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Advice

The wood creaked as a loud, thunderous boom echoed outside. The loud sound caused most of the animals to bound about the deck underneath. This was expected and was better than the alternative. They've been at sea for 23 days, and whatever food her husband packed had long since been eaten. She couldn't stand the sight of the couples starving. It tore her heart up inside. It was better for them to panic now than for them to remember their empty bellies. She shook herself. She shouldn't think that, even if it was true. Nothing, no matter how mean or cruel should have to suffer in any way. She picked herself up and trotted up the stairs to the deck above.

There, she found one of her three sons. It was her youngest, Shem, taking care of a small mouse who was feeling under the weather from their voyage. She still could hardly believe it. When her husband told her that Faust almighty came to him with the plans to build an ark ten thousand hoofbits high and ten thousand hoofbits long, she thought that he had given into the chaos in his heart. That night, an angel appeared to her in a vision and told her to remain ever-faithful in his judgment. Slowly, the ark was built before her eyes and finished on the day of the great flood. That same day, animals of all forms filed inside two-by-two. She was amazed and thrilled to see so many of them. Next to her family and faith, animals were where she felt her place in life should be. This teaching along with the teachings of the almighty were passed down to each son.

She ruffled her son's mane. Even though he was well into his adulthood, she couldn't help but see him as the same small bundle of joy that she held in her forelegs. It was hard sometimes to see that face that she had clean now a well managed beard. He turned to her and smiled. "It seems that the patient is doing just fine," he said. She nodded and moved to the top deck.

She rose from the threshold and saw him. She saw the stallion she had fallen in love with all those years ago even if he was a bit more wrinkly than she remembered. His once deep blue coat was now a dull and more grey. His robes, disheveled and salted by the sea hung loosely swinging with his beard in the breeze. His mane used to be a handsome gingered color, but was now tattered and white. He stood looking out the window into the world with his back to her. She sat beside him, draping her wing across his back. His eyes didn't budge. They were the only thing that remained after his youth. The were a soft lavender hue, but also had an unseen edge to them. They were truly a gaze that only a true father could give. He stared stalwartly out into the raging storm just outside the wooden hull. She nuzzled closer feeling his warmth through the robes.

"I'm sorry," he sighed after a long while. She looked to him. "I'm sorry for having you suffer through this." He closed his eyes. "This was a duty given to me by Her, and should be mine to do." He shook his head. She squeezed him gently.

"Don't beat yourself up. It isn't your fault. It isn't anyone's fault," she said delicately. "I stayed by your side because I have faith in you and in Her." She looked up at her husband. "I trust you."

He returned his gaze silently thanking her. They returned their gaze to the storm outside. A lightning bolt flashed in front of them-

Fluttershy sat up in her bed breathing heavily. Her room was dark, and she could scarcely remember the dream she had. She placed a hoof on her chest to prevent her heart from exploding from her chest. She inhaled deeply looking around the bedroom. She glanced at all the familiar shapes and sighed out in a slow breath. She did this several times before she had calmed herself. She assumed she had a terrible nightmare. Shaking her head and smiling to herself, she laid back down with her mind at ease.

She was about to drift back into the realm of dreams, when she heard a knock at her door. She waited, hoping that it was her imagination. After a few moments of silence, she closed her eyes. It came again. Fluttershy sat upright and waited for a second. For the third time, the noise resonated in her small little cottage. She slumped out of bed and lazily walked to the door. She rubbed a sleepy eye and opened it. Fluttershy made out a pair of crimson eyes shifting about nervously.

"Hey, Rainbow," she greeted with a yawn.

"Heh-hey Fluttershy," she said looking away. "Did I wake you?"

"Not at all-"

"'Cause, if I did," Rainbow interrupted turning around to fly off and bury herself in a cloud. "I-I could always come back tomorrow."

"No, you didn't wake me," The yellow mare said becoming more alert. "In fact, I was sort of already awake." Fluttershy was grateful for the cover of night. She didn't want her friend to see her shame. She mumbled out "...I think I had a nightmare."

Rainbow paused. She knew Fluttershy since the two were fillies. They had both been the torment of bullies. Dash had been the one to try and beat some sense into some of the colts who made fun of her and her friend, while Fluttershy had been the one to hold her back most of the time. The two formed a sisterly bond since then and shared secrets. They trusted each other, and Rainbow Dash was about throw it all away because of her nerves.

She mentally scolded herself.

"So... what's up?" Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath in and faced her. "... I need to talk to you. I... don't really know who else to go to about..." Her voice was soft and trailed off as she concentrated on the ground. The cyan mare's mind was in a flux of emotions as she shifted about.

Fluttershy noticed the change in her mood almost immediately. "Come inside," she answered.

Rainbow tentatively took a few steps inside the cottage. Fluttershy found the magic powered lamp and flipped it on. Rainbow blinked in the bright light but found the couch and sat down. The yellow pegasus asked, "Would you like some tea?" Although she was not as gracious a host as Rarity, she still would try to make any guest feel comfortable. Rainbow Dash absent mindedly nodded.

Fluttershy disappeared in her kitchen, leaving Rainbow Dash alone. She could guess what was wrong. The rainbow maned pegasus was competitive, athletic and had a slightly bigger ego than most. That was a given, but other than that, she was aloof in certain topics. There was little that could make her this way now, but back in flight school, she would sometimes just fly off in the middle of a session. It was then that Fluttershy learned something about Dash. It changed their friendship forever.

~~~~~

"Dash, where were you?" The young pegasus asked. "You missed out on the flight test. You never miss those."

The smaller pegasus didn't look at her friend and mumbled. "Sorry..."

"Um... Dash? I-is there something wrong?" The timid pegasus asked leaning her head down to the other.

Dash sat there for a moment and suddenly looked up. Her eyes were wet with tears, and mane messy and unkempt. Her cheeks were red with tear stains, but not as red as those eyes. With a small voice, she asked "Do you think I'm pretty?"

~~~~~

It was just as shocking then as it was now. Not many didn't take Dash as an insecure one back then, and now. Fluttershy at the time thought she had figured Rainbow Dash out. Now though, she still was trying to unravel the mystery surrounding Rainbow Dash and her thoughts.

Fluttershy returned carrying a tray with tea kettles and cups. Her mind glinted with worry after seeing her that her friend hadn't moved an inch since she left. She was curled up on the sofa looking down at the coffee table. She set the tea tray on the table and took a seat adjacent to Rainbow. The silence sat heavily on them. Fluttershy would wait. If there was one thing about Rainbow Dash that she knew, it was that her friend had difficulty in expressing herself. She wouldn't pry. That would only scare her off like a small deer. Fluttershy would be patient and continue to be for however long it takes. She poured herself and Rainbow a small cup and took a small sip.

Time passed slowly around them until it came to a standstill. Fluttershy jumped a little after a grandfather clock sung the hour. Rainbow didn't move. Fluttershy wondered if her friend had fallen asleep. She bent down low and looked her in the eye. They were half-lidded and held a distant, featureless stare, as if she were in a trance. Dash sighed causing Fluttershy to recoil, nearly toppling the yellow mare over. Rainbow opened her mouth to say something, but shut it after shaking her head. Fluttershy set her cup down and proceeded to wait once more.

"I..." a small, raspy voice began. "...I think... that I nearly-" she stopped and raised her head to meet the other's. Fluttershy braced herself for whatever might come out of her friend. Dash swallowed a dry lump at the back of her throat. The yellow mare held her breath. She continued in a shaky tone, "I think that I nearly killed a mare."

The silence grew evermore still and deafening. Fluttershy blinked as thought ceased in her brain. Then, she snapped herself from the shock and asked, "Dash, are you drunk?"

"Wha-what?" Rainbow did double take as she put two and two together. "Why would you...?" Her voice trailed off as she rubbed her eyes. She took a deep breath. "This is serious..."

"I am serious!" Fluttershy cut off. She had heard many confessions from her friend over the years. Up until now, the craziest confession she heard was that Rainbow had tried meat once on a dare from Gilda. That secret disgusted and horrified her, but this one had blown it completely out of the water. "If you want my help, then I need to know..." Fluttershy's tone was stern and motherly to the cyan mare. She looked at her once more and sighed.

"No..." she groaned. "Let me start from the beginning." Fluttershy was about to interrupt before she saw the Rainbow had. It wasn't defensive, or annoyed. It was a pleading look that Fluttershy saw. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and nodded.

Rainbow explained the events leading to the black pegasus' crash. Fluttershy's face contorted into a neutral gaze.

"So, you feel guilty because you think you caused the crash?" Fluttershy asked rubbing a hoof under her chin.

"I don't think, I know I did," Rainbow Dash said letting her head drop into her hooves. "I just don't know what to do..."

"Well..." Fluttershy began. Her eyes rolled back in thought. After a second Rainbow looked at her in desperation. Fluttershy's mouth grew into a small grin. "I think I have the solution."

"R-really?" Rainbow Dash said perking up a bit.

"Yes." Fluttershy sat up and placed her hooves together. "The best thing you can do is to be there for her."

"What?"

"Well, think about it," Fluttershy said taking the teacup into her hooves. "how long were you waiting for the surgery to get done?"

"A few hours, why?" Rainbow dash scratched her head in confusion.

"Don't you think that somepony might've come in looking for her?"

Rainbow thought for a moment and it dawned on her. "Oh... my... gosh!" she whispered loudly.

"Now, why don't you-"

"I'm an idiot!" Rainbow interrupted getting up from the couch. She began pacing around the room with her mind in a tizzy. "I'm such a stupid, stupid, idiot!" she repeated.

"Oh, Rainbow. Don't be so hard on yourself. Why, anypony in your situation wouldn't have seen it either," Fluttershy attempted to soothe.

"No, Fluttershy. You don't get it." Rainbow turned on her. "I royaly bucked up this time!" She was trying especially hard to not cry.

"What do you mean?"

"I... I was there after the surgery. She just got out and I was stupid!" she said finally breaking down into tears. "I was the one who made her crash and I should've been kind to her, but I wasn't!"

"It couldn't have been that bad," Fluttershy said without confidence.

"You weren't there, 'shy," Rainbow's eyes widened remembering the events. "She...she said that she hated herself, and wanted to... to..." Rainbow's voice lost momentum.

Fluttershy's eyes went wide and quickly embraced the Pegasus. Dash struggled away but eventually gave into it. They sat there for a while before Rainbow pushed her away.

"Dash," the yellow mare began. "I know you might think that there is no going back, and I might never change your mind, but I can honestly say that the best thing you can do, is to apologize and be there."

"But what if-"

Fluttershy cut her off with a shake of her head. "It doesn't matter. The worst thing that can happen is that she doesn't accept it."

Silence dominated once more before the cyan mare spoke up.

You're right," she conceded. "I'm just being... uh..." Rainbow wiped away her tearstains trying to remember the word.

"Dramatic," Fluttershy aided. "Also, I think you forgot something." Rainbow looked at her friend curiously. "You were the one who helped her."

"Hey... yeah, that's right." Rainbow said feeling like her normal self again. "I mean, I was the only one who could, technically, but anypony else who could've would've saved her, right?"

Fluttershy nodded.

"Thanks, Fluttershy," she said giving a genuine smile. She gave the mare a quick hug. "Sometimes, I don't know how you can put up with me."

"Oh, it's no trouble really." She watched the mare walk to the door before an epiphany happened. "Where are you going?"

"To apologize, why?" Rainbow paused at the door.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Fluttershy said trying to suppress a giggle.

"Wha...?"

"It's past midnight, silly," Fluttershy pointed out.

"Oh..."

"Go home, and get some rest. In the morning, you can go and visit her."

"Alright," Dash began with a chuckle. "G'night, and thanks again, 'shy." she said leaving.

"Hello?" Dash called out into the black nothingness. The surrounding silence didn't answer back. She felt cold. Dash didn't like it. It felt like she wasn't standing on anything, yet she was. There was no wind, no sound. Just the cold slowly creeping up the back of her leg. She took a few steps forward and didn't get anywhere. She began galloping until she was in flight. Still, she felt the sharp cold tingling and sliding up her. When it made it to her flank she found the her legs didn't work. Try as hard as she might, she couldn't move them. Slowly and meticulously did the cold reach her wings to which she slid hard onto the surface of the inky black nothing. Her eyes focused on a pair of large silver and white disks. She gasped as a voice trembled the world around her.

YOU THINK I'D ACCEPT AN APOLOGY FROM YOU?!!

Rainbow felt herself shift and shrink under the cold gaze.

WHAT KIND OF FREAK ARE YOU?! YOU PUT ME IN THE HOSPITAL AND NOW YOU SAY YOUR SORRY?!!
Rainbow fell...and fell... deeper... into the darkness... She was swallowed... she could feel herself ebbing away...

Rainbow Dash awoke from her nightmare in a cold sweat. she felt a prodding from her side. Turning around, she saw Tank. The tortoise's silhouette was being cast from the propeller on it's shell. For the moment, it was the only sound that permeated between the two. In Dash's mind, the words from the horrible dream echoed hauntingly. She grabbed the shell and hugged it to her chest. The reptile slowly nuzzled her in reassurance. "Thanks, buddy," she whispered. She laid back onto her bed. Tank retreated into his mobile home and fell asleep. Rainbow fell into a dreamless state with her pet nearby. If AJ saw this, she would never let Rainbow live it down. Dash had a bigger concern on her mind.

"What am I gonna do?"

Author's Note:

Fluttershy's dream was inspired halfway from watching "Evan Almighty," and the concept of reincarnation and/or past lives. You can tell how tired I was from that statement alone...

Yeah... I need more sleep. Goodnight...

Oh, I bet you were expecting a backstory of some kind, right?
Tough stuff. I do have it, but it shall be released later. Until then, be patient. Also, Thank-you!
(Feeling iffy about the ending. Help welcomed)