Dash jets on: RotE Episode 2

by Dream Volt

Fluttershy's hat

I couldn’t find it. I know it's a little hard to see from the air, but that was just odd. I thought slowing down would be enough, but I still couldn't find Fluttershy's cottage. I had gone back to try to follow the road out of town, but it was like the path just ended way before it should. I landed to look where it now tapered off, and could just barely see the former path under the greenery that sprung up. On the ground I could just make out something in the distance where her house should be, but it looked even less like a house than normal. I lifted into the air and take off, but then heard a timid voice behind me,

"Rainbow Dash?"

I spun to see Fluttershy only a few feet off the ground behind me. She was wearing that hat again of course. She really refused to take it off. It had been bugging me for a while. Even more since when I mentioned to Pinkie she said that Fluttershy couldn’t be hiding something with her hat because Fluttershy told her she wasn't. I decided it was best not to correct Pinkie for a few reasons. The main one being what I called the birthday incident, though I hadn't talked to anypony about what I saw, just gave them a general warning with no explanation.

"I was just looking for you Flutter. Mare, your path is way overgrown. I don't get how it got that way. I mean it's crazy, and I can't even make out your house from here."

"Yes, the plants have grown a lot, haven't they?" she then smiled broadly.

"Uh, yea. Uh, it's not a problem or anything is it? Because I could have sworn…"

"Oh my no, not a problem at all. No need to talk to anyone, just healthy plants, nothing weird about that."

Then she smiled really big again. Nothing wrong my flank. I then flew into the air and snatched her hat, wondering if maybe it was connected somehow. I flopped it down on my head, not wanting to carry it around, even if it was totally not cool enough for me. I stole AJ's hat all the time and it wasn't that much cooler, but that wasn't about really wearing the hat either I guess. Fluttershy was gone. I was a little confused. I then heard whimpering coming from nearby bush. I took a step closer to see if I could see Fluttershy, but then the whimpering got louder and I could hear her shaking. I stopped.

"There really is something you're hiding with the hat. Flutter, you can tell me anything. Ya know that right? You can count on me for whatever you need."

"Then, please, give it back. Just let me keep it secret."

I sighed. "Fine."

I tiled forward hat starting to fall off my head, then grabbed the hat's brim in my mouth as it fell. Then with a flick of my head sent it flying to the bush. It landed just above where I thought Fluttershy was. I am so awesome. Her head poked up under the hat a moment later. Then she smiled gently. Then she tackle hugged me. She then quickly let go and got up and made sure her hat was strait.

"Oh thank you Dash." Her voice then got quieter. "Sorry about knocking you over."

"Okay, but if it's something really weird, you should really just talk to Twilight about it. Pinkie isn't the only one weird, something is up with AJ and me too, though it isn't quite as extreme as Pinkie."

"Really? But you look normal."

"Actually that's what I want to talk to you about. I have to talk to somepony about it. I sorta don't want to, but sometimes flying doesn't help."

"Oh my, uh, lets go to your house, it would be more comfortable for you I'm sure."

I turned to Fluttershy. "Something is wrong with your house, isn't it?"

"Not wrong, it's just messy and overgrown." She smiled "Don't worry, it's fine."

"Look, I won't tell anypony, but you should probably tell somepony what's going on. It's probably more of this magic surge weirdness Twilight was talking about."

"Uh maybe." She gently lifted into the air. "I haven't been to your house in a while. It will be nice to see any changes."

"I don't think anything's changed, but it is still awesome. I can start filling you in on some other stuff on the way. Please try your best to get there fast though okay?"

"Okay."

Then Fluttershy took off, and I followed. Sometimes I led but I had to be so careful not to completely outpace her if I did. She seemed a little faster for some reason, like she did a little training or something. Also I could swear her wings are a little bigger. I was about to dismiss that completely, but then remembered one of the most terrifying moments of life. Pinkie with a horn, suddenly adding a pair of wings to that. It was literally one of my nightmares come to life. I get now what Twilight was saying, but it still really freaked me out.

"OOO, hello Rainbow Dash. Hello Fluttershy."

I sighed. I could hear the slight buzzing noise behind us. Twilight also went on and on about how with no pegasus magic it was absolutely impossible for Pinkie to fly. Maybe she could glide, but even that was unlikely. Except I noticed every time Twilight said something like that Pinkie got this look her eyes. A determined look probably not unlike the look I did when they said the rainboom was impossible. I think Twilight was really the only one entirely surprised when Pinkie found a way anyway.

Pinkie was good enough now that the wings, horn, or shrinking herself to foal size was completely under her control. Right now it was just the wings. Said wings were flapping up and down so fast they were a blur, just like a hummingbird. Twilight actually found this more unbelievable than Pinkie gaining pegasus magic suddenly. Twilight did prove she didn't of course, via some very boring tests. I still don't know how to feel about it, but when I turned to see Pinkie hovering there with her wings going so fast I couldn't help but smile a little. It was just so Pinkie.

"Oh, hey Pinkie, you need anything."

"Hello." Said Fluttershy.

"We were just going to my house Pinkie."

"Oh, you mean your cloud house. Made of clouds. Clouds I totally can't rest on?"

"The same."

"Uh, maybe we'll talk later then. Yea."

I laughed. Twilight was right though, no matter how different she looked, Pinkie was not a pegasus, and unless she bugged Twilight for the cloud walking spell she would fall right through clouds. She also had a tendency to forget this, and would often stop flapping and fall right though the floor. She then laughed of course, because she was Pinkie. There were some other things that I noticed as well. She was fairly fast in the sky, and highly maneuverable, but her top speed was even lower than Fluttershy's. Not that I'd seen Fluttershy reach her top speed more than about twice. It also really tired her out. Of course Pinkie and a lack of energy are not really compatible concepts so I'm sure that is not going to last. I think it's already fading. A little training can do wonders, even if you don't think of it as such.

"Uh maybe…" Fluttershy began then stopped. "Oh my, wait. I'm sorry. It would really be nice if it was just us Pinkie. Dash wants to talk to me alone."

She nodded. "Okie doki lokie. I'm not going to be a silly Pinkie and worry about my friends plotting behind my back again." She then laughed. "Besides I'm getting the not fun dizzy again, and nurse Readheart says that's probably bad."

Fluttershy and I nodded. I was briefly really worried about Pinkie hurting herself. Then realized, it's Pinkie. Then Pinkie stopped and frowned slightly.

"Aww, you tore your hat. So sad. It's a nice hat."

"T-t-t-tore?" said Fluttershy, suddenly wide eyed.

"Yea, there is an itsie bitsie teeny weeny hole. It's probably that naughty little branch sticking out."

"Branch? Noooooo…"

And Fluttershy was gone. I was really impressed. I did not think she could move so fast. Though I guess she always did speed up when scarred. Still, after a slight smile I frowned. Pinkie put one hoof behind her head, and rubbed it. Then she suddenly laughed. Then she looked down.

"Sorry Dashie, it's just fun not to worry about balance and…"

"I get it. I also know you didn't mean to upset Fluttershy but…"

She gasped. "Omigosh, you mean she didn't just forget she left the stove on? I haven't done that in years but…"

"Weather patrol is also the fire patrol, so yes Pinkie, I remember. Though I remember the times when I didn’t have to help put them out fairly well too."

"Oh yea. So, what did you need to talk about?"

Then Pinkie suddenly dropped about five feet. I quickly circled down to the ground and landed. She eventually took the hint and joined me. When she landed her wings vanished with a meaty "slurp" that disturbed me every time.

"Pinkie, I don't want to be mean but…"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be a silly filly Dashie. You want to understand something better by talking it out right."

"Yea, and well…"

"I'm awful with that. I know. I used to talk to myself like all the time, but I was tired of being confused all the time so I stopped."

I laughed. "Random to the power of random."

"Ooo, good one." She laughed. "It's even sciencey. Oh! You should talk to Twilight. She knows the best about everything and…"

"Pinkie, I already thought of that, but I already bugged her once today and Fluttershy is always a good listener so…"

"Oooo, Applejack, she…"

"No. I don't want to bug her either, and besides I want to discuss it, and AJ is going to be real stubborn about whatever she believes. It's sort of about cheating and…"

"Huh? Did you cheat?"

"That's the question."

"Well, then you need to talk to Rarity. She loves to talk and talk and talk. She's like super talkie. Mostly about herself, but sometimes she talks about others. Ooo, like Blueblood. Well, I guess that's more complaining. I mean calling him a…"

I stuffed a hoof in her mouth. "That's enough Pinkie. You're right. Besides, Rarity has helped me work through something like this before now that I think of it, so she might be an even better choice then Fluttershy."

"Okay, then I gotta roll. Later."

Pinkie then dropped to the ground and proceeded to roll around on the grass. I then took to the air, and gave a wave before I zoomed off for Rarity's. Maybe this really was right up her alley now that I think of it. Twilight was smart but she was also just a little too by the book. Now that I think of it I could guess her answer. Rarity was crazy uptight about some things, but other things she was much more open minded about.