Chapter 1
A Hearth’s Warming Swap
Pristine white snow, Cloudsdale’s finest, blanketed Ponyville. Fluttershy trudged through the thick snow as she made her way to town hall. She could have flown, but she wasn’t in a terrible hurry. In truth, she was a little—okay, a lot—nervous of what she was going to ask.
The Mayor had let them use the hall as a place to practice and rehearse the Hearth’s Warming Eve play Princess Celestia wanted them to perform in Canterlot. Fluttershy gave a little shiver that had nothing to do with the cold. The idea of performing in front of so many ponies was terrifying! But everypony was so excited about the idea that Fluttershy didn’t want them to be disappointed, or worse, turn it down on her account. And it was a request from the Princess, after all.
She swallowed nervously, dreading the expected confrontation she’d be having in a few minutes—hence why she was walking. But she soon found she couldn’t put it off any longer as she had finally reached her destination. She gently knocked on the door—and let out an alarmed squeak when the door was flung open and she was abruptly pulled in. “There you are, Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash announced. “We were wondering what was keeping you. Twilight’ll be here any minute and then we can start! I’ve totally been practicing my Commander Hurricane!”
“Um, about that—” She started before Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared, bouncing around them.
“We’re gonna be in a play, we’re gonna be in a play! And it’s gonna be so super fun because we get to dress up and pretend to be somepony else—it’s like Nightmare Night! Oooh! Do you think they’ll give us candy if we show up in costumes?”
Rarity, busy checking her eyelashes in the mirror, let out a sigh as she set her make-up brushes aside. “Really, Pinkie Pie, do calm down. This isn’t simply play-acting—this is a pageant!” She brought her hooves up to her face dramatically. “All of the class and sophistication of Canterlot—”
“With candy canes!” Pinkie Pie added.
Doing her best to ignore her, Rarity pressed on. “—added to the drama of an age-old story that shaped our society.”
“With candy caaaaaanes!”
Now flustered, Rarity hmphed. “It’s the height of cultural events for this time of the year!” When Pinkie Pie gave her a look, Rarity sighed. “Yes, Pinkie, with candy canes.”
Applejack, resting in a chair leaning against the wall with her hat lowered over her eyes, glanced over to the door. “Wonder what’s keeping Twilight. Cain’t do much until she gets here—what with her having the scripts ‘n whatnot…” A sudden burst of magic light heralded Twilight’s arrival … right in front of Applejack. Surprised, the farmpony flailed her forelegs as her chair toppled over, taking her with it. “Ow.”
Rainbow Dash burst out laughing while Fluttershy gasped. “Applejack, are you okay?”
“Ah’m fine,” Applejack sighed. “I landed on mah dignity.”
“Um, okay…” Fluttershy looked to Twilight. “Are … those the script outlines for the play?”
Twilight nodded.There was an old tradition with the Hearth’s Warming Eve pageant. The primary source of information for the events of Hearth’s Warming came from Clover the Clever’s journal. Naturally, as she wasn’t present for all the events, nopony knew for sure exactly what was said. By the time somepony thought to write it all down, years had passed. A tradition arose that, rather than writing a single script out of whole cloth for all subsequent actors to follow, each cast would come up with their own lines of dialogue. While they would keep to the events described in Clover’s journal, each performance of the play was slightly different, making each performance unique and exciting.
What Twilight gave out were the outlines based on the journal. “I have copies for each of you! If you want, I could work with each of you, try to make sure your dialogue is period-accurate…”
“I think we’ll be fine, Twi.” Rainbow snatched one for herself and began to flip through it.
As the others began to crowd around Twilight to get their own, Fluttershy saw her chance to speak to Rainbow privately. Screwing her courage up to the sticking place, Fluttershy took a deep breath—and a rushed squeak came out. “CanItalktoyouRainbowDash?”
Rainbow didn’t seem put off by her nervousness. One grew used to. “Sure Fluttershy, what’s up?” She idly scanned it script. “Could probably make that line sound cooler.”
Fluttershy struggled, unsure of how to start. “Commander Hurricane sure was an, um, awesome pony, wasn’t he?” The use of the word tasted strange in her mouth, like trying a strange piece of foreign food.
Dash nodded eagerly. “He sure was! He repelled the griffon raiders from Cloudsdale and led the attack that drove off the dragon Ancalagon from the northern reaches and...” She gushed on in that vein for a good half minute.
Fluttershy’s smile required a herculean effort to maintain as she felt her spirits fall. Rainbow Dash doesn’t usually get this excited over history … she must really like Commander Hurricane. As she thought about what to do, she was broken out of her reverie by Rainbow lightly rapping on her head. “Hey Fluttershy, you home?”
“Oh!” She blushed, her cheeks pinkening. “I’m sorry! I—it was nothing.” Fluttershy started to back away, but soon found herself blocked by Rainbow.
“Hey, c’mon you can tell me! Is there something up about the play?” Not trusting herself to speak, Fluttershy nodded. “What is it?” Rainbow’s brow furrowed. “You nervous about performing on stage?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh no. Well, yes, but … ooh, this is so hard! Rainbow Dash I—I want to ask you something.”
More confused than earlier, Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “Uh, okay. You can ask me anything, ‘shy. What do you want?” Swallowing nervously, Fluttershy slowly reached out a hoof and pointed to the script in Rainbow’s hooves. “I don’t get it—you’re gonna get your own script, Fluttershy. What is it?”
Fluttershy took the deepest breath she could—and then let it all out in a rush. “I—I want to be Commander Hurricane butonlyifyouwantmetoo!” She clapped her hooves over her mouth, as if trying to take back her words.
Rainbow Dash was nearly rocked back on her hooves. “I—you—what?” Her brain tried to reconcile her mental image of Fluttershy with what she was asking, and couldn’t do it. “Fluttershy, this is Commander Hurricane, one of the greatest heroes of Pegasopolis! He’s brave and fearless and loves to battle and you’re, well, you. Why would you even want—” her question died on her lips when Fluttershy shrunk down and hid beneath her mane, whimpering slightly.
Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Rainbow backpedaled. “I’m sorry Fluttershy, you know I think you’re awesome, right?” She waited for Fluttershy to poke her face back out. After giving her an encouraging smile, Fluttershy nodded. “Right! I guess you kinda caught me off guard. I mean, I didn’t think Commander Hurricane was your kind of thing. You’re a great fit for Private Pansy though.”
“I would really, really like to be Hurricane though,” Fluttershy spoke up.
“But then I’d have to be Pansy!” Rainbow groaned. “She’s so meek and quiet and uncool … and I’d have to act like that in front of all of Canterlot! It’d be so embarrassing...”
“It is a play—we’re supposed to be acting different and pretending to be different ponies,” Fluttershy pointed out. “I think they’d be impressed that you were able to act less like, um, yourself and become somepony totally different.”
Rainbow Dash hesitated and Fluttershy realized that she had a chance. “I don’t know…” Rainbow scratched her head.
“It’s your decision, but I’d be very grateful if you traded with me.” Fluttershy bit her lip, trying to think of how to convince her not to say no. “I’m sure I could do something for you, if it’d help.”
In a bemused tone, Rainbow Dash rubbed her muzzle. “Yeah? I don’t know … I was thinking of going to watch the great dragon migration and could use some company.”
“D-dragon?” Fluttershy’s face paled and her knees suddenly turned to jello. The thought of those giant, fire-breathing creatures were enough to give her nightmares. She almost told Rainbow no and to forget about the whole thing … but then she remembered what had brought her here in the first place. Exhaling, Fluttershy nodded. “O-okay.”
Rainbow Dash, who had tossed the idea out as a joke, was dumbstruck by Fluttershy’s acceptance. She knew how scared Fluttershy was of, among other things, dragons. She thought quickly, trying to cover up her shock. “Well, yeah, and—oh, I wanted to somepony to help me out with some pranks I had planned…”
“Okay.” Fluttershy nodded, throwing Rainbow Dash for another loop.
“Uh, okay … and I wanted a partner to practice some wrestling moves--could probably use one for to practice for the next belching contest I decide to join…”
Fluttershy nodded quickly. “I-I’d love to.”
Rainbow blinked at Fluttershy’s continued agreement. “...You really want this, don’t you?” With an expression that could only be described as ‘sheepish, yet determined,’ Fluttershy nodded. Dash sighed. She was really, really not looking forward to acting like Pansy, but given just how far Fluttershy was willing to go for this, she’d feel like a complete heel if the said no.
“Alright, if it means that much to you—” Rainbow relented with a barely subdued groan. “You can be Commander Hurric—ack!” Fluttershy suddenly surged forward and hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, Rainbow Dash! Thank you thank you thank you!” Fluttershy squeezed until Rainbow felt her eyes bulge.
Who knew Fluttershy could be that strong? She thought as she strained to draw a breath. “Flutter—shy … could you let me go? I kinda need to … breathe?”
Fluttershy quickly released her “Sorry!”
“What’s going on?” Twilight asked as they rejoined the others. “Everything alright?”
Fluttershy nodded, but let Rainbow Dash answer. “Yeah, it’s all good. Me and Fluttershy decided to switch parts is all.”
Twilight looked surprised. “Oh! I didn’t think about that … you sure?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fine. The Princess just wanted us to put on the play—I don’t think she’ll mind if we mix up the roles a bit.”
“If you’re sure.” Twilight swallowed nervously. “I mean, it’s not like I’m playing Clover the Clever, who only happened to be one of the most important and talented unicorns in history. Who I have to represent. For the play. In Canterlot—my home town. In front of everypony.” Her ear began to twitch.
“Come now, it’s all right.” Rarity patted her on the back. “You’ll do marvelously; you’re practically made for the role.”
“But Clover was dignified, elegant—like you!” Twilight looked to her. “I can’t get up there and have everypony comparing me to her. If any pony should be Clover the Clever, it’s you!”
Rarity hesitated. “Oh well … I had wanted to style some of Princess Platinum’s signature gowns—” The pleading look on Twilight’s face stopped her short. “But if you’re sure this is what you want, then I suppose I could try my hoof at it.” She smiled at a grateful looking Twilight. “Perhaps you’ll find some renewed confidence by taking on the role of a princess!”
“Me a princess?” Twilight snorted. “That’s ridiculous. But thank you for agreeing to trade places with me.”
“Reckon that means me and Pinkie should switch too, for reals.” Applejack tipped her hat to Pinkie. “Want to make it three for three?”
Pinkie Pie bounced up and down. “Yeah! Best friend, role swappers forever! Woo!” She cheered.
Rainbow Dash nudged Fluttershy. “See what you started?” Fluttershy almost apologized before she caught Rainbow’s amused smirk. “So, how about we meet tomorrow to go over our parts?”
“That sounds wonderful! Thank you.” She smiled, feeling her heart flutter with delight. She hadn’t thought she would be able to go through with it, but now that she’d taken that first step—it felt good.
The next day found Rainbow Dash knocking on the door of Fluttershy’s cottage.
“Um, come on in.” Fluttershy’s soft voice called out. “I just need to finish feeding Angel!” There was the sound of something hitting a wall and shattering.
Rainbow sighed and opened the door to find Fluttershy was scooping up the pieces of a broken bowl and a scattered salad. An angry bunny scowled foul-temperedly at Fluttershy, then at Rainbow when she entered the room. “Really?”
“I forgot the tomatoes.” Fluttershy explained meekly.
Groaning slightly, Rainbow walked over. “Allow me.” She grabbed a carrot and dropped it right on Angel’s head. “Here. Go eat. We have to rehearse now.”
Angel chittered something angrily, but didn’t refuse the carrot. “I’ll make you another salad later.” Fluttershy promised him. “Rainbow Dash and I really need to go over the scripts for the Hearth’s Warming Eve Pageant!” After Angel crossly hopped away, she turned back to Rainbow Dash. “I was just reading over the scripts earlier. Commander Hurricane seems like he'll be really fun to play.”
“Yeah, Commander Hurricane was pretty awesome,” Rainbow agreed, settling back on Fluttershy’s couch with a martyred grown. “A lot more than Private Pansy.”
“You ... you don't like her very much, do you?” Fluttershy asked gently, her ears drooping slightly.
Rainbow shrugged. “Not really. I mean, really what does she do? For most of the play she's just there being whiny and scared.” She paused and let out an over the top gasp. “Oh no, my own shadow! EEK!” She flew up, then let out another gasp. “Oh no, air!” She dove back onto the couch, nearly flattening Angel. “But I can't get out of the air without touching the ground, and that's scary too! I'm just so scared of everything!” She pretended to sob. Fluttershy shrank down, looking at the floor. “Really, it's just gonna be embarrassing acting like that,” Rainbow sighed in her normal voice. “But it is just a play. I mean, it's not like this is how we really are or anything, right?”
“…Right.” Fluttershy swallowed, biting her lip. “Excuse me, I--it’s a bit dusty.” She hastily rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“You okay?” Rainbow asked after a moment.
“I’m fine! Just … needed a moment to get ready.” She resisted the urge to sigh with relief when she saw Rainbow accept her explanation. She took another deep breath, briefly closing her eyes as she tried to get into character. “I'm Commander Hurricane! I'm brave and fearless! … How’s that?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Okay, that’s a good start. Only don't just say it. Be it!”
“Oh, did I get it wrong?” Fluttershy lowered her head. “I'm sorry...”
But Rainbow shook her head. “No, you didn't get it wrong, you just have to take it to the next level. I mean, you just can't have your character announce how you feel—at least that's what Twilight says,” she added parenthetically.
Fluttershy looked up. “So I have to ... um ... really get in character then?”
“Exactly!” Rainbow nodded firmly. “You're the Commander of Pegasopolis! You have to show that the pegasi are strong and proud, and won't knuckle under to the demands of some spoiled princess or empty-headed chancellor!”
“But Princess Platinum and Chancellor Puddinghead aren't so bad.” Fluttershy objected.
“You're the Commander of the pegasi,” Dash pointed out. “That means your first responsibility is to do right by them—and they're starving! And it's up to you to save them!” She picked up Angel, ignoring his angry flails. “You know how hard you try to make him happy and well-fed? Well now you have to do it for an entire city! And the other leaders are in your way.”
“Oh right. Sorry, I forgot. I need to be strong. And not apologize. Sorry, I'll—” Fluttershy frowned, raising her head and stand up on the couch. “No. Wait. I'm not sorry! Because Commander Hurricane is never sorry!”
Rainbow Dash whooped, tossing Angel into the air. “That's it! Now you're getting it!” Angel landed neatly on a nearby pillow, gesturing rudely at her.
Buoyed by Rainbow’s praise, Fluttershy gave her a nervous, but hopeful smile. “I am?” She paused, quickly getting back into character. “I mean, of course I am! I'm Commander Hurricane! I always get things right because I'm fearless and awesome!”
“Right!” Rainbow Dash cleared her throat, trying to force herself to sound as soft and meek as possible as she got into her own role. “Oh-oh, but um, are you sure? I'm sorry! I mean, maybe we could possibly perhaps think of maybe sharing with the others?”
“Maybe we could share with them?” Fluttershy snorted indignantly. “Maybes are for babies! Feeding us is the earth ponies’ job. That was always the deal. We give them good weather and protection, they give us food. If they can't keep up their end of the bargain...”
Rainbow Dash crouched down, trying to make herself seem small. “But then what do we do? Everything's so cold ... my feathers are freezing and we're all so hungry.”
“We'll figure out something. And sitting and crying isn't a solution, Pansy.” She said sternly.
“Oh, I'm sorry...”
“Never apologize. It's a sign of weakness. Now find a way to solve the food problem.” Fluttershy paced back and forth.
Rainbow timidly spoke up. “We could always try working with the other tribes. They're hungry too.”
Fluttershy whirled on her. “No, the earth ponies are already holding back food, and the unicorns are probably using magic or something. They'd just try to cheat us!”
“But w-what else can we do? Everything here's frozen and our food stores are running out.”
“We'll go somewhere else. We'll be better off without having to waste all our time taking care of the earth ponies and unicorns anyway.” Fluttershy snorted contemptuously.
Rainbow flipped through a few pages, to the part where the ponies had found what would become Equestria and were preparing to fight over it. She waited until Fluttershy caught up with her before resuming. “I think we should stay calm, sir…” Rainbow raised her hoof.
“When I want you're opinion I'll give it to you, private,” Fluttershy snapped in something just short of a parade-ground bellow. “We need to be strong and fearless, private. Not a bunch of whining fraidy-cats.”
Rainbow quickly pulled her hoof down, whimpering. “Yessir.” Then she grinned widely. “You're doing great Fluttershy! You'll knock 'em dead in Canterlot.”
“Of course I will! I'm Commander Hurricane!”
“Now I just have to work some more on my Pansy … any ideas?
Fluttershy replied almost immediately. “Be scared of everything and be weak and useless, like you said.” Her wings twitched.
“Heh, yeah I guess,” Rainbow stood, stretching. “Sounds like you're pretty good at getting into character's heads, 'Shy. Maybe you missed your calling.”
“Oh, I don't know about that—” Fluttershy demurred, before catching herself and puffing out her chest. “But I suppose I am good at acting.”
Rainbow nodded. “I'll say! How'd you get so good at getting Hurricane?”
“I just tried to imagine how y—” Fluttershy paused, then appeared to cough. “Excuse me, I just tried to imagine how he would act. Hurricane that is.”
“You must be a big fan of his—you got him down awfully fast.” Rainbow stood next to her. “Wait until the others see how good you are. Bet you they’ll be totally jealous.”
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash, surprised that she stood at eye level with her. She thought for a moment that perhaps she had undergone growth spurt before realizing what the cause really was—she was crouching down or had her head lowered. She was standing tall and proud. “Thank you. I guess I really am talented.”
“Yeah you are!” Rainbow patted her back with a wing. “Didn't think you had it in you.”
“Of course I did. And you make a good Pansy.”
“Gee, thanks,” Rainbow’s tone was only slightly drier than Saddle Arabia. “I can't imagine having to be like that all the time.”
Fluttershy paused. “I would never want to be like that. I'd rather be like Hurricane.”
“Me too.” Rainbow ruffled Fluttershy’s mane slightly. “You’re pretty awesome, ‘Shy.”
“Yes.” A proud smile crossed Fluttershy’s face. “Yes I am.”
Angel impatiently tapped his paw against the floor, waiting for his new salad. Fluttershy looked at him, frowning. “I made you a salad and you decided to throw it on the ground. So now you can have a carrot to hold you over until dinner. Maybe that’ll teach you not to have a temper tantrum.” Fluttershy trotted past the stunned bunny as his carrot fell out of his mouth in shock.
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Talk about being on a roll, you're just pumping out stories
Putting Your Hoof Down equivalent? Now I'm excited to see where this goes.
So we have a story with Aj, one with rarity, and one with Flutters...i guess his leaves Pinkie and Twilight.
What the angling fuck is dashverse
6789840 The dashverse a series of alternate universe fanfics Trinary wrote where Rainbow Dash was Princess Celestia's student instead of Twilight.
Here's the otherstories currently in the series in chronological order.
Rainbooms and Royalty
May the Best Friends Win
Hot Heads, Cold Hearts and Nerves of Steel
Rainbow Triumphant
Wedding Bells Bug Hunt
Storm on the Prairie
Diamond and the Rough
6790065 Thats dumb
You have a solid story here. No major grammar and spelling issues, everyone is about as in character as they can be, in a verse I like. My only problem is the update rate (about 2.25 months to get another chapter out). here is hoping you have more time and inspiration to get the chapters out.
Another good story. Really excited about this one.
Go 'Shy! Show that miserable bunny who's boss!
Nice! I'm loving Fluttershy getting too into the role. This is gonna be a fun one to keep up with.
So far so good. Let's hope that Fluttershy does better with the
Rainbow DashCommander Hurricane attitude adjustment than she did with Iron Will's.I was expecting the polar opposite outcome of this plotline- for everypony to struggle in their uncomfortable roles.
What appears to be happening is that they're going to get too into it, and maybe do a bit too well. Well- maybe Fluttershy will. I am sensing a smidge of Iron Will Syndrome here- I hope it doesn't get out of hand.
Then again, if there were no problem, there'd be no story, right? Looking forward to the next.
Oh I'm going to ~Love~ this. This is WAAAAY better than having Iron will to YELL SOME ASSERTIVENESS INTO HER!!!
I still love you Iron Will~
That last bit though,
I LOVED it. This is the kind of assertiveness and tough love that Fluttershy needs to have!
I always thought Applejack and Pinkie would've done better in the other's role, but switching up everybody is going to make this story flat out hilarious. Fluttershy most of all, of course, especially if she keeps her persona up off-stage more and more (as seems to be the case). Can't wait to read more.
Rainbow just gave Shy a mental break by over exaggerated actions of scared behavior pushing her to embrace Hurricane as a security blanket. Oh boy.
6789604 a Putting Your Hoof Down equivalent that isn't immediately over-the-top rage monster?? Thank God.
What can I say that hasn't been said already?
We get to see some Shy Rainbow and Assertive Flutters together. *SQUEE*
Good. Now let's hope Fluttershy doesn't go insane.
So far, it's a really great story
Your descriptions have a lot of details and clever references to the show, the characters are all in character (or swapped character) ... I can't really complain about anything, is's hilarious and spot-on 
Love this line.