It's a wonderful friendship

by Ugly-Duckling123

Chapter 6

Author's Note:

If the start of Rainbow's first flash back sounds like anyone else's fanfics, I am really really sorry.

Rainbow Dash was doing her patrol around the castle, thinking what that Unicorn had said to her the other day.

"You don't have to follow Sombra and Nightmare Moon, I know how loyal you can be. You just need to come over to the side of friendship and harmony."

"But I am loyal," Rainbow said under her breath, thinking how she was keeping Fluttershy safe.... By never being with her.

Rainbow and Fluttershy had been best friends ever since Rainbow went down to see if she was alright, after the race she had against the bullies who were picking on Fluttershy at flight camp, where she did her first Sonic-Rainboom.

---

Rainbow Dash had just finished her race. The race that showed every-pony, "You mess with Fluttershy, you mess with me." The race that also showed every-pony, the legend about the Sonic-Rainboom was real.

Gathering up the praises, Rainbow looked around for her classmate she had been defending, only to find she wasn't there. Remembering the splash of yellow she passed and the screams of terror that came when the race started Rainbow shook off the other ponies and dived down to the ground.

***
On the ground, Rainbow began looking around for Fluttershy, scared of what she would find.

After looking for five minutes getting more and more worried when...

Hush now, quiet now
It's time to rest your sleepy head,
Hush now, quiet now
It's time to go to bed...

Only one pony could be singing that lullaby in such a lovely voice.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow called out zooming over to where the singing was coming from.

As she got nearer, Rainbow did see Fluttershy. She was surrounded by animals, bears, rabbits, otters, ducks, squirrels, butterflies, and... Timber Wolf cubs!

Flying as fast as she could, Rainbow jumped in front of the cubs and Fluttershy, preparing herself for a fight. "Go Fluttershy. Get out of here, I'll take care of these wolves," she said glaring at the lumps of wood that were the wolf cubs.

Just then, howls could be heard from the Everfree Forest, howls from the cubs' not-too-happy parents. All the other animals were as scared as they were when that big explosion happened just a while earlier. They all ran away back to their hiding places. As three big Timber Wolves walked out of the forest growling, eyes glowing green.

"Cubs, get away from those ponies!" one of them called.

Gasping Fluttershy got down on all fours trembling.

"What is it Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked looking at the yellow Pegasus. "What's wrong?"

"Did... Didn't you just hear them call to their cubs Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked as scared as ever.

Hearing this, the biggest of the wolves turned his head to the two ponies. "What was that?"

"She can understand us Papa," one of the three cubs said bouncing around the grown-ups feet.

"Yeah," the second one said. "There was this huge noise, that scared us, so we ran out of the forest."

"And we saw this pony going around comforting all the other animals who were scared too." the last one said "So we went to her, telling her how scared we were and she began singing, and we weren't scared anymore"

"That was until that blue one came and started yelling!" the first one said staring at Rainbow Dash.

"Er... Why are they staring at me like that?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy who had become a little braver again.

"Erm..." Fluttershy said not knowing where to begin. "The cubs are telling their parents that they were scared, ran out of the forest, found me with the other animals, came to me, I started sing 'Hush now, quiet now', which made them feel better... Then you came up shouting and scared them again."

"And you know this how?" Rainbow asked keeping an eye on the wolves.

"Because I can understand animals. It's my special talent," Fluttershy said showing Rainbow her new Cutie-Mark (three pink butterflies).

Suddenly, the biggest wolf stepped forward, bowing to Fluttershy as a sign of respect for her looking after their cubs. "Thank you. Oh young yellow pony," it said. "Thank you for comforting and looking after our cubs. I am Lupin, Alpha-Male of this pack, who might I ask, may you be?"

Somehow knowing what to do, Fluttershy bowed as well. "I'm Fluttershy sir," she said getting lower than Lupin as a sign of respect. "And this is my... Friend Rainbow Dash. She's really sorry for scaring your cubs like that. She thought I was in danger."

Lupin got up and stared at Rainbow, almost waiting for something. Rainbow getting more and more nervous.

"What does it want me to do Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked.

"Lupin wants you to bow and say sorry for scaring the cubs," Fluttershy said back.

"But..." Rainbow began.

But with a growl from all three adults Rainbow got down on all fours, nose digging against the ground, trembling. "I'm sorry," she said.

The Timber Wolf on the right stepped closer, sniffing to inspect her. Rainbow stayed as still as she could while still shaking with fear.

"Lupin, I do not trust this one," he said stepping back. "It scared our cubs, it's far too noisy. It's... It's..."

"She's also my friend sir," came a silky voice with a bit of sternness in it, shocking the wolf.

"The only reason I was down here, to comfort your cubs and the other animals, was because she was racing some ponies who were picking on me," Fluttershy began, eyeing all three adults. "I was pushed off the cloud I was sat on and fell to the ground, only to be saved by loads of butterflies. After I introduced myself to them, there was a big explosion scaring everyone. I went around making sure they were all alright when your cubs found me, just as scared as the others," Fluttershy said taking in a deep breath. "But if Rainbow hadn't been racing to stick up for me, I wouldn't of been down here to keep your cubs safe when that explosion happened. They may have got themselves into danger, or trouble. So you should really be thanking her as well for the safety of your cubs. She was only coming to protect me, like I did to them."

Thinking this over, the other two adults looked at Lupin for answers on what to do. Then Lupin, surprising the other wolves, also bowed to Rainbow Dash as a sign of gratitude.

"Thank you Miss Dash. Fluttershy is right, we do owe our thanks to you as well," he said getting up again.

"Er..." Rainbow Dash asked looking over to Fluttershy.

"He says thank you for making sure I was here to protect their cubs, by flying against the bullies," Fluttershy told her.

"Oh," Rainbow said turning to the wolves again bowing. "You're welcome."

"If either of you need our help in any way, in the future, we are here to help," Lupin told Fluttershy, getting up and walking over to his pack members and the cubs, taking them back into the forest.

"What was that last bit of news?" Rainbow asked her new friend wrapping a wing around her.

"He said if ever we need help, they will be there to give it to us."

---

After going though her patrols, Rainbow Dash went back to the guards sleeping quarters and in to her room, being the Captain she got one to herself. After shutting the door and getting out of uniform, she sat on her bed and began to remember again how she lost her best friend.

---

It was the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration.

This year it was being held in Ponyville, and every-pony was very excited, and doing their jobs to make sure everything ran according to plan and went smoothly. Rainbow Dash was in charge of the weather patrol, to make sure the sky was clear for tomorrow's events, while Fluttershy was teaching the birds the song they would need to sing when the Princess arrived.

Every-pony was so caught up in their work none of them remembered the prophecy about Nightmare Moon coming back.

That night, everyone stayed up so they could see Celestia raise the sun to begin the longest day of the year.

"Hey Fluttershy!" Rainbow called out over the crowded town hall. "Your birds all ready to sing for the Princess then?"

"Erm... Yes they are Rainbow," Fluttershy said timidly not getting into eye contact with her loud and colorful friend. "I'm just worried, that's all. All day all the animals had been acting very strange, saying that a danger is coming."

"Danger?" Rainbow asked.

"Mares and Gentle-colts," Mayor Mare's voice called out, "Please help me to welcome the one who brings us the sun and the moon each and everyday, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestia... Princess Celestia."

Every-pony began to cheer, the birds started singing, the curtain opened up and.....

"Where is she?" an orange Earth pony in a stetson asked.

"Oh. Oh I love guessing games. Is she hiding?" a pink Earth pony, who in Rainbow's opinion was a little over excited asked.

"She's gone!" a white pampered Unicorn said walking out to face the crowds.

"Wow... She's good," the pink one said to no one in mind.

Then screams could be heard as blue fog started to surround the balcony where the Princess should have been. Suddenly a black Alicorn in silver blue body armour, appeared looking down on the ponies around her.

"Oh my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sunlight faces," she said.

"What did you do to our Princess!" Rainbow called out, trying to fly up to look at her in the eye, only to be held back by the orange Earth pony.

"Why, am I not royal enough for you?" the Alicorn said laughing a little "Don't you know who I am?"

"Oh. Oh more guessing games," the pink one said. "Erm... Pokie Smokes, er, how about Queen Meanie. No Blast Duty, Blast Duty..." she was cut off as a cupcake was shoved into her mouth.

"Does my crown no longer count now I've been imprisoned for a thousand years?" she said flying over to Fluttershy, scaring her to Rainbows annoyance 'How dare this pony scare my friend like that!' she thought.

"Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" Now zooming over to the Unicorn. "Well I'll tell you..." she said getting back up onto the balcony. "Remember this day little ponies, for it was your last. For this moment forth, the night will last forever!" Lightning struck as she cackled, her starry mane swirling around her head.

***

It all went down hill from there, Rainbow recalled.

A few months later, due to all the chaos the eternal night had bought, Discord broke free from his statue in the Canterlot Royal gardens. A little bit later, the Crystal Empire came back, bringing with it King Sombra.

The three of them, King Sombra - now married to Nightmare Moon, took over Equestia, capturing any-pony who got in their way, to have what they want.

A few days after the Three Rulers of Equestia were founded, Rainbow went over to see Fluttershy.

Her friend's house was a complete wreck. The usual sounds of birds singing, scampering or animal calls, could not be heard.

"Fluttershy!" Rainbow called poking her head though the door to see her friend under the sofa, hooves over her head trembling. "Fluttershy!" Rainbow ran over to her to bring her out so they could talk.

"R...Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked. "I'm... I'm scared Rainbow." she said "I... I just want everything back to how it was...," tears coming to her eyes.

Knowing it would break Fluttershy's heart, Rainbow gave her the reason why she came over. "'Shy, there are Nightmare Guards all over town, hunting down every-pony to take to Canterlot." She began hugging her friend. "You need to run into the Forest and find Lupin and his pack, and tell him what's going on, ask him to take care of you until I come to find you and say it's ok."

"But..." Fluttershy spoke up.

"I don't want you to get hurt Fluttershy," Rainbow said trying to hold back tears. "You were my first ever and only friend. Please do it to be safe."

"Ok Rainbow," Fluttershy said.

They got up and walked to the edge of the Forest together. They had one last hug, then Fluttershy ran into the trees, for Rainbow never to see her again.

---

"And that's how I came to live with the Timber Wolves," Fluttershy was finishing telling her story to the Cutie-Mark-Crusaders.

They were in the Timber Wolves' home, listening to Fluttershy tell her story.

"I remember that Summer Sun Celebration," Sweetie Belle said. "After we got home, I asked Rarity what Nightmare Moon meant by the legend." All eyes, even some cub eyes turned to her. "She said, that a thousand years ago, Princess Luna got jealous of her sister, because the ponies who played in Celestia's day, slept though her night," Sweetie began.

"Yeah, I asked Applejack and Granny-Smith too," Apple-Bloom said. "One night, Luna refused to lower the moon to make way for the sun, saying she'd shroud the world in eternal night. The jealousy finally took over, turning her into a mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. The only way to stop her was for Celestia to use the Elements of Harmony on her and imprison her in the moon."

"But it said that on the longest day of the thousandth year of her imprisonment, the stars would aid in her escape, and she would once again bring eternal night to Equestia," Sweetie Belle finished.

"I got told those stories when my parents were still around," Scootaloo said tears forming in her eyes remembering her parents. "I always thought it was an old mare's tail. A bedtime story."

"We all did," Fluttershy said going over to hug the crying filly. "That was why we were so unprepared. I wish I'd listened to my animals better that day. But I was so happy that the celebration came to Ponyville, and Rainbow had just been given the job as head weather pony of Ponyville the day before." Now tears were forming in Fluttershy's eyes.

"Did the yellow one say Elements of Harmony?" Aself - the new Lupin - voice called out to Fluttershy who turned to see him eyebrows raised.

"You know about them Father?" she said facing him.

"Yes. They were found many years ago, by your two princesses, Celestia and Luna, at the Tree of Harmony," he began. "They used them to stop Discord by turning him to stone which stopped his chaos as well. Then later they used them on Sombra, sending him, and the Crystal Empire, to the Frozen North," Lupin said looking at Fluttershy as she heard the stories. "Then as the white and yellow ones said, Princess Luna that day didn't take down the moon, and Nightmare Moon was born. Celestia had to use the Elements on her own sister to bring peace and harmony back to Equestia. Though it was said that now Luna was gone Celestia couldn't work all six elements anymore, and they turned to stone, waiting for the new bearers of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic to come and find them. But no one knows where Celestia put them."

"I never knew that," Fluttershy said shock on her face.

"What?" the Crusaders all said together.

"Father said that the Elements may still be around." Fluttershy said. "Waiting for the new bearers to find them. Wherever they are."

"Well... I may have an idea where they are..." All eyes were on Apple-Bloom. "I once heard my big sister Applejack, talking to my brother about 'em, but they were just standing over boulders, in the throne room of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters."

"How many were there?" Fluttershy asked getting excited that they may have a chance to stand up to the Three Rulers of Equestia.

"Five."

"Oh." Fluttershy said looking upset.

"One of them will only appear once all the other are with it, and a spark of some kind ignites it." Lupin said

"But they are already all together Father," Fluttershy said tears beginning to sting her eyes.

Sensing this was the time to go the Crusaders got up, thanked the wolves, promising to keep the secret of where their home is, and went back to their things, and left for home at the castle.

Comments

[ShadowLDrago]

Wow...