in my eyes. He lowers his head and sighs. “Tell you what. If you want to beat the crap out of Gullywash, I don’t care. Just do it after hours. For now, take a walk and try to blow off some steam. When you’re done, meet me at the runway. We need you over there.”
He lets go of me and walks away. I stand there, fuming, for a minute before I turn and stomp towards the racetrack.
It’s just not fair. It’s taken us so long to get Fluttershy here—the forms, the doctor’s visit, the stories...if that was all for nothing…
And Gullywash made me a liar, too. I promised Fluttershy that she’d love camp, and that all the counselors were nice...
What was he thinking, pushing her off like that? He knew she was having trouble; she could’ve gotten really hurt! It’s my job to take care of Fluttershy, and if I’d known that Gullywash was going to do that to her…
And all the other foals making fun of Fluttershy... she’s so sensitive, I... I don’t know if she’ll ever want to fly again...
After a dozen or so laps around the track, I take a deep breath. I’m still mad, but I don’t feel like killing anyone anymore. I sigh and peel off towards the runway. After a moment, I smile.
It doesn’t matter. Gullywash and I still need to have a discussion, but all I can do now is help make the rest of Flight Camp the best time Fluttershy’s had in her life. That’s the important thing.
At that instant, I hear the laughter.
I look down look down and see I’m right over the hoops course. Fluttershy’s sitting down on some clouds, trying to hide behind her mane. Two colts, one brown and one orange, stand in front of her. Pointing. Laughing.
I snarl. I tuck my wings back and go into a dive—
Right then, a filly with a rainbow mane lands next to Fluttershy, facing the bullies. I flare my wings and stop, staring. The rainbow one is talking to them. I strain my ears, but I can’t make out what she’s saying.
After a moment of arguing, the four of them trot away: Fluttershy, the rainbow one, and the brown one in one direction, the orange one in another. I land on the clouds and glance back and forth between Fluttershy’s group and the orange colt, both rapidly disappearing in opposite directions. What on earth is going on?
I turn and follow Fluttershy. The rainbow filly and the brown colt keep on shooting little comments at each other, but I still can’t hear them. Fluttershy lags behind them a little, the smallest hint of a spring in her step.
I suddenly realize where we’re going. Straight ahead is the starting point for the hoops course. As I watch, the orange colt flies by and lands on the start line, holding a checkered flag.
I stop, stunned. The rainbow one challenged them to a race.
She’s protecting Fluttershy.
The rainbow filly flies up to the orange colt, and, after another moment of arguing, takes the checkered flag. She flies back down and gives it to Fluttershy. They talk for a bit, then the rainbow one flies away. She returns a second later with a little cloud. Fluttershy gingerly steps on it, and the rainbow one pushes her into the middle of the course—right where the flagpony would be in an actual race. I see Fluttershy flash a little grin.
I smile as I feel my worries melt away. Yes, some of the foals might make fun of Fluttershy, but now she has an ally. I can stand up for her, but she needs someone her own age—a friend who can defend her in the locker room or in the hallways at school. This rainbow filly is exactly who she needs. I sigh. Everything’s gonna be alright.
I walk up and join the swelling crowd of foals. Orion needs me for something else, but this is my sister. I don’t care.
Fluttershy waves the flag, and they’re off. I whoop as they round the first corner, the rainbow one in the lead. I watch them for a moment more, then I turn to see the look on Fluttershy’s face.
I freeze, my breath stuck in my throat.
The little cloud is empty.
Fluttershy’s gone.
I turn to the foal next to me. “Did you see Fluttershy?”
“Who?”
“Fluttershy. My sister. The pony with the flag?”
“Oh, her. No, I haven’t.”
I turn to the next foal. “Did you see her?”
“No.”
no no no
I turn and scan the stands. No Fluttershy. Where could she have gone?
I stop. I look down.
At the ground.
Oh, no.
I dive off the stands. The wind shrieks past me as I build speed.
Don't you remember what happened to your Grandpa Snowdrift?
I hear Mom’s voice in my ears. I try to shut her out, scanning the forest below for yellow and pink.
Fluttershy, don't you ever do that again! You can't fly, and if you fall down, we might never find you!
I close my eyes and flap harder. Gotta find her. Bring her back. Keep her safe.
Hey, how about this—when she tries to fly, she'll fall straight to the ground! Then she'll be Splattershy!
I open my eyes and scream.
my fault my fault my fault
I see something. I turn my head. A rainbow streak, shooting down towards the forest.
What on earth—
BOOM
Color! Light! Noise!
can’t see can’t see
falling
Trees!
PAIN
Blackness.