Chapter 5 - Look to the Skies
Hearts Aflutter - Chapter 5
Look to the Skies
She breathed deeply, slowly opening her eyes. She lifted herself slowly from the hospital bed she’d laid her head on, looking blearily around the room. Nurse Redheart stood to the side, a scowl on her face. “You know what I’m going to say, Rainbow Dash. Visiting hours were over... well, hours ago – just like the day before, and the day before that, and-”
“Yeah, yeah...” Rainbow sighed. She hated leaving Fluttershy. She brushed a strand of hair from the sleeping pony’s face, saying, “I’ll come back soon, okay?”
Of course it’s okay, Rainbow.
Dash exited the hospital’s doors, flaring her wings – they’d finally gotten their casts off after... that... and she had to be honest – it felt good to be able to fly again.
She flew around the hospital’s side to peek in the yellow pegasus’ window before returning to the cottage. Nurse Redheart was performing a routine check-up – she looked up, glancing at Rainbow, and sighed at the cyan pegasus, who floated in place, raising a hoof in mock salute, before flying off away from the sunset towards Fluttershy’s house.
Three months.
Three months, Fluttershy had been lying there, dead to the world, and it was all her-
She hit herself over the head. Hard. She was not going to start that again, whether it was true or not. Rarity had said every time she thought that, she’d feel a little worse, and then a little worse again. So she just didn’t think it.
Rainbow didn’t want to think what might have happened if Rarity hadn’t been there for her over the last couple of months since... all of that. If she hadn’t had somepony to talk to, who really understood, like Rarity did... Would it all have happened again?
Thank Celestia for Rarity, she thought.
---
Elsewhere, two unicorns, lavender and white, sat the library. Their conversation spread over topics far and wide, but eventually came back to the inevitable. It was always on their minds.
“Twilight, dear... do you think I’m doing the right thing?” one of them asked. “Do you think I’m actually helping Rainbow Dash, or just making it worse?”
Twilight lowered her book, looking at the white unicorn over the rim. “Well, that depends – is she doing any better?”
Rarity sighed. “That’s my problem – I can’t tell. She’d never show it around us, but I think our dear Rainbow is still hurting, from both the accident and... what happened afterwards. Between you and me, I don’t believe she’s been getting much sleep lately, either. I think she has nightmares about what happened. But I believe the most pressing issue is... well, have you seen her lately? All she does is work, take care of the animals and visit Fluttershy in the hospital.”
“There isn’t anything wrong with that, Rarity – it could just be her way of coping. She’s told us before that she feels closer to Fluttershy when she’s doing things like that.”
“Well, you’re right of course, but that’s not quite what I meant,” Rarity replied, wondering how to put it in a way Twilight would understand. She then told Twilight all about her previous suspicions about why Rainbow had fallen so far into her misery after the accident.
“But when she came to me to apologise, it was obvious that Fluttershy hadn’t succeeded – and now I am completely lost. I’ve still been helping her, of course – she comes to me often to ask questions, or for comfort – but I have no idea what drove her to such extremes, and it’s making it quite difficult. If it isn’t love, then what?”
Twilight’s eyes began to shine at the rare opportunity to let loose her academic side. “Oh Rarity, that’s where you’ve made a mistake. Fluttershy might not have managed to confess, but that doesn’t change anything at all.”
Rarity was utterly confused, and said so, asking Twilight to elaborate.
“You know as well as I do that Rainbow Dash is quite likely the most loyal pony in Equestria. She wouldn’t ever let anything come between her and her friends – any of them. Therefore, this occasion is outstanding from her usual behaviour – an anomaly.”
“You still haven’t told me what you’re trying to say, Twilight.”
The lavender unicorn’s eyes lit up again. “I read about it nearly every day, whether it’s in a work of fiction or a history book from thousands of years ago. Just ask yourself, Rarity. What is the one driving force that has shattered unbreakable bonds of loyalty, time and time again? What is the one thing that could have made Rainbow Dash disregard everything she’d previously cared about, to earn the forgiveness of the mare who she...”
“...Loved most,” Rarity finished, the realisation finally dawning on her. “It is love! But then, how-”
Twilight groaned heavily, interrupting her. “You still don’t get it? It means that Rainbow already loved Fluttershy at the time of the accident – or began to love her then.”
“...They do say that you only realise what you had when you lose it... But it isn’t lost yet,” Rarity said, a hopeful smile on her face. “Oh, imagine it! Fluttershy awakens to see Rainbow Dash by her side, and they tearfully confess their feelings, embracing each other finally, not as friends, but-”
“Rarity, please - you’re getting off track, I think. Though, that would be a happy ending to this whole ordeal,” she added.
“True, true – I really must thank you for your help somehow, Twilight!”
Twilight laughed. “It was nothing – but really, I’m surprised you didn’t figure this out on your own. Anyway, none of this really means much while Fluttershy’s... away.”
“Yes... Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
“That being said,” Twilight added, leaning inwards. “You might want to hear what I’ve been up to lately...”
---
Rainbow arrived at the cottage, entering to find it completely dark. The darkness seemed malevolent – Angel was up to something again.
Darn it, I forgot – it’s prank night.
She lifted slowly into the air, floating over the tripwire at the door, and turned on the lights. Angel sat on the couch, his eyes showing absolute hatred at her easy avoidance of his trap – which, as she looked around, had actually been pretty good. She floated over and removed the pie that had been waiting to swat her out of the air, took a bite, and eyed the rabbit mischievously.
“Nice try, bunny.” It was then that the pie’s flavour became apparent. Angel rolled around the room holding his sides as Rainbow Dash tried and failed to get shaving cream off her tongue.
After a brief chase, she slowed down. It had been a pretty decent prank, and the first one he’d actually gotten her with in a while. As she stood, a squirrel chattered at her, tugging her foreleg and pointing at his food bowl. She instantly switched to Fluttershy mode, feeling a little guilty for staying at the hospital for so long this time.
“Oh my,” she said. “Just wait right here! I’ll get you some dinner right away.” She went off to the kitchen, fixing up some food for all the furry little creatures she’d neglected by getting a decent nap by Fluttershy’s side.
It was really weird, Rainbow decided, that she could imitate Fluttershy so well. But it was a good kind of weird. It made her feel like Fluttershy was right there with her, even though she was really still at the hospital. It was like, by living like ‘Shy did, Rainbow could bring her back to life for just a little while, have her best friend by her side again. Not that she was actually dead, either.
After doing the rounds, she wasn’t in the mood for small talk with the creatures, so she continued floating, up the stairs and into bed. She was still tired, despite her nap at the hospital, but she didn’t go back. Once she’d spent nearly every second at Fluttershy's side, but now she spent more time doing things, rather than moping by the bedside.
Fluttershy wouldn’t want her to put her life on hold just because she was hurt, and so she wouldn’t.
A while later, tossing and turning, Rainbow decided she couldn’t sleep, so she lay there, thinking. She wondered at what point she’d started to feel like she wanted to be there with Fluttershy, to be by her side all the time.
She remembered late nights, much the same as this one, full of tossing and turning, missing the touch of the yellow pegasus... she wanted it to be like that night above the clouds together, so long ago...
But that was a dream for the future, not now.
The tossing and turning began again.
---
“I love you, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said.
A cool breeze swept through the field, red tulips swaying as softly as Fluttershy’s reply.
“Oh.”
“Um... yeah. So, uh...” Dash ruffled her hair. She’d never been good at things like this. “Um... how do you feel about me?”
“Oh, um, you see... I...” Fluttershy mumbled, avoiding Rainbow’s gaze and shying away slightly.
“It’s okay, you can tell me, ‘Shy,” she said, reaching a hoof out towards the other pegasus.
Before it even got close, Fluttershy screamed, “Don’t touch me!”
Rainbow froze. She’d always known this would happen – she’d always known that nopony could love a fillyfooler.
“I’m so sorry, Rainbow, I don’t know what came over me-”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Don’t worry about it. Just forget it.”
“Forget me,” she said, flying off. The farther she got, the more she cried, until finally she woke up, her bedsheets soaked with tears.
She kicked the wall angrily, hastily apologising to the animals she’d woken up.
Why did all her dreams have to be this way?
At least this one had seemed nice at the start.
Rainbow got herself a glass of water from downstairs, unable to get back to sleep. As she sat on the couch, staring through the window as the sun began to rise over the horizon, she wondered just when she’d actually started to love Fluttershy.
A memory made its way to the surface of her thoughts.
~~~
It was Summer Flight School, many years ago.
“Alright fillies, time to feather up! Three laps of the ring circuit, on the double! You miss a ring, you restart the lap!”
“Uh, sir? We’re not all fillies...”
“What’s your point, Dead Weight? Makes no difference when some o’ these fillies can fly better’n you anyways,” he replied gruffly. Rainbow had to hide a snicker – nothing good ever came of laughing during Sergeant Typhoon’s classes.
“On your marks!” Typhoon shouted.
“Get set!”
“Go!”
There was a sudden blur of colour as the colts and fillies began their race. Moving far ahead of the crowd was a blur of all colours, Rainbow Dash far outstripping her classmates, never missing a single turn.
Her three laps were over in an instant, and she was sent to the benches to rest until the next activity was ready.
Eventually she was joined by some of her other classmates, but she paid them no notice, watching and critiquing those still on the track as they went around.
Her eyes were constantly brought back to the yellow filly who’d just joined their class the other day. The filly was terrible at flying – she was still on her first lap, always tripping over the first ring, or never managing to make it to the second on.
One of the cruellest of her classmates noticed her looking, sneering, “Oh, what’s this? Checking out the new flank, fillyfooler?” She and her cronies laughed, high-hoofing, but Rainbow paid them no notice. What wasn’t true couldn’t hurt her.
She looked back to the pegasus – who wasn’t there anymore. Where’d she gone? Maybe she’d dropped again and missed the cloud – Nevermind, there she was, further down the track, with two colts.
What was her name again? Butter Pie? No, no, it was-
“Nice going, Klutzershy!” No, that wasn’t it either... wait, what? “They ought to ground you permanently!”
A steely glint entered Rainbow’s eyes as she realised what was going on – she could handle bullies, but the yellow filly looked about to cry.
The other colt laughed. “My baby brother can fly better than you!”
That’s it.
“Leave her alone!” she shouted, flying into the fray despite the Sergeant’s shouts for her to get back to the bench. This was a cinch. Standing up to bullies was easy.
During their brief exchange, she noticed in the corner of eyes that the filly’s eyes never left her. As the colts flew away to tell Typhoon that they wanted a race, she turned towards the other pegasus and smiled.
“Oh um... Thank you so much! They were....”
“Aw, they’re just bullies. You just gotta learn to fight back!”
The filly’s eyes widened. “Fight back?! Oh, I could never...”
“Well alright. How about we make a deal then - you be my friend, and I’ll fight back for you.”
“... Ok,” the filly said. “...I’m... um... I’m Fluttershy.” Yeah, that was it.
“I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flier in Equestria!”
And she was just about to prove it, defending the honour of a filly she’d just met. She looked into Fluttershy’s blue eyes, coming to a realisation.
Rainbow Dash would always be there for her, no matter what happened.
---
Yeah, that’s when it started.
Of course, on the surface she just thought they were closer friends than anypony else, but deep down... Rainbow supposed she had always known about it. But she’d hidden it away, buried it all under a mass of goals and lifelong dreams – a mask, to hide herself behind forever.
Was it to protect herself from her classmates, because she knew being called a fillyfooler, and knowing it was true, would hurt so much more?
Or was it to hide from Fluttershy, fearing that her best friend wouldn’t feel the same way – or worse, would stop being her friend?
She no longer cared. She wouldn’t hide anymore.
It hadn’t been a long time since she’d realised she loved Fluttershy, but it had been a long time since she started to love her. So much time spent hiding her feelings – and now she might never get the chance to tell her-
She smacked herself over the head again.
Whatever happened, Fluttershy wouldn’t die.
---
“Heya, Cloudkicker,” Dash called, gliding tiredly towards the other weather-pony. “What have we got today?”
“Clear skies ‘til eleven, growing cloudier until a three o’ clock shower, then a nice sunny evening again,” the pegasus replied grumpily.
Rainbow sighed. Occasionally they would get high-maintenance days – this was one of them. As the only two active weather-pegasi in Ponyville, so many changes meant both more work and smaller breaks. For the bigger storms and such, more pegasi would fly in, but most of the time it was just the two of them.
She wouldn’t get to visit Fluttershy today at all - not if Nurse Redheart had anything else to say about visiting hours.
She came to a conclusion. Today would suck.
---
Yup. Today sucked.
There’d been so much work, and she couldn’t even take a nap... her eyes felt like they’d fall out of her head if she didn’t get some shut-eye soon.
It was early evening - the shower had been cleared up, leaving the evening sky free of clouds. Stars were beginning to peek through the slowly dimming sky, the moon just about to start its own journey through the sky.
She flew around town, ignoring most of her usual haunts – she felt like a change, and none of them were particularly great anyway. She passed over the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and then circled around, diving down towards them.
“Ohmygosh! Hi Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo squealed.
“Hey girls,” she replied. “I just wanted to say thanks again for uh... you know. All the times you helped me get past Nurse Redheart. It means a lot to me.”
Apple Bloom chimed in, saying, “Aw, don’t mention it. Any friend o’ Applejack’s is a friend o’ ours!”
“Yeah! Besides, you’d never know if we’d get our Cutie Marks from helping you be sneaky,” Sweetie Belle added.
“Well, I had to say thanks anyway,” Rainbow replied. “So what’re you three doing out so late?”
“We’re planning,” Scootaloo said. “Tomorrow we’re gonna go to Zecora’s and see if we can get a monster hunting Cutie Mark!”
Dash blinked. “What? Zecora doesn’t-“
“Cutie Mark Crusader Monster Hunters, YAY!” they cried, scampering off into the night.
Rainbow sighed and shook her head. Those fillies...
She briefly wondered when Scootaloo would learn to fly – she was sure the little pegasus was old enough by now.
She took off into the air, beginning to search again for a place to crash for an hour or so before heading back to Fluttershy’s.
Eventually she found a tree branch that looked comfortable enough, settling in slowly, sleep already beginning to empty her mind. She laughed drowsily at her last thought before she drifted to sleep.
Fluttershy wanted to be a tree...
---
The hospital room was white as the sun. Fluttershy laid on the bed, the machine that kept her breathing beeping slowly, steadily, at much the same rate it had been for the last three months.
Suddenly, there was a fluctuation in the slow rhythm – another beep, in between where the first and second beeps should be. Then another, and another. It took Rainbow a minute to realise – Fluttershy’s heartbeat was speeding up.
The yellow pegasus’ foreleg twitched, her eyes showing rapid movement under them – and her heart-beat sped up again.
She’s waking up!
Rainbow nearly cried tears of joy right there, but something wouldn’t let her. There was something wrong. Fluttershy’s heartbeat kept speeding up – up and up and up, far past where it should be – and her body started to shake, the seizure causing her to start thrashing wildly... and suddenly, she stopped.
She lifted her head slowly, her eyes opening to a blank white stare. “It’s your fault, Rainbow Dash,” she says sorrowfully.
Then she fell.
Rainbow woke up screaming.
“No... No!”
Suddenly she was on the ground, looking up at the branch where she’d gone to sleep – her wing ached, but it wasn’t too bad. It didn’t seem broken. That would suck so much...
She shuddered, glaring at the sky, vowing to find whoever made dreams and hurt them – that dream had been too cruel. She bucked the tree she’d fallen out of angrily, hating that she couldn’t sleep without Fluttershy nearby. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She could sleep, sure, but sleeping well was an entirely different issue.
Ever since the accident, her nights had been plagued by nightmares of guilt, shame and horror – Fluttershy said that nearly every time. “It’s your fault.”
Rainbow told herself it wasn’t true. It was just a dream – until Fluttershy herself woke up and told her the same thing, she would hold onto the hope that it wasn’t her fault, or that if it was, that she could still be forgiven. She wouldn’t give up hope that one day, she could again be with the mare she loved.
---
Applejack was nearly speechless. Everything that Rarity and Twilight said was true – from all she’d seen of Rainbow Dash since the accident, everything the pegasus had done... it all made sense now.
It wasn’t just guilt or loss that had made Dash ignore everything and everypony else - Rainbow loved Fluttershy.
Pinkie Pie, also told the news, merely laughed, immediately adding it to her new list of ‘Things-That-Parties-Can-Be-For’, and planning to have one as soon as possible – until she was told by the other three that, for Rainbow’s sake, it would probably be best not to. She didn’t understand, but she stopped her planning nevertheless.
“So uh... Ah don’t mean to be rude, but why bring us all the way here just to tell us that? I mean, do you even know if it’s true?” Applejack asked. While it was an enlightening piece of information, it was also just plain gossip, unless they had a better reason for telling her and Pinkie.
“Well, we suspect it is, Twilight and I. The main reason we told you is probably so that we can show her our support if, and when, the time comes for them to finally tell each other. We all know she’s been hurt by other ponies due to this exact subject.” Applejack conceded her point – that seemed like a good enough reason. “The other reason is that I thought you might find it interesting.”
Applejack facehoofed while Pinkie Pie burst out laughing again.
Why did Ah expect anything else?
“The other reason we’re all here is for Rainbow Dash’s birthday the day after tomorrow,” Twilight said. “I have a plan – a surprise.” She looked gleefully at everypony before continuing. Twilight met each of their eyes, a euphoric glint in them.
“I’m sure you all remember our dear friend Zecora?”
Pinkie Pie and Applejack’s eyes widened like saucers as Twilight laid out the plan, the four staying up late into the night working out the details and things that needed to be done. If this worked as planned...
Everything would be perfect.
---
Rainbow stood at the precipice of a cloud, wrangling a dilemma she’d been dealing with since the accident.
Should she continue trick flying? Was the thrill of racing, the adrenaline accompanying high-speed manoeuvres worth the risk of hurting her friends? Hurting Fluttershy again?
Would it even feel the same anymore? Risks aside, would the joy she got while flying still be there, knowing what she’d done, how she’d failed?
Did her Cutie Mark, a thunder cloud and rainbow lightning signifying her love of flying, even mean anything anymore? Or would it just be a reminder of everything she’d done wrong, tattooed on her flank for all to see forever?
She sighed. What would Fluttershy think?
She laughed mirthlessly, imagining the conversation.
“Hey, Fluttershy, I’m not gonna fly anymore, because I’m scared I’ll hurt you again.”
“No! I won’t let you! I mean um, you can’t stop flying! What about all those years of practice, everything you’ve ever lived for, gone just because of a silly accident? What about your dream?”
“It wasn’t just a silly accident – you nearly died, and it was my fault!”
“Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare, Rainbow Dash, even think that it’s your fault! The Rainbow Dash I know would never hurt me on purpose – it was an accident, and accidents leave no room for blame.”
“That-” Dash tried to say, but she was interrupted.
“What would have happened if you’d managed to ‘protect’ me, and our places were reversed when you hit me? You’d have been injured just as badly as I was. But Rainbow, would the Fluttershy you know have had the strength to walk to Ponyville on a broken leg, unable to fly, and in shock from what happened? Would she have been able to get help in time to save you? They had to put me in a coma to stop me from dying on the operating table. Would the pegasus you love have been strong enough to save you? It’s like they always say – everything turns out for the best, somehow.”
“But... Why did it have to be like this at all? Look at everything that’s happened since, all because of me.”
“It isn’t your fault, Rainbow Dash. Nopony blames you at all – not Twilight Sparkle, not Pinkie Pie, not Applejack, not Rarity, not me - because you were doing something you love, Rainbow. Something that nopony can ever stop you doing, because that is who you are. Accidents happen, and mistakes are made, but you can't let one mistake define your entire life. They happen so that they can be learned from. So, Rainbow Dash – what have you learned?”
Rainbow blinked, the imaginary Fluttershy’s words hitting her like a ton of bricks... or a piano.
Could I really have imagined that? She shook her head – of course she could. She must have. But that sure did seem real... It must have been time for another nap... and maybe a trip to Twilight’s for some therapy. Hallucinations couldn’t be good.
Everything turns out for the best, somehow. Dream-Fluttershy was right. Fluttershy wouldn’t have been able to save her, if their places had been reversed.
Nopony blames you, Dream-Fluttershy had said. It isn’t your fault.
Was she right? For three months, she’d endured, unable to accept that she’d done the best she could. Fluttershy was still comatose. Was that really the best Dash could have done?
Everypony seemed to think so. Was it really not her fault?
...She’d have to wait and see.
So, Rainbow Dash – what have you learned?
The whole ordeal had changed her, that much was certain. She’d realised what she was capable of when she stopped caring about her friends. She knew now that those friends were there for her, no matter what she did, no matter how hard she fell. They’d always be there to pick her up again.
She was fast, determined, loyal to the core, and imperfect – yet, with the help of her friends, those imperfections were made meaningless.
She loved flying, and her friends loved that about her. None of them would want her to give that up for a single mistake, no matter how big. She loved her friends, and would never let them down again, no matter what happened. She loved Fluttershy, and wouldn’t hide that from herself or anyone else anymore.
Who was she?
I’m Rainbow Dash – fastest flier in Equestria!
She dove over the side of the cloud, the moonlight giving way slowly to a bright orange from the east. Dawn that morning was much, much more colourful than usual, a loud bang greeting the appearance of the sun over the horizon, a flash of rainbow spreading out, augmenting the sunrise with a spectrum of colour not seen in three months.
Rainbow sped away, filled with joy and contentment, all grief dissipated, the burden of blame off her shoulders.
She sped around the skies, enjoying flight in a way she had not for a long, long time.
Her Cutie Mark shone brightly with an otherworldly light, emerging with a glistening sheen never before seen on a pony flank – if one listened closely enough on a quiet night, they might imagine hearing thunder sounding from the cloud. Touching it, they might feel a slight electrical tingle from the lightning.
And, looking closely, they might also notice three tiny pink butterflies, at rest on a corner of the cloud.
A Cutie Mark symbolised everything a pony was, everything they lived for, not just their special talent. Fluttershy was now part of Rainbow’s very identity.
She wouldn’t have it any other way.
---
“Oh, hey Dashie! What can I getcha?” Pinkie chirped as Rainbow entered Sugarcube Corner.
“Just a cupcake,” she replied. “I’m heading to the hospital to check on Fluttershy soon.”
“Ok! I might come too, I’ve been super-duper busy lately and I haven’t even seen her in like, so long, it seems like forever, and we’re all super busy getting ready for the-” Pinkie stopped realising that she had to say something else. Rainbow couldn’t know what they were planning – or even that they were planning! That would ruin everything! “I really liked what you did this morning, Dashie! Were you and Celestia planning it? That Sonic Rainboom went with today’s colours so well!”
“What were you doing up that early?”
Pinkie handed Rainbow her cupcake, saying, “Oh, silly. A baker always has to be up before dawn! It’s like... the rule! Every baker does it!” Especially when they have to make such a big cake!
Suddenly Pinkie’s shoulder twitched rapidly, and she came out from behind the counter to circle Rainbow, sniffing around the pegasus as if searching for hidden sugary goods.
“That’s weird,” she huffed. “You don’t look any different... Twitchy shoulder means somepony’s different than usual.” She suddenly perked up, her ears standing on end and her eyes glued to Dash’s flank.
“Where did you get Fluttershy on your Cutie Mark?” Pinkie shouted. “That’s so amazingly awesome I can’t even describe it! It’s like when I put vinegar and baking soda together to shoot Gummy into the air on a bottle rocket, except it doesn’t shoot you into the air! It’s just so cool! And romantic! Now you and Fluttershy can be together forever! Just like Gummy and his rocket, until they fall down!”
Rainbow blushed, rushing forward to stop Pinkie from saying anything else. Luckily there were no other ponies around to hear it – word would get out eventually, but she wanted it to stay quiet for now.
“Pinkie, hush! You can’t tell anypony about this yet!” She paused for effect. “Promise me!”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Oh, this is gonna be SO SUPERIFFICALLY SUPER!!!
“Ok, thanks. I’ll see you later, Pinkie!”
---
Applejack was just getting her stand set up when she saw a pegasus zipping through the town square. She managed to catch its tail in her teeth, depositing the mare on the ground.
“Now where y’all off to in such a hurry, Rainbow Dash?”
“I’m going to the hospital to see Fluttershy, now lemme go!”
She released Rainbow, backing off thoughtfully. Applejack couldn’t put her hoof on it, but something about Rainbow had changed. She seemed happier than she had in months, and there was something else too...
“Uh... ya know how early it is right now? Visitin’ hours ain’t till noon.”
That seemed to stop the pegasus in her tracks. Applejack fought the urge to facehoof – clearly that hadn’t crossed Dash’s mind.
“Tell ya what – why don’t ya head over to Rarity’s. You might not like it, but gettin’ a make-over sure does pass time pretty quick. Or gettin’ measured fer a dress.”
Rainbow blinked. “And you would know, because...?”
Applejack’s eyes widened, and she started mumbling to her hooves, “Ah shoot, I’ve gone and done it again.” Looking up, she said, a bit more firmly than she intended, “Y’all run along, I got apples to sell.”
Rainbow chuckled. “Yeah yeah... I’ll be at Rarity’s then, if you need me for anything.”
“Sure.”
Well, that’s my part done. Now Rarity’s gotta stall her fer a few hours - like she'll have any trouble.
Applejack’s eyes widened again as Rainbow flew away to Carousel Boutique, catching a glimpse of the pegasus’ flank, adorned with a thunder cloud, rainbow lightning... and three pink butterflies.
Sweet mother of Luna...
---
“Come in!”
“Hey Rarity, what’s up?”
“Oh, Rainbow Dash! What a pleasant surprise! Oh, and speaking of pleasant, you certainly look happy – much more so than lately, at any rate.” It was true, of course – despite that horridly unkempt mane and a coat that really could use some better conditioner, Rainbow shined.
Was she always like this on her birthday?
“Uh... thanks, I guess. Applejack said I should come here, that you can pass time really quick,” she replied, trotting up to the corner of the shop where Rarity was working.
“Why I should certainly think so! You would not believe how often I have gone for an hour-long spa treatment, only to fall asleep and have it seem over in seconds!”
“I just want to pass the time until the hospital opens for visiting, not some hoity toity...”
This dress can wait.
“I’m not too busy at the moment, dear – would you like to come to the spa with me?”
Say yes, say yes, say yes...
“...Fine. But nothing fancy, alright?”
“Oh, certainly not!”
---
“Aloe, Lotus - give her the Sky Princess.” The twins shared a glance and a very wide grin – they didn’t often get requests for that one.
“Hey! I said nothing fancy!” Rainbow cried, struggling as Aloe and Lotus led - dragged - her to the spa.
“Oh, hush. Just let them work, dear – I’m sure you won’t dislike it,” she said, laughing through her hoof.
---
A pair of hooves worked various shampoos and conditioners through her mane, massaging her scalp at the same time, while another drew a brush through her tail. It was simply... divine.
Rainbow didn’t know how Rarity had talked her into this, but sincerely regretted not being persuaded sooner. Who knew being fancy felt so good!
After hours of pure, blissful relaxation, Rainbow felt better than she had in years! After the massage ponies had had their way, she felt muscles relax that she didn’t know were tense – or even that they existed. Her wings, especially, had been particularly stiff, which she hadn’t even realised – she wondered how it had been affecting her flying, and she was eager to take to the skies again – but later. This was too good.
“Rarity... I don’t know how to say thank you.”
“Oh, think nothing of it, my dear! And think nothing of payment, either. Call it a birthday present, if you must.”
“Birthday?” What? “What day is it?”
“Your birthday. I just said so.” Rarity looked at Rainbow, any trace of expression hidden behind a mud-mask and cucumbers.
“Wow... I completely forgot! Hehe... wow!”
It was Rarity’s turn to be confused – she’d thought Rainbow had been happy because it was her birthday, but that was just proven false. “You didn’t even know?”
“Nope. Not a clue.”
The mares both laughed.
A short while later, Rarity and Rainbow walked back to Carousel Boutique slowly, careful not to dirty themselves – an oddity for Rainbow, for sure.
The unicorn looked at her pegasus friend, noticing – like she’d always suspected – just how beautiful the mare could be if she actually took care of herself better. She’d thought she shone earlier, but now...
Rainbow Dash was simply breathtaking. Rather than her mane looking like a rainbow, it practically was one – the colours flowed seamlessly into one another, and with her mane clean and properly cared for, so many more hues could be seen in the shimmering strands of hair.
The Sky Princess treatment was known for bringing out the best in a pegasus – quite possibly making them look the best they ever would, in Rarity's opinion. Similar treatments were available for earth ponies and unicorns, but Rarity had always found the natural grace of pegasi to far outstrip their earthbound siblings.
It was often said that those who underwent the treatment had the appearance of real Princesses, but that was taken to a far higher level with Rainbow Dash.
Rarity imagined her friend as she was at this moment with a horn – the image was mind blowing.
This perfection had to be captured, somehow. Not to mention, Dash still had to be kept occupied. If she somehow came across Twilight, it could all be over right there and then. “Rainbow, dear, I’d like you to stay a little longer – I want to make you a dress.”
“No, I- I couldn’t. I saw how expensive that treatment was, there’s no way I could...”
“I insist, darling,” Rarity said, putting her hoof down on the matter. “Call it... another birthday present. I insist.”
“...Fine.”
They finally reached the Boutique, and Rarity immediately began to take measurements – when she reached the flank, she nearly bucked herself for not noticing earlier.
Rainbow’s Cutie Mark had an interesting addition.
How sweet, she thought. Well, I suppose Twilight was right.
---
“Now come along, Rainbow – we must get there quickly,” Rarity said, leading a blindfolded Rainbow Dash through Ponyville’s streets. They were nearly there.
“Why do I need a blindfold anyways? It's just at Sugarcube Corner like always, isn't it?"
Rarity didn’t want to lie to her friend, so she continued to beckon her forward, ignoring the question. It was clearly avoidance, but Rainbow was too busy fussing with the blindfold to care.
“I don’t like blindfolds,” she moaned placidly.
“Well, that’s good – we’re here!” she sang, taking off the bandana over Dash’s eyes.
Rainbow opened her eyes, finding herself in Fluttershy’s hospital room. Pinkie had set up a small party inside, and all of her friends were there.
“Surprise!” they called.
She noticed a couple of others in the room - Nurse Redheart left, saying she'd allow the party to go past visiting hours on the condition that she get some cake and they keep quiet, and Zecora, who... Dash didn’t know and couldn’t guess why she was here.
“Thanks, guys,” she said.
The party got underway, Pinkie Pie forcing her – rather forcefully – to open the presents first, practically throwing them at her in her eagerness.
They were cool presents, for sure, but she didn’t know what Pinkie was going so crazy for... until she opened the last one.
Inside was a small glass bottle, corked and labelled with a large pink butterfly.
“Can you guess what it is, Dash?” Twilight asked. Rainbow looked around – everypony suddenly had tears in their eyes. “Zecora and I worked so hard to make it - nearly since the day of the accident.”
Why? “What is it?”
“Your friend, for too long has been asleep - has it not caused all of you to weep?” Zecora said. “But now, this potion, bid her take, and dear Fluttershy shall soon awake.”
Rainbow looked up, torn between disbelief and hope. “Will it really work?”
“Dashie, you should just accept what’s given to you. Everything always turns out for the best!” Pinkie said.
Holding the bottle as if it would break at the slightest touch, Rainbow walked to Fluttershy’s side, the other five ponies – and zebra – looking on solemnly.
She tried not to laugh as Applejack whispered to Twilight, “Why didn’t we just do this in the first place?” Twilight said something in reply, but Dash wasn’t even listening anymore - she was too nervous.
She opened the bottle, preparing herself for what would come. Fluttershy would be awake. She would be here; not a dream or hallucination - the real Fluttershy.
Twilight noticed something. “When did Rainbow’s Cutie Mark change?” she whispered, awestruck.
There was silence, complete and all-encompassing – besides the life support machine’s beeping - and then Rainbow gave Fluttershy the potion. She hoped it would go down the right way.
Seconds passed in silence, then minutes. Minutes stretched into more minutes, the silence broken only by the beeping of the machine, steady as always...
But no – not as always. It was slowly, ever so slowly growing faster. Fluttershy’s heart rate was speeding up – she was waking up!
“It’s your fault, Rainbow Dash.”
She felt a brief jolt of fear at the memory of that dream, but quickly pushed it away.
I’ll let the real you decide that.
Finally, the beeping steadied once more, at the normal rate of a sleeping pony.
Then Fluttershy’s eyes flickered. Then again. She breathed in, much more deeply than she had while on life support. It came out again in a deep sigh, and then her eyes opened. Rainbow looked into those oceans of blue, unable at the last to keep her tears in check. She buried her face into Fluttershy’s mane, great heaving sobs of joy escaping muffled into the air.
“R...Rainbow?" That voice – oh, she had longed to hear it!
"Hey, 'Shy," she said, crying softly now.
"Wh...What’s wrong?”
“Nothing... Nothing at all,” she whispered.
“A-Are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, her voice distant, timid, but caring nevertheless, ever full of concern.
“Nothing could possibly be better," she said - the truth, as it had never been heard before.
“Then... Why are you crying?” Fluttershy asked, laying a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder.
“Because there’s something I should have told you so long ago, but I never did while I had the chance – and now I can try again.”
Taking a deep sniff-breath, she raised her head to look deep into those deep blue oceans again.
“I love you, Fluttershy.” Embracing her tightly, crying fresh tears of happiness into that beautiful pink mane, Rainbow realised that this was probably the best moment of her life.
“I love you.”
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YAY this is Probably my favorite chapter so far, the short hiatus makes me sad though, but this chapter was AMAZING you deserve 5 stars, oh and i LOVED what you did with rainbow Dash's cutiemark very cool idea.
manly tears indeed were shed
Woo hoo.
i3.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/002/796/447px-Manlytears3.jpg
half way through " okay i'm not crying in fact i feel happy" get's to end " (start's crying) so beautiful. may this story be awesome for ever"
dude more manly tears were shed never stop midnight
Fluttershy, "Oh... umm... well... ever since the accident, I realized I don't like you anymore..."
128188 - GASP! Don't tell anypony!
Just kidding...
But seriously.
Everyone is looking at Rainbows ass.
:)
AWESOME CHAPTER
Manly tears! But also
with the new chapter!
This made me unreasonably happy.
[img]ManlyTearsHaveBeenShed.jpg[/img]
My manly tears! They're all over the place!
Bravo!
Sweet mother of Luna...
Best line ever.
As for the story-pretty nice one. Forgive me, if I dont say it was amazing or something, but it was very well written and had good flow.
Still, it was beautiful, especially starting with the moment Dash got her new... STOP! Spoilers.
Never stop this. Really. Just don't.
136181
All things must come to an end, dear brony...
Luckily, this will not come to an end for a substantial amount of time yet.
THERE IS MUCH TO COME!
Manly tears. Havent shed this many tears sense my little dashie. And to Ugugg93 BOO!!
149755 That's true. I just like saying it.
"NOOOOO!!!! I've shed a manly tear!" "YOU'VE DOOMED US ALL!" "ARG-pthpthpthpb!" *Everyone drowns*
Jk. OK! You sir/madam, win so much, that it transcends to Meta Win-Fail Scale, then wraps back from Meta-win to Meta-fail and back again OVER 9000 times, ending in Meta-win*10^(X>9000)!
149842
That could be said much simpler - but you made me laugh. Thanks!
And now, the inevitable comment I've been holding in since the hiatus. I LOVE THIS STORY! I almost cried during ch. 3. Honestly, *thisclose*. Can't wait for moar ponific. 5-stars!
This is excellent. Well done.
*Reads this after starting a similar fic
well... looks like I'm cancelling mine, this is infinitely better
208313
Noooooooo don't do that!
You'll make me feel terrible!
I don't want anypony cancelling a story just because they found a similar one they think is better
We're both authors, dude - we have a story to tell, and any similarities between the stories are just points to compete on.
So, if you think I'm better, then use it.
Aspire to be as good as me (
), and make your writing better because of that.
- Midnight Specter
208332 plus there's the whole serious writer's block thing
209027
... Yeah, you're screwed.
I kid, I kid
There are ways to get past that - doing other things for a while until you get some inspiration, jotting down any ideas you get, even if they're way far off in the future of your fic - then it's just a matter of filling in the blanks.
Or you could write something else entirely. That helps too, though it completely contradicts my previous rant.
lolwut?
- Midnight Specter
209033 yah, that was my plan.
Best FD fic? Best FD fic.
219240
Oh, you flatter me so much... DO IT AGAIN!
I LOVE IT!
- Midnight Specter
So cool. I just loved the part where RD's cutie mark changes.
219248 I'm about to write my first fan fic and wanted to know if I'm allowed to copy the idea of the changeing
cutie marks? That just made me so happy. Still can't get rid of the grin spreading all over my face.
Also mind if I ask if you are in correcting stories or know someone who is doing so? For english being my
second language I'm not this good at writing it. Maybe you can help me. Don't like my head ripped off of
my body for the typing mistakes.
Bronydragon
Happy face.
First time I ever cried of sheer happiness. And I've read some really sad stories, and some really uplifting stories.
But now I can finally understand why my mom always cries at happy endings.
the end was truly beautiful and the story is progressing great so far
Keep it up! and remember, you're a great writer and don't let anyone tell you otherwise
*claps*